I had quite a lot of feels after the last episode, especially regarding Emma and Regina as drinking buddies. This was the only way I could see this working out and ending.

It's my first fic, so reviews are helpful!

"I told you, Swan. I'm a survivor."

As Killian echoed his words from a few weeks ago, back when all this Snow Queen nonsense had started, a sense of relief finally overtook Emma. She leaned in for another kiss, feeling all the passion that had been missing these past few days. She knew his kiss, knew that heat had been missing, but hadn't imagined why—and had been far too preoccupied to really give it thought, a fact of which she wasn't too proud.

"I know. And I think I took that for granted. I should have known—"

He cut her off with another kiss. "It's alright, love. It's done. We live to fight another day." He brought her in closer, and she leaned her head on his chest, hearing the reassuring thump-thump.

She didn't want to leave him, or his arms, though she had to admit that the backroom at Granny's was not the most romantic place. But when she caught him as he started swaying on his feet, she knew he'd have to drag him to his room upstairs.

"Hey, you need some rest."

"What? No, I don't," he said sleepily.

"Uh-huh, sure. You're just swooning, right?"

"Pirates don't swoon!"

"Come on, let's go," she laughed.

He had barely made it into his bed. She made sure his phone was on and at his bedside table before tucking him in and softly kissing his forehead. She hated to leave him there alone, but she still felt guilty about Regina's situation. The Queen had now truly lost the man she loved, possibly forever, and it was still Emma's fault.

She returned to the diner downstairs and found Regina sitting at the bar. Emma plopped down on the seat next to her.

"I'm not in the mood for a hope speech, Emma," Regina stated. Emma could see the day's disappointment written all over Regina's face.

"You're mistaking me for my mother. Besides, you don't need a speech; you need a drinking buddy. Shots?" Emma could certainly use one.

Regina paused for a moment, surprised. "Sure. Why not?" Emma requested two shots from the waitress.

While they waited, Emma said, "You know, you did the right thing today."

"There it is! A hope speech," Regina replied. "I thought we were drinking."

"It's not a speech; it's a compliment."

"I don't need your validation; I know I did the right thing. I know because I'm miserable…again."

The shots couldn't have arrived at a more perfect time.

Lifting her glass, Emma said, "If it makes you feel any better…so is Gold."

Regina nodded. "It does."

It seemed an appropriate reason to toast, so they clinked their glasses and downed the shot. Before they got a chance to order another, the door crashed open and Henry ran inside to where they were sitting.

"Whoa, slow down, kid!" Emma exclaimed.

Addressing them individually, Henry blurted out, "Mom! Mom! I found something big. You're gonna want to see this."

Henry was right. The secret room at the mansion filled with blank storybooks was certainly intriguing, and just the good news Regina needed after her day. Operation Mongoose was still a go. After seeing Henry home, the two women decided to continue their evening at the Rabbit Hole—even if things were looking up, there was still a lot worth drowning in the bottom of a glass.

Another shot turned into two, turned into four, and maybe a couple more. Both Emma and Regina were long past tipsy, and right in that sweet spot of the high of being drunk. They were somewhat surprised to find they enjoyed each other's company much more while inebriated.

"You know, Swan, you're pretty cool in my book…y'know, if I had a book," Regina slurred.

"HA! I GET IT! BOOK!" Emma yelled and slapped the bar, not caring about the way Sleepy jumped from his position farther down the row.

"Why don't we do this more often?" Regina wondered aloud.

"Because there's always someone trying to kill us?"

"Good point, Swan…good…point…" Regina's face darkened slightly at the thought of the last handful of enemies who had found their way to Storybrooke, and of her loss of Robin. Emma couldn't bear to have the mood darkened, though.

"But hey! We're all cool now! My crazy ex-foster mother is gone, Rumple hit the road…it's all good!"

"I guess I can drink to that." Regina made a motion for the bartender, but she was a bit farther gone than she thought and waved her way right off the stool.

"Oh shit! Regina, are you ok?" Emma jumped down, clumsily enough herself, to check.

Regina just laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Emma offered a hand to help her up, and they both found themselves swaying a bit once they were upright again. "Maybe…maybe we should go."

"Ehhhh…yeah."

They somehow found their coats, paid the tabs, and stumbled out into the black, still night, leaning on each other for support because, damn, these high-heeled boots are a little hard to walk in sometimes.

Regina started, "You know Emma? I'm happy for you."

"Oh yeah? Whyzzat?"

"You got yourself a fine piece of…" She glanced around before whispering, "Pirate booty!" Which prompted both women to giggle like schoolgirls.

"You're RIGHT!" Emma exclaimed. "You are so right! You are…where's my phone? I need to talk to my pirate."

She found her phone right where she left it, of course, in her back pocket. She carefully searched for Killian's name in her contacts and dialed.

Killian never heard his phone go off overnight—apparently, having your heart squeezed several times over is a rather draining experience. So he began to panic when he saw that he missed a call from Emma, and even more concerned to see that she had called at such an unusual hour. She left a message, though, and he had figured out his phone enough to know how to listen.

He did not expect to hear laughter on the other end.

"Heeeyyyyyyyyyyy sexy pirate. [giggles] I missed you tonight, and I can't wait to see your fiiiine pirate booty tomorrow."

He couldn't help but grin, especially as another voice in the background chimed in: "Ooh, I wanna see it! I wanna see his booty, too!" "Shut up, Regina, he's mine!" He wondered just how much she'd—they—had to drink. He's seen glimpses of pirate from Emma, but it didn't seem like she could handle her rum.

"Aaaaaaaaaanywaysss, I'm assuming you're asleep, which is GOOD! STAY THERE! Keep your pretty blue eyes CLOSED! Regina here is going to show me how to protect your heart so NO ONE can take it, because it is MINE and I SAY SO." Her voice broke here. "I almost los-lost you today, and I'm not going to do that again. Because you're my pirate, and I'm your princess." He could hear Regina reassuring her in the background. "SO THERE," Emma exclaimed with some finality. He then heard sounds of struggling, and his brow furrowed to hear Emma in distress. "No-no, Regina, it's my—" "BUT I WANNA TALK TO HIM!" He shook his head and laughed as the call went dead. Oh, Swan, what am I going to do with you, he thought to himself.

He stood up, stretching, and then grabbed his jacket and slid on his shoes. He made his way downstairs, where Granny had just opened up shop. "Good morning, Hook. What'll it be?"

"Two coffees, please, to go. And make one extra strong."