Turn for the Worst

Chapter 67

"Killian," Emma says. Her eyes filling with new tears and she runs into his arms. It seems like there are fireworks when their lips meet for the first time in a long time. Emma knows immediately that Killian missed her as much as she missed him. He pulls her as close as he possibly can, his lips practically devouring hers in the heat of passion. Both of them seem to flashback to the nights so long ago, where all they had was each other and their bodies. Exploring each other and giving into the vigour of one another. Emma runs her hands through his hair, which has not changed at all and embracing his scent of leather and what she thinks is seawater. Neither really thinks about the others watching this display, lost in each other until Ruby finally clears her throat. If anyone waited any longer, the two would be on the floor and clothes would be coming off.

Once they break apart, their foreheads still touch slightly and they cannot turn away from each other.

"I missed you so much," she whispers.

"I missed you more than you'll ever know," he says breathlessly. "And I'm never letting you go again."

Emma cups his face in her hands and smiles at him. He returns is by nuzzling her nose gently before they turn towards the crowd watching them. Killian keeps his arms around Emma the entire time.

Ruby is impressed, while Henry is mortified and trying to look away. Mary Margret seems to be crying happily at this reunion while David holds baby Jacob, frowning at the display. The rest of her friends smile and give support to the two of them. At last, Emma feels complete with everyone she loves surrounding her.

Anna comes in on crutches and Emma greets her with a hug and many thankful comments for trying to find her. Anna smiles widely and is glad that her friend is safe and now she can go home and recover fully.

There are two more figures at the door and Emma recognizes August. His bright eyes and trimmed beard reluctantly smiling at her. She too hesitates a little bit until Killian tells her that the searches were all his idea. Emma gives her old friend a hug and a grateful thank you for all his hard work. The private investigator greets her like a sister and savours the hug, happy to finally see her again.

As the two embrace, Emma stares at the last figure at the door over August's shoulder, but this one hangs back in the shadows, not wanting to approach the rescued woman. For a second Emma thinks that it might be Arthur, coming back but the cops guarding her would not allow that to happen. Instead, he slowly steps into the room and her heart drops to her stomach.

It was the face of someone she hadn't seen in three years. The face of the man who struggled just as much as she did with his past and to make connections. The man who was with her when she gave birth to Henry and asked for her hand in marriage after so many years, but then left, never to be seen by her again until now. He doesn't look that different from the last time she laid eyes on him. He was a little grayer in the hair and a bit heavier, but still the same old...

"Neal...?" Emma gasps.

She can feel her legs beginning to give out from underneath her and Killian immediately has his arms around her to hold her up. Her head begins to pulsate and her stomach twists in discomfort. Her body becomes overwhelmed with many emotions; sadness, fear, anxiety, joy, confusion but mostly anger. She grips Killian's arms tightly to show him how she felt. The docks man leans down and whispers into her ear.

"He's been trying to help since almost the beginning," the dark-haired man whispers.

Emma's breath catches in her throat and a new kind of tears enter her eyes. She grinds her teeth together, unsure of how to react.

Neal is equally insecure and wondered if his very presence had ruined the happy reunion, which it likely had. He and Emma left on such bad terms and towards the end, he was no longer the man she fell in love with anyways. He thought this entire time that leaving would spare all three of them pain, but clearly, he was wrong.