A few dull thumps broke Emma from her sleep. Unsure of what it was, she pulled the blanket that draped over the back of sofa over her and snuggled back into whatever was making comfortable before she was rudely awoken. She almost drifted off back into sleep again, but the dull thumps continued as they become clear knocks on a door, her door. She stretched out to grab her mobile from the table to check the time. 3.35am, it read. Emma was pissed, who was at the door that early, who was even up that early, it was still pitch black. She tried to sit up and realised someone's arm was around her waist, 'did she fall asleep with someone last night?' she thought as the sleepy memories woke up. "Hook?" she whispered disbelievingly, sitting up letting his arm fall off her, he turned sleepily but didn't appear to wake up. There were more pressing matter then him though. The person at the door hadn't left yet, for one.
Emma crawled of the sofa, throwing the cover carelessly over Killian and rubbing her eyes as she unlocked the door and swung it open furiously. The figure standing there was alone and draped in shadows "Yes?" Emma fiercely whispered.
"May I come in, Emma?"
The feminine voice spoke, which Emma identified as Regina Mills. "Regina?" she snapped in the same hushed tone "What the hell are you doing here?" she groaned, opening the door slightly to let her in.
Regina walked straight pass Emma into the house. Usually she wouldn't bother informing Emma of new comers in town, not until the morning at least, but these ones were strange. "Sorry for intruding...this late I mean, but it's important." She said speaking in her normal toned voice after Emma had shut the door. She walked over to the Sofa to sit, but raised an amused, if not slightly confused eyebrow at the sleeping pirate wrapped in a blanket. "Emma?" she spoke, her voice laced with amusement.
"Shut up, it's not what you think." She informed quickly "We were watching Snow white and we both fell asleep." Well she did anyway. She still wasn't sure how she woke up leaning against him with his arm wrapped round her. "Back to the point. What the hell are you doing here this late, or early?"
She sighed, becoming frustrated "I couldn't sleep. So I was in front room, working, when around 1am a man came into town. I've have never seen him before. He is not from here, Emma." She said slowly, emphasizing each word. "But it's not just that. He drove in, with his car, but someone else was there. Whoever it was walked with him to granny's, and then drove off in the car again, presumably out of town."
Emma walked over to the kitchen area, waiting for Regina to follow her and then sat down the stool, after putting on the kettle. She made two cups of tea and placed one in front of Regina. "I still don't know why this cannot have waited until the morning." She continued complaining. "He could just be a visitor."
Regina gave her face, which roughly translated as 'don't be an idiot' "With no bags or possessions?"
She had a point, and the last thing Emma wanted was for anything to happen to Storybrooke. "Yeah, I suppose." She sulked "I'll check him out tomorrow, I'll tell him there's something temporarily wrong with the town and all visitors need to be surveyed. If he lies to me, or seems to have bad intentions, then as mayor, you can do something to get rid of him, right? And I don't mean with magic."
It was disappointing to be told that magic was a no-go, but Regina nodded anyway and got up to leave. "Very well. I just hope you're right."
After nodding pointlessly to Regina, she walked her to the door. "You did get someone to watch Henry while you were here, right?" Emma asked worried, although she assumed Regina wouldn't be that stupid to leave him alone, especially when she was worried about the new guy in town.
"Emma," she started, authority and exasperation in her tone "I have taken care of Henry for 10 years longer then you have even known him. I wouldn't leave him in the house unprotected." She bit out "However, Finding a sitter a 3am is impossible, so I protected the house with magic. No one can get in or out until I return." Regina said snappily, before turning swiftly and headed for the door "Have fun with your pirate." She grinned "Don't worry, I wont tell anyone he's here."
Emma crossed her arms "Regina," Emma called after her "It's not like that and you know it." She tried, but Regina was already gone.
"I don't think she believes you, sweetheart."
The voice came from behind Emma, making her jump. "What are you doing up?" she snapped, slamming the door that Regina had disappeared through.
Killian sat up from the sofa, switching on the tableside light. "I couldn't exactly sleep through that now could I." He stated, as a matter of fact "What time is it anyway?"
After pulling her phone out of her pocket, she threw it at Hook and went to make more Tea. "Press the button." She told him, switching on the kettle and making two new cups of tea. "Well?" she asked, regarding the time.
He pressed the button as instructed, but squinted at the agonising bright light. He still wasn't used to the light after sitting in the dark for so long "4.01am" he read out from the mobile's screen "Regina was here for 30 minutes?"
Emma nodded and brought the two cups of tea over, placing a mug on the table next to Killian "Mhhm." She hummed, sitting down.
"Haven't got anything stronger?" he asked, staring disgustedly at the cup of tea.
Emma made a face and took a sip of her tea "It's 4am. Even if I did I wouldn't give it to you. While your living here. You'll be drinking Tea and coffee." She smirked, taking another sip. "I have to get ready soon. There's someone from outside of Storybrooke come here early this morning. I promised Regina I would find out about him." She said distastefully, she hated working, and if it included a new danger to her town then she hated it more. "You can stay here again." She offered, pulling herself off the sofa with a sigh.
Killian followed her off the sofa "Actually I going to come with you today." He told her.
"You're coming with me?" she asked confused "Why? It's still dangerous out there?"
He smirked playfully "Yes, well so are you, doesn't stop you from leaving. Besides I need to check on my ship. In case Cora has done something to it."
"What if she's waiting for you there?" Emma questioned, irritably.
"Then come with me, if you're so damn worried about me. Either way I'm going to my ship." He said, sternly, crossing his arms over his chest.
Emma snorted at the 'being worried about him' part "Like I said before, if you want to put yourself in danger, fine, but I'm not being held responsible."
A few hours later, there was another knock at the door "Probably Regina again." Emma muttered, answering the door. But instead of Regina, it was instead David. "David, Hi. What are doing here?" she asked, keeping the door at an angle, so he couldn't see in.
"I brought breakfast" David said, holding up the three bags from Granny's.
Emma took note of the extra bag and looked round for Snow. "Three? Where's Snow."
"Just me." He said, confusing Emma further "and of course your friend," he drawled out patronizingly, softly pushing past Emma to get into the house "How long did you think you could keep that one from us?" he questioned, disapproving.
Closing the door behind him, she thanked god that Killian was up stairs. "It wasn't exactly a big secret, he's hiding from Cora, like I am. I don't want his death on my conscience. How did you find out anyway?"
"Henry." David replied plainly. "Oh, and thank you for not telling us he was going to be spending the night at Regina's." David lectured. "You can imagine how we reacted when we found out where he was."
Emma turned white, the amount of worry she must of put on them "I'm so sorry, it was a spur of the moment thing, I passed Regina in the street and thought she would enjoy having Henry stay. I was going to call you. I was just really tired and forgot."
David smiled and pulled his daughter into a quick half hug. "Don't worry about it, just let us know next time." He let her out of the hug when she nodded. "Okay, good."
"I am not bloody wearing this." Killian complained, thumping down the stairs to the living room, wearing black Jeans and a buttoned up black shirt.
Emma grinned at the pirate dressed in normal clothes. "Okay, well you're not going out into Storybrooke dressing head to toe in leather. Besides, what's wrong with it? You're still all in black. Black jeans, shirt, those boots"
"Are they my clothes?" David inquired between their argument. He crossed his arms and set them both with a judgmental stare.
In the corner of her eye, she could she Killian smirk, he would probably wear them now. Just to piss off David. "Sorry, they were here and I couldn't take him out into Storybrooke dressed as a pirate." Emma shrugged, looking back over at Hook, who was still distastefully looking at his clothes. "Stop it, you look fine. They make you look good." She said looking him over, before meeting his gaze again, realising how amused he looked "Normal!" she shook her head, quickly correcting herself. "You know what I mean." She groaned inwardly, before marching past Hook to go up stairs, leaving him with David.
"Why are you here?" David interrogated, less polite then he had been when Emma was around.
Killian couldn't help laughing, protective father, how humorous. "I thought it was obvious." He replied feigning seriousness, with the smallest smile.
"Funny." David replied sarcastically, painting on a quick smile as he heard Emma tread back down the stairs.
After grabbing her phone off of the table, she tugged Hook's shirt, getting him to follow her and handed a folder to David. "Paper work." She said apologetically. "Thank you for taking over at the station. I've just got too much to do right now."
David nodded and let Emma pass through the front door first, Killian following shortly behind her. "We're not done." David said quietly to him, stepping back afterwards letting him pass again.
"So, what's the plan?" Killian asked, slightly snappier then he'd been all morning. That being account on Emma taking away his hook, babbling about 'the rest of the world seeing it.'
Emma ignored his usual bad-tempered tone "I've got to find out who the new guy is, visit Regina with the update and go with you to your ship. And exactly in that order." She explained "Busy day, let's go." Emma walked into granny's, finding out what room the new guy was staying in, after a worried lecture from Ruby, she went up stairs and knocked on the guys door.
After looking down at Emma tediously, he commented "Is this really necessary?"
Emma rolled her eyes replying in a hiss "Yes!" just before the door swung open. "Hi." Emma greeted. "I'm the town sheriff, this is-" she looked to Hook for help but received nothing, he just stood there looking bored, typical "my partner, Killian Jones. He works part time." She said finally.
Killian looked down at her, oddly surprised at his name being said aloud. Usually such a thing never happened nowadays.
"There's an escapee loose in the town. He's working with an accomplice out of town also we think. So we have to clear all new comers to the town." She said smoothly, without a bump to think she was lying.
The man looked mild confused before answering "It's a big town, you must get visitors often?" he inquired, with a friendly smile. "I'm just a tourist, this place has a good rep. Sounded interesting so I though I would have a look."
Emma matched his smile, "Well, it's just a small, know-your-neighbours town. We don't get many visitors. Which we're grateful for." She said the last part in a joyless tone, dropping her smile, even Hook nudged her to break her out of the vicious vibe she was giving off.
"Anyway," Killian drawled out, resting his hand on Emma's shoulder and leading her away from the door. "Keep a watch out for him." He ended, walking away with a rather quiet Emma. It was usual how much Emma just seemed to let him keep leading her away, when usually she would've done or said something. They left the building, and Killian let go of Emma's shoulder, bringing her round so she was face to face with him "What happened in there? I though you said, and I repeat 'discrete.' That wasn't discrete, love."
"He lied." She said barely audible "Storybrooke, doesn't have a rep, nobody knows about it." She said quickly "No maps, no rumours nothing just-"
He patted her head patronizingly to quiet her "Don't read too much into it, Swan. You already said people would start to pass through, and now they are."
Emma scoffed, walking down the opposite direction of the street "Doesn't mean I don't need to be worried about it." She began walking in the opposite direction of Regina's house.
"Where are you going now?" Killian called after her.
Emma stopped slowly to look back at him, annoyed that he was still standing in the street "Your ship. Regina can wait."
Satisfied by her answer, he began following her down the street toward his ship.
"Need help to get on, love?" he asked, extending his hand for her to take. The last thing he wanted was her falling off, into the sea, that wouldn't end well.
Emma set him with exasperated look "I think I'll be fine." She said, following him on to the seemingly invisible ship. But the with the lack of railings and, you know, lack of being able to see where she was going, it felt like she was going to take a wrong step and fall to her death. Swallowing her pride, she grabbed his hand "Maybe I do, need help." She sighed irritably, hating how pathetic she looked.
Once they got to the top, Killian tried to let go of Emma's hand, but she wasn't letting go, she wasn't even paying attention. She was looking around his ship. "I know. Brilliant, isn't it." He commented, looking down at the intertwined hands again.
It was amazing, she didn't think she would enjoy a ship this much, especially a pirate ship, Captain Hook's ship. She noticed Killian was looking down at their hands and she dropped his hand quickly, as though it were burning hot "Sorry. Uh, go get whatever you need." She smiled lightly before heading to the edge of the ship.
Killian felt himself smile back "Don't fall off now." He shot out humorously, before disappearing into the cabin.
Emma leant over the rails watching over Storybrooke. Across from her she could see the steering wheel and crossed to investigate. She ran her finger over the dark wood and muttered "I would make a great pirate." Despite her family, she could definitely see herself as a pirate more than a princess.
"What's that, love?" Killian asked, coming up from behind her.
"Nothing." Emma said, still distracted by the ship. "You ready to leave again? Cora hasn't damaged it anyway, has she?"
After taking a quick look around his ship, he set his gaze back on Emma "Nope, still all in one piece. Let's go."
They were almost back at Emma's apartment. Although she was cringing all they back as they walked. She mistakenly told Killian that she loved his ship and all the way home he never let it go. He was still mumbling something when Emma's eye caught on something she wished it hadn't. Emma stopped dead still in the street, causing Killian to walk into her.
"What now?" he asked tiredly. Only just noticing her glassy eyes, he followed her gaze, which landed on a man and woman. "What, more new-comers?" he asked sardonically.
"Something like that." She whispered. When the man looked her way, she grabbed a handful of the black shirt Hook had borrowed and spun him around, so Hook had his back to the couple and Emma could secretly look over his shoulder.
Hook tried to look over his shoulder at what Emma was seeing but she kept him in place "You know there were days, when I was a pirate, that people feared and respected me, and I didn't have to keep up with the actions of a crazy woman."
Emma raised an eyebrow at his statement "Respected? Feared? I'm not seeing it." She countered distantly, before looking over his shoulder again.
"I guess you forgot what happened back in our land then." He replied, grinning.
Emma made a distasteful face, but didn't reply. "Can I tell you a secret?" she asked quietly, even though she was going to tell him anyway, mainly because she was alone in this right now. Without awaiting his answer, she spun him back around to face the couple, "That man is Henry's father." She told him, her voice subconsciously breaking slightly. "I've got to go." She said, forcefully throwing the apartments keys at Killian. Before giving him an explanation, she took off down the street, in the opposite direction of both Neal and her apartment.
A/N: Another update :0, Told ya I'd update more often. Anyway, thank you for the lovely reviews. For the next chapter, I plan on more Charming/Hook interactions, also Neal and more Regina, because she's flawless, along with Belle and Rumple. And maybe I'll deepen the Emma/Killian relationship. Or maybe I'll make you wait :)