Enough
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. I wish I did but so do many others.
AN: This was requested by a kind reviewer, who I can only call guest, which asked me to write this after reading my other fic "Giving Up". Basically it's my twist on Killian's feelings should he be there when Emma tells Neal she loves him- with a twist, obviously. Frankly- if I'm honest- I think I strayed quite far away from it but in my defence, I'm a die-hard CS shipper and not a big fan of Neal- no offence to anyone who does like him, I just don't- plus I want them together so bad!
He rounded the corner, stopping suddenly when he noted Swan clutching onto a floorboard for dear life, holding on to a man he recognised instantly as Baelfire. Tears were streaming down the blonds' face and she was shaking her head in what appeared to be denial. Noticing the portal creating a vast amount of destruction around them, it didn't take the pirate long to figure out what was happening.
The urge to comfort her nearly knocked him off his feet.
However Killian, being Hook, shrugged it off and tuned into what the two were saying. He could only keep his eyes on her.
"I can't just let you go Neal!" Emma yelled.
Bae shook his head in response. "You have to."
"You've been shot!" The blond screamed the rushing winds making her curls fly across her face. "If you go through that portal you'll die!"
"Emma, you can't hold us both." Neal argued.
She shook her head fiercely. "I can try. I'm not letting Henry lose his father! Not after he got him back!"
Hook took and unnoticed step back, his head spinning from the revelation. Bae was Henry's father? When the fuck did that happen?
"If you don't let go he'll lose both his parents!"
Emma sniffled. "I'm not letting go!"
"You have to!"
"I can't do this again, Neal." She confessed, more tears escaping her eyes.
He couldn't stand watching her cry. The whole thing just seemed wrong. Unreal. Unnatural. A tiny- well rather large- part of him was jealous that it wasn't him that she was holding onto, her warm embrace waiting for him when they overcame the latest obstacle in their way. No, instead it was the man that, he knew instantly, had broken her heart- and ability to trust anyone- all those years ago.
Without a second thought he hurried over, maintaining a tight grip on the wall. Hook placed his hand on top of Emma's and used it to help her pull up Neal. Once the man was up, he moved him over to the same corner he'd hidden behind a few seconds earlier. "Stay here." He ordered before moving back to Emma.
He was about two feet away when the ground collapsed before him. Emma was plunged further above the rapidly expanding portal, her grip on the floor board slipping as she was pulled closer with a frightened squeal.
"Emma!" Hook yelled his voice filled with panic. The pirate threw himself on the floor and began moving towards her, impaling his namesake into the wall to prevent him from going under as well. What use would he be to her if he was put in the same predicament?
"Killian!" Emma yelled back. "Killian, help me!"
He winced at the fright in her tone. She was an open book to him whether he could see her or not, Hook could easily hear the undertones of defeat in her tone. Emma believed that after the beanstalk and Manhattan he would leave her there to vanish. Honestly, she wouldn't blame him. The blond had stabbed him in the back so many times that she was surprised he'd even come to help them.
"Hold on, love." He warned her.
She could see the nails that kept the floorboard down bend as the force of the portal got stronger and stronger. Just as they were about to snap off, Emma closed her stormy blue eyes. It would- hopefully- be over before she knew it. The sound of the snapping wood echoed in her ears and for the smallest of seconds...she was floating.
Until, that is, a hand clasped around her forearm.
Her eyes snapped open and she smiled as Hook pulled her up, lifting her away from the wreckage as soon as he could. Killian dropped down against the wall with Emma still encased in his arms- not that she was complaining. It felt comfortable. Right.
Like home.
The saviour dropped her head onto his shoulder and in return her pirate rested his cheek on her hair. "Thank you." Emma whispered, nuzzling herself against him.
"Anytime, lass. Anytime at all." Killian replied.
Sea blue met stormy blue and something shifted in the atmosphere. Neal watched the two and despite his lingering feelings for Emma, the man felt happy that she had finally found someone who could complete her in a way he never could have. Ten years ago they could have been happy but Emma had changed, she'd grown stronger. The blond woman that had crashed into him in Manhattan was another person compared to the slightly naive teenager that had stolen his car.
A connection would always be there between him and the woman wrapped up in the arms of his mother. Henry was something that they would always share. An unbreakable bond. Neal was fine with that. Maybe if it was anyone else he would have been slightly pissed. He doubted that Emma could have an instant connection with anyone else other that Hook. They were just far too compatible as people- despite what some might think. Watching them, seeing the shared look in their eyes made him more at peace with anything than he had been in a long time.
Neal wasn't an idiot. He'd been around for a long time and had learnt not to get in the way of someone else's happiness. Yes, maybe he was still a tiny bit in love with Emma. She was an easy person to love-despite what she believed. However, he knew true love when he saw it and he'd rarely seen it have a stronger glow than the blinding one before him.
Hook smiled slightly as he looked into Emma's eyes.
"Emma..." He began.
She laced her fingers through his. "I know." There was more than one open book in this relationship; the blond knew exactly what he was going to say.
Killian chuckled. "One day I'll be able to say it."
The saviour rolled her eyes and nodded. "I know," she repeated, "but saying it when you've just saved my life is a bit cliché." Her eyes locked back onto his. "One day I'll say it too."
He pressed his forehead against hers. "Together?"
"Together." Emma clarified, leaning up and capturing his lips in a sweet kiss. Maybe that was cliché too but the "I love you" could be saved for later. She knew. He knew. Everyone else didn't matter because, to them, that would always be enough.
