Her expression turned somber as she let out a sigh. She stared down into her cup and bemused, "Things were easier when I was only a smitten teenager – or a little girl listening to her mother read."
"Or a lad sailing with his brother in his boat. Seeing the ocean stretch out before you."
Killian then ran his hand over his face and through his hair. "I'm still not sure there's an easy solution here, love."
"No – but maybe there's one we haven't really thought all the way through."
He cocked an eyebrow, a puzzled expression filling his blue eyes.
"I must confess I'm rather lost. What haven't we considered?"
Belle took a deep breath as she carefully considered her words.
"Maybe instead of trying to allow our father back in our lives, we let a friend in our lives."
Her brother only stared at her, a mix of emotions whirring on his face. He then took a breath and exhaled deeply.
"I'll admit I didn't quite expect you to say that – I'm not quite sure it's a choice I'd consider."
Belle's expression faltered and her shoulders slumped. She perked up when her brother continued, "But that doesn't mean it won't work. Or that it can't work."
He took another deep breath before he offered, "Emma's been saying the same thing this whole time. We don't owe him anything, and it's up to us as to how much we want him in our lives."
With a nod, she supplied, "And we don't have to necessarily see him as our father."
Killian hummed – his hand wandered to scratch behind his ear. He then sighed and told her, "But it still begs the question of how to even get to that place."
Belle nodded once again. A solemn expression then overtook her features.
"Especially for you."
He opened his mouth in question when she apologized, "I should have realized this would be equally as difficult for you. You remember being abandoned and all the pain it left you. It's why you've lashed out, and why we fought at the hospital."
"That isn't an excuse for yelling at you and making you feel the way I did."
With a sigh, she resigned, "I know, I know." She took a breath before she offered, "But I do understand why this is so hard – and why moving forward on any level is just too much."
He let out a sigh of his own, raking his fingers through his dark hair.
"But it hasn't all been a bloody nightmare. I quite enjoyed having someone else to talk with about baseball – all those stats and our favorite players."
"And seeing if we agree on World Series contenders," Belle supplied as a small smile made its way across her features.
With a deep breath, she then offered, "Maybe that could be a starting point? If that's what you want."
Killian dropped his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He then brought his eyes back up to his sister's.
"What do you want, love?"
Belle tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows. A million different thoughts and scenarios flowed in her mind.
She then took a long and slow deep breath.
"I've always thought we should at least hear him out – to see if he really had changed. And now that I've gotten to know him a little…"
She trailed off, her blue eyes roaming around the room.
Killian took a deep breath before he supplied, "You want to let him in – but you're still afraid."
She nodded. She then let out a sigh as she rubbed her hands over her arms.
"I just wish I knew if this was the right thing for me – for both of us."
"Aye, love." Killian rested his chin in his hand. He then tapped his fingers against his jaw.
Belle eyed her brother. She then asked him, "What are you thinking about?" With a head tilt, she then added, "Specifically, I mean."
"About something you actually said, love. About this being a starting point."
She only hummed. She then bemused, "I don't think it'll be quite as easy as it sounds."
"I dare say it wouldn't."
He then took a deep breath and told her, "But maybe it'll help us move forward."
"Can you move forward? Can either of us?"
The question hung in the air. Killian rubbed the back of his head while Belle fumbled with the hem of her skirt.
He then simply spoke, "Maybe?" With another deep breath, he elaborated, "I don't believe he's going to leave us again, and I do believe we could eventually have a relationship – but everything still feels raw - and uncertain. Like it'll bloody implode at any minute."
Belle nodded. She drummed her fingers against the table before she suggested, "Which is why starting over – and just getting to know him as a friend – would make things easier for all of us."
"Even him?"
She knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "Does that really matter to you, Killian?"
He sighed and placed his head in his hands. Without looking up, he said, "I know it seems rather unexpected, but this isn't what he wanted – he wants to make up for all those years he wasn't there."
"He also wants to be near us – he just wants to be in our lives. You know he's never wanted to push us."
A thoughtful expression spread across his features. He ran the tip of his finger along the edge of the table.
"Aye, love. I'd wager he'd find a way to be content with whatever decision we came to."
With a deep breath, he added, "Even if that meant taking things one day a time – or even slower."
"I do believe he'd find a way to be okay with it."
Her blue eyes then wandered over to their untouched drinks. She let out a deep breath before she took a long sip.
When she focused back on her brother, she posed, "So, should we try to talk to him?" She couldn't help but sigh as she added, "Or is that just too much?"
"No, love, it isn't," he assured her. He then took a breath and exhaled slowly.
"I'd be lying if I said it would be easy, but it's…something we need to do."
She contemplated his words, her hands reaching for her drink once more. Once she had a few sips, she took a deep breath.
"I do think you're right, Killian. This is something we need to do."
He nodded – only to be met with a head tilt from his sister.
"What is it?"
"I just never thought that you would have agreed to - or suggested - any of this."
Killian cocked a half-smile. "I may have picked up a few things from you, sis."
She smiled back at him. As she rested her chin in both hands, her smile faded and replaced with a look of nervous anticipation.
Her voice trembled as she questioned, "When-when should we go?"
Killian's blue eyes bore into hers – the same eyes he often wondered if could ever trust again.
The words tumbled out before he could stop them: "We could see him now – before fear has the chance to overtake us both."
Belle blinked several times, her mouth falling open. "Did I hear you right? You want to go see him now?"
His eyes widened, and no words came out. He then took several deep breaths - long and slow.
"I just want us to have peace, love. I want us to stop living under this bloody cloud of uncertainty. And we can't do that unless we talk to him. I know now seems a bit rushed…"
"But this has all been a long time coming," she supplied. He nodded.
With a deep breath of her own, she then added, "And we finally know what we truly want – and we shouldn't put it off."
"No, love, we shouldn't."
Despite the assuredness of his tone, doubt creeped into his mind. "Can we really do this? Be friends with the man who abandoned us?"
"No one - including yourself - said this would be easy. But it gives us the chance to keep getting to know him without the pressures of seeing him as our father."
Another half-smile graced Killian's face. "You know, sometimes I wonder how you became so wise."
She offered a smile before he continued, "And this gives us the chance to deal with any lingering pain that may still be left over."
His voice cracked, and he dropped his head in his hands. Belle allowed him a few moments before she nudged his shoulder.
When he looked up, she offered, "And we can deal with it together. I know our pain isn't exactly the same, but we were both left by the person who was supposed to love us unconditionally."
She took a deep breath before she finished, "And I know we both managed to forgive him – but this will help us see what that really means."
"A fresh start indeed," Killian surmised. A warm smile then spread across his face – Belle returned it.
He then suggested, "Shall we get going?" She bobbed her head before they rose from the table.
As they headed above deck, Killian's phone rang. He dug it from his pocket and spoke, "It's Emma. You go ahead, love – I'll be up in a minute."
Belle nodded before she continued up the stairs. He then answered and greeted, "Hello, Swan. How is my lovely girlfriend?"
He could sense her smile as she teased, "I shouldn't be surprised when you greet me like that."
He chuckled before she continued, "Are you and Belle okay?" her voice filled with worry.
"Aye, love, we're okay." He couldn't help but scratch behind his ear as he told her, "We're, uh, actually going to see him."
"Really?" came Emma's surprised voice.
"Yeah, we are. I-I think it'll be good for us."
"I think it will, too, Killian." He couldn't help but smile at her words.
"Thanks, Swan." He leaned against the wall as he questioned, "Is that why you called?"
"Actually, it's not," she began, her voice shaking a bit. She cleared her throat before she asked him, "I actually wondered if you had any plans tonight? Around dinner?"
"You know I love spending time with you, love," he replied, a smile making its way across his face. "Shall we meet at your place or mine?"
"Uh, neither, actually."
Killian furrowed his eyebrows. "Pardon?"
She stammered through her answer: "Uh, well, you see…uh, I had something, um, planned for u-us? If-if that's okay with, um, you?"
The corners of his mouth quirked upwards – his heart skipping a beat.
"It sounds marvelous, love. I can't wait to see what you've planned."
He balanced the phone between his ear and his shoulder before he crossed his arms over his chest.
"So, where will we be meeting?"
She perked up a little as she told him, "On the beach near the docks."
Before he could say anything, she hastily added, "You, uh, don't need to do anything."
"Now I'm really intrigued." He took the phone back in his hand as he told her, "Belle and I should head over to the Nautilus. I'll see you tonight, Swan."
"See you tonight, Killian." The line then went quiet. He placed the phone back in his pocket before he walked above deck.
His sister leaned against the railing as she watched the people walk up and down the docks.
"Ready to go, Belle?"
She turned to face him before she nodded. She then questioned, "Are you ready?"
He raked his fingers through his hair. He let out a deep breath before he said, "As ready as I'll ever be."
Belle nodded once more. The two of them then walked off the boat and down the wooden walkway to their vehicles.
A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed the latest installment of "Second Chance" – the next installment will be out tomorrow! And you guys will finally get to see if Killian and Belle can make peace with Brennan, and you'll know just what Emma has planned :) Until then :)