A/N: Thanks again for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I'm glad you guys enjoy the one-shots. A guest pointed out in a review that in "Chained to a Hook", Hook would not have been able to take off his jacket. I fear I forgot that! However, he could have turned it inside out while chained, so let's just say he did that ;)

I own nothing.

Enjoy the fluff!

"Love, can you hear me?" Hook questioned somewhat desperately. He knelt beside Emma, who was fading in and out of consciousness. Moments before, Cora had blasted her with a ball of dark magic. The magic had hit Emma mid-chest and caught her mid-stride. The power of the blow had been so strong that it'd sent Emma flying—and she had crashed painfully against a tree. "Cora, for the love of God, get out of here!"

"Let her die. Why protect her, Hook?" Cora laughed, pleased with her work.

"Because I love her, you witch!" Hook snarled, spit flying from his mouth. "Now leave!"

Cora's smile turned into a frown. "Poor pirate," she said sarcastically. "She could never love you. You're too much like me."

"Cora, I swear to God...if you don't leave..."

With another silly chuckle, Cora vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

"Stay with me, Swan," Hook whispered, quickly unscrewing his hook from his wrist. He had to carry her back to town, and he didn't need his hook impaling her beautiful flesh...the flesh that he had seen completely bare a few nights ago. In a second, he stuck his hook in his belt. "This is going to hurt," he added, sticking his left arm under Emma's knees and the other around her upper back.

Emma screamed out, waking from the pain. "Let go of me, motherfucker!" she bellowed, seething at the pain.

Even in his state of panic, Hook could not hold back his laughter. "I wish you'd curse at me more often, love. Do that the next time we're in bed, okay?" He rushed down through the foliage, intent on getting her to the hospital. Charming and Snow White would probably murder him when they saw him carrying their dying daughter into town.

"It hurts," Emma whimpered. "Son of a bitch..."

"You may have a few broken ribs." Or worse, he thought worriedly.

It was nearly a mile back to Storybrooke. Emma wasn't particularly heavy; she was fit and had an athletic body, but her cries were enough to make him stumble and have trouble. Every step he took, she hissed in agony.

"What—happened?" Emma asked, voice dazed. She passed out before he could answer, her head lolling back against his shoulder. That wasn't good.

"Shit," Hook said, "Shit, shit, shit—Emma, stay with me." He couldn't stop and lay her on the ground. He debated whether he should check up on her... We're nearly there... But then the silence startled him.

She wasn't breathing.

"Swan!" Hook shouted, lowering her to the ground and pressing his ear tightly to her bosom, listening for a heartbeat. He heard nothing. "No, no, no," Hook murmured, instantly opening her mouth with his hand and blowing oxygen into her lungs twice. The second he removed his lips from hers, he moved his hand to her chest and placed his wrist over the hand to add power. Thirty compressions later and she wasn't responding. "Come on!" Hook yelled. "Come on! Swan, you can't give up on me that easily!" He restarted the process once more, and she still did not reanimate. "Fuck!" Hook screamed helplessly, trying for a third time.

As he was on the eighteenth compression, Emma gasped out. Her back arched off the wet ground, and she coughed madly. Hook released a stuttered gasp of joy. "Did you just kiss and fondle me?" Emma questioned, voice weak. "While I was asleep? God, you bastard..." She was about to continue, but Hook swung her up into his arms.

"Don't stop cursing at me," Hook begged her, trying to keep her talking.

"Is that your fetish?" Emma joked, giggling dementedly, but she moaned in pain as her ribs shook with the laughter. She was acting so high...

"Beautiful, you have no idea," Hook huffed, breathing hard. He was booking it, using his adrenaline and his fear to spur him on. He could not lose Emma. They were just starting to kick it off—she was beginning to feel for him. And that bitch Cora had ruined it! "What the hell... were you thinking? Going in...after her...like that...without backup? You're...lucky...I stalk you...Swan," he said in between his labored breaths.

"It hurts," Emma repeated again, shrieking as she bounced a little in his arms.

Her whimpers of pain stabbed him in his heart. He had never seen her so vulnerable...

"We're almost there," Hook reassured her.

"God—your motherfucking bastard," Emma bawled, slapping him in the chest. "It hurts! Let me down!"

"Swan, stop hitting...me or you'll...turn me on," Hook warned her. "And then we'll... never get you to...the hospital." He trudged out of the woods in record time, thanking the heavens for his physical stamina.

Emma became silent suddenly, and Hook panicked, gazing down into her green eyes. He halted, staring at her. She grabbed his jaw with her free, uninjured arm, wincing in the process, but she did not let get. Emerald met sapphire. "Did you tell Cora that you loved me?" she breathed, shuddering at the physical murder her ribs were suffering.

Hook exhaled sharply. "Beautiful, I need to get you to the hospital."

"No—look at me," Emma demanded. "Do you love me?" She was panting in effort. Their pause allowed Hook to catch his breath.

"Jesus Christ, Swan! You nearly died on me—and now you want to discuss matters of the heart?" Hook hissed. His eyes were pained, and he was no longer smiling or grinning. No. He was frowning and his lips were together in a thin line. For once, Hook was not laughing. For once, he was dead serious.

"Answer the question, damn it!" Emma froze and released his jaw to clutch at her side.

"For the love of God, Swan—yes! Yes, I love you! Now shut up and let me get you to the hospital!"

That silenced her.

Out of sheer luck, the hospital was only two hundred meters down the road. Emma didn't speak again as he carried her down the street, heading straight for the hospital. He made quick work and practically slammed through the sliding doors of the Emergency Room. "Help!" he bellowed, "Sheriff Swan was attacked by Cora."

Dr. Whale appeared seconds later, aiding him in settling her on a stretcher. In the process, Emma turned her sailor's mouth on him. The poor doctor winced under her torrent, and Hook had to hand it to her: she had a wicked tongue. Damn. Just as they were about to take her away, Emma's eyes rested on Hook, and she pleaded: "Don't leave me." Before Emma could get him to reply, Dr. Whale and five attendants ran her down the hall and through operating doors.

"Love, I'll be here."

"Like hell you are!" an enraged voice announced. Turning, Hook had just enough time to see a massive fist loom into his vision and collide with his cheek. Charming had arrived.

Hook landed flat on his back. "What the bloody hell?"

"You did this," Charming said, murderous.

"I saved her life," Hook objected. "Cora was about to kill her!" This caught Charming off-guard. "I even reanimated her," he added for effect. "If not for me, she would be dead—so show a little appreciation, Your Highness."

Charming growled under his breath and stalked after Dr. Whale.

"Prick," Hook whispered.

He prayed that Emma was going to be okay.

Because he loved her...

And now she knew.

Thought it would be fun to see the panicked, soft side of Hook for once. What do you guys think?