"What do you say we forget about the project for today, hm?" Killian asked once Emma had completely settled down. He rubbed her back gently.
"I think I like that a lot better than analyzing poems I will never use in my life," Emma admitted, giggling slightly. She wiped her eyes and took a seat on his bed.
But that giggle. Oh, that giggle. He could listen to it all day. It was the most glorious sound he'd ever heard.
"How about we just talk, yeah? Like friends do?" Killian suggested, bumping her shoulder with his.
And there it was again. That little giggle. He'd managed to extract it.
"We're friends...?" Emma asked with a shy smile. She looked up into his eyes.
"Aye, of course," Killian grinned.
Emma's little smile grew into a large beaming one.
For the next hour or so, the two of them simply sat on the bed and talked. They talked about so many things, so many random things they'd never thought they'd ever talk about. From fantasies to small animals to YouTube videos about giraffes, they managed to cover practically every topic in existence.
"Right, favorite color?" Killian asked, handing Emma a piece of chocolate. Her eyes lit up in delight. She hadn't had chocolate in years.
Her head had somehow made its way into Killian's lap as he sat with his back against the wall on his bed, and she lay down across it. He ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly.
"Uh.... yellow," Emma answered, popping the sweet into her mouth.
"Really?!" Killian asked in surprise.
"Yep. Let me guess- you were expecting black?" Emma smirked.
"In all honestly, that I was," he laughed, scratching the spot behind his neck.
Emma had noticed he did that a lot. It was a quirk of his that she was sure he didn't know he did, and she loved it.
"Alright. Hmm... uh, oh- here's a good one. What's the one thing that bugs you the most?" Emma asked.
Killian thought for a minute before glancing down at her with a smirk.
"When you call me British Boy."
"Does that really bug you?" Emma asked with a shocked grin, sitting up and covering her mouth.
"Well, it may be growing on me just the slightest bit," Killian admitted, "but don't you dare take that as an invitation to continue your pestering me with that title," he said with a playful smile.
Emma grinned and lay her head backing down on his lap.
"Okay, British Boy."
Killian laughed. He was expecting that.
"You wanna stay for dinner, Swan?" Killian asked, glancing down into her eyes.
She sat up abruptly, her eyes wide.
"It's dinner time already?" Emma asked.
"Well, it's almost six now, dinner should be ready in around twenty minutes, but-"
"Oh, thank goodness," Emma sighed in relief, having feared she'd stayed past the deadline Don had set for her.
"Why? Have you got somewhere to be?" Killian asked.
"Uh.. no, I just... have to make sure I get home on time," Emma answered.
"Or...?" Killian continued.
"Or nothing. There is no or. I have to be home on time," Emma said softly.
"If you go home without eating, will you be giving something when you get there?" Killian asked.
Emma hesitated before shaking her head.
"Then it's settled. You'll stay for dinner, and be off in time to get home before your curfew."
Emma smiled and nodded.
"That sounds nice... thank you."
"Of course, Swan. I'll be back in a moment. Let me just inform my mum that you'll me staying so she'll set another plate at the table. Wait here, yeah?"
Emma nodded.
"I'll be right back."
Killian left Emma in the room with one last glance back at her, then made his way downstairs to speak to his mother.
"Mum," Killian called. She was working on a case.
"Hm?" Alice hummed, not looking up from her work. Killian quirked an eyebrow, suspecting she wasn't going to hear a word he said.
"I'm turning into a flamingo," Killian tested, crossing his arms.
"That's lovely, son," Alice mumbled, continuing on with her work.
"God, Mum, do you ever listen?!" Killian complained. "Mum!" He called again.
"What is it?!" She snapped, finally looking up from her work.
"Emma's staying over for dinner. We need to set another plate," Killian stated, then turned to head back to his room.
"Ehm, come back here young man. That girl shall come nowhere near the dining room, nor our food. I don't trust people like her. The walk around with tarnished clothing, stuttering when they speak for pity. They only bring trouble, and I want you safe. You shan't see her again after today, understood?"
Killian eyed her in disbelief.
"You're unbelievable," Killian spat. "You can't just assume you know who she is. Just because you have nice clothing and a large home, Mum, doesn't make you a good person. In fact, Emma is a far better person than you'll ever be!" Killian said angrily.
"What is going on in here?" Killian's father Brennan's voice boomed into the room as. He entered the house. "How dare you speak to your mother like that."
"Well maybe if either of you actually cared for what I have to say, I wouldn't have to," Killian shot back angrily.
Emma sat upstairs in his room, suddenly aware of the commotion. She opened the door and stood at the foot of the stairs, watching and listening.
"Some washed up girl front the streets shows up at the door, and all of a sudden you forget everything we've taught you?" Alice scolded.
"Go back. He brought in a girl from the streets?" Brennan said in an icy, quiet voice.
"She's not-"
"Hush boy!" Brennan yelled. "Is she in this house? You let some filthy girl into my-"
"Stop talking about her like that!" Killian shouted back angrily.
Brennan raised his hand. Killian stepped back in fear. His father had never threatened to hurt him before.
Emma gasped in fear.
"Brennan," Alice said, stepping between them. "That's enough."
That was the moment Brennan caught sight of Emma, watching fearfully from the stairs.
"Is this her?" Brennan asked, deathly quiet.
Killian didn't answer.
"I asked you a bloody question!" Brennan shouted. "Is this the girl?!"
Emma came down the stairs in a flash, already seeing what was going to happen. She'd been in the system long enough to know when a hit was going to come.
"Brennan, that's enough!" Alice yelled.
Before anyone knew what was happening, Killian was pushed to the side, and Emma was in his place.
"Don't hurt him," Emma said fearfully, her voice trembling. "Please, don't hurt him." A tear slipped down her face. "I'll leave, I won't come back. I'm sorry for imposing on your household."
"You dare accuse me of threatening my son?" Brenna glared menacingly.
"Yeah. And I'm right to," Emma said fiercely. "I won't let you hurt him."
"Emma," Killian started in warning.
"Get out of this house," Brennan commanded.
Emma looked over to Alice and saw the same command, only a more awkward look on her eyes. Emma nodded with a gulp.
"I'll just... gather my things," Emma whispered.
"Emma?" Killian said softly, following her upstairs in worry.
She had been ready to take the blow for him. She'd pushed him out of the way.
"I'm fine," she stated with a blank face, grabbing her things from his room. He stopped her at the doorway when she tried to walk past him.
"Why would you do that, Swan?" Killian asked, staring into her eyes with question. "He could've hit you. I thought he was going to."
"I couldn't let you take a hit. I'm used to it by now, I... I didn't want you to get hurt. I saw it coming from a mile away," Emma mumbled. "I got lucky that he was shocked when I pushed you... that's why he didn't hit."
Killian sighed and pulled her into his arms.
"You didn't have to do that. You shouldn't have done that," he said, holding her impossibly close. "Thank you..."
"Nobody deserves to be hurt like that," Emma said softly. "I don't know what I'd do if I'd just stood there and watched you get hurt."
With that, Emma brushed past Killian and nervously stepped down the stairs.
"Emma..." Alice said gently. Brennan was out of sight. She handed Emma... a sandwich. "I'm sorry for how I treated you when you first arrived. And for what I said about you. It was uncalled for," she apologized grudgingly.
Emma nodded respectfully and accepted the offer.
"I'll eat this at home," Emma said softly. "I should get going."
"I'm so sorry that this happened, Emma," Killian said to her at the door. "It's bad enough you experience that at home, ten times worse, every day... actually taking blows... I-" he stopped, blinking back tears. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Emma assured him with a smile. "Thanks for being my friend," Emma smiled. She leaned up hesitantly and pressed a featherlight kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Killian was in such a daze, that she was gone before he could answer. He ran his hand over his cheeks where her lips had touched just moments ago and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"Killian?" Alice called.
He headed back into the house to talk to his mother.
"I'm sorry for how your father acted tonight. He almost..."
Killian nodded, unaffected. He held no affection for that man. His mother was bloody apologizing for him.
"Look... I understand that you care about this girl, Killian, but I don't want you going near her again. None of this happened until she showed up, I just-"
"Save it," Killian glared, shaking his head. "You know, for a moment I thought I saw something in you. I thought, maybe there is a real mother somewhere deep within. But you'll never change, Mum. You fool me into thinking you care for a minute, and then you're back to not even considering me in your choices."
"Killian," Alice pleaded, calling after him. He ignored her and went up to his room.
He'd gotten a little glimpse of Emma's life that night. He couldn't even begin to fathom the things she experienced each day.
He had to help her.