Chapter Thirteen

I woke to find the sun shining down on my face and Killian watching me. His blue-eyed gaze softened when he realised I was awake and I wasn't scrambling to get away from him.

"Morning, love," he murmured in a sleep-roughened tone, and brought his hand up to brush my fringe out of my face tenderly.

I sat up slowly, letting my gaze fall to my hands,; which were currently resting in my lap. I hadn't realised how much I had truly missed the pirate until I'd heard his voice and woken up next to him. Several tears managed to escape my eyes and leave darkened spots on the fabric of my grey cotton shorts.

Killian grabbed one of my hands and brought it to his lips. "What's wrong, love?" He asked in concerned tone.

"Why aren't you angry with me? I came in here without asking and fell asleep –after I broke your hearts three weeks ago. Yet you barely even twitch, and say good morning like nothing happened. You should be furious," I managed to get out tearfully.

The pirate captain sat up and moved me so I was sitting between his legs, with my back to his chest. Killian's handless arm was wrapped around my waist, while the fingers of his right hand laced themselves with mine.

"I never was angry with you, love. The Roger let me see what happened that morning and I know what happened to make you run. The only thing that disturbs me is that you gave up on us so quickly. Do you really believe I could never care for you as I did her?"

I shrugged in a non-committal gesture, not really wanting to voice the truth of my fears –that he'd been right. "No one has ever loved me half as much as you loved Milah, how could I compete? Not even Will claimed to love me that way, and we were betrothed."

"Then he was an idiot, because you have half the people in this town wrapped around your fingers. Especially the male ones, it seems. And we would happily slay dragons or crocodiles to see you smile. I'm just happy you're back here with me. Where you belong," he declared determinedly and tightened his arms around me, before leaning down to rest his chin on my shoulder.

I reached my arm back to drape it around his neck. "Do you mean I belong at your side, or in your bed?" I teased gently as I moved my head so I could kiss his cheek.

Killian nipped my ear and then rolled us over so he was on his elbows above me. "You should know better than that, love," he rumbled playfully.

I arched an eyebrow. "Oh, should I, now? What precisely should I know, Captain?"

He growled and leant forward to rest his forehead against mine. "That it's both, love, not either. You belong at my side, in my bed and in my heart- - for good measure, of course. Good things come in threes just as much as the bad things. Though, the same also applies I hope?" my pirate asked solemnly.

I used my werewolf strength to roll us over, trapping him beneath me and holding him there. His eyes gazed up at me almost in reverence, until I took his left earlobe between my teeth. "It's not nice when the tables are turned, is it?" I retorted coyly.

My pirate grinned mischievously. "I don't know, sweetheart; the view from down here is pretty good if you ask me. I do like a woman who isn't afraid to take charge in the bedroom."

I rolled my eyes and settled myself on his stomach, releasing his hands as I did. "I'm not even going to answer that - I look a mess. As for your earlier question: yes, the same does apply. My bed may have to wait a few days, though."

Killian sat up abruptly, causing me to fall onto his lap. "Why does it have to wait a few days? Don't tell me you're leaving again. I only just got you back, love," he protested disbelievingly as he wrapped his arms around me until they settled at the small of my back.

I sighed and moved to rest my hands on his muscled upper-arms. "Yes, I have to leave again – I have work to do. I have another week in the forest before I'm due back to make my deliveries, or…" I trailed off, looking down at my hands, not sure of how to broach the subject.

"Or what, love? This isn't the time for games," he said impatiently.

"Or, you could come to stay with me in a few days and we could return to Storybrooke together. I can't leave my men alone for long, but-"

My pirate cut me off with a rough kiss. His lips burnt against my own, as we reaffirmed our bond for the first time in three weeks. We couldn't seem to get enough of each other. The hem of my shirt had slid up so his arm had skin-to-skin contact with my waist, while his hand cupped the back of my neck and his lips blazed their way in a trail down my neck.

Meanwhile, I'd been trying to re remove Killian's shirt. I pulled it up over his head and he paused his ministrations just long enough to throw it aside, before he was on me once again. I moaned, knowing my eyes would be wolven-gold by now. Killian eased me down so I was on my back, slid down my body, then pushed my old band tee up until it rested against the lower edges of my bra. He stopped to look at me, making sure I was alright with this. I pulled my shirt up the rest of the way off and tossed it onto the floor.

"You're beautiful, lass," he breathed appreciatively and leant down to leave a kiss in the valley between my breasts. I pulled him up the rest of the way so I could press my lips against his, and when we broke away from each other we were panting. Killian made to move back down my body, but I stopped him with a hand on his cheek.

"Aye, we need to stop. Just give me a moment, love," he said resignedly and sat up next to me, trying to control his reaction to our recent activities.

"It's not that, I actually have a proposition for you," I stated, a little breathlessly.

Killian groaned and lay down next to me, propping himself up on his elbows. "What kind of proposition, Minx?"

I pushed him onto his back, then stretched myself out on top on him, folding my arms atop his chest and resting my head on them. "We still have a lot to talk about, especially about us, and I have a ten-date rule."

"And what precisely is this rule of yours, if I may ask?" he questioned curiously, bringing an arm back to rest his head on, before the other settled itself on my lower back.

"My rule is that I don't have sex with someone unless I've had at least ten dates with them. The only exception to this is during the full moon – when I'm too worked up to even think straight after several months without someone in my bed. Since we've decided to take this relationship seriously, I think we should stick to the rule."

Killian's eyebrows rose before he pulled me tight against his body. "If it means I eventually wind up in your bed, I guess I can agree to it. Are you sure I can't make you lower the number, love? I can be very…persuasive, when I want to be," he murmured in a husky tone, as the hand on my back slid lower until it rested on the back of my upper thigh. The rough callouses of his hand rubbed against my skin deliciously as he pulled them apart just the slightest bit, so his fingertips could move down and tease the soft, sensitive, skin of my inner thigh. I shuddered against him, closing my eyes as his hand slid a fraction closer to where I needed him the most.

They moved in small circles, taunting me with what I could have if I just said yes to him. Killian shifted his body so I could feel his excitement pressing hot and hard against my bare stomach through his thin pants. I opened my eyes, only to meet his heated gaze. My pirate's eyes had grown dark with desire and he was breathing roughly through his mouth. I moved up his body so both of our arousals met, grinding down on him. We moaned in unison at the shared sensation, before his fingers slid up my leg once more.

"Just because we can't have sex, it doesn't mean we can't do anything else," I managed to get out past a moan.

Killian smirked and bucked his hips. "You're definitely a girl after my own heart, love," he panted in a satisfied tone.

I grinned and pulled away. "But not today. I have to get back to the forest. John and Allan will be awake by now and I have a good deal of work ahead of me if I'm going to 'play hooky' with you for a few days while you visit, " I declared and moved off the bed to pick up my shirt from where I'd thrown it. Funnily enough, it had landed beneath his elegantly carved work table. I heard him groan from behind me as I bent over to retrieve my shirt. I slipped the garment over my head and turned to face him with eyebrows raised in question.

"You are literally slaying me, love. Thank to gods for women in this realm and their need to parade around in tiny scraps of clothing," he answered, gesturing to his excited lower half.

A wicked chuckle escaped my lips as I stretched my arms above my head, causing my shirt to ride up to my navel and Killian's eyes to darken. "If you like my shorts, then wait until you see my swim suit. It looks more like underwear in this realm, only with less fabric," I said provocatively.

"That's it, Minx," he growled and leapt off his bed, determinedly trying to capture me as I easily evaded his grasp. For every step he took towards me, I took one in the opposite direction. We circled his quarters, until I was backed against the door and he was standing in front of his desk a few meters away.

"I'll see you in a few days, alright? The guys have tours to the lakes every day this week so all you have to do is get some proper clothes, and make sure there is someone to look after your beloved ship, and then one of my men can bring you up to the cabin."

"Not so fast, love. What am I going to do without your radiant company for the next three days? I get terribly lonely and I only just got you back after thinking I'd lost you forever. Can you really blame me for not wanting to let you go yet?" he asked in a persuasive manner.

I let out a huff and opened the door of his quarters, making Killian advance several steps in result. "It's only three days, not another three weeks."

He scoffed. "It'll feel like it, lass. What am I supposed to do for three days?" he said sadly, pouting as he did.

"Do as I suggested earlier. I'll let Ruby know you need some forest clothes so she can take you shopping, because not even you can survive wearing black leather in the forest. If you're patient for the next three days, I'll take you skinny dipping before your visit ends."

Killian paused and looked at me confusedly. "What is skinny dipping? You make it sound like something I'd very much want to be good for."

I grinned. "Ask Ruby. But yes, it's something you'll want to be very good for. Especially with me. I really need to leave now, if I'm going to make it back in time. Can we just say goodbye for now, please?"

"I don't like saying goodbye to you, Robyn. It sounds so…final. I won't have it on my ship, so you'll just have to say forever," he replied determinedly and lunged forward to try and trap me. I darted away, but not before closing the door of his quarters in his face.

I heard him curse through the door as he grabbed something and then came after me. By the time Killian made it to the upper deck, I'd already crossed the gap between his ship and the jetty in my wolf form, with ease. He gaped as he saw me transform back into my human self, on the adjacent dock.

"How the bloody hell and I going to kiss you goodbye if you're all the way over there, love?" He called out. It wasn't that far, maybe twelve feet or so, but it was a large enough gap to deter Killian, in case he landed in the water.

"Save that for your visit to the forest. After that you can kiss me as much as you like," I called back.

He held up the leather coat I'd left on his bed. "What about this? If you think I'm going to let you wander around in that monster-infested place unprotected, then you better think again, lass. Now come back here so you can put this on and I can give you a proper kiss farewell."

I grinned wickedly and set my hands on my hips. "What happens if I don't, Hook? I taunted, knowing he couldn't really do anything from over there.

"That's Captain Hook, to you, sweetheart. Don't test me on this or I won't come visit you in your ruddy forest!" the pirate bellowed.

"You're bluffing. You didn't want me to leave a few minutes ago because three days is too long to be apart from me."

"Is that a challenge, love? I will do it just to prove a point, you know. I won't like it, but I'll still do it!" he retorted in a threatening tone of voice.

"Fine, then I'll see you in a week and a half, Jones. I hope you enjoy the results of your stubbornness all by your fucking lonesome!" I growled harshly, before I stalked off in a huff. It was cold and I was only in my pyjamas, but I didn't care. Working off my energy in my human form was more physically exhausting. My wolf conserved its energy a little too efficiently for me to use it to get rid of my anger.

Distantly I could hear Hook struggling with something on the deck of his ship, but I mostly managed to ignore it. I'd set a fast pace so I'd managed to navigate myself past the docks and around the edge of the cove pretty quickly, before I realised what he'd been doing. Killian had set the gangplank back into its place and now he was running after me. In his sleep pants. I heard him breathe a sigh of relief as he rounded the cove and caught sight of me walking along the water's edge.

"Robyn, love, will you just wait?" Killian called out to me as he ran to catch up.

I sped up a bit more. "No! I'm too angry at you right now to be your 'love'. Go away," I snapped.

Killian growled and came after me at a sprint. When he finally caught up to me he grabbed my arm and spun me around, so he could trap me in his arms and I couldn't escape without a struggle. He'd slipped the coat over himself to avoid dropping it. As usual, he cut quite the devilish figure in black leather.

"What's the matter, Robyn?" he asked firmly, making sure not to use the affectionate nickname I'd yelled at him for only a few minutes ago.

I shook my head and stared past him with a blank expression on my face, so as not to give anything away.

Killian sighed and let me go, raking his hand through his hair distractedly as he tried to think. Finally, he huffed and began studying my form. "I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean what I said. Will you please talk to me? I don't want us to part on bad terms…again." He pleaded in a soft tone as he gently cupped my face between his hand and his hook, his eyes searching mine for something unknown.

"You didn't mean what? The part about the forest being full of 'monsters', or the fact that proving a point means more to you than I do? Just remember that I live there too, Killian. Does that make me a monster? Because I'm not exactly a human either, am I?" I answered him heatedly.

"Never, and I mean absolutely never, think that. You've never been a monster to me, or anyone else in this town. And I was just trying to prove I am that adamant about your safety. Both times you've left to go into that forest, I've almost lost you and it gutted me. I don't want to feel that way again just because we were both too stubborn and distracted to make sure you were safe," he professed in a resolute tone.

I wiped a few stray tears away with the back of my hand, before snaking my arms around his mid-section and burying my face in his chest. "I'm sorry too. These past couple of months have been a steep learning curve and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I haven't had any real relationships in so long that I've forgotten what it's like to have someone other than myself or my friends to care for me," I apologised.

Killian wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me as close against his chest as he could. "We both took our teasing a little too far, lass. I'm equally to blame, but I'd also imagine that disappointment factored in both our arguments. I was a little hurt you could turn me away so easily –from your bed and your side - when we've only just been reunited."

"I've wanted to show you my home for a while, and when you threatened not to come I just kind of …snapped. I really am sorry. I just forget how twitchy you were about my safety, and honestly, the coat has never felt like it belonged to me, which means I tend to forget about it being there if I need it," I explained in a slightly self-conscious tone.

"What can we do to change that? Maybe ask Red's Grandmother to add a hood to it for you?" The pirate captain joked.

I laughed and shook my head. "Granny doesn't work leather, and my hood is one of a kind. All I need is time, but if I think of anything to make it happen sooner I'll let you know, Killian."

He nodded and kissed the crown of my head. "Very well, lass. Why did you tack on another half week before you stormed off earlier? A week is torture enough without you adding several more days. I would have wasted away to a husk whilst trying to prove myself."

I shrugged. "That's how long it would have taken me to forgive you, before I spent the week trying to distract myself and stay away from Storybrooke. I hold a grudge fairly well, even against the people I care for. One time Gold even resorted to offering me a kingdom, because I was that angry at him and refused a job only I could complete. For two weeks I received presents from him every day."

Killian's eyebrows rose up to his hairline. "What made you finally concede?"

"I made him apologise and provide my men with a new set of weapons. It was difficult for him, but he became a better person for it in the end. Now he can actually apologise to Belle, when he's in the wrong. Without flinching. Each time it gets a little easier for him," I replied cheerfully, and pulled away from my pirate.

"And where do you think you're going, Minx? I'm not done with you yet," protested my pirate.

I grinned wickedly. "I don't know if I should come back to you, Hook; you did insult my forest, after all. I'm hurt," I teased playfully as I slowly backed away from him, entering the edge of the forest behind me.

Killian lunged and I spun out of his grasp easily, making him swear in frustration. "When I get my hands on you, Minx, you'll wish you had been a lot kinder to me. I am a man of many…talents, after all," he growled out warningly.

The dark and animalistic tone of his voice sent a shiver up my spine, promising all kinds of delicious torments for me in the future. It made me excited to have the opportunity to discover what these were, exactly, but not if I got to my pirate first. "You'll have to catch me first, love," I taunted, and ducked behind a nearby tree.

A few minutes of semi-sexual Marco-Polo-slash-Hide-and-Seek-esque game, I'd let Killian back me up against one of the more sturdy looking trees. His forearm was pinning my wrists against the bark above our heads, while his hand caressed the skin at my waist where my shirt had ridden up and his mouth was busy against my own. I felt like my whole body was burning, just for him. It had been three long weeks since I'd felt Killian's touch—before this morning—and now I was even more sensitive than I'd been before our first kiss in my hotel room two months ago. My eyes glowed gold with my wolf nature just below the surface of my mind, ready if I needed her. Killian moved his mouth so he was now nibbling at the skin of my throat, trying to replace the hickey that had faded since our last date–wanting to everyone who saw it to recognise where it had come from and of who I was currently seeing.

"That's more like it," he panted proudly as he pulled back to take in the results of his efforts.

I moaned and let the tree take my weight as I leaned back against it. My knees had turned to jelly and lost their strength several minutes ago. "You're almost possessive as a werewolf, you know. Am I to expect this every time you feel the need to stake your claim?"

"I'm not seeing a down side yet, love, but no. This is just a little bit of playful reassurance, to remind us both over the next few days. You have me curious, though: what do werewolves do to show their possession?" He asked, pulling me by the hand to sit on his lap at the base of the tree.

I shook my head. "No. We are not going into that now. It's not something to discuss lightly, because it can get dangerous when humans are involved," I declared firmly, not wanting to talk about this. Our relationship was still unsteady, and needed time to find its balance again, before we started talking about the more serious topics. I didn't want to scare him off.

Killian shifted to stretch his legs out in front of him, then moved me so I was straddling his thighs and facing him. "I'm curious about you, love. You don't have to be worried about spooking me. It's all a part of what you are and I just want to know more," he murmured in a soothing voice, as his hand rubbed circles over my lower back.

I sighed and began playing with the buttons of his coat. "Please understand that I can't really talk about this right now, Killian. This isn't anything against your humanity, it's just hard for me in the best of circumstances and talking about it will only make it worse. It's too tempting and this thing between us is too new to get so serious," I answered in a quiet voice.

His hand pulled my own away from the buttons and the settled them on his chest. Once he was sure I'd leave them there, he put his hand under my chin and tilted my head up so he could look me in the eyes. "I trust you, love, just talk to me,"

I moved my hands up Killian's chest and neck until they cupped his face. "Can you at least give me a few days to think this over? I need to go over my book again and make sure of a few things before I give you the details. Do you think you can wait until you visit?"

"Aye, lass, I can do that. For us. Would you object terribly if I asked Ruby to shed a little light on the subject? I'm a little out of my depths when it comes to serious relationships with an unmated she-wolf of the Moon Child variety."

I struggled to restrain a growl of jealousy. Ruby was my friend and pack-mate, but after talking of possession with Killian my wolf was a little too eager to claim him to remember that fact. I closed my eyes, knowing that they would no longer be my usual green-grey colour. I took a few moments to calm down before I opened them again. "You can do as you wish, Killian, but generally it's a personal matter. You can ask, but Red might choose not to answer," I finally replied and removed myself from his lap so I could stand up. Within a flash my pirate had done the same.

"You're leaving now, aren't you, love?" he asked sadly, as he took in my expression and body language.

I nodded, almost reluctantly. "Yes. I told John and Allan I'd be back later today and it's a good few hours' run back to my cabin. They'll start to worry before long, and with my luck they'll form a search party, only to run into a group of goblins."

Killian's expression became serious. He stripped off the leather coat, handing it to me wordlessly. I only had to wait as long as it took me to put the garment on before I was pulled into his arms. "Tell your men that I said to take good care of you, or else I'll gut them like fish."

I looked at him warningly. "No, because I can take care of myself. They already act like over-protective brothers enough as it is, even without you threatening them to enact constant vigilance. I'll be fine, Killian."

"That's what you said last time, and look what happened to you, sweetheart. You need all the help you can get. Now kiss me and run off, before I decide to throw you over my shoulder and keep you prisoner in my quarters," Killian demanded.

I rolled my eyes. "Very well, but before I do, I'd like you to make me a promise. Will you make sure to ask Emma about skinny dipping? I think you'll get a more shocked reaction from her and I owe Jefferson a laugh. Think you can do that?"

My pirate smirked wickedly. "Anything for you, love. I'll even have young Henry record it, if I can. It's about time I caused a little mischief again. The Swan girl has had it entirely too easy these past months."

"Don't worry about recording it; you'll only make it worse for yourself. Just keep the mischief to a minimum and make sure you take care of everything for your visit," I requested and stood on tip-toe so I could kiss him properly.

"Run free, love, and try to stay out of trouble for the sake of my sanity," the pirate captain said gently as he released me.

"Fairfarren, sweetheart, your sanity is safe with me. I'll see you in a few days," I farewelled and left a light peck on his cheek, then ran off as my pirate had asked me to do.

"I guess I could get used to 'sweetheart'!" I heard him call out into the trees, before making his way back to his ship. I smiled and laughed at his antics in my head as I made my way home.

A/N: This is named after Birdy's song of the same name. As always, I can't wait to hear what you all think and I appreciate any suggestions you have -

even if I do wish that more of you would do so. Feel free to PM me with any questions, queries or ideas that you have as well. Hearing that someone

likes/enjoys my story is really encouraging and makes me write/post faster.

I hope you enjoy the latest chapter of 'Of Hooks and Arrows'. In the next chapter we see Emma's reaction to 'skinny dipping' and a few of Hook's

questions about werewolves are answered.