Three years later
Emma shouldn't be surprised to find herself once again in the hallway waiting to be reprimanded by her superiors. She knew she'd pulled a stunt and disobeyed orders when she went after that bandit, but she couldn't help herself.
Looking straight ahead, she met the cold eyes of her Radar Intercept Officer (RIO), Elsa - codename Icequeen - who was studying her in the same way she stared down new recruits. Resisting the urge to fidget, Emma turned her attention to one of the posters tacked to the wall. Elsa continued to stare.
"What?" she asked defensively.
"One day, your need to prove yourself is going to get us killed."
The reproach was clear in her tone, tinged with the exasperation she'd come to known so well since she first started flying with Elsa but both were mixed with a hint of mischief. It was the last that left them friends, and made them a force not be reckoned with.
"But not today." Emma twisted her lips in her trademark smug smile.
Elsa smirked and nodded in agreement. "But not today."
"SWAN! ICEQUEEN!"
The loud, booming voice of Commander Nemo echoed down the hallway, making both of them jump. Glancing at each other, Emma and Elsa took a deep breath before they entered his office.
Tall and broad shouldered, their captain's presence was hard to miss - or ignore, especially when he loomed over them in the middle of his office. And yet, Emma's eyes darted to the other man in the room. Dressed in his impeccably kept uniform, he was perched on one of the window sills, leaning his shoulder against the wall. There weren't many people who would lounge so carelessly around Nemo which could only mean that they had history.
Curiosity piqued, Emma turned her attention to Nemo, her eyebrow rising quizzically in her forehead. Nemo's expression softened only a little as he motioned with his hand towards the other man.
"Ladies, meet Commander Liam Jones, current head instructor and lead of our Top Gun Academy."
Emma's heart beat a staccato against her chest, her eyes darting to Commander Jones while she worked to maintain a calm facade. This, this was the moment she'd been working for since she enlisted.
Jones pushed away from the wall and he walked a few steps towards them, holding his hand out to shake hers and Elsa. "Lt. Nolan, Lt. Arendelle, it's a pleasure to meet you both. I've been hearing remarkable things about you from my friend Nemo for a while now and I thought I should come by and check on your skills myself."
"Of course," Nemo drawled, levelling her with his stare, "he chooses to come the day you decided to play insubordinate and reckless, Swan." Then his expression morphed, the corners of his lips turning into a smug smile. "Which let's face it…"
"It would have been the same any other day, Sir," Emma finished for him, already well-acquainted with Nemo's tirades.
Nemo chuckled. "I should make you pay for that one, Lieutenant. If it weren't for the fact that Jones here is willing to take you and Arendelle off my hands, I would."
Liam pressed a hand on Nemo's shoulder before shooting the two of them a dazzling smile.
"Ladies, how do you feel about joining our ranks at Top Gun?"
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Being here was like a dream come true, this felt like the place she was always meant to be. Emma took a deep breath as she and Elsa walked into the classroom on their first day at the academy. Technical lessons were up first. They'd be followed by two fly missions per day, where they would attempt to take on the instructors one-by-one. She couldn't wait for those to start, for her chance at bringing down the top-notch flight instructors of Top Gun. She'd heard through the grapevine that Liam Jones and his RIO were undefeated for two years running. They were the pair to beat. Emma was eager for that challenge, and she was sure she'd be the one to take them down.
"Ohhh, I got the good gossip at the bar last night," Elsa said as they took a seat in one of the middle rows. "I heard our first instructor is a dream come true. Elsa stole a glance around the room and lowered her voice to a whisper. "He's supposedly a former pilot. They say he was the best of the best, until an accident cost him his hand and his career as a pilot. His fiancée, who was his RIO on the mission, died in the crash and it left him wrecked. Rumor has it he spiraled for a while after that - drinking, fighting, sleeping around -, nearly was discharged, until his brother set him straight and brought him here to teach. His name is Captain Killian Jones, he's the Commander's brother… and I can't remember his codename, but it was a good one. Give me a sec…"
But Emma had stopped listening, because her attention was focused on the man entering the room. She knew that swagger, would recognize it anywhere even though she hadn't actually seen him walking towards her in six years. He lifted his head and his blue eyes widened as he met hers.
Her heart stopped. "Hook."
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Swan.
It would be just his luck to find her sitting right in front of him, plainly avoiding looking anywhere but directly at him as he delivered his lecture to the new wave of pilots selected for the academy. In retrospect, he should have known this was an eventuality, that she had always been good enough to land herself in this classroom. His voice had faltered for a second as he introduced himself and Killian had to force himself to remain calm. He knew his lecture by heart, and could deliver it with his eyes closed and never lose his calm. And yet… he couldn't help the rapid beating of his heart every time his eyes wandered towards Emma Nolan.
She was as breathtakingly beautiful as he remembered, and even more so now with her hair tied up at the back of her head, biting the cap of her pen as she stole a glance at the back of the room. For a moment, a familiar wave of regret threatened to overwhelm him and he absently rubbed his hand against his prosthetic. It was only when Emma's eyes widened and she grimaced that he realized what he was doing and he removed his hand, clearing his throat. Her eyes darted to his briefly before she quickly turned her attention back to her notes. As he played a fly sequence video and let his assistant instructor do the play-by-play, Killian perched on the desk and closed his eyes, letting the darkness of the room wash over him.
The memories of the weekend spent with Emma flooded him, followed by the agony after the accident. He remembered the messages passed to him, and each time he refused to reply or take her calls. He'd lost everything and he hadn't wanted to hear the pity in her voice, to be reminded of any happy moments of his life. He had just wanted to curl up with a bottle of rum and die slowly from pain and heartache. It had taken him a long time to shake himself from that state of mind, that and Liam tossing his arse around and dragging him here to do something with his life.
As the video came to an end, he pulled himself together and swaggered to the middle of the room to deliver the end of his lecture. He could do this. He could hear Liam's repeated mantra to him over these past few years.
Stop stressing about it, little brother. It's just a drop of water in the ocean of your life.
He would finish his blasted lesson to these overeager pups scattered around the room. He could feel each of their proud smiles and cocky glances as they studied him, could practically hear them thinking they could take him down and break his record now that he was out of the game. They thought they could outfly him, prove themselves better than Hook, all-time number one ranked at Top Gun and once-upon-a-time fighter pilot extraordinaire. He bent his head to hide the smirk that was coming to his lips, none of these idiots had what it took to best him.
None but one. If there was one pilot in this room that could best him, that was his Swan.
And that thought both excited and terrified him.
Killian pushed himself to deliver his parting words and then gather his things as the class emptied the room. He caught sight of Emma leaving and while he knew he shouldn't, he couldn't help but go after her.
"Swan!" He called, hurriedly chasing after her, hoping to catch her for just a brief moment. She seemed to hesitate but finally stopped and turned to meet him, her face a blank mask. "Emma…" His voice sounded breathy, even to him, and he tried to clear his throat as he willed his heart rate to slow. "Uh, hi. Fancy seeing you here." He almost winced outwardly at how foolish he sounded.
She nodded in his direction. "Lieutenant - sorry - Captain Jones. It's been a while." Her tone was formal and direct, and while most men might find it off-putting, Killian knew better. He even knew better then and, gods, it had taken him a while to be reminded, but he knew better now.
"Aye. Gods, how long has it been?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he played with the flap of his messenger bag with his prosthetic. "A lot had happened. Actually, I've been -"
She interrupted him, something between hurt and sadness flickering across her eyes. "I know… I tried to reach out to you."
There was a veiled condemnation in her words, and shame curled in his gut. He should have taken her calls, or at least send word that he wasn't ready to talk. He should have done something other than ignore her. "Listen… do you want to get some coffee and catch up?" He searched her face, hoping the plea behind his words was plainly written on his own face.
She took a step back and avoided his gaze. "I don't think that's a good idea, Hook."
His codename on her lips felt like a sword running through his heart. "Emma, I'm sorry I didn't- I know you tried to reach out to me but back then I wasn't- I wasn't in a good place." His words were a long, run-on sentence, but he hoped she could understand, would give him the chance to plead his case. "I was grieving and in pain, and half of the days, I was heavily medicated. I was in a dark place. I'm not proud of it, but I'm here now and perhaps-"
She cut him off with a shake of her head. "Look, I know what this is… you trying to bond with me, but save it. I'm not in the mood. I have my own career to think about right now."
It was time to take a step back. "I see." He was too little, too late. The story of his damned life.
Emma turned to leave, but had only taken a few steps when she glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes meeting his, a sad smile playing along her lips. "Four years. That was the last time I saw you. You were standing outside the base where I was stationed, a brunette on your arm."
Another sword ran through his heart, ripping him in two. His voice cracked as he spoke, "Milah, my RIO, my…" but he couldn't finish the sentence.
The regret in Emma's eyes let him know he didn't have to. "I know. I'm sorry for your loss. I'll see you around, Captain."
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"Good morning, ladies and gents. This is Renegade speaking, I'll be your catch for the day. As my RIO is indisposed today, my little brother has agreed to step into the role. If you thought you'd seen the last of Hook, think again. And if you think this makes it easier for any of you, also think again. No one should mess with the Brothers Jones."
God damn it… she almost had him. He was right there in her grasp, and then all of the sudden Liam had swerved to the right in one hell of a maneuver and she'd lost sight of him. Relentless, she pushed to regain her ground, only to lose control of her bird and nearly crash. She recovered and pulled herself back to appropriate altitude, but it was too late.
Emma resisted the urge to bash her helmet against the bench, taking several deep breaths to calm herself. Elsa stood nearby, looking calm and collected, but Emma knew her friend and knew a storm was brewing behind those cold, blue eyes. Elsa also took a deep breath, preparing herself for her usual speech, but whatever words she had were cut short when Liam Jones walked into the room. He had his fatigues on with just a plain white shirt on top. He dried his curly hair with a towel, and then tossed it in a nearby laundry basket before he turned to Emma, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You were good up there, Swan. At the beginning. But you still have things to learn." He gave her a lopsided grin that made Emma's skin crawl. Cocky pilots and smug smirks weren't foreign to her- hell, she was one and gave more than her fair share. She'd been in Liam's position more than once, looking down at another pilot she had outmaneuvered and feeling proud of herself - but somehow the fact that it came from Commander Liam 'Renegade' Jones made Emma want to scream from the top of her lungs.
She had a quick retort at the ready, but when her eyes met his, something else completely came out of her mouth. "Did you bring me here for him?"
She didn't mean to ask that. It wasn't something she was supposed to say, or even bring up, but at the moment, it was all Emma could think about. It had been all she could think about during the last two weeks of training lectures and flight lessons. Killian Jones was constantly on her mind, breaking her concentration and making her risk her and Elsa's life.
Liam didn't even blink, which made it clear he knew who she was, beyond just her flight record. He sighed and leaned against the wall, giving her a look that was full of contempt. "You wouldn't be my choice for Killian. You're a hell of a pilot, Emma, but you're too reckless. That's the last thing he needs, not when he's finally put his life back on track." He pushed off the wall, taking a few steps towards her. "And, Lieutenant, I don't choose the pilots of this program to suit my little brother's love life. I have my own to think about."
Emma cocked an eyebrow at him, trying to decipher the meaning of his words. But all the Jones bravado seemed to have faded from his face and he cleared his throat, a deep blush coming to the tip of his ears. "Not you. The world doesn't revolve around you, Nolan. I like my partners with a little more poise."
She didn't miss the way his eyes darted briefly to where Elsa stood behind her, her self-composure as perfect as always, the epitome of everything an officer should be. With a swift nod of his head, he left the locker room, the sound of his footsteps slowly fading away.
Once he was out of earshot, Emma turned and bit out, "Can you believe that self-righteous asshole?" But instead of finding Elsa's attention on her, she found her rooted to the spot, her gaze firmly set in the direction Liam had left, her eyes shining with something that looked a little too close to admiration for Emma's taste.
Fuck.
"Elsa? You have got to be kidding me."
Elsa sighed, her lips curving into a sideways smile as she shrugged. "Well, he looked really hot calling you out. Besides, you know what a little silver on hair does to me." She toyed with the hem of her shirt, biting her lower lip in the most un-Elsa like gesture Emma had ever seen.
But then it was gone as quickly as it came and Elsa shot her a worried look. "Whatever is going on between you and Jones - the other Jones - that has you so off-kilter, you have to solve it before you get us killed." Her hand reached out to grab Emma's. "Promise me you'll deal with it."
Emma swallowed the lump in her throat. "I will."
She gave her a little encouraging smile before leaving Emma to her own demons.
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Today, however, looked to be in no mood to cut her a break.
When she finally left the locker room, it was to find Killian Jones leaning against the wall outside it, dressed in dark jeans, white shirt, and leather jacket with patches. He lifted his head and his eyes met hers.
"Are you ok, Swan?"
The timing was too perfect, the tone of his question too on point. It could only mean someone had tipped him off about what transpired between Liam and her. Emma doubted it was Liam and she silently cursed Elsa's meddling.
A good offensive was the best defense. Maybe if she bitched about his older brother enough, he'd be offended and leave her alone.
"Has Commander Jones always been such a sanctimonious bastard?"
Killian snorted, his eyes dancing with mischief. "I prefer pompous wanker, but, aye. I find it to be his preferred mode."
She had not seen that coming and it must have been clear on her face because Killian's features quickly sobered, his smile fading. "We lost our mom when we were young and our father was next to useless. Liam raised himself and me. Sometimes I think he never had the chance to have any fun. He was too busy drawing on all his own strength and will to keep us above water, so to speak."
Well, that put things in perspective and killed any outrage still broiling inside. "I'm sorry," she offered sincerely. "I didn't know."
Killian tipped his head to the side and gave a small shrug "Liam knows you're good, Emma, but he doesn't know if he can trust you up there. It's not always about being the best, at least not in his book. He doesn't know yet if your thirst for glory would run roughshod over any instinct to protect your team."
"He has a funny way of showing it."
"Of course he does… he's a sanctimonious bastard and the Navy has banked his career on it." Killian shuffled his feet, as if he were nervous. "I could help you, you know, teach you a few tricks to take him down in the next flying exercise."
"Why would you do that?"
Killian shrugged nonchalantly. "It's my job."
She took a step closer, invading his personal space, her eyes meeting his. "Is it?"
"Aye, it is, but I don't feel like having to teach all of the pilots how to beat my brother. Perhaps we should meet off base." He pulled paper and a pen from his jacket and quickly scribbled something down. "My place, 5 o'clock on Sunday?"
It was dangerous, to say the least. But according to everyone she was too reckless and liked to court danger, so what was another drop in the ocean?
She took the paper, her fingers brushing his. "I'll be there."
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The sand was warm against his bare feet as Killian stood by the net, watching as Liam toyed with the ball by the service line. It wasn't early on a Sunday afternoon if a volleyball game wasn't happening between the academy instructors and the current crop of pilots. Killian rubbed his hand over his left wrist, right at the juncture of his prosthetic, and tried to hide his grimace. He might not be fit to pilot and his time at the air was spent solely as a backup RIO for his brother these days, but he'd be damned if he was going to back out of a beach game. He had more stamina than this. If Scarlet and Hood thought they had it easy because he was missing one hand, they should think it again.
He quickly scanned the field before exchanging a sign with Liam. His brother nodded, his fingers spinning the ball as he leaned in, his tags clashing against his bare chest, a smug smirk gracing his features. His older brother had a tendency to show off, and by the looks of some of the female pilots who were gathering in the bleachers, he was quite the attraction today. As Liam tossed the ball over the net, Killian focused himself on the game, pushing aside that nagging need to see if Emma had shown up to watch them play.
The game continued, Liam and him working together like a well-oiled machine, his body pushed to the limit as he dove to save a ball or two, the sand cushioning his fall. Emma had joined the crowd at some point, sitting next to Elsa with her aviator sunglasses perched on her nose, hiding the direction of her stare. The hair at the nape of his neck, though, tingled with awareness as the game progressed. Distracted, he almost missed a crucial save, but was able to pull a magnificent stunt at the end, landing the decisive point and winning the game. When he picked himself up, he turned to the crowd to find Emma gone. He checked his watch and realized he'd have to run if he wanted to make it back to his place in time to grab a quick shower before she'd show up at his doorstep.
As he made his way to where his clothes were on the bleachers, Liam walked towards him as he dumped half a bottle of water over his head. He tossed one to Killian who did the same, the cold water dripping over his head and shoulders as he welcomed the refreshment.
"Hood and Scarlet want a rematch. What do you say? One more, little brother. Let's show them the Brothers Jones are in fine shape out of the air too."
Killian shook his head. "Any other Sunday I'd do it, but I have plans and I'm already late."
"Come on, Killian. Are you going to leave your commander, your brother in arms and flesh and blood, alone to face these green puppies?"
Killian rolled his eyes as he reached for his shirt. Liam could be such a dramatic and eloquent asshole sometimes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw exactly how to distract him and escape, with the added bonus of teaching his brother a lesson at the same time.
"Icequeen!" He motioned for Elsa to join them. As Elsa came down from the bleachers, he plastered on his most dashing smile. "Lieutenant, I need to bail out of the afternoon's entertainment. Would you mind lending my brother a hand? Or two? I'm sure he'd appreciate it."
Elsa's eyes widened for a second before she cleared her throat. "It'd be my pleasure, Captain."
Killian could feel the heat radiating from his brother at Elsa's soft voice. She made her way towards the sand, shedding her flip flops and sweatshirt, leaving her in a light blue tank top and her cutoff shorts. Killian turned to his brother and almost laughed. He looked like he'd been hit by a truck, the water bottle dangling forgotten in his hand.
Killian clasped his hand over Liam's shoulder. "You can thank me later, brother."
That seemed to bring Liam back from his daze. He shook his head sadly. "You know that can't happen. This will make me look unprofessional, like I'm a man abusing his power over a lowered ranked official."
Elsa turned her head and cocked an eyebrow at them. "Are you coming, Commander?"
There was no way anyone could misinterpret the double meaning in the way she purred the words at Liam. Somehow, if someone was going to take advantage, Killian wasn't sure it would be his brother.
"It's just a volleyball game." He stared resolutely at Liam. "And need I remind you, she won't be at the academy forever. Two more weeks and she'd be out of your command. And probably under your command in some other more enjoyable activities."
Liam chuckled before he turned the tables on him. "Is that what you tell yourself? Two more weeks and Emma will be out of here?"
If only the gods were in his favor like that again. But he knew it'd take more than one poor excuse of a training lesson to lure her back to him.
"I'm counting on it."
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One thing was clear when he opened the door to find Emma standing there in her red leather jacket and a six pack in her hands - she wasn't going to stand on ceremony.
"I know you favor rum, but I couldn't find anything decent at the liquor store, and I didn't want to be late by going to find another."
"Beer is fine, Swan." He took the pack from her hands and motioned her in. "Please come in and make yourself at home."
He had put a few things together for a light dinner on his patio and he directed her there after he took her jacket. She followed, her eyes studying his place as she sank into one of the patio chairs.
"Your place looks nice."
"Thanks. It took a while, but once it was clear that I was to remain here a while, I decided to finally settle down. Put down some roots and all that. You know how it is…"
"Actually, I don't." She dipped a piece of bread into the hummus and nibbled on it. "I haven't had a place in a long time. It's been all barracks and small cots for years now."
"Right, life on the base, sharing your room with a snoring roommate, not to mention too many body odors going around."
"Luckily Elsa doesn't snore." Emma tilted her head, taking a sip of her beer. "Do you miss it?"
Everyday.
He shrugged. "There's no hope of getting it back, so why bother?" He took a chance and looked directly at her. "There's no point in missing something I can no longer have, Emma."
"As opposed to missing something you can?" The words were barely whispered, and he ached to cross the distance between them and brush his lips against hers.
But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He fidgeted with his beer instead, glancing away so his eyes wouldn't meet hers. "I don't think there's hope on that front either, is it?"
It was her turn to avoid his gaze, her attention turned towards the sunset. Killian could have pushed the issue, but he knew it would have been futile. He took a deep breath, letting the regrets wash over him, and his lips curved into a hint of a smile.
"But we're not here to talk about that, are we? We're here to talk about how you're going to beat my brother."
Emma's eyes came back to his face, and he was surprised at the apprehension he found. "You think I can do it?"
Killian didn't like the hesitation in her voice. He'd seen the footage of her missions. Emma Nolan didn't second guess herself. She didn't let people tell her what she was and wasn't capable of, she punched back and told them who she was.
"Of course you can." Killian cocked an eyebrow at her and grinned. "You're one hell of a pilot."
She chuckled, taking a long pull from her beer and swallowing slowly. "It doesn't seem to be enough."
"Self-deprecation doesn't suit you, Emma," Killian countered, leaning closer to her, his hand itching to reach for her. "It will be enough. You just need to learn how to read him. It takes time, but I've yet to see you fail."
"I failed the other day, you were there."
"That wasn't failing. That was practice. It's not a failure unless you finish the academy and haven't taken him down. Most of the other pilots won't, but you - you will. I know it." His hand inched closer to hers and her eyes focused on its movement. Her fingers twitched and for a moment they brushed his. Killian almost lost his train of thought as the sensation of her skin brushing against him invaded him, but he cleared his throat and forced himself to continue. "I didn't beat him on my first try either, and I've known him my whole life."
"When did you finally beat him?" Emma asked curiously, her fingers brushing his again, her eyes fixated on him.
"On my last day." Killian laughed as the memory came to him. "It was almost over and he'd gotten away a few times, but I knew he was going to swerve right - he always does, remember that - and I was right there waiting for him."
"I can imagine just how pissed off he would have been when he realized you got him."
Killian shook his head. "He was proud. As he will be when you take him down."
"I doubt it."
"He picked you to be here, remember? He saw something in you, something that makes him think you're worth the effort. He's just too stubborn to admit he likes you."
"I'm pretty sure Nemo begged him to take me and Elsa off his hands."
"Nuh-uh. I've seen some of the stunts you've pulled on missions."
Emma's eyebrows crept up her forehead and her eyes widened. "You have?"
"They send us footage of all the pilots who make it to the academy, gives us a chance to review and assess everyone before they get here. Sometimes we use the footage for our lessons."
She leaned closer, her breasts brushing just above his forearm, her gaze intent on him. "And what have you assessed about me, Hook?"
He couldn't tell her, not now. Not when they were this close to each other and she was finally opening to him. It will be over soon, but Killian would be damned if he didn't get to have at least this afternoon with her.
"You'll have to wait for my next lesson to find out, Lieutenant."
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"And thus, you can see that being daring can sometimes border on reckless. In this case, the pilot got too close and only a combination of good weather elements and sheer luck prevented the bird from crashing. A change in the wind and they wouldn't be alive today. Be this a lesson to you all, sometimes you need to back down."
Killian could see Emma's hurt directly from where he stood at the front of the room, her eyes fixed on the screen playing footage from one of her flights. Although he kept her identity anonymous, he was sure she knew it was hers. Killian knew he might be making one of the biggest mistakes of his life - again - but he also knew he had to see this through. Emma Nolan was going to be out of Top Gun - and his life - in ten days, and he needed to let her go. He needed to crush every single hope of them ever getting together again. It was the only chance he had that he would be able to live again after she left, putting herself in danger mission after mission, without thinking of her safety or back up. It was what she was trained to do and he knew it well. The irony wasn't lost on him. He'd lived his life like that and never hesitated. It was only now - now that he knew the price you had to pay on the other side - that he understood Liam's concerns about Killian back in the day. And Liam's concerns about Emma now.
She was going to hate him, but he could only hope his words would be branded deep enough to keep her alive.
Killian dismissed the class with a wave of his hand and simply stood there, his eyes scanning the room as they slowly made their way out. He clenched his jaw, trying to force himself not to look at Emma, but failed miserably. When his eyes met hers, he watched as she closed herself off and turned her back on him, walking proudly out of the door.
He should let her go. He'd done all this to be able to let her go.
And yet…
"Swan!" Killian called for her, hurrying his steps to catch up with her.
She didn't turn around.
"Emma!" He called again, making his way towards the door she'd just exited. But then Elsa came into his view, blocking his way, her anger clearly rolling off her.
"Leave her alone." Her voice was low, calm and collected, and it froze him immediately. Her reproach was clear, and Killian couldn't do anything but hang his head in shame.
"You did that purposely." Elsa placed her hand on his chest and forced him to take a step back. "You chose to push her away, probably for some stupid reason your brother must have talked you into, now you get to see it through."
The roar of a motorcycle brought his attention to the window on the side of the room, catching sight of Emma as she darted off the base. Elsa was right. He needed to see this through.
But he couldn't.
"I can't, I shouldn't have -" he said more to himself than to Elsa, as he stepped around her and ran towards his car.
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She didn't know why she ended up at his doorstep, fighting off tears. This was the last place she needed to be, sitting here waiting for god knew what. He'd just belittled her in front of everyone. Killian Jones - fucking Hook, king of temerarious flying - had stood up in front of an entire Top Gun class and called her reckless.
Emma wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually she was drawn out of her circling thoughts by the sound of a car parking and the engine being cut. She lifted her head and watched Killian exit his Chevelle. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes downcast, looking as if he were carrying the weight of the world. When he finally lifted his head and saw her, he stood straighter. Then he all but ran towards her as Emma stood up.
"Emma, I've been driving all over town trying to find you…" he started, his eyes scanning her. He must have noticed her tears, because his smile faded and he reached his hand towards her. "Emma - I..."
She wasn't going to let him get under her skin, or show any commiseration. She took a step back, hastily drying the tears from her eyes. "How could you?" Her voice faltered, but Emma forced herself to look at him. She refused to back down now that he was here. "I trusted you. I thought you understood what all of this meant. You sat with me three days ago encouraging me to continue flying. You call me reckless? You were ten times worse than me, Killian, and you know it."
He swallowed, his eyes filling with regret. "Aye, I was. And I paid a steep price for it."
"So you thought the best course of action was making an example of me in front of the entire class?"
He averted his eyes, his voice all but a whisper in which she could hear the shame behind the justification. "I didn't use your name. No one knew I was talking about you."
Emma scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Please, they knew, they all knew."
She needed to know. She had to understand. "Why? Why would you do this to me?" Her words came more breathless than she intended and she despised herself for it. She didn't want to still be feeling his condemnation so deeply. She shouldn't care what he thought of her.
"Because I can't let them see…"
"See what?"
He gazed at her, his eyes darkening with regret and fear. "That I'm terrified you'll go blasting into the sunset during your next mission and I'll lose you." He took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "That I'm still in love with you…"
Her heart beat frantically against her chest at the truth in his words, at the way he was looking at her as if she were the only thing left in his life, that he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. Feelings she'd kept buried for these past few years came back as she lost herself in his eyes.
Without hesitating, she closed the distance between them, crashing her lips against his.
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Emma's lips moved insistently against his, and it took Killian a second to catch up to what was happening. Almost growling, he opened his mouth and deepened the kiss, feeling the tip of her tongue brush his. He grabbed her waist, pulling her against him, before moving his hand to tangle on her hair. Tilting his head, he briefly broke the kiss, working to catch his breath before diving back in. Emma's hands were wreaking havoc in his hair and he took a deep breath as he moved his lips from the corner of her mouth all the way down her neck.
It took him only a moment to back her against his front door, quickly unlocking it and pushing her inside. From there, it was nothing but a blur searing kisses and a race to remove their clothing as they made their way to his room. His hands caressed every bit of skin he could find as her lips traced a series of fleeting kisses down his chest. With the last shred of sanity he had left, he brought her hand to a stop as she reached his belt buckle.
"Perhaps we should talk…"
Her eyes were darkened with desire, and her swollen lips made any semblance of his control fade. "Later," she whispered, pulling him closer to her, kissing him with a pent-up frustration he could relate to. And when her fingers brushed against his as she untangled them and returned to his belt, he gave up any thought of arguing.
His clothes finally gone, he fell back onto the bed, pulling her with him in a cascade of laughter and caresses. The world around him narrowed until the only thing that existed was what was happening within the walls of his bedroom. The feel of her skin as he kissed every inch of it. Every gasp and whimper she uttered against him. The feel of her surrounding him again, her response to each slow, deep thrust. How they let the rhythm of their hearts mark their movements, her hips arching to meet him stroke by stroke.
The way she came around him, her body shattering beneath him and bringing him over the edge with her, her name a whispered prayer on his lips.
The way he pulled her closer as their hearts and breaths slowed, and how her arms held tightly to him, her head resting on his shoulder as he dropped a soft kiss to her forehead.
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The sun was filtering through his shutters, marking the late afternoon, when Emma finally dared to break the silence.
"We need to talk," she murmured against his skin.
Killian pulled her almost on top of him, his eyes half lidded. "Do we? Can't we just stay like this?" He moved his hand up and down her thigh, watching as the movement brought a shiver run down her spine.
"Killian," she admonished half-heartedly.
"I know… I know," he sighed. He opened his eyes and gave her a self-deprecating smile. "It's just - I'd like to enjoy the feeling of you in my arms for a while longer before reality pushed its way in."
"I know today was your last lesson, but I still have ten days until I'm done here." She traced her fingers down his chest, playing with his hair and stopping at his navel. She could feel him hardening beneath her and she bit her lip in a provocative way.
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Then I suggest we make the best out of those ten days…" His hand moved to cup her breast, but Emma stopped him, redirecting it down her ribcage.
"And after that?"
Fear and longing flickered across his face, but he tried to mask it with a smile "You'll be shipped wherever it is that your next assignment takes you, Swan. And you will go."
"And you?"
"I'll remain here, teaching the next batch of pilots and bitching to my brother that none of them can hold a candle compared to you." The conviction in his voice took her breath away.
"Killian…"
"I'm being honest, Emma." He brought his hand to her face and pulled her into a brief kiss. "Regardless of my opinion on how you fly sometimes and my wish that you were just a tad more careful, I know you have your whole career ahead of you and I would never ask you to give that up." He took a deep breath and rested his forehead against hers. "Just promise me something."
Her breath mingled with his. "What's that?"
"That you'll come back to me."
The words were different, but the underlying question was the same one he'd voiced all those years ago after their weekend together. He still wanted this to be something more than a fleeting dalliance. And this time, Emma wasn't scared of getting hurt. This time, she could see the future she hadn't been able to face then. She could see coming back to him time and again.
"Everytime," she whispered against his lips.