Author's note: MonkeyLovr, this ch's for you :D

Chapter 30

Emma was remembering. She was really, truly remembering! Killian thought to himself with glee. Her dreams were indicating that her memories were finally coming back. Now all he had to do was to encourage her to embrace the dreams and help her piece them into a story. Their story.

He flipped idly through the many channels on the TV. Ava was taking a nap and now that he and Emma were...more than friends, he had no reason to go apartment hunting. In a word, he was bored. For most of his life all he'd known was adventure after adventure with barely any room to breathe in between. Even in Storybrooke after they'd gotten back from Neverland life had been an adventure of sorts, what with his new relationship with Emma and then getting ready for Ava and moving out. He'd also been a cop of sorts, helping David and Emma, although that really just consisted of lounging around, exchanging banters, ignoring their paperwork.

But now? All he was really doing was waiting for Emma to remember so they could go back to Storybrooke and resume their lives.

Law and Order, seen it. Pirates of the Caribbean. Hook found it to be a personal insult. Hmm. What was this Pretty Little Liars?

Within the first five minutes he was confused beyond belief. Was this mysterious A Mona or someone else? And was Alison alive or a bloody hallucination of the four obviously troubled girls? How did people watch these shows without some sort of guide? As mystifying as texting had been it had nothing on this show.

Just then he heard the key turn in the lock. Without taking his eyes off the bizarre show he called out, "Have you ever seen this Pretty Little Liars, Swan?"

There was no response; all he could hear was the jingle of Emma's keys as she slapped them down on the counter and the rustle of her coat.

"Emma?" He turned around, immediately shocked upon seeing the fire in her eyes and her hard expression. "Is everything alright?"

"I don't know." Emma crossed the room and stood so she was facing him. "Why don't you tell me, Killian? Unless that's not your real name. Because right now I don't even know who you are."

"What are you talking about?" He was mystified. Part of him wondered if she'd regained all of her memories, and in that case a celebration was in order, but if that were the case she wouldn't look so furious.

"Oh, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." Emma snapped.

"I really don't. Care to clue me in?"

She stared suspiciously at him for a long moment, and after deciding that he really didn't know what she was talking about, she flopped down on the couch next to him. "You know all of my weird dreams and stuff? II went to see this therapist today who fed me a bunch of crap that honestly I could've Googled all on my own. Complete waste of my time."

"Ok…" He said uncertainly. What was the meaning of 'Googled'? "Don't really see how this concerns me."

"I wasn't finished. She hypnotized me so I could have another dream and discuss it with her, which is as sketchy as it sounds I know but whatever I was desperate. And guess what I dreamed about? Being assaulted by some psycho when I was in the hospital in Storybrooke!"

Oh, no. Hook's stomach sank all the way down to hell. He could predict exactly what was coming next.

"Wanna know who the psycho was?" She asked grimly. "Or do you already know?"

"Emma, look. I can explain."

"Explain what?!" She shouted, standing up, fists balled at her sides. "Explain why you tried to kiss me and feel me up while I was half asleep? In Storybrooke? And then you just happened to show up in Boston? Who are you?!"

"I...well…" He stammered. He had no idea what to say. Clearly her memories hadn't returned. She wouldn't believe anything he said.

"Are you some sort of stalker or something? I'll bet you are. Following me to Boston and using Ava to lure me in? That's just sick!" She ranted. "I bet Ava really isn't your daughter. You probably just picked up the poor kid of the street. Is this your thing, using little kids to attract women? That's fucking disgusting."

"No, I…"

"You know what? I should've seen this coming. Because no one dates me without an ulterior motive. So was it, then? Who sent you? Some fucked up relative of one of the creeps I put in jail?"

Hook watched her pace around the apartment, blood pounding in his ears. His mind raced as he tried to formulate a response, anything. "It's not like that." He began tentatively.

"Oh, it's not isn't it? Well why don't you enlighten me then? Before I call the cops on your ass?" She snarled. "You know what, no. Never mind. I want you out."

"I-it wasn't me in the hospital in Storybrooke." He improvised, having no idea where he was going with this. "I have never seen you before in my life until that day you found Ava's bear."

"Yea? Sure as hell looked like you."

Killian looked wildly around the room. His eyes landed on the TV and just like that he had a sudden flash of inspiration. "But that's just it, love. It may have looked like me but it...wasn't."

"Wow." She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "You must think I'm stupid or something because that was the thinnest excuse I've ever heard."

"Just hear me out. You said that this therapist hypnotized you. How do you know that you weren't just seeing what the bloody therapist wanted you to see?"

She frowned. "What are saying?"

"I'm just saying, maybe you shouldn't be so quick to trust this therapist's work. Maybe she wanted you to think it was me."

"Why would she want that?"

Killian forced a casual shrug. "I haven't a clue. But perhaps she thought that would be an easy excuse to all of your dreams."

Emma paused as she considered this.

"Look." Killian pointed quickly at the TV. He had to speak before she started yelling at him again. "On Pretty Little Liars this therapist, complete buffoon if you ask me, hypnotized one of the girls to make her see what she wanted her to see. But it was completely false."

"Wait. You seriously expect me to believe something you watched in a stupid TV show?"

"It's true, though." He insisted. "I take it that you were talking about me with your therapist before she hypnotized you. How do you know that my face wasn't just at the forefront of your mind?"

"Well, we were talking about you. Because you've showed up in a few of those dreams."

"Exactly. It wasn't me at the hospital, Emma. Believe me." He forced her chin up and stared into the depth of her eyes, hoping that she would believe his lie given her super power for detecting falsehoods. "The first day we met was in fact my first time seeing you in my life. I would never lie to you."

Well, that wasn't exactly a lie. What she didn't need to know was that he had been talking about their first encounter in the Enchanted Forest, not here in Boston. But she would think that he was referencing the day she found Ava's bear.

Damn. She didn't believe him. Her face was blank, impassive as her eyes bored into his. Killian was prepared to pack his things when she finally spoke.

"Fine." Emma sighed. "I guess you're right." She sat down slowly on the couch. "I don't know what I was thinking."

Yes. He nearly passed out with relief.

"I mean, if I'd seen you before I think I would've been able to recognize you."

Think again. He thought sadly. "Of course. Who could forget someone as handsome as me?"

"Whatever." She nudged him playfully. "What are you doing watching Pretty Little Liars, anyway?"

"There was nothing better on." He protested.

"Oh, believe me." Emma said as she reached for the remote. "There is always something better on."

Although she had believed him for now, she couldn't help but think that something was very, very wrong. But she just couldn't put her finger on it...

Author's note: Whew, crisis averted. I know what you're thinking, that Hook got out of that too easily. But consider this: maybe I was saving the huge blowout drama for the next ch?