AU. Takes place in a quiet moment at the end of season four but without Emma turning dark or having the ability to heal others and we find Rumple still the Dark One but he is unconscious in his shop.

Ex Libris: Out of the books

"KILLIAN!"

Belle's cries made his freeze in his movement as he tried his best to limit the damage he was causing, he winced as a few more objects fell around him clunking and clanging their way across the floor.

"Please... just stop. Stand still." she held her hands up in a pleading motion

She stepped forward and untangled him from the hanging bead curtain that he had somehow managed to get trapped in by several of his vest button which in turn had caused him to knock over a pile of objects that Belle was trying to identify and send them rolling across the shop floor.

"Sorry" he cringed

"Why are you here Killian?" she sighed as she freed him then dropped to the ground to start picking up the fallen items "Surely you have something else to do"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were alright" he replied bending down to help but as he went his elbow caught on the edge of the wall unit and sent a pile of paperwork fluttering across the floor to join the other fallen objects.

Belle just looked at him with a look of utter disbelief on her face "I am fine, or I was until you arrived"

Killian stood back up "I'm sorry Love, I just thought that maybe you could do with some company but somehow all I seem to have managed to do is wreck the place."

Belle looked up at him from the floor and her face softened as she met his gaze.

"It was a nice thought Killian but honestly I am fine. I just want to get this done."

"Where did you get all this stuff?" he asked looking around at all the piles of paraphernalia that littered every surface.

"I have been trying to find a way to wake Rumple" she said with a sad smile "but so far nothing has worked."

"You'll figure it out Love" he gave her an encouraging smile and she smiled back before returning to picking up the items from the floor

"Can I do anything to help? I promise that I will do my best not to destroy anything else" he grinned at her when her eyes came up again to meet him and was happy to see her laugh too.

"You really want to help? You really have nothing else to do?"

"Aye and no, you have my undivided attention" he raised an eyebrow at her and spread his arms wide to give a slight bow.

"Fine" she sighed out and pulled herself to her feet

"Can you take this pile of books back to the library for me? They go in the mythology section" She picked up a few books and held them out in front of her.

"That I can do" he answered with a wide grin but as Belle stepped forward to hand the books over there was a crunching noise from beneath her foot. Killian slammed his eyes shut and cringed before peeking one open to see Belle looking beneath her foot where he could see what looked like a broken bit of pottery. He bent down and picked it up, it looked like it had been a beautiful flower, a poppy perhaps but now it crumbled in his fingers, Gods, he was in so much trouble.

"Belle..."

"Killian, it's OK but PLEASE just go before you put me out of business" she gave a wry smile and held up the pile of books

He carefully placed the broken pieces on the counter and stepped forward to take the books from her hands. He felt terrible, all he had wanted to do was help and he had made things worse.

"Sorry" he gave her a serious look, determined to make her see that he meant it.

"Hey, if nothing else you made me laugh."she giggled as if to prove the point before turning her voice serious "Thank you Killian, for caring. I know this can't be easy for you, I know you and Rumple have a complicated history and the fact that you would help me search for a way to help him is enough"

She smiled sweetly at him and the burden of guilt lifted from his heart "BUT if you don't leave now I will call David and get him to arrest you for the damages"

"I'm going I'm going" he grinned as he moved to the door, Belle opened it and he stepped outside into the bright afternoon sunshine.

The sun may have been shining but that didn't mean that it was warm, there was an icy wind so Killian hurried across Main Street towards the library as quickly as possible skidding to a halt a few minutes later. He had to pull the door open using his hook as his hand was still clutching the pile of books against his right hip. He stepped inside and squinted into the dull room, he would need to put the books down before he could find the light switch so he headed over to the table and dumped them down with a thump but one missed and tumbled to the ground.

He sighed heavily and bent down to retrieve it but just as his fingers closed around the spine the book flipped open and the pages flicked back and forth as if they were caught in a high wind. What in the blazes? He jumped back and watched in awe as a bright light emanated from the pages but the wind picked up quickly sending books flying everywhere and Killian had to raise his arms to shield himself as a heavy volume thumped itself against his body.

Killian peeked around his hook and looked at the book still on the floor but that was the last image he saw as he was suddenly thrown backwards against the wall when the book seemed to explode before him. He slid bonelessly into a heap by the door and stayed there, books hitting his still body as a huge winged monster clawed it's way from inside the pages of the still glowing book on the floor to stand breathing harshly in the middle of the room, the wind stilled leaving bits of paper to flutter to the ground all around them.

It's eyes burned yellow in the dim light and it's skin looked almost like armor. It flexed it's wings out widely and rotated it's neck from side to side to loosen it's joints after being trapped inside the pages for so long . It looked at the Pirate lying on the floor for a second before tipping it's head and stalking forward but it walked right past and pushed it's way through the door, it looked down the street to see several people running towards it but it only had one purpose on it's mind. It bent it's legs and launched itself high into the sky and flew quickly out of sight over the rooftops as the people below gaped in surprise.

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David streaked his way across Main Street with Emma hot on his heals but they both ground to a halt when the beast emerged from the library doors and launched itself high into the sky before disappearing out of sight over the rooftops.

"What the hell was that and what was it doing in the library?" Emma yelled

"I have no idea" he called back

They both turned as a few more people ran up to their side, it seemed that the loud noise had been heard all across town but when Belle ran up with a worried look on her face David had to wonder what she knew.

"Please tell me that thing didn't come from the library" she pleaded as she took hold of Emma's arm

"Yeah, it did. Why?" Emma eyes were wide with worry, what was going on?

"Killian" Belle breathed out "He took some books back for me"

"NO" Emma yelled and took off across the street without waiting.

"Emma... wait" David yelled after her

But she didn't listen, she just kept running. He took off after her and was just about caught up when she reached the door and barreled through, he was right behind her now and they both ground to a halt at the mess before them, there were books everywhere and pieces of paper littered the floor. Emma walked forward and stopped by the elevator doors to the mines below but David's eyes were drawn to a pile of books just off to his right and when it gave a soft moan he was on his knees in seconds scrabbling to reach the Pirate beneath.

"HOOK!" he yelled out

Emma turned and quickly realized what was going on, she was by his side in seconds throwing the books across the floor until Hook's face came into view. His eyes were fluttering open and he gave another moan but made no effort to move. David heard Belle as she ran in after them and gasped at the sight before her.

"Killian... wake up" Emma cried out as her hand reached his cheek

"Swan? What happened" he slurred

"That's what we want to know" David answered

He watched as the Pirate's brow furrowed then his eyes finally opened to give them a confused look.

"I wish I knew Mate." Hook grumbled as he tried to move.

"Wait, take your time" Emma tried to stop him moving but he shook his head.

"I am fine Love" but he gave a wince and his hand found it's way to his head as she pushed him back to the floor.

"Yeah, you look it" David said with a sigh but he carried on moving the rest of the books and after a few minutes Hook was sitting up leaning against the wall.

"You alright?" he asked cautiously as Hook finally looked at him.

"I will be. Can I get off this floor now? It's not exactly warm down here!"

David stepped forward and helped Emma pull the Pirate to his feet and across the floor towards a chair that Belle had pulled out from the rubble.

"What happened?" Belle asked as they settled Hook down on the seat.

"I came in, it was dark and I couldn't do the light and hold your books at the same time so I put them on the table" he nodded his head off to the table that now lay on it's side over by the other wall "One of the books fell onto the floor but as I bent down to pick it up this happened, a howling gale picked up and then there was a blinding light but after that your guess is as good as mine, that's all I remember"

"Do you remember what book it was?" David asked quickly

"It was one bound in red leather, that is all I know but to where it is now I have no clue"

David looked around him, Hook was right there was no way of knowing where the book was but they needed to find it if they were to figure out what they were up against.

"I know what books I had, I am pretty sure that I can find it... with a bit of time" Belle said in a hopeful tone

"I'll help" David gave her a tight nod but then turned to Emma and Hook "Take him to Whale, get him checked out. I'll help Belle and we can meet back at the loft later"

"I am sitting here Mate and I can speak for myself when I say that I am fine" the Pirate looked angry but the minute he tried to stand he paled and nearly tumbled to the floor.

David jumped forward and grabbed hold of him as he slumped to the side "Yeah, you're AWESOME"

David helped Emma load Hook into the bug a few minutes later and watched as she turned the car around and headed for the hospital. He hoped that Hook would be fine but he had a sneaking suspicion that the Pirate had a concussion. He pulled in a deep breath and headed back through the library doors pulling out his cell to let Mary-Margaret know what was going on, it looked like dinner was off for now, they had another monster to track down.