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Chapter 14

"Emma!" He said excitedly. Killian couldn't believe his eyes. The woman that haunted his dreams ever since she left him was finally standing on his front porch. "Come in, love." As she stepped into his house, her strawberry and coconut scent assaulted his nose. He led her to the couch in the living room then went into the kitchen to get her a drink. "How did you get here?"

She took the glass from his hand and put it on the coffee table. "I went back to Liam and Elsa's house to see if they knew where you were. Elsa told me you were here, living it large as a rockstar in Hollywood."

"Wow." He was stunned. She was actually here. "You look good, I must say."

She blushed in that adorable way and turned her head away from him. "Thanks."

"So, where have you been? I looked everywhere for you."

She put her head down in shame. "A woman took me in. She ran another foster home and I stayed there until I finished high school."

"I missed you so much," Killian said with tears in his eyes. "I imagined this day ever since you left, but I still can't believe it."

"Believe it, Jones," she said with a laugh and wrapped her arms around him. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, breathing in more of her scent.

"Will you stay here with me, love?" He asked. There was no way he was letting her go now. Not when he was getting her back.

"If you want me to."

"Of course I do."

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. There was a frown on her face that he just wanted to kiss off her face. "I know you won't want to hear this, but I can't get into a relationship."

"Whatever you are comfortable with. I'm just glad I get to see you everyday now, but why? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, I just don't know if you've changed at all."

"I'll show you that I am the same man you knew all those years ago." He stood up. "I'll get your bed set up."

"Hey, Killian? It's really good to see you again."

"You too, Swan."

While Killian went upstairs to the guest room, Emma stayed put on the couch. She looked around the room and saw a normal living room. A flat screen tv was mounted up on the wall above a fireplace. Trinkets decorated the mantle. The couch was made out of leather and there were matching chairs in the corner of the room. A glass coffee table sat in front of the couch and a glass side table sat next to both of the chairs. Killian put out an extra box of tissues for the nightstand and went back downstairs. No one had used his guestroom before, and hopefully Emma wouldn't be sleeping there for long. He wanted her with him. Of course he wouldn't try to take advantage of her. They both knew that.

"Swan, the guest room is ready for you," he said.

Emma stood up and walked over to him. She hugged him again and held onto him tightly. "Thank you again."

"Aye. Anytime." He pulled back and looked into her emerald green eyes. "I actually have to finish a song. You are welcome to go anywhere in the house. Raid the fridge, even explore my room. But if you wanted me to show you how the songwriting process goes, I'd be more than happy to show you."

"Sounds like fun. Show me."

He grabbed her hand and smirked. He led her down into the basement and pulled up a beanbag chair for her to sit. He sat down on a bench and grabbed his guitar. After strumming a few notes and writing them down, Emma leaned forward and watched as his eyebrows pulled together as he tried to come up with a melody and words. She stood up and walked over to the bookshelf. Music books lined the shelves along with other books she didn't recognize. But one had caught her eye. She pulled the notebook off the shelf and turned it over in her hands.

"You kept it," she whispered in disbelief, but Killian heard her loud and clear. He stood up and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around Emma from behind.

"Aye, and I never read it."

"You didn't?"

"Nope. When I couldn't sleep at night, I'd hold that book in my hands and read that note you wrote me. Every song I wrote was for you, so I think I deserve to hear what happens in your story."

Emma laughed through the tears that had begun to fall. "You kept it. You remembered our deal from that first day. You never forgot about me."

"Did you ever think I would?"

"Honestly, yes." She turned to him and held her book close to her chest. "I expected you to have a girlfriend who would be greeting me in nothing but underwear and one of your shirts."

"No. Yes, I've had sex with girls, but I never forgot about you. I'd get drunk off my bloody arse but you never wandered to the back of my mind. You are my Emma Swan. And I'll be damned if I let anyone else think that they can replace that."

Emma pulled another beanbag chair next to hers and pointed to it. "I think you've waited long enough to read what I have in here."

"Do you still remember writing this?"

"I'm sure there are still tear drops on the paper. I stayed awake that night and finished it for you."

Killian stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles. "Then read it to me now."

Emma opened the notebook and the papers were crinkly and fragile. She turned to the first page and glanced up at Killian, who gave her a reassuring and excited smile.

"Once upon a time..."