N/A: Soooooo. It's been like 8 months since I updated it?
I'm sure a lot of you thought you'd never see this again, but heyyyy look what updated.
Now, I am going to put it up on FF but only part of it due to some recent changes with FF. The whole fic will be available on AO3 - freedomatsea - and hopefully I'll be updating it again. I also realize some of the previous chapters have some grammatical errors and stuff and I'm working on fixing that. It's just going to take a few weeks. Please do not review here, review at AO3 no further updates will be made on this site for this fic.
Killian had fallen asleep not long after she'd joined him in bed. His eyes had fallen closed, his features softening, his breathing evening out – he looked so peaceful and young laying there in her arms. He had lost the rugged, rough edged features that he clung to when he was awake. She knew better than to feel for him, but it didn't seem to be something that she could just choose to ignore. The ache in her chest when she looked at him felt like it was part of who she was, like he was meant to be there, even if it seemed impossible.
Emma gently stroked his cheek, brushing a lock of hair back that had fallen onto his forehead. His lashes fluttered as he came awake. "That feels nice." He whispered, a soft sigh slipping from his lips.
She smiled down at him, her fingers gingerly playing over his temple, before she ran them through his hair. "How are you feeling?"
"Better." He replied. "Slight twinge of a headache, that's all." He shifted, stretching out a little beside her. "How long did I sleep?"
"Several hours." Emma told him, "Did you know you're a clingy sleeper." She teased lightly.
Killian shook his head. "I can't say that I knew that." He chuckled, reaching up to play with the end of her braid. "But you did call me a child clinging to his blanket earlier, so I shouldn't really be surprised."
"I was just stating the facts."
He rolled his eyes. "How pray tell have you survived in court with that attitude?"
Emma shrugged. "I've spent a lot of my time behind closed doors. I'm letting it all out with you." She arched a brow. "Besides, I think my attitude is what has you wanting to accost me so frequently."
"Have I accosted you without you wanting me to?" Killian questioned and while his voice had an edge of sarcasm to it, his face was very sincere.
"No." Emma shook her head, holding his gaze. "For what little we've done, I wanted all of it and more." She pressed her lips together. "I did not choose who I am being forced to marry. In fact, it's the last thing that I want. Because I know that as soon as I am delivered to the Dark One's castle, he will expect an heir from his son to lay claim to my kingdom one day." Her eyes fell closed and she rolled onto her back, not wanting to face him as she spoke. "This situation is messy, Killian. You made it clear to me that I am just a bargaining chip."
"I thought I also made it clear that I was not playing you when I expressed my attraction and desires." Killian said, his voice a little strained.
"I saved your life when I could have and should have let you die. Your crew would have feared me because of what I am and I could have gone home. I'm not saying this to make you feel like you owe me a debt because I saved you, because we both know that that's not how either of us operate. I'm just…" She shook her head, moving to get up.
"I'm not looking for absolution Emma." Killian said, reaching out to grab her arm, keeping her from leaving his side.
Emma's brows furrowed together. "Well you're in luck, I'm not giving absolution." She moved to sit back on the edge of the bed. "I won't forgive you for kidnapping me. But I won't hate you either. For the little experience I have in life, I do understand that life is a mess and sometimes situations shape you for the worst, but I'm not going to hold that against you."
Killian trailed his fingers over her arm. "That's surprisingly insightful for a woman who says she's been kept behind closed doors." He moved to sit beside her, his jaw set hard. "I have a death sentence. One way or the other I will die. Whether it be by a hangman's noose, the Dark One's magic, or by my own doing."
She fixed him with a look. "Then why are you fixing me with one? The Dark One will not give up his dagger over me. He'd kill me just to prove that point. I might be the Savior but I'm not immortal nor am I invincible. I can die. I would be collateral for your revenge."
He turned to look at her, his expression falling. "I'm sorry Emma." He said quietly, his gaze dropping to the floor in front of him. "I believed that this plan was fool proof. That for once I'd have him trapped and I could enact my revenge."
Emma reached for his hand. "If you did succeed you would become him. The Dark One's curse transfers to the person who kills the previous one. You would become the very thing you've hated for all these years Killian. Is that what you want?"
Killian met her gaze, his lashes fluttering. "No."
"I didn't think so. Together we might be able to find some way to stop him, but this is not the answer." Emma said, her voice wavering as she spoke. "Are you truly satisfied with this life Killian? Living with a death sentence you can easily avoid?"
"How?"
"You have a princess sat in your bed who could grant you immunity from death at any shore." She told him.
"I don't want to be landlocked Emma."
Emma shook her head. "I didn't say you would be. I have every intention of staying here with you. But we will have to return to my kingdom, to tell my parents that I will not marry Baelfire and that I will be staying with you."
"That's a naïve hope Emma. Your parents will not allow you to stay aboard a pirate vessel because you simply choose to."
Emma stuck out her chin. "My parents believe in…" True Love. Was that even what this is? She was so wide-eyed, hopeful, and full of faith that it was possible she was leading herself astray. Could something as dysfunctional as this be True Love? "They believe in me and if I feel passionately enough about this, they'll listen."
Killian arched a brow. "You're putting a lot of faith in a man like me."
"That's because I'm putting faith in this man," Emma said, reaching out to cup his cheek. "And not the one who comes out up on deck. I like this man. Quite a lot. Despite his flaws and transgressions."
His hand slid down to her hip and he urged her closer, "I haven't been this man in a very long time Emma. I'm a shadow of the man who used to be so much more than vengeful pirate. I don't know if I can ever reclaim that version of myself."
Emma shifted beside him, drawing her legs up beneath herself so she could cup both of his cheeks. "I'm choosing to see the best in you Killian. Don't betray me."
Killian leaned in and kissed her softly. "I won't Emma." He muttered against her lips. "I want to live. For the first time in forever, I don't want to die."
Emma's heart fluttered at his words. She knew that her very purpose in life, as the Savior, was to inspire hope in people's lives. She was meant to restore happy endings ruined by the Evil Queen, and she was meant to protect, and inspire. Or so the prophecy had gone, the one many believed was ruined by the Evil Queen's spell that nearly destroyed everything. Only it hadn't and many believed that prophecy was no longer applicable, but clearly… she still served that purpose.
She cupped his cheek as she leaned into his kiss, her mouth slanting over his with an edge of hunger. Her freehand slid down his chest, following a similar path she had taken before the storm had struck. Her fingers barely brushed over the prominent bulge at the front of his leather trousers, earning her a groan from him.
"Someone is going to interrupt again."
Emma shook her head, tracing the outline of him through his trousers, "They've been given strict orders not to bother you. They think you're resting." She said lowly. "Is this not something you want Captain?"
Killian smirked at her, "It's almost what I want." He told her, his fingers trailing down her arm. "You don't have to do this because we were interrupted before."
She arched a brow. "I'm doing this because I want to." Emma tugged gently at the laces of his pants. "Because I'm curious and I want to learn. I've heard so many stories about this from my maids, but… well, you know." She pulled her hand away then, leaning in so that her lips were barely brushing his. "I might even want this to go further this time." Emma said in a husky tone, kissing him before he had a chance to reply.
~continue reading at freedomatsea on AO3 where all new updates will be hereafter~