a/n: I hope everyone had a great holiday season! I'm going on my honeymoon in a couple weeks, so the next chapter probably won't be posted until late-January. This one's a lot of fun though, I promise. Guest reviewer Andria, you wanted some Killian/Emma alone scenes this chapter and I can confidently say that I delivered. Most definitely. (Thank you guys for your lovely reviews, btw. I'm perennially awful at replying, but I appreciate each one.) Happy New Year everyone!

For the first time that night, Emma let herself relax and be led by her partner. She had been saving her dances with both visiting captains, and Liam's presence had provided her with a worthy excuse to not dance with Prince Hans yet again.

The Southern Isles prince had been circling her like prey all night and more than once Emma had fallen back on forced smiles and a silent mantra of just one week. His insistent attempts to woo her had prevented her from completing her rounds and obligations as quickly as she'd have liked but she had stayed steadfast in denying herself Killian's company until she knew she wouldn't have to immediately leave it. Even now as she danced with his brother, Emma anxiously awaited the moment she could find Killian and hopefully escape the ballroom for some fresh air. So long as his prince didn't intercept her first, she groused silently.

Liam noticed that her attention had drifted elsewhere and followed her gaze to where Hans was speaking with her father.

"And what do you think of our youngest prince, Your Highness?"

Emma's eyes flicked up to his and she gave a small smile. "Well, he's not subtle."

He chuckled and the sound immediately reminded her of his brother. Out of habit, she searched the ballroom only to groan when she spotted Killian dancing with her mother. There wasn't enough time remaining in the song for she and Liam to inconspicuously make their way over to them and she bit her lip, hoping that her mother was not attempting to scare him off. The queen had not been supportive of the time she and Killian had spent together on his last visit, though Emma knew that it wasn't anything personal against the then-lieutenant.

Ever since the incident with Lord Cassidy five years ago her mother had been inordinately protective. It seemed to be a particular skill of hers — that she could both want her daughter to find love and also seek to shelter her from it. At least Emma's father was on her side when it came both to Killian and her use of the glamour charm.

"Thank you for the dance," she murmured, slipping into a curtsy as the music ended and she and Liam drew apart.

"The honour and pleasure were mine, Princess."

"Will you tell Killian that I'll come find him for the next dance? There's just one small thing that I have to do first."

Liam nodded and Emma excused herself, making a beeline across the room to where she'd spotted her mother speaking with Red following her minuet with Killian.

"You were kind to him, I hope?" she asked, slipping her arm into the queen's and not bothering to excuse her interruption.

Snow White sighed. "I am kind to all of our guests, Emma."

"You know what I mean."

"Shouldn't you be asking what my impression of him was, rather than worrying over what I may have said? After all, while we've been introduced, I've not had the opportunity for a private conversation with the captain before."

"A dance at a ball is hardly a private conversation, but very well, have it your way," she said, rolling her eyes. "What did you think of him?"

Her mother smirked. "I do understand what you see in him, Emma, he appears quite sincere in his affections. He is certainly eager to dance with you."

Emma bit her lip to contain her smile. "Then I should not keep him waiting any longer."

The queen caught her hand as Emma pulled her arm away. "I know that you have been performing your social duties with a heretofore unseen efficiency this evening, Emma, but you must be careful to not be too obvious as to where your own affections lie. Prince Hans has been watching you."

She frowned. Emma knew exactly how closely the prince was watching her, had been walking the line between courtesy and avoidance all evening. "Did you give Killian this warning as well?"

"Just be careful. You can ill-afford to be distracted if the prince is seeking your love."

"I can take care of myself, mother," she said, jerking her hand away at the warning. "I wish you believed that too."

Turning away, she took a drink off a passing tray and downed it with one tilt of the head. Leaving it aside, she pressed a hand to her stomach and tried to push all thoughts of Prince Hans and her mother aside. She had played the dutiful crown princess all evening. It was time to be just Emma.

"It appears you are the last of our honoured guests that I must dance with, Captain Jones."

Killian grinned as he turned to face her. Finally, finally she had come to get him. "There are two Captain Joneses here, Your Highness," he teased, gesturing to his brother. "To which of us are you referring?"

The princess rolled her eyes and reached for his hand. "Shut up and dance with me, Killian."

"As you wish."

His hand settled at her waist as the musicians struck up a waltz and immediately the world was reduced to the circle formed by their arms. Killian had kept himself busy enough through most of the night, but Emma's presence lit up the room like the sun. He never wanted to let her go — a feeling that he sensed might be mutual when she failed to chide him on his ability to lead. Without thinking he'd ignored the forms of the dance, keeping her close while around them couples bowed and twirled and circled one another.

"I've missed you," he murmured, mindful of the ears of others who might be listening.

Emma's lips pressed together in a poorly concealed smirk. "As though you haven't known where I've been at each point this evening."

"Doesn't mean I haven't missed you, love. You look beautiful tonight."

A blush appeared on her cheeks that matched her dress and Killian couldn't help but compare it to the very first time they had danced and how she had rebuffed each one of his compliments.

"You look quite handsome yourself," she said, drawing him from his nostalgia. "Though I do wonder why you didn't see fit to rescue me from all this tonight."

"You seemed quite occupied earlier," he replied. "And I've always been under the impression that you're more than capable of rescuing yourself."

The flirtatious smile disappeared and softened into something far more tremulous as her eyes searched his for hints of a lie. "You think so?"

Killian tilted his head, puzzled as to how she could possibly believe otherwise. "I don't think there's much of anything you couldn't do if you set your mind to it. You're a force of nature, Emma."

She smiled, and he watched as she reconstructed the face displayed for the rest of the world. Her moment of vulnerability vanished without a trace and a teasing smirk played itself on her lips. "Well," she said, her tone once more teasing and light. "If it's up to me to rescue us, then I suppose I had better get started."

Confused, he furrowed his brow but before he could voice a question she was leading him off the dance floor and towards the doors. Killian kept his head down, worried for how much attention they were drawing as they exited out into the hall.

"Princess, this is not good form," he protested, finding his words as she pulled him along a corridor then down a short set of stairs and through a door leading out to the castle gardens. "Prince Hans —"

"Is dancing with my Aunt Red. Do you think I don't know what I'm doing, Captain?"

She parroted his title back at him in challenge and gods but he wanted to kiss her bloody senseless. The night was cool and he focused on the chill, trying to resist the temptation that always rose when he was alone with her. He shouldn't have let her drag him out here. It was a bad idea in every sense of the word, went against all of the protocol and decorum that had ever been drilled into him. And yet there was not any part of him that wanted to leave. Or, he doubted, even could.

There was nothing blooming in the gardens yet, just evergreen shrubs and the bones of trees devoid of leaves. Emma stepped close to him and traced a finger along his collar. "We have been practicing good form all night," she said softly, swaying into him. "I think we deserve a bit of a break, don't you?"

Emma could pinpoint the exact moment when his control snapped. Even in the dim moonlight she could see his eyes go dark an instant before his lips were on hers, hot and insistent. Killian's hands gripped her waist, guiding her backwards until they had moved off of the pebbled path and into a small stand of trees. Her back hit the slender trunk of a birch and she gasped as he pressed himself closer, mentally cursing herself for choosing such a full skirt.

Gods, but she wanted to be as close to him as possible, would crawl inside of his skin if she could. She'd been dreaming about this — about him, about being with him — for over a year but secret fantasies were no match for reality. Emma had been no stranger to kissing before, but ever since the night they'd met she'd not been able to imagine it with anyone else. Their softer kisses had always left her wanting more but this... this was more intense than anything she'd yet experienced.

Killian's lips left hers to trail a line down her neck. A moan escaped her, and Emma arched into him, her head thumping lightly against the tree at her back. Her captain — hers, hers, her blood sang — shuffled even closer and she could feel his thigh pressing against her through the layers of her skirt. Emma dug her fingers into his arms, trying just to hold herself up under the assault of his lips.

Killian groaned as his left hand drifted up the corset of her dress, brushing against the side of her breast before sliding around to her back. "Gods, but I want to mark you, love," he muttered into her neck. "Let everyone in there know that you're mine. My Swan."

His rough voice sent a fresh flood of want coursing through her. "Another time," she panted, dragging his mouth back up hers.

"Aye."

His tongue slid against her own as their heads tilted, the kiss deepening quickly. Emma cupped the back of his head, her thumb running back and forth through his hair. As they gradually slowed and came back into themselves, she realized that the beating of her heart was louder than any other sound in the night. Killian pulled back and pressed his forehead to hers, his breath coming in warm puffs of air against her face. Or maybe it was his heart she heard, she mused.

"That was..."

Emma let out a breathy laugh as he trailed off. "Probably the best form we've ever had."

He chuckled and brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "Aye. Terrible timing, however. And I appear to have mussed your hair."

"You'll just have to make my excuses for me, then. Do you think Prince Hans will believe that I was tired and wished to rest ahead of tomorrow's activities?"

At the mention of Hans, Killian frowned and stepped away from her slightly. "Your parents will no doubt be displeased."

She rolled her eyes. "My mother, you mean. That's nothing new."

"I would court you properly, love," he protested.

Emma reached down and laced their fingers together. "Another time."

Killian sighed and she felt the remaining heat from their kiss dissipate into the night air. "At least it was Liam who had to travel with the prince. I had been looking forward to..." he stopped and licked his lips, considering his words. "I was not... pleased when I was told he'd be accompanying us."

"Even if he weren't here, nothing would be decided yet," she said softly.

"It would be for me." Her face fell and Killian brought their hands up between them, keeping her close. "Emma, I know you said in your letters that you didn't want me to make any decisions until after the treaty was signed, but my decision was made before I sailed away from here over a year ago. I was always going to come back for you."

She shook her head. "You can't say that, Killian. Not yet. The situation is more complicated than you know."

His jaw clenched and he gave a tense nod, dropping her hand. "Prince Hans would be a better match. Your parents —"

"No! No, that's not it." Emma clasped her hands behind his neck, waiting until his eyes met hers again. "Listen to me: Prince Hans is exactly as charming as every other prince or lord who has tried to win my heart. He's not you. He doesn't see me as you do."

"You don't know that. He might," he murmured.

"I do know. I'm not talking about the glamour, Killian. But there are things about me you don't know, and you deserve to know them before you decide to stay. It's nothing that I could put in a letter, but I promise that I will find the time this week to tell you. Do you trust me?"

He nodded and she ran her palms down his arms, taking his hands again and squeezing tightly.

"I want this too. You know that, right?"

Killian leaned towards her and closed his eyes, touching his head to hers. "Aye."

Emma sighed as a little bit of the tightness in her chest eased. "Good."