~What's in a name?~

Dinner arrived shortly after, and any questions they might have had for Regina would have to wait. Before dinner was over, Snow asked Regina if she would consider staying. Regina agreed, stating she needed to check on her stepson first, let him know she was alright. Snow quickly extended an invitation to him, as well as mention the ball at the end of the week earning a groan from her daughter.

Emma quickly used that as an excuse to leave, deciding to check on the pirate. She arrived as the maid was leaving with his empty dinner tray, and the door was left open for her. He didn't notice a new presence, or if he did, he made no comment on this fact. He was still fully dressed, laying on top of the blankets, a book in his good hand. He was using his hook to change the page.

Emma leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms. She found herself staring before she could contemplate her actions.

"See something you like, love?" His eyes never left the book. It was the same one Emma had read that afternoon.

"Yes." She admitted. "That's a good book."

He chuckled, setting it down. He sat up straight, swinging his legs over the edge, his hand clasping his Hook in his lap.

"What brings you to my humble guest quarters? Did the castle keep send you? You can tell your masters I'm fine, by the way." She held back a smirk. He had no idea who she was. She decided then and there to keep it that way, as long as possible.

"I just wanted to observe a pirate for a moment. I've never seen a more dangerous creature up close before. I expected it to be more entertaining."

His eyebrows raised as he stood, a smirk threatening his attempt at a serious face. "If entertaining is what you came for," He motioned to the bed. "You've come to the right place, love."

"Still not my name."

"Then enlighten me."

She cocked her head to the side. "No."

"Perhaps you'd be entertained if we took a tour of my ship."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Pass."

He slowly but steadily made his way toward her. "Tell me then, why you're really here."

"I live here. What's your excuse?"

He was halfway to her. "I crashed here, then I was stabbed here, then I was put into this room against my will."

"Is that all? And I thought you were a fierce pirate."

"I am very much a fierce pirate." He was barely more than a breath away at this point. "But being a gentleman always comes first."

She raised her eyebrows, not budging an inch. "Hence the comment about bed entertainment."

He grinned. "It would be rude not to offer a lady a good time when she pays a visit."

That was difficult not to smile at, but she managed by tilting her head to the otherside, and raising an eyebrow.

"Men who bolster tend to be the ones who need it for their own confidence."

He let out half a laugh. "Do you know this as fact? I can absolutely prove to you, that's wrong." He tilted his head to both sides momentarily. "In my case, anyway." He ended the sentence with a boyish grin.

"What's one night of your attempts to entertain me really worth, Pirate? Sully my name for eternity just for a chance of entertainment? And a bad bet, at that. I think I'll find my entertainment elsewhere."

She turned, walking slowly out.

"Well, if I can't have your name, I'll have to make up something."

She paused, turning back around. "That does sound entertaining."

He rubbed behind his ear, fingers moving toward his chin before continuing. "Hmm. Graceful. Fiery. Pirate-clad. Angelina?" She shook her head with an amused smile as a delicious fire filled his eyes. He slowly closed the distance between them. "No? How about Freya?"

"Hardly."

"Ah yes, now I see. Blond, beautiful, bold. Valkyrie."

"Is that all you've got?"

"Minx, then."

She sighed. "This is not as entertaining as I hoped."

"Vixen."

"You're getting worse at this."

"Infuriating woman." Yet he was smiling as she shook her head again. "Alas, I've nothing else to call you."

"You may call me a swan for all I care, seeing as I'll always be gliding just out of your reach."

He smirked. "Not if we repeat what happened earlier, Swan."

"That was a one-time thing."

"Don't make promises you can't keep. You would regret it if our lips were never to touch again." He leaned in, nose barely touching hers, waiting for her to choose.

Her breath hitched. Her mind was dangerously teetering toward the blissful mindlessness again. She regrettably pulled herself from that ledge, backing up. "I would regret it if it did happen again."

He grasped at his heart with both hook and hand. "Ah, you wound me." And from his expression, she thought she might have. Until his smirk returned.

"You'll heal." And with that, she turned on her heels and made her way to her own room.