Let's Sail Away, Love

Chapter 8: The Past

Hook closed the door and leaned back lightly on it. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, pressing his fingers to his lips. Cursing at himself for pulling away from the kiss in his head. He had to pull away. Killian knew he was in love with her since their first accidental kiss, but only until now had he realized his true feelings. What he did not know was if she felt the same for him.

She's a princess; soon she is to be queen. There is no way she could fall for a rotten, low down, dirty pirate. He thought, but maybe if you- no, no you could never win her heart.

A few hours had passed, Hook let his crew sleep early while he steered and took care of the ship. Emma woken up moments before. She stumbled off the bed to a small fire lit lantern in the corner. The light wasn't so bright, she was trying to leave the cabin but she walked in to the wall beside the door instead.

Killian heard a thud but he ignored it and took a sip of rum. He saw Emma finally walk on deck. Her hair was a bit messy and her shirt was stained in dried blood, hers and Killian's, but he still thought she looked beautiful. He smiled briefly but she noticed.

"What are you doing up, love? You should be resting." He asked his eyes focused on the waters ahead.

"I did rest, but now I'm here." Emma walked to the side of the boat where had fallen the night before.

"Well, you should still be in that room on the bed. If you fall in the water again, I can't guarantee I'll jump in and save you again. The salty water will sting, not to mention the air." His eyes still facing straight.

"I don't mind," she struggled but sat on the ledge of the boat again.

"That's not funny, Swan. Get down from there, or else." He warned.

"Or else what?" she teased scooting closer to the edge.

"Or I'll make you come down myself."

She stayed still. Killian was about to yell again but there was a splash on the side of the boat. A wave ran in to the boat causing water to hit Emma on her thighs. She yelled and cringed in pain. Emma clutched her thigh in pain. She leaned back and fell, before she could hit the deck Killian pulled her off the ledge.

"Bloody hell, Swan!" he lay her on the deck. He ran back to his cabin and came back with another clean rag, "I told you to get off the damn ledge!" He yelled at her while rewrapping her wound.

"Well, technically you did. But this was the oceans fault." she tried laughing through the pain.

He shook his head, "When will you learn, Swan." He leaned in to her face, "Always obey your captain."

"When will you learn, Jones. I can take care of myself." She focused and closed her eyes, waving her hands over her leg. The cut closed up but the blood was still running down her leg.

"Bloody hell, love, why didn't you do that before?"

"I'm still pretty weak if you hadn't noticed."

"This is why you should go to my quarters and rest." Emma stood up and sat on a barrel by the wheel. Killian tried to get her to rest but she was a stubborn lass.

He went back to steering the ship and they said nothing to each other.

"So tell me, Killian, what happened to you hand?" Emma asked softly.

He didn't say anything at first and Emma thought she had stepped over a line, "I'm sorry, you don't have to-"

"No, love it's alright. I think it's time I confined in someone , who else better than you?"

She smiled and blushed a little. He took this as a good sign.

"Her name was Milah-"

"The girl from your tattoo." She sighed.

"Yes, I...I met her in a bar near the enchanted forest. She seemed depressed so I invited her to join me and the crew for the night. We would tell our stories of adventure, and she loved all of them. Mil- She said her husband was a coward and because of the child they had together, she was tied to him forever. I knew it was wrong to do what she wanted me to do." He paused.

"She wanted you to kill him?" Emma asked.

"No, worse. She wanted me to take her away from him. I told her it was bad form to leave a child she loved behind but she begged and pleaded. So I did. I was in love with her so I did it. She loved me and I loved her. We ran away on my ship from her coward husband. Many times we had discussed going back for her son, Baelfire, but we had to wait for the right time. When we went back to her home, I told her to wait on the ship while I searched around. That's when I met the new dark one, her husband. Rumplestiltskin. I told him she was died in order to keep her safe but she appeared in the ally of the old tavern. He told us he wanted a magical bean we had. We quickly went back to the ship to show him we had it to make a deal. That's when he taunted her about leaving and she admitted she never loved him. He..." Killian took a breath, "He ripped out her heart and crushed it. Right in front of me. I was powerless to save her. He cut off my hand with hopes that I was clutching the bean in my fist. I stabbed him a hook near the mast but he disappeared. From that day I vowed to get revenge on him and avenge Milah's death."

Emma stayed silent until realizing the flaw in his plan, "You can't kill the dark one without becoming the dark one." She said quietly.

Killian clenched his jaw, "Even demons can be killed. There has to be a way."

"There isn't. Doing this won't bring her back, and it won't make you feel better, only fill your heart with more darkness." Emma put a hand on his shoulder and he turned to her. He had a single tear running down his cheek and she wiped it off. Emma managed a sorrowful smile, and Killian tried to return it. When he couldn't, Emma pulled him into a tight hug. Emma was right it wouldn't bring her back. It would make him feel a little better though.

"Perhaps you're right. Thank you, Emma." He said as she pulled away from the hug.

"Anytime, Killian." Emma headed toward the cabin thinking he might want to be alone.

"Emma?" she was wrong.

"Yes?" Emma turned to face him.

"I know I said you should rest but would you mind keeping me company?"

She smiled and sat on her barrel again, "I wouldn't mind at all." Killian left the wheel alone after locking it in place and sat next to Emma.