Oh. My. Once. That episode...I can't even. I have ceased to be able to can. The next four months are going to be very, very long. Anyway, back to business: I did get a request for how Emma and Hook would meet each other in the alternate reality, and this is what I came up with. I had ideas brewing before the episode after seeing the promo - sorry I didn't get it up before, it was mother's day and my sister's birthday and then finals week and it unfortunately got pushed to the back burner :/ but I wanted to keep my ideas as they were rather than be swayed by something from the episode soooo that's what I'm doing, hope you enjoy!

18. Right

Scanning the docks, Henry finally found a familiar face, though that was the only thing familiar. The black leather was replaced by a different kind of uniform, the kind of the royal navy.

"Hook?" Henry asked tentatively as he walked the gangplank and approached the man, who was looking at a map, held to the table by his two hands. Henry then understood why he received no response. He tried again. "Killian?"

This time, the man looked up, but his eyebrows were drawn together, and the look became even more puzzled when he caught sight of Henry. "Tad bit informal for the Master of the Navy, don't you think, Lad?"

"Sorry," Henry replied. "It's just what I usually call you."

Killian didn't think anything could be more confusing than the way the boy addressed him or the way in which the boy was clothed, but apparently he was wrong. "Have we met before?"

"Well...sort of." Henry was hesitant at first, thinking of his words. But he also knew his time was short and he needed to rescue Emma, fast. "Okay, look, I'm from a different world, and there everyone calls you Captain Hook because you only have one hand and it's kind of a long story but I know you really well because you're dating my mom and the reason I'm here is because I need your help to rescue her, and we need to do it quickly."

Killian blinked at Henry a few times, mouth slightly parted. "Captain Hook?"

"I know it sounds crazy," Henry added, "but I have proof." He pulled Isaac's book from his inside coat pocket and handed it to Killian, who looked slightly baffled but mostly dubious. "Please, you have to believe me. Just open it and look!"

With a sigh, Killian complied, flipping through the pages without much consideration at first, but then with increasing astonishment and consternation. "How could - no one but the crew knows about my brother, or how we found out the King's Naval Master had sent us to Neverland." He looked up at Henry. "How could this book tell about where I'm supposed to be in a fortnight, how can anything tell the future?"

Henry took the book back. "It's all part of this alternate reality that this guy wrote to give villains a happy ending, and make heroes do terrible things. Please, the only way to make things right is to save my mom."

Killian stared at the book, forehead creased. "All right, Lad. You have my services. Where is she?"

"The Queen's dungeon."

He shook his head to himself; Master of the Navy, breaking into Snow White's dungeons. "It's a bit of a trek. I suppose that's enough time for this long story of mine?"

"How exactly do you know your way through here?" Killian asked, right hand holding the torch to light the dim caverns beneath Snow White's castle, his left hand resting on the hilt of the sword he had recently sheathed since knocking out the guard and taking the key.

"You told me about it because you've gotten in and out before."

"Right, in this real world of yours?" he asked as he double checked to make sure no one was following them.

Henry scratched the back of his neck. He decided not to go on about traveling realms and time. "Yeah. You actually did it to save my mom."

This made Killian smile. "From what you've said of your mother, she doesn't strike me as the kind of woman who frequently needs saving."

"Not really," Henry replied. "But when she does, it's usually me or you."

"And you said we were...dating?" His voice displayed his cluelessness

"Yeah, like courting. You'll get to meet her, obviously, so I guess we'll see if she remembers anything -"

A voice cut through the stone corridors. "Henry?"

"Mom!" Henry called back. He sped into a run, following the sound of her voice and leaving Killian behind him. A few seconds later, he entered a larger room, and in front of him, behind cast iron bars, was Emma. Henry pulled out the key, unlocked the door, and felt himself fill with relief as he hugged his mother.

"How did you find me?" she asked

"Isaac's book, and I had a little help." Henry saw Emma's eyes soften as she focused on something behind him, but Henry couldn't bring himself to tell her Killian didn't remember.

Emma hurried towards Killian, who made a small, surprised noise as she knocked the wind out of him. Her head pressed against his chest and her arms wrapped around him, leaving him slightly bewildered, not by her action, by the way it felt completely comfortable and just...right. He couldn't help it as his left arm moved to return the hug.

Suddenly, Emma flinched and pulled away. "Oh, my gosh."

Killian was startled by how empty he suddenly felt as she drew back. "Sorry," he immediately said, unsure what he was apologizing for. His cheeks flushed pink. He switched the torch to his left hand and extended to her his right. "Killian Jones, Royal Master of the Navy. Although I'm told you already know that." Realization dawned on her that he didn't know who she was, and pieces started to fit together in her mind. "What is it?" he asked, feeling an overwhelming need to know what was going on behind those green eyes.

"It's just..." She shook herself slightly and took the hand the was extended to her. "You...have two hands."

"Yes, I do. I've had two my whole life, and I'm quite fond of them both." He grinned at her, letting her know he was jesting, but all she saw was that handsome smirk and mischievous gleam in his eyes that made her heart race.

Killian wasn't sure how long she held his hand for, but eventually Henry cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but we still have a wedding to crash."

"Disrupt a wedding?" Killian asked, guilt already starting to fill him even though he hadn't even done anything.

And then Emma put a hand on his arm. "Please understand, it's the only way we can make things right."

This - her hand on his arm, her hand in his, her arms around him - this was what felt strangely and inexplicably right. "I understand, Love." This alternate version of himself may have a terrible past and one hand, but he also had this incredibly brave, strong woman, and that seemed more than fair.

I totally forgot the fact that Rumple would want something bad for Hook (the goat's milk instead of rum was GENIUS) and focused more on the fact that giving Rumple a happy ending would also change Hook's past - there'd be no Milah, so wouldn't that mean he has two hands? Also, I thought, since he's a villain in the original, wouldn't that make him a hero in Isaac's story? Anywho, that's what was going through my mind, and for the dynamic of them meeting I wanted Emma to remember because I wanted that hug :D Let me know what you think!