a/n: Thank you for the follow, faves, and reviews! This next chapter has a little bit of fun banter, and then a little sadness. Leave a review if you feel like it :)

Emma leans her head back heavily against the tree she's sitting against. Her body aches and her head is throbbing from when she smacked it earlier. The bruise pulses in time with her heart, pain flaring angrily at even the lightest touch.

She wishes desperately that she could rest her tired body amidst her thick comforter and soft pillows, wishes that she could simply sleep off the effects of the day.

Because in all honesty, today has been an absolute nightmare.

It's hard to come to terms with everything that's happened within the last hour, and it is already starting to feel like one hazy, adrenaline, panic-stricken dream. It's especially hard for her to fathom what could have caused The Swan to tear itself out of hyperspace, and consequently send her entire world spinning. Her family's spaceliner was supposed to be untouchable, completely safe. Protecting her had been the main reason her parents had insisted she spend so much time aboard it.

So much for protection.

She was now stranded on some strange planet, with no one but a lieutenant, who more than likely hated her, for company.

That very same lieutenant who was currently inside the pod messing around with heaven knows what. He's been in there for a good ten minutes and the only noises she can hear are what sound like metal moving around and the occasional frustrated mutter.

He'd told her to stay out here while he took a look around inside the pod. His motives probably stemming from some chivalrous idea that since she was the princess it was his duty to make sure things were taken care of. Normally she would object to such notions, but she wasn't necessarily too keen on the idea of going inside the pod again, so she'd conceded without much argument.

So she occupies her time trying not to think about the fact that no one knows where they are, and instead closes her eyes and tries to enjoy the echo of a nearby bird's song drifting through the air.

The sound of Killian's footsteps reach her before he does, so she's not startled when he drops his bag a few feet away from her. Instead she slowly opens her eyes and glances at the significantly fuller pack sitting on the forest floor.

"Did you find everything you were looking for?" she asks, though if the way he is dragging his hand through his hair is any indication, he didn't.

She almost misses his response, distracted by the way his hair now stands, tousled and sticking out in a way that is strangely pleasant.

"I was trying to see if I could get the communications system working, to send out a stress signal," he lowers himself down onto a fallen tree across from her. "But I think the force of our fall, and the nature of our not so ideal landing has left it in ruins. I doubt even your expertise could fix it."

Emma tries not to let the hopelessness she feels at the news show on her face. "So what's in your pack then?"

At her question Killian reaches through the space and drags the pack towards him. "Well milady, luckily enough I had the forethought to grab this from my quarters. It contains a few things that we might need to ensure our survival." He begins to pull a couple of items out, showing them to her as he continues, "The pod also had some emergency supplies, not much, but some ration bars, a blanket, a canteen, basically just a few essentials."

"That was very insightful of you," and she means it with the utmost sincerity, completely aware that his bag will probably be what keeps them alive.

The corners of his mouth lift slightly in a self-depreciating smile, "If there is one thing I'm good at, your highness, it's surviving."

Emma lets her eyes study his face for a second and finds herself wondering what other terrors he's had to survive.

Averting his gaze from hers, Killian stands before wiping his hands on the side of his pants. "Since the communication system is destroyed, we need to get out in the open so that we can be seen in case rescue comes."

He makes is way over to the nearest tree and rubs his hands together while looking up at it. Realizing what he intends to do, Emma stands hastily and makes her way over to him.

"What exactly are you doing?" she exclaims, eyebrows rising in disbelief.

"What does it look like I'm doing? We presently have no idea which direction to head and climbing this tree will give me the vantage point I need to figure it out."

"Are you crazy? You'll have to climb ridiculously high to be able to see anything, and those top limbs don't exactly look sturdy."

"I'll be fine," he lets out an exasperated sigh, "it's no different than climbing up to the crow's nest aboard a ship."

"You'll fall."

His eyebrow rises before his mouth settles into a teasing smirk, "Would you miss me?"

Emma crosses her arms stubbornly, "Not at all."

Possibly, she thinks.

"Have a little faith, darling," he shakes his head slightly before turning back to the tree.

She watches him for a moment, mouth slightly open, and he's a good ten feet up the tree before she responds.

"Fine, fall for all I care!" she shouts up at him, before sitting down with a huff on the log he had previously occupied. "Such an idiot," she mutters to herself, "probably going to break his neck."

"What was that, love?" he calls down to her, the branch he's grasping swaying a little. If he keeps talking he's definitely going to f all.

"Stop talking, and climb your stupid tree!" she hears him give a soft chuckle at her cry.

The minutes drag on as he climbs, and Emma tries not to feel anxious the higher he gets.

She tries to tell herself that knot in her stomach is just because she needs him to help her survive. But stranded on a planet or not, she finds herself internally cringing at the thought of something happening to him. The tree sways dangerously for a second, and she finds herself holding her breathe, not releasing it until he's found steady footing again.

Staring up at him though, she can't help but notice that he looks good climbing a tree, muscles taut with exertion. Not that she'd ever tell him that, or admit it aloud to herself for that matter.

He must have seen what he needed to see because he starts making his way down, his feet finally hitting solid ground with a soft thud.

Wiping his hands off against his clothes again he makes his way over to her. "Alright, we need to head that way," he points in a direction to the left of her. "Let's call it west, since it's opposite of where I think the sun rose from."

Emma stands as Killian grabs the pack and slings it over his shoulder. He's close enough to her that when he straightens, he only has to lean in slightly to place his lips next to her ear and whisper, "I told you I wouldn't fall."

-CS-

Thankfully their hike to open terrain isn't too long, their pod had conveniently landed near the edge of the forest. Killian knows that once they hit the tree line they'll be met with miles of grass plains and a significantly thinner arrange of trees.

Even though the distance isn't too far, it still takes them at least an hour to traverse through the thick forest. Emma is lagging behind a bit and though he knows her limbs are aching just like his, he figures that along with the combination of those fancy shoes she's wearing and the headache she's surely suffering, she has a good excuse to be a little slower.

But she's a tough lass and doesn't let a noise of complaint, or a whimper of pain escape her lips.

Occasionally they'll have to cross over a particularly large fallen tree or make their way over a small creek, and ever the gentleman, he'll turn and offer Emma his hand and assistance.

The first time he does it she stares at his hand entirely too long, hesitating before taking it. Killian tries not to clench his jaw at her reaction, and he tries to banish the thought that even if they are the only two people on this planet, she still wants nothing to do with him.

But she accepts his help each time, and they remain quiet for most of their small journey.

Killian is the first to walk through the tree line, and the sight that greets him churns his stomach and makes him wish they had spent just ten more minutes under the cover of the forest.

"Emma, go back."

"What? Why?" his warning is too late though, and he watches the color drain from her face when she looks up into the sky.

Off in the distance, burning metal debris is raining down towards the planet. The large pieces glowing hot and fiery as they fall from the sky. But the burning debris is only the framework for what is really happening.

The Swan, in all its colossal grandeur is plummeting towards the surface. Twisting gracelessly as it makes its descent. Pieces of the hull are sporadically being torn off, as if they can't keep up with the speed in which the spaceliner is falling.

"Emma, come on," he entreats softly, "turn away, you don't need to watch this." However, despite his pleadings, neither of them can manage to tear their gaze away from the tragedy unfolding in front of them.

Emma releases a small chocked sound, and before Killian can think about what he's doing, he's wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Together they watch The Swan in its final moments. They watch until the ship is no longer visible, disappearing behind a small mountain in the distance. They watch as a large black cloud billows into the sky, a final but fading epitaph that swirls towards the heavens.

Emma turns her face into his chest, and he can feel her body shaking as she sobs against his shirt. He wraps his other arm around her and pulls her in even closer, his hand running up and down her spine in an effort to soothe.

She grasps his collar with a trembling hand, "Ev-everyone, that was on—" her voice comes in broken gasps, "everyone th-that was inside—"

"Shhhh, I know," Killian continues to rub his hand along her back, his voice low and quiet. He places his chin atop her head, wetness gathering in his own eyes before he blinks them closed. "I know."