Emma was having a wonderful dream. The first one she had in years, ever since she stopped dreaming about her parents coming back and welcoming her into their family. Better than finding that she was kidnapped by some evil mastermind and left in the woods with her parents spending endless days searching for her. Or when she thought they could be secret royalty like the Romanovs and were in hiding, leaving her with some sort of clue to find them. Those dreams faded over the years, but this dream was one that she enjoyed. And ironically it started out with her drowning.
She was in the middle of a pitch-black sea, waves as tall as houses crashing down over top of her. She struggled in vain to kick against the current, trying to keep her head above the water, trying to keep inhaling precious air before another wave would come and drag her back down again. She felt as if she hadn't been at it for long when she was already starting to get tired. So tired in the black water that the next wave that hit dragged her down, down, down. The only thing that she remembered seeing before losing consciousness, was the flash of a red light.
But she must not have been fully unconscious. Because she remembered feeling someone grab hold of her. Someone yelling in her ear to fight, to stay with him. She didn't know who him was, but she wanted to try. She couldn't die. Not like this. Not even in a dream. But she was also so tired.
Funny how you can be tired even in a dream. She thought to herself at the moment. But someone was holding her close, someone was pulling her up for air. Then the next faint thing she could tell, was someone was tracing her face. Touching her in a manner that felt very intimate, and she found herself both loving it and appalled by it at the same time.
Her eyes flew open in the dream, and she was met with startled blue eyes. The same blue she always imagined as the ocean, in a face that twisted at something in her, but she couldn't focus on that. Her gaze flickered around taking account. She wasn't under the bridge she remembered stopping at. She wasn't in her sleeping bag or tarp. There was no land or familiar buildings around at all. It was all wood, and a few other men in odd clothing were walking around.
She looked back to the man in front of her, his eyes worried but his lips were moving. He was talking to her. Was he asking for her name? Was he asking where she lived? Were they going to send her away? She didn't know but she still tried to answer. It was after all only a dream, but the only thing that she managed to say was Swan.
Emma opened her eyes and found herself looking up at a wooden ceiling. She blinked again. Closed her eyes, counted to ten, and looked. The ceiling was still there. She had no memory of going in anywhere, even when she felt a storm starting to come. The last thing she even really remembered was pulling out her tarp and laying it over top her for any rain to roll off. But she still only remembered last being under a small walking bridge in Michigan.
She sat up and looked around to find herself in a small narrow room. It was sparse, with nothing other than the stiff cot she was laying atop of. She was pretty sure if she stood up, she could stretch her arms across the width of the room to touch both walls. But there was nothing about the room that looked familiar to her, or a place that she would typically find herself in.
Where am I? She thought to herself finally and was just pulling off the blanket when the door opened. She stiffened up, ready to run if needed when an older man walked in holding a dark bottle and spoon with something folded under his arm. He paused when he noticed her.
"It's good to finally see you awake miss. I was worried maybe you were ill or hit your head." He sighed; Emma took note of the accent in his voice.
"No." She answered coldly as response. "At least…I don't think so."
"Does your head hurt? Or do you feel nauseous at all from the sea water?"
"Sea water?" She asked. "We're in…Michigan. There's no ocean around." His face seemed to drop its friendly demeanor, and Emma could see him calculate the next thing to say.
"I think we're going to be in for an interesting conversation milady." He said it slowly as if to a slow child. "And I think the best thing to do is to make you comfortable."
Emma fidgeted uncomfortably at the statement, aware at just how men always seemed to suggest that to women. So, she pulled up the blanket to shield herself further when the man held up his hands in defense.
"Forgive me, I handled that a bit indelicately. What I meant was we were unsuited for changing your clothes while you were unconscious. They must be frozen to your skin." Emma felt a shiver run through her body, he was right, her clothes were somehow soaked. Maybe she did get wet from all the rain. "I found some clothes that would probably fit you decently, I just hope you don't mind they're men clothing."
"No." She responded. "I don't."
"Very good then. I'll leave you to get changed and then we can try to find some answers."
She just eyed him skeptically, as he pulled a small set of folded clothes from under his arm setting them on the end of the cot.
"Who are you?" She looked at the clothes, waiting for his response. She was going to wait to see if he would at least tell her the truth. She trusted her ability to know when anyone was lying to her above all else.
"My name is Gabriel Matthews, I'm the surgeon. But everyone just calls me Matthews."
Truth.
"So, you're a doctor."
"Yes milady." He smiled as if he wanted to laugh. "I am. Now. I'm going to wait outside while you change. Take your time."
He turned on his heel and closed the door soundly behind him. Emma waited to make sure he didn't open the door again and lifted the first item of clothing.
Something wasn't right here, and she suspected that Matthews knew something she didn't. He seemed kind natured enough, but a sickening feeling was dragging into her stomach. She looked down to the folded stack of clothing and pilfered through the stack. The first item was a dark navy shirt with no buttons and only a tie down the front, along with a pair of white trousers that would have dropped to her knees if not for the provided rope she assumed was to go with it. But they were dry, so she wiggled out of her wet jeans that were stiffly pressed to her skin and stripped down to her undergarments. Even though she cringed at the thought of wearing them wet, there was no way she was walking around without them.
She tucked the shirt in and pulled the pants up as high as possible, before wrapping the rope around her waist three times to keep it secure. After testing to make sure the pants wouldn't fall, she pulled a bit of the shirt out to hide the rope beneath it. Since there were no dry shoes brough in, she figured she could still wear her boots she nicked from Target. They only came up a little past her ankle so quite a bit of her calf was left exposed.
The clothes though told her more then what the doctor seemed unable to. She must be in some hospital or asylum where they didn't trust her with any form of metal if there were no zippers or even a belt. Like a padded cell if everything was hard spun cotton and wood.
She did her best to finger comb through her hair, grunting at the tangles she felt before she went and opened the door. Matthews was waiting patiently for her facing away from the door but staring at the opposite wall deep in thought. He turned to her immediately and smiled.
"Milady." She narrowed her eyes at that. It was the third time he called her that, but she figured not to question it just yet. If she was somehow in a hospital, she knew she would not want to raise alarms. With her providing no response, he cleared his throat awkwardly before holding his arm out to motion her forward. "This way."
She looked at his arm before moving her way around him. The hallway was so narrow that their legs practically brushed against each other every step they took. It wasn't a far walk, just up a set of steps and around a hallway until they reached a large door in the middle. Matthews raised a hand and rapped against it lightly.
"Come in." An accented voice answered. Matthews grinned before taking the knob and pushing the door open then motioning her inside. Emma just clutched the hem of her shirt and against her better judgement stepped in. Immediately the two men that were in the room took note of her presence. The first, the one she assumed belonged to the voice, was a sandy haired man that was hunched over a table. He calmly righted his position with his back erect, hands folded behind him and exuded authority.
The other, was much younger, probably closer to her age was sitting on the bunk with a thick blanket wrapped around his shoulders. When he saw her, he practically threw the blanket off himself and jumped up.
She eyed him carefully, running her eyes from the top of his disheveled wet black hair to the clothes that were obviously not his with how big they were on him.
"Good morning milady." The first man said, his voice ringing with a crisp British accent. He offered her a charming smile as he walked around the large table in the center of the room. "I hope you are feeling much better."
"I…I think so." She felt compelled to answer. "I'm just a little confused at the moment."
"That is very understandable given your ordeal."
Milady? Ordeal? She thought in confusion. I know vocabulary is different in England, but this is getting to be weird. Like its too scripted. Who talks like this?
"I think that's what's confusing me. Where am I?" She looked from him back over to the darker haired man that was watching her with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. "And who are you?"
"Right. Well, we can start with that." The sandy haired man seemed to nod. He clicked the heels of his boots together. "My name is Captain Liam Jones of His Majesty's navy. You've already met Mr. Matthews our ship surgeon. And this is my brother Lieutenant Jones."
He motioned to the darker haired man who also stood just as erect as his brother had. She almost giggled at how much he was trying to imitate the captain's posture, if not for the more pressing question on mind.
"Navy?" She repeated. "Ship? In Michigan?"
The men seemed to share a look between each other that grated on her nerves before looking to her again.
"This Michigan." Captain Jones repeated slowly as if unsure on the pronunciation. "Is that where you are from?"
"Well, sort of. Isn't that…where we are now?"
The darker haired one looked to the captain before stepping closer.
"We've never heard of that realm before Ms. Swan. Perhaps its best if you sit down." He held out a hand to touch her when she immediately lunged away.
"How do you know my name?" Danger was screaming at her with how they knew her, and she was immediately looking for a weapon when she suddenly noticed. At each of their waists were pommels that looked like the ends of swords. Something was not sitting right now.
"You told it to me on deck." He replied calmly. "Do you remember?"
It was fuzzy, but with him moving closer she looked up to his face and it came back.
Waves. Salt. Drowning. And then, the most beautiful pair of blue eyes she had ever seen before. Ocean blue eyes that were looking at her with such relief. Now they were looking at her with such unfamiliar concern she didn't know if she liked it or not. But one thing was starting to become certain.
It wasn't a dream.
She suddenly felt a wave of dizziness as she looked around again and noticed there was nothing new or modern around them. No computers, no electric lights, not even a telephone. Everything was wood. No zippers on any of the clothes only laces and buttons. Swords at each of their waist. There was even what looked like a quill and ink on the table. She felt as if her mind was suddenly taking in all the little details at once as if they were all suddenly screaming at her.
"Where am I?" She asked again in a hoarse whisper. They all suddenly seemed hesitant to respond and unable to wait for them to, she stormed off. The lieutenant made a move to grab hold of her arm, but she barreled to the door back out into the hallway. Another door was open, letting in ample light that she headed towards. They were calling from behind her, but she didn't listen as she went outside and was met with air.
Fresh clean salty air. And silence. Well silence as far as the only noise being the men around her working. All of them men, working around on a ship.
A ship in the middle of a large body of water that she felt was not one of the lakes. Pure blue rolling waves that rocked the wooden planks beneath her. She walked over to the edge of the ship and looked down, watching as the wooden hull cut through the water. She looked up and saw the white sails full of air that pushed them onwards. And then she felt her legs buckle from beneath her as she barely held herself up before sliding to the floor of the deck.
She was on a ship. She was in the middle of nowhere on a ship. She was in the middle of nowhere on a ship full of men in what looked like was meant to be the 1700s. It was impossible. Improbable. Unrealistic. Yet she was awake. The sea spray guaranteed that. This was real and she was fucked.
"Miss Swan?" A voice asked her calmly. She turned her head and looked to find the lieutenant. His beautiful ocean eyes flickering over her in concern. He held out his hand to her, offering to help her up when she flinched away. He almost seemed hurt by the rejection before withdrawing his hand and lowering down to her level on the deck.
"Miss Swan, I know that this is starting to scare you. But I promise we won't hurt you. We're only trying to help. Please. Let us take this back to my brother's cabin and discuss this further with him."
Emma didn't notice that the other two didn't follow them up on deck. Did they send the lieutenant to get her or was it the opposite and he offered to bring her back?
"Please milady. We will explain what we know, and we'll find a way to get you back to this…Michigan realm. If there is anyone who can get you back safely it's us. You are aboard the finest ship to set sail The Jewel of the Realm." He said it with such pride she felt her lip twitch in a smile. "She has sailed to many realms before and is under the finest captain in the navy. We can help you."
"You'll just think I sound crazy." She muttered, shaking her head at his enthusiasm, and knowing it was nothing she should encourage. His brow scrunched at that.
"Crazy." He repeated, unsure of the word before looking up to her with a confused expression. "Does that mean mad?"
She thought of it over for a second and remembered how that tended to be a word to describe the insane and nodded solemnly.
"Milady, I promise we won't think you are so."
"Please stop calling me that." She groaned.
"I'm sorry then. Miss Swan?" She nodded in assent to that, and he smiled again. "Alright then, I promise no one will think you are mad. I think there are just some things that we need to explain to each other. To find out what happened. Are you willing to talk to us so we can try to discover how you ended up in the middle of the ocean?"
He was so calm about this; it made her feel like she was being childish about running up here. But she nodded again, raising up on shaky legs. He offered his hand to help her, but she moved away from his reach. She didn't want anyone touching her now, not when everything was scary enough.
From the sudden quiet around them, she realized that all the other men were silent. Some having stopped their work altogether to look at her with their mouths agape. The lieutenant noticed it as well and in the blink of an eye his demeanor changed. He seemed to stand taller, his neck pulled back as he scanned the crowd of men. Several of them seemed to shrink back from his scrutiny.
"This is not a display gentleman, and certainly nothing so important to cause you to stop work to watch. But since it seems I have earned unwanted undivided attention let me take the moment to make it clear that Miss Swan is a guest of the captain. She is to be treated with the utmost respect worthy of His Majesty's Navy. Is that absolutely clear?"
He was met with a chorus of 'aye sir' across the deck.
"Then back to work! Nobody will slack aboard this ship." Immediately they were jumping back to work, and Emma could only gape in amazement. That the man shifted from sweet and soft with her to cold authority in a single moment.
"I apologize for that Miss Swan. Let me assure you that you will be treated properly on this ship. While they lack in manners of propriety, they are some of the best men I know."
She assumed he meant regarding their blatant eavesdropping and only nodded her head to that. He smiled again and held out his arm to her expectantly.
"Shall we return to the captain then?" She only looked at his arm, confused at what it meant. A second passed before he lowered it dejectedly. "Right then, after you."
She hesitated but proceeded with him following along step back to the cabin she ran out from. Every step beneath her rocked, and she found herself wobbling at some moments. She didn't seem to notice it when she thought she was just on land, but knowing she was on a ship seemed to point out how every step rocked beneath her.
"You'll get used to it after a few days. It just takes practice." Lieutenant Jones offered helpfully. She grimaced at that but nodded in acknowledgement before turning into the cabin. The captain was murmuring quietly with Matthews, until she returned and was silenced.
"Miss Swan, I'm sorry that this has come to a shock like this. Let's just sit down and think it over for a moment." He motioned to an open seat at the table meant for her. She stepped towards the chair when Lieutenant Jones stepped around her quickly to pull it out, waiting for her to sit before pushing her back in.
Captain Jones was very clear in explaining everything he knew to her. Apparently in the middle of the night possibly less than an hour before dawn, a storm came out of nowhere and shocked them all. Lieutenant Jones saw some flash of light that they assumed to have been some form of distress beacon and that's when they saw her.
"He spotted you in the middle of the darkness." The captain praised, looking to his brother with pride. "Then the bastard dove into the water like the headstrong fool that he is to rescue you."
That information was new. She assumed they just somehow fished her out from the water, but that suddenly explained why he too still had damp hair like she did. She met his gaze and felt something stir in the pit of her stomach. He jumped into a storm to save her.
"Thank you." She whispered, realizing how huskily it sounded. His answering smile was blinding before he sheepishly scratched behind his ear.
"I'm just happy you are alright Miss Swan."
Captain Jones cleared his throat bringing her attention back to him.
"Now then Miss Swan. You say you are from a land called Michigan. Could you see if it appears on any of our maps here?" He motioned to the table. Emma nodded and took a look yet none of the drawings matched the outlines for The States or even England for that matter.
"Where exactly are we?" She asked, feeling a bit foolish for asking. Captain Jones kindly pointed to a location in the middle of the map.
"We are about here, and over here is our kingdom." He supplied helpfully.
"So…are you all not from England?" She asked.
"England?" Lieutenant Jones repeated.
"Ireland?" She added, noticing how there was a slight lilt to his accent that it could very well be either. They all seemed just as confused when it was suddenly beginning to dawn on her.
They never heard of Michigan before. That would be normal if I somehow found myself in the past. But if they had never heard of England before, that makes no sense at all. Unless…
"Tell me, what's the name of this planet?" She tested. They looked at her in confusion.
"The planet Miss?"
"This world. This land. This realm! Surely it must have a name."
The captain blinked at her, almost stunned by her sudden ire.
"I'm not sure exactly to what you are referring to milady, but all of our maps here are for the Enchanted Forest of course. It's the only realm this ship has been in recently."
She felt like she was going to be sick. Now her fear was no longer on about if she was the crazy one, but if they were. No one could say that they lived in The Enchanted Forest so serious and calm.
"The Enchanted Forest." She repeated.
"That's correct, there are just several divided kingdoms that live there." He nodded.
"Does it sound familiar to you Miss Swan?" Lieutenant Jones asked, his blue gaze focusing on her. She felt that he could somehow read her realization.
"No. Not in the way you think of. The Enchanted Forest, that's just fiction. It's a made-up land." They all were looking at her oddly and it was starting to bother her. "It can't be real. That's a name for a magical land where I am from. With Kings, princesses, knights, dragons…magic. A land of fairytales. It…isn't real."
"Then it seems you have indeed heard of it." The captain nodded. "Because that is all true. Everything you just said. There are all sorts of magical beings in our realm, and there is definitely not a shortage of royalty."
She felt her body starting to shake at what he was saying. There was no way this could be true.
But he's not lying. A part of her rationalized. He is telling the truth.
"Miss Swan you look faint." She could here the Lieutenant's voice suddenly closer to her.
The Enchanted Forest. They all really think we are in The Enchanted Forest. That's it. I'm dead. This isn't a dream but what really waits in the beyond. Don't ships have something to do with the afterlife anyways?
"I think she might be going into shock." Matthews said from the corner of the room, but it sounded much farther. There was a clattering of drawers before she felt something lifted to her lips.
I'm dead and I died alone under a bridge. This isn't real just something my brain probably thought up in its final moments.
"Here, drink!" The captain commanded. He held such an authoritative voice she didn't question it and allowed the lieutenant to pour something down her throat. She coughed at the familiar burn and blinked away the tears.
Nope not dead. That was some strong alcohol.
"God what is that?"
"Whiskey." Captain Jones answered. "Have another sip."
She didn't argue there and took a larger gulp and gagged at the burn. It still helped a bit as she looked around to them. The three of them were watching her with worried expressions but none as worried as the blue-eyed sailor.
"Better?" The lieutenant's voice was so soft and concerned, and she realized he was crouched right beside her seat, hovering over her as if he expected her to shatter right there in front of him.
"I'm fine." She lied, she looked up to the captain who was watching her with a nervous edge. Their eyes met and he nodded slowly, turning away with the bottle in hand. He looked at if he was considering a drink himself.
"I think we have the same realization Miss Swan." He murmured. "I don't think you are from anywhere near here."
"No." She whispered hoarsely. "This ship looks as if it could be hundreds of years older than me and you say that this is The Enchanted Forest. Something that isn't real where I'm from."
She was starting to understand what it meant, she just wasn't sure she could fully believe it at the moment.
"I'm not from this world."
The captain nodded in agreement before taking a drink of his own whiskey. He suddenly looked pale and conflicted as well, but he didn't say anything else before returning the flask to its drawer.
"Another realm." Lieutenant Jones whispered in fascination. "How did you travel here then? Perhaps we can find a similar method to send you back?"
She shook her head at him. She knew he was trying to help but it only confused her more.
"I don't know." She whispered. "I don't know how I got here, I was just asleep and woke up here. I…I don't know."
"What about your family? Were they trying to get here?" Matthews suggested helpfully. It was meant with good intent, and suddenly the three men were watching her curiously for an answer.
"I…I don't have a family." She whispered. "I was alone."
There was a moment of silence that passed between them. Heavy that she felt almost suffocated in it. Already she knew their minds were preparing to ask her more questions. Questions she didn't feel prepared to answer for them now.
"I think…I need to lay down for a bit." She closed her eyes and cringed at having to sound so helpless. "Is there somewhere I can go rest?"
"Of course." The lieutenant was the first to jump to his feet beside her, he pulled the chair out for her. She stood up and was ready to follow him anywhere on the ship if it meant she could be alone for a moment to process what was all starting to make odd sense.
"Miss Swan-" The captain tried to interrupt when Lieutenant Jones held up his hand.
"Sir, perhaps the lady just needs a moment. This has been trying enough surely it wouldn't hurt to allow her to rest for a day before divulging further into steps of action."
Even though they were brothers, Emma sensed that this type of confrontation wasn't normal. The captain looked briefly shocked for a moment, eyeing his brother in complete confusion before nodding in agreement.
"Perhaps you are right brother." He sighed. "We can discuss this later after you have rested some more Miss Swan."
The lieutenant turned back to her and held the door open.
"This way." He whispered softly. She only nodded her head and followed him as he directed her a few doors down to another cabin. This one looked a little similar to the captain's quarters, just smaller. The bunk was nailed in the same place as was the desk, and there was a trunk at the foot of the bed in lieu of a full-sized dresser. But like the other cabin's this one was neat and organized to a fault, nothing seemed out of place or collecting dust.
"You can stay here during your time on the ship." Lieutenant Jones announced to her. "There are only a few people allowed in this area of the ship without direct approval from me or the captain, so no one will bother you here."
She felt her voice lost in her throat and could only nod. She couldn't even look at him but felt he was watching from behind her.
"Get some rest Miss Swan. I'll come and check on you later."
The door closed behind her before she turned to look around again. She was hoping that at any moment she would still wake up. But nothing happened. The ship still rocked beneath her. If she strained her hearing, she could hear movement above her. She was still exhausted and felt nauseous from everything. She stepped closer to the bunk and looked down to find a long shirt folded at the end of the bed.
Emma raised the neatly folded shirt sitting at the end of the bed up, looking over it closely. It was obviously a man's shirt, not that she expected a ship full of men to have possession of any woman's clothing, but it looked like it was meant for sleeping. She was starting to get uncomfortable in her wet bra and underwear and figured at the very least she could try and let them dry out. She held it in her hands a moment longer before deciding to borrow it and stripped down into nothing before slipping it over her head. It fell right above her knees like a small makeshift dress, and even if the material wasn't the softest it was warm.
She crawled into the bunk, placing a blanket over her as she curled into a ball. Confused over everything that happened, she never felt so lost and alone before, so she fell asleep hoping to find answers later.
At least the shirt smells good. She idly thought to herself with the sleeve pressed under her nose, before drifting to sleep.
By the time supper time was rolling around, the ship seemed to come to a hush with the talk of the strange girl that was pulled out of the water that morning. Liam almost had to scoff at the rumors he heard murmured across his deck. Some thought she was part mermaid, others thought she was an oceanid, or even a fallen angel. He wondered what they would all think if they knew that she was just a girl he wished to fall out of time and space so she could fall in love with his younger brother. That one was the most insane yet as true as the other ones being a possibility.
He did it and he still felt it hard to believe. He also found himself conflicted by the situation.
On one hand he was selfishly happy. The fate's spell worked. He tossed it in the water, a girl appeared, and his brother saw her before dawn. All as the girl had said, it meant that this Swan girl was his brother's soul mate. Already he was inclined to agree because Killian was gob struck by her. Killian always had a soft spot for ladies, but this was different. He watched her as if she was the sun and jumped to offer every assistance he could. After all he never went against him like that before when he was arguing for the girl to get more rest. It was both baffling and thrilling at the same time.
But on the other, he just uprooted a girl from her home. From her life just for Killian. Was that right? Was it completely selfish? True the girl said she didn't have any family, but perhaps she was happy there in her world. It left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. He should have known better.
All magic comes with a price.
Only time would tell if he made the right choice. But he made difficult choices before to ensure Killian's wellbeing. He just had to trust in what the fate said.
This Swan girl will help him. I just need to trust in that. Then everything will be fine.
A knock on his cabin door interrupted his thoughts regarding his actions when Killian himself walked in. His brother was finally back in his own clothes after spending the morning borrowing his clothing, carrying a food tray.
"I appreciate the thoughtfulness brother, but I'm perfectly capable of getting my own supper." Liam scoffed.
"I was actually bringing this for Miss Swan." Killian spoke up.
"I see." Liam hummed to himself. "Has she left your room yet?"
"No, I don't think she has. I was starting to get a little worried."
Liam just glanced at the tray with the generous portions and back to his brother.
"Clearly. Well, I won't keep you." Killian didn't move from his place. "Unless there was something else on your mind?"
"Do you think we can help her get back home bother?"
That was a difficult question.
"I'm…unsure at the moment." He said carefully. "It sounds as if she's from a land without magic. It won't be easy. For now, we shall have to do our best to help her as much as we can."
Killian's relaxed and hopeful smile relaxed him. He was doing this for Killian. It would turn out alright in the end. He was sure of it.
Killian stood outside the door of his cabin, the cabin that the Swan girl was staying in. She still didn't tell them her name, but he figured that after some rest she would be more open to sharing her story. She looked as if she was going to pass out that afternoon, and he didn't know where it came from, but he felt worried for her. He resisted checking on her multiple times throughout the day, figuring she just needed the time alone. So, he figured to wait until he was sure she would be hungry.
He raised his hand and then knocked against the wood, waiting a moment though he didn't hear any movement. He tried again.
"Miss Swan? Its Lieutenant Jones." There was no reply again, which only fed the need he had to at least see she was alright. "I'm coming in."
The door wasn't locked surprisingly, but he opened it slowly waiting for any objections. Since there were none, he opened it wider and entered the room. The golden-haired girl was awake and sitting up on the remade bed just starring at the wall opposite her. Her hands crossed across her chest when he noticed that she was wearing nothing but a simple night shirt. His nightshirt.
He could feel a blush reaching up to his ears at the thought but shook himself of the impure thoughts. She turned her head and looked up at him with cold empty eyes. He felt a piece of him twinge at that.
"I thought you might be hungry." He held up the small tray as offering.
"Oh." She responded, her gaze going down. "Thanks."
He watched her a moment before setting the tray on the desk.
"Usually, we all eat in the galley at mealtimes, but I think we can make an exception for tonight."
Again, no response. He turned around again and saw her back to looking at the wall.
"Miss Swan? Are you…alright?"
"No." She shook her head. "I…I thought maybe I would wake up back home. But I'm still here. This is still real."
"I'm…afraid so." He nodded in agreement. "But we will find a way to get you home. I'm sure once we get to port, we can find someone who knows about your realm and-"
"Why do you care this much about it?" Her voice snapped at it. "You are too optimistic about this! Don't you get it? The only world I know of is gone! I might never see it again! I already have nothing and lost even more! I don't know how it can get any worse!"
It took him by surprise with how fast she went from silent to loud. But he was oddly happy that finally her eyes had some life back into them. Even if it was out of annoyance from him.
"I didn't mean to intrude on you lass." He spoke softly. "I was just trying to raise your spirits."
"Oh god." She brought a hand to her face. "I'm just…this is just…I…I didn't mean it."
"No need Miss Swan. I understand. You…you need some time to yourself still. Perfectly understandable. I'll leave you to your dinner…alone."
Without her leave he left the room. He had been wanting to talk to her all day. For some reason he hoped that perhaps after resting and being alone she wouldn't want to dine alone and offer him to join her. He was hoping for it, he saved his dinner in the galley in case she would have suggested it. But if she wanted to be alone than that was fine by him. Perfectly fine.
Emma carefully opened the door to her cabin, slow to avoid the creak of the old wood. She waited with bated breath for a moment to see if she heard any movement from the captain's quarters before she felt safe enough to move down the narrow passageway and up the hatch to the main deck. After she lashed out at Lieutenant Jones, she didn't want to run into anyone else. Not now.
She needed to be alone for this. She needed to feel free for a moment. And not as if she was confined in a tight space within possible hearing distance of the two navy officers.
She was a loner. And on a boat full of men from the 1700s she was not alone. She was easily surrounded by more people than ever before. She wasn't sure what to do about it. No one ever cared before. But she at least knew what to expect in her world. Here she was completely and ironically out of water.
The deck was practically empty, only a few lanterns provided light for her to walk about until she found herself at the head of the ship. Starring out into the dark seas she breathed deeply. Inhaling the salty air deeply, when she felt the first bit of her own salty tears peak out of the corner of her eyes.
She never considered herself much of a crier. But now she needed to let out the boiling emotions. Falling somehow into the past, in a different world that confused her. She was scared. She was alone. She was lost. She was mature for her age, but sometimes she just felt like a seventeen-year-old girl. A seventeen-year-old with no one to turn to when she was feeling like this.
So, she cried. Allowing herself to sniffle and her breath to hitch. Sniffles turned to sobs, and she was sure that she was loud. Because that was the only way that she didn't hear it.
A hand placed on her shoulder, causing her to jump in startled surprise. Whipping her head around, the lieutenant stood behind her. His blue eyes soft but watching her with such heartbreaking concern. He didn't say anything, his lips in a worried line before ever so slowly and hesitantly his arms wrapped around her, offering a hug but allowing room for her to decide if she wanted it. She couldn't understand him. How he was so worried for her and cared for her so much. She was no one. She was nothing. But he looked at her as if she was something.
"It's alright." He whispered softly. "It's okay it's just us."
She always felt invisible to everyone in her time. People would do nothing more than maybe make a comment that she was just a pretty child, a beautiful girl, but look no deeper than that. She lived a life invisible to everyone's attentions with all her problems ignored for her to handle alone.
Not here.
Here he saw her. He noticed her weariness and immediately suggested rest. He noticed that she didn't eat and brought supper to her. He saw her in pain and tried to offer comfort. Even now, it was in the dead of night, surely, he could be asleep, but he was out here with her.
"I'm…I'm sorry. About earlier. I-"
"It doesn't matter." His voice was soft, comforting. Lacking any sort of resentment or bitterness that hinted at him still being angry at her. She just didn't get him.
This strange young lieutenant from another time. They didn't even know each other's full names, yet he was willing to comfort her. They were strangers, yet she found herself folding up into his embrace. Letting his body warm hers in the crisp night air. It should be wrong, went against everything she thought, but it felt so right.
That was all the invitation he needed to pull her close, leaving nothing between them. With their chests pressed together, Emma propped her chin on his shoulder, staring out at the sea behind them.
"I don't even know you." She said aloud in a soft whisper. "I don't even know your name…but you're being so kind to me."
"I didn't think names are prerequisites for kindness." He whispered back.
"Maybe not."
"You never told me yours."
She hadn't she did it to protect herself. But there was something about him, something that shouted from her very bones to trust him. That in his arms she was safe. Safe at the very least to tell him her name. She pulled away slightly, less than a step away so she could look up at his face. She couldn't tell if he was disappointed or relieved that she was no longer crying, but she offered him a grateful smile anyways.
"It's Emma…Emma Swan." He smiled to her; a smile that made him heartbreakingly handsome. He hesitantly trailed his hand down her arm to grab hold of her hand. At first, she thought he was going to shake it when he gripped it lightly in his, raising it up to press a soft kiss to the back of the knuckles. She felt a small blush blooming on her cheeks and hoped it was too dark for him to notice.
"Lieutenant Killian Jones milady. I am at your disposal." His blue eyes razed over her, like he was looking at her far below the skin surface. "For as long as you wish it."
Something popped in her chest that made her breath hitch and looking into his eyes, she swore something moved in them as well. But he kept looking at her. This lieutenant. This Killian Jones saw Emma like no one ever had before.
And that scared her.