Tessa sat him down on the couch as she stalked out of the room to grab a first aid box. Once she returned, with it she knelt down in front of him, flashing him a small and shy smile and taking one of his bleeding hands into her own before she tentatively wiped blood away from his hands.

Her forehead creased as she worked and he couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she looked while she concentrated on his hands and he gazed down with soft cerulean irises, almost beguiled by her as she helped him.

She carefully rubbed some antiseptic ointment into the tiny cuts so there was no risk of infection before she moved on to treat the other hand in the same manner.

His fingers itched and ached to touch her, to tuck the stray lock of hair in her face behind her ear. To touch her in the most innocent of ways. To kiss her, even.

But she wouldn't want that. Any of it. So he was satisfied by the simple touch of her hands on his as she treated his slowly soothing wounds. "Thank you." He whispered once she was done and she looked up to him, another shy,reserved smile curving her lips.

"That's quite alright." She muttered. Her hands were placed on his knees, her pulse quickening as she slowly leaned up and pressed a feather-like kiss to his lips that made her heart leap.

It was such a sweet, innocent kiss. One he had rarely ever experienced before. She was always so wanton around him before, after the curse broke. Their kisses had been fervid and passionate,and though he enjoyed them, this- This gentle kiss was one that made his heart hammer against his chest.

He wanted to badly to kiss her again, to deepen it, but didn't. Neither did, although she wanted it to go further as well.

"I should go." He whispered against his lips and she slumped back onto her heels before standing up, flashing him a small smile as she gestured that she'd lead him out.

As he stood at the threshold of the door, Tessa's heart was beating so fast in her chest it felt like it was vibrating. Though she hated to admit it, she was beginning to like this man. And he seemed to have a soft spot for her in return.

She couldn't remember the last time she had truly been so happy. He made her feel alive for the first time in her life.

"Would you like me to kiss you again?" Killian asked after a long pause, unable to resist himself. At her eager nod, he smiled softly, glancing at her lips before he cupped her cheek into a single hand, caressing it with his thumb as he leaned in.

She met him halfway and their eyelids fluttered closed. A single tear fell from Tessa's thick lashes. He pulled away and brushed his lips to the tear, absorbing it before pulling back completely.

"You're crying." He said at last, worry etching in his features.

"Only because I'm so happy." She elicited a weak laugh and added on, "Stupid me. I barely know you."

If he hadn't been sure of it before, he was now - his heart belonged to her and always would. Every passing second he spent with this new her, he just couldn't help but fall more and more in love with her.

His jaw tensed as he realised he should depart finally. "Goodbye, Tris." He whispered and gritted his teeth as he walked away. It hurt. Physically hurt his heart to leave her. But she needed time. Time to love him, too.

Killian squinted in the harsh sunlight the next morning as it streamed in through the window and hit his scowling eyes. The leather armchair in Regina's office was cool against the bare skin of his forearms.

"I assume you're looking for a cure for that pretty princess of yours. What was her name again?" The mayor's voice was sinister and devious as she spoke, tapping a crooked finger against her chin in mock contemplation.

"Astrid."

"Ah, yes. Dear sweet Astrid. The Cursed One." Her painted lips pulled back into a grim smile as she spoke and Killian's eyebrows jutted up slightly.

"So, she is cursed?"

"Of course she is. I put the curse on her myself. Well...Not directly onto her."

The mayor's taunting made Killian elicit a growl of anger and he coiled his fingers around her throat and bent his frame over her, pinning her to the couch. "Tell me everything, Your Majesty. I've never hit a woman before, but now seems like a good time to start."

Her deep brown eyes flared with fury and she used a sweep of her hand to use her magic and he flung across the room, wincing as his back hit the wall and the mayor had him pinned there.

She stared at him for a moment and her anger calmed. Henry would hate her more if he saw how she was using her magic. Regina told him she'd try to be good. Now, it would seem, would be a good place to start. The Charming's were home now but Henry would be even happier with her once she told him about this good deed as well.

She released the man and gestured for him to return onto the couch space next to her, her painted lips set in a hard line that mirrored his own.

"I cursed her mother. The queen of her lands. It's a curse that dips into destiny itself and prevents the victim from ever being able to be with the one they are destined to be with. I made it myself. It was made for Snow White, but that doesn't matter.
"You see, Astrid had a brother. A brother who ran away from home before Astrid was even born. He ran away and took a job as a stable boy; my stable boy. His name was Daniel and over a course of time I fell in love with him. But my mother forbade it when the king asked for my hand in marriage. She...uh..-
Regina's eyes brimmed with unshed tears and Killian could tell this was a delicate memory. "She killed him."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Killian's voice was soft and he truly meant his couldn't begin to understand what it was like to lose the one the loved and to never get them back again.

She nodded in response and continued. "I had reached full power with my magic when Astrid's mother sought me out. She blamed me for killing Daniel, even after I told it was my mother. 'You were the one he fell in love with, who put him in danger,' she said to me.
"It angered me in as my own mother killing him did. In the heat of the moment, I used Snow White's curse on her. When she went back to the palace that night and made love to her husband she collapsed the morning after in pain."

"What happened to her?" Killian's thick brows were knitted together, his mouth set in a hard line.

"She survived, but fell pregnant. She died giving birth but the curse went on to her daughter, your beloved Astrid." She seemed almost dazed as she spoke, her mind deep in her memories. "I had no idea it would be genetic. When I created the curse I did so by making it unbreakable by true loves kiss."

Killian's breath hitched in his throat, sadness making his heart feel as though it was shattering into a million pieces.

"But... There is one way. Every curse must have a way to be broken."She glanced at him, the ghost of a smile on her lips at his hopeful yet confused features. "An elixir. It'll take some time to make but it should be ready by tomorrow."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." He breathed and a smile curved his lips. It vanished as soon as it had come though as she added on, "There's just one problem. She's under the influence of the curse and doesn't remember who she is...Though it's not much of a problem. True loves kiss should easily break it."

He blinked at the woman, mind stretching to the memory of the night before when he and Tessa had shared a kiss. "But... I've already kissed her. Why hasn't it broken already?" At his question, she lifted her eyebrows and looked at him as if to say, Think about it.

Realisation dawned and he let out a soft, sad sigh. "Because she doesn't love me."

The mayor nodded and stood, gesturing to him that it was time to leave. "Make her love you, Captain. The elixir will only work if she knows who she is."

Killian stood, nodded and headed for the door. He glanced over his shoulder at her just before he left. "Why are you doing this, Your Majesty?"

"That's my own business." She said in a matter-of-fact tone and set her mouth into a hard line. He nodded for a moment but added on, "What's your price? All magic comes with a price."

She thought hard for a moment, but she couldn't think of anything he could help her with so simple said, "You'll owe me a favour." He said nothing in reply, only shrugged and left, leaving Regina to begin making the elixir that would finally cure his true love.

All he had to do now was get her to love him so it would work.

Tessa sat on the comfy window seat in her bedroom, reading a book when her phone buzzed next to her. The number was unknown but she answered it anyway with a curious, "Hello?"

"Tris! It's uh.. Killian. Ruby gave me your number." His voice seemed so nervous, as though he wasn't sure asking Ruby for her number was creepy or not. As he spoke, Tessa could hear muffled sounds outside and glanced down out of the window to her front door.

Killian was stood there on his phone, shuffling around nervously. Her lips pulled into a grin at the mere sight of him. "Oh.. Hello, Killian."

"Are you... Uh.. Home?"

"Yes, I'm just sat reading a book. Kind of boring really. I wish I had something else to do..." Her tone was almost teasing as she spoke, already knowing what he wanted. Her eyes lit up and her heart fluttered as she saw his own lips pull into a boyish and toothy grin.

"Well I was actually calling to see if you wanted to do anything..." As he finished, his eyes flickered up to her bedroom window and she ducked out of the way quickly, only looking back once she was sure he wasn't looking.

"I'd love to, Killian."

"Fantastic! Uh.. I'm at the bar at the minute but I can be there in... About 15 minutes?"

His lie made her bite down on her lip to stifle a threatening giggle. "I'll see you then. Goodbye, Killian." The last few words were spoken in a teasing manner once more and she clicked off the phone call, giggling to herself as she saw him bite his hand with glee.

He really does like me. She thought to herself, feeling excitement bubble in her stomach and chest as she climbed down from the window seat and dressed.