I do not own these characters, Kitsis and Horowitz do. I'm just here to let them play.

"We finally got our math test back," Henry said offhandedly.

"And?" Emma knew he had gotten a good score just from the way Henry was bouncing on the stool.

"I got a B+, it would have been a B but I answered the bonus question right."

"Good for you, kid! See, I told you there was nothing to worry about. Now how about your history report? I know it's due next week and Belle told me you haven't be in the library very much."

"Ugh, why do you have to know everyone in town? I can't hide anything," he pouted into his hot chocolate.

"Hey, it's not just me. Regina and Mary Margaret know people too and we happen to talk to each other on occasion. Plus there is the fact that we live in a small town that no one can leave. Gossip is our only source of entertainment," she teased as she dipped her finger into her own mug, scooping out a dollop of whipped cream.

"So, will I be staying with my Mom or Grandma and Grandpa tonight?" Henry asked casually.

Emma had been about to take a drink and was just able to catch herself before spitting hot chocolate all over the counter. She hadn't mentioned a thing to him since she picked him up from school. Sometimes it was eerie how easily he could figure things out, maybe he had inherited her super power.

"How did you know? I've only talked to Mary Margaret and David and you've only been out of school for twenty minutes, all of which have been spent with me."

"Well… you got twitchy when I said we could play video games tonight after dinner. Then you told Granny that you wanted soup to go but not until later and you only eat soup when you're sick," he answered smugly.

"I do not get twitchy," she mumbled petulantly, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears.

"Yeah you do. Also, when you were in the bathroom Leroy came over and told me to get orange juice in case I was already infected with Killian's germs."

"Ugh, he should just go by Loose Lips Leroy instead of Grumpy. It would suit him better."

Emma turned to glare at Leroy but his back was to her and it was unfair to the other dwarves to be at the receiving end of her annoyance. She had planned to talk to Henry about pushing back their weekend after they had finished their hot chocolate. It wasn't that she was putting off telling him but she didn't want to spoil his weekend right off the bat. Emma didn't want Henry to feel as though she were choosing Killian over him.

It had been a little rough at the beginning and the Snow Queen's mirror curse hadn't helped. Killian had reluctantly told her what Henry had said to him under the curse. She assured him that it was just the curse talking but she still sat Henry down to have a discussion about it the next day. Henry's main issue was that he still partially viewed Killian as the villainous Captain Hook when it came to him being with Emma. Which Emma found amusing considering his support and belief in Regina and even his faith that Gold could be good.

Only time would show Henry what Emma had already seen in Killian, that he was a good man with a passionate heart. He just happened to let his passion lead him down a dark path for a century or two. Henry just wanted her to be happy and had been giving Killian the benefit of a doubt.

"So, what does Killian have? If it's not too bad can I go up and say hi so I can get sick too and not have to do my history report?" Henry asked eagerly.

"Nice try but you're not getting out of your homework that easily," she said turning back, giving him an unamused look. "I think it's just the flu. I just want to make sure he takes his medicine and doesn't try to prove he's tough by suffering through it. Remember that time Walsh ended up being sick for two weeks because he refused to take a day off to recuperate?"

"Yeah, but he kind of deserved it don't you think?" He remarked bitterly. Henry would probably never forgive Walsh's betrayal. Not that Emma had either.

"In hindsight, yes, but that's why I'm going to have to push back our weekend a day or two. I'm not about to let Killian suffer alone. If I'm around I can at least bully him into taking medicine."

"You at least got the gross grape flavored one right? The one that leaves my tongue purple and slimy?"

"No, they don't really make NyQuil in grape flavor. I settled for cherry instead so his tongue will be red and slimy instead."

"Cool," Henry nodded in approval. "I guess I'll go see if Belle needs any help today. Maybe she'll finally let me sort through the swords and axes."

"Ha ha, very funny. What's the rush? It's not like Killian's going anywhere," Emma said bewildered.

"Oh, I know but you're checking the clock a lot and Granny keeps cleaning the same spot on the counter waiting to get you the soup you ordered."

"Someday, kid, you're going to have to learn to control your powers of observation," Henry just smiled in response. "Okay, fine. Go straight to the shop, you know I'll know if you don't. I'll let Regina know what's going on so she can pick you up later."

"Will you guys ever let me walk home alone?" He sounded sullen but resigned.

"Not until you've graduated and by then you can drive yourself, if we ever let you," she joked straight faced.

Hopping off their stools Emma pulled Henry in for a hug. She wasn't thrilled about the situation but after talking to Henry and seeing that he wasn't upset with her she felt marginally better. As he left he threw a little wave over his shoulder that she returned even though he couldn't see it. Sometimes she wondered where her life would be if he hadn't shown up on her doorstep but she never dwelled on it. She knew it wouldn't be half as good as it was now.

"Ready for that soup?" Granny's voice brought her back from her musing.

"Yeah, any possibility of some toast to go with it?"

"Sure. How about you? Want me to box up some lasagna or a burger?"

"No, not right now. I don't think Killian's eaten all day so I'll get this up to him and then come back down for something later," she explained.

"Alright. I'll get that soup and toast right out to you," Granny said over her shoulder walking to the window separating the kitchen from the front of the diner.

Emma sent a message to Regina while she waited for the food to be ready. It only took a few minutes before she was balancing the styrofoam cup in one hand with container of toast and possibly a piece of pie in the other. She carefully made her way up to Killian's room. Her luck held out and she made it to his door without spilling anything, a miracle in her book. She opened the door with care and entered the room.

The first thing she noticed was that it was darker inside than she had left it. He had apparently woken up at some point to shut the curtains. She paused in the doorway to let her eyes adjust to the dimness. Realizing the noise from the diner was filtering upstairs she nudged the door closed behind her and placed the food on the desk. She could hear him breathing heavily on the bed but her eyes still hadn't fully adjusted.

Slowly the details of the room became easier to see. Killian was sprawled out on his back with the blankets tangled around his legs having apparently tried to kick them off at some point. He had, however, successfully removed his vest and shirt which were crumpled up in a heap on the floor. After taking a moment to admire the view she busied herself setting up the meal, letting the heat leave her cheeks before she woke him up.

Turning on the lamp on the desk she saw that there was a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie for Emma to enjoy. Granny certainly knew how to keep her customers happy. Smiling, Emma walked over to the bed and sat down on the mattress.

Killian didn't look any worse but he also didn't look much better. It was hard to tell in the semi-darkness but some of his color seemed to have returned. The shadows remained under his eyes just not as prominent as they had been earlier. Placing the back of her hand on each of his cheeks and then forehead in turn she could feel that his fever had gone down but hadn't broken yet.

"Killian," she spoke quietly not wanting to jar him into consciousness. Cupping his face she rubbed her thumb across the apple of his cheek. "Hey, Killian, you need to wake up. Just for a little bit."

He rolled his head slightly from side to side and his eyelids started fluttering as he rose from the depths of sleep. Suddenly he breathed in deeply through his nose startling Emma as his eyes snapped open. His dilated pupils darted from one thing to another until his gaze finally settled on her. She let out the breath she had been holding when his eyes met hers and the panic in them drained away.

"Swan," he croaked. "You're here."

"I told you I would be. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been bludgeoned by a giant and forced to swallow a gallon of seawater," Killian groaned bringing his hand to his throat. "Do you think, perhaps, I might have some water? Preferably without the lemon-lime concoction you made me imbibe earlier."

"Sure, there's a pitcher on the desk. I also brought up some soup and toast for you if you think you can eat something. I'll make you take some more of the 'concoction' after we eat," she said sweetly, standing up and moving toward the desk.

"I believe that one day Swan, you'll be the death of me," he mumbled as he sat up slowly.

"Since you're such a survivor I'm pretty sure that won't be the case."

He scowled at her before looking down at his bare chest and then at stump at the end of his left arm. His annoyance quickly morphed into distaste as he started patting down the bed. Emma could only guess that he had also removed the sheath for his hook at some point but didn't remember doing it. She knew he was self conscious about her seeing him without it on, no matter how much she tried to assure him she didn't care. Instead of bringing it up and drawing attention to the matter she busied herself pouring both of them a glass of water and sitting down at the desk.

The quiet padding of feet let her know that he had deemed himself suitable for her eyes. Killian had indeed found his hook and was adjusting the straps as he sat down. He had also put his shirt back on but neglected to button it, much to Emma's distraction. Realizing that she was staring she blushed and quickly looked up at his face. His smirk and raised eyebrow let her know he was most likely feeling better than earlier.

"Enjoying the show?"

"I'll enjoy it more when the fever isn't addling your brains," she grumbled.

"Come now Swan, no need to pout. I'm sure you're thoroughly enjoying having me at your mercy," he smiled at her before tentatively taking a sip of water.

Emma had thought that he was on the mend but was disheartened to realize it might have just been a short respite. He was moving slowly and gingerly as though his joints were made of glass. The color had drained from his face during his short walk from the bed to the desk and there were spots of high color on his cheeks making it seem as if he had been out in the sun all day. She noticed him wince when he drank the water and suspected he now had a sore throat to add to his ailments.

"I see we now know who is a favorite of Granny's then, don't we?" Killian remarked, gesturing to the pie in front of Emma.

"Yeah, it's you," she said trying to keep her voice light. Killian didn't need to worry about her on top of trying to get better. "Granny only had potato leek soup on the menu today. When I told her you were sick she started making that from scratch. It was ready by the time I came back with Henry."

"Really? I knew she wasn't immune to my alluring charm," he said delightedly. "How did the lad take it then? Does he regard me as even more unworthy of your affection?"

"No, of course not. Henry was okay about it. Actually, he had already worked it out before I could tell him."

"Smart boy, although considering who his mother is it's not all that surprising."

He tipped a wink at her and focused on the cup of soup in front of him. Emma dropped her gaze to the pie in front of her but watched Killian from her periphery, a trick she had perfected as a bail bonds person. Killian's posture had sagged slightly when she looked away from him and he was staring at the soup as though it was a five course meal he had to eat by himself. She forced herself to take a bite of pie so as not to tip him off but it felt like glue in her mouth despite the magic of Granny's baking skills.

Slowly they tackled the food in front of them. Killian for his part put on a better act than Emma. He finished most of the broth and valiantly took a bite of toast, wincing as he swallowed it. Emma stopped eating after three bites and ended up pushing the pie around the container until it resembled roadkill more than pie. At that thought she had shoved the container away in disgust to the puzzled amusement of Killian. Determined to not put pressure on him to eat she spent the rest of the time counting the flowers on the wallpaper and tapping out a discordant rhythm with her fingers.

"Swan, what's wrong?"

She jumped at the pressure of his hand on hers. He was watching her warily but with an intensity that caught her off guard.

"Nothing," she lied.

"Ah, don't forget that you're an open book to me, love," he said softly.

Breathing in through her nose she tried to come up with the right words. She had dealt with sick boyfriends before. Neal had been a big baby, even if it had just been a case of the sniffles. Walsh had been stubborn to the point of almost passing out from exhaustion. Yet neither of them had her as worried as she was for Killian. She knew it was just the flu but seeing him stripped of all bravado and somewhat vulnerable had thrown her for a loop. It didn't help that he was downplaying his discomfort to set her mind at ease.

"You don't feel any better do you?" She asked bluntly.

His eyes widened slightly at her directness and slowly shook his head. Emma pressed her lips into a thin line but curled her fingers around his gently to let him know she wasn't angry.

"It appears you can read me just as well Swan. I was hoping to convince you of my improved health so you would go spend time with your son and not waste it here with me."

"We've already talked about this. Apparently it was the fever I was talking to earlier. I'm not going anywhere and Henry understands that," she stated emphatically.

Emma was still taken by surprise when Killian voiced his doubts about her wanting to be with him. She had been floored when he confessed that he had left a message for her the night she almost gave up her magic and by what he had said. Sure, she had been a little angry that he had been manipulated by Gold but she had been been dismayed that he didn't think himself worthy of her. All she knew was that it was going to take time for him to realize she was in for the long haul.

"Apologies, love, I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset, just worried. You barely ate your food and your symptoms aren't getting any better."

Without letting go of his hand she stood up and circled the desk to stand over him. Using her free hand she once again felt his forehead and was disappointed to find that his temperature had crept up since she had woken him. He leaned into her, closing his eyes, and resting his head on her stomach. She slowly ran her fingers through his hair trying to comfort him in any way possible.

They stayed like that for a while until Emma could feel him trying not to fall asleep. A quick check of the clock on the bedside table showed her that Killian should have taken some medicine nearly an hour before. She reluctantly stepped back but dropped her hand to his shoulder loath to break contact. He looked up at her blearily.

"Killian."

"Yes?"

"It's time for some more medicine."

He grimaced but shrugged, resigned to take whatever she would give him. Delving back into the bag from earlier in the day she pulled out the NyQuil and measured out the proper dosage. If anything it would knock him out until the morning and hopefully he would be feeling much better.

Better prepared for the taste Killian swallowed the liquid without too violent a reaction. He did run his tongue across the roof of his mouth once or twice, much to Emma's amusement. Before she could force him back into bed he excused himself to make use of the bathroom at the end of the hall. When he returned a few minutes later she noticed he faintly smelled of mint and figured he brushed his teeth just to get the taste of medicine out of his mouth.

Killian hesitated before getting back in bed. Emma knew it was only a matter of time before the medicine did it's job so she hoped he wouldn't try to fight it just to persuade her to leave once more.

"Swan?"

"Yeah?"

"You're determined to stay here tonight?" He asked scratching behind his ear, his gaze alternating between her and the bed.

"Yes," she said exasperated. "I brought a book to read and everything."

"Right, well, where are you planning on sleeping?"

Emma opened her mouth to answer before realizing she hadn't really thought about it. In fact, she had anticipated being up most of the night reading. It wouldn't be all that different than a stake out, except for the fact that she wouldn't be holed up in her beetle and had access to a running toilet.

"I wasn't. Planning on sleeping, actually. Perks of being a bail bonds person, you get used to staying up all night doing nothing."

"That's taking it too far Swan. There's no need for you to watch over me like a hen over her chicks. There is a perfectly good bed here that I'm quite sure can accommodate the both of us."

"And here I thought the fever had all but erased the temptation of getting me in your bed completely from your mind," she joked.

"Swan, nothing in this or any other land could make me forget that," he remarked, suggestively lifting his brow. "This, however, is me being a gentleman. There's no need for you to stay awake all night and I won't have you sleeping in one of the chairs."

"Killian, there's no reason for"

"Just humor me, love," he said, cutting her off.

"Fine, but I'm not tired right now. You on the other hand are about to pass out standing up."

Killian was about to argue back but a shudder ran through his body and he thought better of it. With drooping eyelids he climbed back into bed and only put up a token resistance as she fixed the blankets and pulled them up to his shoulders. Emma sat on the bed watching him until she was sure he was fast asleep.

Making sure to be as quiet as possible she cleaned up the mess from their meal. She ate the untouched piece of toast and made sure to pile a bunch of napkins on top of her mashed up pie in case Granny saw it in the trash. After a quick run down to the dumpster she settled in for a long night ahead.

The first few hours passed by without incident. The book she had picked turned out to be a pretty good one. It was about a cop trying to solve the murder of a business tycoon. No magic, no fairy tale characters, just a simple who done it novel. She lost herself in the pages only stopping to check on Killian every so often. As the night wore on her eyes began closing in longer and longer intervals until she fell asleep curled in the chair next to the bed.

Emma woke up with a start. She realized she had gotten out of the habit of staying awake until odd hours of the night, a habit she was happy to break. Looking at the clock over her shoulder she saw that it was three in the morning. As she tried to figure out what had woken her she heard Killian muttering from the bed.

Since she had fallen asleep while reading one of the lamps in the room was still on and Emma could see clearly that Killian was awake and sitting up. He had thrown the blankets off him and was covered in a sheen of sweat.

"I see you've come back to finish me off Crocodile. You would think that after the last time you would have realized that you'll never be able to kill me," Killian's voice was filled with fury and his eyes were fixed on a point at the end of the bed.

"Killian?" Emma's voice sounded small and far off to her own ears.

"You think because you disposed of Milah so easily that Emma would go quietly as well?" He continued to address the air in front of him. "Well you were wrong, she's a survivor, just like me."

Emma knew she should do something, try to snap him out of it or call someone but she was frozen in uncertainty. He continued to taunt the non-existent Mr. Gold, sometimes bringing Cora into the conversation, but never once acknowledging Emma's presence.

Slowly, hoping she was just dreaming she finally placed her hand on his shoulder. He turned to her and a spark of recognition flared in his eyes.

"Liam? What are you doing here?"

Emma bit back a sob and pulled away from Killian's extended hand. He continued his conversation with his dead brother as she stumbled over to the desk where she had left her phone. Quickly calling the hospital she was able to stutter out that she needed an ambulance before hanging up and dialing another number.

"Mmm, hello?" The voice answered on the second ring, heavy with sleep.

"Dad? I need your help. I don't know what to do."