Funny How Fast Life Changes

Late Night Balcony Talks

Currently Emma and Killian were sitting on her balcony drinking rum. Emma took in what Killian had just said about how much he loved the view of the city when suddenly she remembered something she had learned earlier before.

"Do you draw when you're looking out on the city?"

Killian raised an eyebrow at her. How did she know about that?

Emma noticed his confused look. "Your sister, Regina, told me you really love drawing."

Killian nodded. Not sure of what to think about Emma knowing "Yeah. I love drawing the city."

"I'd like to see it sometime." Emma told him.

"I'll show you some of my drawings one day." Killian took a sip of his rum. Then he said, "Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Why do you let yourself get so immersed in your work?" He took his eyes from the city and looked at her.

Emma wasn't sure why he had asked that. She shrugged. "It's my job. I have to get the job done."

"Yeah, but it seems like you're avoiding something." He stared at her with his deep blue eyes.

"What would I be avoiding?" She stared back and kept her face as still as she could, careful not to reveal herself.

He slightly twisted his lips to the side. "I don't know. Perhaps, memories. Your past. Painful things?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"Because of the things you say. How change is always brings bad. Never stopping to just have fun." Killian said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He continued. "I know I may not have the right to be asking about your life. I just want you to know you can talk to me. I don't know if I can help, but I'm willing to do my best."

Emma took a deep breath. "I don't usually talk about all this stuff" She shifted her eyes away from him.

Killian spoke softly. "I'd love to learn more about you. I'd love to help you."

Emma nodded. "Fine, but tell me about you first. Your dreams of being an artist. What happened?"

Killian took a swig from the flask. He hadn't expected that, but it was fair he decided.

"Well, I-uh wanted to draw all of my life. I drew at school all the time. Granted everyone laughed at me." He chuckled in a melancholy way, remembering the bullies.

"I drew everything I could. I made Mom and Dad buy me sketch book after sketch book. I didn't think I was any good at first. My Year 3 teacher actually was the one who said I had a talent and then as I continued to grow I began to draw more and more."

Emma smiled while imagining Killian as a young boy.

"One day...while I was home...I found something in the attic. It was a tiny book. Apparently, it was one of the things I was holding onto after my biological parents got sick and died. I of course don't remember any of that, my parents just told me about it."

Emma was curious. "What was in the book?"

Killian laughed. His eyes seemed to fill with water. "It was a sketch book." He shook his head. Until this day he couldn't believe it. No photographs with them. No letters. All he had was his name and this sketch book from his biological parents. "I remember the last 3 drawings the most."

"What were the drawings?" Emma noticed the water in his eyes.

"One was a drawing of the horizon. The second was of a ship sailing on the ocean. The last one was a drawing of two hands. A tiny hand holding onto a bigger hand." Killian paused again.