It had all started when Killian had been helping Belle with organizing the Library as a means of apologizing for the way he had hurt her to get revenge on Rumplestiltskin.

Belle and Archie both believed that if Killian had something other than revenge to focus on, then he could not only find redemption for himself, but also some happiness. He could have the kind of life that was filled with love and friendship.

"Unless there's a magic portal opening, Captain Hook is now a permanent resident of Storybrooke. It would be best if he was made to feel like a member of the community." Archie advised. "Being isolated will only cause him to slip further into darkness."

The first step in giving Killian Jones a life in Storybrooke, was finding out what he was interested in and passionate about. What sort of things was he knowledgeable about and what tasks would he be willing and able to do.

Of course, they couldn't just tell him they expected him to be a productive member of the town. They didn't think it was a good idea to ask him a lot of questions like an interrogation, either. Both approaches would have caused the pirate to be defensive and hostile. Instead, they started with Belle asking for Killian's help in organizing the library.

"You can apologize to me by helping me get all of the books in order."

Though she didn't show it, Belle was relieved, as was the rest of those involved, that the pirate accepted her terms and began helping her in the library.

And as it turned out, Killian Jones was a great help.

Highly intelligent, very knowledgeable in several languages and well organized do to serving in the royal navy, plus needing to be in order to keep his ship and crew running smoothly, Killian showed he had many useful talents.

It was also discovered he had interests and passions that were really quite sweet.

One day, Killian had discovered a book with the name Emma acrossed it in big letters. Out of curiosity, he had asked to borrow it.

Of course Belle was happy to lend him the book and insisted he tell her what he thought about it when he was done.

The next morning, as Belle was getting her coffee from Granny's, KIllian had called out her name and asked if the library had any more books written by this Jane Austen.

"Did you read that book in one night?!" Belle asked, mouth agape.

"I couldn't put it down. It was a very fascinating story. A woman playing matchmaker for everyone else but has little understanding in her own romantic entanglements? Quite entertaining."

Belle was both surprised and delighted to discover the pirate had a passion for stories that nearly equaled her own.

The beauty saw it as a perfect opportunity to give the pirate something to focus on other than revenge.

Which was how she was able to convince him to join her in a little book club.

They would choose a story and, depending upon how busy the latest villain or impending disaster was keeping the town, meet at Granny's to discuss it.

Granny herself suggested Agatha Christie and Daphne Du Maurier to the new friends when she discovered what they were up to.

Of course, when other patrons at the diner overheard, they too decided to offer up their own suggestions.

Snow suggested they do a different genre each time they chose a story. That way, they wouldn't get overloaded with any one type of subject matter.

Then Henry told them that no one could call themselves a bibliophile unless they read Shakespeare, and suggested they start off with his most famous work.

However, there ended up being a dispute over what exactly the story was.

"Romeo and Juliet is the greatest love story ever written."

"The boy is a fool. Not a romantic in the least." Killian exclaimed. "First, he's pining away for one woman, who rejects him. Than he sees another woman and instantly he's fallen in love with her? Oh, and what red blooded male would marry the person they claim to desire so greatly, only to meet up with their friends right after, and completely ignore the opportunity of consummating the marriage. Why didn't the priest lock them in a hidden room until Juliet became pregnant? Once that happened, their families would have been unable to demand an annulment."

"You seem to know an awful lot about that?" Emma joked.

"Lass, do you know how many times a young couple has sought passage on my ship because their parents refused to allow them to be together? A small fee gave them the captain's quarters for a weak. And safe passage to any destination of their choosing. Plenty of time to conceive a baby."

"Ok, I get that the characters are far from perfect. But keep in mind it was written to be a tragedy." Belle defended.

"It's a tale of stupidity." Killian retorted. "How can anyone claim to be in love with someone after only a few hours?"

"It's in every fairy tale ever written in this world." Emma said.

"We all know that those stories are very different from what really happened." Killian smirked. "If I understand correctly, this world's stories about your family have it that The Evil Queen tried to kill your mother because of vanity. And your father was only around for a kiss."

"Stories often have to leave out certain details." Belle said.

"There's leaving out details and then there's a writing a series of events that make little sense. This Shakespeare had a way with words, I'll give you that, but I don't think he really understood love."

Snow intervened in the discussion. "Just like Belle said, Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy. It's in the last line. Never has there been a tale of more woe, than Juliet, and her Romeo. The story was made to tell how passions can cloud wisdom. The parents of the dead lovers lost their children because they would not stop their petty feud. Romeo and Juliet were teenagers who were swept up in their emotions. It's a story made to be sad and beautiful"

"I've always preferred A Midsummer's Night's Dream." Emma said. "It's romantic and really funny. And it has a much happier outcome."

To no one's surprise, A Midsummer's Night's Dream was the next to be read by Belle and Killian.