Crocodiles and Swans

It felt good to be back on his ship, standing atop the sails, wind blowing on his face as this new land came into view.

Storybrooke.

Good thing he kept hold of that dried up old bean. Turns out it wasn't worthless after all, it was still magical and full of hope; just like that bloody Swan girl. He needed to see her, but first things first; he had a crocodile to skin. If only that blasted witch of a woman would stop getting in his way.

"If you go off half-cocked after an empowered Rumplestilskin, do you know what will happen?"

A well many a things he imagined. The whole town would be in a tizzy no doubt, his assailant would more than likely cast things of a horrid nature his way, attention would be called, Emma would come…Emma, Emma. He frowned and backed off the matter, his crocodile could wait. For now.

.

The fleeting glimpses he would catch of her were hardly enough to satiate his thirst to see her face to face, but with the possibility that Cora could show up whenever she damned well pleased he'd just have to keep holding out. She had finally left him to tend to her own business and while his nights were lonely he was glad to be rid of the hag.

A sigh resonated in his chest, his hand resting over his hook while he lay in his bed, ship gently rocking against the dock. He had missed this, the calming sway of the sea and the song of the gulls carrying him off to sleep each night.

His dreams were filled with flashes of golden hair twirling around his sword, lips quirking upward when it was her that had him on his back and it was her turn to lean over him.

"Told you you'd make a bloody good pirate, love," he winked struggling beneath her grip. She had knocked his sword away and had his arms pinned above his head and her legs were gripping his hips.

"Scandalous Captain Hook, bested by a girl once more," she smirked. Emma tentatively rolled her hips and leaned in closer, her lips grazing the shell of his ear. "How does it feel?"

His breath shuddered and his body jerked. "You tell me," he breathed, lifting his hips to meet hers, his dark eyes never separating from the beauty above him. "How does it feel, Emma?"

Her breath visibly hitched and Hook proudly smirked.

Emma released one of his arms and brought a hand down to the scruff that lie on his cheek and he pressed into her touch with a sigh. His own hand mirrored her actions and he tucked a curl behind her ear before his hand slid down and settled on her waist, his fingers flitting under the hem and dancing on her warm skin.

"What are we doing?" she whispered, leaning into him, so close they bumped noses a few times before their lips brushed gently.

"What we always do, love. We're dancing."

"Hook-" Emma's hushed voice warned.

"Shh, s'all right, darling."

"Hook—" her voice called again, faded but still there the same as her touch. Oh, no, no, no, no.

"Hook." Louder now, female, but not his Swan. He groaned and turned over in the bed, covering his head with the pillow.

"HOOK!"

"WHAT?!" He sat up in a rush, tearing his pillow with his hook, sending a flurry of feathers around the room. His chest heaved with each deep breath he took and his eyes angrily scanned his quarters looking for the intruding voice that had disturbed his intriguing slumber.

"Now what type of greeting is that for the one who is about to hand you the tool for seeking your revenge?" Cora clicked her tongue against her teeth. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, my dear Captain, I thought even pirates had better manners."

"What are you saying?" Hook demanded with a snarl.

"Rumplestilskin has devised a potion to enable him to cross the town line without losing his memories. In order for it to work it must be poured onto something he values," Cora's heels clapped against the wood grain as she stepped closer to him, her lips turning upward. "I happen to have information pertaining to said item."

A slow smirk worked its way onto Hook's face and he extended his arm out in a bow towards the desk in the room. "My dear, Cora, sit down, have a drink, I do believe we have much to discuss."

.

He had the shawl in his possession for hardly any time worth mentioning before that bloody fool of a girl Belle had knocked him in the head with that damned oar. And if that wasn't the worst of his troubles, his crocodile had taken his old man walking stick and had proceeded to whack him with it before attempting to squeeze the life out of him.

Not that he didn't ask for it.

If Rumplestilskin just so happened to kill him in front of his precious Belle, what would she think of him then? Especially having just learned that he had killed his own wife, to spite her for falling in love with a pirate.

The girl was pleading for him to stop and Hook kept on doing what he did best. Always the antagonist. He would suffer the pain, for the outcome of breaking that girl and in turn breaking him would be a well-deserved reward. But it never came, he finally let up, demanded that Hook leave and took his Belle and left. Left! He had the shawl, his heart, everything.

And Hook had nothing.

Nothing but a greater thirst for his revenge and a dark shadow upon his heart. He quickly made his way below deck and went back to retrieve the gun. He would go to the line and wait, wait for his crocodile and undoubtedly the girl. She would most likely wish to bid him goodbye on such a journey. And then, then he would take his revenge, or at least part of it.

.

Hook wished he hadn't meant to deliberately hit the girl, but he knew better. While it wasn't in his nature to go around shooting women this one held Rumplestilskin's heart, and he had made sure the wound was superficial. Her dear crocodile would tend to her anyhow, even if she wouldn't know his face from anyone else's.

The pirate's eyes gleamed black in the rain. The deed had been done but the darkness inside of him still remained. Why?

"Go ahead, Crocodile, do your worst!" he sneered at the man cowering behind the line.

Rumplestilskin moved Belle's body and stood with a clenching fist. "Oh, I intend to."

Hook stood there, watching the ball of fire build atop of the man's palm and yet he did nothing to defend himself. Instead he smiled, a fool's grin, the grin of a man with a tortured soul and a death wish. The Dark One never got his chance to hurl his attack; a pair of headlights appeared, barreling down the road and a series of beeps got Rumplestilskin to roll himself and Belle out of the way before the car took them out.

The weary Captain however was done. Tired of fighting, tired of living, tired of waiting for his second chance at life. This was his out. His chance for all the pain to come to an ultimate stop.

With a final twitch of his lips, he jumped.

.

The sound of her voice was a breath of fresh air, albeit an excruciating painful breath so he mustn't be dead. She came to him first. Despite the others that were there, she chose to come to his aid above them. That had to count for something. At least he hoped it counted for something.

"Hook," his name escaped her lips in a faint whisper as she began to crouch down at his side.

"Hey, beautiful," the pain in his side caused his voice to pitch.

Emma placed a gentle hand over his middle and his hand quickly sought out hers, his fingers curling against the side of her pinky finger.

"And here I didn't think you'd notice-AHH!" the slight pressure she had on him had only made things worse and she pulled her hand away with a frown. No, no, love, it was worth the pain. He reached out to her for a moment before his mind got the better of him and he let his hand hover in the air.

"Your ribs are broken," she said with a grimace.

"That must be why it hurts when I laugh," he feigned a smile through the pain. His eyes found gold then and his tact changed.

"Did you see his face? His true love gone in an instant!" Hook began to push himself up, struggling against the ache in his chest and the slickness of the rain; ignoring the fact that Rumplestilskin had been inclosing on him. "Just like Milah, Crocodile, before you took her from me!"

"Not before you took her first," his crocodile countered, giving him a firm kick and sending him down upon his back.

"Gold, are you insane?!" Emma was now attempting to pry the monster from him with the aid of her father.

"Yes. I. Am."

The walking stick was pressed against his chest and he was finding it harder and harder to find the air to breathe. The voices above him were fading in and out in a haze and everything was beginning to feel like a bad memory. His eyes found Emma's and he tried to convey the sorrow he had for leaving her in that cell and leading her on to think she was worthless. He had never meant it when he said he was through with her. He could never be through with her.

The wailing noise of the trucks had finally gotten him to let up, and the Charming duo were now being pulled away to more pressing matters. But she had come to him first; Cora had been wrong this princess had chosen a pirate. Not that her other choices were grand company, but still. Hook smirked, grabbing at his middle and letting the pain carry him off to slumber.

.

As if it wasn't bad enough to be in such a ridiculous state of dress, (who dressed him anyway? He hoped it wasn't a man), he had awoken shackled to a bed and an uncomfortable one at that and hook-less. But she was there. Emma was perched on the side of his so called bed, so close that he could feel the heat against his leg.

She didn't seem too happy to be on the receiving of his playful wit; even went as far as accusing him of being chipper. No, darling, not chipper, not in the slightest. Truth of the matter was he had let everything down at the crash site, shown her a piece of his true self and he didn't quite know how she was going to react to that. Still she didn't scold him for hurting the girl, nor for trying to get his crocodile; she only sat there, staring at him with a hard gaze and demanding answers. He was honest in saying he didn't know where Cora was. She came and went as she pleased; honestly he wished to be rid of her.

"You awful chipper for a guy who just failed to kill his enemy…then got hit by a car," she uttered with a slight eye roll.

"Well, my ribs may be broken but everything else is still intact." Hook gave her a smile and a slight nod of the head. He could have sworn he was imagining things but for just a second a flash of a smile graced her face. "Which is more than can be said for other bad days I've had." He struggled with a breath as he pressed his head back into the pillow. "Plus I did some quality damage to my foe."

"You hurt Belle!"

Ahhh, there's the scolding I've been waiting for. "I hurt his heart. Belle is just where he keeps it. He killed my love…I know the feeling." He was letting the wall down again, giving her a small piece of him. Perhaps one day he would tell her of his dear Milah and the pain he had kept buried for so long.

Emma stood and leaned over his bed, her hair brushing his arm and sending goose bumps throughout his flesh. "Keep smiling, buddy. You're chained down, he's on his feet. Immortal, has magic and you hurt his girl. If I were to pick dead guy of the year, I'd pick you."

He smiled at the words. Oh, if she only knew how long he had been dead already. She was staring down at him with a hurt in her eyes, a worry. Surely not for him, what worry would she have for him?

'I'd pick you."

Would she? Did she? Was there more to the words behind her warning? Everything that came out of her mouth screamed no but the look in her eyes was crying yes!

He pulled against the shackles again, groaning in pain as he watched her walk away.

"Swan," he called softly to no avail. "Emma, wait!"

She froze in the doorway, keeping her back to him but turning her head slightly, not giving him the pleasure of looking at her completely. "What?" she whispered.

"Four people were at that crash site and you came to me first. Why?" he asked evenly. The Captain knew he wouldn't get a straight answer, but he couldn't just let her walk away, not just yet.

"You were the first one I saw, Hook." Emma swallowed and turned her face away.

"I was damn near in the woods, Swan. Care to try again?"

She took a step backward and shut the door with a faint click before she turned around and strode over to his bedside.

Hook raised his eyebrow, "Waiting for that answer, love."

"Why did you throw that fight?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I asked you first, princess."

Emma smirked, resting her hip on the edge of his bed, "True, but I thought you were a gentleman, and right now, you're not being very…gentlemanly."

"Aye, suppose I'm not, am I?" Hook studied her face for a moment, committing every fine detail to memory in case she chose to bolt. "Your boy. T'would be a crime for the lad to grow up without such a fine mother, some don't have that choice. I didn't want to be responsible for another boy losing his mum."

Emma blinked at him through glossed eyes, licking her lips and pushing out a huffed smile. "Thank you," she breathed.

"Anytime, love," came Hook's quiet reply. "Now I believe I'm owed my answer."

Emma sat with her back straight on the bed and took in a small breath, her bottom lip sucking in between her teeth.

"I…I don't know," she stammered. "Why Cora?"

"That's two questions, darling, and you've had yet to answer my one."

Emma turned her gaze away from his and began to push away from the bed.

"Pirate, lass. I needed transport, she gave it to me," he answered her in a rush to keep her from leaving.

"How?"

"The bean, from the giant."

Emma's mouth dropped open, "But you said—"

"I was wrong, about many a things that day." Hook attempted to lift his head closer to her, grunting in pain as he failed to move hardly a few inches. "My answer, if you please."

Emma took a step closer, her eyes washing over his face with that look of loneliness that he wanted so desperately to take away from her. Her hand came up and hesitantly brushed the hair from his forehead. She expected him to make some smarmy remark, but his pupils only devoured his blue irises and his Adams apple bobbed in his throat. Her fingers trailed down his cheek and gently scraped his stubble before her palm stroked the length of his face.

Hook sighed, his eyes slipping closed as he pressed into her touch, reveling in the softness of her hand upon his skin. A feeling he thought he would never be able to call his own.

Their eyes locked when she withdrew, the pair of them saying nothing, not even a smirk dared come across the pirates face.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, turning her head away.

"Don't be, Emma, not for that." His lips tugged up into a tender smile.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small silver key, continuing on to undo the cuffs that held his hand to the bed. Her thumb grazed the redness from where he had been tugging and she frowned. She didn't know why she had him chained to the bed in the first place, it wasn't like he would be able to walk out of here anytime soon; and if he did, he wouldn't get very far.

His wrist spun around hers and he grabbed hold, slowly turning her hand over, his calloused thumb grazing her skin.

"Hook—"

He continued on with the study of her hand, running his digit over each knuckle, up and down the lines between her fingers.

"I-I should go," she nodded, "yeah, I need to go." Emma went to pull her hand away from his and his grip tightened. His eyes snapped up to hers and he grinned; slowly bringing her hand up to his mouth and placing an openmouthed kiss to its back, allowing his tongue to flick out just for a second to taste her skin. His eyes kept on her, noting the visual shudder she gave off.

"I do hope you'll visit again, love. I overheard something about a sponge bath…That sounded quite lovely," Hook smirked and Emma jerked her hand away.

"I'd hit you, if you weren't already injured."

"And I'd welcome the pain, darling, every second of it."

.

.

A/N: OUAT confession 332: deathwish!Hook is my favorite. He's fun to play with. I'm sleepy now. Killy and Emma would love some love before you go...actually Killian would probably like to 'have you' before you go ;) so long as you're game.

Killian: "I'm always a gentleman, love."

Yes, we're well aware. Goodnight!

Shelly!