Bit of canon divergence, folks. Just around the part where Emma still doesn't want her powers, and Gold still has Killian's heart but is a bit nice about it haha. This is Part 1 of my gift for Meg (keepcalmwearetimeless) over on tumblr for CSSS. Hope you like it! Happy Holidays!
Prompt: what if emma gave up her magic and killian was in danger and she couldn't save him bc no more magic (haha pls don't kill anyone)
Pairing: Captain Swan
Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis, but man I wish I did. Tough.
Dinner with her family was always something Emma Swan looked forward to. Being in and out of the foster system made her love these even more because back then, it was always a race to see who'd get the best portions, or any, for that matter. Now that she had a family, she appreciated these dinners even more, but today was not one of those days.
Conversation swirled around her as her parents, son, and boyfriend (if you could call him that) spoke animatedly with each other about just about anything under the sun.
Emma smiled. Normally, she'd participate, but she really didn't feel like it. She didn't feel up to anything at all, really. The events with the Snow Queen, though ending amicably, had left her drained, and even thinking of the things to come in the future left her in a state of uncertainty. But one thing was sure.
Emma Swan was tired.
"Are you okay, Emma?" a voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "You've just been pushing your food around your plate. Not feeling well?" her mother asked, concern etching her features.
"Yeah," Emma sighed. "Just a little tired is all." A little. Ha.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Emma cringed. While they were her family, she didn't really feel like sharing why exactly she was feeling down.
"No, it's…nothing, really. Don't mind it."
"Oh, but there must be something wrong," Mary Margaret pressed.
"It's okay, Emma. You can tell us anything," David chimed in.
Emma sighed. They were starting to get on her nerves.
"Look, guys. I said it was okay. I'm fine. Can't we just drop it?"
"Clearly we can't," David continued, ignoring her previous statement.
"Emma, you have to talk to us about these things," Mary Margaret reprimanded. "You know that we'll listen to you no matter what, right? Nothing you can say will ever turn us against you and even if you did something wrong, we'd still hear you out."
"It's nothing like that. I just…I just want to be left alone right now," Emma said, rising from her seat.
"Emma, wait!"
"Talk to us. Please."
"What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me?" Emma whipped around. "What's wrong with me is that I have powers that I don't understand. I am so tired of living under a cloud of uncertainty, knowing that I can't control them. I don't want to hurt any of you because of them. I know you said they make me special, and that's great, but I don't want to be special. I'm good with being the Savior. I just…I want to do it my way."
"What are you saying?" Mary Margaret rose from her seat.
Emma took a deep breath. "I'm saying…that I don't want my powers anymore."
~O~O~O~O~O~
"Are you sure about that, love?" Killian asked Emma on their way out of the apartment.
Emma said she'd wanted some air so Killian volunteered to go with her, and Emma was glad for the company. She needed to tell him why she wanted what she did now, and with Henry staying over at her parents' for the night, she could explain even more.
"I am."
"Okay," Killian nodded. "I'm all ears."
Emma took a deep breath before she began. "Look…it's not that I don't love my powers, and I do, it's just...I don't want to hurt anyone. I hurt my dad and Henry, and I know that they forgave me for that, but I just don't want to do it again, especially not to you," her voice cracked on the last word.
"You could never hurt me, love," Killian replied, putting his arms around her reassuringly.
"But I could…" she choked out in a sob. "I'm so scared, Killian," she sniffed, snuggling into his shoulder.
"Don't be, love. I'm here. I will always be here, okay?" Killian pulled away, kissing the top of her head.
"Now let's get you home, Swan. You've done enough."
"Okay," Emma said, smiling as the pirate wiped off her tears.
"Let me just get our coats and tell them we're leaving, love," Killian said, walking back to the apartment a bit…stiffly, she remarked, but she ignored it.
"Killian…," she called back.
"Yes, love?" he looked at her questioningly.
"I love you," she smiled.
"And I, you."
~O~O~O~O~O~
The air was cool and chilly, and the night was darker than most. The town was sleeping and the lights were out all around, except for one small shop lit by nothing more than a flickering candle. In a blink, it was put out, and a tall figure emerged. He crossed the street and moved towards a corner. He looked around, as if bored, then, having seen what he wanted, disappeared into the darkness.
~O~O~O~O~O~
"Killian?"
"Hmm?" he replied distractedly. He could have sworn he'd seen something move.
"What do you think my parents are going to say about me having my powers taken away? Do you think they'll let me?" Emma bit her lip.
"Love, I don't think you need their permission to do anything," Killian quirked an eyebrow. "I mean, look. They've let us live together. I'm pretty sure that was difficult for your father, but you're a grown woman, Swan. I would know," he wiggled his eyebrows playfully.
"Killian!" Emma smacked him on his arm. "I'm serious. I may hate how they baby me sometimes, but they're still my parents, and their opinion matters to me," she reprimanded.
"Sorry," he winced. "Look, if it bothers you that much, we can go back tomorrow, first thing in the morning," he offered.
"Okay," Emma relented. "Just...promise you'll go with me?"
"Of course," he replied, his grin turning wolfish. "Now, love, Henry isn't home," he said tapping a finger against his chin, "so I do believe we can engage in activities that involve 'not sleeping' tonight. What do you say?"
"Let me think about it," Emma giggled, "because the last time, well, let's say I wasn't too impressed."
Killian raised his eyebrows. "Is that a challenge, love? Because I'm more than willing to take you up on that," he leaned in to whisper, "or against a wall."
Emma turned her head, angling it so she could whisper in his ear. "If you can take me at all, Captain," she said, nipping his earlobe.
"Minx," he groaned, pulling her against him in a passionate kiss, unwary of the figure that emerged from the corner of the street.
"Careful, dearies. You'll catch your death out in the cold like that," a voice interrupted.
Emma pulled away abruptly from the kiss, moving to right her clothes.
"Gold," she nodded towards him, tugging her coat tighter around herself.
"What do you want, crocodile?" Killian spat out, putting an arm protectively around Emma.
"Nothing to worry about, Captain," he said, raising his eyebrows. "I'm not here for her."
"Then what do you want?" Emma prodded, casting a wary glance at the older man.
"Unfortunately, nothing that concerns you, Ms. Swan. It's your boyfriend I'd like to speak to."
"Why?" she pressed.
"I'm not in the business of answering your questions."
"Killian, don't-"
"It's okay, love," he interrupted. "Just go ahead. I'll see you at home. Don't wait up," he turned to leave.
"Wait, Killian," she pulled him back. "What's going on?" she asked, concern etching her features.
Killian sighed. "I'll tell you if it's of any consequence when I get home. Just…go ahead. I'll be right along."
"Killian…,"she called back.
"What?" he turned again.
"Just be careful."
"Always am, love."
~O~O~O~O~O~
"Captain," Gold nodded in acknowledgement.
"Crocodile."
"Sorry to interrupt your…merry-making," Mr. Gold raised his eyebrows, "but I do believe there won't be any of that tonight. We have work to do. Take a walk with me, Captain?"
"Do I have a choice?" Killian rolled his eyes.
"Tut, tut. You know better than that. After all, I still command you," he said, taking out the pirate's heart and giving it a slight squeeze.
Killian groaned in pain but complied with the crocodile's orders.
"Now, I want you to tell me everything that has happened so far, since the events of the idiotic Snow Queen's demise," he started walking towards the pier. "And before you go ahead and lie to me, Captain, just remember that I have your heart, and unless you want to see your lovely little Swan again," he trailed off, squeezing the heart even more, "you'll do as I say. That is of course, until I finally kill you," he grinned menacingly.
"You bastard," Hook spat out, clutching his chest in pain. "Just do it now if you're in such a hurry to be rid of me."
"I could, you know," he said, tightening his grip on the heart. Killian fell on his knees, clutching his chest and groaning in pain.
"I could crush your heart right now, and your poor little Swan would be none the wiser," he squeezed tighter. Killian's eyesight was getting fuzzy. The pain was taking over and sooner or later, he was going to pass out.
"But I won't," Gold said, releasing his grip on the pirate's heart. Killian clawed at his chest, trying to catch his breath. "Not until I am free of the dagger."
"Now tell me everything," he kicked the pirate on his side, sending him into a fit of coughing.
Killian clutched his side, staring daggers at the Dark One. He knew the crocodile was not an idiot. He'd heard what Emma had said about having her powers taken away. He just wanted to hear Killian say it himself. But he wouldn't hear it from him.
"No."
"Wrong answer, Captain," Gold said, striking the pirate's jaw with his cane, sending him into another fit of spasms.
"We don't have to play games. You can just tell me about your precious little Swan's power issues, and I can send you on your merry way."
Killian smirked. "So you did hear us. I knew I saw something move in the dark. Enjoy the little show we put on?"
"Your idle talk bores me, Captain," he rolled his eyes, kneeling to the pirate's level, taking his jaw in his hand.
"Now, here's what I want you to do. I want you to go home and tell your...girlfriend, or whatever she is, that your meeting with me went swimmingly, and that nothing untoward occurred. You can tell her I simply wanted some advice on how to surprise my beautiful wife and that I didn't need her around to hear it for fear that she would ruin the surprise."
"How lovely," Killian rasped out. "Anything else?"
"I also want you to tell her that I can be trusted. That I am a changed man, and so that is why you have decided to tell me about her plight in the hopes of solving it. Tell her that I have offered my help, and that I know of a way to take her powers. No deal required," he smirked.
Killian's face paled. The crocodile was going to suck her into the hat.
"Oh, don't look so glum, Captain. I won't kill her. I found a way around taking powers that doesn't involve death. Besides, not killing her is worth it if only to see her face when I kill you instead," he laughed gleefully.
Killian breathed a sigh of relief. Better him than her.
"Now, off you go, dearie. You have a job to do," he said, pulling the pirate up and swishing away all evidence of his previous bruises and marks.
"Why did you do that?" Killian looked at him questioningly.
"Well, obviously I can't have you going home looking like that. It would have ruined our whole set-up now, wouldn't it?"
Killian nodded hesitantly, turning to leave towards Emma's apartment.
"Run along, pirate. It's what you're good at," the older man called out mockingly.
Killian clenched his jaw and walked away. "One day," he vowed, "he will get what is coming his way."
A/N: Part 2 to follow :) Sound off in the comments?