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someinvisible-string · 10 years ago

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If I Didn’t Believe In You (1/1)

phiralovesloki happy birthday to you, you awesome person!! You are a fantastic friend and I really hope you like this!

Summary: Emma is excited to land the role of Cathy Hiatt in the college production of "The Last Five Years" the role is everything Emma wanted, Cathy is vulnerable, angry, funny, and overwhelmingly human. The only problem is her co star Killian Jones. (AO3/FF.net)

“Emma don't worry I'm sure you got the part,” Mary Margaret said as she jogged to catch up to Emma who was hurrying down the hall to check the cast list that had just been posted.

“Mary Margaret there are only two parts in the entire show, and only one that can be played by a girl so my chances are slim,” Emma said slowing down as the door to the theater came into view.

“I saw your audition and you were amazing! You will make a great Cathy,” Mary Margaret assured her as they drew closer to the postings board.

The Last Five Years

Cathy Hiatt.......................................................Emma Swan

Jaime Wellerstein.............................................Killian Jones

Please come to room 331 at 6pm for meeting with director August Booth

to receive scripts and rehearsal schedules

Emma felt her jaw drop when she saw her name on the list, blinking in disbelief, “I got it!” she whispered to herself.

“I knew you would! You killed it on 'Climbing Uphill' August would have been out of his mind to not cast you! Who's Jaime?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Ugh Killian Jones, well he fits the part of an asshole who only cares about himself and his reputation,” Emma groaned.

“Wow Swan and here I thought there was so much love between us,” a voice announced from behind the two women. Emma turned to see Killian Jones standing behind her, obviously on his way to check the cast list, his messenger bag slung over his shoulder and his arms crossed in front of his chest, his blue eyes glaring at her.

“Oh please let's just get through this show and try not to give August an aneurysm in the process,” Emma rolled her eyes at him and his smug face.

“Sounds like a deal, oh and you should know I was hoping it'd be you,” he smirked before turning on his heel and walking down the hallway, “See you in rehearsal,” he called over his shoulder.

“Can you believe him? Please tell me you're stage manager for this so I have someone to roll my eyes with during his antics?” Emma turned to Mary Margaret.

“Yep, August texted me yesterday telling me and I think Ruby is doing costumes for the show,” Mary Margaret smiled, “And don't let Killian get to you, he may be an ass but you have to learn to pull it together if you're going to kiss him 5 nights a week with a matinee on Sundays for 2 weeks.”

“Do not remind me,” Emma chuckled as they walked out of the building heading to the closest dining hall for lunch before heading off to class.

Rehearsals went on as expected, with such a small cast and crew Emma couldn't completely avoid her obnoxious costar, but had learned to ignore him when not on stage with him which was most of the time.

“Hey Emma could we run 'Still Hurting' again, it still doesn't feel right,” August said from his spot in the wings.

“Okay, but what about it doesn't feel right?” Emma asked before taking a sip of water.

“It feels too angry,” August suggested.

“Angry? This woman has been through hell and her husband just walked out on her with not even a goodbye, of course she's going to be angry,” Emma reasoned.

“Yes and that's all very true but with your very next song also being full to the brim with Cathy's anger we need some emotional variety, now come to center stage and listen to what I am saying as you sing, and remember sometime you need to really dig deep to get a great performance out,” August advised.

Emma hit her mark at center stage and Jefferson started to play the opening bars of 'Still Hurting', she took a full breath and started to sing “Jaime is over and Jaime is gone/ Jaime's decided it's time to move on.”

“He's your husband and he just left you with only a fucking letter, five years together and he couldn't even face you to say it's over,” August called out. Emma felt her brow furrow and sang on trying not to think about how Neal hadn't even left her a fucking letter, how Neal was there one day and gone the next.

“Jaime's convinced that the problems are mine/ Jaime is probably doing just fine/ And I'm hurting,” Emma's voice wavered on the last word, she was determined to power through the song but couldn't escape the fact that now that Neal has entered her mind she can't get him out. How he always diminished her problems whenever she needed to vent to him, how he dismissed that they may have been having problems before he left her while she was at class, how he had left her the day before her statistics final exam and she had failed because she was still reeling putting her scholarship in danger, how he was out there somewhere and hasn't even bothered to call or even send her a fucking email telling her what happened. At least Cathy got a letter.

“What about lies Jaime? What about things that you swore to be true? What about you, Jaime? What about you?” Emma knew her voice was all over the place, her throat felt tight and her face warm and her vision was starting to blur with unshed tears.

“Yes Emma just like that! I need to see more of the hurt and pain!” August cheered and Emma wanted to run offstage. He thought this was just her acting but this had cut too close and it felt like he was pouring salt in a wound. She felt the first tear fall down her face and try as she might to hold back the rest they kept coming, through the rest of the song.

“Maybe I'd see/ how you could be/ so certain that we/ had no chance/ at all,” Emma nearly sobbed out the last word. She tried to rush through the rest of the song and thankfully Jefferson seemed to pick up the tempo slightly, but at the end she felt like she was going to implode into herself when she sang the last line.

“Beautiful Emma! If you can get to that level of raw emotion every night we'll sell out the whole theater for the whole run! And that's unheard of for a student production!” August beamed at her.

“Do you think maybe I could take a break?” Emma said trying to sound normal, that the tears were just part of the act.

“Of course go ahead,” he nodded, “Mary Margaret I actually need to talk to you about the clock so crew gather round and actors take twenty,” he called out. Emma rushed off stage and into the girl's dressing room which was blessedly empty since she was the only female cast member. She sat down on one of the chairs and let herself sob quietly. Her breathing ragged as she tried to regain her breath but she felt as if she couldn't get enough air no matter how deeply she breathed. Her face felt hot and flushed as the tears streamed freely down her face and her hair felt like dead weight around her neck. Emma jumped when she heard someone knocking on the door to the dressing room, she quickly tried to dry her eyes and smooth out her hair to give the impression that she had not just had a breakdown in the dressing room. She opened the door expecting to find Mary Margaret or Ruby coming to tell her she needed to get back on stage but was surprised to find Killian there.

“Does August need me back onstage?” she asked trying to seem casual.

“No he's still talking to the crew but are you alright?” he asked.

“Yeah why do you ask?” Emma shrugged.

“Because while August was busy patting himself on the back for getting you to this 'emotional breakthrough' I couldn't help but notice something was off,” he looked so sincere, too sincere for Emma's liking.

“Maybe I'm just a better actress than you thought,” Emma deflected.

“You know Swan you're something of an open book,” he cocked an eyebrow at her.

Emma gaped at him for a second before shaking her head slightly, no she was not going to get into the details of her shitty ex with her annoying costar, she just couldn't do it right then, “I have to go talk to Jefferson about the bridge in 'Climbing Uphill' I don't have time to discuss with you how you think you can read me,” she spat and tried to push past him to escape the way he looked at her.

“No you don't, you can sing that song in your sleep,” he said catching her by the elbow, “Now please tell me what happened up there that made you so upset,” he pleaded with her.

“Why do you even care?” Emma snapped and hated herself for the tears that were forming in the corners of her eyes.

“Because believe it or not, I'm a decent human being who knows people don't cry like that without reason. Those tears and those emotions were real and I just wanted to make sure you were okay to keep rehearsing. So are you? Okay I mean?”

“Fine I'll level with you, something out there might have struck a cord but I'd rather not go telling my fucking life story to you. I just need a few minutes to myself is that too much to ask?” Emma said and felt a new round of tears fall from her eyes.

“I'll hold August off as long as I can, text me when you want to come back out,” Killian placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Emma looked up at his face and was met with Killian's face full of sincerity and she was surprised that none of her alarm bells were going off.

“Thank you,” she said and watched him walk back to the front of the house where August was still holding court with the crew, before going back into the dressing room.

A few days later August approached them after he ended rehearsal for the night, something clutched behind his back. Emma looked at him cautiously, mentally preparing herself for whatever crazy director tactic he was going to lay on them.

“It's looking great you two, you both have great comedic timing and the chemistry is off the charts,” he started to say.

“But?” Killian interjected.

“But I'm not feeling like you two are connecting during the wedding scene, this is the happiest day of these people's lives and you two look like there's just this wall between you,” August explained.

“Okay but why not tell us during the scene? Why are you telling us now when you said we were done for the day?” Emma questioned.

“I never said you two could leave,” August smirked dangerously. He pulled a bottle of rum from behind his back and presented it to a very confused Killian, “You two are going to stay here and drink and get to know each other. And I don't mean surface stuff I want you to get down to the nitty gritty details about what makes the other person tick.”

“You can't be serious? You can't force us to be here against our will!” Emma protested.

“Really mate is this necessary? I'm sure we both have things we actually need to do tonight,” Killian jumped in.

“Nope you are both staying here and breaking down that wall, now have fun,” he pushed the bottle into Killian's hands and ran out of the building.

“Hey you can't do this!” Emma shouted running after him but he was too quick for her and slammed the door. Emma pushed on the door but it wouldn't budge, the bastard had probably propped a chair against it wedging it shut.

“Well what should we do now?” Killian said walking up behind her, the bottle still in his hand. Emma turned and grabbed it, unscrewing the cap and taking a long pull.

“We drink I guess, because the only way I am spending god knows how long trapped with you is with a significant amount of alcohol in my system,” she handed him back the bottle.

“Well said lass,” he took a long pull from the bottle and smiled at her, “now shall we get started on tearing down that wall?”

“Alcohol first then tragic back stories,” Emma grabbed the bottle back from him.

It started out easy enough, getting to know some of the more surface things about each other, safe and unoffensive questions that mainly had to do with the show. She asked him what his most favorite and least favorite song was (“I fucking hate 'A Miracle Could Happen' I feel like a complete prat while singing it,” he had admitted, “As if I'd be foolish enough to want to sleep with other women when I've married the most bloody amazing woman in the world.” Emma had blushed at that, she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the alcohol coursing through her body.) He had asked her about why she liked being an actress when most of her friends seemed to work backstage, she told him the half truth. By then the bottle was half empty and Emma was feeling it and by the looks of Killian's lazy half smile he was too.

“I'm gonna need some food in me if we keep drinking at this pace,” Emma announced.

“I think there's a vending machine down by the dressing rooms, shall we?” he offered her his arm once he staggered to his feet.

Emma looked at him and his outstretched arm, considering him for a moment and then linked her arm through his, “Only so I don't fall on my ass.”

“Whatever you say Swan,” he answered and they drunkenly searched for any food they could find.

“Score this vending machine has goldfish!” Emma cheered once they found it.

“I'm partial to Cheetos myself but to each their own,” Killian dug into his pocket to look for change and together they put together a nice spread of non perishable foods also including fruit snacks (“Swan we need a side dish to go with our main course!”) and a pack of Hostess cupcakes for dessert spread out in front of them on the floor of the stage, the ghost light illuminating the food and making it seem more appetizing.

“My brother used to get something like this every Friday when we walked home from school,” Killian said, pointing at the cupcakes.

“I didn't know you have a brother, is he coming to the show?” Emma asked.

“No, uh he died a couple of years ago,” Killian looked down at his food.

“I'm so sorry,” Emma felt like she should comfort him but wasn't sure how to do it.

“It was a boating accident some people were drinking and they just crashed right into us,” Killian explained, his brow furrowing at the memory.

Emma shifted closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him the way he had comforted her, “My parents abandoned me on the side of a freeway when I was a baby.” She felt Killian shift and look at her and looked up to see his blue eyes boring into hers, “A secret for a secret,” she said.

“Is this the nitty gritty August was talking about?” he asked.

“I guess it is, your turn,” she passed him the bottle of rum.

“I had an affair with an older woman, until one day her husband showed up at my flat and told me in no uncertain terms that he was moving her across the country and if I ever tried to contact her he would have me arrested, I never even got to say goodbye to her,” he admitted.

“What was her name?”

“Milah.”

“I never got to say goodbye to someone I loved either,” Emma said before taking a long drink of rum, “2 years together and one day I come back to the apartment and his stuff is moved out and our landlord saying he had just left and that I had better find a roommate or pony up his share of the rent.”

“Is that what made you so upset during 'Still Hurting'?”

“Yes,” Emma nodded.

“And what was his name?”

“Neal.”

“Well if you don't mind me saying love, that Neal guy sounds like a tosser. He obviously didn't see the amazing, strong, tenacious, and talented woman standing in front of him,” he smiled at her, without a trace of irony.

“You really mean all of that?” Emma tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Aye, of course I do,” Killian's eyes darted down to her lips. Emma quickly grabbed the bottle and brought it to her lips when she noticed it was empty.

“The damn bottle's empty,” she said, avoiding his gaze.

“That's a shame, but perhaps we should be finding places to sleep, it's almost three in the morning,” Killian stood up. “I think there's a couch in the costume shop, want to go see?”

“Okay,” Emma stood up and they walked to the costume shop to find the ancient and squishy couch stuffed in the corner. Killian began taking a few cushions off and placing them on the floor.

“What are you doing?” Emma asked.

“Well I figured I'd just make a bed on the floor, let you have the couch,” he explained, his fingers scratching behind his ear.

“You can sleep on the couch, it'll be fine,” Emma said surprising herself.

“You're sure?”

“Yes, just don't drool on me,” she smirked.

“I think I can manage that,” Killian chuckled and they settled onto the couch together and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Emma stood in the wings, waiting nervously for the lights to go up and for her to go on stage for the only scene she interacts with Killian in. Ever since August had locked them in the theater together, ever since he found them tangled together asleep on the costume shop couch Emma had tried to avoid Killian like the plague. She let him get too close and see too much of herself that night and Emma couldn't get the image of August grinning like the fucking Cheshire cat when he found her and Killian basically spooning on the couch together.

“You all right?” Killian asked approaching her, he had also kept his distance from her as much as he could after that night, but Emma didn't miss the way his eyes seemed to linger on her when he thought she wasn't looking at him.

“Yeah you ready?” she whispered. He nodded and linked his hand in hers, and they walked out on stage both trying to look like a happy couple completely in love with each other.

“Cathy, will you share your life with me for the next ten minutes?” Killian sang, turning to her on stage. Emma studied him as he sang Jaime's proposal to Cathy, but there was something about the earnestness in his face that set it apart from rehearsal, as if it was Killian singing to Emma; not Jaime singing to Cathy.

“I am not always on time, please don't expect that from me. I will be late but if you can just wait, I'll be there eventually,” Emma sang back to him, feeling the lights and the crew and the audience melting away until it was just her and Killian. “I don't know why people run, I don't know why things fall through, I don't know how anybody survives in this life without someone like you.” She kept her eyes on him as he pulled her close to him, warmth and comfort radiating from his body. They sang the duet right to each other instead of cheating out to the audience and Emma was sure August was going to yell at them but she found herself unable to tear her eyes away from Killian's.

“I do,” Killian sang his eyes darting down to Emma's lips just as they did that night.

“I do,” Emma swayed closer to him.

“I do,” they sang together before Killian capture her lips with his. His arms encircled her waist and Emma's hand anchored itself at the nape of his neck, her fingers carding through his dark hair. They let the music swirl around them as they kissed and Killian's tongue teased at her bottom lip and Emma granted him access. Emma heard the music change tempo and suddenly came back to herself and realized that she was full on making out with her co star on Opening Night and broke the kiss, her heart thumping so heart she was sure her mic was picking it up. She sang the last bars of the song and they walked off stage together, still in a slight daze that they both missed the thundering sound of applause.

The curtain came down and the house lights came up signaling intermission and August came jogging up to the both of them.

“What exactly was that out there? It was brilliant I knew it was a good idea saving the first kiss for the opening,” he beamed.

“Yeah great idea mate, now excuse me I need to change for the second act,” Killian said quickly and hurried into his dressing room.

“Me too, but thanks August,” Emma said and retreated to her dressing room and leaned against the door, letting out a long breath. She tried to go over in her mind what had happened on stage, tried to rationalize what had happened. She had kissed other people for plays before, but it had never felt like that, hell it had never felt like that period. She brushed her fingertips over her lips, she could still feel his on them. Maybe he was just a really good actor or maybe they both got caught up in the song or maybe it was just all in her head? Emma tried to think of any excuse she could think of to convince herself that the kiss meant nothing. She was shaken from her thoughts when she heard a familiar knock on the door, Emma took a deep breath knowing who was on the other side and opened the door.

“Hi,” he said, sounding relieved that she had opened the door and let him in.

“Hey,” she replied, feeling not quite sure what to do with her hands.

“Emma I want to get something clear,” he started, “That kiss meant something to me, and I think it did to you too.”

“And how are you so sure, it was a stage kiss,” Emma tried to defend herself.

“You and I both know that kiss was much more than a stage kiss, as I've said before you're an open book. And I know that you're scared of what that kiss might mean.”

Emma took a tentative step forward, “You're right, I am scared. Things end Killian, that's the whole point of this show.”

“No, the point of this show is that Cathy and Jaime just weren't right for each other. Jaime was too self centered and Cathy too jealous but I'm not Jaime and I'm definitely not Neal. I would never leave without saying goodbye,” Killian said taking her hand in his.

Emma stared up at him and swayed towards him, her head tilting up and meeting his lips with hers. The kiss was tender, vulnerable, and incredibly different than the kiss they shared on stage, Killian's hand traveled up to cradle her face, his thumb stroking her cheek.

“Be my date during the cast party?” Emma asked when they broke the kiss.

“Absolutely,” Killian smiled before pulling her into another kiss. The first of many.

#captain swan #cs ff #cs au #captainswannet #csartistsnetwork #my fic

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o-u-a-timer · 10 years ago

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Not Only In Dreams... Anymore

A/N: I was inspired by this post, and got family feels....

Killian watches as Mary Margaret sits the dish of potatoes among the already veritable feast on the dinner table. The smile she gives him is casual, and she passes that around the table as well. Around the table for her husband, for her daughter, for her grandson, and for Regina.

Why is it that this is when the realization and the acknowledgment bombards his mind? The table is filled with… family. The table is surrounded by this group of people who shared blood and lineage. And then there was him….

Killian listens to the way Dave speaks humbly of the accomplishments that his daughter has made in the particularly time-consuming and grueling day at the station. He watches as he leans in and the way his smile is so affectionate towards Emma. There is a glint of something close to pride. A pride for not only his daughter, his princess, but also for his sheriff and partner.

Ah, this is what family is like! And he turns his head just slightly to catch a glimpse at the woman beside him. The woman who had made his inclusion at al possible.

But it wasn’t just Emma, was it now? Because, for the first time in centuries, he feels as if he knows what it means to have family.

Liam had been his family. The loss of his brother had been a difficult circumstance that had tried to harden him. And that loss had succeeded fairly well.

Milah… Milah? She had been his family as well. She had been his opportunity to set sail towards a life that could mean something again. And then he had lost her. And then life had lost so much meaning…

Emma….

Emma had come into his life so unexpectedly. And she had brought with her… had she always known that she was going to bring with her… she brought with her a group of people. She had offered him family without saying the words. And now…

“Hook?” She says it as her leg bumps against his. “Killian?”

He turns towards her again. He sees the curious look on her face as her green eyes shine.

“Is something wrong? It looks like you just went somewhere far away.” And her smile grows. Her eyes shine even brighter.

He can’t contain his smile as he shakes his head.

“I’m fine, love,” he assures her just as softly. And he returns the bump of leg to leg. “It’s nothing.”

Emma’s lips purse before they turn into a smile.

His simple answer spawns a simple response.

“Okay.”

And then she turns her attention to the still speaking Dave. His words now a jumble because he had went to some far off place.

Family…

Family?

They had pulled him in. How has he not taken note of that before?

Sitting at this table, sitting amongst these people, (Killian smiles as he watches the heaps of potatoes being transported onto Henry’s plate) it is difficult to not want everything that it encompasses.

Home… the Jolly is home, but so is this.

Family… aye, there is nothing like this type of family.

It is unofficial, yes. And his eyes slide back towards Emma. It doesn’t always have to be unofficial. One day… it can be official. Never the mind, because… what this is…

He feels her slip her fingers against his hook, holding firm…

This is family.

#cs ff #captain swan #my fics #cs fanfics #csartistsnetwork #csartistsnetwork ff

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the-prima-vista · 9 years ago

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Co-written by @foundmyhome

University AU: Student housing with six strangers doesn’t always have to be a disaster. In Emma Swan’s case, it definitely is.

ff.net | ao3

Episode 1

Emma Swan wasn't sure what she expected to see when she first walked into the university appointed housing, but a boy spinning in a cape in front of a crime board wasn't it.

"Um, hey." Emma dropped her bags on the floor, raising an eyebrow when the boy held up a finger and scribbled on a piece of paper. He tacked it to the board before turning to her and grinning.

"I'm Henry," he introduced.

"Emma. You in law, too?" She gestured to the crime board.

Henry flushed. "No, that's my storyboard."

"Hah!" Emma jumped at the loud guffaw coming from the couch and for the first time, she noticed the third person in the room.

"That's Jefferson," Henry said. Jefferson grinned at Emma, wiggling his fingers in a half hearted wave before jerking his thumb towards Henry's storyboard.

"It's about Robin," he told her, clearly amused.

Emma bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. "Like, Batman and Robin?"

"Just Robin," Henry said and Jefferson started laughing again. "He's a much better character!"

"Of course he is," Jefferson nodded, emphatically, before winking at Emma.

"He is!"

"I thought I was the one on drugs."

"How about we take a look around?" She interrupted. Henry perked up, slipping the cape over his head and draping it over the chair.

"I will be your tour guide," Henry announced, as though it could have been someone else. "We start in the living room slash dining room slash kitchen, or as it's better known, the Hub."

"I don't think anyone's ever called it that," Jefferson interrupted. "Maybe the lounge or Nerd HQ, but not that. Nothing with a crimeboard that stupid can be called the Hub."

"Storyboard."

With a dramatic sweep of his arm, Henry gestured to the door to the hall. Emma followed his directions, Henry trailing after her, and she was soon in the sparse corridor. From the look on Henry's face, she had strange feeling she was supposed to be impressed, but she'd already walked through the hallway and there was nothing there to be interested in.

"That door there's for the toilet," Henry told her after a few minutes without a response. "And the 'cupboard under the stairs', well, that goes down to my Batcave."

"Your Batcave?"

"You could also call it my bedroom."

"Right."

"You know, if Batman had a stereo system, it would be just like mine," Henry informed her. "No Batcave is complete without a Batspeaker system that can be heard throughout the world. Or house."

The first floor was just as uninteresting. The single lightbulb lighting the landing had no lampshade and the walls were painted a dull grey. Emma grimaced at the sight, but again, Henry seemed oblivious to the drabness.

"The rest of the house is basically bedrooms," Henry said before pointing at the door in the centre of the landing. "Not that room though. That's a bathroom. The shower requires some pretty decent physical strength to get it going, but you look like you have the arms for it. Also, the water never really gets any hotter than tepid."

"So, is one of these going to be my bedroom?" Emma asked, gesturing at the doors on either side of her. "Or are they all taken?"

"You can have that one," Henry told her, gesturing to the one furthest from the stairs, on the left. "Or the one opposite. The other two are full."

They continued onto the top floor, where there were another three doors. Emma was expecting some more information on the bathroom, but instead Henry crept over to the door furthest from the landing and pushed it.

"It doesn't open," he said quietly. "Not since Ruby moved in a few days ago."

"Ruby?"

"The other tenant," he whispered, emphasising his words with jazz hands. "The only time she's left her room since getting here was last night. On the full moon." Emma didn't really know what to say to that, so she just nodded and smiled. "Anyway, the other room is Jefferson's and then there's another bathroom. And that's the house."

"It's��" Great wasn't the right word, but Henry looked too proud of the house for Emma to pretend to be anything other than enthusiastic. "Really nice."

"It is, isn't it?" Henry agreed. "Now, I guess you can pick your room."

The two of them had only just stepped onto the first floor when Emma heard the creak of a door opening, and when she looked towards the noise, she saw a young woman resting against the doorframe and watching her and Henry.

"Um, hi?" Emma said awkwardly, raising her hand in a small wave. "I'm guessing you live here, too."

"Yeah," the girl answered. "It's nice to see that I won't be entirely surrounded by guys here."

"Well, there's Ruby."

"Apparently. I haven't actually seen her."

"I'm Emma, by the way," she announced. "And you are?"

"Lacey," The three of them stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, neither of them knowing what to say. Emma tugged on the hem of her jumper and Lacey twirled her hair around her finger as each of them waited for the other to speak. "So…"

"So."

"What A levels did you do?"

"History, Maths, and Politics," Emma answered easily. "And Critical Thinking, but I don't think that really counts. You?"

"Philosophy, English Lit, and English Language."

"I did English, too," Henry piped up. "Along with Psychology and Dance."

There was another awkward silence, and then Emma couldn't take it anymore. "Well, it's nice to meet you but I really should get my stuff out of the car." She told them. "I don't want to leave my laptop out there any longer than I have to."

"Need any help?" Lacey asked.

"No, it's fine," Emma reassured her, already starting towards the stairs. "I don't exactly own much. It'll be two trips max."

~~~*~~~

Emma had intended to unpack, but after she'd haphazardly placed her photo of her and Ingrid on the slightly lopsided bedside table, she couldn't be bothered to do anything more. Instead, she'd just flopped back onto her sheetless mattress and stared at the ceiling.

It looked like someone had somehow spilt tea on the there, and if Emma squinted, it looked a little bit like a dragon.

"Hello?"

The last thing Emma had expected to hear after finally managing to relax was someone else's voice, and the fact that she had no idea where it had come from was hardly comforting. Maybe she was just exhausted after her drive up, several hours of which had been spent in a traffic jam, but even then, she figured that hearing voices probably wasn't the best sign.

"Is someone there?"

She'd definitely heard something, so unless university had already managed to drive her crazy, someone was talking to her.

"Um, are you talking to me?" Emma asked awkwardly, still not sure who she was speaking and hoping she wasn't as mad as she looked.

"Yeah," the voice replied. "Although for a few minutes, I was starting to think I was talking to myself."

"Where are you?"

"The other room," they told her. "I think this used to be one big room and then they built a really shit wall to make it into two. From the look of the hole, I wouldn't be surprised if the wall was literally cardboard."

As the man spoke, Emma glanced at the wall behind her bed. It looked like cardboard was probably an exaggeration, but whatever it was made out of was very thin. "What do you mean, the hole?"

She shouldn't have asked. As soon as she looked to the right, she could see what he was talking about. Right there, right next to her bed, there was a hole about two inches wide.

"Don't ask me why it's there," he said quickly. "Who knew a student house would come with its own Glory Hole?"

Emma had been considering peering through it to see who she was talking to but his words made her freeze in horror. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Not that I…" Whoever was talking sounded startled. "I don't mean that I would… I'm sure not every Glory Hole has to be used like that."

"I don't think that Glory Hole has to be used at all," Emma pointed out. "Just because it's there doesn't mean you need to stick something in it."

"God, no!" He yelped. "I meant… here."

She watched as the man's finger poked through the hole, and although she couldn't suppress a snigger, she still reached out and took hold of it, shaking it as though everything was totally normal and she was just shaking the hand of someone she'd just met.

Not someone's finger stuck through what she was always going to think of as a Glory Hole.

"So, what A Levels did you do?" the voice asked, just at the same moment as Emma realised that she'd been holding onto his finger for far too long to be normal. "I did Geography and Biology. And my dad kind of forced me into taking English Lit."

"A Levels?" Emma repeated, thrown by the question. She'd been prepared to hear it many times, but not from someone sounding as American as she did. "You did those? Aren't you from America?"

There was a long pause, and then he wriggled his finger out of her grip and back through the hole. "Of course I am," he answered. "Obviously. That is where I'm from. But you have to do them to go to a British university and I wanted to get away from all the… eagles, stripes and, you know, freedom."

"I didn't know that!" Emma said in surprise. "Not that I've thought about it. My mom and I came over here a few years ago, so I just did them at school and then applied. I do kind of miss it back there though."

"Yeah, me too," he agreed. "I really miss… the President."

"I was thinking more about the lack of rain, but sure," Emma muttered with a frown. "Whatever floats your boat."

The room was silent after that, but Emma was suddenly all too aware of the guy on the other side of the wall. She'd been prepared for less privacy after arriving at uni, but not to this extent. He would probably be able to hear everything, even her movements, and she didn't even know his name.

"Dudes, we're going drinking!" Emma breathed out a loud sigh of relief at the sound of Jefferson's shouting. "Grab some cash and let's go."

She didn't even think about it. She just grabbed her purse and jacket, slid on her leather boots, and headed straight for the door. The mysterious man had clearly had the same idea, as when Emma stepped onto the landing, the first thing she saw was a guy coming out the room next to hers.

He sent her a sheepish smile the moment he noticed her. Emma did the same, her gaze running quickly over the disheveled hair, slouched shoulders and kind, brown eyes. "I guess you're who I was talking to," she stated, her smile widening at his nod. "I'm Emma."

"Neal."

"Nice to meet you," Emma told him. "And then see you."

Neal offered her his hand, but before she could shake it, she heard someone rushing up the stairs, and then Jefferson burst onto the landing. He raised an eyebrow, looking first at Emma and Neal and then over to Henry and Lacey.

"Are you guys coming or am I going to be drinking enough booze for five by myself?"

~~~*~~~

The music pounded in her ears before they'd even slipped through the doors, the loud vibrations matched with boisterous laughter from the crowd. Emma squared her shoulders and trailed behind Jefferson.

"Over there!" Lacey elbowed her way past them to rush towards a recently emptied table. She threw her jacket on it, glaring when a guy attempted to set his beer down. He slunk away and Emma slid in the booth next to Lacey.

Jefferson slung his coat on the back of a chair and opened his arms wide. "The smell of pints and desperation. I love uni."

"Yeah," Lacey agreed quickly. "It's only our first day but I love it."

Jefferson patted her on top of the head. "Drinks, ladies?"

"Yes," Emma started to stand but Jefferson waved her off.

"Yeah, a pint sounds brilliant," Lacey handed him her wallet and he extracted a few bills.

"On Lacey, then, yeah?" He winked at her before shooting through the crowd to get to the bar.

Though Lacey seemed perfectly nice, if a little preoccupied with impressing Jefferson, Emma struggled to think of a conversation starter once they were alone.

They looked at one another. Emma smiled and Lacey offered one back before they both glanced away.

The music filled the space between them and Emma tapped her foot to it, although she wasn't fond of the song. She looked for Jefferson, laughing when she saw he was leaning across the bar, batting his eyelashes at the bartenders. She nudged Lacey, rolling her eyes towards him.

"He works fast," Emma muttered.

"I wonder if we'll get our drinks, after all." She grinned.

"Probably not." They watched as he threw his hands to his heart, his groan audible even across the room, before the girl moved away and he shrugged, turning to the boy next to her to restart his flirting. "Bounces back fast, doesn't he?"

"Jefferson is so cool," Lacey said. Emma raised an eyebrow and Lacey's eyes widened. "Not, like, that I don't know a ton of cool people. Because I do."

"Of course you do," Emma replied dryly.

Lacey glared, straightening up and tossing her hair over one side of her shoulder. "I do. A lot. I met the coolest people during my gap year. Jefferson just is also cool, which I recognized, because I'm around so many cool people."

Emma leaned closer to the girl, trying to soften her expression. "Do you like him?"

"Like him! Like him as in fancy him?" Lacey scoffed. "Please. He's just-"

"Cool, yeah, got that." Emma sat back, relieved to find that Lacey hadn't developed any crushes on their housemate. He was nice but Emma had always been good at reading people and knew, with a fair amount of certainty, that he and Lacey would never work in that way.

"Where's Neal and Henry at, anyway?" They had all walked into the pub together but both boys had disappeared from the moment they walked in.

Lacey frowned, craning her neck to look around the room. "I don't- Oh, there!" She pointed and, clear across the room, she could see Neal leaning against the wall chatting up a blonde. She was tall and leggy and way out of Neal's league. Emma exchanged a grin with Lacey, who was snickering quietly at the sight, as well.

Henry was sat at the table nearest to Neal, scribbling in his notebook. Emma wondered why he even came if he was still writing, but he looked happy enough so she didn't pay him much attention.

Three sloshing pints shot onto the table and Emma raised her eyes to a grinning Jefferson. "Pints for my peeps!" He declared and Emma realized that she really, really didn't understand what the hell Lacey was talking about.

"You're a fucking dork," she told him, honestly, before grabbing a beer. "Thanks, though."

"Am not," Jefferson pouted, tossing himself into the chair his coat was draped over. He took a huge gulp of his drink, rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth.

"How much was that each?" Lacey asked and Jefferson frowned. Emma raised her mug to hide her laugh when Lacey immediately began to backtrack. "I mean, first round's on me, of course."

"Right, cheers." Jefferson lifted his glass towards them and took another huge gulp.

He looked over his shoulder and sighed before turning back to them and wiggling his eyebrows. "Isn't that bartender so hot?"

Emma glanced over to see the two hapless victims Jefferson had been flirting with in conversation behind the bar. "Which one?"

"Both," he cried. "They're both so hot."

He blew a kiss towards them; the girl rolled her eyes and the boy shook his head, but both were smiling.

"I'm going to sleep with one of them. Or both." he declared and Emma couldn't help but be amused by the blatant determination on his face. Lacey coughed before taking a long pull of her drink.

"Tonight?" She asked.

"Of course," Jefferson laughed. Emma and Lacey exchanged a glance.

"That's fast."

"That's uni," He argued. "Come on, it's the first night! You don't want to have a shit year so you can't have a shit first night!"

Emma didn't really follow his logic but Lacey seemed to agree, nodding emphatically.

"Right, yeah." Lacey finished her drink.

Jefferson jumped out of his chair and slid next to them on the bench, nudging Emma over until she was pressed tightly between her two new flatmates. He threw his arm around her shoulders, his fingertips grazing Lacey's arm. "I've made my selection, ladies. Now let us choose yours."

Emma rolled her eyes, wrapping her hands around the pint. "No, thanks."

"Come on, Emma!" Jefferson's voice was tinged with a whine that reminded Emma of why she never wanted kids.

"Yeah, Emma," Lacey jumped in. "We're at uni now! We need to, I don't know, get the full experience. Live our lives, you know."

"Exactly," Jefferson patted the side of her head and Emma felt briefly like a child, though instead of being reminded to do chores she was being encouraged to shag a stranger in the name of college memories. "You find a hottie, you sleep with said hottie, you're ready for lessons tomorrow!"

Lacey put her elbow on the table, leaning her chin into the palm of her hand as she scanned the room. "That one's pretty," she said, jutting her head towards the bar. Emma was a bit surprised that she agreed.

"Go get him," she encouraged. Lacey laughed, recoiling and shaking her head.

"No, no way." Emma exchanged a glance with Jefferson and Lacey shrugged. "I'm not into pretty boys."

Jefferson leaned in, conspiratorially, and Lacey followed suit until Emma could see both of their eager faces in her peripheral vision. With more enthusiasm than Emma found necessary for the situation, Jefferson whispered out, "You should do him!"

"I should not," she replied automatically.

"He's hot," Jefferson frowned, cocking his head to look more closely at the guy. "You have to sleep with him, not even I can bag him and my bartenders all tonight."

Emma glanced back at Pretty Boy and admitted that with his dark hair and bright eyes, he wasn't a bad choice for a first night fuck.

"What do you have to lose? It's practically a rite of passage!"

"You're right."

The pair looked as surprised as Emma felt when she agreed with them. But they were right- at least, she thought they were. Sleeping with a stranger the first night of uni practically was tradition and they'd all been staring at Pretty Boy for so long that he had seemed to notice, practically preening as he stretched to give them a better view.

She grabbed her glass and chugged the last few swallows of her beer before standing up and pulling her leather jacket tight around her frame. "Now or never," she said and Jefferson wolf whistled while Lacey cheered.

The crowd was a bit thinner than it was when they first arrived, but the music seemed to pound louder. Or it was her pulse, thrumming aggressively inside her ears by the time she reached the bar.

He was already watching her, his gaze appreciatively dancing up and down her frame. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your beautiful presence?"

Emma scoffed and grabbed the drink out of his hand. She downed it, feeling the warm liquid loosen the muscles on her shoulders. She always did like rum. "You sound posh."

He grinned, his tongue slipping from between his lips to run suggestively over the bottom swell of his lip. "You say that like it's a bad thing, love."

"It is," she looked longingly at the empty tumbler in her hand and he snapped loudly. The bartender came over to refill it, looking annoyed. It was a prickish way to get someone's attention, but Emma swallowed the alcohol quickly regardless. "I'm Emma."

"Killian Jones, at your service." He sidled closer and if he wasn't somehow prettier up close, Emma would have punched him for being such a prat.

As it was, she groaned. "Are you always this obnoxious?"

He shrugged, grinning wolfishly. "Are you always this prickly?"

"I'm not prickly," she denied quickly. He smirked and tugged at the bottom of his sweater, pulling it so it was tight against his chest, the start of a light smattering of chest hair peeking out from the lowered collar. It was obvious, but effective. Emma decided to hell with it and she slipped her hand into his before tugging him out of the bar. She could hear Jefferson hooting after them all the way through the door.

~~~*~~~

The floorboards creaked when they walked up the stairs and Emma winced, hoping no one was home to question her. She stopped, peeking her head over the railing, but it seemed like everyone was still at the bar and the mysterious Ruby wasn't around, so she waved Killian on up the stairs.

She hesitated at the door, fists clenching on either side of her body as she considered. This was quite possibly a huge mistake. The guy was hot, yeah, but he was also a bit of a prat. She felt light from the pint and rum she'd had and when she peaked at him from the corner of her eye, he was smiling at her with a raised eyebrow.

Pushing thoughts of what the people back home would think, Emma grabbed his hand and led him through her bedroom door.

Her room was still fairly empty, her two boxes still unpacked and stacked in the corner. Killian walked to the bed, running his finger across the frame on her nightstand.

"Pretty family," he commented. She just nodded, not wanting to talk about her family with her posh one night stand. Killian seemed to pick up on her reluctance to talk, turning abruptly and sauntering back towards her.

Hooking his thumbs in the loops on his jeans, he licked his lips and smirked. "Look here. You, me, a mattress."

Emma laughed, but it was too sharp to sound natural and her face flushed. "Yep. All the essentials."

He dipped his head, hands raising to rest on her hips. "Precisely."

Tightening his hold on her, Killian leaned to close the gap between them. Emma jumped out of his arms.

"Sheets!" She exclaimed, stepping back until there were a good few feet between them.

He blinked at her, his mouth still open in what she assumed to be a pre-kiss expression.

"You don't, um, mind if we put some sheets on the bed?" She tore open the box closest to her and started throwing jeans and jumpers out until she found the light blue sheets Ingrid had helped her pick out.

Killian cleared his throat. "Right, sure, sheets."

She handed him one end and went to the other side of the bed. "It won't take long, they're the elastic kind. You know, what are they called?"

"Fitted, I think." His side snapped off and he quickly lunged to grab it. "Pulled too hard."

"S'okay," she tucked the last bit of her side underneath the mattress and Killian finished his, too.

"Promise not to yank too hard later tonight," he joked, shifting from one foot to the other. "On, you know, your breasts."

Emma's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. He shook his head repeatedly. The silence filled the room and Emma thought that if she hadn't been the one to approach him, she would certainly be on a game show of the most awkward hook ups possible.

"We should," her voice cracked and she cleared her voice. "We should get on with it?"

The phrase came out more like a question than a statement but Killian seemed to perk up, grinning at her again. She met him halfway, slipping her arms around his neck while his wrapped around her waist. His expression was darker, though his embarrassment had left two bright patches of pink on either of his cheeks. It contrasted nicely with the tufts of dark hair that curled around his ears and the red of his lips.

He opened his mouth, like he was about to speak, so Emma surged up until her lips captured his, unwilling to let his stupid words ruin what was very quickly turning into a nice moment.

And once he got over his initial surprise at her sudden attack, it really was a nice moment. He kissed her like maybe all those obnoxious comments were born from experience rather than bravado. Emma slid her fingers into his hair, tugging on it and when he groaned at the sensation, lips spreading to let the sound out of his throat, she pressed herself tighter against him to deepen the kiss.

Whatever stupor he might have been in was broken the second their tongues met. Killian tightened his grip, lifting her into the air and spinning, walking towards the freshly sheet-clad bed.

Emma wrapped her legs around him, her head falling back when her hips rotated against his. He ignored her gasp in favor of attaching his lips to her neck, sucking at the skin hard enough that she slapped against his hand to stop him.

"You'll leave a mark," she said. He dropped her on the bed, quite unceremoniously, and she bounced a little before he joined her.

"Sorry," he replied, making quick work to rid himself of his jacket and sweater. The moment it hit the floor, Emma tugged him down to her, kissing him.

She dropped her hands to his jeans, flicking the button open with enough ease that he raised an eyebrow and she blushed. Rolling her eyes, she tore her top off and threw it out of the way. His expression immediately slacked before sharpening, his tongue peeking out from between his lips again, though for the first time Emma didn't think it was a calculated move.

The rest of their clothes practically melted off, considering how quickly they shed them. His mouth worked down her neck, a hot trail that dipped beneath her collarbone until she was squirming and rolling her hips up into him.

"Condom," she gasped out and he nodded, bits of his hair falling forward onto his face, curling up on his sweaty forehead. He lunged for his jeans, the blanket twisting around his legs as he dug around in the pockets.

"Aha!" He pushed himself back onto the mattress, sitting up on his knees. He ripped the wrapper with his teeth, throwing the foil behind his shoulder. Emma watched as it landed on the edge of her bed and made a mental note to throw it away properly later.

They both moaned loudly when he slipped inside her, her thighs falling apart to let him move closer to her. His body shivered, teeth coming down to sink into his bottom lip as he stilled. She rotated beneath him, adjusting, before wrapping one leg around his waist and spreading her fingers across the hard plains on his back, urging him to move.

Each thrust of his hips were met with the lifting of hers, movements that were timed so perfectly that Emma could feel any sort of hesitation from inviting him home burn away. He attached his lips to the curve of her breast, tongue flattening and swirling around her chest as one hand gripped at his bicep while the other shot to his head, her fingers threaded between his locks to hold him tight against her.

And then, quite without warning, the front door slammed shut and they both stilled at the loud, heavy footsteps from downstairs.

Killian raised his head, a questioning gaze beneath thick eyelashes. She wanted to murder whoever had come home and disrupted the easy feeling between them.

There was quite for a moment and Killian tentatively began to thrust again. Emma wrapped her other leg around his waist and rolled her hips. He let out a quiet, guttural bloody hell and then the TV flickered on and the unmistakable sound of the Batman theme song began to play loudly throughout the house.

"Goddamn fucking surround sound," she threw her head back in frustration, the movement making her headboard hit against the potentially-made-of-cardboard wall.

There was nothing for a moment, just ragged breathing and the god forsaken Batman theme song filling the room. Killian shifted a little and while it felt good, the music had stopped and "Previously In Gotham City" rang out loud enough that she groaned in frustration.

"Maybe you could try talking?" Killian asked, shifting so he was leaning on his forearm. He wrapped a few strands of her hair around his fingers, smiling down at her.

He pushed forwards a few times, softly, and Emma struggled to think of something sexy to say. She was never a big talker in bed and the few times she tried, it was always in the heat of the moment. Panic flared when he stilled his movements again and the TV downstairs seemed to be getting louder.

"Hump me with your mega cock?" She said, regret immediately pooling in her chest as soon as the words left her mouth.

Killian stared at her, his mouth parted in a soft 'o' shape, before he shrugged. Emma waited, her face paused mid wince to see if he laughed at her, but instead his mouth curved into a smile and he began his movements, this time with more purpose.

Though he had taken her terrible dirty talk in stride, he didn't ask her to try again. Instead, he began to speak himself, phrases and curses tumbling from his lips, punctuating the whimpers and moans she couldn't keep from spilling from her mouth.

Killian rotated his hips, pushing into her at a faster and faster rate until she was more nerve endings than thoughts.

He dropped his hand to the front of her, fingers splaying as he ran them down her chest and gripped at her waist before dipping lower, slipping his thumb to where their bodies were met to rub over her.

She gasped, back arching, and the movement forced him a little deeper. His head dropped to her shoulder, teeth biting into the juncture next to her neck, and she fell apart around him, only barely managing to stifle the sounds with her hand clasped over her mouth. He followed shortly after, thrusting into her slower and slower as he groaned, loud and low, into her skin.

She nudged him and he complied, rolling off her until they lay shoulder to shoulder. The sounds of the Batman TV show started to bleed back into her consciousness and when she noticed Killian sneaking a glance at her while taking off the spent condom, she glared at him.

"Use the actual trashcan this time, you barbarian."

"Barbarian?" He scoffed, affronted. She opened her mouth to retaliate but he rolled his eyes, sitting up. Emma dodged out of his hand's way to make sure he didn't hit her with the latex. "Whatever. Where's the bin?"

She pointed to the side of her desk and he stood, picked up the foil wrapper he'd thrown earlier, and deposited both into the trashcan. Emma pulled the blankets tighter around her, satisfied, and Killian rolled his eyes again before climbing back into bed.

"Mind if I stay?" He asked, but he'd already rolled on his side and yanked more than his share of the blanket from her.

Emma would have complained, but it felt rude and she couldn't pretend like his warmth wasn't nice in the drafty, new room.

"Fine," she muttered, tugging at the blankets. His arms tightened and she tugged harder. "Share the blanket, you knob!"

Killian released it. "Fine," he parroted.

Emma snuggled into the material, pretending like she wasn't also a bit closer to his back. "Fine."

He reached out and flickered off her nightside lamp. She could feel the vibrations of his heartbeat and hear the steadiness of his breathing. It wasn't an entirely unwelcome sensation.

When he spoke, it was softer than usual and she found the posh accent wasn't quite as off putting as it was when he was louder. "Goodnight, Emma."

"Goodnight, Killian." And even with Henry marathoning the Batman TV show on surround sound and it being her first night in a new house, Emma was asleep in moments.

~~~*~~~

Emma had thought about her first day of university many times throughout her childhood. Especially after Ingrid adopted her and Emma actually started trying at school, the possibility of higher education became less of a maybe and more of a someday to her. She imagined the class she'd take, the people she'd meet, hell, even the breakfast she'd have before.

But despite thinking about that day for years, Emma never imagined it would start with a naked posh idiot sneaking out of her bed.

"Good morning, love," he said, much too cheerful for the pounding that was beneath her eyes.

"Ugh," she groaned, clenching her eyes closed. She stretched, curling her toes and reaching behind her to the headboard to crack the bones in her body. He made a disgusted sound and Emma tried harder to get the bones she'd missed.

"No need to run me out," Killian said. Emma flickered open her eyes and noticed he'd put on his boxers and jeans. She handed him his shirt, which had somehow been draped over the knob of her closet door. "If you'd be so kind as to give me directions out of this place, I'll happily get out of your hair."

Emma wrapped the blanket around her like a towel, sitting up on her knees to grab her phone. She'd google map him a route to Mars if it'd get him out of here before the others saw.

"What's the address?" She asked, already typing hers in as the starting location.

"28 Storybrooke Road," he grunted her address from beneath his sweater. Emma watched him with disdain as he struggled to get dressed.

"No," she sighed, raising her forefinger and thumb to rub at her temples. A headache she wasn't sure she could blame on alcohol was starting to form. "What address are you going to?"

He plopped on the bed, finally dressed, to start tying his boots. Emma huffed at him, placing a tight grip on the blanket so nothing uncovered.

"28 Storybrooke Road," he repeated.

Emma glared at him. "No, you dipshit, 28 Storybrooke is where you're at."

Killian returned her glare with equal vigour and Emma studiously pretended like the shadow growing around his jaw didn't add a nice shot of hotness to his Pretty Boy status. Maintaining eye contact to glare at her, he stood up and grabbed his phone. He tapped at it, only tearing his gaze from her when he was done.

He scoffed, thrusting his phone in her line of sight. "See? 28 Storybrooke Road. It's my new house because I didn't get into halls and-"

Emma's glare softened into something much more horrified. His twisted into a smirk.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, crossing his arms and running his tongue over his bottom lip suggestively. "Looks like we're roomies."

"Fucking goddamn shit," Emma threw herself backwards onto the bed. His chuckle erupted until it was boisterous laughter and Emma shot up, throwing her hand over his mouth.

"Shut the fuck up," she hissed. She could feel his grin underneath her palm and his eyes, stupidly blue even in the dim bar, seemed to glow with amusement now. "Don't fucking laugh, you bastard."

"I wouldn't dare," he grinned, throwing his arms up in mock surrender. Emma dropped away from his mouth to bury her head in her hands. She groaned and he started laughing again when the sound continued.

"Don't say a thing," she warned him.

"What?" Killian raised his eyebrows. "This is a great thing. A little roommates with benefits situation, hm?"

Emma shot up, hands on her hips to level him with her harshest look. "No fucking way."

He laughed again. "Alright, sure-"

"I'm serious. This," she waved a hand between them, "this was a one time thing."

Killian stopped laughing, though a smile was still tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Of course," he agreed.

"Don't mention it to anyone, either." She added, quickly. He raised an eyebrow and she jutted her chin out. He sighed and nodded.

"Alright," he said. "Now, I need to go get ready. Can I go get my stuff?"

"No!" She could already hear the others moving and if they saw him come out of her bedroom, they'd never get away with this. "Well, yeah. But be quiet."

He raised a finger to his lips. "Like a fox."

"I'm going to go downstairs. Hand me those pajamas." She dressed underneath the covers and grabbed her robe, throwing it on with a bit too much aggression. "Be fucking quiet and come back in the house like you've never been here!"

Killian's lips twitched and he saluted. "Aye, aye, Captain."

Emma pushed past him, closing the door quietly behind her and shaking her head all the way down the stairs. What the hell did she get herself into?

~~~*~~~

Burnt toast and jam was not a good enough breakfast to stop Emma panicking. She was trying to keep a straight face, not wanting to clue either of the others eating with her that she was in the midst of freaking out. She'd never had a one-night stand before, and as eager as she was to pretend it had never happened, any moment now, Killian was going to walk in the front door and they were going to have to live together.

It definitely didn't help that as soon as she saw Jefferson and Lacey at the dining table, she'd realised that her night of stupidity wouldn't be a secret. They'd know. Everyone would know.

There was no way they wouldn't. Jefferson and Lacey had admired him almost as long as she had, although she supposed they hadn't managed to see him naked.

Would it be asking too much to hope that they'd forgotten all about him after their own nights of debauchery?

It was only when she heard Jefferson let out a loud cheer that Emma stopped angsting, looking up from her meal to see Neal trudging into the room. He looked completely exhausted, dark circles under his eyes and his hair askew.

"Are you just getting in?" she asked. She hoped he was because she hadn't even considered that he might have been in the room next to hers, just one thin wall away from her and Killian as they had sex. "You look terrible."

"I feel terrible," Neal grumbled, wandering past the entire group to start making a mug of instant coffee. "I'm knackered."

"You say knackered. I say congratulations," Jefferson said dramatically, standing from the table and sidling over to Neal. Once there, he plucked his cigarette out of his own mouth and exhaled a puff of smoke into Neal's face, smirking when Neal coughed and glared at him. "There. That woke you up. Now, I just want to say how proud I am that two of the team managed to get laid last night."

"Two?" Emma repeated, ignoring Neal's offended scowl. It wasn't that she doubted Neal could have gotten laid, but she had been so certain that she wasn't the only one who didn't return home alone. "Didn't you and Lacey-?"

"We decided it was probably best not to get fucked on the first night," Jefferson explained nonchalantly. "And by fucked, I mean smashed off our faces, not… well, Emma, I know that you know what I mean. At least the two of you had a great night."

"Yeah, well, as great as it would have been, it stopped being fun once the snogging stopped and she started reading me the Bible," Neal mumbled, hiding his expression behind his drink. "That thing just does not end."

Jefferson guffawed, shook his head in disbelief, and then turned to Emma. "I guess that makes you the champion."

He raised his hand for a high five. Emma just stared at it.

"No," she stated. "Sorry. I guess we're a champion-free house."

"What?"

"We got halfway home and I looked at him and I was just like 'What am I doing?'," Emma lied. "Even for a starter lay, I've got standards."

"But I heard sex noises," Jefferson protested. Emma squared her shoulders and met his gaze, desperate to convince him that nothing had happened. It seemed to work, his jaw dropping in disbelief. "I saw that man. What standards are you setting?"

Emma rolled her eyes, stiffening when the buzz of the doorbell rang through the room. This was it. One day at university and she'd already managed to ruin everything, and in only a few seconds, she'd know just how much she'd managed to fuck things up.

The shit-eating grin on Jefferson's face as he led Killian into the main room was a bad sign. She couldn't look at either of them, and as everyone else in the room offered him polite waves or nods, she decided to start looking in the fridge for something.

"Killian's the name," she heard him say boisterously, and she glanced quickly over her shoulder to see that he was shaking hands with Henry. "Learning, drinking and shagging's the game."

It was lucky the fridge was cool, because Emma's face was already burning.

"Well, fuck me." This was it. Emma braced herself, ready to turn around and face up to the truth, but Killian kept talking and she realised he wasn't speaking to her at all. "It's the Pussyman! 'All women love Astrophysics' Pussyman."

"When the sun's up, I go by Neal and, uh, I actually changed from Astrophysics." Neal replied awkwardly. "They were full. So, Geology. It's going to be all rocks."

"Right."

She couldn't do this. She couldn't wait around to see what Killian was going to do. She had to take control.

With that in mind, she slammed the fridge door shut, satisfied by the way Killian jumped at the sound, and then, once he turned to face her, she immediately offered him her hand. "I'm Emma."

He narrowed his eyes and gave her hand a quick, sharp shake. "Um, hi, Emma," He stammered, suddenly lacking all of the prickishness he'd had the night before. "I'm Killian. Nice to, er, meet you."

And then he leant towards her and tried to kiss her cheek.

Emma hurriedly stepped backwards, his lips missing her by a few inches, and although he hadn't made contact, she still rubbed her cheek furiously as though he had. "Nice to meet you, Killian," she echoed. "I'm Emma."

"You already said that," Jefferson interrupted, his grin impossibly wide. "Now, is this exchange going to go on all day, because I have my English Lit Introductory lecture but I'll skip it if this is still happening?"

"No, we're… well, I'm going to put my items up in my room," Killian announced, stumbling over his words.

The moment he left, Emma sighed, letting her head fall forward so that it banged against the wall. It ached, but she probably needed some sense knocked into her. Maybe she should have done it a day earlier.

"It's him from the pub!" Jefferson whispered gleefully, his eyes alight with amusement. "The Pretty Boy!"

"Yeah, it's him," Emma mumbled. "But I don't think we need to say anything. I mean, nothing happened."

She wasn't sure Jefferson believed her.

Unfortunately, her reprieve from Killian only lasted a few more seconds. He came striding back into the room, bagless, and looking just as self-assured as he had the night before, except it wasn't as appealing when she hadn't had a few drinks.

"Right. I've just had a look at my so-called room and I thought I'd call a house meeting." He declared, clapping his hands together, and Emma exchanged an incredulous look with Neal. "My room. It's terrible. It's small. It's ridiculously small. Is it a joke room? Because if it's not, can I have another one?"

"No, you can't have another one. If you wanted a bigger room, maybe you shouldn't have left until today to get here," Emma told him sharply. "Unless you want the basement. I'm sure Henry wouldn't mind trading up."

"Why would I want the basement?" Killian asked. "I've looked at all the rooms in this house, except the locked one on the top floor. They're all nicer than mine. Except the basement. Which is horrible."

"I wouldn't be trading it anyway," Henry pointed out. "I've got it set up the way I like it and I'm not doing that again."

"The nicest room in the house is the other one at the top, which I believe is yours," Killian continued, pointing at Jefferson. "If I were to give you money, can I have it?"

Jefferson stared at him pensively, taking a long drag from his cigarette, and then he shrugged. "How much?"

"Twenty quid a week under the table," Killian decided, offering his hand to Jefferson. "We swap rooms."

There wasn't even a moment's hesitation. As soon as Killian stopped speaking, Jefferson took his hand and gave it an enthusiastic shake before offering Killian his lit cigarette, a gesture that Emma figured probably meant they were now best friends or something equally as ridiculous.

Killian took a quick puff and then handed it back to Jefferson, ignoring Neal's loud protests. "Look, mate, the deal's done," he told Neal. "There's nothing you can do about it now."

Emma couldn't accept that. If she had to live with him, she wasn't going to to let him swoop in and start demanding everything he wanted like some spoilt rich kid. "Look mate," she spat, striding up to him and poking his chest. "You can't just muscle in here and start throwing your weight around."

"Relax, alright?" Killian replied easily, a mischievous smirk spreading across his lips. "It's not like I'm trying to hump anyone with my mega-cock, is it?"

Emma froze. It was bad enough that she'd even said that, no matter how much the sex had improved afterwards, but it was somehow even more embarrassing now that Killian had said it in front of everyone, his raised eyebrow and taunting smirk crueller than she'd expected.

She pressed her lips together, refusing to respond to his provocation, but he must have seen something because his gaze softened into something apologetic. "Look, we made a deal," he said calmly. "He's happy. I'm happy."

"Yeah, well, I'm not," Neal protested, and Emma breathed a sigh of relief when Killian finally moved his attention away from her. "You can't just come in here and flash some cash and end up getting your way. You came last, you get what's left."

"Or, here's another option," Killian offered. "How about I also agree to pay for Sky Plus HD for the entire house and I get priority boarding for the top floor bathroom? Sports and movies."

Emma looked expectantly at Neal, but after giving her a sheepish smile, he just shrugged. "Well, would you look at that?" he wondered. "All my objections are gone."

Killian winked at her, and after a loud, angry huff, Emma stomped away.

~~~*~~~

The first thing Emma saw when she entered her room was her bed. The sheets were rumpled, only one corner still tucked under the mattress, the other three curled up and revealing the edges of the mattress. Her blanket lay half on the floor, the duvet only filling one side of the cover after the way Killian had kicked at it throughout the night.

"Shit," Emma muttered, slamming the door shut behind her and hurrying over to start stripping the bed of any evidence that it had been used for anything other than sleeping the night before.

"Hey, Emma?"

She paused at the sound of Neal's voice, sheet bundled in her arms. "What?"

"Nothing," Neal answered. It sounded like he was in the room with her, even though she knew he was on the other side of the wall. "You just left in a bit of hurry. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she responded quickly. She didn't have a laundry basket, so she loudly dumped the contents of one of her cardboard boxes onto the bed and then stuffed the dirty sheets and blanket into it. "It's just that… ugh, Killian is such a dick."

"Definitely," Neal agreed and Emma punctuated his chuckle by kicking the small metal bin next to her desk. She needed to get rid of the condom, and once that was gone and the sheets were washed, she might actually be able to pretend she'd never had a first-night fuck. "I bet you're glad nothing happened."

"God, yes," Emma fibbed. "How much would I have regretted that?"

Neal chuckled. Emma wanted to be sick. How could she have screwed things up so badly in less than twenty-four hours? What would she do if people back home found out?

At least it had been good.

"Look, Neal, do you think we should do something?" she asked carefully, just as she tied a knot in the top of the plastic bag she had used as a makeshift bin bag. "About Killian?"

"Do something?" he repeated. "Like what? Kill him and stuff him with his own pâté?"

"No, I mean, do you want to live with someone like that?"

"Um, no, I don't," Neal stated, as though the answer was obvious. "But what can we do?"

"We tell him," Emma decided. "Isn't it better for him to know now instead after he's settled in and thinks he owns the place? We could just tell him that, I don't know, 'This isn't right for us. Maybe it isn't right for you. Sling your hook, mate.' Something like that."

"Just ask him to leave? I don't know," Emma wished there wasn't as much hesitation in his voice. She needed him on her side, because there was no way she could be the one to ask Killian to leave. Not without looking petty and immature. "I talk a good game but I very rarely tell people what I think of them to their faces."

He didn't say anything more, and when the silence continued, Emma stashed the box of laundry by the door, the plastic bag holding the one used condom and started to sort through the few things she'd brought with her. Clothes and jackets went in the small wardrobe, her laptop placed neatly in the centre of the desk.

She was halfway through re-making the bed, having found a spare set of linens in her other box, when Neal spoke again.

"So what reason are we going to give him?"

Emma grinned. "I don't know. Maybe that we're not his sort of people," she suggested. "We're not going to going sailing or playing croquet or drinking tea with our pinkies sticking out so he's probably going to get bored."

"Can't you talk to him?"

"No!" Emma protested shrilly. "I have a Law Orientation thing to get to so I don't really have the time."

It wasn't actually a lie, but she'd only remembered it when she was searching for an excuse. She really did have something she was meant to be attending, and if fucking Killian wasn't a good enough reason to want him gone, the fact that he was causing enough drama for her to forget her own timetable definitely was.

"Okay," Neal mumbled. "If I'm actually going to do this, then I'm going to need something to eat after."

"I'm pretty sure I saw something about free pizza at the Freshers Fair," Emma remembered. "We could meet there after you've talked to Killian? If you want?"

"Yeah," Neal agreed eagerly. "Yeah, that'd be nice."

With them both determined to send Killian packing, they didn't want to wait. Emma accompanied Neal back downstairs, but when Henry told them Killian had nipped outside for a smoke, Emma stayed inside.

She could see the backyard through the kitchen window, and she opened one of the top panes just an inch so that she could hear the start of the conversation. All she could see of Killian were a few tufts of dark hair peeking out from below the window, where he must have been leaning against the wall, and a thin trail of smoke from the cigarette.

Neal hesitated the second he stepped outside, shooting Emma a panicked glance through the window. Emma scowled at him. He took in a big breath and then lumbered down the few stairs towards Killian.

"Hey, dude," he greeted, raising his hand in a stiff wave.

"Hey," Killian replied cheerfully. "It's the Pussyman."

"Neal," he corrected. "Mind if I hang out with you for a bit?"

"No problem."

As soon as Neal leant against the wall, Emma couldn't see him. He wasn't as tall as Killian, and Killian's hair was barely high enough to be visible through the window.

"Look, there was something I wanted to-"

"So, what do you think of Emma?" Killian interrupted. Even though Emma was pretty sure that neither of them could see her, she still hurried away from the window, staying close enough to hear whatever Neal said in response. "Fit, right?"

"Er, yeah," Neal agreed quickly. "Killian, I need to talk to you about you living here. As it turns out, there are a few complications."

"What?"

"Well, um, the house is actually already full," Neal started and Emma preemptively winced. She'd mentioned telling Killian that he just didn't fit in, but Neal seemed to have jumped straight to lying. "It turns out that I have an identical twin brother and he's actually living here too. The uni just… got confused and thought we were the same person. So, your room? It wasn't actually free."

"It looked free," Killian pointed out. "No one else remembered when I chose my room?"

"It looked empty," Neal stammered. "We share a suitcase and he just hasn't unpacked yet."

"What's his name?"

"Neal," he answered. Emma grimaced, thumping her head against the kitchen counter in disbelief and disappointment. Killian was never going to leave after Neal's disaster of an excuse. "Yeah, we have… we have the same name. That's why there's so much confusion."

"Are you trying to dump me?" Killian asked, and although Emma couldn't see his face, she was sure he looked incredulous. "Are you trying to kick me out?"

"No," Neal objected. "No. Just wouldn't you be happier in a…. Look. We're very Hufflepuff here. Wouldn't you be happier in Slytherin?"

Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing, but at least Neal seemed to have started trying her approach instead of talking nonsense.

"I'm not a fucking witch, Neal."

She couldn't listen anymore. She had somewhere else she needed to be, and given the choice, Emma wanted to be as far away from Killian as possible once he found out that they wanted him gone.

All Emma wanted was to come home that afternoon and not worry about Killian Jones.

#cs ff #ouat ff #csartistsnetwork #captain swan #emma swan #killian jones #jefferson #neal cassidy #henry mills #belle french #once upon a time #little failings ff #my fic #foundmyhome

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rebelknightbellamy · 10 years ago

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This Place was Beautiful and Mine

Summary: A few months into her surprise pregnancy, Emma is awoken to find that her pirate has planned a summery surprise for her. (Sorry for the shitty summary) A/N: So for CSSV this year, I had the amazing hiseyestellnolies make me a beautiful pregnancy manip which is now my phone’s background and one day I got inspired to write a companion piece. The art is here —->X please go reblog it bc it’s so beautiful and fluffy AO3/ FFNET

They had discovered she was pregnant a few weeks after they had defeated Rumplestiltskin, Cruella, Maleficent and Ursula. It had been such a hectic time between her almost turning evil, the secret her parents kept and Killian being her anchor throughout it all. Just after the queens were defeated, Emma had finally purchased her own place and promptly invited the man who has always stood by her side to stay with her. That first night there needless to say they christened a few surfaces and rooms of the apartment by the sea.

But now she was about 4 months and the summer had finally begun. Emma’s baby bump was just starting to take true shape no matter what she wore and she loved every moment of it. After assuring that Henry understood she would still love him no matter what, Emma flourished in her pregnancy. A pregnancy glow taking a whole new meaning with the savior’s white magic occasionally actually causing her to glow when she was truly happy.

When Emma awoke that morning, she saw that Killian had already departed from the bed and from the lack of sounds from the kitchen was already off to the station. Since her first trimester had ended, her family and boyfriend decided that she was no longer allowed to be the full time sheriff. At best she could come in every other day so long as she only did desk work and patrol. But only if she took someone with her. Most times Emma was driven bonkers by the over protectiveness of her three boys but she couldn’t fight them on this. They had all done so much for her her whole life. David nearly dying to get her to the wardrobe, Henry taking the sleeping curse meant for her, and Killian. Killian had done so much she had to allow him a few victories in arguments.

Rising and making her way to the bathroom, Emma spotted a white sundress lying on the chair in the corner of her room by the dresser. A light pink post it was sitting on the dress.

Be ready for a date around lunchtime. Enjoy your morning. Love Killian

Emma smiled to herself at the thoughts of her idiot pirate putting together a lunchtime date and would go to the length of even getting a summer dress for her that would accentuate her pregnancy belly. She even had the perfect hair piece to go with it. Deciding that she wanted to really go all out for this date, it had been awhile for them to have some romantic alone time since the discovery of the pregnancy.

She drew a bubble bath and poured a glass of apple cider for her to soak in for an hour or so after lighting a few candles as well. Sliding into the bath, Emma let out a contented sigh as the warmth surrounded her and her slightly protruding belly. After soaking for a while, a perk of having magic, the ability to reheat bubble baths, Emma exited the tub, toweled off and put lotion on her legs and arms to prevent dryness and peeling.

Emma noticed that she had a few hours before Killian was going to be here so she dressed in some comfortable sweats as she padded down to the kitchen once more to make some hot cocoa and a mid-morning snack before curling up on the couch to work on the latest book she was reading. The worlds that Sarah Addison Allen painted really spoke to Emma, how the way bits of magic just fit in so seamlessly to a regular world. Plus the way that some of the female heroines rebuilt their lives after such hard times gave Emma hope the way that fairy tales did for Henry.

After an hour or so, Emma decided to dress and prepare for this big date Killian had planned. She changed into the strapless, white flowy dress and admired the way it fit on her pregnancy altered body. Even with her larger breast size and now blooming belly, the dress made her body look natural and it shaped the womb holding her child perfectly. It flowed out around her belly and only really highlighted the belly when she pulled the dress back under the belly.

She was just putting the final adjustments to her hair piece, a thin, light, silver circlet that had a medium sized flower in one spot that she put over her left ear as an accent to go with the summer dress, when Killian knocked to announce his arrival. Emma made her way to the door, opening it with a sudden déjà vu moment back to their first date and a different flowy dress. There stood Killian in jeans and a light blue t-shirt with a big smile on his face as he took in her own outfit.

“You look lovely lass, shall we?” he greeted her with a soft kiss to the cheek before extending his arm out for her to take. Emma looped it and closed the door behind knowing Killian would lock it.

“Thanks, so where are we going?” she asked as they descended the stairs and out into the town.

“Oh no where particular love, is it such a crime that I wish to take my lady love out for an afternoon walk?”

“No, but it’s quite a curious notion when you specify what I should wear for this casual afternoon outing,”

“I just thought that dress would look rather fetching on you my dear, and your father mentioned how nice it was out and that you’d like to enjoy it.”

“Oh of course.” Emma said smiling, looking around as they walked toward the pier and the beach.

Killian walked arm in arm with his savior as they made their way down the beach to where he had a picnic blanket set up with a few chairs and some food. Emma gasped as she spotted the set up, the cliché red and white checkered blanket, a couple lawn chairs she knows her mother owns as well as a large picnic basket.

“Oh Killian what is this?” She asked stopping and turning to her pirate.

“I just thought my lady love would like a moment in the Sun.” he responded smiling down at her.

Emma smiled, “Killian this is beautiful. Thank you.”

Killian helped Emma to the blanket and into one of the chairs before opening up the picnic basket and pulling out a couple grilled cheese, some cocoa and onion rings for Emma. They ate and chatted about what few things were actually happening throughout Storybrooke and the sheriff station, whether or not Will wound end up in the station cell or if the return of Anastasia alongside Alice and Cyrus would help calm him down. She remembered the look on the thief’s face at the return of his true love and good friends. It was such a kind thing for Jefferson to do to contact the white rabbit and explain the pain of the knave of hearts. Once Emma had met Anastasia she was quite astounded by the Queen’s story of redemption, feeling that she deserved her happy ending with Will and that they could find it here in Storybrooke.

After a while, Killian stood and walked over to where Emma was sitting and grabbed one of her hands, pausing her mid bite. She looked to see what he was doing and all but dropped her sandwich.

“Killian wha-” Emma started speaking in shock before Killian raised an eyebrow and dropped to one knee causing her to stop talking.

“Emma, my love, you know how much you mean to me and the way you saved this old dark pirate from a dark and dreadful existence. You and our little wee one have brought so much light and love into my life. I thank the gods every day that you see something good in me, something worthy of standing by your side. So my Emma love, will you do this old pirate a favor and marry me?” Killian spoke from his heart, looking into his love’s eyes as he declared his heart one final time for her.

“Yes of course I will,” Emma replied quickly smiling before tugging on his hand and pulling him into a kiss to ‘seal the deal’.

Killian raised them both to their feet and caressed Emma’s cheek as he rested his forehead against hers. “You and our child is all I need in life Emma. I am so grateful to have you both.” He whispered as he watched Emma hold her stomach gently in joy. “I love you so much”

“I love you too. And tomorrow we find out if it’s a little prince or princess we are adding to our family. But first things first, isn’t there something you’re forgetting?” Emma smiled, wiggling her left hand above her stomach as she hoped to draw Killian’s gaze from her pregnancy belly and to her ringless finger.

“Oh but of course my love, how could I forget” Killian replied, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a small, intricate gold ring with a ruby gemstone sitting at the top. “This belonged to my mother before she passed. I know she would want you to have it.”

Emma smiled and kissed him softly as he slid the ring on to her ring finger and caressed her belly. They were in a perfect bubble, full of love and doey eyes for their little pirate family.

#captain swan #cs ff #cs fluff #hiseyestellnolies #csartistsnetwork #my fic #cs pregnancy

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emmathecharming · 10 years ago

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cs + 14 and 15

14- “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” 15- “Please don’t argue.”

First, let me apologize for taking so long with this. My schedule ended up getting way busier than I’d expected before I could write this and I just lost all motivation to write anything. I hope that this little bit of fluff at least makes someone smile. I know this is short (and probably not very good either) and I’m sorry for that. I also hope you don’t mind that I changed one of the lines a tad. And Sara, if you see this, I haven’t forgotten about your prompt either.

"Swan, please don't argue." His hand tugged lightly on her own, urging her to follow him as she reached around her with the other, the blindfold covering her eyes making it hard to watch her steps.

"Killian, please, I don't really like surprises."She almost fell as he began pulling her up the stair without warning.

"Please just humor me a moment longer. I think, perhaps, you'll change your mind when you see what I have in store." She rolled her eyes behind the blindfold.

He'd called her from the station saying she needed to come to the loft right away and no matter how many times she questioned him, he wouldn't explain why. She'd sighed but grabbed her jacket from the chair nonetheless and headed for home. When she arrived, she'd found him waiting outside the door pacing as he waited. Without explanation, he'd gestured for her to turn around so he could tie the blindfold around her head, ignoring her protests.

And now here they were, climbing, or in her case stumbling, up the stairs that led to her bedroom where some sort of surprise awaited them.

"Alright, here we are, Swan." They'd finally reached the top of the stairs and she heard Killian step behind her and then the blindfold moved from in front of her eyes.

"Killian, it's beautiful" she exclaimed. As she looked around her small room she saw that he'd pushed her furniture to the outer edges in order to make room for a small table and two chairs. The table was set simply and looked to hold some of her favorites, grilled cheese and onion rings. "From Granny's?" she asked gesturing towards the food.

"Only the onion rings. I made the grilled cheese but I cannot figure out how Granny makes those blasted things."

"Thank you, Killian." She reached for his hands, this time taking both firmly in her own. "It's perfect."

"I thought you deserved a proper lunch break for once instead of eating at the station again. You've been putting in a lot of work lately. So how are you feeling about surprises now?" he asked as her led her again by the hand to the table, stepping behind her to help her with her chair, ever the gentleman.

"I'm sorry I put up such a fight. I didn't know you had something so lovely up your sleeve."

"Well I am glad that perhaps I helped change your mind a little in regards to surprises."

"Surprisingly, you have." She laughed, one of his most favorite sounds adding to what would likely remain one of his favorite moments.

#cs ff #cs fic #captain swan #csartistsnetwork #ouat ff #mine #my fics #dialogue prompts #mini prompts #hey nonnie nonnie #asked and answered

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laschatzi · 10 years ago

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signal boost

dear shipmates, if you're interested in reading CS fanfiction or seeing beautiful art work of our many talented CSers, you should all follow the csartistsnetwork!

If you're a writer, gif-maker, artist in any way yourself, you should join!

#signal boost #csartistsnetwork

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csartistsnetwork · 10 years ago

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athenascarlet here posing a question to the network -- hope this is the right way to do it. I see people posting their fics in different ways and wanted to ask what your preferred way is to consume fic. Do you bookmark on AO3, favorite on FF or like on tumblr? And how do you keep track of your “need to read” list? And also for those of you who are artists, is there a place like AO3 or FF for your artwork?

#csartistsnetwork #question #athenscarlet

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edgeofrealms · 9 years ago

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(✿◠‿◠)

#emmaswanedit #ouatedit #cs and er network #fyesthesavior #csartistsnetwork #ouatdaily #myedit #emma swan

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edgeofrealms · 9 years ago

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cutie pie Emma (✿ ♥‿♥)

#emmaswanedit #ouatedit #ouatdaily #onceuponadaily #csartistsnetwork #csandernetwork #emma swan #myedit #look at this precious cupcake #no reason for this other than shes so pretty and cute #i mean do i even need a reason?#no #i dont

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edgeofrealms · 10 years ago

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Attention shipmates!

Do you love Captain Swan? Do you love writing or reading fluff featuring these two adorable idiots?? Do you love making gifs or graphics of Killian’s amazing smile or Emma’s general preciousness? Well, I say we start a new tradition in fandom: Fluff Fridays! It’ll be every Friday from now through the end of hiatus, and on those days, you can send your fave writers some fluffy prompts, or as a writer you can write a short fic, or make a graphic or gifset. There’s only one requirement: Make our babies HAPPY! (They deserve it). I really want to see how ridiculous we can get. I WANT YOU TO ROT OUR TEETH OUT WITH THE SWEETNESS, PEOPLE.

Since the season 4 finale brought us angst in the worst best way possible, I think we need a chance to lighten the mood a bit, wouldn’t you say?

This is open to any and everyone who wishes to participate :) All you have to do is reblog to spread the word and use the tag #csfridayfluff so we can keep track of it all!

(Need some prompts to get the muse going? Check here - i’ll be updating this list as I find more!). You can also track the #csfridayfluff tag to find more prompts!

#csfridayfluff #captain swan #csartistsnetwork #cs ff #spread the word!#colormyheartred

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o-u-a-timer · 10 years ago

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How Many Chances (Before I Get It Right)? Epilogue (Part 2)

Summary: Emma Swan is broken by love- or the lack of it. Failed relationship after failed relationship has left her jaded, with no one to blame but herself. A new move into a new place with her teenage son brings her face to face Killian Jones. He aims to prove that her only problem is that she hadn’t met him yet. Prologue, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 6 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,18, 19, 20, Epilogue 1

A/N: Okay, this truly is the last chapter and the end of the story. Although... it would be really awesome to do some one-shots from this verse. Maybe?? Please, continue to enjoy this fic through its ending.

It was a perfect day. Beautiful late spring weather brought with it a bright sun and just a whisper of a wind kicking up a light breeze. The smell of freshly cut grass mingled with the scent of the barbecue that was going strong only yards away. The sounds of music coming from inside of the house were the perfect backdrop to watching the scene play out in front of him. Leaning over the railing of the porch, he had the perfect view of that scene.

Henry was hunkered down over his new telephoto lens camera, a present graciously given by his dad. Liam had walked away from manning the grill so that he could hoist a plump baby Connor high on his shoulder. What was up in the sky that held the toddler's attention, Killian wasn't sure. Ruby, in all her pregnancy glory, busied herself with the finishing touches of setting the picnic-style table. They would be gathering there soon enough. And Emma…

She had slipped out to the car with the promise of coming back with the most perfect capper of this great barbecue-grilling-with-the-family day. Well, his family. His family? Just… family.

Killian was getting ahead of himself. They had just made things official not that long ago. Finally. It had been a long and winding road to get to this point. Not that the time and hard work mattered when the end result was this.

The scene before him, it begged to be captured. He knew that Henry would capture some uncanny photos with his new camera. Still… He felt pensive at the fact that he had not thought to bring any of his art supplies with him…

“You look absolutely besotted.”

How had she moved so quickly over to him? He watched his sister’s careful footsteps up the stone porch steps.

“And you look…” It would be important to choose his words carefully. “Absolutely aglow.”

Having made it up to the porch, Ruby’s eyes turned shrewdly on him.

“That was a fat joke, wasn’t it, Killian?”

An eyebrow lifted in faux surprise. “Of course not, love.” He moved to grab her by the waist, catching her off guard and pulling her into his arms. “It was a remark at your growing pregnancy.”

Ruby’s hands pushed and shoved at him, creating a much needed space.

“You cannot tell anything,” she muttered as she tore herself away from him.

Killian grinned, watching her wiggle. His hands went up in surrender, letting her go completely.

“As I was saying…” Ruby spun back around so that she was facing him.

There was a glow about her. It was just the effect of pregnancy. A pregnancy that she and Liam were both only now happy to share with everyone. Twelve weeks had been the magic number…

“I came over here to bother you because you look absolutely besotted, Killian Jones.” Her hands smoothed over the barely there bump of baby number two, but her eyes were solely on him. “And I think I know why.” There was a twinkle in her eyes now. An all-knowing smile as if she had a secret she was dying to share.

“Why is that, love?” he asked in a whisper. But of course she knew. It was as much of a secret as the baby in her belly was.

“Did you enjoy your weekend away, Killian?” The smile was teasing, the brightness in her eyes only highlighting that. “Your first trip away with Emma?”

Killian tried not to let his mind linger too far on those magnificent days and unbelievable nights…

“We enjoyed our weekend very much,” he assured her softly.

The smile on her face was still there, but there was less teasing now. It was replaced by something else. To define that look of softness would be… to fall even more into the emotions behind it.

Ruby moved closer, her eyes searching over him.

“How did you finally ask her?” A raise of her own eyebrow. “To make it official? To give you the title of boyfriend?”

Killian bit back his own smile as he grabbed at her once more. With an arm closed tightly around her waist, his mouth moved just above her ear.

“I don’t think you really want the details of that one, love,” he murmured softly into that ear. Hugging her tighter still, he dropped a kiss on her cheek.

“You are incorrigible.” It was said with distaste as she pushed herself as far back away from him as possible. “Or…” The look was back. A mysterious look that was still undefinable.

Maybe it was delight and… maybe even pride?

“Or it could just be the fact that I’m seeing you truly happy for the first time since I’ve known you.”

Looking at her as she looked at him, Killian couldn’t help but think that perhaps she hit the nail right on the head with that one.

“She makes me happy,” he agreed with a nod of his head. And then, because… “They make me happy.”

“My god.” Ruby pushed herself out of his embrace while that same look of her face grew even more.

“What?”

“I’m just wondering what’s going to come first: this baby or you finding yourself at the end of an altar.”

It wasn’t even a scary thought. Instead, it was a wishful thought that he couldn’t answer to. They’d established a relationship. That was… so much. To let his mind wander to thoughts of putting a ring on Emma’s finger, to making her his wife- to be her husband… Well, he had no control over those thoughts. He had them…

“Killian?”

“What?” He blinked his eyes, turning his attention back to her.

Another long stare. Another moment to take him in. And then she was on the move, once again stepping close to him.

“I never want to hear you complain or joke about my husband being wrapped about his wife’s finger, because you, sir, are the most whipped man that I have ever set eyes on.”

Killian watched, a bit stunned, as she turned on her heel and began to make her way down from the porch. The smile on his face was small as her words ran through his mind.

“Oh, by the way.” Ruby turned back towards him, her eyes finding him again. “Congratulations!”

The small smile turned into a full-on grin. Whipped. Huh…

Well, if whipped brought him this…

His eyes scanned the span of the yard again. Henry was up, camera to eye. His subject was a grabby-handed toddler who was now away from his father. Liam stood in front of the grill again, tongs in hand, surveying his skills at the task of pleasing everyone. Ruby… she cut through the grass, in what looked like to search out her husband.

He could deal with being whipped…

Emma. Where was she?

Killian turned around, readying himself to head inside the house.

It was through the glass of the door, he saw her.

Maybe Ruby was on to something, because his breath caught in his throat the moment she came into view. There was something about the confidence of her stride. It was strong, like before. But there was also an ease to it. The way her hips gently swayed from side to side, the way she held her head up high, and when she saw him… There was a particularly beautiful smile that lit up her face.

Well, maybe…

She had gone to the car that was parked in the front of the house a while ago. What it seemed she had brought back was his satchel, which was flung over her shoulder and down the front of her.

Killian stepped back as she got closer to the door, but the smile was a permanent fixture.

“Hey.” Emma pushed herself through the door, finally putting herself in proximity to him. “Were you headed in?”

“Actually, I was on my way to search out for you,” he informed her in a murmur.

Her smile was carefree. He liked that. But… he turned his eyes to the bag she held on to, more than curious as to what was in it.

“What do you have there, love?”

“Something that I think you’ll like,” Emma said, still smiling. Although she was in arm’s length from him, she walked passed him and made her way over to the railing of the porch.

Ah, Ruby!

He was helpless when it came to following her back over to where he’d once stood.

The bag sat on the edge of the railing, but her eyes moved to look across the lawn in front of them.

Killian slipped behind her, his hands lightly finding her waist and smoothing down.

It was hard to keep his thoughts off the fact that… he was hers. She chose him. After everything, she chose him…

Hands lying still on the satchel, Emma leaned back into him. Her head rested against his chest, allowing for an even greater opportunity to take in her scent.

A lucky man, for sure.

“This is… really nice.” It was soft. Reflective. Her tone had a bit of awe in it. “Having all of us together. You know, being included.��

Family.

He’d make that part official, too, given the chance.

“You see what I see,” Killian murmured into her hair, his lips barely grazing the top of her head. “I should have-“

“Thought to capture this moment?” Emma twisted halfway in his arms and looked up at him. “Which is why I brought your things.”

The bag was hanging off of the railing, held only by Emma’s single hand.

“What are you talking about?”

Killian’s gaze follow her movements. She turned fully back around, bumping her most perfect and pretty little bottom into him once again. But her hands were on the moving, fishing out the contents of the satchel.

“I thought these may have come in handy.”

It was…

The first thing that came out of that bag was one of his sketchbooks…

“Where’d you find this one?” Killian closed his hand over the pre-offered book, recognizing it as one of his more personal items.

Emma turned her face up to him, her smile not quite hidden by the biting of her lip.

“I didn’t look through it before I stuffed it into the bag.” She shrugged. “I was on a time limit.”

He felt the unfamiliar tinge of red stinging his cheeks and didn’t know why.

“You’re a beautiful subject, Emma,” he told her softly. “Some things are best left between the two of us. Let’s not let this one get out of sight.”

He listened to her laugh as he took hold of the book. He could still feel the burning of his cheeks at the realization of what he held and how he came to hold it. It also brought with it the fact that she had… planned all of this.

“You brought my supplies?”

“Henry brought his camera,” she reminded him as she continued to fish out those supplies from his bag. “I thought that maybe you’d like to do some capturing of your own.”

Was it possible? To fall in love with her even more by that simple act? God, yes! Yes, it was!

Everything else, everything but Emma- the music, the squeals of laughter, the sounds of life beyond where they stood together- was a backdrop. Something that didn’t quite matter in that moment.

Killian watched the woman he loved. He watched Emma as she slipped away from him, grabbing up the bag. Watched as she moved to the top step of the porch and how she took an easy seat right there. He watched as she spread out the variety of pens, pencils, and loose papers from that bag.

“This is the perfect day.”

She absolutely did ridiculous things to him.

“I’m glad that Liam and Ruby invited us.” It was then that Emma looked up at him.

Damn! She did it to him often… It was those damn green eyes that turned on him. It was those lips that held just the tiniest hints of a smile. It was the ease in which she cared for him. The way she loved him.

“What?” She’d turned suspicious, the smile on her face growing.

Killian was quick to move. Stepping over towards her, he held out his hand for her.

Emma took it immediately, but there was still curiosity that ran across her face.

“Killian, what?” But she let him pull her back up to stand next to her.

“Thank you, Emma, for bringing all of this for me.” Although he could have looked into her face forever, he glanced beyond her to the scene in front of him. “I was thinking the same thing.”

She draped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her and holding on tight.

“I thought that it might cross your mind at some point,” she murmured against his cheek. The kiss came next. A chaste kiss right there on his cheek.

Chaste kisses were… sweet.

His hand came up to smooth over her cheek as he turned his mouth into her. The hand holding the sketchbook bumped against her ass. Book be damned, the firmness still felt good as he pushed her against him.

The chaste kiss became something completely different. Killian opened his mouth on hers, tilting her head just so to get a better taste of her. The fact that she hadn’t shied away, but instead pushed farther into him and returned the kiss, only drove his need for her. Perhaps it was the lack of inhibition. There was no need for propriety when it came to those who were around them.

It was the moan that did him in. The need for her growing wildly. His hand curving around her bottom, his other hand finding the silkiness of her hair…

“Mm… come on.” Killian was pulling away from her, stepping back farther on the porch. He let his gaze linger towards the yard for only a second.

“What are you talking about?”

He was already grabbing at her hand, pulling her with him towards the door that she had not too long ago come out of.

“Let’s go inside.”

It was those muttered words that had put a stop in her steps.

“If we go inside, you’re going to miss all of that.”

Killian’s grasp on her hand tightened as he looked back at her. She tossed a hand out towards the scene in front of them.

“You know, our family and the great day we’re all having together.” Emma’s eyes, bright as ever, clashed on his. “I thought you wanted to get all of this.”

She said our family. She didn’t say our families, or your family and my family…

“They’re not going anywhere any time soon.” Holding on to her hand, Killian pulled her into him. “They won’t even notice our absence.” His arm wrapped around her waist and he dragged her with the rest of the way to the door.

“I can’t believe you… No way do you want to… in your brother’s house?”

The words that left her mouth may have sounded objectionable, but the rest of her was saying something else completely different.

“Hm… I think our bigger worry would be Ruby, not Liam.”

He’d barely got her through the door before she stopped again.

“I was joking,” he murmured into her neck. “Kind of.” He pressed a soft kiss right there. “Come on. You can trust me.”

“I do.”

It was soft and earnest and… the acknowledgment of trust from Emma Swan was always going to do something to him.

Killian let her go, taking her only by the hand and leading her through the rooms of the house. The hold she had on his was firm and… trusting, he thought with a smile to himself.

There was always a chance that someone could walk into the house as well. Tightening his hand around hers, he headed for the staircase.

They passed by Connor’s room.

“Definitely not.”

He agreed wholeheartedly with her…

The master bedroom?

“Tempting.”

Hmm…

Emma laughed from behind him. God, he loved her giggle!

The bathroom sat at the end of the hall…

“Oh, is this not cliché?”

“I don’t think it’s a problem.” Killian was quick to turn around to face her, managing to keep the grin at a minimum. His hand sought her hair, digging his fingers in deep and to the root.

It was her that pushed herself into him, her mouth catching his in a kiss. Her hands reached up to clutch at his shoulders, her nails doing some digging of their own.

Their steps towards the bathroom were clumsy at best. The multi-tasking of walking and clawing at one another was not the easiest.

They were all hands, all smiles, all laughs…

Emma kicked the bathroom door closed behind her.

“Oh my God, they’re going to kill us.” There was still a smile on her face despite the murmur. She pressed her back into the door, her eyes only on him.

“Well, maybe... If they found out.” The damn book. He tossed the sketchbook down on top of the clothes hamper that was sitting in one of the corners. “Do not let me forget to grab that before we leave.”

Before he had time to give his full attention to her, Emma was wrapping her arms back around his neck.

“I love you, Killian.”

He loved when she took charge. He loved when it was soft and romantic. He loved when it was like this: passion-driven and hot.

Her mouth attacked his before the words could escape.

While placing his now free hands over her hips, he knew this was the best idea he had that entire day. With her thighs gripping at his own hips, he decided it was this was the best idea he had since their mini-vacation.

The door was option number one. There were two walls available as option two. But it was option number three, the sink, that won out.

Lifting her higher around his waist, Killian finally deposited her there on the top of the wide sink.

Her fingers were at his shoulders again, pulling him into her.

He had a chance to look at her, this woman who had just vowed that she loved him. Beautiful green eyes shining mischievously at him. Pink lips even pinker already from kisses. Pretty dimple in chin that begged to be kissed as well.

“Emma?” His own hand went back to sweep over the blonde strands of hair, pushing it away from her face.

Sometimes it hit him. Like now…

“I love you, too, Emma.”

Standing between her opened legs, Killian felt the way she tightened her grip on him, simultaneously pulling him into her and her against him.

“Let’s agree that we’re both pretty lucky,” she whispered with a smile. But it was the way that she was looking at him. She looked at him as if she understood and was feeling the same thing that he was in that moment.

There was a part of him that needed to make a confession. Even with having her sitting there in front of him, wrapped around him, there was so much more that this was…

“What are you thinking, Killian?” she asked softly, her head tilting just slightly.

It made him smile. It made him grin, actually. It was never like this before. Before Emma… this was all just a dream that he never thought he’d actually have.

“I’m thinking… that… I want this forever.” His heart began beating all the faster, and he knew the cause of it. “I want this. I want it all, Emma. With you. Forever.”

She took in the smallest of breaths, but other than that…

“Does that scare you for me to admit?” Killian asked quietly. Her answer…

Emma’s lips twitched into another smile. Her hands moved from his shoulders and she let her arms wrap around his neck.

“That doesn’t scare me,” she assured him with a shake of her head. “I want the same thing.” This time, she sighed, cocking her head once more. “Didn’t you know that?”

She had a way of making his heart almost burst… The ache was strong in his chest. It felt really good.

“Do you know everything that I want?” he asked. Because he wanted a lot.

“You want… us forever,” Emma started slowly. “Which is only the beginning- and basically a foregone conclusion.”

Even if it felt really good, Killian didn’t know how much he could take.

“You want marriage.” An eyebrow lifted sharply. “You want a baby.”

That did it…

Killian’s hands tightened around her waist as his chest tightened even more. He felt the scrunch of his face as he wore the pain clear for her to see. Hiding it would be impossible.

“How about babies?” He reached for her lips for a quick and soft peck.

Which lingered…

As thoughts ran through his mind.

“God, does everything have to be competition with your brother?” It was said teasingly against his cheek.

Killian pulled back from her, surprise clearly on his face.

“Ha ha. Funny, Emma.”

“I thought so,” Emma said in a sing-song voice, her fingers curling at the ends of his hair at the nape of his neck.

His own fingers gripped at his waist even more firmly. Staring at the face that had just said… said everything so perfectly, he didn’t want to mess it all up.

Still…

“Damn it, it’s way too early for me to ask you to marry me, when I just asked you to be my girlfriend.”

Emma shrugged. “And in your brother’s bathroom…”

Yes, she was going to kill him.

“Right.” Killian smiled back at her, loving the banter over a very real and serious topic. “So I won’t ask you right now.”

She nodded, her bottom lip poking out just a bit. “Okay.”

If I asked you?

Killian didn’t voice the thought. Instead, he concentrated on her hands.

Emma slid her hands down his shoulders, over his chest, bumped down his stomach, and lightly caressed the entire length of his waist.

If he asked…

Those fingers slipped over the button.

She would say…

The button became undone under those fingers.

Yes…

She took the tab of the zipper next.

So when he did ask her…

Slowly, so very slowly, she pulled it down.

The answer would be yes…

“Emma, love.”

Her eyes reached his, still soft and beautiful.

“Just imagine us having all the time in the world, Killian.” She smiled, a tiny smile that sent his heart fluttering.

Leaning in close, his lips reached for hers again.

Imagine? No, Killian didn’t have to imagine.

They definitely had all the time in the world.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who joined me through this journey. This was a very personal tale that I’ve woven together. It came to fruition when I was feeling really down about myself. It came to me when so many things in my life seemed to be going wrong, and it had been… a while since I had actually felt that bad about myself…

This story was part canon Emma Swan and part me. There were many scenarios and feelings that I drew from personal experience. What I really appreciated from comments that I’ve received over the past few months were the ones from those who have felt depression themselves. To know that I portrayed Emma’s pain in ways that felt authentic made it so worth going through the pain as the writer. And for those readers who didn’t know much about depression, hopefully this story gave a tiny view of what it is like.

At one point, I was debating on not giving Emma her happy ending. Because even though it took her a year to feel comfortable enough to be with Killian in a relationship and a year to feel good about herself, it is not always so easy to look yourself in the mirror and admit you need help. So I did think about giving the story that authentic approach to my story. I also realized that I could do in fic what I can’t do so easily in real life: I can give this person who lives with the disease of depression a happy ending. Where it doesn’t continuously hurt!

I had the opportunity to research things that I wouldn’t have done at another time. And although I love Emma’s bravery here, it’s not so easy to instill that feeling in myself. So, again, I am very proud of all the work this character has done here. It was nothing but bravery. And I’m happy that she got everything she wanted- including an understanding of herself- by the end of this story….

#cs ff #captain swan #my fics #cs fanfics #csartistsnetwork #csartistsnetwork ff

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o-u-a-timer · 10 years ago

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How Many Chances (Before I Get It Right)? Epilogue (Part 1)

A/N: This, as you may have noticed, is part 1 of a 2-part epilogue. There was just more of this story to tell than I'd anticipated. Please, enjoy!

One year later...

“There was one more thing that I did want to discuss with you.”

There wasn’t tension in her from bringing it up. Well, maybe just a little. It was more about the curiosity as to what Archie would say. What he would think about where she was in her life.

“Please, Emma.” His smile was easy. She liked his smile. “I have a feeling that this is something that you’ve been wanting to get off of your chest for a while now.”

It made her gnaw at her bottom lip. She wasn’t sure how he had come to that conclusion, but she couldn’t lie and say that it wasn’t the truth.

“It’s been a year,” Emma started, looking right at him from her seat on the couch. “I’ve been diagnosed for nearly that entire time.”

“And you’ve made amazing progress in coping with your depression,” Archie said in agreement. The casual way in which he sat in the chair across from her only spoke to that.

She nodded her head slowly, thinking back on a long year that had meant almost everything to her well-being.

The diagnosis had been shocking to her, in some ways. Only because giving it a name- linking those feelings and ways of handling those feelings into a singular component after all those years- made it more than just real. It made it manageable. Archie was right: the progress had been truly amazing…

“I’ve been thinking,” Emma started softly.

It was both a thought of him and what part he’d played in her life in that last year that came to mind right then.

“But I also wanted to know what you would think about it as well.”

“What is it that’s on your mind, Emma?”

Archie asked the question quietly. As if urging her on, to get her current issue out in the open.

The year flashed quickly by in her mind. She saw an encouraging smile. She saw the attentive eyes and the carefree way in which he laughed. She saw a man who had kept his promise to her, without even realizing what that promise was going to actually entail. He’d done it so willingly. Honestly. Truthfully.

“I’m not cured.” Emma looked back at Archie, just then realizing how she had let those drifting thoughts take her away. “I am far from seeing my last day of psychotherapy. I came in with a fear of having to be medicated to keep my problems under control. Now, I know it’s just one more tool that helps at certain times in my life. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

"That's the payoff to the hard work of a woman who wants to be in control of her life, Emma," Archie commented easily. There was a smile on his face, small but full of pride. “So… what is it that you’ve been thinking about that has caused you to reflect on all of these wonderful aspects about who you are now?”

Emma lifted her chin the merest fraction. She appreciated the kind words. She would appreciate his agreement with her own thinking even more.

“I feel like I’m ready.” She tilted her head just so, looking at the man who sat across from her. “To not do this on my own anymore.”

The corner of Archie’s lip lifted just a tiny bit more.

“This is about Killian.”

Oh, how she loved her perceptive psychotherapist!

“It’s about Killian,” she agreed. “More about me though.” Her eyes roamed the man’s reaction to that.

Maybe he liked her ownership of the new topic. There was a bit of a change in him. The way he sat up taller. The way he watched Emma.

“I think I’m ready, Archie,” she finally shared with him. In doing so, she felt a lightening of her heart. A feeling of being free and in control washed over her. “I’m ready to dive into handling my issues with my illness while still opening myself up to Killian one hundred percent.”

He smiled. It was a genuine smile that Emma appreciated.

“What was it that made you come to that conclusion, Emma?”

It wasn’t meant to make her doubt herself. It was a question that was asked of her so that she could verbally articulate where her head was at.

Emma thought on that. It had been a year. A year had passed since she had put herself on this path.

“For more than half of this past year, I focused solely on myself,” Emma told him softly. “I put everything that wasn’t vital in my life on the backburner. Even my job and my son were able to understand my need to do this for me. And I was really grateful for having that understanding from them. A year where I had the chance to look at myself and listen to professionals who understood me and wanted to help me. That was a good chunk of this year.”

She paused, giving herself time to gather her thoughts and to figure out how she wanted to express them.

“Killian wasn't someone that you considered vital?“

Archie’s statement drew her focus on him immediately.

“Killian couldn’t be vital at that point,” she said with a shake of her head. “If he was vital, then my focus would have been different. This time has been about healing me. Nothing else.”

“So he wasn’t vital,” Archie said. “Yet there was still a relationship between the two of you.”

“A relationship?”

“You continued to live across the hall from him,” he pointed out. “You felt like staying in that environment was healthy.”

“Which you agreed with at the time,” Emma reminded him. “I didn’t want to leave. Henry deserved to stay there. I didn’t want to lose everything that I had gained by moving there.”

“Which… included Killian,” Archie said slowly.

Well…

“He was willing to give me everything that I needed,” Emma said softly. “And I always hoped that this day would come. The day that I could love myself, understand myself, and love him as well.”

“And as you sit here today, you believe that those are all resolved issues?” Archie asked with a shrug of his shoulder.

“I think I’m in a good place with me,” she said again. “I feel like it’s okay to move forward with life in its entirety. I feel like I have a grasp on things, so I don’t need to have aspects of my life put on hold.”

Archie was slow to nod. His face had a pensive expression. His thoughts…

“What has your relationship been like in this year?” he asked quietly.

What had…

“It… could have been… odd.” Their situation. Yes, it could have been odd. “We live across the hall from one another. We had a relationship prior to this. I asked him to give me time to do these things for myself, and he agreed.”

“Which entailed what exactly?” The tilt of his head was small. So was the inquiring smile.

“Do you mean if he’s been waiting on me to get myself together while being completely loyal?”

“The particulars of your understanding have the potential to affect either one of you,” he told her. “Although you have put yourself first throughout, Emma, you made that request of him to give you time. It’s been an entire year. I am curious as to what your arrangements were and how you handle them from this point going forward.”

“Our interactions with one another have been limited.” Emma couldn’t help but smile at that fact. Limited. “But they haven’t been nonexistent. That would have been near impossible in our situation. I toyed with the idea of moving on more than one occasion. It was a hard decision because, in the middle of this, I still wanted to do right by Henry. Moving again would have been another instance where I couldn’t offer him stability. Killian was a part of that stability, even from across the hall. So… I didn’t move. Killian didn’t want us to move either.”

Emma shook her head, drifting into thoughts of him. Shy smiles and looks of understanding. The occasional look in his eyes that she was well aware of. A look of hunger that he tampered well.

“We talked more as the year went on. In the beginning, it was less frequent. That was because I was trying to get an understanding and a balance in my life. We eventually communicated through text messages, phone calls. Visits?” She shook her head. “There were never many visits. Sometimes. Not many. It was always done with respectful intent. He never pushed. Never prodded.” It made her shake her head again. “I don’t know how difficult it was for him, but… I believed him when he said… that he would wait on me.”

Trust. Killian had earned her trust. It never wavered.

“It’s been a year.” That was something to find awe in. “He’s been waiting that entire time for me. And it didn’t come by way of help of another woman. It was me. I was enough.”

Emma never let herself think about it in those terms. Putting everything together, voicing it all aloud, did something to her heart.

“Emma?”

Archie’s voice had the same effect as earlier.

Looking at him, and paying attention this time, she saw the smile on his face.

“I think you’ve come up with your answer, Emma.” Leaning back in his seat, his smile continued to grow. “I think that you’re more than ready to add this relationship back into your life. You’re going to come into this relationship with a knowledge and understanding of all the hard work you’ve put into yourself. You’ve both made commitments that you were both able to keep. And, also importantly, even though this is a relationship that it is obvious to see that you want, you also now know what it takes to make it a success.”

“You think…” He was actually saying what she had hoped that he would say? “You really think that I can have a relationship with Killian right now in my life?”

Archie gave a single nod. “I believe that having another positive person in your life, who was always positive in your life, would be a fine addition. The reason you excluded him was only because you knew that it wasn’t the right time to try to establish a relationship when you needed to work on yourself. From the moment that you decided to seek out medical attention, Emma, you’ve been very aware and capable in your life. It’s one of the reasons why I trust you when you say that you know that you are ready.”

It made her think. It made her wonder… if she truly was capable of knowing such things about herself. And the more she thought on it…

Emma smiled.

“Thank you, Archie.”

He shook his head. “Emma, this is all you.”

It had been only a thought for so long. Now…

She saw a life that had endless possibilities. But no matter what the ending would be, she had power in making it one that she deserved and one that was happy.

****

5:00pm

Hey

Hi Emma. What can I do for you?

I’m running late from work. Would you check up on Henry and make sure he’s getting everything he needs to done?

Not a problem, love.

Thanks, Killian.

6:26pm

He said something about the possibility of stargazing and a meteor shower??

It was all Liam’s idea, I assure you. Even I don’t have all the details.

You guys are planning something big.

Taking Henry means the opportunity of some great photos.

I think that he would enjoy getting down and dirty, all in the sake of photography and astronomy.

Is that what you do now: dirty?

I have my moments.

6:42pm

How is everything going, Emma?

Everything’s great.

That’s good.

I had an amazing session this afternoon. I am feeling really good right now.

That sounds really wonderful. I’m happy for you.

How is everything going with you?

Busy. A heavy workload at the Globe.

I’ll be taking another one of those weekend-long trips to Springfield Friday.

You won’t be home until Monday?

Right

You didn’t need me for anything, did you?

Henry didn’t mention anything.

****

9:13pm

Hey

9:27pm

Sorry. What’s up?

You aren’t home, are you?

Did you need me?

No. It was nothing.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

It was her own problem. She didn’t like the way she was tiptoeing over the issue. She didn’t like the fact that she had not approached him in the past day. That wasn’t like her.

Emma stood against the kitchen counter and poured the steaming cocoa into her mug. It was only getting later and later. Her shower was over and she had put herself to bed rather early.

Sleep wouldn’t come to her. She knew exactly why. It was because her thoughts were on him. Texting had turned up a dead end because he wasn’t even there. So she had pulled herself back out of bed and made her way to the kitchen.

The cocoa smelled delicious, even bringing back memories of shared nights when it was just her and her mom.

Emma sniffed at the mug and closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the memory. She enjoyed the fact that she could now see perfection in her mom, yet not be intimidated . It felt good seeing and appreciating the life that she had come from.

With the heat of the mug transferring into her hands, she moved away from the counter and moved out of the kitchen. But… it wasn’t the bed that was calling her. More than anything, she was ready to get her life completely back.

****

Emma always had a way of surprising him. It wasn’t until Killian was out of the car and cutting a path through the lawn that he saw her.

It was late. She wasn’t known to be the sit-on-the-porch-with-legs-tucked-underneath-oneself-late-at-night kind of a person. So what had her there in this instance?

Killian’s steps were slow as he made his way to the porch steps. The smile on his face as he watched her was small, and it didn’t give too much away.

Her hair was still damp from a recent shower. Perhaps too damp for a night out on the porch.

“What… are you doing?”

She watched as he had come. She watched as he moved up those steps. Bright green eyes and a smile of her own.

“Nothing really,” she finally answered.

Sometimes it was hard because his love for her had only grown in the time they were apart. Sometimes it was easier because the apart side of the deal wouldn’t be forever. At some point, she would be his in every sense of the word. She would be whole and healthy as a result of that time as well.

Still… There were moments like these where he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless. To admit the words that were so carefully kept under lock and key until the moment was right again.

“Emma?” It was the shine on her hair lying against the pale of her face that caught his attention. “You shouldn’t be out here. You’ll end up with a cold. Or something worse.”

Her face turned up towards him, her eyes wide.

“I haven’t been out for long. And I have my cocoa to keep me warm.” She hugged her hands even tighter over the mug as she fluttered her eyes up at him.

Yes, all he wanted to do was kiss her…

“What have you been up to?” she asked softly.

Killian tore his eyes away from her and let them fall to the porch instead. He wouldn’t go towards her or get any closer. He took a seat on the edge of the top step.

“I was at Liam and Ruby’s,” he finally answered her. Leaning against the side of the porch for support, he looked back up at her.

Her gaze was already on him, peering down at him quizzically.

“They were both incredibly proud at getting Liam to go pee pee on the potty.” His smile grew at the memory of his nephew.

“They’re starting early,” Emma murmured, sounding highly impressed.

“Well, Connor’s practically a prodigy,” he reminded her smoothly. “Or if you let Ruby tell it, he is.” He couldn’t contain the bit of laughter at that. “She’s very proud of her toddler.”

“As she has all the right in the world to be.”

“I think it also has something to do with getting him out of the baby stage in time for baby number two to make its appearance.”

That had Emma’s eyes growing, before her eyebrows pulled together in a frown.

“I didn’t tell you.” Realization dawned on his own face. “In all fairness, I’ve only known for days.”

“She’s pregnant?”

“Ruby’s pregnant.”

Killian smiled, but it faltered as he looked up at her.

They were on baby number two before he’d even had the chance to…

He swallowed hard. Wanting to shake those thoughts from him mind, he shook his head.

“She’s only like five weeks along. They’re both really excited. We’re all really excited.”

“It’s exciting news,” Emma agreed.

Two had become four, and was becoming five. And yet… he wanted much more for the Jones’ lineage.

Killian only spared her another second of just looking at her. It wasn’t good to just look at her when his thoughts were turning towards the future. One day… He knew that it would be one day. He knew that the waiting wasn’t in vain.

“Emma.” He was already standing up as he said it. “I should get inside.”

He watched as her legs quickly came from under her and the way was pushing herself up to stand as well.

She only wore socks. It was something about the comfortableness of being without shoes that did something to him. In combination with the blonde hair flowing down her back and over her shoulder, it was almost enough to make him need to excuse himself into the confines of his apartment and apart from her. If he couldn’t…

“You should be making your way inside as well.”

What he didn’t do was stop himself from reaching out to lightly brush back a piece of that golden hair away from her cheek and back behind her ear.

“I came out here for a reason.”

It came out in such a rush, her wide eyes still on him.

It made his own gaze pinpoint on pieces of her. He didn’t know what the sudden change in her was for.

“Then… I should leave you to it,” he offered with the briefest of nods, readying himself to retreat.

“I came out here to wait for you.”

He hadn’t had time to even turn.

Her statement was the surprising bit. Because she did look as if she had something on her mind. She was out there waiting on him, when she had no idea when he would be back. She hadn’t asked earlier through text. And yet, she was out there waiting for him. That fact put an odd smile on his lips.

“I needed to talk to you.”

Killian watched as she took a step back, moving once again closer to where she had been sitting.

“You need to talk to me?” he asked softly. “What about?”

The mug was set on the floor of the porch beside her abandoned seat. Then, she was back up as quickly as she had left.

The smile on her face was nervous. The way she looked at him was a bit confusing as well.

“What is it, Emma?” She was making him curious. He almost took a step forward, before he stopped himself. “Did something happen?”

That’s when she sighed. That’s when she moved, closer to him again, bringing them only inches from one another.

She wasn’t the flirty type. In the past year of them being apart, he would never have used that term for her. There had always been a comfortable understanding of how close and how intimate they were able to be. Not because something would have happened that would have disturbed the delicate balance of their relationship. It was more to the point of an understanding that boundaries were there for a reason, and that was okay.

So… here she was. All smiles and bright eyes.

“Killian.” Another rush of air…

“Emma.” He tried to smile, but the curiosity of the whole thing…

“Why is this hard?” Her eyes were squinting on him now.

She had something she needed to tell him. Something that was difficult. That was why she was on the porch. That was why… she was waiting for him.

Killian’s lip trembled into a smile.

“Emma, say something,” he told her softly. Because his mind had a way of racing when she did things like this.

He watched as her hands moved. They rose to a spot between them. Then, they moved even closer to him, sliding back down to capture his hands in her own.

“Killian?”

Her skin was soft and warm despite the coldness in the air. It was his first thought, but not his last. She was holding his hands. In an intimate way. This was intimate. Unlike any time that he could truly remember.

He looked from their hands back to her face. He noticed then that she was looking down at the way their fingers tangled together.

Was her heart racing as well? His heart was…

“What is it, Emma?” The murmur was thick with emotion. There was only one thing that could have possibly fallen from her lips. There were many ways in which she could have said it, but there was only one possible topic that she had on her mind.

“You really did it,” she started softly. It was then that she looked up at him, tears shimmering in her eyes. “You waited for me.”

Her eyes. Those tears. Her fingers tightening around his. It was all almost too much, even for him.

“You’re worth waiting for, Emma,” he whispered quietly.

“An entire year?” There was now a frown on her face with those words. “And you never gave me any indication that it was selfish on my part or that you couldn’t do it. Or that you didn’t want to do it. You never pressured me in any way. To get over myself. To move on.”

“This was time for you to make yourself a whole and complete person,” Killian reminded her. “Why would I ever deny you that, when I knew how much you’d struggled with getting yourself there?”

He wanted her whole.

“Even in pieces, you were the woman I wanted.” He stared right into her shimmering green eyes, and he felt close to tears himself. God! What she did to him! “When you become whole, you’ll be the woman I can have in my life, the woman who wants me just as much as I want her.”

Her hands tightened around him even more, her eyes squinting on his.

“You say it with such conviction,” she said with a shake of her head.

“You don’t think it’s true?”

Her tongue came out to lick at her lip. “I know it’s true.”

That made him smile. “Good.” He didn’t want the moment to end, but maybe he had been wrong to think it would be more than just this. He stood there, letting her look him over, for her. She did that, while he became overcome with emotion. Emotions that he had not expected to express on this night at this time.

“There’s more.” Emma smiled, maybe being in tune with his thoughts.

More. It was right there at the edge of his heart: hope. How was he supposed to suppress the hope when she looked at him that way? How was he supposed to keep the flood of feelings and thoughts he’d tried to keep bottled up and to himself from coming to the surface when she was right there in his arms, looking at him the way she did, holding him the way she did?

“I’m… ready, Killian.” This time, she nodded.

She’d said…

“I’m ready, Killian.”

He could do nothing but blink at her. Was she saying…

If the words weren’t clear enough, then the way she slid her hands out from his and let them run over his shoulders to his back told him…

Still…

“Are… you sure?” Her arms around him, her eyes shining on him. “Are you sure, Emma?”

She’d said…

Her arms around his neck wasn’t enough. Not if those words were true.

Killian grabbed at her waist, almost lifting her off of her feet. He held on firmly. He held on to Emma, as her arms touched parts of him in a way that she hadn’t in a very long time.

“I’m sure. And I’m not running solely on emotion. Dr. Hopper agreed,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “I miss you, Killian.” She was searching out his face, looking him over. “I love you.”

That! That was what was in her eyes. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen it before, but…

His lips curled into another smile. His hand moved from her waist and found a spot just above her ear. Threading his fingers in the slightly damp hair, it was a reminder of a time so long ago.

It was a long year. Not difficult to get through, because there had always been something to look forward at the end of the road. It wasn’t difficult not to hold her and say the words, because when the day came, she would be able to hold him back and say the words, too. And he had never gave up hope that it would be forever. A forever kind of love between the two of them.

Both hands. Staring at the face that he wanted at his side for a lifetime, he pushed all his fingers through the mass of her hair. He held her there. Looking at her in awe, because she was awe-inspiring, he let himself touch her.

“I love you, Emma.”

Forever.

“I know that.” It was a whisper. The tears were back as she looked him over. “I truly know that, Killian.”

Running his fingers through her hair, he pulled even closer. His forehead bumped carefully against hers. And… it really was her. She was there, in totality, with him.

“Damn it, what is it that you do to me?"

Emma’s fingers ran up his arms and held on tight to the muscle there. She gripped at him, pulling herself even closer than before.

“Whatever it is, you do it to me as well,” she whispered against him. “Killian.” She sighed.

It was still almost too unbelievable.

“It’s been a year,” she said. “Do you mind if we ease into this? To take into account the chance to get to know each other all over again.”

And then it became perfectly believable. Her request…

Killian smiled against her.

“That sounds like something we can definitely do. Emma?” He pulled her back just a bit so that he could see her face. “Emma, I love you.”

There was a tear falling down her cheek, but it was the smile that spoke volumes.

“I love you, too, Killian.”

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