I can't believe it took me so long to complete this chapter! Hopefully you're all still with me despite my muse being so fickle. Anyway, here it is! Enjoy!
It wasn't a complete surprise to wake up to the empty sheets beside her, the fabric faintly warm in a way that confirmed he'd stuck around through the dark hours and somewhat into the dawn of daylight. Emma sat up, running absent minded fingers through her tangled locks of blonde hair while she absorbed the silent space filling the room. It was riddled only with the dull crackle of a dwindling fire under the mantle as the embers flickered weakly in the dim light.
At least that was something - the care he'd taken for her comfort and warmth despite his absence. She could only hope the lack of the man she'd lost herself in the previous night wasn't permanent. Something about the words they'd finally said and the evenness of his breath as it had lulled her to sleep told her it wasn't.
Her now rather aware vision darted blankly around the room, the investigative nature of her mind taking over as she searched for signs of where he'd gone off to. He woke rather often during the nights they'd spent together and though he'd often endure those waking moments watching her slumber, it wasn't unusual to see that he'd risen before her. The house was nearly noiseless, the quiet telling her he hadn't headed downstairs to make breakfast or to mill around the library.
She pressed her lips together softly as she realized that she didn't know much about other hobbies he might enjoy since the main thing he indulged in while she was around was her. She'd seen the antique piano near the entrance of the house and had noticed the small herb garden just beyond the back porch, those simple things suggesting he did have other interests beyond the freckles he traced on her skin or the experimental ways in which he could bring her to the brink of complete ecstasy. Something about those little bits of evidence in his home made him seem so….human.
He'd always been that way with her - real, honest, loving. A true gentleman, she thought quietly as her hand brushed his pillow.
Rising from the bed, Emma pulled a nearby blanket around her. She vaguely remembered it being the one she'd been wrapped up in hours before - the same one that had kept her warm until she woke up to the cold blue of his sad stare. Her stomach turned at the memory of the argument that nearly ended them, the words they'd exchanged yanking her back into the uncertain world where the two of them being together seemed totally insane.
But it wasn't - and she really needed to find him. She really needed to make sure he knew that.
She slipped carefully down the staircase, her bare feet causing her to tiptoe at a less than audible pace. Her hair tumbled in wild waves down her shoulders and she swept it to one side while running a careful hand over her neck. She barely recalled the feel of his fangs sinking into her skin and the manner in which his soft sucking made her head feel lighter. When he'd collapsed against her and the hot satin sheets beneath their intertwined legs, he'd left the small bite marks in place. It took only seconds for her to realize she was almost too okay with how he'd claimed her so gently. She liked being his - in fact, she felt like she could live for it. Being with this immortal man had brought her that strangest sense of beautiful certainty and while forever was a concept she didn't typically put her faith in, something about this bond they shared made her want that.
She could only hope once she finally located him that he'd feel the same.
The systematic walk through his house was something she was not likely to ever forget. The smooth feel of the hardwood floors under her bare feet had become such an unexpected comfort and the cool temperature of them reminded her of just how warm his sheets would be once they could tumble back into them together. Emma pursed her lips, trying to ignore the idea of any other outcome as she landed in the empty living room.
Where was he?
Without a noise to be heard, Emma let instinct take over as she headed toward the place she usually found him on mornings like this one - the kitchen. The space was vacant, dim and faintly smelling of coffee and something a bit sweeter. Her pulse thrummed as she wandered toward the counter with a curiosity she just couldn't shove aside. It didn't take long for her eyes to center on a covered plate resting under the hood of the titanium stove - well, perhaps it was the handwritten note on top that gathered her attention. It could have only been left by the man she wished she'd woken up next to.
Hope you slept well, Emma. I thought you might be hungry when you awoke. I'm needed at the hospital this morning, but meet me at noon in the woods. We should talk.
Love, Killian
Her eyes widened and her heart flip flopped at the word choice he'd chose to end the letter with, her mouth fighting the slight urge to grin as she traced the curve of his penmanship lightly with her finger. It was a word she'd not known much of over the course of her lonely life and one that sparked fear in her mind more often than not. Yet with Killian, it didn't. He was different. Something about him was just….right.
Emma set the card down next to the plate, her mind still lingering on that four letter term as she lifted the lid. Her breath exhaled softly as her lips curved into a small smirk at the breakfast he'd left for her. He'd caught on very quickly that she had a thing for pancakes and made them for her pretty regularly when they woke up together. Her eyes brightened with humor as she realized today was no different. He'd piled them carefully - three altogether - and paired it with fresh blueberries. She scanned theblue pattern of the ripe fruit, following the trail of it from one side of the plate to the other. The care he'd taken in making sure she ate properly even though he didn't need similar sustenance was always endearing, but the smile pulling on the color of her lips wasn't just from that.
No, it wasn't just the fact that he'd done something so sweet for her, but more the teasing way in which he did it. Trying her hardest to envision the handsomely taunting grin on his face while he'd prepared the plate, Emma shook her head with a slight laugh at his creation - blueberry eyes and a matching mouth complete with whipped cream fangs.
She ran her finger lightly over the intricate details of the sterling silver fork as she breathed a careful sigh of relief. The breakfast he'd put such clever effort into confirmed the one thing she truly needed to know.
He really did love her.
She showered slowly, letting the steaming water roll down her skin as she soaked in the daylight that filled the bathroom through the single frosted window. She'd noted the time at just after eleven when she'd slipped behind the glass door and turned the temperature up with a pull on the silver nozzle, steam filling the room as she sought out the soap. Her hands lathered the cleansing bar quickly, the smell reminding her of a former morning when his wet hands had smoothed that same scent over her flushed bare skin. There wasn't much of a clean component to that particular shower - well, at least not until after the hot water started to dwindle.
It was difficult not to remember moments like those as Emma pressed her fingertips lightly against the shower tiles. The frigid feel of them sent her into a whirlwind of memories - the way he'd kissed her with that typical fiery passion as water drenched every inch of their bodies, his firm grip as he lifted her leg to wrap around his hip, the echoing sound of their equally gasping breaths and strained curses. He teased her skin like no one else ever had and not just with his fangs. His protective hold and deep blue stare seemed to possess her endlessly, a formed detail of their torrid relationship that Emma wasn't sure she could now survive without.
She could start a wildfire with what she felt for him - and she'd let those passionate flames engulf her without a second thought.
She dried quickly, twisting her hair into a loose braid and pulling her sweater over her head. The room was quiet with the fire out and the lack of sound was uncomfortable as she counted the moments until she could go after him. She crossed the floor in distraction, lifting the television remote that controlled the flatscreen on the adjacent wall and furrowing her eyebrows at the news program sounding through the speakers. She recognized Sidney Glass, the regular afternoon reporter, but it was the current story being addressed that caught her attention. Her thumb clicked the volume button frantically as her eyes widened.
"...the man was brought into the hospital between one and two o'clock this morning with substantial wounds in what police are calling a possible animal attack. He was treated for a mild concussion and received twelve stitches for a laceration on his neck. We were unable to speak directly with medical personnel but we do know that the man was discovered by Dr. Killian Jones, one of our local physicians who sees this sort of trauma quite regularly, and his statement has assured us that the patient will be discharged once he makes a very likely full recovery."
Holy shit, Emma thought silently as she hit the power off key.
A low rumble met her ears as she wandered to the window and her eyes scanned the gray sky overhead, her mind swirling with this new information. She knew that wasn't the whole story - of course it wasn't. She tried not to think of how hard all of this must be hitting Killian - and how he was working through an event that would typically prod him into some serious self loathing. The clouds seemed to hint at the rain's imminent return and Emma pursed her lips, hoping that the weather would hold until she could make her way through the trees. The minutes on the clock were moving excruciatingly slow and as lightning flickered dully in the distance, she resolved that being slightly early would have to be okay.
As much as she wanted to stabilize whatever was happening between them, she wanted to be there for him even more - because god only knows what he'd been putting himself through since she fell asleep in his arms.
Plodding back down the stairs, she snagged her boots next to the door and slipped them on fast before borrowing his spare jacket from the hook. The smooth leather was just so Killian and the faint smile that graced her expression as she took in the familiar scent wasn't something she could hinder. Her hand stumbled a bit before she pulled on the doorknob, a surge of fear prodding her to pause. She didn't know what he was doing or why he'd requested she meet him past the edge of the forested backyard, but the twinge of terror spiking her nerves wasn't due to the supernatural circumstances she'd spun herself into. If anything, this uneasy feeling was caused by the impending conversation and hopeful explanation she was about to walk toward.
The irony of being more terrified of his emotional human man side versus his feral vampire one was far too ironic to ignore. No, the Killian Jones that could kill her wasn't frightening in the slightest, but the one who could break her heart was suddenly the scariest person she could imagine.
Flexing her fingers against the jacket collar, Emma held tight to the belief that he didn't want to hurt her - and it was that faith that pushed in the direction of the tall trees.
The wooded area behind his home had always existed with a bit of mystery in her mind, the towering white birches and faint call of crows overhead adding to the eerie picture as she walked. The dimming sky and lack of pathway once her feet left the cobblestones should have made her nervous and while it certainly did, Emma quickly noted just how much more motivated those factors made her. Her boots moved fast, assisting her in navigating her way to the opening they'd paused at once before - the place where he'd halted to kiss her before pointing out the small stone structure through the tree branches.
He'd said it was a starting point to narrate his past. Emma has to wonder if it would be a suitable spot for their story to begin - this impossible future she hoped they might have. Her heart pounded at the idea as she took in a deep breath and let the breeze blow through her tangled hair with a promise of the approaching storm.
"Swan?"
Her eyes closed briefly, her ears absorbing the sound of his smooth voice and the way it wrapped around her name. He'd called her so many affectionate things over the time they'd known one another, but this one was her favorite, even with the hint of questioning tacked onto the end of it. Her feet rustled the leaves below as her lips pressed lightly together and she peered back over her shoulder to where she knew he was standing - and how he made such a simple act look so attractive wasn't something she'd ever been able to deduce.
"Killian."
He stood still, his deep cobalt eyes hinging firmly on hers while the sky took on a bit more gray just behind him. The wind whistled softly and sporadically as the only audible noise between them and Emma was thankful that it muffled the sound of her nervous breath. He looked slightly relieved, his lips parted with the hint of a smile. He'd dressed simply but very handsomely - dark jeans that trailed down to a pair of all black Converse and a charcoal deep neck shirt. His hair was damp and somewhat of an adorable mess while his beard looked thicker and darker than usual. She wondered how long it had been since he shaved but more so how long he could go without her wanting him to. He was always the picture of excruciatingly good looking, right down to the stubble on his jaw and the deep scar beneath his eye - one she really wanted to know more about.
"Hi."
His greeting was tentative, almost like he couldn't believe she'd truly shown up. There was something sad in that realization and Emma felt her eyes water as she watched him. He was apparently equally concerned he might lose her too.
"I mean….you're here," he said, moving a bit closer. "I was worried you might…."
His voice drifted off unstably, his fear resting between them as she adjusted her stance to properly face him. It was obvious that he was almost as nervous as she was as his mouth opened and closed without speech. She hadn't expected this - that they might stand in the middle of the woods facing the issue of not knowing what to say. It was suddenly more terrifying than any conversation at all.
His lips parted in an attempt to speak once more, spiking Emma's nerves as she waited for him to explain or argue or question or completely break - but he didn't. Thunder rolled just behind him almost simultaneously, causing her to jump slightly as the sound vibrated through the empty space between the trees. Killian caught sight of her minor fear instantly and moved toward her cautiously, a reaction the made Emma's heart throb with aching affection. He smiled weakly as he got closer but halted with a flinch just several paces in front of her when a raindrop fell onto his cheek. There was something so endearing about the natural, completely human reaction to the water falling from the sky that she couldn't help the tiny giggle that escaped her. He straightened his shoulders and cocked an eyebrow at her, his lips faltering into a relieved grin as the weather surrounded them.
Emma had never seen a pattern of rain evolve so quickly and she gasped at the way it seemed to mirror everything that had happened between them - a whirlwind of stormy emotions and perilous conditions that somehow led her to this point where her mind was as clear as a deep blue sky. She'd come out into the elements to find this man, but as she watched the rain roll through his dark hair and down his drenched skin, she realized how scared he'd been that she might not come. She wanted to say something - to tell him anything that would banish that thought - but his eyes told her that he didn't need words at the moment.
He just needed her.
His feet moved in a flash, one hand taking gentle hold of her cheek as the other tangled in her long and suddenly very wet hair. The kiss he pulled her into was desperate and disbelieving as he breathed her in like the life force she truly seemed to be for him. Emma let herself drown in the passionate rhythm of his lips as her hands pressed lightly on his chest, clutching the wet material of his shirt in an effort to keep a steady stance. The storm shifted into a total downpour after only a minute or so and he pried his mouth from hers with a lazy laugh as the water continued to soak both of them.
"I should apologize for the weather," he smiled, his forehead leaning on hers. "I thought we would have a little longer before the storm hit."
"I don't mind," she shivered as he held her close. "Though I'll expect a fire to warm up later."
"A request I'm happy to accommodate, love," he nodded, pulling back to look at her as he tilted his head toward the crypt. "Let's see if it gives way a little before we go. We can wait inside. I….I've got something I wanted to show you."
Emma gave a slight nod and he held his hand out to to her, water still streaming down his pale face as he gave her that coaxing gaze. Her fingers linked loosely through his in a way that made her believe they were made to interlock. The metal of his ring was icy cold and it sent a chill down her spine as they headed toward the propped open gate. Drops of rain slid down the metal bars to the wet dirt below and the storm darkened the granite engraving above the entrance that held the letters of his last name. The daylight was sparse with the dark clouds hovering overhead, but she could see the glow of several candles inside. Letting her heart pound a little harder was all too easy.
"You look freezing, love," he commented with a soft smile, peeling the wet jacket off her arms and rubbing them lightly. "I think I have an extra sweater in my bag - hold on."
She nodded, her eyes following him as he crossed the dirt floor of the room. The rain pounded the exterior of the tiny building as Emma realized the back door of the crypt was currently propped open. Her stare was almost magnetic as she watched the water hit the ground through the alternate entryway and her feet carried her without thought toward it. A small blast of cool air brushed her cheeks as she paused, her eyes catching sight of a small row of pink flowers growing along the cobblestone path leading back outside.
"Middlemist flowers," his voice offered, his presence suddenly at her back as he pulled the sweater around her. "Quite a rarity."
"They're beautiful," she commented as she leaned into his embrace. "Have they always grown here?"
"My mother used to plant them when I was young," he answered. "It's the one thing I remember her always cultivating in our yard and I suppose they remind me of her."
"Were you two close?"
"Aye," he replied with a look of reminiscence. "She adored Liam and me. She wanted us to learn everything we could about the world. She always had a book in her hands and she was constantly telling stories or drawing. She used to love when I'd tell her I was going to grow up to be a doctor."
Emma felt her heart ache for the little boy behind the decades of immortality she could see in pale blue eyes. His stare was slightly distant as he looked out over the petals of the blossoming plants, his arms encircling her waist as his chin came to rest on the crown of her head. Emma took in the scent of him with a slight nuzzle and he exhaled carefully, his sigh comforting and calm.
"She passed when I was barely seven," he continued in that quiet tone. "Consumption - or tuberculosis, if you'd rather. Terrible disease that claimed the lives of many back then."
"That must have been difficult," Emma said, glancing up at him. "I'm sorry you lost her."
"Aye, love," he smiled weakly. "Part of life, I suppose. When you're….like me….you get used to it."
"It doesn't make it any easier though," she returned with a squeeze of his hand. "But thank you for telling me. She must have been an amazing woman."
"A very important part of my past life indeed," he nodded. "But maybe now, I could show you another?"
"Hmmm," she smirked, giving him a playful glance. "You're just full of surprises today, aren't you?"
His answer was given in the form of a sweet kiss, a gesture that felt so natural to Emma as she smiled against his lips. He mirrored her reaction as his fingers navigated the contour of her jaw with a deft touch. The shiver brought on by the rainstorm was instantly replaced by the one only his hands were capable of creating.
"Wait here?"
She smirked with acceptance at his request, her eyes fluttering as she watched him walk toward the beat up concrete wall across the room and run his fingers across the smooth surface until he bumped a rough edge. His hands moved slowly as he pulled a loosened brick from the scraped wall, his fingers reaching inside the hollowed out piece of eroded clay to retrieve something small that Emma couldn't see very well. He turned to face her with a suddenly nervous smile before taking a deep breath.
It was easy to see that this walk down memory lane was going to be a little more testing than the first.
"This has been in my possession for a long time," he explained cautiously, walking back toward her with a small wooden box. "It was a gift of sorts I guess - from back in Italy. The woman who turned me left it with the letter she gave to the men who helped me there."
Emma's eyes filled with what she hoped was a subtle curiosity as she watched his fingertips trace the sides of it. It was a beautiful antique made of tediously stained wood with a series of words along the top, engraved deeply in a language she didn't dare attempt. He raised an eyebrow at her observation, his smile curving just a bit as he remembered her speech wasn't quite as worldly as his.
"So," she sighed, returning his smirk. "What does it say?"
"Post tenebras lux," he said eloquently as his stare followed the curves of the letters. "It's Latin - translates roughly to mean 'after darkness is light'."
Emma didn't have to look at him to know he wasn't reading the words. It was pretty apparent that he'd done that plenty of times over the decades he'd been keeping that box close. She knew it was important to him - probably one of the last possessions he'd held onto from that very tumultuous time in his long life - but she found herself with a great need to know why.
"It's always been a reminder I suppose - a phrase to build this new life around," he continued, flipping the lid to reveal a folded slip of parchment. "I didn't have much of an explanation left with it except this piece of paper."
He held it out to her, watching her carefully as she gave him a reassuring glance. He took a quick breath, nodding to give her the go ahead and she peeled back the corners to where she could decipher the rather intricately penned text.
The contents of this box are for you and the future you may build, Killian. Keep it safe and believe that eventually sense will be made of it for you. Find what makes you feel alive and know that while darkness surrounds you, the light shall find you. Have hope and hold tight to it. I promise it will bring you humanity you have never yet known before. May we meet again one day, in this life or the next. -L.S.
Emma's head filled with questions as she ran her finger over the initials left at the end. Who was she? Why had she picked him? What was in the box? His hand reached for hers in a movement of stability, something she quickly realized they both needed despite her desire to learn more.
She'd wait for him - for his words, his explanation, and the promise that would likely follow. She'd always wait for him.
"Emma, I…."
He glanced toward the ground, gritting his teeth enough for his jaw to flex in the dull light of the candles glowing around them. He set the box down on the empty pedestal beside them, his expression telling her he'd finish clarifying everything after this - because this….this was so much more than any piece of the past. His features were outlined by the shadows and despite this sudden shift between them, Emma held his hand in a linked manner with the coldness of his fingers.
"It's just….it's not quite so easy as all of this, love," he answered, pressing his lips together as he placed his hands on top of hers. "Us being together isn't ever going to be simple."
The blue in his gaze wavered as flecks of gray scattered across the irises. His fingers curved slightly around hers as she lifted her touch flush against his jaw. His skin was cold, a temperature that reflected just how unsure he was in their current conversation. He was right - things weren't that easy. The two of them being the counterparts of a normal relationship probably wouldn't ever be possible.
"I….I don't care."
"Emma," he said after a brief pause, his gaze centered on her. "I want this. If there's anything I'm certain of, it's that I want you, but this….this is who I am. I didn't chose it and I don't always have control over it, especially where you're concerned. I can't promise you this won't happen again because if it comes down to protecting your life, I will do whatever I have to for you to be safe. The way I care for you….it's always going to be dangerous."
"Killian," she cut in, stroking his cheek. "Listen-"
"I'm a vampire, love - and I can't change that," he continued. "Even if it means hurting someone or doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons, I will always choose you. I will always save you."
"Hey - listen to me," she repeated, her thumb swiping across the scar beneath his eye. "I love you."
The three words they'd only recently exchanged put a quick stop to his speech as he bit his lip. He stared back at her with some emotion she couldn't quite distinguish, his eyes darkening to that deep navy while she waited for him to resume his rambling explanation. When his mouth finally parted again, the soft gasp that escaped him prodded her nerves and she watched as his hands took hold of hers.
"Killian-"
"Say that again."
She paused the long winded rebuttal she didn't actually have planned, her eyes following his movement as he set her hands bracingly against his chest. The soft cotton of his shirt was familiar under her fingertips and she felt her shoulders relax as she examined the hope in his gaze. It wasn't the same incredulous sort she'd seen there before. Her palms stayed firmly in place, one held just over the spot where one could typically feel the steady thump of a heartbeat. The idea entered her mind as she smoothed the fabric gently, the lack of rhythm beneath her hand suddenly making her quite sad.
Just how many decades had it been since he'd heard those words from another person?
The world between them blurred and Emma flexed her fingers against the material, letting her gentle grip pull him closer. His forehead fell against hers as her eyes closed and she tried to control the flurry of emotions spinning in her mind. She knew he needed to hear it - and he deserved to hear it.
"I love you, Killian."
His lips trembled just slightly before lifting into a quick smile, one she could feel more than see. He lifted his hand to her cheek gently as he guided her mouth to his. Emma felt relief spread across her shoulders as he pulled her into a hypnotic kiss, his free hand pressing gently on her back as he pulled her closer. As that feeling of passion collided with this loving side of him she'd only recently glimpsed, Emma let herself melt in his arms with the knowledge that he'd keep her steady.
"And I - you, Emma," he mumbled against her lips, his hand threading through her hair. "More than I can ever explain."
"Then," she smirked, slowly pushing the sleeves of his borrowed sweater down off her shoulders. "Show me."
His smile was tentative and sweet in a quick curve of his lips before he pulled her back into a kiss that instantly meant everything to her. She kept her grip on the fabric covering his chest, the desperate need to hold onto him consuming her as he tugged anxiously on her sweater. Their lips parted enough for him to remove the article and drop it to the ground before her hands followed suit, pulling his shirt over his head to join hers. The feel of his chest hair brushed up against her, teasing the lace still hanging from her shoulders as his fingers worked on undoing the button at the front of her pants. He shoved the denim down quickly and kicked her boots away before she stepped out toward him, leaving her jeans at their feet as he hurried to do the same. Nearly bare and pressed against one another, he lifted her strongly with an adoring grin as he carried her across the even ground near the metal bars she'd once clinged to before.
God, how she wanted to do so again. She sank back into their scorching kiss with a need for it - one that quickly rose above all others.
He moved around the iron caged space, his steps calculated as he kept her lost in the rhythm of his lips. Her back met the icy feel of the bars with a flinch and his kiss muffled the surprised sound she let out while his hands soothed her chilled skin. His hips gave a soft jerk forward as he rubbed against her in a teasing motion while his fingers deftly tugged on the elastic she'd used to secure the end of her braid. He pulled back slightly, his lips swollen red and his glare a solid dark blue filled with that chaotic desire when she shook her head to loosen her tethered hair back into loose blonde waves that trailed down her shoulders. His stare deepened as the veins around his eyes went dark, pulsing red across the whites of them as pure hunger began to take over part of him. He seemed to war with his emotions for a second, the savage in him fading fractionally as her fingers tugged on his dark scalp. She yanked his mouth back to hers in an effort to reassure him, her teeth biting gently on his bottom lip with a soft pull.
The smile he gave in return was one she'd witnessed many times before - the determined grin of a man who would settle for nothing less than devouring her.
He ripped the threads of remaining cloth from her body before taking the few steps backward to a metal chair in the corner of the cold cell. His shoulders hit the back of the seat hard, the metallic legs scraping the floor as he landed on the chair with her writhing in his lap. Emma let her body brush against his, back and forth with the taunting roll of her hips while his mouth traced the top of her breast. He nipped the flesh gently as she arched her chest further into the pattern of his teeth, a reaction that brought forth his fangs as he shoved down the last bit of clothing keeping them apart.
She observed them tentatively, her fingertips reached forward to touch the two sharp teeth gently while her forehead fell against his. She held him a bit tighter with her arms firmly looped around his neck as she tilted her head enough to beckon him, the plea lost to the simmering silence between them. The piercing feel of his bite hurt only for a brief moment before he breathed her in, pulling life from the vein trailing down her neck. He didn't drink much, only enough to quench his need to know she was real before he thrust inside.
"Killian…."
He growled softly as he moved, his fingers running down her spine while the feel of her rocking back and forth sent his body into a frenzy of firm hips and an attentive mouth. The feel of blood running down her neck was soothed by his careful tongue as Emma gave way to the frantic need he possessed. The hard pulse of his length jolted her over the edge as they moaned into the candlelight room, a dull echo surrounding them as he shoved up once more. His entire body left the chair as he did so before he collapsed back onto it with her weight slumping in his lap. The room was quiet as he held her loosely, their naked skin slick with sweat while Emma let his hands knead her shoulders. He set a light kiss against her wildly undone hair with a sated exhale, another sound that comforted her almost as much as his tender touch.
"Hey," she said lazily, blinking her heavy eyelids slowly as she gazed down at him. "Are you alright?"
"I will be," he assured her with a soft smile. "Are you?"
"Better than okay," she mumbled. "Can we just stay here?"
"Cozy as this is," he started, his voice a near whisper as his fingers brushed the bite marks on her neck. "I think a fire beckons, love. Ready to go home?"
"Mmmm," she hummed with a lazy smile. "Yeah."
He returned her loving grin, following it with a sweet kiss and her lips pressed together as she held back the the words she knew now to be very true - she was already home.
They hadn't been back at the house long when the rain finally let up, the sound of its persistent tapping on the windows halting as she stirred from her relaxed state. A thick blanket was soft around her as she sunk into the cushions of a leather sofa with his arm protectively tracing the length of her back. She'd been dozing off in his lap, knowing full well that he was watching her as his fingers stroked the tendrils of her long hair he'd released from the braid in their rather heated instance. The soft scratch of an old jazz record tested the air as her eyes opened to meet his. There was something so sweet in his gaze that Emma felt her heart melt just a bit as her mind wandered back to their moment in the crypt and the questions she still had burning a hole in her head.
"Hey," she said casually, nuzzling the material of his shirt. "Can I ask you something?"
"Mmmm," he nodded while twisting the blonde strand lightly. "Anything."
"It's just about the box - the one from your crypt," she started. "Do….do you actually know what's inside of it?"
He shifted slightly, his gaze very attentive as he looked at her. Emma didn't know if she'd ever figure out how he could make her feel like she was his reason for being with that sweet stare, but he continued to do it every time they locked eyes.
"Aye," he confirmed, raising an eyebrow. "I was meaning to show you….well, before."
Even in the muted illumination of the space they'd found themselves in again, it was easy to see the way his cheeks reddened at the mention of their earlier activities. Emma laughed softly to herself as he bent down quick to kiss her before the explanation continued. He stood carefully, giving her a moment to sit up and pull the blanket around her frame. Watching him walk toward the chair where he'd deposited his jacket on their way in, she took a moment to admire him. His hair was a mess per usual and he ran his fingers through it with a tousle before reaching to retrieve the object in question from his pocket. He flipped the lid with a nervous smile to empty its contents, setting the wooden container back on the fireplace mantle and returning to the couch with steady steps.
Her eyes caught a quick glance of the item resting in his palm - a simple silver necklace. Her breath hitched slightly as she shifted to make space for him at her side. As ordinary as the piece of jewelry appeared, Emma knew there had to be quite a story linked to something he'd held onto for decades without knowing why.
"I can't tell you how many times I've looked at this over the years, hoping that its purpose truly would be explained one day," he said with a soft shake of his head. "It brought me nothing but confusion every single time I looked at it until the night I brought you to the hospital."
Emma straightened, tilting her head a bit in analysis. She'd learned it was him who saved her the morning after her slip in the alley when he'd walked into her hospital room all cloaked in mystery and that pristine white coat. The way he had all but studied her then was something she had never been able to shake. It was that look of intrigue and the utmost concern he offered - one that wanted to know more about who she was and why he'd felt so compelled to save her.
"I never understood why such a trinket was so important until I met you, love," he continued softly, lifting the necklace with a soft clink against his ring. "But it makes perfect sense now."
The silver chain balanced carefully between his fingers as it hung suspended between them, a flat circular pendant dangling from the end of it. She glanced at him inquisitively before taking the piece of his past into her hesitant hold. The medallion the necklace seemed to be centered around landed face up in her palm, the sudden sight of the etching on it making her blink rapidly in disbelief.
It was a swan - one set in a dark carving that has been pressed into the metal with that wax seal sort of style. It was beautiful, but more so, it wasn't possible. How did this immortal, broken man have a necklace that all but pointed to her with its adorning of one single symbol?
"Emma," he breathed, tilting his view to find her eyes. "Say something."
"I don't….know….what-" she stammered as she met his gaze. "-how….how….is this…."
"Good question - or half question, I suppose," he replied with a nervous smirk. "I've yet to figure out just how a piece of jewelry can be so fitting and while I don't have the answer I know we'd both like to have, maybe there's a reason we don't."
"So you're saying it's like-" she paused with an arched eyebrow. "-fate or something?"
"Maybe - I don't know," he shrugged, his voice still cautious. "But I do know I love you. While I know not what led me to you and while I'm scared as hell to want you….scared I could hurt you….here I am, wanting you anyway."
He'd never looked as honest as he did in that moment, his gaze searching her still very confused expression. There wasn't a way to make sense of the how in this situation, but as she watched him waiver on a shaky edge of confidence, she decided she cared more about the outcome rather than the method.
Maybe the necklace was meant to bring them together, but even if it wasn't, they'd found each other anyway.
"Is it….I mean, I-"
Her voice left her as she glanced down at the silver in her hand. He caught on quickly, knowing what question her words couldn't seem to form as he looked at her with a love that seemed to come from a place within his soul - one he was braving for her.
"This….it's….yours," he said with a questioning and very hopeful stare as he took the necklace to undo the clasp. "It's….I think it was always supposed to find its way to you. If you want it, that is."
"I do," she answered with a small smile. "As long as I get you as well."
"I suppose that's a bit of greed I can tolerate," he smirked, pulling the chain around her neck as his lips kissed her jaw. "I'm yours, Emma. For as long as you'll have me."
Her fingers landed carefully on the metal now safely descending down her neckline as he ran a thumb over her cheek, bringing her eyes back to him and the blue of his matching stare. Letting her entire life hinge on the moment, she felt the idea of fate fall at her feet in favor of another thought - one that quickly started to center around forever.