For the first time in days, Emma woke up feeling refreshed. She had been battling with the flu for the last three and a half days, and she had finally gotten over the worst of it.
While she was feeling well physically, she couldn't exactly say the same emotionally. All she thought about was Killian. Not only had she lost an amazing friend, but she lost her chance at someone who could make her really happy.
These last days at home, where she either stayed in her bed or on the couch, gave her nothing but time to think about her feelings for Killian. The ones she had tried her hardest to ignore and run away from.
She simply sighed as she got out of the bed and got dressed. She actually felt well enough to wear something besides pajamas or sweatpants.
When she walked into the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator to grab milk and orange juice. She set it on the counter before reaching for a bowl, spoon, and cereal. As she had finished preparing her breakfast, she noticed one of the photos on refrigerator. It was one of her and Killian.
She sighed once more as she sat down at the table. She really was a bloody idiot, and she honestly wouldn't blame Killian if he wanted nothing else to do with her. This was all of her fault.
Even though her appetite was now gone, Emma managed to eat the Fruit Loops and drink her Simply Orange. When she placed her dishes in the sink, she heard a knock at her door.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she walked the short distance. When she opened the door, her eyes widened when she saw someone holding a bouquet of red roses.
The delivery man then asked, "Are you Emma Swan?"
"Uh, yeah. That's me," she responded a little unsurely.
"Well, then, these are for you," the man told her as he handed her the flowers. He nodded at her before he went on his way.
As Emma closed her door, she looked at the roses curiously. She then spotted a card and read it out loud:
Emma, I would have sent these sooner, but I wanted to wait until you were over your sickness. Despite our parting at the beach, I wanted you to know that I'll be here for you should you ever need anything. See you around, Swan. Killian.
When she finished reading, she felt a tear roll down her cheek. She shook her head and thought, "I do not get emotional over men." She then added out loud, "Or at least I didn't."
As she fished out a vase for the flowers, she couldn't help but think that Killian had pretty much shot holes in what she had thought about herself when it came to relationships. And she still wasn't entirely sure what to do about it.
Just as she had placed the flowers on her coffee table and was about to settle on the couch, she heard another knock on the door.
Emma walked over to answer it and smiled when she saw her best friend on the other side. Belle immediately hugged the blonde before she was ushered inside.
Emma immediately told her, "You should be at work." "And you should have gotten the flu shot," Belle teased with a grin.
The blonde only shook her head before she noticed the plastic bowl in her friend's hands. She then asked, "Is that some more chicken soup?"
Belle smiled as she answered, "Yes. From my mother's recipe." Emma returned her smile as she took the soup from her friend's hands.
As she placed it in the refrigerator, she commented, "This will make a great lunch." When she turned back around, she saw the brunette curiously eyeing the roses.
When Emma had padded the short distance to the living room, Belle asked, "Who sent you roses?"
"Who do you think?" the blonde replied. As her best friend tilted her head at her in question, Emma couldn't help but think that the gesture had to be one that Belle and Killian had inherited from their father.
The brunette then stated, "My brother sent you roses?" not even trying to fight the grin spreading over her features.
"Yeah," Emma simply answered as she ran her fingers through her blonde locks. She then sank down on the couch and stared at the small white card sitting amidst the red. Her mind couldn't help but wander to the man who sent them, and more importantly, what it meant.
She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Belle's voice, "I can see that something is on your mind, Emma. Do you want to talk about it?"
The blonde sighed as she buried her face in her hands. When she lifted her head back up, she admitted, "It's the roses, it's the stupid note he sent with it, it's the whole gesture in itself. It's just him. I don't deserve any of it."
Belle simply pulled her best friend in for a long embrace. When they pulled apart, the brunette spoke, "At least you're not fighting your feelings anymore," with a wide smile.
Emma couldn't help but smile back just as widely before reality slammed her back into place. She then pointed out, "I'm not good enough for him, Belle."
The brunette shook her head as she responded, "Why on earth would you say that, Emma?"
The blonde then got up and began pacing the room. She stopped and ran her fingers through her hair once more as she stated, "Look at my track record when it comes to relationships. Neal never cared about me – he only used me. Graham and I couldn't get past the friend stage, and Walsh was just a world-class jerk who dumped me because I moved too slow for him. Clearly, there is something wrong with me."
"Just because you've had a string of bad relationships doesn't mean that every one of them will be like that. Killian is different."
"That's the point! I have so much baggage with my walls and the trust issues, Belle. Killian could easily get any girl he wanted. Aside from his gorgeous, well, everything, he's such an amazing guy. Why in the hell would he want to be with me?"
"Because you two understand each other. He is just as broken as you are. He barely remembers his mother, and his father abandoned him. The brother whom he looked up to – the one who practically raised him – was killed in a terrible accident. He was completely alone until he fell in love with Milah. But then he lost her, too. Much like you, he had given up on the idea of finding love again. He had found friendship in Robin and that is all he needed. He puts on the flirtatious and carefree exterior to protect himself from being hurt again. He and you are kindred spirits, Emma."
Emma took in her friend's words before she sighed and she sat back down on the couch. She then said, "Yeah, we are. But he did open himself up to love again – with me. And what did I do? What I always do – put up my walls and run away. Repeatedly. I broke his heart because I was too scared to admit that I have feelings for him."
"Yet, he sends you roses. He obviously still cares about you," Belle stated. Her blonde friend simply looked down, and the brunette continued, "He's in this for the long haul. He's always asking me about you."
"He is?" Emma questioned surprisingly. Belle grinned as she answered, "Who do you think told him you were sick?"
The blonde only ran her fingers through her hair and defended, "Your point?"
The brunette shook her head as she answered, "Emma, he understands that you're scared, and he understands why you run. That doesn't change how much he cares about you – how much he loves you."
Emma couldn't help the tears welling up as she agreed, "I know that he does." She then took a deep breath and continued, "The other day, I admitted that it still feels strange at times having people that I can always count on. And he assured me that I never had to worry about being alone. I now know that he was also talking about himself. He really isn't going anywhere."
"And that terrifies you," Belle perceived.
The blonde simply nodded before she elaborated, "I still don't know what to do with all of these feelings. And I'm afraid that if I act on them, it'll make everything real. And then there's Killian. I've given him every reason to run, and he hasn't. And it does terrify me – it scares the hell out of me. I had sworn off relationships until Killian came and screwed it all up."
She then buried her face in her hands and sighed heavily. She soon felt Belle's arms wrap around her and her head lean against her arms. They stayed like for several minutes until Belle broke the silence.
"You have always been closed off, cautious, and scared to trust others. I'm not saying that it isn't without reason, but great things have happened when you decided to open up to people. You now have something that you never thought was possible – a family who loves you. And now you have someone who can give you a different type of love, and I know he would give the world if you only gave him the chance. I believe that you should stop letting your mind get in your way and follow your heart and let Killian love you the way that you deserve."
Emma turned to face her friend and gave her a crushing hug. When they pulled apart, "I'm so glad to have a sister like you."
"And I couldn't be happier to have a sister like you," Belle replied. The blonde offered a bright smile in response.
The brunette then stood up and spoke, "I really do have to get back to work. I'll see you later, Emma."
"See you later," Emma responded. She then watched her friend make her way to the door and out of her apartment.
The blonde took a deep breath and sank back down against the couch, trying to calm her racing heart and thoughts. She then realized the only way to get some clarity was to receive some fresh air.
So, she rose from the couch and grabbed her red leather jacket before she headed out the door.
She found herself at the docks and sat down on one of the benches. It overlooked the water and had the calming affect that Emma so desperately needed.
Like it had so many times these last few days– too many times for Emma to keep track – her mind wandered to Killian. In spite of herself, she began to giggle, and the giggle soon turned to laughter. She couldn't help but realize that the blue-eyed barista was anything but subtle when it came to his feelings.
She had noticed that his flirtatious comments had only been centered on her as of late and that he never failed for an excuse to play with her hair, pay her a sincere compliment, and make her laugh just so he could hear it. And then there was the way his eyes lit up whenever she was around, and the way he would do anything that she asked. She had also noticed the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking; it was as though she had hung the moon and the stars, as though she was a treasure to be cherished.
Emma didn't know how she had managed to be so blind; she supposed she had her stubbornness to thank for that. In her heart, she knew that she deserved to be loved the way that Killian already loved her, but in her mind, she was terrified at the thought that he was everything that she had always wanted.
As she focused her gaze back on the water, she let her guard down and thought about if – if – she and Killian did start dating. He was already one of her best friends, and they already knew a lot about each other. They would simply get to know each other better over dinner and in between kisses and hand-holding. She knew he would shower her with affection, and she would try her hardest to give it back.
The more she thought about it, the less she could fight the smile on her face. Killian really was an amazing guy, and she wanted to take a chance on him. She couldn't remember the last time she wanted anything so much.
She took a deep breath as she stood up from the bench. She was going to find him before her fears talked her out of it.
Just as she began walking along the docks, she felt herself crash into someone. She immediately began apologizing, "I am so, so sorry. I was, uh, distracted, and I wasn't really paying attention."
"It's quite, alright, Swan. I could say the same about myself," he replied.
Emma's eyes shot up, and she locked eyes with mesmerizing blue ones. As she stared into them, she saw the love in them. And just like that, her fear was back.
"Killian, uh, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I could ask you the same thing, love. Shouldn't you be at home recovering from your illness?" he pointed out, and he couldn't quite hide the worry in his voice.
Emma offered him a small smile as she replied, "I'm over the worst of it. I promise I'm fine." She couldn't help but notice the relief that flooded in his eyes. She then added, "Besides, you are the one who wanted to wait until I was on the mend to send me those roses," as she nervously ran her fingers through her hair.
Killian scratched behind his ear as he observed, "Ah, so you got them." He then questioned, "So, uh, did you like them?"
"They were beautiful, Killian. And so was the note," she sincerely spoke as she smiled at him.
He smiled back at her as he scratched behind his ear once more. He then told her, "Well, Swan, I must be getting to my boat. I'll see you later, love."
Killian then began walking past her, leaving Emma contemplating her thoughts and fears. The blonde then muttered, "To hell with caution."
She then turned to where he was continuing to make his way up the docks. When she called out his name, he turned back around and asked, "Aye, Swan?"
She grinned as she answered, "You still owe me a trip on that boat of yours, Captain." Killian grinned back as he replied, "So, I do. It's bad form to keep a lady waiting."
"Well, then we better get going," she teased. He smiled at her before he led the way to his boat.
When Killian had stepped foot on the vessel, he turned to Emma and offered her his hand. The blonde looked at for a moment and thought about rolling her eyes before she simply grabbed it and allowed him to help her on the boat.
Killian then walked to the driver's seat and sat down, and Emma sat down beside him. He smiled at her as he spoke, "Let's set sail, love." She returned his smile as she nodded in response.
As they made their way onto open water, Killian asked, "So, I'm curious, love. Why did you want to come with me?"
"Well, I wanted to hang out with you," Emma answered with a smile. He smiled back at her before she asked, "So, I think I have to ask why you aren't at work."
"I own the shop, love. I'm free to take a day off if I please," he answered with a smug grin. Emma only rolled her eyes in response.
He then continued, "The truth is that Robin's son had a soccer tournament over the weekend, and I had quite a bit of inventory and restocking to do, but I found that I couldn't concentrate," as he scratched behind his ear.
"That makes two of us," Emma muttered.
"Pardon, love?" Killian asked.
She took a breath before she answered, "I needed some fresh air."
He nodded before he observed, "I can imagine you've grown rather tired of your apartment during your bout with the flu."
"You have no idea," she agreed. He offered a sympathetic look before he turned his attention back to the open water in front of them.
They sailed in comfortable silence before Killian began slowing down the boat. Emma furrowed her brows and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Well, Swan, we're not simply sailing. I happen to be quite a fan of fishing," he answered. He then teased her, "Let me guess. You've never fished before."
She rolled her eyes as she told him, "How difficult can it possibly be?"
"I believe you just proved me right, love," he smugly responded, receiving a smack on the arm from Emma.
When he came to a stop and put down the weights, he grabbed the fishing poles and handed one to his blonde friend.
She immediately began baiting the hook and was successful. Without looking up, she spoke, "I told you this wasn't hard."
Killian couldn't help but shake his head and grin at her stubbornness. He then replied, "If you say so, love."
She rolled her eyes before she looked up in order to cast the line. Unfortunately, she wasn't quite as lucky with this task. When she drew back the pole, the hook and line wrapped around Killian's pole.
"Are you kidding me?" she complained as she turned around. She then planted her hands on her hips in defiance.
She then went to work trying to untangle the poles as Killian told her, "It's perfectly alright, love. You're new to this."
As he made a move to assist her, she argued, "I got it, Killian." He threw up his hands in surrender and allowed her to take care of it as he fought his urge to chuckle.
However, his eyes soon widened in panic when he saw that she had somehow managed to wrap the fishing line around her leg. He saw her began to fall, and he rushed to her aid. She fell against him, and he broke her fall as they both hit the deck.
"Are you alright, love?" Killian worriedly asked her. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? I landed on you," Emma pointed out.
"I assure you that I'm fine, love. This is far from the worst fall I've had," he reassured her. She simply nodded in response.
She then began trying to roll off Killian when he told her, "The line is now wrapped around both of us, love. I believe you need my help this time," as he pushed the hair off her shoulder.
The gesture gave Emma goosebumps, but she managed to reply, "Okay. I guess you're right." He offered a smug smile in response when they had both sat up.
Within a few minutes, they had managed to untangle themselves, as well as the fishing poles. However, Killian noticed that some of the line had gotten tangled in Emma's hair.
He then told her, "Hold still, love. Allow me to remove the fishing line." She nodded in response and watched him as he carefully undid the clear wire from her blonde locks.
Once the line was out of her hair, he moved the strands behind her ear. His hand lingered on her cheek, and Emma found herself leaning into his touch.
She then moved her gaze to lips, and she noticed that Killian was doing the same. They began leaning in when Emma felt him abruptly press his forehead against hers.
"Swan…Emma, I would love nothing more than to kiss you, but I don't think we should unless you are absolutely sure it is what you really want. You know how I feel about you, and I don't think it would be a good idea where either of us are concerned, love."
"I'm not…" Emma began nervously. She then took a deep breath and continued, "I'm not running anymore, Killian."
Killian's head shot up, and he looked at her with an expression that was a combination of awe, shock, and surprise.
"Are you certain, love?" he questioned.
Emma smiled at him as she answered, "I'm absolutely certain." She then stammered, "But can we… would it be… do you think…?"
"Breathe, Swan," he told her as he ran his hands up and down her arms. She offered him a grateful smile in return.
She then took a deep breath and started again, "Look, you know my relationship history. I had sworn off love because I didn't think I'd ever really have it. I'm still figuring all of this out, Killian, but I know that I want to see where this goes. But you'll have to be patient with me."
Killian smiled the brightest she had even seen him as he responded, "You can take all the time in the world, Emma. You, my love, are well worth the wait," with sincerity and love shining in his eyes.
Emma smiled at him before she looked down so that he couldn't see the few tears that had formed. He placed his thumb under her chin so that she would look back up at him.
He noticed her wet cheeks and asked, "What's the matter, love?"
"I'm sorry. It's just that I'm a little overwhelmed. I've never had a guy care for me as much as you do," she admitted.
Killian wiped her tears before he told her, "As I've mentioned before, love, Neal was a bloody idiot for never giving you a chance. And I'd wager that the same is true for those other two blokes."
Emma couldn't help but grin at him before she started laughing. He smiled widely as he told her, "There's that laugh I love so much."
She simply smiled back at him before she spoke, "So, are you gonna teach me to fish, or what?" "As you wish," he responded with a grin.
He then stood and offered his hand to Emma. She took it and let him help her up before something caught her eye.
"Killian, I think you dropped this," she spoke as she bent down to pick up the item. When she saw what it was, she covered her mouth with her free hand.
She then looked over at her dark-haired friend, who was scratching behind his ear, and she asked him, "You bought me another bracelet?"
Killian cleared his throat before he answered, "I didn't buy it, love. That is your bracelet – the one that was stolen."
"That's impossible," Emma protested.
"Check the bracelet, love. You'll see that I'm right," he told her.
The blonde looked at him curiously before she did as he said. Her eyes widened when she saw the letters "ES" engraved on one of the charms. She also noticed that one of the charms was dented and scratched – she knew that was because it had gotten caught in her apartment door.
For several moments, Emma simply stared at the bracelet in a state of speechlessness. When she finally managed to look up at Killian, the only word she uttered was, "How?"
She could tell the answer made him nervous. He took a series of deep breaths before he explained, "Well, love, you know that after I lost Milah, I went down a rather dark road. One that led me to thievery. Despite the time that has passed since I turned my life around, I still very much remember my old life. There's a bar on the other side of the city where those involved in that life like to gather. The day after you told me of your bracelet, I went there to see if I get any information about it. As it happens, I was rather lucky, and I heard a man discussing a charm bracelet that he had stolen right out in the open. It only took a couple minutes to realize that it was your bracelet he was talking about. He said he had sold it to Joe's Pawn Shop."
Emma then interrupted, "I know that shop. The owner only deals in trades. The only way you could have gotten my bracelet back is if you…" trailing off as the realization hit her.
"Aye, love. I, too, knew the nature of this particular shop's business. So, the day after my discovery, I made a stop by the shop with an item that I knew would satisfy for a trade."
"And what was that?" He answered her by pulling off the silver chain around his neck – a chain that was now empty.
With awestruck wonder in her voice, Emma asked, "You traded your brother's ring for me?"
"Aye," Killian simply answered with a nod of his head.
She then began to slowly lean in, and he didn't try to stop her. The moment that their lips met was magic. While this kiss held the same fire as their first one, it was more tender, and it held all of the feelings that they held for each other. Emma wrapped her arms around his neck, and Killian wrapped his around her waist, with one hand sliding to tangle in her hair. After a few moments, she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, and he followed suit. The kiss was perfect, and it went on until they both pulled away slowly, a blinding smile lighting up both their faces.
When Killian had adjusted his position so that he could look at her, he spoke, "You know, Swan, I believe that our truce is the best bloody idea that you could've come up with."
She smiled at him as she responded, "You're right. It really was an amazing idea." She then took a deep breath and continued, "But you know what would make it even better?"
"And what would that be, Swan?" Killian asked curiously.
"A promise to always be there for each other. No matter what," Emma responded, with vulnerability shining in those green eyes.
"Always, love," he sincerely spoke, as he ran his fingers through her hair. At her smile, he teased, "There'll be no getting rid of me, now, Swan."
"Good," Emma simply replied before she kissed him sweetly.
As they pulled away, she rested her head on his chest. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and held on tight. Both of them felt safe, peaceful, and loved. It was a feeling they knew would never fade, and it was one that would only grow stronger as time passed.
Well, my lovelies, "Truce" has come to an end. I really enjoyed writing this story, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it!
I also wanted to tell you guys that I'll be back in the world of "Where We Belong" and "Together" for the next several one-shots that I have planned. Until next time! :)