Another update! I'm trying to update every Tuesday, though last week I updated late. Sorry about that!

I've had the idea for this chapter for a while and have tried to write it multiple times. I hope I did it justice! It is set between "White Out" and "Rocky Road" in season 4.

Phone

"What is this, Swan? Some sort of weapon?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "It's called a phone, Killian. Most people in this land have one."

Killian studied the small black contraption in his hand. "A phone, you say? What does one use it for?"

"It's for communicating with people when you're not with them," Emma explained. "It's useful."

Killian sat back in his seat, looking at Emma. "Why do I have to carry the bloody thing around if I don't know how to use it?"

Emma glanced up to see if Granny was finished with their hot chocolates. She was going to need the energy if she was going to help Killian. "I'll teach you. It's easy."

Killian held up his hook. "Is it, Swan? Is it?"

She grabbed the phone and stood up. "Of course it is." She moved to sit next to Killian on his side of the booth. "Move over."

Killian moved down the bench.

Emma sat down and turned on the phone. "Okay, this is the power button. You push it to turn it on and off."

Killian took the phone from Emma and pushed the button. "The light's off, Swan. Is it supposed to do that?"

Emma laughed. "Yes, that's what it looks like when it's off."

He pushed the button again, his eyes widening when the screen lit up. "That's brilliant!"

Emma moved closer and opened the contacts app. "I added my dad's, my mom's, Regina's, Henry's, and my phone number in here. If you need to get a hold of any of them, push their names."

Killian's eyebrows furrowed. "How does it work?"

"I don't know, it just does. Come on. Try calling someone," Emma encouraged, an anticipatory look in her eyes.

"All right." He smashed his thumb on Henry's name. The screen shifted colors. "What do I do now?"

Emma pushed his hand up so the phone was against his ear.

"What is that noise?" he shouted, pulling the phone away.

"That means it's ringing, Killian."

Killian narrowed his eyes, but put the phone back to his ear.

"Hello?"

Killian jumped. "Henry, lad? Is that you?"

"Who's this?"

"Captain Hook!" Killian exclaimed.

"Killian? You have a phone?"

"Your mother is showing me how to use the blasted thing. It's bloody confusing."

Killian heard Henry laugh. "That's awesome. Anyway, I gotta go. I'm with my other mom."

Killian pulled the phone away and handed it to Emma. "He said he has to go. How do I stop the contraption from talking?"

A smile had been painted on Emma's face for several minutes. Now, it grew wider. "Push the red button, but Henry already ended it, so you don't have to."

Killian smiled. "Kind of him, eh?"

"Sure." Emma's phone buzzed. She glanced at it. "David needs me at the station. I gotta go." Emma's eyes landed on Killian's phone. "Call me if you need me."

Killian glared at the phone in his hand. "I'll just go find you if I need to speak with you."

Emma shook her head. "No, learn how to use it. It's important."

He sighed. "I'll try."

"Thanks." She stood. "See you later."

"Goodbye, Swan."

"He's never going to figure a phone out," David snorted. "He has one hand."

Emma fixed him with a glare. "He can figure it out. He's had one hand for two hundred years."

"And he hasn't had to deal with technology for two hundred years." David sighed and slammed the filing cabinet close. "I haven't found anything on Anna."

Emma flipped through a folder on her desk. "Me neither, but we'll find something soon."

David nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I'm going to go check on Mary Margaret at the loft. I'll be back soon."

"Okay, I'll keep looking. I'll call Hook and have him come help."

David mumbled something, avoiding Emma's eyes.

Emma spun her chair around, staring at her father playfully. "What was that?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, just make sure he doesn't puncture any of the papers with his hook." He pulled his jacket on.

Emma rolled her eyes "It'll be fine, Dad."

He grumbled something else and then said, "Bye!"

"Yeah, bye." She laughed softly and turned back to her desk, picking up her phone. She smiled when she saw Killian's name and clicked on it. After a few rings, it went to voicemail. She tried again and got the same result. She knew he probably just couldn't figure out how to answer it, but a small ball of anxiety appeared in the pit of her stomach. What if something was preventing him from answering her call? What if something had happened to him? What if—?

Emma stopped herself. He was fine. He had to be. Of course, there was someone in town keeping the ice wall up, someone who could hurt him if they wanted to.

Again, Emma called Killian. She called him twice more before getting to her feet, deciding to go track him down.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway and quickly approached the room. Emma pulled out her gun and aimed it at the entrance way. When Killian came into view, she let out a sigh of relief.

Killian froze and threw his arms up. "What did I do?"

Emma put her gun away. "Nothing, I thought you were someone else." Before he could respond, she snapped, "Why didn't you answer my calls?"

Killian grabbed his phone from his pocket and walked toward her. "I have no bloody clue how to answer your calls. I was worried something happened, so I came here." He looked up at her. "Is everything okay?"

Emma nodded, annoyance flaring inside of her. "Yeah, fine. I just need help going through these files. David went to check on Mary Margaret and the baby."

"Of course, love. I will happily assist you." If he caught onto the irritation in Emma's voice, he didn't comment on it.

Emma knew she shouldn't be annoyed. Killian didn't know how to answer his phone, he wasn't deliberately trying to make her worry. It wasn't his fault.

Killian glanced up from the folder he'd grabbed from Emma's desk. "You all right there, Swan?"

Emma shook herself out of her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine." She went over to the filing cabinet and resumed David's search. "I need to show you how to answer your phone."

"Aye."

Emma spun around and held her hand out. "Give me your phone. I'll show you."

"Right now?" he asked, confused.

Emma nodded. "Yeah, right now. Come on." She took her phone out and called Killian's. Then she showed Killian the button he needed to swipe to answer.

"I see. Slide the button, don't push it."

Emma smiled. "Yeah."

He turned his face to Emma's, grinning. "I'll answer your calls from now on."

Emma handed Killian his phone, her smile wavering. "Good.." Quickly, she went back to searching through the filing cabinets.

Killian stared at her. Something was off. "Swan, are you sure you're all right?"

She didn't look back. "Of course." Her voice was strained.

Killian stood next to her. "Are you sure?"

Emma whirled around so she was facing him. "I'm just a little frustrated."

"We'll find Anna, love. Don't worry. If there's one thing I've learned from my time in Storybrooke, it's that you never fail." His smile was soft, easing the irritation inside of Emma.

"That's not why I'm frustrated."

"Then why?"

Emma blew out a breath. "You weren't answering your phone. I was…worried." She averted her eyes.

Killian raised an eyebrow. "Worried? Why?"

"There's someone in town that wants to keep everyone here. Everyone is in danger. When you didn't answer, I thought something had…happened." She refused to look up. "Being stuck in that ice wall made me realize we had no way of communicating. What if you had been stuck in there instead of me? We wouldn't have been able to save you."

Killian's expression softened. "Is that why you're forcing me to learn how to use that bloody contraption?"

"…Yeah."

"Swan, look at me, love."

Slowly, Emma lifted her head, nervously searching Killian's face. "I know, it's ridiculous. I just…bad stuff always happens here. I wanted to make sure you could get a hold of me if you were in trouble and so I could get a hold of you if I needed to."

Killian's heart swelled. "I'll gladly learn how to use the talking phone, love."

Emma breathed out a laugh. "It's just called a phone."

"Same thing. I'll make sure to answer whenever you call and to call you whenever I need you."

A soft smile appeared on her lips. "Thanks, Killian."

"Of course. Now"—he gestured to the file boxes on the desks—"let's find this Anna."

I hope you enjoyed that!