A/N: Rating will go up to M starting from this chapter! Sorry I'm not sorry. =D

Omg, I'm still so jetlagged. LOL! Anyway. I can't even begin to express how lovely all of you are. I know I thank you readers and reviewers every chapter, but really, you all deserve it. I get so pumped every time I get a notification for a review, favourite, message, alert, etc. To know that you are all reading, enjoying, and supporting this story means so much and it really and truly pushes me to keep writing. Your reactions and suppositions also make it super fun to write and see your further reactions to later chapters!

Anyway, since you have all been good little readers, this is a Christmas treat for you! Hope you all enjoy it. I have SO much planned for future chapters! Can't wait for you to read them. Well, have a wonderful holiday season! I know we all cannot wait until January 6, 2013! =D xx IFHD

P.S., If you want to read more of my OUAT stuff, check out my two one-shots, "Pirate Persuasion" and "On A Beanstalk With A Pirate"!

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Chapter 6: Breath of Life

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Inspired by:

"Kiss Me"

By: Ed Sheeran

Settle down with me

Cover me up

Cuddle me in

Lie down with me

And hold me in your arms

And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck

I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet

And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now

Kiss me like you wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

This feels like falling in love

Falling in love

We're falling in love

Settle down with me

And I'll be your safety

You'll be my lady

I was made to keep your body warm

But I'm cold as the wind blows so hold me in your arms

Yeah I've been feeling everything

From hate to love

From love to lust

From lust to truth

I guess that's how I know you

So I hold you close to help you give it up

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Emma cautiously turned upon her heels.

"Hey." she said breathlessly as she perceived the apparition before her. Every ounce of air instantly left her lungs as she was unable to control her rising emotions. Shock reverberated throughout her entire being and was exhibited through her eyes. Her will to make any movement failed her, with almost all of her muscles taut and tense.

"Hello." Hook greeted amiably in return as he twisted his head towards her stalk still body. He continued to lie upon the bed as still as Emma, though there was no weakness evident in the glimmer of his eyes as he observed her. He took in her sight with such fervour that, to an undiscerning guest, it would have appeared as though he were just seeing her for the very first time.

A moment of silence passed between them.

With considerable effort, Emma found herself mobile once more. As her muscles loosened from the enchantment, she took a couple of steps towards the pirate, whose smouldering, coal-lined eyes never left hers. Her vocabulary was temporarily limited as a result of the current state of events; she wasn't particularly used to initiating a conversation with someone who, apparently, was just resurrected. Her voice stumbled over, "H-how are you feeling?"

Hook considered her question for a few heartbeats, remembering everything that had transpired until his, as it were, unfortunate demise. How in the bloody hell... He winced for show and was entirely truthful when he imparted, "As though I had too much rum last night."

Emma raised her brows amusedly as she threw him a sidelong glance. Though he still looked a bit pale - which was definitely a marked improvement from his former state - he seemed quite normal on the outside. "I guess I'll still take that as a good thing."

"Feeling anything is always better than feeling nothing, love," was the pirate's adage for the young woman. When he saw her nod in understanding, he threw the bedsheets from his body with a swift swing of his arm. Despite having been stabbed - with his own goddamn sword, he thought - just a few hours prior, he was able to sit up from his bed, all on his own, and place his boot-covered feet upon the tiled floor. He remained in a sitting position, slightly bent over as though he were preparing to pounce, and merely gave Emma an inflamed stare through hooded lids.

Emma still had no idea what had just happened or what was going on presently. Is he one of the undead now or something? she queried inwardly. A cad of a pirate was no match for a zombie cad of a pirate. She swallowed in nervousness. Was magic controlling him, or was it something else? Emma studied him even further, attempting to find answers on her own; he didn't seem hell-bent on killing her - at least, not yet - which was, all things considered, a good sign. And yet, the way he was looking at her now made her slightly uncomfortable; he eyed her as though he was ravenous and she was prey. Despite her bubbling doubts, the young woman took a few more steps forward. "You should, um…" She was now only a couple of meters from him. "…you should rest."

"I shall," Hook easily obliged with a curt nod. He stood. The intensity in his gaze didn't abate. "But there's something that I have to do first."

Without another word of explanation, he quickly enclosed the space between them.

Emma stood her ground. She accepted Killian's coming form with open arms.

Her hands automatically rested on his stubbled chin as his hand found and gripped her waist. Their foreheads lightly touched when their bodies met. For several moments, they reveled in each other's presence, in the growing heat that radiated from their bodies. They were so close that they could hear each other's pulse, which began to quicken as their intimacy grew. Then, ever so delicately, Hook's lips claimed Emma's in a manner so soft, so delicate, that the act surprised the pirate himself. What bewildered him even more was that he wanted to be gentle with her, to take all the time he pleased to be with her. He felt her form unwillingly trembling at the growing contact, signalling to him what he was beginning to ignite within her; it impassioned him even more. When he heard her whimper, he couldn't help but pull her even closer, deepening their kiss.

The length of their bodies slightly collided at the tug. With a throaty growl of satisfaction, Hook used his tongue to trace the outlines of Emma's lips, silently requesting entrance. She obliged without a second thought, and their tongues danced to a rhythm that was a mixture of passion, urgency, and pure need. Hook clearly remembered Emma's taste, but the way her mouth moved against his now was entirely different from the first time he had kissed her; this time, her willingness and eagerness added to the intensity of the moment. They both fought for control, each refusing to allow the other to gain the upper hand. Following a primal urge, the pirate buried his fingers in her hair as he pressed his hips closer to hers.

These damn clothes are becoming a hassle, Hook thought.

Despite his entire body screaming the very opposite, the pirate pulled back. To answer Emma's questioning glance, he explained, "I know that propriety is of great importance to you, so I believe this is for your own good. I have a feeling that your mother is going to catch us in the act once more; thus, I propose that we resume this when we are in more private quarters." Unable to resist the throbbing in his body, he gave her lips one last, longing kiss as his hand travelled down to her backside and gave it a playful squeeze. "Might I also warn you, Emma -" his keen eyes trailed from her face, down her neck, and surveyed her chest - "that if we do not stop our current activities now, I do not think that I will be able to control myself."

It was Emma's turn to pull back; she knew that Hook's latter threat was not empty at all.

She was surprised to find that the pirate seemed to have gained the powers of telepathy as well, because only a few minutes later, Mary Margaret's head popped from the door's threshold as she began, "Emma, we should go now and…" It didn't take long before her words trailed off into a sputter, then to nothing at all. With sheer horror etched on her countenance, she stepped back at the sight of Hook's living, breathing, and grinning form. "How in the...what?"

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Hook's miraculous return sent the hospital staff buzzing. Dr. Whale himself wanted to keep Hook for observation for a bit longer, quite keen on attempting to solve the mystery behind his apparent resurrection. The doctor was uncharacteristically pushy; however, despite several attempts to change Hook's mind, the pirate haughtily refused (saying that the building was too white and carried too much of an unpleasant smell) and simply walked out of the hospital as quickly as he had entered it, entirely ignoring check-out procedures. Who needed procedures anyway? he thought. He was too bloody happy to be back that being examined like an animal wasn't a top priority on his to-do list at the moment. When Hook sauntered outside of the hospital with gracious bows at his audience as he passed, Emma and Mary Margaret could only give Dr. Whale and the nurses an apologetic look before scurrying after the loose swashbuckler.

Hook stepped onto the sidewalk. He placed his hands on his hips, closed his eyes, and took in a deep, long breath. He tilted his head towards the sky, reveling in the feeling of the glistening sun upon his skin. Even the air smelt fresher. He was alive and Emma was freely kissing him; surely, it would be devastating to find out that he was merely dreaming now - or in some kind of land for the undead of sort-of-dead.

He was awoken from his reverie when he felt a delicate hand wrap around his. He eyed their entwined hands with a smile and gave hers a light squeeze. "Hey," came Emma's voice as she fell into step with him. "We'll go back to my place, okay?"

"Taking me home already, love?" Hook's eyebrows raised repeatedly at the thought - which wasn't a bad thought to him, that was for certain. He gave her cheek a longing kiss, reveling in the feeling of her skin upon his lips. "Emma, you naughty girl!"

Emma rolled her eyes in exasperation, but eventually couldn't help but laugh at the pirate's impish expression.

Emma, Hook, and Mary Margaret travelled to Emma's apartment in her yellow beetle. As Emma drove, she noticed that her two passengers shared the same expression - as though they were seeing ghosts - and were completely silent and still. The young woman quirked a brow at both of their pale-faced expressions and eyed them alternately. "Are you two alright?"

"I'm...I'm fine." Mary Margaret blurted with a forced smile. Emma didn't believe her for a second and saw right through her awkward grin; nevertheless, she gave her mother a nod in acceptance. They would probably have a little talk later, as had been promised the day before. In the meantime, Mary Margaret took in a curt breath, as though she had just resurfaced from the sea. Her light eyes darted to the rear-view mirror as she stared at Hook's form behind her. "I don't know about him, though."

Emma stepped on the brakes at a red light and peered behind her. Mary Margaret certainly wasn't wrong in her diagnosis. Hook's once olive face now turned into a light colour of pink. He sat forward, as though pensively, and doubled over as much as he could. Had he had more leg room, he would've probably been able to rest his head upon both of his knees. His eyes were entirely shut, and he breathed as though he were in labour. Given that he had been mortally wounded relatively recently, Emma didn't think it proper to laugh out loud at his current state. She composed herself before she queried, "Do you feel as though you're about to hurl?"

"First, you welcome me in a strange, magical, yellow chariot that does not run with horses," the pirate grumbled, still looking down at his feet, "and then," he threw Emma a sardonic glare, "you honour the invitation by wielding the chariot as though you've had too much rum!"

Mary Margaret raised a laconic brow. "Emma, I think he just made fun of your driving skills."

Unaffected by his complaints, Emma rolled down the window next to the swaying pirate. "Hook, if you're going to release the contents of your stomach, please do so out there and not in here. Thank you."

All she received from the pirate was a dismissive wave to press forward and an elongated groan.

They reached their destination a few minutes later, which was certainly welcome news for Hook and, perhaps, Emma's car. The pirate didn't even wait for the vehicle to stop moving entirely before he jumped out. Emma and Mary Margaret merely shared a look before ushering him inside. Hook never thought that he'd be happy to be on solid land again; however, it didn't take him long to recover and will away the swirling mess that was in his head.

As Mary Margaret began preparing a meal, Emma excused herself and the pirate. Worried about the state of his wound, she led him to the bathroom and began to rummage through the cabinets for some bandages and gauze pads. "I suspect that you know how to care for wounds?" she called out while still on task.

Hook smirked with pride as Emma handed him a couple of packets. "Of course, love. I'd be dead a long time ago if I didn't."

Given his lifestyle, she wasn't surprised that he had experienced his share of scrapes and bruises. What piqued her interest, though, was just how he received them. She resolved not to press the matter for now. "Well...good." Emma sighed, then gave him a nod and smile. "I'll leave you to it, then."

As she walked towards the door, she heard:

"Wait. You forgot something."

Emma stopped and twisted her head back. "What?"

In the blink of an eye, she received her answer. Hook had managed to wrap his arms around her before she could react; he embraced her while her back remained to him. He began a barrage of butterfly kisses from her cheek, to her neck, and to the exposed skin of her back. The pirate quickly thought that her clothes were a nuisance, so he didn't waste time ridding Emma of her red jacket. Though she stiffened at the unexpected act and subsequent contact, she obliged without protest. For now, he was pleased at seeing her only in her white, see-through tank top and skin-tight jeans. He smirked predatorily; Emma instantly knew that he wouldn't be satiated for long.

Uncontrollable shivers ran through Emma's entire body as Killian's hand and hook travelled up and down her exposed arms, caressing her skin. She could hear his breathing become heavier, feel his entire body tense with lust. "I love how you smell, how you taste," he purred right beside her earlobe as he turned her around to fully face him. As she did, he gave her body an appreciative once-over from head to toe. "I love how you react to me when I touch you."

She couldn't stop her hands from trembling as she placed them upon his chest. "Killian..."

The mere mention of his name from her lips sent such feelings of elation throughout the pirate that self-control was no longer an option for him at this point. In one, swift movement, Hook wrapped his arms around Emma's buttocks and hoisted her upwards. As he continued to hold her, he somehow managed to take his left arm and sweep some of the contents of the bathroom counter aside. He heard Emma gasp at this, but he continued forward with his desires and placed her upon the bathroom counter. Without wasting a moment, the pirate began to nibble at her neck once more and feel the soft flesh of her abdomen beneath her shirt. As his hand made its way to her breasts, he captured her lips with his in a searing kiss.

"Hook!" Emma hissed, though keeping her close contact with the pirate. She said intermittently as his lips continued to impair hers, "Don't forget...that...Mary Margaret...is in...the kitchen!"

"We'd better keep quiet, then." He smirked through the kiss as he ran his hand teasingly up her thigh. "Or, most likely," he then unbuttoned her jeans, "you should do your best to remain quiet. I am, after all, not through with you yet."

Emma felt such raging, all-consuming desire for this man that it frightened her. What confused her was that it frightened her so much that she actually wanted to go through with it. Perhaps it was out of curiosity; or, perhaps she thought that the best way to conquer your fears was to face it head-on. However, when she heard a tea kettle boiling through the door, she was once again reminded that being intimate with a man when her mother was still under the same roof was certainly not the best of ideas.

With difficulty, Emma placed her hands upon his chest once more - this time, keeping him back. "Do you ever stop?" she chided lightly.

"No, Emma darling." Hook smirked lasciviously as he kissed the tip of her nose. "Fortunately for you, I don't."

To the pirate's pouting expression, Emma entirely pulled back. With steady breaths, she attempted to make herself look somewhat presentable. "Just...just focus on taking care of your wounds for now, alright? We wouldn't want it to reopen, now would we?"

Hook dramatically placed a hand upon his chest. "This wound is nothing compared to that which you have inflicted upon my heart, milady."

With a laugh, Emma tossed the pirate a face cloth, which landed squarely upon his head.

Hook was alive, Emma thought. And she was thankful that he was.

...But how?