Tick-Tock

I’d to go to the end of the world for her. Or time.

The further Emma went with her fears, the more Killian wanted to just pull her into his arms and assure her that that's all they were. Fears. Reaching his hand out, he placed it atop her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, his hook tilting her head upwards ever so slightly to look at him. "That situation could be entirely true, were I someone else," he pointed out, firstly wanting to clarify that he'd never do such a thing to her. "You're well aware of my passion for the sea and adventure, but do you truly believe it could compare to everything we’ve built? That I’d choose the sea over you? I’d have hoped you’d know me better than that by now, Swan.”

“Limiting my days on the waters is a sacrifice I’m willing to make if it means being with you. Whether we're out here together or in there together, you're always Emma. Just Emma. The woman I love. You don’t have to put on an act or throw yourself into danger every bloody waking minute to earn it. You already have it. And out there on my ship, going on adventures without you, I’d only be missing you more than if it was the other way around.”

Though it would be hard for Killian to adjust to such a new life, one that would be extremely foreign to him, it would be well worth it. For a man who had lived long enough for three or more life-times, having spent much of it sad and bitter and resentful, it meant something big for him to finally come around and smile again. He smiled because he was happy this time, not because he was kicking someone down and taunting them. The need and want to protect someone who wasn't his crew-mates had finally returned to him, and for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel like he had a massive void in his heart. He loved Emma like he had loved Milah, if not more, and she was his top priority now. It didn't matter to him if he would have to adjust to a new life, because this new life would mean having Emma Swan beside him. Any life without her would hardly be a life at all, how he saw it.

Michelle Hodkin, The Retribution of Mara Dyer

A small gasp left the short girl upon entering the next room, both of her legs stepping her backwards a pace or two when they ran into the guard. Killian made quick work of taking care of him though, and she watched somewhat awe-struck as he dealt with him. His overly-confident and cocky comments were not lost on her though, and despite being as afraid as she was, she couldn’t hold back the grin that was pulling at her lips or the roll of her eyes that she’d given. “Good job, hot stuff,” she said, her comment sincere but definitely not void of sarcasm.

After the plan was laid out for her, she nodded and tucked some hair behind her ear. “Alright, I can do that,” she said, although she was saying it more to boost her own confidence than to assure Killian that she was capable. With a heavy sigh, she looked around the room, her eyebrows raising when she caught sight of a rope. It was curled around a bundle of curtains, but after removing it from them, it made the perfect prop for the act that they were about to put on. “Here,” she said, handing the rope to the pirate before holding both of her hands out with her wrists pressed together. “If we’re going to get away with this, we’ll need to make it convincing, right?” she asked with a sigh, looking around the room a little more before settling her gaze back on Killian with a pop of her lips. Gesturing with a nod of her head at the rope and then to her wrists, she raised them a little for him. A prisoner guard that let his prisoners walk the halls free from any restraints wasn’t a very good guard.

Pools of blue shifted down to Shiloh’s wrists, which she held out together in front of him. A brow was then raised in curiosity, but he was quick to clue in to what she was getting at. If they wanted to make this convincing, that would mean going all the way with it. “Aye. I like the way you think,” Killian replied, pointing a finger at her in a manner that was commending her. He had his signature grin on his lips, one that clearly displayed his amusement for the situation as an entirety. Maybe this wasn’t an ideal spot to be in, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t having a bit of fun with this escape plan. Perhaps this girl was worth more than he’d given her credit for, too. Appearances were indeed deceiving, after all. Grabbing the rope, Killian looped it around Shiloh’s small wrists and tightened it, ensuring that the rope was tight and secure enough to not make it obvious that this was all a rouse.

“Now then, you’ll put your acting to the test, and I mine. I’m going to be unfriendly with you when I pull you along the passageways. It’s not my intentions to hurt you. Rest assured, my voice will be more dominant than my actions,” the pirate explained from under his helmet. A leather-clad hand was soon on the girl’s small shoulder, gripping at it to pull her in front of him. “We begin now,” he said under his voice. The door was opened, and with that, Killian’s entire personality shifted into something much more aggressive and crude. If there was anyone watching, it would be too obvious that something was up with the two of them being overly quiet. That wasn’t to say a huge fuss had to be made, but it was known that lingering silence could cause suspicion. “Consider yourself lucky you’re being sent back to your cell and not being skinned alive right now. Though that still is an option if you continue to try my patience. Now walk,” he spoke in a deep, rough growl. He had to be mindful too to keep his pirate talk at bay. It would be an instant giveaway that he wasn’t a guard otherwise.