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searchingwardrobes · 5 years ago

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Priceless: 9/9

Here it is, finally, the long-promised happy ending! This chapter varies the most from the movie because I felt that it left a lot of questions unanswered. Mainly, how Joel Smallbone's character managed to avoid going to jail. I've also worked some canon CS into this chapter, which required changing things up.

Is Regina's legal strategy for Killian realistic? Well, I'll confess, I'm not a lawyer, but I figured if John Grisham can write a bestselling book that became a hit movie in which a main pleads not guilty to murdering his daughter's rapists in cold blood, in broad daylight, in a crowded courthouse, then I can damn well write this fic the way I want to.

Thanks once again to my beta @xhookswenchx for looking this over!

Summary: Summary: Desperate men often find themselves in places they never thought they would go, but for Killian Jones it would finally force him to be the hero his daughter always thought he could be. The job was simple: drive the truck, don’t open the back, don’t ask questions. But Killian Jones has never followed instructions very well …

An AU of the movie Priceless starring Joel Smallbone of For King and Country.

Rating: M for themes

Trigger warnings: This story is about human trafficking so there are discussions of rape and non-con, some of it involving minors. None of it is portrayed as positive nor is it graphically described. If you have any specific questions or concerns before reading, feel free to message me.

***But this chapter we finally leave all of that behind for the happy ending - whoop, whoop!***

Words: A little over 4k in this chapter

Also on Ao3 and a part of my series Captain Swan is My Favorite Rom-Com: 2nd Edition. This chapter ends that series! There’s also a First Edition.

Tagging: @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose @kmomof4 @thislassishooked @welllpthisishappening @bethacaciakay @teamhook @let-it-raines @wellhellotragic @winterbaby89 @kday426 @ekr032-blog-blog @shady-swan-jones @sherlockianwhovian @shireness-says @spartanguard @superchocovian @scientificapricot @stahlop @delirious-latenight-laughs @resident-of-storybrooke @vvbooklady1256 @tiganasummertree @nikkiemms @jennjenn615 @profdanglaisstuff @shipsxahoy @cat-sophia @artistic-writer @thejacketandthehook @hollyethecurious @ultraluckycatnd @branlovestowrite @dassala @allofdafandoms-blog @snidgetsafan @pocket-anon @optomisticgirl @flslp87 @onceuponaprincessworld @courtorderedcake @distant-rose @lfh1226-linda

Three Months Later . . .

My hands were sweating, and I wanted to rub them on my dress pants, but Regina was adamant that I wasn’t to show any signs of nerves today. Yesterday when Emma took the stand, I had been unable to keep the emotions at bay, especially when the DA cross examined her like she was a criminal and not a victim. Yet my bloody brilliant lass hadn’t let him rattle her for a second.

I knew what a gamble this all was - pleading “not guilty.” Yet Regina thought it was my best shot at avoiding prison, and even one day back in that place was the last thing I wanted. I couldn’t be away from Alice again, and the sentence for pulling out a firearm in public was three months to a year plus a thousand dollar fine. Yet with my record, a judge could have levied an even harsher sentence if I pled guilty.

The DA was giving his closing arguments - a passionate speech about the dangers of vigilante justice and of the innocent lives that could have been lost. It sounded pretty convincing, even to me, and I worried that the jury was swallowing every bit of it. I glanced back at Liam, and he gave me the smallest of nods and smiled. Regina nudged me with her knee. Don’t look at your family and friends had been her other order, one I continuously had a difficult time obeying. Liam’s arm was still in a sling from the gunshot wound in his shoulder, and I knew he was sometimes still in pain. Yet here he was, supporting me. Elsa sat next to him, squeezing his hand comfortingly. They had both also taken the stand yesterday.

Once the DA took his seat, Regina Mills stood regally and smoothed her sensible business skirt. I had learned over the last few months that though she was no-nonsense and a bit snarky at times, she had a passion for justice and truth. The girls were in the US legally now because of her, with Anna enrolled in the local high school.

“Ladies and gentleman of the jury,” Regina began, giving them a confident smile, “I ask you to contemplate something for a moment. Why is my client on trial? First of all, he didn’t even fire his gun. That violence occurred because of the criminals he was trying to thwart. So again I ask, why is he on trial? For ensuring that Robert Gold, the head of a massive human trafficking ring, is in jail? For helping the Nevada Bureau of Investigation bring down that ring? For saving the lives of three innocent women, one of them a minor? If that’s why he’s on trial, then I’m confused. Aren’t you? Didn’t he do all he could to do the right thing, even at risk to himself? Is this behavior our society should punish?”

Regina paced for a few moments, probably to give the jury time to mull over her questions. Then she drew closer to the jury box.

“The DA says my client is a vigilante. He says my client should have gone to the police, but my client DID go to the police! It ended up that the police were involved in the trafficking ring. What was my client supposed to do? He could have walked away. He could have forgotten all about these innocent victims. But he didn’t. Instead he did the same thing that many of our forefathers did during a different era of slavery. Just like those who worked the Underground Railroad, he broke the law. He broke the law to free slaves. He knew the risk he was taking, but he took it willingly to help the oppressed. Will you join him? Will you do your part to end slavery today? Will you stand up against even our own justice system that so often looks the other way? Stand up with my client. Find him not guilty. For he isn’t a criminal - he’s a hero. Thank you.”

Regina barely glanced my way as she sat, cool and composed. It was quite the speech, though I wasn’t sure I was as noble as she had led the jury to believe.

The jury filed out of the room to deliberate, and the rest of the courtroom was given a recess by the judge. David and Mary Margaret paid my bail when I was arrested, so I didn’t have to go back into custody. Instead, I embraced Emma and squeezed her hand as she smiled tremulously up at me. Liam came over and clapped me on the shoulder. Even Tiana had come all the way from New Orleans to support me. Mary Margaret was babysitting Alice, however. We didn’t want to expose her to the details of the trial.

“I don’t know why the jury even has to discuss anything,” Emma told me as she took both of my hands gently in hers.

“It was an amazing closing argument, Regina,” my brother said, squeezing my shoulder and beaming at Regina.

“Well, let’s not celebrate yet,” she cautioned, “you never know how a jury will go.”

“I thought you said this was my best chance!” I exclaimed.

Regina waved her hand dismissively in the air. “Oh, it is, but we discussed the risks, remember.”

“Way to build my confidence,” I grumbled.

“Hey, none of that,” Tiana admonished, placing a hand on my forearm, “everything Regina said is true. You deserve thanks, not punishment. Alice is so proud of you, and so am I.”

I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat at her words. Tiana didn’t give forgiveness and second chances easily, and I was humbled to have received both from her in the past few months.

Emma still hadn’t released my hands. If anything, she was clasping them harder. I suddenly realized she was trembling.

“Emma?” I asked gently, tipping her chin up. I was alarmed to see that she was crying.

“If they send you to jail for this -”

“Hey, hey,” I soothed, bringing her closer and wrapping my arms around her, “it’s going to be alright. I’m a survivor, love.”

She turned her face into my chest, and I felt her tears wet the fabric of my shirt. I wished I could promise her that they wouldn’t find me guilty, but how could I? I pulled out a gun that I didn’t even have a permit for in a public park. A man died because of me. I may not have pulled the trigger that sent the bullet through Neal Cassidy’s heart, but that didn’t mean I didn’t have a hand in his death.

Although I’d be lying if I said his death was heavy on my conscience. It wasn’t. I couldn’t muster a modicum of remorse for him. Emma was safe and alive, so was Elsa. We had gotten Anna out of there before her innocence was shattered forever. I would do it all again if I had to, even if I went to jail for the next three years. It would shatter my heart to be away from Alice, but at least I could look her in the eye without shame.

Much too soon, the jury filed back in, and the judge called for everyone to take their seats. I wanted to ask Regina if a short deliberation was good or bad, but my nerves were too on edge. I clasped my hands in my lap and stared at them, unable to gather enough courage to look at the jury.

“Has the jury reached a verdict?”

“We have your honor.”

I held my breath.

“We the jury find the defendant . . . not guilty.”

Behind me, my friends and family cheered. I felt Liam’s good arm come roughly around my shoulders, and he shook me in an exuberant hug. Overcome, I lifted both my trembling hands to my face and couldn’t stop the tears of relief.

It was over. Finally.

On shaking legs, I rose and turned to those who had supported me so well throughout this entire nightmare. Emma let out a cry and flung herself into my arms, peppering my face with chaste kisses. I cupped the back of her head, threading my fingers through the strands of her ponytail. I was pulled from her arms, however, by first David, then Tiana, then Elsa. Even Regina embraced me. But my mind was never far from Emma and the future we could now have together.

***********************************************

I knocked on the door frame of Emma’s room at the Nolan’s, but she didn’t even turn to look my way. I hadn’t pursued anything more than friendship with her for the past three months. For one, I wanted her to heal from her trauma, and for another, I knew my future was uncertain. Even now, I didn’t want to rush her, but I also couldn’t hold back my feelings any longer. My love for her had only grown as she had supported me through the trial.

“Come in,” she said softly, her gaze focused on her hands clasped in her lap.

“What do you think?” I asked as I gently eased down on the bed next to her. She turned her face further away from me.

“I think it’s great.”

“Great? The Nolan’s are perfect for this kind of work, and so is this land.”

“It’s been nice of them to put us all up here.” She finally shifted towards me, yet her head was still down. “I think it’s time for me to move on, though.”

I frowned. “Move on? But didn’t you hear them? Didn’t you look at the plans? They plan on building two dormitories on the old grazing land,” I took Emma’s hand gently in mine and added softly, “and several family homes.”

“I know,” she told me, finally lifting her gaze to mine. Tears were welling up in her eyes, but I couldn’t figure out why.

“One of them will be Elsa and Liam’s, you know.”

Emma finally smiled. “Yes, I know. She loves him so much.”

“And he loves her,” I infused emotion into my voice and stroked Emma’s knuckles with my thumb, hoping she would catch my meaning.

She lowered her eyes again and stared at the motion of my thumb. “And Anna will be living here with the Nolans until she graduates at least.”

“Aye, as she should. The Nolans have been named her legal guardians, and it won’t surprise me if they adopt her.”

Only half of Emma’s lips turned up in a smile. “I’m so happy.”

“You don’t sound happy.” I lifted her chin so she would look at me again. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. “My love,” I whispered, brushing at her tears with the pad of my thumb, “what’s wrong?”

“I’m happy for my sisters. Ever since this whole thing started, that’s been my only goal. Get them out, help them start over.” She took in a shaky breath, then let it out slowly, as if gathering her strength. “But it was never for me - starting over. It was too late for me; I’ve always known that. I don’t want their pity, or yours, so I think . . . I think it’s best that I move on. Find my own place.”

Her words were like a punch to the gut. I thought we had grown closer as the weeks had gone by; I thought she shared my feelings. Had I read her completely wrong?

“Emma, none of us pity you. Your sister’s love you. I love you.”

She rose from the bed and stepped away from me, hugging her middle. “I know you all do, and I appreciate all you’ve done -”

I cut her off, “I don’t think you understand me.” I rose and went to her, gently turning her to face me. “I love you Emma, with all my being - body and soul. My heart belongs to you Emma, and I want nothing more than to always, always be by your side.”

Her eyes widened, and she choked on a sob. I cupped her face in my hands and pressed my forehead to hers.

“You deserve so much more, Killian. You deserve a happy ending with Alice.”

“No, love, don’t you understand? It’s you, always you. There’s no happy ending without you as a part of our lives.”

I tried to pull her closer, wrap my arms around her, but she backed out of my embrace. “Killian,” she choked out, pressing her fist to her mouth, “I’m . . . I’m pregnant.”

Sobs overtook her body then, and she pressed her hands to her face. I deflated then, understanding flooding through me. I pulled her tenderly to me, letting her tears wet the front of my shirt as I stroked her hair.

“Regina thought it best I do a paternity test, just to be safe. It’s crazy, but . . . rapists can ask for custody rights.”

My jaw tightened so hard, I felt a headache radiate up to my temple. “Over my dead body,” I vowed.

“Don’t make threats like that, Killian Jones, they aren’t funny anymore.” She chuckled wryly, but I heard a hint of sincerity in her voice.

She stayed there in my arms, accepting my comfort, and I brushed my lips against her temple. She sighed in contentment and snuggled closer.

“It’s Neal’s,” she finally whispered.

Relief rushed through me. I had wondered where Regina would have found DNA samples. She must have suspected - hoped even - that Neal Cassidy was the father. There was no one to threaten Emma and the child, thank God. Emma let out a long, shuddering breath, then gently pushed me away from her. Unable to speak, she backed towards the door behind her, shaking her head. It suddenly dawned on me that this was about more than her pregnancy or even Neal.

“I understand. I can’t expect your love after what I did.”

At first, her brows knit together in confusion. Then she laughed sardonically. “We both think we’re not good enough. But Killian, you can’t possibly want this - want me.”

“There’s nothing in this world I want more than you! But if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be in this situation at all. You wouldn’t be in therapy for ptsd, you wouldn’t be carrying that bastard’s child. How can you ever want me, Emma?”

Her eyes widened at my words, her lips parted in wonder. The heaviness that had darkened her face for so many weeks, suddenly cleared. A single tear rolled down her face, but it was different than her previous ones. She crossed the gap between us and took my face gently in her hands. I closed my eyes in shame.

“Look at me,” she ordered in a soft voice, and I reluctantly opened my eyes. Her thumbs caressed my cheeks, and for the first time that day, she smiled. “Let’s say you didn’t take the job to drive that truck. We still would have been in it. You were meant to drive it, Killian.”

Now it was my turn to gaze at her in wonder. I let her words wash over me, the truth of them seeping into my soul. Emma rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. She pulled back, her smile brighter as she traced my jaw.

“Killian Jones, you’re so -”

“Handsome?” I interrupted her with a teasing smirk. “Especially when I’m angry?”

She swatted my chest gently and rolled her eyes. “How long are you gonna tease me about that?”

I pulled her close and wrapped her up in my arms. “If I have my way, for the rest of our lives.”

I bent my head, pressing my lips to hers for the first time. My heart nearly burst when she responded with urgency, parting her lips and dragging her fingers through my hair. I felt her tongue swipe against mine, and the taste of her nearly did me in. As much as I wanted to carry her to the bed and make love to her, I broke the kiss, wanting to cherish every step she allowed me to take in our relationship. I would let her take the lead. I rested my forehead against hers, our breaths mingling.

“I love you too, Killian.”

I thumbed her chin. “You are absolutely priceless, Emma.”

Three years later . . .

I saw the girl standing on the sidewalk, clad in a skin tight, animal print skirt. I motioned for Will to pull over, and I rolled my window down. She came closer, leaning against the open window to give me an ample view of her cleavage.

“Looking for some fun?” she asked me.

“I sure am,” I replied. I handed her a slip of paper. “Meet me here? Room 112?”

“I will for two hundred bucks, handsome,” she replied with an arch of her dark brows as she took the paper.

“Sounds good to me.”

She backed away from the cab, tucking the slip of paper into the dip of her low cut top and winked at me. I motioned for Will to drive on.

Fifteen minutes later, I was waiting in a dingy motel room when there was a knock at the door. The exotic brunette was on the other side, and I motioned her in. She retrieved a condom from her tiny purse, then tossed it on the room’s nightstand.

“Okay, what are you into?”

I gestured to the bed. “I’d like to just talk, if that’s okay?”

She rolled her eyes. “So you’re one of those. Whatever, it’s your money.” She sat on the edge of the bed and leaned back seductively, crossing one long leg over the other.

I stepped to the door and opened it. I leaned out and called for Emma. When I ushered her into the hotel room, the girl’s eyes widened. She sat up abruptly and for the first time looked nervous.

“What the hell is this? If you want a threesome, you gotta pay extra!”

Emma shook her head as she sat down slowly on the opposite bed. I stayed near the door, which I left cracked open so the girl wouldn’t feel trapped.

“We don’t want anything like that,” Emma explained gently. “I only want to talk to you.”

The girl’s nerves only seemed to grow as her gaze bounced from Emma to me and back again. “Oh my God, are you two cops?”

“No,” we both assured her softly.

“Religious nuts?”

We both laughed and shook our heads.

“What’s your name?” Emma asked her.

The girl shifted nervously. “Jade.”

Emma shook her head gently. “What’s your real name?”

The girl bit her lower lip, but I noticed it tremble slightly nonetheless. “Jasmine.”

“They called me Swan, but my name is Emma.”

I watched Jasmine’s expression change as realization dawned. “No one’s making me do this,” she told Emma firmly.

“That doesn’t mean you chose it, though,” Emma said softly. “I mean, when you were a little girl, was this your dream?”

Jasmine’s head dropped and she clasped her hands together. “This world is no place for dreams.”

“There is hope, Jasmine, I promise,” Emma said. “Could I tell you a story?”

It was silent in the room for a long, pregnant moment. Finally, Jasmine raised her head to look Emma in the eye and then slowly nodded.

“I came to the US illegally. I trusted these men who said they would help me, but they lied. My sister’s and I were in the back of this truck. It was dark, and we were hungry and dirty . . . “ Emma turned to me and held out her hand. I took it and sank onto the hotel bed next to her. “Then the light flooded in . . . “

************************************************************

I was awakened by Emma’s cold feet sliding between my calves. My eyes fluttered open to find her nuzzled against me, her hair tickling my nose. I wrapped my arms more tightly around her and sighed in contentment. It had been another long Saturday night, but a satisfying one. Jasmine had come home with us, and Mary Margaret had wasted no time getting her settled in the women’s dormitory. Tiana had been alerted, and she would make sure Jasmine met with her for counseling over the next few days. Elsa and Liam had been less successful, unable to get two teenage girls off the streets. They were too afraid of what their pimps might do to them if they left. The work was never easy, and we had to focus on the positive or the enormity of it would become overwhelming.

One of the positives was here in my arms. I would never stop feeling awe over the gift of her love. My hand drifted down to rest upon the swell of her stomach. Emma hummed in contentment against my collarbone and pressed herself closer to me. My body responded to her as it always did, and I lowered my lips to her jaw. She gasped and tilted her head back to give my better access. Her fingers began to scratch at the nape of my neck.

“I’ve got morning breath,” she giggled breathlessly.

“Then I’ll kiss you in other places,” I teased.

She gave out a little mewling sound that made my body thrum even more. Her morning sickness had passed, and in her second trimester she had become a quivering mess of desire. She’d been the same with Henry.

Before our morning activities could go any farther, however, two small bodies hurled themselves onto the bed. Ten year old Alice, all gangly arms and legs, sent Emma and I sprawling apart as she wedged herself between us. Three year old Henry crawled over his mother, dragging his favorite stuffed bear behind him. Emma laughed and rolled over, cuddling Henry close.

“You two still don’t understand how late we have to work sometimes,” I grumbled.

Next to me, Emma only laughed more brightly as she tickled Henry’s tummy. The boy wriggled away, crawling over his big sister who complained loudly as she swatted at him, then straddled me and started bouncing as if I were a horse.

“But we’re supposed to go riding today, Papa,” Alice reminded me, “you promised.”

“She’s got you there,” Emma put in.

“Horsey, horsey, horsey!” Henry cheered, bouncing even more enthusiastically. “Horsey, Papa!”

“I didn’t mean in the morning,” I moaned.

“It isn’t morning,” Alice countered, “I just made me and Henry peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. It’s after noon already.”

Emma slid up against the headboard and opened her arms for Alice. The girl grinned and cuddled up next to her mother, a sight that would never fail to warm my heart. Emma ran her fingers through Alice’s hair while our daughter rested her hand against the swell of her mother’s stomach. Suddenly, Alice gasped.

“She kicked me!”

“She did!” Emma exulted, resting her hand next to Alice’s. “She must want to say hello to her big sister.”

Alice grinned and leaned over Emma’s stomach. “Hello, Hope, I can’t wait to meet you. We’ll have so much fun playing together.”

Emma’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she caught my gaze, but I knew they were happy ones. The same joy she felt was flooding my own heart. Our family came about in a crazy way, but we were more than blessed with what we’d built together.

***********************************************************

Emma and I walked slowly across the grass, hand in hand. Ahead of us, Alice and Henry raced to the corral. They scrambled up the fence to lean forward and feed the horses carrots they had brought. Their Uncle Liam and Aunt Elsa were on the other side to greet them, their two year old cousin Ian astride a dappled pony. The curly headed boy had a tiny helmet strapped to his head, making an absolutely adorable picture.

Next to me, Emma sighed in contentment as she wrapped her arms around my waist. I lowered my head to brush a kiss to her golden hair. The picture in front of us: our family, the horses, the mountains in the distance, and the bright spring sunshine filled my chest with unexplainable joy. I looked down into Emma’s face; her emerald eyes sparkling in the early afternoon light.

“I love you more than I could ever say,” she told me.

I turned her towards me and cupped her face in my hands. “Emma, you are more precious to me than all the treasure in this world. I have my happy ending now because of you.”

She shook her head gently. “That isn’t what this is.”

My brow furrowed. “It’s not?”

“It’s a happy beginning.”

I lowered my face to kiss her deeply, knowing down to my very soul the truth of her words.

#cs ff #cs modern au #cs movie au #captain swan is my favorite rom com #cs priceless au #angst #angst with a happy ending #brothers jones

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seriouslyhooked · 5 years ago

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Lost Souls and Reveries (Part 24)

25 part AU written for @cssns. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6,Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23. Story available on AO3 Here and FF Here. Banner created by the amazingly talented @shipsxahoy!!

Killian Jones is a wolf shifter without roots, without plans, and without a pack. He’s a rogue, someone humans should avoid and shifters should be wary of given his lineage. But one night years back set him on a path he didn’t realize he was taking, a path leading to a future he is destined for. That future is tied up in one woman – a human named Emma Nolan. Together Emma and Killian will find not only answers, but a love that’s truly fated. But will love be enough to set them free, or will past demons win out in the end? (Answer: love always wins – I am writing this so despite some tiny pockets of angst it’s basically a fluff-filled insta-love fest). Rated M.

A/N: Hey everyone. So as you can probably imagine, this chapter is going to be A LOT It’s double the length of a normal chapter because the midpoint was too high stress for me to leave you all on. It’s going to be high emotions and very unstable. That being said, I totally understand if some of you just want to skip it all together. Keep in mind if you do, you will be missing the final show down with George and a lot of final puzzle pieces many of you have been trying to piece together. I promise you I will leave the chapter in a stable place AND I have an extremely fluffy chapter planned for the final installment of this fic. That being said, I hope you’ll all forgive me for the angst, and happy reading!

“So what exactly do you think George has in store for us?”

After a few hours of being holed up in the car together, headed north to face her father’s Uncle, the question from Killian was direct and precise. But there was a reason it had taken hours for anyone to ask. The truth was something strange and unnerving. Without having every detail, they all knew that this was a dangerous man with an unstable mind. George Nolan’s reputation preceded him and his craven desire to do harm was undeniable. Still there was so much they didn’t understand. The only one with first-hand knowledge was her Dad, and every time she looked to him for answers, he appeared grim and stony. To see her father’s light dim, to see his kindness cool, was completely foreign to Emma, and it made her hands tremble slightly with anxious anticipation.

“It’s not going to be easy to get to him when we arrive at this ranch,” Emma’s father said, continuing to discuss the task before them just as he had for the last four plus hours. “My Uncle has never fought in any human war, but his life has been one long series of battles. The stuff he’ll have lined up will be straight from the textbooks.”

“They’ve got textbooks on shifter hunting then?” Liam asked with a tone of feigned amusement that was largely laced in sarcasm. “Well look at that. Learn something new every day.”

“Kidding aside, surely George is more sophisticated than that. He must have some sorts of surprises in store,” Killian offered.

“Oh plenty,” David agreed. “I know many of his habits, his tendencies and quirks, but it’s been thirty years since I left home, and there’s no doubt he’ll have more up his sleeve by now.”

Emma continued to listen to the others discuss, but eventually their voices started to fade. The words became less recognizable, and more a continued thrum of energy in the back of her mind. This mental distance was a defense mechanism, a means of shielding herself until the last possible moment. If she allowed her mind to linger in the what-ifs she’d go crazy. Instead, she leaned her head against the window, her temple feeling the coolness of the glass as her eyes stayed trained out, taking in their surroundings.

As the others shifted their conversation from trap types and weaponry to debate about what the best routes in and out of this park reserve might be, Emma thought back to a time before all of this chaotic uncertainty. Her eyes cast out towards the northern woods, with mammoth pine trees filling in the forests all around them. The world was green and bright. The feel of summer was thick still, and the world, though sluggish from the heat, was very much alive. The further from home they drove, the more altered the land looked. Flat coastal spaces ranged from rolling hills to jagged cliffs. Terrain was denser with brush and canopies. Heck, they’d literally left the country and were now in a totally new place, but Emma didn’t think of that, or even really see the sights before her. Instead she recalled what things used to be like, before she met her soulmate, and before everything went completely off the rails.

Emma’s life in Storybrooke was quiet and subdued for so many years. She had her work, and her friends, and her family. Every day was different, but it was also just the same. The spice of her life came from being a vet, where she might encounter varying pets and animals with a whole host of ailments and injuries, but the ebb and flow of life was rather monotonous. Nothing really strayed from ordinary, and after everything that they’d gone through when Neal was sick, Emma was grateful for that. She lived in a little pond with the fish she’d always known, happy that the big and scary waves of their past seemed to be behind them. Things were small and seemingly unimportant in their little corner of the world, but as safe as she’d felt, and as untouchable as being in Storybrooke once used to seem, it wasn’t all that she truly wanted. Where she had consistency and companionship, Emma was missing passion. She was missing that all-consuming love that comes when meeting one’s perfect match, and in more ways than one, she was missing key insights into who she really was. Pieces of her had been, for lack of a better word, hibernating, and now they were awakened, never to be suppressed or forgotten again.

But so far, these beautiful pieces had come with a tainted set of conditions. She met Killian, igniting a spark that had fanned into unquenchable flames. She fell in love with him, opened her heart to him, and started to believe that a life with real love was something she was meant to be a part of, but then she realized he had secrets and a past still left to face. She learned the truth about shifters, and her family’s place in that world. It was confusing but amazing all at once, yet with that incredible truth came a good amount of fear. There was so much left unknown, and things that could hurt them down the line. Bonding together had made Emma and Killian so much more secure in themselves and in each other. She was meant to be Killian’s fated mate, and he was meant to be hers, and Emma would never ever regret that. But saying yes to each other and taking that step brought the threat of Liam and whatever darkness may consume him. Of course, Killian’s brother was no longer a danger to them, but only a few weeks ago they’d felt differently. Before they saw Liam and understood his intentions and his destined ties to Elsa, he was looming menace that Killian had run from for years. His sickness had eroded critical human parts of Liam Jones, and though Elsa had cured him, nothing could take back the panic, the angst, and the worry they’d all expended in the days and weeks leading up to his return.

When they realized Liam wasn’t truly the enemy, there was celebration and reason for joy. Killian had his brother back, and Elsa too was blessed enough to have a mate. But in a matter of days Emma was forced to face down the risks of fully embracing who she was. The tying together of Elsa and Liam was a gift, but it also thrust Emma into more action than she knew what to do with. In a move that completely defied her past human understanding, Elsa used magic to help Emma merge her souls on some kind of spiritual, other-worldly journey. She’d met Killian’s dead mother in another unknown plane of existence, embraced her inner wolf, all while dying for just a few moments. That was crazy, and obviously something Emma should have had more time to prepare for and come to terms with, but she survived, and after the dust settled from such a stressful moment, she thought things were truly okay. They’d made it through, they’d braved their trials. This was surely enough to merit a good old fashioned happily ever after, but no. Things were nowhere near through. Her long-lost, time-ignored grandmother returned, freed from a magical coma that had robbed her of an entire lifetime with her children and grandchildren. Her brother was approached by a mad man and his safety was thrown into jeopardy. Her town was attacked by a genetically modified monster shifter. And if all that weren’t bad enough, they had not one, but two genuinely evil men hell bent on destroying them. Bad intentions surrounded Emma and the people that she loved, aimed at snuffing out her happiness and their lives, and for all of this she was yet again knocking on the door of danger and bracing for another spat with life and death.

I just want this all to be over. I’ll do whatever it takes, as long as we can go back to something even remotely like normal.

The thought whispered in her mind, but it spoke her deepest truth. All she wanted was for this to be finished. Emma wanted to rid them all of any monsters that were lurking in one final stand, and then she wanted to get to living. She wanted to get married, even though she and Killian were forever bonded already. She wanted a special day just about them and their love and their future. She might not have the determination and unyielding vision of her mother when it came to planning this wedding, but Emma craved a feeling, the sheer happiness that must come when she and Killian would say ‘I do’ for real this time. At the same time, Emma wanted to make her and Killian’s new house a home, and to prepare for the baby who she would hold close very soon. She wanted lazy mornings and sunset walks. She wanted beach days and trail hikes and running in the woods. She wanted days where she and Killian did absolutely nothing except spend time together, and she wanted to know peace again in a way she hadn’t had in what felt like far too long.

“I love you, Emma.”

The whispered words that came from beside her made Emma turn to her mate, and the look of calm and fidelity in his gaze helped Emma breathe easier. She hadn’t realized her agitation was carrying over from her mind, but as Killian pressed a soft kiss to her lips, she felt warmed through. The shadows she was grappling with and the what-ifs that would ultimately do nothing but cause more stress retreated again. For a moment it was just the two of them, and she smiled at him, raising her hand to cup his cheek as she looked into his eyes. God did she love this man. He was so right for her, so good to her. She couldn’t imagine anyone else she’d ever want by her side for a moment like this, and though she hated that they had to be here, she was grateful for their bond now more than ever. In all honesty she was thankful for everything they’d been through, huge and daunting and exhausting as it was. For ultimately they were stronger for their trials, and they had used each obstacle and hardship as a chance to grow together instead of fall apart.

“You let the light in,” she said, her words still soft and spoken only for them. She watched as his eyes lit up with both enjoyment and surprise, and it made her heart clutch in her chest that even after everything he might not know how much he meant to her. “You make me feel like this will be okay, even when hope is scarce. I don’t know how I’d handle any of this without you.”

“You’d find a way,” Killian answered immediately, pulling her closer into his embrace. “But there’s no need. I’m not going anywhere, love. Not now, not ever.”

Emma promised the same back to him, and she allowed that promise to fill her with faith as the final stretch of the drive came and went. Soon enough they were passing into the territory of the mountain lions that had contacted her Uncle, and only a slight ways on they came to the sprawling lands of the long abandoned ranch where George and the shifters were expected to be.

“Taking the car any further will alert nearby shifters or your Uncle of our presence,” Killian said to her father. “We might already have been noticed, but reports from the other clans said this area had largely been avoided by the sick shifters.”

“How far out are we from the cabin still?” Anna asked.

“A little more than a mile. There’s a road that would take us all the way there…”

“But the chances George has lined that with explosives or traps is almost guaranteed,” Emma finished. Killian nodded and her father did the same.

“As it is, we need to all be on high alert. This area might be largely vacant because traps have already been laid here and the shifters can sense it.”

“I don’t think that’s why actually,” Anna said, looking to the tree line. Emma mirrored her movement, but there was nothing there, at least nothing she could see.

“Do you feel something?” Liam asked.

“I’m not sure, but you see that path? The grass is browning there, but everything else is perfectly green.”

“What would do that?” Emma asked, but Anna was already moving. Gently she reached her hand out, a swirl of her magic touching the dying blades and when it did a tint of red blipped into existence before puttering out.

“Gold.”

“He’s here too?” Liam questioned but Anna shook her head.

“Doubtful. This magic is fading, and see the way the blades are bent, they’re heading out not in.”

“But he was here,” David concluded. Anna nodded.

“Definitely. So it would make sense that no one has sensed any shifters. Gold has likely infused his magic in their sickness. Realistically he included a fail-safe to keep any of them from attacking him. They’re probably compelled to avoid him unless he summons them.”

“Do you think it’s a trap?” Killian asked and Anna shrugged.

“Only one way to find out I guess.”

With that they all moved through the forest, careful to stay near Gold’s chosen route without actually setting foot on it. They monitored the area around them for pitfalls and unforeseen complications, but aside from some old and rusted out traps of times gone by, the area was clean. They moved closer and closer to where the cabin was said to be located, but ultimately decided it would be better to take down as many shifters as they could before going directly to George.

“The nearest clan said there were fresh kills from yesterday seen here, here and here.” Emma watched as her father circled three places on the map. They were congregated in clusters around the property, all of them by the nearby river’s edge. “Nearly an entire herd of deer slaughtered up by this bend.”

“A whole herd?”

“These shifters killed mostly for sport, not food.”

Emma’s stomach curdled at the thought. She still felt adamantly that killing as her wolf and claiming an animal to eat was a bit beyond her. Sure, she could technically do it, but it was extremely uncommon. Liam and Killian felt the same way, citing that the only shifters they’d ever known to take advantage of that particular power were their father and some of his closest supporters. As such, the two of them never partook, and only ever killed a wild animal while in their wolf form if the animal was a threat to others.

“That’s where we need to start,” Liam said and they all agreed, leaving the relative safety of Gold’s carved out trail and heading for the nearby waterway.

In another situation, these woods would be beautiful, a place of reprieve perhaps, and an area filled with plentiful wildlife and natural bounty. But now an eerie quiet settled on this land. There were no bird songs through the trees, no rustling of squirrels or smaller wildlife to be heard. In a matter of days, the presence of these shifters had eroded any sense of peace or serenity that may once have existed here, and that unnatural decay left Emma’s nerves even more on edge. Only a subtle wind through the trees and the distant gurgle of running water filled the space around them, and even their footsteps were nearly undetectable, as all of them were taking great pains to stay quiet and unheard.

After a few minutes of steady movement, Killian raised his hand, motioning for all of them to stop as he took in their surroundings. “There’s a hostile shifter, fifty paces out,” Killian said, his head nodding through a canopy of trees. Emma was astonished. She hadn’t heard or sensed anything at all, but then she shifted slightly closer to Killian and she smelled it.

“Mountain lion?” Emma asked, as the ungodly scent filled her nose and left her with a need to gag. It was hard to place the exact shifter when the sickness loomed so large, but from her basic knowledge of shifter scents, she thought it was some kind of big cat.

“No. Jaguar maybe.”

“It could be a panther,” David said as he readied his dart gun, loading it with the intended tranquilizer. “George’s idea of vacation involves hunting in other parts of the world. He had a particular fascination with the amazon. Always said panthers were wily and the hardest to kill. He might have trapped one for his army.”

There was no time to really soak that in, as the element of surprise would soon be lost to them. Instead they fanned out, moving to better circle the beast without alarming it to their presence. Only when everyone was in place having created a semi-circle around the river did it occur to Emma that they had one real potential obstacle – panthers could climb a hell of a lot better than any of them, and if this big cat got in a tree with enough coverage to escape her father’s scope, they’d be in big trouble.

At that exact moment, luck went against them and the wind suddenly shifted, brushing against her skin and headed straight for the clearing at the water’s edge where the shifter lurked. Knowing time was up, she moved quickly, making enough noise that the others would know to move too and coming face to face with a giant black beast a few seconds later.

The growl of the animal was feral and loud, a snarl scratched out in a blatant attempt to intimidate. Emma’s instinct was to shift to her wolf form, but that wasn’t the plan. Liam and Killian were the ones who would be shifting, and Emma, Anna, and her father would try their best to hit the jaguar with enough sedative to put him under. Emma attempted to do just that, aiming her dart gun at the jaguar’s neck, but the animal was too fast, lunging away and charging at Emma.

With lightening speed, a fully black wolf leapt at the jaguar, taking it off guard and grounding it with excessive force. Emma knew this was Killian, and watched as he and Liam both took on the panther. But they didn’t try to kill their foe. Instead, as was the plan, they attempted to corale the big cat to a more open space, in an easy line of sight for her father to hit. They were nearly there when the jaguar changed direction, ambling for a giant tree trunk in an attempt to get away.

“Oh no you don’t!” Anna said, her hands flying outwards as she dropped her dart gun and used her magic, managing to make the tree actually shake, tossing branches down below to swat the big cat away. The animal roared again, hurt to some degree from its fall, but mostly agitated. It now saw Anna and hissed at her, ignoring Liam and Killian and moving straight for her. Emma’s heart caught in her throat and protectiveness flooded her system. She was a split second from shifting and sprinting in her friend’s direction to save her, but then the jaguar let out a pained cry and she saw that he’d been hit. Her Dad had landed the blow, and now the drug was overwhelming the shifter’s system.

“Perfect shot,” Anna said, sounding almost excited at what had just happened, as if her life was in no real danger. Emma just gawked at her friend until her Dad explained.

“Anna knew what the plan was. She was never in any real danger. I’d never let that happen.”

Emma knew her father was sincere, since Anna and Elsa were essentially honorary Nolans. Still, she wished they’d conveyed that to her somehow instead of nearly giving her a heart attack.

“Well that was easy enough. One down, three more to go.”

Tracking the other shifters ended up being a much easier proposition since the noise from this skirmish had sounded through the woods. One by one they came out of hiding, two wolves were first, big, but they lacked cohesiveness in their attack, and after a bit of wrangling Emma managed to hit one while her father got the other. Soon after that the bears came, first a giant black bear and just when he was put down another that was brown, but not as massive as Anna’s grizzly from Storybrooke. These two were a bit more capable than the wolves, but they didn’t manage any lasting damage on Liam or Killian. But just when they were trying to catch their breath back in their human form, a cackling shriek of a final frenzied foe sounded through the forest.

“What the hell was that?” Anna asked, looking towards the tree line for whatever had made that awful sound.

“Wolverine,” Emma’s father and Killian said at the same time.

“Like the weasel things?” Anna asked, thinking as Emma did that this must surely be easy.

“Yeah, but wolverine shifters are five times the normal size,” Liam said bulking up his stance before turning to them. “Be on your guard, this one’s gonna be nasty.”

They watched Liam and Killian shift back again as a giant brown burst of energy scrambled through the brush. With gnashing teeth and a rabid expression, the wolverine was terrifying, and also enormous. Emma lost herself for a second, stunned at the sight of it, but when the beast moved to swipe at Killian she gathered herself back.

“Get him to the river,” David instructed, yelling out the command so all of them could hear it. Emma realized right away that this was going to be a very different fight. Their foe was too fast and it had no instinct for self-preservation. All it did was lash out, aggressively trying to maim Killian and Liam to get what it wanted. With movements like that, she had no chance of hitting her target, so she shifted to wolf form to try and help that way. It was touch and go in a few spots, and more than once the beast almost managed to get a nip at her golden coat, but in a moment where she was one on one with the animal her father yelled for her to duck. She did so without question, and as the best lunged for her, she watched the dart hit him square in the chest, knocking him back and pulling another hellish scream from the animal.

“Nasty buggers, wolverines,” Killian said when they’d all determined the beast was subdued. “Even the healthy ones are horrors.”

“Could hardly tell that he was sick,” Liam joked and Emma let out a barked laugh, shaking her head.

“No way. They can’t be that bad,” she said looking to her father who only shrugged.

“They’re packless for a reason. Put too many together, and well, you just saw what can happen.”

Emma was amazed at that, and thankful that they’d managed to put him down for the time being. All of these shifters would be down for the count for at least a day. If Anna’s bear was knocked out for that long in the test, they’d surely be down longer, what with the difference in size and metabolic rate. As such they’d have time to gather them all together or have the nearby packs lock them down to a secured space. But in the meantime they’re greatest enemy was still before them.

“Did you notice the blood on him?” Liam said, drawing their attention back to the wolverine. “Right paw, encased on the claws.”

“Well someone had to have killed all those deer, right?” Anna asked but Liam shook his head.

“It’s human blood. I caught a whiff of it when he tried to strike me.”

“Human?” Emma asked, worried that these shifters had managed to harm an innocent hiker or something of the like.

“It’s got to be George. The packs were adamant that there are no humans in these parts and they checked with local rangers. There’s a warning out for hikers and campers for a twenty-mile radius and the packs have been circling from a distance for days. No one’s out here.”

“If that beast got a piece of him, then your Uncle’s in bad shape,” Killian said and Emma watched her father’s expression, wondering if anything like remorse would appear. It never did.

“Good. I’m not too proud to admit that we need the advantage. If George is at full health, he’ll be that much harder to stop.”

Heading towards the cabin once more, Emma considered what it would take to stop such a man. No one had said the words aloud, but they all must know that George couldn’t be allowed to leave this cabin. There would be no imprisoning him. He had to die and that was a dark cloud looming over them all. None of them would want to take a life, for Emma it was something she didn’t even think she could do, but in this moment she had to be ready to compromise herself. If it meant protecting the people she loved, she might have to take a life, and though that life would be an evil one, it would still hurt her. But despite that, she would still make that choice. Whatever the fall out, she would see her loved ones protected, no matter what.

“It won’t come to that, Emma,” Killian said, taking her hand as they moved through the woods. “I won’t let your hands be bloodied like that.”

“No we won’t. The person to handle this will be me,” her father said, and Emma looked to him, knowing that burden was something he would struggle with but that he was ready to take on. “I always knew this day might come. He’s my responsibility.”

No one argued with her father, instead allowing the last bit of quiet to consume their journey. They remained alert, moving towards the cabin, finally approaching it from the side. Emma was struck by how the quiet continued, but the air smelled now of smoke and burning wood, and when the dilapidated ranch came into view, there was a hazy gray smog coming from the chimney.

“Someone’s in there,” Anna said with conviction, her hand moving across the air in a wave, her magic feeling out for signs of life. “And they’re in there alone.”

Quietly they circled around the property, until they reached the front door. From the outside it was clearly barricaded closed, but traces of blood adorned the faded wood going up the steps. Fingerprints in scarlet red clung to the doorway, another sign that George was injured.

“We can’t take his weakness for granted. Even hurt, he could have traps in place.”

“So what do we do?”

“Leave it to me,” Anna said, bringing both hands before her and tilting her head in concentration. She held herself tight for a moment and then pushed her arms out with a violent force. As she did a strong gust moved in, visible in its intensity, shattering the windows and pushing in the door. A split-second later arrows shot from each direction, and Emma felt herself pushed behind a wall of muscle. Killian was huddled in front of her, and Liam had gone for Anna, but Anna pushed him away.

“Wait!” she said her hands still suspended. Emma waited for the sound of impact, but nothing came, and when she peaked around Killian she saw at least a dozen arrows suspended in the air, all of them stopped by magic.

“Anna,” Emma whispered, her feeling of awe over whelming her and Anna let loose a smile.

“You can say it, Emma, I’m a bad ass.”

“We can all say it the moment this is over,” Liam agreed, similarly impressed by Elsa’s sister’s show of magical control. But he was right. This wasn’t over.

“Do you think there’s more?” Killian asked, knocking down one of the arrows as he headed towards the door.

“It’s possible,” her Dad admitted.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Anna said taking the lead before whipping back to head off Liam’s impending rebuttal. “And before you say anything, we both know I can handle this. Plus Elsa will kill me if anything happens to you.”

They moved up the stairs, through the doorway of the house, all of them on alert, but no more surprises came. The place was bare, but clearly lived in. Dust remained, but there were well worn paths where people had been coming in and out. The kitchen had been used, and so had a bedroom, but they didn’t actually find George until they reached the back of the house. Only when they’d entered the great room, done in the style of a long-forgotten hunters lodge, did her Great Uncle appear.

His back was turned to all of them, though he must have heard the shattering of windows and them moving through the house. He stood facing the fire, unmoving for a while. His left arm hung down, but his right clutched at his side, pressing over a makeshift bandage. Emma could smell the wound from here and see the red beneath the white cloth. His wound was deep, and he had lost a lot of blood, but still he remained stoic and unflinching and uninterested in them all together. Only when he was ready did he pivot, looking back to them all and offering no emotion as he did.

“It’s been a long time, David,” he said, his voice more even and regular than a man with a wound like that should be.

Seeing his face now, Emma noticed that there were some similarities between her father and this man. Their size was similar, and Emma wondered if George had started shrinking in his older age or if he’d willed that nuisance away from sheer grit. Their faces held a similar shape, though there were marked differences, but their eyes were arguably the closest trait they shared. Blue and intense, Emma recognized the color, but all comparison stopped there. For her father was a person filled with life and kindness. It radiated from him, the friendliness, the want to do good. He was a good man, but George… his eyes were hollow and dulled. If eyes were a window to the soul, this man’s was lacking, hardened, and in some ways unknowable.

“I must admit I always saw this reunion very differently when I pictured it,” George continued. His free hand moving to a glass upon the mantel filled with what Emma believed was whiskey. He took a sip, seemed to revel in it and then put the glass aside again, looking back at her father once more and treating the rest of them like they were totally invisible.

“Why you wanted one at all, I’ll never know.”

“Oh but you do, David. The day you ran you ensured that this moment would come. When you betrayed your family legacy for the sake of that fool lion, you wrote this into fate’s design.”

Emma found it difficult to look away from George, knowing better than to take her eyes off a man this malicious, but she needed a better understanding of their surroundings. The room was unlike the rest of the house which was sparse for the most part. This room had clutter, knickknacks hanging everywhere, and though nothing looked overtly threatening, she knew more traps could be anywhere. As if she’d summoned one, a steal trap descended from a rafter above and only Anna’s speedy reflexes and magical ability kept it from getting a part of Liam’s head. The sound of snapping metal against shattering wood filled the space, but when it faded out there was only the sound of the crackles in the fire and Anna’s sharpened breathing.

“Oh joy, another witch,” George said, again looking cold and nonplussed though one of his attack mechanisms had just failed. He didn’t even blink at the wasted piece of equipment, instead reaching for a bottle on the table a few feet away. He poured himself another drink, and they all just watched, transfixed in a way by this clearly dying man. It dawned on Emma that this was their chance to take him out, but then she remembered that they needed answers first. If they were going to crack the code of this serum and cure this artificial alpha sickness, they needed to know more about it.

“Why this way? These sick shifters seem like an unnecessary burden. If you knew where I was you could have just come for me. It would have been a hell of a lot easier.”

“Perhaps,” George acquiesced. “But the trouble with training you in my image as I did, was you learned how to cover your tracks. I had no idea where you’d gone, and by the time I discovered your whereabouts it occurred to me – I could do more than just take you out and destroy your family. I could destroy all of them with one perfected remedy.”

When he said ‘them’ he looked to Liam and then Killian, having figured out their shifter status from the start. It made Emma’s skin crawl to think that this man had wanted to destroy so many people. Because ultimately that’s what shifters were. They were people too. But George clearly didn’t believe that.

“I thought many times over the years that your aid would be most helpful in this venture. You always took to the science so quickly, perhaps you could have been of some use,” George said thoughtfully, looking at her father in a way that told Emma that in some sick twisted way he had some kind of regard for him. George was filled with vitriol, but underneath it there was something else. Respect maybe? “Alas, the Nolan line is old and distinguished, and the stain of your choices could not stand. I could never allow it.”

“It must eat you alive to see what I’ve become,” her father said, standing strong in the face of his Uncle’s condemnation. “To know how many shifters I’ve healed, how many I’ve saved from men just like you. I spent each day doing anything I could to unmake your mess. For every life you ended I would prolong five, ten, or more. I figured I might not be able to stop you, I’d never risk my family to do so, but I could try to make some amends for the shame of what you’ve done.”

“The only shame belongs to your traitor mother,” George snapped out, his words sharp as the lashings of a whip. “You live because of her wicked sins. She bastardized the very fabric of our history. The lineage of our people was destroyed for her disgusting infatuation with filth.”

No one dared speak in the face of those hateful words. Emma merely looked to her father, who stood there unmoving. He didn’t tense, didn’t react. He waited there, almost mirroring his Uncle, unwilling to give anything up by revealing his anger and emotion. Emma heard something, like a wire being pulled and then watched as her father took out his gun and shot two portions of the wall on opposite sides of the room. When he did a bevy of arrows snapped, but were shot to the floor instead of out into the room at chest level as they would have without interference. Emma looked around the room to see if anything else gave away surprise attack, but she saw nothing. Killian however did, and he grabbed a stone paper weight from the pile of mismatched and chucked it at the back wall. Only when the stone thudded to the ground did Emma see the small fuse that had been lit and was now extinguished thanks to the hit of the rock.

“You killed my father,” David said, ignoring the added excitement of the would be surprise attacks, and when she could finally turn her attention from the unrest around them, Emma watched her father and felt how much grief that fact brought him. “You killed your sister’s true love, forced her to run, and to leave her two sons behind. Wasn’t that revenge enough?””

“Maybe it would have been, if his death meant anything to me, but truth be told he was just so… forgettable,” George said, his malice lacing every syllable even as they rang out with control and practiced authority. “I couldn’t even tell you what he looked like. He was nothing. Obsolete. Just another in a long line of shifter trash that needed disposing of.”

“When did you know?”

“That you were of mixed blood? I only discovered that recently. You see I too believed your brother’s illness was just that, and I didn’t think to question Ruth’s death when you were born. I saw it as a gift – two new warriors for the cause that I would raise for greatness. The magic that shielded your true nature was well woven, and it had to be, for if I’d known what you two were there would have been no need for sickness, I’d have finished you myself. But no. It took years to discover the truth. Only when Gold showed me Ruth’s sleeping body in his treasure trove did I discover just how deep her treachery ran.”

“You knew she was alive,” Emma’s father said, anger now beginning to rise as his fist tightened on the weapon in his hand.

“Oh yes. Long before she woke, I knew exactly where she was. Gold offered her to me if we made a little deal. I refused. She had no worth to me. I consider her lucky I didn’t kill her then and there.”

“You are a monster, you know that?” Emma asked, not willing to listen to this anymore.

“Ah, and there she is, the final downfall of the Nolan line. Our dearest Emma,” he said, spitting out the words and glaring at her, as if she was nothing but inconvenience to him. “You had a chance to be worth saving. Half breed as you are, you had Nolan blood and you were still human, unlike your cursed brother. But you couldn’t resist the filth either, could you? No, you had to go and choose to mate with one of those mongrels just like my wretched sister.”

Killian growled low in his throat as George looked his way and let out a choked laugh. It was sinister, and directed, but he quickly dismissed Killian again, looking back to Emma. “And then you let that witch remove your block. You tainted yourself. Your brother was already marked for death, I couldn’t let the Nolan line live on as shifter scum. But you – you I would have spared. You’d have been the legacy. The last hope of the Nolan line.”

“Never,” Emma swore, meaning it with all her might. “I would never have turned my back on my family, and I would never believe all this nonsense you hold dear.”

“Oh, it’s not nonsense, Emma. Shifters are despicable, a plague upon this earth, and there is no remedy for them except removal. You need only look to your mongrel’s father for proof of what I speak.”

“You knew Brennan?” Killian asked, the shock palpable in his and Emma’s mental bond, but his poker face holding firm, giving very little away.

“Did I know Brennan Jones? The single most conceited alpha on the continent? The one who devoured other packs for power and for sport? Yes, I knew the monster. Hell, I owed the beast a debt. Without him none of this would have been possible. In the end, he was the key to everything.”

“You’re lying,” Liam said, disgusted and disturbed. “Our father hated hunters and he’d never help one.”

“The bite hardly makes for a stable mind, but you know that don’t you?” George said with a sick and twisted attempt at a smile. He clearly knew of Liam’s prior ailment, and he was more than willing to use that against him. “Deep down you realize that if I told your father he could have power he’d have given me anything I dared to ask for. All it took was the promise that I would replicate the serum for his pack while making them still submissive to him. He wanted an army, the strongest pack the world had ever known. As if I ever would have let it get that far. Fucking dog. No, I take it back. A dog would be smarter.”

“And so Gold, he was just unimportant?” Anna asked, carefully dragging the conversation away from Killian and Liam’s father for the time being, and to another glaring gap in the fabric of this story. “You want us to believe you did this all on your own?”

“No, I will admit I needed his magic,” George said, as his face darkened for the first time since they arrived, giving away his extreme resentment. “The venom I extracted from actual alpha sickness wouldn’t spread without a curse to bind it all together. But Gold is not to be trusted. He made a mistake, and when the attack with the grizzly failed, he turned on me, leaving me here to die.”

“Why would he get involved? What did he have to gain?” Emma asked and George stared blankly at her.

“You know, I never bothered to ask what he wanted with you and the three witches. Truth be told, I never really cared. But I imagine it won’t be pleasant for any of you. And he assured me you’d never manage to reproduce with that animal, so I didn’t give a damn.”

“Did he promise you that?” Emma quipped, her fury rising in her chest. “Was that part of the deal?”

“Not explicitly, but if things had gone as they should, they would be dead,” he motioned to Liam, Killian and her father, “And you two would be Gold’s.”

“But it didn’t go to plan.”

“No. I could never have anticipated that of all the worthless grizzlies in the world this one would be tied to a witch.”

“Don’t talk about him like that!” Anna demanded, her hands coming up, ready to attack.

“Oh is he yours? I’m sorry,” he said sneering. “Sorry you too are tainted. Such a shame. But perhaps Gold will manage in the end. He’s a patient man, and really, what’s a few years matter? I waited nearly thirty for my revenge. It’s too bad I’ll only have a sliver of it.”

With lightening quick precision, George drew a knife from his hip and threw it towards Liam who dodged it just barely. At the same time more traps came from the wall and the ceiling. It was chaos, with arrows and steel traps and more, and all of it consumed Anna and Killian and her father’s attention. Emma though stayed still, not knowing how to react. She felt herself needing to respond, but then she realized that everyone else was focused on the other things and were missing what was right in front of them. Indeed George was more skilled than they were anticipating. And, having forsaken his hold on his wounded body, he grabbed a pistol from his waist and aimed it at her father.

“No!”

Without hesitation Emma jumped to push her Dad out of the way, successfully managing to force him from the trajectory of the bullet, but then she felt the blow of impact into her shoulder. There was no slowing down of time. This was immediate and instinctive, and the pain of the hot metal piercing through her skin set in just as swiftly. She flinched at the force of it, falling towards the ground as Liam lunged for the gun, disarming George, and Killian grabbed her, holding her close.

“Emma!” he cried, panic clear in his gaze as George’s laughter filled the room. Liam meanwhile, pinned the old man down and let out a ferocious growl. Through the pain of her injury Emma saw the fear in George’s eyes, but her body was chilled, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.

“What did you lace it with?!” Her father screamed and Emma looked down to where she’d been hurt, seeing the black inky lines that used to be her veins. Oh God she was dying. She was going to die.

“Nothing you can save her from,” George said, his voice labored as he lay pinned beneath Liam. “Gold procured it for me. It’s potent and powerful, and cannot be survived.”

The realization that this could really be it settled on her, and Emma felt herself slipping away. This was really the end. She was too far gone. There was no stopping this poison, this toxin designed to extinguish her father once and for all. The pain that flooded her system began to subside and instead she felt cold and numb. This was shock – the last bit of adrenaline before she’d be gone and she looked at Killian, desperate to say goodbye and say she was sorry, but unable to speak.

“Emma, no, you’ve got to hold on! We’ll fix this! We’ll save you!”

“Killian.”

“Don’t leave me,” he begged, his voice and face etched in the pain of what was coming.

Afraid to close her eyes, Emma looked upon the man she loved and she felt such unimaginable grief. She wanted to hold on for him, she wanted his pleas to be right. But she was falling under, the current of this poison too high. This was really it. She moved her hand, reaching for Killian and then she felt it, a flutter from her abdomen. Her hand changed course, and moved towards her unborn baby, tears streaming down her face. She’d failed her child. She’d failed Killian. She…

In an instant, warmth flooded from the space where her hand lay through the rest of her being. The feel of it forced Emma’s eyes to close, but when the warmth grew she opened them again, wanting to understand why she felt this way. Her eyes blinked open and the brightness in the room had totally changed. She was surrounded in a beautiful haze, and she wondered if the light she saw through her tears could be real. It had to be an illusion, right? One last crazy vision before death finally came, but Anna’s gasp filled her ears, and Killian’s whispered words, tortured and yet hopeful filled her ears.

“The baby.”

His hand came over hers, and the light grew stronger. Emma blinked away her tears and watched as an iridescent magic not so unlike Anna or Elsa’s moved over her skin. Swiftly it traced the tracks of the onyx-colored poison, soothing every line within her. Emma felt sensation again, as the magic traced over her, filling her with energy, and with hope she’d thoroughly lost. The cold she was feeling was eradicated, and when the magical light finally reached her initial wound the darkness that marred her once smooth skin ebbed away. The blackness was removed, and most of her pain went with it. The bullet hole was still there, and she was bleeding, but she was alive, and though she couldn’t truly, scientifically know for certain, she felt in her heart that she was going to be okay. She was going to live.

“That’s not possible. You should be dead! You should be… wait, did you say baby? You can’t be pregnant!” George screamed but Emma didn’t even bother to spare him a glance.

“She saved me,” Emma whispered, feeling the sensation that somehow her unborn child had stepped in. She had no rationale reason for it, especially given how early on it was in her pregnancy, but it was suddenly very clear. Their child would be more than a hybrid of a shifter and a human – she had magic in her, for whatever reason, and she had used it, even before her birth, to save Emma.

“You can’t be pregnant! Gold said -,”

“Gold is never going to beat us!” Anna yelled. “You’ve failed, and now you’ll die for nothing.”

“Oh not nothing. I still have my weapons. Mated or not, there is no cure for your wretched shifter, I’ve left no trace. It’s all gone and cannot be recreated. So you see, the secret dies with me.”

The pain on Anna’s face looked just as piercing as what Emma herself felt moments ago, but it culminated even more when Emma’s father stepped forward, raising his gun to deliver a final blow. She cried out for him to stop, but it was too late. The deed was done. Her Uncle was dead, and his secret died with him.

“Why would you do that?!” Anna screamed, and Emma looked to her father for answers. He had ruined her friend’s only chance, but he only nodded to the fire.

“I know George better than anyone, and I am willing to bet my life that he burned the secret away. It’s shifter custom..”

Killian sniffed the air and gave a slight nod. “There’s more than wood in that blaze. Paper – both old and new and a bit of leather.”

“I know that there are spells that can unburn what was destroyed,” Emma’s father explained, seeking to calm Anna and show her he was not forsaking her new mate for an easy kill. “I’ve heard about them while healing other packs. They’re not common, but possible. Call Ruby. She’ll know.”

They did just that, and through the grace of something larger than themselves, Ruby found a spell in great haste. With shaky hands and a wavering voice, Anna recited the incantation Ruby read to her, and low and behold the fire sputtered to a stop and from the flames scraps of paper formed, with scribblings of formulas and multiple solutions. A leather bound book also took shape, and there, within the pages were a scribbling of formulas and well-kept notes.

“This is it,” her father said, looking relieved that his hunch was proven right. “This is what Neal needs to find a remedy.”

“Oh thank God,” Anna said, nearly falling to her knees, but ultimately being caught by Liam. It was finally over, and in the end they had everything they’d set out for.

“We did it,” Emma said, looking up to Killian, taking in his expression of relief and some lingering pain. She could feel through their link that the trauma of thinking she would die yet again had rattled him. He was at wit’s end, and she clung to him, trying to prove to him that she was okay, and that they had both made it through.

“I’m telling you right now, Emma, there will be none of this, ever again.” His voice was stern and his eyes made a silent promise that if she ever even thought of fighting such a battle in the future he would chain her to his side and make it so she couldn’t leave. “We are going home. We are getting married. We are meeting our miracle child when the time finally comes, and we are living happily ever after. There will be no more fighting. There will be no more close calls. We’re done with this.”

“Okay, we’re done,” she promised, resting her forehead against his and soaking in the feeling of their mission being complete. “I love you.”

“And I love you, Emma. Far too much to ever walk this world without you.”

“Emma?”

The voice of her father pulled Emma from her and Killian’s embrace, and she could see in his eyes the pain of all of this. He’d almost lost her too, and he’d just taken a life. Her father, the man who was always a pillar of strength for her whenever he could be, was hurting and she moved towards him, hugging him close.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” her dad whispered, hugging her as tight as he could, with his hand cradling the back of her head like he always had, ever since she was a little girl.

“I’m glad I did. If he’d hit you, you’d be…” She trailed off as she pulled back to look at him, unable to face that he would have absolutely died.

“I know,” he agreed, leaving words that hurt to much to say unsaid. “I love you, Emma.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

Before she could so much as step away from her father, she found herself jostled into Anna’s waiting arms and her friend gave her a vice grip of a hug. Emma squeaked a sound of surprise out, and Killian moved toward her protectively, but she shook her head, knowing Anna needed this. A second later Anna jumped, remembering Emma’s injury.

“Oh crap, I hurt you!” she exclaimed, but looking at Emma’s wound, they could both see it was already looking much better. “I can’t believe it. The baby healed you. She must be a witch, right? But it shouldn’t be possible.”

“Maybe not,” Emma said, her hand coming back to rest on her stomach. “But somehow it is.”

“And every one of us grateful for that.” Liam said, with a warmth in his eyes and a nod of his head that told Emma Killian’s brother was glad for her speedy recovery. “But might I suggest we wrap things up and get back home? We might have slain a few beasts today, but there’s much more that still needs to be done.”

“Aye, brother, you’re right,” Killian agreed, taking Emma’s hand in his and bringing her close as he looked deep in her eyes. “Let’s go home, love.”

Emma couldn’t think of anything she wanted more than to go home and to be done with all of this, and with a swiftness she was grateful for, they managed to contain things as best they could. With the help of the nearby packs, each of the sedated shifters was returned to a cage here on the property. None of them took any pleasure in containing these animals, least of all Anna, who also needed a little magic to really keep things secure, but they knew it was for the best. Sick as they were, there was no telling what these shifters would do, and in the interest of protecting the nearby shifter clans, and any humans who may wander into this area in the future, they left these animals temporarily caged and under the watchful eye of the pack who originally called on Lance.

Driving home after that, Emma was surprised at how quickly the time went by, but that was largely thanks to the sleep she fell into once she was back in the safety of the car and nestled in Killian’s arms. Magical revival from her child or not, Emma was exhausted, and the wound she’d incurred did ache and aggrieve her. Knowing that this pain still lingered, Killian held her close, kissing her anywhere he could and whispering that it would all be all right. She trusted him in this, and slowly gave into the comfort of his presence, falling into a slumber filled with flashes of dreams. Some were blips of the fighting they’d just faced, but there were more that came later that were so much more beautiful and remarkable. Emma would never be able to explain them out loud, but these flashes were of her future, of that she was sure. She saw in them a life that was happy and bright. She saw Killian, her love, standing with her, never far from grasp. She saw her family and her friends also with her and not a one of them saddened or stressed out. And then she saw the children, glimpses of a beautiful baby girl with dark hair like her father and eyes that matched Emma’s to a tee. There were more behind her, but it all came so quickly. These flashes seemed to surround her while also staying just out of reach, but as Emma woke up, she couldn’t help smiling, and the first thought that came to mind was Hope.

“I think we’ve got a name all ready for this little girl,” Killian whispered to Emma as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. She smiled, snuggling into him further and knowing her mate had read her mind, quite literally.

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Emma admitted, thinking back on her dreams and knowing in her heart that her child would be a blend of magic and love and endless possibility. “But at the same time, I can.”

“Is that so?” Killian asked, seemingly surprised by her latter admission.

“Yes. On the one hand I love her so much already. I always have, and I always will,” she said, and Killian hummed out a sound of agreement with that. “But on the other, we still have so much to do. We have to get ready.”

“In more ways than one.” Killian teased and Emma felt her cheeks grow warm as she smiled and nodded her understanding. He wasn’t just talking about furnishing their place or baby proofing their new home. Emma could see, hopefully, more than a few weeks spent relaxing, recuperating, and spending every waking moment that they could enjoying each other and strengthening the bond they’d found together.

“Speaking of getting ready, we’re nearly home, and we’re about to have a lot of explaining to do,” Anna said and Emma jumped, not realizing the whole car was listening in on their talking. “Oh sorry, were we supposed to pretend we couldn’t hear you?”

“Seems a bit late for that,” Liam replied, his voice gruff but his eyes sparkling with amusement at Emma and Killian.

“Anna’s right though. It’s best to get our stories straight now,” David said. “Better to frame some of this as, let’s say ‘kindly’ as we can.”

Emma knew her father was thinking of her mother and her reaction to everything. She appreciated that her Dad wanted to spare her Mom any more pain, but she also knew, even if he said this that it would never come to pass. Her parents never held secrets from each other, and this time would be no different.

“No need to bother. Chances are Ruby’s seen most of it anyway. She’s probably told half the tale already.”

Killian’s guess was soon validated, and as soon as they arrived, they were greeted with huge hugs and a million more questions. They might know most of what had happened, but there was so much more they wanted verified and expanded. Ruby had her visions that were helpful, but there were blank spots and things that couldn’t be explained. People wanted details of the shifters, of the fighting, and of George. They wanted to know what they’d learned of Gold and this plan and the evil that was done to enact it. But more than anything they wanted to know how Emma had lived. Emma explained as best she could, and the others stood by her description. One moment she was dying and the next she was cured. There was only one answer to the question, but no real explanation. No one understood how or why, but still it was true. Emma was saved and that was a miracle. Maybe someday they’d understand it, but for now they were just as grateful as could be.

Every query was ultimately answered, despite the exhaustion they were all feeling, and Emma felt it was better to get this done now rather than later. If they put it all out there, then maybe they could put it all behind them. Eventually they broke apart for the night, and by that time it was nearly sunrise of the next day. Just as Liam had said there was still a lot of work to be done and over the next few days they hit the ground running. Her father and Neal made a possible cure in a matter of days, and Emma did all that she could to help them. It was a long, laborious process, but it was made totally and completely worth it when she watched the moment that her best friend truly met her one true soulmate. Seeing that it worked, they made enough to get up north, and her Uncle Lance and Aunt Gwen brought the rest to other packs, making sure every sickened shifter was treated, and reporting back that they all were now freed, and were all on their way back to the homes they’d been forced away from.

In the meantime, Elsa and Ruby and Ruth worked long long days to try and track Gold. Using everything they could ,they sought to better understand the malicious mind of this maddened man. Anything they could learn could be a clue, but Emma knew this was just the start of their long journey. Her Great Uncle’s snide remarks rang true to Emma – Gold would remain hidden for as long as he could, but if they were all patient, surely someday they would find him, and stop him before any more grief could come their way. To this point Emma still didn’t understand his endgame. He wanted Anna, Elsa, Ruby, and Emma could easily understand that. Three strong witches must surely be a threat, but wanting her for her status as a hybrid… it didn’t make sense to Emma. The only thing she could think was that maybe it wasn’t her that Gold was after. Perhaps it was her baby, who would be a hybrid too, and in even more ways than Emma. But the others remained convinced that Gold could not know. He’d sworn to George Emma couldn’t get pregnant, and for now, that secret was protecting them all. And ultimately, despite the danger Gold still posed, Emma knew in her heart that she would never let anyone hurt her child. One life threatening instance was more than enough – and she knew, down to her bones, that there would never come another time when her baby was at risk from these terrible men.

And yet, in the midst of all of this work and all of this progress, Emma found a way to make good on her promise to Killian. She helped the others as best she could, but she also took time for herself and time for her love. They made their house a home, and found many new moments of peace and tranquil calm. They planned for their wedding, and for their family, and for their future. But more than anything they lived every day to the fullest, knowing that they’d never allow anything or anyone to take this away from them again. For love, in the end, was a powerful thing, and fate was a power even stronger than that. And as for Emma and Killian, fate had decided that they were meant to be, and that they were indeed meant to live a wonderful, glorious, happily ever after.

Post-Note: Hey everyone! So I know there’s still so much that I didn’t get to go into detail on. I wanted to do so much in this chapter, like see Neal make a cure and watch Anna meet Kristoff and all that cuteness. But it just wasn’t meant to be. Instead, I am working on the first epilogue of the story (which will include Emma and Killian’s wedding) and I am on track to post it next weekend. As I’ve previously mentioned, I will also be writing a follow up story to this one, that’s not just from Emma and Killian’s POV but the POV of the other central characters as well. In that story I will be including the Anna/Kristoff meeting and probably more of the process of healing Kristoff, so if you can wait you will someday get a snapshot into that. After that there will eventually also be a second epilogue of this story, where you get to see how everyone is doing in the future, and how life has shaped up for CS and the others. Anyway, thanks so much for riding through this with me. I know it was a really heavy chapter, and so much happened, but I hope that you enjoyed and that you trust me to make everything right with a cute and fluffy wedding chapter next time. Thanks so much to all of you for reading, and as always I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Tag list: @jennjenn615, @kmomof4, @winterbaby89, @teamhook, @ultraluckycatnd, @resident-of-storybrooke, @artistic-writer, @snowbellewells, @snarkycaptainswan4, @allofdafandoms-blog

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mayquita · 8 years ago

Text

I Choose You (1/4)

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Surprise @shipsxahoy!! I’m your Secret Valentine. I’m so glad to have shared this experience with you over the last few weeks. It was a pleasure to meet you through the shared messages. I hope that now the mystery has been revealed, we will keep in touch. At least I can follow you now, lol.

Here’s your gift. As you may have already guessed, this is an AU “Enemies to Lovers” story. The story grew and grew, so it eventually became a multi-chapter. Although I have two other WIP I’ll do my best to try and update soon. I hope you like it. :)

@chrissascorner, thanks for helping me with the edition, you’re the best. Also thanks to @saraswans for her continued support and @lenfaz for taking a look at the outline.

Summary: When Emma Swan’s brother and his fiancee decide to get married, she suddenly becomes the maid of honor. Although she is not very fond of weddings, her sister-in-law-to-be assigns her a mission, helping her with the wedding photographer’s choice. What she didn’t expect is that they are the ones who need to be chosen by the photographer, who turns out to be an insufferable Irishman. His name, Killian Jones.

Ffnet here

Ao3 here

Emma Swan hated weddings. Although it was a feeling perhaps irrational, she found it extremely difficult to deal with it. The mere mention of any aspect related to this kind of event was enough for her breathing to race and for her heart to hammer furiously in her chest.

For that reason, when her brother and his girlfriend announced their engagement, she had to hide that feeling in the depths of her heart to be able to show the joy they deserved. However, when the engagement ceased to be an abstract concept in her mind and became something real in the form of a wedding date, her joy turned into some uneasiness. When her sister-in-law-to-be, Mary Margaret, gently asked her to be her maid of honor, the uneasiness became a panic that she tried to hide behind the mask of a neutral expression.

The months passed, though, and she managed to get away from most of the usual tasks in this type of celebrations, with more or less reasonable excuses. But inevitability was bound to happen sooner or later. For that reason, when her brother suddenly fell sick and Mary Margaret came to her a little desperate, looking for help with the photographer’s choice, she did not have the heart to refuse.

That was how both ended up inside Emma’s vehicle, while she drove and her very excited and nervous sister-in-law-to-be stirred in the passenger seat unable to close her mouth. Her words came out so fast and Mary Margaret talked about so many different things that she was finding it extremely difficult to keep up with the conversation, which not only failed to improve her mood, but it was starting to cause her a pulsating headache.

“So we’re going to choose the wedding photographer.” Emma said rather abruptly, trying to cut off Mary Margaret’s endless monologue.

“Not exactly.”

Emma glanced sideways at Mary Margaret, then turned her gaze back to the road. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that…” Mary Margaret paused for a moment. “We have an appointment with the photographer, but it’s he who must choose us.”

She looked at Mary Margaret for a moment, her eyes narrowed. “What?”

“He is a very sought-after photographer. He has even done the wedding photo report of some of the celebrities in the area. So he decides who he wants to work with. He will interview us to see if we are the suitable candidates.”

“You mean we’re going to do some kind of casting?” She replied, unable to avoid a hint of sarcasm in her voice. The previous confusion was giving way to some exasperation. How could a professional be so vain as to decide who he wanted to work with? Which standard would he choose? The physical aspect? The money? The social category? Was this something common lately at weddings? Too many questions she was not sure wanted to know the answer to.

“Emma, please.” Mary Margaret almost begged. “This is so important to me. Promise me you are going to behave and try to make a good impression.”

“But he’s just a photographer, who the hell does a casting to choose a client?”

“Let’s make this clear from the beginning, I WANT that photographer at my wedding. I’m going to do everything in my power to get him. And you are going to help me. Understood?” Emma kept her eyes on the road, so she wasn’t able to see Mary Margaret’s expression. Even so, and despite her soft voice, she had managed to imprint enough determination and authority on her words so that her goal left no room for doubt.

Emma nodded without a word, her lips pressed together to avoid replying Mary Margaret again. From that moment a tense silence fell over them.

The trip did not take them much time, to her relief. Living in a small town like Storybrooke had its advantages, like the fact that everything was within easy reach. Thinking about Storybrooke led her to wonder why an apparently famous photographer would have chosen this town as his place of residence.

By the time they reached their destination and the car was parked, Emma rushed out of the vehicle in an attempt to leave the previous tension behind. Although the fact of being about to face an appointment with the damn photographer did not help in the least.

As she drove, she had been so focused on the road, in her thoughts, and in the brief conversation with Mary Margaret that she had not even realized where they were going.

Now that she was out of the vehicle, she could see that they had traveled to a location close to the woods and what was in front of her, nestled in a privileged place, far from resembling a sophisticated office, looked more like a cottage.

Emma pointed to the house, giving Mary Margaret an inquiring look. “Is the appointment here? In his own house?”

Clearly, the closeness of the meeting was affecting her friend, her earlier determination turned into nervousness as she nodded in silence, her lips pressed together in a straight line and her elusive gaze directed towards the house.

As they walked silently toward the entrance, Emma stared at the landscape around them. It was a beautiful place, surrounded by nature, the woods to one side and breathtaking views of the ocean on the other side. She would at least concede that to him, good taste when it came to choosing a location for his home.

Mary Margaret took two deep breaths before knocking on the door. Luckily, they didn’t have to wait long. However, Emma was not prepared for what appeared in front of her when the door finally opened.

The damn photographer —assuming he wasn’t some sort of secretary or something— was attractive, sexy, in fact. He was a dark-haired man wearing dark blue tight jeans and a sky-blue henley matching his piercing blue eyes. A well-groomed scruff framed a smirk perhaps too sinful for his own good.

Emma realized at that moment that her mouth had dropped slightly while her gaze traveled over his body. Her scrutiny didn’t go unnoticed by him, as his smirk grew even wider. Bastard. In response, she pressed her lips together hardening her features and turning her eyes back to his.

“Welcome to my humble home, ladies.” Emma suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, he had an accent. After a little bow, he turned to Mary Margaret. “Killian Jones. And I suppose you must be the bride. Miss Blanchard, am I right?” She nodded with a shy smile as she shook his hand.

Then he turned to Emma, his gaze lingering on her a little more than normal, his eyebrow arched playfully. “And I guess you’re not the groom.”

This time Emma did roll her eyes but didn’t have time to reply with the appropriate sharp remark, as Mary Margaret overtook her. “My fiance suddenly became ill, but she’s Emma Swan, his sister and my maid of honor.”

He gave her a new appreciative look as he held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure. Swan, I like it, I think it suits you.” She let out a snort but shook his hand, feeling his touch warm and firm, causing on her a kind of unexpected electric jolt. Dammit.

After releasing her hand, Killian stepped aside to let them in. He then escorted them to what appeared to be his office. For the next few minutes, Emma merely watched as Killian Jones unfolded all his charms in front of Mary Margaret, flattering her and showing an interest that seemed almost genuine about the preparations for the wedding. Emma rolled her eyes as she watched as her sister-in-law-to-be fell into his nets and was seduced by his appeal.

She knew those of his kind, and she was quite certain that he was playing a role only for the purpose of winning over a prospective client, her years of experience in studying the behavior of people didn’t deceive her. She also noticed that he kept his left arm concealed, something she missed in their meeting at the entrance, but which now seemed quite obvious. However, she had no chance to appreciate what it might mean, for within a few seconds he leaned back in his seat, his left arm hidden behind the desk, and addressed them, this time also including her in the conversation.

“Well, once the necessary presentations have been made, what do you think, ladies, if we get into the business?” The mask of his charm had partially disappeared, his voice seemed harder and his smile less gentle. “Why should I choose your wedding over all the other candidates for the same date?”

Emma couldn’t suppress a snort as she rolled her eyes, causing him to tilt his head slightly as he gave her a curious look, his fake smile lingering on his lips. “This is funny because I always thought it was the bride and groom who chose how they wanted to organize their wedding, so why should we choose you?”

“Emma …” Mary Margaret pleaded in a whisper to her side, but she ignored her friend and focused on Killian’s reaction.

“Perhaps that is the reason why you are here, because you have already chosen me.” He kept his smirk, but the coldness in his eyes and his arrogant tone sent a chill over her body.

Fucking bastard. She should restrain herself, she owed to Mary Margaret, but that arrogant dude was driving her crazy. “Oh, do not make a mistake here. We are also evaluating our options. But I’m curious about your standards to select a winner. Maybe if you give us a clue we could or could not offer you what you want.”

He leaned forward, his gaze still cold although she could detect a hint of curiosity in his eyes. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, love. It’s called fair play.”

The use of the word love infuriated her even more. “I’m not your love.” She said sharply as she glared at him.

“Well, we …” Mary Margaret started to speak, probably trying to ease the tension, but Emma was out of control, so she cut her off abruptly.

“Let me guess. What are you looking for? Money, maybe? Nah, you don’t look like that kind of guy. Maybe social recognition? Maybe someone who can fuel your ego?”

“Emma!” Margaret Mary chided, sounding almost shocked.

Killian’s gaze became even colder. She could detect him squeezing his jaw before speaking. “And what would be your reasons for choosing me, love?” He paused deliberately at the last word ignoring her previous request. “Maybe my undoubted attractiveness? Or maybe the fact that I’ve worked for a couple of celebrities? Or the morbid thing about getting a one-handed photographer?” He raised his left arm and placed it on the desk. Emma’s eyes widened involuntarily when she saw that there was a prosthesis in the place where his left hand should be.

“Eh, guys, please …” Mary Margaret sounded mortified beside her, interrupting any reply on her part, although she couldn’t have done so either, since her ability to articulate words had disappeared because of the surprise caused by seeing his prosthesis.

Still, she ignored her friend for a few more seconds as she held his gaze. His eyes didn’t leave hers either, in a clear silent challenge on both sides. Despite the genuine initial surprise, she was not going to be so easily impressed and was more than willing to show it to him.

“Excuse me for abusing your hospitality, but could you leave us alone for a few seconds? It seems like my maid of honor and I should discuss some aspects.” Though Mary Margaret’s voice kept her tone soft and gentle, Emma could detect a hint of reprobation in her words, especially when she uttered Emma’s bestowed title.

It was Killian who looked away first, to Emma’s satisfaction, though a wave of guilt began to seize her.

“Of course, my apologies for my rudeness. I will leave you alone for a few minutes so that you can speak in private.” He got up, but, before leaving the room, he went to one of the bookshelves and extracted two volumes, depositing them on the desk right in front of them.

“Since it seems that you are not aware of my work, maybe this will help you and you’ll be able to decide if it is worth hiring my services, despite everything else.”

At the same moment Killian closed the door behind him, Mary Margaret turned to her with a frown, her forefinger raised in warning. “I told you this was important to me and you’re ruining everything.” She hissed.

“Come on, look at him, he’s a complete idiot. What an arrogant dude!” Emma defended herself.

“Do I have to remind you that you started it?” Mary Margaret rebuked her again. Okay, she had a point. It was Emma herself who started the fight, but she could not restrain herself at the sight of his attitude.

“Okay, okay, I got it, I’ll behave.” She crossed her arms over her chest. Maybe she had let her aversion to everything related to weddings take over. Maybe she was being unfair to the guy. She wasn’t helping her friend, either. Emma swallowed as guilt began to invade her.

Mary Margaret sighed. She reached for one of the volumes and handed it to Emma. “He’s right. Look at his work, that’s the reason I want this photographer at my wedding.”

Emma shrugged and grabbed the album. She had to admit that she was curious to know what his work would be like, wondering how he would manage to make good enough pictures with just one hand.

The moment she opened the album and looked at the first photo, she knew what her friend was talking about. The guy had talent. A lot of talent, in fact. Although she wasn’t a professional, she loved everything about photography, and she had the ability to recognize the quality of the images. And these photos had it, no doubt. As she turned the pages her good impression was increasing. The light, the angle, the sensitivity to catch the perfect moment, getting to tell a story with just one image. Fucking bastard. He was good.

Emma leaned against the back of her seat as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay, he’s good.” She admitted dropping her arms in defeat.

“Do you understand now why we have chosen him? Have you seen the sensitivity that his photos transmit? The elegance of the images? Now imagine this kind of photos for our own wedding. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Mary Margaret’s words, charged with emotion had their effect on her, increasing her sense of regret.

She was right, Emma thought as she sighed. The contrast between the sensitivity he conveyed in his work and the arrogance of his attitude was quite striking. The discovery of his work made her take his earlier speech more seriously by wondering what a guy like Killian might look for. What could they offer him? What could attract him? Maybe a challenge? Something different, original? He looked like that kind of people…

Emma looked at her friend, her features showing the same emotion as her earlier words. She placed her hand over hers, that were resting on her lap, and gave her a small smile. At that moment, Emma realized how selfish she had been. Her aversion to weddings had prevailed above what David and Mary Margaret were giving her, that was, playing for the first time an important role in a celebration of this kind.

Two years ago she was a lonely person, neither friends nor family, but they, both her son Henry and her brother and Mary Margaret, had found her and given her the hope she needed. They had offered her a family and a future. And now that they needed her, she was about to fail them.

“I’m so sorry, Mary Margaret. I’ve been a total jerk.” She said, both her gaze and voice filled with regret.

Her friend rested her hand on hers as she gently squeezed it. Her lips drew a reassuring smile matching her next words. “It’s okay, we’re still here, right? Maybe it’s not too late yet, and in spite of his anger, he seemed interested in you. Maybe you surprised him. Maybe he is accustomed to receiving flattery with the aim of getting him and it’s not usual for someone to face him the way you did.”

Emma bit her lower lip, clearly nervous but curious. “Did you know that he was missing a hand?”

“Yeah, it’s a well-known thing, but because of the face you put on when he showed you the prosthesis, it’s clear to him that you were not aware of it. That means the fact of his lack of hand had nothing to do with our decision.”

“I have to admit that I’m impressed.” Emma held up her hands as if she were holding a professional camera. She tried to imagine how she could handle the controls, focus and rotate the zoom wheel with just one hand. She found it really complicated, especially considering how quickly he had to act so as not to miss the best moments of that kind of events. As she watched the photos, her admiration for his work grew.

Her mind began to work to try to find something to offer him, although it was a complicated task since they had no clue. Emma looked back at Mary Margaret and at that moment something clicked in her head. Her lips curled into a smile of satisfaction as the thought popped into her mind.

“Okay, I think I have it. Let me talk, I won’t spoil it. I promise.” At that moment there was a soft knock on the door. They both turned to see the door open, Killian’s head popping up, his gaze directed toward them.

“May I come in or do you need more time?”

Emma and her friend looked at each other, Mary Margaret nodding at her almost imperceptibly. Then she turned again, nodding, this time more forcefully. "Sure, it’s your office after all.”

At the same moment Killian sat behind the desk, Emma spoke, giving him little time to react. “We can offer you a story.” She said, trying to print determination and a hint of defiance in her words.

Killian leaned back in his seat, his arms folded over his chest as he cocked his head slightly, holding her gaze with renewed interest.

“You have my full attention, love.”

Emma bit her tongue, preventing the words ‘I’m not your love’ from coming out of her mouth and making things even worse. Instead, she took a deep breath and continued.

“Our family has gone through many experiences in the style of a classic fairy tale, traumatic events, painful separations and unexpected encounters. This wedding is the first one we all are celebrating together, the representation of the happy ending they deserve.”

Killian narrowed his eyes and stared at her for a few seconds. His gaze was so intense it seemed like he was trying to read her. Although his scrutiny gave her goosebumps, she didn’t look away.

“I gather then that my work has been satisfactory enough.”

“Well, my sister-in-law chose you for some reason, right?” She replied, unwilling to praise him more than necessary, but making it clear that they were still interested.

After a few seconds of tense silence during which they both continued their silent challenge of looks, Killian finally spoke again.

“Okay, I think I’ve already gotten all the information I needed.” He got up and went to the door, opening them and making a gesture towards them to accompany him.

After escorting them to the entrance, Killian turned to Mary Margaret. “It’s been a pleasure. I’ll call you when I make a decision.” After that, he gave her a wide smile as he took her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing her knuckles.

Her friend’s cheeks flushed slightly. Once her hand was released, she spoke to him. “Thank you very much for your time. This is really important to us.”

“I will keep it in mind, truly, milady.”

Killian then walked over to her, repeating the act he’d taken a few seconds earlier with Mary Margaret. Emma felt, however, that the contact of his lips with her knuckles lingered a little longer as he studied her from beneath his lashes, her breath caught in her throat, her breathing quickened, unable to escape his intense blue eyes.

“I hope you put so much passion into the other facets of your life, love.” His deep voice and piercing gaze sending a chill all over her body, while her blood ran hot in her veins. Fucking bastard. Why did he have to be so hot?

Emma released her hand, feeling her cheeks burn. Even so, his comment full of intention deserved a similar reply, so leaving aside her bad impression from the beginning, she responded in a somewhat suggestive voice, “you know what you have to do if you want to have a chance to find it out.”

The last thing Emma saw before the door closed behind them was a grin on his face and an inquisitive look mixed with curiosity, challenge and something else she couldn’t identify. She let out the breath she’d been holding, hoping she’d have amended her initial behavior. Now they could only wait and see if Killian’s next move was heading toward them.

Thanks for reading :)

#cs ff #captain swan #cs modern au #cssv #shipsxahoy #cs au ff #captain swan ff #i choose you #mayquita writes #my cs writings

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heatherfield · 6 years ago

Note

If we could see Archie do a therapy session with anyone on OUAT (except Regina cause we saw that sort of) who would you most like to see? (you can pick more than one of you want.)

Ooooh, this is an interesting question! Thank you!

Well, aside from my first answer being, “EVERYONE!”, I’ve always imagined Alice and Archie having sessions together when everyone’s back in Storybrooke/the United Realms/etc.

gif by desperatemurph

gif by shipsxahoy

I can imagine Archie coming up with different approaches that suit Alice best, and she learns to trust him and relaxes around him relatively easily.

I also imagine that Archie (and Ruby) join the Charmings/Mills families in season five, first in Camelot and then in the Underworld. Archie’s a bit sad not to be needed by Henry but he’s also proud of the decisions Henry makes (like when Henry tries to help everyone move on in the Underworld). Besides, the rare times they get to talk one-on-one are that much more special.

Lastly, I have to mention that I think Neal talks to Archie once or twice. I don’t think it would be an ongoing thing, but I think Neal would become acquaintance/friends with Archie, and he would go for a session once or twice when things get overwhelming. Archie would certainly want to do all he could to help (and perhaps be slightly frustrated that Neal doesn’t want to pursue more therapy). I think it would be an interesting dynamic and I have a lot of headcanons. :D

Honestly, though I’d love to see everyone have genuine sessions with Archie that aren’t just superficial ways to prop up the plot or uncharacteristic developments. I always think that it would have made a great webseries/bonus episodes!

Thanks so much for the question!

#heather answers #once upon a time #archie hopper #henry mills #neal cassidy #archie and henry #alice liddell #ouat meta #i could go on forever haha #but i tried to keep it concise #missielynne

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cssns · 2 years ago

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Signups close on Wednesday!!!!

Tagging all the former participants! Hope y’all can join us!!!

@kymbersmith-90 @hollyethecurious @hookedonapirate @searchingwardrobes @emmaswanchoosesyou @justbecauseyoubelievesomething @shireness-says @the-corsair-and-her-quill @youre-not-a-cat-youre-a-rat @everlastingcaptainswan @resident-of-storybrooke @donteattheappleshook @artistic-writer @winterbythesea @awkwardnessandbaseball @branlovestowrite @natascha-remi-ronin @distant-rose @pirateherokillian @flipperbrain @snidgetsafan @thejollyroger-writer @seriouslyhooked @doodlelolly0910 @courtorderedcake @delightfully-difficult-pirate @nerdyhuntress @drowned-dreamer @stubble-sandwich @its-imperator-furiosa @technicallysizzlingcloud @spartanguard @captainstudmuffin @andyousaidtruelovedidntexsist @wordsmith-storyweaver @snowbellewells @initiala @ilovemesomekillianjones @jarienn972 @coaldustcanary @gingerchangeling @blessed-but-distressed @mahstatins @jennifer-morrison @polarbearmorgan @teamhook @totheendoftheworldortime @stubble-sandwich @winterbaby89 @lenfaz @yayimallamaagain @tehgreeneyes @cocohook38 @eastwesthomeisbest @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @forestiyari @abeylin1982 @shipsxahoy @seastarved @wingedlioness @the-irish-mayhem @katie-dub

IT’S TIME!!!!

SIGNUPS ARE NOW OPEN FOR ANOTHER YEAR OF CAPTAIN SWAN SUPERNATURAL GOODNESS!!!

Signups will be open through March 1.

You can find all the fics from past years in the CSSNS collection on ao3 here.

Any length and rating fic and any form of art is welcome. Please help us spread the word!!! We can’t do this without getting the info out there and we can’t do that without ALL OF YOU!!!! So even if you’re not sure about participating, please signal boost!!! We need authors, artists, betas, and cheerleaders!!!

Links to the signup forms are below. If you have any questions, leave us an ask, or you can contact one of the mods of the event- @kmomof4 @winterbaby89 @jrob64 @stahlop @ultraluckycatnd.

Come join us, y’all!!! It’s going to be a FABULOUS summer!!!

Author sign up

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#cssns23 #signups #signups are now open #SIGNUPS CLOSE WEDNESDAY #come join us #icymi

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captainswanbigbang · 7 years ago

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CSLB Artist Spotlight: shipsxahoy

Today’s featured Captain Swan Little Bang artist is @shipsxahoy!

How long have you been making artwork for the OUAT fandom? What sorts of artwork (original or fan art) did you make before joining the OUAT fandom?

Almost 2.5 years now; I made manips for the harry potter fandom before CS.

What sort of artwork do you like to make, either in terms of style, medium, or subject matter?

I make mostly gifsets and edits (story covers/banners are fun).

Whose your favorite subject for artwork: Emma or Killian? Or do you prefer both together? Why?

I don't really have a preference --but I do tend to make more Killian gifsets and edits.

If you participated in the 2016 Big or Little Bangs, or the 2017 Big Bang, what was the experience like for you? What are you looking forward to this time around?

It was fun! I'm looking forward to syncing artwork again with a fic.

Featured Artwork: Drowning is Too Late to Learn Gifset

I love the watercolor/watery-elements I included in the manips; it's one of my favorite effects to work with. The gifset was a fun challenge, having to find scenes from the actual show the fic was based on and meshing that with clips of Colin and Jen from the show and other projects they worked on in order to make it all believable as one AU-verse.

Check out @shipsxahoy on Tumblr!

#cslb #captain swan little bang #spotlights #artist spotlights #shipsxahoy

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distant-rose-archive-blog · 7 years ago

Photo

CSSS Christmas to Countdown: Dec 24 - We Need a Little Christmas

Note: This ficlet is a part of my Christmas Countdown gift to @shipsxahoy, who is my giftee for Captain Swan Secret Santa. This one is inspired by one of her favorite Christmas songs - We Need a Little Christmas by Angela Lansbury. I kinda cheated with this because it’s more Captain Cobra than Captain Swan, but I hope she enjoys it all the same. Summary: Henry Mills enlists the dreaded Captain Hook into buying presents for his birth mother. Rating: T Word Count: 1,300+

Upon coming to No Land Without Magic, Killian Jones had learned to throw out his expectations and to accept the chaos and absurdity that came with the realm. He didn’t understand a lot of what happened in this not-so-sleepy town called Storybrooke, but he would like to say he was learning quickly enough that the mundane things no longer caught him off guard. Despite this, he was entirely unprepared to find Emma Swan’s son sitting in his habitual booth when he arrived at Granny’s Diner one Friday morning for his breakfast.

“Something I can help you with, lad?”

“Yeah,” Henry responded with a precocious grin. “I need you to help me make my mom happy.” 

Killian’s eyebrows rose at the statement. He sat down in the seat across from Henry, more than a little curious to know what the young boy meant by that statement.

“And how do you suppose to do that?” he asked cautiously, motioning for a waitress to bring him a fresh cup of coffee. What he really wanted was a glass of rum but somehow he got the feeling that Swan would not appreciate him drinking so early in front of Henry, not matter how much he was craving it.

“Simple. You’re going to help me buy her presents. I mean, Christmas isn’t for another month, but you can never be early in buying presents, right? I mean, there still has to be some early Black Friday deals going.”

Killian returned the question with a blank stare. He hadn’t understood a word the boy had just uttered. Christmas? What the blazing hell was that? Or Black Friday for that matter? It must have been something important in this realm, but he had no idea what. It all sounded like Greek to him, except even more confusing because Killian actually had a good understanding of written Greek.

Henry returned his stare with one of his own. Obviously, Killian had not responded in the fashion he had been hoping. The seconds seemed to tick by until a sense of understanding arose in his hazel eyes.

“You don’t know what Christmas is, do you?”

“I’m afraid not,” Killian replied ruefully as a waitress came by with a coffee mug. He gave the young woman a nod of thanks and left two gold coins on the table for her to keep in a sign of gratitude.

“Well, Christmas is a big thing here! It’s fun and exciting! And you exchange gifts! And Santa Claus gives good children toys and bad kids coal and it’s a whole big thing! I’m surprised the Enchanted Forest didn’t have Christmas or something.”

“Well, some places I’ve been they had festivals for the solstice or Yuletide during the winter months, but nothing called Christmas to my recollection,” Killian admitted. “But I can’t say that I know those traditions well enough to really say I know them. Never stayed around long enough to partake.”

“Oh okay. But you’ll help me do this for Mom, right?”

“Didn’t you say that this Christmas of yours was a bit far off in the future?”

“Yeah, but we need a little Christmas right now.”

“How so?” Killian asked in confused, brow furrowing.

“Well, Mom has been unhappy. Like she’s been super sad lately and Christmas is supposed to make everyone happy. Everyone loves Christmas. Even my other mom celebrates it with a big tree and tons of toys.’

“Shouldn’t you be asking your grandparents for help on this?” Killian inquired with a frown.

Though Charming and Snow’s attitudes towards him had relaxed since their adventure in Neverland, he wouldn’t imagine that they, or the Evil Queen for that matter, would be thrilled that Henry had chosen him to spend his time with, particularly on a task that was geared towards their daughter. He would hazard to guess that they would find his involvement to be a disgusting ploy to win Swan’s heart.

“Absolutely not! Grandma can’t keep a secret for the life of her! Everyone knows that! Just like everyone knows you like Mom! And that’s why I asked you because you care about her too. And I know she likes you too, even though she won’t admit it,” Henry replied with a shrug.

Killian sighed, looking down at his half-finished mug of coffee and wishing for the second time that morning that it was rum instead. The situation certainly called for it.

“Listen, lad, I will accompany you on your gift finding adventure because I don’t like the idea of you doing this on your own but neither your mothers or your grandparents are having to any knowledge that I assisted in this…Christmas thing.”

Henry’s eyes lit up.

“You mean it?”

“Aye,” he replied cautiously.

“Well, finish up with the coffee then! We have to get going!”

Shaking his head at Henry’s excitement, Killian downed his coffee and reached into his coat pocket to grab some more coins. He didn’t really know how much Granny had been charging for coffee, but she had yet to complain about the amount of coins he had left behind on the table.

Though Killian had been slightly thrown off by the sight of Henry sitting in his booth, it was nothing compared to Henry casually grabbing onto his hook and practically dragging down the main street. He didn’t know who was more surprised, himself or the bystanders walking pass them; jaws slacked by the sight of the Savior’s son pulling on Captain Hook’s arm.

The staring continued when they entered a merchant establishment of some sort filled with a variety of items. Immediately Henry began tossing stuff at Killian, citing them as things that Emma would like. Assortment included a pair of leather boots, a coffee mug, an overlarge stuffed bear, a dark woolen sweater and a curious device called a Swiss Army knife.

“Does this look like something my mom would wear?” Henry asked, holding up a scarlet red long coat.

Killian studied it, pinching the material between his fingers to check the quality. It seemed thick and softer than anything he had come across before, but Killian didn’t know the value of this realm’s materials. It could have been cheap as far as this realm was concerned.

“But Lady Swan would look ravishing in it,” he muttered aloud.

“Is that pirate speak for she would like it?” Henry asked, eyebrows raised.

“Aye,” he chuckled, leaning forward and ruffled the boy’s hair playfully.

“I think we’ve gotten her enough for Christmas. What do you think?”

“You have a nice loot there, but you’re the Christmas expert here. Not me,” Killian replied with a shrug.

“I think we got enough. Especially since it’s early,” Henry replied with a nod, looking satisfied with the items he had chosen. “We should check out.”

If Killian had wondered why Henry had chosen him to accompany him with his shopping, he didn’t when they arrived to the cashier and Henry made a show of checking his pockets for his wallet. About two seconds into the charade, Killian realized that he had been played.

“I don’t have any money for my mom’s presents. Can you help me?” Henry said, looking at him with pleading eyes and a trembling lip.

Killian sighed as he began fishing through his pockets. He turned to the shopkeeper with a grimace.

“Do you take gold coins?”

#captain swan #cs ff #cs fic #cc ff #captain cobra #cssecretsanta #shipsxahoy #my fic #my shit #csss

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teamhook · 6 years ago

Text

Just another CS MOVIE AU… Happy Valentine’s Day Ch 4/5.

|AO3| |FFN|

Hello! Okay, so I bring you, musician!Killian AU inspired by Forever My Girl cause I see CS everywhere! Sorry, I’m stubborn and although I was told this should be a SF fic. Maybe I’m wrong but I couldn’t stop myself.

Maybe you guys can tell me if I was wrong…

I wanna thank @searchingwardrobes and @ilovemesomekillianjones for their Beta services. They each helped me so much.

So allow me to give you all Chapter 4 of my Valentine’s Day gift to all of you, my lovely shipmates.

I didn’t tag some of you before because I didn’t want to be too presumptuous but gotta share the love:

@its-imperator-furiosa @djlbg @mayquita @andiirivera @captainsjedi @wellhellotragic @ultraluckycatnd @onceuponaprincessworld @aprilqueen84 @tehgreeneyes @hookedonapirate @thesschesthair @krustybunny @alexandralyman @artistic-writer @kymbersmith-90 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @snowbellewells @resident-of-storybrooke @flslp87 @searchingwardrobes @pocket-anon @branlovestowrite @seriouslyhooked @sherlockianwhovian @doodlelolly0910 @courtorderedcake @ilovemesomekillianjones @shireness-says @donteattheappleshook @jennjenn615 @bethacaciakay @thislassishooked @shipsxahoy @shady-swan-jones @tiganasummertree @cat-sophia @hollyethecurious @thejacketandthehook @dassala @allofdafandoms-blog @kday426 @winterbaby89 @snidgetsafan @delirious-late-nights @onceuponaprincessworld @let-it-raines @profdanglaisstuff @revanmeetra87 @stophookingatmeswan @kmomof4 @optomisticgirl @lenfaz @gingerchangeling @darkcolinodonorgasm @daxx04 @jennjenn615 @lizacstuff @lassluna @xemmaloveskillianx @xhookswenchx @peglegsjones @shireness-says @laschatzi @onceuponataarna

The upcoming days consisted of Killian picking up Alice Hope from school, working on the garden, and playing the guitar. Every other day there were enjoyable family dinners, much to David’s dismay, but he would just have to suck it up.

Alice Hope had begged her mom for a sleepover, and she had finally relented. That evening after yet another dinner at his and Liam’s place, Killian was tucking Alice Hope into bed as she asked, “Dad, why did you leave mom?” She looked at him with the innocence of a child, not knowing the significance of the simple question.

He hesitated for a second. "There hasn't been a day I haven't regretted that decision. I have no excuse, but I was young, confused, and dumb. I know it was wrong, but I was lost."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed. "But now you are home, that's all that matters." She closed her eyes and Killian stayed until she fell asleep.

Liam and Emma overheard the conversation between Killian and Alice Hope. They are both moved by Killian’s honesty and the little girl’s need to comfort him.

After witnessing the tender moment they’d made their way to the front porch. The night was fresh, with a light breeze. Enjoying some wine, they chit chatted between the two of them.

Liam decided to give his brother and Emma a little space, and called it a night once Killian joined them outside. Emma swayed towards Killian.

“Emma, I think you’re tipsy. How much wine did you drink?” Killian asked as he attempted to steady her, but instead swayed with her.

She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder, “Enough to be a little tipsy.” She smiled with her eyes closed.

He hummed, “Alright love, I’m going to give you a ride home.”

“Okay,” she mumbled. Killian guided her to his car, his hand resting gently on her lower back. Arriving at her home, always the gentleman, Killian rushes to open her door.

“Safely delivered.” He smiled happily as he walked her to her door.

“I feel better, I didn’t drink that much.” She leaned into him to whisper a secret, “I’m a lightweight. I’m not drunk, I just feel relaxed.”

Killian studied her for a second. “Relaxed is not a bad thing.”

She nodded, “I was thinking, you’re in debt with me.”

Killian looked at her quizzically, “A debt?”

She looked at him, holding his gaze, “Yes, you owe me a date. A date with Killian Jones, Grammy Award winning singer.”

“Love, do you think you can handle it?” he smirked, popping the T.

“Oh, I can handle it just fine, superstar. I think the only one that’s not gonna be able to handle it is you.” She poked his chest playfully.

“Emma, that’s not what I meant, but if you are serious, I’d love to.” Killian waited for her answer patiently.

“I am very serious,” she answered with a smile.

“Good,” he simply stated.

She finally went inside the house and before closing the door she murmured softly, “Goodnight, Killian.” The door closed before his reply is made.

“Goodnight, love.” He stood in front of the house for a second. He felt like a teenager, his heart beating profusely. Taking out his phone he dialed quickly and the phone rang once...twice… click

“Hello?” the voice answered.

“Scarlet, I need your help,” Killian blurted out.

“Killian, what’s happened now?” Will asked, afraid of the answer.

“You know how I told you about my friend’s accident? The one from my old town,” Killian said slowly. He knew he was about to drop a bomb.

“I do, what of it?” Will prodded.

“Mate, you might need to sit down, and before you panic, the news is nothing bad,” Killian reassured his manager.

“I’m sitting down now, go on. Tell me this news.” Will mumbles so bloody dramatic under his breath.

“I never told you, but eight years ago I was engaged.”

”That’s not so bad, mate,” Will interrupted him.

Killian laughed, “I never said it was bad, but it is news. My fiance, well, she was pregnant. I have a seven year old daughter.”

“I’m happy I sat down for this. Wow, Killian Jones, a father.” Will whistles into the phone. “Wait is she giving you trouble? I’m guessing that’s what you need help with? Do you need me to pay off the ex?” Will asked with concern.

“Will, that is not why I called. Mate, she had 7 years to contact me if that was what she was after. She is not a bloody gold digger. She was not some simple dalliance, I was bloody gonna marry her, you twit. What I need is your help planning a date, a special date.”

Will sighed in relief. “What do you need from me boss?”

The next day passed in a blur. Emma found herself in front of a mirror getting ready for Killian Jones once more. Maybe this was a mistake. Why did she think this was a good idea? Oh yeah, she was tipsy.

Her bed was covered with different outfits, but the soft pink dress felt right. It had a V-neck with a detailed bodice and belt. She chewed her bottom lip.

Emma’s bedroom door burst open. “I hear someone’s got a big date tonight,” the intruder says. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“Shit,” Emma mutters as she winced. “Sorry? Rubes, I know you are super busy at the diner, and it’s not a big deal.”

Ruby sighed, “You are going on a date with your baby daddy, love of your life, the one that got away, and you say it’s not a big deal? If we didn’t grow up together I might believe you, but we did grow up together. Ems, don’t lie to me. You’re lucky Elsa is still out of town, and Marian is taking care of Robin. They would tell you the same thing I am. You’ve been yearning and pining for him since he left.”

Emma scoffs, “I don’t pine or yearn. It’s not like that anymore.”

“If you say so. Ems, about your wardrobe, you should totally wear that hot pink dress.” Ruby approached the bed and after a little digging she found the outfit she was looking for. “He will freak out if you wear this. This dress makes you look like a hot mama.” She wiggled her eyebrows, then moved to find shoes for the dress.

“I’m not wearing that. I decided on this one.” Emma pointed to the pastel pink dress. “I was thinking with my hair up? A high ponytail, and the makeup just natural. Nothing extreme.”

“That’s not really my style, but I think you can pull it off. Ems, can I ask you a question?”

“What do you wanna ask?” Emma asked as she put away the rejected clothes.

“Do you regret it?” Ruby asked.

Emma snorted, “Regret what, please be more specific.”

“Okay, that night,” Ruby huffed. “Karaoke night? The night that record exec discovered Killian.”

“Oh, that night.” Emma smiled, she remembered that night so vividly. “I don’t.”

“No? If we would have gone somewhere else Killian wouldn’t have been discovered. You two would be married and maybe our little Hope would have a little brother by now.” Ruby studied Emma’s reaction.

“Rubes, Killian was going to be a star no matter what. He is talented, and I don’t know what you want me to say.” Emma was getting frustrated. “Who told you about the date? Because whoever told you should have minded their own business.”

“It was Hope, she is so excited her parents are going on a date.” Ruby crossed her arms. “She thought you might need help.”

Emma relented, “Fine, let me change and you can keep me company.”

Ruby sat on the bed pouting because Emma wouldn’t let her help. “Rubes stop pouting. I just don’t want to make a big deal, okay?”

“Ems?” Ruby called out.

“Yes?” Emma smiled.

“Thank you for not falling for Graham.” Ruby sighed.

Emma rolled her eyes. “How are things going with you guys?” Emma continued getting dressed.

“We’re good. I never thought we would get together. I mean, you and Killian were obvious. I still think Elsa and Liam are keeping it secret. Robin and Marian? For sure. Graham and I? Not so much. He pined for you for so long, and then after Killian left, you guys went out on a few dates. For a second I thought you guys would make it, you know? I know David was rooting for you guys, but I hate to say it, I’m happy it didn’t work out. I’m so selfish.” Ruby huffed.

“You’re not selfish.” Emma smiled fondly at her friend. “You deserve to be happy, and I’m happy you have that with Graham. Okay?” Emma said as she was doing her hair.

“I know, you are the sweetest person ever. So where’s the little munchkin?”

“She has been spending a lot of time with Killian. I figured she was the one that told you about the date.”

“She called me, but she said Liam was gonna drop her off so she could spend time with you before the big date. Do you know where he is taking you?” Ruby asked as they finished with her makeup.

“Mama!” Alice Hope yelled.

“Ah there she is.” Emma grinned. “In my room!” she yelled back.

Emma heard little feet running, then the door flew open. “Mama, you look beautiful!” Alice Hope gushed.

“Thank you. Do you want to help me with my lipstick, the final touch?” Emma lifted the lipstick and waved at her kid.

Ruby smiled at mother and daughter as Alice Hope excitedly walked to her mom and grabbed the lipstick. Emma positioned herself so that Alice Hope could put on the lipstick.

Alice Hope sighed contently, “Perfect. Mama, do you know where he’s taking you?”

Emma pretended to think for a second. “Sorry kid, I don’t know. Did Liam drop you off?”

“Yeah, he thought I’d want to visit for a little bit. Before your date. Auntie Ruby can you give me a ride back to Uncle Liam’s?”

“That was sweet of him.” Emma smiled and leaned in to hug her.

“You betcha, Munchkin, I’ll give you a ride.” Ruby said as she joined the hug.

After an hour a stretch limo pulled in to pick up Emma. The driver promptly told her he cannot give her details or he will ruin the surprise. His job was simply to deliver her to Killian.

The drive was short, and they arrived at the school's athletic field, where Killian stood in front of a helicopter. The car parked and the driver rushed to open the door for Emma. Emma looked at the driver who only shrugged as he closed the car door.

Wow, was all Emma could think as she walked towards Killian. He wore tight, black jeans, a black, fitted shirt tucked in, and a black leather vest. She will never ever admit to anyone that she secretly stalked Killian’s social media, and anything she could find. She had seen him on dates with models, actresses, and even singers. It had hurt more than anything. It should have been her. So maybe that was the reason behind her suggestion, about the date. He looked good, he always did, and his smile wa blinding.

“Hello, love,” he leaned in to kiss her cheek, “you look beautiful.”

“Uh, thank you. So do you-” his phone rang loudly, “you should get that, it could be important.” Emma said as she took a closer look at his phone. It looked familiar.

“All right, one second.” He answered, hello, yeah, sorry about that-- thank you MM. He scratched behind his ear which she knew he did when he was nervous, just like she knew all of his quirks. “Sorry about that love, it was my publicist, Mary Margaret.”

She nodded, “I guess that means you are coming out of hiding, or was it rehab for exhaustion? I think that’s what I read, you know, about your sudden disappearance.”

“You’ve been reading up on me, I’m so touched,” Killian teased her.

“I was curious, I admit it,” Emma confessed.

Killian smiled, “Come on love, lets go.” He put his hand on her back and guided her to the helicopter. They climbed on and snapped their seatbelts securely. A small awkward silence fell between them which Emma interrupted by asking him a question. “Hey Killian, is that the same cell phone you had in high school?”

Killian’s face reddened. “No, of course not.”

“I remember it. It has an antenna, Killian,” Emma countered.

“Fine, it is, I really like the phone, okay?”

She could tell he was irritated. “Okay.”

They silence returned as they looked out at the view. “So where are you taking me Killian Jones?” Emma asked.

“It’s a surprise,” he simply answered as his hand inched towards hers.

“Killian, this date… it doesn’t mean anything is going to happen between us. I just want to make that clear.” Emma’s nerves were getting the best of her, what had she gotten herself into?

“I never said it was, but I think you’re protesting too much. See that building there?” he pointed to a tall building, trying to change the subject.

Emma gasped, “The hotel?”

“Aye, that’s where we are landing. We’re perfectly safe. The restaurant we are going to is inside, I hope you’ll like it.”

The helicopter landed and Killian ushered her out of the chopper. They’re greeted at the door by the hotel concierge. “Sir, your table is ready.” H leaned in to whisper into Killian’s elven ear, “The paparazzi are here, we’ve tried to keep your visit private, but failed.”

Killian just smiled, keeping his hand on Emma’s lower back. “There’s no need to worry, I’m sure we will enjoy ourselves nevertheless.”

As they neared the restaurant entrance, multiple cameras flashed simultaneously and voices shouted loudly as Killian came into their line of sight. Over here Killian! Questions regarding his whereabouts were being yelled out, Where have you been? Were you in rehab? How was Barbados?

Once their attention landed on Emma other questions emerged. Killian tried to shield her, but she just squeezed his hand, and she simply said, “I’m the one that wanted the superstar experience.”

A clearly curious reporter, a petite woman, smiled at them and asked, “Killian, I think we'd all love to know,

who is the beautiful woman on your arm?”

He smiled at Emma and simply answered, “She is the one.” Emma’s grip tightened on Killian’s hand at his words. As a chorus of what's her name? Erupted from the crowd, Killian waved and said, “Sorry guys, that's all I got.”

He and Emma promptly disappeared inside the restaurant where they were greeted by the owner, a kind older man, “Welcome to the Nautilus, Killian and lovely guest, please follow me.”

Emma’s whole face lit up at the beauty of the restaurant.

“Nemo, thank you for accommodating us on such short notice,” Killian said sincerely. “This is my... my,” he scratched behind his ear, “My old friend, Emma.”

Nemo stopped abruptly, sharing a kind smile with Emma. “Lovely to meet you, my dear. I have a special table for you two.” He led them into the private section of the restaurant, reserved for special occasions. They sat to enjoy the carefully selected dinner choices.

Emma had a feeling Killian requested the meal, it was her favorite, but with a gourmet twist. It was a surreal experience for Emma, nothing, in particular, stood out, just the fact that she was sitting across the table from her childhood sweetheart. Her kid's father. They had shared every experience growing up, but their paths had diverged. He lived a life of luxury, eating at places like this, staying in a different posh hotel in each big city he performed for, rubbing elbows with other celebrities, and she had the opposite. She was a mom above all. At this moment, all those differences faded and it was just them. The reconnection between them was so natural.

As they enjoyed their meal, Killian sat admiring Emma. Before seeing her again with his own eyes, the memory of her had stayed strong. But the beautiful girl he was going to marry all those years ago had evolved into an ethereal being. If she was beautiful then, she was breathtaking now. She simply glowed. How could he possibly think anyone could come close to filling the void she’d left. She was embedded in his being. He’d never stopped loving her. It was always her, she was the one.

They talked and laughed without knowing each other's thoughts until they shared their last dance with their inhibitions lowered. A kiss was shared; It was perfect. Their lips met in a chaste kiss which quickly morphed into one of longing. So lost in each other, they didn't notice when the music stopped playing. Their kiss halted, but they remained in each other's embrace and he started singing low in her ear.

Does your halo grow heavy

Hanging over your head

Boy you've held my heart steady

Since the first day we met

Every time I lose my way

Only you can bring me back...

Emma put her hand on Killian's chest and gently pushed him away. They’d gotten carried away.

It was Killian who spoke first, "Emma, I'm sorry. We, I fell victim to a moment. I remember what you said. I know this isn't what you want. I just want you to know one thing, you're the one for me. What we're to become is your choice. I want you to choose me, but I want it to be because you want me, not because I pushed you too hard or only because we have a child together; and if you only want to co-parent, I will accept it. He smiled at her, conveying his sincerity with just one look.

Emma blinked and smiled back. "You were always better with words than me."

They don’t talk about it again, and things go back to being about Alice Hope once they get home.

Several days after the date, Killian decided he needed to call Scarlet to let him know he had no plans to return right away.

“Hello?” a distracted voice answered.

“Scarlet, this is Killian. Mate?”

“Oi, what’s going on man?”

“I’ve decided to stick around longer. I’ve been writing. So there’s that. Maybe a couple of months. I just don’t want to leave them yet.”

“Them?” Scarlet asked.

Killian quickly covered for the slip, ”I meant Alice, my daughter. There’s also my brother.”

Scarlet laughed, “So you’re saying this has nothing to do with her mum?”

Killian growled, “I’ll keep you posted.”

A week later a big cookout was planned in celebration of Elsa being back and Robin finally being released from the hospital. It was an extended family dinner that was going to be at Emma’s house.

The guests trickled in. Marian, Robin and Roland arrived first and Roland rushed off to spend time with his best-friend, Alice Hope. Ruby and Granny arrived next, and Granny quickly made a beeline to the kitchen to help with the meal. Liam and Killian arrive right after, and Alice Hope beamed with happiness as she introduced her dad to her best-friend. Killian ignored Liam’s knowing smirk. David arrived with a scowl set on his face, and finally, Elsa arrived with a smile on her face, greeting everyone with hugs. They’d set up a large table with all the fixings. From burgers to salads, some alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic for the kids. Everyone was enjoying themselves, good food, good drink, and good company. Killian was enjoying his time with his daughter, while Liam was distracted talking to Elsa. Killian chuckled at the obvious affection his brother has for the blonde.

Alice Hope smiled at her dad, before telling him, “Look Dad, I’m a hungry lion.” She growled as she gobbled her food.

“Oh darling, you’re doing it all wrong” he teased as he grabbed the ketchup and poured more on his hotdog. “Now it’s nice and bloody. Come on little love, let’s take a nice bite.” They growled in unison as they each took a bite, devouring their food.

“Little brother, do you want another beer?” Liam asked from the door.

Killian shook his head. “It’s younger brother and no, but I’d love a water.” His attention returned to Alice Hope only to find her choking, he froze. He no longer saw his daughter, but his mother.

They’re at her hospital room, he had snuck in to visit her, he was holding a bouquet of Middlemist flowers, her favorite. He wanted to help her feel better. The nurse is calling for the doctor, then she’s calling out to her, “Alice Jones, don’t you give up on me, not yet!” The nurse notices a young Killian frozen at the door, “Killian sweetheart, go find your brother.” But he doesn’t move, he is frozen in place as the flowers drop to the floor.

“Killian, what the hell man!” The irate voice of David brought him back to the present. “Killian, she’s choking.” David was at his niece’s side in a second. He yelled out to his sister, “Emma, Hopey is choking, call 911!”

Emma frantically rushed out to help her brother. “She’s not breathing!”

Liam was on the phone with the emergency operator and everyone was giving them space, trying not to get in the way. Roland was being held back by his parents who were trying to keep him calm.

David moved fast to perform the Heimlich, with Emma urging Alice Hope, “Hold on, baby. Stay with us, you need to breathe. Now breathe for me!” she commanded her daughter. Time slowed immeasurably until David finally got the food out of Alice’s throat. She took a gasping breath along with everyone around her.

With Alice Hope breathing okay and the EMT’s checking her, an enraged David charged toward Killian who was still frozen in his spot. David grabbed Killian by his shirt and ripped him up from his seat. “What the hell is your problem, she was choking! She was dying and you just stood there doing nothing!”

Liam rushed over to get in between the men. Killian still had a lost and haunted look, his eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry,” he stammered, shaking his head to try and clear the haunting memory.

“Father of the year!” David called after him as Killian left.

Emma and Liam glared at David, and Liam stopped David from chasing Killian down. “David, that’s enough!”

“David, take it easy, she’s okay,” Emma reasoned.

Liam sighed as Emma and David continued heatedly talking. He decided to go check on Ali for himself. He approached the small group of friends and family making sure she was okay.

“Hey little one,” he smiled warmly at her where she is leaning on Elsa.

“Uncle Liam, where’s my dad?”

Elsa shared a look with Liam. Bloody hell. “He uh...” Liam is at a loss for words, what can he say?

Elsa cut in, “Sweetheart, your dad, he was so worried about you,” she paused “he is a new dad and he had to step away for a little bit.”

Alice Hope smiled, “He freaked out didn’t he?”

Elsa and Liam looked at each other and both replied, “Yes.” Liam continued, “I’m afraid so. Ali, you gave us all a good scare.’’

“I know Uncle Liam, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, little one. Just don’t do that again.” She nodded, her eyes drooping with exhaustion from the whole ordeal. The excitement had tired the crowd and soon all were saying their goodnights.

David had left after having what appeared to be a heated conversation with Emma.

Liam and Elsa left once the house was clean and Alice Hope was asleep in her bed.

After the scare with Alice Hope and the painful memory of his mother’s death, all Killian needed was to numb the pain. He arrived at the old hole in the wall, the Rabbit Hole. Going straight to the bar, he sat in the first available chair and ordered a bottle of rum. He didn’t care that the quality of the drink was not the best, all he wanted was to drown in it.

Half a bottle later, the door opened, and an unlikely person sat beside him. “Killian, hey man.”

Killian looked at the source. “Humbert,” he slurred, “to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

Graham chuckled, “It’s been a long time, mate.” Graham bumped Killian’s shoulder with his. “It’s good to see you, but I think it’s time you call it a night.”

Killian laughed as he noticed the sheriff uniform. “Who called?”

“Killian, I’m sure everyone is worried about you. After what happened tonight do you really want to add to their worries? We lucked out with Robin, and from what I hear, we lucked out tonight with Alice Hope. I don’t think we should test our luck. Let me give you a ride to Liam’s.”

“Who called?” Killian asked again.

Graham sighed, “Does it matter? Let me give you a ride home.”

As Killian was about to answer he was cut off by another voice. “Graham, I’ll take it from here.

“Hey Dave, are you sure?” Graham questioned. “I know you’ve had a long week at the animal shelter, too. Sorry I haven’t been able to volunteer.”

“It’s okay, go home. I can handle this.” David waved him off and nudged him.

Graham cautiously stood up and told David, “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.” “It’s nice to see you,” Graham said to Killian then he left the bar.

Killian smirked at David, “So you’re my new babysitter?”

David stared at Killian icily. “Don’t mistake my offer to ensure you get home safely as a sign of concern for you. I’m here for my sister and niece. Somehow you have fooled them into believing you’re here for them, but I’m not fooled as easily. You honestly think that you're ready to be a dad just because you spent a couple of weeks playing house? Really?” David shook his head. “Alice Hope was choking and you just stood there, Killian. We are lucky she’s alive, and I hate to think of what could’ve happened if she’d been alone with you. Do you honestly think you're equipped to keep that little girl alive every day? Cause from what I saw tonight, I doubt it.”

Killian listened to what the other man was saying. His guilt blinded him.

David continued ranting, “The memories are still fresh in my mind of all the bad years that my sister had because of your abandonment. I was the one there for her. I’m the one that got her through it. Emma finally made a life for her and for Alice Hope. You and I, we both know that you never deserved her, and you will find some way to mess it up all over again, and it'll destroy them. You know what the worst thing is? This time it’s not just Emma that will suffer at your selfishness, it will be your daughter too. Just do what you will inevitably do and leave.” David got up and stormed out, the door slamming closed.

Killian brooded for a second while David’s words whirled in his head. He stood up and staggered to the restroom. “Hey,” a gruff voice stopped him, “I’m going to call the pastor. Stay put.”

“Mate,” Killian slurs.

The man stopped and turned around, irritation on his face. “I’m not your mate, the name is Leroy.” “Bigshot,” he muttered.

“Leroy, I need to use to loo for a second,” Killian explained.

“Okay, go ahead, I’ll let Pastor Jones know,” Leroy grumbled as he walked away.

Killian entered the restroom and stared at his reflection. With a clenched jaw and anger coursing through him, he smashed the mirror. He was staring at his bloodied fist as Liam and Leroy walked into the restroom.

Leroy groaned, “Damn drunks! Who’s gonna pay for that?”

Liam sighed, “Don’t worry, he will pay for the damage. I’m sorry.” The elder Jones looked at his brother with disappointment as he grabbed him. “Come on brother, let’s get you home.” They leave a disgruntled Leroy to clean up the mess.

Once they arrived home, Liam hurried to clean up the wound. “Little brother, what were you thinking? I cannot believe you smashed your hand through that mirror. Stop moving, I’m almost done.”

Killian winced but kept quiet. Liam could see the wheels turning so he added, “You’ll be able to play with Ali soon.” Liam smiled at his brother.

Killian sighed, “I never want to play again.”

That confused Liam. “Why not? It’s a God given talent to be able to play and sing the way you do. For goodness sakes, even Alice Hope inherited that same gift.”

Killian stared at his hand. “I don't deserve it, none of it. Just be honest brother, I’m the worst human around.”

Liam gripped Killian’s shoulders and stared him down, “Killian, we've all forgiven you, brother.”

Killian pushed him away, “You shouldn't have. I'm sorry that I left you all. I'm sorry that I didn't stay in touch. I still don’t know why I did it.”

Liam stared at him as he continued, “The further away I went... the longer I was gone... the more pain I was in, brother.” He sniffed, “I’m so sorry.”

“I know you are, little brother.” Liam tried to comfort him. “Brother, when mum died I was so stuck in my own grief I failed you, I overlooked yours. I have comforting words

for everyone in this town during their time of need, but I didn’t know how to talk to my own brother during his. I couldn’t imagine the pain of losing mum the way you did at such a young age. I think being famous just fed that pain, knocked down everything in its path. I'm the one who's sorry, Killian. I'm so, so sorry brother. You deserve a future, a happy one.” Liam tried to encourage his brother with a soft smile. “Now you must rest.”

Killian nodded in agreement as he headed to bed.

The next morning Liam woke up to find a note on top of the kitchen counter simply saying, “They’re better off without me. Say goodbye for me.”

Once Liam delivers the message the heartbreak unleashes a wave of pain and blame thrown between the adults.

Liam confronts David, “What did you tell my brother? I know you talked to him. Leroy told me that he called Graham and that later you arrived.”

“I didn’t tell him anything he didn’t know himself.” David shrugs.

“You self-righteous prick,” Liam seethes.

“Liam!” Elsa and Emma call out.

“Such language, Pastor.”

“Right now I’m acting as an older brother, not a pastor. The last time I saw my brother he was heartbroken. He hated himself and now I know why.”

“Oh, and what of my niece? She almost died and that good for nothing brother of yours just stood there doing nothing!”

“She’s my niece too!” Liam shouts, standing toe to toe with David.

“STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU, NOW!” Emma yells as she slowly backs away. She then turns her full attention to her brother. “David, whatever you did,” Emma started, shaking her head, “you had no right!”

“No? I had no right? If I hadn’t reacted, who knows what would have happened to Hopey.” David glares at his sister.

“Well, maybe you should explain to your niece why her father left town. Tell her that Killian is gone because you never liked him.”

Elsa approaches Liam as the siblings argue. “Liam, I’m sorry. I know Killian will come back.”

Liam leans to her touch, “I just hope it won’t take eight years again.”

The siblings argument gets louder. “I know you never truly gave Graham a chance, he was always a better choice than Killian, but you couldn’t let him go.”

“Is this about your obsession with Graham being the right guy for me? David, we both realized we saw each other as brother and sister. He fell in love with Ruby and they’re gonna get married. I think you’ve focused too much attention on my life, David. You need to find someone to love.”

In the end Alice Hope cries for her father, and Emma not only mourns her for her broken heart once more, but also for her daughter’s.

#Captain Swan #CS Crew #CS Mafia #cs ff #csromcom19

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