A little Neverland one shot set just after 3x05 in which Emma learns that Killian hears the cries of the Lost Boys too...

The voices echoed in her head as she shot up, allowing the dream - or rather, nightmare - to pull her from what had been a very uneasy sleep. The night was dense around the camp, only the sound of distant crickets and rippling water from the nearby lagoon to soothe her dizzied brain. Taking a deep breath, Emma glanced around the open space to notice her parents still soundly slumbering near the fire while Regina had finally succumbed to exhaustion beneath a blanket they'd brought from Hook's ship.

Hook, she wondered as her frantic mind finally settled. Wait, where was he?

The question was curious at best, though there was and probably always had been more to her so called 'casual' thoughts about him. Her trust regarding the innuendo accompanied pirate captain had always been slightly off balance, but she knew he wouldn't leave them to their own less than knowledgeable devices on this island. He'd come back for them when he didn't have to. He'd opted to face his own apparent fear of this place to assist them - to help her and save Henry. That surely meant something.

She just didn't know what.

Emma knew if he'd been present at the moment she'd been ripped from her unpleasant rest, he would have made sure she was alright, given her a possible explanation for her bout of island insomnia, and flirtatiously offered to accompany her back to her makeshift bed - probably in that order. She rolled her eyes at the idea of how his smoldering smirk and those deep cobalt eyes would likely be able to make her mind wander if he'd propositioned her in such a manner.

Not that it wasn't partially her fault for letting him finally get the best of her in the heat of this damn jungle.

Perhaps gratitude is in order…

Emma shook off the echoing words before her relentless memory could drag up any more details. She didn't have time for that man or his shameless charm. If they were going to find Henry, she'd need a focused mind - and that was something her nightmares surely wouldn't help her gain.

Rising to her feet, she quickly laced up her boots and grabbed the sword she'd been gifted back on the Jolly Roger. She took a moment to admire the slight curve of the blade and wonder about the story that might surround it. It still wasn't totally clear why Hook had insisted she have it - well, other than the basic need for a way to protect herself. She'd seen the conflicted blue in his sympathetic gaze and heard the quieting of his tone when he'd extended it to her, the proof that perhaps he really was grieving Neal as well. Turning over a weapon that he'd coveted for quite some time seemed out of character for the selfish scoundrel who did little that didn't assist him in his own revenge. The cutlass was an unexpected and almost thoughtful gesture - along with now being a helpful item to sling across her back before she took what was about to be a very late night departure from the campsite.

Hook had warned them about the unpredictable trickery of Neverland when they'd finally docked, vowing to their group that 'there are dangers all about and only I can guide us past them' as they hiked through the overgrown vegetation. Emma scoffed to herself as she thought back to his ominous words, a little irritated as she remembered how she'd jumped to support his claim so effortlessly. If he was around now to watch her tiptoe around the dwindling embers of the fire pit, he'd tell her that gallivanting off into the dark jungle was far too treacherous and that she'd only be tempting Pan to pay her a visit.

Bossy idiot, she thought with spiking nerves and a slow burn dancing across her skin. Why did she even care what he thought?

She shivered as the recollection of the night before entered her weary mind. The kiss she'd somehow pulled him into as a speculated 'thank you' had definitely been a bit more complicated than that, but she'd been fighting the urge to believe it since the moment she pulled away. The feel of his lips on hers and the smooth texture of his leather collar in her grip were memories she couldn't will away no matter how she attempted to distract herself. It was becoming more irritating by the minute and as she took a deep breath, Emma wondered just how she was expected to get him out of her mind and her system when the desire to kiss him again was almost as plaguing as her recent haunted dreams.

She finally resigned with a low groan. This was ridiculous. Hook wasn't there and she sure as hell didn't have to answer to him. Plus, as much as she hated to agree with Regina, Pan had only proven so far to be a petty teenager with way too much free time on his hands. One defiant adolescent villain was certainly something her savior skills could handle if needed.

She knew her mounting feelings about the Captain who'd brought them to this place were truly what should be of concern.

Her boots plodded the dirty, swampy pathway through the tall reeds as she listened for noise beyond the sound of persistently noisy insects. The small lagoon they'd seen from one of the cliff tops nearby wasn't far and the idea of catching her bearings by the serenity of the water was a call she'd answered many times before - a habit that surely didn't have to cease just because they were in Neverland. All seemed relatively quiet and Emma remembered quickly that it wasn't this strange silence that had shaken her from sleep.

She'd had a nightmare - well, maybe that's what it was. It felt a little more real than that though and like hell if she knew why.

It had only been three nights ago when she'd had a similar sort of fitful slumber. Tossing and turning on the damp dirt of the jungle floor had left her body tense and breath heaving by the time she snapped upright in a state of panic, the voices and soft cries of something unknown ringing in her ears. It wasn't until she had taken a short walk to chase away the demons that she'd learned from an intrusive Pan what had caused her troubled dream.

It was the call of the lost boys - broken and lonely as it hung in the distance. It hadn't taken long for her to recognize their empty sound as one she'd made in her younger years of abandonment. It was the plea of fading hope and the acceptance of loss. It was familiar and something only she had heard, despite the presence of the other members in the determined search party.

At least, that's what she'd believed until this moment when she reached the edge of the somewhat concealed body of water. The sight ahead confirmed she wasn't alone in her midnight venture.

Submerged cautiously in the water was the man she'd been annoyingly pondering just moments ago. Hook , she realized silently with a soft bite of her bottom lip. He looked somewhat calm in the soft moonlight, his silhouetted stance in the shallows cut clear as he ran a wet hand up and down his face. Even with the distance, she noticed a strangely haunted expression as he pulled his fingers through his hair and began shaking off the moisture with a quick tilt of his head. It was easy to see the way his bare chest heaved with a deep breath and she wondered briefly what had brought him to his current place of obviously much needed relaxation. It was late, but here he was - looking as familiarly confused and tormented as she felt.

It wasn't possible he'd heard the droning cries from beyond the trees. It wasn't possible that they were that kindred. It definitely wasn't possible that he could understand one other element of the past she just couldn't put away.

"Evening, Swan," his voice welcomed suddenly, the shifting of the still waters and his locating glance grabbing her attention. "A bit late to be out and about, isn't it?"

Emma sighed softly, folding her arms to hide the shiver rolling over her skin. She tried to look away from his dark gaze, knowing full well how impossible that was recently becoming and knowing even more so just how hazardous a staring contest with the perceptive pirate truly was. The drops of water lingering on his skin and the way his shaggy wet hair clung to his forehead quickly reminded her that he was perhaps one of the real perils she'd be forced to face in this realm.

She'd come to that inconvenient realization the night before in the concealed space of the trees when she'd kissed the hell out of his arrogant lips. God, what had she been thinking - and why was she thinking the same thing right now?

"I thought I'd warned you about the dangers here plenty of times to discourage you from taking any midnight strolls."

"Yeah, I, umm….couldn't sleep," she offered, taking some entranced opportunity to move a little closer. "But it looks as if I could accuse you of the same problem."

"Aye," he started, dragging his hand back through his drenched scalp before lifting an eyebrow. "Suppose I might have wondered if you could hear them too."

Emma felt chills move across her skin as she watched his expression go from curious to sweetly sympathetic. His stare softened as the water rippled around him, the moonlight emphasizing his handsome appearance as he proved once again just how well he did understand her. There was something knowing in his eyes - almost like he'd assumed she'd disobey his advisory and go traversing the island in the wake of sleeplessness anyway. They were similar in so many ways already, but now they apparently shared a common cause of insomnia as well.

"You alright, Swan?"

His eyebrows furrowed with concern and Emma tried to straighten her unsteady stance. She'd seen that look and heard that question from him far too often in the past few days and it seemed to push her - to suggest she address elements about him that she wasn't ready to. It was almost too difficult to fight the temptation in the form of his echoing words.

I thought all you cared about was yourself.

Perhaps I just needed reminding that I could.

Her mouth parted, her lower lip vibrating as he looked on with intense concentration. He moved closer slowly, the water surrounding his body sinking lower as his motion navigated him to a slightly more shallow place. Emma tried to quiet the gasp leaving her throat as he ruffled his wet hair and the tiny waves he created brushed against his ribs, the brace that kept his hook in place still strapped skillfully around his arm. He was certainly naked - and she was definitely wondering. She was busy trying to remind herself just how bad of an idea that was when the distant sound of sorrows broke through the tense air once again.

"You do hear them-" he said after a moment, raising an eyebrow. "-don't you, love?"

There was no point in lying to this man - she'd decided that long ago. He could see through her in a way she'd never expected. After all, nobody else had ever been able to.

"Why do you hear them?"

"Seems a bit evasive to counter with a question you already know the answer to," he remarked with a sly smirk. "If you're that keen on avoiding my inquiry, I can take a hint."

"It's not that," she said softly, shaking her head as the toe of her boot tapped the edge of the water. "I just….I didn't know….I mean, you aren't an orphan - you're a pirate, Hook."

"There's no rule in Neverland that says you can't be both," he told her with a suddenly exposed shrug. "Very little restrictions here at all, in fact, which means you won't have to spend all of your time policing everyone - something I figured you'd appreciate, darling."

The subtle curve of his lips was curious - a slight flirtatious challenge that was completely customary of this man and a little quirk she'd been trying to ignore since the day she started to scale the beanstalk alongside him. It was one of those little conversational things he did that she knew she shouldn't feed into, but for once, she wanted to.

Just to catch him off guard, she thought silently. Just to even the playing field in this game they'd somehow been competing in for a while now.

"Not all of are as interested in testing local laws as-" she returned, folding her arms with a smirk of her own. "-you are, Captain."

"Well, maybe some rules are meant to be broken," he grinned as his hook skimmed the water. "Not that you'd dare do such a thing, right, Sheriff?"

"You'd be surprised."

He stilled at her response, her answer invoking a rare silence between them. Typically the air was so thick with sexual tension and unspoken somethings when they shared space, but this was different. Emma fought the instinctive urge to take back the simple sentence she'd just let slip from her mouth, but the way he looked at her with that blue fire in his eyes made her want to let the words hang there in the humid dark night while he decided what to do with them.

"I'm fairly certain I don't believe that, love," he replied as he ran his damp hand over the thick scruff on his jaw. "In fact, when it comes to pushing aside principles, I'm quite sure you're the one who can't handle it."

The words slammed into her with scorching recognition and she fought quietly for breath as she remembered saying something quite similar to him after he'd saved her father's life. It was that low tone of his voice and that teasing look in his always attentive gaze that she'd given into, but it was the skill and precision of his smooth lips that kept the memory lingering in her mind. Now here he was again - coaxing her forward with a competitive edge while the shadowy light of the moon illuminated the tense clench of his jaw and the toned broadness of his shoulders.

She wasn't sure if she could handle him or anything about this, but seeing him awake for the same reason she was made her wonder if she should try.

"Of course, if you are determined to prove me wrong, the water's quite warm tonight," he offered, giving her that vaguely hopeful glance. "Nothing like a swim to soothe a worried mind."

"My mind is not worried," she refuted quickly, placing her hands on her hips as she considered the idea. "Is it even safe to be in there? What about these 'lurking dangers' you keep mentioning?"

"This particular location isn't quite so perilous," he assured her, shaking the water off his head before winking far too salaciously. "Neither Pan nor his minions have been welcome here for centuries."

"Why?"

"Well," he said lowly with a lift of his eyebrow. "The former inhabitants of this lagoon weren't quite so fond of the self proclaimed king of Neverland."

"Former inhabitants? Someone used to live here?"

"Aye, love," he continued. "They ran a rather tight ship, if you will."

"Please don't tell me you're talking about mermaids."

"No," he grinned before his eyes grew playfully serious. "Sirens, actually."

"Ah," she replied, trying to recall any knowledge she already possessed in regard to this brand of mythological creature. "Did they try to lure you to your death at any point in your travels here?"

"Perhaps once or twice," he chuckled. "But I'm a survivor - as you know."

Emma let his answer tease her pulse, her mind racing as she realized just how much his many decades alive supported that claim. This man had endured multiple lifetimes - some of which was spent on the island they were currently navigating - and Emma knew there had to be plenty of stories that came along with those years. Watching him glance up at the starry sky, she wondered just how many times he'd done this before - how many times he'd visited this lagoon with the mission of feeling like anything but a lost boy.

Because yes, that's what the mighty and fearsome Captain Hook truly was - a lonely orphaned sailor who apparently knew her better than she knew herself.

"It's safe here, Swan," he told her in a careful tone, his gaze bright with hope. "The water might put you at ease."

Emma stared briefly at the smooth shoreline, letting her eyes follow the length of it and then curve back around to where he was waiting. The level of the lagoon wasn't that high - the surface of the water steady against his wet chest - and contrary to the outcome of the mermaid fiasco, she was a decent swimmer. Emma knew why he was telling her to give the lagoon a chance and for once, she didn't think it was merely an effort he was making to seduce her. She'd seen how he looked at the helm of his ship, the sway of the waves and the view of the horizon clearly calming him like nothing else could. He seemed to want that serenity for her too and inviting her into the warm depths of a glorified pond was obviously his way of telling her so.

She'd become very skilled at turning down every form of request or flirtation he could offer, but as the water splashed against her covered feet, Emma decided she didn't want to shut him down this time - at least, not yet.

"Just-" she stammered, sighing heavily in submission and furrowing her eyebrows. "-turn around."

He smirked as he realized what was happening, his teeth teasing his lip as he appeared to hold back a victorious grin. Emma rolled her eyes as he faced the opposite directions, a strange type of nervousness rising in her bones as she stripped quickly. The night air was humidly hot, but her skin still tingled with a tense chill as she kicked aside her boots and followed the removal of those with her tank top and dark jeans. The black lace garments beneath her clothes were basic but well fitted and she allowed herself to wonder just what expression he'd be wearing if he were to see her in them. Tossing the final pieces of material to the small pile, Emma realized she might never know.

After all, he was naked beneath the warm water. It was only logical that she should be too.

Logic, however, was something that seemed to be in short supply as she dipped her leg into the lagoon. The small ripple she created caught his attention and she sunk lower into the shallows before he could fully turn around. The way he glanced over his shoulder toward her was smoldering and tempting, his bare skin almost magnetic as she drifted closer. Her ankles bumped against his as she reached him, the feel of his legs making her pause and lean back to wet her hair. Anchoring her feet, Emma let the cool moisture run through her long blonde tresses for a moment. It was relaxing in a way she definitely needed, but she was not at all prepared for the way he was watching her when she lifted her head back to match his eye level.

His simmering stare seemed to study her, his tongue tracing his bottom lip as he watched her wring out the wetness from her wavy locks. It had never been a secret that Hook found her attractive, but in that instance, it was obvious that he found her downright irresistible - and oh, how she suddenly loved the power that gave her.

"So," she finally said, trying to hide her shaky tone with a small smile. "Captain Hook likes to swim."

He laughed at that, his amusement in the statement that could have been a question somewhat endearing as a smirk turned up the corner of his lips. How he could go from sexy to stupidly sweet with one simple reaction was perplexing and Emma tried not to appear too anxious to decipher it.

"I don't know if it's so much that I prefer it, but it's a necessary skill when you've spent as much time near the ocean as I have."

"Ah, yes - all those centuries," she teased. "I'm assuming the ability to tread water was rather helpful in seducing sirens too, right?"

"Hmmm," he grinned, his hair hanging just barely over his eyes. "What makes you so sure it was me doing the persuading, love?"

"The fact that you constantly speak in a series of innuendos I guess," she told him. "It seems like you've had plenty of practice."

He shifted a little closer, his eyes locked on hers and their heated hue as blue as ever. She knew that look - she'd learned just how far it could tempt her the night before when she'd wrapped her grip around the collar of his heavy coat and succumbed to his simple request. Well, it had started out simple at least, but kissing Killian - errr, Hook - wasn't ever going to be an ordinary endeavor.

She'd always known that on some level, but ignoring it was a solution that was fading fast as the water made subtle swirls between them.

"Suppose I have," he agreed, reaching up to swipe a stray piece of her damp hair aside skillfully with his hook. "But I must say, you tend to encourage it."

"Oh, please," Emma scoffed with realization that she was blushing. "Like when?"

"Last night, for starters-" he replied, his hand slipping to locate hers. "-and now."

He wasn't wrong. She hadn't come here to do this - to trap herself in a close conversation like this - but lord help her, she was powerless to avoid it now. It didn't really matter though.

She wanted to see where his heavy words might take them. She wanted to feel that passion and spontaneous breath of relief he'd given her once before.

"Is that a complaint, Captain?"

"Not at all, Swan," he said with a slow shake of his head. "Merely the start of a question."

"Hmmm," she countered as his fingers toyed with hers, her touch ultimately landing on his shoulder. "Would you like to elaborate?"

"In a moment," he answered as he pulled her further into his space, his hand holding her cheek tenderly. "But first…."

It was him that snapped this time. His arm wrapped around her and he lifted her, pressing his weight against her and igniting a kiss that rivaled the first one they'd recently shared. He clung to her cautiously and Emma's pulse pounded erratically as her mouth followed his in a pattern she hoped she wouldn't forget. The world around them dropped away, the blur of careless intimacy drowning out the sounds that had been taunting her as his tongue caressed hers. She wanted to push him further - to see if he really wanted more than just another kiss. His lips seared hers only a few seconds beyond that daring thought before he gasped, interrupting the heated endeavor that had put a hell of a dent in her walls.

"Swan ."

His labored accent began to caress the sound of her name like an uncertain warning while his hook traced the skin of her back. She kept a firm palm on his wet chest while her swollen lips chased the abandoned kiss, her nails teasing the coarse hair she'd considered so many times. He kept a rigid stance though the exploration of his gentle hand moved decisively to her hips, his deep blue eyes studying her mouth with intrigue and want while they stood submerged in the tension filled water. She could sense his need to talk and to likely analyze in a way only Killian Jones seemed to often do.

Why did he have to do such a thing now though? That's not what she had come here for - though in complete fairness, she hadn't expected to end up doing any of this either.

"Emma," he nearly pleaded, keeping his lips parted but spaced irritatingly away from hers. "Wait …."

"Shhh….not now - I can't talk about that now…."

"I just want an answer," he breathed, pressing his mouth to hers once more. "Just one."

"What?"

"Why, love? Why did you kiss me?"

"I just….because-" she replied, her explanation mumbled as her forehead pressed against his. "-I don't know. I just wanted to."

It wasn't a sufficient response - she knew that. His breath was panting as their brief pause threatened to make her think twice. Letting his eyes linger on her in a state of pure lust and desire nearly screamed danger, but his staring was the only thing keeping her focused. He'd always scared her because of moments like this one - simple, scorching instances where the space around them was all but on fire.

She was never nervous about Captain Hook. No, she was always much more afraid of the honest curiosity and tender affection she knew Killian Jones possessed regarding her - because there was no way that such a passionate pirate would be anything but that as a longing lover.

"Emma…."

"Later, Hook," she pleaded, pressing her hips against him as the water around them shifted. "I just….I need this."

"You need-" he breathed, a slight question between his ragged words while his hand caressed the length of her body. "-this?"

"You," she mumbled against his mouth, her fingers moving to tangle in his hair. "I need you."

"You have me, darling," he assured her as his hips moved with the weak current, swaying suggestively. "However you want me."

Emma tried control the pull of his words and the way they seemed to invite her into a territory that was so much more than this blinding itch that needed to be scratched. There was commitment in his reply - a sort of submissive offer that insisted he wasn't doing this in the name of physical attraction or the desire to break this tension between them. He wasn't just offering her this as a one time thing.

"Love, are you-" he mumbled as his lips barely pried away from hers. "-certain you want to? Because I….I don't-"

"I'm sure," she cut in, her fingers threading through his dark wet hair. "I….I want you."

He inhaled with a labored gasp and a brief grin before diving back in, his motions as tumultuous as the waves they'd battled on the journey here. He kissed her hard and breathless as his hand gripped her thigh beneath the water, his dull fingernails scratching lightly as he pulled her tight against him. The assault of his mouth was scorching and it didn't take long for the kiss to pull her under, the feel of his hook along her spine and the heat of his lips more hazardous than any water in Neverland.

"Emma," he managed, his lips hot against hers. "Love….you have to-"

He'd barely begun to instruct when her legs rose weightlessly in the water, wrapping tight around his waist as her arms looped around his neck. The drops of water clinging to his beard felt cold against her bare chest as he explored her neckline with a heated mouth. She allowed her fingernails to press against his scalp when his teeth nipped her collarbone, the reality of being physically tangled with this man suddenly burning her from the inside out. The water splashed slightly between them when he widened his stance, his fingertips toying with her wet hair before his hook smoothed the space between her shoulder blades.

"Beautiful," he breathed, kissing her breast softly and his free fingers slipping down between her legs. "Absolutely breathtaking."

His voice was sincere - nearly too genuine. She shook off the wave of uncertainty he sent coursing through her body, shivering with a small gasp his thumb circled her center. He rubbed her lightly a few times, the pressure of his teasing touch making her moan quietly. Emma let her forehead fall against his - she couldn't allow herself to hinge on the hypnotic look he was definitely about to offer her.

She couldn't let herself believe in anything quite so honest - not when the spark of happiness she'd finally found in Storybrooke still hung so delicately in the threatened air.

"Kiss me," she pleaded in a whisper. "Like before."

He didn't speak, perhaps sensing how much she needed the wordless intimacy. His lips were pliant as they moved against hers, but with a purpose she couldn't define as he held her close. The brush of his chest hair against her front was tortuous and the sensation sent her body into overdrive. She hadn't planned to wrap herself in such an aroused state - especially not the kind that would lead to her writhing in his arms. Now as he teased her with a firm press of his hips, it seemed impossible to accept anything less than this.

He clearly knew what she needed, even if she wasn't ready to admit that it was also what she wanted - and she knew without any sign of a doubt that he'd give it all to her. She just had to tell him. She merely needed to ask.

"Hook," she started, her head hazy with building pleasure as he stole a sequence of passionate kisses. "I….I-"

He stepped forward with a strong stride, the water now only up to just below his waist. He strode quickly to the shore as his lips continued to guide hers, his hand buried in her damp hair as he moaned into her mouth. Emma barely registered the feel of mud against her back as he lowered them to the ground, their bodies almost entirely out of the lagoon. His torso was heavy against hers and she almost whined at the loss of his weight when he leaned back, bracing the curve of his hook on the wet sand before surging forward with a low grunt.

"Mmmm, yes," she managed as he gripped her hips. "Like….that-"

He answered with a hard kiss, his free fingertips dancing over her cheek as he rocked back and forth above her. The way they fit together was almost too perfect and it was obvious he felt it too. Her hands clawed anxiously at his biceps as he thrusted a little deeper, their heaving breaths matching as he pushed her closer to the brink of oblivion.

She'd always known it would be like this. From the moment his clever tongue had curved around that first flirtatious remark, she'd always known this could happen if she'd let it - and as he gazed down at her with pure understanding and the promise of protecting her, she realized this was a choice worth making.

"Killian," she finally said as her head fell back a bit more, her back starting to arch. "Almost….yes-"

"Hold onto me, love," he begged, the water of the serene lagoon still glistening on his naked skin. "Emma …."

Her name had never sounded so good as he kissed her once more, his tongue moving over hers the final straw. He held her steady as she came undone, letting himself follow as they both trembled in an effort to regain coherence. They remained speechless a little longer as they each took in the last remnants of whatever the hell had just happened and when his head finally rose from her weak shoulder, Emma realized she had no clue what to say.

What exactly was she supposed to say to the man who'd just defined distraction in a way she had only dreamed of?

"Bloody hell."

He spoke in a near gasp, tucking her hair behind her ear with a sated smile. His strong embrace was warm around her as he shifted them a little further away from the water and Emma tried to summon any fraction of energy. Her eyes met his lazily and the pure adoration he offered her in that moment made her heart race. He found the permission in her gaze that she couldn't seem to vocalize, leaning down to meet her mouth with his own.

"You okay, Swan?"

"Mmmm," Emma replied with a slight smirk. "Just….tired."

"Well," he chuckled, rolling over onto his back and beckoning her closer. "I tend to have that effect on people."

"I guess I should have been expecting that," she grumbled as she rested her chin on his chest. "You're always one to fill the silence."

"Forgive me, love," he grinned, his words hushed and his fingers smooth against her back. "But for the record, it is rather quiet now."

Emma's eyes fluttered fully open and she glanced up toward the trees. The air was still and absent of the noise that had kept her from the sound sleep she truly needed, a fact she wasn't sure she should try to analyze. Her head became hazy as she let him hold her, her smile briefly pressed against his chest. His thumb grazed her skin with slow strokes as he relaxed and laid a soft kiss on the crown of her head. It was an affectionate action, one that seemed to come easy to the man who was clearly made up of far more depths than this mystical body of water. Emma knew they were both muddy and damp from the short swim, but as the stars shone faintly overhead, she decided not to care for a few more minutes. He didn't seem to mind and she tried to keep her wits in check, knowing how easy it would be to fall asleep on the sandy bank with his strong arms keeping her safe.

Not that she needed that - and not that she'd ever admit it if she actually did.

"Thank you-" she mumbled, picking the words he really did deserve. "-for everything."

"Mmmm," he said with a faint laugh. "I'm quite sure I'm the one who should be expressing gratitude this time, Swan."

Emma felt her heart flutter at the way the tables had turned, his consistent embrace pulling her into total exhaustion. These quiet surroundings were all she had been in pursuit of when she'd left her makeshift bed on the jungle floor, but finding him and letting him silence her demons was an outcome she was now all too grateful for. His breathing evening out as her eyes closed, his sudden yet soothing voice now the only thing keeping her from finding a cozy slumber.

"We probably shouldn't get too comfortable, love."

"Maybe not, but-," she said with a defeated groan. "-maybe for a minute, you could shush and let me sleep?"

"Here?"

"Mmmm," she nodded. "For now."

He sighed heavily, wiggling against the ground and settling in for what he'd probably call 'the long haul'. This certainly wasn't something she should get used to, but for now - well, for now, she'd allow it.

A one time thing, she thought with a yawn. That's what this was.