She's exhausted.

Her life has turn into nothing but mundane since they got back from Neverland, since they save her son back, since she got back with Neal because it's the right thing to do.

Mundane but exhausting.

Since getting back from Neverland her life is consisted of a routine. She wakes up in the morning ask herself the same question every single day, 'Am I happy?' And shake the thought out of her head by answering 'Of course I am. I have my son back… and Neal.' Then she will get out of bed, prepare breakfast, go to work but not until she kissed Neal goodbye.

Staring at the pile of paper work in front of her, she let out a loud sigh. Loud enough for her father who is sitting at the desk just six feet away from her to hear. She knows he's looking at her now, concern etch all over his face. Not in the mood to explain anything to anyone she stood from her desk and grabbed her jacket.

"I'm going at Granny's to buy lunch do you want anything?" Emma asked looking at everything except at her father's eyes.

David also let out a sigh knowing exacting what her daughter is doing. She's running away again. He sees her everyday since they got back from Neverland to know something's bothering her. She's naturally aloof, caused by the abandonment issues growing up, but now it's different. His been thinking a lot and is certain he knows the reason. He wanted to tell her but can't find a right moment. He can't tell her now, not now that she'd completely convince herself that she's doing the right thing.

"I guess whatever they have for special today and coffee to drink."

Emma nod once, looked straight past her father, before turning around to leave.

She's not happy; he can see it in her eyes.

-0-

She was unaware of everything around her until she heard it, someone's laughter, his laughter. The sound made her stop in her tracks, madeher look at the booth at the very far end, and made her stare at the source of the sound. Another round of laughter erupted from his lips and Emma found herself smiling a little. That is until another person's laughter registered in her brain. A high pitched one, clearly not coming from a man, which causes Emma to flinch a little. Realizing that she's been standing by the door far too long, she forces herself to divert her gaze and found Ruby standing behind the counter worriedly looking at her.

Forcing her exhausted body to walk the short distance from the door to where Ruby's standing is proving to be harder than she thought, what's with the shared laughter coming for the far end booth increasing it's volume with every step. She swallowed, inhaled and exhaled before facing the lady across from her a large counter separating them.

"David will have today's special with coffee and I'll have grilled cheese to go." Emma ordered without even starting with the usual pleasantries. Ruby wrote down the orders, gave the cook the paper, and wandered somewhere else leaving Emma by herself with her thoughts and the 'laughter'.

She stared at her fingers intertwined at the top of the counter, allowing her hair to fall in front of her creating a curtain hiding away the look of pain that slip pass the wall of bravery she's wearing. 'His happy, of course he is. From villain he was crowned town hero after the trip to Neverland. He's allowed to be happy. He's allowed to be happy with someone else.'

A cup of hot cocoa with cinnamon on top stopped her train of thought from traveling further into the darkness. It was easier for her to change her expression from hurt to confuse because she did it in a matter of seconds.

"Your favorite on the house while you wait." Ruby grinned at her sympathetically. She offered a weak smile before reaching for the warm cup wrapping her too cold hands around it. Ruby allowed her one sip before dropping the bomb.

"They're always here," Ruby whispered. "Everyday having lunch."

"They are friends." Emma shrugged trying to be as nonchalant as her betraying body can, hair still curtaining her face she decided to look. She saw him; saw the twinkle in his eyes while looking not at her but a different blonde.

"Yeah right, friends!" The lady from behind the counter scoffs while putting her hand under her chin staring at the two people at the booth, not caring if they see her staring or not. Emma took another sip before giving Ruby a questioning look.

"Well I'm no expert, but every time those two were in here they look at each other like there's no one else in the diner." Ruby continued not even bothering to whisper anymore. 'Yeah, he use to look at me that way.' Emma shakes her head to remove the thought on her head. 'I did the right thing.' She reminded herself. With her wolf senses, Ruby instantly notice Emma's reaction, much to Emma's relief Ruby misinterpreted it.

"What? I do get bored in this diner you know," Ruby defended. "Plus those too liked to stay here even after everyone is gone." Ruby straightened her posture startling Emma in the process. "Well I guess not today."

Emma could hear it now loud and clear. "As always it was nice spending time with you Lady Bell"

"Well like you've said Captain, we did spend a lot of time together in that lonely island why can't we do the same thing in a much friendlier environment."

"Aye." Killian let out another soft chuckle.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll even pick you up from your new place."

Eyes focused on the cup of hot coca in front of her she heard the chimes attached at the door made a sound signaling that Tinkerbelle has left. She waited; waited for the other person occupying the booth to approach them, approach her.

"Thanks for the wonderful lunch today Ruby, I'll see you tomorrow." With that she heard the chimes again. She stared at the door, still waiting for the captain to come back. To talk to her, laugh with her, look at her.

Seconds, minutes passed she's not sure, but she's still staring at the door waiting until Ruby placed the packed food in front of her. It's time for her to go back to the sheriff station.

-0-

"You're back!" David stared at his daughter inquisitively while scrambling to stand up for his seat.

Emma startled by his reaction, looked around the sheriff station trying to find something unusual. When she didn't find any she looked at her flustered father with the same questioning expression plastered on her face.

"Yeah, I bought lunch from Granny's and I'm back." Setting the brown bag at her desk she cross her arms in front of her chest. "David what wrong?"

David let his head drop before scratching the back of his ear, a mannerism Emma learned to be something which means he's holding something back.

"David, lets hear it." Like father, like daughter, he is now looking at everything else except at her. Completely avoiding her.

"Dad!" That did the trick. "What is wrong?" Her voice a combination of worry and plead, she walked towards the fidgeting man in front of her as if urging him to answer her truthfully.

"You went to Granny's right? Didn't you… didn't you saw him?"

Emma holds her breath. He knows. Her father knows. Of course her father knows she's not happy, she could see it everyday from the way he looks at her, and what's worst is her father knows that Hook will be there in the diner, everyone in this bloody towns knows were Hook will be at a certain time except for her.

Emma turns back to the brown paper bag trying to dodge the question. At this rate with both David and her being stubborn they'll never get the chance to solve what's needed to be solved.

"Emma…"

"Your food is getting cold."

"Emma did you talk to him?"

"I didn't get the chance to see what they have for special today so… surprise."

"Darling…"

"What do you want David?!" She lost it. "What I did then is the right thing to do… for Henry… for everybody! And what I'm doing now is the continuation that right thing!"

David helplessly looked at her daughter. It's times like this he wishes he knows how to be a father. He doesn't know how to act at these moments, but it's been proven more than once that he is good with his words. "But is it the right thing for you? Emma, sometimes what makes the people around us happy is not the same thing that makes us happy. And sometimes we reached a time where we have to stopped being selfish with ourselves to find happiness and to know who among the people you care about, care about you as well."

"But Henry, Mary Mar-"

"Emma they'll understand! Henry's not a kid anymore, Mary Margaret can see it, I can see it, and everybody can see it." David closed the distance between them, pulling her daughter to hug. "Sweetheart you're not happy, not since you picked Neal."

Emma didn't pull back as the long overdue realization hit hard, instead she sinks further into the hug until David felt her shake closely followed by a sob. "But it doesn't matter anymore… its too late now."

"It's never to late when it comes to pursuing happiness."

"Well for me it is. His moved on now… I saw him, the way he looks at her. He looks happy… I can't take that happiness away from him, he'd been lonely far too long he deserves it."

"Her? Who?"

"It doesn't matter," she pulled back from the hug, things are getting far to comfortable with her she's not use to it. "Your foods getting cold."

And he knows that's his cue to stop, his daily dose of affection-from-her-daughter has reach its todays limit he'll try again tomorrow. 'Baby steps' he reminded himself.

-0-

There's no doubt the universe is up against her today. It's not like she's already emotionally drained or that she still have a pile of paper works to finish before going home, she could also hear footstep approaching. To tired to even look up she just let whoever it is come to her.

"Um do you prefer Savior or sheriff?" She knows that voice. Slowly lifting her head to look at the owner she quickly rack her brain of all the possible reasons the newest resident fairy might have for her to show up here at the sheriff station this late at night. 'Did she hear the conversation I had with Ruby at the diner this afternoon? Is she here to rub it on my face? I get it okay! I was too late, it was my lost!'

"Emma, call me Emma."

"Okay Emma, I'm just going straight to the point. Killian and I are not 'dating', or whatever your people is calling it in this realm."

Emma is positive that if she were drinking something right now she'd be choking, she also wishes to have something to choke with instead of her just awkwardly gaping at the woman in front of her.

"I'm sorr-"

"It was brought to my attention that you thought Killian and I are sharing something more than friendship, and let me assure you that we're sharing nothing else except for the rapport that we've build from the time we share in that dreadful island, Neverland."

Now Emma is truly out of words. She closed her mouth looked down and letting her eyebrows meet in the middle. Finally founding her voice back she said, "But the two of you are always together." It's more of a silly statement stating the obvious rather than what she planned it to be, a question.

Tinkerbelle let out a chuckle, the same one she heard in the diner earlier today. "I was helping him. If you haven't heard about it, I do that a lot, I help people mostly the ones looking for their true love."

Once again Emma was lost for something to say, the words 'true love' has that effect on her. She looked at the fairy urging her to continue.

"Well when we all arrived from Neverland everyone was there to witness the moment you picked Neal, but not everyone witness the look of devastation from the pirate's face. I guess it was just me and your father-"

"My father? David-Nolan-Prince-Charming-Storybrooke-Deputy-Fat her?"

Tink gave her a nod as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Yes, I can sense he was secretly hoping you'd pick the pirate, as I was saying I saw the look of pure sadness in the Killian's face and it was unbearable. So when Blue gave me my wings back I also ask her for a few pixie dusts.

"It took a lot if persuading but I acquired some. Having my wings back is enough for me, Wendy, the little girl, is reunited with her brothers so she's also happy. Your mother and father made it back together; Rumple is reunited with his true love, Regina is on a run to find a way to be with her true love, so I decided to use the dust on the only person from the group that has lost all hope of finding happiness…"

"Hook…" Emma finished the fairy's sentence.

"I was willing to use the pixie dust to find his true love, to help him moved on. To prove to him that he can still find happiness…"

"And?"

"The pixie dust worked, he found his true love…" Of all the time Tinkerbelle decided to pause for dramatic impact she should have done that while explaining everyone's happiness, because to be honest she lost her when she's talking about her wings and got her full attention back only when she senses that she's talking about Hook.

"Who?" Emma whispered because she doesn't trust her own voice anymore. If she's being completely honest she's terrified.

"You."

One simple three letter word that made everything around her spin and shatter into tiny hard to repair pieces. The impact on her was overwhelming it felt like the air was knock out of her chest. Few more seconds past she felt dizzy and had to grasp the corner of her desk for support. She diverts her gaze back to the fairy who's now looking at her with worry.

Tink was hesitant but she continued, "I once told this exact same words to someone we both know, but Emma do you know how selfish you are right now? Because not being with your true love will not just ruin your life, it will also ruin his."

When the words finally sink in that's when everything became crystal clear. She's now breathing heavy trying to get her composure back and the strength of her legs before uttering the words "Where is he?"

-0-

He heard it, the stomping of boots against the Jolly Roger's floor. He looked at the clock place at the table to check the time, it says 8:15, he scrunch his nose thinking if he should be expecting anyone tonight, no one came into mind so he just went straight to the door. He opens the door of the captain's quarter leading to the deck only to come face to face with flustered Emma Swan who has her hand raised about to knock.

"Swan, what are you doing here?"

Emma have had her fair share of drama for one day she just wants to get it over with.

"You told me you'd fight for me… That you'd win my heart… Why did you stop?"

Killian was completely caught off guarding expecting a totally different scenario, something like she's here to arrest him for causing some trouble in the town not this, especially after her little show in the dock when they arrived in Storybrooke when she picked Baelfire over him. He stopped expecting her to show up in his ship after that.

"You made your choice." He answered simply.

Emma is beyond furious. She is exhausted and furious.

She let out a few shaky breathe before asking him another question. "The pixie dust… it led to me," she's looking at him now straight in the eyes. Those ocean blue eyes she'd missed so much.

He let out a dark humorless chuckle. "Well it's pretty clear to me that our little dalliance is one-sided, that it meant something for me and meant nothing for you. You chose Neal and that made you happy, love. It made you and your lad very happy, and that's all I want, for you to be happy even if it meant you're wrapped in somebody else's arms."

Emma is losing her patience. Can't he understand why she's here right now in front of him, asking why he stopped fighting for her heart? Talking about the pixie dust that leads to his true love. But he can't bring herself to get mad, because that is one of the most unselfish thing someone has ever said to her. Gathering the little amount of strength left in her body and putting her annoyance aside she said, "But… I'm not happy…"

"Lass-"

"I stopped being happy when we returned from Neverland. I thought getting my son back, and having both of my parents back here in Storybrooke, giving Henry the chance to have a complete family growing up will make me happy… but I'm not…" Emma started choking from her own sobs but she didn't let it stop her.

"Because the last time I was truly happy, was when I'm with you. And right now I don't want to be selfish anymore, I just want to be with yo-"

He didn't let her finish, he pulled her and wrap his own arms around her, the woman he loves so much, his true love. God knows how much he had to restrain himself from pulling her in his arms and never let go before, and now that he have her in his arms he's never ever letting her go.

It was a long moment before she pulled back from the hug, arms still wrapped at each other she looked up to him and then she smiled, her first genuine smile in a while. Killian smiled back at her, one that showing how happy he truly is, and it's enough for the heavy weights to finally leave her shoulders and her heart.