"It's not that simple, Emma."

"I swear I'm going to need another one of these." Emma sighed, downing the rest of her drink in a gulp.

"Emma, don't worry, we'll figure this out." Mary Margaret said soothingly but Emma just waved to get Ruby's attention.

"I'm going to need...many, many more of these." Emma said and Ruby glanced sideways at Snow.

"It's fine, Red, she's just a little frustrated-"

"A LITTLE frustrated?" Emma said, voice rising shrilly.

"And a little drunk." Mary Margaret continued with a sigh.

"Maybe I should get you a hot chocolate instead?" Ruby suggested and Emma rolled her eyes.

"Might as well, since apparently the cartoon queen is mid bloody redemption arc. Couldn't anyone come to storybrooke already...you know... .well-balanced."

Mary Margaret raised her eyebrows at hearing the word 'bloody' come from Emma but chose not to comment. "Elsa was trapped in a bottle for who knows how long... it's no wonder she's a little...put out."

"Put out? PUT OUT? Mary Margaret the whole town is frozen over!"

"We just need to talk to her, perhaps - "

"Talk to her? Why can't we just vanquish the bad guys anymore?"

"Emma-"

"Seriously, does everybody have to be on some redemption kick?"

"Emma-"

"No, I mean really. Fairy tales are great, the bad guys are bad, the good guys are good and you vanquish the bad guys the good guys win? What's so wrong with that. Instead they are all so blasted misunderstood and we have to wait for them to see the bloody light meanwhile they're taking out half the townsfolk-"

"EMMA!"

"WHAT?"

Mary Margaret was glancing over Emma's shoulder with a concerned look on her face and Emma turned just in time to see a glimpse of leather on the other side of the door to Granny's.

"Damn."

"Succinct but accurate." Mary Margaret said helpfully.

"I didn't mean... I just..."

"I don't think this conversation is meant for me, Emma."

Emma rubbed her forehead with both hands. Ruby brought her cocoa just then but Emma stood to go, "Sorry Ruby, I have to deal with ... my stupid mess." She pulled on her full length jacket and wrapped the scarf around her neck then fixed her hat on before taking a deep breath and pushing the door open. A blast of icy chill hit her immediately stealing her breath away and making her eyes water and burn.

Killian froze, the door halfway opened still behind him, though he let it fall closed when Leroy glared at him. His attention was fixed on the blonde at the first booth. Snow's eyes latched onto him immediately and widened in surprise and ... was that nervousness? The gaze froze him in his tracks with a feeling like he was intruding upon something he shouldn't hear.

"Why can't we just vanquish the bad guys anymore?" he heard Emma ask.

"Emma-" Snow said warningly, her eyes not leaving his.

"Seriously, does everybody have to be on some redemption kick?"

"Emma-" Snow turned her attention back to Emma, trying to get her to stop but the damage was done. Done but not finished, Emma continued words slurring slightly making Killian wonder exactly how much she'd had to drink this night.

"No, I mean really. Fairy tales are great, the bad guys are bad, the good guys are good and you vanquish the bad guys the good guys win? What's so wrong with that. Instead they are all so... misunderstood and we have to wait for them to see the bloody light meanwhile they're taking out half the-"

He couldn't hear anymore, and rapidly he turned, slipping out of Granny's and back out into the storm. The words echoed through his mind. She didn't mean to, of course, didn't mean to cause him pain but even so the words pierced his heart like a dagger. She was just drunk, and frustrated and damn if it didn't hurt anyway. This had nothing to do with him, he repeated to himself. She was just frustrated at one more Royal in town who had decided that a Maine winter was not nearly brutal enough.

As if to emphasize the point a gust of wind bit at his face, stinging the only exposed skin. This storm had a malice to it. It ripped at his coat, trying to pull away the leathers that protected him from the wind and he pulled the coat tighter around himself. Usually he would go to the docks when he needed to think. Make his way onto one of the ships and let the familiar pull of the tides comfort his spinning mind. But there were no tides. This far into the bay the surface of the water was frozen solid, the depth of the ice creeping deeper each day. Soon the hulls would freeze entirely. If that happened every ship in the harbor would sink to the bottom when the ice receded.

If the ice receded.

His feet had carried him to the docks anyway and he took the opportunity to slip onto one of the vessels. Taking a brief respite from the wind and checking the integrity of the hull. Cracks were making their way across the wood but nothing that couldn't be repaired...so far, anyway.

He should go back to Granny's he thought, pulling his scarf closer. In this cold, and this wind even his leather's couldn't protect him from the elements for long. He'd ridden out some brutal storms in his time, but nothing like this. No chill so deep the very ocean ceased it's movement. It was unnerving. In all his life the one thing he'd always counted on was that the tide always went out. And it always came back.

Now all was still, so still. It made his stomach clench in a way that was not wholly unlike when he had seen Milah fall, or when Emma lay prone and drenched on the deck of the Jolly. She shouldn't be so still...

He was about to turn away when the sound of a voice came to him on the wind.

"I've seen the way you look at him."

Killian spun but there was nothing but snow in any direction. The wind tugged at him, pulled at him like hands towards the water.

"Who's there?"

"You're not one of them, Killian." The voice returned, and a sudden powerful gust sent him flying off his feet and onto the ice. If it weren't so cold he would now be swimming in the bay. Killian pulled himself to his feet and the wind continued to tug at him. He began to walk in the direction it was blowing and to his relief the onslaught receded only to pick up again when he turned for shore.

"All right, you want to talk? Why don't you come and talk, or are you a coward too?"

"I am NOT" (the word was punctuated with another gust of wind that sent him to the ice again) "a coward."

Finally the swirling winds died down and he could see her in the distance. The Ice Queen, Elsa, the cause of this disaster.

"Elsa, darling, there are easier ways to get my attention," he said lightly stepping towards her. The wind shifted, blowing past him back towards shore now.

"You're not like them," Elsa repeated.

"I'm unlike any other, I promise you that."

"Why didn't you kill him?"

Killian halted and Elsa closed the distance between them eying him questioningly.

"You'll kill this whole bloody town if you keep this up, lass," Killian responded but he could feel the ice climbing his legs locking them in place as she glared at him.

"Answer me, you should have been my ally, why won't you kill him?"

"Because it's not just about me anymore," Killian finally spat out.

Elsa cocked her head to one side her eyes flicking back to shore briefly before focusing on him once more. "This is about the girl?"

"No." Killian retorted, "not anymore, not entirely. It's about her lad, her ridiculous charming family, it's about this whole bloody town. This is her home now and I'll not rip it apart seeking some empty consolation for what cannot possibly be consoled. And isn't that what you're doing? I don't know what he took from you, lass, but how the hell is freezing the town going to make that better."

Elsa's eyes flickered back and forth for a moment in what looked like nervousness.

"I can't-"

"Can't what, lass?" Killian asked, cringing as the ice bit into his thighs creeping steadily upward.

"I can't stop it, I don't know how," she said softly. "I have to destroy him. That will make it ... make me right again."

"It won't lass," Killian whispered, breath coming short as the ice began to restricted his chest.

Elsa began to pace back and forth and Killian realized that Snow had been right. This girl was lost... and she had no idea how to stop this.

Finally the wind died down a little and he caught another voice drifting towards him

Emma never realized how much she detested the cold until this ridiculous winter. This was beyond shivering, beyond teeth chattering. It was painful, bone achingly cold and no one could take much more of it. Also...she was a bit drunk and a bit of an idiot and none of those things were an excuse for what she just said... He'd forgive her right? He always seemed to come back for more, no matter how hard she hit him down.

Idiot.

Still her stomach clenched with nervousness. What if this was it? What if he'd finally had enough?

She walked towards the docks because despite this horrific storm he would come here. He always came here. She was checking the boat house first when suddenly she heard a voice outside, eerily carried on the wind.

"I've seen the way you look at him."

Emma spun, turning, looking for the one who taunted her, but no one was there. She made for the door of the boathouse and the voice continued,""You're not like them, Killian."

Killian?

The door of the boathouse slammed behind her and she made her way to the docks, and as she reached the edge she heard his voice carrying back to her from over the ice.

"I'm unlike any other, I promise you that."

"Why didn't you kill him?"

Emma looked out over the ice and saw Killian out in the center of the bay, Elsa not two feet in front of him. Their voices carried easily back to her in the shoreward winds.

"You'll kill this whole bloody town if you keep this up, lass."

"Answer me, you should have been my ally, why won't you kill him?"

"Because it's not just about me anymore," Killian sounded angry and frustrated and Emma could see the ice climbing around his legs locking him in place, She started to run out onto the ice, but apparently Elsa didn't like the idea. The wind picked up, forcing her back to the shore. The intensity of the gusts blocked out their voices for a moment and Emma called out his name. The words flew back to her and he didn't turn.

She fought against the wind in the snow, her eyes locked on Killian and the creeping ice that was climbing past his thighs and up his chest now. She called his name over and over but he didn't turn, probably couldn't if he wanted to with the ice locking him in place. Finally Elsa began to pace back and forth and the winds died down just enough for her to hear them again.

"I have to destroy him. That will make it ... make me right again."

Killian's answer didn't carry, but for some reason the winds finally stopped and Emma screamed Killian's name again as she ran out onto the ice. This time he must have heard her for he stiffened and turned his head slightly, as far as he could without moving his now mostly frozen torso.

"No, no, no, Killian, What's happening?" Emma cried as she ran across the frozen bay. Elsa vanished as Emma approached and halted in front of the pirate. As Emma slid to a stop she looked for the witch, hands raised defensively.

"Listen to me." Killian whispered urgently from behind her, "that girl needs help. Do you hear me, my love?"

Emma pressed forward but then flinched away at the press of the ice that was now her Pirate.

"I love you, Emma." his words were so soft they were nearly taken by the wind before they reached her ears.

"Killian, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'll fix this." Suddenly on impulse she dove forward. Was this a curse? Could true love's kiss break it? Were they true love? The questions raced through her mind but she didn't dwell on them, she had to try. She touched her lips to his gently and a shiver passed through her, they were already frozen, cold. She pulled away, waiting expectantly but nothing happened, he remained frozen in place cold eyes entreating her with his last words. The words echoed in her mind. This should work, it should work. He loved her and she... she couldn't live without him. She kissed him again and again until her lips began to turn blue and crack from the cold. Finally she sank onto the ice and pulled out her phone with shaking hands.

"Dad? She said quietly when his voice came onto the line...

"Dad, please..." Emma's voice was shaking and David grabbed his coat immediately and was down the stairs and out the door a moment later.

"Where are you Emma?" He asked.

"At the docks, It's Killian ... Dad what am I going to do." He was running now, sprinting for the dock as fast as he could without slipping and falling.

"Shh, Emma, It's going to be ok. I'll be there soon. Where are you?"

"Out...on the water. We... she... Dad I don't know what to do."

"Emma I want you to get up and go to the boathouse, ok."

"I can't."

"Emma, go now."

He heard a noise on the other end and he hoped she was listening to him for once but then her voice returned, "I can't, I can't leave him."

"All right, Emma. Stay on the phone with me, ok, can you see the dock."

"Yes."

"I'm almost there, all right."

"Thanks, Daddy." A chill passed through him. Something was very very wrong to make his little girl sound like a little girl again.

"I'm almost there," he repeated as he sprinted onto the dock and out onto the ice, he could see her now in the distance. Killian was standing over her and confusion filled his mind. Was he hurting her, as he drew closer he realized the pirate wasn't moving, just standing there as Emma cried at his feet. What the hell kind of a man... He didn't have time to finish the thought because Emma dropped the phone and stood running to him. She fell into his arms, tears falling down her cheeks. Killian didn't move, didn't so much as turn as Emma brushed passed him.

"Dad, I tried to fix it but it won't work, it doesn't work."

"What are you talking about Emma, what-"

Taking a deep breath Emma pulled him forward and around the frozen pirate and Charming stopped mid-stride pulling Emma back into his arms. "I'm sorry, Emma, I'm so sorry."

"Why can't I fix it?" She muttered and Charming finally noticed her blue cracked lips and his heart sank.

"It's the ice, Emma..." David muttered, mind flying back to a golden statue in the woods of the Enchanted Forest. He brushed frozen tears away with a gloved hand and pulled her closer, "Come on Emma, We have to get you warm."

"No, I can't leave, I have to fix this. I'm the savior, right, I have to save him."

"Emma How-"

"I don't know..." She yelled, "What's the good of having magic if it can't protect the people... If it can't protect people, what good is it?"

Charming's eyes widened and he smiled. Emma glanced down and saw to her amazement her hands were glowing with a warm golden light.

"I can fix this." she muttered stepping forward hesitatingly, unsure how to proceed. Finally she just let instinct guide her, and stepped forward laying her hands on either side of his face. "Come on, Killian," she mumbled as the warm glow sank into his skin.

Slowly the warmth spread, the ice beginning to crack and melt and fall away. Finally Killian collapsed and Emma knelt next to him waiting for him to open his eyes. When he finally did a grin split her face from ear to ear.

He looked confused for a moment before finally smiling himself and saying, "Hello beautiful."

She grinned and kissed him and he pulled her closer instantly. "About bloody time," he smirked and Emma pulled away looking at him in confusion. He was smirking at her and she pulled away, She knew that look. She pulled away farther...

"What's wrong, love, don't like the audience? Why don't we go find my ship, it's quite...private."

Emma backed away another step, slamming her walls back into place.

Hook.

It was Hook.

This was Hook.

Emma turned away making her way back towards the dock, steps stiff then stopped, turning around. "I'll meet you at the boathouse. I have to do something."

They turned to go and Emma stayed behind, calling Elsa's name into the wind.

"Elsa, I know you can hear me." Charming and Hook turned as Elsa appeared in front of Emma.

Charming turned to go to Emma's aid but Hook turned to continue towards shore.

"What the hell is wrong with you pirate, you're just going to leave her with that witch?"

"Do I look like a knight in shining armor?" Hook laughed and headed for shore as Charming returned to Emma's side.

"What did you do to him," Emma was asking Elsa.

"I didn't mean to," Elsa sighed..."his heart is frozen."

"But I fixed it... My magic thawed him."

"A heart takes more than that to thaw," Elsa told her, a deep melancholy in her eyes. "True loves kiss, in fact."

"But I ... I kissed him."

"That's the problem isn't it. A frozen heart cannot truly love."

"How do you know that?"

"My sister... It's his fault." The temperature seemed to drop around them and Emma pulled her scarf tighter.

"What happened, it's whose fault."

"The dark one. He put her in harms way. He threw her into my path ... I didn't mean to."

"You froze her heart." Emma finished, suddenly realizing what had happened.

"You have the magic to unfreeze him, which I thought would be enough. But it isn't enough. A frozen heart is not capable of love... so the curse cannot be broken. She's still in his vault...but even if I could reach her... I can never get her back. He has to pay... he has to pay for what he did."

"Can't we just skip to the song and dance number?" Emma asked in frustration.

Elsa just looked at her perplexed, and Emma sighed. "Look, this town is going to freeze if-"

"You think I don't know that." A gust of wind shot through Emma and she shuddered. "I can't stop it, not until I kill him." Then she was gone and Emma wrapped her arms around herself.

Charming put his arm around her and led her back to the boathouse. "I'm sorry, Emma," he muttered in her ear. He wiped a tear off her face and she squared her shoulders then pushed open the door to the boathouse. A gust of heat met her and she reveled in its warmth for a moment before...wait...heat?

"K- Hook! What the hell did you-?"

"Ah, there you are lass, I was hoping she wouldn't freeze you solid. You're much too lovely for such a fate."

The pirate had thrown his coat aside and was warming himself by a makeshift bonfire...which was probably made up of planks from someone's ship.

"Hook, you can't just burn random people's possessions," Emma sighed.

"Pirate," he shrugged, "burning people's possessions is something of a talent of mine."

She stared at him for a moment, eyes glimmering with tears that she wouldn't let fall. She remembered his kiss outside of Granny's, the pain in his eyes when he finally admitted having given up his ship for her. His smile against her lips...

"See something you like, lass?" He asked catching her gaze. She realized she had indeed been starring. But not at him. She was staring at Killian... and Killian was gone.

"Aye, I know that look. Come lass, let's find my lovely lady and I'll take you for a ride you'll never forget."

"The sea is frozen over, Hook."

"Aye." He nodded, the smirk drifting across his face again.

David sighed and walked up to the pirate. "Sorry, Mate."

"Wha-"

He didn't get a chance to finish the sentence before David punched him and the pirate fell.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Emma, I assure you...It was no trouble at all. So... what are we going to do with him."

"Lock him up again, I guess, until we know ... who he is."

David nodded leaning down and heaving the pirate over his shoulder. Once he was balanced Emma grabbed Killian's coat and kicked out the miniature bonfire. Pushing the door open for David they made their way back into town.

The storm had lessened slightly and it didn't take them long to reach the sheriffs station. Charming even managed to make Emma laugh once or twice with brief comments on how the heavy pirate had clearly let himself go...and that a couple more servings of lasagna and he'd never be able to lug him so far. Emma appreciated the effort because it distracted her, however briefly, from the clenching pain in her chest that came whenever she thought about her pirate's frozen heart, that she would never see Killian again. *

When Charming finally lowered Killian... Hook to the bed in the jail cell Emma sighed sitting down next to the cell and leaning her head back against the wall. Charming locked the door and sat next to Emma, "I'm going to go tell Snow what's going on, I'll be back soon, all right."

Emma nodded and accepted the brief kiss on her forehead before Charming left Emma alone with the unconscious man in the cell. She watched his sleeping form, pretending she didn't notice the way her hands shook. Finally she couldn't stand it anymore and she unlocked the cell and slipped inside, locking it behind her and slipping the key into her pocket. She carefully freed the hook from it's brace and tossed it to the chair outside the bars.

She moved to the head of the bed, leaning back against the wall while her fingers ran through his hair next to her. This was nice. While he was asleep she could pretend that he was still here...That he would still wake up hers. When she opened her eyes again she saw beautiful blue and smiled. He was standing in front of her watching her carefully then he leaned forward, settling his weight on one knee between her legs. He kissed her softly and for a moment, for one sweet beautiful moment she forgot.

AN:

Reviews feed me when I forget to eat dinner. (Just saying...actually that reminds me...)

So I've discovered I tend to write in bouts of inspiration (procrastination) Which means my previews don't come very far before the chapter. Since I intended that to be a thank you bonus for my reviewers ... I think instead I'm going to start writing bonus scenes for you guys, how does that sound? (sounds like you are procrastinating something ... Perhaps) Think of it like a deleted scene, something not strictly speaking necessary to the plot but still kind of fun!

7/17/2014 : I still have all the bonus scenes I've written for this and upcoming chapters saved in a doc so if you're curious you can still leave me a review and I'll send the 'bonus' to you. Or send me a PM. Don't care if it's public or not, just curious what you guys think.

At least I didn't kill poor Killian this time. Not... entirely... anyway... *ducks rotten tomatoes*