He lay still in the darkness, waiting for some kind of sign. But nothing came. The room stayed exactly as it was, quiet and dark.
Killian closed his eyes and sighed. She would come around. She had to. And if tonight had shown him anything, it was that there was still a tiny bit of the old Swan in there somewhere.
He had no doubt that is was a very small piece of her now, this old Swan. But no matter how small, he was going to make it grow.
The next morning, Killian awoke to the sound of rain pounding the deck of the Jolly. He lay in bed, just listening for a while, before deciding that it sounded like more than a summer storm.
He dressed and forced himself to exit the warm room, being met immediately with high winds and icy rain.
David's truck was parked at the end of the dock. The prince gestured for him to come over through the glass.
After making a mad dash to the rusted vehicle, Killian climbed inside.
David handed him a to-go cup from Granny's. "Morning. Have you looked at the weather?"
"No." He answered, taking a sip. "I've told you and your wife a hundred times I don't know how to work that damned thing."
The damned thing in question being his cell phone. Theyd first pushed the phone onto him when Zelena was trying to bring down Regina, and after a few weeks he learned how to make calls. Then they tried to teach him about something called "apps" and he'd decided that that was enough for him.
"Anyway," he continued, "I can look outside and see the weather."
The blond man sighed. "The weather app on your phone predicts the weather for the next few days. In this case, there is a hurricane moving it's way up the easy coast. It's supposed to get much worse. Snow sent me down here to warn you because she accurately predicted that you wouldn't use your phone."
"And here I thought you were the one that cared, mate." The pirate flashed the prince a grin and he chuckled.
"Do you want to ride the storm out in the loft with us? It will be dryer and probably safer."
Killian shook his head. "Thanks, but no. A captain stays with his ship during bad weather. It's good form."
"Alright. Well, mind helping me secure a few things around town before it gets bad? I'd ask Leroy but I think he's still mad about the "police business" thing."
Before giving Killian a chance to agree, David shifted the truck and it lurched forward.
"Guess that's a yes then."
Killian returned home, soaked and exhausted. He and David had spent the entire day doing "mandatory maintenance" until the high winds sent them home. He'd gotten a free lunch out of it, but the day left him grouchy.
On top of that, as he walked over to his ship, he could see just how bad the storm was going to be. He hadn't had a chance to secure anything before he left, and now it seemed to be too late. The wind was whipping at the sails, which had unrolled sometime during the day. The rain had starting coming down much harder, and the deck was full of at least 3 inches of water.
He hurried up the ramp and headed straight for the sails. He had to get them rolled or he could risk them being torn to pieces. After what seemed like hours of pulling on the ropes, he heard a voice behind him.
"What the hell are you doing?" Emma yelled.
He looked up at her, noting that the sky had changed from a soft gray to something much more sinister. Lightning crossed the slate colored clouds and the wind howled in his ears.
"I've got to get these up!" He bellowed, continuing his work. A wave smacked into the side of the Jolly, forcing the ship to tilt to the left.
A heavy crate slid across the deck, slamming into his left leg. It gave way, the pirate collapsing next to the crate.
"Okay, enough!" She said, throwing up a hand. A white light erupted from her palm, then surrounded the ship. When it cleared, a shimmering bubble remained around the Jolly. The storm raged on, but the water around them remained still.
She yanked him up, wrapping her arm around his waist. "Come on." She led him to the cabin, dodging mangled crates and splinters jutting from the deck on the way. He limped along with her, the wound leaving a trail of blood behind them.
Once they were inside the cabin, she deposited him in a chair and knelt down in front of him. His jeans had a large tear down the side, and his mangled skin was covered with blood.
She yanked the leg of his jeans apart, baring the wound. He hissed in a breath as she prodded the tender skin around the gash.
Emma trailed her fingers across the gash, leaving behind clear skin. It still stung, but it was nothing like it had been.
"Thank you, Swan." He managed.
She nodded and stood. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing?"
He frowned. "I told you. The sails had popped open and I needed to secure them."
"In the middle of a damned hurricane?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"Aye, your father kept me out all day taking care of the whole town."
She visibly stiffened at the mention of David. "You'll refrain from speaking about those people in front of me."
"Fine, Swan. Look, I appreciate you saving my ship. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart. However, I'm still sticking to my guns." He stood, wincing when he put weight on the previously injured leg. "I'm going to get ready for bed, so if that will offend you, I suggest you leave."
She sat in the chair, examining her nail beds.
Shrugging, he pulled off his jacket and shirt, followed by his boots, socks, and jeans. Clad only in his boxers, he moved to the bed and slid under the covers. He stacked his hands under his head and leaned back.
"Why did you do it, Swan?" He asked.
"Do what?" She flipped over her hand, examining the nails from a different angle.
"Help me."
She glanced over at him. "I don't know." She stood. "I—I have to go. Goodbye, Killian." There was no malice in her voice, only confusion. She disappeared from the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
After a moment, he pulled out his phone. He tapped a button and held it to his ear.
"David?" He asked, when the other person answered. "Town meeting tomorrow morning. I have something to tell you all. I only hope it doesn't cause a riot. Thanks." He ended the call and smiled.
She actually cared. Emma was still there.
A/N: Read and review, Darlings? I'll upload a new chapter tomorrow in exchange!