A/N: Thank you everyone for sticking around to read this story. I hope all of you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it (though I must admit there were a few chapters that made me want to give up). The reason I didn't give up? Well, a lot of that rests on two people, aimeeloren, the greatest beta in the world, and Stephanie, Just4FunVids925 (YouTube), who created the wonderful video this story is based on. These two have become great friends. CaptainSwan and Once Upon A Time may have brought us together but I think we will have a friendship that will last far beyond this story. And a huge thank you to the fans. Without your love, support and comments spurring me on, I don't know if I would try so hard to write up such long stories for all of you to enjoy. P.S. My Beta convinced me to do an epilogue, so there will still be one more chapter in the coming days.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, as they belong to the franchise of Once Upon A Time. One of the few shows I know of that makes sure that they encourage fans to create wonderful things such as fanfiction, art and videos based on the show.
Chapter 35 – And She Will Be Loved, And She Will Be Loved:
Killian slammed his hand into the steering wheel when the light changed to red. He had no choice but to stop when the car in front of him did.
When Mary-Margaret had called from the school to tell him that David seen police surrounding Gold's shop. According to David, Tink and Emma had been led outside by uniformed officers. When Killian heard that he panicked. Tink had called into work earlier, informing her personal assistant that she was taking a sick day. It was rare that Tink ever did, so Killian had every intention of driving to her house around lunch to find out how she was. And if he hadn't already asked his own personal assistant to rearrange his morning meetings, so he could also swing past Emma's work on his way to check out a construction site he had no current business at, he would have been neck deep in a conference call when Mary-Margaret phoned him.
On his way out of the door, he promised his assistant a huge bonus if she'd be able to cancel all his appointments for the rest of the week. Whatever trouble Tink and Emma found themselves in might take some time to get sorted out and when he did, Killian was sure he'd need time to cool off.
Finally, traffic started to move. He had to park by Granny's because the police still had the area near Gold's shop blocked off. Killian spotted Tink and Emma sitting off by themselves on the sidewalk. When he reached them, he quickly appraised them for any injuries. "Are you okay?"
"Killian, we're…," Tink started before Killian interrupted.
"What the hell were the two of you doing? Hell with that. What were you two thinking? Did you want to get killed? Hurt?"
He ran his hand through his hair and began to pace in front of them. What he really wanted to do was shake the hell out of the two of them for scaring him to death. Then he'd hug the bloody hell out of Tink before he kissed Emma until they both lacked any oxygen to breathe.
"Killian, we're fine," Tink finally told him. "Stop pacing. You're giving me a headache."
He stopped abruptly and stalked over to stand in front of Tink who now stood with her hands on her hips in rebellion and anger. Emma, however, sat there contritely with her head bent over her knees. "I may be giving you a bloody headache but I haven't lied to you. I haven't scared you to the point where you question whether your heart was still working in your chest."
Tink's hands slipped from her hips and her head bowed. "I'm sorry, Killian. We both are."
Emma rose and placed a hand on Tink's arm. Her eyes pleaded with Tink and Killian suspected even if Emma didn't say anything, Tink would have given them a few minutes alone. "Tink, can you give us a minute? I need to talk to Killian alone."
The shorter blonde nodded and with another apology to Killian, Tink headed off in the direction of Neal and Belle who were talking to an officer next to a police cruiser. Killian's eyes followed her progress before he turned to look at Emma. "I don't know if I should yell at you or kiss you now that I know that you're safe."
"Both?" Emma said with a slight smile and a shrug of her shoulders, though her eyes showed that she was just as unsure as to how to proceed as he was.
Killian studied her. Her hair which normally hung loose was pulled back into a loose ponytail. She was dressed in her usual jeans and knee high boots, sporting a white tank top that was far too transparent for his taste, as it easily showed off her black bra underneath and her blue leather jacket. Emma looked sexy and guilty as hell. Guilty of what though he had yet to find out.
"Are you back with Neal?" Even he couldn't believe he asked her that, so her shock was no surprise.
"What?" her voice screeched.
"Are you and Neal back together?" Killian ran his hand through his thick locks once more. He already asked once, he might as well know the truth now. "It's a simple question considering you are here with him. And, I'm assuming, that it was true that you were at his apartment yesterday." Killian thought he had done an admirable job trying to curb the jealousy from his voice, but the anger had a long way to go before it disappeared.
"I was with Neal yesterday," she finally said after she looked at him long and hard. "But I was never with Neal. Nor will I be again. If you think that I can so easily go from seeing you to picking up with him, maybe I need to rethink our relationship." Emma's green eyes flashed with the strength of her fury. He couldn't blame her but he wasn't going to let her off easy either. Too many times he thought he made inroads to Emma's heart only to have her head off to Neal's arms, or to the safety she felt back in Boston. He had been hurt every time she had run away. Not that he hadn't made his own mistakes along the way.
"Maybe it's me who needs to rethink things if it is so easy for you to go Tink and Neal with your problems."
Her nose flared. "I didn't come to them to deal with my problems. I came to them because I needed help fixing yours."
"Mine?" He was stunned by her admission. "What problem of mine involved having to employ Neal's help? Tink I can see, but Neal?"
"Your feud with Gold." Emma's hands clenched into fists at her waist, and Killian knew the anger she felt because he felt it as well. "I was trying to find some concrete evidence that he was after you."
"Did you?"
"No." For her to deny it, he expected her voice to have less vehemence, until he understood with her next words. "Instead he confessed in front of all of us to so much more. As did Belle."
"Belle?" Now he was confused. Other than being married to Gold, he never expected the always upbeat Belle to be involved in anything.
Emma nodded. "Apparently, she was involved with some of Gold's misdeeds more than anyone ever expected."
Killian turned around slightly to gaze in her direction and realized that Belle was indeed wearing a pair of handcuffs at her wrists. Shaking his head, he faced Emma. "You still should have told me. How can I know that you are safe if you are running around doing things behind my back? Like exchanging cars without a word. Not one." He hated to sound accusatory, but when he discovered his car in his driveway that morning and Emma's keys gone from the spot he kept them near his front door, he didn't know what to think. He had repeatedly searched for a note, a text, something anything from her. There had been nothing. "Do you even realize how many times I called you? Texted you? There was no response. Not even an, I'm okay. Can you even imagine all the scenarios that ran through my head?" He watched her shake her head before he continued. "Then I hear you're with Neal. The man you've run back to countless times over the years." He might have continued but her apology stopped him.
"I'm sorry, Killian." She reached out to him. Killian jerked away from her touch. He was too mad at her and he was afraid if she touched him he'd hurt her unintentionally. "I am okay. I'm sorry I scared you. I really am, Killian. I really had every intention of making things better for you."
His eyes met her apologetic ones. His lips pressed into a straight line, despite feeling bad for her. "Maybe, but I don't think things are so great right now."
With that he turned and began to walk back to his car. He needed time. Time to control the feelings raging through him. Time to determine where he and Emma were heading next. Time to figure out who the bloody hell left his brother's jacket on his doorstep.
However, he hadn't taken more than a few strides away from the scene behind him, when he turned back. Yanking his hands out from where he shoved them deep in his pockets, he muttered, "Bloody hell."
It only took a few steps to reach her. Once he did he scooped Emma up in his arms and kissed her hard, taking out all his fear and all his anger out on her lips. A gasp escaped her lips allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth, where it pillaged and plundered until he was almost breathless. Pulling back suddenly, he took in her shocked expression. Her trembling hand reached up to touch her swollen lips.
"I'm glad you're okay, but I need some time. I'll call and check on you later." With that he stormed away from her. He still didn't completely trust himself around her. His anger was still boiling just below the surface.
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Emma stood there watching Killian leave. Her shoulders slumped and a loud sigh escaped her lips. He wasn't ready to hear her admission of love and she couldn't blame him for being mad. Emma was sure her own emotions would be in turmoil had their positions been reversed.
A hand landed on her shoulder and she jumped. With a glance behind her, Emma noticed Neal had approached. Turning, Emma smiled at him. "Neal, I wanted to thank you."
As she turned his hand fell back to his side and he shrugged. "I'm sorry it didn't work out." He nodded in the direction of where Killian had headed. "Between you and Killian."
"Really?" Emma hated it that her question came out so sarcastic.
"I care about you, Emma. I always will. I just want you to be happy, even if it isn't with me." His smile almost brought tears to her eyes.
Smiling back at him, Emma said, "We were happy. Once."
"We never found Tallahassee," he told her sincerely.
She couldn't help but nod sadly. Tallahassee had been their dream. Long before Milah's death, which seemed so long ago. They had talked of moving to Florida and leaving their thieving ways behind them. They had been so young and idealistic back then. In Emma's case, naïve too. Emma wouldn't want to go back to those days if someone offered her a million dollars to do it. Not because those days were so bad, actually, she had several good memories. Time had easily softened some of the memories. But no, she wouldn't go back because now she knew what it was like to be loved by a man. A man who not only possessed her heart, but her body and soul as well. Killian was worth so much more than a monetary amount and reliving good times, even if they weren't in the best of spots at the moment, no matter what wasn't worth giving him up.
Emma gave Neal a brief smile and was about to head over to talk to Tink when a shot rang out. Neal grabbed Emma and used his body to shield hers. She never even realized he'd been hit until he began to slip from her arms that had clenched around his when he grabbed her. "Neal! Neal!"
Pandemonium erupted all around them. Gold who had been led from his shop in cuffs before the shot rang out, ran towards Neal. Belle and Tink had been ushered to hide behind a police cruiser for safety.
Cradling Neal's head, Emma's eyes burned. "Neal, what did you do?"
A tsking sound came from around the corner. Emma glanced up from Neal to see who it was. Zelena slipped closer keeping watch that he police were still busy trying to find out where the shot had come from. There was no way that she could have fired the weapon and approached them so fast, so Emma was sure that Zelena had an accomplice.
"Poor, Baelfire," Zelena said as she continued to approach, her voice holding no remorse.
"You did this," Gold bit out. His beady brown eyes promising retribution.
"All I did was pass on some vital information." Zelena had the nerve to smile and not to Emma as if they were in cahoots. "With the help of a friend." It was in that moment that Emma knew it was Tamara who had pulled the trigger. "Your son did the rest."
A gasp sounded from Neal and Gold inched closer on his knees, for once unmindful of the expensive suit he wore. "It's going to be alright, son."
"I do doubt that," Zelena said with a charming air as if they mentioned no more than the weather.
Neal's eyes opened and he tried to smile. Emma could see Gold wrap his cuffed hands around one of Neal's. Tears ran down Gold's face. "What have you done?"
"It's okay, Poppa."
"Why?" Gold asked him.
"Zelena."
Emma and Gold's eyes rose to the woman mentioned who stood in her vintage skirt suit checking her manicure. She seemed unaffected by the events playing out in front of her.
"Why? Do you know what she wants?" Emma asked, ignoring the older woman and trying her best to concentrate on Neal.
"What she doesn't have," Gold sputtered as he continued to glare at the woman in question.
Zelena waved at them. "Oh, please continue. I do so love it when people talk about me." She smiled. "It makes a woman feel wanted."
Emma dismissed the woman. If she wanted attention that was the last thing Emma was going to give her. Turning to Gold, Emma asked, "There has to be some way to save him, right?"
"It's too late, Emma," Neal gasped out.
"Just hang in there. Please." Emma begged him.
Neal reached inside his hoodie with shaky hands. "I saved this for you." He handed her the swan necklace that she had discarded with him before. "To give to you again. Take it." Emma reluctantly took the necklace from his hand. "Go find Tallahassee. Even if it's without me."
"Neal." Emma felt her tears flood from her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.
"Hey. I'll be watching over you from somewhere. Promise me. Promise me you'll both be happy."
In that moment, Emma completely knew that Neal had cared for her and he still did. And even though she might be with Killian, Neal understood that her heart had chosen elsewhere. Nodding, Emma told him, "I promise. I promise."
"No. No. No. No." Gold became more and more agitated with each word of denial. "I can fix this. There must be a way to fix this."
"You can't," Neal said with a shake of his head. He squeezed his father's hands. "You can't. Thank you for trying, Poppa."
"No," Gold cried out softly. "I don't want to let you go."
"I want you to," Neal told him solemnly. "Please," he breathed out. "Let go."
"I love you, son." Emma never saw Gold cry. It was almost humiliating to see such a strong man fall so low. But in that moment, Emma finally saw the compassionate man that Neal had once spoke about. The man who had cared more about family than anything else life had to offer.
"I love you, Poppa," were Neal's last words before he passed away with a small shuddering breath.
Emma bit back a sob, her lips bleeding from the effort of keeping it in. Gold kissed Neal's hand before he reached out to close Neal's eyes. Sirens blared in the distance signaling that the ambulance wasn't far away.
"That was rather ill timed," Zelena intoned. "I can see he'll no longer be a problem."
"It's only a matter of time before the others find you," Gold told her motioning toward the police. He stood and glared at her. "Unless I kill you first."
"Please." Zelena laughed nodding at Gold's restrained hands. "You can't hurt me but you're more than welcome to try." With those parting words, she turned and walked away leaving Emma and Gold alone with Neal's dead body.
Gold sunk back to his knees and bowed his head over Neal's prone form. "Oh, Bae."
Emma was numb. Shock starting to come over her. Her hands shook as someone lifted her up and away from Neal. There was a flurry of activity. People slowly surrounded them but it all barely registered to Emma, even when they escorted Gold and Neal away.
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Emma assumed Tink was the one who led her back home, but she couldn't be sure. However, that was where she found herself hours later as she awoke in her own bed. Mary-Margaret sat on the edge of the bed squeezing out a piece of cloth from a basin and placing it on Emma's forehead. Emma managed to open her eyes further and smiled at her.
"You're awake," Mary-Margaret observed. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been run over by a bus." Emma took the cloth from her head and sat up, fluffing her pillows behind her. "Or like someone tried to shoot me."
"I'm so sorry," Mary-Margaret said quietly.
"Why?" Emma asked confused. "You didn't try to kill me."
"About Neal. I know the two of you weren't seeing each other anymore," she quickly interjected, "But I know it must still hurt losing someone you cared for."
Neal's death still had yet to hit Emma. First, except for the last couple of days, Emma had pushed anything to do with Neal to the back of her mind. And, second, because his death, the fact that he was truly gone, almost seemed like nothing more than a bad dream.
Instead of going down the depressing path of mourning a man who had brought so much joy and misery into her life, Emma tried to concentrate on the present. "Gold and Belle were arrested?"
Mary-Margaret nodded. "Belle's father is trying to raise money for her bail, but we all suspect that Gold will be denied any release. Not after the rumors of all he's done. If even half of what I heard was true, I doubt any judge would allow him to be released, no matter what hold Mr. Gold has over them."
Emma had no doubt of that, especially since she knew the truth of exactly what Gold had done. And that didn't even count the fact that he was responsible for Milah's death. "Where's Tink? Wasn't she the one who brought me here?"
Mary-Margaret stood and began to straighten items on Emma's nightstand. "She did. Then she called David and I. She's home now. Killian refused to let her come back to work until Monday."
Emma reached out and grasped one of Mary-Margaret's hands. "How is he?"
Stopping amidst picking up the basin she'd been using earlier, Mary-Margaret turned back to face her. "He's worried and scared. And mad. He's madder than I have ever seen him."
"I really pissed him off by not telling him about my plan," Emma told her as she scooted over to the side of her bed so she could stand up.
Mary-Margaret was the one who now touched Emma's arm. She shook her head. "He's mad because he left."
"What?" Emma asked incredulously.
"He's mad because he thinks he should have been there. He should have been the one to protect you."
Emma felt her mouth fall open in shock. "He'd rather her be dead instead of Neal just because of some misplaced sense of chivalry?"
"No, because he knows Zelena wanted him more than she wanted you." Mary-Margaret bent down so that she was level with Emma, her hands resting on Emma's knees. "David went with him to speak to Gold. Apparently, someone left Liam's naval coat in front of Killian's house last night. He thought to ask Gold about it, despite having every notion Zelena had more access to it."
"Oh my God," Emma exclaimed. "He was supposed to have been buried in that coat."
"Exactly." Mary-Margaret stood for a brief second before she sat next to Emma on the bed. "It seems that Zelena commissioned a similar coat and had them switched before his burial. However, that was all Gold knew." Mary-Margaret paused and suddenly found her wedding ring the most fascinating of things. Emma had seen from previous times, it was only when she was nervous that Mary-Margaret fidgeted with her ring. "Except for the fact that Milah paid to have Killian killed if he ever discovered her secret. A goal it seems Zelena is intent on."
"So, why did she have someone shoot at me?"
"She didn't. Or at least Gold doesn't think so. He thought her intention was to kill Neal to get her revenge on Gold. He had tried to stop her too many times."
Emma pushed herself upright and Mary-Margaret followed. "Where are you going, Emma?"
Turning to the woman who had cared for her, Emma told her, "To find Killian. He's in danger. Not just from Zelena but from Tamara as well."
Mary-Margaret appeared confused. "Tamara? Milah's personal assistant? Why would she harm Killian? I thought she was in Boston."
"No. She's here. Or at least I suspect it is her. She was the one who shot Neal, not Zelena. Though Zelena put her up to it. Tamara works for her now." At Mary-Margaret's questioning look, Emma said, "Neal told me." Emma scrambled through her nightstand searching for her pistol and other items she might need. "Tamara was told to give me the documents so that I would show them to Killian on Zelena's orders. And Killian may know to watch out for her, but not Tamara. I doubt he has any idea there may be danger on that front. I know I wouldn't have guessed it was possible if Neal hadn't told me."
David was about to knock on her apartment door when Emma opened it to leave. "Where are you going?"
Emma gave David a curious stare before she glanced behind him. So, it seemed Killian hadn't come with him despite his feelings, or the feelings Mary-Margaret claimed he had. Brushing past him, she told him, "Discuss it with Mary-Margaret."
It was unlike Emma to be rude. Prickly, or even blunt, but not rude. It even surprised Emma how she responded to David, but she didn't have the time to stay there and apologize. Killian may be in trouble and she had to find him.
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Killian reclined in the loveseat in his living room, nursing his almost full flask of rum. It was the first time he had been able to relax since this morning. He left David at Emma's a short time ago and finally had his space to come home and think.
After arriving home, he had laid Liam's coat on the couch across from where he sat, while two picture frames rested on his coffee table so he could think about the people who were in them. They are what his eyes were drawn to, not the coat, which should have been his focus. The older, aged frame, contained a picture of himself and Liam when they were younger. For years, it resided in the guest room, but he was feeling nostalgic tonight. The other was a new, silver frame that was a recent addition to his house. Tink had taken the picture inside it only a little over a week ago. It had been at their office. Tink had caught Killian and Emma pressed against an office wall, their heads pressed together after a long affectionate kiss. His arms surrounded Emma and rested on the wall around her, while her own were upon his chest. A chest that had become slightly exposed in Emma's quest to touch skin. His eyes were drawn to hers and Emma wore a small satisfied smile. Killian had no idea Tink was even there, let alone had taken a picture until the next afternoon when the framed photo appeared on his desk next to his computer. There had been a bright green Post-It note, Tink's Post-It of choice, attached saying, Too Much PDA For The Office.
It was that picture that Killian leaned forward to pick up. One hand occupied by his flask and the other wrapped around the silver frame, Killian found himself at a disadvantage when both his cell phone rang and a cold barrel of a gun pressed upon his temple.
Glancing over, he saw Emma's face beaming up at him from the phone. A brief I love you passed through his mind before he turned to face the person who threatened his life.
It had been years since he'd seen that face. Tamara. Her dusky skin on the delicate features of her face made her a beautiful woman. Even if he'd never had an interest, he had to admire her beauty. Last thing Killian had heard about her was when Emma explained how she acquired the papers that exposed Milah for the conniving woman she was. And finally explained to Killian that his theory had been correct. Liam had been murdered. However, none of that explained why Tamara was currently holding him at gunpoint.
"Did I do something untoward that I've forgotten?" he inquired levelly, as he lowed the picture to his lap.
"No," another voice told him. "She's here at my request."
There was no reason to turn to know Zelena entered his living room. His eyes did slid over to her nonetheless. She hardly looked as though she'd been involved in Neal's murder earlier in the day. No, Zelena appeared as if she had just exited an important business meeting, not even a strand of hair daring to be out of place.
Killian gritted his teeth as she so casually took a seat on the couch across from him, brushing his brother's coat to the side to do so. If the coldness of the gun still didn't rest against his head he'd have lunged for her.
"I see you received my present. It had been taking up valuable closet space for years. I was quite ready to be rid of it." Zelena made a quick motion with her hands and Tamara lowered the gun. Killian wasn't quite so foolish as to believe that she couldn't still use it on him. "Would you mind making us a cup of tea, Tamara?"
Killian wished he could see her face but he refused to take his eyes off Zelena. She may not appear to be armed but he knew her well enough that she was still the greater threat to his life. Tamara walked over and set her gun down on top of Liam's jacket, close to Zelena's side, and headed out of the room.
"It's so nice to see you again, Killian. I hated to think that I was being forced to leave town without even a goodbye." Her sickening sweet tone grated on Killian's nerves.
"You didn't come here to say goodbye," he noted. "Why are you here? Planning to kill me as you did Neal?"
Zelena elegantly shrugged. "I had no real intention of killing Gold's son, despite what he may think. However, that's what happens when you place a loaded weapon in the hands of one's ex-wife. Milah would have done the same had it been you or Gold on the other end. Especially with the promise of happiness on the other side of it. Poor Tamara would be so sad to know her true love, Greg, is nothing more than another one of my pawns sent to seduce her." Zelena raised her hand to her lips and signaled Killian to be quiet. "That's just between us."
Zelena rose and walked over to him. Her hand ran through his hair and he couldn't help but recoil at her touch. "Don't be like that," she told him. Her hand proceeded to trail down his cheek until it rested under his chin and pushed it up so he could look her in the eye. "If I wanted to kill you, I could have done it countless times through the years. No, I have bigger plans for you. For us."
Killian ripped his head from her touch, rum splashing across his hands from the violence. "I'd rather prefer you kill me."
Her lips came up into a snarl. "Careful. That can be arranged."
A shuffling sound came from the doorway. Tamara entered carrying a tray full of cups, as well as milk and sugar. She apparently found Milah's good china tucked away inside the cupboard in his kitchen. Untouched since it was stored there after Milah's death, until now.
Tamara handed him a cup and then one to Zelena. To take the cup, Killian had to place his flask on the table before him, refusing to expose the photo to the two women. When cream and sugar were offered he declined. He had no real inclination to drink tea with these women as if this was a simple social visit. Nevertheless, his mother had raised him with manners, and he raised the cup to his lips for an obligatory sip. Before it touched his lips, Zelena pulled it from his grasp, spilling some of the hot liquid into his lap and on the frame covering his more sensitive areas.
"I wouldn't drink that," Zelena informed him with a glance toward Tamara. "She may well have poisoned it. Tamara can drink yours. You can have mine and I'll drink hers."
The cups were all passed around until Zelena seemed content and she once more perched on the couch next to Liam's naval jacket, while Tamara stood behind one of the arm chairs. Zelena carefully blew across her cup to cool it down before taking a graceful sip. Tamara had already finished half of her cup, unmindful of the heat, with no ill effect. Her eyes kept drifting toward Zelena and he had no idea why other than she was unsure of how they were to proceed.
Having had no real desire to drink the tea, Killian placed his cup next to the flask on the coffee table. In doing so, his eyes came off of the two women for only the briefest of instances. It was then that Zelena began to choke and spit. Killian would have rose to help her but Tamara beat him to it. But instead of helping, Tamara reached out and grabbed her gun, easily placing a bullet through Zelena's head without blinking.
"I already discovered Greg's duplicity but to hear her tell you," Tamara paused and clenched her eyes together for a brief second, "that was too much."
"You poisoned your own cup knowing she'd take it," Killian said. "Very Princess Bride."
Tamara smiled. "I knew one of you would drink it but it was so much easier when I realized it was going to be her. I figured if it had been you, she would have been anxious to try to save you and I could have shot her then."
"What have I done to you to merit my death?"
"Nothing. You did nothing," she told him, leveling the gun at his chest. "If you had been more willing to leave Storybrooke and give Milah the adventure she so craved, she'd be alive today. No, you were quite happy to settle down. She even mentioned that you thought to start a family. Maybe adopt if she was unwilling to bear children." Tamara let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Of course she was unwilling. She never wanted Baelfire, let alone any more. Children were an anchor and she wanted nothing more than to sail through life unfettered." Tamara came around the couch and perched on the edge of the love seat where Killian still sat. "And she promised to take me along. To see the world and all that it offered. Instead I lost the woman who meant as much to me as a mother and all the experiences she promised. All because of you."
The gun was pressed tightly into Killian's side. She was about to shoot him and he was determined to look her straight in the eye when she pulled the trigger, so he turned so the gun was more aimed at his heart. He was unsure how much it would hurt to be shot but when a shot rang out he expected to at least feel some pain. However, when Tamara began to slump and another shot went off, he realized Tamara's gun discharged when it clattered to the floor, barely missing his foot.
His eyes raised and he saw Emma standing in the doorway with her gun clenched tightly in her grasp. The police officer who was with her had only just released his own weapon from his holster. "Emma."
"Killian." Emma handed her weapon to the officer and raced over to him. He stood and enveloped her in his arms. "Are you okay?"
He tried to smile. "Of course, love. Why?"
"If you look at me any harder, you're going to drill a hole in my head."
"I'm just relieved," he told her and pulled her in tightly to his chest. He buried his face in her hair and relished the fact that he was still alive to be able to do so. If she had come a moment later, things may have turned out much different. Thankfully, Emma had arrived on time. Tilting her chin up, he kissed her gently.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked him when they rested their foreheads together.
"You don't have to worry about me, love. I'm a survivor."
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Killian, after a long night of questions, finally found sleep inside a room at Granny's. He's own house too over run by cops doing their jobs investigating the crime scenes left within. He wished Emma was with him but the officers insisted she might be needed for further questioning down at the Sheriff's Station. Killian wanted to stay by her side, but he had been needed for questions at his own residence.
David and Mary-Margaret, who arrived to check on him, offered up one of their spare rooms but Killian preferred the solitude. If he couldn't be with Emma at least he'd use the time to think through, and process, all that had happened in the last twenty four hours.
God, it felt like it should have been at least a week with all that had happened. Neal, Zelena and Tamara's deaths. Gold and Belle arrested for a multitude of crimes, a lot of them against Killian and his company. And Emma. She seemed to be in the midst of all of it. She had said she had done it all for him. Because she cared about him. He just hoped she loved him as much as he did her because he had no intention of letting her go. Not in some creepy, your mine forever way, but in a way that meant that they would love each other for all time. He didn't ever want there to be another instance where they might question whether they wouldn't be together to say goodbye when their time came.
So, it almost killed him that the only response he heard from Emma the next morning was a quick text that said she'd be busy because Will insisted she stop into work. Determined to let her have her space, Killian snuck into his office when everyone was at lunch. Pushing papers around and plugging numbers into spreadsheets did nothing for his restlessness. However, it was dark by the time he decided to abandon the endeavor.
He thought to send Emma a text to see if she had gone home for the evening but decided against it. Instead, he decided to drive past her office to see if the lights were still on before driving over to her apartment. Spotting lights inside Will's office, Killian got out of his car and pulled a jacket out to pull on over the hoodie he wore. The air was definitely turning cooler. Killian walked to her building from where he parked wondering how to proceed. Still too restless, he bounded up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. The door to Wonderland Detective Agency was still unlocked, though the lights in the main office were turned off. Thinking only Will might be inside, Killian was about to turn and leave when he heard Emma curse.
Opening the door, he went inside. He peeked into Emma's office but it was dark. Slipping into Will's office, he saw Emma cradling her head. A white cloth was tucked inside the palm that was pressed to her face. She still hadn't noticed him, so he turned and quietly shut the door behind him.
Emma was only dressed in a pair of jeans and a camisole. Considering how blistering warm it was in the office he was tempted to strip down to his t-shirt himself.
"Killian?"
He turned to face her and was shocked by the cut over her eyebrow. "What did you do to yourself, love?"
Her smile was rueful. "I ran into the door."
Killian pulled her toward him by her waist and examined her abrasion. "Doesn't look as bad as I first thought. What were you thinking?"
"How I was going to sneak into Granny's, break into your room and make love to you until the sun came up," she told him breathily. "Oh, and then I was going to tell you what I meant to the other day."
"And what's that, love?" he asked with a smile.
"That I love you."
"I love you too, Emma. I have for years. I was just too afraid to tell you." He brushed his hand through her hair, releasing it from the messy bun she had scraped it into.
"I know the feeling," Emma whispered.
Killian raised his hand to her cheek and drew her in for a deep soul-searching kiss. He loved this woman beyond reason. He loved her more than his next breath. He loved her more than anything it took sustain him. And he planned to tell her that every day for the rest of their lives. Emma deserved to be loved. She might not have had the happiest of pasts but he was determined, even if it cost him his very life, to make her future better than she could have ever imagined.
Pushing back, he held her face, his blue eyes devouring every feature. "I love you, Emma Swan. Today, tomorrow and every day after that. I love you."
"Shut up and kiss her already."
Startled, the two of them turned and found Will standing at the doorway to his office. Emma began to giggle and though for a split second Killian wanted nothing more than to through Emma's boss out of the plate glass window of his own office, Killian began to grin. "Don't mind if I do."
Killian wrapped his hands around Emma's face and drew her attention back to him. Her green eyes smoldered with the heat that he felt. But instead of giving Will a show, Killian gently brushed his lips against hers. "Let's get out of here and go home."
Emma gave him a questioning look. "Where's that exactly?"
Grinning, he said, "Where ever you are, love. You're my home."
She began to lead him out of Will's office, their hands threaded together. Before Killian was past Will, his hand landed on Killian's arm. "Piece of advice, mate. Women don't appreciate living in another woman's home."
Killian winked at him and whispered. "I already have a plan." Turning back to Emma, Killian pulled her coat from where it laid on Alice's desk and wrapped her up in it. "Let's go. I have a surprise for you."
Emma had no idea where he was taking her. Killian had easily been driving out of town and toward the docks for a good ten minutes. It was a part of town that Emma hadn't recalled exploring before. Mansions lined the street on either side.
Killian pulled up to one that seemed to still be under construction along the beach side of the street. When he got out of the car, she followed.
"Where are we?"
"I wanted to get your opinion on a house we are building."
"It's late, Killian. I was really hoping after the last couple of days that I could go home and soak in a nice hot bath and we could watch Netflix." Emma watched Killian push open the door.
"It will only take a minute," he reassured her. Before she could step inside the doorway, he swept her up in his arms.
Emma glanced around but it was far too dark to see much of anything. "Is there something wrong with the floor? Should we even be in here?"
Killian laughed. "Everything's fine, love." He set her on the floor. "I just wanted your opinion. It's still early yet, so if you don't like anything we can still change it."
Confused, Emma turned to face him. Half his face was able to be seen in the moonlight streaming through the windows, but the other half of his face was concealed by the darkness. "Why would the people living here care what I think?"
"Because I was building it for you. I was hoping that we could live here." His face seemed crestfallen. "If you don't like it I'm sure we can build something else."
"Killian?" Emma couldn't believe it. He had designed a house for them. Her own house. She had never had one she could claim for her own. Running for him, she launched herself into his arms and kissed him. "Oh God! Thank you, Killian. It's gorgeous."
"You're welcome. You're home."
Emma smiled at him and kissed him again. She gathered his arms wrapped them around her waist. He pulled her tight against him and she laid her head on his shoulder. "I already was."