A/N: AU based on the prompt 'I have you shoved against the wall but now I can't stop looking at your mouth' except that because it is set in Neverland 'wall' is replaced with tree. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT.

Time Stands Still

Tree, tree, tree, tree, deadly poisonous flower, tree, tree, Lost One booby trap, tree, dirt, tree, avoid that frog, don't touch those berries, that leaf is actually razor sharp, tree, tree, tree.

It was just another typical day in Neverland for Emma and the others.

Regina tutting and flicking bugs out of her face, Mary-Margaret fussing over their hydration, David being over protective of his wife and daughter, Rumplestiltskin trailing behind glaring disdainfully at the leather clad pirate leading them and barking out orders of what plants and animals to avoid, Emma wandering between the front and the back of the group, sweating her ass off and worrying about Henry.

They'd been at it for a week or so now, or what Hook told them had been a week back in Storybrooke; time ran differently in Neverland. Pan, the demon spawn child as Emma had heard Hook saying, it seemed had the power to make it day or night at any time he chose. This meant that they sometimes had only a few hours of daylight before needing to stop depending on where they'd made it to.

Killian- Hook, she reminded herself, would point blank refuse to move on from some places when 'night' fell, aggravating everyone with his replies that it was 'simply too bloody dangerous.' Safe to say at those times, with the entire lot of them against him, he would retire to some far corner of their camp, sitting nearly out of sight and pulling out his trusty flask. He could sometimes be heard muttering to himself about the 'life-threatening determination of heroes' or how 'they'd bloody well end up killing themselves.'

Emma wanted to be grateful to him (and she was) for giving up on his revenge to bring them all to the island to save her son, but he infuriated her with his smirking, innuendos, reckless behaviour and stubborn determination. Over the past week he'd gone been flirting with her, arguing with everyone, being occasionally completely silent and worst of all; he'd taken to throwing himself in front of whatever danger someone had gotten themselves into.

At first it was Mary-Margaret who had nearly fallen into the water from an enchanted stream, then Regina in the case of a flower that emitted deadly toxins, Gold (surprisingly enough) he'd saved from some kind of rat beast or other and finally David, whom he'd shoved out of the way of a poisoned arrow flinging trap, nearly getting hit himself in the process.

It shouldn't have been a problem, except, each time Emma found that her heart stopped beating a little until she knew he was safe. The fact that she was worried about him frightened her, so she hid behind her walls and covered it by yelling at him instead; he was after all their only guide on the island and if he died there would be no one to lead them or Captain the Jolly should they find Henry and a way to get off the cursed island.

The thing was, she liked him, actually liked him. Despite being a huge pain in the ass seventy five percent of the time, he was never cruel, never openly hostile to anyone no matter how much Gold pushed his buttons. He was respectful to her parents, sometimes bantering back and forth warmly with David as if they were old 'mates' and complimenting her mothers ability to make outstanding meals from their rations. He was always offering a hand to her, Mary-Margaret and even Regina when large trees blocked their path. In the freezing night, when she was kept awake by the children crying, he would drape his own blanket across her shoulders and tell her stories about his pirating adventures. He was an ally and a friend, and occasionally, she'd catch him looking at her and see something in his eyes that made her breath catch and her heart flutter.

She liked him and had started to fear that maybe, just maybe, she like-liked him.

Tree, tree, evil tree,toxic mushroom, vine that will strangle you, snake pit, Venus human trap, tree,pretty bird but do not touch, tree, moss, tree.

Emma zoned out of the monotony of their walking, continuing to move her body but allowing her mind drift elsewhere besides the path being cut by Hook in front of them. It was as such that she didn't notice David, who was ahead of her, coming to a sudden halt, sending her crashing into his back.

"Ow!, jeez what the-"

"Quiet." Hook's voice barked from the front. She rubbed her nose bitterly, stewing in silence, watching as he levelled his sword with the vegetation on their right. David did the same, Mary-Margaret notched an arrow, Regina and Gold both conjured fireballs and Emma hastily drew her little cutlass.

Now that she wasn't shouting up a storm, she could hear the rustling of the jungle, the sounds of twigs snapping as something moved closer to them at some speed. They were stuck in a straight line on the rough trail, but she could see Hook edging slowly to his right, silently ushering her mother so that they could form a tighter clump.

The thing, whatever it was, was getting closer and just as it burst out before them, Killian somehow managed to swing himself into a defensive position in front of her.

"Bae?" came Gold's questioning voice and shocked, Emma peered round Hook.

True to word, Neal stood before them looking surprisingly healthy for a man who was supposedly dead.

"Neal?" Emma queried which drew his attention as she edged ever so slightly from behind the pirate who kept his sword up.

"Emma," he breathed and suddenly dashed forward shoving Hook into David and sweeping her up in his arms whilst furiously pressing his lips against hers. Shocked, Emma allowed herself to be kissed, slipping her eyes closed so that she didn't see her fathers somewhat consoling hand on Hook's shoulder.

Neal pulled back, grinning like an idiot in love, which apparently he was as he said, "I love you Emma."

Before she could reply, he tucked her into his side and began explaining to everybody how he'd made it there from the Enchanted Forest with help from Mulan, Aurora, Philip and Robin Hood (Jesus christ were all fairy tales real) They all listened closely but Emma noticed the displeased faces of everyone save Gold, when he talked about using a little boy as bait. He was still going on, when a harsh throat clearing interrupted him and attention was drawn to the Captain.

"Sorry to interrupt this magnificent tale of love conquering all, but I do believe we are here for a reason and should probably be getting on."

Not waiting for a response, he quickly strode off, sword once again ready and not looking back.

"What's up his butt?" muttered Neal but hastily shut his mouth when David hoisted his sword and glared,

"I do believe, what he is actually doing is trying to get your son back; so I suggest you be quiet and keep up."

It was odd of David to be so harsh, Emma thought, something was obviously getting to him and Hook whose back was nearly out of sight. With a shrug in Neal's direction, she followed her mother's lead keeping hold of her cutlass just in case and tagging along in the single file line. Apparently, Neal had other ideas and ran up to walk beside her holding her hand in his.

She heard Regina sigh loudly before calling out, "It seems you're going to need to cut a wider path Captain."

At this Hook glanced back, casting an eye over the heads of the Charming's finally noticing her and Neal's linked up position. She watched as his shoulder's tensed and his mouth thinned, yet he said nothing and simply set about in sweeping his sword in bigger arcs.

~E&K~

A couple of hours into their trek, night suddenly came upon them and Hook announced that there should be a clearing a few metres ahead where they could rest until the sun arose. He was correct as only minutes later, they found themselves in a small open space with moonlight filtering down through the canopy.

They had a routine by now; Mary-Margaret would sort out their food David and Gold would set up a perimeter, Emma would check over their supplies, Hook would collect firewood, Regina would set up beds and start the fire. However, Emma watched as the pirate tried to place his sword back in his scabbard without wincing, only then realising the physical toll it would have taken to clear more room so that she and Neal could walk together. Her mother it seemed, had also noticed as she hurried over to see if she could help. A small conversation passed between the former bandit and the pirate until an agreement was reached.

"Neal," Mary-Margaret called, "Captain Jones has injured his shoulder, would you be kind enough to go and gather us some firewood."

Since when has he been Captain Jones, Emma wondered.

"Oh um, sure," Neal replied, "Maybe Emma could come with, you know to give me a hand."

"Actually Baelfire," interjected Regina, "Emma has her own job to do and-"

"I'll do it," said Hook, not looking at anyone, "I'll check over our supplies and Emma can go collect firewood with Baelfire, they probably have a lot to discuss."

He then turned immediately to their water-skins ignoring the six sets of eyes on his back.

"I guess we should get going then," said Emma not taking her eyes off of where Hook was now crouched on the ground, the muscle in his shoulder twitching from exertion.

Strapping her cutlass to her back as a precaution, she followed Neal back into the jungle one of the camp lanterns in hand so they could see the ground, picking up sticks along the way. Everything was silent for around two minutes when Neal suddenly spoke, " So what's going on with you and Hook then?"

Emma very nearly dropped her small pile in surprise. "What do you mean me and Hook? There is nothing going on between us, why would you even say that?"

Neal rolled his eyes, "Oh come on Ems, the guys been glancing at you all day not to mention you were practically pressed up against his back when I found you all."

"He was protecting me, we didn't know it was you, it could have been lost ones or some killer bird, rat thing; I don't know!"

"So you're telling me he hasn't tried to get in your pants?"

"We've been looking for Henry!"

"Yeah well it's not the first time a woman would have chosen him over her family."

"How dare you! You think you can just roll in here and start jumping to conclusions and making accusations."

"He's a pirate Emma."

"And a good man. We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him."

"Well I'm sure he has his reasons."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just-"

"No. Go on, tell me all about how Hook's just here to try and sleep with me, how it's all some elaborate scheme, a diabolical plan for sex a-"

"Emma shut up."

"I'm sorry what-"

"Emma. Be quiet right now."

Emma crossed her arms but did as he said, tapping her foot against the dirt as Neal swept his eyes over the large clearing they'd stumbled into.

"We need to go now," he whispered.

"What, why? I-"

"Emma, right now. We need to move."

Suddenly, a large, spine chilling roar went up somewhere in the jungle surrounding them, causing the ground beneath their feet to quake.

A group of birds flew up into the sky, screeching loudly as the trees began to tremble and shake. A shadow, darker than the night and nearly half as tall as the plants themselves began to emerge into their line of sight.

The beast prowled into the clearing, at least ten or fifteen feet tall, drool dripping from it's fangs that could have been the size of the dark one dagger each and claws dug within the earth as it eyed up the two humans frozen a mere twenty metres away.

"RUN!" yelled Neal and took off.

The thing roared again and charged them, but Emma's feet wouldn't co-operate, she stood stock still, unable to move as it closed in. Her eyes shut, but, abruptly she was shoved from the side forcing her out of the way as she tumbled to the ground. Glancing up, she saw the moonlit figure of Killian Jones stood in front of her, sword out, Hook poised, preparing to fend off the monster.

It pawed at the ground and prepared for its next charge, when an arrow suddenly came whistling through the air lodging in it's left hind quarter. Her mother stepped from the trees, flanked by David and Regina who forced it back with a wall of fire, giving Killian enough time to hook Emma's arm and pull her over to the others.

"It's a Bandersnatch," he said, joining the defensive line of three blocking Emma.

"A Bandersnatch?" asked Regina, "I thought they only lived in Wonderland."

"They do. But you forget your Majesty, Pan has the ability to conjure up whatever horrors he wants here, including said terrible beastie. He enjoys hunting them for sport."

"What do we do?" said David, no tremor in his voice.

"We kill it- Don't try and argue over the humanity of it. That thing is lethal and probably has scent locked on Emma as she was here originally, making her it's target. If we don't put it down, it will wipe us out, do you understand?"

The other three nodded in silent agreement, "Milady, Your Majesty," he said to Mary-Margaret and Regina, "We can't send Emma away from here, it will track her, so I suggest you two stay with her here at long range while Dave and I try and get hits in closer."

It was at times like this when Emma could see the infamous Pirate Captain coming out as he easily gave orders with no hassle. Her father, still with sword out, kissed her forehead and Mary-Margaret's before striding out with Hook beside him to meet the Bandersnatch mid field as it worked up its strength after the fire attack. Yet, it wasn't looking at the two men, instead it was fixed on the three women or more specifically the blonde being shielded by the two royals. It pushed off, but was swiftly halted by a whistle and a heavy branch smacking against the side of its skull. Killian took up his sword again as the beast turned on him and charged. At the very last moment, he somehow managed to sidestep and slice across the things front leg making it howl in pain. Out of nowhere it seemed, David appeared from behind, stabbing it in the tail and ducking behind a tree. The Bandersnatch lashed out and caught Hook with the back of it's paw sending him flying back into the dirt.

"KILLIAN!" Emma screamed and ignored the hands that tried to grab her and ran for the fallen man just as he began to sit up. Her shout drew the monsters attention as it whirled around spying her moving across the clearing. A growl came low in it's chest, rumbling through the earth making the hairs on her neck stand up and her body lock. It was as if it could force her to stay completely still, a sitting duck if not for the man to her right. As the Bandersnatch ran, so did Killian and he slammed into Emma, propelling her backwards until her back hit a tree and time stopped.

In a moment, it was just them breathing heavily. The shrieks and the howls of the beast faded as did the shouts of their group and even the murmur of the wind vanished. They were pressed against each other from toe to chest and Emma slowly canted her head so that their foreheads touched as well. She was finding it extremely difficult not to gaze at his lips, full and pink, one split and bleeding slightly from his fall. Reaching up, she brushed away the blood, fingertips grazing his stubble until she was eventually cupping his cheek. His hook was pressed against the tree, but his hand was around her waist, keeping her held tight against his body and stroking calmingly against the small of her back. What felt like hours must have only been seconds because a distinctly female scream erupted into the night air and Killian was off again.

David had launched another attack but it had only served to anger the Bandersnatch. It had batted him aside, knocked out against a tree and turned on Mary-Margaret, snapping her bow with it's teeth and sending Regina flying. The pixie-haired woman was crawling desperately backwards trying to escape. The thing opened it's mouth to deliver the fatal blow when a sword sunk down between it's shoulder blades. Killian had somehow sprinted up its tail and was currently stood on its back, sword lodged cleanly along the line of its spine. The monster flailed wildly trying to shake him off, but the pirate was like a monkey, clinging on and plunging his blade in again and again. Emma was transfixed by the sight of his proud silhouette, the moonlight glinting off the steel of his sword and Hook, the very image of a fairytale hero, until he wasn't.

The Bandersnatch reached up as Killian delivered another strike, and somehow managed to bat him off. He tried to roll aside out of the way, but Emma watched in horror as the final jab of the sword causes the Bandersnatch to collapse atop the pirate.

"KILLIAN!" She screamed again and ran over to the things body, "Killian! Killian! Come on. Please, Killian please- No! No!"

Emma shrieked and fought madly as a pair of arms wrapped around her middle, pulling her away.

"No, no! Let me go! Let me go! Killian!"

"Emma!" a voice yelled and Neal made a miraculous appearance closely followed by his father, "Oh Emma. Thank god you're okay, I though I'd-"

"Don't touch her," David yelled at which point Emma figured out he'd come around and was the one restraining her. " Don't you dare touch her when you ran off like a coward leaving her to die."

"I thought she was right behind me I-"

"Don't lie to me or else-"

"Don't threaten my son dearie or I'll-"

"Killian," Emma's quiet sob interrupted them all as she tried to reach out again.

Her mother came to her side and too her face in her hands, "I'm sorry baby," she whispered pulling Emma into a gentle hug, rocking her daughter as she cried.

"Bloody hell."

Emma froze, she knew that voice no matter how muffled it was.

"Bloody buggering hell, bloody Bandersnatch weighs a bloody ton."

"Killian," she breathed not daring to hope.

"Oh for fuck's sake. Sodding thing had to die on top of me. God I hope that's a leg and not it's-"

"Jones!" David shouted crouched down next to the midsection of the corpse.

"Ah Dave, lovely of you to join me. Fancy lending me a hand-pun not intended-and moving this buggers leg. It's getting quite hard to breathe under here."

"A little help?" David asked and his wife and Regina both rushed in to help lift the back leg so that a hand, a familiar hand decked in chunky rings emerged.

Emma dashed forward and grasped Killian's hand in hers, tugging him slowly out onto the grass reminding her very much of a certain giant's lair, and just to really sell it.

"You are bloody brilliant, amazing," Killian said, smiling and winking at her.

"And you nearly got yourself killed...AGAIN! God Killian how many times am I going to have to yell at you over this. How are we meant to get anything done without you? How are we meant to navigate this island? How are we meant to know what not to touch? How are we meant to manage the Jolly? How are we meant to find Henry? How am I meant to be able to sleep at night? Who's going to give me a blanket, or get the firewood or piss off Regina with stupid one liners? How am I meant to do this without you, I can't do this without you Killian, I need you I...I...Don't go."

She whispered the last part into his ear as she flung her arms around his neck, not caring that her family and Neal were there to watch her crawl into her pirates lap. Her fingers ran continuously through her hair and she felt the lingering brush of his lips on her temple.

"As you wish."

A/N: I sincerely hope you enjoyed this little one shot. If so (or if not) feel free to review me any of your advice/comments and stay beautiful lovelies :)