Once Upon a Time 1. The Forest

******Disclaimer:** Don't Own, Don't Sue.

**A/N:** This is based on this prompt from fyesemmaandhook: _When Hook and Emma get back to Storybrooke, they are secretly having an affair (think Graham/Regina style)…only every time they hook up, someone almost catches them_. This first chapter will be deviating slightly from the prompt, but the later chapters will not. A huge thanks to The Flying Poppy for betaing this. This is my first attempt at writing anything smut-ish, so I hope you enjoy it!

**The Forest**

Killian stood across from Emma with a self-satisfied grin on his face. His hook was looped securely around her wrist, preventing her from fleeing. The Swan girl glared back at him defiantly. They both knew that he wasn't about to let her go, not again. Not after it had taken him so much effort to get back to her in the first place...

xxx

After ten hours of captivity and a long climb back down the beanstalk, the last thing Hook wanted to find was Cora waiting for him. He tried to use his skills as a liar to deceive her, but it was useless. She saw straight through his attempts to charm and trick her. They both knew that he'd chosen the Swan girl. Cora left him - his heart thankfully still in his chest - with the promise that his thirst for revenge would go unquenched.

In that moment, he decided that he would once again choose Emma. Despite the fact that she'd left him chained in a giant's lair, Emma was still far safer company than a woman who habitually ripped out the hearts of anyone who crossed her in the slightest.

All Killian had to do was find a way to get back into her good graces. To make her trust him. Or, at the very least, agree to not leave him behind again. It seemed to be an entirely hopeless situation, but Killian Jones loved a good challenge, and the Swan girl was nothing if not a challenge.

When he discovered that Cora's gaggle of animated corpses had successfully snagged a princess, Killian saw the perfect opportunity to gain the favour of the group of lovely ladies. It took Hook longer than he had hoped to infiltrate Cora's prison, and wake the sleeping princess. It took even longer to convince her that he was telling the truth when he told her of his plans, but she eventually accepted his plan, and escaped into the forest. He followed her from a safe distance as she led him back to the rest of her group like a good little girl.

From his hiding place, he'd had the perfect view of Emma's shocked face as the sleepy one told her who'd saved her, and why. His grin only widened when he heard the lovelies arguing about whether they should let him rejoin them or not. It wasn't the first time that Killian had women fighting over him, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

He finally managed to secure his return to their merry band when he leapt to their aid against another zombie attack. As he fought the oncoming horde, he had found himself back to back with Swan, as three attackers slowly circled them. In spite of the danger they faced, Killian couldn't resist reminding Emma what a fabulous team they made.

"When are you going to admit, darling, that you just _couldn't_ cope without me?" He gave her a flirtatious wink, before he lunged forward and decapitated the closest corpse.

When the fighting was over, Emma quickly encouraged everyone to start moving again. She'd only taken a few steps before she looked back over her shoulder at him.

"Well? Are you coming or not?" She demanded with annoyance. She continued walking before he'd had a chance to reply.

"Don't worry, love. I'm not letting you out of my sight again," He promised, as he smiled broadly at her retreating form. He swept his eyes up and down her back, enjoying the view as she strode on ahead of him, before he jogged to catch up. As they made their way through the forest, Killian took great care to ignore her mother's warning glares and huffing noises.

When they'd found a place to make camp for the night, Emma quickly volunteered to take first watch. As he lay on the ground and feigned sleep, Killian waited patiently for the opportune moment to get her alone. When he was sure that the others would neither awaken nor would disturb them, he silently crept towards her.

As she surveyed the forest, Emma took the time to consider her options when it came to certain maybe-not-entirely-untrustworthy pirate. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't realize the scoundrel was sneaking up on her, until she caught a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of her eye. She spun around swiftly, sword raised and heart pounding, only to find herself face to face with a jovial pirate. Said pirate was currently laughing at her expense. He'd smartly caught her blade in his hook as she'd swung it wildly; not bothering in her startled state to assess whom her attacker was.

"Careful darling," He warned with a playful chuckle, "Otherwise I'm might start thinking that your constant aggression towards me is just as way to deal with your obvious pent-up desire."

She rolled her eyes as he gave her a filthy wink, and pushed his hook away with a little more force than necessary. When her sword was once again safely sheathed, she looked back at him and tried to hide the fact that his nearness bothered her. Emma was convinced that her disdain for his company was a natural reaction to him being a smug bastard, and a pirate. She refused to acknowledge that it might be caused by something else entirely.

"What do you want, Hook?" She asked him, carefully modulating her tone to sound as bored as possible. She spotted a slight twinge of annoyance on his face, as she had used his more "colourful" moniker, as he liked to call it. Emma would rather think of him as Hook; it was a much safer option than _Killian_.

Any trace that she'd irked him was quickly smothered with a mischievous smirk. He took a step closer, and his smirk widened when she retreated a step.

"What I want, Swan, is for you to swear that you're not going to betray me again," He stated as he slowly encroached into her personal space. His smugness only grew when she stopped retreating, and instead stood her ground. "I want you to swear that you're going to take me back to the _charming_, little town of Storybrooke with you."

"We already-" She began quickly, as her resolve gave way and the instinct to flee kicked in. Her words and her movements were cut short when he caught her wrist with his hook and pulled her closer to him… and further away from the safety of the other women.

"Tsk tsk," Hook reprimanded Emma as if she were a misbehaving child. "Not _we_, darling. You." He was standing dangerously close to her, and she could see his eyes glowering in the dark. "_We_ did not leave me at the top of the beanstalk. _We_ did not chain me up in the same room as a giant. I don't need reassurances from _we_, only you, darling"

As Killian emphasized each '_we_', he took a step backwards, and pulled her against him roughly. She couldn't break free of his hold without hurting herself. Emma felt the sharpness of steel against her wrist, but not the sting of broken skin. Memories of the last time he held her like this suddenly danced unbidden through her mind. The cool metal against her flesh, the unexpected bite of the rum, the soft scarf wrapping around her palm, the ghost of his lips against her skin as he gently tightened the scarf with his teeth. He'd gazed up at her with smouldering eyes as he'd attentively tended to her wound. That look was back on his face again, alongside his mounting frustration towards her. The fingers of her healing hand curled against her palm, as if trying to catch the previous memories and keep them within the safety of her grip. A smirk slowly crept across his face, and he looked at her like he knew exactly what she was thinking of.

"I," She began; desperate to break the silence, although she stopped when her heard how husky her voice sounded. The damn pirate's smirk only widened further. Emma quickly cleared her throat. "I swear that if you help us to open the portal, then you can come with us-"

"With me," He corrected.

"Fine. You can come back with _me_ to Storybrooke."

Killian eased her wrist closer until her palm was pressed against his chest. His triumphant smile emphasised the small victory he'd won by her admission. Emma hated him for that. Hated that he'd gotten what he wanted, and still refused to let her go. Hated that he had bested her. She especially hated how much pleasure he got from invading her personal space.

"Now, darling, I think that this would be the appropriate time for us to seal our bargain with a little ki-"

But his words died as her lips crashed against his. Emma didn't know what possessed her to do it. The back of her mind desperately searched for a suitable excuse, but the best it could come up with was the adrenaline caused by the last zombie attack. Which had happen over five hours ago, but she wouldn't admit that it was something else. Something… more. All these thoughts were promptly obliterated when Killian recovered from his initial shock, and kissed her back with equal fervour. Just as abruptly as he'd started, Killian pulled back, leaving her lips swollen and red. Being who he is, he opened his mouth to make a smart quip.

"God, don't ruin this by talking," Emma snapped, as the hand on his chest tightly grabbed his shirt, whilst her free hand tangled in his hair and pressed against the back of his skull. She roughly pulled him back into a kiss.

Killian answered her with bruising force; the pleasure of their contact stirred in him an equally strong desire to punish her for her earlier abandonment. This desire soon left him, as Emma moaned softly when he bit down on her bottom lip. Killian took the opportunity to sweep his tongue into her mouth, and the only desire he was left with was to hear her moan again. His hook was still around her wrist and, along with the arm he'd wrapped around her waist; he used the leverage he had to spin them around and press her against the nearest tree.

He freed his hand and smoothed it across her abdomen, then slid it under her top. His lips slowly trailed from her mouth as he gently peppered kisses along her jaw line before he bit down on the sensitive flesh where her shoulder and neck met. Emma barely managed to suppress a groan as she moved her head to one side to give him better access. She shivered as he ran his fingertips along her ribcage until they met the edge of her bra.

Killian inspected the odd garment with his hand, and she could almost feel the confusion on his face against the skin of her neck. Emma began to laugh when the pirate let out a muffled curse of frustration as he continued to battle with her bra. Her laughter was immediately silenced when Hook deftly pulled the cup down and Emma felt the cool metal of his hook running roughly across her nipple. He greedily swallowed her moans as his weathered finger pinched the sensitive bud, and gave it an experimental twist. His hook leisurely traced down her side until it rested against her hip.

Before Emma realized what was happening, Hook caught the edge of her shirt with his hook before he began to inch the material towards her head at a torturously slow pace. As Killian's lips journeyed down her neck, leaving Emma's skin ablaze, Killian wedged his leg between her own. Emma happily obliged him by widening her stance and she let out a heady groan as the weight of his thigh was pressed tightly against her aching core.

A twig snapped behind them in the dark.

In a flash, they'd untangled themselves from each other and grabbed their discarded weapons. Side by side, they pointed their swords in the direction that the sound had come from. The bush in front of them shuffled a minute before threat emerged.

For a split second, the rabbit remained frozen, staring at the two sword-wielding humans in terror. Then it quickly retreated back into the safety of the under grove before it became dinner. An uncertain moment passed between the pair, before they both broke out in laughter. As their laughter subsided, Killian took a moment to appreciate his handiwork; Emma's face was flushed, her lips swollen from the force of his kisses. Her hair and clothes had a distinctive rumpled look left by lustful hands. But her eyes are what really caught his attention. They were wide and dark, filled with both mirth and passion. He gave her a salacious smile, knowing that his eyes were just as dark with desire as hers.

"Now where were we, darling?" He asked with an enticing glint in his eyes, as his tried to close his arms back around her.

Emma put both hands on his chest, and gently pushed him away.

"I'm going back to watching, and you're going back to bed," she stated firmly, but began to blush as he waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. "You know what I mean. Go."

Killian sighed dramatically, and paused to whisper, "Until next time, Swan".

With immense satisfaction, he noticed her slight shiver at his words and impulsively planted a hot, wet kiss beside her ear. Killian sauntered away with smug contentment; he'd always known that the Swan girl wanted him. It had taken her longer than he'd expected to admit it, by now that he'd had proof, there would be no stopping the inevitable. He would have her.

Killian strolled past the sleeping women, and into the bushes on the other side of their camp. There wasn't a chance of sleep, unless he relieved the tension of his arousal first. As he unlaced his trousers with a well-practised hand, he wondered for a moment if Emma was doing the same thing. He grinned at this most alluring thought, and let it aid him with his task.


	2. The Boat

**A/N:** Happy New Year guys. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed or added the story to their favourites - I'm glad all of you liked the first chapter. Thanks also goes to my beta, The Flying Poppy. Enjoy!

xxx

**The Boat**

As Killian's mind drifted back towards the conscious world, he was almost overwhelmed by pain. He swore under his breath, as his hand grabbed his skull in a futile attempt to stop the agony. His whole head felt like it had been split in two. Given what he could remember before the darkness, that very well might be the case. He felt a wave of nausea beginning to bubble up inside, as he recalled the way Cora had easily flung him away with her magic when he'd desperately rushed towards her. The last thing Killian could remember, with sickening clarity, was the witch's arm being buried deep within Emma's chest.

"Good you're awake."

The familiar voice came from somewhere to his right. He noted an edge of concern lacing her voice that had never been directed at him before. It took all of his strength to battle the pain as he forced his eyes to open, but his efforts were rewarded by sight of a very blurry Swan at his side. With her heart still intact. He blinked a few times to clear the haziness from his vision. His eyes swept over her troubled face and then the strange new room, carefully taking in every detail. He stopped abruptly when his mind registered a shocking new bit of information.

"Where are my clothes, love?" He asked, as he eyed the blue shirt he was now wearing. He shuffled his legs slightly, and confirmed they were also covered with the same material.

Emma chuckled at his obvious astonishment. "And observant, too. Looks like that blow to the head didn't do too much damage."

"We're in Storybrooke." It was more of a statement than a question, but she nodded anyway. A grin spread across his face as something finally occurred to him. "And you carried my unconscious body all the way back with you?"

She shuffled in her seat and refused to meet his telling gaze. "We had a deal. You helped us to open the portal, so we brought you back to Storybrooke."

"You," Killian corrected before he could stop himself. "You brought me back." He wiggled his eyebrows at her in a suggestive manner when he caught her eye. "Did you reward yourself by having a long, hard look when you changed me?"

"Don't flatter yourself. David – um... you probably know him as Prince Charming and he's also, well, my father - was the one who changed you," she stammered slightly towards the end, as her conflicted mind was still trying to determine who David was to her now.

His lips scrunched up into a small pout. "Well that's a much less pleasing image."

Gingerly, he raised his hand to his head and ran his finger tips along the wound on the back of his skull. He counted seven stitches in total holding the flesh together. "What happened back there?"

"We managed to defeat Cora and then me, you and Mary Margaret went through the portal. Mulan and Aurora... decided to stay behind. They're planning to find a way to save their prince."

They both knew she was holding something back, but Killian could tell from the way her jaw tightened that this wasn't the right moment to push. "Is Cora dead?"

"No."

"Let's hope then, darling, that she doesn't find another way through. No one wants to deal with a witch that's so royally pissed off." He watched her shudder at the thought and he couldn't help but share her apprehension. If Cora ever made it through, she would be gunning for everyone.

A silence settled between them. Killian tried to focus his attention on Emma, and away from the dulling ache in his brain. She shifted uneasily under his gaze and Killian detected a hint of guilt and trepidation as she bit her lip. "There's something I need to tell you," she started slowly, trying to draw out the moment for as long as she could. "It's about Gold."

"Gold?"

"I mean, ah, Rumpelstiltskin. He's called Mr. Gold here," she corrected quickly, and then hesitated again.

"And what do you need to tell me about Rumpelstiltskin?" He asked through gritted teeth, as he tried to remain in control of his rising anger.

Emma studied him wearily before she answered: "He has magic here."

"Rumpelstiltskin has magic in a land which supposedly has no magic," Hook repeated with the first hints of his fury seeping into his tone. Emma managed to force herself to nod; she actually felt afraid of him for the very first time. "And you didn't think to tell me this before because?"

Emma could only stare at him with wide eyes. She had no excuse that would satisfy him. As his hand curled tighter into a fist, she was grateful for her mother's foresight when she had removed his hook. All Emma wanted to do was say something to calm him, but she didn't have the right words. She wanted to touch him, comfort him, but she was afraid that he would lash out.

"You need to go, lass," he murmured dangerously. When she failed to move, he glared directly at her and let his rage lose. "NOW!"

Emma didn't need any more encouragement to leave the room and safely shut the door behind her. She leant against the wood, as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. She heard the thump as he hit the floor, followed by another louder thud and an agonising scream of rage.

xxx

They didn't speak for the next three days.

Every time she saw him, Emma felt herself choke on all the words she was unable to say. Killian, on the other hand, had slumped into a deep depression. He barely moved from his spot on her bedroom floor, or acknowledged her when she brought him food. Emma wondered if his revenge was the only thing that had kept him going for last three hundred years. Her parents continually tried to discuss the 'Hook situation' with her, and formulate a plan to resolve it, but she just brushed their concerns aside.

"He'll be fine," she kept insisting over and over again. "He's a survivor, and he's still got his life. That's all that matters. Sooner or later, he'll be fine. You just need to be patient."

She kept repeating this mantra to herself ever time she stood and stared at him through the crack in the door. She repeated it more forcefully whenever she got the unfamiliar urge to try and save him.

Then one afternoon, she came home after shopping to hear laughter coming from her room. She placed the bags down on the floor and cautiously made her way towards the noise. When she reached the doorway, she was greeted by the sight of her son and Hook sitting side by side on her bed and laughing. As if he sensing her presence, Killian suddenly looked; there was a smile on his face and the mischievous glint she knew so well was back in his eyes.

"Hi mom," Henry greeted her when he noticed she was there. "Killian's been telling about his days as a pirate."

"I'm still a pirate, lad, and a Captain at that," Killian corrected him and ruffled his hair in an affectionate way. His grin widened when Emma smiled at the sight. She felt the immense swell of relief in her chest as she realised that he was finally back.

xxx

"Now let me get this straight, lass. Your father has commandeered me a ship?"

Emma rolled her eyes at the pirate, as they walked towards the harbour. "My father didn't commandeer anything. One of your old crew, Beaven, gave it to him."

Hook raised an eyebrow at this. "He gave it to him willing? My, it makes you wonder what Beaven has done, if he feels the need to buy my favour."

Emma just shrugged. "Maybe he's just doing a nice thing for you, because he likes you."

"I was his Captain, darling," Hook chuckled darkly, "No pirate likes their captain. They only respect and fear him."

Emma didn't attempt to argue with his logic. She noted the swagger was back in his step; Killian had only been in Storybrooke a week and he was already walking around like he owned the place. He had a duffle bag slung over his shoulder, filled with new clothing, and a bag of groceries hanging from his hook. Emma carried another bag, brimming with basic supplies. As they made their way through the harbour, Killian took his time to inspect each new vessel moored there. Finally, they reached the boat that Beaven had given his former Captain.

Emma climbed aboard and unlocked the sliding glass doors. Killian followed her inside and, after they'd placed the bags on the table, Emma set about showing him around his new home. The vessel was a decent size and would serve him nicely as a place to call his own. She knew that Killian was slowly coming to grips with all the new technology, even if he still eyed the gas stove with suspicion. Although she's grateful that her father had removed the microwave as instructed; the pirate had already made a life-long enemy with the one in her apartment and he would no doubt ram his hook into this one given the slightest provocation. It began to unnerve her how quiet he was, as he took in his new surrounds.

"You'll have to find someone else to show you how to sail this thing, because I don't have a clue," she told him and frowned when he only nodded in return.

The last space they had to enter was the bedroom at the bow.

"And finally," Emma said, gesturing to the room they'd just stepped into in an attempt to lighten the mood.

She felt rather than heard Killian move closer behind her, until she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

"I keep thinking about the night back in the forest. About what happened between us," he whispered as his hook gently pushed her hair to one side. "It's all I've been able to think about for days. Every time I sat across from you at the table, with your whole damn family there, I thought about being alone with you. About what would happen when there was no one else around."

With each word, his breath caressed her neck and his fingertips ghosted along the exposed skin. Emma felt her breath hitch and she heard him chuckle softly at the involuntary sound. She hated that she couldn't hide the effect he was having on her.

"Where you thinking about it too? The way I felt in your arms? The way I tasted on your tongue?" Killian asked. He placed a kiss against her ear, on the same spot he'd last kissed in the forest, and moved around to face her. The self-assured smirk was back on his face and there was a familiar glint of lust in his eyes. He watched with glee as she licked her lips, as if trying taste the anticipation in the air. "Oh I think you have, darling."

In one swift movement, he threaded his hook through a belt loop on her jeans and tugged her forward. Together, they landed with a thump on the bed. Emma was sprawled on top, whilst Killian lay happily beneath. Before he could act again, Emma placed her hands on his shoulders and put as much space between their bodies as she could without ripping her jeans.

"Killian," she warned and she pushed him harder into the bed when he tried to kiss her. "Killian, stop."

"I'm more than happy for you take charge here, love, if that's what you want," He told her eagerly and attempted to close the space between them again.

"That's not it," she sighed. "This, whatever this is, can't happen. It's too complicated here. I'm the Sherriff and you're a pirate who's only delayed he's revenge until he can find another way to 'skin his crocodile'."

Killian rolled his shoulders in order to loosen her hold, and quickly sat up. He roughly pulled her closer by the knees, until she was straddling his lap.

"It doesn't have to be complicated, darling. We can keep it very simple," Killian offered her, as twisted his hand in her hair and pressed his hook firmly against her back, effectively trapping her. When she offered no resistance, he began to trail his lips along her collar bone. "No one needs to know about this, whatever this is, and we can both get what we want."

"You want to be fuck buddies?" Emma asked with an astonished chuckle.

Killian looked up at her in confusion. "What?"

"Fuck buddies," she repeated, "It's what we call two people who have sex with each other without getting emotionally attached."

"You know, I'm really starting to love this world," he murmured happily as he lowered his mouth back to her neck.

"I guess it could work," Emma agreed with a moan, and unconsciously ground herself against him. She could feel his growing erection beginning to strain against the denim of his jeans. A triumphant smile spread across her face when she rolled her hips again and managed to elicit a needy groan from his lips.

He pulled her head forward and kissed her hard. Killian hadn't felt this desperate to have a woman since he first met Milah. They broke apart from the kiss with laboured breaths and Emma took advantage of the space by shrugging off her jacket and top. Killian ran his hand over the newly bared flesh, examining every detail with his touch, and his sight. His explorations were interrupted when Emma impatiently tugged at his shirt.

"You're wearing too many clothes." She stated and he laughed at her frankness.

"As are you, love." His skimmed his hand over her lace covered breasts and watched the way her pupils dilated further as she gasped. "Now how do I get this damn thing off?"

It was her turn to laugh, as she remembered the way he struggled the last time he'd come up against her bra. She clasped her hand over his, slowly trailed them across her chest and around to her back. Emma continued to stare into his darkening eyes, as she placed his hand against the clasp and guided his fingers until it came undone.

"See, it's not that hard to get off. Even if you only have one hand," she whispered as she slowly slipped off the straps and tossed the garment to the floor.

Without breaking eye contact, Killian lowered his head and dragged his tongue across her nipple at a tortuously slow pace.

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the glass doors. The half-naked pair stared at each with the same panicked expression.

"Did you lock the door?" Emma demanded urgently.

Her question was answered by the light scrap of the sliding door being opened.

"Captain?" A nervous voice inquired from the entrance.

"Smee," Hook growled, as he and Emma quickly scrambled for their discarded clothing. He pulled his shirt back over his head and stormed back into the cabin.

The smile on the former shipmate's face suddenly turned to a look of fear when he saw Hook's glare. Hook was trying to decide a fitting punishment for Smee's interruption, when Emma patted him lightly on the back.

"We'll have that drink another time. You guys have fun catching up," she said, as she casually brushed past Smee and walked through the doors.

Killian stood there stunned by how pulled together she seemed. For a moment he'd wondered if he'd imagine what had just happened back in the bedroom, and then he spied the scrap of lace sticking out of her back pocket. He grinned as he watched her vanish from sight, before he turned to the anxious man standing next to him.

"Tell me, Smee," he asked through gritted teeth, "What was so bloody important that it couldn't wait?"


	3. The Garden

**A/N: **A big thanks to everyone who followed, favourited or reviewed the story - I love to know what you think, so feedback is always welcome. And thank you to my beta. Enjoy!

**The Garden**

Emma snuck into the garden and silently slid the patio door closed behind her.

As the cool night air brushed against her skin, Emma felt like she could finally breathe again. She'd been dreading this house party from the moment that David and Mary Margaret had purchased their 1960's suburban dream, complete with a manicured garden and white picket fence. Even though no one had directly said so, Emma knew that the whole evening was her unofficial outing into Storybrooke society as Princess Emma, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. The second she'd stepped through the door with Henry, wearing the pale-blue silk dress and white shawl that her mother had 'helped' her choose, Emma's mind had been screaming at her to run. Instead she'd plastered a smile on her face and ensured she'd always had a drink in her hand as she mingled.

As the night wore on, her jaw had started to ache from forcing a smile, and the urge to escape had grown increasingly stronger. She just needed a moment to compose herself. Where she wasn't expected to exchange pleasantries or be on her best behaviour. Where she free from people who kept telling her how lovely she looked and how wonderful it was that her family had finally found each other. Emma was _this_ close to punching the next person who commented on the way the dress brought out the colour of her eyes when she'd slipped away before she did something that would humiliate her parents.

Emma wrapped the shawl tighter around her body and sighed. She knew that everyone, especially her parents, had only the best intentions at heart. She just wasn't used to having a family, let alone people having expectations about her because of who her parents are. Not once in her life had Emma Swan felt like a princess and she had a feeling that wasn't about to change anytime soon.

While Mary Margaret and David had been very understanding when she'd declined their offer to move in with them, she could see the disappointment in their eyes. They had finally found their daughter, but she was a woman who didn't know how to be anyone's child. Who didn't know how to be loved. Emma didn't know what it felt like to feel loved without the constant fear that she would lose it. That she would end up being abandoned again. Although her parents accepted her decision to stay in the flat, that didn't stop them from getting her to agree to breakfast and dinner with them at least three times a week. Manipulation always did work best when it was done by supposedly mild mannered, caring people with honest smiles.

Emma watched through the window as the party carried on merrily without her. She noted that Regina and Gold were still there. According to her parents, the pair of sorcerers had to be invited for political reasons. They had used the same rational when they'd casually mentioned that a certain Captain was not going to be invited, as they gave their daughter a very pointed look.

'As if I would want him here anyway,' Emma thought to herself, rolling her eyes at the memory.

After the boat incident, she'd been trying her best to avoid that certain Captain as much as possible. The further away she was from him, the easier it became to remember why any involvement with him was a monumentally bad idea. On the odd occasion that they had run into each other, Hook had acted like nothing had changed. He still teased her mercilessly, and most of his comments were inappropriately laced with sexual innuendos. He still flirted with her too, but in the same way that he flirted with every other woman in town. Killian Jones could even charm the largest slice of pie from Granny and, much to her dismay, Emma had heard the older women affectionately refer to him as a 'rogue' on more than one occasion. Her gratefulness for Killian's discretion was always twinged with a tiny bit of disappointment, which Emma chose to ignore. She wasn't anyone special to him; she was just someone that he wanted to bed.

His behaviour made her think that maybe they could get away with sleeping together, but Emma was quick to banish such thoughts. She was determined not the sleep with him. Every now and again, however, she caught him staring at her. He would always look at her with a knowing smile, like he could tell how many times she'd woken up with a flushed face and the familiar ache between her thighs, whilst the dreams of his fingers and lips faded away.

Emma wrote off her desire for the pirate as nothing more than an itch that she needed to scratch. Ever since she'd moved to Storybrooke, she'd been going through a dry spell. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem; she'd just go out to bar and find a suitable man who could satisfy her needs. But she knew how unadvisable a one-night stand was in such a small town, and that was before she'd discovered that it was filled with fairy tale characters. In a way, Hook was an obvious choice; he was an outsider and he'd clearly had experience when it came to satisfying his own purely physical needs.

Emma had experience with the whole 'no-strings-attached' thing and last time, it had not ended well. He'd been a fellow bounty hunter called Harvey, who she'd worked with from time to time. They'd made a really good team, both professionally and intimately, but then he'd managed to get shot when they were on a job together. After several hours in surgery, it was confirmed that the most damage the bullet done was to Harvey's pride. He'd been high as a kite on morphine when he'd looked up at Emma in wonder, lovingly took her hand and slurred a marriage proposal to her. In response, Emma had bolted from the room. They'd both tacitly agreed to ignore the fact that the proposal had ever occurred, but the damaged had been done. She'd cut him out of her life altogether when he'd accused her of using sex as a weapon. That it was just another way for her to be able to stay in control and keep people at an emotionally safe distance.

She knew that wouldn't happen with Hook. He'd been in love before, and a man who was so in love with one woman that he thought of nothing but avenging her, was not a man who was ready to let another woman into his heart. If he had much of a heart left once he'd gotten his revenge. Emma had seen hints that there may be something resembling a good person inside of him, but he was far too ready to ignore what little conscious he still had and let his obsession for killing Rumpelstiltskin dictate his actions. That was precisely why Emma couldn't trust him. That was precisely why sleeping with him would not end well, not matter how hard that annoying little voice of desire tried to convince her otherwise. That it would be a win-win situation for everyone; that she would get him out of her system and he would lose interest in her once he'd had her.

Without intending to, Emma had walked all the way to the back of the garden. A grand old tree stood proudly on her left, and beyond it was the neat row of hedges that marked the boundaries to the property. The light from the house did very little to disperse the darkness down here. She'd just decided to take one last moment to enjoy the stillness of the night before she headed back inside, when someone grabbed her. Her back was shoved roughly against the large trunk and a hand was placed tightly over her mouth to muffle her screams.

"It's about bloody time," An all too familiar voice came from the dark.

"Hook?" Emma mumbled against his palm, before she swiftly pushed his hand away. As her eyes grew more accustomed to the dim light, she began to make out his features more clearly. She was fairly certain that he could see the confused glare on her face. Although he paid no attention to it as he slowly caressed her face with the back of his hand. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I thought that was fairly obvious, darling. But if you need a further demonstration..." He let his words trails off, as he began to leisurely kiss her neck. Killian ran his hand slowly down her body, until he reached the edge of her dress. The skirt stopped just above her knee and he seemed quite content just to run his fingers along the line where the material met her flesh. "And to think I used to get excited when I caught a glimpse of a woman's ankles. Your idea of clothing here is enough to make any sane man loose his mind."

She reached down and curled her hand around his, but she didn't try to move it. His head cocked to one side as he gave her a curious look.

"My parents are inside," She reminded him and herself at the same time.

"I don't know about you, love, but that's exactly where I want them to be."

He curled his thumb around hers, trapping her hand against his own. Slowly, he moved their hands and watched her shiver as the two sets of fingertips gently eased her dress further up her thigh. All of reasons why this shouldn't happen, why she stop it right now, were rapidly deserting her mind. But Emma was determined to remain in control; to make sure that she effected him just as badly as he effected her.

She leaned forward and kissed him hard on the mouth. Before his hand was able to reach its intended destination, she'd already shoved her own down the front of his trousers. He gasped as she curled her hand around him, and gently caressed him from base to tip. His grip on her other hand had loosened enough that she was able to free it, and she used it to tackle his button and zipper.

"We're going to have to be quick," She pointed out, as she finally managed to undo his jeans.

"Emma," He hissed wistfully against her lips, eyes shut tightly with pleasure, as she freed him from the confines of the denim

All coherent sentences seemed to abandon him, as she continued to glide her hand along his shaft. With every stroke, she applied more pressure, gently tightening around him. She grinned widely as he let out another tortured groan. He was able to gather himself enough to reward her efforts with a searing kiss that she quickly took advantage of by sliding her tongue along his lips, and into his mouth. Emma could feel the ball of delightful warmth growing in the pit of her stomach as he twisted the edge of her dress even tighter, when suddenly something horrible occurred to her.

"Shit, I left my purse inside."

"And why would you need money a time like this?" Killian panted his inquiry.

"It's not the money I'm after, it's the condom."

"The _what_?" he asked, as he bit down on his lip in an effort to concentrate.

"It's a very useful thing that people use to avoid pregnancies," She explained, whilst she continued to pump her hand up and down his length.

"You didn't seem too concerned about that back in the Enchanted Forest," He pointed out, trying his best to insert some smugness back into his tone and disguise the fact that he was coming undone at her touch.

Emma twisted her free hand into his hair and roughly pulled his head back. She couldn't help but notice the way he gasped lustfully at the action and this new discover put a smirk on her face. "As much as I love Henry, I'm not going to risk making the same mistake twice, especially when I have the means here to prevent it."

"Hell, love," He groaned, "You're bloody killing me here."

"I guess it would be cruel to just leave you like this," She stated nonchalantly, as she tightened her grip around him and increased the pace, gently rotating her palm every time she reached his head.

Emma recalled the way he'd always paid attention to her neck each time they'd been like this. She took a moment to slowly trail her lips against his neck, before biting down hard on the flesh. Her efforts were rewarded by another needy groan and a heady grin spread across her face. She'd almost forgotten how intoxicating it was to have this much power over a man. A feeling of triumph swelled inside of her as she watched him whither against her touch; it appeared that Emma had managed to best him yet again. She observed him closely, memorising every groan and every way his face twisted with pleasure. She wanted to remember exactly how she'd reduced the infamous Captain Hook to an incoherent mess.

"Emma?"

"Fuck!" Her hand stilled and she swore under her breath as she heard Mary Margret calling her name.

"Emma? Are you out here?" David's voice inquired this time.

Her hand was still curled around Killian's hard, hot member as she tried to figure out what to do next. He looked up at her with pleading eyes that were desperately begging her not to leave him like this. She could tell by the way his body began to tremble that he was close. It only took Emma a split second to make up her mind.

Hurriedly, she grabbed her shawl from her shoulders, scrunched the end up into a ball and thrust it against his mouth.

"Bite down on this," She ordered quietly, and he obediently complied.

As her hand continued its ministration, Emma half-listened the muffled moans of bliss Killian made as his head rested against the crook of her neck, and half-listened to her parents' footsteps and voices coming ever closer. Threading her fingers in his dark hair again, she yanked his head to one side and sucked on the sensitive skin covering his racing pulse. It was this final act that sent him over the edge; he bucked violently and spilled his seed into her hand with a long, muted groan.

Emma didn't waste any time as she tugged the shawl out of his mouth and used it to wipe her hand clean. She then placed the ruined material into his pocket and shoved the dazed pirate towards the bushes.

"Go," She hissed urgently, as he gazed at her in confused awe, with a stupidly blissful smile on his face. His pleasure addled took its time to remember the situation at hand, and Emma rolled her eyes as she pushed him away again. "Go now, before you have to deal with my parents."

Her last statement seemed to reach him and she watched him meander away into the hedgerow. Emma took a deep breath to calm her nerves, as she heard Mary Margret and David call her name again. As casually as possible, she strolled out from her hiding place behind the tree.

"There you are!" Mary Margret said with surprise. "What you doing out here? Didn't you hear us calling you?"

"Sorry. I just needed some fresh air. I was feeling a little overwhelmed in there," Emma answered sheepishly, and she felt a pinch of guilt at the look of sympathy on her parents' faces.

"Oh Emma."

"We know this whole situation must still be uncomfortable for you, but we're really, really glad that you're trying," David told her sincerely. "We're just so happy to have you back in our lives and we want to make you feel like you're a part of it. But if it's ever too much, if we're ever coming on too strong, just let us know, ok?"

"You can still talk to us, Emma," Mary Margret added, "Whatever you have to say, we'll understand."

'Oh I doubt that,' Emma thought to herself, trying to banish certain images of a trembling smug bastard from her mind.

She managed gave her earnest parents a small smile. "I know."

They both smiled brightly at her answer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Emma took care to place her busy hand behind her back and safely away from the pair, as they led her back to the house. She knew that she could get used to being a daughter, but Emma Swan knew that, no matter what happened, she would never feel like a princess... especially with the way she had been acting where a certain pirate was concerned.


	4. The Bedroom

**********A/N:** Hi all. Sorry for the wait, but life got in the way! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited or followed - I'm so happy that you guys are liking the story so far. And, as usual, special thanks goes to my beta. Anyway on with the show!

**The Bedroom**

Asides from his crocodile, Emma Swan might be one of the most perplexing challenges that Killian had ever faced.

When they'd first met, he'd thought that his ability to read her gave him the clear advantage. Her face had been an open book that he could browse at his leisure, despite her attempt to conceal it from him as she had done with the rest of the world. What he'd forgotten to look for was the subtext. When he'd discovered her ability to spot lies, he'd thought that honesty would be enough to put her at ease. He'd assumed that she would succumb to his charm, like so many of her sex had done before her. He'd thought that he had all the angles covered; that he could subtly manipulate her until he got what he wanted, just as he had done with everyone else. But when Emma had confessed that she'd been in love once, Hook had been so focused on the triumph of gaining her confession that he'd missed something very important. He'd failed to consider why she was still so full of mistrust. Why, if she'd let someone get that close before, she was still waiting for people to turn on her.

Last time, his overconfidence with the Swan Girl had left him abandoned on a beanstalk. This time, he was more determined than ever not to make the same mistakes again.

After their rather intimate garden encounter, Killian had expected Emma to keep her distance again. As if space alone would be enough to dissuade him from pursuing her. It would take a lot more than that to stop him; he was stubborn, patient and now, thanks to her skilful little hand, in her debt. And it was a debt that he would gladly repay. However, he'd woken the next morning to find a brown paper bag sitting on his deck. Curiously, he'd peaked inside to find a box of the aforementioned condoms. It was a gift that had clearly been left by Swan herself.

He took his time to study the instructions and inspect one of the strange rubber tubes. He had no idea how he was meant to get the damn thing on one-handed, let alone do it amidst the heats of passion. Then Killian remembered how good a teacher Emma had been when it came to removing her bra. With an eager smile, he placed a couple of the foil squares in his pocket and headed towards the station to be taught another lesson.

"Guess what I found waiting for me on my boat this morning, darling?" Killian asked cheerily, as he strode through the doorway into Emma's office.

Except it wasn't Emma who was sitting behind the desk; instead he was greet by her very displeased father. "I have no idea Hook. How about you tell me?"

"Ah, wrong law enforcer. My mistake. No need to worry about the little surprise I received – it was completely unrelated to any criminal activities," Hook stated with an extra charming smile, and quickly pointed towards the exit. "I'll just be on my way."

"Sit down, Hook," Charming ordered firmly. "It's about time that you and I had a talk."

Hook hesitated by the door. He didn't take orders from anyone and there was nothing that the prince could do to compel him to stay. However, he didn't think Emma would like to hear about how he'd been forced to fight her father for his freedom. Nor would she ever let him live it down if he just ran away. She would most likely make some snide comment about how the infamous Captain was afraid of her father; and there would be nothing he could say to persuade her that a strategic retreat was not the same as cowardice.

He plastered a pleasant, but forced smile onto his face and sat down in the chair in front of the desk, casually slinging his arm over the back. "To what do I owe the honour of this royal audience, your majesty?"

Charming's cloudy expression remained unchanged. "I want to discuss your plans for revenge against Rumpelstiltskin."

"Oh, do you have any tips?" Hook interjected sarcastically. His smirk widened as the prince's glare deepened.

"What I want to discuss is how it's not going to happen. Not when Gold is a citizen of this town and not when it affects the people that I care about," The prince stated calmly, but Hook had enough experience to notice the hint of a threat hidden in his tone.

"Rest assured, your highness, I'm only after my crocodile. And no one who really knows him is going to shed a tear for that monster," he bit back with a warning glare of his own.

However, Charming wouldn't be intimated and leaned forward on the desk. "Just how far are you willing to go to get your revenge, Hook? Because even though she might not want to, Emma will do everything in her power to do the right thing. And that means keeping every citizen of Storybrooke safe," he warned the increasingly aggravated pirate, "And I am willing to do whatever is necessary to keep my family safe."

Hook slowly rose from his seat before he did something stupid. Like put his hook against the pompous little royal's neck just to watch him squirm; perhaps he would use the tip of it to leave the man a small reminder of exactly who he was dealing with. Instead he stooped into a mocking bow. "_Charming_ as ever, your majesty, but now I will be on my way."

"Have you met Regina yet?" Charming's question and the knowing edge to his voice caused the captain to halt in the doorway. Although his back was turned, Hook imagined that the prince had a condescending look on his face. As if he knew anything – no matter what, the prince always got his loved ones back. "She got to live her revenge everyday for 28 years. And just look at how well that worked out for her."

Hook spun around, readying to unleash his mounting fury on the other man, but then he saw the look on the prince's face. It was a grim, pitying expression that Hook had seen before. It was the same look his daughter gave the pirate whenever he spoke about Rumpelstiltskin.

Without uttering a single word, Killian walked away.

xxx

For three centuries, Killian's life had been fairly straight forward. His world had been a black and white one, where everything could be divided into things that would help him achieve his revenge and things that would not. It had been simple. Everything he did, he did in order to avenge Milah. There had been no afterwards, no future that he could see beyond that.

Hook could no longer remember a time without the ever present rage coursing through his veins. When Milah lay dying in his arms, a vengeful voice had sworn to him that Rumpelstiltskin would be made to pay. As the years went by, Killian began to forget everything else; like Milah's touch, her scent and her beautiful face. He could no longer recall with any clarity the way she'd gazed at him, her eyes and her words so full of love, before the crocodile cruelly snatched her away. But Hook never forgot the blinding anger that he'd allowed to fester in his soul. It promised him a moment. It promised him satisfaction. It promised him revenge and it slowly cut out everything else from his world.

Then Emma Swan had appeared out of nowhere and threatened him with a knife.

With her arrival, the colours began the seep back into his world, along with all those annoying shades of grey. His niggling little conscience was gaining its voice again too, making him question exactly what he wanted. As was a tiny, hopeful voice that offered him a future ripe with possibilities. Hook had brushed them all aside, reminding himself that he only put up with the trying woman because she was the key to getting to Storybrooke. The place where he could finally have the thing he desired most. And if some more pleasurable activities were to occur during their time together, then who was he to deny them?

After several lifetimes of patience, Captain Hook finally arrived in Storybrooke only to find that his revenge was not even possible here. For three days, he'd sat on the floor in Emma's room a broken man. After losing Milah, it was his revenge that kept him going. It was his revenge that gave him a purpose. This supposed land without magic was his best chance of getting what he wanted, what he'd waited so long for, and it had betrayed him.

Then one afternoon Emma's son, Henry, had come waltzing into the room without any hesitation.

"Are you really Captain Hook? As in the Captain Hook?" He'd asked excitedly. Killian had eyed the boy wearily, and silently pointed to his wrist where his curved appendage was usually attached. The young lad, however, was undeterred. "What was it like to be a pirate?"

"A Captain, lad," Killian corrected automatically. He was slightly taken aback when he heard the words leave his mouth, but there was something about the eagerness in the boy's eyes that compelled him to speak again. "And who said I stopped being one?"

Soon tales of a life at sea were being told to a captivated audience of one. Killian noticed Emma's relief when she saw that he was back to his old self again. He also noticed the soft smile on her lips when he'd ruffled her son's hair. For once, when the tiny voice of hope promised him a future filled with new possibilities, Killian actually listened.

xxx

Killian knew that he was breaking their very vague rules about this - whatever this was - by allowing himself to feel something for Emma, but he really didn't care. He hadn't felt anything for another person in so long, and he wasn't about to stop now. The captain was well aware that he had a tendency towards obsession. Although he was sure that, in time, Emma would agree that it was better for everyone if his attentions were focused on her and away from thoughts of revenge.

It was his obsession that led him to climb on top of a trashcan at two o'clock in the morning. With a well trained eye, he assessed the distance between himself and the bottom step of the ladder. He stepped back a couple of paces, before he ran forward and leapt into the air. His hook curled around the metal bar with a dull clunk that echoed through the quiet night. He pulled himself up until he could grasp the bar with his hand and began his ascent up the fire escape.

It had been more than one lifetime since Killian had felt this alive, and the overwhelming feelings were intoxicating. Everything was more intense, brighter, and anything seemed possible. In this brave new world, Killian had found a new goal; to not only have Emma Swan, but to also keep her. He knew he had to tread carefully; he couldn't afford to scare her off. He had to find a way to break her walls down enough, so there was a large enough gap for him to squeeze his way in.

So far his grand plan consisted of a single step - to find a way to make Emma Swan need him. Killian decided that the best way for him to proceed was to make her realise that no man could satisfy her the way that he could. Make her realise that all the man she'd had before had been severely lacking. From now on, he wanted to ensure that he was the only man who would share her bed. That his name would be only one to leave her lips amidst the waves of her ecstasy. He would earn his place in her bed, then a place by her side and finally one in her life.

From his time spent there, Killian had learnt which window lead to Emma's bedroom. His hook rapped against the glass, until his efforts were finally rewarded. The curtains were drawn back and a very befuddled Emma Swan looked at him through sleep filled eyes.

"What the hell?" She asked, her words muffled by the windowpane.

He gave her one of his best smiles. "Open up, darling. I'm not leaving until you do."

She hesitated for a moment, as her sleep riddled brain tried to consider all the angles, but in the end she did as he asked. The second she'd pushed the window open, Killian swiftly slid inside. When he stood back up to his full height, they were only centimetres apart.

"Much obliged, love."

"Why are you here?" She mumbled groggily, as her mind tried to understand what had brought the pirate to her window at such an ungodly hour.

"Because I had to see you," Killian replied, edging a little closer.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to do this." He leaned forwarded and nipped her bottom lip. He pulled back just far enough to check that he had her full attention. Her lips were parted slightly and her eyes flickered to his lips for a moment, before she looked up to met his gaze. Killian grinned at her as he curled his fingers around her neck.

"Did I wake you from a nice dream?" He asked softly, as his fingertips played with her hair. She nodded slightly and unconsciously moved her face closer to his. "Well I can guarantee that this is going to be a lot better than a dream."

It was her turn to initiate a kiss, and she did so with the usual urgency. She grabbed hold of his jacket and pulled him back towards the bed. But when her knees hit the edge of the mattress, he placed his hand on her shoulder and stopped her from pulling him down. Emma gave him a confused look and tugged harder at his lapels, but he refused to yield.

"Slow down, love," He said with a soft laugh. "There's no need to rush this time."

He cupped her face with his good hand and stooped down to kiss her again. It was leisurely kiss, as if he was trying to emphasise his words. Somewhere in the back of Emma's mind, a small voice warned her that she needed to regain control, because this was heading into dangerous territory. His kiss was too gentle, too affectionate, for this to only be about casual sex. So she kissed him back with a bruising force, her tongue demanding entrance into his mouth, but he resisted her attempts to speed things up again.

In her half conscious state, her mind was unable to figure out how to gain the upper hand. She knew she could just stop him all together, but his talented mouth made it the least desirable option. Instead she decided to just stop thinking all together. She let her eyes close softly, and concentrated on the way Killian's lips felt against hers.

Killian noted how malleable Emma was in her sleepy state; it was the only way to explain why she had relented so easily. He took his time to kiss her thoroughly, before he trailed his lips along her jaw line and slowly down her neck. Killian carefully memorised every spot that made her breath hitch or caused a soft gasp to leave her lips. By the end of the night, he'd planned to have every inch of her body carefully mapped to aid in his future explorations.

He ran his hook and hand along her sides, and was happy to find that there was no troublesome bra to remove this time. Gently, he pushed her back onto the bed and knelt down between her parted knees. As his hook eased her shirt up, he heard her sharp intake of breath and watched her shiver with anticipation.

His lips began their journey across her stomach, gently nipping and licking at her flesh as they went by. He observed the way her muscles tightened at his touch and the places where she wriggled slightly beneath him, as his stubble rubbed against a particularly ticklish spot. He listened to the way she moaned as he kissed the skin at the waistband of her pyjama bottoms and the way she groaned in disappointment when he moved further away from where she wanted his lips the most

"Killian." The way she moaned his name caused him to smirk against her feverish skin.

He looked up at her and saw her looking down at him, her eyes heavy with desire. He swiped the tip of his tongue along her flesh, just to hear how her breath changed and watch her eyelids flutter. He grinned lustfully at her, enjoying every moment that he had her at his mercy.

"How about, darling, you make the demands and I follow them?" He offered and chuckled when her eyes widened in response.

Emma opened her mouth, desperately trying to form a coherent request. The feelings that he managed to stir within her were proving to be quite overwhelming.

"I want you-" she began and then gasped as he bit down on her hip bone. Emma struggle to remember what she was about to say as his teeth playfully teased her soft skin. "I-"

"Mom?"

Emma leapt up at the sound of her son's voice in the corridor. In her haste, she accidentally kneed the pirate in the chest. He grunted in pain; Emma gave him a look that was half an apology and half a warning to keep quiet.

"Mom, are you awake?" Henry asked from outside the room. There was slight waver in his voice, as he tried to disguise the fact that something had clearly upset him.

"I'm up, kid. Just give me a second," Emma reassured him, as she hurried towards the door, wrapping her robe around her as she went. She glanced back over her shoulder and was relieved to find that Killian had disappeared from sight.

She took a moment to compose herself and then opened the door. Henry stood shyly outside, his small smile failing to cover up the worry in his expression.

"Bad dream again?" Emma asked, and wrapped her arms tightly around her son when he nodded. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," he replied weakly.

"How about I make us some hot chocolate and we watch a movie together? Your choice."

He nodded eagerly at her suggestion and she ruffled his hair. As she watched Henry run downstairs, Emma paused and glance back towards her bedroom.

"Night Killian," she murmured, unsure whether he'd be able to hear her and then headed towards the kitchen.

From his hiding place beside her bed, Killian lay on the cool floor and listened. He heard the clatter of pans from the kitchen as the beverages were prepared. The good natured argument between mother and son about watching something called 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. He grinned when Emma pointed out that she'd had enough of rum guzzling, eye liner wearing pirates to last her a lifetime and that the last thing she needed was to watch Captain Jacket Sparrow prance about. Killian wondered who this Captain was. He had a feeling from Emma's tone that they might get on particularly well.

As music drifted into the room, Killian got up and headed back towards the window.

"Until next time, love," He promised the dark room and sighed heavily, "And if the gods have mercy, we won't have any more bloody interruptions."


	5. The Station

**************A/N:** So there's only going to be two chapters left to go after this one - I've had all seven chapters planned from the start, so hopefully you'll be happy with the end result! Thanks to everyone who has favourited or is following this fic (157 followers is magnificently insane). And a huge thank you to everyone who's taken the time to leave the review - I love getting your comments and feedback, so please keep them coming. Finally, a thank you to my beta for being ace. Anyway, enjoy!

**The Station**

She took a deep breath and strode into the clearing with all the confidence she could muster.

Emma ignored her nerves, along with the anxious gazes of the others who remained within the tree line. Instead she focused on the man before her. His sharp amber eyes inspected her wearily as she moved closer and he let out a low warning growl. Emma had to remind herself that Mr Brenton was still a man, despite everything her eyes were telling her.

He might be old, cranky and a borderline hermit, but Emma liked Mr Brenton. He'd always kept to himself and never caused her much bother. Most of their previous interactions had revolved around his neighbour, who had a habit of playing excessively loud music at unsociable hours, despite numerous threats and fines from the sheriff's office. The last time she'd been called out there, it had been Christmas Eve. After Emma had done the usual routine of making the neighbour turn the music down and giving him the well rehearsed warning, Mr Brenton had stopped her before she left. He'd held out a mug filled with a steaming hot toddy and insisted that she drink it despite her protests about still being on duty.

"It's Christmas Eve, girl. You should be with your son and not dealing with that inconsiderate asshole," he'd grumbled with his trademark scowl on his face. "Just drink the damn thing and go home."

Until today, Mr Brenton hadn't caused her or the town any real trouble. But that was before he'd 'acquired' a couple of items from Gold and Regina, and had finally managed to change himself back into his pre-curse form. Emma focused on her memories of the harmless, silver-haired man and not the giant, blue-grey scaled dragon that was now staring back at her.

She stopped at a safe distance and made a big show of throwing her sword and gun out of reach. Emma took another deep breath as she tried to conceal her fear.

"Mr Brenton? Hi, it's me, Sherriff Swan. Please grunt twice if you still know who I am?"

The beast tilted its head to one side, like it was trying to see what angle she was playing, and then it grunted twice as instructed.

"Good, good. I just want to talk Mr Brenton. That's all," she assured him.

Emma gestured apologetically towards the holes in his right wing and the arrow still protruding from his stomach. Her mother had shot that one into him; it had been dipped in a potion that, according to Mr Gold, would prevent Mr Brenton from using his fire breathing abilities. "I'm really sorry about having to hurt you, but you didn't leave us with much choice. Honestly, I can't blame you for wanting to burn down your neighbour's house. That guy kinda had it coming."

Mr Brenton made a sound similar to that which an incredibly heavy smoker makes when chuckling. Emma smiled slightly in return, before her expression turned serious again.

"But I draw the line at setting fire to the rest of town and hurting the people who live here. We had to stop you, Mr Brenton, before you killed someone," she said sadly. The creature groaned pitifully in response. "Here's the deal. Regina and Gold will turn you back into a human and we'll find a way for you to make amends for the damage that you've done. We'll also discuss that possibility of you returning to your current dragony-form once you're back in the enchanted forest. Do you understand?"

Mr Brenton grunted twice. Emma felt herself relax slightly, as she naively assumed that they were heading towards a touching _How To Train Your Dragon _moment. Then everything went to hell.

Faster than she could comprehend, Mr Brenton shot forward and knocked her off her feet and onto her back. Emma let out a winded gasp, as the weight of his paw sunk into her chest and pinned her to the ground. His talons painfully dug into her flesh and Emma could see three red pools beginning to soak through her shirt. Mr Brenton looked down at her with his wickedly amber eyes; Emma wondered if the regret she saw in them belonged to him or if just of reflection of her own. Slowly, he opened his mouth and his razor sharp teeth descended towards her head.

As Emma literally stared into the jaws of her death, her life failed to flash before her eyes. Nor were any images of her loved ones conjured. Her mind was completely blank, except for two words.

'Oh fuck.'

Suddenly, Mr Brenton stilled. His head whipped around, but it was too late. Even in her stupefied state, Emma managed to roll out of the way as the dragon's lifeless head crashed to the floor. She looked up to see that his neck had been sliced into three pieces by two blades.

As her father plunged his sword into the beast's skull, Killian appeared at her side and hurriedly pulled her to her feet. She stared at him in a daze. Despite being in shock, Emma still expected him to make some smartarse remark about how she needed him, but he said nothing. Killian just stared back at her with an unreadable expression. His hand gripped her arm tightly, as if he was petrified about what would happen if he let her go.

They stayed like that for several moments, until Emma was gathered into her father's embrace and lead away to the hospital.

xxx

Emma swore loudly as her violently shaking hands made it almost impossible for her to type.

She quickly clenched and unclenched them a couple of times, took a deep breath and tried again. Finally she managed to type the word into the search engine and hit the enter key. It only took Google 0.13 seconds to give her an answer.

According to the first website, Brenton meant '_Bryni's homestead_' and '_Bryni'_ was an Old English name derived from the word '_bryne_', meaning '_flame'_. In retrospect, the latter piece of information made it a very fitting for Mr Brenton. Emma guessed that his first name probably meant something like '_big scary ass monster that had a particular taste for sheriffs'_.

Emma tried to recall what his first name was but kept coming up blank. She could probably find it written on some document in one of the office's many filing cabinets or somewhere in the town records, but she realised it didn't really matter anymore. Emma had liked Mr Brenton and now he was dead. She'd always thought that he'd liked her too; right up until the moment he'd tried to gobbled her whole.

As the plan had been formed to stop Mr Brenton, several of townspeople had renewed the call for creating a database that listed who every inhabitant had been before they'd been transported to Storybrooke. The database had become a divisive topic in the town. On one hand it would be useful to know who or what people were before. On the other hand, some people feared that it would cause prejudice amongst the townsfolk. They argued that it didn't matter who their enchanted forest counterparts were; what mattered was who people were in Storybrooke and the lives they lived here. Emma was still undecided on the topic, although she admitted it would make her job easier if she knew who beared a grudge against whom, and if that grudge was likely to turn murderous. It would also be handy not to have to Google everyone's name for cryptic clues about their true identity. Although what the hell a whale had to do with Dr Frankenstein was beyond her.

The hospital had been an overwhelming experience. She'd barely managed to allow Dr Whale to finish patching her up and give her some fresh clothes, before she'd bolted from the building. She'd told him that she had paperwork to do down at Sherriff's office. Dr Whale had given her an incredulous look, but had made no effort to stop her.

She paced restlessly back and forth, her mind and body an incoherent mess. Everything, from the thoughts in her head to the twitches in her muscles, seemed to be going at the speed of light. Her jumbled emotions swarmed through her veins, making her want to laugh one moment and break down crying the next. She needed everything to slow down. She needed to focus. She needed to get a grip.

Desperately, she snatched the glass and bottle of whiskey from the top drawer of the filing cabinet - Graham's favourite hiding place. Her trembling limbs caused the amber liquor to slosh over the side of the glass.

"Fuck," She swore bitterly.

"Allow me, lass."

His hand had closed around the bottle, as she stared at him in confusion. She had no idea how long he'd been there, or even how he'd entered the office and closed the door behind him without her noticing. Emma didn't protest as Killian tugged the bottle from her hand. His hand grazed hers lightly as he pulled away, and in that moment, Emma realised that it wasn't the burn of alcohol that she needed.

In a flash, she pushed him up against the filing cabinet and latched her lips onto his in an urgent kiss. She didn't spare a thought to the bottle that now lay smashed against the floor. She only needed him.

Killian had been through enough life-and-death situations to know exactly what this was; an adrenaline driven, life confirming fuck. He'd shared many of them with Milah, and found plenty of other women to share them with too. Killian knew that this is what Emma needed right now and he was more than happy to oblige her.

The only reason he'd followed her here from the hospital was to assure himself that she was still alive. That she wasn't going to drop dead at any moment. Killian tried to focus on what Emma needed as he kissed her back with equal fervour and forget his own fears. He tried to let the taste of her, the feel of her, drown out the memory of the dragon stooped over her ready to land the killing blow. He tried to forget how, for a moment, he'd truly believe he'd have to witness another loved one die whilst he stood powerlessly by.

'_She's alive. She's alive_,' he assured himself, as his fingertips searched for every inch of her skin for proof.

Emma had managed to haphazardly wrench his shirt free, but she was having a harder time undoing the top button on his trousers. She frantically fumbled with it, but it would not yield, no matter how hard she tugged. Killian's hand closed around her wrists and moved her trembling hands away.

"It's okay, love," he told her, his voice full of reassurance. "You're okay. You're going to be okay." He let go of her wrists and clutched her face with his hand, his thumb stroking her cheek soothingly. She watched his Adam's apple bob in his throat as he swallowed hard. "Let me take care of you."

She dumbly nodded her assent. Killian leaned forward to press a soft kiss beside her ear, against the spot he had marked as his back in the forest, and lead her toward the desk. Emma let him gently push her into the chair. He pressed a long, hard kiss against her lips before he knelt down between her parted legs and set about unzipping her boots.

It appeared that she'd lost the ability to think or speak, because all Emma was able to do was watch him as the carefully eased the first boot off. Tenderly, he cupped her ankle with his hook as removed her sock as well, before he repeated the actions for a second time. His thumb drew small circles against her right ankle, and she remembered that he'd once mentioned how even the glimpse of a woman's ankle excited him. She wondered if her ankles had the same effect given the attention he was lavishing on them. Finally, he moved away from her feet and began caress the sides of her legs with his hook and hand. This time the shudder that ran through her body had nothing to do with her shattered nerves.

Killian gently pushed her top out of the way, and began to leisurely kiss her abdomen. With far more skill than she'd shown moments before, he undid her jeans and Emma gasped as she felt his hot breath brush past her covered mound. She gripped the edge of the chair tightly as Killian began to leave a trail of wet kisses along the inside of her left leg, as he inched the denim towards her feet. He took a moment to run his tongue along her ankle, before he tugged her jeans from her body. The look of reverence he gave her took Emma's breath away. He gave her opposite ankle the same treatment, and then slowly kissed and nipped his way back up the inside of her other leg. As he reached the top of her thigh, Emma bit her lip in anticipation and reminded herself to breath.

"Emma?"

At the sound of her name, Emma spun quickly in the chair towards direction the voice had come from. Her leg caught the side of Killian's head as she moved and smacked it into the edge of the desk.

"Bloody hell woman," he hissed with pain.

"Shut up and hide," she hissed back, as she snatched her jeans off the floor.

Killian had only just made it to a hiding spot behind the door, and she'd only just finished buttoning her jeans, when Ruby barged into the office.

"Emma, what the hell are you doing here? Why aren't you with your family?" The brunette demanded.

"I...erm...just needed to be by myself for a bit. And calm down," Emma told her lamely.

One of Ruby's eyebrow rose into a well practised arch. "Why aren't you wearing any socks or shoes?"

"Being barefoot helps me relax!" She explained unconvincingly, and swiftly put her socks and boots back on.

Ruby opened her mouth to respond, but stopped before she said anything. Emma watched in horror as she saw her friend's nose twitch slightly, like she had caught a scent.

"So," Emma said loudly, trying urgently to distract her friend. "I'm done here. We should go meet the others. Where are they? Granny's?"

The other woman gave her a concerned look as Emma hurriedly ushered her towards the door. "Are you ok? Aside from the whole almost eaten by a dragon thing?"

"Oh you have no idea-" Emma heard Killian mutter and swiftly interrupted him with a hard kick to door that he was hiding behind.

She wasn't sure if she felt more relieved or disappointed that she couldn't hear any groans of pain from the pirate. Ruby looked back in surprise when she heard the loud bang.

"I also kick things when I need to relax," Emma remarked brightly. "It's just what I do."

Her friend stared at her like she'd grown a second head. In response, Emma plastered a smile on her face and briskly led the way to Granny's.

Although Ruby didn't mention anything the whole evening, Emma had a sinking suspicion that the she-wolf knew more than she was letting on. She also had a feeling that Ruby was just waiting for the perfect moment to casually bring it up; probably when Emma had a mouth full of cocoa, ready to spray across the diner floor.


End file.
