Starlight

41

"Devilishly handsome?" Aoife repeated while looking between Neal and Hook with wide eyes. "You called me over...to ask me if I think Killian is," she awkwardly coughed and put a hand to her mouth, in her other hand she clutched onto the half full glass. "'Devilishly handsome'? Why do I need to answer this question?"

Neal raised an eyebrow, "She's averting answering which means your words are pointless."

Hook's expression turned deadpanned as he lifted his glass up to drink some of the alcohol within it. "If put under pressure would you answer such a thing?"

"I don't think you're devilishly handsome." Neal muttered and leaned back against the counter. Aoife still stood looking at them confused. "He's 'backing off'." Neal explained plainly.

"Oh." Aoife replied. "Surely that is good? You can finally try and be a family with Emma and Henry!" She beamed happily and jumped to squeeze in between the two. Hook was shooting narrow eyed looks from the corner of his eyes, little to Neal's obliviousness. Aoife thought she'd cut the glaring off by being an obstacle. She grinned at Hook, she was pleased with herself for deterring his glaring.

"One would think," Hook commented dryly while drinking some more.

Neal frowned and shot him a look. Aoife rolled her eyes and quickly sipped some of her beverage. "Yeah," Neal said slowly, "That's what I hope for."

"And I hope you get it!" Aoife said with a grin. Neal raised an eyebrow at her. Aoife's grin slipped and she simply smiled at him. "A chance for a family, is there nothing more happy than that? When I first met you, family was an issue – and rightly so – but now; now you can have that family. I wish nothing more than to see you happy, Baelfire." She winked using his real name for good measure.

"And you?" Neal commented while turning to face the counter. He lifted his glass up, Aoife looked confused by his words. "Do you not wish for a family too?"

"I wished for a way off of the island. My family don't exist anymore. But what I can do is create another family."

Neal smirked. "Are you holding interviews for potential family members?"

"You're already allotted." Aoife smiled.

Neal nodded slowly. "Well thanks for the memo."

"What's a memo?" Aoife looked confused once again.

Smiling he shook his head, "It doesn't matter." Nodding slowly when Emma looked over at them he patted Aoife on the shoulder before moving away.

Jumping to sit in his seat, Aoife tensed slowly and turned her attention to the side. Hook was leaning his head against his hand smiling at her. "What?" She asked bluntly.

"Nothing, just," he moved away from his hand and took to inspecting his nails. "I don't know what sort of family you're going to have."

"A dysfunctional one." Aoife replied and drunk some of her drink. When she noticed Hook's expression, she turned to him again. "What?"

"I don't think you should drink anymore."

"This isn't rum!"

"No, no it's much worse." Hook reached out and pulled her glass away from in front of her. "You could barely cope with rum, perish the thought of you and beer."

"You kept giving me rum!"

"I did no such thing. You seemed more than eager to have some. I was merely supplying it for you. I am not at fault for you getting drunk. It's not my fault you have no tolerance for alcohol, love."

"I am refusing to let you drink your drink and mine as well."

Smiling widely he glanced at her. "Tough."