Emma had never met a dog quite like this one. The drive back from the city was the strangest of her life. Hook jumped when Emma had turned on the radio not long after passing the Storybrooke town sign, and then preceded to stare at it for the rest of the drive – as if the dog could figure out how the music was coming out of the speakers.

She didn't bother going home first. She had planned on staying in the city all night, but she couldn't very well have brought Hook to her hotel room. Party of two, one human, one furry, she thought almost laughing at what she sure would have been the look on the hotel manager's face as she tried to sneak this large dog in.

Hook looked over at her at the sound of her chuckle, cocking his head to the side as he examined her.

"What?" She asked, peaking at him out of the side of her eyes.

He tongue darted out to lick his nose, and his face seemed to say I asked you first.

"I was just thinking about what would have happened had a tried to take you to my hotel tonight." She laughed again.

A look crossed the dog's face, and she was positive she had never seen any animal wear such a suggestive expression.

"Don't look at me like that." She scolded. "Great, now I'm talking to a dog." Emma stop talking to the mutt as Main Street came into view.

After an unexplained fire in her Boston apartment Emma had packed up what was left of her and Henry's things for a road trip. She had debated on going south, feeling the sand between her toes. She almost did it too, she was looking at different cities on a map when her eyes landed on Tallahassee. That ended that train of thought quickly. Instead Henry and her wound up heading north. Henry had wanted to see Canada and she agreed. Thanks to a wolf on the road the Bug wound up sideways across Storybrooke's town sign, and Emma and Henry had found themselves in a little bed and breakfast run by a tough old woman.

In hindsight Emma knew she should have left the second the Bug was fixed. Hell she should have left when Henry had first seen the clock tower over the library, called a cab and been on their merry way.

Too late for that now, she sighed to herself. She was stuck here now, Henry loved it. And if I'm being honest pissing off the mayor is a perk. Something about the woman rubbed her the wrong way, and the more she tried to push Emma out of town, the more she wanted to stay.

"Okay buddy," Emma said looking over to the dog again. "Here we are." She had finally arrived at Storybrooke's animal shelter. Getting out of the car, she grabbed Hook's leash to pull him along with her.

Walking through the door, Emma saw David Nolan behind the counter.

"Hey David, back to work so soon?" Emma asked the man. One would think that after waking up from a coma he would have taken a longer break.

"Ah Deputy Swan, what else am I going to do?" He looked at her sheepishly. "How can I help?"

"Well-" Emma stopped. She looked down at the big Sheppard next to her, his wide blue eyes staring up into hers. They held mixed emotions. He looked as if he was almost pleading with her not to leave him here, the other part looked at her with betrayal.

Suddenly, Emma wasn't standing on the tile floors of StoryBrooke Animal Shelter, she was back in her first foster home. Mr. Swan held her hand as Mrs. Swan, her stomach just beginning to look round with her real child, filled out paper work to release her from their care. She still remembered the moment Mr. Swan's hand left hers, and how he didn't look back as they walked out of the door, even when she called after him.

"I-" David was looking expectantly at her now. "I was wonder if you guys knew what kind of food he should get." Emma said nodding to Hook.

"Sure thing." David said, walking into the back to get a bag.

Hook's tail was thumping on the ground now, when she looked down at him again his face seemed to say I knew you wouldn't leave me here. Emma had never grown up with dogs, but she was pretty sure he was the only dog in the world who could look that smug. As if he had understood what she had said and that she wasn't leaving him here as she planned.

As David came back out front, explaining the pros and cons of the different kinds of food for Hook, Emma held back another sigh. Well, I'm down the rabbit hole now.

The metal beast that this blonde siren had put him in was something else. She has pressed a nob in it and suddenly he could hear a woman singing. He wasn't able to do anything but stare at it, in hopes that the tiny songstress would reveal herself. Alas no such luck, the pulled up to a sad looking little cottage and she pressed the nob again, and the singer was gone.

He didn't quite understand where they were, but he was able to gather that this wasn't the sleeping quarters she had mentioned earlier. She had seemed shock at his suggestive face when she mentioned bringing him to bed with her, and he realized that his furry face may not sway the lass as much as his usual mug would.

I still won't mind sharing her quarters, he thought to himself, watching her long legs as he walked slightly behind her. When the door opened the smells hit him. His newly more sensitive nose could smell others like him. Other dogs stayed here, he could tell that much.

The woman greeted a man behind a counter, and Hook finally caught her name.

Swan, a fitting name if I've ever seen one.

It was then that he realized what was happening. She was leaving him here like the other dogs. That would surely make his task more difficult, how was he suppose to find the crocodile if he was locked in those metal cages like the other beasts.

He let out a soft whine to try and get her attention. She seemed lost in her own thoughts however, and merely rubbed gently his ear. Hook wasn't the only one looking for her attention. The man across the desk was looking at her, waiting for her to answer his question. When she finally did, Hook was pleased to hear her say that she merely needed dog food.

Not that I'll actually be eating it lass. It wasn't until the man left the room that she looked down at her again, and when she did he threw her the smuggest look possible. I knew you couldn't leave me in this brig Swan, I've been in my fair share but that would have been barbaric.

She was looking intently, trying once again to figure him out. Good luck, love. As far as he could see, and from what Cora had told him, magic didn't exist in this world. Let alone humans turned dogs.

Swan got both of them back into the metal beast, and they were off. Their next stop was at a much nice place. The blue house looked spacious, and the white fence looked sturdy and new. Child's toys littered the porch as Swan led him through the front door.

"Well, here it is. Home sweet home." Swan spoke softly too him as she unhooked the leash. "Don't jump on anything, or mess anything up. Just – be good." She said with a defeated sigh, placing the dog food on the kitchen table.

Hook's nail clicked on the hard wood floors as he looked around. He saw more toys for a child, a sweater too small for Swan. Moving into a room with a large couch, he saw – well he wasn't quite sure what he saw. They looked like portraits, but he had never seen a painter able to capture someone so accurately. These paintings were an exact copy of Swan. Well of Swan and a little duckling. She had a child, but no paintings showed any husband. He turned his head to find that she had followed him.

"Are you- are you looking at the pictures?" She asked him, almost as if she believed he would answer. "You are such a weird dog."

She sat on the couch, patting the seat next to her until her jumped up. "Alright, Henry will be home tomorrow," she began, rubbing both his ears as she did. "He's probably gonna freak out when he sees you. He's always wanted a dog. But you and me, we've got to lay down some ground rules."

He had the sudden urge to lick her face, and when reflecting on his furry state found no reason not to.

"Ugh, rule one," she said, wiping the slobber off of her cheek. "You don't lick me. Rule two, you do not go upstairs. The last thing I need is to have to wash dog hair out of Henry's bed sheets."

It's not the lad's bed I'll be staying in lass, he thought, fixing her with his best smolder he could.

"Rule three, you need to stop looking at me like that. God you're a dog for Christ sakes, I'm losing it." She leaned back into the couch now, and Hook could resist himself. He jumped forward, both paws into her lap and licked her face. Repeatedly.

"Stop! Stop! What did I just say?" Swan yelled, tossing him off of her and onto the floor. "Don't wag your tail at me." She was laughing now, and Hook considered that a win. "What am I going to do with you?"

I have some ideas Swan but we'll need to get me out of this fur first.

"And again with the look. Alright, make yourself at home. Your old owner might have ruined my night in the city, but he can't ruin the master bath tub and a glass of wine." She said, standing up before walking back into the kitchen. Hook thought he was going to like it here. Well, at least until I locate the crocodile, he thought, padding after Swan up the stairs.