The Definition of Love

Chapter Twelve ~ Pillage and Plunder {Killian Jones}

I sit alone at a table outside Granny’s..

Drinking rum.

Thinking about Emma.

It's been four hours since she sent the text telling me to meet her here, and I've been in this exact seat since then; I'm not going to risk missing her. I glance up at the clock tower, 5:16, where is she? Is she having second thoughts? I knew this was too good to be true.

I jump as I feel a buzz in my pocket, I will never be able to get used to these bloody talking devices; David only convinced me to get one so that I can talk to Emma. I squint down at the screen, I have a new message notification … from Henry.

“She's on her way, she’s super nervous, don't screw up. -Henry”

I smile, I had forgotten much I had missed him. Emma wasn't the only one I lost, Henry is my son … and he needed me, even though he didn't even know my name. I go to type a response, but I pause as I see a slim figure making her way down the street.

Emma.

God, she is beautiful. She is wearing a deep red tank top, navy blue shorts, and dark brown combat boots. Her slightly curly golden blonde hair bounces against her back as she walks. She begins to toy with the hem of her shirt as she crosses the road, avoiding meeting my eyes.

She finally looks up at me as she reaches my table and sits down opposite me, her eyes sparkle in the dying light.

“So,” she says as she leans down on the table, placing her hands just out of my reach. I can't help but smile as I notice her subconsciously spinning her engagement ring over her finger. It seems like a lifetime ago that I gave it to her, I am overjoyed that it has survived through all this time, and through all that has happened to us.

“So,” I say as I lean back in my chair, tipping it slightly off the ground. “You wanted to meet here, why?” She sighs.

“When you arrived, my entire life fell apart … I felt like I was going insane, but you were the only thing I could think about. You just seemed right, it took everything in me to not run and find you everyday … I just couldn’t take a chance that I was wrong about you,” I give her sad smile. The last time she said that to me, she left me chained at the top of a beanstalk.

“Then why the change of heart?” I ask.

“A memory.”

“You have gotten those in the past, why is this one any different?”

“Because this one was mine, it was not affected by whatever the hell has been going on in my head,” she says quietly.

“What, what was it?”

“A wedding, Regina and Robin's wedding.” I sigh, that was the day before the curse hit. I had only proposed to my dear Emma the evening before, we didn’t know that we would have to be separated then, that was the last day that we had together. “You were there,” she says, tearing me away from my thoughts. “You were with me … we were together … we were en-, eng-.”

“Engaged,” I finish. “Aye.” She nods and dips her head down, deep in thought. Tears slowly begin to roll down her cheeks. Several moments later she wipes them away, takes my hand, and looks me straight in the eyes.

“I want to ask you out,” she said strongly. “I am not the Savior, I'm not who you think I am … but I do care for you Killian, and I want to give you a second chance.”

“Emma,” I say, I was sure not expecting this. “Emma I think I'm supposed to be the one doing the ‘asking out’.”

“Well this is going to be my night, my plans … and I don't intend to pillage and plunder on the first date.”

“Perhaps on the second one then,” I say with a smirk. She rolls her eyes as she stands and begins to walk away.

“Pick me up tomorrow night at six, I'll tell you where to go from there.”

“Swan wait,” I say as I grab her arm with my hook, and turn her so that she's facing me.

“That's it?” I ask with a sly grin. She blushes as she tucks her hair back behind her ears. She slowly takes a step closer to me and places her small hand on my cheek. She leans in and kisses me sweetly. I had forgotten how much I had missed this, my endless years of longing for her touch are over for me. My Emma is coming back to me.

When she pulls away she looks back up at me,  her eyelids flutter, she lets out a small giggle and turns to walk away.

“Be patient,” she calls back to me. I reach up and touch my lips, I don’t know if I can.