A/N: So yeah the last two chapters have been a lot of fluff, this one is a bit, not so much fluff, things are not yet there for their happily forever after moment.
Think it will be perhaps three more chapters aside from this one… but perhaps my brain thinks up some fluffy epilogue stuff.
Thank you all for the support by continuing to read this, means the world to me.
Thanks to my wonderful beta Jonesfandomfanatic, you're a huge help with this.
Enjoy.
Chapter 13Killian found that life in Storybrooke was a pleasant change to his usual busy schedule on the road or in the studio. He'd been in contact with the band a few times, where they brainstormed new ideas for when he'd return later.
"Oy, mate have you seen the fan page?" Will asked via FaceTime, a few days after the Halloween party.
"No?"
"That Wellerman performance has ranked the highest viewing video on the page," Will said with a huge grin. "The band should do a cover of that song."
"Aye, maybe." Killian had noticed several people in the audience had pulled out their phones to record his performance with the young band. It didn't bother him as much as it had done in the past. This was the name of the game, and he knew it wouldn't change.
"When are you back on the West Coast?"
"In a couple of days."
"Having fun?"
"Aye, it's been great." Killian smiled, knowing he might look a little sappy.
"Love suits you ol' man."
"I'm not old." Killian glared at his agent.
"I'm happy for you. I really am."
"Thank you."
"When will you see her again?"
"With all the work we still need to do on the album material it might be awhile." Killian sighed, as he'd spoken with Emma about this same thing this morning.
"Well, from what I've heard of your new songs I'm fairly sure that it will be a success."
"I know."
They said a last farewell and Killian found Emma out in her kitchen. "Hey, love."
"Hi, babe." She kissed him and curled her fingers in his shirt holding him close.
"Miss me?"
"Aye."
"I'll definitely miss you when you go back to LA." She pouted. "When can we see each other again?"
"Come visit me in LA."
"I'll like that."
"We'll make it happen despite the distance."
"I know we will, my work hours at the bookshop are flexible and I can write my book in LA too."
Killian couldn't agree more, this would be a puzzle to work through where they'd be at any given moment in their life. Once the album was released, they would plan another tour next year, and then these moments together would be even further apart.
THANKSGIVING
Killian walked hand in hand with Emma down Main Street Storybrooke, his life was looking far brighter than ever before. This was proving to be more and more perfect and he hoped that someday they wouldn't have to travel across the country to be together every other week, or even three weeks between.
Last night he'd been at Nolan's Thanksgiving dinner. Something he'd been excited to be part of. Her family had taken him in with open arms and he finally felt like he belonged to a family that wasn't his band.
A pickup truck passed them on the street and Killian vaguely registered it stopping behind them, but soon he picked up the telltale clicking of a camera. "Blood hell."
"What?" Emma looked up in surprise.
"The paparazzi have found us."
"What the hell." Emma turned around and the look of horror on her face broke his heart, they'd both hoped that their little home town would be free from the vultures. But it was a no-brainer where Emma would be for Thanksgiving so obviously they'd gone out here to snap even more pictures of them doing their everyday business. In the past few months, it had been a normal occurrence while walking around LA with her, but here, it shouldn't happen here.
"Come on, let's go back home."
"No. They'll figure out where my house is. I don't want that." Emma's voice was in a slight panic as Killian looked down the street.
"Let's go through the diner then." He knew there was a back alley they could use to travel back to Emma's place from behind the diner.
Emma agreed, pulled him along and glanced over her shoulder. "Get lost," she shouted, but the paps didn't seem to care as they casually strolled along the sidewalk.
Killian recognized one of them as the one usually following his band around. "Bloody hell."
Emma quickened her pace, and he breathed in relief when the diner was within sight. "Get me out of here. I can't…" She gasped for breath and he realized she was on the verge of a panic attack.
As he pushed inside the diner he soon found the friendly elderly lady, "Granny, can we borrow your office or a room."
"What has gotten your knicker in such a twist so you need a room." The old woman's eyebrows lifted over her golden-rimmed glasses.
"Nothing of the sort that goes through your mind right now." He smirked when the woman gave a grunted hum in response. He flipped his thumb over his shoulder, "The vultures from LA seem to have picked up on our location so yeah."
"Say no more." Granny lifted her hand and pointed down the hall, "Second door to the right, that's my office." Her eyes landed on Emma, "I'll bring some hot cocoa, dear."
"Thank you." Killian wrapped his arms around Emma's shoulder. "Come now love let's get you settled."
"Why are they here?"
"I don't bloody know," Killian sighed and pushed at the door to the office. "Sit down." He eased her to sit on an old worn-out couch by the wall. Emma slumped into the soft material, hugging herself.
"They're stupid!"
"Aye, they are." He settled down next to her. "Don't let it get to you love, they do this for a living and those pictures pay their bills."
"Why can't they just sell pictures of all the public stuff we've been at." Emma waved towards the diner. "This is my life, my home, it's really none of their damn business."
"I agree and want to say that it will become easier but I'm not so sure." Killian sighed and rubbed over her back.
"Fuck that," Emma said with an angry glare. "I don't need that in my life."
Killian's heart skipped a beat. "What don't you need?"
"Them!"
"Oh." He scratched behind his ear. "For a second I thought you wanted me out of your life." His heart dropped at the mere thought of not being in her life.
"I love you, Killian, I really do. I just don't like how things are playing out around us." She pursed her lips. "So suck it up and move on, eh?" She glanced at him with a lifted eyebrow.
"Aye, something like that. I'm sorry."
The door opened, and Granny entered with two steaming mugs of cocoa. Killian got to his feet and took the mugs and placed them on the small side table. "Thank you, Granny."
Granny fished out a small flask of rum from her apron. "Thought you might need something to strengthen your nerves."
Killian gave the woman a wry smile. "Thanks." He took the flask and tipped a healthy amount into one mug, "Love?" When Emma nodded, he poured some into her mug as well.
"Those photographers camped out in the front when they realised you weren't in the diner." Granny shook her head. "They are truly vultures aren't they?"
"Aye."
"I'll keep an eye on them and if they bother my customers, even the slightest I'll call the sheriff."
"Thank you, that's very kind of you."
"They shouldn't mess around with the people living in this town, we stick together." She patted Killian's shoulder. "It's good to see you back home, Jones. I never got to say how sorry I was for seeing you and your brother leave like that."
Killian grimaced. "Thank you." A lump formed in his throat as his mind played over those horrible days when he and Liam dropped everything to fly to England.
"Now take the time you need and use the back alley to slip past those Paparazzi vultures out there."
"We know about the alley," Emma spoke up and hiccupped. "Thank you, Granny."
"Now stick close to this fellow here, he seems like a keeper." Granny winked and slipped out of the room again.
Emma looked up at Killian with a sad smile. "Sorry for freaking out so much, this was just a bit too close to home, I guess." She shrugged and reached for her mug and blew on the steaming cocoa.
Killian took his own mug and sat down again. "Aye, it's a bit crazy when they get too nosy like this."
Emma rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you."
"I love you too." Killian kissed the top of her head, and they silently drank the cocoa. Once the two cups were empty he asked. "Wanna head home?"
"Oh, I'd love that, and a long hot shower," Emma said, sighing.
"Wanna share that shower with me?" Killian waggled his eyebrows
"So full of yourself." Emma admonished gently, but then she wrapped her arm around him saying, "But I'd love for you to join me." She nipped at his earlobe making him groan and with his last ounce of willpower he rose to his feet. Images of their first night together after Halloween flashed before his eyes.
"If you don't stop that, we'll end up having sex in here."
Emma laughed and shuddered, "I don't want to see the look on Granny's face if she caught us doing that in here. I'd never be able to set foot in here again."
Killian laughed and followed her outside and made sure the coast was clear as they travelled down the back alleyway heading towards her house, back to their safe place. Away from the prying eyes of the press.
CHRISTMAS
It was the day after Christmas, and Killian had spent the days with Emma's family, blissfully unaware of what the social media had been brewing up the past few days. It was common for pictures of Emma and him to show up occasionally, them out for dinner, taking a walk, or attending an LA party. The pictures which had been taken of them after Thanksgiving were still being shared online.
He was resting on Emma's couch when his phone rang. "Aye?"
"Killian?"
"Elsa, what's wrong?" Even through the phone, Killian picked up on the worried note in the woman's voice.
"I guess you haven't been online?"
"Bloody hell, now what?!" He sat up and rubbed his face. "What shite have they come up with now."
"We're having a baby."
"Who?" He glanced at his phone in confusion.
"You and me." The strain in Elsa's voice was clear.
"WHAT the bloodiest of hells?! How would they even think that?"
"They saw me shop for baby stuff."
"Who's pregnant for real? You?" Killian knew he wasn't the father, but he was sad to say that he did not know if Elsa was seeing anyone at the moment. He'd been so occupied with the new album and finding time with Emma.
"It was supposed to be a secret for the new year," Elsa sighed. "But I already spoke with my sister and yeah she and Kristoff are expecting a baby this next summer."
"That's brilliant." Killian smiled, the young couple had been together pretty much from the start of the band.
"Yeah well, the social media thinks it's you and me, and that you're cheating on Emma."
"Bloody hell." Killian leapt to his feet and pushed his hand through his hair. "That is utter bollocks and they know that."
"Well, they have snaps of us having breakfast and a few lunches."
"But they…" Killian spluttered. "That was never anything."
"Where's Emma?"
"She is out, some brunch thing with a few of her hometown friends." Killian sighed and began pacing the floor, pulling at his hair. "Gods she'll flip if she sees those headlines."
"Call her."
The front door slammed sharply and Killian's heart dropped, Emma never closed her door like that. "I don't think I need to, she's back." He glanced at the clock. "A bit early."
"Yikes, good luck," Elsa said in sympathy. "Give us an update yeah?"
"Aye." He spun toward the hallway seeing Emma angrily shrugging out of her coat. "Let me help."
"You can get lost, that's what you can, I don't fucking need your help."
"Emma, please…" He lifted his hands trying to ease her anger.
"I had no idea you double-dated me and Elsa." She sneered, throwing her winter coat into the closet, not bothering about hanging it up. Kicking off her boots she snarled, "Get the fuck out of my life, Jones." She breathed in. "I can't even believe you could even…"
"I never slept with Elsa." Killian pushed forward. "I've never…" His shoulders sagged. "You have to believe me, we agreed to not let us be bothered by what the press writes, right? Remember that?"
"I do, but this is just too much, I can't. I don't know how to deal with all this. Fuck all those words and the pictures!" She pushed her hands through her hair. "Just leave me alone, I need some time to think."
"Emma, please…"
"No, please leave."
He looked at her in surprise. "You want me to pack and leave?"
"Yes, please." She hugged herself, and she flinched when he took a step towards her.
"Emma…"
She lifted her hand. "Just don't, not now, please just leave." Tears had formed in her eyes and it broke Killian to see her like this.
"Bloody hell." He cursed and pushed past her. "This is so ridiculous you know, we promised we wouldn't let the press get the better of us." Hurt and anger rose within him as he stomped up the steps, he'd never thought it would come to this.
Five minutes later he'd packed his stuff and scrambled downstairs, not seeing Emma anywhere he frowned. Her coat and boots were still there, "Emma?"
"Just fucking leave." Her muffled voice sounded from the downstairs small bathroom.
"Could we just talk…"
"No, just leave." A dull thump sounded as if she'd slumped her head against the door.
"I'll call you," Killian said in a broken voice that sent his heart on a downward spiral of misery. What if she'd never answered his calls, what if this was it?
When he opened the door he was met with shouts from the sidewalk, "How long have you been cheating on Emma?"
"Does she know about the baby?"
"Will Emma and Elsa be sister wives?"
That last one had Killian see red, and he stomped towards the bastard asking with an angry glare. "Get your nose out of my business, you have nothing to do here. Nothing to see, and all that shit about a baby is all lies."
"The pictures tell a different story." The self-righteous bastard proclaimed with his nose turned upward.
"You can shove those pictures up a place where the sun doesn't shine," Killian growled and stepped closer to the man.
"Killian!" A familiar voice called out, and he whirled around coming face to face with Emma's parents.
"What's going on?" David asked with a frown, eyeing the group of paparazzi.
"Things blew up, and Emma is pissed at me over something I never did." Killian breathed out.
"Oh, sweetie I'm sorry." Mary Margaret sighed, giving him a sympathetic look.
"I don't need this shit, I'm going home."
"What, what about Emma?" Mary Margaret asked in a slight panic.
"She doesn't want to see me right now, so I'll be leaving."
"Why are they here?" David asked, finding his phone. "I'll call the sheriff to have them removed."
"As long as they're not on the other side of the fence he can't do anything," Killian explained with a sigh. "I'll be going now, sorry it had to be like this."
He turned to the main part of Storybrooke intending to find the next bus out of this place, gods he hoped that this would not blow up everything he and Emma had built together