The Enchanted Forest

What Calypso had told Killian Jones that night all those months ago was indeed true — her situation had not changed. In fact, it had worsened drastically. And she wants to kick herself every time that he crosses her mind. Over half a year since she met the pirate and he's still an ever present visitor in her mind. In her dreams. And in her heart.

Yet as much as her heart aches for the pirate that she was oh so close to dropping her life for, she aches for other reasons. Milah, her own mother, has grown increasingly violent toward her. Taking every opportunity to lash out, whether with her words or her fists.

Calypso is a mess of nerves. Always looking over her shoulder. Always flinching away. Anxiety spiking whenever a voice raises. Always ducking away anytime something flies too close to her head. She's hypersensitive to the sound sand actions around her. Cali is paranoid every moment that she breaths and she doesn't know how long she can take it.

There are definitely better days, but more often than not are the bad days. Days when she has to wear longer sleeves. Days where people see her in thin scarves because it's the only way she can cover the bruises decorating her neck.

Calypso starts taking Baelfire with her when she works in the market, and even when she takes shifts at the pub, after he fully healed. And to the small boy, it's a magical place. One where soldiers and armies pass through on their way to war. A place of mixed cultures and thieves and people that always seem to smile. Where who you are and who you know doesn't mean a thing unless you need it for an advantage. A place that doesn't look down on a sixteen year old daughter of a drunk and a coward.

Plus, Bae has friends in their small port city. But Calypso doesn't take him for the fun, she doesn't want anything to happen to him when she's not home to protect him. Even if Milah would dare to touch her favorite child.

Cali smiles as she hands over a pair of spools to another merchant for a dozen eggs before turning to check on Bae. The boy is running around between the crowds after a ball with half a dozen boys chasing after him. She thanks the woman before yelling out that she has wools and colored wools for sale. Several older woman swarm her for a few moments as they pick out the colors they like best and hand Cali multiple rusted coins. Another trader waves her over and hands her a half bag of flour before picking out a pair of spools.

"Cali!"

Calypso's head twists to see Bae red in the face and panting heavily.

"Yes?"

He's practically vibrating with excitement, and his hands move as he explains.

"There's a pirate ship coming into port! And it's huge! Can I go with my friends-"

"Bae, I don't think-"

"Please! Everyone else is going!"

"Baelfire-"

"Please, Cal?"

And there are those pleading, brown eyes that she can't ever say no to.

"Fine! Just be careful, don't get in anybody's way. And do not go onto any of the docks!"

"I promise!"

Bae grins, hugging her middle quickly before twisting around and running back to his friends. Cali shakes her head as he spins around mid-step, yelling back to her.

"I'll tell you all about it!"

After a few minutes, Cali sees Bae making his way back into the market square with several of his friends. He quickly finds his sister in the crowd and waves. Cali's heart stops in horror as he goes to run and goes right in front of the pirate crew coming into the town. He gets knocked down by a larger one leading the group and the entire group breaks into laughter.

Cali grabs her baskets and rushes over. The pirates are still laughing at Bae sprawled out on the cobble stones beneath them. Just as she sets her baskets back down to approach him, the large one that Baelfire ran into picks him up by the neck.

Calypso's heart jumps into her throat and her hands shake as she takes a steading breath. Bae is squirming in his grip as Cali marches directly up to the pirate crew despite the way her vision goes black along the edge.

"Put my brother down."

She glares at the pirates, and the crew breaks into laughter once again. The one holding Bae swings him around for good measure.

"What'll you do if I don't?"

"I'll make you, you arse."

Despite the fear that makes her voice quake, Cali smirks proudly at the complete look of murder on his face. Anger focusing his attention solely onto her and he drops Bae to step closer to Cali. But that was her plan all along, and she takes a short breathe of relief as Bae gasps for air.

She flinches as his hand raises.

"Why you little bitch."

The slap echoes in the marketplace that has grown eerily quiet. Cali only glares though, her hand forming a fist and connecting with his jaw in a second. He seems shocked as he stumbles back, more likely shocked that it hurt at all, and turning so red that Cali expects his head to pop off.

The brute moves to go for Cali again when an all too familiar, ring decorated hand lands on his chest to stop him. But her savior, once again, isn't glaring into his crew mates eyes. The eyes of Captain Killian Jones stay on Cali's, a strange look in them that makes her insides turn to butterflies. Almost like he remembers her.

Killian just about kills his crew in the middle of the street as his eyes trail over the growing echo of a hand print on her cheek. He growls at them to head on their ways, watching as Cali picks Bae up and sends him home.

She turns back to the pirate captain to see him standing there sheepishly with one of her baskets in hand.

"I apologize for my crew."

"As you should."

"I'll pay if any damage-."

"My brother's fine, Captain Jones, he'll only be a little sore. But I do believe more discipline might be needed towards your crew."

And the relief that fills his eyes as she says his name even after all this time takes his heart and squeezes it tight.

"Aye. But I meant, you, your, um, cheek."

"Thank you, Captain, but I'm fine."

She's flustered, cheeks burning even with the mild sting of the slap still there. He's blushing too, that seemingly familiar feeling in his chest making his heart drum against his ribcage. He's so happy that she remembers him, immediately relieved to know that their encounter wasn't something that she forgot either. He knows that he's thought about her almost every day since.

"Well Captain, I have to admit I never thought I'd ever see you again."

"Please, call me Killian. And I'm quite sure I told you I would."

Cali grins, looking up into this eyes to find his trained on her with a goofy smile as well.

"That you did."

"That was quite brave what you did for your brother."

Cali laughs softly, looking away from him with a sigh.

"I believe most people will discuss it as bold or unladylike. Stupid or out of place even, I doubt anyone will think it was brave. Thank you, Killian, really, thank you. But I need to get back to work."

"Wait."

Killian stops her by grabbing her arm gently, turning her to face him. She feels her cheeks burn with a deeper blush, the little street that they've wandered into completely empty.

Only panic creeps in along with the butterflies. She meets his eyes as he takes her hand instead, running the rough pads of his fingers over her palm.

Did he see the fear that flashed in her eyes?

"You keep saying thank you, but I'd love a favor."

Cali's heart pounds in her chest, her brow raising skeptically. Is her idea of a prince going to be like every other man she's ever met? Killian's eyes search her face, desperately trying to memorize every feature once again.

He's terrified that she's going to slip through his fingers, again. She's terrified that this may just be the last time she ever sees him in this light.

"All I need, All I ask is for your name?"

She almost laughs as relief swells in her heart.

"Calypso. Calypso Stiltskin. But I do believe by helping me twice now, you have earned the right to call me Cali."

His eyes light up, heart clenching and he feels every emotion at once as he watches her eyes slip to his lips. His eyes drop to hers and he barely reins in control as her blush deepens with her realization.

Cali shames herself for even thinking of a kiss. Why on earth should he kiss her? Why does she deserve anything from him?

But the closeness between them is something that she cannot ignore as he seems to float into her space naturally. Her breath fills the space between them and her eyes flutter shut. He lets his neck drop, bending his neck as his free hand tilts her chin up. Gently running his finger along her cheek and he almost breaks at the soft sight of her leaning into him, trusting him wholeheartedly.

And when their lips meet, fireworks going off in their guts. A burning desire fills Cali as her lips mold with Killian's and her hand snakes it's way around his neck to pull him closer.

He's the first to break the kiss, eyes closing as he presses his forehead against hers and drinks in her heavy breaths.

"My offer from our last meeting still stands, love."

The second kiss last longer than it should have, but Cali doesn't regret it in the slightest. The only thing that pains her is when he pulls away for her response.

"And my circumstances, though I regret them, are still the same."

Cali had thought this scoundrel pirate captain gone from her life. Maybe she would've suffered less if he was. But as she turned back and saw him watching her leave with a look on his face that showcased all of his emotions for her to see, she found herself thanking the universe for giving him to her.

Oh, and she didn't mind Killian Jones being stuck in her head.

That night as she arrived home, she saw the figure waiting for her until it was too late. Cali gasps as her mother shoved her up against the door.

"You're late."

"If you saw Bae then you know why."

"Oh yes, that you let my son get attacked by pirates. And then took the time to flirt with one as well."

"I did not let him-"

But Milah slaps Cali's already sore cheek, diggings her fingernails in until her cheeks cry crimson. Cali closes her eyes at the sudden pain, biting her tongue and chiding herself for raising her voice.

Milah shoved her over and a few kicks connect to her side making her chest ache and sends all air out of her lungs. She gasps and the world grows fuzzy as her mother pulls her up on her knees by her hair.

"Don't let it happen again."

Milah sneers, letting go and walking away. Cali lays where she is, trying to steady her breath. She stands slowly after a few minutes, limping due to the pain flaring up her side.

She's exhausted and tears slip down her cheeks as she tries to wipe the wounds on her cheek to get them to stop bleeding. The fresh cuts sting and she gasps as a sob tears through her chest.

The entire time that she cleans up she thinks of Killian. She wishes that things had changed, that she could have run away with Killian on his ship. She wishes that she could see the world, have a better life far from her family.

Away from the abuse and the endless work. But she won't. Cali can't leave Baelfire to suffer the same way that she does. She refuses to ruin his life in order to fix her own. Cali won't abandon him like her parents have her.

And as she drifts off to sleep, sobs still shaking her tired, aching form, all she can think of is the wide open sea and her pirate captain taking her far, far away...

OLD NOTES / ➤𝐒𝐨, 𝐮𝐦, 𝐲𝐞𝐬. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢!➤
➤𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭, 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲'𝐚𝐥𝐥!➤
➤𝟗-𝟐𝟗-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎➤

NEW NOTES / just realized that this chapter marks two away from Cali and Killian thinking that they got their happily ever after before everything goes to sh*t <3

In all seriousness they are my favorites and I am so so so excited to be getting closer to season two and the eventual reunion of these two AGAIN jsjs

anyways, I recently made an insta edit of them that I'll link in the comments here >

hope that you're enjoying it, and I'd love to hear any feedback that you have!!

08.22.2022