Disclaimer: characters are not mine.

This just poured out of me with no warning what so ever.

First time I'm publishing something I wrote.

Picks up after season 3 finale, no frozen.


"You look terrible."

That was Emma's morning greeting to Killian as she took her place on the stool next to his at Granny's, as per what has become their ritual of sorts in the past two weeks since their adventures in time, loading with caffeine before heading down to the station.

He raised his eyebrows in obvious surprise.

"Hardly. I-"

"Devilishly handsome, I know, I know. Seriously, you look distraught."

Killian made a face, for some reason aimed down at his steaming cup of coffee and not at her.

"I've not been sleeping much."

"How come?" Emma inquired, sending a brief glance his way before focusing on stirring the coffee she's just been served.

Killian still hadn't looked up at her.

"I guess I've been having some matters haunting my thoughts at night."

"Care to share?" Emma was nursing the hot cup in both hands, her eyes trained on his face. He finally met her gaze.

"You don't look like you're a hundred percent in agreement with what your mouth is saying," he half smiled, raising one eyebrow in a weak resemblance of his signature smirk. She carefully re-arranged her features, knowing she must have been showing her slight reluctance to hear his reply. Well, a certain option of it anyway.

"I am."

Killian managed another small smile and looked away as he brought his cup to his lips, sipping on the scorching hot liquid and swallowing hard before speaking.

"I think I've just been... scared I'll wake and you'll be gone, off on one of your misadventures again and I won't be there with you," he admitted in a gruff voice as he set the cup back on the counter and lifted his eyes to her face, reading her expression carefully to gauge her reaction.

"I'm... sorry," she offered quitely, sipping on her own coffee, no longer able to hold his gaze.

"Nothing to be sorry about," he quipped, his voice lacking it's usual cheerfulness.

"I know, but I still am," she looked into his eyes, willing her own eyes to convey her sincerity to him.

"I'll manage," he smiled reassuringly. The rest of their respectable cups of coffee were drunk mostly in silence, then pushed back as the two rose to their feet and left the diner together.


Emma brought her yellow bug to a slow halt in front of Granny's, pulling the handbrake as she lifted her eyes to bid Killian goodnight.

"Off to bed?"

Killian paused at the sound of her voice, and for a moment she felt her throat constricting and she regretted bringing it up. Then he smiled at her, the gesture not quite reaching his eyes, his hand already on the door handle.

"No harm in trying, aye?"

"Yeah.." she matched his smile with one of her own and leaned in, meeting his lips in a very chaste peck.

"Night, Swan," he winked at her and turned away to climb out of the car.

"Killian wait," she called, closing her eyes and grimacing, already starting to regret the decision she's just made.

"Love?" Killian turned back to her with a questioning look, his right leg already out the door.

"I'll join you," she composed herself and looked up to meet his gaze with a determination shinning from her features. Killian's easy smile faltered momentarily, but he quickly recovered.

"I like to buy a lass a drink before I get her in my bed," he replied with a familiar flirtatious smirk that immediately helped set Emma at ease, her shoulders relaxing visibly as a portion of her nerves melted away. She let the hard set of her lips slide into a soft smile.

"Killian…" she dropped her gaze briefly, then looked back up with renewed courage. "Maybe if I'm there your mind will be at ease," she replied encouragingly, mentally questioning why she was pushing this instead of backtracking and heading the hell home. Alone.

Killian's eyes dropped to his lap as his smirk turned into a much more innocent, almost bashful smile.

Ah, that's why.

"You won't hear me objecting, love."

She shook her head with a wide smile and started heading out of the car as well, then sharply turned back to him.

"Other side of the bed."

Killian barked out a laugh.

"As you wish, Swan."


If Ruby had any thoughts on Emma accompanying Killian up to his room, she kept them to herself. They ascended the stairs in silence, Emma walking half a step behind Killian, allowing him to lead the way to his room. When he stepped back from the open door to let her enter first, she hesitated for all of a millisecond before stepping inside, but attuned to her as he was, he sensed it and immediately placed his hook on her elbow, causing her to turn back to him.

"Emma, you don't have to do this," he breathed, his voice barely audible.

"I'm not going anywhere," she dismissed his concern in a stern voice, sliding her arm free of his hook and walking into the tiny room, taken up mostly by the queen-sized bed at the right side of it.

She took a quick moment to survey her surroundings as Killian sighed and locked the door behind him. She spotted two empty bottles of liquor on top of the small dresser and some clothes hung on the chair in the far corner, and all of a sudden was very aware of Killian's presence behind her, the heat from his body encompassing her completely. Her breath hitched as she felt his hand and hook coming around her torso to catch the ends of her leather jacket, ever so softly sliding it down her arms and off her in complete silence aside from his deep breaths that she could feel on the back of her neck.

The next moment he was gone, and she found herself already missing his proximity as the newfound cool raised goosebumps across her flesh. She spun to see Killian discarding her jacket on that very same chair, closely followed by his own heavy coat, dropping leisurely down his strong arms.

Every cell in her body screamed at her to flee the scene, weakening her resolve, but she drew deep breaths and straightened her posture and dared her feet to move, knowing bailing now would only serve to worsen Killian's fears.

Through the haze of her internal turmoil she noticed he was now facing her, completely motionless. It seemed he was awaiting her next move, so in a decisive step she sunk down onto the surprisingly soft bed, setting out to undo her boots. Killian took a moment to let her calmness sink in on him, and then slowly took after her in removing his boots. When they were both done they looked at each other.

"Go on forth with your nightly routine, Killian, don't disrupt yourself on my account," Emma tried for a smile that probably came out as more of a grimace, judging by her nervous tone. Instead of replying, Killian turned away from her towards the wooden dresser, and before she could figure out what he might be doing he was already approaching her with what she could only tell was clothing held in his hand.

"Can't have you being uncomfortable when hosting you in my bed," he winked down at her as he handed her what she could now see was one of his black pirate shirts, similar to the one he had on.

"Thanks," she said simply, for lack of a wittier response. Her mind was blank, which was odd given the situation - she would have expected her head to be overflowing with panicky thoughts at that moment.

Killian raised an eyebrow, but otherwise did not comment on her unusual lack of sarcasm.

There was another pause as both of them floundered how to proceed, and Emma knew that though he was trying hard to mask it, Killian was just as nervous as she was, so she took initiative and rose from the bed, swiftly pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it behind her. Killian inhaled sharply, his gaze trailing over her taut stomach and lace clad breasts before lifting back up to her face, his darkened eyes wearing a look of awe. She held his gaze without a hint of embarrassment.

"Swan.." He whispered hoarsely as he took an involuntary step forward, overwhelmed by the need to touch her. She still held his gaze as she bent down to rid herself of her jeans, pulling them off one leg at a time.

The pirate showed remarkable restraint as he remained rooted to the spot, though his fingers were itching to get closer. He got the hint and began to undo the many buttons on his form, removing his waistcoat and his shirt, never looking away from her.

Emma stilled once his shirt was gone, her eyes drawn to his muscular chest, adorned with many a battlescar. She would've been lying had she said she never pictured in her mind what he was hiding under the plunging necklines and layers of black cloth. She carresed the planes of his torso with her gaze, following the line his dark hairs created down to his abdomen and blushed fuirously when he caught her stare, yet deliberatelynot dropping her eyes.

Killian too flushed under the weight of her scrutiny, not one to be shy and yet anxiously trying to read her as she looked him over.

When she finally managed to tear her eyes from his, she spun on her heel, her back to him, and with a hand sent behind her back unhooked her bra in one swift motion.

A deep groan rumbled in Killian's chest behind her.

She ignored him along with the shiver the noise he made sent down her spine, and wasted no time in dressing herself in Killian't shirt.

She turned back to him to find his eyes still trained on her, his pupils dilated with want. It was physically difficult for her to keep her eyes from slipping down to his groin, where his own hand and hook were currently untying the laces to his leather pants, stretched over the obvious evidence of his appraisal of her, so instead she drew back the bed sheets and climbed in.

Not a minute later Emma heard footsteps and felt the bed sink as he joined her, and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she knew it was safe to look up. She looked to her left to discover that he thankfully pulled the covers up to his waist.

Killian tried to lift the haze of lust off his mind as he took in the sight of her in bed beside him, knowing he had no business pushing the matter when they clearly weren't there yet. If he was being honest, he didn't know where they were, but he was content with whatever Emma Swan granted him. And of course, as fate would have it, she was in his bed, a development he surely did not anticipate when they pulled up in front of the diner tonight.

Emma lifted her hand very slowly, her eyes connected with his so intentsely it felt like there was electricity flowing between them. Her palm cradled his cheek so lightly he could barely feel it and at the same time it was all he could feel, the heat from her spreading throughout his body like fire.

She leaned in teasingly slowly, and he knew he was holding his breath yet was unable to do anything but wait until her lips finally brushed against his. Though the kiss was soft and slow, it was like a tidal wave washing over him, relief flooding him at touching her at last, if so briefly. She pulled back shortly, and that kiss did nothing to relieve the burning need in his body and eveything to relieve the stress in his head.

"Night, Killian," Emma whispered.

It was the softest he had ever heard her speak. He took in the glistening glint in her eyes, his gaze flickering between her green orbits, memorizing what he saw reflected there.

Emma was unalarmed at his lack of response, holding his gaze and allowing him to read her, unable to explain her certainty even to herself and yet knowing that he needed to have that moment like it was the core of all truths.

Killian raised his hand to her face, mimicking her gesture just moments before, and ran his thumb softly over her cheek.

"Night, Emma."

With that he drew his hand back and turned away from her, flicking down the light switch next to the bed and settling down on his pillow.

Emma followed his lead and laid down on her side, facing him.

They laid there for a couple more minutes, facing each other in the sudden darkness that enveloped the room, and next thing they knew it was already morning.