Chapter 10

She woke up slowly, blinking her eyes open to take a look at the alarm clock, and two thoughts jumped simultaneously into her brain … she was not at her apartment, and she was late for work.

"Shit!"

She almost crashed face first into the floor when her legs tangled with the sheet and she fell out of the bed, getting her hands under her body just in time to break her fall.

Pushing herself off the floor, she stumbled to the heap of clothes that looked like they were hers, her hands already reaching for her pants as the last remnants of the haze left her brain, and she remembered the events of the last night.

The crime scene, her drive through the city, coming to Killian's apartment, crying in his arms until she had no tears left.

She couldn't remember him carrying her to the bed. She must have fallen asleep in his arms at some point. But she remembered the three times he had woken her up when she had been writhing in agony, hunted by the pictures of the mangled bodies, pulling her into his arms every time and giving her the comfort she needed.

Taking in a deep breath, she shoved her legs into her pants, leaving his shirt on, and walked slowly towards the door. She needed to thank him for being there for her yesterday. Liam would understand if she was late. She would talk to him in a few minutes. After she had talked to Killian.

He was standing in front of the oven with a spatula in his hands, wearing only low-hanging sweat pants, and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she remembered the first time she had seen him making breakfast for her. After their first night together.

"Good morning," Emma said softly, her voice still hoarse from sleep, and the smile he shot her as he turned around made a warm and fuzzy feeling settled deep in her stomach.

"Good morning," he replied, wandering over to her and pressing a peck on her lips before returning to the oven. "I've already talked to Liam. You have the day off."

"Thank you." She slipped onto a chair and propped her head onto her folded hands, watching him.

She had tried for weeks to shove down the feelings she had for him. To just ignore that she was in love with him, and that sleeping with him didn't change her feelings for him. She had been rather successful.

Until yesterday.

Until she had driven to the one person she had needed the most in her distressed state. The one person who could give her comfort.

She had fooled herself long enough. She needed to tell him that this, what they had, wasn't enough anymore. That she wanted more. That she wanted to have a normal relationship with him. That she wanted David to know.

She let her hands drop down to the table, averting her gaze down too, worrying her lips as she tried to find the right opening to approach the subject.

A cup of coffee suddenly appeared in her line of vision, followed by a plate with scrambled eggs, and she looked up at him, her heart stuttering in her chest as his mouth curled up into a slow smile.

"I called David too," he told her nonchalantly as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "He knows you are here. He had been worried."

Her mouth fell open, and she could only stare at him for a few seconds before she croaked out, "David knows?"

"Yes. Like I said. I called him about an hour ago."

"But … how … now he knows … we ..." she stammered, not able to form one coherent sentence.

"Yes. Now he knows that we are seeing each other," Killian replied. "He didn't sound surprised at all."

Her mind was still reeling with the fact that her brother knew now, and it took her a few moments until she realized what Killian had just said.

"Seeing each other?" Her voice was thick with incredulity. She couldn't believe he really told David, and making it sound as if it wasn't a big deal at all. "You told him we are dating?"

"Yes, I did."

He was eating his eggs as if he hadn't just dropped a bomb on her, and she just stared at him until he looked up at her again before she spoke, "I thought you didn't want that."

His hand reached for hers, and he wrapped his fingers around hers, his voice turning soft as he said, "I thought that too. But being with you … I care about you, Emma. A lot. I like having you around." It wasn't some romantic love declaration, but she still felt her heart jumping in her chest, the look in his eyes melting her insides, his voice sending goose bumps down her spine as he added, "I've never been in a real relationship before, but I wanna try. I want to give this a shot. So I told David." He was looking at her intently, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand. His head tilted to the side, his gaze suddenly getting worried when he said, "I hope that was okay."

"Yes," she breathed, tightened her grip around his fingers. "That's okay."

"How about you are eating your eggs, and then I'll drive you home?"

He let go of her hand and pointed to her plate, but she could definitely not eat breakfast now.

"I don't want eggs right now." She pushed herself away from the table, and stood up, walking slowly around the table.

"So what do you want then?"

He was cocking an eyebrow at her again, this bastard. And his mouth tilted up into a lopsided smirk. He knew exactly what she wanted.

"You," she whispered, and grabbing his hand she pulled him up from the chair, and dragged him towards the bedroom.

-/-

He brought her home hours later, the sun was already setting as they stepped over the threshold and found David standing in the door to the kitchen with his arms folded over his chest, and a serious expression on his face.

"I want to talk to Killian alone," David said firmly.

"But ..."

"It's fine, Emma," Killian said, pulling her into his embrace, and pressing his lips on her forehead for a second. "I'll come and say goodbye in a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay."

Killian heard David retreat into the kitchen behind him, but he stayed until Emma disappeared behind the door of her room before he turned around. Taking in a deep breath, he walked into the kitchen to face his best friend. He straightened his shoulders, forcing himself to keep his arms down, his fingers balling into fists as he waited for David to say something, or throw a punch.

But he did neither of those things. He did something completely unexpected. He chuckled.

"You should see yourself right now, Killian. What did you expect? That I would punch you?"

His shoulders relaxed and he shot David a lopsided grin, shrugging his shoulders. "Something like that. Though it was fifty-fifty between you yelling at me and throwing a punch."

"How long do we know each other now, Killian?"

"About twenty years. Give or take."

"Exactly," David said. "And I've never seen you like this before when it comes to a woman."

"What do you mean?"

"Did you two think I am completely blind?" David huffed and rolled his eyes. "If you wanted me not to know what was going on, you shouldn't have been in the same room together. Though you two didn't even have to be in the same room for me to know. You did flee our poker game as if your pants were on fire after all."

"You knew it was Emma all along?" Killian asked surprised. He had really believed they had been good at hiding it from almost everyone.

"I already suspected something when you climbed out of the window," David told him. "That was very soap opera, by the way."

"So you are okay with this?" Killian questioned. "With me and Emma being together?"

"Even if I wouldn't be … Emma is old enough to make her own decisions," David said, "But I know she has already wrapped you around her little finger. You are so screwed, Jones."

"As if you are any better," Killian shot back. "You would do anything for your woman."

"Of course. I love her. With all my heart," David's mouth curled up into a dreamy smile as he continued, "I would do anything for her, like she would do anything for me."

"You are very lucky, mate."

"Yes, I am."

Killian shifted from foot to foot, the course of the conversation turning too emotional for his taste, and he pointed towards Emma's room and said, "I am just gonna go say goodbye now."

"Killian, wait a second." David's concerned voice stopped him on his way out of the room, and he turned around. "How is she?"

"It had been tough yesterday. But I think she'll be okay. Just give her a little time to deal with it."

He almost stumbled backwards as David suddenly hugged him and clapped his hand on his back. "Thank you for being there for her, Killian."

"Of course," Killian replied, clapping his own hand on David's shoulder before stepping back. "I do care for her."

"I know." David grinned, waving his hand towards the door. "Now go and say goodbye."

When Killian reached her room he knocked softly, walking in after he heard her soft 'come in'. She was lying already in bed, her eyes meeting his as he walked over to her and sat down on the bed.

Lifting one hand, he skimmed his fingers over her cheek, her head tilting into his touch. "Everything alright?"

"Yep, we have his blessing."

"Good," she replied, smiling softly. "I told you so."

"Yes, you did."

He wanted to stay, he wanted to slip into the bed with her and pull her into his arms. But he wasn't sure she wanted him to stay, so he said nothing.

"Can you ..." Her voice wobbled a little bit, her fingers curling around the sheet, a soft pink raising up into her cheeks as she fidgeted, avoiding his gaze. "Can you stay?"

She looked so vulnerable right now, and his heart squeezed in his chest as she looked up at him again, her eyes begging him silently to not leave her alone. She had no idea how much he wanted to stay.

"Of course," he replied softly, slipping out of his shoes and lying down beside her.

She lifted her blanket and waited for him to scoot closer, a soft sigh slipping over her lips as she laid her head on his shoulder and relaxed against him.

"Thank you," she whispered, her lips ghosting over his skin as she pressed herself even closer against his body.

He couldn't say anything, the words stuck in his throat. He only tightened his arm around her, and brushed his lips over her forehead.

David had been right. He was so screwed.


I honestly don't know what to say. The amount of reviews I got for the last chapter still leaves me floored. You have no idea how often I looked at the number and thought that must be a figment of my imagination, because that number can't be right. :-)