As tired as she was, Emma was amused to see how bright eyed Killian was in the early morning hours. He had woken her that morning with a rough undoing of her covers, tugging them off her in a single pull.
"Precious time is wasting, Princess!" he called cheerily, vanishing out the room and disappearing down the stairs. She wanted to be mad at him, she honestly did, but it was hard when beside her on the night stand was a fresh cup of coffee and a few pieces of toast. She chuckled to herself, picking up the mug and taking a waking sip.
"Ah, she wakes!" Killian grinned, sauntering in the room, his hair still damp from his shower and falling over his forehead in a fringe.
"How long have you been up?" she muttered over her cup.
"Hour, two at best. The sea calls, my love, and I woke with a burning need to answer." He pulled a t-shirt over his head and flopped down on the bed beside her.
"Pirate," Emma laughed lightly, adding an eye roll for good measure.
"Aye," Killian took the mug from her hand, setting it back on the end table and rolled over her, bracing himself with his arms, "but I'm your pirate." He drew her lips in, nipping slightly at her bottom lip until she allowed him to sweep his tongue in over hers. He tasted faintly of orange juice and she hummed contently into his mouth, allowing her fingers to play with the hem of his shirt.
"What happened to the brooding bedmate I had in my company last night?"
"I'm tired of focusing on the past, Emma." He lightly kissed her again, "I won't lie to you, this won't be easy for me at times, but I'm glad I'm going with you."
"Care to elaborate on that a little." Emma nudged him with her nose, attempting to draw him out a little bit more.
"All in good time, lass, all in good time."
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The Jolly Roger knew she was in for a grand adventure the minute her Captain stepped on board. The wind picked up around them, sending the standing seagulls on the sails flying away in a flurry and the ropes fell at his hands, as if they were begging for attention.
Killian chuckled. "It appears I'm not the only one that's missed the open water."
Emma helped him hoist the sails and with each one an invisible wind would billow them to their fullest with a loud pop. They secured the lines, casting grins at each other from across the deck. They had been on a few short trips out of the harbor, but not far, she had yet to see him in his element, and if prepping the ship was bringing back this much life into him she couldn't wait to get him back out on the ocean.
"We'll go out a ways, far enough so where nobody will take notice before we use the bean to form a portal. Shortly past mid-day, we should be looking on the shores of the Neverbeach."
"We ready to set sail, then, Captain Jones?"
"Aye, lass. Prepare to weigh anchor, Swan, and set your sights on the second to the right!"
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They had been sailing for a few hours, Emma spending most of her time at the bow with the wind in her hair and Killian at the helm. He'd call on her to adjust a few things here and there, but the ship took care of most of his bidding. She knew what her Captain needed, often before he asked of it.
Emma heard his footsteps behind her, followed shortly by the clearing of his throat and a smirk wormed its way onto her face.
"Resting on the job, Swan? I don't take kindly to freeloaders on my ship, let alone as part of my crew," he drawled.
"Oh, my dear Captain, whatever are you going to do-" she turned to see him standing closer than she expected, dressed to the hilt in his old pirate garb. The pants, the jacket, sword at his side swallowed by a thick belt around his middle and topped off with a red velvet vest. Red, not black. "-with me?" Emma's last words came out in a hushed breath, her eyes scanning his form with leisure. He looked well enough in his modern day clothes, but she couldn't argue that the man was a pirate for a reason. Her hand came up and stroked the plush fabric of his vest, tracing the deep V that mirrored the black shirt beneath.
"I've never seen you in anything but black," she murmured, her eyes flicking up to meet his.
Killian's hands found solace on her waist and he pressed their bodies together, causing a light sway between them. "That's not true, love, just yesterday I was wearing blue."
Emma chuckled, "You know what I mean."
The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile, the tiniest bit of teeth showing in his grin. "Aye, that I do." Killian stole a slow kiss, his fingers stroking her cheek as his lips melded with hers.
"I was a man in mourning, Emma. Lost in a dark place, wandering, searching for a relief that I thought could only come through form of revenge. I was broken for so long. But then you found me and I saw so much of myself in you and for the first time in a long time I wanted to forgo the moniker and just be Killian Jones once more." He nuzzled his cheek against hers and held her close. Her arms went around his back and she pressed her ear to his chest, the steady beating of his heart reverberating around her.
I'm sorry I didn't trust you sooner," Emma whispered, snuggling in deeper and inhaling in the refreshing scent of leather, rum and sea. The pure essence of Killian.
"No you're not, lass." She felt his chuckle bounce around her. "And neither am I. If you had I'm sure things would have turned out much differently. I'm quite sure we wouldn't have ended up where we are now, and I wouldn't give us up for anything. "
Killian's lips brushed her hair and he shifted her to his side, tucking her under a single arm and wiggling a hand into his pocket.
"I suggest you hold on tight now, love." He tossed the bean into the water with a flick of his wrist and a whirlpool opened up in front of them, a swirling vortex of sparkling blue sea water tinted with shades of green.
"Killian…" Emma's grip tightened around his waist and her eyes grew wide as she eyed the swirling water they were approaching.
Killian eyed the portal with determination, eyebrow arched and a full toothed grin plastered on his face.
"There's bumpy seas ahead."
Killian grasped her hand and pulled her behind him as he raced up the steps to the helm, bracing her between his arms while he took hold the wheel and gave it a hearty spin before holding its position.
"You can either wait in the cabin or stay here with me, darling, but make your decision with haste," he leaned over her shoulder and called into her ear over the roar of the sea. He had noted the worry in her eyes and thought perhaps if she didn't have to watch the ship go down a seemingly endless pit it might make her feel better, if only slightly.
Emma shuffled and managed to turn herself around, her fingers curling around the now dampened edges of his coat to keep her balance as she peered up at him.
"I'm not leaving you," she replied with a stubborn shake of her head.
Killian nodded and refocused his attention on the portal in front of them, the ship giving a slight jolt when they neared the edge and Emma's grip went from his coat to around his waist, burying her head into his chest.
The Jolly Roger dipped into the whirlpool and began its decent, a few of the nearby ropes in the rigging untwined and snapped and sails now flapped freely above them, yet Killian held his steadfast position at the wheel. Crashing waves washed over the deck and flowed off the other side, thunder sounded all around them; it's accompanying lightening lighting up the pool from the inside of its walls, leaving the sky above them clear as a bright spring day. The water whipped around them, stinging their faces like sharp needles as they twirled down and around towards god only knows what. She glanced up at his face, his dark hair wet and windblown with a slightly manic wide smile firmly set in. Emma squeezed her eyes shut and held on to her Captain's middle as if her were her own personal life raft. At this point, it was exactly what he was.
It was over in an instant, as if they popped out of a bubble and were floating on air, everything quiet and calm except for a warm kiss of a summers breeze. She felt Killian release the wheel and his hands settled around her shoulders, dropping a kiss to the top of her damp tendrils with a warm breath.
"Emma, sweetheart, open your eyes." He gently turned her, his hands untangling her arms from his waist and intertwining their fingers as he led her to the edge of the ships railing.
Emma swallowed the nervous lump in her throat, slowly letting her eyes adjust to the light around her. She gasped and all but threw herself back against him gripping his arm with all her might. Turns out they were floating on air after all. She tightened her grip around his hand and let one hand rest on the rail as she peered over the side. Cerulean blue waters for as far as they eye could see below them, littered with lush green islands and swaying trees. Cliffs mingled along the sides of beaches in a deadly beauty and they simply sailed right over them.
"She can fly?" Emma uttered in a hushed whisper.
Killian's face staggered as if he had just taken a harsh insult. He took a step backward and spread his arms wide. "Of course she can bloody well fly!"
Emma raced down to the main deck and up to the bow, stepping up on a crate to get herself on top of the rail. She tangled her legs in the nearby rigging and leaned over the ledge, one hand holding on to the ropes and one hand gliding through the air.
"Gods, Emma!" Killian scolded, jumping down the steps to the deck to pull her on board, but he stopped when she swung herself back over and saw the look on her face. A smile to end all smiles and it about stopped his heart from beating in his chest. He knew this would happen. That she would get swept away by the wonder as soon as she set eyes on it, just as he had. That she would quickly forget all her troubles and just live in the moment. It shouldn't have made him as happy as it did, but he selfishly relished a small bit in that moment.
She ran to him, jumping into his arms and locking her hands behind his neck. He caught her with little to no effort and lightly twirled her, securing his arms under her bottom while she wrapped her legs around his waist.
"We're flying," she grinned pressing her forehead to his.
"Aye."
"In Neverland."
"Aye."
She let out an exasperated laugh and cradled his face in her hands, drawing his lips to hers. She smiled against his mouth laughing when they parted and claimed him again and again between small giggles. "Are you the Peter to my Wendy, Killian?" she whispered with a smile, nipping his bottom lip before kissing the love bite away. His face darkened, a frown playing on his lips and he gently lowered her to the floor boards.
Killian brushed a curl from her face, his eyes tinted with despair. "No, love. I wouldn't have been able to let you leave." His lip quirked up in a sad half smile before he gently pressed a kiss to her temple and tucked her under his chin. "Why are we here, Emma?" He asked after a few quiet moments, wanting to make sure she hadn't been completely lost to the tricks of the land.
"Pixie dust." She pulled back, confusion wrinkling on her brow. "You know that."
"I told you, love, you forget yourself here." He sighed and ran the back of his hand down her cheek. "Remind yourself as often as possible. Do. Not. Forget."
"You were here for centuries, Killian, you still knew what you were after," she challenged.
"Aye, I was also fueled by hate, you, darling, are the epitome of true love. This place will eat you alive if you let it."
Emma cocked her head to the side and laid her hands on the lapels of his coat, tugging down slightly. "Impossible for me to forget, when the thing I'm here fighting for is right by my side."
His hands came up and encircled her wrists and he dipped his head down and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. If it were only that easy; once Neverland had its claws in your back she didn't let go easily. He knew that better than most and yet he loved it so. It could be a wondrous place if you had arrived there with no plans, just fun and fancy free living, lost in the days of youth. But now he would have to watch her struggle to retain what mattered most to her while the ghost of his past watched on with sinister intentions.
"Come, love." He lowered her hands and steered them towards his quarters, "We'll be landing soon, we should get you into some proper attire."
Killian Jones had returned home, his lass by his side and a warmth in his heart. He only hoped he wouldn't regret it.
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A/N: Questions, comments, concerns? Reviews? I like those last ones the best ;) Just a heads up...We will be making a ratings jump with Ch 11. Blame Killian.