Runaway- CaptainSwan AU

•Chapter 31•

As a naive young lad, Friday nights were Killian's most cherished time of the week. Often times, Brennan would leave on week-long business trips. Friday was always the day he'd come back. Killian's excitement would radiate through the whole house, putting a smile on everybody's face, as he waited for his papa to come home.

The sound of Brennan's key jingling at the door was enough to send Killian running, every time. He'd stretch up on his tiny toes, grab the handle with his little toddler hands, and pull the door open with a toothy grin, blue eyes twinkling. Brennan would chuckle affectionately, tussle the lad's hair, and drop his briefcase with an exhausted sigh. A smile would grow on the man's face as his wife came into view.

Killian missed those days. Fourteen years later, he wished he could go back to being a naive three year old. He wished he couldn't see the fractures that slowly led to the shattering of his family. He missed the feeling of happiness that bubbled up inside him at the sight of his father, wishing that it still existed. But it didn't. All that was there was an ache in his heart, wishing that his father was just on another business trip and that everything would be alright. That he'd come home and maybe things could be fixed.

But none of that would happen, because the bastard had left them. And no matter how hard Killian tried to convince himself otherwise, that was reality.

"Ready?" Emma asked, snapping Killian out of his thoughts. He closed his locker, tired after a long Monday, and swung his bag over his shoulder.

"Aye," he answered, smiling at the sight of her. They hadn't had Ms. Lucas's class today, so it was the first he'd seen of her since morning.

They began to make their way through the commotion of the halls, books and bags in hand, when Emma spotted Sidney standing by his locker. She furrowed her eyebrows, wondering whether she should do what she was considering.

"Hey... you head on out, okay? I'll meet you there in a minute. There's something I want to do," she mumbled, eyeing Sidney.

Killian followed her line of sight to where Sidney was standing and nodded in understanding. He knew she'd been wanting to talk to him since the party.

"Be careful, alright?" Killian said sweetly, giving her hand a squeeze before heading outside the school doors to wait for her.

Emma took in a breath, preparing herself for whatever was about to happen, and approached Sidney. She tapped his shoulder, her heart racing fast. He turned around, immediately rolling his eyes when he saw Emma.

"What do you want?" he asked, glaring hatefully.

Emma opened her mouth to speak, stopping when she found herself at a loss for words.

Well shit. I probably should've planned this before I came over.

"How are you?" she asked pointedly, looking for any signs that her suspicions about his home life might be true.

"I was better before you got all up in my business," Sidney sneered. Emma let out a patient sigh and tried again.

"Sidney. Really. Are you okay?" she asked.

She saw it. She saw it, and there was no going back now. Just for a second, a fraction of a second, his eyes had shifted to an expression she knew all too well. Pain. Something was going on.