Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time
AN: I continued to be overwhelmed by the positive response to "Chasing the Sun," thank you guys so much! I hope this lives up to everyone's expectations! I'm really nervous about it to be honest. Thank all y'all! - XOXO MAS
XIV
Storybrooke, Maine
Robert Gold's son was Henry's father. Henry's father was Baelfire Gold. Henry was related to Gold.
Killian wasn't quite sure what he was expecting Emma to say. That Baelfire was an ex-boyfriend, maybe. That he'd been abusive, highly likely since he was related to Gold. That he cheated on her, possibly. That he was the man she was running from, with her reaction after seeing him maybe not that, but still a possibility. That he was Henry's father? He didn't see that coming.
Killian cleared his throat and laced his hands with hers, squeezing gently, grateful that she seemed so in her head that she didn't pull away from him, "I take it he doesn't know."
Emma bit her lip, "I need to get to the school." She stood abruptly, nearly knocking him backwards, "I have to get Henry out of there before Gold tells Neal, or whatever his name today is, and he goes searching for him. If he's anything like the man who," she shuddered, "he may take him. I can't let him near my son." She flew over to her desk and fumbled with the lock to get her purse.
Killian's hand came over hers, "Let me drive you, love." At her look he said, "You're shaking, you can't drive right now. Besides if he does show up, you'll have back up. At the very least I can make up a charge and arrest him so you two can get out of there."
Emma bit her lip, "Thank you, but we can't leave the station unmanned."
"I'll call Graham and have him and David come in. I'll just tell him you had an emergency and I drove you. No details. I promise." Emma just nodded and let him lead her to the squad car.
She chewed her lip silently on the drive to the elementary school. They didn't see Neal (or Baelfire, Emma really had no idea what to call him at this point other than "fucking asshole who let her go to jail pregnant") hanging around as they made their way to Neal's classroom.
"Swan," Killian tapped her elbow slightly, "I'm going to check him out and call Graham. I'll meet you at the classroom, just holler if something happens. Okay?" He raised a hand and gently stroked her cheek, "I'll be right back, love."
Emma nodded, instinctively leaning into his touch. Even in her haze of fear she registered she was more and more comfortable with Killian, "Thanks." She stepped back and pushed open the door to Henry's classroom. She interrupted Mary Margaret reading a book on birds, "I'm sorry," she moved up to Mary Margaret and dropped her voice, "I need to take Henry home."
Mary Margaret frowned as she took in Emma's pale and strained face, her voice wavering uncertainly, "Is everything okay? Did something happen? Can I help?"
Emma whispered, "Killian is checking him out." She avoided the question.
The little pixie like woman's eyes widened at Emma's admission that someone was here helping her. "Of course, Emma." Mary Margaret nodded just as Killian appeared in the doorway, confirming Emma's words.
He watched as she knelt down next to her son, whispering something in his ear, her hand gently raking through his hair as she tried to keep her emotions in check.
"Killian, what happened?" Mary Margaret asked.
"None of your concern, lass." Killian replied. He held his hand out, "I'll take the lad's backpack."
"Thank you, Killian." She handed it to him and wrapped her arms around Henry as she led them out of the classroom.
"Mom, what's going on?" Henry asked as he took her hand, "Why is Killian here?"
"We're going home. Now." Emma replied tersely.
Henry tugged on her hand and stopped them. "Momma," Henry took a shaky breath, "is he here?"
Killian paused and looked at Swan questioningly. Emma dropped to her knees, "Henry, he will never find us here. I promise." Her voice wavered uncertainly as she spoke the words of comfort to her son.
Killian wondered how many men there were who had hurt her. He wondered how many times she had been beaten down and broken by others. He knew that it undoubtedly happened when she was in the foster system, but since then, it seemed like a normal occurrence with her inability to really let anyone in. He recalled Regina complaining that she still didn't really know anything about Emma. He supposed the mayor was right, everything they really knew about her came from the background check Graham performed, Swan didn't really share. Still, it made his heart swell to know that despite apparently having multiple sodding bastards in her past, she was still this incredible woman and mother. She was so brave and strong, something he admired. As beaten down and broken as he was, he never felt as resilient as she appeared to be.
"I just, I don't want him to hurt you again." Henry murmured, his eyes darting from his mother to Killian, who was trying to give them privacy.
Emma took his hands in hers, "He will never touch me again. And he's never going to get near you again. I promise. Okay, that's not what's going on, we just need to get home now."
"Swan?" Killian interrupted them, "We should go, just in case."
Emma straightened, "Let's go." She took Henry's hand and led him to the patrol car and settled him in the backseat with his backpack so he could grab his latest fairytale book and settle in.
"It's going to be okay, Swan." Killian whispered as they started towards her loft.
"I hope so." Emma lapsed into silence for the remainder of the ride, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as Killian watched her out of the corner of his eye.
When they pulled up outside of the loft a few minutes later, Killian muttered, "Bloody hell." He pointed ahead.
"We can't, he can't." Emma glanced back at Henry, who was still diligently reading his book in the back.
"There's an entrance around back." Killian kept driving around the corner before parking the car. "We'll get you guys packed up and then I'm taking you back to my apartment. I don't rent from Gold. I rent a place Jefferson owns." He told her. Emma hesitated as they got out of the squad car, her hand firmly gripping Henry's, "It's not up for discussion, Swan. At least until we get you out of here. You don't have to stay with me permanently, you just can't stay here."
Emma nodded, "Okay, let's get in and out quickly." She led them up the steps and into their loft, "Henry, stay here with Killian, I'm going to pack up some stuff for us." She pressed a kiss to his head and flew into her room, emerging a few minutes later with their big suitcase before going into Henry's room.
Just as she came out a knock at the door sounded, "Emma?"
"Damn." Emma murmured. Henry went to speak, but she clamped her hand over his mouth and whispered, "Be quiet, no noises, kid."
He looked up at her, the fear in his eyes unsettling her, and nodded. Killian motioned towards the window, "Fire escape." He mouthed.
Emma led Henry over and hesitated, "This seems like a bad idea, Killian."
"Look, I'll take the suitcase down and then get Henry and then you." He murmured quietly.
"You're sure you can handle Henry?" She asked quietly. At his nod she said, "Take him, I've got the bag." Emma kneeled down in front of Henry, "Kid," he looked up at her, "Killian is going to help you out the window. Just do what he says and hang on tight. Okay?"
"Okay, Momma." Henry hugged her and she placed a kiss on his temple. When she stepped back she was once again left reveling in the utter trust her baby boy put in her, even as she led him through another precarious situation. He held his hands out for Killian, who opened the window and stepped outside before pulling Henry out and helping Emma with the suitcase.
OUAT
Portland, Maine
"So you checked, Pinocchio, in?" Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson drawled out as she leaned against the check in window.
"Yeah, but this ain't the Ritz, lady." The worker snapped.
Johnson raised her eyebrows, "You don't say?" She sighed, "Look, I've got a sketch artist here, I want you to describe him to her. Okay?"
"Whatever." The man shrugged, motioning for the sketch artist to come over.
Johnson put her sunglasses back on and moved out to find Gabriel and Jensen, "He's cooperating. For now." She sighed, "Look, I trust this is important, but I'm going to have to pull Provenza." She tucked her hair behind her ears, "He can give Pope the run around for awhile."
"Who's Pope?" Corey asked.
"He's the Chief." Gabriel rolled his eyes, "He just wants to meddle. Provenza will keep him occupied for a little bit until her gets off his 'being one of the men' kick."
"Thank you." Corey looked at both of them carefully, "I just, I may not be that close to Emma, but I know West and he'll kill her if he gets his hands on her. I want to make sure she's safe."
"You're risking your career for her. I'd assume you wouldn't do that if something wasn't right." Johnson patted his arm, "I'll see you two back at the station and we'll run him through our system. Maybe look into a couple of surrounding states. You said she's from Boston? Maybe we'll find someone who can keep his mouth shut down there and run him through Massachusetts."
OUAT
Storybrooke, Maine
"You looked like you could use it." Killian held out a glass tumbler with an amber liquid in it. "The lad okay?"
Emma quietly closed the guest bedroom door to Killian's two bedroom apartment. "Yeah, he's confused. He wants to know who we're running from, but I haven't, I just" She sighed and took the glass, moving out onto the balcony, "This is an amazing view." She murmured, taking a sip of the very expensive tasting rum.
Killian moved to stand next to her, leaving the balcony doors open so they could hear Henry if he woke up. He pointed out ahead of them, "Maybe this summer, if you and the lad are here, I can take you out on the Jolly to that lighthouse. It's one of my favorite spots."
Emma leaned her head against his shoulder and gazed out at the ocean below them, "That sounds so nice and normal." She murmured. "I don't know if we'll still be here though. If he is here, I'm not sure we should be."
Killian turned his head slightly and placed a kiss on the top of her head, "How did you meet him?" He asked quietly, "And," he paused, "who was Henry worried about finding you?"
Emma stepped back and regarded him carefully, "I just, no one can know." She murmured.
Killian took her hand and led her over to two of the deck chairs, "No matter what it is, Swan, I won't tell anyone. I can keep your secret."
Emma took a shaky sip of the rum before setting the tumbler on the table between them, "If I tell you any of this and anyone finds out and anything gets to Gold or Neal or," she shook her head and closed her eyes, a tear slipping down, "he'll kill me."
"Who will kill you?" Killian asked leaning forward and grabbing her hand.
"My husband." Emma answered in a voice far more confident than she felt.
Killian stared at her again, "Your," he paused, "you're married? Your husband? But you file"
Emma picked up her rum and drained the rest of the glass, "My file is a lie." Killian dropped her hand and leaned back. "My name isn't Emma Swan. It's Emma West. We're Henry and Emma West. And my maiden name was Carter."
"Why? How?"
"August." Emma answered, "He got us new identities so Walsh couldn't find us. He"
Killian leaned forward and rested a hand on her knee, "He beat you, didn't he?" Emma bit her lip and nodded, "Did he ever" his eyes floated through the door.
"No," Emma shook her head, "he never laid a hand on Henry."
"Why do you think he'll find you?"
"He's," Emma snorted, "he's an oil tycoon in Dallas, Texas. He owns the police department. I took a fairly elaborate and extensive route to Portland where I met August and then bought a ticket back to Boston, hoping they'd lose me in the Portland bus depot." She bit her lip, "If he finds me"
Grabbing her hand he whispered, "I won't let him hurt you or Henry if he finds you. And I promise not to tell anyone about you or Henry."
Emma squeezed his hand back and took a shaky breath, "Thank you." She glanced at her glass, "I'll need more rum to explain Neal to you." She admitted.
Killian drained his own glass and walked back in, emerging with the bottle, pouring them both fresh glasses, he watched as she drained hers before pouring another and taking a sip, "You'll never look at me the same after this and," she paused, "I know I've been a little" she hesitated, "guarded, but I like the way that you look at me." She admitted. "I want to spend time with you. I want Henry to spend time with you. He really likes you, but after you hear this" she shook her head.
"Hey," Killian lightly gripped her chin and drew her eyes to his, "I promise you, that things I've done must be worse than what you've done. Whatever it is, I'm sure that I won't see you any differently. If anything, I'm finding your resilience and strength makes you even more attractive."
Emma flushed and looked into her glass, forcing him to drop her chin, "I grew up in foster care. When I was sixteen, I was pulled from the home August was in. I was apparently too difficult. The next home I was in was really bad. The foster father," Emma shuddered, "anyhow, I ran away. I met Neal when I was in Oregon. I stole a car and he was sleeping in the backseat. Apparently he'd already stolen it." She chanced a glance at him, "I was a thief." She admitted and he didn't flinch, just squeezed her hand lightly, "A heist he'd committed in Phoenix caught up with him. We came up with a plan for me to fence the watches he'd stolen so we'd have enough money to eventually run to Canada, but he, um," she took a sip of her rum, "he set me up. I went to jail for eleven months. When I was in I found out I was pregnant with Henry."
"August told me he was there when"
"He pulled a lot of strings. I don't even know how he gets a lot of the shit he gets done, but I'll owe him for the rest of my life for everything he's done for me." Emma admitted. "And I still had time to serve after Henry was born. He stayed with August. I couldn't have done any of it without him. We stayed in Boston with August for a few months until I really got on my feet. August was in the bail bonds business and I was good at it. I met Walsh three and half years ago in Boston. I was chasing a guy and he ran into a five star restaurant. I caught him and pinned him to Walsh's table. He asked me out that night and I said no. He kept after me for two weeks. I finally caved. I married him six months later and we moved to Dallas. I shouldn't have. August didn't like him or Neal. I should know to listen to him by now." She let out a sob. "I've done so much wrong and I've just pulled Henry through it. I've probably ruined my own kid." She cried, her head dropping to her hands as she curled up into herself, her body shaking.
Taking her glass and placing it on the table, Killian pulled her into his lap, "Emma," he whispered, one hand raking through her hair, the other stroking her back, "you haven't ruined your boy. He worships you. He adores you. He talks about you all of the time. He's proud of you. And he's smart and happy." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "And Neal has no claim to the boy. I'll make sure he stays away from both of you. And your husband won't find you." He hesitated, "You two can stay here, as long as you'd like, if you feel safer."
Emma pulled back and looked at him, "Thank you, Killian." Her hand raised to stroke his jaw, his eyes shut for a moment at the contact. She bit her lip as her eyes darted between his incredibly blue ones when he opened them and his lips. Pushing herself up, she put three steps between them, "I should check on Henry." She murmured. Killian just nodded.
When she was inside, he picked up his rum and downed the glass. "Damn." He murmured.
OUAT
XOXO
MAS