For the Love of Swan

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Nine hours earlier

There was a creak. Not too loud to cause alarm, but just loud enough that his eyes flew open.

"Emma." He reached across the bed to poke her side. "Wake up."

"Mmm…" She rolls over so that she's facing him. "Sleeping."

"Wake up." He repeated, tickling her side until her eyes open, blinking up at him in the darkness. "I heard something." He propped himself up on one elbow, staring down at her.

"Probably just someone outside." She replied sleepily. "Go back to sleep, Hook."

Hook tried to shake the weird feeling building up inside as he lay back down on the cool pillow. She's had more experience in this world than him. If she said there's nothing to worry about, there probably isn't.

But a second creak, quickly followed by another, caused her to sit up in bed, the covers a tangled mess around her. "Was that just me, or did you hear it too?"

"Not just you, love." Hook responded, half relieved that he hadn't been overly paranoid.

Another loud creak.

In the dark, Hook could see her face screw up in concentration. "I think that's coming from the kitchen."

He reached over to turn on a lamp, but a hand on his wrist stopped him. "Don't." She hissed. "The last thing we want to do is to draw attention to ourselves."

"Well what do you suggest we do then?" He asked, slightly annoyed. "Just sit here and let the thief rob us?"

"Hell no." Emma responded. In a fluid motion, she silently swings her legs over the side of the bed and slips her feet into a heavy pair of boots. "We sneak up on them." She rifled around and comes up with her gun. She tiptoed to the door, hand curling around the doorknob.

"Wait." He said, seconds before she could open the door. "What're you doing?"

"What does it look like? Stopping the thief." Impatience flashed across her face.

"But…" He didn't know exactly how to phrase his thoughts. "Isn't that a bit dangerous?" He finally settled on.

Emma laughed quietly. Even in the dark, he could see the mirth flashing across her face. "Don't be ridiculous, Hook. This is Storybrooke we're talking about. There's no one dangerous."

"No." Mary Margaret shook her head. "No. You don't know what you're saying. No."

"I'm sorry." Whale sighed.

Mary Margaret dissolved into sobs, burying her head in her husband's shoulder, as David looked as though he was about to empty the contents of his stomach over the too clean, antiseptic floor.

"Thank you." David managed to say.

Whale nodded. "You may go see her if you like." And then he disappeared down the hall, shiny shoes squeaking on the floor.

"There's a chance Emma won't wake up." Those words rang over and over in Hook's mind until he could neither see nor hear anything else.

His legs propelled him down the hall. He had no idea where he was going, just that he had to get away. A scream was building up in the back of his throat, bubbling up, a scream that he was dying to release.

Won't wake up.

Won't wake up.

Won't wake up.

His fault. This all his fault. Before he can stop himself, all of the horror, anger, rage, grief, and guilt is just too much, and it bubbles over the top, the result of which is his fist sinking deep into the wall, creating a large crater that cannot be fixed. There is a horrible, shrill, animalistic sound echoing around him.

A split second later, he realized that it had been him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hook watched as Neal approached Emma, boyish hope written all over his face as he clumsily attempted to ask out the woman he'd wronged in so many ways, yet still had the audacity to try and win back.

It wasn't entirely a selfless act, of course. The pirate inside him was certain that Neal would fail, allowing Hook to swoop in and win her heart. He'd made certain inroads in Neverland, and with the right push he'd succeed.

For a second, hot jealousy ripped through him as he wondered if he'd been right in allowing Neal a chance with Emma. It had been the right thing to do, something that his dearly departed brother would surely be proud of him for, but watching them together caused something to claw through him.

For the lad. Hook reminded himself. You're doing this for the lad. He snuck a look at Henry, who was engrossed with the large book of fairytales Emma had just handed him. After everything the boy had been through in Neverland, the least Hook could do was allow him a chance to have his family together.

His heart leaped involuntarily as he detected the familiar closed off feeling in her eyes. Despite the small smile on her face, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would not be showing up to lunch at Granny's tomorrow.

A slow smile spread across his face. Soon he would have his swan.

David caught up to Hook, who was doubled up, his injured fist curled up against the soft fabric of his coat, a string of creative curses streaming out from his mouth, intermixed with groans of pain and raw emotion.

"Hook!" David gripped the pirate firmly, hoisting him up onto his feet. Hook's face is scrunched up tightly, a stark red color.

Hook only groans in response. He was muttering something incoherent, something that David strained to hear but could not decipher. All around them, people are openly staring and muttering to themselves, and it was only David's status as deputy that kept them at bay.

"Pull yourself together." David hissed. "You don't need security dragging you away."

"Don't...care." More incoherent muttering.

"I know you're upset." David attempted to get through to him. "But if you don't knock it off they're gonna kick you out. Or I'll be forced to arrest you. You're not gonna be able to see Emma."

At the sound of her name, he collapsed heavily, hitting the ground before David could keep him up any further.

"My fault." Hook moaned as he curled in the fetal position on the hard floor. "All my fault."

"What do you mean its your fault?" Mary Margaret, who had just approached, asked curiously.

Slowly, Hook sat up, back against the wall, his body sagging as though the wall behind him was the only thing keeping him upright. "I had the ability to stop all of this from happening, milady. But I didn't. And now Emma's in there." He gestured harshly with his hook. "Fighting for her life. And I caused it."

"That's not true!" Mary Margaret protested immediately. "I was just talking to the nurses earlier and from what they said you saved her life. They said if you'd brought her in even a minute later she would've died."

Beside her, David nodded vehemently. "You saved her life. This is not your fault." With one hand, he hoisted Hook off the floor once more. "C'mon. Whale said we can go see her now."

Hook followed them down the hall, dread pumping through him with every step of the way. Though he knew that Mary Margaret and David had been wrong, that it had in fact been his fault and his fault alone, he did not bother to correct them as he trudged along after them.

As selfish as it was, if they knew the truth they would not allow him anywhere near Henry and Ava. And aside from Emma they were all he had.