Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time

Chapter Nine

Emma paused in the doorway of the supply room. "Orson," She drew his attention from an inventory list he was going over, "there must be something I can do to help."

Orson smiled, "No, Emma, we have everything in hand." He replied, setting his list down and picking up a stack of rags, placing them in a box.

She frowned, "I've done nothing but eat your food and take up your space, please let me make myself useful." She begged. "Noah is not letting me help cook or clean the galley." She whined, "Can I at least do some mending or help with inventory or clean the cabins?"

Orson's eyebrows shot up and she could see a remark about her being a princess on his tongue before he finally thought better of it and said, "We really don't have much else to do."

Her frown deepened and her fingers skimmed over the pile of rags, "What is to become of these?" She asked suddenly.

He shrugged, "We'll more than likely dispose of them, unless Noah wants them for dish towels or we mend them into something, that's unlikely though."

Picking up a few pieces she shook her head, "These would make wonderful quilts. It gets so cold at night." She commented, "I can only imagine how cold it is in your quarters. You should have something soft and warm at night." She replied, noting the soft texture and thickness.

"If you'd like them, they're yours." He bowed slightly. "I have needle and thread over here." He moved through the maze of boxes, leading her to wear the equipment was stored.

"Thank you, Orson, this is the least I can do for you men. You've been so kind to me. Kinder than you had to be." She touched his shoulder gently, "I will never be able to repay you for your kindness." She whispered, picking up the box of rags.

"Let me help you." He smiled at her as he helped her move the supplies into the captain's quarters.

Emma hummed to herself once she was left alone, sorting through the discarded cloth, piecing together in her mind what would make a good quilt. There were fifteen men aboard the Jolly Roger. Unfortunately she would not have enough for fifteen quilts. She could make one for Orson, Smee, Noah and a few of the other men. Maybe while in Arendale she could pick up more material and make more for the rest of the men on their journey back. It would at least be something to occupy her wandering and worrying mind with. She smiled as her eyes swept to the bed. She would pick up a nice warm material for Killian. Something in deep red and black. He seemed to very much like those two colors combined. When she had the material for one quilt picked out, she picked up a few pieces and took her needle and thread above to the deck, where she could enjoy the fresh air and watch Killian in his element.

Killian's eyes floated to her as she settled onto a bench by the ship railing. With her back leaning against a wall of the ship, she stretched her legs out in front of her. She had pulled her hair back into a braid that fell over her shoulder. He watched as she picked up a needle and two large pieces of cloth and began focusing on whatever she was creating. He couldn't help but think about how well she fit in here. She acted as though this were her home, as if she belonged and she was just busying herself with a normal everyday activity.

"She's making quilts." Orson appeared next to him. "She's worried about us being cold at night." Killian couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at that. Orson looked around, "I realize this is not her home, but she belongs here, Captain. At least she seems to."

"Aye," Killian agreed, "she does appear to belong."

Orson couldn't miss the note of melancholy in his tone. It was clear the young captain had already fallen for the young princess, and the feelings appeared to be mutual. "Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place." Orson murmured quietly. "Whether or not we knew it," he continued carefully, "Liam's death spiraled us all out of control." He noted Killian tensing at his words, "Emma could be here to bring us back, to stabilize us. To give us a purpose."

Killian couldn't help the hopeful tone and look that crossed his face, "Do you think there's a chance I won't lose her?"

"That would be entirely up to you and her, Captain." Orson nodded and stepped away, knowing he'd left the captain with enough to think about for the day.

OUAT

"I will not tell you where she is." Ella screamed.

"Oh, but you will, dearie." Rumplestiltskin leered at her, "In this life or the next, Cinderella, I will have that baby!"

OUAT

"You're making quilts?" Killian queried as he lifted her legs and sat down, letting them drape across his lap.

Emma looked up from her patchwork, "It gets drafty in your quarters and it's so cozy in there. I've seen the crew's quarters, it must be positively freezing in the dead of winter." She shrugged, "I wanted to leave something for them, something positive to show I appreciate their kindness." She looked up, "I suppose it's silly, after all you are all a bunch of pirates." She grinned at him.

He shook his head, "It's nice." he commented, "The men will appreciate it."

Leaning forward, Emma pressed her lips lightly to his, "I'll make one for you too, Captain. It's just going to be a little more special." She murmured.

"Special how?" He asked.

Shaking her head she laughed, "It's a surprise." She taunted him before standing up and stretching. He watched the way her top slid slightly over her shoulder before she adjusted it, his mouth and hands itching to latch onto her skin. "I'm going to fetch another few pieces of material for this quilt. She folded what she'd worked on and set it neatly on the bench. "I'll be back."

"And I'll be here." He responded warmly.

Hudson watched from the shadows as the captain pulled Emma down for another kiss, causing a round of giggles to spurt from her perfect lips before she straightened, wagged her finger at him playfully and turned to walk away. It just wasn't fair or right, no one that young or inexperienced should have a woman such as Emma warming his bed. He smirked, all Emma needed was to know what a real man was like to show her that her husband, and he wasn't entirely convinced they were married, wasn't who she should be with. He waited until she was below deck and Killian seemed content to analyze her quilting skills before Hudson followed her below.

Quietly he followed her to the captain's quarters and watched as she picked up a few more pieces of cloth from a particular pile on the table. He shut the door with a thud to get her attention.

Her back was to him and she laughed while shaking her head, "Honestly Killian, you are insatiable." She didn't move, just continued to thumb through the clock, "Although I suppose I did say I wanted to try that thing with my mouth and I am a little on the hungry side," she leered before turning around. Her eyes popped out of her head and her face flushed, "Hudson, what are you doing in here? You're not supposed to be in the captain's quarters."

He flicked the bolt in place and she took a step back, "What exactly, Emma, is it you want to try with your mouth?"

Emma looked around the room for a weapon, her eyes flicked over Killian's dagger by the bed, but she quickly diverted them, hoping Hudson didn't notice it, "That's for Killian." She replied firmly, "Everything is for him." She stated firmly.

"It doesn't have to be." Hudson stated quietly. It was so quiet it was alarming.

"Yes it does. I'm married to him."

"Are you?" He asked in that same quiet voice, approaching her much like a predator. "Everyone's above deck, Emma, including Noah, screaming won't do you any good. Unless of course you don't want your dear husband to know just how good it feels to be with a real man."

Emma took a deep breath to steady herself and steel her nerves before she took a sidestep towards the bed, one step closer to the weapon. "I have a real man. A real man who will really kill you if you try to touch me. I suggest you turn around, unbolt the door and walk away, Hudson. If you do, I won't speak of this to Killian." She bargained with him.

Hudson shook his head, "I'm sure we can reach an agreement where I get what I want and you don't tell your husband." He took another step forward.

She took a step back and hit the cabinet behind her. She knew that would happen and ignored his chuckle as she appeared to nervously step once again closer to the bed, "That's quite unlikely." She glanced up, hoping that Killian would note how long it had taken her to get the fabric and that she hand't come back like she promised and would come looking for her.

"If I can make you moan louder than he can and feel better than he can then I doubt you'll want to go running to him, instead you'll be begging me for more, sneaking into the crew quarters at night." His voice was deep and throaty and she noted that a bulge was already growing in his pants at his own words. Emma swallowed hard and moved toward the bed, quickly reaching over to grab the dagger.

Hudson was faster than she, knocking it out of her hands, "I knew you were going for that, Emma." He whispered as he pinned her arms to her side. She let out an involuntary whimper at his words, flashes of King George's and Regina's guards also flashing in her mind and she felt her body slacken slightly in defeat. She should've known better than to defy her parents, than to run. If she were settled in a camp on the edge of the Enchanted Forest she'd have her dignity, her virtue, she'd be safe from men like this. She felt a sob build up at the thought of how disappointed her parents would be when they found out just how many men had had her. At least with Killian she had been a willing participant. It was different with him. It was tender and, she shuddered when she felt her shirt fall from her shoulders and she felt her pants fall from her slim hips. Would Killian even want to touch her after this?

"Emma, love?" Killian's voice echoed from the hallway and a hand clamped over her mouth as she felt a tug at her undergarments before she felt him force himself inside of her. "Love, are you down here? You said you were coming right back. Or did you have other, more pleasurable activities in mind?" His words were carefree, but there was still a tinge of worry in his tone.

When a hand clamped over her breast she found a newfound sense of determination and she bit down hard. Hudson let out a yelp, "Killian." She screamed and moved forward, feeling him dislodge from her.

"Emma?" She heard the doorknob turn, "Bloody hell, Emma, what's going on?" He heard a scuffle and woman's high pitched scream again. Emma's scream. Then a grunt and decidedly male groan. He banged against the solid door with his shoulder. "Emma?" he screamed out again.

"Captain, what's going on?" Killian turned to see Noah, Smee and Orson behind him.

"Get off!" Emma called out again, stumbling against the table, knocking over the cloth for her quilting and sewing supplies as she tripped over a chair and landed on her stomach, "No!"

"We're breaking it down." Killian told them as they rammed against the door. After two more rams it splintered and they broke through to find Hudson on top of Emma, who was squirming and kicking beneath him, her top in shreds and leather pants at her ankles.

Reacting with lighting speed, Killian had Hudson off of Emma and out of the room. Orson pulled Emma to her feet and she fell into his arms, sobs shuddering through her body as she clung to the older man.

"I'll get some hot tea for her." Noah ducked his head and dashed out of the room.

"Wrap this around yourself, lass." Smee picked up a blanket and draped it over her shoulders as she continued to cling to Orson who struggled to wrap it around her while in her vise-like grip. Smee stepped back, "I'm going to help the captain detain Hudson so he can come back here." Smee stepped out of the room and found Killian shaking Hudson as he yelled in the hallway. "Captain, perhaps we should put him in the brig until Emma is calmer." He suggested coolly.

Killian's eyes narrowed, the black slightly fading before he passed Hudson off to Smee and moved swiftly down the corridor to his chambers. Emma was still clinging to Orson, who was rubbing gentle circles on her back and trying to calm her. "Emma." He whispered.

She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face, everything about her seemed smaller and more vulnerable. She looked at him with concerned and wide eyes, "I didn't, he just, I'm just." She stopped and took a breath, "I'm so sorry, Killian."

He moved across the room and replaced Orson, who left them quickly, "What the bloody hell do you have to be sorry for, love?" He asked quietly, pulling her body against his, "I promise we can handle him in anyway you see fit. I think the plank is a valid option." He whispered into her hair, "I knew he wanted you, I just never knew, I am so sorry for putting you in harms way, Emma."

She pulled back and looked up at him, "You're not mad?"

He frowned, "Mad? At you?"

"It's disgraceful." She murmured. "Those six guards, Hudson, I just, I'm not,"

"And me." He whispered.

Her hands moved to his face to force him into eye contact, "You are not, it wasn't," she paused again and swallowed, "don't ever degrade yourself or us to what they did to me." She told him sternly, "I, I," she paused again, "I wanted you, I want you, I just can't imagine how you could possibly want me. Or how anyone could want me."

Killian pressed a kiss to her exposed shoulder before scooping her up and settling her on the bed. He dropped to his knees and unlaced her boots, bringing her pants that were around her ankles off as well. Pushing back the blanket he pulled what remained of her blouse over her head before retrieving one of his own shirts and helping her slip into it. Wrapping the blanket back around her, he pulled her to his chest and leaned back on the bed. "I will always want you, Emma." He whispered in her hair, "And it pains me to want you so much when I know that when this is over and we have resolved the conflict in the Enchanted Forest, I will probably lose you."

She shifted on his lap and brought her hand up to trace the strong angles of his jawline, "I don't want you to." She whispered.

"You don't?" He questioned.

She shook her head, "I don't want to lose you ever." She stated firmly. Her eyes dropping, "If you'll have me that is."

He tilted her head up with his finger, "If I'll have you?" He questioned, "You're the princess, could you ever see it fit to love a pirate?" He asked in a hushed tone.

She swallowed hard, "I already do."

OUAT

XOXO

MAS