I've had writer's block for what feels like forever but I'm back! Would you believe this has been sat in my drafts since two days after the last chapter? I just had so many issues with a few scenes that I couldn't bring myself to write. I've rewrote this more times than sense and even though I'm not fully happy with it, I hope you all enjoy it!
- Shauna! xo
"You mean a lot to him."
The words shock her, head twisting around sharply and immediately wincing at the pain that floats through her.
She hears a lilted laugh as a pair of brown eyes stare back at her with sympathy, a small smile edging around the brunette's red lips. Said brunette shakes her head slightly, amusement coloring her features. "Honestly, you can't be surprised."
Emma raises an eyebrow, one of the only movements that doesn't cause massive amounts of pain.
"He talks about you alot, you know," the brunette continues, her voice barely above a murmur, "Especially as of late. You're name hadn't popped up for a few months up until the previous one."
"Probably because he hasn't seen me as of late," she mutters, her voice scratchy.
She gets another sympathetic look from the brunette as she comes forward to stop at the foot of her bed, smiling at something over Emma's shoulder before focussing down on the blonde.
"Maybe you should both talk about that," she suggests.
Emma would shrug but she's aware of how painful that movement would be so she settles for pressing her lips firmly together, which painful, but not quite as painful as moving with little effort required.
"I'm only here for a few days," the girl tells her suddenly, eyebrows pressing together as she stares down with a calculated look in her eyes, "I just wanted to see my brother."
Brother?
She hears twinkling laughter and the girl - Killian's sister, or so she's told - head is thrown back before she's shaking her head once more.
"Yes," she tells her. "Killian's my brother."
Did she say that out loud?
Emma's eyebrows push together in confusion, mouth parting on a question and honestly she isn't quite sure what that question is. Killian had a sister?
"My name's Ruby," she tells her, smiling, "And it's a pleasure to meet the Emma Swan who I've heard so much about."
"I-"
"Thought that I was some ex-girlfriend showing up to rock the boat abit?" Ruby interrupts, a knowing look on her face.
Emma manages a barely there nod.
"Yeah," she trails off, "I did try to tell him but, you know, Killian. He's not exactly the brightest of the bunch when a woman's concerned."
She laughs at that, a low, breathless sound that gets stuck in the back of her throat and nods gratefully when Ruby offers her a glass of water, a straw at the ready.
"Thanks," she mumbles.
Ruby smiles, "Don't worry about it."
She allows herself a small smile back before flinching her head in the opposite direction as she hears the door slam open once more, Killian's heavy footsteps echoing.
Her lips press firmly together and she can feel Ruby's frown on her head before her head snaps forward to her brothers.
She briefly hears Ruby shoot him a quiet, "I'll see you at yours," before the door is shutting once more.
And then she's left alone with him.
(She might not despise the thought as much as she had.)
XXX
Moving hurts like hell is the first thing Emma decides as she grits her teeth, the door of Killian's SUV slamming shut behind him as he jogs around to the driver's side. His door slams shut behind him and he places the keys in the ignition, turning the key as the engine vibrates and she winces, unprepared for the movement as it joltses her ribs.
"Okay?" he asks.
"Fine," she tells him through a fake smile, biting her lip to mask the pain.
He frowns. "No, you're not."
She sighs loudly, "Really, no, but it's not exactly going to get any better so if you could get us there as quick as possible, that would great."
He shoots her a small smile, nodding, and then they're off.
There's a lot of traffic lights, a lot of start and stops which makes her grit her teeth, fingernails digging into her knees as she sags against the window and she's quite sure Killian's doing worse than her.
His blue eyes keep flickering from the road and back to her, focussing intently as he gauges her reactions.
She grits her teeth, "Eyes on the road."
He laughs, a free and light sound that she can't help but smile at even now.
"Yes, ma'am."
She wants to shake her head at how much of an idiot he is but eventually decides against it, fully of aware of how much that particular movement still hurts.
It feels like it's been forever when Killian finally pulls up outside his house and cuts off the engine before he twists around to her, shooting her a sly smile as his tongue runs sinfully along his bottom lip and she feels hit stirring in her lower belly, even when she feels this worse for wear.
He was attractive, after all, there was no denying that.
"Ready?" he asks her quietly, tone hushed.
He holds a hand out to her as his teeth bite into his bottom lip, eyes shining up at her.
She sighs softly and with some difficulty, places her hand into his.
"Yeah," she tells him with a soft nod, "I'm ready."
His fingers tighten around hers in response before he releases her before he jumps out of his car with a dramatic move that she can't help but roll her eyes at before he appears to her side, opening the passenger door for her.
He leans forward with a peaceful smile, unbuckling her seatbelt carefully and she's very thankful that he pulls it away from her skin lightly.
He leans back slightly, a contemplating look on his features as he stares down at her.
"This will probably be uncomfortable..."
She snorts at the understatement, knowing how much moving damn well hurt.
"Just get it over with," she tells him tightly, lips pressed firmly together as she grinds her teeth.
"Hold onto me," he requests, leaning forward.
She agrees, fingers clenching around the lapels of his jacket and with a lot of moaning and groaning on her part, he manages to maneuver her in his arms, trying his best not to jostle her as he walks to the entrance of his house.
(She finds she doesn't want to let go. Not ever.)
(And from the look on his face, she knows that he doesn't want her to either.)
(At least, she hopes he doesn't. Because she thinks she's falling for him. Hard.)
XXX
When her eyes flicker open next, she frowns as she realises she's alone. But in a rather, very comfortable bed.
The red, silk sheets beneath her feel like heaven on her skin and the fluffy, blue duvet decorated with anchors (and god, it was so Killian) was pulled up firmly to her chin and tucked into her sides.
(She smiles when she realises Killian must have put her to bed.)
(His bed, she'd be willing to bet.)
She lets herself glance around the room, eyes darting to the desk in the corner - old fashioned, neatly kept with a stack of papers placed horizontally and a stack of black pens all facing downwards at the edge. His curtains are blue too, the gradient texture making it look like waves of the ocean - she'd forgot about his obsession with the sea.
She briefly remembers him telling her about his boat-
-"You own a boat?"
She was skeptical and she really couldn't help it.
Killian was the last person she'd imagine to have his own boat.
He playfully glares.
"Ship," he corrects her, "She's a ship, love."
She laughs at that lowly, "She?"
He huffs and turns his startling blue eyes onto her.
"She's a marvel," he tells her and she smiles at the passion she sees radiating off him because she's never seem him this way before (not really). "And ships are always referred to as a she."
She laughs, shaking her head.
"Noted."
They'd taken a small break and decided to go get a coffee or two from starbucks (though, Emma was quite sure she was on her fifth cup in the last hour, woops). Who would've thought analysing victims and their families reports would be so draining? And there's only so many times you can look at the same report before your mind goes blank.
So here they were.
"I'll take you," he suddenly decides and when she looks up, his blue eyes are fixed on her.
"What?"
"To my ship," he tells her, grinning that goofy smile.
She hums, whether in agreement or waving him off, she's not quite sure but Killian seems to take it as a challenge.
"Well one day," he sighs lightly. "One day, I will."
She shoots him a small smile and nods slightly.
"I'll take you up on that."
"Oh, I'll definitely take you up on something, darling."
And we're back, she thinks and sighs out loud, ignoring the smug grin on his face because he couldn't be Killian Jones if he could go an hour without a flying innuendo.
(Not that she secretly loves it.)
(She'd never admit that.)-
-"Swan?"
Her head shoots up, startled, and she groans bringing a hand up to rub her neck.
(She was really starting to get sick of every little move hurting.)
Killian suddenly appears in her line of vision, his concerned eyes staring down at her as he comes to a stop at the side of her - his - bed and his eyebrows scrunch together, his lips pulling down into a frown.
"Sorry, love," he tells her sheepishly and his hand comes up to rub that spot behind his ear.
"Didn't mean to startle you."
"Yeah, well, mission not accomplished," she huffs.
He grins and her lips lift up in reply.
"Do you need anything?" he suddenly questions, voice frantic, "I'm sorry if you called. I was downstairs but if you need anything - anything at all - I swear, I'll get it. Maybe we should get you a bell, I did promise to take care of you-"
She barely restrains a giggle at him and tries to interrupt.
"Killian-"
"-and I'm not doing a very good job so far but- Are you hungry? I can order some food or-"
"Killian."
It's louder this time and he seems to take notice because his lips freeze mid sentence and he glances down at her.
"I'm fine," she promises and though it hurts, she reaches up to pat his cheek, caressing his soft skin. "And you've taken better care of me than anyone else would," she reminds him, "And you didn't have to so thank you."
Her throat swells with emotion, voice tight with words unspoken and when his eyes soften, lips quirk up into a smile she knows he gets it. Knows he realises all of what she's not saying.
"It's my pleasure," he tells her. And then, because he's Killian Jones, he has to tack on, "Besides I'd never say no to having a lovely lady in my bed."
She groans at him and if she had the energy, she'd throw something at him. He knows it from the smug look on his face.
He stays stood, feet rooted to the spot.
She sighs and says, "Well, are you going to lay down?"
His eyes almost bulged from the sockets and it's all kinds of adorable.
"In bed?" The with you goes unspoken.
She snorts and scrunches up her nose, thankful the movement doesn't hurt.
"How else am I going to call on you at all hours?" she mocks, tone teasing.
He chuckles but shuffles around to remove his shoes and lays back against the pillows, arm curving around the top of the headboard and dangerously close to her shoulders. Instead of pushing him away like she usually would, she remembers August's words from the bar and instead snuggles closer, grimacing as pain shoots along her ribs, and rests her hand on his chest.
"Well," he says and he gets settled, "How am I to deny a fair maiden?"
She laughs but otherwise doesn't reply and she actually likes the quiet, eyes flickering to the television screen, but it can never really last long with the two of them.
"Once Upon A Time. Really, Swan?"
She huffs, "I like it."
He hums, obviously in disagreement.
Her head twists on his chest and she grins up at him, green eyes catching his blue ones.
"It has a devilishly handsome pirate and a saviour," she tells him. "What's not to like?"
"They'll never end up together," he tells her rather matter of factly.
She grins.
"We'll see."