Happy Birthday Chrissa!
Treasure Hunt
"Let me get this straight. You need me to track down a yacht belonging to the mayor of the town you are Sheriff for?" Emma reclined back in the chair, fingers drumming on the surface of the desk as she gave her old partner a smug smile.
David sighed. "I know exactly how this sounds, Emma. But there are reasons why she wants a P.I. handling this and not the local authorities."
"You're going to have to give me more than that, Nolan. And you know it."
"Regina Mills is a powerful woman, but she has a weak spot. Her son Henry has been threatened. And as much as she trusts her former FBI agent now turned into local sheriff, aka me, she also knows the person we are dealing with has connections in all the agencies."
"Who do you suspect took the yacht?"
"Gold." David paused, giving Emma a moment to digest the information. They both knew about Gold's involvement in several underhanded activities in the NorthEast area and the possibility of bribed personnel in all the agencies. It was one of the many reasons why taking him down while working for the FBI had been impossible.
Emma cracked her neck, the tension of the busy day getting to her. "Why would he take her yacht?"
"He has history with her mother. And it's a win-win situation for him. He can use it to conduct his dirty affairs and if it gets caught, it will splatter her reputation."
"He's the same sneaky bastard he always was, gotta give him credit for that." Emma cocked an eyebrow. "So, what's the plan? Me and Ruby track him down and retrieve the yacht?"
"No. You just track the yacht down. Someone else is in charge of the retrieve. This is a joint effort." David shifted in his seat uncomfortably and Emma sat up straight in her chair.
"I don't play well with others, David. You know that." She raised an eyebrow knowingly at him. He should know by now that she didn't trust easily.
"Emma, you can't retrieve a yacht of this magnitude and Regina is not taking any chances with the authorities. She wants this to be fast and she's willing to cut some corners - within reason - to get there."
"Who's going to do the extraction then?"
"Jones Marine Risk Management and Vessel Extraction." David cleared his throat.
"You're hiring fucking modern pirates?!?"
/-/
Emma and Ruby stood by the Storybrooke docks looking at the large sailboat anchored there. Ruby tilted her head. "That's a big boat, do you think they are compensating for something?" she asked teasingly, arching a perfectly manicured eyebrow at Emma.
Emma snorted, shaking her head at her partner's witticism. Ruby had started as her receptionist but soon showed the aptitude to become a keen investigator. There was a lot you can get out of guys while playing the role of a dumb vixen and Ruby played the part to a T. There wasn't a dumb bone in her entire body, but she sure knew how to have fun with it.
"Can we help you, love?" A rich, deep voice called after them and made Emma and Ruby look in the direction of the prowl. Emma's eyes adjusted to the direct sunlight before she could discern the features: dark disheveled hair, lean form, smug smirk. His toned arms were resting over the rail and he was looking at them in an expectant way.
"Forget what I said," Ruby whispered, as her hand motioned to him shamelessly. "It doesn't look like he has to compensate for anything."
Indeed it seemed he didn't. Even from the distance, Emma could appreciate the classical features hidden underneath trimmed scruff and sea-deep blue eyes. He was looking at them, eyebrow raised in question as he expected their answer. Before Emma was able to open her mouth and utter a sound, another man appeared next to the first. He had curly brown hair and was built a little stockier than the first, but he was still all muscles and lines.
"Oh my god, there are two. It's our lucky day!" Ruby exclaimed in excitement, almost clapping her hands and Emma slapped her on her forearm.
"We are looking for Jones Marine Risk Management," she said loud and clear in her most professional tone.
"And you've just found them… hop on board, lass." The one with the curly hair said, his hand beckoning in an inviting motion, a friendly tone in his accented voice.
Emma and Ruby boarded the boat, Emma's eyes focusing on the two men that were waiting for them on the deck. She could tell the dark haired one definitely meant trouble. Of the worst kind. Of the best kind, Ruby would be adding if she could read her mind. He was leaning against the mast, in a carefully constructed 'careless' stance, smiling like the cat that got the canary.
Emma stood a few steps away from him, her eyes meeting his as she stated in a cold, professional tone. "I'm Emma Swan. From Swan Investigations. This is my partner, Ruby Lucas."
"Killian Jones, but most people call me by my more colorful moniker, Hook." He spoke with a lilting accent, a smug smirk replacing his smile as he lifted his left arm for her to examine. Emma's eyes scanned the scar that started in his hand and went up his forearm all the way to a very toned bicep and still up the short sleeve of his black shirt.
"What happened?" Ruby asked curiously and Emma turned to give her an admonishing look.
"A bad run in with a crocodile," Killian offered.
"For real?" Emma blurted out.
Killian chuckled. "It was technically an alligator, but it sounds a lot better that way." He cocked an eyebrow at her, and Emma rolled her eyes, annoyed by his cocky smirk.
Ruby turned her attention to the other man, her eyes conducting a thorough review of him, from the khaki slacks to the grey unbuttoned Henley he was wearing.
"And what do they call you? Peter Pan? You have way too much chest hair to be a lost boy." She bit her lower lip first, before arching an eyebrow at him and finishing by tracing the outline of her lips with her tongue.
"I assure you, darling, I am anything but a boy," he replied, his voice soft as he took a step towards Ruby, his hand darting out in the open air between them. He held Ruby's hand but instead of shaking it, he took it to his lips and pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles. "Liam Jones, King of the Underworld."
Ruby's sincere laugh surprised Emma. It wasn't her usual flirty, I'm-looking-for-conquest laugh, but a pristine sound that she only reserved for people she held close to her heart. It seemed to surprise Liam too, as he took a step back and bashfully scratched behind his ear.
"So, Swan, what news do you have for me and my operation?" Killian Jones asked, removing everyone's attention from the previous exchange and focusing them back to the reason why they were all standing there.
Emma's smile faltered, her eyes squinting at the meaning behind Killian's phrase. "Your operation? This is not your operation, Mr. Jones."
"Please, call me Killian, love."
"Please, don't call me love, Killian." Emma retorted, a little more forcefully than she originally intended.
"Oh, aren't you a tough lass?" Killian smirked, taking a few steps forward and invading her personal space. "Are you this feisty in all aspects of your life?"
"Killian, I think that's enough," Liam called from where he was still standing near Ruby. "And I believe that what Miss…" He turned for a second to look at Ruby for confirmation.
"Oh yes, she's single. Very single. As am I," Ruby finished with a wolfish grin.
Liam chuckled. "Thank you for the helpful information, Miss Lucas. As I was saying, I believe that Miss Swan here was referring to the fact that she might feel this is her operation or, at the very least, our operation, little brother."
"Younger brother," Killian corrected. "And it's our necks that will be at risk when we try to retrieve this vessel."
"And you think gathering the Intel to make that happen is all nice dinners and walks on the beach?" Emma replied, annoyed.
"No, but I'll save that as valuable information for when we move on to more enjoyable activities," Killian smirked, his tongue playing between his teeth.
Liam intervened before Emma slapped his little brother, who was clearly making an arse of himself. "You have to excuse my brother here, Miss Swan. He banged his head a lot as a lad."
"Please call me Emma."
"Alright, Emma." Liam smiled. "As we can all agree this first meeting hasn't gone as planned… how about we meet at The Rabbit Hole later this afternoon? We can discuss the case and decide on a plan."
"Sounds wonderful to me, nothing like a few libations to loosen up, right Emma?" Killian asked.
"He can call me Emma, not you." Emma rolled her eyes at him before agreeing to meet with them later that day.
Ruby moved to Liam's side as they were leaving the boat. "You know, you can call me love. Or anything else you might…fancy."
Liam tilted his head. "Tempting, my dear. Sadly, I don't mix business with pleasure."
Ruby pouted, her manicured finger tracing a pattern over his chest. "Are you sure?"
"What can I say, lass? I'm an old bore."
/-/
The meeting in the bar went surprisingly well. Liam Jones continued to be a gentleman and with the exception of a smug smirk or two, Killian Jones had shown up committed to work as well. He had several questions that made it evident he knew what he was doing and that all that cocky bravado was rooted in actual capability and qualifications. Emma would never admit to be thoroughly impressed - she was never thoroughly impressed by anyone - but she was almost pleasantly surprised.
A couple of weeks went by like this. Emma and Ruby would spend most of their time doing research with David, but they'd meet regularly with Killian and Liam to go over any new details. Liam and Killian spent most of their time canvassing the waters, putting their wide network of connections into the task and trying to find out the whereabouts of the missing vessel.
But it was Emma who was the one that found the first solid lead. A very vague paper trail that she followed and monitored closely for weeks was finally leading them to better information. She was beaming when she showed Killian the tracking, both of them sitting side by side on one of the benches located on the side of his boat's deck.
"You're brilliant, Swan," he complimented her, his eyes boring with admiration into hers before he reached to trail his fingers over the information. It was then when she noticed the tattoo on the inside of his right forearm, the Royal Navy Seal with the name Milah intertwined in it.
"You served in the Navy?" she asked curiously.
His smile faltered, his eyes darkening and losing his usual glint as he nodded. "Aye. Liam and I served for a few years before we requested to be discharged."
Emma could tell that there was something there, it was evident from the pain in his voice. "What happened?"
"An operation that went wrong… cost us half of our squad." He averted his eyes, reaching to caress the tattoo, his fingers grazing over the name.
"And Milah?" Emma pressed.
Killian lifted his head and looked at her. "You're quite perceptive, aren't you?" Emma shrugged, a small smile that didn't reach her eyes coming to her lips. Killian sighed, running his hand through his hair. "She was my fiancée. We'd been together since we met at the academy."
Emma tilted her head, focusing all her attention on him, her fingers reaching to softly graze his knuckles. Killian tensed for a second, before he relaxed his hand underneath hers and looked out at the horizon as he spoke.
"It was a shady business from the beginning… I was not convinced. But you get your orders and you don't ask questions and you do what you were told. Except it all backfired on our arses. Liam barely made it alive and Milah…" He trailed off, not being able to speak the words out loud. "It was my fault."
"I don't think it was…" Emma said softly.
"I knew something didn't add up and I let us all walk into the lion's den. I should have done something other than just blindly follow orders!" His voice cracked in the end, anger and frustration seeping through him.
"Is that why you left and started this?" she asked.
"When we left, I started looking for any excuse to put myself into danger and this," he motioned to the boat, "This was exactly what I needed. Liam tagged along mainly to save my arse and keep me from walking into my own death." Killian chuckled, a small, sad sound coming from his mouth. "He wasn't joking when he said they call him King of the Underworld. He's the best you'll ever find at diving and rescue ops. Took meself out of the water once or twice."
"And you?"
He looked at her, self-deprecation and a smug smirk etched in his features, the face of a man that was just biding his time until the inevitable finally happened. "I'm all about barging in in the most flamboyant way, gun and fists at the ready."
"That can backfire on you at any moment," Emma said, her eyes boring into his, trying to find the traces of a lie in between the truths he was so carelessly offering. There were none.
His smile faltered, the mask of bravado he hid behind crumpling between them, leaving nothing but a heartbroken man. "For a long time, I had nothing to live for, Swan. I didn't care."
"And now?" She whispered, her fingers tightening and curling around his hand inadvertently.
Confusion and hope replaced the heartbreak in his eyes, while the wind shuffled his dark hair across his forehead, "I don't know." His strained voice was almost lost to the sea, words spoken for the wind to carry, for its meaning to leave them for now and come back to them at another time. A time when perhaps they'd be able to handle it.
He sighed, taking the moment away with the heavy breath intake. "It's late, you should go. Unless all this is a ruse to invite yourself into my cabin tonight… which… I'd be happy to oblige." There was little sentiment behind the invitation, the flirty innuendo void of any sincerity other than to mask whatever he'd been feeling.
She rolled her eyes with even less sentiment, her hand leaving his as she stood up. "Goodnight, Killian."
"Goodnight, Swan."
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Later that night, Ruby and Liam were headed back from the Rabbit Hole, walking by the docks until they reached the boat.
"You know, the night doesn't have to end," Ruby said in a soft tone, putting her hand on Liam's arm in a suggestive way.
"It does, darling," Liam replied. "I told you…" he started, but Ruby cut him off, a small frustrated sigh dancing on her lips.
"Don't give me that old bore excuse. There's no way you can be an old bore looking like this." She emphasized her point by gesturing her hand at him.
Liam chuckled, "Looking like what?"
"Like you can lift me up and carry me to your cabin and have me panting in the blink of an eye," Ruby said, raising her eyebrows at him.
Liam's eyes darkened, a smile tugging at his lips as he took one step closer to her. "I could do it…" he whispered in a sultry voice.
"Do you want to? Cause I sure as hell do," Ruby said, bringing her face close to his and nuzzling his nose, her voice like a velvet caress.
"That's the thing, Ruby," he whispered, his lips almost brushing hers. "I truly don't mix business and pleasure… but most of all, I'm not about adding notches to my bed post." He finished sincerely, his blue eyes boring into hers with dark intensity.
"What do you want then?" She asked, confused.
"I want something real. Tell me something real, love… and you have me." His voice was barely a whisper, a soft caress against her skin as he gently grabbed her arms.
"I don't do real," Ruby explained, her voice breaking.
Liam smiled sadly. "That's what I thought." He pulled away, his eyes never leaving hers as he walked backwards. "Goodnight, Ruby."
/-/
At some point, they'd exhausted all possible leads in Storybrooke and it was time to pick up the trail back in Boston. Killian and Liam would sail there, while Emma was driving back with Ruby and would move directly into investigating some of the leads they had.
Killian stood next to Emma by the hood of her car. "Be careful, Swan," he spoke softly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, raising goosebumps on her skin.
"Don't go soft on me or anything," she teased, clearly deflecting from the effects that all of the honesty that she saw in his blue eyes was having on her. "I can take care of myself, Killian." She turned around and got into the car.
She had a case to investigate. Leads to follow. A yacht to retrieve and the satisfaction of a job well done by the time they finally closed this one. She needed to remain sharp, focus on the task at hand.
She didn't have time for sincere blue eyes looking at her as if she was the calm after a raging storm. As if she was bringing back the sun after a cloudy season.
As if there was finally light after centuries of darkness.
She didn't have time for all the things Killian Jones was saying just by looking at her, saying nothing at all.
/-/
It had been a busy few days once they set foot back in Boston, searches and stakeouts combined with burnt coffee and greasy food that had seen better days. When the brothers Jones finally called to let them know they had arrived, she wasn't sure who was more eager to head to the docks. Ruby had been unusually quiet for a few days, choosing to hole up in the office and follow up on paperwork. Emma had never seen her like this… so un-Ruby-like.
They'd only made it to the docks and had just spotted the two dark haired men when Ruby's phone started ringing. Emma turned around after her friend connected the call and froze on the spot at Ruby's terrified look.
She wasn't the only one that noticed, as Liam was by Ruby's side in an instant, with Killian following right behind.
"It's Gran. She's been attacked - she - she's at the hospital," Ruby whispered, frozen by the shock, her hand holding the phone frozen in mid air.
"Go to the hospital. I'll talk to the police," Emma said, grabbing her car keys and backtracking to the parking lot. She looked at Liam. "Can you go with her? Keep me posted."
"Aye," Liam said, before gently grabbing Ruby's arm and heading towards the street. "Let's take a cab, love."
"Emma…" Killian called after her and Emma gave him a soft smile.
"I'll be careful."
Ruby took after her grandmother, Liam soon noticed. The older woman was a tough cookie. She had been outnumbered, but that didn't stop her from reaching out for any possible weapons available, including metal ladles and heavy wooden rolling pins, to defend herself. She had a few bruises and a nasty cut on her forearm, but she'd be ok. The doctor reassured a frazzled Ruby over and over again regarding this fact, while Liam rubbed her back soothingly. Granny looked at the exchange between the two and motioned Ruby to come near her. She gave Ruby a soft kiss on her forehead and after giving one appreciative look at Liam, she sent her granddaughter off, claiming she needed to rest for the remainder of the evening.
"Where to?" Liam asked as he hailed a cab for them.
"Come with me?" Ruby pleaded as she took his hand and he nodded. She gave the driver an address before she sidled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.
The ride lasted only a few minutes, stopping by a closed dinner with the sign Granny's.
"Here…" Ruby said, pulling a key from her back pocket and unlocking the place. She flicked the lights on and walked into the place as if she owned it. "Are you hungry?"
"A little, but you don't have to…" Liam started, but Ruby gave him a soft smile to silence him.
"Take a seat by the counter, I'll be right back," she directed as she disappeared into the heart of the kitchen.
She was carrying a tray with two plates and mugs when she came back, maneuvering swiftly as she placed the plates and mugs on the counter and discarded the tray on a shelf nearby. Liam's mouth watered at the smell coming from the warm lasagna on his plate.
"This smells like heaven," he said.
"Granny's specialty. She always keeps a few ready to heat just in case. Dig in." Ruby grabbed her fork and sat on the stool next to Liam.
They ate in companionable silence and when Ruby moved to clear the dishes, Liam insisted on doing it. She gave him a small smile as she walked him towards the kitchen. Liam moved to the sink and turned on the water to start washing the dishes while Ruby grabbed a dishcloth to dry them.
"I gather you spent a lot of time here?" Liam asked softly, his eyes focusing on the dish in his hands.
"I was raised here," Ruby replied, her fingers tracing a pattern over the formica of the counter. "Granny took me in when - when my mother left in search of a better life for herself."
Liam handed her the last dish and turned off the water, his eyes meeting hers as he dried his hands. Ruby finished drying the last dish before putting it on the shelf. "I've waited more tables here than I can count over the years. I can close my eyes and tell from memory where each ingredient sits in this kitchen."
She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she pointed to the left. "Cinnamon is over there. Granny keeps it on hand for when Emma comes by, so she can put it over the whipped cream in her hot chocolate. And she keeps the garlic and dried herbs inside that cabinet. There's rosemary, sage and-"
Liam's kiss interrupted her and she froze for a second, before the feeling of his lips moving softly against hers snapped her back into the moment. Her hands grabbed his biceps and he held her waist and pulled her closer to him, his lips never leaving hers.
He rested his forehead against hers when he broke the kiss, breathless, as his eyes closed.
"Why now?" she asked curiously, tilting her head to see him better.
He opened his eyes and gave her a soft smile, his voice still ragged. "That was real, lass."
Ruby closed the distance, smiling against his lips as she kissed him again. Liam's arms circled her, trailing them backwards as he pressed her body softly against the wall, his own body melting into hers. His lips traced a pattern down her jawline and onto her neck.
"My old room is in the back," Ruby panted, "I mean, if you want to…"
"I do," he mumbled against the sensitive skin of her collarbone.
"Oh, thank God," she said and Liam chuckled, the shake of his laughter reverberating through her body before he lifted his head and gave her a soft kiss.
"Lead the way, darling."
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Emma made her way back to the docks late at night, exhaustion oozing from her every pore. Her bones ached and her neck was stiff from the hours spent at the station going through the information they had on the attack. She had no doubts that Gold had been behind it, but she also knew she had little chance to prove it at the moment.
One thing was clear. They were close.
The satisfied smirk that that thought had given her soon vanished as she sensed the air changing around her. She reacted right on time, ducking her head to avoid the hit coming at her and preparing herself for a fight.
Her eyes quickly scanned around and she counted three men surrounding her. It wasn't ideal, but she could hold her own. She had to.
Time to fight. She thought as she took the first hit from one of her attackers.
They were stronger than she thought, but she tried to pull through, throwing punches and avoiding hits as much as she could. That is until she sensed rushed steps coming from behind her and soon a shadow had swept right by her, taking out all of the men. In the haze of the fight, she could barely register the dark hair and swift movement. It wasn't until it was over and Killian was scooping her up in his arms, frantically checking on her, that everything fell into place.
"Swan! Are you shot? Stabbed?" he asked breathlessly, his strong arms carrying her to his boat.
"Just hits and punches," She replied throatily, resting her head on the nook of his shoulder, breathing in the salty smell of his clothes and soaking in the warmth of his skin.
He didn't put her down until they reached his cabin and he carefully sat her down on the bed, leaving to retrieve ice and a first aid kit.
"Here - let me look," he whispered softly as he lifted her chin to study her face. His blue eyes were filled with concern as his fingers traced above her eye. "You have a small cut there, no stitches needed, but it will leave a scar."
He cleaned the wound methodically, silence filling the room as she tried to reign in her beating heart, the sting of the disinfectant making her wince.
"I'm sorry," he whispered softly, his fingers grazing her skin as his other hand grabbed the ice pack and placed in on her other cheek. "I know it's uncomfortable."
His eyes bore into hers and whatever had been holding Emma back before was no longer present. She leaned in, brushing her lips to his tentatively at first, before kissing him firmly.
Something snapped the moment she felt him kissing her back, her hands reaching desperately to pull him closer to her, heat coursing through her veins. Her hands wandered to explore the hard lines of the muscles underneath his shirt and he groaned against her mouth.
But it was when she reached to remove his shirt that his hands stilled her movements. Killian broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers, trying to regain control of his breathing.
"We should stop, Swan." He pulled away from her, his eyes darkening as he spoke. "This is a bad idea, love. It's the adrenaline in your body, I -"
He trailed off, afraid to talk again, to reveal himself. He couldn't deal with the regret he was sure would fill her eyes the next morning, the moment where she'd build her walls back up and keep him out again. He couldn't go through with that… not with her. Not now, when he was already in so deep that he knew he'd die a thousand different deaths for her.
He gave himself one more moment of weakness, one soft caress of his palm against the apple of her cheek, his fingers tangling in her hair, watching as her green eyes widened before she closed them and sighed softly, leaning into his touch. "You're right," she whispered softly, something very close to regret etching the edges of her voice.
He pulled away, putting much needed distance between her alluring presence and his already battered heart. "Stay here for the night. I'll sleep in Liam's cabin."
/-/
She eluded him as much as possible over the course of the next few days, recoiling into the fortress of her built-up walls, the walls that have kept out hurt and despair for such a long time. The walls that were her last defense against stormy blue eyes and lilting voices carrying deeper meanings.
She'd barely seen Ruby as her partner kept busy by fretting over her grandmother and walking on cloud number nine thanks to the affectionate attentions of the half of Jones Marine Risk Management that wasn't the cause of Emma's restless, sleepless nights.
Damn the day the Jones Brothers barged into her dull, grey life and shook it upside down.
Yeah, even Emma didn't believe that anymore.
One thing was certain. The attacks on her and Granny proved that they were close to find the yacht and bringing the case to resolution. She just needed to up her game, tie up some loose ends, follow the trails and she'll find it. She knew she'd find it.
Except that Killian found it first.
His network of eyes and ears on the sea had come through with an approximate location of a yacht that fit the description they were looking for. He and Liam had unfolded a map over the cabin's desk and shown Emma and Ruby the location. After that, they focused on possible boarding plans, before they moved above deck to make the proper preparations, with Ruby and Emma quickly following them.
"When do we leave?" Emma asked, distracting them both from the tasks they were performing.
"We leave as soon as we are done preparing," Killian replied, his hand motioning to him and Liam. "You, on the other hand, are staying on firm land."
"I want to go," Emma stated stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her head up in a defiant motion.
Killian's jaw clenched. "Not a chance in hell Swan - you are not ready for this."
"I can take care of myself. I'm ex FBI, remember?" She groaned, frustrated.
Killian strode towards her, his face inches away from hers when he spoke again, "We have no clue what we might encounter there, but we know this is going to be shady and ugly and dangerous. You are not walking in there and putting yourself in harm's way." His eyes bore into hers, his emotions palpable in the strained tone of this voice.
"Why?" Emma pressed.
"Because I bloody care, Emma," he whispered softly, almost inaudibly, the words barely there for her to catch them if she wanted. He cleared his throat, reining himself in before speaking again in a decisive tone. "Because I don't follow the orders this time… I give the orders."
She shouldn't do it, she knew she shouldn't do it, but nevertheless, her hand moved to caress the scar on his cheek, her eyes conveying a silent plea as she leaned in. "Be careful."
He nuzzled her nose, his forehead resting against hers as his lips almost brushed hers. "Don't go soft on me, Swan," he whispered, before pulling away from her with a shy smile.
On the other side of the deck, Liam pulled Ruby into his arms. "Do I need to convince you not to come as well?"
She shook her head, her hands intertwining at the nape of his neck, "That's not the kind of action I'm into, King of the Underworld. Just get back here in one piece so we can move on to my type of action."
"Your wish is my command, darling," he promised as he leaned in to kiss her.
/-/
There wasn't much to do, other than waiting and waiting as she paced endlessly at her office. In theory, her job was done, her part of the joint effort finished the moment they located the ship and Killian and Liam had set sail. It was all on them now, and Emma had no responsibility over it. David was in charge of communicating with them and Regina, all forces ready to be set in motion if needed.
So when the call came from David, she didn't think much of it.
"Hey, David, did they take the yacht back? Everything went ok?" Emma asked.
"They were able to retrieve it, yes, but Emma-" David trailed off, silence filling the line.
Emma's heart froze. Please, no.
"David?" Fear crept from the crevices of her heart and right into her voice.
"Killian was shot - Liam was able to stop the bleeding and pull him out of there, but - he's been rushed to the hospital."
Emma's head started spinning as tears blurred her vision. She would have collapsed onto the floor if Ruby hadn't got ahold of her while she snatched the phone from her hands. "David, which hospital?" she asked hurriedly, as she pulled Emma to her side, supporting her weight. "We'll be right there."
Liam was pacing back and forth in the waiting room and he went to Ruby the moment he laid eyes on her. He collapsed in her arms and she held him for a while, whispering reassurances in his ear.
He eventually pulled away and looked at Emma. She smiled at him nervously, trying to find her voice. "How - How is he?"
"He arrived in quite bad shape, but they were able to patch the wound and he's stable now. They are finishing up some more tests and post-ops." Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This was definitely not in the plan when we boarded."
"Let me guess. He barged in, gun and fist at the ready, without a care in the world," Emma said bitterly, her mouth twisting in a sour grimace.
"Actually, no. He was sneaky and careful and really stood out of harm's way," Liam said and Emma's eyes darted to his face. "I've never seen him care so much about actually coming back unharmed," he finished in a murmur.
Later that day, Emma stood by Killian's bed, watching him sleep peacefully amongst all the tubes and beeping machines. His eyes were closed and there was a serene expression on his face, even with the shadows underneath his eyes and the pale color of his skin.
Her hand reached to touch his softly, her fingers trailing a caress up his forearm, tracing his scars. Emma shivered, tears coming to her eyes as she looked at his face and thought how close he'd been to actually perishing in the middle of the sea.
Why was she here?
The case was closed, the yacht retrieved. Her work here was done. Killian Jones would survive and wake up to embark on yet another dangerous operation.
Why did that thought bring tremors all over her body?
Coming here was a mistake. Letting herself feel was a mistake. It was something that made her vulnerable, and Emma Swan had decided years ago that she'd never be vulnerable again.
So she did what she did best.
Emma Swan took one last look at Killian Jones before she turned around and ran.
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One week later
Storybrooke had been a great refuge for Emma to seek comfort and bring clarity to her frazzled mind. David and Mary Margaret had opened the doors of their house for her, no questions asked. There was no need, as Emma was sure that her face was telling the story all on its own, if Mary Margaret's heavy sighs and comforting smiles were any hint.
But as the days went on, her initial urge of running away had subsided, only to be replaced by different scenarios in her head. What if she hadn't run? What if she'd stayed there, facing her own demons? What if she'd taken a chance for once in her life? What could have happened?
One morning, the weight of her thoughts took her directly to the docks, the need to feel the sea air running deep in her bones.
She noticed the unfamiliar boat first, docked in a slip that had been empty the day before. Her eyes adjusted to the zenith light and she discerned the figure leaning by the rail, looking at her.
There was nothing unfamiliar about him: disheveled dark hair, sea-deep blue eyes, slight scruff and a wide smile.
He disappeared from her sight for a brief moment before he was back again, leaving the boat and walking towards her. He stood right in front of her, smiling broadly as his eyes drank her in as if she was everything he wanted to see.
"What are you doing here?" she asked hesitantly.
"Taking some time off. They told me it would be good for my body to get some rest, avoid the stress of my job, do something I enjoy." He tilted his head, and reached to scratch behind his ear in that nervous move she'd already identified in him.
"And what is it that you enjoy?" she whispered, leaning into him as if she couldn't avoid being pulled to him like a magnet. She couldn't, she wouldn't…
She didn't want to avoid it. Not anymore.
He bit his lower lip as his face leaned only inches away from hers, "Taking a pretty lass sailing on a sunny afternoon," he ventured.
She closed the distance to capture his lips in a gentle kiss. Softer than she had imagined it - and she had imagined it - but sweeter and with much more sentiment than she'd expected from both of them. She broke the kiss and started to pull away, but his hand tangled in her hair as he chased her lips one more time, and the kiss lasted longer this time, both finding solace in each other's embrace, saying a lot with just the way their hands clung to one another.
She rested her forehead against his when she pulled away, a soft smile curving her lips. "Add diner to it and I'm in."
"You want a date, Swan?" He chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers softly grazing her cheek.
"I demand it," she replied, softly caressing the hair at the nape of his neck and rejoicing in the feeling of being in his arms.
"It'd be my pleasure," he whispered. "Are you free tonight? We can go to dinner."
She grinned, a hint of mischief coming to her eyes as she pulled away from him and started walking, grabbing the lapels of his leather jacket to drag him along. "I have other plans in mind for tonight," she announced cheerfully as she boarded his boat without permission and headed below deck.
"Are you inviting yourself into my cabin?" he asked, his voice suddenly laced with desire.
Emma turned around to fuse her lips with his in a searing kiss, pulling him towards her passionately.
"I think you'd be happy to oblige," she gasped in between kisses, her hands trailing over his chest. "And so we're clear, this isn't the adrenaline talking, Killian."
/-/
They eventually made it to dinner the next night, after spending most of their time in his cabin, tracing each other's scars with lips and hands and fusing their bodies together. He took her sailing in the afternoon and pulled her into his arms as he led the boat out into the open sea, her head resting on his chest, his lips pressing a soft kiss in her hair.
(They made it back to Boston a week after, with swollen lips and radiant smiles.)