“The Belle Dame Emma”  {Part One}

{Written for the CSSNS21 event}

The initial inspiration for this came from the classic poem by John Keats “La Belle Dame sans Merci”, and the stanzas I have used at beginning and end of the chapter are from that poem. I also wanted to explore a different version of the Dark Swan, and explore more of her fighting against the Darkness as she was in 5a. This story came from those two influences. My aim is to tell it in three parts.

Summary: Legend has it that the fae woman in the meadow will ensnare any who dare enter her domain, but the knight who chances a meeting can tell there is more to the story than superstition and gossip has allowed. The path to the truth and redemption may be fraught with dangers - to the both of them - but is it not the sworn duty of a true knight to help any who may be in need?

A million thank yous to @caught-in-the-filter for the stunningly gorgeous cover art she created for this story, and to @ultraluckycatnd for her beta suggestions and catching my errors. I’m very grateful to both of you! :)

Also available on AO3, if that is your preference

“The Belle Dame Emma”

Part One

I met a lady in the meads,

Full beautiful - a faery’s child,

Her hair was long, her foot was light,

And her eyes were wild.

Some folks say that she was always malevolent. Born to beguile and lure the unworthy to their doom. The fae, after all, were not to be trifled with, and those who dared do so learned their lesson at high cost.

The whispers around the fog-wisped edges of her meadow haunt, the word spoken as warning with anxious glances over the shoulder, was that her beauty was matched only by her fury. That she was possessed with a thirst to punish those who would be lured by her fair form and bewitching song. Those who were wise came to skirt wide around those fallow fields in that sparsely populated corner of the kingdom, for it was said that even those of stoutest resolve and pure intentions found this powerful nymph - be it by her face alone or some magic she wielded to draw them into her web - nigh impossible to resist.

Some retellings of her legend had her thrown from the sparkling court of the fair folk for her cruel and deviant nature. Others claimed she possessed more power and magic than any single faery had before her, and it had simply been too much - bending her better nature into madness. Still other storytellers would paint her more as a tragic sacrifice. The Fae Folk must have one who punished those unworthy of their own kind, as well as the humans who got too close to discovering their kingdom’s gates or who would dare to upset the fragile balance of peace between the two species - who might dare to think themselves equal to, and attempt to win the heart of, a faery. She was simply the one chosen to mete out these judgements. A Guardian and a Gatekeeper, as it were.

And though there is often a grain of truth to any rumor, very rarely do such stories paint their characters as they truly are. Not in full. And the ballad of awe and fear told of the beautiful, but deadly, lady Emma - La Belle Dame Sans Merci - was just such a tale. The whispers bore fragments of reality, but could not explain it all. Though she was not blameless, she was not completely lost. Perhaps there only needed to be some small spark of light, some reason for her to look within for any shred of mercy she might still possess.

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So excited about this one! Lovely art as well ❤️

CS Neverland New Year: “Let Yourself Believe”

Summary: On the relentless march through Neverland, Killian watches as Emma carries the weight of the world on her shoulders alone. When she reaches her breaking point, will he finally have the opportunity to show her he believes in her and has her back, whatever they face?

(gorgeous event banner by @donteattheappleshook​)

Author’s Note: I originally wrote this story right before the kiss in “Good Form”. There had been quite a tantalizing preview aired, so we knew a CS kiss was coming, but I couldn’t help taking my own fictional guess at how the long-awaited moment might come about. Even though this ended up not at all being how things came to pass, I’ve still always had a soft spot for this little one shot, and it seemed a perfect fit for the @neverlandnewyear​ event!

(The lyrics included are from the Backstreet Boys’ song “Take Care”, which doesn’t belong to me any more OuaT or any of its characters do.)

“Let Yourself Believe”

by: @snowbellewells​

(Also available on AO3 or ff.net if you prefer to read it there.)

He can’t help watching her as they tramp on through this sweltering, never-ending maze of jungle. His eyes have been drawn to Emma Swan like a beacon from the very moment he caught his first glimpse of her slim, deceptively pliant-looking form and radiant waves of blonde hair.

Now though, it is nearly painful to study her, even if he still cannot look away. This ravenous, living island seems to be draining her dry. The color leeches from her cheeks with each new disappointment or setback they suffer, her forehead constantly bears a crease of worry that does not ease, and her shoulders seem to slump more all the time under the weight of her fear and worry for Henry, as if pushing her into the ground. She curls into herself in order to manage the strain, not letting anyone else offer her support.

She has been a fiery, dauntless warrior for as long as he has known her, but Neverland is a horrid place, somehow able to divine what one most fears and feed on that weakness. Emma had so little real time to live with her boy as if he were truly her own before having him ripped from her again. The sounds of lost children crying in the night, the savage elements in which she fears Henry is alone and exposed, and Pan’s taunts that her son has not forgiven her and will not want to see her when they do find him, all are taking their toll on the brilliant, brave lass.

If he knew what to do to restore her faith and give her strength, he would do it without hesitation. His true fear though is that her faith began to be stripped from her long ago, piece by piece, with each loss and betrayal she suffered alone in that other world. She has held up her façade for a long, long time, but this place and the loss of her son, is letting cracks show through the beautiful, assured veneer that she no longer has the strength to keep in place.

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Can't wait to read this, and @donteattheappleshook this event banner is AMAZING!!

these moments build our love like snowdrifts

Summary: Killian had asked at the beginning of their relationship, that fateful New Year’s night, how exactly one went about dating the crown princess. Turns out, those are things he’ll have to figure out as he goes. A sequel to “and he called her love amongst the snowflakes”. ~6.2k. Rated M for mild smut. Also on Ao3. 

~~~~~

A/N: A year ago, I wrote @owlways-and-forever a modern royalty fic for the 2019 CS Secret Santa exchange - and she liked it so much she (and several others) asked if I’d consider writing a sequel. And I said yeah, of course, I’ve already got ideas and a structure - and then I just… never had the time to write it.

This is that sequel. Finally. Sorry it took so long. 

Special thanks, as always, @snidgetsafan​, who deals with my nonsense and my terrible concept of verb tenses. She also made me the AMAZING art above. You’re the best, darling.

Tagging: @welllpthisishappening, @thisonesatellite, @ohmightydevviepuu​, @let-it-raines, @kmomof4, @scientificapricot, @thejollyroger-writer, @superchocovian, @teamhook, @optomisticgirl, @winterbaby89, @searchingwardrobes, @katie-dub, @snowbellewells, @spartanguard, @phiralovesloki, @profdanglaisstuff​, @kymbersmith-90, @captainsjedi, @ouatxxxxx, @ilovemesomekillianjones, @mariakov81

Let me know what you think!

~~~~~

Emma, Crown Princess of Misthaven, is everything a man could dream of - and Killian counts himself the luckiest bastard to be granted the honor of courting her. Dating Emma isn’t like dating any other, less prestigious woman, however, and the further they go along, the more he realizes there are guidelines to the endeavor, little rules he has to discover for himself. There isn’t a list, per se - but if he were to make one, it might look something like this:

1. Her well-being is more important than your own.

There’s a great debate amongst the powers that be - whoever they are - about whether his dating the princess while employed as her brother’s security detail is a conflict of interest.

Personally, Killian is torn. Mostly, he doesn’t think so - after all, he spends most of the year in an entirely different city from Emma, two and a half hours away as Leo attends university. Most of the time, she’s not around to create a conflict of interest.

On the other hand, he can see where these concerns are coming from. Now that he doesn’t have to pretend otherwise and forcefully steer himself back to a focused mindset, those times when he is in Emma’s company he’s so absolutely dazzled by everything about her. It’s easy to see where some would be concerned about his ability to protect her younger brother. There’s the matter, too, that his feelings may one day cloud his ability to prioritize her brother in dangerous situations - neglecting his job in the process. 

So, his superiors come up with a compromise. During the school year, when Killian is with Leo at the prince’s university, he continues with his job as normal. On school vacations and during summers spent at home, however, he cedes his duties to alternate personnel and takes a posting behind the scenes, monitoring the security cameras in the public areas of the palace. It’s a periodic demotion, technically - no one has ever pretended that monitoring the security cameras is fascinating work, even though he didn’t get into this business hoping for non-stop excitement - but Killian is happy to take it if it means that he and Emma can be together. 

(Not that it would have stopped them, he knows - he’s far too smitten, and she’s far too stubborn to break off their relationship for something so small as security concerns.)

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Only Live Forever in the Lights You Make

Hey, remember that time Killian met Meg in some tunnels in the Underworld and introduced himself as “Captain Killian Jones” before he called himself “Captain Hook”? Because I do and, surprise, I’ve got some feelings about it! As always, I am still on my season five ‘ish, so here is about 4.2K of name-based feelings, some out of place flirting and some, surprise, Captain Cobra Swan that I didn’t plan on until I typed it. I hope you guys got all the carbs you wanted yesterday. 

All credit always and forever to @shireness-says​ for constantly telling me to keep shoving words at the internet. Even before she reads said words. (I only listened to Arctic Monkeys and My Chemical Romance while writing this. Take from that what you will.)

—-

The words are heavy on his tongue. 

Still, as if they don’t belong there, or never really did and the feeling makes him ache. Although most of him aches at this point. Killian is sure his gashes have scrapes and those scrapes have bruises and gaping wounds that are likely far more metaphorical than he’s willing to admit. Staring out at the expanse of Main Street doesn’t particularly help. Hazy air hangs low over cracked asphalt, thin branches and dead leaves that only swirl slightly against the barely-there breeze coming from the Gods know where. 

There’s no water here. No hint of salt-tinged air. 

Occasionally there are some strikes of lightning, leaving the sky bright enough that Killian swears he can see for miles. He wishes he couldn’t. None of it looks right, feels even more wrong, and he supposes that’s to be expected in a place like this, but it also seems like another metaphor of sorts and maybe the torture hasn’t ceased yet. 

Maybe it won’t. 

He deserves that, he’s sure. 

Darkness doesn’t scare him much anymore, at least the more literal variety — or so he will swear, but this is somehow even worse. Every flash of light that cracks across the sky dredges up memories of the kind of storms that threatened to capsize any of the ships he once called home, and he imagines it’s something about extremes. 

Complete darkness can blind a man, but so can light. Stunning him, until he has to blink away the dots that hang in front of his eyes and the dots never entirely disappear. 

He shouldn’t have told that lass his name. 

Foolish, that’s what it was. 

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Trick or Treat

A/N: It feels so great to post again. I’ve been in a writing slump for several weeks now, so I wanted to write something short and sweet to get the writing juices flowing. Thank you @hollyethecurious for your ideas for the premise and @darkcolinodonorgasm for Killian’s costume!

Rated: Teen and up for mature language

“Well, that’s disturbing.” Emma grimaces at the zombie gnome with gnarly teeth, reaching out with dirt and blood covered hands like he’s coming out of the ground to get them. Even though it’s not real, the graphics are enough to give a kid nightmares.

 “That’s so cool, Mommy!”

 Well, any kid who’s not her seven-year-old son that is. Henry runs down the sidewalk, his oversized hat falling off his head. He’s a ball of energy most days, but tonight, he’s extra energetic, and he hasn’t even had any candy yet.

 “Kid, your hat!” She follows after him, picking up his hat from the winding walkway which is lined with jack-o’-lanterns on each side. But as she passes each one, she’s surprised when she realizes these aren’t just typical jack-o’-lanterns with a mouth, nose and eyes carved into them. No, these are intricately crafted jack-o’-lanterns. One is carved into a haunted house, one is a graveyard full of ghosts, another looks like a skull from afar, but up close, it appears to be carved into long stem mushrooms and grass. Her favorite is the pumpkin carving that mimics a scene from the Nightmare Before Christmas. 

 Like seriously, who has time to carve out all these pumpkins? And why weren’t the Jack-o’-lanterns on display as she had seen at the Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-lanterns at the Chicago Botanic Garden? Whoever carved these has some ridiculous artistic talent. They are also way too into Halloween, because their yard is all decked out. There are games set up on tables in the yard, skeletons and ghosts hanging from the trees and tombstone yard signs all over. 

Autumn Nostalgia: Post #3

Here we are again, and this little prompt fic drabble can be looked at a hint of things to come as well as a look back.  It’s a Naval Beauty/Jeweled Beauty/LiamxBelle, and I have always been more than a bit partial to it, short as it is. It does not necessarily have anything to do with Halloween, but I always pictured it taking place in the midst of an autumn storm, so I am putting it into this Fall-themed mix of stories. In future I hope to do a set of one-shots on the “Belle deserved better” theme, imagining other ways her story on the show could have ended. We’ll call this a tiny preview…

“Deluge (What a Kiss Should Be)”

by: @snowbellewells​

Belle was just locking the door, balancing awkwardly in the rainy deluge that had washed over Storybrooke all day and now into the evening, as she attempted to juggle the ring of keys in her hand, her bag of books and paperwork to carry home, her purse, and her empty travel mug of that morning’s tea without spilling them all on the wet pavement, when she heard her name called through the downpour. Her breath caught in her throat, startled both that anyone would be out on the street in this driving rain, or that anyone would be so desperately in need of finding her. Ever since Rumple’s disappearance some six months ago (tinkering with some spell he yet hoped would free him from the dagger, she figured resignedly) she had been basically alone to go about her days as she pleased. She had friends, of course, but at the end of the day it was usually just she and her books curled up together, and though it could be a bit lonely, it was certainly better than constantly dreading what she might next learn her spouse had done to hurt everyone else they knew.

 For a moment her heart began to race all too quickly, the hoarse, accented voice calling her name again, barely muffled by the water cascading between them, before adding on the plea, “Please, Lass, at least look at me…”

The racing of her heart picked up, but no longer from fear, as she recognized the accent was not that of her missing spouse, but the lilting cadence of the man who now held her heart - though she couldn’t admit it to him. If she let it, even with the wind howling around the edges of his words and the pattering of water drops in serenade, this voice could soothe her as easily as the gentle roll of the ocean’s waves themselves. But for his own good, she had to keep her distance. If Rumple returned to find her with another…  

Keeping her back turned toward the library door she had been locking for the night, Belle shook her head vigorously, even as she began to tremble all over with the effort of holding herself back, to keep from turning to look up at that rugged, careworn face she wanted to drink in and never stop. Though she was determined, it was still all she could do not to run to him, calling his name in return, and be swept up in his strong, work-hardened arms like the heroine in one of her beloved novels. Pressing her mouth closed tightly, she shook her head and forced herself to say nothing.

 It did no good, as she heard his heavy tread splashing through the sidewalk puddles to reach her, and then his hand was on her arm, turning her gently to face him at last. A protest was on her lips, even as she looked up to meet his stormswept gaze, but all words died on her tongue at the look within those grey-blue depths. She intended to send him away, to remind him of the damage the Dark One could do to anyone who touched what he perceived as “his”, to argue that she was only trying to protect him. But instead she melted into his tall, solid frame as he did indeed gather her up and nearly lift her off her feet in his embrace. She was standing on her very tiptoes as her hands found their way up to his shoulders without her conscious decision.

 “Liam, I…” she started breathlessly, the rain blurring her vision of everything but him, and the air giving out in her lungs at his nearness before she could finish.

As if reading her thoughts, Liam Jones shook his head once impatiently before leaning down to press his forehead to hers and then speaking lowly, with breathtaking fervor.  “I don’t care what might happen. I have never felt this way, in life or afterlife, and I will not let fear rob us of what we might have.”

Looking up at him, thinking hazily that he sounded as though he came off the pages of the Brontës themselves, she could merely agree, her unhappy resistance not that strong.  Nodding her consent, in the next instant he was cradling her head, arms wrapped around her to cushion her slim shoulders as she was pressed against the outer wall of her precious library.  His mouth was ravenous, all-consuming, and Belle could only marvel that this must be how a kiss what meant to feel. Snaking her fingers up to tangle in his disheveled, soaked curls, she returned the kiss with equal hunger, sinking into him as the rain fell all around.

Tagging a few who may enjoy: @kmomof4​ @jennjenn615​ @tiganasummertree​ @searchingwardrobes​ @whimsicallyenchantedrose​ @shireness-says​ @thisonesatellite​ @let-it-raines​ @thislassishooked​ @winterbaby89​ @stahlop​ @donteattheappleshook​

dark gray (1/?)

summary: Killian Jones operates a lighthouse in the middle of nowhere, preferring a life of isolation, until one day a woman and a baby wash up on his little island and change his life forever.

read it on: ao3, ff.net

a/n: Hi! I know what you’re thinking… I’ve seen this story before, haven’t I? Yes. Yes you have. (Though, if you’re new to this story, hello and welcome, please enjoy!)

I deleted it a while ago thinking it wasn’t fair to leave it up unfinished if I had no plans to continue writing. But, literally out of the blue the other day, inspiration hit me and I was able to actually finish it! Can you believe it? I can’t.

So, rather than keeping it for myself and my own enjoyment, I thought I’d share with anyone who still wanted to see how this tale ends. I know it had a bit of a following and I still get questions about it to this day.

As an added benefit of this reposting, I’ve made some grammatical changes (because sometimes you re-read and you go, wow yikes I messed that up lol) and added some extra bits here and there to add some color and zing. May as well, right?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! And I swear it’s going to be finished this time. I have an actual ending written and ready to publish!

If you just want to read the new parts, tune back in for chapters 14 and onward :)

Love you friends! <3

///

One

He slams the front door closed and it squeaks on its hinges, swinging and clattering against its cracked and broken frame.

He shoves his fist into his jacket pocket, straightening his gaze ahead of him with a white huff of his breath in the frigid air to mingle with the fog that has descended onto the island.

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I am so excited that this is back and will be finished!!!!

Figure of Speech

Summary: Killian has been in love with Emma Swan ever since he was eleven and she was his babysitter. The last time he saw her was the day he kissed her, thinking they were having a special moment… right before she headed off to college with her boyfriend. When their paths cross years later, he’s just happy she remembers him—because while he’s a talented, free-spirited journalist who takes risks and has a knack for finding trouble, Emma is an accomplished and sophisticated politician who’s planning to run for President of the United States.  Sensing Killian Jones—the boy who once knew her and supported her long before she entered the soul-sucking world of politics—is the key to unlocking a part of herself that’s been dormant for so long, she hires him as her speechwriter. As she travels the world to launch her 2020 presidential campaign, he is by her side, helping Emma find her voice again.  The attraction between them sizzles, but when they eventually give into it, will their relationship withstand the demands of the election and scrutiny of the public?

A/N: Thank you @ultraluckycatnd​ for beta reading and @onceuponaprincessworld​ for your help with this! Thank you @captainswanmoviemarathon​ for starting the event and everyone on discord for all your help!

Before you read, there are a few things I want to clarify.

First off, this story is heavily based on the movie, Long Shot, for the Captain Swan Movie Marathon, with some elements of OUAT weaved in. What I’m referring to mainly is that the president in this fic is in no way based on President Trump. In other words, I am not using this fic to bash the current U.S. president in any shape or form, or any other real-life president. So if you plan on going into this with that mindset, I beg you to hit the back button right now. This story in no way reflects my opinions or views, I mainly stuck to the plot of the movie.

Secondly, I hope that I have made it perfectly clear in the beginning scene of this chapter that Killian is not actually a white supremacist, he is only going undercover to get his story. Nor is he Jewish like Fred Flarsky is in the movie. He’s the Killian we all know and love. So please don’t send me hate messages accusing me of either being a racist or writing Killian as one. I was very torn whether to include this scene or not but I feel it is relevant to the plot and shows Killian’s character in this story as very passionate about what he believes in and is a big risktaker when getting his point across, so I decided to keep it.

Third of all, I know some of you are sick of hearing about politics, especially since the U.S. election is so close. But this is not a political movie, it’s a romance. There is of course some talk of politics, but I’ve tried my best to keep it to a minimum. So if you’re worried about that, please don’t be. The movie genre is a romantic comedy.

Writing this fic was a huge wake-up call for me because it’s the first one in a while that I’m not proud of, for lack of a better word, because I have not been able to spend much time on it. I have so many wips in my docs it’s not even funny and I think that has really impacted how this chapter turned out. But because of this fic, I decided to take some time and work on finishing some of my wips before posting them, with the exception of this one because today is my posting date.

With that said, because I’ve been pushing myself to finish my wips, I finished writing my first original novel after working on it for two years, and I will be publishing it soon. So be sure to look out for Follow My Lead, a romance about a former ballerina and a gym owner.

Okay, now I am done with my rant, so please enjoy!

AO3 FF.N

Rated: M

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@hookedonapirate I haven’t started this yet, but I am really looking forward to it (it’s marked “to read”). I have wanted to see a fic where Emma is older than Killian for SO long! I am older than my husband. Not by much, but people still give me the side eye when they find out, and I am SO sick of “cougar” jokes. So yeah, I am all on board for this! 

Like My Mirror Years Ago

Hey, hi there, that gif doesn’t really have anything to do with the story! So, a couple days ago @shireness-says​ sent me this post and was like, “You know what you should do? Write some domestic Enchanted Forest with Killian unlacing Emma’s dress.” And I was like, “Yes, this seems like a good idea.” Only then, I didn’t write it. As I am apt to do. Instead here is some season 5A Camelot divergence set at some point between 5x02 and 5x04 with a conversation I have wanted to write forever, but didn’t originally plan on writing until I started typing it yesterday. And we do get to the unlacing, but first: angst in the form of nearly 5.3K. 

Also, it should be known that the Google doc title of this was [Insert Hozier Lyrics Here] so if you’re looking for a soundtrack. 

————

She knows the exact moment. 

As soon as his breathing shifts ever so slightly, a hint quicker than it is when he’s actually asleep and, if nothing else, Emma supposes his inherent inability to lie is something of a victory. To her. Specifically. Or them. Collectively. Or that pesky future that feels as if it’s begun to drape itself across her shoulders. 

That might explain the near-constant ache between her shoulder blades. 

She resolutely refuses to accept any other reasons. 

“You suck at that, you know,” she murmurs, not taking her eyes away from the piece of curved wood in her hands. Killian scoffs, and she doesn’t have to turn to know when he props himself up on his elbows either. 

The creaking mattress helps. 

Everything creaks a little in Camelot, another metaphor Emma isn’t particularly inclined to spend too long thinking about, but she’s got the growing suspicion that most of this kingdom is prone to making noise. As if it’s shattering right in front of her, tiny cracks that she’s not able to prevent, but that also might just be a commentary on her sanity at this point and—

She’s holding her breath. 

Letting it out in a huff she tries very hard to make quiet, Emma knows she fails. Spectacularly. Another sweeping commentary. 

“Unparalleled observational skills,” Killian says. With a smile. Smirk, probably. Emma still doesn’t bother looking, can hear the inflection in his voice and already knows how forced the even tone is. Seeing the inevitable arch of his eyebrow will only make it worse. 

“Get me in a crow’s nest or something.” “What do you know about crow’s nests?” She shrugs, fingers still moving and the buzzing under her skin hasn’t ebbed much since she started, but there was something almost oddly peaceful about the pattern of Killian’s breathing when he was asleep. 

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Ever After: Prologue and Chapter 1

@captainswanmoviemarathon

My contribution to the event. No obligation to leave comments or kind words, but just know if you do, I will bake you virtual cookies and give you a puppy named Lloyd.

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Whoohooo! The first fic to drop for the event. One of my favorite movies..

Weathering the Storm

I see that today is @snowbellewells birthday, so I decided to write her a little hurt/comfort, family, Killian/Snow, CS fic.  Happy birthday, Marta! (I patterned Hope in this story after my youngest niece, who will be celebrating her first birthday later this month.  She just got over a cold (which she gave to me), and as literally everything can be turned into a CS fic, here you go!)

Rating: G

Genre: Hurt/comfort, family

Words: 1290

Summary: Set a few months after the series finale, Killian is beside himself with worry when baby Hope wakes with a fever.  He searches out one of the best mothers he knows for advice.

(unbetaed, so all mistakes are mine; I blame head-cold brain.)

Tagging a few people who may be interested: @sailormew4​​​​​​​ @annaamell​​​​​​​ @flslp87​​​​​​​ @emmateo26​​​​​​ @bethacaciakay​​​​​​​ @ultraluckycatnd​​​​​​​ @effulgentcolors​​​​​​​, @ilovemesomekillianjones​​​​​​​ @kat2609​​​​​​​ @brooke-to-broch​​​​​​​ @missgymgirl​​​​​​​ @galadriel26​​​​​​​ @the-lady-of-misthaven​​​​​​​ @charmingturkeysandwich​​​​​​​ @jennjenn615​​​​​​​ @laschatzi​​​​​​​ @kimmy46​​​​​​​ @snowbellewells​​​​​​​ @iamanneenigma​​​​​​​ @daxx04​​​​​​​ @nickillian​​​​​​​ @a-rose-for-a-savior​​​​​​ @in-spirational​​​​​​​ @gillie​​​​​​​  @britishguyslover​​​​​​​ @ginnyjinxedandhanshotritafirst​​​​​​​ @kmomof4​​​​​​​  @linda8084​​​​​​​ @golfgirld​​​​​​​ @captain-swan-coffee​​​ @searchingwardrobes​​​​​​​ @hollyethecurious​​​​​​​ @laughswaytoomuch​​​​​​​ @deathbycaptainswan​​​​​​​ @allyourdarlingswans​​​​​​​ @killiarious​​​​​​​ @winterbaby89​​​​​​​ @facesiousbutton82​​​​​​​ @therooksshiningknight​​​​​, @lfh1226-linda

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Killian prided himself on being fearless.  He’d stared down death more times than he could count–even succumbed to it a time or two.  He’d faced down villains, pirates, even gods themselves without flinching.  He’d quite literally gone through hell itself, steely resolve firmly in place.  Aye, Killian Jones was a man with whom fear had never gotten a foothold.

That was, at least, until the first time he’d seen her.  Hope Swan-Jones, along with her mother, was the light of his life.  He’d known from the moment she’d first been placed in his arms that there was nothing, nothing, he wouldn’t do for her.

She was his greatest blessing, but she was also his greatest source of fear.

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Drew Stars Around My Scars

Hello, hey, hi there. It’s raining, I’ve already lost track of the number of times I’ve listened to Taylor Swift’s new album and haven’t written anything in weeks. Until now! Thanks, Taylor Swift. And @optomisticgirl​​​ who reblogged this post a few days ago from @initiala​​​ about how Killian holding Emma in 3x22 isn’t just that he’s trying to comfort her, but he’s trying to make sure she didn’t disappear. 

Which, like…ok, cool. Anyway, I have thought about this for far too long now and started slamming on keys when the kittens weren’t sitting on my laptop and here’s like 4.1K that may or may not make sense, but at least includes some scathing opinions of Back to the Future. Also, thanks to @shireness-says​​​ for always being like…yeah, I want to read that. 

—–

She sniffles. 

She can’t seem to stop. 

Tears stream down Emma’s face without much thought because thinking too much is a daunting obstacle that she can’t even begin to consider yet. Or ever. Definitely ever. Another sniffle, this one actually making her cough somehow, which is a bodily reaction she was not aware she was capable of. 

Until right now. 

When everything seems to be falling apart around her. 

God, she hates time travel. And magic. And evil queens. And parents who can’t recognize her. She supposes she should give them a pass. For a variety of reasons, least of all the magic that’s cloaking both her and Kill—no, that’s not right. Hook. Captain Hook. He’s Captain Hook and she’s still not a princess, but the dancing was almost nice and he hadn’t even slowed down before he was drawing his sword and the jacket spin was something even her muddled thoughts have been able to cling to, so—

He’d held onto her while her mother burned. Tightly. Almost too much. 

Emma nearly trips over a tree root. 

“Shit,” she breathes, pressing the pads of her fingers into damp cheeks. Her dress is too long. Maybe she’ll mention that to Rumplestilskin later. 

Once they get home. 

Back to Storybrooke. Those are not interchangeable words. None of this is interchangeable. 

Even the trees around Emma look different than the ones she only vaguely remembers from her last jaunt through the Enchanted Forest, taller and a little more imposing, like they’re also aware that she’s one good sniffle away from falling off the metaphorical edge. 

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begrudging birthday

“No.”

“Yes!”

“Absolutely not.”

“It’s tradition, Emma.”

“I don’t care!”

“I’ll buy you a bearclaw.”

“And…?”

Elsa sighed. “And a hot chocolate.”

“With?”

“Cinnamon, duh.”

“Fine.” Angrily, Emma took the pin Elsa was holding and affixed to the pocket on her work-specified button up. “Happy?”

“Yes!” her friend gloated, while Emma pouted in return. “Come on, Emma; it’s the one day a year dedicated to celebrating you. And we love you. Let us.”

In all honesty, Emma kind of hated her birthday. Growing up, it was just another reminder of the anniversary of the day her parents abandoned her, and most foster parents were hard-pressed to do much more than give her a card (if they acknowledged it at all). As she got older, she’d learned it was best to try to avoid the spotlight, so ignoring birthdays became part of that.

Then she had Henry, and while she cherished his handmade cards each year, that was as far as she ever wanted it to go. But leave it to her manager, Elsa, to glean her birthdate from her employment paperwork and post it on the calendar in the grocery store’s backroom.

And now she had to wear the damn birthday pin. And it was Saturday, so there’d be a bunch of people in…including him. (Him being a subject of avoidance and obsession ever since she started working there.) Oh well, at least it wasn’t a hat; no one would notice it, right?

Wrong.

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Snatches in Time: The Parallels of Love [1/1]

A little (and very belated) birthday present for my red velvet cupcake and D’Jones cheerleader, @xpumpkindumplingx! I’m not 100% this is what you wanted but I hope you like it love! 

This is a one shot based in my Days of Future’s Past series. You might be a tad lost with this one if you haven’t read that! Also on FFNET.

“Wrist up!”

Erin cursed under her breath as she disengaged her sword from her father’s cutlass and took a few steps back to catch her breath. She had discarded her vest some time ago, her dark blue shirt sticking to her uncomfortably as sweat poured down her body in rivulets. It was midday, the sun high overhead and although it was quite cool for a Spring day it felt as hot as Summer, evidence of the fencing match her and her father had been in for the last few hours. She hadn’t planned to spend her Saturday morning trading sword strikes with her father - she had intended to get some research done on the latest artifact she had been charged with collecting - but an early morning run-in with Eric D’Harper had left her fuming and on the verge of punching the pirate captain in his all too handsome face.

Not that she thought he was handsome. At all.

Huffing in annoyance, her mind wandered to their morning altercation and her reason for needing to let off some steam as she fought to even her breathing.

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Self Promo Sunday: The Case of the Heart in Armor: Part Two

I’m re blogging this once more this morning. It was at an odd time earlier this week when I did it, and I thought I mind give it another go. There were a few who asked to be tagged in updates who I am not sure saw it the first time. 

This was originally written for the CS Role Reversal event in October, to accompany the amazing fanart created by @courtorderedcake.  I had SO MUCH FUN working with her and coming up with this story.  I certainly didn’t mean to keep folks waiting this long for the second part.  I still hope those who were reading and excited about it will enjoy!! :)

@courtorderedcake  I don’t know why I can’t get your picture to post on here like I did with Part One.  For everyone else though, don’t miss her gorgeous art!! You can see it in the link to Part One below…

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 Summary: Killian “Holmes” Jones is rarely surprised or shocked anymore, but that all changes when he meets one very stubborn - and very beautiful - pickpocket, and trouble brews in the distance, hidden by the London fog…

Part One

by: @snowbellewells

Part Two

Chief Inspector David Nolan watched with weary acceptance as his erstwhile younger sister paced back and forth in front of the large mahogany desk in the private office at the Yard which he had worked bloody hard to earn. It wasn’t as though farm boys from Surrey made their way up the elite ranks of London’s police force regularly, and he could admit himself more than a bit proud of the distinction. It wouldn’t be the first time he had seen Emma in such a state either - she was as stubborn as the day was long, and had quite the temper besides, if a person had poor enough judgement to rile her. Though he didn’t mind listening to Emma’s tirade, he would have to quiet her soon, both because her rant was rising in volume instead of tapering off, and because the man she was ranting against was indeed an acquaintance of his and had helped him out of some tight scrapes - more than Nolan would actually like to admit.

Standing finally, and rubbing a hand over tired eyes - his latest case had already kept him from sound sleep three nights in a row - David rounded the desk with measured and steady stride to take Emma’s arm gently, stopping her wild gesticulations in midair before she could manage to clock him on the chin. Even though at present he found himself wishing she could be a bit more demure and correct, David did care deeply for the slip of a young woman his single mother had taken into their home when he was fourteen and Emma only twelve. His mum had caught Em’s hand in her pocketbook outside the market where she had been lurking, stealing to survive. He still remembered those half-wild eyes, her dirt-smudged face, and how thin and ravenously hungry the girl who became his sister had been. She’d already been alone on the streets for some time by that point, had trusted no one (she still trusted very few), and yet, Ruth Nolan, despite she and David having little to spare themselves, simply couldn’t abide the situation without helping. They’d only been in town to shop for a new sturdy coat to last David the winter and visit the theatre - a rare treat indeed - but when they had returned to the country, Emma had gone with them. Gradually, Emma had come to believe that they wouldn’t turn her out, that she couldn’t make Ruth rescind her welcome, and David had come to be glad for a sibling and hearty companion. There were still signs of that feral waif scrapping to survive when her eyes flashed with fury as they were doing just then, but David wouldn’t have Emma be someone else - even if it would make his life occasionally easier.

Hoping to placate her, at least a bit, before telling her what he knew might send her flying off the handle once again, David guided his sibling into the seat facing his desk, a soothing hand lingering at her shoulder as he attempted to commiserate. “It does sound as if your meeting with Mr. Jones was most vexing. No wonder you were put out.”

Emma was nodding along, her shoulders still radiating tension and looking only slightly mollified as he went back toward his own seat and lowered his broad-shouldered, commanding frame into it once more. “The sheer audacity!” She was still saying, clearly gearing up to tell him the whole story again, when David stretched his hand out to still her next torrent of hissed words.

“The thing is,” he began, rather hesitantly; regardless of his usual air of strength and authority, he seemed to be nearly tiptoeing around his sister, knowing her tart tongue and ability to hold a grudge could make him truly miserable if he handled the situation badly and she thought him to be taking Killian Jones’ side over her own. “Jones was not in the strictest sense out of turn to claim that he knew me… nor to be surprised we were related. He has aided us here at the Yard several times now, when we thought a case was about to reach a true dead end. He’s a right clever chap, and much as I hate to admit it, he sees things the rest of us miss - myself included. It’s almost uncanny, and no doubt how he caught you in the act - slick and nimble-fingered as you are, Sis.”

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Damn You For Making Me  Love You (1/15) - Creep

I can’t believe the day is finally here!! I’d like to express my gratitude to the moderators of @captainswanbigbang​ for creating this event and giving us the opportunity to finish and/or rewrite our previous works. It seems I work better under pressure, only in this way am I able to finish my stories, so thanks again for making it possible.

This is a finished and improved version(I hope) of my previous incomplete work. I included everything that appeared in its predecessor, that’s why I decided to keep the same name, but I have also made some minor changes and, above all, I added quite a few more scenes, mostly flashbacks, which I hope have served to get to know the characters better and give them more depth.

This story includes 4 different POVs, Killian, Emma, Liam, and Elsa’s. I found it interesting to offer the vision of the relationship between Emma and Killian through other people’s eyes. It’s not an angsty story, in fact, I had a lot of fun writing some scenes, so I hope you enjoy it.

Beta-Reader: Thank you so much, @ultraluckycatnd​ I couldn’t have asked for a better beta. Thank you for all your effort, your suggestions, your advice and for always being there when I needed you. 

Special mention to @saraswans and @onceuponaprincessworld​, thank you so much for your perpetual support and for believing in me and in the story. 

Summary: Emma Swan and Killian Jones are close friends and co-workers. And both are in love with each other. The problem? They keep their feelings secret not only to the other but also to the rest of their friends. When Elsa, Emma’s best friend and Liam, Killian’s brother and Emma’s boss find out, they decide to form an alliance and work as a team with a clear goal, to get Emma and Killian to take the next step in their relationship and confess their love for each other.

Rating: M

Word count: ~ 7800 (98k total in 15 chapters)

Also: Ao3 / FFnet

Here we go… I hope you like it :)

//

Prologue - Creep

 Four years ago…

The Kraken

The bar was located in a bland building, with nothing of interest to make it stand out except its spot near the marina. Even the sign with the name seemed dull and unwelcoming. Emma couldn’t help wrinkling her nose in disapproval while inspecting the facade of the premises carefully. If someone asked her, she would say that her goal was to gather information about the place where she might be working in the future. If she got the job, that is. The reality was a little different, though. She was simply using an excuse to delay the inevitable, reluctant to take the step that would carry her inside.

It wasn’t that she was a picky person in terms of job opportunities. Even without knowing what she would find inside, she was sure that she had worked in worse places. She had her standards, though, and she hadn’t worked her fingers to the bone to get her degree just to end up working in a damn bar.

“I need the money,” she whispered to herself in an attempt to convince herself that she was making the right decision. She was the only one to blame for being in this precarious situation, after all. That’s what happens when you run away from the person who broke your heart, leaving almost everything behind. Only one suitcase with a few belongings and her camera accompanied her on her escape.

In spite of everything, she should be grateful to have people around who cared about her, like her friend Elsa, who had welcomed her into her home with no questions and asked for nothing in return. That’s why she was here today, in front of this building, because she couldn’t live forever under her friend’s wing without having anything to contribute. She needed to feel useful.

I may not even be chosen, she thought.

Before deciding to enter, Emma grabbed her phone and looked for the job ad that had brought her here.

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Hello, bartender, yes, we’d like a large glass of mutual pining with a shot of coworkers, please. Also, this bar has excellent music. We’re ready to set sail on this adventure with Emma and Killian (who makes a spectacular entrance) and all their friends in order to answer the timeless question: will they…or won’t they? (And then check back next week to see what else @mayquita has planned!)

CS Fic Rec Monday

I hope you’re all staying safe and inside as much as physically possible! I said I was going to do this weeks ago, but I finally remembered to queue it all up! Here are some dang good multi-chapter fics you can curl up with! You’ve probably already read them if you’ve been around for awhile, but rereading is fun, too! Plus, I know these writers would get excited to see a new comment or two 😘 

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As Real As You Want it To Be by @ive-always-been-a-pirate​: Teaching at the same school as Killian Jones was both infuriating and distracting, but when he throws Emma under the bus for the final time, she devises a plan to get back at him. After all, nobody likes to go to a wedding alone. Time for some CS AU fake dating.

Warm Nights and Firelight by @oubliette14​: When in the wake of a messy breakup Emma makes the impulsive decision to return home to her parent’s ranch in the Rockies, she certainly doesn’t expect to find a strange Irish guy living in what was once her apartment over the garage, and she definitely doesn’t imagine that the home she couldn’t wait to be rid of five long years ago would be the very place her heart begins to heal.

If Looks Could Kill by @wellhellotragic​: Emma Swan is a dedicated FBI agent getting over a bad breakup. When she and her partner, Ruby Lucas, are forced to go undercover as contestants on a reality show, Emma is forced to try and win the affections of Killian Jones, a man she despises.Killian Jones is a lost boy. Having recently been nicknamed the ‘Bad Boy of Boston,’ he’s been living up to his moniker using women and rum to avoid dealing with his dark past. When he’s forced to take the lead in a reality show, he encounters a gorgeous blonde who turns his world upside down. Miss Congeniality meets The Bachelor.

The Reason by @xemmaloveskillianx​: The three of them share a laugh before they all look to Emma. She has yet to comment on the new addition because she isn’t sure what to say. She usually doesn’t like change, they have a good thing going there, just the four of them. Plus, they all know him and she doesn’t, but she trusts their judgement, and she’s sure any brother of Liam can’t be all that bad.So, with a shrug and a smile she says, “Welcome to Storybrooke, Killian Jones.

The Wife by @ineffablecolors​: No one knows all that Emma has been through and certainly no one knows all that Killian has been through and being husband and wife doesn’t make them any less unknown to each other. And really, how can you help someone heal when you don’t even know how hurt they are?

Beauty in the Aftermath by @high-seas-swan​: Confronted with the sudden appearance of her birth parents, Emma, in a moment of panic, flees. She flees the diner, Storybrooke, the country. She finds herself a day later in the Dublin, Ireland Airport terminal wondering what the hell she has gotten herself into. With some fear, a little determination and a considerable amount of faking it along the way, she sets off on a trip she never planned on taking but needed more than she ever knew. She finds herself, she finds a Brit adrift on his own journey and finds out what home really means.

Playing the Part by @shireness-says​: As a stage manager who’s clawed her way up from the bottom, Emma Swan can handle just about anything thrown her way. But does that include handsome lead actor Killian Jones? A CS Broadway AU.

Love, Kindness, and Other Useless Things by @joneskillian​: CS AU, set in 1815. Lord Killian Jones is haunted by the demons of his past which makes him nowhere near the man he once was, so he can’t be the father he wants to be. And above all, he believes he is undeserving of love. Perhaps with Emma that is all about to change. But falling in love is never easy, that’s just how it is.

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I am beyond honored to be on this amazing list of fics! Thank you!