Chapter 5: At Granny's

Later in the day, Charming came to visit. Emma was on her bed, lying on her side, her head in her hand with her elbow resting on the pillow, talking with Hook. Charming had come to bring her some clothes. He was still there when Emma fell asleep.

"No improvements about her memories?" Her father asked.

"Not any," Killian sighed, looking at his knees. Charming could see the difference; the happy man he had seen earlier in the day, smiling as if he wasn't affected by the situation, as if his love's memory loss wasn't a reason to sadden him, wasn't there anymore. The man, who seemed happy just a few times ago, now looked desperate.

"You're trying very hard to hide your sadness from her, aren't you?"

"Trying?" He raised an eyebrow, looking up at the prince.

"Don't misunderstand me; you're actually doing it very well. With Snow we've been quite surprised to see you both looking so good this morning. But I take it you don't handle it as well as you pretend, right?"

"How could I handle it well? When we finally had everything, she woke up barely remembering me. Of course it hurts me, I would be a heartless man if it didn't." Killian turned to look at Emma as he kept talking. "Opening your heart to love is taking the risk to be hurt. Anyway, no matter how I feel, it's already hard enough for her. She doesn't need me to add my suffering to this whole complicated situation."

Charming patted him on the shoulder.

"You have to hold on, Killian, things will get better. What you're doing is really honourable. I never thought I would say that when I first met you, but the way she's smiling when she's with you, well… you're good to her. Have you tried anything to jog her memory?"

"Her kid had an idea. He read her a story from his book, our story. I really thought it would work. But nothing. I don't know what to do anymore. I told her that maybe we could just give up on the old memories, and create new ones, but that doesn't seem good to me."

He sighed again, still looking at Emma, Charming staring at him, in silence for a while.

"Have you kissed her?"

"Sorry?" He asked, obviously coming back from some daydreaming.

"Have you kissed her?"

Hook frowned and didn't answer; he appreciated the prince, but honestly thought this was none of his concern. Charming stared at him curiously, before his face split into a smile.

"I'm not asking this to intrude. It's just a true love kiss could help."

"Oh. That. No, it's nonsense, true love kiss doesn't work."

They stopped talking as Emma moved and turned over. She was still deeply asleep.

"It works, believe me. Surely you don't know about our story with Snow, but let me tell you it had never been easy, lots of impediments on our way. And each time, we managed to overcome them. There was a time when she had forgotten everything about me, because of a potion she drank. A kiss was all it took to bring back all the memories."

Still staring at Emma, Killian shook his head.

"It won't work. Mate, I don't believe in these things. I tried once, in New York, when she wasn't remembering anything about her life here. I tried, and it didn't work, it's just not my thing."

"Each situation is different from another, you should try."

The prince was asking a pirate to kiss his daughter; Hook snorted.

"She won't let me. And it wouldn't work. She told me what Regina said to her; this time her memory loss has not even been caused by magic. Magic can't bring them back."

"True love is not any magic, it is the most powerful one. I can see you truly love her, and I know that, deep down, she loves you too, even if she doesn't remember finally opening her heart to you. Take a leap of faith, don't underestimate the power of love."

Hook still disagreed. He wanted to argue, but couldn't find anything to say. He just let go.

"Oh I didn't think it was so late already," Charming said after a glance at his watch. "I should go, Snow is waiting for me." He got up and patted on his shoulder again. "Good luck, Killian."

Killian thought about everything Charming had said, and refused to believe it. At least, his love's father was approving of him. He stayed in the room for a while, gazing at the blonde girl still asleep and bathed in moonlight. Finally, he got up, walked to the bed. Slowly, he kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "I love you, Emma." After a last glance, he turned away and silently left the room.

The room was flooded with sunlight, the sky was bright blue, it was a beautiful day. It took Emma a few seconds to remember where she was, and to notice there was no one else in the room. Some images came back to her mind, a dream about her father and Killian, talking about her. Soon enough, the dream faded away from her memory, while she focused on the new day. She felt in a particularly good mood, and all she wanted was to go out. Half an hour later, all dressed after a good shower, her hair done, she was knocking on the door opposite hers. Rushed footsteps could be heard and the door swung open.

"Swan!"

Killian smiled as if he had just seen an angel. Emma was stunned, facing a shirtless man, half hidden behind the door, his hair dishevelled, wearing his leather pants he had obviously just pulled on in a hurry. He looked sleepy.

"Sorry, have I just woken you up?"

"I kind of slept longer than I planned." He rubbed the back of his head. "I intended on being by your side when you wake up."

"Oh! Well, you failed, but I don't blame you!" She laughed, and the shirtless man couldn't help smiling.

"You seem to be in a really good mood today, Swan!"

"Look outside, it's a beautiful day, I don't want to stay inside. Can we go out?"

"Hum…" Hook looked down at his shirtless body and his bare feet. "I may need a moment."

"Oh yeah, of course, I can go back in my bedroom to wait for you."

"There's no need, I'll go to the bathroom, you can stay here."

Emma shrugged and entered the room as he grabbed his leather vest and some other stuff to the bathroom. The bed was unmade, but the rest of the room was quite tidy; like her, the pirate didn't have many belongings. It was the first time she entered one of his places and, curious, she walked through the room. The window was giving onto the forest, which was stretching to the horizon. Almost nothing was lying around, except from a paper on his bedside table. Curious, she grabbed it and sat on the bed. The folds were worn out as if it had been folded and unfolded many times. Inside was a drawing of an ocean with, in the foreground, a majestic swan. In the background was a ship looking like the Jolly Roger, disappearing in the distance. The drawing was beautiful. Emma stared at it for a while before finally folding it and putting it back on the bedside table. She was sitting on the armchair when Killian, dressed in his usual leather outfit, came out of the bathroom.

"I'm ready now! Where do you want to go?" Hook pulled on his coat, not taking his eyes off her.

"No, wait, you're not ready." She walked to him and rearranged some of his hair. "Now you're ready! And I was thinking, maybe Granny's diner? We could have breakfast there?"

"Are you asking me out for breakfast?" He teased her. "I'm kidding! Or not, but never mind, that's a really good idea, come on."

Though she didn't seem to need any support, he put an arm behind her back and led her out.

"How do you feel, Swan? Your broken ribs, doesn't it hurt too much?"

"I feel good today, I guess the medicine is sparing me the pain. I'm just a bit tired, surely a side-effect of the accident. I think I fell asleep quite early yesterday night. By the way," she slowed down to look him in the eye, "you and my father were still in my room, did you stay long?"

"That depends on what you consider as 'long'." He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

Emma suddenly remembered about her dream, both of them talking about her, but she had no idea about what they were saying. Maybe that was not just a dream.

"Were you talking about me?"

Hook laughed. "What else would we be talking about?"

"What did you say?"

"Not saying!" He smirked again.

Talking about Charming, they heard him as they arrived. "I know what you're going through, but believe me, you have to listen to your heart. You're in this kind of situation when, inevitably, someone will be hurt. Who will be hurt is the only thing that depends upon your decision."

The day was beautiful and cold. Charming was sitting at one of those round tables outside Granny's. All the other tables were unoccupied. Facing him was Robin Hood, warming up his hands holding a cup of coffee. The archer seemed exhausted, but smiled when he saw the new-comers.

"Hi Emma, it's good to see you on your feet again! Hi, Killian."

"Hey! I haven't heard you coming. You seem to be doing great today!"

Emma looked at the pirate, indicating the two men with a slight head move. Hook nodded. "Can we join? With Killian we had planned on having breakfast here."

"Of course you can, have a sit!"

A few seconds later, Hook was holding the back of a chair and smiling at Emma, indicating the seat with his hook. "My lady."

Charming and Robin looked amused. Emma snorted and sat on the chair.

"I will order now," Killian said, addressing to Emma. "What do you want?"

"No idea! I need to see so I can choose, I'm coming with you."

"Okay." He laughed as she stood up again. "Do you guys want anything?"

"No, thanks."

Inside, half the tables were occupied by inhabitants of Storybrooke escaping the cold.

"On Thursdays you can have a French breakfast, which includes a hot drink, some slices of baguette to eat with jam and butter, an assortment of pastries, and orange juice," Ruby explained. "Or you can have the traditional breakfast."

Hook and Emma exchanged a look. "The French breakfast sounds nice."

"Don't you think we should opt for the traditional one?"

"If I didn't know you any better, I would think you're afraid. Come on, Jell-O is not included." She laughed and turned towards Ruby. "We'll take two French breakfasts."

"That's a good choice. What do you want as a hot drink?"

"A chocolate with cinnamon for me."

"With cinnamon?" Killian repeated.

"Yep. It's a family thing."

"A family thing?" He smiled and looked at Ruby. "I'll also take a chocolate with cinnamon." He winked at Emma, who was both stunned and amused by his choice.

"Alright, I'll bring you this in a moment!"

"I have never seen you like this, Swan, you're overexcited. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked as they went back in the cold, a hint of worry in his voice, even though he enjoyed her enthusiasm.

"I am aware about this. I don't know why I'm like this. Perhaps it's because of all the days I've spent locked inside. I don't like being stuck in a room. Or maybe it's because of the medicine. I don't know. It's really cold here." They had reached the table by now. "How come did you choose to sit here in the cold?"

"To enjoy the sun!" Her father replied. "But if you want to go inside…"

"No I'm fine, I want to be outside for a while, I was just curious, everyone else is warming up inside. Let's enjoy the sun. How is Henry? He told me he was about to see Neal when he left yesterday, he was really disappointed, he thought I could recover my memories with the book, but it didn't work. Is he alright?"

"Emma, you know your son. A tough lad, he never gives up on hope."

"Here's your breakfast!" Ruby arrived with a tray and put on the table plates, cups of hot chocolate, empty glasses and a carafe full of orange juice.

"Thank you, Ruby, it looks delicious."

"I remember I haven't thanked you, both of you," Robin said just after Ruby left, "for saving Marian. And I'm sorry I didn't take the time to come and visit you, Emma, how have you been doing all these days?"

Emma talked about the accident, without mentioning the reason why she went to see Regina, about her loss of memories, about Killian always being here for her.

"Emma, this breakfast was a good choice." Hook was eating the last croissant.

"Did you like the chocolate with cinnamon?"

"Yep. I can officially be part of the family!" He winked.

"Papa!" Roland arrived, running, and launched himself at his father for a hug, before sitting on his knees. He stared curiously at the pirate's hook. Killian stretched his arm and let him grab it. Robin put the boy down, smiling, as Killian softly helped him climb on his knees, under the tender gaze of Emma and her father.

"Shiny and classy, isn't it? You have good taste, kid." Killian leaned to look at the kid, careful not to make any clumsy movement with the hook that could hurt him. His voice was filled with softness. Emma couldn't take her eyes off them. Charming's phone rang.

"Oh, sheriff's duties, I gotta go. That was nice to be with you, see you later!"

"I should go too, I have to see Marian." He smiled but Emma noticed his slight sigh. She didn't dare asking him why. "Come here, Roland!"

The pirate let him go and watched him leave with his father.

"I didn't know you were so sweet to kids!"

"Emma, I'm always sweet to everyone, don't you know that already?" Killian teased her. "Though I understand; who would think a pirate could have a soft side? But I do love children." He looked down and bit his lips. Emma could swear he was blushing. He then raised his eyes to look at her. "All I wish is to have mine, someday."