Disclaimer: I do not own the Once Upon a Time franchise.
Chapter Twenty
Emma couldn't stop fidgeting. She kept wrapping and unwrapping her hands from around her mug of cocoa, then she'd pick at the napkin in her lap, before tearing at the blueberry muffin in front of her. Then she'd repeat the entire process again. Finally having enough of it, Killian reached over and wrapped both of his large hands around her smaller ones, giving a gentle squeeze. "Breathe, Swan." He murmured softly into her hair.
Emma looked up to catch his blue gaze, they were seated in a back booth at Granny's waiting on Neal. Victor and Jefferson were at the bar having breakfast keeping an extra out. Not that Granny needed much help. Emma discovered the older woman had a crossbow behind the bar. If anything, Emma found that far scarier than the town doctor and town grocery store owner.
"I know," she found his blue eyes a bit intimidating. There was so much passion and fire in them, "I'm just nervous. I haven't seen him since he left me. I mean really seen him." She clarified. She didn't count the sixty seconds of panic in the diner a few days earlier.
"I'm here with you." Killian reminded her softly, "You're not alone, Emma."
Emma's eyes brimmed with tears at that. She definitely wasn't alone. Neither was August or Henry. They had a family now. Emma marveled at the fact that Killian sat there next to her, with an unwavering amount of support, particularly since he had a very complicated and emotional history with the Gold family himself.
Impulsively, Emma leaned over and brushed her lips lightly over Killian's. She caught him off-guard. While their relationship had been trending toward something romantic, things seemed to be on hold due to Neal's reappearance in their life. When she pulled back he was grinning from ear-to-ear. "Why, Swan," he tugged gently on a curl, "I had no idea you felt that way." He teased with a wink.
Despite the situation, Emma felt herself flush and let out a little chuckle. "Mhm, well, I couldn't resist your devilish charms." She responded cheekily.
This time it was Killian who leaned in, cupping her jaw lightly as he kissed her with a bit more passion than she had. She felt her stomach swoop pleasantly as his lips moved over hers. She gripped the collar of his shirt tightly and pulled him closer, wanting to keep the kiss going. The man could really kiss. Though she shouldn't be surprised by that. He was a walking sexual innuendo.
A clearing throat caused them to break a part. Standing next to the table was Neal Cassidy or Baelfire Gold. Emma was still unsure of what to call him. After a moment of awkward silence, Granny waddled over. "What do you want?" She snapped at him.
Neal stared at the three of them for sixty seconds before sitting down, "Coffee with cream." He requested roughly. "So," he glared across the table at Emma and Killian, "you kept my kid from me?" He accused without preamble.
Emma took a deep breath, "Neal or Baelfire? What should I even call you?"
The man's nostrils flared a bit, "Neal is fine. Emma. . . I have a son?"
"No, I have a son." She corrected. "You have nothing. You left me standing," she lowered her voice, "with your stolen watches. You had to know I went to jail. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you set me up to begin with!"
"I don't have 'nothing.'" Neal stood up suddenly, knocking the table, "I have a son. You couldn't do that alone. And, so help me god, Emma, I will take him from you. You've had him for seven years. Now it's my turn!"
At his outburst the diner fell silent and Victor and Jefferson scrambled off of their barstools, "Calm down." Victor placed a hand on Neal's shoulder, which he shook off, "You're causing a scene. And here in Storybrooke that won't help you." He looked over his shoulder where Jefferson was currently talking Granny down and taking the crossbow from the older woman while keeping Ruby safely behind the bar.
"Back the fuck off!" Neal screamed before storming toward the door, "In this life or the next, Emma, I will get my son!" He slammed his way out of the diner.
The door shut so hard the windows all rattled. The moment it was closed, Emma burst into tears. Killian gathered her up in his arms, "Shh, Emma, he's not getting Henry. I promise, no one will let that bastard take Henry." Emma's sobs shook her shoulders violently.
Kneeling down next to them, Victor placed a hand on her knee and took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze, "Try to breathe, Emma." He murmured, "I need you to breathe." Her breaths were coming in short rasps and it was making Victor nervous that she would hyperventilate. When Jefferson came over, he whispered, "Can you get a small paper bag from Granny?"
By the time Jefferson returned with the bag, Emma was hyperventilating, unable to get a deep breath in. "Swan, take the bag." Killian put it in her hands.
"In and out, Emma. As deep as you can." Victor took his wrist in hers, watching his watch as he monitored her pulse. Jefferson stood behind her and rubbed her back soothingly. It was something that calmed Grace.
It took two minutes, but Emma finally calmed, slumping against Killian. It seemed like the whole diner breathed a sigh of relief when Emma calmed. It was then that Killian noted everyone was watching them with bated breath. Once Emma put the bag down, the other patrons began to eat again. She'd barely been in Storybrooke a month and Emma and Henry were already beloved by the citizens of the small town. That boded well for them, and poorly for Neal.
"Okay, Emma, I think we should get home. You need to calm down a bit more before we get Henry." Killian suggested softly.
Emma dug her head in his neck and breathed in Killian's scent. "I'm calmer. I promise. I'm calmer now." She looked up. "I want to hug Henry and then I want to get an adult meeting set up for this afternoon."
Tucking a stand of hair behind her ear, Killian let his fingers linger at her cheek. "You've got it, love. I'm sure Regina and Robin will gladly host."
Emma unwound herself from Killian's grasp and stood up. "Thank you, both." She hugged Victor tightly and then hugged Jefferson. "You are both wonderful."
She took Killian's hand in hers and led them toward the door of the diner. Before they could leave, Granny called out, "Next time I will shoot him with my crossbow!"
Emma and Killian both turned, "You know, I think I would help you get away with it too." Emma teased lightly, feeling good about the fact that the diner seemed in support of the older woman's statement.
Regina's temper was boiling over as she listened to the very brief encounter Emma and Killian had had with Neal at Granny's. There was fire in her eyes as she slammed the crystal tumbler she'd been holding on the glass coffee table. "How do I deport him from my town?" She screeched. Emma was slightly afraid Regina would break something. There was a lot of glass in the room.
Robin gently guided her back down to her seat on the sofa next to him in their living room. "Keep your voice down, darling, we don't want the kids to hear."
Snarling, Regina spun her head, she picked up her glass just to slam it down again, "Well, then, how about you suggest something helpful."
"Regina," Emma admonished from her spot on the floor in front of the fireplace next to Killian. They were leaning against a bunch of pillows, curled up together. "Don't snap at Robin." She murmured, "He is right about us keeping it down. Plus, if you slam you cup on the table one more time, the cup and table will shatter."
Mary Margaret watched as Emma clutched a cup of chamomile tea in her hands. She was pale and withdrawn, leaning fully on Killian. "You know that we'll come up with a plan, Emma." The teacher had only just arrived from school. "We will handle this. We may not know how, yet, but we will. We always do. This isn't our first crisis. We're good at this. We can do this, but everyone needs to stay as calm as possible."
"Mary Margaret is right." David agreed, "So, we tackle one mini-problem at a time. The first is making sure that the kids, all of them, have constant supervision." He sighed, "I'm now on board." He looked at Graham, "We hire Scarlett and Leroy to help us keep monitoring the school. And we all use our spare time helping." He ticked off one finger, "Problem one solved if everyone agrees." When everyone agreed, David held up a second finger, "The second is that you," he pointed at Emma, "are never alone either. I don't trust Neal not to hurt you too, so you are always with one of us. I don't care who it is, but we're on the buddy system now." Everyone agreed with that, so David held up a third finger, "August," August's eyes narrowed in on David knowing what was coming next, "you do not go anywhere near anyone with the last name Gold or Cassidy. Am I understood?" August didn't respond, "I am not arresting you. I need you helping us, not hurting us. So, am I clear."
Emma kicked his foot, "He's clear." Emma responded for him. "We all need to stay out of prison and we all need to be on the up and up." She glanced over at August. They'd discussed this at length with Killian before coming over, "And on that note, I need to be honest with you all." She paused, "This cannot leave this room. And Killian already knows." When everyone agreed, Emma launched into her and August's stories. She told them everything. How she met Neal, having Henry in jail, marrying Walsh, Walsh's abuse, August getting them new identities, and finally them running here.
The room was silent for a moment. Ruby was the one who broke it. "Emma, you are the bravest woman on the planet."
Emma swiped away some tears, "I don't know about 'brave.' I think dumb is a better assessment, but this is what needs to be handled now and you all can't help do that if you don't know the truth."
Graham gave Emma a confident smile, "Your secrets are safe with us. And I think I speak for the entire room when I say that our opinions of you have not changed at all."
"Thanks, Graham. And I appreciate the support and protection. I think that David has come up with a good plan. And I like Graham's idea of hiring Scarlett and Leroy. I, perhaps stupidly, trust them. I think we need to see what route Neal takes. If he tries something legal or illegal. I do want to add one more thing to the plan." When everyone nodded, she continued, "I think we need to keep surveillance on the Golds."
"I agree." David nodded, "Any other questions or concerns?" When no one responded, he stood and pulled Mary Margaret up to give her a hug, "Okay, so we're back to business as usual, which means I'm going on patrol since I'm on duty."
Robin stood too, "And I'm going to do a drive by down near Gold's shop to see if anything is up."
August moved to stand next to Robin, "If I promise not to kill anyone or get out of the car, can I come?"
Robin chuckled and picked up his phone, "Yeah, and I'll keep control you too." He promised.
"Alright then, the rest of you can stay and we can all have dinner here if you'd like." Regina offered.
Ruby rose, "I'll bring Granny's back. I've got to go check in with Granny. I promised her an update." She leaned down to give Emma a hug, "Love you, Emma." She whispered.
Victor was standing behind her, "I'll drive you. That way I can help. Text us what everyone wants." He waved and guided Ruby out the door.
August pressed a kiss to Emma's forehead before following Robin out the door.
"See, love," Killian murmured, "we'll handle everything." He promised.