"One, two, cross!"
Killian let out little puffs off breath with each swing against the large punching bag currently being bolstered by his friend, fellow muay thai fighter, and roommate, Robin Locksley. It was supposed to be just another training day, getting ready for their upcoming fight, but the gym was uncharacteristically lacking the presence of the feisty blonde proprietor of the little establishment. A few other guys littered the small space, tinkering around with the free weights and some of the more basic equipment. It seemed they were all waiting on Emma Swan.
"Kick left! One, two, hook!"
He continued to follow Robin's direction, perspiration gathering at his hairline and sliding down the overlong umber locks falling over his forehead. He let his eyes flit over the room again, wondering what could possibly have postponed the arrival of the usually up-with-the-birds, first one to arrive, last one to leave, dedicated personal trainer he'd come to adore in the last six months since he and his brother started coming to Swan Personal Fitness. He recognized a couple of the guys. Anton "Tiny" Fagioli and "Little" John Sherwood, both ironically nicknamed 300 pound linebackers for the New England Patriots, as well as Killian's older brother and former SAS member of Her Majesty's Navy, Liam Jones, were standing in front of the wall of mirrors tossing a couple medicine balls back and forth. David Nolan, Emma's adoptive brother and client, also an Olympic bronze medalist wrestler, was jogging on a treadmill near the window, tablet propped up against the machine display and queued to something on Netflix. Will Scarlett, a third member to their muay thai team, other roommate, and slight loose cannon sat nearby reading a book. Still no Emma, though. It really wasn't like her to be this late.
"Where the bloody hell are you, Swan?" He gritted out, giving the bag a particularly hard jab. He needed a challenge, and Emma could always deliver. As if on cue, the door crashed open and the blonde whirlwind herself burst into the room looking like the goddess of fury personified. Radiant and tumultuous. All activity stopped, the medicine balls dropping to the floor, Will snapping his book shut and standing, David awkwardly trying to turn his tablet off before his sister could reprimand him, and Robin and Killian halting their practice. The men all faced the woman, ready to greet her and begin their sessions, but sobering when they caught sight of her disheveled appearance. She was dressed in her workout clothes, a stretchy neon pink halter tank and black lycra Capri leggings that fit her like a glove, but her jacket was half zipped and hanging off her shoulder like she'd put it on in a hurry. Her long golden hair was in a loose messy bun, almost falling out of the elastic she secured it with. Her face was red and splotchy, green eyes blazing, and it was more than a little apparent she'd been crying. She stormed towards the back office, punching a speed bag as hard as she could as she passed. A screech erupted from her with the effort, the bag left swinging violently in her wake.
"Gym's closed today. Everybody go home. I'll call you to reschedule." Her stuffed up sounding voice echoed through the silence in the room. She didn't bother to look at any of them as she slammed the door to her office behind her. Killian and Liam exchanged a look from across the room and David immediately charged off in the direction of his sister's office.
Slowly, almost unnoticed, the rest of the men started to drift towards the middle of the room into a crowd, every eye glued to the closed door. But no one dared get too close. Killian strained to hear the muffled exclamations coming from the office, but he couldn't make anything out except the inflections of the conversation, which told him brother and sister were both very upset. Killian frowned.
The door flew open again and Emma came rocketing through it, David hot on her heels.
"... and the only one that saves me is me!" she half shouted back at her brother over her shoulder that now had a couple gym bags slung over her shoulder. Her jacket was now zipped and her hair was retied in a sleek ponytail. Killian couldn't help the soft smile that quirked his lips at her words, despite the fresh tear tracks on her cheeks. He'd always respected her ability to take care of herself. David grabbed her arm.
"Just hang on a second, Emma, Jesus! You're for sure he's cheating on you?" David asked and Killian felt his jaw clench. He could sense every man in the room bristling at the question and he could tell Emma felt it too by the horrified flash of embarrassment in her eyes. Her gaze hardened again and she spun on her heel.
"Yes, David," she hissed and David gulped. "I don't know what you'd call it when you walk in and find your boyfriend's cock in his fucking neighbor's mouth, but I'm pretty sure I can classify that as cheating." Killian felt rage immediately flood his system. How on earth did this sodding imbecile have such a beautiful, intelligent, driven creature like Emma Swan all to himself and seek out someone else?! It seemed the rest of the guys had heard enough as well.
"Oi, Emma, love," Will Scarlett was the first to step forward, a dark intensity to his features now that was a sharp contrast to his normally boyish facade. "Remind us again where this bloke lives, won't you?" Emma blinked at him twice, and suddenly remembered herself, shaking her head briskly.
"No. Nuh-uh. Nope. Guys. I got this. I appreciate the concern, but-" Emma started but Liam quickly butted in, always ready to take charge of any given situation.
"I know the place. I've given Emma a ride there a few times before," he said, ignoring her objections and Anton and John grunted, signifying their willingness to go along.
"I've got the SUV today, lads," Robin offered and Liam nodded in approval.
"Are you guys not listening?!" Emma protested again, flapping her arms at her sides in exasperation. "Do. Not. Go. Over. There." She poked her slender finger into Liam's chest after each word. "Neal is not worth it. I just want to get his shit out of my apartment and move on." She palmed her forehead, kneading away the tension. Killian had remained silent through the exchange, simply observing, not wishing his near explosive level temper to get the better of him. From the snarl on David's tomato-red face, he was struggling with the same thing. Liam nodded, reluctantly.
"Do you need anyone to accompany you to retrieve your things from his flat, love?" Killian found his voice and he was surprised at how gentle it sounded despite the anger he felt.
Emma shook her head no, squeezing her eyes shut tightly before blinking them open again. "There's nothing there that I can't replace," she insisted, then added so softly he nearly missed it, "Almost nothing."
"Almost nothing?" he repeated, stepping towards her.
"It's not important. I can live without it." Emma tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and shrugged the bags higher up. "I really gotta go, guys. Gym's closed. David, lock up when you all leave, please?" She tried to make for the door again but David cut off her escape.
"No way, Em," he grit out. "What is it?"
She was silent and shifted on her feet, eyes glued to the floor. She looked much younger then her 28 years and for a moment, Killian saw the lost look overcome her features that had drawn him to her in the first place. Same recognizes same, after all.
"It's just the cigar box," she mumbled and tried to move away again, but David caught her arm again.
"Emma." Her name came out on David's disbelieving exhale and Killian briefly wondered what significance this cigar box held.
"It's not a big deal," she affirmed and David looked at her like she'd grown a second head.
"Not a big- Emma! It's a huge deal!" David exclaimed and Emma's face pinched in exasperation. "Emma, let's just get in the car, we'll go over there and get it, and-"
"Don't you think I tried to grab my shit, David?" she snapped. "He wouldn't let me! He kept blocking my path with a sheet wrapped around his waist while his slut hid in the bathroom, telling me I was overreacting and we could talk about it," she seethed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You know what? I'm not doing this. Lock up, David. Good-bye." She pointedly sidestepped her brother and stormed through the door. The men stood behind, looking at each other, not sure what to do next. Killian's blood was still boiling.
"So, about that address, mate..." Will looked at Liam with a wide grin.
"Emma said no, Will. Don't make her angrier than she already is," Robin admonished.
"You don't understand," David interrupted. "We have to get that box back. It's important to Emma and she's going to regret leaving it. That box... well, it's her whole life."
"David's right." Liam stepped forward. "He can't just hold Emma's belongings hostage like this. I'm going to get them. I'm pretty sure David is in. I know Will is. Little brother?"
"Younger brother, and aye, I'm in," Killian said through a still clenched jaw. Liam grinned.
"Roooobin?" Will sidled up to the man and batted his eyelashes, pouting his lower lip out exaggeratedly. "We could really use the SUV right about now..." he singsonged.
"Fine." He sighed and pointed his finger in Will's face that was now lit up with a grin. "But if this goes south with Emma, I'm claiming kidnapping. Tiny? Little John?"
"Yep. Lead the way." Anton cracked his knuckles and Will's eyes widened slightly.
And so they went, first to the locker room to change into more street appropriate clothing (and ones that didn't smell like they were the gym rats they actually were), then to squeeze into the three rows of Robin's SUV. Robin, of course, took the driver's seat and Liam immediately claimed shotgun. Killian and David occupied the third row and, despite the spaciousness the interior offered, Will found himself tightly sandwiched between two of the NFL's finest. Killian chuckled at the sight of his friend uncomfortably squirming between the two men, trying to pretzel his limbs atop themselves to give Anton and Little John's larger frames more room.
"I want to thank you for doing this, Killian." David's voice beside him had Killian breaking from his amusement and turning his attention. "I know you and I haven't always been on the best of terms, but you've definitely grown on me a bit, and I appreciate your help today." Killian's eyes lit up with mirth. From the first innuendo that had slipped from Killian's lips in Emma's direction, David had had a decided dislike for him. Over time, the two had battled wits ferociously, even coming to a heated grappling match that ended in a black eye for David and a split lip for Killian, then being pulled apart by Robin and Liam. They had made the two sit and hash out their concerns and once they did, Killian and David had actually become fast friends.
"Well, well, Dave. Here I thought my affections unreciprocated. But I do tend to have that effect on people. Nevertheless, you are most welcome." Killian waggled his eyebrows and David rolled his eyes.
"Don't make me regret my gratitude, jackass," he retorted with a chuckle. Killian clapped him on the shoulder, eyes firmly fixed forward.
The ride was quiet, save for the murmuring coming from the front seat as Liam gave direction to Emma's ex's abode. Apparently the companionable silence the others experienced was not a shared sentiment of Will Scarlett's. He fiddled with his phone in his lap, and suddenly the first notes of AC/DC's Thunderstruck blared through the speakers courtesy of Robin's Bluetooth radio, startling the occupants of the vehicle.
"You could have bloody asked, Scarlett, you arse!" Robin wrenched the volume down on the radio but didn't turn it off.
"Oi! Why'd you assume it's me?!" Will rebuffed and Robin snorted.
"Perhaps because you've forced us all to listen to it everyday at the gym because, and I quote-"
"'Nothing gets you pumped like Thunderstruck'," everyone in the car finished. Will huffed indignantly.
"Well, it's true," he grumbled like a petulant child. The conversation died down again but now the space was filled with the soft sounds of guitar and drums. Killian smirked and lifted his head to bob it to the beat, but was taken off guard when Tiny and Little John stomped their feet as the same time as the chanted "thunder" part, vibrating the whole car. Will looked between the two, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning, and started to move to the beat. The giants beside him smirked as well. They did it again the next time the lyric rolled around. As the first verse came, the biggest surprise came from the passenger seat.
"I was caught, in the middle of a railroad track..." Liam sang along, mimicking the gravelly falsetto of the lead singer.
"THUNDER!" Anton, John, and, most enthusiastically, Will chanted in the backseat. Liam looked back over his shoulder and caught Killian's curious but amused expression and shrugged with a grin. Killian chuckled at his brother, shaking his head lightly.
"I was gone and I knew there was no turning back..." Liam continued, facing himself back forward.
"THUNDER!" The chant was joined by Killian and David this time and Robin groaned, wordlessly cranking the volume back up. Will cheered and the rest of the boys all began to bang their heads enthusiastically with the beat.
The song was still going when they pulled up to the apartment complex, all occupants of the car continuing their spirited singing and movements to the music until Robin turned the car off. The mood in the car sobered, but not dampened thanks in part to the song (not that anyone would ever admit that to Scarlett), a serious sense encompassing them all in preparation to face the object of their collective ire.
The apartment building was a bit run down looking, clearly an older building that had all of the doors leading directly outside. They all piled out of the vehicle and came to stand in a huddle next to it. Killian was itching to find the bloke that had hurt Emma and make him feel pain himself. He tightened his jaw and surveyed the parking lot, looking for a sign of him. He'd only seen Neal a handful of times in the half year he'd known Emma, but he could recognize him if he saw him.
"Alright. I think Robin and I are going to go up there and try to talk with him. It's probably a wise idea for the rest of you to sit tight here for the time being." Liam said, crossing his arms over his chest. An outbreak of objections came from David, Killian, and Will all at once. Anton and John both accepted the instruction and leaned against the car, causing it to lurch.
"Not a chance," David spat, furious. "And who the hell put you in charge?"
"I'm merely suggesting that since you and Killian are the most likely to punch him in the face on sight, and Anton and John may scare the bugger off, that you wait here for a moment so this can hopefully be resolved in a peaceful manner." Liam lifted one hand from its position against his other arm in placation.
"Well then why do I have to stay?" Scarlett piped up, offended.
"Because you're insane," Robin replied matter-of-factly. Will pondered this for a moment, then pouted out his lower lip with a shrug of acceptance.
"Okay? Everyone okay?" Liam asked, looking around the group for confirmation. David nodded briskly, not looking at him.
"Aye," Killian replied begrudgingly. He was going to need to make a dentist appointment with all of the teeth grinding he was doing today. He just wanted to punch the arse, get Emma's stuff, and be done with it. Maybe Liam was on to something. He watched as his brother and Robin walked away talking amongst one another as they made their way across the parking lot and up the rickety metal staircase to the apartment numbered 204 on the second level. Robin lifted his fist and knocked.
The door swung open and there he stood, unkempt brown hair sticking up in all directions, scruff on his jaw reading more slovenly than anything, a hand reaching up to scratch his belly underneath his wife beater tank as he said something to Liam and Robin that he couldn't hear. A flash of cocky amusement overcame his features as they responded and he squared his shoulders, crossing his arms over his chest. He began to respond, guys voice quickly rising in volume until the rest of them could hear him clearly. Killian felt his knuckles crack as he balled a fist.
"...because this is between me and Emma and you two clowns aren't going to scare me into doing anything! If Emma wants to grow up and talk, she knows where to find me," Neal shouted and promptly slammed the door in Liam and Robin's faces. Before Killian even registered his actions, he found his feet carrying him intently across the parking lot. David and Will moved half a heartbeat after he did, quickly catching up to him and matching him stride for stride. Robin and Liam had now turned back down the stairs and were walking just as speedily in their direction.
"Mate..." Robin held up a hand in warning and Killian physically brushed it aside as they came face to face.
"No, mate," he growled. "We tried it your way. Now it's our turn."
"Yeah!" Will added, nodding. Killian looked at him out of the side of his eye and Will nodded to Killian as well in reaffirmation.
"Yeah, so we are gonna go up there," David cut in and he jabbed his finger in the direction of Neal's door. "And we are getting Emma's stuff back, one way or another."
"Yeah!" Will said again, more enthusiastically, swinging his fist in agreement. Liam gave him a look and drew his mouth into a thin line and for a second, Killian thought his brother might punch Will. He continued on, drawing Liam's attention back to the matter at hand.
"Aye, and we're not about to let that bleeding troglodyte slam the door on us and walk away!" Killian near shouted.
"Yeah!" Will popped in once more, exceeding Killian's volume.
"SHUT UP SCARLETT!" The four shouted at him in unison.
"Okay, take it easy." He held his arms up in defense. A loud knocking sound came from behind them and their heads whipped towards the noise. In the midst of the argument, Anton and John had taken it upon themselves to try again. Somehow the two lumbering football players had walked right past them and up the stairs unnoticed, right to Neal's door, where they were now waiting for him to answer.
"Okay, I guess we're going back." Robin's eyebrows jumped up his forehead and he blew out his breath.
"Come on," Liam grumbled, seemingly both out of exasperation and as an instruction. He, Killian, and Robin started towards the stairs. Will whooped like a gibbon and ran towards the backside of the staircase. David gave him a passing glance of curiosity before heading after the others. As he rejoined the other men, a rattling sound started beneath them. They collectively looked towards the ground and they stared in disbelief as Will Scarlett, instead of walking up the stairs, decided to climb the wrought iron framework. As he ascended the banister and crouched down on the barrier at the top like an owl on its perch, the door to Neal's apartment opened.
"Yo, didn't I say..." Neal's words died in his throat as he was met with a wall of well built men. "Who-o... the hell are you?" Neal pointed between the group, swallowing nervously.
"This is the Justice League," Will quipped and then dropped his voice into something low and gravelly. "I'm Batman."
"Ignore him," Liam said dismissively with a sharp look back at Will who was still perched on the banister. He hopped down, not looking chastised in the least.
"We're friends of Miss Emma's," Anton said to Neal. "She's left some things here and we're here to retrieve them." He stepped forward, crowding the doorway, Little John moving with him. Neal paled a little at their proximity and let out a nervous laugh.
"Well, y'know, you guys can't just, y'know, like, come in my place, or whatever," Neal objected, voice laced with false bravado.
"We're not asking." David looked like he was about to explode.
"Oh, uh, hey...David. Didn't see you... there..." He and Neal locked gazes for a moment and silence descended. Neal must've recognized that he was half a second away from David's fist landing across his jaw because he bobbed his head once in acquiescence and stepped back, opening the door with a sigh so they could enter. David barreled past everyone immediately and made his way inside. Anton and John followed him, then Liam, Robin, and Will. Killian stood there a moment longer, just looking at the man who had hurt Emma.
He didn't get it. How the hell had someone as amazing and beautiful and successful as Emma Swan end up with a loser like Neal? He had watched the blonde goddess from afar, knowing she was untouchable because of this Neal character. He didn't know what this guy was about, but he did know one thing: he absolutely did not deserve her. Neal must have felt Killian's eyes on him because he turned and looked at Killian and leaned against the door, cockiness returning.
"Aren't ya gonna join your pals?" he asked, nodding inside.
"Aye," was all Killian could manage and he took a step forward to walk into the building.
"'Aye'?" Neal mocked. "What are you, a pirate?" Killian's eyes flashed dangerously and he paused midstep.
"Maybe I am, mate." He popped the T at the end of the word, punching the enunciation like he wanted to do to Neal's face. Killian grinned a cocky smile of his own, teeth bared like a panther ready to strike, and stepped closer to the man. "If I were, I'd probably be here to keelhaul your sorry hide for your exceedingly bad form with the Lady Swan. But being that I'm just a lowly MMA fighter, I guess that's going to have to remain a fantasy." He brushed an imaginary piece of lint off Neal's shoulder and Neal shrugged him off.
"Yeah, I bet you're a real stud in the ring, being taught by a chick," Neal scoffed and Killian was on him before the last word left his mouth, pulling him up by the front of his shirt and turning his scoff into a surprised gasp.
"Why don't we find out?" Killian's voice was dark and low. Neal swallowed.
"Hey, man..." he sputtered.
"Killian!" Liam's voice made Killian's head snap in his direction. Liam looked between the both of them and nodded his head back for Killian to come with him. "Don't waste your energy." Killian looked back to Neal and released him with a shove. Neal reached up automatically to smooth his shirt back out and eyed the brothers warily. Killian kept his eyes on Neal until he reached his brother and they headed out of the entryway together.
The apartment was a flurry of activity. Tiny and Little John were idly lifting furniture, not apparently looking for anything in particular, just flexing their muscles so Neal knew what they were capable of. Will was nowhere to be seen, but David was a man on a mission, tearing through drawers and closets with only one goal in mind: the mysterious cigar box. Robin and Liam seemed to be the only other ones actually looking, gathering clothes and toiletries that looked feminine and hoping they all belonged to Emma, given the circumstance. Killian wandered through the apartment, but he found he couldn't tear himself far from Neal, and shadowed him as he moved through the throng of people in his house. Neal was aware of his presence, glancing nervously over his shoulder from time to time, but wisely saying nothing. Will emerged from the kitchen after awhile, a grocery sack in one hand and a sandwich in the other. Killian looked at him, almost impressed. Will shrugged and grinned around a mouthful of bread, meat, and lettuce.
It didn't take much longer to wrap things up and for the men to begin to clear out of the apartment. They'd gathered everything they could think of that belonged to Emma and began to exit through the front door.
"Thanks for your hospitality!" Will called as he, thankfully, descended the stairs. David and Killian were the last to leave and as they stepped out the door, a call of David's name from Neal stopped them.
"Hey, uh, just, can you tell Emma to call me?" He fidgeted on his feet, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his basketball shorts. "And, uh, no hard feelings, right?" He pulled one of his hands out of his pocket and gestured between them. David paused a moment with an incredulous chuckle. Like a lightning flash, David moved with frightening accuracy and punched Neal straight across the jaw. Neal stumbled back into his door, his hand immediately flying up to soothe the area.
"What the fuck?!" Neal exclaimed and looked angrily back up to David. Killian stood by, looking positively gleeful at this turn of events. David moved closer to Neal and pointed a menacing finger in his face.
"You stay away from my sister. Far, far, away. No hard feelings, right?" he mocked and Neal nodded, palm still cradling his jaw. Killian ambled over to the two and leaned himself on David's shoulder.
"Well, we best be off, mate," Killian informed Neal jovially, then nodded to his jaw. "You should probably put some ice on that." He clicked his tongue against his teeth and raised his eyebrows. Neal glowered and went back inside without another word, slamming the door behind him. David immediately shook out his hand, his knuckles already darkening.
"Shit, that asshole had a harder jaw than I thought." David chuckled and Killian laughed along with him, patting him on the shoulder before they made their way back to the car. The seven of them loaded themselves and their bounty into the SUV and drove off as the tones of Thunderstruck started up again.
It wasn't a far drive from Neal's apartment to Emma's. Even better still, the lady herself was already outside digging in her car when they pulled up. She looked up, surprised and flustered at their presence as the radio alerted her of their arrival. They all began to open doors and get out and Emma's eyes widened at the amount of people in one vehicle. She seemed to remember herself and crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow as they made their way the short distance to her little yellow bug.
"Tell me you didn't." Her voice was flat and unamused.
"I had to, Em," David said softly. Emma threw her head back in aggravation.
"I told you guys to leave it alone! Robin, you drove them there?" She sounded slightly betrayed.
"I was kidnapped," he replied and the group groaned, turning to hit him not so lightly on the arms. "Hey, you knew I was going to say that!" he objected.
"Okay, but Em, we got it. And hopefully most of the rest of your stuff." David stepped forward sheepishly and extended the cigar box he'd kept in his hands since he found it to her. Emma looked even more surprised than before.
"You got it?" she asked quietly, almost as if she didn't believe it, and took the box from David. She hugged it tight to her chest and looked back up to her brother with sparkling green eyes. "Thank you," she breathed, then looked at the rest of her clients. "Thank you all. I can't believe you did this."
"Not Robin, though. He was kidnapped," Will snarked and Robin punched him in the arm. Emma gave them all a brilliant smile.
"We all care about you, lass. It'd be bad form to let him get away with this," Liam said.
"Right, and there's more." Anton added and he and Little John stepped forward to present the two boxes of things they had gathered. Emma took a quick peek, shuffling some things inside around. A grin formed over her face as she looked.
"This looks like you guys got everything!" she said excitedly.
"There's this, too." Will stepped forward and handed her a bulging grocery sack. The guys looked amongst one another quizzically but none of them knew what it was. Emma looked in the bag and looked back up at Will confused. He shrugged.
"Batteries from his remotes, lightbulb from his fridge and bathroom, his deodorant, toothbrush, and a couple rolls of toilet paper. And I think his smoke detector is in there, too," he replied nonchalantly. Everyone stood staring at him, mouths agape. And then Emma burst into tears.
"Oh, love, don't cry," Killian soothed, wanting to move forward and scoop her up in his arms, but he refrained. She shook her head and gave an embarrassed laugh through her tears, then set the bag down and marched forward, wrapping Will in a fierce hug. Will looked at the rest of the guys over her shoulder and tenderly returned the hug. The rest of the group closed in and surrounded Emma with a giant group hug. Emma chuckled and squirmed, causing them to pull away.
"Soooo... Granny's?" Will suggested and they all laughed.
"Sounds great. My treat." Emma said and pushed the boxes into the backseat of her car.
"I don't know if you can afford to feed all these strapping lads, love," Liam joked.
"You might be right," Emma agreed with a chuckle. "David's treat."
"Wait, what?" Her brother cut in and they all laughed.
"Come on, guys. I'll meet you there." Emma said and moved to get in her car. "Killian, you want to ride with me? You guys looked cramped in there." Killian looked up and grinned.
"It'd be my absolute delight, Swan." She rolled her eyes at that and jerked her head towards the passenger side. He climbed in next to Emma and the car roared to life.
"No funny business, Jones," David called through Emma's open window as he waited to get back in Robin's SUV. Emma rolled her eyes again.
"Wouldn't dream of it, mate." He winked at David as they began to pull away.
"So, what did Neal say?" Emma asked as they pulled onto the road towards their favorite restaurant.
Killian shrugged. "Nothing worth relaying. Besides, love, we're not messenger boys. We're delivery boys."