Hello guys!
I have written this Captain Swan one-shot a few days ago for one of my English class and reading it, some friends of mine told me that I could post it somewhere to share it with as many people as possible. I liked this idea, so here I am today :)
I have loved writing this little story between Emma and Killian but I would like to let you know that English isn't my first language since I'm French, so I apologise for mistakes you'll find haha!
I really hope you will like it and it would be great to have your reactions, and your thoughts about this eh? :)

The first time they had met was years ago. To be precise, twenty years ago. They were kids, young and naive. It was raining that afternoon, and it was another long day at school. The other kids were having fun in the playground, but things were different for the two of them. It had always been different. They were both quiet and lonely people, and it could probably be explained by the fact that they were both orphans put into the foster care system soon after they were born. Emma was only two days old when she was found on the side of a road in Maine, and Killian was two years old when he was found on a bench in New York. They obviously had no memories of their families, and things had never been easy for them. Even at the age of seven, they had so many questions in mind, and so many insecurities. Feeling unwanted after being given up so young, they wouldn't talk to any other kids living with them. They would never talk at all, actually. It was easier that way; at least people couldn't leave if they hadn't been let in in the first place.

That day twenty years ago, Emma was pretty bored and watching the other girls playing and having fun wasn't really pleasant. After a few minutes, she had decided to go back to her class to sit until the end of the break, which meant twenty minutes to wait. That's when they met for the first time. Killian being bored as well had taken the exact same decision, and had headed back to class just a few minutes after the young blonde. He had already noticed Emma a few times, sharing the same class, but had never really bothered to go and talk to her. He was very lonely and just by looking at her he had easily guessed she was just like him. It had warmed his heart in a way, knowing that he wasn't the only different kid at school, but it had pained him to realise that she was probably just as scared and broken as he was. No matter how young they were they both had learned a long time ago to recognise the signs of loneliness. He didn't know if she was like that for the same reason as him though. But at that moment, they were the only two people in the room and the boy had decided that maybe it was time to at least say Hello. And that's what he had done. He had said Hello, and Emma, utterly surprised someone would even speak to her, had just watched him a few seconds in shock, finally saying Hello back. And he had come closer, and a conversation had started between the two broken kids, lasting twenty minutes, and even more, throughout the whole following lesson. It was a surprising and weird experience for them, but it turned out to be great, and finally, after years of being and feeling alone, they had found someone to care for and be cared about.

They had become best friends, and had slowly started to trust one another with nearly everything. As time had passed, they had realised just how alike they were. What Killian had suspected turned out to be true: Emma was an orphan just like him and was going through the same experience, the same feelings and emotions. And he hated that. Because it was breaking him every day and he didn't want that for her. He had decided to kind of make it his mission to always put a smile on her face, to always be there for her so she wouldn't feel abandoned again. And it had worked, for years. They had started high school at the same time, unfortunately not at the same places; Killian staying in Brooklyn, and Emma living with her new foster family in Manhattan. It had been hard at first, to live far from the other, and not to be able to meet every day. They were used to this and it had almost felt like being abandoned again. It had only made them feel worse about everything and the moment Emma's new "parents" realised she wasn't happy, they got her a phone so she could text her friend as much as she wanted –and more especially- needed to. Because indeed, talking to him had become something she truly needed. He was the only person to get and read her so well, and as much as it was annoying sometimes, she had always loved having him in her life. The all too rare moments she would spend with him were the only times she would feel safe. And it said a lot for the importance Killian had become to her life.

They had just turned sixteen when everything changed. Being a teen was harder than being a young child with no parents, stuck in the foster system thing. It was even harder for Killian because of the other stupid teenagers who would always make fun of his difference, his handicap: he only had one hand. He had always been like that. When the police had found him on a bench, his left hand was already missing. He had never really minded, too preoccupied by more important things, and it had never been a problem before because other kids had always found it kind of cool, and Emma had never treated him differently for this. And that's what was important: what Emma would think and say. But it had become harder to ignore the whispers and pointing fingers and Killian would sometimes feel really hurt by people's words, but would obviously forget (intentionally forget, of course) to mention it to Emma whenever they would meet. She had other things to deal with and he had never wanted to be another burden in her life. So he would just listen to her high school stories, and he would simply smile at her, pretend everything is okay, lie to her about how cool things were at his school. Of course, he would feel terrible about this later and would avoid her for a few days to stop feeling guilty, but not, it has to be admitted, very successfully. It had stayed that way for weeks, and for the first time, Killian had hurt Emma more than he had even imagined, because she had felt rejected. She knew he had been hiding something from her for days, even weeks, but had never dared to push him into telling her everything. Because that was how they worked. Never pushing the other to confess things, just waiting for them to feel comfortable enough to talk about whatever was on their mind, just being natural. She knew she had been lied to by her best friend, by the most important person in her life, and as much as she could understand why and what his intentions behind all this were, she still was hurt, and that is the moment they slowly started to drift apart.

Then the kiss happened. Yes, the kiss. Emma's foster parents had planned a weekend in Weymouth, Massachusetts, a little town they really enjoyed going to for a little break, and had insisted that Killian would come with them. They had seemed so genuine in wanting to have him there that Emma hadn't said a word about the weird situation they were in, and so the black haired teen had come along. It had not been so bad, in fact it had even been fun. After Killian apologised for his behaviour, they had decided to go for a walk at George Lane beach. They had talked a lot, and the boy had finally been honest with what was going on in his everyday life. And it had broken Emma's heart, because Killian was the most amazing person she had ever met and he deserved far more than that. In an attempt to comfort him, she had thrown her arms around his neck, holding him tight. It had only lasted a few seconds, but it had made Killian happier than he had ever been in months, and it had also made him a bit more confident. What happened next had let them both in shock. Indeed, he had weirdly felt attracted to Emma, something that he realised wasn't as unusual as he had first thought, and had slowly put his lips on hers, trying to be as gentle and tender as possible. And Emma's heart had started beating faster but she couldn't tell if it was because of the shock or something else. Probably something else. But as much as they had both enjoyed the moment, it hadn't felt right. They were friends, best friends even, and they wanted to keep it that way. Romantic feelings? They weren't familiar with those and it was way too scary. So together they decided that it had only been a one-time thing, just a friendship kiss, and that it wouldn't happen again.

Unfortunately, nothing happens as expected, and that they both could tell. On Killian's seventeenth birthday, someone came from foster care to meet him. Someone that changed the teen's life forever since it was his older brother. He had never known he had a big brother and it was a massive shock for him. At first, he had felt a bit suspicious, not really getting why his supposed brother would only come find him now. But after spending hours with him –his name was Liam- Killian had slowly started taking a liking to him. It hadn't been that hard actually, since Liam was quite a nice person, very polite with good manners, and basically liked the same things as Killian. It had even felt great to have someone else to talk to in his life. Someone that really was family. One afternoon, he decided that Liam was important enough and took him to meet Emma. That had been a great afternoon, and the blonde girl had truly felt glad for her friend. It had warmed her heart to see him with his brother, but something had clicked at the same time: Liam was from Ireland. He had crossed an ocean to meet his brother and it certainly didn't mean that he would go back home without him. And as selfish as it sound, Emma didn't want Killian to leave. He was her family too, she had grown up with him and she needed him more than everything and everyone in her life.

However, the worst thing that could ever happen to her had actually happened: Killian had left for Ireland. Of course, tons of tears had been shed, and it had been nearly impossible for Liam to ask his brother to come home with him. Killian would have done anything to stay by Emma's side, but their situation was complicated and he knew he also needed his brother. Liam had promised him they would come to New York for holidays, maybe Christmas ones, and the younger brother had felt slightly better about his decision to leave for Europe. It was a massive change, one he would probably regret somehow, especially while holding a very upset Emma in his arms on the day he was leaving. It had broken his heart into millions of pieces, and the only thing he had managed to say to her was "I'll be back before you know it, Swan."

If Emma had thought things couldn't get worse, well, she had been wrong. Because a month after her best friend's departure which had let her broken and hurt and quiet, her foster family decided to give her up, again, because they were finally having their own child. Emma had felt betrayed, abandoned and the only thing she kept telling herself was that it was probably her fault. She kept blaming herself for something she wasn't responsible for. In that moment, she had never needed Killian more, but he was no longer there and it had only made everything worse. Being too old to go back into the foster care system, she had to live on her own. She started sleeping in the streets, on benches –but it would only make her think of Killian and she would get upset- until she met the first man she fell in love with. His name was Neal Cassidy, and they had ended up stealing the same car. It had felt only natural then to share it. It had kind of become their new home. With him by her side, Emma was naive again, and she would believe every one of his promises. They were going through a tough moment together and they were in love. They had started dreaming of a possible future with one another, a great future in a great city where they wouldn't have to sleep in their shared car but under a roof, with enough food for two. Actually they had it perfectly pictured in Tallahassee, Florida. But then again, Killian was always in Emma's mind and she would sometimes think of the day they had decided that they would leave New York to settle in Weymouth –where they had shared their first and last kiss-. And yes, even though Killian and her had lost contact months before and she wasn't even sure she would see him again, Emma was torn between Tallahassee and Weymouth.

Neal was a thief and Emma had become one to. If they didn't steal they didn't eat. It was bad, really. She hated it but at the same time she saw no other choice. But Neal was a different kind of thief, and she was so in love with him that she had never really noticed nor realised. One day, he had asked for help. He needed to deliver some watches to a man that would pay him well and their dream to settle in Tallahassee would come true, but she had to go instead of him because police was watching him. She hadn't realised how risky it was until she got caught and sent to jail for a year. A long year when she only hoped he would come to see her and apologise for putting her in such a hard situation again. But it never happened. Neal was gone. And he was still gone after she'd been released. She had waited for him for hours outside the prison, but he had never come to find her. And yes, she had never been so broken.

So many things can happen in just a few years, much more than anyone could tell. After the mess Emma had ended up in, she had decided to get her life back, and that's how she had started working in a little shop in Weymouth to earn enough money to rent a small place and to eat every day. It had completely changed her life, and she had even met new people that had become friends; Ruby and Mary Margaret, and the three of them had decided to all live together. It had felt strange for Emma at first, but you get used to these kinds of things. And she got used to this. She had started working as the sheriff of the town three years after she had settled there. It turned out to be a great experience and she liked to think that this job had been made for her. The inhabitants were satisfied and they were all enjoying the blonde's presence in their lives.

Killian's life had been more... chaotic. Everything had felt great at the beginning. Ireland was a beautiful country and he really loved it. He had finally met Liam's wife and little girl, and it had been amazing for him to be surrounded by his family. He had learnt more about his past –his mother had died giving him birth, and his father was an alcoholic man who decided it was better to abandon him on a bench. Liam had been luckier, since he was five years older and was staying with their grandparents at that time- and even if the truth was hard to assimilate, he had said nothing and had just smiled at his brother, to show him that it was okay. Then, Killian had met this gorgeous woman in Dublin one day, Milah was her name, while wandering in a park and that had been the start of a love story. His first one actually, and he had been happy for three years with her, until she left for another man. Having to deal with yet another abandonment was terribly hard and in that moment Killian had only wanted Emma by his side, Emma to comfort him and tell him everything would be fine. Except she wasn't around anymore, and it had broken his heart a bit more. They had lost contact years ago but it didn't mean he had stopped thinking about her. She had always been the only person to get him so well, the only person with whom he could be entirely himself, the only one he could tell everything to...

Then things changed again...

Liam was tired that night following a long day at work. But he had to take his car and go home since his little girl and his wife were sick. He had worried about them all day and he just wanted to be there for them. Unfortunately, it is known to never drive when you're drunk, or worse, tired. Because that night, while on the road, Killian's brother had only closed his eyes for a few seconds, but it had been enough for him to get into an accident, and to die.
When Killian received a call from the hospital, telling him the news, his whole world crashed and he had even stopped breathing for a moment. The funeral was the hardest thing he had ever had to go through and looking at his brother's wife and girl had been even worse. He had stayed in Ireland for three more months but it had become too hard. So, after saying goodbye to his friends and family, he had taken a flight to New York City, knowing exactly where he wanted to go to start anew.

In the time he had been away Weymouth had changed a little. There were new houses and the marina looked a bit different, but Killian had recognised the place he had fell for years ago. By coming here, he was hoping to get the life he had wanted as a teen, with Emma... and yeah, he had to admit that he was also hoping to see her again. And that evening when he entered a little restaurant called Granny's, he had seriously started to believe that fate was finally on his side, as he saw her sat in a corner of the room drinking what he guessed was a hot chocolate with cinnamon. Not really sure what to do, he had just stood there, watching her, until a little brunette showed up in front of him, a wide smile on her face. She had guessed he was a newcomer so she invented him to join her and her friend at their table. Taken aback by such a kind offer, he had followed her until he realised the table was Emma's one. In other circumstances he would have found his old friend's look quite funny but it weren't other circumstances. A long time had passed since they had last seen each other. Ten years, actually. They were now twenty seven and were different people. Well, different people maybe but as he looked at her, Killian realised that she was still an open book to him and that thought made him smile. As the brunette felt the tension between her friend and the man she had just met, she decided it was the right time to introduce herself as Mary Margaret. And talkative as she was, she started a conversation with Killian, not really understanding Emma's silence.

Killian had arrived two weeks ago already and had met nearly everyone in town. Newcomers were rare, so people were clearly enjoying his arrival. He had decided to settle there, and a man twice his age named Lee had quickly found him a job at the marina. Everything seemed right, even with Emma. The first few days had been awkward, they weren't really sure what to say to one another after all this time, but their undeniable connection had once again pulled them together. They would meet after work, sometimes even for lunch and would remember stories from the past, and would laugh for hours. Killian had even met all Emma's friends and they all really liked him and kind of gave Emma their approval, which had made her laugh. And some nights, they would meet at the docks, or at the beach and talk about what happened in their lives in the past ten years. And once again, they would laugh at how similar their love stories were. Both once again abandoned. But now both together supporting one another, just like the old times. And that night at George Lane beach, while Killian was giggling at his own joke, Emma hadn't been able to resist the urge to press her lips to his, just like he had done in the past, at the exact same place. And that had marked the beginning of something new. Something new that had led them to their first date.

As much as they both loved Granny's, they knew their date there would never stay private because that was the most frequented place in town. They needed privacy and they needed something more intimate. Killian had asked Lee, his boss, for some advice and the old man had been delighted to help. He had told him about a nice place near the docks, and so Killian had immediately called for reservations.

Killian arrived at Emma's place around eight in the evening wearing jeans, a black t-shirt and his favourite leather jacket. He knew Emma would love it as well. When the blonde woman opened the door, both their breaths stopped for a moment. She was wearing a beautiful white dress, and her hair was tied in a lovely ponytail. Killian smiled lovingly at her and let a few words escape his mouth "You look stunning, Swan." She blushed a little, unable to hide the little smile that was spreading on her face, and tried to say something back. "You look.." she was at loss for words. He grinned and she knew something was coming, and she was right "What? Devilishly handsome?" They both laughed at this, and Killian gave Emma a red rose, wanting this night to be the most special one they've ever had. She took it, blushing once again and it was time for them to leave her place.

They arrived at the restaurant twenty minutes later, and the waitress led them to their table. It was a great one, giving them a view on the ocean, which was extremely romantic, exactly as Killian had asked. Two candles were on the table and everything seemed just right for a first date. Perhaps too right. It scared them. They definitely weren't used to this kind of things. Neal had never been able to offer something like that to Emma and she was not even sure he would have even if he had been able to. And while he was with Milah, Killian had never really offered her such a romantic evening. Not that he didn't love her or anything but he just couldn't explain it. He wanted something more than great for Emma. Because she was his special person. The one he liked to call his soul mate. Because they had always been there for each other and even apart they had never stopped thinking about the other, and ten years later, despite everything that had happened, nothing had really changed between them. They were still close, she was still an open book to him, and she was still the only one he really needed by his side.

Lost in thoughts, neither of them was actually speaking. It was a bit awkward at first because usually you talk and flirt while on a date. But their relationship was everything but usual. Sure it had been a month since they had found each other again, and they had had many conversations about everything and anything, really, but there were still so many unsaid things. Emma wanted him to know that after being released from jail, the only thing that kept her going and that motivated her to start anew was him. Him and all the words and advice he had told her years ago. She wanted him to know that despite everything, he had always been her strength and she would have probably never made it without him, if she hadn't had him in her life at some point. He had given her everything and more, and for that she would always be grateful. Killian, on his side, wanted her to know the exact same thing. He wanted her to know that he had never once stopped thinking about her. He wanted to tell her just how much he had missed her all these years in Ireland, that life wasn't as exciting and interesting and great without her. Because that was true. Indeed he had lived with his brother and his family but Emma wasn't there. And in the end, Emma was his family too. And it had been hard without her, especially at the time of Liam's death. He had felt like he was drowning and he knew deep inside that she would have been the only person to keep him sane and okay. They really wanted to say those things to the other but it wasn't that easy. Fortunately in their case, looks were enough. At the way Killian was staring at her at this moment, Emma could read everything he had always wanted her to know. She could read just how much she meant to him since they were kids, since their first meeting in that class. And he could read just as much in her eyes. Open book. And it warmed both their hearts to know that they felt the exact same way about each other. The silence between them stopped being awkward, instead it became peaceful, and the atmosphere was just perfect for their first date. They didn't need words, because after all, actions speak louder than words. And that could define their relationship so well.

The waitress arrived with the plates, and put them on the table, trying to suppress a smile at the scene she was witnessing. They barely noticed her, Killian only whispering a little thank you. Then she left, and they started eating, still unable to stop staring at each other. They couldn't help but smile, feeling delighted, and happy like they never had before.

It lasted nearly an hour. An entire hour without talking. It would have been awkward for everyone, but not them. They weren't everyone. They were Killian and Emma. The two broken kids that had become best friends twenty years ago. The two broken teenagers that had had to go through hell. The two broken young adults who had ended up broken-hearted and that had lost way too much. The two broken adults that had finally found their way back to each other.

Smiling at one another, they slowly intertwined their fingers, silently confessing their love for the other, just enjoying this moment of pure happiness. That was how it felt like; happiness. In that moment, after everything they had been through, together and separately, they felt complete, happy, and most importantly, alive. And they never wanted to lose that wonderful, exhilarating feeling of true love they were feeling in that moment.