Liam Jones
We had settled Killian back into wheelchair after he had escaped with Anton to ride Neptune, and I realised that maybe keeping him in the flat continuously wasn't the best idea- although it kept him safe physically, mentally it had drained him of his personality, seeing him after his ride, his eyes once again shining in the dying light of the day, although as soon as he finished his tea, his body relaxed completely as sleep laid its warm cloak over him, and Mark and I wheeled him back into the car, careful not to wake him: for I knew how badly he had been sleeping after the latest attack.
Mark carefully kept Killian upright during the journey, making sure that he stayed comfortable whilst he slept for the best time in over a week, a gentle smile taking over his face like a wave covered the sand on the beach. He glanced up at me, telling me with his eyes that the pain he was feeling for our little brother was dissipating, and I smiled in return, feeling the very same way.
Miraculously we managed to get Killian out of the car, up the stairs into the flat and all the way into Killian's room without so much as a mumble from Killian, and we both then went into the front room to carry on with our various tasks to do with the restaurant for me while Mark was checking his emails and such for more information as to what he could find out about a potential hit mark being placed on Killian, specifically within the past three weeks and then again for four years ago; Mark was insistent that he did it again because apparently the guy who had done it for us at the time hadn't been good and that was why Mark had been called in and henceforth met us both and was forcibly adopted against his will. Not that he minded of course, because usually it meant having two good drinking partners and good food whenever they met up. Either way it was a win win.
Mark and I took Killian to the yard everyday for a week after that, and each day his eyes were brighter and the demons were losing their hold on his mind- not completely but there was definitely some improvements.
We also had the kitchen fitted out with all the cookers, fridges and freezers that we would need and could afford, although the movers (seven brothers, who reminded me deeply of the seven dwarves, and all of them even had the permanent emotions to match) were not to happy that they were getting bossed about by someone in a wheelchair; however they all shut up when Killian took to throwing things at them when they straight out ignored him about the placement of all the appliances- but all his directions paid out because every single appliance fitted perfectly and was in a good position for when the other cooks and Killian would eventually be when cooking meals for the restaurant. And wasn't that a great thought to be having? That sometime soon in the future Kai and I would be back in our element, cooking and serving in our own restaurant.
Of course we knew that it would take a while for anything to come out of the restaurant- because popularity often only come a month or two after opening as people would spread word about the new restaurant they had been to and everywhere else we had been had had that trend. Although all those occasions had been in cities rather than small towns, and as we had already found out the gossip mill here was stronger than diamonds at times; something would happen one day and by the next morning everyone else would know about it- Killian's accident had been a great example of that.
Thinking back to the accident, I realised just how well Kai had been either coping with what was going on or was getting better at hiding how he really was. I let my mind drift as I sorted out some paperwork for the orders on the food and drink which would be arriving soon, as would potential employees now we had put out the advertisement and the posters on the outside of the building; now that was something I couldn't wait to see because Killian was always the one in charge of the interview process and seeing whether or not the people we were hiring were up to scratch, and he had been adamant that even though he was going to be in the wheelchair for a while longer, he would still be the one to put the "newbie's" under his scrutiny and to watch them squirm. I chuckled at the picture of the scenario, before putting down final orders on the drinks that were needed for the bar and delivery dates and such, but as I walked through into the flat, I saw Kai, once again, sleeping off his medication, however this time he had fallen asleep with his sketchbook on his chest.
I had always been curious as to what he drew in that book, but until this this moment he had hidden it from view as soon as he was done. I had a feeling I knew what would be in that book, but I couldn't help but pick up the book and flick through its worn pages, each filled with the familiar charcoal and ink with which my brother always used- even on canvas. I was not surprised when I landed on a page with her face on it. He had fallen hard and fast for that witch in disguise Milah, with her hair like molten chocolate and eyes the colour of an oncoming storm. He had done a good job at capturing her beauty, however in hindsight, that beauty had only ever brushed the surface of her skin, the sharp edges of her cheekbones reflecting her harsh personality which was a surprise considering that she was a veterinarian. I remembered after the explosion, that she had been underneath him in his attempt to save her, and yet she had never been found in the restaurant or even in the hospital where everyone else had been sent, and in her wake, she left Kai broken. As if just losing your hand and sustaining heavy burns as well as other injuries she had just abandoned him like it was nothing. Like it wasn't the worst possible thing in the world to leave your beau when he was struggling to stay alive and stay sane.
I was thinking about all the hatred I had towards the demon that was Milah when my phone went off in the office, so placing the book back down I walked over only to see none other than Elsa Arendelle's number gracing my screen.
"Hello Elsa, how is the statue going?"
"The statue is coming along nicely, however if that is a sly way of getting me to tell you what your brother and I have planned well it is not going to happen. I was wanting to talk to your brother actually about something that isn't to do with the statue although I would rather not be having his call at all my sister is standing right next to me demanding that we talk to him." The way Elsa rambled on was like nothing else I had ever heard, and it made me chuckle after her nearly saying she was interested in Kai when I was falling for her, and I was going to lie and say he wasn't in but I knew not only she would detect the lie but that Killian would smack me around the head for even thinking of lying to her.
"I would pass you over but currently my brother is sleeping off his medication although he should be awake again in around an hour?"
"That would be great- thank…. Anna! Give me back the phone!" I could hear the giggling and what was presumably her sister skidding across the floor in a bid to escape Elsa and talk to either Kai or I. Needless to say I was almost nervous for what she would say, but just as she was about to say something the phone went dead, and I could only laugh at their antics as I knew Kai and I had done that on more than one occasion growing up together in the various homes we had been in.
Mark had gone out to go and chat with the Mayor and the sheriff department about his case before he was leaving tomorrow to pick up some more evidence from his dark web research as one of the other investigators he knew up in Boston was chasing the same lead after seeing an unprecedented surge in a section of the dark web were Mark had thought the order to kill Killian was placed. Even though Kai never showed it, I knew he was upset that Mark was leaving so soon, because he and Mark were almost as close I was with Kai- Mark was the only one who understood us, and he was going but only after re-assuring us that he would be back soon, and hopefully with good news.
It had not gone past either Kai and I's attention that Mark had been looking at apartments in the Storybrooke Mirror, and we both hoped that it wasn't just for show and that he would actually move into Storybrooke with us. Because we all knew that it wasn't just us who needed a place to call home, but knowing Mark he wouldn't want to talk about it in case his plans didn't work out and it came to nothing. Looking at the places which Mark had tagged, I noticed they were all close to us but were also closer towards Main Street meaning he would have been able to be close to us in case something happened but also close enough to town to possibly get a job or whatever other reason he was planning. Thanks to Mark I had barely any sleep the night before as he had wanted to go over all the details with me as it helped him to think, and I barely noticed when I fell asleep with my head on the desk, my mind falling blank into the depths of rest.
Emma Swan
It had been a few weeks since the last major incident at the station, that terrible deal with the Jones brothers and since we found the bullets at the scene, we had had no progress on any of the leads that we had thought we had had come up to nothing- it was far too clean. Whoever had done this they weren't gangland; they were worse than that. These were assassins that had come to Storybrooke to get rid of Killian Jones. It made sense, why else would Mark Scott have been attracted to her quiet little town? This was his area of expertise- except it had never taken him this long to track a case.
Then there were the matter of the Jones'. Ever since I got a first look at the younger Jones Brother I knew he would be trouble. Artfully stubbled, dark hair and stunning blue eyes which I could have sworn had some kind of superpower like Iron man or the Vision (She blamed all her comic book knowledge on her son. Completely his fault…) as he stared right through me and knew nearly everything that I was going to say before I could say it. Of course thinking back to him reminded me of that shiner he gave to August
No less than three days later and Mary-Margaret, David's wife, was already trying to encourage me to get with the guy. Over three weeks later and she was still pestering me to ask the man on a date. Yesterday she came strolling into the station saying that the guy would be getting out of his casts before friday, eyes alight with mischief. I really love her but she can be almost as in your face as Ana, except Ana probably learnt it to degree level whilst my sister-in-law was at more of a college level of being in your face.
I knew that Mary-Margaret had volunteered to help the Jones brothers find some waiters and assistant cooks for their restaurant as well as acting as a sort of free publicist. I say sort of free because I know that she had asked the elder Jones for a favour of some sort but she refused to tell me what she had in mind and all she had said to Liam was that she would cash it in sometime in the near future.
In the past week or so Liam had been joining Mark down to the station to keep him company, however he was quickly becoming a friend to me too- bringing me coffee and bear claws from Granny's (only after I yelled at him for getting tea and a muffin when I was sleep deprived). I quickly learned that while the brothers held their family as more important than anything in the rest of the world- they sure couldn't be left in a room together unattended for more than 30 seconds. I only found that out when Mark had left and Liam started trying to find out what his friend and brother had been doing sometime a couple weeks ago when he was with Elsa; and so we both worked together to find the creations of the adoptive Jones and younger Jones brothers. And to say the least we were not disappointed. Whichever one of them had had the mouse was evidently talented with photoshop as they had made multiple photoshops of Liam and Elsa kissing, and then a surprisingly realistic creation of them getting married.
Liam had of course been mortified, whilst I just began laughing and downloading the pictures to send to Elsa. What neither of us had noticed at the time was that Mark had in fact been watching us and questioned us like we were naughty children being caught doing something we shouldn't have been doing. Of course once I explained I just wanted the photos to send onto Elsa he let me off the hook, making Liam even more horrified. Of course his actual brother had impeccable timing and chose that moment to call and demand some food. It felt good to be able to laugh at something so stupid whilst trying to figure out what was actually going on with this case, that was probably why Mark left his laptop unattended in the first place.
Sitting alone in the station, I quietly laughed at the memory, which in turn lead my thoughts onto a very different memory: when I actually met the younger Jones brother. It had been in the hospital after he had gone off the cliff, which wasn't the best place for a first meeting, especially for people like him and I. Hospitals were bad places where we would only go if there was no other option, and I could see that in his startling and startled blue eyes. His brother had left him alone for a few minutes so that I could question him on what had happened in the forest.
Even if I had just seen him in the corner of my eye he would have caught my eye- the man was unfairly attractive with his dark hair and almost ginger scruff, and not even his bruises or injuries did anything to lessen that. If anything it just made him more attractive in some ways (not that I would ever tell anyone about that- especially not Mary-Margaret!). It was not hard to see why after I started asking question Killian had started to panic, because he was trying so hard to be able to remember but no matter how hard he had tried he could not recall anything past being chased by a man in dark clothing with a gun. I certainly knew how that had felt, with something not being your fault but you still suffer the consequences.
Glancing up at the clock I realised that it was long since past when David was supposed to have arrived for his morning shift as I had been on the night shift, but just as I was about to call him to ask him where the hell he was, a rather unexpected guest walked into the station. I had only seen him a couple of times since he had had his face smashed in however all the bruising and other marring features had long since disappeared from August's face. Of course it had all taken a couple of days for the bruising to come through properly, and once it had only a small portion of his face wasn't black and blue. That didn't put Liam off from trying to throw another one at August for causing this whole dilemma in the first place, because if he hadn't riled up the younger Jones he would never have been in the forest meaning he would never have been chased to his near death experience at the bottom of a cliff. August's face was one more befitting a man walking to the gallows, and I was slightly worried as to what he was going to say.
"Hello Emma..." August glanced down to his feet, a sure sign that he was nervous about something or other
"August."
"Are you still mad at me for that? I said sorry to them both!" I raised my eyebrow in response and he got the message that, yes, I was still angry at him for that "Okay I get it, I just need a little advice."
"Okay what is it this time? Because if it's relationship problems you need sorting you should have gone to Snow white and her Prince Charming. I love them both to pieces but seriously those guys are just sickening at times."
"No, it's not anything like that… I was thinking…. just maybe…."
"Get on with it August I have had no sleep and am still awaiting my deputy to arrive so I can get out of here"
"I'm thinking of actually getting a job with the Jones brothers despite what I did as a waiter. I think… because Killian knows what it's like to be caught in conflict it might help me get over some of my demons. I already talked to my psychologist and he agreed it would be good…It's just…"
"You feel guilty still about what happened to him and feel that he might blame you for the entire ordeal. Well you're lucky that I happen to get along well with the older Jones and Killian doesn't blame you. Although apparently he is the one putting all you new recruits through your paces before they hire you, so you better get back up to scratch" I finished with a smile, knowing that Liam and Killian understood August's situation and were fully prepared to deal with him. I knew I had promised to not tell anyone about August's past, but seeing as I had told August about the Jones' demons I thought it was only fair.
A small, depreciating smile broke out over August's features before he said his thanks and left. The tension leaving his body in waves as he walked out of the door- and under the clock, making me realise that by now it was half seven. David was due well over half an hour ago. And now he wasn't answering his phone. Next I tried Robin's phone, to see if he knew where my brother had gone off to.
"Hello Emma?"
"Hey Robin, have you seen or heard from David today?"
"Uhh, no, I haven't. Why, has something happened Emma, do you need help at the station?" I was touched by Robin's immediate thought to help me out, even though I hadn't known the man that long, he was always there when I needed him. And it was a two way thing because of the awkward situation of Regina's (Robin's wife and the mayor of Storybrooke) psychotic sister drugging up Robin and sleeping with him deliberately that she would get pregnant. Hence why he was in a bad place for more than a year. But between him and Regina they had managed to work out their problems and were now proud parents of Ray Mills (Robin and his children had taken Regina's name in the marriage).
"No, nothing terrible has happened other than he has forgotten to come and relieve me from my night shift. I have been here since 10 and he was supposed to have come in just before seven and he is not answering his phone at all at the moment. Do you reckon he has forgotten or perhaps it is something neither of us need to know about?" Robin simply laughed at that and said he would attempt contact with my brother for me and that he would be here in ten minutes to allow me to go home and get some sleep before picking up Henry for the week. He also made sure that if anything was blackmail material against him he would be sure to pass on the relevant information to me so whenever I needed something he would have no option but to do what I said. Hanging up the phone, I made myself somewhat comfortable on the old office chair which had been in the station for god knows how long and waited for one of the men to arrive so I could get on with my life.
