Oh my, it's been five months since my last update and I wonder if anyone remembers the story because I barely do :/ I've been working on an original story for the last two months or so but I miss writing for this and I miss Captain Swan. I hope you guys are still with me and I'll recap since it's been awhile. Also, thank you to those who reviewed on the last chapter! You guys seriously made my heart soar. And of course thank you so much to lookingforgrowth who is amazing as usual and took the time to edit and provide feedback-much, much appreciated!
Emma Swan is shot in her father's diner one afternoon and finds out her classmate Killian Jones is more than just the boy from science class after he uses inhuman abilities to heal her wound and save her life. While grateful he did, Emma is wary and wants to believe in Killian but a seed of doubt is planted by the town sheriff, Arendelle, who is suspicious of Killian Jones and what really went down at Granny's Diner. After Emma is shown a picture of a dead body with the same silver handprint that appeared on Emma's stomach after Killian healed her wound, she confronted him only to find that he is just as mystified and concerned about this as this means there's another alien out there that he doesn't know of and he leaves in a hurry. Meanwhile Emma's friend, Ruby is closing in on her and knows something is amiss.
Hope you guys like this chapter and let me know what you think!
"Ok, Robin I cannot let this go."
Ruby paced along the length of Robin's room in her Martian costume. Her short green skirt swished around her thighs as her matching green knee high boots clacked against the hardwood floor of Robin's room. He sighed from where he was sitting on his bed with his costume on his lap.
"Ruby, you have to. She looks fine to me and isn't that all that matters? That she wasn't hurt?"
Ruby rolled her eyes as she walked past in front of Robin with her hands on her hips. "Of course it matters that she's unharmed," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "But, there's clearly more to the story and I want to know what it is."
"Well, all you're achieving is driving her away. Is that what you want?"
"Hey, I'm not the one avoiding her best friends," she said defensively. "I mean, has Emma spoken to you lately?"
"Yeah, actually she has," he nodded his head in emphasis. "We had a perfectly normal conversation just today before she was pulled into guidance."
"Wait, what?" Ruby stopped in front of him with her hand held up. "What are talking about? Guidance?"
Robin shrugged, "Well yeah, we were in class but not two minutes into it she was sent to guidance. And when I walked by after class, I saw Sheriff Arendelle leaving the school. I'm guessing she was following up on the shooting."
"Well, why didn't she come to see me?"
"Maybe she'll get around to you soon enough. Didn't you already talk to the deputy though?" Robin asked.
"Uh, yeah, but then again Emma already talked to Arendelle so what more is there to say?"
Robin groaned as he fell back on his bed, clutching his costume to his face. "Ruby," he mumbled through the cloth, "I know you're into all your CSI shows but can we not do this right now? I haven't even gotten ready for the Crash Festival and if we don't leave soon, we'll be late. We have to pick up Emma anyway so you can badger her then all you want."
"Oh but didn't you hear?" Ruby asked mockingly, "Emma isn't going to the Crash Festival. And anyway, it doesn't start 'til another like two hours-ish so nice try, Robin."
Robin shoved the costume off his face to look at her dryly. "Then why are you already dressed almost two hours early?"
"Um excuse you, this outfit takes time to get into and you see this make-up? Takes effort, buddy." She gestured to her heavily made up eyes with thick winged eyeliners outlined by a thin layer of dark green eyeliner. Her cheeks and eyelids were glittering with shimmer powder and her usual red lips were painted a metallic olive green shade. It was definitely an unusual ensemble even for Ruby who never needed an occasion for her eccentric and bold attire, but if anyone could pull it off, it was definitely her.
"Well, good job, Ruby," he said with a sarcastic thumbs up. "But, some of us didn't plan that far ahead and still need to get ready so can you, you know, leave?" He gestured toward the door as he stood up and unfolded his costume.
"Sorry, honey, but it's not like there's much to see," she mumbled but turned toward the door anyway. "And don't worry, I'll get a ride from Emma."
"I thought you said she wasn't coming."
"Yeah, well not if I have anything to say about it," Ruby smirked before pulling open his door and stepping out with a wave of her hands.
Robin shook his head tiredly before getting ready for the Crash Festival with thoughts of one Regina Mills.
Killian struggles to remain within the speed limit as he turns onto his street; the last thing he needs right now is to get pulled over by a deputy, worse Arendelle. He had just hung up with Victor, telling him to meet at his house with a bag of essentials only. Maybe Victor was right, maybe it was time to leave Storybrooke.
The thought of leaving Emma behind flashed across his mind, but he rubbed away the ache in his chest thinking that brought on. It would be safer for her if he was gone anyway. If the photos that Emma mentioned were anything to go on, not only did they have to worry about the Sheriff closing in on them, but a potential killer of an alien was also out there. Who knew what his motives were, but Killian preferred keeping his family as far away from him as possible. And Emma. He could put her at risk.
Killian pulled into his driveway, thankful for his parents' absence for the night. He would have had a hard enough time to saying goodbye, but he's hoping once they've found safety, he would be able to contact them. It was the least he could do for the parents that took him in and provided a good life for him and his sister.
He called out to his sister as he walked through the hall toward his room. "Regina! Pack a bag, we have to go."
He walked into his room, reaching under his bed for his camping duffle before stuffing it with minimal clothes and power bars he kept in his gym bag. He grabbed the photo of him and Regina with his parents from his bedside table and carefully wrapped it in a t-shirt before placing it in the front zipper of his duffle. He pulled open the drawer next to his bed and dug underneath his old baseball cards in search of the newspaper clipping.
He had just pulled it out-Emma's bright smile looking back at him as she holds up her medal for first place in the national forensics competition with the article title reading Storybrooke's own, Captain Swan, leads forensic team to a victory-when Regina strides into his room with her own empty duffle bag.
"What do you mean, 'pack a bag'?" she asks even as she holds her own. "What the hell is going on, Killian?"
Killian shook his head as he carefully places the clipping in the inside pocket of his jacket. "Look, there's no time to get into it, but we have to get ready to move. Victor is meeting us here any minute so get ready, Regina."
"Well, tell me what's going on first." Her usual haughty tone is tinged with worry as she watches him place a few more items in his bag before zipping it up.
"The sheriff suspects me," he says finally turning to her. He leads her out of his room by the arm and into her room as he speaks. "Pack while I explain."
"What do I take?" Despite her impulse to argue with him, Regina detects the urgency in his tone and follows his direction. "And what do you mean the Sheriff suspects you? Did Emma say something to her?" She turns to look at him in anger at the prospect of Emma Swan betraying Killian's trust."
"All your allowance and birthday cash and non-perishables, toiletries, and minimal clothing. The rest we can get on the road. And no, Emma didn't say a word to Arendelle, she's the one who warned me that the Sheriff was onto me." He furrowed his eyebrows as he wonders whether to tell her about the other alien, yet, he was still trying to wrap his head around the idea of another one being out there all this time and killing people.
"How would she know?" Regina groused as paced between her drawer and her duffle, dumping errant belongings.
"Arendelle pulled her out of class today and asked about me," he said as the doorbell rang. "That has to be Victor."
"Wait," Regina hissed, grabbing onto his arm before he could walk out. "You just said Arendelle suspects you. What if it's her? What if she's here to take you." Regina didn't often show affection or concern for anyone but there was no way in hell she was going to let anyone take her baby brother.
"Wait here, Killian," she ordered before grabbing her field hockey stick that was propped up against the wall by her bed. She tried it once for the sake of her mother, but very soon realized she wasn't much of a sports gal.
"No," Killian argued trying wrestle the stick away from her. "Get behind me."
"No, you get behind me," Regina shot back quietly. The doorbell rang again, repeatedly and obnoxiously. Killian and Regina were in the midst of tug-a-war with the field hockey stick when they stopped suddenly and looked at each other knowingly. "Victor," they said in unison.
"But, just in case," Regina brought the stick close to her with a sharp tug from Killian's slack grip and entered the hallway peering around toward the front door, Killian trailing close behind.
The doorknob suddenly twisted and Regina tightened her grip on the stick, getting ready to swing. She raised her arm higher as she inched closer to the front door which was now opening slowly. She made to swing when suddenly-
"Whoa, whoa, what are you guys doing?!"
The front door was wide open and standing smack in the middle of the doorway was Victor with his arms raised in surrender, a small sack sitting by his feet that he had dropped in shock.
Regina rolled her eyes as she dropped her arm in relief while Killian scratched his head awkwardly. "What exactly were you two doing?" Victor questioned.
"We thought you were Arendelle," Killian sighed.
Victor raised his eyebrows. "You thought I was Arendelle," he repeated flatly. "You thought I was a human and you brought a hockey stick? Did you guys forget you were aliens with powers?"
"Yeah, well…" Regina trailed off. "Doesn't matter. Did Killian fill you in?"
"Yeah. It's about time you finally got your head in order," he said nodding toward Killian.
Killian nodded absently before walking over to the notepad they kept by the kitchen phone. He scribbled a quick note to his parents about him and Regina being out and that he would call them later. He didn't exactly have a clear plan but all he knew is that they needed to get away. With great difficulty, he turned back to Regina and Victor.
"It's time to go."
Emma's door flung open with a bang as Ruby struts in and faces Emma with her hands planted on her hips. "Ok, babe I've pretty much had it with the silent treatment and you've left me with no choice but to deal out an ultimatum."
Emma had been restless ever since Killian ran from her earlier in the afternoon, alternating between pacing the short length of her room and sitting on the edge of her bed nervously gnawing on her lips until they were chapped. She had tried looking around the school grounds for him before noticing his Jeep wasn't parked in its usual spot and resigned to the fact that she wasn't going to be able to reach him at this point.
Emma warily looks at Ruby not in the least bit phased by her outrageous costume. "Ultimatum? What are you talking about?"
"Well, either you tell me what really happened that day at Granny's or I go straight to Arendelle with your bloody order book. Something tells me it wasn't Anna's blood on the book and I may be no science geek like you, Emma, but I bet the Sheriff's department has a team of forensic scientists that can test the blood and prove it's yours. Now, do you really want me to go there?"
"You wouldn't," Emma said softly. Ruby's words may have been harsh and threatening but she's known the girl long enough to know that she's loyal to a fault and wouldn't truly betray Emma despite her words. Which made lying to her all the more hard and painful.
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Try me." Emma and Ruby stared at each other for a moment before Ruby sighed in exasperation and dropped down on the bed in front of Emma.
"Emma, you're stubborn as hell and I give you mad props for that," she said softly before reaching for Emma's hand. "But, look at me. I'm seriously worried about you. There hasn't been a single moment in our lives that we haven't been able to get through together. I mean, you were there for me when my mother died and I was there for you when your brother died and I would be there for you through anything. And it's killing me seeing you like this when I know something is going on." She paused for a moment before squeezing Emma's hand in reassurance and looking her squarely in the eye.
"You can tell me anything and I promise I'll keep it between the two of us. I'm here for you, babe."
Emma looked between Ruby's eyes, searchingly as she took in her words and sighed. This was Ruby. And, god this secret was eating away at her and she didn't know how much longer she was supposed to stay silent. The guilt twisted up inside her at the thought of betraying Killian's trust, but she as looked back at Ruby's concerned face, she knew in her gut it would be alright.
Emma let out a deep sigh. "Ok, what I'm about to tell is going to sound insane, but I need you remain calm and not speak a word to anyone."
"Emma, c'mon it's me. I'm cool as a cucumber. Anyway, I'm like a vault of secrets. Except from you, of course," she added hastily at Emma's quirked eyebrow.
"Ok, so the day of the shooting…"
As it turned out, Ruby Lucas was decidedly not 'cool as a cucumber.' That is if her hysterical shrieking as she ran out of Emma's home was any indication.
"Ruby!" Emma called out, chasing after her. "Ruby, wait!"
Emma ran up to Ruby's car as she takes the wheel, sliding into the passenger seat and covering the ignition with her hand. "Hey, you said you wouldn't freak out. What happened to 'cool as a cucumber'?" Emma was used to Ruby's theatrics, but this time she had to make sure it was the usual freak-out before the calm.
"Yeah, well that was before I found out my best friend is a crazy person," Ruby shot back looking at her.
"Ruby, I'm being serious here, you cannot tell anyone about this."
"Oh-ho," Ruby laughed sarcastically. "Don't you worry, even if I did tell anyone, they'd lock me up in the loony bin right along with you." She then turned to Emma, her eyes wide and severe as she placed her hands on either side of Emma's face, slightly squishing her face. "Emma, are you sure you didn't, you know, really bump your head on the ground when you fell?"
Emma huffed as she shook her head out of Ruby's grip, "Ruby, you put the clues together yourself and now that I'm telling you the truth, you don't want to believe it?"
"Um, how about I can't believe it. Emma, do you realize what you're saying is absurd and unreal and just so not possible?"
"Of course I do, except for the fact that somehow it is possible. I haven't gotten all the answers yet, but I'm afraid I won't even have the chance to anymore."
Ruby furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"
"It's a long story," Emma said shaking her head, "but I think we need to go to Killian's house."
"What?! Why? How am I supposed to go face him after what you just told me?"
"Ruby, it'll be fine. But, we have to go over there before Killian puts himself in even more trouble." The longer Emma thought about it, the more she began to realize she needed to stop him from making a mistake that could endanger him even more and she thinks she has a plan on how to help him.
"Are you telling me he's not trouble himself?"
Emma gave her a look that said Really?. "Hey, I know this is freaky-I'm still trying to get used to it, myself-but the facts are that Killian saved my life as his own risk and you wouldn't be sitting here talking to me right now and instead may be at my wake at this very moment."
Ruby gasped at the thought. "You would want a wake? That's morbid, Emma."
"Besides the point, Ruby. Now, let's go," she ordered taking her hand away from the ignition. "Are you ok to drive?"
Ruby flicked her green streaked hair behind her shoulder, twisting the key with a scowl. "Yep, peachy keen."
Thank you for making it to the bottom! I really hope you guys enjoyed and do let me know your thoughts, please :D