Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thanks again for all the wonderful feedback recently! The reviews spur me on to write more. Some violence in this chapter for those that might want to avoid.
"Emma, up for a drink tonight? Dave just texted that he and Mary Margaret were heading to the pub after work," Killian called from the office to Emma, who was putting the last of the fish away from the evening. Emma brushed the hair out of her face, and walked back to the office.
"Sure, can I go home and shower?" she asked, gesturing down to her clothes which were just a little bit covered in fish bits and slime.
Killian smiled and got up, sauntering over to her, "Of course, but just so you know, I have no problem with how you smell," he leaned up to kiss her when a voice came from the front.
"Excuse me? Anyone here?" Emma groaned at the customer's voice, and smiled apologetically to Killian, before slipping from his grasp.
"Hi there, um…Walsh right?" Emma remembered the gentleman from a few days prior, "Actually, um we've just closed."
"Darn it," the man shook his head, "I was really hoping for another piece of that salmon."
Emma quirked her eyebrow at him, "Oh, did you like it then?" Emma knew this guy was lying as he shook his head enthusiastically. "Absolutely," he grinned, "It would just make my night if I could get another piece."
Emma side eyed him as she went to the cooler, and unpacked a fillet for him, wrapping it up and taking it to the front. He handed her a twenty-dollar bill, and waved off the need for change.
"Just keep the change…it's the least I can do for your troubles Miss Swan," he commented, and stepped out the door. Emma took a step back as he left the store, and her stomach filled with dread. She watched the man walk to the nearest trashcan and throw the fillet in. He turned and looked back at her, winked, and walked away.
"Emma?" Killian asked from behind her, and Emma jumped, turning around in a defensive pose. "Hey, hey…whoa now... what's going on?"
Emma stood, shivering in place, wide eyed. "He knew my name," she mumbled, and Killian closed the space between them and wrapped her in his arms. "Shhh… what's going on? You know you have a name tag on."
"No, my last name," she muttered, before tearing from his arms and out the front door, Killian hot on her heels. She spun wildly in the streets looking for Walsh, but he seemed to have vanished into thin air. As she looked, her eye caught the trashcan he threw the fillet into, and she took quick strides over to it, flinging the lid off and frantically digging through the garbage.
"Emma, what the hell is going on?" Killian asked, completely thrown by her panic. She pulled out the salmon fillet from the trash. "He did throw it away. I knew I wasn't crazy!"
Emma let out a crazy laugh and shook her head, sliding down to the boards of the dock. "He found me," she whispered, and let out a sad little laugh, "I'm so stupid."
"Emma? Emma?" Killian knelt down in front of her, and she didn't respond. "Ok, that's it," he spoke firmly, and scooped her up in his arms, cradling her like a child. She clung to his chest, and rested her head on his chest and a few moments later, she was wrapped in a blanket sitting on a sofa. She stared at the wall, and heard Killian's voice on the phone from another room.
"I don't know Mary Margaret, she just flipped out and lost it. This guy just, just set her off. Can you get David to go by and lock the store? The last thing I need is anyone breaking in there. What do you mean be careful? She's not dangerous for Christ sake. What? What do you mean she was in some kind of trouble? Oh of course you don't know specifically what it is. I don't have a tone. Ok…Ok…I'm going to go talk to her. I don't know if she wants to come back to the loft tonight but if she does of course I will bring her. Alright…bye."
Killian was kneeling in front of her moments later, hand on her cheek. "Emma, love, you've got to talk to me… what's going on?"
Emma suddenly snapped out of it, "No, I've got to go. He's found me…I've got to go." She sprung from the couch and looked wildly around the room. "Where am I?" she asked, looking frantically for the door.
"My place," Killian said softly, rising from the floor and cautiously walking towards her, "and I don't think it's a great idea if you leave right now in your current state."
Emma let out a harsh laugh, "Oh this is almost my natural state by now." It was a bitter, almost manic laugh, and Killian jerked his head back at her voice.
"Emma, this is not your natural state. Please calm down… I won't let anything hurt you," he spoke softly, and finally catching her eyes with his gaze. Killian didn't break eye contact and walked towards her slowly, and when he was close enough, reached out and intertwined his fingers with her. Emma tensed and relaxed. His other hand came back around her, and stroked her hair, and he kissed his forehead. "I'm not going anywhere Emma. We will solve whatever the problem is together."
Killian felt Emma's whole body fall into wrecked sobs, and he lifted her once more and took her back to the couch, tucking her in next to him and holding her as the sobs tore from her chest. "I'm in trouble Killian," she whispered as the sobs subsided, and Killian stroked her hair and held her close. "Not anymore Emma. I will protect you. I promise."
Emma awoke hours later bleary eyed and tucked into a strange bed. Whispered voices were coming from the kitchen, and she could make out Mary Margaret, David and Killian's voices. She looked around the room. It was small, and had a very LL Bean meets nautical vibe coming from it. The sheets she was tucked into were plaid flannel, and framed prints of boats and the Maine shore decorated the wall. There were a few bowls of seashells scattered around the room, and wood paneling completed the cabin look.
Stretching, Emma let her bare feet hit the floor, and wavered slightly. The house was moving. Earthquake? No…this was Maine. Emma steadied herself, and looked out the window. She was on the water.
"Love?" Killian asked from the doorway, scratching nervously behind his ear, "How are you feeling?"
Emma sighed and changed the topic, "You live on a boat?"
"A houseboat aye," he answered, walking to her, and rubbing her shoulders as she gazed out the window, "but you're avoiding the question."
There was a long span of silence, and Emma sighed again, a nervous one, filled with an unsettled energy. "I'm scared," she said softly.
"Love, you don't need to be scared. No one is going to hurt you," Killian turned her to look her in the eye, reassurance thick in his voice.
"No, it's not that. I mean, that's a part of it, but what if I tell you what's happened, and you don't believe me. Or, after everything, you don't want to…I can't even say 'see me' anymore, because is that even what we are doing?"
Killian guided Emma over to the bed and sat her down, "Emma, all of us have ghosts in our past. Some of them are uglier than others. I will not judge you on them… that I can promise. And as far as what we are…we are Emma and Killian. And that will never change." Emma nodded her head, and he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.
"Now," he continued, "I brought Dave here, in a sheriff-ing capacity, and together, we are going to protect you from whatever is happening. Ok?" Emma looked nervous at the mention of a sheriff, but she nodded her head. Killian took her hand in his, and lead her back out to his living room, where Mary Margaret and David were talking in low voices in the small kitchen. When Killian and Emma emerged, Mary Margaret went straight to her and wrapped her in a hug. Emma did not let go of Killian's hand, but it felt good to have the support of a friend.
"Emma," David called to her as he walked to the living room, "Let's sit down and talk about what is going on, ok?"
"I guess I will start at the beginning," Emma spoke softly, and Killian squeezed her hand gently as she began.
"I had a rough childhood. Without going into too many details, I bounced from foster home to foster home, and grew up in the system. I ran away many times, but the one that stuck was when I was 15. I was in New York, and got into a little trouble. I had some sticky fingers, and a couple of run ins with the police. Nothing big… but little stuff like a bag of candy, or a shirt. I'm not proud of it, but after getting caught the first few times, I got a lot better. And started trying to steal some bigger things, like a car, except I happened to meet someone else who was trying to steal the same car. His name was Neal Cassidy." David and Killian locked eyes when she mentioned the thieving, but Emma's eyes were focused solely on her and Killian's intertwined hands.
"He was older, and had a real bad boy vibe to him, and I fell for him. I was young and dumb. We had a real Bonnie and Clyde thing going on, but it got old, and frankly, too risky. So I finally got a job as a waitress at a shitty diner, and Neal managed to get a job at a little pawn shop on the corner near our apartment, and we starting making an honest living. We had a few friends we'd meet at the bars, and it was a simply little life. I was happy. After being bumped from place to place, and being on my own, I had found a place, and I was happy. And we were like that for almost a year."
Emma took her free hand and rubbed her temples, and sighing heavily. "The next part… it's a little hazy to be honest. I remember I had a morning shift at the diner I worked at, and I got off early, and headed to meet Neal for lunch. He couldn't leave, and had to work a double, and I remember for some reason he was being a jerk about it. We had a bit of an argument in front of a customer, and he was upset about it, and told me to come in the back to finish the conversation. So we went in the backroom, where he immediately apologized. I remember thinking the whole interaction was a little out of character for him, but he insisted he was just tired. He said he promised to make it up to me, and if I was already on the way home, that he wanted me to take something back to the apartment for him. He told me it was a surprise for us for later, so I took the small case, and left. I look back on it, and I was so naïve, and didn't even question why he would give me something, but I took it and left. I probably made it three blocks before I was jumped. Someone grabbed me by my ponytail and drug me back into the ally. There were two of them… I think."
Silent tears started running down Emma's face at this point, and she started shaking. "I tried, I tried to fight them off, but they wouldn't stop. I remember hands around my neck, and I tried to cry out, but I couldn't, I couldn't breathe…" Killian sat with a clenched jaw, and Mary Margaret clapped her hand over her mouth as Emma continued. "They tossed me around like a ragdoll, and then one of them said to the other…I don't think I will ever forget it: "Neal said to kill her. Stop playing and get it over with." But someone, someone saw them I think, and called the police. I assume that's what happened. I remember feeling the blood run down my face, and gasping for air, and then I woke up in the hospital."
"Emma," Killian whispered softly, and squeezed her hand again, looking to David, who was all business with his face. "Emma, what happened after you woke up?" David asked.
"I woke up, and I heard, I heard the police talking about how I was a suspect in a robbery, and given my past history, how it was only a matter of time until I took on something like this," she explained, "but then, then I heard Neal's voice coming from the lobby. I heard him arguing about getting in to see me, and I panicked. I ripped the IV out, slipped past the police, and ran."
"How long has it been since this happened?" David asked again, and Emma furrowed her brow, thinking. "A year or so. I thought, I thought maybe I got away this time, but that man, that man knew who I was. He's here to find me."
"Ok, first things first, nothing is going to happen to you Emma. You are safe here in Storybrooke, and as far as I am concerned, innocent. Ok?" David was confident in his answer and Emma nodded. "Now, I am going to go back to the station and see what I can find out about this Walsh fellow, and see if there's anything on this case or Neal in the system. Until I know more, can you sit tight here at Killian's?" David asked.
"She can stay here as long as she likes," Killian answered, rubbing his thumb across her hand, and Emma nodded. "Yeah, I'll stay here," Emma agreed, and David got up from the chair and headed towards the door.
"David?" Emma called to him as he was walking out the door, and he turned to her, "Thank you." David nodded and exited Killian's house, and Mary Margaret made quick to stand up and leave Killian and Emma alone. "I'm just going to go into the kitchen and make some cocoa for everyone. Or coffee. Or maybe rum…I'll be over here," she babbled as she left the room.
"Emma," Killian whispered, and pulled her to him, resting his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes and slumped slightly, body too tense to relax all the way, and Killian ran his hand up and down her back. Nothing was going to harm Emma Swan anymore.
David sat at his computer at the Sherriff's station hours later when Killian walked in, and David quickly minimized his screen and smiled at him. "Hey bud, what can I do for you? I thought you would be with Emma."
Killian shook his head softly at David's chipper demeanor, "Mary Margaret is with her. You know why I'm here mate. What did you pull up?"
David sighed, "You're not going to like it."
"Do I look like I care if I like it?" Killian asked, and pulled over a chair, sitting down in it. David maximized the browser window he was reading moments later, and suddenly Emma's face was looking back at Killian. But this wasn't the face Killian knew now, or even the face he had seen when she first came into town. This face was bloody and bruised. A broken nose blended into two black eyes. A split lip and a deep gash in her cheek were peppered with drying blood, and there were very clear fingerprint sized bruises on her neck.
Killian said nothing, but his fingers had gone white from clenching his fists together. "These were taken at the hospital after they found her. The report said she was lucky to be alive, and then all the sudden, she was gone. Clearly, an A+ staff. Records indicate a N. Cassidy did try to visit her, claiming to be her brother, but he wasn't allowed in for visitation. Emma dropped off the radar shortly after."
"What about this Walsh guy?" Killian asked through gritted teeth. David shook his head, "Nothing. Nothing under a Walsh Gale at least. I'd need to have a photo or bring him in for questioning to get more information."
"That can be arranged," Killian muttered, and David turned to him, "Hey, settle down. I said Emma will be safe here, and she will be. I'm going to have someone patrolling down near your store, and if this guy shows back up, we will bring him in."
"And Cassidy?" Killian asked, again containing his anger. David shrugged, "Nothing by that name came up with any records or anything criminal, but there is a photo." A picture of a goateed face popped onto the screen, and Killian raised his eyebrows at the photo, and leaned towards the screen. "I'm going to make a call to some contacts in Portland and see if I can find out anything about this guy. I'm guessing we're going to find more on the two of them with some digging, and some facial recognition software. "
Killian ran his hand over his face, and sighed deeply. "I wasn't expecting that story," Killian admitted to David, "That's a lot. I'm worried about her."
David leaned back in his chair, "So, take her somewhere. Get her out of here for a few days. And not to Marco's…I know you love that guy, but lay low. Maybe take her out to Jewell. "
Killian looked up at David, and frowned, "I haven't been on a boat since…"
"You live on a boat Killian," David corrected, but Killian stared at him and frowned deeper.
"You know what I mean mate. I haven't since," he paused giving David a knowing look, before countering with, "I don't even have a boat to take us out there."
"Take mine," David offered, and got up to grab his keys off a hook, and slid a small one off a ring of dozens. "Just take good care of her. I love her."
"Not as much as that pick-up truck of yours," Killian teased him, but nervously tucked the key in his pocket.
David clapped Killian on the back, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "You can do it. It's not that far, and really, focus on getting her out of here, instead of worrying about the past."
Killian nodded and left the sheriffs station, heading back towards the small houseboat, docked not far from his shop. Emma and Mary Margaret were piled on the couch, watching a romantic comedy on his small TV.
"Hello Ladies," Killian smiled brightly at both of them, and Emma gave him a small smile from the couch. He wandered over, and stroked the back of Emma's head as he watched a few minutes of the film.
"This is horrid," he said with playful disgust in his voice. Mary Margaret beamed at him, "I know. It's just what we needed."
Killian frowned at the man's accent on the screen, "His accent is rubbish." Emma leaned her head back to stare up at him with a teasing smile on her face, "I don't know. I quite fancy it."
He leaned forward and whispered "liar" before kissing her.
"OK….well I'm off then," Mary Margaret announced, clearly uncomfortable at the close PDA. Emma blushed and Killian chuckled softly, "Sorry Miss B," Killian apologized, and gave her a friendly hug before helping her into her coat.
Mary Margaret shrugged, "I'm sure you've seen your fair share of David and me. Besides, I've seen this movie 100 times."
"Thanks for keeping me company today," Emma called from the couch. "Anytime!" Mary Margaret chirped happily, and let herself out.
"So," Killian started as he plopped on the couch next to Emma.
"So," Emma replied, raising a brow at him.
"Hanging in there Swan?" Killian asked, pulling her socked feet into his lap, and rubbing the knots out of the bottom gently.
Emma sighed at the unexpected foot massage, "I suppose so. Actually, I feel better having told someone. I've been holding onto it for a long time."
Killian kneaded his hands into her arch and she sighed again. "How would you feel about getting out of here for a few days?" Killian asked, and Emma raised her brow again.
"Where?" she asked, and he smiled softly.
"A place with no people, no problems, and no shifty gentleman that throw away perfectly good salmon," Killian replied.
"And I'd be going with you?"
"Swan, of course. How else would we get there? There needs to be a captain!"
Emma let out a laugh at this. "Oh, we're taking a boat there? Do I have to call you Captain now?"
Killian grinned at her and waggled his eyebrows, "Only if you so desire."