A/N: Sorry about taking so long to post today and only posting one chapter. I had a bit of writer's block today and I'm trying to make my chapters longer than in my last story. Hopefully I'll get back into rhythm soon and speed up. As always, thanks for the lovely reviews!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Killian was still sitting in the chair when Emma woke up next. She lay still, watching him because he hadn't yet realized she was up. Killian had his laptop balanced on his knees as he typed away furiously, using both hands Emma noticed with a pang. Every once and a while he would curse at the screen and rifle through the file folder set on the arm of the chair, pulling out papers with different labels and covered in numbers and diagrams. He was fascinating to watch work, intense and focused, chewing the edge of his lip as the keys clacked under his fingers.

Watching him work it became even more apparent just how much Killian had grown up in the ten years since she'd last known him. He was a responsible adult now, had forged a path for himself and was doing something he loved. Emma found that she wished she could have watched him reach this point, watched him become a man in the absence of the only male role model he had. Even though Liam was gone, Emma thought he would have been proud.

She leveled a lazy smile at him. "Hey."

Killian looked up instantly, setting his laptop on the tile floor and pulling the chair closer to the bed. "Hey," he answered softly. "Sleep well?"

Emma nodded. She really had considering while she was out someone had put her arm in a sling, strapping it to her chest. How had she missed that? "What time is it?"

Killian consulted his cellphone. "Ten a.m. You certainly can sleep, Swan."

"Don't make fun of the girl who was shot," Emma replied making a face. So she'd slept since the prior day all the way until morning. Whoa.

Killian smirked back, amused by the wounded puppy dog eyes Emma sent him at his comment. "You snore you know."

"Do not," Emma shot back quickly, trying to force the blush that was climbing her cheeks to retreat. Who cares if Killian knew she snored? It's not like that would hurt their friendship.

"Shall I record you next time, lass?" he asked, eyebrow quirked. He wiggled his cellphone at her, pointing the mic closer to her face.

"You wouldn't dare." Emma tried to sound menacing but the smirk that was inching up Killian's cheeks made it hard to seem angry. Eventually she broke eye contact with a snort, rolling her eyes at the ceiling.

"David and Ruby will be back soon. They went to your place to get some stuff."

Emma nodded then glanced around the room. The bed beside her was unmade and ruffled, a pair of shoes tucked under the bedframe. She glanced back at Killian, eyes running down his body until she reached his feet. Black socks were all he wore.

A strange feeling started in Emma's chest at the idea that he had stayed. The feeling turned to panic when Emma began to understand the meaning of him staying, without even asking. He'd seen the bed and taken advantage of it, even though her other friends had gone home. She'd been practically unconscious all day, and he'd just assumed she'd be alright with him staying with her.

"Jones, did you stay here last night?" Emma tried to keep her tone even and casual. She knew the answer already but she had to hear him say it.

Killian glanced at the bed then his socks sheepishly. "Aye."

Emma immediately pushed herself up, groaning when the pain radiated through her jostled shoulder. Killian jumped up to help but Emma waved him off. She was fine. She didn't need help. Propped up by her good arm Emma turned back to a wounded looking Killian.

"You don't need to stay here, Jones. I'm a big girl. I've been through worse." She'd spent the night after Neal hit her with the chair alone; kicking Mary Margaret and David out of her apartment once she'd been stitched up. Being shot by some stranger and left in the hospital was nothing compared to that night years ago. She'd spent the whole night on the cool tile floor of her bathroom crying, not even bothering to clean up the mess the gashes in her shoulder had created after Neal.

"I know. But just because you've been in a worse situation doesn't make this one easy. I'm staying, Swan. I promised you that."

"Jones, please." Emma's voice betrayed her, breaking in her fear. She just wanted him to leave, to go back to Boston and return to that friend he had been after they first were reunited. Silly text conversations were safe. Killian spending the night at the hospital to make sure she was okay was not. That held the promise of more. The promise of something Emma couldn't give him.

Killian moved closer, sitting on the bed next to her. He didn't touch her but he didn't break eye contact. His eyes were gentle and understanding, not phased in the least by Emma's panic. "Swan, calm down," he said quietly. "I'm here because I want to be here. I don't expect anything in return, okay?"

"I don't know how to repay you. I'm not capable." Emma was speaking fast. Too fast. Neal had taken any chance of her ever being able to repay Killian away when he left. Emma's ability to have a relationship splintered like her old apartment's door frame.

Now Killian did touch her, holding her shoulders firmly and easing her back against the mattress. He brushed a tangled lock of hair from her face as Emma sighed in relief. "You're capable of more than you think, Swan."

Emma shut her eyes so she wouldn't have to see his gentle look. "Maybe someday I'll believe that."

"That's my only wish in this entire world," Killian answered softly. Emma felt him lean forward, his breath growing warmer against her cheek. Her whole body flooded with the warmth his breath gave her, tingling at her nerve endings and masking the pain in her shoulder. Emma was caught between the fear of the action and what it would change and the fear of what not returning it would do to both Killian's heart and her own. She braced herself for what she knew was coming, leaving it up to her own body whether she would return the gesture because her mind certainly couldn't decide. Killian drew in a breath and Emma felt the air caress her mouth, tempting it to twitch forwards.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and they broke apart quickly, the gap between them feeling like it was eight miles wide. Emma was suddenly freezing, alone and feeling terribly isolated on the hospital bed even though Killian was mere feet from her, slumped in the chair.

Emma opened her eyes and looked towards the door instead of at Killian. She didn't want to know how he was feeling in case she had been wrong about his intentions. In case he had been going to go through with the motion simply because he felt she needed it. She didn't want to see relief in his blue eyes.

Standing at the door was a man Emma didn't recognize. He gave them a wry smile, as if he knew what he had interrupted and was sorry for it, as well as being mildly amused. The man had light brown hair that was les dishevelled than Killian's. He was dressed as if he worked outside, in study fabrics dyed colours that were least likely to show dirt. The man held up a small duffle bag.

"Here, Jones," he called, stepping into the room. He tossed Killian the bag which landed on his lap with a small bounce. "Just so you know- you really need to do laundry. Or bring some back from Boston. Those clothes were all you had left here."

"Thanks, mate," Killian answered. He almost sounded disappointed. But in the lack of clothes or the lack of a kiss?

Killian's friend turned his attention to Emma. "Hi, I'm Robin Locksley," he said extending his hand, pausing when he noticed Emma's banged up arm. He moved to put it down, blushing awkwardly, but Emma leaned forwards and grasped his hand as strongly as she could, giving it a few shakes before releasing him.

"Emma Swan," she replied, a satisfied smile moving across her lips as she noted the impressed look on Robin's face. "So I take it you're a friend of Jones?"

"That's what they tell me," Robin answered moving even closer. A chair scraped against the floor as he pulled it closer to Killian before lounging back in it. "Someone needs to fetch him clothing after he decides he's going to become a squatter in a hospital."

Killian groaned and punched Robin's arm. Emma glanced at Killian's face for the first time since they were interrupted. Killian looked annoyed but was valiantly trying to hide it behind a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Was he annoyed that they were interrupted? Emma didn't know what to think and wasn't ready to trust herself enough to believe that maybe he was.

"So, Jones tells me you were shot," Robin said appraising her wound. Emma reached over and adjusted the strap on her sling so it covered the largest scar, trying to play it off as if her sling was uncomfortable and she was trying to fix it. Killian's subtle nudge against the bed at her motion told her she hadn't been as casual as she had thought.

"Twice," Emma replied, ignoring Killian. She flicked her hair over her shoulder to cover it all since Robin was still staring at her shoulder. "Shotgun shells."

"You're pretty tough."

Emma shrugged noncommittally. "I'm a cop. It's what I do."

Robin nudged Killian, who jumped, startled. He'd been staring at Emma's attempts to conceal the abuse of her past. Emma was glad for the distraction because she was sure Killian was about to say something about just how tough she really was and Emma didn't want to hear it. She was feeling anything but tough at the moment.

"I like her," Robin said grinning. "Can we keep her?"

"She's not a puppy," Killian replied, unamused.

"I know that," Robin drawled, shaking his head at Emma and rolling his eyes towards Killian. "I just meant that you never bring anyone around anymore. Not since Liam died. And I never got to meet-" he trailed off at Killian's sharp gaze, looking apologetic. "I'm just saying, Jones. This is like the first cool person you've ever made friends with other than me and Jeff."

"I don't know if I'd say cool," Emma put in. Robin let out a laugh, grinning at Emma. Killian didn't do anything, clearly unimpressed at the self-depreciating comment. Great. Things had gone from uncomfortable between the two of them to just plain strained. There you go, relationship ruined. Way to go, Emma.

Emma raked her good hand over her face and feigned exhaustion. She needed space. She needed to be alone and prevented from ruining anything else. Robin noticed the large yawn and stood.

"It was nice to meet you, Emma. Feel better," Robin said, patting her leg under the blanket. He turned to Killian. "Am I going to see you any time this week? It's been over a month."

"How about you two go have coffee or something?" Emma suggested as innocently as she could. "I'm just going to sleep, Jones. I'll be fine. Go enjoy the morning with Robin."

Killian didn't move, clearly not believing her. Emma turned to Robin and tried to keep herself from sounding too exasperated or desperate. "Drag him out of here would you? Jones is going to grow mould if he sits in that chair any longer."

Robin grinned and grabbed Killian's arm, tugging him out of the chair. "You heard the lady. She needs her beauty sleep." Killian relented and got up but not before shooting Emma a this-isn't-over look. Emma didn't reply, just shut her eyes and pretended to go to sleep.

When the door to the room had shut and she was alone Emma opened her eyes and cursed herself. She was so good at alienating herself. She didn't know how not to. The one time she had opened herself up to a man had been disastrous. Even if she believed Killian wasn't like Neal she still knew what she was like. Emma Swan couldn't have nice things. Not ever. She'd been denied a family as a newborn, abandoned on a freeway and she had been denied any meaningful relationship that wasn't platonic as an adult. Emma couldn't even believe Mary Margaret, David and Ruby still stuck around. She kept waiting for them to realize what a mess she was and get out before it got worse, which it infallibly would.

Alone and hurt Emma let herself cry into her pillow until she really did keep her word to Killian and fell asleep, her cheek against the soaked pillow.