AN: Two chapters in one day? I wasn't intending to post again, but that episode gave me a lot of CS feelings about them comforting each other and the whole sleeping curse fiasco, sooo...this happened. Enjoy!
She doesn't know exactly how she got there. The last hour had been a blur of tears and attempts at chasing down the now-freed Author, and by the time Killian insists that they'll have to wait until morning to continue their search, Emma's too exhausted to argue.
She's so exhausted that they're back on Main Street before Emma realizes she has nowhere to go. She stops suddenly on the sidewalk, the motion causing her hand to be wrenched from Killian's. He turns back to look at her, confusion added to the concern that had been on his face for the majority of the day.
"Swan?"
Emma blinks, standing straighter to keep herself from caving in. "I'm not going back to my parent's house."
It doesn't escape Killian's notice that she avoids using the word home, and he steps towards her, touching his hand to her arm. Emma relaxes under the contact, but it's not enough to ease the hurt resting in her eyes. Killian takes her in, this woman he loves, with red rimmed eyes and betrayal weighing on her shoulders. He makes a decision.
"Then you'll stay on the Jolly tonight."
Emma doesn't let the surprise she feels show on her face. She shakes her head slightly. "I was just going to rent a room at Granny's." But even as she says it, Emma knows it's a moot point. She doesn't want to be alone anymore than Killian wants her to be alone, and she's far too tired and upset to debate the matter.
"Come, love," he murmurs, seeing how weighed down she is. "Let's get you to bed."
Emma doesn't argue further, allowing Killian to lace their fingers together as they head back in the direction of the docks. She's so dead on her feet that Killian offers to carry her, and the quip manages to wheedle a smile out of her. Satisfied, feeling his heart lighten the smallest fraction, he squeezes Emma's hand.
Killian helps her onto the ship, quickly leading her down to the Captain's quarters. ("Eager, aren't we?" Emma manages to tease, but he's too bloody worried about her to be thinking much of that). He sees Emma take in the room, surely recalling the last time she stood down there, and the barest of smiles graces her lips. She cuts a look to Killian, something close to nervousness flashing in her eyes, and he doesn't have time to question it before Emma's shedding her coat and boots.
He glances away, the innocent gesture feeling suddenly intimate in the dark of his cabin. Killian forces himself to sit on the bed, following Emma's lead until they're both in their jeans and shirts. He's grateful for the cold night, making it unnecessary for them to undress further. (Killian's certain he wouldn't be able to properly focus on Emma's emotional state were it a summer's evening instead).
Emma lays down first, getting under the covers and turning her back to him. Killian feels a bit of a pang at that as he gets beneath the covers himself, staring at the ceiling. There's less than a foot of distance between them, but it feels like oceans worth of space to Killian. He wishes to reach out to her, offer some form of comfort, but he sees the hard edge of Emma's shoulders and thinks better of it. The two of them lay in silence, and Killian feels his eyes close as he drifts off.
(Despite being under a sleeping curse all day, he's exhausted).
He's nearly asleep when he feels Emma shift on the mattress, her hand pressed against his chest. Killian opens his eyes, glancing down at her, and sees that-of all things-she's apologetic; offering him a sad, almost sheepish smile. He shakes his head reassuringly, puts both arms around her, and Emma implodes, trembling with the weight of her sobs. She doesn't say a word (she couldn't if she wanted to), and Killian doesn't ask (he doesn't need to). He merely kisses the crown of her head, the tangle of her hair, the tear-streaked skin of her cheek. He feels Emma's tremors subside after a while, turning into steady, rhythmic breaths.
When he's sure she's asleep, Killian lets his eyes close, too, the salt of her tears on his lips.