A/N: Just a short message to apologise for my absence which has lasted for a while. I haven't had the time to write and upload here so I just uploaded on Tumblr. I am really sorry for that and I hope these chapters that will be up can somewhat make up for that. :)

So, did you really think I wouldn't give my thoughts and expectations for 4.02. Of course I did! (I don't really think this is what's going to happen, but whatever, let's just go with it) Loots of fluff in the end.

"No! Swan! Swan, stay with me, love, talk to me. Emma!"

Killian's frantic voice was echoing through the small black device, breaking the silence in the ice cave. She wanted to tell him everything was going to be okay. She wanted to tell him she was fine. She wanted to reassure him, say anything that would prove she was not feeling as if she was slowly fading away, only she couldn't. Curled up in her side, a wavering Emma was struggling to catch her breath and reply, but her voice wouldn't cooperate, her eyes wouldn't blink and her body wouldn't stop shivering. It wasn't even Elsa's fault and she wished people wouldn't blame her. She actually understood what the

snow

queen was going through, the inability to control her magic, the pain when you are the reason an innocent gets hurt. She felt a connection to her. Besides, she has been by her side trying to wake her the entire time, her hand still pressed against her shoulder. The cold, sharp and intense like never before felt like millions of needles piercing through her body and she felt so defeated, her head a white blur of random pictures of the people she would leave behind. Henry, who she had just found twelve years after her idiotic decision to give him up, how she held him in her cuddle at Granny's hours before she ran after Elsa and ended up trapped under ice. Her family, who were finally there for her after a life of loneliness, how she wanted to make up for the lost time. And Killian. She had been avoiding him and he was still worried, never giving up on her. Why? Why would anyone fight for her? If she could, Emma would apologize and start over, because she never really meant to act so foolishly. Their last kiss popped up in her head. It wasn't long or passionate, it was more like a peck on his lips, but it meant so much. I'm sorry. I'll be back. Just wait for me for a bit longer and I'll let you in. I promise. These were her last thoughts before her eyes fluttered close and the blur became blinding.

"Swan!"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I'm so sorry."

"I think you've done enough for today. Get away from her. Emma, love."

She heard distant voices sounding like whispers to her ears. One of them familiar, soothing, words like small pleas coming in it. Warmth surrounded her as something wrapped around her shoulders. It was heavy and felt like leather. The comforting scent of ocean and spice and… home a calming cloud around her. Arms held her in a tight clutch and pulled her up, the cold and soaking sense of ice beneath her, lost against the firm warmth of a strong body's embrace.

"Hold on darling. I'll get you out of this bloody cave, your parents are here, you're safe, I've got you."

The husky accented voice was back and she finally recognized it through the fuzziness in her head. Killian. Emma tried to open her eyes, talk to him, but she couldn't. His arms more bare than usual and she realized why. The heavy leather around her body was his coat. She attempted to shake it off her shoulders. He shouldn't be cold. Her body sore and worn out didn't even stir around in his grasp and she stopped trying, giving into the weakness. The cold was becoming more and more distant, but she was still quivering and the usual faltering of her heart when he was around was now a soft thud against her chest.

"Oh, thank god you got her!"

"Here place her in the back."

"Emma, honey we're here now. You'll be fine."

"She's too bloody cold and she won't stop shivering!"

"Come on, I called Whale, they prepared a room."

The faint sound of a machine beeping became louder in her ears, crisp sheets and blankets enveloped her body and a cold, unfriendly room appeared as Emma's eyes flickered open. God, how she hated hospitals and their unwelcome ambiance. Déjà vu's of her childhood and painful diseases at the system with rude doctors over her hit her. And then, something pleasantly friendly made her snap out of it. Fingers tangling with hers and clenching her hand, bright blue eyes locking with hers and a warm voice greeting her, coming from the person she had been looking forward to seeing all day made her grin, at least as much as she could.

"Swan?" She still felt weak and drained, but his voice never failed to wake her up and somehow refresh her. Killian's eyes were filled with hope and Emma finally found something positive in her depressing room. He still cared, he didn't give up.

"Y-yeah, I b-believe that's m-me." She tried to joke, getting a soft chuckle out of the concerned pirate by her side. The beating of her heart growing quicker by the second, she tried to stir in her bed and shift to a more comfortable position, but failed, a blinding pain rushing through her.

"Come, love, let me help you." Killian offered, standing up and readjusting her pillows, as he gently drew her upwards, pulling her blanket higher, up to her neck. He still seemed concerned. Emma snickered to his too careful moves, as if he could break her with one wrong joggle of his hand. Silly, adorable pirate.

"Th-thank you, Killian. F-for everything." She was all too aware that he was the one who carried her to David's truck and wrapped his coat around her to keep her warm. She was so grateful for everything and felt that she deserved nothing after the way she had been avoiding him. Maybe this should be over after today.

"You really think I'd let you freeze to death?" Killian gave her an incredulous look and then realized how familiar the sentence sounded.

"Well, g-given our h-history, can you b-blame me for being uncertain?" Emma giggled, a sharp pain hitting her, making her quiver and she tightened her grip on his hand, needing affection and intimacy after a long time. Maybe it was the drugs she was being injected with, or maybe not, her walls though, were fully down and, despite how vulnerable that made her feel, she was glad she could finally be free around him and trust him. Their happy cackles filled the room, before Emma's gaze found his again, and became much more serious.

"I'm sorry, Killian. I d-didn't mean- "She started, wishing all the pushing away would not matter to him anymore, because she was going to stop for a while. She remembered that small moment of her lips pecking against his and grinned, a look of anxiety in her eyes.

"No apologies, love. I understand. And that was enough for the moment. Just a few words that meant he could still read her like an open book and not misunderstand the fucking stupid mixed signals she had been sending him. How could she be such an idiot and hold back all this time? "Y-you know, I'm still a bit c-cold…" she replied patting on the empty space next to her on her bed and trying to give him a playful grin, but still sounding weak and small after everything she had been through, They both knew he wouldn't turn down that opportunity.

Killian was perfectly adjusted in her bed in a few seconds, his sturdy arms wrapping around Emma and tenderly pulling her against his chest, lips placing a chaste kiss on the crown of her head. Emma melt in his embrace and relaxed, the warmth around her so welcome after her adventure through the cold. His comforting scent returning and his heart beating an intense staccato from his chest and reverberating through her had her feeling happier as well.

"You know your father will punch me in the face for that." He chuckled against her golden locks of hair.

"Thank god you are the fearless Captain Hook then." She chuckled and snuggled even further in his embrace with a soft hum and a contented sigh, as he squeezed her closer. He was the most right person that could have been by her side when she opened her eyes. His embrace felt like home and she was finally not intimidated by that, as she rested in his them. No more running. Maybe they could even go on a date one of these days. Who knows, right? Her eyes fluttered closed once more, his face and beautiful eyes in her mind and her careless sleep.

-Fin-