"Three months," Emma suddenly said whilst peering over Killian and looking down at his paper, whilst he sat in his booth at Granny's having breakfast. His blue eyes glanced at the date on the paper then looked up to Emma as she gave him his plate of pancakes.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"What?"

"You said three months,"

"No. I said here you go," she told him,

"You said three months,"

"Why on earth would I say three months!"

"What's this about three months?" Mr Gold's voice asked as he went to leave Granny's,

"Nothing," Emma told him. "Killian misheard me"

"Ah, sorry for interrupting then dearie," he smiled courteously before leaving.

"That man is seriously creeping me out at the moment," Emma whispered to Killian as the shifty man with a cane and suit left. "Enjoy your breakfast. Three months, what he is on about?" she muttered as she walked away.

The moon's reflection was upon the sea's surface rippling alongside the waves. Emma looked up at the stars and smiled, it was a beautiful night and the smell of the sea filled her nostrils, a smell that seemed to comfort her and clear her mind. She could see a small fishing boat making its way back to shore and stood with her arms wrapped around her bracing herself against the cool autumn air, her red coat warm but not warm enough.

"Ahoy Captain," she said with a salute as Killian came into view. He raised an eyebrow curiously at her and with him at the wheel of his boat against the starry night sky he looked almost like something out of a fairy tale. "How was the sea bearing for you Captain Hook?" she asked as he tied up his boat and got off.

"It was nice,"

"No crocodiles?"

"Nope, but then again they would know better than to try and attack the infamous Captain Hook,"

"That is very true," nodded Emma. "Aren't you wondering why you have earned the pleasure of my presence before you?"

"The idea did cross my mind,"

"Your plumbing is all fixed now, isn't it? And its Friday night," she quickly raised her eyebrows and gave him a winning seductive smile. "Come to the rabbit hole and tell me the tale of how you lost your hand?"

"It's been a long day Emma," he began and she rolled her eyes when she saw him scratch that same place behind his ear when he was nervous or embarrassed.

"I got dressed up though," she pouted. He took note of her attire, the way she had purposely given herself more neat and bigger waves than her usual natural ones. Her makeup was that more pronounced than usual and she wore what looked to be a leather dress underneath her red coat.

"I thought leather was meant to be my thing,"

"You mean your badass Captain Hook thing. I wear more leather than you Killian anyway, no need to get jealous. So will you come?"

"Any particular reason? If I recall you went out only a couple of days ago,"

"Well, I am feeling a bit shitty and want to drink with my best friend,"

"What happened?" his stubble covered face laced with concern.

"You coming or not?"

"Well someone has to keep you out of trouble," he sighed. Emma smiled and linked her arm in his and the two of them walked away from the docks and in the direction of the Rabbit Hole.

The two of them were taking shots of rum. Well, Emma was and Killian occasionally did when she berated him for not doing so. "So are you going to tell me what's the matter?"

"I'm not near enough drunk to do that," she told him.

"Why don't you just speak to me? You don't need to be drunk," he told her. Emma's eyes flickered around the bar and she sighed before putting her head in her hands, allowing tendrils of hair to fall and obscure her face.

"I hate this,"

"Hate what?"

"Not being able to feel anything," she whispered the secret, "I come to the Rabbit Hole so often, meet a guy, have some fun but I don't feel anything. At first I just thought it was because I haven't found the right guy yet, but the amount of guys I've been with. I just don't feel anything. I want to feel something. Look at my parents, look at how in love they are. I want to know what that is like. I want to feel that."

"You will," he told her as he put his hand underneath her chin and titled her back up and gave her a reassuring smile,

"I don't think I am capable of feeling something, like that. I just sometimes feel so empty you know, as if there is a piece of me missing,"

"I often feel like I have forgotten something and can't quite put my finger on it,"

"Yeah I suppose it's kind of like that, but the feeling doesn't past. I've never felt anything, sometimes I even look at my parents and nothing, I should feel love. I know I should so I assume I am when I see my parents but with these guys I don't know what I am meant to be feeling and I just don't feel anything,"

"It'll pass Emma, I am sure you'll find the right man soon enough,"

"Yeah, maybe there's a guy outside of Storybrooke,"

"Perhaps," he nodded and quickly took a shot of rum. "I thought you never wanted to leave,"

"I don't but that doesn't mean some mysterious, attractive man can't just turn up into Storybrooke."

The two continued to drink well into early morning their loud drunken laughter filling up the bar. The owner walked over to them and asked them t keep the noise down, Emma had said something rather colourful in response which earned her a threat for a call to the sheriff, which was not something she could afford. "Come on, Captain Hook," she slurred as she got up from her chair with a slight wobbled and grappled about for Killian's hand. He chuckled at her and got up, the two staggering their way out of the bar, Emma laughing loudly as they did so and Killian trying to shush her but he was laughing as well.

Outside the Rabbit Hole Killian had his arm around Emma to keep her up. "I think you've drunk too much," he hiccupped. He knew he had drunk a fair amount too but was not half as pissed as Emma. He knew how to ration his drink, though wasn't very good at handling it. Emma could handle it but drank far too much. "Come on," he said as he quickly lifted her back off the ground where she had suddenly decided to sit. He brought her to the alleyway and told her the stand up against the wall. "I'll see if I can call us a cab, because you are not going to make it all the way home,"

"You aren't bringing me to my parents,"

"Not in this state I'm not. They'll slaughter me I do. I'll take you to mine,"

"You could carry me," she winked. "Bridal style." She suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"What are you doing Emma?"

"I was thinking of trying something new,"

"What do you mean?"

"I want to kiss you," she smiled her lips ghosting just before his own. He could feel himself moving closer and then quickly correctly himself. He put his hands on Emma's waist and pushed her back. "Don't you want to kiss me?" she pouted.

"Emma," he said slowly,

"Killian," her reply came sultry and seductively. "I just want to feel something,"

"You won't get it with me,"

"There's no harm in trying,"

"Emma, you've drunk far too much and are feeling sad and lonely, you don't want this,"

"How do you know that?" she said as she pushed herself forward back into his personal space his hands still on her waist, "You don't know what I am thinking. What I've been dreaming about,"

"You've been dreaming about Mr. Gold as Rumplestiltskin,"

"I've also dreamt of you in a uniform," she said looking up through her eyelashes at him, "It was a very nice uniform." One of her hand moved away from his neck and place it on his chest, she moved up onto her tip-toes and pushed her body into Killian's and watched as he gulped. She gave him a smile as she could feel his hand trying to push her away but she stayed firm, "Push me away and I'll just come springing back,"

"Emma, please you aren't thinking straight,"

"Of course I am. I want to feel something, I need to feel something. Maybe I can get it from my best friend," before he could try and object anymore her lips crashed against his. Her lips were soft and for a moment he allowed himself to kiss her back then suddenly there was a sharp pain in his head. He pushed Emma back forcefully and she smacked the back of her head against the brick wall. He stumbled back his fingers tracing his lips. Images flung themselves about his mind, in no order and not making any sense. They suddenly stopped.

He looked over at Emma who has a hand on the back of her head, her face screwed up in pain. "Did you see that?" he asked her. She just shook her head in response. "Are you hurt? I didn't mean. I am so sorry Emma, I didn't mean to push you so," he quickly hurried over to her and scooped her up into his arms.

"Knew I could get you to carry me bridal style," she murmured against his chest as she held her hand to the back of her head and the other around her neck. The crash against the brick wall had caused the back of her head to bleed and with the mixture of alcohol in her system she was feeling quite nauseous and light-headed.

There was a small veil of sunlight peering through the curtains, Emma's eyes flickered slightly before slowly opening and squinting against the light. She lay sprawled out in the middle of the double bed with the light blue cover, this wasn't her bed. She suddenly sat upright and winced at the pain of her head, the memories of last night although fuzzy came back to her. Her head was hurting from her hangover and from the bang to her head. She had kissed Killian, "Oh god," she groaned as she remembered. She hauled her body out of Killian's bed and looked down at her attire, he had been a gentleman and had taken off her shoes but that was all. She walked groggily over to his chest of drawers and pulled out a top of his and a pair of tracksuit bottoms, she took off her leather dress and put on Killian's clothes. At once she felt ten times happier. She noticed her reflection in the mirror as she went to leave his room, her hair was extremely messy, but her face was clear of all makeup. He had taken it off for her. She felt a rush of warmth go through her, what would she do without him.

She left his bedroom and walked down the stairs into his kitchen/living room. He was lying on his sofa, his eyelids flickering in his dream his voice murmuring something incoherent. She quietly began to make them some coffee but not before she called in sick to Granny's. She knew Granny would know she had a hangover but it was fine. Emma perched herself on the arm of the sofa and just watched Killian for a while with a cup of coffee in either hand.

He was on a boat, no a ship, he could feel the wind on his face. He was wearing a uniform, a naval uniform, his brother was at the helm of the ship barking orders at everyone as Killian oversaw them. Though there was a pang in his chest, his heart, something wasn't right something was missing. Emma, he thought. He always thought of Emma, when he looked out at the sea he thought only of her and the last words she had ever spoken to him "I hate you!" he wished he could make amends but knew her hatred probably ran far too deep. He needed to forget her. He had thought them only friends, childhood friends, but being at sea without her presence he finally realised that what he felt towards her was much more than friendship.

Emma noticed as Killian dreamed there was a book on his coffee table, she bent forward and peered at the over Once upon a Time it read. She took a deep breath before lightly shaking Killian. His eyes fluttered open and he saw her looking down at him. "Coffee" she said as she brought her right hand forward. Killian nodded slowly and pulled himself up and slid over to the right hand side of the sofa, the blanket draped over his lap. Emma slid off the arm and onto the sofa where his head has been laying. She handed him his coffee. They simultaneously took a sip, "I'm sorry about last night," she hurriedly said. "I shouldn't have kissed you. I was just, you were right, I was drunk and feeling sad and lonely. I hope things won't be awkward between us,"

"You're apologising?" he coughed on his drink,

"Yes,"

"It's fine. I get it, you wanted to feel something and I was there, I guess. If it wasn't me it would have been someone else, I'm glad it was me. I wouldn't want anyone taking advantage of you,"

"Thank you. For bringing me back to yours and sorry for being sick on you then passing out,"

"It's fine," he let out a small laugh. There was the finger scratching behind his ear again. His eyes fell upon the storybook on his coffee table, "Last night, did you remember anything?"

"Remember?" Emma questioned, "To be honest everything is quite fuzzy,"

"Right,"

"What's with the book?" she asked lifting her foot and tapping the book with her toe.

"When I put you to bed, I was looking through my cupboard to find a blanket for me and found it underneath it. Didn't realise I ever had it, guess it might have been something from when Liam and I were younger. And somehow made its way to my flat."

"And you decided to read it?"

"Yeah, I couldn't get to sleep, my head hurt a little," he told her. Though it wasn't the whole truth, it had felt to him like the book was calling to him and as he began to read all those images he had seen after kissing Emma formed an order and became memories. His memories. The book helped him remember and as he looked at Emma now he was confused as to why he did and she didn't. He remembered, who he was, who Emma was, who they all were. "Just stories," he finished. "Just fairytales."

"I've called in sick to Granny's," Emma announced,

"Have you called your parents?"

"No,"

"Maybe you should,"

"Hmmm,"

"Or I will,"

"Alright," she said holding her hand up in defeat, "I'll call them if it makes you happy,"

"Are you happy?"

"I'm sorry,"

"After yesterday the whole not being able to feel,"

"I am happy," she smiled. "Just feel like something is missing sometimes. Though I do not need a man to prove my worth or make me whole or whatever." She placed her coffee on the table and got up to go and use Killian's phone.

Once that was all sorted after a slight argument over the phone between Emma an her parents Killian got himself dressed for the day, telling Emma he had a few errands but would return afterwards and the two of them could watch some films. As he went to his front door and peered back to Emma on the sofa with the tv on wearing his clothes he felt his heart ache slightly, he remembered, it was all real this life here wasn't but she was happy here. They had grown up together here. He liked his life here, but it wasn't real it was all a lie. "You're a good person Emma," he said his hand holding onto the green wooden door of his flat,

"Um okay," she laughed tearing her head away from the tv,

"I just want you to know that I think and know that you are a good person. The best person," he flashed her a nervous smile before hurrying out the door leaving Emma feeling quite bewildered over what happened. As her eyes returned to the tv they stopped half way and looked down at the book on the coffee table.