He paused, wondering if she was ready to hear the next words out of his mouth. "That I love you. I've fallen in love with you, Emma."
Emma's eyes widened. Killian could see them starting to fill with tears, as she realized what he'd said. "Killian, I…"
Just then the door opened and a nurse breezed into the room. "The doctor said he'd like for you to take a walk in the hall a couple of times before he releases you," she stated, completely oblivious to the moment she'd just interrupted. "Oh, it looks like you were getting ready to do that!"
Emma blinked a few times, but never took her eyes off of Killian. She could see he was visibly upset that the moment had been ruined, but he didn't say anything.
The nurse's eyes moved back and forth between the two people sitting on the bed. "Is this a bad time? Should I…"
"No, it's fine," Killian said, unable to keep a trace of frustration out of his voice. "You're right, we were just about to go for a walk."
Emma kept her eyes on him, and moved her hand to rest on his leg. He looked over at her and shrugged, smiling weakly.
"We'll talk about it later," he said quietly. "Let's get you up and moving."
With Killian on one side and the nurse on the other, Emma walked up and down the hall twice before returning to her room. Her boyfriend could see that the short distance had sapped her strength. He figured the blood loss she'd suffered, combined with the effects of the concussion, were to blame for her fatigue.
He helped her back into bed, and she was asleep almost immediately. He took the opportunity to take a nap himself while she was dozing.
When he woke up, August and Marco were sitting in the chairs on either side of Emma's bed, but he could see that she was still sleeping. He stretched, then pushed himself out of the chair.
"I'm sorry," he said in a gravelly voice. "I didn't realize it was that close to ten o'clock or I wouldn't have fallen asleep."
"Nonsense, Killian," Marco said. "You needed sleep, so why would you stay awake just to greet us when we arrived?"
"We got here a little ahead of schedule," August explained. "We found some things that needed to be replaced at her house last night and headed out to Walmart first thing this morning. We were gonna wait until we left the hospital, but we were both awake early."
"It wasn't easy sleeping last night," Marco added, turning sad eyes toward Killian. "After seeing the condition her house was in…" he trailed off, looking back at his daughter and lightly stroking his fingers down her arm.
August continued where his father left off. "We decided to stay at a hotel instead, but it was still hard to get those images out of our heads." He looked at Marco, who nodded his agreement.
"I didn't really pay attention to what the house looked like, I was too focused on trying to see Emma," Killian admitted. "Were you able to, um, clean it up?"
"We did the best we could," August answered. "There are a few spots on the carpet where you can still make out some of the...the bloodstains, but only if you look closely.
Killian ran his hand through his hair and blew out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry you had to take care of all that. It probably would've been better to have someone professionally clean it."
"No, no. There were already enough people invading her house yesterday. August and I made sure that everything was returned to the way she had it as much as possible. There is still a little visible damage, and some items were either too ruined to keep, or have been taken by the police as evidence. It might take a while for Emma to feel safe in her own home again."
Killian knew Marco was right. He was sure it would take him some time before he could walk into the front door and not see the image of her lying so still and pale on the blood-stained carpet by the kitchen.
Emma started to stir, and her eyes slowly opened. "Hey, Dad. When did you get here?"
"Just a few minutes ago, dear girl. How are you feeling this morning?"
"Sore, but better. I can't seem to stay awake, and walking down the hall a couple of times wore me out. I just want to feel normal again."
"It'll be a long process, Sis. You're gonna have to be patient."
Emma raised the bed until she was in a sitting position. "I know, but I'm used to helping other people recuperate, not myself."
Killian moved to stand at the foot of the bed. "You do an amazing job helping others, Emma. I've no doubt that you'll be able to do the same for yourself, but you're going to have to let other people help you."
Emma met his eyes, and he smiled softly at her. She could feel her heart swell as a thought ran through her mind - He really does love me!
The four of them chatted for a while longer, until the door opened and the doctor who had been there earlier entered.
"How are you feeling now, Dr. Swan?"
"Still weak, but ready to go home," she replied hopefully.
"The nurses tell me that your vital signs are good, you've done some walking in the hallway, and your pain is being managed. If you have someone who will be staying with you and watching for warning signs," he paused and looked at the three men surrounding her bed, "you should be okay to go home. I'll sign the release papers, and have a nurse come in to go over all your care instructions, and schedule your follow-up appointment for a couple of days from now. If your concussion symptoms become worse before that, you'll need to call. You may need to see a neurologist."
Emma thanked the doctor before he left the room, relieved that he was allowing her to go home.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Em," August said, reaching down beside his chair to pick up a bag, "we brought you some clothes to wear home, and Dad has your purse. We thought you might need your insurance card, and we stuck your sunglasses in there, since the doctor said you'll be sensitive to bright light."
"Good thinking. Thanks." She reached for the bag and rummaged through it. "Yoga pants and a t-shirt. You guys did good."
"Do you think you should change right now?" Killian asked with a trace of concern in his voice.
She could tell that he was worried, so she answered, "I'll wait until the nurse gets here to help me."
He nodded, satisfied with her response.
As they waited for the nurse, Killian noticed that Emma's forehead between her eyebrows was pinched.
"Are you in pain, Love?"
"No, I'm...okay."
He frowned, and studied her face. "No, you're not. Your headache is getting worse, isn't it?"
Her cheeks turned pink. "Maybe just a little," she confessed.
Killian crossed his arms. "Sweetheart, you're going to have to be honest if you want your recovery to stay on track. If you're uncomfortable or in pain, you must tell us."
"That's good advice," said the nurse who had just stepped into the room.
Emma sighed. "I know. I promise I'll tell you if the pain increases, and it started to about fifteen minutes ago, I'd say."
The nurse checked the chart. "Well, your last pain meds were given a little over six hours ago, so you're due for another dose. Let me get that for you, then I'll go over your discharge instructions."
While the nurse was gone, Emma wouldn't meet Killian's eyes. He reached down and rubbed the top of her foot through the thin blanket covering it. When she finally looked up, he winked at her and it brought a small smile to her face.
In the next twenty-five minutes, Emma received more pain medication, got dressed with the aid of the nurse, and heard all the things she should and should not do when she got home. All three men listened intently, and Killian wrote extensive notes in the margins of the papers that they were given.
When the nurse left to get a wheelchair, August informed his sister of the plan the three of them had discussed while she was changing her clothes. "Killian is gonna go back to the hotel to get some sleep and pack a bag, since he'll be staying with you. Dad and I are taking you home to get you settled. When Killian comes over later, he's gonna pick up some food for dinner. How does that sound?"
He didn't mention that it took quite a bit of persuasion to get Killian's agreement to go to the hotel and sleep. Marco was finally able to convince him by stating that in order to take proper care of his daughter, Killian was going to have to take care of himself, as well.
"Sounds good," Emma answered. "I know Killian didn't sleep very much last night because every time I was awake, he was sitting right beside me."
Her boyfriend's cheeks reddened. He hadn't meant for her to notice how much time he spent by her side during the night.
August left to get the car when the nurse came in with the wheelchair. Killian and Marco rode down in the elevator with her. When they reached the main floor, Killian squatted down in front of Emma.
"I'll be there as soon as I can, Swan," he said.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be in good hands," she said, glancing over at her father. "Make sure you get some good sleep, Babe."
He stood and gently put his arm around her shoulders, pressing kisses across her cheek, and then one on her lips, fighting back tears as he thought about the fact that a little less than twenty-four hours ago, he didn't know if he'd ever hold her in his arms again.
"I will," he whispered in her ear.
"There's August with the car," Marco announced.
Killian stood up after leaving one more kiss on the back of Emma's hand. Marco put her bags into the car as Killian and the nurse helped her get comfortable in the passenger seat. Her boyfriend leaned in the door and pulled the seatbelt across her body to fasten it. Then he pressed a kiss to her forehead and closed the car door, before heading around the hospital to the Emergency Room parking lot where he'd left his truck.
"Ready, Sis?" August asked after Marco got buckled into the back seat.
"Yeah, take me home, Aug."
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Killian decided to pack his bag, take a shower and trim his beard when he got back to the hotel. He knew that if he was able to go to sleep, he would sleep for hours, and he wanted to have all those things done so when he woke up, he could leave for Emma's right away.
He was so exhausted that the minute his head hit the pillow, he fell into a deep, thankfully dreamless sleep. He'd been asleep for nearly three hours when he was awoken by a loud banging on the door. At first, he was foggy and sluggish, but after he realized that the knocking was getting more insistent, he jumped out of bed with his heart hammering painfully in his chest, terrified that something was wrong with Emma.
His fears didn't lessen when he saw the person at the door. "Are you Killian Jones?" the police officer asked.
"Y-yes I am. Did something else happen to...to Emma?" His mouth felt completely dry, making it difficult for him to speak.
"No, not that I'm aware of," the officer replied. "I'm Officer James. We need you to come down to the station so we can ask you some questions."
Killian sagged in relief knowing that Emma was safe at her house, then raised his eyebrows at what the man had said. "You need to question me? I wasn't there when the, um, attack occurred."
"I understand that, but we still have some questions we need you to answer."
"Oh, okay." Killian looked around, still a bit disoriented from being awakened so abruptly. "Just let me get my bag. Can I follow you in my truck?"
"Sure. I'll see you at the station."
Killian grabbed his bag off the top of the dresser, stuffed his wallet in his pocket, picked up his keys and followed the policeman out of the building.
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August parked his car along the curb and turned off the engine. He had noticed that his sister got quieter and more tense the closer he got to her house. He reached over and tapped her leg to get her attention.
"If you're uncomfortable about going in, we can leave, and you can come and stay at the hotel with me and Dad."
"I shouldn't be afraid to go into my own house," she said, choking back a sob.
Marco reached over the seat to lovingly squeeze his daughter's right shoulder. "We understand if you are, sweet girl. Take your time." He started to climb out of the car. "Open the trunk please, August. I'll take the things we bought into the house. You two can stay out here while Emma makes her decision."
After their father had gone through the front door, Emma looked over at her brother. "You probably think I'm being stupid."
He patted her leg again. "That's not even close to what I'm thinking, Em. Dad and I, well, we got a pretty good idea of what you went through in there yesterday. If you really want to know how I'm feeling right now, then I can tell you that I'm very proud of you. You were so brave and strong and determined to fight back when you were taken by surprise like that. I don't know many people who could've done what you did." He reached over and wiped away a tear that was trickling down her cheek. "It's perfectly understandable why you'd be afraid to stay here."
She sniffed and wiped a tear from her other cheek with the back of her hand. "No, I'm not gonna let her win by making me too scared to stay in my home. Besides, Killian will be with me."
"He's a good guy, Em. We got to talk to him quite a bit in the waiting room yesterday. It's obvious that he truly cares about you."
She looked over at him and smiled. "Yeah, I really like him, Aug. He's just...such a fun, sweet, considerate guy, and I enjoy every minute that I spend with him. I'd be pretty happy if our relationship turned into something long term."
"I'm fairly certain that he feels the same way, Sis."
Emma sighed and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back against the headrest. "I think I'm ready now. The sun is starting to bother me, even with my sunglasses on."
Her brother jumped out of the car, careful not to slam the door, and jogged around to help her. Emma looked at the distance between where she stood on the sidewalk and her front door, feeling like it was miles away. Her legs were shaky and she had trouble catching her breath from the pain in her side as they slowly made their way to her house.
August got her in the door and across the living room to sit on the couch. Then he went to the windows to close the blinds. Marco came around the corner from the kitchen carrying a bottle of water.
"The nurse said it was very important for you to stay hydrated," he said, unscrewing the cap.
Emma thanked him and took a long drink. As she looked around the living room, she saw that almost everything was back in its place. She picked up the picture of her and Killian from the end table next to where she was sitting.
"Is this a different frame?"
"Uh, yeah. The other one was...broken," her brother answered. "We also had to get Evie a new bed. She, um, made quite a mess in the other one."
Emma tried to draw in a breath, but it caught in her throat. Her eyes filled with tears again. "She must have been so scared," she whispered.
Marco sat beside his daughter and took her hand. "She'll be okay, Cygnet. Puppies bounce back quickly."
"I want her home with me," she stated.
"I'll send David a message and see if he can pick her up after he gets off work today," August offered, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
"Would you like something to eat?" Marco asked.
"Can you make grilled cheese?"
He kissed her on the cheek. "For you, sweet girl, anything."
As soon as he stood up from the couch, Emma slumped over, suddenly feeling very tired.
August walked back into the room several minutes later. "David said that it's no prob…" He stopped when he realized that his sister was sound asleep in what looked like an uncomfortable position. He removed her shoes and gently swung her legs up onto the couch, being careful not to jostle her shoulder. Then he went into the kitchen in search of his father.
Marco was buttering pieces of bread while the pan heated on the stove.
"Hold off on that, Dad. Emma's sleeping."
"Ah, our poor girl. She needs the rest. I'll just make sandwiches for us, and I'll make hers when she wakes up."
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By the time Emma did wake up, it was late afternoon and the pain was starting to kick in again. She sat up groggily to find herself alone in the room.
"Dad? August?" she called out, with a hint of panic in her voice. She tried to stand up when a wave of dizziness washed over her.
August came around the corner from the kitchen. "Whoa! Take it easy, Em. We're right here."
Emma sank back into the couch and closed her eyes until the lightheadedness passed.
Her brother handed her a fresh bottle of water. She took a few sips and gave it back to him.
"Has your headache come back?" he asked.
"It never really left, but it's worse than it was before I fell asleep. My shoulder is hurting too."
"You're not supposed to take that pain medication on an empty stomach. Dad and I don't think grilled cheese is the best choice for you right now since it can be a little greasy, and Killian will be bringing dinner soon. Would you like a snack so you can take the meds?"
"Sure. I think I have some bananas out there. I could put some peanut butter on one of those." She started to stand up again.
"Just stay there, I'll get it for you. I never understood how you could like peanut butter on bananas."
"How can you not like it?" she teased.
When August came back into the room with the food, Marco followed him in carrying a prescription bottle. He opened the cap and tipped out two pills, which he laid on the table beside the bottle of water.
"August says you're in more pain."
"Worse than earlier today, but still not as bad as yesterday." She took a couple of bites of the banana. "What time is it?"
"Almost five-thirty," Marco replied.
"I thought Killian would be here by now," she remarked, picking up the pills to pop into her mouth. Then she reached for the bottle of water to wash them down.
"Maybe he slept longer than he expected to," August suggested. He pulled out his phone to check for messages. They had decided that Killian would correspond with August since Emma needed to stay away from electronic devices as much as possible, due to her concussion.
"I don't have anything from him. Oh, you fell asleep before I could tell you that David is picking up Evie and bringing her over. He should be here pretty soon."
"Oh, good! I'll be so glad to have her home."
"I'm sure she'll be happy to be home, too." August said.
Emma finished her snack while Marco fussed with making sure she was comfortable. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. When August got up to answer it, he noticed the tension that had filled his sister's body. He made sure to look out the side window panel of the door before opening it.
"It's David," he announced, letting their friend in. The puppy he held in his arms started wiggling with excitement as soon as she saw Emma.
"Oh, Evie! Come here, baby! I'm so happy to see you!"
David placed the little dog on the floor and she ran and leaped onto the couch, immediately smothering her owner with wet puppy kisses.
"Hey! I'm here too, you know," David pouted.
"I don't want you licking my face," Emma shot back.
After a few minutes, Evie finally calmed down and settled into Emma's lap. David stayed a little longer, asking her about how she was doing. She updated him as best she could, and August filled him in on the rest. Then David gave Emma a kiss on the crown of her head before bidding everyone goodbye and leaving.
August checked his phone again. "Killian just sent a message that he's on his way to pick up the food. He'll be here in about twenty minutes."
"I'm going to try to clean up before he gets here," Emma said, shifting Evie to the floor and slowly rising to her feet.
"Do you need help?" Marco asked.
"Oh, um, thanks Dad," she said, as her cheeks filled with color, "but I'll manage."
"At least let him help you take your sling off, Em," August told her.
"Yeah, okay. I'm just gonna wash off a little and brush my teeth and hair."
Marco followed her into her bedroom and came out minutes later. They could hear the water running in the bathroom soon after.
"She's so stubborn," August commented.
"She's a grown woman. It's understandable that she's embarrassed to accept help from her father. Perhaps she'd feel more comfortable with Mary Margaret or Ashley."
"I'm sure they'll work something out to help her shower and wash her hair."
Knowing that their meal was on its way, Marco began setting the table. August played tug-of-war with Evie while he waited for his sister to emerge. When she finally did several minutes later, she had changed clothes, and was holding a hairbrush and her sling.
"Can you help me put this back on and brush my hair, please?"
"Sure. Do you want me to re-button your shirt since it's all crooked?"
Emma looked down and rolled her eyes. "And here I thought I did so good."
August chuckled. "You did, Sis. It's tricky getting dressed when you can only use one arm. It'll get easier." He straightened out her buttons and had her sit on the ottoman so he could brush her hair.
Just as he was coming out of the bathroom after putting the brush away, there was another knock on the door. He shot a look at Emma to see how she reacted, and was glad that she didn't look as anxious as when David arrived.
After checking to verify who it was, he swung the door open for Killian, relieving him of a couple of the take-out bags he was holding.
"Thanks," Killian said. Emma noticed immediately that something seemed to be bothering him. He hadn't looked at August when he spoke to him, and his answer was short and clipped. His face looked flushed, and his jaw was set.
"Aug, can you take all the bags into the kitchen so you and Dad can unpack them? I need to talk to Killian."
"Of course," her brother said, grabbing the rest of the food.
Once he was out of the room, Emma turned to her boyfriend. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Killian rubbed his hand down his face, then tilted his head toward the ceiling and closed his eyes. She waited patiently, knowing him well enough to recognize that he was trying to get his emotions under control. When he finally looked at her, he opened his mouth like he was going to speak, but nothing came out.
"Are you upset about being interrupted this morning at the hospital?"
"No, well yes, but that's not what's bothering me right now."
She took his hand and led him to the sofa so they could both sit down. "Talk to me Killian. I can tell something has really gotten you agitated."
"I went to the hotel and I'd been asleep for a while, when a police officer showed up at my door. He told me they wanted me to go down to the station to answer some questions. I figured they just wanted me to tell them what I know about what happened to you."
"That's not what they wanted?"
"Well, they did want to know, but not because they were trying to piece things together. They consider me a...a suspect."
Emma's mouth fell open in shock. "What the actual hell? Why would they think that?"
"Why do you think? Because Milah told them that we planned it together!"
"Did you convince them that you had nothing to do with it?"
"I did my best, but I'm guessing that they're going to be questioning you and several other people, including Dave and Mary Margaret, Will, and probably your dad and brother. I showed them the tire with the nail in it that's in the back of my truck, but they said that I could've flattened it myself to provide an alibi. I told them that I hadn't been in contact with Milah in months, except at the medal ceremony. They're checking phone records to verify that, because she led them to believe that we've been plotting this for weeks. I might need to get a lawyer."
He stood up and paced around the room, running his hand through his hair over and over.
"We'll get this straightened out, Babe. Try not to worry about it."
"They did tell me that at the arraignment today, the judge ordered her to have a psychiatric evaluation."
"Well, there you go. They'll find out she's seriously delusional, and that she's made all this up in her mind."
"I certainly hope so, but I hate that she's tried to pull me into her sick, twisted fantasy, and that she took it so far as to almost kill you! Why can't she just leave us alone?"
Emma pushed herself up from the couch and walked over to him, placing her hand on his chest. "Maybe she figured out that she made a mistake in letting you go, but I'll tell you one thing…"
"What's that, Swan?"
"I'm not gonna make the same mistake." She put her hand on the back of his neck to pull him forward, and kissed him. As she did, she could feel the tension in his body ease.
The kiss was brief, but just what he needed right then. He gently put his arms around her and pulled her snuggly against his chest. "I'm glad to hear that," he said, his voice rumbling against her cheek.
They stood together, enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms again, until Emma heard dishes being placed on the dining room table. She leaned her head back to look at him.
"What did you pick up for dinner?"
"I went to the restaurant where we ate with Mary Margaret and Dave after the Purple Heart ceremony. I remembered that they had good, home-cooked comfort food, so I got a chicken and noodles meal. I thought it might be better for you than a greasy hamburger or something."
"That sounds delicious," Emma declared, giving him one more quick kiss before taking his hand and pulling him toward the table.
The four of them sat down and started passing around the bowls of food. Killian filled Emma's plate for her, before getting food for himself. Marco watched with satisfaction, knowing that his daughter was going to be in good hands once he and August left the next day.
Killian explained the events of the afternoon, which angered the other two men.
"We'll be happy to answer their questions and assure them that you would never do such a thing," Marco stated firmly. August nodded his agreement. "We can go down there tomorrow before we go back home."
"You're leaving tomorrow?" Emma questioned.
"Yeah, I've got to get back to work on Wednesday, Em. We're planning to come back Saturday to see you, and Claire is coming with us."
Marco reached over and patted Killian on the forearm. "You have someone right here who will take good care of you, Cygnet." Killian smiled at him with gratitude.
After dinner, the men insisted that Emma go sit down while they took care of the leftovers and dishes. When they finished and went back into the living room, they found her asleep in the recliner with Evie curled up in her lap.
"I think that's our cue to leave," August said softly.
"Yes, it's been a long day for us, too," Marco threw in, seeing that Killian was about to protest. "We'll come back tomorrow morning and I'll make Emma's favorite breakfast for all of us." He moved forward to warmly hug Killian. "I don't want you worrying about what happened at the police station today. Once we have all told them that you're a good man who cares deeply for my girl, they will see there is no truth to what that woman said."
"I hope so."
"I know so, Killian," August guaranteed, shaking his new friend's hand.
"I'll follow you out. I need to get my bag out of the truck."
Marco and August both went over to leave soft kisses on Emma's forehead before they left, and Killian quietly closed the door as they all exited. After he retrieved his bag, he chatted with the two of them for a few minutes longer, then watched their car drive away down the street.
He was expecting to find Emma peacefully sleeping when he re-entered the house. Instead, he found her shaking and crying, while Evie stood quivering beside the chair.
He rushed across the room and knelt beside the chair, picking up the puppy and tucking her into his left elbow to comfort her, while he urgently whispered, "Emma, Love, wake up! It's just a nightmare, Sweetheart. You're safe." Moving his hand to cup her cheek, he tenderly brushed her tears away.
She continued to whimper for a few seconds longer, until her eyes popped open and she looked around the room frantically, finally focusing on him. Her body seemed to crumple as she started to sob.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," Killian soothed, putting Evie down and petting her head a few times, before he slowly pulled the handle forward to lower the footrest. When Emma's feet were back on the floor, he carefully scooped her up, then sat down with her in his lap. He cradled her against himself, whispering reassurances in between placing kisses on her face and hair.
Slowly, she became fully awake and her crying subsided. She cuddled into his chest with her cheek resting on his shirt, which was damp from her tears.
Killian rocked the chair gently for several minutes as he held her, letting her soak up his safety and warmth. Finally, he put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up to look into her face.
"Are you alright, Sweetheart?"
She sniffled and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yeah, I'm sorry about…"
"Shush, Swan. You have no reason to apologize. I, uh, I had nightmares for months after being injured - still do sometimes."
The house was quiet and began to darken as twilight approached. They sat rocking for quite a while, lost in thought. Evie had settled into her bed and was snoozing contentedly .
Emma's head still rested on Killian's chest, so her voice was muffled when she finally spoke. "That nurse had lousy timing this morning. I wish she hadn't come in without knocking first."
He chuckled. "Aye, she sort of put a damper on the moment, didn't she?"
Emma sat up and looked into his eyes. Ever since she met him, she'd thought he had the most beautiful, blue eyes. She raised her hand and ran it through his thick, dark hair, then along his strong, scruffy jaw. She rubbed her thumb over his ear lobe and leaned in to kiss him.
"Mmmhmm," she hummed against his soft lips, "but maybe we can pick up where we left off."
"You mean right after I told you that I'm in love with you?" he asked breathlessly, wondering again, as he had that morning, how she would respond.
She gave him the beautiful smile that he'd come to love as much as he loved her. "Yeah, that's what I mean."
"I shouldn't have said it at that time."
The smile slid off her face. "Didn't you mean it?"
He tenderly cupped her cheek. "Of course I meant it, Emma. I am very much in love with you. But I should've waited until we were in a more private setting, or until you were fully recovered, or…"
"It was a perfect time to say it, Killian. I needed to hear it because…" She bit her lip, peeking at him from under her eyelashes.
He raised an eyebrow as he asked, "Because what, Emma?"
She moved her hand to the nape of his neck, running her fingers through his soft hair. "Because I've been trying to figure out when I was gonna tell you...that I've fallen in love with you too, Killian."
A broad smile stretched across his face just before he captured her lips in a sweet and loving kiss. When it ended, he rested his forehead against hers.
"You love me?" he whispered.
"Yeah," she sighed. "I do."
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