"What the hell is going on here?" Emma shouted as she stood in the center of her cabin. She needed Liam Jones...not this, Killian Jones... and what was up with the hook?

This couldn't get any worse.

Looking heavenward she let out a big sigh. "I bet you think this is funny, don't you Flint?"

When Emma was frustrated or needed advice she found herself seeking the council of her old mentor, even though he was dead and buried at the bottom of the ocean; it gave her a strange sense of comfort and right now she could use something to keep her from feeling off balanced. Things weren't going according to plan and she hated when they didn't.

Killian stood outside the door with Cutter and he could hear Swan (as that's what he'd decided to call her) continue to curse at someone. He glanced over at the weathered man beside him.

"You said she was alone...correct?"

"Aye, that I did lad...she's under a wee bit of pressure as it were." Cutter scratched at his head before turning to address Killian, then he thought better of it and cleared his throat. "Cap'n!"

"Oh, what is it!" Killian could hear Swan's irritated voice muffled by the thick wood and couldn't help but picture her face pulled into a grimace...which actually didn't sound that unattractive. Wait, did he really just think that?

Cutter cleared his throat again and continued, "I 'ave the um...well, Mr. Jones wi' me!"

"It's Captain," Killian muttered under his breath, "Captain Jones."

"Oh for the love of...come in then Mr. Cutter!"

Grabbing Killian under the arm (as his hands were tied behind his back), Cutter opened the door and dragged him into the Black Swan's cabin. Upon entering Killian was shocked at the tidiness of the room. All of the pirates he'd dealt with had been uncouth characters who cared as little for cleanliness as they did good form. She stood in the middle of a fine rug, her hat was off and hair the color of spun gold hung loosely down her back. Indeed, she was like no pirate he'd ever seen and he didn't mind at all.

"Madam," he said bowing as much as Cutter's grip on his arm would allow. He took this opportunity to look her over from head to toe. Lithe and fit, she looked like she could beat any man who challenged her. But there was something about her face, a sophisticated air that didn't escape him. Good God, she was beautiful and it must have showed on his face for she rolled her eyes.

"My face, Hook, is up here." She growled, referring to him by the silver appendage that replaced his left hand, he raised his eyebrow at her. She was a feisty lass.

"My apologies M'lady, I…"

"Oh, enough!" Emma snapped at him. "Here's the problem, Hook…" Once again derogatorily speaking of the attachment, "I need to know why when I captured your ship instead of finding your brother, I found you instead."

He cocked his eyebrow higher and smirked, "Am I not good enough for you, Swan?" He teased her and Cutter promptly smacked him upside the head and he heard her give a slight snicker.

"Quite frankly, no. You're not good enough. I need your brother in order to hold him at a ransom. He is after all one the King's prized captains is he not?" She cut him off before he could respond, "A captain such as himself is highly valuable to a bloodthirsty tyrant and therefore worth quite the sum."

Killian could feel his blood boiling at the blasphemous remarks about the king. "You're a bloody pirate, what do you know of the king? He's not this tyrant that you say he is."

She gave a derisive snort and shook her head as if she were looking down at him...as though he were a child. "How blind you men are when you are in service to your king. Tell me, how exactly do you just get your consciences' to be silent at will?" It was her turn to cock her eyebrow and studied him, she was actually curious as to his answer.

"Are you, a pirate, really about to question me about my conscience, about my morals? You who pillage and plunder and don't give a damn whom you trample or who gets in your way." He cast a heated look at Cutter noticing the man had raising his hand, "And don't you hit me again."

"I don't pretend to be something I'm not, Hook, I know I'm a pirate. I know I'm about the lowest of the low. But even I am sickened when I see starving children in the streets! Little girls selling themselves in front of taverns, too ashamed to even look you in the eye when you pass." Her voice climbed in resonance, growing more passionate as she spoke. "I refuse to turn a blind eye to what your king has caused!"

He could now see why she made such an intimidating pirate. Her eyes darkened like the sky before a storm and her body tensed, like she might snap at any moment. She was a force of nature to be sure.

As Emma continued to berate the man he merely stood there, staring at her. She stopped her speech and tilted her head to look at him. He wasn't showing the appropriate kind of reaction she was hoping to get and it was irritating her. "Cutter, I believe he needs another good knock on the side of the head."

"My pleasure." Cutter chortled.

"No!" Killian was quick to respond as he turned to glare at Cutter who had his hand raised again. "I don't. Once was enough, I thank you."

Then Emma watched as Killian turned back to face her, his eyes were now dancing. Suddenly they were clearly showing every emotion in play in his mind. Emma was almost frightened by what she saw there; disagreement, disbelief, frustration...even admiration. He was clearly a passionate man, and Emma couldn't help but wonder in how many ways.

"Maybe you should have been something other than a pirate." Was all he said and Emma took an involuntary step back. This man confused her; he defended what he believed to be true and she could respect that but he also wasn't afraid to (at least what she saw this in his eyes) admit that maybe, he was wrong. She found that she couldn't look away from his deep blue eyes as if they kept her from moving as he held her gaze. Time momentarily stood still and she felt something stir inside that suddenly frightened her. She shook her head and turned her attention to Cutter.

"Mr. Cutter, is Marcus settled in his new position?" Cutter nodded, he was looking from Killian to Emma with a great deal of curiosity. "And how about the ship, can she sail?" Cutter lifted his eyes to hers, "She's o bit batter'd but she'll go."

"Good, take our..."guest" back to the hold, I'll talk to him later. But for now let's get under way. We'll be stopping at the nearest port... a pirate's port mind you. We don't need to show up with the King's bloody flagship in one of his ports like we almost did the last time. Oh, and let's make sure his vessel will make it the whole way."

"Aye, Cap'n. Let's go lad!" Emma tried not to look at Killian until she felt sure he wouldn't be looking, but the moment she decided to look their eyes met again and she could tell that the moment they just shared had affected him too. She felt a wave of heat rush over her, but this time she held the stare...she was made of stronger stuff than that. Killian gave her a short bow as he smiled at her and turned away to be led off by Cutter, leaving her feeling more vulnerable than she had in a long time...and she hated it.