Emma had learned in the past couple of years that most of the fairy tales she heard as a child were wrong. Peter Pan was a bloody demon… the Beast was also Rumpelstiltskin… and Prince Charming was the son of a sheep farmer…
And she could deal with all of that. Well, at least, she had dealt with all of that.
But, seriously? Seriously?
- The one thing they got right was flying monkeys? Of ALL the things to get right! The Wicked Witch had flying monkeys.
This can't be her life.
Emma was walking through the village with Henry and Roland when the warning bell sounded, immediately followed by Grumpy's voice shouting, "They're coming!" from the parapet.
Quickly, she lifted her eyes to the sky and, sure enough, she could see a swarm of them heading toward the castle.
"Henry, get inside! Roland, come here!"
Dropping the basket of apples she'd been carrying, she bent to pick up the toddler and chased after Henry, following him into the blacksmith shop and immediately searching the establishment for a good place to hide the boys.
"Over there," she motioned to Henry, heading for the back of the room. She put Roland down in the corner and ushered Henry in next to him. "Henry, you stay here with Roland. Be as quiet as possible. I'll come get you when the attack is over."
"But, Mom – " Henry began.
"No, Henry, someone has to stay with Roland," she interrupted with a stern look but followed it quickly with a soft brush to his cheek. She tried to give them a smile but she knew it was tight.
"Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine," she told them.
Looking around, she found a sword on a table nearby and handed it to Henry. Then, with a strained grunt, she pushed a heavy cabinet in front of them to hide them. Once she was satisfied they were hidden as best she could manage, she turned, drawing her own sword and running toward the castle.
When she arrived, the attack was already in full swing; Regina throwing fireballs… Mary Margaret and Robin shooting off arrows in rapid succession… Neal and the dwarves swinging axes and swords… Villagers running, screaming… some fighting back.
It was pandemonium.
A quick scan didn't reveal David or Hook and her heart plummeted. She knew they had planned on scouting the surrounding area that morning and she hoped they hadn't been ambushed in the woods. Just as the thought crossed her mind, however, she saw the two of them emerge on the other side of the field, swords drawn.
She knew a moment of relief but it was short-lived when one of the monkeys dove toward her… The teeth. Oh my god, the teeth. She didn't remember teeth like that from the movie. Twisting her body, she swung her sword at the monkey, catching its wing as it approached. The screech it let out was so shrill Emma had to cover her ears, turning to watch it crash to the ground. The monster didn't stop, though, turning on her the moment it could with its teeth bared and going for her throat.
Hook's heart was pounding, whether from fear or the all-out run he and David had just made, he wasn't sure. But the moment he entered the clearing and his eyes landed on Emma, there was no question; fear was the winner. She was on the ground, one of those vile creatures attacking her, its teeth snapping within inches of her throat. He could see her struggling, holding it back with all of her strength and he took off at a run, his attention fixed solely on the blonde and her attacker.
From out of nowhere, he felt a jerk and he was flying, feet dangling, as one of the monkeys picked him up by catching one taloned foot in the back of his jacket. Frantically, he swung his sword and cut off the leg that had a grip, falling so hard to the ground that the wind got knocked out of him. When he looked up, he found Emma only a few feet away, the monkey above her dead and the small knife he had given her protruding from its neck. He breathed again. Thank the gods.
Jumping to his feet, he pushed the offending animal off her and helped her up.
"You alright, Swan?"
"Yeah, I'm –" her eyes widened, "Behind you!"
He turned and swung his sword high, connecting with the beast's wing. Then, he and Emma were taking up positions facing away from each other, both protecting the other's back as the fight raged on.
Adrenaline was pumping through Emma's system, her muscles filled with it as she swung the heavy sword again and again. She could feel Hook at her back, could hear his grunts of exertion as he took on one after another, but… but there were so many.
Scanning the scene, she saw David take one down, several others falling at the hands (or arrows) of Robin and Mary Margaret. Raising her eyes straight above them, she noticed several of the monkeys circling high, not involved in the actual battle. Their vests were a different color than the others, too, blue instead of orange.
They must be commanders, or something, she thought to herself.
Just as that thought entered her mind, she saw one of the orange vested monkeys fly up, seemingly requesting instructions, then turn to dive right at her. She raised her sword, ready to slice the thing in half when it got close, but instead of going for her, it went for Hook. She cut it down before it reached its target.
It was then that a high, piercing screech sounded from above; the noise reverberating through the air and causing everyone, including the fighting monkeys to look up. Then, in complete unison, all the creatures started retreating, flying up to the commanders.
No… not retreating, regrouping, Emma realized. That thought scared her more than the battle because it suddenly hit her that this wasn't just an attack. There was a plan… They were after something… or someone.
Hook. They were after Hook.
"Get to the castle," she screamed, turning to grab his arm and pulling him along with her. She kept her eyes on the sky as she ran, barely noticing that David, Neal and Grumpy joined them. They had almost made it to the castle walls when one of the blue vested monkeys dove straight at them. As it did, several of the others took up positions on its flank.
They weren't going to make it.
"They're after Emma!" she heard Regina shout.
But they weren't.
The entire group stuttered to a halt and she felt Hook step in front of her as David and Neal lined up behind her.
"No! They're not after me," she yelled, grabbing for Hook's arm…
But her hand lost its grip when he charged the first monkey.
"No!" she screamed again, the sound tearing from her throat. She tried to run after him but David gripped her around the waist to pull her back. She struggled against his hold, "It's not me!" she yelled again, "They're after Hook!"
As if to prove her point, the monkeys were suddenly on him and everyone's eyes followed, all of them seemingly stunned at this turn of events.
All she could see were monkeys and the occasional flash of black leather and her heart nearly stopped. Left with no choice, Emma elbowed her stunned father in the stomach and wrenched herself from his grip, speeding toward the creatures and swinging her sword madly. She reached Hook just as his feet left the ground, lifted by the blue vested beast while the others circled to protect their leader.
They weren't trying to kill him, she realized, they were trying to take him.
Hell fucking, no,she thought, reaching out to grab his leg and pull him back down. The monkey was too strong, though, and her feet leave the ground, too, but before she got very far another hand closed around her ankle… Neal.
The weight of the three of them seemed to be enough to stop the ascent but her hand was slipping against the leather of Hook's pants, so she tossed her sword and lifted her hand to get a better grip.
Arrows were flying everywhere, the screeches from the animals ringing in her ears but she barely registered it, all of her concentration centered on keeping her grip on Hook's leg. Using every bit of her strength, she pulled as hard as she could but the scream of pain she heard made her pause.
Looking up to meet his eyes, she saw them riddled with agony, the deep blue nearly black with pain. It was then she saw a drop of blood land on her hands and she followed its path to see Hook's hand covered in red. Following her gaze further, she realized the monkey's talons weren't buried in his coat but actually ripping into his shoulder.
A large flap of wings had Hook screaming again and Emma's stomach plummeted to her toes. It was like tug-of-war – but Hook was the rope. And every tug made the animal's razor sharp talons sink deeper. The other monkeys were still surrounding the three of them, making it impossible for anyone else to shoot the monkey who had Hook in its clutches, and time seemed to suspend as they hung there, staring into each other's eyes.
"I'm NOT letting you go," she told him before he could say a word and even through what must be excruciating pain, he managed a quick smile.
It was soon after that she felt another set of hands on her leg, pulling her down toward the earth. Apparently, David had managed to get past the wall of beasts and between he and Neal, it seemed they had enough strength to overpower the flying monstrosity.
After only a few inches, though, one of the other monkeys rammed her in the stomach and she felt her grip on Hook's leg slip. There was nothing she could do to defend herself, her sword lay useless on the ground beneath her right next to Hook's, so she just gritted her teeth contracted her fingers around his ankle. After a moment's desperate struggle, she regained her grip and pulled down with all of her strength. Hook's heart-wrenching scream made her wince but the alternative was unacceptable. They could not have him.
Suddenly, they were falling, a well-aimed arrow having made it through the throng and taking out the blue vested monkey.
Once they were on the ground, she crawled toward Hook and covered him with her body, protecting him the only way she could. It wasn't long before she realized he wasn't moving and her blood ran cold. "Hook?" she gasped, taking his face in her hands. When he didn't reply, she frantically grabbed him by the lapels of his coat, trying to get him to sit up. His head lolled to the side and panic overtook her, the rest of the world fading to nothing.
"Hook!" she screamed. "Hook, open your eyes! Look at me!"
When he still didn't respond, she shook him, "Hook! Come on! OPEN YOUR EYES!"
Her voice sounded desperate even to her own ears but she didn't care as she took in the rapidly graying pallor of his features. Her throat closed and her eyes filled, laying him back on the ground as gently as she could manage, immediately checking for a heartbeat. She let out a sigh of relief when she found it but when she pulled her hand away it was covered in blood. Pushing his coat off his shoulder, she saw the jagged wound left behind by the monkey's talons and she pressed her hand onto it, trying to stop the bleeding.
He was so pale.
There was so much blood...
Too much blood.
No,she thought, no, no, no, no! You can't do this. You can't die on me. Don't… Don't leave me. Oh, God… you've got to wake up. Let me see those beautiful eyes. PLEASE, Hook.
Her heart was pounding in her ears, its rapid beat making everything else sound very far away. There was thumping and shouting but she didn't even try to make out the words, a hazy fog settling around her while she watched his chest rise and fall, still pressing on the wound with all her strength.
The shouting got sharper and, suddenly, she was being pulled away from him. In her panicked state, she fought like a wild animal, trying to defend him from any threat. She felt her elbow connect with something hard and she heard a grunt. The yelling continued and Emma was yelling, too (although she wasn't sure what she was actually saying), all the while fighting to get back to Hook's side. Slowly, the realization penetrated that the monkeys were gone and she drew a deep breath into her lungs, doing her best to make sense of the voices over the pounding in her ears but it was futile. She could only stare at Hook, lying motionless on the ground. Then she couldn't see him as something… no, someone, blocked her view and she renewed her struggle, trying to get to him.
Someone smacked her across the face, hard.
Tinkerbelle's features came into focus and, somehow, her voice broke through the din. "Emma, stop! The attack is over. He's alive! Let Regina look at him."
Breathing deep, Emma gradually came back to her senses, Tinkerbelle's words sinking in. She tried to reply but the lump in her throat prevented it, so she just nodded woodenly and stopped the desperate struggle against the iron grip. Once she seemed to have control over herself, she was released and she rushed back to the pirate, kneeling down next to him and gingerly lifting his head onto her lap. She watched with her heart in her throat as Regina waved her hand above his shoulder and a purple light emanated from the gaping wound. Slowly, the skin began knitting itself back together and Emma nearly wept with relief.
After the wound was closed and the blood dissipated, Regina removed her hands and Emma looked at Hook expectantly, waiting for him to open his eyes.
"Hook?" she whispered, running her fingers through his hair, "Hook? You're going to be fine. You can wake up now."
When he didn't stir, Emma looked back to Regina, her voice desperate. "What's wrong? Why isn't he waking up?"
Regina sighed softly, "He lost a lot of blood. He needs rest."
"He's going to be alright, though… isn't he?" Her throat closed on the last two words, making them nearly imperceptible.
Regina reached across and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's strong, Emma, he should be fine."
Should be?
"We'll keep a close eye on him tonight," Regina continued.
"Come on, let's get him to a bed," David said.
Emma wanted to help but she realized that her body was shaking so violently that she couldn't. In fact, she couldn't even stand. Her knees felt like water and she stumbled before someone pulled her to her feet. Turning, she saw Neal's face as he looped an arm around her waist to help her walk. A bruise was already forming on his cheek and she wanted to ask if he was alright but she was still shaking so badly that she didn't trust herself to try to speak, so she just allowed him to help her follow after Hook.
They'd only managed a few steps when Robin appeared in front of her. "Emma, where is Roland?"
Oh, God, she'd completely forgotten…
"He… and Henry… are hiding… in the blacksmith shop," she stuttered out apologetically but Robin just patted her arm.
"Don't worry, I'll get them."
It was more than twenty-four hours later when Hook blearily opened his eyes, squinting against the brightness in the room. His head was swimming but at least it was still on and after several blinks, he was able to focus on his surroundings. A survey of the room revealed Emma standing next to the window across the way, looking out at the sky, her hand rubbing the back of her neck like she was deep in thought.
He gazed at her for a moment, the events that led him to this bed playing through his mind.
The monkey attack, the terror when he'd realized they were after Emma, the determination to keep her safe and the agonizing moment when he'd thought he was going to be separated from her.
But he hadn't been. Emma had made sure of it.
I'm NOT letting you go.
Her eyes had been hard with conviction when she'd said it and, true to her word, she hadn't let go. She'd risked her life for him. She'd been hanging below him, defenseless, and there'd been nothing he could do to protect her when he saw that monkey ram into her. His heart had stuttered in his chest, terror clawing at his throat…
Then they'd fallen, the memory of which made him wince as he remembered the lancing pain that had gone through him when he'd landed. He also vaguely remembered hearing her call his name, her voice panicked and urgent as he'd passed out… or maybe he had dreamt that part.
Gingerly, he adjusted his shoulder, surprised when the action didn't bring on the wave of pain he expected. Encouraged, he tried to sit up but he didn't even make it half-way before a wave of dizziness hit him and he collapsed back on the mattress.
He immediately tried again, calling out to get Emma's attention.
"Swan?"
Emma's head whipped around and, when her eyes met his, her relief-filled smile had him freezing in place, his heart thumping in his chest.
"Hook…" she whispered.
Crossing the room with quick strides, Emma came to a stop right next to Hook's bed. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair as she had several times while he slept but, with his eyes on her, she couldn't seem to do it. So, instead she balled her fist. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm… still intact, I suppose," he replied. Then, with a raise of his eyebrow, added, "I am still intact, aren't I?"
Emma grinned. "Yes," she told him, taking a seat next to his hip.
"Well, then, I've had worse days. How long was I out?"
"About twenty-four hours," Emma said, her smile fading as she stared into his eyes. Those beautiful eyes… She'd been afraid she'd never see them again…
When she realized she was staring, she took his hand in both of hers and looked down at it instead. It was warm in her grip, the rings glinting in the sunlight coming in through the window and she ran her thumb along the back of it.
She wanted to tell him how worried she'd been… She wanted to give him… something. "Hook, I…" she began but her throat threatened to close so she shook her head, raising her eyes to his and saying instead, simply, "I'm glad you're okay."
It was not the proclamation she wanted to give him but it was the best she could do. Coward, she thought to herself. But if she tried to tell him about the fear that had ripped through her body when he… when he…
God, she couldn't even think about it without tears stinging her eyes. There was no way she'd be able totell him without breaking down.
When she lifted her eyes back to his, she saw the astonishment on his face and his fingers contracted almost painfully on hers. "Emma… it's alright, love. I'm fine. I'm-"
Just then, the door opened and Snow backed in, carrying a tray of food.
"Emma, I'm not going to try to talk you into leaving again but – Oh… Hook! You're awake."
"Yes, it would seem so," Hook said with a grin.
"Good," Snow replied, "You gave us quite a scare."
"I feel fine now. A little weak, but otherwise no worse for the wear."
"Well, it's a good thing I brought enough food for two then. It will help get your strength up," she said, placing the tray on the table. "And you should eat something, too, Emma," she added with a meaningful look before turning back to the door. "I'll go let everyone know you're awake."
After the door shut behind Snow, Emma tried to stand but Hook's grip tightened on her hand, preventing the movement.
"Have you been watching over me, Swan?" he asked in a low voice, his thumb stroking the back of her hand in a distracting way.
She shrugged her shoulders, still not trusting her voice, and tried to rise again but the pirate was having none of that, so she settled back down next to him, keeping her eyes averted.
"Emma?" he coaxed softly.
God, she loved it when he said her name.
Tears were stinging the back of her eyes and she shook her head to clear them, careful to keep her gaze away from him. After a shuddering breath, she finally managed to find her voice.
"Don't you ever do that again."
"Do what, love?"
"Don't you ever put yourself in front of me to protect me, ever again."
Her voice was shaking and she wrenched her hand from his grasp, standing and walking over to the table. Keeping her back to him, she placed both of her hands flat on the surface and took a deep breath, collecting herself. Then, she picked up a plate and put some cheese and a bowl of stew on it.
Hook was silent. He could see that Emma was on edge. He wanted to press her but knew from past experience that she would only run faster if she was being chased. So instead of speaking, he studied her as she prepared a plate for him. She was still in the same clothes she had worn the day before. Her hair was a mess and there were smudges of dirt and blood on her arms and back. Her blood? His blood? He wasn't sure but, what he did know was that she hadn't even left his side long enough to change and clean up.
When she returned to him with his food and placed it on his lap, he ignored it, instead meeting her gaze steadily. "I'm sorry, love."
"Sorry? Sorry for what?"
Taking her hand, he tugged just enough to have her sitting at his hip again. "I'm sorry I scared you…" he linked their fingers together, "And, as you know, I will always endeavor to do whatever you ask of me, but I cannot in this case. Do you think there is any way that I could stand idly by while you're in danger? I don't mean to imply that you are anything less than capable but – the next time you're in danger, hell, every time you're in danger, I will step in front of you. I will not let anyone or anything hurt you – not as long as I draw breath."
Emma stared, speechless, into those intense blue eyes. But what could she say? Did he know what the sound of his voice did to her? She wished she was as clever with words as he was. She wished she could tell him how she felt but… but she just couldn't. So, instead, she moved her gaze moved to his lips, gripping his hand tighter as she leaned forward slowly.
Holding his breath, Hook kept his gaze on her mouth, mesmerized by the way her tongue ran across her lower lip and wetting his own in anticipation. But before their mouths could meet, the door opened again and David and Mary Margaret entered along with Regina, Robin, Neal and Belle.
Emma sprang to her feet, turning away from him and it was a miracle he didn't outright groan in frustration.
He didn't have time to dwell on it, though, as Regina walked straight to the bed and took the place Emma had just vacated, looking him over with an assessing gleam in her eye. After a beat, she waved her hand over his head, purple light emanating softly from it and, as the light sunk into him, he felt some of his strength return.
"You'll be fine," she said in a no-nonsense tone but she managed to give him a small smile before she backed away.
He nodded his thanks.
"How are you feeling, mate?" David asked.
"I've felt worse," he told them with a shrug and averting his eyes, a little uncomfortable with all the attention.
"What I want to know," Robin said, "is why those vile creatures were after him."
"What do you mean?" Hook asked.
"The monkeys, they targeted you," Neal told him.
"Me? No, surely you're mistaken. They have no reason to… They must have been after Emma."
"No," Regina said, "they weren't. They wanted you – and only you."
Hook was astounded by this news.
"Speaking of which… Emma, how did you know they were going to go for Hook?" Mary Margaret asked.
Emma, who had still not left his side turned slightly to address the crowd. "I don't know for sure. Before they all regrouped, one was coming at the two of us but it skipped over me and tried to get him, so I just… put two and two together, I guess."
"Why would they want Hook?" Belle asked.
Regina rolled her eyes, "Well, obviously, the pirate holds some key to defeating the witch. The question is… What is it?"
Everyone except Emma turned to Hook for the answer. "Don't look at me," he said after taking a moment to swallow the bite of stew in his mouth, "I have nothing. Frankly, I would have thought that Regina would have been their target. The witch seems to have a particular aversion to her."
"She's trying to separate us," Emma said almost to herself, causing all their eyes to turn to her.
"Sorry?" Regina asked.
"She's trying to separate us," Emma said a little louder, "Think about it…" she looked to Regina, speaking directly to her, "Last week, Robin was ambushed… He barely got away. Now Hook… Either that crazy bitch is trying to build a harem or she's trying to separate us from…" Emma let the sentence linger.
Regina's quick intake of breath drew everyone's attention but she remained silent.
"From what?" Mary Margaret prompted.
Emma and Regina continued to stare at each other, neither offering up an answer; a look of understanding dawning on Regina's face.
Emma knew from a conversation she and Regina had the day before what the lion tattoo meant but Emma also knew that Regina hadn't told anyone else. Tink knew, of course, but that was it.
As they continued to stare at each other, Regina's eyes softened a bit, "So he's your – " she began.
"Does it matter?" Emma interrupted, effectively cutting her off, "But the witch must think so."
"The witch thinks what?" Mary Margaret asked.
They both ignored her again, Regina stepping closer to Emma, shaking her head as she said, "But how would she know about Robin?"
Tinkerbelle who had entered the room without being noticed answered, "She was a fairy once, you know?"
Emma and Regina both spun to look at her, startled, then looked back at each other, alarm lighting both of their faces.
"What's going on?" Snow asked, starting to sound a little irritated over this cryptic exchange. "Who is she trying to separate you from?"
Without taking her eyes off Emma, Regina answered flatly, "From our True Loves."
Everyone was silent for a moment.
Before all hell broke loose.
Everyone seemed to be talking at once. Things like "What?!" "Wait a minute." "I knew it." "I don't understand." "Robin? Why Robin?" "Now it makes perfect sense."
Emma didn't move a muscle, acutely aware that Hook hadn't voiced a single question, keeping her body angled away from him and toward Regina as they both closed their eyes for a moment.
"Enough!" Tinkerbelle's voice rang out above the chaos, holding her hands up as if to silence them. "I know you all have a lot of questions, but let's just calm down. If what we're thinking is correct, then the answer to defeating her is in some way connected to True Love. And, since she has now attempted to abduct two of you, it's a safe bet that she'll try again."
A moment of silence followed while everyone considered that before Snow turned to Regina.
"Regina, can you bottle true love? Gold once bottled it using a hair from David and I."
"I… I don't know how. There must have been an incantation or something that went along with it."
"I've got some of Rumple's spell books in my room," Belle said, "Perhaps the answer will be in one of them."
"Excellent," Tinkerbelle replied, "Let's go get them. Neal, would you mind helping?"
Neal nodded and the three of them left, an eerie silence settling in their wake.
Charming, taking in both Regina's and Emma's stiff stances, turned to Snow. "We should, uh…"
"Yeah," Snow agreed, picking up on his cue, "We should go… check on… something."
With that, the two of them exited with haste, leaving Regina and Emma to stand stiffly while Robin and Hook stared, both silent, both waiting. It seemed the silence would go on forever and Regina cracked first, turning on her heel and heading toward the door, careful to give Robin a wide berth. But she was stopped in her tracks by Robin's voice, his words ringing out loudly in the dense silence.
"How long have you known?"
Regina inhaled a sharp breath but didn't respond.
Emma felt sympathy for the queen. She knew Regina hadn't wanted Robin to find out like this. Robin still looked at her like the Evil Queen at times… not quite trusting… even though they had been fighting side by side for the last few months.
"How long, Regina?" Robin asked again, his voice rising slightly.
Regina took a deep breath and raised her chin, still facing away from him, and replied, "Since the day we met."
Robin crossed the room to stand in front of her and, if possible, Regina's shoulders tensed even more. "When were you planning on telling me?"
"I wasn't," Regina said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. If she had one thing to cling to, it was her pride.
Robin watched her closely, trying to read her expression. "You could have told me. I may be a simple bandit but I know that True Love is not something to be trifled with."
"When should I have told you?" Regina asked, taking a step back. "When we met and you had an arrow pointed at my head?" her voice began to rise, "When you saw me talking to Roland and swooped in to save him from the Evil Queen's nefarious clutches? When you…" she sounded nearly hysterical now and paused to take a deep breath. Refusing to look at him, she tried to make her way around him and out of the room but Robin caught her arm.
"How about when we you gave me the potion to save Little John? Or when I escorted you back to the castle after I found you in the woods collecting your herbs?" he asked her softly.
Regina slowly lifted her gaze to his and Robin's breath caught in his throat at the vulnerability he saw in her expression.
"You can't hold my first reactions toward you against me. I didn't know you then. I didn't know how you'd changed," he lifted a hand to her cheek, "Surely you know… You must know by now that I trust you with Roland. I trust you to fight beside me. Look at me, Regina… I trust you."
And with that, he captured her lips in a sweet but searing kiss.
Hook watched the scene unfold before him, holding his breath while Emma and Regina had their cryptic exchange. Though no one seemed to know it, he was very perceptive and he had noticed Regina's odd behavior around Robin. And, while he didn't know that Robin was her True Love, he had sensed that something was going on, so when it was revealed, he hadn't been in the least surprised.
His attention, though, was focused on Emma, the stubborn woman wouldn't look at him. She had turned toward the window again, obviously trying to give the couple a bit of privacy but her shoulders were stiff and her arms crossed over her chest which could mean several things… annoyance, fear, or embarrassment (just to name a few). If she would just bloody look at him, he'd be able to tell. Then he'd know what to say. He knew that saying the wrong thing right now could be disastrous. So, he waited, he watched, practically begging her to look at him with his thoughts…Until she did, he wasn't going to speak.
Belle entered the room again, carrying a book and talking excitedly. "I think I found - oh!"
She cut off and Regina and Robin broke apart almost guiltily before Regina mumbled something about taking the book to her room. Before she left, she turned to look at Emma but Emma was still looking out the window. Hook saw the queen start to say something but quickly change her mind, leaving without a word and followed closely by Robin and Belle.
Finally alone, Hook lifted the tray of food off his lap and set it on the table next to the bed. Emma still didn't move. Carefully, he swung his legs off the bed and stood, only now noticing that he was wearing some of David's clothes. He expected to feel weakness in his legs but was glad when he found that they were steady.
Slowly, he crossed the room to stand behind Emma.
His nerves were uncontrollable. He wanted to touch her but instead he waited again. This could very well be the most important moment of his life and if he said or did the wrong thing, it could send her running.
He watched as Emma drew a deep breath and started to turn, keeping her eyes trained on the floor and toeing at the ground with her foot. When her eyes finally raised to his, he saw nerves were plaguing her as well.
Good, he thought. Nerves he could handle.
"Before you say anything," the blonde said, "just remember that this True Love thing is only a theory."
Unfazed, Hook stepped forward and took her hand, "Perhaps it is - but it's your theory."
Emma smiled briefly, looking at their joined hands, "Yeah, it is."
Using his hook, he reached up and lifted her chin until their eyes met. "I think it's an excellent theory," he said with a grin.
Smiling, she bit her lower lip. "Yeah, it is," she repeated.
If possible, Hook's grin got wider and, using his hooked arm, he gently pulled her into an embrace, leaning his forehead against hers. For a moment they simply enjoyed the feeling of being in each other's arms, breathing in each other's scents.
"I'll never leave you, Emma."
Emma was a little surprised by his words. She had expected him to tell her he loved her. But, then again, she knew she shouldn't be surprised. He knew her better than anyone. She should have known he'd say the perfect thing. "I know," she whispered, and she wasn't surprised that she actually believed it.
Then he pressed his lips to hers, his hand tangled softly in her hair.