Chapter 4: Portland

Killian

He is in Portland watching as the Merry Men and some of his old crew from the Jolly Roger load their cargo into the Aquilion, a ship magically commissioned by Regina, when he gets the distinct feeling that he is being watched. It is not the first time he notices it on this trip, but it is the first time they dare get this close. Bold. But stupid. He doesn't believe they'll act on it, whoever they even are, but he wants to leave by nightfall, so he spurs the crew on and starts helping them to speed things along.

When he'd decided to stay in Storybrooke he had given himself the task of finding an occupation. He was sure many thought he was a pirate for the gold and the treasure, but Killian had always craved a set routine, keeping busy and having a plan. Besides, he didn't want to live on Regina's charity, regardless of how generous she was being. After discussing it with David (and with some input from Snow) he had settled on trying out different occupations in this realm to find one that might fit. The Prince had offered to make him a deputy, but Killian had known it wasn't the role for him. He didn't mind helping Emma back then (and now David) if there was a crisis, but he wanted something different for himself. Besides, seeing the sheriff's badge made his heart ache. Not that avoiding it helped. There were too many reminders of Emma in Storybrooke after all.

"We're all set Captain; shall I tell the crew to prepare her for sailing or will we wait until the morrow?" Little John's gaze is piercing him as he asks, and Killian realizes that he is not the only one who has felt the eyes on them.

"Tell them to prepare her for the journey John, I want to be in Storybrooke as soon as possible."

As Little John walks away shouting orders to the crew, Killian turns to look at the Aquilion. It was a fine ship, modelled after the Jolly and more modern, but it would never compare to the Jewel of the Realm. Killian doubted it would ever feel like home the way his ship once did. He was grateful for the Aquilion though, it had given him a purpose again. One he was proud of.

He shook himself, and the eyes on his back, and strode on to the ship heading towards his quarters. He didn't like the way the wind felt, and he needed to plot a new course in case there was a storm. This wasn't his first trip to Portland, but these were still unknown waters and constellations to him, and this realm had many other details he needed to take into consideration when sailing. Besides, they'd been gone almost a week now and he wanted to be home as soon as possible.

Two weeks after Emma had left Regina presented him with an apartment near the docks that had no ties to the Crocodile. Snow, Tinkerbell and Belle had helped him decorate it while Robin and Dave helped him move furniture around as Regina rolled her eyes and reminded them that she had magic. They'd done the same for Tink a week later and then it became a weekly occurrence for them to meet in the weekend. Without even noticing he had somehow managed to build a life in Storybrooke with friends, a home and a business. Slowly but surely, it started to feel more and more like he was setting roots.

He had stumbled into his new occupation without meaning to. He'd been helping Belle out in the library when she had complained how there were many books with sequels that didn't exist in Storybrooke's library. Apparently, the library was outdated (29 years to be exact) and because of the strange nature of the town it was impossible to order them. She'd rambled on but Killian's mind had drifted, and an idea had started forming in his mind. That night lying in bed the idea got a name, Enchanted Logistics.

Belle and David and even Robin had helped him create a business plan, Belle had insisted he needed one and couldn't just waltz into Regina's office and ask for a ship, seed money and a warehouse. Never mind that Regina had already told Robin by then that she thought it was a good idea.

He'd never seen himself as a tradesman, but he had the skills, and it still included a big part of sailing. Along with David and Robin he had set up a working and training system for the workers at the sheriff's station, the forest and the shipping company. If another crisis popped up, they had a small standing army to assist in safeguarding the security of Storybrooke. He liked to think Emma would be proud of it.

Not that he knew much about her these days. Truthfully, he avoided any mention of her, and he knew it was still a sore subject for David and Snow White, so others avoided talking about her too.

At the beginning he'd thought that Storybrooke wouldn't feel like home without her there, that no one would trust him without the Saviour there to vouch for him. But David had been right, and him and Snow had vouched for him in their own way, and the town welcomed Captain Jones as if he had never been Captain Hook. It felt like a betrayal to Emma sometimes, like when he'd carry baby Leo in his arms while having breakfast with her family and he'd look around expecting her to be there. Because this was supposed to be her home more than his, but she wasn't there and he was the one spending with her parents, her son and what could have been her friends.

Snow and David had been sure, just like he and Henry had, that Emma just needed some space to figure out where she belonged. That she would leave and miss them and come back home. But it had been more than three months and Emma had yet to come back to Storybrooke, even for a visit. Killian wasn't sure if it was because she was a stubborn woman or because she didn't miss them - didn't miss him - the way they did. And he was too much of a coward to try and find out which one it was.

After hours of deliberation, he calls Robin to give him a status report and must admit to him that they might have to stay docked for the night.

"Are you sure whoever is watching will not strike tonight? What if this is their plan?"

"Aye, I highly doubt whoever is out there has the power to create such a storm mate, otherwise they would have done something already. We will keep watch and Regina equipped this ship with enough security to withstand an attack. You focus on your end. Tell David I will report again later tonight."

"Actually Killian, you can report to me instead. David and I switched shifts tonight. Emma is in town, and he doesn't want her to get involved or suspicious."

The air wooshes out of him and he stumbles to his chair, he hears Robin's breathing on the other line, but the thief remains silent as he waits for Killian's response. While others had heeded the dark shadow on Killian's face every time Emma was mentioned, Robin had quietly refused to stop mentioning her to him. Maybe because Robin had been with him that night at the docks when he'd raged against love and Emma Swan and happy endings as tears streamed down his face.

"Well, I am sure him and Snow are elated. I'll check in with you in three hours then."

"Killian, you don't have to be diplomatic. Not with me. Do you want me to pass something along?"

"No, I have nothing to say to Swan. Everything that she needed to know she already knows. Can you tell Belle we are delayed and to plan the unloading of cargo for Tuesday instead of Monday?"

He tries not to growl at Robin, he really does, but he and Robin have discussed this before, and he really does not feel like answering once again why he hadn't declared his undying love for Emma Swan more than he already had. Not when she'd left and stomped on his heart like it meant nothing. He hears Robin sigh and prepares for one of his short speeches, but the thief seems to understand Killian is at his limit and switches to discuss other logistical details.

Killian is on deck watching as dark clouds approach the shore as a storm already rages through his mind. He doesn't know how to feel about Emma being back in Storybrooke, doesn't know if it is a coincidence she is there right when he has left. But he is being watched and a storm in proportions he has never seen before in this realm approaches, so he pushes back any thought of her to the background.

Besides, he is not even sure he even wants to see Emma Swan, and that's a new feeling for him.

"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday"

"Robin, are you there?"

"Do you copy?"

Killian had tried everything to contact Robin (his phone, the radio, the small magic mirror Regina insisted they have) but all he had gotten was silence. He had first called to relay his own emergency but the longer it took for Robin to respond the more it feels like the emergency is on the other side instead. He debates whether to call Dave (and by default Emma) for five minutes before the silence of Robin's line becomes too much. His feeling that something is wrong intensifies as he hears David's voice.

"Killian! Is everything alright? Robin gave me your latest update"

"Aye, mate. I have a bit of a situation going on myself but who I am worried about right now is Robin, he didn't check in with me as agreed. Have you heard from him or Regina?"

"He called me a couple of hours ago to tell me the park rangers had reported some suspicious activity, but he didn't seem concerned. Last I heard, he was going to check it out himself with another deputy though. I'll check the station now."

"Good. I will hold on from my end, with the way this storm is going I expect to lose signal, but I will report in as soon as I can."

"What is going on exactly on your side? Robin mentioned you were being watched."

Killian sighs and runs his hand through his face as he turns to gaze out the ship window. He knew they were still out there, but they had yet to make a move and that disconcerted him. What did they want?

"Aye, but they are the least of my worries right now. I told Robin I didn't think they were behind the storm, but this storm doesn't seem natural either. The power is out and before we lost it the ship system alerted us to some damage to the hull." He hesitates whether he should share more, he did not want David and Robin stressing about him and the crew. Not when they were so far away anyways. But David would be furious if something bad happened and he wasn't fully appraised of the situation.

"The truth is mate, I'm not sure whether the damage is from the storm or from whoever is out there. And I am not entirely sure what the damage is or if we can fix it. But you don't need to worry about us mate, we will handle it."

Killian tried not to let his frustration show in his tone. If it had been the Jolly Roger, he wouldn't have been so doubtful, he'd known her in and out and survived many an adventure with her after all. But the Aquilion was a ship of this realm, it had plumbing and electricity and more functions than he knew what to do with. And with those came weaknesses that Killian had probably yet to discover. Regina had made sure the ship had a security system, magical and technological, but Killian didn't know who was out there and thus whether they had magic or not.

"All I can do now is worry Hook. I trust you and Little John to lead the crew back home, but Killian, keep us updated every three hours even though we might not be able to help."

"Aye mate, I will. Besides, I want to hear from Robin too. I find it suspicious that there is something happening over there as well, considering how quiet the past weeks have been."

"Right, I must go now before Emma becomes even more suspicious. I'm headed to the Rabbit Hole to meet with the others, if Robin calls, we'll all be ready if he needs us. Be safe."

Killian sighs as he sets the phone down and looks around the ship's control room. Little John and Smee are in a corner coordinating how to bolster security with the power gone while Damian, one of the Merry Men, monitors the storm on the small screen of his phone. Killian sighs and runs his hand through his hair, he can hear the wind and rain as it batters the ship from every angle. This will be a very long night and tomorrow and even longer day as they try to sail their way back home.