A/N: This is my first Captain Swan fic. I own nothing but the plot of this.
The sounds of the machines could just barely be heard as the fog in his mind began to clear. He didn't know what exactly he was getting for his pain, but it always seemed to knock him out for at least a few hours. That part he didn't really mind. The bed was wholly uncomfortable and he knew he needed to rest, but was never able to really sleep unless he got whatever it was they put through the needle in his arm. As his mind began to clear more he noticed that someone was sitting next to him on the bed. He opened his eyes and he blinked several times to help them adjust to the light. That was when he noticed Emma sitting on the side of his bed exactly where she had the first time he woke up to find her there.
"Are you making it a habit of watching me sleep, Miss Swan?" Killian asked with an amused smirk on his face.
"I wasn't watching you sleep," she shot back, rolling her eyes. "I needed to talk to you and you always seem to be knocked out when I come by. Probably from all of the pain medicine Whale has been giving you."
"Am I to believe that there was no other alternative than waiting for me to wake?" Killian asked, rubbing his eyes with his right hand. He pulled it back and stared at it for a minute, just now realizing that he was no longer bound to the bed by her cuffs. He gave Emma a questioning look.
"It's not like you're going anywhere in the state you are in right now," she answered, ignoring his first question. "I'd like to see you try to walk with how many broken ribs you have."
Killian just stared at her for a moment. He wasn't sure what to make of her un-cuffing him while he slept. Part of him wanted to think it was because she might want to trust him, but he knew she was right about what thing. It already hurt when he barely moved. He wasn't going to be going anywhere anytime soon.
"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about, love?" Killian asked.
"I have to leave Storybrooke for a while and I am hoping I can count on you to at least try not to cause any trouble," Emma stated, seriously. "David is going to be acting sheriff while I'm gone and I would prefer he didn't have to clean up any of your messes, Hook."
"You already stated yourself that there really isn't much I can do in my condition right now," he answered, confused. "What kind of trouble do you think I can cause when lying in a hospital bed?"
"Belle is in the hospital too and I would really prefer you stay away from her," Emma answered. "I'm sure given who you are, you could find a way if you really wanted to. I need you to promise that you won't harm her."
"I have no quarrel with the Belle girl and besides, I've already caused her to forget the crocodile," Killian stated, hate dripping out with his last words. "I have no reason to harm the girl now, therefore I promise you, I won't."
"Good," she said simply, standing up.
"Why exactly are you leaving town and why do care so much about what happens to Belle?" He asked, wondering what brought on this conversation to begin with. He never minded seeing Emma, but he had a feeling that there was something more to this than her asking that he stay out of trouble.
Emma was silent for a second. Killian was usually good at reading her, but this time she had herself walled up too well for him to get through. He could tell that she seemed conflicted about something, but he had no idea what could be going through her head now. It seemed like an hour before she spoke again.
"I'm leaving to help Gold find his son,"
"You're WHAT!" He nearly shouted and shot up in the bed hissing in pain and holding on to his ribs.
"Easy," Emma said, sitting directly in front of him attempting to help him sit up.
"You're leaving town with the Crocodile?" He growled, attempting to get control of the pain he now felt all over his body. "He could kill you, Emma."
Emma appeared taken aback when he used her first name, but she quickly pulled herself back together. "He isn't going to kill me. At the moment he needs me and I didn't really get much of a choice in the matter."
"There is always a choice," said Killian. "Once he gets what he wants and has no use for you what do you think is going to happen? He could take your heart, Emma."
Killian was usually in more control over his emotions. He never wanted to admit it to Emma, but he cared about her and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. If the Crocodile knew that he cared about her, he would most likely try to kill her to get revenge on him for what he did to Belle.
"He can't take my heart, Hook," Emma replied, she seemed shaken. "Cora tried and she couldn't. I don't think anyone can. Besides, I'm doing this to protect the people I. . ." she trailed off.
Killian was clearly surprised, but not as surprised as Emma was when he lifted his good hand to rest over her chest where her heart was. He could feel it pounding rapidly. He wondered if he was causing that. His hand remained over her heart when he looked up at her.
"He can't take your heart?" He asked as if trying to reassure himself. She just nodded. Killian noticed she looked scared. He assumed he had the same look on his face when she told him she was leaving with the Crocodile. He removed his hand from her chest and rubbed the back of his neck. "Who are you trying to protect? Did he threaten your family?"
"He threatened to kill me and my family if anything happened to Belle while we were gone," She confessed, looking down at the bed sheets as if they were the most interesting thing she had ever seen. "But. . ."
Emma seemed increasingly nervous picking at the lint on the bed sheets. Killian used his good hand to angle her head back up so he could look her in the eyes when he spoke. "But what, love?"
She was silent for a few minutes staring into his eyes. "He threatened to kill you," she whispered so softly he wasn't sure he had heard her right. His heart skipped a beat and he wasn't sure how to respond. She was willing to risk her life for him when she had a family here to protect.
"Why . . . would you do this . . . for me?" He asked softly mesmerized by her eyes in this moment. If he didn't know better he swore she was leaning in closer to him. It must be the pain medication. He thought. Then he felt her right hand cup his cheek and he noticed something change. His breath hitched at her touch. The fear was still in her eyes, but now there was something else. She spoke again only slightly above a whisper.
"I don't want you to die, Killian,"
His breathing became shallow and he could feel his heart beating rapidly. For so long he had thought he hadn't had a heart and now he could feel it as clear as day and he knew it was because of Emma. The look in her eyes suggested that she was feeling the same thing, but he couldn't be sure. She wasn't as much of an open book as he had told her before and his mind was still a little foggy from the medicine he was on. Part of him wasn't even sure she was really here, touching him.
"Why . . . would you care if I did?" He finally replied, needing some kind of reassurance that he wasn't imagining things.
She moved her hand to behind his neck and now he was sure she had been inching closer this whole time. "You know why, Killian," she said before bringing his lips to hers. He gasped against her lips surprised by the sudden action. He had never imagined that he would be kissing Emma Swan and he especially didn't expect her to be the one to initiate the kiss.
When the surprise finally passed, Killian began to kiss her back tenderly while bringing his good hand up to tangle in her hair. He pulled her closer, ignoring the twinge of pain in his ribs. Kissing Emma was worth the pain. Emma brought her other hand up to rest softly on his shoulder as she parted her lips and sighed. Killian took the opportunity to deepen this kiss and Emma made no signs of protest. After a few moments he pulled away just barely to catch his breath. When he looked up Emma had her eyes closed.
Killian tucked a few strands of Emma's hair behind her ear before he spoke. "Look at me, love."
When Emma opened her eyes, he leaned in and placed another chaste kiss against her lips before he spoke again. "If you have to leave with the Crocodile you have to promise me you will come back in one piece. I don't want to lose you too, Emma."
Emma smiled and moved her hand back to rub her thumb over his cheek. "There is nothing that could stop me from coming back."
Killian smiled back. This time a genuine smile and not the trademark smirk he usually wore. "You promise, love?"
"Yes, I promise," she laughed, beginning to stand up. "Besides, I still need to arrest you when I get back."
Killian was still smiling, but couldn't help but roll his eyes. "You and those damn cuffs."
Emma leaned in enough so he could feel her breath on his lips when she spoke. "This time when I cuff you I promise you'll enjoy it." She placed a soft kiss to his lips before heading back to the door. She turned to look at him and he was sure she would be able to see the desire in his eyes.
"I'm going to hold you to that, love," He said, leaning back in the bed and giving her his trademark smirk before she smiled back at him before making her way out of the room.
Now he was left alone with nothing but the sounds of the machines to keep him company, but that didn't matter anymore. Emma would be back later and she had a promise to keep. He closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep with a smile on his face.
A/N: Review?