Heart of the Sea

Chapter 27 - Home for the Heart

Hey everyone! Since it's my birthday, I thought you guys deserved another update, so here it is. :) Please don't forget to like and comment. I hope you enjoy and have a great rest of your day/night wherever you are! :)

- Le Chels

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True to his word, Killian stayed with her that night. A nightmare woke her, but he helped her get back to sleep shortly, making sure she had an extra dose of painkillers before she drifted off.

A soft smile curled his lips as she woke up, fingers twitching to life in his. "G'd morning," he murmured softly.
"F'you maybe," she grunted, feeling for the button at her side.
"You've got it," he said quietly, and she pressed it twice.
Silence lingered, the habit of quiet in the morning reasserting itself.
A few knocks issued on the door.
"What, already?"
(They'd arranged for a sitting-shift change today.)
"It is eleven, lass."
She swore. "You mean in the morning, right?"
He swallowed a chuckle. "Yes, in the morning lass."
"Depths this is weird."
He got up, opening the door.
Lili heard the voices of the Charmings and Emma.
"How is she? Is she okay?"
"You look terrible."
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. She's..recovering."
"Can we see her??" Snow asked eagerly.
"I..hang on a moment."
Killian ducked back inside, door mostly closed. "Lili, would you mind if they all came in to see you?"
.."Yes I would." She swallowed, jaw clenching. "I don't..I don't want anyone to see me like this, not if they don't have to."
He nodded. "Alright lass."
He poked his head back out the door. "Regrettably, she doesn't feel up for seeing visitors just now, but I'm sure she appreciates your sentiments and concern."
"You'll give her our best wishes?" Snow asked quietly.
"Yes, of course," David replied.
Lili heard the rustle of clothes, the smack of lips, and more rustling at what she expected was Swan and the captain. "Ready to come home?" Emma asked softly.
"Yeh, just lemme say g'dbye."
Killian came back in. "I'll be back in a few hours lass. Be good, and don't worry. Everything will be alright, I promise." His hand held hers for a few moments.
"Rest well," she said, and she sensed him smile.
He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze before he drew back, and she heard his shoes click across the floor, the slap of a hand on a shoulder, and the sweeping in of another presence.
The door clicked shut.
"Dave?" she questioned.
"I'm here," came the reply, and she let out a breath.
She heard him sit down, caught the whiff of cologne and aftershave that washed over her. She heard the crinkle of a paper bag. "Brought the books you were reading; thought you might like them later when you..uh..."
"Thanks, Dave. I appreciate the thought," Lili got out through a smile, swallowing a laugh.
A somewhat awkward silence fell, and she got that prickle on the back of her neck.
Finally she felt it leave.
"How's the swelling?" she asked dryly.
"-What?"
"On my eye. How's it look?"
"Um..it's gone down some. Still looks bad, kid."
She nodded, sighing.
"..Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why didn't you want anyone else to come in?"
Lili took a breath. "Well, if we're being quite honest, at least half my pride is nested in my looks; one of my best, most powerful assets that I've depended on for the pahst few decades, and right now they're shit," she said dryly, lips pulling into a smile.
"Don't take it too hard," David replied. "You'll heal..eventually."
She breathed a laugh. "Eventually."
She felt him give her a look and smirked, shifting a little. "Still think sitting with me's a good idea?"
David rolled his eyes. "If it helps you, then yeah."
She let out a deep breath after a few moments, already starting to feel drained despite the fact that she'd only just woken up a few minutes ago.
"Tired?"
She nodded. "Though I shouldn't be; I just slept f'depths know how long." She shook her head. "Just wish this was over. Or at least that I could see."
"If you wanted, you could ask Regina or Emma to heal you; I'm pretty sure they would."
She shook her head, small smile on her lips. "Thanks but no thanks lad; I appreciate the thought, but magic always comes with a price. I don't think I want t'know what that much would do t'me."
David shrugged. "Fair enough."
They sat there in silence for a while, Lili's mind slowly drifting towards sleep again. "Dave?"
"Mm?"
"Would.." She debated whether she should ask or not before she decided it was better to be safe than sorry. "Would you mind holding my hand? 'M falling asleep, but it..it helps me remember I'm not alone when I wake up."
"Sure kid." She felt his relatively warm hand clasp hers, and her brows twitched.
"Hand's rougher than I thought it would be."
David huffed a laugh. "Mostly just housework and paperwork nowadays."
She hummed thoughtfully before she felt drowsiness begin to take over. "G'night Dave," she mumbled.
"Good night Lili," David replied, small note of humor in his voice.

She woke a few hours later, David shifting a little in his seat.
She groaned quietly, pressing the button a few times, her grip twitching tighter on his hand for a few seconds before it relaxed. "Mmf, hey," she got out, tensing her arms to stretch them and releasing the tension.
"Sleep well?"
"Surprisingly, yeah. I've knocked out pretty easy ever since I got here. May be the drugs."
David nodded. "Could be."
There was quiet for only a few moments before a few knocks sounded on the door. "Come in," David called.
"Hey mate," Killian greeted with a smile.
"Hey."
"She behave herself?"
"Mostly," David said, looking at her with a smirk.
"If I could roll my eyes I would," Lili remarked wryly, and the three laughed.
"Well, I'll go and see how the missus and Neal are."
"Tell 'er I said hi."
"I will." David's hand left hers and she felt/saw his shadow leave, heard the slap of palms and then Killian's shadow passed over her, his familiar scent wafting over her as he sat down, the door closing.
"Oh, Lili, I f'got t'tell you they brought a bouquet of flowers."
"That's what I was smelling!"
"Mhm."
"Oh, that's nice. What kinds?"
"Uum..it's mostly just yellow and pink roses, with varying colors; got some daisies as well, and"
A few solid knocks sounded on the door.
"Who is it?" Killian called.
There were a few seconds of silence before more, hesitant knocks rapped against the door.
Killian's brow furrowed and he got up, opening the door. "Yes?"
Silence, and Lili heard him step outside, closing the door. She couldn't quite make out the conversation, though she mostly only heard his voice. After a few moments, he came back in. "Lili, there's a lad here t'see you."
"What's 'e look like?"
"Big, blond, grey eyes."
She winced as she heard the heart monitor pick up a little.
"I take it you know 'im?"
"Aye, I do," she replied quietly. She thought for a few moments before her heart sank. "I don't..I don't want him to see me like this," she murmured.
"Alright lass, I understand. I'll give him your best wishes?"
She nodded, and he went back out again. He returned after another short conversation, and she heard some rustling. He closed the door. "He's also brought you flowers."
"What kind?"
"Mm, cornflowers, lavender, daisies, and..baby's breath, I think. There's also a card here. Would you like me to read it out t' you?"
She thought for a moment, her curiosity of what Fisk had said outweighing her wish for privacy, and she nodded.
She heard the flick of thick paper. "'I heard about what happened; So sorry you're hurt; I hope you recover soon. Please let me know if there's anything I can do. Sincerely, Fisk.'"
Lili swallowed. They'd barely known each other for what, a few days? And he cared enough to offer help, to write sincerely. (It being Fisk, she was fairly certain he meant it.)
"He sounds nice."
"He is," she murmured.
"Handsome, well-built."
Lili smirked. "What, d'you want t'court him?" (She sensed an eyeroll and a smirk.)
"No, just..being observant."
Silence fell before she remembered the wager they'd made early on, and she grinned. "It's not what you think, Captain."
"Oh no? And what could I possibly think might be happening between a handsome, nice boy who writes sincerely and a beautiful young girl?"
"We're friends, that talk. That's all."
"Mm."
She turned her head to him, good eyebrow furrowing. "You don't believe me??"
"Mostly. If you say you're friends, then you're friends. I trust you, but do keep in mind that I'm not blind," he said dryly.
Her lips pressed together in a thin line before she sighed. It would be no use trying to hide anything from him; he was too clever to stay in the dark for long. "If..I'm being honest, I don't quite know what we are."
Killian's eyebrow quirked at the information. "Oh?"
She sighed again. He did deserve to know some of her life, she supposed, and if Fisk was going to be around, he might as well know what was going on between them. "When I saw him in the pub, I thought he might be pleasant company for part of the evening, but..the conversation didn't really stop. And then..I dunno. I wanted to talk with him more than I wanted to kiss him. ..He's different than the others, y'know?"
He nodded before he realized she couldn't see it. "Aye," he said quietly.
"And we've just sort of..talked ever since. I think he feels the same about me."
Killian nodded, taking in the information. "I see."
There was silence for a few moments.
"So do you have an opinion?"
He shrugged. "He seems like a good lad. I'll know more as I see him more."
She nodded, slightly pulling a face. "Fair enough."
He smirked after a moment. "What, 'm I supposed to have a pa'ticular opinion?"
"Considering your reactions to some of the men I've met in the Rabbit Hole, I would've thought you'd dislike him becos of our association."
Killian thought for a few moments. "Those men were disrespectful; I know their kind. As you said, Fisk is different, and..he's a friend. Even if he were more, I would..I would respect your choice. In the end your happiness is what matters," he stated, mind working actively as he confronted the situation.
She turned her head towards him. "You really have changed, haven't you," she murmured.
His brow quirked. "Your choice is your choice, lass. Of all people I'm the lahst one t'be worthy of judging it."
"Hm." She was quiet for a moment. "You're a good man."
He huffed a laugh. "Well I'm glad you think so," he said after a few seconds.