Emma's magic isn't working properly. After some prodding from Henry, Killian tries to help her get it back.

Word count: 2,618

Rating: G

Emma stared at the cup of hot chocolate and tried again. Closing her eyes, she reached into her heart and tried to pull the love from it to move the steaming mug. But, when she opened her eyes, it was stubbornly still sitting on the counter in front of her. She slammed her hand down on the counter in frustration.

Henry, who was waiting patiently in the booth across the room, lifted his eyebrows. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"It's not working," Emma said, the frustration evident in her voice. "Why isn't it working?" she asked, looking to Regina.

"Something has changed, maybe?" Regina suggested, "How did you do it last time?"

"I pictured it where I wanted it to go, concentrated, and just… moved it."

"Where did you move it to?"

"I put it on the book Killian was reading. He was sitting in the same booth that Henry is in now."

"And how were you feeling at the time?" Regina asked.

"I was… I don't know. I was happy, I guess. I felt like we were getting closer to defeating Zelena," Emma told her.

"And what about now? How do you feel now?"

Emma looked around at the inhabitants of the room. Henry, David and Mary Margaret were all watching her exchange with Regina closely. "I don't know. I don't…" Emma sighed and rubbed her hands over her face. She took a deep breath and whooshed it back out. Then, she turned back to Regina with a helpless look.

Regina sighed, "You need to center yourself," she told her. "Why don't we leave you alone? Magic isn't easy and it is directly related to our emotions. You've had a lot thrown at you today. Take some time to process it, come to terms with it."

Emma knew Regina was right. Her emotions were all over the place. Here she was, again, the only hope to save Storybrooke. All of the pressure of being the Savior weighing her down. The argument with Killian still fresh on her mind. She needed a few minutes to put her thoughts in order and deal with everything.

Snow and David each gave her a concerned look and a hug. She also got a whispered, "I believe in you," from Henry and they all filed out of the diner, leaving her alone.

Immediately, she stared at the mug again. A few moments later another strangled sound of frustration left her lips. What the hell was wrong with her?

K&E

Killian was startled by the knock on his door. Who could possibly want to talk to him? he wondered. Upon opening the door, he found Henry standing on the other side. Without invitation, the boy walked into his room.

"I don't have a lot of time," Henry told him in a rush, "My mom, Regina, thinks I'm getting some clothes from my room to take to her house for the night."

"Well, then," Killian said, "Why aren't you doing just that?"

"I need your help," Henry told him.

"I would love to be of assistance, but the last time I helped you didn't turn out so well for me."

"I know. I'm sorry about that – but thanks for not telling my Mom that I was running away."

Hook nodded in response before Henry continued, "Why were you helping me? You never answered when I asked you."

"You were in danger," Hook said, simply. "Zelena had threatened your life. Apparently, she suspected what I was going to do and sent her winged circus animals to stop us."

"Why didn't you tell my Mom about it? Either of them? They may have been able to help."

"I couldn't," Hook said with a sigh, "Zelena had said she would kill you if I did."

Henry considered this for a moment before saying, "My mom is having trouble with her magic and I think, maybe, you can help."

"Your mother does not need any help from me, Henry. She is quite capable on her own," Hook replied turning away to go back to his chair.

"Look," Henry told him, "I know that she's upset with you… but… I've seen the two of you together. She depends on you. And – I've seen the way you look at her. You love her, don't you?"

Killian's eyes raised to Henry's, "What makes you think that?"

Henry just rolled his eyes.

Despite everything, Killian chuckled. The lad was so much like his mother. "Perhaps I do, but – I'm beginning to think maybe I'm just setting myself up for more pain. I may, someday in the future, have to face the fact that she will never feel the same."

"No," Henry replied. "She may not want to admit it… but she's upset about her fight with you. I think that's what's messing up her magic… Just… talk to her. She's in the diner trying to move a cup of cocoa with her powers. Please, just go down there and talk to her."

Killian's heart clenched at the site of Henry's face. Just like his mother, he couldn't deny the boy anything. "I'm not sure it will do much good. In fact, it may make matters worse, but I'll go down."

Henry looked relieved. "Thanks," he said, "I better get going before Regina comes looking for me. Good luck."

K&E

Hook was quiet as he walked into the back of the diner. Emma was standing at the counter, her arms braced on it, her head lowered and her eyes closed. Her posture was tense, determined and he fleetingly wondered if, perhaps, some of the tension was due to him. As he watched, she opened her eyes and, with an exasperated sigh pushed off the counter and mumbled, "Are you kidding me?" Then, glaring at the cup, she ordered it to, "Just move, already!"

Hook leaned against the wall, his hand tucked into his belt, trying to exude and air of nonchalance that he didn't feel, before he made his presence known by clearing his throat. Emma's head spun around to look at him.

"What are you doing here?" her voice a little sharper than she intended it to be.

Pushing himself off the wall, he replied, "I'm hungry. And I thought, since it is after closing, that I would be able to come down and get myself some sustenance without forcing my unwanted presence on the residents of this little town."

Emma lowered her gaze almost guiltily as he walked over to the counter and lifted the lid off the pie plate to get himself a slice.

Looking at her from the corner of his eyes, he asked, "Would you care for some?"

She raised her eyes back to his and let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. After a moment's thought, she said, "Yeah, why not?"

He put a slice on each of two plates and picked one up to bring to her. He set it down next to the cup of hot chocolate she'd been trying to move. Then, he leaned toward her, his body invading her personal space, as he reached for something behind her. He could have sworn he heard her gasp lightly.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Don't worry, I wasn't going to kiss you," he said as he backed away and handed her one of the two forks he had just picked up from the bin that had been sitting behind her.

Emma averted her eyes and mumbled a soft, "Thanks."

Hook smirked at her before turning back to the other end of the counter to get his plate. When he picked it up and started toward the back, seemingly headed back to his room, Emma stopped him by saying, "Where are you going?"

He turned around to meet her gaze again and said, "I don't want to interfere, lass." Then, added as his eyes narrowed on her, "Unless you wanted some company."

Emma hesitated for a moment but just as he quirked his brow and started to turn away again, she called out, "I wouldn't mind some company."

Hook's shoulders sagged with relief before a small smile graced his lips and he walked back to join her at the counter.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked her.

"Talk about what? The fact that you lied to me and, basically, tried to kidnap my son?"

Hook sighed softly, keeping his gaze on his plate. "I never lied to you, Emma. I couldn't tell you the truth or Henry would have been in more danger than he already was," his tone sounded slightly defeated but, then he turned to look her directly in the eye and added with a little more heat, "And, I didn't kidnap Henry. I was trying to protect him the only way I could. Zelena told me that I had until the queen's baby was born to fulfill her devious plan before she would start killing people. I had hoped that I could get Henry out of harm's way before then."

Emma's eyes widened before she turned back to her plate for another bite. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Emma mumbled, "You still should have told me."

Hook's only response was to let out a huff of breath.

"I trusted you!" Emma told him. "I trusted you and then you kept this from me. How was I supposed to react?"

"I was hoping you would have had at least a little bit of faith in me," Hook replied shoving away from the counter. He stood and walked toward the back door but he knew he couldn't leave it like this. So he turned back around and stalked toward her again. "I was given an impossible choice, Swan. It was Henry's life or yours and your family's which would have still included Henry, I might add. If she succeeds in this plan, you will never have been born and neither will Henry or your parents… maybe not even Regina. Your magic is the only thing that can defeat her and I knew it!"

"But wait – how did you know I was the only one who could defeat her? We didn't know that until the curse was broken today and everyone got their memories back."

"I told you in New York!" he practically yelled. "I received a note that said you were the only hope. That I had to find you and bring you back!"

She wanted to believe him. Her superpower said he wasn't lying but she was still wary so she pressed on, "And you don't know who sent it? I mean, it wasn't signed? Why would someone do that?" Emma's voice had raised, as well.

"I don't know!" he burst out. "I already told you, I don't know who sent it. I've been thinking about it all bloody night, trying to figure it out, and you're right, it doesn't make sense!" he paused for a breath before looking into her eyes and adding in a more controlled voice, "You don't have to believe me. You don't have to trust me. But don't expect me to apologize for my actions. If I had to do it again, I would do it no differently. I would still try to protect you… and Henry… and this whole bloody town of yours."

Emma looked at him again, studied his expression. Was he lying? She didn't think so but with the emotional turmoil she'd been going through, she wasn't sure she could trust her instincts. One thing was certain, though, he may have said that she didn't need to believe him but the look on his face was obviously begging her to. And, he was right. Henry was in danger either way. If she'd known that, would she have made the same choice he had?

Turning back to her plate, she asked, "Zelena really said she would kill Henry if you told me about your curse?"

"Actually, she said she would kill your entire family. Then, this morning, the Crocodile abducted me and brought me to her. That's when it became clear that Henry would be her first target," Killian replied.

"That's why you didn't meet us this morning," she said. It wasn't really a question, but he answered anyway.

"Yes," he said, "but by the time I got back here, you were already gone. That's when I saw Henry as he was… Well, I saw him and thought it would be better if he were out of harm's way. I knew we were running out of time. And, since we already knew that she has her monkeys watching the road out of town, I thought the ocean would be the safer route."

She believed him. He really had been trying to protect Henry, and her, and her family, and everyone else in Storybrooke. And, what had he gotten for his trouble? A tongue lashing from her and her parents.

"But Zelena knew…" Emma said in a quiet voice, "She knew you would try to get him out of town. That's why the monkeys attacked you at the docks." She felt tears sting the back of her eyes and turned back to look at her half eaten pie. She picked up her fork and shoved a bite into her mouth, taking her time before swallowing. Then, she turned back to Killian and nudged his plate, "Sit down and finish your pie," she told him.

Taking her softly spoken invitation as a peace offering, Killian sat back down on the stool and began eating. They sat in silence until their plates were clear. When they were both finished, Emma stacked the plates and put the mug of cocoa on top of them to carry them to the sink behind the counter.

"You didn't finish your hot chocolate," Killian commented.

"Oh…" Emma stammered, "It really wasn't to drink. I was trying to get it to 'poof' over to the table again."

"Then why was it still on the counter?"

"I'm… having some magical issues, I guess. I'll try again in the morning. Maybe I just need to rest." God, she was tired. Today had been an emotional roller coaster.

"Or maybe you just need to relax," he told her in a soft voice. "Henry is safe… You made sure of that. Your magic is stronger than hers. You've more power inside of you than anyone I've ever heard of. You just need to believe… just like you told Henry today. Believe in yourself as much as those who love you believe in you."

The timbre of his voice was so soothing. He believed in her. It was just that simple for him. He had faith that she would succeed. She suddenly felt a calmness settle over her body that she hadn't felt since before the monkey attack at the docks.

Standing across the counter, she placed the mug between them, a small smile gracing her lips as she looked at him.

"You can do it, Emma. I know you can… just relax," he told her.

She closed her eyes and then quirked one back open to give him another quick smile, closed them again and took a deep, cleansing breath. A moment later, she heard the glorious clank of metal against metal. She opened her eyes to see Killian's head whip around to the coat rack, where his hook was hanging. He turned back to her with a broad smile on his face and propped his hookless arm on the counter saying, "Now, put it back." Then, he winked at her.

Emma's laughter filled the room, "Deal," she said. Then, leaning across the counter to put her face directly in line with his, she added, "I do trust you, Killian."