Warmth

Chapter 2

Snow had been pacing back and forth all morning. David had woken up to her repetitive footsteps. She marched from wall to wall never breaking her silent vigil.

"Snow." She gave no sign of acknowledgment. "Snow," he repeated a little louder. This time she jerked her head as though an irksome fly was buzzing around her head.

David threw off the covers and stepped into her path. "Snow," he said softly, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't tell me you're not worried," her brown eyes were big and frantic. "She ran off yesterday and we still don't know where she is! She should have called! She should have told us where she went!"

David pulled her close and rubbed his hands along her back in a soothing manner, "I know. But she does know how to take care of herself," he pulled back for brief moment to cup Snow's face. "Emma is her mother's daughter after all."

The smile that graced her face was small but seemed to release some of the tension in her shoulders. Snow leaned back into David's embrace, "You always know what to say."

David just grinned and kissed the top of her head. "I have my moments. Now c'mon, let's make breakfast for Henry and we'll make sure to have extra for when Emma comes back."

Snow nodded and stretched up to kiss him tenderly, "You really are Prince Charming."

Henry was already sipping on a cup of orange juice when his grandparents walked into the kitchen.

"Morning!" he smiled brightly.

Snow walked over and kissed him on the forehead, "Good morning, Henry." She began pulling out mixing bowls, "How does pancakes, eggs and bacon sound?"

Henry's grin nearly broke his face, "Awesome!" He downed the rest of his juice, "Can I help?"

"Of course!" Snow handed Henry the pancake mix. "You're in charge of the mix," then she leaned down to whisper, "Don't let Charming anywhere near it."

"I heard that!" he shouted from behind the newspaper. "I'll have you know I make delicious pancakes." Without looking up, he could feel Snow's look. "Alright, I'm okay at making pancakes…when I don't burn them."

Henry bit his lip as he mixed the gooey batter and hedged a quick glance at Snow. "Um, Grandma?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think Emma and Killian will be back soon?"

Snow stopped cracking the eggs and turned to look at him. "Emma and Killian?"

"Well, yeah. They're true loves. Finding each other sort of runs in the family doesn't it? So even if she didn't go looking for him wouldn't they still find each other after everything that happened yesterday?"

David smiled slightly, "I think you're right kid." He got up to grab the frozen bacon out of the fridge and turned on the stove. "Snow," he called, a grin pulling the corners of his mouth up, "who do you think found who?"

"Hook. You saw Emma, she wouldn't go looking for him after that."

"But she's our daughter!" He looked offended, "We find each other."

Snow raised her eyebrow and quirked her lips, "Five bucks."

"What?"

At this point Henry was have a coughing fit from trying to stem the laughter that was bubbling up in his chest at their conversation, and at David's indignation that a pirate would find his daughter before she found him.

"Five bucks says Emma was found by Hook." She held her hand out. Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow challengingly.

"You're on."

Henry and Snow were laughing and trying to make different shapes with the pancake batter while David flipped the pieces of bacon. The three of them had finally distracted themselves from the missing fourth in their family when a key twisted in the lock of the front door.

Snow and Charming looked at each other with wide eyes and Henry dropped the pancake he was flipping.

"Mom!" He raced out of the kitchen and launched himself at Emma who received his hug with a laugh and squeezed him tighter.

"Hey, kid."

"You brought Killian," Henry had peered around his mother's waist to see the pirate smiling softly at the scene before him.

"Yea-"

"I actually brought myself along, under heavy protestation from your mother mind," Killian grinned down at Henry and winked when Emma turned to glare at him.

Placing a hand over his heart and adopting an expression of utmost innocence he replied, "Would you prefer me lie to your family, love?"

Emma huffed and turned around, grumbling under her breath about stupid pirates, and made her way into the kitchen.

Snow abandoned her post with the pancakes and pulled Emma into a fierce hug. "I'm so glad you're all right," she whispered.

Feelings slightly awkward, but appreciating the parental concern nonetheless, Emma squeezed back just as hard.

"I see you found Hook," David peered at the pirate who was chatting amicably with Henry and sending furtive looks at Emma every ten seconds.

Emma blushed a light pink but turned to hug her father. "Actually, he found me" she mumbled into his shoulder.

"Aha!" Snow cried, jumping up and down in a silly dance. "I knew it! Pay up!"

Before David even had the chance to respond Emma had released herself from his embrace to stare disbelieving at her parents. "You bet on us?"

Snow and Charming had the good grace to look slightly ashamed of themselves as Henry snickered to himself. Killian, who seemed to be figuring out what was going on, looked exceedingly amused and smirked at Emma.

"It was your mother's idea."

"Charming!"

"Well it was!"

Emma sighed, "Whatever. Yes, he found me and now I would like some breakfast." When she offered no more explanation, "Please? I promise we'll talk later. But I need food before I go back down that rabbit hole."

She walked into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee then took the seat David had been occupying before and began reading the paper. Occasionally she would take a sip of her coffee; she was studiously ignoring the curious looks the four other people in the house were offering her.

Killian was the first to recover. He shrugged at the looks Snow and Charming were giving him as if to say It's up to her and took the seat next to her, pouring himself a cup of orange juice from the pitcher on the table.

The rest of her family went back to preparing breakfast, chatting lightly as they did.

Snow kept glancing over at the table, trying to watch Hook and Emma interact. She'd already picked up on the fact that Emma had given him the crossword without having to be asked and that he had poured her a glass of juice just before her coffee had run out.

"Snow," warned David. "I told you to leave it. Let them work it out. Don't push."

Before Snow could make a remark back Henry answered, "She's not pushing. She's observing." He smiled slightly at the looks of surprise both grandparents gave him. "What? I notice stuff too."

Mary Margaret smiled, "Exactly! I'm observing. I have not asked a single question."

"Yet."

"Hush, you."

Henry grabbed the plate of pancakes and carefully made his way to the table while Charming and Snow each filled a plate with eggs and bacon and joined him, along with their daughter and Hook.

Charming grabbed an extra stool so that all five people had a place to sit and began piling pancakes onto his plate. Both him and Emma reached for the syrup at the same time, "Go ahead, Em."

Emma smiled and drowned her pancakes in the sticky substance before handing the bottle back over to her father. He proceeded to do the exact same thing to his own breakfast.

It's like our hot chocolate thing mused Mary Margaret with a soft smile playing at her lips. David looked up from his soaking pancakes and quirked an eyebrow but she shook her head and mouthed Later.

Henry reached across the table to grab a handful of bacon then turned to his mom, "So where did you go last night?" Emma nearly choked on her pancake and Killian patted her back until she brushed his hand away. "I mean, you didn't come back here and Grandma called Granny's but Ruby said you didn't stop by."

"I was," Emma coughed again, "I stayed at the station."

"Why?" This time David replied. He looked completely baffled as to why she would return to work.

Emma fidgeted in her seat before finally looking up, "I knew no one would look there."

Mary Margaret let out a small "Oh" and Charming's eyebrows furrowed. Emma pushed around the small amount of pancake left on her plate.

Henry was the first to break the silence, impervious the awkward tension in the room. "Except Killian," he said brightly.

Emma nearly dropped her fork at the reminder that he had been the only one to find her, and that her son of all people was pointing it out. In front of her parents, no less. And the award for strangest family interactions goes to….

Hook merely continued to eat as though nothing strange was going on, though Emma could see a tiny smirk blossoming on his face. She kicked him under the table.

The room began to feel too small again and she could see her parents sending furtive looks at one another, as though they were having a private conversation through the nodding of their heads and raising of their eyebrows. Knowing them, that's exactly what's going on thought Emma.

Unable to take anymore Emma practically jumped out of her seat, "I'm going to take a shower." They all watched her retreating form hop up the stairs as quick as she could without being overly obvious.

"At least this time I didn't technically do anything," mused Killian.

Snow gave him an exasperated glance before turning back to David, "What are we going to do?"

"I'm not sure. She seemed fine before-"

"Before you lot started badgering her and having private conversations about her right in front of her face." All three faces snapped back to Hook's and the slightly aggressive tone he had taken. "I was barely able to convince her to let me walk her home, the two of us haven't even talked about all this. Why would you expect her to-"

Mary Margaret was standing now, pointing a finger at Hook's face, "Because we are her family. We may not have been there for everything but we're here now and she trusts us."

"That doesn't mean she wants to discuss this with you!"

David made his way around the table and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, standing to the side in case he needed to stop a charge at the pirate who was currently poking a sleeping dragon.

"Snow."

"No, David." She shrugged off his shoulder and took a step towards Hook. He pushed himself out of the chair and cocked an eyebrow down at his opponent.

"You should listen to your husband, milady."

"Listen, Hook," he crossed his arms at her hard tone. "Just because all this happened with the two of you doesn't mean you know her best all of a sudden. She's my daughter, and before that she was my friend, so if you think-"

"I don't think, I know." He cut her off again and Killian could almost see the smoke coming from her ears. "I know because we're the same," he shifted uncomfortably, breaking eye contact. "There's a reason all of this happened and it's not random. Emma and I," he paused again, "we see one another. I can predict what she's going to say before she even has the thought in her head. I was the only one who thought of where she'd hide last night." Killian scratched the back of his head with his hook, "I can't explain it, but you can't push her."

Hook turned on his heel and went to the living room where Henry had retreated as soon as Snow had begun her attack.

"That little-"

"He's right." Snow whipped her head around so fast, Charming was surprised she didn't pull something.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. He sees her the way I see you. The little looks, the subtle changes. You've seen how they act with one another. We never would have guessed True Love but we knew something was there. And I know, I know you want answers. And you want her to talk to us. But she is our daughter, and since when do kids want to open up about this kind of stuff to their parents?"

She met his blue eyes and her eyebrows knit together, "Why are you always right about this stuff?"

David chuckled, "Had to happen about something. You're right about everything else."

Snow laughed, "And I was the one to bet on him finding her." She peered into the living room where Hook and Henry were laughing at a story the pirate was regaling with flailing limbs and lots of hand motions. "I should go apologize."

"Probably."

"So then," Killian continued, "Tinkerbell flew off and-"

"Henry would mind giving us a moment?" Snow broke in.

Henry glanced at his grandmother and gave Killian a reassuring smile before going back to the kitchen with David. "Grown ups," he mumbled.

"What can I do for you, Majesty?" Hook's words were innocuous but his voice was cold.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry." His rigid demeanor dropped slightly, "I know you care about her, and you know I do like you, and I know you two are similar but it's just hard." Killian fiddled with his hook, waiting for her to continue. "We've only been able to be her parents for a year and it's hard to accept the fact that she's not the baby we sent through the wardrobe. She's a grown woman, but I still want to protect her."

"I know." He smiled slightly, "I know. She's a tough lass though."

"She is." Mary Margaret put her hand over his, "And she cares about you. More than she is willing to admit and that's why it scares me." Shaking her head at his befuddlement she smiled again, "You'll understand if you ever become a parent."

"Ah," Hook seemed to retreat slightly. "I don't think I'd make much of a father."

"You seem to do pretty well with Henry."

"This isn't exactly child-safe." He held up is attachment with a small frown.

Mary Margaret stood up and patted his shoulder reassuringly, "It'll all work out if you want it to. Just look at what my family is." And with that she walked back into the kitchen to finish her breakfast.

Unbeknownst to everyone else Henry had snuck upstairs when he'd heard the shower turn off.

He knocked on the door but when Emma didn't answer he assumed she was in her bathroom still and went to sit on her bed to wait for her.

Emma had emerged from the shower feeling better about everything. She knew her parents weren't trying to pry and that Henry meant well and that Killian…that's an entirely separate can of worms. She'd just needed to clear her head. She slipped her arms into the fluffy robe her mother had gotten for her the previous Christmas and opened the door while toweling off her hair.

"Henry!" She nearly dropped the towel in surprise. "What are you doing in here?"

Her son crossed his legs and gave her a serious look, "I needed to talk to you."

Padding across the room she approached the bed and ruffled his hair. "Can I change first kid?"

"Sure." Henry stretched his legs back out and leaned against the mountain of pillows piled against her headboard.

Emma grabbed underwear, sweatpants and a black tank top before returning to the bathroom to dress.

Shortly after she emerged, her hair had stopped dripping and she felt more apprehensive than she had the last time she left the bathroom.

Plopping down next to Henry she asked what was up.

"Why are you still afraid?"

Her kid was too observant for his own good, "Afraid of what?"

"Of Killian. Of him being your true love!"

"Henry…"

He sighed, "No, Mom. I know you and Neal don't belong together. The two of you aren't happily ever after. But you and Killian are! So why are so still so afraid?"

Emma struggled to find the right words, "Henry you know me and your dad didn't work out and…"

"And what? You and Killian are meant to be!" Henry was exasperated. "You can't run away forever, Mom."

"Henry, I'm not running away. I'm…" Emma was saved having to say what exactly she was by a knock at the door.

Hook pushed the door open slowly, "Mind if I have a word with your mum?"

Henry nodded and left her room, but not before giving Emma a look laced heavily with significance. At least I know it's genetic. He really is his grandparents.

Killian took a seat beside her on the bed, Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Emma rubbed a hand down her face. All of the relaxation from her shower was slipping away.

Looking down he could see her knuckles were white with how hard she was clenching the edge of the bed. Killian sighed, he needed her to calm down. All the work he'd done last night was crashing around his ears. He did not appreciate his hard work going to waste.

"Love." She only gripped the bed tighter. "Emma." He reached over and forced her hand to let go of the bed, but she still wouldn't look at him. Sighing, Killian dropped down onto the floor in front of her, "Will you please look at me?"

Emma lifted her eyes from her lap to meet his pleading blues, "What?"

He took her hand in his good one, instinctively lifting his hook up to grasp her other hand but letting it drop to his side. Emma noticed this and held her hand out, "C'mon. You know it doesn't bother me."

Seeing her hold his hook shook something deep inside him. He knew she didn't care, she teased him about it often enough and never thought twice about grabbing it to get his attention, but today was different. She was holding it like a hand, just letting him have this moment to be a normal person with her.

"Emma…"

"I know." She offered him the first smile he'd seen since he'd walked upstairs. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Why are you still fighting this?"

Emma froze. She didn't want to deal with this. Not with her family downstairs. Not in her bedroom, her safe place. "Killian…"

"What are we supposed to do if you can't even handle your own bleeding family being around us?"

"Leave my family out of this!"

"How?" His eyes bored into hers, "They see it! They see what you refuse to deal with. Both your parents know, your mum nearly beat over the head because of it. And Henry is a smart lad. I'd say he takes after you but after seeing they way you've been acting…"

Emma couldn't think of anything to say. "Killian…"

"No, lass. I know you've been hurt. I know you have a hard time trusting people, especially handsome devils like myself." He coughed when she didn't crack a smile. "But you can't just push me away, push everyone away, when you get uncomfortable or you get scared. It's not fair."

"Not fair?! Killian, I can barely handle this! I've finally accepted my parents back into my life. I push people away. It's what I do, it's something I've gotten particularly good at in life."

She stood up, dropping his hand and hook, and marched away from him. "I told you last night I couldn't jump in to this."

"I'm not asking you to jump in to this Emma! I'm just asking that you not walk away before even glancing over the bloody ledge!" He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "Do you think this is easy for me? Do you think I wanted this to happen? I thought she was my true love, Emma. Not you. Ever since I woke up in that blasted hospital bed to find you sitting there nothing has gone according to my plan." He clenched his teeth briefly, checking his emotions, "I never wanted to fall in love again."

Emma sucked in a breath. That hurt, she knew she felt the same but it still hurt. "Then what are we talking even about?"

"We're talking about us! You and me, because even though neither one of us planned for it, it happened! And you know I'm not going anywhere, so why do you keep running away?"

"Because!" Emma's breathing was labored. She was so fed up with this. She didn't ask to be anyone's true love. "Because while both of us may have lost someone, it was a very different loss for each of our stories."

Killian stood up, stomping over to where she stood, "You're damn right it's different! She died. Milah died, right in front of me, as you damn well know. She was taken and there wasn't a fucking thing I could do!"

"At least you knew she loved you!" She shoved him back, trying to find room to breath. "You told me yourself, those were the last words she said to you. I was left! Abandoned. Thrown away! He made me think that the only person who had ever shown any kind of love towards me was lying. That I was just being used. You're story may be more tragic, but mine is just as scarring."

Killian didn't respond. He just stared at her, glaring furiously. She was blinded by her past, terrified of the present and refused to look into the future. He was not going to back down, everyone else had left her and he was not going to add his name to that list of people.

Emma stared right back. She knew she was being stubborn and scared and stupid but that didn't mean she was going to give him any room. She'd been left over and over again; him being 'true love' didn't make it impossible for him to leave as well.

Finally, Emma broke. She put her head in her hands and closed her eyes. "Can you please go downstairs?"

"Beg your pardon?"

"Just," she swallowed thickly, "I'll be down in a minute. Just, please, can you go downstairs?"

His face was suddenly void of any emotion, as though a dark curtain had dropped around him. "Fine."

When Snow had heard the first raised voice she knew her daughter was going to be in need of privacy, "Charming, Henry, why don't we go get some hot cocoa at Granny's and say hi to Ruby?"

Henry looked confused until her heard his mother's voice carry downstairs, "Sounds good."

David hesitated, eying the floor above them warily. "She knows how to take care of herself," Snow murmured quietly. "You said so yourself."

"I know," he put his arm around her and they followed Henry out the door. "I'm worried for him."

Emma quietly padded down the stairs to the living room where Killian was facing opposite her, sitting on the couch. He was hunched over and she could feel the tension radiating off of him.

Why do I hurt everyone? She finally made her way into the room and stood across the table so she could watch him.

Killian, for his part, was doing his very best to ignore her. Getting unceremoniously kicked out of her room was not something he enjoyed. Nor did he appreciate the slight against what he had been going through. If she wants to talk then she could go right ahead. It doesn't mean I have to fucking listen.

"Killian." Emma called his named softly, testing the waters. When he didn't so much as acknowledge her she called his name again, "Killian."

He was still staring at his hand resolutely and Emma had to resist the urge to stomp her foot like a child. "Goddammit Killian will you just look at me?"

Sighing heavily, Killian lifted his gaze to meet her desperate blue eyes. He couldn't muster the energy to cover his expression; she'd figure it out anyway so what was the point?

A barely stifled gasp escaped Emma's mouth. She had never seen his expression so raw. Not even when he'd finally opened up about Milah.

"What?"

Every word, each excuse, Emma had planned to say had flown from her head the moment his broken eyes had met her own. She had done that, she had hurt him. After everything he'd done last night she had thrown it back in his face.

"You're the one requesting I look, what exactly would like me to look at? Or would you prefer to talk some more, for all the good it's done me so far!"

All Emma could do was open her mouth stupidly. He was so hurt by what she'd done, he seemed to be deflating with every word that left his mouth.

Shaking his head and running a frustrated hand through his black hair, Killian finally stood, "Would you prefer I just leave then?"

"NO!" Emma's eyes widened frantically. "No. Please don't go."

Killian merely raised an eyebrow, but sat back down. "So what do you want, Swan?"

Emma winced at the renewed use of her surname. She ambled over slowly and took a seat next to him on the couch, careful to keep completely out of contact with any part of him. This time he didn't take her hand and she felt her stomach drop. You fucked up. You need to fix this Emma.

Mimicking his earlier stance she stared down at her hands, "I'm not sure. I just know I don't want you to go anywhere."

Her admission seemed to hearten him slightly.

"That's all very well and good lass," she noted the return of his pet names, "but I can't just sit here while you figure out what's going on in that pretty little head of yours." His good hand ran up and down the rough stubble covering his jaw. "We have to work this out together. This is about both of us now."

Emma nodded into her lap, knowing he was right and that she'd been an ass. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I know." His hand inched across the cushion and crept up onto her lap, lacing his fingers through her own. Blue eyes met blue and Emma felt calmer than she had since she'd gotten home that morning. "Emma, before all this happened you were my friend. The first friend I'd had in a very long time and I will not lose that. I won't. But this is real. This is something we have to talk about. Because you have my heart and I don't want it to get crushed again."

Emma bit her lip as she studied his face. He was so open, so undeniably exposed because he knew her. He knew she needed the absolute truth. "Killian…" She couldn't find the right words so she scooted closer and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I know we have to work this out together, but that's not something I've ever done." She peered up to see his face for some sort of encouragement. "No matter what you'll always be my friend. I don't think I could handle it if you just left, and not just because of what's happened." Emma lifted her head from his shoulder and Killian turned to look at her, "I know this is real. I do. But that doesn't make the change any easier."

"I know, love."

"Because my heart got crushed last time too."

"You already know I won't do that to you. I would never do anything like that. I may be a lot of things, but I've never been a coward."

A small smile began working its way onto Emma's face, tugging the corners of her mouth up and lighting up her eyes. "You are definitely not a coward. And you never have to worry about any heart being crushed. I'd never do that to you."

Killian released her hand and placed his arm around her shoulder, hauling her body closer to his own. He nuzzled his nose into her hair and mumbled, "It's not you I'm worried about, love. My heart is with yours now, I can't let it be taken."

Realization dawned on Emma's face and she went to pull away so she could make eye contact but Killian held steadfastly to their position.

"Don't think I'm going to let you get away so easily, lass."

Emma rolled her eyes, chuckling, and when she pulled away this time he let her go with a smirk gracing his lips. "You don't have to worry about that either."

"About you getting away? Oh, I'm well aware of that, I do love challenges."

"That's not what I meant, but good to know," a pink tinge graced her cheekbones. "I mean you don't have to worry about anyone else taking my heart. Literally or figuratively."

His smirk faltered, "Just because you're exceedingly brave doesn't mean you're immune to magic, Emma. Even Cora's heart could be crushed."

Emma smiled and opened her mouth but Killian was already talking, his frown had deepened, "This isn't to be taken lightly Emma."

"I'm not taking it lightly! My heart is safe."

"No one's heart is safe with the Crocodile around. I don't care how much his love says he's changed."

Growing frustrated at his inability to understand she turned fully to face him and grabbed his face between her hands, momentarily stunning him.

"My. Heart. Cannot. Be. Taken." Staring into his eyes Emma saw a bubble of hope start to form and the grin she'd fought off earlier came back full force.

A calloused hand ran across the skin covering her heart, "At all?"

"The only person who can take me heart is sitting right in front of me. And even then it's technically a metaphor."

His hand ventured up her neck to rest behind her ear, holding her as though she was precious and breakable. Killian closed his eyes and when he opened them Emma was still sitting in front of him, wearing a slightly bemused expression. "You're real."

Emma laughed softly but stopped abruptly at the look he was giving her.

Scanning his face she offered a confused smile, "What?"

Hesitating for only a moment, Killian leaned forward and kissed her.

This time there was no family, no fear, no confusion. It was just Emma and Killian and the air seemed to spark between them.

Emma responded immediately and slid one hand into his hair and the other down his chest, pulling him closer. She could feel him grin at her enthusiastic response and sucked on his bottom lip in retaliation. It was Emma's turn to smile when he released a groan.

Killian pulled her closer by looping his hook into her jeans and tugging. Emma followed his actions and wound up straddling his thighs as he wrapped both arms around her waist, removing any space that could have been left between them.

Emma sighed into the kiss and Killian took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth and take control. He tangled his tongue with hers and deepened the kiss even further. Emma moaned and tugged on his hair causing his hand to tighten reflexively around her hip.

The dizzying sensation he was eliciting made Emma question why she had cut their first kiss short. He was a damn good kisser, and she didn't care how he'd gotten to be so as long as he now only used his skills on her.

Noticing the affect tugging his hair had she scraped her nails against his scalp and a growl emanated from his lips. She broke away with a satisfied grin, gasping for breath.

Killian chased her retreating mouth and nipped lightly at her bottom lip before accepting her space.

Before she'd even had a chance to recover from their kiss his lips were on her neck, lavishing her skin with attention. He sucked on her pulse point and Emma had to bite back the moan threatening to escape. Killian's mouth released her skin and he licked his was down her neck, nipping occasionally.

Paying special attention to her reactions Killian bit down on the skin that connected her neck and shoulder. Emma's hips bucked into his and he smirked into her skin. He retraced his path with soft kisses up to her jaw, working his way across her cheek back to the corner of her mouth.

She kissed him softly before he pulled away and ducked his head into her neck, inhaling deeply.

Emma could feel his breath against her neck as he calmed down. She bit her lip as she met his eyes.

"Hey," she uttered gently.

"'Lo," he smiled tenderly.

Emma stroked her hand down his cheek, "You're real too." Killian chuckled. "Which, for me, is slightly more unbelievable as you were a fictional character a year ago."

"You wound me, lass."

"Shut up."

His hand ran the course of her back: up, down, up, down, up down and Emma relaxed even further into his embrace. "I guess this can be done, huh?"

"Oh, most definitely." She sighed, "Although I always knew kissing you would be doable so really…"

Emma hit his shoulder.

Emma was curled up into Killian's side as his hand ran the length of her arm. She was drawing patterns on his jean-clad thigh with her finger.

"So what now?"

Mulling over his answer Killian sat pensive for a few moments. "Well, as we are not a prince and princess but a pirate and a princess I think we ought to test the waters, so to speak."

"I am not a princess!"

Smirking as her indignant response he guffawed, "Well, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, what would you call yourself?"

"Emma," she retorted stubbornly. "And what do you mean test the waters?"

Killian's tone was light, "Just that we do as you said before. Take this slow. Just because we're one another's True Love," Emma wrinkled her nose and he smiled, "doesn't mean this is going to be rush job." She was still biting her lip when he glanced down at her, "We'll do this land's version of courting, with a bit of my own thrown in from time to time."

"Okay." Emma extended her arm and grabbed his hand, "I can do that. You're right, we don't need to rush or…or…"

"Or run off and get married tomorrow morning."

"Too right."

A roar of laughter erupted from his chest and he eyed her, "I'll try not be too offended by that, darling."

Blinking Emma fumbled for words, "I'm sorry. It's just that…I mean…I'm not…."

"Not to worry," he raised his hook to brush the hair that had fallen into her eyes. "Neither one of us are ready for that. Although," this time Killian's smirk was positively lecherous, "I wouldn't object to consummating our love and agreement on matters."

"Nice try."

"Ah well, I've already told you how much I love challenges. I think you might be the best one yet."

"Shut up," Emma muttered, cheeks flashing red.

Enjoying the responses he elicited Killian smiled, "I'd say we should teach you how to take a compliment, but I rather enjoy making you blush."

His comment only caused the red coloring to deepen and Emma took the opportunity to poke his side.

"Always with the violence!"

"You asked for it," she snorted, cheeks still hot.

Emma settled back into his side and his arm resumed the light sweeping path it had been on moments before. Mulling over the decision in his head, Killian figured there wasn't any harm in asking and there was a more than likely chance she'd say yes, so he cleared his throat to get her attention again.

"In the second stage of this courting business would you consent to have dinner with me tonight?"

Avoiding the question, Emma tilted her head to the side, "What was the first?"

"The kiss, lass." As though it should be obvious, "Stop avoiding the question. Will you join me for dinner?"

Emma was so shocked she almost forgot to respond. It wasn't until she saw the anxiety creeping onto his face that she shook herself out of her reverie.

"Of course!"

His lips cracked into a genuine smile, that Emma felt should be illegal because of the things it did to her insides. "I'll be back here to pick you up at eight."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

A small groan escaped her lips, "Now, now Emma. Don't sound too excited."

"How am I supposed to know what to wear?"

"Anything you wear will be fine." He seemed to think for a moment, "Or wear nothing, either one is fine with me."

She ignored his comment, "I hate surprises."

"Stop whining. I'm going to go to a lot of effort to be romantic so you are going to at least pretend to be excited."

Jutting out her lower lip she pouted, "Fine."

Killian nodded, removed his hand from her arm, and then untangled himself from her. "Whoa! Where are you going?" Emma stood up and reached a hand out to grab his arm.

Giving her a look that practically shouted sarcasm, "To get ready for tonight!"

Emma chewed on the inside of her cheek to suppress her grin, "No kiss goodbye?"

His eyes twinkled with mischief, "Why Miss Swan! Are you propositioning me for a kiss?"

Ignoring the insinuation he'd made she smiled hugely, "I believe I am."

"Good."

Killian wrapped his arm around her and wound a hand through her hair, angling her head up to allow him better access to her exquisite mouth. He pulled on her lower lip with his teeth then slipped his tongue in to massage her own with. How is it this feels like coming home?

Emma whimpered into his mouth as he teased her tongue and languidly kissed her until she couldn't think straight.

Smirking at the noise of protest she let out Killian brushed his hand across her cheek, "I'll see you tonight, love."

With one final, chaste kiss he exited her apartment, leaving Emma standing in front of the door in a daze. I can't believe I'm doing this again.