Hand in Hand

Note: This story is dedicated to my lovely friend Brittany for her 20th birthday! I hope it gives you lots of feels and adds to your wonderful day :D

Brown boots clicked along the docks as Emma rushed along the water. Her eyes kept darting left to right as if she expected someone to jump out and attack her. She looked back over her shoulder and when she didn't see anyone she stepped forward on to the invisible gangplank, exhaling a sigh of relief when she knew she was cloaked by the enchantment. The white-knuckled grip she'd had on the bag in her hands loosened slightly as she took in the ship before her. She'd grown quite familiar with the Jolly Roger ever since Hook had returned to Storybrooke stowed away in the hull after his attack in Manhattan.

Emma sighed; she hadn't been able to leave him behind. Again. He'd been furious that Neal had steered the ship but she couldn't allow him to kill Gold, especially not when Henry cared that he was his grandfather. When she'd gone back to untie him, he'd been less than pleased but Hook had raged at her which she matched with a temper just as strong. She knew how he felt, she got it. She also knew that what he was doing was going to kill him, he needed to find peace.

When Emma had yelled at him she thought for a moment he was going to hit her or push past her but he'd deflated. Killian had just seemed lost. He promised that, for now, he would leave Gold alone. He promised this so long as Henry remained unharmed by his actions because he refused to take away a little boy's family- no matter how wretched. That was when the visits had started.

Trying to give him something more, Emma had offered her friendship. It was something she wished she'd had after giving up Henry. She brought him different foods to try and some new clothes he generally refused to wear. Sometimes she brought different modern marvels, which he was in awe of. Soon the visits went from once a week, to a few times a week, to daily. He had weaseled his way into her head. And her heart but she shook that thought off.

Killian appeared on deck, walking out of his cabin, when he heard footsteps above him. "Emma?" His eyebrows knitted together, "Henry's lesson is tomorrow. And you already brought lunch today, for which I'm eternally grateful lass."

A smile tugged at her lips, "I know, even though Henry has tried to convince me he needs to learn to sail every day. Someone has convinced him that he can be both a pirate and a knight in the modern world." She mock glared at him.

"A noble profession he would be well suited for," Killian defended.

Emma rolled her eyes and walked towards him. The bag hitting her leg reminded her of the reason she'd come back to the Roger and she felt the anxiety settle back in her stomach. "Can we talk? In private?"

Raising his eyes at her request, but nodding, Hook opened the door to his quarters and followed her in. "Though I never imagined you being so to the point I can't say I'm disappointed."

"Shut up. That's not why I asked to come in here."

"Even so. We could make it why you were in here," he wiggled his eyebrows and bit his lip.

Emma shook her head, trying to hide her amusement. She'd become much more fond of his antics in recent weeks than she expected or was willing to admit. "Calm it down Captain Innuendo. What I want to talk to you about is way more amazing than that."

Hook cocked his head to the side. "I sincerely doubt that love," his tone low and alluring.

Schooling her expression to neutral and ignoring the heat his voice ignited, Emma placed the bag down. "Zip it." She felt the anxiety double in her stomach and her heart started to beat faster. "And, um, maybe you should sit down."

Acquiescing to her request, Hook sat at the chair in front of the table, which had her bag on it. "Swan, are you alright?" He studied her face and frowned at the wrinkles in her forehead. "I'm beginning to think I ought to be concerned."

Breathing deeply Emma sat down next to him and fidgeted with a loose thread on her jeans. "No. No, no, no." She laughed a little, "It's not bad, it just might be a bit shocking."

Now he was curious, "Well, love, spit it out."

"You know how you're Captain Hook because of…well, the hook?"

"Yes I was quite aware actually."

She made a face at his sarcastic tone. "Well, what if you could go back? To before?"

"Go back?" He held his breath. She couldn't be talking about what he thought she was. It would be impossible.

"To before you and Gold and everything happened." Emma bit her lip again and eyed him across the table. She was nervous he was going to get upset or angry or tell her to leave. She couldn't leave. Not now that she was so close.

Running a hand over his hook Killian broke eye contact. "I lost a part of myself when that day happened Emma. There's no way to get it back."

Her arm twitched as she resisted the urge to reach across and grab his good hand. "What if you could get part of it back? What if you could become…whole again?"

Killian glanced up at her, "I'm not whole." He held up his left arm as evidence. "And even though it's felt like I've been on the mend since," he paused. "Well, just since, people don't recover fully from broken hearts."

"I know. You know I know that. But we do move on."

It was an argument they'd had over and over again. Emma and Henry had largely been the since he'd referred to. The boy had needed someone after learning the truth about his father's leaving of his mother. Killian had recognized Henry from his observations of Emma and invited him aboard. After listening and trying to explain that he should still meet and talk with his father Henry had become quickly attached. Now they had sailing lessons twice a week. But it wasn't just Henry that was repairing Killian's heart. It was Emma. She was smart and funny and brave. She never tolerated his nonsense and was quick to meet his quips. She fascinated him and challenged him. And I do love a challenge.

"What is it you have in the bag?"

Emma didn't respond, she merely reached in and pulled out an object wrapped in a black towel. "Please don't freak out," she murmured as she unwrapped the package.

Hook watched her movements intently and his blue eyes widened in shock when he saw what she was holding. "How-" his voice stuck in his throat. "How did you get that?"

Studying his expression she lowered her hands to her lap, "Gold owed me a favor. I helped Belle when no one else would. I figured this could help make up for the beanstalk."

He reached out and touched it. "You found my hand," he breathed. "You found my hand!" The shock was disappearing and a sense of excitement was replacing it. "Can you put it right?"

Relief swept through her at his reaction. He was glad that she'd gotten it, not upset that she was trying to change him or something equally ridiculous. All Emma wanted to do was help him, and he deserved this. "I don't know. I've never really tried using my magic for anything. Especially not anything as big as fixing a body part."

His eyes locked on hers; finally leaving the appendage he'd been missing for over three centuries. "Will you try?"

Emma fumbled for words, "I just don't want to hurt you."

"Don't worry. Nothing could hurt worse than having it cut off." He'd meant to sound reassuring and nonchalant but Emma could hear the bitterness underneath.

She nodded. "I can try. But…"

Killian pushed a piece of hair behind her shoulders in a familiar gesture. "Don't worry lass. I trust you."

Slowing taking in his encouraging smile she nodded.

He pulled his black shirt off and went to wrok on unfastening the apparatus keeping his hook in place. Emma was slow to avert her eyes from his newly exposed skin and felt unwanted heat make it's way across her cheeks. She saw the scars that littered his chest and arms and fought the urge to trace them with her eyes, and perhaps do more than just look.

Hook had seen her wandering gaze but kept his own trained on the task at hand. He held back the quip he would have normally made but couldn't fight the smirk that blossomed on his lips. Good to know she's affected too.

When his appendage clattered onto the table Emma looked back up to his face, schooling her expression away from the…inappropriate thoughts that kept popping up.

Anyone else would have been fooled but Killian knew her far too well- she was a brighter reflection of himself and it made her an easy read most of the time. "Still an open book, love."

"Shut up. We need to focus." Her expression tightened in determination. You can do this. You need to do this. Her parents hadn't understood why she had called her favor in for this, but she couldn't just let his hand sit as a trophy in Gold's shop when she knew it was there. His hand would be her Henry. A fresh start. Emma believed he deserved one, if she could have so could he.

The ocean rattled loudly against the wood as a tense silence fell upon the cabin. Emma steeled herself and grabbed his severed hand with her own and reached out with the other. "Give me your arm."

He seemed hesitant, not because he was worried about her but because of what she would be seeing. His stump was not a part of him he liked or showed people. The scar was jagged and the skin was weirdly tough. Hook's eyes met hers and she merely looked at him expectantly.

Emma knew better than to react in any way to his limb. It didn't bother her, in fact she much preferred his skin to his hook, but he would never believe that nor would she try and make him. "Okay. So, here goes nothing."

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she focused all her energy on the man in front of her. She felt a warm hum begin to course through her veins and took this as a sign of encouragement. Emma pictured the pirate with two hands: steering his ship, mock fighting with Henry, kissing her, holding her, The warmth turned to heat and she felt a giant pull at her midsection causing her to gasp and release her hold on him. When she opened her eyes two bright blue ones were staring back in awe.

"You," he swallowed loudly. "You did it."

Looking down she saw there was no longer a space between arm and hand and he lifted his arm and flexed his fingers.

"Bloody hell, Emma, you did it!" He laughed and stood, still wriggling his fingers and testing out clenching his palm.

"You have two hands. It might be time to retire the moniker."

Killian grinned, "That means you'll actually have to call me by my name. All of the time."

"Well, Killian," she emphasized his name and smiled cheekily. "I think that's doable."

Emma stood up and moved towards the door, Henry would be out of school soon and she'd promised him hot chocolate at Granny's. "Wait!" She turned back around and found standing inches from her. "Wait."

Staring at him expectantly she held her breath. He was looking at her with the intensity she shied away from. Whenever he looked at her like he was now she ran. It was too personal, too admiring, too intimate and Emma couldn't have that. "What?" she replied softly.

Instead of answering he brought his hand, his left hand, up to her face and cupped her cheek. He ran his thumb across the warm skin of her cheek then slid his hand to the back of her head, running her golden hair through his fingers.

"I wanted the first thing I felt to be meaningful."

Killian watched her as she processed what he'd said. He knew she thought they were simply playing a game most of the time but she was not a game to him. Emma was so much more: she was light and happiness and a reason to move forward.

Her lips formed an 'O' but no words would come out. He was still holding her, waiting, when she felt something inside her break. Killian had done what no one had before, "You bested me."

Before he could respond, Emma lifted herself onto her toes and pressed her lips against him. Without missing a beat, he hauled her against his own body while maintaining his hold on her head. She sighed into the kiss as her hands would up his arms and tangled into his dark hair.

Taking advantage of her sigh, Killian deepened the kiss and caressed her tongue with his own. His left hand angled her head slightly as he continued to ravish her mouth, enjoying the groan that escaped from the back of her throat.

When air finally became a necessity they broke apart, gasping for air. His hands settled on her hips, both of them, and he grinned. "It's about bloody time."

An exhilarated giggle left her mouth and she bit her lip. Emma's hand ran down his jaw, enjoying the way the stubble ticked her hand. "Yeah, it is."

"And now that we've finally come to an understanding, which is that you are mine, I have two hands to convince you to never relinquish that position."

Emma rolled her eyes at his possessive nature but smiled because she was as much his as he was hers. "Oh I look forward to it Captain but…"

His hands gripped tighter around her, "But what?"

"I thought you were, what did you say?" She pretended to think. "Oh yes! I thought you were done with me."

He laughed and stole a quick kiss before staring intently at her laughing blue eyes. "Oh lass, I am most definitely not done with you."