This chapter consists of Emma and Killian properly meeting. Well sort of properly. Meeting. At least meeting. I can definitely say there is some meeting involved.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters. I can't even imagine what I would do with Hook if I did ;)

Can I clear my conscience,

If I'm different from the rest?

~Imagine Dragons: Monster

Emma vaguely feels herself jolt. Like someone is pounding on her chest.

Jolt. Pound. Jolt. Pound.

She feels herself slowly,oh so slowly, coming back from….from what? It hadn't been death, surely. She had just been feeling so warm and content and bright, but the pounding and jolting was bringing her back. Back to the cold, to the discomfort, to the...Voice.

Currently speaking in-you guessed it- extremely loud tones to-you guessed again- wind.

How does one have a conversation with the wind? she wonders briefly, before regurgitating water and was that some sort of lake vegetation?

The yelling stops.

"Lass?" the voice says incredulously. "She's alive?!" he shouts to no one in particular. Turning to an empty corner he says, "So sorry to have doubted you."

A pause.

"What do you MEAN I never apologize? I ALWAYS apologize!"

A mumbled, "Shutup."

Finally, a grumpy, "Lass?"

Emma turns to her captor,and is nothing short of astonished.

He's…

Kind of gorgeous.

It's not his body, and it's sure as heck isn't his attitude. It's his eyes. Unmistakably blue, even in the dim light. She looks at him for the first time.

His hair is dark, disheveled. Matted. It almost looks like he's been pulling at it.

His face is long, pale, withdrawn. Sickly. His eyes are bagged, his stubble growing in a frenzied mess. He looks sick.

His body looks like it used to be tall, but it's now hunched over. His hands are large, and crooked, broken looking. His feet are awkwardly large. He looks sick.

Very sick.

And wet.

Why on earth?...Oh.

She remembers. The window. The jump. The water. The brief escape. The brief freedom.

Her eyes narrow.

The Voice. Jerk.

He's staring at her, obviously waiting for something.

Oh, she will sooo give him something.

Her eyes still slits, she stares at him. "You kidnapped me."

"I brought you here."

"Against my will."

"I welcomed you."

"I don't remember the last time I ate. Oh! Wait! It was right before you kidnapped me."

"I didn't kidnap you."

"Yes you did."

"I beg to differ."

"Beggars can't be choosers." She's sitting up now, and he's glaring at her.

"I am not a beggar."

"Nope, I agree: You're a kidnapper."

"I-"

"You made me jump out of a window."

"No-"

"You're insane."

"You-"

"You talk to invisible people."

"I-"

"YOU FREAKING KIDNAPPED ME!"

"YOUR FATHER GAVE YOU TO ME!"

She stops. She had managed to stand and was now dangerously close to toppling over. "He would never…"

"Not even for a debt?"

"No! He…"

"He said you needed taking care of and I offered my assistance."

"Stop…"

"He didn't even put up any resistance!"

"You're lying!"

"A man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets, love." He sneers, and she cannot deny his hideousness. No pretty blue eyes could make up for that.

She feels her heart break.

Her father wouldn't do that!

...Would he?

After all, he had been seriously considering marrying her off to Baelfire to pay some debts. Why not the Voice?

But he had never spoken of the Voice before. He couldn't know him. So he couldn't owe him.

Her eyes narrow.

` "What debts do I pay for?"

"His thievery."

Emma feels her jaw drop. Father doesn't steal!

Then again, until moments ago, she believed he didn't sell his only daughter to strange men.

She feels him smirking and looks up.

He's smirking. "Not a very charming man, your father. Not charming at all."

"He's twice the man YOU'LL ever be," she snarls.

She watches him flinch. He snarls back.

"You don't know me."

"I know you kidnap innocent girls, and lie to them, and…" she stops. Her face pales. "Oh my…" her voice trails off to a whisper. "Where is he?"

"Sorry, love, speak louder."

"Where is he?!" she screams, throwing herself at him amidst a tornado of furious fists."What did you do to my father?!" Her fists slow and she drops her head on his chest, missing the look of surprise on the Voice's face.

She starts sobbing.

He pushes back, and she crumples onto the floor.

"I sent him home."

…..

Hours later, Killian hears footsteps outside his library. He stiffens as the door opens. She walks in. He ignores her, until she speaks.

"You're bleeding."

He stiffens in surprise, and glances down at his forearm. There is, indeed, blood. Bugger. Must have snagged onto something in the moat.

Still refusing to look at her, he stares at his book intently. "I'm not bleeding. It's dried up now."

He feels her nod, and she leaves.

He continues to stare at his book.

A few minutes later, she comes back with a large bowl. He hides his surprise with more book-staring.

He continues to ignore her until she touches him. Not touches, he corrects himself: attacks. She had taken a rag out of the bowl and started wiping his arm.

He roars. Literally roars. "WHAT THE BLOODY-? WHAT IS THAT, WOMAN?!"

She hums as she dips the rag back into the bowl. "Rum. And a waste of it at that." She starts dabbing his arm again, staring into his eyes, daring him to stop her.

He stares back. Finally she says, as though discussing the weather, "I heard what you said."

He raises a brow, that had long since been reduced to a sad pale replica of the ones he used to own. "And what would that be, love?"

"That you sent my father home. Did you? Really?" Her eyes narrow. "Or are you lying to me?"

He's actually surprised. He really is. "Why would I lie to you? I may be a…" a monster, he thinks, and clears his throat. "But I'm a man of honour."

Emma snorts. "I'm sure."

He glares at her. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You kidnapped me."

"For the last bloody time, I did NOT kidnap you!"

Suddenly, she's in his face, and he feels his breath catch. Her eyes are a very beautiful green. "Listen, whoever you are: I have a superpower of sorts. I can tell when someone's lying to me. And YOU," she leans even closer, and he's forced to lean back, "are lying to me."

He feels like she has a knife at his throat. He doesn't answer.

"Tell. Me. The. Truth," she snarls. Actually snarls.

Perhaps, thinks Killian, I am not the only one with the side of a monster here.

"Fine," he spits. "I kidnapped you. Happy?"

"No, I am not happy you kidnapped me. I wish to go home."

"You are home."

"Home is where the heart is. And nothing here has any claim on my heart." With that she spins on her heel and out of the room. He stares at the door she just passed through.

She had bested him.

No one bests Killian Jones.

How does one go about besting a monster?

He ponders that, until suddenly her blonde head pokes around the door.

"Thank you. For saving my life."

And she's gone.

Killian stares at the spot she had just graced, then stares down at the arm she had nursed.

With his rum.

She used his rum?! Bloody woman, she doesn't know who-what- she's up against.

He stares at the door.

She doesn't come back again.

A/N:

Hey Munchkins!

I am so, so, so, SO SORRY about the late update. Today was, like, terrible and emotionally, then terrible and homework-y. Ugh.

You guys are seriously the best. Like, I'm sitting here crying, and I see your reviews and I. Freaking. Smile. Do you know how big of an accomplishment that is?!

Huge.

So, then:

SHOUTOUT! to maxandthalia for being a new friend, and also schnitzel31, who was sweet enough to send a review my way! :')

Good tears, guys. I'm feeling it.

ANYHOO, I just want you guys to know how fantastic you are. Seriously. Like, when I feel bad, sometimes I think, "Well, if I was a character in a book, the people would love me all the more for my flaws."

Keep that in mind you beautiful munchkins, you. :)

Keep the reviews coming, they really do make a difference in my day! I love you all!

Hugs and Kisses and Happy Tears,

~Mrs Killian Jones: Pureblood