Chapter 1
The feeling of safety
"Finally!" Emma groaned as she let her head fall onto the counter. She had been sitting at the kitchen table for the past two hours trying to catch up on paperwork from the Sherriff's station. David and Snow were out for the night and Henry was staying at Neal's, so Emma had the apartment to herself.
She was grateful for the solidarity, the past week had been excruciatingly long and all she wanted to do now was sleep. The blonde woman stood, stretched her aching muscles and made her way to the couch. Just as Emma was about to lie down and rest, a faint knock sounded from the door. She trudged her way to the steel door and opened it slowly. The sight in front of her made her heart flutter in her chest and her breath catch in her throat.
There stood Captain Hook, in his leather clad glory, cradling her son to his chest. Emma wasted no time throwing the door open and ushering the pirate inside. Hook walked quickly over to the living room and gently laid Henry on the couch. Emma watched as the "villainous" pirate brushed the hairs away from the small boy's forehead and felt her heart swell. Never had she seen Hook be so tender and gentle with someone.
He then turned to the blonde woman and before he could begin to speak, she grabbed his good hand and led him into the kitchen. She urged him to sit on one of the stools at the island and released his hand when he obeyed.
"What happened?" Emma whispered as she stared into his cerulean eyes. They were filled with sadness and underneath it; she could see the faintest trace of anger.
"Bae… he- we…" Hook ran his hand through his hair, a nervous habit of his, and Emma couldn't help but follow the movement with her eyes. She also noticed the faint red stain that adorned his fingers when he pulled them away. Emma then grabbed his chin and tilted his head toward the light coming from above. He had a nasty gash right below his hair line and it made Emma worry even more, if that was even possible.
"Hook," The blonde woman whimpered. "What the hell did Neal do?" Emma asked and walked over to the sink, grabbing a cloth and a bowl, she quickly filled with warm water. She came back to him and angled his head back slightly to clean the wound.
"I suppose it was my fault, I shouldn't have said anything." The pirate began while Emma continued to wash away the blood from his head. "He and Henry, they were are the tavern and I didn't think it a fit place for the boy to be."
"Neal took Henry to a bar?" Hook winced as Emma spat this statement. Her anger was causing her to push a little too forcefully on his cut. "Sorry." She whispered when he groaned in pain. "So what happened after you found them?"
"I asked Bae why he brought the boy. I suppose he thought I was implying that he was a terrible father, but I was simply curious."
"That curiosity is going to get you into a lot more trouble than this one day." Emma noted as she pulled the cloth away. The bleeding had stopped and the gash would heal nicely in a few days without leaving a scar.
"Aye, you're probably right about that, love… So, I saw the boy, looking very uncomfortable I might add, and went over to them for a chat, that's all." Hook explained as Emma rinsed the cloth and retuned the items to their holding places.
"Well obviously that isn't all because you came here with my son and a gash on your forehead."
"Well after mistaking my inquiry for an insult of his parenting, he then proceeded to try and duel with me; he was sloppy and knocked himself unconscious after a few swings of his fist, got one good shot in before that though." He said, gesturing vaguely to his wound while Emma took the seat next to him
"So then what? Did you just pick up Henry and bring him here?"
"You seem to be forgetting that I am a man of honor, love." The blonde woman chuckled a bit at the statement, but collected herself when she noticed Hook's unamused expression. "Anyway, I carried Baelfire back to the inn and then walked your boy back here. I thought you'd want him here with you after that."
"So why were you carrying him?" Emma inquired as she glanced over Hook's shoulder to ensure that Henry was still asleep. He was resting peacefully and a small smile donned his lips. He seemed content, much to Emma's surprise, after the incident with his father and the pirate.
"He looked absolutely exhausted when we left the inn, so I, being the gentleman that I am, offered to carry the lad. He accepted my offer and dozed off almost immediately. Is that a problem, sweetheart?"
"No, not at all, I was just wondering, he's usually fussy about people carrying him around." She explained as she looked back at the pirate. He too bore a faint smirk and Emma couldn't help but wonder why he was happy after getting punched. They fell into a comfortable silence and Emma felt her fatigue returning.
"I should be going; you and the boy are both exhausted from the day's adventures." Hook stood to leave but Emma grabbed his hand and stopped his actions. He looked back at her in confusion, but the blonde simply squeezed his hand. A silent request for him to stay with her.
This was the first time that she had asked someone to remain by her side, and they both knew it. It may have been a small feat, but he was glad to take it, for her. He relaxed back onto the stool, but didn't drop Emma's hand, he was giving her the choice to let go. She rested her head on the counter while still staring at him. Thank you." Emma whispered faintly, and if he hadn't been in such close proximity, he wouldn't have heard it.
He gave her a genuine smile, and Emma found herself wanting to make him do it again. She loved the way his smile reached his eyes when he was with her, she'd never admit it aloud, but she found herself admiring his small grins and even the stupid innuendos. He was real and sincere when they were together. She knew that he was still the ruthless Captain Hook, but more and more often had she been wanting to call him by his name; his given name. He had proven that Killian Jones was still somewhere deep under the malevolence that came with his reputation.
"Emma, love, I really should be going, and you need your rest." Why the hell is he trying so hard to leave? Emma thought as he tried to break his hand from her firm grasp. It wasn't like him to shy away from her touch, and it made her worry.
"Killian." Emma mumbled her voice thick with fatigue. It was the first time that she had ever dared to call him by his real name. He looked at her in absolute disbelief, but she didn't care, she simply lifted her head from its resting place and tugged him closer while turning to face him completely. "Killian." She repeated as she brought her free hand to his face and caressed his jaw line. "Stay." Emma was slowly dropping her walls before him and he was in shock that she was allowing herself to be so open and vulnerable.
Gone was the strong and confident Swan, who had bested him, all that was left was a very broken Emma. An Emma who had been abandoned countless times by the people she loved, and she was asking someone to remain. To be the only person to ever stick around. His heart was breaking at the sight of his brave and fearless Emma transforming before his eyes, exposing her true self to him.
"Let's get you to bed, darling." He would stay, she knew it. He would be the first person to not leave her.
Just as Emma was about to stand, Killian pulled her from her chair and into his arms. She squealed when he first lifted her, but then giggled as he threw her over his shoulder. "Put me down!" She yelled as she pounded his back with her fists.
"Careful love, or else I'll drop you." He chuckled as he climbed the stairs and walked to her room, never once letting her fall no matter how many times she slammed her hands against his back. Entering Emma's room, he shut the door with his foot and then laid the blonde woman on her bed gently. His body hovered above hers while he looked her over, searching her face for a sign that she was feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. She smiled up at him and reached up to brush away a stray piece of his raven hair.
His cerulean eyes widen at the intimacy of her actions and she felt a blush creep up her face. She wasn't sure why he was so astonished by her gesture, especially with the way he was settled so tightly between her legs. When Killian finally got over his initial shock, he smiled down at her and rested his forehead against hers.
Emma nudged his nose with her own, finally letting down every single one of her walls. Finally letting herself feel the effects of having someone care for her like no one else. He was the only person to never leave her, and she doubted that he ever would. Because she knew, that when Killian Jones loved someone, he loved passionately.
"Killian." She whispered, slowly bringing her lips closer to his until they were only a breath away. She was giving him the chance to back out, to leave her and all of her baggage before it was too late. Like hell! Killian thought to himself once he realized that she was giving him the opportunity to bail on her. On them.
He needed to convince her that this wasn't some game for him, that she wasn't simply another wench that he had found in a random tavern. And he showed her in the only way he could, by pressing his lips to hers. It wasn't like the kiss they had shared in Neverland, they were taking it slow, simply enjoying the feeling of each other's lips.
Killian's hand tangled in her hair and he tilted her head slightly to deepen the kiss, and wasted no time in tasting her when she opened her lips for him. Emma moaned as he pushed his hips further into hers and he growled at the sound. He was affecting her in ways she hadn't thought possible. It had never felt like this with Neal. Never this passionate and slow, never this loving.
When he pulled away, they were both breathless and panting. His breath ghosted over her lips as he laid his forehead upon hers. Emma wrapped her arms around him tightly and once again asked him to stay. Killian nodded slightly and the blonde eased her grip on the pirate so that he could stand and remove his leather coat. He watched her as she wriggled under the sheets of her bed and scooted over to make enough room for him to join her.
He crawled under the sheets next to her and laid on his side to face her, watching her green eyes flutter in exhaustion. "Sleep love, I'll be here when you wake." His lilting voice was lulling the blonde to sleep and she finally closed her eyes, letting her fatigue take her over. But not before snuggling into the pirate who lay next to her. Not allowing herself to fall completely asleep until his hand began tracing soft circles across her hip.
But mostly, not until she felt safe. And with Killian, she did.
