Emma
David didn't spill the beans immediately at her glare, unlike Mary Margaret would have. Instead, he calmly arranged to leave the station in the hands of two of his deputies and delegated some other things that needed to get done. After that, he and Emma headed to the loft in complete silence.
When they arrived, Snow was already waiting for them and stepped in the back of the cruiser, as she reassured Emma that Ruby was upstairs watching Henry (who was very much still asleep) as David drove them away.
As they traveled through the woods Emma opened her mouth several times to ask what exactly was going on and whether they were ever going to start talking, but her father's looks stopped her every time.
After what seemed like hours of driving through the woods in silence, she finally recognized the road they were on right as she saw it. Where Zelena's barn used to be, a big facility seemed to have sprung out of nowhere. There were some cars parked at the front, and Emma's experienced eye picked out the well-hidden sentries and cameras around the perimeter.
She whipped her head to throw an alarmed look at David and Mary Margaret as she finished taking everything in.
"Welcome to The Academy," sighed David as he parked the car and signaled her to get out of the car.
She walked in silence, wide eyes trying to take everything in as David showed her the training facilities, the holding cells, and even a library they had erected in the middle of nowhere as their own center of operations. He told her about the training program he, Robin, and Killian had set up and the plans they had acted out to protect Storybrooke from any villain or crisis that might happen. And she was proud; she really was. But a part of her was hurt by the fact that she was kept in the dark about all of this. They had never mentioned this to her in their calls or even showed her when she had visited Storybrooke last time and it hurt to be left out of something so big.
Another part, a big part, was also relieved.
It felt like a huge weight was taken off her shoulders, and Emma hadn't realized how heavy the title of Savior had weighed on her until that moment. Knowing that she wasn't alone and had people (a whole small army even) to lean on in a crisis gave her a sense of reassurance she'd never felt before.
She knew herself well enough to know that even though she had left Storybrooke, she would have felt obligated to return if anything happened. If any villain had shown up and threatened her family (which was the norm in Storybrooke), she would have considered herself to be the obvious choice for facing them with her light magic.
(Even though lately she had been ignoring her magic and pretending the buzzing in her skin was all in her imagination)
It seemed her parents also knew her well enough to expect that from her and had taken steps to avoid that. What she couldn't understand was why they had kept everything a secret to this extent. This had been going on for weeks!
(They don't need you here, whispered the little orphan girl)
"Before I tell you everything that has been happening, I - well, we want to apologize to you, Emma," said David as he led them into a small office on the second floor.
"We never intended to hurt you by keeping things from you. We simply didn't want to force the role of Savior onto you. We wanted you here because you wanted to, not because you felt like you had to because of some predestined role," said Mary Margaret as she reached for Emma's hand.
"Well, that predestined role is the only role I have here, isn't it?! Everyone has their story in the book, and mine's just that, as the Savior!" cried Emma as she snatched her hand back from her mother.
Mary Margaret recoiled at her rejection but didn't make any other attempt to approach her as she turned imploring eyes to her husband. Emma hated the look in their eyes because she recognized it too well.
She was hurting them.
With her running and pushing them away and everything she'd been doing from the moment she found out they were her parents.
But it was all she'd ever known.
"Henry told me he shared with you the plans he made to talk you out of moving to New York. And what we told him then still stands. You seemed so determined to leave and wouldn't listen to reason. And I really do think you needed it, Emma, but do not think for one moment that we didn't want you here. You were our daughter long before you were the Savior. That will always take precedence," said David firmly.
"David told me he talked to you about it, but I would like to say this. You read our love story, darling. And we know that they might seem more fairytale than truth to you. But those things did happen to us. I was poisoned and your father had to fight his way through to that wardrobe to save you but also to lose you," said Mary Margaret as tears rolled down her face, and she gave Emma a pained smile.
"Those things left scars, you know. Maybe not as deep as the scars your childhood has left. But we understand to some extent how hard this is for you. We understand the desire to run away, or at least; we try to understand as we once did too. We know we don't know your whole story, but we'd like to."
Emma tried not to flinch at her mother's words; after all they were the truth. Most times, she would have the same reaction to her parents' story as when she had first heard it before the curse broke. She often dismissed it and never truly acknowledged their pain simply because they had remained so optimistic through it all. She often thought optimistic people were positive because nothing negative had ever happened to them, but her parents were an example that that was simply not true. She just often chose to refuse to even think about it.
"I'm so sorry," sobbed Emma as Snow embraced her. "I know I have been distant, difficult, and basically a bad daughter. I do miss you, and I do see myself as your daughter. It's just - All I know is how to run. I don't - I don't know how to stay. But I want to, I really do."
David rushed to embrace them, and the tears poured harder as she felt him softly kiss her forehead.
"All you have to do is try, princess. You can go and come back as many times as you want, Emma, and we will always be here waiting for you. Home will always be here waiting for you."
Emma smiled weakly at her parents as she wiped her tears away and nodded enthusiastically at her father's words.
"Well, you'll be happy to know I've taken the first step. I have to go back to New York tomorrow, but I'll be coming back indefinitely next week. I don't know if I'm truly ready to commit to staying, so I'm keeping my apartment in New York, but I've taken a sabbatical at work for the coming three months. And - "
"Oh, Emma!"
She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as Snow squeezed her hard enough to break her ribs, and David practically lifted both of them from the floor with his enthusiastic bear hug. She figured they understood well enough, though, and there was always time to discuss any further details with them and Henry later.
Besides, she was rather impatient to find out what had happened in Storybrooke while she was gone.
Later that night, Emma was in bed mulling over all the information her parents had revealed. As promised, after they'd dried their tears and grabbed some coffee, they had shared everything with her and did not hold back on everything they knew so far, which hadn't been much, making her feel slightly better.
But also very worried.
Because Hook had been the target of the first attack.
David had tried to sugarcoat it ( she refused to consider why ), and he hadn't been there in the first place to know exactly what had happened. But he was worried, that much she could see. It seemed he knew something about Killian that was pertinent to the investigation but was being kept on a need-to-know basis for others. She would have questioned her father on it if she didn't already know that he would absolutely refuse to tell her. It wasn't his secret to share after all; it was Hook's.
(And it was the honorable thing to do)
Whatever it was, Hook was at risk from an unknown foe, and Emma had not even known.
What if something had happened to him? And she didn't know?
The last time Emma had seen him before today was when he'd found out she was heading back to her life in New York. She'd been a coward and delayed telling him, and it blew up in her face as Ruby asked her about it in front of him at the diner. He'd been furious, but then just as today had held himself back from his anger and stepped back, mumbling something about understanding the message.
Months later, she still didn't know what he meant by that.
(Months later, she still regretted that she hadn't dared ask)
Hours later, right as she was dozing off, she suddenly heard a crash downstairs and immediately ran out of bed to check what it was. As she leaned over the railing, she found David struggling as he tried to put on his jacket while simultaneously grabbing his shoes and leaving out the door.
"Dad? What the hell are you doing?" whispered Emma loudly, conscious of her mother and little brother sleeping below her.
"Emma! Did I wake you? Sorry, I - There was an attack; I have to go."
"What? Wait, I'll go with you."
Emma ran to change her clothes before David could protest, and less than fifteen minutes later, they were in the car heading down Main Street in the direction of the docks.
They drove silently until David suddenly turned a right which startled Emma as he deviated from their usual road to the docks. She'd assumed the attack had been at the waterfront, but David was headed into a nice neighborhood she had never visited, full of beach houses and condos.
"Where are you going?" questioned Emma.
"What do you mean? The attack wasn't at the docks. I'm heading to Killian's," said David, looking at her worriedly.
"Killian's? You mean, he lives here? Wait - what. Was he attacked again?" screeched Emma as David winced at her increased agitation and parked the car in front of a small building near the waterfront.
"Thought I mentioned he did, my bad," mumbled David as he signaled her to follow him and exited the car.
Emma rushed after him, her heart beating wildly as she considered what could have happened. David didn't seem that worried, which probably meant nothing too bad had happened.
(Right?!)
Emma increased her pace and passed David; she needed to see with her own eyes that he was alright.
There was no elevator, so by the time Emma made it up to the fourth floor, she was panting and had a stitch on her side. David was one floor below her, and she wondered how she would find her way to the right apartment without him.
Luckily for her, two sentries were standing next to the open door of what she could now definitely say was Hook's apartment, and she nodded to them as she stepped inside.
She was immediately taken aback as she quickly swept the room. She didn't know what she had expected of Hook's apartment, but this had certainly not been it. Emma stepped into a tidy living room lined with bookshelves and a small desk in the corner littered with papers. To the left, she could glimpse a small balcony behind blue glass doors as she noted three other doors leading to what she assumed were the bathroom and two bedrooms.
Smack dab in the middle of it, sitting on the arm of a navy couch with a pajama-clad Tinkerbell crouching in front of him, was a shirtless Killian Jones.
The man standing in front of them (who she suddenly recognized as Will Scarlet) shifted, and she caught a glimpse of a long gash near Hook's heart as Tinkerbell's hand hovered over her, and her breath hitched.
"What happened?" demanded Emma as the three of them whipped around to see her. The words were out of her mouth before she could even think about it, and she internally cringed at how angry her tone seemed.
(What did it say about her that she was slightly more upset at Tinkerbell's presence and proximity to Hook than the fact that he'd been attacked? For a second time at that)
Will Scarlet started enthusiastically giving a report of the attack (and his heroics) to David and Robin, who'd arrived with another deputy right behind them. Emma wondered how factual his story was the more it continued. As Scarlet rambled on, she couldn't help herself and briefly took every detail of the situation. The situation being Killian Jones (and his apartment).
He was still shirtless, and with Tinkerbell shifting away (thank the gods), more of his bare torso was revealed to her. She eyed the expanse of his broad chest, eyes tracing the various scars of long-since-healed injuries, the ink tattooed onto his skin, and the treasure trail of hair that dipped below his flannel pants along with the ink. She'd suspected he must have had more than Milah's tattoo on his forearm, and her curiosity sparked.
(She wanted to study it all )
A flash of blue eyes has her eyes quickly shifting around the room and taking in more details. The home is cozy and clearly lived in despite his obvious tidiness. It follows a subtle nautical theme (with a ship's wheel hanging off one wall) with personal objects thrown here and there. And books. So many books. Several bookshelves teemed with books, and small piles were on nearly every surface. She had spied some on the coffee table, the desk, and even the window sill.
As the report dwindled and Robin took Will aside for a debrief, Emma subtly headed towards the small kitchen nestled in the corner. She spied yet another pile of books (was that Pride and Prejudice?) and some official-looking papers stamped with a logo that read Enchanted Logistics as she peeked closer.
(David had failed to mention that, whatever it was)
"You know, lass, I could tell you something about walking around in a citizen's home without a badge, but I think I shall let it go this time."
Emma tensed at the sound of Killian's voice and his jab at her own questioning that day as she rolled her eyes and turned to face him.
(Why the hell was he still shirtless?)
She didn't feel like fighting anymore, especially tonight, so she shifted the topic to the pile of books on his kitchen island instead.
"I never pegged you for a Jane Austen fan. Or romance, for that matter."
The look he gave her had shivers running down her back, and her breath hitched as he stepped closer to her. She saw the familiar glimpse of a smirk as he opened his mouth when suddenly, he took one small step back as clear hesitation showed on his face.
(This was not familiar)
Robin interrupted them, asking for a private word with Hook, and she resisted her urge to glare at him as Killian excused himself and led Robin into what she could guess was probably his bedroom. She caught Killian's eyes as he went to close the door and tried to convey to him that their conversation was far from over.
As the door clicked shut, she turned to eye Tinkerbell and Will Scarlet, who were bickering in the living room. Tink was thrown in an armchair with her eyes closed as she sniped at him, and Emma once again noted that she was wearing a nightgown and raised her eyebrows as she took a subtle step closer to eavesdrop on their conversation before joining them.
"You shouldn't have told Robin anything! It wasn't yours to share," hissed Tink, even as she kept her eyes closed.
"Cap was never going to share that information. You know how bloody difficult he has been with all of this. He would have dared not to tell anyone about the attacks if there hadn't been any witnesses," murmured Will.
(More things her parents had failed to mention. She should definitely accost David tomorrow to discuss his understanding of a need-to-know basis)
"Well, I don't, so would you like to expand on that? Will Scarlet, isn't it?" said Emma as she settled herself next to him on the couch. Tinkerbell sat straight up and threw Will an alarmed look.
"Will's fine, Your Highness, and I am not sure I would want to."
Will Scarlet was clearly a bold man regardless of how polite he could sometimes be; it seemed Robin's influence hadn't completely rubbed off on him.
"Well, I assume the both of you have much more details regarding the attack than in the official report, and I've found that even the smallest details can break open a case.
"I'm afraid I can't be of much help then; I wasn't present. I live two floors below, and the attack was more than over by the time I arrived," smirked Tinkerbell knowingly.
"Maybe if you didn't sleep like the dead, you would have been more helpful," mumbled Will earning himself a glare and a pillow thrown at him.
Tinkerbell leaned back and flung her arm over her eyes, seemingly done sharing information. Which was a shame; regardless of how she felt about it, Emma suspected that she was a well of information when it came to Killian Jones.
As she turned to question Will Scarlet further, she heard raised voices, and they all turned to look at the closed bedroom door behind which Hook and Robin were clearly arguing.
(Was that her name she heard?)
"You think Robin will have any luck with Cap?" questioned Will, interrupting her from further eavesdropping on the fight.
Tinkerbell turned back from her fixed stare on the door and shrugged her shoulders.
"I honestly don't know with Killian. But he will surely hear from me tomorrow morning again," grumbled Tink.
Will Scarlet shot Tink a look and then turned to assess Emma carefully. Whatever he saw in her face seemed to be enough for him as he started talking.
"I'm sure you already know by now that this is the second attempt at Jones' life. Despite that and the other stuff, he doesn't seem to take it seriously enough. He fought David and Robin continuously on having a security detail and has been a bloody nuisance when trying to discuss his past." Emma briefly wondered what other stuff Will meant as he went on. "About every single person in town has had a chat with him, but alas, he remains as stubborn as a mule. Do you think you would have any luck with him?"
Emma was startled at his question and the insinuation behind it, but the more she thought about it, the more she knew she would at least try. Because how dare he not take this seriously. Who the hell did he think he was?
Just as she was about to answer Will's question, the bedroom door opened, and Robin strode out with a thunderous look, followed by a clearly weary and annoyed Killian Jones.
His moody expression didn't falter her resolve as she stalked towards him with a fire in her blood.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" demanded Emma before she'd even reached him.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me! What is this I hear about you not taking two - two! - attacks seriously? The whole town is in danger because of you, and you are - "
"What did you just say?" hissed Killian. "You think this is my fault? You think I'm putting everyone in danger?"
Emma flinched at his tone, not only at the venom in it but also the slight hurt. She hadn't meant it like that, but judging from the looks the others were giving her, that is exactly how it had sounded.
"No! I don't - I didn't. That's not what I meant at all."
"Is it not, Swan? Because that is exactly what you just hinted at! Never mind the fact that every other bloody villain in this town has been after your family. Guess it's different when it's another villain being threatened," sneered Hook.
"I don't think you're a villain. I don't think I ever truly did," whispered Emma.
She didn't know if it was her words or how she said them, but he immediately deflated and threw her a shocked look. She thought she had been clear on that; she had trusted him with so much, including Henry, that it should have been impossible for him to believe that truly. And yet he did. Had she treated him that badly?
"Well, excuse me if I don't really believe that Swan. I do not hold it against you, though, I know exactly what I am and what I've done," said Killian in a resigned tone.
Emma immediately tried to contradict him, not liking his tone or the look in his eyes, but he raised a hand to stop her as he turned to address the room and dismissed them.
"I would think there is nothing more to investigate here unless you want to go through my drawers, so would you all be so kind and leave a man alone to get some bloody sleep?"
David and Emma were the last to leave as everyone begrudgingly headed home after Killian's dismissal. Judging from the looks he kept throwing her, Emma knew she would definitely get a good berating from him for what she had said to Hook and braced for it.
She hadn't meant for it to sound that way, she was truly worried for him, and now he probably thought she didn't even care about him and his safety.
(Gods, how did she keep ruining everything when it came to Killian Jones?)
"Do me a favor and text your mother that we are on our way. She must be worried sick. My phone is dead again; it's a miracle I even got Robin's call tonight," complained David as he tucked his phone in his pocket.
Before David had even finished his sentence, Emma had already turned right back and David and ran back up the stairs to Hook's apartment. Before she could even think about it, the door swung open with a woosh revealing a startled Hook about to enter his bedroom.
"Bloody hell, Swan. Warn a man next time, would you?"
"I'm so sorry. That was an accident. It's just - I figured that - or well - David said," stuttered Emma.
"Just spit it out, Swan; I really would like to get to bed."
"Sorry, you're right. I was thinking that you should have my phone number. Just in case there is an emergency, and you can't reach David or whatever," she said as she approached his kitchen island, wrote down her phone number on a pad of paper, and hid her face behind her hair, willing her blush to disappear.
(Gods, she felt like a teenager)
"And yeah, that was it. Sorry for, yeah - all of that again. I guess I'll see you around or not or whatever," mumbled Emma as she hurriedly turned her back on him and walked to the door.
"Don't you want mine?"
She whirled around and gulped at the sight of him leaning against the doorframe with his smoldering blue eyes and usual smirk. The t-shirt he was wearing accentuated his muscles and as he crossed his arms and his biceps bulged, Emma blushed even more furiously. He was, as usual, a dark enticing promise she couldn't help but admire.
(And want)
"There's no need, I already - I mean - I can always ask David or Snow. Or like, you could give it to me if you want, but I don't have anything to write it on right now, and I left my phone at the loft. And, like again, I'll just ask David. Yeah?" stammered Emma.
She bit her lower lip unconsciously to stop her nervous rambling, and the way his gaze slowly followed the movement as his eyes darkened had her flushing for completely different reasons than the embarrassment of having to admit she stole his number from David's phone.
"Tell me, Emma, why do I feel like you already have my phone number?" smirked Killian.
(You're something of an open book Swan)
"Don't worry, love. You can keep your secrets," he continued as he grinned at her and threw her a wink before she could think of an excuse.
She was suddenly very keenly aware that there was a bed beyond the doorframe he was leaning on. His bed, as a matter of fact. She had managed to see most of the apartment, excluding the bedrooms, and she was extremely curious to see more of it.
(Maybe another time)
The possibility of another time in his home (and the realization of how badly she actually wanted one) had her running out of his apartment with a rushed goodbye and flaming cheeks.