A/N: All right friends so this is another chapter that has a hard flashback, and honestly, since it's from Killian's past, it's going to be more difficult for some of you than last chapter. For my most lighthearted readers, I want to give you the chance to avoid it because there is a lot of emotion, and mentions of violence. I didn't tag it as graphic violence because it's not super descriptive, but just want to warn people as it might be triggering. The flashback scene is in italics (though I also use italics in the scene after because there is a phone call). You can skip the flashback if you so choose and just ask me for the reader's digest version (as some of you did last week) and then take comfort in the fluff that comes out after. For the rest of you who like the angst, or who torture yourselves with it already outside of my stories, I hope you will enjoy. That being said I appreciate you all so much for reading and I would love to hear what you guys think!
Pacing through the yard that surrounded his cabin in the woods, Killian couldn't help but feel like all control was slipping away from him.
Since the moment he'd first seen Emma, there was an undeniable spark and a sudden awareness he was not used to. Never in his life had he reacted like this to someone, but despite the deeper instincts that told him that she was his true mate, it took really meeting her and feeling her skin against his to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that they were meant to be.
In any other situation, a shifter would be joyous on this day. To find one's true mate was a gift that nature itself brought every shifter soul. Finding one's other half was fated, written into the very fabric of a shifter's being. As such, there were few in their community who went through life without eventually finding their someone. But Killian was a lone wolf now, and he'd put aside any ideas of a life with a partner to love and protect. He'd grown confortable in the solitude and he was well acquainted with the silence. Even in moments of weakness, when he'd felt how lonely his life had truly become, Killian never imagined this would be his destiny. He never could have conceived of this; that the girl he crossed paths with all those years ago – the girl he still thought of more than he should – would find her way back to him and that she would be the one.
For one thing, Emma was a human and that presented huge problems, the biggest being that this pull he felt and this intrinsic knowledge that she was the one might not be reciprocated. Killian wasn't sure what Emma was feeling. Sure he saw that their attraction was mutual, and he could scent her desire when she'd been nestled in his arms yesterday, but he could hardly believe that he mattered as much to her as she did to him. Being his true mate meant that Emma was now his whole world, the best part of his life, the happiness shifters were promised and that he couldn't believe he was lucky enough to have.
Even if Emma felt that way in return, those feelings would likely scare her senseless. Humans, after all, had no such fated customs. Oh they had concepts of 'true love' or 'love at first sight,' and of course they had well matched pairs who undoubtedly belonged together, but it wasn't the same. The ties that bound shifter mates were unbreakable, the bond so strong it could never fade away. When mates came together as one it was a literal infusion of two souls. It was more than love in so many ways, and Killian was slightly terrified he'd give away all that emotion if he were to see her again.
Normally there would be no question of whether a shifter would seek out their destined pair, but for Killian things were different. Despite the fact that there was no denying Emma was his, Killian didn't know if it was right to pursue her. His wolf was determined that there would be no life worth having without Emma in it, and in his heart Killian felt the same, but rationally he had to think this through. He hardly lived a life of constant safety. There was a reason he moved every few months and that he looked over his shoulder more than the average person. Was it right to bring someone into that? Yes, she was his mate, but would she want to be? If Emma had free will, if she wasn't bogged down with the instinct that told them to be together, would Emma choose him? Could he even ask her to?
Unconsciously his hand rose to touch the space upon his chest where Emma had first collided with him yesterday, and though it was covered with the thin cotton of his well worn t-shirt, Killian knew what lay beneath. There was a mark there now, a swirled kind of insignia – the one that represented his shifter bloodline. It was an ancient symbol that might appear to be a tan tattoo to the untrained eye, and it was just more proof that Killian and Emma belonged together. Somewhere on her body Emma would have a similar shape where his hands first touched her, and Killian had spent all the moments of the morning when he wasn't battling with himself trying to think of where he'd left it. It all happened so fast that he couldn't be sure. The only thing he knew for certain was that he had a deep seeded need to see it again and to mark her more in other ways.
Wherever his imprint had landed, Emma's mark on him was even more significant than it otherwise would have been. It was remarkable that she was his one and that she'd left a part of her with him to be sure, but in the process she'd also ended up healing a very old scar, one left as a bitter memory of the worst night of his life…
"Oi, you fuckin wankers! Get off the bloody street!"
The yell from an older bloke out his window into the busy London night might have been offensive to anyone else, but Killian took comfort in the grumpy, caustic ways of some of his fellow neighbors. It was a lost cause to be yelling at any passersby right now. The rugby match against Liverpool had let out only a few hours before and there were hours yet to be spent at the pubs for the fans. A loss might have garnered the people in this borough a quieter night, but as it was there was celebration to be had, and, as such, very little quiet.
"Well good evening to you too, mate," Liam joked loud enough for the man to hear, pulling a laugh from Killian. "God we live among a load of batty people. Think it's a human thing?"
Killian shrugged as he continued to chuckle at Liam's feigned censure. It wasn't a very common thing for Liam to give in to a good mood, but tonight Killian had enjoyed watching his brother relax. Liam worked too hard trying to help their Mum and Killian, and finally, after months of not giving himself any kind of break, their mother had had enough. She'd hemmed and hawed about how Liam was twenty-four years old. He should be out in the world, enjoying his life, making mistakes and learning from them, but that wasn't Liam's style. Killian knew it had already taken a lot for Liam just to go to one rugby game, and he didn't imagine there would be more of such excursions anytime soon.
"Mum's going to be disappointed, you know," Killian said as they left the busier area of the bar district and headed back towards home. "I think she was half hoping you'd get me drunk and we'd roll in at four in the morning."
"That was never going to happen," Liam stated resolutely and Killian sighed, shaking his head.
"Of course not brother, because heaven forbid you break a rule."
Killian wished those words had been more clearly said in jest than how he relayed them. It was true that Liam was more uptight than most people – many had even gone so far as to call him stuffy and repressed – but even if he didn't like it, Killian knew there was a reason. Ten years had passed since they left their old life behind, but for Liam the memories of the existence they once led were far stronger than they were for Killian. All the same, Killian just didn't understand why Liam allowed himself to be so affected. There had been no sign of their father or fellow pack-mates since they left, and they'd done everything magically possible to block the pack bond that would allow their father to track them, but Liam was still ever-vigilant. He took the protector role so seriously, and in every other aspect of his life he held himself to the same high standard. It was admirable, but honestly it was also exhausting and a bit alienating. It was difficult for Killian to feel truly close to Liam because of it, and Killian had often felt like he lacked the honor Liam embodied because following the letter of the law didn't come so naturally to him.
"Rules exist for a reason, Killian. You'd -,"
"Do well to remember that, I know I know," Killian said on an exhale. It wasn't worth getting into a row with Liam about it. They just saw the world differently, that was what Mum always said. She also said that was perfectly okay – the world needed differences of opinion, and their family was better for having them.
"Things will change for you in a few months. When your first phase comes, you'll understand the gravity of the situation. With secrets like the ones we carry, rules become a blessing."
Liam had been feeding Killian the same line since Killian was thirteen and first started rebelling against some of the expectations in his life. On the first full moon after his eighteenth birthday, he would make the final connection with his wolf and he'd be able to shift for the first time. When that happened, Liam believed Killian's restlessness would fade and his temperament would grow milder, but Killian doubted that. He'd been dreaming of the day he'd finally come of age since he was old enough to understand what he was. He couldn't wait to roam – to run free as the animal within. When that day came he wouldn't crave restriction and guidelines as his brother seemed to think. He would finally know what it was to live, and he wouldn't limit himself, not for one damn moment.
"If you say so, broth-,"
Before Killian could get the word out, Liam's arm shot out in a signal for Killian to stop and go quiet. This was something his brother had done hundreds of times in their youth, but there had never been reason for it since they came to England. The sense of foreboding that crept over Killian was sharp and uneasy, and then he caught the scent – another shifter was nearby, and the smell was sickeningly familiar. Their father was here – he'd found them.
"Mum," Killian whispered and before Liam could stop him he broke into a sprint, running the rest of the way to their home. He'd never moved so quickly in his life but his body wasn't his own. When he made it to the house his heart dropped – the front door was broken open but the lights were all out. Killian's blood ran cold but he stepped forward only to have Liam hold him back.
"Killian, no. You stay behind me. You understand?"
Killian must have given some indication that he would listen as Liam led the way, and as they moved into their once safe and serene home, Killian felt like he was walking through a nightmare. The house was trashed, with no corner left untarnished. It was obvious that no human had done this and evidence of animal activity was all over the place. Claw marks bore into the walls, bite marks marred furniture and trinkets along the way, and their mother's delicate, pastel décor lay broken and shattered on the floor.
The further inside that they moved, the more Killian's dread increased. The house was still now. There was no sound, no sensible living presence anywhere that he could sense, so by the time they made it to the kitchen and found the scene of their father's final crime, Killian was devastated but not exactly surprised.
Things from there were simultaneously hazy and crystal clear. One second grief washed over him and just as quickly he felt like he was being ripped apart at the seems. Somehow the trauma of what awaited them detonated Killian's shifter instinct before it was time, and as he crumbled to the ground he transformed from boy to wolf. Once in that state his mind was wracked with the sharpest sense of pain and this all-consuming fear. He was completely out of control and all he could think was that he had to run. He had to get out of there. He'd find his father and he'd kill him for killing her. But before Killian could make it much farther than the front door he was tackled to the ground by another wolf.
Killian, you have to stop! his brother pushed in his mind, but Killian didn't know how. He felt totally consumed by his animal and he had no idea how to do this. Liam had only told him the most rudimentary things about shifting, he hadn't even really started his preparations and he had no ability to tame the instincts that were driving his world right now. You'll expose us if you keep going!
Killian didn't give a damn if the whole bloody world knew what he was. What did that matter when their mother was gone? What did anything matter? All that mattered was avenging her death. She couldn't die without justice. She couldn't have been hurt that way and their father go free, but where Killian had an unyielding need to fight, Liam was still stronger.
I don't want to hurt you, Killian, Liam said at one point when the fight was already lost. Liam held Killian down in a stance where he couldn't break free, but still Killian struggled. He fought and he fought, and just as he was about to let out a howl of pure frustration Liam's paws dug in further. His claws pierced skin where they lay just above his lungs and Killian let out a low whine. The physical pain was terrible, but it was the only thing that proved enough to break the spell he was under. One second he was a wolf and the next he was back to himself, though his chest was bleeding from where Liam had punctured skin.
"I'm sorry," Liam said, his face white as a sheet after he shifted back. He'd looked shell-shocked when they found their Mum, but now he was even more disturbed. "I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean to. I –,"
"She's gone," Killian whispered, ignoring his brother and the blood that spilled from his wound. "She's dead. He … he killed her."
"Killian, we have to clean you up. You're in shock right now but I hurt you badly."
"We have to kill him," Killian said, ignoring Liam's point. "You know that don't you? He has to die for this."
"Killian -,"
"I'm going to kill him, Liam!" Killian yelled, the mania of the moment having not faded in the slightest. "I'm going to kill him for taking her like this. I don't care about your rules – I don't care about pack law – I'm going to find him and I'm going to end him."
"We both will," Liam whispered, and though the promise was soft, Killian knew it was honest. "But not tonight, Killian."
"But we have to -," Before Killian could continue Liam interrupted, his voice stronger now and his tone absolute.
"You want to take on our father, brother? You need to learn how. He's the alpha of the strongest pack in the Americas and he didn't get that way by luck. He's animal first, barely a man anymore, and he's got skills you couldn't dream of yet. I promise you you'll get your revenge, but I won't lead you to your own slaughter. We wait until we know we can beat him, and in the meantime we run. We have to go before he decides to come back and finish the job." …
The shrill sound of a ringing phone pulled Killian from the memory, and it took him a minute to realize the phone was his. It should have been obvious since he was out here in the woods alone, but he used the damn thing so infrequently that he never got quite used to it. There were only two people in the world who had this number, and as he accepted the call Killian already knew which one would be calling.
"What's going on, Ruby?" he asked, hoping in spite of himself that his cousin wouldn't hear the lingering shakiness the memory left behind.
"What's going on? Seriously, you're asking me that? You're the one who found your true mate, Killian! When were you going to tell me?!"
Killian sighed as the fingers of his left hand came to rub at his temples. He loved Ruby as his cousin and his best friend since they were young, but her gifts always seemed to show up when he was least in the mood for them. Without fail Ruby knew when something big was going on with Killian, because that was what happened when your cousin had a father who was shifter and a mother who was a witch – you ended up being the focus of her prophetic, wolfy powers. Usually it was a mild annoyance, but today her added response to the new twist in Killian's life wasn't exactly ideal.
"Clearly I didn't need to."
"Ugh, Killian! Just because I have visions sometimes does not mean you don't call me when important stuff happens. You know I've waited a whole week for you to call -,"
"A week?" Killian asked, surprised. "I only met her two days ago. You knew I was going to find Emma and you didn't tell me?"
"Well of course I didn't tell you. If I did you never would have gone to her. I couldn't risk that. I mean you're already questioning it as is, can you imagine if you knew before hand?"
"I never would have come," Killian confessed, a sense of shame rising in his chest as he did. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but if given the choice back before he'd actually seen Emma again, Killian would have avoided attachment at all cost. Now though he felt sick at even the idea of having never found Emma. Even if he dreaded the darkness he could bring into her life, Killian knew he wanted her and that he always would.
"Exactly. And we couldn't have that. She's your perfect match – your mate. You, Mr. 'I can't have anyone, I have to go it alone' have a mate! It's like a freaking miracle! I swear Granny almost passed out from joy when I told her."
"She's human," Killian said, his mind wandering back over that complication. He'd never heard of any shifter with a human mate. It simply didn't happen.
"She is?" Ruby asked, surprised. "Huh, I didn't get that in the vision."
"Well she is," Killian said, his heart hammering in his chest just at the thought of Emma's status. As a human she was weaker, more vulnerable. It scared the shit out of him, and his animal was anxious to go find her again and make sure she was safe. Still he remained where he was, fighting off the urge.
"And you're what? Disappointed? Seriously?! Who gives a shit if she's human? She's your mate!"
Killian remained quiet at Ruby's outburst. He understood her reaction, really he did. It was something that merited celebration instead of fear. Finding his mate should make him the happiest shifter alive right now, but where he felt that sense of freedom and completion at having found her, he also felt the weight of the unknown. This wasn't a black and white, cut and dry situation. It had to be handled with care, and he needed to keep his wits about him, as hard as that was.
"Okay, that was bad. I shouldn't be yelling. You're anxious about it I get it, and I didn't call to make things worse," Ruby asserted, completely undermining everything she'd done since he answered the phone.
"Really? That's surprising," Killian responded. Ruby sighed loudly.
"No. Despite what you think, Killy, I called to help you." Ruby's use of his nickname when he was just a boy showed the depths of her care for him. All criticism aside, Ruby was very clearly on his team and only wanted the best for him, even if she was more than a little pushy. "I thought you should know that I've seen what's coming."
"And you're actually going to tell me what you saw?" Killian asked, curious as to what would prompt Ruby to do that. Usually she was guarded about the glimpses she had into the future, especially distant happenings. For her to confide in Killian was a break from the norm.
"Not everything," Ruby replied. "But enough so that you know that there is no choice here. You and Emma belong together. In every version of the future I've seen it's you two together in the end. Even if you run right now, the two of you will find your way back to each other, so you might as well just stay and spare yourselves the heartache."
"You're serious?" Killian asked, the hope in his voice ringing out clear as day. To hear this assurance from Ruby was a balm he'd so desperately needed, and knowing that no matter what they'd find their way to each other meant that Killian felt free to choose her now even if it didn't feel fair to burden her with the baggage of his past.
"Mhmm. You've found yourself a pretty determined mate, Killian. She's gonna give you a run for your money."
She already has, Killian thought to himself, or so he believed. He took it from Ruby's giggle through the phone that maybe he had actually said those words aloud.
"I can hardly wait for all of this to happen. I haven't been to a wedding in… well, ever really, and I get to be an Auntie! Well technically a second cousin, but we're gonna call me an aunt. And there's going to be a lot of little ones, so -,"
The vision of his future life that Ruby painted stole Killian's breath away for a moment. He couldn't put into words just how sweet a dream it was. To think that he and Emma would find all that together brought him hope he'd long since lost. He wanted nothing more in the world than to call her his wife and to cement the bond that mating would provide, even if they knew so little about each other right now. Time would no doubt strengthen this feeling that she was the one, so to think of them sealing their union and starting a family together filled him with a sense of need and want that threatened to wear down all his self-control. But he had to get a grip on himself and on Ruby before she pushed him right over the edge.
"All right Ruby, I get your point. Just… give me some time. Please."
"You can take all the time you need," Ruby said happily, knowing that she'd won and he would now stay and try to make things work with Emma. "Just remember, every moment that you wait is one you won't get back."
Confident that she'd done her job and pushed Killian back on the path towards his true mate, Ruby said that she had to go and get back to Granny. Killian asked her to say hi for him, and Ruby promised she would, also informing him that she'd be in touch again soon. But as he put the phone away and he moved back outside, Killian's mind was stuck on that final insight from Ruby about time and the risk of wasting it. Right now he was hesitating about which path to follow towards the future that he wanted, but in doing so he was denying himself precious moments with Emma. He knew that seeing her would make him happy and that being in her light, even if just for a moment, would be worth anything in the world. So why was he still here, wasting away the day when he could be with her, trying to make her see him as he saw her?
With that guiding thought in mind, Killian set out from the cabin and turned on the senses he'd tried dulling through the day. The best part of knowing his mate's scent now was that tracking her was easy, but with Emma he hardly knew what to expect. He was aware that thanks to her many friends and close-knit family that it was very likely she'd be with other people, making his approach that much harder, but he hoped that somehow he'd time things right to find her alone. He'd take Emma anyway he could get her, but the idea of them having a moment to themselves prompted a swirling sense of rightness in his heart, the one that felt an awful lot like happiness, something he'd gone without for quite a while.
Making his way through town, the faces that passed him were a blur. Everyone was kind, everyone greeted him with a friendly 'hello' or 'how ya doin?' and Killian did his best to reciprocate, but he couldn't linger. He couldn't bear the thought of spending his time mingling, not when he knew he was getting closer and closer to his Emma. By the time he'd made it to the little park where she was, his whole body hummed with anticipation. Then the moment came where he spotted her on an ivory colored bench under a massive willow tree, lost in the pages of a book, and it felt like he'd transcended to a whole new kind of heaven.
Seeing her sitting there, bathed in summer sunlight as her golden hair cascaded over her shoulder, Killian felt like he was seeing Emma for the first time all over again. The intensity of emotion that washed over him just being this close was amazing. It never stopped feeling like the world was alive because of her, and like he was finally awake enough to feel it when he was in her presence once again.
It struck Killian as unbelievable that he'd been able to go on this long without her. Obviously she'd been too young for his wolf to know they were destined for each other back in Boston, but since finding her again he felt the weight of their separation ferociously. Despite what he'd said to Ruby before, about not coming back if he'd known he'd find his mate, Killian knew that choice would have come from pure ignorance. Before arriving in Storybrooke he could never have conceived of someone like Emma, for to know her was to love her and to want her happiness more than anything else in the world.
As if she sensed him staring at her, Emma's eyes moved up from where they'd been taking in the words upon the pages of her book and immediately found him. The high he felt as she looked at him was heady, but it was made even more powerful when he saw the reaction his appearance prompted. Excitement overcame her, her smile was genuine even if it was shy, and Killian could hear the increase of her heartbeat from here, tapping out the same frenzied, frantic pace that his danced anytime she was near. Every part of her reaction called out to him, and as if he was compelled to move forward, he closed the distance between them until he was right beside her.
"Hey," she greeted, somehow walking the fine line between cool and collected and slightly timid at the same time.
"Good morning, love. I hope I'm not disturbing you." Killian tilted his head, motioning towards her book, which he realized was a copy of The Princess Bride.
"No, not at all," Emma said, motioning for him to sit down. "I've read this book a hundred times already."
"I saw the movie when I was just a lad," Killian replied with a smile as he took a seat beside her, leaving only an inch between them. Their air around them crackled with energy, and though it was cool for a summer day, Killian felt his temperature rise at his closeness to Emma. "Never got around to reading the book. How do they stack up?"
"They are both brilliant, but I think I like the book the best. Thus the constant rereads."
"And the bookmark."
Emma looked down at the marker for her page and a beautiful shade of pink tinted her cheeks. It fascinated Killian to watch for multiple reasons, none more so than the fact that this blush didn't come from embarrassment. There was nothing to be ashamed about in having a bookmark covered in buttercups, and when she looked back up at him he saw the truth in her eyes. Her flush had come from interest in him and from pleasure. She liked that he knew this tiny detail of her favorite story, and Killian swore to himself right then and there that he'd learn everything that made Emma similarly happy so he could see this look for the rest of his days.
"What can I say? When I like something I go all in."
"No half-assing it for you, love?"
"Never," Emma replied with a laugh.
Killian grinned at the easy conversation and the humor in Emma's voice. She was so exuberant, so full of a light that was infectious, and Killian didn't think it had anything to do with the fact that they were true mates. This feeling of goodness and serenity was all Emma. Her brilliancy and brightness was organically of her making, and he wanted to revel in it as long as he could. The only problem was Killian had fast become tongue tied, and though he had a million things he'd like to ask her, no words would form.
"You know I was hoping I would see you today," Emma confessed, not seeming to be bothered by his lack of ability to add more to their conversation. Her admission shocked and delighted him.
"That feeling is entirely mutual, Emma. In fact it's the reason I'm here."
"You mean to tell me that you braved town just for me?" Emma asked, teasing him even as her thoughtful green eyes told him she was desperate to know the answer. Instinctively he reached for her hand, taking it in his and the rush that came when their skin made contact almost drove all coherent thoughts from his mind. Nevertheless he pressed on.
"Aye, love, and I would do far more for a moment in your company."
A minute passed between them, charged with all these words they both left unsaid. Instead his thumb grazed across her wrist and their eyes held. It was the sweetest form of torture, having Emma so close and knowing what this was between them but not being able to act. He had to keep his instincts to go faster tamped down and let Emma lead the way. It was the only way this would ever work.
"It's the craziest thing…" Emma said as she blinked and shook her head, looking back out to the park for a few seconds before she returned his gaze. "I feel like I know you already but we've only just met."
Her words were intoxicating to Killian as they symbolized that Emma was feeling the same pull between them. She didn't know what it meant, of course, but it was glorious to hear her put the feelings they shared in such a way. Her bravery astounded him. That she would be so giving and so honest was amazing to him, but he had to be wary of saying too much. If he allowed himself to confess all that he felt she'd likely call him a mad man, or worse, run from him, neither of which he could ever survive.
"Sometimes that's how it goes," Killian said lightly. "Or so I've been told. I've never felt that way myself. Not until you."
Emma's smile told him that he'd made the right choice in the end, and he was damn proud that he could bring her any kind of joy. It felt like he was king of the whole bloody world, and he was so drunk off of the pleasure of the moment he failed to notice that they were no longer alone. Despite his usually unbeatable awareness of his surroundings, it took a few seconds for Killian to realize that there were two women standing across the park and watching them closely. He recognized them from his walking about town yesterday, and he believed they were friends of Emma's. That suspicion was then confirmed when Emma followed his gaze and spied them herself.
"Oh crap. I'm never gonna hear the end of this," Emma said with a sigh, and though Killian wanted nothing more than to ease her burdens, he knew stepping in would only make things worse.
"Friends of yours?" Killian asked as he reluctantly pulled his hand back from hers, already missing the connection between them.
"The best. But they've got that look – I better go talk to them," Emma said as she grabbed the bag that was at her side and stood up. Killian did the same, wanting to prolong the moment as long as he could. His mind grappled with a way to keep her longer or to secure another time for him to see her as soon as possible. But before he could find an answer, Emma offered one of her own.
"Do you like coffee?" she blurted out, and though it was an innocent question Killian could tell Emma hadn't actually meant to say it aloud.
"I do," he responded, intrigued at where this conversation was now going.
"Well the town diner has really good coffee, surprisingly enough. It's nothing fancy, but…"
"But the best coffee rarely is," Killian finished and Emma nodded. She looked suddenly flustered, as if she was embarrassed by the fact that she'd been about to ask him on a date. Her eyes flittered between him and her friends in a show of her growing nerves, so Killian stepped in to fill the role he'd been wanting to take on since he found her here. "The thing with coffee though, is it's all about timing. I defer to your expertise, love. What's the best time for a coffee in Storybrooke?"
"Eight fifteen," Emma said with a relieved smile, before she clarified. "In the morning. Not at night."
"Right then. Well I suppose since we're both in the know that I'll be seeing you tomorrow, love."
"Good," Emma replied, her lips curling up in a beatific smile that made his heart ache to take her in his arms and whisk her away, friends be damned. Instead though he stayed as he was and watched as she departed with a final goodbye. "See you tomorrow, Killian."
"Aye. I'll see you then."
Post-Note: Hey all – so hopefully you're still with me and enjoying the story. I know that the flashbacks have been hard, with Emma and Killian both having really difficult moments in their pasts but the backstory actually is important to the present story for CS and the rest of this AU where things from the past will come back at different points. That being said, I've promised fluff and I hope that I have delivered. We've got a good dose of insta-love and pining here, and though there are interruptions (god I hate those pesky friends sometimes!) it's that same kind of cuteness I love to write in all my fics. Hope that you guys enjoyed and have a great rest of your weekend!