Captain Swan One-Shots

Second Chance, Part Eight

"Are you sure that I should even be there?" Emma questioned as she poured some chips into a bowl.

Belle couldn't help but shake her head as she told her friend, "And what makes you think you shouldn't be?"

With a shrug, Emma replied, "This is about you, Killian, and you guys' father - about whether or not you guys want to trust him again."

The brunette only hummed in response before she and Emma finished preparing their snacks.

When they had settled on the couch with their food and drinks, Belle continued, "You're the one who reached out to Brennan in the first place."

"Before I knew what his intentions were - now I know that he's not gonna hurt either one of you," Emma emphatically pointed out.

With a sigh, Belle then told her friend, "You can be dreadfully stubborn, you know," earning an eye roll from Emma.

The brunette couldn't help but grin before she sincerely continued, "Emma, you are family to both myself and Killian. You're my best friend and my sister, and you're Killian's girlfriend. We both lo..." cutting herself off abruptly.

She then took a breath and covered, "We both look at you as being one of the most important people in our lives. Why wouldn't we want you there to support us?"

Instead of answering her friend's question, Emma addressed Belle's slip up: "I know how Killian feels about me. I've known for a long time."

With a tilt of her head, Belle asked, "And that doesn't scare you?"

Emma nervously ran her fingers her hair as she said, "I honestly don't know. Just knowing it and hearing him actually say it are two different things."

The blonde then opened her mouth to say something else, but she promptly closed it. Belle tilted her head at the gesture as she asked, "What is it, Emma?"

Instead of answering, she looked all around the room and began nervously bouncing her leg up and down. She then took several deep breaths and steeled her nerves.

She then slowly admitted, "I almost said, uh, you know," pausing to find a way to say it, "the 'l' word. I've actually thought it a couple times, and then I came close to telling him."

Belle bit her lip to keep from smiling too widely. Just as she was about to reply to her best friend, Emma got up and started pacing.

"Geez, just telling you makes it feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest and my knees are going to just give out."

Belle then came to stand in front of Emma and soothingly squeezed her arms. She then wrapped her in a hug, and she felt Emma's shoulders sag in relief.

When they pulled away, Emma spoke, "Thanks, Belle. I needed that." The brunette smiled and nodded in response.

Belle then took a deep breath as she thought over her next words. She then told her, "It is okay for you to be a little scared. You haven't felt this way about anyone in a long time."

With a sigh, Emma then said, "I don't even know when this happened - it just slipped out. Or almost slipped out. And being the great guy that he is, Killian hasn't pressured me about it."

She then ran her hand over her face and through her hair. She then looked back over at her best friend and spoke, "What am I even supposed to do?" wincing at how desperate she sounded.

Belle then pulled Emma in for a side hug, running a comforting hand up and down her arm. She then pulled back and surmised, "Well, the fact that you know exactly how he feels - and that you wanted to tell him how you feel - is saying something. Maybe you're ready to take that next step - maybe you're ready to say those three words."