Captain Swan - Set My Soul On Fire

THIS IS ONLY A SNEAK PEEK!!!!!

“I have to use the bathroom. Can I get you anything, baby?”

Emma smiles up at her boyfriend and shakes her head. “No, I’m good, thanks.”

“Okay, love.” He leans over and kisses her forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

“Kay.” She sets down her pen and digs into her bag on the floor next to her chair in search of a pen that works as Killian stands up. The ink ran out when she was trying to finish writing out the last equation. She looks up as Killian’s heading for the door. “Actually, do you have an extra pen? Mine ran out of ink.”

“Sure, love,” he says, turning around, his hand lingering on the doorknob. “There’s one in my bag. And since we’re almost done with your Trig, if you want to get out my Chemistry notes from my bag too, we can start on that afterward.”

“Thanks, babe.”

Killian leaves the bedroom as Emma goes to the bed and unzips his backpack. She's so lucky to have him helping her with her homework. Her grades have improved significantly since he started tutoring her, and she needs to maintain a 3.0 GPA to go to Storybrooke University, so she can’t let her grades slip. Her future with Killian and their little bean depends on it. Emma pulls out his notebook labeled Chemistry. She unzips one of his front pockets to find a pen, and reaches into it, feeling around with her fingers. When she finds one, she grabs it and pulls it out, accidentally taking something else with her. An envelope falls to his Star Wars comforter and Emma picks it up to replace it in his backpack, but when her eyes catch the eagle emblazoned on the envelope, she pauses and takes a second look at it. It’s a letter addressed to Killian from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Her heart tightens at the prospect of what the envelope may hold. She should just put the envelope back and not read it. She starts to replace it in the bag, but she knows if she doesn’t look inside, the curiosity and guilt will consume her. Emma may not be the brightest, but she’s not oblivious to the possibility that he's capable of getting accepted into the best schools in the country. So it's very likely she's only holding him back by being pregnant with his child. 

Emma’s curiosity gets the best of her and she pulls out the letter of the already opened envelope. Killian had already seen the contents and yet he had never mentioned the university to her or that he even applied there.

She unfolds the crisp page and reads the first sentence.

Welcome to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University!

It’s an acceptance letter.

Killian got accepted into the largest accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, and the ample opportunities that come along with it. Her heart swells with pride as she scans the letter, a smile lighting up her face. He had told her he didn’t care where he got his education, but passing up an opportunity like this could be a huge mistake. The possibilities for Killian would be endless and he would have a degree he could be proud of instead of a degree from some small town no one who lives further than a fifty mile radius has even heard of. Emma’s face pales and her smile dims when she looks at the sender address and realizes the university is in Daytona Beach, Florida. He couldn’t get much further away from her than Daytona Beach, unless he went to school on the West Coast. 

Emma skims through the letter and searches for the date he has to reply by and finds it toward the bottom. May 1st. She refolds the letter, tucks it into the envelope and sticks it into his bag when she finds a few more letters. They’re all from schools with the best aviation programs in the country and every one of them would require him to leave the state to attend. They would all take him away from her and the baby. They would take him away from their plan.

Her heart physically hurts, tears springing to her eyes. She knows she would never be able to get into one of those colleges. It’s already too late in the game. She barely has the grades to get into Storybrooke as it is. And she doesn't want to move that far from home and deprive their child and parents from the chance to be close and spend time together. Killian would have to choose one of those colleges, or her and the baby. He wouldn’t be able to have both.

Emma replaces all the contents in his bag before zipping up all the pockets she had opened. She grabs the pen and notebook, taking them over to the desk and reclaims her seat, trying to fight back her tears. She tries not to think about the acceptance letters, but she knows the guilt of making him settle for Storybrooke University will eat her alive.

Killian returns with two cherry cokes, flashing her a warm grin. 

Emma looks away before he can see the despair on her face and she blinks away her unshed tears as she works on the equation she was working on when her pen had run out. 

“Here you go, love. In case you get thirsty,” he says sweetly, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. 

Emma accepts the soda with a small smile and thanks him. She wants to mention the letters, but if she does, she knows Killian will say he’s not going to any of those colleges. He’ll say he doesn’t want to be separated from Emma or the baby. He made a promise to Emma, and if there’s one thing Emma has learned about Killian, it’s that he always keeps his promises.