A/N: I'm back! Exams are over and I'm happy to tell that I graduated last month! This means I finally have more time, so I'll probably update more. Thanks for reading the last chapter and here is the next one. Enjoy!

Chapter 9 – The Last Day

/

Trying not to need you

Is tearing me apart

Can't see the silver lining

Down here on the floor

And I just keep on trying

But I don't know what for

'Cause trying not to love you

Only makes me love you more

Nickelback – Trying Not To Love You

/

"Welcome to Six Flags, Killian Jones."

With eyes wide open Killian looked around. What was this place? Should he be scared? Excited? He didn't know. Did they really have to drive 8 hours for this? Did they really have to drive in Emma's yellow vessel at all? He didn't get into it at first, because he didn't know what it would do, but when Emma convinced him it –she called it a car- couldn't do him any harm, he changed his mind and got in.

"I don't think I'm going to enjoy this day, am I, Swan?"

"Are you scared?" Emma asked, laughing at his reaction. Poor Killian.

"No, of course not. You see, I don't know how to feel. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"You bet I am! I'm gonna make sure you won't regret this, Killian. So, where do you wanna head first?"

Killian looked at Emma in confusion. Emma internally slapped herself. He had never been to a theme park, right.

"Sorry. I'd say, let's start easy. The big wheel. Or are you gonna tell me you are afraid of heights? If that's the case, yeah, then a theme park really isn't for you."

"No, I am not. What's a big wheel, exactly?"

"I'll show you." Emma said with a big smile on her face. She grabbed Killian's hand and pulled him with her. She saw he started blushing and thought it was cute. It felt perfect, her hand in his. Their hands fitted like they were meant to be held.

/

"I see why it's called the big wheel." Killian said, looking up.

"You ready to enter the attraction?" Emma asked, already pulling him with her to the short queue.

"Aye, just… is it truly safe?"

Emma rolled her eyes and smiled at her… well… friend. "Of course it is. If it wasn't, they wouldn't let us in, pirate."

Did she just call him a pirate? Why did she do that? She didn't really believe his pathetic story, did she? Of course not. That would be ridiculous. Actually, she shouldn't associate with him, she knew that. She was trying to find a reason that was good enough for her to walk away from him, but she couldn't. She liked him too much, if liking wasn't already loving. She was trying so hard to hate him that exactly the opposite happened.

"I believe you, love. But still, if something happens, it's your fault."

"Ah!" Emma shook her head with an offended expression on her face. "You're not serious, are you?"

Killian shrugged. He was. He was serious.

"You're actually serious?! That's fucking ridiculous! Nothing is going to happen Killian, and I can tell. I'm the one who has been here before, remember?"

"As long as you keep holding my hand I'm fine with everything."

Oh. She was still holding it. She looked at their hands. Her mind told her to let him go, but she couldn't. It just felt right. She looked back up and saw it was their turn to get in. "Here we go."

/

"Emma?"

Emma looked next to her. "Yeah?"

"This is great."

"Told you. You shouldn't have been so stubborn, cabin boy."

"Says the girl who refused to trust me."

"Like I do now."

"What?" Killian looked at her, totally flustered.

"How can I, after you told me that ridiculous story?"

"What story?"

"Don't be silly, Killian. The story about you being Captain Hook and that there's another world and stuff. You didn't actually think I believed that, did you?"

Killian closed his eyes. He was damn disappointed. He was stupid to think she bought it. "I-I did. I didn't lie, Swan. That's not who I am."

Emma sighed. Was he still trying to convince her the story was real? Hah. "If that's true, then tell me one thing." Emma looked him in the eye. "How did you get to me?"

Oh. He didn't see that one coming. "That…that's quite a long story." He saw Emma look mad at him, so he quickly continued. "…But I could tell it in short. I wasn't quite happy in my world, so someone came to me and told me about another world where I could go to-"

Emma interrupted Killian. "Let me guess. Here?"

"Aye. She told me there was a way to cross worlds, but I needed something before I could do that. I needed to find magic bean. And they aren't particularly easy to get."

"A magic bean? Seriously?" Emma laughed. How could she ever believe something like that?

"Aye. She… she lead me to an address-"

Emma interrupted again. "Wait. So you're saying she knew I would be at the restaurant? What kind of person is that?"

"I- Never mind. When I looked through the window of the restaurant I immediately saw you. No one had to tell me you were the one I was meant to find. I just knew it. Just when I wanted to go inside, a man – your bloody date – showed up and then stuff happened that you already know."

"And you expect me to believe this?"

"I do not expect anything from you. Just… look into my eyes and see for yourself, that I am indeed telling the truth."

"You know about my superpower?" Emma asked in surprise. Nobody knew about it but herself. This couldn't be.

"I didn't know, Swan. I could tell by the way you look at me. Like… like you're constantly judging me…"

Emma looked down. She felt bad. She didn't know it was so obvious, too.

"… I don't blame you for doing that though, love. Too much has happened to you and that's why it takes time – amounts of time – for you to trust someone. I can't change that. I wish I could, but, I can't."

Emma smiled slightly and laid her head on Killian's shoulder. It was like a sign. A sign that she tried to trust him, that she wanted to trust him, even though it was hard for her.

Then Killian laid his head on Emma's, as he was saying: I'm here for you, Emma Swan. You can lean on me, at least for as long as I'm still here. You're not alone.

/

"Where are you taking me, love? And why the hurry?"

"I'm taking you to something very excited. The hurry's because we've only got a few hours left, yet there's so much I want to do with you." Emma said, squeezing Killian's hand a bit –yes she was still holding it- and walked as fast as she could toward the fastest attraction of the whole park.

"Sounds pretty good, but could you be more specific about- Oh."

They had arrived at their destination: the roller coaster. Well, one of the many roller coasters, but Emma had chosen this one because of the speed it was going with. She needed a thrill ride. She looked at Killian, who was looking up at the attraction like it was the best yet scariest thing he'd ever seen.

"Well, c'mon!"

They made their way to the queue, which sadly but obviously way longer than the one at the big wheel.

"Why do parks like this exist? It's full of pointless stuff. I don't get it."

"It is for fun! There are so many things in life you need to take seriously and I think that's why they make stuff like this, to show the people there are still things in life that can be fun and exciting! Having fun is way more important than most people think. The moments you enjoy you remember the best, think about it."

"You've got a point there, I-" Killian got distracted by someone who was tugging on his leather jacket. "What?!" he said and turned around. There was a little kid looking at him. He jumped a little, but the boy didn't look away.

"Daddy?"

"Oh no, no I'm not your father, boy. Go away!" Killian said, shoving the little boy's hand off him. The boy pouted and tears started to appear in his eyes. He started crying. "No, don't... Don't cry. I… err…"

Emma shook her head. This wasn't going anywhere. She let go of Killian and knelt down in front of the little boy. "Hey there – Are you okay?"

The boy wiped his tears away with his hands and looked at Emma. He shook his head slowly.

"Have you lost your dad?"

The boy nodded and started crying again.

"Sssh… Just… Tell me your name and we'll help you find him."

The boy's face lit up, but just when he wanted to speak, Killian decided to say something.

"Are we? We are in a hurry, remember? Wasn't that what you were saying all the time, love?"

Emma looked over her shoulder and shot Killian a furious face. "You really don't know anything about kids, do you? We can't just leave him here like this. We're helping him."

Killian rolled his eyes and Emma turned back to the boy. "So, what's your name?"

"Josh."

Emma smiled and wiped away another bunch of Josh's tears. "We'll find him. Are you here just with your dad?"

"No, my mommy's here too."

"Really? So it's like a family trip, isn't it? That's fun." Emma had to swallow. She'd never experienced family trips when she was a kid and it hurt. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Killian. He knew what she was thinking.

"Well, let's go find them." Emma said, grabbing Josh's hand and stepping out of the queue. Killian followed them and Josh didn't seem to like it; his face twitched. "Hey, you can trust him He's with me. You can hold his hand too if you want."

Josh nodded and grabbed Killian's hand. Killian was surprised. Either because Emma said he could trust him and because the boy grabbed his hand while he hadn't been exactly nice to him. Killian smiled at Josh and he smiled back. "We will find them, lad. I promise."

/

After walking through the park for half an hour, they found the boy's parents. Emma noticed Killian hadn't found it quite comfortable holding Josh's hand, but perhaps he just wasn't used to kids. It wouldn't surprise her. But on the other hand, maybe he was just tense, because he didn't want to do anything wrong, because little Josh was already a bit scared of him. If she only could make sure he knew Killian was anything but scary…

"Thank you so much for bringing our boy back." The mother said with tears in her eyes and hugged Josh. "Where did you find him?"

"Well, we were-"

Emma interrupted Killian. Josh held his index finger to his lips. He didn't want his parents to know he was in line for the roller coaster, she guessed. Quite logical. If she had a son as little as Josh and she would find out he had gone to the roller coaster, she would lecture him with a long speech.

"We found him sitting on a bench and he looked kinda lost. When we asked what was wrong, he said he lost his parents."

Killian frowned at Emma. "It didn't go like that, Emma."

Oh shit, he didn't get it. "Yes Killian, it did." She looked at the parents. "Sorry about my… err… boyfriend… He's very forgetful lately…"

"Boyfriend? I-" Killian couldn't finish his sentence because Emma had put her hand on his mouth. He sounded surprised in a good way and she was dying to hear what he had to say about it, but she wasn't in conversation with him right now.

"I don't want to be rude, miss, sir, but we kind of need to go now."

The father came closer to Killian and her now, looking over his shoulder to see his relieved wife and happy son. Emma quickly removed her hand from Killian's lips. Do not ever wash that hand again – her mind said. That was just crazy.

"I am very thankful of what you've done. I wish I could give you anything in return… May I know your names?"

"Sure, I'm Emma Swan."

Killian seemed to hesitate, but when Emma jogged him in his chest with her elbow, he spoke. "My name is Killian Jones. You might know me better as Captain Hook, but that's-"

Emma had to interrupt him again. He was going too far. He was acting beyond annoying and immature and she couldn't take it anymore. "That's enough. We gotta go. And really, you don't owe us anything, sir. It was a pleasure to bring him back. Take care!"

She quickly took Killian's hand and pulled him with her as she walked away. She did look over her shoulder and waved one last time to the little Josh. He reminded her of her son, who she had given up for adoption ages ago. She still thought about it every day, wondering if she had really made the right decision.

"Swan! Swan, what are you doing?!"

"Pulling you with me, can't you see?"

Killian harshly pulled his hand back and stopped walking. "What just happened, love? I don't get it."

"That's the problem. You didn't get it. You ruined it." Emma said and continued walking again. Killian obviously followed.

"What?"

"Josh signed to us. He didn't want his parents to know where we found him. How couldn't you have seen that?"

Killian shrugged. "I have seen it, but how could I have known what he meant? Today is the first time I actually spoke with a child from this world, however, you Swan, seemed like some kind of child expert. Why's that?"

Emma stopped. She felt her heart break. She knew it now. She knew now she must have kept her son. Back then, she thought she couldn't do it, but because of this whole situation, she knew better. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at her feet. Suddenly she felt a hand on her back.

"Sorry if I have said anything wrong, Emma. I didn't mean to."

"I know. It's just…" She took a deep breath before she decided to tell him. "… I have a son, Killian. I gave birth to him when I was eighteen and I gave him away. I just gave him away, can you believe it?!"

Emma shook her head as tears kept streaming. Killian suddenly wrapped both his arms around her in a warm, strong embrace.

"And the father…" Killian slowly started, letting Emma go. "Does he know about the child?"

Emma nodded. "He does… but sadly, he's an asshole." Emma laughed a bit, which made Killian smile.

"Emma, you do realize you called me your boyfriend, don't you?"

Fucking Killian, always remembering these silly things. Emma rolled her eyes and wiped away her tears. "Yeah I do. Not that that's true, because you know, you're not my boyfriend and I'm not your girlfriend, but… maybe just for today we are. Anyway, can we go find a bathroom? I am almost peeing myself."

Well done, Emma, you can officially call yourself queen of changing subjects. You're such a dumbass. Killian was finally acting normal again and you just cut the conversation off like that. Bravo.

"As you wish." Killian said and took her hand.

/

A/N: Thank you so so much for reading! Let me know what you thought and I promise I'll be back asap! Much love xoxo