~Simple Kindness~

Snow stepped into Emma's room, a plate of food in her grasp.

"They told me you weren't present for midday meal." She shook her head. "I thought I might find you here."

Killian set the book down, standing to bow in respect of her station.

"Perhaps I've gotten predictable in my old age."

"Old age?" She gave him a look as she crossed the room, handing the plate to him.

He graciously accepted. "Perhaps I'm older than I look. You needn't bring this, I thank you." He retook the claimed seat in the chair he had moved.

"Should I be worried that an old man is after my daughter?" He could see she was trying, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "And of course I did."

He shook his head to clear it. "Midday already..."

She sat next to Emma on the bed, giving him a look, absentmindedly stroking her daughter's forehead. "I know you're avoiding the question."

"Aye, well, I don't often slip with my age. Very few know I'm, oh, three centuries old."

"Three-" she gaped at him, catching a light in his eyes. "You're tricky, aren't you?"

"Pirate." He shrugged, giving her his best attempt at a warm smile.

She lightly touched the pendant around Emma's neck. "This just showed up today. Or maybe I only noticed it today. I've been wondering about it." She looked up. "Is this from you?"

"Aye. It's said to protect against a God's power."

She nodded, eyeing him thoughtfully, thinking about how well he simply fit into the puzzle that was her family.

"How did the duel go?" she asked, eyes back to her daughter, her own body stiff.

He nodded, noting the slight hitch in her tone. He had to answer carefully. "Your husband is quite the fighter. I don't think I've ever fought anyone so equal to me in skill."

"And you're both alright?"

"To be honest, neither of us would be if it weren't for Regina's healing. But we are both good as new."

"What did you think of my husband's proposal to duel in the first place?"

Hook knew there was more to the question than she let on. He decided truth was best, as it usually was. "Honestly, I was expecting something like that to transpire. But I needed it."

She looked up, confusion etched across her face.

He scratched behind his ear. "I've found, over time, that physical actions, getting the blood boiling and sweat across ones brow, is very, shall we say… therapeutic."

She sighed, letting those thoughts go as she grasped onto her daughter's hand. "Is it selfish that I know how to wake her, yet I'm terrified what'll happen if I do?"

He stopped mid bite, setting the food back down. "Why wouldn't you want her to wake?"

"The memories. She'll wake up and…" she nearly choked on air.

He stared the plate down, having lost any notion of an appetite. "I believe it would be selfish if you wanted to wake her before she came out of it naturally."

"What if that never happens?"

"Perhaps you, your husband, and possibly Regina should talk about the options. I'm sure there's at least a few to discuss. You do know how to wake her?" Snow nodded, not taking her eyes off her daughters' still form. "Then perhaps you should give her time to come out of this. Discuss how long, exactly, and if that day arrives and she's still asleep, discuss it again."

She looked over at him. "Aren't you worried about yourself?"

He shook his head. "This isn't about me. I've much overstayed my welcome, I know, but… I'm not quite ready to leave." He set the plate on the bed, rushing a hand through his hair. "Just say when, and I'll figure out what to do with my ship."

The corners of her lips curled up in another attempt at a smile. "You haven't overstayed your welcome, Captain. It's nice having people here again. For a while, we had nearly every room filled. But when peace had settled over the land, people scattered…" she trailed off, but he understood her.

"They had their own lives to live."

She nodded, an absent look across her face. "We all did…"

They sat in silence for a while before she looked over at him.

"Oh, please eat." He looked as if he were about to speak, then thought better of it. "Captain Jones, if you don't eat, how will you retain your strength to keep my daughter safe?"

He gave her a dirty look. "That was a dirty trick, highness." But he had picked up the plate once more, forcing himself to eat.

She kissed the top of Emma's head before standing to leave.