Recap:

"Give me five minutes and then you'll have to talk to her," she said, hurrying out of the room with her phone.

"As you wish," he murmured. He lifted his fingers to his lips, dropping his head back against the wall again with a light thud. It won't happen again. God, he could still taste her...

It won't happen again.


"Good Morning Regina," Emma said as she slipped out of the room. His bedroom. (So not the time, Emma.)

"Emma, and how was your little adventure?"

"More adventurous than most of my days off, I must admit."

"Are you tired of chasing after Killian Jones yet?"

"Have you ever heard of Method acting?" Emma asked and she was pretty sure she could actually hear Regina's nails clicking on a desk from here.

"I assume this is somehow relevant?"

"Method acting, staying in character all the time even wen you're not on stage. Killian decided that if it worked for actors why not writers. To say the least... I think he understands why that doesn't work now."

Regina laughed lightly...actually laughed. It caught Emma slightly off guard until she heard a voice in the background "It gets chocolaty anyway when you add the cereal so why not just put chocolate milk in right away?"

She was home with Henry, which explained Regina's good mood this morning, Regina's voice was muffled as she turned away from the phone, "Henry you cannot put chocolate milk in your cereal, put it back. Don't you give me that look, Henry Mills, I'm immune by now, don't you know that?" Emma smiled. She couldn't really blame him. Chocolate milk in cereal sounded like a great idea. "All right, Miss Swan. This is in your hands now. You've invested a lot in this project and I'm not telling you to drop it. Just... keep an eye on your career. "

"What do you mean?"

"Your replacement is doing just fine on the romances, is what I mean. You no longer have to work with him if you wish to get off that project. He's not the only author you could be working with."

Emma nodded before realizing that Regina couldn't see it. "I understand."

"Can you put Killian on the phone. I do need to have a ... brief conversation with him regarding that phone call yesterday."

Emma handed the phone over to Killian who had finally come into the room.

"A pleasure as always, Regina," Killian said pleasantly as he took the phone from Emma. He waited while Regina spoke and a smile broke onto his lips.

"Did I now... Well, that was a creative use of the word pestiferous. It should be a comfort to you that my narrative style stays so well intact under the influence of alcohol."

He paused again, biting his lip slightly to try to keep the smile off his face and out of his voice. "I agree. In fact, I suspect Emma would suggest to me that the phrase malignant autocrat was indeed... a touch melodramatic."

Emma covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the bark of laughter that threatened to explode from her at any moment. "Too true... and from now on I assure you that I shall portray you more in the light of a benevolent dictator. Tell your lad hello for me, by the way, I can hear him causing trouble over there!"

For some reason that comment seemed to spur Regina into yelling again and Killian grinned. "Oh, come now, my hot headed Queen, the lad asked me to teach him."

Finally Emma had to leave the room and go into the kitchen to keep herself from collapsing into hysterical laughter right there within hearing range of the phone. Finally Killian hung up and joined her in the kitchen where Emma had already helped herself to a pop tart from the box on his counter.

Without the distraction of the phone call the silence was near deafening. Killian seemed unperturbed, simply leaning against the doorway watching her for a minute. A half smirk appeared on his face when her cheeks started to warm, but finally he spoke.

"We should talk, love."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Emma, we shared a kiss. I was … hoping it meant something."

"Nothing has changed."

"Everything has changed."

"Why? It was just a kiss."

"It's what the kiss exposed." He closed his eyes briefly and then opened them with a sigh of resignation. "When my first love was taken from me... I never even considered the possibility that I could move on from my Milah. You're the only woman that has made me wonder if perhaps it were possible to not live in darkness. I want to live in the light again, I want ... God Emma, I want you."

"Why are you telling me this?" Emma asked softly.

"I've no desire to hide my intentions from you, Swan, no desire to trick you. When I win your heart, it will be because you want me too."

"I'm not a prize to be won, Killian. This isn't a contest, or a game you can win."

"No? You, Emma Swan, are the most valuable prize any person could hope to win. You're laughing, love, don't laugh. It's the truth."

"Tell that to my parents, to the foster families to ... him."

"If I could, love, I would."

Emma stood to leave, "I'm sorry, I need to get home-"

"All right, love."

Emma was half in a daze all the way back to her apartment. She hung her jacket next to the door and went to check her messages as though on autopilot. The light blinked telling her she had several messages. One was from a credit card company and she deleted it immediately, the second from a neighbor asking her if she had left her music on. She hadn't, and she made a mental note to tell her next time she saw her that whoever it was leaving music on all day, it wasn't her. When the third message started playing Emma didn't recognize the voice and she almost deleted it, but something stopped her.

"Hi, Emma Swan? Umm, this is going to sound very strange, I'm sure but... I have to try. My name is Mary Margaret Nolan... Emma I'd really like to meet you, if you wouldn't mind" Emma's eyebrows furrowed as the woman's nervous voice continued. "I know you're probably very angry with us, I always hoped one day you'd understand; that I'd be able to tell you myself. I'm sorry, I'm rambling... Emma, I'm ... I'm your mother. I know this seems crazy but please, please call me back."

The woman was still talking, leaving a number or something but Emma didn't hear anything more. Her mother? She didn't have a mother. Before she knew what she was doing she was pulling out her phone. She typed in the number and then deleted it, typed it again and deleted it again before finally putting in another number.

"Swan?"

"Killian."

"Swan, what's wrong? Are you all right?"

"I... Killian can you come over?"

"I'll probably need an address to comply with that request, love," he teased, "And you've been rather hesitant to provide one." Emma sent it in a text and she heard his phone buzz on the other end. "What's going on?" he asked when he saw the text, already grabbing his keys from next to the door.

"I ... She... "

"Emma, are you in trouble?"

"No, no I just... please, just come."

"I'm on my way."

Emma nodded and hung up the phone, pacing back and forth. She replayed the message again but it only added to her confusion. Why now?

It wasn't long before a knock sounded on her door. She opened it and Killian stepped inside, "What's going on, Swan?"

Emma didn't speak just hit the play button again once more. Killian's face was confused for a moment and then realization dawned as he listened to the message. When the message finally ended Killian's eyes flicked to hers.

"I take it this is the first communication you've received from this woman?"

Emma nodded.

Killian took her arm and led her over to the couch, where she sat and he squatted in front of her. "You don't have to do anything, love. You know that right?"

Emma nodded again.

"Lass, I'm getting mixed signals at the moment... Is this good news or bad? If you don't want to talk to her we can block her number and you'll never have to hear from her again."

Emma shook her head violently, "I do but... maybe it's not a good idea. Maybe they need something from me, you know, for medical reasons or something."

Killian took her hand, gently letting his thumb drift over her fingers. "That didn't sound like a woman in need of a kidney, Swan. Sounded like a woman who wanted to meet her child."

"What if she's not... what I expect? What if I'm not what she expects?"

"Call her, love," he said with a light squeeze to her fingers, "if you don't you'll always wonder."

"Now?"

"Why not? I'll be right here. If she asks for a kidney give me the phone and I'll tell her what I think of that."

Emma smiled hesitantly and picked up her phone again. She reentered the number and dialed and Killian could hear it ringing. Finally a woman's voice sounded over the line.

"Hello?" Emma gaped and didn't say a word. "Hello? … Is anyone there? ... Hello?"

Killian took the phone from her shaking fingers.

"Hello, this is Miss Swan's personal assistant. Could you please specify the nature of your call before I pass along the message to her."

"You're her... Oh, so she didn't get my message? Please, I just..." The woman paused and took a deep breath. "Her father and I have just returned to the country from... abroad, we were hoping that we might be able to find her... meet her if possible."

Killian glanced at Emma who was listening intently but showed no signs of taking the phone from him. "Hmm, there must be some kind of mistake. Miss Swan told me she doesn't have any family."

"She does! Her father and I work for a charity organization providing humanitarian support for war torn regions. We were part of a peace keeping force in Sudan but... The civil war came though and... There were some people at the US embassy that were getting the children out. We couldn't leave but it was too dangerous for her. An embassy aide agreed to take her back to the states and find someone to take care of her. We always meant to find her again but the war dragged on and on... Please, please just tell her we only wanted the best for her."

Emma reached for the phone and Killian nodded. "Let me patch you through to her."

"Hello?"

"Emma?"

"Yes?"

"Emma, I'm sorry, this must seem so abrupt - I just needed you to know-"

"I heard."

"Would you be willing to meet us? We've found a place up in Maine, but we'd come to you... if you'd allow it."

She hesitated and glanced at Killian. His words came back to her, 'If you don't you'll always wonder.'

"All right, when?"

"Anytime, sweetheart."

Emma stiffened at the endearment but responded flatly, "Dinner tomorrow?"

"Of course, just send me an address, we'll be there."

It was rude and she knew it, but she'd had enough and she just hung up the phone, dropping it onto the floor with a thud. "You all right, lass?" Killian asked.

Emma shook her head, "They were supposed to be terrible."

"I'm… not sure I follow?"

"They abandoned me... They were supposed to be terrible irresponsible people. Not... charity workers. How can I hate charity workers?"

"You could try not hating them, I suppose."

Emma laughed, "that would take some getting used to."

"You've had something of a long day today, Emma, and it's not even noon. I think this calls for pizza."

Emma grinned, "There better be extra cheese involved."

"Always."

Killian left to pick up pizza (because Joe made the best pizza around and delivery is an abomination, apparently) and when he returned he handed her a plate and a small pink container.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Pepper spray," he said simply, "In case they really do want your kidney."

Emma laughed and it seemed to lighten the cords tightening around her chest. This was easy. Pizza and drinks on a Saturday night in her apartment. Talking about everything, (it's what the kiss exposed), everything except work (God, Emma, I want you). Just having a good time and not thinking about anything (when I win your heart...)

Stop it, Emma. Just enjoy it while it lasts. Because tomorrow he'll forget he wanted you and things will go back to the way they were. The way they were supposed to be. He seemed to be able to feel her tension, because when she tensed up thinking about her parents' dinner (or him...) he poured her a drink and explained that the British Royal Navy had an official toast for every day of the week.

"Well I guess now I know what you mean when you say research. What's Saturdays toast?"

"Used to be to wives and sweethearts, I think."

"May they never meet?" Emma responded.

Killian raised an eyebrow and she shrugged, "saw it in a movie one time."

The toasts grew gradually more absurd as they tried to top each other by toasting to 'keeping the people in and the water out,' and 'that all your landfalls be expected.'

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Killian?" Emma finally asked when Killian raised his glass to 'keeping the wet side down and the pointy end away.'

"That would be bad form... Now," he raised his glass again, "Are you going to toast to our continued failure to accomplish death?"

Emma smiled and acquiesced. After one too many drinks Emma suddenly decided that it was a Disney night and asked Killian if he wanted to watch Peter Pan. He shuddered, "God awful movie, that."

"What? Who doesn't like Peter Pan!"

"A child versus a craven, why would someone watch such a contest? Besides Pan gives me the creeps, who wants to stay a child forever?"

They finally agreed on Enchanted, (but only after Emma solemnly swore that the knowledge of that fact would go with her to her grave.) While watching the absurdity of a New York fairy tale, she almost forgot about the nervous clenching in her stomach that worsened every time she remembered the woman whose voice had turned her world upside down in less than a minute.