Torched

Hello All! here is a little silly installment of the story. There are only 3 more chapters to go after this, so I hope you enjoy it. One a happy side note, my other half (henceforth known as Mr Miran) has completed a Half marathon today :) So this chapter is dedicated to him and his adorable silliness and relentless perseverance and dedication.

"Lass, what magic is this?"

Emma rolled her eyes. The evening was going well to begin with, herself, Killian, Mary Margaret, David and Hook having dinner downstairs. They were just finishing dessert when the power decided to fail on them, making it impossible to do anything that they usually did, like watching television. It was early summer, and the days were getting longer, but not so long as within half an hour they were plunged into darkness. So the household proceeded to take out candles and torches and place them around the house. Emma had handed Killian a torch, and now he was fascinated by it.

"Not magic. This is electric, like the lights and the stove."

The pirate scrunched his eyebrows together.

"I thought that electricity came out of those socket things in the walls. Or was produced by those large roaring things… engines, right?... Like the ones in cars?"

She smiled. It was endearing how much he had learnt in the last few months, and how well adjusted he had become over time. It was so hard to remember that sometime he was new here, and everything was full of wonder, and thus had to be magic.

The fumbled with her own torch and proceeded to explain the basics of batteries. She then had to explain to him that not EVERYTHING could function on both, and no, he could not carry around a portable kettle to make tea in with batteries, since those would not work (she elected to not tell him about the travel range, since Storybrooke didn't actually carry it.

They spent the rest of the evening playing card games by torch light, provided by Killian, who was enamored with his latest toy. Emma dreaded him ever coming across a laser pen. She had a strange feeling that he would attempt to replicate the behavior of a kitten, should he encounter one.


In the morning, she was awoken by peals of laughter from her son and what sounded like a choked cry from Killian. Coming to the bathroom door, she saw the pirate looking upset in front of the mirror. It only took her a few moments to understand why.

The pirates normally attractive face was covered in massive welts. His eyes were swollen almost shut, his nose was massively enlarged on the side, his cheeks were covered in swellings and there was a particularly painful one in the middle of his forehead.

"You fell asleep with the torch in your hands, didn't you?"

The man somehow managed to look simultaneously disgruntled, sheepish and 'Who? Me?', before sighing and nodding. "Manathed to geth bitthen within incth of my lithe."

Emma giggled and, seemingly ignoring him, leaned over to open the bathroom cabinet. Killian's eyes flashed hurt until she turned back to him, a tube of something in her hand. She pointed at the side of the bath. "Sit."

He obediently sat on the edge and turned his face up, while Emma opened the tube and proceeded to dab the cream all over him, not flinching despite the stinging pain.

When she finished applying the remedy, she recapped the tube, but stayed where she was, leaning over him, face only a few inches above his. When she spoke, her voice was gentle, unlike the mocking tone she had before. "You ok?" He nodded just a little, not breaking eye contact.

He was surprised when she leaned the rest of the way down and kissed the top of his head. "Just remember, turn off the torch when you go to sleep. You are not Henry's age. And you really should stop playing with tech - I'd really like to keep you alive, pirate."

And with a wink, she turned and walked away, leaving Killian confused and sitting on the tub.

AN: As always reviews keep me happy. Thank you for the feedback ^_^