Author Note: This chapter roughly follows my suspicions and some spoilers of 4.03 "Rocky Road". If you want to remain 100% spoiler free maybe wait to read it.
It was only ten a.m. but Emma already felt a headache beginning to form. Mom's first meeting as Mayor had not gone as planned and Emma had spent the last thirty minutes answering questions and placating the, disturbingly mob happy, townspeople. She hoped they were convinced that Elsa was not a threat but more importantly she hoped to get to the bottom of this latest crisis.
"What's going on love?" Emma turned at Killian's voice. Relief washing over her with the arrival of the man she was starting to consider her deputy. A joke about going on a third date was on her lips but then she caught sight of Elsa walking beside him and although she liked the young woman she felt a little deflated. She pushed the feelings aside.
"We don't know yet. Somebody froze Marian."
"Wait what?" The question came from a startled Elsa.
"Is she encased in ice?" Killian asked, as if that were the normal response to the news of a spontaneous freezing.
"No it's more like she is freezing from the inside."
Elsa and Killian shared a significant look. There was a pause as if they were having a silent conversation and Emma found it difficult to push her emotions down a second time.
"What?" she asked a bit to sharply.
Hook lifted his eyebrows and Elsa gave him a nod. He turned to Emma. "That's exactly what happened to Elsa's sister, Anna. Elsa accidentally struck her heart with her magic."
Emma's eyebrows shot up. "Oh. So can you fix it?"
Elsa shook her head but it was Killian who answered. "Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart, love. Anna almost died before they figured it out."
"So was it True Loves Kiss? Is that what we need?"
Elsa and Killian both smiled. Emma felt that she had again missed a private joke. "Anna's act of true love was to save Elsa from her murderous fiancé."
"Yikes! And I though my family had issues." Elsa laughed and Emma gave her a smile, she really did like her. "Okay. Well this is good. I will go upstairs and tell Robin and Mom. Then Killian, we can grab Dad and do a quick patrol." Emma bounded back inside.
After relaying the information and conveying her plan to search for anything strange in the woods she rejoined Killian and Elsa with her father in tow.
"Ready to go?" she asked.
"I'm coming too." Elsa said with the authority of a queen. But Emma was the sheriff not her subject.
"I don't think so sister. We don't know what we are dealing with out there. And your magic is still on the fritz." Emma waved her hand, considering the matter settled.
"My magic is as stable as yours! And besides I want to help!" Emma, a little insulted, was about to retort back when Killian stepped between the two women.
"Emma, love. Can we talk?" Emma let out a frustrated huff but nodded and walked a few steps away.
Killian glanced back at Elsa before speaking.
"Look. Elsa feels really bad about..well…"
"Almost freezing me to death in an ice cave?" Emma couldn't help the sarcasm.
"Yes. That." Killian gave a curt nod. "She wants to help and she is good in a fight. I promise she won't be trouble." Emma tried to find a reason to deny his request but found it hard to think when she looked at his pleading, almost pouting, face.
"Fine. But you stay close to her. If her magic goes haywire we will need you to help her control it."
"She doesn't really need my help. Not now that she is more acclimated to Storybrooke."
Emma shook her head. "Still. She said herself that even the first time you met you were better at helping her control it than her own naval officers."
Killian scratched the back of his neck and he seemed to flush a little "Oh well. That was a bit of a special circumstance. I would definitely not repeat that stunt."
Emma shook her head. "Killian you do whatever it takes to keep her in check."
Killian looked startled and a little hurt at Emma's words. "Aye. Of course, love. If, if you say so."
They separated. Emma and David going in one direction, Killian and Elsa in the other. Hours passed. Emma and her father were returning back to the station when she got Killian's phone call. They swung the cruiser around and headed for his GPS coordinates. Before the car was fully stopped Emma was out and sprinting through the woods. She heard muffled voices and Killian shouting. As she got closer she saw the glint of ice sparkling in the summer sun. She skidded to a halt in the clearing and took a moment to take in the scene. Some woman, dressed all in white, was threatening Elsa. But Emma couldn't focus on their words because Killian was crouching beneath giant, deadly, looking icicles. Her racing heart seemed to stop beating and the air flew from her lungs.
"You can do it." Killian called, no trace of fear in his voice. For a moment Emma thought he was talking to her. Then she realized he wasn't looking at her but at a different blond woman with temperamental magic. "Elsa, love, you got this."
Elsa closed her eyes and a streak of blue burst forth, turning the icicles into harmless snow.
The woman in white turned, her eyes registering Emma and David just arriving. "You've won this round but this is far from over." she sneered before disappearing in a swirl of snow.
Everyone left in the clearing heaved a collective sigh. It took the entire ride back to Granny's for Elsa and Killian to tell their tale. Emma tried not to think about how they practically finished each others sentences. She ignored the light of pride in Killian's eyes when Elsa spoke of harnessing her magic. She pushed it all away and tried to remind herself that she was the one that had insisted they patrol together.
Emma was relieved when they entered Granny's. Henry was there and eager to tell how Marian was revived. He waited patiently while they piled into a booth and ordered. Launching into his story the moment the waitress walked away.
When he was done and everyone had expressed the proper amount of amazement he asked about their adventure. Emma found she didn't have the stomach to hear the story again and so she got up and wandered to the counter. She caught Ruby's attention.
"Hot chocolate?" the brunette asked knowingly.
"With extra whipped cream." Emma sat for a minute her eyes staring vacantly at the counter. She felt Killian's presence on her right but she didn't look up.
"You know Swan a lesser man might be upset by your lack of interest in their harrowing tale." Emma looked up and he gave her a smile but she couldn't return it. The emotions she had been pushing away all day were fighting back, demanding to be felt. Killian looked at her, tilting his head ever so slightly as he thought.
"What's wrong love?" When Emma didn't answer. Killian began to guess.
"It is Elsa? Are you upset with her? Because she was fine. She had her magic under control." a teasing grin crept on his face "I didn't even need to kiss her."
Emma felt her already frayed nerves snap and her whole body went rigid.
"Kiss her?" she said in a voice so loud the entire diner went quiet. Killian looked struck, his normally quick tongue silenced. Emma felt a wave of magic roll through her and suddenly the diner was too hot, too full of people staring at her. She turned on her heel and fled.
The cool night hit her flushed cheeks but she couldn't seem to cool off, vaguely she wondered if it was embarrassment or her magic. She heard Killian calling after her but she didn't look back. Suddenly she felt his hand on her arm, spinning her around to face him.
"Emma! Sweetheart! Talk to me!" She looked at his exasperated face and all her emotions broke free
"Talk to you? I would talk to you but you are too busy with Elsa. Ordering her hamburgers and showing her how cell phones work and helping her control her magic. And KISSING HER!"
"Emma You told me to go with her! You wanted me to help her control her magic. You TOLD me to kiss her."
"I did not! I told you to keep her in check. But obviously you have a thing for blondes with magic issues so feel free to kiss her" Emma hissed, leaning in and poking him in the chest.
"Gods. Emma!" And just like that Killian was stepping into her space, his hand on the back of her head, his lips crushing against hers. Emma reacted on instinct her mouth opening, her hands grasping his stiff leather collar. Emma felt heat stirring her body and this time she was sure it was her magic. She lost herself to the texture and taste of him. Letting him declare his feelings with the rough push and pull of his lips. When they parted they were breathing heavily. Killian's arm was wrapped around her waist anchoring their hips together. He kissed her temple.
"I am only interested in one blonde with magic issues. And I am sorry if that was unclear."
Emma released a soft sigh knowing he was telling the truth and feeling a little silly for her jealousy.
"I'm sorry. I know you are just friends. It's just sometimes seeing you two together I am reminded that I know so little about you and I feel like maybe Elsa knows you better." Killian chuckled and tucked a piece of her hear behind her ear.
"Nobody knows me better than you Swan. And if you want to hear my stories you only have to ask." Killian dipped his head for a soft kiss. "Now shall we return?" Emma nodded and they pulled apart. Their hands instinctively found each other as they turned. Just as they reached the sidewalk Emma had a thought.
"Wait. Why did you think I wanted you to kiss Elsa?"
"Because the first time I met Elsa that was how I kept her from sinking the ship." Emma stopped walking and Killian turned toward her.
"You kissed her?"
Killian shrugged with an abashed look on his face. "It worked. It threw her totally off balance and she forgot to be angry. That kiss saved lives."
"So when I said to do anything to control her magic…you thought I meant to kiss her?"
Killian nodded a ghost of a smile on his face.
Emma bumped his shoulder. "Well. Don't. Kiss her that is. You can still help her with magic. But I can't promise I won't occasionally get jealous."
Killian's smile came to life, lighting his face with mischief.
"I would despair if you didn't."
So ya. I started this series wanting it to be more Hook/Elsa centered but like an idiot I made it from Emma's perspective. Which means it keeps morphing into Captain Swan. Hopefully it's working for you. All thoughts and constructive criticisms go below!