When Belle arrived a few minutes later, she realized her brother was nowhere in sight. She walked over to the counter and waited for Robin to finish with a customer.
She then asked him, "Where is Killian?"
"He's in his office. Emma's trying to talk to him, but he isn't especially in the mood," Robin explained.
The brunette nodded before she offered, "Perhaps he'll listen to me - we are rather in the same boat after all."
Robin nodded before he offered her a "good luck." She gave him a small smile in response before heading to the back of the shop.
Belle was met with a slumped Emma leaning against the wall next to Killian's office. The blonde looked up at the sound of footsteps before she sighed and stated, "He won't listen to me. Or anyone."
"So Robin told me," Belle spoke. She then took a breath and continued, "But maybe he'll talk to me? This is about our father after all."
Emma nodded before pulling her best friend in for a hug. When they pulled away, the blonde said, "Just…help him. I'm worried about him - both of you. You're just more, um, level-headed about all of this. Though I know it's not any easier."
"No, it's not," Belle conceded. She then took another breath and said, "But I'm figuring it out."
Emma hummed in response. She then asked, "Are you sure you're okay?" "I'm fine," Belle replied with a small smile.
The brunette received a small smile in response before Emma spoke, "I hate to go, but I have so many errands to run."
"Of course - you go ahead," Belle assured her friend. She then pulled her in for another hug and spoke, "He'll be fine. We both will."
When they pulled away, Emma nodded in response before offering another small smile. She then grabbed her sweater from a nearby table before she headed out of the shop.
Belle let out a breath before knocking on the door to the office. She heard: "I'm sorry, Swan, but I'm not in the mood for talking."
The brunette slowly opened the door anyway and spoke, "Maybe you'll talk to me?"
Killian looked up and stated, "Belle." He then asked her, "Shouldn't you be at the library?" running his hand over his face.
"There are other librarians who can manage things," she answered. He only hummed in response before picking up the guitar leaning against one of the cabinets.
As he began strumming a few chords, it became clear that Killian was content to just leave things as they were.
But, Belle knew that the two of them desperately needed to talk about the elephant in the room.
She sat down across from him before she said the one thing she knew would get his attention: "I told Brennan that I may drop by the Nautilus and see him," bracing herself for his reaction.
Killian stopped playing instantly and locked gazes with her, disbelief written in every part of his ocean blue eyes.
"You what?" he then asked her, his tone matching the look in his eyes, accompanied by frustration and a bit of confusion.
With a deep breath, Belle repeated, "I told our father that I may come see him."
Before she could explain, Killian scoffed, "I heard you the first time, but I thought I was mistaken since I didn't believe you'd be daft enough to actually do it."
The brunette fought the urge to glare at him before she began, "If you would have stayed…" receiving a raised eyebrow from her brother, "You could have heard him out, Killian. He truly is remorseful for hurting us."
"And you think we should all just be a happy family, eh, sis?" Killian sarcastically offered.
Belle rolled her eyes as she stated, "Of course not." She then elaborated, "But he at least deserves a chance to make things right."
"And if he takes off again? It does seem to be his nature, love," Killian challenged.
"And if he stays?" Belle refuted. She then pointed out, "He stayed for us, Killian. I know he left before - but if he was set on leaving, wouldn't he have done it already?"
The dark-haired man looked thoughtful for a minute before he genuinely questioned, "And what makes you say that, love?"
"Well," Belle began before she answered, "Don't you think that coming here to New York was a huge step for him to take? And then for him to admit his faults and take responsibility for them? If anything would cause him to run, it would be the thought of facing the children he abandoned so long ago."
Killian ran his fingers through his hair before he uneasily admitted, "I suppose you have a point there, love."
He then leaned over and placed his elbows on his knees before he sighed. He then asked her, "What the bloody hell are we supposed to do?"
"I really don't think there's a right answer to that," Belle honestly told him.
Killian hummed in response before he told her, "But you think we should at least try to get to know him."
The brunette sighed before she spoke, "I don't think Emma was wrong in trusting him. I want to trust him, too - I want to believe him. I don't know that I can do those things yet, but I do want to try."
"I don't even know what I bloody want," Killian said, running his fingers through his hair once more.
"And you don't have to right now. Just because I want to try with our father doesn't mean you have to," Belle pointed out.
Killian glanced at her sideways as he told her, "Robin was right - you are a hell of a lot wiser than I was your age."
She couldn't help but chuckle at that. She then spoke, "I'm sure he'll understand if you're not ready, Killian."
He only hummed in response before he asked her, "Tell me, why are you more open to giving him a chance? Well, open to the possibility, that is."
Belle ran her fingers through her hair that time before she replied, "I just want to see the good in him. I know that's how I got my heart broken before, but I believe things will be different this time. Brennan didn't make excuses for his actions - he knows he wronged us, and he wants to truly make things right."
"You are an optimistic lass, sis," Killian commented with a slight smile, to which she sighed in response.
Killian then tilted his head at her as he asked, "Everything alright, Belle?"
She simply nodded before she explained, "It's just that a part of me thinks that by "optimistic," you mean that I'm bit naive in thinking he's truly changed."
"Surely you must know I don't think you naive, love. I'll admit it's rather surprising, and I'm a bit caught off guard, but I don't think you're naive. The fact that you'll still being cautious shows that you have thought through this," Killian assured her.
He then paused and asked her, "Why would you even think like that?"
"If I'm honest, it's been on my mind ever since Emma gave us the news. Our experiences are rather different - I don't even remember the feeling of being abandoned, only the aftermath. But you remember that feeling quite plainly."
Belle then looked down and began nervously straightening the skirt of her dress.
"That doesn't mean your pain is any less," Killian pointed out, making his sister look up at him.
She smiled slightly as she told him, "And here I thought I was the wise one."
Killian smiled back before he got up and rounded his desk. He then wrapped his sister in a hug.
When they pulled away, he sat on the edge of his desk and commented, "So, you're really going to go see him."
"I am considering it," Belle responded. She then paused and continued, "But I think I'll be taking things rather slow."
"As you should," Killian conceded. He then took a breath and stated, "The jury's still out on whether or not I'm ready to trust him."
Belle simply nodded and offered an understanding look in response.
"Although," Killian began with a tilt of his head, making his sister repeat the gesture.
He took a deep breath before he finished, "If he can gain Emma's trust, and if you're considering trusting him, then perhaps he's not as much of a bastard as I thought."
Belle couldn't help but smile and shake her head in reply.
She then rose from her chair and told him, "I should be getting back to the library."
Killian nodded before his sister teased, "Good luck with learning "Faithfully" for Emma."
The dark-haired man scratched behind his ear before he observed, "So, you recognized those chords, sis."
"Yeah, I did," Belle told him with a grin. Her expression then changed to a sincere smile before she spoke, "I think it's really sweet. She'll love it."
Killian smiled back before he told her, "I'll see you later, love." He then paused and added, "Good luck with our father."
"You too, Killian," she told him with a smile. He nodded before she bid him goodbye; she then headed out of his office.
When she was gone, Killian took a deep breath and ran his hand over his face.
He then got off the desk and headed back into the shop, figuring that making and serving coffee and pastries would be good for him.
Robin was handing a customer change when he heard his friend's footsteps.
When the customer had left, Robin turned and told Killian, "You alright, mate? I was rather worried about you," concern in his tone.
Killian let out a sigh as he thought about how to answer Robin. The dark-haired man decided to answer as honestly as he could: "I will be."
Robin nodded in understanding before the two of them continued manning the shop.
As customers began filing in, Killian thought, "Things will eventually turn out alright."