Remember Me

Part 4

Emma had no idea what she was doing.
Never before had she needed to woo a man; her relationships always just... Happened. And this was especially new territory: trying to find a way to get close to a man she had once been close to. It was strange, to say the least.
The past few nights she had barely slept at all. Her mind was in too much of a whir with a jumble of thoughts, and sleep wasn't one of them. She knew she needed to confront Killian, but she didn't know how. Every time she would see him around Storybrooke, she would go the other way. And it was killing her.
No one understood why she was acting the way she was; Killian seemed normal to everyone else because he remembered them. Her parents wouldn't ask, but they assumed that she and him were just spending some time apart. Oh if only they knew the real truth... But she couldn't bring herself to tell anyone; not even Henry.

Emma walked toward the docks, assuring herself that that's where she would find the hooked pirate. Sure enough, she spotted him by one of the fishing boats, talking to Mr. Smee. Killian saw her coming, said a few final words, and then turned to face her while his partner walked away.
"Just couldn't stay away, I see," he grinned. "I can't blame you; most women can't."
Emma ignored his comment. "I need your help. There's a villain here in town and we need to tack her down so we can stop her."
"I'm sorry, what's your name again?" Killian asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
The blonde closed her eyes for a moment, trying to drown out the hurt. "My name's Emma Swan. I'm the sheriff in this town and I could use your help with this Ice Queen."
"Sorry, Love. I don't 'help' people. Not unless they can give me something in return." Hook winked and slowly began walking the dock. Emma kept pace beside him.
"Well, how about your memory?" She stated as she stopped in front of him, ending their stroll. "I know you think you have all your memories, but you don't. The Hook I knew--know-- would never back away from a chance to help someone. Especially if that someone was me."
He studied her eyes for a moment, then turned. "You're crazy, Swan."
"Please, Killian. Me and you, we make an excellent team! We could find this Ice Queen and stop her! We need to protect our home."
At this, Hook whirled around and marched up to her. "I don't belong in this town!" He exclaimed. The kindness in his eyes that Emma has begun to cherish was nowhere to be found. "This... Storybrooke... Is not my home. You have no right to tell me that it is, when there is clearly no reason for me to be staying." He let out a short laugh. "I must admit, I fancied you for a moment. But I don't care for women who persist on settling down. That's not me."
"But it is you! When you got me from New York two years ago, you traded The Jolly Roger in order to get to me! You risked everything to get me back home, and you fought for me and you won!" Tears stung in Emma's eyes. "You saved my father, you helped save my son, and you were always by my side even when I didn't want you there. And I miss that." Her green eyes anxiously searched his blue ones. "I need you, Killian. I need you to remember me."

There was a brief silence, and for a second Emma thought she had accomplished something.

But the hardness in the pirate's eyes never left.

He slowly backed away. Before turning away completely, he said, "Like I said... That's not me. Now, if you would be so kind, leave me be."
And yet again, Emma had to watch the love of her life walk away from her.
The blonde could almost hear her fragile heart shatter into a million pieces inside of her.
Why?
Why did she always loose every man she ever cared about?
Is this how Hook had felt, when she kept rejecting him in the past?
If so, she wouldn't ever wish such a heartbreaking experience on anyone...
Not even her worst enemy.