Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing, especially Aztec Moustache, Angels-Heart1, Gusenitsa, and Alexandra Sarafolean. I do apologize for the short chapters. I generally only have a few minutes a day to write, so I figured you'd all prefer shorter updates more often over having to wait longer for longer chapters. If I'm wrong, let me know! -KM-

Chapter 7

Emma was waiting nervously as he returned. She handed the flask back to him, and he noted it was significantly lighter than when he'd given it to her. "How are you feeling, love?" He asked as he lit the lantern on the desk, its glow countering the darkness from the now set sun.

"I've got a dislocated shoulder, Hook. How do you think I'm feeling?" She grumbled.

He gently helped her ease out of her jacket and sweatshirt, leaving her in her in the tank top she'd worn as her first layer, and came around to crouch in front of her, his hand on her good arm, feeling her tremble beneath his fingers from the combined pain, adrenaline, and cold. "Emma, love, I'm not going to lie to you. This will hurt. Probably a lot."

She nodded. "I know. Get on with it."

He slipped behind her so he could grab her wrist with his good right hand. "On three then. One..." and before she could react, deftly twisted her arm up, settling her shoulder back into the socket.

She let out a short scream of pain and then turned to glare at him, shaking with residual pain. "What happened to counting to three?"

"Couldn't have you tensing up." He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, coming around to stand in front of her again. "I'm sorry for causing you further pain."

She looked down, disconcerted by the intensity of his gaze. "It's okay. It feels a lot better now." She paused. "Killian?"

"Yes, love?"

"If David hadn't grabbed you in time, we both would've died. If you'd had your hand free, you could've at least pulled yourself back on deck." She asked quietly, not sure if she really wanted the answer. "Why didn't you let me go?"

He shrugged, leaning back against the table. "Wasn't possible, love."

She stood angrily, then thought better of it as the room spun and sat back down on the bed, right arm cradled in her lap, but her left fist slamming against the mattress. "Damn it, Killian! You almost died! You almost died for no damn reason!" She was crying now. "We need everyone! We need every person to stand and fight the witch. Nobody gets to make noble sacrifices that won't do any good!"

"Not your decision, Princess." He snapped. "You are not expendable, Emma, and were I to do it over again, I'd do the same bloody thing! Losing you is not an option!"

"I don't want anyone sacrificing themselves for me, Killian Jones!" Emma yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Especially not you! I care about you, you stupid pirate!" She stopped abruptly, both of them realizing what she'd said.

Her words weighed heavily in the room, silence settling over them both. Not answering her, he turned and walked over to his desk, opening the bottle of rum and pouring a splash into two glasses. He extended the glass to her, and she took it with shaking hands. He raised his own glass, the rum sparkling in the candlelight. "A toast." She looked at him curiously. "Here's to stealing, lying, and cheating." Her brow furrowed in confusion as he continued. "May you never steal, but if you must, steal hearts. May you never lie unless it is beside your true love, and if you must cheat, Princess..." His eyes met hers in the candle's glow. "May you always cheat death, for I never want to know what this world is like without you in it." He tossed back his drink in one swallow while she sipped at hers. "You should get some rest, love."

She nodded, and perhaps it was the trauma of the injury, a remnant of the earlier terror of nearly drowning, or just a desire not to put him out of his own bed again, she reached for his sleeve. "Stay here with me?"

He nodded. "Just allow me to let your parents know you are well."

He stepped out of the cabin to deliver the message, and Mary Margaret and David were waiting right outside. "I need to see her." Mary Margaret stated. "I need to know she's okay."

He stepped back and allowed them to enter, giving the family five minutes alone before going back inside. "Emma's had a long day. She should rest."

Knowing he was right, Mary Margaret and David reluctantly allowed themselves to be gently herded from the room. "And where will you be sleeping?" David asked with a glare.

Hook thumbed toward the hammock. "I'll be a perfect gentleman, I assure you."

"David!" Emma's voice came from the cabin. "Leave it be."

Hook came back inside and shut the cabin door, walking over to retrieve the lantern from the desk after seeing her settled in bed, retrieving a clean shirt and soft pants from the wardrobe. He took the lantern with him into the washroom, setting it next to the basin. Stripping off his shirt, he reached for the buckles holding his brace and hook to his left forearm, gasping in pain as the buckles were pulled free from where they'd embedded in his skin from holding his body weight and Emma's. He grabbed a cloth and rinsed the blood from his arm, wrapping a bandage around his forearm near his elbow to staunch the bleeding. After cleaning off his brace and rinsing himself off as best he could in the small room, he slipped into the pants and shirt, pulling the drawstring on the left cuff tight to cover the stump of his forearm.

Emma was already dosing as he returned. He replacing the lantern on the desk and turned toward the hammock, turning back to her at her whisper of "Killian? Over here." Without allowing himself a second thought he slid into bed behind her, wrapping his arm around her and pulled her close, his heart pounding in his chest as he pondered exactly how close he'd come to losing her. He buried his face in her hair, her soft scent reassuring him that she was still here, still warm and breathing beside him as he slipped into an exhausted sleep, gripping her tightly to him even as he dreamed.

Please drop me a review and let me know what you think! I'm really enjoying writing this story, and I hope you're enjoying reading it!

-KM-