This is the final masterlist for @cssecretsanta2k18 and the last post I will make until November 2019 when we will start over again and start another round of #cssecretsanta
Here are all the wonderful presents you posted since Christmas. Although I know some of you did NOT have the great experience I hoped you all would have, I still hope most of you enjoyed this event. I also hope you will keep in touch with your giftees/Santas.
I updated the list with AO3, FF.net and other current links!
See you all again in November/December for the #cssecretsanta2k19.
FANFICTION
DAMSEL IN DISTRESS by @thejollyroger-writer for @thislassishooked
DETOUR by @hooklineandswan for @mezzanottecafe
ANOTHER BAD CHRISTMAS MOVIE by @let-it-raines for @searchingwardrobes
Christmas Crescents (and other sweet treats) by @emmas-storybook for @mayquita
JUST BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE SOMETHING by @rouhn for @justbecauseyoubelievesomething
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by @newyearsswifts for @kmomof4
The Sanctuary by @effulgentcolors for @theblacksiren
AND THEN SHE TURNED HOMEWARD... by @darkcolinodonorgasm for @ohmakemeahercules
The Business of Family by @branlovestowrite for @darkcolinodonorgasm
Operation Holiday Makeover by @ilovemesomekillianjones for @delightfully-difficult-pirate
you matter to me by @ohmakemeahercules for @girl-in-a-tiny-box
Parent-Teacher Conference by @thislassishooked for @shireness-says
A Christmas miracle by @onceuponaprincessworld for @andiirivera
Reindeer Games & Mistletoe by @hollyethecurious for @everlastingcaptainswan
WINGING IT by @cstraaash for @ilovemesomekillianjones
SNOWED IN AT CHRISTMAS by @everlastingcaptainswan for @lizacstuff
A Rose E'er Blooming by @justbecauseyoubelievesomething for @owlways-and-forever
It Will Not Be Long, Love by @gingerchangeling for @love-with-you-i-have-everything
Once Upon a Christmas Eve by @doodlelolly0910 for @princesswan
HE’S IN ENTERTAINMENT by @distant-rose for @cstraaash
Underneath the Tree by @searchingwardrobes for @killiancygnus
A Christmas Miracle by @delightfully-difficult-pirate for @branlovestowrite
Truth for Christmas by @imagnifika for @newyearsswifts
In Dreams by @emmakillianfan for @doodlelolly0910
FOUR CHRISTMASES by @profdanglaisstuff for @imharryaf
First Impressions by @demisexualemmaswan for @joneskillians
The Head, The Eye & The Heart by @owlways-and-forever for @hookedonapirate
Christmas Meddling by @shireness-says for @resident-of-storybrooke
A Midwinter Incident by @initiala for @imhookedonaswan
A Not So Accidental Christmas Encounter by @curiousconstellations for @the-captains-ayebrows
Baby’s First Christmas by @the-corsair-and-her-quill for @fictional-redheads
Making My Way To You by @resident-of-storybrooke for @imagnifika
Can we just get closer by @hookedonapirate for @hollyethecurious
OLDER NOW BUT NOT DONE HOPING by @welllpthisishappening for @xellewoods
Pardon The Way That I Stare by @laschatzi for @distant-rose
AS WE DREAM BY THE FIRE by @bucklesomeswashswan for @profdanglaisstuff
The village is a glow by @captainsjedi for @eastwesthomeisbest
CRUSH part1 part2 by @celestial-fire-writer for @high-seas-swan
STORY by @nerdyhuntress for @onceuponaprincessworld
beautiful in the broken places by @snowbellewells for @kitsunewingstar
HOW LONG WILL I LOVE YOU part 1 by @vatrixsta for @the-corsair-and-her-quill
mistletoe by the tree part1 part2 by @xellewoods for @tehgreeneyes
Getting in the spirit by @xhookswenchx for @let-it-raines
When you’re with me (it feels like I’m finally free) by @imharryaf for @killianjonesownsmyheart1
bring us goodness and light by@love-with-you-i-have-everything for @captainsjedi
A TOAST NOW part1 by @lifeinahole27 for @effulgentcolors
Kiss me even if you hate me @mayquita for @chloeswans
MAKING MORE THAN PANCAKES by @lizacstuff for @edgeofrealms
That Sunrise by @high-seas-swan for @killiarious
love you a latte by @the-captains-ayebrows for @snowbellewells
a little dash of holiday spirit by @edgeofrealms for @cshappybeginning
STORY by @the-girl-in-the-band-tshirt for @downeystarkjr
Basket Case by @blessed-but-distressed for @lifeinahole27
Battle of the Snowmen by @pirateherokillian for @bucklesomeswashswan
FANART
ART by @cocohook38 for @captainswancygnet
ART by @girl-in-a-tiny-box for @dreadpirateemma
ART by @kitsunewingstar for @curiousconstellations
ART by @eastwesthomeisbest for @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713
ART by @andiirivera for @laschatzi
ART by @theblacksiren for @hooksmoak
VIDEO by @downeystarkjr for @celestial-fire-writer
VIDEO by @killiarious for @cocohook38
GIF SET by @yasmin-khan for @the-girl-in-the-band-tshirt
GIF SET by @cshappybeginning for @initiala
GIF SET by @chloeswans for @natascha-ronin
GIF SET by @killiancygnus for @thejollyroger-writer
GIF SET by @princesswan for @hooklineandswan
GIF SET by @captainodonoghue for @welllpthisishappening
PIC SET by @captainswancygnet for @gingerchangeling
Murder Mystery AU by @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 for @emmakillianfan
Captain Duckling AU by @joneskillians for @demisexualemmaswan
Overcoming Obstacles by @tehgreeneyes for @rouhn
OTHER
FIC REC LIST by @kmomof4 for @nerdyhuntress
Secret Santa Fic Rec by @fictional-redheads for @captainodonoghue
Australian Pic Set by @blessed-but-distressed for @lifeinahole27
SPECIAL GIFTS
ART by @clockadile for @welllpthisishappening
ART by @imagnifika for @vatrixsta
ART by @captainswancygnet for @blessed-but-distressed
STORY by @ilovemesomekillianjones for @xhookswenchx
ART by @eastwesthomeisbest for @emmas-storybook
ART by @imagnifika for @pirateherokillian
ART by @eastwesthomeisbest for @yasmin-khan
I want to thank everyone again for participating and for creating all these wonderful gifts. I am very sorry for all participants who didn’t receive a gift from their original Santa. Although I know it’s not my fault I feel responsible for it and will try to avoid these problems next time. And once again thank you to everyone who offered to help/helped out.
I wish all of you a wonderful, great and epic year 2019. May all your wishes come true and may you all be healthy and happy throughout the whole year.
A/N: Merry Christmas @princesswan I was your Secret Santa this year! I hope you like this little piece I've put together for you and I hope it posts correctly (I've never queued anything before lol). Thanks to @cssecretsanta2k18 for putting together such an awesome event!
*This is unbeta'd and any mistakes are my own*
“It started with a kiss.
Well, to be most accurate, it started a bit before that, as many fairytales do.
Let's just start from the beginning, shall we?
Once upon a time, there was a boy. A man, really. And the man, while devilishly handsome, was very lonely.
Now, the man was very fortunate and he had many friends. He had a job he loved working on a great ship, an older brother who he was very close with, but something was missing. Let's call the man Killian.
It was the start of the Christmas season, not so very long ago, and Killian was feeling especially low. He had just broken off his engagement with a woman who he thought he was very much in love with and, in complete honesty, he was feeling quite sorry for himself. So he decided to meet his friend at the local… tavern. Killian had been waiting for his friend to show up for almost an hour that cold winter’s night and he was beginning to get impatient. He had already drank far too much, er, eggnog that night and he was in a mood of sorts. Killian was sure his friend, the idiot Will Scarlett, had blown him off completely. So he sat alone and drank his eggnog in relative peace.
Killian was sure he was broadcasting his ill aura to all around him, souring the Christmas spirit in the air with his grinchiness, but, as it turned out, he was mistaken. He heard a voice from behind him.
‘Buy you another?’ it said and when Killian turned around, there was a beautiful blonde woman standing behind him. Now, Killian was no shy lad, but remember, he was intent on wallowing in his sorrows this particular evening and he was very much not interested in company. Unless, of course, Will bloody Scarlett had deigned to grace the tavern with his presence so Killian could give him a piece of his mind.
So he told the woman, ‘No, thank you, lass. I'm waiting on someone.’ But the woman was persistent, intent on getting Killian's attention.
‘You have an accent! English?’ she asked in her own accent, Australian, perhaps, but that's inconsequential. Killian was trying to be polite, but he had little patience for anyone that evening. Nevertheless, he was a gentleman, and a gentleman mustn't be rude to a fair lady if he can avoid it.
‘Aye,’ he told her, because he had come from England with his brother, Liam, Scarlett, and his former fiancée about ten years before because the ship of his dreams had gone up for sale in a city called Boston, but he didn't have the money to buy the ship and have it brought to England. So he came to it instead.
‘You're cute,’ the woman told him shamelessly, placing her hand on his arm. ‘Are you sure you don't want another drink?’
Killian looked at the woman again. He could feel how fake his smile was but he just couldn't bring himself to be any friendlier to the poor girl in his sorry state.
‘I'm quite sure, love, thank you,’ he said. ‘I'm still working on this one and, as I said, I'm waiting for someone.’
The woman looked undeterred, perhaps having had too much eggnog herself that evening, and she moved closer to him. ‘You've been alone all night, I don't think she's coming,’ she told him and Killian was beginning to get very uncomfortable. He began looking around the tavern for exits he could possibly make his escape through when a hand landed on his opposite arm.
‘There you are,’ a new melodic voice said and when Killian turned, he found himself stunned into speechlessness, for surely he was now in the presence of an angel.
There before him stood the most beautiful creature he had ever encountered. Her long blonde hair fell in golden curls over her shoulders, hiding the buttons of the form fitting red sweater she wore. She had green eyes, the kind that sparkled with mischief, but were also deep and soulful, like she'd lived a much harder life than most but came out a stronger person on the other side. She was cool and confident, exuding a radiant inner beauty that was only matched by her breathtaking external features. Killian had never in his life seen a more lovely lass than she.
‘I've been looking all over for you,’ she said, her hand wandering up Killian's shoulder as she tucked herself into his side. He was absolutely gobsmacked, be it from her presence or the ru- er, eggnog he'd been drinking, he'd never know, but that didn't stop him from racking his fuzzy brain trying to remember why she might have sought him out. ‘Who's this?’ she asked, nodding her dimpled chin to his other side and suddenly Killian remembered the other woman.
She was a pretty, spritely thing, but she couldn't hold a candle to the angel. The first woman, Killian had noticed, was now upset, but refusing to relinquish her hold on his arm, despite the angel's clear claim being staked.
‘I'm the one who kept him company while he was sitting up here all by himself,’ the woman said, quite nastily. The angel was unperturbed, her hand finding the back of his neck, and he was unashamed to say the simple touch gave him goosebumps.
‘Well, thanks for keeping my boyfriend company, I appreciate it. Can we buy you a drink?’ the angel asked and put her arms around Killian's shoulder, clearly staking her claim. He shrugged and played along with his savior. He allowed himself to touch her for the first time and slipped his own arm around her waist. It felt right, having her in his arms. Like she just fit there.
‘He never mentioned a girlfriend,’ the other woman said.
‘Well, here I am,’ the angel replied. ‘And we are going to go find a table, if you didn't need anything else.’ She grasped the hand Killian had on her waist in her own and began to pull him away. The other woman tugged on his other arm and held him in place. The look that came over his savior’s face, one of challenge and dark amusement, was one he would never forget.
Before Killian even knew what was happening, the blonde avenger had seized Killian by the collar of his jacket and her lips met his. He felt like he'd come alive again, months of heartache melting away as she kissed him. He couldn't help but to kiss her back, completely giving in to the spark that had ignited between them. Beneath the kiss itself, which was earth shaking enough as it was, a glimmer of hope rekindled in his soul.
Killian didn't notice, being too enraptured by his savior angel and their kiss, but the other woman had left without another word. The angel pulled away from him and gave him a beautiful smile, then patted him on the shoulder.
‘You looked really uncomfortable,’ she told him. ‘Sorry if I overstepped.’
Killian was surprised by her apology, having thought his gratefulness had been written all over his face. He needed to let the angel know he appreciated her.
So he told her, ‘Not at all. I wasn't amenable to company this evening and she wasn't getting the hint, clearly. I'm just fortunate that you came along to save me.’
She smiled at Killian again, a dazzling smile that lit up her gorgeous green eyes from within. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was and he thought for a moment the eggnog might have had him hallucinating.
‘You're welcome, then,’ the angel replied. ‘I better get back to my friends, but it was nice to meet you…’
‘Killian,’ he filled in for her. ‘Killian Jones.’
She nodded, that lustrous curtain of golden curls moving with her.
‘Well, Killian Jones, I hope you have a good rest of your night.’ And with that, she turned to walk away. Killian wasn't quite ready for her to go yet. In complete honesty, he wouldn't have minded if she never left his side, which was a silly thought to have about someone you've just met, but he couldn't help himself. So he called out to her.
‘Am I worthy to know the name of my savior?’ he asked. The angel looked over her shoulder as she walked away and said but two simple words that would change his life forever.
‘Emma Swan.’
Killian was sure he was grinning like a fool at just the sound of her lovely name as he cashed out his tab with the bar keep, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
That night, he was absently thumbing through his Facebook app when a friend request came through from a name he didn't recognize. Someone called Ruby Lucas. As one should always be wary of these kinds of things, he didn't accept right away. Instead, he went to do some investigating to try and figure out who this strange woman was that sent him a request.
He went to her page and looked at her profile picture to see if he recognized the lass, but he didn't. She was very pretty, long brown hair, a little too much makeup, but Killian couldn't place her. So he swiped through a few more of her pictures. When he got to about the third or fourth picture, he was shocked to see a face he did recognize staring back at him.
There, in the middle of a group picture that seemed to have taken place at some sort of hen party, was Emma, the angel. He could hardly believe his luck. He scrolled back up and selected the accept button on the friend request, and he absolutely did not drop his phone in his haste. Killian Jones is a calm, collected, rational man.
No sooner had he accepted the request did a message come through, an eloquent ‘hey there’’ blinking at him from the screen. He replied with a ‘hello’ of his own. Ruby asked him if he'd been in the tavern that evening and Killian confirmed he had been. Ruby then replied with just one more thing and promptly logged off. The message said: ‘Rabbit Hole, 12/24, 7:00 PM. Emma will be there. You should come.’
Killian was completely taken aback by this turn of events, but he could only jump at the chance to see the angel again, so he made sure his schedule was clear. He wasn't due at his brothers until Christmas Day, fortunately and that left him wide open for whatever it was that Ruby had requested him for.
The night of the Christmas Eve came and Killian was very nervous. He had changed clothes at least a dozen times and checked the clock at least a dozen more. After he was finally satisfied that he had stalled enough, he made it to the tavern in record time. As not to seem too eager, he decided to sit in the car until 7:00 rolled around.
Now, Killian could definitely say he knew his way around a woman, but Emma had thrown him off so completely that he started having doubts about himself, not that he would let her or anyone know that. When Emma kissed him, it had thrown his world off kilter, but what if she didn't feel the same? What if it was just a kiss to her? What if she was upset that he was there again? As he sat contemplating the situation in his car, a soft tap sounded at the window. Killian looked up and was rendered immediately speechless, a novelty for him, to be certain. There staring at him through the thin separation of the window glass, a gorgeous, albeit laughing, smile on her lips, was Emma.
Killian smiled back, opening the car door and getting out of it immediately. He didn't know what to do or say, but that didn't stop an outlandishly flirtatious ‘hello, love’ falling from his lips. From across the car park, a woman that Killian recognized from her Facebook picture as none other than Ruby Lucas called out some slightly inappropriate encouragement to her friend.
‘So, you're the surprise,’ Emma told him and it took Killian a minute longer than he would have liked to admit to catch her meaning. It wasn't his fault that the second he turned back to look at Emma he was lost in her sparkling, jade colored eyes. It was an eventuality that he’d lose his head around her at some point during the evening.
‘I suppose I am,’ he replied when he had gotten his train of thought back on track. ‘It is lovely to see you again, Emma.’
‘It's nice to see you, too, Killian Jones.’
Killian had a very vivid memory of the night he met her, and he may or may not have looked at the pictures on Ruby's page a time or two in the days since her friend request, but Killian was still struck by Emma's beauty. Snow had begun to fall around them, and with the backdrop of the street lights behind her, she truly looked every inch the angel he initially had thought her to be.
‘You look stunning, love,’ he told her.
‘Thanks,’ she replied in her simplistic way. ‘You look…’
‘I know,’ he said cheekily when she fumbled for a compliment of her own. Her eyes narrowed at him but the corner of her mouth was lifted in amusement. Killian took that as a good sign. ‘Did you want to go inside?’ he asked, not wanting her to stand out in the cold longer than necessary. She agreed and they walked in together.
Once they made it through the door, Emma was greeted by a large group of people. The tavern was decorated in reds and greens, twinkling lights strung all around in the festive spirit of the upcoming holiday. Emma quickly introduced Killian to her friends and her brother, who was only just a tad overprotective of her. Killian has grown on him quite a bit since then, but that's another story for another time.
Killian didn't feel out of place once during the whole evening thanks to Emma. She was guarded, to be certain, but there was an underlying level of comfort amongst her friends that extended to Killian as well. He could tell right away that this was not a courtesy that was extended to many, and it made his heart swell with gratitude and he was just that much more enamored of her.
The activity in the tavern had dwindled down close to midnight and Emma's very merry brother, David, should have been cut off several… eggnogs before he was. But that didn't stop him from threatening Killian as his lovely wife tried to wrestle him out the door.
‘She likes you, Jones,’ he said. ‘And I'll admit you've grown on me, too. But if you hurt her I'm gonna have to declare a duel for her honor, sir. Don't you forget it.’ Killian would have been infinitely amused by the man's threats if he wasn't so elated at his revelation. Emma liked him. And it was all he could have wished for. He spotted Emma from across the floor as she stood bidding farewell to the infamous Ruby Lucas. Their eyes locked from across the room and Killian knew he was done for.
She smiled. He smiled back. Ruby laughed out loud and said something to Emma that made her turn several different shades of red. Killian's feet began to carry him across the room of their own volition. He had tunnel vision on Emma, his angel savior, and he vaguely heard something along the lines of ‘go get ‘er, tiger,’ as Ruby walked past. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of her again.
‘Hi,’ she said.
‘Hello, love,’ he said back.
Emma looked up towards the ceiling and Killian followed her gaze. There hanging from an exposed beam was a sprig of mistletoe. Now, if grown men got butterflies, Killian may have had a swarm of them in his stomach, but he would liken what he felt in that moment closer to a school of particularly violent fish swimming in his belly.
‘Merry Christmas, Killian,’ she whispered, her green eyes bright and so full of hope.
‘Merry Christmas, Emma,’ he replied, and took full advantage of the mistletoe tradition. This kiss was much gentler than the first, but no less life changing. The world began and ended with Emma in that moment and he knew that he needed to know her better, wanted her to stay in his life as long as he could keep her. When they broke away from one another, Emma's beautiful eyes fluttered open and Killian couldn't help the smile that was surely plastered all over his face.
‘Do you want to go get some coffee sometime?’ Emma asked. Killian couldn't agree fast enough. Little did either of them know when they walked into the Rabbit Hole that evening that they would be taking the first step towards their happy ever after.”
A soft gurgle and a coo sounded from the small bundle wrapped in Killian's arms. He smiled, his heart full to bursting, and he ran a knuckle over his newborn daughter's ruddy cheek. The babe yawned and squirmed before settling once more.
“A fairytale, huh?” a voice said from behind him. Killian turned to look at his wife with a grin. Emma was propped up on a mountain of pillows in the hospital bed where she lay, tired but happier than he'd ever seen her. Her hair was knotted in a messy bun on top of her head, her body clad in the standard green hospital gown, tubes sticking out of both arms, and she had never looked more radiant. His love for her had seemed to grow unendingly throughout the entire day, and this moment was no exception.
“Aye, love. My favorite fairytale and my second favorite Christmas Eve. I think this one tops it easily, but that day is a very close second,” Killian agreed. Emma hummed a sigh, her eyes fluttering closed once more and a soft smile on her lips.
“‘Snot the 24th anymore, though,” she said on a yawn. Killian glanced at the clock and saw it was after 1:00 in the morning. He chuckled and walked gingerly to her bedside so as not to jostle the infant in his arms and leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.
“Happy Christmas, my darling. I love you both so very much.”
As promised, @love-with-you-i-have-everything here is your @cssecretsanta2k18 fic!!
I was requested, and I quote, "I’d definitely say something mostly fluffy/domestic with a little bit of hurt/comfort or discussions of the past, etc. would be ideal! Maybe something with Emma, Killian, sweet little baby Hope, and Henry would be cute? Oooh, or a very normal domestic morning at the Swan-Jones house! Basically anything with CS interacting with Hope would be a DREAM!"
I’m terrible at fluff, and not very good at domestic, but I can deliver on the angst. So....I hope it's what you were looking for!
The lyrics to the lullaby are the ones used by Killian Jones in Season 7 to sing baby Alice to sleep. The poem is called "She Moved Through The Fair" by Padriac Colum.
It was a rough night in the Swan-Jones household. Bath times, scars, and nightmares. It takes coming to the brink of falling back into darkness to realize just how much light you have.
On Ao3 and FF and Tumblr
Killian jerked awake with a harsh breath, the freezing night air instantly chilling his sweat-soaked skin and clearing any vestiges of sleep that might have lingered. His body was still shaking in the aftershocks of his nightmare.
It had been months since he had had one, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be surprised, given what had happened the night before.
“NO I DON’T WANNA TAKE A BATH!”
He could hear the petulant shout as he pushed open the front door and winced. It appeared that his darling girl was going through one of her stubborn streaks, when she refused to cooperate with anything that either he or Emma asked of her.
As he made his way up the stairs towards the master bedroom, where he was sure the shouting was coming from, the lights flickered. He paused a moment, taking a deep breath to steady himself, because the flickering was a clear indication that one of his two lasses was on the brink of losing control, and he honestly couldn’t be sure which one it was going to be.
Since she had been born, Hope had been as gifted as her mother, her cries regularly causing blackouts in the house and there were numerous char marks from where candles and other flames had blazed brightly in one of her sudden fits.
And he had loved every minute of it. The tantrums and the sleepless nights, the horrible spills and even worse diaper messes. Every time he felt his endurance being to run out, he took a moment to sit and remember where he was in life. Married to his True Love, who had willingly carried and born a child with him, in a home that he and his stepson had chosen, in a town that surrounded him with family.
And he would remind himself exactly what he had endured to make it to that point.
And suddenly the trials didn’t seem nearly as arduous. Even when his daughter could throw a tantrum that could fry any electronics in a twenty meter radius.
Emma had been forced to put a spell on their phones after the second time it had happened, and a town wide panic had ensured when Swan didn’t respond quickly enough to her mother.
But even though it could be Hope making the power flicker, it could very well be his Swan.
His heart swelled as he started to ascend the stairs again. His marvelous wife had agreed, after they had discussed it, to consider carrying another child. Hope was almost four and they figured it would be a good time, Hope young enough to not resent the presence of another child but old enough that she wouldn’t require the same level of attention as a newborn or toddler might.
But with that decision came consequences. And at seven months pregnant with their second child, Swan’s moods were as fickle as the winds.
He knew he couldn’t help it. She had come crying to him more than once during Hope’s pregnancy because she was out of control of her own mind, unable to stop her reactions, even if she knew they were unwarranted. Unfortunately, she had been experiencing the same phenomenon during her current pregnancy.
She would scream at him for closing the door too loudly, and right in the middle, it was like she would suddenly register what she was doing, and immediately fall into a spiral of guilt, profusely apologizing to him. And the effects of the pregnancy had only been exacerbated as of late.
There had been several issues that had arisen, jurisdictions clashing between the joined realms as each of the various rulers tried to settle. It had been almost four years since the realms had been united, but things still had not completely settled. The most recent issue being a case of several magically assisted crimes that only she could investigate, as the lone magic wielder on the force. She had begun pulling double and triple shifts at the sheriff’s station to lend as much assistance as she could to have the perpetrator caught.
He knew that today would be particularly bad because he father had forced her to come home, all but ordering her to get some rest. And if there was one thing his Swan hated more than anything, it was being bossed around, especially when it’s done because she is appearing weak.
Her exhaustion, combined with what was probably a stewing irritation with her father, was probably in making it difficult for her to manage her emotions in the face of Hope’s hardheadedness. Which, he would point out in less emotionally fraught a situation, was entirely from her.
“Hope Swan Jones, you will take a bath. I don’t want to hear another word about it.”
Swan’s voice was hard and clipped and Killian braced himself as he walked into the bedroom. Hope was standing just inside the bathroom, her legs apart and her arms crossed with a child’s ferocious frown upon her face.
He may have been the guilty one for that particular trait.
And facing away from him, blocking the bathroom door to prevent Hope from escaping was the disheveled silhouette of his wife, fly away hairs clear from the light pouring out of the bathroom, one hand pressed to her back and the other hidden by her head, but he could easily tell she was pinching the bridge of her nose.
His dalring baby girl caught sight of him behind her mother and her whole demeanor shifted. The pout vanished and a beaming smile took its placed as she threw her hands up in the air.
“Daddy!!!! You’re home!!”
“Aye, my little cygnet,” he murmured, unable to keep the smile off his face as he closed the distance to the pair, stepping up behind Emma to wrap his arms around her and she immediately sank into him. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her neck, before he opted to resolve the situation peacefully.
“And I cannot believe that you knew!” he said, lending an air of amazement to his words.
Hope’s brows furrowed as her little nose scrunched up, her head tipping to the side as she puzzled his words. That one she learned from Henry.
“Knew what Daddy?”
“I can’t believe you knew that the first thing that I wanted to do was take a bath, as soon as I got home. And here you are, getting everything all ready for me!”
He felt Emma suck in a deep breath and sag against him further, the tension that drew across her shoulders slowly easing as she understood his ploy. Hope blinked and tilted her head in the other direction as she processed what he was saying. She picked that up after they had puppy-sat Robyn and Alice’s dog while they went on their honeymoon.
He had to stifle his chuckle against Emma’s neck as he watched understanding click into place on his baby girl’s face. Her whole face brightened. “YEAH I WAS GETTING THE BATH READY FOR YOU DADDY!” she screeched, now bouncing enthusiastically on the bathroom tiles.
“Well thank you darling cygnet. I’m just going to put my stuff down and get ready for my bath and I’ll be right in, aye? And you’ll be joining me?”
She nodded enthusiastically, then flopped down on her butt to start struggling with her shoes. He gave her one last affectionate look, before he murmured, “Come on my beautiful Swan.”
She turned in his hold to stand up on her toes to press a quick kiss to his lips before she wearily made her way to the rest of the bedroom. She sat on the bed with a sigh, and started to press her hands into her back, massaging what he knew were twisted up and knotted muscles.
“Thank you for that,” she sighed, removing one hand from her back in favor of scrubbing at her face. He studied her for a moment, still as radiant as the day she first looked upon her from beneath a pile of bodies. But he could see the deep lines of exhaustion around her eyes and the frown lines that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in the corners of her lips.
“I am glad that I was able to help, rather than making things worse. With her, who knows?” he brushed aside her gratitude.
Emma scoffed, but a small smile had taken up its place at the edge of her mouth. She didn’t seem to be up to any other conversation though, as she slowly schooched herself onto the bed, then lowered herself onto the comforter. He turned away, pulling out a pair of water shorts that Emma had gifted him with for their honeymoon, when they had finally managed to go on it. He moved into the walk in closet, shutting the door lightly, and stipping down before pulling on the water shorts.
Elastic was truly one of the most remarkable inventions in Emma’s world, keeping pants tight on his hips without requiring any ties.
Once he had them on, he reached for the buckles on his brace, methodically loosening the leather that criss crossed his upper body. It had taken a long time for him to be comfortable baring his incomplete arm to his daughter, but he was glad he had finally managed to overcome the fear that had held him back.
He opened the door and stepped back out into the room, shivering slightly at the cooling air, padding his way across the room. He paused at the bed, pressing a gentle kiss to Swan’s shoulder, “You just rest easy love.” Then he continued on to the bathroom, where Hope had just pulled off her pants, ready to jump into the warm water of the massive tub.
He closed the door most of the way, in case Hope got loud, before he smiled at his baby girl as she beamed up at him.
“Are you ready, little love?” he asked softly.
She nodded quickly as an excited giggle escaped her, reaching her hand up to him. He put his right hand under her arm, while she lined up her forearm with his left one, making sure that his stump was firmly under her arm, holding on to his upper arm, helping him lift her with his only hand. Then her lifted her up, swinging her over the edge and into the tub, dropping her down slowly among the bubbles and the several rubber duckies he could see floating through the foam.
He quickly stepped in after her, settling down into the shallow water, his back pressing up against the freezing porcelain, facing the bathroom door, just in case Swan needed to get his attention from the room beyond. Hope settled in, delightedly splashing about with her toys for a bit before he decided to get the show on the road, so to speak.
“Hey little cygent, could you help me wash my hair?” he asked, and when she nodded excitedly, he leaned forward, smiling softly as he felt her tiny hands pressing soap bubbles into his hair, while she babbled about the rivetting events of what happened at her daycare that day.
He gasped and agreed at the right points, but was content to just let his little girl carry the conversation. When she had clapped, “Ok, Daddy, all done,” he sat up and smoothed, feeling the foam prickling against his scalp and knew he was going to have to properly wash his hair after he’d put his wee one to bed.
“Alright, little love, turn around for me, it’s your turn.”
He smiled triumphantly as she easily acquiesced, and he worked shampoo into her hair, before picking up the cup they kept on the rim to scoop up water to rinse it out. “Make sure to close your eyes and mouth little one,” he reminded her, before he slowly removed the shampoo. She continued to chatter as he repeated the process with conditioner. She had slowly fallen silent, and he figured that her day must be catching up with her so he was surprised when she spoke up just as he was about to start rinsing the conditioner out.
“Hey Daddy?”
“Yes, little love?”
“You said that the scars on your arm came from a bad man who wanted to make sure you didn’t get your happy ending, right?”
He was completely thrown by the randomness of the question and, unsure of where she was going with the line of questioning, he replied cautiously, “Aye, that’s true.”
“And your other scars are from people like that right? The ones on your back?”
He was completely thrown, but he remembered that conversation, when she had seen him after a shower, his scars clear against his skin. He couldn’t tell his daughter the real story, so he had found the best way he could to convey the origins of the scars, telling her they were from bad men who tried to keep him from being happy when he was younger.
He answered her again, “Yes, cygnet.”
She was quiet for a moment, so he quietly warned her about the water before he methodically rinsed her hair. He was in the process of returning the cup to its usual position on the rim of the tub when she turned to face him, her green eyes holding the same solemnity that her mother’s did when she spoke of something serious.
“Henry said that people who try to stop other people’s happy endings are evil.”
He blinked, brow furrowing as he felt a slight irritation at his stepson. Why on earth would he tell her such a thing?
“Is that right Daddy?” Her voice was earnest, the absolute belief she had in her big brother clear on her face. And he couldn’t find it in his heart to be the first to plant the seed of doubt in her brother’s knowledge of the world.
“Aye, little love, I suppose, in a way, that’s true.”
She nodded at his confirmation, then dropped her eyes down to his abdomen. She schooched forward and he held still, puzzled by his little girl. As she moved, he thought he could hear movement from the room beyond, and was pleased that his Swan might be up to being up and about again.
His attention was forcibly returned to his daughter when her hand pressed against the three inch puckered scar that resided just below his third rib, an ugly mark that refused any attempt at healing.
“You have never told me the story to this one here.”
And the next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion in his mind.
He saw the door open and Emma step through, her mouth opening in a question as she stepped over the threshold, but her eyes taking in Hope’s current point of focus. And as he watched Emma register that Hope was touching that particular scar, he heard his beautiful, innocent, and curious baby girl.
“They must have been really evil to try and stop you from getting your happy ending so hard.”
The effect was immediate and completely expected. Every light in the house flashed brightly before burning out as Emma spun out of the bathroom, a horrible gut wrenching sob reaching his ears as she fled.
“Cygnet, stay here and don’t move.” He could not help his sharp tone as he leapt from the bath, immediately giving chase to his wife, fear blocking out all thoughts except reaching her before she did something else, by accident or intentionally.
He managed to catch her as she tried to escape the house out the laundry room door, grabbing her arm and spinning her to face him. She immediately yielded, spinning directly into his chest as her shoulders heaved with sobs.
It took nearly an hour to get her to calm down, her violent breathes turning into dry heaving over the kitchen sink. As she slowly fell silent he had a feeling it had less to do with her breakdown abating and more the fact that she just had no energy left in her body to sustain it anymore.
His belief was confirmed when he realized she had fallen asleep hunched over the sink. So he carefully maneuvered her into his arms, her protruding stomach making a bit more difficult than it used to be, and carried her up the stairs. He noticed that that act was not as easy as it used to be either, and made the vaguest of mental notes to spend more time on the Jolly.
He carefully lowered her onto the comforter, tear stains glistening in the moonlight pouring through the window, her brows pulled low in her sleep, as if her anguished had followed her into her dreams. He ran his palm across her forehead, hoping to smooth out the furrows or comfort her in some way, but she gave a light whimper, frown deepening.
He sighed, pulling his hand away, reaching for the heated blanket from the bottom of the bed, and pulling it up over her, making sure to turn it on. He was glad to see that the indicator light came on, which meant that Swan hadn’t inadvertently fried the electricity again.
It was as he finally allowed himself a moment to breath that he realized he was still wet from the bath.
Hope.
Cursing quietly, he rushed back to the bathroom to get her. But he was shocked to find that not only was he daughter nowhere to be found, but the water had been drained, her clothes put into the hamper, and her towel missing. Confused, he made his way out of their room and down the dark hall to Hope’s room. Sure enough, he heard rustling coming from her room and the inconsistent light of a flashlight being swung around.
He heard a drawer close, and then the squeaking sound of her mattress springs as the light steadied out and stopped moving. He reached her doorway and quietly poked his head into her room, his heart just about beating out of his chest at the sight.
His little baby girl was sitting up in her bed, using a flashlight to read one of her picture books, her hair neatly brushed and tucked behind her ears, pijamas on, and her window curtains pulled shut.
She had never gotten herself ready for bed by herself before.
He knocked gently, and she looked up at him, but didn’t give him her usual smile.
“Hi Daddy.”
“Hi little one. May I come in?”
She nodded, closing the book and putting the flashlight on the bed, looking at him with a slightly worried expression. He stayed quiet, unsure how to explain the happenings of the last hour. But his daughter, as usual, cut to the heart of the matter.
“Grandma told me a story once, of a princess who had to kill her pirate to save everybody. She didn’t want to hurt him, and he didn’t want to be hurt, but because of the choices they had both made to protect the people they loved, they were the ones who had put everyone in danger in the first place. It was their responsibility to fix it, even if they wanted to choose anything else.”
She went silent as he processed her words. He could not believe that Mary Margaret had told her that story, and was going to have to talk to her about what he deemed appropriate for his four year old.
Hope seemed to read his frown, however.
“Don’t be mad at Grandma, Daddy. I overheard her talking and wanted to know what she was talking about. So its my fault for asking.”
“Oh darling,” he sighed, reaching out to tuck a few wayward strand of her hair behind her ear. “Its not your fault at all.”
She raised a dark eyebrow at him in a so reminiscent of his own expression, he couldn’t help the tiny smile that crept across his face. Hope gave him an tiny answering smile before her face grew serious again. “I’m sorry I didn’t stay in the tub like you told me too. The water got cold. And then mommy wasn’t feeling well, so I decided that I could help by getting myself ready for bed.”
“Oh my cygnet,” he sighed, reaching out and pulling her to his side. “Thank you for being so helpful. Its alright that you didn’t stay in the water. Are you alright?” He could only guess how distressing all this had been for her, having her mother react to a question the way she had.
He felt Hope nod against his chest before her little hand slid across his skin to cover the scar again. “Momma gave this to you, didn’t she? That’s why you don’t talk about it. That’s why she got so sad. Because she had to take away both of your happy endings.”
He felt the hard pressure of tears behind his eyes as he pressed a fierce kiss to her head.
“When did you get so smart, little love?” he whispered, not really sure if he meant to ask it out loud or not.
She shrugged, “It’s like when you yell at me for doing something that might hurt me. I’m sad that you yelled at me, and I know you don’t like doing it, but we are both better because you did.”
He couldn’t fight the tears anymore as he gave a breathless laugh against her hair, the anguish of those memories warring with his absolute devotion for his marvel of a daughter.
“I don’t know what your mother and I did to deserve you, little one.”
She pulled back, her brow furrowing as she studied him. He was almost disconcerted by how clearly her eyes seemed to perceive him.
“Well that’s easy Daddy. You loved me.”
He spent several moments trying to stead out his breathing. Once he wasn’t struggling to draw air into his lungs, he turned to check to see if Emma had woken from the movement. But he was disconcerted to find that she wasn’t in the bed beside him.
Quickly, he threw off the covers and headed out into the hall, grabbing his robe as he went and wrapping it around him to stave off the cold. He tried to figure out where Swan might have gone and noticed that Hope’s door wasn’t open, despite him leaving it so when he’d gone to bed.
Carefully he crept to the door and quietly opened it. To his surprise, it was not his daughter occupying the bed but his wife, tucked in with Hope’s favorite stuffed animal ticked in her grip. He looked more closely and saw that her face was peaceful. He was about to shut the door and go in search of his daughter when he noticed a ceramic mug on her bedside table that hadn’t been there earlier.
He silently crossed the room to pick the mug up, and when he peered inside, he felt tears press at his eyes again.
In the cup was cold milk with clumps of chocolate powder sitting in it and cinnamon sitting on top of that.
He could just picture it. Emma had come to their daughter in the night, maybe to watch her sleep or apologize. But he was sure, when Emma got their, Hope had awoke, and seeing her mother’s distressed state, had taken it upon herself to provide all the necessities to make anyone feel better. A stuffed animal, a nice tuck into bed, and hot chocolate. It was clear that she’d tried to make the drink with cold milk, probably not understanding how to heat it up.
He was certain that Hope had then had a conversation with her mother that brought that easy look of peace to his wife’s face as she slept.
Putting the mug back on the table with a shake of his head, he left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him, before making his way downstairs. With the first look through, he couldn’t locate her, and he was about to head back upstairs to check if he’d missed her in the bed with Swan when his foot his the squeaky stair and a sleepy voice called out, “Mommy?”
He turned back towards the living room to see Hope peering over the side of the couch, and he realized he’d missed her because she’d been lying down on the couch.
“No little love, it’s me. Momma’s upstairs sleeping. But what are you doing down here, cygnet? It freezing.”
Her head disappeared as she, he assumed, layed back down on the couch. “I’m ok, Momma brought her hot blankie into my room. Since she didn’t need it, I filpered it.”
He let out a small chuckle, “It’s pilfered little love.” He made his way around the couch. “Are you alight little one?”
She nodded, and although it was dark in the room, he could see her well enough that he could tell that she wasn’t trying to placate him. She really was undisturbed by the events of the night.
Then she asked, “But why are you up Daddy?”
He sighed, sitting down on the couch next to her curled up form. “I had a bad dream cygnet. That’s all.”
She shifted, sitting up again. ANd her words near about killed him with his love for her.
“Do you need my strength for tonight Daddy?”
It was the question he always posed to her when he heard her crying out in her sleep, usually waking herself up in the process. He’d pull her to him, hold her tight, and whisper to her, “Do you need my strength for tonight, little love?”
He managed to get out a choked up, “Yes little love,” before she reached out and tugged him to lie beside her. He settle up against the back of the couch, laying on his back. Hope squirmed a bit, until she was curled up on his chest, the heated blanket pulled up over both of them, the heat of the fabric paling in comparison to the deep warmth that was seeping into his bones at his daughter’s weight on him.
They both settled, each breathing quietly, and he actually felt his mind start to slow, the shadows of his dreams not gone, but no longer enough to distress him.
Then he heard his daughter’s voice, soft and sweet as a summer’s breeze.
My young love said to me,
"My mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you
For your lack of kind."
He breathed in deeply, letting the lullaby wash over him. Every scar, ever agony, every tear shed, every single struggle he had ever faced was worth it. To have his two truest loves.
He simply breathed as her song reverberated across his skin and drew him down into a peaceful slumber, his daughter’s gentle voice echoing in him mind and settling in his heart.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! @branlovestowrite, this is your Secret Santa gift from me, you Captain Swan Secret Santa for 2018 @cssecretsanta2k18! It was a pleasure chatting with you and I hope that this tickles your fancy for pining and people getting stuck together. (Unbeta’d since I ran out of time)
Summary: After a long wedding, a blackout causes Maid of Honor Emma Swan to become stuck in an elevator with one of the groomsman, who she had unceremoniously rejected after a one-night-stand two years ago, despite her growing feelings for him.
Rating: PG-13 (for language)
AO3
A pair of black, strappy heals dangled from Emma’s tired fingers as she pressed the down button to summon the elevator. With eyes closed, she stretched her neck side-to-side and massaged the tense muscles.
A chuckle came from Emma’s right. “Tired, love?”
Emma cracked open one eye and glared as best she could at the chipper sounding British man. Despite it being nearly 1 am after a day full of wedding chaos, Killian Jones looked just as polished as he had at 3 pm that afternoon, standing next to David at the altar. Wear-as she had a barely concealed wine stain on her dress, her hair was falling out of its intricate up-do, and she knew the smoky-eye eyeshadow she had worn earlier now resembled a raccoon mask. She moved her hand from her neck and pressed lightly on her temple with only her middle finger.
This elicited another laugh from Jones. The sound sent a small shiver down Emma’s spine as she remembered the way his laugh had felt against her neck the one time they had slept together.
It had been two years ago, at the first Christmas party Mary Margaret and David had thrown at their new house in Cambridge. Killian had just moved to Boston from England six months before and was working as a private investigator. He’d met David, a BPD detective, after Killian’s investigation into an embezzling business partner had collided with David’s inquiry into tax fraud.
Killian was handsome, charismatic, and had more than a bit of bad boy charm. Emma had been instantly attracted to him and hadn’t protested his kiss when they’d gotten caught under the mistletoe later in the evening.
After that, one thing had led to another and Emma had woken up the next morning at Killian’s apartment, something Emma never did. What had been more surprising had been the fact that, curled up in Killian’s arms, she felt no need to run. After they managed to drag themselves from his bed, they had a great morning together; Killian made a proper English breakfast in his boxers while Emma drank coffee and enjoyed the show. Everything had been amazing, until his ex-girlfriend had shown up.
The elevator ding startled Emma. She must have jumped, because Killian shot her a concerned look as she carefully stepped through the opulent golden doors. He joined her a moment later.
“What floor?”
“Three.”
Killian pressed the buttons for both three and four, the other floor presumably where his own room was located.
She murmured her thanks as she leaned heavily against the wall. The elevator door closed and blocked out the sounds of the wedding reception that was winding down. The bride and groom had departed fifteen minutes ago, which had been the signal that Emma was finally free from her duties until the next morning.
Emma loved Mary Margaret, her best friends for nearly a decade, and she was thrilled that she had married such an amazing guy as David Nolan, but being her Maid of Honor had been far more exhausting than Emma had anticipated.
While she contemplated whether she had enough energy to take a bath with the aromatherapy bath bomb that been part of the gift Mary Margaret had given to her bridesmaids the elevator lurched to a rough stop. Emma’s eyes shot open just in time to see the lights flicker and go out. Only a small light above the door continued to glow.
Emma pulled her cellphone from her clutch and turned on the flashlight.
She looked at Killian. “Bloody hell,” he muttered as he pressed the call button located at the bottom of the panel.
“Help situation in elevator two,” an automated voice said. “Help needed.”
Static followed.
“Do you think it’s the storm?” Killian whispered.
Emma had forgotten about the raging storm that was traveling down from Canada to blanket New England in snow. Boston was due for over a foot, if Emma recalled correctly, but not for another day or so.
Before Emma could reply, a calm male voice issued from the speaker panel. “Elevator two, is everything alright?”
“Except for the fact that the elevator isn’t moving, yes, everything is perfect,” Emma replied, unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice. Beside her, Killian grinned.
The person on the other end ignored her attitude, likely accustomed to people being upset when stuck in an elevator. “The area you’re in has lost power. Are there any passengers in distress?”
Emma looked over at Killian, who was still grinning, then replied with a simple “no”.
“The staff at the Omni Parker have been alerted to your situation. Remain calm until they are able to get to you.”
More static followed.
With a groan, Emma sank to the wood paneled floor of the elevator, her long golden dress pooling around her.
Killian joined her on the cold floor a moment later, situated directly across from her. He ran his hand through his hair, making it more ruffled than normal. “Seems like we’re going to be stuck for a bit, lass.”
Great. Just great.
Of all the people for her to be stuck in the elevator with, it just had to be Killian Jones.
When Killian’s ex, Milah, had arrived, Emma had beat a hasty retreat from the apartment. But she had been there long enough to see the battle of emotions that had played across Killian’s face when he looked at the gorgeous brunette. They may have been broken up, and he was deeply hurt by whatever had happened, but he still loved her.
Killian had called the next day and had apologized for what happened. Milah, he assured her, was out of the picture, and he wanted to take Emma out on a proper date.
Unsettled by everything that had happened, Emma did what she did best.
She pushed him away.
Told him that the other evening was a one-time thing. That she had no interest in getting to know him any further.
She’d regretted it immediately. And over the next few years, she’d wished so many times she could take it back. But she didn’t know how, so she just avoided Killian as best she could.
The one man she wished she could spend more time with, yet at the same moment, wanted to be as far from as possible.
And now she was stuck in an elevator with him for who knew how long.
Emma’s phone buzzed in her hand. She only had 15% battery.
“Perfect,” she muttered. “Just perfect.”
“You alright there, Swan?”
Emma held up her phone so he could see the power level.
He frowned. “I sent a text to Graham and Ruby, letting them know of our predicament. They are going to try and keep us updated as best they can on the power situation. But I only have around 20% battery myself.”
“Why don’t I turn my phone off for now, so that when yours starts to die we can still use mine?” She suggested.
At Killian’s nod, Emma shut her phone off. But even after the screen went dark, she continued to stare at it.
Eventually, Emma looked up and forced a smile. “Guess we won’t be playing Angry Birds to pass the time,” she said sardonically.
This time, Killian didn’t laugh. Instead, his brows lowered and he studied her with serious eyes.
“Are you claustrophobic?”
Emma blinked in shock. “No, I’m not. Are you?”
“No. But you’re acting rather odd, Swan. Are you sure you’re alright?”
Her “I’m fine” was automatic.
Killian raised one eyebrow, obviously not believing her.
Emma sighed. “I’m just tired.”
Killian nodded but he didn’t look convinced. Thankfully, he didn’t inquire further.
Deciding to get as comfortable as possible, Emma shifted so that the layers of her dress separated her bottom from the cold floor. After, she started pulling out as many of the bobby pins in her hair as she could find.
After pulling out over two dozen, Emma muttered, “How many of these fucking things are there?”
A snort, hastily covered by a cough, came from the man in front of her. Emma shot her best glare at Killian in return as she worked at a particularly stubborn pin.
“Can I be of assistance?”
Emma’s hand froze as she remembered how amazing his hands in her hair felt.
The morning after their night together, Killian had spent nearly an hour combing through her hair with his fingers. He had carefully worked through the tangles caused by their passionate coupling and massaged her scalp. It had almost been enough to lure Emma back to sleep, but her stomach had demanded attention before she could doze off again.
Killian’s face fell as she hesitated.
Emma felt horrible; like she had just kicked a puppy.
Killian had been a godsend the past year. He’d stepped up and helped with any and all wedding planning duties passed to him when David’s Best Man, Graham, traveled back to Ireland due to a visa issue and been gone for six months. Emma and Killian had spent hours traveling around the Boston area visiting florists, bakeries, and caterers with Mary Margaret and David. Despite how standoffish she had been toward him, Killian was kind and cheerful, never once pushing her to talk about what had happened between them.
And here she was, being a bitch in return.
“Killian,” she said softly. “I would appreciate your help.”
The butterflies in her stomach returned at his boyish grin.
Killian scooted across the floor and, with a gentle hand, urged Emma to turn toward the front of the elevator with her back to him. He immediately went to work, handing her the pins as he removed them. A few were quite stuck, probably glued in place by all the product the hairstylist had used on her hair, and Killian whispered apologies each time he had to pull with any force.
After the pin that was jabbing at her scalp was removed, Emma couldn’t keep from moaning. That basted thing had aggravated her all evening. Killian’s hand in her hair paused for a moment at the sound, but quickly went back to work. His fingers slid across her scalp and carefully undid the hairstyle that had taken the stylist over an hour to do.
Emma was quite relaxed by the time Killian announced that he had removed all the pins he could find. When she turned her head to thank him, she found that he was much closer than anticipated, his face hovering just over her left shoulder.
The words stuck in her throat as her gaze traveled up his handsome face. His beard was a little thicker than normal. Grown-out, she knew, to look more professional. The extra length made its reddish color more prominent. His lips were a little chapped and she watched as he licked them with his tongue. His wicked, talented tongue.
Emma felt a blush travel up her face as her eyes reached Killian’s at the memory of the pleasure his tongue brought her just before Christmas a few years ago. She hoped that he didn’t notice.
His furrowed brow told her that she had no such luck. “Are you alright? You feel warm.”
Touched by his concern, and overwhelmed by the emotions it elicited in her, Emma collapsed backward against Killian’s chest, her head resting on his shoulder. His hand immediately shot to her forehead, presumably to check whether she was running a temperature. She gently pulled it away and held it, resting on her lap.
“I’m sorry, Killian. For what happened the other year.” She stared at the dark wood wall of the elevator as she spoke. “I didn’t know how to handle how comfortable I felt with you and I panicked.”
Silence followed her admission.
As it drew on, Emma moved to lift herself off of Killian when suddenly the arm of the hand she was holding drew her back.
“Emma, please open your eyes.”
She didn’t even know she had closed them.
When she opened them again, Killian’s face was just inches from hers.
He was smiling.
She smiled back.
Slowly, his face came closer. His beard tickled when he pressed a soft kiss against her lips.
“Does this mean,” he said when he pulled away, “that I can finally take you out to dinner?”
“I would love that.”
They kissed again, slowly, softly, until Emma’s body reminded her that she had been up for nearly 20 long, stressful hours. Killian insisted she remain propped against him and she dozed off with her head tucked against his neck.
Emma startled awake and grasped tightly to Killian when a grinding noise came from the elevator doors. She blinked rapidly when the doors opened and the beam of a flashlight passed over her face.
“Well, look at that,” an amused Irish-accented voice said, “it’s a bloody Christmas miracle.”
“Very funny Graham,” Killian said dryly as he helped her to her feet. The elevator had stopped just before it finished passing the 10th floor and Graham had to crouch down to talk to them. The gap couldn’t have been more than two feet tall.
“Killian, give Emma a boost up and we’ll get the two of you out.”
After passing her shoes and clutch through the gap to Graham, Killian took off his suit jacket and slipped it over her arms.
“Just in case,” he whispered in her ear as he buttoned it closed.
With Graham holding her arms and Killian’s firm grip on her hips, Emma was able to climb through the gap without a problem. Ruby appeared and helped Emma to her feet, carefully inspecting her for any injuries.
Ruby pulled Emma into a tight hug. “We were so worried! I knew you were heading back to your room when the power went out and I was terrified you were stuck alone until I got Killian’s text!” she exclaimed.
Emma assured her friend that she was okay as she watched Graham help Killian out of the elevator. In the dim emergency lighting, she could see a streak of grease or dirt had smeared along the front of his dress shirt. Once Ruby had moved to wrap Killian in her death grip hug, Emma looked down at herself and saw that Killian’s jacket had protected her dress from getting dirty during her climb out.
Thank you, she mouthed at him. She received a wink in return.
They all thanked the maintenance man who had engineered their release before he headed off to help extract another group of people stuck between the fourth and fifth floor.
Emma looked at Graham. “What caused the power to go out?”
Her friend shrugged. “Not sure. They think some of the city’s preparations for the storm may have disturbed some wiring.”
“Can we still get in our rooms?”
It was Ruby who answered. “The door locks run on batteries, so you shouldn’t have any trouble. But you’ll need to get a few flashlights from front desk. And some extra blankets.”
With Ruby and Graham in the lead, they started toward the closest stairwell. Killian’s arm wrapped around Emma’s waist and he pulled her close to whisper in her ear.
“Would you object to sharing a room tonight, Swan? Keep each other warm?”
Emma giggle caused Ruby and Graham to turn around just in time to see Emma wrap her arms around Killian’s neck and pull him in for a passionate kiss.
I am posting this today because of my schedule. Merry Christmas to my fun, funny, and awesome recipient @doodlelolly0910. I hope you enjoy this dark, sweet, romantic, did I mention dark?, story.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/17136440?view_full_work=true
Hey There! It’s me, Santa. I know, it’s been awhile. I am now two days into my holiday break and I have completed your gift!! I just need to do final revisions tomorrow. Nothing like last second 🤦🏻♀️ I tried to include a few of the things we’ve chatted about via these little anon convos. Happy Christmas Eve! 🎄☃️❄️🎅🏻
I'm super excited! For the fic and finding out who you are!
Hey there! Just popping in again. Sorry for the radio silence; life has been a little crazy lately, but I promise I didn’t go anywhere. 🙂 How did your irl events go? — CSSS🎅🏻🤶🏻
Hi Santa! I am doing very well thanks. My events have gone well (cold and rainy, but nobody complained too loudly). I have one left, which is the judging of the holiday decorations throughout the city. That one can get a bit nasty, as people don’t like to lose. :)I understand crazy. I’ve been working on my final paper of the semester - working on another master of arts degree. It’s turned in now and submitted. So now I get to read trashy books, binge watch some television, and pretend I don’t have other responsibilities when I get home. What do you like to do when you have free time Santa?Talk to you soon!
