It was quite a task for Emma to make her way to Gold's Pawn Shop. Her soggy boots were making it uncomfortable to walk, and her body started to shiver as her clothes started to air dry. As soon as her eyes took in the illuminated shop, she let out a relieved breath. All she had to do was obtain Henry's location, drop off the egg, and put as much distance between her and Storybrooke as possible.

She pushed open the door rather roughly, putting much momentum into the action. The door slammed into a nearby case, and Emma winced when a vase perched on the shelf fell and shattered when it hit the ground. She watched as Rumple's attention to the cabinet was interrupted by the tensing of his shoulders with his back facing her. He pivoted around to face her -probably to yell at her for breaking his vase.

It was almost comical to watch the anger in his eyes turn to shock. He blinked a couple of times to make sure he wasn't imagining her presence. After several minutes, he began to speak.

"Ms. Swan, you're back. We weren't sure when we would see you again so Henry is with Mary Margaret," he informed with a calm voice before his eyes honed on the object in her hand. "I see you found the egg," he said, but Emma didn't miss the look of lust in his eyes as he stared at the egg greedily.

"Thanks for letting me know. I never want to set foot in the Enchanted Forest ever again," Emma explained.

Emma was glad that Rumple revealed Henry's location so readily. She was afraid that she had to resort to coaxing the information from him. Now that she got what she needed, she could just drop off the egg and leave.

"It was in the Enchanted Forest this whole time?" Rumple asked, his brows furrowed in contemplation.

"Yes, it was sitting on a fireplace mantelpiece like some trophy. Either Charming put it there to spite you or it was planted there. What really happened to the egg doesn't matter. You have what you need to break the curse," Emma admitted, placing the egg on the counter.

Rumple stared at the egg for a moment before directing his shrewd gaze towards her.

"We have what we need," Rumple corrected, his eyes burrowing into Emma's.

Emma knew that Rumple wasn't stupid by the tone of his voice. He was hinting that she was going to help him, but nothing the Dark One could say would sway her decision.

"There is no we anymore"- she began, not missing the flash of anger and the clenching of his jaw- "someone else from our past tagged along with me and wants revenge against you."

As soon as Emma hinted Killian's appearance, Rumple frowned.

"Hook is here to kill me again? I guess he didn't learn his lesson in the Enchanted Forest," Rumple scoffed, leaning his weight on his cane.

He didn't seem concerned about Killian's appearance. Emma figured he was comfortable with the thought of having magic to protect himself. She crossed her arms in concern for Rumple's indifference. Killian seemed rather pissed off, and she saw what he would do for revenge. Still, she wanted to know why Rumple killed Liam to fuel Killian's vendetta.

"Why did you kill his brother?" She asked, readying herself for the answer she didn't want to hear.

"What are you talking about? I didn't kill his brother," Rumple admitted, his tone laced with annoyance.

Emma's eyes widened at his admission because she couldn't detect a lie. How was it possible for Rumple to be telling the truth? She knew what she saw.

"I saw you in Neverland pulling his heart out and crushing it," Emma accused, not missing the glare Rumple directed towards her at the mention of "Neverland". She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, trying to come up with an explanation for what she saw. "It had to be you," She said lamely, putting her hands by her side in defeat.

"That's impossible." Rumple rolled his eyes at the accusation. "I would never set foot in Neverland voluntarily. It must have been Pan masquerading as me. He is capable of doing something like that to amuse himself," He said with distaste, opening the egg.

Emma stared at the slight pink-purplish glow that was radiating around the potion's vial. The color symbolized the magic that it held. Magic had the power to save and destroy. Once Rumple brought it to Storybrooke, all hell would break loose. Regina would come after her and Henry, and Rumple would kill Killian this time.

"If what you're saying is true, Killian is blindly going after you without knowing the truth as I suspected. I don't think there is anything I can do to stop him," Emma admitted sadly, clenching her fists at her side.

Throughout her life, Emma wanted to know what happened to Killian after she left him. Now that she knew that he was hell bent on revenge, she didn't want to stay and watch the aftermath of his suicide mission. Rumple's voice broke her from her musings.

"Are you leaving because of him?" Rumple shook his head in disbelief before directing his angry gaze towards Emma. "You promised you would help me. You can't leave." He walked forward in protest as Emma started walking her way backwards towards the door. She wasn't going to let him talk her into staying.

"Watch me. You have magic now to find your son." Emma gestured to the glowing potion for emphasis before placing her hand on the door handle.

She clenched the door handle in determination as she spoke with her back facing the older man. "I tried talking Killian out of his revenge. I'm not going to stand and watch him die as he tries and kill you, or worse, hurt Henry in the process. I'm taking Henry back and we're returning to Boston," Emma said, letting herself out of the shop.

Emma heard the bell of the shop chime erratically as the door slammed shut behind her. Her thoughts were running rampant as she told herself that the town she was forced to protect would be fine without her. She was sure Regina wouldn't kill her own citizens because her town would be empty. Rumple was resourceful enough to find his son. Emma walked past the clock tower and saw that it was six thirty, which meant that Mary Margaret was eating dinner at Granny's. If Henry was truly with his teacher, the diner would be the perfect place to find him.

As Emma approached the establishment, she let out a groan. The diner was packed. If she entered, she would cause a scene, if the town truly heard she was missing. Emma took a deep breath as she opened the door to the diner. As soon as the door chimed, all the patrons' eyes were on her. The scene was almost comical as some paused in mid-meal as they took in her appearance. Eventually, they broke out of their stupor and clamored their way in her direction and mentioned her kidnapping. She had to politely excuse herself when she finally found Mary Margaret's table. Emma's eyes softened when she saw the happiness that flooded Henry's eyes when he looked at her.

"Emma, thank goodness you're alright. We were worried sick about you," Mary Margaret said.

Emma cleared her throat uncomfortably before she addressed the school teacher.

"Thank you, Mary Margaret, for watching over my son. Henry, we are leaving." Emma looked at Henry expectantly.

Henry eagerly got up from his seat and went to his mom's side.

"That's understandable," Mary Margaret said with a small smile before she turned her attention to Henry. "See you in school tomorrow, Henry."

Emma nodded her head before gently pushing Henry's back to guide him out of the diner. Now, they had to walk to the house and pack. Emma didn't want to wait to leave town in the morning.

"So what was the Enchanted Forest like?" Henry asked eagerly, causing Emma to close her eyes in frustration.

She rubbed her eyes tiredly as she knew he wasn't going to stop his relentless questioning. She wasn't going to answer his question because she wanted him to get the idea of fairytale characters out of his mind.

"As soon as we go home, we're packing our bags to leave Storybrooke and moving back to Boston," Emma instructed, leaving no room for argument.

"We can't! The curse isn't broken," Henry protested, removing his hand from Emma's. He put some distance between her, looking at her in disappointment.

"They will be fine," she replied tersely.

"You're supposed to bring back the happy endings. You can't leave." Henry tried to remind her of what she was supposed to do.

Emma clenched her jaw, trying to build her resolve. She wasn't going to let Henry's words get to her. She was going to talk some sense into her son and get these foolish ideas out of his head.

"There is no such thing as a happy ending. We only intended to stay a week in this town, but you and I were kidnapped. This town is dangerous," she reminded, moving her hand forward to grab Henry's arm, but Henry's words stopped her in her track.

"I think there is another reason why you want to leave so badly," Henry began, staring at the ground before he looked at her knowingly. "What happened in the Enchanted Forest?"

"This is real life and fairytales don't exist. Nothing you say will change my decision," Emma said with resolve as she began to move towards her son.

"Our home is here. You have a job and a family who loves you. They want to be a family after you break the curse." Emma's eyes started to widen as his words reminded her of Killian's. "Now you're running because you know that once the curse breaks, then your old life wasn't real." Now that you are experiencing change, you do the only thing you know how to do –run.

After Henry's accusation, his small figure ran past her in the direction of the house. Emma looked after Henry's retreating back. Henry had a spare key so he was probably going to run and sulk in his room.

She ran a hand through her hair in frustration as all of her built up resolve escaped her. Henry, like his father, knew what to say to get under her skin and call her out on her behavior. Her rational decision didn't seem so rational anymore as she realized that she was going to take the easy way out. A flash of light broke her out of her thoughts as a car lazily cruised in her direction. The window was open and Emma let out a frustrated sigh when she realized the driver must have heard Henry's outburst. As the car drove forward, Emma saw the smirking face of Rumple.

"Sometimes, I wonder whether children are wiser than their parents in certain situations"- he began. The smug bastard had a pleased grin on his face as he continued-"It looks like your plan for leaving town failed. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Swan," Rumple said before driving off.

The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching her direction. From the profile, Emma could tell he was a man. As he got closer in the lights, seeing his face proved her theory. He was wearing a leather jacket, and Emma tilted her head to the side in confusion when she took in the familiar scruff on his face. She couldn't place where she had seen this man before.

"I've been meaning to bump into you," the man began, causing Emma's eyes to widen in recognition at the sound of his voice. Emma felt her anger building as the man continued to talk. "I lost hope when I heard you were kidnapped after I rode into town two weeks ago. I'm glad to see you're alright. Where is, Henry?" Mentioning Henry was the last straw for Emma's self-control.

"You bastard," Emma acknowledged his presence by giving him a right hook to his jaw.

The man staggered and put some distance between him and Emma. "Is this how you normally greet people? What was that for?" He accused, rubbing his jaw as Emma shook the pain from her hand away in the air.

"You better give me a damned good reason for why you are in Storybrooke before I arrest you." She crossed her arms and glared at the man in front of her.

"Technically, you just assaulted me. You should be the one getting arrested," the man said with a smirk.

The man's attempt at humor was pissing her off. "Does the name Neal ring a bell? I remember you talking to Neal and setting me up to have me arrested," Emma reminded, her patience was shattering for every second she was standing in front of this man.

"You were there that night?" The man's eyes widened in shock.

"Yes, and I am still waiting for your answer," She said impatiently.

"What do you know about this town?" He began, bracing himself for her answer.

Emma decided to lay everything out no matter how crazy she sounded.

"I already know that this town is filled with a bunch of fairytale characters brought here by a curse. Hell, I even visited the Enchanted Forest recently and just got back. Now, I just don't know what to do anymore." She threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

The man smirked at her frustration. "It sounds like you need a drink."

Who the hell did this guy think he was? He tried to conspire with Neal to have her arrested, then he wanted to have drinks with her. He must think she was stupid to take him up on his offer.

"I don't drink with people I don't know. I'm especially wary about you because I still can't get that memory of you out of my head." She crossed her arms in protest.

"The name is August. We were in the same orphanage together. I was the one to bring you here into this world through a wardrobe so you could break the curse. You were wrapped in a blanket with the name "Emma" embroidered on it.-"

"Ok, let's get that drink," she interrupted.

Emma had to cut him off as he started sprouting out facts to her. The worst thing about the whole situation was that she could tell he wasn't lying. By the look in his expression, she knew he had more things he wanted to reveal to her, but she needed a drink after all of the revelations she had to endure for the last few weeks.

August wordlessly followed her as they made their way to the Rabbit Hole. Emma didn't count how long it took them to sit at the bar and how many drinks they had. She didn't have to worry about the tab because August said he would take care of it to make up for what happened to her. The more time she spent with him, she found out he was an easy person to talk to.

"What happened to Neal?" Emma asked randomly after they sat in comfortable silence for a while. She was swirling the alcohol in her cup out of boredom with her left hand, awaiting August's answer.

She watched as he stared at his cup thoughtfully before bringing it to his mouth.

"After we talked, he went to the car to leave you. I was watching him to make sure he kept his word, but the cops were waiting for him," he recalled before throwing his drink back.

"So, he really did get arrested," Emma mused as her mind drifted to the night Neal plotted against her. She guessed he got his just desserts for his crime.

"Yeah, I'm not sure which prison he was sent to serve his time. I didn't bother to find out because my main goal was to separate you two, since I didn't want you pursuing a life of crime. I guess him getting arrested was a solution. What made you believe in the curse? Was it the storybook I sent you?" His eyes were filled with curiosity.

"You were the one who sent it? I can't believe you knew where I lived." Emma's voice was filled with shock. At least, she finally realized where that wretched book came from. She still couldn't believe that August kept tabs on her. His appearance in Storybrooke was proof to that fact.

"I made a promise to my father that I would protect you," August admitted truthfully as he tried to readjust his position on the bar stool.

Emma had to admit he couldn't sit straight for long periods of time. He seemed rather uncomfortable. She frowned as she contemplated his words. If he wanted to protect her, he had a funny way of showing it.

"Well, you did a fine job. You almost had me thrown in prison, and I would have given up Henry." Emma scoffed as she reminded him of his failings. She was glad he wasn't successful, but for the same reasons she couldn't stay mad at him. At least, he was trying to be there for her now to make up for his mistakes.

"Anyways, to answer your question, I became friends with Rumpelstiltskin before he became the Dark One. My husband or ex-husband…" Emma threw back her drink as she remembered the current problem she was facing. She closed her eyes as she felt the burn in her throat. "I don't know if there are divorces in the Enchanted Forest. Well, he had a grudge against the Dark One for three hundred years." Emma finished her tale, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Wait, you traveled to the Enchanted Forest three hundred years ago?" August asked taken aback. He was staring at her in disbelief.

Emma didn't blame him for his reaction. Hell, if someone told her that they traveled back in time, she wouldn't have believed them either.

"I'm not crazy. It's a long story and it involves a witch who wanted to steal my life and magic to get revenge on Regina," Emma explained as she continued to nurse her drink.

"That's messed up. Rumpelstiltskin is immortal so I understand why he is alive. You're implying that your husband is still alive too?" August probed, trying to ask for clarification. Emma could tell he wasn't buying it.

"If things were different, I wouldn't be drinking right now," she admitted, rubbing her brow in frustration.

"How bad can he possibly be for you to be drinking?" He teased, trying to get a smile from Emma.

Emma appreciated the fact that he was trying to get her to lighten up, but there was no way that could happen. "He is Killian Jones or Captain Hook."

August's eyes widened at her admission before he looked at her in confusion. "I really don't know what to say. You said he was after Rumpelstiltskin. Shouldn't he be after Peter Pan?"

She frowned at the mention of the trouble maker. "Peter Pan is something else. No, he is after Rumple because he thinks that Rumple killed his brother, and he claims that he is angry Rumple took me away from him after killing his lover, who he claims is just a friend," She said through clenched teeth.

She could feel her anger and frustration take over her being. She was reminded of the problem that she was trying to forget.

"I see there is more to this story," August observed knowingly.

Emma could see the look of concern in August's face before her eyes drifted to the condensation that was falling on the side of her cup. She didn't know if it was the alcohol, or needing someone to talk to about this problem that was allowing her to bear her soul out.

"I tried leaving town today," she said with a heavy sigh.

"Why?"

"One of the reasons why Killian returned to Storybrooke was to gain revenge on Rumpelstiltskin." She said, staring at her hands that she placed on the bar.

"Yes, you already said that. What stopped you?" August probed, his tone curious.

She smiled sadly to herself, remembering when she first returned to Storybrooke she was adamant in leaving. She wanted to protect herself and Henry from getting hurt so she wanted to run. Henry stopped her in the end.

"Henry. He called me out on why I was running. Killian also had an uncanny ability at reading me as well," Emma admitted, her tone wistful as she remembered the many times Killian called her out.

"Did Killian tell you otherwise that he didn't want revenge?"

She frowned at August's question. She didn't know where he was going with it.

"He claimed that one of the reasons he tried to return to Storybrooke was for me. He said that the whole situation for why we parted was a misunderstanding," she said, her tone laced with confusion. "I tied him up and tried leaving him in the Enchanted Forest," she answered his question with a shrug.

"You overreacted a little." He laughed at her recollection, causing her to put her face in her hands in shame.

"I know." She groaned, as all the events within the last few weeks replayed in her mind. When she realized her actions, she confessed her feelings. "I still feel horrible because he was a good man once, and I still love him. Now that I had some time away from him and talking to Henry made me realize that maybe he didn't cheat on me. He was so adamant in explaining everything to me, and he tried showing me what really happened that day."

After her admission, she heard August spew his drink from his mouth. She lifted her eyes as he began to cough, hitting his chest to try and clear his windpipe. "Wait, show?" He sputtered.

"In the Enchanted Forest, we discovered when we kissed, we could share memories," she recalled.

"That's freaky. So every time you kiss, you both would exchange memories?" He asked.

"No, it was the first and recently," she clarified, finding her watered down drink interesting.

"Why those two times?" August's question caused her to frown.

She didn't know why they didn't share memories every time they kissed in the past. She did kiss him a lot even before Killian became a pirate.

"I don't know. Apparently, we're soulmates. I guess the first time was to show us what we were, and the second time we wanted to share voluntarily," she guessed with a shrug.

"So did you see what happened to cause the misunderstanding in the first place?" August continued his probing.

Emma was getting tired of these circular questions. They were getting too personal. Especially, this one. Pretty soon she would have to politely ask August to stop questioning her.

"No, I pulled away too soon after I saw some disturbing memories. He has a tattoo of the woman on his arm anyway." she admitted, hoping to get August to realize that Killian had moved on so he could stop questioning her.

"Was that all that was on there?"

His question caused her to stare at him in disbelief. Why would it matter what else was on the tattoo? Another woman's name on his arm was a testament to his infidelity.

"Well, I only saw part of the tattoo, but her name is on there," she reminded.

"Still, you didn't see the whole thing," he clarified.

"No, it was kind of dark and I was far away," Emma said as she remembered that she was distracted before she could look at the entire thing. Did it even matter? She didn't have time to contemplate the answer as August continued his relentless questioning.

"Does Henry know about his father?"

Emma closed her eyes at the question. Once again she was reminded of the problems she had to face now that she wasn't leaving Storybrooke.

"Right now, he thinks he died in the navy. What should I tell him? Oh Henry, remember when I told you your father died in the navy? Guess what? I lied! He is actually Captain Hook, who is a three hundred year old pirate trying to kill Rumpelstiltskin"- she said sarcastically before her tone turned somber- " I always thought family was important to Killian, but I was proven wrong when he murdered his father."

"Why did he kill his father?"

"It's too personal for me to say, but there were some resentful feelings that Killian held towards his father. Now, I'm afraid that he would hurt Henry somehow either directly or indirectly in his pursuit of revenge. I was adopted briefly that's why I got the last name Swan. They gave me back to the orphanage because they had their own kid. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want Henry to know his father and soon after have him taken away from him in his suicide mission against Rumple." Emma looked at August pleadingly for understanding.

She had to admit that when she talked to him, it lifted a heavy burden from her chest. It seemed like he genuinely cared about her well-being. She desperately needed an unbiased opinion about her next course of action because she didn't know what to do.

"I think you should tell him "- August began, but held up a hand to stop Emma from protesting- "You're the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. The fact that Killian is still alive isn't a mere coincidence. It is a good sign that he said he still loves you. This is why I think true love runs in the family. You will feel better once you see the rest of the tattoo and do your memory thing. If you show him that he has a son, that will give him hope. If there is anyone capable of talking him out of revenge, it's you. I made a mistake in not being there for you in the past, Emma, but I'll be damned if I don't talk you into you clearing up every misunderstanding between you and Killian. You're our only hope at breaking the curse, and you deserve to be happy." He looked at Emma with a firm resolve.

Emma smiled at his determination because she knew he was genuine and had a point. She made a vow to Killian a long time ago. The least she could do is let him explain everything all the way through no matter how bad and despite her feelings.

Suddenly, August grasped his leg and cried out. Emma's eyes furrowed in concern as his face was contorted in pain.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

He lifted up his pant leg and his leg looked like solid wood. She blinked a few times, letting out a heavy breath as she stared at her drink warily when the vision didn't disappear.

"Whoa, I think I had one too many." Emma rubbed her eyes, feeling the sluggishness of the alcohol finally. She didn't notice it at first until she thought of the amount she had.

"I assure you. You aren't imagining this," August corrected her attempts at trying to talk herself out of what she was seeing.

Emma held out a hand to touch his leg but stopped herself at the last second, realizing how rude she was acting. "Can I?" She asked and at his nod she touched it.

His leg felt cold to the touch and she could see where the wood and flesh met. His leg didn't look like a prosthetic. "Does that hurt?" She asked with concern.

"Like hell," August admitted.

She realized that he was experiencing something similar to growth pains which meant that the wood was overtaking his actual body. Emma had an inkling to August's true identity.

"Here I thought I had problems. I don't have to ask for your real identity then. You're Pinocchio. Why are you turning into wood?"

August laughed at her observation before he looked at her regretfully.

"Like you said I did a crappy job in protecting you, and I was bad before I decided to find you," August answered pulling down his pant leg.

By the clenching of his jaw, Emma knew he was still in pain but was hiding it. She wondered if there was any way she could help him because he took the time to help her with her problems.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"If what I do is successful, then I should be. I'm going to have to make up for my mistakes.," he reassured her, getting up from the bar stool after he put the money down for their drinks. He stared at her for a moment before looking at her seriously. "Emma, please take my words into consideration. You need to clear everything up with Killian before it's too late. Life is too short for regrets. Don't let this rift of possible misunderstandings and unanswered questions be one of them. You're stronger to overcome your differences than you think." After his words of advice, he left, leaving Emma to her thoughts.

Having drinks with August was a much needed respite. He put a lot of things into perspective that Emma didn't take into consideration before. Emma decided her next course of action was to find Killian. She spent too much time worrying about herself and Henry that she didn't realize the situation he was in.

At least when she traveled to the past, she was picked up by the Jewel and provided for. Killian on the other hand was stuck in her time, and the modern world wasn't friendly with those who didn't have money. As Emma went to find him, she could feel his confusion and his sadness. She felt slightly guilty because she made no attempt to help him at first.

She let out a sigh of relief when she found him staring at a neon sign in confusion. He was trapped in a world he didn't know, looking lost. Her heart broke a little at the look because she realized that she was partly responsible for it. She smirked a little when he muttered, "Bloody Hell" under his breath.

"Killian." He flinched when she said his name. She had to steel herself when he turned around, staring at her with apprehension. He probably thought she was going to yell at him. She had to tell him why she was there.

"I can only imagine how disorienting everything is. You have to get used to the twenty-first century now," she said, but frowned when his eyes narrowed in concern.

"Swan, have you been drinking?" He asked, disappointment laced in his tone.

Great. She wondered how many drinks she had for him to notice. She didn't think she had that many.

"Maybe a little," she admitted sheepishly.

"Did you find me irresistible after a few libations so you decided to seek me out?" He asked, his tone guarded.

He was using humor as a defense mechanism. She winced at his jab at her. She guessed she deserved that and didn't miss the self-loathing that overtook him. He probably thought she was very drunk and wasn't going to take her seriously. She was going to let her actions speak for herself.

"Hardly, I need you to follow me." Emma ignored his jab and started walking towards the inn portion of Granny's.

Killian was uncharacteristically quiet as he followed her. Emma was glad that they didn't have far to go so she could get rid of the awkward silence. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Ms. Lucas open her mouth in shock, and Leroy's glare was replaced for a slight moment before it returned. The town's reaction to seeing her was going to take a while to get used to.

"Emma, it's good to see you are back. We thought the worst when you got kidnapped. When Ruby told me you were here earlier, I didn't believe my ears." Emma didn't miss the look of concern Killian directed towards her at the woman's story.

"Well, it's all under the bridge now. I have an old friend who needs a room and put whatever he eats on my tab." She dismissed the woman by gesturing to Killian.

"He's staying," Ms. Lucas said with disbelief, causing Emma to raise an eyebrow at the woman's shock. "Of course he is. How long will he be staying?" She asked, her pen hovering over the dusty ledger she threw down on the desk.

Emma pursed her lips as she thought about Killian's predicament. She had to get Killian used to the idea of Henry and talk him out of his revenge, but who knows how long that would take.

"Indefinitely," Emma finally answered, causing the older woman to escape into another room. Emma leaned over the desk to try and see where Ms. Lucas ran off to. She sighed when she realized she was standing in awkward silence with Leroy and Killian.

The short man took in Killian's appearance with his usual frown. Not even Killian's charismatic grin rubbed off on the man.

"That is an interesting outfit"- Leroy began before his eyes furrowed in annoyance-"Damn it. Did I miss the annual Halloween party again this year?" Leroy muttered under his breath.

It would be June in real world time. Since Storybrooke was lagging behind because of the curse, it was October for them. Once the curse was broken, Emma wondered whether the citizens of Storybrooke would adapt to the correct time. Still, since Halloween was approaching, this provided the perfect cover story for Killian before she was able to get him some real clothes.

"I helped Killian with his costume. He's going to be Captain Hook for Halloween. He is trying to get used to it because it's all leather." Emma gestured to Killian's outfit for emphasis.

"I see. Well, if I need any tailor work, I will be sure to ask you, Sherriff. When you are not busy of course," Leroy grunted.

Emma stared at the man awkwardly, not knowing what to say. She hoped that he would forget about what she said and not advertise about her nonexistent tailoring skills. She would get caught in her lie.

"Here you go." Ms. Lucas appeared, breaking the awkward silence. Killian took the key she was holding. As soon as it was placed firmly in his hand the woman continued. "You're in room three. Just take the stairs and it's the second room to the right." She finished with a smile.

"Thank you, Ms. Lucas. I have to get going to get ready for work in the morning." Emma expressed her gratitude.

"Of course. It's nice to see you back, Emma," the older woman admitted.

Emma gave Killian a small nod and left the building. She was glad that Killian now had a place to stay, albeit temporarily. She put her hands in her pants pocket as she made her way to the direction of the house. She could feel how stiff her pants were from the salt. She really needed a bath when she got home. Her musings were interrupted when she heard someone running towards her direction.

"Emma!" Killian yelled to get her attention.

She frowned, turning around to meet him. He seemed slightly out of breath.

"Was there something you needed?" Her brow furrowed in confusion.

He frowned at her question. "I don't understand. From the conversations we had, you didn't seem receptive to my presence." He gestured to the town helplessly.

Emma hummed in recognition as she realized that he didn't understand why her behavior did a complete one eighty with him.

"You aren't sleeping on a bench. You provided for me when I was a stranger in the Enchanted Forest all those years ago. Also, I wanted to apologize for the way I have been acting these last few weeks. It wasn't easy seeing you again. Especially, after the way we left things so long ago, and-"

"Emma," he interrupted her, and she was surprised to see that he honestly looked offended at her words. She couldn't understand why. She didn't have much time to think as he continued." I want you to know that everything we shared in the past was real. I don't want you to view my providing for you out of affection as a sense of obligation for you to pay me back."

Emma realized that he was afraid that she was doing this to try and get even with him and not that she cared about him. She had a feeling that he wouldn't stay at the inn if she was only paying for him for feeling guilty. She let out a heavy sigh as she realize she needed to be somewhat truthful with him.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I just needed to come to terms with you being here first. There is so much more I want to ask you and talk about." She ran a hand in her hair in frustration as she prayed that he accepted her reasoning. She couldn't deal with him tonight, unless she took care of Henry first.

"I don't know what made you change your mind, but I am glad," he admitted, stepping in front of her and giving her a sheepish smirk. Emma smiled a little, despite her tiredness. "We'll talk about this on another day after you have a clearer head." He ran his fingers through her hair for emphasis, causing Emma to close her eyes slightly at the gesture.

"I would like that very much," she said almost breathlessly.

Killian still had that effect on her.

"Goodnight, Emma," he whispered.

"Goodnight, Killian." She countered with a small smile and began to walk away.

She started making her way forward to the direction of her house. Now was time to stop running and finish the job she was called to do in breaking the curse. At the same time, she needed to think about how she was going to tell Henry and Kilian about each other. Emma felt eyes boring into her retreating back. Turning her head slightly, she could see Killian staring at her longingly. There was no doubt that he was being genuine in his affections. The fact, that he still cared about her, brought her some hope that Killian could change for her and Henry. Emma smiled to herself as she realized that maybe telling Killian about Henry didn't seem daunting as she previously thought.

Next: The Queen's Wrath