A/N: So this was inspired by a chat with my tumblr twin yash... the prompt was (loosely)that Emma just got back from NY and finds out Hook is working with Cora…so she marches on over to his ship all angry, meanwhile he's just standing there filing his hook like "Oh hey beautiful" Enjoy! *DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS OR THIS WOULD ACTUALLY BE HAPPENING ON THE SHOW*

"Emma? Are you even listening to me?" Snow said, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Hmm? No sorry, guess I'm just a little tired. What were you saying?" She asked. They had gotten back from New York that morning, and to say Emma was feeling drained would be an understatement. In the past few days she had seen the one person she hoped she would never see again, found out he was Gold's son, told Henry about him- fought with Henry too many times for her to count about him…Then to top it off, he decided to come to Storybrooke. Just being around Neal was making her head hurt, and now she was going to have to see a lot more of him. She turned to Snow to listen closer as she began talking.

"It's Hook. He's out of the hospital and he's working with Cora- and Regina. Somehow Cora has Regina in her grasp again, and Hook is helping them with something; we don't know what though. All I know is that every time we run into one of them, Charming comments on how suspicious they look. And Regina is pretty upset about Henry- Emma we think they might be planning a way to get him back to Regina…"

"But…That would never work- he wouldn't go to her unless-" Emma paused. She knew exactly what that meant. Henry would never go back to Regina, not as long as Emma was around. They were going to get rid of her- she could feel it. She turned and began running towards the docks without even saying goodbye, suddenly feeling as though she was running out of time. Out of the three of them, she felt like Hook was the most likely to give her answers. She couldn't believe it, though- after everything, Hook still sided with Cora. She thought that maybe, just maybe he had cut ties with her. Why would he even help her? He'd said it before; he only worked with Cora to get what he wanted- to get here. So why help now, especially when it means hurting me? She pushed the thought away, wondering where it came from in the first place. Emma's mind was racing and her anger towards him was back stronger than ever as the scenarios of losing her son at the hand of Hook ran through her head.

She neared the docks and slowed to a walk as she sifted through the boats, trying to find something resembling a pirate ship. When she couldn't find it, she assumed Cora had hidden it- once she found out there was magic, she probably hadn't waited long to use it. Emma was growing frustrated at the thought of trying to find an invisible ship, but then she heard the cry of a seagull and looked up. It flew around in a circle before perching itself in mid air at the end of the dock. She smiled to herself and walked to the gap at the end of the old pier. Now, if only she could find a way to get on the damn thing. She looked around and saw sand scattered around the wood, with a big bag of the stuff behind her. She picked up a handful of it and began showering it all over the place, making quite the mess as she tried to find a hidden path to the ship. Finally, she saw a ramp take shape and wasted no time in climbing aboard, her resolve returning. Right, talk to Hook, find out what's going on and don't take no for an answer, she thought.

She tumbled over the edge once inside the bubble, falling to the ground. She looked up and took in her surroundings as she stood, a small sigh filling the air. It was beautiful- she knew it had to be, it was Captain Hook's ship after all, but it was so much more than she expected. She walked around, looking for the pirate. He was leaning against one of the masts, filing his hook absentmindedly. She rolled her eyes as shouted, "What the hell is Cora planning, Hook?" She needed answers, and she wasn't going to wait around. She was not in the mood for his antics. He looked up, put the file away, and slowly straightened as a smirk fluttered to his lips.

"Well, look who found my ship. Nice to see you Swan, didn't know you were back already." His eyes traveled her body, taking her in as his grin widened. She let out a frustrated breath and made her way towards him. "Hook, I'm serious. What the hell is she planning? I know you're helping her so don't even-"

"I like that jacket on you. Very…fitted," He interrupted, his eyes returning to her face. He smirked again, his tongue darting over his lower lip. Emma grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes at him. She was maybe three feet from him, and suddenly felt very exposed at the closeness. Why had she walked towards him again? She crossed her arms over her chest in an effort to create a barrier, but it only seemed to draw his attention down again. His eyes flickered back to her hers, his smirk falling from his face. "I don't know, lass. All I know is she's working with her daughter, and that they want that bloody dagger as much as I do," he said, his tone serious. She was a bit taken aback by his change in demeanor, and swallowed the lump in her throat. His bright blue eyes searched hers as Emma tried to look away, but couldn't.

"Why do they want it?" she asked quietly, suddenly unsure of what she was trying to accomplish by being here. He shrugged his shoulders, his eyes never leaving hers. "How was your trip? You look tired, love," he stated. She rolled her eyes at his attempt to change the subject, answering, "Complicated. And probably because I am. You never answered my question."

"Ah, but you didn't really answer mine either, love. Complicated how? Did you find the croc's son?" he asked, his eyes darkening when he mentioned Rumple. She sighed, her arms tightening around her as she looked down. "We found him. He's in town right now…"

"Emma, look at me," he urged. She did as he asked, rising only her eyes to his. "What happened? You aren't telling me something."

Emma lifted her chin defiantly, wondering how he could read her so well. The concern etched across his face told her he genuinely wanted to know what had upset her. "His son…His son is Henry's father," she said quietly. His face pulled together in confusion, then in understanding. He shook his head slightly, saying, "You didn't know, did you? Bae never told you who he was?" When Emma replied a curious, "No," he looked away, a short sarcastic laugh leaving his mouth. "Bastard. Did Henry meet him?" He asked with a sense of anger she hadn't expected, but since he had addressed him by name, she assumed they had a history.

He still wouldn't look at her, but she could tell by the set of his jaw that he was pretty pissed off. "Yes, I didn't really have a choice." She paused a moment before adding, "Henry's still mad at me for lying about his dad being dead." She didn't know why she was telling him this, but she supposed she just needed to vent to someone, and as much as she hated to admit, he was pretty easy to talk to. Hook looked back to her then, his face trying to hide what emotion lay underneath his skin. "What happened between the two of you to tell Henry he was dead?" he asked. Emma couldn't tell what he was thinking, but something about the look he was giving her told her to answer. "He left me. Sent me prison, where I had Henry. He says that he needed to, that it was the only way to make sure I ended up here, but…He still shouldn't have done it." Her voice was quiet when she spoke the last part. It stuck her that she had came on this ship to find out what Cora had planned, and now she was having a heart to heart with Hook- how did that even happen?

"No, he shouldn't have. He of all people ought to know how damaging leaving can be." Emma gave him a questioning look as he said this, but he only shook his head. "Hook, why do you even care?" she asked, slightly irritated at how one sided the confessions were becoming. He looked up at her, his face void of emotion. She could see his chest falling a little faster, and his eyes traveled her face for a moment that lasted an eternity.

"Because he hurt you," he whispered.

Emma could feel her heart begin to race, and wondered silently whether or not it was because she was happy or confused at his words. Her arms fell to her sides and her eyes searched his to see if he truly meant it. "What's it to you?" she asked, her voice low. A small smile touched the corners of his lips and he replied, "Honestly, lass, I don't know." He contemplated whether or not to continue, and his forehead creased as he decided he would. "No, you know what- I do know. You are probably the most infuriating woman I have ever encountered, Miss Swan. Really, I can't stand you sometimes. You tie me up, threaten me, prevent me from getting my revenge, abandon me…You make me crazy you know? Not the good kind either- but the kind that makes me angry, and... You just won't leave me alone- you're always there in my mind ready to remind me of the many times you've managed to best me. I know it might come as a shock to you considering, but I actually pride myself on being such an intimidating captain. I usually don't let people get under my skin- and even those who do, are never women. Never in my life have I met someone who gets to me as much as you have- I can't seem to do anything right since meeting you… Bloody hell, Emma, I can't even have a measly sword fight without falling on my ass because of you. You literally have made it impossible for me to think straight, to be me. I'm not Captain Hook when I'm with you- how could I be? You take everything menacing about me and throw it aside, until I'm just a man who's un-bloody-hinged by the mere sight of you." His voice was shaking, his eyes piercing into hers.

Emma took a ragged breath to steady herself but it was no use. Her heart felt like it was going to explode- it was pounding so fast she was sure he could hear it. Her hands shook and she knew she should say something, but she couldn't. Her mouth was dry and she couldn't tell if she wanted to hit him or kiss him for what he just said. No one had ever said anything like that to her, and she didn't know how to deal with it. So she just stood there, looking at him with a dropped jaw. His face changed when she didn't reply, and he nodded his head a few times before looking away, his gaze now hard. "Forget I said anything. You should probably get back to your family, they'll wonder where you are soon," he said in a strained voice. Emma knew if she didn't say something now, the chances of him ever talking to her- really talking to her- again were slim. She could feel her body prepare for the tears building behind her eyes as he turned to walk away. She decided nothing was worse than not knowing, so she opened her mouth and started talking, her voice stronger than she expected it to be. "Wait! You're really dramatic, you know that? And you really are a horrible villain, minus the whole 'annoying as fuck' bit. You just never know when to shut up and you know what? I'm sick of it. I'm sick of your mind games and the nicknames. The way you can look at me and just see. I hate how I can't hide anything from you. I hate that you knew something was wrong today, and I hate you for leaving me in that cell." She could feel the tears start to fall down her cheeks, and she saw him swallow hard, watching them slide down her face as his façade started to break. Her voice softened a little when she spoke next. "But mostly I hate you for making me feel like…like I can't control myself. Because I can't, Hook. I don't know what to do; I saw my ex for the first time since he betrayed me, and all I could think about was you and how you left me in that cell. Of how I… almost lost you when you got hit by a car, which, by the way, I know you jumped in front of, you idiot... I can't get you out of my head, and I don't…" She took a deep breath, knowing she couldn't go back after what she was about to say next. "And I don't think I want to." A single tear slipped from his eye as she said it, his eyes still looking into hers.

"You aren't wearing your necklace," he said after a solid minute of silence. She laughed a little, shaking her head at his random thought. "You told me once that it reminded you never to trust," he said, his eyes flickering between her lips and her eyes. She was taken back- she forgot she even said that. She must have mentioned it while they were on the beanstalk, they had been up there for hours and she didn't quite remember everything said. How did he remember that?

"No, I'm not. Guess I don't need it anymore," she said softly. He smiled, his eyes falling to her lips once more before rising to her eyes. "Yeah?" he asked quietly as he took a step forward. "Why's that?" She took the final step, her body now against his. She could feel his heart hammering in his chest as hard as hers was, and she smiled. "Because I found something worth the risk," she told him, leaning in to brush her lips against his just barely. He sighed, his eyes falling shut as the sensation washed over him. He wondered if this was a dream, but decided it was real- she felt real. "Killian," she murmured. His eyes snapped to her waiting eyes, his resolve dissolving into the air as he reached up to brush her hair back with his hand, his left arm circling around her. "You said my name," he whispered in awe. She rested her hands on his chest, looking at his lips, desperately wanting them against hers. She shivered at the thought, not knowing at what point she had decided she wanted him. She didn't think she ever decided, though. She thought that maybe, just maybe, she always had.

Maybe she always knew it would lead to this moment.

"Hmm. I guess I did. Killian." His lips crashed against hers when she said it again, her mind muddling over with everything that was him. It took her a moment to process what was happening, but soon enough she was kissing him back, her hand moving to his hair, pulling him closer. Killian's arms tightened, moving his right hand up her body to her face, never breaking contact and sending shivers through her body. She let out a small sigh as his tongue grazed hers for the first time, and she knew she wouldn't trade this moment for anything. It felt so natural, kissing him. Their lips moved as if they had a hundred times before, and he managed to take her breath away in a way no one had before. When they finally pulled away for air, he kissed her nose and rested his forehead against hers, his eyes still closed. She looked at him with fascination, memorizing every inch of his slightly flushed face. One hand slid to his cheek as she touched the scar there with her fingertips, her other hand moving to his chest. He opened his eyes, and whispered, "Bloody hell, Emma." She laughed a little, rolling her eyes at his words. She bit her lip and looked at him under her lashes, lips moving against his when she spoke, her eyes still locked on his. "I missed you…Killian," she smirked when he closed his eyes as his name escaped her lips, noting that little trick for future reference. "I missed you too, love," he said before kissing her again, slowly this time. She could feel her body melt against his as their lips moved in sync, and then he was pulling away too soon. "Hey!" She muttered in frustration. He laughed, touching her face gently with his fingers and marveling at how she felt and wishing he had two hands to touch her with. "Gods, you're beautiful," he said. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that."

She smiled a little, wondering why this felt so natural. Maybe everything did happen for a reason, she thought. She was never one to believe in fate, but this didn't feel like a coincidence- meeting him didn't feel like a coincidence, it never had. She never felt so complete by just being in someone's arms before, and by the look he was giving her, she knew he hadn't either. Emma sighed and rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart as he wrapped his arms around her and laid his head against hers. "Promise you won't leave me," she breathed. He moved his head to look at her, her chin resting on his chest but her eyes looking to him. "Never," he swore before kissing her again. He wanted her to know that he meant it- that he would never do to her what Rumple's son did. He would never hurt her like that.

He wanted her to understand that, though they hadn't known each other long at all, he was already hopelessly in love with her.

His lips pulled at hers, his hand taking hers and placing it against his heart. He drew his lips back and traveled them along her jaw line before looking into her eyes. She sighed when his eyes met hers, knowing what he was trying to do. Her gaze moved to his chest, where their lands laid over his pounding heart. His lips met the space at the corner of her lips and she took a deep breath, reveling in how perfect he felt against her. "Emma," he breathed; his voice deep and longing. She smiled at him, twisting her fingers until they lined up with his, bringing his hand to her lips. His eyes closed as he took the moment in. She was finally his. And he hers, and he never wanted to let her go. In this moment, nothing mattered but them.

"Emma…I love you," he whispered, his voice unsure at how she would respond. She smiled and looked into his eyes, placing her hands on either side of his face. "I know," she replied with a soft kiss. "I love you, too."

FIN

A/N: so for those of you reading my other fic, Dream of Me, I promise you get a new chapter soon...it's sort of become this beast of a chapter...its already past 3,000 words and I'm not even to the main part yet...so IT'S MAKING UP FOR THE WAIT. love you guys3

reviews are always welcome!