What She Wants

CS Genre: Deleted scene from 4x3-4x4

Emma softly closed the loft door, pressing her forehead against it for the barest moment before shrugging out of her leather jacket and tossing it carelessly at the coat rack. What a day it had been!

She had so many thoughts and emotions running through her head she barely knew which way was up. She collapsed on the sofa, letting her head fall back against the cushion as images from the afternoon flitted through her head—Mary Margaret's mayor's fireside chat, Marian collapsing and starting to freeze, going after the ice witch while firmly, in no uncertain terms, forbidding Hook from leaving the safety of the sheriff's station, arriving in the clearing barely in time to save him and her dad from getting skewered by icicles. The fear that turned to anger. Her conversation with Hook on Main Street. Their kiss….

Emma let out a long, slow breath as she thought about the kiss. It had been the first one he'd initiated, and man had he initiated it. So much passion, it was a wonder they didn't just spontaneously combust. His hand rubbing her back beneath her jacket then moving possessively to cup her head. His lips soft yet demanding. His tongue…her knees went weak just thinking about it. If there was one thing she knew with absolute certainty, it was that that man could kiss.

She chuckled to herself as she relived the moment. Things had really been heating up, and the jury was out on just what might have happened next, when they were suddenly hit with the bright light of headlights and the blaring of a horn.

"Oh for the love of…!" Leroy grumped as he stuck his head out of the driver's side door. "Get a room and stop blocking the street!"

"Apologies, dwarf," Killian said, wrapping an arm around her waist and maneuvering her to the sidewalk.

"Who you callin' dwarf, pirate?"

Emma chuckled, recalling the way the skin around Killian's eyes had crinkled as he'd grinned down at her, far too happy, apparently, to be annoyed with the grumpy interruption.

"Emma? You home?" David called as he peeked his head out from behind the curtain separating her parents' bedroom from the rest of the floor.

Emma sat up. "Yeah, just got back. Where's mom?"

"Your brother was a little fussy, so she took him on a car ride. Always calms him down. Took Elsa with her to give her a tour of the town."

Emma nodded. "Hope it calms the little guy down. What a day, huh?"

David chuckled before heading her way and sitting on the couch next to her. "Yeah, you could say that, but at least no one died and we got a few new leads."

Emma tutted, smiling humorlessly. "Our bar for good news around here is pretty low, isn't it."

"A win is a win," David said with a shrug, "and I'd say you saving Hook and me from an icy death was a win. Remember what I said about taking the good moments?"

Emma leaned over and gave her dad a one armed hug. "Yeah, I remember. Seems like everyone's telling me to live my life amid the chaos or it'll pass me by."

David turned blue eyes her way. "Who else is giving you that advice?"

"Hook," she said simply.

David was quiet for a long moment, and Emma turned to look at him. He had a contemplative, cautious look on face.

"What?" she asked.

"Hook," he said simply. "Emma I know you're mad at him for going against your wishes, but maybe you should cut him a little bit of slack."

"I…"

He held up a hand and stopped her before she could finish. "Just hear me out. Emma, a blind man could see how much that man cares for you. You have to know he couldn't possibly obey a command to sit safely on the sidelines while the woman he…cares deeply about goes into danger. No man with an ounce of honor could."

Emma felt her heart skip and her stomach swoop at the mention of how much Hook cared for her. She turned aside and fluffed the pillow beside her, not ready to show just how much Hook's devotion to her affected her. "Geez, Dad. I didn't know you were such a Hook fan."

He chuckled. "Well we've had our moments, that's for sure, but if there's one thing I can see clear as day, it's that he'd never do anything to harm you, and that's what's most important."

Emma looked back at David, her eyes widening a bit. "Dad, are you saying you…you want Killian and me to…?"

"Obviously no man will ever be good enough for my little girl," David said with a grin, "but maybe I've come to see that Killian comes pretty close. What happens between the two of you is your choice, obviously, but I guess I'm saying, maybe cut him a little slack for today?"

Emma was silent for a moment before she smiled. "Already did, actually. We talked outside of Granny's, and everything's good between us."

She couldn't help the blush that tinged her cheeks at the thought of the moments after their talk. That kiss was one of the hottest things she'd ever experienced.

David gave her a knowing look. "The fact that you've gone red makes me think more went on than just a conversation, but as that's something I really, really don't want to know about, I think I'd better drop it."

"Good idea." Emma chuckled.

"But in all seriousness, Emma," David said. "Hook is the real deal. I know you've had bad experiences with romance, but…maybe just think about what you want. Don't let fear keep you from something that could be really good."

He patted her leg and then got up, heading back to his room.

Think about what you want.

What did she want? Killian's face popped into her mind. There was something there, something between them. It freaked her out a little just thinking about putting a label on it, but something was there. Maybe…maybe she owed it to him and to herself to give that something a chance, see where things went.

Emma's heart pounded as she thought about it. Maybe it was time she asked him out. Like for real. Emma glanced toward the loft. There was one thing she needed to do first, though.

Heaving herself off the couch with a groan (battling psycho ice witches really took it out of you), she headed up the stairs and glanced over to Henry's bed where he was sprawled on his stomach, playing one of his hand-held games.

"Hey kid," she said, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Hey mom," Henry replied, sitting up and switching off his device. "I heard things got a little crazy with the newest villain today."

Emma smoothed a hand over his hair. "Yeah, never a dull moment in this place, but you don't need to worry. Between your grandparents, your other mom, Hook, Elsa and I, we can take her."

"I wasn't worried," Henry said. "I know we'll win. This family always defeats the villains."

"That we do."

Henry set his devise on his nightstand and then gave her a quizzical look. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong?"

"Well something's up," Henry said, brow furrowing. "You're giving me that 'I have to have an uncomfortable talk with Henry' look again."

"I don't have an 'I have to have an uncomfortable talk with Henry' look!"

The eyebrow raise he gave her could have rivalled Killian's.

Killian.

"Okay, fine," Emma conceded, "there is something I need to talk to you about."

"Am I in trouble?"

Emma leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Of course not, kid. There's just something I was thinking about doing, .and I wanted to make sure you're okay with it before I move forward."

He gave her a look, face expressionless, and then he grinned. "This is about Hook, isn't it?"

Emma couldn't help the blush. Gods, she was worse than a schoolgirl when it came to that stupid (hot, sexy, unfairly beautiful) pirate.

"It is about Hook!" Henry said triumphantly.

Well if this wasn't turning into the most embarrassing conversation ever, it had to be in the top three.

"Yes," Emma said finally. "It's about him. Henry, I want you to know that you are the most important thing in my life, and I would never do anything if it hurt you. You know that right?"

"Yeah, mom. Course I do."

"Good," Emma said with a decisive nod. "The thing is, I really like Killian. He's always, always been there for me, for us."

"So is he your boyfriend?" Henry asked.

Emma's blush deepened. "Let's not get crazy with labels, kid. I don't know what we are or could become or whatever, but I think I want to try to figure it out. I know this is probably hard for you; I know you were hoping your dad and I would get back together and we'd all be a family, but…"

"But dad's…gone," Henry said, a hint of pain in his voice at the thought.

Emma leaned over and hugged him tight. "Yeah, he's gone, and I know you miss him. I miss him too, but the thing is…"

"You weren't going to get back together with him anyway," Henry said matter-of-factly.

She shook her head softly. "I'm sorry Henry. I don't expect you to understand but things with your dad…I cared about him deeply. I really did, but that was a long time ago, and we'd both grown up, moved on…"

"Is it because of Hook?" Henry asked. "Is that why you wouldn't have gotten back together with dad, because you like Hook?"

Emma shook her head. "No. I promise you that's not it. You know some of the reasons why from what I told you back when we were living in New York. But partly…Neal was my first love, and a part of me will always hold him in my heart, but I'm a different person than I was then. And….I know now your dad had his reasons for doing what he did, and at least part of him thought he was doing the right thing, but he really hurt me. I do forgive him, but it's just hard to move past some wounds, I guess."

Henry merely looked at her for a moment, and then nodded. "I think I kind of always knew it wasn't going to happen, even if he hadn't died."

"I'm so sorry, kid."

Henry shrugged. "It's okay, mom. I just want you to be happy. Does Hook make you happy?"

Emma smiled. "He does, kid. He really does."

"Then I think you should ask him out on a date."

Her stomach swooped again. "You do, do you?"

"Yeah. And I bet he'd say 'aye'."

Emma laughed. "You might be right. You're really okay with it? Really okay with me taking another stab at dating?"

"I mean, unless you guys start making out in front of me all the time," Henry said with a grin. "That would just be gross."

Emma laughed again, and then leaned down for one more hug. "You know kid, I really love you."

"Love you too mom. So when are you going to ask him?"

Emma thought for a moment. "Well, knowing how things in this crazy town are, probably sooner rather than later is best."

"Tomorrow," Henry said. "When you drop me off for the bus by Granny's. Go ask him then."

Emma smiled. "Sounds like a plan. Alright, it's getting late. Just about time for lights out. See you in the morning."

Notes:

-I miss OUAT. It's just not the same without a new episode to look forward to every week (or at least at the end of a hiatus).

-So in 4x4, just before Emma asks Killian out, she asks Henry if he's sure he's okay with this. That leads me to believe that she had a conversation with him about asking Killian out before she actually did it. This story is obviously my take on that conversation—with a nice dose of Daddy Charming tossed in for good measure.

-Up next: Deleted scene or canon divergence from 4b. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going yet, but it will definitely be 4b.