*to the tune of the bridal march* here comes the angst, all laced in pain

And here's where things start hurting. You'll enjoy it, though.

Trust me ;)

I do not own Once Upon a Time or Killian Jones or Emma Swan or any of the perfectly imperfect characters I'm in love with.

Killian, at fifteen, had only lived and worked in the castle for the last five years. He was a young man and he wanted to see what was out there in the world, the Sea War being an excellent chance to do exactly that but he couldn't bear to leave Emma behind. But since their love was being held a secret, her parents had begun to search for suitors for her and he was beginning to grow jealous, even if she did feel nothing for them.

His jealousy took control of his emotions one day, as he stormed into the West Wing of the castle and found Emma talking to one of her "suitors." Killian stopped frozen in his tracks when he saw the other one tuck a loose strand of hair behind Emma's ear.

"Emma, may I have a word with you?"

Emma and the other boy looked over, startled. She whispered, "Excuse me," to the suitor and ran over to Killian.

"What is it?"

"What's with this lad?"

"The hair thing he just did?"

"Yes! That's our thing. Well, my thing. With you!" Killian retorted as he crossed his arms across his chest, lowering his eyebrows.

"Seriously? I am merely playing along and then politely turning them all down."

"It sure doesn't seem like it, lass."

"Okay what the hell, Killian?"

"Emma, I… I don't like seeing you with other 'suitors' or whatever you call them. I don't. Even if it is just for show! And for the sake of your parents. Because it hurts me and I feel threatened."

"Babe, it shouldn't because I would never go for any of them! You're mine, Killian. Always."

"Well, the feeling is mutual, love. But you either tell your parents about us and be happy or obey them and keep hurting me. Hurting the both of us. What's your choice, Emma?"

Emma stayed quiet. "Killian, I… I have to think this through."

"Really? Do you really have to think this through? You just said it yourself. I'm yours. And you have to think about it? So that you don't upset your parents? Emma, for once, do something that makes you happy. Not them. You. And until you figure that out…" He didn't want to say it. But he did and he regretted it a moment later.

"I'm leaving."

Emma's eyes filled with tears and she tried to blink them away. "What?"

"I'm leaving. The war needs soldiers and I enlisted. I'm sorry."

"Killian, please…" She stifled a sob as the first tear slid down her cheek. "Please don't leave. Not now."

"Emma, I have to. Until you sort things out and decide to tell your parents about us, I'll be out at sea. I leave in the morning."

She took a deep breath as the tsunami in her eyes rolled out like the tide. He took her hand in his and kissed it.

"We'll see each other again soon. I promise." Then he wiped away her tears, took her face in his hands and kissed her lips in a way he had never done before. "I promise…" he whispered again. And with that, he turned and walked away.

Heartbroken, she ran to her room and sobbed into her pillow. One moment of weakness and he left. Although he was coming back, she shouldn't have said that she would think about it. If she hadn't said that, he wouldn't be leaving.

The following morning, she saw his ship sail away from her window. Emma couldn't contain her emotions and was never able to express why she was so sad all the time to her parents. They would never understand.

The princess was not supposed to fall in love with the servant boy. She was supposed to fall in love with the prince, like her mother had. And now she had to pay for it; for falling hopelessly, completely, irrevocably in love with Killian Jones. Killian Jones, the servant boy, the sailor, the lost boy, her best friend. And now he was gone.

Killian faced just as much as a low blow as she. He wasn't able to focus correctly on his training because he was thinking of her the whole time. So in one of the major battles, he faked his own death, jumped off his ship and was saved by another passing ship; a pirate ship.

The pirates welcomed him with a mix of relief and disgust. They needed a cabin boy but at the same time, it was another mouth to feed. Soon enough, he proved to be more than a cabin boy and was promoted to be the Captain's first mate.

However when the Sea War ended two years later, the sailors returned home and the news was given to Charming and Snow: Killian Jones was dead. It pained them both greatly but they knew who would be hurt more than anyone. Emma. They both went into Emma's room because they believed best that she heard it from them.

A knock on the door, "Emma, honey, can we come in?"

"Yes," she replied. Snow came in, Charming following her; both with grave looks on their faces. "What is it, Mom?" Her parents looked at each other and she knew. Emma's stomach dropped and her heart shattered. She took a ragged breath as her eyes began to tear up,

"He's dead, isn't he? Killian?"

"Honey, I'm so sorry." Her father walked up to her and gave her a hug. She couldn't handle the pain so she burst into tears. Emma sobbed into her father's shirt. "Daddy, I loved him," she whispered.

"We all did," he told her.

"No, Daddy. I loved him."

Charming looked taken aback but hugged Emma even tighter. Snow knew deep down something between the two of them was bound to happen. She had seen the way Emma had looked at him when she first rescued him from the streets when they were both just ten years old. It just broke her heart to see her daughter look so sad.

That night, Emma did not sleep. He was gone. He was never coming back.

We'll see each other again soon. I promise.

Killian had broken his promise and along with that, her heart. Emma would never be the same again.