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killiansprincss · 7 months ago

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Timeless - a Captain Swan AU chapter 10/19

Summary: 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?

In which chapter is inspired by a different Taylor Swift song.

Previous Chapters, AO3

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'Cause all the boys and their expensive cars

With their Range Rovers and their Jaguars

Never took me quite where you do

And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for

King of my heart, body and soul

It had been a week since Emma’s return to the Palace. She kept playing the situation over in her head, her fathers angry face and how small she felt. There was a lock on the doors to the balcony. The lock was strong, that was for sure, she tried and failed to break it open. But it was no use, even if she did she would have to face the guard posted below the balcony.. She was a prisoner.

She hadn’t spoken to her father since he’d sentenced her. Her mother would knock and check in and give her some food, but Emma didn’t speak to her. She could have easily sided with her and didn’t. The only person she spoke to was her brother, who felt it was his fault she was trapped.

When she falls asleep, Emma dreams of being back in Killians arms. She felt safe in his arms. They were at sea for three days before they saw land again, and when they docked Emma had to take a moment to realise how vastly different it was to Misthaven. The docks were similar, but they led right into the market square where stalls were selling everything from spices to silk.

“Come on love, let me show you around.” Killian took her hand and laced their fingers together as he led her round the market, explaining this kingdom was a hub for imports, ships would arrive every day to buy what they needed, whether that be the best cheese of any realm, or the finest silk for the prettiest dresses. Some claim they had access to these items due to magic, and there may be some truth in that yet in the mountains you could see camps set up where workers were farming livestock or growing the plants needed for the materials.

Emma dropped the hood from her cape as they walked, fingers interlaced, breathing in the smells and looking round at every corner. Something she was always afraid to do in Misthaven for fears someone may recognise her and take her back to the Castle.

“David. It’s been a week, hasn’t she suffered enough?” Snow asks her husband at breakfast. Sure, she wasn’t happy about her daughter running away with a Pirate, but she knew her daughter and knew it wasn’t a decision she made lightly.

“Snow, are you forgetting what he is?” Pirates had a notorious reputation for a reason, he couldn’t imagine what would happen in the kingdom if they accepted this relationship, or what would happen to Emma.

“You know you’re sounding an awful lot like my parents when I told them I wanted to marry you.”

“That is completely different and you know it. I was an innocent shepherd who your parents already loved. That man is a Pirate who stole her innocence and is going to break her heart.”

Snow purses her lips as she sips her tea. “How do you know he will break his heart? Have you spoken to him? Asked his intentions with our daughter since you locked him up?”

David just shakes his head, “you’re suggesting I talk to the man who kidnapped our daughter?”

Snow sighs as she takes a sip of her tea. “I don’t think our grown daughter can be kidnapped. David, she left of her own free will, you think she let herself get taken away, our daughter is strong and capable of her own decisions.” She puts her cup down and takes her husband's hand, “I don’t like that of all the men in the kingdom she's chosen a Pirate. But this is our daughter, we raised her and we know what she's like.”

David considers his wife's debate. Yes they had always taught Emma to be strong and independent, even when they came to the Palace, even when she became a Princess. But he also thought they taught her she could tell them anything. David had suspected something was up, when she became more brash at turning down suitors, but he assumed she wanted a stable boy or someone in the kitchens, he never suspected a Pirate Captain. He is reminded thought of when he first went to Snow's parents and asked for their blessing and they turned him away, he had always vowed to treat his children with respect and love. Emma was his little girl and maybe part of the reason why he was angry with her wasn’t the fact it was a pirate, but more that she was grown up and wasn’t his little girl anymore.

“I’m gonna get some answers about this pirate our daughter is so enamoured with.” David simply says as he retreats to his chamber to formulate his plan. He wanted to find out about Hook, but from someone he trusted, a third party. Which is why he dons his royal clothes for something a little more comfortable, something he was used to wearing 16 years ago.

He rides one of the horses from the stables, one that was not a clear royal horse, and rides down to the Tavern where Emma met her Pirate. Pulling his hood over his head as he enters the tavern, he looks around for the man he was looking for.

“I’ll take an ale please, fine sir.”

August, the man who was once a boy made of wood stares at him as he grabs a goblet from the shelf underneath the bar. David lowers his hood slowly so that the once wooden boy can see who he is.

“David?” He whispers. “Your majesty, what are you doing here?”

Throwing a few coins on the bar, David tells him he needed his opinion on the Pirate his daughter supposedly loved. Someone that saw what happened and can give another view on what went on with them.

“Well I can tell you what happened with them, or you can speak to the very man himself.” August says pointing over at a table in the corner where a group of men in leather were drinking and playing cards. Pirates. And amongst them, the man that should have been in the dungeon back at the Castle.

______

Killian had escaped from the dungeon not long after he was put in there. He and Emma had a plan, if it went badly, they knew he could escape any shackles he was put in and Emma would sneak away and meet back at either his ship or the tavern and they would run away for good.

But it had been days and he had not seen or heard from Emma. He was worried about her. She was always able to escape before, what if they had put her in the dungeon and she wasn’t able to escape? What if she were in shackles made of magic which made it impossible to escape from. Surely her parents were not that cruel though?

His crew noticed he was off. They all knew it’s because he didn’t have Emma but they didn’t dare to say anything. So he turns to his trusted friend, Rum. He would sit in the tavern each day waiting for Emma to show up and each day he drank more and more when it was clear she wasn’t coming.

That was until one day around noon, he saw Emma’s father, the King, standing in front of him. “You.”

Killian banishes his crew back to the ship, claiming he had an important meeting. “Your majesty.” He had imagined how meeting Emma’s father would go, he had seen him many times from afar but up close he could immediately see the similarities, and not just in looks. The fire in his eyes was the same Emma had when she was angry.

“Didn't I lock you up?” He asks, a fair question.

The Pirate raises his eyes at the King. “You really think a 300 year old Pirate cannot make his way out of a trap?”

The King was practically lost for words. “Look. I didn’t come here for that. I came about Emma.”

“Where is she? Is she okay? Please, I need to know.” he touches his chest, “I can normally feel her or sense she’s okay, but I haven’t felt her. I know that sounds crazy, but I just, I need to know if she’s okay.”

It actually didn’t sound crazy at all, David used to be the same when they were young, he would feel hurt when Snow was hurt, or if she was in trouble, he would just know.

“She’s fine, she’s back where she belongs.” Killian could sense the slight dig in his choices of words. “That’s why I’m here. I just can’t understand it, you’re a pirate she is the Crown Princess-what is it she sees in you and why do you care about her? Don’t Pirates swear an oath to hate royalty or something?”

“I didn’t plan this, that’s the first thing you must know.” He tells the King as he orders another round to the table. “Neither of us planned on falling in love. I met her at this very tavern, I recognised her from a few nights before where I snuck into one of your balls and she threw me in the dungeon.”

“You did what?” David interrupts.

Killian waves him off, “story for another time mate. Anyway, we began talking as I wanted to know why a Princess was dressed as a commoner. I was enchanted to be honest, she was so different to anyone I’d ever met.”

Killian then explains how they got to know one another over the past few years, and how Emma felt alone sometimes despite her life being filled with people who loved her. He told the King about their adventure to another kingdom and how alive Emma had felt and that they never intended to run away forever.

“I’d do anything for her. I have lived a very long time. I was trapped in a horrid place called Neverland for almost 3 centuries and they frequent my nightmares every day since I returned. But the last few years with Emma have been the happiest of my life. I can’t imagine life without her. I understand she’s the Princess and a Pirate doesn’t fit into that, but the thought of not being with her takes me to a very dark place. I just, I beg for you not to take her away from me.”

David didn’t know exactly what he expected to come of this conversation, but he certainly never expected the fearsome Pirate Captain to speak so highly of his daughter. He hated to admit it, but it clearly was love that drove Emma away. “Would you give it up for her? The life of a Pirate?”

Without a second thought, Killian simply says, “Yes. I’d do anything for her. I'd go to the end of the world for her.”

“I have a proposal. Now if you accept, I will let you formally court Emma, no promise of an engagement or marriage, but simply a chance at officially courting the Princess of Misthaven. It so happens my current Navy is slacking, they aren’t good enough. I could use a fine captain to whip them into shape. I can’t let a Pirate court my daughter, but a naval captain on the other hand.”

The chance to officially court Emma. To hold her hand in public and spend the day with her surrounded by people and not live in constant fear. But he would have to leave the life he had lived for the past 300 years and go back to working for a King which he swore he would never do. “That is a very kind offer, and I would love nothing more than to accept. However, a former King is the reason I became a Pirate, why I left the Navy all those years ago.”

“You have been in the Navy previously?” The King asks.

“Aye. My brother and I were fortunate enough to be given the chance to study and learn in a former Kings Navy 300 years ago. We worked hard, and one day my brother Liam became Captain and he appointed me his trusted Lieutenant. At the time our kingdom was not in a good shape, we were at war. Our King sent us on a journey to a horrid land to retrieve a plant called Dreamshade, he told us it would heal our injured soldiers. Well an evil demon lived on this Island, and when we told him of our plans to retrieve said plant he told us it was a poison. My brother was stubborn, you see, he believed the best in our King, so to prove my suspicions he drove the spikes of the plant into his skin until he bled. And all I’ll say is Liam didn't make it back to our kingdom alive.”

Killian had told that story to a few select people, Emma included. It was his darkest memory. If Liam had just believed him things would be very different.

“I’m sorry about your brother, that’s horrible. I have heard Kings become tyrants in the past, but I can promise you I will never be like that. I’m not of royal birth even, I was a shepherd until I married Emma’s mother. So I feel like an outsider many times, my wife knows everything about the kingdom and how we should run it and what people deserve our attention, so I find myself sitting back and letting her do the work. And when I tell you she has the kindest soul.”

Killian wouldn’t be leaving the high seas, not really. He would be close to the sea, and be sent on missions. But he would be paid in gold he did not have to steal. And he would marry Emma one day the right way. And King David, he did have a kind heart, but he was also a concerned father, and that’s why he knew he would never

be like the King who killed Liam. A Pirate's life came at a time of darkness, and was filled with getting revenge. But that all stopped when he fell in love with Emma. So maybe it was time for a new change. “King David, I accept your offer to be in your Royal Navy as your trusted Captain. I just would like one request.”

David just nods, “tell me.”

“My home is my ship, the Jolly Roger. She has been with me through everything, light and dark. But she wasn’t always a Pirate ship, she was once the Jewel of the Realm, fastest ship in the kingdom. If I’m to accept, I would wish to keep my ship. I will tell my men to bugger off and find another Captain to follow. I am already giving up my life as a Pirate, let me keep my ship. I know how she runs and her weak spots, she can be a Naval Ship once more.”

The King smiles, “we have a deal.”

_____

“Emma. It’s me.” David knocks softly on his daughter's door. He was too harsh on her, she has always been his baby girl and seeing her grown up and making her own decisions was hard for him, but he had to accept it. “Can we talk?”

“Go away. I don’t want to see you.” She yells back.

“I have someone here to see you.”

“Love, will you open the door?” As soon as Killians voice is heard, Emma opens her door and jumps into his arms. He wraps his arms around her and breathes in her scent. “I missed you.”

Emma wipes away her tears as she looks up at her Pirate, standing next to her father. “What are you doing here?”

It’s David that steps forward. “Emma. Firstly I just want to apologise for how I acted. It was wrong of me to dismiss you straight away, I should have given you a chance to tell your story instead of locking you away.” He truly was sorry for how he acted, he was stubborn and impulsive and when she had been missing he panicked and assumed the worst when he learnt she had run away with a Pirate. “Secondly, I would like to introduce my new Naval Captain, Captain Jones. He has my permission to officially court you, if that is what you desire.”

Emma’s mouth widens in shock, Killian-Naval Captain? She can barely process what was going on and the words couldn’t form in her mouth, all she can manage to say is “what?”

And so the two men explain their conversation and Emma isn’t able to stop the tears coming from her eyes. As long as she had Killian by her side, nothing else mattered.

“You will be able to court him. If things go well we will discuss your engagement.’ Her father explains and Emma couldn't believe this was happening. “I understand you wish to abdicate, but all I ask is give it time, your mother will lay off the suitors and I will see about what we can do about your duties and so you don’t feel like a prisoner in this place. If you still wish to abdicate, then I understand, we just don’t want to lose you Emma.”

Emma hugs her father, and whispers “thank you daddy.” This was all she had been asking for, to marry someone of her choosing and for her family to listen to her. Whatever would come next, at least she had Killian by her side.

#captain swan #my writing #captain swan fanfic #Captain swan ff #cs ff #cs fic rec #cs fanfic #kp fic; timeless

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captainswanfluffyfebruary · 1 year ago

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There's No Harm in Repeating

Killian Jones has lived in apartment 204 for a year and has never exchanged more than ‘hellos’ with Emma Swan in apartment 205. That is until a run-in with her son, Henry, results in the boy doing some unintentional matchmaking. For how else do you find out what a woman thinks of you, if not through her four-year-old son? A Captain Swan as neighbors au featuring Captain Cobra moments.

Read on A03 and send some fluffy love to @beckettj

#captain swan #cs ff #captain swan fanfic #captain swan fic rec #captain swan fluff #captain swan fluffy february #csff

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stubblesandwich · 2 years ago

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Shipmates, anyone have any favorite fake dating AU fics for Captain Swan? 👀 I'm listening to an audiobook and the characters are giving me some vibes that led to an itch that must be scratched. Y'all know how it is.

#Captain swan #cs fic rec #cs ff #help a sista out

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snowbellewells · 4 days ago

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CS Fic Rec Monday: "Privacy and Pancakes" by: @laschatzi

This week's first rec from me is a fun one shot by @laschatzi. This glimpse into CS happy domestic life (even if interrupted by overly enthusiastic family members) is just a joy to read. You get to see the two of them between battles, the bond the Charming-Swan-Jones family as a larger unit has established, humor, a bit of spice, and lots of sweetness. This feels like it could fit in anywhere in the late season six canon, almost like a missing moment, or into an alternate season seven where the action had remained in Storybrooke and we'd gotten to see a little more of what that married CS happy beginning had looked like. At any rate, it's a great one to bring a smile to your face, and definitely worth reading if you've missed it before now - or revisiting it if it's been a while.

I tried to create some cover art for it, so hopefully you'll enjoy that @laschatzi:

"Privacy and Pancakes" by: @laschatzi

#cs fic rec monday #csfrm #privacy and pancakes #ouat one shot #cs one shot #missing moment ff #domestic cs #ouat humor and fluff #such a talented shipmate #@laschatzi #cs fic rec

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killiansprincss · 2 years ago

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A Court of Vines and Shadow - for @cssns ‘23

SUMMARY: When Dark One Killian Jones makes Faerie Princess Emma of Misthaven spend 3 moon cycles a year with him to break a curse, Emma never expected to fall in love with him. Now she was walking down the aisle, meant to marry a man she doesn't love because she can never be with the one her heart wants. Or can she?

An ACOTAR Inspired fic written for Captain Swan Supernatural Summer 23. Also on A03

Also it’s July 9th and Speak Now Taylor’s Version just came out I feel like Speak Now is the perfect song to accompany this fic!!

Huge thanks to @cssns for this amazing event which allowed me to bring this to life! And special shoutouts to @hollyethecurious for the amazing art and also to my awesome beta @blonde-of-sherwood 💙💜

White dress. The Spring fallen gardens filled with flowers upon flowers, petals scattered all the way down the aisle and vines spiralling the chairs and arch. Flowers Emma had grown herself with her magic, snowbells and lilies, her mothers favourite flowers, the ones she first learnt how to grow using her magic when it first manifested all those years ago.

Her mother was who she was doing this for. Marrying someone she doesn’t love. Her mother worked so hard to arrange the various meetings with suitors, all noble Fae men, only the best for the Princess of Misthaven. Her mother never got to have a big wedding, she met Emma’s father and fell in love almost as quickly as she fell pregnant. As newly appointed King of Misthaven, they had to elope quickly so the Kingdom would be more accepting of their new Queen, who also happened to be a demi-fae. Her mother, who Emma dearly loved, so much so that she was marrying someone she had had just 3 conversations with all to appease the Kingdom and not go to Civil War because of the man she does love.

Killian. That’s who her mind wandered to. The Prince of Darkness as the rest of the Kingdom saw him. It had taken a while to see past his shadows and darkness, which she now understands was built from the loss of his family and the only people he had ever loved. But she loved him fiercely, anytime they were apart it broke her. Having to say goodbye for the final time was the closest Emma had felt to heartbreak.

So here she was, standing in her white dress, flowers in her hair and bouquet in her hands, where she would meet her father, take his arm and walk down the aisle to marry Lord Walsh. Pushing thoughts of Killian to the back of her mind as she walked towards the aisle to all the smiling faces of her Kingdom. She had to do this, she loved Killlian but they both knew they would never be together in the way they wanted. She just wished she had allowed herself to see past his darkness sooner and they could have had more time together.

“Emma.” An all too familiar voice calls her name from behind the aisle. He uses his power to bind the shadows to him, making him appear in a sort of smoke of darkness as he steps towards his lover. One of his other talents includes stopping time, just for a few minutes, but those few minutes were all he needed.

“Killian. What are you doing here?” As much as she loved him, it pained her to see him here. They had said their goodbyes a few nights prior. Seeing him here, in a white dress about to marry someone else, it wasn’t right.

“I have tried, Emma, truly I have tried to stay away. If it made you happy I would stand by and let you marry someone else, but I can feel your pain all the way in Neverland. It’s causing me pain too, and I think I understand now, it’s why I was so drawn to you the very first time we met, why, even when you hated me you could never really stay away.”

“Killan, you’re not making any sense, what are you saying?” It was painful seeing him, she was hurting, thinking of their time together and how fate was so cruel to not allow them more time.

“You’re my mate.”

His mate. Mates in this world were rare, her parents were never granted that luxury. She hadn’t known of anyone in the last 200 years who found their Mate. So why her? Why now?

Mates were equal in power and status, perfectly matched by the universe. A one true love, a soulmate. She never denied she loved Killian, but being his Mate was a whole other experience. It made sense in a way, they were drawn together at the ball when they first met. He could sense she was powerful, he recognised her untapped powers, something even her parents were unable to do. And she was never scared of him either, she had heard the rumours of course, and knew what he was capable of, but that didn't scare her.

_______________

Emma had been to hundreds of balls in her lifetime, even when she was a little girl, she would sneak into the ones at her palace, and watch everyone dance. They all shared a unique beauty about them, from the way the light reflected on the dresses worn or the chandeliers making rainbows across the walls, they were a thing of otherworldly beauty. But this ball in particular was nothing like those she was used to. It was hosted just outside Misthavens borders, an old castle known to be taken up residence by a Fae many years ago known as “The Dark One”. Rumours began to spiral that the Dark One was back. It had been years since he had been seen and random killings had stopped, but who knew. The invitations went to all the noble folk in Misthaven and surrounding kingdoms and the signature was empty, leaving more curious minds. There were many debates surrounding whether they should go or not, but the Royal Family of Misthaven had to attend to keep peace.

As she grew older the balls became a chance for her parents to find her a suitor to marry, she was now 21 and it was considered uncouth for the Crown Princess to be unmarried, even by Fae standards. So in an effort to avoid dancing with a Duke, she would practise her magic. Every Fae was gifted a power linked to the four elements, and Emma had inherited Earth from her mother. At times she thought it was a boring element to have, her younger brother Leo had water, which was useful for everyday life as well as pulling pranks (to which she was victim of lately). But as she got older she learnt to appreciate it, she enjoyed seeing what she could make grow, especially in situations like right now.

There would always be potted plants, pretty flowers surrounding the tables, she breathed into her powers and with a single touch could double the petals or even change their colours. Sometimes she would paint the pink flowers blue, or the white ones black just to test what she could do. Of course, her mother didn’t approve of using it for this. She was also gifted with the power of earth, but she preferred to make things grow or inject life back into a sunken plant, rather than mess with existing life.

“Not enjoying the festivities I see?” A voice from behind Emma startles her, she didn’t recognise him, dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Dressed in an all black leather suit, not the typical style the men wore. His pointed ears stick out from his dark hair, Emma had always felt self conscious of her ears, so made an effort to hide them, but this man, whoever he was, was the most beautiful man she’d ever laid eyes on.

“I come for the faerie wine and food only I’m afraid.” She tells him with a playful smile.

“Well if you’re here for the wine why aren’t you dancing? Most people get drunk off a few sips then don’t leave the dance floor all night.”

She leans in close, “I’m not like most women.” What was the harm in flirting, he was gorgeous and her parents would never approve which made him all the more exciting.

He holds out his hand to her, “Dance with me, I insist.”

Dancing with a handsome stranger was not how Emma expected the night to go, but he was a great partner, unlike some of the suitors her mother had forced upon her in the past. He led her around the room with grace and it was as though they flew through the dancefloor together, no stepping on toes and he even spun her around a couple times, feeling the wine go to her head a little more. “You’re really good at this.”

“There’s just one rule, pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.” He whispers into her ear as he dips her. “You’re very powerful, you know Emma.” He tells her as she comes up.

“How do you know my name?” Sure she was the Princess, and most people recognise her at these things, but it was strange the way he said it so casually.

“I know a lot of things Emma.” He whispers, his breath close to her neck, making Emma feel a sense of arousal. A moment later the mystery man turned into shadow and darkness, disappearing from her hold and reappearing out of shadows at the top of the staircase.

“Welcome to my lovely guests. I guess it’s time I introduce myself?”

All eyes were on the mystery man now, they all saw his shadow power. That wasn’t one of the four elements, this was some other worldly magic. Then, for Emma at least, it clicks. The charming lustful energy coming from him, his ability to know things he shouldn’t, and his shadow and darkness powers. He was the Dark One.

That should have made her terrified, but for some reason, it didn’t scare her. Who was he?

“My name is Killian Jones. But I believe your people have a few different names for me, Dark One, Wronged Fae, Prince of Darkness is a personal favourite-though I bore no royal blood or status.”

_____________

And that’s where it began, he said he held this ball because he was supposedly cursed and needed someone with light magic to resolve it. Not just any light magic though, a very specific kind. And of all the Fae in the land, he decided Emma, after one conversation and dance that she was the Fae he was looking for, only she could break the curse.

“All I request are 3 moon cycles with her every year until I decide otherwise, or my curse is broken, whichever comes first.” This was his deal, his bargain. As the Dark One, you would be a fool to refuse or dispute a bargain.

Her parents were outraged, and tried everything in their power to stop them. They were a royal family, if he were anyone else maybe that would have been enough, but as the Dark One, he bore no allegiance to royalty. So for 3 moon cycles, she was to live with him, in his castle, doing who knows what.

____

The first moon cycle was absurd, The Dark One didn’t mention a single thing about his supposed curse. He made her practise her magic every single day. Barely spoke to her. Her main source of contact was with one of the servants, Belle. She would show her to her room, which wasn’t a prison or a dungeon like she was expecting, but it had lush carpets. velvet curtains and the most gorgeous and comfortable king size bed in the centre of the room. She would also take her down to the grand dining room where she was to eat all meals. The food was exquisite, the spices used were unlike anything she’d eaten before, it made Misthavens cooks look like a child in the kitchen.

There was no sign of him for the first couple of days, he left Belle with a page of instructions for Emma to get on with while she was here. The only thing on the list:

Read: The Complete Earth Elemental Magic Volume I

Read about her magic. That was the only thing she would do all day. For the first two moon cycles this is all she does, she sees him in passing, at mealtimes mainly. He is pleasant and they make small talk.

When she arrives home, her parents pounce on her, needing to know everything. What she witnessed, who she spoke to and if he hurt her in any way. They were terrified, and it made Emma realise she wasn’t afraid of him the way others were.

“We have suitors lined up.” Her mother would tell her, desperate to get her married off in the strange fear the Dark One would whisk Emma away to be his bride before she could marry a noble born. She would play along and speak to the princes and lords her parents picked out for her. She tried, really tried to find something good in any of them, but her mind would wander back to the blue eyes and dark haired villain she would be seeing again very soon.

The next moon cycle comes along and her task is to again, read the magic book which she was now on volume III of. Enough was enough, she needed to know her place and what exactly he intended to do with her.

“I have read these volumes cover to cover. If I have to learn about the different ways a flower can be grown I think I will die of boredom. You mentioned a curse that first night. Tell me everything and I can look in those stupid books for something that might actually help.”

He smiles at her as she rambles on about being a useful Fae and powerful if he lets her see. He admired her courage and her passion. “Very well Emma.” The way he says her name makes Emma feel something inside her that she’s not sure is good or bad.

“Contrary to popular belief about the Dark One, I did not choose this power willingly. It was forced upon me by a former Dark One. You see, only one can exist at a moment in time, and the only way to steal the power is to steal the life that holds such power.” He then goes on to explain how many years ago, his brother’s wife had fallen sick from her pregnancy and they were not sure if the baby would survive, the three of them searched for a cure around different lands, different royal families, they had to find something to save her but had no such luck. “One night, we had grown tired and stopped to find shelter for the night, when Elsa, my brother's wife began to bleed, she was losing the baby. Liam cried out and an old man came to our aid, asked if we would do anything to help to which I naively responded yes to. He kills them both using a type of magic I didn’t know existed.’ He can barely get through his story without stopping every few moments, and it's clear he still has a heart. “He then tells me if I take the dagger and stab him in the heart, they will be revived and the baby safe.”

“He forced you to kill him so he would be free of his curse, and in turn it then cursed you?”

“Aye love. That night has haunted me for nearly 200 years, I was desperate and if I could go back and change things I would. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to free myself that doesn’t involve trickery. I also do not wish to burden another innocent life with this curse.” He then takes Emma’s hand and looks into her eyes, “That is where you come in, Emma Darling. I saw a seer and she shared with me a vision. A golden haired demi-fae with an earth element bearing an unyielding amount of light magic has the power to free me without hurting either party.”

“And of all the demi-fae with an earth element, you believe it's me because?”

“That’s why I held the ball. I wanted to see who I was drawn to, and as soon as I met you Emma, it was clear you were the one. You are special” The way he looked at her as she said this, made her feel warm inside. For a split second Emma also thought he was going to kiss her, and that if he did, she would let him.

That was the changing point. The more time they spent together going over her magic the more confident she felt. She learnt more things about her magic that she had known were possible. She could end life as quickly as she could revive it, well, the life of a flower anyway. She could drain the life from a lily and then when it was wilting, press life back into it. Emma guessed the more she practised this, maybe she would drain the darkness from Killian.

“Have you ever experimented with other elements, Emma Darling?” He asks one day, it was the last day of the moon cycle and she was to return home. She hadn’t realised how much she would miss his company.

“I was only gifted with the earth element, my mother shares it too. My brother inherited water from my father.” She explains, “I haven’t heard of any Fae who were gifted more than one element, wouldn’t that disrupt the power balance?”

She would also miss the way he would sit there and smile at her when she rambled, he really wasn't as bad as people said he was. They didn’t know him the way she did. “Emma, you’re special. You hold the element of earth, well all elements are connected to the earth, are they not? Why don’t you try to conjure fire?”

All Fae were granted one element, fire, air, earth or water, it was unheard of for someone to hold a double or even triple elemental magic, every scripture and teacher would tell you too much power would disrupt the power balance of the universe, and everyone would suffer. But then again if she were truly the Fae in his prophecy, she was already disrupting the power of the universe.

“I wouldn’t know where to start, I don’t know anyone with that power and even if I did I-.” He was already moving towards her before she could finish her train of thought.

“All power lives inside you Emma.” He stands behind her and places his hand on her shoulders, moving down to her abdomen, “you can feel it inside you, reach deep inside and find that extra source of power.” Emma had to focus on keeping her breathing normal, he was touching her and she was feeling very strange things at the moment. Still, she does as he instructs, she feels where she knows her earth power lies, she taps into it daily. But then she tries to focus on where that power was, and if she could feel anything else. At first she could only feel her earth, but then she felt something different, she wasn’t sure what it was but it was similar to the way her earth felt.

“That's it, love.” Killian says, hand still resting on her abdomen, “hone in on that. And think of something that makes you angry, feel the fire before you conjure it.”

Pushing the way his husky breath felt on her neck aside, she thought of her mother and how she orchestrated all these suitors that were supposedly so ‘perfect’ for her, how she never listened to what she wanted and how angry she felt when she would come home from her studies to see a Prince or a Duke in her sitting room.

“Open your eyes Emma.”

Fire. A small flame coming from her palm was the sight Emma was greeted with when she opened her eyes. It didn’t burn for very long once she realised what she had done and couldn’t figure out how to control it. But she did that.

“I conjured fire.” She says with a mix of shock and excitement plastering her face.

“I told you you were powerful Emma.”

He was still standing behind her, so she turns to see him grinning at her and his gaze fixed on her, in awe of her. They’re both silent for a moment, clearly having the same internal battle inside their head. Their heads moved closer and closer until their lips finally met and Emma felt her magic on fire. Every sense was heightened with this kiss, a merge of power and lust building up from their shared time together. Killian deepens the kiss as his hand settles on her cheek while Emma’s hands find his hair. She’s being pushed up against the wall after a while, and Emma leans her head back and moans as Killian pressees kisses onto her neck and then back to her lips.

Their time together was never the same after that. Being apart from one another became harder. Every time Emma would practise her newfound powers, her thoughts would wander back to Killian and how he made her feel.

When they were together, they were rarely apart. She possessed all four elements, and took the time to learn and explore what she could do with them. Of course she had to keep this quiet when she was away from Neverland and from Killian. Her family and her court would be wary of her newfound powers, likely brand her as dark as her ‘captor’ as they referred to Killian.

“I wish you would stop calling him that, he has a name.” She finally snaps back at her mother upon her return after listening to her rattling her newest ideas on how to get out of the contract.

“He forces you to be away from your family for a whole moon cycle. He is darkening your mind with his power if you do not see what is wrong with that my sweet child.”

That taught her to keep her mouth shut. They didn’t understand. Yes, as part of a bargain she was to spend time with him, but she looked forward to those moon cycles, he understood her, listened to her, she felt he was the only person she could be herself around. Worst of it was, she was falling in love with him. No, she was in love with him. And she had an inkling that he felt the same.

The next time she comes home, yet again there is a suitor sitting in her living room. She didn’t know who this one was and frankly, she didn’t care.

“Emma. I’m glad to see you’re home in one piece.” Her mother says, and Emma rolls her eyes, pretending she wasn’t practically seething that comment. She would never understand Killian or how she felt safe with him.

“Hello mother. Who is our guest?” She asks with a fake smile, knowing full well this was another suitor she was not interested in.

The suitor offers out his hand and bows, “Lord Walsh of Oz. it is a pleasure to finally meet you, your highness.”

He was an older man, older than she was, which was not uncommon for suitors as they had to be to have a title. He was average height, nothing particularly interesting about him was jumping out at her. Her mother clearly chose this one from the same place as all the others, he was polite and overly grateful to the Queen for inviting him. They would all sip on their tea whilst Emma made polite conversation with them and they would express their interest for children and make an awful comment about being the more powerful Fae and Emma would thank them for their time as she busied herself with something else to get away. She wondered how long this one would take to get rid of.

“Lord Walsh is to be your husband. We have been setting arrangements whilst you were being held hostage.” She rolls her eyes at the hostage comment and was about to argue, until it hits what she just said.

“I’m sorry, we’re to be married when?” This was a new low, even for her mother. “Mother, may I speak with you in private?”

“Excuse us.” Snow tells Walsh as she guides her daughter into the drawing room.

“I can’t believe this. I’m away for one moon cycle and you have me married off already? I keep telling you, I want to marry for love.” She didn’t know what to feel right now, angry yes, upset yes, and also confused, why now, when the topic of suitors had never felt imminent.

“Emma, every day you spend with the Dark One is a day closer to us never seeing you again.” She tells her as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

“If this is still about him corrupting my mind, you have to know I’m still the same person as I was before the bargain.” As the Crown Princess, Emma didn’t have many choices in terms of clothing, free speech or political opinion, but she deserved the freedom to choose and to marry whoever she liked.

Her mother touched her cheek, a way she did when Emma was younger. “Emma, the fact you don’t see it worries me. This is for the best. If we send a message you’re getting married, you can convince him to call off the bargain. This is a good thing Emma, things will go back to the way they were.”

She may have spent more moon cycles with the Dark One than planned, but she sure as hell was not dark herself, Killian couldn’t corrupt her when he was only trying to heal. She was different, she admits that, but it was a good different. She was powerful, confident in her abilities and her magic. Something that only came from being with Killian.

But she was the princess. Her parents, the King and Queen. She could fight with them about many things, but this was orchestrated by them. She could try to refuse this marriage, but she would need a valid reason, another prince or duke to replace Lord Walsh. It was a horrifying thought, but she didn’t have a choice. She was going to have to marry him.

What she wanted was to run away with Killian. She wanted to free him of his curse, help him heal. She did not want to be bound to him for a moon cycle at a time, she wished to spend as much time as she wished. But if she did that then her parents would come looking, they would send armies to search for her, it would cost the kingdom more money than they have. Running away would cause a civil war.

All because she fell in love with the wrong Fae.

________________________________________

“I know you feel it too. Please Emma, don’t deny it.” He pleads, keeping the shadows clouding around them for a little while longer.

“I don’t deny it. I’m just in shock.” She admits. Having a mate in this world was rare, but those who were lucky enough to be granted one would be damned for all eternity if they chose to reject their mate. She had grown up with a legend of a male who loved another for years before meeting his mate, they chose to be apart and he died of heartache. She isn’t sure how much of that was true, but there was a reason they were chosen to be mates by the universe. She couldn’t marry Lord Walsh, no matter how hard her mother worked, marrying someone she had no love for knowing her mate, her true love was just out of reach would be too painful a life to lead. “Killlian, if we’re doing this, it has to be right, we have to follow the rules. If I run away now, it will only start a war.”

Killian nods in understanding, “We do this the right way. I claim you in front of everyone, and if you claim me back there is nothing they can do to stop.” He gives her a quick kiss before disbanding the shadows around them and hides from onlookers until it's time.

The crowd are unaware anything happened as she begins her descent down the flowery aisle. She spies her family in the crowd, her mother looking so happy, her brother next to her smiling brightly and her father trying not to cry as she takes his arm. He was meant to be giving her away to Walsh, but he was indirectly handing his daughter over to the Dark One. This was going to break their hearts, but she hoped they would see that Killian made her happy, the life she was choosing for herself was far better than the one her family were choosing for her.

Walsh stands at the end of the aisle by the arch, his family were noble and would prosper from this union, more land and a grander estate. All of that was meaningless though, he didn’t love Emma either, it was his family pushing this marriage as much as it was her own. She was leaving a lot behind, her brother would become Crown Prince, and her mother would likely push a marriage for him too, likely to Princess Alexandra of the Western Kingdom to save the Kingdom from too much heartbreak of a runaway Princess. But it was worth it, the time spent with Killian made her feel alive for the first time in her life, she discovered things about her she didn’t know she could do.

“We are gathered today to witness the marital union between these two people. Lord Walsh of Oz, and Princess Emma of Misthaven.”

Emma spies Killians shadows from just beyond the arch, waiting for the right time.

“If there is any reason why these two should not be married, Speak Now or forever hold your peace.”

Silence from the crowd. Until shadows grow and at the other end of the aisle, Killian transfigures. “I object.”

The crowd begins to stir, chatter arises, some people even scream. “Under what grounds?”

“I have come to claim Emma. As my Mate.”

Shock horror from the crowd once again, she hears her parents cries and pleads not to go through with this, but she had no choice, this was for her own happiness, she was putting herself first for once.

“Do you claim me as I claim you?” He asks, knowing her answer.

“I claim you, Killian Jones, as my mate.”

Neither were sure exactly what would happen when they said those words, legend said mates had to claim one another in words, whether that be in public or in private. Considering mates were rare and neither had met or heard of anyone that had a mate, they were unaware if anything were meant to happen after they had claimed one another, whether it be lighting from the sky or if they would feel it in their hearts.

Neither were prepared for their right arms to suddenly have ink appear and spiral into a tattoo, matching with one another. Confirming their mateship and that they were now bound to one another, there was nothing anyone could do about it.

With a last look of pity and sorrow at her family, she runs into her new mates arms, and they disappear in a cloud of shadow.

Emma was going home.

#captain swan #captain swan fanfic #cs ff #cs fic rec #my writing #cssns23 #captain swan supernatural summer

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captainswanfluffyfebruary · 1 year ago

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Under the Weather

This is just a little post-Neverland one-shot, taking place sometime after they've returned to Storybrooke with Henry. Pan's gone, and there is no second curse. It was probably inspired by cold January weather and my wondering how Hook managed to keep warm and not get sick on a freezing cold old ship. And it was cold January weather this morning that brought it back to mind to re-post this morning. Anyway, pretty sweet and fluffy, I'll admit it, but I still hope you enjoy.

Read on A03 and send some fluffy love to @snowbellswells

#captain swan fanfic #captain swan fic rec #captain swan fluff #captain swan fluffy february #csff #captain swan #cs ff

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snowbellewells · 3 months ago

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CS Fic Rec Monday: "Past the Veil of Shadows" by: @4getfulimaginator2022

This crossover WP fic is still ongoing, but the author updates very regularly, and I get more and more engrossed in the story with every new chapter she posts. I don't even know that much about Game of Thrones (which is the fandom OuaT is crossed over with here) but @4getfulimaginator2022 has written the two characters from it so beautifully that I am empathizing with them almost as much as her Emma and Killian.

This action picks up from the season 3 finale in the OuaT timeline, which was prime CS goodness, and if you wanted to see them get more time in the show than they did onscreen, then this fic will give you that. You also get to see Killian in his pirate element here, which is thrilling as well. I love the high stakes and the adventure as well, and my heart goes out to Emma as she is yearning to get back to Henry and her other loved ones once more.

I'm definitely excited to see where else this story might take me, and who else I might meet along the way! If you love a good adventure with drama and feeling to equal the plot, then this one is one you should check out!

"Past the Veil of Shadows" by: @4getfulimaginator2022

#cs fic rec monday #csfrm #ouat x game of thrones crossover fic #cs ff #such a talented shipmate #@4getfulimaginator #fic rec #WIP MC ff

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veryverynotgoodwrites · 2 years ago

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Chapters: 6/? Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Captain Hook | Killian Jones & Emma Swan Characters: Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Original Characters, William Smee, Various Characters Additional Tags: Dark One Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Alternate Universe, Thief Emma Swan, Alternate Universe - The Enchanted Forest (Once Upon a Time), Enemies to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Angst, Heavy Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst and Romance, Eventual Smut, Slow Romance, Action/Adventure, What Have I Done, Prepare Your Souls, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Additional Warnings Apply Summary:

Emma Swan, arguably the most talented thief in Misthaven, receives an offer from the Evil Queen that she can't refuse: steal an amulet from the new Dark One in exchange for amnesty and more money than she could ever dream of. She devises the perfect plan, but this job might cost her more than she ever imagined.

A Dark Hook AU

Hello, hello! I hope you like long chapters lol

This was a fun one - the length and development in this chapter was really challenging, but ultimately necessary to keep up the pacing. One of my goals with this fic is learning to write stories over short timelines, and since this story is meant to take place over 8-10 weeks, I want it to feel like every chapter comes with at least one change or significant event. It’s been very fun yet somehow incredibly stressful trying to ensure that I’m hitting my goal and also remaining consistent in wrangling plot bunnies.

Huge shoutout to @caught-in-the-filter and @xarandomdreamx for the beta on this chapter! You have no idea how much your feedback truly helps. Even every flail in the doc is helpful to ensure I’m keeping everything straight since I don’t write chapters in order.

Another thank you, as always, to everyone in the CSMM discord for always being there and motivating and encouraging me and everyone else. Truly, you’re the best thing to come out of my 11 years on Tumblr.

If you’ve read this story and want more, or if you want to be tagged in any of my stories please let me know! I’m more than happy to add you to my tags list :)

@kmomof4 @caught-in-the-filter @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @the-darkdragonfly @teamhook @justanother-unluckysoul @jrob64 @karlyfr13s @hollyethecurious @tiganasummertree @winterbaby89 @snowbellewells @xarandomdreamx @klynn-stormz @omninerdgirl

#darkest winter #veryverynotgoodwrites #cs ff #captain swan #my fic #fic rec #dark hook #emma swan #captain swan au #cs au #killian jones #dark one

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snowbellewells · 1 month ago

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@kmomof4 In choosing this fic to revisit, I realize that somehow I never fully commented on this first part when I read it originally. Shame on me! 🫣🫢 Anyway, I was also reminded again how well you set the scene and cast the eerie just “wrongness” of Neal and his crew, of Emma’s- and eventually Killian’s - constant exhaustion and sensitivity to light, the way people seem to keep coming up missing even in such a small town… You know something horrible is lurking, even before it is all made terrifyingly clear. I have never seen the movie, so the suspense was building completely fresh and new before my eyes, and I really felt Killian’s horror when he truly witnessed the “boys’” transformation and the massacre that followed.

I also LOVE the family dynamic you created with he, Liam, and Belle as siblings looking to create a fresh new start in Storybrooke. I loved Liam’s care and concern for his siblings; the weight of responsibility he has taken on his shoulders rings very true to canon, and yet it’s new and fresh in the modern setting where you have placed him. And Belle’s gentle worry and care for Killian when she sees something is wrong is so sweet and lovely as well. CaptainBook is one of my favorite friendships in show canon, so getting to see that as a tight sibling bond here was priceless.

And then Killian’s bravery and willingness to sacrifice for both Emma and Henry. Even after all his has already been through and lost in his young life, he is willing to put himself in danger to help Emma and Henry escape. He doesn’t even know exactly what he is facing, but his isn’t about to leave them to their fate. Not if he can help it. It just makes your heart go out to him all the more.❤️❤️❤️

I just have to add really quickly that you do such an excellent job with Gold’s quiet menace as well. That first meeting between he and Belle in the dimly-lit empty school. He doesn’t make any sort of outright threat- in fact, he appears very welcoming - but the power he emits is palpable, and you just know she is in danger. So well done!!

Into the Light: A New Fic for @cssns

It's FINALLY my date for posting this year's CSSNS fic!!!!! I'm so excited to share it with all of you!!!

This fic is inspired by the 1987 movie, The Lost Boys, starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Dianne Wiest, and Edward Herrmann.

I may have written it, but there are several lovely ladies who were instrumental in getting this fic to you, the reader. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to @jrob64 and @snowbellewells for beta duties and helping me decide on a title, @hollyethecurious for helping me brainstorm, @zaharadessert, @stahlop, and @grimmswan for their contributions in the early planning and writing phases.

And finally, ALLLLLL the love and long distance internet hugs to @motherkatereloyshipper for the AWESOME and INCREDIBLE artwork she made to accompany the fic!!! I could stare it for HOURS!!!

Summary: The move to Storybrooke, Maine might have been intended as the beginning of a new life for Killian Jones and his older siblings Liam and Belle, but there's a darkness over the town that threatens the small family's happiness, as well as the girl and small boy Killian has taken a liking to from his school. Killian is determined to help Emma and Henry get out of the situation they are in, but those dark forces in and around the town have another plan altogether.

Rating: T for non graphic violence and subject matter. There is a suggestive scene in ch2, but I don't think it crosses a line. If you have any questions, feel free to DM me.

Words: 9,800 of approx. 16,500.

Tags: Vampires, Inspired by The Lost Boys, CSSNS23

On ao3

Ch2 on Tumblr

Tagging the usuals. Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed.

@teamhook @winterbaby89 @xarandomdreamx @undercaffinatednightmare @the-darkdragonfly @superchocovian @pirateprincessofpizza @tiganasummertree @anmylica @cosette141 @jonesfandomfanatic @ultraluckycatnd @jennjenn615 @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @kymbersmith-90 @booksteaandtoomuchtv @wistfulcynic @mie779 @lfh1226-linda @aprilqueen84 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @pirateherokillian @elfiola @ilovemesomekillianjones @justanother-unluckysoul @poptart-cat-78 @myfearless-love @goforlaunchcee @searchingwardrobes @gingerpolyglot @gingerchangeling @djlbg @cocohook38 @cs-rylie @thisonesatellite @donteattheappleshook @deckerstarblanche @veryverynotgoodwrites @wefoundloveunderthelight @fleurdepetite @alexa-fangirl-forever

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

Ch. 1 A Shadow on the Future

Liam Jones opened the front door of the house he and his family would soon be calling home. He turned around to see his younger siblings, Belle and Killian, hefting the suitcases they’d carted along on their cross country journey, the moving truck right behind them. Turning back toward the house, he entered and looked around approvingly. It was the first time he’d actually seen the house in person, and while it might not have been the smartest thing he could’ve done- buying a house, sight unseen- it looked like it was going to be more than adequate for the needs of his family.

Liam pointed off to the left as Belle and Killian came in.

“Bedrooms are back that way,” he said. “Belle, you can have the master so you can have your own bathroom. Killian and I can share.”

“What?!” Killian exclaimed. “I’m not sharing a bedroom with you!”

Liam shot him an unamused look. “Bathroom, brother. We’ll share a bathroom.”

“Oh,” he said, looking a little sheepish.

“Are you sure, Liam?” Belle asked. “You’re the one who bought the house. You should have the biggest bedroom.”

Liam chuckled. “I’m sure. Trying to get you to hurry in the morning when we’re all trying to get out the door is a futile endeavor, so this way Killian and I won’t have to.”

Belle rolled her eyes, but the corner of her lip twitched upward slightly as she turned to head down the hallway. Killian followed her until he disappeared from Liam’s sight into the first bedroom he came to. Liam hoped his youngest sibling liked the house he’d bought and would be able to put the past year behind him and find happiness in their new home.

It was hard enough for Liam to survive the last seven months, as they waited for Belle to graduate with her teaching degree and find a job so they could all move away from the cursed town that had taken so much away from them. First, both of their parents died, leaving Liam, barely a man himself, with custody of his two younger siblings. Belle had been just about to graduate high school, and Killian was just entering his teens. Belle started college and excelled, while Killian navigated the difficult teen years with two siblings too caught up in their own grief and then individual lives to see him struggling to keep his head above water.

Killian had always been smaller than most of his peers and so was the target of bullies throughout his high school years. That led to his involvement in underage drinking and drugs before Liam realized what was going on with his little brother and got him the help he needed to get clean and sober the summer before his junior year in high school.

It wasn’t until Killian discovered his new girlfriend cheating last fall and then Liam’s longtime girlfriend passed away suddenly in January, that the family decided to move away from California as soon as Belle graduated and found a job. Liam had experience working on fishing boats and the docks and wanted to stay in that field, so when Belle started sending out her resumé, she focused on coastal towns. It took a couple of months after she graduated, but she finally settled on a small private school in Storybrooke, Maine.

The compensation and benefits were outstanding for someone just out of college, and Killian could enroll for his senior year of high school at only half the regular tuition rate. Liam was able to secure work on the docks in the small town. Given their location in southern California, everything from applying for jobs, to interviews, to buying the house, had been done remotely through the magic of technology. This was the first time any of them had stepped foot in the quaint hamlet they would now call home, but Liam was hopeful this was the beginning of a new life for them all.

Liam moved toward the remaining bedroom to drop off his own suitcase before coming back out to direct the movers where to put everything. Belle’s first day of work was almost a week and a half away with the first day of school the Monday after that, and Liam wanted to have everything unpacked and settled by then. Even if she wasn’t the oldest, Belle was still the lady of the house, and he knew she’d have a lot to say about where everything was placed once it was unpacked.

By the end of the day, everyone was pleasantly sore and exhausted as they sat down around the kitchen table to devour the pizzas Liam had ordered.

“We got a lot done today, guys,” Liam said, around a mouthful of supreme pizza. Belle shot him a disapproving look.

“You’re worse than Killian, Liam,” she said. “Don’t speak with your mouth full.”

Liam and Killian shot each other an amused smirk. It was always fun to tease their sister.

“I don’t think we’ll have any trouble getting everything unpacked before you and I have to be at work next Monday,” he continued after swallowing.

“I don’t think so either,” Belle agreed. “My first full day is a week from Monday, but since I’ve never met the headmaster in person, I thought I’d go by and meet him sometime next week. Just to introduce myself and look around a bit.”

“That sounds like a good idea. What about you, Killian?” he asked. “What are you going to do with yourself once you’re all unpacked?”

Killian shrugged. “I should have everything unpacked and set up tomorrow, then I can help Belle in the kitchen. But I was kinda thinking about looking for a job. I still have a couple of weeks before school starts, and once it does, I can work two or three nights during the week and on the weekends.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Killian?” Liam asked. “I don’t want you to be overwhelmed between school and work.”

Killian shrugged again. “If it gets to be too much, I’ll cut back on hours or quit.”

“If you’re sure,” Liam murmured. Belle nodded in agreement, placing her hand on Killian’s forearm and squeezing it gently in support.

“This is the start of a new life for us,” Belle said, a bright smile on her face. “And I have no doubt we’ll be very happy here.”

“I hope so,” Killian murmured. He tried to muster up a smile to match his sister’s, but doubted he succeeded. It wasn’t that he was against this move, far from it, but he had to admit to being slightly intimidated coming into a small school in a small town where everyone had probably known each other all their lives. Keeping to himself and staying busy with a job and schoolwork meant he wouldn’t have much time for a social life, and right now, that was just fine with him. He could find his footing in the school, get the lay of the land, then try to make some friends. He’d never had many, too small and too nerdy to really fit in with all the cliques back home. But maybe he could find some here. He’d filled out a lot the past year, and if the attention he’d gotten from the female portion of the population after he’d broken up with Tink last fall was any indication, he wasn’t bad looking, either.

Once the pizzas were gone, everyone retired to their respective beds. They were all too tired to even think about getting the TV set up, much less anything else. They’d gotten all the beds assembled with sheets and blankets on them, ready for their occupants, the internet up and running, and all the computers set up and online. They also had all the furniture in place in all the rooms. All they needed to do was unpack the rest of the boxes and settle everything in their places.

It was going to be a very long and busy week.

~*~*~

The Wednesday after the family arrived in town, Belle visited St. James Academy, the small private school where she would be teaching a class of seventeen first graders in a week-and-a-half. The lights were off in the wide hallways, creating a shadowed and somnolent atmosphere in the seemingly deserted building. Before seeking out the main offices and Mr. Robert Gold, the headmaster, she decided to walk along the halls and familiarize herself with the layout of the school. She found the lunchroom, gymnasium, and bathrooms before turning the corner and finding the elementary school classrooms.

Storybrooke was a small town, and the school reflected that with only one classroom per grade until the high school years. High school sports were big in the tiny hamlet and once kids hit junior high, the lack of a sports program at St. James Academy meant the steady withdrawal of students until there just weren’t enough to justify individual classes for the different grades. The 9th through 12th graders at the school attended all the same classes together, and there were a total of thirteen students. Killian was one of only three who would actually be graduating in the spring.

Belle found her classroom without any problem as each room had a placard outside with the grade level. She opened the door and was pleased to find that it was a spacious, well-lit room. The back wall contained three very large windows that let in an abundance of natural light. She walked in, absolutely charmed. There was a reading corner with small bookshelves filled with books for not only her young students to read themselves, but also classic chapter books for her to read aloud to them. She saw The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, and the Little House series, among others. She could already picture a bright yellow rug with large throw pillows and bean bags for her students to lie on as they got lost in the fantastical worlds Belle knew were contained within the books she saw.

The sound of a clearing throat drew her attention back to the door of her classroom. She turned and saw an older, slight man, his two hands on top of a cane held in front of him standing in the shadows of the hallway. His hair was straight, light and on the thin side, coming to his shoulders. He was impeccably dressed in a gray three piece suit that made his dark eyes even more striking.

“May I help you, Miss?” he asked. His voice had a slight musical quality that Belle felt herself drawn to. She moved back toward the door and him.

“Mr. Gold?” she asked, extending her hand toward him as she approached. It was an educated guess on her part, having never laid eyes on her new boss. The application and interview process had been completely blind with the final interview only an audio call instead of a video conference.

He appeared startled, then the corner of his lips lifted in a small smile as he reached his own hand toward her.

“Yes, my dear,” he replied. “I’m the headmaster here at St. James Academy.”

“I’m Belle Jones, your new first grade teacher.”

He propped his cane in the door frame and took her hand in both of his, his smile widening to show his dazzling white teeth. As soon as his hands closed over hers, Belle felt almost an electrical current shoot up her arm. Her eyes met his, and she let out a small gasp. Something in his gaze captured her attention completely, and she couldn’t look away. His eyes were like bottomless pools that drew her in, inviting her to let go and surrender. Belle could feel herself sinking, her muscles relaxing, a sort of wooziness taking over her mind that she was helpless to resist. Yet, at almost the same time, something deep down inside her rose up from within, almost a compulsion to back up and put some distance between herself and the man in front of her.

She shook her head slightly, breaking his spellbinding gaze and backed up a step into her classroom again. He immediately released her hand, remaining in the shadowed hallway.

“It is wonderful to finally meet you, Miss Jones,” he said. “I see you found your classroom. How do you like it?”

“It’s wonderful,” she said, sincerely. “But please, call me Belle.” She smiled at him, and when she did, his eyes seemed to dance with glee. She averted her gaze slightly, feeling that wooziness start to creep back up again.

“I’m so glad you like it… Belle.” The musical quality was back in his voice, and her heart rate ticked up in response. The way he said her name made her think of a sommelier tasting a new wine before approving it. “And if I’m to call you Belle, then I must insist you call me Robert.”

Belle’s cheeks heated slightly and she averted her eyes again.

“Robert,” she parroted.

“Well,” he said after a slight pause, “I’ll leave you to look around your room for a bit. If you need anything or have any questions, I’ll be in my office just down the hall. If not, I’ll see you on Monday.” He picked up his cane in one hand and held his other hand out to her again. She placed her own hand in his, and he raised it to his lips with a slight bow. The moment he brushed his lips along her knuckles, another shock raced up her arm, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. Belle nodded as he let go of her hand and walked away, his shoes and cane clicking on the tile floor.

Belle turned back to her room, walked over to her desk, and sat down behind it. A happy smile lit up her face as she looked around her classroom. Her first classroom. Yes, she was sure this was the beginning of a new life for the Jones family, and that they would be very happy here.

~*~*~

The bell above the door of Any Given Sundae rang as a small group entered the ice cream shop where Killian had easily found a job the week after his family moved into their new home. School hadn’t yet started, so Killian was thrilled to be working a good number of hours. He was amazed at the traffic the small shop got. Sure, it was August, but everything he’d observed about Storybrooke was completely belied by the amount of people on the boardwalk every night. Where did they all come from?

He looked at the group coming in and noticed a gorgeous blonde behind the three men in front, and a small boy almost hiding behind her. Something about them made Killian sit up and take notice, and it wasn’t the girl’s stunning beauty. The men had a swagger that put Killian’s teeth on edge. He had known people like that back home and they almost always meant trouble. Turning his attention back to the blonde and little boy, he could clearly see the nerves rolling off of her, and while he expected a kid to be excited to be getting ice cream and leading the way into the shop, the little boy with her looked to be trying to disappear. Killian narrowed his eyes as the group approached, quite sure something was wrong here.

The one who seemed to be the leader stepped up to the counter, a sarcastic smirk on his face. He was entirely unremarkable in his appearance- brown hair and brown eyes, a mustache and goatee, a little huskier than his very thin companions, and just a little shorter than Killian himself.

“Haven’t seen you around here before,” he said, looking down into the cooler at all the ice cream flavors offered. “You new in town?”

“What’s it to you?” Killian shot back, his agitation at the perceived situation before him making him unable to greet the customers with the normal friendly welcome. He took a deep breath and tried again. “Apologies. May I help you with some ice cream?” He cut his eyes toward the girl and smiled. She looked to be about his age. Her smile back at him was shy. Killian opened the cooler and scooped out a generous helping of his favorite flavor.

He handed the ice cream cone to her with an attempt at a wink that made her blush and smile wider. She took the cone and looked down at the boy still trying to hide behind her.

“Want some rum raisin, Henry?” When Henry shook his head, she shrugged and took a long lick of it herself. Her smirk was mischievous as she looked back at Killian. “Rum Raisin and Rocky Road are my favorites. How did you know?”

Killian waggled his eyebrows at her. “I knew a woman as beautiful as you would have excellent taste, so I shared my personal favorite.” He turned his attention to Henry. “And what can I get for you, young man?”

The boy’s eyes cut toward the man who’d first spoken to Killian. It was impossible to miss the stormy visage on the man’s face, so Killian ignored him completely and focused on Henry.

“Can I have Cookies and Cream, please?”

“Of course, you may,” Killian said, handing him a cone. The boy’s smile was blinding, and Killian couldn’t help but smile back.

“What can I get for you gentlemen?” Killian asked, finally turning his attention to the other three.

“Butter Pecan for me,” the first man said, his brows still furrowed angrily.

“Chocolate for me,” the second man said. He looked to be the youngest of the three. He had light brown hair, a baby face, and was a little shorter than the leader. He didn’t look much older than Killian.

“Chocolate Chip,” the third man said. He was several inches taller than the other two men and skinny as a rail. He had a long scar down the side of his face that gave him a dangerous look.

Killian handed out the ice cream and collected the money. The girl and Henry were the first ones out the door, the blonde throwing a soft smile over her shoulder as she exited the shop.

The leader either couldn’t or didn’t bother trying to hide the anger on his face as the door shut behind her. He turned back to Killian and leaned over the counter as far as he could as the other two men moved toward the door, smirks firmly on their faces that sent a chill down Killian’s spine.

“I expect I’ll be seeing you around… Killian,” he said, his eyes flicking down to where Killian’s nametag was affixed to his uniform shirt. Killian couldn’t help the shudder that overcame him at the look on the man’s face. It was assessing and chilling at the same time. If eyes were the windows to the soul, Killian wasn’t sure this guy had one. But there wasn’t a thing he could do. Just hope the group wouldn’t come back anytime soon. Or at least, the three men.

With a smirk that matched his male companions, the man turned and walked out into the night.

~*~*~

Killian entered the front door of St. James Academy the following Monday morning and was greeted with a veritable cacophony from all the younger students, high on the excitement inherent in the first day of school. Before heading toward the high school wing, he decided to find Belle’s classroom and say hi. It only took him a minute to find it, and when he peeked his head in, he saw his sister in her element, surrounded by a crowd of munchkins. She looked so happy and excited to be there, Killian couldn’t help his own grin breaking over his face.

“Hi, Belle,” he called. Her smile got even wider when she turned to him.

“Hi, Killian,” she said, coming toward him. As soon as she reached the door, she gathered him in a tight hug. “Ready for today?”

“As I’ll ever be,” he answered. “What about you?”

Belle always had a lovely smile, but her face positively glowed with happiness at his question. “As I’ll ever be,” she echoed. “Why don’t you meet me here after school and we’ll go get some ice cream to celebrate our first day?”

Killian grinned. “Sounds good to me. Maybe Liam can meet us, too.”

Belle’s eyes cut to someone standing behind him, and her smile became just a bit softer as Killian turned around and got ready to head toward his classes. There was a man standing behind him, one hand on a cane, the other held out toward him. His dark eyes glittered and his skin was pale, almost sickly looking.

“Good morning, Belle. This must be your brother, Killian,” he said. Killian took the man’s hand and shook it, a tingle shooting up his arm at the contact. “I personally know all my students, and your face is new here today,” he explained. “Plus your blue eyes and the shape of your chins are remarkably similar.”

Belle laughed lightly. “Yes, Robert. This is my younger brother, Killian. Killian, Robert Gold, the headmaster.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Gold,” Killian said, releasing the man’s hand and trying not to shake some feeling back into it. Mr. Gold’s eyes were a bit disconcerting, and that, combined with the tingle up his arm when they shook hands, left Killian feeling very ill at ease in the man’s presence.

“Excuse me,” a small voice said behind Mr. Gold. The three of them looked down to see a small brown haired boy that Killian recognized as Henry from Any Given Sundae the other night.

“Hi, Henry,” he said before his eyes caught the gaze of the young woman behind him. A huge grin split his face.

She wore sunglasses, but there was no doubt it was the same girl who accompanied Henry and the three men last week when he was working.

Henry looked up at him and smiled, his hand lifting in a shy wave.

“Henry Mills?” Belle asked. Henry nodded. “I’m so happy to meet you,” she said, a huge welcoming smile on her face. “I’m Miss Jones, your teacher. I see you’ve already met my younger brother, Killian.”

Henry nodded vigorously. “Yes, ma’am. Emma and I got ice cream last week, and Killian helped us.”

Killian found it curious that Henry didn’t mention the three men he’d been with.

“Emma?” he asked, holding his hand out for her to shake. “I’m Killian. Killian Jones,” he said with a little bow. “I’m Henry’s teacher’s younger brother.” He felt a bit silly basically repeating everything Belle and Mr. Gold had just said, that he was sure she heard, but he was knocked off-kilter just enough at her presence that he couldn’t think of anything else to say. She smiled and shook his hand, but didn’t take her sunglasses off.

“It’s nice to meet you, Killian,” she said. She looked nervously at Mr. Gold and then at Belle. “I’m Emma Swan, Henry’s sister. We live in the same foster home,” Emma explained. “I’m a senior and will be bringing Henry and picking him up every day. If he has any issues, you can let me know.”

“Oh, I see,” Belle said with a nod. “It’s very nice to meet you, Emma. Come on in, Henry, and find your seat. You’ll see Emma after school.” She gestured toward the boy and laid her arm across his shoulders as he entered her room. “I’ll see you later, Killian.” She gave them all a brief nod and turned back toward her room.

Killian was delighted to discover that Emma was also a senior at the school. That meant they’d have all of the same classes. He turned to her with a wide smile on his face.

“I’m a senior, too,” he said a little shyly. “May I walk you to class?”

Emma smiled at him and nodded. As they walked away from Belle’s classroom, Killian couldn’t help thinking that their future in Storybrooke was going to be a good one.

Mr. Gold watched them walk away down the hall toward the high school classrooms. A hint of a smile curved the corner of his lips as he turned toward his office.

~*~*~

The first week of school flew by and before Killian knew it, it was Friday morning. He couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as he sat down next to Emma in their classroom.

“Did you get the Pre Cal homework done?” he asked.

She let out a huge yawn before speaking. “I did, but there was one I couldn’t get no matter how many times I went back.” She pulled out her notebook and opened it up to the homework due this morning. “This one,” she said, pointing.

Math was Killian’s favorite subject, so he looked at Emma’s paper and immediately saw where she’d gone wrong in her calculations. He pulled out his homework and let her compare.

“Ugh,” she groaned, once she figured it out. “I feel so stupid.”

“Don’t,” Killian encouraged her. “Sometimes we get so caught up in it, it’s impossible to see our mistakes without a second pair of eyes. Now that you know what you did wrong, you’ll do fine on the quiz.”

“I hope so,” she murmured. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Killian put his math homework away and got out his Anatomy and Physiology notebook. He cut his eyes toward Emma, a worried frown on his face. She looked just as tired this morning as she had all week. He obviously didn’t know her very well, but they’d struck up a quick friendship since Monday- sitting next to each other in class, exchanging phone numbers, and helping each other with homework. Judging from some of the time stamps on their texts, he knew she had trouble sleeping at night. And then when she’d invariably fall asleep in their morning classes, the academically challenging classes at that, he couldn’t help but worry about her. So far, it hadn’t seemed to hamper her, but Killian knew she couldn’t sleep through her morning classes and expect to graduate next spring.

Once their morning classes were over, and Emma looked a bit more awake, they headed down to the lunch room.

“So what are your plans this weekend?” Killian asked.

Emma shrugged as they sat down to eat. “Oh, the usual. Hang out at the boardwalk. Study for the history test Tuesday.” She looked him full in the face, something in the depths of her eyes that Killian couldn’t quite define. “There’s a beach party I’m going to tonight. Would you like to come?”

Killian’s brow furrowed. Her “usual” meant she’d be with those three guys who’d come into the store with her last week. He wasn’t sure he wanted to attend anything where those three were around.

Emma placed her hand on his arm. “I’d really like you to come,” she said, cutting her eyes to the side slightly.

Since his stint in rehab, Killian had no trouble reading people. It was a gift he had developed during his time there that enabled him to see more under the surface rather than taking situations and people at face value. That ability had served him very well in the last year. But the mixed signals he was getting from Emma were really throwing him off. Her words and actions told him she really wanted him to come with her, but her eyes and the tension in her body told another story. She seemed almost fearful, and given the vibes those men had thrown off last week, Killian could definitely see why. He couldn’t abide leaving Emma in a situation like that, not without trying to help her.

“Are those three guys you were with last week gonna be there?” he asked.

“It’s Neal’s party, the one who asked if you were new in town, so, yeah, they’ll all be there. And a few others too. There’ll be a bonfire on the beach, food, drinks, and music.” Her green eyes met his, and he was helpless to look away. He could get lost in them forever and he’d die happy.

“Sure,” he agreed. “I’ll be glad to come. What time?”

“Meet me at the ice cream shop as soon as the sun sets.”

“Alright, Emma.”

After that there was very little conversation as they hurriedly finished their lunch.

~*~*~

That evening, Killian stood outside Any Given Sundae waiting for Emma.

“Killian!” He heard his name and turned toward the sound, away from the beach. Henry belted down the boardwalk toward him, Emma walking at a more sedate pace behind the child. Killian was barely able to brace himself before Henry jumped in his arms.

“Henry!” he cried, surprised. “What are you doing here? How was your first week of school?”

“I’m coming too,” Henry said. Killian turned quizzical eyes on Emma as she approached. He wasn’t sure a beach party with teens and adults was a good place for Henry to be. “School was great!” he exclaimed. “Miss Jones is so nice. We have math and art and reading. We sing songs and have lots of fun.”

“I’m so glad you had a good week, Henry,” he told the boy. “Belle, I mean, Miss Jones, is having a great time as your teacher, too. She says you’re so smart, but should maybe be going to bed at night a little earlier so you’re not so tired in the morning,” he said, bopping Henry on the nose, making him giggle. Killian hated to think of such a small boy not having the kind of care he needed to make sure he was getting a good night's sleep every night. As Emma finally approached, Killian caught her eye and was reminded of her own sleeping habits.

Emma sighed as she ran her fingers through Henry’s brown hair. “He’s almost as bad as I am about sleeping,” she bemoaned. “I do make him turn out the lights at 11 though. He’s just a night owl, like me.”

Killian nodded. “Belle said he’s obviously very tired in the morning and has fallen asleep every day after lunch when she reads aloud to the class.”

“Yeah,” Emma agreed. “Then he’ll usually take about another hour or two nap when we get home from school.”

Emma started walking toward the beach, Killian still carrying Henry. He still wasn’t sure it was a good idea for the little boy to come to the party, but from the hints he’d gotten about their home life, he had a feeling that Emma was the only one who really cared for him and he couldn’t really blame her for wanting to bring him along. Maybe there’d be something there for him to enjoy, beach games or something like that. Killian felt good carrying Henry in his arms. As shy as he’d been that first time they met and then Monday too, it made Killian’s heart swell in his chest that he’d seemed to not only win Emma’s trust, but Henry’s as well.

The boardwalk was packed to the gills. As small as the town was, and especially now that school was in session, Killian was amazed at how all the town’s residents seemed to come out of the woodwork and descend on the entertainment venue. There was a movie theater, plenty of places to eat, an arcade, and a small amusement park with carnival rides at the end.

They descended the steps from the boardwalk to the beach and started heading north. After trekking along the beach for about ten minutes, they came to a good sized cottage. It was set back quite a ways from the water, but was just as far from the boardwalk, as well, giving it a sense of privacy from all the activity. It was an easy walk from the house to the boardwalk if the residents wanted to avail themselves of all the distractions offered there.

They entered the house to find it almost empty. There was a young man in the kitchen, raiding the refrigerator. He stood up when the door closed behind the three of them. He had olive skin and jet black hair and a nervousness about him that instantly put Killian on alert.

“Hi, Emma,” he said. “Who’s this?”

“This is Killian, Rufio,” she introduced. “He’s in my class at school and new in town, so I invited him tonight.”

“Nice to meet you, man,” Rufio said, lifting his chin in his direction.

“You, too,” Killian nodded. He put Henry down and watched him scamper away.

“Don’t worry about him,” Emma whispered to him. “He spends most of his time in the gameroom where the PS5 is.”

“Gotcha.” Emma led him into the kitchen where there was an assortment of food on the counter. They both filled their plates and then went out the back of the house to where the bonfire on the beach had just been lit. There were about twenty folks out there, dancing to the music or just sitting on the large logs that served as chairs for the gathering.

“There you are, Ems.” The man who’d done all the talking when the group came into the ice cream shop last week before school started approached them. “Who’s this?” He turned his dark eyes on Killian, and he felt a shiver of unease work its way down his spine. It was very similar to the feeling the group left him with the other night, and there wasn’t a doubt in Killian’s mind that this guy knew very well who he was. He glanced at Emma, who looked at the man with a puzzled expression on her face.

“Killian Jones,” he introduced himself, swallowing his nerves and holding his hand out in front of him. “I’m in Emma’s class at school.”

“Ah, yes, Any Given Sundae, right?” he asked, shaking his hand. Killian nodded. “Glad you could come tonight,” he said, the look in his eyes belying his words. There was a challenge in them, a distaste and arrogance that made Killian’s temper bristle. The man put his arm around Emma’s shoulders, and he could almost see her fold in on herself- her head bowed slightly, shoulders hunched, eyes darting around restlessly, not landing on anything for more than a moment.

The man motioned to a couple of others near the fire that Killian couldn’t see well in the dark. A moment later, the other two from the ice cream shop joined them.

“I’m Neal, this is Peter, and this is Felix,” Neal finally introduced himself and his companions. When he turned back to Killian, any animosity there’d been earlier was completely gone. It was almost like he was putting on a show for someone. Peter and Felix’s smiles were similar. “We live here in the house, and you’re welcome to come hang out or visit anytime.”

Killian’s eyes darted to Emma, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze, just ratcheting up the tension inside him that much more. If Neal and the other men were going to put on a show, two could play at that game, Killian decided, plastering a smile on his own face.

“Thanks, man. I might take you up on that.” There was no way in hell he was going to leave Emma, or Henry either, behind with these men. She obviously felt trapped by Neal for some reason, and as long as she remained a part of this group, then Killian would too, doing what he could to protect her and help her escape.

As the night wore on, Killian really did have a good time. He was introduced to too many people to keep track of, most of them older, but Rufio, whom he’d met earlier, and a couple of others were a little younger than himself and Emma. The food was good and he did get to spend a little one-on-one time with Emma when Neal, Peter and Felix disappeared for a while.

As the party and the bonfire were winding down, the only people left were himself, Emma, the hosts, and Henry, who’d come outside a little while earlier. He sat on the sand, his head laying in Emma’s lap as she stroked his hair soothingly.

“I need to be getting Henry home,” Emma said quietly. “He needs his sleep.”

Neal laughed derisively. “He’s fine, Ems. Let’s have one more drink,” he proposed, holding up an oddly shaped bottle. “A welcome to Storybrooke drink for Killian.” The cunning look he shot around the group was mirrored by the other two men and set Killian’s teeth on edge.

“Oh, that’s not necessary,” Killian protested. “I don’t drink. I’ve had a problem with it in the past. Before I moved here,” he explained.

Felix snorted. “Awwww, can someone not hold their liquor?” he taunted.

Neal shot a warning glance at Felix before looking at Killian. “Ignore him. It’s not alcohol,” he assured him. That cunning look passed between the men again. “It’s our own special brew. You have my word, you can’t get drunk on it.”

He turned to Emma, who sat in between him and Neal. He knew Neal was telling the truth, but there was definitely more to the situation than met the eye and he wanted to try and see what Emma thought about it.

Neal spoke again. “Emma had some earlier this summer. It’s a bit of an initiation into the group. It will make you one of us.” Neal’s dark eyes almost glowed as he handed Killian the bottle. He reached out and took it in his hand, unable to look away from Neal’s gaze.

He barely heard Emma’s whispered words. “You don’t have to. It’s blood.”

Killian snorted, quite certain he’d misheard her. “Yeah, right.” He lifted the bottle to his lips and took a long swig, his surroundings starting to spin. He tipped his head back- Emma, his other companions, and the beach all disappearing- and felt himself falling, falling, falling, until he landed on his bed.

It felt like only moments later that Killian opened his eyes. The light streaming in his room was that of late afternoon. Killian blinked and shielded his eyes from the bright, direct sunlight. He could barely see anything. His head was spinning and pounding like he hadn’t felt since he dried up in rehab over a year ago. He was still dressed in his clothes from the night before and his mouth had a metallic taste in it that was making his stomach protest mightily. He sat up slowly, mindful of his rolling stomach. Whatever it was he’d drunk the night before at the bonfire, had done quite a number on his system. He put his feet on the floor and his head in his hands. The darkness there was a profound relief, and the dizziness and pounding headache were suddenly gone. The nausea was even greatly diminished. He buried his eyes in the corner of one elbow as he sought the pull string that would close the blinds covering his window with his other hand. As soon as he found it, he closed them and looked up. It was dark enough in the room that the pounding in his head was still kept at bay.

He rose from the bed and moved to the door of his room, cracking it open. The hallway was dark, and he could hear someone in the kitchen, but that was all. He shut the door again and gathered some clean clothes. He had work this evening, and he hoped a hot shower and maybe some scrambled eggs would make him feel well enough to be able to go.

About thirty minutes later, Killian came out of his bedroom ready for work. Belle was in the kitchen, getting the ingredients together for supper. She jumped slightly when Killian entered.

“There you are!” she exclaimed. “Take those sunglasses off, Killian,” she admonished him lightly. “You’re in the house. You don’t need them.”

“I’ve got a terrible headache, Belle,” Killian said, grabbing her attention. “Would you mind just scrambling me some eggs? I’ve got to leave for work in a few minutes.”

Her brow furrowed in concern. “Are you sure you’re up to working tonight, Killian?” she asked, getting the eggs out. “You were out so late last night and you’ve slept all day and now you have this headache.” She moved toward him and placed her hand against his forehead. “You don’t feel warm, though. You didn’t do anything last night you shouldn’t have, did you?”

He knew exactly where her thoughts had gone and he couldn’t really blame her, not with how he was feeling. “I’m not sick,” he assured her. “I was at a beach party last night with Emma and no, I didn’t drink any alcohol and there weren’t any drugs around, that I know of. I promise. I just need something to eat to settle my stomach and take the edge off of the headache. I’m fine to work.”

“If you’re sure,” she said, her voice skeptical in the extreme. “But you come straight home after work and get a good night’s sleep tonight.”

“I will, Belle. Thank you.”

As soon as she set the eggs before him, he dug in. They really did make him feel better. His headache was abated and the nausea was gone.

“Thanks, Belle,” he said, rising and kissing her on the cheek. “That was exactly what I needed. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Have a good shift, Killian.”

~*~*~

Killian sat down next to Emma on Monday and immediately put his head down in his arms on the desk.

“You look like I feel,” she said, a wan smile on her face.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” he mumbled into his arms. “I’ve hardly slept this weekend. Since the party Friday night, I slept almost all day Saturday, worked Saturday night, didn’t fall asleep until sometime after four, slept until about ten, then couldn’t sleep last night.” He groaned. “How am I supposed to stay awake and concentrate all day?”

Emma put her hand on his arm in sympathy. “I know how you feel,” she commiserated.

“Belle almost made me stay home today, but with the history test tomorrow and Pre Cal test Wednesday, I couldn’t afford to miss.” He raised his head and looked at her. “We’re gonna have to keep each other awake today,” he told her, smiling tiredly.

“Deal,” she said.

That afternoon, they left school together, Henry in between them holding both their hands. Killian shut his eyes as they emerged into the light.

“Man, I forgot how bright that sun is outside the building,” he bemoaned, reaching into his shirt pocket for his sunglasses. Once he got them on, he could open his eyes fully. Turning to Emma, he saw she had hers on as well. Henry squinted against the sunlight.

“You need sunglasses, too, huh, Henry?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” he said.

As they approached their cars in the parking lot, Killian looked at Emma. “Would you guys like to come to my house to study?” he asked shyly, scratching behind his ear in nervousness.

Neal had made it quite obvious at the party that he and Emma were together, even if she didn’t seem to be as enamored of him as he was possessive of her. Killian couldn’t deny how he felt about Emma, but he didn’t want to be seen by anyone as trying to steal her away from Neal. As friendly as he’d been at the party, Killian didn’t trust Neal as far as he could throw him and didn’t want to ruffle any feathers until either he was certain Emma and Henry were safe, or he could get them away from Neal and the others completely.

“We could study for the history and Pre Cal tests while Henry takes a nap,” he continued.

Emma looked down at Henry, catching him in the middle of a huge yawn. “What do you think, Henry?” she asked. “Want to go over to Killian’s?”

The poor kid was obviously exhausted, but he grinned anyway, nodding his assent.

“You can follow me,” Killian said. “It’s not far.”

Emma smirked as she opened the door to her yellow bug for Henry to climb in the back. “It’s Storybrooke, Killian. Nothing is far.”

Killian huffed out a chuckle and grinned. “Point taken.”

The rest of the week continued much the same way. Killian was unable to fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning and spent the morning hours at school struggling to stay awake and concentrate, exactly the way Emma did. He did everything he could to keep his difficulties away from Belle and Liam, but Belle was very observant and by Friday afternoon, Killian knew that she suspected something was up with him.

He lay in his bed with the blinds closed feigning sleep when he heard Belle come in the front door. It was only a few moments later that she knocked on his door and cracked it open.

“Killian,” she called softly. “I know you’re not asleep,” she continued after a brief pause. “You snore, loudly, when you’re really asleep.” He could hear the smirk in her tone of voice, so he turned over and faced the door.

“Excuse you,” he groused. “I do not snore.”

“You do,” Belle insisted, coming into the room and sitting on the end of the bed. She looked at him, her eyes full of concern, and Killian cut his eyes away from her. “What’s going on, Killian?” she asked. “Archie stopped me after school today and told me that you’ve been much less attentive in your classes this week than you were last week. That you didn’t participate as much and looked to be having trouble staying awake.”

Killian sat up on his bed and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know, Belle. All last weekend and this week, I haven’t been able to sleep at night. No matter how tired I am, or what time I go to bed, I toss and turn until almost dawn. And then the alarm goes off at seven.”

“You can’t keep that up, Killian,” she said. “Maybe if you took a sleeping aid.”

“I don’t want to do that unless I absolutely have to,” he said. “I’m off work this weekend, so I don’t have to worry about being up early until Monday. Let me try to get caught up on sleep this weekend- even if I’m sleeping during the day- and see how next week goes. We don’t have any tests until Thursday, so if I need to take a sleeping aid Wednesday night, I will.”

Belle pressed her lips into a thin line, but nodded her acquiescence and rose to leave. “What are you doing tonight?” she asked from the door.

“I was going to take a short nap then meet Emma and Henry at the boardwalk in a few hours. We were going to take him to the amusement park.”

“Ok,” she said. “Robert asked me out…”

Killian sat up abruptly. “The headmaster?” he interrupted.

Belle nodded. “He’s taking me to dinner.”

Killian’s brows furrowed. Belle was a grown woman, but Gold had to be nearly twice her age, and he couldn’t help a small shudder of distaste at the much older man pursuing his sister.

“You like him then?” he asked.

“He’s handsome,” she began, “and he’s been very kind to me. Yes, I do like him.”

Killian swallowed his objection. “Ok. As long as you do. But if he hurts you, I don’t care who he is, he’ll have to answer to me.”

Belle smiled indulgently and came back over to his bed. She leaned down and hugged him tightly.

“Thanks, Killian. I’m sure that knowledge will keep him in line.” She released him and moved back toward the door. “Have fun tonight. I’ll see you later.” With those words, she left him to sleep for a little while.

Later that night, Killian, Emma, and Henry arrived at the amusement park. He did his best to ignore the plethora of MISSING posters covering every available surface along the boardwalk, including one featuring the face of the boy he’d met last weekend at the beach party, Rufio. How a town as small as Storybrooke could have this many missing people was a complete mystery to him. It was very unsettling, but he figured as long as they stayed together and in the well-lit areas of the boardwalk and amusement park, they wouldn’t have to worry.

It was the first time Killian had been there, and he couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he and Emma followed Henry who ran from ride to ride, so excited to be there. They ate dinner from a Mexican food truck near the entrance and then indulged in all the carnival food offered inside the park.

It really was a tiny amusement park with only ten rides offered. Henry loved them all, and they all rode them multiple times. Henry sat between them on the ferris wheel, but Killian was able to extend his arm along the back of the seat they rode in, lightly touching Emma’s shoulders. He brushed his fingers through her golden hair, and she turned to him with a soft smile on her face at the action. Killian’s heart rate picked up a little bit and he smiled in return.

After a couple of hours amusing themselves with the rides and games offered at the park, they decided to leave and see what else there was to do. They walked along sharing a Rocky Road cone when Neal, Felix, and Peter suddenly appeared, slinking out of the darkness underneath the boardwalk.

“There you are, babe,” Neal said, sidling up to her and putting his arm around her shoulders.

Just like last Friday, Emma seemed to shrink in on herself at the action. Henry took Killian’s hand, and he looked down, surprised. The discomfort on the boy’s face was real, so Killian squeezed his hand gently in reassurance. The child looked up, his brown eyes meeting his own, and Killian caught his breath at the absolute trust he saw in the boy’s gaze. Killian smiled, recommitting himself to being a part of this group until he could get Emma and Henry out of it.

“Come on,” Neal urged. “I want to show you guys something.”

They followed Neal to the other end of the boardwalk until they came to a fancy restaurant. Killian looked in the front window and was shocked to see Belle and Mr. Gold on their date. He looked ahead at Neal, who’d let Emma go, as he opened the door. Emma wasted no time falling back to join him and Henry at the back of the group.

“What are we doing here?” Killian asked, coming to a stop before entering. “Emma, Henry, and I have already eaten, so why don’t we just catch up with you later?”

Neal exchanged smirks with Peter and Felix before directing his attention to Killian. “Oh, we’re not here to eat. We just need to pay an old friend a visit.”

His emphasis on the word ‘friend’ told Killian something was up, and he might be well served to see what it was. He moved toward where Neal still stood, holding the door open for them.

Once inside, Neal moved to the front of the group and began to lead the way through the restaurant. Killian’s eyes immediately moved to Belle and her date, and it only took a moment for him to realize that was exactly where they were heading.

As Neal approached, Mr. Gold turned and saw them. He stood immediately and moved closer to Belle on the other side of the table, partially shielding her from view.

“I thought I told you to leave me alone.” Killian was at the back of the group, but he could clearly hear Gold growl the words at Neal.

“Oh, we’re not here for you, old man,” he said, his hand held out to Belle. She hesitated before placing her hand in his, but when she finally did, he lifted it to his lips. Killian couldn’t actually see Neal’s face as he spoke, but he knew exactly the look his countenance sported from the tone of his voice. A wide smile. Lifeless eyes. Soulless. Depraved. It made Killian want to throw up. He clenched his fists, almost shaking in his desire to forcefully get Neal away from his sister. But he wasn’t going to make a scene while she was on her date.

“Just wanted to share a little advice with the lady.” He lowered her hand and tilted his head toward Gold. “You want to watch out for that one. Things are not always what they seem.”

Neal released Belle’s hand and turned around to leave. Before he could turn and follow, Gold caught Killian’s eyes.

“This isn’t the kind of group you want to be hanging around, Mr. Jones,” he advised. “Miss Swan and Henry either. They can only lead you down the wrong path.” Belle turned alarmed eyes on Killian before they landed on Henry. But she didn’t speak. Killian wrapped his arm protectively around Henry’s chest and drew him closer as they started to turn away from the table, trying to assure Belle with his eyes that he’d keep Henry safe.

Once they were outside the restaurant again, Neal, Peter, and Felix were obviously in high spirits, laughing and high-fiving one another. Killian really didn’t see why they were so elated, so he just hung back with Emma and Henry. A few moments later, the three men turned their attention to them.

“Ok,” Neal said, clapping his hands together. “I think it’s time for Killian to fully join our crew. Whadda ya say, boys?” Felix and Peter loudly agreed, but Emma looked absolutely panicked and brought Henry in front of her, almost as a shield.

“I have to get Henry home,” Emma insisted. She turned to Killian and placed a hand on his arm. Pure, unadulterated fear swirled in her eyes. Whatever was happening here, Emma didn’t want to be involved, and she didn’t want him involved, either.

“Yeah, whatever, Ems,” Neal said before grabbing her around the waist and hauling her to him. Killian turned away as Neal kissed her, focussing his attention on Henry.

“I’ll see you later, Henry. Ok?” he asked, kneeling down in front of the boy. Henry nodded and took Emma’s hand when she made her way to them. She looked down at Henry, not meeting Killian’s eyes.

Her whisper just reached his ears as he turned toward the other three men. “I’m sorry. Be safe. Please.” He turned his head to answer her, but she was already walking away with Henry further down the boardwalk. He turned back to the others, their eyes almost glowing under the lights.

Felix moved toward him and draped his arm over Killian’s shoulders.

“Come on, man,” he said. “We’re gonna show you a really good time.” Peter got on the other side of him, and they all started walking towards the stairs down to the beach. Once they reached the sand, they started running toward the cottage in the distance, whooping and hollering, their arms outstretched. Running on the sand was hard, and Killian was having a difficult time keeping up when suddenly all three of them disappeared. Killian put on a burst of speed to catch up with them, when he was grabbed and pulled behind the rocks surrounding a secluded inlet of the ocean.

It all happened too fast for Killian to even cry out, but when he looked at the others, Neal slammed his hand over his mouth before what he was seeing could even be translated by his brain. All three men had changed. They were still recognizable, but their smiles were now dominated by long and wickedly sharp fangs, and their eyes had become translucent, their irises now a faded gold nearly matching the whites of their eyes and almost eclipsing their tiny pupils, making them look like some sort of monster. But that was exactly what they were. Three vampires looked at him hungrily, and Killian was completely helpless before them.

He was pulled along by Felix to the other side of the inlet to see a small group of six or seven people splashing around in the water. The three vampires descended upon their unsuspecting prey and made short work of every single person there. Their screams were short lived- drowned out by the sound of the ocean, and then abruptly cut off as the monsters began to feast.

He recognized the metallic smell on the air from the wholesale slaughter happening just a few feet away as the same taste in his mouth when he woke last Saturday after drinking whatever Neal had given him. Emma had been telling him the truth. It was blood he had been given that night. Killian thrust his hand into his mouth to smother his own screams that begged for release, only to taste his own blood from where his fangs pierced the skin of his hand. Pulling his hand from his mouth, he stared, horrified, at the blood dripping down his arm.

It seemed only moments later that the three of them stood before him once again, completely covered with the blood and gore of their victims. Killian looked to where they had all been, to see nothing but the calm water of the inlet, no trace of the massacre that had just occurred.

“You are one of us now, Killian,” Neal said, licking his lips. “And you must feed. The sooner you make your first kill, the better. For the longer you wait, the stronger the bloodlust will become, until you have no control over it at all. And then,” he shrugged, a slight smile lifting the corner of his lips, “who knows what might happen?”

Killian knew to what, or rather to whom, Neal was referring. If he didn’t make his first kill soon, he’d lose control and hurt someone he loved- Emma, Belle, Henry, or Liam. A wave of nausea came over him, and he turned away vomiting up everything he’d consumed earlier. As soon as he was finished, he ran, ran, ran, back to the boardwalk, through the throngs of people until he made it to his car. He tore out of the parking lot and raced home, locking himself in his bedroom.

He curled up in the middle of his bed, sobbing uncontrollably, waiting for sleep to claim him, knowing it was an impossible hope.

~*~*~

Thank you for reading and reblogging!! I'd love to hear what you think!! The final chapter will be up on Friday!

#cssns23 #into the light #part one #krystal writes #art by motherkatereloyshipper #cs ff #major cs fic rec ⚓️❤️⚓️#such a talented shipmate 🩷⚓️🩷

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killiansprincss · 7 months ago

Text

Timeless - A Captain Swan AU - Chapter 9/19

Summary:

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?

In which Every chapter is inspired by a different Taylor Swift song.

Previous Chapters , AO3

Huge love to everyone who has sent me love on this fic it means the world !! Hope you enjoy this newest chapter :)

Chapter 9 - Delicate

Is it cool that I said all that?

Is it chill that you're in my head?

'Cause I know that it's delicate

Her mother said she wasn’t rushing Emma on her decision to choose a suitor, but then she asks her if she has a preference on the invite list to her birthday ball. The only person she truly wanted there couldn’t come so she had zero interest in it.

It had been just under a year that Emma had been sneaking out to see Hook. It has spiralled into something neither of them can quite categorise. Emma presumed she’d see him a few times before he departed to the next village. But whilst he did go to different kingdoms and villages, he always came back. And slowly Emma started realising she looked forward to seeing him, counting down the days to when they would meet again.

“Honey you will have a dress fitting tomorrow, did you have any preference on the colour of your mask?” Emma didn’t listen to a huge amount of what her mother was saying when it came to these balls, if Emma did have an opinion it didn’t always get listened to-she learnt that very quickly. But this piqued her interest.

“Mask?”

Her mother sighs as if this is the hundredth time she was telling her about it, which in her defence probably was. “Yes Emma. Masks, it’s a masked ball.”

Emma’s eyes light up at this as an idea about how she would be able to get her pirate into the ball. “Red. In that case, mother, I’d like to wear a Red gown and mask.”

Her mother gives her that disapproving look she swears sometimes is saved for her, so Emma counters “It will allow me to blend in, if I wear white like I usually do, then my suitors will know it’s me. If I’m going to marry one of them I want to know what they’re like when they don’t know it’s the Princess they’re speaking to.”

Her mother seems reluctant at first but agrees, Emma just had to mention a genuine interest in wanting to marry one of them and she would have her on her side.

When it begins to get dark outside Emma tells her mother she needed to rest and not to bother her for the night so that she was rested for the dress fitting tomorrow. Once she’s sure nobody will come into her room she dons her dress in favour of some tan trousers and a white blouse she’d found from a market stall on her last adventure out of Misthaven. Gone were the high heels she had to wear for most of the day in favour of knee high black boots which slid on and made her feel as though she were walking on a cloud.

Her room led out to a huge balcony which was wonderful to sit outside in the sunshine getting lost in her book. but it also allowed her to climb down the vine covered trellis which scaled the wall. Emma first learned she was able to climb them when she was 13 and moved into this current room, she was adventurous then and learning every inch of the palace, searching for any secret passageways she might come across. Finding out she could escape from her own bedroom was an exciting time and it took a few weeks of dedication before figuring out the delicate footwork that was needed so she did not slip and fall. Now over a decade later she had mastered the act.

Something else Emma had mastered over the years was her journey to the tavern by the water. She knew all the shortcuts and hidden alcoves if she feared she would be caught. It would now take her record time to get down there and get back. Now she was excited to see a certain Pirate too her feet were moving faster and faster. She considers going in and getting a drink first, taking in the atmosphere of the tavern and seeing what night she may encounter, but the smells of the salty sea strike and her attention is on the very large ship in the harbour.

The Jolly Roger was a ship Emma was well acquainted with since meeting the infamous pirate captain who unknowingly captured her heart. She could tell from a mile off the sound it made when it pulled into port and which floorboard to avoid when trying to sneak out in the middle of the night or early morning. Of all the similar pirate ships she had seen over the years, only the one made her giddy with excitement. She sees his crew, the large stocky first mate by the name of Smee, the tall and lanky gunmaster who she had learnt name was eloquently named Bones. None of them knew her true identity, something she was grateful to Hook for.

She is about to board the ramp when she spots her pirate, except he isn’t alone. A woman with fiery red curls, dressed in almost as much leather as Hook stands to the side of him. She doesn’t see her face but she doesn’t need to, she sees the way Hook is around her, laughing and smiling. She touches his arm and he doesn’t object as he leads her through a door into what Emma wonders if will be the captain's quarters.

She didn’t consider herself a jealous person. But was she really stupid enough to consider that she would be a notorious pirate only conquest at a time? They had never spoken about it, maybe because they both knew it would never amount to anything-a Princess and a Pirate didn’t belong together, so why did it hurt so bad.

“What is on your mind, Ems?” August asks as he serves her her usual. He was the only person sometimes that she felt knew her.

“Why did I get involved with someone so bad for me?” the two of them spoke in code, a trick she had learnt from her royal lessons, do not let anyone hear your secrets you don’t want to hear, and in a place like this she put that to the test most nights,

The former puppet just smiles at his friend, “the heart wants what the heart wants. Have you spoken to him about what is so clearly bothering you?”

August knew her, she knew how stubborn she was therefore he knew the answer to that question which is why Emma simply gave him a knowing look.”Tonight was a mistake, tomorrow I have my mother organising her heart out and I don't wish to be under the influence.”

She turns to leave, but then glances around the room before reaching into her satchel hanging over an envelope containing an invite to the ball. She was originally going to present it to him herself, but after seeing him otherwise occupied decided against it, “will you give him this when you see him?” she was too stubborn to reach out to him, and there was limited time before the ball, if he felt the way she thought he would then he would show.

“Of course.” August says, slipping it into his coat pocket. August was a witness to their relationship, he would look out for his friend at first, he had heard the rumours and saw the way he acted around the female sex before. He was well aware she was able to hold her own, but he thought of her like a sister and he wanted to look out for her. But even he had noticed a difference, he didn’t see the pirate captain flirt with anyone since meeting Emma, and when the two of them were in the tavern together his eyes were reserved for only her.

_____

The balls held in the palace never failed to amaze Emma. whilst they did not excite her as much as the first few did when she learnt she was a Princess, the ones for her birthday made her feel special. There were a few things she didn’t enjoy, such as the tradition that her first dance was to be with Lucien Oak, the son of Misthavens Duke and Duchess, and her brother would dance with Lord and Lady Westdales daughter Sienna. They were her distantly related cousins on her mothers side who she may have gotten along with if she had grown up with them. But she could never forgive them for how their families opposed her mother coming back for her crown, they accused her of being an unfit ruler and power hungry.

Her dress was still a modest gown with a high neckline, but gone were the accessories which revealed her identity such as her tiara and her jewels which no commoner could afford. Gone were her usual white dresses which would indicate her eagerness to become a bride and in its place was red, a seductress colour and allowed her to waltz right past her usual suitors and not bat an eyelid, proving to herself that they were only interested in her crown. The lacy mask was the perfect companion tonight to become the woman she felt when she was outside these walls, the one who drank with pirates and danced the line a princess would never dare dance.

“May I have this dance?” She hears a low voice from behind her with a tap on her shoulder, turning around to see a dark haired man with the bluest eyes peeking out from his white mask. She would know those eyes anywhere.

“You came.” She whispers as she takes his arm and he begins to lead in a dance she did not realise he was so skilled in. She gave the invitation to August, but she had wondered if he had the chance to hand it over or if he did but discarded it with little interest.

“Did you or did you not personally invite me, Swan?” He asks as her mind wanders back memories of their first dance together a year ago.

“Well I wouldn’t say I personally invited you, seeing as that would cause a royal scandal.” She begins to ramble, but is cut off by the way he dips her and brings her close to him again

“Swan. Do you want me here or not because this is reckless behaviour for me and I would not risk my identity for just anyone.” He dips her in time with the dance and brings his ear dangerously close to the spot he knew well would cause a reaction not fit for a royal woman.

“What about the redheaded woman I saw?” She can’t help herself, the words slip out.

His blue eyes darkened, “Now Now Swan, I didn’t peg you for the jealous type.”

The music finishes and Emma spies her mother speaking to Prince Lorcan, clearly looking for Emma to dance with him. So she takes Hook's hand and they weave their way through the crows until they come to a door that leads into a rounding set of stairs leading up to one of Emma's favourite spots in the castle, one that even her brother did not know about. At the top of the stairs is another door with an impressive brass handle that has to be shaken a few times before it leads out to a small turret balcony looking over the great lands round the back of the castle, if you looked far enough on a clear day you could see the mountains.

“This is the most private place I can think of where we can talk.” Emma explains, she found it not too long ago on a morning ride back from the docks to the castle. She noticed it when she heard servants and guided her horse away from the noise and ended up round a part of the castle she hadn’t explored in a long time, it had overgrown grass and it was clear the garden staff did not attend to it, so it was perfect to hide out until she was sure the coast was clear. In her eagerness to find a way into the castle, she noticed the balcony from below and spent the next few days trying to find a way to it.

“Emma.” The way he says her name makes her breath hitch. “I was under the impression you invited me because you wanted to see me.”

“I did. I was going to see you the other night.” She admits to him, hating how vulnerable she was feeling, “But I saw you with a redhead woman that you took to your quarters and I realised how foolish I’ve been if you have been with other women since we started whatever this is.”

A laugh breaks from his mouth at her confession and she begins to feel even more stupid. “Love, that woman you saw with the red hair is Morgan’s wife, my Quartermaster. She’s the landlady at the tavern you so frequently drink at I’d assume you knew who she was. I was taking her down to see her husband, in his own quarters, not my own.”

“Oh.” Emma simply says. She was jealous, she admits that and this makes her blush.

A smile curves the corner of his lips as her cheeks turn redder. “I realise though, we have never had a conversation such as this though.”

“My mother will not allow me to court anyone who she does not approve of, they have to be of a certain social standing, own land and be able to bring money to the kingdom if we marry. It does not matter how many times I tell her I only wish to marry for love, she will not listen. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but all I know is this past year with you has been the most exciting adventure that I do not wish to stop any time soon.” Her cards were on the table, if he did not wish to continue this then it was his choice.

“I am a Pirate who has lived for 3 centuries. I escaped from a very dark place and not that long after I meet you, and my life has never felt so bright. I also do not know what the future holds, but if you'll have an old Pirate with a dark soul and loss in his life then I’m yours Princess.”

Emma didn’t respond with words, she got up on her tiptoes to kiss the Pirate she was pretty sure she was falling in love with. “I want you Hook.”

“Killian.”

“What?”

“I haven’t used my name in a long time, part of me feels as though it died when my first love did. But I want you to use it, because I want to hear it from the lips of the woman I’m falling for.”

Emma smiles up at her pirate, “Okay then, Killian. What now?”

Killian takes her hand and she swears his whole demeanour changes as she uses his real name. “Now we go back down to the ball and dance as though we are not a Princess and a Pirate doomed to fail.”

#Captain swan #Captain swan ff #captain swan fanfic #cs ff #cs fic rec #my writing #kp fic; timeless

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