Emma slowly woke and opened her eyes. "Oh god," she groaned and closed them again. Even in her dark bedroom, the small light from her open door made her brain want to scream. Her hand pressed over her eyes as she still felt the room spin a little. She may have drank her sorrows away last night, but now those drinks were back with a vengeance. Her stomach lurched and she ran to her bathroom, barely making it before she let go of her dinner and the...how many drinks did she have again? Better out than in at this point.

She rested the side of her face against the toilet seat in the unlit bathroom and reached up and flushed the toilet. She wasn't sure she could move from that spot, but she also wanted off the hard tile floor and back into her bed. She slowly got to her feet and leaned against the wall. She needed to get some painkillers in her and some water before she headed back to bed.

She stumbled to her medicine cabinet, took out the bottle of aspirin, and struggled opening the cap. Stupid childproof bottles! She finally managed to get it open, and shook three pills into her palm, and then leaned against the wall to get into her kitchen. She squinted her eyes at the light as she retrieved a bottle of water from her fridge. She swallowed some water and the pills and waited to see if they would stay down. Breathing a sigh of relief, she chugged down the rest of the water, then took another from the fridge and made her way back to her bedroom. She caught sight of her purse and fished out her phone.

"Great…" she whined. She forgot to charge it when she got home and her phone was dead. She plugged it in, and turned the phone back on. Seeing it was barely eight in the morning, she left it on the counter and dragged herself back to bed to continue sleeping off the hangover. A few minutes later, her phone updated, showing a string of missed phone calls and voice messages from a restricted number.
===∞∞∞∞∞===

Killian stared at his alarm clock. He had been away already for hours but had no desire to get out of bed. It was already almost eleven in the morning…almost afternoon, but he didn't care. He had spent all night calling her, leaving numerous messages. He was now certain he had missed his chance, and had lost her for good.

At first he thought that maybe she didn't answer because she didn't recognize the phone number. But after the tenth phone call, he was pretty sure she was just not answering. If a number had called him that many times he would have at least answered the phone to figure out who they were trying to reach.

He sighed, remembering the promise he made Liam the night before, but he wasn't going to be able to keep part of it. He wasn't going to be able to talk to Emma. But he could at least go and get a new phone; he needed it anyway. With a sigh, he sat up in bed and pushed off the covers. It was time to take a shower and go and wait in line for who knows how long to get a new phone.

This time when Emma woke up, she could at least move without feeling like she was on the verge of death. He head was still pounding, and her eyes were not happy with the sun, but she at least felt a little human. She looked at her clock and realized it was almost noon.

She sat up and almost cheered that her stomach wasn't going to protest. She made her way to her kitchen and put some PopTarts in the toaster and started her Keurig. She needed coffee—stat. She reached for her phone, wanting to text Tink to thank her oh so sweetly for not cutting her off last night (not), when she noticed the missed calls and voicemails.

That was strange. She pulled up her call history and noticed they were all from a restricted number. She swallowed...her heart rate increased remembering the missed call a week ago. She dialed her voice mail and gasped at the sound of his voice. "Killian…"

"Emma...it's Killian. I know you probably don't want to talk to me...but I would like to talk to you. Please call me. My cell is broke. You can reach me at…" He left a different phone number, she quickly wrote it down, and he then finished with, "I miss you Swan."

He wanted to talk to her! His voice sounded so...sad...lost even. Then her phone started to play the next message and she realized they were all from him. "Emma, it's Killian again. You probably don't realize this number is me. Or maybe you aren't home yet, or out…" She heard his voice drop, the emotion thick, "having fun with friends. I'll be up late; please call me." He left the phone number again and a quick goodbye.

A little over an hour after the previous message he had left the next. "Swan. I know I messed up, I jumped to conclusions. I just...my past...please, just call me. We can talk about this. Please call me, love."

The next two were pretty much the same thing, and the last one came in at almost eleven. "Emma, I hope you are okay. I hope you are out having fun and just not getting my calls. But if you are getting these messages, this will be my last voicemail. I don't want to interrupt your sleep. I don't want to bother you further. I hope you will call, love. But if you don't, I understand. I wish you the best." Tears were streaming down Emma's face as the message ended. He sounded like he had come to the conclusion she didn't want him anymore, and that was the furthest thing from the truth.

She quickly ended the voicemail and typed the new phone number into her phone. She wasn't sure what she would say, but she was just holding her breath as the phone rang...and rang...and rang. His voicemail answered, a message with just his name in his voice and the rest computerized. "Hi, Killian. It's Emma. I would love to talk. I was out last night...with Tink. I just saw the messages. I would love to talk. Please call me." She then hung up and sighed.

He had broke his phone. Maybe he didn't get her messages. Maybe it wasn't over. She wanted to temper her hope, but she couldn't. But why didn't he answer? Then she understood—the restricted number must be his landline in his house. Maybe he wasn't home, but he would have to be at some point.

With a sense of hope, and not a care for her headache, she sprinted to her room to change. She tugged on her jeans, pulled on a hoodie, and then a pair of boots. She ran a brush through her hair and put it into a ponytail. She grabbed her purse, dropping her phone inside. She transferred her coffee to a travel mug, wrapped her PopTarts in a napkin, and was quickly out the door.

It didn't take long and she was pulling into his driveway and up to the gates. She tried the intercom but there was no answer. She tried calling the phone number again, and still no answer. She parked her Bug in the drive. They were going to talk one way or another; better to do it now, not wait a moment longer, and it needed to be face to face. She started to munch on her PopTart and drink her coffee as she settled in to wait.

===∞∞∞∞∞===
Killian walked out of the store with his new cell phone, all his contacts in place. His phone showed missed calls and voicemail, which didn't shock him. Between his brother, Robin, and Regina, he knew he would have a few. He was curious if there were any from Emma.

He got in his car and started it up and linked his phone's bluetooth to the car. He backed out and started to drive as he told his phone to play his messages. As soon as he heard her voice, he had to pull the car over. It must have been the voicemail from the call she made where he threw his phone. His gut twisted at hearing her words, mostly garbled with tears.

That wasn't the only message—far from it. He also had numerous text messages.

ES: please let me explain
ES: I'm sorry for not telling you
ES: it's not why you think, call me
ES: I was wrong, I'm sorry
ES: please just talk to me
ES: I miss you
ES: please don't let us end like this

He scrolled through the rest, and swallowed hard when he got to the last one a few days ago.

ES: you probably won't get this. I'm sure I'm blocked. But if you do, I won't text or call anymore. But know, I'm truly sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I was just scared. I'm sorry.

His phone kept playing the messages from her, they tore at his heart. Any thoughts that she had been using him were gone, the emotion in her voice too real. He pulled the car back onto the road and started to drive for her place. He had to see her. He thought about calling but remembered she didn't pick up last night. "Shit," he cussed at himself. He couldn't just barge over there; besides, if she had answered, it would be on his phone at home.

He adjusted his route and decided he would head to his place first, check his messages and see if she answered, and from that he could figure out what to do. And if he went a lot further over the speed limit than he should have, oh well.

It wasn't long until he was pulling onto his street, and his heart leapt at seeing the familiar yellow Bug in front of his gate. He smiled as he parked behind her and got out of his car, but he didn't know why she hadn't seen him yet. As soon as he got to her car door, though, he understood. She was curled up in her seat, her head against her arm on the window, sound asleep.

He almost didn't want to wake her, but he knew he had to. He knocked lightly on the glass and she jolted awake. She looked at him in shock and he gave her a soft smile and then motioned at the gate. "Let me open it and I'll follow you in." She nodded in understanding and started her car as he went back to his.

The gate opened as both cars pulled through. He parked in the garage as she parked along the edge of the driveway. He rushed in the house and around to the main door, opening it right before she got there. She ducked her head a little and walked in. They stood in the foyer awkwardly, not sure what to say or do.

He cleared his throat and motioned to the living room. "Take a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

Emma nodded, taking off her boots and then headed for the couch. "Water would be great."

Killian quickly fetched two bottles of water, kicked off his shoes and looked at his home phone. He really wanted to see what her message was, if she left one. But he would rather be talking to the real Emma anyway. It couldn't be a horrible response; she was here, after all.

He walked into the living room and handed her a bottle as he sat down on the other end of the couch. She took a drink and he finally got a chance to really look at her. She wasn't wearing any makeup, her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, and she looked like she hadn't slept well...for awhile. He knew how that felt. But she still looked absolutely beautiful.

She was now biting her lip and playing with the wrapper on the bottle. Both were too nervous to start, and neither knew where. He scratched behind his ear and he caught her smile at the motion, which he returned. "I guess you got my messages." She nodded and he continued, "I haven't received yours today if you left one…"

"I did."

"I got your other messages on the way home from getting this." He held up his new phone and sat it on the coffee table.

"I thought you blocked me." She said softly looking down at her water, fingers having pulled half the wrapper off the bottle now.

"No; I was a sodding fool for breaking my phone in a drunken...foul mood." He sighed, "Emma, I'm sorry. I should have listened, but I was just...so…"

"No, I get it. I'm sorry;I shouldn't have hid it from you. I shouldn't have looked...it's just...I don't trust easy...after…" she just stopped, she wasn't sure she could go on.

He slowly reached for her hand and was glad to see she didn't pull away, but instead her head moved up and her teary eyes looked at him. "Sounds like we both have demons in our past that are still haunting us."

Emma nodded in agreement. "Sounds like it." She squeezed his hand. "Killian…I am sorry. Your statement back when we first met, that I didn't know you...well…" she looked down not wanting to admit it. "When I first went to look, I wanted to prove I was right. But when I got to your bio, and read between the lines…I knew how wrong I was."

He snorted softly; that was definitely her: stubborn to a fault. He gave another small grin for her to continue.

"Then it also was just my damn curiosity. I used to work part-time at the sheriff's station with my brother while I got my degree, and I guess…" she looked up at him, "But I swear I did not do a background check. I just followed the clues." She shook her head, "You were a mystery…I just needed to solve. Once I knew more, I wanted to know even more. I'm sorry." She looked down at their joined fingers. "The reason I didn't tell you I knew was…well…one, I know how hard it is to talk about my past, so I wanted you to be able to in your own time. And two, I was worried that you would...leave."

"Emma…" he scooted closer to her on the couch and sat his water on the coffee table, then took hers and did the same. "My brother actually asked me that—what I would have done if you told me at first." Her big green eyes looked up at him in question and he pushed on. "I said I would have been angry, but I would have gotten past it. But this far in…there were more emotions...involved…"

"That it made it hurt more." He nodded in agreement. "I know, I should have taken the chance then, because if you left then…it wouldn't hurt like it does…"

"Emma…" his hand went to the side of her face, his thumb wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry for how I reacted. It's just...after Milah, it took awhile to move on. I attempted to a couple times, but I found out they just wanted me for my money, or fame. I never thought I'd get someone that actually liked me...for me. And then in you came all stubborn and difficult." They both laughed. "I knew you weren't like them. I was hoping that when you looked at me…"

"I do see you." She waved her hand at the house. "I don't care about any of this."

"I know, I know. It's just, when it came out that you knew about all of it…it just brought all those memories and thoughts back up...and I reacted poorly."

"We both acted poorly due to our past experiences." Her hand came up and cupped his cheek as well, their foreheads touching. "Archie told me about the anonymous donation from the Lost Boys and Girls. I didn't put it together until our first date, but I knew you wanted it anonymous…I didn't know what to say. Honestly, the thought freaked me out."

"Why?"

"Me and my tiny apartment, and old car…"

"I don't care about any of that."

"I know...it's just my insecurities."

He caressed her cheek. "How about we just forget about this and start over?"

She pulled back and shook her head. "No." His heart plummeted and before he could try to convince her she continued. "I can't start over; I don't want to go back to square one." With that, she pulled him in by the lapels of his button-down shirt and kissed him.

He didn't waste any time and his arms were around her pulling her closer to him, one hand in her hair the other sprawled over her back. The kiss deepened, their tongues moving to taste one another, the heat between them quickly turning up. He pulled back slightly, out of breath as her lips chased his. He grinned. "Forgive this bloody fool, my love?"

She nodded quickly. "Can you forgive me?"

"I did completely the moment I saw you parked at my gate." She smiled back at him and he pulled her back to him, his mouth on hers, the passion increasing once again. They both had missed each other while apart, and their bodies and souls wanted to make up for lost time. Her hands were at his shirt working on the buttons, his at the hem of hers. They both broke the kiss, eyes staring at one another, gauging if they both wanted this, but they both instantly received the same answer as both had desire and need fully displayed on their face.

His hands lifted her hoodie, and she raised her arms to accommodate. Her hands were back to his shirt as he tossed the shirt to the floor and started to help her. In no time she was pushing the fabric over his shoulders and he shrugged out of it. Her hands ran over his chest hair and her mouth moved to suck at his pulse point, making him hiss as his hands grasped her silk-clad breasts, moving under the cups of the bra and over the already hardened nippled.

She sucked in a breath, and then nipped at his neck as he pulled down a cup of her bra and sucked a nipple into his mouth. His other hand moved to her back, quickly unhooking her bra. She leaned back and snaked her arms out of the straps and then moved on to her knees to get closer. His arms went around her and he grabbed her ass, moving her into his lap, mouth back on hers, tongues snaking against one another. They both groaned as the seam of her jeans ground against her core and the growing bulge in his pants.

He pressed her closer, his chest hair brushing over her straining nipples, the feel making the need between her legs grow even more. She rocked her hips against him again, and he moaned, breaking the kiss of her lips and traveling down her neck. She leaned her head back and to the side, letting her hips roll against his as his mouth continued to kiss and nip at that pleasureable point between neck and shoulder.

His hands squeezed the globes of her ass, pressing her closer to him, and groaning as she continued to move. She moved again, harder against him, and he growled into her skin and moved quickly, turning to the side and laying her back on the couch. Her hands were reaching for him. "Pants." He said pointing at hers. "I'll get mine." She nodded, and they worked rapidly to remove the rest of the barriers between them, both sliding off their underwear while they were at it as well.

Her jeans and panties were thrown to the side as he slid all of his down his legs in one go. He turned back to her, biting his lip at the naked beauty before him. Her fingers caught his arm trying to pull him to her. His hand slipped down the inside of her leg, his fingers connecting with her core, he groaned at how wet she already was for him. He bit his lip and lowered his head.

Emma fiercely gripped harder on his arm and pulled. "Later...I need you." His blue eyes looked up at hers, connecting from between her spread legs. He growled and leaned in and let his tongue lick her from core to clit, making her hips jump and her mouth moan. He groaned at her taste, having missed it, missed her so much while they were apart. But he understood her need; he had it too.

He was immediately hovering over her, kissing her, their tongues connecting, making her taste herself on him. She groaned into the kiss as her legs wrapped around his hips, pressing his hard length against her wet core. "God, Emma…"

He leaned up on his elbow, and reached between them, taking himself in hand. He rubbed the head against her opening and then over her clit, teasing them both. Her legs squeezed and she pleaded with him. He lined himself up, and thrust his hips forward, taking her all at once.

Emma screamed out his name at the sudden feeling of fullness, her legs gripping him tight. He stilled fully seated inside of her, relishing the feeling. Their eyes connected, and then their mouths in a briefly soft kiss. But it quickly became more intense, more passionate, tongues and teeth, moans of pleasure, and he started to thrust, and she leveraged her hips up to him. It was frantic, a reclaiming of each other. Hips thrusting, wet skin slapping against each other.

One hand came up under her leg and brought it up over his shoulder, allowing him to move deeper, and having him it that spot inside of her that made her see stars, made her body start to shake. "Fuck..yes..God..oh yes…"

He growled against her lips and then trailed them down her neck, burying his face there, licking and nipping at the flesh as his hips kept up the fast pace, pumping into her madly. Her inner walls started to flutter around her. "Emma...love...fuck." He bit her neck trying to hold himself back, wanting, needing to feel her come around him, to pull him over with her.

Her hands grasped at his shoulders, her nails gripping into him, trying to hold on, but she knew she wasn't going to be able to much longer. She couldn't keep up with the pace, with the pleasure. "Fuck…" With one more hard snap of his hips she was flying, her nails digging in. "Killiannnnn…"

Her inner walls gripped him furiously, and he groaned out his pleasure as it raced through him and shot deep into her. Her muscles milked every ounce of satisfaction from him as he stilled within her. The only sounds left were their fast breathing and rapid heart beats. Her leg fell from his shoulder and down off the couch for her foot to land on the floor. He raised his head to look into her eyes.

Emma smiled up at him. "I missed you."

Killian grinned back at her. "And I missed you too, my love." He leaned down to kiss her again, "When we can move, how about we move this into the bedroom?"

"Sounds like a plan." She bit her lip and gave him a mischievous look, "We do have all weekend."

He laughed and shook his head. It was one of the reasons he loved her...but how exactly was he going to tell her that?