Killian's POV
What the hell was I thinking? She will never trust me if she thinks I'm trying to just use her. I don't want her to think that. I could tell that she was just leaning against the door on the other side, but if she opens the door, and sees me out here, she will definitely think I'm a creep.
I went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of rum. I unscrewed the lid and took a sip. Maybe Emma and I weren't meant to be. Maybe it was just meant to be one sided. That she would never feel as I do. Maybe my head was just up in the clouds. I could always wait another century for my True Love.
Three Months Later...
I told Emma about my past in the Navy and about Liam and Milah. I even told her why I became the Dark One. In return, she told me about her life in her parents' castle. She said that while she loved Graham, she didn't want him to be king. She told me that Regina had been trying to ruin her life ever since she was born, and it was all because of her mother, Snow White.
Over those three months, Emma and I have been growing closer. She was no longer afraid of me, and she trusted me again. I couldn't tell if she was starting to have feelings for me or not, but my feelings had done nothing but grow for her. I found myself nervous every time I was around her and I was always afraid that I was going to mess up what I was saying and make a complete fool out of myself. But, each time I did, she would giggle and call me an idiot, but it wouldn't matter. Her giggle was the best piece of music I had ever heard. Her smiles could light up the world itself. I could feel my dark heart healing with every passing minute that I was with her, and it was all because of Emma. I knew I was changing and she was the one that was making me change.
But, with that happiness, I could sense she was in pain. She missed her family a lot. I could hear her cries throughout the castle at night. Her magic would go haywire and would make the hallway brighten. The fire from the torches would grow if the night was particularly bad. I hated the fact that she wouldn't talk to me either. She was probably afraid that I was going to lock her in the dungeon again.
This morning, Emma hadn't come out of her bedroom at all. The entire castle was glowing, and I knew that today was a very bad day for her. I knew a way to cheer her up, but it had to be absolutely perfect. The only way to make sure that it was, was to visit Queen Snow White and King David.
Emma's POV
Today was my mother's birthday, and it pained me that I couldn't be with her to celebrate it. The entire kingdom would be in celebration and I was going to have to miss it.
I locked myself away in my room, not even wanting to see Killian. At times, he would brighten my mood, but on the other hand, he was the one who put me here and had taken me away from my family.
There was a knock at my door and I sat up. I wiped my eyes, and called for Killian to come in.
Killian's POV
I went to the King and Queen's castle and let myself in. I expected the castle to be in a joyful mood. But, all the servant's heads were down. The guards weren't trying to restrain me. In fact, there weren't even any guards at all.
I went around the castle looking for the King and Queen, and ended up finding them in their throne room.
"Is this a bad time?" I asked. Snow White and David's heads shot up. David drew his sword and pushed his wife behind him.
"What else do you want from us? You've had Emma for three months already, sending the entire kingdom into a depression."
I batted the sword down. "I've come for something else, actually. A recipe."
"What kind of recipe?" Snow asked curiously.
I smirked. "Because of the birthday of my Queen, my Princess is terribly upset. She's told me of a strawberry pie that you always made her when she was feeling down. I want the recipe. And I'm prepared to make a trade for it."
"No. The only way you are getting that recipe is if we get Emma back."
"I know. And that's why I'm going to set her free."
David and Snow's eyes widened. "You are?" Snow asked.
"Aye. I wanted her to help break my curse. Being a Dark One is exhausting and I don't want the burden anymore. True Love's kiss is the only way that I lose my power but stay alive. I fell in love with Emma a few years ago, and I took her hoping that she would have the same feelings towards me, but alas, she hasn't. I want to make her last day with me special before she returns home, never to see me again. Now, do we have a deal?"
While David stared at me, Snow ran out of the room. The King stepped down from the throne and looked at me. "You better keep your end of the deal."
"I promise, your Highness. I've never broken a deal."
Snow came back in with a card, and I assumed it had the strawberry pie recipe on it. Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears. "Please, Hook. Bring her home."
I took the card from her and waved my hand, and disappeared from the throne room in the blink of an eye.
Emma's POV
Killian came into my room, with a small smile on his face. "I brought you something." He held up a strawberry pie. It looked exactly like the one my mother used to make. "This is just the first step of making today amazing."
He handed me a fork and the pie, and I dug in not so gracefully. "What's the second step?"
"You're just going to have to see."
He helped me eat the strawberry pie that tasted just like the pies that Mom used to make. It brought tears to my eyes, but also put a smile to my face thinking about all the trouble he went through trying to find the recipe.
After we ate, Killian helped me off the bed and brought me to the entrance of the castle. He waved his hand and we were suddenly in the forest. I could see my parents' castle in the distance.
"W-what are you doing?" I asked. We started walking closer to the castle, and I had butterflies in my stomach.
"Setting you free," he said. There was a saddened tone in his voice.
"Why?"
"Because you can't do what I want."
"What it is that you want?"
"Don't push for answers, Princess," he said a little harshly.
"Talk to me." I pulled my hand out of his. I turned to face him and gave him a reassuring smile. "You can tell me anything."
His bright blue eyes were now gray. They were glossy. "I have to let you go. When you love someone, you set them free." Killian took steps away from me as I reached for him. Begging him to come back and to not ever leave me. He backed up into the shadows and I couldn't see him anymore.
H-he loved me?
I fell to my knees in the dirt. I was left heart broken and alone. I looked ahead again, but he wasn't anywhere in sight. I broke down into tears after a few minutes of this sinking into my brain. It hurt so much because I had fallen in love with him too, and I never knew he loved me back. Yes, leaving my family hurt, but even the thought of not seeing Killian again hurt even worse. He was so funny and charming and a complete sweetheart. Underneath all the leather and the hook for a hand, he was just a lost and broken soul. Someone looking for their happy ending. Loving Killian and him never knowing was a cruel fate. Now, I had to go back home and marry a man that I know I wasn't destined to be with. A man that I don't truly love, and never will.
"Are you okay, miss?" An old woman croaked from behind me.
My princess instincts kicked in and I stood up and wiped away my tears. "Yes. I am fine."
"Are you sure? You look like you've been crying."
"It's nothing." Lie.
"Oh, miss, come with me to my cottage. I insist. We can chat over some tea." She held her arm out for me and I hesitantly walked to her. Her dress was fringed and worn. Her gray hair fell down her back and shoulders, and her wool hat sat on top of her head. As soon as she wrapped her arm around me, her grip tightened. "Thank you so so much, Emma. You have made this so much easier." I turned my head, and the woman next to me wasn't an old lady anymore, but the Evil Queen.
"How did you find me?" I asked, hoping that my voice had some authority in it.
"Your parents aren't as smart as they think. There are many benefits to having magic, dear. The first being, that you never know if you are speaking to the real person." I was suddenly engulfed in purple smoke and thrown into a cell. There was a huge skylight above me and several torches hung on the wall. "Enjoy your stay. You'll be here for a long time," Regina said, and then let out an evil laugh before closing the heavy metal door and walked away.