Chapter 6

Emma watches all her students eagerly file out of the classroom and head to lunch, and she releases a long sigh, her head falling on her desk. Her mind really hasn't been able to focus on anything but the kiss. She knows she shouldn't worry about it, but she can't help it. Emma shakes she head to temporarily clear those thoughts from her brain and stands up. Only three more classes and then I can go home and sleep, she tells herself as she lets out another long sigh and begins wiping down her whiteboard.

"Tired?"

Emma quickly turns around to find Killian in his signature pose: smirking at her and leaning against the doorframe of her classroom.

"What... What are you doing here?" she stammers, although she has a feeling that she knows why he's paying her a visit.

"Bringing you lunch," he simply replies, holding up a brown paper bag and plopping it down on her desk while sitting on the edge. "I also wanted to check in on you. I haven't heard from you in awhile and I was hoping I didn't scare you off."

Emma cringes. She feels bad for giving him the silent treatment for four days, but she's been really confused and her thoughts have been a mess. "Sorry about that. I've had a lot on my mind recently."

"Well, if you want to talk about it, love, I'm here for you." He gives her a small smile before turning his attention to the brown bag on her desk. "In the mean time, I brought food and I can't eat it all by myself," he says, pulling out what looks like a sandwich wrapped in deli paper and handing it to her.

Emma takes it with a grin and sits down in her comfy chair, unwrapping her lunch and watching Killian pull up a chair next to her. They eat in a comfortable silence, and Emma makes a mental note to ask him where he got the sandwich because it's quite possibly the best damn sandwich she's ever eaten. She sits at her desk, waiting for him to say something about the kiss or just ask her anything about what happened that day, but he doesn't. She's grateful that he respects her and doesn't push her on the subject, but she knows that she's going to have to tell him how she really feels sooner of later.

"I'm sorry," Emma says quietly, refusing to make eye contact with him and keeping her focus on the incredible BLT sandwich in front of her face.

"What?"

"That I've been avoiding you. After our... Well, you know. The kiss." She looks up at him; his gorgeous blue eyes are filled with understanding, making her forget what she was going to say next.

He lets out a sign before he brings his attention back to his food. "You have nothing to be sorry about, love."

"Yes. I do. I've been alone for so long, and-"

"You're not alone. You have Mary Margaret and Ruby and David."

"I know, but sometimes I just have that feeling when, even when I'm surrounded by my friends, I still feel alone. They're some of the greatest people I've ever met, don't get me wrong, but they just don't know and understand what I've been through. So when someone like you comes along, and you seem to understand me in different ways and what I've been through, it scares me. I don't want to be scared, but I can't help it. I don't want to be hurt again."

Killian puts down his sandwich and takes both her hands in his, his thumbs tenderly rubbing circles on the tops of her hands. "I know you're scared, love. And, quite frankly, I'm scared too. I haven't cared for anyone this way in a long time. But you came along and changed that. You make me happy, Emma. However, I don't want to force you into something that makes you uncomfortable. I will wait for the day when you feel the same way about me that I feel towards you. I've got all the time in the world."

Emma is speechless, feeling overwhelmed with several different emotions that make her head spin. She looks at him, and she realizes she's falling. Not yet love, but close. She entwines her fingers with his, leans in, and presses a gentle kiss on his lips. When she pulls away, Emma rests her forehead against his, keeping her eyes closed for a second longer before meeting his gaze, and whispers, "That day is today."

The smile that breaks out on his face makes her want to melt into a puddle of happiness.

.

There's around five minutes before her lunch break is over, so Emma walks with Killian to the front entrance of the school, not caring if anyone sees their hands clasped together.

"I forgot to ask earlier, how'd you manage to get in?" Emma asks, stopping them right in front of the door.

"I walked in and the secretary in the office stopped me, asking who I was and what I was doing here and all the nonsense."

"And? What did you tell her?"

"Let's just say I swayed her with my good looks and charms," Killian replies with smirk.

She rolls her eyes. "You're an idiot."

He laughs and begins to walk out the door, turning back before reaching the sidewalk. "Well you're not wrong." He waves good-bye and heads down the street.

Emma watches him go, the memories of how much her friends had to say to convince her to go on her first date with him fill her head and she laughs. She then checks the time, realizing that she only has a minute before her next class, and sprints up a flight of stairs and down the hall back to her room.

.

Emma's packing up all her things in her "big enough to hold a child and more" purse (as David calls it), her smile from this afternoon lingering on her face, when she hears a knock at her door. "I'm almost ready to leave, Regina. Let me check if I posted the kids' homework assignment online."

"Regina's still in her room."

She stiffens, completely stopping what she's doing. The day was going perfectly fine, but now she highly doubts it'll end that way. "Can I help you, Walsh?"

"Actually, yes you can," he replies, beginning to walk around her classroom, studying the educational posters and student projects covering the walls. His presence immediately makes her uneasy, causing her to uncomfortably shift her stance and go back to packing up her things. He stops walking and she can feel him staring at her. "Miss Boyd enthusiastically shared with me that you had a visitor this afternoon."

Emma freezes, turning to him and narrowing her eyes. "Well, she's not lying to you."

"Who was he?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Emma, don't test me. You know how much I don't like I unscheduled visitors."

"It's none of your business. So if that's all you wanted to know," she walks over the door and opens it, "get the hell out my classroom."

Walsh gives her a devious smile and steps out, making his way toward his office, when he turns around. "You can't keep things from me forever, Emma. It's only a matter of time before I find-"

Emma doesn't even bother letting him finish; she slams the door shut and storms over to her desk, clenching her fists and jaw tightly to prevent herself from screaming and punching the wall. She shoves her laptop in her bag and glares at the vase on her desk, and in a moment of rage, she grabs it and throws it at the door.

Right after it hits the floor and shatters, Regina swings the door open, looking both worried and confused. "Jesus Christ, Emma! What the hell was that all about?"

Emma just plops down in her chair and begins to search for a small brush and dustpan. "Walsh paid me a visit," she grumbles.

"And?"

"I think he knows about Killian."

"What? How?"

"Killian surprised me with lunch today, so Walsh must've heard about it from his secretary."

"What does he know?"

The blonde shrugs as she sweeps up the broken glass. "I don't think he knows much. He probably doesn't know his name or what he does or where he lives. All he has is Ashley's description of what he looks like."

Regina lets out a sigh and leans against one of the students' desks. "Shit is about to get real."

Emma empties the dustpan and grabs her bag, following her friend out the door. "Hopefully it won't get real too soon," she says quietly and turns off the classroom lights and locks the door.

.

Emma unlocks the door to her apartment and drops her bag to the floor as soon as she walks in. She makes her way to the kitchen, fixing herself a cup of hot chocolate to ease her pain. (She would usually drink some wine or rum, but she has yet to pick up another bottle since she and Killian finished the last one.)

She curses herself; if only she has quit teaching at that school when Walsh dumped her, she wouldn't have to still see him at work every day and be on her best behavior for him so she would still get paid. But no. She had to make sure that people wouldn't think that their messy breakup would affect her teaching. So, for her pride, she stayed, and now she's pain the price. Again. More memories fill her head, making Emma feel guilty about Graham. He lost his job because of her. He isn't teaching with her and Regina anymore because she was in a relationship with him. He was humiliated in front of all his students because Walsh found out about their relationship and didn't want to see her with another man. The last thing she wants is for Walsh to screw over Killian.

Emma takes her mug to her living room, setting it on the coffee table while she searches for a movie to watch to take her mind off the pressing issue. She pops The Princess Bride in the DVD player and settles herself on the couch, wrapping herself in blankets and sipping her chocolaty goodness. It doesn't take long for her to finish her hot chocolate, and she's too lazy to get up and make another cup. She only gets to the part where Wesley has to leave Buttercup when there's a knock at the door, disrupting her solo movie night.

Emma grumbles, shuffles to the door, and swings it open to find the man who made her feel giddy this afternoon standing in front of her. Her jaw drops, trying to find her voice and failing for a couple minutes until she stammers, "what are you doing here?"

"Regina told Robin about what happened earlier, and Robin told me," Killian says, digging his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his feet slightly. "They both thought you'd like some company."

"I'm fine. I don't need comforting or company. So good night." She begins to close the door on him, because right now all she wants to do if forget about today, even though it wasn't entirely bad.

However, he sticks his strong arm out against the door, preventing her from shutting it in his face, and leans into her apartment so he's facing her. "Please, Emma. I just want to be there for you."

He's looking at her with his sea-blue eyes, and she can feel her anger with Walsh start to ease away. Emma sighs and steps aside, letting him into her apartment. Killian follows her to the kitchen, not saying a word. Just watching her. She knows she's flushing, so she clears her throat and brings her attention from the floor to his face. "So, um, would you like anything to drink?"

"I'm alright, love."

"Okay." She winces. God, why am I so awkward?

"What were you doing before I got here? I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"Oh," she turns to her living room, "I was just watching a movie. And you didn't interrupt. I've seen it probably fifteen times now."

"May I join you?"

Emma, despite herself, smiles a little. "Yea. Sure." She walks over to her living room and plops onto her couch. Killian sits next to her, placing both is arms on the back of the couch, and Emma has to suppress the urge to snuggle up next to him. She presses "play" on the remote and they watch together. "Have you ever seen The Princess Bride?"

He shakes his head. "Nope. This is my first time watching it."

Emma gasps dramatically, causing him to chuckle. "You're kidding."

"I'm afraid not, lass."

"Okay. No more talking and pay attention."

"Yes milady," Killian says, wincing when she elbows him in the ribs.

Emma finds herself completely fixed on him instead of the TV screen, noticing all the parts that make him laugh and smile, and she feels relieved that he actually seems to be enjoying the movie. Killian catches her staring and smirks, making her turn bright red, but she finds her focus shifting from the movie back to him again.

By the time they reach the part when Buttercup and Wesley are reunited, Emma's pressed up against Killian's body, her legs on top of his and her head resting on his shoulder. She feels completely relaxed with him around and she lets out a content sigh.

She feels his head turn to looks down at her. "You alright, love?"

"Yea," she replies and snuggles closer to his body, relishing in the heat radiating from him. "Killian," she whispers and looks up at him, her eyes meeting his.

"Yea?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Not giving up and leaving me alone."

He doesn't answer her, but the smile he gives her says everything she wants to know. Killian pulls her closer to him and presses a kiss on her temple, making Emma snuggle closer and release another happy sigh. As much as she wishes that every night could be like this, she knows that sooner or later, everything will change.