For Emma, Christmas was a time for family and feelings. It was a day where you could express your love for each other and enjoy the day with family, looking back on old memories and looking forward to new ones that would be made. The problem was that Emma didn't do feelings. In her mind, expressing feelings was too much. She always dealt with them on her own. Christmas made Emma uncomfortable.

"Oh, Emma. Look honey. These were the first pair of shoes I ever bought for you. You never got to wear them but…"

"That's nice, Mary Margaret," Emma said. Don't get her wrong; she loved her family to death, but she didn't feel comfortable telling them that. She was mainly there for Henry, who was enjoying Christmas with the family, something he didn't get to do for the largest part of his life. That was another reason Emma didn't like Christmas. All the guilt that came with her not being there for him…

The door opened and an out-of-breath Neal walked through the door. "Sorry I'm late. Here you go, buddy," he said, handing a green and red striped present to Henry.

"Would it be okay if I went for a walk?" Emma blurted. The look of shock that crossed her parents' faces made her regret ever saying anything. It's just one day, Emma was trying to convince herself. One day and then it's over.

"Emma, honey, if you want to go for a walk that's fine," Charming said.

Grateful, she gave them a grin and walked out the door, soon feeling the cold air encompass her body. It felt good to be free from the stuffy room, if only for a little while. She was so appreciative of everything her parents had given her and all the love she received from her family, but to Emma, it was overwhelming.

Everything was peaceful, quiet, calm. Being near the ocean, she could hear seagulls and smell the ocean. "Swan," she heard, from what sounded like a long way behind her. Emma looked around, trying to place where it came from. "Swan," she heard once again, this time much louder. She heard footsteps and finally Hook came into view, walking along beside her, his hand in his chocolate-y brown hair. "How are you on this lovely Christmas morning?" he said, slight sarcasm being detected in his voice.

"I'm…I'm okay. How are you, Hook?"

"You know, you can call me Killian."

"Hook. How are you?"

He sighed in surrender. "A little lonely."

"I'm sorry," Emma said. "Christmas kinda sucks for the both of us, doesn't it?"

"Why are you sad, Swan?"

"You can call me Emma."

"Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes, smirking. "It's stupid, really."

Hook cocked his head, raising his eyebrows. "I don't believe that."

"I don't know. Christmas is a time for family and I don't do family and feelings. It makes me…uncomfortable." She paused. "I should be more grateful, really. I do love them all."

"I understand how you feel." As they were walking, they came to Granny's. "Do you want to stop in?"

Emma smiled. "Sure."

As they walked in, the smell of peppermint and coffee filled the air. They took a seat and immediately, Ruby came over to take their orders. "I'll have a peppermint coffee," Emma said.

"I'll have what the lady is having," Hook said, motioning towards Emma.

"Coming right up!" Ruby said, seemingly overexcited.

"I wonder what has her so perky today," Emma pondered aloud.

"She acts that way every time I'm here. I think she quite fancies me, actually."

Emma snorted at the thought, then covered her mouth. Had she actually snorted in front of Hook?

Hook laughed. "Are you okay there, Swan?"

Emma began to laugh as well. "Perfectly fine. Can we just…pretend that didn't happen?"

"Whatever suits you," he said with a smile. "So, I have something for you, Swan." He pulled out of his pocket and silver chain with a charm on it. Taking a closer look, Emma saw that it was a swan.

"Very funny," she said, placing it around her neck. "Thank you. I love it."

"You're very welcome."

"I'm sorry I didn't get you anything. I wasn't thinking that I was going to see you today, but I really should have.."

"Oh, it's alright. I'm sure you can improvise, much like you did in Neverland," he said, tapping his lips.

Emma laughed. "You wish."

Hook put his hand around his coffee once again. "Yes. Yes I do."

Their coffees arrived and they began to drink them. "So," Emma said, trying to pretend she hadn't noticed his previous comment, "Have you started to get used to coffee ever since you've come to town?" Emma asked.

"It's an acquired taste, but yes, I quite like it." There was long time of silence as they drank their coffees. "You know, Emma, I think you would be happier if you just let people love you for once. As much as you believe you don't, you deserve it."

Flashbacks flooded through her head. Of the time she and Neal were seated in a bar. He had said if he had known who she truly was, he would have run away long ago. Another flashback came into her mind. "Who are you, Swan?" "Wouldn't you like to know?" "Perhaps I would." It was then that she realized that Hook had truly cared for her. He loved her for who she was. And not only that, but he understood her.

"I…it's not that easy for me."

"It can be if you just let yourself fall."

"I've fallen before and it didn't end well."

"You just need someone to prove you wrong."

"Maybe I do."

They finished their coffees, and Emma paid for hers. Since Hook didn't have dollars, Emma questioned why Ruby let Hook off without paying. "I told you, she fancies me," he smirked.

They walked out, side by side, the same way they came. But there was something different this time. Something that had sparked inside of Emma. Something that made Emma stop dead in her tracks. "Prove me wrong," she said, turning to him.

"What?"

"You said I needed someone to prove me wrong. So prove me wrong."

Without any hesitation at all, Hook's lips collided with hers and they lingered within the Neverland kiss they had shared once before. It was long, passionate, but not overbearing. Reluctantly, they pulled apart from each other, but Emma's head remained on Killian's shoulder for a little longer. His hair smelled of the sea air, something so inviting. His warmth made her never want to let go, but finally she did.

"This is what you've been missing out on, Emma," he said, emphasizing her first name.

"You're right. I've just been too afraid of love and it's made me miss out on so much. Killian."

"My name sounds really nice when you say it."

Emma smiled, tugging at her sleeves.

"Are you cold, Emma?" he said, noticing her.

"No, no. It's just a nervous tic, that's all."

"Oh so you're nervous? I made you nervous? Well, I would like to think that's a success," he said with a smirk.

Emma playfully hit him on the arm. "Yes, you did. Happy?"

"Quite."

"Well," Emma said once they had reached Mary Margaret and Charming's place. "Thank you for everything."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Am I?" she said, confused.

"My present."

Emma laughed once again. "Right, right." She kissed him, this time much shorter than the last. "Now," she sighed. "Goodbye, Killian."

"Goodbye, Emma. And Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too." That was all it had taken. Killian had taken a miserable day and turned it into one of the best in her life. Maybe that was just the power of love.