The nights in Storybrooke were always the most enjoyable for Killian. It was the one time of day in which everyone would stop trying to kill each other and would let their hair down. It was nights like these, when everybody was gathered at Granny's, that truly made Killian smile- for it was one of the few times in Storybrooke that he believed that he could possibly fit in, and be part of something amazing. Of course, a few certain royals would argue that he already was part of something great, and that the people of Storybrooke were glad to have him around (especially after he singlehandedly defeated the dark one, almost killing himself in the process, then going on to deliver Ursula back to her father; King Triton- once again nearly dying in the process) and that Storybrooke was his home. But no matter how much he wanted to believe that Storybrooke was his home, it didn't feel right.
Killian only ever felt like Storybrooke was his home when he was around Emma or Henry, but no singular place ever felt right to him. The only places that had ever felt like home to Killian were the places which Liam had been. Their home in the southern lands only reminded him of the pain they had endured there, so he had never returned, and the Jolly….. Well he had mixed emotions about that ship, for he had seen many souls lost on its decks, their blood trailing off the sides- more often than not, leaving him with no one to talk to.
Sometimes Killian could swear that Liam was there, watching over him like guardian angel that he didn't deserve. Sometimes, after he had been on a date with Emma, he would speak out into the silence, as if to tell Liam of how amazing Emma was, if he was even listening. It just made the loneliness he felt when no one was around lessen a bit- and on one occasion Ruby had walked in on him, wondering who the hell he was talking to and whether or not she should call Emma- but he quickly assured her that he was just saying it so that if his brother was still listening to him and watching over him, that he would know just how incredible Emma was. The she-wolf just smiled at his honesty, but when she left, she realised just how lonely Killian had been in his life, the smile slipping from her face faster than a rock falling from a cliff.
Tonight was different however. Both Killian and Ruby could sense it in the air- a change was coming. Little did they realise that that change would be in the form of a portal from Davy Jones' Locker dropping off a rather confused naval captain.
"To Storybrooke being safe once more!" Leroy shouted cheerfully, and everyone echoing his words whilst raising their tankards. Killian was close enough to the door should he need to get some air, but close enough to be in the group of people celebrating the defeat of the queens of darkness. Rumpelstiltskin had surprised him the most; for once he had lost his magic, the original Rumpelstiltskin, the father and doting husband, had once again showed his face. Of course he still despised Killian, but the animosity was no longer there, for without the pirates help, he would have been lost to the Dark One forever, and he would have never be able to feel love again.
The sound of a portal opening just outside the diner made everyone go quiet, and run out of the door. Just meters away from the door, the portal swirled in blues and greens, with sand glittering in its mist.
"Anyone got a gun" Emma called out- little did she know that the person who was just emerging from the portal was going to more or less be a big brother for her.
"Liam?" Killian called out, his voice breaking at the word. The mist just clearing allowing everyone else to see what he had. He wore an old naval uniform, the colours as bright as when he had died, his leathers were still shining, and his white shirt, vest and trousers clean of all the dirt and poison that had once resigned on their pure fabrics. The man had blonde hair and shocking green eyes and somewhere in his early thirties was materialising in front of the ever growing crowd of people, all of whom were wondering how their resident pirate knew this stranger.
"Killian? Where the hell am I?"
"You're in Storybrooke Liam… It's been a long time brother" At his words, Liam ducked his head and a few gasps escaped from the surrounding crowd. Killian gave Emma and David a look to say can you get them to give us a minute? David was the first to comprehend what Killian was asking from the two of them, and dispersed the crowd back into Granny's, leaving only Killian, Henry and the charming alone with Liam. Liam glanced between Killian and Henry, with an impossible idea being thrown around his mind.
"Do you have something you need to explain to me, brother?" Liam said cheerfully, motioning towards Henry with his hand.
"Oh god no Liam it's not what it looks like. Henry is Emma's son but he is not mine for Christ's sake!"
"Well you can hardly blame me for thinking it" Liam said with a smile that could be seen for miles "Apart from having brown eyes, he looks exactly like you did when you were that age. Although I do hope that he is better behaved than you were"
"I didn't know you were a naughty child when you were growing up" Emma said playfully, perching on Killian's shoulder like a parrot, her head tucked into the crook of his neck, something that David wasn't too pleased about.
"I was only doing what you were telling me to Liam! So essentially you were the evil mastermind who came up with all those pranks" Killian spoke in such a way that nobody had heard in three hundred years, a laugh underlined each of his words, something that took even Liam by surprise.
It was only then that Liam glanced down to where Killian's left hand should have been, but instead his hook gleamed in the moonlight.
"Brother" Liam spoke quietly, his voice breaking; for only now did he comprehend that his brother not only had to go through the pain of having him die in his arms twice, only to lose others and his hand. Killian could read his brother even better than he could read Emma and Henry. He could see that his brother was starting to realise that between his death and his resurrection that Killian had suffered a lot of pain.
"It's okay Liam. It barely ever causes me pain now." He glanced down to his hook, ashamed of the way he had gained the appendage. Thankfully Liam could read him as well as he could read his brother.
"You don't have to say it out loud on my account, Little Brother" Liam knew that it was Killian's pet hate to be called that but he also knew that in these circumstances that it would break his brothers trail of thought to somewhere dark. He could see his younger brother begin to smile once more, but he could see that it was a true smile, straight from his heart and completely genuine.
"It's younger brother, you know that Liam"
"It was worth a try"
The brothers spent the entire night exchanging tales, and all the while Killian could finally feel something that he had been missing for so long. Something that had returned to him after so many years lost at sea.
Killian Jones could safely say that he finally had a home, and a family who would support him in the storms that would inevitably come their way.
