The Stand-Off

She had failed. A sick feeling consumed the young sheriff as she was pulled closer and closer to her demise. Emma yelped and planted her feet as hard as she could, knowing that if she stopped fighting for one second, that she would be done for.

"NOOO!" The woman yelled frantically, reaching for anything she could hold onto to slow down her progress to certain doom. "STOP! DON'T DO THIS!"

Ruby who was currently dragging her struggling friend, sighed in frustration as she continued to pull her forward towards the doors of The Rabbit Hole. Emma grabbed onto a lamp post and clung for dear life, which just made Ruby pull that much harder.

"Emma, you're being ridiculous!" The waitress moaned as she pried one of the sheriff's hands off of the pole. "You made a bet and you lost! I thought you were a woman of honor!"

Emma looked at her friend with wide green eyes that begged her to reconsider. "Ruby, please. There has to be some other way. I can't go in there like-like this!"

The wolf just smiled, though she knew why Emma was so jumpy. The two friends had placed bets earlier that week and the sheriff had lost, and Ruby had been able to choose a way of payment. Gold himself would have been proud of her choice.

After Emma had gotten off of work that night, Ruby had kidnapped her and given the makeover of her life. Nails, hair, makeup, the works. Then she had dressed her in one of the sexiest dresses she owned. It was a beautiful black dress that was just beyond knee length with no back or sleeves. There was no doubt about it; the sheriff looked absolutely beautiful. But it wasn't the dress or makeup that Emma was afraid of. It was what she was expected to do once she entered the Storybrooke Bar.

Ruby smiled at her, "I don't see why you're worried. Most of the people in the Rabbit Hole are probably drunker than skunks; they aren't going to care if you sing off tune."

Emma shook her head. "I'm not singing karaoke!"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "It's just one song and then you won't owe me a damn thing! Come on, Emma! I'll even sing with you!"

Emma looked at her friend and felt her stomach churn for the hundredth time that night.

"If I do this, I'll lose all respect that I might've had. I'm the Sheriff, I have to act like one."

Ruby stopped trying to pry Emma's fingers from the street lamp and looked at her, her eyes suddenly growing soft. "You won't lose any respect. . . But if you really don't want to do it. . . I guess I understand."

Emma looked at her, surprised. Ruby was extremely stubborn - a trait they had in common- and never backed down, let alone changed her mind on something she wanted.

Ruby continued a moment later with a shrug. "The reason I chose for you to sing karaoke tonight, was because I owe someone else a favor."

Emma instantly grew suspicious. Who could Ruby possibly be in debt to? Surely she hadn't been dumb enough to make a deal with Rumpelstiltskin! No. Red wouldn't do that. The wolf-woman was hardly ever on the wrong side of a bet, and if she was, she could usually find a way to worm out of it.

"Who do you owe?" Emma asked incredulously.

Ruby looked into her friend's light green eyes and decided against lying since Emma would see right through it.

"Hook asked me to bring you, so he could challenge you to a karaoke standoff." Ruby rushed, and cringed slightly when Emma blinked in shock. "If you don't want to go in, we won't go in." The waitress added quickly. But Emma didn't register this or Ruby's apology. The sheriff was lost to anything but her own thoughts.

Hook was in the Rabbit Hole? Emma frowned. He still owed her a carton of Rocky Road and a night spent in jail for breaking into her house to steal said ice cream. The sheriff weighed her clutch purse in her hands and stared off into space. As always, she had a pair of handcuffs tucked away with her lipstick, ID, and phone. If she was so inclined, she could easily walk right up to the pirate and cuff him without a moments delay. And in that second of thought, Emma decided that that was exactly what she was going to do.

"Come on, Red," the woman said as she walked briskly to the Rabbit Hole doors, her high heels clicking loudly on the cement. "We don't have all night."

"Are you going to sing," Ruby asked excitedly, jogging to keep up with her friend. And Emma shook her head.

"No. I'm just going in to get, Captain Guyliner."

The Rabbit Hole was much bigger inside than one might have supposed. The floor plan was quite genius, having been split into two different sections. On one side were the pool tables and on the other were drinking tables, a small stage area, and the bar. It was set up in such a way that there was plenty of room to maneuver and fit everything in it's proper place.

Being a Friday night, the bar was packed to the gills with countless Storybrooke residents who wanted to drink their cares away or play a couple rounds of pool. Though there was also the adventurous group that came in to use the karaoke machine.

The fabled karaoke machine was actually just a laptop with Youtube access and a microphone hooked into the sound system. It was a small town after all.

As soon as Emma and Ruby entered the Rabbit Hole, the sheriff scanned the crowd for her pirate perpetrator, and at first couldn't see him. But then as they walked towards the middle point of the floor, between the pool tables and bar, she spotted a flash of black and red and a glimmer of silver. Then, Emma saw Killian Jones in all his glory, as he moved over to the karaoke stage. He consulted the DJ who sat behind the laptop and picked up a microphone in his good hand.

The Captain was in fine shape, with a red embroidered vest and his traditional black leather coat, hanging around his body like a second skin. Not to mention his bright blue eyes that shined with mischief as they found Emma's. His smile grew into a full smirk as he lifted the microphone up to his mouth.

"Ladies and Gents, may I have your attention please."

At his words the bar quieted down quite a bit and a majority of inhabitants turned to look at the Captain, aside from the few who were too drunk or involved in their game of billiards to care.

Emma rolled her eyes. Hook sure did love the limelight.

"Seeing as my date has finally arrived, I would put a proposition to you all," Killian said smoothly, his smug manner making Emma's fists clench. Oh how she wanted to smack that ego away. A couple of hard punches just might do that trick. . . But Emma fought her violent thoughts and tuned back into what Hook was saying.

"I know this is short notice, but how would you all feel about a karaoke standoff between myself and our lovely Sheriff?"

A loud cheering and applause went up from the crowd of party-goers and those who were standing near Emma gave her large smiles. Emma glared up at the damnable pirate and wished more than ever that she had her gun clipped to her waist.

When Emma made no move to answer or come up onto the stage, Hook frowned slightly. "Come now, Darling! Surely you aren't scared of me?" When there was still no reply he lifted an eyebrow. "Are you going to admit defeat, without a fight? I never thought you were one to back down from a challenge."

Emma was silent for a moment, fingering her purse that concealed the handcuffs. She could walk up onto the stage and have him cuffed and hauled off to the jail before he could blink, but something stopped her. And before she could really think about what she was doing, the woman was heading for the stage.

As she approached, there were whispers and murmurs of encouragement, and she nodded to several people she recognized. Emma walked up onto the stage, being careful to pace herself since she was wearing heels, and walked directly over to DJ.

Ruby had told Emma earlier that day that she had taken care of the karaoke track and that the DJ was an old friend. And she hadn't lied. Emma was shocked to see that the DJ was none other than Archie Hopper. He gave her a happy smile and nodded to her. "Ruby already told me which two tracks to mix for your stand-off. You'll switch off singing your song and Hook singing his, I've combined them so that you will change every verse or so."

Emma was stunned, fear returning to her stomach as she nodded to Archie. What had she been thinking, walking up on this stage? Hook had baited her and she had jumped without a second thought. What was wrong with her?

Archie handed the sheriff her microphone, and Emma, still holding her clutch purse anxiously, begrudgingly went to stand next to Hook. The man smiled brightly at her and chuckled. "I'd usually say ladies first, but seeing as you look speechless-" Killian let the sentence hang, unfinished, and gestured for the DJ to begin.

Killian Jones started to sing and Emma lifted an eyebrow. Despite his shortcomings, Hook could sing. And Emma felt her other eyebrow raise when she recognized the song he had chosen.

"So hot, out the box. Can we pick up the pace? Turn it up, heat it up I need to be entertained. Push the limit, are you with it? Baby, don't be afraid. I'ma hurt 'ya real good, baby."

Emma listened hard for the karaoke track to change to her song and began to sing once she heard the familiar tune begin to mix with the already playing instrumental.

"Superstar, where you from? How's it going? I know you, got a clue what you're doing. You can play brand new to all the other chicks out here, but I know what you are. What you are, baby."

The entire time Emma was singing she was looking at Hook, wanting him to eat his smug challenge and shove it where the sun didn't shine. The woman knew that she could sing, and the Britney Spears song was right in her range. Deeper than most females sang, and full of gumption and sass.

Killian stared right back at her, and she could tell that he hadn't known what to expect. Though his expression was one of pleasure as he lifted his mic up and began to sing again.

"Let's go, it's my show baby do as I say. Don't trip off the glitz that I'm gonna display. I told ya, I'ma hold ya down until you're amazed. Give it to ya 'til you're screaming my name!"

Emma rolled her eyes, when Hook looked at her suggestively, knowing that he had picked the flirtatious Adam Lambert song on purpose. Well at least it suited him.

"Look at you, getting more than just re-up. Baby, you've got all the puppets with their strings up. Faking like a good one, but I call 'em like I see' em. I know what you are, what you are, baby."

"No escaping when I start, once I'm in I own your heart! There's no way you'll ring the alarm! So hold on until it's over!

Oh, do you know what you got into? Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do? Cause it's about to get rough for you! I'm here for your entertainment!"

"Womanizer, woman, womanizer! You're a womanizer, oh womanizer oh! You're a womanizer, baby! You, you, you are, You, you, you are! Womanizer, Womanizer, Womanizer (Womanizer)!

Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are. Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are. You got me goin', you're oh so charmin', but I can't do it. Womanizer.

Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are. Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are! You say I'm crazy! I got your crazy! You're nothin' but a womanizer!"

"Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet. 'Ya thought an angel swept you off your feet. But I'm about to turn up the heat. I'm here for your entertainment!

It's alright, you'll be fine. Baby, I'm in control. Take the pain, take the pleasure; I'm the master of both. Close your eyes, not your mind. Let me into your soul. I'm a work it 'til you're totally blown.

No escaping when I start. Once I'm in I own your heart! There's no way you'll ring the alarm! So hold on until it's over!"

As they continued to sing their songs, Hook had begun to circle around Emma and the sheriff had let him, playing up the song choices. Here he was, proving her point. Captain Hook was infact a Womanizer, and yet here she was singing a duet of sorts with him and sharing a private smirk with him when he met her eyes. Emma rationalized that the smirk was a result of what she planned to do once they were finished. She was sure that Killian wouldn't like her surprise.

"Daddy-O, you got the swagger of a champion. Too bad for you, you just can't find the right companion. I guess when you have one too many, makes it hard. It could be easy, who you are, that's just who you are, baby.

Lollipop. Must mistake me, you're the sucker. To think that I would be the victim of another. Say it, play it how you wanna, but no way I'm ever gonna fall for you, never you, baby.

Womanizer, woman, womanizer! You're a womanizer, oh womanizer oh! You're a womanizer, baby! You, you, you are! You, you, you are! Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer!

Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are! Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are! You got me goin', you're oh so charmin', but I can't do it. You Womanizer."

"Oh, do you know what you got into? Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do? Cause it's about to get rough for you. I'm here for your entertainment!

Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet! 'Ya thought an angel swept ya off your feet! Well I'm about to turn up the heat! I'm here for your entertainment!

Oh oh. . . . Oh oh.. Entertainment. . . Oh oh.. Oh entertainment. . . . Ooooohhhh! Do you like what you see? Wooooaaahhhhhh! Let me entertain ya till you screeeaaam!"

Killian now stood directly behind Emma and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. At first Emma was frozen, noting that the arm that was draped around her middle was the same one that housed the Hook. But as he held her she leaned back into him, turning her head so that she could see him. Black lined blue met soft light green.

"Maybe if we both lived in a different world. (Womanizer, Womanizer, Womanizer, Womanizer) It would be all good, and maybe I could be your girl, but I can't cause we don't. . .."

"We could, Swan." Hook whispered gently in her ear, making her shiver. "Just you and me against the world, lass. Just you and me."

Emma felt her heartbeat in her ears and felt herself begin to slip. . . But then she mentally drew back. No. The sheriff pushed herself away from Killian's body as the song began to draw toward it's close.

"Womanizer! Woman! Womanizer! You're a Womanizer! OH WOMANIZER OH! YOU'RE A WOMANIZER, BABY! YOU, YOU, YOU ARE! YOU, YOU, YOU ARE!

Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer! (Womanizer)"

Killian Jones stiffened for a moment at Emma's sudden change in singing style. Before she had been singing it strong, this much was true. But now she was belting it. The lion cub had become a full fledged lioness. The growl and become a roar, and Hook was entranced.

"Oh, do you know what you got into?"

"Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are!"

"Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?"

"Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are!"

"Cause it's about to get rough for you! I'm here for your entertainment!"

"You got me goin', you're oh so charmin', but I can't do it! Womanizer!"

"Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet!"

"Boy, don't try to front, I know just what you are!"

"Ya thought an angel swept ya off your feet!"

"Hook, don't try to front, I know just what you are!"

"Well I'm about to turn up the heat!"

"Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer! You're a womanizer!"

"Swan, I'm here for your entertainment!"

"Oh, Womanizer oh! You're a womanizer, baby!"

As the two finished, Emma immediately put her plan into play, closing the distance between herself and Killian and planting her lips on his, sealing them in a passionate kiss. Hook's eyebrows rose in surprise, but he kissed her back without hesitation closing his eyes in several peaceful seconds Emma was his, and for one wonderful moment he had won his lovely Swan. But it ended all too soon.

As Emma began to pull away from the kiss, the Captain heard a very familiar metallic click and felt his lovely sheriff smile against his lips. He once more opened his eyes and looked down at the handcuffs with a scowl.

Emma leaned in closer so that only he could hear as the crowd around them grew silent. "Sorry Hook, but you owe me a gallon of ice cream."

Author's Note:

Second addition to my series of Captain Swan Oneshots! (Took me long enough!)

I always have pictured Emma Swan having a deep singing voice (Britney Spears/Pink worthy) and this oneshot has been playing itself over and over in my head for almost a year now. It was a relief to finally write the bloody thing! XD Though originally I hadn't thought Killian Jones/Captain Hook would be singing with her. /

(Colin O'Donoghue actually plays guitar and sings! He was swoon-worthy when he donned on the Guyliner, but I nearly fainted when he opened up his sexy mouth to sing! GRRRRRR DAT DAMNABLE MAN!)

Two songs used are Womanizer: By Britney Spears and For Your Entertainment: By Adam Lambert. Both songs represent the Captain Swan relationship I think, with Emma not wanting to trust and Hook always coming in with the wonderful innuendos! (insert drool)

I hope you guys liked it! Please review or PM me! I would love to hear your thoughts on this little oneshot!

~Lyn Harkeran