I made a small trailer for this fanfic, if you want to see it just check my youtube channel (mentioned on my profile) or follow this link: watch?v=FbjWiehURwc
Warning: it can have a few spoilers for the next chapters, I hope you like (:
The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, its tides and its depths; it has its pearls too ― Vincent Van Gogh
The sky was full of stars and Killian could feel a light breeze sweeping through the open window of what would be considered the "captain's quarters" if this boat was actually a ship named Jolly Roger. He constantly had to wonder how all of this happened. After being lost for three hundred years, here he was, preparing for the big talk with David.
During the trip the men shared some stories about their adventures in the Enchanted Forest and in Neverland. While Killian told them about his time in Neverland he remembered that some of the stories that he had shared with David and Robin were the same that he used to tell Henry as bedtime stories.
He really liked the way Henry listened to him, forcing his big curious eyes to stay opened, trying to fight the sleep. Even after Henry falls asleep, Killian always finishes the story hoping that maybe, somehow, Henry still listens to his voice in his dreams.
One day, after he pulled the sheet up to cover Henry's body and made his way towards the bedroom door he listened Henry's voice:
"Killian?" – he softly asked opening his eyes.
Killian turned his body and approached him, sitting again on the bed.
"What is it?" – he softly asked – "I thought you were already asleep dreaming about pirate ships"
"I was" – Henry said with a smile. He opened his mouth to say something more but then he closed it again.
"Hey …" – Killian said touching his arm – "Whatever it is, you can tell me. You know that, right?"
Henry nodded and Killian remained in silence waiting for him to continue.
"It's Robin and my mom – Regina – they are going to marry and I … I was just wondering if you and my mom …"
"Oh …" – Killian was taken aback by Henry's words. He was not expecting having this kind of conversation with him – "Would you like if your mother and I …" – he said feeling a little bit nervous about Henry's answer.
"Isn't that what people who love each other do? I mean, that's what happens in the books and movies, right? The couple gets married" – Henry tried to explain.
Killian stood in silence looking at the kid in front of him.
"Did you just give me your blessing to ask your mother to marry me?" – he asked, breaking the silence.
"What do you think?" – Henry said with a big smile on his face.
He never found difficult to speak with David, at least when the subject wasn't Emma. He knew that David and he were friends but he was also Emma's father and sometimes that could be a problem – like in that particular moment. If David was not Emma's father he could ask him for some advice and his opinion about the right words to use; the right way to impress the father of the girlfriend.
Why couldn't he be like Robin? He didn't have to go through all this stuff since Regina's father was dead. Even David didn't have to go through this; Snow's father had died before David even knew about her existence.
Why did Emma have to be the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming? Why couldn't she be Regina's sister or … Snow's sister?
Killian's heart was beating so fast inside his chest that he could almost hear it.
What happened to "I'm a pirate, remember"? – Emma's voice invaded his mind, making him smile.
"Here you are!" – Killian almost jumped when a voice interrupted his thoughts. He quickly hid the box inside the pocket of his coat and turned his body to the stairs.
"Bloody hell" – he said releasing the air that he didn't know was trapped in his lungs – "I thought you were David" – he said, facing Robin.
"Just me" – Robin said approaching his friend – "Are you alright? You seem nervous" – he said, trying not to laugh.
"Oh, you think?" – Killian ironically said.
"Well, you survived lunch and Regina's attempt to sabotage this whole plan" – Robin said, hitting him playfully on his arm.
"Thank you for that, by the way" – Killian said rolling his eyes.
"You know Regina. She can be very … intense" – Robin said – "I'm surprised she didn't find out sooner"
Killian started to pace around the room.
"I can't do this" – he mumbled.
"Yes, you can!" – Robin quickly said – "It's just David…" – Killian gave him a look, running his fingers through his hair – "What do you always say?"
"What?" – Killian asked confused –"I don't –"
"What do you always say" – Robin repeated, interrupting Killian –"A man not willing to fight for what he wants …"
"… deserves what he gets" – Killian completed.
"Now go" – Robin said, pushing him towards the stairs – "Good luck" – he murmured when Killian disappeared from his view.
David was at the helm of the boat looking at the sea when he heard Killian's footsteps.
"Look who is now the captain of the boat" – David said, teasing Killian but the pirate remained in silence. David raised his eyebrow. Odd – he thought – "You look like you need a drink" – he said, trying to break the awkward silence – "Actually, I could use a drink too"
Killian opened his mouth to agree with him. It would be easier to make David agree with him after a few drinks, but he quickly erased that thought. He wanted to do this in the right way and in the right way, David needed to be sober.
"No, no drinking" – he said, looking at David – "Though I'm sure we're going to need more than one drink after I tell you what I should have told you hours ago"
"Okaaaay, you realize that I didn't understand a thing that you just said, right?" – David said, raising her eyebrows.
"Sometimes you really sound like Emma" – Killian said smiling at the thought of Emma saying those exactly same words to him.
"Technically is Emma who sounds like me, since I'm her father" – David corrected him.
"Aye …" – Killian said starting to feel nervous again – "Speaking of being a father and all of that … I need to tell you something"
David remained in silence staring at Killian with a worried look.
"As you know … Emma and I are living together for quite some time –"
"One year" – David interrupted him with a serious voice.
"Right, one year" – Killian said, clearing his throat trying to hide his nervousness – "So, what I'm trying to say is that … I thought that maybe … Actually I have been thinking about this for quite some time and according to Henry this would eventually going to happen because that's what happens in the books and movies so –"
"Killian!" – David exclaimed, interrupting Killian again. He closed his eyes for a second before speaking again – "Is she … pregnant?"
Killian blinked his eyes in confusion.
"What?" – he said so low that he wasn't sure if David had heard him – "Who's pregnant?" – he asked confused.
"What do you mean, who? Emma!" – David exclaimed.
Killian almost lost his balance as he heard David's words.
"What … why would she ..." – he murmured – "Why would you think that?" – he managed to say.
"Isn't that what you were trying to say?" – David said, running his fingers through his hair.
"No …" – he said looking at a nervous David.
"So why did you start to talk about living together and this would eventually going to happen, because let's face it, I know that you two sleep in the same bed –"
"You really don't want to talk about that" – Killian quickly said.
David shook his head.
"Now I really need a drink" – he said, searching for the beer.
Can this become more embarrassing? – Killian thought.
"Can we celebrate now?" – Robin said appearing in front of them with a big smile on his face, holding three beers in his hands. He quickly realized his mistake when he looked at the surprised look on David's face.
Killian hid his face with his hand, preparing for the worse. David looked at Robbin and then at Killian.
"Can someone explain to me what's going on?" – David asked.
"I should probably go back to …"– Robin started to say before David interrupted him.
"No, you're not going anywhere until someone decides to explain to me what the hell is going on!" – he said, turning his attention to Killian.
The pirate took a deep breath and approached the prince.
"I planned this trip for a reason, mate … but somehow this end up going in the complete opposite direction and the truth is that what I wanted to say to you is actually very simple" – he started to explain – "I love your daughter" – Killian said like it was his deepest secret – "I know that before I met her I was not the most friendly person. I've made a lot of things that I'm not proud of, but if I had the chance to change all the choices that I've made in the past … I wouldn't do it because if I had chosen differently I wouldn't have met Emma and I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without her" – David stared at Killian waiting for the inevitable question – "I know that pirates aren't supposed to fall in love with princesses but I also know that Emma is the only woman that I could and I'll truly love and once we return to Storybrooke I would like to ask her to marry me. Do you give me your blessing to marry her?"
David remained in silence looking into Killian's eyes. From the moment his daughter opened her eyes he imagined how her future would be like; who would be the one to conquer her heart and he never thought that her little girl would share her life with a pirate. Pirates aren't supposed to fall in love with princesses … but what if in a certain page of a forgotten fairytale book is written that once upon a time a certain pirate and a certain princess fell in love?
He always thought that no men would be good enough for her daughter but maybe he was wrong because after seeing Emma and Killian together he couldn't deny that Killian would in fact go till the end of the world (or time) for her.
David opened his mouth to speak but suddenly the night became darker and the sky full of stars disappeared. The sound of a thunder broke the silence and suddenly the calm sea was replaced by rough waves and high wind.
David grabbed the helm of the boat trying to balance himself as Killian was pushed against the left side of the boat; Robin clutched at the mast. For a few seconds David actually thought that they were in Neverland again. The storm was getting worse and when Killian tried to stand up the boom of the boat hit him in the head and he unconsciously fell overboard. Robin and David immediately heard the sound of splash and panic filled their heads.
"Killian!" – David yelled as he ran to the place where the pirate fell. Robin was right beside him, searching the water as well. They could feel the boat shaking because of the rough waves.
"Can you see him?" – Robin asked without taking his eyes from the sea.
"No" – David said as the memory of when Emma jumped overboard in Neverland invaded his mind. He couldn't help but think that this storm was very similar to the one in Neverland. The only difference was that this time there was no mermaid on the boat but despite that it looked like the storm was caused by magic and not by nature – "I'm going to jump" – he finally said starting to climb the gunwale of the boat.
"You're going to do what?" – Robin asked in shock.
"It's the only way! He will drown if we don't find him in time" – David said, rubbing the rainwater from his brow.
"If you jump you will drown too" – Robin tried to explain – "There has to be another way"
"There is no other way!" – David exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air.
"Then I'll jump too" – Robin said, approaching to David, starting to climb the gunwale.
"No" – David said trying to stop him – "Someone needs to be in charge of the boat"
"What boat?" – Robin said gesturing to the destroyed mast and to the ripped sail – "Do you really think that this thing will survive to this storm? Our only hope are the lifebuoys"
David nodded and helped Robin search for the buoys. They threw them to the sea. Both men looked at the sea and then they jumped.
The first thing that David felt after he jumped from the boat was the cold water and the rough waves hitting his body. When he returned to the surface he immediately tried to locate Robin.
"Robin? Robin?" – he yelled, looking around, trying to see his friend.
"I'm here!" – Robin said, putting a hand in the air as the other clutched the lifebuoy.
"I'm going to dive in trying to find him. Hold the buoys until I return. If I don't find him, you try and I hold the buoys" – David said.
Robin nodded and David disappeared under water. He started to search for Killian but with the turbid water and the lack of light it was difficult for him to find his best friend.
He returned to the surface to breathe again.
"Did you find him?" – Robin immediately asked.
"No, I could barely see anything" – David said, trying to keep his head out of water.
"Let me try" – Robin said trying to swim till where David was. He filled his lungs with air and dive into the water.
He tried to see any sight of Killian: his hair, his clothes, his hook … but all he could see was water surrounding him. He felt the need to breathe and started to swim to the surface, but when he had almost reached the surface he saw what it seemed like a dark coat.
"I think I found him" – he said after he took a quick breath.
Robin pointed at the place in the water where he had seen the coat. David followed the direction of Robin's finger and dive in.
Once under water he looked around and immediately saw Killian's body. His eyes were closed. David approached him and grabbed one of his arms. He started to swim till the surface where Robin was nervously waiting. Once he saw them, Robin grabbed Killian's other arm and swam to the buoy.
"Is he alive?" – he asked trying hard to breathe.
David leaned his head in the direction of Killian's head trying to detect if he was breathing or not.
"I don't know …" – David said not sure if the air he felt hitting his face was the wind or also Killian's breathing – "We need to reach land" – he said, shaking Killian, trying to get some reaction from the pirate.
C'mon Killian – he said to himself.
"There!" – Robin yelled, pointing to somewhere behind David. The prince turned his body and saw what seemed to be trees – "Do you think we can swim till there?" – Robin asked.
David looked at Killian's unconscious body before he answered:
"We have to" – he said.
When Emma woke up the first thing that she heard was the sound of the waves crashing down on the sand of the beach. Usually, the sound of the waves made her smile, but at that moment, that sound reminded her of Killian and his absence.
She got out from the bed and noticed that she was still wearing her red jacket and jeans, so she made her way to the bathroom and took a quick shower before heading to the sheriff station.
It was a typical Monday morning in Storybrooke. The sun was shining and there was no sign of a cloud in the sky.
Once in the station, Emma decided to do some paperwork. She was still the sheriff of Storybrooke but now she had two more deputies to deal with besides her father. Killian and Robin were now part of the team but unlike David and Emma who spent most of their time in the station or the in the main street, Killian was usually by the docks or the beach, making sure that nothing bad happened there; Robin liked to spend his days near the woods and the animal shelter.
Emma's work was interrupted by the sound of the door of the station opening.
"Aren't you supposed to be at the school?" – Emma asked.
"My class is only in a few hours" – Mary Margaret said, sitting in the chair next to Emma – "So I decided to pass by and see how my daughter is doing"
"I'm fine, just have a lot of work to do" – she said pointing to the papers over her desk.
"Here" – Mary Margaret said giving Emma a small cup – "I thought you might need it"
"Thanks" – Emma said with a big smile on her face – "I totally forgot to drink my cup of coffee this morning"
"I'm glad you did. Drinking coffee is not good for the baby" – Mary Margaret said. Emma almost spat out what she had in her mouth – "That's why I bought you a decaf" – her mother added.
"Oh…" – Emma said looking at the cup of decaf she was holding.
For a moment she almost thought that this was all a dream, a beautiful dream but at the same time … Her doubts invaded her mind, just like last night: What if he's not your true love? What if you are not his true love? She instinctively put a hand over her belly. Could she go through all of that again? Would she be able to raise a child alone? Would she be able to handle rejection all over again?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the touch of Mary Margaret's hand on her arm.
"Honey, if there's something bothering you …" – Mary Margaret gently said before she was interrupted.
"Has any of you talked to David, Killian or Robin since last night?" – Regina nervously said entering in the station with her phone in the air.
"No … Why?" – Mary Margaret asked turning her body to Regina.
"Because I've been trying to call Robin all morning and all that this machine has to say to me is: Sorry, but we are unable to complete your call as dialed. Please check the number and dial again, or call your operator to help you" – Regina said, starting to panic.
"Maybe they are in a place with no signal" – Mary Margaret said, trying to sound confident.
"You think?" – Regina said, sitting next to her.
"Don't worry, this kind of thing happen" – Mary Margaret said – "I'm sure it's normal not have signal in the middle of the ocean"
"You're probably right …" – Regina said trying to calm herself – "What about you sheriff, what do you think?" – she asked, turning her attention to a pale Emma –"Emma, are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah … I think I just need to go to the bathroom or …" – Emma said, getting up from the chair almost losing her balance.
"Honey!" – Mary Margaret cried holding one of Emma's arms.
"Maybe we should call Doctor Whale" – Regina said approaching Emma – "You're pale"
"No" – Emma quickly said –"I'm not sick … I'm just preg - tired"
"I know I don't have your super power but I'm pretty sure that you're not just tired" – Regina said, forcing Emma to sit again – "We should go to the hospital, Emma"
Emma took off her jacket and opened her mouth to reply, but when she was about to speak the sound of something hitting the ground caught the women attention. They both looked at the small stick lying on the floor.
"Is this a …" – Regina started to say as she leaned down to pick the stick from the ground. She looked at the pregnancy test and then at Emma – "You're pregnant!" – she stated.
Emma remained in silence.
"Oh my God! Why didn't you tell me?" – Regina enthusiastically said – "Please tell me I'm not the last one to know about this, Miss Swan"
"Nobody else knows" – Mary Margaret said – "I was the only one who knew"
"What? You didn't tell Killian?" – Regina asked looking at Emma – "Why the hell didn't you tell him?" – Regina insisted making Emma rise from the chair.
"Because I don't have a magic tattoo in my arm stating that I'm his soul mate or maybe because pixie dust didn't show me the way to find him!" – Emma blurted – "Maybe because I didn't save him from a sleeping curse with a true love kiss … maybe because I don't have any proof that he's my true love … that I am his true love!" – she said, trying to hide the tears from her eyes.
Both Regina and Mary Margaret looked at Emma with concerned.
"That's why you're acting so strange …" – Mary Margaret murmured – "Emma, you don't need to –"
"So that's what you're afraid of?" – Regina suddenly said, interrupting Mary Margaret – "Look at me, Emma Swan" – she said with a serious voice – "If you were not pregnant I would hit that stubborn head of yours with all my strength! Are you blind? You don't need any proof. Stop complicate things! Everyone in this town can see how much that pirate loves you and you're worried about him not being your true love? If you want any proof just look at the mirror" – she said, pointing at Emma's belly – "Do you want more proof than that?"
"I just …" – Emma said with a trembling voice
"You just nothing" – Regina interrupted her this time with a gentle voice – "Don't put your walls up again, Emma. He doesn't deserve that".
"I know …" – Emma softly said.
"Can I ask you something?" – Regina asked her. Emma looked at her, waiting for the question – "Just for the record, I'm asking you this not because I don't know the answer - which I already know - but because you need to hear your own answer; you need to hear yourself saying those words" – Regina said looking at Emma's eyes – "Do you love Killian?"
"Of course I do" – Emma immediately said.
"Of course you do what?" – Regina insisted.
"Of course I love him" – Emma said, hearing her own voice suddenly realizing why Regina asked her that question – "I love Killian" – she said smiling for the first time since Killian went to the trip.
She loved him. Perhaps she always had. Perhaps she had loved him since the first time she saw him … and even with her tendency to complicate things and all her doubts there was one thing she was certain of: she would always love him; always and forever.
"Are you feeling better now?" – Regina asked, smiling at her.
"Yes"– she said letting herself fall on the chair – "Yes, I am"
"But …" – her mother asked, already guessing that there was a "but" coming from her daughter.
"But I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen and …" – Emma started to say, her voice breaking – "… and that I'm going to lose him"
"You're not going to lose him, honey" – Mary Margaret said, squeezing her hand.
"I just don't want to feel like I'm lost again …" – Emma softly said.
"If you get lost, he'll find you" – Regina gently said making Emma smile again – "Just ask your mother"
"You know our family saying, honey" – Mary Margaret said – "If you love them and they love you, they will always find you"
After carrying Killian for what seemed like an eternity and swimming in a sea full of waves, Robin and David finally felt the soft sand under their feet. They laid down Killian in the sand and immediately searched for his heartbeat.
"Open your eyes, Killian!" – David shook him – "You have to open your eyes!"
He started to hit Killian's chest not accepting that his friend was gone. The image of Emma invaded his mind. How would he tell her that Killian died? She would not be able to move on.
Suddenly, Robin's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"David, stop!" – he said – "He's opening his eyes! He's alive!"
David looked at Killian who was now coughing and spitting water. The look on David's face after realizing that his friend was alive was the same he gave Emma after he saved her from drowning in Neverland.
Robin grabbed Killian's shoulders, helping him to sit.
"What happened?" – Killian said at the same time he tried to breathe.
"You scared the hell of us!" – David said, sitting next to him.
"You didn't answer my question, mate" – he said after coughing.
"You fell overboard after you hit your head" – David said remembering the moment he saw Killian disappearing in the sea – "We had to leave the boat behind"
"No … I'm not talking about that … I'm talking about the question" – Killian said, emphasizing the word question.
"Are you serious? We thought you were dead!" – David exclaimed – "You almost died Killian!"
"I was not going to die before knowing your answer" – Killian said smiling.
"Unbelievable" – Robin murmured, rolling his eyes.
"I need to know, David" – Killian said with a serious voice – "Do I have your blessing to marry Emma?"
David stood up and extended his hand to Killian.
"Why do you think I saved your life?" – he said, holding his hand, helping him getting up.
I hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for reading and please review. I really appreciate all your kind words (: