Chapter 12
Killian had been gone for two days. There had been video chats and phone calls but at this point Emma was missing him terribly. Two days was short in the grand scheme of things but it was the longest that she'd been away from his since they got married. She missed him puttering around the kitchen, or sitting on his laptop in the living room studying for their marketing course. She missed a million different things about him that she had never expected to miss. It was crazy how in the middle of just living life she had grown so attached that she couldn't imagine her life without him. Officer Tinker had been pleasant enough but pretending to be friends with a stranger was not as easy as it had been with Killian. Eventually Officer Tinker had taken to just staying out of her way, although she never really felt as though she ever took her eyes off of her. Sitting in the living room watching yet another episode of Judge Judy she felt as though she was going to go crazy with boredom if Killian didn't get home soon. Finally her eyes drifted closed and her head fell back on the couch. It didn't feel like she had been dozing for very long when she felt a pair of lips brush across hers. Without opening her eyes she scowled. "That better be you back home Killian because if it's Officer Tinker we're going to have to have a bit of a conversation about appropriate behavior." Opening her eyes she saw his smiling face over hers before he leaned down to kiss her again. Sitting next to her after breaking the kiss he pulled her onto his lap. "What would be so inappropriate about Officer Tinker kissing you lass?"
"Well I am a married woman."
"Your husband was taught well. I know how to share." She smacked his shoulder before bringing her eyes to his.
"I think I'm going to stick with my husband." Her hand lifted, stroking his cheek. "I missed you. I had no idea how much I was going to miss you. I thought maybe I would feel abandoned but I didn't. I knew you'd come home. It was just waiting for you to come home that was hard."
"I was only gone two days love." She couldn't help but feel a bit of a stab of pain at that. Missing him was so strong that she felt she could hardly breathe while he was gone but apparently he didn't feel the same way.
"I see your mind working Emma. I missed you every bit as much as you missed me. I couldn't wait to get home to you. It's just that I was working as well. So there was something to make the time go a bit faster. You were sitting here, in our home. It's natural it would be different." A half smiled flashed across her face as she tilted her head to the side. Her forehead scrunched a bit as she took in his face.
"What is it love?"
"I've just never missed anyone like I missed you. Its strange. We've known each other for such a short amount of time and yet I feel a connection to you more than I've ever connected with anyone. You make me feel alive and happy, a feeling I'm not all that familiar with." Leaning his head forward he placed his forehead against hers.
"I know how you feel Emma. I've never felt like this before either. It's a different kind of feeling than I had with my mother and my brother." She kissed the tip of his nose before standing and walking to the fireplace. Lighting it, she turned back to him.
"Did you send Officer Tinker home?"
"Aye. I wanted some time alone with my lovely wife." A seductive grin crossed her face as she crossed the room, a predatory expression he'd never seen making her look particularly ravenous.
"I do believe that you have plans for me love."
"I do believe that you're correct." She approached him slowly before stopping, and straddling his waist. She leaned in, catching his lips with hers. The kiss deepened and their breath grew labored, each of them getting caught up in the moment. Her hand caressed his cheek while his curled in her hair. Pulling back he leaned his forehead against hers again.
"Killian..."
"I'm not stopping love. There's just no rush. I'm home. We have all night."
"More than all night. The rest of our lives."
"I have good stamina love but I don't know that I can go for an entire lifetime." She laughed before playfully smacking his shoulder. She punctuated her giggles with kisses until the laughter stopped and they were caught back up in the throes of desire. His hand reached for the bottom of her sweater and she when he struggled a bit because she was sitting on the back of it she reached down to help him remove it. His hand brushed over her arm, sending shills down her spine. "Your skin is so soft love. You're so beautiful."
"Less talking. More kissing Jones."
"Aye aye Captain." She laughed, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her body into his. As he had moments before she reached for the bottom of his shirt and he lifted his arms to remove it, leaving them skin to skin. He stopped suddenly, leaving her slightly breathless.
"Just one moment love." Moving her to the side he stood, taking the blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and laying it on the floor. He grabbed a couple of throw pillows before reaching out his hand for her, leading her to the makeshift bed. "Unless you'd rather go to your room love."
"Here is good but I think we should get all that stuff from the guest bedroom and put it in there. Since I'm not really all that interested in you spending any more nights away from me."
"There's an idea that I can get behind." She lay beside him on the floor, her head on his chest as they looked at the fire. The desire between them was still there but it was tempered. Patient. There was no need to rush. Her hand traced across his rib-cage, stopping at a scar across his abdomen. "Where did this one come from?"
"Liam and I were playing in the yard and I fell on one of my mothers gardening instruments. It didn't go in to deep but it required a few stitches." She leaned over, kissing the scar. He brushed her hair back away from her face as she turned her face back up to look at her.
"You know Killian despite the fact that the last couple months have been eventful, to say the least, this is the happiest I ever remember being." She bit the inside of her lip, knowing what she wanted to say but fighting back the fear that was bubbling beneath the surface. "I just wanted to let you know that I wouldn't have wanted your brother to die but I'm also really glad that we met. It's changed everything."
"For me as well love. I never knew my brother and for that I'll always be sad but I can't feel bad about getting to be your husband."
"I love you Killian. I know it's only been a few months but I do." He smiled, the biggest smile she'd ever seen him smile, before diving in and kissing her again. He pressed kiss after kiss to her lips and as he moved the kisses down her neck he stopped for just a moment looking back into her eyes.
"I love you too Emma. So much. I I was just waiting for you to say it."
"I wouldn't have minded if you said it first."
"I didn't assume you would love but I didn't want to risk rushing you. I feel that I fell for you fairly quickly."
"Like when?"
"We can talk about all that later lass. I think right now I've got a way to tell you I love you that doesn't require words." And he did. Over and over he showed her as he worshiped her body and whispered words of devotion.
The morning light filtered in through the window and Emma closed her eyes against it.
"Killian, we should have closed the blinds last night."
"Aye love. This light is a bit blinding isn't it?" Without a thought he leaned down, brushing his lips across hers.
"Seems this spot on the floor is becoming a bit of our place in the house."
"I like this spot. This one and the deck. Although honestly I love everywhere here." He shifted a bit, pushing his body up so that his back leaned against the couch.
"I guess that's as good a segway as anything else."
"What do you mean?" She moved so that she was sitting next to him, her body turned toward him as she held up the sheet to her chest. Her cheeks were rosy and her hair was a mess making it nearly impossible for Killian to keep his focus.
"Don't you want to know what happened while I was in Storybrooke?"
"Of course."
"Gold confessed. Accidentally but he confessed."
"Are you serious? How did that happen?"
"I was talking to him about Bobby and he asked me if I was saying that he killed his son? Every interaction in there is recorded Emma. It's on tape. It's on tape that he killed him. And there's more than that. Regina, his lawyer, switched sides. You remember initially she was working the case in his defense but he must have said or done something that gave her pause because she's working as part of the prosecution now."
"How is that possible? Wouldn't that be a conflict of interest?"
"Honestly love I'm not sure. I just know that she's going up against him now. More than that her switching sides likely means that the money has dried up."
"So the mob that he works for?"
"Just my guess but I'm assuming they've turned on him. He may have done their dirty work over the years but he's never been high up in the organization. Just as easy as killing you to get him off would be to allow him to go to prison where he will likely end up being killed as well. There's always someone else willing to do their dirty work. Very possibly someone who's not as much trouble to keep under control." She smiled, feeling like some of the weight of the past few months was coming off of her shoulders. She loved her life here but she hated feeling like she was looking over her shoulder.
"I should be hearing from Dave in the next day. They're getting the video of his confession in front of a judge and they finally found Belle French. She's agreed to testify that he had been stalking her in the months leading up to Bobby's death. The case is coming together and the amazing thing is that it doesn't appear that they're going to require your testimony."
"Really? That's amazing. I was willing to do it but I don't want to lie and say that I was comfortable with the whole thing."
"The truly amazing part is still coming. If he's convicted we're going to be released from witness protection. Which means that you have a few choices to make."
"I have choices?" It's been a while since I could say that. So what are these choices."
"Stay Colin and Jen Henry or return to being Emma Swan? Stay in witness protection or go back to Storybrooke?"
"What do you want?" He pulled his knees up towards his body, staring out towards the deck. The kitchen was in the way but he could sense the water. He knew what he wanted but he knew that he didn't want to make the decision. When they got married it was all his choice. She was just riding the wave of what she had seen. Now he wanted her to make the decisions regarding their relationship. Whatever that would be.
"It's up to you love. I will do whatever you want."
"You're doing that thing that I love and hate."
"What's that?"
"Letting me take the lead, all the time. Make the choices with me Killian."
"You already know what I want."
"I don't."
"We just said we love each other last night. How could that not make clear what I want?"
"People who love each other have divorced before. This was an arranged marriage. Divorcing and then dating is not such a crazy idea." He nodded, feeling like the air had just been punched out of his lungs. He had never considered divorce. He wanted to be her husband, more than anything else. He had thought of where they would live, what they would do. But he never considered not being together and married. Whatever their reasons for saying them he had meant his vows.
"I'm not saying that's what I want Killian." Her hand reached out, turning his face to look at her. Tenderness filled her eyes as she saw the devastation laying just below the surface of his. The thought of not being with her destroyed him. She could see it.
"How did I fall so hopelessly in love with you in such a short amount of time? I mean it's not the knight in shining armor thing. That's kind of annoying honestly. But I am just so crazy in love with you." A smile as bright as the sun placed itself on his face. I love you had been more than he could imagine but her saying that she was crazy in love with him was more than he had ever dared hope for.
"So Emma do you want to stay married to me?"
"More than I want my next breath." A breath that she barely had a chance to take before his lips crashed down on hers and he was pulling her back to the floor.
"You know we have a bed. Multiple beds."
"Are you saying that you want to retire to somewhere more comfortable?"
"I think that sounds like a grand plan sir." He chuckled as they each grabbed their blankets, racing each other to the bedroom.
Two days passed uneventfully, if you ignored the way that Killian and Emma were completely blissed out. They didn't leave the house much before but since they had acknowledged that they loved each other they went out even less frequently. Activities inside were far more enjoyable. Had the phone not rung on day two the honeymoon, for lack of a better term, would have continued. "Killian?"
"Mate. How are you? How's the case going?"
"Emma doesn't need to testify. We were able to get his admission in the jail cell admitted and with Belle French's testimony his lawyer gave up. They're pleading guilty hoping that they can cut some kind of deal."
"Are they going to be able to tie it to my mothers murder?"
"Unfortunately no. There was no physical evidence and while there was an abundance of evidence it was primarily circumstantial. There's not enough to re-open it."
"I guess it doesn't really matter. He's going to be in prison. Doesn't really make a difference what murder put him there."
"I thought you'd see it that way. So do you know what this means?"
"We don't need to be in witness protection anymore."
"Exactly. You can come home, get back on the force. Get your life back." Killian nodded even though he was aware that Dave as not able to see it.
"Aye, we'll see mate. Things are different now than they were when I came here."
"Right. Well I hope that you'll come back. You're family. Oh Mary Margaret is bringing someone in. You know how rare that is here. I should probably go check it out. Talk to you later Killian."
"Later mate." Hanging up the phone he ran his hand through his hair. Absently he thought it was about time for him to get a haircut. Moving to the couch he sat, thinking over his conversation with Dave. The conversation from the other night came to his mind and he tried not to worry about the fact that they hadn't discussed it again. They had come to a consensus about their marriage but they hadn't made any decisions about what came next for them. Standing he made his way to his and Emma's bedroom. They had moved the few things he kept in the guest bedroom in there the day before and he couldn't begin to explain how much better it made him feel. Leaning against the door-frame he gazed at his sleeping wife. She must have gotten up at some point because she was not wearing his over-sized t-shirt and a sheet. Her long blonde hair spread around her on the his pillow with the sun shining in on her. If he could paint it he would hang it on the wall so he would never forget the beautiful simplicity of the moment. They had left Storybrooke for a reason. That reason was gone now but still he felt torn. His eyes moved to the window and his feet followed, finding him on the balcony facing the bedroom. He wasn't sure how long he stood there just staring out at the water before he heard her stirring behind him. Turning he saw her approaching, a sleepy expression on her face. "Morning love."
"It's after noon Killian."
"But you're just rising. Did you sleep well?"
"I did but the bed got a little lonely shortly after the crack of dawn as my husband decided to vacate it."
"Sorry lass. I woke and didn't want to wake you as well. But I did get an interesting phone call." Moving she tucked herself into his side, taking her place at the balcony.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Dave called. Gold is pleading guilty. No trial. No need for witness protection."
"You're kidding. He's pleading guilty? How did that happen?"
"With the jail cell confession and Belle French agreeing to testify they decided to cut their losses on a plea deal. As horrible as it sounds I doubt he'll last very long in there. His boss has a lot of enemies. Truthfully I wouldn't be that surprised if one of his employers doesn't pay off a guard to make sure it happens."
"How would you feel about that? I mean he's your father after all." He looked out at the water before turning back to her, a smile on his face. His hair fell into his eyes and her breath hitched just a little bit at how young he looked. It was like a time machine to what he must have looked like when he was younger. "He's not."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean my mom had an affair. Some guy down at the docks. That's why he made her get rid of me. He's a man who collects people and I wasn't his so he didn't want me around. He told her that he would take Bobby and leave if she didn't give me up. She knew he had the resources so she put me up for adoption and started putting things in order for if the worst ever happened. Which it did." It felt strange to say that she was happy. That she was elated. But she was. It never bothered her who his father was but she had been able to see that it had bothered him. He hadn't liked the notion that Robert Gold was a part of him somehow and now he wasn't.
"It may seem weird to say this but I am so happy for you Killian."
"Not weird at all love. I feel the exact same. I'm so glad that he's not my father. As to your original question though him dying wouldn't bother me but that does bother me."
"How's that?"
"I don't want to be like him. Human life is important. All human life. Even his. I shouldn't be okay with him dying. His death should be bother me and the fact that it doesn't bothers me." She smiled, pulling him closer and wrapping her arms around his neck. Instinctively his arms came around her waist and her lips sought his. The kiss deepened until she pulled back, breathing ragged. "Honestly every time I think I can't love you any more you prove me wrong."
"What about me saying that I'm okay with him dying makes you love me more?"
"I love you more because you care so much. You may not care about him but you care about not being like him. You care about preserving the best parts of yourself, even if it means Robert Gold stays alive. And I have to tell you Killian you don't have to be okay with him. He dismantled your life over and over without ever meeting you. You don't have to be okay with the damage he inflicted in order to be a good person. The fact that you want to though...," tilting her head to the side she led him back to the bedroom and to the bed. No further words were spoken but she showed him how much she admired him.