A/N: Another update because you are so wonderful for staying with me :D

"I think this is you," said Claire, pointing at a picture in her book. He chuckled.

"Captain Hook?" he asked. "Only because I don't have a hand?"

"You don't have a hand?" asked Claire, now excited.

He cursed himself silently. Of course she didn't know, what was he thinking? Not everyone was as perceptive as Emma.

"It makes even more sense now!" cheered Claire. "I actually thought you were Captain Hook because of this theory I've been developing." she admitted. "I think Emma can only restore the memories of the people who loved her. And Captain Hook was her lover. You have to get more of your memories back to find one that could confirm this,but for now, you know, I kinda figured-"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." He blushed for a reason that was unclear to him. The idea of him being Emma's lover matched the memory that refused to get out of his mind perfectly.

"Captain Hook's brother and former lover died." Said Claire after reading about him quietly for a couple of minutes. Killian froze at that.

"What?" he whispered. Seriously? She could find out every fucking painful detail about his miserable past in the bloody book now? Through the past of Captain Hook?

As if she could read his mind, she closed the book abruptly.

"I won't read about you anymore if you don't want me to." She promised.

"Thank you." He said.

Captain Hook. He thought after she had left.

Captain bloody Hook.

-xxx-

The next day was his last day to spend on her couch. It was stupid to be unhappy about it, thought Emma, not even close to convincing herself. She couldn't deny she had grown to like him. But for now, she had more important things to think about.

The innocent woman whose life was about to be destroyed, to name one.

Or the disturbing way this private detective was looking at her in.

"Good luck with the Mary-Margaret case, love." Said Killian when he was already outside, ready to go home. "I'll be glad to help you if you'll need me to." She smiled and leaned against the wall.

"What?" she asked at his thoughtful gaze.

"Nothing, love, I was just wondering if you'd like to go out with me when it's all over."

Hell ,yeah, exclaimed a voice inside her head. Reason made it shut up eventually.

"Jones, I have a bunch of… stuff to deal with right now." She sighed.

"I didn't ask you out, Swan." He smirked. "I just said I would when you'll finish getting your stuff dealt with. I am a very patient man."

She smiled uncontrollably. "Okay."

His smirk grew wider. "Goodbye, Swan. And thank you."

She nodded, still smiling. "You're welcome." She said.

When he turned to enter his appartment she gave up to the urge and kissed his stubbled cheek. She laughed loudly at the way his eyes widened in surprise and felt immediately guilty about letting herself forget the complicated situation, even if only for a mere moment.

Rumpelstilskin paced around the great hall of his castle. It was utterly upsetting when his pawns did things out of their own free will. He didn't tell Regina that having the product of true love among the cursed citizens would prevent time from standing still (even if it wouldn't prevent the memory lost and the mind control), nor did he tell her that she could break the curse. Maybe he underestimate his student.

Not that any of it mattered now, of course.

Right now, he had to come up with a way to keep the annoying pirate-princess within the curse's purview.

He waved his hand lightly and his newest prisoner arrived, still as tongueless as he left him. One of her crewmen.

"Well, dearie, I was hoping you could tell me a few things about you precious captain."

As his tongue returned to his mouth, he laughed bravely.

"What makes you think I will betray my captain?" he spat out, knowing he was practically chalenging the devil.

"Oh, that would be the pain I am more than able to inflict you." Giggled Rumpelstilskin impishly.

"Why do you care about her anyway?" asked the sailor, who was starting to get visibly sweaty and nervous.

"She happens to be an important piece in an extraordiany game I am playing." He explained. "And it's necessary that she would stay in this realm for me to win it."

The prisoner laughed. "Well, as it seems, you have already lost."

"Yes, yes I know she plans to leave this realm. This is not what I need you for." Huffed the imp impatiently. "I need you to tell me what would make her stay."

-xxx-

"Give me that!" growled a local bully at a young girl, snatching a string with a small golden band on it from her hand.

"Give it back! It's my mother's!" Yelled the child in horror.

"This will teach you not to delay when serving people's drinks." He stated, tying the string around his neck.

Emma watched the helpless little creature disappearing in the corner and crying silently. She waited a couple of minutes before she approached the bully, who seemed to be enjoying his moments of glory.

"Hello, handsome," she let her eyelids drop flirtatiously. Her cleavage seemed to catch his attention, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well, hello there." He purred. "What does a lass like yourself seek in this sort of place?"

"Well, I'm here for the company, of course." She smiled. "And I also fancy that ring of yours. May I have it?"

He laughed. "How about I give it to you for a kiss?" he suggested.

She grinned. "How about a bet? If you can throw your knife closer to that bottle over there than I can, I'll give you a kiss. If not, I get the ring."

He smirked, confident. "Well, you just got yourself a deal." He threw his knife and hit the shelf near the bottle.

"You're up." He said.

She threw the knife.

And missed the shelf by at least a feet.

"Well, it seems like I've won." He grinned, tapping his lips.

She smiled widely before streching her body to kiss him deeply and sent her arms to wrap around his neck.

His friends whistled.

As she moved away from him he looked so dizzy and overwhelmed she almost laughed.

She walked away, the string she untied from around his neck during the kiss hung loosely from her fingers. When she got to the dark corne the poor kid was still crying in she handed her the ring with a smile and a soft stroke on the cheek.

"Stay away from them, aye?" She whispered. The girl nodded, wraping her slim arms around Emma's waist tightly and running from the tavern as fast as ahe could.

"You could have hit that bottle." Whispered a familiar voice in her ear. She turned around to see Hook, smiling widely.

"With my eyes shut and one hand tied behind my back." She whispered back. "But stealing it is much more fun than winning it, don't you think?"

He laughed. "Not very lady-like, but good form after all, princess."

"I am not a princess, Hook," She said. "not anymore."

"If that's so, the name is Killian Jones, love."

"What?"

He shook his head, laughing. "Killian Jones. Not Hook."

She grinned. "Very Well, Killian Jones."

-xxx-

After what seemed to be hours of screams that seemed as if they were shaking the castle, The prisoner's willpower finally collapsed.

"FINE! I'll tell you everything I know, just make it stop!" he cried out in pain.

"I don't know much, but I do know that for the first time since our former captain's death, she seems to be interested in someone." He breathed out, still bleeding. Guilt and shame were showing on his wounded face.

"What about her dear lieutenant?"

"Died months ago."

"I should have killed you for that lie, but I need to know more about that man you mentioned. Who is he?"

He inhaled. "Hook. Captain Hook. Now kill me, I deserve worse for betra-"

Rumpelstilskin's blade went right through his heart before he could even finish the sentence.

Captain Hook.

Oh, he was definitely going to enjoy that.

Longest chapter so far! Review?