A/N: post-3x17 (in case you couldn't tell, which I'm sure you all could.) As per usual, I don't own anything you recognize, characters and setting belong to Adam and Eddie.

"Why?"

He sighed, running his good hand through his hair before turning to look at her. "Why what, Swan?"

"Why have you been pulling away—and don't deny that's what you've been doing," she glared at him when he opened his mouth to protest. "I'm not blind, you know. I can tell. Ever since the night David and Mary Margaret took Henry and you helped Ariel, you've been just…distancing yourself."

"Why do you care? After all, I'm just a pirate, isn't that right, lass?" He glanced away, finding it easier to say if he didn't have to look into those green eyes.

She stared at him, mouth hanging open. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

He glanced down at his prosthetic, his jaw ticking as he hesitated. "I—nothing, Swan. Nothing for you to worry about, at any rate." He shot her a tight smile before turning to walk away.

"Wait, Killian, stop." She reached her arm out, clutching at his jacket sleeve and just missing. "Please, don't go. Talk to me, tell me what's wrong," she pleaded as she finally got a grip on his arm.

"I can't, Emma! I can't do anything, don't you see that?" His blue eyes blazed with frustration, and just a touch of fear. "I can't help you with your magic, I can't help you with what happened in the Enchanted Forest, and I can't bloody well do anything—" he stopped himself before he accidentally blurted out 'about this blasted curse,' "to help you here," he finished lamely.

Her eyes hardened, though her heart had stuttered at the sound of her name on his lips. "So what, you're just going to give up? You're just going to walk out of my life like every other goddamn person I've ever known?"

"No, Swan—"

"Because I thought you came back for me, which I assumed meant that you were planning to stick around, but I guess I was wrong—"

"Swan!" He interrupted her interruption. He stepped closer, his arm lifting of its own accord to grip her shoulder while his blue eyes bore into her green ones. "I am not leaving you. I told you I came back to save you, and I did." His gaze flicked over to where his hand lay on her arm, and slowly he let go, finger by finger, before pulling away entirely. His eyes studied the ground and he sighed again. "I'm sorry I've been distant, love. I just…" He glanced all around, avoiding her stare, his jaw working as he tried to think of the words he wanted—needed—to make this right. "I needed to think some things over."

She narrowed her eyes at him, not sensing any lies yet not altogether trusting his response. "But you are leaving, Killian. Every time you pull away, every time you shut down, every time you avoid my eyes," at that those ice-blue irises shot to her gaze, "that's you leaving me."

His eyes clamped shut and his head dropped in shame. "You're right, Swan. And for that, I truly apologize." He licked his lips subconsciously, "I never meant to hurt you."

"You really want to make it up to me?" She waited for him to nod, "Buy me a drink." At the expression on his face, she knew she'd done right in deciding not to push the issue further. "And please, for the love of all that is holy, don't let it be rum."

His soft chuckle warmed her as he nodded, moving to walk beside her towards the Rabbit Hole.