Hook looked up into the sky, seeing small white flakes as they began to fall from the icy clouds that leered over the town. as he stood on the sidewalk contemplating his next move a strong gust of cold wind whipped his jacket open and blew his black hair into disarray. pulling his jacket tightly around him the pirate stifled a shiver and cursed at mother nature. another gust of wind blew past him and he held his jacket closed, although it did little to shield him from the cold. This time he didn't hold back the bone rattling shiver. He threw another string of ungentlemanly curse words under his breath into the wind. He decided he should be getting back to his ship, not that it was any warmer there!
Hook heard the bell of Granny's chime and he turned to see Ruby strutting out in her signature red cloak. "Brr, it sure is cold out here tonight," the girl remarked, rubbing her arms to warm them slightly.
"Well love it has begun to snow. That usually does imply a certain lack of warmth," the shivering captain jested through chattering teeth as Ruby let out a small laugh. "So where are you headed that would have you braving weather such as this love?" he raised an eyebrow to the waitress.
"Mary... Snow and Charming's, they invited me for a little Christmas Eve get together," the wolf-girl stopped smiling and frowned, noticing just how much the pirate really was shivering. "How warm is it on your ship?" she finally asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Not very," Hook smirked, he couldn't help but notice the concern the waitress had for him, "why? you offering to help rectify my situation?" he asked moving to stand in front of Ruby, the pirate's mischievous smirk widening.
"Yes," she answered matter-of-factly. Hook shot up an eyebrow in surprise, but the girl in front of him shook her head and took a step back making the pirate frown slightly in confusion. "Not like that. What I'm offering you is a room at Granny's for a few nights, just 'til the weather warms up a bit and you can return to your ship."
Too shocked to answer the captain simply nodded and accepted the key from the wolf-girl's outstretched hand. Looking down at his right hand he couldn't help but smile and let out a chuckle as he noticed the swan that was attached to it, "you really have a sense of humor don't you love?"
Smiling at her own joke Ruby turned and walked up the street towards her best friend's apartment, leaving the pirate standing in the street. "Room number 4," she called over her shoulder from half way up the block, he was sure that he could hear the cheeky smile in her voice.
"Thanks love," Hook smirked looking up at the girl stopped just a few paces in front of him, "but why?"
Ruby shrugged and continued walking up the sidewalk, "It's Christmas, everyone deserves at least a warm place to stay." The pirate just continued to stand in front of the diner watching after the wolf-girl until she vanished around the corner.
~X~
The pirate again had to pull his jacket tighter around his body in a juvenile attempt to keep out the growing cold as he reached the deck of The Jolly Roger. The snow had begun to pick up, as had the wind, blowing the light falling snow around in erratic spirals as it made its way toward the ground. He was starting to regret his decision to make the journey down to the docks to pick up some of his belongings before the storm got any... worse? Can that even be possible, for it to get worse? Unfortunately, the captain had the feeling that it was.
Quickly grabbing a bag from the small desk in the corner of his room and filling it with various objects from around the cabin, most of which were half finished bottles of rum. When he finished he hooked the bag to his hook and swung it over his left shoulder and pulled his jacket tight with his good right hand. Ducking his head in an attempt to avoid the wind blowing directly in his face.
The captain carefully made his way back across the slippery, snow covered docks on his way back to Granny's when something caught his eye. Through the, not so gently, falling snow, under what must have been a street lamp, was the faintest hint of blond standing out from all the white and black. Swan? the pirate wondered and without him asking them to his legs began to move in the direction of the lamp.
It didn't take long for Hook to get close enough to confirm that it was in fact Emma, sitting on a plank of wood, under the light. He stopped, forcing his feet to cease movement, only a few feet behind his Swan. The captain thought for a moment about whether he should say something or just continue walking. His mind was made up for him when he saw her shiver and his feet began to move again. Loudly he cleared his throat as he closed the gap, trying to startle the princess as little as possible. At the sound she did start slightly, but the relaxed when she saw who it was that the noise had come from. "Evenin' ma' lady," the pirate smiled and gave a graceful half bow.
Emma just rolled her eyes and shook her head, a ghost of a smile flashing across her lips, "hey Hook," she responded turning away from the captain and back in the direction of the ocean. Not that you could actually see it through the swirling white snow.
"Aren't you supposed to be at a party or something at your mothers not giving yourself pneumonia?" inquired the pirate, concern clear in his soft semi uneven voice.
"Ya well all the people were making me seem a bit overwhelmed..." the princess paused, turning her head slowly and glaring strait into Hook's stormy blue eyes with narrow green ones, "how did you," Emma pointed an accusing finger at the pirate, not moving her gaze from his, "know I had a thing with my family?" her tone colder than ice, sending a violent shiver up the already bone chilled man's spine.
"I... Um... Well..." the suddenly awkward pirate stuttered, unlocking his gaze from the princess and looking down at the fresh snow that blanketed the cold ground. A few moments of silenced passed between the pair before the captain looked up with his hand balled in front of his mouth. He cleared his throat in a last ditch effort to recollect his scattered thoughts. "Ruby, I was talking to her at Granny's earlier. She mentioned she had a gathering to get to at Mary-Margret's. I naturally assumed you would be invited," Hook shrugged and took a step forward, now only inches from his swan. "Now, why are you really here, alone in the cold?" the captain brought his hand up to the saviour's face to push a strand of hair, that had escaped her toque, back behind her ear, making her stiffen and inhale sharply.
"Look Hook, I..." she paused, her eyes fluttering closed as Hook slowly brushed his hand across her cheek, "Please just stop," her voice was a forced whisper, but the pirate didn't move, he just gazed at the princess.
"What's wrong Swan?" Hook asked again, his voice an raw whisper. "Please. Tell me," he pleaded,
"I..." Emma paused, opening her eyes, the pain and sorrow written clearly in her grey-green eyes. "Henry. It's Henry," she sighed, dropping her gaze. "He's with Regina tonight." Hook sat down beside Emma, hand never leaving her cheek for fear that he would freeze to death without the contact. "It's the first time he's spent the night away from me since... since..." she stifled a shiver and looked up into the enchanting blue eyes of the pirate who was sitting next to her.
"Since the incident with Pan." Hook completed for her, his voice a sad whisper. His eye's darkening with sudden rage. He dropped his hand and balled it into a tight fist. He began to shake, both from the cold and from the anger he was having a hard time controlling. Suddenly he froze, anger disintegrating, as he felt something cold on his face. Looking up he noticed it was a hand, Emma's hand, she had moved it to cup his cheek. The captain let out a light chuckle and a grin cracked across his face as he reached his right hand up to enclose around the princess' icy left one, "your frozen Swan. You need to get inside before you freeze to death," the pirate now noticing how cold he was as well and fighting back the shiver that had been building in his spine since he sat down.
Letting a sarcastic half smile spread across her own lips Emma rolled her eyes, "And where exactly are you thinking of that would be any warmer than right here?"
"Well as it just so happens," the pirate began pulling out a shiny metal key from his inner jacket pocket, his smile more like a mischievous smirk at this point, "Ruby gave me a Christmas present before she left for your apartment this evening. She said she got Granny to let me stay, just until the storm gets better and I can return to my ship without fear of freezing in my sleep."
The princess ungracefully reached for the key in the pirates hand. "I'm surprised she didn't offer you her room," Emma laughed as she caught hold of the key. She saw the swan on the that was attached to the old key and her eyes widened. The princess couldn't help but chuckle as she handed the key back to Hook, "that Ruby really does have a sense of humor doesn't she?"
"That she does Swan, that she does," the captain chuckled, placing the key back in the pocket he had taken it from. "Well. Shall we then?" Hook inquired, standing and offering Emma his good hand to help pull her from her place on the plank.