A/N: Hey! Back with another chapter. Thanks for all the support! Really, I appreciate it. Everyday, I always wonder, "Should I even continue writing this? Who reads it?" And then I see all the views and I'm happy. Thank you for all of those who review and follow and favorite me! It's what keeps me going.

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.

Chapter VIII: Loopholes

"Hey Boss. I think you'll wanna see this." The guard called, with a smirk. "We got us a contender."

"Get rid of whoever it is. Tell him, we're not interested." Derek called out, studying his chest board.

"They insist boss." The guard reported back.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Jack, go persuade them with a 45 caliber bullet."

"Aye." Jack stood, pulling out his gun. But it was too late.

"I don't even get an interview?" She asked, standing a mere foot away.

Derek paused from his game, identifying the all too unforgettable voice.

The blonde stood before him, hair pulled back in a sleek pony tail, all black leather trench coats, much like the ones she wore as the dark one. Her spiked heels made a distinct echo against the cold cement floor when she walked.

Derek was at a loss of words, seeing the transformation before him. This wasn't the confused pretty blonde that he'd met a week ago.

"May we have the room gentlemen?" She asked, as six men held guns to her head. The one named Jack, however, was all grins.

Jack signaled to the men to lower their weapons, since Derek was obviously mute. "Come on gents. Let's go prepare for the drop."

She caught a glimpse of Morgan out the corner of her eye. He was seething, mulling over the fact that she wasn't dead. Nonetheless, the men filed out, leaving them alone in the room.

"How…?!" Was the first thing Derek wanted to know? In all his years of evading the police, he'd outwitted secret agents and S.W.A.T. teams; only to be found twice by this determined nutcase.

"It's like I said," She answered with leer. "I will always find you."

"There you go again, sounding like a true loon." Derek retorted, his suspicions quite clear.

"I want in." Emma exhaled, ignoring the baiting words.

"What?" Derek asked a bit stunned.

"You told me to find you when I needed a job." She remembered. "Whatever it is you want me to do, I'm in."

"Whatever I want, just like that?" Derek snapped his fingers for effect.

"I don't give up easily." She admitted.

"That's for damn sure." He muttered slightly.

"Even if you sent your henchmen to do your dirty work." Emma raised her brow.

Derek's poker face faltered a bit. Apparently someone in his crew wasn't very good at following orders. He commanded his crew to move shop, but the blonde was not to be harmed. He'd find out who disobeyed him, and they'd pay with their life.

He feigned nonchalance. "I didn't order anyone to kill you, but I did warn you that you don't belong here."

Emma frowned in suspicion. She was almost certain it was Morgan who tried to drown her. But if Derek hadn't given the order, then who did? Milah…came immediately to her thoughts.

"The person who doesn't belong here is you." She countered. "Playing mob boss is hardly a good use of your time."

Meg was right. The moment she'd found Killian's latest hiding space, something was different. The darkness was more present and lurking in the shadows. She didn't have much time left.

At her bold statement, Derek's gaze darkened. "JACK." He called.

Jack reappeared, checking the situation. Obviously, the pretty blonde had struck a nerve. "Yeah." He answered.

"Please escort our intruder out." Derek snarled, turning to leave.

Jack grabbed her arm accordingly. "Come, Miss…?"

"It's Leia." Emma answered automatically. "And there's no need. I'll let myself out."

She passed Derek. "I'll see you soon." She winked.

She walked out of the makeshift cave, praying like hell her plan would go into effect.

What caught her slightly off guard as a swift fist came flying across her face. Emma blocked it, sending a kick to the stomach.

Milah grunted as she grabbed Emma's arm, twisting it behind her back. Emma head butted her, sending her flying back.

"You're like a gotdamn rash!" Milah spat, pulling out a gun. Emma backed against the wall.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with." Emma barked.

"Oh I do." Milah growled. "Don't come near Killian again."

Emma's eyes widened. "What…what did you say?"

"You think I wouldn't recognize the witch that stole my man from me?" Milah asked.

"You remember…" Emma voice grew quiet in the realization, that things were totally fucked.

Milah smirked. "This is my second chance, and I'm not letting you get in the way of it this time."

"But How?" Emma demanded to know.

"I learned something from you Savior." Milah mocked. "I wanted to be with Killian, so Hades made me a deal. We could live happily ever after, as long as I kept him away from you." Pointing the gun directly over Emma's heart, she growled "So take this as a warning-you come near him again, I'll…"

"You'll what?" Emma challenged, "you'll kill me?! Go ahead."

"No," Milah chuckled, "I'll kill him. I'll crush his heart, and you get to watch him die all over again."

Emma could barely contain her rage. "Some love."

"And then, we can be together in the underworld." Milah reasoned. "A win-win for me."

Emma saw the madness in her eyes. Milah was as serious as a heart attack. She needed a new plan. Figuring Milah wasn't going to shoot her, she walked away, praying she wouldn't receive a bullet to the back.

Derek made his way to his office, slamming the door behind him. He sat in his chair, and paused. The light smell of perfume was scented in the air.

The blonde was had been here. He immediately began checking his office, making sure everything was intact.

He did a quick turn of the combination to the safe, opening it slowly. "SHIT!" he cursed. The wench had robbed him of the diamonds he'd stole last night. All that was in the safe, was a note.

'You know where to find treasure.' Was all it read. He crumpled the paper, in his hands. Then he chuckled to himself. She truly was unlike any other woman he'd ever met.

"Alright Blondie." Derek conceded aloud. "I'll play your little game-for now."

He grabbed his leather coat and headed to the Treasure chest.

"Bloody hell." Derek laughed as a bag of diamonds landed on the counter. "You are determined, I'll give you that."

He'd been sitting in a private sector, contemplating the blonde's intentions. Ever since she'd showed up, things had felt different. Lately he felt like he wasn't in charge of the crew, but was more like a prisoner with many guards…but why?

"I'll take that as a compliment." Emma smirked as she slid into bar-stool next to him.

Then he saw the skull and crossbones necklace, nestled between her lovely breasts. "You stole my diamonds and kept a trophy."

"What's wrong Norington? Can't handle a little competition?" Emma raised her brow.

"Quite the contrary luv." Derek winked. "In order to compete, you have to first know the game."

"I'm a little too old for games." She reminded him as he poured her a shot.

"What do you call this then?" Derek asked, nodding toward the diamonds.

"Persistence." Emma answered.

"Well your persistence is quite intriguing." Derek admitted. "I say it deserves a toast- to being chased by bosomy blondes."

They clinked glasses, and Emma took her shot without hesitation. She would play this game of cat and mouse for now, but it was all a means to an end.

She couldn't be as reckless as she had three days ago. The odds were stacked against her, especially with Milah being such a close threat to Killian.

Derek eyed the ring on her left hand, and smirked. "Now that you have my attention, I have to ask, what love-sick sap gave that to you?"

Emma glanced at the ring, forcing down the tears that were on the brink of falling. "An old friend."

Pouring her another shot, he asked, "He must be more than that-you're wearing a Hope ruby. Very expensive, very rare."

Emma eyed the ring on her middle finger. A hope ruby. She couldn't fight the small quiver of her lips. She took another shot, gaining control over her emotions. "We understood each other, that's all."

"So, why aren't you chasing him instead?" Derek raised a devilishly handsome brow. One that reminded her so much of Killian, it was almost too painful to watch.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Emma assured quietly.

"And how exactly do you plan on me believing you?" He alluded, taking a shot of rum. "You plan on kidnapping Jess for your next trick?"

Emma assumed that was the alias Milah was under. The thought had crossed her mind to go back and deliver another right hook. "Why would I kidnap her?"

"Well," Derek pointed out the obvious. "You did break into my vault to steal a sack of diamonds."

"A sack of diamonds I returned." Emma rectified.

"Stealing is stealing, luv." He told her, taking another shot. "But I see you're willing to go to extreme lengths to get what you want, and you're a survivor."

"What?" Her eyes bulged out of her head. David was right. Derek may not be Killian, but his habits, his mannerisms…they hadn't changed. He still did most things with his right hand, because his left used to be gone. He still has that old world accent, same intense blue eyes, and yet…

"I said you're a survivor." Derek lifted a shot to her before swallowing his. "I admire that in a woman."

"True." Emma lifted a shoulder, trying to recover from the shock. "But kidnapping isn't my thing. Besides, someone once showed me the value of good form."

"Really." Derek commented, intrigued. "And who would that be?"

She answered his question by lifting her hand. The ring sparkled despite the dim atmosphere of the Treasure Chest.

"That doesn't sound like me at all." He chuckled, rimming the glass with his finger.

"That's because it isn't." Emma confirmed. Rising off the bar-stool, she grabbed her red jacket. She had to go before Milah discovered them, and she needed some answers.

Derek stood, grabbing her arm. "Where are you going? I was just starting to enjoy our rendezvous."

"I know when someone is trying to get me drunk." She indicated to the multiple shot glasses. "And as far as the game goes, I can promise you one thing."

"And what's that, luv?" Derek whispered, placing a single tendril from her face. As confused as she was, he couldn't deny that she was gorgeous, or that there was something about her.

"When I win, and I will win, it won't be because of any trickery, or inebriation." Emma promised quietly. "It will be because you want me."

"Oh I want you, alright." Derek assured in a raspy voice. The kind she remembered he only used when they were in bed together, whispering endearments to each other. But without love, it just came across cheap, and sleazy.

"I suppose you'll want your necklace back." She said, not willing to part with it. When she had seen it in his vault, she was heartbroken. Killian never took it off. Now that she had it, she never wanted to part with it.

"I'd say you earned it." Derek shrugged. "Welcome to the crew."

"Well then," Emma couldn't resist giving him a light kiss on the cheek, for old times' sake. "Goodnight, boss." She whispered, and walked out the bar.

It wasn't until she was a good block around the corner that she paused against the brick, letting silent tears shed down her face.

"Mom, Dad I don't think I can do this!" Emma wailed into the phone.

She sat back in her old apartment that she had shared with Henry, after Pan's curse. It was exactly the same, but it held little comfort for her. "It's worse than I thought…He looks right through me!"

"But you said there was a connection!" Snow recalled. "That's something!"

"That was lust, not love." Emma confessed. "Tonight just proved that. He sees me as nothing but a piece of ass."

"It wasn't strong enough to break Hades' curse, if it's even a curse at all." Emma replied. "And with no magic, I could kiss him 100 times and it wouldn't make a difference."

"How can he remember who you are, if he doesn't even remember who he was?" David reminded her.

"That's just it! This isn't the enchanted forest! And It's not like the Underworld, where he just forgot the thing he loves most…He's a completely different person." She stressed "Hook doesn't exist."

"No. Emma, if it really wasn't Hook, Milah wouldn't even be there." David protested. "Hades can't erase true love. If he could, he would've been able to stop it in the Underworld."

"Maybe not…but he can make damn sure it's forgotten." She whispered.

"Emma, there are moments with you and Derek. You have to find a way to heal his heart and…" Snow told her.

"Wait, what?" Emma asked, sitting up straight. "What did you say?"

"Look for the moments." Snow repeated.

"No, about the heart." Emma thought aloud. "Maybe I've been going about this the wrong way. All this time, I've been trying to get him to remember…me."

"Yes. If he can remember himself, then he can remember you, And if he can remember, he love you." David spoke up. "It's how I saved your mother."

"But that was in another realm." Emma reminded them. "This time, maybe the answer isn't magic and kissing."

"I don't follow." Snow admitted.

"Yeah, how is love not the answer?" David asked.

"Love is the answer, just not with magic." Emma explained. "Gold was right. Hades is too powerful for us."

"And Hook doesn't remember you, because you never existed before today, and neither has he." Snow elaborated, trying to put together the pieces.

"Yes, but…that doesn't mean we don't share one heart, and we can't fall in love again." Emma told them, feeling hope for the first time since the Underworld.

"I think you've found your loophole." David's voice smiled through the phone.

A/N: Thanks for all the support! Over 5,000 views and counting. If the story seems like it's at a stalemate, don't worry. Things are about to change drastically. I chose the name Derek for Killian's reincarnated form, because in the Swan Princess, the prince is named, Derek.

Review/Favorite/Follow-me!

-R.