So, this is going to be kind of an experiment. A project to make the hiatus fly by faster for all of us. I will give each chapter an open end (no 'bad' cliffhangers, I promise; or at least not many), and let you decide how you want to see it continued. Tell me via reviews or messages (here or on Tumblr), and I will pick one idea and go with it. Angsty, fluffy, smutty. It doesn't matter. Every idea is welcome.

Let's see how that works out! I hope you are having fun with this one. :-)

Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me, just this story.

Chapter 1

Her hands were shaking, and she curled them around the tumbler in her hands. It had been so close, and now after the adrenaline had worn down, and her mind had calmed down it really hit her.

She had almost lost him.

Tears were pricking the back of her eyes, and she couldn't believe that now, after everything was over, she might start crying. Biting down on her bottom lip, she gulped hard, staring blindly at the kitchen counter. This stupid pirate had said good bye to her, thinking he would never see her again. If the worst had happened … she shook her head, trying to get the pictures out of her head. His glowing heart in the hands of Gold, his anguish cry as Gold closed his fingers around Killian's heart, intending to crush it.

She bit down harder, concentrating on the pain. Balling one hand into a fist, she dug her nails into the skin of her palm.

She had almost lost him.

"Everything alright, Emma?"

She turned around slowly, forcing her lips to form a smile as she saw the worried expression on David's face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, but the smile faltered, and a lonely tear trailed down her cheek.

He was by her side in a second, pulling her into his arms and cradling her head, and a sob escaped her as she buried her face in his chest, her fingers grasping at his shirt and holding on for dear life as silent sobs shook her body.

He held her for minutes, not letting her go until her breathing evened out again. Feeling slightly embarrassed for breaking down like that, she pushed back and wiped her fingers over her wet cheeks.

"I can't believe I am going to say this, but ..." David cupped her face, tilting it up so that she had to look him in the eyes. "How about you are going back to Granny's and see Hook? You will feel better having him near you."

"You think?" she croaked out, her voice still hoarse from crying.

"Go!" David pressed a kiss on her forehead before pushing her towards the door. "Go, see your pirate."

My pirate.

Her mouth tilted up into a shaky smile, and she grabbed her jacket from the coat rack, pushing her feet into her boots.

"Okay. I'll go."

She climbed down the stairs, getting faster and faster with each step, and as she closed the door behind her, she started to run, her feet pounding on the asphalt as she raced towards Granny's.

Suddenly she couldn't be near him fast enough.

Scrambling for the key Ruby was hiding in the shrubbery by the back door, she fumbled it into the lock, stumbling up the steps to his room. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she tried to convince herself it was due to her sprinting the whole way. But she knew better.

Her hands were sweaty, and she rubbed them down her pants, a queasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach as she raised her hand and knocked.