You traded your ship for me?

257 11 10
                                    

"Aye."

~Emma~

Suddenly everything was crystal clear. Killian was here, and he would never, EVER leave me. All my fears vanished. My walls crumbled. What wall could stand against love like his?

I leaned in to kiss him. Gently, but putting everything I was feeling into it. No more guarding my thoughts, no more walls.

I wasn't sure what I expected him to feel—surprise? Victory? I could sense excitement behind the gentleness of his kiss, but it felt like something stronger.

~Hook~

Elation. Pure elation. This was more than I'd let myself hope for.

Though I would never have admitted it, being in love with Emma could be painful. I pretended it didn't break my heart to be with her, but not WITH her. Acted as though it didn't kill me to give her everything and get nothing. I focused on her feelings and put my own aside—after all, her happiness was what mattered. And since getting her to be happy felt like a full-time job, it often kept my mind off of my own desires.

But sometimes, when she looked a certain way, or a smile lit up her eyes... It hit me like a dagger piercing my heart. This beautiful woman, this perfectly imperfect person, might never be mine. And her plan to run back to New York and leave me forever certainly didn't assuage the dagger-piercing sensation.

Her supposed indifference wouldn't stop me from, for instance, following after her into a deadly looking time portal, or trading my ship—my home, as it were, for some 200 years—to save her, but it was still painful. Making peace with unrequited love became more difficult with every moment I spent in her presence.

But here she was now, with her lips on mine. It thrilled me to realize that my pining for her wasn't in vain. This kiss was all I had wanted and more. So much better than I imagined. I couldn't help recalling our first kiss on Neverland—so passionate, and in hindsight, even life-changing—but it paled in comparison to this one.

This time was so much better, because it wasn't a one time thing. This was the real thing, and for once she wasn't denying it to either of us.

~Emma~

I lost track of the time passing. Suddenly I was feeling shy, like a little kid. Stupid for resisting this for so long. Nervous about afterword—how could I go back to my life when I hardly felt like the same person? There was no more acting like nothing was happening between us. What I felt was too powerful to hide behind a wall.

I pulled back briefly and looked up at him, smiling gently as he rested his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes, content, and then we were kissing again.

But life moves on. Even though sometimes you wish you could crawl inside of a moment and live there forever.

"They're going to wonder where we are," I whispered against his lips.

"Let them wonder then," he said, and pressed his lips on mine again. I allowed it for one more beautiful second, then pulled away.

"I'm serious," I laughed softly.

He sighed in mock disappointment. "Swan, do you know how long I've been waiting for this moment, and you're worried what your family will think?" His tone was light but the meaning was real.

I was planning to return his teasing tone, but his words echoed in my mind: how long I've been waiting for this moment. "Why, Killian? Why did you wait so long for me? Why didn't you just... give up?"

"Emma... I've lost so many people in my past. You're the only person I've truly loved in 200 years. I'll never give up on you. As long as you're alive, I'll fight for you."

You've reached the end of published parts.

⏰ Last updated: Jan 13, 2016 ⏰

Add this story to your Library to get notified about new parts!

Captain Swan one shotWhere stories live. Discover now