"This is the story of your gypsy uncle,
You never knew cause he was dead.
And how his face was carved and ripped with wrinkles,
In the picture in your head.
And remember how you found the key,
To his hide-out in the Pyrenees.
But you wanted to keep his secret safe,
So you threw the key away.
This is the story of your gypsy uncle"
Red Right Ankle by The Decemberists
Killian carried Sarah up the stairs to his apartment, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck. She found herself leaning closer involuntarily, only to be greeted with the sweet smell of his cologne; a mixture of patchouli, leather, and the sea. She closed her eyes and smiled as the aroma clouded her every sense. Killian laid her gently onto his couch and walked over to the fireplace. He positioned the logs of wood and struck a match, looking back at Sarah and smiling before he tossed it into the fireplace.
"That oughta warm you up a bit, dove. In the meantime, I'm goin' to make some more coffee. Care for a cup?"
Sarah slowly nodded, his kindness and generosity warming her internally. Killian chuckled and went into the kitchen. Once she heard shuffling from the other room, she decided that it was safe to survey her surroundings. On the wall was a nice television, although she doubted that it saw much use. On another wall, painted a murky blue, was a large bookshelf filled with books, photos, and records. Most of the photos were of Killian and his crew; his smile looked genuine and it caused her to smile as well. She decided to slowly creep closer to examine his records, the pins and needles in her feet silently protesting. She sat cross-legged on the floor pulling out various records when she heard Killian clear his throat.
"Seems like you're feeling better ..." he smirked as he walked closer, coffee in one hand and a blanket hanging over his hooked arm. Sarah gratefully accepted both items and turned back to the bookshelf.
"You have some great records. I wouldn't have pegged you for a collector of books, however."
Killian sat next to her, his hand over his heart and a hurt expression on his face. "My dear, you think so little of me! I'll have you know that I've read every single one of them more than once ..." he smiled triumphantly and Sarah couldn't help but stifle a giggle.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Killian grabbed a record from the shelf and put it on his player. Soon the sounds of Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" echoed throughout the apartment. Killian extended his hand to Sarah and pulled her back up to the couch. She smiled and wrapped the blanket tightly around her feet and legs. Letting the melody of the song wrap itself around her, she thought back to the last time she had heard this song.
"My uncle used to love this song. Said it encapsulated our family's way of life. I don't remember my parents much; they died when I was young and my uncle was the only family I had left. He raised me alone 'nd we used to travel a lot, never staying in one place for too long. It should have been difficult for me but ... it was just the opposite. I didn't have to worry about leaving a bad impression or making friends. Until I came here ..." she softly finished. She didn't know what possessed her to divulge this part of her life to Killian, but for the first time in a long while, she felt safe letting someone into her past.
Killian sat intrigued by her story, his eyes never leaving her figure. Even in her slightly disheveled state, she looked so beautiful. The fire light danced along her face and her eyes shone with a brightness that he hadn't seen before. He slowly moved closer to her, wordlessly urging her to continue her story.
"We'd been all over; He worked odd jobs, sometimes he'd be gone for days at a time. I'd do my best to provide for us as well, mostly things that I'm not exactly proud of ... But that was all I knew. Once he died, I decided that it was time to straighten my life out and I just ... stumbled into Storybrooke."
Killian could see pain in her eyes and couldn't bring himself to ask the question that was eating away at him. What had she done that she held such disdain for? On second thought, he wasn't sure he even wanted to know the answer. The possibilities that entered his mind made him feel slightly ill. Shaking the ideas from his mind, he smiled at her with understanding. He had his own burdens that plagued his dreams nightly.
"Well, I'm glad you ended up here. I find you quite intriguing, darling," Killian said with a sly smile.
Sarah laughed and, instead of scowling, found herself blushing. "Do you now? And what about me intrigues you, dear captain?"
Killian was slightly taken aback by her rebuttal, expecting one of her famous scoffs. His eyes softened as he spoke, "Well, you have this sarcastic wall that you've built around yourself, for starters. As much as I enjoy our coy little back-and-forth games, I can't help but wonder what has hardened you. For some reason, I feel desperate to know all about you. I feel almost like a moth to the flame-" he was interrupted by the sound of his cell phone ringing.
Grunting, he slipped his phone from his jacket pocket and was disappointed at the name that showed up. He frowned and tossed his phone back onto the chair with his jacket.
"Ruby?" Sarah guessed, irritated that their intimate moment was ruined.
"Aye. Sorry about that love, shall I begin again?" he said settling back into his spot on the couch.
"I should actually be going," she said looking at the time on her phone. "I have some errands to run before I turn in for the night. Thank you, Killian. For everything. I had a surprisingly nice time with you," she smirked, genuinely grateful for his hospitality. She stood up and folded the blanket. Killian stood up also, resenting Ruby more than ever.
"T'was nothin', love. I enjoyed your company immensely. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to spend some more time with you ..." Killian couldn't believe the words that had spilled from his lips. Was he daft?! He didn't care about this woman so why did he even say that? Maybe it was his mind on auto-pilot and it knew that she would be putty in his hands if he asked her out instead of his usual "wanna come back to my place?" routine.
"Are you asking me out, captain? If so, there are far better ways to do tha-" she was cut off by Killians lips lightly pressing against her own. The kiss was soft and sweet, nothing like she had imagined it would have been. She felt his arm wrap around the small of her back, lightly holding her close to him. Once the initial shock wore off, it was too late to respond. She felt his breath tickle her lips as he whispered, "Better?"
A "yes" slipped from Sarah's lips and Killian's arm released her and he slowly walked away towards the kitchen. Sarah regained feeling in her limbs and wordlessly opened the door and began the walk back to her car. Her heart, however, hadn't slowed down a bit and that worried her.
