'So, we just sit and wait for a sign of this guy now?' Killian asks as Emma hands him a coffee cup. She nods and hums in agreement and he tilts his head to stretch his neck muscles.
'I understand why this isn't as fun as people think.' He laughs and Emma grins over at him in the dark from the driver's seat.
'Especially when most nights absolutely nothing happens so you waste hours staring at some house in the dark instead of sleeping.' Killian cradles the coffee, grateful for the caffeine Emma provided on her seemingly exhausting job.
'So how do you kill time?' He asks, looking at her even though she turns her head back to look out the window.
'Well usually I just think about a lot of things. I can't read or look at my phone in case I miss any movement from the target so I sort of get in this zone where I focus on wherever I'm stationed. I sometimes have the radio on so I don't go stir crazy sitting in a car for ten hours on some jobs.' Emma speaks quietly and he can see her already falling into her usual work atmosphere.
'So I'm here to alleviate some of the craziness?' He teases softly, earning him a warm smile as she turns to look at him.
'Well there is something about you I find comforting.' Emma replies, and he feels his stomach flip. It still surprises him whenever she says things like that despite the fact that they are dating and it's clear she's into him. He feels himself flush and he is grateful that it's dark out.
A comfortable silence falls over them and Killian stretches out his legs as best he can in her small yellow bug.
'This is a rather conspicuous car to be doing stakeouts in, Swan.' He notes, smiling when she scoffs and puts her coffee cup into the holder between their seats.
'Which is exactly why it's a good car to watch people from. Nobody thinks this little thing is suspicious but a Black Sedan parked outside their house would be.' She makes a good point and he shrugs, watching her as she opens the glove compartment and pulls out a bakery box.
'Want one?' She offers, and he looks over the selection of pastries with a grin.
'It amazes me that you're so fit when you eat like this.' He chuckles, selecting the doughnut with all the sprinkles before looking up at Emma. He can just make out the green in her eyes in the light from the street lamp, her eyelashes casting shadows on her cheeks as she blinks. He leans forward impulsively and kisses her, relishing her little muffled noise of surprise.
'What was that for?' She asks when he rests his forehead on hers.
'Nothing in particular, I just felt you kissing you.' He whispers and he feels her laugh against him.
'Well as much as I like your spontaneity, making out with my boyfriend is a pretty bad excuse to go back to work with if I miss anything.' Emma says humorously, and he bumps their noses together softly before sitting back in his seat.
'You mean you didn't ask me to join you so we could make out in your car like teenagers all night?' He asks seriously before taking a bite of his doughnut, licking his lips as the icing covers them already. Her hand cups his chin and she brushes off the rogue icing from the corner of his lips gently with an affectionate smile.
'Not quite Jones, sorry.' Her hand lingers on his cheek before she pulls it back to choose her own doughnut from the box. He watches her as she returns to her surveillance of the house, taking a bite from the doughnut every once in a while. Her movements are delicate, especially when she curls her hair behind her ears or covers her mouth when she yawns.
Killian feels like he's seeing a different side of her tonight. Despite the fact that she's actually working and her car isn't the most comfortable of places she seems more relaxed and unguarded than ever before.
'So was Milah the only person you've loved?' Emma asks quietly, and he feels the shift in the atmosphere. He supposes it was to be expected, her asking these sorts of questions when they're locked in a car alone together for a long time, and given his reaction to what happened he can't blame her for being curious.
'Yes. She was my first serious relationship and after her I tended to keep them more casual. Despite what happened it took me a long time to get over her and I didn't feel like offering up my heart just for someone else to crush it.' He takes a drink of coffee and steals a look over at Emma, relieved to see she is still looking out the window. She is silent for a long time and he wonders if she didn't like what he said but he notices her inhale deeply before she speaks.
'I thought I loved Walsh, but I think I had just missed being with someone that it wasn't really about him. It had been 9 years since Neal and when you're a single mom with no friends or family you end up feeling so alone that the guy hitting on you in a furniture store seems like viable option. I settled for him, I know that now.' Emma rests her forehead on the window and he sees her close her eyes for a moment. She seems tired and in more ways than one.
'Did you ever just want to give up?' He asks, and it sounds direr then he meant so he clears his throat and turns slightly towards her when she lifts her head to look at him.
'Sometimes I've wanted to just quit my job and live on my sofa eating Kraft mac and cheese.' He laughs, and he sees her smile weakly in the dimness of the car.
'Sure, I've thought like that too. I grew up a lot quicker than most kids and I wish I could go back to a time when I didn't have all these adult responsibilities sometimes. But then I look at Henry, and I know that quitting isn't an option because he needs me. I've never been needed before.' Killian hears the break in her voice and he takes her hand. She sniffs, trying desperately to hold in the tears he knows are brimming her eyes.
'I need you.' He tells her, almost in a whisper. Emma looks up to meet his eyes then and he wishes they weren't so far away from each other even in the small car.
'You do?' She asks, and his heart breaks at the disbelief in her eyes.
'Emma, before I met you I was a man in mourning, of my brother, of my old life, of my old self. You've changed me, a change I needed but would never have found on my own. You're a very important part of my life, I hope you know that.' Emma is silent but a stray tear rolls down her cheek and he wipes it away with his thumb.
'Come on lass, it's not that bad. It's not like I told you I was a serial killer.' She hiccups and laughs simultaneously and he kisses her forehead softly. She wipes her eyes and exhales before looking back out the window. He's being a terrible distraction from her job but he doesn't feel too guilty about it in all honesty.
'You're a very important part of my life too.' Emma says a moment later. She isn't looking at him but he smiles brightly anyway, settling down in his seat with a warmth in his chest.
'Okay, um, favorite colour?' Killian asks after finishing off the bag of Goldfish crackers (which she side-eyes but says nothing on the matter).
'Favorite colour, really? That's hardly an original question to ask, Killian.' She teases as she watches him open a new bottle of water (her eyes definitely do not lower to his biceps when they flex slightly, the muscles just visible past his t-shirt sleeve).
'Maybe not but it's an important one. What if I need to buy you a gift but don't know which colour you prefer? That's far more useful information than knowing the name of your first pet or something.' Emma was prepared to respond with something snarky but she is distracted by the way his licks his lips after taking a drink.
Killian notices her silence and turns to face her, making her bite her lip and look away before grinning.
'Okay then, blue.' It's not exactly the truth nor a lie. She's never really had a colour preference (she just knows she despises orange) but blue is the first thing that comes to mind and she doesn't disagree with herself. Killian nods and she takes a drink of her own water before taking her turn.
'If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you want with you?' Her question wasn't exactly original either but Killian was looking thoughtful as he contemplated his answer anyway.
'Well I would want a spile, so I could get fresh water from the sap of the trees.' Killian answers, and Emma rolls her eyes.
'Of course you give a practical answer. Most people just say a cell phone with unlimited battery or an iPod or something.' She says as she looks out the window at the house. She's almost certain there will be no movement tonight but she keeping checking every so often to alleviate her guilt of getting distracted (she was the one who invited Killian to join her after all).
'Okay well my second item would be a blanket, not for practically reasons but just because I can't sleep without at least one blanket.' Emma turns back to look at Killian at that and smiles.
'That's so adorable.' She teases, leaning forward to kiss his cheek when she notices his ears are turning red.
'What's your last thing then?'
'My last one is the easiest choice; you.' He's grinning wickedly and she knows he's very pleased with himself for surprising her in such a way. She rolls her eyes again but resting her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes when he tilts his head against hers.
'What's your favorite memory?' Killian asks quietly, and his voice is so soothing that she finds herself relaxing far too much for someone on duty.
'It was 6 years ago when I took Henry on an impulse getaway. I didn't have a lot of money at the time but gas prices were pretty low so I thought I would treat him to a trip to New York. We drove down from Boston, which really wasn't too long but Henry needed the toilet every half hour so we kept stopping.' Emma chuckles as she remembers being frustrated with her son at the time.
'We went to all the typical places, but my favorite was Central Park. We found this quiet little spot in the trees and we ate chocolate covered waffles from one of the street vendors. I sat on the bench with Henry and just took it all in. New York is busy and noisy and fast paced, but in that moment my life was the exact opposite. It was so peaceful and it was one of the few times in my life that I was simply content. I don't know if it's a favorite memory but I remember it well, which means I didn't try to push it to the back of my mind like everything else.' Emma feels herself drifting off to sleep and she sits up and blinks repeatedly, trying to keep herself awake.
'Lass you should sleep. I'll stay awake and keep an eye on the house.' Killian tells her, but she shakes her head.
'I can't ask you to do that. This is my job after all.'
'Well you're not asking because I'm offering. Besides, how vigilant are you going to be when you can barely keep your eyes open?' Killian is already reaching behind to get the blanket from the backseat and starts tucking it around her. She sighs and gives in to both him and her tiredness. He kisses her temple and she smiles before curling up against the door, resting her head just below the window and finally closing her eyes.
Emma has slept in this car plenty of times in her life before but it never felt like this. There was never someone else to kiss her goodnight and watch over her. She feels Killian's hand on her back, moving in circular motions that relaxes her and sends her quickly off to sleep, the warmth of his touch comforting her.
A/N: Okay spoiler alert but I'm currently still crying over how perfect the CS scene was in the new episode and it only confirmed my idea that they are a couple who say I love you in every way but those words.
(I'm also holding out for a scene on the Jolly Roger now that's it's back and if it doesn't happen on the show I will one-shot my need for snuggles on that tiny bed)
Anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for the follows, favorites and reviews :)