A/N: Because I needed something to hold me over after seeing the BEST PICTURE EVER that Once has released! Why are they making us wait 2 weeks to see that amazing moment?! I have no doubt that Once will do a WAY better job than what I wrote, but just for the fun of it- here you go!

The large branches fell on the ground with a thud as David continued to hack his way through the heavy brush. Snow was, of course, right behind him in perfect step with David. Tinkerbell was behind the two, guiding David in the right direction through the brush. Emma and Hook were a few paces behind them. Emma glanced over at Hook, who was making faces at her purely to make her smile. He would roll his eyes at David's comments about directions, like he suddenly knew everything about the island, and he would make silent mocking faces at Regina's snippy comments from behind them. It had been a long trek since they last rested, and Emma appreciated Hook's strange attempt at lifting her spirits.

"You need to stop that before you get caught and receive another punch in the face," Emma warned.

"It's worth it for your smile, Swan," Hook said just before a large leaf smacked him in the face. Emma chuckled softly and pushed a leaf away for him while he recovered. "Bloody hell."

"You better watch yourself, Hook. Don't want to walk into some Dreamshade or fall over a sudden cliff or somehow step on the tail of a Neverbeast," Emma joked.

"I'd let it eat me alive before I let it touch you, Swan," Hook said grandly, but as she looked at his face, she could tell he was doing more than just joking. He was telling the truth. Emma felt her body get hot and her heart jumped inside her chest.

"Watch out for yourself, Hook," she said, slamming the walls around her heart. "You've had years of practice." His expression changed instantly as if she had just slapped him. Emma felt a pang of guilt. She had pushed him away as part of a knee-jerk reaction that she couldn't stop. This is what she always did- push people away before she got too close. But Hook had been her rock this entire journey, he didn't deserve it. "Sorry," she mumbled as she fell back a little bit.

"It's alright, Swan," Hook said lowly. "It's not like I haven't been accused of being selfish before. I've certainly given enough evidence to confirm it." Emma kept her eyes down, completely focused on the ground. She didn't have to look at him to know that she hurt him, she could feel it as they walked in silence.

Emma ducked under the branch that Hook held up for her. She nodded to him in silent thanks, to which he flashed her a small smile. It wasn't wide like his signature smile, but small and tight. His eyes also looked different, shining but with a hint of sorrow. Emma looked at him in concern for a moment until he gestured for her to continue, only letting go of the branch with his hook when she was a few paces ahead.

"Hey," Regina called out when the branch came millimeters from smacking her in the face. "Hook!" Hook turned and looked sheepishly at Regina before standing tall to cover himself.

"Sorry, your majesty," he said, regaining his confidence. "Didn't see you there."

"Of course you didn't," Regina said as she swatted at the large leaves and pushed her way through. "You were too busy staring at Ms. Swan." Emma turned and halted her pace, causing David, Snow and Tink to do so as well.

"Alright, knock it off," Emma said, putting her hands on her hips. Regina pulled a bit of twig out of her hair and stepped forward, matching Emma's stance.

"I'm sorry, I almost ate a tree because your boyfriend wasn't looking out for the rest of the group. His eyes are so focused on you, none of the rest of us matters," Regina said.

"Enough with the accusations," Emma said as she suddenly felt her face growing hot. To accuse her and Hook of having a relationship when it was just the two of them was one thing, to do it in front of him was completely different. She couldn't see his face, but she had him in her peripherals. She had to admit, ever since coming to Neverland, he was always near her, always by her. She didn't have to keep an eye on him, it was more like he was keeping an eye on her. "We're here to find Henry, all of us."

"Oh, really," Regina said, a sly smile creeping across her face as she began to pace through the group. "Let's look at the facts, shall we? You've got Henry's mother, me," she said, pointing to herself. "You've got his birthmother, you." She started to circle in front of Snow and David, her face showing a twinge of disgust if you looked closely enough. "And you've got Grandma & Grandpa. All logical candidates for going to look for Henry. But," she said, raising a single finger and gesturing towards Hook. "Then you have our handsome Captain."

"Thank you," Hook said, puffing himself up. Emma rolled her eyes at him and folded her arms, focusing back on Regina before she could make another crack about them.

"He's the wild card. Why is he here one might ask themselves," Regina said as she continued her speech. "The pirate who's been solely focused on revenge for the past three hundred years. THREE-HUNDRED-YEARS! What does he have to gain in his revenge by finding a lost boy?" She sauntered up to Hook, full of confidence in her own deduction. She was inches from his face, yet he didn't flinch. Not that he would, Emma mused. "So why are you here, Hook," Regina challenged, her voice low and smooth. Hook briefly glanced toward Emma, she would have missed if she had blinked. He coolly shrugged.

"Just trying to help," he said nonchalantly.

"See," Snow said, always trying to see the sunny side. "Anyone can change. Hook just wants to help, that's all."

"Right," Regina said, rolling her eyes.

"Love," Tinkerbell said, interjecting as if someone asked her for the answer. "It's because he's in love." The entire group turned to look at her, each with entire different reactions. Regina had a smile of victory, while the Charmings' jaws dropped in perfect sync. "What? It's true! Can't you see it?" She approached Emma and took her hands in hers. "It's okay, Emma. It's okay to love again," she said before looking over at Hook. "It's okay for both of you to love again."

Emma, completely stunned, forced her body to turn toward Hook to find a reaction she was not expecting to see. Instead of the sauntering, over confident pirate that she was sure would instantly defuse the tension with a witty quip, was looking down and away, like a school boy who had just gotten in trouble. He gripped his sword, but only to hide the shaking in his hand as he looked at Emma. When his eyes met hers, they were pleading, searching hers as if to ask for forgiveness. Unable to take all eyes on her, Emma did the only thing she could think of in that moment- run.

"Emma," David called out as he started to go after her. "It's too dangerous to separate!" His steps were halted by, to his surprise, his wife.

"David, just give her a minute," Snow said, placing a reassuring hand on her husband's chest. "She won't go far."

"I knew it," Regina said, folding her arms in triumph.

"Congratulations, Regina," David said sarcastically. "Thanks to your little judge and jury bit, we're wasting time."

"I was just trying to prove a point," Regina said. "And we've wasted far more time going off in random directions just because Hook says something and Emma instantly agrees."

"Regina, it's just like we agreed in the beginning, we need to use all of our strengths. Hook knows the island, Emma trusts him," Snow said. "And we'd all be foolish not to listen to Ho…" But as she turned to gesture towards him, it was only then that the four of them noticed he was gone. David and Snow groaned.

"Just great," David said, rubbing his temples in frustration. "Now we have two that wandered off."

"He just went to find her," Tinkerbell said. "He wants to make sure she's alright."

Emma pushed leaves and branches out of her way as she ran. She could hear them arguing in the distance, but she wanted to get as far away from it as she could. He didn't love her, he couldn't. He's only here because he offered to help, nothing more. He isn't...she couldn't… Emma stopped abruptly when she reached a clearing, her wits coming back to her. She couldn't run far, she would have to go back eventually. Sure, she could run until her legs gave out, but how would getting lost and being on her own help Henry. She sighed and sat down in a huff onto a rock, running her hands roughly over her face. It was too much, it was just all too much. She let out a small sob, brushing the tears from her eyes before they could fall onto her cheek. What was it about Neverland?

Emma reached for her sword on her back when she heard the rustling behind her. It was faint, whoever was behind her did not want to be caught. However, with all her emotions heightened, they might as well have been ringing a bell. Emma slowly stood up before lunging and cutting toward the leaves.

"Oy," Hook said, jumping out of the way of her blade. "It's just me, lass."

"I know," Emma said as she lowered her sword. Hook looked at her in confusion as he stepped out from the bushes.

"Then why…"

"Just stop," Emma said lifting her sword again.

"Stop what, lass?"

"Stop being so damn sweet," Emma said. "What happened to the pirate I first met?" Hook took another step towards her, holding his arms up in surrender.

"I think you know, lass."

"DON'T!" She couldn't stop herself from letting a tear fall. "I can't! It's too much."

"Swan…"

"Just… say something offensive! Or an innuendo. You can even grab my ass! Just don't- don't keep being this guy." She was breaking. Between losing Neal, Henry, Pan's riddles, Regina's snide comments, her parents pushing to be parents- it was all too much. She couldn't throw falling in love on top of it. So much had changed in such a short time. But then, she tried to think of a time where she didn't have feelings for Hook since she met him. She couldn't do it. Hook took a step forward, reaching up to wipe a tear from her cheek, but she swiped at him lazily with her sword. He caught it with his hook, raising it above their heads so he could take a further step in.

"You don't want to do this, lass," he said, raising his fingertips to her cheek. "Let's just go back to the others." Emma pushed her sword off his hook and jumped back, her stance in an attack position.

"No," she cried, releasing her blade from his hook. "You're going back to being the pirate who called me a dried up bean then fought me on the beach if I have to beat it out of you!" Hook chuckled and slowly drew his sword. There was no arguing with Emma, not when she was like this.

"I believe I let you win that one, lass," Hook said, scissoring her sword with his, teasing her with his blade. She took a strike at him, which he easily countered. It was almost a gentle tap compared to her normal strikes. Hook knew, he could see it in her eyes, she needed to take action, take control. He cut his blade toward her head, which she parried a bit too slowly and caused her to stumble back. She gripped the sword hard as she tried to regain her balance. "Come on, Swan! If you need to fight with me, fight me!" She pushed him hard off her blade, and he regained his balance easily. He did not go easy on her. He fought her with all the fire as he would in a true battle. At first, Emma was a bit thrown, but within a few minutes, she regained her confidence and footing, fighting him with everything she had in her. "That's it, Swan! Take control!"

"You just can't stop, can you," Emma said, using her footwork to drive him backward.

"Not when it means seeing that sparkle in your eyes," he said with a wink, causing her blood to boil. She drove him backward into a tree, scissoring their blades together and connecting them at the hilt. He smiled in between the blades, no fear in his eyes at all, even though her blade was quite close to his neck.

"You're just a pirate who cares about nothing except his revenge."

"And we're both lost ones that believe we are undeserving of happiness," he said, pushing her backward and freeing his blade. Emma stumbled backward and used a nearby rock to jump on in order to stop her momentum. Hook took a swipe at her leg, which she dodged by jumping. It was a move she had seen executed a million times in movies, but she stumbled all the same, almost slipping off the rock. He gave her a beat to regain her control before attacking again. This time, she jumped off the rock, landing with ease as she attacked again. He spun around as he attacked her, a move she knew all too well. She took advantage of that split second before he landed his footing and gave a hard swipe to the hilt of his sword, knocking it out of his hand. He froze as she held the sword to his throat, holding up his arms in surrender. "Do you feel better now," he said as he caught his breath. Emma felt her lip tremble before she dropped her sword, falling into his arms and crying on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, cradling her and running the curve of his hook up and down her back in comfort.

"It's all too much," she sobbed into his shoulder. "I can't control everything!"

"Shh, I know, lass. I know," he said in a hushed tone. "You've been through a lot."

"I need you, Hook," she said loudly so he could hear her voice that was muffled by his leather. "On this messed up island, you're the only thing keeping me sane! I don't have time for you to love me right now! I need my son!" She sobbed harder into his shoulder and he didn't hesitate as he placed a gentle kiss into her temple, stroking it with his thumb as he ran his fingers through her hair as if he was trying to make the kiss permanent on her skin.

"Swan," he said softly. "Getting your son back is the most important thing. I wasn't going to be selfish and try to distract you with everything I'm feeling, what I've been feeling for a long time." His words were hushed and gentle, and he rocked her a bit as he spoke. She wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him and his words. "I guess I wasn't good at concealing my feelings as I thought." Emma chuckled as she wiped a tear from her eye with her knuckles.

"Yeah," she said through her fading sobs. "If Regina saw it, you must really suck at it." His heart soared as she chuckled again. His Swan was returning. He continued to hold her in silence, and she soothed herself as she concentrated on the rising and falling of his breaths. He pulled her tighter to him, and she gave him a squeeze in return. She tensed for a moment when he let out a loud sigh.

"I'm so scared, Swan," he confessed, his voice wavering, causing her head to shoot up from his shoulder. Hearing a confession of fear was not something she expected from the pirate.

"Captain Hook, scared," she asked, trying to keep it light. His steady eyes grounded her, bringing her instantly back to the seriousness of their conversation. He raised his hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I loved someone with all my heart, and I lost her. It broke me into a man even I didn't recognize," he said softly. "If I let myself love again, only to lose you too, I fear what I would become." Emma felt the weight of his words on her, but she even surprised herself when she didn't feel fear. She felt pity for him. She had seen all the sides of his vengeance- rage, his calculating nature, his disregard for whatever means his revenge needed to take. But Hook, Killian Jones, didn't want to be that anymore. She could see it, because she understood him all too well. She reached up and clung to the lapels of his jacket.

"If I lost you," Emma said softly, unable to hold her fears back either. "I would be just as bad, if not worse. I can't be left again, my heart can't take it. I'm a broken person, Killian." Although he could feel the harshness of truth of her words, he let out a soft breath as the sound of his name washed over him like a healing balm. It had been centuries since he had been called Killian, and the way she said it was full of gentleness and pain at the same time. He pressed his forehead to hers, his hand on her neck. They both closed their eyes at the sensation of the intimacy of the new position, their fears instantly washed away with their touch.

"We're both broken, love," he whispered. Emma opened her eyes at the same time he did. Her eyes had more tears in them, and there was a single tear threatening to fall in the corner of his eye as well. Without moving his forehead from hers, he brushed a tear away with the pad of his thumb, letting his hand fall to cup her cheek. She looked between his lips and his eyes, her hands clenching the lapels of his jacket tighter as she could feel what was coming. "Emma," he whispered, almost inaudible. She could feel his heart beating faster under her wrists.

When have you ever taken a real leap of faith? Gold's words suddenly flashed into her mind as she fought the pull of her lips towards his. She knew she loved him, she knew he loved her. Their connection was undeniable. She had known so much hurt in her life, and so had he. He was her match in every way, it was only her heart holding her back. His head twitched slightly towards hers, testing the waters as the gap between their lips was slowly decreasing. Love is a leap, she heard somewhere, although she could not remember where at the moment. There were so many variables that could make this relationship crash and burn, but right now, as she could feel the warmth of his lips so close to hers, none of them mattered. This was a leap worth taking. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she closed the gap between them, pressing her lips softly to his.

The sensation was overwhelming, as if she was flying and exploding at the same time. A warmth shot through their bodies as they kissed, a mixture of thrill, excitement, and love. His lips were soft and gentle as the stubble of his scruff tickled her skin. Killian was fighting the urge in his body to deepen the kiss and release the passion that flowed through him, but the urge was easily overcome with how right this felt. Slow, gentle, soothing, worshiping, caring, loving. This was how their first kiss was meant to be. Killian and Emma pulled back at the same moment, pressing small kisses against each others lips, as if they pulled their lips too far apart, they'd be afraid to connect them ever again. Finally, Killian pulled back and Emma tucked her head into his neck, consuming herself with his warmth. He wrapped his arms around her tightly again, his heart beating rapidly.

"I'll help you find you son," Hook promised.

"I know," Emma whispered into his skin, sending shivers through his body. "You're my anchor."

"And you're mine, love," he said. He raised his hand to her arm, gently pulling her away from him. They both instantly felt the loss of each other. Without a word, Hook offered his hand, a twinge of fear in his eyes as the memory flashed in his mind of the last time he offered her his hand. Emma took it, lifting it to press a kiss to his palm and entwining her fingers in his. As they started to leave the clearing, Emma reached for her sword and sheathed it. She picked up his sword as well, sheathing it for him so he wouldn't have to let go of her hand. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her, causing her to roll her eyes. They shared a laugh that their familiar dance was still in tact, relieved that some things would never change between them, and headed back toward the others. Emma did not let go of his hand until they got close to the others, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go. He nodded in silent understanding- they didn't need an audience just yet. There would be time to talk, time to focus on them, they would make sure of it. But right now, getting Henry back was priority one. Just before she pushed the last large leave aside, she turned quickly and pressed one more kiss to his lips. He smiled as he kissed her, giving her a quick kiss in return before he raised his hook to push the leaf aside, revealing their presence to the rest of their party.

"There you two are," Snow exclaimed in relief, throwing her arms around Emma. "We were starting to get worried." David joined Snow in embracing their daughter, rubbing her back in a way that was so fatherly comforting.

"You sure you're okay," David asked as they pulled away from the embrace.

"We're fine," Emma said, looking over at Hook, who nodded to her with a small bow.

"Great, can we keep going now," Regina asked impatiently. Emma nodded and took the lead, Hook following close to her in perfect step.

THE END