Emma looks at the menu without taking in a single word. She is too focussed on not staring at Hook. He has upgraded his earlier outfit with a black vest, which, being a simple vest and all, has absolutely no right to look this sexy. She has to admit that he does clean up nicely. Although that's not quite true, even in his pirate garb he is always impeccable, not a single hair out of place.
"Would you like some wine, love?"
And the way he keeps saying that word in that damn accent of his should be downright illegal. Get a grip on yourself, woman, she thinks, appalled at how easily she let herself be distracted by him.
"No, thanks."
Alcohol is out of the question. She still has to drive them home anyway.
She put off going on this date for as long as humanly possible, even doing some of the paperwork piling up on her desk. Paperwork seemed to be the one thing transcending all versions of reality, always available in abundance. But at some point David started giving her curious glances and she had to admit defeat and go home. And then on to this date.
Hook picked the restaurant, arguing that she had no clue how to plan a proper night out. She started to protest until she realized that he might have a point. She wondered briefly how he found the place anyway, seeing as he doesn't know the first thing about the internet. The car ride was surprisingly awkward, a strange tension in the air between them.
She really isn't looking forward to this evening. She sighs and puts the menu down again.
"We need a plan."
Hook seems startled by the sudden change in conversation, then he nods.
"Aye."
"Let's start with the message you received. What exactly did it entail?"
"It just said that a new curse had been cast and to get you as your parents were in great danger."
Emma's eyes narrow in concentration. "Not much to go on."
"Whoever sent it must have intended to lure us into the curse as well. I've given it some thought and I'm relatively certain we were being affected by the curse when we crossed the town line. But then something stopped it, something helped us retain our memories."
Emma starts chewing her bottom lip, deep in thought. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that as well. When it happened it felt as if something in me resisted. Like my magic was trying to protect me. When I reached for you, it must have done the same for you. I know it sounds far-fetched, but that's the only theory I've got."
Hook smirks. "I've heard far less believable tales in my day. Do you think the person who cast the curse is in town?"
Emma is surprised that she hasn't thought about this herself, it's such an obvious assumption. "Could be."
"So, we find the person who cast it, we find out why they cast it and hopefully we find a way to break it in the process." He looks at the menu as if he's done with this topic, then he looks back at her. "Now, can we at least try to have an enjoyable evening?"
She raises an eyebrow at him. "Well, I suppose I can pretend to have an enjoyable evening, seeing as it's our anniversary."
He lifts his hand in mock surrender. "I'll take it."
Emma cannot quite leave it alone just yet, though. "Do you think we were part of the curse from the beginning? Like the house with all the stuff was already there? Or did that appear the moment we entered town?"
Hook furrows his brow. "It seems to me the most logical assumption that it appeared once we did. It could be that this curse has a way of protecting itself by incorporating any soul who enters Storybrooke."
"I guess."
"Great. Now, can we order something? I'm starving."
"Well, excuse me for trying to figure out the thing we're supposed to be working on."
Hook sighs, then waves to the waiter and orders. Emma realizes that she still has no idea what's on the menu. She picks it up again and orders the first thing she sees.
"What's the hurry, love?"
"With breaking the curse? Well, for one, somebody did this for a reason and I'm sure they're up to no good. Secondly, I highly doubt we'll be able to hold up this charade for long. One of us is bound to slip up sooner or later." There is a pause, then she adds, with something akin to dread in her voice. "Plus, we need to break the curse before next week Wednesday."
Hook raises an eyebrow in that infuriating way of his.
"Well, that's oddly specific."
Emma fidgets in her chair. The prospect of what happens if they don't break the curse by next week Wednesday is so horrendous that she doesn't even want to think about it.
"It appears, from what I gathered on my day with David, that we and my parents have a long-standing tradition of a couples night every two weeks."
The way she says the word suggests that it might be some terrible disease for which no cure has been found yet.
Hook laughs. "Ah, Swan, I'm sure it is not as horrendous as you make it sound."
Emma looks at him with fear in her eyes. "We probably play games. Like charades. Or Taboo. Oh God. I cannot go on what amounts to a double date with my parents."
"Aye, if you phrase it like that it does sound a bit disconcerting."
Emma nods, her eyes still wide with fear. Hook look at her, then breaks out in a grin.
"It's not funny! This could traumatize me for life!" She might be overreacting a tiny bit, but c'mon. A double date with her parents. She shudders.
He lifts up his arms in a defensive gesture. "You have to admit it's a little funny."
"I have to admit no such thing." She is practically pouting at this point and she knows it.
Hook looks at her and the expression on his face changes into something much like fondness and she really cannot deal with this right now on top of everything else. Something must have shown on her face, because he clears his throat and quickly turns away, retrieving a plastic bag he'd stored under the table.
She looks at it in horror. "You got me a present? I didn't get you a present. You are aware that this is a fake anniversary and-"
"Relax, Swan, I didn't get you a present. After you left this morning, I merely discovered my chosen profession in this life and I wanted to show you."
He produces a book from the bag and hands it to her. Emma looks it over curiously. Her eyes widen when she spots the author's name. Killian Jones. She turns it over and reads the blurb. It's an adventure story. The main character is a twelve-year old boy, who realizes that fairy tale characters are real and hiding in the modern world. You have got to be kidding me, she thinks.
She opens the book on a random page and reads a few paragraphs. It's actually quite good. She can easily emphasize with the hero.
"Swan?" She looks up and is met with a smug-looking Hook. She might have gotten a bit more engrossed in what she was reading than she had intended. Still, he shouldn't be looking smug, it's not like he actually wrote it.
She drops the book on the table and scoffs.
"Please. This is ridiculous. As if you could be an author."
Hook looks hurt for a split-second, then his expression turns carefully neutral.
"I'll have you know that many a woman has told me that I have a way with words."
Emma still hears the hurt in his voice and wishes she could take back her careless words. She tries to make up for it by picking up the book again and opening it.
To my son, Henry. Never stop believing., she reads on the first page.
She takes a deep breath. This damn curse is just an emotional roller-coaster.
She clears her throat. "Where did you find this, anyway?"
"Remember the big book shelf in the guest bed room? It was there. Along with the other four best-selling novels I wrote." His voice has taken on that smug note again, and for once she's glad to hear it. "It also appears that I dedicated a book to your father. Who apparently is an inspiration to me."
"You're kidding."
"I wish I was."
"Wait, how can you be a best-selling novelist? Wouldn't people outside of Storybrooke have to know you?"
"You keep asking me these questions, love. I'm no expert on curses. Maybe we should talk to the Evil Queen."
Emma grabs her phone and googles him. Her eyes widen in shock. Once upon a time in Maine by Killian Jones. Available on Amazon.
"How can you possibly be on Amazon? What the hell is going on here?"
"I recall a memorable night spent under an Amazon, though I am not quite sure how that is relevant to our present discourse."
She looks up, confused, and he gives her that wicked smile that makes her want to wipe it off his face every damn time. She rolls her eyes.
"Your books are available on a website. That means people outside of Storybrooke have heard of you. Which is impossible, since as we experienced, the curse only goes as far as the town line."
Hook looks thoughtful, his earlier playfulness gone.
"I don't know what to answer to that, love."
Emma throws up her hands in frustration.
"This whole curse is insanely detailed anyway." She picks up the book and shakes it slightly. "I mean, who wrote this? And then the whole-", she almost brings up the photo album, but stops herself just in time. "-stuff at the house", she finishes lamely.
Hook must have thought about it anyway, because she sees a slight blush creep up his cheeks and it's adorable and sweet and damn him.
"Although I guess there are some holes. I mean, shouldn't you have a study? A place to write?"
He seems grateful about the change in topic.
"Ah, Swan, if you'd read the information about the author in the back of that book, you'd know that I'm quite eccentric and prefer to write outside, drawing my inspiration from the atmosphere and energy around me." He makes a grand gesture with his right hand. "Which is why I decided to move to an idyllic small town in the middle of nowhere."
"Okay, looks like they, it, whatever, thought of everything."
Hook is suddenly serious again.
"Have you considered the possibility that there is something wrong with us?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, clearly something happened to us. But what if it's not a curse. What if this is the real world and the two of us are just in the grip of some form of madness? What if our memories are the ones that aren't real?"
Emma just stares at him, unwilling to even contemplate that idea. He's staring at her with a serious expression. Then she spots the corner of his mouth twitching and realizes that he's messing with her.
She makes a relieved sound somewhere between a laugh and huff.
"Almost had you there, didn't I, Swan?"
He has a radiant smile on his face now and she cannot help but smile back at him.
"Nonsense. I knew you were messing with me from the start."
He laughs and the serious mood that had settled over them is broken.
To her utter and complete surprise, they spend a delightful evening from then on. While they share a dessert, she spots him looking at her again with that mixture of fondness and affection and her stomach does a strange somersault.
She reminds herself sternly that this is a fake date, a fake relationship. He's a pirate. Walked straight out of a children's book. He's from a completely different world, for God's sake.
As far as she knows he spent decades focussed on nothing else besides his revenge. In spite of the time they spent together in Neverland, she doesn't know him all that well, doesn't know for sure what kind of man he really is. He seems honest and truthful, at least were she is concerned, but can she really afford to take a chance on him?
She thinks back to the moment she chained him atop the beanstalk. The honest surprise and confusion and hurt in his eyes. I can't take a chance that I'm wrong about you. The words still ring clear in her mind. Back then, she'd already been doubtful about her decision. Since then, he's helped save Henry and come to New York for her.
"You know, you could at least pretend to listen while I'm talking." The words have a teasing edge, but he's smiling at her. It's true, she cannot recall a word he has said in the last few minutes.
She looks away, ashamed that she let her thoughts wander. When she looks back up, their eyes lock and she sees a multitude of emotions flicker over his face. And she knows that there could be something here, with the two of them, if she gave it a chance. It still comes down to the same question. Can she afford to take a chance on this man?