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. Then she felt his hand slipping towards her pocket.

The key.

She shoved him backwards and he fell back a couple steps, immediately recovering and pushing towards her again. She stood and he pressed her against the wall his hand still trying to reach her pocket.

"I'll take that key, Princess. I've no desire to be locked up by you again."

She shoved him again and pulled the key from her pocket. In a moment she realized she wouldn't have time to get out without him following, so she threw the key away from her through the bars of the cell.

He watched the key fly then turned narrowed eyes to her. "That was unwise," he snarled, "Now you're stuck in here with me."

"I'm not afraid of you," she said, staring him right in the eyes.

"No," he mused, stepping toward her again. "No I suppose you aren't, you have some fight in you, don't you lass? I like that. And you ... you like this..." he was pressing her towards the wall again and she closed her eyes. "Aye, lass, you want me. I can see it in those beautiful eyes of yours."

His hand drifted behind her neck like he had done so many times before ... and she let out a soft sigh. He pressed closer, kissing her heatedly, closer and closer still. She was trapped between the cold stone wall and the heat of his body and she never wanted to escape. It was so easy, so easy to pretend that it was still him. Still her Killian, the one who loved her...who would go to the ends of the world for her.

She poured herself into the kiss, pushing the knowledge out of her mind. Pretending he was still here. Killian groaned into her neck then whispered in her ear, "I've always loved a lass who knows what she wants."

The word nearly stopped her heart, because it wasn't right. He didn't love her, it wasn't him... She shoved him hard, this time hard enough that he fell back to the floor.

Hook laughed, propping himself up on one forearm behind him, "You like it rough, eh lass? He's a lucky man, the man you're pretending I am."

Her eyes snapped open. "How did you-"

"You're something of an open book to me, remember love."

"You're not him. That was a..."

"One time thing, lass?" There was a mocking tone in his voice now and she eyed him carefully, wondering how much he remembered.

"All of it, love." He answered her unspoken question. "You had me wrapped around your pretty little fingers once upon a time... and I have the misfortune of remembering every embarrassing moment of it."

His words stung and she closed her eyes again, wanting to be anywhere but here.

"You loved me," she muttered softly, "and I loved you."

"Well, it's of no consequence now," Hook shrugged and pushed himself back against the wall.

"I suppose it's not," she replied. She tried to pull her eyes away but she couldn't, simply watching as he stretched out one leg and rested his left arm on the other raised knee.

He raised his eyebrows when he noticed her gaze and laughed, "You actually did love him didn't you? Nice timing, lass."

Emma sighed, finally sitting again and continuing to watch him carefully. Why not? He knew anyway. "I still love you," she admitted, finally looking away. "I always will. Even if you never escape from that frozen heart of yours."

"Best bloody thing that's ever happened to me."

She glanced up quickly, hardly daring to hope...

"The frozen heart, I mean," he said with a smirk. She saw it in his eyes, he was playing with her and she gritted her teeth.

"Would you like to feel something amazing, love?"

She raised her eyebrows and his smirk only grew more pronounced.

He hopped to his feet and walked over to the other side of the cell. He took her hand and brought it up to his chest. She shivered. His fingers were warm but his chest, the spot right above his heart was still cold as ice. He dropped her hand and settled back on the bed, leaning against the other side of the wall watching her.

"You would have found a way to fix this...if it were me," she muttered, mostly to herself. She hardly noticed when he chuckled. "I will find a way to fix this. And if I can't, I don't know... I suppose I'll have to do my best to see that you're happy ... without destroying my town. I suspect you'll make my life a living hell, but you're stuck with me pirate...because you wouldn't have given up on me."

His eyes drifted closed, but he laughed. "I'm happier than I've been in years so... Quest accomplished, love, congratulations."

"You're not."

"I am."

Emma sighed, "Say whatever you like. I know you Killian Jones. And you know this isn't right. Something is missing and it will eat away at you. Just like it did me."

"Yes, clearly you were pining away. Oh no... wait, you were in New York; living with a bloody simian while he was pining away like a lovesick pup. Keep your version of happy, Swan, it's unappealing."

"So what are you going to do now? Break out of here and start chasing down the crocodile again."

"Oh what for? I think I've given quite enough of my life to that tortured story. Do you have brothels in this world," he asked suddenly... "I've got a lot of making up for lost time to do."

Emma rolled her eyes, glancing over at him where he was peaking out from under his lashes to watch her response. She picked up her still wet gloves from next to her and tossed them at his head. They bounced off his head with a splat sound and Hook cried out "Oy, all right love fine, you can have me first!"

She laughed for a moment. Just a brief moment before her eyes darkened again.

"Emma..." David called as he entered the station.

"Yup."

"You're... in the jail cell?"

"Yup."

"With the pirate?"

"Yup."

"Why-?"

"Because any minute now we were going to have very loud, rauco-"

"Oh come on David, just open the door already." Emma said, glaring at Hook.

Emma turned to Hook. "Here are the rules. Don't leave the town... and that's not a suggestion... you actually can't leave the town. It's a magic thing don't ask. No murder, no thievery no...anything...or I will lock you up here again. Just... try not to make any trouble, ok?"

"That sounds exceedingly monochromatic."

"Excuse me?"

"Boring, darling. Sounds boring."

"Would you rather stay here?"

"Not particularly."

David opened the door and Emma slipped out, Hook right behind her.

"It's been lovely," Hook called with a mock bow before leaving the station, picking up his hook from her desk on his way out.

Emma sank down into her chair and David put a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be ok, Emma."

They sat for a long time before Emma finally gathered the strength to speak.

"Is there anything... anything I can do. Have you talked to Rumpelstiltskin?"

"Sorry Emma...It's like she said. True love's kiss is the only cure. But-"

"He's incapable of true love, yeah I definitely got that part."

"Water from Lake Nostros helped Frederick... but that's a little hard to come by around here."

"Yeah, no kidding... Wait...what about the well?" Emma asked, hope springing to life in her chest.

David looked contemplative for a moment. "It's not.. the same, but it's worth a shot." Emma bolted to her feet, grabbing her gun and holster and ran out of the station.

She went to the docks first but he was no where to be seen. Then she sighed, where would Hook go? She turned and made for the Rabbit Hole.

Sure enough when she got to the Rabbit Hole the bartender pointed her to a back booth. The dark alcove was littered with shot glasses and bottles but they did not keep her attention for long. Hook was leaning back in the booth a red head in a tight dress on his lap turned towards him and kissing him deeply. She waited for them to come up for air but they showed no signs of stopping so finally Emma stepped closer to the booth.

"Hook," Emma called.

Hook opened his eyes and cocked his head slightly to see around the girls flaming hair. "You again, lass? What is it now."

The red-head continued her ministrations dropping her kisses down his neck and towards the v-neck of his tunic as he spoke. Emma pointedly ignored her, but she couldn't help a small cringe when she returned to his lips clenching her fingers into his hair.

"Come on Hook, We're going on a little trip."

"Back to the cell already? Tell me Swan, does it look to you like I'm forcing myself on this lass?" he chuckled and the woman giggled shifting in his lap and making him groan. Emma bit the inside of her lip but didn't back down. "Lovely little minx, you are," he muttered into her ear and Emma coughed again.

"Still here lass? Well what do you say Roxy? Up for a third?"

The girl finally turned, looking Emma over before shaking her head. "I'm not big on sharing," she murmured and Hook grinned glancing back to Emma.

"Sorry, love, but first come first served, as they say..." He turned into the girls ear and mumbled "or is it the other way..."

Finally Emma had had enough, pulling her gun she pointed it at Hook.

"You're coming with me. Now, pirate."

"Oh please, love, you and I both know you won't shoot me."

Roxy chose just that moment to turn around though, and she immediately jumped away.

"What the hell is wrong with you... I don't want anything to do with psycho ex's you hear." She pulled the rest of the way out of Hook's grip and bolted from the table.

"That was rude, Swan, she was a fireball." Hook sighed, "alright, apparently you're just going to scare all the lovelies off until I do as you ask, aye?"

Emma holstered the weapon and he stood leaving the table with a reluctant look back at the redhead. Emma sighed pushing him out the door in front of her. "You know Roxy isn't even her real name, right?"

"Aye, lass, but Hook isn't really mine either now is it. Killian has too many syllables though, they always prefer to scream Hook. Or various deities... which do you prefer, love?"

"I'm starting to think I should have left you frozen."

"No you're not."

"Do me a favor, pirate? And by favor, I mean do it or I start learning how to create a sleeping curse."

"Aye, lass?"

"Not another word until we reach the clearing."

A grin split his face but he finally fell silent.

When they reached the well Emma glanced down hopefully. Frozen solid of course, but she closed her eyes feeling the familiar glow of her power flowing into her hands and down the rope, it spread through the rope and into the clearing, the snow vanishing from the area as it flowed. After a moment she pulled the bucket up with clear liquid water inside.

She dipped a cup into it and handed it to Hook. "Drink."

"Water? You brought me out here for water? That's a fine excuse love, but if you wished to get me to yourself-"

"This well is connected to the portal at Lake Nostros," Emma interrupted.

"And you want me to risk losing what I've got now, I think not."

"I swear, Hook. Drink it or I will follow you around for the rest of your life scaring away each and every woman you try to bed."

"Quite passionate Swan," he taunted raising the cup in a mock toast, "To manipulation," he said, drinking the water.

Nothing happened for a moment. Then Hook dropped the cup, the sound loud in her oversensitive ears. He fell to his knees and put his hands over his chest a look of confusion and pain on his face.

Emma knelt in front of him placing a hand on his cheek, "Killian? Killian, please come back to me?"

He raised his eyes to hers and they lit up, "Emma? Emma, are you alright? Elsa she was-"

She cut him off with a kiss and she could swear this was what relief tasted like. It tasted like rum and Killian and smelled like leather and salt.

"I missed you so much, Killian." she mumbled into his ear feeling his fingers brush through her hair in that so familiar way.

"I missed you too, my love. My darling. My life." He punctuated each sentence with a kiss and she felt herself gradually being pushed backwards into the forrest floor.

"My love," he mumbled over and over, kissing her neck and face and pressing her closer and closer. His hand slipped under her coat roaming down to her waist and hips and she burned, and froze. She closed her eyes, raising her hand to his chest... she had to know...she didn't want to know... but she had to know. He intercepted it and kissed it lightly.

"You're not him," she said, tone mournful.

"I am, love. He wasn't capable of love, my Swan, I am not capable of living without it. Come, love, Let me take you home."

A blast of magic sent Hook flying across the clearing, he slammed into the well and the bucket crashed back into the depths with a splash. She didn't open her eyes, couldn't see the smirk, but nothing could protect her from that laugh. He laughed loudly, pulling himself up from the well and she finally opened her eyes.

The smirk was firmly in place again.

"Open book, love," he teased, then sighed. He stepped toward her a couple steps then squatted in front of her when she didn't blast him away.

"Come on, Swan," He said lightly, "it doesn't have to be like this. I know you. I may not love you, but I know you. I know what you like. I can lie to you. By morning, you'll swear it was him."

"Go."

He shrugged, saying "the offer stands," before disappearing from the clearing, his light chuckles carrying back to her as he left her behind.

Emma pulled herself up and buried her head in her hands. He was gone. He was really gone. It repeated in her head over and over again as the snow slowly recovered the clearing in a pristine white blanket.

Emma walked slowly back to the station, she didn't want to have to tell David that it didn't work, didn't want to have to say out loud that she was out of ideas. She glanced down at her phone and saw several missed calls from David, she didn't bother calling back, just picked up the pace since she was almost back to the station anyway. She didn't even make it into the station though, because as she tried to enter David was leaving.

"What's the rush?" she asked.

"Do you ever pick up your phone," David said in exasperation, "come on, someone broke into Mr. Gold's shop."

Emma groaned and frustration, "Of course he did."

"I take it the water was not as miraculous as we'd hoped?"

"Not so much." Emma responded following David's lead.

When they arrived though, Mr. Gold seem to have things well under control. Killian's face was bruised and bleeding and to Emma's surprise Belle was standing in front of Killian.

"Stop it Rumple, this isn't you!"

Killian took advantage of the opportunity, seizing Belle from behind and holding his hook at her throat.

"Oh it is, my dear. It is very much him, but that's a conversation for another day."

"Killian" Emma cried, "Didn't we have a conversation about murder attempts."

"Never fear, lass, I'm not going to murder him. I'm just going to take what's mine. His hand, of course."

"Your hand?" Mr. Gold said in annoyance, "Really that's what you decided you need to have vengeance for now?"

"Aye. You stole my hand. I want yours."

"You stole my wife." Rumple said dismissively.

"You stole her back, so I figure we're even there," Killian retorted just as lightly and Emma cringed. "So, Dark One let's make a deal. I get your hand, you're free to choose which one, and I don't gut your new bride like a fish."

"I prefer these terms: you let my new bride go, or you disappear and reappear in four different places at one time."

"Rumble no," cried Belle but Rumpelstiltskin ignored her, waving his hand and sending Killian flying into the back wall of the shop.

Killian stood shakily and Rumpelstiltskin advanced on him, again ignoring Belle's protests. Emma stepped directly into Gold's path, head held high.

"Stop it, Gold, or I swear I'll arrest you both."

"Will you put us in the same cell, love," Killian asked, "or perhaps you should take me home to keep an eye on me?"

Gold advanced menacingly but Emma did not back down, until suddenly his attention was distracted by Belle's small voice. "I thought... if I had the dagger..."

All eyes turned to Gold, and suddenly everyone else also realized he had just ignored an order from Belle.

Killian laughed coldly, "I always thought that was a little convenient, good play crocodile."

Belle was silent for the moment, just staring but when Gold advanced towards her she backed away. Finally she asked quietly, "You lied to me?"

"He does that," Killian put in helpfully, coughing as he struggled to his feet.

This had the potential to get very very bad, so Emma proceeded to make her way to Killian. She turned around and pushed him into the wall. He had probably broken some things... again... but she ignored the fact, being none too gentle as she cuffed his arms behind his back.

"You're coming with me," she hissed at him. "You can walk yourself or I can use the Rumpelstiltskin method of transport."

Killian raised an eyebrow "I'll walk but only if you promise to push me against the wall again when we get there."

Emma rolled her eyes and pushed Killian out the door, escaping what was probably a pending 'domestic dispute' call. Killian probably needed to go to the hospital, but it was too far away and cars were out of the question in this weather, so instead it was back to the jail cell and a call to Dr. Whale.

Killian sighed melodramatically as they closed the jail cell behind him mumbling something about the Swan girl and her bloody restraints as he sat, a pained look crossing his face. He winced and the pain seemed to keep him occupied from future inappropriate comments. Whale came by and after a brief evaluation told them that he was just bruised and would be fine "if he could refrain himself from future outbursts of extraordinary stupidity."

"Probably not," Emma responded, "That's why you're on speed dial." She turned to Killian as Whale left the station, "So what happened to making up for lost time?" She said, "I figured you'd be back to that spitfire."

Killian shrugged, "I did go back. Roxy had told every lass in the place that the Sheriff would shoot anyone that came near me. Nice work there lass."

Emma shrugged noncommittally and he continued.

"It'll pass, and you have agreed not to intimidate away my future...prospects."

"I did no such thing."

"Really lass because I distinctly remember... Ah... clever lass. So what exactly do I have to do to get you to make such an arrangement."

"Not piss me off, for one."

"Or perhaps I simply need to piss you off more. Seriously, lass, this is getting a little pathetic. The puppy dog that followed you around is gone now, just let him go. I'm more fun anyway."

"I'm not giving up on you," Emma said, glancing up from her paperwork for the briefest moment.

"Perhaps you should try true loves kiss for a while longer?" Hook asked, standing with a grunt and approaching the bars to motion her over. She ignored him, gritting her teeth. "Come on love, maybe it takes a while to stick. Or maybe you need something a little stronger...to really... make that connection."

She closed her eyes, they were burning again but there was no way she would let him see that.

"Come on, love. Let me out. I can be him for a while, make it stop hurting for a while."

"You are not him."

"No, I'm not, but I know how to be him."

She glanced up and he was looking at her with fevered eyes. They captured her, pulled her in, wouldn't let her look away. They were his eyes. Oh God.

"Come on, my love, smile for me." She closed her eyes, it wasn't him. Wasn't him. She wished she could close her ears as easily.

"Emma, love, please? Look at me, Swan, just look at me."

Don't do it, don't look up.

She looked up and he watched her still, no hint of a smirk, no glint of mischievous eyes, just an intensely blue gaze that bored into her, saw right through her.

"You don't have to do this alone, lass. Please, let me help you."

"Shut up, just be quiet."

"As you wish."

Her heart clenched and she thought she might be sick. It was too much. It was too...him and she just wanted to melt into his arms and let him lie to her.

"As you wish," he repeated, responding to her thoughts rather than her words. Because he could do that, damn him, he could always do that.

"God, Killian," she muttered under her breath, so quietly he shouldn't have heard her. But he heard her, he always heard her. "I miss you."

"You don't have to miss me, love, I'm right here. I'm right here with you, always."

Finally she jumped up and stepped toward the bars, "It's about bloody time," he muttered, and God, she would swear that there was nothing but relief in his eyes. She reached in and grabbed his collar in an all to familiar gesture, but this time she used it to pull him roughly against the bars making him wince again.

"Bloody hell, lass, easy, do you always react so violently to declarations of love and devotion?"

"Do not do that anymore."

"Why not, love?"

"I may not have given up on him but you... until I find a way to get him back I am more than happy to cause you significant pain and suffering."

"Not nice to tease, love."

"And do not call me, love."

"Of course, I'd taken to adding the possessive lately haven't I, my love."

"Try me pirate, just keep pushing and I'll have you locked up somewhere far away until I figure out what to do with you. Storybrooke has a mental institution... Do you understand me?"

"Perfectly, as always," he replied, but Killian melted away, the smirk returned to his eyes and the fevered gaze dissolved into cold icy indifference. Hook returned and she released his collar, turning and leaving the room without another word.

"Bloody brilliant," she heard him mutter, as the door slammed closed behind her.

She felt the relief like a physical weight being removed from her as the door closed between them. This was harder than actually losing him, she realized. He was gone, truly gone, locked inside his own heart... but he was still here, tormenting her with what could no longer be. This must have been what it was like, coming to see her in New York when she had no idea who he was... But he had a plan, he had hope, a way to get her back.

She had nothing, no hope. No magic could save him, except that which was made impossible by the curse. He wouldn't give up on her, she repeated to herself like a mantra. She sat outside the door, dropping her head back against the wall and wondering how she was going to survive this. Was she really going to follow him around for the rest of his life knowing that he could never love her ... Swatting away tavern girls and breaking up bar fights?

What would he have done if there was no memory potion, no way to bring her back? She smiled slightly, he would've moved in next door, been a persistent pain until she fell in love with him again. And she would have, eventually. Persistence would get her nothing, it wasn't his memories that were gone. He remembered everything... The only thing that was lost was the only thing that mattered. She heard the door to the station open but she didn't look up. Finally she felt someone sit next to her. Glancing up she saw a mug held out to her that smelled suspiciously like chocolate.

Snow put her arm around Emma as she took a small sip. Chocolate and cinnamon and just the faintest hint of rum.* Tears pricked at her eyes again and she blinked them back leaning her head onto her mother's shoulder.

"Thanks mom."

Snow played with her hair comfortingly as she sipped the drink. She didn't tell her it would be all right, or that they would figure something out. They were all implied ... but she knew her daughter couldn't bear to hear them right now. So she jut held her and whispered "We love you, Emma. You're not alone," in her ear, while softly combing through her hair with gentle fingers.

AN: Love the pain, guys. Just...love the pain. Just 1 more to go, I think... :P

I hope my reviewers liked the bonus scene I sent you! For those of you that don't review, (or can't get PM's... guests etc) Fear not... I'm not holding hostage anything that I consider essential to the story, I promise! It's just a bonus! I actually go back after I'm finished writing the chapter and pick someplace I can write a little tangental scene for you that goes a little deeper.

They're fun but they might sometimes break the flow a bit or be from another POV so they don't immediately occur to me as I'm writing! Hence the idea of 'deleted scene'