A/N: I've been rather obsessed with the Captain Swan ship lately and was dying for more after watching "The Jolly Roger." I wrote this just to appease myself, but I hope you enjoy it, too!

"... and Killian," she called.

His heart wrenched at the sound of his name falling from her beautiful lips. Reluctantly, he turned to face her.

"Whatever happened this past year, whatever you're not telling me, I don't care." Emma stared at him meaningfully. "I'm tired of living in the past."

Here it was, Swan finally opening herself up to him, letting her iron defenses melt away, and he could do nothing but flee. He wanted to profess his affection in that moment and capitalize on her change in demeanor, yet the thought of doing so stabbed a fresh wave of pain through his chest. At last, he muttered a brief "I know how you feel," before turning on his heel and stalking down the staircase.

He wandered aimlessly through the town, taking short swigs off his flask in an attempt to drown out the image of golden locks and emerald eyes burned into his brain. Load of good that did him, because he soon looked up to find himself in front of Granny's. As a patron exited the diner, the ringing of the happy family's laughter flooded the street. His feet carried him a half step forward before he could stop himself. You can't have her, mate, he chided himself. Nothing's changed about that.

The pirate tried to drag himself away, but the warm flow of rum through his body rooted his feet in place. His desire to see Emma overwhelmed him as he found himself reaching for the spyglass at his waist. He held it up, allowing himself one long glance at the beautiful creature basking in the glow of love and family. He knew now that he could never have a place among them. A villain never gets his happy ending, he sighed to himself. Heart heavy, he returned the spyglass to its place on his hip and turned away from the diner.

"Haven't lost your nerve, have you pirate?" an accented voice grated against his ears.

Every nerve in his body went rigid with hatred at the sound. "Zelena," he muttered through gritted teeth, spinning once again to view the green devil behind him.

"I thought my directions were perfectly clear," she menaced.

"Aye."

She stalked closer to him, spitting each word like a dagger into his heart. "I'm not one to wait, pirate. If you need motivation, you shall have it." Zelena leaned into him, bringing her lips to his ear. "You have until midnight."

She vanished in a swirl of green smoke while Hook was left reeling. He cried out in frustration and slashed the air where she had been standing moments before. Curse that damned witch! He ran a hand through his stubble, trying to determine a course of action. With a long drink from his flask, he marched toward the diner.

Pausing briefly before the door, he fought to reign in his temper. That vile bitch shall not live to make a coward of me. Rather than giving her the satisfaction of sending him into a frenzy, Hook strode cooly into Granny's. He sauntered to where the Charming family sat, catching a coy smirk from Emma sent in his direction.

"Hey Killian," the blonde called out with a gentle smile. "Did you change your mind after all?"

He wanted nothing more than to sit and share in her joy, but knew that such delicious torture would be wasting precious minutes. "I've not enough time, I"m afraid," he said with a nod in apology to the rest of the group.

"Is something wrong?" A slight frown crossed her face.

If only I could kiss your worries away, darling, he moaned internally. Instead, he stared at her with his lips pressed into a thin smile. "I'm afraid this is a matter concerning our madam Mayor."

Regina arched an eyebrow, clearly miffed to have her time with Henry interrupted. "I'm sure the matter can wait Cap- Killian," she corrected herself. "As you can see, we are enjoying a lovely dinner." Her eyes lingered on Henry as she spoke. Regina plucked another fry from her plate, ready to dismiss the pirate when he interjected.

"The matter really is terribly urgent," he said as evenly as possible.

He was now gaining worried looks from Mary Margaret and David, and Emma was already halfway out of her seat.

"What's going on?" Henry chimed in, fascinated. "Is it something dangerous?"

"Afraid not, lad," the pirate chuckled. "Terribly dull business with the town legislature and the like. Forms needing signing…" He looked around, garnering more puzzled stares from the table. He cleared his throat. "But they, ah… must be processed by midnight. So, Regina, if you would be so kind." He motioned toward the rear hallway of the diner.

Both David and Emma stared at Hook in utter confusion, but Mary Margaret seemed to get the hint. "So, Henry, when should we have your next driving lesson?" she chimed in. With that, attention was brought back to the table conversation and Regina made a quick exit.

"This had better be good," Regina threatened in a low whisper once they were out of earshot and out of view from the front windows.

Hook glanced around, skimming his tongue over his lower lip. "Allow me to be blunt. Zelena placed a curse upon me, more specifically on my lips."

Regina scrunched her nose in distaste. "The hell would she want with your lips?"

The pirate sighed. "It's what she wants me to do with them." He looked Regina steady in the eye. "She wants me to kiss Emma, and in doing so remove all of Emma's powers."

"That filthy bitch," Regina spat. She crossed her arms over her chest and arched her brow once more. "And if you don't?"

"Aye, that's the problem," Hook rubbed his fingers across his lips. "Zelena is powerless to hurt Emma while she still possesses her magic, but if I fail to kiss Emma and drain her of her powers by midnight, Zelena has vowed to kill all of Emma's loved ones." He glanced back at the happy family laughing once more. "Starting with Henry."

"Like hell she will!" Regina stood enraged, small spits of purple flame shooting from her fingertips.

"I'll gladly protect the boy at the cost of my own life, but I'm afraid that without Emma's powers to defend us, even that will do little good."

Regina studied Hook carefully. "You really do love her, don't you?"

He shot a quick glance back at the table before meeting Regina's gaze once more. "Aye, that I do." His voice was low, but brimming with passion. He would do anything in the world for the woman who had healed his soul and ripped his heart in two. For though her departure had broken his heart anew, Emma Swan remained the only person with the power to put it back together.

"Then perhaps there is a solution after all," Regina smirked.

Hook looked at the queen hopefully. "Do you possess a potion or a spell that might heal my affliction?"

"Sadly, I find that even my craftiest concoctions are unable to do much against Zelena's power." She flashed her wicked half smile once more. "But there may be another way."

"Stop toying with me, Regina," Hook spat in frustration. "We haven't the time for your games."

"Come on pirate, can you really be so daft?" she challenged. With a pointed nod, Regina motioned to the group where Emma was staring at Hook over Henry's shoulder. She caught his eye with a worried expression, then turned back toward her family.

Hook remained perplexed until he turned back to Regina who was mischievously tapping her lower lip.

He scoffed upon realizing her intention. "Are you really suggesting true love's kiss? I believe Emma has made it quite clear she doesn't love me." He looked down, dejected, feeling the pain of this admission just as sharply as his declaration of his own feelings.

It was now Regina's turn to scoff. She rolled her eyes at the pirate. "Oh, give me a break. Are you really too lovesick to see that she's almost as much of a yearning, doe-eyed puppy as you are?" He raised his eyes to her and she challenged his stare. "You just have to get her to admit it and seal it with a kiss. Poof! Curse broken." Regina revealed another wicked grin. "And that nasty lizard will be rendered truly powerless."

They quickly formed a plan for Regina to accompany the Charmings and Henry back to the safety of the protection spell on the loft. In the meantime, Hook would invite Emma to his room and attempt to get her confession. "Don't tell her about the curse," Regina added before returning to the group. "True love's magic only arises without prompting."

"Duly noted," Hook murmured with a nod.

In no time at all, Regina had Henry and grandparents packed up and heading toward the door. Emma threw on her jacket and made to follow them when Hook stepped into her path.

"If I could have a minute," he intoned while looking up at her through his lashes.

Emma looked torn between the man before her and her quickly exiting family. "But, Henry-"

"Hey, mom!" Henry turned around beaming from ear to ear. "David's gonna let me park the car once we get back to the loft! I'll see you when you get home!" With that, Henry raced out the door and toward the waiting truck.

"Problem solved," Hook said with a smirk and a small flick of his tongue. "Care to join me for a drink upstairs?"

"Are you going to tell me what all the shady business between you and Regina was about?" Emma asked as she leaned toward Hook in an imitation of his posture.

Rather than answer her question, he extended his hand to her. "Do you trust me?" he asked as he pierced her with the force of his icy blue stare.

She placed her hand in his, sending shivers throughout his body. "Yes," she said hesitantly.

"Then join me for a drink." Hook winked and helped Emma to her feet. Resting his hook against the small of her back, he ushered her upstairs.

Once inside, he quickly busied himself with gathering two small glasses and pouring a generous amount of rum into each.

Emma removed her jacket and let it hang off one of his bedposts. "So, you got me up here," Emma said as she stared at the pirate. "Now tell me exactly what is going on."

Of course she would push this topic. He chided himself for momentarily underestimating the woman's tenacity. "I will tell you everything you want to know, love…. tomorrow." He glanced at the bedside clock. "Which just happens to be coming in exactly one hour and twenty-seven minutes. Surely we can put all other matters aside for at least that long?" He lowered one eyebrow suggestively and extended one of the rum-filled glasses to her.

She tried to take the glass from his hand and he pulled it back, just out of her reach. "Not until you agree, darling," he smiled at her.

Emma stepped nearer, bringing herself within a foot of the man. "Fine," she said as her lips turned up at the corners. Her fingers brushed over his as she removed the glass from his hands. Even such a brief contact sent shockwaves through his body once more. Emma seemed to be affected by the motion, too, as she looked quickly at their overlapping fingers. After a beat, she pulled her hand completely away, but made no attempt to distance herself from him. She took a drink of rum, then asked, "So why exactly did you bring me up here?"

"For truly dark and nefarious purposes," he growled, causing Emma to roll her eyes and crack another grin. He watched the softly glowing lights of the room reflect off of her shiny, golden locks and brilliant smile. "You look so beautiful like that, Emma."

Her smile faded slightly, filled in by a look he could not name. Blast, perhaps I've had more to drink than I've realized. He quickly glanced at his glass which was now half empty. Well, we're all as likely dead by morning, anyway. What does it matter if she knows the truth? "So carefree, and relaxed," he continued. "It's a rare sight to behold."

Emma smiled softly. "Can't say there have been many moments for me to be happy. If I'm not rescuing Henry from Regina, then it's from Gold, or Pan, or this new witch," she sighed.

"Emma," Hook intoned softly. When she didn't immediately look at him, he placed his hook under her chin and gently tilted it up. "Henry will always be safe as long as I'm around. I swear it on my life."

He let his hook drop, but she continued to look at him. There was that unidentifiable look again, stronger now. It made her doe eyes even larger and her angelic features even sweeter. He had to fight the urge to brush a strand of hair behind her ear and bring her mouth to his.

"I know," she said at last. She suddenly seemed to catch herself and the look was washed from her face. She set her glass on the table and brushed past Hook to stand by the window.

He drained his own glass and set it down as well. He'd almost had her, he was sure of it. For the first time, a flicker of hope sparked within him. If that look really had been love, there may yet be a chance for him to save her life as well as Henry's.

Hook strode next to her and came to lean against the windowsill only inches from Emma. The scent of her skin invaded his senses and prompted mental images of his mouth consuming every inch of her skin. If I could kiss her bloody senseless, I'd have no trouble drawing a confession from her lips. He could feel his pulse quicken at the thought of his lips upon her body. Working hard to control his voice, he finally broke the silence between them. "Surely there have been enjoyable moments along your journeys as well?"

Without turning to look at him, Emma responded with "A few." He could hear the smile in her voice.

Perhaps her armor is wearing thin after all.

Suddenly, she brought her green eyes to gaze upon him. A smirk played along her lips. "And what about you?"

He allowed a smile to dance across his lips as well. "More than just a few," he said with a slight lean towards Emma.

"Any particular pirate ventures you care to share?" After receiving a particularly quizzical look from Hook, she continued. "Well, I mean, I've got at least an hour before I'm allowed to know about your mysterious dealings. The least you can do is distract me."

Hook chuckled openly at her words. "You raise a fair point, my lady." He spun his back to the window, lowering himself on his elbows and looking at Emma with his signature flick of his tongue over his lower lip. "There's one or two worth telling. It was near the end of my pirating days. I found myself in the land of giants, facing the last remaining beanstalk."

Emma opened her mouth to interject, but Hook continued.

"Before the stalk stood the most beautiful and courageous creature I'd ever seen. One who managed to scale the beanstalk and even managed to best me." Emma was softly chuckling, so Hook couldn't resist adding in, "And that one actually abandoned me atop the beanstalk. Most fearsome foe I've yet to face."

Emma punched his arm lightly. "Really? That's the best pirating story you've got?"

"All right, if you insist, I do have one better." He began with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "Once, when I was in Neverland, I had just survived a perilous trek. I'd been tempted by darkness, but had emerged victorious to the cheers and congratulations of my crew." He leaned a bit closer. "The best part of the entire journey was that for playing the part of the hero, I received a kiss from the most glorious maiden."

With a sigh, Emma turned herself toward the pirate. "Killian, what are you doing? Telling me these stories, paying me these compliments, all for what? To try and seduce me?"

Hook laughed darkly. "If seduction alone was my endgame, Swan, I guarantee I'd have had you on your back long ago." His eyes held promises darker than his laughter and earned a barely perceptible shudder from Emma.

"So, what is it that you want, then?" she asked.

Hook ran his hands through his hair, searching for the right words. If I don't tell her, Henry's as good as dead. Holding her gaze and moving within inches of her, Hook finally released the words pent up within him. "You, Emma. I want all of you." He paused to measure her reaction, but when she said nothing, he continued. "You have... utterly transformed me. You want to know what I couldn't tell you about the past year? I tried to put this life behind me, return to swashbuckling and pilfering. It couldn't stick. Nothing from my past life could fill the hole left in my heart by your absence." Hook's voice quivered with emotion as he delivered the final syllables. "I love you."

The pair stood staring at each other in silence for several moments, Hook searching Emma's eyes for any sign that she returned his affection. Just as he finally looked away, Emma brought her palm up to caress the stubble of his cheek. She turned his head back to facing her. "I definitely care about you, Killian. I do. You helped saved Henry and brought me back to Storybrooke. You didn't need to do any of that." She paused to consider her next words carefully.

Here comes the bloody kicker. Hook felt himself deflating, knowing that her next words would be rejection or dismissal.

"I want to give this a try. It's just that now isn't the best time. How can I commit myself to making things work with you when there's an evil witch on the loose trying to destroy my family?"

Hook let out another dark laugh at the irony of her words. The sound caused Emma to halt her next sentence. "What's so funny?"

Oh, lass. If you only knew. Suddenly Hook was filled with rage. That vile creature is getting exactly what she wanted. She counted on me being a villain no one could love. I shall NOT let her have such power over my life, over Emma's, or Henry's!

"Wh-what are you doing?" Emma cried as the pirate used his hook to pin Emma's hands together above her head and used his free hand to tilt her chin toward his.

"I can't accept 'maybe later' as an answer, darling" Hook growled into Emma's ear. He tilted his chin, letting his stubble scratch her face and felt a shiver course through her body. "Love isn't something that you need to make work, it's something that you feel. And I know you feel it," he murmured as his free hand slid down her neck and between her breasts, "because you are positively falling apart at my touch."

He grazed his hand across her stomach and wrapped it around her waist, nuzzling into her neck and planting a warm kiss along her jaw. Emma released a small moan at his movements and struggled in his grip. He held her tighter and continued to kiss along her jaw and her neck, nipping and licking the skin every so often.

"Mmm, kiss me," she moaned against his skin.

"That's exactly what I'm doing, love," he whispered against her ear.

"No." She strained her hips against his, feeling a growing hardness where their bodies connected. Emma repeated the action, earning a soft grumble from Hook against her neck. "Really kiss me. I need to feel your lips on mine."

Hook detached himself from her neck and stared into her emerald eyes. "I want to, love. I really do." He sighed. "But you have me, heart, body, and soul. Unless I know you feel the same way, I can't."

Emma moaned again when Hook began his delectable assault on the other side of her neck, moving ever closer towards her chest. "Killian, stop… please," she choked out between small moans.

Reluctantly, he removed himself from her skin and freed her hands from under his hook. He maintained their proximity for several moments, watching both of their chests rise and fall heavily.

What the bloody hell am I doing? Clearly I'm not Emma's true love. If I leave now, perhaps I can sneak Henry out of town in time… Lost in his troubles, Hook turned to leave Emma, offering her a weak, "I'm sorry, Swan."

"Wait!" she called as her hands found the edges of his lapels. "Killian, I…" she drew him nearer, losing herself in the swirling blue depth of his eyes. "I love you, too."

Before he could make any kind of response, Emma tugged him to her and planted her lips on his in a fiery embrace. Heat flooded through Killian as he was caught by the shock of Emma's kiss. He intensified the embrace, prying her lips apart with his tongue and gripping her face to allow him deeper access.

The two finally pulled apart, each panting and staring heatedly into the other's eyes. "How do you feel?" he asked tenderly.

"Like I want a little more," she purred as she attempted to reach for his lips again.

Killian pulled back slightly, just out of reach of her lips. "No, your magic," he explained as he gently smoothed her hair. "Do you still have your magic?"

"Why wouldn't I-" she started.

"I'll explain later. Just try something, anything." He continued caressing her hair while she closed her eyes and gathered focus.

Suddenly he felt them levitating off the ground and drifting gently toward the bed. They landed with a soft thud on the comforter and Emma looked up at him with a proud smile.

"You're bloody brilliant, Emma," Killian exclaimed as he kissed her again. "You've thwarted Zelena's plans once again."

"Zelena?" Emma questioned. "What the hell did she have to do with any of this? Is THAT the shifty business you and Regina were dealing with?"

"Aye." Killian nodded, planting his lips against her forehead. "She'd cursed me in an attempt to remove your magic, but true love's kiss destroyed her plans."

"How did-" Emma's question was stifled by another kiss from Killian.

"Enough questions, Swan. Your family is safe and we'll check in with them soon enough, but first…" his eyes flashed a devilishly dark blue. "There's the matter of the goddess laying beneath me who happens to be in love with me." He flashed her a wicked grin and brought his lips to hers in another searing embrace before claiming her heart, body, and soul.

A/N 1 - Rated M follow up? - I felt that this chapter was getting rather long for a single dose. I'm not interested in continuing the plot of this story, but would be very interested in creating a Rated M follow up to fill in the details of the steaminess skimmed over at the end. They're such an electric pairing - if they get some yummy Rated M smut, it deserves to be done right. Would anybody read that? ;)

A/N 2 - Use of "Hook" vs "Killian" - Just to clarify my choice of using Hook or Killian: Since this story was told from his POV, I felt that he still viewed himself as the vicious Hook until he was accepted as Emma's true love, at which point he has fully transformed to Killian. That wasn't just a random typo - promise! :)

I had a lot of fun writing this, please let me know what you think! :)