Disclaimer: I do not in anyway own Once Upon A Time. ABC, Disney,A&E, and whoever else have that distinction. No profit is being made, and no copywrite infringement in intended. "Dust to Dust," where the title and several chapter quotes come from, belongs to the Civil Wars, and is just a perfectly amazing CS song.

AN: Thanks as always for all the wonderful reviews, you guys really make my day! Here's the next part, which is actually two adorable short scenes. There might be too many feels here. I'm really not sorry. The first part takes place after 4x13 Unforgiven, second part during 4x15 Poor Unfortunate Soul.


You've Been Lonely Too Long

by Lady Callista

OoOoOoO

"Love is giving someone the power to destroy you and trusting them not to."

OoOoOoO

Chapter 7:

"We'll worry about it in the morning, love, there's nothing we can do now." Killian soothed softly as they stopped outside Granny's, turning to face each other, hands still linked.

"But it's Maleficent!" Emma moaned, memories of dragon fire flitting through her head. Memories of being armed only with her father's sword, which she didn't really even know how to use.

"In the morning, Emma." Killian said softly, the look in his eyes gentle. "We knew this was coming, we knew peace wouldn't reign over this fair town forever."

"I just wanted five more hours." Emma whispered. "Well, five and then..."

Killian chuckled, realizing at once what she meant. "It was your idea to wait, love. And I'll admit I enjoy knowing that we have that time. Knowing I'm allowed to kiss you, and touch you, but that there is still more, always more to come. Although I think that will never change." His voice grew deeper, more intimate, and Emma found herself leaning in almost unconsciously. "The anticipation, the thrill, knowing we have time to deepen what is between our hearts, knowing that we grow closer each hour, understand each other more, are more willing to lower our walls..."

"We haven't lowered them all." Emma cut him off, softly but with a slight bite to her voice.

He flinched at the reference to Ursula, and what they had spoken of less than an hour ago at the station. He'd seen the truth in her eyes, the understanding, when she'd said it was okay that he wasn't ready to tell her yet. But it was actually the first time since they'd started the ten hours that one of them had refused to speak of something. She wouldn't be human if it still didn't bother her slightly, and he wished he could alleviate that worry.

Yet he was barely controlling the feelings from just remembering, he simply couldn't speak of it, of one of the acts that in all his long life he was still the most ashamed of. Still, he reassured her as much as he could, "I told you I didn't break her heart, Emma. There was never anything romantic about our association. And I didn't... I didn't kill or hurt anyone she loves. It's just..."

"It really is alright, Killian." Emma replied, the bite completely gone from her voice when she cut him off this time. She was the one who had wanted the proviso about not having to answer, she couldn't blame him for using it. Especially after he volunteered to be included. And he had now told her not just one, but two very important things about Ursula and his relationship. The two most popular reasons for the scorn she had heard in Ursula's voice when she addressed Killian were not the reasons in this case. "You promised to tell me things I need to know, and I trust you. If something about that past is going to bite us on the ass, or if it causes you to suspect something now, I trust that you'll tell me. If you're going to do something based on your association, I trust that you'll tell me. What happened in the past can wait."

"You really are bloody amazing, love." Killian whispered after a long silence, the awe in his voice sending a jolt of heat through her body.

"So are you." Her voice was barely a whisper, and she had no idea which of them closed the final gap between their faces, kissing gently and sweetly.

A wolf-whistle broke them apart, Emma flushing slightly as Ruby stuck her head out the door of the diner. "Just thought you should know, half the diner have their noses to the window."

Killian chuckled even as his hand and hook slid away from her hips, but Emma could read his slight discomfort in how the hand immediately went up to scratch behind his ear. She mentally reminded herself to teach him poker and see if that tell appeared there as well. "Half the diner should mind their own business." Emma stage-whispered back, but even through the slight embarrassment her grin was obvious in her voice.

"You're the Savior, Emma. And a princess dating a pirate. Hate to tell you, honey, but the days of people not being interested are long gone." Ruby quipped, closing the door before Emma could retort.

"Well, I suppose that's my cue to say goodnight." Killian said softly, drawing her attention back to him and the small smile on his face, something flirting through his eyes she didn't understand.

"What?" She tilted her head, knowing he would know exactly what she was asking.

He shook his head, although his voice deepened again even as he murmured, "I want to kiss you more, and hold you, but I don't want everyone watching. And if you come upstairs with me now, they will think that..."

Emma chuckled. "Killian, I don't care what they think. I haven't exactly been hiding it the other times I've gone to your room. And I didn't think people watching or assuming would bother you."

His eyes heated and he leaned down to kiss her lightly, a chaste brush of lips that made her want to chase his mouth. She started to, until his hand came up to cup her cheek and draw her slightly back. "Under most circumstances it does not, but... but I find everything is different with you."

He'd shifted them slightly as he spoke, and she didn't register why until she saw that his back was now to the windows, hiding both his face her and her own from anyone inside. The vulnerability in his voice at the end matched the look in his eyes, and she understood at once both what he was saying and why he had turned them.

It wasn't someone seeing them kissing that bothered him, or even people assuming they were sleeping together when they weren't. It was someone else seeing the look in his eyes that he didn't want; someone seeing the tenderness and vulnerability they showed each other that they didn't trust to anyone else. And she knew that it went way deeper than just his image.

She normally didn't feel the need to use words, in fact often felt she was horrible with them when compared to his eloquence, but for some reason she felt compelled to let him know that she understood this time. That in the same way he always read her like an open book, she could read him the same way. "The look in your eyes right now, it should scare me so much. But it doesn't. It should make me run, but I love that you don't look at anyone else like you do at me. You... you just let me see all of you, and I value that so much."

His grin flashed, heat and devotion and desire swirling into his eyes, and he reached out to take her hand in his gently. "You struggled so to let me in, love, and I give thanks every day that I've earned your trust and your affection. You let me in, Emma, you let me see all those things you hide from everyone else. Which means I'll help you to keep them hidden; I'll protect and honor what you've trusted me with."

"I know." Emma's voice was barely a whisper. "That's why I could trust you with them."

Killian smiled, releasing her hand and bringing his fingers up to play with the ends of her hair, his eyes twinkling when her breath hitched as the backs of his knuckles brushed lightly over her breasts. But his voice was serious when he continued softly, "I know what it is to be a leader, and to have to always be seen as strong and in control, and how exhausting that can be. And I know what it means to have someone you can just be yourself with. Just Killian and Emma, no titles or monikers or masks. Just us."

"Just us." Emma whispered softly. "I spent all day worrying, about you, about my parents, about Ursula and Cruella. Now there's Maleficent too. I'm exhausted, and I don't want to think, but I know that's all I'll do if I go home. I want one more night of just us, just talking and cuddling and forgetting about everything else. But I don't know if I can deal with the deep stuff tonight."

"I would also rather not think of it, and your presence would certainly be welcome." Killian said softly, turning towards the back door and tugging her along. She went without resistance. He opened the door for her, hand going to the small of her back as she passed, and he said softly, "We can still count it as an hour, lass. Getting to know each other doesn't have to mean sharing our deepest secrets and feelings."

Emma grinned at him, and at the twinkle in his eyes. They both wanted the hours to be over, but also acknowledged that they had been a good idea.

"So, pirate, boxers or briefs?" Emma forced everything else into the back of her mind, telling herself she was going to enjoy one last night of peace.

"I don't understand the question." Killian said softly as they headed up the stairs.

Which pretty much answered it, Emma realized, because if he'd bought either one he would know what they were. "Commando. Figures." And another flood of heat went through her as her mind helpfully supplied her with fantasies of what that might look like.

"Love?" He turned to her, his face questioning, eyebrow twitching when he took in her blush.

"Never mind."

He smirked at her attempt at evasion, and at the obvious embarrassment in her voice, and his voice turned teasing, "You know you won't get out of it that easily, don't you Swan?"

Her groan echoed down the hallway as the door closed softly behind them.


I'm gonna return her happy ending.

Can you really do that?

Aye. Because I'm the one who took it from her in the first place.

Emma stood frozen in place for long seconds after he had turned and left. The mix of shame and pain in his eyes tore at her heart, and she wanted to go after him but knew they didn't have the time. They had to find where August was being held, and Gold was back in town and had the dagger and... Gold was back in town and Killian was leaving her side...

"Give me a minute." Emma said to her parents even as she followed him out the door and into the hallway. "Killian - wait!"

He paused in the act of opening the station door and turned back to her. "Swan?"

"I...uh..." Emma stammered as she approached him, and Killian misunderstood her hesitation.

"I'll tell you the story, love. I promised that when it became important I would tell you. But we haven't the time now, and..." Killian said at once.

"No, it's... it's not that." Emma whispered, nightmare images of his heart in Gold's hand flashing through her mind and causing her hand to tremble slightly as she raised it to rest on his chest.

"Emma?" Killian's voice softened in concern, his hand and hook coming to rest on her hips. "You've thought of something. What's wrong?"

"What isn't?" She chuckled mirthlessly, leaning in for a moment to rest her head on his shoulder, loving the way his arms slid around her back, holding her close, fingers trailing soothingly through her hair as he loved to do. Reminding her that he was there, and that he would always come back to her. Always fight for her. Keep her safe and reaffirm her strength. Support and help her no matter what it cost him.

The fact that she wasn't sure how she would get through the constant insanity that her life had become without him was something she had almost stopped worrying about.

"Much as I hate it, we haven't the time, love. Tell me what's worrying that lovely head of yours." He murmured in her ear, sliding his hand up her back and massaging her neck softly, hating the hard knots of stress he found there and promising himself he would pay them more attention when they had time.

"Gold is back." She whispered.

"Aye, and we'll stop his scheming as we always do."

"I know, but he's running around impersonating you, and dammit I want to think I would notice, I know you better than Belle, but..." Emma heard the edge of panic in her voice, hating it, but she still had the occasional nightmare of Gold crushing Killian's heart; of being frozen, unable to even run to him, or hold him, or maybe save him... unable to even cry as yet another person who held part of her heart died before her eyes. "But he has his dagger again, and the last time he had that he... he took your... and I didn't notice that, and..."

"Shhhh." Killian hushed, pulling her more tightly against him, his head turning to rest his cheek against her hair as her arms slid around him. He knew she would never admit it, but she clung.

Killian forgot about the ticking clock as he held her, unable to help the slight hint of wonder that still went through him every time she turned to him like this. Every time she showed just how much she trusted him. He knew they didn't have the time, yet wouldn't have moved for the world.

All too soon she remembered that this quiet moment was stealing time from urgent matters, pulling away from him with a kiss brushed against his neck that caused him to shiver.

He cupped her cheek gently, kissing her on the forehead, as he said softly, "Every time we meet, or speak, I'll greet you with the word princess. If I don't, it's either not me, or I'm being controlled."

Emma smacked him on the arm at the casual sentence. "Don't say that. Don't just not worry about the fact that Gold is out there and he could take your heart again. That's... that's why I came out here. I asked Regina to teach me a spell the other week, just in case, one Henry told me she did on him. It'll make it so that no one can take your heart."

Killian grinned at the uncharacteristic hesitation in her voice, amazed that it seemed she thought he would have a problem with this. "Emma." He murmured her name huskily, reaching for her hand and placing it over his heart. "I told you it was yours when I put it in your hand in the clock-tower; I told you it was already where it belonged, in your hand, before you returned it to me. Do as you wish."

Emma's blush deepened, ever since he had watched The Princess Bride with her and her parents he had been sneaking that phrase in whenever he could, completely unapologetically. Because he always smirked when he did it now, she could take it as a joke and not panic, yet it allowed him to come as close to saying the words without actually saying them as was possible. It was one of many strange compromises that worked out completely perfectly for them.

Emma leaned in to kiss him softly, reaching deep down into herself, to that place where she always felt her power now, and pulled it up to focus on his heart. Regina had explained to her that it wasn't so much a matter of specific words, but intent and willpower and focus, and Emma had all three of those in spades if it meant she never again had to worry about seeing his heart outside of his chest. She felt her hand heat a second before the power rushed out of her, and they simultaneously broke the kiss to gasp.

"Thank you, love." Killian brushed his lips over hers softly before pulling back. "I'll let you know how things go with Ursula."

"Be careful." Emma said softly, because even though she didn't know the story between him and Ursula, she knew he was putting himself in at least some danger by going to her.

Always am was the flippant reply that came into his head, but instead of voicing it Killian smiled reassuringly. "I will be, you do the same."

Emma nodded. "Gold can't take my heart, but he can probably impersonate anyone." Trying to keep her voice light, to hide how worried she really was about this new development, Emma teased, "You're going to call me princess, what should I call you?"

Captain Hand?

She saw the memory echo in his eyes even as she remembered it as well, and was grateful when his eyes sparkled, as he went along with her change of mood and gave her a devilish smirk. "How about simply captain?"

Emma smirked at the challenge in his eyes, feeling her own heat in return. "Only if it means I get to meet the captain someday."

"Bloody hell, lass." Killian groaned, his body swaying into hers as he pulled her in for a hard, passionate kiss. He ended it as quickly as it had begun, but despite its briefness the intensity still left Emma gasping for breath. She saw his eyes shift down the hallway, she knew he was still slightly wary after her parents listening in on them the other day. He lowered his voice, nipping at her earlobe before murmuring huskily in her ear, his warm breath causing her to shiver, "Not the first time, because the first time will be making love and the captain didn't do that."

"Killian..." His fingers slid up to touch her lips, and she stopped speaking even as she kissed them gently. Which, Emma realized, was probably a good thing, as she really had no idea what to say to that. Because she knew he was right, well about the first part at least, and she trusted him on the second. After all, she hadn't made love since Neal.

"We'll speak of it later, love, and I've not said no by any means. But it's not a simple matter of yes or no, and we'll discuss it after we've solved the disaster of the day."

Emma nodded, knowing he was right. "I really miss that six weeks of peace and quiet."

Killian grinned, and she could see that at least part of it was sincere and not merely an attempt to reassure her. He kissed her, one cheek, then the other, before brushing his lips ever so lightly over hers. "You know we'd have been bored if it went on too much longer. As enjoyable as it is from time to time, neither of us it made to sit around watching endless hours of moving pictures."

Emma grinned back, as he had intended. "You've liked most of the movies I've shown you."

"Your lad is less than subtle when probing for information on what I may be interested in. And you certainly know a great deal about that, as well." Killian allowed. "But yes, I have. Still though, I fail to understand how you could spend so much time just sitting around watching stories. It's watching another's life instead of living your own."

"Before Henry found me, before I came to Storybrooke, there wasn't a whole lot about my life that was worth living." Emma admitted softly. "You know what life is like when you have no one to share it with."

"I hope neither of us ever knows that feeling again."

"Me too." Emma whispered, before taking a deep breath and giving herself an internal shake. "Okay, we'll work on a plan to rescue August, you see what you can find out from Ursula. Call me with anything important."

"Aye, princess." He gave her one last smirk before turning and leaving the station.

"Be careful, captain." Emma whispered, staring at the closed door for a long moment before giving herself another shake and turned back towards her office, where she could hear her parents planning how to rescue August. She said a quick prayer to whatever powers might be listening that everyone she cared about would be safe at the end of the day.

Bottling the worry and the fear and the doubt, Emma closed her eyes briefly, remembering the feelings of strength and calm she had felt when he held her a moment ago. He had survived for over two centuries, and she had to believe he would get through this as well. His heart was protected now at least, a huge worry off her mind and the most important thing she could have done. She took a few deep breaths, then capped the bottles on all her emotions and went in to help her parents plan.

TBC...