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“He’s always here.”
Killian almost can’t breathe, she sounds so defeated. She slumps against him like she might shatter if she had to stand under her own power for another moment more.
“What can I do, love?” His voice is soft, as if soothing a frightened animal.
“He used to go away when you’d hold me. Now he just…“ she trails off and doesn’t lean her head into the curve of his neck like she usually does, staring blankly at something over his shoulder.
He turns his head, following her gaze to the empty doorway behind him. “Emma – “
Her fist clamps against the back of his coat before he can continue, her voice tightening to a hysterical pitch that squeezes at his heart. “I feel like I’m going crazy. I can’t sleep, and he won’t stop, I can’t get a break, I just need – I can‘t –“
She finally, finally looks up into his eyes and he feels something in him break, grabbing her tight around her waist and sliding his hand against her jaw, forcing her to hold his gaze.
“Emma.”
Her name sounds so small in that room, dying against the castle walls rather than echoing. He leans his forehead to hers, tracing his thumb against the skin of her cheek as she stills, his touch softening when he feels her shaky exhale against his throat.
“It’s just us, love.” He chances breaking eye contact long enough to brush his lips against her brow. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
He can see the exact moment his words get through to her as she settles back into herself just the tiniest bit, the smallest flicker of resolve ghosting across her face. Her hand against his back unclenches and presses firmly between his shoulder blades, bringing him in until his nose brushes against hers.
“Promise?” she breathes against his lips.
You think so?
I’ve yet to see you fail.
His lips quirk up, the vice around his heart loosening its grip when hers do the same.
“I promise, love. And if I can’t make him go away, at the very least I can drown him out.”