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jrob64 · 10 months ago

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Ghosted (Now a complete story!)

Chapter 5 - Moving Forward

Well, the 'short' epilogue I intended to write turned into a 9300+ word final chapter for this story. This chapter does contain two smut scenes (I only planned for there to be one, but these two idiots couldn't keep their hands, and other things, to themselves.) Both my beta @hookedmom and my artist @kmomof4 requested there be smut, and since I owe them so much for their work on this story, I couldn't refuse. If smut is not your thing, look for the double asterisks for when it begins and ends.

STORY SUMMARY: When Emma Swan’s ex-boyfriend dies, she’s haunted by his ghost. Her neighbor, Killian Jones, a ghost hunter who has a YouTube channel, realizes what’s happening and offers to help. However, there’s more at stake than simply helping the apparition move on. There’s also the matter of Killian telling Emma he’s in love with her.

RATING: M (for smut in this chapter)

WORDS (Ch. 5): 9327

Previous chapters on Tumblr: Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3 Ch. 4

Also posted on Ao3 and ffn

*********

Emma and Killian kissed, cuddled and talked into the wee hours of the morning, before the exhaustion from the events of the day finally overtook them. When Killian’s eyes finally blinked open, bright sunlight was shining through the opening between the curtains in Emma’s bedroom. He was unwilling to wake her by trying to reach her phone on the nightstand to check the time, so he decided to be content holding her in his arms, reflecting on everything that happened between the two of them in the last two days.

Now that Neal’s ghost was hopefully gone for good, they could go on the date they discussed - was it really only a day ago? A lot had happened since then. No wonder the two of them slept so late.

Slowly, he brought his hand up to brush Emma’s hair away from the side of her face. Since she was lying on her side facing away from him, he was unable to see her features, but he could tell she was relaxed and sleeping peacefully. After watching her experience nightmares several times without being able to help, he was very happy he had a hand in helping her find that peace.

As his mind began to wander, he considered how things were going to change. Now that their feelings were revealed, he and Emma would obviously be spending more time together - going out on dates and frequenting each other’s apartment more often. Belle and Will started dating, which might affect the dynamics of the work environment.

Liam would move on.

Sudden tears burned Killian’s eyes. Liam’s unfinished business was making sure Killian had someone to love, and now he had Emma. It was only a matter of time before he would be saying goodbye to his brother again.

While visits from Liam’s spirit weren’t the same as having him there physically, at least he could speak with him and feel his presence. Once he was gone, Killian wouldn’t even have that comfort anymore. He had faith that one day he would spend eternity with Liam in Heaven because he and his brother were both believers in Jesus. At least they wouldn’t meet the same fate as Neal, but his time with his brother on Earth would be over

Suddenly, a thought struck Killian for what he was ashamed to realize was the first time. Liam had stayed because he needed to make sure his ‘little brother’ was going to be okay, even at the cost of his own peace. The fact that Killian never considered that before made him feel like the most selfish person in the world. Of course it would be difficult to say that final goodbye, but if anyone deserved to be at rest, it was his loyal big brother.

With his mind so totally engrossed with thinking about Liam, he failed to recognize that Emma had awakened and turned to face him. It wasn’t until he felt her fingers on his cheek that he shook himself out of his thoughts.

“Killian?” she asked, a furrow of concern across her forehead. “Are you okay?”

He briefly considered telling her he was fine, but didn’t want to lie to her. “I, uh, I was just thinking…about Liam.”

“Did you get another visit from him?”

“No, not this morning. It’s just, I…I’ve been incredibly selfish,” he admitted.

“You? Killian Jones, you don’t have a selfish bone in your body. Why would you say that?”

“Because,” he started, then closed his eyes and took several breaths, trying not to get emotional. “Because he…he’s stayed here with me for six years. Six years, Emma! He could have been enjoying his eternal rest for six years, but hasn’t because he’s been too worried about watching over me.”

“But that was his choice, wasn’t it?”

“The last thing Mum told him before she passed was to take care of me,” he said, tears falling unbidden from his eyes. “And Liam is so stubborn, he wouldn’t move on without making sure I was going to be happy and…”

“In love?” she finished.

“Aye.”

She brushed away his tears, first from one cheek, then the other. “Now that we are,” she said quietly, “his unfinished business is done, isn’t it?”

He nodded, dropping his eyes.

“And he’ll be moving on,” she stated simply.

“Aye, and even though he’s put that off for so long because of me, I still don’t want him to go. Which proves that I’m the most selfish person alive.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Emma said firmly. “You love your brother and don’t want to lose him. Again.” When he still wouldn’t look at her, she took his face between her hands. “Killian, my love, I know it’s going to be hard for you to say goodbye to him. Wanting to hang onto him is natural, but you’ve had more time with him than most people who lose someone they love. Just think of it though - he’ll be in Heaven watching over you. Someday, you’ll be reunited with him and you’ll never have to say goodbye again.”

He attempted to smile, but couldn’t quite manage it. She gathered him in her arms, holding him tightly and rubbing comforting hands along his back and through his hair.

“Thank you, Love,” he whispered hoarsely, emotion clogging his throat.

She didn’t answer, but gave him a gentle kiss on the lips and continued to calm his racing mind and aching heart with her gentle, loving touch. Just when he finally felt like he had his sorrow under control, her stomach rumbled loudly, causing both of them to laugh.

He reluctantly pulled himself away from her embrace, cocking an eyebrow as he asked, “Would you like some breakfast, Swan?”

“What time is it?” she asked, stretching her arms over her head.

Killian spotted her phone on the nightstand, picked it up and tapped the screen to see the time. “Eleven-seventeen.”

“In the morning?” Emma gasped. “Why did you let me sleep so late?”

“I woke up just a few minutes before you. It was an extremely eventful and exhausting day yesterday, so I believe we earned the right to sleep in. Is there somewhere you need to be today?”

She thought for a moment. “No, I don’t think I have anything going on - today is my day off.”

“In that case, I vote for being lazy all day.”

“You don’t have anything to do, either?”

“No, except to call…shit! I’m sure Will and Belle are wondering what happened last night.”

“Why don’t you call them while I take a shower, then we’ll get something to eat.”

“Sounds like a plan, if you think you can survive without eating for that long.”

“Hey, I survived being haunted by a ghost who was intent on killing me, I think I can go a few more minutes without food.”

He chuckled as he threw back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Fair point, Love. I need to find my phone. I don’t remember where I put it.”

“I’m pretty sure you didn’t bring it into the bedroom last night. I saw it on the coffee table while you were reading to me. And speaking of coffee…”

“I’ll start the coffee maker while you shower.” Twisting his body around to look at her, he asked, “Will you be okay? The last time you took a shower was pretty traumatic for you.”

She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. “How sure are you that he’s gone?”

“I’ve never experienced something like that before, but after what we witnessed last night, I’m almost positive. However,” he smirked, “if you’re afraid to take a shower alone, I could join you.”

She playfully nudged him with her shoulder. “Thanks for the very generous offer, but I think I can manage.”

He grinned. “Well, if you’re sure, I’ll go find my phone.” Leaning in, he gave her a kiss, then stood up and left the room.

After switching on the coffee maker, he found his device right where Emma said. Swiping his finger across it, he saw several notifications on the lock screen. When he unlocked it, his messages icon announced nine texts.

As he sat down to begin reading them, he heard the bathroom door close. He sat frozen until he heard the water begin to run, then let out a relieved breath. Turning his attention back to the messages, he saw six of them were from Will and three from Belle, all asking what happened with increasing degrees of intensity. He laughed at the final one from Will, which simply said, “ARE YOU FUCKING DEAD????”

Quickly dialing his number, he wasn’t surprised when Will picked up after less than a complete ring. “What the fuck, Kil?” he exploded. “You said you’d let us know what happened last night. Here it is, middle of the day and not a bloody word from ya! We’re on pins and needles over here.”

“We?” Killian questioned. “Does that mean Belle is there with you?”

“Aye. We were texting back and forth this mornin’, seein’ if you’d bothered to contact either of us, so she just came over to my place. That way, if a police officer showed up at my door to tell me my best friend had been found dead because of an attack by a ghost, at least we’d be together for the news.”

“Dial down the dramatics, Scarlett,” Killian said. “I’m sorry I didn’t contact you, but we just woke up a few minutes ago. And before you start making remarks about what kept us up so late…”

“Why would ya think I would do somethin’ like that?” Will interrupted.

“Because I know you.”

“Will,” Belle piped up, “let Killian tell us what happened.”

“Sorry, boss. Did Cassidy show up?”

“He did. I was able to enter Emma’s dream and wake her up from the trance…”

“How were you able to do that?” Belle asked.

“I, uh…I kissed her,” Killian admitted.

“So screamin’ in her face didn’t work, but kissin’ her did?” Will asked.

“How romantic,” Belle sighed.

“Anyway,” Killian said, eager to move ahead with the story, “as soon as Emma was awake, she yelled at Neal, telling him she didn’t want to die and spend eternity with him because that would literally be hell for her.”

“Bravo, blondie!” Will interjected.

“She was bloody brilliant, but of course Neal didn’t give up. He kept trying to pull her away from me, until she screamed at him to go to Hell.”

“Then what happened?” Belle asked, obviously on the edge of her seat.

“I don’t know how I’m going to be able to describe the next events to you. I’ve never seen anything like it and I hope I never do again.” Killian took a few moments, picturing the chaotic scene in his mind. “A huge, black opening appeared and a Hell beast came out of it, along with a bunch of its minions.”

“Oh, my word!” Belle exclaimed. “What did they look like?”

Killian described the beasts the best he could and could hear Belle gasp, while Will muttered, “Bloody fucking hell.”

Killian paused the story when he heard the shower shut off, listening intently for several seconds. “Can you hold on for a minute?” he asked his friends.

“What? You’re leavin’ us hangin’ at this point in the story?” Will protested.

“I’ve got to go check on Emma. She’s getting out of the shower, and after what happened yesterday…”

“Go ahead. We’ll wait,” Belle said.

Killian quickly moved to the bathroom door and tapped on it gently. “Swan? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m not being harassed by a ghost this time,” she replied.

“Okay,” he chuckled. “Just checking.”

“Thanks. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“I’m in the middle of updating Will and Belle, so take your time.”

He went back out into the living room and picked up his phone. “Alright, where was I?”

“The Hell beasts just entered the picture,” Will reminded him.

“Right. They started coming after Neal and he screamed for Emma to help him. Then they just turned and left him, going back into the abyss.”

“They didn’t take him with them?” Will growled.

“No, but shortly afterwards these spikey, fiery ropes came out, wrapped themselves around him and dragged him away.”

“Wow!” Belle exclaimed.

“But it was all a dream, wannit?” Will pointed out.

“Supposedly, but I think the events actually happened.” Killian explained his theory about Neal creating the nightmares and pulling Emma into them. As he was finishing up, she walked into the living room, dressed in yoga pants and a loose V-neck shirt. Sitting down on the arm of the couch, she flung her arm around his shoulders and leaned into him.

“Hi Belle. Hi Will.”

Will called out a greeting, as Belle said, “Hello, Emma. Sounds like you had quite an adventure last night.”

“You can say that again. I assume Killian told you about everything that happened?” When Belle and Will both murmured their assurances, she continued, “We think Neal’s really gone this time.”

“I bloody well hope so,” Will said. “I hate to think of anyone spendin’ eternity in Hell, but after what that tosser put you through, I can’t say I feel very sorry for him.”

“We should be able to get the double episode on YouTube by the end of next week,” Belle said.

“Hey Kil, if ya don’t want us sayin’ anything about how you could get into Emma’s dreams, how are we gonna explain what happened to the spirit?” Will asked.

“Oh, that’s a good point,” Belle said.

“We’ll figure something out,” Killian answered, “but right now, Emma and I are going to get something to eat. We’re both famished.”

They said their goodbyes with a promise to get together the next day to go over edits for the episodes.

“What would you like to eat, Love?” Killian asked, rising from the couch and stretching his arms above his head.

“Technically, it’s lunch time, but we missed breakfast and I would really like a breakfast pizza.”

“That sounds good to me. Do you want it delivered?”

“Sure. Do you like Petey’s Pizza? They’ve got a good one .”

“I haven’t had it before, but I’ll take your word for it.”

They ordered the pizza, then Killian went to his apartment to take a shower while they waited for it to be delivered. He was relieved that Emma wasn’t worried about being left alone. Still, he grabbed the infrared thermometer and EMF meter before heading back to her place, just to ensure she had peace of mind.

The instruments didn’t register any paranormal activity then, or either of the other two times he tested for it during the day. They stuck to their plan of being lazy all day - watching three Mission Impossible movies while lying on the sofa together, putting in another DoorDash order for dinner, and sharing childhood memories, all interspersed with very enjoyable make-out sessions.

“This is nice,” Emma said, after one such session. “I almost forgot what it feels like to relax.”

“Mmm, it is nice,” Killian agreed, lazily running his fingers through her hair. “I was wondering…”

She pulled back a bit to look into his face. “About what?”

“About when we should go on our first date.”

“Did you have a specific day in mind?”

“It depends on your schedule. Mine is pretty flexible.”

She twisted around to reach her phone on the coffee table and opened her calendar app. “I work the next three evenings. Ashley and I switched shifts on Thursday because she’s going on a field trip with her daughter that afternoon. How about that evening?”

“That’s fine with me. They have trivia night at my favorite pub on Thursdays, so perhaps we could go there after going out to eat. What do you think?”

“That sounds fun. Do you know where Neal took me on our first date? To the horse races. I know some people enjoy it, but he didn’t even ask me if I liked racing, which I don’t, by the way. Then he spent most of the evening schmoozing with rich snobs, introducing them to me like I was supposed to be impressed.”

“If you had such a bad time, why did you go out with him again?”

“After we were there for a couple of hours, I told him to take me home. That’s when he figured out I wasn’t having a good time. He apologized all the way home and asked me to give him a second chance. Unfortunately, I did.”

“Does it bother you to talk about him?” he asked.

She thought for a moment before saying, “It used to, but not any more. I’m just glad I don’t have to put up with him or his ghost any longer.” Then a tiny smile quirked up the corners of her mouth and her eyes sparkled. “We won.”

“That we did, Love.”

“I’m still amazed that you woke me with a true love’s kiss. It’s like something out of a fairy tale.”

“It was a long shot. I had to try.”

She kissed him, then burrowed into his chest. “I’m looking forward to going on our date, but I hope I won’t have to wait until Thursday to see you again.”

“You can see me anytime you like. I’m right next door, you know.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to bother you when you’re working.”

“That’s the advantage to having a non-traditional job. I can set my own hours.”

“What about Belle and Will?”

“Evenings work better for Belle because she works at the library during the day, and Will doesn’t usually roll his lazy arse out of bed until afternoon.”

“But he sent you all of those texts this morning.”

“I’m sure he sent them while he was lying in bed.”

Emma giggled. “Do you ever give the poor guy a break?”

“He’s my best friend. I have to take the piss out of him now and then, and he does the same to me. It’s just the way we get along.”

“Take the piss out of him? What exactly does that mean?”

“Ah, it means to poke a bit of fun at him,” he explained. “Anyway, I don’t want to wait until Thursday to see you again, either. Being with you as much as I have, albeit under stressful circumstances, has spoiled me and I don’t want to go back to only seeing you sporadically.”

“Good,” she said simply, stretching up to begin another round of kisses.

*********

As much as he hated to leave Emma, Killian went back to his own apartment to sleep. While it was true their relationship was deepening, he didn’t want to assume he would be welcome to stay the night. The nights he spent with her were out of necessity to protect her and help get rid of Neal’s spirit. Now that it was gone, Killian was going to leave the choice to her.

He was surprised when Liam didn’t make an appearance for the next three days and, with a sinking feeling, was wondering if his brother had moved on without telling him goodbye. The niggling idea that Liam might have little to no warning for when his spirit moved on, or that he wanted to spare his younger brother the pain of saying that final farewell wouldn’t leave Killian’s brain. He kept busy going through the edits with Belle and Will in the evenings and spending several hours a day with Emma, but Liam was never far from his thoughts.

As he prepared for his date Thursday afternoon, he realized with surprise that he was nervous, even though he had spent the better part of a week in her presence. They talked about their expectations for their developing relationship and briefly touched on their hopes for the future, but actually taking a step in that direction was a big deal.

There was also the prospect of taking their physical relationship a step further. Their make-out sessions had grown increasingly passionate and it was becoming more difficult to bring them to a halt. They actually discussed the possibility of becoming more intimate and Emma informed him that she was on birth control. Following her break-up with Neal, she had gone to the doctor to make sure he didn’t give her any STDs. Killian assured her he tested clean also, and hadn’t been with anyone since he moved across the pond.

So as he straightened the collar of his royal blue button-down and examined his image in the mirror, he was trying not to get ahead of himself. He was determined to enjoy every moment with his lady love without letting the anticipation of what might happen intrude.

Checking his phone, he saw that it was five minutes before the time he told Emma he would be at her apartment. He stuck his wallet in his back pocket, keys and phone in his front pockets and headed for the door.

Standing in front of Emma’s apartment, he silently gave himself a quick pep talk, then blew out a breath and knocked. She opened the door immediately, as though she had been on the other side waiting impatiently.

Killian had seen Emma wear many different outfits. Dressy clothes for work and going out on dates, casual clothes, sleepwear, and even in nothing but a towel once, but he was unprepared for the vision she presented for their first date. He suspected it wasn’t that her attire was anything special, it was that she was dressed specifically to go out with him.

She was in form fitting, dark wash jeans, a short-sleeved cranberry colored blouse with a sweetheart neckline that gave him just a peek of her cleavage, and matching heels. Her hair was pulled up on one side, fastened with a silver barrette, while the rest fell in golden waves around her shoulders.

“Hey,” she breathed, a smile crossing her face, which was graced with just the right amount of flattering makeup. “You’re right on time.”

“Well, traffic wasn’t bad,” Killian grinned. “Ready to go?”

“Let me grab my purse and sweater.”

His nerves settled during the drive to the restaurant as their conversation flowed as easily as ever. They enjoyed a delicious meal, sharing an appetizer, then gave each other samples of their food once the dinner course was served.

Trivia at the pub proved to be a lot of fun. They laughed at some of the goofy answers they and other players came up with, and impressed each other with the obscure facts they knew. In the car on the way home, they bantered back and forth playfully.

“No men of college age should know so much about Sex in the City,” Killian groused.

“Oh, come on,” Emma teased. “They probably binge watched it during their freshman year before upperclassmen showed them the ropes.”

“Perhaps they should have looked into getting fake IDs instead of sitting in their dorm filling their heads with such nonsense.”

“You’re just upset they beat us.”

He glanced over at her with a raised brow. “As you should be, too, Swan. I know how competitive you are.”

She shrugged. “I didn’t really care about winning. I was just having fun playing.”

He reached over and took her hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss her fingers. “I’m very happy you enjoyed yourself, Love.”

“I have to say this first date is the best I’ve ever had.”

“Is it, indeed?”

“Aye, it is,” she said, in a sad attempt to copy his accent.

He chuckled. “I’m glad the date was better than your British accent.”

“Hey!” she protested, swatting his arm with the back of her hand.

He laughed again as he pulled into the parking garage, wheeling the car into his assigned spot. As she gathered her things, he exited the car, rushing around to open the door for her, just as he had all evening.

They walked up the stairs hand-in-hand, still chatting about the trivia contest. When they stopped at Emma’s door, she turned toward him. “I know most first dates end a bit awkwardly, saying we had a good time and trying to figure out if there will be a kiss. I feel like we’ve moved beyond that point, so I’m going to take a bold step and ask you to spend the night with me.”

His eyes widened before a slow grin spread across his face. “That’s an offer I can’t refuse.”

“Mrs. Jones didn’t raise a fool, did she?”

“No, she did not.” He leaned in and touched his lips to hers. When she turned and unlocked her door, his hands went to her hips and he nuzzled into her neck.

They entered the apartment, quickly closing the door behind them. Then they were in each other’s arms, hands and lips roaming. Killian started backing her toward the couch, but she gasped, “Bedroom,” and changed their direction.

By the time they stumbled through the doorway to her room, she had his shirt unbuttoned and was tugging it out of his jeans. “Eager, are you?” he breathed into her ear.

“You have no idea.”

“Oh, trust me, I do.”

*****

Her hands caressed his chest and abs, sending shivers of pleasure up his spine. As she pushed his shirt over his shoulders, he accommodated her by shrugging out of it, letting it drop to the floor. She sucked a mark into the dip below his collar bone, then raised her eyes to look up at him through her lashes, biting her bottom lip.

His fingers found their way under the hem of her blouse, stroking the soft skin there while he began scattering kisses along the slope of her neck. The moan she made went straight to his groin, which was already stirring to life.

She put a little distance between their bodies, her hands coming up to frame his face, “I love you, Killian,” she said, then kissed him with abandon. He would have happily continued kissing her, but she interrupted it to pull her blouse over her head.

His breath stuttered as his eyes raked down her form, taking in the smooth expanse of skin from her throat to her chest. His hands instinctively moved up her arms to her shoulders, where they encountered the straps to her blush pink bra. Lifting his eyes briefly to seek her permission, he saw her pupils were large and dark with desire.

She gave him a slight nod and his eyes dropped again, finding a scar just above her left breast. He traced it lightly, asking, “How did you get this?”

“Burned it with hot grease when I was a teenager.”

He bent to kiss the spot tenderly, as his hands made their way around to her back. After unhooking her bra, he pulled the straps down, exposing her breasts to his sight. The garment joined their shirts on the floor, but neither of them noticed. Killian’s mouth and hands were busy licking and fondling, while Emma’s head was thrown back, moans of pleasure escaping her.

“So beautiful,” he murmured between kisses. “So bloody perfect.” Sucking a nipple into his mouth, his right hand sneaked down to her ass and gave it a squeeze. “Killian,” she gasped, her nails scratching across his back.

“Hmm?” he hummed, too busy sucking small marks around her areolas to be bothered.

Now it was her turn to squeeze his ass, and pull him against her, needing friction against her throbbing clit. As she stepped backwards, she lost her balance when the back of her legs encountered the bed. She landed on it and, unable to stop himself, he fell on top of her.

“Sorry,” he apologized, immediately rolling off of her.

She sat up and used the opportunity to start working on his belt buckle. He stopped her and she huffed in frustration.

“I’ll get mine, you get yours,” he said, making quick work of the belt and starting to remove his jeans.

She stood up and undid the button and zipper of her pants, pushing them down her legs, along with her panties. When she tried to step out of them, she realized she was still wearing her heels. As she kicked them off, one of them flew across the room, hitting the wall beside her dresser. “Oops,” she muttered, and Killian chuckled.

As she struggled to free her feet from the muddle of her clothes, he succeeded in removing the rest of his. Emma was in front of him, the perfect globes of her ass on full display. His large hands caressed them as he leaned forward, lightly biting her right cheek. She let out a surprised yelp as he licked the spot, then kissed it.

“D-do that again,” she said.

Killian obliged, moving to her left buttock. This time, she groaned and thrust her backside toward him. Realizing this was a turn-on for her, he continued nipping, licking, sucking and kissing her soft flesh, inhaling the scent of her growing arousal.

After lavishing attention on her ass for many long, titillating moments, he dipped his fingers between her legs. Finding her slick already, he slid his digits through her folds. She widened her stance, giving him more freedom to explore. He took the opportunity to find her bundle of nerves, rubbing small circles over it.

“Killiannnn,” she moaned, her hands moving to her breasts, squeezing and pinching her nipples.

The thought of her fondling herself, combined with the heady scent coming from her cunt, had him rock hard in an instant. Spreading her folds apart with the fingers of one hand, he slipped his other index finger into her opening.

“Oh, fuck!” she exclaimed, her legs beginning to shake. Killian removed his fingers then tugged her down onto his lap, his erection sliding through her folds as he did, making them both groan.

Emma reached down to wrap her hand around his cock, lifting herself slightly to rub the head of it against her clit.

“Emma,” he gasped, wrapping his arms around her and licking a long stripe up her spine.

She continued pleasuring herself, her movements becoming jerky and her breath coming out in short pants. Killian’s hands found her breasts and squeezed them hard, which was enough to push her over the edge. She cried out his name, throwing her head back in ecstasy.

His arms wrapped around her and he rolled them into the middle of the bed, her body still shaking from her orgasm.

“Need you…inside me…now,” she pleaded. “Please, Killian!”

He pushed himself up on his forearms, looking down on her flushed, wanton body beneath him. Cradled between her thighs, he lined himself up, but first leaned down to kiss her. “I love you, Emma,” he said, then began pushing into her depths.

She was so highly aroused, he met no resistance and was soon fully seated within her still-throbbing walls. “Gods, Emma,” he groaned. “You feel so bloody fucking good.”

“So…do you.” Planting her hands firmly on his backside, she panted, “Move, Killian. Please move.”

“As…you…wish…” he responded, slowly pulling out and pushing back in on every word.

Her legs wrapped around his hips, encouraging him to keep going. Soon, they found a very pleasurable rhythm together, their movements accompanied by the sounds of sex - groans, pleas, gasps, and the wet slapping of skin against skin.

When he could feel himself getting close, he pulled almost completely out, then thrust all the way back in, the force of it rattling the headboard.

“Yes!” Emma cried out. “Yes, Killian!”

Spurred on by her shouts, he continued his actions until he could feel her core tightening around him. Her arms and legs pulled him against her tightly and she bucked up into him, chasing her peak once again.

When she reached it, her mouth opened in a silent scream, her nails raking up and down his back. The rippling of her spasming walls triggered his own release and his body jerked with its intensity.

Collapsing on top of her, he fought to catch his breath. “That was…”

“I know,” she panted.

*****

He started to move, but she wrapped her arms around him to keep him close. Nuzzling his nose into the crook of her neck, he licked at the salty sweat he found there. She sighed and he could hear the contentment it contained.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Mmm, love you, too.”

They lay quietly for several minutes, simply enjoying the way their bodies fit together. Finally, Emma broke the silence.

“You’re screwed, you know. In more ways than one.”

He laughed. “What do you mean, Love?”

“Well, it’s gonna be very difficult for you to top this date. It’s all downhill from here.”

He pushed up to his elbows to look down at her grinning face. “Is that so?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Maybe next time I’ll give you three orgasms. That would be better, yeah?”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Oh, I’ll be able to keep it, my love. Just wait and see.”

Her fingers moved to sift through his hair. “I look forward to it.”

*********

They awoke slowly the next morning, both tired from their pleasurable activities, which they repeated in the middle of the night. “G’morning,” Emma yawned, pressing her naked body against him.

“Good morning, Love,” Killian replied, his body reacting to her closeness. He dipped his head and began leaving small kisses behind her ear.

“Wh-what time is it?” she asked, tilting her head so he had more access.

“Does it matter?”

“Yeah, because I…fuck, that feels good.”

His chuckle rumbled in her ear. “You what?”

“I’m meeting Ruby for lunch at eleven.”

He reached over her to grab his phone off the nightstand. “It’s nine forty-five.”

“Shit. I better get in the shower. She’ll kick my ass if I’m late.”

“This ass?” he asked, his hands moving to squeeze it.

“You’re not helping,” she reprimanded, but was unable to keep a straight face.

“How about if I help you take a shower?” he asked, his eyebrows doing that flirtatious thing she loved. “You won’t turn that offer down a second time, will you?”

She threw back the covers and sat on the edge of the mattress, running her hands through her sex-mussed hair. He scooted closer to press kisses to the base of her spine. When she stood up, he could see the love bites he left on her the night before. It gave him an odd thrill of satisfaction, knowing he marked her as his.

“You didn’t give me an answer,” he reminded her.

Emma walked through the doorway as if she hadn’t heard him, then leaned back in and purred, “I didn’t say no.”

He was out of bed in record time.

*********

Killian entered his apartment with a dreamy smile on his face. Saying goodbye to Emma hadn’t been easy, especially after their highly enjoyable time together in the shower. Before leaving, she invited him to come over after she got home from work that evening. That left him with several hours to finish adding narration to the YouTube episode. After doing that and viewing it critically one more time, it would be ready to post the next day.

He had been working in his office for twenty minutes when he felt a familiar sensation. Turning his chair around, he saw Liam’s spirit hovering in the doorway. “Hello, little brother.”

Killian was so relieved to see him, he didn’t even object to the moniker. “Where have you been? I don’t think you ever went this long between visits before.”

“You seem to be away from your apartment a lot these days.”

“Aye, well,” Killian said, scratching behind his ear. “I was helping Emma. We were finally able to make Neal’s ghost move on.”

“How did you manage to do that?”

“I took your advice and used true love’s kiss.”

“Ah, that’s good to hear. Did he go to Heaven or…?”

“No. He was dragged away by Hell beasts.”

“It’s eternal damnation for him then, poor bastard, and eternity is an awfully long time.”

“Yes it is, but he made his choices. Now he has to pay the price,” Killian said. “But I don’t want to talk about him anymore, Liam. It’s good to see you.”

“Good to see you, too. You look…different. Happier. Wait a minute, did you say you used true love’s kiss? Does that mean what I think it means?”

“It does. Even before we admitted our feelings of love to each other, the kiss worked.”

“She loves you, too,” Liam said matter-of-factly.

“She does. We went on our first date last night.”

“How did it go?”

Killian could feel the heat creeping into his face and knew the tips of his ears were probably bright red. “We had a great time! Afterwards, she, uh, she asked me to spend the night with her.”

Liam’s reaction wasn’t what Killian expected. He thought his brother would tease and embarass him. Instead, Liam gave him a slight smile that seemed a bit sad. “You’re finally with the woman you love,” he said simply.

Killian stood up and moved toward his brother’s apparition. He knew Liam wasn’t corporeal so he wouldn’t be able to touch him, but at that moment, he couldn’t bear to have any distance between them.

“I’m sorry, Liam.”

“Sorry for what, Killy?”

“For wanting to hang onto you. You could have been at rest years ago, if not for me.”

Even as translucent as he was, Killian could see Liam’s eyes soften. “If I wanted to move on, I would have, but I wanted to be with you as much as you wanted me to stay. I wouldn’t have been at peace knowing that I was leaving you alone. I love you, little brother.”

“I love you, too,” Killian said, tears filling his eyes. “Thank you for being here for me all my life. I hope I’ll make you proud.”

“I have no doubt you will. You always have,” Liam said, his voice beginning to fade rapidly. “Live a long life with Emma and be happy, Killian. Mum and I will be waiting for you on the other side. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Liam. Rest in peace.”

Liam raised his hand in a final greeting, giving Killian one last smile. Then his apparition drifted upward until it disappeared through the ceiling.

Killian stood staring at the spot for a long time, tears trickling down his cheeks. In the last week, he had watched two spirits move on, headed to very different destinations. He was beyond grateful that Liam would be in a place of golden light and eternal joy.

*********

When Killian entered Emma’s apartment that evening, she took one look at him and said, “Liam moved on, didn’t he?”

His head dropped. “Aye. He came to tell me goodbye this afternoon.”

She immediately wrapped her arms around him, rubbing soothing circles on his back with one hand, while the other softly sifted through his hair.

They didn’t make love that night. Emma realized he needed her more emotionally than physically, so they went to bed and she held him in her arms, comforting him until they both fell asleep. Although she hated how much he was hurting, she was pleased to have a chance to reciprocate all the support and help he provided while she was being haunted.

The next evening, they watched the episode he had posted on YouTube that day. Emma was amazed at the professionalism, and appreciative of how careful they were to conceal her identity. He skirted the issue of being able to enter her dreams by saying the subject had ‘an intensely emotional reaction’ that broke her out of her trance-like state.

The couple spent nearly every available minute of the next two weeks in each other’s company, but eventually, real life intervened in their happy little bubble. Killian and Will spent a week in Montgomery, Alabama, investigating a symphony hall that was reportedly being haunted by a sad flutist who wished to be reunited with the trumpet player she loved.

Both men facetimed their ladies for hours each night they were gone, unashamed to admit how much they missed the woman they loved.

When they returned, Emma peppered Killian with questions about the investigation. “Did you get any answers using the flux response device? What was the highest spike you got on the EMF meter and infrared thermometer? Were there any unexplained light anomalies? What did you collect on the digital voice recorder?”

“Hold on,” he laughed, looping his arms around her waist to tug her against him. “I thought you weren’t interested in all the paranormal stuff. Since when do you know all of the technical terms and the correct names of the instruments?”

“Since I started watching my ghost hunter boyfriend’s YouTube channel.”

“You did?”

“Well, I missed you like crazy and watching it made me feel closer to you. Seeing you do your thing was a real turn-on for me,” she grinned slyly.

“It was, huh?” he asked, nuzzling into her neck. “Tell me, Love - what else turns you on?”

“What you’re doing right now,” she gasped, as he nibbled on her earlobe.

“How about this?” he asked, squeezing her ass.

“You know how much I love that.”

He did indeed know. During their many lovemaking sessions, he discovered that she adored having him pay special attention to her backside. Nipping, licking and sucking marks into it during foreplay never failed to make her writhe and moan.

“Do you know what’s a turn-on for me?” he breathed into her ear.

“Hmm?”

“You using terms like ‘EMF meter’ and ‘digital voice recorder’.”

“Oh, really? What about infrared thermometer?” She leaned back to look into his lust-filled eyes. “Or flux…” She licked a stripe up one side of his neck. “Response…” A lick up the other side. “Device.” She pushed the collar of his shirt aside and sucked a mark under his collarbone.

He growled and hoisted her up into his arms. She giggled and wrapped her legs around him, continuing to find skin to suck and lick as he carried her to the bedroom. Dropping her onto the bed, he hovered over her, smiling down at her gorgeous, beaming face.

“I missed you, Swan,” he said tenderly, then bent to kiss her, trying to pour all of his longing and love into it.

*****

Despite being apart for over a week, they took their time reaquainting themselves with each other’s body. Killian slid Emma’s shirt up, kissing every inch of skin revealed. After he tossed it on the floor, he sucked on each of her nipples through the lacy fabric of her bra. She reached around to unhook it, slipping it off so he could lavish attention on her breasts. While he did that, she unbuttoned his shirt, her fingers uncoordinated in their eagerness.

Once his shirt was yanked free, she undid his belt buckle and slid it out of the loops. His attention was still on her breasts when she managed to work her hand inside his jeans to grasp his cock. He hissed in surprise and pleasure, quickly reaching down to undo the button and zipper to give her easier access.

His eyes closed and his head fell back as she squeezed and stroked, bringing him to full erection. “Emma,” he moaned.

She pushed him back slightly and sat up, shoving his jeans and underwear over his hips. Then her mouth was taking him in, her hands grasping his ass to give her leverage. His hands moved to her hair, lightly pressing on her head to encourage her endeavors.

The sounds she was making as she swirled her tongue over the head, licked up the shaft and sucked him into her mouth had him nearly coming on the spot. When she took him in deeper and swallowed around him, he gently but firmly pulled her off. “Please stop, Love.”

“You don’t like it?” she asked, looking up at him through her lashes.

“It feels incredible, but if you keep going, I’m not going to last, and I want to be inside you when I come.”

She smiled, kissed his tip, then helped him finish removing his clothes.

“My turn,” he said. “Lie back, Love.”

She eagerly did as she was told, her feet still on the floor. He slid her yoga pants and panties off, then knelt on the floor, pushing her knees apart and settling between them. Kissing up the inside of her thighs, he moved slowly toward her heat. The scent of her arousal enveloped him and he inhaled deeply. Her legs trembled around him as he spread her open and dragged his tongue through her folds.

“So bloody intoxicating,” he praised. He licked another stripe, then began rapidly flicking his tongue over her clit, while his fingers pressed inside her. She bucked and moaned, her fingers tangling into his hair, tugging at it.

Two fingers, then three thrust in and out of her, staying away from the spot that made her see stars. His eyes scanned up her body to see her fondling her own breasts, then further up to see the intense pleasure in her features. With his next thrust, he hit that spot and she screamed, a gush of arousal coating his fingers as they continued to stroke her through her orgasm.

He withdrew his fingers and lay down beside her, waiting for her to open her eyes. As she did, he held his fingers to her lips. “Taste yourself, Love. See how delicious you are.”

With her eyes fixed on his, she tentatively licked his finger, then sucked all three digits into her mouth. When they were clean, he pulled them free and kissed her, tasting her essence on her tongue.

“Fuck, that was hot,” she breathed.

“Mmhmm. Love tasting you like that.”

They moved to the center of the bed with Emma on top, straddling his hips. She began sliding her slick cunt up and down his shaft, his hands on her ass controlling her movements. Every once in a while, he would pinch or lightly slap her cheeks, causing her to throw her head back in pleasure.

When he felt like he would burst if he didn’t get inside her soon, he murmured, “Ready, Love?”

In answer, she lifted up then took him in, sliding down until he completely filled her. Placing her hands on his chest, she leaned back, closing her eyes and moaning, “Fuuuck.”

KIllian bit his lip, wanting to take her hard and fast, but also wanting to draw out the pleasure. “Ride me, Emma,” he pleaded.

She began sliding up and down, pulling almost completely off of him, then sinking back down. He drew his knees up behind her and started thrusting up into her, gripping her hips tightly. Soon, she was coming hard around him, shouting out her pleasure.

Before she had a chance to come down from her high, he flipped their positions. Placing her legs over his shoulders, he pumped into her frantically, the bed rocking with every thrust. Her cries of ecstasy mingled with his grunts and words of encouragement, and they quickly reached their climax simultaneously.

He rolled them again, pulling her boneless, sated body over his own. Breaths labored, hearts racing, they lay molded together until finally coming back to their senses.

*****

Emma raised her head and looked into his face, a lazy smile on her lips. “Welcome home.”

He reached up to tuck some wayward strands of hair behind her ear. “If that’s the welcome I get after being gone a few days, maybe I should go away more often.”

“Don’t you dare,” she warned. “I miss you too much when you’re gone.”

“Aye, Love. I miss you, too. I’ll just have to figure out a way to take you with me. Do you think you would fit in my suitcase?”

She giggled. “Only if it’s your carry-on so I get to stay with you.”

“I’ll see if that can be arranged. If so, I’m sure Belle will be tucked into Will’s.”

“Well, at least I would have company while you two are off doing your ghost hunting thing.”

Killian chuckled. “Now that you know so much about it, you could join us.”

He expected her to laugh, but instead, she pushed up to look at him, a serious look on her face. “While I was watching your episodes, I started thinking about something. Remember how I told you I would like to be a counselor for foster kids who are about to age out of the system?” At his nod of affirmation, she continued, “Well, a lot of the people you help really struggle with how to handle being haunted. I wonder if it would help for me to talk to them, since I’ve been through the same thing myself? I mean, I know Liam’s ghost was with you for a long time, but he wasn’t threatening like a lot of the spirits haunting those people. Neal was, so I know how it feels.”

“I think that’s a brilliant idea, Swan! You’re right - many of our clients really struggle with how to handle what’s going on and how to tell people about it. Having someone like you to talk to would be very helpful. Would you be able to take time away from your job though?”

“I have plenty of vacation time saved,” she explained. After a moment, she added, “I’ve been thinking seriously about looking into those counseling courses. If I decide to sign up for them, between those and work, I wouldn’t have much time to spend with you.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Neither do I,” she laughed. “That’s another reason I’d like to travel with you.”

“I would be more than happy to have you along as often as possible.”

She leaned in to kiss him. “What do you know? I’m actually optimistic about the way my life is going right now. And I have you to thank for it.”

“I’m glad I’ve been able to help, but I’m not responsible for all of it. You’re a strong, smart, absolutely brilliant woman, Emma Swan, and you don’t give yourself enough credit.”

“Maybe not, but that’s why I have you around - to remind me once in a while.”

He tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow. “Is that the only reason you keep me around?”

“Well,” she teased, wiggling her body to shift his softened length within her, “maybe not the only reason!”

*********

ONE YEAR LATER

“I thought we were gonna have to leave without ya,” Will said playfully, as he, Killian and Emma sat back in their Uber on the way to the airport. “Thought that family was goin’ to adopt ya!”

“Aye, they really did love you, Swan,” Killian threw in. “I don’t blame them. The way you helped their daughter overcome her fears was bloody brilliant.”

“I just used my own experience. It was very similar to hers, after all,” Emma said, sliding down to rest her head on the back of the seat. “It was pretty draining, though, remembering all the shit Neal put me through.”

Killian reached over to take her hand, intertwining their fingers. “I know it was difficult, but you moved past it and so will she.”

Emma had joined them on their ghost hunting trips half a dozen times since first proposing the idea to Killian. All of the people with whom she shared her experience appreciated her input and advice.

She was in the midst of finishing her second semester of online counseling courses while continuing to work at the hotel. Killian gave up his lease when it came due three months ago and moved in with her. Now they were roommates instead of neighbors and couldn’t be happier about it.

Belle and Will were also living together. She joined them on their trips from time to time, usually staying at the hotel to edit while they were on site.

The flight home from Tucson seemed to take forever. When they finally reached their apartment, it was after one-thirty in the morning and all they wanted to do was collapse into bed.

The next morning, Emma awoke and realized she was alone, which was very unusual. Even when Killian woke up before she did, he stayed in bed with her.

Groaning, she pushed herself up to sit on the edge of the bed and noticed a note on the nightstand. Unfolding it, she read: Emma, I had some errands to run. I made coffee and those cinnamon rolls from a can you love so much. Have some breakfast, take a shower and relax. I’ll be home in a couple of hours. I love you.

She sighed. As much as she craved a shower and cinnamon rolls, she craved her lover even more. Waking up without him was not getting her day off to a good start.

Over two hours later, she was sitting on the couch, her stomach full, her body and hair clean, dressed in her most comfortable clothes, but still missing Killian. She sent him a couple of texts which he answered with one or two words, making her wonder even more about what was important enough to take him away from her for so long. She heard him and Will discussing how they were going to take two days off before going over what they collected from their trip, so she knew he probably wasn’t at the office they now rented.

She was just getting ready to send him another text when she finally heard his key in the door. She stood up and started moving towards it, questions on the tip of her tongue, when a large bouquet of red roses was thrust through the opening.

“Killian, what…”

“Good morning, Love,” he said, entering the apartment, closing the door and handing her the roses.

“These are beautiful, but it’s afternoon.” She took the bouquet, noticing his other hand was still behind his back. “Where have you been? Besides the flower shop, obviously.”

“Didn’t you get my note? I had errands to run.”

“Yes, I know, but…”

“I’m sorry I was gone longer than expected, but it took a while for me to find exactly what I wanted.”

“What were you looking for?”

He dropped to one knee and pulled his hand out from behind his back. “The perfect ring for the perfect woman.”

Emma gasped and her legs nearly gave out as she saw him open the black velvet jeweler’s box, revealing the most beautiful and exquisite diamond solitaire engagement ring.

“Emma, I truly believe I fell in love with you the moment I met you, but I had to be patient until the time was right. I never dreamed that my ability to sense paranormal activity would lead to me winning your heart. I will be forever grateful that it did. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you more and more with each passing day. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Emma slowly set the roses on the coffee table, then stared at him with wide eyes for several seconds. He began to fidget when she didn’t answer him right away. When she finally spoke, she could see her words surprised him. “You…you know your flux thingy?”

He frowned. “You mean the flux response device?”

“Yeah.”

“What about it?” he asked, his hand holding the ring starting to drop a bit.

She knelt down in front of him at eye level. “Well, if you had it turned on when you asked that question, the light would be green right now.”

He let out a relieved laugh, removed the ring from the box and slipped it onto her trembling finger. Then she moved into his waiting arms, murmuring, “I love you so much, Killian.”

“I love you, too, Emma. For all eternity.”

*********

Thank you so much for coming along on this supernatural ride! Please be sure to check out all the stories and art work for this final CSSNS event!

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jrob64 · 11 months ago

Text

Ghosted

Chapter 4 - Attacks

It appears I lied about this story being 4 chapters long, because the muse has spoken and now I have to write an epilogue too. So, I hope you enjoy this next-to-last chapter. And a reminder - don't read this just before going to sleep.

Many huge thanks to my beta @hookedmom and my artists @kmomof4 and @motherkatereloyshipper. You ladies are the best!

If you haven't checked out the great art and stories for this final @cssns event, you are missing out on greatness! They are all spectacular!

Rating: M (for intense scenes, language, and possible smut in the epilogue)

Words (Ch. 4): 9055

Previous chapters on Tumblr: Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3

Also posted to Ao3 and ffn

He sucked in a breath, knowing what he said next would inevitably change their relationship. He simply didn’t know if it would be for better or worse. Shifting on the couch so he could fully face her, he looked her in the eyes and said, “Don’t you know, Emma? It’s you.”

Her mouth dropped open and her brows shot up over wide eyes. Without taking her gaze from him, she slowly reached over to place the box of Cheez-its on the coffee table. She missed and the box fell, spilling crackers on the floor, but neither of them cared.

“Me?” she asked, her voice sounding as stunned as she looked. “You want to ask me out?”

“Is that so surprising?”

“But I…I thought you just wanted to be friends.”

“Is that all you want us to be?” he asked, beginning to feel a faint glimmer of hope.

“It was at first, when I was getting to know you, and obviously while I was dating Neal, but then…” Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly, as she pulled her feet out of his lap, placing them on the floor and sliding closer to him on the couch.

“Then…what, Emma?” he asked breathlessly.

“I don’t know if you remember this, but one day, Neal followed me home from work and was hanging around outside my door. He kept calling to me, trying to persuade me to let him in. I was just getting ready to open the door to yell at him, when I heard you talking to him.”

She paused. “What did I say?” Killian encouraged.

“You told him that if he really cared about me, he would respect my wishes to be left alone.”

“I do remember that. He told me to fuck off and mind my own business.”

“But you didn’t, and it’s what you said next that made me…begin to think of you as something other than a friend.”

His eyebrow raised in curiosity. “I don’t recall what I said, Love.”

“You said that…that a woman like me is a precious gift who should be told how wonderful she is every day, who shouldn’t be stalked and treated like a piece of property. Neal said something stupid about how you would never have a chance with a woman like me, and you said…”

“If I was ever lucky enough to be with a woman like you, I would treasure every moment and never be foolish enough to let her go,” Killian finished. “I didn’t know you heard all of that.”

“I did and it started me thinking about how lucky someone would be if they were your girlfriend, and then…then I started thinking about how I wished that someone was…me.”

“That was months ago, Emma. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Why didn’t you ever ask me out after I broke up with Neal?” she shot back.

He chuckled as he reached over to take her hand. “Point taken. Liam told me I was a coward for not asking you out. I denied it, but I guess he was right.”

“You told him about me?”

“I knew he could keep a secret since no one else can see him or hear him,” he grinned.

She studied their interlocked hands where they lay between them on the couch. “So…what happens now?” she asked.

“Now, since it appears you’re open to the idea, and if you accept, we go out on a date.” He expected - hoped - she would show excitement for his suggestion. He was disappointed when she simply began to chew on her lower lip and wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Emma, what is it? Would you rather not…”

“No,” she interrupted quickly. “No, Killian, I want to go out with you, I really do. It’s just…this whole thing with Neal’s ghost…I kind of wish it was over before we start dating. I want us to be able to go out, have fun and enjoy ourselves without being paranoid about his spirit hanging around.”

Killian’s head dropped a bit, but then he nodded. “I understand. The problem is, we have no idea of knowing when he’s going to move on. It’s been six years and Liam is still here.”

Emma whipped around to face him, eyes huge. “You think Neal could haunt me for years?”

“Calm down, Swan,” he soothed. “Liam’s spirit stays because he isn’t unwanted and his reasons for staying aren’t nefarious, like Neal’s. I’m quite sure you won’t have to put up with him for an extended period of time. We have a plan that we think will work.”

“I’m sorry, Killian. I know this isn’t fair to you after I finally admitted I want to date you.”

Dropping her hand, he lifted his arm to put it around her shoulders. “Come here, Love,” he urged. She slid over to curl up against his side. “I’ve waited this long, I can keep waiting for however long it takes his ghost to leave. In the meantime, we can still spend time together.”

“Mmhmm,” she hummed. “This is nice.” Her fingers found the charms on the necklace he always wore, while he caressed her shoulder and periodically pressed kisses to the crown of her head.

After several minutes of comfortable silence, she turned her face up to look at him, sliding her hand up to cup his cheek. As her thumb brushed over his bottom lip, her eyes met his.

Killian watched her lick her lips, her intentions clear. He dipped his head, stopping just short as he flicked his eyes up to hers. The look in her crystal green depths told him what he needed to know. Still, he allowed the final decision to be hers.

She closed the distance, kissing him hesitantly at first, then tilting her head to deepen it. Her fingers stroked through his hair as her tongue traced the seam of his mouth, then slipped inside.

On the rare occasions when Killian pressed a kiss to her forehead, cheek or hand, he had marveled at the softness of her skin. Now, feeling her lips against his, her tongue exploring his mouth, he was drowning in the emotions she was stirring up.

He pulled back slightly and she chased after his lips, then glanced up to meet his awed gaze. His hand cradled her cheek, running silky strands of her hair between his fingers and thumb. Seeming to read his thoughts, she smiled to reassure him that this was indeed happening. Then he was kissing her again, slow and unhurried with a tenderness that he hoped conveyed the depth of his feelings for her.

When they finally broke the kiss, she snuggled back into his side with a contented sigh. “You’re right, Killian. We don’t have to wait for Neal to move on. He shouldn’t be allowed to steal our time together, like he’s stolen my sleep and peace of mind. He has already cost me too much and I’m not going to let him cost me the chance of a relationship with you.”

“You truly want that, Swan?” Killian asked, a sense of wonder evident in his voice.

She looked up at him again. “Yes, I do,” she replied confidently.

He sat up straighter and twisted his body toward her, cradling her face between his hands. “Emma, I would consider it the greatest honor to be in a relationship with you. I meant every word of what I said to Cassidy in the hallway that day. Not a day will go by that I won’t treasure the time I get to spend with you, and I will make sure you know how very special you are.”

She blinked several times and smiled. “Good,” she whispered, before engaging him in another kiss.

After a few more kisses, they cuddled up on the couch and ended up falling asleep there. Killian woke up around 4 AM with neck pain caused by sleeping in an uncomfortable position, but realized Emma was still in his arms. Carefully, he maneuvered both of their bodies until they were lying down, his back against the back of the couch and Emma tucked up against him, so he was spooning her. He was relieved that she didn’t awake - just mumbled something that sounded a lot like his name. Smiling, he wrapped her securely in his arms and fell back to sleep, his nose buried in her sweet mane of hair.

*********

Emma awakened slowly, her senses becoming alert one at a time. The first thing she realized was how safe she felt, something that had been sorely missing for weeks. Her hands found strong forearms wrapped around her middle. They were holding her gently but securely, and while lately she would have instantly panicked, this morning she knew she had nothing to fear. Next, she felt soft puffs of air against the back of her neck, accompanied by muffled snores, making her let out a small giggle. She also detected a delightfully familiar scent of musky cologne and body wash.

Killian.

As she snuggled into his embrace, thoughts of what transpired hours before flooded her mind. She tried for months to bottle her feelings toward this man, knowing she was still dealing with the shit show from her last relationship and not wanting to ruin her friendship with Killian. However, after hearing what he said to Neal outside her apartment that day a while back, she couldn’t seem to repress the attraction she felt. Every time she was with him, it grew stronger, especially with all of the physical touches he shared in an attempt to calm and reassure her since Neal began haunting her.

Thinking of the kisses they shared last night filled her with warmth and brought a smile to her lips - the same lips that could still taste and feel his own on them. She had never kissed anyone who was so receptive and undemanding, yet all-consuming. His entire being surrounded her to the point that she never wanted that feeling to end. If she could spend the rest of her days kissing Killian Jones, she would die a very happy woman.

As these thoughts flooded her mind, Killian shifted behind her and she could feel his body’s instinctive reaction to holding her close. Then she heard his breathing pattern change as he uttered a low groan. Unwilling to have him wake up embarrassed, Emma swiftly loosened herself from his grip and sat up, then slid to her knees on the floor in front of the sofa.

Scooting closer to look into his handsome face, she caressed his cheek, quietly saying, “Good morning, Killian.” Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his forehead and watched in fascination as his eyes slowly blinked open, revealing his sapphire gaze. Her thumb brushed across his lips, conjuring a lazy smile from him.

He yawned widely and stretched both arms over his head, then wrapped them around her. “Good morning, Love,” he said, the sound of his voice both satin and gravel. She shivered involuntarily and he noticed. “Are you cold? I should have given you a blanket…”

“No, I’m not,” she assured him. “In fact, I woke up cozier than I can remember being for a very long time.”

“Mmm, so did I,” he said, yawning again before moving into a sitting position. “Would you like some coffee?”

“The elixir of the gods? Yes, please.”

He chuckled as he stood and walked toward the kitchen. Emma suppressed a chuckle of her own as she saw him trying to adjust himself surreptitiously.

She used the bathroom, then joined him in the kitchen. The coffee maker was already brewing and Killian was looking into the refrigerator. She walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He peered over his shoulder at her, overactive eyebrow arched. “Good morning to you, too! This is certainly a welcome way to treat the man who is going to fix you breakfast, Swan.”

“What are you making?” Emma inquired, feeling lighter than she had for as long as she could remember.

“Pancakes?”

“Do you have any bacon?.”

He reached back in the fridge and straightened up with a package of bacon in his hand. “I’ll accept a kiss as a thank you,” he grinned.

Humming happily, she moved closer, slid her hand up his arm and behind his neck, then leaned in to fulfill his request.

The conversation as he prepared breakfast and while they ate was lighthearted and animated, a far cry from the gloomy, depressing ones they had been having as of late. Emma helped clean up afterwards, then reluctantly told him she needed to go back to her apartment to take a shower and go to the grocery store.

“What time do you work today, Love?” Killian asked as he walked her to her door.

“Four to ten.”

He nodded. “Text me when you get home, okay?”

Turning to face him, she asked, “Are you still planning to, uh…to try to get into my nightmare?”

Unbeknownst to her, that comment had Killian fleetingly thinking about other things of Emma’s he would prefer to get into. “Aye,” he replied after a moment. “I’m hoping it works and this entire thing with Cassidy will be over tonight.”

“I hope so, too,” she exhaled. “God, I just really, really hope so.”

“I know,” he murmured, pulling her into his arms.

“Is Will going to be there tonight, too?”

“No, we’re not intending to have any equipment set up. I’ll bring the flux just in case, but we won’t be recording anything.”

She breathed in his comforting scent for several moments before pulling away to give him a brief kiss. “Okay, I’ll see you tonight.”

“Have a good day, Swan.”

“You, too.”

With a small wave and a smile, she went into her apartment. As soon as she entered, she felt a sharp, cold pain through her chest, as if an icicle had been plunged through it. She gasped and staggered backwards, managing to regain her balance before she fell. Hanging onto the back of the recliner, she struggled to get her racing heart rate under control.

Once she could breathe again, her eyes darted around the living room, trying to figure out what caused the pain. Seeing nothing, but feeling a familiar aura, she whispered, “Neal?” The same sensation tore through her again, leaving little doubt it was his ghost causing it.

Pain gave way to anger. “You possessive asshole! Go to hell! I mean, literally, GO. TO. HELL! Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

Cold speared through her once more, driving her to her knees. She lay down and curled into a fetal position, whimpering, “Leave me alone. Just leave me the fuck alone.”

It took her several minutes to get herself under control enough to stand and make her way out the door on legs so wobbly they barely supported her. Reaching Killian’s door, she weakly pounded her fists against it. When he opened it, she stumbled in, collapsing into his arms.

“Emma? What happened?”

“N-Neal,” she choked out. “He…he attacked m-me.”

“What? How?”

“I…he…” Feeling her knees beginning to buckle, she grasped at his shoulders to remain upright.

Killian scooped her up and carried her to his couch, but instead of laying her down, he sat, cradling her against himself. He didn’t ask any more questions, simply held her until her trembling subsided, murmuring comforting words into her hair.

Finally, she took a calming breath. “When I went into my apartment, this icy, sharp…pain went through me. It took my breath away. There was nothing there, but I had that…that feeling of being watched. When I asked if it was Neal, I felt the pain again. I knew he was there, so I started yelling at him, telling him to leave me alone and to go to hell. It must have pissed him off, because the third time the cold cut through me, it was worse than ever.”

She felt Killian’s arms tighten around her and when he spoke, his voice was low and menacing. “Is he still there?”

“I…I don’t know. I got out of there as soon as I could.”

“Before I go over there to find out, I want to make sure you’re okay.”

Closing her eyes, she tried to relax in his arms. “Just give me a minute. I’ll be fine.”

“Take all the time you need, Love. I have all the time in the world.”

She hated feeling so weak, and hated Neal even more for making her feel that way. She desperately needed Killian’s plan to work, because she truly felt like she couldn’t take much more of this.

After a few minutes, she took a deep breath, straightened her spine and looked Killian in the eye. “I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded vigorously. “Please just find out if that dickhead left my apartment.”

“As you wish,” he said, loosening his arms from around her so she could stand. “Let me go grab my EMF meter and thermometer.” He dashed back the hall to his office and returned momentarily with the necessary equipment in his hands. “Do you want to come with me?”

She considered for only a second. “Yeah. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of terrifying me to the point that I stay here cowering.”

Killian tilted his head and gave her a small, reassuring smile. “That’s my brave lass.” He stepped forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead before turning to lead the way out of his apartment.

She was getting ready to open her door, when he said, “Hang on a minute.” Setting the EMF meter on the floor, he switched it on, then hit the power button on the infrared thermometer as well. They both studied the readouts, determining there was no paranormal activity in the hallway.

“Ready?” he asked, collecting the instruments and standing up.

She nodded and turned the doorknob, but before she could enter, he stepped in front of her. “Let me go first, Swan. He might be ready to ambush you again.”

“Okay,” she gratefully conceded. She didn’t wish that pain on Killian, but she wasn’t sure she would be able to withstand it again.

He cautiously walked through the door, holding the thermometer out in front of him. The hum of the EMF meter was unchanging as he walked around the living room, through the kitchen, and down the hall. Emma stayed close behind him while he checked the bathroom and both bedrooms.

Finally, he let out a heavy breath, declaring, “He appears to be gone, Love. Nothing is registering out of the ordinary.” He switched off both devices and set them down on her bed. “But I can stay here with you if you want.”

Her automatic response would have been to tell him it wasn’t necessary, but she was severely spooked by what happened and didn’t want to be alone if Neal’s spirit returned. “I still need to take a shower, but if you really don’t mind, would you stay until I’m done?”

“Of course. I’ll be out in the living room, if you need me.”

Before he could collect his devices and leave her bedroom, she wrapped her arms around him. Immediately he enveloped her in his warmth and strength, which was exactly what she needed to calm her fearful thoughts. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on breathing evenly, Killian’s masculine scent making her feel safe again.

Given a choice, she would have stayed in his arms for hours. Since that wasn’t possible, she loosened her embrace, running her hands up his solid chest. “Thank you, Killian.” Sighing, she added, “I seem to be saying that a lot these days.”

He smiled at her reassuringly. “I told you I’d be here for you anytime you need me. I’m glad you’ve taken me up on that offer and that I’ve been able to help.”

Pushing up to her tiptoes, she kissed him, then tried to give him a smile. “Make yourself at home while I shower. The TV remote should be on the couch. I don’t have much to offer by way of snacks and drinks, except water. Thus, the reason why I need to go to the grocery store.”

“I’ll be fine, Love. Don’t worry about me.” After kissing her once more, he left the bedroom.

Emma showered, letting the hot water run over her body for longer than usual. When she emerged to a steam-filled room, she dried her hair and body with her largest, fluffy towel, then wrapped it around herself, tucking it in at the top to hold it in place. Unable to see her reflection in the fogged mirror, she used a hand towel to wipe it off…and screamed.

Neal’s apparition was behind her.

For the second time in her life, Emma fainted.

*********

Killian was skimming through a novel he found on Emma’s coffee table when he heard her scream. Jumping to his feet, he tossed the book onto the sofa and ran toward the bathroom.

“Emma!” he shouted, knocking insistently on the door. “Are you okay? Can you let me in?”

When he received no answer, he tried the knob and, finding it unlocked, threw open the door. Emma was lying on the floor unconscious. He knelt down beside her, frantically calling her name.

He was reaching the point of pulling out his phone to call 9-1-1, when she groaned softly, struggling to open her eyes.

“Emma, Love, what happened?” Killian asked urgently.

Her hazy gaze finally fixed on him. “Neal,” she said simply, then started to sob.

“I’ve got you, Love,” he crooned. He moved to sit beside her, then gently lifted her head to cradle it in his lap. He stroked her cheeks until her sobs began to subside, as she gulped in mouthfuls of air.

He swept his eyes down her body to see if she had any injuries, noticing for the first time that she was covered with only a blue striped towel that barely reached the top of her thighs. At the moment, her modesty was the least of his concerns.

Peering down into her face, he felt tears prick his own eyes at seeing the despair on her beautiful features. She was calmer now, but clearly still very upset.

“Are you able to tell me what happened?” he asked again.

She raised a shaky hand to her forehead. With the blow she must have taken when she hit the floor, he was concerned she might have a concussion. He gently caressed her temples, smoothing her damp, tangled hair away from her face.

“I got out of the shower,” she said hoarsely. After clearing her throat, she tried again. “The mirror was all steamed up, so I…I wiped it with a towel. When I looked in it, N-N…” her voice caught and a tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

Killian caught it with his thumb, his heart going out to her. He knew why she was having so much trouble saying the name, and it made his blood boil. How could a man claim to love a woman, then put her through something like this? The answer, of course, was that Neal obviously didn’t love Emma and probably never did. He just wanted her as a possession and even death wasn’t going to stop him.

But Killian would.

Right then and there, he renewed his vow to make Neal Cassidy move on to his eternal punishment. He couldn’t bear to see Emma tormented any longer.

“You saw Neal again?”

She nodded. “He was behind me, staring right at me in the mirror.”

“That’s why you screamed,” Killian stated matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, and that’s the last thing I remember.”

“Did he do or say anything?”

“No, he just scared me and that’s why I fainted. God, what is wrong with me? I’ve never passed out in my entire life, and now I’ve done it twice.”

“Nothing is wrong with you, Sweetheart. You have been exceptionally brave through this entire ordeal. What he’s been doing to you is enough to drive even the most valiant person to their knees.”

She muttered, “Or, in my case, flat on my back.” Pushing herself up to a sitting position, she requested, “Help me up, please.”

“Take it slow, Swan. If you hit your head on the floor when you fainted, it’s possible you could have a concussion.”

“I doubt it. I landed on this rug,” she said, gesturing to the plush blue rug on the floor. “Plus, I’ve had a couple of concussions, so I know how it feels to have one.”

“You’ve had more than one concussion?”

“When I was a bail bondsperson, I was always getting hurt…”

“You worked in bail bonds?” he questioned.

“Yeah, for about three years,” she explained.“I used to set honey traps quite often in the hotel bar where I work now. It got to the point where I knew how to make most of the mixed drinks just by watching the bartenders. After I nearly broke my ankle chasing down a skip one night, the manager of the bar offered me a job - said he was having trouble finding good help. It was an easy choice. With this job, I have regular hours, always know when I’m going to get my next paycheck, and don’t have frequent visits to the emergency room.”

He stood, extending his hand to gingerly pull her to her feet.

She looked down at herself. “I didn’t have time to get dressed. Stupid Neal, coming into the bathroom while I’m taking a shower. Even as a ghost, he’s a pervert.” Stepping in front of the sink, she started to raise her eyes to the mirror, but squeezed them closed instead. “Can you tell if he’s gone?”

“I don’t feel any cold spots. I can check with my equipment if it will set your mind at ease, but then, to set my mind at ease, I think we should go get you checked out.”

“Killian, I’m…”

“Please, Emma? If you do have a concussion, we’ll have to follow the protocol. If you don’t, at least we’ll have peace of mind.”

She sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Good,” he said with a soft, reassuring smile. “Will you be okay if I go back out to the living room to turn on my devices?”

“Yeah, I should be, but just hang on a minute until I get up enough nerve to look in the mirror. If he’s there, at least you’ll be here to catch me this time.”

He moved to stand behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Ready when you are.”

Slowly, she let her eyes drift up until they locked on her reflection. “Wow.”

“Do you see him?” he asked, his grip on her tightening.

“No, but I do see a very handsome and charming man.”

He grinned at her, then sobered before asking, “How do you feel? Do you have a headache?”

“I have the beginning of one, so I agree that I should get checked out.”

He ran his hand over the back of her head, probing with his fingers. “It feels like you might have a bump. You ought to put some ice on it.”

“Yeah, probably.” Plucking at the towel wrapped around her body, she added, “But first, I need to get dressed.”

“I can’t say I dislike what you’re wearing,” Killian smirked.

“It’s a wonder the towel didn’t come off when I fell. Then you would have gotten a free show.”

He wiggled his eyebrows flirtateously. “Under different circumstances, I wouldn’t have minded.”

“Easy, Tiger. One step at a time,” she teased. “I think I’ll be alright getting dressed in my bedroom. If Neal decides to make an appearance there, hopefully I’ll pass out on the bed.”

“I honestly don’t think he will. He used a lot of energy this morning, and if his spirit works the way Liam’s does, he probably won’t return for quite a while.” He was glad to see her shoulders drop in relief. “While you dress, I’ll get you some ice from the kitchen freezer, then use the devices to check your apartment again, just to make sure.”

With a grateful nod, she grabbed her clothes and left the bathroom. He went into the kitchen, pulled ice trays out of the freezer and wrapped several ice cubes in a small kitchen towel. Then he went to the living room to switch on the equipment, and just as he suspected, there was so indication Neal’s apparition was still there.

When Emma came out of her bedroom, dressed in jeans and a band T-shirt, carefully pulling a brush through her snarled hair, Killian told her he didn’t find anything.

“It didn’t feel like he was still here,” she responded, sitting down beside him. “Of course, I couldn’t sense him in the bathroom either, so going by my feelings isn’t very reliable.”

“I think he just showed up for a second to give you a good scare,” he said, handing her the towel containing the ice.

“Well, he succeeded,” she said, holding the ice against the bump he had found behind her left ear. “If his goal is to kill me, all he has to do is play that little trick a few more times. My heart won’t be able to take it…and neither will my head.”

“We’ll get him to move on before he can do that, Emma. I swear to you we will.”

The corner of her mouth lifted in a small smile. Then, letting out a sigh, she said, “I need to eat something before I get checked out. After that, I still have to shop for groceries.”

“Why don’t you come over to my place and I’ll make lunch for us, then I’ll drive you to the hospital. After that, you should probably come home and rest, given what you’ve been through this morning. You can always put in a grocery order to be delivered, instead of going to the store.”

“I’ve never had groceries delivered. I always thought it was for shut-ins and hermits.”

Killian laughed. “Believe it or not, ordinary, everyday people are allowed to use that service, too. I’ve had them delivered several times when I have nothing in my fridge and I’m too exhausted to go shopping after traveling for a ghost hunting trip.”

“Alright, but you’ll have to show me how to do it.”

“That’s not a problem. Just bring your grocery list and I’ll help you after we get back.”

Once they ate, Killian drove her to the hospital emergency room, where the doctor gave her a test that screened for concussions, ordered a CAT scan and examined her carefully. Nothing indicated that she had a concussion, but he advised them to watch for symptoms that might appear in the following hours and days. After giving them a list of things to watch for, he told her to go to the hospital if any symptoms appeared, advised her to take Tylenol as needed for pain, and sent them on their way.

When they got back to Killian’s apartment, he helped Emma order her groceries and put them away once they arrived. They took a nap together on her couch, and after she convinced him she was fine, he saw her off to work.

Then he went back to his apartment to call Will and Belle, realizing he had yet to tell them about being pulled into Emma’s nightmare and the plan the two of them devised for that evening.

*********

“I’ve never heard of a person being able to enter someone else’s dream,” Belle commented, after hearing Killian’s narrative. “I’ll have to do some research to see if there are any records of that ever happening.”

“D’ya really think you’ll be able to do it again, Kil?” Will asked.

“I don’t know, but I truly hope it works. Neal is ramping up his attempts to affect her physical and mental health.” He went on to relate the events of the morning.

“Oh my goodness!” Belle exclaimed. “Is Emma okay?”

“I took her to the ER and the doctor said to monitor her for the next few days to make sure she doesn’t show any symptoms of a concussion. She had a bit of a headache, but after taking pain meds and resting, she was able to go to work this afternoon.”

“She’s one tough lass,” Will said.

“Yes, she is,” Belle agreed. “You have to admire someone who is being bombarded like that, but keeps going.”

“Do you want me to be there tonight and try to catch it on video?” Will asked.

“I told Emma you wouldn’t be there and we wouldn’t be recording.” Killian hesitated a moment before speaking again. “I want to make something very clear to both of you. I don’t want anything about me being able to get into her dreams to be included in the episode.”

“I have a feeling there’s a specific reason behind that request,” Belle said.

“I don’t want viewers to know about it because they might think I would be able to do that for other people,” Killian explained. “I think the only reason I was able to do it for Emma is that I have a…connection to her.”

“Are ya sayin’ ya had a literal connection to her, boss?” Will asked cheekily.

“Will!” Belle admonished.

“Sorry, Love,” Will apologized, “but that was just too good an opportunity to pass up!”

When Killian didn’t say anything right away, Belle tactfully asked, “What exactly do you mean by having a connection to her, Killian?”

He was quiet a moment longer, mulling over how to explain what happened between him and Emma last night. “I haven’t told you everything, yet,” he finally began. “When I got back to my apartment after Emma’s nightmare, I couldn’t sleep. She texted me and asked to come over. We talked and…”

“And ya finally admitted yer madly in love with her?” Will interjected.

“Not quite, but I did tell her I want to date her.”

“Oh, good!” Belle exclaimed. “How did she react?”

“She, uh, she said she would like to date me, too, but we both decided we need to get this whole thing with Neal over with first.”

“Then let’s hope tonight will be the end of it,” Belle said.

“Aye, that’s what we’re hoping. After seeing what he did to her today, I’m very much afraid he’s going to keep trying to inflict bodily harm on her. Even though you won’t be here tonight, Will, would you mind keeping your phone nearby, just in case I need you for any reason? ”

“You got it, Kil. You know I’m only ten minutes away, so if there’s anything you and Emma need, I’ll be there for both of ya.”

“Thanks, Will. I appreciate it.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Belle asked.

“Pray that our plan works.”

*********

The closer the time came for Emma to get home from work, the more anxious Killian became. He was so antsy, he couldn’t sit still and found himself pacing around his apartment, continually checking his phone. When that didn’t make time pass more quickly, he busied himself trimming his beard, putting on sleepwear and brushing his teeth.

When Emma’s text telling him she was home finally came through, he grabbed the flux and was out of his apartment in a flash. He barely knocked once on her door, when it swung open. “Hey,” she breathed out, as though she had been holding her breath until he got there. Her hair was down and she was in her pajamas, too.

“Evening, Love,” he said, stepping inside and kissing her on the cheek. “How do you feel? How was work?”

“I feel fine. Work was pretty dead when I first got there, but it picked up this evening. I like it when it’s busy. Time seems to drag when it’s not. What have you been doing since I last saw you…” she glanced at the clock on her phone, “seven hours ago?”

He followed her to the sofa, sat down beside her and took her hand. “I called Belle and Will to tell them everything that happened last night and this morning. Then I caught up on answering questions people asked on my YouTube channel. Tried to watch the telly, but I couldn’t concentrate.”

“Thinking about what happened today?”

“Aye, and what might happen tonight.” After a moment’s pause, he asked, ��Did you have any problems with a headache at work?”

“I took some medicine when I felt another one coming on, but that was six hours ago and it hasn’t come back.”

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, lost in thought as they tangled and untangled their fingers.

“I think I’m gonna make some hot chocolate,” Emma finally said, standing to her feet. “Do you want some?”

“No, thanks, Love. I find it difficult to sleep if I eat or drink anything besides water before going to bed. I’ll help you make it, though.” He stood and followed her into the kitchen.

She got out the milk and a pan, while Killian followed her instructions to find the cocoa and sugar. “I know my cupboard is a mess. Don’t judge me,” she said, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. “That’s why I only let you put stuff in the fridge when we put away the groceries today.”

“It’s not that bad,” he said, then barely caught a box of Pop-Tarts as they fell off the shelf. They both burst out laughing, which seemed to break the tension.

Once her cocoa was made, he grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and they went back into the living room. As she blew on her hot beverage and sipped it cautiously, he picked up the novel he’d seen earlier. “Are you reading this?”

She swallowed the mouthful she had just taken. “I’ve been trying, but with all this shit going on with Neal, I haven’t gotten very far.”

“Would you like me to read it aloud? It might be relaxing for both of us.”

“That would be really nice.”

“You have a bookmark in here. Do you want me to start from there?”

“Honestly, I can’t even remember what’s happened so far, so you can start at the beginning.”

He nodded and flipped through the pages, clearing his throat before beginning to read. By the time he got to the third chapter, Emma had drained her mug of cocoa and was leaning against his side, battling to stay awake.

Killian turned the page and yawned widely before beginning to read again. Emma sat up and put her hand over the page. “You can stop now, Killian. You sound tired and I can’t keep my eyes open. I think it’s time to go to bed.”

“Aye, Love. I think you’re right. I’ll take care of the dishes while you brush your teeth.” Putting the book down on the table, he picked up her mug and carried it into the kitchen.

When he was finished, he went to Emma’s bedroom, tapping on the open door to announce himself. She was sitting on the edge of the mattress, her arms wrapped around a pillow in her lap. She looked up at him, giving him a weak smile.

He sat down beside her, putting his arm around her. “I know we both want this to be over tonight, but please try not to set your hopes too high. It may take several tries, or it might not happen at all.”

“Yeah, I know,” she sighed, “but after everything that happened this morning, I made up my mind that I’m done being scared. Now, I’m just pissed off, and I’m not gonna let him continue trying to control my life. If you’re able to break me out of that trance in my dream, I’m going to unleash on him.”

He gave her shoulder a squeeze and kissed her temple. “I will be very happy to see that happen, Swan.”

“It would be so nice to wake up in the morning knowing that I’ll never have to deal with that imbecile again.”

They got themselves settled under the covers, lying side by side and staring up at the ceiling, thoughts swirling.

“You never mentioned working in bail bonds before,” Killian said quietly. “What made you decide to do that?”

“I didn’t have many prospects after I graduated from high school. I had just aged out of the foster system and didn’t have any money to go to college or a trade school. I worked at Dunkin’ Donuts and this customer always came in during my shift. One day, she started asking me what I planned to do with my life, that I didn’t seem like the type to be satisfied with menial labor. When I explained my situation, she offered me a job at her bail bonds office. We realized pretty quickly that I had a knack for tracking people down, so she started taking me on stakeouts and showed me all the ropes. After working for her a year, I was going after skips on my own. Cleo was very proud of me.”

“I’m sure she was. Do you keep in touch with her?”

It took several moments for her to answer, and when she did, her voice was emotional. “She, uh…she died. A person she was chasing got aggressive and pushed her through a plate glass window. A shard punctured a main artery and she bled out before help could get there.”

His hand found hers. “I’m so sorry, Emma.”

“Thanks. Her assistant and I kept the office going for a while longer, but when I was offered the position at the hotel, we closed it. Johanna was close to retirement age anyway.”

“Do you think you’ll keep bartending for a long time?”

“I don’t know. It pays the bills and the tips are great, but it’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

He turned his head to look at her. “If you could do anything in the world, what would it be?”

She licked her bottom lip, then pulled it between her teeth in contemplation. “I’d like to be a counselor, I think.”

“What kind of counselor?”

“For older foster kids who are getting ready to age out of the system. When I aged out, it was terrifying. I already had a job, so they just helped me find a place to live, and that was it. I was on my own.”

“You didn’t have any counseling at all?”

“Not at that time, but I have a friend who is a social worker and she said lately they’ve been hiring people to help phase foster kids into society when they age out.”

“I think you would be great at a job like that, Emma.”

She rolled her head and met his eyes. “Yeah, well, I would have to take college courses to do it and those aren’t in my budget right now, so who knows if it will ever happen?”

“There are grants and other types of financial aid available, and you could take courses part time while you continue to work. Perhaps you should look into it. It’s a noble dream and I’m sure with your drive and determination, you will make it happen.”

“Thank you, Killian. Maybe I will check into it,” she said, the last word cut short by a yawn.

“I think that’s our signal to go to sleep.”

“You, um, you have to be touching me to get into my dream, right?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s the way it works. Do you…how do you…”

“When we’ve slept on the couch, it’s been nice having you spoon me,” she said, almost shyly.

“I’m fine with that, if you are.”

In response, she turned onto her left side and reached behind her to grasp his arm, pulling it around her waist. “Even if Neal’s stupid ghost doesn’t show up tonight, at least I’ll be able to sleep, knowing you’re here with me.”

“As long as you need me, I’ll always be by your side, Emma.”

“Mmm, good to know,” she murmured, burrowing backwards to get closer to him. “Goodnight, Killian.”

“Night, Love.”

*********

“No!”

Killian was jolted awake when he heard Emma’s cry. They were in nearly the same position in which they had fallen asleep. He tightened his grip around her waist, feeling his nerves beginning to amp up. Her body was making little jerking movements and she was breathing in short gasps, so he knew she was beginning to dream.

He only had to wait a few minutes until he felt the same slight shock he had the night before. Then he was in the same dream world and Emma was in front of him, facing the other direction. He heard the chanting from Neal and was sure these were the whispers Emma said she kept hearing in her nightmares.

Without hesitation, Killian rushed around to face her and could see she was already in a trance. He took her by the shoulders and began to shake her. “Emma! Wake up!”, he shouted, but his actions had no effect on her whatsoever.

He looked behind himself to see Neal moving rapidly in their direction, screaming, “She’s MINE! She will never be yours! I came so close to killing her! Next time, I will succeed!”

The way Neal was swooping in, Killian knew he was coming for him and, even though it was a dream, he didn’t want to take the chance of being torn away from Emma. His mind raced desperately, trying to figure out a way to break through to her. Then Liam’s words came to him.

Perhaps you could try a true love’s kiss.

Turning back to Emma, he pulled her closer and leaned in to kiss her. The moment their lips touched, a burst of what he could only call magic passed over them. Emma’s eyes popped open as she gasped, “Killian!” Then she looked over his shoulder and a gamut of emotions played over her face - surprise, fear and finally, anger.

Killian turned to see Neal’s spirit with a look of unadulterated fury on his face. Killian was between Emma and Neal, but she stepped around him and got in Neal’s face, her arms waving wildly to emphasize her words.

“You fucking bastard! I am not yours! I do not want to die and spend eternity with you! That would be literal hell for me! Leave me the fuck alone!”

Neal began rapidly circling them, apparently attempting to create a vortex to pull her toward him. She thrust her fist into the air, her hair whipping around her face, which wore a look of furious determination. “GO. TO. HELL!” she screamed.

Suddenly, they heard a deafening roar that was so loud, Killian clamped both hands over his ears. Squinting in the direction of the sound, he saw a chasm starting to open, its yawning opening belching out black, sulphurous smoke.

From the midst of the smoke, a gigantic beast with huge, curved horns and fire shooting out of its eye sockets emerged. Its mouth was wide open as it emitted another eardrum piercing roar. Other screeching figures, with flaming tongues, swirled around the beast’s massive legs.

Killian stood rooted to the spot, but he felt no fear. He knew these monsters weren’t a threat to himself or Emma. They were here for one reason - to drag Neal to his eternal punishment.

Neal must have realized it, too, because he stopped spinning around them and tried to flee in the opposite direction from the chasm. It was no use, though. The screeching figures descended on him, swiping at him with their razor sharp claws, as the beast stomped closer.

Emma and Killian wrapped their arms around each other, watching the scene in fascinated horror. He heard her attempting to say something to him. “What?” he shouted.

She moved closer and yelled into his ear, “Is that a Hell beast?”

He nodded furiously. “I think so.”

Neal’s screams were so loud, they could hear them over the continuous roaring. “EMMA! HELP ME! DON’T LET THEM TAKE ME! EMMA, NO!”

The beast grabbed his shoulders with its sharp talons. Neal clawed frantically at the air, his face a mask of complete terror. The screeching figures began wrapping around his legs, squeezing tightly and viciously biting at them.

Neal twisted around until he was facing the monster, and obviously immediately regretted that action. The beast’s mouth opened even wider, and for a split second, Killian thought it was going to bite Neal’s head off. Instead, it spat noxious fumes into his face, causing him to retch violently.

His body continued convulsing as the hell beast threw him down and turned to head back toward the chasm. The other beings unwrapped themselves to follow their master. Emma turned to look at Killian, a look of disbelief on her face. “Aren’t they taking him?” she asked.

He was opening his mouth to answer, when suddenly Neal’s piercing scream once again rang out. Emma and Killian turned to see fiery, barbed whips flying out of the black hole, wrapping around Neal’s body and extremities. He was dragged backwards, his hands scrabbling futilely at the ground, his face disfigured with panic and pain.

“EMS! EMMA, PLEASE! NOOOOO! HELP ME, EM��”

Emma buried her face in Killian’s chest as Neal’s words were cut off, having been pulled into the gaping, hellish abyss. The roaring sound intensified as if the demons themselves were screeching out their glee over claiming another soul. Then, with a whoosh, the chasm slammed shut and there was silence.

Emma sat up in bed with a gasp, Killian right beside her. She turned to him with eyes the size of saucers. “Oh my gosh! Was that real?! Were you there? Did you see…”

“Aye, Love,” Killian said, trying to sound calmer than he felt. His heart was racing so fast, he could barely get the words out.

“Do…do you think it’s over? Is he gone for good?”

“I would bet money that he met his eternal demise and will no longer be haunting you.”

“Even though it happened in a dream?”

Killian mulled it over. “I think…” he began, considering how to explain it. “Your nightmares were Neal’s way of manipulating you. I don’t think you were dreaming the conventional way. My theory is that he was creating the nightmares and pulling you into them. That’s how he could put you in a trance and make you feel like you were tied and gagged.”

She was looking at him quizzically, clearly trying to comprehend what he was saying.

He took her hands and continued. “Since it wasn’t a conventional dream, but one of his making, I’m pretty sure that what took place actually did happen. I’ll continue to monitor your apartment for a few days, but I honestly think he’ll never bother you again.”

Emma stared at him for several long beats, then collapsed against him, her body shaking with sobs. He held her, stroking her hair and whispering reassurances, wondering if her outpouring of emotion was out of relief or a reaction to the horrors she just witnessed.

Finally, her weeping ceased, her body slowly relaxing against him. He thought perhaps she had fallen asleep, when he heard her whisper something. Bending his head to hear her better, he asked, “What did you say, Love?”

“How did you do it? How did you get to me and break me out of the trance?”

His hand automatically reached up to scratch nervously behind his ear. “I was able to get into your dream immediately and I saw you standing there, just like last time. Neal was coming and I knew he was going to try to separate us.”

He paused, and when he didn’t continue, she leaned back to look up into his face. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t get you to wake up. Then I…I thought of something Liam suggested.”

“What was it?”

“I told him about being in your dream, seeing you catatonic and not being able to break you out of it. He said, uh…he said I should try…true love’s kiss.”

He studied her reaction. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. “You…you kissed me?”

More nervous scratching. “Aye.”

“And it worked?”

He dipped his head in a nod. “Aye.”

“You woke me up with a true love’s kiss? But that…that means you…” Her words trailed off and she stared at him, her breathing quick and shallow.

“That means…I love you,” he said quietly.

“But doesn’t it…” she began, then changed directions. “In fairy tales, for a true love’s kiss to work, both people have to love the other person, don’t they?”

He looked up through his lashes at her. “Aye,” he stated simply.

Her head bent forward, but he could still see her eyes darting around, as if to seek an answer amongst the bed sheets. “I…I’ve never had any luck with love. Every time I was close to falling for a guy, something happened. Neal was the only one I ever…”

It was as if she was talking to herself, reciting a monologue to try to make sense of her feelings. Killian remained quiet, allowing her to work through it without interruption.

She stopped talking and her body became completely still. Minutes stretched on, and he was beginning to wonder if he had declared too much, too soon.

Suddenly, her head whipped up and she looked at him, dumbfounded. “With you, it’s different. I feel different. I trust you. I feel safe and protected when I’m with you. I can talk to you about anything and you listen. I look forward to seeing you every day, and these last few weeks, all I want is to be with you. I know you’ll take care of me and I want to take care of you. Is that…is that what love is?”

He reached up, tenderly running his fingers along her cheek. “Aye, Love. I think that’s exactly what it is.”

“That’s why it worked, then. Because I love you, Killian.”

A slow smile spread across his face before he dipped his head and captured her lips, sealing their declarations with another true love’s kiss.

*********

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