Killian held Emma tightly, his hand tangling in her hair.

"We did it," she said again. "We actually did it. I thought I was never going to get out of there."

Emma pulled back, kissing him hard on the lips, and just as Killian was getting into it, she pulled back again.

"What's going on, Killian? Why was I whisked away from Storybrooke?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Swan. I was in a prison of my own."

"Where?"

His jaw tightened. "Neverland. Oh, not to worry, I was quite alone. I managed to get ahold of a friendly mermaid and got the hell out of there."

Emma looked confused. "So you weren't in Storybrooke? What the hell happened?"

"It's a bit of a convoluted tale, best told when we're safely off the street for the evening. Is it a solid wager that they'll be watching the inns in the area?"

"Pretty much." Emma sank back into the driver's seat. "We need to get out of this car." Her fingers tapped the steering wheel impatiently. "Wait – didn't we go over some train tracks a few minutes ago?"

"Yes, we did. Do you think we can get aboard?"

"We need to follow them to wherever the nearest loading yard is. If we can get aboard a freight train, we can get out of here without being noticed, if we're careful."

"Then you need to drive," Killian said, "And I'll watch for tracks. As usual, we make a hell of a team."

Emma smirked, and put the car in gear. It didn't take long to find the tracks, and follow them to the loading yard. A ninety minute wait and a broken lock later, and they were aboard a box car, speeding off into the distance.

"I hope Neal is okay," Emma said, leaning her head back against the wall of the freight car.

"According to Ariel, Regina was in the process of trying to adopt him," Killian said. "Hopefully, she'll succeed. Henry did tell her that the woman seemed to be caring for the child."

"I know, but I don't like it. A kid needs his mother. And I don't like Henry cozying up to this nutcase."

Emma pulled her knees up wrapping her arms around them.

"Hey," Killian said, rubbing his hand up and down her back before pulling her back against him. "He'll be all right. And we'll be there soon. Try to get some rest." He kissed the top of her head, stroking her hair back off her face. Emma snuggled into his chest, resting her head there.

"I swear, I didn't sleep a wink in that place," she grumbled. "It's like I was seventeen all over again."

"I learned long ago to sleep with one eye open in Neverland. If anything, it made me more uneasy that I was alone."

"Until you found a way to get to me," Emma reminded, looking up at him. He smiled down at her.

"I'll always find a way to get to you, Swan. You're never going to be rid of me, love."

Emma snuggled in again, smiling.

###

"What do you mean, it isn't due process? I'm the mayor," Regina insisted.

Archie looked at Marco with his brows raised. Marco shrugged as if to say "See? She's crazy."

"Regina," Archie said placatingly. "You haven't been mayor since you married Marco, remember?"

Regina gritted her teeth and forced a smile. "Of course, I realize that. But has the office been filled?"

Archie seemed confused for a moment. "No...no, it hasn't. But you can hardly take the office when you're so taken by panic attacks that you can't leave your own home. I'm sorry, Regina, but we have to be realistic, here."

"And what about the baby?" Regina asked. "We're just going to let this...this stranger raise one of our children? We know nothing about her, and from what Henry tells me, she's manic depressive."

Archie's eyes dropped uncomfortably, and Regina pounced. "And you agree with that diagnosis, don't you?"

He bit his lip, nodding slightly. "Yes, I've seen Dora twice since she came to town. And she does seem to have some sort of depressive disorder. She's not talking much yet, but I'm hopeful."

"And in the meantime, she's raising a child. As if she doesn't have enough to deal with," Regina pointed out.

"While I agree that Dora isn't ideal," Archie said, "Neither are you at the moment, Regina. I'm sorry, but I have to consider all the options, and sending the baby into another unstable situation isn't ideal, either."

"Unstable!" Regina realized she'd raised her voice, and immediately backed down. She stood up from the couch, pacing back and forth, thinking hard.

"Stability," she said. "That's it. This child needs a family."

"That would be ideal," Archie said. "At least until Mary Margaret awakens - if she ever does."

Regina folded her arms, leaning back against the table set against the wall. "What if I told you I know of just such a family? Stable. Loving. And they want a child."

"I'd be happy to entertain other possibilities, Regina, if you know of them."

"How about the Nolans?" she suggested. "Catherine is a warm and loving person, and so is David. This might be just the thing to bring them closer together."

Archie nodded his head slowly as the idea began to take root. "Yes...yes, we could do that. That might be ideal, actually. It would give David something to focus on besides his memory loss."

"I would feel much better knowing that baby is being cared for by people we know and trust," Regina said. "And I'm sure David and Catherine would be more than happy to foster the child."

Archie stood up, reaching for his coat. "I'll go and talk to them now, Regina." He walked toward the door, opening it. "Thank you," he said, and then he was gone.

"Are you happy now, my dear?" Marco asked. "The babe will be seen to." He stood up as well, grabbing his own coat. "And now I can get back to my search. I'll see you for dinner." He leaned down, giving Regina a dry kiss on the cheek before he followed Archie out.

Regina leaned back against the wall, sighing.

"Well, Snow...it was the best I could do. Maybe it'll help him remember."

###

"How long have I been out?" Emma asked, stretching.

"A few hours," Killian yawned. "It's hard to tell in this bloody boxcar. Dark as a tomb in here."

He wasn't kidding. Emma reached out, feeling for his face.

"Ow! That was my eye!"

"Sorry!" She gave a half-laugh. "I was just trying to find your face."

"Well, now you've blinded me."

"So you wear an eyepatch," she said, stretching again. "You'll fit right in with all the other pirates."

She could just imagine that brow of his going up. "I've spent a lifetime standing out, Swan. Killian Jones doesn't simply 'blend in.'"

She felt her way down his face until her fingers reached his lips, then she brought her face up to kiss him.

And bonked foreheads with him instead.

"Ow! Bloody hell!"

"Sorry! God, I'm so sorry!" She was really laughing now, even though she felt terrible about hurting him. "Geez, it really is dark in here."

He reached out carefully, guiding her back to lay against him. His hand moved slowly from her waist, trailing up along her side.

"You just need to be more careful, that's all," he said. His voice sounded husky in the darkness. "Feel your way," he suggested.

His hand moved slowly from her ribs over to her arm, trailing up her neck to cup her face. He brushed his thumb slowly back and forth on her jaw, and she could feel his body shifting as he bent down. His breath feathered her lips, and she carefully - oh, so carefully - pushed up to meet him. He kissed her lingeringly, taking his time, then peppered her face and eyelids with smaller, softer kisses.

"There now," he said. "Properly kissed."

Emma tried to hold it back, but the yawn came out anyway.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "Didn't mean to yawn in your face. Guess I'm still kinda tired."

"It's still a long way from dawn," Killian said. "And since my kisses are boring you, perhaps we're better off getting some more sleep."

Emma made a face, despite the fact that she knew he couldn't see it. "Okay," she agreed. "But lets stretch out this time. You're a great pillow, but my back is killing me."

She carefully moved off him, stretching out on her side and then reaching back for him to guide him in next to her. He came down behind her, sliding his arm around her.

"Ah. That is better. Leather gets so...bunchy."

She was quiet for a long while, and Killian thought she might have fallen asleep, until her voice broke the silence.

"You don't bore me, you know."

He smiled against her hair. "That's a relief."

"Seriously. From the moment we met, you've never bored me."

He raised up a bit, wishing he could see her face. "We've certainly never lacked for conversation," he said. "And I could never be bored looking at you, love."

"And for the record, your kisses aren't boring either."

"Well, at least you haven't damaged my lips. Yet."

She smacked at his hand, where it lay on her stomach. "Go to sleep, Killian."

"You, too, love. We're together again. Everything will come 'round."

We're together again, everything will come 'round. Emma smiled, knowing that somehow, he was right.