Archie's funeral was a sad affair, but not for me.
No, I was still convinced there was something more going on. Snow gave a beautiful eulogy, and I got a glimpse of the Snow White that inspired the stories and could see why she inspired the type of loyalty she did.
We went back to Snow's loft with everyone when Leroy brought up the idea of strangers coming to Storybrooke, and how dangerous that could be. It didn't seem like anyone was paying any attention to me so I slipped out, needing to get a break from everyone, and walked home.
I walked into my apartment, kicked off my shoes, and went into the bathroom when I heard the door bang against the wall and a voice I hadn't thought I would ever hear again yelled "Swan, are you here? Hannah?"
I walked out of my bathroom and there, standing in the doorway was no other than Captain Hook himself. Here, in Storybrooke, standing in my apartment.
I approached him cautiously - my emotions ranging from confused to happy to confused again - and asked what he was doing here, how had he gotten here, and how had he found my place. He confessed to working with Cora to get to this strange realm, using the petrified bean and the regenerative properties of the water where we'd had our last encounter to make the bean useable. He was on course for his revenge when he saw me walking on the sidewalk and, well, now he wasn't sure why he'd derailed his plans for revenge and rushed after me. I joked that I must have made a good impression on him, and he smiled ruefully but agreed that maybe I did. He told me of Cora's plan to break Regina and get her to join her, as well as the truth that Archie was alive and on his ship.
I told him we needed to find my family, tell them of Cora and her plan, and that Archie wasn't truly dead. He agreed and said he'd work with me - he had only worked with Cora to get to this land and beyond that had no loyalties to the woman. I weighed his words and couldn't find any sense of a lie in his eyes and decided that this time, I would trust him. I had magic now, and if he broke that trust, I was confident I could handle him.
We went to leave my apartment to tell my family and ran into what felt like an invisible wall. Hook threw himself against the invisible barrier several times before I put a hand on his shoulder and urged him to stop. We went out to the balcony and could walk out on it, but if you tried to reach beyond the balcony railing you'd meet the same invisible barrier.
We were trapped.
Hook cursed, blaming Cora, saying she had found him right as he came down from the beanstalk. "Which, by the way, I had to climb down in the dark and rain, alone, since you abandoned me up there." He had thrown at me with a wink and a smirk. He had admitted that I'd bested him and she had guessed he had chosen me over her. She must have put a spell on my apartment that would trap us both within its bounds if he entered to ensure if he chose me again we would be removed from the equation entirely.
I laughed and pulled out my cell phone, flashing it at him as I called Emma. I explained that in this land we can contact one another using the little device. When Emma answered I explained everything to her - that Regina was framed, Archie was alive, and it was Cora, she was in Storybrooke, as was Hook. I told her he was trapped in the apartment with me and I heard Snow and David start wigging out but I told them not to, he was on our side, throwing him a pointed look as I said it and getting his nod of affirmation. I told them not to worry about me, focus on Cora, on finding Regina and mending that rift so she could break the spell on my apartment and get us out.
Emma and my parents still rushed over to my place, not wanting to leave me alone with the pirate, but found that not only could Hook and I not get out, but they couldn't get in either. They agreed to find Archie and Regina - Hook explaining where to find his ship and the man being held there - but told me to check in with them regularly and call them if I needed anything - or if the pirate caused me any trouble.
Once Snow, David, & Emma left it was just Hook and I, alone, trapped in my studio apartment.
I decided to ask him about the reason for his revenge, what had put him on this road to try and kill his crocodile, to come all the way to another land to get vengeance. He told me Rumplestiltskin believed he had stolen his wife. I asked if he had and he stepped closer to me as he countered my question with one of his own - if a woman comes to you and begs you to take her away, is that theft? I asked why she had done that and he said she had wanted to get away from Rumplestiltskin, and didn't want to be tied to the village coward any longer. But all he had done was allow her to join his crew, and his theft had only been in granting her the protection he would to any other member of his crew.
You see, it hadn't just been Rumplestiltskin's wife who had begged for safe passage and a new life, she had a cousin who had been trapped in a loveless arranged marriage and begged the same. It was with this woman that the pirate had found love, so he was more than happy to provide her and her cousin a ticket out of their life. His first mate fell in love with Milah, the crocodile's wife, while his love was happy to have her cousin at her side and for companionship.
Several years later, once Rumplestiltskin had gone from the Village Coward to The Dark One, Hook had another run-in with him. The Crocodile asked after his wife, whom Hook claimed to be dead to spare the woman. The Dark One had assumed she had left him for the devilishly attractive pirate, and as Captain, he wasn't going to put his first mate or any of his crew in danger and therefore didn't correct the assumptions. A duel was issued, but Milah interrupted it before the Dark One had a chance to end him and made a deal.
The Dark One killed his wife before the deal had been completed, and when her cousin, Hook's love, saw her friend murdered in front of her she rushed toward her and the Crocodile killed her too, crushing her heart right in front of him before taking his hand. The Dark One didn't know the truth, even now, and still believed it was Killian who his wife had left him for, not even remembering the other casualties of that day. Hook's vengeance wasn't just for the loss of a limb but for the loss of a love that had been the victim in a series of unfortunate and avoidable events.
I felt bad for him, I could see how the loss of this woman had affected him so greatly and haunted him for so many years, and could understand why he had such a strong need for revenge. I asked if he wanted a drink and the pirate pulled out a flask of his own and took a swig before offering it to me and I laughed but took it. Of course, he had rum on him.
I apologized for leaving him on the beanstalk and explained that I had given Mulan a time limit in case he had double-crossed me. When he was unconscious I hadn't wanted to risk staying around, the deadline passing, and Mulan chopping down our only way back down. But I also hadn't been sure if I could trust him, and didn't want to risk my family on the hope that I was right about him. I looked at him then and told him I'd meant what I'd said when I'd been in that cell, I had, I did, want to trust him.
He apologized for both his harsh words and for aligning himself with Cora. He asked me about my story, and I explained that I was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, although I hadn't known that until a few weeks ago, twin to the savior, Emma. I briefly told him our story, about growing up in this realm, that I'd been raised by a monster but had overcome it, not getting into any real specifics.
I asked if, now that we both understood each other's drives, he would be willing to start fresh and see what could come out of us working together. Like he'd said on the beanstalk when we'd taken down the giant, we made a good team. He told me that had been his intention from the moment I'd spoken up against leaving him to be eaten by ogres that first day we met.
I got a frantic call from Snow and David which I answered, interrupting the moment between us. They had found Archie, Henry was doing better now that he knew Regina hadn't lied to him, and they wanted to know how things were going here. I assured them I was fine and things were still good, glad Archie was okay and to keep looking for Regina before hanging up. He asked me what the device was called and I tried my best to explain what a cell phone, calling, and texting were but by the vacant look in his eye I could tell my words may as well have been a different language to him for all he was understanding.
I asked if he wanted to get comfortable, watch TV or something, and then had to explain what a TV was. I also got to sort of explain what people from this realm think of the realm he's from - we're from, he corrected me. We had porch time and I asked him about being a pirate, about his ship, and lost myself in his stories.
He was the best storyteller I had ever met, and he'd been on amazing adventures.
Hours passed and the sun had been long gone from the sky when I found myself yawning and knew we were going to need to sleep soon. I got another call from my family letting me know that Rumplestiltskin's girlfriend, Belle, had been shot by her father and fallen over the town line, losing all her memories. Her father had then been hit by a car by some stranger from outside Storybrooke and they were all being rushed to the hospital now. But, because of this new development, the search for Regina had paused. I wished them luck and to keep me updated but was glad I wasn't going to have to deal with any of whatever that craziness was.
The pirate, once I returned from my phone call, was perched on the bed as if he belonged there. I asked if he was comfortable and he said quite actually, and asked if I would be joining him here. He assumed so, given there was only one bed in my quaint, slightly creepy little home. I scowled at him the same time I felt my cheeks heat up but decided to just go with it.
He must have seen my acceptance because he then asked, bold as ever, that his offer from the Enchanted Forest still stood if I wanted to take him up on it. I smiled sweetly and only said "Sorry Captain, I don't pillage and plunder on the first date" before leaving the room and the stunned pirate to change into pajamas.
He may be good with words, but so was I, and based on his reaction it seemed I had just as much power to fluster the pirate as he had to fluster me.
Game on.
This little partnership of ours was going to be quite intriguing indeed.