Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or its characters.

Fair warning, this chapter definitely earns its M rating for sexual content. You have been cautioned.

This is how an angel dies
I blame it on my own supply
I blame it on my A.D.D. baby

Maybe I'm a different breed
Maybe I'm not listening

Sail with me into the dark.
Sail!

Emma was on fire; literally.

After they had all watched her magic allow Hook to regain the use of his hand, Regina insisted that they needed to take a different approach: a defensive one. Someone could have knocked Emma over with a feather when the queen suggested that she focus on protection, rather than destruction.

She argued that it was one thing to let your emotions take over and use them to attack, but if Emma could harness and control her feelings to create a protective barrier between the enemy and her loved ones, it may mean the difference between annihilation and survival.

Hence the giant inferno surrounding Emma's entire body.

They had been in the courtyard for a few hours today; having started out small. Regina continuously flung balls of fire from her hand, while Emma used her power to create a kind of force field around herself. She had been slightly burned a few times in the beginning, but Emma was able to heal the wounds rather quickly.

Once she had felt comfortable with that, Emma insisted that Regina throw massive waves of flame at her continuously, as she tried to hold the force field for the duration of the onslaught.

Gold had joined them in today's lesson, with the promise that he would leave the teaching to Regina only. For a majority of the day, he merely stood there with a slightly amused expression, his arms folded over his cane, with little to say except an occasional "very impressive."

Emma felt as if she had been running a marathon in the Amazon; her sleeveless shirt and trousers were drenched in sweat. After only a few moments completely surrounded by flame, she felt her skin expand from the heat, her body feeling bloated like a hot air balloon.

It had been two weeks since she gave Hook-Killian (it was still difficult for her to get used to that change,) the use of his hand back. She had taken no time to rest, and dove head-first into forming a plan to obtain The Black Wand. Emma had also decided that her foresight could very well be a source of clues in her quest. If she embraced these visions, perhaps it would allow her to predict the enemy's next move; giving her an edge over the witch sisters.

"Alright Emma," she heard a blurry version of Regina shout from outside of the fiery nest that surrounded her. "Try to push the protective barrier over to Rumpelstiltskin too."

It hadn't taken as much energy as Emma thought it would, to keep the barrier force field around her body; but the thought of having to project her magic out to defend Gold, seemed nearly impossible.

Licking her lips, she tasted the salty beads of sweat that had rolled down from her forehead and stuck there. Emma closed her eyes, and focused on Henry's face, as her motherly instincts took over. There was a sharp jolt inside of her palms, and Emma felt as if she had been zapped by a tiny source of electricity. She heard a loud gasp from outside of the flames, and Emma snapped her eyes open to see that the magic now surrounded Gold as well.

It was an odd exchange; and not at all as exasperating as she thought it would be. Emma could almost feel Gold's discomfort at the change in temperature, and noticed that he seemed rather amused by the situation.

Although the heat was almost overwhelming now, she was surprised not to feel the least bit exhausted. Especially since exhausted was exactly what Emma should be.

Between training with Regina, and meditating on her visions, she had only taken free time to eat and sleep. Other than at dinnertime and a quick breakfast yesterday morning, Emma hadn't spent much time with Henry either; which she felt continuously guilty for.

David had mobilized the main army and done inventories on men, armory, and horses, while Robin had taken the militia forces and scoured the surrounding forests for ideal fortification areas.

Everyone seemed prepped for battle; including a certain two-handed captain of the Navy, who spent a majority of his time organizing the Jolly Roger, its crew, and the rest of the fleet that they had built (with a little help from the fairies' magic.)

Emma knew that Killian grew restless from their lack of interaction, though, and besides the stolen kisses in the hallways and a few briefs words at dinner, they were practically like strangers lately.

In truth, she had forgiven him long before they kissed in David's study, but there was simply too much to concentrate on. She would need her focus now, more than ever, if they were to find those other two rings before the witches did.

Suddenly there was a flash of light about her eyes, and Emma staggered backward slightly, still holding on to the barrier around her and Gold.

She could barely make out Regina's shouts through the foggy haze that surrounded her. Emma understood almost immediately; and now she struggled against the vision that slowly approached her like a relentless predator.

"You have to go, Emma."

She looked over at him, and knew that this man had no intent of giving up any sooner than she did. Emma understood the risk she was taking by staying here; but there was no way in hell she would let him face this alone.

Molting lava flowed around them in rivers, as bursts of fire and ash erupted from every crevice beneath their feet. Wave after wave of heat radiated from the blaze, as if they stood near a large oven, and Emma choked on the heavy smoke that filled her lungs.

Killian took a defensive step in front of her, as a low, eerie cackle echoed around them.

"You have certainly done your part, Savior," Maleficent said scathingly, her raspy voice sounding much like the crackling flames around her. "The two of you were just pawns in a much larger game."

Maleficent had a contented look on her face, much like the witch had back in Storybrooke; as if everything had played out the way she planned it.

Gripping the wand tightly in her fingers, she watched Emma carefully, her blonde hair now slick with sweat, sticking to her bony, translucent face like a starved, drenched rat. Her mascara ran down over her bloodshot eyes, as if Maleficent had been crying; but Emma knew she hadn't been.

The bitch would have to have a heart for that.

"The child will be ours," Maleficent hissed; her words slicing through Emma like shards of glass, as Killian clasped her hand tightly.

Before either of them could react, there was a bright flash, and Killian was thrown backward violently. He clung on to Emma's wrist like a lifeline, as a strong force pulled at the other end, dragging both of them closer to the flames.

"You'll be pulled into the inferno," he yelled breathlessly, his pleading expression asking her to do what she simply could not.

It couldn't end like this; not this way. There was so much he didn't know; so much she had yet to say.

"Killian, please; I can't lose you."

Tears stung her eyes, as a gut wrenching pain struck her deep down; so far down, that Emma thought she might not survive it. The eager flames licked at them both, as the last of Emma's strength slowly ebbed from her body.

His face showed neither fear, nor defeat, but one of devotion and acceptance; and in that moment, she knew what must be done.

"Emma, let go."

Another blinding flash; this time directly in front of her eyes, and there were no flames about her; no heavy pull, or force draining her magic.

There was no Killian.

"Emma, let go!"

She knew it was Regina who yelled at her now, but Emma still reeled from the vision; and the feeling of what it would mean to lose him, literally molded her in place.

Then, Emma saw that Regina was also covered by the force field, but there were no longer flames surrounding anyone. She snapped out of the daze, and Emma released her magic, before she felt a wave of nausea take over, slumping to her knees. She let the cool ground soothe her flushed skin, and slowly regained her wits.

Regina was at her side in seconds, wearing a concerned scowl.

"Are you alright," Regina asked breathlessly, a slight sheen of sweat on her face. "You didn't respond when I told you to let down the protection spell, and the next thing we knew, the barrier was over me as well. I couldn't move or use my magic at all."

Emma glanced over at Gold and saw that he looked at her with a rather curious expression; one that usually meant he understood, but was slightly taken aback. A gentle breeze blew over her wet skin, and Emma let her mind clear enough to find her voice, her words coming out in a monotone mumble.

"I should get something to eat."

Without another glance, she stood up and walked toward the castle, while Regina's confused reaction barely registered in Emma's mind. She knew that Gold had realized it had been a vision that caused her uneasiness; that his curiosity would eventually get the better of him, as it usually did.

And that was exactly what Emma was banking on.

This is how I show my love
I made it in my mind because
I blame it on my A.D.D. baby

Maybe I should cry for help
Maybe I should kill myself

Sail with me into the dark.
Sail!

Granny had apparently taken the morning off, as the kitchen had been sparkling clean, with no sign of recent activity. There were very few windows in the large area, and since the sky was overcast, it was difficult to for her to see very well.

Emma flicked her hand at the chandelier above her, and the candles lit in an instant. She pulled open the refrigerator, which they apparently had Regina conjure upon everyone's arrival a year ago, and Emma grabbed the turkey so she could make a sandwich.

In truth, Emma wasn't the least bit hungry; although she certainly should be. Not only had she skipped breakfast that morning, but hadn't had much at dinner the night before, either.

She wasn't much for complaining, but stress from the last two months had crept up on Emma rather quickly. It consumed her during the day and in her sleep at night; as she felt the strain take its toll, both physically and mentally.

The vision with Maleficent had been more realistic and detailed than any of her other ones had. Gold told her once that the visions weren't guaranteed to happen, but Emma knew that it was a good possibility, given Killian's obvious feelings for her.

It hadn't just been the vision itself, but the understanding that came with it; as Emma finally realized that this may very well be completely out of her hands. Perhaps it didn't matter how hard she worked, trained, and sacrificed to prepare for the worst.

Perhaps, in the end, she was just an ordinary woman put in an extraordinary situation; someone who had gotten lucky a few times, but had finally met her match. Emma wasn't afraid to sacrifice her life, if necessary; and she certainly never ran away from a fight.

What she really feared wasn't pain, or even death. What scared Emma more than anything else was being left alone; to see the people she loved have to give up their happiness and their lives for her sake.

Slicing down into one of the onions, Emma scrunched her nose at the strong stench that burned her nose. Her stomach turned again, and she set the knife aside. Maybe she'll just have it with turkey and tomato.

Without warning, a pair of warm, calloused hands came to rest over her eyes, and Emma let out a small yelp, jumping backward slightly. She had guessed the owner before he chuckled darkly, his breath tickling the nape of her neck, as Emma had pulled her hair back into a ponytail earlier.

Before she could speak, his lips were on her shoulder, brushing light kisses along the skin that was exposed. She involuntarily tilted her head to the side, giving the pirate better access to the creamy skin of her neck.

He needed no further invitation, and moved his mouth there, leaving a wet trail from her shoulder to her ear. Emma couldn't help the moan that escaped her, as she closed her eyes, and let his hands wander over her body; one which held her backside against his body, while the other brushed down her left arm.

"So beautiful," he murmured into her skin, and Emma shivered at the vibration from his deep voice.

So many times since their night in Narnia, she had thought about feeling like this again; letting him touch her in all the right places, and bringing her to a state of blissful oblivion, that only he could.

But things weren't getting any easier with war preparations in place, and pleasure was not at the top of her priorities right now.

Emma sighed poignantly, closing her eyes again. "Hey, I have to make lunch. It's been nearly a day since I've eaten."

His deep moan from his chest rumbled into Emma's back, as his scruff of his jaw gently scraped against her sensitive skin, now humming with passion. "You're not the only one who is famished, Darling," he replied huskily, his teeth nipping at her ear.

Emma came to her senses, and quickly slid around to face him, pushing his shoulders back gently, as her hands rested on the smooth leather of his vest. He frowned immediately, a somewhat-pouted look on his face, but still waited for her to speak.

"I haven't showered yet," Emma mumbled, keeping her eyes averted from his.

Killian lifted her chin to force Emma's gaze to his own. Although his touch was gentle, his face had a rough expression, and his brow was raised in accusation, as the flickering candlelight illuminated the contours of his face.

"Why have you avoided me over the course of these past two weeks?"

She did her best to look appalled by his question; one to which she gave a rather evasive answer. "I… I've been busy. We all have," she replied, her voice trembling. "There's still so much to do before-"

He shook his head, his words firmer this time, as he cut her off.

"Please don't do this," Killian said, exasperated. His deep, blue eyes took her soft, green ones prisoner for a moment, before his expression relaxed again. "Tell me what it is that plagues your thoughts, lass."

Emma took a deep breath through her nose, the salty sea still clinging to his skin, and she pressed her lips together tightly. She had thought, apparently like a fool, that her stress and worry would go unnoticed; that it would be her personal burden, and no one else's.

But for her to keep anything a secret from Killian had always been a challenge.

Even though a part of her wanted to, Emma couldn't tell him about the vision, because it would give the man even more reasons to worry about her. Besides, there was no certainty that his sacrifice would come to pass. That, and he constantly doted on her enough already.

"I'm fine," she replied in a stoic voice.

He took a moment to evaluate Emma's body language, his eyes searching her face like a crossword puzzle; and Emma knew immediately that she hadn't fooled him in the least.

"You're running away, again."

She narrowed her eyes, and Emma could feel a familiar heat rise in her chest. Killian knew he had struck a nerve, and his mouth twitched at the sides, though he didn't smile, before the pirate spoke again.

"It was the same in Narnia, that very next morning," he said, backing away from her slightly. Looking up to the ceiling as he continued, Emma could recognize the frustration in his tone, as his voice nearly boomed over the stone walls. "Just as it was in Neverland, and in Storybrooke shortly thereafter," Killian argued, counting the fingers on his other hand.

"Hell, ever since that damn giant's lair, atop the beanstalk," he huffed, as Emma rolled her eyes, then.

He just wouldn't let the damned beanstalk thing go.

She went to respond, but his hand came up to stop her, and Emma closed her mouth again. Killian's eyes met hers once more, anger clearly written on his face.

"You have never given me a bloody chance, Emma."

Standing with her arms crossed, her ears nearly spurted steam from the slow burn going on inside.

She hated it when he was right.

No matter how many times this man had proved his devotion to her: the countless times he had risked his life, following Emma through hell and back, and the fact that he had opened his heart to her, she had pushed him away time and again. A part of Emma wanted to blame it on the needs of her family and of the kingdom, but truthfully: she was back at the place she had started before all of this began: alone and afraid.

And it had been her choice on both accounts.

Emma pushed down the sob that crept up her throat, and felt the tugging sensation at the corners of her eyes' as she glared back at Killian, who seemed undeterred by her apparent discomfort.

"You know, I'm kinda under a bit of stress at the moment," she huffed, taking another step back from him as her boots clicked against the stone floor. "And you act as if we aren't at war, here... like getting attention from me means more than our survival."

Emma saw a flicker of hurt flash across his face, but she was undeterred, her words convincing even herself for a moment. "This isn't about you or me, or even about us. You're not the only one who has lost loved ones before, and you can't expect me to give you what you need, when I have my family to think of."

Something inside of her snapped then, and the next words were out before she could stop them.

"It's not my job to save you, Killian."

Despite the lack of light in the kitchen, Emma saw the fleeting look of agony that had crossed his features. It was nearly enough to make her apologize, but Emma never even got the chance, before he was directly in front of her again in an instant, his eyes almost menacing as they bored into her own.

"No, Darling. It isn't," he responded sardonically, making Emma wince as his hot breath fell over her face, their noses inches apart. "It's your job to torment me until I surrender."

Before she could respond, both of his hands cupped her ass, lifting her onto the counter behind them. She yelped softly: half from surprise, the other from what Emma knew truthfully to be arousal.

"But today- you surrender to me."

Without even realizing she had done anything, all of the surrounding wall sconces burst into flame, lighting the room nearly enough to see every detail of the kitchen and of the gorgeous man in front of her.

Killian's tongue darted out to wet his mouth briefly, and Emma's impulsively did the same, her lips still parted from being taken aback. His eyes were dark cobalt in color, unlike she had ever seen, and her heart raced at the uncertainty of what would happen next.

He smiled at Emma then; an erotic and mocking smile, which both excited and annoyed her, before his right hand curved around back of her neck and crashed his mouth to hers. It was a battle of tongue and teeth, but his lips were soft, massaging Emma's with a fervor that shot electricity to her center. His muffled groan was swallowed by her passionate kiss, which she felt resonate from his chest pressed against her own.

God, she missed him.

His wet mouth moved downward, and nibbled at her collar bone; one of her favorite places. She let her hand wander to the back of his neck; nonverbally holding him there.

"Do you envision me ravishing your body, Swan," the pirate asked bitterly, as his stubble roughly scraped against the velvety skin of her neck and chest.

She bit her lower lip, doing her best not to give him a response, before she felt his hand slide under her shirt, grazing across her smooth, flat stomach. The pirate reached up and kneaded her breast roughly through the bra and Emma inhaled sharply, body betraying her as she felt the wetness soaking through her panties.

Emma wanted him, in any capacity; and despite his anger and the hurtful words they had exchanged, she had never been so turned on in her life.

"Do you pretend that it's my fingers when you touch yourself in your chambers at night?"

His hand moved south, and without permission, he slowly untied the strings of her riding trousers, panting huskily into her ear. Emma's arm was draped over his shoulder, while the other was at his chest, unbuttoning his vest without any little rational thought. He pressed his forehead against her own, and she felt his hot breath blow over her face.

"I reckon you fantasize about my mouth all over your body, do you not?"

He hadn't even touched her yet, and Emma already throbbed for him. His raspy words were so erotic, and she felt the last of her self control fade away into the quiet kitchen around them. She leaned forward from her sitting position, and captured him in a kiss, her tongue parting his lips. He chuckled darkly at her eagerness, but pulled away, grasping both of her boots in his hands.

"Not so fast, luv," he demanded, his eyes raw with lust. "I'm in charge this time."

He pulled her knee-high boots off quickly, and pushed her shoulders down, forcing Emma onto her elbows. Coming to stand between her, Killian kept his eyes on hers, as he finished untying the clasp of her pants. He didn't need to ask for Emma to lift her pelvis, as she allowed him to slowly pull her trousers off.

She should have given thought to someone walking in on them, but Emma was too far gone to care at this point.

Letting her head fall back, her long, blonde curls falling around her, she watched as he dropped to his knees between her trembling legs, and placed hungry kisses over her inner thighs. His stubble rubbed roughly against the sensitive skin there, and Emma closed her eyes, biting her lip in anticipation.

"You're quite fortunate I no longer have the hook."

She couldn't help but smile at his quiet joke, as he slid Emma's soaked underwear off of her legs and onto the stone floor below; the damp air cool against her hot center.

Emma heard his low growl; the pirate apparently enjoying the view, but she barely had time to register the thought, before his tongue flicked across her clit, making her cry out involuntarily. His tongue did glorious things to her, alternating between thrusts and rapid flicks, swirling around her soaked core, as if to explore every possible inch that he could. Grasping onto the edge of the counter with one hand, she moved her other to the back of his head, holding him there.

Like she really needed to anyway.

"Mmmhmm," was all she could make out from him, his incoherent words lost in her throbbing wetness. The roughness of the man's beard clashed against his soothing tongue and lips. Her continuous moans echoed around the dark, damp, stone walls around them, and Emma was reminded of their night in the cave, which excited her even more.

"Oh God... Killian."

Her panting was labored, as she felt his fingers slip inside of her, giving him better access to her sweet spot as he lapped at her clit. Between the friction from his calloused fingers and the vibration from his constant groans, Emma began to feel the familiar pull around her stomach. She thrust her hips upward, forcing his tongue even deeper inside of her and bringing her closer to climax, as Emma's heels dug into the pirate's back, now covered in sweat.

"Come for me, lass," he mumbled, his fingers thrusting into her relentlessly.

The heat overcame her for the second time in the last two hours, and Emma was on fire once again; only this time she had no reason to fight back. Her last remnants of rational thought fell away, and she arched her back off of the counter, coming inside of his mouth violently with strangled yell.

He clung to her, drinking her up, as a satisfied sound escaping him; before he stood and grasped the back of both of her thighs, wrapping Emma's trembling legs around his waist.

She leaned over to pull him into her arms, but he kept her from the embrace, his hand grasping around her jaw somewhat roughly. Emma had no time to question his motive, before his mouth covered hers again, the musky taste of her still lingering on Killian's lips.

Her attention moved south to the bulge of his trousers, and Emma grasped him firmly in her hand, giving his erection a few anxious pumps. His eyes rolled back in his head, and without warning, Killian pulled her roughly to her feet, and spun her back around to face the counter. She felt his one hand push her shoulder blades down to bend her over the countertop, her pelvis grinding against the edge hard enough to make her wince. Using one arm to pin Emma's left wrist down against the grainy wood's surface, Killian used his other to slowly sweep her hair over her right shoulder.

She pretended to struggle against him, shivering at every touch, as his roughness brought on a new level of excitement. Emma wasn't sure whether this was her lover or the pirate captain, or perhaps both, but one thing was certain: she welcomed it wholeheartedly.

Grinding his hardness into her bare ass, her hands now both pinned down, Killian leaned over to whisper in her ear, his lips brushing over the sensitive area.

"You rather enjoy being under my control, don't you, Swan?"

She didn't speak, but nodded slowly, still dizzy from her last orgasm. Emma could feel his heart beating wildly against her back, as they both lay half-hunched over the counter, his face still pressed against her left cheek, as Killian breathed her in heavily.

Then he released his grip from her right hand, and his fingers grazed slowly up her arm, as the pirate straightened himself. Emma slowed her breathing slightly and thought for a moment, that he had changed his mind.

She was wrong.

Without warning, Killian plunged inside of her, sliding in quickly due to her arousal, as they both cried out together in ecstasy.

He wasted little time, the urgency in his movements quite obvious. Emma reached up and clung to one of the iron panhandles that dangled from above them for better leverage, the pots clanging, as the pair rocked together in unison. Their panting was loud and ragged, as he rode her from behind, their sweaty skin slapping together in the quiet of the room.

She was already nearing another climax, the hunger for him over the past two months overwhelming her.

"Is that how you like to be taken, luv," he rasped, pounding into her mercilessly, smacking her ass with his free hand.

"Harder," Emma moaned, and she heard his feral growl from behind her, before Killian shoved her lower back further down to get a better angle. Her face nearly hit the wooden surface, her palms planting in front of her, before Emma slid her hands out to grasp the other edge of the counter for leverage. Slowly twisting his hand around Emma's hair, and pulled her head up so he could whisper in her ear.

"This is what you want, isn't it? No tenderness. No vulnerability."

His words were harsh, but filled with a desperate sadness that made her eyes shut and her heart clench. Emma bit down hard on her lip, tasting the iron from the blood, and pressed backward to allow Killian deeper thrusts, as they both lost themselves in a haze of moans and sweat, of pain and pleasure.

His left hand reached out, and their fingers entwined over the hard surface of the counter, as a tear slipped down Emma's cheek at the intimacy of the gesture. She felt his right hand sneak down to her clit, and she screamed out, his thumb circling the bundle of nerves.

"Let go, Emma."

The desperation in his voice was her undoing, and she came all over his fingers; her walls clenching over him. It had apparently been too much for him as well, and Killian exploded inside of her with a feral grunt, before he slumped against her back, out of breath.

Neither one moved at first, allowing themselves to feel the lingering heat of their bodies against each other. Emma forced herself to remain quiet, as she felt Killian pull out, leaving her with the same empty feeling she has had for months now.

She immediately cleaned herself up, before the two dressed silently, the candles dripping wax from above their heads as the fridge quietly hummed in the corner. Emma took a deep breath, before she turned around and faced him. His eyes seemed filled with guilt, his face still flushed from their heated encounter. The pirate's hair stuck up at every angle, his lips were still swollen from their rough kisses, and she couldn't fathom how he still managed to look adorable after what they just did.

"Emma, I-"

The door behind them opened suddenly, as Ruby and Granny entered the room, making the pair jump slightly.

"Oh, excuse us," Granny muttered, moving over to the refrigerator, appearing to be oblivious to what had happened only minutes before.

Ruby, however, had a wide smirk on her face, and gave the pirate a lengthy once-over. Emma narrowed her eyes at the redhead, as if to dare her to say anything, before Killian cleared his throat.

"Please excuse me," he mumbled, making eye contact with Emma for a brief second, before he took off through the door and out of sight.

Emma's heart pounded in her chest, as she watched the closed door, her hands still shaking. They had nearly been caught, but that was trivial, compared to what their words had done to one other.

She sighed aloud, and made her way to the door, as Ruby's mumbling reached her ears.

"Granny, I'm going to clean the counter before we start."

She hadn't seen him the rest of that day, and now he had skipped dinner.

Emma figured that Killian wouldn't be himself, as she had seen the regret and shame in his eyes, after their encounter in the kitchen.

He had nothing to be sorry for; as Emma had gone too far with her scathing remark. The man had never asked her for anything; and the fact that she had claimed he needed saving, had actually proven her own insecurities, rather than his.

She didn't regret what had happened; Emma actually rejoiced in it. His lips all over her, the way his heart felt against her own, and the look in his eyes, had only showed Emma how much she needed Killian in her life.

There was no telling whether she could be open to him completely; and Emma wasn't certain how it would work with everything going on around them. But she was tired of running away from Killian, when she should be running along side him.

David had given a toast to everyone, sharing words of wisdom before they planned to set off on their journey tomorrow, while Mary Margaret bounced Greyson on her knee.

The main army would start their move toward Aurora and Phillip's castle, where the witches set up camp. All of the militias and the entire Navy would spread out along the coast, in order to cut off any retreat of Maleficent and Zelena's armies.

Emma peered at her plate, which still had a majority of her food left, and sighed. She wasn't completely certain what Killian was up to, but she had a pretty good idea where he was.

She felt something brush against her side, and Emma glanced over to see that Aurora had sat down next to her. Raising her eyebrows in question, Emma greeted the other woman politely.

"Hi Aurora."

Even through her fair complexion, the princess had a slight blush on her cheeks. Aurora looked at her with a curious expression, and when she finally spoke, her words took Emma by surprise.

"I heard that you can see the future."

That was the last thing that she had expected her to say, and Emma fleetingly wondered how Aurora found out about her foresight; or even more to the point, why she cared so much to ask.

"Well…yeah, sort of," she replied, watching her carefully. The princess wore an anxious expression, and before she could say anything more, Aurora leaned over and grasped her hand.

"I need your help," she implored, her lip trembling, as Emma frowned in concern.

Although many didn't know, Aurora had lost the baby she carried when everyone from Storybrooke had been sent back to the Enchanted Forest a year ago. Due to all of the stress and hardship the pair had been through, Mary Margaret had insisted that they let the princess rest in seclusion for a majority of their stay.

Emma lowered her voice, despite the loud chatter around them, and met Aurora's stare directly. "What could I possibly do for you?"

The woman's eyes filled with tears at that, and Emma leaned over toward her, giving Aurora's clammy hand a reassuring squeeze. No one had really questioned her or Prince Phillip about their few days in captivity, or what the witches had done to them during that time.

"Emma, I think I know what Maleficent and her sister are after," she said, breathing heavily now, as the princess reached down and covered her abdomen protectively.

Widening her eyes in surprise, Emma let Aurora's words sink in, her mind reeling with ideas.

Since Zelena had come to pay them a visit; something had stuck in Emma's mind that simply wouldn't go away. The witch had said "she" when Zelena referred to the baby, shortly before the attack.

At the time, Emma wrote it off as merely a guess; but after she spoke to David in the stables, Emma wondered whether everyone's theory about Greyson being the witches' target had any validity.

And suddenly it hit her, as the image of Aurora declining a drink entered Emma's mind.

"I'm carrying a child, Emma," she whispered, looking around the room to ensure no one was listening to them, before Aurora met her gaze again with tears streaming down her face.

"I need you to tell me whether my baby is in danger."

Lyrics disclaimer: "Sail." Awolnation. Copyright: Awolnation Music. Writer: Aaron Bruno.