Killian looked deep into Emma's eyes, and as distracting as they were, still, he wouldn't be pulled from his shock. "You want me to believe that everyone you know has killed?"

"No," she admitted. "Not everyone I know. But, gosh…" She paused and thought a bit. When she spoke, her words surprised him. "Only eight of them have."

"Emma, most people don't know anyone who has killed someone."

"True. But most girls don't run away and escape on a pirate ship either."

Killian wanted to scream in frustration. "Those two things have nothing to do with each other. You sound crazy."

Very calmly, Emma asked, "Killian, do you want me to be mad at you right now?"

"No," he admitted readily.

"Then what's the problem? Believe me or not about my family, but surely you can see I'm not upset now."

He searched her eyes, and all he saw was openness and calm. "You're not upset. I do see that."

"Okay," she said, pulling out of his arms. "At least you see that much."

And then, despite never having seen death before, she knew what to do. She had extensive training in swords, after all. She took Killian's weapon from a shocked Smee and bent down, carefully handling the blade, and wiped every speck of blood off with the only clean section of the dead man's shirt. Then she sheathed Killian's sword for him.

"Wh-what?" Killian mumbled. His brain couldn't process what he had just witnessed.

"It will need to be oiled tonight, of course. Blood is corrosive when it comes to steel."

"The more I learn about you, the less I understand, Emma."

She blushed and dropped her head low. "I shouldn't have behaved like that. I have a bad habit of trying to look smart and saying the wrong thing."

"Not wrong. It was just shocking. I would ask about how you knew about what blood does to steel, but you'd just tell me you were taught by your mother," he teased.

She didn't get that he was teasing her, and she shook her head in denial. "No. Not my mom. My dad taught me that."

"Of course he did," Killian replied, amused. "I think I'd like to meet your family."

Emma flushed and shook her head. "That wouldn't be a good idea."

"Because I'm a pirate?"

She just shook her head in denial.

Emma knew the truth, though. It was because he was a pirate. The knowledge of where Snow White and her band were would be immensely lucrative to any pirate.

Killian began walking, knowing Smee would see to the removal of the dead body. "Sure. I'm not offended, though. I'm not the kind of man you introduce to your mom."

Emma tried to hide her blush. She wanted nothing more than to introduce him to her parents one day. Maybe then he would see that there were worse criminals out there. Of course, she had to be sure he wouldn't try to profit off of that information. The introduction would have to be down the road a long time from now.

She kept pace at his side. "You know, if you keep on not believing me, it will make it harder for you to figure me out."

He looked over at her and easily asked, "What makes you think I care to try?"

Killian felt her freeze beside him, and he had to stop abruptly to keep from leaving her behind in the street. "What?" He asked, searching her eyes for what happened.

Emma was beet red and wished the ground would swallow her whole. She couldn't believe she would imply that he cared about her at all. Yes, he offered her sex, but she knew that didn't mean anything more than just that. In fact, he said she would come begging for him, and she realized how close she had been to doing just that tonight.

After biting her lip, she said, "I didn't mean —of course, you wouldn't want to figure me out. That was stupid to say."

"Oh, silly Emma. I just wondered what I did to give myself away. I'm very interested in figuring you out." He smirked at the surprise on her face. He enjoyed her open and honest expressions. "You are a puzzle."

With wide eyes, she looked up at him and said, "And when I tell you bits about me, you think I'm making it up."

"I hope you are making it up," he said honestly. "If you're telling the truth, it just makes you even more of an enigma, and I feel even further away from understanding you. What sheltered girl knows about swords and killing? It doesn't make sense."

"So you deny the truth because it's confusing?"

Killian shrugged, "Point, Emma. It seems I have some thinking to do."

He then gestured for her to follow him. He added, "How do you feel about pheasant?"

She followed by his side and replied, "It's delicious."

"Then you'll love dinner tonight."

Emma smiled at him and said, "You were right. No offense to Shorty, but that is much better than what he made for dinner tonight."

Killian ushered her into the tavern he frequented when he was in that town and brought her to the table reserved for him and his men. As soon as they sat, he instantly wished he thought to have brought her to a table just for the two of them.

Still, everything happened in a flurry around him. His men sat, and the rum was delivered quickly. Before he even realized what was happening, Emma was shooting back a glass of rum, and his men were cheering. Unbeknownst to Emma, he was looking on in shock, and she set down the glass and waited for a refill.

Alistair was there looking just as surprised as Killian. "You know how to drink?"

Emma smiled at the ship's doctor and said, "It's not like it's hard."

"Most women don't shoot rum," Killian said, jumping into the conversation. "What did your dad teach you that too?" He teased her.

"No," she said, missing the joke in his tone again. "My godmother did. She said only fragile women can't drink rum properly. Dad was pissed. I was ten at the time."

Killian shook his head in amazement. If she was right, and figuring her out meant believing all her wild stories, he would have to accept what she said. Still, who teaches a ten-year-old girl how to drink rum? Well, an alcoholic would, but not someone's godmother, right? Why would they have trusted such a woman to hold such an important role with their daughter?

"The one who has killed people?" He asked, dazed still.

"No, not people. Just one person and she felt awful about it."

"Your godmother killed someone?" Sharkbait asked. He was one of Killian's men and had joined them for dinner.

Emma frowned at her cup and then took a sip from it. "Yeah. She didn't mean to. She loved him, but she's a werewolf and…." she realized the whole table had grown quiet, and everyone looked startled. "What?"

"Your godmother is a werewolf?" Killian asked, faking a mild curiosity in his tone. Now he was beyond confused —he was baffled. Who the hell appoints a werewolf as a sheltered girl's godmother?!

Emma blushed again. "I probably shouldn't have said that. Really though, she only killed the one person, and she didn't mean to."

"The man she loved?" Alistair prompted.

"Yeah, well, she didn't understand what she was all the way back then. She learned and grew up and hasn't ever been violent with her husband."

One of the other crewmen laughed, "No wonder pirates don't phase you." Emma reflected that he didn't know the half of it.

Those revelations about Emma weren't all that had Killian shocked that night. The fact was he found out more and more about her as the night went on and she was an unusual woman.

Watching her interact with his men, a bunch of lowly pirates, was fascinating. She never once flinched at their manners or their words. He was already way beyond the idea that she would object to them on principle for being pirates.

Then they pulled out dice, and he watched her jump in on a game of Liar's Dice without needing the game explained to her. When one of the men had begun to tell her the rules, she let him know that her father's best friend had taught her. She then proceeded to whip his men at the game and shock them all.

He also noticed that even though she could drink like a pirate, she didn't overindulge. And then, at one point in the evening, she stopped drinking completely. He reflected that it may have helped her beat his crew. But he suspected she also was being careful. Of what, he wasn't sure.

Once Killian knew it was about time for the whores to show up at the tavern, he ushered Emma out and began leading her back to the ship. He didn't want his men to have to feel like they had to hold back around her, and he didn't want her to witness that either.

On the path home, he said, "You stopped drinking."

"Another thing I learned from my godmother —never lose control."

"She lives with regret?"

"Yes. She killed a man. It wasn't like what happened today. He wasn't a threat. In fact, he loved her. She will always regret taking his life." Emma leaned up against Killian. "My mom was her first friend after that happened. She had hidden herself away in shame."

"Many would be afraid of her," he commented.

"Do you think my mother was foolish? Is that the point you're trying to get at?"

"I was actually asking about your drinking. You got us on this topic."

She looked up at the moon and sighed. "I need to control myself. Tonight with the full moon, I feel it more."

"You're a werewolf now too?" He teased her.

She huffed out a small laugh. "No. I'm being fanciful. I just feel out of control tonight."

"And what has you that way?"

"You," she admitted reluctantly.

He paused his steps, and she followed suit. They ended up facing each other. "What does that mean, Emma?"

She stared up into his eyes. "You invited me to come to your bed before. I find that right now; I want nothing more than to do just that." Emma's eyes dropped, and she tucked her chin. "If you still even want me."

Killian lifted her chin with his pointer finger and forced her to look at him. "I want you, Emma. Know this, though. My offer doesn't expire." He knew he was feeling out of control too. "You first ran away from home. Now, run away with me."

Whatever the mystery was behind the woman standing there in front of him, he knew one thing. She belonged with him. He felt the need to keep her by his side and protect her from the world.

"I'm just a sheltered girl. What could you, such a worldly man, possibly want from me?"

He cupped her cheek and replied, "Everything. Anything you'll give me. Come with me, and I promise to show you adventure."

She abruptly stepped back, tearing up. "I don't want adventure from you."

"But you said-"

"That I want adventure," she interrupted.

"That's what I said!" He objected.

"No. I want adventure, but that's not…" a tear leaked down her cheek.

"You're not making sense."

She swiped the tear forcefully away. "I'm going to sound like that sheltered girl you keep saying I am —not that you're wrong. But I want something different from the man I go to bed with." She spun to face away from him. "I'm being silly," she blurted out. "I know what this is. I'm just a bit of fun for the time being."

"Foolish, girl. Did you even hear what I said? Run away with me."

"For how long?" She asked, turning around and searching his eyes. "When do I watch you sail away?"

"I would remind you that you left me, Emma."

"What choice did I have?! And walking away was probably the correct move."

"Because a pirate can't be faithful!?" he snapped at her.

Emma reeled back in shock. He thought she reacted like he struck her. He added, "Don't act like that!"

She lifted a trembling hand to his cheek. "Faithful? You said —faithful?"

Brushing it away, he took a step back. "But to you, I'm just a filthy pirate. You act like you don't judge us, but deep down, you do like everyone else!"

"No. You misunderstand me…. Or actually, I misunderstood you. I didn't…" Emma tried to center herself by taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. "I only understood that you were offering me the chance to come to your bed. I didn't understand you were offering me space in it."

"That doesn't clear things up, Emma."

"I thought you meant a one-time thing, at first. And then…. But when you asked me to run away with you, you meant as your girlfriend?"

"What else can run away with me mean?" He pretended exasperation, but really he was feeling hope bloom in his chest.

"I don't know!" She admitted desperately. "I just know that I was so scared of the time I found out you were done with having your fun with me."

Killian pulled her against his chest and pressed his body to hers. "Run away with me, Emma. I will be faithful to you. Let's find adventure and sail the world together."

"And destroy The Dark One and the Evil Queen," she added.

"That too," he agreed readily. It did give him pause that such a seemingly innocent girl would be so determined to kill the Evil Queen and help him kill the Dark One, but he let it go. It worked with his plans, so he figured it was a win.

Emma shivered in his arms, and he kissed the top of her head. "Cold?"

He felt her shake her head against his chest. "No. Just overwhelmed. I've never felt desire like this before."

Killian wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "Come. I'll show you new depths to your desires."

Clotho thought she had been so careful, she even worked hard not to show her concern to her sisters, but she realized now how spectacularly she had failed at any form of subterfuge.

Placing Killian's amended thread back in her secret drawer, she lamented that her careful weaving —well, amending of her initial weaving, hadn't been as undetectable as she thought. Killian's love for Emma was going as she had tailored, but everything was progressing faster than she had anticipated.

In no way were her sisters going to miss what she had done.