Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters

Her instincts had Emma reaching her arm over Henry protectively, and her eyes bugged at the intruder sitting behind them. "You again! How the hell did you get in here?"

His previous innuendo had not gone unnoticed, and Emma inwardly wandered how far this guy was willing to go with his inappropriate behavior to get whatever it was that he wanted.

Unlike earlier that morning, when his stance and features were hurried and desperate, the man was now relaxed and confident, which made her feel even more uneasy.

"You might say I have a bit of experience getting around barriers," he drawled, his mouth twitching at the corners.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Emma briefly made a mental note that she too, had some experience in breaking and entering.

There was playfulness to this man that was familiar to her somehow. She doubted that anyone could be this relaxed with a complete stranger, unless of course, he had an agenda…

"Get out of my car," Emma snapped at him, keeping her posture rigged in case the guy put up a fight.

He moved to argue, but she interrupted him before he can get a word out. "Did you not understand me earlier when I said that I would have you arrested?"

The stranger quirked an eyebrow at her and raised his heavily-adorned hand; the rings glittering in the light, as he waved it casually. "Now, now. There's no need to do anything rash, luv. I am merely here to remind you of who you are."

Before she could yell at him again, however, Henry chimed in. "Does my mom know you?"

Emma glanced over at her son, his brow was furrowed in confusion, but she noticed a curiosity in his voice that was easy to recognize.

"Indeed she does, Henry," the man smiling widely at him, extending his hand in greeting. Emma quickly moved to keep Henry from the gesture, batting away the outstretched hand, as rain pattered on the roof of the car above them.

The stranger, however, was not deterred in the least. "The name's Killian Jones, lad, and I am a friend of your mother's- and the rest of your family, for that matter."

Emma could feel the heat rising up to her neck and face, her patience wearing thin.

"Look, buddy- I let you get away with quite a lot this morning, and you were lucky that you walked away from it intact." She heard him mutter "mostly" under his breath before she continued. "Now you've broken into my car, scaring my son and me to death. I don't know if you thought I was kidding this morning, but let me set the story straight. I don't have any family besides my son, I have never seen you before in my life, and I will not warn you again to stay away from us."

His smile was gone, but he didn't appear to have wavered in his resolve. Henry glanced between the stranger known as "Jones" and his mother, intrigued. This man was obviously in some kind of trouble or down on his luck, so Emma tried to calm herself and sighed, deciding to try a different approach.

"Listen, I don't have any money on me at the moment, so please just go and we won't make any trouble for you."

It's probably what he wants, a hot meal and a dry bed for the night.

His actions seemed to argue against this theory, however, as Emma noticed Jones reach into his coat pocket. She quickly jerked her arm back, keeping her and Henry at a distance, but Jones pulled out a set of keys and held them out to her. Baffled as to why a homeless man had keys, Emma raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"What am I supposed to do with these?"

The rain outside slowed to a drizzle, as the warmth from their breath fogged up the windows of the bug.

"They are for an abode here in the city, Emma. This is a place that may shed some light on your memories."

She smiled sarcastically at that, taking the keys in her hand. "Oh yeah? Ok, I'll play along. And just who's abode will I be visiting?" Emma taunted him, jingling the keys in front of his face.

Jones seemed almost reluctant to say, his features completely serious now. He looked her straight in the eyes, and replied rather quietly. "Your previous suitor: Neal's."

Emma was out of the car in a flash, slamming her door, and jolted open the back one with a vicious yank.

"Get out. Now!"

Her heart hammered in her ears, all the sounds of a bustling city now a dull humming; as Emma was oblivious to anything but the fury pumping through her veins.

The intruder made no attempt at placating her as he stepped out of the car, seeming to have expected this reaction. Despite the wave of emotions and questions going through her head, she was still able to catch a glimpse of something written on the man's face. Was it pity?

Suddenly, she was yelling. "Did he send you? Did he?! How the hell did he find me? If he thinks for one second that he has any right to…"

"Mom?"

Henry had gotten out of the car too, and stood outside with her and Jones, as an older couple watched them from a bench a few feet away.

"What's going on," her son asked her, obviously concerned. "Who's Neal?"

Her face softened then, her arm coming out to grasp his shoulder. "Kiddo, I need you to go wait in the car, ok?"

He hesitated, looking at the man standing next to her and back to his mother, making eye contact. Emma's heart broke from the look on her son's face, as she tried again. "Henry, please."

The boy pulled his head down slightly, before he slung his green backpack over his shoulder, and turned before he slowly made his way into the passenger's seat of their car. Emma looked back to Jones, taking a deep breath to maintain composure for her Henry's sake.

"Why are you really here? What does he want?"

She avoided saying his name, for fear that tears would follow and Emma would completely lose her resolve. Once again, Jones looked at her hesitantly, before he spoke, his words coming out like waves- one after the other.

"Swan, Neal is in terrible danger, we all are. I'm giving you those keys, so that you can go there and see that I'm telling you the truth. He and the rest of your family are trapped, and you're the only one who can save them. You and Henry must come with me to Storybrooke, so we can assist Regina and help those who love you."

Due to the confusion and haze from the past two minutes, Emma had caught only a few words from Jones' speech. One was "Neal" the others "Regina" and "Storybrooke."

Neal in danger? That must be a trick; and even if it wasn't, his safety was not her problem. He certainly gave no thought to her safety when he let her take the fall for stealing those watches.

Storybrooke? it sounded like some fictional town in a children's book. And who was this Regina? Should couldn't recall knowing anyone by that name, and yet…

"What kind of danger? And who is Regina?" Her voice came out monotone and unbelieving.

The man had the desperate look again; one that Emma couldn't help but notice seemed almost genuine. "I don't have time to explain the details now, but please- you must come with me. I can show you."

He tried to grab her arm, but she jerked it away roughly, her voice growing loud again. "Don't touch me! You have so crossed a line, coming to my apartment and kissing me like that. Now you throw his name in my face; a name I never wanted to hear again. Who do you think you are, anyway?"

His hands were up in a defensive gesture, and Emma noticed for the first time that his left hand was gloved. Only his left hand, though, and it seemed almost stiff. Jones' lips were tight, but his face was calm, as if to show that he would wait for her to speak again.

Above the confusion and anger, Emma acknowledged this sign of respect, as if he actually cared about her feelings toward all of this. If Neal really had sent him, he was probably getting paid to do it, with nothing to lose. Why worry about her comfort?

"Is there a problem, miss?" A police officer had approached them both, a group now forming around them and taking in the scene they had caused. Emma glanced at the large, middle-aged cop, his dark eyes appraising Jones carefully as he spoke to her. "Is this guy bothering you?"

Jones looked affronted and moved to reply, but she shook her head as to silence him and spoke. "No, officer, thank you. We apologize for the disturbance." After a moments' pause, the cop seemed reluctant to go, and Emma smiled politely at him. "I can handle this- really."

She wasn't sure what Jones' motives were, but she didn't want this to get worse than it already was. Emma took a step toward Jones and kept her voice low, as the officer still lingered a few feet away.

"I just did you another favor. Now if you don't want to end up taking a ride to the police station, I suggest you'll leave now and tell him to stay away from me and my son."

Jones glanced at the officer, as if to size him up, then moved in closer to her, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Why didn't you turn me in, luv," he whispered in a husky tone, as he stared at her unblinking.

Emma honestly didn't know herself, but did her best to answer convincingly, as her heart quickened its pace at their proximity.

There was that damn scent of his.

"It saves me a lot of paperwork and questioning."

Jones didn't seem entirely persuaded, but offered no refute to the statement. Instead, he took a small step back and sighed. "I do love a challenge, Swan, but you're making this even harder on me than the first time we met."

She let out a huff and shook her head in frustration. "I told you that I've never met you before."

He was smiling that annoyingly charming smile at her again. "You only think you don't know me."

Her face must have shown her lack of amusement, because his expression turned grave again. "You and Henry's minds were altered, so the memories you believe to be real, are truly not."

Emma did her best to try and take him seriously so they wouldn't attract any further attention, but her patience was nearly gone. "Mind alteration? You're going with mind alteration- really?"

He edged his way toward her again, slowly, and looked at the officer behind her, before he spoke, his voice low. "It has been a year, almost to the day, that you and Henry left Storybrooke, and lost your real memories. Regina gave you new ones, so that you and Henry could have a good life together."

Wow, this guy must be fresh out of a mental institution. New memories? That's not even possible.

And yet...something struck her as odd. It had been around a year ago, that she and Henry started having the strange dreams. He couldn't possibly have known about those.

"I know it sounds mad, luv, but give it some thought. Have you been experiencing odd visions or trouble remembering specific details of you and the lad's past beyond a year? Regina said it may be a side effect, like a being in a fog, with no clear direction."

This made Emma stop and look at Jones, attempting to use her special power to detect if he was lying. While he had seemed genuine all this time, but there was no logic to his theory. Ultimately, she had to conclude that Jones was just a drunken lunatic doing Neal's dirty work for him.

"I believe that you think this is all real."

At this, his smug demeanor was back again. "Believing has always been difficult for you, Swan, especially in the matter of believing in yourself."

Emma frowned at him, but his features softened again. "And that's where I come in, luv."

"Yeah, well just because you believe in something, doesn't make it true."

This guy kept giving her a reason to want to believe him, like he knew her so well. Or was working with someone who knew her very well... like Neal.

Jones reached a hand into his coat once more, keeping his eyes on Emma's, so not to frighten her. Behind them, she heard the officer, who had lingered in the background all this time. "Sir, please keep your hands where I can see them."

He had already pulled out a small vial, though, and shooting a glare at the cop, held it out for Emma to take. She slowly took the strange object, her curiosity getting the better of her, while keeping eye contact so to detect any foul play.

"What is this?" She turned the small, blue vial in her hand, examining its contents. There was a cloudy, liquid substance inside, confined by a tiny cork at the top.

"That," he said matter-of-factly, "will allow you and Henry to get back to your family."

She blinked at him, unsure of where he was going with this. Was this some kind of drug? Maybe Neal wanted her knocked out so he could take Henry away, as she'd always feared he might do if he ever found out about their son's existence.

Suddenly on alert again, Emma shoved the vial back into Jones' hand. "Just stay away from me."

In seconds, the officer was beside them again. "Alright pal, you had your chance. Let's go."

Jones' face contorted from confusion at her sudden outburst, to anger, when the cop suddenly grabbed him under the arm. "Unhand me, mate. I have no intention of harming the lady."

Wrenching himself free, Jones faced her again, his voice low. "Swan, please. Do as I ask, and venture to 842 West Madison Ave. You'll see that I speak the truth about Neal."

The officer was suddenly joined by a younger man in uniform, who Emma guessed was his partner. "You alright, Mitchell?"

Emma looked at the middle-aged officer, and now noticed his name plate with A. MITCHELL inscribed on it, as he struggled to calm Jones. "Yeah, this guy won't leave her and her kid alone."

This only seemed to anger Jones more. "Bloody hell, man, I would never do anything to her or the lad."

His voice was loud above the murmuring crowd, as Emma backed away from the three men.

"Do you have any weapons on you, sir? Any drugs?"

She continued her retreat, no one seeming to notice her but Jones, who now watched the younger officer pull something out from his coat pocket. "Look what we have here," he said to his partner. He held up a shiny hook; one that was rather sharp at the end.

Emma's eyes widened in shock, letting her mind wander as to what he needed something like that for.

"Why do you have this?" The younger officer asks him accusingly, as if to read Emma's mind.

"I've had it for centuries, mate." Jones paused as if to consider containing his next words, but continued anyway. "What else am I supposed to scratch my arse with?"

The two officers exchanged looks, pausing a moment, before they erupted with laughter. "How about that, Robertson? It appears we've apprehended Captain Hook."

Jones whips his head around to meet Mitchell face-to-face, a wry smile spreading over his face. "So you do know who I am, then?"

The two men laughed harder at that; before Robertson pulled the hook over his hand mockingly, and waved it around. "I'll make you walk the plank!"

Jones didn't appear amused; apparently realizing that they were having a laugh at his expense. He moved in closer to Mitchell then, his tone sarcastic; and the words came out in a lazy jeer. "I do hope your king isn't paying you too much to stand around like the ruddy morons that you are."

Mitchell's smile was suddenly gone; and the man nodded to Robertson, before he grabbed Jones' one arm, while his partner took the other. "Is that right, Captain? Let's see how funny you think spending a night in jail is, savvy?"

Jones turned to face her one last time, imploring her to understand, as he was dragged toward the patrol car. "Emma, please. I'm trying to help you."

What are the chances that she would have a dream about being on a pirate's ship, and this mysterious man shows up posing as Captain Hook? She did feel slightly guilty for the guy, but Emma was happy to see him gone; as she was still uneasy about the strange liquid substance in the vial, and the sharp hook in his coat.

Not to mention the fact that he knows Neal.

Looking down at the keys still clutched in her hand, Emma was surprised she had let the lunatic talk as much as he had. Even more so, that the had been so calm and considerate of her comfort. If this is Neal's' doing, perhaps the pirate-wanna-be may convince him to back off. Jones did appear to sympathize with her at one point; though there was probably less chance of that happening, now that she had allowed him to be taken into custody.

Suddenly remembering Henry, Emma walked back over to her car, and got into the driver seat.

"Is everything ok?" Henry's voice was filled with concern, but Emma felt a small twinge of pride, as she had noticed that he didn't sound afraid in the least.

"Yeah, Kiddo. We're gonna be just fine."

Taking a deep breath and meeting her son's gaze with determination, Emma said the words she had been dreading for over twelve years.

"We need to talk about your father."