Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my amazing beta!
I've been sprinkling in OUAT quotes and Beauty and the Beast (Disney animated version) in my story. I wonder if you've caught them. If you have any favorite quotes from the show please let me know and I will see if I can work them into my story. It's fun working in familiar quotes in new ways. There aren't any in this chapter though.
Thank you to everyone who's been reading my story. It's been very encouraging to see the number of views.
I'd like to say a special thanks to everyone who's taken the time to review my story. It means a lot to me. I've really enjoyed writing this and it's encouraging to hear others are enjoying it too.
During this time when weren't not able to get out and see people, it's been nice to have some connection with people on this site.
On to the story...
Killian headed to get Emma once they were far enough out to sea for him to feel safe letting her out of their cabin and on deck. When he opened the door, she sat on one of the chairs with her arms crossed and scowling at him. "Did you forget that I was able to fight off The Dark One myself?!"
He laughed at her and shook his head, "From what I hear, you were incredible, Swan. I also heard that Billy threw himself in between you and The Dark One. I told you my crew would die for you. He wouldn't have been able to save you, but he would have died trying." He caressed her face. "Love, I was protecting my crew too."
He watched the anger seep out of her, and she stood and hugged him. "Sorry, you're right. Billy would have died for me." She stood there in his embrace and added, "I just finally feel like I can fight back. After the helplessness I felt in his estate all of those weeks, that's a big deal to me."
"It's a big deal to me too, Swan. Or didn't you think about how I'm faced with the fact that if you didn't have all of that extra power, I'd be having to free you from The Dark One again? My physical heart would still be in my chest, but trust me, he almost stole the only heart that matters to me." He kissed the top of her head, "I can't lose you."
"You're stuck with me, Killian." She smirked, "My magic made sure of that."
"Did I mention that absolutely I love your magic?" He pulled back and pulled her towards the door. "Time to go talk to the crew."
He led her above deck, and Smee had assembled every crew member as he'd ordered. Good. He held Emma's hand as he addressed them all. "Today, The Dark One attempted to take Swan. You may have all heard that." There was a murmur of accent running through his crew.
Mac yelled out, "And, Billy threw himself between The Dark One and Swan. Not that he'd've been able to do anything, but he would have died for her!"
Killian smiled down at Billy, "Aye, the kid did well." He then addressed the crew at large again. "What you need to know is that Emma and I are handfasted in marriage. She's now the captain's wife and is to go by the name of Swan Jones. We're headed to Tortuga, and no one must find out she's a princess."
Emma blushed, "What's Tortuga? I've never heard of it before."
"You wouldn't have as a royal. It's an island strictly for pirates. All of the ships there fly the skull and crossbones. It's a thriving port town, but it can be a bit rough." He chuckled, "We head there since pirates aren't stupid enough to make a deal with The Dark One. They won't be on the lookout for you, Swan."
"It's Mrs. Jones to you, Captain." She quipped. At that, the whole of the crew cheered and shouted. The shock of their captain suddenly being married had worn off. They were thrilled that he was married to a woman they all liked so much. They had liked her from the very beginning and never saw her as a royal, set apart from them. Emma blushed at their apparent approval.
After the crew congratulated their captain and welcomed Emma as his bride, they departed to perform their duties. Killian noticed that Mac was training Billy to tie knots properly, and a few other crewmen were helping out. He could see that Billy was a fully respected member of the crew now.
Emma and Killian walked back to his cabin as dinner was just being brought to them by Shorty. "I figured you'd want your food early, so you're not interrupted tonight." He winked.
"Thank you," Killian said as Emma blushed.
After they ate dinner, Killian stood and pulled out the sword that King David had given him. He laid it on the table in front of Emma. "I feel it's time I told you about my past and how I became a pirate."
"Is this the part where you tell me you robbed my father of the sword he killed a King with?" She teased him and laughed.
It was evident to him she was curious and not judging him. He shook his head. "No, it seems that our paths in life twist a bit together. Your father gave me this sword after he heard how I became a pirate. It seems we both hated the same man."
She smiled fondly at him and ran her hand over the hilt of the sword. "Everyone hated King George. He tried to kill me twice. Once with Dreamshade, he sent a ship's crew to retrieve in Neverland while my mother was pregnant with me. And, then once when I was two years old. That was when my father put that sword through his heart."
He scratched his cheek with his hook and sighed. "I was a Lieutenant on the Jewel of the Realm. My older brother, Liam, was Captain. I was excited to sail with him finally. We were both in King George's Navy."
Her eyes grew wide. "Why does that ship name ring a bell?"
He swallowed hard and said, "My brother was given a pegasus sail and told to go to Neverland and collect Dreamshade. He was told it was a cure for all diseases. We believed we'd be heroes."
Emma brought her hand to her mouth in shock, "That was you?!" She looked stricken. "Oh, Killian. It must have hurt to find out he lied."
"It's worse than you know." He paused and was overwhelmed with grief. He wasn't over the loss of his brother, and he was sitting in the cabin where he watched him die.
Emma stood, sensing his distress, even though she didn't know what caused it. "Hold me in our bed as you tell me."
Damn, she was perfect. He nodded and sat propped up against the headboard. She climbed up and rested in his arms. "We sailed to Neverland to retrieve the Dreamshade. When we got there, we met a demon child named Peter Pan. He told us that the Dreamshade was actually a deadly poison, not a cure-all, and that if we scratched ourselves on it, we'd die." He held her tighter and said, "My brother was a loyal man to a king that didn't deserve him. He was sure Pan was lying and scratched himself on the plant purposely…."
Emma rested her head on his shoulder. "Pan was telling the truth, though. Your brother died." Tears were falling from her eyes and dampening his shirt.
It meant a great deal to him that the woman he loved was crying for the death of his brother. He never imagined that he would be in this position one day where he held a woman and told her about this brother's death. His heart began healing. While he would always miss his brother, he had family for the first time in his arms. "Aye, he died, but not yet. Pan told us that he had to drink the water hidden behind the plant, and he'd live. He drank it, and the water healed him. My brother and I then decided to come back and expose King George for his betrayal. The moment we landed back in these waters from Neverland, he collapsed and died. Pan didn't tell us that for the water to keep working; he would have to stay in Neverland." He took a deep breath and said, "He collapsed in my arms, dead, in this cabin." He caressed her cheek. "I told the crew, and we all turned pirate. I've been their captain ever since."
"Did you bury him at sea?"
He shook his head. "He died in my arms, and then his body just... disappeared. I was devastated. I didn't even get to bury him."
She closed her eyes and said, "I'm so sorry King George put you through that. No wonder my father gave you the sword he killed him with."
He nodded. "Aye, he also wanted me to know that the princess I was sent to rescue didn't have King George's blood in her." He placed his hand on her stomach. "Not that it would matter once I met you."
"Oh, yea?"
"I'd love you if you were related to King George and The Dark One combined. It wouldn't matter to me."
She lifted her head and kissed his cheek. "I love you too, Killian." Snuggled into his arms. "It's strange to be grateful in a way that I was kidnapped. It brought us together."
He chuckled. "Aye, that it did." He sighed. "There's more you should know."
She stood and said, "Well, your wife has one request. Let's get ready for bed, and you can hold me while you tell me everything."
He nodded and stood to prepare to undress. Before he could do anything, she began undressing him. "I want to do this for you tonight." She then carefully removed his clothes and put them away. She then paused, "Can you tell me how to take off your brace? I know you don't sleep with that on."
Killian nodded and pointed, "Undo that strap first." He then walked her through what to do. He watched as she didn't flinch when she removed it and saw his stump. He watched her kiss it and then move on to undressing herself. He smirked, sat on the bed, and leaned back against the headboard again. "Now, this is a wonderful sight."
She smiled at him and let her dress fall to the floor. She then seductively removed her underclothes and smiled at him. "I'm glad you liked the show. I'll have to do it again for you soon." She climbed into bed and encouraged him to get under the covers too. "Now, what did you want to tell me?"
"I forgot. I think I want to go back to looking at your naked body." He lifted the covers off her and stared at her. "Aye, I like this much better."
She giggled and playfully shook her head at him. "I'll let you have your fun after you tell me what you were going to say."
He laid the covers back over her and sighed. "Fine." He said petulantly. "I'll tell you about my father."
She snuggled up to him and felt his lean naked body against hers. "Hmm. This feels so good."
"If you like that, wait until I'm inside you again. You'll love that!" He wrapped his arms around her. "But first, my childhood." He kissed her forehead. "My father loved my mother deeply. My brother Liam and I weren't really a factor to him. She wanted children, and he gave her everything she wanted. She adored us. Then one day, she grew very sick. I was young, yet I still remember it. I remember him weeping, begging her to live. I remember right before the end; he told her he'd never forgive her if she died. He kept his word." He sighed. "After that, he hated my brother and me. We were reminders of our mother, and he beat us. Then one day, we were sent to work on a merchant ship. Liam and I woke up and discovered our father was gone, he was running from debts, and he'd sold us into slavery to the ship's owner." He held Emma tightly to remind himself how full his life was now. "We never saw him again."
Emma looked at him in awe. "You've overcome so much. I can't believe you can love me, a sheltered princess, when you've achieved so much by hard work and with no help. Wow. You're incredible."
He laid her on her back. He was overcome with how much he loved her and how every word was a balm for his broken and battered heart. "You're everything to me." He then thrust inside of her and groaned. That night, he made love to his wife and then fell asleep wrapped up with her. He finally felt like he'd found safe harbor.
