A/N: I know, I know. I promised an explanation for the soul mate bond, but after reading this, I highly doubt you'll be complaining. Thanks again to my beta Bianca (shipsxahoy). I would be nothing with you.


Consummation…heath deterioration…soul mates…

Emma stood silently by the cracked-open throne room door, breathing heavily and trying to comprehend everything that she had just heard. Her entire body stood shakily on limbs that could collapse at any moment.

So that electric feeling that I had with him as he helped me off of his chariot was soul mates meeting. And that if we have sex and we are separated, I'm the only one truly affected. How is that even fair? And how did he find out? Was he even going to tell me?

With all of these thoughts running through her head, Emma rushed towards the one place that calmed her: the garden. Picking up her voluminous skirt in her sweaty palms, Emma took off as fast as her legs could carry her. The main door to the palace was ajar, so she didn't need to let go of her dress; she just kept running until the shining diamond building was in sight. Her feet slowed as she reached the door, and she almost tore the onyx handle of the frame (as it was easy for Emma to forget her own strength when her emotions are discombobulated). She entered her sanctuary, and suddenly her legs could no longer carry her body weight. Emma simply collapsed, her body sagging to the soil ungracefully. She held it in for as long as she could, but once Emma rested upon the earth, she cried until the tears blurred her vision. Her love for Killian and her frustration over him omitting this information was too much for her to keep bottled up any longer.

As she lay there on her side, her obscured vision landed on the Swan Lily, the beautiful lily that Killian had placed behind her ear as they toured the greenhouse for the first time only four days ago. In a way, the Swan Lily represented the budding relationship between herself and Killian: so pure and new; untainted. Now, her heart resembled the Bleeding Heart that he showed her that same day. The tears finally subsided, but with their loss, fatigue came. Emma's head—just like her heart—felt heavy. Moments later, Emma fell asleep in the garden of the greenhouse, surrounded by the flowers she loved so much.

**K&E**

He still couldn't believe it, but with Regina's experiences of the same phenomena, there was no denying the facts: Emma would wither away into nothingness and he would remain the same. It wasn't fair; there had to be some sort of explanation for all of this. He needed more answers.

"Thank you for everything you have confessed to me, niece. I am truly in your debt."

Regina shrugged. "Hey, I understand your concerns. But you will need to tell her before it's too late."

"Aye that I do." Suddenly, a chill enveloped him; he remembered why Regina was here in the first place. "What will you tell my brother and sister?"

Regina contemplated her uncle. She was prepared to meet a man who looked as dead as those spirits he catered to, but she was surprised by his humanity, and his affection for her cousin. "I planned on telling them the truth: that you and Emma are soul mates, and that tearing them apart could mean dire consequences."

"But you won't mention that we haven't actually done…anything…"

"Not if I can help it," Regina swore.

Killian strode over to his niece, and placed his hand in front of her, and she accepted. "Thank you, Regina. Your help has been greatly appreciated." He dropped his hand from hers, but she took it back, tugging his body closer to hers. "It will be of no help if you do not tell her."

"Aye, once you leave, I must find her."

"Take it from me, Killian: when you find love, you must hold on and never let go." With her point emphasized, Regina let Killian's hand fall from her grip. "Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going to have to go piss off your brother and sister. Which way were the stairs out of here again? I get so turned around in this cave of wonders…"

"No need to take the stairs. My magic can get you out of here. Farewell, Regina, and thank you again. I will never forget what you have done for us today." Killian snapped his fingers, and Regina's signature violet cloud whisked her away from his throne room. The sudden feeling of emptiness clawed at him; he needed to find Emma. He ran to her bedroom, and was completely out of breath by the time he stood outside the massive jade door. He knocked, not wanting to disturb her if she was asleep or…otherwise occupied. But after knocking three times, there was no answer. Concerned, he pushed the door slightly open, and through the crack saw that there was no one in the room.

She must be in the library.

Killian took off once again, and as he threw open the giant doors of the library, he called out her name. "Emma!" he shouted, the echo carrying throughout the room. But there was no reply. He was starting to get worried, until he looked down into his hand and his eyes landed on the skull at the top of his staff. He lifted it up to meet his gaze, and said her name: "Emma." But again, there was no answer.

Killian's worries were now reaching a fever pitch. If she isn't answering her ring, then something must have happened. Did Regina come down with someone else, and they took her while she was distracting me? But she would still be able to answer no matter the distance. Did someone hurt her? Regina will pay dearly if she deceived me…

Out of nowhere, a tiny poof sounded behind him, and Pestilence was running toward Killian. "Sir, what is the matter?"

His angry snarl and fierce gaze made Pestilence recoil. "I cannot find Emma…"

"Sir, I only just saw her moments ago. She was running towards the greenhouse, and…"

"And, what?" he hissed out.

Pestilence wrung at her tail nervously, barely looking him in the eye. She hated when he was this angry; it frightened her. "And…she was crying, sir…"

Killian took off in a dead run, leaving an emotional goblin to stare at him as he rushed to the greenhouse and his beloved.

**K&E**

It might have been only a few minutes that Emma had fallen asleep, but to her it felt like days. She forced herself to sit upright; the tiny particles of dirt that embedded themselves into her dress fell back to the ground as she shook them from the fabric. Her mind clearer after her respite, she knew that there was no avoiding the issue: she needed to confront Killian.

As if she suddenly had the ability to make people appear out of thin air, the doors to the greenhouse were flung open, and a very exhausted—and visibly sweaty—Killian came barreling toward her. She knew she should be angry and frustrated with him at that moment, but when he threw his muscular arms around her, she couldn't help but lean in to his body, closing her eyes and letting herself be enveloped in his warmth.

"Oh, Emma…I went mad trying to find you," he whispered, rocking her body back and forth in his arms. "I thought you had been abducted or…"

Her eyes flew open as she he remembered why she was upset in the first place, the haze of his touch wearing off. "You thought what? That I left? Why on earth would you think that?" she growled out sarcastically as she pushed his body and arms away from her own, "Could it be you thought I was unhappy? No, that can't be it—maybe because I missed my mother and needed to see her? No, that's not it either…" No longer wanting to feign ignorance, Emma countered, "Could it be because you neglected to inform me that…oh, I don't know…that we are SOUL MATES?! And not just that: if we have sex and are separated, I'M the only one that is affected?"

Her sudden outburst caught him off guard, so much so that he recoiled into the dirt. "How…how did you…?"

"How did I know? I heard the entire conversation! I was outside the throne room as you were talking to Regina. I had been trying to tell you something all day, and I wanted to finally catch you at a quiet moment. But, imagine my surprise when my cousin showed up! And not only that, that you had been withholding information from me." The fire in her eyes as she berated Killian for his mishandling of the situation faded into a crackling ember and she continued softy, turning away from him, "I had…I just had to get away from you. I couldn't bear to look at you at that moment."

He sat there in the dirt, complete at a loss for words. She was right, and had every right to be angry at him. If there was one thing that Killian never wanted to do, it was upset Emma in any fashion. By not coming to her in the first place with his findings, he caused her grief, and he couldn't stand it. Killian maneuvered his body to rise as gracefully from the ground as possible, and went in search of an apology of sorts. Passing the Giant's Tears and the Bleeding Hearts, his sight landed upon the Swan Lily. He plucked one off of the vine—as he did only four days ago—and ventured back to the woman sitting in the dirt.

Killian walked around her so that her body was facing his, and he crouched down to come face-to-face with her, the lily in a hand hidden behind him. The amount of time she had spent crying over him was evident by the redness of her eyes, the puffy skin that had developed under her lashes, and the dried-on tracks of tears that littered her blushed cheeks. He took his open hand, and lifted her chin, so that her eyes met his. He saw a litany of emotions: hurt; betrayal; frustration. He needed take it all away somehow.

He revealed the lily in his hand behind his back, her eyes lighting up at seeing that flower. "Do you know when I created this flower?"

"No, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me," she sarcastically quipped.

"That first night you came to the dining hall, dressed in the white dress that reached up to your neck, and the crown of flowers that adorned your head. You were as graceful as a swan as you entered that room…" He choked on a sob, recalling the memory. "When you went to bed, I went here, and the image of you couldn't escape my mind. Within moments, the Swan Lily came to be."

He finally saw light behind her sad eyes as he told her of the flower's origin. "You mean…the Swan Lily is MY flower?"

Killian moved his fingers from her chin, and cupped her cheek. "It is your flower, indeed. Much like this is your garden. And this is your palace." He took one of her hands and placed it high on his chest. "And this is your heart."

Both were frozen in that position for a long time, absorbing the words that Killian spoke. The only sound that either could hear was the other person's breathing; after a minute or two, it was Emma who broke the silence between them. "Killian…I…what are you saying?"

Taking his hand that was gripping her wrist, Killian took both of his hands and lovingly stroked her cheeks with his palms. His cobalt blue eyes stared into her emerald green one as he confessed, "Emma, Goddess of the Spring, you have become of the goddess of my heart. From the moment I laid eyes on you long ago, you fascinated me. But being in your presence for this long, I can confidently say that I am now, and always will be, in love with you. I know this in no way makes up for my transgression—or any that I commit in the future—but I would be honored to spend eternity proving myself worthy of being called yours."

He wanted so much to kiss her soft, supple lips, but he needed to gauge her reaction first. He noticed her eyes watering once more, and felt a tear droplet hit his finger, which he quickly wiped away. After what seemed like an eternity for him, she smiled as she finally spoke. "Is it my turn to talk?"

Laughing nervously, he said, "Of course, love."

"I came to this world of yours through, let's just say, unconventional circumstances." This made him sigh and his cheeks blared red. "This past week has been one of the most incredible weeks of my life. I would never have dreamed this beautiful place existed, and I am glad that I have been able to share your world." She moved her hand that had been placed over his heart and reached up to trace her finger over his stubbled jaw. She couldn't wipe away the smile as she finally said, "Killian, you have transformed the Goddess of Spring into something entirely new. You have changed me into the Goddess of the Underworld." She heard him try to suppress his sobs, but to no avail. "I love you, and I am in love with you. And while, yes, I am still angry with you, I intend to let you try and make it up to me…starting now."

Taking that as permission, Killian's lips met Emma's, and it felt as if their souls met as well. Her soft, pliable lips tasted of honeysuckle—which was pure Emma, and he was addicted. He slowly leaned into her body, allowing her to spread out beneath him, and he hovered above her. "You taste so sweet, milady…I can't seem to get enough," he whispered between kisses to his mouth, jaw, and neck. Killian's hand cradled the back of her neck, which allowed him better access to run his lips and tongue the exposed flesh of her collarbone. The sweet cooing noises she made only encouraged him further.

"Killian…I need…"

"Tell me what you need, my darling. Tell me."

"I need you…I need you to touch me…"

His growl reverberated off of the diamond walls of the greenhouse. Her admittance and the want in her words went straight to his groin; it was now fully erect, pressing into her inner thigh. "What did I tell you before about you talking like that, Emma?" To emphasize his point, he pressed his cock harder into her thigh. "This is what you do to me."

"Oh my…" she moaned.

"You still want me to touch you?"

"Yes! Oh gods above, yes!"

Killian snaked his left hand down her body, pausing to caress her breast through the fabric of her dress. He could feel her nipple tighten as the pads of his fingers ran over the bud. The moan she made as he did so was a reminder to pay special attention to her breast, but she took matters into her own hands, pushing his down towards the hem of her dress. It was seemed a bit fortuitous that she more a shorter, playful dress today. Killian hand rustled the fabric up to her hips, revealing Emma's womanhood, flaxen curls adorning her mons . He had read about women and sexuality in the books of his library, but to see it before him with overwhelming. He could see the wetness glistening on the outside of her slit, and he almost came right then and there.

"No underwear, love?" he choked out.

Deadpan, she answered. "I never wear underwear."

"So you mean…this entire week…"

"Nothing."

"Bloody hell…"

"Ahem…"

"Apologies, love. But you can't tell a man that and not expect him to react…" Killian's calloused fingers grazed over the delicate skin on her inner thigh. They climbed higher and higher at a snail's pace, which caused Emma to moan in frustration at the lack of contact between his fingers and her pussy. "Killian, please…"

"You are an impatient thing, aren't you?"

Killian leaned over to his side, and picked up the Swan Lily that he had plucked minutes earlier. He removed one of the long, milky white petals, he rubbed it over the petals of her blooming flower. The color contrast of the white of the petals of the flower and the dusty rose of her aroused petals made him whimper.

"That tickles!"

With a deep chuckle, he replied, "Does it really? Maybe I should do it more…"

"Don't you dare!" she cried out in frustration. "Please, just touch me…"

"As you wish…"

He took his index finger, and traced the seam of her channel. She was so damp that her scent was wafting towards him. He shouldn't have been surprised to smell hints of lavender and honeysuckle, but he also noted a hint of musk that was purely Emma. Killian moved his finger upwards, finding the sensitive bud of pleasure. He had read that clitoral stimulation produced intense orgasms, and felt like putting it to the test. Using the pad of his finger, he traced light circles around it, avoiding direct contact. The initial touch of his finger to her clit caused Emma to cry out in pleasure.

"Does this feel good, Emma?" as he continued his ministration.

"Yes…oh god yes…It feels amazing…"

He picked up the pace while increasing the pressure as well. Her breaths started to become shallower and shallower, punctuated by tiny screams.

"I need it…I need your fingers…inside me…"

Trying his hardest not to ejaculate every time she said something so wanton, Killian removed his index finger form her clit and went back down to the opening of her sheath. This time, the middle finger joined in as the warmth and the wetness of his goddess enveloped the digits. He needed more, but he knew that wasn't possible until they found out more about the soul mate bond, so for this moment, he felt like he was in Elysium.

"Move them…"

"What's that, darling?"

"Move your fingers…"

"Oh, of course, my love." Killian pumped his two fingers in and out of Emma's tight sheath, slowly at first, then picking up the pace gradually. Emma spread her legs even wider beneath him, allowing him to penetrate her deeper. The more her cries came closer together, the faster he pumped.

"Oh fuck, Killian…I'm almost there…"

"Yes, my goddess, yes…" he whispered into her ear. "Collapse around me. I want to see he fall apart in my arms." He pistoned his fingers inside her as fast as he could manage, it took no time for Emma to climax while screaming out his name for only him and the plants and flowers to hear. He removed his fingers from her glistening pussy, and he took it upon himself to taste her essence. In his many years, he had never tasted anything as delicious as the ambrosia of her pleasure.

He looked down at her as her breathing evened out. The crimson flush on her face and neck was a sight to behold. Knowing that he was the one who caused it made him smile even more. In the midst of his admiration of her body, she flipped him onto his back in a move that caught him off guard. Now Emma had astride him, her bare mound still visible due to the skirt of the dress still rolled up, resting on her hips. Her juices were leaking on the crotch of his pants, but he didn't mind; he loved seeing her on top of him. "Emma…"

"Relax. I'm just returning the favor."

"That's not necessary…"

She grasped his hardened cock, and he groaned out loud. "Oh, I beg to differ…" Emma slunk her way down the length of his body until her face was in his lap. Then, she reached for the clasp of his trousers and eased them—albeit with minor difficulty—off of his hips. She drug the offending garment all the way down to his ankles, where there removal was impeded by his loafers. She could have easily taken those off to make it easier to take him trousers off, but she liked him like this. Her gaze turned back towards his lap, and her eyebrow rose.

"No underwear today?"

Blushing, he shyly admitted, "But unlike you, I don't go without them very often."

"I find I prefer you without them," she said, staring at his fully erect cock and reddened head for the first time. She tried not to drool, but she was sure a little escaped from her lips onto his leg.

"Like what you see?" he said, stretching his arms behind his head, cradling his neck.

Without answering, Emma slithered her way back over his body, her face inches away from his hardened length. Her moistened tongue escaped from between her lips and teased the shaft lightly, causing Killian to emit sounds that weren't purely of this world. It was only after she took one long lick from base to tip that she answered him, "I like what I taste, too."

"Cheeky min…oh my god," he moaned as his eyes closed at the feeling of having his cock engulfed in the wet heat of her mouth.

Her tongue was like magic as she swished and flicked every inch of him within the tight confines of her mouth. She found he especially loved it when she tickled the underside of the head; it caused his body to contort in all kinds of different positions while still remaining on his back. Emma then wrapped his right hand around the shaft while keeping her mouth concentrated on the head, and stroked and sucked at feverish pace.

"Emma, love…you bloody fucking siren…"

"I love it when you talk dirty," she said as she lifted her head up from his cock momentarily before dropping her mouth back onto it. This time, she relaxed her throat, taking as much as she could of him into her mouth. The curls at the top of his pubic bone tickled her nose as she took him all the way down her throat.

"If you keep that up, I won't be able to, because I will have exploded into your hot mouth." The vibrations of her moaning travelled down his cock to his balls, which were tightening up to his body, ready to burst. "Fuck, Emma…your mouth feels so good…"

As gracefully as possible, Emma moved his cock from her throat and asked, "Killian, where do you want to come?"

"In your mouth. I need to see my seed on your tongue; to know that you were the one to make me lose control."

"Then stand up."

Killian hastily stood on shaky limbs, and within seconds, Emma's lips were on him once again. She pumped and tugged with fervor, her saliva coating his cock and her hands, and sooner than expected, Killian cried, "Emma!" and coated her tongue with his essence. The ferocity of his orgasm combined with the lack of blood to his head nearly had him collapsing back down to the ground, but Emma held him steady by his hips. The eyes met, and all they could see was love.

"That was brilliant. You are brilliant."

"Better than the blow job dream we had the other night?"

"Much better, because it was real. Although, I wouldn't mind making that particular dream a reality…" he said, winking at her. Killian reached his arms down to allow her to grab, so that she could lift herself up from the dirt. As she righted her dress, he lifted his pants from his ankles and placed them back onto his hips, securing them with the clasp. Killian then looped his arm around Emma's waist, pulling her in for a kiss that was full of passion and love.

"You are exquisite. Thank you, my love."

"I love you, too." They kissed again with just as much passion behind it, wrapping arms around each other to ground themselves, never wanting to let go. All too soon, Emma's mind went back to the reason she was in the greenhouse in the first place. She broke the kiss.

"Killian, how are we going to find out more about the soul mate bond, and why it is only me who is affected really?"

"I was actually going to tell you all of this information tonight at dinner, but it seemed the Fates needed it done quicker. I had intended to seek out the Author."

"Is the Author here?"

"Yes. He passed on many years ago. He murdered his lover."

Gasping, she said, "That's terrible…"

"Indeed. He's suffering in Tartarus for it. So I had planned to go there and seek out the answers."

"I'm going with you."

"I would despair if you didn't," he admitted.

"Purely to satisfy my curiosity, what is the name of the Author?"

Looking at her, he said, "His name is Isaac."