a/n: This is set during s3B, but doesn't follow canon much. Don't worry too much about the plot that brought them here, because I didn't. xD

~cosette141

It just had to be a Wakeful Curse, didn't it?

Killian was out of breath, lungs burning, chest tight as he ran.

Zelena had wanted Emma out of the way, but couldn't kill her, for whatever reason. So, instead, the witch decided to curse her, and send her somewhere she coined where no one loves you, and no one can save you, so you understand what it's like to be me, and pushed Emma through a portal back to the Enchanted Forest. Killian had barely made it to her in time to jump into the portal as well.

And the bloody witch had been right about her threat, because they might be in the Enchanted Forest, but they were in the bloody middle of nowhere, nothing but trees and trees and trees, not even a person or a hut to be found, not even after over a day of searching. Emma hasn't slept in over forty hours, and Killian had only allowed himself four, falling asleep in exhaustion riddled with nightmares, of losing her before he even got her.

And all he could think above his panic as he ran back to her, his heart constricted because he'd left to find help and there was no help to find, was the moment they had gotten here, the moment all of his hopes and his only desire ever since he'd bloody fallen in love with her, had died.

They landed hard on the forest floor, and Killian coughed hard, immediately getting himself off the ground, to her.

She was lifting herself painfully up, and he helped her, holding her even after she was on her feet, keeping her steady, keeping him steady. "Love," he gasped. "Are you… are you all right?"

"I don't know," she whispered.

Zelena had hit her with the curse, a Wakeful Curse, she'd called it, because she'd needed Emma dead, not asleep, the moment before sending Emma through the portal. And thank the bloody gods he'd found her before the portal had closed.

"I didn't know they made 'wakeful' curses," said Emma nervously, brows furrowed, like she was trying to feel if something inside her was wrong.

"Nor did I," said Killian honestly. "Emma, if you can't sleep…" his voice trailed off, panic shaking it.

Emma swallowed hard. "This is bad."

Bloody hell, was it.

But he'd felt anxiety tighten his chest, the same feeling that had almost choked him that day in New York, trying to kiss her memories back. It hadn't worked.

But gods, he had to try.

"Emma," he said slowly, eyes finding hers. "Zelena… she said it requires True Love's Kiss," he said hesitantly, and Emma's eyes shot to his. Taking a shaking breath, he felt his mouth go dry. "I could…" His voice caught. "May I…?" Swallowing, he shut his eyes before saying, "Can I…?" He couldn't say it, but she heard it nonetheless.

Emma just blinked, like she hadn't thought of that until now.

She suddenly looked unsure, something unreadable in her eyes.

But, swallowing nervously, she nodded, eyes searching his, waiting.

And slowly, gently, he took her face in his hand, pulling her so gently toward him, pressing his lips softly to hers, his heart pounding so hard she was bound to feel it.

And it lit up every nerve inside him, sating a desire he's had so long.

But his fear cut through, and he pulled back, staring at her with wide eyes.

And her eyes opened, something even harder to read in them, but the fear in her own eyes dampened it before he could try to decipher it.

And they both stood there in silence, waiting for a glow, a blast of magic, of vibrancy, of love to break her curse.

But it never came.

And Killian felt something break in his chest, with a burn in his eyes, getting the answer he's always feared.

That he'd fallen for someone meant for someone else.

Killian spent the entire run back to Emma thinking.

They'd spent the entire past day and a half looking for someone, anyone, but they were so truly in the middle of nowhere. They traveled in a silence that hurt ever since the kiss, the kiss that didn't bloody work, and neither of them had said more than a handful of words to each other, and Killian's heart only broke into smaller pieces.

He'd woken up from his sleep to find her utterly, completely exhausted and weak, and had carried her for several hours after she'd lost the strength to walk.

Only hours ago, he set her down to go find help himself, promising her he'd be back, promising he'd find a way to save her even when his voice shook.

But he'd found absolutely nothing.

At this point, the only way to save her would be either a sorcerer stronger than the one who cast the curse or miraculously finding a suitor who happened to be her True Love fall in love with her, and her with him, within the next twenty-four hours, if she even had that long, or finding a portal back to their land and getting Emma to Henry or her parents.

And again, there was bloody nothing here. No magic beans, no portals, no nothing.

The bloody witch wanted her to suffer and that was exactly what she was doing.

And Killian was bloody suffering just watching her.

But it's been hours away from Emma's side, and Killian was sprinting through the trees, wondering how the bloody hell he was supposed to tell her he still found nothing. But he couldn't travel further without her anymore, and at this rate he'll have to carry her, try looking in a different direction, something, because he was not bloody giving up.

Killian followed the markings he left on the trunks of trees to mark his path, and Emma was right where he left her, curled up at the base of a tree, his coat lying over her, her eyes open and blinking lazily against the sunlight.

"Swan," he said with a forced smile, mind still racing for a solution that he didn't have. "No luck East, but have no fear," he said breathlessly, plenty of fear running through him. "We're just going to have to—"

Delayed, she slowly tilted her head toward him.

"Hey," she said with a quirked smile, and it was so unlike Emma that it made Killian go rigid. It was like every wall she had had come crumbling down in the past few hours he'd been gone. She'd only been weak when he left.

Looking at him with that strange, glossy look, Emma slurred, "You're really pretty, you know that?"

Killian's eyes shot wide. "I—what?"

"You're pretty," she said with that strange smile. She blinked a few times, and instantly Killian knew something was wrong. He froze. Her eyes were too bright, her demeanor too dazed.

His worst fears realized, panic seized his chest. To someone without the context she would almost appear drunk.

No.

"Swan, no…" he whispered. Heart pounding in his chest, he knelt before her. "Swan," he said firmly, watching her dazed eyes follow him. He had the awful idea that for her, what she was seeing was dreamlike. "Emma, are you with me, love?" He didn't even try to hide the panic from his voice.

"Of course I'm with you, silly," she slurred.

Killian touched her shoulder, giving her a little shake, hoping to bring her back to her senses. "Emma," he tried again, eyes blazing with desperate fear. "I need you to focus. Can you do that, love?"

She blinked a few times. "Focus on what?" she finally asked.

"Me," he said breathlessly. "Just focus on me. Do you know what's going on?"

She blinked again. "Mm," she hummed. "No." But her eyes flicked to his lips again, and then back to his eyes. "Killian," she said with a smile, as if she was just noticing he was there.

Killian felt his eyes burn. He tried to take a controlled breath. He would not lose her. He would not. "Emma, please," he whispered. He touched her face, his fingers shaking. "Swan, come back to me," he said in a pained voice, words hurting.

"Hey," she said suddenly, with a grin. "I said that to you that time you tried to drown."

His brows lifted a little at the memory, not remembering her saying such a thing.

"Then you did, you came back," she said with a little giggle.

Killian felt something hot slip down his cheek.

He'd never heard her make that sound before, and he only was now because her mind was on the verge of shutting down.

He'd never seen her with her walls down like this. She was so much more playful, so trusting, so impressionable, so childlike. She wasn't afraid and the easy smile on her lips was one he'd only seen when she had thought no one was watching her.

Another tear joined the first.

He couldn't save her.

There was nothing here, no help, no magic, no hope.

She was going to die, and he never even had the courage to tell her that he loved her, even if she wasn't his to love.

"What's wrong?"

His eyes opened, and Emma was looking at him with dazed concern. And in a moment of vulnerability, Killian whispered, "I can't save you." His voice choked. "That's what's bloody wrong."

Her brows furrowed. "You always save me," she said simply.

And that made his chest hurt with a sob that wanted to come out, but he refused to allow it.

He stared at her for a long moment, panic flooding him, seeing her look at him with such… love.

With a shuddering breath, Killian leaned in, fighting the near-paralyzing panic thrumming in his veins, and he kissed her with desperate, broken hope.

And he waited half a moment, perhaps he was too quick before, perhaps he hadn't believed enough, but bloody hell that's all he ever did—and he waited for what Emma's parents always spoke of.

The blast of power.

The radiating love that spread miles in every direction.

But just like yesterday, nothing happened.

No warmth.

No power.

Killian pulled away.

She was looking at him with such joy.

And a sob broke free from his chest.

It didn't bloody work.

He couldn't help himself; he gathered her in his arms, pulling her against his chest, leaning heavily against the fallen log beside her.

He wasn't her True Love.

And it hurt more than any pain he's ever felt.

And now, she was going to die here.

In his arms.

Just like Milah.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, face pressed to her hair. "Emma, I'm so bloody sorry." Another tear burned down his cheek. "I—I don't know what else to do," his voice cracked; he couldn't help it.

He felt her snuggle into his chest, and it hurt. "Why are you sorry? I've been waiting for you to do that again for ages," she said, eyes closed, smile at her lips.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair.

He loved her more than he'd ever loved anyone.

She seemed to have feelings for him all the same.

Why couldn't it be him?

"Emma, I love you," he whispered, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. She was dying and he's going to watch it happen. She was already slipping away, and he hated himself for not saying it before, when she could fully, consciously hear them.

"I love you, too," she said with a smile against his chest, with no hesitation at all, making him hug her tighter, another sob breaking from him, because it wasn't bloody fair.

"I don't want to lose you, love," he said into her hair, feeling more broken and vulnerable than he's ever felt.

"You won't," she mumbled.

Yes, I will.

And he hugged her tighter, shutting his eyes, more hot tears falling.

But his eyes flew open, suddenly feeling her press her lips to his.

She kissed him—kissed him—and he felt it.

It was like a pure, raw explosion of warmth.

Brilliant light burst from between them, tingling through his entire body.

Killian stared in utter shock, tears frozen on his face.

Emma smiled at him, her eyes sparkling in the light of the magic.

Not a moment later, her eyes fell shut and she grew heavier in his arms, her head falling over his chest.

But he could feel her breathe.

Could feel her heart beat.

She was asleep.

She was asleep.

He blinked, confounded.

True Love's Kiss.

It worked.

It worked.

She was asleep.

But…

"The Curse has been broken," said a soft little voice by his ear.

Killian jerked, only to see a fairy flying over Emma's sleeping form. She smiled softly. Looking at Killian, she said, "I sensed I was needed. But it looks like you didn't need my help after all."

Killian blinked, in utter shock. "I—I don't understand," he managed. "I kissed her hours ago; it didn't work!"

She smiled with a crease in her brows. "This was a Wakeful Curse," she said. "Both Wakeful and Sleeping curses are two sides of the same; Sleeping Curses require one's True Love to kiss them. Wakeful Curses require one to kiss their True Love," she said patiently.

Killian blinked.

Emma kissed him.

Her True Love.

"I… I tried it once before, to restore her memories," he stammered out. "To get her to remember, but it didn't…"

"True Love's Kiss does not work if one does not remember their True Love," said the fairy.

Killian felt a smile break through his shock. Looking down at Emma, passed out in his arms. Asleep.

Because of him.

"We're True Love?" he breathed.

"I'd say you have your proof in your arms," said the fairy kindly.

Suddenly worried, Killian asked, "Has it been too long? Will she be all right?"

The fairy flew to Emma's head, touching her temple and shutting her eyes. After a moment, she opened them and shook her head. "She only needs rest. There is no need to worry about her, Killian."

Killian blinked. "How did you—?"

She only smiled. Then, she flew closer to him, shut her eyes and touched his forehead. Killian felt a tingle at his skin—

"There," said the fairy, and Killian blinked his eyes open, brows rising at the influx of information. "I've given you the path you can follow to find your way back to your land. I sense there are people eager to see you both." With another smile, the fairy flew away.

Killian felt relief of all kinds flood him; Emma was alive, all right, and now he knew their way home.

Killian looked back to Emma. Lying asleep in his arms.

Hell, he already was home.

True Love.

This whole time, they'd been each other's.

And she was going to be all right.

Killian just held her to him, resting his face in her hair, smiling to the sound of her sleep.

Emma stirred.

She opened her eyes.

The sun was shining dully in the way it did in morning light, faded rays dancing through branches overhead.

The air was chilly to her skin, but she hardly felt cold; she was wrapped in arms and against a chest that were warm and soft and comfortable.

She sighed, deciding that her sleep was some of the best she'd had in her life.

Her eyes snapped open.

Sleep.

She'd been asleep.

"Swan?"

She more felt his voice rumble through his chest than heard it through the air, and Emma felt herself smile involuntarily. She twisted in his hold to see Killian smiling down at her. "I slept," she said eagerly, almost giddy.

She slept.

She was alive.

"Aye, that you did," he agreed, smiling just as wide. He kissed her hair. "Bloody hell, Swan," he whispered. "I thought I'd lost you."

She felt a flutter in her chest at his admission of such fear, so unusually vulnerable of him.

Something definitely happened that she couldn't remember.

"What happened?" she asked hesitantly. "The last thing I remember was… was you going to find help," she said slowly.

"I… couldn't," he said unevenly. "I came back to you afterward and…" His eyes shut, a muscle working in his jaw.

She read the panic in his eyes. "How close did we cut it?" she whispered.

"Too bloody close."

She felt him hold her tighter.

"Wait," she said, her mind still sluggish. "How…?"

He smiled, fingers brushing over her hair. "You kissed me."

Her brows rose, a flush rising in her cheeks. "I… did?"

"Aye, you did," he said softly. "It broke the curse."

She stared at him in shock. "But—"

"A fairy appeared to us afterward, and she explained that Wakeful Curses require the cursed to initiate the kiss."

Emma blinked. "So…"

He smiled, hearing her question. "Aye."

Her eyes lit up. "We're…?"

"Aye," he smiled, eyes sparkling as much as hers.

She shot up from his arms to face him, losing her balance not a second later.

"Easy, love!" he exclaimed, grabbing her arm before she could fall.

She didn't care.

She grabbed his face and pulled him to her, lips meeting his once again. She kissed him desperately, and after a moment of shock, he reciprocated.

Because he had not been the only one heartbroken that the kiss didn't work.

They broke apart simultaneously, looking at each other with smiles that reached their eyes. "I wanted it to be you," whispered Emma.

"Bloody hell, as did I," he smiled right back, pulling her in for another kiss, a quick, sweet one.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling him embrace her right back. "I love you, Killian," she whispered.

He smiled too, and Emma could never remember seeing him look so happy as he whispered back, "And I you."

a/n: this was inspired by the AMAZING fic from Ripplestitchskein called "Whether We Wake or Sleep". Ripplestitchskein is a genius and their story is lovely! If you liked this, you'd definitely like theirs!