The Knight And His Rook

You’ll have to forgive me if I get things wrong or if I mess up, i’m dog tired from work but I wanted to get this out cos it’s been forever and I miss them.

I was rewatching these scenes because they’re honestly heartbreaking.

She knows it’s going to be a bad day. She can feel it. She’s on the verge of having an episode and she’s gone to the one person she feels can keep her grounded; can make the fear and anxiety go away.

She’s gone to the one person she trusts to help her…

She’s gone to Rogers.

Problem being… Rogers doesn’t recognise the signs. He’s not in tune with Tilly’s way of functioning just yet. 

He assumes she’s just come by to play games- it’s not registering to him that this isn’t just her wanting to spend time having fun…. 

it’s her crying out for help.

He finally gets that she’s having somewhat of a bad day, but he’s far too preoccupied with other things. 

Whether he’s Killian Jones or Detective Rogers, one thing remains a constant trait in his character; his obsessive nature.

For Killian it’s been revenge on the crocodile and finding a cure for his poisoned heart to reunite with Alice.

For detective Rogers, it’s finding the candy killer and Eloise Gardener.

Once he’s got his mind set on something, he loses track of anything else going on around him.

Her face here breaks my heart. 

She believes she’s not important enough to him to be a priority. 

She’s asking for his time, his help… and she’s being turned away.

Pushed aside.

“And i’m not?”

We know she suffers with feeling invisible, used as a pawn, insignificant. 

She truly thought she’d found someone who saw her and accepted her in Rogers. 

Someone who wanted to spend time with her rather than a need to, just for selfish gain. 

He tries to explain.

Of course she’s important. Of course he cares…

But right now, Rogers has a one track mind and Tilly’s getting in the way of it. His obsessive need is gearing up and it’s damaging other vital aspects of his life without him noticing.

Maybe it’s because his cursed memories have him believing he’s always been alone that he doesn’t recognise when he actually does have someone? He’s become so routine in just looking out for himself that he doesn’t notice when someone genuinely is there?

He pushes her away when she needs him most and  I cry. 

Oh no…

Poor Tilly’s really spiralling at this point.

She can’t ignore the feeling she got anymore. 

She’s back at the station and is trying her hardest to appear fine but the cracks are already leaking and she’s becoming irate.

Seeing Eloise there just makes it even more real.

She’s terrified. Of Eloise, of what’s going to happen- and Weaver almost calms her.

He gives her the slightest bit of hope and reassurance… until moody bollocks  Rogers returns, that is. 

And she sees the painting. And it makes sense. 

She’s trying so hard to protect him. She cares and knows this woman can hurt him… and she dreads the thought of him getting hurt. 

She now believes her bad feeling is tied to Rogers and Eloise.

But Rogers is too far into his own spiral to worry about Tilly or her warning. 

He has no time whatsoever to deal with her. 

He’s become blind to any and all things around him that need his attention; he believes he’s making progress in getting information with Eloise and that’s all he’s concerned about. 

He can’t see past his own mission to take note of those around him.

Much like the flashbacks, he’s letting his own pride an honour get in the way of something far more precious.

Tilly. 

Right now, he’s not her friend or her father white knight… he’s a cop and she’s getting in the way of him doing his job.

SWEET BABY CHILD- NO!

BUT LOOK AT HIS FACE.

HE’S COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY SHOCKED… AND ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED SHE’S THERE.

She’s even got the weapon still in her hand and yet his gun is lowered. 

Full fucking props to Rose cos she slays this scene. 

The confusion, distress and out of her comfort zone is played to perfection.

No one knows how Tilly got there. Tilly doesn’t even know.

Her spiral is a full on tornado now.

She tried to warn them, tried to help them but it was no use. 

The bad finally happened and she’s ended up right in the thick of it.

Notice he’s put the gun away.

Again, she’s holding the weapon, waving it around, is emotionally unstable and becoming more erratic… and yet it seems as if he knows she’s not responsible. 

Either he’s sure she won’t hurt them or he’s sure she didn’t do it in the first place, but either way he’s not got any intention of pointing it at her.

Could he finally be realising he ignored the signs?

Could it be dawning on him that he should have put his attention elsewhere rather than going on a wild goose chase?

I’m not sure.. but it certainly feels like he’s struggling with something… as a cop and a friend. 

He begins to apologise in hopes of calming her down and quite possibly because he’s genuinely sorry he pushed her away.

But it’s too little too late.

Her faith and confidence in them is gone and she’s back to being alone.

OUAT S7 Bloopers [x] (1/some?)

 ♞♖KnightRook♘♜

Just a little KnightRook ficlet that hit me after some headcanoning with the famo. 

Talking about Liam. 

“What’s this one, papa?” Alice asked.

She’d been sitting on his lap, head slowly drooping for the past hour, fighting sleep as much as her little four year old heart could.

Killian let her tug and inspect his chains, hoping the silence and fidgeting would soon bore her into giving in to bedtime. In truth, he loved these quiet moments where he got to hold her and tell her all manner of stories.

He looked down to see her fiddling with Liam’s ring that lay hanging from the longest chain he usually kept hidden.

“That.” he explained. “Belonged to your uncle.”

“Uncle Liam?”

“Aye. It was his lucky ring.”

“So why do you have it?” she asked, turning her gaze to him.

He felt the same lump build in his throat he always seemed to get when it came to the subject of his brother. But he held it down the best he could for her sake.

“Because he was a thick headed git.” he chuckled.

“Papa! No bad words.”

“Sorry, starfish.” He took a deep breath and used his hook to pry the chain from off his neck and let if drop into her small hands. “He gave that to me once when we were in trouble at sea. Told me it would keep me safe… and it did.”

“Wow.” she whispered, staring at the jewellry in amazement as if it were treasure.

He watched her face light up in wonder at such a simple tale, chuckling at her pure belief. It was times like this he wished his brother were there to get to know her, rather than him having to let her get to know him through stories.

“Do you think it would keep me safe?”

Killian pondered her question. Who else would he rather hold onto it than the most precious gem in his life?

He plucked the chain from her hands and gently placed it over her neck.

“Let’s find out.”

“You mean it?” she asked, shocked to be given something so valuable.

“Aye, you’ll take care of it?”

“Always.” she promised, snuggling it to her chest as if it were a stuffed animal.

“Alright, little one. Time for bed.”

She thankfully didn’t protest as he carried her to her bed. As he tucked her under the covers, he noticed how she kept the ring held tight in her fist.

“Papa? What was he like?”

Killian chuckled under his breath, knowing she was moments away from falling into slumber yet refusing to give up the fight.

He perched himself on the edge of the bed and began a story, knowing she’d be fast asleep before the first sentence was over.

“Well, he was taller than me, broader than me, stronger than me… and had wild curly hair just like you.” he joked, idly brushing said hair out of her face as her eyes finally closed.

He watched her sleep for a moment, finally letting the sorrow fill him.

“You’d have idolised him as I did… and he’d have absolutely loved you. This is promise, Alice.”

It’s  PIGGYBACK TIME !!

Summary:  Killian Jones is a mess: a new and very young father who is still recovering from the explosive boat accident that killed his brother, he’s struggling to raise wee Alice on little more than disability benefits and his own stubbornness. Little does he know that the grumpiest member of his new therapy group is wrestling with many of the same problems… yet she can offer hope, a family, and a reluctant sort of friendship. An angsty multishipping Knightrook AU that is WAY too close to home for my tastes, but I’m writing it anyway.

Rating: Mature, for eventual sex scenes and some profanity

Tags: Multishipping, Knightrook, CS, Killian/Ariel, Snowing, angst, friendship, the cutest of babies, ALICE YOU DISASTER CHILD

Chapters: 5/?

AO3 Link

Ooooooh nice! mean! White elephant AU scene below!

He’d told her a thousand times to be careful. Even had taken that bike away from her for a week just last month. Still, she was his child, and he cursed that cocky daredevil streak she’d inherited every time she tried a new stunt. 

Now, as he chewed on his cuticles and watched as doctors and nurses fussed over her, he downright damned the streak to hell. 

The last few hours had been a blur. She at least had learned to wear her helmet, but he looked up just in time to see her try to do another stunt in the middle of the street. A perfect storm then followed. She’d lost control of the bike just as a car sped around the corner of Alexander Street. He’d yelled and propelled himself forward, head knowing he was too far away but heart not giving a damn. The noises that followed he knew would haunt him for the rest of his life. 

Screeching brakes, a scream, thuds of flesh and bone against metal, and finally a thump onto the asphalt. He raced to her side, wishing nothing more than to pull her into his arms, but knowing moving her without knowing her injuries could make things worse. 

The slow motion panic that had preceded the accident shifted sharply to a rapid fire assault of panicked white noise. He didn’t remember the frantic discussion with the driver, the phone call to 911, the ambulance ride, or even the rush through the emergency room. All that kept flashing through his mind was the moment his Alice collided with the car, and the sight of her unconscious form now. 

She had several broken ribs, a broken collar bone, and a concussion in addition to several lacerations. Still, he knew she was lucky. The helmet had taken a beating between the car and the street, but better it than her unprotected skull. Even a moment’s thought about what could have happened without it sent a sick lurch through his stomach and he had to swallow hard to prevent himself from getting ill.

At long last, everyone had done what they could for her, and all that was left to do was rest and wait. He settled into the sea foam green chair at her bedside and gently brushed her forearm with his thumb. 

“My little Starfish,” he managed, voice trembling. “You’re going to give me a heart attack one of these days.”

He wasn’t sure exactly when he’d fallen asleep. One moment he was looking at her, studying her peaceful face, and the next he’d joined her in slumber. Only when he felt her fingers twitch at the side of his face did he wake up with a start. 

“Papa?” she croaked out. Hoarse and somber, but it was the most beautiful sound he’d heard all day. 

“Hey, kiddo. How you feeling?”

“Sore…” she managed. 

“You took quite a spill. You’re going to be sore for a little while, but I promise you’ll be better in no time. And I’ll be right here whenever you need me.”

She nodded, though he felt a pang of worry when he saw tears filling her eyes. He squeezed her hand, silently urging her to tell him what was troubling her, when he saw take a deep breath and wince at the pain in her side. 

Finally, she chewed her lip, then asked, “Am I in trouble?”

He couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped him, and he raised himself up to brush a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I think you’ve been punished enough. Though, I think it’s safe to say, no bike until after you’re all healed.”

Another nod, this time with the smallest smile tugging at her lips. “But did you see how high I flew?”

until i see you again (AO3)  - 7k

How easy it would be to fall, just close his eyes, plunge into the water and inhale. How simple it would be to drown, to hope that he would see her again on the other side.

(also known as, the dramatic and angsty knightrook story that hurt to write but wouldn’t leave me alone. killian-pain-centric. and, as always, please don’t edit or share art outside of tumblr)

warning: major character deaths

—♘♜—

That conniving witch—Alice remembered her face, even though they only met the once. She remembered her clearly, those thick gray locks and soulless eyes, because that was the very day a swirling, raging portal opened up in the center of her tower room and swallowed up her Papa. She could never forget the sound of the witch’s delicate, almost sweet laughter as she held Alice back with a vice-like grip, those cold fingers digging into her arms, all while Papa reached out for her, yelling her name. It’s the last thing she’d heard him say—Alice, Alice.

She was young then, and though she begged the witch to tell her where he went, to bring him back, all she received was a sinister grin and a carefree farewell. In a burst of ashy grey smoke, the witch vanished. It was as if Alice had merely been an afterthought, just collateral damage. Not even worth a revisit to gloat. Admittedly, she sometimes dreamed of exacting every manner of vengeance upon the wicked woman, but Papa had always told her never to be tempted by the dark draw of revenge; she never imagined she’d need to remember those lessons. And, alas, it was the last she ever saw of her.

Guide her with your grace to a place where she’ll be safe (1/5)

Read on: ao3 - ff.net

Before Killian Jones climbed the tower, he was a man seeking revenge, but when he meets a blonde goddess at the top he falls into her light - and into her long, long hair. But when you enter the witch’s den, you play a dangerous game, one that breaks your heart first, and then poisons it. For Killian Jones, though, it’s worth it.

A Captain Swan (NO Gothel fraud) + KnightRook AU

I’ll say this right now: this is a Captain Swan (or Captain Duckling, more likely) fic and a Knightrook one. It’s my way of dealing with what happened in 707 to Wish!Killian and that I didn’t like one bit. So if you don’t like Knightrook, that’s the door, goodbye, I don’t want hate on here, especially since it’s my way to cope with what happened. I believe in the “don’t like, don’t read” rule so if you just want to drop hateful comments, stay away from here.

This said, this is a kind of canon divergence slash Enchanted Forest AU where the curse never happened and the Evil Queen is trying to get her magic back 20 or so years later in the way we’ve seen in the Wish Realm, hence Killian - he’ll always be Killian, no matter what world he’s in, no matter which version of him - going in search of the flower.

Since it’s a Captain Swan fic and it’s my way of “changing” what happened to Wish!Killian, there’s NO rape involved, Emma IS NOT Gothel and that (b)witch will appear very little. And their daughter will be the Alice we came to know in s7 because I love her so much, I love Knightrook so much and I think she’d be perfect as CS’ daughter - and her name, too, because yes I hate what they gave to CS’ daughter at the end, don’t hate me, this is my opinion here.

The title is from The Prayer by Céline Dion, straight from Quest for Camelot and I wrote this story with it on repeat.

There won’t be regular updates even though I started it when 707 aired, but I know where it’s going, I have it all planned and alla I need is to write it. Besides, this holds a special spot in my heart so I will finish it - as I will my other fics, of course.

–♘♜– Wake up early, get to work, catch up on paperwork, cram in a little overtime, and oh–of course–get a surprise visit from your daughter, bringing the gift of take-out dinner and proud-of-papa cheek kisses. Nothing better.

(a gift art/peace offering to the readers of my recent angstfest. a palate cleanser, if you will. i’m sorry and i love you and i hope this makes up for it ❤︎)

“It’s ok Papa, you don’t have to worry. We can trust her, she’s just like me,” She says holding his hand. “She can hear the stars. She’s just like me.” she repeats, a look of wonder on her face. Killian looks down at her. His little girl, his Starfish, and isn’t sure. He still isn’t sure if rescuing Emma Swan is the best thing he’s ever done, or their undoing.

AN: And I’m back. Sorry for the delay, I’ve been super busy with the end of my term. This was also meant to be a split into two parts, but that didn’t happen. Hope you enjoy the super long chapter!

Ao3 FFn

He got the call in the middle of the night. He doesn’t even process the news at first. He just remembers getting dressed; he wears two different shoes and doesn’t even remember the drive. He doesn’t remember walking into the hospital, looking for the nurse who called him. He doesn’t even remember her name.

He found her quickly, and she gave him a sad smile when she caught sight of him. She asked his name, but he could tell she already knew who he was based on sight.

She then led him to the room. It wasn’t really a room, just a hallway. It was just a hallway with a window a window to a room with a bunch of different babies. They were all in different colored blankets, some blue, others pink. Some had names, others didn’t.

“There, second from the left.” The nurse says. He sees her instantly. She’s tiny and wrapped in a pink blanket. There was no name. “Would you like to go in? Do you want to hold her?” She asks. Killian nods.

and…. maybe he manages for a few years, but somewhere down the line he gets hit with one thing after another–losing his job, shortly thereafter getting in an accident that takes his hand, losing every bit of their savings so quickly on care for alice while he’s recovering, and that eating into their rent payments, losing his apartment… and he’s too prideful to ask for help, but it’s his downfall. after alice hurts herself playing, a broken arm, there are questions and concerns and people, suddenly, out of nowhere, asking him questions that he can’t believe he has to answer because of course he’d never hurt her, but it gets reported anyway, and being a homeless, high school drop-out, unemployed man in his early 20s isn’t painting a good picture for those who decide “what’s best for the child”

and so they take her. they place her in foster care and killian gets no visitation until the abuse allegations are cleared up, and it’s court date after court date, and even when the charges are dropped, he still can’t have her back until he’s stable, and stability takes time and so much work, and he sees her once or twice a week but it’s never enough and he’s just got to do everything in his power to fix himself… but then it hurts because she seems happy in the house with the foster parents, and she tells him about her new toys and about the great treats she gets to eat and about how big her room is and it guts him to think that even though he wants to take her back, he doesn’t think he’d be as good for her as this family is, so it’s even tougher than before to really get a stable job and home because he isn’t even sure he wants one, knowing that he’d be taking her away from all this if he made himself even minimally able to care for her. and he doesn’t know that she just wants to go home, that no amount of money or big rooms or toys would ever compare to being home with her papa. she just doesn’t want him to worry so much, so she tries to reassure him she’s ok, but in truth she’s impatient and she misses him and she wishes that these people would see just how great of a dad he is.

So this is pretty much an AU of the AU that is S7 - don’t think too hard about it, it angers the canon divergence. Basically wish!Millian because of reasons.

This has been in my drafts as a wall of text but I decided to polish it up a bit. (though don’t look for consistent tenses).

Rated: T

Words: 2110

Alice’s greatest wish was for her Papa’s happiness because he had devoted his life to her. Even if he hadn’t (which was far from the realm of possibility), he deserved every happiness; he deserved someone wonderful.

She didn’t fully comprehend what that truly entailed until she had found Robyn, but since then she desperately wanted her Papa to be happy.

She’d heard he did once have a sweetheart, though it was always adamant that it wasn’t her mother and it had happened so long ago it was best unmentioned. Originally Alice frowned and fretted over this point, but in time small pieces of information found their way to her, Smee having relented enough to give her the barest of bare bones of a love story which she spun around in her imagination.

One day she catches her Papa watching some couple on the dock walk by - all arms linked and infectious smiles and she sees his face fall a fraction into that painful mask of acceptance. She doesn’t even realize she’s made a wish - certainly not consciously trying to.

She definitely doesn’t expect her wish to materialize in the form of a woman her Papa already lost.