When They Met

Chapter 13

Emma ended up drifting into a light sleep, and Killian laid next to her, watching her sleep peacefully. She had the bed sheet pulled up over her shoulders, and her blonde curls fanned out around her head on the pillow. She really was an angel. It made Killian wonder why she would ever choose him. The boy with the stutter. A nerd. Geek. Loser. A nobody. The insulting words went on and on. He turned over on his back and held his arms up so he could see them. Scars crisscrossed each other and were all the way from the crease from his forearm and his upper arm, all the way down to his wrists. Each cut served a word. A statement. Some kind of insult that had been fed to him throughout the years. He could remember times when he was feeling down, and his heart was heavy. It felt like he couldn't breath. As if he was trapped in his own skin. He could remember all the times he had tried to commit suicide. It had been after Jefferson teased him and taunted him and mocked him in school. Said that he was worthless and that he deserved to die. That he was the reason why his father left all those years ago. The words hit Killian hard, so, when he got home, Liam was in the kitchen and called out for Killian as he ran up the stairs and locked himself in the bathroom. He grabbed his bottle of antidepressants and opened the lid, and swallowed half the bottle. He collapsed on the ground just as Liam busted the door down. He couldn't remember much after that, but he remembered the disappointment he felt when he woke up in a hospital bed the next day.

But, even as word spread around school about how Killian had tried to kill himself, Jefferson never stopped making fun of him. He never stopped calling him names. Which led to Killian falling into a bigger hole of depression. This one, much, much deeper than the last. The only light that he had in his life was his friends and Liam. But, he often felt like a nuisance. As if his friends only hung out with him because he was an outcast. That Liam was only taking care of him because he had to. It hurt to think that his whole life was a lie. But, deep, deep down inside, he knew that his friends and the only family that he had left loved him. That's why it was hard to think that someone as special as Emma Swan would want someone like him. But, time and time again, she proved that she liked him. That she was happy with him. They were just teenagers, and they weren't supposed to know what love was, but Killian was convinced that he loved her. But, he kept telling himself that he loved the attention that she gave him.

He got off the bed and slipped his clothes back on and went downstairs to get something to eat. Liam would be home in an hour or so, so Killian had plenty of time to do absolutely nothing. He made himself a sandwich and sat down at the piano and went through the sheets of music. He had been holding off to start practicing some of these songs, and he knew it would make Emma happy to hear it. Especially if he could play it perfectly.

Emma slowly woke up to the soft sounds of the piano. She sat up and found herself alone in Killian's bed. The space beside her was cold, indicating that he had left some time ago. She sat up and rubbed a hand over her face. She grabbed her clothes and quickly ran to her room. She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep for, but she was positive that she didn't want Liam to see her naked. She grabbed a change of clothes and jumped into the shower. Through this, the music never stopped. She finished as quickly as she could and went downstairs to find Killian at the piano. He was playing Don't You Worry Child.

Once he finished, she applauded him, and he looked up at her with a slight blush to his cheeks. "Please don't stop on my account." She told him and sat on the couch. "Go on. Play for me." He nodded and started the song over again. She hummed along and smiled. "You are so talented." She said when the song ended again.

"Thanks." He said and got up from the piano bench.

"How did you get into it?" She asked, cuddling up next to him when he sat down beside her.

"I've a-always l-l-loved piano. M-my father played v-very well. I g-guess I just p-picked up on where h-h l-l-left off."

"It sounds wonderful. You have a gift. Maybe you should make a career out of it."

"I-it's a good hobby, b-but n-not what I w-want to do."

"What do you want to do?"

He shrugged. "I-I haven't th-thought about i-it much."

"You have time. But I'm sure whatever you do, you will be good at it." Emma kissed the tip of his nose.

"D-do y-you regret it? Wh-what we did up-upstairs?"

"Oh you are so adorable. Of course I don't. Do you?"

"Gods, no! S-Swan, you h-have n-no idea how l-long I've b-been waiting f-for that w-with you."

"Really? Why didn't you say anything before?"

"I-I-I f-fig-figured y-you'd want s-someone exper-experienced. I d-didn't want y-you to reject m-me." Killian scratched behind his ear, making her laugh.

Emma grabbed onto his shirt collar. "Don't think that. Most guys wouldn't hesitate to ask to have sex with their girlfriends. But, you aren't like most guys."

"I-is th-that a-a good th-thing?"

"Absolutely." She planted a small kiss to his lips then pulled away. "Do you want to read to me?"

"What?"

"Read to me. I read it online. You can use that as an exercise to help you get rid of your stutter."

"I-I don't think th-that any o-of th-the ex-exercises work."

"I think they do. You are saying more words clearly when you speak in a sentence. Take a deep breath and talk to me."

Killian nodded and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. "Will you.... Go to... The autumn..... Dance with... Me, Emma?"

She smiled and tackled him with a hug. "Of course I will, Killian. Did you even have to ask?"

"I guess... Not." He smirked and kissed her again.