The silence that had descended is broken by the slide of the glass door behind him, his back stiffening and hand curling tighter around his phone as he tries to summon a friendlier demeanor. With her adorable beanie framing her blonde curls around her questioning smile, he's never been more thankful to see her than he is at this very moment.

"I brought your scarf and a beer, which one do you want first."

"Beer, definitely beer. Thanks, Swan, how did you know?"

He takes the beer from her outstretched hand, but pauses when she steps forward to wrap his scarf around his neck. With her this close, her warm breath kissing his cold cheek and her breasts brushing innocently against his arm, he knows he's outmatched and further conscious thought or actions are out of the question until she's moved back. Emma Swan, she's the unrequited love of his life and one of his closest friends, a kindred spirit as they've come to learn.

"Saw you come out here over twenty minutes ago with your phone. Considering the death grip you have on that thing, I'm guessing it wasn't a good call?"

The light scratch of her fingernails along his neck as she tucks his scarf into his collar has him drawing a sharp breath in, accompanied by a telltale warmth beginning to tingle beneath his skin. It's amazing how just a small touch from her can affect him so, making him almost forget the conversation that he'd just had to endure.

"Nothing to worry about, love, especially now that I have your company."

He goes for flirtatious, his default maneuver when he wants to steer conversations away from himself, something he knows she will see right through, but hopes for mercy nonetheless. Her eyes narrow slightly as her hands fall from his scarf, pondering him for a moment before she steps backward out of his space, depositing herself against the railing to stare at him with arms crossed and head cocked to the side.

"I know you're lying, but you can tell me when you're ready."

Her smile is honest, telling him she's here for him, like always, but won't push. They always come around eventually with one another. Looking at her now, he realizes he doesn't want to wait. If there's anyone in the world who will understand what he's going through, it's Emma Swan. Stepping forward, he moves to lean against the railing beside her and takes a deep breath, needing a moment before he has to put his rambling thoughts into words.

Cold fingers wrapping around his own and his forgotten beer brings his attention back to moment at hand and he turns to face her, smiling as she pulls the bottle from his grip to bring it to her mouth. She turns her body towards him as she finishes her stolen swig, eventually passing it back with an unmistakable twinkle in her eye. It's moments like this that he can't help but wonder if maybe his feelings aren't as unrequited as he fears. Filing that thought away for another time, like always, he steers his gaze down to the bottle back in his hand as he begins to explain all that has occurred in the last few days.

"That was my father."

Emma's hand finds his arm as a light gasp falls from her lips, the heat from her fingers seeping through his sweater sending needed warmth straight to his heart.

"What? How did…"

"How did the man who abandoned me over twenty five years ago find me? Trust me…that was my first question when I got his email on Monday."

"What did he say?"

Not enough, too much, there's no answer to that question that feels right. "He found an article online about Liam's accident, which eventually led him to me. I guess I should have paid better attention to Facebook's bloody confusing privacy settings…"

"Oh Killian, I can't even imagine."

Unable to resist seeking her comfort, he covers her hand on his arm with his and tucks her closer, thankful to not feel any resistance from her beneath his fingers.

"I know, Swan, it's all a bit overwhelming. I never thought…I expected, bloody hell, I thought that chapter of my life was closed."

"Do you want it to be?"

Her question is unexpected, but then again not, as it's the same one he's been asking himself for days now. Looking over at her, he allows himself to get lost for a moment in her understanding gaze, knowing that whatever the answer to that question is she'll support him either way.

"He called tonight to ask me to come to London for Christmas."

And there's the flinch. Her fingers flex against his arm and her lips curve downwards in a slight frown, her reaction adding another errant thought to that later pile. She's disappointed that he might not be here if he chooses to go, he can see it plain on her face.

"That's next week."

"Aye, I know, love."

He watches as she gives her head an almost imperceptible shake, as if she's trying to regroup her thoughts and he can't help his smile, one he is quick to hide when her eyes find his once again.

"Do you want to go?"

"I don't honestly know. I'm not sure if I can face him alone. It would be so much easier if Liam was still here…"

Defiant tears start to build behind his eyes as soon as his late brother's name falls from his lips, ten years gone and the loss of Liam has barely lessened. His older brother is the only real father he's ever known, so letting the man who officially holds that title back into his life feels a bit like betrayal.

"I could go with you."

Time seems to stop and he's sure she can hear the freight train that is his heart at her suggestion, having her by his side for this trip a gift he never would have dared wish for.

"Emma, I can't ask you to miss your Christmas here."

"You're not asking, I'm offering. Besides, it won't feel like Christmas without you here anyway."

Her eyes have fallen to their still joined hands and he swears he sees a blush creeping across her cheek that he really doesn't think is due to the cold. Before he utters something like a declaration of love that could ruin this already overwhelmingly perfect moment, he does the next best thing, pulling her in so he can wrap her in a fierce hug. His forgotten beer falls from his hand into the bush below the balcony, but he can't care about spilt alcohol when Emma's cheek is resting against his throat and her hands are clinging tight to the back of his sweater.

"Swan…thank you, you have no idea…."

She lets him hold her for a moment longer before shifting slightly in his arms so she can rest her head against his shoulder and look up at him.

"One problem… Tickets are going to cost a fortune."

The muscle in his jaw ripples as anger threatens to bubble back to the surface, causing his reply to be spoken with an edge he just can't summon the strength to hide.

"That won't be an issue. My father, no…Brennan, has apparently amassed a small fortune since abandoning his sons. When I return his call, I'll tell him he needs to buy two tickets."

She lifts her head and leans back, her jade eyes piercing his with an intensity she reserves for moments of great importance, or at least their more impressive arguments.

"Killian, you don't have to let him back in, you know?"

Nodding his head in agreement, he releases a deep breath through his nose, his hand along her back absentmindedly tightening and pulling her just a fraction closer.

"I do know, Swan, I do. But, there's another reason to make the trip. I have a younger brother I think I'd like to meet."

"He had another son?"

"Aye, he's eighteen and is keen to meet me as well."

She regards him solemnly for another quick moment before bestowing him with a wide smile, her hands sliding from around his back to clasp his forearms in a friendly grip.

"Okay then….Christmas in London. It'll be an adventure."

"Aye, love, I hope you're right."

"I am. Now, let's get back inside. I'm freezing and they want to play Trivial Pursuit. It's the Pop Culture Edition, which I know you suck at, but you've got me on your team."

She gives his arms another firm squeeze and he thinks she's going to pull back, but in a move that seems to be a surprise even to her, she leans in quickly and presses a soft kiss to his cheek. Before he can even summon a thought, much less an action, she's slipped from his arms and back through the sliding door whence she came.

Standing in awe of all that has transpired, he looks through the glass to see her settling on the couch next to their friends with two new beers, one he knows is meant for him. His hand reaches into his back pocket for his phone and he dials Brennan's number, suddenly unexpectedly excited at the prospect of going home for Christmas.

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