A/N: Hey everyone! So after a little mini vacation I am back with another chapter and this one picks up a few weeks after the magical reveal. It is all told from Killian's POV and, as in the past, there will be a responding chapter from Emma's POV next time. Not to worry though, because this installment packs all of the same cuteness I usually include and adds some elements I've been waiting to have in this AU since the beginning. Anyway hope you all enjoy and thanks as always for reading!
It amazed Killian every day just how much there was to love about Emma Swan.
Of course he'd realized since their first introduction that Emma was different. She was clearly a woman with depth and layers and intricacies that couldn't all be garnered from a single meeting, but for there to still be so much to learn after months spent by her side was intriguing to Killian. Every day was new and different because of it, and every time they were together Killian glimpsed more and more into the heart of the person she was and the life she'd created for herself.
The more that Killian saw the more he found to love, and in every area of her world, from the home that she'd built for her and her son, to the business she'd created with her best friend, there was much to admire. For as guarded as she had been at one time, Emma was the kind of person who poured her whole heart into the things she valued. Everything she touched bore her unique and incredible mark and was made better for her presence. She was a true ray of light in a world without enough goodness, and it was impossible not to feel that sense of rightness this afternoon a few weeks after the storm with Henry had come and gone.
Currently the two of them were tucked away in the far alcove of the kitchen at Stay a Spell, stealing a moment of seclusion in the midst of a rather busy workday. It hadn't taken much convincing on Killian's part to get them here either. All he had to do was get his hands on her and whisper in her ear that he'd missed her and Emma was with him one hundred percent. Without hesitation she gave into the feeling of pure heaven that came every time the two of them were reunited and she put her other agenda items for the afternoon on hold for the short window of time that they could be together. But truth be told Killian had never doubted that she would be amiable to this suggestion to slip away for a moment with him.
These impromptu visits of theirs were fast becoming an every day kind of habit, so much so that Killian had begun to just slip into the café through the back door so as to find Emma faster as he had this afternoon. In fact, he was becoming so well acquainted with the schedule and the patterns of this place that he knew at exactly what hours of the day she'd have a fleeting span of time alone, and he'd made good use of that the moment he walked in today, whisking Emma over to a more private corner and bringing her in for an embrace he'd been yearning for all morning since they said goodbye.
"How do you do it?" Emma asked as they came up for air from a series of kisses that were right on the edge of all the heat and passion Killian wanted while still being restrained enough for their given setting. After all, they might be out of direct sight of everyone else back here in the alcove by the office, but this was still Emma's place of business and Killian would never put her at risk by taking things further here than public acceptability would allow.
That didn't mean he wasn't sorely tempted to do so, and with Emma's curves pressed against him and her fingertips at the nape of his neck tracing dizzyingly erotic lines across his skin and then along his jaw, it took everything in Killian not to lead her away from the hustle and bustle to somewhere they could truly be alone. He even grappled with the thought of taking her into the office just beside them and discarding the papers that he knew always littered the desk. They could lock the door, and though it wouldn't be easy, they could try to keep things as quiet as possible… but no, Killian shook the thought away knowing it wasn't in the cards, at least not at this moment.
"How do I do what, love?" Killian asked finally, his grin ticking up to one side as his gaze darted from Emma's lust filled eyes to where her tongue poked out to wet her lips, prompting him to want to taste them all over again.
"How do you walk in here every damn time and send all my good intentions flying out the window?"
Killian chuckled at her question, knowing that even if Emma feigned frustration at these interludes she was hardly angry. Much as she might like to tease otherwise, his Swan loved these blips of time together just as much as he did. They were hardly enough, but they were anchors to get them through the long afternoon until they'd have more time together in the evenings. The promise of these moments when he held Emma in his arms was more invigorating than any other thing Killian had ever experienced, and though there was that old saying that said absence made the heart grow fonder, Killian didn't buy it. He'd be happy as could be to spend the hours here with her and the last thing he wanted when it came to Emma was distance. He didn't need space from her to realize how lucky he was or understand what a gift he'd been granted by earning her love, and he only accepted their time apart because it was a necessity of duty on her part and his.
"I don't think they are good intentions love. Not if they're based on a premise of me being denied a taste of you."
The softness that settled on Emma's features at his words mingled with the lingering desire in her expression was the perfect mix to have him wanting more. God it felt good to know that she was with him in this, and from the look of love on her face there was no doubt that Killian held claim to a large part of Emma's heart. She wasn't hiding any of what she felt for him or shielding her affections. Instead she leaned into him more and pressed another kiss to his lips that was softer and more gentle but somehow even more intimate than the previous ones.
"Do you always have to be so charming?" Emma asked, not seeming to mind the words she deemed 'charming' in the slightest.
"Aye, love. I've plans to keep you happy always, and I happen to know for a fact that you love my honest compliments just as you love me."
At that cocky level of self-assurance Emma rolled her eyes, but she didn't argue and from the beautiful smile on her face Killian knew he was right. Meanwhile he was merely thrilled that he could say things like this and it wasn't throwing their whole relationship in jeopardy. Once upon a time not so long ago an expression of feeling like this might have been too much for Emma to embrace, especially when she was concealing the truth of her magic from him, but now it was their normal, as was her reply that she did love him and he loved her too that came with another kiss.
"Much as I might like to stay tucked away here all day, Swan, I think we've got about two minutes before reality comes calling again," Killian said finally as they broke apart and Emma sighed before nodding and pulling him back into the center of the kitchen by the hand.
"You're probably right. Ruby's been awful quiet this afternoon, which means that she's probably got something up her sleeve." Wasn't that an understatement? Killian thought to himself.
"She always does, that one," Killian agreed as Emma laughed, filling him with a sense of joy so profound it couldn't be diluted by anything in the world. Nothing could compare to that sweet melodic tone of Emma's enjoyment, and he'd never tire of hearing it as long as he lived.
"Are you heading back to write some more?" Emma asked, pivoting to his plans from more discussion of her friend. Killian nodded, which prompted another smile and a look that told him his Swan was about to ask for a favor. Whatever it was he would happily do it for her, but still she asked like it wasn't a given. "Would you mind dropping something off for me? It's for Elsa and I was supposed to bring it to her office this afternoon…"
"But the roguish scoundrel who has seized your heart in recent months distracted you from your duties?" Killian filled in and Emma chuckled again at the hyperbolic narrative before handing him the box that was all packed and ready to go and patting his chest lightly.
"Yeah, something like that," she replied as she bit her lip absentmindedly and the barest tint of pink flushed across her cheeks.
Damn if Emma wasn't the most enticing thing on the planet when she looked at him this way, grateful and comfortable but still wanting him as he wanted her. It was the ultimate mixture of good things and impossible to resist, but just as he had suspected, interruption from Ruby did come in that moment as Emma's fierce and feisty friend strolled into the kitchen from the front of the shop. This time, however, Ruby looked less thrilled at catching them so close to a kiss (though Killian could tell that underneath the air of command Ruby carried with her that she was still pleased as punch) and more fixated on an actual issue having to do with the café.
"All right, love birds. I gave you your quiet, cozy moment, but we've got no time to waste. We've got to get all of today's orders done by three so I need Emma's full attention. I can't ever get this 'happy high brownie' spell quite right and we need a dozen of them pronto."
"We are so not calling them that," Emma said with a stern look to Ruby, though it made Killian feel fantastic that Emma wasn't shying away from the discussion of her gifts in front of him.
After everything they'd gone through weeks ago with Henry and the more extensive discussions about particulars of her magic that Emma and Killian had shared, there was nothing for Emma to fear and she knew that. But it still made Killian's heart skip in a pleasant way to know he had her trust and the absolute openness that he'd always wanted with her. Since telling him the truth she'd fully let him in and over the past few weeks he'd gotten a crash course in all things supernatural as Emma went about attending the magical needs of the town with her friends and Henry began his 'lessons' with Belle and the others to learn to control his gifts and use them for good.
It was still shocking at times to live in a world where all of this was possible, and there were moments when Killian questioned if this could all be real. But then he'd witness first hand what the magic Emma had could really do and how beautiful it could be and he was convinced that this was something to embrace. He'd totally leaned into this new facet of his world and in the end he knew he was more than proud of both Emma and her son for all they could accomplish and their desire to use their amazing talents for a greater good.
"Why not? I thought a little alliteration was the right move. It's cutesy, and you know nothing sells better in a small town than cutesy," Ruby proclaimed, clearly not seeing the slightly problematic implications of referring to a series of baked goods as providing any kind of 'high.'
"No one is saying we can't be cutesy, but your name makes it sound like we're spiking the brownies, Ruby," Emma replied.
"Well we kind of are…" Ruby said and Emma groaned which made her friend grin.
Killian knew in the face of that smile that Ruby was just giving Emma a hard time, and he saw through the acted out innocence of just a moment ago, but he decided he should leave them to it. No doubt they would hash this naming business out amongst themselves and get everything they needed done as soon as he departed, but it was hard to say farewell and to leave Emma with one last kiss to her cheek and a soft goodbye.
"See you tonight?" Emma asked and Killian beamed down at her, more than happy at the way Emma's question made no attempt at hiding how much she wanted to see him herself.
"Aye, love. See you tonight."
With that vow and with a wave in parting to Ruby, Killian was off through the back door once more carrying the parcel in hand that needed to make it to Elsa. The walk wasn't long to get there (though there were the typical friendly neighbors who would like to take a greeting on the street and make it a half an hour's talk), and soon enough he was at the door of the very same office that had been his first real point of contact in this town all those months ago.
It was almost comical how much things had changed for Killian since that day, and on that fateful morning when he'd first arrived in Maine Killian never would have imagined that signing the forms to claim his new home would be such a hugely impactful move. But as he walked into the tiny office space Elsa used that listed the few properties available in Storybrooke, Killian couldn't keep the grin off his face. He was just so glad he'd ended up here, and he'd always see Elsa's help and her business as a touchstone that made everything else possible.
"Oh hi, Killian!" Elsa greeted as she came into the waiting space from the back office with a look of surprise that turned into a smile. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."
Killian shuffled around the parcel in his hand, bringing it up for Elsa to see and he watched as Emma's friend began to understand why he'd come. Her once soft and curious smile turned even warmer, and a look of knowing crept into her blue eyes, which was at once playful and clearly happy for him and for Emma. Yet where Ruby was the kind of friend that felt the need to call out all things romantic between Emma and Killian at any given moment, Elsa was a tad more understated in her observations of her best friend's relationship.
"Emma would have liked to come and bring you these herself but things are a little hectic over there today," Killian filled in and Elsa laughed a bit as she took the box from Killian's outstretched hand.
"Uh huh. And here I was thinking you might have volunteered just for an excuse to look for a new place."
Killian was surprised at the mention of his possibly moving again. Why on earth would he want to be any farther away from Emma or from Henry? As it was it felt like living under a separate roof was painful enough even if they were right next door, and on the nights that he was at his house instead of curled up beside Emma he found himself wanting so badly to just be there in the place that felt more like home than any other. But from the kindness in Elsa's gaze, Killian assumed there must be something on her mind that he wasn't seeing, something that wouldn't result in heartbreak at all.
"You know…" Elsa began a little awkwardly as she waved her hand around in a fidgeting gesture. "Because you and Emma are in love, and eventually, someday, you might be moving towards more than the admittedly cute set up you guys have going now."
It was impossible to hear those words and not get flashes of exactly the kind of future Elsa was hinting at. A larger space would only be necessary for one reason, and that would be if Emma and Killian had tied themselves to each other fully and were on the road to expanding their family. His current place could fit any new additions, at least two or three to be sure, but there was something so desirable about envisioning a new home that didn't harbor any previous memories. It could be a spot where Killian, Emma, Henry and any other children could build a life together all on equal footing and he had to admit now that the seed of this idea had been planted that it was taking root rather quickly.
"There's no might about it, love," Killian stated with certainty. "At least not on my end."
Elsa smiled and nodded as if those words exactly proved her point. "Right, and I know it's the same way for Emma. She's not the kind of person to let go of real love now that she's finally found it, so it stands to reason that someday you two might want the perfect place for all those next steps. Since you guys are moving pretty quickly it didn't seem totally crazy that you might be ready for that now. Though to be fair you just bought a house three months ago… I'm not sure if you could justify moving quite so fast, true love or not."
Considering the fact that his mind had latched onto this whole potential future life only seconds ago and was already running with it a mile a minute, it wasn't crazy to Killian at all. He could just imagine the possibilities of that happy ending he and Emma might have, and while their current system worked for them now, it never hurt to be prepared. He wasn't interested in rushing Emma into something she wasn't ready for, and he would always follow her lead when it came to their love, but whenever the day did come that she and her boy were ready for a move like this Killian wanted to have all doors open and ready. He needed all paths cleared so there were no obstacles standing in their way because Killian never wanted anything to come between him and these two people who had swiftly become his family.
"Do you have some listings you could show me now? You know… just in case."
Killian didn't bother trying to be coy about the question and though Elsa chuckled to herself like she'd had him totally figured out from the start he didn't mind. He was just eager to see what hidden gems might be in Storybrooke and available should those next steps come as swiftly as he might wish.
"There are a few. To be honest though you're catching me in the off-season, which definitely limits options. Storybrooke isn't exactly flush with properties on the market to begin with, but by the holidays people aren't really looking to relocate."
"What about that older house on Winters Way?" Killian inquired recalling one specific property closer to the shoreline. "The blue one with the white trim. I thought I heard Mr. and Mrs. Hanson were considering a sale when I was at Granny's last week."
A blush crept over Elsa's cheeks and she seemed a bit embarrassed at the mention of this house though Killian couldn't understand why she would be. He certainly didn't think any less of her for not mentioning that lovely home right away, but eventually she filled him in on her reasons for not listing that particular place or trying to push it on him.
"They are… but Emma wouldn't ever want that house. Not when she knows it's mine."
"Yours?" Killian asked, knowing there was a story here somewhere.
"It's a thing we all did a few years back. We all picked our favorite houses in town and made a dream list where we all called dibs. Anna and Ruby managed to snag their places already, and I think Mary Margaret and David might be in luck next spring since I've heard the Carlson's might be moving to be closer to family in Boston. But that house on Winters Way has been my ideal since I was a little girl."
Ah. Well that changed things didn't it? Now that he knew Killian most certainly did not want to tread on any toes, and Elsa was right there was no way Emma would ever want a house that was a dream of her friend's. But that begged a question Killian found himself compelled to ask:
"And Emma? Does she have a favorite as well?"
"She might," Elsa said with another grin as she rattled off the address to an older Victorian home in town that Killian was familiar with and liked very well too.
At the mention of it he could immediately sense why it would be Emma's favorite, and now that he thought back he could think of a number of times when they'd walked by the stately yellow house where she commented on it or cast a lingering glance at the older estate. He knew in his heart now with Elsa's guidance that this would be the house for Emma, especially if he could add some personal touches that he knew his Swan would enjoy, yet Elsa delivered some slightly disappointing news to dull his sense of victory.
"Unfortunately it's not on the market at the moment. Trust me, if it was I already would have told you. Wouldn't want anyone else ending up with Emma's dream."
"Definitely not," Killian agreed. "But if it should ever come onto the market…"
"Trust me, you'll be the first person I call," Elsa said, but his face must have appeared still unsatisfied since she quickly clarified. "Only. You'll be the only person I call."
"Right then," Killian replied, comfortable that Elsa would keep her promise and that this was probably for the best. He had a tendency, after all, of getting carried away when it came to all things Emma and he didn't want to get too far ahead of himself at the risk that it might put undue pressure on the woman he loved. "But if you don't mind me asking, Elsa, why haven't you made your move yet? On the house I mean. It's as you said, you wouldn't want anyone else ending up with your dream."
"It's silly," Elsa qualified as she cast her eyes to the ground, avoiding eye contact as she said it. "It's just that in that dream I have, the fantasy where I live there and actually get to feel at home there, I always have someone to share it with and he hasn't come yet."
It was a vulnerable moment for Elsa to share with him, but Killian could understand that sentiment most profoundly. The truth was he had never given much thought for a dream home before moving here, but now that he was he knew none of it would matter without Emma. A house was really just a house, amazing as it might be, but home was defined by the family you kept and the people you loved who were closest to you. For Killian that meant Emma and now Henry, but if he didn't have them he never would have tasted what home could even mean.
"I've no doubts your somebody is coming, Elsa," Killian said kindly and Elsa smiled appreciatively though she still looked a little uncomfortable at how much she'd confessed so Killian tried to lighten the moment with some humor. "I mean now that Emma's spoken for I can only imagine all of that boundless matchmaking energy will be devoted to you and Belle. Something has to come of that, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Elsa laughed as she thought of her friends and Killian knew she was probably picturing the exact same scene in her head that he was where Ruby and Mary Margaret were leading the charge in finding Elsa her own happiness through any means necessary. "My friends never take no from an answer, and where there's a will they always find a way."
Killian agreed with that whole-heartedly and he was confident that whether it was through the determination of her friends or fate's own interference Elsa would find her way to happiness. He had to believe that, especially now after he'd found his own so unexpectedly, and as he left her offices Killian was sure that good things would make their way to Elsa. Actually, if his instincts were right, they'd be here sooner than she thought.
Having now completed his duty to Emma, Killian could have headed back to his place to get some more work done around the house or with his writing, but he couldn't bring himself to return just yet. It would likely feel too empty at the house without Emma or Henry to keep him company this afternoon, and he didn't want to face that quiet right now. So instead he headed towards one of his favorite spots in town where solitude didn't mean feeling alone.
The shoreline in Storybrooke wasn't remarkable in many ways, especially on a calmer afternoon like this one. It was a place of sand and rock along the coast with the same cool breezes and light winds as any other stretch of sea he'd ever known, but its calming properties were never lost on Killian and today they were needed. After all of this talk with Elsa about futures and houses and further building on the life that he wanted, Killian was caught up in a trance of sorts where the only thing on his mind was how to take the happiness he'd found with Emma and secure it forever.
He'd been contemplating this very objective for some time now and in doing so he'd stumbled on the next logical step: marriage. In his heart Killian knew he was already bound to Emma in every way possible. This was a forever kind of love, a love that had tattooed itself onto his very soul and that would never fade. He would be hers for now and always, and though he didn't need rings or a ceremony to tell him that, he couldn't help but picture it in his mind. He wanted more than anything to give Emma everything and part of that meant proposing and then getting her down the aisle to be his wife once and for all. Which was why, not too long ago, he'd retrieved one of his family's most precious heirlooms from where it had been in a box up in his attic and brought it down to have on hand whenever the right time did appear.
His grandmother's wedding ring was something that Killian had kept in his possession since he was only a child of about Henry's age. It was one of the few things he had left from his Mum other than childhood memories that had dulled and grown hazy from all that time apart, but he remembered clear as day what she'd told him when she gave this precious heirloom to him just before her death. This was a ring that had been made for lasting love, she said, the kind of love that never bowed and never broke no matter what came.
Killian's mother had told him all kinds of stories about his grandparents and how perfect they'd been for each other, and because Killian had been a boy and didn't realize it would hurt her, he'd asked his mother why she didn't have a ring like that from his father. She'd offered a sad smile at the question (and now all these years later Killian knew it was because his father had been nothing more than a right ass who abandoned all honor and notion of family) but she hugged him close and said that his Dad's best gift to her had been Liam and Killian and she didn't need anything else. But even after that sad mention of her own failed love, his mother also had one last piece of knowledge she wanted to impart on Killian.
"Wait for a love that changes you, son. Love that heals you, love that makes you strong and sure; that's the kind of love you have to look for. Don't settle for anything but that, and when you find it you never ever let it go."
He'd been too young to really understand the sincerity of that request and as he grew older he'd started to doubt that his mother had really known what she was saying. No one he met ever instilled such feelings in him and he began to believe it was unrealistic that that perfect kind of love would ever find him. But then he landed here in the town Emma called home and he realized his mother was wiser than he once knew. She'd been right, even if to Killian's knowledge she never experienced such a love herself, and it was her assurances from the past that helped Killian to know he'd made the right choice in loving Emma so absolutely and giving all of himself to her.
"Something on your mind there, stranger?" a voice asked from further along the sands and Killian swore it had to be a dream or a hallucination of some kind.
He knew that voice, had known it for years and years, and in some version or other he'd been privy to it his whole life. But the owner of that voice should be thousands of miles away, not just up the beach from where he currently stood. This had to be a trick of Killian's overactive imagination, a final sign that Killian was indeed breaking mentally from the weight of all that he wanted but didn't yet have. In fact Killian was so convinced that it couldn't actually be the man he believed it to be that he almost didn't look up, but then he did and sure enough his elder brother was there on the sands of the Storybrooke beach with a huge grin on his face and his arms crossed over his broad chest in a strong but also playful pose.
"Liam," Killian said amazedly, not believing it as he rushed towards his brother and the two met in a warm embrace, one that had taken far too long to get too.
It had been so long since Liam was last on leave, and even longer since Killian and him had the chance to reunite. It was a sad reality of his life that he didn't see his brother as often as he wished, and so this had to be one of the best surprises Killian had ever experienced. His older brother was really here in the flesh. He was safe from combat. For all intents and purposes he was home, and this was a great thing indeed.
"Missed me, did you?" Liam joked as he slapped Killian on the back to end the hug and Killian barked out a sound of shock and good humor, not bothering to answer when he obviously had missed Liam something fierce.
"You didn't tell me last we spoke that you were getting leave soon," Killian said, thinking to himself that he would have picked his brother up and planned some kind of real welcome for him, but Liam just grinned and nodded.
"That's because I'm not on leave. I've turned in my papers and officially retired."
"You did what?!" Killian asked and Liam laughed heartily at the outburst.
"You heard me."
"Well that's… well it's crazy. You didn't even tell me. For God's sake you didn't tell me anything! When did you get into town? And more importantly, how the bloody hell did you know where to find me?" Killian asked, though to be honest he didn't care much for the particulars. He was just glad that his brother was here at all and he was still so shocked that this could be happening.
"Oh about ten minutes ago or so. Slow as molasses that bus from Boston was. I could have walked here faster if I'd only known the way. So imagine my dismay when I finally get to the house my brother's procured only to find him absent."
"Which begs the question yet again: how exactly did you find me?" Killian asked grinning as he wondered how his brother could have been in tune with him enough to end up out here on the beach on a chilly and otherwise uninviting day.
"You might not have been home, Killian, but that didn't mean I went without a welcome party," Liam stated and Killian's mind flashed to an image of the whole town on his doorstep waiting to greet Liam. It would be just like Storybrooke for everyone to come out of the woodwork and introduce themselves, and with Emma's friends in particular Killian could just imagine the interactions that could be had, but then Liam filled him in before his thoughts could run away much further. "I met one of your favorite neighbors and the lad told me where you might be."
Killian should have guessed that was the case. Of course Henry would get a whiff of something like this. From what Emma had told him there was a long time when the only gift Henry ever had was sensing when big events were coming. It would also explain why for the last few days specifically Henry had been in such a good mood. Killian thought it might be because of the break that was about to start from school for the Thanksgiving holiday, but now he knew it had to be this. Henry was always wondering about Liam and when Liam would come, but he'd kept his arrival a secret to serve as the best kind of surprise for Killian. Killian knew he loved that lad, and here was just another bit of proof as to why he did.
"And Emma?" Killian asked, wondering if his elder brother had already met the woman Killian loved more than anything. It didn't sit right with him that that might have happened, after all he should be the one to make the introduction, but then Liam smiled again and shook his head.
"Unfortunately no. I've yet to meet the woman that could steal my little brother's heart, just the precocious boy she calls a son who I expect to call nephew someday."
Killian should have experienced a sense of embarrassment at being found out so quickly, and if he were any less wrapped up in Emma and his hopes for their future he might have wondered how his brother could be here all of two minutes and know the innermost workings of Killian's mind. But as it was he merely grinned and shrugged. What could he say except that he had the same wish too? There was nothing more to say unless he planned to confess everything to his brother right out here on the sands.
"I still can't believe you're here, brother," Killian said as he shook his head, taking in Liam's appearance once more.
There were all the usual tells that the older man carried of his time in the military. His hair was still cut short (though it had inched just past where it should be if Liam were active duty) and his posture was pristine. He looked bigger than even Killian remembered, and his undeniable presence had only grown more obvious since the last time they'd met. But there was also a softness to Liam right now that Killian wasn't used to. His brother loved him he knew, and he'd always been almost like a father to him as well as best mate, but there was a gruffness and a command Liam always carried with him, one that seemed to be on hiatus so far on his trip to Maine.
"Well believe it because I am, and I'm thinking of sticking around a while if you'll let me."
"So you're really out then?" Killian asked, still coming to grips with the fact that Liam had left the service. Sailing in the Queen's navy was Liam's life. He took pride in it, found his purpose in it, and had devoted himself in every way. He was a Captain and an honorable man but Liam Jones was synonymous with the word sailor, and this would definitely signify a change in the way he'd once been living.
"Aye. It was time. Hell it was more than time," Liam confessed.
"So you're ready for retirement then?"
"I'm ready for real life," Liam countered seriously. "I'm ready to get to all the parts of life I've missed up to now. It's like I looked up one day and I realized I forgot the navy wasn't everything I needed. And since you've found what you needed here, it seems a bloody good place to start."
"Well I can't pretend I'm not glad to hear it," Killian said eagerly as they began moving from the beach back towards his house where Killian wanted Liam to feel free to stay as long as he wanted.
"Are you? And you're not the least bit worried that now that I'm here I'll be questioning your choices? You've certainly hyped up the place and the people… would be a shame if they don't meet expectations."
Killian's feet stopped at the implication and his body went tense. Though his brother had sounded passive in his tone when he said the words it made something in Killian run cold. The idea that somehow Storybrooke, and by extension Emma and Henry, would be on some sort of trial really got to him. Couldn't his brother just trust his judgment? What did he think, that Killian just gave his love away to unworthy people without a care? No. He'd gone his whole life keeping himself from being emotionally entangled and at a distance from anything like real love. The woman who would entice him to giving it a chance was a marvel, and he didn't like the idea that his brother would give Emma or her son something even remotely close to a hard time.
"Listen, Liam. Before we go anywhere I think you need to realize something: Emma Swan does not owe you anything. She's not here to meet some standard or impress you. She's so far out of the realm of possibility. Frankly she's amazing. There's no other word for it. But all you need to know is that I love her and I'm always going to love her. That's not going to change. So if you've even a shred of a thought in your mind that you're coming in here to interrogate or try and ruffle feathers I'm telling you it's not happening."
A beat past of silence where the two brothers just stared at each other and Killian felt like the air was too charged. He'd gone from so happy about everything to a frayed mess in an instant, but then the tension broke just as quickly as it set in when Liam caved to a shit-eating grin. Suddenly Killian realized he'd been had and he'd taken the bait all too quickly. Looking back there hadn't even been anything in Liam's tone to suggest he was serious, but here was Killian defending Emma's honor to the bitter end.
"Even though it appears your sense of humor has taken a hit since moving here, I'm smart enough to know that any woman who can inspire happiness like the kind you've found the past few months is a true gem. You're a lucky man, Killian, and if anything I fully expect that you will be the one I find unworthy of Emma when all is said and done."
The sigh of relief that Killian expelled then was profound and he couldn't help shoving his brother's shoulder. Liam was an ass for toying with him in that way, but then again Killian hadn't needed to rise to that challenge like that. He could have followed reason, but it seemed in light of everything that reason was overrated when he could follow his heart instead.
And as the two brothers made their way back to Killian's home once more, this time with an understanding between them that this evening's introductions would be positive instead of tense or uncomfortable, Killian felt that his heart truly was leading the charge. For everything he was doing now was in service of keeping this love alive and well, and he would not be thwarted by anything in his quest to procure a happy ending for him and Emma and Henry that would last all their days from here on out.
Post-Note: So to say I'm still thoroughly enjoying writing this AU is an understatement! I can't explain how much fun it is to explore this story, and bringing Liam into the fray this week when I have wanted to do that since the beginning only added to that. Next chapter, as I said before, is going to bring Emma's responding POV of meeting Liam and what that means for her to know Killian's family approves of her. I'm not sure exactly when it will be updated, but I do still have hope that I can get this story written by the end of the summer and then maybe published on a once a week basis even after I've started my fall semester. Anyway thanks so much to all of you for reading and I hope you all enjoyed!
