Chapter 3
Neverland (3 years ago)
"Please, you couldn't handle it." Emma rolled his eyes. Her son was still in danger - with Pan. They needed to hike all the way across the island, her father just nearly died! Yet here was the stubborn pirate, touching his lips and asking her for a kiss. She didn't love him. She didn't even like him. He had been irritating her since she met him. And did she mention? He was pretending to be a survivor of a gruesome killing . . . and he was working with the killer. Not a great first impression. Since then, there had been plenty of innuendos, and the pirate even considered them to be 'dating.' Emma knew better than to get attached to someone. Anyone. Especially a pirate like Hook. He had been alive for 300 years. He had drank at bars, flirted continuously, and taken home plenty of women. Emma knew from experience: That's not the kind of guy you should go for.
"Perhaps you're the one who couldn't handle it." An annoying smile. A wink. Emma gulped. Why, oh why did he have to be the one she found herself falling for. Remember, remember the kind of man he is. You just lost Henry's father. Neal. Don't do i-
They collided. Her lips against his, clutching the collar of his long, leather jacket. A collision of passion, an explosion of ice and fire and pure lust. Lust, she reminded herself as she kissed him. Not love, lust. It was a deep kiss, the kind of kiss where you can't catch your breath. The kind of kiss where you lose all control and then . . . and then.
All of the sudden they broke apart. Emma walked away, fuming. How could she do that? How could she do that!? She had only fueled his dreams, his delusions, that he and Emma would be together. Hook stood there, clutching his lips. He had kissed many women, far many than he could count. Yet, he had never felt such . . . such a wild passion. He had never felt an adrenaline rush quite like that. He felt like he was standing on the top of a mountain, ready to jump off. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't contain his thoughts.
That kiss had many something to him. To both of them.
Storybrooke, Maine (Present Day)
"Hi Violet."
"Hey Henry." The girl smiled. She was wearing a pretty pink dress and cape.
"How do you like school?" Henry questioned her.
"It's strange. All of it is . . . Strange." She looked around at all of the strange things.
"Don't worry. It's strange to everyone new. You will get used to it eventually."
"Speaking of new people, do you know anything about the people from the land of untold stories?" Henry frowned. He knew nearly everything about these people because he was the author. It was his job to document their stories, to help them find their happy endings. Afterall, that was what he had done in the Underworld, and now he was doing it here to.
But he knew he couldn't tell her. Violet understood that Henry was the author, but she like most people, didn't fully understand his full capability. Henry knew he couldn't tell her all of these people's stories and past. Those were private details. He paused and looked away from her a moment.
"Of course I do." He smiled breezily. Violet's eyes lit up with excitement. Henry hoped she wouldn't ask much more about them.
"Can I ask you one question about them? Please, it's urgent."
"I guess so …" Henry stuttered, "Fire away!"
"Fire? Why would I fire? Oh never mind, about these new people: There is someone I knew. Someone from The Land of Untold Stories. Her father took her there to shield her from a foe, and she was my best friend. I haven't seen her since she left. I want to know if she's here." Henry breathed a breath of relief. It was a good thing she hadn't asked anything personal. He smiled to know what his new operation would be. And secretly, relieved that it wasn't anything too dangerous.
The Charming House, Present Day
"Okay, Last name?" Henry turned from his book lying on the counter to Violet sitting at the table.
"Morgan."
"First name?"
"Gracelyn. Her name is Gracelyn Morgan."
"Markson, Matthews, Moberly, … Sorry, there are no Morgans."
"Could you try Gracelyn, then? Perhaps she's come here alone." Henry looked at the list of minors who had been delivered by themselves.
"There is a Gregory, but no Gracelyn, "
"Are you sure"
"Violet, I'm truly sorry, but she isn't here. I tried Grace, Gracie, Grenda, Glinda, … everything I could think of!"
"Perfect. My friend might be dead!" Violet ran out of the house, clearly very upset. Henry stood there. He had no idea how to console her.
The Charming House, Present Day
"Henry, what should we have for dinner?" Snow had been at school all day teaching; and then she had been trying to help find Aladdin. Emma and Hook were out in the hallway talking about this secret Emma had been keeping. Snow didn't feel that she had the right to be upset. She understood where her daughter was coming from. She also understood Killian's point of view. She knew why he was upset. Emma knew how to put up walls, alright.
"Pizza!" Henry answered as he answered some questions from his textbook. Snow told David to go and order a pizza. As the door closed behind him, Snow sat next to her grandson. She was very excited to have one night she didn't have to cook.
"How's that going?" She asked Henry, referencing his homework.
"Awesome! I forgot how great of a teacher you were!" Snow smiled. The truth was, she was nothing like the teacher she used to be. The teacher she used to be built birdhouses. The teacher she was now took her students on adventures. Snow smiled, knowing that Jasmine's help had really helped her. She would have to remember to listen to her more often.
"What's for dinner?" Emma asked from the table as David served them plates. The minute she saw what it was her mouth watered. She hadn't had a good slice of pizza since New York with Neal three years ago. She was very glad she had agreed to eat dinner here.
As they sat around the dinner table they had many pleasant conversations. Emma and Hook even got along as if nothing had happened! It seemed everything was back to normal...
