I'm sorry that it's taking a bit longer to update nowadays, but it's a combination of school, exams, and the fact that the website isn't really working properly. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! And I want to say again thank you to all those who review, follow, and favorite this story. It really means a lot to me.

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT

Chapter 12: First-name basis

Feeling simultaneously irritated towards Neal and elated because of her conversation with Henry, Emma was pondering her next move. On the one hand, she really wanted to just tell Hook how she felt, but on the other hand, she was scared. She, Emma Swan, the Saviour, a leader, a lost girl, a mother, was scared to tell a man how she felt about him. And she hated that about herself.

She had talked to Anna about what had happened with Neal. The response was not at all surprising.

"I can't believe Neal would do that to you!" Anna exclaimed, emphasising just a little too much.

"You know if that's not how you really feel about the situation you can tell me your honest opinion."

"Are you sure?"

Emma smirked. "Yes, of course I'm sure."

"Well, honestly, it's kind of romantic."

"Romantic?!" It was Emma's turn to exclaim in surprise. "He lied to me about all of it!"

Anna smiled a sheepish smile. "Yeah, so that he could have you all to himself."

"That's-that's beside the point. He still lied to me. And ended up making me feel bad about getting mad at him for it!"

"I know that, and I agree that that was a bad move. But still, I mean –"

"This isn't still about you trying to get with Hook, is it?" Emma asked, suddenly suspicious.

"No! Of course it isn't. I would never do that to you unless I was absolutely sure you didn't care for him. And you obviously do, so it's not my place. But Emma, come on! You have so much history with Neal, are you really just going to throw that away?"

"I'm not going to throw it away. We can still be friends. And we're going to be there for Henry, together. That's the plan." Emma said, trying to sound as indifferent as possible.

"You mean that's your plan."

"Maybe, but I'm sure he'll agree with me."

"To be honest, Emma, I don't think he's going to down without a fight."

"Then I guess I'll just have to make my point clear to him."

"Did you make it clear to him yesterday?" Anna asked, and Emma went back over the argument she had had with Neal the day before.

"I- I think so. I mean, yeah, you know, sure."

"How convincing."

Emma shot her friend a menacing glare, and Anna raised her hands in surrender.

"Look, Emma, I'm just saying. If what you really want is to be with Hook, than you're going to have to show them. You're going to have to show them both. Otherwise, this entire situation could last for a lot longer that any of you would want it to."

"I know, I'm just…" Emma drifted off in her thoughts.

"Scared?" Anna asked, knowing exactly what was on her friends mind.

Emma sighed, and looked at her friend for comfort. "Yeah."

"I know you are." Anna put her arm around Emma's shoulder.

"When did you get to be so wise?" Emma asked, sighing loudly.

"I taught myself to be wise the last few years, because I knew that I would have to deal with your messes when I finally saw you again."

Emma chuckled, and the two friends spent the rest of the afternoon together, talking, laughing, and enjoying each other's company.

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The next morning began beautifully, with sun streaming in through the windows and a warmth coming through the floor boards. There was not a cloud in the sky, and a slight warm breeze was picking up locks of Emma's curled blonde hair as she walked over to the sherriff's station. She had decided to get up early to get more work done. That way, she could finish work faster and take Henry to dinner at the diner before dropping him back off at Regina's.

It was quiet in the town; it seemed that not many fairy-tale folk walked the streets at 7.30 in the morning, and Emma was grateful for the solitude. It gave her time to think about her next move. As she took a deep breath to get a taste of the fresh morning air, she heard someone calling out in the distance.

"Swan!"

She wanted desperately to ignore it, revelling in her alone-time, but the voice became more urgent as it came closer.

"Swan! Swan! Bloody Hell, EMMA!"

Emma finally turned around, giving into to whoever was trying to get her attention. As she turned around, she was Hook's profile coming towards her, and her stomach dropped. She hadn't prepared herself for this, and she didn't know how she would react to his presence.

"Wow, woman, didn't you hear me call you?"

"Woman?" Emma smirked, confident in herself that she could hold it together for the time being.

"Emma, if you prefer, darling." He winked at her, and she had to stop herself from sucking in a breath. This man had such an effect on her, it was almost ridiculous.

"Sure, whatever. What are you doing up so early, anyway?" Emma asked, trying to remain as sure in herself as she had before. But her confidence was fading quickly.

"Old habits die hard, Swan. The life of a pirate is waking up at dawn and going to sleep whenever it's quiet on the water. What, pray tell, are you doing up so early?"

"I-I wanted to get a head start on work." Her mind had wandered off, and was now picturing Hook in all his leather clad glory steering his ship.

"Swan?" Hearing him say her name shook her out of her thoughts, and she quickly glanced up at him.

"Yeah, sorry, what?" She said, trying to regain her composure. Finally remembering the question, she answered him.

"Oh, right. I just wanted to get an early start on work."

"Ever the strict sherriff, aren't we Swan." He grinned at her, an infectious grin that she couldn't stop from spreading onto her own face.

"Yeah, well, that's me!" Emma said, a bit too cheerfully. A slightly awkward silence descended over the two of them.

"So…Swan. I heard you and Baelfire fighting yesterday. Care to enlighten me as to what that was about?"

"That was a private conversation."

"A conversation stops being private the minute the entire guest list of Granny's hotel can listen in on it, love."

There he went, calling her love again. Emma really needed him to stop doing that.

"Still. No one was supposed to hear about it. Sorry if I disturbed your afternoon drink."

She felt her smile fade, and looked into the distance behind him. He noticed the change in her expression, and his eyes showed concern and he took a small step towards her, as though he was about to comfort her in some way. But he hesitated to touch her, and she was grateful, mostly because she wasn't sure that she coul deal with that at the moment.

"No need to apologize, Swan. If you don't want to talk about it, it remains none of my business."

"You're damn right it isn't." She saw his smile falter, and immediately felt bad about snapping at him that way. Still facing him, she started walking away from him, needing to put a bit of distance in between them. Having him be so understanding just made restraining herself that much harder, and she didn't want to admit anything to him in the current mood she was in.

"Look, Killian, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. But I really have to get to work. I'll- uhm – I'll see you around."

She turned around, trying to walk away from him as quickly as her feet would take her. But she heard heavy steps coming up behind her, and she could tell that he was following her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and before she could stop herself, she smiled at the contact. She didn't turn around though, because she could sense that his face would be close to hers if she did, and she didn't know what would happen.

"You know, darling, I don't recall you ever having called me Killian before."

She couldn't stop herself, and she turned around to face him. The thought made her smile, she couldn't remember ever having called him Killian either. It had been so effortless and had rolled off her tongue so easily. She liked the sound of it.

"You know, my name sounds quite nice, coming from you…Emma." He echoed her exact thoughts, and she smiled at the use of her own first name.

"Maybe I'll use it more often." She said, boldly flirting with him.

He smiled a soft smile, and looked right into her eyes.

"I'd like that." He said quietly, and she could feel his breath on her cheek, and she closed her eyes at the sensation. He smiled at her reaction to his proximity. She felt more relaxed than she had in a while, and she sighed as she opened her eyes again.

Putting a finger under her chin and tilting her head so that she was looking straight at him, Hook searched her face for any signs of how she was feeling. She had a content smile on her face, and, for the first time, she met his blue – eyed gaze with her own stormy gray one.

"What's going through that head of yours, Swan? I can't read you."

"Maybe that's just the way I like it." She smiled at him, and took a few steps back. He brushed his hand against her arm and her own hands as she stepped away from him, and finally let his arm fall to his side when she was out of his reach. She gave him one last smile, turned around, and walked further in the direction of the station. This time, he let her go, but not before he followed her every move with his gaze until she finally dissapeared around the corner.