Sorry for such a late update. College rejections aren't very inspiring. But all that aside, how great was the finale?!
On another note, since quite a bit happened in that finale that deviates from the story line, this fix is canon till Kansas and AU from there on. So Neal isn't Neal but Leo, after King Leopold. And Outlaw Queen are married and not in the middle of a love triangle. But that's about it. Oh, and Ariel and Eric came back to Storybrooke on the time Emma was gone, if there was any confusion.
Emma tiredly closed the door to the loft, hanging up her coat on the rack nearby.
"Emma!" David's voice startled her. "Are you alright?" he asked, walking towards her. "You were gone all night, we were worried," he added, taking in her red rimmed eyes before pulling her in for a hug.
She leaned on him, exhausted both physically and emotionally, resting her cheek on his shoulder and closing her eyes. She let out a shuddered breath as she realised how much she had come to miss his warm embrace, the way he held her close with one hand cupping her head so gently as if she were still a child, just as she had yearned to be held when she was a child. "I'm okay," she whispered unconvincingly, as she snuggled closer.
"What happened?" he asked instead, pulling away slowly, but not entirely.
"Nothing," she replied, sinking down on the couch, earning her a skeptical look. "Everything," she groaned, leaning her head on the back of the couch cushion. "Regina hates me, Henry doesn't trust me and Killian...He's an entirely different story. I have no idea what he's thinking!" she exclaimed, throwing her arm over her eyes.
"Woah, woah. Henry doesn't trust you? Did he say that?" her father asked taking a seat next to her.
"...No," she allowed, almost pouting. "But when I asked him if he wanted to come back to the loft, he said he should stay at Regina's for a while. He said it's too crowded here," she grumbled.
"And that translates to him not trusting you how?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "He's right, you know. It is pretty crowded here."
"Do you want me to move out?" she turned to face him, eyes wide.
His own shouted panic as he rushed to reassure her, "No, no. Of course not! This is your home, Emma. But we were thinking of moving to a bigger place. One with more room for Leo to play around," he smiled.
She relaxed, smiling up at him, "That sounds nice..." she trailed off, before looking up at him with a completely serious look on her face. "I get the bigger room right?" she asked, making him laugh.
"Sure," he chuckled. "Maybe a large, pink princess bed to go with the pink walls," he teased, making her roll her eyes.
"Emma, Henry will come around, I promise," he vowed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You're his mother and he loves you more than anything."
"I know... I just, I feel so stupid for running away. I messed up everything," she sighed, closing her eyes.
"All messes can be cleared, Emma. Look, I'm not asking you for reasons for why you left, because you came back and that's all that matters to me and your mother. But maybe it's not enough for Henry. Maybe he needs to see it for himself that you mean to stay this time," he said. "Give him time," he smiled.
"Yeah..." she trailed off, swallowing thickly.
"Henry's not the only one who needs time," David added after a while, making Emma whip her head to look up at him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her voice slightly high pitched.
"You think I wouldn't notice the 'Killian Jones' part of 'everything'?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her in question.
"No... I just thought you would let it go," she mumbled, looking down at her lap.
"What happened?" he asked, nudging her shoulder.
"He asked me to leave," she mumbled, her eyes stinging with the threat of tears as she remembered how wrecked he looked. "He looked almost afraid to see me, dad," her voice broke as she continued staring at her lap. "He asked me to leave," she repeated in a whisper. "and then he left."
David sighed, running a hand down his face. "Emma, he's your True Love. He'll forgive you, I know he will."
"Maybe I don't deserve it," she muttered, bottom lip trembling. "Just like I don't deserve his love."
"Hey, don't say that. You deserve everything and more. He's hurt, Emma. Just-Go talk to him. He'll listen to you, he'll understand."
"What if he doesn't?" she asked fearfully. "What if he doesn't want to be with me?" she asked in a quieter voice.
"That's absurd," he replied, actually chuckling. "Sorry. But that man not wanting you is like-like- me not wanting your mother." When she stared at him dubiously, he sighed. "Just go talk to him."
She nodded, albeit a bit shakily, hopping off the couch and heading towards the door. Before she could go out though, David's voice stopped her.
"Maybe you should...um, take a shower first?" he finished awkwardly.
Her eyebrows rose, "Are you saying I stink?" she demanded shrilly.
David sputtered, "Um, no! What I meant...was that...you...Is that your mother calling? Oh Leo must be awake. I should go help her," he rushed out, practically flying up the stairs.
Emma huffed in indignation before grabbing clothes to change into.
-/-
She dressed carefully, trying not to overdo anything while making herself look appealing enough for Killian to not be able to resist her. It was a low move, she knew, but it doesn't matter if it helped her cause. She grinned devilishly as she applied a coat of red lipstick and rearranged her curls, before smoothening down her shirt with a neckline that was decent enough but low enough to tease.
She grabbed her jacket on the way out, exchanging a grateful smile with her father, who simply nodded at her in encouragement.
"What was that about?" Mary Margret asked as she tightened the lid of the bottle she'd prepared for Leo.
"Nothing," he smiled. "I'm just glad our daughter's back," he exhaled loudly, smiling down at Leo, who was gruggling in his arms.
His wife brightened at that as she beamed up at him. " I told you she'd come back to us, Charming."
"Remind me never to doubt you again," he joked, kissing her lovingly, making her laugh. David sighed with joy, content now that everything was alright. His family was now complete.
-/-
A man emerged from the shadows of the alley he was hiding in, watching as the Saviour rushes past , dressed in the strange grab of this realm. He grinned widely, his blue eyes shinning bright in the darkness.
His hand twitched reaching for the blade stuck in his belt, but he resisted knowing that now want the time. He had to lay in wait a little longer, be sure of the Captain's affections for the blonde. His grin broadened as she saw her entering the establishment he had seen said Captain entering just a while ago with his red-haired companion.
He just had to wait a few more days until he set his plan in motion. He licked his lips in anticipation.
-/-
The bell jingled when Emma pushed the door to Granny's open, making everyone's head turn towards her, including Killian's and Ariel's, whose eyes widened slightly quickly turning to face him. All conversation stopped almost at the same time that it would have been funny, had it been under different circumstances. But Emma had eyes only for one amongst the diner patrons.
But said man's eyes averted from her gaze as he stared pointedly at his pancakes instead of meeting her eyes. She sighed to herself, knowing it could never be that easy. She removed her red leather jacket and looked around for a place to sit, away from prying eyes but where she could still look at her pirate. When the other diner patrons continued to stare at her, she glared at them, scowling deeply. That made them all jump back to their previous conversations and averting their gaze.
Emma walked towards Killian, building up the courage to talk to him, to face him again when he suddenly stood up startling both her and Ariel, whose gaze was fixed on her all this while. He hurriedly placed a few dollar bills on the counter and brushed past her, his head down and rushing out of the diner. She stared in shock at his departure, not even looking at her. Ariel looked equally surprised, but there was an undertone of anger in her expression before she turned to face Emma with a sympathetic look on her face.
"I'm sorry for how he behaved," she began, her eyes soft as they regarded her.
Emma schooled her face into a passive expression, having no intention on letting a stranger be privy to her emotions. She swallowed past the lump in her throat before answering, "He's warranted his anger."
"You should go after him," Ariel replied after a moment of awkward silence.
"What?" Emma asked, her eyes shifting from the doorway to the former mermaid.
"Go after him," she urged, smiling knowingly at her. When Emma hesitated, her smile widened encouragingly.
Emma nodded at her gratefully before marching out the door after her True Love. She was going to fight for him, just like he had for her because that's what you do for the people you love.
-/-
Killian breathed the ocean air deeply, trying to get the image of enticing blondes with wicked green eyes out of his head. He winced at the poor choice of words.
He'd thought seeing her yesterday had been bad, but seeing her today, her hair in gentle waves as the sunlight highlighted their golden hue, made his heart stop beating. She looked even more beautiful in the morning light that spilled into the diner, her cheeks pink from the brisk morning air and her lips painted a sensual red.
He exhaled sharply, cursing his mind for remembering everything concerning Emma Swan. He heard footsteps behind him, making him groan to himself.
"I'm in no mood to chat about my feelings, Ariel," he grumbled, his back to the woman approaching him.
"Not Ariel," a soft voice replied, making his heart stutter in his chest and his whole body freeze before he warily turned around to face the woman who'd been haunting his dreams and occupying his every thought. "She's worried about you though."
He steps back a fraction, making her halt in her own movements as much she hated the space between them, feeling like a valley of pain and unsaid words and everything wrong.
"What're you doing here, Emma?" He asked, not unkindly.
"I came to apologize," she breathed, moving a step forward.
"Emma-" he began, but she cut him off.
"Please, just let me do this. You don't owe me anything, I know, but please, Killian," she practically begged, her heart in her throat.
He looked taken aback but nodded, allowing her to continue.
She stared to pace, to restless to stand still. "When I left Storybrooke, I was running away. It's what I've always done, what I've known all these years. I was to afraid to try, Killian. To try and be a part of something because I was convinced that it will be taken away from me, just like everything good in my life. I was too blind, too stubborn to realize what I'll be leaving behind.
"My life in New York with Henry was... great. But it was all a lie. I just wanted to go back to a time where none of this existed, before Henry found me. But it was only after leaving did I realize how lonely that life was. How sad I was. I wanted to forget everything, everyone because I didn't feel like a part of it, my life as a Savior.
"All my life, all I've known is being alone and constant heartbreak that I learnt to leave before it ever got to that point. But I knew the moment that I left that I would regret it, that I was wrong. I was miserable the past three months, trying to forget everything but it just made it that much harder to forget. I was too ashamed to come back, too used to running to find the courage to stop.
But I couldn't take it anymore... Being away from Henry, my parents, you was too hard. I tried to bring myself to at least call, but I couldn't. I was afraid. So I'm sorry. Sorry for not listening, for not staying. For not choosing you like you've chosen me so many times. I'm sorry for not loving you enough." She was crying by this point, her arms hugging herself, biting her lower lip to reign in her sobs. "But I do now. I love you," she declared, making him unconsciously sway in her direction, his eyes roving over her face trying to detect whether she was lying, although he knew in his heart that she spoke only the truth.
"I'm in love with you, Killian," she repeated, moving closer until there was barely a hairsbreadth between them. "And I'm done running away from that."
He swallowed thickly, barely able to breathe past the lump in his throat. He'd longed to hear those words slip past her lips for so long; it was what gave him hope when he'd set out to find her in New York, that he would one day be on the receiving end of the words. His brow furrowed, tears gathering in his eyes as he struggled to find something to say, his head screaming that this was all a farce as his heart rammed against his chest in a wild staccato, urging him to believe her.
"Say something. Please," she softly demanded as she did last night, her hand coming up to grip his shirt.