#for jrob64

[anmylica]

The City of Lights

A Captain Swan Fanfiction for @jrob64 as part of the CS Gift Exchange 2022.

Surprise! I am your gift exchange writer for this year’s exchange! I hope I nailed your request this year for a modern AU holiday fic! I am going to post this in two parts (because I am incapable of restraint, apparently). Part 2 will be posted on NYE!

Summary: Killian Jones has been waiting for the perfect opportunity to propose to the love of his life, Emma Swan. When he’s presented with the opportunity to whisk her away on a weekend trip to visit the Festival of Lights in Natchitoches, Louisiana, he’s confident that the perfect time will present itself. But even the best laid plans often go awry…

Tagging my usual crew: (want to be added? Let me know!) @xarandomdreamx @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @sotangledupinit @tiganasummertree @zaharadessert

Killian Jones opened the door of his apartment to the sound of his girlfriend, Emma “Swan” Nolan, quoting Steel Magnolias verbatim as the television blared in the background.  Emma was spread out on the couch, trying to cover every square inch of its surface with her body, blankets, and pillows, eating peanut butter straight out of the jar and quoting lines as if she were Shelby Eatenton herself.  He smiled at the sight she presented.

“You’re as bad as Mary Margaret, I hope you realize,” he called to the blonde, causing her to jump, as she didn’t hear the door open.

“You’re home early!” Emma exclaimed, smiling to see him but not moving from her spot on the couch.  “Slow shift?”

“Aye, it was.  I’m technically still on call for the next thirty minutes, but it should stay quiet.”  Killian removed his Boston PD jacket and placed his radio on the counter, making sure to turn the dial on the volume loud enough to hear it should he get called out.

Emma hummed, turning her attention back to the movie for a moment, quoting the lines, “My colors are blush and bashful” with the practiced ease of someone who had seen the movie dozens of times before.

Killian moved to sit on the arm of the couch.  “Would you want the colors of your wedding to be blush and bashful, love?”

Emma’s eyes widened and she made a shocked trilling sound in the back of her throat.  “Woah, woah, woah,” she started, wholeheartedly engaging in the game of cat and mouse they always partook when the subject was brought up.  Though Emma was not opposed to marriage (in fact, she was actually hoping that wedding bells would ring in the very near future), it was a running gag amongst all her friends and family that just the hint of white lace would set her running for the hills.

Killian held his hand up, cutting off her reply, and inserted, “Calm down, Swan, I’m not proposing.”  His eyes were on the screen so he missed the disgusted, let down expression that crossed her face at his words.  “I’m merely curious since this is your favorite movie if you would ever want to use the same color scheme.”

Emma huffed.  “I like blush and bashful well enough, but I wouldn’t want them together,” she replied tersely, a little annoyed with her boyfriend of three years.

Killian had brushed off any mentions of their making their relationship legal, a fact which Emma played off in front of their friends (especially her brother and his wife, Mary Margaret) but Emma secretly loathed.  She had been hinting for weeks and weeks that she was ready, but he either was playing dumb or he truly didn’t pick up on her hints.  She was about ready to admit that maybe she needed to be a little less subtle in her desires, but she wasn’t quite ready to throw in the towel yet.  What she didn’t realize was that Killian was very well-aware of her desires and was merely acting in that manner to make her less suspicious of his intentions.

“Too much pink, eh?”  Killian smirked.

Emma shrugged and said, “Maybe for you.”

The two fell into a companionable silence as they watched the screen for a few more moments.  When a shot of the town the movie was filmed in was shown, Emma said, “I’d love to see where they filmed this.”

Killian frowned.  “Where did they film it?”

“I have no idea,” Emma said as she grabbed her phone.  After a quick search, she announced, “It was filmed in a place called,” and she paused.  “I don’t know how to say this.”

Killian looked at the screen “Natch-uh-toes-es?” 

Emma shrugged and scrolled.  “It’s in Louisiana, apparently.  Just about an hour south of Shreveport on the western side of the state.”

Killian nodded.  “You want to go one day?”

Emma scoffed.  “There’s nothing there except trees and rednecks with jacked-up trucks, I’m sure.”

Killian took the phone from her and scrolled through some of the information.  “It says they have a ‘Festival of Lights’ in December.  It’s actually already started.”  

Emma gave him a side-eyed look.  “That’s just a way to draw tourists in to make money off the unsuspecting people who think there’s more there than there really is.”

Killian nodded in response absentmindedly.  An idea was forming in his mind.  He knew Emma actually would enjoy that trip, as they had done several like it in times past.  She was just trying to downplay how badly she wanted to tour the town so as to cope with the disappointment of not being able to go.  The best thing about her job is she could work from just about anywhere, as she worked in bail bonds, which required research online, and only paid her a check upon the successful delivery of the fugitive she was hunting.  If she wanted to take a few days’ vacation, then she could with no issues.  Killian had some time accumulated with the police force, and it would be nothing more than applying for a few days off.  

He continued to look through the pictures of the festival.  It looked quaint, with the lighted displays glinting off the water of the Cane River and accompanied by horse-drawn carriage rides.  Killian could suddenly feel a hole burning in his pocket, so to speak, at the thought of being able to propose to Emma in that setting.  He had bought the ring ages ago and was simply waiting for a moment when the time felt right.  Perhaps that would be it?  His mind suddenly made up, he handed her back her phone.

Emma took it absentmindedly, her attention already back on the movie.  Killian got up and moved to grab his radio even though his shift would end in just a few minutes.  He picked it up and carried it with him to the bedroom, where he closed the door and took out his phone to call his shift captain to arrange the vacation time. 

Once he had the necessary arrangements made, he called David (who, besides being Emma’s brother, was his partner with the Boston PD) and asked him to help him look at hotels, flights, and other necessities.  He also filled David in on his plan for proposing to his sister, a fact of which David was already aware. Within about forty minutes, Killian had plane tickets, a hotel room reserved, a rental car lined up, and was quickly looking up information on the Festival of Lights itself to plan out an itinerary.

He answered Emma when she called out to him wanting to know what he wanted for dinner, and then made his way to the shower to get rid of the dirt and grime that he often felt after a day spent upholding law and order.  A satisfied smirk on his face, he began whistling as he turned on the water.

This was going to be a Christmas surprise that Emma would never forget.

After his shower, he discreetly printed the plane tickets, hotel confirmation, rental agreement for the car they would need, and placed all the documents in a Manila folder.  Peeking into the living room, he saw that Emma was now sobbing in tears at the scene on the screen of Shelby’s funeral.  He smiled at her show of emotion.  Emma “Swan” Nolan may wear a layer of red leather as armor, but he knew she was a closet romantic and the sweetest soul he knew.  The only person he knew that could even hold a candle to her purity was Mary Margaret, David’s wife and Emma’s sister-in-law, and even she wasn’t on Emma’s level in some ways.

Killian watched Emma watch the screen, appreciating this quiet moment that he never thought he’d get to have.  After so many things had nearly torn them apart, from vengeful exes to their own stubbornness in admitting their feelings and then their sometimes dangerous jobs, he had never thought they would get here, but he now had everything he ever wanted.

Lost in his reverie, he didn’t notice when the movie ended and Emma stood up and sauntered over to him, a seductive smile on her face, though tear tracks stained her cheeks.  He thought there was no better sight than Emma in sweats and no makeup coming towards him with that look in her eyes.  

“Hey, Lieutenant, what’s a girl gotta do to get some company?” She wrapped her arms around him and he reciprocated the gesture, smiling as he did so.  “What’s that you’ve got?” She nodded towards the folder.

He lifted it and handed it to her.  “See for yourself.”

Emma took the folder and opened it, wondering what was in it.  She studied the print-outs for a moment, her brow furrowed, before she realized what she was looking at.  “Is this-” she started.

“A trip, fully booked and paid for, for us to go to this Natchitoches place to see where they filmed your second favorite movie in the whole wide world,” he finished for her.  “Aye, love.  It’s part of my Christmas gift to you.”

Emma’s eyes widened at what he said.  “You really booked this for us?��

Killian nodded.  “Just this evening.  You can’t fool me, Swan, I know you’d love to make that trip.  You’re always on about how beautiful the place looks on the screen.”

Emma smiled at him.  “Do I want to make that trip?”

Killian smirked.  “Well, you’re something of an open book.”

They both laughed and embraced for a long moment.  FInally pulling apart, but not completely, Emma gave him a sly smile and a pointed look.

“I believe I should show my gratitude, don’t you think, Lieutenant?”

Killian tapped his lips and returned her sly smile.  “Perhaps gratitude is in order now.”

Emma rose up and kissed him fiercely, grabbing his shirt to tug her closer.  Dropping the folder, he picked her up to carry her into the bedroom.  Everything else could wait.  He had his Swan to ravish, first.

Several days later, Emma was desperately trying to pack her carry-on suitcase for their trip.  Nothing seemed to be exactly right, though she didn’t know much about the Southern states’ climate having grown up only in the northern states.  She had desperately called Mary Margaret over to help, and her sister-in-law had promptly arrived thirty minutes later bearing two hot chocolates in hand, ready to help Emma solve her latest crisis.

“What do you even wear in Louisiana in December?!” Emma shouted in frustration, tugging at her hair as she scanned the contents of her side of the closet.  Their plane was set to leave from Logan International in the morning, and she was now only half packed. She had the essentials in her suitcase, like comfortable pajamas and her toiletries, but the actual outfits to wear during the day were still yet to be picked.  It was the beginning of winter, and Boston had snow on the ground already, but Louisiana wasn’t a winter state. Did they even get snow? What was their average temperature this time of year? Did she need a swimsuit? Did they go swimming in December? Emma let her head thump against the frame of the closet door in frustration.

“Clothes might be the best option,” David replied, coming in to get Killian’s suitcase to help load it in Killian’s truck so they wouldn’t be lugging heavy bags around in the morning in a rush. 

Emma rolled her eyes. “Nah, I think I’ll just wear my tattoo and a smile,” she snarled back at her brother. David grinned and grabbed the packed suitcase, walking out without replying.

Mary Margaret breezed in behind him after a bathroom break, replying as she did so, “Louisiana is usually around mid to low 70s or high 60s during the day at this time of year, and anywhere in the high forties or low 50s at night.  They would be warmer or colder, but it usually won’t be by much. Jeans, sweaters, some lighter shirts, a jacket and maybe a hat and gloves and boots, should be all you’ll need for the temperatures.”

Emma looked at her best friend in disbelief, leaning her head against the closet door frame. “Seriously? When did you become an expert in climates of states you’ve never been to?”

Mary Margaret handed Emma her phone with a weather app pulled up that showed a graphic of the same information she just told Emma. “Since I Googled it.”

Emma smiled in response, rolling her eyes as she turned back to her closet. She settled on pulling out her favorite pair of jeans, a pair of leggings, and a skirt that she liked to wear for dates with Killian sometimes. She threw them haphazardly in her suitcase, which caused Mary Margaret to tut in exasperation at her sister-in-law’s messy habits as she grabbed the items to fold them properly.

“Do you want tights to go with this skirt,” Mary Margaret asked as Emma dug for her favorite white Aran knit sweater. 

“Yes, can you grab me a pair of black ones?” 

Mary Margaret moved to grab the item Emma would need, and when she turned back to place the item in the suitcase, she saw Emma holding a black leather dress with a thoughtful look on her face.

“New dress?” Mary Margaret asked, noticing the tags still on it.

“Yeah,” Emma replied, a little breathlessly. “I bought it as a surprise for Killian for a special celebration.”

The brunette smiled excitedly. “Do you think he’s going to propose on this trip?”

Emma shook her head slightly. “I don’t think he even realizes that’s what I want.”

“Then you should tell him! And pack that dress just in case! If nothing else, you can wear it to tell him you’re ready to take the next step.”

Emma winced a bit. “What if he doesn’t feel the same?” she whispered softly, fearful of the possibility that the answer was that Killian didn’t feel the same as she did.

“Emma!” Mary Margaret chided gently. “Of course he feels the same! He told David that he was ‘in this for the long haul.’ His exact words. A proposal is probably going to happen sooner than you think!”

Emma sighed. “I hope so. I never thought I would find what we have together. I don’t want to lose it.”

Mary Margaret hugged her close and Emma held on tightly to her sister-in-law. “You won’t. And you should bring that dress and a pair of red heels with you on your trip.”

Emma smiled and turned to place the dress in the suitcase. “I think I will.”

Feeling much more centered, Emma quickly grabbed the rest of her items and finished packing. She rolled her bag out to the living room and passed it off to David. Killian was just coming back inside from where he had walked downstairs with David to load up his luggage.

“All set, love?” He asked, taking her in his arms. 

Emma nodded contentedly. “All set,” she sighed happily. She held onto him as tight as she could. She couldn’t wait for their next adventure together.

The roar of the planes taking off the next day could be heard in the background as Killian argued with the woman behind the counter at the car rental inside Dallas Fort-Worth International about the rental he had reserved. Emma stood a little ways down the concourse from him watching the planes arrive and depart through one of the windows, though she could still hear his frustration. It seemed that his information and reservation had been lost.

The plane ride from Boston to Dallas had been uneventful. Emma loved quick plane rides that didn’t involve any hassle. She just wanted to get where she needed to be. Having Killian be there to handle any problems they encountered was a blessing to her.

“Well, Swan, it seems we finally have a vehicle. The woman said the drive was a little under four hours if we hit traffic right.”  Killian had moved behind her while she was ruminating on her thoughts. She turned and smiled.

“Lead the way.”

They walked out of the airport and to the location of the car. Once they located it, they loaded their luggage and began to make the next part of their journey. Killian sang along to the radio as Emma stared at the scenery. Everything looked very different from home, though it did grow monotonous after a while.  After a couple of hours, they arrived in Shreveport and stopped for a quick lunch before continuing south on Interstate 49 to Natchitoches. They arrived at the Natchitoches exit around three in the afternoon.  Emma looked at the hotels and fast food joints that surrounded Highway 6 and turned to Killian.

“Is our hotel here?”

He grinned in reply.  “I thought we would stay at a more ‘on location’ site and booked us at the Saint Denis Hotel.  It’s right along Front Street.”

Emma nodded in understanding and kept watch out of the window.  As they came into the outskirts of the city, she noticed a university of some sort to the right.  

“Is that Northwestern State University?” She asked.  

Killian nodded.  “I think so.  We have tickets to a show their performing arts center is performing tomorrow night.”

Emma raised her eyebrows in mock disbelief.  “Getting fancy on me, aren’t you?”

Killian laughed.  “It’s called the Christmas Gala.  We’re going to dinner before and then the show starts at 9. I hope you brought something appropriate to wear.”  Killian shot her a sly look and licked his lips.  Emma laughed in delight, grateful now that she had listened to Mary Margaret’s advice about packing her black leather dress.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She teased back.  Killian grinned wider but didn’t say anything, instead turning his attention back to the road.  They drove past the college, eventually turning left onto Jefferson Street.

Up until that point, there had been Christmas lights draped along light poles and various other points, but the moment they turned onto Jefferson, the lights started.  As they drove, the road felt as if they were entering a tunnel of multicolored lights.  Light strands zigzagged above them, and there were light-drawn figures on every telephone pole.  As they drove, they could see some of the scenes that Natchitoches was famous for this time of year. It looked amazing, and it wasn’t even dusk yet.

After trawling through bumper to bumper traffic and getting turned around for a moment or two, they finally arrived.  The hotel lobby was decorated in a modern Provencal style that Emma had seen once before during a brief trip to New Orleans during Marci Gras with Killian a couple of years before.  Although not as ornate as other places Emma had seen, it still had a homey feel to the place.  Check-in was much less of a hassle than getting their rental car was, too, Emma noticed.  Once they made it into their room, which was decorated in a similar style, they set their luggage down and Emma flopped onto the bed.  Killian sat on the edge, watching her in amusement.

“Tired, love?” He asked.  It had been a long day of travel, after all.

Emma closed her eyes and nodded.  “A little.”

“What do you think so far?” 

“Emma opened her eyes and looked at him.  “Well, you’re sitting too prim for me but at least you're on the bed.”  Emma shrugged slightly, holding back a teasing grin.

Killian rolled his eyes.  “I meant about the town, Swan.”

“I know what you meant,” Emma laughed before continuing, “honestly, it’s all a bit cheesy, but I can see why it’s a popular lights destination for this area.  I’ve had fun so far.”

“I’m glad,” Killian replied and bent down to place a soft kiss on her lips, which she happily returned.  After several moments, he pulled away and stood.  “If you’ll get freshened up, we’ll go walk downtown and scope out the place.  I’ve heard they have a lot of great food here.”

Emma smiled and got up and walked to the bathroom.  “I’ll be right out,” she said, cocking her hips to the side sassily.

He laughed and returned, “I’ll be waiting.”

Once he was. certain she was ensconced in the shower, the door firmly closed behind her, he let out a shaky breath and put his hand in his pocket.  Clasping it in his hand, he pulled out a black velvet box and opened it.  The engagement ring was nestled safely inside, the huge center stone glistening in the light coming from the bedside lamps.  

Killian wasn’t sure when exactly he was going to propose, but he hoped that tomorrow night might provide the most romantic scene.  Surely there would be an opportunity sometime between dinner, the concert, and hopefully a nice stroll along the river taking in the lights.  Maybe they would luck out and get to do a carriage ride on one of the horse-drawn carriages he had spotted as they arrived.  All he knew was that he couldn't wait any longer.  He had had the ring for several months now, but something always stopped him from asking her.  

But not this time.  When they flew back to Boston in three days’ time, they would be engaged.  He knew Emma wanted it just as badly as he did, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn't do to help her have one of the best Christmas seasons of her life.  He just hoped he didn’t chicken out once he found the right moment.

An hour later, they were strolling along Front Street taking in the sights. The lights were on, but the sun hadn’t yet set, and Killian knew they would be better once it was dark. The streets were busy, as the area drew in a lot of tourism and the college kids were still in class and would likely continue to be until around the 15th. Emma, in true Emma fashion, found a street vendor who was selling hot chocolate, and they bought a couple of to-go cups and sipped on them as they walked. 

They passed a lot of shops, one of which was the Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile Store, which was a blast from the past that was apparently founded in 1838. They learned from a local working the cash register that the name of the town wasn’t pronounced how it looked. 

“It’s pronounced ‘Nack-a-tish,” the friendly-faced woman laughed, seemingly not surprised by their lack of ability at pronouncing the name. “It was the name of a local Native American tribe. You’d actually be surprised how many people come here unable to pronounce it.  And don’t even try to ask Siri anything about it.  She doesn’t understand the word at all!”

Killian and Emma shared a glance of amazement at just how wrong they had gotten the name, quickly wrapping up their purchases.  After they deposited their purchases in their room, it was late enough for them to grab dinner at one of the restaurants on Front Street, a place called Mama’s that was adjoined to another place called Papa’s.  Dinner passed quickly with both enjoying the live music playing and being together in a place where they had no worries.  Killian kept sneaking glances at her when she was watching the band, struck by how happy and relaxed she looked.  

Perhaps this was the moment?  Should he get down on one knee now?  Though he hadn’t planned on asking for her hand tonight, it seemed as if this time could be the time.  His hand drifted to the pocket of his leather jacket and gripped the black box residing in it.  Emma laughed at something the lead singer said (what it was, Killian couldn’t have said, because nothing existed but Emma and this moment), and he pulled the box out.

“Emma?” He called, a little louder than normal so as to be heard over the din.

She turned and looked at him, smiling brightly.  “Yeah, babe?”

He broke off for a moment as she looked at him expectantly.  The words he wanted to say, of adoration and forever and will you be mine, got stuck in his throat.  He cleared it, and grabbed her hand.  “I love you,” he stated a little flatly, let down by his inability to say what he wanted.  

Emma chuckled softly.  “I love you, too,” she replied.  “Are you okay?  You looked almost nervous just now.”

“I’m fine, love.” He looked down at the table for a moment, caressing her hand with his thumb, before he looked up and caught her eyes again.  “We’ve been together for a while, haven’t we?  Shared many adventures together?” He asked, trying to buy some time to get his thoughts together.

Emma tilted her head a bit in confusion.  “Aye,” she responded, teasing.  “Why do you bring it up?  You’re not breaking up with me are you?”  Her face fell at the unpleasant thought, and Killian’s heart skipped a beat at her words.

“Of course not!  I would never- I want you by my side always!”

Emma’s face relaxed from relief.  “Oh, good.  That’s good because I feel the same way.”

“I can’t believe you would think I’d take you all this way to break up with you,” Killian responded, momentarily derailed from the romantic speech he didn’t have planned to ask the question he knew that both of them wanted yet fully paralyzed him with fear at articulating to her.

Emma laughed and shrugged.  “Stranger things have happened to me before.”

“Indeed, they have,” Killian responded, not continuing as the waitress came over to see if they needed anything else.  Once they had settled the bill with her, they had silently agreed that it was a good time to head back to their room.  Killian lamented that the moment had passed, but he also couldn’t help but feel some relief.  If he couldn’t get out the question without botching it up, then he shouldn’t ask it until he could do so without making her question if he’s about to end their relationship.

After they had been walking for a moment or two, Emma said, “So why did you bring up how long we’ve been together?”

Killian looked out at the scene before them, of the glimmer of the lights on the Cane River and the romantic atmosphere of the quaint college town.  “I was just thinking about how much we’ve seen and done,” he finally responded before looking at her.  “There’s no one else I’d rather go through life with.”

Emma smiled and stopped them from walking any further.  She leaned up and gave him a long, slow, soft kiss, one that Killian gladly returned.  Their mouths moved in the perfect sync that came from years of devotion and adoration.  Killian drew her further into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her as she moved one hand to clench in his hair and the other to cup the back of his neck.  Neither carried the kiss much further, aware as they were of being in the middle of a public sidewalk with many other people around them for the festivities, but the heat that always seemed to simmer between them was stoked to a higher flame.

As they both pulled away from the kiss, Killian rested his forehead against hers.  He looked into her eyes, asking a silent question, one that Emma responded to with a similar look.  They both turned and quickly finished the trek back to their hotel room.  Once inside, they gave into the passion and love that consumed them in the dance of lovers as old as time itself.  After they lay sated and entwined, Killian briefly thought of asking her then, but when he turned his head to broach the subject, he saw that Emma lay peacefully asleep.  Smiling, he tugged her closer and gave into the exhaustion that ebbed at his consciousness.  There was always tomorrow, after all.

[jrob64]

A Love/Hate Relationship - a CS modern AU one-shot

I wrote this story because I was in need of fluff, humor and hurt/comfort after the painful experience of losing two dogs in less than a year. Zeke, who was in my story Sowing Seeds of Trust, died of cancer last June. Two months later, we adopted Winston, who was the main character in Pet for Rent. Somehow, he swallowed part of a brush (while he wasn't at home) which perforated his intestines and caused internal bleeding. He died May 23. Writing my favorite trope for my favorite couple is therapeutic for me as I deal with my heartbreak.

Many thanks to @kmomof4 and @hookedmom.

Summary: Killian Jones' neighbor, Emma Swan, has hated him since the first day they met. When she finds out he came down with the flu and attempts to nurse him back to health, he's more than a little confused.

Rating: T

Words: 2582

Also posted to ffn and Ao3

Story is under the cut

*********

Killian Jones buried his face in a pillow and pulled it up over his head in an attempt to stop the incessant pounding. After several painful moments, he realized the noise wasn’t in his head, but was coming from the front door of his apartment.

Groaning, he tossed back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting with his head in his hands for a short while. When he finally got to his feet, he swayed dizzily and stumbled into the door frame, leaning against it to try to regain his balance.

He eventually made his way across the living room, unlocked the deadbolt and threw the door open. “What?” he demanded loudly, regretting it immediately when a sharp pain shot behind his eyes. He squeezed them shut before even registering who was on the other side of the door.

“Jones, how many times do I have to tell you to…Wow! You look like hell.”

Killian cracked his eyes open enough to see his neighbor from across the hall, Emma Swan. Infuriating to the highest degree and just as beautiful, she was the last person he wanted to see while he was in his current state. The two of them had a love/hate relationship…minus the love.

They had gotten off on the wrong foot when he moved in a little over a year ago. Unaware that she was a police officer who worked the night shift, he woke her up shouting orders at the movers. Emma Swan was not a morning person, especially after working an eight hour shift on the streets of Boston, and she informed him of it in no uncertain terms.

After that day, every interaction between them was filled with tension and snarkiness. Killian wished they could go back to when they met and start over again, because he knew she was basing her hatred of him on that first impression. In all honesty, he was quite intrigued by the fierce blonde and would like to know if there was a sweet or funny side of her she kept hidden very deep inside. Very, very deep.

Now she was here, standing at his door, scrutinizing him like a bug squashed on the bottom of her shoe. “Hangover?” she smirked.

He sighed. “I have the flu, Swan. It’s been going around at the office and I wasn’t lucky enough to avoid it. Now, if you’re done yelling at me, is there something I can help you with? If not, I’d really like to go back to bed.”

She took a step forward and unexpectedly pressed her palm to his forehead, then both hands to his unshaven cheeks. “You’ve got a fever.”

“Usually accompanies the flu. Now if you’ll…”

“Do you have medicine?”

“No, I…”

“Have you eaten? Are you drinking plenty of fluids?”

“I haven’t…”

“How long have you had it? Have you seen a doctor?”

Killian rested his pounding head against the door. “Must you use your interrogation techniques on me? I haven’t committed a crime, you know.”

“I’m trying to help,” she said, clearly offended.

“I could use less help and more sleep,” he grumbled.

“Yes, good,” she said, pushing past him into his apartment. “Go back to bed and I’ll get you something to drink. Do you want water, juice or…”

“More questions, Swan? Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“All you have to drink is water, Dr. Pepper Zero and beer?” she asked, peering into his refrigerator. Closing it, she straightened up and began opening cupboards. “Do you have tea bags? British people like to drink tea, don’t they?”

He knew it would hurt his head to roll his eyes, so he simply threw up his hands and trudged off to his bedroom. Behind him, he could hear Emma celebrating the fact that she’d located the tea bags.

He had just gotten back to sleep, when he was shaken awake. “What now?” he growled, flopping onto his back.

“I made some tea and found Advil in your medicine cabinet. You need to drink something and get these pills in you.”

He raised his head and blinked up at her blearily. “You went through my medicine cabinet?”

“Yeah. Did you know condoms have an expiration date? The ones you have in there expired almost two years ago. Better not use them, because they’re likely to break.”

“Ugh,” he groaned, letting his head drop back down on his pillow. “Please just let me die.”

“You aren’t gonna die from the flu, Jones.”

“I meant from embarrassment,” he muttered under his breath.

“Sit up,” she commanded, sliding her arm under his pillow and pushing until he did as he was told.

First, she handed him a bottle of water. After glaring at her for several seconds, he finally took it, then swiped the two pills she held in her other palm. He popped them into his mouth and downed them with the water.

“Happy now?” he asked.

“Deliriously,” she quipped. “Now drink your tea.”

He accepted the mug she offered him and held it to his lips. Cautiously taking a sip, he grimaced and spit it back into the cup. “Did you heat the water at all? It’s barely warm! And how bloody much sugar did you put in it?”

“Well, I didn’t want you to burn your mouth,” she explained haughtily. “And I put in the same amount of sugar as I put in my coffee. Four spoonfuls.”

“Four?” he questioned. “Are you trying to kill me, or just give me diabetes?”

“You’re not a very good patient, Jones. You could at least be grateful that I’m helping you.”

“If you recall, I didn’t ask for your help.”

She ignored him, fluffing his pillow and pushing at his chest to get him to lay back down. “I found a can of chicken noodle soup in your cupboard. I’m going to heat it up.”

“Don’t add any sugar to it,” he groused, as she walked out of the bedroom, taking the tepid cup of tea with her.

“I heard that,” she threw over her shoulder.

“Of course she heard that, but didn’t hear when I told her to leave me alone,” he mumbled into his pillow. He tossed and turned, knowing that if he went to sleep, the maddening woman would just wake him up again.

Sure enough, she was back at his bedside within ten minutes, carefully carrying a plate containing a steaming bowl of soup and a small stack of saltine crackers. He sat up before she could order him to, and took the plate from her.

“You didn’t add anything to this, did you?” he asked.

“Nope, I just heated it up,” she assured him.

He dipped the spoon into the soup, blew on it and put it in his mouth, then promptly choked and sputtered. “Bloody hell, Swan! Didn’t you add any water to this?”

“Why would I add water?” she asked, a confused frown forming on her face.

“Because Campbell’s soup is condensed. It’s too salty this way. Adding extra water dilutes it enough that it tastes like soup is supposed to taste, rather than tasting like…like the ocean. Haven’t you ever made soup from a can before?”

“Sure,” she said, crossing her arms across her chest petulantly. “I make Progresso soup all the time, but I never add water to it.”

“Progresso soup isn’t condensed. This is.” He took the stack of crackers, then thrust the plate back towards her. “I’ll just eat these, thanks very much. Now that you’ve tended to me, you can leave me in peace.”

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?” she asked.

Was that concern he saw on her face? Surely not. Emma Swan would never be concerned about him. It would be more realistic if she were to try to poison him. Perhaps he should have been more careful eating and drinking what she gave him.

Shaking his head slightly to try to clear those thoughts, he said gruffly, “Yes, I’m sure. It’s not like you really helped anyway.”

This time, he thought he saw a flash of hurt cross her face, before she turned and left the room. Soon he heard the front door close.

He couldn’t have really seen Emma Swan look concerned and hurt, could he? Great. Now he was going to have to add hallucinations to his list of symptoms.

He ate the crackers, then lay down and turned onto his side, tugging the blanket up around his shoulders. He was achy and feverish, but it was the guilt over how he treated his apparently well-meaning neighbor that kept him from falling asleep.

*********

Three days later, after his fever had been broken for twenty-four hours, Killian went back to work. Upon returning home at the end of the day and getting his keys out to unlock his apartment, the door across the hall opened and Emma stepped out.

“Oh, hey Jones. Looks like you recovered, no thanks to me.”

Killian rubbed his finger behind his ear. “I owe you an apology, Swan. I was rude and should have never said what I did.”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s no big deal. I guess I’ll never be a Florence Nightingale.” Turning on her heel, she muttered, “See ya around.”

“Swan…Emma, wait,” he called out, hurrying after her.

She turned around. “What?” she huffed.

“I, uh, I truly am sorry. It was very kind of you to try to help me, but…”

“But what?”

“But why did you do that? I mean, given the fact you hate me…”

“I don’t hate you,” she interrupted.

“Really? You could have fooled me.”

Emma stuck her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and looked down at the floor for several long moments. When she finally looked up, he was shocked to see the vulnerability on her face.

“Look… I’m not good with…people,” she said softly. “And I’m also not good at admitting when I’m wrong.”

She paused and he waited patiently, wondering where she was going with this.

“None of the people I know would be concerned enough to check on me if I called in sick to work. You’ve lived here long enough for me to realize that…that you don’t seem to have anyone like that, either. I never see anyone coming or going on a regular basis - besides the pizza delivery guy, but I don’t think he counts.”

Killian chuckled dryly. “You’re very observant, Swan.” He paused for a moment, debating whether he should open up to her as she was to him. “And you’re also correct,” he added finally. “I moved here from England when I was transferred for my job, and I don’t have any close friends yet.”

She nodded. “I figured it was something like that. The day you moved in, I was…well, to put it bluntly, I was a bitch. And, as I said, I’m not good at apologizing, so I just let things go on being…uncomfortable. When I saw that you were sick the other day, I thought it was my chance to make things better between us, but I screwed that up, too. I just…I guess I wanted to let you know that you didn’t have to be alone while you were suffering - that there was someone who cared. I…I’m sorry I made things worse.”

“You didn’t make things worse,” he assured her. “I appreciate the effort. Actually, if you think about it, it was really quite comical.”

She scoffed. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“And they do say laughter is the best medicine, so your failed attempts at helping are probably what cured me so quickly.”

Seeing the grin on his face, the corners of her own mouth turned up a bit. “You’re an idiot, Jones.”

He took a step closer. “How about if we start over, Emma? It would be nice to have a friend living across the hall.”

She eyed him, chewing her lip in contemplation. Then she held her hand out to him. “Hi, I’m Emma Swan. Welcome to the neighborhood.”

He reached forward to give her hand a firm shake. “Killian Jones. Pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan.”

She smiled and he was amazed at how it transformed her already lovely face. They stood awkwardly for several moments, until Killian said, “Well, I should let you go. Were you on your way to work?”

“Oh, uh, no. I was just going to get something to eat.”

He rubbed his hand along his jaw, dropping his eyes as he asked, “Would you, um…would you like some company?” Looking back up, he saw her eyes widen and hurried to add, “Just as a friend. As you well know, I don’t have much to eat in my apartment.”

She snorted out a laugh. “You still have more than I do at my place.” Turning away from him once again, she said, “If you’re sure, you’re welcome to join me. I was just gonna go to the diner around the corner. Tonight’s special is grilled cheese and onion rings.”

“Ah, greasy diner food,” he said, beginning to follow her. “You do know if you keep eating that stuff, your arteries are going to be filled with sludge.”

She chose to ignore him as she started down the stairs. “They have the best hot chocolate, too.”

“How much sugar do you add to it?” he grinned.

She glared at him over her shoulder. “No sugar, just cinnamon.”

“Cinnamon in hot chocolate? Sounds…interesting.”

She stopped on the landing and turned to look at him. “If you’re gonna make fun of my preferences for food and drink, you’re uninvited.”

Holding his hands up in mock surrender, he said, “I meant no offense, Swan. Perhaps I’ll even give your…unique concoction a try.”

That meal led to another, and many more. Soon they added regular coffee dates. Gradually, at Killian’s urging, Emma tried and eventually acquired a taste for black coffee, no sugar. Even more gradually, at Emma’s urging, Killian acquired a taste for greasy diner food.

Six weeks after Emma’s attempt to nurse Killian back to health, they went on their first official date. Killian was very happy to discover that Emma Swan did indeed have both a sweet and funny side. They realized they had many things in common, as they talked during their dinner at one of Boston’s most renowned restaurants, then walked along the waterfront.

At the conclusion of the date, they shared a kiss outside her apartment door, which opened both of their eyes to the fact that there was a significant spark of attraction between them. As they continued to date, the spark ignited into a blazing flame. (They made sure to replace the expired condoms in Killian’s medicine cabinet, once it was obvious they were going to put them to use.)

They became each other’s ‘person’ - someone to laugh with, cry with, share everything with, and nurse back to health when the need arose. By the following winter, when the flu made its way through Killian’s office once again, he had his own live-in nurse, whose skills were much improved from the previous year.

By that time, they still had a love/hate relationship…but now, it was minus the hate.

*********

A couple of fun notes:

-Colin was drinking a Dr. Pepper Zero during the Meet & Greet I went to at GalaxyCon in Columbus last year.

-At another con several years ago, Jen admitted she never drank black coffee until Colin got her hooked on it. (No pun intended!)

*********

Thank you for reading.

Tagging:

@qualitycoffeethings @grimmswan @cs-rylie @wyntereyez @kmomof4 @hookedmom @ultraluckycatnd @paradiselady19 @xarandomdreamx @motherkatereloyshipper @lfh1226-linda

@pawshapedheart @vampcoffeegyrl23 @tiganasummertree @bluewildcatfanatic @eleveneitherway @elfiola @kday426

@julieenchanted-swans @gingerchangeling @andiirivera @djlbg @jonesfandomfanatic @snowbellewells @anmylica @booksteaandtoomuchtv @cocohook38 @ilovemesomekillianjones

@zaharadessert @lyssapup27 @undercaffinatednightmare @winterbaby89 @jennjenn615 @xsajx @jackieorioncat @teamhook @soniccat @jarienn972 @softkilly @kymbersmith-90 @apiratewhopines

@hollyethecurious @laianely @resident-of-storybrooke @exhaustedpirate @caught-in-the-filter @stahlop @veryverynotgoodwrites @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite @whimsicallyenchantedrose @earanemith @superchocovian @idristardis @captainswan-kellie @beckettj

[hollyethecurious]

CS AU: A Pirate Booty Birthday (1/1)

Summary: She knew her soon-to-be former best friend had something up her sleeve. No way Ruby Lucas would allow Emma Swan’s birthday to be celebrated with a simple pool party. Oh, no. She just had to do something over the top. Something that would make this year ‘the best birthday ever!’ Something that would go down in infamy among their friend group. Something that Emma would find totally and completely humiliating. So, of course. Ruby had hired a stripper.

A/N: So, the other day a picture and video was posted on social media depicting our fave donning his pirate outfit once more in order to surprise a co-worker for her birthday. The post included a caption quipping, "The pirate they hired for our birthday party was actually really good", which caused many of us to wish we could hire the same said pirate for our bday celebrations. This, naturally, sparked a fic idea which I shared on the csmm discord and, well… you can probably guess the rest, lol.

Much love to the discord ladies and especially to @jrob64 who championed the idea so much she agreed to beta. Of course, seeing as it is her bday today, I'm also gifting this fic to her. Sorry it isn't the actual pirate, but I hope it is a close second! Happy birthday!

A shout out also goes to @kmomof4 who also gave this a once over for me😘

Rated T+ / Also available on ao3 and ff.net / buy me a coffee / add to tag list / Curious? Come Ask Me!  

A Pirate Booty Birthday

She knew her soon-to-be former best friend had something up her sleeve. No way Ruby Lucas would allow Emma Swan’s birthday to be celebrated with a simple pool party. Oh, no. She just had to do something over the top. Something that would make this year ‘the best birthday ever!’ Something that would go down in infamy among their friend group.

Something that Emma would find totally and completely humiliating.

So, of course. Ruby had hired a stripper.

A pirate themed stripper to go with the pirate themed decor and pirate themed drinks they’d been enjoying all afternoon and into the evening.

A pirate themed stripper who nearly had Emma swallowing her tongue when he appeared in Ruby’s backyard, decked out in head-to-toe black leather with artfully mussed dark hair, kohl-lined piercing blue eyes, auburn tinted stubble, and a devilish smirk that would make a mermaid swoon.

Holy hell and hot damn.

“Get your dollar bills ready, girls!” Lily called out, practically knocking Belle over as she rushed for her purse.

"Sorry, ladies,” the pirate crooned as he swaggered towards them. “I only accept doubloons.”

Well, fuck. He has an accent, too?! Emma thought, while silently freaking out. Damn, and it actually sounds authentic. It can’t be real, though. Right?

Stopping in front of their group, he cocked one hip to the side and tucked his thumb into his belt, perusing each of them with a sultry glance and briefly pausing when his eyes landed on her before addressing them all once more. “Besides... the only one allowed to touch the Captain this evening is the birthday girl. Perhaps one of you would be good enough to point her out to me?"

A half dozen pointer fingers immediately gave her up and Emma’s mouth went completely dry when a wide, feral grin spread across the pirate captain’s face. Seductively, he scraped his teeth across his bottom lip, then brought his thumb up to brush against the now reddened flesh. His eyes raked over her as she sat stock still in her red bikini and one of his brows raised cockily up his forehead. When he finally spoke again, Emma would swear his voice dropped an octave as he quipped, "I was hoping it’d be you."

Cat calls and whoops of both laughter and encouragement rang out from her friends, forcing Emma from her seat in the hopes of making an escape to the house. Where she could hide. Or wait for the ground to swallow her whole. She wasn’t picky.

With swift reflexes, he moved to block her path, his persona breaking for a brief moment as he gave her a commiserating look. It was quickly schooled and replaced by his Captain facade as he tutted, “Now, now, love. Heed your Captain.” Gently he led her back to her chair, encouraging her to sit before he propped a booted foot up on the end of the diving board. “Don’t make me force you to walk the plank. Just sit right there and take your lap dance like a good girl.”

He winked at her, causing another round of shouts and whistles and ‘atta girls’ to be yelled from her friends. Looking over her shoulder, Emma made eye contact with Ruby and mouthed, “I hate you,” but the effect was lost when the hysterical laugh she’d been holding back finally made its way to the surface.

“You love me,” Ruby mouthed back, blowing her a kiss before bringing up a music file from her phone to play over the speakers. Presumably, the pirate stripper had sent her his music when she booked him.

Which turned out to be the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean. Because, of course it was.

Emma hated to admit it but… the pirate stripper Ruby hired for her birthday was actually pretty good.

Very. Good.

Tantalizing good.

Toned and bronzed and sultry and commanding and wouldn’t-mind-blindly-following-his-Captain’s-orders good.

“Come on, Captain!” Lily shouted as he slipped off his suspenders and began to tug the smoke-like, gossamer thin blouse free from his pants, revealing toned abs and happy trail. “Hoist the mainsail for us!”

Emma thought she’d caught the beginnings of an eye roll before he turned his back to them, his hips gyrating and the muscles of his ass flexing beneath the tight leather.

A piercing whistle erupted next to Emma’s drumdrum. Tink practically had her fingers halfway down her throat to make the obnoxious sound. “Show us your pirate booty!” she drunkenly yelled before an unseemly snort escaped her from the self-satisfied laugh she let out.

“Forget the booty!” Lily called out salaciously. “Show us your jewels!”

“Guys!” Emma admonished, halfway turning in her seat to face her unruly friends. “Enough! Let the poor man do his thing.”

“I’d like to do his thing,” Lily shot back, vulgarly licking her lips then catching Emma’s hardened glare and silent reprimand to behave. “Spoil sport,” Lily huffed, poutily taking another large gulp from her solo cup, her eyes cutting back to the Captain who was being cheered on by the rest of the group.

“Sorry, Ems,” Tink offered with a sincere expression of contrition before being jolted to the side by Ruby who had refilled her drink and was now joining their little mob.

“Oh, come on, Emma,” Ruby said with a wolfish grin. “Tell me you wouldn’t happily walk that plank.” Jutting her chin towards the night’s entertainment she’d provided, she gave a whistle of her own, pointed down to Emma, then shouted. “Let her shiver your timber, Captain!”

Emma turned back around and her jaw dropped. Apparently, he’d been rather busy while her back was turned. He’d removed his great coat and vest early on in the performance, but now, gone were the blouse, boots, and leather pants, leaving him in nothing more than a tight, barely-there, black Speedo.

She couldn’t help but focus on the bulge he was currently thrusting in their direction, his generous size evident from the way the material strained around it. His hips swiveled and her eyes traveled up the happy trail of hair at his navel, the twitch and flex of his abdominal muscle mesmerizing her. As did the broad planes of his chest, dusted with the same luscious hair her fingers itched to run themselves through. Her final destination was his face and her breath caught at the way he stared at her, his attention solely focused on her gaze with his own hungry, predatory, wouldn’t-mind-making-a-meal-out-of-her intent reflected in his dark, ocean blue depths.

With a dirty grind in his hips, he swaggered towards them until he was right in front of her. Without warning, he threw himself forward, bracing himself against the edge of the table behind her. Arms caging her in as he hovered over her in an impressively held plank position. Emma had to grip the ends of the armrest to force her hands to remain on their best behavior, her bottom lip firmly tucked between her teeth, trapping a moan inside her mouth as his body rolled over the top of her, his breath - soft, sensual pants exhaling from his chest - ghosting across her face as his kohl-rimmed eyes stayed locked onto hers.

“Go on, Emma!” One of her friends encouraged dirtily. “Make his Roger Jolly!

“Show him where to drop his anchor, Ems!”

Another half-amused, half-exasperated look flitted across his face before he could stop it. He probably got comments like that a lot, had probably heard every bad pirate pun there was. The way he continued to stare down at her, though, his body grinding a hair's-breadth away from hers and occasionally making contact when his leg couldn’t help but brush against her own, made Emma think he might not mind them so much when they were applied to her.

Of course, that had to be wistful thinking on her part. Given how gorgeous and hot and limber and intense and - did she say hot already? - he was, Emma was certain he got his fair share of propositions from equally hot and horny women.

Emma practically whimpered when he rolled his body away from hers, instantly missing the close contact and feeling more flushed and keyed up than she’d expected to get. Bringing her hand up, she made an attempt to fan herself, but was thwarted when his hand caught hers. Tugging lightly, he encouraged her to her feet then wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her hips flush with his as he continued to roll, swivel, and grind against her body.

“Let the pillaging and plundering begin!” Ruby shouted.

A toe-curling chuckle rumbled through his chest and he brought his mouth tauntingly close to her ear, murmuring, “Your friends are quite the lively bunch.”

Yep. The accent was real. Fuck. Me.

“Yeah,” Emma replied a bit breathlessly, her body now moving in time with his as they finished out the track as though they were at some risque nightclub and not her best friend's backyard. “Sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize, love,” he told her, dropping his arms and taking a step back.

Emma hadn’t even realized the song had ended, but her friends absolutely losing their shit with screams and whistles and applause probably should have clued her in.

“What say you, ladies?” he called out to the group. “Has your Captain delivered to your satisfaction, or is he to walk the plank?”

Once again, he propped his foot on the diving board and her friends - as eager to have him dripping wet as she was - immediately began chanting, “Walk the plank! Walk the plank! Walk the plank!”

Shooting them a wide grin, he hopped up onto the board but paused when Ruby called out. “Here, Emma! In case he needs some encouragement!”

She tossed a plastic, toy sword at her which Emma miraculously caught. Glancing up at the man, something swooped deep in her belly at the raised brow and smirk he was giving her.

“Do you even know how to use that thing, love?” he said in a teasing and mocking tone.

“Yeah,” she said, stepping up behind him on the board and pressing the plastic tip into his side. “The pointy end goes in the other guy.”

She poked at him with it again, urging him towards the end of the board, or… plank, and absolutely did not find his ticklish response at all endearing.

“What’s the matter, Captain?” she replied in a coy and coquettish tone. “Don’t like being jabbed with my sword?”

The Captain scoffed and turned to face her. “You call that a jab?” he shot back, and Emma gasped as he yanked the sword from her grasp, then used his quick reflexes to pull her into him before she even had a chance to realize what he was doing. He had her arms pinned to her sides with his tightly wrapped around her, the heavy bulge in the front of his Speedo pressed firmly against her belly as a smolder bloomed from his expression and deep crooning tone professed, “Trust me, love. When I jab you with my sword… you’ll feel it.”

Emma gasped as he threw them both off the diving board into the pool. Panic gripped her when she hit the water and began to sink. Years of bouncing around foster care meant she’d never learned to swim properly, so, on instinct, when she resurfaced, she clung to the Captain, wrapping her arms and legs around his body to stay afloat.

“Sorry, love,” he chuckled. “I thought we could both do with some cooling off.” Seeing her expression, which she hadn’t been able to calm yet, he held her a bit tighter and asked, “Are you alright?”

“Y-Yeah,” she stammered, reluctantly pulling one of her hands off him so she could wipe the water from her face. “I, um… I just… I don’t do well with, um…”

“Bloody hell,” he cursed at himself. “I wasn’t thinking. I’m so sorry, love. Here.” He started to swim them over to the ladder. “I’ve got you. Just grab onto the rails.”

Emma did as he instructed, extricating herself from him so she could put her feet on the solid rungs of the ladder. He grabbed onto the edge of the pool and with little effort, hoisted himself out of the water, getting to his feet in time to come around and offer her a hand up the ladder.

“Emma!” Her friends exclaimed, rushing towards them. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she assured them, waving off their concern with her free hand, the other still tucked in his grasp. “Really. I’m fine.”

Ruby draped a towel over her shoulders then offered one to the dripping wet man next to her. Emma would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little disappointed when he let go of her hand and began drying off. She would have enjoyed watching the beads and streams of water sluice down his trim and toned body.

“Thank you, Miss Lucas,” he replied, stepping back from the gaggle of girls that had joined them. Emma could tell it was a prudent and deliberate move on his part, giving himself a personal bubble of space in case any of them decided to take the opportunity to get handsy. Sheepishly, he glanced back at Emma and offered once more, “My sincerest apologies. I shouldn’t have--”

“My fault entirely,” Ruby chimed in, turning apologetic eyes towards Emma. “I should have given Killian a heads up about you and the pool.”

“Killian?” Emma said, her eyes snapping back to the man who now had the towel wrapped around his waist.

Pity.

“Killian Jones,” he said, introducing himself as he bowed his head and offered her a boyish smile. “At your service, Miss…”

“Swan,” Emma reciprocated. “Emma Swan. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh, trust me, love,” he crooned, steeping a bit closer into her personal space. “The pleasure is all mine.”

A symphony of sighs and squeals crescendoed around them and Emma’s cheeks heated at the knowledge that her friends were still hovering.

“Alright,” Ruby shouted, getting everyone’s attention. “This alcohol isn’t gonna drink itself. Who wants a refill?”

Emma shot her friend a grateful look as she led the mob back towards the tiki bar, giving her an opportunity to speak with Killian privately before he had to pack up and be on his way.

“Do you, uh… need some help collecting your things?” she asked him, tucking a wet, tangled strand of hair behind her ear.

“I can manage,” he told her, though he made no effort to do so. “You know,” he murmured softly, closing what little space remained between them. “I can help you with your… water issue, if you’d like.”

“My water issue?” Emma replied in an amused breath. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

An abashed huff fell from his lips and he reached up to awkwardly scratch behind his ear. “No, I meant… You seem a bit uncertain and slightly nervous regarding--”

“Yeah,” she said, offering him a lifeline. “I’m not the greatest swimmer. Never really learned how to--”

“I can help with that,” he said, cutting her off in an enthusiastic rush. “I mean… If you’d like me to. I’m a certified lifeguard and just got a full time position with the city to oversee the safety of the beaches.”

“Do you make this offer to every birthday girl you perform for?” she asked, a slightly accusatory tone underpinning her words, wondering if this were some sort of line he often used to get women.

“No, actually,” he said fervently, and without any hint of offense. “I’d given up stripping quite a while ago. I only agreed to do it because Ruby’s boyfriend, Graham, is a mate of mine from back in the day.”

“So…” Emma drawled, flicking her eyes up at him through her lashes, “you’re saying, this was a one time thing?”

“Aye, love,” he murmured, the two of them swaying a bit closer to one another. “After tonight, I’m hanging up my great coat and leather pants for good.”

“Well, that’s a shame,” she said, her eyes dropping to focus on the way his tongue ran over his lips. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you in that get-up again sometime.”

“Perhaps,” he rasped, his lips tantalizing close to hers. “I could be persuaded to give you a private showing sometime, provided it follows a private swimming lesson.”

“How’s Monday sound?”

“Bloody perfect,” he exhaled before crashing his mouth to hers.

If they hadn’t already, Ruby’s neighbors were gonna call the cops with a serious complaint about the explosion of noise currently erupting from her friends.

The End.

Tagging the Curious Crew: (add to tag list)

(Please be advised that I only keep one tag list for all fic updates and new works. If at any time you wish to be removed, just shoot me an ask or a DM. No worries.)

@kmomof4 @jrob64 @zaharadessert @laianely @booksteaandtoomuchtv

@the-darkdragonfly @undercaffinatednightmare @killianxswan @mie779 @motherkatereloyshipper

@jennjenn615 @jonesfandomfanatic @anmylica @superchocovian @caught-in-the-filter

@winterbaby89 @wyntereyez @stahlop @resident-of-storybrooke @gingerchangeling

@exhaustedpirate @cocohook38 @donteattheappleshook @lfh1226-linda @teamhook

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@pirateherokillian @calmjoonie @unworried-corsair @tiganasummertree @captainswan-kellie

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@natascha-ronin @ilovemesomekillianjones @iamstartraveller776 @deckerstarblanche @shadowsaur

@qualitycoffeethings @idristardis @phoenix-untamed

[cssns]

It's Time to Get to Know Your Mods!!!

Everyone please help me welcome one last time to the mod team, @jrob64!!

Name

Joni

How long have you been a part of the CS fandom?

I’ve been active in the fandom since 2018

What is your favorite part about fandom?

The ability to talk openly about my OTP with other people who feel the same way about them. The friendships I’ve made. Being able to use my talents for writing and art to express my love for Captain Swan.

What drew you to this event?

Krystal is so passionate about it that I kinda got sucked in

Will you be participating either as a writer or artist? If so, what will you be doing?

Hopefully both. I enjoy doing pic sets and, even though my muse has so far been very quiet, I’m hoping to come up with a story to write, also.

What do you do in your "real life?"

Retired teacher, part time associate librarian, tutor, volunteer, mom to 2 grown children, dog mom.

What are you most looking forward to in this event?

Seeing how, once again, people come up with creative ways to depict our favorite couple in supernatural settings and situations.

It's good to have you back for one last go round, Joni!!! And *spoiler alert* she has come up with a fantastic story idea and it will be dropping on July 9!

[kmomof4]

🫂🥹😘

It was my pleasure to look this over! All the love to you, Joni!

Unexpected Miracles on ao3 Teeny-Tiny OS to help grieve a lost friend. @jrob64 @kmomof4 @teamhook @elfiola @anmylica @soniccat @booksteaandtoomuchtv @winterbaby89 @tiganasummertree @undercaffinatednightmare @zaharadessert @eddisfargo @oshii @xarandomdreamx @gingerchangeling @deckerstarblanche @hookedmom @dashingpiratesandswans @thenoveljunkie @djlbg  @cleme-art17​ @insanelydeadlybookcollector @grimmswan @veiled-in-moxie @hannahhook7744 @julesep3026 @onceratheart18 @theejael @jonesfandomfanatic @inspiredbystardust @huntressandlioness1 @qualitycoffeethings​ @thepiratething​ @xellewoods​ @caityrayeraye​ @amyveanie​ @tequedarasavinon​ @wateryouremu​ @clickingkeys​ @stardreamer28​ @middlemistcs13​ @avmsstuff​ @thepansexualdemonchef​ @poetryslam12​ @normadcisba​ @anonymous-persona​ @kday426​ @momontheice​ @andiirivera​

[kmomof4]

Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres: A Fic Collaboration Between @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @jrob64

Ready for Ch3, y'all? Here we go! In today's installment, we are heading to Savannah for sightseeing and the bachelor and bachelorette parties!!

Rating: T

Words: 3700 of approx 21k

On ao3 and ff.net

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

The second full day of their vacation dawned bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky.  It was a gorgeous day, and Emma found herself looking forward to their planned excursion in Savannah.  She donned a breezy, sleeveless, white sundress sprinkled with yellow sunflowers and her favorite pair of comfortable strappy white sandals. 

While normally one to simply toss clothing options into her suitcase, she’d needed to put a little more effort into packing on this trip with all their scheduled adventures, and today’s outfit was no exception.  They planned to spend a fair amount of time walking around Savannah today, and then she and Ruby had organized a bachelorette party for tonight.  Given the itinerary, she’d needed an outfit casual enough for a stroll through the city and yet dressy enough for a night out with the girls.

“You look tantalizing enough to tempt a man to stay home and have his wicked way with you, Swan,” Killian said, coming up behind her in the living room, wrapping his arms around her middle and nosing at her hair, before placing a not-quite-chaste kiss at the base of her neck.

She shivered in response.  When he used that tone of voice, all low and gravelly and full of sin, she nearly forgot her own name.

“What, and miss out on Savannah?” she asked, her voice far from steady.

“I’ve no doubt Savannah has many charms, Love,” he said, still peppering her with kisses, “but she couldn’t possibly hold a candle to you.”

“Oi! Get a room you two!” Will said, opening the cottage door and breezing in.  

“They already have one,” Regina said with an eye roll as she came into the room where they were all gathered, “and if we have to wait for them to make use of it, we’ll never get to Savannah, and I, for one, am looking forward to touring the cemetery.”

“That’s not creepy at all,” Emma said under her breath.

“It’s actually not creepy at all!” Belle said, standing close enough to her friend that she heard exactly what was said. “The cemeteries there are so old, there’s so much history!  It’s fascinating.”

“I’m interested in taking a stroll along the river, getting a gander at the establishments and riverboats,” Liam said.

“I’d like to walk through the squares under the shade of all of those big, beautiful live oaks,” Mary Margaret said.  “I wonder why they’re called live oaks?”

“It’s because they are semi-deciduous,” Graham said. “They never lose all of their leaves.  There’s also a bit about the Spanish moss that clings to them–which is neither Spanish, nor moss, by the way. It got its name because…”

“Let’s save the botany lectures for the road,” Regina said dismissively.  “It’s an hour and a half drive, and if we wait for everyone to share all their collective knowledge, we’ll never get there.”

“Regina, did you just call us smart?” Will asked.

“You’re the exception that proves the rule,” she snarked.

With only one day to spend in Savannah, they knew they couldn’t possibly see everything they hoped to see, and so they planned on splitting up - Emma, Killian, Elsa and Liam taking the riverwalk, Regina, Robin, Roland, Belle and Will touring Bonaventure Cemetery, and Graham, Ruby, Mary Margaret and David strolling through the various squares and touring the shopping district.

With their plans made, they headed to their respective cars for the drive north.

Two hours later, Emma and Killian walked hand in hand down the sidewalk overlooking the river.  It was a beautiful day, quite mild for Savannah in July and with a refreshing light breeze.

“So, you’re having dinner at The Melting Pot, right?” Killian asked. 

Emma nodded. “Then Ruby found something for dessert that she’s refused to tell even me.”

“Any idea what it might be?” he asked.

“Nope,” Emma chuckled.  “Knowing Ruby, it’ll be as risqué as she can possibly get by with and still remain within Mary Margaret’s requirements.”

“Was Ruby particularly disappointed with her stipulation against strippers?” he asked with a grin.

Emma laughed.  “Actually, it was the opposite.  She just shrugged and said it’s no big deal.  She’ll have Graham give her a strip tease when she gets home.”

Killian laughed. “And I’d assume the man in question went quite vermillion at that?”

“Naturally.”

“Killian, look at that,” Liam said, gesturing to the row of shops and restaurants across the street. “Who in their right mind would choose to name their establishment The Broken Keel?”

Killian shook his head derisively, “Bloody fools, that’s who.”

“So, I take it you aren’t interested in going there for lunch?” Elsa asked slyly.

“No!” both men shouted emphatically, causing the women to go off into peals of laughter.

The foursome continued their walk, enjoying the company and the sights of the historic district, the men particularly interested in the majestic river boats docked and awaiting passengers, and the women more interested in the shops and sculptures.

Emma had been fascinated listening to an old man with a long, white beard play his saxophone as he sat on a bench near the river.  From the alleyway behind came the sound of a man singing, clapping, and tapping his feet.  The city was so vibrant and alive and full of joie de vivre.

She turned around to comment about it to Killian, but her boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

“Looks like we lost your brother,” she commented to Liam.  “Let’s hope he didn’t fall in the river.”

Liam laughed and then gave her a look she couldn’t interpret. “I believe he headed toward the riverboats to make some inquiries.”

“Inquiries about what?” she asked.

Liam merely shrugged and then determinedly changed the subject.

Suspicious. Very suspicious.

But then Killian was rejoining their group and they were off again, and Emma put the strange incident from her mind.

~*~*~

As the day settled into evening, the men and women met up again to head to their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties. While the men had reservations for a dinner at the historic Pirate’s House, Ruby announced the locations of the bachelorette party with a mischievous look in her eye.

“First, Emma made dinner reservations for us at The Melting Pot. But no dessert,” she continued, shaking her finger at them all as they ooo-ed and ahhh-ed over Emma’s choice. “I found somewhere else for that. It’s this amazing place called Better Than Sex - A Dessert Restaurant.  Who doesn’t like their cake with a spicy dose of innuendo?”

Mary Margaret groaned…although if the dessert was as good as all that, she wouldn’t complain about their plans for the night. After taking a few moments to say goodbye to their men, the ladies made their way to The Melting Pot.

After their delicious and rather entertaining meal, they walked down the street to the dessert bar. Ruby had reserved a table for a private party, and as soon as the ladies arrived, their friendly, smiling waiter led them up to a room with red walls, plush carpeting, opulent chandeliers and gauzy white curtains covering the windows and ceiling. The room was dimly lit by flickering candles that lined a long banquet table, the chandeliers being more for ambiance than illumination. The smooth jazz music issuing from the sound system completed the atmosphere, and Mary Margaret rather felt as though they were having dessert in a very fancy boudoir.

“Are you ladies celebrating anything in particular tonight?” the server asked, glancing around the group.

“It’s her bachelorette party!” Ruby announced, pointing one exquisitely manicured finger in Mary Margaret’s direction. “She’s gonna tie the knot the day after tomorrow!”

“Congratulations!” the server beamed, “and might I say, you’ve come to the right place. I’m not just saying this; these desserts are to die for. I’ll give you a chance to look over the menu.”

“Order anything you want,” Belle said to Mary Margaret, as soon as the waiter withdrew. “It’s on us; we’re all pitching in.”

Mary Margaret took a sip of the water sitting before her place setting just as she began to peruse the selections, and she almost spit out the sip she’d taken. 

“Oh my! These dessert names are…quite something,” Elsa said with a little chuckle.

“That’s one way to put it,” Mary Margaret agreed with a smile and a shake of her head. The selections on offer had spicy names such as “Pound Town”, “Berry Bondage”, “Naughty by Nature”, “Man Flowers” and “Peanut Butter Perversion.” The descriptions themselves were so steamy they wouldn’t have been out of place on the pages of one of those bodice ripper novels with a half-naked Adonis on the cover.

After some deliberation, she decided to go with the titillatingly-named Hot Sex in Savannah. “Your wildest fantasies have come true!” the menu read. “Georgia peaches have gotten frisky with a little bourbon, pecans, and roasted habanero to reproduce a smokin’ good time. As if you weren’t already having a ball, we’ve added a friend for you to flirt with...... a tickle of our house-made bacon ice cream.” 

“What’s everyone getting?” Ruby asked. “I decided to go with the ‘Between My Red Velvet Sheets Cheesecake’.”

After a little discussion, everyone made their selections. Regina ordered the ‘Missionary Crisp’--an apple and cake-like confection. Emma opted for the ‘Morning After’ to no one’s surprise–it, after all, consisted of a chocolate and brie grilled cheese. Elsa chose the ‘Perfect Partner’, essentially a sundae made from vanilla bean ice cream and white chocolate. Belle rounded out the order with the very suggestively titled ‘Caress My Carrot’, perhaps the most decadent slice of carrot cake ever baked.

The restaurant was so very committed to its naughty puns, it had a note at the bottom of the menu that said 'and no suggestive dessert is truly complete without an equally racy cocktail'. They ordered such colorful drinks as ‘Midnight Vixen’, ‘Love Potion 69’, ‘Minty Moaner’, ‘Tingly-Tini’ and ‘Peanut-Tration’.

Mary Margaret noticed that Elsa was discreetly perusing the section almost tamely-labeled ‘for virgins.’

“So….you’re foregoing the alcohol tonight, I see,” Mary Margaret said, drawing out the first word meaningfully.

“I’ve never found a cocktail I really like,” Elsa said, studiously avoiding her friend’s gaze, a small, secret smile on her lips. “And besides, we need someone to be the designated driver.”

Mary Margaret wasn’t buying that for a moment, but before she could dig deeper to find out whether the secret hunch she’d carried since overhearing Elsa and Liam’s conversation was correct, their food and drinks arrived, and with that, all other thoughts were forgotten.

For long minutes after their desserts were served, the only sounds to be heard were soft exclamations, hums of satisfaction, and moans of ecstasy. There was no doubt about it, Mary Margaret decided. These desserts did not oversell themselves. How they’d managed to turn what was essentially a peach cobbler into such a rich, decadent, and spicy explosion of flavor on her tongue was beyond her.

“So what did you think?” Ruby asked. “Did it live up to its name?”

Mary Margaret thought for a moment. “It was good. It was very good,” she repeated, “but better than sex?” She shook her head with a smug smile. “Not a chance.”

“I did not need to hear that,” Emma muttered.

But in the end, all the ladies had to agree.

~*~*~

The men emerged from their vehicles in the parking lot of The Pirate’s House, the world famous restaurant housed in one of Savannah’s oldest buildings. The structure, only a block from the riverfront, was originally built in 1734 - a year after the town’s founding - as the quarters for the keeper of the Trustees’ Garden, the first public agricultural experimental garden in America. By the early 1750’s, Savannah was a vibrant and thriving port city and The Herb House, as it had been named, was converted into an inn that attracted sailors and pirates alike. Legend said the infamous Captain Flint actually died inside the historic building. 

“And perhaps, lingers still,” Killian intoned, his eyebrows waggling in intrigue at little Roland, whose eyes resembled round saucers.

“Really?” His high pitched screech made the men chuckle. “Is it haunted, Papa? Are we gonna see a ghost?” His voice got impossibly higher as he all but jumped up and down grabbing the hem of Robin’s shirt. “ARE WE GONNA SEE THE GHOST OF CAPTAIN FLINT, PAPA?”

“Not quite, Roland,” Robin explained. “Uncle Killian doesn’t quite have his facts straight.”

“Oi!” Killian protested.

“Captain Flint wasn’t a real pirate,” Robin continued, as if Killian hadn’t spoken at all. “He wasn’t even a real man. He’s a character in the story of Treasure Island written by Robert Louis Stevenson back in the 1880’s.”

“Wowwww,” Roland breathed. “So when you and Uncle Liam were little?” he asked, innocently. Loud guffaws burst out of Killian and Will alike, with Graham and David able to contain their mirth a little better, hiding their laughter behind their hands, their eyes dancing in amusement. Liam snorted and shook his head.

“We’re not that old,” Robin chuckled, ruffling Roland’s curls, “But it is said that The Pirate’s House inspired Stevenson to write it, using a fictional Captain Flint to set the story in motion.” 

The men and little boy stepped onto the porch and through the door of the establishment to be greeted by the hostess. The exterior was gray wooden clapboard with light blue shutters over very weathered red brick, but when they stepped inside, the dark wood paneling, low wooden ceilings, and various piratical accoutrements scattered around were enough to make one feel as if he really had stepped back in time a couple hundred years. 

In the corner across from the door, a life-sized carved wooden pirate stood sentry at the crossroads between the bar (for Thirsty Pirates, according to the small sign above the hostess station pointing left), restaurant (for Hungry Pirates, according to another sign pointing to the right), and the stairs leading up to the second story where the gift shop could be found.

Roland was beside himself and begged Robin to take his picture with the statue who could only be Captain Flint before being let loose in the gift shop to find pirate toys to play with back at the cottage. Robin waved the others on, telling them they’d catch up in a few minutes. 

It only took Roland about ten minutes to fully outfit himself with a plastic sword and hook, a pirate hat, and an eye patch, as well as a door hanger with the Jolly Roger flag on it and the caption NO TRESPASSING PIRATE’S TERRITORY. The men all laughed and cheered when he and Robin made their appearance at the table.

“Arrrrrrr, me hearties!” Roland growled, jumping out from around the corner as Robin made his way to an empty seat. He prowled around the table, swinging the sword this way and that until his father admonished him to be careful not to hit anyone or anything with it. Once he was seated, David showed him the kids’ menu and helped him pick his meal of the Frozen Rainbow- a very fruity frozen drink- and Bold Billy Bones, which consisted of fried shrimp and special Pirate’s House fries.

Once all their orders were placed and their waiter withdrew, a female pirate approached. She had long strawberry blonde hair and wore a bright red long-sleeved blouse underneath a leather vest and tight leather pants.

“Ah ha!” she gasped, focusing on Roland at the other end of the table. “It be the villainous Captain Hook.”

Roland didn’t miss a beat. He jumped to his feet, brandishing his sword and challenged the female pirate to a duel. She drew her own blade, and they proceeded to cross swords for just a few seconds, the men whooping and hollering encouragement to Roland before the lady was disarmed. She smiled proudly at the boy and declared him a master swordsman to have defeated the most famous female pirate of all time, Anne Bonny.

She offered to show Roland around the Pirate’s House, and Will jumped up and took Roland by the hand to go see some of the historical artifacts and the rum cellar, stating that he was sure Belle would be interested to hear about it. 

While Will and Roland were gone, their drinks arrived. The pirate theme was pervasive throughout the restaurant, and the guys had had a great time choosing their respective drinks. First, they ordered two Diplomatico Rum Flights to share between them all. Well, David and Robin as the designated drivers didn’t indulge in the rum flights but focused on a single cocktail for the evening. David had the Savannah Tea while Robin chose the Savannah Storm. Killian had trouble choosing between Pirate’s Pleasure and Release the Kraken, but finally settled on Pirate’s Pleasure when Liam chose the Kraken. But once the drinks were delivered and Liam offered Killian a sip, he opted for the Kraken as well to accompany his meal. Graham chose the Raspberry Mojito because it reminded him of Ruby, and Will ordered the Skull Crusher in a souvenir skull mug.

A few minutes later, Anne Bonny, Will, and Roland returned to the table, Will sporting quite a goose egg on his forehead over his right eye.

“What happened to you?” David asked loudly. Roland ran to Robin talking a mile a minute.

“Uncle Will was going down the stairs to the rum cellar and was telling me to watch my step and didn’t see the… the…”

“The bloody roof of the cellar, or floor we’re walking on, whatever,” Will interrupted.

“Yeah, what Uncle Will said,” Roland said, turning back to Robin and continuing his monologue with hardly a breath in between. “And bam, Uncle Will hit his head and then fell on his bottom on the stairs and bump-bump-bumped down to the bottom,” he said, with appropriate sound effects included. “The first step was really big, and Pirate Anne was holding my hand so I didn’t fall, and Uncle Will turned back around just in time to hit his head. He says his noggin is fine, but his butt is sore. Again.” It didn’t take much imagination for the men to realize that those were the exact words out of Will’s mouth when the accident happened, and they all broke into loud laughter.

Will sat down - slowly and carefully - and immediately took a sip of his drink, waving aside the skeptical look Killian shot him. 

“I’m fine, Mate,” he said. “But look at the skull! How cool is that?”

“And it’s not even cracked like yours, Mate!” Graham cackled.

The other men all laughed as Will grumbled under his breath before taking another sip.

Roland proceeded to recount all the history and things they’d seen and experienced during their private tour, with Anne Bonny staying at the table to fill in details that Roland missed. 

“There was definitely something weird over in the corner of the rum cellar,” Will interjected when Roland was telling them about the giant Jolly Roger flag down there and how there were chains suspended from the ceiling that just started swinging all on their own. “Where the tunnels led down to the river,” Will continued. “Just like an electrical current, felt kind of odd. Not cold, but odd. I don’t know if it was a ghost or not…”

“Of course, it was, Uncle Will!” Roland interrupted. “Captain Flint,” he said, attempting to make his voice low and gravelly. “He died here, remember? It had to be his ghost.” 

Everyone laughed good naturedly, then Anne spoke. “No, not Captain Flint, me bucko,” she said, her rich Irish brogue dripping from every word, a mischievous smile on her face, “but perhaps the Rowdy Ghost who usually haunts the Captain’s Room next door. Ee’s been known to follow patrons down to the rum cellar and play tricks on ‘em. Now this room that y’ere in is haunted by the Friendly Ghost. It’s a bit of a misnomer. Ee’s not exactly friendly, but more of a prankster. Ee’ll switch drinks around, steal food, that sort of thing.”

Just then, their meals arrived. Once everyone was served and beginning to dig into the delicious looking and smelling banquet, Liam announced loudly, “Well, I don’t believe in ghosts.”

No sooner had the words left his lips when his plate of parmesan crusted tilapia flipped over, depositing his meal on the surface of the table, the upended plate landing on top. There was stunned silence for a moment before Killian spoke up, hoping to diffuse a potentially traumatic occurrence for the precocious and brave, but still very small, boy in their midst.  

“That’ll teach you to say you don’t believe in ghosts inside a clearly haunted house, big brother,” he teased. Roland’s eyes were still as huge as saucers, his mouth hanging open slightly, but he laughed when everyone else did as Liam turned as red as a ripe tomato. Robin shot Killian a grateful look, and Anne grabbed Liam’s plate.

“Aye,” Anne agreed, “It’s never wise to express disbelief in the resident spirits in a haunted house. I’ll just fetch ye a new plate, Sir.”

Once his replacement dinner arrived, Liam joined the rest of them in enjoying the excellent repast. No more ghostly incidents occurred, much to Robin’s relief, and by the end of the meal Roland was yawning nearly every thirty seconds.

Anne appeared again as they were all rising from the table. “Ah, me bucko, I see that ye have cleared yere plate of Bold Billy Bones’ fried shrimp and special fries. And your Tiny Tim dessert as well! Ye’ve earned a trip to Billy’s treasure chest in the lobby.” That got Roland’s attention quickly, and he perked up and took her outstretched hand, following her through the restaurant until they emerged in the lobby. He hadn’t noticed it when they came in, but there in the corner was a real wooden treasure chest filled to the brim with lollipops.

“Can I have one, Papa? Can I?” Roland begged.

“Sure,” Robin agreed, an indulgent smile on his face.

After Roland picked his treat, they all emerged into the night, piled into their vehicles and went to pick up their ladies for the drive home to the cottages.

~*~*~

Notes

As with previous chapters, most of what we had our characters do in this chapter was taken from our actual adventures.

We met Giennie for the day in Savannah and she took us on a tour of one of the very old cemeteries (although our excursion was in Colonial Park Cemetery. We didn’t have time to tour Bonaventure Cemetery like Regina and Robin did). We also drove around some of the squares with the magnificent live oaks and Spanish moss.  

With a little bit of time to kill before our reservations for the evening, we took a walk by the river and saw many of the same sights Emma, Killian, Liam and Elsa saw– The Broken Keel, street performers, river boats and memorial sculptures.

We did indeed eat at The Melting Pot, but our dinner was on the way to our rental on the first day of vacation rather than during our primary Savannah day. Unlike the ladies in our story, we opted for the full 5 course celebration rather than the cheese and meat courses alone.

Better Than Sex: A Dessert Restaurant is an actual Savannah restaurant, and while we discussed going, it wouldn’t fit in our schedule. The descriptions of the private party room as well as the names and descriptions of the desserts and cocktails were taken from the restaurant’s website. When we were planning this fic, we had fun choosing desserts and cocktails for the characters.

The Pirate House is also a Savannah restaurant, but this one we did visit. Our evening involved not only dinner at The Pirate House but a haunted tour of the city beforehand and a tour of the (now rum-less) rum cellar. Our table was in the Herb House, which is the oldest part of the restaurant, built in the 18th century. Our waiter was not, in fact, Anne Bonny - historical female pirate - but she made a nice addition to our story. Was she really there? Was she a ghost? Was she a waitress in costume? I guess we’ll never know. The large first step and the low entrance to the rum cellar were real. As we descended the stairs, we immediately knew Will had to crack his cranium one more time as a callback to last year’s fic in addition to denting his derriere. Again. We were also told stories about the ghosts that haunt the Pirate House–from floating orbs to the ghosts named in the story. None of us had any kind of paranormal experience – although one of the guys in our tour group tried to trick our guide into thinking there was – by setting some chains in motion when the guide told us they sometimes move on their own.

Up next on Thursday: Big moments for all of our couples! The most significant being David and Mary Margaret’s wedding, of course – but there are several other secrets revealed, as well as a life-changing moment aboard a riverboat.

~*~*~

Thank you for reading and sharing! We'll be back with our final ch on Thursday!

[snowbellewells]

Fandom Birthday Rec List for @jrob64

Happy Birthday, dear Joni! Happy Birthday to You!!!

Okay, when I set out to make this list of my favorites of your works, I had a couple in mind right off the top of my head, and thought "This is a no-brainer! It'll be easy!" You would think I'd have known better after the massive list I created when Krystal asked for our favorite fics overall a couple years ago and I ended up making a Sweet 16 style bracket to even narrow mine down. Needless to say, I ended up with a solid dozen stories on my paper, instead of the five or six I needed, and discovered a few hidden gems from way back before I knew you that I hadn't even read!! However, my very, VERY favorite has never wavered and is still exactly the same - you'll see! ;)

Anyway, I am so glad I found your wonderful writings, have gotten to know you in person, text with you, travel with you, and become genuinely good friends. Your are a blessing in my life, and I hope this gift brings a bit of a smile to your face as I try to celebrate the joy you've shared with us all in creating further adventures for our pirate and princess. Happy Birthday!!!

**Top 6 Favorite @jrob64 Fics (in descending order)**

#6 - "One Thrill Ride Leads to Another" (my own birthday fic! ;p )

This five part (six, with the epilogue) story is pure fun and chemistry and sweetness overload. I adore it more than I can really say, and am beyond flattered that a handsome sight and chance comment of mine helped to birth the original idea. And no, it isn't even just because this one include an alive and happy Graham as supporting character and a hilariously hot secondary Red Huntsman plot line -- though it certainly doesn't hurt!! ;) My rambling can't really do this one justice, so if anyone reading this has missed it, I beg of you: Check it out for yourself! It's a perfect summer treat!

#5 - "Silly Songs With Killian" (Modern AU one shot - adorable!)

Okay, I realize that I am using a valuable spot on this list for a fluffy little one shot, but it's just that much fun and has that much heartwarming power. I dare you to get the image of Killian playing VeggieTales on the guitar for a wildly enthusiastic audience of one small boy who is madly excited by the effort out of your head! You won't be able to - it's gonna stick with you and make you smile every time it floats back in!! If you've had a bad day and need a pick me up, this is your fic right here!

#4 - "Taking on Mrs. Jones" (hilariously hot silver fox one shot)

This is another more comic/lighthearted one shot, but I just can't resist it. In fact, I re-read it in making certain of my list, and I love it all the more. This one features a slightly older, professor Killian (one of my serious weaknesses) and a married version of CS. Plus, when he gets an overly flirtatious new co-worker who makes him uncomfortable - Emma comes perfectly to the defense of her man and teaches that girl a lesson.

#3 - "Ghosted" (a WIP supernatural modern AU MC for @cssns24)

This story is still in progress, but it has very quickly jumped the list to become one of Joni's best, best offerings (in my humble opinion)! I love the unusual and intriguing plot and can't wait to see how it will turn out. The inclusion of Will and Belle as secondary characters (and a secondary love story) is wonderful👩🏻‍🍳 *chef's kiss!* And a ghostly version of Liam absolutely tugs on my heart. Definitely check this one out if you haven't yet.

#2 - "Always in my Heart" (5 Part Modern AU, so feelsy and angsty and deep)

This one moved me to tears in the process, way more than once. I loved the long lost friends reunited aspect of this story, right from the start. I loved the sense of adopted family Emma has with David and MM, and most especially Ruth. (I always loved David's mom in canon, and the chance to see a lot more of her in this fic, and to see what this version of her means to Emma was priceless, even if heart wrenching too.)

#1 - "Sowing Seeds of Trust" (and its extra chapter "Marco's Legacy")

This story was the first one of yours I discovered, Joni, and I was completely captured! It was wrapped around my heart from the very first chapter. I loved the vulnerability and need, but also strength and resilience, in this version of Emma. I loved Killian's support, understanding and love in how he reached out to her. I love the friendships with David, MM, Ruby, and of course MARCO!! (He steals the whole show here, honestly!) The faith and restoration and perfect "happy beginning" after trials in this story are original, unique, and unforgettable. It's always going to be my favorite, I think, as it lead me to your writing to begin with, and it touched me deeply.

*Honorable mentions - if anyone is curious - also not to be missed:

"Snowstorm Confessions"

"Lonely No More"

"Faultline"/"Seismic Waves" (Liam x Elsa)

"Where Her Heart Belongs"/"Her Heart's Home"

"For the Sake of Henry"

Hope you enjoy your little list - and an absolutely wonderful day!!! Very Best Birthday Wishes to You!!!

[laianely]

Can I have your daughter for the rest of my life?

Tag people who may be interested: @killianxswan @teamhook @booksteaandtoomuchtv @exhaustedpirate @anmylica @hollyethecurious @kmomof4 @winterbaby89 @undercaffinatednightmare @resident-of-storybrooke @caught-in-the-filter @tiganasummertree @stahlords @lfh1226-linda @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite @motherkatereloyshipper @soniccat @jrob64 @beckettj @whimsicallyenchantedrose @jonesfandomfanatic @zaharadessert @bluewildcatfanatic @once-upon-a-happy-end @ultraluckycatnd @qualitycoffeethings @deckerstarblanche

[kmomof4]

Absolute PERFECTION!!! Loved this sooooo much!!! Happy birthday, Joni!!!

The Role of Daddy Charming--A birthday gift for @jrob64

The Role of Daddy Charming

Rating: PG

Relationship: Daddy Charming and Captain Swan

Summary: 4x2 “deleted scene”.  David Nolan had played many roles in his life, but by far the one he's found most important was that of “dad”. The fact that he hadn’t been able to be there for Emma throughout the first 28 years of her life was one of his greatest regrets, so when he noticed the infamous Captain Hook’s interest in his daughter–and even more concerning, her returning that interest–he was determined to intervene. That is, of course, until she was trapped behind an ice wall, and David saw just how deeply and sincerely Killian Jones truly loved her.

Also posted here: ao3

Tagging a few people who may be interested (Let me know if you want to be added or taken off the list): @sailormew4 @annaamell @flslp87 @emmateo26 @bethacaciakay 

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@booksteaandtoomuchtv @i-will-sing-no-requiem @bluewildcatfanatic @laianely

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It's finally done! I'm sorry your birthday gift is 11 days late @jrob64, but I hope you've at least enjoyed the little snippets I posted on discord as I wrote this! Happy belated birthday!

And without further ado....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Throughout his life, David Nolan had played many roles.  He’d been a son, a brother, a shepherd, a prince, a vet tech, a sheriff’s deputy, but by far, the roles he took most seriously were his roles as husband and father.

If there’s one thing he’d known all his life, it was that he wanted to be a better father than he’d had.  He wanted to be present in his children’s lives.  He’d vowed never to abandon them.

And so it was the greatest regret of his life that he’d done just that mere minutes after his daughter was born.  

Granted, he was forced into the action; it was necessary to protect Emma and give her her best chance.  Still, the shame and heartbreak of that decision had haunted him for the past twenty-nine years.

Surprisingly, during the first curse he’d felt it still, even if he hadn’t known what it was.  More often than he cared to recall, he’d had vague dreams of the black knights, of the wardrobe, of being ripped from someone vitally important to him.  The gloom and near despair of those dreams hung over him like a thundercloud. He’d woken feeling–knowing–that he wasn’t enough, that he’d failed at the most important task of his life.

Once he’d regained his memories and once he realized Emma was back in his life, he’d vowed to make up for lost time, to be the father she’d always needed, to protect her at all costs.

And so it was, when he sat at his kitchen table silently sipping his coffee and staring sightlessly out the window on the morning after the incident at the ice wall, he felt relief…but also helplessness.  He’d almost lost her.  Again.

Snow came up behind him, wrapped an arm around his shoulder and kissed his cheek before taking a seat next to him.

“That’s quite the bleak look on your face,” she whispered. Elsa was, after all, presumably still asleep behind the curtain they’d draped in front of the sofa to give her a bit of privacy. “Yesterday really shook you up, didn’t it?”

He blew out a long breath. “She came this close to freezing to death on my watch, Snow.”

She took his hand and squeezed it.  “But she didn’t.  From all I’ve heard, you were magnificent.  Took charge and found a way to save her.”

He chuckled humorlessly. “I was terrified, but Killian…Killian was, if anything, even worse.  Never seen a man so completely panicked.”

“He loves her,” she said simply, a radiant smile on her face. “I wouldn’t have believed it when we first met him in the Enchanted Forest, but he’s a good man, and he truly loves her.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to get that impression,” David agreed.  “Did you know I gave him that ‘What are your intentions with my daughter?’ speech yesterday before…well…everything?”

“Really?  What did he say?”

“First he gave me hell for being old-fashioned, and then he told me he wouldn’t risk his life for someone he considered loot.  And if there was still any doubt in my mind before the ice wall incident, his reaction removed it.  Whatever else I could say about him, I know he loves her.”

Snow sipped her coffee.  “Maybe you should tell him that.  Give him your blessing, if you will.”

David grimaced.  He may be–grudgingly–willing to admit it to his wife in the privacy of their own kitchen, but admitting it to Hook’s face…well, he wasn’t sure.  “Yeah, maybe when I see him again,” he hedged.

“Perfect,” Snow said.  “You’ll probably have the opportunity any minute, whenever Emma and Hook get up.”

“What?!”

“He stayed the night with her,” Snow said with a grin. “You didn’t know?”

As if to confirm Snow’s statements, Emma and Killian emerged together from the loft. David felt his innate protective dad instincts flared to life.  If Hook had taken advantage of Emma in her vulnerable post-nearly-freezing-to-death state…

“Remember what we just talked about.  He loves her,” Snow murmured only loud enough for him to hear.

David let out a long breath.  She was right.  Reacting badly now would likely only make things worse. “Fine,” he murmured back.

“Morning!” Snow called sunnily to the couple entering the kitchen, as well as Elsa who had just emerged from behind her curtain.  “Anyone want breakfast?”

“Thanks, but I’ve got to get to the station,” Emma said, “I’m sure the phones were blowing up last night with calls about the ice wall.”

“I also must decline,” Killian said, scratching behind his ear.  “I should…get back to Granny’s.”

“See you later for lunch?” Emma asked, looking up at Hook with an open–and what David thought was rather nauseatingly besotted–look.  At his answer in the affirmative, she headed out.

Snow nudged David, and he rolled his eyes.  No time like the present, he supposed.  “Let me give you a lift back to town, Hook,” he said, “I’m headed that direction anyway.”

Hook gave him a wary look, and for a moment, David hoped he was about to decline the offer.  

No such luck.

“I’d appreciate it, mate.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The first minute of their drive was passed in silence.  Killian side-eyed David uncomfortably, wondering when the questions–or probably more precisely, the accusations–would start.

His first inclination was to rile the man up further with sly grins and insinuations about what went on in the Charming’s loft the night before–after all his dashing rapscallion persona was a clock he’d worn as a shield for more years than he could count–but he quickly dismissed it.

This was Swan’s father.  If he truly wished to have a relationship with her–and he did; he wished for a relationship lasting roughly in the neighborhood of forever–it wouldn’t do to antagonize her father.  There was also the fact that he genuinely liked the man, and so…

“You know nothing…untoward…happened last night,” Killian said.

David glanced at him before turning back to the road with a grimace.  “Didn’t ask.  Don’t want to know.”

“Nevertheless,” Killian continued, “Your daughter and I certainly have more respect for you and Snow than to…engage in certain activities…underneath your very nose, not to mention the fact that her lad slept not ten feet from us.”

“Like I said, I didn’t ask,” David repeated, although Killian noted the way the other man’s face relaxed slightly at the reassurance.

“She was still cold,” Killian continued, somehow feeling the need to continue his justification.  “She asked for me to hold her, and I couldn’t refuse.  After coming so bloody close to losing her…”

David pulled into a parking spot in front of Granny’s but didn’t yet kill the engine.  The look he gave Killian this time was sympathetic, understanding. “Almost losing the woman you love does things to a man.”

“Aye,” Killian agreed.  “It was the same feeling of dread, of helplessness, as when the Crocodile crushed Milah’s heart in front of me.  If it had happened again….”

David placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  “It didn’t,” he said firmly.  “I’ve been trying to remind myself of that all day.  It didn’t.  You didn’t lose your love and I didn’t lose my daughter.”

There was a long silence, in which Killian wondered if he ought to simply exit the vehicle.  He’d just reached for the door handle to do so when David spoke again, this time looking determinedly out the front window, rather than at him.

“There is….something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Aye?”

“That conversation we started to have yesterday, right before everything went to hell…” he continued, “look, I think I was wrong to ever question your intentions.”

“There’s no need to–” Killian began.

“I think there is,” David replied, finally turning toward to him. “It’s been obvious for a while that you love Emma, and it’s not a love that’s going away anytime soon.”

“It’s not a love that’s going away ever,” Killian said firmly.

“Yeah, I’m inclined to believe that” David said. “Anyway, if there ever had been any question about your feelings and intentions, yesterday got rid of them.  I saw how willing you were to do anything to save her.  I supposed what I’m trying to say is…I apologize for ever doubting you.”

Killian’s eyes widened.  Of all the things he’d expected the prince to say to him “I apologize” was rather far down on the list. “Apology accepted, although it is wholly unnecessary.  As someone who does truly love her, I’m pleased she has a father who cares enough to be a touch over-protective.”

David gave a quick, decisive nod.  “I won’t be old fashioned enough to give you my blessing,” he said, “but…I won’t oppose your relationship.”

“That means a great deal to me,” Killian said, “and I know it would mean a lot to Swan as well.”

“Yeah, well,” David said, “just so we’re clear, if you ever hurt her, I’ll run you through with my sword.”

Killian nodded.  “Mate, if I ever hurt her, I’d let you do it with my own.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night, Emma was vegging on the couch when her dad finally made it home.  After tossing his jacket onto the coat rack, he joined her, gave her a quick hug and kissed the top of her head.  She was slowly but surely getting used to this casual affection from her parents, and it always gave her such a warm, fuzzy, loved feeling.

“Crazy day, huh?” he asked wryly.

Emma chuckled.  “I guess that depends on what you’re comparing it to.  For Storybrooke it was ho hum.”

It had certainly been a busy day.  As she’d expected, they’d had more calls than she could count about the ice wall and the snow monster–or whatever it had been–that had crashed through the town yesterday.  While she and her dad had both been working, they’d been so busy with calls and patrols, they’d barely had a chance to exchange a word all day.

“I guess you’re right about that,” David laughed.  “Any day that doesn’t involve a new villain, monster or crisis is a win around here.”

They lapsed into silence for several moments before Emma spoke again,  “Killian told me about your conversation this morning.”

David gave her a wary look.  “Before you say anything, I do know you’re a grown woman who can make her own decisions.”

She grinned.  “That’s what Killian said at lunch when I started ranting about you treating me like a teenager.  Nothing happened last night, by the way.”

“I know.  Killian told me.”

“Dad,” she said, and her heart turned over at the joy on his face at her use of the word.  “I just….I just want to thank you for, you know, caring and doing whatever you had to to save me.”

“No thanks necessary,” he said.  “You’re my daughter.  I’m always, always going to do everything in my power to help you, no matter the situation.”

She felt the tears come to her eyes.  “I think I’m finally starting to realize that.  Sorry it’s taken so long.  It’s just…I’m not used to having a dad, someone in my corner no matter what.”

Pain came into his eyes at that, and Emma realized how her words had come across. “I’m not blaming you,” she said quickly.  “I know you did what you had to to give me my best chance.”

“Still,” David said, “I wish more than anything that I’d been able to be the father you needed and deserved from the beginning.”

“I wish that too,” she murmured, almost under her breath, “but the past is the past.  You’re here now, and that means everything.”

“And I always will be,” David vowed with a decisive nod.

They lapsed into another silence, broken only by a few soft whimpers from baby Neal as Mary Margaret worked to put him down for the night–or at least as much of the night as he was willing to sleep at any one stretch.

“You know, I wasn’t the only one working frantically to save you last night,” David said slowly.

Emma felt her heart stutter and then soar as she thought of the man to whom her father was referring.  “I know.  Killian told me he’d been worried about me too.”

David blew out a long breath.  “Worried is an understatement.  He was absolutely frantic.  Emma, that man loves you.”

Emma felt the butterflies, that swooping half-excited, half-terrified feeling one gets when she falls head over heels.  She would have to be blind not to see that Killian had fallen in love with her, and she had the sneaking suspicion that somewhere along the way she’d fallen in love with him as well.  Was she ready to admit it?  She wasn’t sure.  That level of vulnerability was scary as hell.

“Yeah, maybe so,” she hedged, trying to make her voice as even as possible, “and I…I…appreciate it.”

David gave her a long look.  “Emma, I know it’s hard for you to trust.  I know it’s hard for you to let yourself believe, and I will have your back one hundred percent whatever you do, but for what it’s worth, I’d give him a chance if I were you.”

“So does that mean you think he’s good enough for me?” Emma teased, uncomfortably aware of the momentous nature of the topic at hand and feeling the need to lighten the mood..

David chuckled.  “You’re my daughter.  No one’s good enough for you, but I suppose if you have to be with someone, he’ll do.”

[jrob64]

Her Favorite Moments of the Day

A CS Canon Compliant One-shot for CS Spooky Season/Autumnal Bingo

With this short one-shot, I can now say I have a bingo on my board! While the prompt 'creaky floorboards' was probably meant to have spooky connotations, my muse took this in a fluffy and slightly smutty direction. Thank you to @hollyethecurious for the fantastic idea of the autumn bingo board. Be on the lookout for some winter themed bingo stories in the coming months!

Thank you @hookedmom for being my beta once again!

Summary: Emma Jones's days include many moments with her husband and infant daughter, each one of which is her very favorite.

Rating: soft M (minor smut) and F (major fluff)

Words: 1191

Can also be found on Ao3 and ffn

Story under the cut

*********

Emma Jones watches her husband Killian lay the book he’s been reading aloud face down on the coffee table, as she rocks their eight-month-old daughter in the corner of their living room. “She’s finally asleep,” he says quietly, walking over to stand in front of his two blonde-haired loves.

When Hope was born, Killian placed the rocking chair in that specific location so his wife could look out at the ocean while she nursed their little girl. Emma knows it gives him endless pleasure seeing the two of them together, Hope gradually calming at the end of the day as Emma softly hums a lullabye.

Emma looks up at him. “Do you want to carry her upstairs?”

“Of course,” he whispers, carefully releasing a lock of his wife’s hair from their daughter’s lax grip. Then he gently lifts Hope into his arms, smiling down at her. Emma can tell he’s reveling in the feel of Hope’s sleep-stilled body against his chest. When she’s awake, she’s constantly on the move, scooting and crawling at a speed that has her parents fearful for her safety at times.

He turns and slowly glides across the floor, brushing kisses to the crown of the baby’s sweet-smelling head.

Emma watches them go with a sleepy smile on her face. Dusk has fallen outside, darkening the room enough to soften the edges. The fire Killian built in the hearth creates dancing shadows on the wall and a crackling soundtrack for their quiet home. After a hectic day of work and caring for a small, energetic child, the time she spends feeding her precious baby and watching her drift to sleep, while her beloved husband reads to them, are some of her favorite moments of the day.

As Killian approaches the stairs, she calls out to him unnecessarily. “Please avoid the creaky floorboards so she doesn’t wake up.”

“Aye, Love. You remind me every night.”

She does, because it’s part of their routine. She rises from the chair and heads to the bottom of the staircase so her eyes can follow him. He moves to the far right on the third step and skips the seventh one altogether. Watching his attractive backside as he performs the necessary movements is another one of her favorite moments of the day.

They’ve been married for years, but their affection and passion for each other hasn’t waned.

She goes into the kitchen to make hot cocoa, humming as she gathers the ingredients. She’s stirring the milk as it warms in the saucepan, when Killian comes up behind her, wrapping her up in his arms. “Something smells delicious,” he murmurs, nuzzling behind her ear, the low timber of his voice raising goosebumps of pleasure on her skin.

“You usually say that about my pancakes,” she says playfully.

“You’re well aware I’m not talking about anything you’re cooking on that stove, Love.”

She smiles. “The hot cocoa will be ready in a few minutes.”

“Ah, but I’m ready now,” he croons, pulling her tighter against himself so she can feel just how ready.

“What has gotten you so…worked up?” she gasps.

“I know you were watching me as I climbed the stairs. I could feel your gaze on me.”

“I love watching you avoid the creaky steps,” she admits. Biting her lip in anticipation, she turns in his arms to face him. “I love watching you do almost anything.”

He reaches around her and turns off the stove. “To hell with the cocoa,” he murmurs against her temple. Then he captures her lips, backing up until he bumps into the table behind him. They kiss hungrily, starved for each other, even though they just shared intimate moments that morning before Hope awakened.

“Upstairs,” she demands breathlessly.

He hoists her up, arms cradling her ass, and she wraps her legs around his hips. He walks them briskly through the kitchen and starts up the stairs. When he steps on the third one, it lets out a loud creak and they both freeze.

Listening intently, they breathe out a sigh of relief when all they hear is silence. “Sorry, Love,” he whispers. “I forgot.”

“Skip the seventh one,” she giggles.

He does, and they make it to their bedroom with no further mishaps. With practiced ease, they strip each other out of their clothes, lips eagerly exploring bared skin. These passionate moments are some of her favorites, too.

She moans as he pays special attention to her breasts, knowing how he loves that they’re still larger than usual. His clever fingers trace the shiny stretch marks that mar the smooth skin of her abdomen. She used to be self-conscious about them, but he assured her with his words and touch that he adores the reminders of her carrying their child.

Her hands aren’t idle. They stroke, caress and tease the places she knows bring him the most pleasure. Soon, husband and wife are panting and writhing, moaning and pleading. Their bodies are heated, slick with sweat and arousal. When he enters her, it’s familiar but completely new. They move in sync with one another, driving each other higher and higher, until they climax together.

As their bodies cool, his head cradled between her breasts, hand skimming her ribcage, she mumbles, “You deprived me of my hot chocolate.”

“Sorry, Love,” he chuckles. “I suppose you prefer that bloody beverage to intimacies with your husband.”

She tilts his face up to look into his eyes, her own conveying her sincerity. “Never,” she guarantees. “I will never have enough of you, my love.”

They’re in no hurry to move as they lay naked under the covers. These moments, when they are skin-to-skin after making love and having hushed conversations with each other, as their hands, fingers and lips roam, are more of her favorite moments of the day.

When they’re finally ready to move, Killian slips on some loose flannel sleep pants and goes downstairs to finish making the cocoa. Meanwhile, Emma cleans up, washes her face, moisturizes and gets into her pajamas.

He brings their beverages upstairs and they sip them contentedly, while each reads a book from a stack on their nightstand. When the mugs are empty, Emma takes them downstairs, completely forgetting to avoid the creaky stairs. She washes the dishes, double checks the lock on the front door, clicks off the lights and goes back upstairs.

Peeking into Hope’s room on the way back to theirs, she’s surprised to see Killian rocking their daughter. Upon seeing her questioning look, he murmurs with a grin, “You didn’t skip the creaky floorboards, Swan.”

Crossing the room with feather-light steps, she stops beside him, one hand carding through his thick hair, while the other softly caresses Hope’s rosy cheek. Bending down, she presses a kiss to the baby’s head, then one to Killian’s lips. She also counts quiet moments like these among her favorites.

Then again, when she thinks about it, every moment she spends with her husband and daughter are her favorite moments of the day.

*********

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this brief glimpse into Emma, Killian and Hope's life together. Be sure to check out all the fantastic offerings for the Autumn Bingo event found on Ao3 here.

Tagging:

@qualitycoffeethings @grimmswan @cs-rylie @wyntereyez @kmomof4

@hookedmom @ultraluckycatnd @paradiselady19 @xarandomdreamx @motherkatereloyshipper

@lfh1226-linda @pawshapedheart @vampcoffeegyrl23 @tiganasummertree @bluewildcatfanatic

@eleveneitherway @elfiola @kday426 @julieenchanted-swans @gingerchangeling

@andiirivera @djlbg @jonesfandomfanatic @snowbellewells @anmylica

@booksteaandtoomuchtv @cocohook38 @ilovemesomekillianjones @zaharadessert @lyssapup27

@undercaffinatednightmare @winterbaby89 @jennjenn615 @xsajx @jackieorioncat

@teamhook @soniccat @jarienn972 @softkilly @kymbersmith-90

@apiratewhopines @hollyethecurious @laianely @resident-of-storybrooke @exhaustedpirate

@caught-in-the-filter @stahlop @veryverynotgoodwrites @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite

@whimsicallyenchantedrose @earanemith @superchocovian @idristardis @captainswan-kellie

@beckettj @killihan-jones

[cssns]

Get to Know Your Mods

Our next mod is joining us here for the first time! Give a warm welcome to @jrob64!

How long have you been a part of the CS fandom?

I’ve loved OUAT since the middle of Season 4 after binge watching the first 3-1/2 seasons in about a week. I started interacting with other CS fans when I set up my Tumblr account in April of 2016. 

What is your favorite part about fandom?

Having people to talk with about my favorite couple who won’t think I’m some kind of obsessed weirdo, which I probably am, but at least I’m among other obsessed weirdos. 

What drew you to this event?

Some of the stories written for past CSSNS events and Krystal, who made me a part of it whether I wanted to be or not! JK, K. 😘

Will you be participating either as a writer or artist? If so, what will you be doing?

Writer and artist (I think.) Pic sets for the art, an OUAT fix-it fic with ghosts for the story. 

What do you do in your "real life?"

I’m a retired teacher after 36 years and now work part time at the town library. 

What are you most looking forward to in this event?

Being a mod of an event for the first time so I can get a glimpse of what goes on BTS. 

Gotta love a fix-it fic! And a ghost story to boot. Very intriguing!

[kmomof4]

Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres: A Fic Collaboration Between @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @jrob64

It's the final chapter!!! Let's get these kids married!!! Thank you all so much for coming along on our dream destination wedding adventure!!! We all hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed writing it!!

Rating: T

Words: 4600 of approx 21k

On ao3 and ff.net

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

The next morning, Emma awoke in Killian's arms and smiled to herself. Long distance dating was the worst. She missed this most of all when they were apart - feeling his warmth and comfort envelop her as she slept and waking to his intoxicating scent.

It had been difficult to let her walls down, even with Killian, but having done so was so very satisfying, and it was quickly becoming clear that this thing was going to last. Despite the difficulties of a long distance relationship, it seemed that he was in this for the long haul, and so was she.

She nearly laughed in glee when she realized the thought no longer scared her. At all.

Sometime, sometime soon, they would have to figure this thing out. Long distance wasn’t a long term solution, and she wanted long term. More than she ever could have believed.

Impulsively, she leaned up on her elbows and kissed him softly. His lips ticked up in a gentle smile, and he breathed out her name before kissing her back.

Finally, he opened his eyes. “Morning, Love.”

“Morning,” she answered. “Sleep well?”

He nodded. “Always, when you’re with me. It’s a travesty that this wedding experience lasts only a week. I need more time with you. I always need more time with you.”

“Me too,” she assured him. Gradually over the past year, she’d gotten more comfortable not only admitting to herself how much Killlian meant to her, but admitting it to him as well. His eyes always lit up like the sun when she did so, and this morning was no exception.

“Maybe one day we won’t have this infernal distance between us,” he said, gently stroking her cheek.

“Oh, I hope not,” she agreed. “So what’s on the agenda for today?” she asked after a moment, as she lazily traced circles in his chest hair. “I know we don’t need to be up and at ‘em early, and that we have the rehearsal this afternoon, but that’s all I know.”

“I believe today’s schedule consists of various tasks to prepare for the wedding,” Killian said, “and then in the evening, if you’re agreeable, I have a proposition for you.”

“Yeah?” she asked. “What’s that?”

He reached for two tickets on his bedside table and presented them to her. “I bought us tickets to a sunset cruise this evening on the Georgia Queen riverboat in Savannah. We deserve a bit of alone time this weekend, aye?”

Emma sighed. “Killian, I’d love to,” she said, “really I would, but we have to be up to get ready for the wedding at the ass-crack of dawn tomorrow. If we’re out until who knows when after a sunset cruise, I’m going to be a zombie all day.”

“Please? For me?” he asked, giving her his look - the one she found both hot and adorable.  

She didn’t stand a chance.

“Okay,” she agreed softly, “let’s go on a romantic sunset cruise tonight.”

Accordingly, as late afternoon approached, Emma found herself in her room in the cottage, after having shooed Killian out. She, Mary Margaret and Elsa all worked together to prepare her for her date. She felt like a teenager on her way to prom.

It was kind of ridiculous. She was going on a date with her boyfriend of a year. It really shouldn’t be this big of a deal, but when she’d told Elsa of her plans with Killian, her friend had gotten quite excited, insisting they go into the St. Simons Island shopping district to get a cute, light pink, calf-length dress and some nude slingback heels.

When they’d gotten back to the cottage, she’d commandeered Mary Margaret, who needed a break from last minute wedding details, to help with the hair and make up.

Looking in the mirror just before grabbing her clutch purse and heading out to meet Killian, Emma decided she looked pretty decent.

By his reaction, she looked far better than that. 

“You look…” he said, uncharacteristically lost for words.

“I know,” she tossed back flirtatiously, as she walked past him and out the door.

They talked all the way to Savannah, the conversation flowing freely, as it always did between them. It was amazing to her just how easy and enjoyable it was to be with him. She didn’t just love him, he was one of her best friends in the world.

She wanted him with her. Always and forever. She vowed then and there that she’d find a way to make that a reality - soon.

Killian had purchased tickets to an unguided sunset dinner cruise. They dined on some truly delicious cuisine, accompanied by flutes of champagne, then stood on the deck as the sun went down, watching the beauty of the river and the city pass them by.

She’d just turned to Killian to comment on how beautiful it was tonight, only to find him on one knee on the deck, his hand outstretched, holding a small velvet box with a sparkling round diamond ring nestled inside.

Emma gasped, her hand moving to cover her mouth, and the tears coming to her eyes.  “Killian, are you about to…”

“Emma,” he said, and she saw a tear shining in his eye as well, “I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. When we’re apart, it feels as though a vital part of me is missing. You are the best, most extraordinary, and most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I am constantly amazed that you have chosen to be with me. Will you do me the greatest honor of my life and become my wife?”

Carefully, she got to her knees across from him and took his beloved face in her hands. She didn’t need to think, didn’t need to consider. There was only one answer she’d ever want to give. “Yes,” she said simply, as a single tear traced its way down her face. She leaned in and kissed him softly, as around her, the cheers of their fellow tourists rang out into the night sky.

~*~*~

The day of David and Mary Margaret’s wedding finally arrived, and both rental houses were buzzing with activity. 

Upon returning to the cottage the evening before, the newly engaged couple found the common rooms empty, everyone seemingly already in bed. This worked to their advantage, because they had agreed on the way back that they wanted to keep their news a secret until after the wedding, not wishing to take away from Mary Margaret and David’s big day. 

Just as Emma opened the door to their bedroom, Elsa came out of her own room with Liam on her heels. It was clear they’d been waiting for Emma and Killian to return from their date, and the look on both of their faces was one of hopeful anticipation. 

“Well, brother?” Liam whispered. 

Killian took Emma’s left hand and held it up for the other couple to see. Elsa pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle her squeal of excitement, and Liam clapped his brother on the shoulder, wearing a huge, beaming smile. 

“Wait, they knew about it?” Emma asked. 

“Please don’t be upset,” Elsa said, pulling Emma into a hug. “Killian needed help with some logistics, so he had to tell us.” 

“What logistics?” 

Elsa and Liam exchanged a glance with Killian. “You didn’t tell her about it?” 

Emma looked at Killian, who just gave a small shrug. 

“We better get to bed,” Liam said. “Busy day tomorrow, you know. Don’t stay up too late celebrating!” 

He hugged Emma, kissing her forehead and telling her he was glad she agreed to marry his little brother. That garnered a groan from Killian, who was receiving an embrace from his sister-in-law. 

Once they entered their room, Emma turned to Killian and ran her hands up his chest, her engagement ring sparkling in the dim light of the lamp. “So, about those logistics…”

“Well, we can’t very well be married while living hours away from each other, so I’ve made arrangements to move to Chicago. I accepted a job conducting boat tours with the same company as Liam, and he helped me secure an apartment.” 

“Sounds like you were pretty sure I was going to accept your proposal,” she smirked. “And what happened to your brother wanting to have his own identity?”

“I didn’t want to give my plan away, so I had to come up with some sort of excuse,” he explained, pulling her closer to him. “You’re not upset with me, are you, Love?” 

She brushed his lips with her own and assured him she wasn’t. They then proceeded to ignore Liam’s last bit of advice. 

They were the last ones up the next morning. Emma reluctantly removed her diamond and placed it in the velvet box, then tucked it safely away, before taking a shower and joining in the excitement of the day. 

The men were sent to the other cottage, while the larger one became the hub of bridal activity. Elsa took charge of the make-up and Regina made sure everyone’s attire was properly pressed and free of wrinkles. Belle and Ruby worked their magic on everyone’s hair, and Emma became Mary Margaret’s personal assistant, making sure she was hydrating properly, helping her put on her jewelry, and double checking the contents of her garment and tote bags to ensure she had everything she needed.  

When everything was as prepared as possible, they loaded the vehicles and drove to the venue - Epworth by the Sea. Since it was going to be a small, intimate ceremony with their group of friends and immediate members of Mary Margaret and David’s families, it would be held in the Lovely Lane Chapel. 

Final preparations took place at the venue itself, and when Mary Margaret finally slipped into her wedding gown and her friends saw her, they had tears in their eyes. 

“Oh, Mary Margaret!” Belle exclaimed, moving to secure the veil in her hair. “You look absolutely radiant!” 

“David is going to be speechless when he sees you,” Emma stated, sniffling a little and trying not to spoil her make-up. 

Everyone nodded their agreement, while Mary Margaret checked her appearance in the mirror, turning this way and that to try to see her gown from every angle. “I hope so. I can hardly wait to see him waiting for me at the end of the aisle.” 

“It won’t be long now,” Regina said, checking the time on her phone. “The music should be starting any minute.” 

Elsa stepped forward to apply one last bit of lipstick to the bride, then they gathered around her in their bridesmaid dresses so Ruby could take a quick selfie of all of them. 

They heard the strains of music from the string quartet begin and quickly picked up their bouquets. Soon there was a light tapping on the door. “Ladies?” Liam said. “Are you ready?” 

Elsa hurried to the door and opened it a crack. “We are. How about all of you?” 

“Aye, we’re all in place.” 

She looked over her shoulder and gave a nod. “Time to go, everyone.” 

They exited the room and moved to the steps outside the chapel. Ruby took her place at the front of the line, followed by Belle, Elsa, Regina, and Emma as the Maid-of-Honor. She turned to ask Mary Margaret if she was nervous. 

“Not at all,” she answered. “David is my Prince Charming and I’m so very ready to be his wife.” 

Emma squeezed her hand, then stepped in front of her. 

“I’m here!” Roland announced, as he ran around the side of the chapel, waving a white ring bearer’s pillow. All of the ladies ‘awwed’ when they saw him in his little black tuxedo, complete with a light pink bow tie. 

Emma positioned him between herself and Mary Margaret, then signaled to Ruby that they were ready. The processional music started, and the ushers opened the doors. Ruby lifted the skirt of her blush pink dress and ascended the steps. Will met her at the top to escort her down the aisle. 

Mary Margaret considered having the established couples in the wedding party walk with each other, but since Emma was her Maid-of-Honor and Robin was David’s Best Man, she decided to mix them all up. Killian was Belle’s partner, Elsa walked with Graham, and Regina with Liam.

Before Robin stepped forward to offer Emma his arm, he quietly asked Roland, “Do you remember what to do?” 

“Uh-huh,” the little boy assured him. “Follow you and smile for the camera man.” 

Emma and Mary Margaret giggled at his answer, then Emma looped her free hand through Robin’s elbow. “Let’s see if we can do our job as well as he does.” 

When they were all in place at the front of the chapel, Roland having utterly charmed everyone in attendance, the music swelled and Mary Margaret began making her way down the aisle. While all eyes were on the bride, Emma glanced at David and choked up at the look on his face. Tears shone in his eyes, and his lips were pressed tightly together. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, trying to control his emotions. It was easy to see how thoroughly smitten he was with the woman who was stepping closer to him, her face lit up with a smile as bright as sunshine. 

When she finally reached him, he lightly grasped her elbows and leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. “You’re not supposed to do that until after the ceremony,” Pastor Lance, the officiant, said teasingly. 

“Sorry. Couldn’t help myself,” David replied with a grin, completely unrepentant, his eyes still fixed on Mary Margaret. 

The ceremony wasn’t long but was very reverent and meaningful. After the pastor declared them husband and wife, they shared their first official kiss as a married couple. The witnesses clapped and cheered as the newlyweds quickly made their way up the aisle, followed by their bridal party. 

They went outside to form a receiving line, where Will started singing, “Bom, bom, bom, another one bites the dust!” 

Ruby whacked him upside the head with her bouquet. “Knock it off, Scarlet. You’ll be biting the dust one day, too. Unless Belle wises up, that is.” 

Will gave her a disgruntled look, brushing the stray petals off his shoulder, while everyone else laughed at the exchange. Then he turned and grinned at Belle, shrugging his shoulders. She giggled and threw him a kiss. 

The outdoor reception took place under a large, open-air shelter. Prior to enjoying a delicious meal, Emma and Robin led all of the guests in a toast to the newlyweds. Liam did some creative switching to ensure Elsa had sparkling grape juice instead of champagne in her flute. 

After dinner, the couple cut the wedding cake and fed the first piece to each other. Then the single women gathered for the tossing of the bouquet, jostling for position. The bride turned her back to them, counted to three, and flung the nosegay over her shoulder. 

A small scuffle ensued, with Ruby nearly tackling Belle and several ladies diving to the floor. When the chaos was over, Emma held the prize aloft. Her eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on Killian, who was grinning proudly. 

David made a show of using his teeth to remove the garter from Mary Margaret’s thigh, as she giggled and blushed. Then he paraded around, stretching it above his head as all the single men lined up. When he finally flipped it behind him, there was a mad scramble. Robin made a leaping swipe for it and missed, Graham was pushed aside by an overzealous cousin of David’s, and Will slipped on a wet spot on the floor, falling hard on his already bruised derriere. 

When Killian emerged from the crowd, spinning the garter around his index finger victoriously, Emma ran to give him a hug. 

“That means the two of you will be the next ones to get married!” Mary Margaret teased. 

Emma and Killian looked at each other, eyes wide. A blush spread up her throat into her cheeks, while he nervously scratched behind his ear. 

“Hang on,” Ruby cut in, looking back and forth between the two of them. “Why do you guys look so guilty?” 

“We don’t,” Killian said quickly, but the crack in his voice betrayed him. 

David folded his arms over his chest. “Alright, Jones. What’s going on?”

The couple in question locked eyes again, then Emma shrugged and nodded her head slightly. Killian cleared his throat, looking around at their friends, who were now surrounding them. Then he stood up straighter, draped his arm around Emma, and announced, “I asked Emma to marry me last night, and she said yes.” 

The statement was met with an eruption of noise, everyone shouting congratulations and hugging both of them. 

“And here I thought Elsa and Liam were the only ones keeping a secret!” Mary Margaret blurted out. 

The noise instantly ceased and all eyes turned toward her. “What secret are they keeping?” Regina asked. 

The rush of color into Mary Margaret’s cheeks was enhanced by the white of her gown. “Oh…well, I…I might have…I mean, it was an accident, but I…I heard them talking the other night about announcing something, then Elsa didn’t drink any alcohol at the bachelorette party and she’s been sleeping so much and I just kind of figured that she was…that they were…” The flood of words spilled out of her mouth, and everyone gaped at her. Then they turned to look at Elsa and Liam, who were standing slack-jawed. 

“Is she sayin’ ya got a bun in the oven?” Will asked. 

Elsa quickly composed herself, a soft smile spreading across her face. “This isn’t exactly how we planned to announce it, but yes. Liam and I are expecting a baby in February.” 

Once again, the group broke into a happy chorus of well wishes and hugs, though this time, they were careful not to squeeze Elsa too tightly. 

“What’s with all the secret keeping?” Graham asked. 

“I don’t know about my brother and Emma, but Elsa and I didn’t want to take away from Mary Margaret and David’s big day,” Liam explained. 

“Same for us,” Emma said. “We’re sorry if it did.” 

“Are you kidding?” David said. “You just made our wedding day even better! Give us all the good news!” 

“In that case,” Robin said, taking Regina’s hand to kiss the back of it, giving her a wink. “I asked Regina to move in with Roland and me.” 

There was a pause as all eyes swung to the dark-haired beauty. “And I said yes,” she affirmed. 

More jubilation erupted for several minutes and was just beginning to die away when they heard the announcement that it was time for the bride and groom’s first dance. Mary Margaret and David moved to the center of the floor and began to gently sway in small circles. Their family and friends watched happily as the couple shared numerous kisses and whispered words, as if they were the only two people in the world. 

~*~*~

The celebration lasted until nearly midnight and the tight knit group of friends were there until the very end. Roland finally lost his battle to keep his eyes open after being on the dance floor most of the night and was lying across two chairs with his head in Regina’s lap, her fingers idly ruffling his dark curls. Elsa sat with her head on Liam’s shoulder, her eyes closed and her hand resting on her still flat belly. 

After the final song of the night ended, Mary Margaret and David hugged everyone and bid them goodbye, then they were whisked away by a white limo to a private bungalow their wedding party had chipped in to rent them for their wedding night. 

The other couples followed soon after, stumbling sleepily into their respective cottages, thankful they didn’t need to get up early the next day. Liam had spoken to the property manager and got their checkout time moved to two PM instead of the usual ten AM. 

When Emma emerged from her room late the next morning in search of caffeine, she discovered Liam sitting on the front porch with his own mug of coffee. 

“Where is everyone?” she yawned, sitting in the rocking chair next to the one he was in. 

“Elsa’s still asleep, and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Robin’s crew, or anyone from the other house. Where’s my brother?” 

“Still sleeping. I needed coffee and something to eat.”

“There are some snacks on the counter, but on our way out of town, we’re planning to go eat at that place Belle mentioned after we went on the trolley tour.” 

“Oh, yeah. Wasn’t it called Barbara Jean’s?”

“That sounds right. Robin wants to try their shrimp and grits, and Graham saw something called she-crab soup on the menu that sounded good to him.” 

“I don’t care where we eat, just as long as we eat,” Emma said. 

Liam chuckled. “I’m sure we’ll all be ready to eat by the time we get everything packed up to go.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. I dread that job.” 

They were quiet for a few minutes, both sipping their coffee and rocking in their chairs, enjoying the peacefulness of the morning. 

“It was a really nice wedding,” Emma commented at last. 

“Aye,” Liam sighed. “I asked Elsa last night if she was upset that she didn’t get to have the whole big wedding experience. She assured me she wasn’t, but I still feel a little disappointed for her.”

“Don’t,” Emma said matter-of-factly. “When we used to sit around talking about our dream weddings, she always said she wanted something simple. None of us were surprised when she told us you two eloped.” 

He nodded and gave her a slight smile. “What about you, Lass? What kind of wedding have you always dreamed of?” 

She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I don’t want anything flashy, but Killian and I haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet, so I don’t know what he’s thinking.” 

Liam took another sip and looked contemplative. “He won’t care as long as you’re happy.” 

“He should have what he wants, too.” 

Setting his mug down on the small table between their chairs, Liam turned to face her. “Emma, you could tell him you wanted to get married on an ice floe in Antarctica and he would agree to it. If I know my brother - and I do - he’ll want you to have your heart’s desire. He’s absolutely head over heels in love with you, and I couldn’t be happier. He might appear to be confident and self-assured, but he’s always been quite shy and reserved. All I’ve ever wanted is for him to be happy, and with you, he is.”

Emma’s eyelids fluttered and she looked down into her cup of coffee, considering what he said. “I never thought I’d meet a man as good as Killian, let alone have him fall in love with me.” 

“I don’t understand why you thought that. You’re a very special lass.” 

“Thank you, Liam,” she said quietly. “That means a lot coming from you.” 

They sat in comfortable silence for several more minutes until they heard voices coming from inside. “Sounds like they’re finally waking up,” Liam commented, rising from his seat. 

Emma drained the rest of her coffee and followed him into the house. Robin and Elsa were working together to unload the dishwasher. 

Liam kissed his wife. “Good morning, Darling. How are you feeling?” 

“Not bad, actually,” she answered. “I appreciated being able to sleep in.” 

“You weren’t the only one,” Emma commented. “Killian is still asleep. I’m surprised you and Regina slept this late, Robin.” 

“Ah, yes. Well, a certain young man climbed into bed with us in the middle of the night, and since he was up way past his bedtime, we thought it best not to disturb him until he woke up this morning. He gets rather irritable when he doesn’t get enough sleep.” 

“I can’t imagine Roly Poly being irritable,” Elsa said. 

“It doesn’t happen often, but it’s not a pleasant experience when it does, and we have a long car ride ahead of us.” 

Emma wondered if Killian was awake yet and excused herself to check on him. Opening the bedroom door quietly, she saw that he was in the same position as when she left him nearly half-an-hour earlier. She sat on the edge of the mattress and skimmed her fingers up his bare arm. He twitched, but didn’t wake up. With a playful grin, she began placing small kisses across his shoulders and up his neck. 

Soon, her tactics had the desired effect. He yawned and rolled onto his back, blinking blearily. “Morning, Love,” he mumbled. His low, gravelly voice sent pleasant shivers up her spine. 

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Have you been up long?” 

“Long enough to have a cup of coffee with your brother on the front porch.” 

“Am I the last one up?” 

“I haven’t seen Regina and Roland yet, or anyone from the other cottage.” 

He stretched his arms over his head, then quickly wrapped them around her, pulling her against his chest. 

“Don’t start anything,” she giggled. “We need to get packed up so we can go get something to eat.” 

“So, you’re saying if it’s a choice between morning sex and food, you’d choose food?” 

“Maybe,” she teased. 

Her laughter rang out as he began rubbing his scruff against the sensitive skin of her throat. 

~*~*~

It was another two hours until everyone was up, showered, packed, and the cars were loaded. They reluctantly bid their vacation cottages goodbye, then drove to the seafront, where they parked in the large lot close to the pier. The guide on their trolley tour had recommended Barbara Jean’s, a restaurant famous for their crab cakes and ‘easy Southern dining’.

Their mood was subdued as it was impossible to not think about the long drive back to their homes, and the impending separation for three of the couples, however brief it would be for Emma and Killian. 

The message Mary Margaret and David sent to the group text wishing them a good morning and safe travels brought smiles to their faces, knowing their friends were now happily married and would be together in Pigeon Forge once their honeymoon was over. 

After their delicious meals were consumed and the bills paid, the group of friends emerged onto the sidewalk, soaking up the warm sunshine before being cooped up in cars for many hours. They walked slowly to their vehicles, trying to postpone their separation as long as possible. 

“Well, I guess this is the last time we’ll all be together until the trip next year,” Graham sighed, leaning against Liam’s car, while holding Ruby tightly. 

“At least we’ll have some time with each other before you drop me and Belle off at the airport,” Ruby said, snuggling into his chest. 

“Hey, we might live miles away from each other, but we manage to stay connected,” Will pointed out. 

“Best friends always do,” Belle added, looping her arm through her boyfriend’s. 

“And we do have a wedding to look forward to,” Elsa noted, smiling at Emma and Killian. 

“Speaking of that, have you set a date?” Regina asked. 

“We haven’t had time to discuss it yet,” Emma answered. 

“Well, you’ll have over nine hours in the car today,” Liam said. “That should give you plenty of time to plan the entire wedding, reception, and honeymoon.” 

The friends all laughed, exchanged hugs, and got into their respective vehicles, going their separate ways until they’d meet up again for next year’s destination dream wedding.

~*~*~

Notes:

The Georgia Queen was one of the riverboats we saw on the river in Savannah. We didn’t take a tour on it this time around though.

We didn’t intentionally go to Epworth by the Sea, but Jen and Marta drove through when Jen’s “Google woman” sent them off on the scenic route again. While it did add a bit of time to the drive to Krystal’s, it was a happy accident, as it was absolutely beautiful. Thanks, annoying Google woman who likes to prolong our car rides!

We also ate at Barbara Jean’s before heading to Savannah on our main day in that city. The food was delicious–including the she-crab soup that Marta ordered. We couldn’t resist having Graham place that particular order in the story for reasons that are probably apparent to anyone who knows Marta and her love of Graham. It didn’t make it into the story, but our waitress also gave us some fascinating Beauty and the Beast trivia.

And with that, the 2024 Girls’ Trip fic comes to a close! We hope you enjoyed our adventures told through our favorite characters’ destination wedding! See you next year for our (and their) next vacation!

~*~*~

Thank you again so much for reading and sharing! We'll see you next year!!!

[cssns]

Tonight @wyntereyez brings us her next installment of Bats In the Belfry, the series she began last year for the event. Everyone enjoy this new fic - Wool of Bat and Tongue of Dog - and give Jamie and her artist @jrob64 all the love they deserve!!!!

Wool of bat and tongue of dog

Thanks to @jrob64 for the banner! It's perfect.

Here's the first part of my @cssns contribution. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but thanks to me being a terminal procrastinator combined with a very busy two weeks at work, my brain can't word very well at the moment.

Part One

The door to the Storybrooke Bat Rehabilitation Center was unlocked.

Emma immediately went on the alert. Mary Margaret had left over an hour ago, and she’d never have forgotten to lock the door behind her. After Walsh and the events of the previous month, Emma had taken to bringing her gun with her. She could see Mary Maragaret’s frown whenever she spotted it, but Emma refused to be alone without it. 

Not when she was a potential target for the supernatural.

And now, it looked like her fears were well-founded, because there was something inside the building that definitely wasn’t a bat. Emma had inched the door open, holding her breath so she could listen. She could hear something moving in the lobby, by the reception desk.

A deep, resonating growl that made a primal part of Emma want to scream and flee. Her grip tightened on the gun, and she started to raise it.

Then an annoyed chittering followed, which was interrupted by a yip of indignation. Supernatural, all right, but familiar.

Emma holstered the pistol and stepped inside.

A massive wolf was crouched next to the desk, eyes locked on the large fruit bat perched on the edge. The bat raised his head and made delighted squeaks, and the wolf offered a wag of the tail before turning her snarling muzzle back to the bat.

“No supernatural turf wars before I’ve had my coffee,” Emma grumbled. She picked Killian up and plopped him down atop the startled Ruby’s back, then headed towards the breakroom. Ruby padded along after, Killian clinging to her shoulders for dear life.

They both waited patiently as Emma brewed a pot of coffee. While she waited, she grabbed the fruit bowl from the fridge and offered it to Killian, who daintily grabbed a slice of banana and half a strawberry. Ruby’s tongue flicked out, snatching two melon cubes and getting saliva all over the fruit, making Killian shriek in indignation. Emma sighed. “Can we use human words now, please?”

The fruit bat clumsily pulled himself to Ruby’s side, then released his grip on her fur. If he’d been a normal crippled bat, Emma would have dove to rescue him. But the bat never hit the ground; instead, a leather-clad man crouched next to the massive wolf.

Ruby licked his face, smearing melon and saliva on his cheek. Killian sputtered, and she trotted off, making a noise that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

“How’d you piss her off this time?” Emma asked as she added cream and sugar to her coffee.

“What makes you think I’m responsible, Swan?” Killian pouted as he straightened. His hook gleamed in the fluorescent light.

“You turned into something small, helpless, and cute to argue with her,” Emma pointed out. 

“Which wasn’t enough to prevent me from being angry with you,” Ruby said as she re-entered the break room on two legs.

Now that Emma was in on her secret, Ruby had taken to leaving spare clothes at the Belfry in case of unexpected transformations. She returned shortly in human form, wearing a red T-shirt and black leggings. Her feet were bare, toes caked with dirt from her run. She made a beeline for the coffee pot.

“You’re late tonight,” Ruby commented. “Did something happen?”

“I spent all day at the Town Hall.” Emma couldn’t hold back her groan. “You wouldn’t think it would be so difficult to select an interim mayor. They just need someone to hold the position until an election can be held.”

The mayor had been found dead of a heart attack in his office two days previous, throwing the city council into an uproar. It was a headache that Emma really didn’t need. Especially since there was one member of the council famous for disagreeing with everything, and he’d loudly shot down every candidate. Several of the city council members were friends of his, and tended to follow his lead, which led to deadlocked votes. “He’s going to drive me insane,” Emma sighed.

“Leroy?” Ruby hazarded.

“Yep. Had an argument for everything. By the time the meeting was called, the council still hadn’t chosen anyone, and I almost went to the Rabbit Hole instead of coming here.”

“Sounds worse than vampire politics,” Killian snorted. “Though I imagine there’s less blood.”

“You’d be surprised,” Emma slumped into a chair, her exhaustion finally getting to her. “So what were you two fighting about?” 

Killian and Ruby exchanged glances. “A deer,” they said in unison. 

Emma rubbed the bridge of her nose, already sorry she asked. This was going to add to her headache. “And why was this particular deer so important? We’re surrounded by woods, there are hundreds of them around.

“I was hunting it, of course. A vampire can’t live on strawberries alone. And deer’s blood can sustain me for more than a week.”

“You didn’t have to choose my prey!” Ruby’s voice had developed a snarl not unlike her wolf’s vocalizations. “I’d been stalking that deer for more than an hour!”

“It was the only deer I’d scented for miles,” Killian defended. “And unlike you, I need live prey.”

Emma tensed, suddenly reminded that she was dealing with two supernatural predators. She reminded herself she’d seen Killian in bat form with his face buried up to his eyes in fruit, and that she’d once half-carried a drunken Ruby home. They were predators, but they had softer sides. Hell, she’d known Ruby since high school.

Ruby scowled and turned the other chair backwards, so she could sit on it with her chin resting on the headrest. She continued to glare at Killian.

“This isn’t your usual night for hunting.” Killian usually chose the nights where no one stayed overnight to go out.

“True; but that storm that’s brewing is going to hang around for a few days. I don’t fancy hunting in the rain.”

“Same reason I was out,” Ruby nodded. “I needed to get a good run in before being cooped up the next few nights. And deer are one of my favorite meals.”

Emma abruptly burst out laughing. At Killian and Ruby’s matching looks of bewilderment, she explained, “Sorry, I just thought about how it must look, seeing Killian stalk a deer when he’s dressed like a pirate.”

“He hunts as a wolf,” Ruby growled. “Which makes him a trespasser on my territory.”

“You can turn into a wolf?!” Emma asked incredulously, then wondered why she was so shocked. She’d been dealing with the existence of the supernatural for nearly a month now; she should be used to this, right?

“Aye,” Killian said, “vampires can become any creature of the night. Though we’re far more impressive than weres.” 

Emma wondered what was considered a ‘creature of the night’, especially since she knew wolves were frequently active during the day. Could he become an opossum? A raccoon? Maybe a cricket?

Vampire crickets, now there was a thought.

Ruby rolled her eyes. “Vampiric wolves look like how wolves were traditionally depicted: all snaggly teeth and glowing eyes. Werewolves, on the other hand, are perfect specimens of wolf: lithe and muscular, swift as the wind.”

“So… you’re like the goths and jocks of the wolf community?” Emma took a sip of her coffee to hide her amusement as she watched Ruby sputter indignantly. Killian simply smirked, flashing that chipped fang.

“Perhaps we should continue our tale, lass, before we end up at each other’s throats, aye?” Killian said softly, and Ruby calmed.

“Yeah.” Ruby shook her head as though to dispel the last vestiges of wolf. 

The change in tone put Emma on immediate alert. “What happened out there?”

“Something spooked the deer badly enough that it turned around and fled past us,” Killian said. 

Oh. That didn’t sound good. Emma set her coffee aside, suddenly too nauseous to finish it. “Did you investigate?”

“Yeah,” Ruby said. “We followed the deer’s path, and soon we could smell what had frightened it. It was…wrong. It made my hackles rise, and I was growling without even knowing at what. Killian and I crept forward, and that’s when we found it.”

“An altar,” they said in unison.

Ah. Emma doubted they meant the kind you’d find in a church. “Oh?” Her coffee was getting cold, she noted as she took a lingering sip.

“A witch’s ritual altar,” Killian clarified, staring at her intensely. 

“A witch? Of course they’re real, too,” Emma sighed. “How worried about this should we be?”

“I’m not sure yet. I need a better look at the altar and the sigils around it to get an idea of what sort of ritual was performed.”

“So you’re an expert in witches now?” Ruby arched a brow.

“No, but I can ask people who are, and for that, I need photos. We need to get back out there immediately and photograph the site.”

Neither would have had access to their phones’ cameras, of course. Ruby would have been a wolf, and while Killian could transform clothes along with his body, it only seemed to be the archaic black leather outfit he favored when he wasn’t pretending to be human. Objects like his phone or wallet didn’t survive the transformation.

“Swan, I’d like you to come along as well; I want to see how you react to the magic.”

When Walsh had tried to compel Emma, he’d discovered that she was immune to his vampiric powers. This intrigued Killian, because it was a very rare gift not found in pure humans. He was determined to figure out just what was in her bloodline.

Emma was less enthused about this. She didn’t have any interest in parents that had abandoned her as a baby. She only cared about David and his mother Ruth, who had taken her in when she was a feral street child and given her a home and love.

Plus, she really didn’t want to walk around the woods after dark. There might be ticks or something.

“Now? It’s almost midnight!” And the moon was only a crescent, meaning it would be dark as pitch outside.

“Aye, but there’s a storm rolling in. All the evidence will be washed away by morning. Likely by design,” Killian said.

Reluctantly, Emma grabbed her coat from the closet while Ruby went off to change back into a wolf. Despite the protection of a large wolf and a vampire, Emma felt a thrill of fear as they stepped away from The Belfry’s exterior lights and to the edge of the forest beyond.

Her flashlight did little to help.

“So… tell me about witches,” Emma said. “Just how dangerous are they?”

“Most witches are benign,” Killian corrected, surprising her. “Just women gifted with knowledge and a bit of magic. Many of them end up in positions where they can use their gifts to help others: doctors and nurses, veterinarians, financial advisors, that sort of thing. Some are hide amongst charlatans, using real magic and divination to tell futures or speak with the dead, though those are rare. Mostly, they just live among humans, leading normal - though perhaps luckier - lives.

“True practitioners of the black arts are rare. They’re hunted by their own kind, in much the same way I take care of out of control vampires. This one… the scent of her magic is rotten.”

“What can someone with that kind of magic do?”

Killian scratched his cheek with the tip of his hook as he thought. “They can create curses, give others ill luck, or even kill without touching their victim. We won’t know much more until my expert has had a look.”

There was silence for a while after that, as Emma tried to fit this into her already shaken worldview. Finally, she decided it was just too much for one night, and turned her thoughts to something else.

“Henry really enjoyed visiting your ship the other day. It’s all he’s been talking about ever since.” Henry’s class had taken a day to tour the ‘real’ pirate ship (which was, in fact, a very real pirate ship, captained by a very real pirate), and he’d come home asking for sailing lessons. Not possible so late into the season, but she’d promised him that if he was still interested next year, she’d look into it.

“He’s a fine lad,” Killian told her. “Smart, and curious about everything. I’d be delighted to teach him some sailing basics, if…”

If you give me a reason to stick around, Emma knew he was thinking. Because Emma knew it was more than the threat of a rogue vampire that kept Killian living as a bat in Storybrooke. And three nights ago, Killian had finally made his move to see if there could be anything between them.

“So, Swan, are you looking forward to tomorrow night?”

Ahead, Ruby slowed, canting back one ear. Emma thought at first something had put her on alert; then she realized her friend was eavesdropping.

Right. Tomorrow. When she and Killian had dinner reservations for Bella Notte. Their first date.

She’d never been so nervous.

She wanted to date Killian. But her violent introduction to the world of vampires had left her cautious. Even Ruby’s reassurance that vampire society worked as Killian had described, with strict laws and enforcers that carried out ruthless punishments for lawbreakers, she’d still been wary.

Walsh had been terrifying, but he’d been newly-turned. Weak. Killian was centuries old and powerful.

He also squeaked at her petulantly if she gave him banana slices when he wanted strawberries.

The rumbles of thunder that had begun when night fell were growing louder, and Emma was beginning to worry they wouldn’t make it to the altar in time. But after forty-five minutes of what felt to Emma like random stumbling around in the dark, Ruby let out a sharp bark.

“We’re here,” Killian said unnecessarily. Because Emma could feel the change in the air, something that made her hair stand on end. 

“The hell?” she asked.

“So you do feel it,” Killian sounded as if she’d just confirmed something for him.

How could anyone not feel that? It was a miasma that pressed against her, threatening to smother her.

She fought down the urge to claw at her skin, and forced herself to examine the altar.

If Emma had been walking through the woods alone, she never would have seen it - or at least not realized it wasn’t a natural formation. She ran the flashlight beam over a tree that had been split in half, probably by a lightning strike. One half had fallen to the side, the other was still attached to the stump, but bent at a ninety degree angle to form a natural table just over knee height.

The split trunk was spotted with dark stains. A fragment of bone was caught in a furrow in wood.

“I’ll hold the torch if you’ll take the photos,” Killian offered. Emma handed the flashlight over, and he directed her to photograph the altar, as well as the sigils she’d missed at first look. The were carved into the ground, or painted onto the trunks of surrounding trees with the same fluid that had stained the altar.

Killian was thorough. Emma wondered if he was like this with all investigations, because she could use someone like him in the Sheriff’s Department.

Thunder boomed, and Emma and Ruby jumped. “Storm’s almost here,” Killian observed. “We’d better leave now, before we’re caught out in it.”

They only just managed to make it back to The Belfry before the sky opened up. Emma was soaked through by the time she managed to unlock the door, and Ruby reeked of wet dog. Killian, she noted, managed to look ridiculously good even when wet.

The rain pounded away into the night, and Emma shivered. She hoped it would be enough to wash away the taint of evil in the forest.

~oOo~

The stranger stank of dark magic.

Emma had been in the back office of the sheriff’s station, taking care of paperwork, when David had called her up front.

Grateful to escape her papery hell, she’d hurried up front - only to be brought up short by the elegant woman in the immaculate business suit who was ignoring David’s attempts to be friendly. Emma, however, immediately drew her interest.

Dark eyes ran up and down Emma, and perfect lips turned down into a frown, as if she’d found Emma lacking. “Can I help you?” she asked stiffly.

“I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Regina Mills,” the woman said haughtily. “I’m the new mayor of Storybrooke.”

~tbc~

[snowbellewells]

Belated Birthday Fic for @jrob64

Joni (@jrob64) this is long overdue now, and probably not worth the waiting you've done for it, but I still wanted to give you the story I wrote for your birthday. It takes place in Season 2, after Emma leaves Hook on the beanstalk, but diverges in that Hook carches up with the Savior and the rest of the Princess squad again without Cora. There's some mentioned whump and I hope plenty of hurt/comfort (since you and I both enjoy that so! ;) And I hope you'll still like it, even though it's now well past your birthday. I am so glad we are friends and that this OTP and fandom lead us to meet and get to know each other!

“Consequences”

by: @snowbellewells

The logs and twigs they’d gathered for their campfire were crackling mightily, releasing occasional pops when sap ignited, but giving off the light and heat their weary and mismatched group needed as they wordlessly gathered on a fallen stump and large rock nearby. None of the women spoke. Exhausted and worried, and still not fully trusting of each other, they merely watched as Mary Margaret spun the rabbit she’d brought back for supper on the spit they had rigged up over the fire and listened as Mulan finished assembling the tent they’d soon crawl into once they had eaten at last.

This wilderness was about the furthest thing from an “Enchanted” Forest that Emma could have conjured in her naive 21st century mind, but she was simply too drained to point out the irony to either her mother - she wasn’t even ready to apply that term to her friend and roommate yet - or honest-to-goodness freaking Sleeping Beauty. And it didn’t help that she kept hearing Hook’s voice echoing in her ears, the hurt and shocked betrayal in his tone - and in those dangerously expressive eyes - as he’d pled with her, ‘Have I told you a lie? Why do this to me now?’ She had the sinking feeling that no matter how tired her body might be, when she lay her head down tonight, she wouldn’t be able to sleep for seeing his face as it had looked when she had turned away on the back of her eyelids, and her guilt at leaving him chained atop the beanstalk gnawing at her insides.

Shaking her head clear, Emma reminded herself once again that Hook had been in league with Cora; they had no proof but his word, her gut feeling, and her superpower no one else believed, that he wasn’t still working for the witch against them. She’d done the right thing, Emma savagely scolded her yammering conscience. Nothing was worth the risk of not getting back to Henry - or even worse, seeing Regina’s evil mother find her way to where Henry was. Certainly not a piercing-eyed pirate who seemed to see right through her and make her squirm doing it.

With a nod and murmur of thanks, she took the portion of roasted meat offered to her on a makeshift skewer and nibbled at it gingerly. It might just be that she was famished and too tired to be picky, but it tasted better than expected. Emma was swallowing her second bite, when noise caught her attention from the nearby treeline. She jerked upright, immediately on guard; her state of near-slumber shattered and all her nerves jangling with alarm. Her eyes met Mary Margaret’s as her mother reached for her bow and Emma stood with fists clenched, ready to defend them however she could, whether her gun was any use out here or not. Mulan had abandoned the tent at the sound as well, smoothly drawing her sword and facing the trees in front of them like a deadly sentinel.

The noise of heavy footsteps smashing through the underbrush grew nearer and louder; branches snapped, heavy, gasping breaths were heard, and Emma could only square her shoulders and wait for whatever new foe was coming forth to show itself.

What she wasn’t expecting - and what tore a harsh gasp from her throat on sight - was for Hook to stumble dazedly out of the woods toward them, momentarily leaning against a tree trunk to steady himself, his face obviously bloody and his clothing torn. He took a couple more weaving steps toward them before the toe of his boot caught a root that sent him sprawling face down in the dirt at their feet. And he didn’t get up. Didn’t move or speak. Emma was rushing forward in spite of herself before she could think better of it. Her mother called for her to be careful, and Mulan’s stern face cautioned it could be a ploy, but she paid neither of them much heed.

He still hadn’t moved, and he looked even worse close up. He’d been hurt. Badly. Surely Anton wouldn’t have…  This wasn’t what she had wanted. Was this her fault?

Crouching, Emma tried to shake Hook gently, to stir him back into wakefulness. A groan escaped him breathily, which shouldn’t have relieved her nearly as much as it did. There was nothing for it but to roll him over onto his back. At least then she could see his face and assess the damage.

But when she did, her breath caught a second time, choking up somewhere between her throat and her lungs. She couldn’t imagine there had been many times in the life of Captain Killian Jones when this could be said of him, but he looked terrible. His lower lip was busted, with rusty remnants of dried blood staining where they had trailed down his chin. One eye was swollen nearly shut, and the other was bleary to the point that she wondered how he had made his way to them through the dark. A large gash that had barely closed showed beneath the disheveled dark fringe on his forehead. Dark, purpled bruises and nasty scrapes mottled the skin of his face, neck and collar nearly everywhere she could see. Though she would have never admitted it aloud, Hook’s usually flawless countenance was horribly altered by whatever had happened to him. The shadows darkening his usual mischievious sparkle and daring turned her stomach in a way she couldn't begin to explain.

He struggled to raise his head slightly and blinked up at her as best he could through the usable slit of his eye. “Ah Swan, caught up to you, didn’t I?” he jested brokenly, somehow still teasing her through what must be immense pain.

Tilting her head to study him, Emma struggled to look unamused while inexplicably aching to place a hand to his forehead, brush back the matted hair there, and offer some modicum of comfort. Her fingers moved almost of their own accord, hovering just barely over his cheek before hesitating and pulling back, tingling at their proximity even as she resisted making contact. There didn’t appear to be a single place on him that wasn’t battered and wouldn’t cause him more pain if she tried to touch.

As if reading her concern, Hook shifted restlessly, attempting to lever himself upright and then falling back with a wince and guttural moan of protest. She also noticed for the first time how tightly he kept his hook arm pressed to his side, not sure if the injury was to the arm itself or if he were shielding his stomach or ribs, but it ratcheted her worry for him that much higher. Not certain what to do for him, or what to say, her usual half-annoyed bantering retorts fled her the longer she witnessed his vulnerability. Emma finally settled on simply answering his question, and asking one of her own. “It would appear you’ve caught me,” she acknowledged, then added softer, “But why?”

Huffing out a weary breath, Killian didn’t look at her as he barely shook his head, the motion seeming to express that he didn’t quite know himself. “I guess because, double cross and all, Lass, you lot are the safest choice for company of my rather limited options.”

Emma flushed with embarrassment at his casual mention of what she’d done. Her cheeks burned, knowing the man who lay before her could surely see how she’d colored at the reminder and could only hope that his current state made him less sharply observant than usual. That she hadn’t trusted him or the brief alliance they’d made shamed her, and then made her angry for feeling ashamed. She’d been burned before, and had learned to be more wary. That she had wanted to believe him, and had silently agreed when he’d called them quite a team, had only made her more anxious to leave him behind, to flee before he turned on her and she was left in the dust herself. Pushing the conflicting emotions aside, she tried another tack instead. “But what happene to you? How did…? Surely Anton didn’t…?”  She was tripping over her words now, flustered and chiding herself as she shook her head in frustration.

Biting her tongue until she could regain control, her eyes flew to her hand when Killian used his to clasp it and gain her attention. Though his fingers were trembling with the effort, he held on and answered her slowly. “No, that wasn’t the work of your giant admirer. Your new friend released me once the time you requested of him had passed. Bloody gargantuan numbskull threatened me to leave you in peace, but he didn’t do this damage.”

Emma exhaled air she’d hardly realized she was holding. It didn’t make things right between them, but she was grateful that she hadn’t misjudged Anton’s nature and directly caused the torture Hook had clearly undergone. “But then, who?” she whispered, finally daring to squeeze the hand that held hers in return, while at last reaching out and smoothing a light caress over his brow.

He flinched slightly at the initial contact, but then his eyes fell closed momentarily with a sigh of relief. Emma had to know, though the only other option she could think of had dread settling in her belly like stone. “Who did this to you?” she choked.

“Why Cora, of course,” he intoned, trying to appear either flippant or matter of fact and failing with the shadows that passed over his expression. “Not honestly sure why she didn’t finish the job, unless she thought she had and this old body is just too stubborn to give up the ghost.” He drew in a ragged breath before adding, “At any rate, after letting me know that she would leave me here, unable to ever gain my vengeance on Rumplestiltskin, she made certain she had demonstrated the consequences of choosing to align myself against her.”

By this point, his breathing had grown shallow and labored once more with the effort of speaking. Shushing him with a plea to rest, Emma was eager to check with the others about anything they might be able to do for his injuries. He certainly didn’t need her to keep him talking as she was. Pressing trembling lips together, Emma dashed away the single drop of moisture that had escaped her eye and laid his hand tenderly back on his chest. “Well, thankfully, Cora counted her win a bit too soon. Let’s see if we can help you live to fight another day.”

His unfairly long lashes fluttered, and a small, soft chuckle broke from his cracked lips, but Killian seemd to be rapidly giving up the fight to remain lucid. Emma wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad while they tried to tend to his wounds, but she had to do something. She wasn’t going to desert him again.

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

When his eyes fluttered open some time later, Killian Jones found himself dazed and dizzy, then almost nauseous, with his throat parched and dry. Panic followed almost immediately as he struggled to gain his bearings and found himself weak as a newborn kitten, floundering even to sit up unaided. He could not have said whether it had been minutes, hours, or days since he was last aware of his surroundings, but just as he was not sure how much time had passed, he was also vaguely uncertain of where he was and whether or not he was alone - an even more disturbing condition.

His mind was reeling as he attempted to move, scrabbling around over the dry, dusty ground with his good hand in a frantic search for his cutlass. Surely he must have left it within reach. He had learned long ago, even as the captain of a mostly loyal pirate crew, that enemies were varied and numerous, and that he must never let his guard down without a weapon close at hand. He had a jagged, long-healed gash running under his ribs, which Smee had tried his best - if rather crookedly - to sew closed, but which had taught him that lesson all too well.

With a frenzied sound of frustration in his throat, Killian kept fighting to sit upright, ready to defend himself against some unknown foe, only to have hands grip his upper arms tightly, pressing him back and forcing him to remain on the ground. “Unhand me, you blackguard!” he growled, only to have his vision finally regain focus and the fight abruptly drain from his limbs when he found himself staring up at Emma Swan hovering over him, her touch the one keeping him in place.

“Easy there, Hook,” she chided, loosening her grip as he stilled and grew calmer upon seeing he was not under immediate attack. “You’ve got to settle down, or you’ll hurt yourself even more. We tried to stitch the deepest of your cuts and bandage you up. Don’t undo it all!”

She was fussing over him, Killian realized belatedly, his hazy and addled mind slowly filling in the blanks he had missed. She might be scolding and grumbling as she did so, but she was still frightened for his well-being and more concerned for his comfort than he would have dared imagine possible.

He had known there was a frisson of energy that flowed between them when he’d taken her hand in the giant’s lair, cleansing and caring for the cut on her palm despite her stubbornly self-effacing protests. And he really hadn’t thought he was imagining the way she’d held her breath and her pupils had dilated when he’d eyed her daringly while tying off the bandage with his teeth. Still, he’d been hesitant to place too much fatih in what he was reading from her either. Emma Swan was overly guarded and used to being on her own. Someone had obviously hurt her deeply enough to make her push everyone else away in response. Not only that, but she was an actual royal - the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, no less - and the fabled Savior besides. Her light was much too pure and bright to be aligned with his dark and tarnished pirate soul set on vengeance.

All the same, he had cursed himself as seven times a fool when his heart plummeted at her turning and running from him on the beanstalk. He had held out a little hope for them, in spite of his better judgement, or he would not have been so hurt by the betrayal. She was as full of shining enticement, from her flowing golden hair to her sparkling jade eyes, as any buried treasure. He couldn’t help wanting to stay by her side.

As Emma slowly moved to support him, helping him ease into a sitting position while bracing him against her own hip and shoulder, she offered him a water skin and held it up so he could take a much-needed cool drink of water. Killian was stunned to realize that maybe winning her over wasn’t as lost a cause as he had thought. Perhaps Emma Swan already cared more than she wanted to allow herself, and against her own good sense - much as he had found himself doing.

Several quiet moments passed before Killian fully registered that all was still and motionless around them. It was full dark now; the middle of the night, or perhaps early morning, if his view of the moon was accurate, yet he could hear no movements or voice’s from Emma’s royal, bandit, or warrior companions. The fire next to them was dimmed to near embers, and it seemed for the moment as if he and Emma were the only two people under the brilliant array of stars overhead.

Now that he had his bearings and his thirst was slaked, he ventured a glance beyond his lovely blonde Savior’s beguiling face, at least far enough to see that a rough tent had been staked and three bed rolls were occupied beneath its temporary shelter, explaining their privacy, but raising even more questions. Why were the rest of them willing to lower their guard enough to sleep with a virtual stranger and former enemy in their camp? It had been hard to miss the warning and distrust in the Lady Snow’s eyes, at any rate - probably largely protectiveness for her daughter, but still, why grant him this sort of uninterrupted interlude with Emma then? He was clearly in poor shape; maybe they had reckoned he couldn’t do anything to harm them, or charm Emma too thoroughly, as injured as he was.

Killian was abruptly startled from his wandering thoughts when he once more felt the cool, soothing touch of Emma’s fingertips trailing up the side of his face and into his hair. She raked the dark strands back from his fevered skin, calming even the pounding that pained him from the magical beating he’d endured and the rough impact his head had suffered when Cora finally dropped his battered body to the hard ground and left him for dead.

The Enchanted Forest’s lost princess spoke so quietly he had to strain to hear her when she addressed him again, her eyes studiously avoiding his to observe her fingers carding through the mussed, blood-caked strands of his hair. “I’m sorry… truly, I am. It was wrong of me to leave you behind the way I did, and… I should have trusted you. You may be a pirate, and awfully full of yourself, and way too flirty for your own good…” 

At that, Killian attempted to waggle an eyebrow and smirk salaciously to make her smile, only for a cringe to escape him at the motion of his brow and lip.

She noticed, of course, and rather than admonishing that it served him right, as she would have usually done, Emma hissed in sympathy and hushed him with a gentle hum in the back of her throat. “See, this shouldn’t have happened to you, Ho - Killian.” Her switch from his moniker to his real name struck him right in the center of the chest, with as much emphasis as a physical blow. He couldn’t decide if her concern, guilt, and contrition more warmed his heart or troubled him - not wanting to win her over out of mere pity. “That witch only caught up to you, found you empty-handed, because of what I did. This is my fault… b-but… I never wanted you to be hurt like this. I only wanted a head start, to get back to my son.”

If he hadn’t been shocked to his core already, the depth of emotion in Swan’s voice as she made her confession would have been enough to bowl him over. It sounded as though she might be on the verge of tears on his behalf, and Killian could hardly fathom it. Drawing a ragged breath of his own, he wet his cracked lips and managed a sincere response to her heartfelt openness. 

“Darling,” and here he couldn’t help a bit of a rogueish grin at her, despite how it pulled on the broken skin of his lip again. 

She shook her head, but didn’t scoff or interrupt, not this time, and heartened, he continued in all sincerity. “I’m not going to lie to you. I was angry when you shackled me there and left me behind. I’d been on the level with you, was doing my best to help you, and for the first the time in a long time, I felt like I connected with someone genuinely. But I also understand that your boy is your first priority. You cannot let anything else matter as much - or even possibly risk his safety.”

His battered knuckles were beginning to swell, and his fingers ached as he moved them, but Killian still managed to return the clutch of Emma’s own hand and intertwine their fingers with a sigh of rightness and relief. Glancing back up to search her gaze once more, he added, “I understand what being separated from one’s child might do to a person… more than you might think, in fact. I respect you all the more for your urgency and desire to return to him as soon as possible.”

He could see Emma wondering what his words might mean; the gears turning in her sharp mind were obvious, even if she only pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes slightly, watching him a few moments longer. Thankfully, she didn’t press the matter further, but instead released what seemed a lungful of air she must have been holding worriedly and gave him a hopeful smile. “So… you forgive me, then?”

The barest dip of his chin was as far as he dared move his aching head, but Killian assured her without hesitation, “Aye, Emma, I do,” in as strong and certain a voice as he could muster. 

By then, the faintest tendrils of light were beginning to break through the deep indigo sky and soft hints of scuffling and waking from their fellow travelers hinted that they would not be alone much longer.

Though he still hurt all over as if he had been scorched by a dragon’s breath and then crushed by an ogre’s tread, Killian couldn’t help but feel as if his situation had drastically changed. Even more so when Emma Swan’s eyes grew warmer yet; her aspect beaming crookedly at him like sunlight slowly emerging from a bank of clouds. Just before they were joined by Snow White bearing coffee for his Savior, Emma winked at him conspiratorially and leaned forward to murmur. “I’m glad, Pirate. After all, we make quite the team, remember?”

Tagging a few others who might enjoy: @searchingwardrobes @kmomof4 @jennjenn615 @laschatzi @whimsicallyenchantedrose @apiratewhopines @sotangledupinit @stahlop @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @killian-whump @artistic-writer @the-darkdragonfly @elizabeethan @donteattheappleshook @booksteaandtoomuchtv @kazoosandfannypacks @justanother-unluckysoul @wefoundloveunderthelight @motherkatereloyshipper @gingerchangeling @gingerpolyglot @jonesfandomfanatic @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl @spartanguard @therooksshiningknight @drowned-dreamer @xarandomdreamx @caught-in-the-filter

[shady-swan-jones]

Happy Autumn season! Fics for your cocooning era

Too Well Tangled (18/21 - "J'adoube") by @myfearless-love

Determined and tough-minded Emma Nolan is on a singular mission: to rescue her dim-witted brother from the clutches of Killian Jones, the infamously rakish Marquess of Hookstone. Little did she anticipate her own burgeoning desire for the audacious, unscrupulous scoundrel she intended to despise. Killian Jones, the enigmatic Marquess of Hookstone, has more than earned his sinister sobriquet, the "Prince of Darkness."

Dreams That You Wish Will Come True by @snowbellewells

Granted a night to seek adventure and dreams, young Killian Jones meets young Princess Emma at her birthday ball. Though the moment is filled with all the excitement and magic of the best fairy tales, it is over too soon and he must leave before the dream is shattered. Will they find each other again? A Reverse Cinderella AU

The Witch in the Woods by @hollyethecurious

“If it’s aid of a magical sort ye seek, then you’ll be wanting to find the witch in the woods.” That’s what the apothecary had told him. The witch in the woods. A designation that brought forth images of an old crone, hump-backed and wrinkled with warts on her nose and long spindling fingers whose knuckles were gnarled and stiff - not the blonde goddess currently grinding an assortment of herbs with her mortar and pestle, her brilliant jade eyes sparkling in the candlelight that was also casting a honeyed glow over her smooth, creamy skin.

Untie Me (7/?) by @shady-swan-jones

“Save the smolder, Jones, you already have me.” But the compliment hits despite her deflection, nestles stubbornly in her heart. 

“Oh well, now it’s over,” he makes an exaggerated face and moves to retreat. He shakes his head, lips together in a line. “Emma, you and I are just beginning. Let me make you feel good.”

She smirks, heat rising to her chest. “How good?”

laundry day by ssadumbass

killian and emma spend some quality time together on laundry day

At the Dawn There is Rejoicing by jdmusiclover

Emma Gold has led a difficult life. Her brother and her father died when she was a child, and she was then coerced into marrying the odious Neal Gold. She thought she’d been granted a reprieve when he was believed to be lost at sea–only for him to return disabled and in need of a caregiver. Killian is a newspaper reporter who is tired of his routine life. When he falls ill, his editor forces him to take a sabbatical. What will happen when Emma takes Killian in as a border for the summer?

Exacting His Revenge by @jrob64

When Hook sees an opportunity to finally get his revenge on Rumplestiltskin, he seizes it, putting him in the company of Emma Swan. A season 2 canon divergent story.

the most dangerous thing is to love by @exhaustedpirate

The Darkness whispers in Killian's ears and he lets it, lets it play him like a puppet so he can get his revenge. But what if the strings are cut? Will he let it manipulate him until his worst nightmare comes true? Until he destroys his happy ending?

Overboard by @elizabeethan

Emma Swan spends years trying to find her parents, and when she finally does, she gets more than she bargains for

Finding Home by PirateDragon28

Emma Swan is living with her twin sister Ruth and Ruth’s 3 year old daughter, Flo. Emma and Ruth were separated at birth and found each other half a year before Flo was born. Now they live in a small 2 bedroom apartment together. Emma’s a bail bondsperson and Ruth works as a police officer for the BPD.

Heart Bound by @4getfulimaginator2022

CS historical AU (mid-19th century), real world setting, teacher!Emma and artist!Killian. After years of private tutoring, Emma goes to teach in a village by the sea in a desperate bid to escape her heartbreak and the outside world. She thinks that she'll always be lonely and out of place, but the local lighthouse keeper, a fellow recluse and the town outcast, makes her see that she is right where she belongs.

Trying Something New by @overlordofthelollipopguild

After Rumplestiltskin traps Emma and Killian in the past, they manage to escape him and realize they will have to live in the past in order to catch up to the future.

Murder Most Foul by CSColifer 

Murdered Killian Jones has one last message for Emma Swan.

Love Bites (But So Do I) by @grimmswan

"Do you have any idea how tempting you look? It's going to take everything in me not to ravage you in front of everyone."

"I'm sure we can find some place to indulge ourselves." Emma grinned wickedly at her lover.

a place in time - chapter xv by @swanslieutenant

Emma’s an agent working to reunite missing people with their families when the biggest missing persons case of all time appears in front of her in a flash of bright, white light. Thousands of missing people from throughout history, including one particular pirate, appear on the shore of a lake in the middle of winter: none have aged a day since their disappearance and, with no memory of their missing time, must venture into a strange and uncertain future. Loosely based on the TV show “the 4400.”

A Cottage by the Sea by @snowbellewells

Princess Emma has always been drawn to the shores of Misthaven, where the sea meets the shore near her parents’ castle. When an unknown boy washes up on the sand, with eyes as fathomless and blue as the waters that brought him to her, he soon becomes Emma’s best friend, her partner in crime, and her other half.

Flight 815 by @honey77bun

"Hello, who is this? Director William Webster's voice called out. "Hello, this is your assistant, Strickland. I'm calling you on a very important matter." "What's the reason?" "In the case of Flight 815. As you know, at the Coast Guard Air Base in Miami, a girl named Emma Swan appeared on board the plane." "Did you find out she wasn't a spy?"

Can I Be Your Werewolf? by @belovedcreation

After a particularly nasty encounter with a criminal, bounty hunter Emma Swan's friend convinces her to adopt a guard dog from the shelter. Little does she know that the massive dog she brings home is really the werewolf Killian Jones, who's laying low in wolf form to hide from danger. She forms a bond with her pet, one that is tested and strengthened once Killian reveals his true nature. But Killian will never be a free man and Emma will never heal from her past until a power-hungry werewolf is stopped from his mission to control all of Storybrooke.

Burn The Ships (4/?) by @booksteaandtoomuchtv

Pan and his pack of gruesome werewolves torment and put an end to individuals who find themselves unlucky enough to be a guest of Neverland. After being betrayed by her ex, Emma finds herself the game in this month’s hunt.

Captain Hook has never found the sport particularly alluring, preferring to spend his change far from Pan’s cruel crew. When he catches the scent of his mate, he is forced to join in the hunt to find her before the others can.

Saving her will mean betraying Pan and no one betrays Peter Pan and lives to tell about it

An Offer She Can’t Refuse (3/3) by @deckerstarblanche

As soon as he cracked his eyes open the next morning, Killian knew she was gone. With a frustrated groan, he glared up at the stucco ceiling and flipped over onto his stomach, pressing his face into her pillow and feeling like a fool.

Welcome to the Enchanted forest by Emmaducklingsaviour

Post curse and on her 16th birthday Emma gets herself in a time loop with dire consequences. Before she can face them, Emma, Killian, Elsa and Red are suddenly pulled through a portal, returning to the Enchanted forest. This is a direct continuation of Welcome to the Storybrooke

Hope will come by AlwineMews

A new curse has sent the small town of Storybrooke into a deep sleep, freezing time in place. Shortly before the curse broke, a stranger kidnapped Emma and Killian's newborn daughter, Hope, and took her out of town. 28 years later, Hope accidentally drives into Storybrooke and breaks the curse as she crosses the town line.

Can Emma, Henry, Natalia and Killian become a family? And what is the story behind the missing persons and the sudden appearance of Sherlock Holmes?

Misthaven by IreneRose21

After Killian was resurrected by Zeus, the whole town of Storybrooke comes back to The Enchanted Forest. Snow and David become Queen and King of Misthaven again, the largest and most loved Kingdom in the whole Realm. That is until they are betrayed and murdered by a close ally, which causes all the Realm to enter in the most deadly war The Enchanted Forest will ever see.

Happy Beginning Captain Swan by isaballerina89

After Emma Swan finished the final battle with the adult Gideon, Storybrooke changes for the better. Emma and Killian finally have a life that they both can enjoy together without fighting the town's villains.

Unfinished Business by ohmakemeahercules

Don’t let me be your unfinished business, Emma had said. Killian has a lot of thoughts to process and emotions to process before that happens. Takes place right after he sends Emma up the elevator in 5x20 Firebird.

Forget Me Not, Prologue by @zaharadessert

The village of Storybrooke is as unremarkable as any number of villages in the English countryside. It has a pub, a church, a post office and a village green. But one summer a little boy and his mother come to stay, and suddenly some remarkable things start to happen...

Timeless by @killiansprincss

Season 3 divergence - When Zelenas time portal works, Henry wakes up alone in Storybrooke and must travel to the Enchanted Forest to get his family back. Only once he gets there he quickly realises its not like the one in his book, theres no Evil Queen and his mother Emma wasn't put through a wardrobe, theres even a poster inviting the entire kingdom to her engagement ball, to Hook. What will happen once Henry gets them to break this new curse and they get their memories back?

Once Upon A Grimm by @hollyethecurious

The world was far more complex than most people realized. Humans went about their lives, completely ignorant of the fact that there was a world of fairytales existing right alongside them. Well, not really fairytales. Not in the Disney sense, anyway. Many, like the Grimm brothers, had woven the truth into their stories, but the creatures they wrote about were even more nightmarish than their macabre and monstrous depictions.

free fallin' by temporarystatus

On a dark and stormy Halloween night 27 years ago, five people stepped onto an elevator. They never stepped off. Now 28, Emma Swan and her son Henry work together to discover what caused her parents and the other inhabitants to suddenly disappear.

Anything Could Happen (2024) by wildseafairies

Killian and Emma have been friends for years. Not just friends, though—best friends. Until today, that is. Something has changed between them, Killian just can't put his finger on what it is. So, when an inebriated Emma stumbles in the dark room he's been hiding in during Mary Margaret and David's engagement party (and doesn't seem to recognize him), Killian sees his chance at untangling whatever went wrong there by taking an epic trip down memory lane with her. And maybe—just maybe—that's also the way for both of them to confront the intricate feelings they've been quietly harboring for each other…Who knows?

Your Loved by StonEvo

Emma just needs to make it through her Senior year. Then Henry and herself can finally be free of the system and be there own family. But will her New Foster mom, Mary Margaret worm her way into there hearts. And what's with the town sheriff always eyeing her new guardian. Emma could careless if it weren't for the fact that the towns resident bad boy is always with said sheriff also giving her eyes as well as weird butterfly like feeling in her stomach. None of that matters, because Emma's going to graduate and leave this dumb little town behind and hopefully out run the past she also left behind in Boston. All she needs is the only person who truly loves her, Henry.

More

[myfearless-love]

Too Well Tangled (Chapter 21/21 - "Untangling the Last Knot")

Chapters: 21/21 — "Untangling the Last Knot"

Rating: Mature

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Relationship: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan

Characters: Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan, Arthur (Once Upon a Time), Knave of Hearts | Will Scarlet, Robin Hood (Once Upon a Time), Mad Hatter | Jefferson

Additional Tags: Captain Swan - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Regency, Enemies to Lovers, Angst and Fluff and Smut, BAMF Emma Swan, Angst and Romance, Banter

Summary: Determined and tough-minded Emma Nolan is on a singular mission: to rescue her dim-witted brother from the clutches of Killian Jones, the infamously rakish Marquess of Hookstone. Little did she anticipate her own burgeoning desire for the audacious, unscrupulous scoundrel she intended to despise. Killian Jones, the enigmatic Marquess of Hookstone, has more than earned his sinister sobriquet, the "Prince of Darkness." His past, a stormy mosaic of rejection and rebellion, has forged a man both feared and revered. Yet, the indomitable Miss Nolan proves an unexpectedly formidable opponent for his infamous charm. But when Killian's reciprocated passion lands them in a scandalously compromising, and very public, predicament, Emma is left with no recourse but to demand satisfaction...

Previous chapters: ch. 1 II ch. 2 II ch. 3 II ch. 4 II ch. 5 II ch. 6 II ch. 7 II ch. 8 II ch. 9 II ch. 10 II ch. 11 II ch.12 II ch. 13 II ch. 14 II ch.15 II ch. 16 II ch. 17 II ch. 18 II ch. 19 II ch. 20

READ HERE: AO3

Preview:

BIG shout out to my amazing beta @xarandomdreamx for always catching my mistakes and leaving me smiling with her comments!!❤️

Tagging some folks who might be interested:

@anmylica @elfiola @zaharadessert @gingerchangeling @undercaffinatednightmare

@jrob64 @teamhook @kmomof4 @jonesfandomfanatic @mie779

@winterbaby89 @tiganasummertree @stahlop @rylieblu @ultraluckycatnd

@eddisfargo @booksteaandtoomuchtv @laianely @hollyethecurious @resident-of-storybrooke

@beckettj @whimsicallyenchantedrose @captainswan-kellie @veryverynotgoodwrites @lfh1226-linda

@snowbellewells @caught-in-the-filter @shady-swan-jones @bluewildcatfanatic @fairytalepetzkle

(Let me know if you want to be added or removed from the list)