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Killian had arrived at the castle playground, which was located on the foreshore a few miles from the docks. Killian felt uneasy as he walked over but he managed to put it aside. Henry had grown to love the ocean where Killian couldn't stand to be near it sometimes. But whenever it came to Henry being her, Killian put it aside, this was always for Henry. Killian shifted his hand into his pockets as he strolled up to the wooden castle once he had seen Henry sitting at the top of it. His legs dangled off, swinging back and forth over the side.

Henry seemed to be off in his own thoughts again, as he was staring off in the distance and he hadn't even seemed to notice Killian make his way over. Although Killian already knew what was on Henry's thoughts, he still followed Henry's line of sight to the town's clock tower, which was another reason Henry had chosen the spot. It was the perfect spot to stare at the clock tower without Regina around.

Killian climbed his way to the platform on the castle, dropping himself next to Henry, "Hasn't moved yet?" Killian asked him, although he already knew the answer. It was a month ago when Henry had confided to Killian about another theory of his about this fairy tale curse. It was Henry's belief that the clock tower didn't work because time was frozen, and the reason no one went to the library was because everyone's stories were in there. Killian had laughed at that, saying perhaps that people just were simply too busy to stop by but then Henry said something. Something that Killian couldn't quite shake.

"I know about that book, the one you won't go near," Henry said, holding two books in his hand that he now placed on the desk to get checked out.

Killian scrunched his eyebrows at Henry, "And what book would that be, I probably haven't gotten around to reading it yet."

"The Pirate Codex."

That memory would always come back to Killian whenever he was around Henry and every time it bugged him even more than he had the last time. He'd get rid of it eventually and forget about it for days but sometimes he'd walk past the book and it would return stronger like the thumping of a heart. Beating. Coming to life in him. He wanted to read it, to take it but that irrational fear would set in and he'd stop himself. It was the same feeling he got every time he went near the ocean. What yearned to him also subdued him with fear.

The clock tower was something like those two things. Not as bad but it bugged Killian whenever Henry mentioned it and he'd forget about it the next day. And of course Killian had now noticed it, but it no longer really bothered him though, as Marco was always telling him how he was going to fix it one day and maybe that day would be tomorrow.

"No," Henry grumbled out, frustrated as he continued to look at the clock tower, "I thought it would."

"Because you brought your birth mother back?" Killian asked him, idly twirling a coin in his fingers. Without noticing it, Figaro had leapt up onto the platform beside them, curling his tail around Killian's limp arm beside him before nudging his other hand. "You know, Marco said he is going to fix it," Killian offered him. He wanted to try a get Henry to stop overthinking the matter. There were times when Killian both was happy to have given Henry hope again but also regretted it. He regretted these moments where Henry would lose his optimism. All because something in this curse fantasy wasn't working out. He always hated finding Henry in this state, he was always such a bright and optimistic child and to find him so sad just threw Killian. This was only adding to the long list of why Killian hated Regina, a mother should never make their child ever feel that way. At first, this never bothered Killian. Killian just didn't notice this, but since this book, he began to notice these little things and now he realized. He realized just why Henry stayed away from home as long as he could. Henry was often made to feel isolated and without hope and it normally only happened when Regina was yelling at him about his curse fantasy.

"But that will never happen," Henry breathed out angrily, as if the mere thought of it exhausted him. "Macro's been saying that every year and you don't notice that because you're cursed, you're not meant to notice."

The thought did trouble Killian when Henry said it for when he tried to look back, on the years he spent in this town, he honestly couldn't recall Marco ever saying it before now. He thought of telling Henry this but it was ridiculous, ridiculous to even provide what Henry would think as further proof of this curse. It would only serve to make it more real for Henry. "You know your Mum thinks you're missing again," Killian knew Henry already knew that, and he also knew that Henry didn't care that his mother was worried and thinking he had run off again but he had to get Henry away from the curse subject. Although Killian saw Henry's obsession with his curse theory worsen and that he was extremely overprotective of the book, he couldn't tear Henry out of his own world. But he never for one second would change giving Henry the book, in fact he thought it was the best thing he had ever done for the lad. Even though at times he may regret what it caused for Henry, he wouldn't change it. Henry hadn't had much hope before then, but now the way his eyes lit up when he read the stories, Killian knew that he finally saw hope in the world.

It wasn't uncommon for children to experience these types of fantasies either. Every child has a phase and they're all different, some have imaginary friends, nearly all believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Henry just believed in fairy tale characters in Storybrooke. Once Henry realized that this curse thing wasn't real, when he finally grew out of this fantasy then his obsession will go away. Killian wasn't going to tell the lad that his fantasy, this curse, wasn't real and force the horrible reality of this world down his throat. This curse gave Henry a hopeful outlook on the world, that good will always win and living in a house where he was forced to conform to the way Regina wished him to be, it was something he needed. Killian felt sorry for the boy and if his obsession helped Henry cope with everything then Killian would play along with it.

Killian sighed, his ploy to hopefully distract Henry from the curse wasn't working and he had an inkling that it wasn't ever going to. Henry mind was now drawing to a certain aspect of this curse that Killian was actually more intrigued by, "I brought Emma here, I thought it would change things."

Killian scrunched his eyebrows in confusion and curiosity. Henry had often talked about the curse with Killian, sharing his ideas but he had never mentioned Emma in any of them. Killian almost felt left out when he discovered the lad's plans to find his mother without him, "How's that?"

"She's the Saviour," Henry said, Figaro now placidly between the two. "She's meant to break this curse, she's the only one who can bring back the happy endings."

Killian simply nodded at Henry. "Well maybe she hasn't done what she needs to yet," Killian knew that the boy didn't need anyone to argue with him on that front. So Regina was the Evil Queen and Emma was the Saviour in Henry's eyes, it was quite insightful to Henry's emotional state at the moment but Killian wasn't qualified to make that judgement. He would just store that away for further evaluation later.

It wasn't long before Emma found herself facing the misty shores of StoryBrooke, Maine. It was quite picturesque, calming when she watched the waves crash upon the foaming shore. At first she was confused when Mary Margret gave her directions down to the foreshore, why would a kid runaway to the beach. Okay, she could understand teenagers but the kid was ten. Maybe the candy shop or something but when she saw the wooden playground or 'castle' she understood. Emma now exited her yellow bug and considering how small the town was compared to Boston, the spot was quite well hidden. All the better to hide from the 'evil queen'.

As Emma gazed back over to the wooden 'castle', she wasn't surprised to not only find Henry up there but also that damn librarian as well. Emma narrowed her eyes at him, pursing her lips. She wondered if she could sense the glare she sent his way because not a moment after she exited her car did he give her that infuriating smirk of his. She just couldn't believe that she had known the entire time at the station where Henry had gone off to, yet he had failed to mention it. She felt selfish when another thought entered her mind. If he had told them earlier where Henry was, she would have been out of this town. This part of her life gone and she could finally go back to her life in Boston, if only that librarian had been inclined to share this bit of information with them earlier. She hadn't known him a mere day and he was already starting to be a pain in her ass and she'll be damned if he wins her over with that stupid smile of his.

She gripped Henry's book that he had conveniently left in her car tightly. Just give him the book, say goodbye and leave. Give him the book, say goodbye, leave. She chanted it to herself all the way up to the playground, but it faltered when she could Henry laugh over something Killian had said. That laugh. She wish… she wish she could be the one causing it. Maybe she could be the one… if she stayed. No. She shook her, no. Just say goodbye and leave. Leave.

In the process of climbing up the playground, she had of course accidently hit the librarian in the back. With her foot. It only caused him to give her a light chuckle, which only infuriated her more. She was, however, more confused upon seeing a cat curl around her legs. Looking up at her… was that a smile on the cat's face? Could cats even smile? God, this town was getting to her.

"You left this in my car," Emma gave Henry the book back. When she received no reply, she could sense that something was off. She turned to Jones expectantly when she noticed how Henry was. Killian only gave her a shrug in return but nodded to where Henry was looking. When she saw what he was looking at, she understood, "Still hasn't moved, huh?" She dropped down to the other side of Henry.

It crossed Killian's mind to leave the two, they both obviously needed some time to talk to one another. There was a part of him that said that he could trust Henry alone with her, more so than he ever would with Regina. But there was this part nagging at him, this other part deep inside of him that he didn't recognize, telling him to be cautious. He didn't know this woman at all. She could be anyone and he couldn't let the fact that he felt something for this woman compromise him in anyway. But when he looked at this woman those guards fell down and he just knew. He knew that he could trust her.

Maybe it was when Killian noticed the look on Emma's face that he knew she wasn't going to hurt Henry, at least not intentionally. He decided that maybe the two did need some time alone but Killian wasn't going to be too far away he decided. He would be just around the corner, he didn't have to go back to the library straight away. After all, he basically made his own hours these days. He wasn't quite willingly to leave Henry alone just yet, that part was still nagging him. He gave Emma a look saying that he was going to leave and she looked relieved. Not at the fact that he was leaving per say but at the fact that she could at least talk to Henry. Emma needed sometime alone with Henry.

Killian turned to Henry and squeezed his shoulder, "You know what, lad? You and Emma look as though you need some time to talk."

Killian jumped down from the playground, landing on his feet with ease. Figaro following suit and Emma couldn't help but think how alike the interaction between the two was, almost as if they mimicked each other. Killian turned back to Henry, "Come around to Granny's, and we'll make sure you have a feast fit for a prince."

Henry scrunched his face, "Just make sure Ruby doesn't cook this time around."

Killian laughed, "Don't worry, Ruby won't go near the food this time," Killian gave him a wink, "I'll make your cocoa just the way you like it. With cinnamon."

Henry smiled at him, nodding his head, "Okay then."

Killian then turned to Emma, "See you around, Swan."

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