Pairing: Emma/August

Rating: T (non-explicit sexual imagery)

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Once Upon a Time

A/N: This chapter took a lot of different forms, but I like the end result. And I hope you do as well.

She kept seeing him everywhere. But also didn't.

His face would bob amongst a crowd of people and then he was gone. She would look up from her lunch at Granny's to see him coming towards her on the other side of the glass door, and when she clenched her eyes shut and reopened them, it was Dr. Whale shaking the water from his umbrella instead. And when she walked alone in the hallway of the sheriff's station, she could have sworn she heard the click of someone else's heels echo behind her.

She couldn't tell Mary Margaret how deeply their abduction affected her. She couldn't let her feel responsible for getting her into that situation, for making her feel unsafe in the middle of the day. Not with the murder trial looming over both of their heads.

So she lay curled up with her knees pulled to her chest after bursting into August's room without a word and collapsing onto his bed. He came to sit behind her and rubbed her arm tentatively.

"Rough day?"

She turned to face him with red-rimmed eyes. "Got anything to drink?"

"Do you want a glass of water?"

"I was hoping for something a little stronger."

He smirked amusedly down at her. "Bourbon okay?"

Emma nodded and watched him walk over to the desk and lean down, reach into the bottom drawer, and pull out a half-full bottle of Maker's Mark and two glasses. Her eyes lingered on his backside for a little too long before she pulled herself up and joined him, leaning back against the desk.

"I hope you like it neat, because I'm not going downstairs to get ice." He smiled as he handed her a glass. She knocked the liquid back in one gulp and set it back on the desk.

"Again."

With the cock of his eyebrow, August poured her another and threw back his own, then gave himself a refill. She drank this one slower, watching his face intently.

"What?"

She set the glass down and traced the rim with her forefinger. "Nothing."

After the glasses had been filled and drained a third time, they lay in bed, close but not pressed together, with August's arm draped comfortably across her stomach.

Emma's mind whirled with the events of the day and the warmth of the alcohol. She turned her head up to look over her shoulder, still bleary-eyed.

"August?"

"Yeah?" He propped himself up on an elbow and looked down at her worriedly, eyes searching her face.

She reached up and pulled his mouth to hers, kissing him fiercly. "Help me forget today," she whimpered and twisted her upper body to gain a better angle, engulfing his mouth more fully.

"Emma," he uttered in a low voice after he pulled away and closed his eyes. "You're really giving me mixed signals here."

"I'm sorry." She fought to hold back tears that pricked the backs of her eyes.

"I can't read your mind. You have to tell me what you want."

"You." She pulled him back in for another kiss. "I want you."

"Are you sure?" He breathed against her lips.

"I am."

The frenzied nature of their kisses increased and Emma wriggled back until their hips were flush. His hand stroked down her stomach and thigh, then back up to snake under her tank top. "And you're not gonna wake up tomorrow and tell me it was a mistake?"

Emma inhaled abruptly as his rough fingers ignited the nerves of her sensitive flesh.

"No."

Their bodies worked together in unison, and each ebb and flow brought Emma closer to something greater than just physical release. She fought against the fluttering in her stomach at each gentle caress, each soft press of his lips on her skin (and the corresponding scratch of stubble), but it was when he whispered her name against her ear that she finally let herself go in a rush of indulgent abandon.

August didn't need to say anything as he pulled Emma against his chest; the message was well communicated. And while it scared her, it also made her heart feel more full than anything previously had in her life. She turned her head to kiss him once more and fell asleep cradled in his arms.

A hint of morning light peaked through the curtains and Emma knew returning to unconsciousness would not be an option. The only other sensation she was acutely aware of beside the pulse pounding intensely away in her brain, was August's breath hot and steady on her shoulder. Groaning, she took hold of the hand draped across her chest and moved it gingerly away as not to wake him, then sat up slowly and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She arched her back in a long stretch and rubbed her eyes.

After collecting the clothes that had found themselves discarded on the floor, she crept to the bathroom, pausing briefly in the doorway to watch August sleep. She dressed quietly but upon reentering the room, she found him awake with the side table lamp lit.

"I get it." He looked up at her with torment in his eyes. "You're hurt and you're scared and you're obviously confused… but dammit, Emma, your feelings aren't the only ones at stake, here."

Emma found herself unable to control the smile that broke across her face. "Oh, August, no." She moved quickly to the bed and sat on the edge, slipping a hand around the back of his head. She locked her eyes with his in a silent declaration, then kissed him firmly.

"So you're not leaving?"

"I wanted to go down and see if I can get some coffee even though it's kind of early. Three glasses of bourbon and I don't exactly get along." She leaned in to catch his lips again and pressed her forehead to his.

"You… are constantly surprising me," August admitted with a smirk.

"Good. I like to keep you on your toes. And besides…" Emma pulled away. She wanted him to be able to see her when she spoke, "…I want to do this right. And that means not running away immediately."

August cupped her face in his hands and ran his thumbs across her cheeks before leaning in to kiss her. "Get me one, too."

"You bet."

After closing the door behind her, Emma stood in the hall for a moment with her eyes shut and a hand clutching her chest. If this was falling in love, it was utterly terrifying… but for every wave of fear that washed over her, came an equally powerful sense of excitement.

She took a deep breath and headed for the stairs, suddenly feeling strong enough to face whatever enemy may lie in wait.