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snowbellewells · 1 year ago

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@once-upon-a-pirate-ship The new recruits are an exciting addition for sure! Will is always great to have in fics, because he is such a fun character an the canon show did make neat enough use of him. And I loved OuaT’s Tink as well. Her reasons for joining them were absolute perfection - and I really liked that she seemed to see the tension and spark between Emma and Killian, from almost the first moment of meeting them. 💖

Emma’s memories of what happened the day she lost her family, and the full extent of Regina’s cold, calculated cruelty are really affecting here as well. It makes sense that Killian would be the one she speaks to about it first, and it shows just how in tune with her he is that he clearly sees what has truly been plaguing her, immediately assuring her that it cannot be her fault. “Killian believed in her. She’d known it since the very beginning, but her doubt had been strong enough to convince her it was a misled belief. But now, with his head bent in reverence and his startling eyes that wouldn’t waver from hers, she had no choice but to accept his words as truth.”

And then the way Emma wanted to strike out at Silver, the way her anger was for his treatment and desire to hurt Liam and Killian further more than anything he said to her. I loved how you made it absolutely clear he deserves whatever is coming to him, and also just how much Emma cares for the Brothers Jones, and means to care for anyone she cares for and loves.

Another great chapter!!

How Restlessly the Stars Do Gleam 3/?

Chapter 3: Moments Long Remembered

read it on AO3 here | from the beginning

chapter 1 | chapter 2

story summary: Princess Emma isn't the princess of much anymore. It's been months since her parents and brother were taken, and she's been on the run with her godmother Red. When Emma and Red board a merchant vessel to sail to Arendelle, Emma quickly finds that the captain is not to be trusted. After helping two slave brothers, Emma takes over the ship and begins her journey to save and rebuild her kingdom.

what's in store for chapter three? New characters (not new new, but new to this particular world)! Some background! Pining & tension!

thank you all for reading and staying with me even when I am too busy (just for this one week and a half time period) to post on schedule

Moments Long Remembered

On the worst day of her life, Princess Emma rode out far beyond the castle walls. She was alone, as she preferred solitary rides on her trusted horse, and the cold air was nothing to her as she raced through the snow covered forest. For a few hours each day, she got to feel entirely free. All responsibilities could wait, every forced smile was just a distant memory. She had no one to try to impress, no one who expected anything from her, no one who needed her to be someone she was not.

It wasn’t the excursion, nor the weather, nor the steed that made this day so horrible. Rather, it was the enemy who had breached the castle walls in her absence.

The most poignant part of this particular memory, for her, were the moments directly before she was made aware of the events inside the castle. She was at ease, content, blissfully happy and oblivious to the screams that tore through the halls she called home. She wasn’t worrying about her parents when they were stolen and taken far out of her reach. She didn’t consider her brother, her little lion cub, as he was yanked from the joy he knew and shown the truths of the world she’d wished he’d never have to learn.

Her happiness was shattered when the Evil Queen appeared before her, the black gown cutting across the crisp white snow in her path. Terror as she’d never known it dropped into her stomach as her hands gripped the reins and her horse skidded to a stop, and the fear that sliced down her spine was colder than the shards of ice that hung from each tree branch.

The Evil Queen’s mouth was curled into a wicked smile, white teeth framed by the wine color of her lips as she moved them to speak.

“Emma.”

But it was not the Evil Queen who stood in front of her now and called her name. It was her most trusted friend, her ally, her godmother, Red. The memory, as vivid as if it had only just happened, dissolved into nothing, sizzling in the early summer air as Emma blinked it away.

“Yes?”

“Liam and I are leaving,” Red told her, “I doubt we’ll be gone more than a few hours.”

Emma could’ve counted on one hand the number of times that she’d been separated from Red in the last months, and no matter how irrational it was, she couldn’t stop her muscles from tensing as if bracing for pain. But they needed some new crew, and Red was more than capable of the job.

“Good, good,” Emma said absently. She wished she had something more intelligent to say, but her mind was still fixated on moments long gone. “I’ll be here,” she added.

“Yes,” Red grinned, “you and Killian.” She didn’t give Emma time to inquire after the tone she’d used before Red turned and called, “Liam!”

Liam stood across the deck in conference with John Terry, but at the call of his name, he excused himself from his fellow sailor and joined Red and Emma where they waited by the gangplank.

“We shall return shortly,” Liam promised his captain. “I hope Killian won’t give you too much trouble,” he added in good humor.

“We’ll be just fine,” Emma told him. The trouble Killian Jones gave her was of a different nature, and she wasn’t about to disclose those particulars to his older brother.

Emma watched Liam and Red until they disappeared into the crowd past the docks, forcing her thoughts from straying to the fear that was an ever-present buzz in her blood. Instead, she planted herself on the steps leading up to the quarterdeck, her mind occupying itself with whatever it could latch onto.

As if her thoughts had summoned him, Killian appeared from below, offering Terry a few words as he passed on his way towards her.

“Swan!” he called, and her eyes immediately met his. He’d called her that three times that morning, and it hadn’t seemed unusual once. But perhaps that had less to do with the moniker and more to do with who had said it.

Killian dropped onto a step below hers, a gentle and genuine smile spreading across his lips. “Terry’s gathering his group and then they’ll be off,” he told her. “I double checked the list with the storeroom, and it seems that everything’s in order.”

“Perfect,” she replied, willing a coherent sentence to present itself as she looked away from his striking eyes.

“Tell me, Swan,” he began, his voice low, “do you always dress in a layer of knives, or do you save that for special occasions?”

She laughed, and it made her realize how long it had been since that had happened. Her head thrown back like that, the bounding joy in her chest—weeks, at least. Probably months, probably before that morning ride that featured the Evil Queen.

Emma leaned back a little, her hand going to the edge of the vest to pull out a blade and pass it to him. “Eight in total, four on each side,” she explained. “And yes, I’ve fixed every garment I have with some sort of weapons holder.”

Killian’s eyebrows shot up, glancing up at her from the knife he had been examining. “Isn’t that dangerous? How have you not injured yourself?”

“Not any more dangerous than being unarmed and running into some Black Knights,” she said with a shrug, glancing away to avoid his concerned gaze. “But each blade has a metal casing. That’s what keeps it from hurting me or tearing the fabric, and it snaps into place to stop it from falling out.”

His dark brows furrowed, his eyes flitting from the knife to where she’d pulled it from. “The casing, is it tricky?” he wondered. “Does it get stuck?”

“Only when I forget to clean them,” she replied. Without pausing to consider what she was doing, she reached for his free hand. “Here, try it,” she said, guiding his fingers to the spot on the other side of her vest.

Killian moved slowly, hesitantly, but he allowed her to line his fingertips against the hidden pocket. His eyes locked with hers, and that familiar tug and snapping of electricity surged between them.

“Just, um, push up a little until you feel a click, and then it’ll slide out,” she explained, slightly breathless despite the fact that she’d been sitting for several minutes.

His gaze didn’t stray from hers as he followed her directions, the thin handle of the blade dropping into his hand. She could feel his body heat like this, his hand against her waist, and it seemed like he was both too close and not close enough.

“Captain?”

Emma and Killian broke apart at the sound of Terry’s voice. She stood, brushing back some of the hair that had fallen out of place. “Yes?” she asked, glancing quickly at Killian who had returned to an upright position and was currently examining the two blades closely. The tips of his ears were red.

Terry smiled, and Emma pretended not to notice anything but politeness in it. “With your leave, Captain, we’re off.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” she replied, looking between him and the several crew members gathered a few feet behind. “I look forward to receiving your report upon your return.” It was best that she maintained the pretense of captain with the crew, according to Red. Something about safety or respect or concealing her identity from newcomers. She could hardly remember now.

Emma waited until they were out of sight before returning to her previous position, and Killian had recovered enough that the blush had even faded from his cheeks when he looked at her. He passed her the knives without a word.

He cleared his throat, forcing his eyes back to hers rather than where her fingers secured the blades. “You mentioned Black Knights,” he said, “have you fought many of them?”

It wasn’t that surprising of a question, honestly, given that she’d mentioned them off-handedly before. She just couldn’t figure out why she had mentioned it in the first place. Perhaps it was the same reason she showed him how her vest worked.

“Can you define ‘many’?” she asked, her voice calm and soft and not at all befitting the subject.

Killian’s eyes widened, his jaw tightening to restrain some emotion she couldn’t place. “It’s been…months,” he murmured. “You’ve been fighting them all this time?”

“Fighting them, running from them, gathering information from them,” Emma answered. “Until I figured out that she was tracking me with magic, at least.”

“What did you do?”

“Red got her hands on some potion,” she said, trying for a smile that ended up a little sad. “So that’s why we’re here now. And that’s why there’s not a single Black Knight searching this port.”

Killian was quiet for a moment, and it wasn’t until his jaw released its tension that he spoke. “What information?”

“At first, we tried to get them to tell us where my family was, but they’re not particularly talkative,” she explained, hoping she sounded more unaffected than she felt. “Eventually, we started following them, finding their camps. We spent weeks combing the forest, tracking their movements, and making maps of their locations.”

“Did you find them?”

The ghost of a smile on her lips was revealing. “We discovered where she’s holding my father. It’s remote, not to mention protected by battalions of Black Knights. Red and I are good, but we’re not that good.”

“That’s where Arendelle comes in,” he concluded. “You’re hoping they’ll help you to free him with magic.”

She sighed, her eyes trailing away from him and fixing themselves on the gangplank. “That’s our hope,” she said. “If I can get to my father, he’ll be able to find my mother. And I have no doubt they’ll make quick work of locating Leo.”

“You and your brother,” Killian continued after a moment, “are you close?”

The question was enough to bring happier, lighter memories to the forefront of her mind. “Very,” Emma replied. “He’s like light personified. Always overly enthusiastic, always making me laugh. But he’s driven, too. Spends all day in the practice yard unless I convince him to do something else.”

“He’s probably just trying to keep up with his sister,” Killian said, the beginnings of a smile on his lips.

“Maybe,” she allowed. But thinking about her brother fighting made her think about her brother losing, and then the guilt that had lived in her chest since that day slammed against her heart. “I wish I’d been there to protect him when he really needed me,” she confessed, and the words were almost shocking for her to hear. She’d thought about it again and again, but never had she voiced it, as if keeping it to herself made it less real.

“What happened, exactly?” Killian asked. “If you don’t mind sharing,” he added quickly.

“I used to go for a ride every morning,” she began, “and that morning was no different. Until the Evil Queen showed up and outlined her perfect plan to destroy my family one curse at a time.”

“She cursed all of you?”

“No,” Emma replied, a bitter laugh on her lips, “not me. Because the knowledge that my family is slowly dying while I am powerless to stop it…that’s a curse in its own right.”

“Swan,” Killian breathed, and the emotion in his voice was overwhelming. “I don’t pretend to know the specifics of the Evil Queen’s magic, but you must know that it wasn’t your fault. If your parents, your brother, your numerous castle guards couldn’t stop her, why do you think you’re to blame?”

He paused, shaking his head as he gathered his thoughts. “I have no doubt that you will defeat her, love, but it’s not only your combat skills that are going to take her down.”

Killian believed in her. She’d known it since the very beginning, but her doubt had been strong enough to convince her it was a misled belief. But now, with his head bent in reverence and his startling eyes that wouldn’t waver from hers, she had no choice but to accept his words as truth.

The guilt and the doubt didn’t evaporate into nothing, but their power over her waned.

Emma nodded—acknowledgement, gratitude, something else, she wasn’t sure—and they ventured into safer, less dramatic topics that allowed for a lighter atmosphere to settle over them.

Watching the ship, as it turned out, was not the most interesting job. There was very little for them to do except wait for the others to return, though Emma was relieved for something unexciting for a change. She needed the respite much more than she’d realized, and though the absence of constant panic was almost jarring enough to cause panic itself, she convinced herself that she was secure for the afternoon.

The first interruption to her temporary peace came when a figure appeared on the dock a few steps from the gangplank. Killian and Emma stood, their hands reaching for their swords in a synchronized motion that made the stranger chuckle softly.

“Exactly as Red described,” the woman said, pushing her hood back to reveal a heart-shaped face and blonde hair that was piled atop her head. “Permission to come aboard, Captain?” she asked, looking expectantly at Emma.

Emma relaxed at the mention of her godmother, but she did not alter her posture to show it. She nodded sharply, and Killian stepped forward to put himself between her and the stranger. The action wasn’t shocking or offensive to Emma’s pride; instead, it asserted the rank she held and the loyalty of those who followed her.

The woman was petite, but she moved with the surety of someone who had seen hardship and battle. “They call me Tink,” she informed them once she’d boarded. “I was told I could find you here.”

It took everything in Emma’s power not to revert to her diplomatic training. She could not smile politely, could not offer refreshments or entertainment. Here, she had to appear coarse and immoveable like the captain she was supposed to be, at least until they knew Tink could be trusted.

Killian, following her lead as always, did not falter to play his part. “What is your business here?”

“Friends of yours—Red and Liam—told me you’re looking for a few additions to your crew. I’d like to offer my services,” Tink said, unshaken by their front.

“Why?” Emma asked, and her gut pinched at the rude tone in her voice.

A smile spread across Tink’s face as she paused before speaking. “Well, they’d hardly tell me, would they?” She laughed at her own joke, and then continued, “But they seemed significantly more interested once they learned about my dislike for the Evil Queen, so I suspect that’s got something to do with it.”

“You have a personal vendetta?” Killian asked, though it didn’t quite seem like that much of a question.

Tink’s arms folded across her chest, the smile disappearing from her lips. “I’m an ex-fairy,” she replied, “and let’s just say that before I met Regina, I was not an ex-fairy.”

“And now you’re looking for revenge,” Killian offered.

“Justice,” Tink corrected. “But yes, I’d like to help in the fight against her.”

Emma glanced at Killian just as he was turning back to her, and their eyes locked for a moment. Had Red and Liam been there to witness the silent conversation that passed, there would have been a hushed discussion between them later. Without them there, the only acknowledgement of the event was Tink who smiled to herself.

“Joining this crew would guarantee a death at her hand if we’re caught,” Emma warned, her demeanor nearly returning to normal with Tink’s objective revealed.

Tink cocked her head slightly, her wide eyes studying Emma with a level of perception neither she nor Killian could comprehend. “You’re not just a captain, are you?”

“No.”

“You’re someone special,” Tink added, “I may not be a fairy anymore, but I can still feel it. Who are you?”

At this question, Killian tensed, his eyes scanning their surroundings. Once he’d determined that there was no one close enough to become a threat, he looked back at Emma, another silent inquiry.

Emma moved, a hand on his shoulder to calm him as she passed, and when she stood directly in front of Tink, she almost felt like the princess she hadn’t been in months.

“My name is Emma, and I am the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.”

The shock on Tink’s face was less than Emma had anticipated, but the grin that replaced it eased her worries. “I knew you weren’t just running,” she said, “and I would be honored to join you in saving your kingdom and your family. Beating Regina is simply a bonus.”

Emma offered her hand to shake, and Tink accepted both the gesture and the wordless accord that came with it. “Welcome aboard,” Emma said.

Emma returned above deck from checking the storeroom with Terry, finding Killian speaking with Tink and the other sailor who had been sent by Red and Liam before the suppliers had made their way back.

August Booth was a man who could be charming when he wished to be, but the scowl that had overtaken his expression upon the mention of the Evil Queen left Emma with no doubt of his loyalty. He asked fewer questions than Tink, but his curious eyes were revealing to anyone who cared to look.

To any passing observer, Killian looked relaxed as he stood before the two crew members. His shoulders were back, his left hand resting casually against the hilt of his sword. But Emma could tell by the angle of his neck that he was watching the pier for unexpected visitors, and the set of his feet prepared him for a fight.

“It’s definitely a step up from the last ship I sailed on,” Tink said, her nose wrinkling at a distasteful memory.

“I’m afraid my sailing experience is limited to what I’ve learned in the last few months,” August said with a glance towards Killian, “but I’ve been told that I’m a fast learner, so I hope the captain won’t throw me off at the next port.”

Killian chuckled, “So long as you follow orders, you’ll be fine.”

Emma was pleased to find that Killian had warmed somewhat to August, as he’d been uncharacteristically sharp upon meeting him. While Emma had eased into the topic of the Evil Queen, Killian had been skeptical and quick to determine August’s exact beliefs regarding Emma’s family. August’s father had been murdered when Regina had torn apart the village outside the castle, and though Emma read his grief and anger as nothing threatening to her, Killian had bluntly asked if August found the former king and queen at fault in the tragedy.

Now she leaned casually against the mainmast, neither announcing herself nor bothering to hide to effectively eavesdrop as she watched the group while they talked.

“I’ve heard that the princess is quite the fighter,” August added, studying Killian carefully as he spoke.

It was not the sun that brought red to Killian’s cheeks and to the tips of his ears. “Aye, I have yet to see her equal,” he admitted, making no attempt to mask the pride in his voice.

“Do you suppose she’d agree to a demonstration later?” Tink wondered.

“We could prove our worth with a sword,” August offered, grinning at the prospect.

“You’d have to ask her yourself,” Killian replied. “I’d be happy to spar with you both if you’d like. I don’t pretend to be as skilled as the princess, but I can manage well enough.”

Before Emma could interrupt to agree to the demonstration, a creak of the wood and a flash of movement from the corner of her eye brought her attention away from them. Her defensive instincts sputtered when she recognized Red and Liam, though the third person to step onto the gangplank was a stranger to her.

Killian reacted as she’d expected him to, turning away from Tink and August to meet his brother. They exchanged a nod that held unspoken words, and when Killian stood before the potential crew member, his body language conveyed his reserve. Tink and August fell back, acknowledging Red and Liam without moving towards the man.

“This is Will Scarlet,” Red announced, not meeting Emma’s gaze though she was aware of her presence.

Will Scarlet had no scabbard to hold his sword, but rather a knife that was secured in a leather casing along his belt. His lips were pressed into a tight line, his gaze traveling from each person until it settled on Emma, and she had a feeling that he knew more than he should’ve with a single glance. It was the kind of thing that one learned when forced to, the ability to read a person’s intentions by their movements and everything they did not say.

“I suppose you’re the captain,” he said, causing every eye to shoot towards her. His tone was casual, unaffected, but there was a gravity in his posture that revealed something much more intense.

Emma nodded slowly, but she didn’t move from her position as she leaned against the mast. Her gaze drifted from Will to Killian in a flicker, but she focused back on the stranger before a second had passed.

“I hope our choices have been acceptable thus far, Captain,” Liam said, more a question than a statement. The tone was unfitting of the camaraderie they’d achieved, maintaining the pretense of rank in front of Will.

“Indeed,” Emma replied. She paused, testing the bounds of their attentiveness and therefore respect. No one moved, no one breathed, all waiting for her to speak as they knew she would. There were many differences between acting as a captain and acting as a princess, but commanding the attention of a room, or a deck, was a similarity.

“I was about to consent to a sparring exercise—a demonstration, if you will—for our new recruits when you arrived,” she continued. When her eyes landed on Will, she made a show of studying him. “I assume that you carry no sword because you have no need of one,” she added.

The corners of his lips twitched, his hand patting the leather case that held his knife. “They’re a waste of metal, if you ask me,” he told her, “I prefer to keep things simple.”

She hummed, gauging his expression to determine if he boasted a skill level that he did not possess. “And you believe that you deserve a place on this ship?” she asked, pushing his temper, his pride, to see if she could find a weak spot.

“What I do or do not deserve isn’t important, is it?” he replied, a grumbling sound that came from his throat that revealed either a mild irritation or anger directed towards a third party. “The way I see it, it’s what the Evil Queen deserves that really matters,” he nearly spat, though there was no lack of control in his voice.

Emma, though she couldn’t admit it without first determining Will’s loyalty, was impressed. His eyes burned with a familiar enduring rage that she had seen each time she’d looked in the mirror.

“I’m guessing you’re aware of the risks you’d be taking should you join us?” Emma asked, measuring each shift in his expression for anything alarming.

“I’d hardly be here if I couldn’t face the consequences,” Will said. “And you’re not the first crusade against the Evil Queen that I’ve joined, although Red seems to think you’d give me a better chance than that lot ever did.”

“We beat her or we die trying,” Emma told him as she pushed herself off the mast and moved a few steps towards him, all the ferocity she’d been attempting to hide away behind the sadness and the guilt leaking out in her voice. “Are you ready for that?”

Will grinned, his eyes darkening. “You can count on it, Captain.”

Emma didn’t wait more than a moment before she turned to face the others. “Red, fill him in. Liam, make sure Terry’s ready to set sail and get us going. I want us in the wind before sunset, and we’ve got a prisoner to hand over before we can leave,” she ordered, though her tone had dropped the unforgiving command as she surrendered her facade. “Killian, show our newest allies to their quarters once Scarlet has been briefed, and then I’d like you and your brother to join me in escorting Silver off this ship.”

No one hesitated to obey the second she finished speaking, and though Killian lingered to hold her gaze for a long moment, he said nothing. Emma could not regret this, because there was no lack of communication in his sparkling eyes.

Violence had always been a part of her life. It was a byproduct of her existence, a necessity, a simple truth. But before her last ride from the castle, she had never considered herself a violent person. True violence was always accompanied with a driving force beyond rationality, perhaps a hatred, a passionate fury, or bloodlust. Those particular feelings did not promote impartiality or decorum, and they had certainly never been a part of her training. But as Emma walked behind the Jones brothers, watching Silver stumble and fight against his restraints and the firm hands of Killian and Liam, she felt at least two of those three feelings.

He hadn’t come quietly, neither physically nor verbally passive, and the bit of cloth preventing him from speaking had been a necessary addition. He had swung at her and at the brothers, he had tried to kick and scratch at them before the rope had limited his movements, but none of that had affected her the way his words had.

It was not his insults towards her that had stirred the violent feelings she felt now, but rather it was his cutting remarks aimed at Liam and Killian that had led to the swelling cheek he now brandished.

She had known cruelty—hell, she had looked it in the eye and watched its wine-colored lips smile at her—but she had never known it quite like this. Because Silver held no power. He would hang, he would die, he would never be seen by any of them again, and yet he still attempted to slice at the brothers and prod every wound he believed they had. He was a desperate man, she knew. He was a coward. He was a fool.

Silver was defenseless, hopeless, powerless, and yet Emma still wished to draw her sword and cut him the way he’d tried to cut the Jones brothers.

Her hand curled around the hilt of her sword, her grip so tight that it nearly hurt her to hold it. She focused on her steps rather than the anger that swirled in her chest, the hatred that shuddered in her stomach and traveled up to her shoulders and made them tremble as she restrained herself.

Liam spoke quickly and efficiently with the jailor when they arrived, and Emma kept herself three paces behind them to prevent her violence from pushing her to interfere. There were a few formalities that took some time to sort out, some documents to sign verifying witnesses, and the only thing that held Emma back was the look on Killian’s face.

It didn’t lack the anger she felt, but his was the expression of a man resolved. He accepted Silver’s fate and wished for nothing more. His fists did not clench in preparation of beating him, his lips did not part to issue his sentence or even a parting taunt that bragged of flipped roles or lost and gained freedom. If Killian could watch the man who had carved lines into his back with near equanimity, what right did she have to act on her desires?

She signed her name Emma Swan, gave Silver one last pointed glare, and then she led the brothers back towards their ship, eager to put as much distance as possible between them and this port.

#Captain swan ff #ouat ff #how restlessly the stars do gleam #chapter three #Princess Emma #ef au mc #major cs fic rec

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snowbellewells · 2 years ago

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Finished Work: “The Weight of the Crown (is a Feather on the Waves)”

At long last here is the conclusion to @kmomof4‘s birthday fic begun back in October. I am sorry it took so long Krystal, but I hope you will enjoy!

Summary: Newly crowned Queen Emma must face her childhood friend, now arrested for piracy, and the responsibility to her crown and people weighs all too heavily on her shoulders. Killian may be a pirate, but there is more to the story than others know, and she can hardly bear to betray him now.

This is now (maybe?) almost M-rated in the second part. I’ll let you readers be the judge of that. The last two section breaks are where that occurs, so if you don’t want to read my attempts at a love scene stop at that next-to-last page break.

Link to Part One Here on Tumblr

Also available on Ao3, if that is your preference....

Part Two

They were hardly out on the open sea, barely beyond her kingdom’s waters, when Emma - thrilled though she was to be reunited with her dearest friend and practically trembling with awareness at the feel of his calloused hand over hers on the wheel while he guided her through steering his ship - felt the pangs of guilt creeping into her awareness. She had abandoned her post, left her duty undone. The throne she had been raised to take over, the people she had been trained to rule, all her life, were left behind with those cold, unfeeling sycophants in her absence.

Her breath hitched in her chest, a choked sort of cry stifled inside her before it could make much sound, was either heard or felt by Killian all the same. Near as their bodies were pressed together at the helm against the crisp, strident wind coming off the waves, it was no real surprise he had caught the movement, but more than that, he had always possessed an uncanny ability to recognize her moods, knowing when she was angry, amused or troubled - sometimes before she could fully realize it herself.

“Come now, Swan,” he crooned softly at her ear, his free arm not helping to steer wrapped around her waist as his warm breath ruffled the loose curls blown free about her face by the wind. “Talk to me, Princess… you always could before.”

Emma swallowed, not sure where to begin or quite how to explain. It was the truth; once upon a time he had been her trusted ally - and she his as well - but this flight from her own land had been her decision. To free him and abscond herself, she had chosen that willingly, and she did not intend to make him feel as though he were at fault. Shaking her head slightly, Emma gave no response, though she did lean into his side where they stood together at the bow, relishing the comfort of his embrace on her wrought emotions.

It would seem, however - just as when they were young - that Killian could not leave a problem at rest if it might be within his power to solve it. Merely holding her apparently would not do, even if for several quiet minutes they each soaked up the peaceful stillness in the warmth of each other’s presence after years apart. Yet, after an interval, his low voice husked once again, pleading gently but fervently, “Princess, please… let me in. I have not been away so long as to not know when you are troubled.”

Sighing, Emma turned just slightly, pulling away merely far enough to look into Killian’s eyes and trace a finger across his furrowed brow as he studied her with concern. She felt as if she no longer deserved the title, but the way he called her Princess, the way his beloved voice enveloped the honorific, warmed her to her very soul. Rather than flattery or forced obeisance, from Killian, it felt like the birthright it had always been meant to be.

“You need not call me that,” she finally whispered, looking away with a sense of shame. She could not have stood by and seen him sacrificed, not when she was the only person who could prevent it, but had she instead sacrificed all the other lives meant to be in her care?

“What… Princess?” he questioned, knowing what she meant, but having to be sure, because of course she was the Princess - his Princess - nothing could ever change that. “Why would you say such a thing?”

“I left my people to those vultures!” she spat, pushing from his arms and taking several steps away, to lean over the ship’s rail gulping lungfuls of the brisk, chill air, needing the distance to keep herself from sinking back into his arms and allowing him to soften the blow. “I acted out of my own wishes, fleeing what I could not bear, regardless of their needs. A-and even before that…I was only…pretending. I am not my parents… I could never be the ruler that they were together.”

Killian didn’t hesitate for even a second to follow her, trailing her along the ship’s railing and reeling her into the solid warmth of his chest once more, her nose tickled briefly by the hair peeking from the open collar of his shirt as she clung to his waist, breathing in the scent of him that she had almost forgotten with the years - salt of sea spray, a spicy musk, worn wooden planks, and fresh ocean breeze. She couldn’t help but feel some sort of pressure inside her release. Since her parents’ loss, and their state funeral, the rituals and decisions which had to be made, she had put up a shield, forced herself to remain strong, to cover the fear, the despair, the trembling grief rending her heart in two. She could ill afford to show weakness; she had to embody strength. Yet, there in Killian’s arms on the open water, so far from the court and the whispers and how she had been forced to hide, Emma could finally let go.

Before she knew it was coming, she was sobbing into his skin, melting at the feel of his strong hand gently stroking her back, soothing murmurs whispered into her hair. The whipping wind and crashing waves hid the sound and swept her tears away as they fell. She could finally grieve, and it refused to be held back any longer.

“Let it out, Darling,” he crooned, swaying slightly with her enclosed safely in his grasp, only letting go enough to lightly stay their course with a slight turn of the wheel. He would be there for her in this moment. There was nothing he wanted more. It was why he had returned, risking his mission, his freedom, his very life, to do so. He had known what the loss of her mother and father would do to her, how alone she would feel, and yet how determined she would be to carry on. Never would he have expected anything less from the young royal he had grown up beside. He had missed much in the intervening years, including the joy of seeing her blossom into the stunning woman who had first met his eyes as he was brought before her throne for judgement.

Had it truly been just yesterday? His mind reeled at how quickly so much had changed, and he could only imagine the havoc playing on Emma’s emotions already wrung and strained to the limit by grief and isolation.

Still, there were some things time and distance did not change. Even as children, she had seen him no differently than herself or any of the other highborn youth she knew. He was accepted and valued as an equal, just as he knew she had been raised seeing her parents treat the youngest or most lowly of servants with the same respect given to the highest officials and visiting dignitaries. She had come by her goodness and fair, kind heart most naturally, and it had been nurtured by loving parents who saw that gentle grace as strength rather than weakness. Of course, she feared to fail those whom she saw as her responsibility with her parents’ loss. Killian would wish her to be no other way. Still, he hated to see her in pain and regretted that his capture while seeking to ascertain if she was well had meant such a wrenching decision on her part.

Letting her have all the time she needed (the heavens above only knew how long she had been damming such raw heartache and fear inside) he only spoke again beyond soothing murmurs when he felt her drawing a large, shaky breath to steady herself and her tears finally slowed.

“Emma, darling, please know that I am in awe of you - the risk you took, the sacrifice you made to save my unworthy hide.” Here he crooked his forefinger, placing it under her chin to tilt her face up to meet his eyes. Relieved when she offered a watery smile in return, he continued. “All the same, I do not expect to keep you from your birthright any longer than necessary. Nor would I force you to choose between myself and your beloved subjects who need you. It was never my intention to stay gone from Misthaven permanently…”

Emma shook her head uncomprehendingly, her mussed golden hair flying about her face in the breeze, even as he attempted to smooth it back for her solicitously. “But Killian,” she protested, “you cannot mean to return now. It would be suicide - or madness! They intended to force your execution!”

“Oh aye,” he affirmed, eyes glittering with a banked strength and cool calculation that sent shivers up and down her spine. “I know that is their goal. However, if we find what I have been seeking all this time, I will gain redemption, and we will end their covetous grasping for power once and for all.”

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

Emma’s blunt but eagerly intrigued questions in spite of her initial confusion had bolstered Killian’s confidence when he began to haltingly explain the proof he had sought, keeping him far from her for so long. Her brow scrunched in serious thought was utterly charming, leaving him absolutely unable to resist kissing that furrow lightly before he pressed on, illuminating the plot he believed he had uncovered.

In the years since he had known Emma well, since he had set sail with his brother, newly named Captain of his own ship, full of wide-eyed dreams and the naive belief of winning glory and proving himself worthy upon his return to seek her hand, much had changed. He often felt he could barely remember that young lieutenant with the entire world in front of him. Liam’s loss, and the treachery which had caused it, had changed his life’s trajectory. Killian had vowed in the pit of anger and despair that he would not return to Misthaven until he had physical proof in hand; the supporting evidence he needed to see justice done. And he had been sailing with that goal, wandering far from home and comfort, ever since. All the same, when, in some backwater dockside tavern, word reached his ears of the king and queen’s deaths - of the loss Emma had suffered - nothing else had mattered more than reaching her side. Now that they were reunited, it was time he confided in her; she deserved to know the truth he sought.

Even as his words had barely begun to spill from his lips, Killian felt some fraction of their weight lift from his shoulders. Emma seemed to understand their magnitude almost immediately, and looked up at him with unblinking devotion, not flinching or pulling away, but trusting his word without question. She didn’t interrupt with questions or reasoning at all, even when he spoke of the duplicitous nature of their mission learned too late and whom he suspected was responsible. Only when he choked out, voice faltering tremulously, how Liam had died in his arms, did she move at all, pulling him closer and running her fingers gently through the hair at the nape of his neck in silent comfort. His eyes closed involuntarily with unshed tears at the soothing gesture, sheer relief still flooding him merely at unveiling the hurt he had carried alone for so many years.

Her unswerving support and acceptance, the sense that Emma would stand behind him whatever he revealed bolstered him as he began to explain further - painful as it was, it was needed too, like lancing a festered wound. He was finally able to purge the haunting darkness that lingered over the memories of that special, top secret quest to a distant and long-forgotten island, and how Liam’s blind faith in the honor of their superiors had led to his demise. By the time he reached the realization he had come to - that he and his brother had been used as pawns and considered an acceptable loss - and revealed the blackguards he feared were still lurking in the naval hierarchy and the royal court as well, Emma’s fingers clutched his arms with a white-knuckled grip, her lips pressed firmly in a thin line. Yet, though she appeared pale and shaken, she clearly did not doubt him. He loved her all the more for it, even as his heart broke to shatter her good faith in some of those whom her own parents had trusted and she had been led to as well.

“Killian,” she whispered, eyes wide and the tiniest of tremors coursing through her as she looked to him almost plaintively. “Could these same people have caused my parents’ deaths as well? The sickness struck them both so suddenly, seemingly from out of nowhere. Would these villains’ treachery truly aim that high?”

Her words struck new resolve into his vow. Though he had long since sworn that he would not rest until Liam was avenged, seeing Emma’s pain, and knowing all too well that the villainy she suggested was entirely possible, renewed his commitment to justice - for his brother, his hero, and for her parents as well. He might still be without the tangible proof he needed to see those responsible punished, but he would get it. He knew it was out there. He hadn’t been able to find it alone, but together he knew they would. He would never stop fighting, and he had yet to see Emma fail.

Hating that his response would almost surely rip open anew wounds that were only barely beginning to heal, Killian sighed before looking her steadily in the eye. A quick, somber dip of his chin affirmed her query as well as his weighted “Aye” that followed.

Emma’s breath felt trapped somewhere in her throat at his affirmation. Those same advisors and nobles who had wanted her to hang this man beside her, his strong arms the only thing holding her together, were likely hiding the villain he sought. Grasping, devious jackals, they had clung onto her parents’ robes for years, snapping up any rewards and morsels they could get their hands on. Did they plot to topple the King and Queen for their own gain? What more could they be seeking? They’d been well taken care of - more than Emma had often thought they deserved. Could they really think she would grant them more? They had to know better… Or did they think she would be more easily misled? Fooled and towed along under their influence?

Her thoughts richocheted around inside her head; her breaths growing more rapid and labored before she even realized, until Killian gently murmured soothing nonsense in her ear, wrapped one arm more tightly around her shoulder and lead her over to where she could sit on a large barrel near his place at the wheel.

Suddenly though, she did not wish to be soothed. She wanted to charge back into her kingdom, into the throne room and demand the truth. Challenge them all, look them in the eyes, and discover any who had actually dared to repay her mother and father’s mercy and kindness with murder. She couldn’t bear to let the indignant fire burn low. It was not to be borne!

Once more it seemed he could read her mind. “Emma, love, I know the anger you’re feeling,” he began gently, not coddling her, but lingering within reach the moment she needed him. “Your parents were the best people I know… outside of Liam… and yourself, of course.”

She couldn’t help the way her heart fluttered at Killian’s warmth and sincerity in that admission, even as her ire rose again when he continued.

“They did not deserve such repayment for their generosity - nor did Liam in his trust and dedication. But do not give all over to vengeance. It’s a dangerous slope I have nearly fallen down too many times since Liam’s death. We must be strong, Love. We will see justice done, I swear it. But I will not see you lose who you are in the process.”

Tears burned against the back of her lids as she blinked rapidly, determined not to let more fall. She wondered almost dazedly how there could be any water left within her to cry. For months now, ever since her mother had followed her father into unconsciousness and it became frightfully clear they might not recover, that she might never again see their eyes open to gaze on her with the loving, doting expressions she had taken for granted all her life, she had felt so alone. She had held her head high as they planned the funeral service, chosen their final robes and garb, accepted expressions of loyalty and support from foreign leaders, and weathered suggestions and criticism from her own counsel. Through it all, she had held fast like a rock outcropping in a raging sea, buffetted and struck by waves over and again, yet unmoved, though she felt the wearing pressure with each strike. To have him there before her now, blue gaze burning intensely into her own, hands clasping hers tightly as if to even more fervently impress upon her the sincerity of his words. His vow was sealed, he would not be swayed whatever might come, and for Emma that was more than enough, more than she could have looked for. After barely holding the tattered pieces of her life together for so long with just her own two trembling hands, his support, his added strength, was everything to her in that moment.

And so, when he bent his head to lightly kiss her brow in reassurance, Emma tipped her head back, pushed up onto her toes and brought her lips to meet his instead. Her unexpected fervor lent her unerring accuracy, and as their mouths met, Emma felt a sense of rightness unlike any she had ever known. A shudder ran through Killian at the show of passion, but he didn’t pull away, with a low rumble of pleasure in his chest, he gathered her to himself and pressed further, delving into the kiss with a fire that stole her remaining breath.

There emblazoned against the sun burning on the far horizon, Princess Emma’s roiling, storm-tossed world righted itself again. She could see the course before her, with her pirate at the helm, standing at his side. And together, they would not fail.

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

It was some months later yet, when they sailed into Misthaven’s port once more. As Killian’s ship jauntily sliced through the lapping waves of the bustling harbor, seagulls crying overhead and his crewmen calling out to those on shore as they tossed out lines and manuevered toward an empty berth, Emma stood at the rail, eyes wide to take in every detail of her beloved homeland, anxious to see if there had been any noticeable changes. The salt breeze lifted her loose blond hair off her neck, and she turned her face into it, savoring the crisp, invigorating air and the freedom it whispered to her.

In truth, if she had not felt so responsible for things here, were she not duty bound to return and see wrongs made right, she would have stayed at sea with Killian forever. The shipboard life had more than agreed with her as days, and then weeks, had rolled by - it had been exhilarating.

And, with a wry smile and knowing shake of the head, she conceded to herself as she glanced down at the looser, lighter garb she wore, Emma found herself humorously wondering if any of those in the cabinet she had left behind would even recognize her. She had to admit to herself that she did look more like the buccaneers around her on the Jolly’s deck than the sheltered princess she had been when she left.

She had never imagined herself leaving Misthaven at all, but now it felt strange returning to her home. Perhaps the real truth was that her home had shifted. She let her gaze scan the wooden planks and spars until they found Killian’s form standing tall, directing his men, manning the wheel; capable, in chage, and electrically commanding all her attention the moment her eyes rested on his beloved face. Home was with him now; she had cast her lot as clearly as he had his own.

And then before she knew it, they were disembarking, her hand resting warily on Killian’s arm, alert to be sure none would move to take him from her before they had said their piece. His men remained with the ship, watching over it steadfastly until their captain returned, knowing none would dare board or try to take her from them.

All eyes on the long dock turned toward their wayward ruler as she walked on the arm of a known brigand, a criminal whose visage they must surely have seen gracing wanted posters from here to the castle. As they stepped off the gangplank, Emma forced herself to hold the gaze of any who met hers, to carry herself, not only as the returning monarch of her realm, but as the pirate queen she had just begun to find within.

She could feel Killian’s muscles tense beneath her fingers, coiled and ready for action at the slightest provocation or mere hint of a threat toward her. Even by touching only his wiry forearm, she took comfort in the vigilance and surety he radiated - even moreso as he placed his hook in clear view of any who might approach them. The false casualty of the way he held himself sent as clear a message as anything could that neither of them were to be trifled with - and that he had the ability to back up his unspoken threat.

The crowd along the wharf parted for them on either side as they made their way along the streets to the path which would lead them all the way to her castle. Emma could feel countless stares peppering her skin, but she merely kept her face forward, standing tall, her hand on Killian’s arm as they passed through the throng determined not to let any of her nerves or uncertainty show.

It seemed to take no time to reach their destination, and looking up at the familiar walls of strong, unyielding stone, Emma marveled that though it had been months, and she felt changed to her very core, the castle keep seemed as it ever had - unaltered in its grandeur, and familiar as if it had merely been awaiting her return. They were let in immediately by many of the same guards who had watched over Emma and her family all of her life, and though she stiffened at the mistrustful, cold stares directed her pirate’s way, no worse action followed, and they entered unmolested.

Emma knew the way, and she did not hesitate. She felt emotion rising deep inside her, but it was not fear of what they would face next, or fear of not being welcomed back to her rightful place. Instead, it was righteous anger and the churning in her gut calling for vindication - for Liam Jones, for her parents… and for Killian himself. They had found their proof at last, gained testimony form a witness who confirmed what Killian had always suspected. Vipers in their court, posing as friends while wrecking havoc and setting up a future for themselves, no matter the cost to those sacrificed on the way.

As they reached the Grand Hall, she clutching the vial in her hand and Killian with sworn witness statement in his grasp, Emma stormed into the council meeting she knew would be in progress. She would not wait, nor give the culprits any chance to sneak off and avoid capture. They had surprise on their side, and they would rapidly lose that as word traveled of their arrival.

The mammoth wooden doors swung back with a dull thud against the stone wall as Emma charged through, heedless of the commotion, and headed right into the midst of her arguing, overdressed advisors. Marching forward, she didn’t stop until she came to a halt right at the end of the large table where the others sat. Her green eyes flashed with righteous lightning, her lithe form straight and proud, and her shoulders back as she stared them all down with a magnificence that stole Killian’s breath. He could not take his eyes off her.

Her “Uncle” Grumpy stood awkwardly, spluttering and starting off, “Now, see here…”

But it was not the angry man or his nervous looking brothers who held Emma’s attention. She was busy watching the reactions of Lady Bleu and Sir Sidney in particular. While Granny Lucas, and even traditional old Marco, at least had the decency to express their joy and relief at seeing her home and well, Emma studied the furtive glances and anxious squirming that sought to go unnoticed in those she already knew were guilty.

And when Lady Bleu stood from her seat at the head of the table, facing Emma, clearly having become council head in the new queen’s absence, opened her mouth to begin a falsely gentle reprimand about how things were done and barging in to disrupt a meeting’s progress, Emma was ready.

Though he had been searching longer, had given so much of himself, and had every bit as strong and just a claim, Killian only stood at her shoulder, a silent, firm support as she faced them all down. He knew she must show strength and leadership here, to take back what was rightfully hers from those who had plotted to wrest it away.

“You lost sight of ‘how we do things’ long ago,” Emma warned in a voice that brooked no condescension or subterfuge, not anymore. Holding up the vial in her hand, containing the poison for all those gathered to see. “This would not exist otherwise. My parents would still be here to guide us, as would Captain Liam Jones of their royal navy,” she intoned gravely.

It was obvious to all how Lady Bleu’s admonishments died on her tongure, and she sank wordlessly to her seat; not to mention how all color drained from Sir Sidney’s visage. Not a word or sound escaped his uselessly opening and closing mouth.

They had a captive audience then, and were not interrupted as Emma placed the deadly vial on the table and explained just what it could do - the damage it had already done. Even as she then ceded the floor to Killian to explain his part of the tale, one which went back much further than she knew, none of their listeners moved or seemed to breathe. Their claims from months ago that still rang in Emma’s ear and haunted her nightmares - that he was only a filthy, marauding pirate, not even deserving to live - seemed forgotten in the wake of the revelations and evidence he laid before them. Finally they knew, as Emma always had, that he had only deserted because his orders, his superiors, had been corrupt. He had gone rogue to find the truth and make things right.

In light of the knowledge they had procured, it did not take the rest of the council long to find the conspirators for the crown guilty, leading them away until they could be tried. Perhaps it made Emma cruel, but she could not deny the satisfaction she felt at Lady Bleu, Sir Sidney, and a few keys others she knew less well, being led away to the cells as Killian had been not so very long ago.

Looking over to him, Emma found her sailor already watching her with an awed and peaceful look in his eye - one she had not seen since he and his brother set sail on that fateful mission years ago. It was finally done. He had seen his vow fulfilled.

Tears started in the corner of Emma’s eyes, though they didn’t yet fall. She had not known to make such a vow, but the image of her mother’s kind hearted, hopeful face swam before her eyes just then, remembering all the times Queen Snow had told her daughter about their duty to their people, the privilege and honor they enjoyed, and the care and respect their subjects were due in return. To think that some of those Snow had most trusted in her mission to rule an honest and fair kingdom had betrayed her; had plotted the demise of one so pure of heart and devoted to their well-being, sliced Emma’s heart open anew. Yet, to think that she had aided in some small measure in seeing that poisonous root dug out and exposed once and for all… it was the best thing she could have done to honor her mother’s memory.

Killian’s face clearly showed he could read her thoughts and understood them only too well. They lingered just long enough to see that things would be stable until morning - and to be certain all were fully aware of Captain Jones’ full pardon, before they excused themselves for the night. Exhaustion both physical and mental was beginning to take hold, and there would be much more yet to do on the morrow.

It had been a long and arduous journey, but they could at last drop anchor and draw breath in peace. As they slipped below deck into his cabin, Emma drew strength from that, and for the moment let it be enough.

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

Below decks as her captain lit a lamp and some candles to flicker gently against the darkness, and Emma could once more feel the easy rocking of the waves she had grown to love, tension and worry slid from her shoulders like a discarded cloak. She watched Killian move gracefully about the small space while she stood near his bunk, simply drinking him in with wide eyes, finally believing that the worst battle had been won, and they were still together, standing in his sacred space, readily made hers as well.

His gaze found hers across the room, and though there was still an echo of long-held grief within his eyes, there was affection and the sparkle of dawning joy in the stunning blue as well. A smile lifted one corner of his lips as he made his way toward her, one Emma returned with warmth suffusing her at his look and her heart fluttering madly in her chest.

He had long since discarded his leather great coat over the back of a chair, but now one-handed he was deftly unbuttoning the last few buttons he had bothered with at all, and his loose shirt fell open, exposing the dark hair that trailed down his firm stomach, the sight making Emma’s mouth go dry. Though she had been presented when she came of age, courted and wooed by eligible young royals and nobles from far and wide, she was still largely innocent when it came to men, Killian standing before her in his open shirt and simple breeches the most undressed she had ever seen one - anything else she knew came from extremely furtive research in the castle library and her own imagination.

Until this very moment in fact, when she found herself lightheaded and dizzy with what she could only assume was true need and desire, she had never wanted to see more of anyone else; her memories and dreams of the man standing before her now had been enough. Her pulse pounded wildly, hammering at her temple as he continued drawing closer, holding her in his thrall, until he soundlessly came to a halt right in front of her.

“Are you alright, Emma?” he murmured, bending to peer into her face more closely, concern at her speechlessness and rapid breathing clear on his countenance as he delicately brushed a stray hair back from her face.

She tried to find her voice, but still found herself nodding mutely in response; eyes drinking him in ravenously, but her mouth dry with nervous surprise and giddy anticipation; her tongue seemingly fused to the roof of her mouth.

“My Princess,” he added, his voice as much a caress as his fingers over the apple of her cheek, trailing down her neck, and skimming across her collarbone. The rough callouses from years hauling ropes, gripping the wheel, manning his ship through all weather and danger, were a delicious contrast to the soft delicacy of her own skin, and Emma shivered despite herself. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she continued to hold her pirate’s gaze, pleading with him to continue his ministrations, which she had no words to explain. Her face flamed at her own brazen desire even as she stepped backward just once, enough to feel the bunk against the back of her knees, and then rose on tiptoes to press her bosom more fully into his wandering hand, mewling for a kiss until his mouth fully captured hers.

Killian’s eyes widened at Emma’s actions, a groan reverberating in his chest, almost pained to hesitate longer. When he swept his tongue between her willing lips, she gasped, trembling, but far from protesting leaned further into his arms, opening gladly as her eyes slid closed in bliss.

Clutching Killian’s arms to keep herself from collapse, Emma’s senses reeled at the onslaught he brought to life within. She felt at once burning from the inside out and doused in cool relief at finally knowing his passionate touch. It was nothing to fall back upon the thin mattress which had held her sailor all the nights they had been apart, and open her arms for him, welcoming him to her embrace in turn. She felt chills at being parted from his warmth for even a second after the inferno he had stoked in her veins, and she could only feel euphoria when he lunged forward, covering her with his long, lean frame once more.

Drawing a shuddering breath, Emma brought both hands to cradle Killian’s scruffy cheeks between her palms, searching his waiting expression and lovingly stroking her thumb along the trace of the scar beneath his right eye.

“My Love?” Killian whispered, his breath bearing warm concern as he voiced the question.

“Yes, Killian,” she murmured, nodding vigorously and pulling him closer still, both answering his soft address and granting him permission, giving him all, and urging him on, at once. “Please…”

The smile which broke over Killian’s face then was incandescent, crinkling up the corners of his eyes and transforming his entire aspect to pure joy. “Oh, my Swan,” he crooned, leaning down to briefly capture her lips again, then languidly, sensuously beginning to trail down her body, eyes still watching her with a devilish humor twinkling beyond the sheer devotion.

“Killian,” she managed, trembling at his every touch and fluttering breath along her skin, knowing they have finally neared the point when they will become one.

With purpose, he pulled one of her boots, then the other, from her feet, followed by her stockings, and then he was working the tight borrowed breeches she had worn since boarding his ship down her legs and baring the very heart of her to his hungry eyes.

Lifting her foot to bestow a kiss to its arch, Killian ran the cool steel curve of his hook up her leg with weighted portent, from the ankle he still held aloft all the way to the crease where her leg joined her body, making her squirm at the proximity to where she already sensed such need for his touch, even if the wealth of those pleasures were yet unknown to her.

Emma flushed all over at how the blue of Killian’s eyes darkened and burned as he drank her in, actually licking his lips while that devouring gaze travelled the length of her laid out before him and came to rest where she felt embarrassingly, desperately wet and clenching for his touch. She did not know what to say or how to urge him on, and as he hovered over her, she almost tried to hide or cover herself, before he worked his hips into the cradle of her quivering thighs, running his hand along her bared side and mouthing encouragements into her skin.

“Swan, Love, you are a marvel,” he proclaimed, his scruff abrading her most sensitive skin, tingling and sending shivers of ecstasy out from the very center of her to top of her head and the tips of her fingers and toes. “And I find…” here he pressed several openmouthed kisses to punctuate his words before again trailing his hook along the path his lips had made. “Pirate that I am…” until his hand and the carefully wielded steel held her open for his onslaught as she panted and writhed, torn between pleading for more and begging for mercy, “I find I must stake my claim to such decadent… unsullied… treasure.”

Then his tongue and teeth were there, feeling as if he would turn her inside out in bliss. Emma’s fingers scrabbled wildly for purchase across the sheets and fisted in his hair, her head thrashing desperately on the pillow beneath it. “It’s - Oh!....Ah! Y- y- yours!” she managed to cry before she was wailing, crying to the moon and stars overhead at the sensations he was wringing from her body, feelings she had never known she could experience to miss them before that moment.

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

After the wave had crested and fallen, and Killian had indeed claimed her yet again, Emma lay boneless and sated, running her fingers through his sweaty hair as his head rested on her chest, ear pressed to her still-racing heart, sprawled half atop her and half to her side. Though she had her kingdom to rule, and the person beside her who could help her, be her partner just as her parents had done and would surely have wished for her, Queen Emma of Misthaven could have happily basked in the glow of that simple quiet moment forever, never moving from that very spot.

“I’m yours,” she reiterated calmly, solemn and true, no longer pitched in the throes of passion. She stroked her fingertips over his brow lightly, as if to soothe him to his rest after such wondrous exertions. “Body and soul, Killian Jones.”

And before they both let sleep claim them, he gathered her closer still, arms wrapped around her tightly and nose nuzzling into her neck, Killian replied, “Aye, my Treasure, body and soul, just as I am yours.”

Tagging: @jennjenn615 @kmomof4 @searchingwardrobes @laschatzi @whimsicallyenchantedrose @jrob64 @apiratewhopines @elizabeethan @the-darkdragonfly @xsajx @anmylica @sotangledupinit @donteattheappleshook @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @spartanguard @therooksshiningknight @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl @winterbaby89 @wefoundloveunderthelight @cosette141 @darkcolinodonorgasm @hollyethecurious @stahlop @xarandomdreamx @lfh1226-linda @drowned-dreamer @zaharadessert

#cs two part fic #cs EF au #captain duckling au #the weight of the crown (is a feather on the waves)#part two #the conclusion #at last #birthday fic for @kmomof4

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pocket-anon · 7 years ago

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A Fairytale Beginning (Epilogue)

Hey, strangers! Remember me? You all don't know how sorry I am that it took me such an embarrassingly long time to turn out the last bit of this story. The guilt of not having finished it has been hanging over my head for over a year, but between real-life stressors and the near-complete absence of a muse, well, words have been really hard. Still, I promised myself I would finish this sometime this spring, and it felt right to release it around the time of the series finale as a way of paying tribute to the show and the fandom that helped shape the last few years of my life. You guys have been amazing. Your words of appreciation and encouragement mean more to me than you'll ever know, and I'll treasure them always. Thanks to those of you who have stuck with me for all your love and support.

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Summary: Killian Jones, the notorious Captain Hook, has been on a quest to kill the Dark One and avenge the death of his first love for over one hundred fifty years. But when he crosses the Evil Queen, he’s magically transported to New York City, a strange land full of fascinating wonders, the foremost of which is Emma Swan, a cynical single mother with no time for fairy tales, real or imagined. A Captain Swan Enchanted AU. (Captain Swan modern AU, Captain Swan Enchanted Forest AU. Romance & Adventure. Rated T.)

Tags as (long ago) requested: @timetravelingpotatoast, @piratesails, @storybrookeswans, @optomisticgirl, @juneqparis, @lenfaz. Also tagging some others who have been kind enough to show this fic some love: @cat-sophia, @lillyanjones, @swanscaptn, @the-captains-ayebrows, @ms-babs-gordon, @bleebug, @spartanguard, @bethacaciakay, @phiralovesloki, @couldnthandleit, @katie-dub, @fairytalesandtimetravel, @idristardis, @lillpon, @nightships, @kmomof4, @princesse-swan, @shady-swan-jones, @happinessisblooming, and @stunningswan.

The stainless steel door slides open with a cheerful ding to reveal another cookie cutter hotel hallway, and Emma smiles sweetly at the middle-aged couple that steps off the elevator – this pause on the 14th floor marking the fifth stop it’s made on its way toward the roof. She heaves a sigh as the door closes once again and she finds herself alone. Finally. The elevator hums to life, and she shifts her weight, now free to utter a dissatisfied sound in the back of her throat in response to the pressure of the floor on the balls of her feet.

“What is it, darling?” Killian’s voice is soft.

She sighs, examining her reflection in the mirrored walls, her gaze dropping regretfully to her heels. “These shoes were a mistake,” she grumbles, wincing at the waves of pain that the sexy, four-inch stilettos are also starting to impart on her toes.

“I thought you said they’d be fine.”

“Yeah, well, I may have misjudged.” She tips her head slightly and reaches beneath her hair to adjust her earpiece.

Killian’s voice comes back to her a little clearer this time. “It’s not too late to back out, you know.”

She rolls her eyes, the side of her mouth quirking. “I’ll be fine,” she answers indulgently, checking the elevator’s progress before she goes back to studying her appearance. “I know you’re not a fan of the honey trap, but this whole thing’ll be over in under an hour, and then we can drop this guy at the precinct and go home and catch up on Game of Thrones, okay?” She smoothes a wrinkle from her very tight, very short red dress and double-checks her make-up.

“He better not touch you.”

She relishes the little thrill his possessive growl sends down her spine. “He won’t.”

“A man like him? And you in that dress?” Her pirate snorts.

“I thought you liked this dress,” she teases.

“Aye.” The sudden drop in the pitch of his voice gives her actual goosebumps. “I’m fairly certain I made it clear how much the last time you wore it.”

Emma’s cheeks glow a shade of red that rivals the fabric, and she bites her lip at the pleasant pull she feels in her belly. “You may need to jog my memory,” she says, sounding a little breathless.

He rumbles agreeably. “Just get this guy so we can go home, alright?”

“Deal."

The elevator dings, and she straightens and tosses her head a little as the door slides open. Eyes swivel in her direction as she steps out into the hotel’s rooftop bar, clicking her heels a bit louder than strictly necessary on the dark tile floor. The intimate little space is just starting to fill up for happy hour, and a quick visual sweep reveals about a dozen other patrons as Emma wanders in and sets her clutch down on the glowing surface of the bar. Her fingers reach for a cocktail menu while she admires the amazing view this place has of the Empire State Building towering a few blocks away, its myriad lights brilliant against the royal blue evening sky.

There’s a small surge of satisfaction when the man she’s looking for appears at her side in the span of a few moments. The dirty blonde curls and slightly creepy smile are straight out of the photo that’s been on her kitchen table for the last couple days, and despite the fact that her paycheck depends on this encounter, the light in his eyes and the flush of his skin tells her that he’s still a lot more pleased to meet her than she is him.

He doesn’t even try to disguise the way he looks her up and down as he approaches, grinning like a fool who’s just won the lottery. “Emma?”

Emma schools her features into something akin to pleasant surprise and forces her attention away from the menu. “Oh! Mick! Hi!” She beams. “You’re here!”

His artificially white teeth gleam as he flashes them at her. “Wow. Your profile picture doesn’t do you justice at all.”

She affects a demure chuckle. “Thanks. Sorry I’m a little late. Traffic was a beast, and I can’t exactly run in these shoes.”

Her skip’s eyes travel appreciatively down her exposed legs on cue. “I’d say they were worth it.” He gestures at her long black coat. “Can I take that for you?”

She waves him off. “No, I’ll keep it for now. I’m actually a little cold. I love this dress, but it’s not the warmest thing in my closet.”

Killian snorts in her ear yet again.

Mick laughs knowingly and sidles a little too close for comfort. “Sounds like you could use some warming up. What can I buy you?”

Emma does her best to ignore the way his proximity makes her skin crawl as she turns her eyes back to the menu. “I don’t know what I’m in the mood for. What do you like?”

“I’m partial to Long Island Iced Tea, myself.”

“Yeah.” She chuckles dryly and shakes her head. “Pretty sure that’s a bad idea. The last time I had Long Island Iced Tea, I got into a brawl at a biker bar and was almost arrested for drunk and disorderly.”

“Well in that case, I’d say it’s the best idea ever,” he laughs. “What was a nice girl like you doing in a biker bar?”

“Just meeting someone.” Her shoulders bob in a casual shrug. “Another first date.”

“And how’d it go?”

Emma grins. “Well, he did get arrested, so not so well for him.”

“Ah.” Mick catches the bartender’s eye and signals her over. “Well, let’s hope this date goes a little better then.”

“Well, to be fair, other than the part where he tried to beat me up and I had to take him down, the evening went pretty much the way I wanted it to,” she says airily.

She watches with amusement as his smile dims and confusion creeps across his face. “Wait. What are you talking about?”

“Oh, you know how it goes,” she continues, setting the drink menu aside. “Guy gets arrested. Guy makes bail. Guy fails to show for court. Bail bondsperson has to track guy down.” She arches a brow in his direction. “Starting to sound familiar?”

Mick’s eyes bug out, and Emma can see him choke on a breath as he steps back and his pasty complexion somehow manages to grow even paler. “You’re…”

“Here to make sure you stand trial for distributing child porn?” The side of her mouth curls humorlessly. “Yup. That’s me.”

His face darkens. “Bail bonds.”

Emma shrugs. “Hey, on the bright side, I’m definitely going to insist on leaving with you.” She reaches for her clutch. “Can we walk down to my car quietly, or are you gonna embarrass yourself and make a scene?”

The soft ding of an elevator causes Mick to dart a glance over her shoulder. “I think you’re the one about to be embarrassed,” he sneers, rotating to snatch the tumbler from the customer behind him and dashing its contents in her direction.

The frigid mixture of gin, tonic, and ice strikes her in the face, and Emma recoils, the shock of it barely allowing her to register what happens when he presses past her, shoving at her shoulder and knocking her feet out from under her with a backward sweep of his leg. She crashes to the floor with a yelp that triggers cries of surprise and dismay from all corners of the bar, and Mick makes a break for it, pushing his way past the pair of startled young women who have just stepped off the open elevator behind them. He leaps inside and whirls to hit the buttons, shooting her one last glare through the closing door, and only when his face disappears from view does she realize that Killian is barking in her ear.

“Emma? Emma! What’s going on?”

Emma curses, struggling to get to her feet in heels that are most definitely too high and a skirt that now threatens indecency with every move she makes. She accepts a hand and a dry towel from the female bartender with a gasped word of thanks. “He’s in the elevator,” she grunts, pressing one hand to her earpiece while she hastily mops her face, neck, and chest.

“The one on the right or the left?”

“My left.” She huffs with frustration at the lack of any sort of numeric indicator on the elevators on this floor. “Ugh. I can’t tell where he’s going.”

“It’s alright, love. I’ve got it. He’s heading straight for me,” he reassures her gruffly. “Did he touch you?”

She tosses the towel back onto the bar with a sigh. “What?”

“Did he touch you?” Killian repeats, his voice more insistent.

Emma rolls her shoulder and groans. “Just got my legs out from under me.” She hears him hum as she grabs her clutch to offer the bartender another thanks and a twenty for her trouble. “What?”

“Nothing, Swan,” he answers, a grim smile in his voice while the bartender waves off the money. “Just deciding how hard to hit him.”

She grins in spite of herself and hustles toward the elevators, stuffing the bill back into her clutch. Her finger jabs the call button. “You know the law,” she reminds him affectionately.

“Aye.” He chuckles. “And I know a few things about bending the rules.”

A smirk pulls at her lips. “Pirate.”

* * *

He dislikes this part – the waiting. Not as much has he dislikes the idea of Emma using herself as bait to lure in their latest skip, but having to deal with both things at the same time makes Killian’s knee bounce impatiently as he waits in the lobby of the hotel, nestled in one of four very purple, very loud wingback chairs that are arranged around an equally loud yellow ottoman. He grips his phone, thumb sweeping back and forth over the cool glass screen absently as he tries very hard not to imagine the way their latest quarry, Mick Jamison, is about to ogle the woman he loves. Emma’s certain to give the villain an eyeful – miles of silken skin and athletic curves poured into a dress with a neckline that’s too low and a hem that’s too high and those sinful new shoes that made Killian groan inwardly with delight when she first pulled them from the box. He still has no bloody clue how she walks around in those things without snapping her feet off at the ankle, but the effect they have on her legs and her arse and the sway of her hips…

He bites his lip and tries to think of something else before too much of his blood rushes south. A quick check for new e-mail yields a message from a colleague at Sword Class NYC asking whether Killian would be willing to open a few more spots in the wildly popular saber/cutlass course he’s been teaching twice a week, but there’s little else beyond that to distract him, not even the usual, cursed “spam.”

His sigh of relief is nearly audible when his phone suddenly vibrates in his hand. It’s a text from Henry. Killian’s thumb swipes across the screen.

Operation PAROI is go.

He hums, dimples making the briefest appearance, and sets about typing his response, his thumb carefully tapping each letter with only mild awkwardness compared to the way it was ten months ago when Henry and Emma first taught him how.

You got them?

Yeah. Smee brought them over. They’re in the cabinet. IDK what he’s cooking, but you guys better leave me some cuz it smells awesome.

Good.

What’s your ETA?

Killian’s brow furrows.

What?

When will you be home?

He makes a mental note to ask about “ETA” later. Some days it feels like this whole world speaks in bloody letters.

Your mum is on her way to meet the target. An hour at least.

What if he doesn’t show and you guys come back too early?

He’ll show.

How do you know?

Killian huffs and hesitates a moment before keying in his reply.

I saw his messages to your mum. Let’s just say he’s keen to meet her.

Keen?

Eager.

Oh. Is this the part where I get grossed out?

The corner of his mouth twitches.

Completely.

EWWWWW.

He stifles a laugh.

Mom won’t let him get away with anything though, right?

No. And neither will I.

Good.

A fond grin blooms on Killian’s face, and he begins to key in his next message. His thumb pauses for a second at the irritated sound Emma suddenly makes in his earpiece. “What is it, darling?” he asks, glancing around to make sure no one is watching him talk to himself and then hitting “send.”

When do you go to Avery’s?

“These shoes were a mistake.”

Killian frowns. “I thought you said they’d be fine.”

“Yeah, well, I may have misjudged.”

“It’s not too late to back out, you know,” he reminds her. He experiences a prick of apprehension at the prospect of leaving early and mucking up the plot happening at home, but it fades as quickly as it came when he all but hears her rolling her eyes at him.

“I’ll be fine.” Emma’s voice warms with affection. “I know you’re not a fan of the honey trap, but the whole thing’ll be over in a few minutes, and then we can drop this guy at the precinct and go home and catch up on Game of Thrones, okay?”

His phone buzzes again.

Avery’s mom’s running late. Smee’s gonna take me over on his way back to the restaurant.

“He better not touch you,” he grumbles, even as he replies to Henry.

Good man. I’ll text when we’re on our way.

She hums. “He won’t.”

“A man like him? And you in that dress?” Killian snorts.

“I thought you liked this dress.”

He can envision the sly smile on her lips, and he shivers at the thought. “Aye.” He glances around again for onlookers and lowers his voice. “I’m fairly certain I made it clear how much the last time you wore it.”

“You may need to jog my memory.”

He groans inwardly, and his blood threatens to run south yet again. Bloody hell, he’s a lucky sod. “Just get this guy so we can go home, alright?”

“Deal.”

The next few minutes listening to Emma make contact with Jamison have Killian clenching his fist and trying not to openly scowl, but she keeps her flirtation blissfully brief. He almost dares to relax a little, but then things go sideways and the sound of her yelp makes him sit bolt upright. “Emma?” The clerk at the lobby desk shoots him an odd look, and Killian hurriedly raises his phone to his ear to keep from looking like a madman as he springs to his feet. “Emma! What’s going on?”

He’s relieved to hear she isn’t hurt, but that relief quickly gives way to determination when she fills him in. Adrenaline pulses through his chest as he spins and stalks toward the elevators, eyeing the slow, steady sweep of the dial on the circular floor indicator above the door on the left with a predatory glare. A smooth, black pillar with a silver upholstered bench wrapped cleverly around the base stands nearby, and he ducks behind it, poking his head out to watch the numbers continue to count down. 9…8…7… It’s times like these he finds he misses his sword the most, and he briefly laments how much more effective (and entertaining) it would be to catch this bastard at the tip of his blade. Killian shrugs off the idea and wets his lips in anticipation. 4…3…2… No matter, he thinks, checking his brace. There are other ways to get his satisfaction.

The elevator dings, and the blonde man from Emma’s photo hurries out, looking disgruntled and nervous as he makes for the front door. In one smooth movement, Killian emerges from behind the pillar and swings, his jaw clenched and his outstretched arm slightly bent as it catches Jamison hard across the upper chest and brings him to a comically abrupt stop. The clash of momentum causes the villian to topple backward with a delightful choking noise and Killian to drop to his knees expelling a gratified grunt. Any pain he feels when he hits the floor goes largely unnoticed as he scrambles to his feet and gets in Jamison’s face. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you, mate?” he asks through gritted teeth, twisting his hand into the front of the man’s shirt. He hauls him to a sit none too gently and brandishes his hook. “It’s bad form to run out on a lady.”

Jamison utters a few choice words between wheezes, going a little cross-eyed as he gapes at the sharpened steel point hovering inches from his nose. “Who the hell are you?” he demands.

Killian allows his expression to grow thunderous, and he thrusts the curve of his hook against Jamison’s throat to extract another gurgle from him. “Where I come from, most people would say I’m their worst nightmare,” he replies darkly. “Here I can still come pretty close. Don't tempt me to demonstrate.” He reaches for his cuffs and slaps one around the man's wrist, his hook pressing deeper into the cleft above Jamison’s Adam’s apple and his blue eyes flashing hard and cold. “You’re going to apologize to my partner when she gets down here, is that clear?"

The miserable little skip nods weakly, cursing again when Killian circles around and yanks his arms behind his back to finish cuffing him. Killian has him situated on the bench at the base of the pillar by the time the elevator on the right dings and Emma strides out.

Some of her allure is lost in her damp hair and the wet spot on the front of her dress, but the fire in her eyes more than makes up for it. They land on a defeated-looking Jamison before she flashes Killian a grateful grin, a little more swivel in her hips as she covers the last few steps between them. “My hero.”

Killian smiles winningly and reaches out to cup her cheek. “Are you alright, love?”

“Nothing bruised but my tailbone and my ego.” She chuckles and lets him pull her in for a quick kiss. “And the dress will wash out,” she adds with a knowing gleam in her eye. He laughs quietly, and she tips her chin toward Jamison. “Left him in one piece, I see.”

“Aye, against my better judgment.” Killian arches an eyebrow expectantly at their perp. “You have something to say to her, mate?”

Jamison glowers at him before shooting a petulant glance at Emma. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

“Good enough, I suppose.” Killian nods, allowing himself to look smug as he grabs the wretch by the arm and drags him to his feet. He savors the pleased smile that curls at Emma’s lips and throws her a wink while he gives Jamison a little push toward the front door. “Now let’s get out of here. The lady and I have better things to do.”

* * *

The worst of the rush hour traffic has thankfully abated by the time they make their way home from Manhattan, having left their skip in the capable hands of the booking officer at the Thirteenth. Emma lets out a satisfied sigh as she pulls the Bug into the parking spot in front of the house, switching off the ignition and slumping back in her seat in slightly exaggerated fashion.

Killian eyes her from the passenger seat with a smile. “Tired, Swan?”

“Mmph.” She fingers a wet-and-dried lock of hair out of her face. “I’m okay. Starving more than anything. What do you want to do for dinner?” She swivels her head to blink languidly at him.

He smiles and tips his head, as if considering. “Why don’t you let me handle dinner tonight?”

“Really?” She straightens a bit, pleasant confusion appearing on her brow.

“Really.” He leans forward and gives her a kiss that’s short and sweet and leaves her craving more. Her kid’s almost a teenager but she’s still thinking about making out in cars with boys, she muses as she purrs and tugs him into a more heated embrace. His satisfied growl sends a shiver rippling across her skin. Well, one car. And one two hundred year-old boy who looks damn good in black leather.

They pull apart at last, his breath warm across her lips and his forehead still pressed to hers as she gives a gratified sigh and enjoys the pleasant flip of her stomach. “So are you calling for pizza or Chinese?” she manages.

Killian chuckles and plants a quick kiss on her nose before shaking his head. “Neither. Come on.” He releases his car door and turns to set a foot on the pavement.

A hesitant smile forms on Emma’s mouth as she follows suit. “Okay…”

He waits for her on the curb, his arm wrapping around her shoulders as he guides her toward the front steps. “Give a man a little credit, Swan. I know how to use the microwave too,” he reminds her cheerfully.

“Oh, I see how it is.” Her grin is teasing, even as she silently acknowledges that he probably could find a way to make frozen food seem romantic.

They climb the steps together, and she pauses on the stoop to pull him to her again, yanking on the lapels of his black leather motorcycle jacket and sealing her lips hungrily over his. The sound he makes in the back of his throat sends a shower of sparks raining down between her shoulder blades and makes her forget the screaming protest of her aching feet, and between the dress and the heels and the making out with her hot fairytale boyfriend in front of the whole street, she wonders in some recess of her mind whether the neighbors will start to get the wrong idea about her.

Killian chuckles and nuzzles her cheek, his scruff scraping pleasantly over her skin. “I love you.”

Let them think whatever they want. Her smile feels impossibly wide. “I love you.”

“Almost a year later and still kissing me on the front step, I see.” His fingertips trace the curve of her jaw.

She laughs softly, eyes dancing. “I’m pretty sure you’re the one that started it,” she says, glancing down to locate her house key.

“Aye. One of several excellent decisions I made that day.”

Warmth rises in her cheeks, and she chews on the corner of her lip, darting him a warm glance as she turns back the bolt and lets them in. “Yeah.”

She stops dead in the doorway with one foot still on the stoop when she gets her first whiff of the delicious smells that hang heavy in the air. “What…?” Her mouth falls open, and she shoots a quizzical look over her shoulder only to be met with Killian’s reassuring nod.

“I told you I’d take care of dinner, Swan.” His trademark smirk is slightly muted, but his eyes gleam nonetheless as he nudges her inside and relieves her of her coat.

Emma sniffs and cranes her head toward the kitchen while he leaves their things on the hooks by the stairs. The house is dark, save for the light of the living room lamp they always leave on at night, but she searches the shadows nonetheless. “Is Smee here?”

“He was, but he’s gone back to the restaurant.” Killian meets her incredulous expression with a casual shrug, though the dimple in his cheek reveals his self-satisfaction. “And Henry’s at Avery’s for the night.”

Her eyebrow arches at the obvious implication, her heart rate speeding up all over again. “So we’re alone.”

“Aye.” He takes her hand in his and gives it a gentle tug, his grin strangely shy. “Come. Before dinner gets cold.”

Emma pulls back and glances down at her front with a sheepish chuckle. “Give me a few minutes to change, okay? I know you love this dress, but dinner might be more romantic if I wasn’t wearing something sticky. You can go open some wine. I’ll be right there.” She notes the slight disappointment in Killian’s eyes and the way they flit over the lines of her dress like he’s trying to commit them to memory, and she takes a step closer, feeling the heat creep over her skin when she tips her chin upward to murmur in his ear. “Unless, you know, you’d like to help me out of this thing.”

His face morphs in an instant, one telltale brow leaping upward and his lips parting in that look of hunger and awe that always generates a tingle at the base of her spine. She’s already slipped beyond his grasp and ascended the first few stairs before he regains his wits and hustles to follow. “I suppose I could be persuaded.”

He misses one of the steps, and the glimpse she catches of her singularly suave and singularly coordinated pirate nearly face-planting in his haste to follow her causes Emma to burst into giggles, the upstairs hallway ringing with the sound of her laughter.

* * *

Smee would probably be exasperated to know that they risked letting his wonderful meal grow cold, Killian supposes when he and Emma finally make it back down to the kitchen. A dopey grin curls at his mouth in the afterglow of their not-so-brief activities upstairs, and he relishes the sensation of feeling quite sated despite the embarrassingly loud gurgle that resonates from his stomach as he trails after Emma in his pajamas and bare feet, hair still damp and the pads of his fingers still wrinkled. One glance toward the upper cabinets, however, sends his heart into his throat, and he swallows hard and tries to focus, thinking about the pair of coffee mugs planted inside that together read, “Let’s have coffee together… for the rest of our lives.” Operation: Put a Ring On It is go, he can hear Henry saying.

Right.

“Oh my God,” Emma chuckles. She adjusts the belt on her midnight blue bathrobe while surveying the handmade ravioli that Smee had the forethought to leave warming in a crock and the picture-perfect apple pie that’s cooling on the counter. “He really went all out.”

Killian hums, swiftly moving toward the refrigerator to pull out the salad and bottle of wine he knows are waiting inside. His eye darts anxiously toward the glimmer of gold champagne foil that just peeks out from behind the milk as he hastily shuts the door. “Smee’s always been a quick learner, and this job at Tony’s seems to agree with him,” he says absently, toting the items to the table. “He was an able pirate, but I daresay he makes a much better chef. Believe me, he gets more excited about cheeses these days than he ever did about anything in the Enchanted Forest.”

Emma grins at the professionally laid dinner table and retrieves the plates to begin loading them up with ravioli. “Well, Tony says he owes me a favor for finding him. He thinks he has a lot of potential. They’re even thinking of writing a cookbook together.” She chuckles, her wooden spoon clinking softly against the cool ceramic. “If he becomes famous, you can tell people you knew him back when he was fencing magic beans.” She throws Killian a playful glance over her shoulder and bites her lip. “Well, maybe not.”

He laughs, rummaging through a drawer to locate the corkscrew. “He’s certainly come a long way.” He meets her halfway to the dinner table and pauses for a quick kiss, favoring the glint in her eye with a sly smile. “I suppose we both have.”

They continue to chat amiably over dinner once Emma finishes groaning and muttering Smee’s praises through her first mouthful of ravioli. It takes a rather heroic effort for Killian to not spend the meal staring at her with a foolish grin plastered on his face. With damp, disheveled locks framing her washed face, her features enhanced by nothing but the healthy flush in her cheeks, and her figure hidden beneath her rumpled, careworn bathrobe, her appearance is a far cry from the splendor of the costume she wore the night they shared True Love’s Kiss, but it matters little. He’s just as enchanted with her now as he was then, especially when she gives a little chuckle and wordlessly holds his napkin out to him to wipe the sauce off his moustache.

“So are you going to tell me what the occasion is?” she asks at last, sitting back and arcing an eyebrow at him over her wine glass.

Her question causes the butterflies in his stomach to stir once again, though his only tell is the anxious way he rubs the side of his curled index finger against the pad of his thumb as he jumps up to go start the coffee maker. “Does a man need an occasion to plan a nice night of dinner and dancing?”

“Dancing?” The pretty frown in her voice is obvious even with his back turned to her. “We’re not exactly dressed to go out anymore.”

“Who said anything about going out?” Killian flashes her a roguish grin and sets the pot beneath the running faucet before he rotates to grab the stereo remote from the center island and aims it toward the living room. Michael Bublé’s smooth baritone suddenly cuts through the air.

Birds flying high You know how I feel Sun in the sky You know how I feel Reeds driftin' on by You know how I feel

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me And I'm feeling good

Emma’s laugh mixes with the deep brass swells that follow, and she obligingly sets her hand in Killian’s when he comes back over to pull her out of her chair, the sensation of her warm weight falling into his arms an automatic balm to his nerves. He walks her back a few steps toward the living room, and she makes a small sound of playful protest.

“This isn’t a waltz.”

His eyes twinkle as he shakes his head. “No.”

“I don’t know how to dance to this.”

Killian’s chuckle vibrates in his chest beneath her fingers. “Neither do I.” His grin widens as her hands slide up to encircle his neck.

She smirks devilishly. “Don’t I need a partner who knows what he’s doing?”

“Hmph.” The corners of his eyes pinch in mock offense. “I may not know a formal dance for this song, darling,” he rumbles, pulling her hips flush with his and savoring the sensation as she begins to sway with him, “But believe me, I still know what I’m doing.”

The way her lashes flutter and her cheeks wash a deeper shade of pink is pure magic, and he commits it to memory in the split second it takes for him to lean down and capture her lips with his.

Dragonfly out in the sun, you know what I mean, don't you know Butterflies all havin' fun, you know what I mean Sleep in peace when the day is done, that's what I mean And this old world is a new world And a bold world For me For me

This kiss is soft and slow, and Emma utters a happy sigh when they finally come up for air, the two of them still moving together in time to the patient, heavy beat. She glances down at their bare feet in the carpet and chuckles. “This is kind of like the first time we danced,” she points out. “You know, PJs in the living room.”

“Aye,” he murmurs, head bobbing. “Except I couldn’t kiss you then.” His smile is a little melancholy as of her hands find their way to his jaw, her thumb brushing fondly across his scruff.

“Did you want to?”

Killian chuffs. “You know I did, love. More than anything. Luckily,” he continues, the corners of his eyes wrinkling, “Fortune saw fit to show me favor, and here we are.”

“Here we are,” she echoes with a sunny grin. “And now you can kiss me whenever you want.”

His expression sobers, and he studies her shining eyes, breath growing shallow. “Promise?”

Emma gives a little laugh and rises on her toes to give him a quick peck. “Promise.”

“Good.” And suddenly he knows. The way his heartbeat grows more insistent, the way she’s looking at him. This is it. This is the moment. He throws a look toward the kitchen. Hang the plan. He clears his throat, dark eyebrows creasing. “In that case, I have something for you.” Emma steps back, puzzled, as he releases her and his fingers disappear into the pocket of his sleep pants to fish out the ring he’s been keeping on his person all day. The round, polished opal encircled with diamonds and rose gold sparkles in the lamplight, and Killian’s smile is watery as he looks down on it and carefully drops onto one knee. “A promise for a promise.” His shimmering blue eyes lift up to her in earnest.

She claps a hand over her mouth. “Oh, Killian…”

His gaze flits nervously over her perfect features. “Swan,” he begins slowly, “Darling, you’re my one true love, and I promise to always, always be by your side.” His heart soars when she gives herself away with a premature nod and a solitary tear, and a chuckle bursts from his chest. “That is, if you’ll have me.”

Emma shudders and hurriedly swipes the moisture from her cheek with the heel of her hand, her shoulders rising and falling with a deep, steadying breath before she reaches for his elbow and pulls him back to his feet. His arms fall back around her waist, and she lovingly palms the angles of his jaw, her face aglow. “Yes,” she sniffles. “Yes, I will.”

He can feel her trembling when she kisses him, as though her happiness can barely be contained, and Killian wonders if he’s ever known so much joy in one moment as he does now. A lifetime with Emma Swan, protecting her, loving her, making her smile – no reward he’d ever dreamt of when he first when looking for the battered compass that now sits in a place of honor on the bookshelf could compare.

They both laugh when they get to the business of actually putting the ring on her finger, and Emma’s eyes grow round with her first good look at it. “Is that…?”

“A piece of the Sea Star,” he says with a quiet grin. “I found it snagged in what was left of the old carpet when we were tearing it out. As far as I can tell, it’s the only bit that didn’t get sucked back through the portal.” He runs his thumb reverently over the stone’s smooth surface. “I kept it as a reminder of how we found each other, and once I started thinking about a ring, well…” He shrugs, a flicker of anxiety in his stomach once more. “I understand large diamonds are more traditional in this realm, but Henry thought you’d like it.” Relief washes over him when he looks up to see her on the verge of tears again.

“I love it,” Emma murmurs, settling her left hand on his chest and sliding the fingers of her right hand into the hair at the nape of his neck. “And I love you.”

Killian leans forward to press his lips to her forehead. “I love you too.”

A telltale beep sounds, and he glances toward the kitchen with a sheepish smile. “There’s the coffee. Or we have champagne, if you prefer. Smee insisted.”

“Why am I not surprised the three of you were in on this together?” She chuckles.

He shrugs. “A captain needs a crew. Operation: Put a Ring On It, Henry called it, though I will admit that the original plan involved proposing over coffee and pie.”

“Oh, I see. You were going to exploit my weakness for pie.”

The grin on his face stretches to his ears. “Figured it wouldn’t hurt.” He nuzzles her hair with his nose. “Shall we? I can show you the special mugs we got for the occasion.”

“Mm. Later,” she breathes, her smile turning impish as she rises up on her toes to kiss him again, her lips brushing softly across his skin. “Right now, I just want to dance with you.”

He draws her closer and rumbles contentedly. “As the lady wishes.”

They rock together to the strains of jazz standards until long after the coffee has cooled, the lamp casting their combined shadow across the shaded windows and out into the New York night. And Killian marvels that even though all of this – the city, the technology, the music, the clothes, the food, this home – though all of it was so entirely foreign to him just months ago, he’s never felt such a profound sense of belonging as he does here, in the arms of the woman who was perhaps always meant to be his North Star.

Feeling Good (Michael Bublé)

Birds flying high You know how I feel Sun in the sky You know how I feel Reeds driftin' on by You know how I feel

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me And I'm feeling good I'm feeling good

Fish in the sea You know how I feel River running free You know how I feel Blossom on the tree You know how I feel

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me And I'm feeling good

Stars when you shine You know how I feel Scent of the pine You know how I feel Oh freedom is mine And I know how I feel

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life It's a new life For me

And I'm feeling good

I'm feeling good

I'm feeling so good

I feel so good

Thank you so much for reading! For a behind-the-scenes look at this fic, click here for a reader Q & A!

#my writing #a fairytale beginning #cs au #cs ef au #cs modern au #cs au ff #captain swan #cs ff #ouat ff #ouat fanfic #cs enchanted au

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a-z0-9-i-n-gram-completionist · 10 months ago

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SSC SSE SSO SSU STA STD STE STI STO STR STS STY SUE SUI SUL SUM SUR SWE SWI TAB TAG TAI TAL TAN TAP TAR TAS TAT TBO TCH TDI TEA TED TEL TEN TER TES TEX TFU THA THE THI THN THO THR THY TIC TIF TIL TIM TIN TIO TIP TIR TIS TIV TJP TLA TLE TME TOA TOB TOC TOE TOP TOR TOT TRA TRI TRO TRU TTE TTI TTL TTO TTY TUM TUR TWI TYX UAR UBR UCE UCH UCK UCT UDA UEE UES UFF UGG UGH UGS UIC UIK UIL UIS UIT UKI ULA ULD ULI ULK ULL ULT UMA UMB UMI UMM UND UNI UNK UNL UNN UNP UNR UNT URA URD URE URI URL URN URS URT USE USH USI UST UTE UTH UTI UTL UTT UUY UYA UYS V07 V3Y VAN VEG VEL VEM VEN VER VES VID VIL VIN VIR VIS VOU WAN WAS WAT WAY WEA WEE WEI WEL WHA WHE WHI WHO WIC WIL WIN WIS WIT WLE WLY WOR WOU WRE WRI X14 XEC XIS XPL XPR XQU XTE XTR YAR YAS YAU YBE YEA YED YEE YES YET YIN YLB YME YMO YON YOU YST YTH YX1 ZAR ZAY ZIP ZIR ZLE ZOV ZZL 1226/46656

4: 1000 100G 1941 1976 1977 1981 1983 200K 300G 3YEE 4THE 7871 A677 AAAA ABLE ABLI ABLY ABOU ABOV ACCI ACES ACHI ACKI ACKS ACRI ACTE ACUD ADDI ADIC ADOW ADVI AFFR AFOO AGAI AGER AGGI AGIC AIKU AILE AILU AILY AINS AINW AKER ALES ALKI ALLE ALLO ALLY ALRE ALSO AMAZ AMED AMES AMIO AMSE ANAN ANCY ANDA ANDM ANDS ANET ANGE ANIA ANID ANIM ANKA ANKS ANNO ANON ANOT ANTR ANYO ANYT APER APHA APIN APOL APPE ARAC ARAL ARAM ARAT ARDS ARIN ARLI ARME ARNA ARNI AROA AROL ARRA ARSH ARSL ARZI ASBO ASHE ASHI ASIL ASKE ASKS ASON ASPO ASTD ASTE ASTR ATAS ATBO ATCH ATED ATEL ATHE ATIN ATIO ATME ATOE ATRO ATUR AUCE AUIK AUSE AUTE AUTI AV3Y AVES AVIN AVOU AZAR AZAY AZIR AZOV BABE BABL BABY BACK BALL BANA BARR BASE BASI BBLE BEAS BEAT BEAU BECA BEEB BEEN BEEP BEFO BELL BERI BERR BESP BILE BIOH BISC BITC BLAC BLER BLIN BLIS BLOG BLRI BLYA BONE BOOP BOUT BOVE BOYB BRIS BROT BROW BSES BUGS BUSI BUTT CALL CANN CAPI CARD CARE CARN CARS CATA CATB CAUS CCID CECO CEPA CESI CHAI CHAN CHAO CHAR CHEE CHEF CHIE CHIN CHOK CHOO CHOP CHOS CHUC CHUU CHUW CIAL CIDE CIFI CING CINI CIPE CKED CKIN CKST CKTA CMON COBB COLO COME COMM COMP COND CONF CONT COOK CORN CORP COUL COUN COUR CRAS CREW CRIF CRIM CROW CTAB CTER CTIO CTIV CTOR CTRI CUDA CUIT CULT CUTI CUTL DA67 DAIL DAMN DARD DASH DDAM DDIN DDLY DEAT DEAV DEEP DELE DELI DELO DEMA DEMO DENT DEPP DERS DESI DEST DETA DIAT DICT DIDN DIEN DING DIOT DISG DISH DIVA DLYA DOCT DOES DOOR DOSE DOTJ DOWN DOYO DREA DRIT DRIV DRIZ DSMO DUCK DUCT DURI DVIS EACH EADY EALL EALS EAMT EANT EARI EARN EARS EASE EASO EASP EAST EATH EATI EATM EATU EAUT EAVE EAVO EBEA EBLO EBOP EBUG ECAU ECHA ECIA ECIF ECIP ECOM ECON ECTA ECTI ECTR ECUT EDEP EDIA EDIE EEBO EEDY EERM EESE EFER EFFE EFOR EFUS EGET EGME EGUL EIRD ELDR ELEC ELED ELIG ELIT ELLA ELLO ELOR EMAN EMBE EMEM EMEN EMON EMOR ENAN ENCE ENDE ENEC ENED ENGU ENJO ENOU ENTA ENTE ENTI ENTL ENTS EONE EOPL EPAN EPAR EPIC EPPE EPPR EPRI EQUE ERAL ERAT ERED EREN ERIN ERKI ERMA ERNA ERRY ERSI ERSO ERVE ERVI ESAN ESCA ESEN ESEU ESIG ESIR ESPO ESSE ESSO ESSU ESTA ETAB ETAI ETHI ETHO ETIM ETOT ETTI ETTY ETUR EUSE EVEM EVER EVIL EWOR EXEC EXIS EXPL EXPR EXQU EXTE EXTR FACE FAIL FANC FEAR FEAT FECT FELT FERE FFEC FFER FFLE FFRO FIBE FICI FINA FINE FIRM FIRS FISH FOLK FOLL FOOT FORC FORE FOUN FOUR FREE FRON FUCK FULL FUNK FUNN FUSE FUSI FYIN GAIN GARL GENT GETA GETT GGIN GGTS GHER GHTF GICA GIES GIMM GING GIVE GIVI GLAD GMEN GODD GOES GOIN GORD GRAN GRAT GRAV GRED GSDO GUAR GUES GUIL GUIS GULA GUMI GUYS HADO HAIK HAIN HAIR HALE HALL HANG HANK HAOS HAPP HARA HAUI HAVE HAVI HAZA HEAD HECH HEDE HEES HELI HELP HENA HERE HERK HESE HICA HICH HIEV HIJA HING HISS HITS HMEN HOKE HONE HOOS HOPE HOPP HORS HOSE HOWI HREA HROO HTFU HUBR HUCH HUMA HUUY HYME IATE IBER ICAL ICHO ICIN ICRE ICTI IDEN IDIO IECE IENT IEST IEVE IFIC IFUL IFYI IGHT IGMA IJAC IKET ILED ILGR ILLI ILLS ILTY ILUR IMAT IMES IMME IMMI IMPL INAL INAS INCE INCH INCO INES INFU INGL INGR INGS INKL INKS INNI INST INTE INTI INTO INWR INYL IODD IOHA IONA IONE IONS IOTS IPAN IPLE IRAP IRDE IRDL IRET IRGI IRME IRRA IRST ISCU ISED ISGU ISHE ISHM ISIT ISON ISOT ISSC ISSE ISSO ISTS ITCH ITHI ITIN ITTL ITTY IVAN IVEN IVIN IZZL JACK JEFF JOKE JOYE JPEG JUIC JUST KARA KEEP KETH KICH KILG KILL KING KINN KISS KITT KNOW KSAG KSTA KTAL KYST LACK LAIN LANE LASS LAST LBIO LDRI LDSM LEAR LEAS LEAV LECT LELE LEME LEMO LENE LEPR LETE LGRA LIFI LIGH LIKE LING LINK LION LISH LITT LIVE LKIN LKYS LLEL LLIN LLIO LLOT LLOW LMAO LOCA LOCK LOGI LONG LOOK LOOS LORE LOTS LOUR LOVE LOWI LOWL LREA LRIN LTIP LTUR LURE LYAR LYAU MAGI MAKE MALL MAND MANI MANY MARZ MATR MAZO MBER MBLR MEAL MEAN MEDI MEMB MEND MENT MEON MESA MESS METH METI METO MI12 MICK MILL MIOD MISE MISS MMED MMEN MMIC MMON MOBI MOME MONE MONI MOOT MORE MORN MORS MOST MOUS MPLE MPLY MSEY MUCH MULT MURD MUSH MYST NABL NALL NAME NANA NANI NARO NATE NATU NCEC NCED NCOR NDAR NDEA NDED NDMA NDUC NEBE NECK NEED NESS NEST NEVE NEXT NFIR NFUS NGLE NGRE NGRN NGUM NIAC NICS NIES NIMA NING NISH NITS NJOY NKAR NKIN NKLE NKSA NLOC NNAM NNIE NNOT NONY NOTE NOTH NOUG NPAR NREA NSTE NSTR NTAL NTAT NTED NTEN

NTER NTIF NTIN NTIR NTLE NTRA NTRU NUGG NUMB NWRE NYLB NYMO NYON NYTH O4TH OACE OAST OBAB OBBL OBEL OBIL OBSE OCAL OCKE OCTO ODDA ODDL OESN OFFE OGIE OHAZ OING OISO OLDS OLIF OLIV OLKS OLLO OLOG OLOU OMEN OMEO OMET OMIS OMME OMPL OMPT ONAB ONAL ONCE ONDU ONEB ONED ONER ONFI ONIC ONIN ONLY ONTR ONYM OOMS OORS OOSE OOTS OPER OPHI OPLE OPPE OPTI OPUL ORAT ORCE ORCI ORDA ORDO OREA ORES OREW ORKI ORNA ORNE ORNI ORPO ORSE ORTO OSTS OTAT OTES OTHE OTHI OTJP OTTE OTTO OUGH OULD OULI OUND OUNT OURS OURT OV07 OVEL OVID OWIN OWLE OWLY OYBE OYED OYOU PAPE PARA PARE PARM PARS PEAR PECI PEED PEEL PENE PENG PENS PEOP PEPP PERA PERS PHAL PHIC PHON PICR PIEC PINC PING PLAI PLAN PLEA PLER PLET PLEX POIS POKE POLL POLO POON POPU PORA PORC PORT POST POTA POTT POUR PPEA PPED PPEN PPER PPRE PREP PRES PRET PREV PRIC PRIN PROB PROL PROM PROU PROV PTIO PUKI PULA PULL PUNI QUEE QUES QUIC QUIS RACT RACU RADI RAIN RALL RAMA RAMS RAND RAPH RASH RATE RATH RATI RAVE RAZA RCED RCIN RDAN RDER RDES RDLY RDON READ REAL REAM REAN REAS REBL RECI RECK RECO REDI REFE REFU REGU REME REMO REMY RENC REPA REQU RESE RESS REST RETT RETU RETY REWO RGIN RIAL RICE RICK RIFI RIME RINA RINC RING RINK RINT RISO RITC RITE RITI RIVE RIZZ RKIN RLIC RMAR RMED RMES RNAM RNAR RNAT RNER RNIN ROAC ROBA ROLI ROMI ROMP RONI ROOM ROPH ROTH ROUD ROVI ROWL ROWN RPOR RRAC RRAT RSES RSHO RSIO RSLE RSON RTLE RTOB RUCT RUFF RUTH RVES RVIN RZIP SACR SAFF SAGE SALT SAME SAUC SAUT SAV3 SAYS SBON SCAP SCHU SCUI SDOT SECO SEEN SEES SEGM SEND SENT SEPA SERN SERV SESS SETT SEUS SEVE SGUI SHAD SHAL SHAV SHEN SHES SHIN SHIT SHME SHOT SHOW SHRO SIGM SIMP SINE SING SION SIRE SITE SKED SLEY SLOW SMAL SMOB SO4T SOME SONA SONG SONI SOTT SPEC SPEE SPOK SPOO SPOT SPRI SSCH SSED SSES SSO4 SSON SSUE SSUR STAB STAG STAN STAR STDI STEA STEL STES STIC STIL STIR STOC STRA STRO STRU STYX SUIT SULK SUMM SURE SWEA SWIT TABL TAGE TAGG TAGS TAIL TALE TALK TAND TART TASK TAST TATI TATO TBOY TCHI TDIV TEAD TEAK TEAL TEAS TELL TELY TENC TEXT TFUL THAN THAT THEC THED THEL THEM THEN THER THES THEY THIN THIS THNX THOD THOS THRE THYM TIFU TIFY TILL TIME TING TION TIPL TIRE TISM TIVE TJPE TLAS TLEM TLEN TLEP TMET TOAS TOBE TOCK TOES TOPP TOTH TRAD TRAI TRAP TRIA TRIC TRON TROP TRUC TRUF TRUT TTED TTER TTIN TTLE TUMB TURA TURE TURN TURT TWIC TYX1 UARD UBRI UCEP UCHU UCKE UCKI UCKT UCTI UCTO UDA6 UEER UEST UFFL UGGT UGSD UICE UICK UIKU UILT UISE UISI UITS UKIC ULAR ULIK ULKY ULLS ULLY ULTI ULTU UMAN UMBE UMBL UMI1 UMMO UNIS UNIT UNKI UNLO UNNA UNNI UNPA UNRE UNTE URAL URAZ URDE URIN URNI URNS URSE URTL USER USHR USIN USIO UTHE UTIF UTIO UTIS UTLA UTTE UUYA UYAS V3YE VANK VANT VEGE VELY VEME VERA VERS VERY VIDE VING VINY VIRG VISE VOUR WANT WAST WATC WEAR WEEK WEIR WELL WHAT WHEN WHIC WICE WILD WILL WING WISE WITC WITH WLEY WORD WORK WOUL WREC WRIT X142 XECU XIST XPLA XPRE XQUI XTED XTRA YART YASB YAUT YBEE YEAR YING YLBI YMOU YONE YOUL YOUR YSTE YSTI YTHI YX14 ZARD ZAYT ZIPA ZIRA ZOV0 ZZLE 1402/1679616

5: 4THED AAAAA ABLIS ABLYA ABOUT ABOVE ACCID ACESI ACHIE ACKIN ACKST ACRIF ACTER ACUDA ADDIN ADICT ADVIS AFFRO AFOOT AGAIN AGGIN AGICA AILED AILUR AINWR ALKIN ALLEL ALLOT ALLOW ALREA AMAZO AMIOD AMSEY ANANA ANDAR ANDMA ANIAC ANIMA ANKAR ANNOT ANONY ANOTH ANTRU ANYON ANYTH APHAL APING APOLO APPEA APPEN ARACT ARALL ARAMA ARATE ARING ARLIC ARMES ARNAR ARNIN AROAC AROLI ARRAC ARSHO ARSLE ARZIP ASBON ASHES ASHIN ASKED ASONA ASPOO ASTDI ASTES ASTRO ATAST ATBOY ATCHI ATELY ATHER ATING ATION ATMET ATOES ATRON ATURA ATURE AUCEP AUIKU AUTIF AUTIS AV3YE AVING AVOUR AZARD AZAYT AZIRA AZOV0 BABLY BACKS BANAN BARRA BASIL BBLER BEAST BEATM BEAUT BECAU BEEBO BEFOR BELLO BERIN BERRY BESPO BIOHA BISCU BITCH BLACK BLINK BLISH BLRIN BLYAU BONER BOYBE BROTH BROWN BSESS BUGSD BUSIN BUTTE CALLY CANNO CAPIN CARNA CATAS CATBO CAUSE CCIDE CECON CEPAN CESIG CHAIN CHAIR CHANG CHAOS CHARA CHEES CHIEV CHING CHOKE CHOOS CHOPP CHOSE CHUCH CHUUY CIDEN CIFIC CKING CKSTA CKTAL COBBL COLOU COMME COMPL CONDU CONFI CONTR CORNE CORPO COULD COUNT COURS COURT CRASH CRIFI CRIME CROWL CTABL CTION CTIVE CTRIC CUDA6 CUITS CULTU CUTIO CUTLA DA677 DAILY DDAMN DDING DDLYA DEATH DEAVO DELEC DELIG DELOR DEMAN DEMON DENTA DENTI DEPPR DESIR DETAI DIATE DICTI DIENT DIOTS DISGU DISHE DIVAN DLYAR DOCTO DOESN DOORS DOTJP DOYOU DREAM DRITC DRIVE DRIZZ DSMOB DUCKT DUCTO DURIN DVISE EALLY EARIN EARNI EARSH EASON EASPO EATIN EATME EATUR EAUTI EAVES EAVOU EBEAT EBLOG EBUGS ECAUS ECHAO ECIAL ECIFI ECIPE ECOMM ECOND ECONF ECTAB ECTIV ECTRI ECUTI EDEPP EDIAT EDIEN EEBOP EERMA EFERE EFFEC EFORE EFUSE EGETA EGMEN EGULA EIRDE EIRDL ELDRI ELECT ELIGH ELITT ELORE EMAND EMBER EMEMB EMENT EMORS ENANI ENCED ENDEA ENDED ENECK ENGUM ENJOY ENOUG ENTAL ENTAT ENTED ENTEN ENTER ENTIF ENTIR ENTLE EONEB EOPLE EPARA EPARE EPPER EPPRE EPRIN EQUES ERATE ERENC ERING ERKIN ERMAR ERNAM ERSIO ERSON ERVES ERVIN ESCAP ESENT ESEUS ESIGM ESIRE ESPOK ESSED ESSO4 ESSUE ESSUR ESTAB ETABL ETAIL ETHIN ETHIS ETHOD ETIME ETOTH ETTIN ETURN EUSER EVEME EVERA EVERY EWORD EXECU EXIST EXPLA EXPRE EXQUI EXTED EXTRA FACES FAILE FAILU FANCY FEATU FECTI FERED FEREN FFECT FFERE FFRON FIBER FICIN FINAL FINES FIRME FIRST FOLKS FOLLO FORCE FORES FOREW FOUND FUCKE FUCKI FULLY FUNKI FUNNI FUSIO FYING GARLI GENTL GETAB GETTI GGING GHERK GHTFU GICAL GIMMI GIVEN GIVIN GMENT GODDA GOING GORDA GORDO GRAND GRATE GRAVE GREDI GSDOT GUARD GUEST GUILT GUISE GULAR GUMI1 HADOW HAIKU HALLO HANGE HANKS HAPPE HARAC HAUIK HAVIN HAZAR HECHA HEDEP HEESE HELIT HENAN HERKI HESEU HICAL HIEVE HIJAC HISSO HMENT HOOSE HOPPE HORSE HOWIN HREAD HROOM HTFUL HUBRI HUCHU HUMAN HUUYA IATEL ICALL ICING ICREW ICTIO IDENT IDIOT IENTS IEVEM IFICI IFYIN IGHTF IJACK IKETH ILGRA ILLIN ILLIO ILURE IMATR IMMED IMMIC IMPLE IMPLY INALL INCEC INCOR INESS INEST INFUS INGLE INGRE INGRN INKLE INKSA INNIE INSTE INSTR INTED INTIN INWRE INYLB IODDL IOHAZ IONAL IONER IRAPH IRDES IRDLY IRETY IRGIN IRMED IRRAT ISCUI ISGUI ISHES ISHME ISITE ISONI ISOTT ISSCH ISSES ISSON ITHIN ITING ITTLE IVANK IVANT IVING IZZLE JACKI JOYED JUICE KARAM KETHI KICHO KILGR KILLI KILLS KINGR KINNI KISSE KITTY KSAGE KSTAG KTALE KYSTE LANET LASTD LBIOH LDRIT LDSMO LEARN LEASE LEAVE LECTA LECTR LELED LEMEN LEMON LENEC LEPRI LGRAV LIFIC LIGHT LIKET LINKS LISHM LITTL LKING LKYST LLELE LLING LLION LLOTS LLOWI LOCAL LOCKE LOGIE LOOSE LOREA LOVEL LOWIN LOWLY LREAD LRINA LTIPL LTURE LYART LYAUT MAGIC MAKER MANDS MANIA MARZI MATRO MAZOV MBERI MBLRI MEANT MEDIA MEMBE MENDE MENTE MEONE MESAN MESSE METHI METHO METIM METOT MILLI MIODD MISSC MMEDI MMEND MMENT MMICK MMONE MMONI MOBIL MOMEN MONED MONIN MOOTS MORNI MORSE MPLER MPLET MPLEX MULTI MURDE MUSHR MYSTI NABLY NALLY NAMED NAMES NANID NAROL NATUR NCECO NCORP NDARD NDEAV NDUCT NEBEA NEVER NFIRM NFUSI NGRED NGUMI NIEST NIMAT NJOYE NKARA NKING NKSAG NLOCK NNAME NNIES NONYM NOTES NOTHE NOTHI NOUGH NPARA NREAS NSTEA NSTRU NTATI NTENC NTIFY NTING NTIRE NTLEM NTRAD NTRUT NUGGT NUMBE NWREC NYLBI NYMOU NYONE NYTHI O4THE OACES OBABL OBBLE OBELL OBILE OBSES OCKED OCTOR ODDAM ODDLY OFFER OGIES OHAZA OISON OLDSM OLIFI OLIVE OLLOW OLOGI OLOUR OMENT OMEON

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6: 4THEDE AAAAAA ABLISH ABLYAU ACCIDE ACESIG ACHIEV ACKING ACKSTA ACRIFI ACUDA6 ADDING ADICTI ADVISE AFFRON AGGING AGICAL AILURE AINWRE ALKING ALLELE ALLOTS ALREAD AMAZOV AMIODD ANDARD ANIMAT ANKARA ANONYM ANOTHE ANTRUT ANYONE ANYTHI APHALE APOLOG APPEAR APPENE APPENS ARACTE ARALLE ARAMAZ ARMESA ARNARO ARNING AROACE ARRACU ARSHOT ARSLEY ARZIPA ASBONE ASHING ASONAB ASPOON ASTDIV ASTROP ATASTR ATBOYB ATCHIN ATIONA ATMETO ATRONI ATURAL AUCEPA AUTIFU AUTISM AV3YEE AVINGS AZIRAP AZOV07 BABLYA BACKST BANANA BARRAC BEATME BEAUTI BECAUS BEEBOP BEFORE BERING BESPOK BIOHAZ BISCUI BLINKS BLISHM BLRINA BLYAUT BOYBEE BSESSE BUGSDO BUSINE BUTTER CANNOT CAPING CARNAR CATAST CATBOY CCIDEN CECONF CESIGM CHANGE CHARAC CHEESE CHIEVE CHOOSE CHOPPE CHUCHU CHUUYA CIDENT CKSTAG CKTALE COBBLE COLOUR COMMEN COMPLE CONDUC CONFIR CONTRA CORNER CORPOR COUNTE COURSE CRASHE CRASHI CRIFIC CROWLE CTABLY CTIONS CUDA67 CULTUR CUTION CUTLAS DDLYAR DEAVOU DELECT DELIGH DELORE DEMAND DENTAL DENTIF DEPPRE DESIRE DETAIL DIATEL DICTIO DIENTS DISGUI DISHES DIVANT DLYART DOCTOR DOTJPE DOYOUL DREAMT DRITCH DRIZZL DSMOBI DUCKTA DUCTOR DURING DVISED EARING EARNIN EARSHO EASONA EASPOO EATING EATMET EATURE EAUTIF EAVOUR EBEATM EBUGSD ECAUSE ECHAOS ECIFIC ECOMME ECONFI ECTABL ECTIVE ECTRIC ECUTIO EDEPPR EDIATE EDIENT EERMAR EFEREN EFFECT EGETAB EGMENT EGULAR EIRDES EIRDLY ELDRIT ELECTA ELECTR ELIGHT ELITTL ELOREA EMANDS EMBERI EMEMBE EMORSE ENANID ENDEAV ENGUMI ENJOYE ENOUGH ENTATI ENTENC ENTIFY ENTIRE ENTLEM EONEBE EPARAT EPPRES EPRINC EQUEST ERENCE ERMARZ ERNAME ERSION ERVING ESCAPI ESENTA ESENTE ESEUSE ESIGMA ESPOKE ESSO4T ESSURE ESTABL ETABLE ETAILE ETHING ETHISS ETIMES ETOTHE ETTING ETURNI EUSERN EVEMEN EVERAL EXECUT EXISTS EXPLAI EXPRES EXQUIS FAILED FAILUR FEATUR FECTIV FERENC FFECTI FFERED FICING FINALL FINEST FIRMED FOLLOW FORCED FOREST FOREWO FUCKED FUCKIN FUNKIN FUNNIE FUSION GARLIC GENTLE GETABL GETTIN GHERKI GHTFUL GICALL GIMMIC GIVING GMENTE GODDAM GORDAN GORDON GRANDM GRATED GREDIE GSDOTJ GUARDS GUILTY GUMI12 HALLOT HAPPEN HARACT HAUIKU HAVING HAZARD HECHAO HEDEPP HELITT HENANI HERKIN HESEUS HICALL HIEVEM HIJACK HISSON HOPPED HORSES HOWING HROOMS HTFULL HUBRIS HUCHUW HUUYAS IATELY ICALLY ICTION IDENTA IDENTI IDIOTS IEVEME IFICIN IFYING IGHTFU IJACKI IKETHI ILGRAV ILLING ILLION IMATRO IMMEDI IMMICK IMPLER INALLY INCECO INCORP INFUSI INGRED INKSAG INSTEA INSTRU INTING INWREC INYLBI IODDLY IOHAZA IRAPHA IRDEST IRRATI ISCUIT ISGUIS ISHMEN ISONIN ISOTTO ISSCHU ISSONG ITTLEP IVANKA IVANTR JACKIN KARAMA KETHIS KILGRA KILLIN KINGRN KINNIE KISSES KSAGER KSTAGE KTALES KYSTEL LASTDI LBIOHA LDRITC LDSMOB LEARNI LEAVES LECTAB LECTRI LENECK LEPRIN LGRAVE LIGHTF LIKETH LINKSA LISHME LITTLE LKYSTE LLELED LLOWIN LOCKED LOGIES LOREAN LOVELY LOWING LREADY LRINAS LTIPLE LYAUTI MAGICA MANIAC MARZIP MATRON MAZOV0 MBERIN MBLRIN MEDIAT MEMBER MENDED MENTED MEONEB MESSED METHIN METHOD METIME METOTH MILLIO MIODDL MISSCH MMEDIA MMENDE MMONED MMONIN MOBILE MOMENT MONING MORNIN MPLETE MULTIP MURDER MUSHRO MYSTIC NAROLI NATURA NATURE NCECON NCORPO NDEAVO NDUCTO NEBEAT NFIRME NFUSIO NGREDI NGUMI1 NIMATR NJOYED NKARAM NKINGR NKSAGE NLOCKE NNAMED NNIEST NONYMO NOTHER NOTHIN NPARAL NREASO NSTEAD NSTRUC NTATIO NTENCE NTIFYI NTIRET NTLEME NTRADI NTRUTH NUGGTS NUMBER NWRECK NYLBIO NYMOUS NYTHIN O4THED OACESI OBABLY OBBLER OBELLO OBSESS ODDAMN ODDLYA OFFERE OHAZAR OISONI OLDSMO OLIFIC OLLOWI OLOGIE OMEONE OMETHI OMETIM OMMEND OMMENT OMPLET OMPLEX ONABLY ONDUCT ONEBEA ONFIRM ONTRAD ONYMOU OPERAT OPHICA OPTION OPULAR ORATED ORCINI OREWOR ORKING ORNATE ORNING ORPORA ORTOBE OTATOE OTHECH OTHESE OTHING OTJPEG OULIKE OUNTER OYBEEB OYOULI PARALL PARATE PARMES PARSLE PEARIN PECIAL PECIFI PENGUM PEOPLE PEPPER PERATE PERSON PHICAL PICREW PLANET PLEASE POISON POLOGI POPULA PORATE PORCIN PORTOB POTATO POTTED PPEARI PPEARS PPENED PPRESS PREPAR PRESEN PRESSO PRESSU PRETTY PRINCE PRINKL PRINTE PRINTI PROBAB PROLIF PROMIS PROMPT PROVID PUKICH PUNISH QUEERM QUISIT RACTER RACUDA RADICT RAINWR RALLEL RAMAZO RAMSEY RANDMA RAPHAL RASHES RASHIN RATHER RATION RAZAYT REALLY REASON REBLOG

RECIPE RECOMM REDIEN REFERE REFUSE REGULA REMEMB REMORS REPARE REQUES RESENT RESSO4 RESSUE RESSUR RETURN REWORD RIFICI RINCEC RINKLE RINTED RINTIN RISOTT RITING RIZZLE RMARZI RMESAN RNAMES RNAROL ROACES ROBABL ROLIFI ROMISE RONICS ROPHIC ROVIDE ROWLEY RPORAT RRACUD RRATIO RTLENE RTOBEL RUCTIO RUFFLE RUTHER RZIPAN SACRIF SAFFRO SAUCEP SAV3YE SBONER SCAPIN SCHUCH SCUITS SDOTJP SECOND SEGMEN SENTAT SENTED SENTEN SEPARA SERNAM SERVES SERVIN SESSED SETTIN SEUSER SEVERA SGUISE SHADOW SHALLO SHAVIN SHENAN SHMENT SHOWIN SHROOM SIMPLE SIMPLY SINESS SINGLE SLOWLY SMOBIL SO4THE SOMEON SOMETH SOMETI SONABL SONING SPECIA SPECIF SPEEDY SPOTTE SPRINK SSCHUC SSO4TH STABLI STANDA STANDS STDIVA STEALS STELLA STROPH STRUCT STYX14 SULKYS SUMMON SWITCH TABLIS TAGGIN TAILED TALKIN TANDAR TASKED TASTRO TATION TATOES TBOYBE TCHING TDIVAN TEASPO TENCED TEXTED TFULLY THANKS THECHA THEDEP THELIT THESEU THISSO THREAD TIFYIN TIONAL TIONER TIRETY TLEMEN TLENEC TLEPRI TMETOT TOBELL TOPPED TOTHEC TOTHES TRADIC TRAINS TRAINW TRONIC TROPHI TRUCTI TRUFFL TRUTHE TTLEPR TUMBLR TURALL TURNIN TURTLE TYX142 UCEPAN UCKING UCKTAL UCTION UDA677 UEERMA UGSDOT UISITE UKICHO ULIKET ULKYST ULTIPL ULTURE UMBLRI UMMONE UMMONI UNKING UNLOCK UNNAME UNNIES UNPARA UNREAS URALLY URAZAY URDERS URNING URTLEN USERNA USHROO USINES UTIFUL UTIONE UTLASS UUYASB UYASBO VANKAR VANTRU VEGETA VEMENT VERSIO VINYLB VIRGIN WASTES WATCHI WEIRDE WEIRDL WITHIN WORKIN WRITIN XECUTI XPLAIN XPRESS XQUISI YASBON YAUTIS YBEEBO YLBIOH YOULIK YSTELL YTHING ZIRAPH 797/2176782336

7: 4THEDEP AAAAAAA ABLISHM ABLYAUT ACCIDEN ACESIGM ACHIEVE ACKSTAG ACRIFIC ACUDA67 ADICTIO ADVISED AGICALL AINWREC ALLELED ALREADY AMAZOV0 AMIODDL ANIMATR ANKARAM ANONYMO ANOTHER ANTRUTH ANYTHIN APOLOGI APPEARI APPEARS APPENED ARACTER ARALLEL ARAMAZO ARMESAN ARNAROL AROACES ARRACUD ARZIPAN ASBONER ASONABL ASTDIVA ASTROPH ATASTRO ATBOYBE ATCHING ATIONAL ATMETOT ATRONIC ATURALL AUCEPAN AUTIFUL AZIRAPH BABLYAU BACKSTA BARRACU BEATMET BEAUTIF BECAUSE BESPOKE BIOHAZA BISCUIT BLINKSA BLISHME BLRINAS BLYAUTI BOYBEEB BSESSED BUGSDOT BUSINES CARNARO CATASTR CATBOYB CCIDENT CECONFI CESIGMA CHARACT CHIEVEM CHOPPED CHUCHUW CHUUYAS CIDENTA CKSTAGE CKTALES COBBLER COMMEND COMMENT COMPLET COMPLEX CONDUCT CONFIRM CONTRAD CORPORA COUNTER CRASHES CRASHIN CRIFICI CROWLEY CUDA677 CULTURE CUTIONE CUTLASS DDLYART DEAVOUR DELECTA DELIGHT DELOREA DEMANDS DENTIFY DEPPRES DETAILE DIATELY DICTION DISGUIS DIVANTR DOTJPEG DOYOULI DRIZZLE DSMOBIL DUCKTAL EARNING EARSHOT EASONAB EASPOON EATMETO EAUTIFU EBEATME EBUGSDO ECOMMEN ECONFIR ECTABLY ECUTION EDEPPRE EDIATEL EDIENTS EERMARZ EFERENC EFFECTI EGETABL EGMENTE EIRDEST ELDRITC ELECTAB ELECTRI ELIGHTF ELITTLE ELOREAN EMBERIN EMEMBER ENDEAVO ENGUMI1 ENJOYED ENTATIO ENTENCE ENTIFYI ENTIRET ENTLEME EONEBEA EPARATE EPPRESS EPRINCE ERMARZI ERNAMES ESCAPIN ESENTAT ESENTED ESEUSER ESSO4TH ESTABLI ETAILED ETHISSO ETOTHES ETURNIN EUSERNA EVEMENT EXECUTI EXPLAIN EXPRESS EXQUISI FAILURE FEATURE FECTIVE FERENCE FFECTIV FINALLY FOLLOWI FOREWOR FUCKING FUNKING FUNNIES GENTLEM GETABLE GETTING GHERKIN GHTFULL GICALLY GIMMICK GMENTED GODDAMN GRANDMA GREDIEN GSDOTJP HALLOTS HAPPENE HAPPENS HARACTE HAVINGS HECHAOS HEDEPPR HELITTL HENANID HESEUSE HICALLY HIEVEME HIJACKI HISSONG HTFULLY HUUYASB ICTIONS IDENTAL IDENTIF IEVEMEN IFICING IGHTFUL IJACKIN IKETHIS ILGRAVE IMATRON IMMEDIA INCECON INCORPO INFUSIO INGREDI INKSAGE INSTEAD INSTRUC INWRECK INYLBIO IODDLYA IOHAZAR IRAPHAL IRRATIO ISCUITS ISGUISE ISHMENT ISONING ISSCHUC ITTLEPR IVANKAR IVANTRU JACKING KARAMAZ KETHISS KILGRAV KILLING KYSTELL LASTDIV LBIOHAZ LDRITCH LDSMOBI LEARNIN LECTABL LECTRIC LEPRINC LIGHTFU LIKETHI LINKSAG LISHMEN LITTLEP LKYSTEL LLOWING LYAUTIS MAGICAL MARZIPA MATRONI MAZOV07 MBERING MBLRINA MEDIATE MEMBERI MEONEBE METHING METIMES METOTHE MILLION MIODDLY MISSCHU MMEDIAT MMENDED MMONING MORNING MULTIPL MURDERS MUSHROO NATURAL NCECONF NCORPOR NDEAVOU NDUCTOR NEBEATM NFIRMED NFUSION NGREDIE NGUMI12 NIMATRO NKARAMA NKINGRN NKSAGER NLOCKED NONYMOU NOTHING NPARALL NREASON NSTRUCT NTATION NTENCED NTIFYIN NTIRETY NTLEMEN NTRADIC NTRUTHE NYLBIOH NYTHING O4THEDE OACESIG OBABLYA OBSESSE ODDLYAR OFFERED OHAZARD OISONIN OLDSMOB OLLOWIN OLOGIES OMEONEB OMETHIN OMETIME OMMENDE OMPLETE ONDUCTO ONEBEAT ONFIRME ONTRADI ONYMOUS OPERATE OPHICAL OREWORD ORPORAT ORTOBEL OTATOES OTHECHA OTHESEU OULIKET OYBEEBO OYOULIK PARALLE PARMESA PARSLEY PEARING PECIFIC PENGUMI PHICALL POISONI POLOGIE POPULAR PORATED PORCINI PORTOBE POTATOE PPEARIN PPRESSO PREPARE PRESENT PRESSO4 PRESSUE PRESSUR PRINCEC PRINKLE PRINTED PRINTIN PROBABL PROLIFI PROMISE PROVIDE PUKICHO QUEERMA QUISITE RACUDA6 RADICTI RAINWRE RALLELE RAMAZOV RAPHALE RASHING RATIONA REASONA RECOMME REDIENT REFEREN REGULAR REMEMBE REMORSE REQUEST RESENTA RESENTE RESSO4T RESSURE RETURNI RIFICIN RINCECO RINTING RISOTTO RMARZIP RNAROLI ROACESI ROBABLY ROLIFIC ROPHICA RPORATE RRACUDA RRATION RTLENEC RTOBELL RUCTION SACRIFI SAFFRON SAUCEPA SAV3YEE SCAPING SCHUCHU SDOTJPE SEGMENT SENTATI SENTENC SEPARAT SERNAME SERVING SETTING SEUSERN SEVERAL SHALLOT SHAVING SHENANI SHOWING SHROOMS SIMPLER SMOBILE SO4THED SOMEONE SOMETHI SOMETIM SONABLY SPECIAL SPECIFI SPOTTED SPRINKL SSCHUCH SSO4THE STABLIS STANDAR STDIVAN STROPHI STRUCTI STYX142 SULKYST SUMMONE SUMMONI TABLISH TAGGING TALKING TANDARD TASTROP TBOYBEE TDIVANT TEASPOO THECHAO THEDEPP THELITT THESEUS THISSON TIFYING TLENECK TLEPRIN TMETOTH TOBELLO TOTHECH TOTHESE TRADICT TRAINWR TRONICS TROPHIC TRUCTIO TRUFFLE TRUTHER TTLEPRI TUMBLRI TURALLY TURNING TURTLEN UCKTALE UCTIONS UEERMAR UGSDOTJ ULIKETH ULKYSTE ULTIPLE UMBLRIN UMMONED UMMONIN UNKINGR UNLOCKE

UNNAMED UNNIEST UNPARAL UNREASO URAZAYT URTLENE USERNAM USHROOM USINESS UTIONER UUYASBO UYASBON VANKARA VANTRUT VEGETAB VERSION VINYLBI WATCHIN WEIRDES WEIRDLY WORKING WRITING XECUTIO XPRESSO XQUISIT YASBONE YAUTISM YBEEBOP YLBIOHA YOULIKE YSTELLA ZIRAPHA 540/78364164096

8: 4THEDEPP AAAAAAAA ABLISHME ABLYAUTI ACCIDENT ACESIGMA ACHIEVEM ACKSTAGE ACRIFICI ACUDA677 ADICTION AGICALLY AINWRECK AMAZOV07 AMIODDLY ANIMATRO ANKARAMA ANONYMOU ANTRUTHE ANYTHING APOLOGIE APPEARIN ARALLELE ARAMAZOV ARNAROLI AROACESI ARRACUDA ASONABLY ASTDIVAN ASTROPHI ATASTROP ATBOYBEE ATMETOTH ATRONICS ATURALLY AZIRAPHA BABLYAUT BACKSTAG BARRACUD BEATMETO BEAUTIFU BIOHAZAR BISCUITS BLINKSAG BLISHMEN BLYAUTIS BOYBEEBO BUGSDOTJ BUSINESS CARNAROL CATASTRO CATBOYBE CCIDENTA CECONFIR CHARACTE CHIEVEME CHUUYASB CIDENTAL COMMENDE COMPLETE CONDUCTO CONFIRME CONTRADI CORPORAT CRASHING CRIFICIN CUTIONER DELECTAB DELIGHTF DELOREAN DENTIFYI DEPPRESS DETAILED DICTIONS DISGUISE DIVANTRU DOYOULIK DSMOBILE DUCKTALE EASONABL EATMETOT EAUTIFUL EBEATMET EBUGSDOT ECOMMEND ECONFIRM ECUTIONE EDEPPRES EDIATELY EERMARZI EFERENCE EFFECTIV EGETABLE EGMENTED ELDRITCH ELECTABL ELECTRIC ELIGHTFU ELITTLEP EMBERING EMEMBERI ENDEAVOU ENGUMI12 ENTATION ENTENCED ENTIFYIN ENTIRETY ENTLEMEN EONEBEAT EPPRESSO EPRINCEC ERMARZIP ESCAPING ESENTATI ESEUSERN ESSO4THE ESTABLIS ETHISSON ETOTHESE ETURNING EUSERNAM EXECUTIO EXPRESSO EXQUISIT FFECTIVE FOLLOWIN FOREWORD FUNKINGR FUNNIEST GENTLEME GHTFULLY GREDIENT GSDOTJPE HAPPENED HARACTER HEDEPPRE HELITTLE HESEUSER HIEVEMEN HIJACKIN HUUYASBO IDENTIFY IEVEMENT IGHTFULL IJACKING IKETHISS IMATRONI IMMEDIAT INCECONF INCORPOR INFUSION INGREDIE INKSAGER INSTRUCT INYLBIOH IODDLYAR IOHAZARD IRAPHALE IRRATION ISSCHUCH ITTLEPRI IVANKARA IVANTRUT KARAMAZO KETHISSO KILGRAVE KYSTELLA LASTDIVA LBIOHAZA LDSMOBIL LEARNING LECTABLY LEPRINCE LIGHTFUL LIKETHIS LINKSAGE LISHMENT LITTLEPR LKYSTELL LYAUTISM MAGICALL MARZIPAN MATRONIC MBLRINAS MEDIATEL MEMBERIN MEONEBEA METOTHES MIODDLYA MISSCHUC MMEDIATE MULTIPLE MUSHROOM NATURALL NCECONFI NCORPORA NDEAVOUR NEBEATME NGREDIEN NIMATRON NKARAMAZ NONYMOUS NPARALLE NREASONA NSTRUCTI NTIFYING NTRADICT NTRUTHER NYLBIOHA O4THEDEP OACESIGM OBABLYAU OBSESSED ODDLYART OISONING OLDSMOBI OLLOWING OMEONEBE OMETHING OMETIMES OMMENDED ONDUCTOR ONEBEATM ONFIRMED ONTRADIC OPHICALL ORPORATE ORTOBELL OTHECHAO OTHESEUS OULIKETH OYBEEBOP OYOULIKE PARALLEL PARMESAN PENGUMI1 PHICALLY POISONIN POLOGIES PORTOBEL POTATOES PPEARING PRESENTA PRESENTE PRESSO4T PRESSURE PRINCECO PRINTING PROBABLY PROLIFIC QUEERMAR RACUDA67 RADICTIO RAINWREC RALLELED RAMAZOV0 RATIONAL REASONAB RECOMMEN REDIENTS REFERENC REMEMBER RESENTAT RESENTED RESSO4TH RETURNIN RIFICING RINCECON RMARZIPA ROACESIG ROBABLYA ROPHICAL RPORATED RRACUDA6 RRATIONA RTLENECK RTOBELLO RUCTIONS SACRIFIC SAUCEPAN SCHUCHUW SDOTJPEG SEGMENTE SENTATIO SENTENCE SEPARATE SERNAMES SEUSERNA SHALLOTS SHAVINGS SHENANID SO4THEDE SOMEONEB SOMETHIN SOMETIME SPECIFIC SPRINKLE SSCHUCHU SSO4THED STABLISH STANDARD STDIVANT STROPHIC STRUCTIO SULKYSTE SUMMONED SUMMONIN TABLISHM TASTROPH TBOYBEEB TDIVANTR TEASPOON THECHAOS THEDEPPR THELITTL THESEUSE THISSONG TLEPRINC TMETOTHE TOTHECHA TOTHESEU TRADICTI TRAINWRE TROPHICA TRUCTION TTLEPRIN TUMBLRIN TURTLENE UCKTALES UEERMARZ UGSDOTJP ULIKETHI ULKYSTEL UMBLRINA UMMONING UNKINGRN UNLOCKED UNPARALL UNREASON URTLENEC USERNAME USHROOMS UUYASBON UYASBONE VANKARAM VANTRUTH VEGETABL VINYLBIO WATCHING WEIRDEST XECUTION XPRESSO4 XQUISITE YASBONER YLBIOHAZ YOULIKET ZIRAPHAL 357/2821109907456

9: 4THEDEPPR AAAAAAAAA ABLISHMEN ABLYAUTIS ACCIDENTA ACHIEVEME ACRIFICIN ADICTIONS AMIODDLYA ANIMATRON ANKARAMAZ ANONYMOUS ANTRUTHER APOLOGIES APPEARING ARALLELED ARAMAZOV0 AROACESIG ARRACUDA6 ASTDIVANT ASTROPHIC ATASTROPH ATBOYBEEB ATMETOTHE AZIRAPHAL BABLYAUTI BACKSTAGE BARRACUDA BEATMETOT BEAUTIFUL BIOHAZARD BLINKSAGE BLISHMENT BLYAUTISM BOYBEEBOP BUGSDOTJP CARNAROLI CATASTROP CATBOYBEE CCIDENTAL CECONFIRM CHARACTER CHIEVEMEN CHUUYASBO COMMENDED CONDUCTOR CONFIRMED CONTRADIC CORPORATE CRIFICING DELECTABL DELIGHTFU DENTIFYIN DEPPRESSO DIVANTRUT DOYOULIKE DUCKTALES EASONABLY EATMETOTH EBEATMETO EBUGSDOTJ ECOMMENDE ECONFIRME ECUTIONER EDEPPRESS EERMARZIP EFFECTIVE ELECTABLY ELIGHTFUL ELITTLEPR EMEMBERIN ENDEAVOUR ENTIFYING EONEBEATM EPRINCECO ERMARZIPA ESENTATIO ESEUSERNA ESSO4THED ESTABLISH ETHISSONG ETOTHESEU EUSERNAME EXECUTION EXPRESSO4 EXQUISITE FOLLOWING FUNKINGRN GENTLEMEN GREDIENTS GSDOTJPEG HEDEPPRES HELITTLEP HESEUSERN HIEVEMENT HIJACKING HUUYASBON IDENTIFYI IGHTFULLY IKETHISSO IMATRONIC IMMEDIATE INCECONFI INCORPORA INGREDIEN INSTRUCTI INYLBIOHA IODDLYART IRRATIONA ISSCHUCHU ITTLEPRIN IVANKARAM IVANTRUTH KARAMAZOV KETHISSON LASTDIVAN LBIOHAZAR LDSMOBILE LEPRINCEC LIGHTFULL LIKETHISS LINKSAGER LITTLEPRI LKYSTELLA MAGICALLY MATRONICS MEDIATELY MEMBERING MEONEBEAT METOTHESE MIODDLYAR MISSCHUCH MMEDIATEL MUSHROOMS NATURALLY NCECONFIR NCORPORAT NEBEATMET NGREDIENT NIMATRONI NKARAMAZO NPARALLEL NREASONAB NSTRUCTIO NTRADICTI NYLBIOHAZ O4THEDEPP OACESIGMA OBABLYAUT OLDSMOBIL OMEONEBEA ONEBEATME ONTRADICT OPHICALLY ORPORATED ORTOBELLO OTHECHAOS OTHESEUSE OULIKETHI OYOULIKET PARALLELE PENGUMI12 POISONING PORTOBELL PRESENTAT PRESENTED PRESSO4TH PRINCECON PROBABLYA QUEERMARZ RACUDA677 RADICTION RAINWRECK RAMAZOV07 REASONABL RECOMMEND REFERENCE REMEMBERI RESENTATI RESSO4THE RETURNING RINCECONF RMARZIPAN ROACESIGM ROBABLYAU ROPHICALL RRACUDA67 RRATIONAL SACRIFICI SEGMENTED SENTATION SENTENCED SEUSERNAM SO4THEDEP SOMEONEBE SOMETHING SOMETIMES SSCHUCHUW SSO4THEDE STABLISHM STDIVANTR STROPHICA STRUCTION SULKYSTEL SUMMONING TABLISHME TASTROPHI TBOYBEEBO TDIVANTRU THEDEPPRE THELITTLE THESEUSER TLEPRINCE TMETOTHES TOTHECHAO TOTHESEUS TRADICTIO TRAINWREC TROPHICAL TRUCTIONS TTLEPRINC TUMBLRINA TURTLENEC UEERMARZI UGSDOTJPE ULIKETHIS ULKYSTELL UMBLRINAS UNPARALLE UNREASONA URTLENECK USERNAMES UUYASBONE UYASBONER VANKARAMA VANTRUTHE VEGETABLE VINYLBIOH XECUTIONE XPRESSO4T YLBIOHAZA YOULIKETH ZIRAPHALE 243/101559956668416

10: 4THEDEPPRE AAAAAAAAAA ABLISHMENT ABLYAUTISM ACCIDENTAL ACHIEVEMEN ACRIFICING AMIODDLYAR ANIMATRONI ANKARAMAZO ARAMAZOV07 AROACESIGM ARRACUDA67 ASTDIVANTR ASTROPHICA ATASTROPHI ATBOYBEEBO ATMETOTHES AZIRAPHALE BABLYAUTIS BARRACUDA6 BEATMETOTH BLINKSAGER BUGSDOTJPE CATASTROPH CATBOYBEEB CECONFIRME CHIEVEMENT CHUUYASBON CONTRADICT CORPORATED DELECTABLY DELIGHTFUL DENTIFYING DIVANTRUTH DOYOULIKET EATMETOTHE EBEATMETOT EBUGSDOTJP ECOMMENDED ECONFIRMED EDEPPRESSO EERMARZIPA ELIGHTFULL ELITTLEPRI EMEMBERING EONEBEATME EPRINCECON ERMARZIPAN ESENTATION ESEUSERNAM ESSO4THEDE ESTABLISHM ETOTHESEUS EUSERNAMES EXECUTIONE EXPRESSO4T HEDEPPRESS HELITTLEPR HESEUSERNA HUUYASBONE IDENTIFYIN IKETHISSON IMATRONICS IMMEDIATEL INCECONFIR INCORPORAT INGREDIENT INSTRUCTIO INYLBIOHAZ IRRATIONAL ISSCHUCHUW ITTLEPRINC IVANKARAMA IVANTRUTHE KARAMAZOV0 KETHISSONG LASTDIVANT LBIOHAZARD LEPRINCECO LIGHTFULLY LIKETHISSO LITTLEPRIN MEONEBEATM METOTHESEU MIODDLYART MISSCHUCHU MMEDIATELY NCECONFIRM NCORPORATE NEBEATMETO NGREDIENTS NIMATRONIC NKARAMAZOV NPARALLELE NREASONABL NSTRUCTION NTRADICTIO NYLBIOHAZA O4THEDEPPR OBABLYAUTI OLDSMOBILE OMEONEBEAT ONEBEATMET ONTRADICTI OTHESEUSER OULIKETHIS OYOULIKETH PARALLELED PORTOBELLO PRESENTATI PRESSO4THE PRINCECONF PROBABLYAU QUEERMARZI RADICTIONS REASONABLY RECOMMENDE REMEMBERIN RESENTATIO RESSO4THED RINCECONFI ROACESIGMA ROBABLYAUT ROPHICALLY RRACUDA677 SACRIFICIN SEUSERNAME SO4THEDEPP SOMEONEBEA SSO4THEDEP STABLISHME STDIVANTRU STROPHICAL STRUCTIONS SULKYSTELL TABLISHMEN TASTROPHIC TBOYBEEBOP TDIVANTRUT THEDEPPRES THELITTLEP THESEUSERN TLEPRINCEC TMETOTHESE TOTHECHAOS TOTHESEUSE TRADICTION TRAINWRECK TROPHICALL TTLEPRINCE TUMBLRINAS TURTLENECK UEERMARZIP UGSDOTJPEG ULIKETHISS ULKYSTELLA UNPARALLEL UNREASONAB UUYASBONER VANKARAMAZ VANTRUTHER VINYLBIOHA XECUTIONER XPRESSO4TH YLBIOHAZAR YOULIKETHI 167/3656158440062976

11: 4THEDEPPRES AAAAAAAAAAA ACHIEVEMENT AMIODDLYART ANIMATRONIC ANKARAMAZOV AROACESIGMA ARRACUDA677 ASTDIVANTRU ASTROPHICAL ATASTROPHIC ATBOYBEEBOP ATMETOTHESE BABLYAUTISM BARRACUDA67 BEATMETOTHE BUGSDOTJPEG CATASTROPHI CATBOYBEEBO CECONFIRMED CHUUYASBONE CONTRADICTI DELIGHTFULL DIVANTRUTHE DOYOULIKETH EATMETOTHES EBEATMETOTH EBUGSDOTJPE EERMARZIPAN ELIGHTFULLY ELITTLEPRIN EONEBEATMET EPRINCECONF ESEUSERNAME ESSO4THEDEP ESTABLISHME ETOTHESEUSE EXECUTIONER EXPRESSO4TH HEDEPPRESSO HELITTLEPRI HESEUSERNAM HUUYASBONER IDENTIFYING IKETHISSONG IMMEDIATELY INCECONFIRM INCORPORATE INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTION INYLBIOHAZA ITTLEPRINCE IVANKARAMAZ IVANTRUTHER KARAMAZOV07 LASTDIVANTR LEPRINCECON LIKETHISSON LITTLEPRINC MEONEBEATME METOTHESEUS MISSCHUCHUW NCECONFIRME NCORPORATED NEBEATMETOT NIMATRONICS NKARAMAZOV0 NPARALLELED NREASONABLY NSTRUCTIONS NTRADICTION NYLBIOHAZAR O4THEDEPPRE OBABLYAUTIS OMEONEBEATM ONEBEATMETO ONTRADICTIO OTHESEUSERN OULIKETHISS OYOULIKETHI PRESENTATIO PRESSO4THED PRINCECONFI PROBABLYAUT QUEERMARZIP RECOMMENDED REMEMBERING RESENTATION RESSO4THEDE RINCECONFIR ROBABLYAUTI SACRIFICING SEUSERNAMES SO4THEDEPPR SOMEONEBEAT SSO4THEDEPP STABLISHMEN STDIVANTRUT STROPHICALL SULKYSTELLA TABLISHMENT TASTROPHICA TDIVANTRUTH THEDEPPRESS THELITTLEPR THESEUSERNA TLEPRINCECO TMETOTHESEU TOTHESEUSER TRADICTIONS TROPHICALLY TTLEPRINCEC UEERMARZIPA ULIKETHISSO UNPARALLELE UNREASONABL VANKARAMAZO VINYLBIOHAZ XPRESSO4THE YLBIOHAZARD YOULIKETHIS 121/131621703842267136

12: 4THEDEPPRESS AAAAAAAAAAAA ANIMATRONICS ANKARAMAZOV0 ASTDIVANTRUT ASTROPHICALL ATASTROPHICA ATMETOTHESEU BARRACUDA677 BEATMETOTHES CATASTROPHIC CATBOYBEEBOP CHUUYASBONER CONTRADICTIO DELIGHTFULLY DIVANTRUTHER DOYOULIKETHI EATMETOTHESE EBEATMETOTHE EBUGSDOTJPEG ELITTLEPRINC EONEBEATMETO EPRINCECONFI ESEUSERNAMES ESSO4THEDEPP ESTABLISHMEN ETOTHESEUSER EXPRESSO4THE HELITTLEPRIN HESEUSERNAME INCECONFIRME INCORPORATED INSTRUCTIONS INYLBIOHAZAR ITTLEPRINCEC IVANKARAMAZO LASTDIVANTRU LEPRINCECONF LIKETHISSONG LITTLEPRINCE MEONEBEATMET METOTHESEUSE NCECONFIRMED NEBEATMETOTH NKARAMAZOV07 NTRADICTIONS NYLBIOHAZARD O4THEDEPPRES OBABLYAUTISM OMEONEBEATME ONEBEATMETOT ONTRADICTION OTHESEUSERNA OULIKETHISSO OYOULIKETHIS PRESENTATION PRESSO4THEDE PRINCECONFIR PROBABLYAUTI QUEERMARZIPA RESSO4THEDEP RINCECONFIRM ROBABLYAUTIS SO4THEDEPPRE SOMEONEBEATM SSO4THEDEPPR STABLISHMENT STDIVANTRUTH STROPHICALLY TASTROPHICAL TDIVANTRUTHE THEDEPPRESSO THELITTLEPRI THESEUSERNAM TLEPRINCECON TMETOTHESEUS TOTHESEUSERN TTLEPRINCECO UEERMARZIPAN ULIKETHISSON UNPARALLELED UNREASONABLY VANKARAMAZOV VINYLBIOHAZA XPRESSO4THED YOULIKETHISS 86/4738381338321616896

13: 4THEDEPPRESSO AAAAAAAAAAAAA ANKARAMAZOV07 ASTDIVANTRUTH ASTROPHICALLY ATASTROPHICAL ATMETOTHESEUS BEATMETOTHESE CATASTROPHICA CONTRADICTION DOYOULIKETHIS EATMETOTHESEU EBEATMETOTHES ELITTLEPRINCE EONEBEATMETOT EPRINCECONFIR ESSO4THEDEPPR ESTABLISHMENT ETOTHESEUSERN EXPRESSO4THED HELITTLEPRINC HESEUSERNAMES INCECONFIRMED INYLBIOHAZARD ITTLEPRINCECO IVANKARAMAZOV LASTDIVANTRUT LEPRINCECONFI LITTLEPRINCEC MEONEBEATMETO METOTHESEUSER NEBEATMETOTHE O4THEDEPPRESS OMEONEBEATMET ONEBEATMETOTH ONTRADICTIONS OTHESEUSERNAM OULIKETHISSON OYOULIKETHISS PRESSO4THEDEP PRINCECONFIRM PROBABLYAUTIS QUEERMARZIPAN RESSO4THEDEPP RINCECONFIRME ROBABLYAUTISM SO4THEDEPPRES SOMEONEBEATME SSO4THEDEPPRE STDIVANTRUTHE TASTROPHICALL TDIVANTRUTHER THELITTLEPRIN THESEUSERNAME TLEPRINCECONF TMETOTHESEUSE TOTHESEUSERNA TTLEPRINCECON ULIKETHISSONG VANKARAMAZOV0 VINYLBIOHAZAR XPRESSO4THEDE YOULIKETHISSO 63/170581728179578208256

14: AAAAAAAAAAAAAA ASTDIVANTRUTHE ATASTROPHICALL ATMETOTHESEUSE BEATMETOTHESEU CATASTROPHICAL CONTRADICTIONS DOYOULIKETHISS EATMETOTHESEUS EBEATMETOTHESE ELITTLEPRINCEC EONEBEATMETOTH EPRINCECONFIRM ESSO4THEDEPPRE ETOTHESEUSERNA EXPRESSO4THEDE HELITTLEPRINCE ITTLEPRINCECON IVANKARAMAZOV0 LASTDIVANTRUTH LEPRINCECONFIR LITTLEPRINCECO MEONEBEATMETOT METOTHESEUSERN NEBEATMETOTHES O4THEDEPPRESSO OMEONEBEATMETO ONEBEATMETOTHE OTHESEUSERNAME OULIKETHISSONG OYOULIKETHISSO PRESSO4THEDEPP PRINCECONFIRME PROBABLYAUTISM RESSO4THEDEPPR RINCECONFIRMED SO4THEDEPPRESS SOMEONEBEATMET SSO4THEDEPPRES STDIVANTRUTHER TASTROPHICALLY THELITTLEPRINC THESEUSERNAMES TLEPRINCECONFI TMETOTHESEUSER TOTHESEUSERNAM TTLEPRINCECONF VANKARAMAZOV07 VINYLBIOHAZARD XPRESSO4THEDEP YOULIKETHISSON 51/6140942214464815497216

15: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ASTDIVANTRUTHER ATASTROPHICALLY ATMETOTHESEUSER BEATMETOTHESEUS CATASTROPHICALL DOYOULIKETHISSO EATMETOTHESEUSE EBEATMETOTHESEU ELITTLEPRINCECO EONEBEATMETOTHE EPRINCECONFIRME ESSO4THEDEPPRES ETOTHESEUSERNAM EXPRESSO4THEDEP HELITTLEPRINCEC ITTLEPRINCECONF IVANKARAMAZOV07 LASTDIVANTRUTHE LEPRINCECONFIRM LITTLEPRINCECON MEONEBEATMETOTH METOTHESEUSERNA NEBEATMETOTHESE OMEONEBEATMETOT ONEBEATMETOTHES OTHESEUSERNAMES OYOULIKETHISSON PRESSO4THEDEPPR PRINCECONFIRMED RESSO4THEDEPPRE SO4THEDEPPRESSO SOMEONEBEATMETO SSO4THEDEPPRESS THELITTLEPRINCE TLEPRINCECONFIR TMETOTHESEUSERN TOTHESEUSERNAME TTLEPRINCECONFI XPRESSO4THEDEPP YOULIKETHISSONG 41/221073919720733357899776

16: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ATMETOTHESEUSERN BEATMETOTHESEUSE CATASTROPHICALLY DOYOULIKETHISSON EATMETOTHESEUSER EBEATMETOTHESEUS ELITTLEPRINCECON EONEBEATMETOTHES EPRINCECONFIRMED ESSO4THEDEPPRESS ETOTHESEUSERNAME EXPRESSO4THEDEPP HELITTLEPRINCECO ITTLEPRINCECONFI LASTDIVANTRUTHER LEPRINCECONFIRME LITTLEPRINCECONF MEONEBEATMETOTHE METOTHESEUSERNAM NEBEATMETOTHESEU OMEONEBEATMETOTH ONEBEATMETOTHESE OYOULIKETHISSONG PRESSO4THEDEPPRE RESSO4THEDEPPRES SOMEONEBEATMETOT SSO4THEDEPPRESSO THELITTLEPRINCEC TLEPRINCECONFIRM TMETOTHESEUSERNA TOTHESEUSERNAMES TTLEPRINCECONFIR XPRESSO4THEDEPPR 34/7958661109946400884391936

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26: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA EONEBEATMETOTHESEUSERNAMES MEONEBEATMETOTHESEUSERNAME OMEONEBEATMETOTHESEUSERNAM SOMEONEBEATMETOTHESEUSERNA 5/29098125988731506183153025616435306561536

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28: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA OMEONEBEATMETOTHESEUSERNAMES SOMEONEBEATMETOTHESEUSERNAME 3/37711171281396032013366321198900157303750656

29: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA SOMEONEBEATMETOTHESEUSERNAMES 2/1357602166130257152481187563160405662935023616

30: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 1/48873677980689257489322752273774603865660850176

31: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 1/1759452407304813269615619081855885739163790606336

32: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 1/63340286662973277706162286946811886609896461828096

glad that im not popular enough to have an evil shadow version of my blog that exists just to make contradictions on my posts

#max: 32

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seriouslyhooked · 7 years ago

Text

Call My Own

Available on FF Here and AO3 Here

A/N: This chapter is a very old prompt I have had on my to-write list for over a year, brought to you by the many many Ed Sheeran fans we seem to have in the fandom. ‘Nancy Mulligan’ is not the first Ed Sheeran song in the mixtape series, and it will hardly be the last, but this fic also came with an added request. It wanted Emma as a princess and Killian as a pirate in an EF AU where the two of them have to run away to get married since her parents don’t approve. I have twisted that just a little bit, but what has resulted is just a ball of fluff that I think we could all use after saying our final farewell to the show yesterday. Hope you guys enjoy, hope that you are all doing well, and thanks so much for reading!

Captain Killian Jones of the Jolly Roger had never been one for patience. Since an early age he’d known it was a flaw in his personal design. His need to keep going, to keep moving, and to seek instant gratification was more often than not a burden. But never had his patience been tested like it was tonight as he waited with a lantern in the woods just beyond the castle walls.

Getting to this moment had been a long and winding road, one filled with hardship and loss that used to haunt Killian without reprieve. The deaths of his mother and of his elder brother Liam had prompted the worst kinds of pain, even worse than the enslavement he and Liam faced as children. But then a miracle stumbled along his path, a woman – nay, a princess – who with just a simple smile and a ‘how do you do’ turned his world completely upside down. Where once there had only been darkness now there was light again, and the heedless rebellion that had long stirred in Killian’s soul was quieted by the love of a remarkable woman who he was waiting for now.

Princess Emma of Misthaven was a rare gem, a beauty who was incomparable and who was beloved the realm over, but there was more to Emma than mere looks. The wit she had, the sense of self, the unshakeable sense of right in wrong, and the headstrong stubbornness when she felt herself justified all tied together made one perfectly imperfect person who he couldn’t help but adore. She was beyond comprehension and at their first meeting Killian had known just how ill suited they were for each other. He was bloody pirate for Gods’ sake, and she… well she was goodness personified.

It was that goodness that had brought them together so many months ago, but Killian remembered that first meeting like it had only just happened. He could see Emma in his mind’s eye, dressed down from the splendors of royal wear into something more modest and comfortable. She was out and about, having slipped away from the castle and her guards to help care for some children in this small town by the sea, and at first Killian had no idea who she was. To him she was simply the most gorgeous maiden he’d ever cast eyes on, and he’d felt compelled to seek her out even if he knew he shouldn’t.

“Excuse me, lass,” he’d begun, trying to catch up to his actions as he spoke aloud. Truth be told he had no plan, no words that he could say to her, and at first he thought to ask for directions or pretend to be lost, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie, even if it was of small consequence. Instead he lapsed into silence, prompting a smile from this strange, beautiful creature.

“I would excuse you,” she replied with a fair bit of sass, “but I don’t know what you’ve done that needs excusing.”

“Right – sorry.” Killian’s bumbling about was the most mortifying experience, but then it prompted a laugh from his new companion and he couldn’t seem to regret it.

“Did you need something?” she asked, the light of her laughter still twinkling in her eyes and Killian moved forward, wanting to bask in the aura around her. At his movements her gaze shifted from something that was merely friendly and curious to another expression entirely. In her eyes he finally saw an interest that mirrored his own, and that interest seemed to return his instincts to him once more.

“Just a name, love, so I might know what to call the most beautiful woman the realms over.”

The words hadn’t in any way been contrived, for he felt them most acutely, but Killian waited a beat, feeling her breath catch and watching a shiver go through her before she shook her head and smiled again, another giggle falling from her lips. She covered her mouth, and Killian wished to take her hand to keep her from shielding her smile, but she did so on her own soon enough.

“Do lines that usually work for you?” she queried, clearly believing him a flatterer instead of a man of any substance.

“That wasn’t a line,” Killian said somewhat defensively. “You are that beautiful.”

Now it was her turn to be a little off balance. “Oh, well, uh thank you.”

“So… your name?” he asked, stepping just a fraction of an inch closer but putting them in a distance to each other that was hardly proper.

“You really don’t know?” she asked and Killian shook his head.

“Should I, love?” Killian prompted and she looked torn about telling him, glancing back to the children who were still playing about. Then Killian acted on instinct, reaching out to her and turning her cheek back to him. He felt the rush of touching her the first time, the flare of heat as his skin met hers, and he watched as a blush kissed her cheeks, but he pressed on. “If you don’t give me a name, you know I’ll have to choose my own for you.”

“And what would you choose?” she asked, her voice a bit breathless as the wind picked up slightly and moved a bit of her golden hair around in the breeze.

“Swan,” he confessed, watching as her eyes grew wide with curiosity. “They are the most beautiful of birds, both fierce and brilliant. They’re also stubborn as I recall, and they’ve a will of their own that can’t be denied.”

“I’m not stubborn,” she protested and Killian grinned.

“Aren’t you? You won’t even give me your name.”

“It’s Emma,” she replied.

“Killian,” he’d offered in turn, taking her hand in his, and just as he was about to push for more the children had returned in full force, bringing with them more than exuberance but another revelation – for none of them referred to her as Emma, instead they all called her ‘Princess’ alerting Killian to the fact that he’d just begun to fall for not just any woman, but the most sought after one in the Enchanted Forest.

In the time since that meeting, however, Killian and Emma had found their way back to each other often. It started slowly and with set expectations. She was a princess, and he was a pirate. There was surely no way they could be together, but when Emma confessed that the feeling of love and that sensation that life could never be as sweet without them together was mutual, Killian began to hope for more. He was determined to be a better man that was more worthy of her, and the inspiration he held close in trying to pursue such a life came from Emma and her abundant love for all the people in the realm, good, bad, and in between.

A slow spike of remorse rose in Killian’s gut at the thought of that love and how their running away together now would jeopardize her future interactions with the kingdom. Emma deserved the life she’d been born to, a life where someday she would rule as Queen and protect the people she’d been safeguarding all her life, but the sad fact was he couldn’t give such a life to her. Her parents, kind and benevolent as stories and legend made them out to be, had been clear on this: their daughter was not to marry a pirate.

“I just can’t understand them,” Emma had said the night after he’d gone to seek their approval a few days ago, when she’d stolen away from the castle to meet him aboard his ship. There were tears in her eyes, and emotion holding like a vice to her voice that cut Killian down to his soul.

“Can’t you, love?” Killian asked, a bitter attempt at humor etched inside the words. “I’m a pirate, a rogue, hardly the kind of man suited for a princess, never mind a princess as wonderful as you.”

“Stop that,” Emma scolded as she looked into his eyes and her hands came to his chest. “You know that’s not true Killian. You’re so much more than the pirate you imagine. You’re the best man I’ve ever known. I wouldn’t love you as I do if you were any less.”

“And I will love you every day of my life, and every day there after, Emma. But sometimes, I suppose, love isn’t enough.”

The words had tasted like acid on his tongue and the reality that not receiving a blessing from her parents would put a stop to this nearly killed him, but it was Emma who rallied and who put his fears mostly to rest. She pulled him to her for a kiss, one that was forceful and full of feeling, daring him to doubt what existed between them. Then when they pulled away from each other, their foreheads rested together and she spoke a simple truth he would cling to all the rest of his life.

“Love will always be enough, and a true love like ours always finds a way.”

That was what they were doing tonight – finding a way, a way to be together and to tie two hearts who loved so fully together as one. They were going to elope, to marry in secret and then reveal to her parents the truth. From there the Queen and King could make the decision to either accept Killian and Emma or to turn them away. Killian prayed every night for the former, for disownment from her parents would bring Emma a pain he would wish on no one, certainly not the woman he loved.

A rustling of branches not so far off drew Killian’s mind from his wayward thoughts, and he awaited whatever approached, poised for the worst but hoping for the best. When he saw Emma standing there, he hardly knew what to say. She was so beautiful, so utterly breathtaking out here in the moonlight with just the glow of his lantern shining on her that he could barely speak. Underneath a cloak of blue he could see she was wearing white. It wasn’t the kind of gown a princess wore on her wedding day, but it was beautiful, pure, and gave his bride to be an almost fairy-like look he’d remember forever.

“Emma,” he said, her name a single utterance that brought her running forward. She threw herself into his arms, and he tossed the lantern with little care, knowing it was safe, but not truly having a care. All that mattered was holding her, and comforting whatever sadness she was feeling.

“Oh Killian… I thought I’d die from waiting. But we’re really doing this. We’re really going to be married,” she said and Killian swallowed harshly as he pulled back to look at her, letting her come back softly to her feet.

“That we are, love. As soon as you tell me that this is what you want we’ll go. I’ve everything ready, but I need you to tell me one last time.”

“The only thing I’ll ever truly need is you by my side,” Emma murmured as her hand grazed his cheek, her fingertips brushing at the spot where beard met flesh as she tried her hand at a bit of teasing to lighten the mood. “You still love me, don’t you, Captain?”

“More than anything the realms over. And you know I’d give you the whole world if I could, Emma, but in the life I can offer you, there are no palaces or castle. No crowns, and no kingdoms. There’s just my ship, the sea, and a heart so full of love for you I can promise it will never fade away.”

“It sounds perfect,” she assured him with a whisper. “As long as I’m your wife and you’re my husband, as long as we walk through life together, make a family together, and grow old together, as long as you keep your promise and love me every day, then that will be enough.”

“You have my word, Emma. If those are your dreams, I will see to it that every last one of them comes true.”

“And we’ll see to the rest,” a voice said from just beyond the tree line. Emma and Killian turned and discovered that despite their beliefs they were not alone, for there, standing before them were the King and Queen. “Won’t we Charming?”

The question from Queen Snow came charged with emotion, her wide eyes glistening with tears as she held her husband’s hand. Emma’s father, meanwhile, was not so stricken with emotion, but his focus lingered on his daughter before turning to Killian. This time the look Killian received was very different from the last. There was still the feeling that Killian would never be good enough for Emma (a fact to which Killian would readily agree), but the harshness and disdain was gone. Instead it was replaced with understanding and a new sort of respect. It was a look that gave Killian hope, as he stood there with Emma still in his arms.

“Mom? Dad?” Emma asked, pulling back as she kept Killian’s hand in hers. “If you came here to stop me -,”

“We didn’t,” her father promised. “We came to make things right.”

“We should never have stood in the way of true love, Emma,” her mother said thoughtfully, stepping forward to cross the space between them until her hand came to rest on Emma’s arm. “And it’s clear from your actions and your words that you two do love each other. You’re old enough to know your own heart, and if you want him so much that you would run away to be married, he must be truly worthy man.”

“He is,” Emma said with a smile before looking back at Killian and whispering, “You are.”

“Right then,” Emma’s father said briskly, stepping forward to shake Killian’s hand. “Please accept our apologies, Captain. But also remember that if you hurt her there’s not a place in any world you could go where I wouldn’t find you.”

“Dad!” Emma yelled at the same time that her mother scolded, “Charming!” but then Emma and Queen Snow laughed together.

“There’s nothing to forgive, Your Highnesses. And believe me, if I were ever to cause any harm to Emma, I would not run. I’d willingly surrender to whatever punishment you deemed fit. It could be no worse than the pain I’d feel at having inflicted any suffering on my swan.”

“Swan?” Queen Snow asked and Emma shook her head.

“A story for another time. Right now we have to go, we’re late.”

“Late?” the King asked. “But Emma, now that we’ve settled things surely you can come home. Killian will come too and we’ll plan a wedding befitting a princess. There’s no need to run anymore.”

“You two can still plan the party of your dreams. If you want we’ll even stand up in front of the whole kingdom and say our vows all over again,” Emma said looking to Killian for agreement as he gave a nod, perfectly happy to do anything she wanted. “But I’m not waking up another morning not married to the man I love. I can’t wait anymore. I won’t.”

“I see,” her father said with an even tone as her mother looked shocked. Then he surprised them all with a response no one saw coming. “Well I can’t say I’ve ever been on a pirate ship before, but there’s a first time for everything as they say.”

“You’re kidding,” Emma said with rush of air and then a giggle when she realized he wasn’t. “You’re serious?! You’ll both come?”

Her parents agreed that they would, and Killian could feel the happiness Emma carried in her heart because of it. They made their way to the ship, and despite the slight awkwardness of introducing the few crew members he’d kept for the night to not only his bride to be but her royal parents, things went smoothly from there. The chapel was found, the ceremony presided over, and the love that was bound together grew only stronger as they promised to have and to hold each other all the days of their lives. Killian knew the rush and the thrill that could only come from the woman he cherished taking his name as hers, and he felt his heart open all the more at promising Emma eternity. It would never be enough, but it was a start, a start he was more than excited to undertake.

As the early morning light began to rise above the world, Killian and Emma stood at the side of the Jolly Roger, watching the sun make it’s way through the heavens, bringing warmth and illumination as it did. Her parents had decided to retire to a cabin for this last short leg of the trip, but Killian suspected it was more to give them privacy than because of any real need for rest. He appreciated it too, for the only thing that could sate the need to claim his bride in this moment was holding her in his arms, watching the early morning sun cast golden hints through her hair and light up her jade colored eyes. In this moment Emma looked blissfully happy, and then she turned to him and smiled, taking his breath away.

“Promise me this really happened,” she said, her hand coming to rest above his chest, right where his heart lay beating. “Promise me it’s real, and that I won’t wake up from some perfect dream any minute now.”

Killian brought her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss before returning her smile. Then he ran his fingertips against her cheek, gazing in her eyes and seeing the next sixty-odd years they’d spend together. There was a beautiful life to be led, a life filled with far more joy than sorrow, with hopes and dreams, with love and faith, and he found himself also grappling with the worry that somehow this was all a grand illusion. Then he grounded himself in Emma, the realest thing he’d ever known, and he took comfort in the fact that he couldn’t imagine such a treasure or such a blessing as her.

“This is real, my love. As real as real can be.”

“Good,” Emma replied before kissing him, teasing him with the taste of passion he knew lurked just beneath the surface. The kiss burned hotter, edging onto something that couldn’t be excused, especially when her parents were just below decks, but at the last minute Emma pulled back, grinning mirthfully at him before supplying one last thought. “And don’t worry – we can still run away together.”

“Come again?” the confusion that must have been etched on his face made her laugh, soothing his disorientation as he awaited her reply.

“Not forever,” Emma said with conviction. “Just for a little while. I think three weeks will be long enough for a decent honeymoon, don’t you?”

“Aye, my swan. As you wish.”

And with that agreement between them, Killian and Emma settled into the happily ever after they’d been fighting so hard for, finding it just as wonderful and magical as fairytales and happy stories made them out to be.

…………..

I was twenty-four years old When I met the woman I would call my own Twenty-two grand kids now growing old In that house that your brother bought ya On the summer day when I proposed I made that wedding ring from dentist gold And I asked her father, but her daddy said, "No You can't marry my daughter" She and I went on the run Don't care about religion I'm gonna marry the woman I love Down by the Wexford border She was Nancy Mulligan And I was William Sheeran She took my name and then we were one Down by the Wexford border Well, met her at Guy's in the second world war And she was working on a soldier's ward Never had I seen such beauty before The moment that I saw her Nancy was my yellow rose And we got married wearing borrowed clothes We got eight children now growing old Five sons and three daughters She and I went on the run Don't care about religion I'm gonna marry the woman I love Down by the Wexford border She was Nancy Mulligan And I was William Sheeran She took my name and then we were one Down by the Wexford border From her snow white streak in her jet black hair Over sixty years I've been loving her Now we're sat by the fire in our old armchairs You know Nancy, I adore ya From a farm boy born near Belfast town I never worried about the king and crown 'Cause I found my heart upon the southern ground There's no difference, I assure ya She and I went on the run Don't care about religion I'm gonna marry the woman I love Down by the Wexford border She was Nancy Mulligan And I was William Sheeran She took my name and then we were one Down by the Wexford border

Post-Note: I always love a good EF AU, and writing this little oneshot was no different. It offered all the same chance for fluff and feel-good moments, and I hope that you guys all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Thank you to my reader who suggested this song and this story idea, and to all of you who have shared other ideas with me. More to come in the weeks ahead, and until then I hope you all have a lovely rest of your weekend!

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, Part 24,Part 25, Part 26, Part 27, Part 28, Part 29, Part 30, Part 31,Part 32, Part 33, Part 34, Part 35, Part 36, Part 37, Part 38,Part 39,Part 40, Part 41, Part 42, Part 43, Part 44, Part 45,Part 46,Part 47, Part 48, Part 49, Part 50, Part 51, Part 52, Part 53,Part 54,Part 55, Part 56, Part 57, Part 58, Part 59, Part 60,Part 61,Part 62, Part 63, Part 64, Part 65, Part 66, Part 67, Part 68,Part 69,Part 70, Part 71, Part 72, Part 73, Part 74, Part 75,Part 76,Part 77, Part 78, Part 79, Part 80, Part 81, Part 82, Part 83,Part 84,Part 85, Part 86, Part 87, Part 88, Part 89, Part 90,Part 91,Part 92, Part 93, Part 94, Part 95, Part 96, Part 97, Part 98,Part 99,Part 100, Part 101, Part 102, Part 103,Part 104, Part 105,Part 106, Part 107,Part 108, Part 109, Part 110,Part 111, Part 112,Part 113, Part 114, Part 115,Part 116, Part 117, Part 118,Part 119,Part 120, Part 121, Part 122, Part 123,Part 124, Part 125,Part 126, Part 127, Part 128,Part 129,Part 130, Part 131,Part 132,Part 133, Part 134, Part 135, Part 136, Part 137, Part 138,Part 139,Part 140, Part 141, Part 142, Part 143, Part 144, Part 145,Part 146, Part 147, Part 148,Part 149, Part 150, Part 151,Part 152, Part 153, Part 154, Part 155, Part 156, Part 157, Part 158,Part 159, Part 160, Part 161, Part 162, Part 163, Part 164,Part 165, Part 166, Part 167, Part 168, Part 169, Part 170,Part 171,Part 172, Part 173, Part 174, Part 175, Part 176,Part 177, Part 178

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postsofbabel · 1 year ago

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#posts of babel

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snowbellewells · 1 month ago

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HAPPY (One Day Late) BIRTHDAY KRYSTAL!!!

(I really wanted to get this posted on @kmomof4's actual birthday - I've only been trying to get this going since I promised it LAST YEAR! But you have been very patient, Krystal, and here at last is the story I'm working on for your birthday gift. Seeing as you wrote a beautiful CS AU of the Bridgerton book which is a bit of a Cinderella story, and since I've been mulling a bit of a Killian-as-the-Cinderella-character fic for some time, I've mashed that idea together with several of your mentioned fave tropes and characters/relationships from OuaT. I'm not going to list it all here. Hopefully, it will lead to more pleasantly melty surprises as we go. ;p I'll try not to keep you waiting too long between updates - and I have no idea how many chapters there will end up being. I first thought a really long one shot, then a two shot, but Killian and his fairy godmother (and Liam!) were excessively chatty, and it just kept getting longer and longer! I realize Emma isn't in it much yet, but we'll start with her next time.)

I hope you enjoy, Krystal!! I'm so glad we are friends!!!

Also available on AO3 if that is your preference...

"Dreams That You Wish Will Come True"

by: @snowbellewells

Chapter One

“But Liam,” a breathless young Killian Jones argued stubbornly, “why are you dragging me to the galley? You know all I have to get done before the Captain returns…” Swiping the shaggy dark hair back from where it hung in his eyes, long past needing a trim, the young man cringed at the sound of his own wheedling tone. Gritting his teeth and flexing his hands in frustration, Killian chided himself for questioning his elder brother’s direction and sounding like the bloody nuisance he knew he must be to Liam - strong and wise and nearly grown now. At barely seventeen, and with little experience beyond that of an indentured deckhand on a ramshackle pirate ship, what right or knowledge did he have to be so stubborn, especially not with Liam, who had only ever looked out for his best interests?

Sure enough, exasperated, Liam shook his head before responding with a huff, “Can you not just do what I say, Little Brother? For once? You’ll see in a moment.”

By this time, they had traversed the length of the ship below deck, and they stood outside the galley. They paused briefly, with Killian biting down on his tongue to prevent asking again if Liam was sure about what they were doing. To his wide-eyed astonishment, Liam raised a hand to rap his knuckles in a specific rhythm on the door that separated Cook’s domain from the dimly-lit hall. His brother gave him a bit of a wink, more mischief in it than his serious elder sibling, burdened with far too much responsibility for his years, usually showed. Curious now, Killian waited wordlessly with him until footsteps could be heard drawing nearer on the other side.

When the door was opened to them, Killian was perplexed over again as he and Liam were beckoned inward and the door closed behind them once more. Within the room, illuminated softly by a hanging lantern and a few candles scattered throughout, he saw that, not only Cook, but several of the crewmen of the Merry Rogue, had gathered in the small, already overwarm, and easily crowded room in which they took their meals. Killian was usually on his feet serving. Silver would allow nothing less from his “kitchen maid” as he often tauntingly dubbed Killian, hoping to stoke the fiery temper the young lad tried to check so he could then see him lashed for insubordination. It was only well after the others had cleared off that he and Cook could sit and take their own repast. However, those gathered now had secretive smiles and anxiously pleased looks on their faces. Killian noted easily that none of the more hateful crew members were present; neither those who ordered him about loftily, mocking him and sending him scurrying back and forth for items they didn’t really need throughout the meal, nor the cruel bosun who would stick a foot out to trip him, then cuff him for spilling and wasting food. Instead, gathered before him were the softer hearted men - perhaps misfits on the ship themselves at some earlier time before he and Liam were indentured to the vessel - who had often shown him bits of kindness and understanding when they could manage.

In spite of his earlier misgivings, he was intrigued and couldn’t help asking Cook this time, though Liam was still nearby. “What is going on here?”

The older man merely smiled kindly, motioning Killian further into the room, until he stood near its center. “You’ll soon see, lad,” Cook coaxed gently, turning to riffle through a burlap sack laid out on the galley table before offering his prize to Killian. “We’ve something to give you for the evening’s festivities.”

“Wh- what are you on about?” Killian’s brow puckered in confusion as he looked at what appeared to be a pile of folded cloth in his older friend’s hands, and at the eagerly expectant faces gathered around to watch. “Festivities? Me? I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about…”

He was shaking his head as words failed him, not sure how to deal with the puzzle before him, when he sensed Liam at his back, solid and strong. His elder brother placed a comforting hand on Killian’s shoulder and leaned in to murmur quietly in his ear. “Come now, Killy, you have to have seen the banners posted all over port for the gala at the castle, in honor of the Princess Emma’s birthday. It’s tonight.”

Killian sputtered indignantly as Liam nudged him in the side and nodded toward the stack of fine material Cook was still holding out to him. “Aye, of course I have, but - but what does that have to do with me?”

Liam responded with an even more brilliant smile, bowling Killian over with his quip, “Simple, Little Brother! If you would get a move on, we mean for you to attend that ball!”

Those words did not truly make the situation much clearer to Killian’s mind, but at Liam’s urging - knowing his sibling would never encourage something that would do him harm - he took the bundle from Cook and moved forward to lay the offering on the long, wooden table for a better view. He could see now that it was a fine coat, made of soft, midnight blue, expertly tailored and brand new, certainly the finest piece of clothing he’d ever held in his own two hands. There was also a dress shirt, a mere shade lighter, clearly meant to be worn beneath the jacket, and breeches of a soft, dove gray - all quite the ensemble and much finer than any mere deckhand or cabin boy would ever have use for. Despite that, all three items seemed to be in his particular size, and the pleased smiles on the small circle of weathered faces around him clearly meant for him to have the articles.

“This is very kind,” Killian began, trying a different tack since protesting that they must be mistaken had done no good. “These clothes are the most handsome I’ve seen, but surely no sailor, and one barely part of the crew at that, would be invited to such an event. Mayhap someone else could…”

“Perhaps I can explain,” an airy, musical voice spoke up, floating on the air like a tinkling of chimes as sparkles of light and swirls of colorful breeze seemed to catch the eyes of all those gathered in the small ship’s kitchen. Gliding gently toward him from above, a small creature - a miniature woman, a fairy!, he realized - came to to hover before him, a sweetly bemused smile on her delicate face.

More questions flooded Killian’s brain than had already lingered; however, he was now too overwhelmed and in awe to speak any of them aloud. A fairy? Here? Where pirates cooked and swabbed the deck and ate their grub? That he would ever see such a mystical being had never entered his mind, much less the idea that he would encounter one aboard a ship which had seen much more glorious days many years ago. He was sailor enough - a superstitious lot, one and all - to believe that magic existed, fairies among the more familiar imagery of sirens and selkies, but a vague belief in theory was much different from seeing one shimmering before his own eyes, gazing on him with a benevolent smile upon her face.

Seeing that the beguiling young man before her was currently incapable of answering, the silvery-winged fairy’s laughter tinkled on the air like the pleasant ringing of tiny bells, the riotous pile of ringleted brown curls interespersed with morning glory blossoms shook with her gentle mirth before she spoke again, hastening to explain and hopefully to dispel the poor youth’s doubt and confusion. “You are Killian Jones, yes?” she queried, already certain, but awaiting his confirmation nonetheless.

Killian did manage an affirmative nod, and his lips formed a soft “aye”, though it sounded as barely more than a whisper.

“Well then, Killian Jones, it is a pleasure to meet you at long last. I have watched you from afar all your life, after all. I am Nova, your fairy godmother.”

The handsome young man’s bright blue eyes popped wide open at her pronouncement, stunning in their crystal clarity and nearly making Nova’s sweet soul cry at the hope laid bare in his expression, hope which he tried equally to rein in, clearly having already learned such lovely things were not meant for him and waiting to hear the catch. She was the most tender-hearted of all her sisters, and it had been painful for her to look on and do nothing as this mischievous, brilliant little boy had been forced into manhood far too soon. His mother’s death, his father’s abandonment, the privation and shame of unwilling servitude, the cruelty of mistreatment, and the harsh life at sea had all changed the bonny child who had boarded this ship with his father and brother years ago into the solemn young man before her, who had never truly been allowed to leave. She had chafed over and over again at being held back and kept from doing something to help her appointed charge - anything to better his lot, even slightly. Their fairy laws were fickle, and yet exacting; even as Nova honored and revered their ways and her elders, she could not claim to understand why it had taken so long to finally be deemed “the right time”.

She could tell by the furrow of his dark brow that young Killian Jones must be pondering at least some of those same questions. Where had she been these last years of backbreaking toil, pilfered rations, and vicious taunts about a father so desperate to be rid of him he had sold him away? Where had she been the first time the lash had scored his back and left bloodied stripes in its wake? She had been right there beside him, unseen, constrained from taking any action, but he had no way of knowing that.

“I - I have a fairy godmother?” he finally sputtered in stark disbelief.

Nova nodded kindly, having the good grace to look more than a little abashed. “Of course you do! Everyone does. It breaks my heart to think you’ve felt so forgotten.” She squared her shoulders and blinked rapidly, trying not to become emotional as she attempted to explain. “Unfortunately, we fairies follow a very strict code. We are forbidden to make ourselves known before the appointed time. And I kept being told it was not yet that moment…”

Killian’s mind whirled with all the new information - and with a bit of indignance at the idea that all he and Liam had been through since being abandoned and left in Silver’s dubious oversight had not been considered serious enough to merit aid. His mouth opened, and even he himself was not sure if it was a question or a retort on the tip of his tongue - but his immediate awe was finally overcome - when his diminutive magical guest clearly sensed she needed to finish her explanation, and fast.

“My superior, the Blue Fairy, or Blue as she’s often called, is stricter about maintaining our distance and secrecy than most.” Nova shrugged her shoulders in obvious contrition as she waved her hands and a wand appeared within her grasp. “I’ve never really understood why, but that’s neither here nor there. It is finally time to grant your heart’s wish… to do something to make you life better, just as I’ve been waiting to do!”

Killian’s mouth snapped shut again at that, puzzled by her words and disarmed at the excitement bursting from her tiny frame. He had never met this Nova before, but he could hardly doubt her eager sincerity. “My wish?” he repeated uncertainly, feeling that he was trailing considerably further behind in the conversation that he ought to be. “I can’t honestly remember even making one.”

Even as he spoke those words, however, Killian knew in his heart they were not entirely true. It might not have been the focused drive of a wish upon a star, or anything that direct, but he had often thought on where he would go if he were free, what he and Liam could do if they were their own men, left to their own devices, able to seek an adventure of their choosing, honor and glory for the name of Jones which their father had sullied. Had those hopes and dreams been heard all this time, when he had felt so forgotten and ignored? It must be true, though it was hard to reconcile with his previous experiences.

Almost as if she could read his thoughts broadcast across his face, Nova nodded enthusiastically, affirming his realization. “That’s right,” she pronounced clearly, gesturing to the clothing his brother and shipmates had procured for him. The fairy -his fairy godmother! - then effortlessly waved her wand once more, causing one of the flyers ever-present about this kingdom to appear before him from out of thin air. “This ball is only the beginning for you. You have big dreams, Killian Jones, and a calling to fulfill, but you are also the only one who can see them come true. I may be giving you a bit of a boost, but you are more than enough for the task. Your heart is strong, and I have no doubt it will see you through. You only need a little belief.”

“And what exactly does a fancy royal ball have to do with anything?” he questioned. His shock was wearing off as he grew more comfortable speaking to Nova, but he wasn’t seeing why he would be needed at a princess’ birthday celebration. All the same, he scooped all the formal wear up in his arms to go and change - whether it made sense to him or not.

Nova’s entire small fae being practically twinkled at him with the playful wink she gave before answering, “Not all things are as simple as they might first appear, young sir.” With that, she lightly tapped the end of her wand on the top of his head, causing a pleasantly warm tingling to spread through Killian’s body, all the way out to his fingers and toes.

A mere moment later, amid astonished exclamations from Liam, Cook, and the others, he realized that his arms were empty; the new clothes he had been holding already magicked onto his lanky frame, along with shining new shoes upon his feet and a smart queue tied off with ribbon matching his fine shirt and a fresh, neat trim to his dark hair too. It was indeed enough to make him feel a whole new person - one who might not stand out horribly, even at the palace of Misthaven.

“There now,” Nova approved with gentle tone, a fond smile gracing her lips as she took in the full effect upon her charge. “You look quite the young gentleman.”

“Aye, you do at that!” Cook echoed with his rough but friendly voice as he clapped Killian on the shoulder heartily. “Even in our heyday, Cap’n Silver himself rarely looked so sharp!”

“I’d not let him hear you say so,” the old shipwright Ned called over jovially.

“Too right!” Cook chuckled.

The other crew members present laughed as well and began to talk amongst themselves, drifting away now that the excitement was past. Soon, only Liam stood beside him, the two brothers both looking to their benefactress where she hovered before them. Even Cook headed off for his cabin, saying his old bones were ready for his bunk, even if the night was still young.

“You look just like a fine young lieutenant,” Liam affirmed, eyes wide as he took in his younger sibling and needlessly brushed some nonexistent speck from the shoulder of Killian’s jacket. Then, bracing both of his larger hands on Killian’s upper arms, he held him out to gaze into his face seriously before offering in a choked voice, “This sort of adventure should have always been your lot.” Liam pulled Killian in abruptly and hugged him tight for several seconds, startling Killian before he held onto his brother with equal fervency.

“Thank you,” Killian finally managed when Liam released him. “I don’t know how you managed all this,” he gestured around the room, “but I am sure it began with you.”

Liam flushed slightly, looking down with a sheepish smile. “My idea, aye, but I had lots of help. And it wouldn’t have turned out nearly so well if your honest-to-goodness fairy godmother hadn’t turned up!”

Nova’s ringing laughter once again tickled their ears, her eyes crinkling up prettily as well with her good humor. “It really was my pleasure,” she rejoined. But then she added more seriously, “This is your night, Killian. There is much for you to see and to do, and I bid you enjoy every moment to its fullest. I’ve readied a carriage which will take you to the palace, and Liam can ride along with you as far as the gates. Just remember - the ride and the clothes, the gifts you’ve been granted, will vanish at midnight. It’s simply how the magic works. Make sure you are headed back by then.”

Killian nodded, promising he would do as she said; it was far longer than he could imagine needing, if the truth were told. He wasn’t at all sure what he would do there in any case. And though he wished Liam could venture inside with him, he would gladly take the ride to gather more advice and draw strength from his sibling’s company.

After that, it seemed very little time passed before - head still spinning at the sheer impossibility of it all - Killian was disembarking from a fine horsedrawn carriage at the palace gates. Looking back to grin crookedly at Liam, his brother urged once more “Have fun!” and reassured him that all would be well. Turning, Killian bravely put first one foot, and then the other, forward, until he stepped into the castle of Misthaven, a guest at a royal ball.

He slipped his hand into his pocket to run his fingers over the ring on an old chain which had once belonged to their mother (Liam had bid him carry it this once for luck) and pulled in a deep, steadying breath as he gained his bearings. He was already dazzled beyond belief, but determined to make a good showing and bring “honor to the Jones brothers” as he murmured under his breath. Whatever he was meant to find, he would do his best.

At that, he raised his eyes, catching sight of the magnificent winding staircase trailing down from the upper floors into the main hall. Halfway down the steps, paused with one foot poised in descent, was a stunningly beautiful, golden-haired vision in sky blue and silver. Killian could scarcely take in the tiara resting upon her head or the clear resemblance she bore to her likeness on all the recent announcements for her birthday. Laying eyes on her in life had struck him motionless, frozen in place. ‘Bloody hell,’ his mind fumbled inelegantly, ‘It’s Princess Emma herself.’

So completely entranced was he, in fact, that Killian failed to realize the princess was just as stunned - equally taken in and unable to move. Their eyes met and held across the distance between them, and one more shining burst of magic was ignited then and there.

Tagging a few others who might enjoy: @searchingwardrobes @jrob64 @apiratewhopines @whimsicallyenchantedrose @laschatzi

@anmylica @booksteaandtoomuchtv @xarandomdreamx @spartanguard @therooksshiningknight

@stahlop @motherkatereloyshipper @eastwesthomeisbest @bluewildcatfanatic @jonesfandomfanatic

@belovedcreation @goforlaunchcee @laianely @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl

@myfearless-love @undercaffinatednightmare @caught-in-the-filter @winterbaby89 @darkcolinodonorgasm

@gingerchangeling @gingerpolyglot @linda8084 @lfh1226-linda @resident-of-storybrooke

@teamhook @revanmeetra87 @jennjenn615 @grimmswan @ultraluckycatnd

#cs ff #Krystal birthday fic #dreams that you wish will come true #OuaT EF AU fic #reverse Cinderella au #chapter one #young Killian Jones #young Princess Emma

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pocket-anon · 7 years ago

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The Long Way Home (Epilogue)

It's finally done! Oh, thank God. *giddy laughter* It seems appropriate that I'm posting the epilogue to this story on a Wednesday, just as I did with the rest of the chapters. Writing this fic has been an insanely wild ride for me, fulls of high highs and low lows, and I really can't thank you all enough for the astounding things you guys have said about this story and the encouragement you gave me to keep pushing forward even when I really didn't feel like it. You're the best. XOXO

Find it on AO3.

Missed a chapter? Get caught up here.

Summary: After an unnaturally long life fraught with personal tragedy, Killian Jones has become known throughout the realms as the infamous Captain Hook, an opportunistic ne’er-do-well and one of the most formidable pirates to ride the waves. When he crosses paths with a mysterious young woman with no memory of who she is or how she arrived there, he recognizes the chance to claim a monetary reward that will constitute his biggest score yet. But a journey across the world to get her home leads to a series of adventures that reveal that her value lies in far more than gold and jewels. A Captain Swan Anastasia AU - sort of. (Captain Swan Enchanted Forest AU. Romance, Adventure, & Eventual Smut. Rated E.)

Warning: Brief but graphic depictions of violence, peripheral character death, and smut.

“Your face is going to get stuck that way, you know.”

Killian looks up from the rolls of parchment laid out before him on the low table in the sitting area by the fireplace, the wrinkle between his eyes fading and his features turning amused. “Afraid it will make me less handsome, Swan?”

Emma rolls her eyes and comes over, forcing him to sit back in the chair as she slides into his lap. “Seriously, you’ve been studying those plans for an hour.”

“You’ve seen the Jolly,” he says patiently, settling his left arm snugly around her hips and admiring the way the her face appears luminous and her hair shines like actual gold in the firelight. “You know how complex square-rigged vessels are. Building a few more for the fleet is no small undertaking. Failure to plan properly—”

“Yes, yes, I know.” She chuckles and touches her lips to his cheek. “But tomorrow’s a big day. We should go to bed.”

He hums, turning his head to meet her for a quick kiss. “I’d like nothing better.” He pulls back a few inches and tucks a stray lock behind her ear. “But I can’t tonight. Go to bed. In our bed, I mean.”

Emma’s back goes ramrod straight, and she cocks her head. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m not staying here tonight,” he says, blinking at her as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”

She narrows one eye, an incredulous grin hinting at her lips. “You can’t be serious. We’re already married.”

His brows flatten into a straight line of pure indignation. “A seafaring man—”

“—does not take superstitions lightly,” she chimes in, bobbing her head resignedly and rolling her eyes at him again despite taking great pleasure in how adorable her pirate husband is being. “I know, I know.”

As if on cue, there comes a knock on the door. Marcus enters when they bid it open. “Pardon the interruption, Princess,” he says with a little bow. “I came to see if the Captain’s things were ready to be moved to the guest quarters. We have the rooms prepared for him.”

Emma’s forehead creases at how she seems to be the last to know about Killian’s plans to spend the evening elsewhere, and her mouth opens and closes in unspoken protest as he moves beneath her to stand.

“I suppose I should be going,” he says, climbing to his feet after she clears his lap and leaning over to gather up his schematics.

She watches him set the papers aside on a bookshelf, and her jaw drops when he retrieves a small gunny sack that sits in plain view beside the washstand.

He slings it over his shoulder and eyes her pout with a soft smile. “Don’t worry, love,” he murmurs, coming back to her to plant a lingering kiss on her lips. “After tomorrow, there’ll be no getting rid of me.”

The corner of her mouth twitches. “Promise?”

The confident grin on his face makes her heart flutter. “Aye.” He leans in for one last kiss before heading for the door, waving off Marcus’ offer to carry the sack and throwing her one last wily smile over his shoulder before he disappears.

Emma nods to Marcus as the groom gives her a hasty bow and hurries after him. Despite her disappointment at having sleep alone, she catches herself grinning until her cheeks protest as she readies herself for bed. She studies her silhouette in the full-length mirror while she brushes her hair and bites the inside of her lip, anticipation stirring in her stomach. Tomorrow is a big day, she thinks again, forcing herself to take a deep breath in and out to try to quiet her excited nerves. A private smile pulls at the side of her mouth.

Understatement of the year.

* * *

Though it’s been busier than usual all week with the arrival of dignitaries and royal entourages and the delivery of food and flowers and other assorted provisions for the wedding, the courtyard becomes a virtual hive of activity just after daybreak. Squires bearing the colors of their individuals houses run to and fro, maids and grooms bustle by on their appointed tasks, and an intense cloud of chatter rises to Killian’s ears as he observes it all through the open guestroom window. His mouth quirks as he spies Alec and Thomas, as clean and well-dressed as he’s ever seen them, flirting with a pair of ladies-in-waiting, the young women tittering and flashing his men appraising looks before wandering away.

There’s a solid knock on the door, and Killian turns. “Yes?” He blinks with pleasant surprise when Emma’s father appears, dressed in a resplendent bright red coat with elaborate platinum beading that is truly fit for a king. “Good morning.”

“’Morning.” David holds up a small polished wooden box. “The dwarves just delivered this, and I thought I’d bring it up myself.”

Killian accepts it with a curious wrinkle across his forehead. “What is it?” He flicks the small swinging latch open and uses his hook to lift the lid. His brow arcs at the first glint of silver.

“As Emma’s husband, you’re entitled to a royal signet ring,” David explains. “You’re not obligated to wear it, but it’s yours now. You know,” he catches Killian’s eye and a wry grin tugs at his mouth, “as a member of the family.”

Killian blinks several times as he takes in the wide polished surface of the engraved sigil – the seven flowers above a lion that he’s grown accustomed to seeing everywhere now accented by a small object in the center of the chevron that separates them. His eyes widen as he recognizes the shape. “Is that an anchor?”

The King shrugs, his crow’s feet crinkling. “Hope you don’t mind us presuming. We wanted to make it yours. It was Emma’s idea.”

Killian licks his lips, a small swell of emotion rising in his chest at the idea of Emma and her parents collaborating on this in order to surprise him. “It’s amazing,” he croaks.

“I know you’ve already got several rings,” David says hastily, gesturing at Killian’s hand. He frowns when he realizes that Killian’s jewelry is conspicuously absent. “Which are…”

“Put away, mate,” Killian supplies, rotating his wrist to display his bare fingers. “Pieces of the man I used to be.” He sets the box down on a dresser and pulls the signet ring out, finagling it past the knuckles of his first finger. “This is a better fit for me now.” He admires it one more time before setting the box aside and looking up at his father-in-law soberly. “Thank you.”

David beams and claps a hand on his shoulder. “It’s going to be a good day.”

Color blooms on Killian’s cheeks, and he chuckles. “Yes, it is.”

* * *

The wedding is like something out of a dream, but better and more magical than any of Emma’s girlhood fantasies. The bodice of her daringly strapless gown is covered in swan feathers that wrap around her torso and fan out over the top of the bustle behind her before giving way to yards of white organza that swirl and layer down to the floor like the foamy waves of high tide. She’s tried the dress on several times for fittings last week, but it isn’t until she sees herself in it today – staring at her reflection in the mirror with her hair done up in a romantic chignon at the back of her head and borrowed, jewel-encrusted earrings dangling from her ears – that the thrill of the occasion really sets in. She fingers the large, intricate, diamond-studded clasp that sits at her waist like a belt buckle and smoothes her hand down over her belly with her lip between her teeth. Everything is perfect.

Her mother looks weepy as she stands behind her shoulder and takes it all in, her hands pressed together and held up to her lips. “Oh, Emma. You look incredible, honey.”

Emma aims a watery smile back at her through the mirror, her heart fluttering in her chest. “The dress looks really good, doesn’t it?”

Snow nods eagerly, breaking into a happy laugh. “Yes, it does.” A knowing grin pulls at her cheeks. “You’re going to have such a wonderful wedding,” she says with a blissful sigh. “I probably shouldn’t tell you, but Killian has a few surprises waiting for you today.”

Emma’s brows angle upward. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm.” Snow’s smile turns dreamy. She steps forward and hugs Emma from behind, one hand wrapped around each of her daughter’s shoulders. “He loves you so much. I’m so happy you found each other.”

Emma runs her hand down the front of her dress again, fingers lingering momentarily just below her waist, and suppresses a happy shudder. “I am too.”

The Rainbow Hall, the same room where her parents were married, is sparkling with its namesake colors, sunlight spilling through the enormous, jewel-toned stained glass windows to glimmer off every surface and set the room aglow like a prism. Rainbow light, Emma thinks with a nostalgic grin as she walks through the grand double doors. A good place to celebrate True Love.

In the heart of it all, at the foot of the round central dais and surrounded by a endless sea of guests, stands Killian, handsome as ever in his long leather coat with his boots polished and his cutlass at his side. Emma catches sight of a new deep red vest peeking out from between his customary layers of black, and she smiles as it reminds her of the color hidden in the stone of the ring he’s about to give her once again. His lips part when he sees her, his shining blue eyes and his awed smile drawing her like a beacon as she makes her way down the aisle with her father on one arm and her mother on the other.

The dwarves stand at the front of the crowd beside spry old Granny Lucas and her granddaughter, Emma’s godmother, Red, and there isn’t a dry eye among them, least of all Grumpy’s. The crotchety little man sniffles as she passes, moisture glinting in the corner of his eye like a diamond, and Emma chuckles and flashes him an affectionate smile.

To her right she sees Killian’s men, hardly recognizable in clean clothes and freshly washed faces, and she beams impossibly wide and blushes at the wondrous expressions worn by Alec, Thomas, Martin, Smee, and even Roberts when they see her, the windblown girl who used to sit upon the top and dance barefoot on deck now looking like an angel come down from heaven. Her heart swells as she takes a quick account and realizes that every member of the crew has come, and somehow she knows that they’re here for her as much as they are their captain.

When they finally arrive at the dais, she exchanges tearful hugs and kisses with her parents before her father genially grasps forearms with Killian and the King and Queen step aside. She reaches for her husband’s outstretched hand, blinking back the sting in her eyes, and the two of them share a smile that feels oddly private despite being witnessed by hundreds of well-wishers.

“Ready, love?” he murmurs, squeezing her fingers.

She glances down and notices the new signet ring on his index finger, the clean, silver band over his thumb, and a vacant spot on his ring finger – a spot reserved now for her ring – and she chokes back a little laugh and nods.

He leads her up the steps, and she gasps when they’re met at the top, not by the bishop, but by her godfather, Lance, a majestic sight with his close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair and blood red cape draped over his gleaming suit of armor.

Lance’s face splits into a big, white smile, and his dark eyes dance as her mouth falls open. “Hope you don’t mind,” he rumbles jovially, “but I couldn’t let my favorite goddaughter be married by just anyone. May I have the honor, Emma?”

Emma shares a look with Killian, his smiling eyes confirming that he was in on this first little conspiracy, and she swallows the lump in her throat and nods her head hastily, willing herself not to cry before she can even say her vows in front of the whole kingdom.

Lancelot raises his voice to the crowd. “My friends!” he booms, “Once upon a time I had the great privilege of conducting another wedding ceremony in a field far from here between the then Princess Snow White and the man she has always called her Prince Charming. Not many people know that the King and Queen were married quickly and in secret long before their formal nuptials ever took place in this hall, but I remember it like it was yesterday.” He throws Emma’s parents a wink before letting his gaze fall back to the young couple in front of him. “As it is with you, she wore white,” he says to Emma, “and he wore black and red,” he tells Killian. “And as it is with you, there was no question that pair of them were destined to be bound together forever.

“You, Emma and Killian, are yet another reminder that what is good and new can come from the darkest of circumstances and that hope for something better is always worth having, even when that something is hundreds of years in the making.”

Beside her, Killian chuckles.

“Never lose sight of that hope or of each other, because they are what will sustain you if you must ever face darkness again,” Lance continues. “Do you, Captain Killian Jones, promise to take this woman as your wife and love her for all eternity?”

Killian’s eyes swim with emotion as he accepts his brother’s ring from Emma’s godfather and slips it into place on her finger, taking her hand back into his and stroking her knuckles with his thumb as he nods solemnly. “I do.”

“And do you, my dear Princess, promise to take this man as your husband and love him for all eternity?”

Emma blinks hard and suppresses a sniffle as she takes the simple silver wedding band from Lance’s outstretched hand and slides it home on Killian’s finger, a single tear finally escaping down her cheek when she looks back up at him and meets his widening grin with a breathless smile. “I do.”

The abrupt honking sound of Dopey blowing his nose off to the side makes her burst into a little giggle, and soft laughter ripples through the crowd.

Lancelot chuckles. “It is my great honor, then, to pronounce you husband and wife. May the love between you always be strong, true, and eternal.” He fixes Killian with a broad grin and nods. “You may kiss your bride.”

The applause from the assembled is deafening, the riotous cheers and whistles from the Jolly’s crew encouraging the dwarves to also let loose with enthusiastic calls, but it’s all largely lost on Emma as Killian’s arm snakes around her back and he pulls her to him for a kiss so long and so sweet that even those who still question the ability of a man like Captain Hook to reform for the sake of love are left believing in love’s power a lot more and doubting him a lot less.

The celebration that follows is an historic affair, with commoners and nobles alike packing the Great Hall. White roses appear to climb the stately oak columns that tower above the assembled like pairs of great trees, while gigantic, overflowing floral arrangements are scattered throughout the room and fresh new banners bearing the royal crest sway gently high overhead. Firelight from dozens of gold chandeliers and candelabras and the hall’s six huge fireplaces combines with the last rays of the setting sun that filter through the series of tall, arched doorways standing open along the west wall. The party extends to the expansive terrace beyond with guests passing to and fro, mingling and laughing and dancing beneath both the vaulted stone ceiling and the twilight-colored clouds to the lively melodies of a merry troupe of musicians that plays in one corner.

No sooner have Killian and Emma arrived at the hall when Blue’s telltale light appears and comes down to greet them. Around them, people crane their necks to get a glimpse of the fabled fairy as she hovers in front of the newlyweds.

“Congratulations, Emma, and to you as well, Captain,” she says with a warm smile. “No one deserves greater happiness than the two of you.” She gestures behind her. “Emma, at your new husband’s request, I brought you a special guest as a wedding gift.”

Their eyes travel beyond her, and Emma lets out a surprised cry as she recognizes the figure that starts forward from the crowd to greet them. “Maggie!”

The tavernkeep, now in a fine green cotton dress, opens her arms wide, and Emma bustles forth to accost her with an exhilarated hug. The pair laughs and sniffles at their happy reunion. “Oh, my dear,” Maggie hums, her voice thick, “I just knew you were no ordinary girl. What a sight you are for sore eyes, and what a stunning wedding it was!” She reaches one arm out and claps Killian fondly on the neck. “Well done, Captain.”

Killian chuckles, his cheeks flushing with pleasure. “Maggie.”

Emma turns and fixes him with wide, delighted eyes. “You did this too?”

“Well, she did this,” he says, nodding toward Blue, who continues to float next to them. He amiably drapes his arm over Emma’s shoulders as she tucks herself into his side. “But yes, I did ask. You and I might never have met had it not been for Maggie,” he points out, flashing the older woman a grateful smile. “It only seemed right to have her here to see us married.”

“It was the least I could do,” Blue adds kindly, “considering the sacrifices you made to keep the fairies safe from the Dark One. We owe you a great deal.”

“I pretty near fell over into the cooking fire when she first came to me though,” Maggie tells Emma with a laugh and a shake of her head. “Quite a shock to meet a fairy for the first time, though the news she brought was the best I’ve ever heard.” She reaches for Emma’s hand and gives it a squeeze.

Emma chuckles and squeezes back. “How long can you stay?”

“As long as you like,” Blue answers. “When she’s ready to go home, you know how to find me. I hope you all have a lovely time.” They watch as she arcs upward and soars out through the nearest doors, her blue light disappearing into the evening sky in a brilliant flash.

Emma turns back to Maggie with her brows raised hopefully. “You’ll stay, won’t you? At least a few days? You’ll be our honored guest.”

The other woman laughs and comes forward again to wrap her arms around both her and Killian in another motherly hug. “My gorgeous girl, nothing would make me happier.”

It’s a bit later in the evening when Killian reveals his third surprise for Emma, nodding covertly to Roberts as he and the Princess finish yet another demure formal dance on the side of the hall that has organized into an impromptu ballroom. Moments later, when he and Emma are dipping into their final bows, the sound of a fife suddenly pierces the air, and after several introductory notes, the entire group of musicians launches into a much more spritely melody with Killian’s quartermaster taking the lead.

Emma gapes as she instantly recognizes the tune, her cheeks glowing and her eyes bright, and they’re suddenly surrounded by the crew of the Jolly, the men clapping and whooping and launching into the familiar sea shanty with gusto.

The maiden, oh, the maiden, oh,

The sailor loves the maiden, oh!

Laughter bubbles up from her belly, and she barely has time to kick her high-heeled slippers aside and appreciate the scandalized sound Marcus makes before she finds herself being swept around the floor by each of the crewmen in succession. Tonight each pauses to kiss her on the cheek before spinning her into the arms of his comrade, and she cries out with delight when Alec busses her and then hands her over to her father, who’s left his sword with the Queen and stepped forward to claim his own turn.

The King’s pale blue eyes gleam with gratification, his distinguished features stretched into the biggest smile Emma can remember ever seeing him wear, and though he’s a little less sure of the steps than the rest of them, he acquits himself admirably, the pair of them chortling through the dance and springing back and forth across the floor with carefree, if slightly uncoordinated, abandon. And when at last his turn is ended, her father draws her forward and plants a heartfelt kiss on her forehead. “I love you, sweetheart.”

Emma sniffles. “I love you too, Papa.” She looks back up at him with wet eyes and giggles as he raises their joined hands and whirls her in Killian’s direction. The world around her blurs again until she lands back in her husband’s embrace with a happy shriek, her fingers closing instinctively around the curve of his hook while his arm winds around her back. Her heart gallops even faster as he grins devilishly and tugs her close.

“There’s my beautiful Swan,” he rumbles. “Shall we show them how it’s really done?”

She consents with a laugh and allows him to launch them back into the familiar rhythm of their favorite jig, her bare feet flying across the cool stone floor, and while it’s harder to dance in this gown than it had been in her trousers, she still manages to follow his lead without faltering, anticipating and complementing his step with ease. He sings again to her tonight, bellowing the tune unapologetically, and her smile feels permanently plastered across her face by the time the song is ended. Thunderous applause and cheers erupt around them, and Killian dips his head and silences her wild giggles as he kisses her for all he’s worth.

Unrestrained happiness threatens to burst from her every pore in this moment, and her face is alight when he finally pulls away. “That’s three surprises,” she pants over the din, clinging to him and stealing another quick kiss before grasping his fingers and his hook and dragging him toward the terrace. “Come on. My turn.”

The guests trail after them as she draws him out to the balustrade. Emma she releases him and turns, elbows falling to her sides and palms aimed upward, and Killian and the rest of the crowd watch, enchanted, as her hands begin to glow with tiny colored flickers that seem to penetrate from beneath her skin. Waves of rainbow light suddenly burst forth and rocket skyward, drawing every eye to the heavens. The beams expand into huge, amorphous swatches of multicolored radiance that illuminate the sky, and the surrounding gasps turn into excited cries when the hues then twist back in on themselves and explode into fireworks, glittering showers hundreds of feet wide raining down high overhead in shades of pink and purple and blue. Emma’s self-indulgent smile spans ear-to-ear, her skin humming as she channels all her love and joy into her magic.

Killian laughs and presses his chest to her back, looping his arms around her waist. “It seems I’ve been outdone,” he remarks, smiling against her ear as he marvels at her handiwork.

Emma chuckles, taking her eyes off her fireworks in order to shoot him a coy sideways glance. “And I’ve still got another ace up my sleeve.”

His interested hum sends shivers down her spine. “Pirate.” He presses a kiss to her cheek and raises his gaze back to the sky. “And when exactly do you plan to reveal this other surprise, Swan?”

“Eager, Captain?” She arches an eyebrow fetchingly, her heart skipping a beat beneath her ribs.

She doesn’t need to see Killian’s face to hear the smirk on his lips. “Naturally, when it comes to you.”

Goosebumps rise over her shoulders, and Emma funnels her pleasant shivers into another surge of magic, launching the last and most impressive of the fireworks in a kind of grand finale. She rotates her head toward him and inches her mouth toward his, the extreme brilliance of the lights casting them in a warm glow. “When we’re alone.”

He blinks, and his eyebrow raises in that way that makes her weak in the knees. “I suppose it would be bad form to just hang the rest of the party,” he growls, his breath warm on her lips, “and let your husband haul you off to your chambers.”

“Our chambers,” she mutters with a smug grin. “And yes, terrible form.”

His lashes flutter closed as he seals his mouth over hers. “Damn.”

* * *

They do manage to sneak away half an hour later, once the festivities begin to die down, their hurried footsteps and hushed, conspiratorial laughs interspersing moments spent pressed up against stone walls and kissing like lovesick teenagers.

Emma chuckles against him as they come up for air for the third or fourth time, grateful that the guards who are normally stationed in this particular passageway are down at the celebration keeping an eye on the guests. “If we keep doing this, we’ll never get there,” she says, her voice throaty. She sighs blissfully as his lips find her jaw and begin to work back toward her ear.

“The door’s just around the corner,” he points out, humming with pleasure at the little gasp she makes when he nibbles his way along her earlobe. He runs his hand solidly around her hip, relishing the idea of his Swan wearing feathers and simultaneously wanting nothing more than to get her out of them.

A mewl escapes her, and he feels her fingers delve into his hair. “Actually,” she breathes, trying to stay focused, “I had another stop in mind first, if that’s okay.”

Killian pauses and pulls back to fix her with a playfully chiding look. “Are you asking me to delay taking you to bed on our wedding night again, love?” he rumbles, his heart rate already quite insistent. “Because I may not possess that kind of self-control.”

She giggles. “Just one stop. It’s for my other surprise.”

He hums in mock contemplation, his fingertips brushing aside a loose strand of her hair and drifting down her neck affectionately. “I make no promises,” he warns, flashing his dimples like a scoundrel.

“Mmm.” Emma bites her lip. “I guess I better make it quick then.” She seizes the collar of his coat and poofs them away.

The smoke clears to reveal a dark room, and it takes his eyes a moment to adjust to the dim moonlight that shines through the few windows of what looks to be a storage room, the ghostly shapes of cloth-covered furniture surrounding them on all sides.

Killian cranes his neck around curiously, and Emma gently pulls away. “Um, darling? Where are we?”

“Just above our chambers,” she answers breezily. “At the top of the tower. I need to find something.”

“And what’s that?” He arches an eyebrow and glances around the room again as she moves closer to one of the windows, looking rather ethereal in her white gown beneath the pale light.

She turns, and he can tell by the way she freezes that she’s found her quarry, her eyes widening and a smile curving her mouth. “This.” She pulls at the sheet covering an object that’s long and rectangular and surrounded by decorative finials that reach chest-high.

Killian squints as he approaches for a closer look. “What is it?” He watches as she drops the sheet to the floor and runs her hand tentatively over the scalloped edge of... His eyes grow round, and his heart stutters. “Swan?” he croaks.

“It’s… it’s my old crib,” she mumbles, now looking shy and a little anxious. “I just…” She raises her eyes to him, her cheeks flushed and her lip between her teeth again. “We’ll be needing it early next year.”

His jaw slackens, and he’s never seen anything so wonderful in his life as the sight of her – his wife – glowing at him beneath the full moon and standing next to the crib meant for… for their child. Bloody hell. His stunned gaze darts toward her belly before fixing back on her rosy face.

“Is… is that alright?” Worry creeps across her brow.

It’s as though her words restore his ability to move, and he rushes her, scooping her into his arms and kissing her fiercely, his eyes starting to burn. “You’re…?”

He feels her relax and give in to heady laughter against his chest as she kisses him back and nods. “Mm-hmm.”

Killian pulls back and cups the side of her face with his hand, studying her with helpless adoration. “How long have you known?”

“Maybe a week,” she admits, eyes shining. “I wanted to tell you first.”

A baby. They’re going to have a baby. The most perfect woman in all the realms is going to bear him a son. Or a daughter. He realizes he doesn’t care which as he leans forward to capture her lips again. Emma sniffles against his skin and winds her arms up around his neck, her fingers curling along the base of his skull and her shoulders quivering slightly as she shudders with perfect contentment. She’s his. And this child is his. And he doesn’t bloody deserve either of them, but he’ll fight to his dying breath to keep them all the same. Because this is his life now. Emma and the little one growing inside her – they’re his life. And more than he has since arriving at the castle, he feels home.

“I love you,” he whispers, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb and swiping through the wet trail of a happy tear.

“I love you, too.”

He looks down at her stomach and lays his hand across it with the greatest reverence, and she laughs and lays her hand atop his.

“So what do you think, Captain?” she teases. “Are you ready for another adventure?”

Killian’s chuckle reverberates in his chest as he gives her belly another caress and then pulls her flush against him. She rests her head on his shoulder, and he presses a kiss to her temple, his heart rising to his throat as it suddenly occurs to him that he’s holding his new family in his arms. “With you, my love?” he murmurs, hugging her tighter and smiling into her hair. “Always.”

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#csbb #cs ff #cs fic #captain swan #captain wench #captain duckling #cs ef au #cs anastasia au #cs au #cs au ff #ouat ff #ouat fanfic #my writing #the long way home

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