The Pirate's New Clothes

Summary: There was only one reason Prince Charming would be standing at his doorstep this early in the morning, pounding on the door. He knew about Emma. Ah, for the days when angry fathers could be avoided by merely setting sail for the open seas. A post 3x22 tale.

A/N: I started writing part of this for my daily drabbles but realized I wanted to expand it a bit, so here we are! I'm a little iffy whether I got Hook's voice right since I rarely write him, so leave me some feedback if you think I did him justice!

Disclaimer: OUAT and all of its characters belong to ABC…all I own is a deep desire for Season 4 to get here now!

"So what now?"

Hook looked up from his empty coffee cup to see Ruby standing at the edge of the booth, an inquisitive gleam in her eye.

"None more for me lass, I've had my fill."

He held the mug up in her direction but she just shook her head with a smile.

"No, I mean what are you going to do now? You're stuck in Storybrooke with the rest of us and you gave up your ship."

His eyes flew to her sharply, suspicion clear.

"Did Swan tell you that?"

Ruby just grinned and tapped her ear.

"Wolf hearing."

He raised his eyebrow, "Could have used you on my ship…would've made spying on rival captains a hell of a lot easier."

"And you're avoiding the question."

Hook stood, tossing a silver coin onto the table with a roguish wink.

"When I know lass, I'll tell ya."

Before he could turn away, Ruby placed a hand on his upper arm.

"You're welcome to stay in your room as long as you like…on the house," she said softly, before a teasing light entered her eyes, "Of course, given what I overheard the other night, you might not need it for long."

A small smile crossed his lips as he nodded in acknowledgement, secretly touched that she thought to offer. Heading up to his room though, the smile faded. What was he going to do now? He couldn't leave and even if he could, he would not. Not while Emma Swan called this place home…and not while most of its inhabitants treated him with a sense of decency he hadn't enjoyed since before he turned his back on King and country for a life of piracy.

But even he knew he could not make his entire existence revolve around Swan…not if he wanted to have a chance to truly make being with her work. Which meant he would need to find something in this town to occupy his time, to make a decent living. He hadn't truly done so in too many years to count and had no idea where to start. He didn't think too many places in town were looking for a one-handed pirate to employ.

Emerging onto the landing which led to his room, his thoughts halted in their tracks when he spotted the figure knocking loudly on his door.

There was only one reason Prince Charming would be standing at his doorstep this early in the morning, pounding on the door.

He knew about Emma.

Ah, for the days when angry fathers could be avoided by merely setting sail for the open seas.

Drawing in a deep breath, he plastered a smirk across his features.

"Hook, I know you're in there. Open the door."

"I'm right here mate, no need to damage Granny's woodwork."

David spun around mid-knock, folding his arms across his chest.

"What can I do for you this fine morning?" he asked, gesturing grandly.

He half expected the man to simply punch him without a word but instead David seemed to be studying him. After a moment, something seemed to solidify in the prince's eyes.

"Come on, we're going for a ride."

Either he didn't want to discuss it here, or he was taking him somewhere to kill him without witnesses…lovely. Arguing would have been futile though and he knew with Swan's newfound sense of home, conflict with her family would have him figuratively walking the plank where she was concerned.

Hook sighed and gestured towards the stairs, "After you mate."

After a short yet silent ride in David's carria…truck, Hook found himself being pushed through a set of non-descript doors. But instead of an empty space or a darkened room, he found he was suddenly surrounded by tables covered in piles of fabric, shelves full to the brim with trousers and walls of endless coats.

He blinked.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. You're not taking me somewhere so you can…"

"Yell at you for kissing my daughter? No…not yet anyway," David smirked with an entirely unconvincing chuckle, "Whether I like it or not, you're a citizen of Storybrooke now and that means you'll need to blend in."

"Blend in?" Hook questioned, before another glance around made him realize what David meant, "You mean my clothes."

"Sorry to say mate, but the leather pirate look never really caught on in this world," David tilted his head slightly to the side, "Actually, I don't think it ever really caught on in the Enchanted Forest either."

"Ah, because your leather jerkins and puffy sleeves were so in vogue," Hook shot back with a raised brow.

"Touche," David acknowledged wryly, "Though I'll have you know Snow loved my puffy sleeves."

"No offense, but I think you could wear a pretty pink princess dress and your darling wife would still think you were handsome…not devilishly handsome like me of course, but handsome none the less."

David sighed and shook his head, "Just pick out some clothes Hook before I call my darling wife to come help…and believe me, that would not be pretty…for you of course."

After an hour of scouring through pants,

"This blasted itchy material is the most uncomfortable thing I have ever worn."

"It's denim…and so says the man who wore leather trousers in the tropical heat of Neverland."

Shirts,

"These are buttons Hook and here, we tend to use them for more than just useless decoration."

And coats,

"I don't know why I need another leather jacket when I already have a perfectly good one right here."

Hook finally managed to end up with a decent pile of clothes to wear before a thought struck him.

"I know some things are different here mate, but I'm pretty sure money is still required to exchange for goods yes? And unfortunately my newfound avoidance of all things criminal has left me slightly out of pocket."

"This one's on me," David said quietly, quickly purchasing the clothes with a plastic card Hook had seen many people use in the diner.

Once they emerged back into the sunlight of another beautiful Storybrooke day, Hook placed his hand on David's shoulder to stop him from walking to the truck.

"Not that I'm not grateful mate, but why…"

"Am I doing this?" David finished, moving to sling the bags into the truckbed before turning around.

"I do remember you know."

"You've lost me…"

"I remember a certain conversation with a prince who said he would go to the ends of the earth and time for his princess…"

"Ah," Hook breathed out, rubbing his neck with his hand, "That."

"That. Look, there's a part of me, the part who still remembers Emma as the tiny baby girl I had to put in a wardrobe when she was barely minutes old, who will never think anyone is good enough for her. Especially not an only recently reformed pirate."

David drew in a breath, his eyes hazy with memory.

"But I also know she's a capable, strong young woman who can choose for herself…and there are worst people she could pick than a man who has put his life on the line for her more than once, a man who saved my life and apparently helped ensure I would meet my true love."

"Careful there your highness, it almost sounds like you're giving me your blessing," Hook smirked.

"What I'm giving you, is a promise I won't interfere as long as Emma is happy with you and you treat her with the respect and care she deserves after far too many years where she hasn't received either…but make no mistake…"

David stepped closer and grabbed Hook by the collar of his jacket.

"If you ever deliberately hurt her, my sword and a certain part of your anatomy are going to become very well acquainted…clear?"

"As crystal mate."

David pulled back and clasped him on the shoulder.

"Good. Now that that's settled, we'd better get going or we'll be late."

"Late? For what?" Hook questioned, sliding into the passenger seat of the truck.

"I'm not the only parent of Emma's you need to appease…Mary Margaret is expecting us for lunch."

Hook's face fell.

"She wouldn't happen to have her bow lying within easy reach would she?"

"Right next to the cradle."

"Of course she does."