Authors note
Welcome to the third chapter, hopefully you enjoyed the first two. In case anyone is wondering Killian has both hands but he did spend a couple centuries in Neverland which I'll get around to.
Disclaimer: nope
Memory lane
She wakes up with a smile on her face for the first time in over three years. Today Emma's heart doesn't feel as burdened and she knows the reason, those deep blue eyes fluttered throughout her dreams, his bright smile and the feel of his lips on her hand.
She decided last night after he had left that she would visit Killian's ship today, she wants to get to know him more and seeing his ship might enlighten her a bit.
To excited to wait (she may be a pirate but that doesn't mean she has completely lost the princess) she jumps out of bed and skips getting dressed in the usual manner, instead she decides to use her magic. A swirl of white whirls around her, covering her completely and disappears, her simple white night dress is gone and a white under shirt, a gold laced brown vest with brocade sleeves, tied shut at the front and black leather pants takes its place.
She found out about her magic when she was fourteen not long after she met Baelfire, she was annoyed that her parents were dragging her off on another diplomatic mission, with a burst of emotion she lit all the candles and the fire place. Her parents had witnessed it and seeing what became of Regina because of magic and they were more than a little worried. Talking to Blue they had voiced their fears and Blue had reassured them that it was fine.
It took her years of training by a mix of the fairies and Regina but eventually she mastered it. Then Baelfire was murdered and she ran away, hiding it so as not to draw attention to herself. The only person who knows about it is her best friend, the green eyed, black haired fourteen year old, Nathaniel.
Grabbing her sword belt she puts it on, climbs to the deck and leaves the ship.
It only takes Emma minutes to get the jolly, seeing the buzz of activity around the ship before she gets to it. Killian had told her about the storm and the damage to the ship saying he'd be here for at least a week because that's how long it'll take. She saw the lie but she didn't mention it, merely smiling playing along with the hope he had to get to know her.
When she steps onto the gangway of his ship, she's greeted by a rather rotund man with a red wool cap on his head.
"I'm Captain Swan, I'd like to speak with Captain Jones, if you may" at her request the round man merely nodded and wandered along the deck toward a hatch leaving her there.
"Captain Swan, I wasn't expecting to see you so early" the sun had only come up an hour ago. But he had to admit he was glad to see her, when Smee came to his quarters telling him that Emma was here he was surprised but grinning like an idiot with how overjoyed he felt. Even after three hundred years Killian can still be a child sometimes.
"Ah, but you were expecting to see me" her eyebrow is raised and she's giving him a sly smile. She looks even more enchanting in the light of day, her hair is practically glowing.
"Well I knew you couldn't resist my charm, love"
"A bit cocky of you." She says grinning as she sweeps past him to look to survey the deck "your ship is lovely, of course it's not covered in paintings or carvings but that's understandable"
"Who did those paintings by the way" he forgot to ask last night.
"I did, actually" of course she did, she really is turning out to be quite the puzzle.
"Well they were fascinating to say the least, would you like to have a drink?" he wants to talk to her, she barely told him anything about herself, hiding them behind smiles and witty remarks. She nods and he guides her toward his cabin
She seems far more relaxed than he had yesterday, he felt like a teenager afraid of getting caught in her room by her parents. Does she have parents?
She's looking at a book of one the shelves, some fancy poetry thing that Liam owned before he died. It still hurt to think of him but not as much as it used to.
Emma's flipping through the pages a grin on her face and a disbelieving look in her eyes.
"Poetry huh?" her grin is still there, she's teasing him and it seems to be relaxing
"It was my brother's" he gave her a rueful smile and her smile faltered as she put the pieces together.
She considered him for a second before closing the book, stroking her hand over the cover and placing it back on the self. Then she walked toward him and did something he really wasn't expecting, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, pulling him close and whispering apologies. It took him a moment to respond, it had stunned him to say the least but when it registered in his mind, he wrapped his arms around her back pulling her closer, splaying his fingers through her lose hair and closed his eyes.
He had no idea how long they were standing there just holding each other, the rum he had poured forgotten. She seemed just as reluctant to let go as he was but when she did she gave him a sad smile and picked up glass drinking its contents in one go.
"You ok, Swan?" he put his hand on her shoulder and she turned to face him. For a moment she looks far sadder than he feels but in a second it's gone hidden once more behind a smile. What had happened to her? The gold ring on her necklace makes him wonder
"Yeah I'm fine" she put her hands on his chest and stepped closer, her masquerade could fool anyone but now he's seen past it, it can't fool him any longer. "You wanna go to a tavern? I'm sure it'll be far more interesting that sitting in here"
"Aye, love. Whatever you want" smiling at his answer she walks past him and climbs the ladder, shaking his head, he follows her up.
What was she thinking just hugging him like that? Her whole time as a pirate she hasn't lost control of her emotions, even before that she had a really good grip on things. She doesn't let her emotions control her, she's not that type of person.
Now Emma has a problem, she's known Killian for one day and she's already too attached. How did he get through her walls so easily? Now she's sitting in a tavern with him staring at her with a worried look from across the table. The tavern is a lot nicer than the one they met in, brighter, less miserable.
"So tell me Swan, how'd you become the Captain of your ship?" seriously? This again? He had asked this questions several times last night and she didn't tell him, she didn't want to. Guess it's better than asking questions that will lead to Baelfire.
"I killed the previous Captain" she deadpanned. The look on his face is now indecipherable.
"Why?" why? Why? Of all the questions he could have asked. Why? Had to be the one he chose. Emma looks away from him and sighs, may as well tell him the truth what harm could it do.
"He was drunk and tried to… He tried to hurt me, there was no escape, unless I wanted to drown so I ran him through" she's looking at her hands now, she's never told anyone before not even Nathaniel. The only people who knew were the people who witnessed it.
"I understand" he says as he grabs her hands in his own. "I became the Captain of the Jolly because of my brother's death, although they may be completely different circumstances and three hundred years apart, I understand"
"Did you just say three hundred years?" she can't hide her shock, how is that possible
"Aye" three hundred years?
"Wa…. How?" her eyes are wide and her mouth is gaping.
"It was a place called Neverland, time doesn't move there. Magic keeps everything on the island young. I went there a couple centuries ago and only got back to this land a day before that blasted storm" he can't be serious, but he is, not a single lie was in what he said.
Wait. Neverland? It rang her head but she couldn't remember why she knew it.
"Why?" now he's shocked, just like when she wasn't expecting him to ask why, he wasn't expecting her to ask it.
"I wanted to outlive the man that was responsible for my brother's death"
She understands now, wanting to outlive the person who was responsible for a loved one's passing. She had outlived Baelfire's murderer, killing him mere moments after he killed Baelfire and Killian out lived his brother's murderer by using magic to keep himself young
"Ok"
"Ok?" he looks confused at her response
"I understand what it feels like to want to outlive someone who's hurt us" she gives him a rueful smile as she looks back down at their entwined hands, he didn't let go the whole time. Without giving him a chance to ask more questions she speaks up again "have you seen the town? I should show you around. There's an amazing market in the town square, sells all kinds of things"
Without saying a thing he smiles and stands, rounding the table and offering his hand. She takes it stands and before she knows it his hand is around her waist and their walking out of the tavern to traverse the town.
He's watching her as they walk side by side back to her ship. Killian had bought her a necklace at one of the stalls which she is currently twirling in her fingers nervously the red gem glistening as it turns, her other hand is hooked around his arm and hasn't moved from that spot since he gave her the necklace.
It's late now the sun set an hour ago and the torches around the docks are lit, the bright flames making her golden hair glow orange. She looks so beautiful, beautiful and broken, there's a pain in her past that she's hiding but he hopes she'll tell him soon.
As they walk along the gangway up to her ship Emma stops and turns before reaching the end. Obviously he's not going any further
"Goodnight Killian" it's the first time she's called him by his name.
His heart skips a beat as she reaches up and presses her lips to his. It starts tender but deepens, placing his left hand on her hip while the other moves up to her hair tangling itself there, moving his tongue across her lips to gain further entrance. She opens up willingly parting her lips and grabbing the lapels of his leather coat, it's beyond passionate, a crush of lust and emotion all piled into this one kiss.
The kiss ends too quickly as she pulls back still holding onto him. He's left speechless as she lets go and turns, walking away from him and heading to her cabin, before she gets there he calls out
"Goodnight Emma!" she smiles at his before turning back again and climbing down the ladder
He goes back to his ship and lays down in his bed, the kiss the only thing he thinks about as he drifts off to sleep.
He wakes happy with thoughts of the night before flowing through his head once more. He get up and dressed straight away with the hopes of seeing her again.
As he steps onto deck and there's a hive of activity around him, people talking and staring at something. He follows the eyes, his mind goes blank and he stops breathing. Black smoke is billowing through the air darkening the port. He runs of the ship without batting an eye.
The 'Sirens Reach" is on fire….
