I own nothing except my delusions.


Emma sighed as she walked back to her car, annoyed that the bail jumper had made her run so far from it to catch him. Wrapping her jacket tighter around herself to ward off the chilly night air, she thought about how a year ago she left Storybrooke with Henry and Killian, forced to make a new life for them. Despite the circumstances, she was happy that she got to have a normal life with them. She still missed her parents, but she was happy.

Moving down a deserted street, nothing but old businesses lining it, she kept watch, wishing that she had Killian with her. She could handle herself just fine, but knew his companionship would be preferable. He himself had been out the previous day to catch his own skip, making her decide to tell him not to accompany her, giving him a break. She smiled, thinking about how quickly he had adapted to the job; she knew that he would be good at finding people, being proven right at his own abilities to catch skips just as easily as she found she could.

Feeling slightly uneasy, Emma scanned the street, searching for anyone that was out. Finding no one, she continued on, ready to just go home, thinking she was just paranoid at being out by herself at night.

The feeling grew as she continued, not able to shake that she was being watched.

Slightly increasing her pace, her eyes roved over the area, silently cursing when she still didn't see anything.

Passing by a small alley, she watched ahead of her until she whirled around as a voice sounded from behind her.

"Emma," Walsh greeted, grinning widely, almost animalisticly.

Instantly feeling her defenses going up, Emma narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. She knew she was not in a good area to be confronted by him.

"What do you want, Walsh?" she asked in a strained voice. Something about him was off, making her feel the need to be more cautious around him than usual.

"A great many things," he replied, making her tense. Seeing her reaction, his smile grew. "Nothing like that. More things along the lines of wishing you had cooperated when we first came face to face, that you hadn't had the pirate with you, or that you didn't actually have your memories. Those, and I wouldn't have opposed if I had managed to take out Hook that one night."

"What the hell are you talking about?" she snapped, everything she just heard reinforcing what Killian had told her with his last run in with Walsh.

He knew who they were.

"I think you know exactly," he responded lightly. "I tried to get you and Hook away from each other, but you're both too damn stubborn. Somehow you love each other too much to leave each other, so I had to start resorting to some more desperate measures. But hell, that pirate is a lot stronger than I thought he was."

Emma felt like ice was creeping across her skin at his mentions of Killian, knowing he had something to do with Killian's attack.

"So, since I can't go after him again, I'm gonna have to settle for you," Walsh sneered.

Before she could respond, Walsh's eyes turned a brilliant red just before green smoke enveloped his body, hiding him from her. She instantly knew that magic was doing something to him before jumping back as the smoke cleared.

Standing where Walsh had previously been was a monkey, but it was unlike anything Emma had ever seen before.

The monkey was around the same height as Walsh, with long limbs covered in ashy gray fur. Massive claws emerged from its hands and feet, resembling talons. Glowing red eyes replaced his previous brown, set above a mouth of large teeth that resembled needles. What was perhaps the most startling to Emma was the massive wings that jutted out of the monkey's back.

As it let out an unearthly screech, she knew without a doubt that she was face to face with the creature that had attacked Killian.

Not daring to turn her back to the creature, she quickly stepped back, searching for some type of weapon.

The monkey flapped its wings, pushing itself from the ground, fiery eyes intent on her.

"Dammit," she muttered, suddenly seeing a metal pipe resting beside the fire escape of the building next to them. She would have preferred her gun, but knew she would have to make due.

She lunged toward the pipe just as the monkey struck towards her, trying to swipe at her with its claws. Narrowly avoiding it, she ducked down, reaching the pipe and holding it in a death grip as she looked back at the creature, seeing it preparing to strike again.

Swinging the pipe, she landed a hit on its head, making it wince back in pain.

The monkey screeched in pain, seeming to glare at her, as it made to grab the metal, wrapping it's long fingers around it. Keeping her grip on it as the monkey tugged at it, she kicked out at it, her foot pushing into its chest.

Loosening its grip, the creature stumbled back, giving Emma the opportunity to swing the pipe back towards its head.

Landing a heard hit on its head, the monkey gave one last pained screech before it vanished in a puff of white smoke, leaving no evidence of the creature or the man it had been behind.

Not letting herself relax in relief, she dropped the pipe, the metal clanging loudly on the pavement. Turning around to the direction she was originally headed, she jogged the rest of the way back to her car.

Letting herself relax slightly as she sat in her Bug, she quickly thrust the keys into the ignition, the engine rumbling to life. Focusing on getting home, back to Killian and Henry to be sure they were okay, she drove, intent on getting back to them as fast as she could.

Pulling into her usual spot, she locked up her car, slamming the door shut and rushing inside of the building, taking the stairs two at a time.

Nearly slamming her key into the lock to their door in her hurry to get it open, she quickly stepped through, shutting it firmly behind her and doing up the locks.

"Swan?" Killian asked, worry plain in his tone as he hurried toward her, standing in front of her. He cupped her face, searching. "Emma? What's wrong?"

"Are you okay?" she demanded, finding herself somewhat hysterical in her worry. "You and Henry? Where is he?"

Killian shook his head in confusion. "We're both fine, Swan. He had just fallen asleep on the couch. I was about to move him to his room when you came in."

Needing to see him for herself, she grabbed onto Killian's bicep, dragging him with her as she went to see Henry for herself.

She relaxed as she saw him curled up on the couch, fast asleep, not having heard any of the noise from her.

"Let me move him," Killian said, carefully freeing himself out of Emma's tight grip. Reaching down, he carefully lifted Henry, who remained undisturbed.

Not wanting them to leave her sight, Emma followed close behind as Killian rested their son on the bed. As soon as Henry's head hit the pillow, Emma drew his blanket over him, tucking him in securely as she leaned down to press a light kiss to his hair. She was relieved he was alright, that he had remained untouched.

"Emma, what happened?" Killian asked, his eyes on her pale, shaken form as they stepped back into the main room. Leading them back to the couch, he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her to him.

"I was on the way back from catching that skip, when Walsh came at me," she told him. "He turned into a flying monkey. He's the one who attacked you that night."

"Did he hurt you?" he inquired, searching her for injuries as he held her closer.

"No," she responded, feeling secure in his embrace as she leaned her head to his chest. "He tried to, but didn't. I attacked him with a pipe, and he disappeared when I hit him. I'm pretty sure he's gone now. He just vanished after I hit him."

She felt him sigh in relief, lightly kissing her hair.

"I'm just relieved you're alright," he exhaled.

She nodded. "He wanted us to be apart, but I don't know why. It almost sounded like he was working for someone."

"We don't know anyone here from Misthaven," he said, looking for an explanation. "Everyone we know was sent back to the Enchanted Forest."

"I thought there was no magic here, anyway," she remarked. "I don't see how he could have transformed."

"I don't know, love," he responded. He pulled back slightly. "How are you feeling?"

She shook her head. "Freaked out, to be honest. I mean, the guy that has been harrassing us for a year turned into a giant winged monkey."

He nodded, running his hand along her back. "I would feel better if you ate something. It might help."

Nodding in agreement, she pulled back slightly to go to the kitchen when he rested his hand on her thigh, rising up himself to get their food.

"I think we can forgo the table tonight," he said as he handed her her bowl. He set his own on the table, moving away and returning again with a bottle of rum and two glasses.

Seeing her skeptical expression, he grinned. "It never hurts."

Rolling her eyes as she fought her own grin, she accepted the tumbler he offered her.

He sat beside her, settling in beside her with his own bowl of stew.

They ate their dinner quietly, until Killian turned his head to look at her, his brow pinched in worry.

"What is it, Swan?" he asked her. "I know you're thinking of something."

She shrugged as she tried to think of how to voice her thoughts. "I don't know. It just seems weird... that suddenly this guy reveals himself as a flying monkey exactly a year after Storybrooke disappears? Do you think something's going on?"

He released a heavy breath as he looked at his rum glass. "I don't know, but you're right. It seems to much to be a mere coincidence. Even the fact that he knew who we are."

Seeing her uneasy expression, he set down his glass before pulling her close, settling her on his lap.

Emma instantly turned into him, nuzzling into his neck.

"I really don't think we have to worry about him anymore," she said quietly. "Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I really think he's gone."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I think we're safe now."

They continued to sit together for a while, before she rose up, grabbing their dishes and depositing them in the sink, deciding to clean up in the morning. She led him back to their room, where they got ready for bed.

Molding her body to his with her head resting on his chest, Emma was exhausted, the warmth of his body relaxing her. His hand covered hers where it rested beside her head.

"I should have listened to you," she told him with a light chuckle, a thought occurring to her.

"About?" he asked her curiously as he peeked down at her.

"You called it when you said there was something simian about him," she replied.

She felt Killian's chest rumble as he released a quiet laugh of his own.


Teaser: She narrowed her eyes in mock suspicion as she sat up, fighting a grin. "It sounds like you've got something planned already."

Review?