Breathing ∞ Kol Mikaelson [1]

[68]

Emma's eyes watched as the sea rolled by them, the boat ripping through its waves as it passed by the shores of the island. It was as blue as the sky, so clear that she could see the fish beneath swimming around, away from the sandy beaches and green trees only miles away on shore.

The sight alone was beautiful enough to bring a smile to her face. And it was only made brighter by the man she was leaning against, sitting on a small boat, her back pressed into his chest while he played with their intertwined hands in front of her.

"So your idea of running is sitting on the beach sipping mojitos?" Emma asked curiously, and even though he was unable to see her face, Kol could still hear the smile in her voice, the light tinge of teasing as she evaluated his choice of their first destination.

"Don't forget, darling, I've been doing it for a thousand years. I do have some experience." He pointed out, making her let out a small laugh. He'd told her stories before, about the times he'd separate from his family while they evaded their father, going off to various corners of the world as he explored. "Times like these are exactly when you're supposed to be having fun. Not just looking over your shoulder and worrying."

And she had to admit, he was right. She knew he was. Emma had always dreamed of travelling and exploring and finding new places she could continuously fall in love with. She knew that, if she had a chance, she'd do anything to reverse the events which brought her here, but she couldn't. She could only live her life as it was, and live it to the fullest. It's what her mother would have wanted. It's what Emma herself wanted.

"Alright then, tell me what made you choose Nassau?" Emma asked him curiously, shifting in her spot so she could turn and see his face. It's what made it possible to catch the spark in his eye as he smirked. He was happy to be here, it was why he'd chosen it. And she wanted to hear the stories of why. She always loved hearing his stories.

"When I was first here, it was the late 1690s." Kol started the story, but the year alone made Emma laugh in amusement. She wasn't even remotely surprised to find this out. The time period and the location seemed exactly like Kol's kind of place.

"The Golden Age of Piracy." She chuckled in amusement, making Kol smile, happy to know she was once again aware of the history. She continuously managed to impress him with the fact that she knew so much of the past without ever living in it.

"I returned to my family in Spain in 1702, so I never got to see Nassau in its full glory, but that doesn't mean it wasn't still full of all kinds of interesting people and things." Kol continued on, Emma listening with full interest. "People had finally started searching for treasures and loot beyond the oceans of the Caribbean, and pirates continued to bring all kinds of amazing things from Asia and Africa."

"Right, you were here for the things they stole. Not the endless supply of rum and blood." Emma teased, knowing that those things alone would have brought Kol to the Caribbean even if it weren't for the gold and the riches.

"All three of those. And the witches." He revealed, making Emma's expression spark with interest. While she always loved any story about the Mikaelson's past and the things they saw, Kol's stories involving witches were always her favourite. "They were revered here, of course. Their talents used not only to locate treasure and ships, but also to keep the seas calm and luck on the pirates' side."

"And let me guess, in exchange the men brought them some magical mystical objects from far far away?" Emma asked, finally starting to understand why the choice of Nassau. Not only was it a place he had fond memories of, but just like many others he'd promised to take her to back when they were only playing games of pretend and imagine, it was imbued with magic and witch history.

"And then I'd steal them." He added on, making a laugh burst from her lips. Once again, she could certainly see him doing something like that. Even for simple things, because he found it fun.

"You were the worst pirate of all, weren't you, Kol Mikaelson?" She asked teasingly, her fingers brushing away some of his windswept hair only to have him grab her hand back and place kisses on her palm. Emma let out another laugh at the action.

"You know me so well, darling." He chuckled in amusement. And while he spoke in a joking voice, Kol realized how true it actually was. She knew him. She knew who he was and what he was like. She knew it even before she met him. And yet she was here, running with him, trusting him. It made Kol feel that bubbling in his chest again that he couldn't quite understand. All he knew was that he didn't mind it. Not one bit.

"We're here." Their small moment was interrupted by the first sound the third person on the boat made ever since Emma and Kol had boarded it. The captain of the small tour boat was paid quite handsomely by the Mikaelson to be at their disposal during their stay, as well as compelled to completely forget about their presence in the area whenever they weren't around.

Emma's eyes turned towards the bungalow nestles in a secluded corner on the island, hanging over the blue water and connecting to the land by a wooden bridge. Built entirely out of wood, it was smaller than Emma imagined Kol would have chosen, but she still thought it was beautiful. On one side of it, all one could see was vast greenery and on the other, the ocean spread so far it was as if you could see the edge of the world on the horizon.

"I'll take your bags in for you, Mr Mikaelson." The captain announced, already climbing onto the bridge with their luggage in hand, leaving Kol and Emma to make their way to the house at their own pace.

"I hope it's to your liking." Kol said as the two of them started to climb out of the boat as well. He extended his hand to Emma, helping her climb out of the boat and onto the bridge and once she was across, he didn't let go.

"Anywhere is to my liking, as long as I'm with you." Emma said with a smile on her face, making Kol give out a small laugh as he listened to her repeat the same words he'd told her on the plane when she asked whether he was sure about going with her for about the hundredth time.

"Come on." Kol gently tugged on her hand and she didn't need to be told twice before following after him, eager to see if the bungalow was just as beautiful on the inside as she imagined it would be.

As they walked down the bridge, Emma's eyes looked it again, but this time something shifted and for just a moment a picture flashed through her mind. It was no longer the beautiful wooden piece of architecture with an amazing view. Now Emma saw it in a different state; flames licking the wood and rising high into the sky while the crystal clear blue ocean around it was coloured red with blood.

Kol felt her grip on his hand loosen as she hesitated a couple of steps behind him, making him stop to send her a curious glance which was soon wiped from his face once he saw the look in her eyes. It made him turn back fully, taking the steps needed to appear in front of her, blocking her view of the bungalow for a moment and making the picture disappear from her mind. Emma once again focused on his face, pushing the thought away as she tried to send him a small smile.

"You're safe, darling. No one knows we're here and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise." Kol brushed his hand over her cheek gently, bringing her further back to reality and making the smile on her face seem more genuine this time.

"I know." She nodded her head, because she did know it. She trusted his promise. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she felt him return the embrace instantly. "I'm sorry." She said, not wanting him to think she didn't believe what he was telling her.

But, of course, that thought hadn't even occurred to him. Because, as he'd said before, Kol had been running for a thousand years, and he knew what it felt like. "There's nothing to apologize for." No matter how much they laughed and smiled and enjoyed themselves, the thought would always be there, in the back of her mind, ready to come back up whenever it wanted to. But Kol was ready to make sure that that was all it was; a thought. A thought that would one day be a distant worry.