Chapter 13: Neal Finally Gets His Head Out of His Ass
Neal Cassidy
Good Lord. Why, papa? Why would you do that to me? We all returned to the hall and I was having enough troubles not running straight to Henry and sweeping him into my arms and then kissing Emma in a way that would make her forget who Captain Hook ever was but then my dad had to draw my attention to the fact that he and his girlfriend were about to go-be intimate. I shuddered. I did not want to think of my dad doing that. I appreciated the weight Emma's knowledge that her parents were trying to get pregnant had on her so much better at this moment. I mean Belle was all right. Actually, I had gotten to know her pretty well over the past year and she was more than all right-she was amazing. But if you lined everyone's timelines up, she was about a hundred years younger than me. And that was weird. (Although to be entirely honest there were very few couples in the Enchanted Forest at the moment that weren't weird.) I like Belle, but the thought of her and my dad…I shuddered…like I said. Good Lord. I followed the others into the kitchen where Henry and Snow were making enough hot chocolate to feed an army-which was actually quite necessary in this situation. People were laughing and hugging and Henry was telling his version of the battle based on what little he saw from the windows of the tower as loudly as he could. Hook was nowhere to be seen and Emma and Regina stuck to Henry's side like glue. Aurora was rushing around with Jiminy to bandage up everyone's injuries. Snow had a gash in her arm and Charming had been cut several times. I personally was a bit sore but that was it. Granny and Red had retreated to the trees, waiting out the full moon before they could join us. That wasn't right. They had been instrumental in the battle, someone should at least help them get their cloaks back. I picked up Red's cloak from where she had dropped it after dinner and walked out to the forest.
"Red!" I called out. "Granny?"
"Neal!" I heard Granny call out behind me. She and Red were the only ones who actually listened and called me Neal. Somehow she had managed to return to her human form. "Neal! I need your help!" I turned to see her, blood spattered across her body. "It's Ruby, she's been hurt." I blanched. Ruby had been one of my only friends when we had all been cursed back to the Enchanted Forest and we had grown close as we hunted down ways to help Emma. It had been my idea to get her to control herself in wolf form. I ran after Granny and came upon Ruby, her fur covered in blood, both hers and that of others. She was heaving and soft cries were emerging from her lips. I ran to her and threw the cloak over her shoulders. Moments later she shuddered and Ruby the human was back. She was still crying. Whimpering might have been a better word. I had been there the night she got back from having her foot caught in a trap. She hadn't shed one tear. Ruby was tough as nails so this must be serious. Thank God for the cloak because her gown was in such a state of tear and misuse that it practically fell of her as she was lying down.
"Hey, Red." I said gently as I wrapped the cloak more tightly around her, covering her up more modestly. "I'm going to get you back to the castle, okay? It's going to hurt but I need you to trust me." She nodded and whimpered something that I could only assume was a blessing. I gathered her up in my arms and walked as quickly as I could without moving her body too much. Ruby wrapped her arms around my neck and tucked her head into my shoulder. Granny followed us, holding a cloth against a cut on her arm. We reached the gates and I burst into the hall. "Aurora!" I called out, setting Ruby on a couch off to the side of the room. Everyone grew silent. Aurora, Snow and Emma rushed to the couch and began to look at the wounds. As soon as the severity was realized Snow ordered that she be brought to a private room for Whale to work on her. Somehow Whale had ended up in our world. He had been sent back to his, properly and yet a month after the curse struck he had managed to follow us here. I guess there was nothing for him back in his own and with Ruby being here, he had chosen the Enchanted Forest as his home. For some reason the thought of Whale and Red together put my teeth on edge. Regina offered to magically carry her up but I didn't want to take the chance that magic would hurt my friend. Magic could go wrong. Dreadfully, dreadfully wrong. I swept her back up in my arms and carried her to the room Snow suggested. Whale set out to work on her and shoed the rest of us out. Before I left I whispered in her ear.
"Hang in there Red. It's going to be okay." Granny held her hand as Whale began to clean her wounds. I left the room and felt Emma's hand on my shoulder. I looked back at her and in that moment I realized something. Emma was the one that got away. She would always be a part of me and part of me would always love her. Because of Henry we would always be family, but I didn't love her. I loved the mangled, wolf girl in the room before me. She smiled down at me and I knew that she knew.
"You love her, don't you?" Emma asked.
"Huh," a burst of air escaped my body. "I guess I do." I looked back at Emma.
"I'm sorry I've been so relentless with you. Anyone with eyes could see that you and Hook were meant to be together. I guess I was just trying to protect the woman I loved so much that I never stopped to realize that I wasn't in love with her anymore." Her arms wrapped around me and when we stepped back she gave me a shove.
"Go. Get your ass in there. If she feels the same way then there is no one else she would want to hold her hand." I smiled.
"Thanks, Em. Go get your pirate." And with that I spun around and raced back to Red's side.
Good Lord. Why, papa? Why would you do that to me? We all returned to the hall and I was having enough troubles not running straight to Henry and sweeping him into my arms and then kissing Emma in a way that would make her forget who Captain Hook ever was but then my dad had to draw my attention to the fact that he and his girlfriend were about to go-be intimate. I shuddered. I did not want to think of my dad doing that. I appreciated the weight Emma's knowledge that her parents were trying to get pregnant had on her so much better at this moment. I mean Belle was all right. Actually, I had gotten to know her pretty well over the past year and she was more than all right-she was amazing. But if you lined everyone's timelines up, she was about a hundred years younger than me. And that was weird. (Although to be entirely honest there were very few couples in the Enchanted Forest at the moment that weren't weird.) I like Belle, but the thought of her and my dad…I shuddered…like I said. Good Lord. I followed the others into the kitchen where Henry and Snow were making enough hot chocolate to feed an army-which was actually quite necessary in this situation. People were laughing and hugging and Henry was telling his version of the battle based on what little he saw from the windows of the tower as loudly as he could. Hook was nowhere to be seen and Emma and Regina stuck to Henry's side like glue. Aurora was rushing around with Jiminy to bandage up everyone's injuries. Snow had a gash in her arm and Charming had been cut several times. I personally was a bit sore but that was it. Granny and Red had retreated to the trees, waiting out the full moon before they could join us. That wasn't right. They had been instrumental in the battle, someone should at least help them get their cloaks back. I picked up Red's cloak from where she had dropped it after dinner and walked out to the forest.
"Red!" I called out. "Granny?"
"Neal!" I heard Granny call out behind me. She and Red were the only ones who actually listened and called me Neal. Somehow she had managed to return to her human form. "Neal! I need your help!" I turned to see her, blood spattered across her body. "It's Ruby, she's been hurt." I blanched. Ruby had been one of my only friends when we had all been cursed back to the Enchanted Forest and we had grown close as we hunted down ways to help Emma. It had been my idea to get her to control herself in wolf form. I ran after Granny and came upon Ruby, her fur covered in blood, both hers and that of others. She was heaving and soft cries were emerging from her lips. I ran to her and threw the cloak over her shoulders. Moments later she shuddered and Ruby the human was back. She was still crying. Whimpering might have been a better word. I had been there the night she got back from having her foot caught in a trap. She hadn't shed one tear. Ruby was tough as nails so this must be serious. Thank God for the cloak because her gown was in such a state of tear and misuse that it practically fell of her as she was lying down.
"Hey, Red." I said gently as I wrapped the cloak more tightly around her, covering her up more modestly. "I'm going to get you back to the castle, okay? It's going to hurt but I need you to trust me." She nodded and whimpered something that I could only assume was a blessing. I gathered her up in my arms and walked as quickly as I could without moving her body too much. Ruby wrapped her arms around my neck and tucked her head into my shoulder. Granny followed us, holding a cloth against a cut on her arm. We reached the gates and I burst into the hall. "Aurora!" I called out, setting Ruby on a couch off to the side of the room. Everyone grew silent. Aurora, Snow and Emma rushed to the couch and began to look at the wounds. As soon as the severity was realized Snow ordered that she be brought to a private room for Whale to work on her. Somehow Whale had ended up in our world. He had been sent back to his, properly and yet a month after the curse struck he had managed to follow us here. I guess there was nothing for him back in his own and with Ruby being here, he had chosen the Enchanted Forest as his home. For some reason the thought of Whale and Red together put my teeth on edge. Regina offered to magically carry her up but I didn't want to take the chance that magic would hurt my friend. Magic could go wrong. Dreadfully, dreadfully wrong. I swept her back up in my arms and carried her to the room Snow suggested. Whale set out to work on her and shoed the rest of us out. Before I left I whispered in her ear.
"Hang in there Red. It's going to be okay." Granny held her hand as Whale began to clean her wounds. I left the room and felt Emma's hand on my shoulder. I looked back at her and in that moment I realized something. Emma was the one that got away. She would always be a part of me and part of me would always love her. Because of Henry we would always be family, but I didn't love her. I loved the mangled, wolf girl in the room before me. She smiled down at me and I knew that she knew.
"You love her, don't you?" Emma asked.
"Huh," a burst of air escaped my body. "I guess I do." I looked back at Emma.
"I'm sorry I've been so relentless with you. Anyone with eyes could see that you and Hook were meant to be together. I guess I was just trying to protect the woman I loved so much that I never stopped to realize that I wasn't in love with her anymore." Her arms wrapped around me and when we stepped back she gave me a shove.
"Go. Get your ass in there. If she feels the same way then there is no one else she would want to hold her hand." I smiled.
"Thanks, Em. Go get your pirate." And with that I spun around and raced back to Red's side.
Chapter 14: These Stars
Emma Swan
"Go get your pirate." My heart sank. He wasn't my pirate. I had taken him for granted for so long and then when I finally made up my mind it was too late. He had remembered Milah and we had both realized that I was second tier. Even the past few days showed it. We were further back than we had been the day we had met. He didn't flirt with me meaninglessly, he ignored me completely and when he was speaking to me it was with disdain and anger. He had called me Princess. Not Emma, not Swan, not even lass, but Princess. He knew how much I hated that. There was nothing I could do. He had been avoiding me since the battle. He had called out my name. I had heard him scream 'Emma' just when the witch had tried to take my heart. I thought in that moment that it may have meant something but he had been avoiding me ever since and I realized now it must have been a natural reaction to the sight of someone's heart being stolen after what happened to Milah. I missed him.
Henry was staying with Snow and David and I wanted to give Neal some time with Ruby before I burst in there worrying about my friend. That just leaves me. Me with my thoughts and wishes. Me with my longing for Killian and realization that I had completely messed this up all on my own. We just beat the wicked witch of the west. I had just discovered how deep my magic ran. My child's grandfather came back from the dead and broke his curse. I should be so happy right now but the only things I could think of were the way my heart broke every time Henry question Regina, and the way Killian broke my heart each time he walked away.
I walked out on to the balcony outside my room a gazed out onto the stars. It was so beautiful here. If only I was sharing these stars with someone else.
"Go get your pirate." My heart sank. He wasn't my pirate. I had taken him for granted for so long and then when I finally made up my mind it was too late. He had remembered Milah and we had both realized that I was second tier. Even the past few days showed it. We were further back than we had been the day we had met. He didn't flirt with me meaninglessly, he ignored me completely and when he was speaking to me it was with disdain and anger. He had called me Princess. Not Emma, not Swan, not even lass, but Princess. He knew how much I hated that. There was nothing I could do. He had been avoiding me since the battle. He had called out my name. I had heard him scream 'Emma' just when the witch had tried to take my heart. I thought in that moment that it may have meant something but he had been avoiding me ever since and I realized now it must have been a natural reaction to the sight of someone's heart being stolen after what happened to Milah. I missed him.
Henry was staying with Snow and David and I wanted to give Neal some time with Ruby before I burst in there worrying about my friend. That just leaves me. Me with my thoughts and wishes. Me with my longing for Killian and realization that I had completely messed this up all on my own. We just beat the wicked witch of the west. I had just discovered how deep my magic ran. My child's grandfather came back from the dead and broke his curse. I should be so happy right now but the only things I could think of were the way my heart broke every time Henry question Regina, and the way Killian broke my heart each time he walked away.
I walked out on to the balcony outside my room a gazed out onto the stars. It was so beautiful here. If only I was sharing these stars with someone else.
Chapter 15: True Love's Kiss
Killian Jones
I stared at the sky as dusk turned to night. The moon poked out from behind the trees and stars shone brightly in the black sky. Emotions ran through me like a river runs to the sea. For a moment I had thought I was about to lose Emma in the same way I had lost Milah. I would have lost her without having told her that I love her. Surely she knew how I felt but it wasn't the same. Not that I could tell her anyway. She still loved Graham. How could I tell her how I felt when she was still mooning over someone else? The night continued and I watched as Baelfire carried the wolf girl back to the castle. Well that was something. The way he looked at her-I had my suspicions through the past year that there was something between them but his constant attention to returning Emma home convinced me that I was wrong, but seeing the concern and panic on Baelfire's face I knew that he loved her. I sat for a while longer and watched as Snow and the Prince brought Henry out to the stables to meet a pony. They helped him brush the horse and feed her carrots before returning a sleepy Henry back indoors.
A drop of water fell on my hand and I looked to the sky for rain. There wasn't a cloud above me. There was another drop running down my cheek. Oh gods I was crying. I hadn't cried since Milah's death and it wasn't something I had ever planned on doing again. Brushing my cheeks off, I laid back on the railing of the balcony and looked around me. A thick green vine ran up the side of the building connecting the balconies on each level. There was stone everywhere. From the thick columns to the turrets to the walls, everything was majestic and grand. Just then, I heard a soft sobbing coming from above me. Directly above me. Someone had emerged onto their own balcony and was crying, just like me. Who could it possibly be? We had just won a war, and everyone who cared that much for the wolf girl would be with her. Regina didn't cry. She might be upset that Henry didn't know her but I knew her well enough to know that if she was reduced to tears they would be the silent and stoic type. I listened carefully until I heard a word. One word that made me nearly fall off my perch to my death at the rocks below me.
"Killian." The voice whispered. Not just any voice. Her voice. She was out on her balcony crying, about me. I wanted to hold her. Even if I was wrong and she wasn't crying about me, she was still crying. And lord help me but even if it broke my heart in two I wasn't going to sit by and let Emma be sad. I would cross an ocean just to see her smile, and I could rip out my own heart and crush it if it meant my Emma would be happy again. I grabbed hold to the vine and began making my way up towards her balcony. Grabbing with my hook and hand as quickly as I could, I made quick time of the ascension and finally got to the railing of her balcony. She was sitting on a small cushioned chair on the far end of the balcony. Her arms were lying on the railing and her face was resting atop them. Her long blonde curls were splayed out around her like a halo. She still wore the gown Regina had given her. Gods but when she had walked into breakfast this morning, I knew I wasn't the only one who couldn't tear my eyes off her.
"Hello Beautiful." I finally managed. Her head shot up and her eyes widened at the sight of me.
"Killian! What are you doing?" She exclaimed.
"It seems to me that one so beautiful should never be given reason to cry." I began. "If I can at all remedy your sadness I beg of you to allow me that pleasure." Emma looked at me warily and shook her head, tears still streaming down her cheeks. That was something at least. Her walls were down, she was letting herself be vulnerable around me.
"There's nothing you can do." She said gripping my hand and pulling me safely up on the ledge. There was nothing but railing separating us now.
"Because I cannot change the past." I prompted. Of course, she wished someone could change her love's death. Her brow furrowed and she looked down at the floor.
"I guess so," She finally admitted. My heart sunk but it didn't matter. I was here to make Emma happy, not me. "I stopped denying my own feelings but I was clearly too late."
"Emma," I leaned in towards her. "Were I able to bring him back for you I would, but love there is nothing I can do but defend your heart against further pain." Emma's eyes shot up and she looked wholly confounded. She didn't respond and we both stared at each other for a few moments. Then she broke the silence.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You are still in love with your Graham. And I swear to you Emma, whatever my own feelings about you, you must know all I want is your happiness and if I could give you your love back I would, but-"
"I'm not in love with Graham!" Emma exclaimed. "I never was! Just because you are still in love with Milah doesn't mean that I have the same problems, and-"
"You think I'm in love with Milah?" I exclaimed, nearly letting go of the railing and falling to my death. "Emma, I'm in love with you!"
"But when she came back, you pushed me away."
"Because you were so in love with Graham, I didn't want to give you up."
"Killian, I was never in love with Graham. He loved me and it was my fault he died both times. I felt guilty and he was one of my only friends in both Storybrooke and New York so of course I mourned for him but I was never in love with him."
"Say it again." I breathed. She tearfully smiled back.
"What?" she asked.
"My name." I insisted. "Emma for all that is holy say my name again." She smiled and looked into my eyes from beneath thick lashes coated in tears.
"Killian Jones, I love you." She said. Every moment in the past year that my heart had broken thinking of Emma, every second that I thought she loved another and crushed my spirits in those moments, they were all worth it to hear those words. We were inches away from each other. I could feel her breath on my face and my heart was beating so fast I was sure it would jump straight out of my chest. Emma continued. "I think I've loved you for a long time now and have only just realized it." I closed the gap between us, capturing her lips with my own, feeling an electric shock pass through my body. Wind ripped the air around us and Emma's blonde hair seemed to glow with radiance. This was like nothing I had ever felt before. This was beyond a shadow of doubt, true love's kiss.
I stared at the sky as dusk turned to night. The moon poked out from behind the trees and stars shone brightly in the black sky. Emotions ran through me like a river runs to the sea. For a moment I had thought I was about to lose Emma in the same way I had lost Milah. I would have lost her without having told her that I love her. Surely she knew how I felt but it wasn't the same. Not that I could tell her anyway. She still loved Graham. How could I tell her how I felt when she was still mooning over someone else? The night continued and I watched as Baelfire carried the wolf girl back to the castle. Well that was something. The way he looked at her-I had my suspicions through the past year that there was something between them but his constant attention to returning Emma home convinced me that I was wrong, but seeing the concern and panic on Baelfire's face I knew that he loved her. I sat for a while longer and watched as Snow and the Prince brought Henry out to the stables to meet a pony. They helped him brush the horse and feed her carrots before returning a sleepy Henry back indoors.
A drop of water fell on my hand and I looked to the sky for rain. There wasn't a cloud above me. There was another drop running down my cheek. Oh gods I was crying. I hadn't cried since Milah's death and it wasn't something I had ever planned on doing again. Brushing my cheeks off, I laid back on the railing of the balcony and looked around me. A thick green vine ran up the side of the building connecting the balconies on each level. There was stone everywhere. From the thick columns to the turrets to the walls, everything was majestic and grand. Just then, I heard a soft sobbing coming from above me. Directly above me. Someone had emerged onto their own balcony and was crying, just like me. Who could it possibly be? We had just won a war, and everyone who cared that much for the wolf girl would be with her. Regina didn't cry. She might be upset that Henry didn't know her but I knew her well enough to know that if she was reduced to tears they would be the silent and stoic type. I listened carefully until I heard a word. One word that made me nearly fall off my perch to my death at the rocks below me.
"Killian." The voice whispered. Not just any voice. Her voice. She was out on her balcony crying, about me. I wanted to hold her. Even if I was wrong and she wasn't crying about me, she was still crying. And lord help me but even if it broke my heart in two I wasn't going to sit by and let Emma be sad. I would cross an ocean just to see her smile, and I could rip out my own heart and crush it if it meant my Emma would be happy again. I grabbed hold to the vine and began making my way up towards her balcony. Grabbing with my hook and hand as quickly as I could, I made quick time of the ascension and finally got to the railing of her balcony. She was sitting on a small cushioned chair on the far end of the balcony. Her arms were lying on the railing and her face was resting atop them. Her long blonde curls were splayed out around her like a halo. She still wore the gown Regina had given her. Gods but when she had walked into breakfast this morning, I knew I wasn't the only one who couldn't tear my eyes off her.
"Hello Beautiful." I finally managed. Her head shot up and her eyes widened at the sight of me.
"Killian! What are you doing?" She exclaimed.
"It seems to me that one so beautiful should never be given reason to cry." I began. "If I can at all remedy your sadness I beg of you to allow me that pleasure." Emma looked at me warily and shook her head, tears still streaming down her cheeks. That was something at least. Her walls were down, she was letting herself be vulnerable around me.
"There's nothing you can do." She said gripping my hand and pulling me safely up on the ledge. There was nothing but railing separating us now.
"Because I cannot change the past." I prompted. Of course, she wished someone could change her love's death. Her brow furrowed and she looked down at the floor.
"I guess so," She finally admitted. My heart sunk but it didn't matter. I was here to make Emma happy, not me. "I stopped denying my own feelings but I was clearly too late."
"Emma," I leaned in towards her. "Were I able to bring him back for you I would, but love there is nothing I can do but defend your heart against further pain." Emma's eyes shot up and she looked wholly confounded. She didn't respond and we both stared at each other for a few moments. Then she broke the silence.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You are still in love with your Graham. And I swear to you Emma, whatever my own feelings about you, you must know all I want is your happiness and if I could give you your love back I would, but-"
"I'm not in love with Graham!" Emma exclaimed. "I never was! Just because you are still in love with Milah doesn't mean that I have the same problems, and-"
"You think I'm in love with Milah?" I exclaimed, nearly letting go of the railing and falling to my death. "Emma, I'm in love with you!"
"But when she came back, you pushed me away."
"Because you were so in love with Graham, I didn't want to give you up."
"Killian, I was never in love with Graham. He loved me and it was my fault he died both times. I felt guilty and he was one of my only friends in both Storybrooke and New York so of course I mourned for him but I was never in love with him."
"Say it again." I breathed. She tearfully smiled back.
"What?" she asked.
"My name." I insisted. "Emma for all that is holy say my name again." She smiled and looked into my eyes from beneath thick lashes coated in tears.
"Killian Jones, I love you." She said. Every moment in the past year that my heart had broken thinking of Emma, every second that I thought she loved another and crushed my spirits in those moments, they were all worth it to hear those words. We were inches away from each other. I could feel her breath on my face and my heart was beating so fast I was sure it would jump straight out of my chest. Emma continued. "I think I've loved you for a long time now and have only just realized it." I closed the gap between us, capturing her lips with my own, feeling an electric shock pass through my body. Wind ripped the air around us and Emma's blonde hair seemed to glow with radiance. This was like nothing I had ever felt before. This was beyond a shadow of doubt, true love's kiss.
Chapter 16: Daddy's Issues
David/Charming
Henry had just fallen asleep and Snow and I sat back and looked around us. So much had changed in just 48 hours it felt like a different lifetime. Our daughter and grandson were back and even though he didn't remember us, they were here and they were safe. The witch was defeated and her prisoners freed. Rumpelstiltskin was somehow back from the dead, and though I wasn't 100% positive that was a good thing, Belle seemed happy about it. Neal had found love and moved on from Emma, leaving her free to move on with her path in life and Snow had just told me she was pregnant. Life had completely changed and the stress and worry had vanished. Okay, sure the farmers were having problems growing in the long abandoned fields and yes it hadn't rained in weeks which was extremely bad for everyone here and yes the flowers the ladies had planted were all wilted and dying and giving a sad, mournful feel to everyone who saw them no matter what Regina did to them and yes, all the food stores we had when we left were rotten and stale and we were having problems getting food out to the starving masses, but those were problems for tomorrow. Today I could hold my family tight and feel a sense of great relief. Snow leaned her head into my shoulder and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.
Just then a blast of wind ripped through the room. I heard gasps and exclamations from outside the door and Snow and I looked at each other curiously. "Was that?" I started asking.
"True Loves kiss? I think so." She responded. We looked at each other a moment more before running out into the hall looking for the source. People were streaming out of rooms and looking around happily. It wasn't just us. Ariel and Eric rushed up to us and the mermaid gripped my hand tightly.
"Was it you?" She asked desperately. I shook my head.
"I thought it might be you." Snow returned. "Could it have been Baelfire and Ruby?"
"No, he left to get her water a few minutes before." Ariel responded.
"What about Belle and Gold?" Regina asked, entering the hall and joining our conversation as happily as the rest of us. "They disappeared quite a while ago."
"Not us," Belle called out, appearing wrapped in an oversize emerald shirt that I realized was Rumpelstiltskin's.
"Belle!" Snow said, looking at her with a knowing smirk on her face. Belle looked down at her attire, blushing.
"Really?" Regina asked, sounding as embarrassed and disturbed as I was at the thought of Gold, ugh. "You couldn't leave us with reasonable doubt?" the red on Belle's cheeks deepened and I turned to face Eric who looked just as awkward as I felt.
"Ella?" He suggested.
"Nope!" the offending party answered his question while walking hand in hand with her beloved. "Perhaps it was someone in the village!" She suggested.
"No," Regina said, running her hand over the air, testing the magic. "That definitely originated in the castle.
"Close by, I would say." Rumpelstiltskin added, appearing behind Belle. Thanking God that at least Gold was fully clothed I looked towards Emma's room. Had she not felt the electricity in the air? Perhaps she didn't realize what it was. I walked to the door and threw it open.
I was in no way prepared for the sight before me. That pirate had my daughter pressed up against a wall. Having completely divest her nearly every article of clothing she had been wearing, he now proceeded to remove any doubt in her mind as to his feelings for her. I let out a strangled noise and they both looked over at me startled.
"Dad?" Emma gasped, a bit of fear in her eyes. I slammed the door shut and stood in front of it, my eyes wide and my mouth hanging open in shock. Everyone stopped speaking and stared at me.
"Charming?" Snow asked cautiously. "What's wrong?"
"Oh God," I finally stuttered out. "I should not have seen that, I should not have done that, oh God oh God my eyes!"
"What?" Snow said reaching for the door handle, trying to see what I was on about. I pushed her hand away from the door handle and blocked her path.
"NO!" She looked at me intrigued at my sudden outburst.
"Wait-is that?" She looked at our daughter's door curiously and then back at me.
"I found the source." I whispered. She looked back at the door. Then her eyes grew wide and she burst out laughing.
"Emma and Hook?" She finally said, still laughing. The entirety of our guests in the castle were at this point standing before us listening to every word. After a few moments of listening to Snow's laughter and cheering They joined in Snow's celebrations and ran about laughing and shouting excitedly.
"It's not funny! You didn't see!" I exclaimed. That was no, pure, innocent true love's kiss," I began. "That was, that was," I looked up and shook my head, anger clouding my sight as I growled my next words. "I am going to kill that pirate."
Henry had just fallen asleep and Snow and I sat back and looked around us. So much had changed in just 48 hours it felt like a different lifetime. Our daughter and grandson were back and even though he didn't remember us, they were here and they were safe. The witch was defeated and her prisoners freed. Rumpelstiltskin was somehow back from the dead, and though I wasn't 100% positive that was a good thing, Belle seemed happy about it. Neal had found love and moved on from Emma, leaving her free to move on with her path in life and Snow had just told me she was pregnant. Life had completely changed and the stress and worry had vanished. Okay, sure the farmers were having problems growing in the long abandoned fields and yes it hadn't rained in weeks which was extremely bad for everyone here and yes the flowers the ladies had planted were all wilted and dying and giving a sad, mournful feel to everyone who saw them no matter what Regina did to them and yes, all the food stores we had when we left were rotten and stale and we were having problems getting food out to the starving masses, but those were problems for tomorrow. Today I could hold my family tight and feel a sense of great relief. Snow leaned her head into my shoulder and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.
Just then a blast of wind ripped through the room. I heard gasps and exclamations from outside the door and Snow and I looked at each other curiously. "Was that?" I started asking.
"True Loves kiss? I think so." She responded. We looked at each other a moment more before running out into the hall looking for the source. People were streaming out of rooms and looking around happily. It wasn't just us. Ariel and Eric rushed up to us and the mermaid gripped my hand tightly.
"Was it you?" She asked desperately. I shook my head.
"I thought it might be you." Snow returned. "Could it have been Baelfire and Ruby?"
"No, he left to get her water a few minutes before." Ariel responded.
"What about Belle and Gold?" Regina asked, entering the hall and joining our conversation as happily as the rest of us. "They disappeared quite a while ago."
"Not us," Belle called out, appearing wrapped in an oversize emerald shirt that I realized was Rumpelstiltskin's.
"Belle!" Snow said, looking at her with a knowing smirk on her face. Belle looked down at her attire, blushing.
"Really?" Regina asked, sounding as embarrassed and disturbed as I was at the thought of Gold, ugh. "You couldn't leave us with reasonable doubt?" the red on Belle's cheeks deepened and I turned to face Eric who looked just as awkward as I felt.
"Ella?" He suggested.
"Nope!" the offending party answered his question while walking hand in hand with her beloved. "Perhaps it was someone in the village!" She suggested.
"No," Regina said, running her hand over the air, testing the magic. "That definitely originated in the castle.
"Close by, I would say." Rumpelstiltskin added, appearing behind Belle. Thanking God that at least Gold was fully clothed I looked towards Emma's room. Had she not felt the electricity in the air? Perhaps she didn't realize what it was. I walked to the door and threw it open.
I was in no way prepared for the sight before me. That pirate had my daughter pressed up against a wall. Having completely divest her nearly every article of clothing she had been wearing, he now proceeded to remove any doubt in her mind as to his feelings for her. I let out a strangled noise and they both looked over at me startled.
"Dad?" Emma gasped, a bit of fear in her eyes. I slammed the door shut and stood in front of it, my eyes wide and my mouth hanging open in shock. Everyone stopped speaking and stared at me.
"Charming?" Snow asked cautiously. "What's wrong?"
"Oh God," I finally stuttered out. "I should not have seen that, I should not have done that, oh God oh God my eyes!"
"What?" Snow said reaching for the door handle, trying to see what I was on about. I pushed her hand away from the door handle and blocked her path.
"NO!" She looked at me intrigued at my sudden outburst.
"Wait-is that?" She looked at our daughter's door curiously and then back at me.
"I found the source." I whispered. She looked back at the door. Then her eyes grew wide and she burst out laughing.
"Emma and Hook?" She finally said, still laughing. The entirety of our guests in the castle were at this point standing before us listening to every word. After a few moments of listening to Snow's laughter and cheering They joined in Snow's celebrations and ran about laughing and shouting excitedly.
"It's not funny! You didn't see!" I exclaimed. That was no, pure, innocent true love's kiss," I began. "That was, that was," I looked up and shook my head, anger clouding my sight as I growled my next words. "I am going to kill that pirate."
Chapter 17: Dead Man of the Year
Emma
"Killian Jones, I love you." I said, all though of hiding it thrown out the window as soon as I had heard his own testimony of love. "I think I've loved you for a long time now and have only just realized it." I admitted. The look of happiness in his eyes made me grin and I felt a tear sliding down my cheek. He had just climbed a vine to see if I was alright. He had heard me crying and climbed a freaking vine! To my balcony! This really was a fairy tale world. He stood on the edge of the balcony, holding onto the railing to keep from falling back to the rock slab below. I stood on the other side of the railing but despite the thick stone pillars, we were inches apart. My heart was beating quickly, my hands were sweating and my breathing was shallow and hurried. Just then he leaned in, closing the last few inches between us, claiming my lips in his. I gripped his shirt in my hands, pulling him towards me and his lips, soft and gentle, played with mine. I felt his hand in my hair, and his hook pressing my back, pulling me closer to him. A breath of wind picked up and swirled around us playing with my hair and giving even more intensity to the moment. A burst of energy burst out of that kiss and jetted outwards across the entire castle, spreading towards the woods in the other direction. It was true loves kiss. It may not have been where I expected to find true love, but knowing now for certain that what I was feeling was real made me laugh at the mere thought that I could have found this happiness with anyone else in the world. We paused as he swung over the railing and after his feet stepped firmly on the floor of my room. We stopped, staring at each other smiling and we took in the moment. Unable to wait another moment I sprang at him and pushed him into the wall, capturing his essence in that kiss. He spun me around, taking control and pinning me into the stone and leaning into me. His lips left mine and made their way down my jaw, trailing down my neck until he found that spot where my neck met my shoulder. He heard my soft moan and I could feel him smirk against my skin but before I could reprimand him he went to work on that spot, throwing any thought of anger out the window. Our legs were inter-crossed, his right knee pushed my legs opened. My hands were gripping at his back, trying to pull him even closer to me. His hands moved from my back to my stomach, pulling at the laces that held this dress on me. I leaned back, giving him space to untie me from this cage. When the laces were gone he pushed the dress backwards, freeing my arms and waist, leaving me in my corset. The skirt still wrapped around my waist and wrapping me in his arms, Killian picked me up straight out of the skirt letting it fall to the floor as he set me back on my feet. His eyes ran over me hungrily and I watched happily as he let out a slight moan. Killian was wearing far too much clothing so I quickly took to divesting him of his coat and shirt. I ran my hands over his chest, smoothing out the soft dark hair that adorned his pale skin. Years of sailing the rough seas had given Killian taught muscles and I had never been more grateful for that before in my life. I ran my hands down his arms and stopped when I got to Milah's tattoo. I stared at it in shock. It was no longer alone. The heart was surrounded by water and floating atop the waves was a single swan. Beautiful, simple, its wings spread out behind it. It wasn't white, like the classic swan, but black. Dark and beautiful, it stood out from the rest of his tattoo. I ran my finger over it.
"Do you like it, love?" It was beautiful. And so eternal. It would never go away. I was a part of him for the rest of his life. My hands found their way to his face as I looked up at him.
"I love it." I whispered. Bringing his lips back to where they belonged, on mine. Our passion quickly returned to its heightened state from moments ago but before I could attack his leather pants. His mouth was back on my neck and I found myself pressed back up against the wall, my body intertwined with his. As her returned his attentions to my lips, our tongues danced playfully with each other and our hands freely explored the other's body. I could feel him tracing the bottom edge of my corset, his fingers running around my hips and just above my ass as he inched down the lace panties I had had the foresight to leave on despite Regina's insistence that women here didn't really wear that type of undergarment. My own fingers were not being at all shy as I explored his lower back and ran them over the leather he was still wearing below the waist. Our breathing was deep and I could feel his hips involuntarily thrusting against me and felt my own body shamelessly responding. I could feel him growing, his hardness pressing rapidly into my thigh. We were completely wrapped up in one another, ignoring the world around up. It was simply Killian, and me, and this burning passionate heat that filled the air around us.
A strangled sob came from the direction of my door and Killian and I simultaneously turned our heads towards its source. "Dad?" I managed to stutter out, feeling rather like a teenager getting caught with her first lover. David's eyes were wide and complete horror covered his face as he withdrew his head and slammed the door behind him. "Oh my God." I breathed as Killian's head leaned against my shoulder groaning in frustration. "Come on, we've got to get dressed." I said, reaching for Regina's borrowed gown.
"What?" he moaned. "Good God, Swan. You will be the death of me, I swear it." he growled softly. "You can't leave a man like this, it is hardly good form!" he glanced down at his predicament and I tried to hide the grin that made its way to my lips. "Do you find this funny, Swan?"
"No!" I insisted, doing a horrible job of covering up my laughter. "Come on Killian, you know he'll be back in with his sword in a few minutes and if we're still like this he will kill us both." I added, gesturing to our current state of undress.
"I think with a Siren like you, Swan, a few minutes may be all I need." He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me back towards him, my back pressed against his chest, his lips biting at my neck playfully. I giggled, quietly, struggling half-heartedly and completely unsuccessfully.
Then, through the thick wooden door, we heard whoops and hollers and cheering followed by a loud and angry "I am going to kill that pirate." We both stopped our playing and looked at each other. I glanced at the door, painfully aware at how close David was to Killian.
"Yes, so these clothes look really nice right now." Killian said hurriedly. I could see real fear in his eyes as we reached for our garments. It was almost comical how quickly we got dressed and as Killian was helping me lace my dress back up David burst through the door, Snow holding his arm and attempting to pull him back, a huge smile on his face. I quickly stepped in between my father and Killian, noticing a moment too late that we had tied my dress on a bit lopsided, and one shoulder had fallen out of its sleeve.
"Hey dad," I tried to speak casually to calm the situation. "What's up?" he ignored me, instead training his eyes on Killian.
"You are a dead man." He said simply. "Run."
"Killian Jones, I love you." I said, all though of hiding it thrown out the window as soon as I had heard his own testimony of love. "I think I've loved you for a long time now and have only just realized it." I admitted. The look of happiness in his eyes made me grin and I felt a tear sliding down my cheek. He had just climbed a vine to see if I was alright. He had heard me crying and climbed a freaking vine! To my balcony! This really was a fairy tale world. He stood on the edge of the balcony, holding onto the railing to keep from falling back to the rock slab below. I stood on the other side of the railing but despite the thick stone pillars, we were inches apart. My heart was beating quickly, my hands were sweating and my breathing was shallow and hurried. Just then he leaned in, closing the last few inches between us, claiming my lips in his. I gripped his shirt in my hands, pulling him towards me and his lips, soft and gentle, played with mine. I felt his hand in my hair, and his hook pressing my back, pulling me closer to him. A breath of wind picked up and swirled around us playing with my hair and giving even more intensity to the moment. A burst of energy burst out of that kiss and jetted outwards across the entire castle, spreading towards the woods in the other direction. It was true loves kiss. It may not have been where I expected to find true love, but knowing now for certain that what I was feeling was real made me laugh at the mere thought that I could have found this happiness with anyone else in the world. We paused as he swung over the railing and after his feet stepped firmly on the floor of my room. We stopped, staring at each other smiling and we took in the moment. Unable to wait another moment I sprang at him and pushed him into the wall, capturing his essence in that kiss. He spun me around, taking control and pinning me into the stone and leaning into me. His lips left mine and made their way down my jaw, trailing down my neck until he found that spot where my neck met my shoulder. He heard my soft moan and I could feel him smirk against my skin but before I could reprimand him he went to work on that spot, throwing any thought of anger out the window. Our legs were inter-crossed, his right knee pushed my legs opened. My hands were gripping at his back, trying to pull him even closer to me. His hands moved from my back to my stomach, pulling at the laces that held this dress on me. I leaned back, giving him space to untie me from this cage. When the laces were gone he pushed the dress backwards, freeing my arms and waist, leaving me in my corset. The skirt still wrapped around my waist and wrapping me in his arms, Killian picked me up straight out of the skirt letting it fall to the floor as he set me back on my feet. His eyes ran over me hungrily and I watched happily as he let out a slight moan. Killian was wearing far too much clothing so I quickly took to divesting him of his coat and shirt. I ran my hands over his chest, smoothing out the soft dark hair that adorned his pale skin. Years of sailing the rough seas had given Killian taught muscles and I had never been more grateful for that before in my life. I ran my hands down his arms and stopped when I got to Milah's tattoo. I stared at it in shock. It was no longer alone. The heart was surrounded by water and floating atop the waves was a single swan. Beautiful, simple, its wings spread out behind it. It wasn't white, like the classic swan, but black. Dark and beautiful, it stood out from the rest of his tattoo. I ran my finger over it.
"Do you like it, love?" It was beautiful. And so eternal. It would never go away. I was a part of him for the rest of his life. My hands found their way to his face as I looked up at him.
"I love it." I whispered. Bringing his lips back to where they belonged, on mine. Our passion quickly returned to its heightened state from moments ago but before I could attack his leather pants. His mouth was back on my neck and I found myself pressed back up against the wall, my body intertwined with his. As her returned his attentions to my lips, our tongues danced playfully with each other and our hands freely explored the other's body. I could feel him tracing the bottom edge of my corset, his fingers running around my hips and just above my ass as he inched down the lace panties I had had the foresight to leave on despite Regina's insistence that women here didn't really wear that type of undergarment. My own fingers were not being at all shy as I explored his lower back and ran them over the leather he was still wearing below the waist. Our breathing was deep and I could feel his hips involuntarily thrusting against me and felt my own body shamelessly responding. I could feel him growing, his hardness pressing rapidly into my thigh. We were completely wrapped up in one another, ignoring the world around up. It was simply Killian, and me, and this burning passionate heat that filled the air around us.
A strangled sob came from the direction of my door and Killian and I simultaneously turned our heads towards its source. "Dad?" I managed to stutter out, feeling rather like a teenager getting caught with her first lover. David's eyes were wide and complete horror covered his face as he withdrew his head and slammed the door behind him. "Oh my God." I breathed as Killian's head leaned against my shoulder groaning in frustration. "Come on, we've got to get dressed." I said, reaching for Regina's borrowed gown.
"What?" he moaned. "Good God, Swan. You will be the death of me, I swear it." he growled softly. "You can't leave a man like this, it is hardly good form!" he glanced down at his predicament and I tried to hide the grin that made its way to my lips. "Do you find this funny, Swan?"
"No!" I insisted, doing a horrible job of covering up my laughter. "Come on Killian, you know he'll be back in with his sword in a few minutes and if we're still like this he will kill us both." I added, gesturing to our current state of undress.
"I think with a Siren like you, Swan, a few minutes may be all I need." He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me back towards him, my back pressed against his chest, his lips biting at my neck playfully. I giggled, quietly, struggling half-heartedly and completely unsuccessfully.
Then, through the thick wooden door, we heard whoops and hollers and cheering followed by a loud and angry "I am going to kill that pirate." We both stopped our playing and looked at each other. I glanced at the door, painfully aware at how close David was to Killian.
"Yes, so these clothes look really nice right now." Killian said hurriedly. I could see real fear in his eyes as we reached for our garments. It was almost comical how quickly we got dressed and as Killian was helping me lace my dress back up David burst through the door, Snow holding his arm and attempting to pull him back, a huge smile on his face. I quickly stepped in between my father and Killian, noticing a moment too late that we had tied my dress on a bit lopsided, and one shoulder had fallen out of its sleeve.
"Hey dad," I tried to speak casually to calm the situation. "What's up?" he ignored me, instead training his eyes on Killian.
"You are a dead man." He said simply. "Run."
Chapter 18: Snow's Mistake
Snow White
"You are a dead man." David said simply. "Run."
"David!" I exclaimed as David began to draw his sword, grabbing at his sword arm once again.
"Dad!" Emma yelled angrily. "Are you insane?" I would be lying if I said I hadn't stopped worrying about my husband's anger and began to feel a bit of joy at Emma calling him dad.
"Mate, could we perhaps have this conversation without weapons?" Hook attempted to reason with David, his hand and hook held out innocently.
"Ha!" David snarled furiously. "I don't plan on doing much talking-just a bit of killing."
"Okay, David now is not the time for an overprotective daddy act."
"Overprotective-Snow-I don't think you understand-" David began to argue but I put my arm on his and began pulling him out of the room.
"David! She's an adult-she can take care of herself. And what's more? This isn't some random guy she's found-you felt that!" I smiled at him and gave him the best puppy-dog eyes I could. "That was True Love's Kiss." I smiled. "You always said you wanted our daughter to experience the kind of love we have, and now she is. You should be happy." I smiled, giving sweetness one last shot.
"That's different, she's a princess and she deserves better than him, he's nothing but a pirate."
"And you were nothing but a shepherd-what's your point?" I finally snapped. "You're being ridiculous and you're ruining my good mood. My daughter finally let down her walls and let someone in and I am thrilled, not to mention I just found out I am pregnant and I'm not letting you destroy my happiness." I glared him down, giving him the best guilt look I could come up with. He looked like a schoolboy that just got caught skipping class.
"But-"
"Hey!" I cut him off. "No buts! Tell your daughter goodnight, we're going to bed."
"Snow-" he tried pleading once more.
"Now!" I yelled.
"Goodnight." He mumbled, avoiding Killian's eyes. "This isn't over." He whispered menacingly.
"I heard that!" he stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. I turned to look at my beautiful daughter. "Have a wonderful night, Emma." I couldn't hide my grin. I nodded at her love. "Hook."
"Majesty," he returned weekly. I giggled as I left the room, giddy." It wasn't until I joined my husband in our bedroom that I realized I had just told my daughter I was pregnant.
"You are a dead man." David said simply. "Run."
"David!" I exclaimed as David began to draw his sword, grabbing at his sword arm once again.
"Dad!" Emma yelled angrily. "Are you insane?" I would be lying if I said I hadn't stopped worrying about my husband's anger and began to feel a bit of joy at Emma calling him dad.
"Mate, could we perhaps have this conversation without weapons?" Hook attempted to reason with David, his hand and hook held out innocently.
"Ha!" David snarled furiously. "I don't plan on doing much talking-just a bit of killing."
"Okay, David now is not the time for an overprotective daddy act."
"Overprotective-Snow-I don't think you understand-" David began to argue but I put my arm on his and began pulling him out of the room.
"David! She's an adult-she can take care of herself. And what's more? This isn't some random guy she's found-you felt that!" I smiled at him and gave him the best puppy-dog eyes I could. "That was True Love's Kiss." I smiled. "You always said you wanted our daughter to experience the kind of love we have, and now she is. You should be happy." I smiled, giving sweetness one last shot.
"That's different, she's a princess and she deserves better than him, he's nothing but a pirate."
"And you were nothing but a shepherd-what's your point?" I finally snapped. "You're being ridiculous and you're ruining my good mood. My daughter finally let down her walls and let someone in and I am thrilled, not to mention I just found out I am pregnant and I'm not letting you destroy my happiness." I glared him down, giving him the best guilt look I could come up with. He looked like a schoolboy that just got caught skipping class.
"But-"
"Hey!" I cut him off. "No buts! Tell your daughter goodnight, we're going to bed."
"Snow-" he tried pleading once more.
"Now!" I yelled.
"Goodnight." He mumbled, avoiding Killian's eyes. "This isn't over." He whispered menacingly.
"I heard that!" he stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. I turned to look at my beautiful daughter. "Have a wonderful night, Emma." I couldn't hide my grin. I nodded at her love. "Hook."
"Majesty," he returned weekly. I giggled as I left the room, giddy." It wasn't until I joined my husband in our bedroom that I realized I had just told my daughter I was pregnant.