AN: I know I keep apologizing for taking so long, but I swear, valid things keep coming up. Since I have no summer job, I was commandeered to nanny for the most obnoxious four kids in the world. This is only like the fourth break I've gotten since I started and it's only like one to two days each time. I can't make any promises, but I will really try to get the next chapter up in a week or so. I hope you enjoy!

"How did he hurt you?" Hook asked as he and Emma sat down at the bar.

"What are you talking about?" she replied before ordering two glasses of beer.

"The man you loved- the one that made you put up these walls and made you incapable of trust."

"Whoa- if you want to get to know me, that is the wrong question to ask, buddy."

"Why? Because it would let down that impenetrable guard of yours?"

Ruby sat the beers down on the bar and asked Emma, "Is he bothering you?"

"He's always bothering me, Ruby."

Ruby giggled and Hook raised his eyebrow in response.

"Granny told me I have to keep an eye on him, and let me just say, I do not mind at all," Ruby gave the pirate a once-over.

Hook raised his glass to Ruby, "Tell me, darling, do you know why Swan is-" he hesitated, searching for the right words, "the way she is?"

"Well besides her parents sacrificing her, dooming her to a lonely life as an orphan to save an entire world, no. But it looks like heartbreak to me. Why, is she sharing?"

"No, but I'm hoping we can squeeze it out of her."

"Guys- leave it alone."

"Lass, we're supposed to be getting to know one another and you're-"

"Well the first thing you should know about me is that topic is off limits," Emma huffed.

Attempting to break the sudden tension, Ruby interjected, "I have a better idea! Why don't we play 20 Questions? Or 21 Questions- we each ask seven. Yes or no questions and they have to be honest- explanations are allowed."

Emma looked at Ruby gratefully, before smiling and agreeing, "Are you in Hook?"

"I can agree to those terms," he grinned wickedly before adding, "I'll go first- have you ever been with a pirate?"

Both girls rolled their eyes and Emma replied with, "No. We don't exactly have pirates around in this world."

Hook raised an eyebrow, "Pity. But there's a first time for everything."

Emma just shook her head at him before turning to Ruby for her answer.

"Yes."

Emma looked back at her in shock, "Explain!"

Ruby took a sip of Emma's beer and shook her head no as her face grew red, "Those weren't my proudest days."

The girls laughed and turned to Hook, "We're waiting…"

"I have to answer as well? I've turned many a woman into pirates and have been with them if that counts."

"I'll go next," Ruby smiled devilishly, "Did you two enjoy your tongues down each other's throats?"

Hook smirked and raised an eyebrow, "Of course. I quite enjoy making Swan squirm and she's not too terrible."

Emma blushed as she rolled here eyes and noticed that both her companions stared her down, waiting for her response. Emma held out a few moments longer before answering.

"Yes. It was quite fun to learn how much power I truly have over him."

"I think I was the one that bested you, Swan."

"Only because I let you."

"So, you wanted to be caught in the handcuffs with me?"

"No," Emma defended herself, clearly flustered. "I just- I didn't think- normally when I seduce someone to arrest them, I don't know them and so it threw me off, but I still had power over you and you know it."

"You do this often, love?" Hooked asked, gesturing to their bound hands and smiling.

Emma sighed, "Next question."

OoOoOoOoOo

"Hurry up, we're already late," Emma squeezed the pirate's hand making him gasp in pain.

"But I enjoy disappointing your father."

"Hook this is serious- Regina's coming. It's all- complicated."

"Everything seems to be 'complicated' with you."

"Where is all of this coming from?" Emma defended.

"I'm just trying to get to know you, but you won't let your guard down at all- not for me, not for your father, hardly for your mother and son, not for anyone. Not letting anyone in behind those walls is just as lonely as actually being alone, love."

"You hide behind your walls as much as I do mine. You cover up all feelings with crude jokes and innuendos. You hide your pain behind cockiness and violence, but you can see that same Lost Boy look in your eyes too," Emma spat at him as they reached the outer door to the apartment and headed up the stairs.

"Aye, lass. You're right. But you were the one that told me I needed to make friends and find something to fight for, and the only way that is going to happen is if I open up. At least I'm willing to try and I don't have people there who want to listen and help like you do," They had made it to the front door, but instead of letting Emma open it, he turned her around and pressed her against it. "What's your excuse, love?"

Emma, pinned to the door, took a deep breath before looking up at Hook, "What you don't see is I am trying, as much as I know how. I mean, this is all relatively new to me too. Henry just shows up on my doorstep, out of nowhere and claims I'm his mother. I had been completely alone for 28 years before that. The next thing I know, I'm fighting to break a curse and save all these fairy tale characters that I didn't even believe in until two hours before I fell into a portal sending me back to the land I was supposed to grow up in," once Emma started it all came out as word vomit. She looked up and noticed that he was leaning in too close as he scrutinized her rant. She raised her hand to his chest to force distance between them and noticed she was shaking. She took a deep breath before adding, "After being alone your whole life, it's really hard to accept being part of a family."

Hook raised their arms and took Emma's head in his hand, he raised her head to force eye contact before whispering, "You and I- we're more alike than you think." Kissing her forehead, the cringe from Emma only half as strong as the night before, he added, "Let's go in, love. Let's have a good time with your family. We can continue this later."

Emma nodded and conjured up the most believable smile she could before turning around and leading them in.

"Emma," Henry cheered, running up and giving his mother a hug. "Did you two have fun today?"

"Fun is a stretch," Emma smiled genuinely at her son, returning the hug.

"You're late," Mary-Margaret accused.

"Yeah, sorry. Ruby held us up. It's only like 10 minutes though, isn't it?"

"Twenty," Mary-Margaret replied in a tone that would make anyone feel guilty.

"It would have only been five if Hook didn't get distracted by-" The doorbell interrupted Emma.

"Pizza," Henry cheered allowing the pizza guy in and grabbing the two boxes out of his hands.

Charming went over to pay and Emma and Hook took it as their cue to sit at the table. Upon entering the dining area, Emma was brought in for another hug, this time from her mother and she nodded a greeting to Regina.

"Regina, could you please get us out of these cuffs, while you're here?"

"I actually find it reassuring to know he is under watch at all times. Plus, you have magic too, why don't you remove them yourself?"

Emma groaned, "But I don't know how to use it. Why doesn't anyone understand that?"

"How is Storybrooke suiting you, Hook," Mary-Margaret asked, changing the subject before something could go wrong.

"It's interesting," he replied before turning to Emma and asking, "So what is this pizza your boy is going crazy about?"

"This," Henry answered for Emma, opening the box.

Charming tipped the pizza guy and let him out. He then crossed over to the dining room and told them all to, "Eat up!"

Emma eyed Hook as he took his first bite and laughed at his look of total satisfaction, complete with his eyes rolling back and a small groan.

"If there is one thing your world gets right, it is definitely the food, love. I might never be as pleased as in this moment."

"Pizza's the best," Henry agreed. "What kind of food do you eat over there?"

"Chimera," Emma groaned, eliciting a laugh from everyone at the table.

"As a pirate, you get stuck with the worst sort of food. The first couple weeks after leaving port, is great. Lots of meat, cheese, vegetables, bread- anything really. But then on you're left with pickled goods, stale bread, and spoiled meat."

"Ew, then why do you do it?" Henry asked, with cheese hanging from his chin.

"Because that's a small price to pay, my boy, for complete freedom," Hook grinned at Henry.

"Ohhhh-kay," Emma stopped him, "Let's not turn Henry into a pirate."

"I'd have to agree with that," Regina smiled.

"Oh, mom! Guess what," Henry grinned at Regina, "David has been teaching me how to sword fight!"

"Is that so? I guess you'll have to show me sometime!"

"Oh my God! Hook- uh, Captain?"

"Hook or Killian is fine, my boy. But if you'd like, I will not stop you from calling me Captain," Hook winked at the boy.

Emma smirked at Hook and Regina looked curiously at them.

"Okay, Killian. So you must know how to sword fight really well. I mean, you're a pirate, it's what you do."

Hook laughed and entertained the kid, "We do more than sword fighting, lad. Though I have to say, that's one of my favorite parts."

"But pirates fight dirty," Emma challenged.

"Killian, it'd be really cool if you and David fought," Henry exclaimed and Emma laughed at the expression on the faces of both men.

OoOoOoOoOo

Around 8:30, David closed the door after assuring Regina that they would "do this again, soon," and sighed. "Well that went a lot better than I would have ever expected it to."

"I agree," Snow replied. "I think- I think she might actually be able to change this time."

"I know she has," Henry added to the conversation.

"Hey, kid, it's time for you to go upstairs, shower, and finish any homework you haven't done yet."

"Okay," Henry whined a bit. Emma pulled him in for a half-hug on his way upstairs.

"So-" Mary-Margaret asked, "What all have we accomplished today?"

OoOoOoOoOo

This time when they went to bed, Emma had thought it was better to have them sleep on their backs, next to one another and Henry on the other side of her. She didn't know how bad sleep-deprived Hook was and she didn't want to find out, so she decided it was better not to cuddle with Henry again.

The problem, though, was that Emma could never really get comfortable sleeping on her back, so after tossing and turning for an hour, she allowed herself to curl into Hook. She felt his uneven breath on her neck and realized he wasn't asleep.

"Hook?" she asked, whispering.

Hook yawned, "Yes, love?"

"Hook, I'm sorry for earlier- I shouldn't have gotten so angry. I'm just not good at opening up, especially about my past. I'm trying though. I-I just need to do it one person at a time, I think."

"Don't worry, Swan. I'm the one that needs to make friends, not you. I had no reason to push you. Just sleep, darling."

"Friendship is a mutual thing and I said I'd be your friend. Just-just give me time, okay?"

"I'm still trying to figure out why you're doing this- helping me."

"We made a deal. I make good on my deals. It's at simple as that."

"No it's not. You didn't honor our deal before-"

"And I learned my lesson."

Neither knew what to say and for a few moments it was silent.

"Emma?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

AN: So, this was much fluffier than I realized it was going to be, sorry about that. Apparently I can write either straight fluff or straight plot and not much in between. But, I promise that this is setting a couple things up and I think the next chapter we will finally get these two poor kids out of the cuffs and able to change their shirts. Please review. The happiness they bring may save a few evil children from my wrath.