Thanks for the reviews, favorites and follows. :-)

And here is the next part. I hope you enjoy.

Oh, and Sarah ... in real life he would use a stage name of course because everyone could find out he is a stripper if they would google his name.

Chapter 13

To say that she was surprised when she looked through the spyhole and saw him standing in front of the door was probably the understatement of the century and her hand trembled as she reached for the door knob.

Play it cool, Emma. Play it cool.

"What brought you into this neighborhood?"

She forced her lips into a smile, asking the question as if it was no big deal, as if he came to her apartment every day. But her smile dropped when he looked up and she saw the utter exhaustion on his face.

"God, you look horrible." She blurted out.

"Thanks for the compliment, love." He replied, his mouth tilting up with a tired smirk.

"What happened?"

"Can I come in?"

She knew they needed to talk and that she had put it off long enough, so she stepped aside and let him in.

-/-

She almost dropped the beer bottles when she pulled them out of the fridge, her hands shaking with nervousness.

She had no idea why he was here, if he was only here because he was a reasonable adult, and they had slept with each other without protection after all, so he might want to make sure he wouldn't become a father in ten months, or if he was here to talk also about them.

She wasn't certain if she was ready, but she couldn't run away anymore. Straightening her shoulders, she took in a deep breath and walked back into the living room.

-/-

Robin had been right. It already helped to see her, his tense shoulders relaxing despite the talk that was about to happen.

He took the offered beer bottle out of her hand with a quite thanks, shifting on the couch to give her more room to sit down.

"You alright?" Her soft voice felt like a caress to his battered state of mind and he gave her a short smile.

"You've heard of the accident on Highway 6?"

"Yes." She replied, watching him carefully until she realized what that had probably meant for him and reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm so sorry, Killian. It had to be rough."

"It was." He said quietly, turning his hand and interlacing his fingers with hers, hoping she wouldn't pull back, his heart slamming against his rib cage as she tightened her grip, giving him the courage to tell her what he came for. "But that's not why I am here."

"Why are you here?"

"Four reasons."

He almost said five but managed to hold it back because one of the main reasons was, that only being with her made the horrors he had seen today a little bit more bearable. But voicing this reason would make him too vulnerable, would reveal too much, and he wasn't ready for opening up like this just yet.

"Just four?" She teased, her eyes glinting with amusement, and he chuckled softly before holding up one finger.

"Reason number one … I'm sorry about the last time we saw each other. I completely lost my head, saying some things I didn't mean, not to mention that I forgot to use protection." He paused briefly, taking in a deep breath before asking the important question. "Do I have to worry about anything?"

Part of her was grateful that he had actually thought of it and would probably take responsibility, unlike a certain someone she didn't want to remember. But another part of her was feeling a pang of regret that she would not carry his child.

Stop this, Emma.

She scolded herself inwardly because thinking about children with him was completely insane and ...

"Emma?"

His voice yanked her out of her reveries and she looked up, recognizing the worried expression on his face, realizing that her continued silence might give him cause to freak out.

"If you are wondering if I might get pregnant … to 99,9 % we are safe. I'm on the pill."

"Okay." He fidgeted slightly, clearly feeling uncomfortable, his eyes wandering through the room until they settled back on her face with a determined expression. "I normally always use protection. And I mean always. It's been a very long time since I had sex without a condom. A really long time."

She had caught the quiver in his voice, assuming there was a story to tell, one he wasn't ready to tell her yet, if ever.

"Same here." She replied.

"Good."

His thumb brushed over the back of her hand and she felt tingles running from her hand up to her shoulder and straight down to her stomach, an aching knot settling in her core, but this time she would not let herself get distracted.

"What's the second reason?" She asked quickly before she would grab him and yank him towards her to kiss him.

"I owe you an explanation."

"Okay."

"You met me as a stripper and assumed that I made my living with it. Truth is … I like it. It's fun and it helps pay the debts I have left from medical school, and I'm not gonna lie … it makes it very easy to pick up women."

"Yep. I know." Emma interrupted, earning a smirk from him.

After all this had all started with a note he had sent her, asking her if she would suck him off. She still couldn't believe it that not one woman had sued him for sexual harassment yet, considering he even put it down in writing, giving written proof. It must be his charm. And his good looks.

"I normally don't tell my conquests about my real job." He continued, the smirk still lingering on his lips. "Most of the times there is no reason for it since I seldom spend more than one night with them and telling them you are a doctor often results in them wanting more."

"Which you don't want."

"Not until I met you." Her stomach flipped as his eyes bored into hers, his gaze full of sincerity when he added. "I should have told you, Emma. You were never only a good fuck. Never. But it's hard to break habits and I was afraid I might be wrong about you and you are one of those women who would only go out with men who have the right job."

She cringed inwardly because in his eyes she was one of those women and it was time to explain her actions.

"I owe you an explanation as well." Emma said softly, contemplating for a second how much she was willing to tell him at this point, deciding to keep the explanation short. "I've been burnt before and I was too quick with my judgment. I'm sorry about that. I'm normally not such a snob. It's just an old wound that apparently still hasn't healed properly."

He didn't say anything, just squeezed her hand, and she was grateful that he didn't pry.

"What's the next reason?" She inquired before the silence could grow uncomfortable.

He turned around to her, his eyes locking with hers, the intensity of his gaze shooting shivers down her spine.

"I would like to date you, Emma Swan. The whole shebang. Flowers, dinner, movies. I want the real deal. With you."

"Really?"

"Really." He said quietly. "So what do you say? Can you give me another chance?"

"Yes." She whispered without hesitation, pulling his head down to her to press a kiss on his lips. "Yes, I would like to date you, Killian Jones."

The kiss intensified until they needed to come up for air and he leaned his forehead against hers, his hand cradling her head as he rasped. "As much as I would like to celebrate that we finally talked and take you to bed ... I'm almost falling asleep right here and there, so ... rain check?"

"Of course. You must be beat." He must have been on his feet for hours, not to mention the emotional toll the day must have had on him. "I'll walk you to the door."

It wasn't as if everything was resolved all of a sudden but it was a start and she tried to ignore the flutters of dread in her stomach when she realized he hadn't said anything about love, her old fears springing back to the surface as she accompanied him to the door.

He was leaning against the doorframe, a lopsided grin adorning his face, a grin that made her knees turn into jelly and she grabbed the door harder for support.

"So, seven o'clock tomorrow night?"

"Yes. That would be okay with me."

He bent forward and brushed his lips over her cheek. "See you tomorrow."

He was almost around the corner as she remembered that he hadn't told her his last reason and she shouted after him. "Killian?"

"Aye?"

"What's the last reason?"

His mouth quirked up with a dazzling smile, one of those smiles that almost knocked her off her feet and she watched him coming closer with bated breath, a sigh slipping out of her mouth as he pulled her into his arms and crushed his lips on hers, kissing her with a passion that made her clutch her fingers into his shirt and hold on for dear life.

She was panting when he released her lips, her heart racing in her chest and jolts of electricity rushed through her as he pulled her even closer, his lips skimming over her ear.

"Remember what you said the last time you've tied me up?" Emma had a hard time to concentrate, the lust coiling hot in the pit of her stomach as he splayed his fingers out over the small of her back, but he didn't wait for her answer and continued to speak in a raspy voice that made her core clench with need. "The main reason I came over is ..." He paused again, tilting his head, his lips ghosting over her cheek as he whispered. "I feel the same way."

And then he was suddenly gone, walking down the hallway without looking back and Emma blinked. Once. Twice. Staring after him for a few seconds until her foggy brain suddenly realized what he had said and a huge grin split up her face.

This was definitely the best reason.