A/N: Cannon divergent fic that adds a scene to 1x02 for OUAT. Killian is actually one of the cursed townspeople in Storybrooke, and Emma meets him. She's driven to the docks, hoping the water would calm her down having met Henry and seeing that he's not happy here. Killian is there, as he runs the marina, and though he likely would have had a cursed name, I kept him Killian so as not to cause confusion. Inspired by Don't Be Shy by Cat Stevens which played at the beginning of the episode as everyone notices the clock.
Do I want to run anymore? The thought was clawing at Emma as she stared out into the ocean along the Storybrooke docks. Her head was telling her that it was for the best, just keep moving, keep your head down and survive. That was the goal, to get through it.
But her heart was another story. The voice inside that she always tampered down, the one that thought maybe there could be more wouldn't shut up. She had a son, and he was great, if clearly a little troubled with some stuff he was working through. Who could blame him, though? Between finding out he was adopted, his witch of a Mom and the almost suffocating picturesqueness of the town, it was a lot to deal with at ten.
When she'd found Henry earlier at the playground, she'd noticed the ocean surrounding them and had found it calming, even if the conversation itself was fraught with too much emotion. Henry understood that she had wanted to give him his best chance, and hearing him say that, and then say that he still wanted and needed her had cut through so many of her walls and the guards around her heart. Life had hardened her, had taught her that it was better to go it alone, but what if Henry, hopeful and a little off as he was, was right? What if being there for him could help him? What if it could help her?
"Pardon me, lass, but are you quite alright?" Emma bristled at the concern, but turned to see a man who looked simultaneously kind and incredibly good-looking. She was stunned into a momentary silence by the way the wind caught his short black locks and the look of sincerity in his deep blue eyes.
"Yeah," she said, shaking off the instant attraction she had to him. Thinking like that would get her in trouble. "I'm fine, thanks."
Where she expected him to walk away and leave her alone, he surprised her by taking a seat on the dock beside her.
"I don't need company, if that's what you were thinking." He gave a throaty laugh at that and the sound gripped at her, making her warm as it scared her in the intensity it brought forth.
"Perhaps it's I who needs the company, love. Might I ask the name of my new companion, or is that perhaps not conducive to your staring longingly out into the sea?" Emma tried to fight it, but a smile tugged at her lips.
"You want me to give a strange man my name?"
"How silly of me, perhaps if I introduce myself first. Killian Jones, at your service." He made a sort of bow and Emma couldn't explain it, but she felt like despite barely knowing him, she could trust him, at least with her name.
"Emma Swan." His eyes grew wide in understanding.
"Ah, so you're the strange lass causing quite a stir through town." Emma raised a brow in response.
"Strange? That's what people are calling me?" He grinned at that.
"What would you rather? Beautiful? Strong? Fiercely independent?" She rolled her eyes to deflect the fact that she'd liked his compliment while feeling like she'd already given herself away too much.
"I'd rather people didn't talk, but I guess that's a lot to ask of a place like this." He looked back out to the sea and his smile faded slightly.
"It's a secluded corner of the world for sure. My apologies that we don't have enough to entertain except the comings and goings of mysterious blondes." She followed his gaze back out to the waves that were calm as they lapped against the coast. Emma knew better than to think that it was safe though. Anything that big and that unknown was to be treated lightly, even if she'd always wondered what it would be like to truly experience life out there.
"How do you work here day in and day out and not dream of just taking off, setting sail and getting away?" She almost wished she could take the question back once it was said aloud. She really shouldn't have been talking with him this long, or letting the connection between them grow, but she liked the way he talked, and the way he seemed easy going and unaffected. Killian shrugged.
"The thought has occurred to me once or twice."
"I feel like it would plague me. I'd never be able to shake it. I don't usually do well in the same place for long." Though as she said the words, Emma had to admit that Storybrooke, with all its strangeness and the hot bed of emotional chaos that could come with reconnecting with her son, had a lot of things calling to her. One of those things, she would never actually admit, was the man beside her. He was curious and refreshing.
"Fancy yourself a pirate love? I could see you, wind in your golden hair, barking orders and cruising the perilous seas for adventure." Emma laughed at that, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd done that, but with Killian it had been easy.
"That's not really my story."
"Ah so you do have a story then, I assumed as much. A sad one, I daresay. But chin up, love. I have a feeling that the tides are changing, and the wind is blowing at your will." She searched his eyes for traces of bullshit. How could this guy be real? The accent, the looks, the charm… Yet he seemed so genuine. Underneath the flirtation was truth. How incredibly terrifying.
"How do you know I have a sad story?"
"Your eyes. You're a bit of an open book, truth be told. But no worries, lass, your secrets are your own. I know better than to push someone." He rose from the sand and extended a hand to her, one that she took. Her skin tingled at the warmth of where he'd touched her, and his hand lingered a moment too long. When she looked into his eyes, she saw that he too was feeling whatever this was.
Don't risk it, back away slowly, Emma. The voice in her head was chastising her for partaking in whatever this was, but another voice, a more hopeful one, the one that had also told her she should give her kid the benefit of the doubt was telling her to stay. Not everyone had to be the same breed of loser that had left her to rot in prison, right?
"Well it was nice meeting you." Emma said as she gave him a small smile and she watched his blue eyes track the motion. She felt so on display in front of him, as if he could see through her, but then he grinned in reply.
"The pleasure was all mine, Swan." Then he took her hand again and kissed it, before turning away and heading back down towards the marina.
What the hell was that? Emma thought as she headed back into town. Whatever it was… she didn't hate it. Not even a little.
…..
Don't be shy, just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head, and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by
On by, on by, on by
On by, on by, on by
On by, on by, on by
You know love is better than a song
Love is where all of us belong
So don't be shy just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
You're there, you're there, you're there
You're there, you're there, you're there
You're there, you're there, you're there
You don't be shy, just let your feelings roll on by
And don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head, and let your feelings out instead
No, don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by
On by, on by, on by
On by, on by, on by
Post-Note: Just a baby fic to round out my day. I am so anxious for Captain Swan happiness to return, that I just pretended they were on their way towards it that first season. Hope you guys liked it, and thanks for reading!