A/N: I deleted 'Magickal Hullabaloo' from the last chapter to edit - story flows better that way I think. So you don't have to reread: at this point, Killian and Emma haven't met on the ship yet. We left off where Regina is about to tell the Charmings what happened at the tower, but she just laid down to comfort herself a little first. I hope that's enough of a recap.. Here's some new writings.. Comments are welcome, good and bad both. Thank you
Three days.
Three days, on the sea, without feeling seasick.
Belle breathed in the salty sea air, feeling the freedom it promised.
She was still heading to Camelot, but every day was a gift. She worked on the ship, various places, from swabbing the desk to climbing the masts to sew a hole in the sails. She still needed to find out her assignment for the morning. When the day was over, Captain Roberts - the dread pirate Roberts as she'd been informed - would assess her work and tell her "Good work, Belle, have a good night. I'll most likely kill you in the morning." At first it felt like a threat. But somehow, she didn't really feel like he would. It felt like an act for his crew more than for her.
"Morning, Belle."
She spun around, spotting the object of her thoughts.
"Captain. Am I to walk the plank today?"
He smiled. "Not this day. The sunrise is too beautiful to spoil it with bloodshed, don't you agree?"
She breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps she was a little hesitant to completely give into her hope of surviving this trip.
"Thank you Captain."
"Tell me more of this love of yours."
"I didn't say he was my love. Just a chance of it." He shrugged, piercing her with his stare. She'd never noticed his eyes before. A glistening aqua blue. She blinked a few times. "It's rather a long story, I'm afraid."
He looked around at the empty deck, waving his arms, his mask still intact. "I have time."
"It starts with my former love. He wasn't the best man, but I could see the good in him. But he paid his price, being locked up." She sensed a storm in him, his eyes shifting to a greener aqua. "But I earned the favor of a sorceress who has stopped at nothing to help me find another love. And I met a chance at a ball. He wrote me, inviting me to Camelot."
He was quiet. "And you're hopeful for this new possibility?"
She thought a moment. "I was, at first. But to be honest, I started to forget about him, and was forced to leave to see him, give him a chance."
"By the sorceress?"
She shrugged her answer, turning her back to him to stare out at the water.
He joined her at the railing, leaning onto it to breath the sea in himself.
"I understand more than you think." He said quietly. "I too had a love locked up and lost to me. She left me to save me, though they tried killing me anyway. By the time I got to her, she had been married off and was already dead at her own hand."
Belle felt a tug at her heart, turning to look at him. Though she could only really see half his face, the look on his eyes and lips suggested he was not pleased with those events. Her eyes roamed him a bit, deciding he must be handsome beyond that mask. Though that had nothing to do with anything.
"My lost love is still alive, in prison. There for.. Well. Forever."
"I suppose you wish you could kill him to set him free some days, hmm?"
She nodded, turning her eyes back to the sea, not really looking anymore. "Some days. He has eternity in his prison."
He turned around, facing the deck, before straightening up and facing her. "Your task this day will be in the galley. Our steward has requested an extra set of hands."
She nodded, turning to go. He caught her elbow, causing her to turn to him. "You will find love again, Belle." His eyes were blue again, and full of sincerity.
"Unless you kill me in the morning, of course."
"Of course." He let go with a curt nod, sauntering across the ship and up to the helm before she could move more than a few feet.
~Magickal Hullabaloo~
Emma found herself sniffling, her tears slowing down. It was entirely possible she had run out of tears, considering how damp her face felt. She had no idea how long she'd sat there since Regina had stuck her there.
Utterly alone. Again.
She heard a soft thump against the door, making her jump. The vines tightened in response to her movement. Then came the sound of something scraping against wood, followed by a softer thud. For some reason, she could have sworn she felt his presence. But that was impossible… Right?
"Jones?" It felt strange to say, her voice was strained, shaky, her mouth felt cottony.
"Aye, love. It's me."
She shouldn't have been surprised. Regina never did anything accidental, always had some sort of plan even if made last minute.
She mildly wondered what he knew of the events of that morning. "What did she tell you?" She was barely speaking, wondering if he had heard her. The only thing she really felt were the tears as they threatened to reemerge. She thought they'd completely dried, but no, they're just around the corner waiting to slip over.
She was tired of crying.
"I know everything, Swan." Her face fell. She didn't know she'd feel regret… if she were capable of feeling at the time. "I don't blame you, love. I just…" He wanted to make it all better. Pesky hero crap.
"Yeah." She sniffed, her eyes raising to the ceiling to try and block the oncoming onslaught of tears. "I know."
"Would you care to talk about it?"
She didn't want to talk to anyone. About anything. All she really wanted, was to be free of her bonds. But that wasn't going to happen right now, was it?
She was startled as the chair slid back until it was against the wall, and she heard a thud outside the door.
"What the bloody devil just happened?"
She began to realize, she was on the Jolly Roger. Jones finally got her here.
"Are we on your ship?"
"Aye. Don't move, I'll be back."
"Seriously?" She got no answer. "That's okay! I'll just wait here!"
The image of a much more put-together Regina appeared in the mirror. She still sported that cross look on her face.
"What's going on Regina?!"
"I see you haven't been lighting that candle. You might want to practice. Just don't burn down the ship. You know what they say about Captains who can't save everyone - I'd hate for Hook to go down with his ship."
"What have you done with the Jolly?"
"Only what was asked of me. Repeatedly, actually." She smirked. "I finally fulfilled a favor for both your father, and your boy toy there."
Footsteps alerted Emma to the return of the pirate.
"She's back in the water." He called through the door, his voice both carried an edge and a hint of relief.
Emma was done with this charade. She called to the mirror to watch, as she quickly lit and extinguished the candle several times.
"Excellent! Now burn the vines, and you're free from your bonds."
"Seriously?" She did, and she was. She stood, stretched, glaring at the mirror only to see her own reflection glaring back at her.
"Emma?"
"I'm no longer tied up." She told him.
"That's excellent. Now, how do we get this door open?"
"Hell if I know." She muttered, looking around. Her new perception didn't change her chances. There was nothing here. "She didn't tell me shit."
"She told me you'd get yourself out of this, love."
"And then what? Swim to shore?"
He chuckled. "I do know a thing or two about sailing."
"I don't. Don't you need a crew or something?"
"Not if you'll help me, darling. You're still my partner."
She felt her heart swell at that, his voice so genuine. There was no ping of a lie anywhere within him. Despite the overwhelming sense of gloom trying to plant itself into every crevice, every fiber of her being, she felt a pang of hope.
She couldn't allow a pang of anything positive.
"We stopped being partners when we returned to the castle." She muttered, unaware he could see her through the mirror, the anguish on her face, the tears slipping free. She was clearly trying to hide her feelings from him.
Standing on the other side of the door, his hooked arm bracing himself against the wood, his gaze looking down to his hand where the mirror was, his own little portal into her little world.
"Emma.." He choked out her name, his heart squeezing at him to just fight just win her at all costs. "I will always -" Her eyes squeezed shut, more tears flowing down her face, her lips in a fine line. She didn't know what to think. "Always be your partner, love." Her hand went to her heart, biting her lip, trying to hold back a smile. He could see it, the corners of her mouth flicking up ever so slightly, encouraging him. "I do believe I always have been. As you've been mine."
Emma could hardly believe his words. Could she trust herself, trust her own instincts that told her he was being truthful, honest, open to her? Always. He never lied to her, not once.
She had to ask. Had to know.
"Do you really know everything, Killian?" Her voice was strained, and quiet.
"Aye, darling, I do." He responded quickly, sure of his answer, sure of her question.
Damn Chio for being right. Killian knew and he was still here.
And just like that, the door opened.
She shouldn't have been surprised to see him, his forehead resting on his hooked wrist, that elbow against the door frame, his piercing eyes looking up at her through his lashes. His hand disappeared in a pocket for half a second before he reached out for her, his hand blocked by an invisible barrier.
"Regina's spell." She said bitterly. "Of course." Her arms were tucked underneath her breasts, crossed, hugging herself.
"The door did open, love. Progress."
"Progress." She scoffed, nodding, moving to sit on the bed as he rested his other arm on the door frame.
"Aye, progress, and I'll take whatever I can get."
He watched as her hand moved down to her belly, her eyes glued to the wall across from her.
"You really know?"
"Aye."
"And you're still here?"
"Is that so surprising?"
She looked at him then, his face full of acceptance, love, compassion and damn him, that smirk too.
"I don't know what I expect from you anymore."
"Did you ever know what to expect?"
She huffed out a laugh. "I guess not."
"Then we're on course, still."
"How are you okay with -" She bit her lip, her other hand dropping down to her belly, her eyes dropping to the floor.
"It's simple really." He told her, silently begging for eye contact. "The babe has no fault in any of this." He took in a shaky breath, taking in her form. She was still biting that lip, still looking down. "I told you I would win your heart, told you I wanted you as a partner. I suspect you know by now that I meant to ask for your permission to court you that day we played like children. If I'm not mistaken, these things do inevitably lead to a family."
Her breath came in sharply, hitting the back of her throat, making the tears slip out past her control.
He really thought of it, of her, of a future, of a family, together. Her eyes raised to his, seeing the sincerity there, the hint of longing even as she was. Broken. Used.
"What if none of it had happened? What if I'd just asked Smee to meet me a different day? What if-"
"Smee? Bloody hell." He shook his head. "I told him to be honest with you."
"You knew I'd - of course you knew." She shook her head.
"Aye, but I hadn't been made aware of everything."
"What if you had? What if this had never happened?"
"Does it matter?" She looked up sharply, causing him to sigh. "I only meant.. It's already done. Over with. In the past. You can move forward now."
"With you?"
"If you'll have me."
Maybe he wouldn't leave.
Maybe she would get her happy ending.
Cary Elwes really does have blue eyes. The picture I'm going off of, they're more of an aqua or a greenish blue. So instead of another blue eyed man in ONCE.. I went with blue-green.
