Title: A Life of It

Author: Roguie etc…

Part: 18/18

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Characters: Emma/Killian

World: AU Modern

Rating: T

Warnings: Child abuse, bullying, mentions of potential molestation, all the bad things you'd expect to find in a poorly executed foster care system.

Spoilers: It's AU, so not likely.

Summary: Everywhere she was sent, he was there, her savior, the boy with blue eyes. He should have meant nothing to her, just another person that had to leave, but he meant everything. Against all odds, he kept coming back.

Disclaimer: OuaT is not mine, if it were, tackle hugs and sweet kisses would be our norm. Also, there would be way more, *cough*, sword practice scenes between our Captain and his Swan.

A/N: So, I'm sitting in the car tonight chatting fanfic with my favorite 14 year old, and she's telling me about her writer's block for her current JohnLock fic. There I am telling her about the various fics I've started where my muse has run off right near the end and hidden herself in a tree, never to come down – not even to threats or cookies. As I'm telling her this, I look at my fanfic profile, and stare blankly at the unfinished mark next to A Life of It... because, y'know, I swear I finished this story. Confused, I look at ff dot net, ao3 and tumblr, and yup, never did finish it. I check my documents on my computer, and can only find up to part 17. Dumbfounded, I shake my head, because I KNOW I finished this... so in a moment of sheer desperation, I check my email. Oh, look... November 23, 2015, A Life of It, Part 18 – complete all the way down to ~fin. I literally wrote it, sent it to myself, and forgot to post it. I. Am. So. Sorry. I can't even begin to explain what went through my mind at the time... so, yeah... a year late, but at long last... the conclusion to A Life of It. ***ducks***

~~~?~~~

Graduation day was bitter sweet; Killian watched as Emma visibly trembled under the knowledge that in two months they would be separated for a year. He sighed; he'd been accepted into the sea carpentry course at the college he'd wanted, but Emma still remained at a loss as to what to do with herself. Graduating at sixteen had left her open to option; she had intended to take psychology and child welfare classes until her eighteenth birthday when she could apply for her private detective license, taking her into the areas she was most interested in exploring. Her lack of experience beyond life experience, however, presented a road block neither she nor Killian had expected. Due to her age, the school wanted her to apprentice in a child welfare situation for a year before beginning her class curriculum.

Killian offered her a sweet, reassuring smile as he waited ahead of her in line to receive their diplomas. David and Mary Margaret had immediately jumped into the mix, arranging with the courts to have Emma placed permanently in their care, and arranging with the Department of Child Welfare to list her as a paid apprentice at their half way house for troubled foster kids. She would work five shifts a week at the house, helping Mary Margaret with the mound of paperwork that appeared weekly with the incoming and outgoing transfers, and helping David, initially with the practicality of security at the home and eventually with the transfer and transportation of children.

She seemed at peace with the compromise, but Killian couldn't miss the flash of uncertainty that clouded her green eyes every time she looked at a calendar. Every day that passed was like a ticking clock, counting down the time they had together before he'd be an hour away, something they'd gone an entire year without having experienced.

He walked onto the stage proudly, accepting his diploma and his handshake, moving off into the waiting crowd of students as the line continued to progress. He watched with bright blue eyes while his girl took her moment on stage, chuckling and shaking his head as she shook hands as quickly as possible and turned to face him, her lips breaking into a wide grin when she practically ran off the stage and into his waiting arms.

He kissed her soundly, lifting her off her feet, making her laugh out loud before he turned her around to watch the last few students take their turns. "How's that for a taste of freedom, pretty girl?" he asked quietly, his words a low rumble against her ear.

She shivered softly, leaning back into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Pretty damn sweet," she replied, grinning.

"Hmm," he hummed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Two months with no interruptions, no responsibilities, just you 'n me being adults… whatever will we do with our time?"

He felt her shift a moment before her elbow connected with his stomach and he chuckled with surprise as he fought to catch his breath.

"Somehow I think your ideas and mine are probably worlds apart," she grinned as he over exaggerated his struggle for air.

"Worlds can be conquered, pretty girl. Don't you see? Nothing can come between us; not space, not time, absolutely nothing. Not anymore. Not again." He spoke with a light hearted lilt to his voice, but his words carried on them his promise not to let their pending year of separation drive a wedge into what they'd built.

"You really believe that, don't you?" she questioned quietly, looking deep into the ocean blue gaze she'd loved since they day they had met.

"With every fiber of my being," Killian promised, never breaking the hold her eyes had over him.

"We're young," she whispered, "Maybe too young."

"I'm happy we're young. Think of the years we have to spend together that other people lost while they waited to find their one true love."

"You're going to be really far away…"

He smiled gently and shrugged. "It's an hour, Emmie. If you need me, I can be at your side before Jerry Springfield reveals who's that day's baby daddy."

She couldn't help herself; the giggles escaped her lips and she found herself being pulled tight to Killian's side a moment before warm arms wrapped around her and she was engulfed by Mary Margaret and David, their hugs and congratulations warm and true.

She fell back as they were joined by Liam and the five made their way to the parking lot, intending on meeting up for dinner before leaving the kids to their graduation parties.

"You'll be alone," she continued, as if the interruption had never happened.

"No I won't," he smiled down at her. "I have a cell phone to call you. A laptop to skype you. Weekends to visit you. Em, we've done this before, but this time it's on our own terms. No scary guys in suits pulling you into a van. No disappointed perfect parents sending me away. We've got this, I promise."

She offered him a shrug and a half hearted smile that left Killian with a sigh upon his lips, but he knew they would be okay. They had two months to fill with good moments, with happy memories, before they even had to think about his leaving. He was willing to bet that two days after he left, Mary Margaret and David would have her so busy that she wouldn't have time to miss him.

"You guys coming?"

The three adults stood waiting at their respective vehicles, watching Emma and Killian with amused expressions. Killian grinned, shrugged and called out, "As soon as I can talk Emmie out of being a stage one clinger…"

He ducked and leaped forward an instant before her fist would have connected with his chest, spinning and walking backwards, grinning from ear to ear.

"Gotta be faster than that to get one over on a pirate, love," he teased.

Her reply was lost in laughter as they hit the ground, his suit pants and jacket immediately caked in mud, her pretty new dress green with grass stains as she triumphantly sat upon his chest, eyes sparkling, jaw set in challenge.

"Gotta be faster than that to get away from me, Killian Jones."

"Never even going to try, Em," he whispered, leaning up to steal a kiss before lifting her to her feet and climbing up after her.

They missed their reservations when they had to stop at home to get changed, but nobody really cared. It was enough to know that their future stretched out before them, unchallenged, unconquered, just waiting to open paths for them the likes of which they had never even dreamed.

Killian couldn't wait to walk those new paths with his pretty girl - together even when they were worlds apart. They'd had a life of it, he and Emma; loneliness, fear, abandonment, pain, but they came out stronger on the other side. Killian firmly believed that nothing could stop them now, nor could he wait until the day Emma believed it too. Even if he had to remind her four times a day for the next seventy years.

Or eighty years.

Hell, they were young, ninety was hardly a stretch.

It was their future, after all; he'd believe enough for them both.

~~Fin~~

Remember, much like magic all muses come with a price. This muse's price is that little review box down below. Please don't make her chase you for payment, it seems a bloody awful waste of her time, wouldn't you agree?