Chapter 8: Overstepping Lines

Henry sat at the dinner table at his dad's place, stabbing his fork at the hardened piece of meat on his plate.

"Not hungry, kid?"

He looked up and shrugged, "Not really."

"How did that reading fair go at your school?"

"Really good. Mom and Killian both came which was neat."

"That guy from your apartment." He snorted. "Already moved on to a new one, huh?"

"Killian is my friend. I invited him."

"You just invited an adult to your school thing? You know you really need to learn to play with kids your own age. Your mom lets you spend too much time with William as it is."

"I have friends, dad. But the apartment is like family."

"Yeah so I've been told." He grumbled. "You know I was thinking about talking to your mom about you staying here a bit more often." Henry dropped his fork on his plate.

"What? Why?"

"Don't you want to spend more time with me?"

Henry rested his head in his hands, a pout forming on his face. "How will you have time with all your business trips?"

"Hey buddy, I told you that was an important trip."

"Yeah, I know. I remember. Can I be excused? I'm not feeling very well."

Henry got up from the table and retreated to the small room at the end of the hall that was filled with boxes and a small mattress on the floor that he slept on when he visited. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with his dad, but when he was here, his dad just didn't seem all that interested in knowing anything about him. He seemed to only want to have him around when his guests came for a visit. All the women that his dad brought home seemed really impressed that Neal was taking care of a kid.

He opened his book, pulling the pencil from the spot he had left off and thought about the next part of his story.

Henry watched as the Captain led his mother toward the small house on the end of town. They knocked on the door and waited but no one seemed to be home. Captain Jones disappeared around the back of the home, looking for a way inside.

Henry leaned against the tree, his thoughts swirling about the information he had learned. His father was alive. This Swan Thief man that he had heard about, his photos plastered around the town with the wanted posters offering a reward. How could this man be his father? How could his mother have been with a man who was currently wanted dead or alive?

His thoughts were interrupted by a rustling sound, and he turned quickly to see someone dashing behind him.

"Hello son."

The man stood in front of him, his hands held out as if he were to welcome him with a hug.

"Who are you?"

"I just told ya kid. I'm your father. I'm Baelfire. Your mother has kept you from me for so long. But not anymore. I've come to find you."

Henry stepped back. "Stay away from me. You're not a good man."

"It's all hearsay boy. You can trust me."

Henry turned toward the house just outside the tree line, opened his mouth to warn his mother, when everything around him went black.

Emma waited impatiently on the doorstep for the Captain to get into the house. She tapped her foot anxiously.

"No one is home." The door opened and Captain Jones appeared in the door frame, a smug look on his face.

Emma pushed past him into the home, yanking the rug from the floor and pulling on the hidden door hidden below. "He got into the castle through here."

They heard a noise down below and looked up at each other. "Did you hear that?"

He pushed past her, descending into the darkness as Emma followed him down the ladder. "Over here Swan."

She followed the voice toward a small flicker of a flame. When she reached the light, she saw Leroy, his mouth gagged, his hands tied, as the Captain pulled on the rag holding his mouth.

"Princess, it's Baelfire. He's back."

Emma looked up at the Captain and panic set in. Where was her son? "Henry." She spoke quickly running back to the ladder and climbing with haste. She ran out of the small house, searching the trees for her son. "Henry." She hollered but no sound came back. Frantically she ran to the back of the house, but the boy was gone.

Captain Jones was at her side in a moment, and she reached out, grabbing his lapel and she screamed angrily into his face. "Henry's gone. Baelfire has my son."

"A toast to being beautiful and single." Ruby announced as she held her shot glass above her head. "Men suck."

Emma giggled, clinking her glass against her friends then tilted it into her mouth, swallowing the warm liquid with a quick cough.

"Not all men, ya bloody drunk gits." Will complained before downing his shot.

"Not you, you're all soft and sweet." Emma pinched his cheek. "And squishy." She squeezed and he pushed her hand away from his face.

"I am not."

"You so are." Ruby cooed across from him.

"Ok enough of this nonsense. You were only with the bloke for two weeks."

"That's longer than I lasted with Jerry." She pouted.

"I wouldn't broadcast that across the room." He said, rolling his eyes. "Maybe you should stop dating random men in bars, try a coffee shop, they are at least committed to their coffee order. Maybe it will last longer."

"Poo what do you know, you haven't dated in ages."

"Yeah Will, we haven't seen you with a woman since Ana."

"Just waitin' for the right one." He said with a glint in his eyes.

"And does she have a name?" Emma inquired, her head feeling a bit like it was starting to spin..

"All women have names, Em."

"Does this one have a specific name?" Ruby demanded.

"Would you both bloody get off my back? There's no woman, not exactly." He grabbed his beer and drank it quickly.

"Fine, keep your secrets." Emma whined.

"You want to talk about secrets, what's going on with you and Graham?"

It was Emma's turn to grab her drink, gulping it as her friends stared at her expectantly. "There's nothing to tell." She said, slamming her drink down on the table. "He's been busy lately with the old people and his Segway lessons."

"Wait, he's actually learning how to ride a Segway?" Will burst into laughter. "He really does want to be Paul Blart."

"Stop, he's trying to get a job downtown as a security guard at Faneuil Hall. They ride Segway's and he wants to learn before he applies."

"So sexy." Ruby cackled.

"I can just imagine you both coming down the aisle on your Segway's." Will choked as he laughed loudly.

"I hate you both." She pouted, ordering another round.

"You know what I wouldn't mind? Taking a ride on that sexy ass bike of Killian's." Ruby practically purred as she spoke.

Images sprung to mind in Emma's head, the dark bike glistening in the moonlight, her head thrown back, her legs wrapped around his waist as he brought her hips down against him, his cock buried inside of her.

"Totally hot." She mumbled under her breath.

"See even the Princess agrees with me, Killian Jones is hot as hell."

"What?" Her head jerked up toward her friends.

"You said it, totally hot. I'm just agreeing with you."

"I didn't say that." She protested.

"I heard the words too, totally bloody hot." Will teased. "Did I tell you that she practically took her shirt off before inviting him to the barbeque."

Emma kicked him under the table. "I did not. I had a clothing mishap."

"Oh, do tell." Ruby giggled.

"Half her shirt was unbuttoned; her tits were out on a stroll of their own."

"Stop it! That is not what happened."

"That must be why he's always got his tongue out of his mouth when Emma bends over."

Emma spun toward Will. "He does no such thing. He has a girlfriend."

"Whatever." Will said sourly, finishing his beer. "I'm knackered. Let's get a cab and get the hell out of here before Emma falls out of her chair."

"I'm perfectly fine." She laughed, slipping, and nearly tumbling from her tall stool as she tried to step down. "Or not." She cackled, grabbing onto Will's shoulder.

The taxi ride home was filled with laughter and joking from her friends, Emma content to stare out the window, trying with everything she could not to think about her sexy hot neighbor and his bike. Or his stupid hair that she imagined running her fingers through. Or his stupid jeans that fit him so nicely. Definitely not his mouth. She was not at all thinking about his mouth.

By the time she stumbled out of the elevator, her body was on fire with need. She hugged Will before he closed his door and walked arm and arm with Ruby to her door.

"Thank you for escorting me, you beautiful woman." Ruby tilted in her heels, reaching out and grabbing the wall with a loud laugh. "Get some sleep."

"Night Rubes. Happy being single again day." She blew her friend a kiss as the door closed.

She looked across the hall at Killian's door. "Good night you sexy beast." She growled at the door, kicking off her shoes and carrying them to her apartment. She shoved her key into the apartment and pushed. The door didn't budge. "Dammit." She kicked the door, then dropped her shoes on the floor.

Turning back down the hall, she grabbed ahold of the wall and slid down toward the door that had been calling her to it for the last five minutes. Lifting her hand, she knocked and waited. Looking at her watch she realized it was 1am. Suddenly it dawned on her that he could be in bed with Belle. She backed away just as the door swung open.

"Swan?"

"Hey you, motorcycle man." She slurred.

"Emma, are you quite alright?"

"I'm doing great. Are you in bed?"

He chuckled. "Not currently, no, but I was pretty content there a minute ago."

She looked at the robe wrapped around his waist and hummed, reaching out to tug at the fabric. "Do you sleep naked, Jones?"

He smirked. "Are you drunk, love?"

"Me? Of course I'm drunk. Why wouldn't I be drunk? Aren't you drunk?" There was movement behind him, and a dog pounced into view.

Emma squealed, "Hello little guy." Emma ducked under Killian's arm, wandering into the dark apartment, and reaching out for the dog who was jumping around her feet.

"Why don't you come in." He sighed, shutting the door behind him.

"I couldn't get my door to open, so I thought I'd come to yours."

"And why would you do that? Will is right across the hall."

"I know, I was drinking with him tonight. I'm drunk." She giggled, reaching out and running her hand along the silk of his robe.

"I can see that. Shall I try and get your door open for you?"

Before he could move, she grabbed him by the robe. "What's your rush, Jones?"

"Emma…" He said, with a warning tone.

"What?" She teased her fingers across his chest, watching his jaw tense as her palm flattened against his flesh.

"You're drunk and I don't think this is a good idea."

"You don't even know what I want yet." He looked down between them, her fingers curling the hair on his chest between them.

"Let me just put on some pants and I'll help you get in your apartment." He protested.

"Is the Pirate scared of the Princess?" She said with a dark look in her eyes. Pressing her body up against his, the hard appendage currently pressed into her hip telling her that he was affected by her presence as much as she was by his. Her fingers ran across his chest, slipping further down to his abdomen, firm against her palm.

When she looked up and met his eyes, the same want and desire burned in his, she gasped as his mouth dropped to hers, the force of it knocking her back against the wall as he pressed into her. Her entire body caught fire as his hands knotted in her hair, his tongue sweeping across her lips before thrusting into her mouth. Gone was the timid kiss they had shared in her apartment. This was wanton and desperate and full of everything Emma had been missing in her life.

Instinctively her leg wrapped around his waist, pulling him against her, her hands roaming his chest, sliding against his neck, digging into that hair she had dreamt so much about. She groaned appreciatively as his hands explored her hip, slipping under her shirt until she felt his hand on her breast, warm against the fabric of her bra.

Just as suddenly as it had begun, his warmth withdrew from her as he moved away. "Emma, we have to stop. This is wrong." She stepped forward, reaching for his neck, needing to feel his mouth on hers again. "You've been drinking, you don't want this."

Suddenly she was angry, how dare he tell her what she wants or doesn't want. "I want you." She growled. "Tell me you don't want me."

He shook his head. "I can't. Graham. We can't." He breathed out heavily.

"God, of course you have to be a goddamn gentleman all the time." She turned and yanked the door open, tearing down the hall.

"Emma." He followed her into the hall, chasing after her as he held his robe shut. "Would you get back here?"

"Leave me alone." She jiggled on the door, willing it to open, practically begging for the damn thing to budge. He reached around her, turning the key, and pushing the door open. She stormed into her apartment turning around to face him.

"Emma…" He said softly.

"You know just because I have sex with you in my head every goddamn night doesn't give you the right to live there."

He stepped back in the hall, "You're pissed at me because you have dreams about having sex with me and somehow this is my fault?"

"Of course, it is, you and your goddamn hair and that stupid bike." She yelled.

He shook his head. "Go sleep it off, sweetheart."

"Go fuck yourself." She glared.

"Gladly." He stormed off toward his apartment and Emma stuck her head into the hall.

"Enjoy your hand." She yelled, slamming her door shut and wandering through her house to fall into bed. She curled up around her pillow and let sleep take her away.

Killian tossed and turned the rest of the night. The feel of Emma's body burning on his skin. He should have stopped himself from touching the bloody woman at all. But the way she was looking at him, the pure desire in her eyes, he wanted her. Bloody hell he wanted the woman.

But he couldn't be with a woman who was involved with another man. He wouldn't do that again. He couldn't be that man again. He wasn't perfect, he had been with many women since leaving Milah, but they had all been free agents, unattached, and available to be with as he pleased. He did no harm, and he left no baggage.

When he woke in the morning, he didn't feel any better than he had hours before. His head hurt and his body was still needing release from the frustration of having Emma in his arms. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to the woman when he saw her, he couldn't afford for things to break down between them. There was the matter of Henry, after all.

Killian suddenly felt an odd sensation, worrying about another man's child. It wasn't like they were sharing custody of the boy. He was his neighbor for goodness sake. That was all.

He got out of bed and ran a cold and bracing shower to take care of the situation at hand. He would worry about Emma once his brain could think again.

The cold water ran down his body causing bumps to form along his skin. He shivered, shaking his head as water splashed against the walls. When he could take the sensation no more, he turned off the water and toweled off, dressing quickly before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Before he could start the stove there was a knock on his door. When he opened the door, Emma was standing in the door frame, bracing herself against the wood, dark glasses on her face.

"Jones." She said, her voice throaty and tired. "Can we talk?"

He stifled a laugh as he let her into his apartment. She looked wrecked and completely miserable, and the sight was almost comical. "And how is the little lush feeling this morning?"

"Don't make this more difficult than it already is. I don't remember a lot of what went down last night, but I'm pretty sure I was way out of line."

Killian stared at the woman, examining her body language. "Aye. Lines were stepped over."

"I just wanted to apologize and say that it won't happen again. I had a really long week, Ruby just got dumped, we were celebrating, and I think I might have had a bit too much to drink."

"Did you figure that out from the blinding headache, or…"

"Probably more to do with the keys I left in the door last night, as well as the fact I found my shoes in the freezer this morning."

He couldn't hold in his laughter any longer. "Can't hold your liquor, Swan."

"Enough. I just came to apologize, not be teased."

"Well, no harm done." He bowed.

"So, we're good here?" He nodded and she walked to the door. "Alright then. Sorry again."

"So, you really don't remember anything?" He queried.

Her sun glassed eyes met his. "Nope."

"Well, then I guess I hope you feel better." He mused, watching her retreat down the hall, wondering how much of what she said was the truth, while ignoring his desire to carry her to his couch, make her breakfast, and tend to her in any manner she truly desired.

Emma made her way back to her apartment, her head resting against the door as soon as she shut it. She peeled the glasses off her face, groaning as the room continued to spin, blue eyes staring into her, his hands touching her everywhere until his mouth was on hers. She remembered everything, every kiss, every touch, every desire she had for the man. The only thing she wished for was that she could forget.