Chapter 1: Mind in the Fog

The world around him was black. At least inside his head it was. Outside it appeared to be midday with the sun shining through the trees and the sound of birds chirping in the distance. He looked around the deserted road trying to ascertain where he was. Nothing about the location was familiar and as he tried to search his head for any memory of how he got there all he found was fog. There was a sign not far from where he was standing. As he walked toward it panic started to overwhelm him. His mind was a complete blank, not only to where he was, but to who he was..

"Storybrooke," He read out loud to himself when he approached the sign. His own voice startled him and he looked down at his hands. Or at least where both of his hands were supposed to be. The hook attached to his left arm startled him. He closed his eyes and searched desperately in his head for any type of memory. Anything that could tell him what happened to his hand and why he had a hook there, but he came up blank. His eyes opened and he searched his body for anything familiar. He was wearing black leather pants, a black chemise, and a long black leather coat. Everything about him just confused him more. "Why am I dressed like this?" He thought to himself.

Fear began to consume him and he found himself walking towards the place that appeared to be called Storybrooke. Maybe someone there would be able to tell him something. As he picked up the pace down the road he continued to search his blank mind for anything. He wasn't even paying attention to what was in front of him anymore until he hit something solid. When he finally looked up there was a very angry looking blonde woman wearing a leather jacket staring at him.

"What the hell are you doing, Hook?" the blonde woman asked.

"I'm sorry," he replied, confused. Hook? Was that his name?

"Don't go pretending you have no idea what I'm talking about," the woman replied coolly. "You know the innocent act doesn't work on me."

"You know me?" he asked, hopeful. If this woman knows him, then she might be able to tell him who he is and maybe even know how he got to the edge of this town called Storybrooke. He noticed she seemed a little startled by his question.

"Of course I know you," she appeared to be losing the anger in her voice and it was starting to sound more worried. "Are you trying to tell me you don't remember me?"

"I don't remember who I am, lass," he replied weakly. He looked down at his feet and he could feel tears starting to form in his eyes. Somehow it felt stupid to be crying in front of this stranger, but he didn't really know what to do in this moment. All of the anger that the blonde woman seemed to have towards him disappeared and now she looked just as scared and confused as he felt.

"You don't remember who you are?" she asked and he just shook his head eyes still to the ground. "Where were you coming from just now?"

He looked up at the woman and pointed in the direction he came. Something told him that she had an idea about what happened to him, but she didn't speak up.

"I'm the sheriff of this town, Emma Swan," she replied simply. "It might be best if you came with me and we can try to figure out what happened to you."

"Okay," He said, simply nodding. Emma. He didn't know why, but there was something familiar about the woman. Something he couldn't quite place. It wasn't anything like a memory, but a feeling. A feeling that she was someone he could trust and talk to. "You called me, Hook, earlier. Is that my name or is that because of this?" He said pointing to his hook.

"That's a little hard to explain," Emma sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "People do call you that because of the hook, but your real name is Killian Jones."

"Killian Jones," he said out loud. More than anything he wished something she said would help bring back a memory or two, but his mind was just as blank as ever. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It will be okay," she said attempting to give a reassuring smile. Killian didn't want to tell her that he didn't believe a word she just said. She appeared to be trying to help and he appreciated that in this moment. He looked back down at his clothes and frowned.

"Can you explain why I'm wearing this?"

Emma laughed. He didn't understand what was so funny, but somehow her laugh made his fear recede ever so slightly.

"Everything is a little hard to explain to someone who does remember," Emma started wrinkling her nose. "You're a pirate and when you came here you generally continued to wear your pirate garb even when I had told you once that it made you stick out like a sore thumb. Although you did counter that the hook wasn't exactly inconspicuous so what difference did it make."

"I'm a pirate?" Killian questioned. Part of it wasn't exactly believable, but deep down somewhere he knew she wouldn't lie to him.

"Yes, Captain Hook to be specific," Emma replied. Killian looked up at Emma with a look of disbelief. He may not remember who he is or where he is, but he somehow knew the fairytale of Peter Pan.

"I'm Captain Hook? I thought you said my name was Killian Jones?" He asked looking down at the hook attached to his left arm.

"It's a long and really complicated story. I might go into more detail one day, but for now let's stick with this," she began. "You're in Storybrooke. It's a town where all the fairytale characters were sent after the evil queen casted a curse. Everyone lived her frozen in time for 28 years until I broke the curse. My parents are Snow White and Prince Charming. I met you when my mother and I got sucked through a portal to the Enchanted Forest. After we made our way back here, you managed to find a way here too."

Killian just stared at Emma dumbstruck. He knew the fairytales, but to believe that he was in a town with multiple fairytale characters including him seemed insane. Yet, he felt like he could believe her. The look on her face told him that she expected him to speak up and tell her she was crazy. Instead he just smiled. He noticed Emma blush before she spoke.

"Why are you smiling?" she asked, confused.

"I should be thinking that everything you just told me is crazy," he started. "But for some reason I believe you."

"Why?" Emma asked, clearly not believing him. "My son once tried to tell me a similar story and I didn't believe him. At least it took a while to believe it."

"I don't know," Killian answered honestly. "This is going to sound strange, but you seem familiar to me. I don't remember anything. My name, where I am, who I am, but for some reason there is something about you that I feel I know. Even if I don't remember you there is something about you that makes me trust and believe you."

Emma stared at him astonished. He wasn't sure if he should have told her that, but right now she was the only one there and he doesn't even remember if there is anyone else. After another moment of silence Emma finally spoke up again.

"I think we should get back to town. After that we will attempt to figure everything else out."