"Emma…?"

She felt lightheaded and dizzy, his voice sounding distant in her ears. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on the spinning world around her. The drumming of blood hammered in her ears and she took a few harsh breaths. "Killian." She swallowed, gasping for oxygen as her eyes flew open.

Blue eyes opened to meet hers, his lashes partially concealing his gaze, as if he were still partially under the grips of sleep. "Emma." He rasped, his voice was dry like his lips as they parted for him to suck in a deep breath. He was alive. Somehow.

"I.." Emma started in disbelief, before releasing her hold on the back of his neck and scooting down to press her cheek to his chest, listening inside of him. There was a heartbeat. "Your heart…but." She sat back on her knees and stared down at him. "Killian you're alive. You're alive!"

"How?" Killian pressed his palm to the wooden floor beneath him, sitting up slowly. He gasped at the twinge of pain in his chest. The action wouldn't have been so unusual if Emma hadn't done the exact same action. "Emma…?"

A grin spread across her lips as she realized something had happened that she never dreamed would happen. "I believed." Emma answered, reaching for his hand. She kissed his knuckles before turning his hand and pressing his palm to her chest. With her free hand she pressed her hand to his chest, feeling his heart beat beneath her palm. "We are of one heart now Killian. Lke the legends told to children. All of the legends of the old magic. They're true."

"The legends of True Love." Killian swallowed shakily, he freed his hand from her hold, bringing it up to cup her cheek. "I have always cared for you Emma. I've tried to ignore those deeper feelings. But now I see exactly why I lost my magic."

"Why?"

"Because I love you." The warmth of his smile filled her heart with something wonderful. He caught her lips softly, kissing her slowly. He was surprised at the intensity she responded with, the passion swelling in his heart as she cupped the back of his head. It was he who broke for air, needing just an inch of space before he did something foolish to the princess. Even if she was being so willing and wanting, he knew he must tread lightly. She was still the princess.

"We must protect each other Emma, my love." He combed his fingers through her hair, grinning at the adoration in her eyes. She covered his hand with hers as he continued. "If one of us dies the other follows. That is what those legends spoke of. Your heart is too valuable for someone like me to share it, but it is what it is." Then it struck him – she would have to return to her kingdom. To the castle and to her fate. A mournful expression crossed his face and he hung his head.

"What is it Killian?"

"Your wedding…"

"No, we're not taking me back to the castle. We can go anywhere now!"

"Cora learned today that she cannot take your heart – when she finds that I am alive you'll be at worse risk. You must go back and be protected by your family."

"You can't leave me now!"

Killian shook his head, "I'm going nowhere, princess. We'll discuss all of this with your father and your mother."

With a deep breath, she nodded in agreement, trying to bolster herself and believe that it would all be alright. "We'll figure this out together."

"Yes." Killian assured her, his crystal blue eyes meeting her steely grey ones. "We'll be alright." A laugh cracked his tense expression, "Do you think they'd allow the princess to take a lover when you marry?"

"No." She shook her head, trying not to smirk when he frowned.

"Ah."

"Because when I marry you I have no intentions to want anyone else."

"Emma." Killian warned, his lips pressing into a thin line. "You must do what you must for the kingdom. That is far more important to a flirtatious pirate like me. Though, to be fair, I am better than any man in the kingdom."

The blond slapped his cheek playfully, "Oh shut up."

"I'm just stating the honest truth." He said with a smirk, running his fingers through his hair before looking around. "We need to get out of here before the Queen comes back."

"She's not the Queen." Emma said dryly, standing up. "My mother is the Queen, Cora is a delusional witch who hungers for power."

"Accurate," Killian pushed himself onto his feet, reaching for the princess' hand and tugging her out the castle without another word.

Emma couldn't help but be curious about everything he had done in between their years of knowing each other. It felt like yesterday since she left Neverland, despite that they were both two very different people now. He was a pirate, as all adults become, with a history behind him. He was the notorious Captain Hook, famed thief and wife-stealer. Peter had always been a flirtatious young man, always knowing the right thing to say and how to smooth talk you into doing what he wanted. It was no surprise that he'd grown into this sort of man. While he had a world of knowledge about everything intimate she was left to wonder and hope that what she'd read in books was somewhat accurate.

"I-.." She pursed her lips, stopping at her horse and turning around to look at him. "I'm not a bad kisser am I?" As soon as the words escaped her lips she felt like a fool. "Nevermind." Emma sighed heavily and turned to face away from him. "Here, help me up."

"Of course m'lady," Killian grinned, giving her the boost up before hauling himself up on to the horse. He let his hand settle at her waist, resting his chin against her shoulder as she kicked the horse into a trot. "To answer your que-"

"No, I don't want to know." She shook her head, shivering as his breath danced against her neck.

"It was going to be all good," He exclaimed softly, "Yes, you're an excellent kisser. A natural." He kissed her shoulder and smiled to himself. "But then again, I think True Love's kiss is supposed to be all exhilarating whether or not you're a good kisser."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Compliment and then insult – such a pirate."

"Oi! Lass, you wound me."

"What? You are a pirate."

Killian nodded, "But you said it derogatively."

"Mhm," She smirked, "Pirates should be spoken of derogatively. They're thieves, murderers, wife stealers."

"Well, thief yes, murderer no, and wife stealer?" He puffed out his chest, "Accurate I suppose as well." He wasn't quite the 'man-whore' as some pirates he'd encountered, but he was certainly not virtuous. "Just another reason why you marrying this arranged husband has to happen."

"Why? So you can steal me?"

"Exactly," He tried to make a laugh of it, but she wasn't taking it as a joke. Marrying the man was deadly serious. "If you had any idea how much restraint I use with you."

"How much?"

"Princess."

"Indulge me." Emma said curiously. "I'd like to know what it is that I make you yearn to do."

"Too soon," Killian shook his head, "Stop pushing your luck, love. You just had your first kiss yesterday, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Then you should have to wait at least a year before you're interested in anything more with someone."

She laughed harshly, "Well like it or not I'll be married in a month if you do nothing. I believe that a marriage is consummated the night of the wedding?"

Killian groaned to himself, a swell of protectiveness causing him to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer. A bad action as it set her atop him and with every step of the horse she rocked against him. "We must talk to your parents before any of this is decided."

"Before what is decided? I believe my marriage is a rather set deal already." She scoffed, shaking her head. "But that's fine, I submit as I am meant to and be the good dutiful bride."

"Is this all because you want to know what I want to do with you?" Killian asked, holding her hip tightly. "Because I can tell you what I want to do, but the fact of the matter is I'm afraid that once I say it – I won't be able to keep my actions in check." His fingers edged forward slightly, dipping a little too low and he pulled his hand away as if he had been scalded. "Forgive me."

Every last nerve in her body felt on fire at his touch, accident or not it was exhilarating feel the slow burn inside her belly. "It's fine." She replied shakily, "As long as you don't repeat that action while I'm handling a horse. Deal?"

"Deal." He purred into the shell of her ear. Killian rested his chin against her shoulder, focusing on his breath in an attempt to control his desires. She was the princess, with a prophecy hanging above her head, with duties, some unseen fiancée to marry in a month, she had been sheltered her whole life after she left him and now… All he wished for, for her was that the fates could somehow bend reality and allow them to be together.

"I'm not looking forward to returning home." Emma sighed, "By the time we return it will have been nearly a week. A week of freedom and relief. I haven't felt this free since… since."

"Neverland?"

"Yes. I miss that feeling." Emma sighed, shaking her head. "They're going to be furious with me. I'm barely allowed on the grounds of the castle without four guards."

Killian chuckled, "So does that mean your bedchamber has guards in it as well?"

"No," She smacked his knee. "But that doesn't mean you're going to just waltz in their whenever you like. Yet."

"I like the word yet, very promising, princess." He turned his chin and kissed her cheek, smiling. For now he wasn't going to worry about her parents or what would be thought of them. He prayed to the fates that they would believe them that her virtue had not been breached in any way. Though he would be more than willing to breach it, he knew that it was not his place. He was a gentleman though – one that was not going to risk Emma's propriety for a roll beneath the sheets with her. Even if that was something he was rather keen to do.

"Well, we didn't quite make it half way tonight." Emma stated as she tied the reins to a low hanging branch, running her hand over the horse's muzzle. "I suppose having a half a heart makes one a bit exhausted."

"Or being dead and brought back to life." Killian retorted, leaning against the tree and studying Emma, backlit by the blue hue of the moon high in the sky above them. "Oh, I see how it is; the horse gets all of the kisses." He teased as Emma pressed a kiss to the horse's nose.

Emma looked over her shoulder at him, rolling her eyes. "You've had a few today."

"Not nearly enough, considering I nearly – well did, die today." His brows rose as he smirked at her. Killian was aware that he was treading on potentially dangerous turf with this. He didn't want to hurt her, he didn't want to lead her on, make her believe that they had a chance that lasted longer than a month. But, he was aware that these last twenty odd days could potentially be just that. Their last.

And given their little conversation earlier in the day, he honestly shouldn't have been requesting more kisses out of her. But at the same time, he wanted to feel her lips pressed to his again, that warm rush that flooded him when they touched.

"You know," Hook's eyes swept over her as he took a step towards her. "You look gorgeous all awashed with blue moonlight." His fingers brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, before cupping her cheek.

"If you're going to kiss me, you should just kiss me." She laughed, her cheeks feeling warm beneath his gaze. "You say I look good in blue moonlight, but I prefer the blue tint to my reflection in your eyes."

His chuckle rumbled low in his throat, "Gods, Emma, you do something to me." Without another word he leaned in and sealed his lips to hers. He started slow, trying to prolong the kiss without forcing the air from her lungs. He was well aware that she had kissed no one but him and she still had things to learn, but he was impressed by her willingness to let him guide the kiss. His fingers tangled in her hair, while the weight of his hook rested at the small of her back. Times like this he yearned to have two hands – for her. She deserved two hands to be holding her and touching her.

Emma pulled back from the kiss, blinking rapidly as she tried to catch her breath. She looked up at him, her lips puffy from his assault, tongue sliding across her bottom lip to nurse it. That had been exhilarating, but she craved just a little more out of him.

"We sh-" Stop. They should have stopped there with that kiss, but Emma – raring to continue the kiss, pressed her lips to his again. Fumbling for the right place for her hands: shoulders, arms, back of the neck, the cheek, somewhere, she finally let her hands rest one on his shoulder and one at the back of his head where her fingers could tease through his hair.

Her mother had once warned her against these sorts of actions, to ignore any advances by stable boys, passing-through-royalty from other kingdoms, and especially the occasional vagabond who ended up in their villages. A completely hypocritical move by her mother, who she knew had met her father under some rather interesting predicaments – to forbid her daughter from being anything more than a pawn for their kingdom.

But right now her mother's voice of reason was not the voice talking in her ear, no the voice talking in her ear was the desires of a young woman who had been kept basically locked in her room out of harm's way.

Killian's resolve was slowly snapping as he took a few steps back until he had her sufficiently pressed between him and a tree. Everything about Emma felt designed to wind him up and set him lose to spiral downwards. She was going to be his undoing. Riding behind her on the horse had been bad enough, but now every curve of her was deliciously pressed to him. He pulled back from the kiss breathily, letting their lips brush as he spoke.

"We should stop, before we both do something we'll regret."

"I'd never regret anything."

"You don't understand."

Emma met his eyes, "I've read books."

"You're a princess and I'm a pirate, I've sullied your name enough."

"Would you stop with the name and the title!" She snapped, the desire in her eyes completely gone now. "I'm tired of being their princess. I just want to be Emma – your Emma."

"My Emma." He brushed his thumb along the curve of her cheek bone, leaning back into kiss her again. Just a little longer, that was all he was allowing himself. A few more minutes of kissing her, of touching her, and then he would let it stop for tonight. Despite the fact that he was mentally thinking through unlacing her bodice, pulling the laces roughly out of their little holes, shoving her skirt up – no. He shouldn't be thinking that far of ahead, he was going to get himself in trouble thinking like that.

"Ki-" She pulled back, her chest heaving as she tried to gain her breath again. "Killian, I love you."

"Say the other name."

"Peter," She bit down on her bottom lip, almost embarrassed to be saying it to the older and much more attractive variation of her boyhood hero. "I love Peter."

"I love you Emma." He pressed his forehead to hers, smiling adoringly at her. "I'd say with all of my heart, but I think I'm loving you with your own heart."

"Well, now we know I'm your True Love."

Killian kissed the tip of her nose, "I always knew."

"So did I."

A/N: I'm sort of terrified by this chapter. I'm afraid that I've failed you all.