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Summary: The brief quiet moment Killian has with Emma as they both try to warm her.
She was so cold. An hour later, she still felt chilled at the touch. It was as if she would never be warm again.
“I’m okay, Killian.”
She must have seen the pain in his face. The sheer terror that would not go away until he knew her iciness had gone away, too.
“Are you sure?” he murmured. “You’re not just saying that as to not worry me any further?”
Emma pulled the heavy blankets that were wrapped around her shoulders even tighter and closer to her body.
“I’m sure.”
Killian moved even closer, wrapping his arm once again around her shoulder.
She was so cold that he felt like his heart was freezing because of it.
“I’m okay, Killian,” Emma murmured again. She laid her head against his body. Her fingers escaped from under the blanket and went on a search for his hand.
Their fingers intertwined with each other, a firm grasp as Killian tried to infuse some of his heat into her.
“I thought… I was worried… I couldn’t… do anything.”
He waited until she looked up at him. And maybe it would also help to clear his head so that he could stop tripping over every other word that fell from his mouth.
“I thought I was going to lose you,” he whispered. The pain crept up into every feature of his face.
“Killian.” The squeeze of her fingers tightened around his.
And maybe there was a little bit of warmth in place of the ice.
“I lost Liam.” His eyes were wide as he watched her. She was alive. Freezing cold, but alive. “He died in my arms, Emma. I couldn’t save him.”
“I know,” Emma whispered.
“I lost Milah. She died in my arms. And I couldn’t save her.”
Emma’s eyes closed and she snuggled closer to him, her head resting on his chest.
Could she hear his heart beating? It was a steady beat now. Earlier, it had been so erratic. But now, with Emma so close, it was steady.
“I scared you,” Emma said softly. “I was scared for myself, too, Killian. And this didn’t end like the other times. I didn’t die. You saved me.”
Killian shook his head. The arm around her shoulders ran down to wrap around her arm.
“I didn’t save you.”
That made Emma look up at him. Her eyes inquisitive.
“It was David who saved you,” he reminded her. “It was David who kept a calm head and figured out what had to be done. I didn’t do anything.”
“It was the fear,” she assured him. “You were panicked.”
Killian swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He had almost lost her.
“If I had lost you, Emma…” He didn’t know where to go from there.
They were quiet for a moment. All they could do was watch each other. To drink one another in because they were together. This moment would not be taken for granted.
It was Emma who shifted first. Her body moving just slightly away.
“I’m really cold.”
“Do you want more blankets, love?” He didn’t want to move from his spot next to her in the chair, but he would to get her more blankets.
Emma shook her head. “No.” She sighed, letting out a deep breath. “I think I would rather get in the bed and under some covers.”
Killian was quick to stand up. With the blankets still wrapped around her, he scooped her up in her bundle.
Emma’s arm slipped from underneath the cover to wrap around his neck.
“You’re a bit warmer now,” he told her. And maybe that chill in his heart was melting as well.
“Is there anything you need from me while you’re in bed?”
Emma looked up at him. “Yes.”
“What is it? What do you need?”
“I need for you to come to bed with me.” Her arm tightened around him and she waited for his reply.
He was watching her, his eyes almost frozen on hers. And then he looked about the room.
Her parents and Elsa were still there. They were in earshot. And Emma had said…
“You’ll be helping me stay warm, Killian.”
His gaze fell back on hers.
“You said you didn’t save me, but you did. And you can continue to save me. By helping me lose this chill and warming up.”
His arms as he held her tightened then.
If he had lost Emma…
He hadn’t. She hadn’t fell into his arms and lay there dying. She had fell into his arms and had asked him to help her live.
“Aye, love.” It was a broken whisper, filled with pain, hope, relief, and so much more. “If that is what you need from me then you shall have it.”
He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to warm her up and give her all of his strength. He wanted everything for Emma. He wanted everything with Emma.
She sunk into his body and laid her head once again to his chest.
“Good. Now take me to bed.”
“Aye, love.”