Hook is stood watching his crush from a distance. She is sat with her head in her hands, watching Robin Hood comfort Regina across the street. The pirate could tell Emma was upset, but he didn't know what to do. The sadness was written all over her face. And… is that fear? What could Miss Swan possibly be afraid of?

"Talk to her," comes a comforting voice from behind him.

Killian turns around, and sees Snow White, now right by his side. They both stand together, watching Emma, the pirates heart breaking a little as he sees the one he cares for so heartbroken herself.

"She's crying," he acknowledges. "I don't know what to do."

"Go and comfort her."

"How do I do that?" he doesn't take his eyes off her, as he speaks.

"Start with a hug," Snow smiles a little, recognizing the nerves in the pirates voice.

"a what?" Hook panics a little. Whenever he has approached Swan, she has always been very clear of how much she'd prefer he'd keep his distance from her. All of his past attempts at closeness with the Saviour suddenly come flashing back to him. "she doesn't need me," he confirms, as he starts to walk away.

"Hook," Snow stops him from walking away. "stop doubting yourself. She needs a friend right now; she needs you."

Still unconvinced, Hook walks towards Emma. As he approaches the bench, he takes a deep breath for courage, and sits himself beside her. She glances sideways at him, as he sits in silence, appreciating she probably doesn't want to talk right now.

But to the pirate's surprise, she sighs, and throws her arms around him, sobbing into his shirt. He is more than a little taken a back. He has waited so long to get this close to the woman he has had so many feelings towards for such a long time. But he never wanted it to be such a sad moment. Of course, though, he comforts her. No words, he simply wraps his arms around her and nuzzles his cheek into the top of her head.

Gripping her a little tighter, he reassures her, "it's okay, Swan."

She doesn't reply, she just continues to sob deep into his chest. She is silent with it, she isn't breaking down. Because what else would you expect from the Saviour who has had to be strong for so long. Feeling the silent tears still flowing against his chest, Hook struggles not to get emotional himself. It's as if he can feel her heart shattering right in his arms.

She pulls herself away from his now quite moist torso, and looks up at the pirate.

"Sleep at my place tonight?" she requests, her hands still wrapped around his waist.

"of course," Hook agrees without a second thought, as he wipes the tears away from her cheeks. Of course she wont want to be alone tonight. The first night at home without her son there. The first night after he was ripped away from his family.

He pulls her in for a proper hug, as she nestles her head into the nape of his neck. Hook looks over Emma's shoulder as they stay entwined in one another, smiling a little at her mother. Thankyou Snow, he thinks to himself.

…

Hook walks through Swan's front door, with her arm still wrapped around his waist for comfort.

"Home sweet home," she states, the sadness evident in her voice.

"Swan," he pulls her around to face him. "It's been a seriously long and emotional day – you need to get some sleep, love."

He encourages her into the bedroom, trailing along behind her. He walks towards her bed, and pulls the top couple of blankets off, quickly followed by one of the pillows from the opposing side of the bed.

"I will see you when you wake up, Swan," he reassures her, as he turns to walk out of the door, with the bundle of bedding tucked under his arm.

Emma turns around from her dresser, and stops him in his tracks, "what are you doing?"

"well, its gonna get kinda cold on the sofa without a blanket or two, love," he naively points out, laughing a little.

"No! No, Hook-" she dashes across the room to him, the fear in her eyes. "You said you'd stay here with me, you promised."

"I'm just going to be in the lounge, Swan, I wont be far," he tried to reassure her.

"Killian, please, you have to stay here," tears begin to form in her eyes again. "like here, here."

"okay, love," he drops the bedding right where he is stood, and pulls her in for a hug again. "It's okay, I'll stay in here with you."

…

It's the middle of the night at Emma's house. She is lying wide awake in bed, still trying to process everything that happened today. She doesn't want to keep going through the horrific events of watching her son being whipped away by that portal, appearing out of nowhere in her living room, but her mind wont rest. She just keeps thinking and re-thinking over every possible scenario.

What if Regina is right, maybe there was a way we could have prevented it from happening? Or maybe there is some way of re-opening the portal and getting Henry back? Or at least a way of them joining Henry in the portal and finding a way of getting out of it together, as a family? And what about Killian?

She had almost forgotten about the pirate. She has fought so hard for such a long time to keep him away, to stop him trying to flirt with her, and yet here he is, asleep in her bedroom. He was the friend she needed in her moment of despair. The only friend she wanted right now. Why didn't she let him in sooner?

She flipped herself onto her side, as her mind continued to race. But even through those muddled thoughts and feelings of pain and guilt, she knew one thing for sure – Hook's mind must be just as chaotic as hers right now.

"Killian?" she called, into the darkness.

"Yes, love?" he responded instantly. He was wide awake too, his hands tucked behind his head, as he stared at the ceiling.

"you're awake too, huh?" she was comforted almost, knowing it wasn't just her suffering with insomnia after the days events.

"always, Swan, I'm afraid," he pointed out, through the night. "I don't really sleep these days."

"what?" she laughed a little. "That's ridiculous, how can you not sleep."

"I just don't," he shrugged, having already accepted this fact a long time ago. "Pirate's prerogative I guess."

"come on, you must do," Emma insists. "When was the last time you slept?"

"I don't know what to tell you, Swan," he stated, "sleeping is just not for me."

"but why?" she queried, honestly glad of the brief distraction from her internal quandary.

Hook sighs, realising how he has never really admitted the following out loud. But if he was ever going to be open and honest, he wouldn't want it to be with anyone other than his Miss Swan.

"My mind has the scary capability of being dark and demented," he confesses. "Even more so when I'm in an un-conscious state."

Realising what the pirate is telling her, Emma can hardly believe her ears. Surely he is not saying…

"you're afraid of your dreams?" she cautiously asks him, as she sits herself up a little, in disbelief.

It takes him a second or two to take in what he is being asked.

"yes," he timidly confirms.

He knows the answer himself, he has always known, but its so abnormal hearing it from someone else's mouth. Its so… soul-baring. He regretted admitting his juvenile fear almost immediately.

Why would Emma want someone like him to protect her now?