A/N: Sorry for the wait, took much longer then I expected! I have a new beta (yay), which means it wont look like a jumbled mess anymore. Thank you Lindsay you are a life safer ;)

Please leave any feedback below. Suggestions of progression of plot etc... I'm trying to be as realistic as possible and will eventually get to the smut. Please be patient!


The dawn came and went, hours ticking by sluggishly. Emma fell asleep within a matter of minutes after Jefferson left the room, exhaustion from being up a solid twenty four hours finally taking its toll. As for Jefferson, in the hours since, he had tried to figure out why Emma was unable to make any of the hats work. He knew she possessed magic; he had seen it the night she returned to Storybrooke. Yet she hadn't believed in magic then - so what was the trigger?

For months Jefferson had watched from his window Emma go about her daily life. Watching for any sign of something that would help him return home, even break the spell if needs be, but after months of nothing Jefferson had decided he needed to take action. He was second guessing himself now. Staring at the bedroom door, he felt sorry for what he had put her through tonight.

Being careful not to wake her, Jefferson opened and shut the door behind him slowly as he walked over to the bed. He stood watching her. Time was irrelevant as he watched her, noticing she must be having a bad dream. Taking her boots off, he pulled the cover over her sleeping form, frowning when he noticed the handcuffs digging into her skin. Retrieving the key from his back pocket, he lets her hand free, depositing the handcuffs back into the bed side table where he had them stored earlier. The handcuffs weren't even his. In fact they were Emma's.

While she was passed out earlier that evening, Jefferson had gone to hide her car. That's where he had found the set in her glove box. Expecting they might come in use he took them, along with her phone to intercept any phone calls.

Looking around his bedroom, Jefferson didn't over analyze the reason why he had put Emma in his room. It wasn't like he didn't have another room she could have slept in; he had eight bedrooms in total. Although the sight of her in his bed made him feel comforted. It had been so long since he had anyone sleep in his bed, not since Grace's mother…

Tucking a stray strand of hair off of Emma's face, Jefferson gently stroked her cheek. It felt nice; her skin was soft just like he imagined it would be. His heart tugged in longing. He had been alone for so long… having her here made him feel the slightest hint of happiness.

Instead of leaving the room, he continued to watch her. He eventually sat down, eyes never leaving her sleeping form. Thoughts of Grace and what to do came and went, waiting patiently for Emma to wake as an old memory clouded his mind. Something about this particular memory of Emma, an epiphany, a plan worked out.

Jefferson later rationalized his actions from the lack of sleep he had from the past twenty eight years. Insomnia. Another curse bestowed to him by the Queen. Now that he had a plan he didn't have to worry himself about his feelings, whatever they were for Emma.


Emma woke to the sight of Jefferson lounging comfortably in a chair across from her, nursing a glass of what she assumed was some sort of alcoholic beverage. Jefferson's expression was one of contemplation. Emma guessed that he must have been here all night, as he was still in the same clothes and she could just make out the stubble on his face, proving her theory.

"You've been watching me this whole time?" Emma inquired, mortified.

"Not all night" Jefferson admitted, making Emma blush. This was creepy, borderline stalker and psychotic. This wasn't helping his case for trying to be normal. In movies and TV shows it seemed nice, romantic even. It was a cliché in recent years and Emma had never given it much thought, not that she was ever into chick flicks. But given her current situation it was anything but romantic. Why was he watching her? Emma awkwardly started shifting her body to sit up on the bed, not wanting to look anymore weak and defenceless then she appeared. Emma only now aware that her wrist wasn't bound to the bedpost anymore, her confused look catching Jefferson's unwavering attention.

Reading her mind, Jefferson interrupted her observation "I took the handcuffs off shortly after you went to sleep."

"After you insisted I have them on?" She scoffed at the recollection of last night.

Jefferson smiled, making Emma clench her jaw. "A guy is allowed to change his mind you know." Emma doesn't miss the distinct flirtatious hint to his voice. It was annoying her.

"It doesn't matter either way; I'm still your prisoner even if you have me chained up or not." Emma was through playing the helpless hostage; she couldn't sit around and take this anymore. Jefferson wasn't going to let her go, if ever. The realization kicked something primal in her to try and take a hold of this situation, Jefferson's mood didn't change. In fact his smile grew wider.

"I'm glad we agree. It makes things so much easier and less painful for you when you come around to the idea. In fact…"

Putting his glass on the table beside him, Jefferson got up closing the distance between them. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he turned his body to face her, one leg resting on the bed for support. Emma's body immediately tensed when his leg brushed against hers, invading her space, knowing it and enjoying it while Emma silently suffered. She tried in vain to reign in her rampant emotions, wanting to either push him away or slap him.

Licking his lips, Jefferson leaned closer to Emma's face. He stopped only a hairsbreadth away from her lips, his eyes penetrating hers, never leaving them as he listened to the intake of breath from Emma. Seconds passed, achingly slow as Emma was determined to win this game of his. Jefferson was trying to intimidate her, enjoying every little reaction she was unaware of giving him.

Jefferson broke the tension filled silence with a husky whisper, finishing his previous statement. "I've come up with a new way to get the magic out of you." Emma unwillingly gulped, fear growing in the pit of her belly.

"Is it that you want me to make you tea instead?" Her eyebrows rose in question as she diverted the topic away from his 'new way.' Emma wasn't sure if she really wanted to know after all.

Jefferson's head pulled back in surprise to her quip. Instead of looking angry he looks… elated. And sure enough that annoying smirk of his, the one that keeps getting under her skin, greeted her frustrated frown.

"Well, well, well. Miss Swan, it seems that nap of yours did wonders on you." He almost sounded like Mr. Gold. Only Regina and Gold ever called her by her last name. Go figures the people she hates most and she could definitely add Jefferson to that list.

"How about you just cut to the chase, Jefferson." She put emphasis on his name, making it sound more like a curse word then his name. "I am not here for your amusement or whatever delusion you have stuck in that head of yours. You need help and I am not the one to help –"his hand covered her mouth, silences her. Emma's eyes widened in alarm, and tried to pry his fingers from her mouth without success.

"Save it. Believe me when I tell you Emma, I know that I am mad." Making sure to keep his hand firmly pressed against her lips, Jefferson shifted his body so he was now straddling Emma. "You have no idea, so don't sit there and presume to tell me what I already know." Gone was his playful tone. His words were cold, menacing. Just like his eyes. His free hand pinned down one of her arms to stop her moving, his legs making sure that she couldn't kick in defence. He was too strong for her to buck him up off of her, so she relaxed her muscles, waiting for the right opportunity to kick him, to do any kind of bodily harm to him.

"This wasn't how I wanted it to be" he sighed, resting his forehead against hers. He could sense her confusion and panic, and he was torn by the feelings she was bringing out in him. He was enjoying her struggle, he could feel his arousal. The rational side of his brain was disgusted, he didn't want to hurt Emma but she was leaving him no other choice. The darker side of him, the madness, the Mad Hatter wanted to take her right there and then. Move on with his plan quickly. It had been years, years he didn't even notice until she came into town.

Leaning back, Jefferson took his hands off of both her lips and hand, and Emma automatically used both hands to push him off of her but to no avail.

"Get-off-of-me" she grit out between clenched teeth. The more she moved against him, the more she felt something hard press against her stomach. Oh god, he's aroused by this. This only led her to flail around more, desperately trying to get out from underneath him, afraid that he was going to force himself on her.

No he mouthed to her when she risked a peak, shaking his head making her push him all the more. Grabbing her wrists he brought them to his lips, gently brushing her knuckles against them, causing her to stop squirming. He smiled in approval. "Are you going to play nice?"

Why was her body betraying her? Why did that one touch of his lips on her skin cause a fire in her body? It was too much, the weight of him on top of her, feeling his very hard and what she could only guess, a very large erection. Add his lips to the mix and she was bound to get excited. She was human after all, even if her body had been in a state of numbness since Graham.

"Does it look like I have a choice?" Breathless from her exertions she replied, feigning defeat.

"Better get used to it." With ease, Jefferson swung his leg back over so that he's standing beside the bed. Emma doesn't move but is grateful for not having his erection pressing against her anymore. Unfortunately, she is now eye level with it.

"Now, what would you like to eat?" His head tilted to the side, studying her with an eager smile.

Surprised and confused by this sudden change in topic, she eyed him distrustfully, "What?"