Disclaimer: I don't own either of these stories. Just a Fangirl that got the idea during a too long hiatus while watching a movie.

Emma was just ready to completely crash. Not only had her world been turned on its head by a leather clad pirate but then the guy thing she had been dating for 8 months turned out to be a FREAKING flying monkey that tried to kill her. She was just so tired. Tired of being the savior, Tired of always keeping a watchful eye over her shoulder, Tired of having all the men in her life leave her or not be what they seemed. Soft thuds sounded behind her, 'well maybe not all men' Emma thought as she heard Hook come up next to her.

"Lass are you alright?" he asked, concern and worry coloring his tone greatly.

"Yes, no, I don't know anymore. I don't know what's real anymore. My world just completely changed, I've never been safe, and the guy I was dating ended up being a flying monkey. And soon I'll have to find a way to explain all of this to Henry." Emma spoke, her voice betraying just how defeated she was feeling as she walked to the couch and all but crashed onto it.

Seeing the rum bottle on the table, Killian grabbed the two glasses and the bottle before bringing them all over to the coffee table in front of the couch before sitting down across from her. He then proceeded to pour them both a drink before turning and looking at her.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Emma just shook her head and reached for her drink. Her thoughts were still all jumbled up and bouncing around as her brain tried to sort between old memories and new, truth and fiction. But sitting here, drinking with Hook, Emma felt safe. She felt her mind start to calm down in his presence.

"Emma, I just wanted – I'm sorry. I wouldn't have ever come and brought your memories back unless there was a dire need. As long as you were happy, I would have been content with that." Killian started saying, feeling guilty that all of this is because of him. Had he not come for her, she would have remained ignorant and happy.

"Killian, Don't" Emma said, his gaze meeting hers as she calls him by his real name. "Don't apologize for something you don't have to be sorry for. Yes, you brought back my memories. But you were right, it was a life of lies and I wouldn't have ever wanted that. Yes, I was happy, but clearly I was never safe, even here. Killian, don't apologize. Because, Thank you. You came back for me. No one's ever done that."

"Does that surprise you?" he asked, his trademark smirk forming quickly.

"No. It doesn't. If anyone could have succeeded, it would have been you. That I have no doubt over."

Her statement surprised him and rendered him momentarily speechless, for it was how she said it, just plain as day like stating a fact. And as he sat there in his shocked state, Emma bent over the table and poured more rum into each of their glasses, lifting hers to her mouth as she watched him.

A few minutes later, Killian stood up and made his way to the kitchen, taking his glass with him.

"I'll leave you then for the ni—"

"No. Stay. Please." Emma spoke quickly, interrupting him. She didn't want to be alone tonight and knew that she only felt truly safe and content when he was near.

"Emma, are you sure?"

"Killian, I'm not sure on where we go from here. All I know is that I don't want to be alone tonight and that when I'm around you my mind is calm and that I feel safe. So please stay."

"As you wish." Killian said, a soft smile appearing. For he knew there was nothing he could deny Emma, especially when asked so kindly.

Emma stood and approached him, reaching for his hand. When Killian saw that she was leading him towards her bedroom he began to speak, "Lass, what-"

"I was just going to get changed in to night wear and thought you would like to change too. Besides, we can just talk tonight." Emma said, sensing his unease.

Grabbing an extra pair of sweats and a large t-shirt, Emma threw them at Killian before grabbing her own and headed to the bathroom to change. 'What was she doing? She was never this forward, But just being around him right now made Emma want to just be. Be with him, be safe, and just be.' Sitting on the bathtub's edge, Emma's mind started reeling as she realized just what she was doing, but yet she wasn't afraid or wanting to run. She was just shocked by her sudden boldness concerning the pirate.

Finally emerging, Emma saw Killian sitting on the foot edge of her bed looking at the floor when she noticed that he wasn't looking at the floor but at his brace. He had taken the fake hand off and was apparently mulling over whether or not to take the brace off as well. Walking up and kneeling in front of him, Emma reached for it only for him to pull away, fear widening his blue eyes.

"It's alright. Please let me see?" she said softly, trying to reach for it again. Pulling it close to her, Emma started to undo all the buckles and laces that the contraption that held his hook on was made of. Slowly pulling it off, Emma got her first look at the scarred flesh that was Killian's left wrist. After placing it on the floor and then sitting on the bed next to him, Emma pulled the wrist back toward her and started kneading it, working out tension and discomfort that must have built up from wearing it for so long.

"This doesn't scare me, Killian. It's a part of you and is a symbol of something you lost when fighting for your love. And that is beautiful."Emma said, knowing he needed to hear that she accepted him, not just see it.

Emma then crawled to the other side of the bed and leaned against the headboard before patting the spot next to her inviting him to her side.

"I want to hear about your journey. How did you find me?" She asked, somewhat timidly once he had joined her.

"It's quite a long story, lass, so for tonight, how about I start once I arrived here in the Land without magic."

"That seems fair." Emma agreed, leaning her head on his shoulder after a moment.

"After a long and at times a seemingly impossible journey, I finally found myself emerging among the flashing lights and busy life that is this city, New York you called it. I was unsure of where to go at first; all I had was the clothes on my back, the address to Neal's apartment, and the potion I gave you. I'm sure I could have scrounged up a few other supplies should the need arose but I was focused on trying to find you.

"As I began to start searching, my first thought was to try and find your address. But soon my attention had been drug away by something else. For after crossing one of the busy streets and managing not to get hit by one of those metal contraptions you people are so fond of getting into, I suddenly was pulled on the arm by this guy who was dressed far more conspicuously then I was. He had a lot of purple on, purple tights and a really poofy purple shirt, like this man's outfit made ball gowns look downright flat. He had grabbed me and asked if I was the villain that had captured his princess. I tried to tell him to bugger off but after he asked again, I told him I didn't know where his was because I was still looking for my own. We then proceeded to talk about the various similarities and differences on our quests. He was looking for a maiden named Giselle, whom he had just met and believed to be his True Love. Have you heard of her, lass?" Pausing to look at Emma, asking her about this other princess, in hopes that maybe they could reunite the other couple.

Emma thought for a moment, "No, I haven't. Sorry. I wish we could help, but we have our own problems to save. Though he sounds vaguely familiar." She said, her shoulders sagging at the weight of all the new problems she was remembering at that moment. Seeing her look down trodden, Killian put his arm around her and pulled her close, her head landing on his chest before he placed a soft kiss in her hair.

"You'll save the day lass. I know you will. Now would you like me to continue my tale?" he spoke, softly whispering reassurances in her ear. Feeling her nod against his chest, Killian went back to his story.

"Edward and I then began to try and look together. His ideas a bit more adventurous and outlandish than mine on some aspects but he also had this little chipmunk with him that helped him look. We explored the city and came upon one of those larger mechanical contraptions. Edward decided to jump on it when it had come to a stop and thought it to be a beast. Let's just say that he stabbed it with his sword and we both ended up getting yelled at by the lady who operated the contraption. She was scary and very loud.

"After finally running away from the scary lady, we found ourselves in Central Park. That's how I found the zoo entrance we met at this morning. We were talking about where either of them could be as we crossover one of the bridges when suddenly Edward stopped because he could hear singing. The next thing I knew, he was jumping over to the ground below the bridge and suddenly burst out into song. And then just as suddenly, a bunch of people on two-wheel contraptions ended up running him over. Pretty sure that knocked him out cold. Seeing that he was surrounded by these other people, I decided to continue on my own way to try and find you myself. I had assumed that Edward, once woken, would follow the voice and find his princess.

"Unfortunately that rather odd detour cost me a day that I could have spent finding you. But I ended up finding Neal's apartment to sleep in and the next day I was back where I started. No clue on where you were or how to find you. So this time around, I found one of those things, I believe you call them a phone book, and looked up your name, which gave me an address. And well lass, you know the rest." Killian spoke softly and evenly, his voice soothing and caressing Emma as he wove his tale.

While he had been speaking, Emma had just closed her eyes and let her mind completely relax as she ended up, unknowingly, shifted closer to the soft voice in her ear. With her head resting on his chest and an arm thrown across his stomach, Killian pulled her closer once he was done speaking and placed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Sleep Emma, I've got you." He whispered before shifting to pull the blankets over them and settling in for the night. "And I will always find you, my princess."