Emma and Hook + Vows
"There's not a day that will go by that I won't think of you."
The lines on his forehead deepen as he looks at her with careful eyes, fingers clenched tight at his waist. She can see the way he trembles, the way he physically holds himself back from her. She lets her gaze follow the tension in his jaw – how his lips part on a carefully concealed shaky breath.
She smiles and he folds, falling forward slightly.
"Good." She whispers, mirroring his vow with her own.
The softness in his smile makes her heart twist and it's the last thing she thinks about before the smoke claims them and he's nothing but a dream.
-/-
Her hands shake as she holds them out, clenching her eyes shut and focusing on the steady thrum of magic coursing through her body. The growls of the monkeys beyond the barrier are overwhelming, their teeth clacking together as they throw their heaving bodies into the glowing wall that separates her from them.
She feels each blow - pounding into her, sapping her strength.
"Swan, you need to go."
She ignores his lilting voice in her ear and pushes her hands out harder, the wall glowing a deeper red with the push of her magic.
"Emma-"
"No." She finally opens her eyes and looks over at him - cataloging the deep gash on his forehead, the bruise along his jaw. "I'm not leaving you."
Something shifts behind those big blue eyes of his and he steps forward, hand releasing his sword to reach for her.
"No." She says again and this time it's not a demand, but a plea. Her voice is soft and broken and her body trembles. "I won't."
He stares at her for a long moment, stepping forward carefully and letting his fingers trace along her cheek. The roaring around her drowns out until it's nothing but a light buzz and she sighs.
-/-
She hastily shoves things into a bag for Henry – an extra hoodie, a pair of socks. Hook watches her as he leans against the doorway to the room, arms and legs crossed in casual indifference.
"If you need anything, call me. Henry has my cell phone number and it should only be for a little bit, just until we get this thing settled with the witch. If he gets to be too much, you can just tell him to – "
"Lass, stop." His hand is gentle on her arm and she freezes, dropping the duffle to the floor. She scrubs her palms against her eyes until she sees spots.
She's tired, so tired.
He's staring at her with that same soft expression as before and she feels her body sway closer to his, her forehead falling against his collarbone. His palm smoothes against her spine and fingers lightly at the tension between her shoulders.
"I will keep your boy safe."
She lets her fingers anchor in the chain around his neck as she tilts her nose into his warm skin. His other arm wraps around her hips, pulling her in tight.
"I know."
-/-
His breath is warm against her neck as he hovers above her, sheets pooled low around both of their waists. His fingers dance lightly across her breast, thumbing lightly at her nipple before sliding over the smooth skin of her stomach. She arches into his touch and he grins into her skin.
"Hook." She whispers. Her fingers sift through his hair and he tilts his head up, blue eyes shining in the moonlight of his cabin.
Heat spikes between her thighs, warm and wet as his hand grasps at her leg, spreading her and hitching her up around his hip. He slides against her and she groans.
He hums lightly against her lips, brushing his nose against hers with a tender nudge. "I'll make you feel good, darling."
-/-
He wakes with a gasping breath, shoulders hunched as his body shoots up in bed. She reaches for him blindly but he twists out of her grip, fingers ripping the sheets back as his eyes scan her repeatedly. His hand follows, smoothing over her skin, pressing hard over her chest.
"I'm right here." She whispers and he falls back to the bed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her on top of him, his movements jerky and rough. She settles against him, legs falling to either side of his hips as he buries his face in her neck, scruff tickling at the hollow of her throat. "I'm not going anywhere."
She pulls the sheets back over them both and settles into his arms, sliding her hands down his biceps and lacing her fingers through his. He whimpers against her skin and she lets her lips linger against his forehead, the corner of his eye, the skin beneath his ear.
"I'm not going anywhere."
-/-
He's quiet as she tucks herself into his arms, taking the bottle of rum that hangs loosely from his fingers. He smiles down at her before looking back out at the sunset over the inlet, hand rubbing a gentle circuit against her arm as she drinks.
"Perhaps we should get married." He states quietly and a very long time ago, that statement would scare her – cause those walls of hers to come crashing down around her heart. But now she feels nothing but utter contentment, sitting here on the deck of his ship – safe in his arms. She squints her eyes in contemplation and takes another sip from the bottle before handing it back to him.
"Perhaps we should." She agrees. He chuckles lowly and cants his head in obvious surprise.
"What?" She grins.
He gives her favorite smile in return, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Always a surprise, Swan." He shakes his head slightly and adjusts her in his arms. "I believe we should exchange vows then, yes? That's how these things work?"
"What, now?"
"I am a captain, darling. Perfectly capable of marrying us myself. I don't fancy either of us as the big ceremony type, and I don't want to give you the opportunity to take back your affirmation." He gives her a pointed look with an arched brow and she snickers. Smart man.
"You just don't want to have to ask my father for permission."
He snorts. "Please, Dave would be over the moon to have me as a son."
Emma rolls her eyes in response, knowing her father would probably like to be much more with the pirate. But she bites back her retort and closes her eyes, tilting her head so her lips brush against his chin. He sighs happily and squeezes his arms a bit tighter around her.
Her fingers drift against his forearm. "I will love you." She whispers and its simple, but enough. The vows they've made to each other over the years stack up inside her and tumble out with the four simple words. His eyes tell her she's right and he kisses her lips softly.
"And I will love you." His voice is husky and deep and she blinks away the wave of emotion that rises within her. "For all of time."
She rolls her eyes at his insistence to one-up her and he snickers in her ear, nipping at it lightly. She barely jumps when his fingers slide his absolutely obnoxious and ostentatious ruby red ring on her finger.
"Are you kidding?" She wiggles her fingers in the fading sunlight, watching as the rays dance off the jewel. It's absurd. And massive.
And perfect.
His lips press into her hair. "Absolutely not, Mrs. Jones."