A/N: Hey everyone! So we are back again for another installment of this new fic, and I have to admit it's been so fun to write this. It's a strange new tone for me, but I'm trying to marry my love for fluff, and the intrigue/peril of this story that my muse dreamed up. There's much more to come, but I am also trying to keep chapters shorter this go around. I definitely will end up with more than the 12 I was planning originally, but just in terms of pacing, it's a changeup to have the shorter chapters that I use to have. Anyway, regardless of length, I hope you will enjoy this installment, which shows Emma and Killian post-Gold while also providing a flashback too. Can't wait to see what you all think, and thank you so much for reading!
Five days into their drive towards destiny, and Emma was really starting to wonder – how far away was home exactly?
Okay to be fair, she knew where they were headed – a tiny town not far from Big Sur, clear across the country from Gold and his crew. Killian had told her as much weeks ago, but only when he was certain they wouldn't be overheard. She loved the idea of California, never having been there herself, but she didn't really account for how long it would take to travel that many miles. They rode and rode every day, but they could be traveling further if Killian would let them. She tried to tell him as much, but he disagreed. Responding every time with thoughtful things that made her heart melt a little more:
"I won't risk you hurting, love. Not when you are everything, my heart and my soul."
"You may not realize it yet, but the road can be unforgiving. Best to take it easy, especially when the cargo is as precious as you."
"Please, Swan, let me have this. Let me take care of you. Trust in me, Emma – I promise, I won't ever let you down."
At every stage of this journey Killian had put her comfort first, which was wild since they were really on the run. Still Killian treated this like it was a trip to be remembered, instead of one to be rushed through. Emma was amazed at the places they'd been staying, and how each one was out of the way while still being beautiful and well-kept. They never stayed anywhere too populated, always choosing local hideaways over hustle and bustle or household names, but every place had its own organic beauty and charm. They explored these little safe havens, talking and loving and living together, and every stop along the journey, Emma felt the weight of her fear ease away. The further they got from New York the freer she felt that she was. And the thought of her freedom was so perfect, especially if she could spend that freedom with a man she loved as fiercely as Killian.
"What's put that smile on your face, love?"
Killian's words washed over her at the same time his arms wrapped around her, hugging her from behind. She closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh, loving the fresh air and the hum of the natural world around them on the balcony at this little bed and breakfast they'd happened upon. They had 'the best room' in the house, which was to say a stand-alone cottage at the back of the inn, and it felt private and peaceful and perfect.
"Just this guy," she teased, loving the growl that Killian released. Leave it to her man to get jealous over nothing. There were no men in her life like him, certainly none that mattered, and he knew that. Still it was fun when he got all worked up, and the vibrations of the grumble he'd let out mixed with his roaming hands made her body tense in the most pleasurable way.
"Ah, anyone I know?" Killian joked, nuzzling into her neck and laying a kiss on her skin that made her shiver. Unable to resist, she spun around in his arms and melted into him, her hands resting on his chest.
"Hmm, it's hard to say. You see not a lot of people know him – the real him. He's mysterious that way."
"And you?" Killian asked, his voice taut with sincerity as he dropped the charade. "Do you feel you know me?"
Looking into his eyes, Emma saw how important this question was to him. After years of hiding himself in darkness, working with Gold and other evil, vile people, Killian was wary of himself and his worth. She saw the doubts that he carried, the worry in his heart, but she knew this man completely. Honestly, she'd known there was more to him from the start. Something honest and real. But if she'd still needed convincing that he was good and true and kind underneath it all, he'd handed it to her in one perfect, thoughtful moment that sealed the deal and stole her heart…
And there it is: I, Emma Swan, am officially homeless. Again.
The weight of that knowledge cut Emma to her core. For years she had worked day in and day out to claw herself into something resembling stability. After years in her foster homes, and more on the street and living in her car, it meant everything to her to have a place, a real place, to call her own. In fact, it meant so much to her that she'd paid up front to her landlord. She didn't want to risk him looking for new tenants, so she always paid promptly and in full. This time she'd actually taken it further, giving three whole months rent, just before this all went down. Her landlord was grateful, but still clear with her – just because she paid up front, didn't mean he'd accept late payments. And now she was late. A full month behind, and just entering the window for eviction. When the clock struck midnight, she'd passed the final day. Her home would now be vacated, cleared out, and everything she owned would be tossed, sold, or stolen.
The reason she knew how this would all go was because she'd seen it many times. Her building was filled with people who for, whatever reason, could not pay the bills. As such, a number of them had been evited, and always with the same cold, calculated precision. The landlord didn't even show himself. He hired workers to clear it all and used the cops to intimidate people into leaving. It was awful, but it was life. And now it was her life. Damn it, why the hell was this her life?
"Yo, blondie, you gonna get us our beers, or you gonna keep staring at the clock some more?"
The rude call from one of the patrons snapped Emma back into the moment, and she fought tooth and nail to force the tears in her eyes from falling. She had yet to let these men see her pain, and she would die before she ever did. As badly as this hurt, as agonizing as this was, she couldn't let it show. She had to keep moving, keep going, and just remember that the most important thing was to survive.
The next few hours were all a blur of rowdy miscreants and a lot of ballsy drunks. The worst part, though, was that Killian wouldn't be by. He mentioned to her the last time he was in that he was going on a run. He'd be out of town for some time, and wasn't supposed to be back until the end of the week. She'd only known him for a little while now, but it was a disappointment when he didn't stop in. Seeing him made all the difference in her day. He kept the savages at bay, and though they both did their best to be discrete, she felt his presence, sensed his eyes on her any time they could be, and savored every moment when he came close, asking for a drink or paying his tab at the end of the night.
Thinking of those good moments ultimately got her through the rest of her shift, and through some kind of small mercy, Sydney let her out a half an hour earlier than he normally would. She was excused from after-hours clean up, and for once she took the out, rushing upstairs, hoping to get away from everyone and everything. She reached for her keys, as she came down the hall, but her door was open as she got closer and immediately her guard went up. No way in hell she'd left this door open. She was always meticulous about keeping it shut. Then there were footsteps inside and she looked in to see the one man she'd been missing most of all.
"Killian?" she asked, shocked at seeing him as she raced inside. How was he back so soon? And what was he carrying in that cardboard box? Wait, was that…?
"Emma, love, you're early," he said, looking totally caught off guard at her entrance. "You're shift's never over at this time. You've usually got -,"
"That's my stuff," She said interrupting him.
"Aye," he said, looking defeated. "Well it's what I could salvage any way. As soon as I heard, I tried to get back sooner, Emma, I swear I did. But by the time I made it, so much was already gone. This was all I could save."
Emma reached to the item on the top of the box, the one thing she actually cared about – her blanket, emblazoned with her name, and still bearing the same scent of honeysuckle and an ocean breeze that it always seemed to have. It was like magic, that smell, imprinted on the woven bands that made this knitted shrug as long as she could remember. No matter where it was or what it had seen, the smell always remained, comforting her, and making her believe that it must have been crafted with love. It was a sign to her that there had been people who loved her, for however brief a time, and this was their one precious gift to her.
"I'm so sorry, Emma. If I had known this was happening… I tried to reason with your landlord, to pay off what's due just to buy you more time but -,"
Dropping the blanket back into the box, gently, Emma pulled the cardboard compartment from his hands and tossed it onto the couch beside them. Then she stepped into Killian's arms, cupping his face, and kissing him surely. There was no other way for her to make him see how much this meant to her. No words could be uttered, no thanks could be shared. All it took was a single second for him to be there with her, holding her close, wrapping her up in a warm embrace that made her feel whole when for so long she was broken. It was transcendent, so much more than just a kiss, and when they finally broke apart to breathe, Emma looked at him and saw the heat and the care and the goodness in his eyes. She knew then that she trusted him. That he was honorable and true, despite the line of work he was in, and that she was scarily close to falling for him, in a total and irrevocable way.
"I can't believe you did this. No one's ever cared, I mean, no one even thought…" Emma felt tears threatening again, and she closed her eyes. Unbidden, they fell, and then she felt Killian's thumb swipe them away as he came to hold her. She opened her eyes again, and smiled through the little bit of crying. "Thank you, Killian. Thank you so much."
"You deserve the whole world, Emma," he said, staring at her so intently, a battle going on in his mind that she couldn't quite read. "Fuck me, just one more taste."
He growled out the words and pressed his lips to hers again, this time taking things even further than before. This was a kiss of hunger, of passion, of wanting. It was a spark that flared brightly, a flame catching into a burning fiery force, and she loved it. She needed this, needed him, and didn't realize how dulled and cut off she'd been. To get through this she'd been numbing herself, surviving but not living, but in his arms and with this kiss, she felt so alive. More so than she ever had in her life.
Too soon the kiss was over, and this time, when they broke away, Killian straightened, putting a bit of distance that she hated between them. "Much as I might like to take this further, Swan, I can't. You're vulnerable still. Reeling from the day, and if we continue…"
"When we continue," she said boldly, causing him to shake his head even as that wicked, sexy wanting sparked back to life in his blue eyes.
"If we continue, I won't ever stop. One taste could never be enough, and two will damn near kill me. If I taste you a third time, you'll be mine."
"Yours?" she asked, her heart thudding in her chest even as the voice in her head pleaded with her to make that jump.
"Aye, mine. Right now, my world is ugly, Emma. Far too ugly a place for a woman like you. I need to make it better. Need to find some light before I let you in. But I'm only so strong. The next time you kiss me, there will be no turning back. You'll seal our fates. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Emma whispered.
"Good," he replied, grabbing his leather jacket, his hands curling into fists as he put it on and made for the door. Then he looked at her, a million things left unsaid between them for a beat until he finally nodded at the door. "Lock up behind me."
She nodded, and was going to ask him to wait, but she was too slow. He raced out of the apartment, like he was scared to make good on his word, and Emma was left stunned. Her lips still tingling from the feel of him, and her whole body buzzing in kind. She made her way to the door, following his order to bolt everything in place and then she leaned against the wood, pressing her back against the cool paint finish. Her hand came up to cover her mouth, and she looked around the room, her eyes catching on the box once more. Then she smiled and closed her eyes, knowing that the next chance she got she was kissing that man. Consequences be damned – she was going to be his, and she sure as hell hoped he'd be hers in return...
"I don't feel that I know you, I know that I do," Emma said honestly, coming back from the memory and into this moment with Killian once more. At her words, he let out a sigh of relief and she ran her hand along his jaw. He leaned into the motion, clearly loving the feel of her soft skin against his rough beard, and she wanted to give him that comfort and certainty. "We may not know every little detail about each other yet, but that doesn't change the way I feel. There are ghosts in our past, and dreams of the future that we maybe haven't shared, but I know you, Killian. I know you and I love you."
"Gods I'll never get enough of that," Killian said holding her close, before making a heartfelt confession of his own. "And there will never be another woman I love so much as you, Emma. You were it for me the moment I saw you. You'll be it for me until my final breath."
"Only until then?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood and laughing when he growled again and pulled her so close they were centimeters away from a kiss.
"You know what happens when you tease me, love."
"Mhmm," she said, breathlessly confirming that she did as she licked her lips. She waited agonizing moments for him to kiss her but then he surprised the shit out of her throwing her up over his shoulder and heading downstairs and out towards the lake. She shook with laughter, confused as to what he was doing until they reached the sand and he put her down.
"Loose the dress, Swan. I make no promises on your salvaging it if you leave it to me." She shivered at the command in his voice. Damn he was hot. Especially when he went all alpha like this. Luckily, they'd been dressed for a possible swim, so she had a newly purchased swimsuit underneath.
Holding his eyes as much as she could, Emma delighted in how focused Killian was on her. But then he returned the favor, losing his shirt and she was lost. She always got dizzy seeing him like this, and that feeling lingered through their swim and as they sprawled out on the dock some time later. Letting the heat of the fading summer sun dry them off, Emma hummed out a sound of contentment. Okay, honestly, this right here was the life. But as that thought went through her mind she shot up, looking all around them suddenly frantic.
"Emma what is it?" he asked, genuine concern lacing his voice.
"We can't be like this, can we? I mean we're on the run," she whispered. "Gold could find us. He could -,"
Killian silenced her with a kiss, thoroughly distracting her before explaining his seemingly lax behavior. "Gold has been successfully brought into custody and is none the wiser of my involvement in his demise. His lieutenants have also all been charged, and the henchmen have gone to ground. The syndicate is bleeding, Emma. There's no one around to ask questions, and you and I are not the only ones in Gold's service who've made a run for it."
"How do you know?" Emma asked.
"I have my ways," he grinned, and she rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. "And don't think for a second that I've made any compromises on your safety. We're relaxing as we are because I have complete and total confidence in the safety of our stops."
"What did you do, set up some trip wires or something?"
"Didn't have to – the whole place has surveillance capabilities set up already."
"It does?" Emma asked, shocked and Killian laughed.
"Aye, love. Tiana's special forces."
"You're kidding," Emma said, looking at him for signs of jest. "Wait, seriously?"
"Seriously. Her mother runs the inn when she's deployed, but this place is a haven of sorts. Most of the places we'll land over the next week will be."
"Wait, so you're telling me there's like a secret, high tech, military bed and breakfast system scattered across the country?" Killian laughed heartily at that and shook his head.
"Not quite. As you'll recall, not every place we've stayed has been like this. There are simply many, many favors I had to cash in from my days with the SEALs. This is one of them."
"You're incredible, you know that?" Emma asked and Killian's look softened as he held her close.
"I'd be anything for you, Emma."
"All you have to do is be yourself," she promised, kissing him sweetly but pulling back just as the kiss was set to begin. He groaned at her absence, and watched with warry eyes as she stood up, moving away from him. With motions so fast and controlled she marveled at them he got up too, never letting too much space between them.
"Change your mind, on something, love?"
"Hardly," Emma said grabbing her dress and toying with it, but not putting it back on. "I was just thinking…" she said, letting her gaze run down his body as she licked her lips. God he was gorgeous, and time was doing nothing to dull the effect he had on her.
"What were you thinking?" he ground out, moving forward again, but she put her hand up.
"Trust me, honey," she said, knowing how much the little pet name riled him up. "Nothing I'm thinking is fit for this place. Way too public. For what I want, we need a bit more privacy."
"As you wish," he promised, once again sweeping her into his arms and making her melt against him. And as he carried her away, no doubt towards a night of steamy passion in his arms, Emma felt what it was to be truly happy. For though the road was still uncertain, and their future might not be totally clear, she had faith it would all work out, as long as they had each other and many more moments like this one.
Post-Note: Okay so some of you are no doubt cursing me for not writing out the smut. I know exactly who you are, and let me just say, I have no intention of defending myself. I was mean like this on purpose, but trust me, I'll make up for it in this fic many times over. In the meantime, I hope that you guys enjoyed this little glimpse into the present and the past. I want to include some memories from their shared from the dark days as much as I can, and from their lives before Gold too, and the only way I know how to interact with that kind of angst, is to wrap it up in present day fluff. Anyway, hope that you all enjoyed, and I appreciate your cheering me on and letting me know what you think. See you next time!