Sorry, I posted this last night and there was a bit of a problem... Let's try this again!

CHAPTER 3

It had been weeks since they'd broken up. Weeks since Killian had freed Emma from the Dark One, weeks since Emma had defeated the Dark One once and for all with her magic, coupled with Regina's light magic as well.

"I love you, my swan," Killian had said, holding her in his arms.

"Killian," Emma had said, and he had been so relieved to see that there was color back in her face, goodness back in her eyes. "I love you too." Emma had tears in her eyes. "And that's why I'm breaking up with you."

That was when Emma proceeded to explain to Killian that she didn't want to hurt him, that being the Dark One made her realize that if she could do anything to protect him from being hurt, she would do it. Because, she had said, everyone who had ever gotten close to her- at least in a romantic way- ended up getting dead or damaged in the end. So that meant breaking up with him. What she hadn't realized was that breaking up with him was the worst hurt of all.

Of course, Killian had protested. Of course, he was stubborn and persistent and tried to convince her otherwise. But Emma was stubborn and persistent too, and she wouldn't take it.

So there Killian was, walking down Main Street, trying to find something- anything- to distract himself from the ache in his chest. After his first heartbreak, when Milah had died, he was consumed with vengefulness. After his second heartbreak, all his ambition had vanished into thin air.

He saw leather jacket first- the bright red material always caught his eye- and at first he thought it was Emma who was walking toward him. But no, he realized. The person who donned his swan's jacket was merely more than a girl- she couldn't have been more than sixteen or seventeen years old. The girl, he realized as he got closer to them, did look a bit like Swan. Her hair was dark and her eyes were blue, but her cheekbones, that dimple on her chin, the way she carried herself with such confidence… that was all Emma.

And then Killian took a look at the sword she was carrying and realized that it was his.

His own sword was in its scabbard as always, so how did she have it? From this close, he could see the small inscription on the handle: Liam Jones, Captain, Jewel of the Realm.

His brother's sword, the one Killian had taken for his own after Liam's death.

"Who are you, lass," he whispered. "And how the bloody hell did you get my sword?"

The girl looked up at him, eyes wide. The boy nudged her lightly.

"C-Captain Hook, I presume?" the girl said.

Killian raised an impatient eyebrow. "What ever gave me away?" he said dryly, and he raised his own sword against her neck, saying, "Now, how did you get my sword?"

The boy's eyes narrowed. "Watch it!" he shouted, and with lightning fast speed he got his bow off his back and drew it towards him. "You hurt her, and you die."

"You think I'm scared of a little boy?" Killian said, but deep down, he felt like he really couldn't hurt this girl, whoever she was. Perhaps it was just that she looked so much like Emma.

"Leo," the girl choked out desperately against the blade of the sword.

"I got you, Lottie," the boy said, not taking his eyes off Hook.

"Killian!"

It was Swan.

"Killian! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Emma ran to his side, and he slowly lowered the sword. The boy set down his bow just as the girl collapsed into his arms, breathing heavily.

"This little girl took my sword!"
The girl coughed once, then said, "I'll have you know, I was given this sword! And I'm not a little girl! I'm sixteen years old!" The boy shot her a look that said that was a bit too much information.

"How can she have your sword if you have it right here in your hands?" Emma said calmly to Killian.

Bloody hell, her eyes were so beautiful.

"I-I don't know, but that's my sword, alright!"

Emma looked over towards the girl. "Mind explaining?"
"Of course," the girl said, but she didn't seem too sure at all. "See, I-"

"And what's going on here?"

Killian rolled his eyes internally. Why did everyone in this town seem to think it was alright to interrupt people?
"Regina," Emma sighed. "We're just trying to get to the bottom of this."

Regina stopped in her tracks at the sight of the two teenagers.

"Now who do we have here?"

()()()

Regina couldn't take her eyes off the boy. He looked so much like Robin it was painful. The boy stared back at her, in awe for whatever reason.

"Who are you two? How in the hell did you get here?"

The girl in the boy's arms let out a deep breath, looking to the boy, and the boy nodded back. Regina did not fail to notice what jacket the girl was wearing, or whose eyes she had seemed to have borrowed.

"My name," the girl said shakily. "Is Charlotte Jones."

Regina did not stop to see Killian's reaction. She was too focused on the boy.

The boy nodded. "And I'm Leo. Leo Hood."

Before anyone had time to respond, the shout of "Emma!" echoed throughout the otherwise deserted street.

Mary Margaret and David came walking toward the group, hand-in-hand.

"Emma," Mary Margaret said. "There were these two kids at Granny's Diner and I thought you should know that…" Mary Margaret trailed off as her eyes rested on the two teenagers in front of her.

"Great," Regina said. "Now that we're all here, I think it's time everyone has a little chat with our new friends. I think going back to my home, where we can chat in private, might be a good idea."

Charlotte played with the hilt of the sword, tracing a name- Liam Jones- carved into it. Killian, Regina noticed, was watching her attentively, face impassive.

"Ok," Charlotte said. "But on one condition. You have to help us get back home."

"That can be arranged," a voice said from behind Regina.

"Hey, Uncle Rumple," Charlotte said, a mischievous grin spreading widely across her face.

Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think in the comments!