Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time

In the pain there is healing

AN: Thank you to GranddaughterOfCaskettAndTivia for all her help with this. We're almost done with Broken! So sad! ~ XOXO MAS

One Week Later

"This entire realm is amazing," Liam murmured, looking around at all of the modern ships as he and Killian carried the last of supplies to the Jolly. They'd been back in Storybrooke for six days. Killian had already taken him out on one of the newer ships and Liam had been in awe at the amount of technology on the ship and the way it handled. Killian had to admit that it was quite the experience teaching Liam something about the sea. Growing up, Liam had taught him everything he knew, it was nice to impart knowledge himself.

Killian chuckled as he led them down to the hold to continue to go over the supplies they'd need for a week aboard the Jolly. He and Liam were taking Emma and Elsa (she'd left Anna and Kristoff in charge of Arendelle, with Meg and Hercules promising to keep an eye on things). The four of them were slated to cast off within the next half hour. Emma and Elsa would be along shortly with their bags.

With the help of the Merry Men and the Dwarves, Killian had made a few last minute adjustments to the structure of the cabins on board. He was amazed that in the six days they'd been back, they'd managed to expand the Lieutenant's cabin so it was nearly the same size as the Captain's. He'd tried to convince Liam to take the Captain's cabin, but his brother had shaken his head, declaring that she was Killian's ship and had been for far longer than she'd been his own. Killian had been touched by that.

"Knock, knock." Liam and Killian both turned to find Emma and Elsa beaming at them in the doorway of the hold. "Do we have everything we need?" Emma asked.

Killian glanced back at the boxes. "Aye, love, I'd say we're all set here. What about you lasses?"

Elsa nodded shyly. "Yes, I think we're just fine here." The blond queen had been hesitant to leave Arendelle, but the thought of not seeing Liam for quite a bit of time had lured her away. Elsa was still finding her footing with Liam, so Killian had the Dwarves and Merry Men also redo the crew's quarters. The room was now befitting of a queen. Or at least he hoped it was. At Emma's suggestion, he wanted to make sure Elsa had some privacy.

Killian nodded sharply. "Well then, if you ladies would like to say your goodbyes to everyone crowded on the dock, we'll wrap things up and then cast off." He leaned around a crate to press a kiss to the apple of Emma's cheek, his nose brushing over her slightly flushed cheek.

"Sounds good," she murmured before turning her head swiftly and catching his lips with hers.

Liam and Elsa shuffled slightly uncomfortable with the public display of affection. Noting the shift in the air, Emma pulled back, tugging on Elsa's elbow to move her above deck. Killian cleared his throat and turned back to their supplies. "You and Emma seem to have settled down quite nicely after everything."

Killian turned to look up at his taller, older brother. "Aye, we have. It's nice to feel like we can finally settle down. Like we're both done running."

"You mean like she's done running," Liam clarified knowingly.

Killian nodded absently. "She had a rough life. Honestly, it was harder than mine. I had you growing up, she had no one. I don't blame her for running, but I'm quite glad that she's done with it." He paused. "The real question is, how are you and the fair queen of Arendelle?"

Liam flushed a bright red. "Well, we're..." he hesitated. "I don't know."

Killian set down the checklist he had in his hand and turned to face his brother, crossing his arms over his chest. It was quite the change, him being confident about a topic such as women while his brother, who he always thought was calm and collected, floundered for a response. "How do you feel?"

Liam stared at him helplessly before shrugging. "May the gods help me, little brother, but I do think I've begun to fall in love with the woman."

Killian grinned. "I know the feeling," he admitted. "Do you know how she feels?"

Liam was already shaking his head. "I haven't a bloody clue. The woman is an infernal mystery."

"She's reserved, Liam," Killian cut in. "She spent her entire life hiding and now she has a hard time opening up to people."

Liam nodded. "I know, she told me how her parents kept her locked away and how she was trapped in an urn by her Aunt Ingrid. I've heard about her troubles with Anna and the kingdom and Hans."

"Then she's not a mystery," Killian cut in. "Look, Emma was, is, very similar to Elsa. I think it's one of the reasons they get along so well." He paused. "I think that being honest and open about your feelings would help."

Liam thought about Killian's words quietly for a moment before chuckling. "I never thought I'd see the day where you gave me advice on lasses." Killian rolled his eyes. "My little brother, you were so rigid and formal. Did you even speak to a woman then?"

Snorting, Killian picked up his checklist. "I think you'll find, brother, that quite a bit about me has changed." He led the way out of the hold and up to the top deck, where Emma and Elsa were saying goodbye to everyone.

Liam hung back with Elsa, as Killian and Emma jointly wrapped their arms around Henry. "Later this summer we'll go out on a family trip," he promised Henry.

The boy grinned up at him. "Sounds good." When Emma stepped away to hug her parents, Henry tugged on the arm of Killian's shirt. "Just make sure she has fun and relaxes," Henry requested quietly. "She's been blaming herself for everything."

Killian glanced over to where Emma was giving Regina a hug, cooing over the newest addition to their family. She looked tired, and her smile wasn't quite as bright as it was before she stabbed that dagger into the dark vortex. He knew she wasn't sleeping. She was having nightmares that were keeping both of them up. He hoped that this would give them time to just settle down, to relax and realize that things were okay now. They were okay now. "I'll make sure she gets some rest and has a good time," he promised.

Regina had given them a couple of magic beans as a welcome home and thanks for saving us all gift. He was planning on using them to go to a tropical island that Killian and Liam had planned to visit, but his death had stopped their plans. Killian had never gone on his own.

"We ready to cast off, brother?" Liam asked. "You have yet to tell us where we're headed."

Killian grinned, waving as everyone debarked the ship and Killian and Liam began pulling in the lines. "Tortuga," he replied.

Liam stopped, his hand suspended over the side of the ship, the rope gripped tightly between his fingers. "Tortuga?"

Elsa's head fell to the side. "Does that mean something?"

Liam swallowed. "We'd planned to go to Tortuga. We never made it."

"Well, we're making it now." Killian smacked his brother's back. "Now come on, we've got a bumpy ride ahead." He pulled a bean out and tossed it into the water, taking the wheel and steering it into the portal.

OUAT

Tortuga

Tortuga was beautiful. It reminded Emma of paradise. With clear blue water and warm tropical sunshine with a nice breeze, the weather was a far cry from that of Storybrooke. It was still so cool in Storybrooke, with summer just beginning to dawn, that she hadn't thought to bring a bathing suit. She conjured one up, along with a cover up and laid a towel out on the deck. The brothers were hovering over a map, discussing which port to enter in at and Elsa was quietly reading. She'd traded her floor-length dress out for a sundress that Emma, Snow and Regina had talked her into. They'd upgraded and modernized her wardrobe a bit for the trip. Emma could tell it was something Liam had appreciated, his eyes lingering on exposed, pale legs. The boys, due largely to Regina's demands, were in shorts and t-shirts. They both found them to be strange, but Liam had made the comment that if they'd had them in some of the places they'd been in, the weather wouldn't have been such a bear.

With a chuckle, Emma spread out her towel and slipped out of her cover-up. Picking up her book, she laid out on her stomach waiting for Killian to notice her. This was how the beginning of relationships were supposed to be. They were supposed to be fun and flirty and handsy. She was supposed to dress to make his eyes pop out of his head. They weren't supposed to lose each other and find each other and die and chase monsters and evil gods. It should be easier than it had been for them.

Adjusting her sunglasses, Emma tore her eyes away from the Jones brothers and back down to her book.

A few feet away, Liam and Killian leaned over a map propped up on a barrel of rum near the helm. "There's a festival that goes on here." Killian murmured. "I thought it might be fun to take the lasses there."

Liam nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a good plan. Anywhere else we can go? Isn't there a cluster of bungalows we could stay at somewhere along this bay?"

"Aye, I think you're right. We'll find a place to stay somewhere along here," Killian agreed. He grunted when Liam nudged him in the stomach. "I'm sure there'll be a place, Liam. No need to bruise me over it."

"No, Killian." Liam looked up. "What is Emma wearing?"

Killian looked up, his eyes landing on Emma's nearly bare form. She was engrossed in her book, her sunglasses slipping down her nose as she flipped the page. She shoved them back up impatiently, drawing her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down hard in concentration. Stalking over towards her, he knelt down by her side. "I didn't realize we were wearing underthings on deck, love."

Emma looked up startled, releasing her lip. He reached out instinctively, his thumb soothing the indentations left by her teeth. A smirk curled at the corners of her lips. "They're not underthings," she informed him.

He arched a brow at her words. "Then what do you call these scraps of material?" He asked, his fingers ghosting over the triangle on her bikini top.

She sucked in a breath at the feel of his hand on her skin. She was addicted to his touch now. She craved it, wanting his hand and hook on her bare skin any chance she got. Swallowing, she replied, "It's called a bikini. It's a bathing suit. You swim in them."

He sat fully down on the towel next to her. "It doesn't seem like it provides much coverage and it could be so easily removed." He fingered the tie behind her neck. "You could be exposed to everyone."

Slipping her sunglasses off her face, she crawled up on his lap. "I only want to be exposed to you."

Letting out a growl, Killian stood, reaching down and tossing her over his shoulder. "We'll be below. Don't need us for a bit," he ordered.

Liam and Elsa shook their heads as Emma's laughter drifted off. "Well, they're quite the pair," Liam commented.

"I'm just glad that they can finally enjoy being together," Elsa admitted, marking her page and closing the book. Standing she moved to stand next to the helm where Liam was setting their course. "Where are we headed?" She asked softly.

"There's a little town here," he pointed to the map, "that has a festival this time of year. It's supposed to be wonderful. We thought that may be fun. Then we thought we'd perhaps sail around the island. There are supposed to be bungalows along this beach. We can dock the ship in front and then stay the night there."

Elsa gave him a bright smile. "That sounds so lovely, Liam," she murmured. "I don't think I've ever done anything like this before. It's so..." she paused, "relaxing."

Liam grinned. "You know, I really haven't either. Killian and I planned to take a vacation together, to travel to other realms without working, but..."

"You died," Elsa finished after a moment of silence.

Liam nodded. "Aye."

"Is it odd?" She asked. She'd been curious. She and Liam had talked about much since they'd met. They'd both opened up to each other in ways she'd never imagined, but they hadn't discussed this. "Is it odd going from being dead to being alive?" Neither Emma nor Killian had explained the feeling to her either.

Liam adjusted the helm and stared out at the expanse of clear blue water. "Yes, it's is," he finally answered. "Everything was heavy and dull. It felt like there was nothing inside of me, but now everything is bright and light. It's all filled with promise of something different and new and better. Like I can have anything I want."

Her fingers fiddled with the end of her braid. "Do you know what you want?" She asked softly.

He locked the wheel, letting the ship steer itself on course. "I should think it's obvious what I want, Elsa." His voice was just as quiet as hers.

Her eyes flashed down to his lips and then up at his own blue eyes. She licked her lips and swayed a bit closer to him. "Is it?" She asked.

Reverently, he raised a hand, his fingers skimming over her cheek. "I would hope so, lass. I just want to spend time with you," he answered honestly. "You've captivated me, darling. I've never met anyone like you and I want to spend my life getting to know you better."

She took a small step forward, leaning her face into his palm. "Liam," she murmured quietly, "would you, um..." She flushed. "Would you kiss me?"

A bit of heat flashed behind his eyes and Elsa felt her stomach swoop. He cradled her head in his hands, leaning down to brush his lips lightly over hers. She was so innocent and sheltered in so many ways. She'd never opened herself up to this kind of connection. He went slowly, gently guiding her mouth in a languid kiss.

He pulled back and watched as her eyes fluttered open. Her cheeks were flushed, and this time not from embarrassment. "Again?" She asked.

He let out a small growl, pulling her more firmly against his chest and slanting his mouth over hers. This time the kiss was a bit more demanding, tugging on her bottom lip with his teeth. She gasped and he slid his tongue against hers, tangling them together.

He pulled back again, keeping his forehead pressed against hers. "For the record, love," he murmured, "you don't have to ask. You can have a kiss whenever you bloody well want one."

She giggled, a light sound she was sure she'd never made until this man stumbled into her life. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she let him pull her against him. For the first time ever, she felt warm all the way to her core. "Duly noted," she murmured.

OUAT

Emma and Killian appeared back on deck just as Liam was steering the Jolly up to the port. He'd spent the better part of the afternoon teaching Elsa how to sail a ship, pleased that she actually seemed interested and not at all surprised by how quickly she picked it up.

As Killian tied off the last line, he crossed the gangplank once again to offer his arm to Emma. "Shall we?"

She hooked her hand into the crook of his elbow. "Show me parts of your land, Killian," she murmured, her smile widening when she saw Liam offer his arm up to Elsa as well. For the first time in months she felt utterly at peace with life, and looking at her three companions, she could see they felt the same way.

OUAT

XOXO

MAS