AN: Big hugs and thanks to all that have reviewed so far and especially to those that keep reviewing - you're all stars :)

I'm going away in three weeks and just realised that I have another 12 chapters of this fic to go! I'm going to do my absolute best to get this all up before I leave as there won't be internet connection where I'm going - I know that probably sounds a little dubious but honestly, I'm just going to Dorset and the place we're staying at doesn't have Wifi, (I don't think) LOL!

Anyhoo, hope you enjoy this one for now.

CHAPTER 14

FAITH (Leap of) – (noun) An act of believing in or attempting something whose existence or outcome cannot be proved or known.

Snow looked up when the door to the loft flew open and let out an involuntary gasp when the small band of heroes stumbled in. Charming had called ahead and she'd asked Ruby to look after Henry at the diner while she'd hurried home.

Although her husband had given her a quick rundown of all that had happened, she still wasn't really prepared to see the abject misery that swam in the red and puffy eyes of her daughter.

"Oh, Emma, come here," she said as she opened her arms and pulled the young woman into the comfort of her warm embrace.

The blonde immediately returned her hug and buried her face in her mother's neck as she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall yet again.

"Regina's gone to the hospital with Robin," Charming explained before glancing back at Little John who was standing on the threshold with Hook's still lifeless body slung over his shoulder. "Let's put him on the couch."

"No," Emma objected suddenly as she pulled away from Snow and looked over at her father, "Put him in my old room."

Charming gave her a sad smile then nodded and helped the larger man carry the pirate up the stairs. She followed behind and watched as they laid him carefully onto her bed then John gave her a nod as he walked back out.

"I'm going to try and find Gold. See what he's done to Zelena, "announced Charming before placing a tender kiss to Emma's temple and one to his wife's lips before, he too, left.

Only Snow remained, her concerned gaze drifting between her daughter and the pirate as the silence stretched on.

"It didn't work," Emma finally said in a small voice.

Snow let out a sigh then moved closer and wrapped her arm around her daughter's waist just trying to lend her strength.

"Are you sure he's under a sleeping curse?" she asked.

"Regina seems pretty certain," Emma answered with a sniffle.

She drew in a deep breath then exhaled sharply before pulling away from her mother to start pacing around the room in agitation.

It had been instinctual to kiss Hook once Regina had told her he was only asleep. Maybe it was the relief that he wasn't actually dead that had fuelled it or the fact that everyone had stared at her expectantly, just waiting for her to plant a True Love's Kiss on the pirate's lips so that all would be right with the world again.

Except it hadn't been. Even when she'd tried a second time and shook his unresponsive body and all but begged for him to come back to her, it still hadn't worked. The sympathetic, almost disappointed expressions on all their faces, including Regina's, had made her feel a complete and utter failure.

She'd failed at being the Saviour and more importantly, she'd failed Killian.

"God, why did I even try?" she huffed out, suddenly angry. "I mean it's not like he ever told me how he felt. We never talked about…whatever the hell it is…was that was between us, so why would I be crazy enough to think I'd be able to break the stupid curse?"

"Do you really need to hear the words to know what's in Killian's heart, Emma?" Snow asked softly, causing her daughter to stop and look at her. The brunette smiled a little and shook her head, adding, "Have you even taken the time to let down those walls of yours to listen to your own?"

Emma looked down self-consciously and her mother walked over. She grasped her daughter's hands and couldn't help but notice the obvious trepidation in the blonde's face.

"Of course it didn't work. How could it? You need to open your heart fully to let out all that love I know is inside. You have to believe in yourself and him, whether you're certain of having that love returned or not. Sometimes…sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith."

Emma knew her mother was right but she was never one to go blindly into anything especially when it came to her feelings. Life had taught her harsh lessons when it came to romantic relationships and boy had she learned them.

"But what if I do that and it still doesn't work"? Emma whispered as she raised her head and revealed her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she voiced her deepest fear.

Her mother was quiet for a moment then a resolve lit her eyes and she replied honestly, "Then it's just not meant to be."

The blonde felt her stomach roll queasily at Snow's answer and she took a steadying breath to try and quell the feeling. It wasn't what she wanted to hear but there was a part of her that was grateful for her candour. Giving her false hope would be far worse.

Biting her bottom lip worriedly, her gaze slid to the pirate. She'd gone through so many emotions during the past few hours that she hardly knew where to start in sorting everything out, but she was certainly going to try. It was long past time that she needed to face up to her feelings where he was concerned and although she wished it was under different circumstances, she found the thought of it wasn't as daunting as she'd expected.

Her mother must have seen something of her internal musings in her expression because she smiled then proposed lightly, "Why don't you stay here while I go and make us some tea. Take your time, it'll be ready when you are."

Emma nodded automatically, her eyes never leaving the unmoving figure on the bed even when the door to the room opened then shut with a soft click. She was grateful for the time alone. Moving forward, she sat down on the edge of the bed next to Killian and gently took his hand in hers.

Tilting her head, her gaze roamed slowly over his face and for the first time she allowed her thoughts to drift back over all their encounters. The times he'd been there for her, come back for her, fought for her…and her family. His unrelenting honesty, even when he probably knew she wouldn't particularly like him for it. His, at times, thinly veiled admissions that she chose to ignore just because it suited her.

The evidence of his feeling had been in front of her the whole time just waiting for her to embrace if only she'd let herself.

Her mother was right; she didn't need to hear the words.

But what about her own feelings?

She knew she'd deliberately tried to keep her heart detached as best as she could. Protected herself against the day he'd inevitably leave because that's just what all men did to her; too scared to let him close because deep down she'd known it would crush her entirely.

And what good had it done her?

All of her pathetic defensive walls had quickly crumbled to dust at her feet the moment she'd thought he'd died anyway, leaving behind the torturous mind game of 'what if'' and 'maybe' in its wake.

She hadn't realised what it had meant then, in the middle of all that pain and grief but now, after speaking to her mother, it was all becoming astoundingly clear. Somewhere along the line her heart had been breached and it had already been too late.

Letting out a little sigh, she wondered just when the hell she'd actually fallen in love with Killian Jones without even knowing it.

Determinedly allowing herself to just feel and not think for once, she wasn't as shocked as she ought to have been when she acknowledged that he'd been slowly creeping in and had taken up far more residence in her heart than she'd ever expected.

All the little things that had happened between them, the times she'd tried to comfort him either through awkward words or a simple touch, it all suddenly made sense to her now. It had been her heart's attempt at reaching out to him in blatant defiance of her brain's refusal to. She'd been so stubbornly blind to the truth of her own affections that it was no wonder that the kisses never worked.

She'd been such a fool.

But not any more.

Taking a deep breath, she stared down at the pirate with a smile as she finally opened her heart to everything she'd been keeping at bay. She let out an involuntary gasp as she literally felt the love flowing out warm and pure and wonderfully frightening in its intensity; spreading through her body like wildfire desperate in its need to consume her very soul now that it was allowed free rein.

It wasn't like anything she'd experienced before. Her love for Neal, while deep and real had been that of a girl, still learning about life and young enough that she believed what they had would last forever; but this…this was something else entirely. It was the love of a woman for a man who had proved himself again and again. Her equal. Her other half. A completely all encompassing and utterly head over heels kind of love that she'd thought only resided in the realms of fiction to be read about but never actually enjoyed.

A tiny bubble of laughter escaped her lips at the overwhelming rightness of it all and she shook her head at her own stupidity.

Thank God she was lucky enough to have a second chance with him.

All it'd take was a kiss and she had every faith that the third time she tried it would be the charm.

END CHAPTER 14

Reviews always welcome. Next chapter K is for Kiss probably won't be that long in length unsurprisingly ;)