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shippingtheswann · 5 years

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FOOLS RUSH IN:

Summary: Emma Swan has been married since she was five years old. Under the old oak tree, she wed Killian Jones, her neighbor. Then, he moved away, but made one final promise, that one day he would marry her for real. See what happens when he returns to make good on his promise.

Fools Rush in Chapter Seven

Rating: M/E - Mature/Explicit

First Chapter here

A/N: Thanks to @captainswanbigbang for once again organizing an amazing event. I've been missing Captain Swan for the past year, and having this has helped so much! Thanks to Lana and Kaitlyn for their beta help. Go check out Lana's story when you get a moment as well – it's amazing! Thanks to Rachel for the art she has provided. Also, thanks to Kris for the cover art for the story and for beta help. All of you have made this story what it is! Half way through with this story - things are starting to get good between our love birds. I know you'll enjoy this chapter! Sorry for the crazy delay in posting - we are officially back in the US (Washington State) and the move has been overwhelming and crazy!

As Emma prepared herself for bed, she kept running through the last 24 hours. She had gone from being petrified to see her best friend again after so many years, to comfortable in his company again. Then, everything changed with that one little exchange about a promise he had made to her when the world seemed to go their way.

Of course, a promise that her "husband" made at the age of five wasn't going to mean the same thing to her now that she was in her late twenties, hoping to adopt a son. But the idea didn't seem to crazy to her.

She was going to let her dreams help her make a decision; but before she had the chance to fall into dreamland, she heard the ping of her phone and knew the tone that echoed through the night. She had a Facebook message. She knew she needed to answer it, because if it was Mary Margaret or Ruby messaging her and they didn't get a response, they would send in the National Guard to make sure she was OK.

It happened before actually. Once, she didn't respond back to Mary Margaret during a night out with Ruby, and Mary Margaret called the police to report her missing. She knew her friend only called out of love. But it did get annoying to answer her phone so quickly.

She rolled over and reached in the darkness for her phone, knocking it off the table.

"Shit!" she exclaimed.

That was one thing she really hated. Having to get out of bed, once she was comfortable, all because she was clumsy and can't grab her phone like a normal person.

She was about to roll her eyes at whoever was messaging her this late, until she saw the name of the sender.

It hadn't even been a few hours, yet Killian was already messaging her.

Hey love, want to hang out tomorrow?

She had to laugh out loud at the whole crazy night. She just wasn't quite sure how to process anything anymore.

Sure. I have some things to do in the morning, but i'm free around noon.

She waited as she watched the typing bubbles dance across the screen. She was about to ask him what he wanted to do when she got the ping of a delivered message.

Perfect. Meet me at the park at noon.

She had no clue what he could be planning at the park. She also knew which park he meant.

Storybrooke had a lot of parks—it was what made it one of the best places to raise kids on the Eastern Seaboard. However, there was only one park he could mean: the park near their old homes. It was still one of Emma's favorite places in the world. The park was pretty big, enough to have a nice pond in the center that she used to go fishing with her dad in. There were cute little benches that she still loved to sit at, reading a book well after the sunset, by the light of the lamps.

Ok, night.

She didn't want to end the short conversation. She wanted to tease him some, maybe throw another wrench into the mix - but she also didn't want to tempt fate anymore.

Night Swan.

The nickname had her smiling again. She loved all the little names he used to give her. No one had called her Swan in ages; not since sports. "Ms. Swan" was heard every day during school (sometimes way more than needed, making her hate the name), but "Swan" by itself had been MIA. And even though she would hear it during sporting games, hearing it with an Irish accent and with a husky tone sent chills through her body.

"Love" was something he had gotten from his mom; at least, that is what she thought. Alice always called her kids, Emma including, her little loves. The term was endearing and filled with grace when Alice would say it. When Killian called her "love," she felt the same feelings, but there was something else that his voice held. She wasn't able to put her finger on it; all she knew was that she didn't want him to ever stop calling her love.

She had spent a restless night tossing and turning in her bed. She wasn't worried about anything; she just couldn't get her mind to shut off and stop thinking about piercing blue eyes, chin stubble that was just the right length, and a laugh that she had missed so much.

She replayed their meeting multiple times, cringing at certain parts and smiling when they fell into the rhythm they once had.

When Emma woke up the next morning, as the light from outside was just starting to filter in through the drawn shades over her windows, she was surprised to find that she wasn't rethinking her decision to tell Killian she would think about their past promises.

As she thought about the night before, even right after it happened, she was sure she would feel a twinge of regret even saying it. She was almost positive she would wake up the next morning wishing she could hide under a rock and never see him again. Yet, she didn't feel any of that.

There were no walls building up again. There were no boundaries when it came to Killian. She was wide open, ready for anything with him.

She was shocked. Yet, she felt at peace.

It must have been from that instant connection. She never felt more at home, more right, than when she was just sitting with him, talking. And yes, that played a part in her decision to let him know she would think about their past; yet there was something else, something more selfish and wrong, that made her think she would go through with it.

Henry, and her desperate need to officially make him hers. She would move heaven and earth for him, and if marrying Killian would make that happen, she would do it, as long as she could adopt him.

But, it was just a thought—a little joke that she had played the night before. It was something said that didn't hold any weight. He was kidding around with her and she gave it right back.

The plans she had the next morning were plans she knew she could never cancel. It was her monthly brunch with the girls. It was a chance to get day drunk (Ruby's idea), eat to their heart's content (Mary Margaret's idea), and relax (Emma's idea). So, once a month, the girls drove out of town to a nearby village where there was a endless mimosa brunch buffet. Sometimes, the car would get left there and a taxi called, but the journey was well worth it.

"To new beginnings," Mary Margaret toasted as she raised a glass of fresh orange juice.

"To good friends," Emma added.

Every brunch began with a traditional toast. It was cheesy, but she loved it. Normally Mary Margaret would toast to something sappy—love, hope, the list goes on and on—while Emma tended to keep things minimal, toasting to the food most of the time. She waited for Ruby to chime in - her toast was what kept them on their toes.

"To disgustingly hot old friends who show up out of the blue," she finally said, looking Emma straight in the eyes.

"What?" Mary Margaret coughed, as she took a sip of her drink. Ruby laughed at the response; Emma was sure she wanted OJ to fly out of her nose.

"Oh, Emma didn't tell you?" Ruby whispered, always the trouble maker.

"Tell me what?" the pixie-haired woman questioned, looking at Emma with a bit of disbelief.

Normally, Emma shared everything with Mary Margaret. She rarely kept something a secret from her. It wasn't if she hadn't tried in the past—she had—but her secrets had a way of slipping out whenever her best friend was around. So for Emma to keep something like the appearance of Killian Jones a secret, it was a shock.

"Well, right after you left my room the other day, Killian messaged me," she started.

"He what?" her friend responded; excitement laced her voice and it went up an octave. Emma knew exactly what Mary Margaret was thinking. And it was actually something that Emma was thinking, too.

She could tell from the change in her voice that Mary Margaret was thinking that love would blossom in Emma's life, finally putting her on the same path most of her friends already walked. She was thinking that she could finally stop trying to set Emma up with guys who would only be halfway decent (but they were the best she could do).

Emma had been thinking it, too. In the back of her mind, she wanted that. She wanted Killian to be the answer to her problems, in more ways than one.

Yes, she needed him to help her get Henry, but at the same time, she did know that something was missing from her life. She didn't feel quite whole, even with the addition of Henry. Sure, the kid soothed her soul and made her so happy, but there was always something beneath the surface nagging at her, telling her that there was still emptiness in her soul.

"He messaged me and asked if we could go to dinner. So we had dinner last night," she explained, not wanting to look directly at Mary Margaret.

"And…" she trailed off, waiting for Emma to fill in the space.

"And what?" Emma retaliated.

"And, what happened? What did he say? What did he look like? What did you do? Was it everything you hoped for? Were you nervous? What did you wear? What did Henry think?" Mary Margaret began, with no end in sight.

"Calm down, crazy," Ruby interjected, "she will tell you if you just let her."

Mary Margaret took a deep breath and nodded, the gleam in her eyes still there, the hope still bubbling.

"At first, I was a bit nervous. I actually wasn't sure if I even wanted to go. I was a hot mess, putting it mildly, all day yesterday. I could barely focus. I was scared that all my fears about seeing him would come true. Nothing between us has ever worked out the way we wanted in the past, so why should it start now?" she explained, beginning to tell the tale.

As she told Mary Margaret and Ruby everything about the night before, she was surprised at how the story unfolded. There weren't many secrets between the girls, but sometimes, it took a lot for Emma to really talk to them the way she was right now. It wasn't that Emma didn't trust them—she trusted them with her life, but she wasn't really a sharer. At least not in the way that Mary Margaret or Ruby shared about their lives.

Emma wove her tale, going over her nerves before the date. She spent at least twenty minutes talking as they sipped their mimosas and feasted on third and fourth plates from the buffet. She had known that she was nervous for the entire night, but she hadn't realized the extent.

"Oh, Emma, you should have told me; I would have helped you get ready," Mary Margaret said.

"I highly doubt that," Ruby interjected.

While the girls loved each other, they liked to give each other a hard time.

"You would have just fussed over her like it was her first date. I don't think that would have made her feel better," she added, and she was right.

At times, Mary Margaret acted more like her mother than her best friend, doting on Emma in a way that was sometimes overbearing. She knew if she had told Mary Margaret about her upcoming meeting with Killian, she would have insisted on being with Emma right up to Killian sitting down at the table, a gigantic smile plastered across her face, ever the proud mom. That was why she kept it to herself; she didn't need someone else's dreams of what the night might be affecting her.

She didn't tell Ruby simply because she was the complete opposite of Mary Margaret. She would have tried to get Emma drunk before the whole thing, tried to get her to dress way more sexy, and sure, Emma's mind would have been occupied so much that thoughts of her nerves over meeting Killian wouldn't have popped up, but she didn't need them all gone.

"So, what was he like?" Mary Margaret said, pulling Emma from her thoughts.

"It was strange, actually. You know, I've been keeping tabs on him all along, but seeing him in person was still a shock. He looked the same yet different. It was like time hadn't passed at all, yet moved too quickly. For a while, I wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole thing," she confessed.

"She is skipping the best part," Ruby said, sipping on a fresh drink.

"What's that?" Mary Margaret questioned.

"He's sex on a stick," she snorted.

Emma shook her head at Ruby's assessment of Killian. She knew she would have to cut Ruby off soon, but at least her comment lightened the mood a bit. The way she said her description of him even had Mary Margaret laughing.

"Ruby!" Emma finally scolded.

"What?" Ruby said, looking around like she had done nothing wrong. "Well fine, you describe him then."

"Again, it wasn't like a big surprise or anything. I've seen his pictures on Facebook. But, I will say, they don't do him justice," she blushed.

"You like him," Ruby giggled, making Emma reach over to take the mimosa from her hands, cutting her off sooner rather than later.

"I do not," she lied.

Well, it was a white lie. She wasn't sure what she really felt about him. It had been so many years, and she didn't trust the old feelings that were rising to the surface. She didn't trust the skip her heart did when she even thought about Killian. She didn't trust the dirty thoughts she had about his scruff and how it would feel against her skin. She didn't trust the way he was able to just waltz back into her life like nothing had ever happened.

She didn't trust herself.

"Come on, Emma, don't think about it," Mary Margaret interjected.

Looking into the woman's face, Emma knew that Mary Margaret could tell what she was thinking. She could see Emma second guessing everything; it was a fault she had dealt with since they became roommates. Emma would never admit it, not aloud, but she was still scared that one day, someone wouldn't want her because of a mistake she made.

A drunken night in college had Emma confessing to Mary Margaret that she was still worried about it because she wasn't good enough for her biological parents. Sure, she had ones now that loved her, and she had friends that would stand by her side forever; but there was still a nagging fear that she didn't deserve it and one day, it would all disappear.

Emma kept Mary Margaret's gaze.

"Alright, moving on," Mary Margaret gave up.

There was no way Emma was going to admit anything.

"What did you all talk about? Was it hard listening to him with that sexy accent?" Ruby giggled, still buzzed.

"We talked about everything, really. I told him about life after he left; he was so sweet too - asking questions and really showing an interest in what I had accomplished. It was almost too sweet; he was more supportive than my mom and dad were at times. We talked about his mom a bit," she recalled, a sadness coming to her voice, "I wish I had been there for him, fought harder for our friendship then. He was so young to lose a parent, let alone both, that it broke my heart all over again. We talked about his career. It was really nice actually."

She smiled at the recollection.

"Sounds like y'all got nicely acquainted," Mary Margaret said.

"We did; I even told him about Henry," Emma confessed.

Ruby's mouthed gaped open, while Mary Margaret looked at Emma with surprise.

They knew how important and special that was. It took Emma months for her to finally confess to her two best friends that she was fostering and adopting Henry. She didn't want to jinx anything when she first applied to foster Henry, so she didn't tell anyone at first. So, for her to tell someone about him right off the bat was huge.

"Oh my God. Emma, that's huge! What did he say?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Well, at first he was surprised, then he got a bit upset I think," she said.

"Why?" Ruby wondered.

"He was jealous actually," she began, smiling at the thought, "he was jealous that he thought Henry was my biological kid and I had found someone."

"He likes you," Ruby sang, again.

"Oh Emma, that's so sweet," Mary margaret exclaimed.

"It was, and he was really supportive when I explained the whole situation." She couldn't help but beam.

"There's something else, too, isn't there?" Mary margaret questioned.

How she could tell that Emma left out a very important part of the evening, she didn't know, but Emma was a bit tentative to tell the girls about their promise. She was already judging it and worried about what it all may mean, so she didn't want the added pressure or thoughts in her head.

"Nope, that's about it," Emma lied again. "It was a great night."

"That's wonderful, Emma," Mary margaret said reaching over to grab Emma's hands.

"So when are you seeing him again?" Ruby asked.

"This afternoon actually. He messaged me last night and asked if we could hang out today. Henry's at Avery's all weekend, so I thought why the hell not?"

"You don't waste any time do you?" Ruby jested.

"I guess I just want to see if something is there, you know? For all these years I've had fantasies about him—not in that way, Red," she immediately intervened before Ruby had a chance to make one of her normal comments, throwing her childhood nickname in to make sure Ruby knew she was just playing. "I've always wondered if there was really something between us or if it was just something I imagined. Were we really great friends, did we really have a connection, or was it simply because we didn't have a choice?"

"Well, I for one, am happy for you. I just know everything will work out!" Mary Margaret added, raising her glass one more time. "To new beginnings."

Emma lifted an eyebrow. It was the second time that day that Mary Margaret had said those words, and a sparkle in the young woman's eye told her that it meant something more.

"Ok, why do you keep saying that?" She questioned.

"Well, you aren't the only one starting something new," she said, her eyes wondering down.

It dawned on Emma that Mary Margaret was about to announce something huge - and she should have noticed earlier. Her best friend had been absent from school earlier in the week, for a doctors appointment, which wasn't like her. She had been a bit nauseous earlier in the month when Emma made them dinner - but she just thought her cooking was bad. Now, Mary Margaret wasn't drinking her normal cup of tea or sipping on mimosas.

"Ladies, you're gonna be aunts!" Mary Margaret beamed, before Emma and Ruby shouted with glee and enveloped her in a hug.

She had driven like a bat out of hell trying to make it back to the park before noon. She thankfully had stopped drinking early enough, and had only had the one glass of mimosa. She was more buzzed from Mary Margaret's news. She was so excited for her friend. They had been trying for a couple of months to get pregnant and Mary Margaret was starting to get down about the whole thing. Emma was already planning the baby shower in her mind as she raced through town.

The park near her old childhood home hadn't changed much. The benches had been updated and the street lights that lined the jogging trail had been upgraded. The little pond was still filled with fish once a year and the same gardening club used the beds located at the west entrance. It was just like Killian: some things had changed, but many stayed the same.

She was giddy with excitement as she got out of her car, which she parked next to their old homes, and walked to the open space. She wasn't sure what to expect but she knew where she would meet him. Again, that went unsaid between them, but just like how she knew he meant this park, she knew he would meet her near their favorite spot. There was a weeping willow near the pond. She and Killian used to hide under the long branches, not wanting to leave the park when their mothers told them it was time to go home for lunch. It was always at least 10 degrees cooler under the layer of leaves, and Emma took to sitting there quite a lot when she just needed to escape the trials of being a teenager.

The best part about that tree though wasn't something she shared with Killian, but something she shared with Ruby. The willow tree reminded her of Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas – and she and Ruby would try to sing all the songs from the movie the summer it came out. They would run around singing Colors of the Wind as if they were actually in the movie.

That tree was special to her. She was so thankful after every major storm the area saw, when she would walk to the park to find that willow tree still standing.

A giant smile crossed Emma's face when she saw Killian standing at the base of the leaves, where they brushed the grass that had been freshly cut, if Emma's nose wasn't lying to her. He wasn't dressed up, which made Emma sigh in relief. Brunch with the girls was a casual affair, and she was worried that the crop top halter she had chosen with her high waisted flare jeans that she loved would be too casual. She was pretty sure that he knew she would be more comfortable in her traditional attire though. She thought back to the days when their mothers made them dress up for holidays at the church, school functions, or any type of party. She pitched a fit whenever her mother tried to get her to wear a dress. She thought the dresses were pretty, but weren't very conducive for playing a game of tag with Killian.

He looked almost too good for words. She thought he looked good last night, decked out in all black, but as he stood there underneath the sun, she realized just how enticing he looked. He was still pale, but there was a tint to his skin on his arms that showed a history of being outside for long periods of time in his uniform. She thought to herself how much she wanted to see him in it. The saying was true, at least for her: she loved a man in uniform.

While he wore black last night; the blue that he was wearing today made him pop. His over shirt was made of a light denim and was unbuttoned. The dark blue shirt underneath was the perfect choice. His all blue attire didn't clash, but accented his build and it was as if she could see the bright blues of his eyes from far away when she looked at that shirt.

"Hello, love," he said as she drew near, stepping over the blanket that she hadn't noticed before.

He brought himself closer to her quickly, reaching out to pull her into a hug.

She went without protest, pulling herself closer to him. She felt the same spark that she had the night before, so at least she knew it wasn't a fluke she was feeling like this. His mere presence put her on high alert, but in a good way. She noticed everything about him when he was around, while the background faded.

She had decided on the way over that she was going to go for it. No longer would she let fear control her life. Whatever she and Killian became or didn't become wasn't going to scare her, because one second with Killian was better than no seconds with him at all. Plus, she had decided after brunch, even with all of Ruby's teasing and Mary Margaret's hoping that maybe marrying Killian was one of her most brilliant ideas. She just had to make sure he thought so, too, and understood she was serious.

There was nothing in particular that changed her mind. One moment, she was getting into her car; the next, she had decided to just let go of all the feelings that were inside and just listen to her gut. Maybe it was seeing how happy Mary Margaret was, maybe it was the constant beat of old feelings that invaded her mind. Either way, while Emma knew she might deal with some conflicting emotions over the whole thing, she also knew her desire to really see what could happen with Killian was stronger.

"Hello," she finally breathed when she pulled back from the hug, even though she would have been content staying there all afternoon.

"So, what do you have planned for us today?" she asked, smiling up at him.

"Well, I thought that maybe we could eat a quick lunch, then head down to the pier for some fun and games," he said with mischief in his eyes.

"Sounds good," she replied.

"I know you just came from brunch, so I just picked up something quick and light," he explained, pointing down to the picnic basket that was sitting on the edge of the blanket. There was something in his tone that made Emma think he was worried about what he had prepared.

"Thanks, I actually am hungry. You'd be surprised at how quickly that brunch wears off," she explained.

Every time the girls went to brunch, Emma could be found snacking a couple of hours later. It was a good brunch, but it didn't fill her up. It didn't matter to her though, she really went to brunch for the camaraderie,, not the food. The mimosas were a plus though.

"I made some comfort food; I hope you like," he smiled as he took out all the fixings from the basket.

Emma took a seat, facing the pond, with him sitting to her right. Her sunglasses hid her eyes, but she was almost positive he could see her sneaking glances his direction. She couldn't help it. Staring at him was almost second nature to her.

She giggled when she saw the spread he had laid out in front of her. There were PB&J sandwiches, with the crust cut off, ants on a log, potato chips in the right flavor, and Emma's all-time favorite snack drink from when she was a kid. He had made a lunch they had shared many a time. It was like he was trying to get them to relive the past, and at least this part of their shared past didn't hurt to think about.

Alice used to make this exact lunch for them every weekend they spent at that park. Killian hated the crust on the bread his mom used, so she always cut them off, sometimes making shapes for them. She could remember Killian's delighted squeal when he found a dinosaur shaped sandwich one afternoon when they had sat under the same tree after a long morning of ruling the jungle gym nearby.

"Tell me more about Henry," he asked as they were about halfway through the lunch.

Emma's eyes looked up from her second sandwich to see if he truly was interested in her son, or if he just wanted to seem interested. While she had never really experienced this, the talking about her son to a date, she knew it would eventually be brought up. She had seen the TV shows and movies. She knew that sometimes men would fake interest just to get into her pants. She highly doubted that Killian had ulterior motives in asking about Henry, but she had to make sure.

As her emerald eyes met his, she instantly knew that her feelings were right: Killian was truly interested in Henry. His eyes held excitement and wonder, waiting to hear everything Emma had to say about him.

"What do you want to know?" she inquired.

"Everything, of course," he smiled at her, a dashing smile that made her melt.

"Well, I already told you how we met and everything," she began. "That morning when I walked into the home, I never expected everything that had happened to actually happen. I was surprised at how supportive everyone was. Here I was, a brand new adult, just figuring out my life, and all of a sudden I had a foster kid who I wanted to adopt. Nobody looked at me funny, no one batted an eye. Mom and Dad were so happy."

"But you said you haven't adopted him yet?"

"No, I'm in the process. The adoption agency I'm using has a lot of hoops I have to jump through," her demeanor changed with the words. Before she was carefree, enjoying sitting under the afternoon sun and relaxing with Killian, but now it seemed as if the sun had set and dark clouds rolled in.

"Hey," he said, reaching over to clasp her hand in his, "I'm sure it will all work out. I'm sure Henry will be your son soon. If there is anything I can do to help, just let me know. I know I was gone for awhile, but I'm back now love, and I'm not going anywhere."

"Thanks," she said, her smile returning. Her mind was racing around what he just said - that he would do anything to help her.

She didn't let go of his hand though. Sparks continued to shoot up her arm, attacking her systems and making her heart race. She couldn't deny the attraction between them, and the jolt of energy she got from just his hand entwined with hers made her crave his touch even more. She moved herself closer to him, disregarding her lunch still half-eaten.

Her hand curled his into her lap, their legs now pressed together as they sat shoulder to shoulder. She was tempted to push it further, but he stiffened a bit as she moved, so she didn't want to tempt fate.

It was as if he was holding his breath.

She knew he felt that same attraction she felt. She knew he knew that the feelings they once shared for each other were still there. Except those feeling had substantially grown. Just as they themselves matured, their feelings had as well.

Not only was the physical attraction there, but Emma felt a pull towards him for who he was. The confidence that he exuded, the way he looked at her, the way she felt calm around him; well, it was more attractive to her than his looks - which was saying something.

"You know, I was thinking," she began, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand, looking up into the ocean that was his eyes.

"Oh really, and what were you thinking?" He asked, a bit tentatively.

"Well, I was thinking about what I said last night," she smiled, casting a flirtatious look his way.

She was laying on the charm thick. She was flirting with him way more than she probably needed to; but what she was about to say to him made her nervous, and the behavior was well hidden behind the smile and touches she was giving him.

"And what is it that you are thinking?" His eyes took in her as he whispered the words, leaning closer to her.

"I was thinking that I meant what I said - that maybe we should," she said.

He was shocked, Emma could see the change in his eyes.

"What are you saying, Emma?" he finally responded after a beat - using her real name for the first time in a long time. Emma had loved all the nicknames he had for her, but hearing her name come from his lips, laced in that seductive accent and deep voice did things to her.

"I'm saying, let's do it; let's get married."

#CSBB #Captain Swan Big Bang #Captain Swan #Captain Swan Fan Fiction #CSFF

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