No More Pirates (Book Two)

Chapter 18- Triumph

Storybrooke...

The couple stands over the lifeless body of Blackbeard, still embracing. "Don't ever do that to me again," Killian breathes into her shoulder.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Elizabeth sits on he ground, knees bent, and fiddles nervously with her sword.

"Emma?" A voice asks from behind her.

From the direction of the road, Regina, Robin, David, Snow and Henry come running to them.

"Emma, Killian, what happened?!" David yells.

"Mom," Emma smiles. "Dad," she turns to her parents, engulfing them in a tight hug.

Robin claps Killian on the back, and they laugh with relief. "I'm glad you're okay, brother." Robin grins.

After everyone is brought up to speed on the events of the morning, Regina approaches Elizabeth, who still sits on the ground, alone. Regina kneels gracefully beside her, making sure not to damage her iron-pressed pin stripe slacks. "You saved her?" She asks.

"Killian saved her. Not me." Elizabeth looks away from the queen, afraid to snap.

Regina quickly changes the subject. "I want to apologize, Elizabeth, for what I did to you all those years ago."

"Forget about it," tears begin to well up in her eyes at the thought of the three graves, side by side by side that lie near her village.

"I can't. I've made a vow to my son and Robin, and to my best friend whose life you just saved, that I would right my wrongs. So let me start by welcoming you to Storybrooke and offering you a chance."

"A chance?" Elizabeth raises an eyebrow.

"A fresh start. Here, in Storybrooke. I can talk to Emma about getting you a job at the sheriff's station. That's only if you choose to stay."

"I... Uh.. I don't k--"

"Elizabeth?" Killian interrupts her stuttering.

Regina gives her a nod, telling her it's alright to go talk to Hook. He helps her stand, and they walk away from everyone where it's a bit quieter. Elizabeth suddenly gets nervous.

"Thank you." Killian practically spits out. "You could've let Emma die but you saved her... Why?"

"I was feeling generous," she smirks, weakly.

Killian gives her a knowing look.

"I.. I couldn't stand to see you that way... With a broken heart." She whispers, starting to tear up again.

Killian's face visibly drops. "And that's exactly what I did to you. I left you, with a broken heart."

"Killian, you d--"

He stops her from talking by suddenly pulling her into a hug. He holds her shoulders tight, and his stump rests at her waist. The sudden touch sends shocks through her body. And with those shocks, she finally breaks. She gives in to the tears stinging her eyes and the hard sobs coming from deep in her diaphragm.

Killian hugs her tighter as she cries, gripping onto his leather jacket. "I'm.. so.. sorry..." she sobs. He rubs his hand over the smooth leather of her jacket. He pulls her away from him to look at her face. With his finger, he lightly brushes away the tears.

"You know I care about you. You're family to me, Elizabeth. You were there for me in my darkest hours and I will be there for yours."

Elizabeth nods with a tearful smile as Emma walks towards them. She pulls Elizabeth away from Killian so she can hug her.

"You saved me," Emma says quietly.

"I'm aware," Elizabeth breathes a laugh.

The two let go, but they still stand together, arms interlocked when Henry comes over to Killian. Out of his backpack, he pulls his hook. Killian smiles a wide, bright smile.

"Thought you might be missing it," Henry tells him.

Killian screws the hook back where it belongs. "Thanks, lad."

Without warning, Henry grabs Killian around the waste to hug him. "Henry!" Killian exclaims.

"I'm glad you're okay, dad." Henry mumbles into his jacket.

Killian's jaw drops as he stares at Emma who just smiles with happy tears in her eyes.

Elizabeth looks around at everyone. She had always hated royals, but now, they made her feel like one.

A fresh start, here in Storybrooke.

"This can be home," she thinks to herself.

Looking back at Killian's sparkling eyes, it is decided.