Chapter One: The Dreams

Emma's eyes snapped open and she sighed in frustration. Why couldn't she stop thinking of him? She saw him even when her eyes were closed, and memories from the Giant's Castle replayed over in her head.

"Argh!" she burst out in annoyance, and sat up in the darkness of her bedroom of the apartment she shared with her mother, Mary Margaret. Or, as she had come to know her as, Snow White. She was still in denial about her mother being Snow White and her father being Prince Charming. She impatiently brushed some loose damp tendrils of her golden hair behind her ear and wiped some fine sweat from her forehead. Mary Margaret was staying at David's – sorry, Prince Charming's again so she had the place to herself. She heaved herself out of bed and headed to the kitchen where she got herself a glass of milk and flopped down at the wooden table. She put her head in her hand and closed her eyes as she sipped. Almost immediately however, she opened them again as a detailed image of his face flashed once again in front of her.

Killian frowned to himself in his sleep. His eyes opened slowly. What was that? He blinked the sleep out of his eyes a couple of times and swung to the side of his bed. He put his head in his hand and smirked. He pulled his hand down his face and walked out onto the balcony of the mansion he stayed in with Cora. They avoided each other like the plague unless the matter was urgent, but she still let him live with her. He strolled out to the balcony casually and planted his hand down on the railing. His hook hung by his side as he stared at the full moon and thought about his dream. It was Emma. Did it mean anything? Nah. He brushed a bit of his black shaggy hair out of his eyes and smiled slightly. He cast his eyes down the hill the mansion stood on towards the glittering web of street lights that was Storybrooke and looked at the apartment building he knew she currently stayed in. Then he turned abruptly on his heel and lay back down, returning to normal dreams of his Roger and his past life.

Emma awoke for the second time to warm sunlight streaming in through the window and groaned as she rolled over to check the time. 10am. She smiled and dreamily floated around the apartment for the remainder of the morning, quickly showering and dressing in the blissfulness of a lovely lie in. She headed to Granny's for a coffee and stopped for a chat with Ruby.

"Morning!" Ruby sang, smiling.

"Hey Ruby, how's things?" Emma replied, returning a friendly smile.

"Fine thanks Emma, we're just –"

The door to the diner opened and banged loudly against the wall. Ruby broke off and looked over Emma's head to the hooligan and Emma turned around in annoyance – and froze.

"AW damn! Sorry everyone." Hook quietly shut the door and winked at the general population of the diner before turning to face the bar. Emma saw his eyes widen slightly in surprise – or had she imagined it? – and he sauntered over, ordered a coffee and turned to face Emma, a grin curling his lips.

"Mornin' love." He said to her, eyes glistening. She looked down immediately, trying to control the flush that had unwelcomingly begun to creep up her face. She cleared her throat as he let out a throaty laugh and took a sip of the coffee Ruby had just placed before him.

"Shouldn't you be out terrorising innocent people in town?" she asked coyly. He smirked and said,

"That does seem to be a label I have gained for myself but no, I'd much rather stay and just terrorise you." She gave him an exasperated look and he chuckled.

"Well if you'll excuse me, I was just about to leave." She replied, grabbing her coffee and standing.

"Please don't leave on my account darlin'" he said, watching her with an amused look.

"As much as I want to stay and be harassed by you and your… charm, I really do have other places to be. Like for example, flossing my teeth to remove the awful taste you leave in my mouth." To let him know she wasn't as mean as the comment made her sound, she shot him her own wink and he leaped up, threw some bills on the counter and followed her out of the door.

"So you admit I'm charming? And how would you know how I taste if you haven't had the delightful experience yet?" he yelled after her down the street. She spun around to face him and met him in the middle of his journey towards her.

"As far as I'm aware, charming is my father's occupation. And to be completely honest, I have no intention of tasting you any time soon." She said to him.

"But charming for all intents and purposes?" he said, laughing. She rolled her eyes and turned, leaving him behind to grin at her retreating form.