A bit more fluff but some story building too.
As always please review.
Enjoy
:)
Emma sat on the edge of Hook's lounger, he had been sleeping for about an hour and a half but she didn't mind, he obviously needed it. She sat there stroking the hair from his forehead as he slept, he looked so peaceful that she gave a smile as her heart clenched involuntarily. She loved him so much that the thought of him being in pain made her feel physically sick but right now he was pain free and more importantly stress free.
"He still sleeping?" David asked wiping water from his face with the palm of his hand.
Emma nodded giving her Dad a smile "Yeah, I knew it wouldn't take much. He looked really tired"
"He didn't sleep very well" he said dropping down onto one of the wooden patio seats picking up a towel and rubbing his hair with it before lowering his voice to carry on "Devin was here through the night"
"What?" Emma gasped suddenly feeling quite panicked
"Don't worry he never tried anything, we only knew because of that rock thing. It lit the whole room up."
Emma looked back at Hook and blinked a few times at how far Hook had come "So he knew that Devin had been out here but he's still relaxed enough to nap... I think we may have turned a corner you know Dad"
"I think you might be right" David said with a smirk "But I think that has more to do with Gold being involved. They've butted heads for centuries, so it probably feels familiar"
"Maybe... but whatever it is I'll take it"
She studied Hook's face as he slept, the deep bruising around his eye was starting to bleed out into shades of browns and yellows and the swelling across his eyelid was definitely a LOT less, hopefully he'd be able to open his eye soon.
She gave a sigh when she looked at his head, the large scar that ran just above his ear looked to be healing well but when she looked at his hair she chuckled running her fingers through it "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"
"I could always bring the clippers over" David replied with a shrug
But suddenly Hook's eye peeked open and he quirked his brow "YOU are getting nowhere near my hair Mate. You convinced me once before and that did not end well!"
"That was your beard and it was an accident, your hair was fine" David laughed
"Still not happening. I would rather not have a repeat performance of the whole "My hand slipped" scenario... I have little enough hair at the minute, I do not need you making it worse"
"Point taken" David laughed
Just then Junior and Henry ran up both panting harshly from their antics.
"Momma Swan did you see me?" Junior burst out and pointed to the pool in excitement "I swam from that side to that side under the water."
"I missed it Kid sorry, I'll see it next time I promise"
He gave a little shrug before climbing up on to David's knee and asking "When is lunch? I am starved?"
"I think Grandma was going to get started on it once she finishes feeding Neal, why don't you and Henry go get changed while I go see how she's getting on?"
"Hang on Love" Hook suddenly said trying to sit up, she helped him and once his feet were on the ground he carried on "Can we not go to the diner for lunch? I feel like I've been stuck in bed for weeks"
She thought about it for a second, Hook looked much brighter than she had seen him in days and she wanted to keep it that way "Sure, why not?"
"AWESOME" Henry yelled jumping up "Come on Junior let's go get changed. I am sooooo having a burger, the last one I had was amazing"
"Me too" Junior yelled back but as they both headed inside she heard him ask in a confused voice "What's a burger Henry?"
Emma laughed to herself as her Dad brought over the wheelchair "That kid is too funny"
"Aye" Hook replied with a wince as she pulled him to his feet "But if you let him get that burger thing he is going to be very hungry... they are disgusting Love. The meat looks like it has never even seen an animal"
"Not you remember" she answered lowering him down carefully "and if he doesn't like it... well, I'll get him something else."
He smiled up at her once he was settled "You are too good to him Swan"
"No, I'm just the right amount of good to him" she replied quickly "It will take time for him to get to know what he likes and what he doesn't"
David spun the chair around and started back into the house ""I'll take you straight into the bathroom, you gotta need to pee by now. Emma go grab his clothes and we'll just get him changed in there"
"So bossy" Hook chuckled but Emma did what her Dad had asked grabbing some sweatpants and a shirt.
"YOU WANT YOUR HOOK?" she yelled suddenly thinking he hadn't had it on for days
"HE SAYS YES" her Dad yelled back, Hook's voice was still kinda croaky, obviously he thought shouting was out.
She headed in to the bathroom as the toilet flushed, her Dad had just stripped Hook naked which might have seemed strange in any other circumstance but after what they had all gone through in the last six months there was no need for embarrassment anymore. Her Pirate stood gripping onto the edge of the sink as David held onto his left arm tightly to stop him falling over. They had him dressed and sitting back in the wheelchair in no time at all then Emma attached his brace. Finally she slid the soft sneakers that she had gotten for him a while back onto his feet and stood back. He looked so different being back in these kinds of clothes after he had finally managed to start wearing more Pirate like ones again that she couldn't help feeling sad.
"Do I have dirt on my face or something?" He suddenly asked trying to see in the mirror, she hadn't realized that she had been staring
"Nope" Emma replied pulling in a breath "We're good, let's go."
Hook carried on craning his neck as she turned the chair around and exclaimed "Swan you have to help me do something with my hair. I cannot be seen in public like this"
"I'll try but bar covering it with a hat I'm not sure what I can do to help. It needs washed and cut but until your stitches come out that's not gonna happen."
"I'll take the hat" he said turning slightly looking at her pleadingly
"Really?" she asked in surprise
"Aye as long as it is not too ridiculous looking... at least people will not be able to see the mess"
Suddenly Emma wasn't sure if he was talking about his hair anymore or the long run of stitches.
"OK, I'm sure we can sort something out." she soothed bringing her hand to his shoulder being careful of the bruising around his neck.
He ended up wearing a soft black beanie that Regina brought down from the main house... apparently it had belonged to Robin but no one made much comment about that, not wanting to stir up more memories for the former Queen.
"Does it make me look like an idiot?" Hook asked and before she had a chance to answer her Dad called over from the kitchen.
"No more than normal but you are gonna get a sweaty head, it's hot out there"
Hook gave a scowl and pulled the hat from his head with a sigh "Bloody Hell"
"Hey" Emma said crouching down next to him "Talk to me. What's this really about?"
He gave another heavy sigh and met her eyes "I... people will stare Love"
"And?" she replied raising an eyebrow
"And I don't want them to." he said giving a shake of his head "I am tired of being the freak show around town"
"You really think that people are gonna be staring at your head when that thing is on display "She nodded at his hook knowing that he was always proud to show it off "and what happened to that death glare that you used to use so well? If anyone stares give them one of those and a flash of your hook and they'll soon stop"
He suddenly smiled and sat up a bit straighter "True... I had not thought of that Swan, you are a genius. I think that maybe it is time that Killian Jones took a break and perhaps Captain Hook should put in an appearance"
"Are we ready to go?" Junior asked coming up to their side
"Aye" Hook said with a confident smile "Come on Lad climb on board. Henry, you are in charge of steering so please do not push me into traffic, let's get this vessel underway. First Mate, raise the anchor"
Emma smiled as she stood up and Junior scrambled up to sit on Hook's lap. Henry disengaged the brakes and started off towards the door, Junior took hold of Hook's brace and lifted her Pirate's arm up brandishing it into the air and yelled
"Arrrrr. Make way for Captain Hook and his trusty crew"
Emma burst out laughing, that kid was every part the idiot that Hook was... and every bit as adorable.
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Devin was getting impatient, his scouting missions were proving more difficult than he had anticipated. He had tried to enter the Evil Queen's pool house the night before but some kind of force had literally thrown him to the ground and he quickly realized that he was not going to be able to cause anymore terror in there... they had protected the house.
He lent back on the hood of the Dark Ones car and chewed his lip as he watched the man in question talking to the Belle woman through the glass window of the store. He very much wanted to go inside but each time someone ventured in he couldn't build up the courage to follow. He still didn't know if Rumpelstiltskin would sense him or not.
A laugh across the street suddenly pulled his attention away and he turned to see that damned Pirate and his "family" walking towards the diner. He gave a smirk and took off after them... he'd try and figure out Gold's plan later.
He managed to maneuver his way through the door after them diving out of the way before anyone bumped into him.
"You manage into the booth?" the Swan girl asked Hook
"Aye Love, just try and stop me" he grinned back like a fool
Devin's lip curled into a sneer... this sight was sickening.
He watched as they all settled into their seats then he slid into the empty booth behind them, he turned around and actually came up onto his knees resting his elbows on the back of the bench to watch them. They chatted for a while but Devin wasn't really listening to the mundane chit chat he was too busy admiring the damage that he had inflicted on the Pirate... he looked, how could he put it? Painful... that was it, painful was a good word to describe Hook's current look and Devin knew the feeling only too well as he brought his own hand up to cup his still very sore jaw from the Dark One's attack.
They gave their orders to the old woman who ran the place a few minutes later then carried on laughing and joking around the table but Devin suddenly grinned widely when Hook gave a cough and brought his hand up to his throat with a pained wince. The annoying school teacher, Mary something or another pushed a drink across the table at him which he took with thanks gulping it down quickly before carrying on talking of their very boring lives.
Devin was just on the verge of getting up and leaving when the door jingled and the Dark One himself walked in. He instantly froze not knowing if he had just been caught but when Rumpelstiltskin simply walked across to the counter to order food he sighed in relief.
"Momma Swan, may I go to the washroom?"
Devin looked back at the table to see Hook's son looking quite frightened, he kept glancing towards the Dark One and he was gripping on to Henry's arm tightly.
"I'll take him" the school teacher said standing quickly and passing the baby boy in her arms to the Sheriff.
"I'll go too" Henry said following the mini Pirate out of the booth.
The minute they walked away Hook hissed in a low voice "I do not want the Crocodile near the boys"
"I know Hook but if we get up and leave he'll get suspicious. Just play it casual, don't react otherwise he might guess that we're on to him" the Sheriff hissed back
"I know Mate but he just makes my blood boil" Hook whispered through clenched teeth
But in the next second the Dark One was stalking over to the table with a smirk on his face "So the Pirate is up and about I see"
"Aye, very observant" Hook said with a very fake smile
"I'm happy to see it" the Dark One carried on lightly "it seems that you can't keep a good man down"
"Quite" Hook growled back but the Swan girl took his hand in hers and spoke changing the subject
"How's your research going? Is Tinkerbell back yet?"
The Dark One's smile never faltered "Not yet Miss Swan but soon... I am sure this whole thing will be resolved shortly"
What were they talking about? Tinkerbell hadn't gone anywhere. She was still out at her small abode on the outskirts of town, Devin had seen her there yesterday. Rumpelstiltskin gave a curt nod then made his way to the door without a backwards glance. The minute he was gone they started another whispered conversation and this time Devin was very interested to listen.
"What the hell is he up to?" The Swan girl snarled in frustration
"I don't know but as soon as we get back I'm gonna take that gem out of the truck and put it in the pool house. I meant to do it earlier but with everything that was going on I forgot but the sooner we get it somewhere where HE can't get hold of it the better I'll feel"
"I agree" Hook said glancing towards the back of the diner when the others came back in.
Devin no longer cared what they had to say... he figured that he had roughly an hour to find a gem stone in the Sheriff's truck. He grinned to himself as he slipped out of his booth and made his way over to the counter where the prepared meals sat waiting to be taken over to the tables. He grabbed one of those burger things off of a plate and headed to the door taking a huge bite.
This day improved no end, soon he would hold the gem... he would keep it safe until he found out the Dark One's plan then if he deemed that it was safe for him and his Lost Boy's he would complete his deal with the Devil.
Devin whistled to himself as he made his way down Main Street... life was good but it was about to get so much better.