Hello, figured I'd take a moment to kind of clarify things. This fic is diverging from canon (obviously) The plan is tentatively to bridge between the events of FTL and when Killian first shows up in Stroybrooke (with Emma interacting with him through all of it). I realize this might leave a lot of plot holes in the canon-verse, so consider this an AU :)
If you'd like to follow any of my little updates on this story it has it's own tag on tumblr #sticks and stones fic (/tagged/sticks+and+stones+fic). I also don't have a beta, so please forgive any mistakes that may have been made. I am so incredibly grateful for all of the reviews and am always looking for people to give feedback/criticism . On with the next chapter :)
"No need to be sorry, love."
"I think you landed on your head..." Emma feigned a glare.
"You could have been killed... if not from the giant then from the fall..." her voice softened, the idea too painful to even consdier.
"Aye..." his eyes darkened; his cheeky grin nowhere to be found.
"Killian...?" looking at him made her heart twist painfully.
"S'nothing..."
"I have that whole thing with lies, remember?" her hand hesitated, hovering close to his before gently taking hold of it. He let out a long sigh, eyes screwed shut as every bruise and broken bone protested the movement. Their eyes met again, but he looked away, not wanting her to see the hurt in his eyes.
"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."
"Confucius? Are you sure you didn't land on your head?" her hand brushed against his forehead, relieved it didn't feel warm, but he hadn't quipped back with a witty remark either... Her smile crumpled when she figured out when he meant.
"I watched her die..."
"Milah...?"Her heart twisted a little tighter as she watched him stare at his hook; the implications he was making were frightening. He just nodded, his eyes wet with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry," she rubbed her thumb over the top of his hand, feeling it quiver.
"You've nothing to be sorry for, love." The corners of his lips rose ever so slightly as he squeezed her hand back, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Considering I'm the reason you were on the beanstalk... I think I have plenty to be sorry for," her tone was light, but sincere.
"There are more enjoyable ways to be chained up you know..." She grinned, seeing a bit of that mischievous sparkle in his eyes again.
"You are something," Emma chuckled and brushed some of the hair from his face, cupping it softly as she placed a chaste kiss on his bruised cheek. Killian grinned, a cough shattering the moment as he whinged in pain.
"You should try and rest..."
"M'fine..." he protested as she leaned him back against his jacket.
"You were nearly crushed by a giant, and you're a terrible liar... So rest; or else," Emma shot him a look but he relented... She was right.
"I'm not a terrible liar," Killian murmured. She just shook her head and softly stroked his hair as he succumb to the exhaustion.
Much of the night was spent checking that he was still breathing, the minuscule wheezes and winces putting her on edge. The looming possibility of Cora finding them wasn't helping either.
"Hey beautiful," a lazy grin spread across his face, voice strained and cracked as he attempted to sit up.
"Easy there Captain," a shared smiled between them lightened the mood some as she wrapped her arms around him and helped.
"I could get used to you calling me Captain," Killian smirked, and incredulous look on his face.
"Keep dreaming buddy," any attempt at a serious face was foiled when she laughed and plopped back down beside him.
"She's probably looking for me..." the sudden shift of topic caught her off guard, but it was something that needed to be addressed. She fiddled with the compass in her pocket, knowing it had put them in this predicament.
"Snow and Mulan will come back... I told them to give me a couple days," she turned it over in her hands.
"We might not have a couple days, love. She's a wicked woman," he watched her hands, a knot in his throat. He wouldn't reach for it ... not this time.
"She'd kill you in your condition ..."
"Aye..." the tiny bit of sparkle vanished from his eyes. "I won't let her hurt you though... I can't lose-" his mouth tightened into a wince, the thoughts too painful to verbalize.
"No... I don't want you dying because of me. I lost Graham... I don't-" it seemed the reluctance to alk about it was mutual. Just the thought of watching someone else die was something she couldn't consider.
"You never told me about this Graham person..."
"You wouldn't talk about Milah either," it came off a bit snippier than she had intended.
"Point taken..." a curt nod and the silence settled between them.
"Let's just both agree to not die, yeah?" It was ridiculous... But somehow it made her feel better.
"All right lass... I'll try," he clenched his side, the warmth easing some of the ache.
"You better, or I'll kill you myself," it garnered a small chuckle from both of them, effectively easing some of the tension.
"Just watch your heart, yeah?" a sober look settled in his features, and Emma nodded, understanding his sentiment more than she liked.
"Think you can walk? If we meet them halfway, it'd buy us some time," she slid right back into strategy.
"Aye," he leaned up some, intent on standing, but she stopped him, sliding her arm around his back to help. After mess of grunts and winces, they were on their feet. Most of Killian's weight resting against her, the warmth of her body soothing some of the pain. They took slow steps and stopped every few feet so he could breathe. It took them a few hours to get through the forest, but that small amount of progress had given them more cover.
"We should stop..." a coughing fit had him doubled over, Emma's hand stroking his back as he tried to keep himself from screaming.
"No... I'm... fine," the coughing tapered off, but his eyes were still screwed shut. She eased onto the ground, back leaned against a tree for support.
"You're eyes aren't even open," she quipped and he sighed.
"We can't afford to linger," Killian's voice was small; strained.
"And you can't afford to push yourself anymore, so we're at a stand still... Or sit rather," she gave a tight-lipped smile and ruffled his hair.
