Chapter 3

Killian's POV

As we walk out at the 110th street station, I glance over at Michael. The whole way here, he has been distracted. Normally he would have asked me a thousand bloody questions about what I spoke about with that charlatan in some misguided attempt to get to know me. However, this time, as soon as we left, he was on that talking device… a cellular phone? Whatever magic they use here to talk on those things, I don't know but I know he was speaking to Marie. I can always tell when people hiding something, I can always read people's intentions just by the look in their eyes. "Killian." He smiles at me but his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. I stiffen as his hand lands on my shoulder, not in a hurtful way by any means… But the touch alone is new to me. He quickly removes it and continues. "I need to pick up some things from the grocery store. A new foster child may be staying with us for a little while. Can I trust you to go home and wait with Jackson and Ava until I get home?" He's watching me closely, looking for a lie. "Aye," He smiles slightly handing me the keys to his… Apartment. That's what they call them. I make the short walk back… my new home…

My brother, I have been here for three months today and… I miss you. This world and everything in it is strange. They have magic but appear to be unaware. They have big square boxes, as if made by a blacksmith but too big and detailed for any one man and they all move, taking you quickly from one place to another. Some are underground, others are above ground. I do not understand it brother and wish you were here. They also have little things, used for communication. They do not need to write letters nor do they need to meet the other to talk, they can do it from miles away. I've witnessed it myself brother. They also have heat without fire inside and different kinds of homes with lights, but again, no fire. When you ask any of them what form of magic can do this, they are unaware of what you mean by magic. Something they call science… It is so confusing in this world. Here I go to school… they say I do well apart from in something called chemistry and physics… they call it science but the clerics in our world would burn them for witchcraft. There is a subject called world history and brother it is fantastic! They tell stories like the lives we live on the seas and others on land. Brother… I admit this world has it's perks and I think we would both like to live here but… without you brother, no world is sufficient. I will find you brother. We will be together aga

I feel Jackson grabbing my hand, a little too excitedly, before I feel him. "Killian!" I roll my eyes at the intrusion, quickly shutting my journal. "It's a girl, she's here!" He mutters under his breath. "She's like Ava's age but she's not speaking to Michael or Marie! And she's hot, come on!" Ugh. I decide to give the kid a break and follow him into the living room. Great. Another person living here. Why can't it just be the five of us? I look up and see her… I'm momentarily struck by her beauty, her long blonde hair soaked most likely by the rain but somehow, still falling on her shoulders and face perfectly; her features striking… but it's her eyes. I can see she's been hurt, more than once, yes the anger is clear… however, it's the fear that she is so desperately trying to hide that is most notable. It's clearer than any diamond or star in the night sky. I know that look, I have seen it on so many other children, on myself… she has so little left to give. I see her eyeing me up, trying to figure me out just like I'm doing to her.

"And, this is Killian. He came to live with us two months ago." Marie introduces me. Damnit, she is hot as Jackson put it. I briefly say hi before exiting for my room. By the time I get back to my room, I can hear Ava showing the new girl around. Emma… Hm. She's interesting, to say the least, so clearly marred by her past but… there's something about her. I lie down on my bed and I can't help but think about her. There are lots of children in this world, too many without parents caring for them like me, but her, Emma… Love has been all too rare in her life, too rare for someone with parents. She's an orphan. They all have the same look in their eyes. Liam and I are somewhat lucky, our bastard of a father decided not to leave us until we had known of a good life, known of someone protecting us and loving us so we managed to escape that look. We're just abandoned, not good enough for our mother or father to love forever, not like the other children we meet in port. I smile at the thought of this house, full of the abandoned, an orphan and one biological child, Ava. She's never known of the hurt and neglect that the rest of us feel, especially Emma, if I'm correct. It will be interesting watching them share a room.

"Killian!" I hear Jackson burst in once again. I can't help but grit my teeth in annoyance. "What'd I tell you about her? Hot right?" He's gleaming at me, waiting for a response. Well, he's going to be waiting for a very long time. "Why don't you ever talk about girls?" I freeze on this. Because no girl in their right mind could truly love me. "I'm going to get a snack. Go to bed." I murmur, pushing him off my bed while sitting up. He looks disheartened but I'm not ready to discuss everything with this lad. I make my way to the kitchen until I hear Michael.

"-so we just want to know, do you have any allergies? Any foods you dislike? Any routines we need to know?" I watch her lost at their questions. I remember them asking me those same questions, and like her, I had no answer. What could I say? After all, where I'm from, if you can't eat what you're given, you starve and routine? Working from before the sun rises until after dark and being belittled in every way known to man is the only thing I've grown used to. "Okay, well is there any medication you are meant to take? What about your GPA?" Marie speaks up. "I don't take anything and I haven't been in school for… a while." Her eyes shift to the floor, ashamed. I shouldn't be watching or listening to this. Pushing myself away, I retreat to the bathroom, hoping that Jackson will be asleep by the time I leave… Hoping I won't see that Emma girl again tonight.

I lie in my bed, wide awake, watching each minute pass on that loud box they call an alarm. 1:23am. Since I've been here, I always was asleep by 'lights out', 11:45 pm but this girl… I'm angry with myself for her being stuck in my mind. But, I'm also hungry. 1:24. Bloody hell. "Okay, food, then sleep," I whisper to myself over Jackson's light snores.

I slump down on the window sill, taking my first bite of the pop-tart. Personally, I've never understood how this could be a breakfast meal, over a nice maceral but I can see the appeal, it's sweet, possibly one of the sweetest things ever put into my mouth. My head automatically turns at the sound of the door opening. It's the blonde hair that I see first. Emma. Even with the minimal light from the street coming in, I can tell she's dry now but she's got her bag with her. She's running. When she turns, our eyes meet. Her green locked my blue, and a flash of fear on her face quickly hushed away by some kind of defence. Neither of us say a word, we just look at each other, waiting for the other to say a word. I can tell by the look on her face that Emma isn't fazed by the silence. I guess it stops her from divulging anything about herself. "Do you want one?" I break the silence first, holding up the pop-tart to answer her unasked question. "You don't speak much do you?" I raise my eyebrow, teasing her.

I watch her roll her eyes at me. "Not unless there is someone worth talking to," she quips back. Smart girl. Liam would like her. I watch her stand there uncomfortable for a moment, looking from me to the pop-tart. "D-don't they mind? You eating their food?"

"No. They aren't like other people here… In the last home," I get up, closing some of the distance between us but still with enough for her to not feel threatened. "It was every lad, or lass, for themselves, so coming here, I was a lot like you. Try trusting them, love. It'll get you further than you think." I watch her intently, from knitting her brows. Hm. More silence. "You know, I believe I asked you a question."

She turns her head slightly. "Actually, you asked two."

I can't help but smirk. "Smart girl. Since you didn't answer my first one, let me ask you another. Why are you leaving?"

I watch her turn slightly to the side, hiding herself, protecting herself. "None of your business."

And there it is again. The momentary fear followed by a quick defence. I slump down on the divan, or couch as they call it here. "Just trying to make conversation, love." Just stop Killian. You have enough damage, and you don't need a girl with her own. A girl like her can never love me, we actually come from completely different worlds and I need to go back to mine. I go back to eating, knowing full well that she's watching me but I don't know why she just doesn't go.

"The last time I was in a home like this, they lied. Pretended to like me, to care. I don't want to fall for that again. I only needed to get warm." She explains, still turned away so I can't see her face. "My turn to ask you a question. Where are you from?"

Where am I from? "Ha! You wouldn't believe me if I told you." The last time I told someone where I'm from, I ended with me having to speak to that charlatan once a week.

"Come on," She sits opposite me on the edge of the table, clearly more comfortable with the conversation being switched to me. "They said you're from England, right? Where? What's it like?"

I shake my head. "I'm from a coastal village, Ostlake. A lot of sailors come to the port from all over to trade everything, from rare items to herbs from unknown lands. The men who aren't brave enough for the seas are either fishermen or hunters. When we were younger, my brother and I, we would sneak out and go to the bar to listen to the stories from the captains. Sometimes, they would give us some coins to do odd jobs on their ships. We always wanted to live on a ship, be men." My smile of my childhood memories slowly fades at the realization that my brother is still aboard that ship, with Whitney.

"Unknown lands? What do you mean? And you have a brother?" I look up at her, seeing genuine interest. "Where is he? I-"

"He's far away," I interject curtly. "He would love it here," I add quietly. There's a silence between us again and I realize it's due to my rudeness from her question. For some reason, talking to her is easy. I don't want to stop, I don't want this to end. I stand up, walking to the kitchen area, grabbing two bottles of water. I feel her eyes watching me, taking in everything that I'm doing but when I glance up, she's clearly on high alert, sitting up straight, tight grip on her bag. "Do you like pretzels?" No answer. "Hm, you know, most people would take your silence as off-putting but I like a challenge," I smirk at her raising an eyebrow.

She rolls her eyes at me, clearly irritated by my statement. "I'm… thinking."

Lies. "No, you're afraid. Afraid to talk, to reveal yourself but trust me, things will go a lot better if you do."

"You don't know anything about me."

I scoff. "You're an orphan, shown little love. So you've closed yourself off to it, probably thinking that if your own parents cannot love you, how can anyone else," There's that fear in her eyes once again. "I know because I have seen so many others like you… Like me. I know what it's like not to be able to trust, not to believe anyone can love you. I know you better than you think."

She shifts uncomfortably and it's clear that my observation has made her uncomfortable. She stands up, showing her bag over one shoulder. "Screw you." She mutters before making her way to the door.

Fuck! I jog after her, catching her arm in my hand. She stops, not turning and I don't know what to say to her. Why am I guilty? I've said worse to a lot of the other lads on the ship, the other sailors, hell even to our previous captains, things that have gotten Liam and I a whipping or beating more than once but not once have I ever felt this amount of guilt. "I'm sorry if what I said offended you… Don't run away." I pause trying to think of a good reason but really there isn't one. "Marie and Michael are good people, so is Ava and Jackson – as annoying as he is."

"So you're the only dick?" Her eyes meet mine but I can barely see them in the dim orange glow peering through from the street lights.

I don't know how to respond. Everything I'm feeling is unusual. "I-I…" I let go of her. "Can we start again? No silence and I won't be a dick." As she calls it. She doesn't respond but she turns to me slightly and I use that as my opportunity. "Killian Jones." I hold out my hand.

She doesn't say anything nor does she shake my hand. She just stares at me, an unreadable expression on her face. "Emma Swan." I smile slightly, Emma Swan…

Swan.