Killian's eyes were full of fear as he stared at his heart in Regina's hands. He was panting hard as he tried to stand in his weak state, but his energy was nearly gone. He stumbled to his desk to keep himself upright, leaning on it with all the strength he had left. Regina smiled as she waved his heart in front of him, toying with him. "Regina, please. I want to be a better person, I know you want to be a better person. For your lad, for Henry. What would he say?"
"Don't speak his name," she said, gripping his heart a little. Killian fell onto the desk in pain. "And all of a sudden, he's my son? What happened to Emma- your love." Her last words were spat out as if they were venum. "She would be so disappointed in you."
"Regina, please."
"I must admit, I do enjoy hearing people beg for their lives. Especially, someone as handsome as you," she said, running her fingers through his hair. Killian turned his head away in disgust. "So brave," she purred. "Kiss me, Hook." Despite the hard pull of every fiber in his body to obey, he shook his head no and weakly threw his hook arm out between them, poised to defend himself. She held out her hand and whispered directly into the heart: "Kiss me." His eyes darkened and just as he was about to crash his lips on hers, the door slammed open with a force that made Regina turn, causing Hook to fall on her. She fell backwards with him onto the bed.
"Well, well, well," Gold said, entering the doorway. "Doesn't this look interesting." He slowly walked over to the two of them, pushing his cane into Killian's side and knocking him to the floor. A bit roughly, Gold would admit, but if he could get him away from Regina and inflict some pain at on Hook the same time, he had a good excuse. Regina laid on the bed looking up at Gold, the glowing heart pulsing in her hand. Gold let out a small laugh. "Oooh, Regina, old habits die hard, don't they?" Regina bolted off the bed and tried to smooth out her clothes as Gold paced around her. "Did we get lonely at sea?"
"I don't have to explain anything to you, Gold. Maybe the Captain wants this too," she said. Gold walked over to Hook slowly and examined him, then looked back at Regina.
"Oh yes, the look of fear says it all. Not to mention," Gold said as he opened his hand and the heart disappeared in a puff of smoke and reappeared in his own hand.
"Wait, you can't," Regina said, trying to grab the heart away. Gold pulled it away from her sharply, sending Killian to the floor again as his heart was jostled.
"You're enjoying this aren't you," Hook said as he grabbed his chest.
"Maybe a little," Gold said, musing at whose heart was in his hands. A yell from the hallway distracted all of them. Emma, still leaning onto Mary-Margaret, appeared in the doorway. Seeing Emma panting from the joined pain reminded Gold of what sent him in here in the first place, and he tucked his arm close to him, protecting the heart from further jostling.
"What's going on," Mary-Margaret asked. Emma dove on the ground to help Killian, followed by Mary-Margaret. Emma pulled Killian's head into her lap and cradled him in her arms. Snow froze as she saw the heart in Gold's hand. "Whose heart is that?"
"Yes, Regina, whose heart is this," Gold asked playfully.
"Someone better start explaining," Emma said firmly, wrapping her arms around Killian tighter. Regina looked like a deer caught in the headlights as all eyes were focused on the glowing heart.
"Regina, tell me you didn't," Mary-Margaret started. Regina looked at Mary-Margaret in regret. Once again she had proven herself to be the Evil Queen. "Why?" Mary-Margaret looked at her with such disappointment that Regina couldn't say a word.
"Can we have this discussion after I get my heart back," Killian yelled from the floor. Mary-Margaret pulled Regina out of the room by her arm, leaving Gold holding the heart. Emma looked up at him from the floor, her eyes silently pleading for him to not hurt Killian anymore. Gold simply pulled up Hook's desk chair with his cane and sat down, handling the heart gently. Emma gazed at the glowing heart in his hand. She hadn't seen one since Aurora, but it was no less terrifying at the thought of someone's actual heart in their hand. Gold raised the heart up to Emma's eye level. Both Killian and Emma tensed, fearing he'd crush it in an instant. Gold stared down at the heart and mused at the thought, but instead showed it to Emma.
"Do you see this dark area, Ms. Swan," he said, pointing at Hook's heart. A dark mist flowed throughout the glowing heart, swirling in different patterns. "That's the darkness from 300 years worth of hate and revenge. Now you take it." As Emma took the heart in her hand, the darkness started to subside and it glowed stronger. "That's what Belle does for me." Emma nodded in understanding.
"I'm still in a bit of pain down here, so if you wouldn't mind...," Killian said weakly, turning over in Emma's arms so his chest faced upwards.
"Your heart is still exposed. Would you like to make demands now," Gold hissed down at him, lifting his cane slightly for emphasis. Emma tucked Killian's heart to her chest protectively in response. Gold softened as he turned back to Emma. "Do you remember what I told you, that magic is about emotion?" Emma nodded. "Hold his heart, fill yourself up with how you feel about him. Don't hold anything back, let the love flow through you. Then plunge it back into his chest." Emma winced at the sharpness of the last instruction. She held his heart in both hands, thought about what Killian meant to her, what they were becoming. She let it fill her up and with a deep breath, she returned his heart to his chest. Killian sucked in deeply as his enchanted heart reconnected. Gold leaned on his cane as he got up and walked toward the door. "I'll leave the two of you alone."
"What was that for," Hook asked still catching his breath, causing Gold to turn around. "After everything that has transpired between us, you could have crushed it yourself."
"Would you rather I had," Gold asked casually. "You don't deserve it, Captain, but I did it for Ms Swan, but, more importantly, for Belle. Even though you shot my love and took her memories, Belle wants me to be a better man. If she were here, returning your heart back with added protection is what she'd want me to do."
"Added protection," Emma asked, confused.
"From you, Ms. Swan. The magic of true love that protects your heart from being stolen, and because you two are now connected, you've also put that magic into Hook's heart. Regina can't try that again," he explained. "Besides, we really don't have time for this nonsense." He pulled the door closed with his cane and Killian enveloped Emma in his arms in seconds.
"You did it, lass," Killian said, threading his fingers through her hair. "You're bloody brilliant." Emma pulled him back and put her hand on his chest. She could feel it beating beneath her fingers, letting the gentle rhythm soothe her own heartbeat down from it's fast pace. Suddenly regaining his strength, he pulled himself and Emma off the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. He entwined her hand with his hook and cupped her cheek with his good hand. "Now, before something else happens..."
"Hook, you just had your heart ripped out and put back in. Don't you want to rest?"
"I was seconds away from being Regina's toy. I think I'd like to say this before anything else happens."
"Is everything alright?" David said as he opened the door. Seeing Killian in such an intimate stance with his daughter, he nodded politely and quickly shut the door behind him. Killian rose and unlatched his hook from his brace before jamming it over the lock, securing it from any other interruptions. Emma let out a small chuckle at his frustration.
"I guess a moment of peace is really hard to ask for around here," she said. Killian turned and his expression was suddenly serious. His eyes locked with hers and he slowly approached her, sitting down next to her once again. He was completely mesmerized by her, nothing else in all of the realms mattered at that moment. He dipped his head and tenderly kissed her, threading his fingers through her hair to deepen the kiss. Emma gasped a little, then fell into the kiss, gripping his shirt in her fist and pulling him closer. The kiss quickly escalated into a passionate one, hands exploring each other's bodies, then tempered back down into the tender kiss in which it began. Killian slowly pulled away, pressing his forehead to hers.
"I love you, Emma," he confessed. A small laugh escaped her as a warm tear fell down her cheek. He pulled back and caught her tear with the pad of his thumb, gently wiping it away. She leaned up for another kiss and he met her halfway, rejoining their lips once again. Emma broke the kiss to touch his chest again to feel his heartbeat. "It's still in there, love."
"I know," Emma said. "I just wanted to make sure history doesn't repeat itself." She leaned her ear to his chest and was lulled by his heartbeat.
"Me either," he said, kissing her hair. She nuzzled his chest with her nose and snuggled into his embrace.
"I love you too, Killian," she whispered against his skin. He smoothed her hair with his hand and pulled her close, letting the joy of this moment consume them both. They held each other with what felt like an eternity, and neither of them minded if it was.
"So...what did you want to talk to me about," Killian said, breaking the silence and causing them both to laugh. Emma pulled back and ran her fingers through his hair.
"I wanted to be honest about how we felt, but I was so scared as to what I was going to say. I guess it took something traumatic to distract me from the fear of saying the words out loud," she said.
"I hope I don't need to get my heart ripped out every time I want you to say those words," he said with a wink.
"You can't get your heart ripped out anymore," she said, returning the wink and tapping his chest with her finger. "My love is protecting your heart." Killian brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles.
"Aye, that you are, love," he said, his eyes locked with hers. Emma felt a shiver flow through her body as he spoke. How could he always do that to her with just the timbre of his voice? He began to kiss each knuckle individually, the tender ministrations something too foreign to her. It had been years since she had been touched like this, maybe even ever. It had been a long time since had been with someone, and even longer since she had been someone who touched her with such caring. Her first instinct was to pull her hand away, but another part of her was enjoying the feeling, it was almost erotic. He turned her hand over to continue kissing her palm.
"Enjoying yourself," Emma asked to break her own tension.
"Very," he said in between kisses, which were now trailing down her wrist, but he took a detour and went straight to her neck. Emma turned her head to give him better access. "But," he whispered in between kisses. "I can tell you're not used to being thoroughly loved like this?"
"No, not really," she said breathlessly, craning her neck again. He journeyed to her cheek and forehead, cupping the back of her neck to help guide her where he needed her.
"Well," he said as he continued to softly pepper her with kisses. "Get used to it, love." He paused as he reached her mouth. His breath ghosted over her lips and she could feel her own breath hitch in her throat. "I have 300 years to make up for, and I plan on savoring every touch."
"I highly doubt it's been that long," she said, pausing the magic slightly with her smirk.
"I was on a ship with my crew in Neverland, then frozen for 28 years under Cora's spell, all of that time 100% focused on revenge. With the few women I saw during that time, none were at all interesting enough to refocus my attention from my vengence," he said, drawing her back under his spell with a soft kiss on her nose. "However you, darling, are the most beautiful, mesmerizing, brilliant woman I've ever beheld." He slowly closed the gap between them, his lips brushing hers. A sharp knock at the door gave him pause. "Ignore it," he whispered.
"Captain Hook, sir," a small voice whispered from the other side.
"It's Michael," Emma said, reluctantly rising from his bed and heading toward the door. Killian collapsed on the bed in disappointment, burying his face in his pillow. Emma too the hook out of the lock, tossing it gently on the bed within Killian's reach, and then opened the door. Michael had wrapped his blanket tightly around him and looked up at her with sad eyes. "Are you okay," she said, bending down to his eye level. "You're supposed to be resting."
"There's a lot of yelling," Michael whimpered. "It woke me up."
"I'll take you back to bed," Emma said as she wrapped her arm around him. "Don't worry, I'll tell the others to keep it down."
"Are they going to throw the Queen overboard?" This made Killian push himself off the bed in interest.
"What's that lad?"
"I heard them say they wanted to push the Queen overboard for hurting you," Michael said. He looked back up at Emma with a questioning look. "I thought good guys were nice."
"We are, Michael. We'll take care of it. Let's go back to bed first," Emma said, ushering him to bed. Killian caught up with them and picked up Michael, who laid his head on Killian's shoulder. Emma tried to hold back the rush of emotions that she got in seeing how carefully Killian handled the boy. If she closed her eyes, she could see Killian handling Henry just as gently, just as his own father would have. They tucked him into bed and quietly closed the door before racing toward the galley were the voices were coming from.
"How could you, Regina! How could you attack one of our own," Snow yelled. David was pacing the floorboards with his arms folding, looking the most angry he has been this whole trip. Gold, on the other hand, sat calmly at the table across from Regina, actually enjoying the lecture. "Hook is trying to help us find Henry. What you did is inexcusable."
"And you wonder why we often have second thoughts about you," David snapped. "You give us reasons to every time we begin to trust you again."
"What would Henry say," Snow said.
"Henry barely knows Hook. I doubt he would object much, since, for all he knows, Hook ran away with the last bean. He's nothing but a villain to him," Regina said, actually sounding annoyed that they were having this conversation at all.
"Henry sees the potential of being a hero in everyone- even you. At least Hook seems to be staying on the path to redemption," Snow fired back. "He sees something worth changing for and doesn't lose sight of that."
"As soon as he gets what he wants out of your precious daughter, he'll go back to the pirate he is," Regina said, folding her arms and leaning on the table. "You'll see." David fumed at the mention of taking advantage of his daughter, but tried to focus on the issue at hand, knowing exactly what Regina was doing.
"So what do you want us to do, Regina? How can we trust you after what you've done," David asked, throwing his hands up.
"I say we throw her overboard," Gold said casually. "Let the mermaids deal with her." Regina shot him a look of fear. She knew that Snow and Charming were all talk when it came to punishment, but not Gold. He'd do it. She had been hoping he would be on her side, or at least remain neutral, but she should have known better. He would probably throw her overboard for his own amusement, even if she hadn't have done anything.
"Let's not be hasty," David said.
"She might have done something evil, but we shouldn't condemn her to death," Snow added.
"Well, it's more of a punishment than scolding her to death," Gold said, spinning his cane between his fingers. "We're on a boat. You can't lock her up in a cell or banish her. It's either deal with her or toss her over."
"Wait, maybe that's a good idea. Don't ships have a holding cell or something," Snow said.
"Sounds good to me," David agreed.
"Which will hold her for about 5 seconds," Gold said. "I'm telling you, just toss her over."
"No one is doing anything," Killian said, appearing in the doorway with Emma at his side, their fingers entwined. "I don't mean to pull rank, your majesties, but I am the Captain of this ship, so I get to make the call on what to do with my crew." He approached Regina at the table, towering over her as she glared up at him. "And I say...we should forgive her."
"WHAT?!" Everyone was surprised.
"We're here together, we're in this to save Henry together," he explained as he turned to the rest of them. "Regina did what she did because in a way, I did fail Henry today. I didn't think of a plan fast enough, but that won't happen again. The next time we see Henry, he's coming home." He turned back to Regina and gave her a smile. "Now, I in no way approve of your methods, your highness, but I of all people should understand the need of a second chance. Or maybe even a hundredth chance." Emma squeezed his hand and he looked at her with adoration. "Even if I don't deserve it." Regina rose and nodded politely at Killian.
"Thank you, Hook." Killian turned back to her and nodded back to her.
"But don't think my hook won't make a connection if you try that again."
"Fair enough," Regina replied.
"Unfortunately, Killian's right," Emma said. "This is about finding Henry- together. But that doesn't mean I don't want to have a go at you myself for what you did."
"You have every right to be upset with me," Regina said. "But, for Henry's sake."
"Yeah," Emma said with a sigh. "For Henry." Regina nodded in silent thanks, but as she passed Emma, a fist flew and it connected with Regina's lip.
"Emma," Snow cried out in shock. Regina recovered, touching her lip for blood. It would definitely have a bruise soon.
"I guess if that's all the punishment I'm going to get, I shouldn't complain," Regina said, tapping her lip again. "But under different circumstances..."
"Under different circumstances, you'd be dead for what you did to Killian," Emma said coldly. "You're lucky that's all you're getting. But let's end it here. For Henry."
"Agreed," Regina said, leaving to nurse her bruises.
"Well, someone's got their Daddy's strong jab," Gold commented as he rose to leave the galley. "Nice touch, Ms. Swan."
"You did get my move," David said. "Nicely done."
"David," Snow scolded, but then shrugged. "Although, if what happened to Hook happened to you, I'd do the same."
"Yeah, it did feel good, but Gold was right. We don't have time for this. We should just be glad we caught it before anything happened," Emma said.
"Well, she did kiss me, love," Killian admitted. Emma spun around to him with her eyes wide with surprised. "She used her cloaking spell! She looked like you and came at me, quite forcefully I might add."
"Forcefully?" Emma had the urge to punch again.
"Well, just be glad I caught on so quickly," Killian said, moving closer to her. "I knew kissing you for the first time wouldn't be like that."
"And how would it be," Emma asked.
"Yeah, how would it be," David said, straightening his stance in all of his fatherly overprotectiveness.
"Perfect," Killian said softly, his eyes locked with Emma's and gently carressed her cheek with the back of his hand. Emma leaned into his hand and smiled. Snow nodded and started to pull David by the hand.
"And that's our cue to go," Snow said. "Come on, Daddy."
"No, I think I should stay," David said, keeping his eyes locked on them. Emma and Killian, however, barely noticed he was in the room.
"Nope! They're fine. Let's go check on Michael," Snow said, pulling David by his collar. He followed her begrudgingly.
"Hurt her and I'll feed you to a dragon," David called from down the hall. Killian let out a small chuckle. He still just had to get one more fatherly threat in.
"Understandable, mate," Killian called back. As soon as their footfalls fell silent, Killian quickly scooped Emma up and placed her on the end of the table. He positioned himself between her legs and devoured her lips, cupping her cheek in his hand.
"What happened to savoring," Emma said breathlessly when Killian broke the kiss only due to the need for oxygen.
"That was before you punched Regina. I must say, lass, seeing you handle yourself is rather arousing," he dove back for her lips again and started to move toward her neck. "Have I mentioned it's been over 300 years?"
"You did," Emma chuckled as she ran her fingers across the edge of his waistband.
"Move any further south, love, and all my patience will be forgotten," he groaned. Emma gently pushed him away and hopped off the table, pulling him by his hook towards his cabin. "Oooh, where are we going, love?"
"Back to your cabin," Emma replied, to which Killian immediately scooped her up and threw her over her shoulder. His pace was at a bit of a jog as he carried her. "Not like that!"
"I'm pretty sure I can convince you otherwise," Killian said as he reached his cabin. He kicked open the door and threw her on the bed, leaning over top of her. "I can be very persuasive." Emma gently placed her hand on his chest in silent protest. He sighed in disappointment backed up to allow her to sit up.
"I'd still like to talk," Emma said. "We really never got a chance to and...being in a relationship is...I don't want to mess this up." Killian rolled back down on the bed next to her, guiding her to lay her head on his chest. He ran the curve of his hook up and down her back in comfort as she snuggled into him.
"Aye, we've both had heartbreak, love," he said, giving her a kiss on the top of her head. "But not this time. We're in this together." Emma looked up and him and stretched across his chest to meet his lips.
"I love you, Killian."
"I love you too, Emma."
A/N: Oh man did I have fun writing this chapter! It's rather lengthy for what I usually post, but that's okay! Hope you enjoyed it!