I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

Ten years passed. Ten long, years. Each month, each season passed as though they were eons. Ten long years after she separated from her beloved. Five years of living a lie, and the last five of giving up.

And now here she was in her and her husband's castle (a wedding gift from the Dark One) running around frantically trying to find her son.

She ran up and down the halls, fear coursing through her veins. It was nothing new for her son to go wandering off on boyish adventures but today was different. She had heard through her maids that there was a pirate ship that had made port just miles away, a ship pirated by the dreadful Pirate Captain Hook. She had only heard tales about this pirate, that he only had one hand and a hook for the other and that he was the cruelest and merciless of all pirates. She also heard tale that he kidnapped for ransom or murdered for hire, and much, much worst. Of course she also heard the rumor that he was not always like that, and that before he lost his hand and much longer before that he had loved but his love betrayed him, there were other versions of the stories as well but Emma was concerned not about them but her son.

She stumbled over her dress, down the grand hall towards the castle butler, "Have you seen-"

"He's in the gardens your highness," He replied motioning to the grand doors leading to the large open gardens.

"Thank you," She said quickly and turned towards the garden. Emma couldn't help but laugh inside, her son must have been just like his father: adventurous and a handful. Both full of energy and running off.

As soon as she pushed open the grand doors, all good feelings melted away and her heart leaped into her throat as she heard the clashing of metal on metal. Could her son be fighting for his life at this moment? Never, they have guards everywhere… But what if they weren't there to save him, if they didn't get there in time.

She picked up her dress and ran towards the sound of the swords, the sun beating down on her as she ran through the garden maze.

But nothing prepared her for what she saw as she rounded the corner to the center of the maze.

"Killian?" She gasped, as she saw the pirate with a sword in hand taking defensive posture.

"It's Hook now," Killian said straightening himself but keeping an eye on the boy.

"Hook?" Emma said, looking at him confused as many emotions crashed into her at once. She had dreamed of this moment for what seemed like a thousand years and here she was, face to face with her love once more.

"Is it really you Killian?" She asked tentatively as she took a step forward to the man while time seemed to have frozen around her. There had been nights when she thought she saw him, at the end of the hall or around the corner, and in that moment, she didn't know if her mind was playing tricks on her.

"It is, my dear," Killian said bowing and kissing her hand gently before straightening.

"He's a pirate!" the boy said excitedly, dragging Emma's attention away from Hook.

"Your boy, Liam, is quite the swordsman," Hook said with a chuckle as he glanced at Emma then back at the boy.

"Liam!" She yelped as she caught sight of a small cut just above her son's eyebrow, "I told you, you couldn't leave the castle! This is what happens! You hurt yourself by fighting people bigger than you!"

"But mother, it was such a beautiful morning," The boy whined, "and the sun was just begging me to come out!"

"Yes mum, why can't we go out and have a friendly sword fight on this beautiful day?" Hook remarked, sheathing his sword.

Emma shot him a glare but looked back at her son's eyebrow, "This could have been much worst."

"Oh he'll be fine," Hook said nonchalant, "I only grazed him, a reminder to keep his guard up.."

Emma just ignored him and continued to tend to her son, "Liam, go inside and have one of the maids clean and bandage the cut."

"Will I be able to come back?" Liam asked excitedly.

"We'll see, but for now go. I'll be in soon," Emma said kissing her son on the forehead just before he sprinted off towards the castle. She watched Liam run, and as soon she was sure that he had made it to the castle she turned back to Hook.

"He's quite the boy isn't he, very adventurous and a great swordsman," Hook said looking at Emma with eyes clouded like a mask.

"What are you doing here?" She said sharply.

Hook ignored her and continued, "And his eyes! They are as blue as the ocean herself! Much like mi-"

"Killian what do you want?" Emma repeated coldly.

"It's Hook," He replied sharply, stepping forward quickly and raising his hook to her face. Yet Emma, unfazed, stepped forward with newfound confidence.

"What are you doing here, Hook?"

The tense moment broke as Hook backed up and chuckled lightly, "I've come to see the princess, why else?"

Emma scoffed and started to turn away, "Yes, come see the princess ten years after you leave her behind."

"I did it for your good!" Hook said defensively, "I didn't have a choice!"

"Yes! You did!" She turned shouting, "And you ran away!"

"I didn't run! I left you behind for your own good!" He replied, trying to keep his voice level but failing.

"But I loved you!" She shouted angrily.

"You deserved better!" He retorted.

"I wanted you! I was going to profess my love to you," She replied, her voice rising, "I was going to run away with you. I only wanted you."

Hook shook his head at her words, "The life of piracy is not fit for a princess."

"What makes you think you know what's good for me?"

"Because I loved you too. I still do, I always will," He said after a short pause, "And I would have never forgiven myself if harm would befall you while aboard my ship."

"But why did you have to leave me that way?" Emma said, her voice cracking.

"Did you not read the letter I left you?" Hook said gently, stepping forward.

Emma shook her head, "I've not looked at the envelope in years."

Hook sighed and pulled out the unopened letter she had given him, "I haven't opened mine either."

"I guess we've both been in the dark, haven't we," Emma said lowly, her voice cracking, "I was so hurt, so lost."

Hook stepped towards her and caressed her cheek with his good hand, "I know and I'm sorry. Gods above know how I've died every hour away from the moment I left you."

"Oh Killian," She whimpered, "Why couldn't you have just stayed just one more night."

"Because the moment the sun hit your skin, I would have been powerless and would have stayed forever," Killian said softly.

"But now it's too late," Emma said looking away, "I've started to learn to admire my husband."

"But you don't love him do you," Killian said.

But all Emma could do was avoid his eyes and instead looked at his hook, "Killian, what-what happened?"

Without meaning to, she reached out and gently touched his left arm, to which he flinched and pulled away.

"I got into a fight a few years back," Hook lied, avoiding her eyes.

"My god, I'm so-"

"Mother! Father is home!" Liam shouted as he ran to her.

She gave Hook a look between longing and sorrow before turning to her son, "I'll be right in, I just need to finish talking to-"

But as she turned back to face Hook, he was gone. Leaving emptiness in his wake.