Tales of the Past

The Storybrooke library rarely had any visitors since it reopened. Ever since it had been closed up, no one had bothered to try and open it to the public again. The trouble wasn't worth it and Regina had bigger issues to deal with once Emma had shown up in her small town. Now that it was back in business, it looked much cleaner—thanks to Belle—and more welcoming. As Scarlett stood outside she could tell how much work her newest friend had put into it. She stared at the doors before she nodded to herself and walked inside.

The doors opened with a loud creak, a head poking out from behind a large bookshelf.

"Hello?" a delicate voice called out, Scarlett smiling.

"Belle?"

"Rose-Red?" Mr. Gold's beloved said as said woman smiled and waved, closing the library door. "How are you?"

"Good, yourself?" the auburn haired woman asked as she took a seat at an empty table, the beautiful damsel running the library joining her.

"Good…strange, but good," she said with a chuckle as Rose-Red chuckled with her. The two quickly broke into conversation, Belle enjoying the interaction with another person and Scarlett trying to hide her nervousness. She kept her hands locked together in her lap as she and Rumplestiltskin's happy ending talked about Storybrooke and the strangeness of their lives.

"Belle," Rose-Red began as she wore a nervous smile. "I—" Her hazel eyes widened as she fell into a fit of coughs, her throat burning slightly. Belle's pale, blue eyes widening. She quickly reached out and gave her companion's back a gentle pat, the coughing woman taking a deep breath and sighing. She cleared her throat and smiled as she shook her head.

That was not a sign to stop her plan.

"Sorry, I don't know what got into me."

"Are you sick?" the gentle young lady asked as Rose-Red shook her head.

"I don't fall ill that easily…I've only ever been truly sick once in my life," she explained as her eyes softened. Her expression fell, Belle taking quick notice of that. She watched her friend closely, her own expression softening.

"…Rose-Red?"

"Sorry! Actually, Belle, as I was saying before," Scarlett began as she shook her head. "I have a favor to ask from you."

"What is it?" the sweet maiden asked as Rose-Red smiled weakly.

"…I need you to help me find a key."

~X~

Something was wrong.

In her entire life, Rose-Red had never felt so terrible. It was as if her entire body was being compressed. She couldn't breathe and she couldn't stop from trembling. The heat flashes were taking a toll on her, confusing her and causing her cheeks to flush. She frowned at the massive headache that suddenly appeared, causing the sunlight in the room to seem much brighter than it truly was. Her throat was far too dry for her liking and no matter how much energy she put into getting up, she could only move by inches.

Looks like you've caught a cold, she said to herself as her glazed hazel eyes flickered to her closet. She groaned as she forced herself to sit up. She sat still for a second, hoping the world would stop its spinning. After a few seconds, the ill-struck girl stood to her feet, hobbling to her dresser. She used all the strength she had to open the door, changing at an achingly slow pace. She winced as she closed her eyes, moving a bit too quickly for her body's liking. Taking a moment to collect herself, Rose-Red sighed, changing into a clean set of clothes.

After what felt like centuries, the 25-year-old found herself out of her room and in the empty sitting room. She glanced at her empty couch and the folded blanket and for a second, she had wished that she was wrapped up in the blanket. She shook her head at the thought, making her way to her kitchen to wash her face. It wasn't until the chilled water hit her face that she realized just how warm she was. That didn't matter though. There was far too much to do for her to lounge around. She needed to find dinner and clean and wash some of her clothes—

Her train of thought was cut off by a rose sitting on a book that a certain pirate had been reading the night before.

Suddenly, Rose-Red wasn't so concerned about her chores. She merely rolled her eyes with a small smile, gently grabbing the rose and making her way back to her room for a moment. She stuck the rose with the others before she sighed.

"That's 26," she muttered to herself as she smiled, the lightheadedness returning quickly.

It was going to be a long day.

~X~

He'd been searching for hours. His hand was almost numb and he was sure that he'd have to cut off his foot soon enough. If it wasn't for his borrowed cloak he surely would have frozen to death from the cold, brutal winds of the winter.

Killian rolled his eyes at that.

"Bloody thing has to be here somewhere," he muttered. He couldn't leave without it. It was the key of bringing him to success. Once he obtained what he was looking for he'd finally find a way to kill his crocodile.

Perhaps then he could move on with his life.

The pirate sighed as he stood from his crouching position, looking around the snow-covered forest. He stretched and sighed before he glanced over at a perfectly green shrug filled with white flowers. He smirked at that before he shook his head and sighed, his frown returning. The boy said that he found it somewhere around that bush, he said to himself as he sighed and shook his head. He pulled the hood to his cloak over his head as he glanced up at the sky, gray clouds suddenly setting in. His frown deepened as he rolled his eyes.

He couldn't wait for spring.

The walk back to the tiny cottage in the forest had been a quick one; there was no way Killian would be caught in a snowstorm. That was the last thing to do on his list. So he made sure to make quick time as he walked past the trees, his instincts and body easily guiding him back to where he needed to go without trouble.

As he approached the cottage a strange sensation coursed through his body. He stopped walking for a moment as he shook his head and ignored the feeling, continuing his way to the door. He didn't bother knocking and instead walked inside, feeling far too at home for his own good. He had spent so much time there already it was like his second home. He didn't like thinking that way so he tended to avoid the thought all together.

Captain Hook had no home, only a promise to keep.

As he pulled his cloak off, Killian raised a brow, slightly confused by the silence. He had been expecting a snide remark or an insult or two, maybe even a demand for him to go outside and knock, but not complete and utter silence. He carefully hung the brown cloak on the back of the couch as he looked around, the fire dying and the room barely lit. He blinked before a strange and unsettling feeling awoke inside.

"Rose-Red?" he called out as he cautiously stepped deeper into the room. When he received no answer he pulled his sword from its sheath, holding it out in front of him and ready to strike if necessary. "Love? You there?" he called out once more, still hearing nothing. He glared at the shut door to his left before he shoved it open and glanced around the darkness. He growled quietly before he searched around for a source of light, his thigh knocking into the corner of what seemed to be a table. He reached out and carefully searched for something before his fingers felt a box of matches. He smirked as he quickly found a candle, lighting it and raising to into the air.

"Rose-Red?" he called out. He blinked as he found himself in a bedroom that looked like it hadn't been used in years. The sheets were perfectly made and the curtains were drawn, a bit of dust collecting on them. He glanced over to the dresser across from the bed and noticed a frame sitting on it. He quickly walked over, grabbing it and staring down at a picture. He blinked, surprised by the beauty of a woman that was far older than Rose-Red.

"Who…" That was when Hook had realized it.

He was in Rose-Red's mother's room.

He quickly set the picture down as he sheathed his sword and turned around, walking out of the room. He shut the door and stared at the knob for a moment. He felt like he had overheard a secret that wasn't meant for him. If he were anyone else he probably would have felt guilty, but he wasn't. He was Killian Jones; the most he felt was a bit awkward. He shook his head before he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Where could she possibly have gone off to?" he mumbled to himself as he walked over to the fireplace and brought the flames back to life. He stepped back and watched as the room lit up slightly, the heat spreading through the entirety of the small house. He glanced around and made his way into the kitchen, the sun now completely gone and the snow beginning to fall. He made his way past the kitchen table when he noticed that the usual burgundy cloak that sat on the back was gone. He blinked before a wave of realization hit him.

"It's always something with women," he snapped before he grabbed his own cloak and threw it over his shoulders, rushing out the door without a second thought.

~X~

"Rose-Red!" Killian shouted as he moved through the darkness of the forest. He had successfully made a torch after a bit of trouble and was now able to travel with at least a bit of light. It didn't seem to help much with his actual search though. He had been looking for quite some time but hadn't found any sort of trace of the woman. He wasn't extremely talented at tracking like Rose-Red was; the irony in the situation made Hook want to groan.

"Rose-Red! Where are you?" he yelled as he wiped a bit of snow from his face. He muttered curses at the weather, glancing around and frowning. He held the torch out and rolled his eyes, contemplating on just heading back to the tiny cabin and waiting for the woman's return.

That was when he had heard her.

Hook squinted through the darkness as he turned to his left, hearing the sound of a cough, which was almost drowned out by the moaning of the wind. He slowly and carefully made his way towards a tree trunk, his hook ready for battle. He peered around the tree and his blue eyes widened with shock as a familiar burgundy lump appeared before his eyes.

"Rose-Red?" The woman said nothing and merely lifted her head up an inch to gaze at him. Her cheeks were far more flushed than normal circumstances and her half-lidded eyes were glazed over. Killian immediately knelt down before her as he carefully reached his hook out and tilted her head upwards by her chin. A shiver ran through her by the chill of the metal before she closed her eyes completely. The pirate's eyes widened at that as he carefully set the source of light down and shook the woman.

"Rose-Red! Look at me," he snapped, the aggression in his voice the only way he could show any sort of concern.

Not that he was concerned.

"Rose-Red, I said look at me," he commanded more assertively as the woman attempted to look up at Killian. She raised her brow as much as she could as she tried to smirk at the pirate.

"…I'm…I'm surprised…to see…see you in…the snow," she barely whispered as Killian winced at the hoarseness in her voice. He quickly scooped her into his arms as he stood to his feet and quickly began to make his way back to the cottage. He frowned as he felt the young woman's body trembling in his arms and did his best to keep her covered from the snow that continued to fall. She leaned against his body, trying to soak up his warmth as much as she could. She had never noticed before, but it was as if Hook was a walking furnace. She relished in his heat, taking a shallow breath and smiling.

"Tell me…" she whispered, her voice almost going unnoticed by the anxious pirate. "How…How difficult was…was it to track…" she didn't bother finishing her question as Killian looked down at her. He forced a tense smile across his lips as he looked back up and continued through the harsh of the storm.

"I'm far better than you'll ever give me credit for." That was probably true.

Captain Hook gave the cottage door a firm kick with the bottom of his foot and quickly moved inside, kicking the door shut and not bothering to take his shoes off. He quickly pulled Rose-Red's cloak from her body as he set her down on the couch, tossing the burgundy cape aside and turning to toss more wood into the dying flames. He worked quickly and efficiently only hesitating once when his hook accidently pierced the wool of the blanket he had grabbed. He ignored the hole and made sure to quickly cover the trembling woman's frame with it.

He'd patch the hole up some other time.

"K—Killian."

"Try not to speak too much, love," he said; just the sound of her voice and the way it was so raspy made even him feel pain. He glanced around the room and quickly grabbed the empty kettle, filling it with water that had been gathered some time earlier. He placed it over the fire and waited a bit impatiently as he turned to face the sick woman. He frowned as she laid on the couch, her eyes closed and her breathing shallow and short. He hesitated but pressed forward, placing his good hand on her forehead.

She was burning up.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Though Killian usually didn't ask things such as that often, he found himself speaking without thought. The strange feeling of worry that he hadn't felt in quite some time was consuming his being. He didn't mind it though. It was nice to concern over someone else. It made the pirate feel a bit less lonely.

Rose-Red looked up at her companion with her tired eyes as she glanced at the kettle. "Tea?" she asked as the blue-eyed man nodded, swiftly turning and gracefully pouring a bit of hot water into a cup, making tea for the ill woman. He handed it to her as the auburn haired woman sat up and nodded a thank you, drinking from the cup and releasing a sigh.

"Only you would succeed in collapsing in the snow in the middle of a storm," Killian grumbled as he rolled his eyes and shook his head, Rose-Red chuckling as she sighed, taking another long sip. She closed her eyes and took a moment to appreciate the relief it brought to her burning throat. She looked over at Killian as she felt his piercing gaze on her and she raised a brow, a bit of her energy returning to her.

"How long have you been searching for me?"

Hook had lost track of time the moment he had stepped foot inside the empty cottage. The minutes felt shorter and then longer to him at different times. It was hard for him to really say. He had been so determined on finding Rose-Red, so hell-bent on making sure that she was alive. He hadn't even noticed just how soaked his clothes were or how cold he truly was or the fact that his hand was almost blue. None of that had mattered. The reason as to why didn't even bother him, not as much as it should have. He had only ever cared for one other person with such fervor but during those times the feeling was a bit different. He was never so desperate, never so nervous, never so out of his element.

The pirate shrugged at the woman's question as he gazed into the fire. "Long enough." Rose-Red frowned at his answer as she shook her head and glanced down at his hand. Her gaze lightened as she set her cup down and reached over, cupping the man's ice-like hand with her own. Killian immediately stiffened as his eyes flickered in her direction, the touch foreign to him. Yes, he had felt the touch of a woman before-numerous times—but what lied behind Rose-Red's warmth was different. It was welcoming and sweet; it held so much emotion.

"You really shouldn't have bothered," Rose-Red mumbled as she kept her hands on Killian's, waiting for the color to change to its natural tint. "…My sister and I once spent an entire two days in the woods."

She hadn't been sure what had brought the story on. The two had not once shared anything personal since their silent deal had been made. She didn't mind up until that point in their partnership, but for some reason, it felt right. He was a pirate and he was devious but he had given her no reason not to trust him. He had spent countless nights in her home and had done nothing. He had even helped her with tending to chores. He didn't have to help her. Hell, she was sure he was capable of making it on his own without coming back to her home every night, but he did and that was what mattered.

He always came back to her.

"My sister had never been the type to adventure out too far, but I had been far more daring when I was younger," Rose-Red said as she cleared her throat, wincing at the sharp pain that spread through her gullet. Killian watched her, almost shell-shocked by the woman's sudden story. He was so surprised that he hadn't even noticed that the blood began to circulate in his hand again and there was no longer a reason for their hold. The tale had just begun and he had already found himself enraptured by it. "We had been exploring the woods late one afternoon. My sister always picked flowers for our mother and I would bring home something for us to eat."

Killian thought to stop her. He had thought to interrupt her before she said too much but it was at that moment that he realized that it was too late. He wanted to know more; he wanted to hear the rest of her story.

"I had been so determined to catch a fox that I had seen earlier that morning, but before I realized it I had drifted far from the cottage. I was too young to remember my way back or find my way back." The young woman chuckled as she unconsciously gave Killian's hand a fraction of a squeeze. "I wandered for hours before the sun began to set…I was so scared, I thought a bear would come and eat me and my family would never see me again," she said quietly with a tiny smile across her pink lips.

The two sat in silence for a moment before Killian turned his hand over and cupped Rose-Red's hand in his own. The grip was innocent, warm, friendly, things the pirate had thought he could never be again, but as he sat and held the woman's hand gently in his own he found himself feeling like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. It was as if he was young again, back before he was a pirate, back when his dreams to roam the sea freely were as bright as he.

She made him feel like himself again.

"…What happened?" he asked softly, Rose-Red blinking at him. She smiled after a few minutes, sighing and staring into the fire.

"The darkness was falling over the land and the moon was the only source of light I had," she explained. "But as I sat there, shivering and wishing that I had just stayed by the house, the sound of footsteps approached me. So I pulled my arrow and aimed for the predator only to find out it was my little sister," she said with an almost broken sounding laugh. She met Killian's gaze as his blue eyes saw through her walls and her barred gates she had put up years before.

"My little sister, the girl who was too afraid to even touch a knife, ventured out into the darkness alone and with little knowledge of how to use a blade and found me," Rose-Red stated with a smile, the kind of smile that was contagious to those who laid their eyes upon it. "We spent the entire rest of the night and the next day searching for our way home and when the sun finally rose we found our little cottage. Our mother had been furious with us but she was so relieved we'd been safe. I had my sister to thank for that," she said quietly. The pirate beside her listened silently as he glanced at the dancing flames, finding himself rather at peace by the sound of her voice.

"I promised that I would protect her with my life. I promised that I wouldn't let anything happen to her…" The smile fell from her lips as her hazel eyes looked away, a shameful gleam in them. Killian frowned at her expression but pushed no further; he knew she had pushed herself far enough.

"…Did you ever find that fox?" he asked lightheartedly, smirking as Rose-Red laughed and shook her head.

"I'm afraid not. I'll always remember that scar on its front right leg though," she said as she shook her head and sighed.

Suddenly, the young maiden fell into a fit of coughing, Killian stiffening and quickly pulling his hand from hers and hesitating. He carefully placed his hand on her back, giving it a few pats as the woman cleared her throat and winced. She reached for her cup and sighed, taking a long swig of it. Hook watched her intently before he stood to his feet and began making his way to the door. He grabbed his cloak and opened the door, confusion falling over Rose-Red's face.

"What in the world do you think you're doing?" she snapped before coughing once more. The thief gave her a wily smirk as he pulled the hood to his cape up.

"How sweet of you, darling. But there's no need to worry. I'm not the one who collapsed in the snow." Rose-Red glared as she rolled her eyes.

"Hook, don't you dare leave in the middle of this storm!"

"What was that? Sorry, but I can't hear you over the wind!" With a cheeky grin and a wink Killian was out the door. Rose-Red blinked before she growled and shook her head, too tired to try and stop the fool from whatever he was off doing.

"Idiot."

~X~

The morning had come all too quickly for Rose-Red. She found herself lying on her ottoman, the gray blanket draped snuggly over her form. Her body responded to the day much better than it had the morning before though she was still sore in the throat and her body was much weaker than it normally was. She glanced around her cottage and frowned at its emptiness, remembering the events that had occurred the night before. She sat in silence for a moment as she let her thoughts roll around in her mind. She was worried about the damn pirate. He had so carelessly gone into the storm for a second time and disappeared without explanation. He could be lost in the storm or perhaps even frozen or—

Why did Rose-Red concern herself so?

The young lady's expression dropped as she made sure to keep the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She frowned as she closed her eyes and shook her head, her heart racing just a tad faster than it usually did when thinking about the pirate. She cursed under her breath as she bit at her finger nails, shaking her head. "He's a grown man. If he wants to freeze in the snow then who am I to stop him?" she muttered as she stood up, making sure that she was strong enough to keep her balance. "Where he goes is none of my business." That didn't stop her from caring.

As the hazel-eyed damsel made her way through the open doorway to her kitchen, she stopped dead in her tracks, astonishment coursing through her. She blinked as she stared incredulously at the object neatly strewn across her table. She cautiously approached it before she carefully glanced around the table. No note had been left or any sign of someone being in her home yet she knew who had left her the strange gift. She covered her mouth in contemplation as she stared at the red fox lying lifelessly on her table. She slowly walked around to the right and reached out, pulling its right paw from under the other. Her eyes widened at that as she stared down at an all too familiar scar running down the fox's leg.

"Impossible," she muttered as she stared longer at the mark. After a moment to let everything settle into her mind she began to laugh uncontrollably. She shook her head as she glanced and found a stab wound in the animal's side. She examined it for a bit longer before she glanced out the window and smiled, the storm simmering down to flurries falling from the white clouds hanging over the sky. Rose-Red chuckled to herself before she walked into her room and changed into a clean set of clothes.

That had been the first time the young maiden hadn't received a rose.

Hey everyone! It's been far too long since I've updated any of my stories. Sorry for the longest wait ever ^_^ I was in a bit of a writing funk but I'm slowly getting it all together.

To those who've been reading my Tony Stark story, that will eventually be updated, hopefully next week! I know I keep saying that but I swear to you guys, it's happening!

Thanks for the support and I hope you guys like this chapter! I'll start explaining things once the story gets futher, don't want to spoil anything hah.