Lost and then Found (3)

Chapter 28

Everyone stood up and stared at Emma.

"Who?" Killian asked.

"Graham and August."

As if on cue, the two men walked up to the top deck. Killian and David stood up and clenched their fists at their sides. Killian was the first to storm over. August backed up and held his hands up in surrender.

"Hit him. He forced me to do it."

"I'll give you a punch to the face and I'll throw him overboard." Killian lunged at Graham and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "You bastard!"

Robin, Victor, and David tried to pull Killian off of Graham.

"We'll take care of them after we get back to Storybrooke." Robin said.

Killian reluctantly let Graham go. "I don't care what your rank is in this town. You will find your ass in jail for attacking her."

Once they got back to the docks, Graham ran to his car and got in. He sped away and down the street. August had his head down in shame. He walked over to Emma and Killian. Killian pushed her behind him in an attempt to block her from August.

"Look, there isn't any amount of apologizing I can do. All I can tell you is that Graham really likes you, Emma. It is definitely not an excuse for what he did, but I'm still sorry." August explained. He looked up at the couple.

Killian's hard expression was softened. "Look, mate, it's fine. All I'm worried about is her."

"I understand." August said. He still wasn't looking for forgiveness.

"We should get going. If you happen to run into Graham, tell him that he better stay away from us."

August nodded and watched everyone get off the ship. Robin and Regina went home in their own car, as did Ruby, Victor, Mary Margaret, and David.

Emma nudged Killian's shoulder as they were walking to their car. She pointed in the direction of August.

"Graham drove him here. We should at least give him a ride home." She whispered.

Killian groaned but nodded. "Hey, August! Let us drive you home."

August smiled. "Thank you, but I'm okay. I don't live too far."

"Are you sure?" Emma asked.

"Absolutely. Thank you for the barbecue today. It was fun."

Emma and Killian watched as he jammed his hands in his pockets and walked down the road.

"What do you think is going to happen with Graham now? Do you think he will back off?" Emma asked as he helped her into the car.

"I have no idea, love." He shut the door and got in on the driver's side. "Let's hope he does. That way, we won't have to worry about him."

"Yeah." She fastened her seat belt and they were off.

After driving for a little while, they came up to a road that was blocked off. A police officer that neither of them knew stood there. Paramedics and other police officers ran to and from the road. Killian stopped the car and glanced at Emma. She had an equally confused expression on her face. He got out of the car and went up to the officer. She watched from the car as the two men talked. After a few minutes, Killian returned to the car.

"What happened?" Emma asked.

Killian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "A car swerved and collided into a tree, then slid down into a ditch in the woods. The car was described as a forest green Sudan."

Emma gasped. "No."

He nodded and started the car and he turned around, taking another but longer way home. "It was Graham's car."

"Is he okay?"

He shook his head. "He died on impact." Her head fell against the headrest. She closed her eyes and clenched them tightly. "I know what you are thinking and this isn't your fault."

"If I hadn't gone down there so soon and caught them talking-" She had to cut herself off. After a few breaths, Emma continued. "He wouldn't have ran, and he wouldn't be dead right now."

Killian placed his hand on her knee. "Don't do that to yourself. You couldn't have known that this would happen."

They both were silent for the rest of the ride. She didn't even wait for him to help her out of the car. Instead, Emma slammed the car door shut forcefully behind her and stomped up the steps of the house. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot on the wood of the porch, waiting for her fiancé to come up the steps and to the door, so he could unlock it.

As soon as she got into the house, she went to the bathroom to take a hot bath. Killian stayed in the bedroom, changing out of his clothes and making the bed.

Emma had stayed in the bathtub for an hour. The water was starting to get cold, but it was still warm, and in her mind, she could stay there for a little while longer.

She couldn't help but think that Graham's death was all her fault. She was upset that her friend had died in such a violent way, but she was glad that he didn't feel pain. At least that's what she hoped.

A knock on the door pulled her away from her thoughts. A moment later, it opened, and Killian came in with chocolate covered strawberries. She scrambled in the tub to cover herself up, but when he shot her a look, she removed her hands away from her body.

He kneeled down beside the bathtub and handed her a strawberry. "I thought you'd might want a distraction."

She let out a small and weak laugh. "Strawberries help with that."

He brushed a wet strand of hair out of her face, and tucked it behind her ear. "Get out of here. You are pruning like a raisin."

She handed the end of the strawberry to him. "Fine." She leaned against the wall. "In a few minutes."

"Swan."

"Fine!" She groaned dramatically.

Killian helped her out and wrapped a towel around her body. He unplugged the drain and stood up again. He unpinned her hair, and it fell against her back. He ran his fingers through it and she sighed.

"I love you." Emma wrapped her arms around his waist.

He was careful that he didn't squish her baby bump as he hugged her back. "I love you too. I don't want you to blame yourself for this." He pulled back and looked at her in the eyes. "It's not your fault."

"I know, but no matter how much you try to convince me, I'm still going to think that way." Emma walked into the bedroom and changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants. She crawled under the covers and he watched her from the doorway.

He walked to the bed and crawled in next to her. "Stop it, Swan."

It took her awhile to fall asleep. She expected nightmares about Graham and his death, but she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep in the arms of her love.