Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time, any of it's characters or Moby Dick.

Chapter Nine: Friends

A few weeks prior in Storybrooke:

Mr. Gold opened the door to his basement and walked in. He went over to the corner where a man was tied up and gagged. Mr. Gold removed the gag from his mouth. "You're probably wondering why I brought you here. I found this in the mines..." he held up a red stocking cap, "Mr. Smee."

Smee looked terribly frightened, "I am so sorry. I didn't have..."

Mr. Gold interrupted him, "I'm not interested in apologies. I'm interested in information about the man you work for."

Smee smirked slightly, "I'll tell you anything you wanna know about Moe."

Mr. Gold's impatience was rising, "No, no. Not about Moe. Your Captain. Where is he?"

"I've never seen him in Storybrooke, I swear. For some reason, when the curse hit, it... it didn't take him."

Mr Gold grabbed Smee by the collar and inched closer to him, "Then where... is... he?"

After the interrogation Mr. Gold stepped outside. A figure waited for him in the shadows. "Did you find out anything?" the figure asked.

"No, barely anything at all. Just that Hook isn't here in Storybrooke," stated Mr. Gold in his calm demeanor.

The figure sighed, "If he's still in Neverland, then it could be any day that he finds his way here."

"Well he's sure to find his way here eventually, whether he's in Neverland or not, and when he does we will be ready for him. Until then, you keep an eye out. Let me know if you come across any new information."

Present Day Storybrooke:

Belle was standing behind the counter filing paperwork before the library closed in thirty minutes. She did well to keep the morning events off her mind, but still found her thoughts drifting back to Ashley's and her father's horrible words: "You're the monster!"

"You still thinking about what happened this morning?" a male voice said.

Belle jumped. She thought she was alone and didn't hear the library door open. She looked up to see who was addressing her. She found herself looking upon the tall, handsome, dark haired man she had recently met. "Oh, Key, hello. You startled me. And no I wasn't," but her face didn't lie.

Key smiled and leaned against the counter, "Didn't I tell you this morning that you are not a monster? Why would you listen to a temperamental teenager?"

Belle weakly smiled back, "Well she wasn't the only one who said it."

"I don't recall anyone else yelling at you this morning."

"Well, my father came by today and he pretty much insinuated the same thing."

"Just because your father doesn't approve of who you're dating, doesn't mean you're a monster."

"You do know who I'm dating right?"

"I don't think that's much of a secret around here, but like I said before, you can see the light in someone when no one else can. Just because people think he's a monster, doesn't mean you should think yourself one for loving him."

Belle was starting to grow a little weary of this guy, "Why do you care so much about my feelings?"

"No reason. I told you. I'm a good judge of people. Can't have a pretty thing like you walking around thinking she's a monster now can I?"

Belle blushed slightly. She was use to men coming on to her back when she lived in her father's kingdom, and it always bothered her. However, she hadn't had to deal with it so much since everyone found out she was with the Dark One. "You should know by now that I am seeing someone," she stated firmly.

"Oh no, please don't take it the wrong way. I was just trying to pay you a compliment. I have no intentions of trying to court you. My heart lies with another. I am a total gentleman."

Belle smiled in relief.

"Perhaps we could be friends though?"

"Perhaps."

"Well if you could do so kindly as to recommend a new book, I've finished this one," he handed her Moby Dick.

"You finished it already?" Belle's mouth hung open.

Key shrugged, "What can I say? I couldn't put it down."

"But it's like 635 pages!" Belle knew she could read a book that fast because books were her passion, but she had never met anyone else who could.

"Well it probably held my interests a little more because I can say I have something in common with Captain Ahab." Hook held up his left arm to finally reveal his missing his hand.

Belle gasped but then regretted it, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to react that way."

"It's quite alright."

"May I ask what happened?"

"I'm a sailor, and on one of my voyages I had my hand bitten off by a crocodile. He also destroyed my…boat." Hook meant true love in place of boat but he couldn't let Belle know that, so decided to use the book's words.

"A crocodile destroyed your boat? He must've been one powerful creature."

Hook just looked at her and smirked, "Indeed."

Belle looked at him sympathetically, "Well I suppose if you're like Ahab, you too seek out revenge?" she questioned slightly joking, but part of her was serious.

Hook ignored her joking tone and replied, "Yes, but unlike Ahab I will succeed in killing the beast."

Belle looked at him questionably, "Perhaps you should take Ahab's first mate's, Starbuck, advice, Moby Dick seeks thee not, it is thou, thou, that madly seekest him!," she quoted, "It is just a crocodile."

Hook stood there with his arms crossed in front of him and his head cocked to one side, examining Belle. His look told her he was not going to stop.

"Well if you find him, please remember what I said. I don't have many people I can call friends here, and it would be a shame to lose one."

"So we're friends now are we?"

Belle smiled, "Like I said before, perhaps." Belle motioned towards the back of the library, "Let me go show you a section of books you might like, and then I'll have to close up soon."

"Big plans tonight?"

"I'm having dinner with Rumple at his house."

Hook had to keep from shuddering at the first mention of Rumplestiltskin's name since he had arrived in Storybrooke, even if it was just a nickname. However, he kept his cool. "Well my lady, how bout I just leave you to it. I can come back another day to pick out a book. I'm sure you want to get to your date."

"Are you sure? I don't mind…I can be a few minutes late."

"No…no. We can't have that now can we?"

Belle was unsure of what he meant, but nodded anyway, "Well I hope you have a good night."

"You too…you too. And remember what I said, you are not a monster." Hook turned around and exited the library with a slightly evil smirk on his face. His plan was going well.