*Author's Note: I got my inspiration for what Jack would look like from the model Francisco Randez (his picture is the cover art for this story). Hope you enjoy this chapter!*

Storybrooke, many years later

Everything was dark…and everything was cold

Jack floated through the water, his body being lifted up towards the ice that layered the surface. It was like he was being pulled upwards by some unknown force to the world that awaited him above. He was asleep, something no ordinary human would be doing if they were twenty feet underwater, but Jack was no ordinary human. He continued upwards with ease, and when he finally reached the ice, he simply broke through it. Jack floated for a few more seconds until gravity took control and slammed his body down into the ice.

The cold air and solid ice pierced Jack's skin, causing him to suddenly wake up in a panic. He breathed in deeply, the air feeling foreign in his lungs. His clothes were soaked and weighed him down, and his bronzed skin was covered in goosebumps. His body was sore and stiff, making it hard for him to get a grip on his surroundings. He had no idea where he was. And that scared Jack more than anything.

What the bloody hell is going on?

Slowly he was able to stand up, his bare feet slightly slipping on the ice. Why he had no shoes he didn't understand, but Jack was coming to accept that he wasn't in a normal situation. He carefully made his way across the ice, hoping that it wouldn't crack beneath him and send him back into the frigid abyss below. Finally he was able to make it to solid ground, where he was greeted by towering trees and an inch of snow. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. At least he was somewhat safe, for now.

Jack looked down at the ice and caught a glimpse of his reflection, and for a second didn't recognize who was staring back at him. The man in front of him wore a tattered cloak, white shirt, and torn trousers that stopped just above his ankles. His black hair was disheveled and soaked, the cold water running off of it making him feel as if his brain was freezing. He had a five o'clock shadow that scratched his fingers as he ran his hand over it. The longer he stared at himself, the more he began to recognize who he was. My name is Jack, he thought, though nothing else came to mind. All he knew for certain was that his name was Jack, and that he was in some foreign land. He needed to come up with a plan, and fast.

He looked away from the ice and took in his surroundings once more, and after deciding that his best option to finding out where he was would be to just start walking, Jack began to make his way through the forest. He had no idea which direction he was going in, but he guessed that if he walked far enough through the trees, he would come out on the other side eventually, and that was better than nothing. His bare feet carried him farther into the forest and towards whatever adventure awaited him.

"Emma love, can't we just go home. You know I'm not particularly fond of the cold."

Emma Swan rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, not hiding the fact that she found his complaining adorable sometimes, especially when he sounded like a child. All she wanted was to take nice walk around Storybrooke in order to relax and spend some alone time (finally) with Killian, yet here he was asking to go home. She just couldn't seem to win.

"If I had wanted to take a walk with a baby, I would've taken Neal, or Grumpy for that matter," she teased. "Seriously, we'll go home in 10 minutes, I promise." She squeezed his hand to reassure him, and instantly his classic smirk appeared. For some reason Emma knew that a certain request was sure to come.

"And do tell me what we shall do when we get home?" he asked, his eyebrows quirking up. "Hopefully something that keeps us heated throughout the night." Again, Emma rolled her eyes.

"If you mean going to bed and sleeping the whole night, than yes, that's exactly what I'll be doing when we get home," she answered, not falling for his pirate tricks. "Maybe next time tiger." She could hear Killian sigh in partial annoyance, which caused a smirk of her own. She knew that he would get over it, eventually, though she probably wouldn't hear the end of it.

They continued on in silence, taking in the beautiful scenery around them. Sure, the events with Elsa and the Snow Queen had created some resentment towards ice, snow, and anything that had to do with cold weather from Emma, but she couldn't deny that it was a beautiful thing. The way the moon reflected off the white surface, how the trees looked as if they wore a wool blanket on their branches, it was all so breathtaking to her. After a few minutes of silently admiring the scenery, Killian spoke.

"So love, what should we do now that we don't have some evil Snow Queen wrecking havoc in our beloved town? I know you're the Savior and I'm the heroic pirate, but I do think we deserve a break."

Emma giggled in response, though she knew he was right. The past month had been a living hell with all of the craziness happening, and all she wanted was to relax and clear her mind, and maybe have a drink or two. But knowing her luck, some other person would come to Storybrooke and mess up the peace that existed for the time being. Maybe it was best that Emma just enjoy it while it lasted, even if it was only for a short time.

"Maybe we can go to that fancy restaurant again, or spend hours on Netflix catching up on House," she said. "I know how much you're fascinated by medicine, and I know you admire Dr. House's sassiness." Killian smirked down at her, amused that she was comfortable enough to tease him.

"You know Swan, I swear you look just like that Doctor Cameron on the show, the one whose hair was brown but now is blonde," he said, pulling her closer to him. "Are you sure you didn't live a secret life as an actress while in New York?"

"For the hundredth time Killian, no," she said. "Besides, you of all people should know that I'm not a great actress, especially around you." Her quip earned her a small kiss on her forehead from Killian, who just smiled to himself as they continued to walk. For once, everything felt right in the world, and Emma couldn't be happier. She was on a high that she never wanted to come down from. This was what life was supposed to be like, she thought.

Suddenly, a cry broke out around them, causing the hairs on the back of Emma's neck to stand on end. Her hand automatically went towards her gun, though she cursed herself when she remembered that she had left it at the sheriff's station (she definitely wasn't getting cop of the year). Killian stood at attention beside her, his face stone cold in concentration as he searched their surroundings. They saw no one, just the trees around them and the road they stood on. But they had definitely heard something—or someone—close by.

Oh for fuck's sake, Emma thought.