Disclaimer: Only plot is mine!

Emma Swan stood on a dock, looking down into the crystal clear water, telling herself, "This time, I'm going to jump. I can do it. It's just water." Then, she felt a hand shove her from behind and her body hit the water with a big splash. She struggled to keep her head above water, but she felt herself being dragged under the waves as she gasped and screamed for breath. She vaguely heard someone calling her name, but no one came to help her…

"Emma!" cried the voice of her fiancé Neal Cassidy. "Emma! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry," Emma said as she sat up and tried to control the racing of her heart. "I was having that drowning dream again and you know how I am when I have that drowning dream."

"Yeah," Neal nodded as she ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. "Still having those nightmares, huh? You know, when I put up the money for that last cruise, I had no idea you didn't swim all that well."

"Yes, you did!" Emma cried. "I told you!"

"Well, then why did you agree to go on the cruise in the first place, if all it was gonna do is make you agitated?" Neal asked.

"Cause I wanted to be with you!" Emma replied. "It's as simple as that!"

"Oh," Neal nodded. "All right. So I guess that if I tell you I have tickets for another cruise, you won't want to come with me even though I think we could have a lot of fun?"

"You're right," Emma nodded. "I'm not gonna put myself through that hell again."

"Well, all right," Neal told her. "I'll be missing you every day."

"You better," Emma answered. "Cause I'll be missing you too."

But a few days into the cruise, while, as the schedule claimed, the boat Neal was on was making its way along the Cote D'azur, Emma got a phone call from him. He sounded drunk and she could just barely understand him. "Emma, he said. "I think I fucked up."

"What?" Emma cried. "Neal, what's going on?"

"I fucked up," Neal repeated. "I met someone else. She's a goddess, Emma. She's wonderful. When we take a break in France, I'm not coming back. I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?" Emma cried. "Neal, what are you talking abo-" but the line went dead and Emma ended the call, sitting down and trying to take in what she'd just been told before lying her head down on the kitchen table and trying not to cry. Then, a thought occurred to her: she didn't have to sit here and take this! She could fight back! She could go to France and win Neal back from this goddess and have a happily ever after, just like her parents. She wrote down a list of the things she had to do, and a few days later, she was on a plane, en route to Paris, which would lead her to Neal and the Cote D'azur. She was sitting and staring out the window, hoping that no one would sit beside her, when suddenly, someone did, interrupting her thoughts: A handsome (in an aesthetic sense) man with dark hair, blue eyes, and a mustache who seemed to favor leather way too much, and when he noticed her gaze, he gave her the cocky smile of a man who was used to women going weak at the knees at the sight of him.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi," Emma replied. "If you don't mind, I don't feel like talking much, so I won't."

"Well, all right," he agreed. "I'll leave you alone. Do you always push men away like this? I'm Killian Jones, by the way."

"Emma Swan," Emma replied tersely. "And I don't push all men away. Only presumptuous jerks like you, Killian Jones. Don't try anything. I'm already spoken for. In fact, I'm going to France to see my fiancé. He was on a cruise and I'm visiting him."

"Oh?" Killian looked interested. "What is your fiancé doing on a cruise without you?"

"I have a thing about water, okay?" Emma snapped. "So he went on the cruise without me and now he's in love with another woman and I'm going to get him back!"

"Why?" Killian asked. "Why would you want to be with a man who thinks so little of you that he can forget you to be with another woman?"

"He thinks a lot of me!" Emma cried. "And besides that, we had plans together, okay? Plans for a home and a family! I'm gonna remind him of those!"

"Oh, yes," Killian smirked. "You need to remind him of your plans for a life together cause he was so attached to them in the first place."

"And if that fails, I don't know what I'm gonna do," Emma finished.

"Please don't tell me you're desperate enough to get down on your knees and beg," Killian scoffed.

"Well, it's possible," Emma replied. "Maybe."

"All right," Killian contemplated. "So you're on your knees, begging Neal to come back to you while this beautiful goddess that he left you for is standing there in her negligee. Poor man. It will probably be a tough decision. And why are you doing this to yourself? Why is it that after he humiliated you so thoroughly, you're traveling to Paris to allow him to do it again?"

"Oh, shut up!" Emma growled and elbowed him in the gut. "Who are you to tell me how to live my life? I know you said before, but I've forgotten already."

"Killian Jones," he repeated with a wink. "How are you?"

"Charmed, I'm sure," Emma said through her teeth. "Now, if you insist on talking to me, which I think you do, since it doesn't seem like you'll shut up, can we talk about something else?"

"All right," Killian replied and then lapsed into silence for a moment before asking, "How old were you when you lost it?"

Emma made a face. "It?" She asked. "What do you mean by 'it'?"

"You know, 'it'," Killian said. "Your…flower."

"My…oh!" Emma cried when she realized what he meant. "My flower is none of your business!"

"I only asked because some people rush, wanting to discover what it's all about, and others guard it like some precious gift." Killian's shrug was matter-of-fact.

Emma smirked. "Let me guess: you rushed."

"Yes," Killian nodded. "Yes, I did. Like a bull."

"Well, I didn't rush," Emma replied. "But I didn't hide from it either. I was seventeen and l met this guy, and we were in a relationship for a bit and I did it then…but it was kind of a disappointment cause he left me after. I was much choosier after that." Just then, the plane lurched as it began going up the runway and the captain's voice, speaking French that Emma didn't understand, went on the loudspeaker.

"What was that?" She asked, clutching Killian's arm. "And what is he saying?"

"Well," Killian answered, "he says something is wrong with the engine, but we're going to take off anyway."

A squeak of terror emitted from Emma's throat and she began singing to herself.

"What are you doing?" Killian asked, trying not to laugh.

"Singing," Emma replied. "It helps me calm down."

"You don't like boats, you don't like planes, how in the world do you get around?" Killian asked. "Or do you just stay in your house with the door locked?"

"I get around as nature intended," Emma replied. "In a car. And stop making it seem like I'm some sort of horrible coward. Look at what I'm doing to get Neal back so we can have the perfect life that we planned out together? I love him! When you love someone, shouldn't you be willing to risk everything for them?"

"Well, I don't think it's a very interesting question," Killian stated. "I think that's the question of a girl who believes in fairy tales, not a grown woman like you."

"I'm done talking," Emma said. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. Except for one thing: You're damn right I believe in fairy tales. My parents are Snow White and Prince Charming."

"Fine," Killian told her. "I'll be quiet. You're not such a delight to talk to either. You're either crazy or telling the truth and I can't figure out which one."

The rest of the plane ride was spent in silence and Emma was very dismayed to find out on the bus to her hotel that that was where Killian was staying too. They strode into the hotel just as the elevators were coming down to the ground floor, and that was when Emma noticed Neal in one of them, hugging a tall, leggy brunette. Feeling lightheaded, she swayed as her knees buckled and she fainted.

When she came to, she was lying on of the sofas in the lobby and Killian was bending over her. "Are you all right?" He asked. "Perhaps we should get you to your room." He picked her up as she muttered, "I don't have a room. Someone has taken my room. Someone in six inch heels and a red dress."

"Oh, don't be silly, love," Killian told her as he carried her to an elevator, both his room key and hers in his pocket. "Of course you have a room. And even if you didn't, I would be more than happy to share mine with you. Now, do you think you'll be able to stand?"

"Of course!" Emma snapped. "Put me down!"

Chuckling at her expense, Killian put Emma down and smirked at her all through the elevator ride, and when they reached the right floor, he followed her as she got out.

"Why are you following me?" Emma demanded. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. Let's just live our own lives and go our separate ways, and then I can pretend we never met."

"No, I can't let that happen," Killian replied. "I have a sense that you're going into this Neal situation without a plan. Do you have a plan? Remember what I said would happen if you tried begging him to come back to you."

"What, so you're saying that I'm not capable of making my own fiancé come back to me?" Emma asked.

"Not without my help," Killian answered. "But I'll help you."

"Why?" Emma asked. "We just met. Why would you want to help me?"

"Cause a person who fights for what they want deserves to get it," he said. "Even though I question your reasons, you're fighting, so I want to help you. And trust me, you'll need it."

"Well, I think you're wrong, but I accept your offer anyway," Emma replied. "Do you have a plan?"

"Yes," Killian nodded. "I do. And the first part of it is that you need to give up your room."

"Why?" Emma asked. "And where will I stay?"

"Well, you'll stay with me," Killian replied. "If you want Neal to take you back, the first thing you're gonna have to do is make yourself seem desirable, especially when you consider the woman he's with now. I mean, we haven't seen her of course, but do you imagine that she's pretty?"

"Oh, I don't have to imagine," Emma countered. "I saw her and Neal making out in the elevator. She's gorgeous. Tall, leggy, brunette." Her eyes narrowed. "I think I hate her."

"And would you like to make her jealous?" Killian asked. "Neal too?"

"I try not to be petty normally," Emma assured him. "But in this case, yes that would be nice. But if I'm supposed to make them jealous by being with you…that I'm not sure about."

"And that's why we need to get to know each other," Killian insisted, putting one arm around her and opening the door with his key before he brought her inside. "I'm sure that once we've spent some time together, you'll like me."

"I have, and it hasn't helped," Emma shot back.

"Look, I admit that I might have not shown you the best side of myself on the plane, and for that, I apologize, but will you give me another chance? Please?" Killian asked.

"Fine," Emma sighed and put her suitcase on the bed. "But you're sleeping on the sofa."

"All right," Killian smiled. "And if you hear me yell cause I rolled off during the night, don't be alarmed."

"I won't be," Emma replied. Then she said, "So…what do you say we start the plan to get Neal back now?"

"But we just got here," Killian pointed out as he sat on the couch. "Don't you want to have a little rest?"

"Not really," Emma replied. "But if you're too tired, I can always do phase one by myself."

"No," Killian shook his head. "It's too risky. Just remember, that whatever I do, no matter how forward it may seem, you need to go with it."

"Fine," Emma conceded. "But no having sex in public. At least control yourself that much."

"I didn't mean that," Killian assured her. "You're the one who brought that up. Not me."

"Okay, then just forget I even mentioned it," Emma instructed him. "I'm hungry. There's a restaurant here. You wanna come with me?"

"All right," Killian agreed and offered her his arm. They went to the restaurant and got seats, and just as Emma took a sip of her water, Neal and his girlfriend showed up. Emma spit out her water and then reached across the table to grab Killian and give him a kiss, in the hope that Neal would notice. And sure enough, he did.

"Emma?" He asked in amazement as he and his peeved partner backpedaled and stopped by their table. "Is that you? What are you doing here?"

"I came here by plane," Emma informed him with a smile. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, I'm certainly surprised," Neal agreed as his companion looked more and more annoyed by the minute. As they sat, Killian whispered in Emma's ear, "Did you see the ring on her finger? I think they're engaged."

"Are you engaged?" Emma asked Neal.

"Oh, yeah," Neal nodded. "We are." He indicated the woman he was sitting with. "This is Juliet. I met her on the boat."

"'E gave me the CPR when I fell in ze water," Juliet informed them. "This is how we meet."

"And I'm sure you were willing to thank Neal for his generosity, weren't you, lass?" Killian asked her. "So how did you do it? A nice candlelight dinner and then a tumble in bed?" He then winced as Emma kicked him under the table and Neal asked Emma,"Who's this guy?"

"Oh, him?" Emma put her head on Killian's shoulder while he played with her hair. "We met on the plane coming over here and he's generously offered to show me around the city. He's letting me room with him too, since my room didn't work out."

"Well, you know you can talk to the concierge about things like that," Neal told her.

"Oh, why would I do that and cause more of a fuss than there needs to be?" Emma wanted to know. "I'm perfectly happy with the way things are. I admit I was dismayed at first when you told me you wanted to leave me for this lovely woman, but I guess it's all worked out for the best in the end, right? No harm, no foul."

Killian then leaned his head down to kiss her while Neal blustered at the display. "I think," he told Juliet, "that we should go."

"Good," Juliet replied. "It's about time!" They strode out of the restaurant and Killian and Emma separated and gave each other a high five. "That was really great!" Emma smiled. "He seemed genuinely upset."

"Well, I'm glad you're not angry," Killian told her, relief obvious in his voice. "I didn't plan to kiss you. I was just going with the moment."

"Good instincts," Emma nodded, while kissing him again, much to his surprise. "Wanna get a drink? I'll buy."

Killian smiled. "You know, Swan, I wouldn't turn it down when a lady makes an offer like that."

"Good," Emma smiled back. "What's your poison?"

"I've always been partial to rum," Killian replied. "Would you like to join me?"

"Sure," Emma nodded. "Why not?" She ordered their rum and when it came, they toasted again. Then Emma took a sip and gagged. "My god!" She cried while Killian laughed. "Now I remember why I don't drink stuff like that straight up. It's too much!"

"You get used to it after awhile," Killian replied, drinking in a very showy manner, and then drinking Emma's glass too as she stuck her tongue out at him. Once both drinks were gone, he asked, "You want any more?"

"No, thanks," Emma shook her head. "I think I wanna go outside, you know? Hang out on the beach. It's a nice day for it, even if I don't go in the water, and I don't want the bathing suit I brought to go to waste."

"I completely agree," Killian told her, raising an eyebrow. "That would be a terrible shame. And in case you're wondering, I brought a bathing suit myself."

"Did you?" Emma asked. "Well, lucky me."

"Oh, I know," Killian winked. "Lucky you."

They went and got their bathing suits, and while Killian hung out in the surf, Emma sunned herself on a deck chair. As she lay there, she noticed a person ambling toward her. Putting her sunglasses on top of her head, she saw that it was Neal coming toward her, just as Killian was coming out of the water, soaking wet and perfect like some handsome, mysterious god of the sea.

"Yes?" She asked when Neal reached her. "May I help you?"

"What's his name?" Neal demanded. "The guy who kissed you in the restaurant?"

"Well, I don't see why that should matter to you, but if you wanna know, you ask him yourself," Emma replied, putting her glasses back on and preparing for the show. "Killian," she said when he reached them. "Why don't you introduce yourself to Neal here? He doesn't seem to feel you've been properly introduced."

"I'm Killian Jones, mate," Killian told Neal who reluctantly took his extended hand. "And I don't have to ask who you are. You're my Swan's ex-fiance. Really stupid choice. But your idiocy is my good fortune, so I suppose I should thank you."

"Excuse me?" Neal asked, blinking. "Your Swan? From what you said at the restaurant, it seems like the two of you just met!"

"Well, some people know what they want right away," Emma replied. "It's not his fault." She then turned around and yelled at a waiter in terrible French for a pina colada.

"What the hell was that?" Neal asked. "He's probably gonna spit in your drink, you know."

"Oh, no he won't," Emma replied. "That's the thing about French waiters: If you treat them politely, they treat you like crap. If you treat them like crap, they love you."

"Oh," Neal nodded. "Okay." He sat down on another chair and continued his interrogation of Killian. "So," he said. "What do you do?"

Emma and Killian looked at one another as if they needed to think about the answer to this question real hard.

"Actually," Killian said at last, "besides what she and I do together, I don't really do anything."

"He's got a boat," Emma added, enjoying herself immensely as she took Killian's hand in hers and then he kissed it. "He offered to take me on a trip around the world. I'm thinking of taking him up on it."

"What?!" Neal cried. "You hate boats! And water, cause you're terrified of drowning. That's why you wouldn't come on the cruise with me!"

"Well, maybe he can do things for me that you just can't," Emma replied. "But what does it matter to you anyway? You have Juliet, and she's a lovely girl."

"Yeah," Neal nodded, his head hanging. "I guess." He gave Emma and Killian, who were holding each other and smiling while leaning their heads together, a long look. "I-I think I'm gonna go," he said. "Goodbye."

He then split and Emma and Killian kissed each other again. "I almost feel bad," Emma said. "That must have been brutal!"

"As it must have been for you when he told you that he was suddenly in love with that other wench," Killian reminded her. "And I bet he has no intention of apologizing for that, so don't you dare feel bad."

"I guess you're right," Emma nodded. "But I still feel kind of bad anyway."

"It seems only natural," Killian smiled. "You must have a really big heart."

"Or I'm a complete idiot," Emma said with a shrug. "You can look at it either way."

"You're not an idiot," Killian assured her. "You were in love. It just happened to be with the wrong person. I know what that's like."

"You do?" Emma asked. "Really?"

"Yes," Killian nodded. "I do. Her name was Milah. I met her right after my brother died. He was my only family and with him gone, I had no one. She thought I was charming and daring and wonderful, hung on my every word, and just…made me feel not so alone in the world. I mean, now, looking back, it was something that was completely screwed up, but then…then it just seemed right. Like you and Neal. Only you're lucky enough to get yourself on a better path much faster than I did."

"And what would this better path be?" Emma asked slyly. "You? Are you my better path?"

"I think so," Killian nodded. "But just to prove it to you, what do you say to me getting Juliet out of the way tonight so you and Neal can have some time alone? Try and get the old spark back? And if nothing happens, you can come away with me."

"Just like that?" Emma asked with a laugh. "Do you really think it's that simple?"

"Things are only difficult if you make them that way," Killian nodded. "So, what do you say?"

"Okay," Emma agreed. "You're on."

Emma had a whole plan in her head for catching Neal and bringing him back to her room, but it turned out not to be necessary, cause Neal came to her room first. "I think we need to talk," he said when she let him in. He looked over the blue-gray strapless dress she was wearing. "You look beautiful," he said, taking her in his arms. "Seeing you like this now makes me wonder how I could have ever let you get away. While you've been here, you've completely changed. It's like someone turned on a light inside of you."

"I know how you let me get away," Emma said. "I'm not good enough for you. You want some woman who's mysterious and alluring and says no when she means yes, and yes when she means no, and I just…I can't do that. Happy, smile. Sad, frown. Use the corresponding face for the corresponding emotion. It's just how I am. And if that…if that's not enough for you…" He then put his finger over her lips. "Shhh…" he said. "Stop talking. Don't ruin this." He then kissed her, but instead of enjoying it, Emma found herself trying not to recoil and push him away. She even went to bed with him, but it was no good. Whatever there had once been between them was gone now.

"You said when you saw me again that it was like someone turned a light on in me," she told Neal when it was clear their tryst wouldn't go any longer. "Why couldn't that have been you, Neal? Why couldn't you be the one to turn on the big, shiny Emma light that burns so bright? Could you…could you tell me?"

Neal sighed. "No," he said after a long moment. "No, I don't think I can. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, Neal," Emma assured him. "I knew you were gonna say that. So I think we should take this time to just…to say goodbye to each other. You go on and live your life with Juliet, and I'll be with Killian, and I think…I think we'll both be much happier than if we tried to resurrect something between us that was past help anyway."

"If that's what you want," Neal replied, "then I guess…I guess all I can do is let you have it, right?"

"Thank you," Emma said as he got up and headed to the door. "Goodbye, Neal."

Neal nodded. "Goodbye, Emma."

He left and Emma waited up for Killian to return from his evening with Juliet.

"Did you have the same sort of night I had?" Emma asked when he came through the door looking like he'd just survived a terrible disaster. "I mean, was it as bad as mine?"

"Things started out well, enough, you could say," Killian replied. "But after I called out your name in the middle of it all…well, things just kind of went downhill after that."

Emma heard this and burst out laughing. "You called out my name when you and Juliet were having sex?"

"Yes, I did," Killian confirmed. "I hope you're proud of yourself. It was probably because of all the time I saw you in your bathing suit. I've not even known you for a week, and you're completely messing with my brain, Swan. In fact, what the hell? Why don't we just get married right now?"

"Really?" Emma asked, her jaw dropping. "No. You can't be serious."

"I am," Killian assured her. "There has to be someone around here who can make us man and wife."

"You are the craziest man," Emma said with a laugh. "Sure, why not? Let's do it!" She paused. "But it might be better to wait until tomorrow. It's the middle of the night now. However…now that we're basically engaged, you wanna come into the bed with me?"

"Yes," Killian said immediately, climbing in beside her as he took her in his arms and kissed her. "Yes I do."

Early the next morning, Killian got up before Emma and went out to rent a boat. Then, he found someone to marry him and Emma, and when that was all done, he roused her from sleep.

"Wait, what's going on?" Emma asked as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Get dressed in whatever's quickest to reach, then come with me," Killian urged her. "I found someone to marry us."

"You wanna do it now?" Emma cried. "My god!" She got some coffee made up, then brushed her hair and grabbed the one nice dress she'd brought with her, one with a twirly skirt and a tropical print. She put it on and shut her eyes at Killian's insistence, and then led her onto the boat, where the hotel's concierge stood as witness. She gasped after opening her eyes and tried not to cry. "This is the most incredible, crazy thing anyone's ever done for me!" she cried. "Thank you!" She kissed him and then reluctantly pulled away to stand in front of the judge so he could marry them. They quickly went through vows, Killian gave Emma a pearl ring, and then they kissed. After that, they got on a plane out of Paris so they could catch a boat to begin their journey around the world. Emma had a nap on the plane, leaning against Killian's shoulder, and for the first time in a long time, she didn't have a single dream about drowning.