One Way to Find Out

'Hook.'

Killian hesitated for a moment before stopping and turning toward David. The prince gave him a guarded look before he nodded his head to the side, indicating that they let the others pass them before they spoke. Emma's eyes were on the ground, but Neal's eyes met Killian's briefly as he passed them, and it was so bloody hard to keep any kind of expression from his face in that moment. All of his emotions felt far too contradictory at the present, and he had no idea how to broach any kind of resolution with the boy who he'd once known.

After a few seconds they were left at the back of the group, and the two of them picked the pace back up, leaving enough space between them and the others to ensure a private conversation. They walked in silence for a few minutes, and eventually the tension started to wear too heavily on the pirate. 'I take it you're wanting more than just a quiet stroll?' he asked dryly.

David glanced at him quickly, then turned his eyes back to the path. It still took him a minute or so before he answered. 'What happened to staying away from Emma?' he asked roughly.

Ah, so that's what this was about. Although he felt anything but jovial at the present turn of events, he forced a smirk to his face. 'I never said anything of the sort. That was all you, mate.'

'Don't call me mate,' was David's automatic reply. Silence fell between them again, and Killian started to wonder if he should be preparing for a punch in the face. That did seem to be "Prince Charming's" way of making his disapproval known. Just as he was preparing another quip to attempt to lighten the mood - even though he knew that it would really just stir up the man more - David spoke again.

'Did you really mean what you said in the cave?'

Killian eyed David warily, unsure of where this was going. 'If I didn't, that bridge wouldn't have formed. Believe me, that's not the way that I would have wished to make my feelings known.'

And that was true. As much as he'd come to care for Emma, he hadn't even wanted to admit to himself that she might finally be his chance at moving on from Milah. He didn't want to move on from her - he'd dedicated almost three hundred bloody years to chasing revenge for her death, and he didn't want that to be for nothing.

But being around Emma had started to remind him that there was more to life than darkness. There was hope. There was family. And whether he could be a part of hers or not, for the first time in centuries he wanted that for himself.

Who am I kidding? He wanted her to be a part of that. He needed it.

'All I want is for her to be happy,' David said quietly, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Killian sighed deeply, pushing a branch out of the way to clear the path for both of them. 'That's all I want, too.'

'And if Neal can give her that?'

He tried to ignore the sudden clenching of his stomach at those words, but he knew there was no point. 'I'd like to say that I'd fight for her no matter what,' he said slowly, eventually. 'But she knows how I feel, now. And if Neal truly made her happy, then I'd respect that.'

He could feel David's gaze on him again, but he kept his to the track. He wanted to fight for her, to do absolutely everything for her, and he had no doubt that there was nothing that she could ask of him that he wouldn't give her. He was well and truly gone, fallen. He wouldn't even be on this gods forsaken island if it wasn't for the need to get her son back for her. But if she decided that Neal could make her happy, and he couldn't, he knew he couldn't take that from her.

David cleared his throat quietly, and Killian wondered what thoughts that the prince had turned to. 'Has she told you about her past with Neal?' Killian looked at him sharply, shaking his head. David sighed. 'She hasn't spoken to me or Snow about it, either, not all of it. I just know that he hurt her.'

David stopped walking, holding his arm out and grabbing Killian's shoulder to make him stop too. The two of them eyed each other warily, causing Killian to ponder yet again just where he stood with the prince. He respected him, liked him, even, but he knew that David was more inclined to snap at him or punch him than play nice.

The bloody man reminded him of his brother, and that thought was just slightly on the wrong side of painful.

'I'm not going to get in the middle of whatever is going on between you and her, and Neal,' David said quietly, 'but I know that after everything you've done for us, she trusts you just as much as she does me and Snow. And she'll probably take more stock in your opinion than ours at the moment.'

Killian raised his eyebrows at him. 'Well, I don't know about that -'

'Just shut up and let me be on your side,' David snapped. Despite his harsh tone, there was warmth in those words. 'Help me keep an eye on her, okay? If she wants to be with Neal I'll support her, but just help me make sure that he doesn't hurt her again.'

Killian shifted his weight, feeling uncomfortable. 'I'm not sure that's quite up to us, mate.'

'Well it's certainly not up to me, but her happiness could be up to you.'

He felt his eyes widen slightly at the prince's open revelation, not quite sure that he could believe the man was speaking in his favour. 'You think so?' he asked before he could stop himself.

Part of him immediately regretted the vulnerability that became clear with that question, but after the time in the Echo Caves, he knew that there wasn't much that he could hide from Emma's family about how strongly he felt for her. And despite how much himself and David bullied each other, he was starting to think that they might be becoming reluctant friends.

Assuming that Charming wasn't still planning on punching him for kissing Emma.

A warm smile filled David's face before he started walking again in the direction that the group had gone. 'Well there's only one way to find out.'

Killian worried at his lip, deep in thought as he followed David to catch up again with the rest of the group. No, he wouldn't push for her if she truly wanted to find happiness in Neal.

But he would make it damned well clear that he could give her happiness as well.