Ship in a Bottle

The Beach (AU) Part I ~ Killian Jones

{Killian}
I meandered in the direction of the white sand beach, brooding over my troubling day and considering an evening swim. That's when I saw her. I was immediately fascinated by her distant form, the way her long blonde curls rippled in the soft breeze off the ocean. The light scent of her perfume wafted past me as I approached through the maze of immaculately trimmed, low-cut hedges to the sand. Muffled sobs reached my ears from where she sat, perched alone on a dune, gazing out at an ocean turned orange with the setting sun. It appeared she had the same idea as I when it came to putting worries to rest, for although a mounded pile of clothes and a towel lay untouched to one side of her, the woman wore only a modest salmon colored swimsuit. She sat with her knees tucked into her chest.

I continued to advance towards the sparkling water, my towel, and my t-shirt over one shoulder. I half wanted her to emerge from whatever part of her mind she was currently residing in and see me coming if only to avoid the uncomfortable situation about to take place.

"Miss?" I asked, nearly frightening her out of her skin. "Are you alright?" She looked up at me with tear-streaked cheeks, eyes red and puffy from crying. I could barely make out her mumbled 'yes' and the slight nod of her head as she resumed her diligent staring match with the setting sun. Though she said she was alright, I sensed some sort of deeper, internal struggle. I would know, I'm fighting the same feeling.
"May I join you?" I asked gently, hoping I wouldn't scare her off like a terrified sparrow. She kept her eyes fixed on the darkening horizon, but she gave a small shrug, which I took as an invitation. Setting my towel down next to me (I had donned my shirt before speaking to her), I settled in the soft sand beside her. Part of me couldn't believe I was doing this, invading a woman's privacy that is, but another part was somehow drawn to this enigmatic woman in a way I can't begin to describe.

Together we sat, transfixed by the evening sky. I took to running handfuls of sand between my fingers to occupy my instinct to flee from what was quickly becoming what would look like an intimate situation. I am not used to it. My first love was killed because of me and I have been wary of intimacy and growing close enough to love someone ever since. I have to look at it from her perspective as well. Me, a strange man, came up to her at one of her her weakest moments and asked to sit with her. For all she knows I could be a murderer or even a rapist for that matter.

After several minutes of uncomfortable silence, I heard a soft sniffle and the woman reached up to wipe away a newly formed teardrop that had been rolling down her cheek. Though noticeably distressed, her face remained a placid sort of calm as she watched the waves lapping the shore.

"Why did you ask to join me?" A beautiful voice, hoarse from crying cut through my illusion. Stunning green eyes studied me intensely - as if looking for any sign that I might be lying.

"Because I know how important it is to have someone to talk to." I replied genuinely. After a moment's pause, she turned away and once again took up staring at the horizon. I could tell her intelligent mind was currently working through my statement, inspecting for any holes in my words. I hoped she wouldn't find any. For some odd reason I couldn't place my finger on, I wanted this woman to trust me - I needed her to trust me.

A few minutes passed before I dared break the tranquil silence again. "Will you at least tell me your name?"

She looked at me again. Those striking green eyes meeting my light blue ones. "Only if you tell me yours as well."

"Very well then," I said, "Killian Jones."

"What?" Panic flickered across her eyes.

"My name. You asked what it was. My name is Killian Jones." She exhaled a sigh of relief. I could swear I saw the faintest traces of a smile; as if she were chastising herself for a simple misunderstanding. "What?" I asked jokingly.

"Nothing." she said, now attempting to hide her giggles. "I just thought you said 'Kill Again' and began to worry."

"Fine then." I said with a light laugh. She tried to reposition herself into the solemn woman I first saw. "Your turn. What are you called?"

"Emma." she murmured, her composure suddenly shifting back to the point where she was near tears. She looked at the ground as if she were embarrassed by her name. "Emma Swan."

Emma Swan. Somehow the name seemed to fit. "Emma." I repeated, admiring how smoothly the syllables slid off my tongue.

"Yes?" Emma laughed. A warm, comfortable laugh that made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.

"You have a lovely name, Miss Swan."

She gave me a little half-smile. "And Killian sounds very official. I feel like you would be some sort of commander or something."

"That's not far from the truth," I admitted, "I'm the captain of a ship in the navy. Maybe you've heard of the S.S. Hook?"

Emma shook her head. "Wait, so you're telling me your Captain of the Hook? Like, Peter Pan and Captain Hook?"

I looked at her thoughtfully. "I've never thought of it that way, but I suppose so." We both laughed. "What do you do for a living, Swan?"

She looked at me with those dazzling sea-green eyes. "I'm a sheriff back at home." she said plainly.

"Where is home?"

"Maine."

By now, the first of the stars were winking into existence over the ocean. Silence fell between us again, a heavy cloud seemed to have fallen over the conversation. Before either of us knew what was happening, Emma began sobbing again, much to my dismay.

"Please tell me what's wrong," I begged. "I want to help." At a loss for more words, impulse spurred me to reach my left arm out to put a comforting hand on her shoulder. But no sooner had I laid my hand on the exposed skin did she cringe and flinch away.
"Sorry," I apologized hastily, "I shouldn't have tried to touch you without your permission."

"It's fine." She breathed, clearly unsettled.

It was a while before Emma completely relaxed again. And even longer before I realized she was shivering uncontrollably. It was then I realized just how chilly it was on the beach now that the sun had gone fully down. Reaching over I snatched my towel out of the sand and offered it to her as a blanket. She nodded her thanks and I wrapped the linen around her. I knew she had her own, but it felt like the right choice to give her mine. I couldn't help noticing that even when my fingers barely touched her skin she instinctively retracted into her protective ball.

I don't know the cause of her jumpiness, but I sure as hell am going to find out.

{Continue to Part II for Emma}