A/N: It's Killian's turn! Um, trigger warning for mentions of abortion, just a heads up!
It was his third year in culinary school. He'd walked into his first class of that Tuesday, Advanced Pastry Making 302, when he'd seen her. When their eyes had met he hadn't seen colors, but that didn't stop him from finding her attractive. She was a very pretty lass, fair skin and dark wavy locks that tumbled down her back. Curves in all the right places. She was older than he, about twelve years to be exact, but that wasn't what mattered. Her being his professor was what had made things a bit taboo and he'd tried to stay away, really he had.
Milah was actually the persistent one, coming up with excuses to see him after class. Helping her prep, prepare dough, getting ingredients into their proper places. They'd talked and laughed, getting along swimmingly. Soon the talking would turn to kissing and kissing turned into trysts in the classroom after hours, and those turned into secret meetings for dates.
They'd made it eight months before they were found out; exposed by a jealous classmate who'd seen them together. After a stern talking to by the dean, he gave them a chance to put everything behind them, if only they'd stop seeing each other. They refused, so he was kicked out of school and Milah was fired, her career lost. He didn't care, though, he was in love.
He'd moved in with her, getting a job as a local cook at a diner to pay the bills while Milah stayed at home. It did help that he was rather good at it – he had, after all, been going to culinary school. He was putting his dreams on hold for her – the bakery and the boat. He didn't mind though, not for her. Not as long as they had each other.
After work, tired, he'd stumbled into their apartment. He'd sat his bag on the couch before heading into the bedroom to change. He paused at the door, funny noises reaching his ears. Fearing the worst, he threw open the door, and there was his love, in bed with another man!
"What the bloody hell is this?!"
"Killian- you're home so early!" Milah cried out in shock.
"Actually I'm not. Have you been wrapped up in this bloody wanker for so long that you lost hours? Unbelievable!" He'd shouted. He turned his head towards the man in their bed. "Out! Get out! Now!" The man nodded, eyes wide, before scrambling for his clothes and running out of the room. "How long?"
Milah looked down. "About a month..."
"A month?! You've had another man in my bed for a month?! Why the ever loving fuck would you do this to me, Milah? To us?" he looked at her in disbelief.
"He's my soulmate, Killian." she said, as if that would explain everything.
"Then why didn't you bloody well tell me?! It would've hurt but I would have understood. Why did you hide it from me?"
"I didn't know how to tell you. I'm sorry, Killian." she'd said. Like that would make anything better.
"A year and a half I've wasted with you! You're nothing but a cheat! A liar! Get your stuff and get out! Now." he'd growled at her. She got up from the bed and nodded.
"Killian, I-"
"Don't. You know what? Just go now. Your shit will be waiting out front for you tomorrow. I never want to see you again." as he finished, he turned away from her. He heard the bed creek, then the sound of moving fabric and footsteps and then she was gone. He didn't want to be there, not anymore. Not ever again. Luckily he'd had money saved in his account, but what to do, where to go?
America, he'd decided. He'd miss his brother, but maybe half a world away is what he needed to help him heal.
He'd found himself in a big city, located along the shore. At least I'll be near the water, he thought. First thing's first, I need an apartment. Outside of a corner store he bought a newspaper. Looking at apartments, he found a few he liked. He went to each one before he'd finally settled. Once he'd done that, he looked online and he found work at the first place he could find, the docks, loading and unloading cargo from ships.
He was out one night, scoping out the prospects, when he saw her. Curvy with brown hair and eyes to match, legs that went on for what seemed like miles. It was easy, charming her into going home with him. Didn't take much at all, really. The only thing he'd ever learned about her outside of the bedroom was that her name was Brooke. They'd had fun together for about a week, then moved on.
Then two months later she showed up at his door, an obvious baby bump showing. "It's yours" She'd said. Now, he wasn't thrilled about the situation, but family was important to him, so he promised to give it his all. He'd always wanted to be a father, not exactly going about it the way it was happening, but he was thrilled to be having a child nonetheless.
But he and Brooke were constantly at odds, always bickering and fighting so badly it would anger his neighbors. Three weeks into it, she knocked on his door. Confused, as she wasn't supposed to be there for a few hours, he let her in.
"I got rid of it." she said tartly after she'd sat on his couch.
"You what?" he cried in shock. His baby, gone?
"I couldn't do it."
"Why not?!" he growled, getting angrier by the second.
"You're not my soulmate. I'm not having a baby with someone who doesn't belong with me!" she'd wailed.
"You could've had the baby and then left it with me!"
"I'm not giving up a child of mine, any child I have will be with my true love, he and I will keep it."
"Get out. Get out, get out, GET OUT!" he cried, voice rising to a crescendo. Brooke scurried out the door. He stalked into his kitchen, took his first swig of rum in weeks – having vowed to clean up for his child – before throwing the bottle at the wall. As the bottle shattered and liquid splashed everywhere he sank to his knees. Never again would he risk this. Never again would he let anyone in. Damn soulmates, damn them all to hell.
He'd been in America for about five years now. It's not like it was home, but the city did have its charm, despite some of the people who lived in it. He supposed that that's how it was anywhere, though. Maybe I should celebrate. Four years, that's quite a few when you're only twenty-six. Perhaps I should buy a special bottle of rum and get extra drunk off my ass, or Skype with Liam. Or both. Not in that order, don't want Liam seeing me like-
"AHGH BLOODY FUCKING HELL HELP ME!"He screeched as he set the crate down wrong, smashing most of his hand. A few of his coworkers rushed to his aid. They managed to get the crate off of him.
Leroy examined Killian's hand. "Shit, that's an ugly color! I'll call 911" He said, fishing his phone out of his pocket.
Killian examined his hand, which was swelling like crazy. Fuck, I know better than to get distracted like that! Sirens could be heard in the distance. A few seconds later he was carted off to the hospital
Whale whistled. "Damn, that's one hell of an injury you've got there. Good thing we got you in so soon."
"Bloody hell mate, how bad is it?" Killian wondered, his voice laced with pain.
"Well, once it heals you may need to go to physical therapy if you ever hope to be able to possibly have full use of it again." Whale sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I can't assure you it'll be easy, or that it will be the same as before, but if you work with us we're going to get that hand fixed as best we can, okay?"
Killian nodded. "How long should that take?"
"It looks about ten weeks to heal and then five months of therapy, at least. At least it was only your left hand." Whale replied.
"I'm a lefty, mate."
"Well shit."
"Last session, huh?" Ruby asked.
"Yes, love. You're great and all, but I can't wait for this to be put behind me." Killian grinned. Ruby was the physical therapist that Whale had sent him to, claiming she was the best. Whale may have been a bit biased though, seeing as she was both his wife and soulmate.
Ruby just laughed. "I understand, I'd want that too if I'd gone through the same thing. I'll see you for dinner at our place Friday, right?"
"Of course, wouldn't miss it!" He said, opening the exit. "See you then!"
It had been five excruciating months of physical therapy after the bones in his hand had healed, but his hand was almost back to normal. It would never be the same, but it had healed pretty well. It would still have random bouts of pain from nerve damage and writing for any length of time hurt like hell, but he could lift things like before, just not as much or for as long. He was also happy that he could still cook and especially bake, let alone do his job. During the last few months he'd also gotten to know Whale and Ruby. He was a bit bitter that they were soulmates, but they became his first truly close friends after having closed himself off for so long.
Five Years Later
How he'd let Ruby drag him to this place, he'd never know. One minute he was wallowing in the bitter memory of the anniversary of Milah's betrayal, the next he was being shoved into a cab and shoved in line to Locksley's a very up-and-coming club in the downtown district.
"Ruby, this isn't a good idea lass!"
"You're not going to mope today, we're having fun!" she grinned at him as they moved further up in line.
"Yes, such fun. Gyrating, sweaty bodies in a crowded room where you can't hear yourself think. If I'm going to get drunk, I'd rather do it at home!" he complained. This used to be his sort of scene, now he hated it. He heard a few groans as two ladies were let in ahead of everyone. He raised an eyebrow in question.
"Must be friends of the owners. Now come one, you have to dance with me!" Ruby said, wolfish grin still in place. If ruby had a spirit animal, a wolf was surely it.
"Fine, I'll dance a few. But I'm not going to enjoy it." he huffed.
"Sure you're not. Maybe we can get you laid!" she squealed, hugging him tight.
"You know I really don't do that sort of thing anymore."
"Killian, you have to put yourself out there at some point!" Concern laced her voice. Before he could reply the bouncer asked for their IDs and they were waved into the club. Inside, music blared, slightly overwhelming him. He wasn't used to this anymore and he knew sooner rather than later he'd have a headache. "Let's go get some drinks and then find a table!" Ruby shouted and he nodded in response.
The bar was busy as hell. He was about to order for Ruby and himself when he saw a blonde about to fall off of a bar stool. On instinct, he reached out and caught her, his left hand smarting a bit from the sudden weight. He looked down at the lass in concern and when she opened her eyes he nearly dropped her in shock. Colors flooded his vision, the first of which was a beautiful green. Mesmerized, he forgot himself and just stared, until a bottle was set down with a clank beside her and a "Here you are, Emma." broke him out of his stupor.
Letting her go, his mind flooded with trepidation. "I, uh, excuse me!" he shouted as he rushed off. No, this couldn't be happening. He wasn't supposed to have a soulmate. Trouble, that's all they were.
