Emma woke up screaming.

The sheets were suddenly restraints and in her haze of sleep and fear she tore at them frantically before throwing wrenching herself out the bed she had been lying in. Her injured body screamed in pain but her only thought was to escape. After freeing herself from the confines of the blankets, she curled with her back against the wall, holding onto her knees and shaking. Memories she had been repressing for years had unearthed themselves during the only time Emma ever allowed herself to be vulnerable – sleep.

As her eyes began to slowly adjust to the cabin lit with the softness of sunrise, she made out the shape of Killian – Hook - in front of her. Her mind was not yet present on the ship – she was still in the prison on land that had held her for nearly a year. It was only a gentle contact on her knee that jolted her from the sheer panic consuming her.

"Lass, I need you to focus. Focus on me, right here. Slow your breathing."

Emma hadn't been aware she was hyperventilating, but after Hook drew attention to it she realized the ripping sound she had heard was in fact coming from her own chest as her body convulsed around itself in an attempt to get enough oxygen.

I'm on The Jolly Roger. I'm on a ship. I'm far far away from the prison. I'm on The Jolly Roger. I'm on a ship. Far, far away.

Concentrating her focus, Emma slowed her breaths until she stopped shuddering and was able to gather her thoughts completely. It was only then that she became fully aware that Hook was on his knees before her, his hand on her knee and his eyes burning holes into hers.

Hook seemed to let out a breath he was holding and in a relieved voice asked, "Are you okay, Swan?"

Emma was now herself enough for her temper to fuel at his pitying voice. Infuriated with herself for allowing him to see her at her most pitiful state, she hit his hand off of her knee and stood. She crossed her arms and waited until he had risen to her level to declare in a nonchalant voice, "I'm fine, Hook. Just a nightmare."

She plastered a smile on her face and began to walk over to his dresser, ready to change before figuring out what she was to do today. Goosebumps rose up her arm and she shivered as his hook was suddenly trapping her wrist, not allowing for her to escape his penetrating gaze.

She whirled around and met his eyes once again and snapped, "What's your problem?"

"Swan, are you joking right now? What's my problem? What the hell happened in prison that has you nearly pitching yourself off of the deck?"

Damnit.

She hadn't realized she was talking out loud as she was trying to calm herself down. Gods, this man was one of the nosiest people she had ever had to deal with.

"That was nonsense. I was half asleep, I didn't know what I was saying."

He was pissed now. And though she hated herself and her hormones right now, she couldn't deny that the sight of him in only his briefs was one she wouldn't mind staring at. But at the moment her appreciation for his form was overwhelmed by the fact that she really wished the pirate would just shut up.

"Don't treat me as a fool, Swan. I've seen enough horrors in my lifetime to know the look of the haunting they can cause. It isn't anything to be ashamed by. Hell, I've been in worse shape before. Just be bloody honest with me for once!"

Something in his voice had changed, turned nearly pleading, and she had to look away from him as she made the decision whether or not to trust him with a story very few had hear. It took a her nearly a minute of inner debate, and it was only the memory of him coaxing her out of her hysteria that made her decide that telling him couldn't worsen her situation in any way.

"I was sentenced to prison for nearly a year. It wasn't a particularly large group in there at the time, both men and women. A few men tried to force themselves on me, but after they came to learn first hand that I could beat them within an inch of their life, word spread that I wasn't one to mess with. For a few months everything was fine – well, as fine as prison can be," she let out a snort before her tone turned somber, "until a new inmate was added to our ensemble. He trapped me one day in a corner. He'd found restraints somewhere and had my feet locked together before I even saw him. Bashed my hands against the wall." Her voice wavered slightly and she had to clear her throat, pausing for a moment so she could speak again.

In her silence, Killian lifted her chin slowly and met her eyes. "Did he hurt you, lass?"

Emma let out a humorless laugh. "No. He didn't have the chance. I didn't really think. Just acted, you know? I was grabbing him by his hair the second I was able. I used all of the strength I had and hit it against the wall. I screamed for the guards, and waited for him to rise in case I had to subdue him once again. He didn't. I'd killed him. Took his life just like that."

She trailed off, reliving the memory for a moment and shaking, before bracing her shoulders and continuing in a numb voice, "That was the day I became a murderer. I'd only been imprisoned for stealing, but I guess I showed my true nature once I was incarcerated. Still pity me, captain? How do you feel having a murderer sharing your bed?" Her tone had turned into a sneer, and she once again turned her back on him and crossed the room, grabbing another of his shirts and calling, "Can you please turn around?"

She was surprised to say the least when she felt his hand on her uninjured hip. He stepped in front of her and rested his hook on her shoulder, his face only inches from hers.

Gods, how can he stand to be near me after hearing that?

He remained his serious eye contact and began with a stern voice, "You are not a murderer. Killing a man with no other choice does not make you a bad person. The remorse you feel proves that. I told you before, we all have demons. I'm a pirate, love, I've killed men in my many, many years. Do not let a coward like that plague your dreams." His serious expression left his face, as if he could read her mind and knew that Emma needed the atmosphere to be lightened, "Not when you could be having much more enjoyable dreams that I'm starring in. Especially if I'm not wearing clothing." He winked at her with a smile, quickly pulling on a shirt and breeches.

Emma ignored his last comment and scrutinized his face. "Just how old are you, Hook?"

"My dear, that is a story for another time," he replied, a wistful smile gracing his face. "You many meet me above deck when you are ready. But one thing first - I'm curious, what did you steal in the first place?"

Emma replied with a grin of her own, "Well, captain, that is a story for another time."

He laughed and headed towards his door, but before he could leave he heard Emma's voice ring out.

"Hook? Call me love or dear again and you'll find that hook shoved up your ass."

Killian rose above deck, deep in thought. He was completely and utterly fucked. After hearing part of her story and discovering another piece to the puzzle that was Emma Swan, he knew there was no way he could simply shag her and then dump her at the next sea port The Jolly Roger reached. This girl was a wonder. She had been broken to pieces and rebuilt herself even stronger than he suspected she had been before.

Killian knew he was an asshole to the women he had had sex with since Milah's death. He had never had any emotional connection, only faking it occasionally to land a particular lay. But he acknowledged that he simply could not do that to Emma. She was different.

He groaned, walking to the rail of the deck and placing his head in his hands.

When did everything get so bloody complicated. Gods, this woman is going to be the death of me.

Heavy steps approached, and he felt Starkey's enormous, calloused hand clap him on the back. "Woman troubles, Captain?"

Killian straightened himself and batted Starkey's hand off. Annoyed, he glared at his friend and let out an exasperated groan.

"Not in the sense you're imagining, mate. Emma – that's her name – is insufferable. She's jesting one moment and the next she seems as though she is going to throw something at me. And when I finally get her to say something that I think will explain why she's so different, it only adds to her mystery. She is going to be the death of me, I swear."

"Huh. So the lass is headstrong, complicated as the ocean itself, and won't put up with any bullshit. Remindin' you of anyone, Jones?"

Killian recoiled. He had not thought of the parallels between Swan and himself. He entertained the thought for a minute and the truth of Starkey's assessment became more and more clear as he contemplated it in depth. He let out a resigned sigh and turned to his closest friend and muttered, "I sometimes forget I keep you around for more than your pretty face."

Starkey's booming laugh echoed over the ship and he began to head over to his post to take over for the lad who manned the wheel when her was otherwise occupied. "You know how right I am, Cap't." he laughed.

Reaching the wheel, he could see the entire expanse of the deck from his position. His eyes were trained on the captain, whose brow was furrowed in concentration as he peered over the water. He was also able to see when Emma emerged from Killian's cabin in one of his shirts and her leather breeches.

He saw Killian turn when Emma called out to him. Even from yards away the way they looked at each other was unmistakable. He hadn't seen life in Killian's eyes for centuries.

"These kids are absolutely hopeless. " he said under his breath, before turning his attention ahead to the sea.

Emma emerged on deck, feeling infinitely better with the sea's cold and salty air soothing her skin. A few of the crew members nodded to her, and her mood was heightened all the more to see that they still treated her as they had when she was Emmett. They were wary, undoubtedly because of the warnings she was sure Hook had given them, but at least she didn't sense any animosity.

She caught sight of the captain and called out, "Captain Hook!" - careful to include his title. The last thing she wanted to do was undermine him in front of his men, making him appear weak or emotional. After the way he had listened to her earlier this morning, serious when she needed it and then insinuating the next moment to show that he wouldn't treat her any differently from the woman who had shimmied up to the crow's nest every day, she felt genuine gratitude.

Her warm feelings were only slightly soured when he turned and shouted in return, "Why good morning, love, glad you could make it out of my bed."

She rolled her eyes and huffed out a breath, and once she was sure that only he would hear her she muttered, "I know they have to think we're sleeping together but do you really need to lay it on so thick? Any my threat still stands; I am not your love."

Amused, he grinned and she tried to drown the lust that surged through her whenever he grinned in happiness rather than his sinister sneering smile. He replied in a lilting voice, "Oh but Swan I am in no way exaggerating - after a night with me it would be quite a feat to see you walking around on deck the next morning."

She gaped at his words, but her mind betrayed her as images of intertwined limbs and breathy gasps made a blush rise to her cheeks. Frustrated with herself, she glared at him in an attempt to show him that his words didn't affect her and put her hands on her hips. "I actually wanted to talk to you about my position on the ship, not your inflated opinion of yourself. I don't want to be your whore, even if it's only what the men think. I would like to resume my duties on the ship as a pirate, manning the crow's nest whenever it is needed."

This was clearly not what Hook had been expecting as his eyes widened and he let out a choked laugh. "Surely you are joking, lass? The boom almost killed you. You couldn't even put on a shirt last night, let alone climb a damned ladder stories high. I'll treat you as a pirate if you want me to – but I wouldn't let my finest of men push themselves so hard when they are extensively injured."

Emma glared at him and tried to call up an insult or challenge in her mind but found none. He was treating her like any other man on his ship, and as much as she hated to admit it, she knew there was a possibility she would not even make it halfway up the ladder in her current state when pain stabbed at her side upon lifting her arms above her head.

She took a deep breath before she spoke, not wanting to be overly fiery when he was at no fault other than telling her the truth of her vulnerability, a truth she didn't want to acknowledge. She sighed in annoyance, "Then what am I to do for the few days before I am ready to resume working?"

"Look around you. You are on the greatest ship to sail the sea," he said proudly, running a hand affectionately over the wood of The Jolly Roger, "You can enjoy the views, relax, perhaps join me in my cabin-"

"Not going to happen, Hook" she interrupted.

A smile on his face, he purred, "Why Swan, I didn't know your mind was so scandalous. I had no lewd intentions, I only meant you could keep me company. I spend quite a bit of time down there mapping our courses and measuring when and where we shall sail. I have more books than you could read in a year, I was simply going to offer some sort of entertainment. Now if you had other ideas…"

"I'll take my chances with the books, thanks," she said, laughing slightly at his suggestion.

I think his innuendos are starting to actually grow on me. Fuck. I've already been on this ship too long. Must be going stir-crazy.

He led the way down below to his room to a chorus of catcalls from the crew, causing Emma's stride to become slightly more rigid. Hopefully when she was back to work and seen as more than Hook's sex object, they would have a higher opinion of her once again.

When they entered, he merely gestured with his hook to the stacks of books as he sat down on his desk, cluttered with maps of the sea and lands Emma had never even dreamed of. She crouched before the leather bound volumes and began to skim through the titles. She didn't know what she had expected, perhaps journals of other pirates or even guides to different ships, but what she saw instead stumped her. The words of philosophers from millennia ago, poetry about the sea, and even some stories that she could remember enjoying when she had lived with Red and Granny.

Emma prided herself on her ability to read people. She could tell when they were lying easily, and normally she had people pegged before they said a word. But this man was different. No longer did she see him as a pretty face over an ass. Yes, he could was inappropriate, lewd, and at times infuriating, but she had misjudged him. A first for her. Squinting, she continued her reading until she had identified every title.

She stood and walked over to Hook, hesitant to interrupt him as he seemed deeply involving in using some sort of compass to measure a course she was unfamiliar with. She didn't even know what to say.

You're not the ass I thought you were? You are interesting? I can't figure out whatever puzzle you are, please tell me? Damn, Emma, get a grip.

She didn't realize what she wanted to know until she had blurted it out only a few feet behind him.

"What's your favorite story?"

He turned, looking confused until he saw the book she was holding, the one she had read when she had lived with the people she considered family. He bit his lip, looking upward and to the side as he clearly searched his memory.

"Probably the one about the thieves who travel the world seeking adventure and love. Always sort of identified with it. The thief part, obviously," he responded, the latter part added quickly and with a slightly embarrassed look.

Emma met his eyes briefly before looking back down at the book she held in her hands. "That's mine too. For the same reason, clearly," she muttered before turning and walking towards his bed before gingerly sitting down and starting to reread the volume.

I definitely misjudged him. What the hell kind of pirate IS he?

How the hell is it so infuriating to piece together the woman that is Emma Swan?

let me know how you think it's coming along, love all of you that have made it this far ;)