Months Later… Killian heaved a sigh. He was in the library, staring at the book that was his prison for so many years. He didn't know why his life-or rather, his existence had to be so complicated. Emma still did not understand why he could reach out and touch her in his current state, and frankly, he didn't either. But it seemed to be that, he could reach out and affect the things around him, but only if he willed it with all of his being. And one thing he was sure of, was that Emma was his true love.
.
.
"Princess Emma! Princess Emma!" There was a loud rapping on Emma's door. "Princess, it is most urgent!" Emma recognized the voice as that of Elizabeth's, and reluctantly got up to answer her door.
"What is it, Elizabeth?"
"Oh, Princess…you might want to sit down." Emma eyed her suspiciously and did as she said, settling herself down on the settee in her room.
"What is it?" Elizabeth took a seat next to her.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Prince Neal, your betrothed…he's gone missing."
"Missing?!" Emma echoed, trying her best to sound concerned, when in reality, she was smiling inside because Neal took her advice and followed his heart.
"Oh, Princess, I am truly sorry."
"It's alright Elizabeth, just leave me be." The handmaiden nodded, her deepest sympathies showing through her eyes. Emma bit her lip to contain her growing smile while Elizabeth left. When the door closed with a soft click, the excitement on her face was contagious.
"And what, may I ask has you so excited, princess?" Killian chimed when Elizabeth was out of sight. "Surely not the fact that your fiancé has gone missing?"
"Actually, it's exactly that. I advised him to be with his love if he chose to."
"How very nice of you, princess. But now, you do realize that the process for finding you another suitor will only be restarted?"
Emma pondered this a moment, then, surprising herself said, "Not if I do the same."
Killian shook his head. "What do you mean?"
"I could run away, as Neal did."
"Where would you go?"
"We could go and see your body, maybe see if there's a way to break the curse."
"And what method for breaking the curse did you have in mind?" Killian asked, already knowing what she was thinking.
Emma ignored his question and sighed. She knew she had to try it, had to see if she could break the curse, then maybe they could come back together and Emma could marry him. Killian, her true love. If he was, then she could actually marry for love, as her parents did.
"I shouldn't," she mumbled.
"Why not, love?"
Just then, there was another knock at the door. "Emma? Come, we have a guest waiting to meet you." It was her mother, Snow. Emma looked at Killian before opening the door to see her excited mother. "Emma, we have found you another!"
"Another suitor?"
"Don't be silly, Emma," Snow said, as she led Emma by the arm to the dining hall. "We found you another fiancé!"
Emma stopped dead in her tracks. "What?!"
"Oh, come now, Emma! You need another fiancé, and quickly. Especially now everyone thinks that Neal fled at the thought of becoming your husband."
"Emma sighed and submitted as her mother dragged her the rest of the way to the dining hall."
Emma could have sworn that she heard her mother squeal a little as she opened the dining hall doors and revealed her new husband.
And with good reason. Emma thought as she got a look at the man before her. He was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. He had blue eyes, kind blue eyes. Not icy ones like the ones Killian had. He had a beard that was slightly furrier than it was scruffy and curly, messy tousled hair that was brown with a hint of blonde.
Emma froze as he walked up to her to introduce himself. "Hello Emma, I am Prince Graham of the Kingdom of Aragon."
All that Emma could do was stare as he bent down on his knee to kiss her hand, and she knew his lips lingered on her hand for longer than they should have as did his gaze on her when he was finished.
Emma could barely hear Snow and David whisper to each other and say. "We'll leave you two alone to get to know each other."
Emma blinked. Her parents had just abandoned her with this gorgeous man and she had nothing to say to him.
At this point, Emma found herself in a bit of a dilemma. She was falling in love with the handsome, charming, not-solid, one-handed, pirate named Killian. But, at the same time, she could envision herself leading a perfectly normal, not-so-loveless marriage with Graham, a very handsome man with kind eyes
He looked at her expectantly and all she could utter was: "I'm sorry, can I be excused, I just, I-"
Graham smiled at her warmly. "Of course, I understand."
Emma nodded at him and scurried off up to her room.
.
.
Emma got back to her room and slumped down on her bed.
"Well, Princess, frankly I'm surprised that anything came out of that mouth of yours while you were obviously drooling so heavily."
"Go away!" Emma said, sounding tired. "Why can't you ever just leave me alone to my thoughts? And not alone as in you disappear and watch everything I do, but alone?!"
Killian walked closer to her. "Because your life was so interesting before I came along!"
"I don't care how boring my life was, Killian, at least I wasn't in love with someone who is not even here!"
Killian's brow furrowed "You're in love with me?"
Emma froze, for the second time today, and realized what she'd said. Or, rather, admitted. She gulped. "Yeah."
"So am I," he said, almost solemnly.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, love."
Emma stared at him for a second, then said, "We should find your body. I could break the curse."
"No." Killian said, a little too quickly. "No, Emma you can't." I'm not ready to leave you. "It's too dangerous."
"Killian, we have to at least see if…True Love's kiss will work. You don't plan on being a spirit forever, do you?"
"I know, you're right, but I can't go yet, I'm only just getting to know you."
"Wouldn't you rather get to know me as a person, with a body?"
"Yes, yes I would but-"
"But what? Killian, I don't care if it's dangerous, I love you." And this time, Emma meant to say it."
"Emma you can't, trust me."
"I don't need protecting, Killian, I can take care of myself. And I'm going, I don't need your permission!"
"Emma!"
"Go away, Killian. I have your rescue to plan."
Killian disappeared angrily, knowing he would have to tell her the truth soon, but he just wasn't ready to accept it himself.
