The next couple of days at the castle are the busiest it's been since Charming and Snow White's wedding; Emma enlists Pinocchio to help Snow with the wedding preparation, saying delegating will help things go more smoothly. Charming keeps his distance as he promised, not wanting to develop a headache from simple wedding preparations.
Emma takes on some of the responsibilities, the less stressful ones anyway like food tastings (which she enjoys especially when Killian's there). Figuring out their wedding cake is her favorite time; she likes chocolate, lots of it and there's so many selections to choose from.
Snow's doubled the decorating staff, overseeing the décor in the grand hall while she works on invitations.
Now, Emma's exhausted, having little sleep for two or the three weeks of wedding planning. If she sleeps, she might have another vision and Emma doesn't want to be more paranoid about the future than she already is.
Snow understands why Emma wants things to be done quickly but she also recognizes when her daughter needs to slow down. That's why when she sees Emma trying to keep herself from sleeping for fear of another vision, she enlists Killian to step in.
"Need a moment lass?" he ventures, kneeling down in front of her.
Emma looks at him groggily. "I'm not tired," she says tiredly.
"You've been pushing yourself too hard the past three weeks, Emma; you need to take it easy," he muses, offering her his hand, "Come, I know a place where you can relax,"
Emma reluctantly takes his hand.
"You're kidnapping me again?" she teases, following him out to the stables, "If you are, you should know that the royal stables isn't exactly a romantic destination,"
Killian doesn't say anything and unropes a dark brown horse, grabbing one of the saddles and turns back to Emma. "M'lady?" he starts, mounting the horse first and then offering her his hand again
"I know how to mount a horse, Killian,"
"Humor me love," he teases and she extends her hands to him and he pulls her to flush behind him. Emma wraps her hands around his waist and Killian starts the horse into a steady gallop out of the stables. Once they're clear, he kicks it into a faster run.
Emma doesn't know how long they've been riding but the longer she's behind Killian, holding onto him, feeling those muscles in his stomach through his thin black shirt and feeling his haggard breathing, it sends Emma's heart a flutter. This is her fiancé, the man she chooses to spend the rest of her life and she's aroused, just holding onto him during a horse ride.
She's so distracted by him that she doesn't notice the smell of salt water until it's becomes unmistakably clear that they're near water, or a port at least.
Killian dismounts the horse and then helps Emma off, his fingers lingering around her waist and they make their way over to the docks. Emma already has an idea where they might be heading but doesn't want to say anything and then they come upon The Jolly Roger.
"So how does your ship end up in a dock conveniently close to my parent's castle?" Emma wonders.
Killian smirks, helping her on board. "That's the thing about the Roger, she's magical. She can sail anywhere you desire, anywhere you need her to be," he says, smiling back at her.
"You never answered my question before; are you kidnapping me again?"
"If I am, trust me love it's for your own good," he manages, "you've been busy planning this wedding with your mum and the wood carver for three weeks without even a moment's rest. Now, I understand that you want everything to be perfect and to your liking, it is yours' and my wedding but I would also prefer, as the groom, to have an attentive bride on the big day,"
Emma doesn't say anything.
"And I happen to know for a fact when you were sleeping next door to me, it was very difficult to wake you up in the morning – so off you go," he says.
"Sleep here for the night?"
"Yes, that's why I brought you here love; so you can rest because you do need it," he says.
Emma scowls. "I don't know why you think I need to sleep, I've been functioning fine for three weeks without little sleep and it's not like I don't sleep at all; I have quick naps in between," she cries.
"And the reason why you're cranky now is because you've had little sleep," Killian observes, sighing, "Please Emma, love, come to bed,"
"I am not tired and I don't want to sleep," Emma shouts.
Now, Killian's really confused and getting irritated at any rate. "Love, you've been busy prepping for our wedding for three weeks and I was serious about wanting an attentive bride on our big day," he says.
Emma shakes her head and notices a light turn on behind them and Starkey come up from below.
"You kidnapped me so I could sleep in my old bed," Emma muses. "This isn't at all romantic like I pictured it would be,"
"The horse was meant to be romantic, this is so you can be refreshed and this is me doing the right thing because you really need to sleep," Killian retorts, "Emma, please love,"
Emma glances back at Starkey and then to her fiancé.
"I do not need – what I need from you, my fiancé is to stand behind me when I need you too and right now, I really need that," Emma cries.
"I would if you would bloody talk to me about what's going on in that head of yours, Emma," he fumes. "I love you sweetheart and if there's anything else bothering you, I would hope that you would tell me,"
Emma sighs.
"You're going to be stubborn like that, the silent treatment like the first night," Killian reasons, nodding his head before walking over to her and grabbing her by the waist, hoisting her over his shoulder.
"Killian Jones, let me down now! Killian, seriously, I am not joking! Let me down!"
Killian looks back at Starkey and grins. "I missed this," he laughs and carries her down below.
Starkey laughs.
When Killian reaches Emma's old cabin and lets her down, she's still furious with him. As soon as Emma's on her own two feet, she pushes him and Killian sighs, really not wanting to push back. "Emma, I am not playing this game with you but I do want you to come over here, lay down and close your eyes," he says, coming over to the bed and making it ready for her.
"What I need is for my fiancé to stand behind me," she fumes, "but you're giving me order like I'm one of your former shipmates,"
"Well, you are on a ship love..." he teases.
"Don't tease Killian," Emma retorts. "I was really hoping for something different when you whisked me away,"
Killian frowns. "I'm sorry love; I may still have other surprises for you but for right now, I would like it if you would lay down and sleep a little," he says, more calmly.
Emma starts crying and he comes over to her, rubbing his hand over her back. "Hey love, what's the matter now?" he asks, wiping away her tears.
"What's the matter is that I'm trying to make the perfect wedding and you're being – so perfect and gentlemanly right now it is nauseating," she cries, "and it isn't because I'm ungrateful or anything because I love you so much and I want to have a life with you so badly, I want the life that I've been dreaming about but I'm scared too,"
Killian smirks and kisses her forehead. "And you think I'm not scared either?" he counters. "Emma, I want nothing more than to lay down with you night after night, wake up to those beautiful eyes of hers and and make all your dreams come true but first, I would really like to lay down with my fiancé and fall asleep with her,"
He kisses her forehead on more time and lays down on the bed, raising an eyebrow, looking at her seriously. Emma sighs, smiles at him thoughtfully and then reluctantly, crawls into bed beside him and closes her eyes.
"Sleep sweetheart," he breathes, "Dream of a beautiful day, the one where you're standing all in white graceful and beautiful and your only desire is to love and be with me, as I want to be with you my sweet Emma. I love you darling; you're the most pure thing in my life and I can't help but feel myself come alive when I'm with you,"
He leans up slightly and looks over, seeing her breast rise and fall and her eyes closed, snuggling close to him. He kisses her cheek and lays back himself, closing his own eyes. "Good night darling," he muses.
tbc