Thank you to everyone who is reading, especially Maggie, Alexandra Sarafolean, Lisa 1972, Pascale D'Artagne, Tala Danaro, Gusenitsa, and Angels-heart1 for reviewing! I really love hearing from you all, and the feedback has been very valuable!

-KM-

Chapter 10

Well, this was unexpected. He'd known Emma wanted to blow off some steam, but he wasn't expecting her to do it by coming on to him. He brushed her hair away from her face with his good hand, and as she looked up at him, he took advantage of the moment to remove her whisky from her hand and down it himself. "You're drunk, love."

"Hey! That's the second time you've stolen my drink!" Emma pouted. Her hands closed around his coat collar, pulling him near. "That's not nice, Captain. I think you need to make it up to me." Her hand played with the laces on his shirt.

His hand closed around her wrist like a vice, his eyes darkening. "Walk with me, Princess." It wasn't a question. He nodded to the bartender to keep the change from the gold coins he'd handed him at the start of the evening and led her out the door, questioning whether being alone with her in this state was a good idea, but unwilling to make a public spectacle out of it.

He felt the cool breeze on his face as Emma pressed close, clinging to his arm. "So where're we going?"

"Back to the Jolly Roger." He said tersely, wondering to himself exactly how much self-control the fates expected one man to have.

"Are you taking me back to your ship, Captain Hook?" She teased.

"Not my name, love." He muttered.

"Captain Killian." Her hand caressed his arm as she spoke.

"That'll do." He led her down the road to the docks and carefully up the gangplank to the Jolly Roger. The last thing he needed was her losing her balance and ending up in the water.

He led her directly into his cabin and closed the door behind them, rummaging quickly in the wardrobe and handing her a shirt and some loose pants. "Here. Go change." He pushed her gently toward the washroom. "I'm not sending you home in this condition. Your father would have my head."

Emma grumbled something about needing to find her own place again and stepped into the washroom. He quickly changed out of his own leathers and into a clean shirt and soft pants, then leaned against the wall, eyes closed. This was not how he'd envisioned the next time she'd be sleeping in his quarters. His eyes opened when he heard her soft whisper "Killian?"

He took in the vision before him. She was wearing his shirt, but as far as he could tell, that was all she was wearing. It barely covered the tops of her thighs, and she'd left the top unlaced, letting the shirt fall open in a deep vee between her breasts, the lacy bra he'd seen earlier obviously no longer present. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, reaching for the last shreds of his self-control.

She smiled softly. "See something you like?" Her fingertips slipped between the laces of his shirt to dance on his chest.

"You know I do." He caught her by the shoulders, stilling her hand. "But right now I'd be a lot more comfortable if you'd put some bloody pants on."

"I thought you wanted me." She looked away, uncertainty crossing her face, the alcohol allowing him to see a vulnerability she normally would have hidden deeply behind a strong facade.

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "I do want you, love." He whispered into her hair.

"Then why..." she asked, half voicing the question of why wasn't he responding. "I want you." Her hand trailed down to his hip.

"Because you're not sober." He held her close, not giving her hands room to wander further. "When you are, tell me that again and I might believe it."

"I'm just a little buzzed." She countered. "It was only three drinks."

"Three and a half. In less than thirty minutes." He countered. "You're a lot more than buzzed, darling."

"Killian." She whispered, trying move back enough to look up at him. "Just a kiss then?"

"Emma, love, listen to me, please." He took her by the hand and led her to his bed, sitting down and pulling her down to sit next to him. "I want you. I've never made a secret of that. I want you in my bed, I want to wake up with you every morning from now until forever, but most of all, I want your love, Emma." His fingers brushed her arm. "I refuse to take you tonight only to have you hate me for it in the morning."

"I wouldn't hate you." She said softly.

"I'm not about to take that chance." He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close, tucking her head under his chin. "Emma, I want you in my bed because you want to be there, not because you want to forget your problems for a while." His fingers tangled in her hair. "Now, what happened today to have you so upset?"

She shook her head, burying her face in his chest. "I don't want to think about it."

He laughed softly. "You're already thinking about it, love." She mumbled something into his chest. "What was that?"

"Nothing I do makes a difference. I can't get rid of the witch. I can't even control my own stupid power!" With that word, the candles in the room flared up brightly and then went dark. "See? It keeps doing that, and I can't get it to work when I want it to. Regina says I have to get it under control or-" She sat up and looked away.

Her voice trailed off, prompting him to ask "Or?"

"Or we won't be able to get Henry back!" She slammed her fist down onto the bedspread, the force of the impact shaking the bed. "We've been trying! Regina and I have been doing nothing but trying for days! I feel so fucking helpless!" Tears streaked down her face. "All this power, all this magic, and I can't even help my own child. What kind of mother am I?"

He pressed her against his chest. "You're doing all that you can. You can't expect more of yourself. What else could you possibly be doing? Storming the sea cliffs on your own? It'd just get you killed and change nothing for Henry. Practice your magic until you fall over? Magic comes with a price, love, and working with yours too much would make you vulnerable and accomplish nothing. You are working with Regina, with Snow and the Prince, you have Regina tracking her movements, scouting parties collecting information, and Belle doing research to see if there's something in that library of hers that might help." He stroked her hair as she sobbed into his shirt. "Until you have the information, Emma love, there is nothing else you can do right now."

"I know that." She sniffed. "I just... I miss my kid."

"I know, lass." He slowly leaned back, taking her with him until they were reclined on the bed. Emma curled herself around him. "We will get him back safely." He pulled a blanket up over both of them and placed his hook within reach on the bedside table. "Now, as you so kindly put the candles out for us, I'd suggest you get some sleep."

"Killian?" He barely heard her whisper from where her face was buried in his shoulder.

"What is it, Princess?"

"Thank you."

He brushed her hair away from her face and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Anytime, love."

Thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to review and give feedback. Your comments help make me a better writer! Please review if you are so inclined. Reading your comments totally makes my day! The next chapter will be up sometime Monday or Tuesday.

-KM-