A/N: welcome to chapter 5! For a while I will probably be going to updating every other week. I got a lot going on and am not writing as fast as I thought I would be; however your amazing reviews and favorites and follows are helping! Please keep reviewing! Thanks to Clare who is the best beta ever! And thanks to the three of you who have reviewed - your kind words keep me going!

Review?

Chapter 5

She was confused to say the least. Killian had just admitted to spending three hundred years trying to find his way to her; but then quickly said that he also had ulterior motives. He was trying to find the man that took his hand - and that man happened to be in her world. She wasn't sure what to feel. On one hand the man she used to care so strongly for was real and he had spent his life searching for her - she was touched and her heart felt full. Old, forgotten feelings coming to the surface once again. On the other, she was pissed - he was using her to get revenge, putting it in the same league as his feelings - at least that is what it felt like. While she understood the need for revenge - many times she had wanted to punch Regina in the face for trying to pin Henry against her, she didn't know what it would be like to spend hundreds of years looking for a way to get that revenge.

"What do you mean?" she asked him as he slowed near the doors to the giant's castle. She reached out to grab his hand, forcing him to look at her. Instead of looking into her eyes, he peered down at her hand.

"You've cut your hand," he said, not elaborating on her question. She looked at her hand; there was a slice across her palm. It wasn't bleeding much, and some of the blood had already dried. Now that she was looking at it, she could feel the pain from the thorn that must have pricked her.

"No, it's fine." she said, not wanting to distract him from the question that needed to be answered.

"No, it's not." he replied.

"So what, you're deciding to be a gentleman again." she snarked.

She was annoyed at these mind games he was playing. One minute, the man standing in front of her was the man she remembered, the man she wished she would dream about. The next, he was the pirate captain, cocky and arrogant, willing to step on anyone who got in his way.

"Giants can smell blood Emma. But, I've always been a gentleman." he said, finally looking at her. He pulled something from his pocket, and poured it on her cut before she could protest. It burned like hell.

"What the hell?" she winced.

"It's rum, and a bloody waste of it," he said. He took his scarf from his neck while he continued to hold her hand with his hook. It was a weird feeling, the hook and her hand. It didn't feel strange, it actually felt nice, which is why it was weird. He wrapped his scarf around her hand, using his mouth to pull it closed. Damn it, how the hell could she be turned on right now? The air around them sizzled as he gave her a look she hadn't seen in years.

"Here's the plan. We wait for the giant to fall asleep. When he does, we'll sneak past him and into the main chambers. The compass and the treasures the giants keep are kept in the main hall - where they can see," he explained, not really giving her a chance to say no to his plan, not that she would. However, she would have like him to ask her opinion.

"What then? What happens when we get the compass?" she asked.

"We run like hell." He actually smiled with this comment, a smile Emma had used to love seeing. There was a playfulness behind the smile.

"We don't have time to wait for a giant to fall asleep. It doesn't look late, and we can't chance this. The powder Mulan gave me, we need to use it. We gotta knock him out and do this on our own terms." She was adamant in them doing her plan. Well, it was a version of his plan, but still.

"It's riskier. It may not work," he countered.

"And waiting for a giant to fall asleep when we want him too, without him finding us first isn't?" she cocked her head to the side, hoping that he would see her point and agree.

"Point taken love." he smiled, "You've grown Emma. You'd make a hell of a pirate."

"Thanks, I think. But before we attack, you need to tell me what you meant. Why do you want to get to my land?" she said, keeping him in her line of vision. She didn't want to have this conversation a third time.

"To get revenge on the crocodile - he took my hand, so now it's time for me to take something of his."

"The crocodile?" in the story of Peter Pan, Hook loses his hand to an actual crocodile that was fed it by Peter - did Killian want his revenge on a boy?

"Aye, the Dark One."

"Gold? You want to get revenge on Gold because he cut off your hand? What do you plan on doing?" she asked. Gold was just getting worse by the moment. Anger flooded her system - that man had once again reeked havoc on someone else's life. She was also sure that it wasn't warranted.

"Well I think his life for my hand will do just nicely." he said with a weird tone in his voice - a tone that said he wasn't joking even though he was acting nonchalant about it.

"That's crazy Killian. You can't kill someone just because they took your hand," she explained.

"Why do you care Emma?" he asked.

"Because, he's the dark one, he'll kill you before you even get the chance."

"Aww love, I didn't realize you cared. But never mind that, the crocodile is powerless in your land, which is why it is the perfect place to skin him." anger was growing in his voice - something more was upsetting him than he cared to let on.

"Will you just listen to me?" she barked, making him take a step back. She was tired of these games. He needed to hear her side of the story once and for all. She needed him to understand. She waiting until he nodded her head, allowing her to confess her version of their tale.

"When I was five, I started to dream about your village, the one by the sea. I don't know what caused it, but they were the most vivid dreams. However, I would always wake up in my bed the next morning, having only memories of the dreams. Nothing ever made it seem like the dream world was real. I started dreaming about you. While most of my dreams were just of the village - the dreams with you were the most vivid. After that night, when you left, I hoped to stay asleep, to never wake up, but I did. After that I never got to talk to you again. I thought you were a dream Killian. I didn't think you were real. But, I never forgot about you, not once. I did care, I still do. I don't know why I do, you've changed, but I don't want to see you killed." she said with the utmost sincerity. She wanted him to understand. She wanted him to know that it hurt her to not talk to him or see him again for years, the same way it hurt him.

She took him in as she said those words. He looked defeated as she explained her situation, but there was also something else in his stance. It almost looked like he was relieved, but she couldn't understand why. Was he happy that he was just a dream to her? She wasn't when she found out, in fact she was scared, petrified at the fact that the man she had come to depend on was real.

"Killian, you have to promise me. When we get back to my land - and we will, you cannot go after Gold - Rumplestiltskin. You have to promise that you will leave him alone. You said you were looking for a way over there because of me. If that is true, if what you say is true, prove it to me. You can't have both. OK? You can't be looking for me and looking for revenge. So you need to decide what it is you really want. If all you are looking for is revenge, then we will leave you here. I am not bringing back a war," she said, ending her confession.

She waited for a response from him - she could see the gears in his mind winding, trying to figure out what to say. She didn't have anymore time to waste though, they had to get moving.

After a few minutes, she pulled Killian from his stupor and explained to him the plan she had concocted. It took them a while to set it up, but they were finally in place - without a moment to spare. Emma's watch told her they only have a few hours left before Mulan would chop down the tree.

"You ready?" she heard him question from his place below. He had barley spoken ten words to her since her confession, but she preferred it that way. Now that everything was in the open, things would be better - they could focus on their task.

"Yeah." she said, nodding her head.

Killian walked over to a large shield that laid on the ground. He picked up a bone - which made Emma shiver, and banged the shield like a drum. Within moments, the ground beneath them (well, the statue Emma was standing on) began to shake. Things moved very fast from there. The giant - who was at least 10 times the size of the ogre, came barreling out of the castle, looking around for the person who made the noise. Killian was on the ground, shouting out insults at the giant did he really just call the giant a git? Finally Killian led the giant to the place they had agreed would give Emma the best chance of knocking him out. With all her might, Emma threw the poppy powder at the giant. He swayed on the spot, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. He fell with a tremendous force onto the ground, right where Killian had been standing.

Panic rocked through her, nothing was moving on the ground, and she couldn't hear a sound. Shit what had they done? She began to scramble down the statue - rather ungracefully if she may add.

"Killian?" she called out - panic thankfully not masking her voice yet.

She heard nothing in response.

"KILLIAN?!" her voice called out louder - panic seeping in this time. She knew the worry in her was coming out. She couldn't lose him, not yet.

Suddenly she heard shuffling and she saw his body stand up around the back of the giant. There was some dirt on his face, but he looked unharmed. She actually let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"He's out cold love. We do make quite the team, don't we?" he exclaimed, a smiling forming on his face.

She leaned into the statue she was on - silently thanking the gods that he was OK. He was right they do make a great team, and she couldn't do this on her own.

"Let's go steal a compass." she replied

They had walked through the castle, making their way to the central chamber. While Emma was trying to walk quickly through the rooms, Killian kept wasting their time. He was admiring all the treasure that was piling up as they moved along. She had to remind him they didn't know how long the powder would last on a giant. They didn't have time to waste on his pirating ways. She did see him pocket a few items of gold and a few precious gemstones along the way.

They walked into the main chamber a few moments later. The place was a mess - piles of gold and collectables as far as the eye could see. She let out a huff at the sight. How could they find the compass in a room like this? She didn't think it would take long before, but now, she wished she had told Mulan ten days - because that was a more reasonable timeline given the situation they were now in. The giant - no problem. The mountains of treasure that laid in front of them - that was a problem.

She looked down and noticed she was standing eerily close to a skeleton. She jumped back a bit, worried about stepping on it. It was creepy.

"What the fuck?" she said as she jumped.

"Ahhh… that would be Jack." Killian said from behind her.

"As in Jack…" she began

"The giant killer, yes." he said, moving around to walk in front of her, his eyes hitting each piece of gold in the room. The pirate was back.

"Did he seriously think he could have won with that toothpick he was carrying?" she questioned.

"You'd be surprised. It actually packs quite a punch," he explained. It was with his sentiment, that Emma noticed something in front of him. She moved quickly, her arms wrapping around his back, pulling him back towards her. His face came inches from hers. She was taken back by how good he smelt, how his scent hadn't changed.

"It's about bloody time," he growled, moving his body flush against hers. He felt the same too. His head still fitting perfectly above hers, his hands filling the space of her back.

"There's a trap wire." She said, moving away from his embrace and pointing up at the ceiling. There was a large cage suspended above them. One wrong move, and they would have been trapped.

"Well, that's a pretty good excuse, but next time, don't stand on ceremony love, it's been too long." he added, back to his joking ways.

They were walking through the room - looking around to find the compass when a loud boom came from the entrance. Emma was right - the poppy powder didn't hold off the giant for long. She could hear the screams of the giant echoing through the room - he was getting close.

"Hurry! Get under something1" Killian yelled. He was no longer close to her, but had moved a few paces away, already trying to find something to hide in. Before Emma could think though, the giant made his appearance.

He didn't just charge into the room, he jumped. The whole ground shook with a ferocity - it was like an earthquake had struck and one that could do more damage than anyone wanted. She could see the cracks in the ceiling letting go, and before she knew it, the ceiling was crumbing around them. Dust was billowing out from the floor. For the second time in a matter of hours, Killian was nowhere to be found. This time though, she was on the ground, and took off running towards where she last saw him.

"Killian!" was being screamed from her throat, but she wasn't even half way to the rubble when a hand came wrapping around her body.

"Let me down! I'm not what you think!" She screamed straining her head to face the giant.

"You've come to steal form me, and poison me, so I'm pretty sure you are exactly what I think." he bellowed. She was surprised at how quiet his voice was. There was no Fe, Fi, Foe, Fum thundering of the voice, but it was loud.

"NO! Look, you have a compass that I need." she tried to explain, but the giant was having none of it.

" I don't care what you need!" he said! She heard some shuffling on the floor, but couldn't look to see what it was, but in the back of her mind, she was hoping it was Killian and he was OK.

"No, please. It's for my son! I have to save my son! Don't you have a family? Wouldn't you do anything for them?" she pleaded.

"No! Because humans killed them all!" he screamed. However, the yelp that comes quickly after his admission scared Emma the most.

The giant quickly let go of Emma, and she fell to the floor, only to be caught in something firm. She looked up, expecting to be on the ground, but instead, she was in Killian's arms. He smiled down at her, his hooked arm holding her legs, while his other arm held her close to him. There was a sword in that hand, hanging limply in his fingers. For the second time in a matter of minutes she was seeing him up close. His beard still had hints of red in it. His mouth had a slight smile to it, one that he always got when he was happy with the situation he was in, but didn't want to brag. She rarely saw that smile. His lips were inches from hers, and she could feel his breath on her lips. Memories came crashing down on her.

Emma had done everything she could think of to makes sure she dreamt of Killian again that night. She went to the local library and actually read books on dreams. None were really helpful - as they were mostly about interpreting the dreams, which she didn't want to do. No - she just wanted to keep dreaming, with no thoughts as to why she dreamt of blue eyes and a kind smile.

She did find one book helpful. It was old and battered. It actually looked like someone had left it there. There was no tag on the book, no library stamps. There wasn't even a title. It was just a plain brown leather book that was amongst the stacks. She opened it to see some notes scribbled. In the text, it mentioned drinking a specific drink for more vivid dreams. To think about the event or person right before the dream, to help stimulate the dream sequence.

That night, after a long dinner and movie night with Ingrid, she walked up to her room with a glass of apple juice and prepared to spend the night thinking of Killian. She sat down at her desk and began to write down everything she knew about him. She wished she was skilled at drawing, so she could have a picture of him, but she was really bad. And not like just bad, but like couldn't draw a stick figure to save her life bad.

After an hour of writing down each detail she could remember from the night before, she laid down in her bed and created an inner conversation between her and Killian. She played around in her head - what it would be like to spend more time with him, what it would be like to eat dinner with him and really get to know him. Her conversation was amazing if she said so herself – they had witty banter, flirted brilliantly, and learned so much about each other. Now, if only she could have a real dream about it.

A few moments after she closed her eyes, she opened them to see the fountain standing in front of her. She had no clue what day it was, or how long had passed since she last been here, but she hoped it had only been one day. She looked around hoping for any sign.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the sails in the distance. They were still there – or at least returned if too much time had been passed. Excitement filled her system; she was going to see him again. She sat down at the fountain, unwilling to leave the spot she promised him she would meet him at. Nothing looked like it had changed – so that was another positive sign.

Thankfully she saw Sarah not much later. The woman looked the same. Emma's heart was beating out of her chest – maybe she did it. Maybe she was able to come back for another night. Sarah waved and moved over to where Emma sat.

"Emma! How are you?" Sarah asked, sitting down next to her friend.

"Good, and you?" Emma responded, waiting to ask the biggest question she had.

"Pretty good. One of the officers on the ship asked me to dinner tonight, I am so excited." The moment Emma heard her friend announce her date; Emma couldn't hold back her glee. Yes, she was happy for her friend, who had been saying she was looking for a husband for a while; but she was happier that it seemed no time had passed.

"Really? That's amazing Sarah!" Emma added.

"It is! They've only been in port for one day and I already have a potential suitor. This is the best thing that has ever happened. It's too bad they leave soon." She said.

Emma hadn't really thought about that. If only one night had passed, there are only a few days left before Killian would have to leave again. Yet, she couldn't think about that right now. She needed to focus – hopefully tonight she would have a date with him.

Emma and Sarah continued to talk for a while; all while Emma kept a keen eye on the road that led to the ship. During her conversation she found out it had only been a few hours since she was last in her dream world. Sarah wouldn't tell her who she was going on a date with – unwilling to spoil it or jinx it. Emma also found out the ship was going to be leaving for a deployment in a week's time. Emma had a few hours to wait until Killian would show up, so Sarah talked her in to buying a new dress for the occasion.

Emma had never really bought anything from the town before. When she was hungry someone always gave her food. When she was in need of anything, it always seemed to appear. When she would wake up in the dream world, she would always have clean clothes. She gave into Sarah's request for new dresses, but Emma was worried about paying for the dress. That was until she felt in her pocket and found a purse with just enough coins to pay for a dress.

They spent a while in the dress shop – Emma wanted to make sure she looked the best for her date. While she was happy she was able to get back to her dream world – she was worried that she wouldn't be able to do it again. So she had to make this one count. She couldn't explain it – probably would never be able to explain it, but she felt closer to Killian than she ever felt to anyone else. There was just something there between them – something that made her feel safe and home.

She had chosen a new red dress. It wasn't fancy – they weren't in a castle, so there was no real need for a fancy ball gown, but she still wanted to look nice. The dress hugged her in all the right places. She still couldn't get used to how big some of the dresses in this world were. She giggled to herself sometimes – it was her dream world, couldn't everyone wear jeans and t-shirts?

She waited for him at the fountain a few moments later. She still had time to spare before he would arrive, so she took the time to calm her nerves. She wasn't sure why she was nervous – it was Killian. She had known him for years. But, now that she was thinking about it, she didn't really know him. Not the way she should. That was all going to change tonight.

She saw him before he saw her. He was still in his uniform, which Emma had to admit, fit him perfectly. She had heard some girls talking at school about how they loved a man in uniform, and Emma had to agree now. Killian looked good. The uniform accented her muscles and build – showed off the confidence he had gained since the last time they saw each other. He looked around the crowd that surrounded the fountain. One hand behind his back, the other tucked into a pocket on his uniform.

The moment their eyes locked, Emma's heart began to race. His eyes brightened at the sight of her. A smile crossed her face – she couldn't help it. It felt like minutes passed before he made his way to her. Time was slowed, and she was able to take everything in – the way he moved, the way his boots made a sound against the cobblestone.

"Hello love. You look…." He couldn't finish. His eyes wondered over her new dress and body; but not in a creepy way. In fact, she blushed at his once over, hoping she looked good enough. This was her first date after all.

"I know." She replied, deciding to break up the silence with a joke. A huge grin was plastered on his face – ever since he saw her that grin had been there, and she hoped it would stay there all night.

He moved so he brought out his hand from behind his back. In his left hand, he held a beautiful rose. The rose wasn't in full bloom, which meant that she would be able to cherish it for a while. Hopefully, by some miracle, she would wake in the morning with the flower on her bedside table.

"Thank you, Killian." she said taking the flower from him, feeling the electricity flowing as her hand touched his. She quickly pulled back. Her dream world was funny – men and women didn't show affection in public – which was another reason his gestures yesterday surprised her.

"No thanks needed love. So, are you ready for the night?" he asked.

"Never been more ready." She smiled. It was true; she had never been more ready for a date in her life. Up till this point, she never wanted to date, never wanted to spend time with anyone but her family and some friends. However, with Killian, it was different. She wanted to be around him, wanted to know more. She wanted to have this date more than anything.

Killian led her to the tavern – unfortunately that was the only place where one could get food around the town. There were not restaurants like there were in her real world – and what she wouldn't do for a grilled cheese right now. But, as long as she was with Killian, she didn't really care where they ate. Once inside, Emma headed to an open table, but Killian grabbed her arms before she could get far.

"We aren't staying Emma. Give me just a moment." He said, moving towards the bar. He spoke with the barmaid, who nodded and produced a basket.

"I thought a picnic would be nice. It is actually a really nice night, and I was hoping that I could show you something." He explained once he returned and noticed Emma's confusion. She didn't have a response, only giving a nod and taking his arm that he offered to her.

Turned out that Killian wanted to show her his favorite spot in their little town. The walk wasn't long, and soon she found herself in a clearing near the ocean. They had walked through the forest for a bit, not talking, just concentrating on not falling over any logs. Her jaw dropped when she saw the view. In all her years of coming to the village, she never ventured out into the woods, and now she wished she had. The clearing was small, but held a magnificent view of the town and ocean beyond. The sun was setting, casting beautiful colors over the water. The clearing was invaded with wildflowers – she could see daisies, tulips, even some roses and sunflowers.

"It's beautiful." She sighed, as she walked farther into the clearing.

"Aye, that it is." He agreed, but Emma had a feeling he wasn't just talking about the clearing. She looked back to him, only to find that he was staring at her, and not at their surroundings. She smiled to him, quietly thanking him for his comment.

They sat down and began to eat their dinner, short conversations passing between the two – since they were enjoying their food. The food was different than what she would normally get in the tavern. She said as much towards the end of the meal.

" I spoke with the cook this morning, requesting some special services before our date tonight. I hope you enjoyed it." He explained.

"It was amazing, thank you."

"I'm glad you enjoyed the food love, because we still have desert." He smiled, moving to pull two slices of chocolate cake out of the basket. It looked delectable. It was her favorite. She gave him a questioning look – how did he know she loved chocolate cake,

"Mmmm… chocolate!" she cried, reaching for the cake, taking it right out of his hands. The look on her face was one of pure delight, while the look on his face was one of pure bliss.

They continued to eat in silence – Killian not removing his eyes from hers as she ate her chocolate cake with gusto. She had eaten in her dream world before, but nothing ever tasted as good as this cake did right now. She actually wasn't quite sure how he was able to talk the cook into making the cake, but in that moment, she didn't care if he bribed the man or threatened death, all she cared was that he cared enough about her to talk the cook into making it.

They talked for a bit after desert had finished. Emma learned a bit more about Killian. He had a hard time accepting his life, even to this day. He loved reporting to Liam, even though at times it could be annoying, but he was proud of how far they came and how quickly. Emma told him about the things she loved about the seaside village – how she enjoyed watching the sunset on the water, how she spent her days playing with the children. She never brought up how this was just a dream or why she wasn't always able to be there, and he didn't question it.

Night had moved into the sky, and Killian had lied down on the blanket they were using to eat on. He stretched out next to her, looking up to the sky. The sky wasn't dark, but the indigo color was deep. The starts twinkled and the moon was big enough that she could still see his face. It was the first time all night that he took his eyes off of her.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, taking him in. He looked relaxed, and completely happy.

"Taking in the stars. The nights on the ship are lonely at times, but the stars always made me feel like there was something else out there for me." He explained.

"I look at the stars every night. It actually started when I first met you. That night was the first night with my new mom – and I looked for the skies for some sign that things would be OK. Since that day, they make me feel that things will always be better." She added. The look in his eyes said that he understood her perfectly.

Emma lied down next to him, keeping some distance between them. She laid like a log, her hands at her side, and her eyes fixated on the stars above.

"Want to learn more about them love?" he asked, turning his head to look at her. She didn't meet his eyes.

"More than just they are big balls of fire?" she giggled, joking with him.

"Well, we actually use the stars to navigate the ocean – its how we know we are going to the correct land." He explained to her.

"Like Neverland?" she questioned, a bit of laughter in her voice.

"While I have never been there, yes, people use the stars to get there, but what I meant was we track the stars through the sky, knowing their names, allowing us to determine that we are in the right realm and right kingdom. For example, you see that star above you." He said, pointing to the star in question.

Emma could see the star he was pointing to, it was bright, but not as bright as others.

"That is Antares, the center of Scorpius. In the fall, it sits in the southern sky – it's how Liam and I are able to travel towards the southern isles." She couldn't really see the outline of the scorpion until Killian showed her the outline. She always assumed that constellations weren't huge in the sky, but the way his fingers traced the air, the shape of the animal took up a large portion of the sky.

While he was pointing out the different stars that they used to guide them, she noticed his hand moving towards hers. His left hand dotting the sky, while the right slowly reached for hers. The static in the air was thick, and Emma didn't know if she could stand it anymore. Without thinking, she reached for him. Taking his strong hand into hers, intertwining their fingers. Neither of them said anything, but the spark that was created said everything.

"Ahh… and this is my favorite constellation." He said, leading his hand further up into the sky, to a constellation that seemed to shine just a bit brighter than the rest. Maybe it was because there seemed to be so many more stars surrounding it.

"What is it? I can see a cross." She could see the cross in the sky. She didn't know what it was called, but she knew they had it at home.

"In the middle, the cross you see is the Northern Cross. But it is the larger constellation that I adore." He explained.

"And what constellation is that?" she questioned.

"The Cygnus." He said, matter of factly

"And what is that? I don't know that one." She said, squinting her eyes and trying to see any animal form that may give her a clue. She didn't see anything. Hell, the most she knew about constellations were from what she read on the Chinese Restaurant placemats when Ingrid would take them to the buffet.

"It means the Swan." He almost whispered. She turned to find him staring at her. The Swan was his favorite constellations? Was it because that was her name? Was it because he really did miss her that much?

She turned quickly back to the constellation. She could see the outline of a bird now – a large bird with their wings expanded.

"I wasn't lying when I said that you helped me get through the tough times. You were always there – even though it wasn't really you. The swan followed me throughout the years, providing me the guidance I needed to succeed. All I would need to do was look up at that constellation and I knew that you were out there somewhere." He added, standing up.

She didn't say anything, she couldn't. It wasn't that she didn't want to say anything, she did, but she didn't know what to say. He didn't take her silence badly per say, but he wasn't smiling as big anymore. Yet, it was still there.

She stood up after him, actually surprised that he offered her a hand standing up. She could tell he was upset, but who or what had made him upset remained a mystery.

Once they were both standing, she did the only thing she knew would settle what was between them. The only thing she could do to have him understand just what she was feeling. Without hesitation, she moved to him, pulling on the lapels of his uniform (thank god for that uniform), and moved his lips to hers.

The kiss started off sweet – the way most kisses do. Her lips gently touched his, her body moved so she was almost flush against him. She had never been kissed before, but something in him called to her, something in her told her that this is what she needed to do. While the kiss was sweet – there was also something building up beneath it.

She pulled back before anything else could happen with the kiss, unwilling to see where it would go. She didn't know if she could handle falling even more for the man in front of her.

"Goodnight Killian." She said, reaching up to touch his cheek. His smile had returned to his face.

"Don't you want me to walk you home love?" he said, moving after her.

"Thank you, but no. I had a wonderful night Killian, it's been the best birthday I've ever had." She smiled, turning back towards him. "Hopefully I can see you again before you leave, but if I don't, just know that I will miss you."

She allowed him to walk over to her, pulling her in for another hug, similar to the one they had shared yesterday. She soaked in everything about him, scared that she wouldn't be able to see him again. Scared that it would be years before they met again.

She looked up at him, and saw a lone tear in his eye. It was like he was feeling the same things she was feeling. He brought his lips down for one final kiss. The perfect way for her to end their night.

"Goodnight my Swan." He said, allowing her to leave his arms and walk away from the clearing.

They were almost to the trip wire, so quickly Emma formed a plan. She let go of Killian's hand, which had kept a hold on hers as they ran through the halls, and used the sword to trip the wire. The cage that hung above them on the ceiling came crashing down on top of the giant.

"Wonderful idea love." Killian said, as they turned to see the trapped giant.

"Nice security system. Very efficient." she said, moving to point the sword at the giants face. She was surprised when he screamed out a loud NO!

His face was scrunched with terror as Emma moved the blade closer to his face.

"I can tell by your face that you know that this is. You know this sword - and let me guess, it's poisoned." She said, looking back to Killian.

"Aye." he added.

"Good, now, you have the compass and I need it." she explained turning back to the giant.

"You're just going to kill me either way. Your people massacred us, and destroyed our beans!" he bellowed.

"Well, I heard it the other way around." she bit back.

"That's because the victors always get to tell the story." as he bit that piece of information out, Emma's emotions got the best of her. She lunged forward stopping the sword an inch from the giant's eye.

"Emma!" she heard Killian yell out, but she ignored him.

"Okay! Stop!" the giant screamed. He reached around with his huge hand, and pulled something out from his pocket. It was tiny in his hands, but Emma could see the distinct look of a compass. "Take it."

Emma reached for the compass, the object seeming larger in her hands.

"See? I'm not the bad guy." the giant huffed as Emma turned to look at Killian with a smile upon her face. She had done it - they had done it.

"Maybe you are telling the truth, but it really doesn't matter now. We have to go. Thank you," she said, turning to walk towards Killian.

"Wait, what is that?" Killian said, pointing to the pendant that hung from the giant's neck.

"Is that a bean? Can it make a portal?" Emma questioned, noticing a distinct shape around the giant's large neck.

"Not anymore. It was destroyed when your people attacked us. I wear it as a reminder that you're all killers." the giant bit out.

"You're wrong." she whispered, but she knew he could hear her.

It was with her whisper that the ground began to move again. The giant stirred up, throwing the cage off of him. He reached for Emma, but at the last minute, leaned over and threw a large rock aside that was resting near her. It's removal showed a patch of light - it was a quick way to the courtyard and the stalk.

"Go. You could have killed me, but you didn't. You showed me mercy today, so you get one favor. Now go, before I change my mind." He said.

Emma headed the giant's warning, and raced to the opening in the wall, with Killian on her tails. They didn't stop running until the made it to the beanstalk.

"You are bloody brilliant you are!" Killian exclaimed as they began their descent.

"Thanks." she said.

"May I see it? The compass… it's more beautiful than the legend," he said as Emma flashed him the item in question. Now that she really looked at it, it was beautiful. Rubies and Sapphires sparkled around the rim. The dial was spinning like crazy, trying to pinpoint her heart's true desire.

"I mean it Killian, thank you." Emma said firmly as they were about half way down.