Author's note: Completely amazed by the responses to the last ch you are all the best :)

In this ch, we get to find out what Emma has been up to. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 13

"I'm sorry." David placed his hands on his hips. "You want to do what?"

"Find Emma." Hook repeated. Up until thirty seconds ago, both had been seated in their chairs at the station, feet propped up on the table. It was another lazy day and neither felt the desire to catch up on the mountain of paperwork waiting.

Hook continued. "I'm one of the only ones who can leave Storybrooke."

"Because you weren't cursed." David nodded. His lips were pursed as he considered this.

Other than the fact that David was technically his boss, Hook didn't know why he'd felt the need to inform him of his plans. It was his life and Ava was his daughter.

"Ava needs her mother." Hook added. "On Saturday she mistook Tink for Emma."

David sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Not entirely unexpected. Still...you think this is the best idea?"

"Aye. That I do, mate."

He turned to face the pirate. "What's gonna happen when you show up and Emma throws you out? Or Ava runs up to her mother who doesn't recognize you? Wouldn't that hurt her even more?"

Hook had considered all of these points before. "We'll be careful. I'm not entirely sure of what to do but one things certain. I can't keep pretending that everything is fine."

"Still...there are so many risks."

"Risks I'm willing to take, mate." Hook said seriously. "I'm not asking your permission. I'm simply informing you because its the honorable thing to do."

Also because he needed the address of Emma's apartment from him and Mary Margaret. He figured Emma would've given her "friend" the address in case she ever visited.

David was quiet for a long time. Finally, he spoke up. "Say hello to my daughter for me."

Emma stuck her key in the lock and turned it, kicking off her boots as entered the large, immaculately decorated space. It had been a long day, full of hunting down dirtbags as she did day in and day out. While as sheriff she would usually get weekends off, only required to stay on call, she never got a day off as a bail bondsperson. That job didn't come with that luxury.

Not that she minded, of course. It was better than sitting around alone. While her apartment was nice, it just didn't feel like...home. Not like Mary Margaret's had.

Snap out of it, Swan. She mentally chastised herself. This is for the best and you know it.

The few times she'd gone back to Storybrooke to visit Henry things had seemed very different. He'd been happy to see her but always seemed on the verge of revealing a secret. When probed, he just blew her off. Maybe he was just becoming a moody kid. Or maybe she should say teenager. How old was he? Eleven? He seemed to be very tall for eleven.

She'd learned from Henry that Mary Margaret was seeing David again. He'd even moved in, apparently. Sigh. She would just never learn, would she? Emma had talked on the phone with Mary Margaret a few times, but their conversations weren't how they used to be. Mostly they just exchanged a few stilted words. She knew Mary Margaret didn't approve of her decision to leave but still. It was done.

Later that week, she strode into a nice restaurant, on her way to another one of her fake dates with the criminals she chased down. It occurred to her that this mirrored the night she meant Henry. Emma looked down at her dress; the same one she'd worn that night. That sent a pang of nostalgia through her as she recalled the night in which her life had turned upside down.

As she sat down across from the soon to be jailbird, she engaged in fake small talk with him, already thinking ahead to a bubble bath and a glass of wine. He rambled on about himself, flashing a smile that he probably thought was charming while she wondered briefly why she'd given up her life in Storybrooke and a normal job to do this again.

"I enjoy long walks on the beach and I would never say no to sailing." He was saying, although all Emma could think was lie, lie, lie. More like I would never say no to embezzling.

Her eyes began to wander as she nodded and put on what she hoped was a flirty smile. "Then I guess you'll have to show me your boat sometime." She said absently. This fake flirting had become second nature to her.

Her eyes began to wander, landing on a family of three walking on the street outside the window next to her. The family was pretty nondescript. Mom, dad, and kid. But it was the daughter that caught her eye. The little girl, blonde hair pulled back in pigtails, walked with her parents on either side as she chattered happily. Each of her hands was clutched in theirs as she practically skipped down the street.

Suddenly, Emma stood up abruptly; the contents of the table spilled all over her dress and shoes. She could feel her stomach clenching, and to her surprise, tears threatening to spill.

"Um…" The man muttered, clearly taken aback. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes…" She muttered faintly, eyes still glued to the family walking away outside. For some odd reason, the sight of the little girl made her want to burst into tears. There was an inexplicably horrible hollow ache growing inside and she felt as though she was about to puke. "I should go." She said before dashing out of the restaurant, dimly registering that she'd just let the man go.

Outside, she took several deep breaths to calm herself down. What the hell had just happened? Since when did strangers elicit such a strange response? She was lonely, yes, but she'd never had such a strange reaction to a little girl before.

But there was something about that little girl...something that seemed so eerily familiar. Like something she'd lost.

"Where we goin?" Ava asked as Hook buckled her in her carseat in the back. As usual, her bear was clutched in one hand and she sucked her other thumb.

"We're going for a little trip." He answered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "It'll be fun, I promise."

"Kay."

They waved goodbye to Mary Margaret, David, and Henry as Hook slowly pulled the car out of its spot and onto the street.

Next stop, Boston.

Author's note: So just to clarify, the little girl that Emma saw was NOT Ava, but rather one that looked like her in the sense that they were the same age and had the same hair color. Obviously Emma had such a strong reaction because the random little girl reminded her of Ava, though she has no memory of her daughter of course.