Once Upon a Time 1. Chapter 1 - Nightmare

This is set after season 3 ends with some minor snippets from season 4 mixed in, but the major plot points haven't happened in my world. Snow Queen is still happening in the background, but hasn't really heated up much. Emma and Killian are definitely dating and trying to enjoy their "good" moments.

Frame of reference for the season 4 time line is that most of 4x03 happened (Snow Queen ahoy!), but Emma didn't get a chance to tell Hook her fears about losing him. I've taken us on my own little journey from there. Major difference between the season and my story – Emma and Henry have their own place, cause come on, already!

Not sure exactly where I'm going with it yet, but it's been fun trying to figure it out. Hope you enjoy.

Later chapters will definitely be **M** rated. It's necessary to the plot...I swear! ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my opinions.

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"_Even if she be not harmed, her heart may fail her in so much and so many horrors; and hereafter she may suffer-both in waking, from her nerves, and in sleep, from her dreams."  
_

_― __Bram Stoker__, __Dracula_

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**Chapter One: Nightmare**

Another night, another nightmare.

Emma stared up at the dark ceiling of her bedroom, heart racing, fingers balled up in her tangled sheets. Normally, she couldn't remember much of her dreams, but this one was different. It had burrowed it's way into her mind, the horrifying images still flitting across her vision.

There had been a ship, floundering in a storm. A lone figure had been standing on its bow, doing nothing to protect the ship or himself from the fierce winds and crashing waves. While she couldn't remember context, she _knew_ that any desire he had to live was gone. His agony had reached her, shattering her heart with its intensity, his pain suddenly her pain.

"Killian!" She had screamed, but the gusting wind had swept the sound out to the raging sea. She had watched, helpless, as he stared into the storm, his blue eyes filled with despair.

A massive wave, angry and dark, rose high above their heads, making it's way toward the badly listing _Jolly Roger. _Emma had turned back to Hook, panic causing her heart to race so hard that her chest ached. She had watched him, his lips forming her name as the wave rose higher above them.

"Killian!" She had screamed one more time, but he still didn't hear her. The wave seemed to hang for several long moments before crashing down onto the deck of the _Jolly _and washing Killian into the fathomless sea.

She had woken up, screaming and in a cold sweat as she sat upright in the bed. It took her a moment to remember where she was, to realize that it had all been a dream. She plopped back down, blinking back tired and frustrated tears.

"Damn it." She mumbled, reaching up to brush the suffocating mass of her hair away from her face and throat.

It had been like this for weeks now. Every night it was the same, no matter how happy the day or how content she was as she lay in her bed. When she finally dropped off to sleep, the dark dreams would begin.

It was always the same. Killian dying and her not being able to save him.

She dreamed of him dying in Neverland as Dreamshade flowed into his heart, drowning in Zalena's front yard, dying trying to protect Henry as flying monkeys attacked them, dying in the Enchanted Forest at the hands of Rumpelstiltskin, being impaled by a giant icicle sent crashing down by the Snow Queen. It went on and on. She was tormented, the dreadful images warping her happiness and stealing her sanity.

She hadn't felt like herself since the dreams had started. It wasn't just the lack of uninterrupted sleep, although that was definitely a factor. It was the extreme agony she felt each time she lost him, each of his goodbyes just about ripping her heart out of her chest. The pain literally haunted her waking hours, whispering a promise to reappear the _minute _she closed her eyes to sleep.

She told no one, not wanting to bother them with her problems. They were focused on helping Elsa find her sister, on the new baby, on being Mayor, on not falling apart at the loss of their True Love. They all had their own problems to solve. Her nightmares seemed so small in comparison.

Killian was the only one that seemed to truly sense something was wrong, but she refused to share the dreams with him. They were trying to make it work, a relationship in between snow monsters and ice walls. She didn't want to taint that with her silly dreams, didn't want the sweetness of their good moments to end.

But weeks went by with no respite. She was tired all the time, asking David to drive her everywhere as she became concerned that she would fall asleep at the wheel. She could barely eat, the thought of food making her nauseous. Her head was constantly throbbing, no amount of aspirin helping to ease the ache. On a good day, she felt about as pulled together as the walking dead. She seriously contemplated getting an intravenous tube and mainlining coffee to help her stay awake. Anything to avoid another nightmare, another of Killian's deaths.

The day that she yelled at Henry, she knew she had to tell someone. He was being difficult, not wanting to pick his clothes off the floor of his room. It wasn't anything significant; it wasn't anything that usually bothered her, but she snapped. Angry words erupted from her mouth. She instantly regretted them, the pain on Henry's face like a slap to her own. She'd never yelled at him, not really, and certainly not over something as stupid as a pile of clothes.

"Henry, god, I'm sorry." She pulled him into her arms, pressing apologetic kisses to his head. He returned the hug, but he was trembling and it made her ill to think that she had upset him so.

She dropped Henry off at Regina's before driving straight to her parents' loft. Sitting at their table, she recounted each of her dreams, the words burning her throat. They stared at her as she spoke, concern etched into their faces.

"Oh, Emma." Mary Margaret reached over to grab her hand, catching her husband's concerned gaze over the top of their daughter's bowed head. "Have you told Killian about these dreams?"

She pulled back from Mary Margaret, eyes widened in agitation at the question. "I don't want him to know about this."

"But Emma, he might be able to help."

"How? They're just nightmares. They'll stop." Emma stood, panicked by the thought of telling Killian. Perhaps it was irrational, but she feared that telling him would somehow put his life in danger. She knew that he would stop at nothing to help her find some peace, regardless of what that would entail.

"Emma, if they were just dreams they would've stopped by now. This is something more. Your mother's right. Hook may be able to help." She glared at her father, shoving her hands in her back pockets in annoyance.

"Figures you'd side with her."

"Hey. Your mother and I are just worried about you, Emma. Don't take this out on us." She sighed, rubbing her hand across her forehead.

"I'm sorry. I know you're just trying to help." She mumbled sheepishly.

"Emma, please sit back down and we'll figure this out. Together." Mary Margaret reached for her across the table. Emma perched uneasily back in her chair, leaning forward to squeeze her mother's hand in her own.

"You'll sleep here tonight." David said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Your room is just like you left it."

As Emma snuggled down into her old bed that evening, she hoped that the presence of her parents nearby would stave off the worst of the nightmares. As had become her habit, she forced herself to stay awake as long as possible. She tossed and turned, anxiety keeping her stomach clenched in a knot of pain. As dawn began to brighten the edges of her curtains, she finally fell asleep.

The dream, at first, felt like all the others. Emma could feel her veins thrumming with fear, could feel a pit of dread in her stomach at the swaying of the _Jolly Roger's_ deck beneath her feet. Her immediate reaction was "not again," but as soon as she thought the words, she _knew _that this was not the same dream.

She could feel the solid warmth of a body behind her, a strong arm sliding from her hip to her stomach, pulling her back against a broad chest. She felt...safe, which given the tone of her dreams lately was new. The scent of salt and leather and rum surrounded her and she knew instantly who was behind her..._Killian_.

She felt her body relax into his embrace, relief rushing through her at the feel of his body around hers. They were on the deck of the _Jolly Roger,_ adrift in calm waters, with an endlessly starry sky above them. A light breeze blew wisps of her hair across her cheeks, tickling her face.

It's not real, she told herself. The _Jolly Roger_ is gone and Killian stopped wearing this particular leather jacket ages ago now.

His lips were ghosting across the sensitive spot behind her ear, raising goosebumps along her skin. She reached backwards to grasp the sides of his coat and pulled his hips closer to hers, feeling the hard evidence of his desire pressing into her. He nipped along her neck, his splayed hand warm against her stomach.

No, it's not real, but _god,_ did she wish it was.

His name spilled from her lips and she should have been concerned with how desperate she sounded, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Not when he was spinning her around and pressing her back against the railing of his ship all in one smooth motion. He caged her between his arms, setting his hook and hand on either side of her.

He paused a moment, staring down at her intently and that's when she knew that this wasn't _her_ Killian. This Killian's eyes were jet black, no hint of his stormy blue to be found. Her body jerked against him, startled at the evil she saw in the depths of his gaze. She pushed against his chest, but he was immovable, a gorgeously evil grin splitting his face.

Panic began to race through her veins, but just as she started to struggle against him, she caught another whiff of rum as it wafted against her lips. She paused as the familiar scent soothed her. Closing her eyes to the blackness, she focused on the feel of his warm body against hers, the thrum of his heartbeat under her palm, the smell of leather and rum that surrounded her.

"_Help me_." She moaned.

His good hand instantly came up to tangle in her hair, holding her in place as he leaned in, finally brushing his lips to hers. The simple touch spread heat through her body, easing the deep, penetrating ache that throbbed within her. She gasped, waiting breathlessly for another brush of his mouth against hers.

She knew she shouldn't want this; it wasn't him, it wasn't Killian, and yet...

She didn't push him away when he leaned in again, pulling her tightly to his body. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck when he lifted her up, setting her down on the edge of the railing. Her legs slid open easily, allowing him to step between her hips to press directly into her heat, hitting her so deftly that stars exploded behind her closed eyelids.

She couldn't control her fingers as they scrambled for purchase in the leather of his coat, couldn't control her need to pull him even closer.

She refused to look into his eyes again, not wanting to see his evil staring back at her. But he smelled like her Killian and he tasted him, his mouth slick and hot against hers in the way that his always was. The roughness of his fingers, rings cool and biting on her tender skin, helped her ignore the voice in her head that warned her against him.

She could feel her body trembling for his next touch, her arousal making her slick in preparation for his body. He trailed his lips along her throat, his fingers sliding up the back of her thigh, brushing aside the layers of a ridiculously flimsy gown to grasp her hip, pulling her to the very edge of the railing.

She shouldn't be doing this, but she couldn't stop.

It was inevitable now; she was making no attempt to break away. If anything she was encouraging him by pressing small kisses along his throat, moaning at the salty taste of his skin. Her hands were working at the laces of his leather pants and just when she began to despair that she would never be able to untie them, her palm was sliding against the taut skin of his abdomen and then lower, wiry curls slipping between her fingers.

Emma paused, one breath away from wrapping her hand around his rigid flesh, her body open and waiting for him to surge forward into her. In that moment, she looked back into his eyes, wanting desperately to see a pair of beautiful blue eyes staring back at her. Instead she was staring into a monstrous black abyss again, and the absolute pain she felt at not seeing Killian's eyes stopped her.

Staring into that blackness, she felt her superpower flare within her, his lie barreling into her chest and rebounding through her body like the clanging of a bell. It focused her.

She sucked in a deep breath, smelling not the rum and leather that she associated with Killian, but the stench of rotting flesh. She pushed back against his chest, leaning as far away from him as she could. She felt herself begin to topple backwards, the sea beneath her no longer calm, but raging and waiting for her to drop into its depths.

As she fell, a demented scream filled the air, startling her awake. She lay in her bed, panting as her body ached with unfulfilled desire and absolute terror. She could still feel the beast's fingers on her skin, the scrape of his nails burning where he'd pressed against her inner thighs to open them wider. When the pain failed to dissipate, she sat up, sliding her pajama pants down and inspecting her legs. She stared in horrified awe at the set of fingerprints she found bruised into her skin, at the deep scratches she found there.

She couldn't make any more excuses. Her nightmares were reaching out now, tearing her flesh along with her sanity. And if she didn't do something quickly, she was sure they would reach out and take Killian from her next.

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_Reviews are like chocolate chip cookies; the more you have, the more you want. _**Hook **_me up, lovelies! _


	2. Chapter 2 - Incubus

Here's where we find out the main plot of the story. Emma ain't gonna like it...or will she? How can a sexy pirate help her stop her nightmares?

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my opinions.

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_"The sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer."_

_-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr._

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****Chapter Two: Incubus****

Thirty minutes later, she was striding into Gold's shop with her parents at her side and Regina trailing behind them, a look of boredom on her face. These were not just nightmares and she'd been a fool to try to convince herself otherwise. Dark magic was at play again in her life and she needed this to stop, so she could get back to real problems, like Snow Queens and ice walls.

Gold was standing behind his counter, dark suit and bland expression in place. Emma was abrupt, explaining that she needed help and didn't know where else to go, but to him. She was happy that her mother had insisted on bringing Regina with them. It felt almost like she had her own brand of bitchy back-up on her side.

Emma explained what had been happening over the past few weeks to them all. She had to actively ignore the rush of color in her face as she described last night's dream. She told them about the bruises and scratches on her thighs, staring into her mother's worried eyes as she spoke, hoping to find some comfort in their green depths. When she finished, Gold had his long fingers pressed together under his chin, a knowing gleam sparkling in his eyes.

"You've been attacked by an incubus, Miss Swan, and a particularly nasty one at that." Emma stood there for several seconds with her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

Well, _that _can't be good.

"An incubus? Really?" She was finally able to squeak out. Mary Margaret rushed to her side, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders as Emma took a deep breath to steady herself. "How in the hell did this happen?"

"Dark Magic." Regina murmured, her keen eyes watching Gold.

"Who would do such a thing?" Mary Margaret asked indignantly.

"We need to get rid of it and then we can figure out who sent it to me." Emma promptly answered. She turned to Regina, keeping Gold in her sights as well. "Explain what's happening to me."

Regina crossed her arms in front of herself, a frown bringing her brows down. "What have you heard about incubuses?"

"Aren't they supposed to attack you while you sleep, have sex with you and steal your soul? Something like that?" Emma stumbled over the words. None of that sounded in any way good for her.

"It's a little more complicated than that, but you've got most of the basics, yes. The incubus invades your dreams, usually by taking the form of a person you desire." Regina's eyes flicked over to David, taking in the sudden pallor of his skin and smirking before she continued. "As Gold mentioned, your incubus seems to be a particularly nasty one. He didn't start out by trying to seduce you, he started out by trying to scare you. I haven't heard of that before."

Regina turned to Gold as he pulled a dusty tome off the shelf behind him. He opened the book, setting it on the glass counter and searching swiftly through its pages until finding the passage he was looking for. He then waived Regina over and pointed down at a section that Emma could tell wasn't written in English. Regina read for a moment, glancing back up at Gold when she finished.

"What does it say?" Emma asked, taking a step forward earnestly.

"It appears that fear is a strategy that the incubus employs when there is a strong bond between the victim and the person they desire. When emotions are involved, the incubus has to work harder to convince you that they are who they are pretending to be."

"I don't understand. How would showing me Hook dying convince me that he was that _thing_ last night?"

"It says here that by the time the incubus appears, you'd be so desperate to keep Hook alive after seeing him die in your dreams so often that you'd ignore any signs that the incubus wasn't him. You'd ignore your better judgment and give into the incubus."

"But that's not what happened. I mean, maybe for a few moments, I almost...gave in, but I always knew it wasn't Killian." Her voice trailed off as she blushed furiously, remembering how willing she was to ignore her better sense and give into the incubus' touch.

"Which is why you're in even more danger now, Miss Swan." Gold responded. Emma looked up to him, suddenly very afraid of what he would say next. "You're connection to the pirate is stronger than the incubus had bargained for and now, he'll stop at nothing to have you."

Mary Margaret's arm tightened along Emma's shoulders, trying to provide some type of comfort, but really how did you comfort someone when they were being tormented by an incubus? There wasn't enough hot cocoa and cinnamon in the world for that scenario.

"How do I stop it?" She asked, clenching her fists in determination.

"I hate to be the bearer of what I can only assume will be extremely unpleasant news, Miss Swan, but the only one who can help you now is the pirate." Gold responded, his face serious, but his eyes still sparkling.

"No." Emma said abruptly, her mouth set in a grim line. "I won't bring him into this."

"Emma!" Mary Margaret said. She stepped in front of her daughter, looking at her with deep concern. "Stop being so stubborn. If Killian can help, then we have to ask him. You know he'd be more than willing."

Emma paused, the desire to see him almost overwhelming her. She had been aching since she woke up to call him, to hear his voice. But she couldn't stop thinking of him dying in her arms, over and over again. No, she wouldn't risk his life to save her own.

"No. He stays out of this." She repeated. "How do I fight it?"

"You don't. Not without the pirate." Gold's voice was calm, almost indifferent, but he watched Emma intently as she turned his words over and over in her mind.

"Gold is right, Emma. Hook is the only one that can break the hold that the incubus has over you." Regina murmured as she gazed down at the book on the counter. "You have to fight against your instinct to protect him. The incubus gave you those nightmares, convinced your sub-conscious that if Hook were to help you, he'd die. That's why you don't want him here now. You think he's in danger, but _you're_ the one in danger."

Emma tensed at her words, the images of Killian dying in her arms bringing tears to her eyes even now. She shook her head to get rid of them, but they clung to her tightly, just like they had for weeks now.

"Emma, listen to them. Please." She turned to look at her father, surprised by his plea. He had stepped up beside Mary Margaret, fear written into every line of his face. Grabbing her elbows, he stared down into her face, pleading with her to do whatever she needed to to save herself. "You have to fight back. Don't give up." He whispered and she felt her stubborn refusal to ask for Killian's help fall away at the desperation in his eyes.

"What does he need to do?" Emma sighed in defeat, rubbing a hand tiredly across her forehead. There was a pause and then Gold responded, a teasing note in his voice.

"I do believe this is better told by a woman, Your Highness." He nodded to Regina and she stared over at him in annoyance for a moment before sighing grandly.

"Oh, fine, but I'm only going to explain this once." Regina stated, glaring at Gold before waiving her hand, a cloud of purple smoke billowing up in the middle of the shop.

When the haze cleared, Killian was standing in front of them and Emma couldn't help the surge of joy that ran through her at seeing him. His eyes, oh god, his blue eyes flared in recognition when they landed on her. He took a step towards her, his hand reaching out as if he wanted to grab her before he realized that they weren't alone.

He paused, an eyebrow quirking up as he turned towards the others.

"Looks like the party started without me, although arriving late does make for quite the dramatic entrance. To what do I owe the pleasure?" A nasty sneer twisted his features as he bowed slightly in Gold's direction, but his eyes, those gorgeous blue eyes never left Emma's.

"It appears the Savior needs a bit of saving, Hook." Regina responded and without waiting for Emma to preface the situation, she began to explain about the incubus and the weeks that Emma had been fighting against it's grip. As the Queen explained more and more, understanding dawned in Killian's eyes and Emma watched as his cheeks reddened in anger.

At her or the situation, she wasn't sure.

As Regina began to describe her most recent dream, Emma couldn't stand to watch him any longer. She turned her back, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment as Regina painted a picture of Emma and the incubus in a passionate embrace on the deck of the _Jolly Roger. _David finally cleared his throat when he couldn't bear to hear any more and a deafening silence settled around them.

Emma could feel Killian's gaze on her, but she couldn't turn around and let him see how afraid she suddenly was of where all this was leading them.

"Although I fully question Miss Swan's choice of bed mate, _you_ are the only one that can help her break the hold that the incubus has over her." Gold broke the silence to explain Killian's sudden presence in the shop and Emma waited with bated breath to hear what he would say to all this.

"What do I need to do?" He said gruffly, a dark vein of anger thrumming through his words. "I assume there are rules to defeating this type of creature."

There was another pregnant pause. Emma looked up to catch Regina and Gold locked in a staring contest, Regina's eyes almost popping out of her head in annoyance. Gold was amused and the corner of his mouth quirked up as he shook his head as if saying, "not it." Regina finally rolled her eyes in peeved resignation and then barreled ahead.

"There's the obvious, of course. Intercourse." She said brusquely.

"What?" Emma spun on her heel to face them all, her face flaming, her eyes wide with surprise.

"What?" Both Mary Margaret and David turned to Regina, an expression of dumbfounded disbelief settling on their faces.

"Is the thought of bedding me so damn appalling, Swan?" Emma risked a glance in Killian's direction, taking in his dark features and the frown bringing his brows together. She decided to skip answering that question as there really was no way to do so without upsetting her parents and embarrassing her to no end.

"Regina, you can't be serious!" She said instead.

"The incubus is using your feelings and your attraction to Hook to attack you. The only way to ward off the beast, _to kill it_, is to give in to the real object of your desire and remove the power that the incubus holds over you. You have to give yourself to Hook."

"It can't possibly be that simple." Killian leveled his furious gaze on Regina.

"Simple? This is simple?" Emma asked, her voice coming out in a high pitched squeal. She had to compose herself or she'd be running out of the shop next, flailing her arms as she ran up the street like Leroy announcing that another curse had arrived in Storybrooke.

Regina rolled her eyes in exasperation before responding.

"Really, Emma, contain yourself. The pirate is correct. The incubus needs to be drawn from you and that's not going to happen with a "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am," kind of night. You need to..." Regina shifted uncomfortably, pausing to look at Mary Margaret and David before continuing. "You need to reach _completion _several times during your time together."

"Oh, god." Emma felt her knees go wobbly. "How...how many times would that be exactly?"

"There's not a specific number. And, you must wait to completely consummate your physical relationship until the incubus is dying."

"What does that even mean, Regina? You just said that we have to...to be intimate. Many, many times, in fact. How can we do that _and_ wait to consummate our physical relationship?"

"There are many ways to please a woman without _fucking_ her, Swan." Hook's voice was vicious and dark; Emma actually felt her spine tense at the repressed rage in his tone.

"Hey! Watch your language in front of my daughter, pirate!" David took an angry step toward Killian who quickly turned to her father with a dirty smirk on his face.

"Are you really going to worry about my _language_ at a time like this, Dave?" He quirked an amused eyebrow in her father's direction before turning back to Regina. "Are there any other quaint little rules that will dictate the next several hours of my life, Your Highness?"

"You can't use protection." Regina said. She's certainly sticking with the blunt approach, Emma thought as Mary Margaret and David both groaned.

"Are you serious? Regina, this is insane!" David demanded. He looked crazed, his eyes bulging and his face draining of all it's color and then going quite red all within a few seconds. It would be funny, if it wasn't so...not funny.

"I don't understand." Emma looked up at Killian and realized that Regina's colloquialism had been lost on him. Regina sighed again, clearly put upon to have to keep explaining the finer points of this situation to them.

"There can't be any barriers between you to temper the flames of your desire. Emma must give herself completely to you."

Emma felt her knees buckle again and she sagged against the glass counter behind her. She pressed a hand to her forehead and realized she was sweating.

"So, by 'protection' you mean condoms?" Killian asked. Emma's head snapped to him so quickly she actually cricked her neck.

"How do you know what condoms are?" Emma stared at him, her mouth hanging open. He let his tongue slide provocatively along his bottom lip, stilling in the corner of his mouth as he smirked over at her.

"Wouldn't you like to know, darling?" His voice was low and seductive and Emma could feel her body's immediate response to it. She rolled her eyes in exasperation to try to hide it, pushing herself away from the case to stand in front of Regina.

"Is there anything else?"

"The incubus's power is strongest during the night, when dreams run rampant and reality is suspended. When the sun sets, he'll try to get you to sleep. You have to fight back against him, Emma. Hook, you have to keep her in the here and now. And remember, you must wait until the incubus is dying before you..." She paused, looking for the word she wanted before finally saying, "Oh, hell. Before you fuck. The incubus must be dying before you fuck."

David's face drained of all color again while Mary Margaret pressed her hand over her heart as if she was about to have a heart attack. Emma could understand the feeling, her own heart was racing at the thought of her and Hook..._oh god._

"How will we know when the beast is dying?" Hook had the presence of mind to ask.

"I'll be able to track your progress with this." Gold held up a small globe before placing it over the counter. Emma expected it to roll to the floor, but it hovered an inch or two above the glass. It was slightly larger than a marble, a black fog swirling under its clear surface. "Let's test it out, shall we?"

He waived his hand over the top of the globe, keeping his eyes on it before calling out to Killian, "Captain, if you wouldn't mind kissing Miss Swan? Nothing too intense, just a peck on the cheek will suffice."

"The hell I will!" Hook responded back, angry to be asked such a thing by the Dark One.

"Killian." Emma said, stepping closer to him. "Just do what he asks. We need to make sure this will work." She caught his eye, pleading with him silently.

He nodded once before stepping closer to her, his breath warm and sweet as it slid against her skin. He pressed a chaste kiss o her cheek, his hand pressing into the small of her back for a moment before he stepped away again. She immediately ached at the loss of his warmth.

She heard a little gasp from her mother and she looked over to see Mary Margaret pointing at the globe as it hovered over the counter. "It changed." She whispered, her eyes wide. And it had. The sphere was now gently vibrating in the air, a wispy thread of white swirling in the blackness. The light was faint, but steady as it warmly pulsed inside the clear globe.

"How do you feel, Miss Swan?" Gold asked her, his eyes intent on her face. Emma paused, concentrating on the inner turmoil that had been rolling through her over the past few weeks. It was definitely still there, but she also felt something else, something warm and happy.

"Better. I think." She looked to Killian, trying to catch his eye, but he was staring at Gold, an angry scowl marring his beautiful face.

"I'll not have you keeping track of how many times Emma...Give it to someone else, Crocodile. _Now._" Killian took a step closer to Gold, his hand clenched at his side, his gaze murderous.

"I'll watch over it. Give it to me." Mary Margaret stepped forward, her hand out for the globe. Emma went to stop her, horrified that her mother would be to keep track of how many times she and Hook..._oh god_. David, seeing her mouth open in protest, held up his hand to silence her.

"Give it to my wife, Gold. If she sees anything concerning, she'll call Regina. No one else needs to know my daughter's business." Emma knew from the tone of his voice that he would hear no arguments on the subject, perhaps feeling that this was the only control he and Mary Margaret had over the situation.

"Certainly." Gold agreed, placing the globe into Mary Margaret's waiting hand. She stared at it for a moment before tucking it carefully into her coat pocket.

"When the smoke inside the ball only has one spot of black left, then you'll know that the incubus is dying and you can fully consummate your..._.relationship_." Gold waived his hand towards Emma and Killian, a note of disdain in his voice. "Emma should be able to tell when the incubus is failing as well. The globe is but a mere... precaution."

"Emma?" Mary Margaret reached out for her elbow and led her towards the back of the shop, leaving Killian, Gold, and David in a tense silence at the front. Regina followed them, pausing to stare at Gold in thought before entering the back room.

"Are you going to be alright?" Mary Margaret asked her daughter, her voice soft and calming. Emma nodded slowly, before looking back to the front of the shop. Killian was staring down into one of the glass cases, his eyes hooded and dark, the expression on his face unreadable.

"Emma." Emma looked to Regina. "Take a deep breath and pull yourself together. Acting like this is the end of your world isn't helping the situation. Hook needs to do this for you, _with you_, but with the way your acting right now, I wouldn't be surprised if his jolly has left his roger." Emma snorted at her choice of words, her cheeks flaming with color.

"He's a man, Emma. A man with a large ego who also happens to be madly in love with you. If he thinks that you're in any way dreading what's about to happen..." Regina trailed off, tilting her head in contemplation. "Are you really dreading this so much? Hook is, well, not unpleasant to look at and he has years of experience. Live a little and enjoy yourself."

"Oh, God, Regina, really!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, her cheeks flaming red. So, that's where I get it from, Emma thought to herself in amusement.

She turned Regina's words over in head. God knew that she wanted him, had wanted him for longer than she'd ever wanted anyone. That's not what her hesitancy was about. It's just that this wasn't how it was supposed to happen; she had wanted it to be sweet and special, a choice that they both made, not one they were being forced into. Tears of frustration came unbidden to her eyes.

Not to mention that she was petrified that he was in danger because of her. She knew now that it was just the work of the incubus that had convinced her of that, but it was a hard thought to shake.

"Emma." Mary Margaret stepped into her line of vision, reaching to lift up Emma's chin, so that she could see her face. "If you don't want to do this, you don't have to. We'll find another way."

"There is no other way." Regina mumbled behind her. Mary Margaret threw a stern look over her shoulder, turning back to Emma with an appraising look on her face.

"We can find another way, Emma."

Emma looked back to the front of the shop, her eyes searching out Killian again. He had turned towards her as she talked with Regina and her mother. Their gazes connected across the distance between them, his eyes dark as he watched her.

Would it detract from the specialness of the moment if they gave themselves to each other because of a curse, she wondered. She needed a sign from him, some indication that they would survive this.

"What's the matter, Swan? Don't think you can handle _it_?" He called out to her, emphasizing the T teasingly.

"Hey!" David stepped over to Hook, jabbing him roughly in the shoulder, causing a wince of pain to run across Killian's face. As he rubbed at the spot where her father had hit him, he caught Emma's gaze over David's shoulder, said, "As you wish, Dave" and _winked_ at her.

As you wish...it was her sign, she knew it.

Squaring her shoulders, her decision made, she turned to her mother and said, "It's okay, mom. I'll be fine." Mary Margaret took in the determined set of her jaw, her eyes flicking over to Regina for a moment before pressing her hand to Emma's cheek.

"If you need anything, you call us and we'll be right there." Emma nodded, smiling to reassure her, but not able to still the sudden pounding of her heart.

The two women walked her back to the front of the shop. Gold hadn't moved from his spot behind the counter, probably expecting Hook to steal some of his merchandise if left unaccompanied.

Mary Margaret went to her husband as Emma walked slowly toward Killian. She caught the flare of emotion in his eyes as she made her way to him, a look of relief and utter devotion that he quickly tried to hide from the others in the room.

Emma heard her mother whisper behind her, "She'll be okay, David. He'd never hurt her."

"How can you possibly know that?" David hissed back.

"Because that's the same way you look at me. And you would never do anything to hurt me." Emma paused at that, keeping her eyes trained on Killian as she flushed at her mother's words. She wondered if he'd heard them as well, but he gave no indication that he had.

She turned back to her parents, giving them a reassuring smile even though she felt like she was going to projectile vomit. They smiled back at her, acting for all the world as if she was just going on a date with Hook and would be back in a couple of hours. This whole situation was beyond surreal, although she did feel infinitely better with them keeping an eye on the globe than Gold.

"Have you got your phone on you, Emma?" Her father asked. She nodded and he held up his own. "Your mother will let you know when the globe is almost white." His eyes landed on Killian then and he stared at the pirate, probably wanting to warn him about touching his daughter, but knowing it was counterproductive to their purpose. Instead, he simply crossed his arms on his chest and glared at Killian.

She could feel Hook at her back, warm and firm, the rustle of his leather coat familiar. You can do this, Emma, she told herself. It's not like you haven't had sex before. Her cheeks flamed red at the thought, glad that Killian was standing behind her and unable to see the blush.

"Tell Henry I love him." She said to Regina.

"Your Majesty, perhaps you could deposit our fated couple to a locale a little more private? Somewhere they won't be disturbed." Gold called to Regina, a pleased little smile on his lips.

Emma watched as Regina lifted her hands from her position next to her parents, saying dryly,"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, Miss Swan," before waiving her hand in front of herself, her signature purple magic surrounding them in a plume of smoke.

Emma threw her hand behind herself in surprise, grasping onto Hook's coat as his hand landed on her hip to steady her. Once the magic had cleared, they dropped their hands and looked around themselves.

They appeared to be in the cabin of a large ship, by the looks of it. It was reminiscent of the _Jolly Roger_, which was comforting for some reason. Emma moved to look out one of the windows and saw that they were indeed at sea, the gentle rocking of the boat soothing under her feet.

Killian walked over to stand beside her, staring out into the bright light of late morning. The silence stretched and stretched as Emma jammed her hands into her back pockets and tried to figure out what to say. They'd never been the awkward type of couple, but suddenly awkward was all she could feel.

Not knowing what to say, she took a step toward him, but stopped when he turned abruptly around, anger making the blue of his eyes jump.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to bother you."

"Bother me? Swan, I could have helped!"

"You _are_ helping!"

"Only because you can't survive _unless_ I help. If it were up to you, I would never have known anything about this. Why? Is it truly so horrible?"

"Is what so horrible?" Emma watched as his anger changed to pain and confusion.

"The thought of letting me help you. After all this time, why do you still doubt me? I could've left you in New York, I could've left you in Storybrooke after the curse was broken, I could've left you when you defeated Zalena but I haven't! Do you know why I haven't, you silly, ridiculous woman? Because I can't bear the thought of not seeing you every day, of not being part of your life. I experienced that agony for a year and it nearly broke me. I've done everything that I can think of to show you how I feel and you still, _gods_, Emma, you still push me away!"

Tears came to her eyes at the anguish in his voice. His chest was heaving as he dropped his eyes from hers, avoiding her gaze as if he was embarrassed by how much he had revealed.

"I'm sorry." She choked out. "I don't doubt you, Killian. I did it to keep you safe."

"I know I'm a pirate, love, but if this is ever going to work you're going to have to trust me!"

"I do trust you! That's not...that's not why I didn't tell you, Killian, I swear." She stepped towards him, frantic to make him understand. "Every night for weeks, all I've dreamed of is you dying in my arms. Over and over again, I hold you as you tell me goodbye. I couldn't, I couldn't risk that happening for real. I can't lose you."

He stared at her, sudden understanding causing his eyes to widen slightly. "Emma." He took a step towards her and she took one quickly back.

"Don't. Please. I just...need a minute." She held up her hand to stop him coming any closer, the enormity of what she'd just admitted overwhelming her. She turned swiftly on her heel, yanking open the door to the cabin and making her way quickly up to the deck of the ship. Once there, she raced over to the railing, leaning over the side a bit as she tried to calm her raging heartbeat. When that didn't happen, she crouched down and had a good old-fashioned cry like she'd been wanting to have ever since Regina had explained what needed to happen between her and Hook.

Couldn't she have just one moment of normalcy without it being forced upon her? Ever since the Enchanted Forest, she'd taken to fantasizing about what her first time with Killian might be like. Being forced into it because of a damn incubus hadn't been a scenario that she'd imagined.

She slowly stopped crying, wiping the tears from her cheeks and running her fingers through her hair to comb out the tangles. She stood back up, watching as seagulls flew above the ship. She had no idea where they were, how far from land they might be, although she wasn't too worried. Hook had claimed to be "one helluva captain" and she trusted his ability to get them home when the time was right.

She contemplated the next few hours of her life.

While the incubus was forcing their hand a bit, the events that were about to unfold between them had been a long time coming. It rankled her, and she supposed Killian as well, that they weren't choosing the time or the place for this, but it certainly didn't change how they felt about each other.

If she hadn't been ready for this, Hook would've found an alternative; all she would've had to do was ask. The fact that just a few words from him and she'd willing chosen this fate spoke volumes to her. She remembered Regina's words and knew that she needed to show Killian that she was ready for this, that she wanted this, that they would've found their way to each other even without the incubus's forced intervention.

"Okay, Swan, pull it together. You can do this." She told herself, straightening up and tugging her shirt down around her hips. When she turned back towards the hatch, she found Killian standing at the top of the ladder, watching her.

There were questions in his eyes, a wariness in his stance that she mentally kicked herself for causing. Taking a deep breath, she went to him, smiling up into his face when she stopped before him.

"Hi." She said, sliding her hands into her back pockets casually.

"Hello." He replied, the wariness not leaving his eyes as he stared down at her.

"Sorry about freaking out before. And about not telling you what was bothering me. I really do trust you, Killian. I just couldn't bear it if something were to happen to you."

"Emma, you don't have to worry about me. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's surviving." She grinned at that before leaning forward to catch his lips with hers. He always knew exactly what to say to chase the fear from her heart and this time was no exception.

Yeah, she thought as his lips melded to hers and he easily stole her breath, I can _definitely _do this.

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_Reviews are like chocolate chip cookies; the more you have, the more you want. _**Hook **_me up, lovelies! _


	3. Chapter 3 - Suspicion

I swear the smut will be happening soon, but first we have to visit the Nolans and Regina, cause there ain't no way that Gold was being honest in that last chapter and Regina is a pretty smart cookie, so she's on to him.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Still don't own a thing.

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_"The moment there is suspicion about a person's motives, everything he does becomes tainted."_

_\- Mahatma Gandhi_

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**Chapter Three: Suspicion**

Regina followed Mary Margaret and David Nolan into their loft, her brow furrowed in contemplation. Something was off about this whole situation and she'd bet all of her considerable power that Gold was behind it. She couldn't figure out his angle, though. What was he after and why an incubus, of all creatures to summon? It took pretty dark magic to conjure up one of those beasties. He definitely had some major schemes in the works, but what were they? How did Emma and Hook play into this?

And why an freaking incubus? These creatures served a specific purpose and it wasn't the one that Emma had mentioned in Gold's shop.

Regina hadn't told Emma or her parents what the incubus was truly after, keeping that little nugget of information to herself. She was sure Gold had noticed the omission, but he hadn't called her out on it, which led her to believe that he didn't want anyone to know. It had been her little test and he'd failed, although she couldn't really be sure if he'd realized what she was doing or if he'd just assumed she'd mistranslated the book. She assumed the latter since Gold had never thought too highly of her magical skill.

The pompous jackass.

Her omission served another purpose as well; she'd known if she spilled the beans completely back in Gold's shop, Emma never would've agreed to go off with Hook. And, if Regina had any chance of figuring this thing out, she needed Miss Swan safe and out of the way for a few hours. Emma was definitely out of the way for the next twelve hours, at least, Regina smirked to herself. Floating out at sea on her very own pleasure cruise, with special "gifts" just for her and Hook to enjoy.

"So." Mary Margaret said as she plopped down on one of the bar stools at the kitchen counter. "Are you going to tell us what's actually going on, Regina, or do I have to beat it out of you?"

Regina looked up, surprised annoyance written all over her face.

"We've known each other a very long time, Regina. I _know_ when you're holding something back from me."

"What? What are you talking about?" David, clueless clod that he was, stared in open-mouthed horror at his wife. He clearly wasn't doing well with this whole situation. He was an unnatural shade of grade and he kept muttering things about protecting his daughter's virtue; how did he not realize that that particular battle had been lost, oh, about 12 years ago now?

Regina sighed, contemplating how much to actually tell them and then deciding that if Henry were in trouble, she'd want to know all of it, no matter how upsetting.

"Gold was keeping something back. There's more going on here than just an incubus."

"That's not enough?" David squeaked out, interrupting Regina and turning a brilliant shade of red. He's going to give himself a heartache at this rate, she thinks as she rolled her eyes in irritation at him.

"David. Let her explain." Mary Margaret admonished softly, turning to Regina with a determined set to her jaw.

"Emma got it wrong when she said that an incubus sucks out your soul. It's true desire is to impregnate the woman it stalks."

"Oh." Mary Margaret took in this information in, a frown of confusion on her face. "Well, I guess it's good that we found a way to stop the incubus then, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's very good, but a little too convenient, if you catch my drift."

"Sending her and Hook off to…to…_that's_ convenient?" David muttered, dropping down onto the stool next to his wife, his face pressed into his hands as he rested his elbows on the counter top.

"Can you give him a sedative or something? I think he's going to faint." Regina asked Mary Margaret, an eyebrow raised in dry amusement.

"Okay, so what does this mean? Should we go and get her before she and Hook…" Mary Margaret trailed off, reaching into her pocket suddenly to pull out the globe that Gold had given her.

She set it down on the counter top, watching as it hovered in mid-air. There was more white swirling within the black smoke now, but it was still faint and indistinct. Regina stepped closer to the counter, watching as the trails of white light pulsed under the clear surface of the glass.

"I don't think they've…done anything yet. Kisses, maybe, but nothing else, if I had to guess." Regina murmured as she judged the intensity of the white light.

"Oh, well, that's just great." David grumbled from behind his hands, resolutely not looking at the globe as it hovered next to his arm.

"Who do you think sent the incubus after Emma? What would be the point of getting her pregnant by such a beast?" Mary Margaret asked. She was staring at the globe as well, transfixed by the mixture of light and dark.

"I don't know for sure, but I have an idea of how to find out. Do you mind if I borrow that?" Regina pointed at the globe.

"Please. Take it. I don't want to have any clue as to what that _pirate_ is doing to my daughter." David mumbled from behind his hands.

"What do you need it for?" Mary Margaret asked, shooting her hand out to block Regina from scooping it up. She reminded Regina of a mother bear protecting her young. Well, she certainly understood that compulsion.

"I'd like to take it to my vault, see if I can determine the true nature of the globe. I have a sense it does more than track how many times Emma…"

"Don't! If you value your life, don't finish that thought!" David exclaimed. He stood up quickly, almost knocking over his stool, before glaring at Regina and stomping into the bathroom, the door slamming shut behind him.

"Just ignore him. He's having a hard time dealing with his daughter, you know, being 30." Mary Margaret shrugged, turning to look down at the globe before her. "I feel weird letting it out of my sight. I know I shouldn't want to see it, knowing what it's tracking, but I feel like I'm letting Emma down by not keeping it with me."

"You just want to keep your daughter safe. You don't have any other way of doing that in this situation, so you're holding onto the only thing you can to help her. I get that." Regina responded, her voice gentle with understanding. She paused for a moment, contemplating the younger woman as she stared miserably down at the globe hovering over her kitchen counter.

"Come with me." Regina offered suddenly. "David won't be much use to us in his present state, so he can stay with Neal while you and I do a little investigating."

Regina watched as Mary Margaret thought her offer over. She could see when the decision was made. That determined set to Mary Margaret's jaw was back as she grabbed the globe, shoving it into her pocket and making her way over the bathroom door. Pounding on it, she told David to pick up Neal from Belle's and that he was on baby duty for the night.

She met Regina at the coat rack, opening the door to the hallway. "Let's do this." She said as she swung the door closed behind them.

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_Reviews are like Christmas trees, the more you have, the more you want. _**_Hook_**_ a girl up, me lovelies! _


	4. Chapter 4 - Consequence

I can't believe I was able to knock out two chapters today, but Christmas came early and I did! Back to Emma and Killian. They do a little exploring, a little imagining, and some heavy talking about the consequences of their impending actions. Cause you all know there could be some!

I should also mention that I know absolutely nothing about sailing, so don't judge those parts too harshly.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Still the same.

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_"When we are afraid we ought not to occupy ourselves with endeavoring to prove that there is no danger, but in strengthening ourselves to go on in spite of the danger."_

_-Hale White_

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**Chapter Four - Consequence**

What started as a soft kiss of welcome and apology quickly became more desperate, more intense, and Emma found it hard to breathe through the heat of Killian's mouth. He pulled back to stare down at her, his eyes twinkling with affection as he bumped their noses together before pressing his forehead to hers.

"Killian?"

"Aye?" He responded, his voice gentle.

"Should we go down below, take this somewhere a little more private?" He pulled back again to look at her, reaching up to cup her cheek in his warm hand. He smiled softly, pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

"Not yet, Swan. We need to investigate our surroundings. Get the lay of the land, as it were. A good pirate is a prepared pirate."

She quirked a brow at that, snorting softly in response. He turned, offering her his arm, which she quickly grabbed onto. Always the gentleman, she thought to herself, smiling as he gallantly led her across the deck.

While she stared wide-eyed around them, Killian was focused, his trained captain's eye taking in every square inch of the vessel. He muttered to himself as they walked, making comments on the condition of the sail, the mast, the helm, and multiple other things that went completely over her head. They walked bow to stern before he seemed content that the ship was in working order. Steering them back towards the hatch at the stern of the ship, he mused on the condition of the ship and their possible location, clearly in his element.

"The ship is sound, if somewhat impractical. I doubt it's used for heavy voyages, although it's certainly well equipped to sail. I'd like to get a better handle on where we are, though. There must be charts below."

"Charts? As in nautical charts? What do you need those for?"

"I want to make sure I know where we are, love, that's all."

"Well, aren't we going to be, you know…_busy _later?" He smirked at the sudden blush on her cheeks, raising a mocking brow at her avoidance of the word 'sex'.

"Yes, Emma." He purred, stopping to walk her gently backwards until they bumped into the railing of the ship. "You and I will be plenty…how did you say it? Busy? We will indeed be _busy _for hours and hours." He whispered darkly as he pressed his hips tight against hers.

Emma froze, immediately reminded of the incubus and how it had pressed her against a similar railing in her nightmare. Killian, always attuned to her, immediately sensed the change in her body, her muscles tensing, her eyes widening in fear. He stepped back quickly, lifting her chin up with his hook so she would meet his gaze.

"Swan?" He asked, concern darkening his eyes.

"It's okay. Just give me a minute."

"What is it, love? Did I hurt you?"

"No. No, Killian, you didn't hurt me. Can we back away from the railing?" He quickly pulled her towards the middle of the deck, staring down at her helplessly as she tried to breathe through her panic. "I'm okay. Really." She promised him as she worked to slow her erratic heartbeat.

"What's wrong?" He asked anxiously, his jaw clenched in concern. She took another couple of deep breaths before she felt capable of explaining.

"The dream, the nightmare that Regina told you about? It started like that. With the incubus pushing me against the railing of the _Jolly Roger."_

_"_Ah." He replied, saying nothing more. He clenched his jaw again, staring out over her head at the horizon. She sensed that he was trying to get his anger under control before saying anything further. Once he'd settled himself down, he took his own deep breath and looked into her eyes again, fear replacing the anger on his face.

"Love? Did that bastard…did the incubus…?" He didn't seem able to get the words out of his mouth, the very thought of the incubus hurting her, _raping _her while wearing Killian's face too much for him to process.

"No!" She immediately responded, stepping close and grabbing his face in her hands. "No, Killian, he didn't hurt me. Not like that."

"You'd tell me, Swan? Swear you would."

"I would tell you, I swear. And he didn't." She kissed him then, chasing away the memory of the incubus's kiss with the warm touch of his mouth on hers.

Everything about this kiss was different from the one she had shared with the incubus. The man before her smelled like her Killian, he tasted like him, and when she pulled back, his brilliant blue eyes were staring down into hers. She smiled at the sight, bumping her nose against his before stepping back and grabbing onto his elbow again. She felt much calmer now, her panic having left her at the feel of his sweet mouth on hers.

"Now then. You were saying something about charts?" He observed her for another moment, checking to see if she truly was okay, before beginning to walk with her again.

"Yes." He cleared his throat and continued, squeezing her hand tight between his body and arm. "We're still a few hours away from nightfall and I'd feel better if I knew where we were when the sun sets. This world is a large place and Regina could've set us down any where in it."

"I doubt she would've sent us too far off."

"Perhaps not, but I'd rather be sure of it." He steered her towards the hatch, letting her climb down the ladder first before swiftly following her below deck. When he landed beside her, he bowed, his hand sweeping before them in the direction of what she'd started to call the captain's cabin, although maybe captain's quarters was more appropriate?

She really didn't know anything about sailing, so it was fortunate that she was stuck here with Captain Hook.

She walked ahead of him, reflecting on how sweet Killian was being given the fact that she'd been holding back important details about her life for the past few weeks. Now they were about to enter into a night of deep intimacy to save her life from an incubus, which up until a few hours ago she'd thought were just scary stories (she should really know better by now) and he was still bowing and holding out his arm like a perfect gentleman.

It was enough to make her fall in love with him. Or fuck him senseless. Or you know, both.

She entered the cabin ahead of him, taking in her surroundings as he started to search for the nautical charts. He found them quickly enough in a large cabinet across the room from the bed, which she was studiously _not_ looking at. They were going to be spending a fair amount of time in that bed; she'd become acquainted with it then.

She scoped out the rest of the room, taking in the bright white walls and the bank of windows that ran the length of outside wall of the ship. As she'd thought when they first arrived here, it looked a lot like the captain's quarters on the _Jolly Roger, _only more spacious and with a much, much larger bed (_so_ not looking in that direction right now). While she'd only been in his room once while on the _Jolly _ of the past, she'd taken note of how clean and airy his quarters had been, the white walls in sharp contrast with the dark demeanor he'd perfected as Captain Hook. This little "love nest" of a ship gave off the same vibe, clean and open, warm. It made her feel…safe.

Safe.

How strange it was to think that she truly did feel safe here, stuck in the middle of the ocean, tormented by an incubus of all things and about to embark on a physical relationship with Captain freaking Hook. How in the world did "safe" even enter into the equation?

But it did. Because she knew that Killian Jones would never hurt her, would do anything for her, would keep her safe. She trusted him. Completely.

She kept him in her sights as she wandered about the room, watching out of the corner of her eye as he spread the charts he'd found on the table that was bolted to the floor of the room. He bent over them, trailing his finger here and there, mumbling as he worked through them. She had no clue what he was doing, but he certainly looked cute while doing it.

She sighed, turning back to her perusal of the cabin. The wall across from the windows and bed was covered floor to ceiling with shelves and cabinets. This was where Killian had found his charts. She moved toward them, pulling open drawers and doors, inspecting the items collected within.

When she opened the largest drawer, she found nightgowns, all frilly and pastel nearly overflowing it. She fingered the top gown, the material white and sheer, softer than anything she'd ever touched before. She held it up in front of herself, thinking that she would love to wear something so feminine. She'd truly feel like a princess in something like that.

She heard Killian clear his throat behind her and she turned to him, the nightgown still pressed against her chest.

"You'd look lovely in that, Emma." His tone was so tender, so soft that she hardly recognized it. She swallowed, _hard,_ as she imagined wearing this sheer gown and nothing else for him. She could almost see the look on his face and her mouth went dry at the thought.

She smiled at him, shy all of a sudden, turning back to fold the nightgown and put it away wistfully. Sliding the drawer shut on all the pretty gowns, she moved to the last drawer, sliding it open distractedly as her mind lingered on thoughts of Killian and her in that gown, imagining how he would watch her, touch her through the material.

Maybe later, she thought to herself. They did have all night together, to do _anything_ they wanted. She smiled at the thought, finally looking into the drawer she'd opened. She stared down in amazement at it's contents, not quite comprehending what she was looking at.

Damn you, Regina, she thought, cursing the Queen's perverse sense of humor. She leaned a little closer to the items piled high in the drawer, her mouth opened in stunned silence.

There were boxes and boxes of unopened _sex toys_ before her, tons of various colors and sizes that would astound and intrigue her under normal circumstances. As it was, she was absolutely mortified to think that Regina had added these specifically for her and Killian.

What does that one even _do, _she thought as she leaned in closer to a large, rubbery, pink _thing_ with more attachments than she knew what to do with.

"Swan? What did you find?" Killian was next to her so quickly that she didn't have a chance to close the drawer on its contents. He looked over her shoulder, stilling against her back as he inspected what she'd found.

He may be new to this world and many of it's modern inventions, but he was not a fool. He knew what he was looking at, she could tell by the stillness of his body, by the sharp intake of breath as he stared down with her.

This moment should be incredibly awkward, but it was anything but. Emma couldn't think of anything except the warmth of his chest pressed against her back, of his mint-flavored breath gliding across her cheek, of his hook ghosting against her hip.

And suddenly, all she could think about was him using one of those toys on her, maybe pushing that sheer nightgown up around her hips, so that he could slide one of those _items_ between her thighs….

"That Regina is an imaginative lass, isn't she?" He commented, his tone dry and amused.

Emma nodded in response, not able to do more than blush as she slowly shut the drawer. She turned to face him, noting the hungry look in his eyes as he stared down at her. She could hear her blood rushing through her veins, could feel her heart pounding in her ribcage.

"Were you able to figure out where we are?" She finally asked, pushing all thoughts of Killian and vibrating toys out of her head with a determined will.

"Not far off the coast of Storybrooke, but I'll be able to determine better when night falls." The comment immediately had Emma thinking of what they'd be doing during the long, long night ahead and she's instantly blushing again, pressing the back of her hand to her cheek to try and quell some of the heat there.

"You alright, Swan?" That amused note was back in his voice and she had the sense that he knew exactly what was causing her to flush.

"Yeah, I'm just…you know.…" She trailed off, not quite sure how to finish that thought (Randy? Horny? _Desperate_?). "How long until sundown?"

"A few hours. Perhaps we should see if this vessel is equipped with sustenance and water." He walked over to the cabin door, bowing toward her as he swept his arm in front of the doorway.

She rolled her eyes, moving quickly out of the cabin and down the hall that ran the length the ship, anxious to leave the captain's cabin and it's drawers of sex toys and lingerie far behind them. She needed to breathe and get a handle on her raging hormones before she exploded.

She was going to _kill_ Regina when all this was over. Or maybe she'd get her a massive gift basket to say thank you. Or you know, both.

They walked past the ladder that would take them topside, coming to a door in the middle of the hall with no markings to identify the room behind it.

"After you, milady." Killian offered, opening it for her and doing that whole bow and sweeping arm gesture thing again. She almost told him that it lacked his usual flare without the long leather coat, but who was she kidding? There was nothing missing. Instead, she smiled and stepped into the largest bathroom she'd ever been in.

"Wow." She whispered, impressed.

There were windows covering the whole expanse of one wall, like the captain's cabin and the largest bathtub she'd ever seen. You could seriously fit at least six people in there. The room was white with soft accents of blue and green throughout, making her feel like she was sitting on a beach somewhere in the tropics. Warm light spilled into the room from the many windows, brightening the atmosphere. "Where did Regina even find this thing?"

"I believe this is the Queen's vessel. It's obnoxious in it's display of wealth and grandeur. Completely impractical. It also feels vaguely…magical." He stepped up beside her, the leather of his coat sleeve brushing against her shoulder. She almost expected to look over and see his nose held up in the air, he sounded so judgmental and haughty.

"Snob." She said, bumping her shoulder playfully against his. He looked over at her incredulously. "Oh, come on! You totally want to try it out later, don't you?" She grinned over at him and he slowly grinned back, his dimples flashing in amusement.

"Only if you try it with me, Swan." He quipped, her stomach dropping at the thought of Killian Jones, wet and naked, pressed up against her in that giant tub. Oh, _god_, it was going to be a long night.

He turned on his heel then and moved toward the doorway, throwing a wink over his shoulder as he sauntered into the hallway, but Emma was rooted to the floor of the bathroom. She didn't know why it hadn't occurred quite so succinctly to her before, but tonight all the innuendo and the promises would become reality. Her legs suddenly feel like jello at the thought of what she was going to discover about this man. All the things that he was going to discover about her.

"Swan?" He called from the hallway. He was staring back at her, a question on his face as he waited for her.

"Yeah." She responded, glancing once more at the tub before stepping beside him.

He gestured ahead of himself again, letting her lead them forward. There was only one more door at the very end of the hallway. Emma opened it and found a stark white galley, another wall of windows as well as stainless steel appliances taking up every inch of space available.

"Completely impractical." Killian sniffed as he surveyed the room, taking in all the heavy appliances and actually turning his nose up this time in disgust. "It's amazing that we're even afloat."

Both she and Killian move about the room, opening cupboards and the refrigerator to find it loaded with food and drink. Regina had stocked the galley well, although how she expected them to eat all of it in one night was beyond Emma.

"So, we won't starve. Well, that's reassuring."

"We'll have to thank the Queen for her generosity when we return home."

"Yeah…thank her with a choke hold." Emma murmured to herself, turning to look as Killian pulled a peach from the fridge. He thumbed at the fruit, his nose wrinkling at the feel of the peach fuzz against his skin. She wondered vaguely if they had peaches in the Enchanted Forest.

Surrounded by all this food, Emma wasn't surprised when her stomach gave a loud growl. She clapped her hand over it in embarrassment. Thinking back over the course of the day, she realized with a start that she hadn't eaten since dinner the night before.

"Well, it sounds like we'll be making use of the galley sooner rather than later, Swan." Killian grinned over at her, his dimples appearing at the hungry sound her stomach had made. "Why don't you find something to eat and I'll finish up checking over the ship. One more floor to go, which is probably where the crew's quarters are located, although I can't imagine what crew the Queen would need on a magical vessel like this."

"A talking candelabra and a singing teapot, perhaps?" Emma mumbled to herself as Killian took off down the hallway again. She wandered over to the fridge, pulling it open to stare blankly at its contents. She was starving, but was still so worked up by her thoughts of Killian and sex toys and bathtubs that she was finding it hard to pull herself together.

"Deep breath, Swan. You got this." She whispered.

Reaching into the fridge, she pulled out bread and deli meat, grabbing cheese and condiments as well. Dropping them on the counter, she quickly made sandwiches. Not sure what Killian would prefer, she made a turkey and a ham, so he could have a choice. She found some yogurt and grabbed the peaches. She'd never liked the peach fuzz herself, so she peeled it off, slicing the fruit and adding them to their plates. She found a bag of chips, opened them and poured them into a large bowl, setting it all on the table bolted down in one corner of the room.

She found spoons, napkins, and glasses to set the table with. Standing back, she surveyed the scene, pleased with how everything had come together. It was almost like a picnic, minus the grass and bugs, of course.

"Drinks." She murmured to herself, turning to the wine fridge that she'd seen earlier. "Definitely a wine kind of meal." She decided, hoping a little alcohol would help settle her nerves.

She was just setting down the wine glasses when Killian returned. He'd shed his leather jacket at some point during his expedition and was wearing his black waistcoat and dark blue shirt, the shirt revealing his necklace and charms. She wondered if she'd ever be brave enough to ask him the significance of the charms, although considering one was a crocodile, she was pretty sure she could figure it out.

"Hungry?" She asked him. He nodded and sat down on the bench that was secured to the wall alongside the table. "Find anything interesting?"

"Nothing of note. The lower deck is definitely the crew quarters. Not as glamorous as this level, but serviceable. Doesn't look like the ship has been used in a while, but it's definitely seaworthy. We'll be safe here."

"Good."

"This meal looks grand, Swan, thank you." Killian smiled over at her.

"No problem. I wasn't sure if you'd like ham or turkey, so there's one of each."

"Let's split them." He reached over to her plate, grabbing half of the ham sandwich and switching it out with half of turkey from his plate. They settled back and dug in, Emma asking about the peaches. They didn't have them in the Enchanted Forest, he confirmed for her, but he had come across them in his travels.

"I liked the fruit, but not the skin." He explained.

"Me, too. Makes my lips feel weird." He nodded in agreement, stabbing one of the slices on his plate with his fork. She watched as he bit into the overly ripe fruit, juice dribbling down his chin.

She giggled, reaching over automatically to swipe at the trail of juice with her thumb. She hadn't thought about it before she'd done it, but the instant her thumb touched the corner of his mouth, electricity radiated up her arm, her face flushing with pleasure. His beard was scratchy under her palm and she couldn't help but cup his jaw, her thumb still pressed to the corner of his mouth.

He swallowed thickly, staring over at her as she held her hand in place. He seemed as stunned as she was by the touch, his gaze holding hers as the quiet moment weighed down on them. She slowly removed her hand, brining her thumb to her own mouth where she sucked gently on it to remove the juice, Killian's eyes dilating with desire as he watched her.

"Emma?" He whispered, seemingly unsure of what should come next. To be honest, she wasn't sure either. She knew the direction this night would take, that it was inevitable now, but it still seemed so far out of her grasp.

She looked down to her plate, picking at the pile of chips awkwardly. When she looked back up, Killian's eyes were unreadable, his gaze on his own plate as he stared at the remnants of his sandwich.

"I'm sorry." He finally said, taking her by surprise.

"For?"

"This isn't how I wanted any of this to happen." His voice was dark, the anger that she'd seen in Gold's shop rearing it's head again. She reached out to grasp his hand, waiting to respond until he had looked back up at her.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Killian."

"I never wanted our first time together to be something forced on you." The anguish she saw in his eyes nearly broke her heart.

"The circumstances might not be what we would've chosen, but you're not _forcing_ me into anything."

"We could still find another way, Emma. We could contact your parents, tell them to go to the Blue Fairy and ask for help. Just say the word and this ends, love."

Squeezing his hand, she smiled softly, hoping to take some of the anxiousness from his eyes. "It may not be how we would've chosen it, Killian," she repeated, "but that doesn't mean that we can't still make it special. It's just you and me here. That part…the you and me part? That will always be the same, no matter the time or the place."

"Are you sure, Swan? Definitely sure?"

"Yeah. I'm definitely sure. Although, if you keep asking me, I'm going to start thinking that _you're_ having some doubts." She smiled to take the sting from her words, but she couldn't help be concerned that maybe his hesitancy was indicative of a larger issue.

"The only doubt I have is that maybe we're about to do something that you aren't ready for yet, love. I told you once that when I won your heart, it would be because you wanted me and I meant it. I've waited patiently for that moment, waited for you to choose me, but today I _can't_ wait any longer because if I do, I'll lose you." He paused, regret causing a frown to cross his face. He squeezed her hand tighter, taking another deep breath before continuing. "It's not fair to either of us, Emma, and I'd hate for you to come to resent me because of it. Especially since we both know there may be a long lasting consequence from our actions tonight."

There it was.

A long lasting consequence, spelled B-A-B-Y.

That fact had been rattling around in the back of her mind since Regina had told them that they couldn't use any protection. She'd known what it meant, understood it viscerally, but she hadn't allowed herself to actually think the words. Taking an extremely deep breath, she stared into his eyes, trying to still her suddenly rampaging heartbeat.

She thought back over her life, of Neal and Henry, how all of that had gone so wrong. She never wanted that to happen with Killian and she needed to set this all on a positive path now or she'd be doomed to repeat that heartache. Maybe not in the exact same way (she'd never give another child away), but the end result would still be the same devastation and loss, of that she had no doubt.

He was waiting for her to respond, waiting as patiently as he always did where she was concerned and it gave her the strength she needed to calm her heart enough to reply.

"Well, let's think about this logically." She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone. "I have this app that tracks my period, so let's see how concerned we really need to be."

She glanced up at Killian, realizing by the blank look on his face that he hadn't understood much of what she'd just said.

"There's a calendar on my phone that helps me keep track of my monthly cycle, so I'll know when the chances of me conceiving are better."

"Ah. Ingenious."

"Yeah." She swiped her thumb over the screen of her phone, stopping when she found the flower icon she was looking for. She tapped it, waiting for the app to open and biting her lip in impatience.

Things had been so crazy lately that she wasn't entirely sure this was going to be as simple as checking the dates of her last period. She'd never been particularly regular to begin with, but ever since moving to Storybook, her cycle had been all over the place.

Stress will do that to a girl, she thought as the app finally opened.

"Okay. Here." She slid closer to him along the bench, leaning into him so that he could see the little screen as well. "See these little red triangles on these dates here? Those indicate my last period." A blush painted her cheeks and she internally chastised herself for feeling so awkward about something so natural. She rushed on with her explanation, hoping Killian hadn't noticed her reaction. "So, um, the green dots down here, these are the days when I'm most fertile. And, here, this little flower, well that's the day it's predicted that I'll have a viable egg floating around, you know, waiting for.…"

She trailed off, bitting her lip as Killian stilled against her. "Damn." She whispered as she noticed the date.

"Damn, indeed." He murmured beside her.

Emma stared down at her phone, cursing the brilliant idea that had caused her to whip out her phone and terrify the both of them with the knowledge that she was ovulating. Like, as in a little minuscule egg was floating around just waiting to meet one of his sperm. Probably wearing lipstick and a come hither smile. Damn, damn, _damn_.

"Well." She shut off the phone, setting it down carefully on the table top as if it were a bomb that was about to explode in her palm. "It's not 100% accurate. A lot's been going on lately and that tends to muck up my cycle, so this is really just an estimate."

"Emma." She slowly turned to him, feeling distinctly like a deer caught in the headlights. He'd gone a bit white, but otherwise, he looked calm enough, considering the news he'd just been given. He reached over to grasp her hand in his and she was embarrassed to realize that she was shaking.

"It's okay, love."

'How can this possibly be okay?" She responded and was proud of the fact that she only sounded _slightly _hysterical.

"It's you and me, remember?" She nodded hesitantly and he smiled softly as he released her hand. He reached up to brush her hair over her shoulder, trailing his fingers along her jaw before cupping the back of her head and bringing her forehead to his. "If we do conceive a child, Emma, I'll be there, beside you, the whole way. You don't have to worry about me, about us."

She took a deep breath at that, blinking back the tears that had suddenly gathered in the corners of her eyes. She believed him, she did. She trusted him when he said that he'd be by her side, regardless of the outcome.

But it was suddenly rushing so fast, moving from casual dating to sex to babies in a few short hours and she just wasn't sure if any couple could make it out on the other side of all this...insanity.

That's when she pulled back to look into his eyes, marveling not for the first time at the blue intensity she found there. Reaching up, she cupped his face in her hands, her thumb brushing over the scar on his cheek.

Time to listen to your gut, Swan. What does it tell you, she asked herself as she stared into the face of the man that had come to mean so much to her.

He'd aggravated her from the minute she'd met him, getting under her skin, reminding her so much of herself that she almost couldn't stand to be around him. He'd seen right through her, even then. It was amazing to her how a man who was centuries old could find something familiar in one so young by comparison. Even across the many years between them, they'd somehow managed to find each other, kindred spirits.

She remembered how he'd come to Storybrooke, attempting to kill Rumplestiltskin, driven by vengeance and hatred, but he'd left that desire for revenge behind, for her. He'd changed, had wanted to be someone that she could admire, trust, maybe to love. They'd both come such a long way since climbing that damn beanstalk.

She took a fortifying breath, smiling as she did so. "You and me, yeah?" She asked softly and he matched the smile with a beautiful one of his own.

"Yeah. You and me, Swan." She leaned into him, kissing him softly, loving that he tasted like peaches.

Her stomach was still in knots with the information they'd just learned, but she was somehow more at peace with the situation. She knew all the variables now, which helped her feel prepared. Given what they were normally up against, this didn't seem quite so daunting, nightmare incubus trying to kill her notwithstanding.

Well, okay, the possibility of diapers and sleepless nights and raising a baby with a one-handed pirate was a bit scary, but they'd figure it out.

Together.

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_Reviews are like Christmas trees, the more you have, the more you want. _**_Hook_**_ a girl up, me lovelies!_


	5. Chapter 5 - Purpose

Just a quick chapter to check on our super sleuths, Regina and Mary Margaret. What are they able to find out about the incubus and why Gold may have called it to attack Emma? I have devious and _hot _plans for the next chapter, so I hope you've stayed with me so far. I swear it'll pay off soon!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own my socks and my Christmas tree. Nothing else.

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_"Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it."_

_-Dwight D. Eisenhower_

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**Chapter Five: Purpose**

Regina stared down at the globe that she held in her palm, noting that the white light had only marginally increased inside it. It looked as if Emma and Hook were taking their sweet time getting to the good stuff, although since Regina wasn't entirely sure what was going on at the moment, maybe that was for the best. She had a feeling, though, that once they got started, the tiny globe was going to start pulsing with light non-stop until morning arrived. She glanced over at Mary Margaret, happy that they'd left her husband back at the loft. There was no way the man would be able to handle watching the glowing by-product of his little girl getting her rocks off.

"Where do we start?" Mary Margaret asked, looking around at the stacks of books and boxes that littered Regina's vault. "You should totally build yourself a lab or something, Regina. Lurking around in a graveyard and performing spells, it's a bit….well, evil."

"Ish. It's _evilish_. And right now, lurking around a graveyard just might save your daughter's life, so can the judgment." She snarked, setting the glowing orb down on one of the large chests that covered the floor. It hovered above the surface of the chest, slowly rotating in mid-air.

"Now." She said, rubbing her gloved hands together. She turned toward a bookcase, running her fingers across the spines of several books until she found the particular title she was looking for. She grabbed it off the shelf, smiling when she saw that it was indeed the same title as the one from Gold's shop. She'd known the binding looked familiar.

She opened the book, leafing through the pages until she found the section on incubuses that they had referred to before. She beckoned to Mary Margaret, pointing out the text she needed to read.

"You do know I can't read…whatever language that is, right?" Regina rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"You sound remarkably like your daughter, Madam Mayor. Very…limited." She sighed, bringing her finger up to the top of the page and began to read aloud.

"'_The incubus, Laurentinus, once summoned, shall arrive to his victim under the cover of dark dreams, using fear to convince mind and soul that the object of her desire shall perish. She will be unable to speak of the impending danger, fearing the death of her love. Only when her fear has reached it's peak, will Laurentinus appear to her and seduce her in the guise of her beloved. Her soul and body will be ready for him to conquer her then, providing her relief from her nightmares in his evil embrace._'"

Regina paused, looking up from the weathered pages of the book to Mary Margaret who stared back at her, face pale, but resolute. She nodded once, urging Regina to continue reading.

"'_Laurentinus will take her, leaving his seed deep within her, knowing the exact moment when she is ready to receive him and bear his child. The child, conceived in conquest and dark passion will be born to rule realms with an evil hand, only to be controlled by the master that had called forth Laurentinus.'_"

"What does that mean?" Mary Margaret whispered, her eyes wide with fear.

"Nothing good." Regina responded. "It appears that the incubus was called forth to procreate with Emma, which would have resulted in a demon spawn that would rule the world and could only be controlled by the person who originally called forth the incubus."

"Gold?" Mary Margaret asked, her face pale in the faint light surrounding them.

"Perhaps, although I don't understand why he was so willing to allow Emma to leave with Hook. Doing so would stop the incubus from getting her pregnant and put an end to the whole devil baby scenario. It doesn't make sense."

"What does the book say about that part? About how Killian can save Emma from the incubus?" Mary Margaret stepped up beside Regina, peering over her shoulder at the book despite the fact that she couldn't read anything written in it.

Regina continued to read, trailing her finger along the page as she went.

"'_All hope is not lost, for the incubus can be vanquished if the victim is strong enough to see it's true evil and break free from it's grasp. Such a strength can only be born from light, from love and hope._'"

"The Savior." Mary Margaret breathed.

"Indeed." Regina confirmed, stopping to think for a moment. "That's why Emma was able to resist the incubus in her nightmare. Her powers gave her the ability to deny him, see him for the evil he really was."

She went back to the text and continued reading. "'_Once free from the incubus's hold, the victim, now the victor, must unite with her beloved, joining with him to beat back the savagery of evil that has been called upon them. The victor and her lover must work together to hold the incubus at bay, fighting off his dreams during a night filled with unparalleled passion.'_"

"Can we just skip that part? I may be able to handle this better than my husband, but I don't really need to hear all the nitty gritty details again. I got them the first time." Mary Margaret interrupted Regina before she could read any further, her fair cheeks suddenly blazing red.

"Right. Well, it just goes on to explain the conditions of their night together, which you already know, and then the last line mentions that bit about waiting until the incubus is about to die before fully consummating their physical relationship."

"It doesn't say anything about the globe?"

"No, but I didn't get a chance to look at the rest of the book in Gold's shop." Regina flipped the page over and stilled when she realized that someone had ripped out the next several pages of the book. There was only a sketchy image of the incubus drawn on the back of the previous page to give them some idea of what the beast looked like. While it's body was well-detailed, it's face was obscured, which made sense considering it usually stole the image of someone else when attacking.

"Regina. Who would steal those pages?" Mary Margaret asked as she stared up at her in horror.

"I don't know. And I don't know when they were removed. This book wasn't always in my collection."

"Who did you get it from?"

"Gold. Back in the Enchanted Forest when he was training me."

"We need to go to his shop then. Ask him what he knows." Mary Margaret was determined and had started to turn toward the stairs to lead them back outside when Regina grabbed her arm to stop her. "Regina! What are you doing?"

"We'll go to his shop, but not to confront him. Not yet. I don't have all the pieces yet and I'm worried that he'll do something drastic if he thinks we're on to him." Regina explained patiently.

"Why are we going to his shop then?" Regina released Mary Margaret's arm, shutting the book and placing it back on the bookcase shelf. She turned, grabbed the bobbing globe in her hand before pointing to the stairway to indicate that Mary Margaret should start leading them out.

"We're going to go and see what his copy of that book says. I doubt he would ruin his version."

"Leaving a copy with that information still intact seems like a loose end. Gold doesn't do loose ends. At least, he never did when we were in the Enchanted Forest." Mary Margaret commented.

"I'm sure he added some kind of protection spell on the book as a precaution, but he would've needed to keep the information readily available in case anything went wrong with the incubus."

"You'll be able to break the spell?"

"Of course. I'm not an amateur, you know." Regina responded in a huff, her back instantly straightening in irritation. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that Mary Margaret was simply worried about Emma, not actually trying to question her abilities. "Come on. The sun will be setting soon and the ship will definitely be a rockin' not long after that."

"That will be okay, though, right? It'll mean that Emma and Hook are…" The color left Mary Margaret's cheeks and she swallowed before continuing. "That will kill the incubus and prevent Emma from conceiving the incubus's demon spawn."

"Were you not paying attention at all?" Regina turned back to Mary Margaret, annoyed that she hadn't quite followed all of the information that Regina had read to her. "The incubus only appears to the victim at the 'e_xact moment when she is ready to receive him and bear his child_.' That means that he only seduces the victim when his chance of impregnating her is highest, when she's ovulating. And since Emma and Hook can't use any protection to quench the flames of their desire..."

"I'm going to be a grandmother again." Mary Margaret completed the thought, realization dawning on her face as she said it.

"Exactly."

"Well, that's okay. I mean, its not _okay_, but in the grand scheme of things a Killian and Emma baby is much better than a Laurentinus and Emma devil baby, right?"

"While I question the merits of allowing Hook to procreate, his child will probably better for the world than the demon child, yes."

"You still sound worried, Regina." Mary Margaret replied, staring intently into Regina's eyes, missing nothing.

"I'm just being cautious. I'll know everything's alright when I've seen that book. Come on." They exited Regina's vault, both women anxious as they made their way back to Gold's shop.

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_Reviews are wonderful presents to give writers. They are the gift that keep on giving. **Hook **me up, lovelies!_

_And thanks to all those sweet people who've left encouraging reviews so far. May your day be a wonderful adventure filled with sexy pirates! ;)_


	6. Chapter 6 - Beginning

Well, another chapter up and as I promised, there be smut ahead. It's the first of many, but I had to get them started somewhere, so it starts out nice and innocent...Well, innocent for these two.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own a thing.

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_"Sex is as important as eating or drinking and we ought to allow the one appetite to be satisfied with as little restraint or false modesty as the other."_

_-Marquis de Sade_

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**Chapter Six: Beginning**

Emma leaned back on her hands, legs crossed at the ankles in front of her as she stared out at the brilliant colors of the sunset. They had grabbed a thick blanket from below deck, hauling it, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries topside to enjoy as their dessert. Emma grinned when she remembered how Hook had eagerly grabbed the strawberries after she'd told him that people thought they were an aphrodisiac. Now they were sipping the champagne out of fancy fluted glasses, sprawled out on the blanket, boots off, watching as the sun sank into the sea.

She couldn't help but think that this felt like a date, despite the drawer full of sex toys and the talk of a potential pregnancy (or wait, maybe those were supposed to be included on dates these days). They'd shared a meal, had good conversation, and now they were watching the sun set together while eating dessert. Killian was on his best behavior, acting as the perfect gentleman with only a few moments of saucy pirate sprinkled throughout.

She was happy and content, almost oblivious to the seriousness of their situation.

And it felt natural, being here with him like this. She could imagine a first time together where danger wasn't looming over their heads and it looked a lot like this. At least in her head it looked a lot like this. In her heart, it_ felt_ exactlylike this.

She tore her eyes away from the horizon, turning to look down at Killian as he lay beside her. He was on his back, arm behind his head as he stared up at the slowly darkening sky. The expression on his face was so peaceful that she couldn't help smiling as he turned his head to catch her watching him.

"You look happy." She said softly.

"I _am_ happy, love. I'm at sea, it's a gorgeous day, an even more gorgeous sunset, and I happen to be next to the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. How could life get any better than this?"

"Oh, I don't know. There is the strong possibility that you'll be getting lucky later." He grinned widely at that, his dimples on full display and her own smile expanded at the sight.

"You must be feeling better about this whole thing, Swan, if you're making jokes."

"Well, I'm a little anxious, but no more than I would normally be before having sex with someone for the first time." His smile softened and he maneuvered over onto his side, propping his head up on his good hand. Reaching his hook forward, he caught one of her curls with it, tugging so that it straightened and then sprang back into place when he let it go.

She took the hint, mirroring his position on her side, hand holding her head up as they stared into each others eyes, a few stars just starting to appear as the brilliant colors of the sunset began to fade.

"Why would you be anxious then, love?"

"Oh, the usual things. Will we be any good together, will you think I'm pretty, will we be awkward with each other afterwards. You know, all the normal things you worry about."

"There's nothing to be anxious about, Swan." He reassured her, his eyes sweeping over her face like he was trying to memorize everything about it. The silence between them stretched, Emma's heart beating so hard that she was sure he could hear it's rhythm.

He slowly reached forward with his hook, using it to brush her mass of hair back over her shoulder, exposing her neck to his hungry gaze. Goosebumps broke out over her skin as she watched him bring his hook up to her neck and barely scratch it along her flesh. She sucked in a breath at the touch, at the little thrill of electricity that shot out from where the cold steel had brushed against her.

He looked swiftly back up when he heard her gasp, the blue of his eyes darkening with lust as he took her in.

"You are beautiful." He whispered before pressing his hook to the back of her head, pulling her closer to his lips. She paused for a moment, feeling his breath caress her skin before she let him pull her the rest of the way to his mouth.

She couldn't help but sigh into the kiss, her toes curling at the heat she found there. When his mouth opened, his tongue seeking entrance, she quickly obliged, her hand gripping the collar of his shirt to pull him closer. He tasted like champagne and strawberries, an intoxicating mix.

He pulled back, but only so that he could press his tongue to her neck, tasting her pulse as she beat for him. She could feel his hot mouth glide lightly against her skin, feel his breath brush over her, feel his teeth as he dragged them against her pulse.

"_Killian_." She sighed, dropping flat onto her back and pulling him easily after her. She welcomed his weight on her, aching to have him pressed tightly against her body. Finally, _finally, _she thought as he settled into her, his chest hard and unyielding above her.

He trailed his lips up her neck, following the line of her jaw, his teeth nipping at the dimple in her chin before he pressed his mouth back to hers. She moaned at his return, opening her mouth to welcome him back. She'd been wanting this for so long, she'd forgotten what it was like not to ache for him, for his touch, for his kiss. He pressed her down into the hard deck at her back, a delicious warmth pulsing through her body at the feel of him.

Damn, he tasted good enough to eat, she thought as his tongue brushed gently against hers. The thought had barely crossed her mind and she was biting softly into his bottom lip, moaning at the way her teeth sank into the fullness she found there. She felt him groan against her, the vibrations rumbling through her chest as his kiss became more desperate.

She needed to feel more of him. She grabbed his waist, tugging impatiently until he took the hint and settled his hips between her thighs. When he tried to move his mouth from hers to kiss along her throat again, she dug her fingernails into his hips to keep him in place.

"Don't stop kissing me." She begged, not able to bear the thought of parting with his mouth.

"Emma." He pulled back enough to pant out, his eyes blazing down at her. "The sun is almost set. We can't wait any longer. You need to come for me."

"_Please_." She begged him. She slid her hands from his hips down to grab his ass, pulling him hard between her thighs. He groaned against her lips as she arched her back, rubbing her throbbing center against the hard evidence of his desire.

"Kiss me." She pleaded with him again and he appeased her, joining their mouths as their hips began to slide back and forth against each other, their movements rough, desperate. Despite his lack of finesse, he was unerringly accurate in hitting her clit with each press of his hips into the cradle of her thighs, sliding harshly against her. She wouldn't last long at this rate.

His hand cradled the back of her head, keeping her safe from the hard deck beneath her, her own hands tugging him tighter and tighter into her.

"Emma." He gasped against her mouth. "Come for me, love."

She moaned at his command, her teeth crashing against his as she continued to kiss him. Another hard, rough press of his cock down along her clit and her back arched as she came hard. He swallowed her moans, his fingers digging into her scalp as she trembled against him. Her toes curled as he continued to rock against her, helping draw out her release.

He kissed her through it all, softening his mouth as she began to come down from her high. He brushed his thumb against the flush on her cheeks, humming as he tasted her. She felt boneless, weightless as she lay in his arms, her legs holding him tight between her thighs.

When she finally broke away from his kiss, panting for air, she opened her eyes to a black sky twinkling with thousands of stars. She gasped, surprised that night had fallen.

He held himself above her for a moment, a satisfied smirk lifting one corner of his mouth as he stared down at her. She couldn't help the giggle that burst up from her stomach as he slid off of her and propped himself up again on his arm, a bemused smile on his face.

"What is so humorous, love?"

"It's nothing. It's just been a long time since I dry humped a guy like that."

"What a lovely turn of phrase, Swan. Dry humped?" She giggled again; she couldn't help it, he sounded completely ridiculous saying that.

"Yeah. Probably best not to mention that at dinner with my parents."

"I should say so." He reached up then, brushing strands of hair off her cheek and tucking them behind her ear. He cupped her face in his hand before leaning down to press a warm kiss into her mouth. How such a chaste kiss could have her aching for him again was beyond her, but it did.

And damn him, didn't he pull back with that self-satisfied smirk back on his face before saying,

"That's one, love."

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Regina jumped when she felt a hard vibration against her thigh. She reached into her coat pocket, expecting to grab her cell phone only to close her fingers around the globe instead. She pulled it out, opening her palm and watching in amazement as the sphere began to hover over her hand.

"Mary Margaret?"

"Hmm?" Her companion said from behind the wheel of David's truck. She'd just hung up with her husband after checking on father and son and filling him in on their progress. They were now headed towards Gold's shop, dark having falling only a few minutes ago.

"I think we better hurry." Regina said calmly, watching as a vibrant bolt of white light crackled like static electricity under the surface of the sphere. It pulsed there for a moment and then began to thread its way through the blackness within the globe, the whole thing vibrating and shaking as it hovered over Regina's palm.

Mary Margaret glanced over at it, a grim line bringing her lips together before she turned back to the road ahead and pushed down harder on the accelerator.

"I think you're right."

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_Reviews are presents. I like presents. Please give me some more. **Hook **me up, lovelies!_

_Again, thanks to all those who've reviewed so far. You keep me motivated, so thank you! _


	7. Chapter 7 - Threat

Can't guarantee that another chapter will make it out today and updates might be slower until the weekend as I make my miserable way back to work tomorrow. In this update, the incubus tries to disrupt the progress our couple has made so far, but no big, bad beastie can keep our Captain Swan down!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.

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_"He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear."_

_-Ralph Waldo Emerson_

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**Chapter Seven: Threat**

Emma was completely relaxed, staring up at the starlit sky, Killian's warm body pressed against her side. Every once in a while, he'd lean down, leaving a kiss on her mouth, her cheek, her neck. She loved every second of his touch, marveling at the electricity that sparked along her skin at the feel of his lips.

She didn't fight it when her eyes slid shut, her mind heavy with contentment. She just wanted to rest her eyes for a moment, but before she knew it, darkness was holding her hard and fast. Down, down, down she slipped, sleep overtaking her as she lay in Killian's comforting embrace.

She knew something was wrong right away. She was no longer on the deck of what she had come to call _The Love Boat_. It was the _Jolly Roger's _deck under her feet again, rocking dangerously as it was tossed about in a massive gale. Her body automatically tensed as the ship rolled under her feet, her breath torn from her lungs as an unrelenting wind beat against her.

"Killian?" She gasped out, although she knew instinctively that he wasn't there with her. Not _her_ Killian, not in this place.

A figure rose up out of the corner of her eye, dark hair whipping wildly about his head, coat flapping around his legs. It was the incubus, wearing Killian's face and body to tempt her again. For a moment she was paralyzed, unable to look at him and unable to turn and run, fearing stealing her ability to move.

She balled her hands into tight fists, ordering herself to move, refusing to give into him again. She angled her body in his direction while slowly beginning to back away. She could see the darkness of his eyes glowing at her as lightening rent the sky above him. He stared at her, a look of pure rage on his darkly gorgeous face, the muscle in his jaw flexing as he clenched it over and over again.

"Stay away from me!" She shouted, her voice trembling with fear. He grinned, wickedly amused and she caught the stench of rotting flesh, of decay, as he began to slowly stalk her across the deck of the _Jolly Roger_.

When he spoke, she sobbed to hear Killian's voice, a velvet note of evil dancing on his lips. Her hands immediately covered her ears, loath to hear her lover's beautiful voice slip from such a demon. He laughed at her feeble attempt to block him out, his voice suddenly in her head, in her thoughts, clawing at her sanity.

"You are mine, Emma. It's me you want, not that pitiful excuse of a man. Even with the memory of his kiss warm on your skin, you still come to _me_. You know he'll never please you like I can and _will_."

He was so close now; she could feel heat radiating off him, the edges of his leather jacket brushing against her shins as he followed her. She knew she'd run into the railing of the ship soon if she kept backing away from him and it crossed her mind that she could jump over the side if she needed to.

He seemed to sense what she was plotting, lunging for her almost as soon as the thought crossed her mind. His hook sunk into the leather of her jacket, tearing a hole as he yanked her into his body. She felt the tip of his hook catch the fabric of her shirt, a burning in her side as he nicked her with it. When she gasped in pain, he rammed his mouth over hers, swallowing her shout of protest as his arm wrapped around her waist.

He pulled away after a moment of her struggling violently against him, smirking as he whispered in her ear, "Don't forget, love, I can visit his dreams as well. If I can scratch you with my hook, I can surely use it to pierce his flesh and _flay_ him."

"No!" She screamed, pushing against him for all she was worth. She struggled, slapping and scratching at him, about to yank her knee up hard into his groin when suddenly she was sputtering awake, water pouring down her face as she stared up into her Killian's blue and panicked eyes.

"Oh, thanks the gods, you're awake. _Emma_." He pulled her harshly into his embrace, his arms trembling around her. He kept murmuring her name as he pressed kisses to her hair and face. It took her moment to get her bearings, to shake the memory of the raging sea and the taste of the incubus's kisses from her mind.

She pressed her face into his neck, ordering herself to breathe his scent deeply into her lungs, needing the smell of leather and strawberries to help calm her. It took her a minute or two, but she was able to slow her breathing, unclenching her muscles to wrap her arms around him as he rocked her in his arms.

She realized they were in the bathroom, huddled on the floor by the tub, water pooling around them. The faucet was on, water cascading into the tub, the sound helping to sooth her jangled nerves. Steam was billowing up from the tub, warming her chilled skin.

She pulled away, reaching her hands up to press against Killian's face, holding him in place so that she could see his blue eyes again.

"What happened?" She asked, her throat aching with the effort.

"You nodded off, love. We were topside, under the stars and suddenly, you were out and I couldn't…I couldn't wake you. I brought you down here, splashed water on your face. I didn't know what else to do. Gods, I've never been so frightened in my life." His voice broke as he pulled her tight against him again.

"Are you okay?" He asked her after another moment, pulling back to look into her face with concern. He was so pale, all the blood having drained from his face.

"I think so." She tried to sit up, wincing when she felt a stab of pain in her side. Killian saw her discomfort, sliding back quickly to help her sit up. She brought her hand to her side, pressing down and exclaiming at the burn she felt there.

"What is it, love?"

"The incubus was with me. He scratched me with his hook in the dream."

"Show me." Killian ordered, his voice dark with anger. She was afraid to look up, not wanting to see that same rage in his eyes that she'd seen on the incubus's face, wanting to dissociate the two versions of him as best as she could. Instead, she let him help her remove her jacket, pausing as he fingered the tear in the leather.

"I didn't see that happen, didn't notice it." He murmured, glaring darkly at it before tossing the jacket aside.

Emma slowly reached down to remove her sweater, the damp material heavy on her arms. She moved gingerly, careful of her side, as she lifted it up and over her head. Killian took it from her, tossing it alongside her damaged jacket.

She looked down, staring at an angry scratch that started just under her right breast, running in a slant to the edge of her ribcage. While the scratch burned fiercely, there wasn't much blood, the only real spot of it at the sight where the hook had first made contact. Killian sucked in an angry breath, the air rushing back out as he stared down at her side.

"Killian. I'm okay." She reassured him. "It burns a little, but it's not that bad." He looked up at her incredulously for a moment before he hunkered back on his heels.

"Do you think you can stand, love?" He asked, his tone tender now. She nodded and he wrapped his good arm around her waist as she leaned against him. Surprisingly, her legs weren't shaking and she was able to maneuver herself up easily enough.

Killian pulled her to him once she was standing, wrapping both arms tight around her as he pressed his face into her damp hair. He breathed her in for a moment, his beard scratchy along her bare shoulder. When he pulled back, his face was its normal color again, the only sign of his anger the red splotches high on his cheeks.

"The Queen was correct in saying that the incubus would attack you under the cover of night. No more nodding off, Swan. Captain's orders." His tone was light, but she could hear the note of desperation in his voice.

"Same to you. He made it pretty clear that he could get to you in your dreams as well, so I better not find you sleeping on the job, Hook. Sheriff's orders." He chuckled at that, tightening his arms around her as they swung gently to and fro, allowing their hearts time to calm.

It wasn't long before she became acutely aware that she was standing wrapped in Killian's arms in just her bra, jeans, and socks. She could feel his warm palm pressed against the small of her back, his other arm holding his hook away carefully from her skin. The memory of his kisses as he'd pressed her into the deck upstairs flashed through her mind and the warmth that she'd felt as he pleasured her spread like wildfire through her again. She focused all her energy on it, using the heat to chase away the cold fear the incubus had created within her.

"I think we've got him worried, you and I." She whispered.

"Aye." He agreed, leaning back in her embrace to watch her carefully. She couldn't stop staring up into his eyes, desperate to see the blue of his gaze. It was her touchstone, her reassurance that this was _her _Killian and she was safe.

"How about we worry him some more, pirate?" She asked, a teasing smirk lifting the corner of her mouth.

He stared at her another moment, almost as if he didn't quite know what to do with such an open invitation and then his mouth was colliding with hers, his kiss hot and wet, sliding deliciously against her. She grabbed onto his shirt collar, pulling him into her body as if she wanted to merge their bodies into one.

His hand swiftly moved down over the curve of her ass, pulling her tight against him. She moaned at the feeling of him kneading her easily in his palm, loving the desperate way he held her. Her own hands reached around him, sliding down to grab his ass, mirroring him and pulling him hard into her body. He chuckled against her mouth and she drank down the sound, loving the taste of his pleasure.

She wanted to feel more of him, wanted to feel his skin against hers, wanted to taste the salt on his skin. Before she knew what she was about, she was undoing the buttons on his waistcoat, her fingers shaking with impatience. Since neither one of them wanted to stop kissing long enough to accomplish the task, it was harder than it needed to be, but she persisted. One by one the buttons popped open until she was pushing the garment off his shoulders and down his arms.

His shirt was next as she cursed him for wearing clothes with so many damn buttons. When she finally had it completely unbuttoned, she pulled away from his mouth. She wanted to see him, _finally _see him. Their eyes connected for a moment before she looked down, sighing at the beauty of the man before her.

She parted the sides of his shirt, bringing her trembling hands to rest on the hard planes of his stomach. He sucked in a breath at her touch, his hand stilling against her waist as she pressed her palm into the ridges of his stomach. She stepped closer, pressing a sweet kiss against his sternum, her hands gliding up along his chest. She brushed against his erect nipples, loving the jagged gasp he made, his fingers digging into her skin as she teased him.

She pushed the shirt off his shoulders, guiding it off his right arm easily enough. Like an idiot, though, she'd forgotten about the brace on his left arm and for a moment there was an awkward pause as she stared down, unsure how to go about removing it.

"It's okay, love." He whispered. He brought his hand around to the brace, but she quickly stopped him.

"Show me?" She asked. He stared at her, an emotion that she couldn't place running through his eyes. He took a deep breath, nodding once before reaching for her hand, his eyes never leaving hers. He placed her hand on the brace, bringing her fingers to the clasp and then letting her figure out the rest.

She wasn't nervous to see him without it, but she was nervous for _him_. While he'd never said much about the loss of his hand, acting as if he barely noticed it's loss, she'd always had the sense that it was one of the very few things that he was truly insecure about. She knew that in a moment like this, actions would speak louder than words for him; she hoped she got it right.

She was finally able to work the strap from it's moorings, the brace's weight heavy in her hand. She could feel him staring at her, watching her reactions intently. The brace slid off easily enough and she was careful with it, his hook still attached. Not wanting to just drop it on the floor, she turned and walked it over to the counter that ran the length of the wall. She set it down carefully, making sure the strap didn't hang off the edge of the counter.

He was still standing where she had left him, his body rigid as he waited for her return. He hadn't removed the shirt from where it hung off his arm, hiding the end of his damaged wrist. Standing before him, she smiled softly, cradling his jaw in one hand as she grabbed the shirt in the other and gently tugged. Before she could look down, he was kissing her again, not giving her the chance to see him without the brace.

He was on the defensive, not letting her break the kiss to look down and see his scarred body. But Emma Swan was nothing if not determined (some might call it obstinate, but what did they know). She continued their kiss, bringing her hand down the length of his left arm, stopping just above his wrist. When she finally slid her hand around him, cupping the end of his arm, he pressed his forehead into hers, breathing harshly as she touched him, learning the feel of his skin.

"I don't care." She whispered, meaning the words down to her very core. He groaned, dragging her into his arms and crushing his mouth to hers.

When he finally pulled back to press his forehead against hers again, she was panting for air. She brought her shaking fingers up to her bruised lips, smiling at the ache he'd left behind. Then he was fumbling with her jeans, yanking the button open and ramming the zipper down so that he could slide his hand between the denim and her body. He didn't waste any time, slipping between her slick folds, his bulky rings dragging along her skin.

She widened her legs, allowing him the room he needed to maneuver in the tight space. He went straight for her clit, his callused finger sliding blissfully against her. She sighed, pressing her forehead into his chest, concentrating on his touch. She grabbed onto his biceps, loving the feel of his hot skin under her palms, her eyes sliding shut in pleasure. He was panting against her, his breath harsh in his throat as he touched her.

Her hips began to rock against him, encouraging his movement, his touch. She was close, so close, but she needed more. She dug her fingers into his arms, trembling against him.

"_Emma_." He groaned into her hair, his voice frantic with desire. "Tell me what you need, love." He begged her, wanting to bring her to completion, not to fight the incubus, but to thank her for seeing past his deformity, for making him feel like a whole man.

"Harder." She choked out, tensing when his touch became rough, unrelenting. She couldn't help the moan that slipped free when he let his nail trail against her clit, stroking her towards her release. Another swipe and then another and she was gone, moan after moan of pleasure filling the air as she came. He stilled his hand against her, wrapping his damaged arm around her back as she shook against him.

She sagged a bit when it was over, wrapping her arms around his waist as she kept her head pressed into his chest. Warm waves of affection swam through her blood as she held him, hearing his heartbeat race. She could hear the rumble of his voice under her ear as he whispered to her,

"That's two, love."

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Regina felt the globe vibrate again, sighing as she reached into her pocket for a second time. Hook was definitely holding up his end of the bargain; it had only been half an hour since the last time she'd felt the sphere jump against her. The damn thing struggled against her tight grip, almost rocketing off her palm when she released it from her hold. It hovered in the air, shaking violently as another bolt of electricity flared under its surface.

The fact that she was actually witnessing Emma's…orgasms (ugh) was not lost on her. She was beginning to understand how the little orb worked, the vibrations starting as Emma moved closer and closer towards her release, the lightening bolts the confirmation that she had indeed reached it.

Regina wrinkled her nose, choosing to keep that fact to herself. She knew there was no way that Mary Margaret would be able to stomach the information and David would keel over with an aneurysm if she told him.

"You should take a picture of that. Send it to Emma." Mary Margaret said, breaking into Regina's thoughts.

"You think?" Regina responded, the thought of interrupting Hook and Emma with a status update seeming…impolite somehow, even for her.

"Gold said she'd know when the incubus was dying, but since I'm having a hard time trusting him at the moment…"

"I suppose you're right. I just hope they come up for air long enough to notice the text."

"Eww, Regina!" Mary Margaret blanched, her nose wrinkling in disgust.

"Oh, get over yourself. It's not like you don't know what they're doing." Regina responded dryly, phone out as she quickly snapped a shot of the orb hovering above her hand, sending a text with the photo attached.

Another strand of white light was now pulsing inside the globe, tangling with the blackness roiling within. She watched it for a moment then reached up and curled her fingers around the sphere, noting that it was growing warmer with each addition of white light; she could feel the heat against her leg as she pocketed it again.

They were currently sitting outside Gold's shop, waiting for Henry to finish his shift for the day, so that Mary Margaret could walk him to the loft. Regina had decided that she was going to have to break into the shop to get the book, and it wouldn't do for the current mayor and her grandson to be seen with her if she was caught.

The plan was for Mary Margaret to walk Henry home while Regina broke into the shop. She'd meet Mary Margaret back at her house, where they could review the book together. She hoped the information she needed was inside it. Otherwise, she really didn't know how she was going to figure out what was going on.

Regina contemplated calling Robin for help; she knew he was a wizard (ha!) at breaking and entering, but just the thought of seeing him when she couldn't touch him, couldn't kiss him was more than enough torture for one day. She'd go it alone, like she always did.

Except that she wasn't, she realized as she looked over at her partner in crime. Mary Margaret was with her. Regina knew it was because of Emma, but she suddenly felt very much like part of a team, working together to save one of their own, not giving up until they had all the answers.

Tears prickled her eyes, which she quickly blinked away, burying her nose in the collar of her coat. She mentally urged Henry to hurry and lock up the shop, exiting with Gold as they always did at the end of the work day. She was anxious to get to the next phase of their plan; it was already getting late and at the rate that Hook and Emma were going, it wouldn't be long before the incubus was on its last legs.

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_Thanks to all those who've stopped by and left a review. Your kind words keep me writing, so thank you! **Hook** me up with some more, lovelies!_


	8. Chapter 8 - Reciprocation

A chapter devoted solely to Emma and Killian. Pure smut. Next chapter will shed a little insight into the purpose of the incubus and the point of that little globe Regina's carrying around with her.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own very little, especially not anything related to Once Upon a Time.

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_"Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired."_

_-Robert Frost_

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**Chapter Eight: Reciprocation **

"So, are you going to count all of my orgasms?" She asked, a ridiculous grin almost splitting her face in half.

"Yep." He responded, his lips popping together at the end of the word. She rolled her eyes, leaning over the side of the tub to close the drain, swiftly wiggling out of her jeans when she stood back. She kicked them and her socks away, leaving her bright red bra and underwear on; they were new, _sexy_, and she wanted to flaunt them a bit (she may or may not have purchased them with a certain pirate in mind).

"Isn't your cellular device in your pocket, love? You really should keep that close." He wisely pointed out, a frown wrinkling his brow.

"I'm busy." She responded petulantly. Part of her didn't want to be disturbed by any texts, so she could continue on blissfully unaware of any danger with her pirate, the other part of her was completely mortified by the fact that her parents _knew _exactly what she was up to right now. Either way, her phone wasn't her biggest priority, the half-naked man next to her was and she was perfectly willing to ignore it for a while.

When she turned back to Killian, she caught him staring blatantly at her ass, a lascivious smile curving his lips up at one corner.

"What?" She asked, suddenly self-conscious.

"I've been staring at that bloody amazing derrière of yours since the day I met you, Swan, frequently imagining how you would look out of those tight jeans of yours. I am not sorry to say that my imagination doesn't do you justice."

"Whatever." She responded, rolling her eyes and adding a softly muttered, "Dork," for good measure.

"You really do need to learn how to take a compliment, love." He stepped toward her, peck muscles flexing distractingly as he reached out and gripped her waist. He turned her slowly away from him, clucking at her when she tried to fight against him. When her back was finally to him, he sighed in appreciation, brushing her hair to the side, trailing his palm from the top of her spine down the length of her back.

"I love you in red, Swan." He whispered when his fingers stopped at the waistband of her panties, his breath brushing gently against her causing goosebumps to rise. Stepping closer, he wrapped his right arm around her waist as he slid his good hand underneath her panties to cup her ass.

She sighed as he pressed his mouth to her neck, her head dropping back against his chest as he gave her ass one more squeeze before sliding his hand back up her spine to her bra strap. He easily undid the clasp one-handed, his nose brushing the strap off her shoulder. His hand glided slowly around to her front, his fingers skirting along the edges of the scratch on her side, moving swiftly past it when she tensed against him.

She couldn't help the way her back arched when he moved to cup her breast or the loud moan she let out when he bit down on her neck. He stilled his mouth, simply breathing against her as he held her plump flesh in his hand for the first time. When he trailed his fingers up the bottom curve of her breast, she bit her lip hard, ass pressed tight against his hardness.

"I love the sound of you moaning for me, Emma." He whispered, his lips brushing softly against her skin as he spoke.

She was amazed at how quickly he had her ready for him again with just a few gentle touches and teasing words. He easily could have slid his hand down into her panties, plunging between her thighs and bringing her off again with his nimble fingers, but she was having none of that. She couldn't get the imagine of a wet and naked Killian Jones out of her head. That was a must for this evening, without question.

"Killian. The tub."

"What about it, love?" He asked distractedly, leaning over her shoulder so he could watch as he pinched her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. She moaned, reaching behind herself to grab onto his waist, her legs suddenly trembling beneath her. He trailed his hand from her breast down her to stomach, turning her slowly in his arms so that she was facing him again. His eyes immediately dropped to her breasts, his breath catching in his throat at his first glimpse of her naked torso.

"Bloody hell, woman." He growled, bending forward to suck her nipple into the heat of his mouth. Twirling his tongue around her, he moaned, his teeth grazing gently against the turgid peak of her breast.

As he kissed her, he dragged his hand down her side, grabbing the waistband of her panties and yanking them down her legs. She giggled when he moaned in impatience, refusing to lift his head from her breast to finish removing them. Taking mercy on him, she lifted her leg, pushing the offending garment the rest of the way down, leaving the scrap of red at their feet.

She glanced over at the tub, noting that it was more than half way full now. Killian moaned when she pulled away from him to shut the faucet off. She turned back to him, hands on her hips, teasingly stern look on her face.

"You're distracting me."

"I beg to differ, love. _You _are, in fact, distracting _me_." He smiled, stepping closer to her, his thumbs tucked into the waistband of his jeans, head tilted to the side, swagger in full effect.

"If we're going to test out this massive tub, you have to finish getting undressed." She poked him gently in the chest, then reached out to grab one of his belt loops with her finger, yanking him forward against her roughly. "It's not nice to keep a lady waiting. _Bad form_, even."

"Bad form, Swan? How could it be called bad form to put my lady's needs before my own, taking the time required to properly caress and kiss every square inch of her delicious body?" When he put it that way, it didn't sound _bad _at all.

"Well, what if one of your lady's needs is to finally see this _sword _you've been bragging out?" He grinned wickedly at her then and her heart stuttered at the amused twinkle in his eyes.

Not able to wait another second, she slid her hand down from his waist to palm his hard length. Whatever smart-ass quip he'd been about to say about being jabbed with swords and "feeling it" died quickly on his lips as she stroked him, shamelessly trying to assess his length through the denim. He groaned, pressing into her hand as he tilted his head back. He looked absolutely wrecked, his cheeks flushed, his lips red from her kisses.

"Clothes off, pirate." She whispered, stepping into the tub before turning back to hold her hand out to him. He sidled up to her, allowing her to unbutton and unzip his jeans before he quickly pushed them down his legs, leaving them where he dropped them. He was about to step into the tub with her, but she stopped him with a hand to his chest.

"Not so fast! You got to enjoy an eyeful earlier. Now it's _my_ turn." He stopped, arms at his sides, letting her take him in. Her gaze slid from his beautiful blue eyes, over his chest and stomach to his hips and then lower, taking in his fully erect cock nestled amongst a thatch of curly dark hair.

Having looked her fill, fighting against her suddenly careening heartbeat, she smiled at him, giving him her hand to step into the tub and pulling him into her arms, so that they were pressed hip to hip, chest to chest, his throbbing manhood caught deliciously between their bodies. The importance of the moment was not lost on her, her heart racing, her face flushed. This moment been so long in coming and now that it was here, she knew it was a memory she would cherish for all of her days.

He brought his hand up to her cheek, tracing the crinkles around her eyes, peaceful quiet surrounding them as they simply gazed longingly into each others eyes. Then she was kissing him and he was kissing her, both moaning as they drank from each other, tongues sliding together, noses bumping in their haste to meld their mouths once more.

She was about to slide down into the water, taking him with her, when he walked her backward to the edge of the tub. He settled her there, legs over the edge, feet in the water. He stood between her splayed thighs, a doting smile on his lips as he traced her cheek, her jaw. She leaned back on her hands, opening her legs wider for him, desperately hoping he would take the hint and kneel between them.

The man must be psychic, or she was just being too damn obvious, because he quickly hunkered down before her, his hand resting on her stomach, fingers spread wide to cover as much of her flesh as possible. Then he was leaning forward, pressing a kiss into her abdomen, his eyes flicking up to hers with one of those completely smug smiles on his face.

She bit her lip at the sight, thinking that if that damn incubus didn't do her in, the vision of Killian Jones between her legs, smirking upat her, definitely would.

There was something about his swagger, his ego, that spoke to her baser instincts, and implied that he would be amazing at this. She had to admit, that this was one of her longest held fantasies, him with his dark head bowed between her thighs, that delectable mouth taking her to places she'd only ever dreamed about. For Killian Jones, it was about more than having a big cock and a devastating smile (both of which she was happy to say he had in spades), it was about pleasing a woman, about her enjoying the time spent in his arms in whatever way she wanted.

She licked her lips in anticipation of his kiss, not able to look away from him. He pressed a kiss to her hipbone, breathing thickly against her as he flicked his tongue teasingly along the seam where her leg met her hip. It tickled, but she was so desperate for his mouth, that she fought the urge to squirm away from him.

As she watched him, hand splayed against her stomach, rings cold against her skin, he watched her intently in turn. He catalogued every arch of her back, every undulation of her hips, every bite of her lip as he touched her. She felt more open, _literally_, with him than she had been with any other man.

It had always seemed so personal, widening your thighs to allow someone to stare down at your sex, seeing all of your secrets right before them. But here she was, legs open and splayed wide, absolutely loving the way he looked at her, hunger in every angle of his face.

She was vulnerable, exposed, but she'd never felt safer.

Then he leaned down, down, down, his beautiful eyes drifting blissfully shut as he pressed his tongue against her folds, sliding to brush against her still sensitive clit. It was as if he understood how gentle he needed to be, knew he couldn't push her too hard when she was only just beginning to come down from her most recent orgasm. And really, what man had ever understood that about a woman?

Apparently this man, she giddily thought to herself, as the featherlight touch of his tongue slowly built her back up as tasted her thoroughly. She dropped her cheek to her shoulder, biting her lip, loving the contrast of his swarthy skin against the porcelain white of her thighs. He pulled his head back to look up at her when a small moan of pleasure slipped from her lips, his mouth red and slick with her essence.

"Enjoying yourself, Swan?" He raised an eyebrow in question, tongue lingering sinfully in the corner of his mouth. All she could do was sigh, her breath coming out in a shaky whoosh as she nodded in response.

"Watch me, love." He commanded. Who was he kidding, she couldn't have looked away even if that fucking incubus popped suddenly out of the water behind him.

He slid his hand from her stomach down to her lightly furred mound, hesitating there as he made sure she was indeed watching him before trailing his finger between her folds. He traced her sex from clit to opening and then back again, never sliding fully into her body as he teased her aching flesh. She moaned as his callused finger touched her intimately, lifting her hips to desperately try to force him into her body.

He played with her, taking his time, building up the tension within her to almost unbearable heights. When he finally took mercy on her, sliding his finger deep inside, she keened at the intrusion, her eyes glued to his as he pressed into her tight passage, a moan falling from his lips as she clenched around him.

"So tight, Emma." He whispered and god, such a cliched statement shouldn't turn her on like it did; she should be telling him to work on his pick-up lines instead of nearly sobbing in pleasure like she was.

He watched her ride his finger, providing her with just enough stimulation to get her closer to her release, but not enough to push her over the edge. He added a second finger, stretching her, then leaned down to press his tongue to her clit again, brushing wonderfully along her swollen flesh.

"Oh god, _Hook_." She moaned loudly, her head falling back as she reached down to grab a fistful of his hair. He moaned pleasantly against her, either at his pirate moniker on her lips or her hand gripping him, she didn't know.

He kept fucking her with his finger, hitting her exactly where she needed him to, his rings dragging inside her body as she rode him hard, his tongue flicking relentlessly against her clit. Her hips lifted up with each thrust, her weight supported by her hands as she undulated against him.

She chased her release with every part of her being, the slick slide of his mouth pushing her to one of the most powerful orgasms of her life. It shot up from the soles of her feet, her legs rigid as it raced through her. She was still watching him as she came, his gazed locked with hers as she rode it out.

When it was finally over, she panted in relief, dropping her cheek to her shoulder as she watched Killian press a kiss into the skin of her inner thigh, a smile of contentment on his glistening lips.

"Shit." She was finally able to breathlessly laugh out.

"You don't say, Swan." He waggled his eyebrows at her, before popping one eyebrow and smirking at her. "I do believe that would be number three, love."

"Oh, shut up." She rolled her eyes, pressing her wet foot into his shoulder. She giggled as he splashed about in the water in indignation before settling down across from her.

"Remember, Swan, no falling asleep." He reminded her, watching her carefully from his end of the tub.

She nodded at him, eyes wide as she took in the absolute beauty that was Killian Jones.

His cheeks were flushed, hair a mess across his forehead, lips red and slick with her essence. His body glistened with droplets of water, necklace nestled against his chest, dark hair narrowing into a thin line on his stomach before making its way to his rigid length. She'd never seen anything more erotic in her life. He looked good enough to be on the cover of Playgirl, she thought as she stared hungrily over at him.

"That looks painful." She nodded at his cock, slowly licking her lips in hungry contemplation. She didn't give him a chance to respond, splashing water over the side of the tub as she closed the space between them and straddled his lap eagerly.

He grabbed her wrist as she reached for him, a scowl pulling his brows down. "Remember, Emma, tonight isn't about me."

"You know, just because I'm touching you doesn't mean that you can't be touching me at the same time." She pointed out, grinning as she slid closer to him, loving the feel of his hard thighs under her.

She'd been spoiled this evening. He'd already given her three mind-blowing orgasms, the last one still tingling along her spine. She shouldn't want him again so soon, but the very thought of touching him, giving him pleasure as he brought her to completion, had her aching for him again.

Not able to stay away from his lips for long, she leaned in to kiss him, tasting herself on his mouth. She brought her hands up to the back of his head, scratching softly at his scalp before pressing her palms down the back of his neck and then around to press her thumbs against either side of his Adam's apple. She could feel his pulse throbbing under her palm, the beats delighting her with their strength.

She bent her head, so she could suck his pulse into her mouth, laving her tongue against it. Counting each beat, she moaned as she tasted him, a rush of air escaping his lungs at the enthusiasm she applied to her kiss.

Not able to keep her hands still any longer, she brought them down his chest, her nails scraping across his nipples, eliciting another gasp from him. He dropped his head back against the tub, his eyes half closed as he enjoyed her touch. She brushed her hands down further, biting her lip in anticipation as she glanced down at his length caught between them.

"_Emma_." He breathed softly, watching her with hooded eyes.

She looked up, taking in the red of his cheeks, his eyes a vibrant and soul-wrenching blue against his black eyeliner. Leaning forward, she brought her lips to his, hovering over his mouth as she carefully wrapped her hand around the base of his cock.

"Beautiful." She whispered, finally leaning to swallow his moans, adjusting her grip as she slowly slid up his length, hand twisting gently at the tip before sliding torturously back down.

A few more strokes up and down and he sat up abruptly, grabbing her wrist to stop her movement.

"Emma, I can't…" He panted, his forehead pressed tightly against hers. She giggled, whispering with a naughty bite to his lip, "What's the matter, Hook, can't handle _it_?"

"Bloody hell, woman. No, I can't handle it and I'm not too ashamed to say so." He took a deep gulp of air, sliding back against the tub and watching her again with his eyes blazing. "You've had me absolutely throbbing for you since you manhandled me so wonderfully in Neverland, love, so yes, I'm having a hard time containing my joy at finally feeling your touch, finally watching you _come_ for me."

A flush of heat flared in her cheeks at his words and she was instantly hurting for him, aching with a desire so feral and deep that it scared her. Frantic, she grabbed his hand, bringing him to her core, silently asking him to stroke her flesh once more as she wrapped her hand around his cock.

He didn't bother touching her clit this time, simply sliding into her heat and unerringly hitting that spot deep within her that was his to possess, to master. She cried out his name as he found it, her hand tightening as she stroked him, causing a moan to tear loose from his lips.

She planted her hand on his thigh underneath her, gripping him tightly as she rode his hand, watching his pleasure break across his face. A few more long strokes of his cock and he was coming for her, spurting his release against her as she felt her own orgasm rip through her. He was beautiful as he came, his head thrown back, mouth open on her name as he pulsed in her palm.

When it was over, she looked down to see his seed covering her body. With any other man, she might feel a bit dirty after such an experience, but with Killian, she felt elated, energized, _powerful_. Pressing contented kisses along the column of his throat, she let the water wash his essence away, loving the breathy groans he was pressing into her hair as he came down from his high.

When she pulled back from him, she smirked and whispered,

"That's four."

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_I love all the reviews! Thanks so much to those that have taken both the time to read and to review._

**_Hook_**_ me up with some more, lovelies!_


	9. Chapter 9 - Intent

This chapter came together really quickly, I'm happy to say. I'm loving writing Regina's point of view in this story, probably the easier stuff for me to write for some reason. This chapter explains the purpose of that little glowing orb (you'll never guess!) and firms up Regina's suspicions on who's trying to pull this off as well as why.

I'd love to know if you saw this twist coming!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

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_"__All the reasonings of men are not worth one sentiment of women."_

_-Voltaire_

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**Chapter Nine: Intent**

"Give it a rest already!" Regina grimaced as the globe in her pocket violently shook against her leg again. That had to be the third time in the past couple of hours. Good _god_, what was he _doing _to her, she thought with a pang of jealousy and resentment deep in her heart. Live it to Miss Swan to get a piece while she had to slink around dark alleys and save the Savior's well-fucked ass.

Oh, bad choice of words. And now that image was stuck in her head. Great. Just great.

She was at the back entrance to Gold's shop, her hands held up before her as she checked for any magical security systems or modern ones that Gold might have installed. Focused on not getting caught, she didn't pause to pull the sphere from her pocket, instead taking two seconds to roll her eyes in annoyance before turning to the door in front of her.

Several minutes later and she'd come up empty. There weren't any spells in place to keep people out and there weren't any cameras or alarms at the back of the shop. Regina paused before reaching down to grab the doorknob in her hand, inserting a key into the lock.

When she was mayor, she'd had keys to several different places throughout the town in her possession, not typical behavior for a mayor, but she'd been an Evil Queen long before she'd been a politician and old habits died hard. Mary Margaret had passed her the key to Gold's shop after they'd swung by the Mayor's office, for once not passing judgement, perhaps wisely understanding that Regina's prior devious behavior was currently helping to save her daughter's life.

Regina was cautious as she entered the shop, knowing that a man like Gold had to have some type of trap in place to catch intruders, even if she couldn't easily detect it. There was no way he trusted anyone in this town not to rob him blind while his back was turned and rightly so, after all he'd done to them over the years.

But it was Storybrooke, stuck in time and limited in technology, so perhaps he'd simply resorted to trusting people's fear of the Dark One to keep his shop safe. She moved carefully, all the same, keeping her eyes and ears peeled for any sign that he was watching her or a that a spell was about to poof her out of existence.

She closed the door quietly behind her, twisting the lock back into place. Looking carefully around, she saw nothing amiss before she moved deeper into the room. She knew that she'd have to be mindful once she made it into the front part of the shop since anyone could look into the windows and see her there, but it shouldn't be too much a problem. She could crouch down behind the counter and if she remembered correctly, the book was on a lower shelf; it should definitely be within her reach if she stretched up a bit.

She reflected that it should seem more odd to her that she was working to save Emma, the woman who had turned her life into chaos since entering it. Ever since the Savior had come into town, life had been anything but ideal. Even knowing that, though, she had to admit that she had found happiness amongst the pain. She was closer to Henry than she'd ever been, and she'd even managed to find peace with Mary Margaret, understanding the woman better now than she ever had when they were in the Enchanted Forest.

Forgiveness was a marvelous thing, she reflected, knowing that it's grace was making her a different person, giving her a whole new chance at life, and making her more than just a one note villain. Perhaps it was because she knew she had Emma to thank for that that she found herself sneaking through Gold's shop to find out how an incubus and an endless night of passion were going to harm the Savior.

She was able to make her way to the front of the shop, where she crouched down behind the counter and inched closer to the bookcase. Hearing a noise outside the shop, she dropped fully onto her knees, silently cursing as her pant leg snagged on a nail. The voices came and went as a couple walked past the shop, enjoying an evening stroll along main street.

She exhaled in relief then moved forward again, promising to bill Emma for a new pair of pants to replace the ones she'd just ruined. Once she was under the shelf she wanted, she reached slowly up, pausing with her hand before the right book, her eyes sliding shut in concentration as she again checked for any magical entrapments.

She couldn't fight the feeling of unease when she again find nothing.

What are you playing at Rumplestilskin, she questioned silently, biting her lip before deciding that she didn't have any other option and grabbing the book off the shelf. Clutching it to her chest, she brought her hand up to body, ready to cast the spell that would transport her home when she stopped.

Gold wasn't a stupid man and anything in his shop that was of real value could probably only be taken by someone with powerful magic. If she used any magic within this shop, he'd know, instantly. _That _was the security system he'd set up, she was sure.

It was what she would do.

Gotcha, she smirked with the realization. Now ready to make quick tracks to the exit, she paused as she felt the globe vibrating in her pocket again. It started off slowly, but quickly rocketed about, heat radiating against her thigh. She jammed her hand into her pocket, annoyance and jealousy twisting her mouth as she grabbed onto the orb, yanking it from her pocket to stare down as it broke free from her grasp and hovered above her palm again.

She watched in awe as tendrils of white light broke under the surface, stretching out like the branches of a tree, the glow and heat warming her face as it expanded and temporarily overwhelmed the blackness swirling inside the sphere. Once the shaking stopped, half the globe was filled with a quickly revolving white light, the heat never completely leaving now.

It was beautiful, she had to admit, the sophisticated bit of magic well protected inside the globe. She reached back into her pocket, now pulling out her phone to snap another picture of the slowly rotating sphere to send to Emma. Once the picture was taken, she moved to slide the phone back into her coat, stopping when her eyes landed on the book she'd set on the floor to take the picture.

An idea occurred to her as she glanced from the book to her phone. She opened the book where it lay, searching quickly for the pages she needed and sighing in relief when she found them all there; her assumption that Gold wouldn't deface his own copy of the book had been correct. She flipped her phone back open, snapping quick shots of the pages before setting the book back on the shelf. She grabbed the orb and her phone, shoving both down into her pocket before making her way carefully to the back door.

She surveyed the shop one more time before opening the door to exit, confident she'd left no clues as to her presence in the shop. She relocked the door with a twist of her key, moving quickly into the shadows of the night. She made sure to walk several paces away from the building as a precaution before using her magic to transport herself into her living room.

Once there, she quickly texted Mary Margaret, letting her know she'd arrived safely home before sending another text to Emma, her mouth twisting up in dark humor as she attached the picture of the glowing orb to it and typed a message before hitting send.

When Mary Margaret arrived at the house, Regina had made them a quick meal. It'd been hours since she'd eaten and she had a feeling that this night was going to continue to drag on before they were finally able to solve the riddle of the incubus. Mary Margaret settled at her kitchen counter, thanking her profusely for the leftover lasagna, turning her nose up at the homemade applesauce Regina had thoughtlessly heaped onto her plate.

"Oops." She said, smiling sheepishly and shrugging in apology before settling down next to Mary Margaret, her phone open between them, the picture of the book text on the small screen.

"Do you think anyone saw you?" Mary Margaret asked around a mouthful of pasta, chewing and swallowing in obvious pleasure. "I've barely eaten all day. This is so good, Regina, thank you."

"Slow down. You're going to end up dribbling on yourself if you continue to eat that fast. And no, no one saw me. I may not have lived as a thief for a major portion of my life, but I still know how to steal a thing or two without getting caught." Regina sniffed.

"Oh, simmer down. You've got mad skills." Mary Margaret said, rolling her eyes sarcastically before nodding to the phone on the counter. "What does it say?"

Regina picked it up, squinting as she slowly read the text aloud.

"'_Let it be known that only a night of uninterrupted passion can fully sever the hold that Laurentinus will have on the victor. But if there be love between the victor and the object of her desire, a love deep and unconquerable, the life they will create will be the product of True Love, and more powerful than any demon spawn that Laurentinus could have produced. A child like this will be infinitely good, bringing a light to the world unparalleled in its strength and power, a source of fear for those that revel in evil, a beacon of light in the dark._'"

Regina paused here, looking to the orb where it hovered above the kitchen counter, the white and black swirling sluggishly around each other. Mary Margaret looked at it as well, fear bringing her lips down in a grim line.

"What does it mean?" She asked, her eyes flicking to Regina's before going back to the sphere. Regina moved back to her phone, repositioning the image, so that she could continue to read, a feeling of dread turning the lasagna she'd eaten into a hard lump in her stomach.

"'_The final threat, the ultimate menace to the life of the victor and her child, will come in the form of a Sphere, which can house the essence of the babe's soul, imprisoning the product of True Love before it is born into existence. If one were to posses such a Sphere, they would own a power unlike any the world has ever know, becoming the master not only of the babe, but of the world that the child would rule in the name of the master._'"

Regina sat back, her eyes wide with horror at the information she'd just gained. It was Gold, she knew it without a doubt; the Dark One wouldn't be able to pass up ruling the world as well as a being as powerful as the product of True Love.

Mary Margaret hadn't moved as she read, her mouth sliding open in horror as she listened to Regina. All the color had drained from her face, making her skin even paler than normal as she digested what she'd heard.

"So, let me get this straight. The incubus was called forth to seduce and impregnate Emma, so that someone could control the resulting baby, ruling the world with a demon spawn. But really though, that was just Plan B because the bigger goal was to have Emma and Killian conceive a baby, a baby that would be the product of True Love. A poor, innocent baby that could then be controlled, if it's essence was captured in that little globe over there. So once it's born, someone can just swoop down and steal it away from Emma and Killian, forcing their child to do evil things. Is that about the gist of it?"

"A little wordy, Madam Mayor, but yes, your summary is correct." Regina confirmed. "And, while the book doesn't specifically mention this, I have a feeling that since the baby would be the product of True Love twice over, it would probably be even more desirable to the person orchestrating this whole situation."

"It's Gold, isn't it? He's the only one powerful enough to call a being like the incubus to Emma, the only one that can so easily manipulate us to get us all _exactly _where he wants us to be, where he needs Emma and Killian to be."

"Yes, that devious little imp has much to gain from such a plan." Regina sighed, dropping the phone down beside her plate, staring with disdain at her half eaten meal.

"Can we just smash it?" Mary Margaret asked, nodding to the sphere as it rotated on its axis. Regina shook her head, picking the phone back up to scroll through the text, searching for any reference on how to thwart Gold's plans now that they'd been set in motion. She was extremely concerned about their options, though, suspecting that he never would've allowed the orb out of his possession if there was a way to stop him by harming it.

She moved to the last section of the text, the words she read there twisting her gut, which she carefully hid from her companion. She swallowed and read aloud, watching out of the corner of her eye as Mary Margaret listened hopefully to her.

"'_If the incubus is to be thwarted, the victim must partner with the object of her desire, experiencing uninterrupted bliss, killing Laurentinus with the joining of their bodies and souls as one. The victor, ready to receive her lover's seed will conceive a child. If that child is born of True Love, it will have the power to save realms or destroy them.'_" Regina paused before speaking the last few sentences, trying to keep the ominous tone from her voice and failing miserably.

"'_If the Sphere of Laurentum has been used to trap the essence of the child, fear the end of days, for a dark evil is at work in the world. Guard the Sphere well for destroying it will destroy the child. The only one who can save the child and ultimately, the world, will be the victor, the savior of realms, and the victim of Laurentinus's dark desire. Only her sacrifice can break the grip of evil, force away the dark, and bring light into the world._'"

"_Emma_." Mary Margaret breathed, an infinite sadness in her voice. When Regina looked at her, she found tears gathered in the younger woman's eyes.

"It's not fair. When does my daughter actually get to enjoy her happy ending? She's found love, found her family, a home, but even having all of that doesn't mean she gets to rest. She has to sacrifice…she has to be the one who saves us all. Again. When does it end? Please, Regina, tell me because I'm beginning to lose hope."

Regina reached out, the gesture automatic as she gripped Mary Margaret's trembling hand in her own. "If there's one thing I've learned since meeting your daughter is that she's a survivor. She'll get through this, Snow, just like she always does."

"But at what cost? Will she lose her baby or Killian or someone else? Will she have to sacrifice herself to defeat Gold? What?"

"I don't know, but what I do know is that this time Emma has us to back her up. We'll figure this out. And if there's one thing I've learned since meeting _you_, its that there's always hope."

"How can we just let Emma and Killian keep going, knowing what will happen once they conceive this baby?"

"If we stop them, the incubus will go after Emma again and he'll win this time. He'll seduce her, impregnate her and she'll bear an evil child that Gold will control. We can't allow that to happen. At least this way, Emma will be able to break free from the incubus and the baby will be good, will be a purveyor of white magic. She'll be able to save it and the world, if we give her half a chance."

Mary Margaret said nothing in response, not willing to speculate any further on exactly what sacrifice would be required of the Savior this time. They both stared over at the orb, rotating slowly above the counter, understanding it's power in a whole new way now.

Regina finally stood, moving to the sphere, waiving her hand over it to create a protection spell. She knew it wouldn't ultimately be powerful enough to keep Gold away, but it was better than nothing. She stared down at the Sphere of Laurentum, finally understanding that within it's glass surface was the visible embodiment of True Love, surviving against the darkest of odds, the beginnings of life.

"I'll keep you safe until Emma can do so herself." She murmured to the white light pulsing within the glass, pulling the orb back into her hand and gripping it tightly as she made her vow.

She didn't know how she'd fix this, but she would. No one messed with her family, not even a magic addicted little dick like Gold. _Especially_ not him.

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_Review it like a rock star! _


	10. Chapter 10 - Bliss

Another chapter of Killian and Emma, enjoying their time on The Love Boat together. Number 5, folks! ;)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own anything, but my sleepless nights.

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_"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will."_

_-George Bernard Shaw_

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**Chapter Ten: Bliss**

Emma sighed as she settled deeper into the water, loving the feel of Killian wrapped around her, his legs on either side of her, chest pressed into her back. He'd told her that they could only stay in the tub for a few more minutes, worried that the hot water coupled with their complete and utter satiation would cause one or both of them to nod off.

In an effort to keep each other awake they told stories; she told him about her days as a bail bonds person, loving the way his laugh vibrated through her when she told him about the perp she'd chased through a garbage heap in four inch heels. He told her of his life on the _Jolly Roger,_ her giggles riotous when he'd told her how he'd walked in on Smee and a bar wench one night, his first mate on all fours and _begging _the girl for mercy.

She felt happier than she had in weeks. It was a combination of being in Killian's arms and her multiple orgasms, she was sure. Gold had been right, she could feel the incubus's strength weakening with each press of Killian's body to hers, each touch of his hand, each kiss.

But…there was still darkness biting at the edges of her sanity. She knew that if she closed her eyes and fell asleep, _he _would be there and she didn't know if she'd be able to get away again. Or worse yet, if Killian were to fall asleep, her fears about his safety would become reality. And the longer they held each other like this, the more she was sure that she would never survive the loss of Killian Jones.

He pressed a gentle kiss into her temple, reaching down to grasp her hand, turning it over to inspect each fingertip, his thumb stroking her palm.

"You're turning into a prune, love. It might be time to get out and dry off. Finally make use of that marvelous bed in the other room, hmmm?"

Butterflies, nope, _pterodactyls _with massive, massive wings were suddenly swooping though her stomach at the thought of him taking her to bed. She didn't waste any time stepping out of the tub and onto the furry bathmat, reaching for a plush towel to wrap around herself. Killian quickly followed her, taking the towel she handed to him and drying off as well. She helped him secure the towel around his hips before turning to gather his clothes and hook and passing them to him.

She grabbed her own clothes, pressing the bundle to her chest with one hand and holding out the other to grasp his, interlocking their fingers. A silly, contented grin spread across her face as his eyes twinkled over at her. She tugged him out the doorway and down the hall, enjoying the sound their bare feet made on the wood floor as they left wet footprints behind them. When they reached the closed door to the captain's cabin, she stopped him with a hand to his chest, smiling shyly up at him.

"What is it, Swan?"

"Do you think you can wait here a second before coming in? Give me a quick minute alone?"

"I don't know, Emma. The incubus…" He reached up to brush her hair over her shoulder, his fingers ghosting down her arm before he weaved their fingers together again. "I don't think we should spend any time apart, just as a precaution."

"How about I leave the door ajar and you give me exactly sixty seconds before you come in?"

"Is everything okay?" He asked, head tilted in concern.

"Yeah, I just…need a minute."

"Only one minute, love, and then I'm coming in after you." He promised.

"Deal." She agreed, kissing him quickly before opening the door, leaving it open slightly.

She dropped her clothes on top of the charts Killian had been reviewing earlier (he never had made it topside to check their position…must have been preoccupied or something) and then went to the drawer that held the nightgowns, lifting out the sheer one she'd admired earlier.

She fingered it for a moment, then quickly dropped her towel to the floor and slipped the gown over her head. She stepped to the mirror on the wall, trying to artfully arrange her tangled hair over one shoulder, groaning with annoyance at the way the ends were starting to curl as they dried.

Giving up on her hair as a lost cause, she checked out the nightgown, a pleased blush coloring her cheeks at how she looked. It was translucent white with spaghetti straps and a plunging neckline. Her nipples were clearly visible through the sheer material, rosy pink and erect, making her blush even harder at the sight.

"Okay in there, Swan?" Killian called brusquely through the doorway and she realized that she hadn't made any noise in a few seconds, probably worrying him.

"Yeah. How much time do I have left?"

"20 seconds…19….18…." He counted out.

She took one more look in the mirror, wondering if there was a pair of white panties that went with the gown as she noticed that the curve of her sex was visible through the material. Well, it's not as if he hasn't seen it already, she thought to herself, taking a last assessing look in the mirror.

The gown was so feminine and soft, unlike anything she'd ever worn for a man before. She'd always chosen dark bra and panty sets with hard, rough edges, that hid who she truly was, who she truly wanted to be. This gown was the exact opposite of all of that and it reflected a side of her that no one else had ever seen before. It felt somehow…virginal, which was an insane thought. She hadn't been a virgin in an _extremely_ long time.

Shaking her head to herself, she walked to the center of the room and turned to the door, not quite sure where to put her hands all of a sudden. She was nervous, her heart racing in anticipation of Killian coming through the door and finding her waiting for him.

She hoped he liked it.

She heard him finish counting down before pushing the door all the way open, clothes and brace still held in the crook of his arm, towel riding enticingly low on his hips. He stopped abruptly when he saw her, his mouth dropping open in stunned silence. He took her in, his eyes darting too and fro and then back again, the tips of his ears turning bright red as he stood there.

"Emma?" He asked, sounding a bit dazed as he took a step into the room.

She smiled at him, suddenly unsure and wanting to wrap her arms around her breasts to cover up. She didn't know why, he'd already seen her naked and dripping wet, had already had his head between her thighs not that long ago, and yet…

And yet, she felt exposed, self-conscious, _raw_ as she stood there, desperate for him to think her beautiful and desirable.

"You are bloody gorgeous, Swan." He said softly, his voice filled with awe. He dropped his clothes and hook in a heap at his feet, taking two long strides to get to her side.

"Do you like it?" She asked shyly, looking up at him from under her lashes.

"I've never seen anything more lovely than you. You look like an absolute angel, darling."

And just like that, when she heard truth in his words, saw it in his eyes, her fears left her. He thought she was beautiful, truly.

She stepped close enough to wrap her arms around his shoulders, her head tilting back as she stared up into his awestruck face. She could feel his warmth through the thin material of her gown, could feel his crisp chest hair against the hardened tips of her breasts. Desire, deep and unrelenting, pooled in her stomach as she held him.

"I'm not an angel, Killian. Just a girl who wants to look pretty for the boy she likes." She admitted.

He brought his hand to her waist, pulling her tighter to him, staring at the plump curve of her breasts as they pressed against him. When he finally dragged his eyes up to her face, she rolled her eyes at him, a smirk curving her lips.

"Your statement is flawed, Swan." He murmured, swaying her gently back and forth in his arms. "First off, I am most definitely not a _boy._"

"Oh, forgive me. _Man_ then."

"And don't you forget it." He ordered her swiftly, a mock growl bringing his dark brows down, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

"I won't." She promised, groaning when he flexed his hips into her to prove his point, his hard cock pressing against her.

"Good. And you, my dear, are anything but a _girl_."

"Duly noted. So, what I should have said was that 'I'm a woman who wants to look pretty for the man she likes?'" He titled his head to the side, contemplating her restructured sentence before shaking his head in disapproval.

"Still not quite right. 'Pretty' doesn't do you justice. Try something like "_alluring_," "_magnificent_," "_gorgeous_," "_ethereal_," "_dazzling."_

"Okay, okay, I get the point." She rolled her eyes, cutting off his words, a blush burning her cheeks.

"I have an affinity for the word "_stunning_," myself." He whispered, reaching up to trail his fingers along the blush, his eyes sliding down to her lips before he dipped his head to taste her. When he pulled back, they were both breathless, Emma trembling at the hard press of his cock into her stomach. His towel was doing nothing to protect his modesty, thank her lucky stars.

"So, what should I have said, exactly?" She asked him, loving the dazed look on his face, knowing it matched the one on hers.

"Something about you being 'a stunningly gorgeous angel who steals my breath every time you walk into the room.' That sounds spot on to me." She laughed out loud when he swooped her up into his arms then, carrying her to the bed. He plopped her down, getting ready to climb after her when he paused, his ear trained toward the middle of the room.

"Do you hear that, Swan?" He asked.

She didn't hear anything at first, but then a faint buzzing reached her ears. It was coming from her clothes on the table and she plopped back down on the mattress in annoyance when she realized what it was.

"It's my phone. Leave it."

"We should check, Emma, your parents might have a vital piece of information about the incubus." He retrieved the phone, holding it out to her before settling at her hip, hand pressed into the mattress as he leaned over her. He watched her swipe her thumb across the screen of the phone, opening up her messages and then blushing furiously at what she saw on the screen.

"_Oh god_."

"Something amiss?" His brows came down in a concerned frown.

"Only that Regina and _my mother _are taking pictures of that globe thingy that Gold gave them and sending me progress updates. Oh, _god,_ I hope my dad isn't with them!" She flicked her eyes up to Killian's, her face burning red as he grinned down at her, enjoying her humiliation way too much. She contemplated him for a moment before saying, "He is _so _going to kill you when we get back."

"Being able to have my wicked way with you is definitely worth whatever pain you father will dole out, Swan." He winked at her as she giggled and rolled her eyes at his cheek.

He pulled the phone from her grasp and looked at the photos that Regina had sent them. There were two images, the first showing the globe hovering over a hand, white strands of light visible in it with the words '_well, that didn't take long' _in a small bubble beneath the photo. The second image was similar, a hand beneath the hovering globe, the background indistinct. There was a noticeable increase to the amount of white light in the globe and the words, '_tell the pirate not to get anything on my sheets,' _below the photo.

"It seems we are indeed making progress, love, although I don't need a picture or a magical orb to tell me that." He handed the phone back to her, watching as she looked at the photos again, pausing over the second one for a moment.

"Something wrong?" He asked, seeing her stare intently at the screen, biting her lip in contemplation.

"I don't know, there's something odd about this picture. When I look at it, I feel…happy. Maybe it's tied to us fighting the incubus? I can sense that we're beating him?" She looked back at the photo, smiling at the warmth that spread through her when she looked at it.

It was strange, this warmth, this _emotion _bursting through her chest…it felt exactly like the emotion that filled her heart whenever she thought of Henry. Happiness and pride and….unconditional love. She looked up at Killian, her eyes widening in surprise, the feelings almost overwhelming her with their strength.

"Emma?" He asked, concern tightening his jaw at the expression on her face. "Love?"

"Kiss me." She whispered, needing to feel him again, suddenly petrified by the emotions racing through her. He readily obliged, his body coming down hard and fast against hers as he molded his lips to her mouth. She wrapped her arms around him, loving his weight on her, as he easily pushed any other thought out of her head.

He slid his mouth away from hers, lightly tracing the line of her jaw, moving down to nip at her pulse beat, then moving lower still. He brushed his mouth over the curve of her breast, settling over her nipple with a sigh of appreciation. She gasped when he wrapped his mouth around her, his mouth damp through the material of her gown. His tongue was rough against her, teasing her nipple with soft, insistent strokes.

"_Killian_." She breathed, loving the way his name felt on her tongue.

He shifted lower, pulling back to gaze at her spread out before him, hair fanned across the bed. She had the feeling that he was memorizing her, memorizing the moment, his hand stroking softly against her thigh as he stared down at her. Having looked his fill, he leaned over to press soft, chaste kisses to her stomach, his tongue delving into her belly button before he slid further down her body.

She could feel his breath, hot and damp, when he reached her sex, and she couldn't help her moan of greedy anticipation when he pressed a chaste kiss to her mound. He propped himself up on his elbow, laying across the tops of her thighs as he looked up at her. She smiled, reaching down to trail her hand against his cheek, his stubble rough under her fingertips.

"That nightgown isn't the only gift that Regina left you, is it, Swan?" He asked, a devilishly sexy grin appearing as he stared up at her, eyebrow raised in question. Her eyes widened at the question.

"What? You mean the vibrators and stuff?"

"Vibrators? Is that what they're called?"

"Some of them, yeah. Not all of them vibrate, but some do."

"Vibrate? Explain, please." He tilted his head in curiosity.

"It would be more fun to show you." And god, she didn't know where she'd gotten the balls to say that, all husky and breathless, teasing him with a quirk of her brow. She'd never seen him move so fast as he bolted upright, bouncing in giddy eagerness on the bed at her suggestion.

"Calm down, pirate. Jeez, men are no different, regardless of the land they come from." She giggled as she pushed him out of her way and slid from the bed. Killian watched her walk over to the drawer of goodies, but when she pulled it open, she waived him over. "We should pick one out together."

"Fair point, Swan. All the best decisions are joint ones." He came up behind her, pulling her back against his chest, hand on her hip as he peered over her shoulder in curiosity. She looked down at the assorted products, reaching down to grab a couple of the boxes that piqued her interest.

"See, this one here, it's called a vibrator. There are batteries that you put in it and it vibrates at different speeds, so you can feel it inside you. Here." She handed the box to him over her shoulder, pointing at the product description on the back. He took it from her, murmuring as he read.

"Ah. Well, that's sounds interesting. What about that one there? What does that one do, love?" He asked, pressing his chin into her shoulder, nodding at the box she held in her other hand.

"Well, this one is what you call a dildo…you know, I'm not sure why they call it that. It's a stupid name. A man must have come up with it, but anyways….It doesn't vibrate, it's just a fake penis, but they come in varying sizes." She held up the box, showing him the back, so he could read that description as well.

"Why would you need one of those when you have a perfectly serviceable one right here, love?" He asked her teasingly, pressing his erection tightly against her ass. She moaned at the thick feel of him. There was only a towel and an extremely sheer bit of material between them and the thought of him simply rucking up her nightgown in the back and sliding into her body was so alluring that she had to fight desperately against it.

She took the vibrator box away from him and dropped it and the box she was still holding back into the drawer. Then she leaned forward, bracing herself against the cabinet in front of her as she ground back against him.

Not time yet, Emma, she thought to herself, but she was badly tempted to just give in, damn the consequences. Killian rubbed himself against her, his fingers digging into her hip before he slid his hand around to her stomach and pulled her back against his chest. Mouth pressed tight to her ear, he nipped at her earlobe before whispering to her.

"Soon, love, I promise, but you're not ready for that quite yet." She groaned in frustration, but stopped pushing back against him. He was right and she knew it. She pressed her forehead into the cabinet for a moment, breathing deeply and trying to remember what they had been talking about before.

"Did you have anything like this back in the Enchanted Forest?" She asked. He pressed a kiss into her neck, chuckling before responding.

"I possessed a few...attachments that worked with my brace. Nothing that vibrated, of course, but they got the job done." She thought back to the question he'd asked her as he lay in the hospital all those months ago, something about what "attachment" she'd prefer.

Well, damn, she'd thought he'd just been trying to push her buttons, get a rise out of her, but nope, there actually were _attachments._

"What's that one do, love?" He asked, pulling her out of her memories as he pointed over her shoulder again.

"That one is a vibrator, too, just a small one that you use on the outside only. And that one there, that's a combo deal. It's a vibrator slash penis to be used internally, obviously, and then those little attachments press against the outside."

He nodded his head against her to indicate that he followed her explanation before he brought his mouth back to her ear, asking in a low voice, "Which one should we choose, love?"

She gulped, not able to breathe for a second as she contemplated his question. She stared down at the drawer, wondering which was the perfect one for her pirate to use. She leaned over slightly, ass pressing back against him again, (_completely_ an accident) as she looked at the various boxes in the drawer. She rifled through them, finally grabbing one that contained a thick purple wand that was curved slightly at the end with a rounded tip and a long, smooth handle.

"This one." She decided. She turned to Killian, handing him the box and waiting to see his response. He flipped it over, reading the description on the back before looking up at her.

"Ready to take it for a test sail, Swan?" He grinned mischievously at her.

Oh, god, she truly may not survive this night.

"Okay." She breathed, feeling vaguely dazed as she took the box from him, opened it and pulled out the wand. There were batteries in the drawer, too, so she grabbed a few before making her way back to the bed. Sitting down on the edge of it, she inserted the batteries, twisting the base of the wand closed once they were in place.

She turned it on low, holding it out for Killian to take from her.

"According to the box, this is supposed to help stimulate your…g-spot? Is that the right word?" He asked, eyes filled with curiosity.

"Yeah, it's that spot inside that makes women go absolutely crazy when you hit it _just _right." He handed her back the wand then planted his hand next to her hip on the bed, leaning over her with his mouth above hers. She grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled him down with her as she lay back, his mouth following hers as she dropped back.

"I seem to remember finding a spot that fits that very same description not that long ago, Swan."

"Mmm, yeah, you did." She whispered up to him, smiling at the memory. His eyes slipped to her mouth and then he was kissing her, tasting her smile as the wand vibrated gently against her stomach where it rested. When he pulled back, the pupils of his eyes were blown wide with desire, the bright blue almost obscured.

"So, this tool is supposed to help you 'go absolutely crazy' for me again?"

"That's the idea. Ready to give it a try?"

"I'm willing if you are, Swan." He helped her slide into the middle of the bed before he tugged the towel off his hips and tossed it away. She immediately reached for him, sighing as her hand wrapped around his rigid length once again. He was silky smooth and hot in her palm as she stroked him. His eyes closed at her touch, his hips following her movements as smoothly as the tide rolls toward the shore.

"I thought we were going to try out your magic wand, Swan?" He moaned breathlessly, dropping his forehead to her collarbone while he continued to thrust up into her hand. She smiled at his turn of phrase, pressing a kiss against his temple before sliding her free hand up to twine in the thick strands of his hair.

He only let her touch him for a few more moments before he was brushing her hand away as he slid down her body, kissing her stomach and hipbone as he made his way to the hem of her nightgown and slowly began to push it up her body. He settled the gown around her waist, dipping his head to taste her bared sex, tongue sliding easily between her folds. Her back arched, fingers digging into the bedspread as her eyes slid shut in ecstasy.

It was such a wicked skill that he had, one perfected over countless years. He dipped his tongue into her weeping center, gathering her essence before sliding back over her throbbing clit. She gasped at the incredible warmth she felt when he did it, realizing she was feeling the body heat that he'd gathered on his tongue when he'd slid deep inside her. He did it again then pressed a thick finger gently into her, searching until he found that spot deep inside that would be her undoing.

"Sing for me, love." He whispered, encouraging the moans that she didn't bother to hold back. He gently bit her inner thigh before sliding his tongue back between her slick folds, his finger never stepping its thrusts up into her tight passage.

"I thought…_oh, god, Killian_…I thought we were going to try out the wand." She panted.

"We'll get there, love, I promise. I just want to make sure you're ready for _it_." There it was, that exacting click of his teeth that caused her toes to curl. How was that even a thing that made her tighten around his fingers and nearly come then and there? She gasped, eyes swiftly opening as she looked down at him. He smirked up at her, lips red and swollen.

"Is that what you're doing?" She managed to ask, hips lifting as he slid his finger deep inside her. "Cause it feels an awful lot like you're trying to get me to come again."

"Does it now? Well, there's nothing wrong with that, is there, love?"

"_God, no_." She whimpered in response, head dropping back as he tortured her with his mouth and hand.

Just when she thought he was going to finish her off like that, he removed his finger, his tongue continuing to flick against her as he grabbed the purple wand from it's place on her stomach. He shifted back enough to slide it between her thighs, removing his mouth as he teased her clit with the wand tip first, the pulsing rhythm causing white dots of pleasure to burst behind her eyes.

He didn't keep it against her clit long, knowing that if he did she'd fall faster than either of them wanted. Instead he slid the tip of the wand down to her opening, waiting there as she moaned in anticipation.

She knew she was dripping for him, slick with desire, more than ready for this invasion, but she still tensed when he pressed more of the tip inside her. It had been a long time since she felt the lovely burning stretch of penetration, and while she longed for it, she knew it would take her a moment to adjust.

His mouth was back on her, hot and insistent as he pressed the wand fully up into her body. A deep guttural groan left his mouth as her body gave way to the intrusion, her excitement coating the wand as he slid into her.

"That's it, Emma." He whispered as he pulled the wand out then pushed back in again, searching for that spot that she was aching for him to find. The vibrations along her inner walls had her whole body tensing, her fingers grasping the bedspread so hard the feeling had left them.

She cried out when he found what he was looking for. Then he was dipping his head back down to her clit and it only took a few long drags of his tongue with the wand vibrating deep inside her before her release barreled through her, her mouth open on a wordless scream.

Several unbelievable moments later she felt him slide the wand out of her body, pressing a tender kiss to her hipbone as he did it. He turned off the vibrations, dropping the wand over the side of the bed. Then he was moving back up her body, his cock hard and insistent as it pressed into her thigh.

"Okay?" He asked, eager to make sure she'd enjoyed herself.

She couldn't speak yet, so she simply nodded as she brought a trembling hand to his cheek. He kissed her and she tasted her sweet and sour flavor on his lips. She couldn't stop shaking with aftershocks, laughing breathlessly as he pressed soothing kisses across her forehead and down her cheek before moving back to her lips.

"That's five, Swan." He whispered as she nipped gently at his bottom lip.

"Are you sure? That felt like five, six, and seven, combined." He chuckled against her.

"I assure you, it was only one, love." He pulled back, his hand cupping her cheek as he gazed at her and her heart swelled at the emotion she saw in his eyes. It was on the tip of her tongue to whisper to him that she felt the same, that she had been feeling the same way for months now…

That she loved him, too.

But then he was kissing her, sweetly stealing her breath and her words and the moment sailed away as smoothly as it had arrived.

* * *

_Let me know what you think! _**_Hook_**_ a girl up with a review, lovelies!_


	11. Chapter 11 - Desperation

Well, it's finally here! Sorry for the delay...it's been a busy, busy week. This is a long one, but an important one. I hope you enjoy and thanks for being patient with me!

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing except an empty fridge and a voracious hunger.

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_"There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast."_

_-Charles Dickens_

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**Chapter Eleven: Desperation**

Regina stared at the door to the loft, dreading the conversation she was about to enter into. She had vehemently argued with Mary Margaret about the merits of having her explain to David what was happening to his daughter, but Mary Margaret could be as stubborn as, well, Regina, when her mind was made up.

As they had made their way back to the loft, Regina had contented herself with imagining the numerous ways she could get back at Mary Margaret for dragging her along, a grim smile settling on her lips with each increasingly satisfying and dark image that she had conjured.

Why her, she thought, deep in her misery. Dear god, she didn't even _like_ these people.

Well, okay that wasn't necessarily true, not any more, but she really didn't understand when she had become responsible for explaining all the intricacies of Emma Swan's sex life to her parents.

"Come on, Regina." Mary Margaret said over her shoulder. She had her key out and was just about to insert it into the lock when David opened the door. He looked like he had recently woken up, hair mussed and eyes still puffy with sleep. He was wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants and a white t-shirt, looking so damn wholesome and _charming_ that Regina almost lost her dinner.

There was no accounting for taste, she thought as she stared at David with clear disdain on her face. Mary Margaret entered the loft, kissing her husband and turning to look at Regina in expectation. Regina fought the urge to stick her tongue out in response, stepping into the loft and sniffing in contempt instead.

"Henry, Elsa, and Neal are sleeping. We'll have to keep it down." David murmured. He followed his wife into the kitchen, leaning his hip against the kitchen counter as Mary Margaret settled next to him. Regina perched on one of the bar stools at the counter, waiting impatiently for Mary Margaret to get down to brass tacks and tell her husband what they'd discovered.

"Well?" David prompted, looking to his wife for an explanation.

Mary Margaret sighed heavily in resignation and then began to explain what they had found. There was such anguish in her voice that Regina realized how much pain she'd been holding back over the course of the evening. Her heart ached for the younger woman, understanding her pain as only another mother could.

Once Mary Margaret had finished her tale, David simply stared at her, his mouth hanging open in horror as he tried to digest what she'd told him. Then he was pulling her into his chest, his arms wrapping tightly around her, trying to provide some comfort to her.

As Regina sat there, feeling awkward at being witness to such a private moment, the Sphere began to vibrate inside her pocket again. She reached into her coat, slowly extracting it and marveling at the tremendous amount of heat radiating from it now.

Uncurling her fingers, she watched as the Sphere rose into the air, vibrating and twirling above the hand that she held protectively underneath it. Tendrils of white light broke across the surface of the glass, encompassing it completely for several long moments. When the light finally settled down again, Regina noted that there was definitely more white light now than darkness. It wouldn't be long before it was almost completely gone and Emma and Hook could fully consummate their relationship and defeat the incubus.

"That's the essence of my grandchild's soul in there?" David finally asked, speaking to Regina over Mary's Margaret's head.

"Yes." She confirmed, pausing before asking, "Do you want to hold it?" She swept the globe up into her hand then held it out to him, watching as he took a hesitant breath before reaching across the counter to take the orb from her.

"It's so warm." He said, awed as he stared down at the little ball of white light in his hand. A smile came and went on his face before he handed the globe back to Regina, determination setting his jaw into a fierce line. "How do we save Emma and our grandchild?"

"We don't know yet, but we _will _find a way. Our family doesn't give up." Mary Margaret answered her husband. "Right, Regina?"

"We won't give up until we find a way to save them both." Regina agreed, her lips pressed tight together in a grim line. "You have my word on that."

* * *

"Oh, _god_, so good!" Emma exclaimed around her mouthful of pop-tart, taking another huge bite and rubbing her stomach in happy exaggeration as she smiled over at Killian. He grinned at her, biting into his own pop-tart as he settled against the pillows at his back, legs stretched out, ankles crossed as he munched.

They'd gone foraging for food when Emma's stomach had growled loudly in protest. She'd giggled in embarrassment and Killian had called it 'a providential sign' that it was time to take a break and refuel. The squeal of delight that she'd let out at finding the box of strawberry pop-tarts in the galley had brought a puzzled look to Killian's face. She explained that pop-tarts were her comfort food as they returned to the captain's cabin with the box and full glasses of wine.

She could tell by the look on his face that he didn't understand what she meant by "comfort food," but he had become distracted as she walked slightly ahead of him, his gaze focused on her ass as they made their way down the hallway. Killian hadn't been able to keep his gaze off her as they'd made their way to the galley and back, his eyes seemingly caressing her breasts through her nightgown before moving lower to the apex of her thighs as she settled across from him on the bed.

She'd be lying if she said it bothered her.

He wasn't the only one who couldn't stop staring. She was having a hard time looking anywhere but him, settled so casually against the pillows. There weren't words to describe his utter perfection, a pair of loose linen pants riding low on his hips, chest bare as he stared over at her. She had never seen him wear anything other than black and she had to admit that he looked good in the lighter color.

"Tell me something, love." He asked, watching as she popped the last bite of strawberry pop-tart into her mouth with a contented smile.

"Anything." She responded easily. She watched him as he looked across the space separating them, wine glass held against his thigh as he contemplated her.

Gorgeous bastard, she thought on a sigh, his blue eyes twinkling at her, his gaze drifting down over her breasts, taking in the way her nipples pressed against the sheer fabric of her gown, tongue sliding along his bottom lip at the sight.

"What is "comfort food?" He asked, gesturing toward the box of pop-tarts with his head tilted in question.

"Oh. It's food that makes you feel better by reminding you of something happy."

"What happy memory do pop-tarts give you, love?" She stared at him for a moment, body instantly tensing as she remembered the multiple times she'd stolen a box of pop-tarts off a grocery store shelf and had then run for her life, hunkering down in the corner of a deserted alley to rip open the silvery packet, taking a huge bite of the pop-tarts inside to stave off her hunger.

"Love?" Killian asked, seeing something in her expression that concerned him. Shaking her head to clear away the memories, she smiled at him, leaning over the side of the bed to set down her glass before turning to him and taking his glass as well.

"It doesn't matter what the memory was before cause I've got a newer, happier one now." She said, placing his glass on the floor before turning back to him.

"Oh?" He asked her.

"Yeah, it's one of me, sitting on a huge bed with a handsome, barely dressed pirate eating pop-tarts and drinking wine and celebrating what is turning out to be one of the best nights of my life." And there it was, her favorite giddy and endearing grin of his that made her own silly smile appear in response. How was it possible that she, Emma Swan, could make anyone that happy?

Deciding that she needed to have him press that smile into hers, she started to make her way over to him when her phone went off. Reaching back down to the floor, she searched for a moment, finally curling her fingers around it before crawling up the bed to Killian's side. She snuggled into him, his blunted arm wrapped comfortably around her shoulders. Holding the phone up so he could see, too, she clicked on the photo that Regina had sent. The background was indistinct, but Emma could tell that the white light inside the globe was brighter now, making it hard to see much else in the picture.

"Wow." Emma whispered, her stomach swooping in happiness as she stared down at the photo.

"That's what I call progress, Swan." He pressed a soft kiss into her temple, a smug note in his voice. She nodded her head in agreement, settling closer into his warmth as she stared at the happily glowing sphere.

"It's kinda beautiful, isn't it?" She asked softly.

"I suppose it is." He responded, pausing thoughtfully for a moment before saying, "It reminds me of your magic, love."

"How so?" She asked, still staring down at the image, puzzling over the way her heart was racing with pride at how strong the light was now. Was it truly the impending death of the incubus that was causing her to feel this way? To feel almost…attached to that little globe of light hovering above Regina's palm?

"Well…" He pressed another kiss into her temple before responding. "When I think of you, of your powers, I think of warmth and…happiness."

"Hmmm. Sounds nice." She whispered, setting the phone off to the side as she turned to him. He reached up, brushing a clump of hair off her cheek, tucking the strands behind her ear. "So, when you look at the globe, that's what you feel?"

Killian paused for a moment, thinking carefully over his answer, his eyes flicking down to her phone before looking back at her. "Aye. I feel warm and…happy." He smiled then. "Do you think it's because of the incubus, love? Because we've got him on the run?"

"It must be."

"Is that what you feel when you look at it?"

"Yeah." She whispered in response, reaching up to cup Killian's cheek in her palm.

She traced his scar with her thumb, wondering about all of this, wanting to call Regina or Gold to ask them what it meant. She sensed that there was something else going on, something more than just the incubus and she desperately wanted to know what it was. Calling either of them would be violating the terms of the incubus's curse, though. To do so would undo all that they'd accomplished so far, insuring that she would fall prey to the incubus.

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask Killian what he thought when he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek, murmuring softly as his lips traced the line of her jaw, "We're just going to have to keep going then, love, keep you _coming _undone for me. It's the only way we'll defeat this demon. Such _hard _work, I know, but I'm _up_ to the challenge."

"Hmmm." She responded, turning to follow his lips as he settled against the pillows at his back, her hand settling on the top of his thigh for balance. The linen pants he wore left little to the imagination and the man was raring to go again, the hard jut of his cock pressing up against the loose material in a way that simply couldn't be ignored. She grinned, licking her lips in appreciation, grabbing the waistband of his pants and pulling down on them impatiently. He was amused by her antics, a smug grin on his lips as he lifted up to allow her to push the material down, his erect manhood bobbing free.

She tossed the pants aside, reaching down to lift her nightgown over her head, tossing it in the direction of his pants. His hand settled on her hip as he took her in, his gaze hungry, the smile he gave her lecherous, but extremely sexy all the same.

This man would be the death of her, she thought to herself as she leaned up to press a kiss to his mouth, moaning when the tip of his tongue traced along the seam of her lips and sought entrance. She denied him nothing, her mouth sliding open, her breast pressing insistently into the warmth of his palm as he cupped its weight in his hand.

He tried to get her to straddle him, but the thought of his hard cock just inches away from her sex and him not being able to slide inside her would definitely drive her mad, so she shook her head, giggling when his bottom lip came down in a pout of disappointment.

"Don't worry, pirate, you'll still get to pillage and plunder." He smirked at that, then settled back to watch as Emma began to slide down the length of his body. When she reached his cock, she sighed in appreciation and settled herself against his legs.

Like all things Killian Jones, he was perfectly made, satiny warm skin encasing hard steel. He was long, elegant, and just thick enough to be wonderfully enticing. Normally, she wouldn't be a big fan of all the hair, but of course, he made it work, and she reached down to scratch her nails lightly through the curls at the base of his cock, enjoying his sigh of appreciation.

When she went to press a kiss to his tip, wanting to taste him as he'd tasted her, he reached down to grasp her chin in his hand, pausing her eager movements.

"Emma, don't forget, this isn't about me."

"I need a little recovery time." She said simply. Her body was beginning to protest all the activity, a pleasant soreness aching between her thighs after so many touches and kisses.

"You okay?" He asked worriedly, his thumb caressing her cheek as he looked down at her.

"Yeah, I'm a little sore, but it's fine. I just need to rest, some time to _play,_ and I'll be good as new." She grinned up at him, hoping he could see how much she wanted this.

"Far be it from me to argue with a lady who has her mind set on _playing_." He leaned back against the pillows, uncrossing his legs so that she could kneel between his thighs, his eyes glued to every move she made.

_Typical male_, Emma thought, internally rolling her eyes in amusement.

Personally, she'd never been one to get excited about giving blow jobs. She'd used them to her advantage in the past, to get what she wanted, but it had never done much for her excitement-wise. It was a means to an end for her, nothing more. But with Killian, it was completely different. The thought of doing this for him had her insanely turned on.

She wanted to taste him, wanted him to experience the same pleasure he'd given her. She wanted him hot and hard in her mouth, wanted to hear his moans of pleasure surround her as she loved him with her tongue. There was no denying the fact that he wanted this, too, she thought, as she looked up at his eager face, anticipation making his eyes sparkle, his lips curved in a happy smile.

_Please let me do this right for him_, she prayed, leaning over him and pressing a gentle kiss to the head of his cock. She heard his quick intake of breath at the touch, his hand coming up to rest carefully on her shoulder before he dropped it back down to the bedspread.

Needing to taste more of him, she leaned down further, running her tongue the length of his cock, root to tip, loving the surprised gasp and following moan that he made. She flicked her eyes up to see that he was still watching her, his cheeks flushed as he bit his bottom lip in anticipation. She smiled shyly before dipping her head back down and sliding her tongue around his tip, more of those wonderful sounds erupting from his throat as she tasted him.

Not able to hold back any longer, she gripped the base of his cock, taking him deep into her throat. He brought his hand back up to her shoulder when she slid her mouth down his length, taking in as much as she could before sliding back up and swirling her tongue around the head. The satiny feel of him on her tongue, the salt of his skin, the moans he was making were all turning her on, the soreness between her legs turning into a familiar ache for release. She knew he could give it to her, knew he _would_ give it to her, but god, she didn't want to stop.

A few more long drags of her mouth and then he was weaving his hands into her hair, holding her head as he breathlessly whispered her name to get her attention. She looked up at him, pulling her mouth away, but grinning wickedly as she slid her hand up and down his slick cock, watching the way his eyes shut in ecstasy.

"_Fuck_." He growled darkly, tugging her to his mouth for a soul-shattering kiss, all tongue and teeth and heat. Her hand kept moving, enjoying the moans of pleasure she tasted as he kissed her.

"Are you recovered enough yet, Swan?" He asked her, his voice impatient, his gaze dark with desire. She thought about teasing him on how wrecked he sounded but there was something in his eyes, something harsh that told her he wouldn't tolerate it just now. Nodding, she brought her fingers up to her lips, pressing them against the bruises that he'd surely left there.

"Good." He said, moving forward quickly to push her on her back, holding himself above her as he settled between her legs. For a moment, she thought he was about to plunge into her and she tensed, both because she knew it wasn't time yet and because she wanted him to do it so badly that she was almost sobbing for it.

He grinned down at her as if he could hear her thoughts, as if he _knew _what she wanted before he shimmied down her body, pushing her thighs wide as he settled his shoulders between them. Emma sighed, her eyes sliding shut as he brought his mouth to her center again. A few long licks against her flesh and then he was moving onto his side, maneuvering them so that his mouth was aligned with her sex and her mouth with his cock.

_Oh, _she thought, realization dawning as he positioned his mouth back between her legs. She followed suit, wrapping her hand around the base of his cock as she enveloped him again. She couldn't hold back a moan as she took him into her mouth, loving the angle that being on their sides helped to create. He easily slid a finger inside her slick passage, insistently fucking her as he brushed his teeth against her clit.

She wanted him to come with her, but his touch felt so good that she found herself constantly stopping to simply moan around him. Focusing as best as she could, she began to slide her hand up and down the shaft of his cock, sucking him deeper into her mouth. He was moaning continuously now, too, his finger pressing deep inside her as he tongued her clit.

She was so damn close, marveling at how he had brought her so easily to the edge of climax again, keeping her teetering there with the barest of touches, the softest of kisses. When she felt his legs tense against her as he moaned long and deep against her clit, she knew he was at the edge too and that he was just waiting for her to fall first. She reached her hand around to grip his balls, massaging them gently as her other hand continued to stroke up and down his rigid length. The moan that left his mouth then was like none she'd heard before, his entire body tensing as he gave in, embracing his release.

Emma quickly followed him, somehow finding enough coordination to swallow down his seed as they came together. There was something so deeply satisfying about finding their releases simultaneously, the feeling unlike anything she'd experienced before. Knowing that they were both shattering at the same time was heady and intoxicating, and she reveled in it.

She lay panting afterwards, her head nestled against his thigh as her body came down from its high. Then Killian was shifting against her, moving so that they faced each other, his lips wet with her release. He pillowed his head on his arm, staring over at her with the happiest smile she'd seen yet. She couldn't help but mirror the grin, thinking to herself that if he continued to look at her like that there was simply no way she'd ever let him out of her sight again.

"You're a bloody marvel, do you know that, Swan?"

"A marvel, huh?" He brought his hand up to her face, thumb tracing her lips.

"You have the most amazing mouth." He whispered, his eyes watching the movement of his thumb against her.

"Yours is pretty fantastic, too." She whispered back. "That mouth got me to number six just a moment ago, in fact."

He grinned at that, a smile that crinkled his eyes at the corners and brought his lips up in the most beguiling way. Then he was pulling her back to him, kissing her soundly as he held her. She felt him stirring against her leg, his recently satiated body already starting to stiffen with the promise of more.

"Gods, I can't wait to be inside you." He whispered against her mouth, his hand coming up to cup her breast, thumb rubbing gentle circles around her nipple as he continued to kiss her. "I''m going to lose my mind if I can't have you soon, Swan."

She could hear his desperation, could taste it in his kiss, could feel it as he trembled against her. She wrapped him up tight in her arms, soothing him with gentle kisses pressed into his hair, shushing him as she kissed him softly.

"I know, baby, I know. It'll be soon now, I promise." She whispered, pressing her words into his heated skin. She wasn't much for endearments, so the name surprised her when it slipped out, but it felt right in the moment. And it felt right to kiss him again, loving the taste of her tangy flavor on his tongue.

She knew they were both waiting to hear the alert that she had a new text, desperate to know if the incubus was on its last legs, desperate to know if they could finally come together as one. All of this pleasure, the multiple build ups and releases, were slowly turning to pain, her body aching to finally feel him deep within her.

_Mercy, _Emma pleaded to whatever deity was listening, her body entwining easily with his as she ached for him. He settled into the cradle of her thighs, moaning as he held her so tightly that the rings on his fingers bruised her tender flesh. She didn't care, wanting him as desperately as he wanted her. She raked her nails down his back, grabbing his ass in her hands and pulling him into her.

"_Please_." He kept moaning over and over against her mouth, almost sobbing as they waited for the sound of her phone. He was hard again, pressed against her clit, her desire coating him as he flexed his hips into her. She knew she should warn him against it, order him to stop, but she was incapable of doing so, wanting what he wanted just as badly. He kept hitting her clit with the hard ridge of his cock, the pleasure almost painful.

When her orgasm broke over her, it took her completely by surprise. She cried out into his mouth and bit down on his bottom lip as it rolled through her. He held her tight against him, continuing to press himself against her as she came. They were both shaking when it was over, her body so tired that she didn't think she'd be able to move again.

She could feel him still throbbing against her, so close to her weeping center that she knew all he had to do was pull back and angle downwards with a quick slide of his cock and he'd finally be seated deep within her.

"Seven." He moaned into her mouth, his hips sliding against hers again.

"Killian." She warned, her voice hoarse. "You can't. Not until we know he's almost dead."

"Can't you feel it? The Crocodile said you would feel when he was almost dead." He sounded hoarse as well, his voice muffled against her throat as he trembled into her.

"I don't know…I just know I want you. It's all I can think about." She giggled breathlessly at the admission, biting her lip when he pulled back to look down at her.

"Maybe we should take a break for a minute." He didn't sound like he really wanted to, but she had to admit that it was a good idea. At least until they heard back from Regina.

He let her up, helping her to stand and pull her nightgown back over her head before finding the linen pants she'd tossed aside and pulling them back on as well. They made their way up onto the deck of the ship, Killian pausing to inspect his charts one more time before leading her topside. He pressed a kiss into her temple, squeezing her hip before wandering away to look up at the stars to confirm their position in the water.

While she hated being away from him, the moment alone did feel good. Her body was aching both for him and because of him, her mind swimming with all the intimate moments that they'd shared over the past few hours. It was staggering to know that there was more to come, not to mention that there was the very real possibility that she'd end up pregnant at the end of all of this.

The thought caused her to start as the image of the white light encased in the glass orb instantly appeared in her mind. She looked over at Killian, panic causing her to rush to his side at the ship's railing. He was looking up at the sky, murmuring to himself as he identified the stars above them. Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed her face into his warm chest, suddenly more afraid than she'd ever been.

When he asked her what was wrong, she simply shook her head, unable to answer. His arms went instantly around her, holding her tight as he rocked her back and forth, pressing soft kisses into her hair.

And all she could think, insane though it may be, was that he would make a wonderful father to their child, the image of that glowing sphere floating inexplicably behind her eyelids at the thought.

* * *

David, Mary Margaret, and Regina's eyes instantly went to the globe as it began to wildly twirl in the air above the counter. Regina realized that she hadn't taken a progress picture last time, so she pulled her phone from her pocket in preparation.

There was barely any black left now, the white light revolving faster and faster inside the Sphere. With a massive tremor, electricity sparked underneath the glass, covering the whole surface, tendrils of white expanding out again and again as they watched. The heat coming off it warmed Regina's face and when she looked up to David and Mary Margaret she could see that they felt it, too, turning their faces away from the intensity of it.

Light magic, she thought to herself.

Once the globe settled down again, Regina noted that the black spot was drastically smaller, but there was still enough left that she knew it wasn't time yet. Mary Margaret went to check on baby Neal, David handing Regina a mug of tea before settling down beside her at the counter. They were both wrapped up in their thoughts, Regina wracking her brain to come up with some solution to this problem, David probably pondering ways to punish Hook for touching his daughter. She knew once Hook and Emma were back in the loft, she'd need to get to her vault and begin researching options. Maybe she could try talking to the Blue Fairy as well, although she wasn't entirely sure how open the fairy would be to helping her.

Her mug of tea was barely half gone when the globe began to vibrate again. Regina's eyes connected in surprise with David's, his cheeks flushing at the indecently short amount of time between the Sphere's vibrations. Mary Margaret made her way back to them, Neal snuggled sleepily in her arms as they all watched the globe vibrate and shake yet again.

When it finally stopped, Regina gazed down at the globe, seeing only a small spot of black within its depths now. The spot of darkness was the size of the tip of her pinky finger and she knew as she stared at it that the incubus was dying. She swiftly took a photo of the globe, sending Emma the picture with the words, "finish it" typed beneath it. She set the phone down on the counter before looking up to Emma's parents.

"It's time, isn't it?" David asked, Regina appreciating his forced calm. He pulled Mary Margaret and Neal into his side as Regina nodded in confirmation.

"I'm going to set some protection spells around the loft. Hopefully, they'll keep Gold out. I would imagine he'll be showing up soon after we return Emma and Hook here."

"How are we going to tell her about this? Explain what we've found out?" Mary Margaret asked, tears in her big, green eyes.

"By telling her the truth. Emma wouldn't tolerate any less." David responded, pressing a kiss into her hair and holding her as Regina stood and began to set up her protection spells.

When she finished, they each settled down to watch the globe in grim silence together, wondering how long it would be until they would have to tell Emma of her next battle.

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_Reviews are my babies...I'll take good care of them, I swear. **Hook** me up lovelies! _


	12. Chapter 12 - Magic

I swear the next chapter will be what we've all been waiting for...

Enjoy!

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_"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."_

_-Mark Twain_

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**Chapter Twelve: Magic**

"You're trembling, love, what's wrong?" Emma tucked her head under his jaw, holding onto him so tightly that she was surprised he was still breathing. His hand was buried in the mass of her hair, pressing her against him as he gently rocked her back and forth in his arms.

The words that she needed to explain her fear, to tell him that she somehow _knew_ she was going to soon be pregnant and that their child would be in danger, just wouldn't form on her lips. How in the world could she know that was beyond her, but she did, with a certainty that was inexplicable and all encompassing.

"Just hold me." She finally whispered on a shaky breath, needing a moment to find her equilibrium.

He did as she asked, wrapping her tighter in his embrace and pressing kisses into her hair to soothe her. When her heart had slowed and her pulse was under control again, she pulled back to look at him. He was clenching his jaw, a frown of concern darkening his features. He brought his hand to cup her face, his thumb pressed into the downturned corner of her mouth.

"Tell me." He said softly, the steady blue of his eyes giving her the strength she needed. She took a deep breath, her eyes sliding shut for a moment, the image of that blazing little globe immediately filling her vision with that feeling of just…_knowing _following it.

"Emma." He prompted her.

"Don't ask me how I know, but…" She took another deep breath before continuing. "The calendar I showed you before? That showed when the chances of me getting pregnant were highest?" He nodded in remembrance. "Well, we are most definitely going to….I just know there's going to be a baby at the end of all this, Killian."

She waited, watching as his look of concern changed to one of confusion.

"And we talked about that possibility, Emma. I'm not going anywhere. It's you and me together, remember?"

"I know." She smiled up at him, remembering their talk and how calming his words had been. "It's just that I think the baby…I think it has something to do with that sphere Gold gave us. It's somehow all tied up together. And I'm worried that something's going to happen to it. The baby, not the sphere. Or maybe…both? God, I don't know, I just…._know _it's the truth."

She raked her hands through her hair as she walked away to look out over the wide expanse of sea surrounding them. She stepped closer to the railing, leaning into it as she worriedly bit her lip and contemplated her feelings. Killian stepped up next to her, reaching down to grasp her hand in his, watching her instead of the sea.

"We'll figure it out, Swan. It'll be okay."

"You think?" She asked, glancing over at him for a moment before looking back to the water.

"I don't think, Emma. It's like you said, love, I just…_know. _We'll get through this. Together." He squeezed her hand in his as he said it and once again, she heard the truth in his words. He was in this for keeps, wanting to share her life and be a part of her family.

The thought of family inevitably had her thinking of Henry, which brought a smile to her lips. She was going to have another one of those amazing creatures and this time, she'd get to hold him or her after they were born, she wouldn't have to give them away to be raised by someone else. She'd get to be part of so many memories, teach them so many things, be the mother that she couldn't have been when she was eighteen and alone…

Alone…

Keeping her child wouldn't be the only thing that was different this time around. She glanced over at Killian, taking in his worried gaze and squeezing his hand to let him know that she'd heard him, _believed_ him when he said they were in this together. Killian would be beside her, he'd hold her hand through all of it, be with her at doctor's appointments and in the delivery room. He'd be there to help her, to take their child sailing, to show Henry how to be a good older brother. He'd love her and their child, _their family_, and there was nothing in this world that she wanted more than that. More than him.

So, if what she felt was true, then she needed answers to help her protect that family.

"When we finish up here and the incubus is finally dead, we need to find Regina and Gold. They're the only ones that will have the answers we need or at least, they'll know where I can find them."

"Your father was right, love, you and your family, you don't give up, do you?" He asked, pride evident in his smile as he pulled her back into his arms.

"Nope, we don't. And it's your family, too, by the way. Especially if you're going to father a member of it soon." A completely dazed looked came over his face then as if he hadn't quite heard her right. "You okay?" She asked, pressing her hand against his cheek, thumb pressing over his scar.

"Aye. It's just that the concept of conceiving a child is a bit different than the concept of raising one."

"Yeah, it can be a bit overwhelming when it finally hits you, the being a parent part." She thought back to the moment when she'd found out she was pregnant with Henry, how absolutely terrified she'd been of being a parent. Not of having a kid…of being a parent.

Yeah, that was a feeling you never forgot.

"It's overwhelming in a good way, Swan." He said, the dazed look still there, but a happy excitement was quickly following it.

"You sure? It's okay to admit if you're scared, you know." She smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Aye, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, but I've always wanted to be a father."

"You have?"

"Such the tone of surprise." He teased, reaching up to bop her nose in tender amusement.

"It's just…you're a pirate. Children aren't really conducive to that type of lifestyle."

"Given the right incentive a man can change anything in his life. And a child is just about the best incentive I've ever heard of, wouldn't you say, Swan?" She thought again of Henry and how she'd changed over the past two years in order to be the mother he needed. Yeah, she got that.

"Besides, being a pirate is a profession, but being a father, that's….well, there's no comparison, really. I'd give up anything I needed to in order to be a good father." His words and his wistful expression did her in, her heart clenching almost painfully with _love_ for this man.

"Any kid would be lucky to have you for a dad." She said, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"What makes you so sure, Swan?" There was a note of self-doubt in his voice. She reached up to press her hand against his cheek again, loving the way his stubble pressed into the tender skin of her palm.

"I've watched you with Henry. And other than teaching him how to cheat," She frowned in disapproval at that before continuing, "You teach him how to take care of himself, you look out for him, you're patient with him, and you don't talk down to him. You keep him in line, but you let him be a kid. You encourage him to be himself. You care about him and he's not even yours. I trust you with him."

She paused here for a moment, swallowing over the sudden lump in her throat at realizing that this amazing man loved her son almost as much as she did.

"I've seen some really shitty fathers in my life, Killian, but when I watch you with Henry, the only thing I see is someone who has all the makings of a really great dad."

The expression in his eyes caused those damn tears in hers to multiply and when he leaned down to kiss her ever so softly, she saw the sparkle of similar ones in his. As gentle as he was, it wasn't long before her heart was racing for him again, her body desperate for the release that only he could provide.

"Phone." He demanded against her mouth, beginning to walk her backwards toward the hatch. She groaned when they reached it and she had to pull away from him to climb below. He followed her quickly, jumping down the last few rungs of the ladder to land at her feet, stumbling as he pressed her into the hallway wall. His body was hard and insistent as he held her there, his leg coming up between her thighs to press against her sex. Her fingers dragged through his hair, scratching at his scalp and loving the growl of approval he gave.

As wonderful as what he was doing felt and as turned on as she was by his eagerness, she suddenly realized that it had been a while since she'd used the bathroom. She supposed being pressed up against the wall with the bathroom door just feet away had planted the idea in her head, but now that it was there, she couldn't shake it.

"Killian?" She asked in between his kisses, trying to get his attention.

"Damn it, Swan, I'm busy." He murmured, reaching down to the hem of her nightgown and beginning to slide it up her legs.

"Killian. I need a moment."

"What?" He pulled back, his gaze dazed and unfocused.

"The bathroom. I need a moment." She tilted her head toward the bathroom door.

"Oh." He stepped back from her, running his hand over his face as if to gather himself. "Oh. I'll just wait for you in the other room then."

"I'll be quick, I promise. Don't look at the phone without me!" She stepped up to him, kissing his cheek before turning to the bathroom. "And don't fall asleep!" She warned over her shoulder.

"Aye, aye, Sheriff!" He teased, reaching down to lightly smack her ass as she stepped away from him. She turned to glare at him, hands on her hips.

"I mean it, Killian. Don't lay down on the bed and keep the door open. I'll be as quick as I can. Be careful!" She called after his retreating back, shaking her head as he threw a nonchalant wave over his shoulder.

Turning toward the bathroom door, she opted on keeping it cracked a bit, so that she could hear him if he called for her. She took care of her needs quickly, pausing for a quick moment to check her appearance in the bathroom mirror.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were sparkling, hair a tangled mess of curls around her head. There were love bites all over her neck and chest, even one or two along her inner thigh next to the scrapes and bruises the incubus had left there. Was that only last night, she thought in wonder. She checked the scratch on her side, noting that it looked raw, but not deep.

She turned away from the mirror, biting her lip in excited anticipation of finding out if she and Killian could finally just…fuck. It'd been such a long build up and she was ready, _really, really _ready for what came next.

She knew something was wrong the second she stepped into the captain's cabin. Killian was sitting at the table, hunched over the charts he'd left there. Her heart stopped as she took in the pale and lifeless expression on his face, his cheek pressed down on the table.

No!

She was at his side and on her knees beside him in seconds, shaking him repeatedly and calling his name. Nothing. No response, not even a flutter of his pretty eyelashes. He was cold, almost clammy, and when she pressed her fingers to his pulse, it took her a moment to find it.

She'd only been gone a minute or two. The incubus had to be dying, had to be barely holding on…he couldn't have gotten to Killian, he just couldn't!

"Killian!" She cried out, standing to push him back against the chair, his head lolling to the side, arms dangling over the armrests. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him for all she was worth, panicked whimpers tearing out of her throat when nothing happened.

"Don't you dare leave me!" She cried out, dropping to her knees again and staring up at him.

Water…he'd used water to wake her when the incubus came after her last time. The closest thing she had was the wine left over from their snack. She raced over to grab the wineglasses from beside the bed, returning to his side and pouring them over his head.

Nothing. Damn it!

Think, Emma, she told herself, knowing that Killian hadn't given up that easily when she was in the same situation. Pressing her hand to his pulse again, she stared down at him, willing him to wake up. Her eyes landed on his lips and without even thinking, she leaned down and pressed her mouth to his.

She loved him, she did, and she knew, even though he'd never said the words, that he loved her as well. She didn't know if this was True Love, but she'd never felt this way about anyone else and that had to count for something, didn't it?

But even as she pressed her mouth to his, she knew that nothing was happening, nothing was changing. He was unresponsive, his lips a cold line beneath hers.

"Killian, _please._" She sobbed, bringing her hands up to the sides of his face, holding him against her lips as she cried. She wrapped her arms around him, cradling him against her with his head tucked underneath her chin as she rocked him back and forth.

"Don't leave me." She whispered into his hair, her chest feeling empty and aching with the thought of losing him just when they'd been so close to finding happiness with each other. How could this be the end of what had felt fated, magical even, right from the start?

_Magical._

Her eyes popped open. Magic! _Her_ magic!

She pushed him back against the chair, sniffling and swiping at her nose, brushing her hair angrily away from her face. Not sure how to do exactly what needed to be done, she sat down on his lap, knees on either side of his hips, her hands pressed into his chest. She noticed that a long, angry scratch was forming under her palms as she settled against him and she knew that her time was running out. The incubus was making true on his threat of flaying Killian.

Anger gripped her and she promptly put her hands against the red welt, willing it to stop. She closed her eyes, concentrating, not on the anger that was rushing through her veins, but on the love she felt for this man.

It was deep and passionate and abiding. And it was _t__rue, _kiss be damned.

She could feel the power in her arms, in her hands, feel the spark of magic as she pressed against him. Focusing all her strength, she pictured one of his giddy, silly smiles and then projected her love forward into his body, feeling his skin instantly begin to warm under her palms. Then he was stirring against her, and when she opened her eyes, he was sputtering, blinking up at her in confusion, but very much alive.

"Killian!" She cried, instantly wrapping her arms around him and pulling him up against her. "You stupid idiot, I told you to be careful!"

She lost it then, sobbing uncontrollably against him, pressing kisses all over his face. She kept asking if he was okay, but not actually giving him the opportunity to respond as she pressed more and more kisses into his mouth.

God, she'd never been so terrified in her life.

"Emma." He said softly, catching her hand in his as he pressed his stump to her side. "I'm fine, love." She looked down into his eyes and saw that he was, but her heart continued to race with fear and she couldn't seem to slow it down, despite the warmth of his body or the color filling his cheeks.

"What happened?" She asked him.

"I sat down to look at the charts, wanting to confirm our location and the next thing I knew, I was on the deck of the _Jolly._" He swallowed hard before continuing. "I was so happy for a moment, but then I knew it wasn't her, it wasn't really my ship. She felt…all wrong."

"Was_ he _there?" Emma asked, her eyes wide with fear.

"He was, but he didn't look like me. He looked like you, love."

"Oh." She responded, her eyes widening more. "Like me? I didn't know he could do that."

"Nor I, but I suppose it makes sense. He appears as the object of your desire and you are that for me." He leaned his head back against the chair, taking a deep, steadying breath as he stared up at her. "His eyes…they weren't your eyes. They were black as sin. I knew it wasn't you the moment I looked into them. When I tried to attack him, he came at me, used my own hook on me."

"I know. I saw." She pressed her hand into his chest causing him to wince. He looked down in amazement as he traced the red scratch down his chest. "Does it hurt?"

"Stings a bit, nothing more. He didn't get a chance to really dig into me before this amazing white light surrounded us. I've never felt so warm all in my life, so _safe. _Was that you, love?" He looked up at her in awe.

"I couldn't think of what to do and then I remembered my magic and I just had to try. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, love, you didn't hurt me." He smiled up at her, reaching up to wrap his hand around the back of her head and pulling her mouth to his, whispering a thank you into her lips before settling back against the chair.

"He's desperate, I'd say. I'd bet my hook on the fact that he's almost dead now."

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked, reaching up to smooth his hair back from his forehead and then thumbing his scar for a moment as she looked at him in concern.

"I'm fine, Emma, really." He paused, searching her face before saying softly, "I'm sorry you had to deal with him alone for the past few weeks. I saw a bit of what you experienced in those dreams, love. You're bloody amazing, you know that?"

She blushed at the compliment, trailing her hands along the scruff of his jaw before she leaned down to kiss him again. She sighed at the warm press of his lips against hers. She'd almost lost him, but he'd survived, he was here, and she'd be damned if she was going to give that fucking incubus one more moment of her life.

She scooted back on his lap, making enough room between their bodies so that she could slide her hand over his taut stomach and into his pants. She found his length, already semi-hard from just a few of her kisses. Wrapping her hand around him, she gave him several long strokes, marveling at how quickly he sprang to life within her grasp.

"Emma." He warned her, grabbing her wrist to stop her then pushing her off his lap and standing up quickly. She settled her hands at his waist, helping to steady him. "I'm okay, love." He whispered to her, immediately kissing her again as he impatiently yanked her nightgown over her head, tangling his hand into the long strands of her hair as she pressed her body tight into his. She sighed against his mouth, tripping over his feet as she began pushing him backwards toward the bed.

"Gods, I need you, woman." He whispered harshly into her mouth, his hand everywhere on her body, his stump rubbing against her heated flesh as they awkwardly stumbled to the bed.

"Phone. Need the phone." She reminded him when he kept trying to stall them, distracting her with his hand and his mouth and his heat.

When they finally made it to the bed, Emma made a quick dive towards the phone. It was sticking out from under one of the pillows and she palmed it, hands shaking as she activated it. Swiping her thumb across the screen, she grinned when she saw Regina's message and the accompanying picture. She opened up the photo, staring in awe at the vibrant light emanating from the little globe, pride expanding her chest.

And then she noticed the words typed beneath the image, direct and to the point.

'Finish it.'

_Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, _she prayed, closing her eyes for a moment in relief.

She tossed the phone to the side, sliding to the end of the bed on her knees and reaching forward to grab the waistband of Killian's pants, yanking on them hard. He took an ungainly step to her, grabbing her shoulder for balance, staring down at her in question.

She looked up at him, not saying a word as she traced the beautiful lines of his face.

"Emma?" He asked, breath catching in his throat as he waited for her response.

She couldn't help the giddy grin that burst onto her face as she asked, "Care to help me kill an incubus, pirate?"

He grinned before pulling her tight to his body and replying, his mouth hovering over hers, "The only thing that would give me greater pleasure than taking _his_ life would be creating one with you, love."

And when he pressed his lips to hers, she sighed, thinking only one word…

_Finally._

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_Yep, it's a cliffhanger...I swore I'd never write one and yet...Anyways, to all those who've left reviews and stuck with me through this story so far, thanks a ton. As always, reviews are welcome and appreciated. **Hook** me up, lovelies! _


	13. Chapter 13 - Consume

I know it's been a long time since I've updated…work has a way of sucking the pleasure out of writing some days! Anyways, here it is…the chapter we've all been waiting for! I hope you enjoy it. I wanted to capture the emotion and the sexy, so hopefully I did. Thanks for all the kind reviews and the patience.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: If only they were mine, but they aren't.

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_"Sex is emotion in motion."_

_\- Mae West _

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**Chapter Thirteen: Consume**

Emma pressed herself tight into his body, loving the way the charms on his necklace dug into her skin, loving the way his chest hair scraped against her sensitive breasts. She moaned at the intensity of his kiss, sucking his tongue into her mouth greedily, smiling when he growled in response.

She pushed hastily at his pants, scratching his thighs as she raced to get them off. He helped as best he could without breaking their kiss, kicking them impatiently aside once they were at his ankles. She giggled when he pushed lightly against her shoulder and she easily flopped onto her back, propping herself up on her elbows. She grinned up at him as he waggled his eyebrows at her, a stupidly excited grin on his face.

His eyes were a dazzling blue, long lashes and black eyeliner framing them perfectly. His teeth flashed white with his grin, standing out against the dark stubble of his beard. His hair a wild mess across his forehead, damp in places from the wine she'd pointlessly dumped on him. He looked every bit the dashing pirate he'd always claimed to be, his tongue sliding seductively across his lip as he stared down at her. She took in the rest of him, her gaze sliding slowly down the beautiful expanse of skin before her, eyes drawn hungrily to his proudly erect cock. She couldn't help but lick her own lips in anticipation.

He was gorgeous, inside and out, and he was _hers._

She bit down hard on her lip as her gaze swept back up that amazing body, connecting again with his electric blue gaze. She crooked her finger at him, beckoning him to her as she asked in a breathless voice, "Are you going to fuck me or what, Captain?"

He was on her in an instant, pressing her thighs wide as he settled between them, laughing darkly against her mouth. She couldn't help but giggle as he kissed her again, fingers scrabbling along her side, tickling her as he tried to find purchase. Then he was suddenly _there,_ the tip of his cock pressing into her, stretching her delightfully. Her head dropped back, eyes squeezing shut at the feel of him_._

He held himself above her, panting, causing tendrils of hair to waft around her face as he stared down at her. The mood shifted when she opened her eyes, her happy giggles ending when she saw the raw emotion on his face. Her heart began to race as the enormity of this moment hit her; this would change everything. There was no going back after this.

"_Emma."_ He whispered and she heard his love for her woven into the syllables of her name. She stared up at him, completely entranced by the blue of his eyes. She couldn't move, couldn't think of anything but him.

He settled down on his forearms, still pressing just the tip of himself inside her. Once the length of his body was pressed tight against hers, he pulled his hips away from the cradle of her thighs. She sighed in disappointment at the loss of him, but then he was leaning down to kiss her chastely, sliding gently back into her, teasing her with just his tip again and again.

He was taking his time, drawing this out to make it last, and she tamped down her raging desire to just have him fuck her senseless. They'd never get this moment back, never experience their first time together again and as much as she wanted him, _needed _him inside her, she forced herself to simply lay back and enjoy his restraint. It wasn't long before she was moving her hips up to meet his shallow thrusts, her body burning for more.

"_Killian_." She whimpered, begging him to just take her, to finally possess her in this last, most fundamental way. "Please."

"_Emma_…" He whispered back, his hand tangling in her hair as he cupped the back of her head. She knew that he wanted to say something profound and deep to acknowledge the importance of this moment, but the anticipation of what was to come overtook him and he said nothing more. He stilled above her, just the head of his cock stretching her, burning her as his arms trembled.

"I know." She finally whispered in between her kisses, telling him simply that he didn't need to say anything else just now, that she understood, and that she knew what he needed.

There was a moment, a pause, a beat where she saw every emotion he had for her in the blue of his eyes, her chest aching with the intensity of it all, and then he was flexing his hips, finally sliding into her body. They stilled against one another, his cock buried deep as they simply held each other.

"Okay?" He asked, his breath shaky in his chest and she nodded easily, biting her lip when he pulled back to slide out and then oh, so slowly push back in. She felt every ridge of his cock along her walls as he hit deeply inside her, her back arching involuntarily and a gasp of pure pleasure slipping from her mouth at the sensation.

"You feel bloody amazing, Emma." He whispered, his voice so full of awe that her heart clenched at the sound of it. Then he was leaning down to kiss her so reverently that tears gathered in the corner of her eyes, an appreciative moan slipping from her mouth into his.

This night was already above and beyond any sexual experience she'd ever had (seven orgasms in the past handful of hours…how was that even possible?), but finally being joined with him like this, feeling him tremble against her with each slide of his cock into her body and hearing him breathe her name like it was a benediction, was so beautiful that she couldn't hold back her tears. He caught them on his fingertips, asking if she was okay, his hips stilling against her.

"I can't…you feel…_God._ Just don't stop. Please." She finally answered, hoping he understood what she needed. He kissed her tears away, slowly moving within her again, stealing her breath with each press of his hips into hers.

Soon it wasn't enough and she grasped his hips to stop him, her breath catching as his eyes blazed down at her. "Can I be on top?" She asked, giggling as he immediately rolled them at her request.

He lay happily beneath her as she settled on his lap, knees on either side of his hips. For a moment, she didn't move, simply stared down at him as she trailed her nails along the dark line of hair that covered his stomach. She loved the way her body covered his, loved how they were joined, connected between her thighs. When she looked up to find him staring at her, the emotion she saw was almost too much, her heart hurting with the beauty of it all.

He settled his hand on her thigh, his rings digging into her flesh when she finally began to move above him. She wanted to hear him pant and swear, to moan in ecstasy for her, so she leaned forward, pressing her hands to either side of his head as she rolled her hips with long, fluid movements.

"_Emma_." He ground out, his fingers pressing into her skin as she moved. She closed her eyes in appreciation of how he stretched her, how he hit that exact right spot inside her. She dipped her head to taste his pleasure, his mouth tight to hers as he bit dark curses into her lips.

"Fuck me, Killian." She whispered against his mouth, surprised at the agonized tone of her voice.

"I _am_, Swan." Came his own tense reply, his voice so breathless that her toes curled to hear it. That was because of _her_, her heart screamed, and she giggled happily.

"Well, then…" She responded, pulling back to settle upright on his hips, hands pressed tight to his stomach as she smiled seductively down at him. "Fuck me _harder_."

He growled, a devilishly handsome grin breaking across her face at the taunt. She squealed when he thrust up inside her, grasping her hip to keep her balance and then easily flipping her onto her back again. He was over her, holding her beneath him, sweat beading on his forehead as he picked up his rhythm, pushing her insistently toward her release.

"Be careful what you wish for, love." He promised darkly, his hand pulling her thigh up to rest on his hip as he pressed deeper with each harsh thrust inside her. Her body clenched in blissful agony as he again found that wonderfully amazing spot that had her incoherent and breathless within seconds.

She couldn't move to match his thrusts any longer, stilling her hips to focus all of her energy on him. He was holding himself above her, staring down at the place where they were joined, watching himself slide in and out of her with obvious interest. He was biting his lip at the sight, cheeks flushed with exertion, and she'd never quite seen anything as gorgeous as Killian Jones fucking her. He grinned when he caught her staring at him, his eyes flicking down to take in the way her breasts jumped with each thrust into her body.

She gave him everything, reaching up to cradle his face in her hands as she revealed to him all that she'd held back from everyone else. There were no walls here, no more hiding as she trusted him with all that she had, all that she was. She could feel him taking over her very soul with each press of his body into hers, touching her so deeply that she could feel him against her womb.

"_Killian_." She whimpered, the pleasure he was giving her almost painful in its intensity.

"Okay?" He stilled against her, seeing something on her face that gave him pause. "Not too much?" She smiled, leaning up to kiss the vein that throbbed in his right temple as he held himself above her.

"Just right. Don't stop, baby." She encouraged him, marveling again at the ease with which the nickname slipped from her lips.

"That, love, would be an impossibility." He groaned out, sliding deep inside her once again, holding himself there for a long moment before slipping back out on a sigh. Her back arched in contentment as he moved, hips meeting his as she enjoyed the exquisite slide of his body into hers.

He brought his mouth to hers again, kissing each sigh, each moan from her lips as he angled himself into her. The charms of his necklace were caught between them, digging into her, scratching her skin as he moved. She welcomed the pain, needing a counterpoint to the pleasure, something to keep her grounded before she completely lost her sanity to this moment, to him.

When he pulled back enough to slide his hand down between their bodies, she knew he must be close to his own release. He found her clit easily, her breath catching at the feel of his callused thumb sliding in her slick excitement. She closed her eyes, focusing everything she had on the feel of his hand, the feel of his cock hitting her so deeply, so perfectly.

"Come for me, Emma. Let me feel you." He pleaded, needing to make sure that she found her release, too.

She dug her fingers into his hips, encouraging him to keep his rhythm. She couldn't help the sobs of pleasure that burst forth from her body as he moved. It was perfection, this dance, so good that it was almost too much.

When he leaned down to brush his lips against the shell of her ear and whispered, "Come for me, love," her release overtook her and she shattered around him. She could feel him throbbing deep inside her as she broke, could feel him as he lost all control, her body clenching around him in ecstasy.

The orgasm raged up from the soles of her feet, her toes curling as the pleasure raced through her limbs, her heart pounding with it. She could feel her magic humming in her veins, the white heat burning her, stealing her breath. She held onto him, her hands pulling him closer as they shook against each other. His cry was harsh in her ear, his teeth digging into her neck for a glorious moment as he came with her.

She'd never experienced anything quite so mind numbingly beautiful in her life. This was different, this was _more_ than she'd ever dared to dream. Suddenly all the love poems, songs, and sappy romance novels made perfect sense to her. She got it, _all of it_, the love, the intensity, the perfect bliss that came from finding a love this deep and true.

This wasn't just sex, it was love and it was messy and hard and intense and wonderful and _hers._

Her body was weak beneath his as she came down, her limbs feeling like jelly, her breath caught in her throat as tears burned under her eyelids again. Killian was draped against her, having collapsed at some point into her body. When he made to move, she shook her head, squeezing his hips what little energy she had left to keep him from leaving her.

"I'm crushing you, love." He whispered, his voice muffled against her neck.

"Don't care." She sighed back. They lay there, a tangle of limbs, bodies replete as the warm rays of the morning sun crept in through the blinds.

When Killian finally pulled away, gently extracting himself from her, she whimpered at the loss of his length and his warmth. He reached down to grab her phone and a blanket to cover their bodies, settling down on his side to face her. They lay there for several long, quiet moments, simply taking in the sight of the other, occasionally reaching out to trace a lip, a cheek, an eyelid.

"Emma?" He whispered so wistfully that her heart trembled to hear it.

"Yeah?" She reached up to press her hand to his cheek, tracing the line of his jaw, the long column of his throat before she settled her palm against his heartbeat.

"I don't mean to alarm you, love, but I think we make quite the team." She laughed at that, a smile cracking her jaw as he grinned over at her. "And that, I do believe, was number eight."

Happy warmth spread through her body as they laughed together, his hand resting easily on her waist as he pulled her into him. She could feel the rocking of the ship beneath them, feel the warmth of his body around her, feel his heart beating under her palm and she knew complete contentment.

The incubus was dead, there was no doubt in her mind. She didn't need Regina to send any texts to confirm what she instinctively knew in the very marrow of her bones.

"How long do you think we have before Regina takes us back home?" She asked him.

"Not sure." He sighed, pressing a kiss into her hair. "We should get up soon, find our clothes and put ourselves to rights."

"I don't want to move." She whispered, snuggling closer against him, pressing a kiss to his collarbone. He threaded his hand through her hair, holding her to him. "When we go back, do you think it will be different?"

"Different?" He asked as his hand slipped down the back of her neck, his fingers lazily tracing her spine.

"Between us, I mean. Now that we've…" She paused, blushing fiercely, all the words she could think of seeming suddenly inadequate to explain the moments they'd shared.

"Now that we've _fucked_, love?" He chuckled, pulling back enough to see the blush on her cheeks before pressing a kiss to her nose and wrapping her up in his arms again.

"Well, yeah." She mumbled against his neck, sighing when his hand brushed down over the curve of her ass.

"Of course it will be different," He said, all trace of his laughter gone. "but in the best possible way. I've waited so long to have you, Emma, and now that I have, I'll never be the same. Everything I am, everything I have, belongs to you. You own my heart and that fact, it changes…well, _everything, _love."

Her heart stopped at his words, her body tensing into his almost imperceptibly. It was as close to him saying he loved her without him actually saying it and as was her way, she had to question, had to press to make sure this was truly what he wanted.

It was so hard for her to simply…believe.

"And you're okay with that? With your life changing so drastically, so quickly?"

"You've been changing my life since the moment I met you, Emma. You give me hope that I might actually have found a happy ending." She pulled back at that, thinking of Regina and how she'd lost her happy ending with Robin. He was her true love and yet, they weren't together, partially because of Emma, and she couldn't help but think that it was entirely too easy for her to expect to escape a similar fate.

He sensed her hesitation, his mouth opening to say something to soothe her, no doubt, when her phone beeped to signal that she had received a text. She slid back from him, staring into his deep blue eyes, an apologetic smile on her lips. He reached out, brushing her hair over her shoulder.

"I suppose that means we'll need to leave soon."

"Aye."

"Killian, I…" She started to tell him what was in her heart, the fear and the love, but he silenced her.

"Not now, love, not here. Just promise me we'll talk once we're settled back in Storybrooke and we know what's truly going on. No matter what we find out, we need to talk. We need to decide our future."

He reached down to her phone, not waiting for her to agree to his request, and passing it to her. She beamed up at him when she saw the picture that Regina had included with her text, the sphere completely filled with a bright white light now.

"Amazing." He whispered, smiling as he looked at the picture. She looked back to the phone, reading Regina's text.

'It's finished. The incubus is dead. You better be decent when I bring you back here or you'll never hear the end of it. Fifteen minutes.'

She passed the phone to Killian so he could read the message as well, sliding off the bed in search of her clothes. As she stood, she felt his seed slip down her leg and it gave her pause. The intimacy of their shared moment was over, but there was something comforting in the thought that she carried a part of him with her even now (and would for the next nine months if what she suspected was true).

She dressed and made herself presentable, dreading the moment when Regina returned them to Storybrooke. Not only was she going to have to look both of her parents in the eyes knowing that they _knew _what she'd been up to all night, but her time with Killian was over.

Get over it, she told herself, it's not as if they'd never be together again or that their relationship was suddenly over. If anything, after last night, they were more solidified as a couple than ever. It was just…they'd never have this night again, this sweet and intense first time.

She ran her hands through her hair, turning back to watch as Killian shrugged into his own shirt, pants still open and low on his hips. She stepped up to him, reaching down to help button his shirt. He stopped to watch her, a companionable silence surrounding them as she worked. Once she'd finished, he tucked the shirt into his pants, dropping his hand to her waist as she moved next to his vest.

When she'd finished that, she quickly buttoned his pants, allowing him to slide the zipper into place himself as she reached over to grab her phone from where they'd left it. After checking the time, she shoved it into her back pocket, turning back to find that Killian was standing right behind her.

He swept her up into his arms, his lips easily finding hers, his momentum pressing her back a step or two. When he finally pulled back, she was breathless from the intensity of his kiss, her lips feeling bruised and well used.

"How much time do we have left?" He asked, his voice shaking, his hand holding her head to his.

"Five more minutes."

"Good." He growled, bringing his mouth to hers again, swaying softly as he tasted her once more. She grabbed onto the collar of his shirt, holding onto him as she savored him, her heart racing as she felt him grow hard against her again.

"Killian." She whispered against his mouth. "We'll be in the company of others soon."

"I know. I'm just not ready to let go of you yet." She pulled back, resting her hands on his chest as she smiled up at him.

"Thank you."

"For what, love?"

"For helping me, for saving me."

"You don't need to thank me for that, Emma. It was _my _pleasure." She snorted at that, rolling her eyes, but doing nothing to stop the grin that broke out across her face. He grinned with her, but then it slowly slid away as he started intently down at her.

"What?" She asked him.

"It's been a long while since I've been this happy. And the idea that you could be, that we could be…" His voice trailed off, the wonder in his eyes almost more than she could bear. She leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

"When we get back, just remember, it's you and me now. We're a team and nothing comes between us. Deal?"

"Deal." He agreed, leaning down to bump his nose against hers before pulling her tight into him, his mouth easily finding hers again.

When he finally pulled back and she opened her eyes, it took her a moment to realize that they were no longer on the ship, but were standing in the middle of her parent's loft. Killian seemed to realize it at the same moment, his eyes widening in surprise. She stepped away from him slightly, but reached down to grasp his hand with hers, not ready to be separated from him just yet.

She looked around the room, seeing her mother and father standing close by, Regina in the living room, dusting her hands against her pants as if bringing them back had dirtied her palms. Elsa and Henry were nowhere to be seen, but perhaps her parents had sent them to Granny's for breakfast to allow them all some privacy.

As they stood in the awkward silence of the room, Emma felt her stomach clench with dread. Something was drastically wrong. She could feel it in the tense air, see it in the way Regina and her parents were holding themselves. Killian sensed it as well, letting go of her hand to wrap his arm around her waist in support.

"Emma." Mary Margaret said as she stepped forward, her voice soft with warning. "We have a lot to tell you."

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_And...I did it again, another cliffhanger, but the good news is that I've already written a healthy portion of the next chapter, so hopefully you won't have to wait long for another update. Thanks to all those that have reviewed so far. You're gems!_

**_Hook_**_ me up with some more reviews, lovelies! _


	14. Chapter 14 - Declaration

Another update to hold you over for a few days. Christmas will probably occupy my time this week, so please be patient!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine, but the typos are.

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_"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings."_

_-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe_

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**Chapter Fourteen: Declaration**

Mary Margaret's words seemed to echo in the air around them, bouncing around in Emma's head like the clang of a bell. She realized her hands were balled into fists, her body tensed for whatever information this unlikely trio was about to give. She waited for her mother to say more, but when the silence continued to stretch, she took matters into her own hands.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "Is it about the baby?" Mary Margaret looked quickly to Regina who stepped forward in surprise.

"How do you know about that?" She demanded.

"Then it's true." Killian said, his body stilling against Emma's. She looked up at him, catching his eyes, worried that this was the moment when he'd run, but no, he simply looked a bit stunned and…happy.

"Yes, it's true." Regina confirmed. She reached into her pocket, pulling out the globe that she'd been protecting. She released it, letting it hover happily above her hand.

The light was unlike anything Emma had ever seen. It was so warm; she could feel its heat clear across the room. The absolute joy and love she felt as she gazed at it made her heart ache and tears filled her eyes.

"Killian." She whispered.

"I know, love, I feel it, too." He whispered back, his voice full of awe.

Suddenly, the sphere began to shake and spin uncontrollably where it hovered. Emma took a step towards it and it zoomed right to her, radiating warmth as it came to a complete stop before her and Killian. Emma reached her hand out, hesitating for just a moment before letting her fingers curl around it.

The moment she touched it, a grin split her face, her tears breaking free to slide down her cheeks. There were no words to express what she was feeling as she stepped back into the protection of Killian's arms. She pulled the sphere tight against her heart, holding it there as she looked to her mother for some explanation.

"Tell us." She demanded.

As her mother began to speak, Emma could barely believe her ears. The more Mary Margaret said, the more bizarre it all began to feel, except that it wasn't any more strange than being the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, of dating Captain Hook, of battling the Evil Queen, and a dragon, and the Wicked Witch of the West, and Peter freaking Pan.

All in a day's work as the Savior.

When her mother finished her unbelievable tale, Emma was speechless. She opened her palm again and looked down at the mass of white light swirling in the Sphere of Laurentum. Her child's essence was in there, its soul, and she simply couldn't reconcile the fact that it was forming inside her body even now while its soul was held within the glass in her hands.

"I don't understand." She whispered, shaking her head as she looked to her parents for the answer that would make her head stop spinning. It was Regina that spoke as Mary Margaret stepped closer to her daughter, reaching out to cup her cheek with a comforting hand.

"I know it seems a bit ludicrous…"

"Ludicrous! That's the understatement of the damn year, Regina!" Emma pushed away from her mother's hand, leaning back into the comforting embrace of Killian's arm, trying to tell herself to calm down and just…breathe through this.

It would be alright if she just breathed. Right?

"Let me get this straight." Killian said, his voice dark with anger even as his arm calmly settled tighter around Emma. "The Crocodile set this incubus, Laurentinus, on Emma in the hopes that she would bear a demon child that he could control and the only way to break Laurentinus's hold on her, was to send her off with me. And our child, if it's the product of True Love will be so powerful that it could conquer the world, which is infinitely better than a demon spawn to the Crocodile. So, megalomaniac that he is, the Crocodile used the Sphere of Laurentum to steal our child's soul, capturing it before it even exists."

"It exists now." Emma murmured, her free hand settling unconsciously over her womb.

She focused on something that her mother had said, not understanding the bit about True Love. Maybe her child would be safe if that part wasn't true and she knew something that none of the others did. "But wait. I kissed Killian and it didn't…the incubus pulled him into a dream and I kissed him to wake him back up, but nothing happened. It wasn't True Love's kiss."

She felt Killian shift beside her; she hadn't told him that bit. She looked hopefully at Regina, her hand squeezing the globe in her hand.

"The incubus isn't a curse, it's a being called into service and bound through magic. True Love's kiss can't banish it, unfortunately." Regina thought for a moment, a realization dawning on her face. "Gold confirmed that your child would be the product of True Love with the kiss that Hook gave you in his shop yesterday. If nothing had happened within the Sphere, he would've known that the child wouldn't be the product of True Love. He would've then done something to ensure that the incubus was successful in its pursuit of Emma. As it was, the globe changed and he allowed you and Hook to leave."

"Where's Gold?" Emma demanded.

"We don't know." Her father responded.

"I've placed a protection spell around the loft. You'll be safe here while I go to my vault. Perhaps I can find some spell, something to fight him."

"We can't just stay here and do nothing!" Emma replied, her voice breaking in anger.

"You have to, Emma. We don't know how to defeat Gold, how to save the baby. And according to the book that your mother and Regina read, you have to make some type of sacrifice. We don't know what that entails and until we do, you need to stay here." Her father said sternly.

"Whatever it is, I'll do it." She stated quickly, Killian immediately tensing at the statement.

"Don't be hasty, love. We need to keep our wits about us and figure out the best way to defeat the Crocodile. If that means you need to stay here for a while, then so be it." She looked up at Killian, her protest dying on her tongue when she saw the angst in his eyes. He turned her more fully to him, his eyes on hers as he trailed his fingers against her hip, along the edge of her jacket, not quite pressing his hand over the place where their child was just beginning.

She could almost hear his voice in her head, '_it's not only you at risk any more, love._'

"Okay." She agreed, defeat evident in her voice. She turned to Regina, staring over at Henry's other mother. "Thank you for all your help, Regina."

"Yes, well." Regina straightened her shoulders, looking uncomfortable with the praise. "I hope you enjoyed all the _presents_ I left you." She grinned like the Cheshire cat, her eyes twinkling in deep amusement as Emma blushed red.

"We did enjoy them. _Immensely._" Killian purred from behind her. Never one to back down from a challenge, that was her pirate. The grin on Regina's face slowly disappeared as she took in the devilish smile on Killian's face, probably regretting her decision to try and tease them.

As Regina looked over at them, a thoughtful expression came over her face, her eyes moving to Emma's parents before she sighed heavily and rolling her eyes at her hesitation. "There is one option available to you, Emma. One that would solve all your problems."

"What is it?" Emma immediately asked, hope immediately running through her.

"You could end the pregnancy."

Emma stilled, her heart pounding so hard in her chest that she was sure that Killian could feel it. It was so simple, really. Just end it, get rid of it and the problem would be solved.

Except that she couldn't, wouldn't do that. She hadn't been able to do it when she was eighteen and alone and she definitely wouldn't do it now with Killian pressed against her back, her child's soul swirling in a glass orb in her hand.

"No." She said, her voice ringing out with quiet authority.

She saw her father move out of the corner of her eye, almost as if he twitched in response to her statement. She looked at her mother, tears gathering in her eyes as she contemplated what Regina had suggested, searching herself carefully for any desire to end this pregnancy.

"No." She said again, softer this time, but somehow more sure. Mary Margaret smiled at her, understanding clear in her green eyes.

"If it's an option, we need to discuss it." Regina said.

"Well, it's not an option, so there's nothing to discuss." She looked over at Regina, challenging her.

"Emma." Regina said softly, stepping toward her, but Killian pulled her tighter to his side.

"She said no." Regina paused at the tone of warning in Killian's voice.

"It's settled then. You need to stay here and I'll call if I find anything." And with that, Regina waived her hands in front of herself, a swirl of purple smoke enveloping her.

Killian pressed a kiss into Emma's temple and she sighed, closing her eyes as she turned and pressed herself into his arms. The Sphere was still held tightly in her palm; she couldn't bear the thought of letting it go, and they trapped it between their bodies as they held one another. They stood there for several long moments like that, absorbing the information that Regina and her mother had given them before her father cleared his throat to get their attention.

She pulled guiltily away from Killian, a blush coloring her cheeks as she looked over at her parents. Her mother was beaming at her while her father stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, looking like he wanted to challenge Killian to a duel.

"You two must be exhausted." Emma snorted as her mother's face went almost instantly red as she realized what she'd just said. Emma looked to Killian, a small smile forming on her face as she saw the amusement and raised eyebrow on his.

"I mean, you've been up all night, you haven't slept, you know because you've been… And, and…oh, hell." Mary Margaret buried her face in her hands, laughing at herself before looking back to her daughter, her cheeks still pink with embarrassment. "Your father needs to get to work and I'm going to do some laundry while Neal sleeps. You should get some rest. Elsa walked Henry to school, so your room is empty."

"Just remember." David said sternly, stepping closer to where she and Killian were still loosely wrapped around each other. "This is my roof and you will _not_ be touching my daughter while you're under it, Hook." He said nothing more, walking around the two of them and grabbing his jacket before yanking the door open and stalking out. It promptly slammed as he left, Emma jumping at the sound.

"Just give him a little time. He'll get over it. Eventually." Mary Margaret shook her head, taking a step towards the laundry basket on the kitchen table before turning back to them. Her eyes landed on Killian, causing him to tense as she narrowed her eyes. "He did have a point, Hook. You can go upstairs with Emma, but leave the door open and _nothing_ happens, do you hear me?"

"Mom, really." Emma murmured, a blush burning her cheeks. God, they were acting like she was a teenager with a boyfriend over for the first time. They were a little past the open doors and no touching rule. The man had already knocked her up, for god's sake!

"It's alright, Swan." Killian let her go, turning to her mother and dipping low in an elegant bow, his hand held over his heart. "I shall be the perfect gentleman, milady. Your daughter is safe in my charge."

"Make sure it stays that way, pirate." Mary Margaret responded, sounding very much like the royal personage that she was. Then she turned and gathered up the laundry basket, exiting the loft to take it to the washer and dryer on the lower level of the building.

"Alone at last." Killian said, pulling her back into his arms. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "How are you feeling, love?"

"A bit frazzled." She admitted, sagging against him for a moment. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his neck and breathing deeply, the warmth of the Sphere still heating her palm.

"We have a lot to talk over, but for now, you need to sleep. And then eat an actual meal." He murmured into her hair.

"No more pop-tarts?" She asked.

"Perhaps another time, love. Come." He pulled away, grasping her hand in his and tugging her toward the stairs and her room. She paused long enough to look over at Neal's crib, making sure he was still sleeping before she let Killian pull her up the stairs. She followed him, keeping the Sphere pressed tight to her chest.

She let him undress her once they were in her room. He slowly removed each article of clothing, pressing chaste kisses into her skin as it was exposed to him. She told him where to find her pajamas and when he pulled them from the drawer, he raised an eyebrow at her.

"You'll need to ask Regina where she found that gown you wore on the ship."

"That would be a little impractical to wear around the loft, Killian." She replied, her cheeks blazing red at the thought of wearing that revealing nightgown here. She slipped into her flannel pajamas, crossing over to the bed and getting under the covers.

"Perhaps not here, love, but you do live in your own abode now." She smiled at that. Maybe she would ask Regina.

"Aren't you going to sleep, too?" She asked him, snuggling down and pulling her hand back up over her heart, globe still caught tight within the safe embrace of her fingers.

"Aye, but first I'm going to freshen up a bit. Can I get you anything, love?" He asked as he tucked her in, sitting down on the edge of the bed and looking down at her.

"Nah. I'm just really sleepy." The weeks of inadequate sleep coupled with the extremely emotional past two days were taking a toll on her and she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Then sleep, my love. I'll be here when you wake up. Pleasant dreams." He leaned over, pressing a kiss to her forehead and then, dipping his head a little lower, he pressed a kiss against the hand that held the Sphere. She smiled at the sweet gesture, reaching up with her free hand to trail her fingers against his stubbly jaw.

She sighed, happy, despite the unknown threat that was looming over her and her child. Killian stared down at her, happiness in his own eyes as he smiled at her. Her heart was full and she knew that it was time to admit what she'd known to be true for a very long time now.

"Killian?" She cupped his face in her hand, her thumb pressing into his scar as she swallowed over the sudden lump in her throat.

"Aye?"

"I love you." She whispered. She watched as he caught his breath, stilling above her for a moment before he swooped down and kissed her senseless. She giggled as he pressed kiss after kiss across her face before settling back and grinning giddily down at her.

"It's about bloody time." He stated. She snorted in response, pushing his hair back off his forehead as the Sphere in her hand vibrated against her. She loosened her grip, watching as it began to hover in the air above her heart, vibrating and twirling with amazing speed. She stared at it in awe, Killian's face lit from beneath with its brilliant light.

"It seems someone else approves of your decision to finally confess your true feelings to me, Swan." Killian whispered.

"I guess so." She smiled, reaching out a finger to trail along the warm surface of the Sphere. She laughed at the way the light followed her touch around its circumference. She felt Killian's eyes on her and when she looked up at him, he beamed down at her, that giddy smile back on his face.

He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he stood. "Sleep, Swan." At the door to her room, he turned back, watching her for a moment before saying, "I'll be here when you wake. And Emma?"

"Yeah?" She asked sleepily, pulling the Sphere back into her palm and curling her hand up under her chin as she snuggled deeper into her blankets.

"I love you, too." Then he was gone, leaving the scent of leather behind as the Sphere vibrated pleasantly against her.

* * *

Killian made his way down the stairs, stopping to pull off his jacket and hang it carefully next to the front door. He toed off his boots, running his hand through his hair and wincing at the greasy buildup he felt. He made his way over to the fridge, yanking it open and sighing as he pulled out a jug of orange juice, setting it on the counter so he could pull a glass down from the shelf above the sink.

Once the juice was poured, he settled against the counter and drank it down in several long gulps, smacking his lips in enjoyment once done. He set the glass down and stared at the dregs of the juice left in it for several long moments, his mind whirring with the events of the past twenty-four hours.

"I'd offer you a penny for your thoughts, pirate, but I'm concerned you'd try to steal my wallet." David Nolan's voice broke into his thoughts, startling him. He'd been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't heard Emma's father return.

"Your Highness." He said hesitatingly in greeting, his eyes flicking in the direction of Emma's room, wondering if she was still awake and would perhaps save him from what was sure to be an awkward exchange.

"I hope she's already fallen asleep." David commented, catching Killian's glance. "At least the incubus is dead now. She can rest."

"No thanks to me, mate?" David paused as he reached down to the phone that he'd forgotten on the table. He looked at Killian, assessing the man that was both younger and older than him.

"Thanks to you." He responded, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared across the tense space between them. "I may not like _how_ it happened, but you did save my daughter and for that, I truly am thankful, Hook."

"That didn't hurt too much to say, did it?" Killian asked, not able to keep the bitter tone from his voice. The man had to know that he loved his daughter beyond any measure of reason and yet, he still stood there staring over at Killian as if he was the worst possible option for her.

David stared at him for a moment, expression thoughtful before he walked to where Killian stood, his body tensing as the prince reached up for a glass and poured himself some juice. He filled Killian's empty glass, clinking them together before he raised his glass in a toast.

"It was quite painful, thank you very much." He tilted the glass in a sardonic salute then took several deep gulps. Killian raised his glass, taking a small sip before setting the glass back down. His eyes never left David's, assessing the prince in much the same way he'd assessed the pirate only moments before.

Now or never, Hook, he thought to himself.

He turned fully to face Emma's father, clearing his throat and swallowing hard before he straightened his shoulders and raised his chin. He felt as if he was sailing into battle and perhaps in a way he was. He'd lived over two hundred years and yet, he'd never had to tell a lass's father what his intentions were toward his daughter.

Well, he'd known that he'd be having a conversation with her father like this at some point. One didn't pillage and plunder a prince's daughter alone on a ship for hours without enduring some type of embarrassing conversation after the fact.

"Your Highness." He began, but David quickly cut him off.

"It's David here, Hook." Killian nodded, scratching nervously behind his ear before continuing.

"David, I told you before that whatever Emma and I are to become, it's up to her as much as it is me."

"I remember." David took another sip of his drink, watching almost happily as Killian fiddled with his earring, then twirled the rings on his fingers awkwardly, not able to stop fidgeting as he struggled to say what he needed to.

"That still holds true, but I think it's safe to say that our lives are more deeply entwined now then they were when I spoke those words." He suddenly stopped fidgeting, standing straight and staring intently into David's blue eyes. "I love your daughter and I swear to be the best man for her, for her children, that I can be. And I hope that, one day, when she's ready, she'll have me for her husband."

He took a deep breath, adding earnestly, "It would mean a lot to me if I had your blessing to ask for her hand when the time comes."

Killian stilled, waiting to hear what David's response would be, feeling as if his life hung in the balance. David stared at him for another moment before setting his glass down on the counter. He took a breath, pushing it out slowly before reaching over to grasp Killian's shoulder.

"You do know if you ever hurt her, even just a little, I will hunt you for the rest of your days, correct?"

"Aye."

"And if you do _anything_ to hurt her children, I will be joined by her mother and Regina in that hunt."

"Aye." David grinned then, squeezing Killian's shoulder before slapping him soundly on the arm. An 'oomph' left Killian's mouth at the touch, his knees bending slightly with the impact.

"Alright, Hook, you have my blessing, but know that I reserve my right as a father to retract it whenever I see fit."

"Yes, _Dave_." Killian muttered, reaching up to rub at his throbbing shoulder.

"Well, I'm off to make the rounds. Call me if Regina finds anything." David dropped his empty glass in the sink, clapping Killian once more, hard, on the arm before making his way to the door of the loft. He paused with the doorknob in his hand, turning back to look at Killian from across the room. "Don't screw this up, Killian. She deserves to be happy. More than anyone else I know."

And with that, her father was gone, leaving Killian feeling lighter, but heavier all at the same time. What the prince had said was right; Emma Swan deserved every happy moment that life had to offer and Killian knew that he could provide all of them to her, but it was a daunting task, trying to become a man worthy of the Savior.

He hoped that he would live up to it all, especially now that she was going to be the mother of his child.

_His child_.

He shook his head, making his way over the bathroom. Gods, but it had been an extremely eventful twenty-fours hours and he was insanely happy, if apprehensive about solving this latest riddle and saving their child. Leave it to the Crocodile to threaten his happiness, to hold his fate once again in his hands.

Well, there was no way he'd win this time around, Killian swore darkly, his hand pausing for a moment as he reached out to turn the knob on the shower. He'd do anything to protect his family and that most definitely included taking on his old foe.

Even if it ended up being the last thing he did.

He paused again, thinking of Emma's upturned face, making him promise that it was the two them, just her and him together now. As much as he wanted to go after the Crocodile, he knew that he couldn't, not without her. He'd made a promise and he'd never turn his back on that. Stepping into the shower, he let the water rush over him, sighing as he thought of Emma, asleep upstairs, waiting for him to join her.

His family. His happiness. His True Love.

When he finally returned to her room, she was lying on her side, deeply asleep, her hand curled protectively under her chin. He slid into the bed behind her, leaving his jeans on for propriety's sake. He wrapped himself around her, contentment shooting up through his body at the warm feel of her against him. Pressing a chaste kiss against her shoulder, he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, loving the way she settled into him.

"I love you." He whispered, enjoying the way it rolled off his tongue, smiling as he heard her sigh in response. She mumbled something unintelligible under her breath and Killian wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing his hand protectively over her stomach as he fell easily asleep against her.

* * *

**Hook **me up with a review...I'll love ya forever!


	15. Chapter 15 - Interlude

Enjoy! Hopefully more updates soon if my muse would just settle down and let me finish this story before wanting to jump right into the next one!

Disclaimer: Sadly, Santa didn't leave any of OUAT for me under the tree, so they're still not mine.

* * *

_"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." _

_― Albert Einstein_

* * *

**Chapter 15: Interlude**

When Emma woke, she was wrapped in Killian's arms, his chest pressed to her back, hips curved perfectly around her backside. She could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest, his breath stirring the hair at the nape of her neck, hand pressed protectively over her stomach.

The Sphere of Laurentum was still tightly grasped in her hand, its warmth throbbing against her like a tiny heartbeat. A sleepy smile of contentment spread across her face as she held it up to take another look, its strong and steady light filling the room and brightening her eyes. Not wanting to wake Killian, she quickly closed her fingers around it, sighing in relief to know that her child's soul was still safe inside the Sphere.

Through the door to her room, left open at her mother's request, she could hear the soft murmurs and occasional laughs from her family downstairs. She and Killian had slept the majority of the day away, the light through her window dim and hazy with the early winter sunset. Her parents were probably getting dinner ready and Emma's stomach rumbled at the thought, reminding her that the last thing she'd had to eat was a pop-tart hours ago.

She lay there for a while, enjoying the sounds of her family and the warmth of the pirate wrapped around her. It seemed odd to be this happy when so many things hung in the balance, and yet, she was.

Deliriously so.

The past twenty-four hours had been among the strangest and happiest she'd ever known and she had Killian to thank for that. Her life had taken one dramatic turn after another since she'd walked into Gold's shop yesterday morning, but Killian had been by her side through all of it. He'd somehow managed to break down every one of her walls over the time that she'd known him and now, she knew their lives would be linked forevermore through their child, a fact that made her happy.

Thinking of him and their time together had her pressing back into him, feeling his response even in sleep, his body instantly hardening for her. Not wanting to start anything they couldn't finish while in her parent's loft, she extricated herself carefully from his grasp. She turned to look back at him, watching as his arm slid across the bed, reaching for her even in sleep, brow wrinkling with concern when he didn't find her.

Smiling, she leaned over to press a kiss into his hair, breathing in his clean, spicy scent. His eyelids fluttered slowly open, confusion clear on his face as he blearily looked around the room. His dawning smile when he saw her warmed her heart and ignited her own smile as she sat down next to him.

"Hey." She whispered as she reached up to brush his hair off his forehead.

"Hey." He whispered back, his voice scratchy with sleep.

"I'm going to take a shower. Go back to sleep." She suggested, noting the dark circles under his eyes.

"Hmm." He murmured, his eyes sliding shut as she slipped the Sphere of Laurentum into his palm, smiling as his fingers instantly closed around it. Knowing that even in his sleep Killian would keep their child's soul safe, she gathered up some clothes that she'd left here, pausing in the doorway as she looked back at the sleeping pirate nestled in her bed. With a contended smile on her lips, she turned and made her way downstairs to her family.

She wrapped Henry up in a huge hug when she saw him, kissing his forehead and asking him how his day was. He hugged her back, asking if she was okay and if there was anything wrong. He was a smart kid and had lived long enough in Storybrooke to know when something was up. His mom disappearing overnight and then sleeping all day with a pirate in his grandparent's home, while not the strangest thing that had ever happened in Storybrooke, was definitely on the odd side of things.

She hugged him tighter, letting him know that she and Killian had run into some trouble, but things were fine now. She hadn't exactly figured out how she was going to explain all of this to him, although she knew that she'd hold nothing back from him when she was ready. Emma didn't lie to him, not ever. She pressed another kiss into his hair, sensing that his questions weren't over, just set aside for now.

She waved hello to everyone else in the loft, stopping to snag a hunk of cheese from her mother's cutting board on her way past it. Mary Margaret shooed her away, a stern, but loving smile on her face as she told Emma to freshen up before dinner. Elsa was doing her best to help Mary Margaret with dinner, keeping the long train of her gown wrapped over her arm as she puttered about the kitchen.

Her father was sitting on the couch, Neal snuggled in the crook of his arm as he fed him his bottle. She waived at him, noting the way his eyes he took her in. She knew that her hair was a mangled mess and there were probably red kiss marks on her neck and collarbone from her time with Killian. His gaze seemed to focus in on them, eyes glazing over before he looked quickly back down at his son, studiously not looking at her she made her way into the bathroom.

Sighing, she locked the bathroom door behind herself, leaning against it for a moment before shaking her head. Her father would come around, she knew, but he appeared to be cramming every moment of fatherly protectiveness into the past two days and it was starting to wear a bit thin. She was _thirty_, for goodness' sake, and already had a kid!

When she finally stepped into the shower, she sighed blissfully as the hot water cascaded over her. She scrubbed every square inch of her skin, not able to help the blush that settled on her cheeks as she remembered Killian's hands on her body. Not surprisingly, she was sore from their time together; it had been a while since she'd had sex with anyone, not to mention a twelve hour marathon with a very enthusiastic and thorough pirate.

When she finally finished up in the shower, her skin feeling tingly clean, her sore muscles soothed. As she brushed her teeth, she stared into the mirror above the sink and thanked her lucky stars for the high necked, bulky sweater that she'd found upstairs. There were pink love bites all over her neck, chest, and breasts, just as she had suspected. Her gaze wandered down to where the incubus had scratched her and she was amazed to find that the red line was gone as were the bruises on her thighs. They must have disappeared when the incubus was killed.

Finally dressed and modestly covered up, she exited the bathroom, making her way to the kitchen to see if Mary Margaret and Elsa needed any help. She stole another hunk of cheese as they both shook their heads to her offer of help. Mary Margaret stopped stirring the sauce she was making long enough to look closely at Emma, her ever observant eyes inspecting her daughter from head to foot.

"Are you sure you slept enough, Emma? You still look a little tired."

"If I slept any longer there's no way I'd get to sleep tonight. And besides, I'm starving." She reassured her mother before stealing another bite of cheese and then making her way over to her father on the couch.

Neal was nestled down in his baby carrier, eyes drooping with post dinner fatigue while David had a newspaper spread out over his lap, his eyes occasionally drifting to check on his son. Sitting next to him, she bumped her shoulder into his and then settled down against him, looking over at the paper as she took a bite of her cheese.

"Have you heard from Regina yet?" She asked.

"Nothing yet." He peered over at her, pressing back into her shoulder before asking, "How are you feeling? Better?"

"Still tired, but I was able to sleep with no nightmares, which was nice." They sat like that for a while, commenting occasionally to each other on how cute Neal was as he struggled to stay awake. She felt her own eyes start to get heavy as she sat there, propped up against her father's shoulder, all warm and cozy and content. When he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss into her hair, she snuggled closer into him, head resting on his shoulder.

Emma had never been a physically demonstrative person, but that was slowly changing, especially since her return from the Enchanted Forest. She found herself giving little hugs and kisses now, holding hands and snuggling with Henry, with Killian. It was out of her comfort zone for sure, but she was coming to appreciate each little touch, each caress, and to long for them if enough time went by without one.

"Dad?" She asked hesitantly, hoping to take advantage of the relaxed moment between them to talk about her and Killian.

"Hmm?" He asked absentmindedly as he flipped a page of his paper to continue reading.

"I know the past couple of days have been really weird." She paused, feeling him tense beside her. He didn't comment, so she took a deep breath and continued. "It's not Hook's fault, you know."

There was a pause and then he sighed, looking up from his paper to catch his daughter's intense gaze.

"I know that, Emma. That still doesn't make it any easier for me." There was another pause and then he said softly, "I just want what's best for you."

"What if Killian_ is_ what's best for me?" She asked just as softly.

"Then I'll need to get onboard, won't I?" She rolled her eyes at his word choice, the corner of her mouth tilting up in that exasperated way of all daughters when laughing at their father's horrible sense of humor.

He grinned at her before continuing.

"Your happiness is one of the most important things to me, Emma. If Killian treats you well and makes you happy, then I'm happy. More or less." He leaned over to press another kiss into her hair, smiling at her as she beamed at him.

"So," He said, leaning back as she settled against him once more. "True Love, huh?" She snorted, shaking her head a bit in disbelief. He grinned, a happy gleam in his eyes as he looked over at his own True Love as she bustled about the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Emma responded, a pretty blush coloring her cheeks.

"It happens to the best of us, you know." He paused, waiting for her usual sarcastic response and when none came, he tightened his arm around her. "Scared?"

"A little. This is all happening so fast."

"Oh, I don't know, I'd say it's been happening since the moment you two met. Your mother told me she knew something was up between you, even back then."

"She did?"

"Hm hmm."

"How could she have possibly known? He irritated the hell out of me when we met." David chuckled at that.

"Oh, I think it's safe to assume that I irritated the hell out of your mother when we first met, too. I suppose it's easier to recognize True Love when you've experienced it yourself."

"What do you see when you look at the two of us?" Emma asked him, genuinely curious.

"I may not always be as observant as your mother, but even I've seen the way he looks at you. And I've seen the way you look at him when you don't think anyone is paying attention. On top of that, Killian's done more to change for you, Emma, than I'd ever have thought possible for such a dedicated pirate. I have to respect him for that." Emma didn't miss the begrudging note of approval in his voice.

"I've never met anyone like him before." She said softly, stopping when a lump formed in her throat. She had never been good at expressing her emotions. Even such a simple statement was more than she would normally reveal, but it needed to be said. Especially to her father who meant so much to her and whose opinion mattered more than most.

She took a deep breath, looking up into David's light blue eyes and said, "I love him, Dad."

David sighed, taking in the expression on her face, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes as he noticed the ones forming in hers. He wrapped his hand behind the back of her head, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"I know." He whispered softly, melancholy and acceptance in his words. "I know." He pulled her back into his arms, her eyes sliding shut as he held her. They sat there for a long time, simply enjoying a father daughter moment. When Mary Margaret called them to dinner, she pulled out of his embrace with a sigh, blinking back tears as she stood.

"I'm going to go and wake Killian up for dinner."

When she entered her room, Killian was just starting to wake. He looked up at her as she made her way to him, sitting down on the edge of the bed and leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. He came more fully awake then, his hand settling on her hip, the Sphere of Laurentum still clasped tightly in his palm as he pressed it into her skin.

"Mmm." He sighed against her mouth.

She smiled as she pulled back to stare down at him. His hair was wildly messed, his blue eyes still veiled heavily with sleep. She realized that he didn't have any eyeliner on and she wondered if she'd ever seen him without it before. He smiled almost shyly up at her, his naturally thick eyelashes framing the brilliant blue of his eyes; she couldn't get over how boyishly handsome he was in that moment.

She wondered if he knew that about himself; he was always quick to point out that he was 'devastatingly handsome', 'dashing', 'a scoundrel'…but 'boyishly sweet' had never been among the descriptors he chose for himself. Perhaps because he'd long since stopped seeing himself like that, jaded by his many years of heartache and revenge. Maybe someday she'd remind him, although god knew, he didn't need more adjectives to describe himself.

"When I woke up again and you weren't here, I thought I'd dreamed the whole thing. Then I found this tucked into my hand…" He held up the Sphere, its light brilliant in the darkness of her room.

"I hope Regina's able to find something soon." She murmured, reaching up to take the globe from him.

"No news yet?" He asked, sitting up against the headboard, a concerned frown darkening his features.

"Not yet. I figured I would call after dinner and check in."

"Is it time for dinner?" He asked incredulously. He glanced over at the clock next to the bed, his eyes widening at the time. "We've slept the day away, Swan."

"We _were_ up all night, Killian." She giggled at the way he grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at her. "My mom and Elsa made a big dinner for everyone. Hungry?"

"Aye, those pop-tarts didn't do much to quell my appetite." He answered, reaching over to brush her hair over her shoulder. "Are you staying here tonight, love?" He asked, his gaze settling on her lips, his unspoken question of when they could be together again making her heart race.

"I don't know…Maybe Regina can set up a protection spell on the apartment tonight and we can go there? It actually makes sense for us to split up in case Gold comes looking for us. Henry can stay with Regina and Elsa will be here to keep my parents and brother safe."

"That sounds like a splendid plan, Swan." He agreed, eagerness making his eyes sparkle. His happiness was infectious and she leaned forward to press a kiss into his mouth, his tongue sliding enticingly along her bottom lip.

"You taste like mint…and cheese?" He said as he pulled away, causing her to giggle.

"Probably not a great combination, huh?" He grinned, his thumb tracing along the slick path his tongue had left on her lip.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of tasting you, Swan." He replied and a shot of arousal ran through her at the memory of him between her thighs, smirking up at her while she perched on the edge of the tub.

"Likewise." She murmured back, sighing in pleasure as she hovered over his mouth, waiting for him to lean back up to kiss her again. Just as he was about to capture her lips, Mary Margaret called to them, asking if they were ever going to join them for dinner. Killian chuckled, sitting up and taking the shirt that Emma handed to him from its spot at the end of the bed.

"We definitely need to see about getting time alone this evening, Swan. I fear your mother will be interrupting us at every opportunity. Besides, I have _plans_ for you."

"Plans?" He simply smirked in response, his blue eyes twinkling merrily with promise. Good god, he was insatiable, but perhaps he wasn't the only one, she thought with a blush as she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him close for one more kiss.

Not quite ready to explain to Henry what the Sphere of Laurentum was, she tucked it into the baggy pocket of her sweater, rearranging the folds so that the curve of the Sphere was hidden from view. Grabbing Killian's hand, they made their way down the stairs and joined the others.

Mary Margaret smiled softly at her daughter once they were downstairs, reaching over to squeeze Emma's hand when she wandered into the kitchen to steal another slice of cheese. Killian settled down at the table next to Henry, David nodding solemnly in greeting.

"Hey. How you hanging in?" Her mother asked.

"Okay, I guess. It's all a bit overwhelming." She admitted. She turned to her mother, remembering in that moment that her mother also knew what it was like to have a baby threatened before it was born, twice over. She squeezed her mother's hand, finding infinite comfort in the green depths of her eyes.

"If you need anything, I'm here. I've always got your back, Emma." Mary Margaret said, understanding her daughter's worries.

"I know."

"Looks like you've got your very own pirate to keep an eye on you, too." Emma looked over to where Mary Margaret pointed with her chin, catching Killian's eyes across the room and feeling that instant connection flare between them.

"Yeah, looks like I do." She smiled, winking at him before turning back to help her mother plate the last of the food and carry it over to the table.

"This all looks great, mom, Elsa. You really outdid yourselves." Emma sat down at the table, reaching absentmindedly into her pocket to feel the warmth of the Sphere against her fingertips. Killian caught the gesture from his seat, reaching over for her other hand and smiling as she entwined their fingers.

"Let's eat!" David announced, grabbing the bowl of mashed potatoes and doling out a huge pile for himself before passing the dish.

The rest of the dinner was loud and chaotic, Killian telling mildly inappropriate stories about his time on the _Jolly Roger_. Henry listened avidly, peals of laughter bursting from his lips at some of the more colorful stories that Killian told. Mary Margaret alternated between cooing softly to Neal and eating her own dinner, smiling as she looked happily around at her family. Elsa laughed along with Henry, her eyes sparkling with happiness at being included in such a warm family event. David simply listened, a smile coming and going as he watched Emma glow happily beside Killian.

Once dinner was over, Emma helped David clean up, insisting that the chefs relax after making such a wonderful meal. Once the leftovers were wrapped up and the dishes done, Emma grabbed her phone and wandered over to sit on the bottom step of the staircase, Killian leaning against the railing beside her as she called Regina.

She picked up on the second ring, responding in the negative when Emma asked if she'd found out anything new.

"Should I come over and help?" Emma asked, anxious to be doing something, _anything_ to help. She wasn't used to sitting idly by while someone else looked for a solution to her problems.

"No, you should stay exactly where you are." Regina responded, her tone clipped with annoyance. She took a deep breath and Emma could imagine her rolling her eyes on the other end of the phone. "Look, there's not much more I can do tonight. I'll wrap up here and we can regroup tomorrow morning."

"Regina, I was wondering if you could put a protection spell on my apartment? Then Henry can stay with you at your house, Killian and I can stay at the apartment, and Elsa can protect my parents and Neal here at the loft." There was a snort on the other end of the line. "What?"

"You could try to be a little less obvious, you know."

"I don't know what you mean." Emma stuttered, sounding surprisingly like an affronted princess all of a sudden. Regina snorted again.

"Really, Emma, I would've thought after twelve hours with the pirate, you'd be sick to death of him already. But here you are, trying to get him alone and all to yourself again."

"Having all of us in one place is like shooting fish in a barrel. Or something." Emma responded, flushing as she looked anywhere but at Killian hovering above her.

"Keep telling yourself that." There was a pause then a sigh of assent. "I'll meet you at your parent's loft and we'll go to your apartment from there."

"Right. See you in a bit." She hung up the phone, standing and shoving it into the back pocket of her jeans. She called to Henry and told him to pack up his stuff.

"You're staying with your mom tonight, if that's okay." She said as he began to put his books into his backpack.

"Are you ever going to tell me what's going on?" He asked, pausing to look up into Emma's face. She tried to look confused by his question, but Henry wasn't stupid and she finally sighed in acknowledgment, glancing at Killian for support before stepping closer to her son.

"Look, kid, I can't really get into all of it right now, but I will. I promise." Henry's mouth opened, no doubt to argue with her, and she placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "I _will_ tell you, Henry, just not right now. I'm still trying to process all of it myself."

"Is everyone okay?" He asked, turning to scan the room as if one or more of his family were in danger of popping out of existence right in front of him, which wasn't too far out of the realm of possibility.

"We're all okay, your mom included. We just need a little time to figure out our plans and then I'll sit you down and explain it all."

"And, Henry?" David called from his place on the couch, "It's probably best if you don't contact your grandfather. It seems like he's slid a bit. Probably best not to see him. At least, for the time being."

Henry looked to Emma and she nodded to confirm what David had said, his face dropping in disappointment. He stepped up to wrap Emma in a giant hug and she quickly returned it, her cheek settling on his head as she clung to him.

He was such a good kid; she was incredibly lucky to have him in her life. She knew that his teenage years were fast approaching and the thought did funny things to her stomach. She wasn't quite ready for the mood swings and attitude, but he was already such an amazing young man that she hoped maybe he'd side-step right around those, for both their sakes.

He finally pulled away, going back to filling his backpack, quiet and reflective now that he knew his grandfather was playing a role in the latest Storybrooke drama. Emma kept her eyes on him as Elsa pulled her off to the side, asking her for details of the past couple of days. Emma wasn't about to tell her everything with her son still in the room, but she smiled at Elsa, cheeks blazing red, as she whispered that she'd tell her another time.

There was a knock at the door as she turned to check on Henry's progress with his books. David quickly opened it, letting in an extremely tired looking Regina. She went straight to Henry, pulling him into a hug, her eyes sliding shut as she held him.

"Mom, are you okay?" He asked, pulling back to look up at her.

"I'm okay, Henry. Just tired. We need to make a quick stop at your mom's apartment and then you're with me tonight. Sound okay?"

"Sounds great." He turned to his grandparents, giving them hugs and pressing a kiss to his uncle's forehead.

Emma made the rounds as well, hugging her father particularly hard after she saw the way he gravely shook Killian's hand, clapping him gently on the shoulder in goodbye. He seemed to have found some peace with Hook, if not full acceptance of him, and she deeply appreciated his effort.

Elsa promised to stop over tomorrow, wishing them all goodnight before she made her way upstairs to her bed. Emma knew that as soon as this Gold situation was squared away, she needed to help Elsa look for Anna. Her friend had looked a little lost several times during dinner, staring over at the windows of the loft with a worried frown bringing down the corners of her mouth.

Killian followed behind Emma as she exited the loft, his hand pressed soothingly into the small of her back. It was a beautifully clear night, the air crisp and cool against her skin. Henry rode with Regina while Killian rode next to her in the bug, hand clenched with impatience on his thigh. She knew he was anxious to make some kind of move against Gold, just as she was. They were both people of action, and simply sitting and waiting for the next shoe to drop went against their natures.

She made a quick stop at Granny's, Killian running inside to pack a bag for the next few days. He'd made it clear that he wasn't about to be parted with Emma, not until they had defeated Gold, and their child's soul was safe. In the past, she would've protested him being around so much, essentially living with her, but now the thought was…exciting. She wanted him around and the thought of waking up beside him every day for the foreseeable future had her giddy with happiness.

When they finally pulled up outside her home, Regina and Henry were already making their way back outside to the car. She met them at the curb, Regina confirming that the protection spell was in place and that Emma would be safe inside. Emma hugged Henry, kissing his cheek and telling him she'd call first thing in the morning, and waiting until he was safely inside the car before turning to Regina.

"You didn't find anything of use?" She asked, her voice low.

"Nothing. I'll go back tomorrow. There's a couple books that I didn't have a chance to read fully. I'm holding out hope that one of them mentions the Sphere or at least, the sacrifice needed to free your child's soul." She paused, her eyes flicking to where Killian was waiting on the steps to the apartment. "How are you holding up with all of this?"

Emma shrugged, shoving her hands into her back pockets, swaying from side to side for a moment as she thought over Regina's question.

"I'm…doing okay. I don't think it's all quite hit me yet."

"It's a bit different than the last time." Regina said softly, her eyes flicking down to Henry sitting in the car.

"Yeah." Emma acknowledged, her gaze following Regina's and landing on her son. Her hand automatically settled into her sweater pocket, fingers closing over the smooth surface of the globe. She smiled and shook her head. "Yeah, this time is drastically different. Although, to be fair, I haven't even been to a doctor to confirm anything yet."

"It's still too early for that." Regina sniffed, crossing her arms as she stared at Henry for another moment. "I hope you know that I didn't mean any harm when I suggested terminating the pregnancy."

Emma stared at Regina, contemplating again the suggestion and her decision. Despite what it would solve, it was simply not a choice for her. "I know that. You were just making sure I knew my options. That's just one that's never felt…right. For me, at least."

"Thank heavens for that." Regina quickly responded, her gaze moving from Henry to Emma, gratitude sparkling in the brown depths of her eyes. Emma smiled, a lump settling in her throat as she thought about what might have been if she hadn't followed her heart all those years ago. Where would she even be now? Where would Regina be? Because Emma knew that her son had saved them both, many times over.

"Yeah." She finally whispered, more eloquent words failing her as they so often did. She suddenly reached out, grasping Regina in her arms and hugging her fiercely.

"Thank you. For everything." She said, hoping that Regina knew she wasn't just thanking her for the past few days, but for the past twelve years as well. Henry wouldn't be here with her if it wasn't for Regina's care and despite the sordid past between Regina and her parents, Emma was determined to keep their new found family intact, no matter what. Henry deserved that. They all did.

"Don't mention it, Miss Swan." Regina said, her arms coming up briefly around Emma and then dropping quickly to her sides. She pulled away first, smiling softly for a moment before looking to Killian and raising a brow of amusement in his direction. "Enjoy your time _alone_ with the pirate."

"Regina, that's not why…" Regina cut her protests off.

"Oh, save it, princess. You forget that I held the Sphere in my hands while you were being ravished. There is no way in hell you don't want a repeat performance. At least, thankfully, I won't be subjected to each and every one of your _moments_ this time."

Emma's cheeks flamed red as she dropped her head in embarrassment. She rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, feeling her blush all the way to the roots of her hair.

"There's no reason to be embarrassed." Regina stated as she turned to walk around her car. "If there's one thing I've learned over the past few months, it's that True Love is a blessing. Embrace it, Emma. Not everyone is lucky enough to find it."

Emma didn't miss the complete and utter sadness in Regina's eyes as she pulled open the car door and slid inside. She watched as the car pulled away from the curb, waiving at Henry as he turned back to look at her in goodbye.

"Ready, Swan?" Killian called behind her, a smile filled with promise and love curving up the corner of his mouth as she turned to look at him.

"Always." She responded, walking over to him and grasping his hand before leading him into the apartment, Regina's parting words running through her mind.

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_As always, thanks to those that have left reviews. Hope I'm keeping you interested. **Hook **me up, lovelies!_


	16. Chapter 16 - Rapture

A quick, smutty update before Killian and Emma discuss their future. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: If only I owned them...they would definitely be doing this more often.

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_"__If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life."_

_-Oscar Wilde_

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**Chapter 16: Rapture **

As soon as she closed the front door behind them, he was pressing her back against it, hips tight into hers as he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. He wasted no time kissing her, his mouth hot and insistent, stealing any protest that she might have made. She was carrying his bag of clothes in from the car and he used his hook to yank it roughly from her, forcing her to drop it to the floor. Then he was wrapping his damaged arm around her, his hook scraping against the door as he pulled her to tighter to him.

He brought his knee up to the apex of her legs, letting her settle against his hard thigh. She felt the smile he pressed into her neck, beard scratching roughly as he scraped his teeth along her pulse. When he dipped his head down to breathe along her collarbone, she grabbed onto the collar of his jacket, yanking his teasing mouth back up to hers to kiss the smirk off his lips.

They spent long moments simply making out against her front door, her hips sliding languidly along his thigh, the friction not enough to push her over the edge, but lovely all the same. She couldn't help but chase his lips whenever he pulled away, his teasing making her desperate for more of him, more of _this_ game that they played so well. With his breath skimming across her lips as he hovered his mouth over hers, he smiled softly at her, clearly loving the way she groaned in frustration. She dropped her head back against the door, biting at the taste of him on her lips.

He stared at her for a moment before he spoke, his eyes taking in her swollen lips, her flushed cheeks.

"Say it again, love." He whispered soft and low.

"Say what again?" She asked.

"Tell me…" He hesitated for a moment, any pretense of teasing her gone as he anxiously searched her eyes for what she didn't know. "Tell me that you love me again. Please." His voice broke then, an anguish that was all too familiar clear in his words. It was a pain born of loneliness and heartache, one that only another damaged soul could recognize. It spoke to her, called to her, brought tears of understanding to her eyes when she heard it.

She wondered how long it had been since anyone had told him that they loved him.

Everything stilled inside her as she looked up into eyes as blue and earnest as any she'd ever known. He needed this, _needed her_. Slowly, she brought her hand up to cover his heart, feeling how fast it raced under her palm. She felt his pain as her own, understood him as only another lonely person could, whispering to him with her heart in her throat.

"I love you, Killian Jones."

Then he was kissing her again, a desperate groan rumbling through his chest as she opened her mouth for him. He grabbed her leg and rested it high on his waist, his hard length tight to her body.

"Bedroom." She managed to gasp when he pulled away to grip the edge of her sweater, trying to tear it up and over her head. "Careful." She warned, grabbing his wrist to stop him, reaching into the pocket of her sweater for the Sphere. Holding it up for him to see, its white light warmed their faces as it struggled to break free from her grasp.

Killian grinned when he saw it, reaching up to pluck it from her, letting it hover merrily over his open palm. Emma rolled her eyes, settling back against the door and watching the orb spin and twirl in the air as if it was showing off for him.

"God help me if it's a girl." She murmured, taking in the complete and utter awe on his face as he watched it dance in the air.

"What do you mean, Swan?" He asked, eyes still glued to the orb.

"She'll have you wrapped around her little finger in no time."

"If she's anything like you, lass, I'd wager that's a safe bet." He finally tore his eyes from the Sphere, fingers curling around it as it dropped into his palm when he turned back to Emma. The pain and anguish that she'd seen before was gone, replaced by a happiness that she could only assume was because of her and the Sphere that he held tightly in his hand.

His _family_.

The thought had her smiling at him again, biting her lip when he pulled her into his arms, his mouth on hers. She began to walk him backwards toward her bedroom, giggling every time he bumped into a table or a corner because he wasn't willing to stop kissing her to walk properly. When they finally stumbled into her room, she pulled the Sphere from his hand, wrapping it up in one of her favorite sweatshirts and placing it in a dresser drawer for safe keeping.

"Stay." She ordered as she slid the drawer closed.

That task taken care of, she turned back to Killian, letting out a squeal of surprise when he wrapped his arms around her upper thighs, lifting her straight up and then walking her over to the bed. She stared down at him for a moment as he held her above him before easily tossing her to the bed, where she landed with an oomph and a giggle.

He grinned down at her as he began to unbutton his vest. He had it down to a science, his fingers nimble as he slid each button from its mooring with smooth little flicks of his wrist. She decided to make the best use of her time as he undressed, pulling her sweater up and over her head, popping open the button of her jeans, sliding the zipper down slowly as he watched.

When he had both his vest and shirt unbuttoned, she was lying on the bed in only in her small bra and panties, all sexy black lace and creamy white skin. He yanked off the vest and shirt, his pants pushed down and off, furiously kicked to the far reaches of her room. She licked her lips as she propped herself up on her elbows, entranced by the beauty of a naked Killian Jones standing before her.

He wasn't paying attention to her at the moment, focusing on taking off his brace and hook. She opened her mouth to tell him to leave it on, the thought of him pressing the cold steel against her naked body a major turn on, but she stopped herself. She'd save that for another time. And then she grinned big at the thought of the many, _many_ times she would be having sex with this man over the course of her life.

When he was finally free of the brace, he hung the hook over the end of the bed frame then turned back to her. She quirked an eyebrow at him, watching as a predatory gleam darkened his eyes. He made no move to join her on the bed, his gaze lingering first on her mouth then sliding down to her breasts then lower still. When he finally looked back up into her eyes, he was hard for her, his cock standing at full attention. It did wonderful things to her ego to know that a simple look could have him throbbing for her.

She was impatient for him to join her, wanting to feel his touch again, wanting to feel the heat of his desire for her. But he continued to simply stare at her, his tongue sliding along his bottom lip in contemplation.

"Killian?" She finally asked when the ache between her legs became unbearable. Stretching out her leg, she tried to touch his thigh with her toe only to have him grab her foot. She tried to pull away, but he simply tightened his hold, a smirk bringing his dimples to life.

"No need to rush a man, Swan. I do believe I told you that I had _plans _for you."

Then he was leaning down to press a kiss into the arch of her foot, his breath hot against her skin before he loosened his hold and trailed his fingers up the back of her leg. He paused to tickle behind her knee before he continued his way up her thigh, stopping when he reached the black lace covering her sex. He brought his palm down over her mound after pausing thoughtfully for a moment, his thumb gliding down over her heat, touch so light she barely felt it. She squirmed at the contact, her head dropping back as he teased her. When he spoke, his voice was low and dark, moving slowly over her skin like molasses.

"I can feel your heat, Emma. Are you wet for me, love?"

She swallowed hard at his question, flushing because she knew that she was. She'd never admit it, but she'd been walking around in a similar state ever since she'd met him in the Enchanted Forest. Her body was used to aching for him and she was used to finding her solitary release in the hopes that the next time she saw him, she would somehow be immune to him.

It had never worked. And now she knew that the only relief she would ever find from her desperate need of him was in his arms.

He grinned at her then as if he could read her thoughts, and damn him, he probably could. He slid his thumb up and over her sex several times, scratching his nail against the lace as he went. Then he was leaning over her, his breath warming her delightfully before he pressed his tongue over her clit, moaning at the taste of her. She jumped in surprise, not expecting the intimate caress, but she was immediately responsive, legs splaying wider for him.

When she looked down at him, he grinned at her again, tongue sliding tantalizingly along his bottom lip as he asked, "Can I have a taste, love?"

She nodded almost before he was done asking the question, lifting her hips so that he could pull the black lacy underwear off. Then he was squirming into position, reaching down to adjust his length so that he could lay on his stomach between her thighs. When he finally found a comfortable position, he brought his hand up to part her flesh, his breath warm on her skin.

"Mmm." She moaned when he finally brought his tongue to her clit. She brought her hand up to card through his hair, loving the feel of the dark strands between her fingers.

She gave herself up to the soft touches of his tongue, legs wantonly wide, head thrown back in bliss as he kissed her. He was so damn good at this and she wanted him so damn bad that he brought her quickly to the brink of an orgasm with just a few brushes of his tongue.

Sensing how close she was, he pulled his mouth away, breath teasing her swollen nub as he brought his fingers to her opening. Her hips lifted up to meet the two fingers he easily slid into her, a groan pulled from his lips as her wet heat surrounded him.

"I think I've become a bit addicted to watching you fall apart on my tongue, love." He murmured to her, smiling as a flush settled on her cheeks at his words. Then his tongue was back on her clit as he slid his fingers into her body, causing her to see stars when he pressed against that wonderful spot deep inside.

"That's it, darling." He encouraged, his accent thick with arousal. He watched as she rocked her hips up, riding his hand in blissful abandonment. She was so close, her toes literally curling in anticipation of her release.

"So _close_, baby." She moaned out breathlessly, tugging on his hair with one hand, the other wrapped in the blanket beneath her as she grasped and twisted it mindlessly. Killian moaned at her words, sucking her into his mouth, brushing his teeth on her aching clit.

She keened then, her back arching up off the mattress as she came, riding his hand shamelessly. Her breath completely stopped as her whole body gave itself up to him. Pleasure rolled up from the soles of her feet through her legs and into her chest, stealing all coherent thought and fine motor control as she twitched against him.

When it was over, she was panting for air, pressing her hand to his forehead to signal that his touch was too much in the aftermath of her orgasm. He pulled away, pressing a kiss to her inner thigh and then to her hipbone as he slid from between her legs. He propped himself up on his arm as he lay on his side, smug smile on his wet lips.

When she was finally able to move, she rolled her head over to him, reaching up with numb fingers to swipe at the moisture on his chin.

"That was…nice." She sighed in appreciation.

"Nice!" He looked deeply affronted at her word choice. "I'll be damned if you didn't alert the whole neighborhood to just how 'nice' you thought that was when you screamed my name as you came, woman. _And_, it's incredibly likely that I've just obtained a bald spot from the way you were pulling on my hair." She laughed at his indignation, reaching down to run her fingers along his scalp to soothe him.

"What I meant was that it was nice to have you do that because you wanted to, not because we had an incubus to kill."

"Oh." He smiled bashfully for his overreaction, then leaned forward to press his forehead into her stomach, a kiss to her hip following shortly afterwards. "It was rather nice, wasn't it?"

It was fucking _marvelous_, was what it was, she thought as she wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, massaging his tense muscles and smiling as he sighed with her touch. They lay there in a companionable silence, Emma reflecting on the ease with which she'd fallen in love with this man despite all her original objections to doing so.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen, she thought with a self-deprecating smile. True Love will do that to a person, she supposed.

"So, what other _plans_ do you have in store for me?" She finally asked. He propped his chin up on her stomach with his hand, smiling when she giggled at the way he waggled his eyebrows at her.

"I do believe we have all night to go over them in great detail, Swan. And this time, it's just you and me, no incubus, no Regina to interrupt us. Just Killian Jones and Emma Swan."

It sounded like perfection to her and she grinned at him, happiness unlike anything she'd ever known rushing through her at his words.

Then he was covering her body with his, sliding into her heat with no preamble, her hips automatically rising to meet him. He groaned as he settled into her, eyes closing as he dropped his forehead to hers for a moment to simply breathe through the pleasure.

It was as if something inside her clicked into place when he joined with her, as if some part of herself that had always been missing was finally found. No man had ever made her feel so loved, so cherished, so _whole_ as this man did. Her mother and Regina had told her that he was her True Love and she could feel that as he settled into her, pressing deeply into her body, into her heart, into her very soul.

"Tell me." He begged her, his voice desperate, and this time she didn't have to ask what he wanted to hear.

"_I love you_." She said, repeating it over and over again, gasping the words as he began to move within her, the thick drag of his cock making her breathless with pleasure. He moved so slowly, so tenderly, that her heart ached with each push and pull of his body into hers.

As wonderful and amazing as that first time had been between them, this experience completely obliterated it. His beauty was unparalleled as he held himself above her, his emotions clear for her and her alone to see. He branded her with his teeth, his tongue, his words as he whispered that she was his, _his, _over and over again. Time ceased to have any meaning as he made love to her, his shaky moans of pleasure the sweetest song she'd ever heard.

There was no evil being threatening her now, no dark demon to destroy; it was just the two of them, learning to please each other, learning to love again after years of heartache. He had literally colored centuries of his life with misery and revenge because of his broken heart, and yet, here he was with her, hope for a happy ending bringing tears to his eyes as she loved him.

She was above him when she came again, head thrown back as she rode him, his hand pressed tightly over her heart. She had brought her hand down to where they were joined, rolling her hips as she stroked her clit in time with their movements. He was so deep inside her that her pleasure bordered on pain when she finally found her release. He sat up and wrapped his damaged arm around her when he felt the first clench of her body tight around him, swallowing her moans of bliss as she shook in his embrace.

"_Fuck_." She moaned into his mouth, the word drawn out as she came. He laughed breathlessly at her curse before he pressed her down tighter to him, his hips jerking up into her as he found his own release.

They sat like that afterwards, wrapped around each other, panting as they pressed breathless kisses into sweaty skin, fingertips trailing over tender flesh as they settled.

"I love you, you know." He said simply when her heart had finally quieted its pounding and she was able to breathe normally again.

"I know." She replied. "And I love you right back."

He brought his face up from her neck so that he could gaze at her, his face full of awe and a bit of doubt, as if he wasn't quite sure whether to believe her or not.

But she did love him. With everything that made her who she was, all of her imperfections and flaws, all of her strengths, she loved him.

And would, for the rest of her days.

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_You know the drill...**Hook **me up with some reviews, lovelies. You keep me motivated._


	17. Chapter 17 - Decision

A/N - Quick little snippet...Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Disclaimer: OUAT is not mine nor never shall it be.

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_"Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love."_

_-Morihei Ueshiba_

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**Chapter 17: Decision**

Emma stretched her sore muscles, loving the feel of Killian's naked body against hers. She'd been dozing on and off for the past hour, waking herself up to snuggle closer, breathing in his spicy scent and pressing kisses into his skin.

She was half lying on him as his fingers trailed up and down her spine. He couldn't seem to get enough of touching her, exploring her skin to find new areas that made her moan with pleasure. He particularly liked the dimples that resided above each ass cheek, whispering something about uncharted waters when he found them, and then dipping his fingers into them over and over again.

"You should get some sleep, love." He whispered to her, a finger gliding down into the cleft of her backside for a moment before he slid it back up to her spine.

"Not tired." She murmured, pressing a kiss into his chest, fingers curling around the charms of his necklace.

"I beg to differ. That's the fifth time you've woken yourself back up in the past twenty minutes."

"You've been keeping track?"

"Aye." He replied, tickling her side until she squirmed against him.

"I can think of better ways to spend your time that keeping track of that." She finally said when he stopped. She was up and straddling his thighs quickly, leaning over to press a languid kiss into his mouth, grabbing onto the chain of his necklace. When she pulled back with a flirty smile, he sighed and reached up to brush her hair over her shoulder.

"What?" She asked, anxious by the pensive look she saw in his eyes.

"At some point, love, we're going to have to discuss Gold. Since you won't go back to sleep, maybe now would be a good time."

She slowly sat upright, staring down at him as he looked up at her in silent challenge. She knew he was right, but a large part of her just wanted to enjoy this moment of happiness with him, wanted to simply pretend that they were like any other couple expecting their first child.

Regardless of how foolish her desire was, she longed to give into it.

"Emma?" He asked gently.

She dropped her eyes from his, staring down at his necklace chain still wrapped tightly in her fingers. It was cutting into her flesh, her fingertips turning blue the longer she sat there.

Emma Swan was never one to back down from a fight. It was one of the constants in her life. Sure, she chose to run away from emotional issues over the years, cities, friends, relationships…but give her a physical fight, an underdog, and she was all over it.

But this time was different.

The longer she contemplated her situation, the less sure she became of what her next steps should be. Gold was so powerful and she had no idea how to defeat him. On top of that, Regina and her mother had told her that in order to save her child, she'd have to make a sacrifice. She'd never had more to lose than she did right now. She had her friends, her family, her True Love...a child on the way.

Any sacrifice she could think of ended with the loss of one of the people she loved most in the world and she'd never survive a pain like that. Despite her earlier desire to simply rush after Gold and _attack_, now all she wanted to do was…hide. She was reverting to her old patterns, running away when things got tough emotionally and pretending that the issues simply didn't exist.

She didn't feel particularly Savior-like at the current moment.

Killian was still watching her, being as patient with her as he'd always been. When he looked down to her hand wrapped up in his necklace chain, he made a startled noise in his throat, reaching down to release her fingers. The sudden rush of blood through her skin stung.

"Emma. Talk to me." He demanded. "Now's not the time to back down from a fight."

"Can't we just pretend for a little while that I'm not the Savior? That I'm just a woman who's in love with a man and wants to enjoy the good moments with him?"

"I think you know I'm all for enjoying the good moments, love, but you can't ignore who you are. We can't just sit idly by until Gold makes a move." She bit her lip at that, contemplating the truth in his words.

"I know, but sometimes…sometimes it would be really nice to have a simple life. To just…be."

"And how long would you be happy with that? A simple life would never be enough for you, Swan." She brought her eyes back up to his, realizing that a simple life would never be enough for him, either. As much as he loved spending quiet time holding her hand or watching a movie together, the danger of a pirate's life would always call to him. Danger would always call to them both.

And how would their child survive that?

"Killian, I don't know what to do. I don't know how to solve this one. The price just seems too high."

"You'll figure it out, love."

"How?" She asked, not able to keep the tremble from her lip or stop the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes.

"The way you always do. By listening to your instincts. When you do that, you can't go wrong." He whispered, sitting up and wrapping her in his arms. She tried to hold back her tears, but they came anyway, spilling down her cheeks until she gave herself over to them and sobbed against him.

"I'm scared, Killian. I don't know what this sacrifice I have to make will be. What if it's not enough? What if our baby still ends up being controlled by Gold? What if it has to die before we even get to hold it? Or what if someone else I love dies?"

"Shh." He whispered, pulling back, so he could wipe the tears from her face. "It's okay to be afraid, Swan, but don't let the fear of what might happen paralyze you from taking action."

"I know. I know I have to punch back. I can't let him win, but Killian, what if _I'm_ not enough?"

"Don't forget, Emma, you have a whole crew of people to help you. Regina, your parents, Elsa. They won't let you fight alone even if you try to keep them out of it." She thought about that for a moment and then nodded to acknowledge his statement.

He was right. There was no way her family was going to let her go up against Gold on her own. She leaned forward to kiss him, sniffling slightly and wrapping her arms tight around his shoulders. When he lay back down, he took her with him, letting her settle against him.

"You forgot to mention you, Killian." She whispered after a moment. "I have you on my crew, too." There was a pause and then he pressed a kiss into her temple.

"Of course you have me, Emma. Always. Now then, love, please close your eyes and get some sleep. There'll be time to plan when you wake."

She snuggled against him, her hand wrapping around the charms of his necklace again. He went back to running his hand up and down her spine, pressing kisses into her hair as she closed her eyes and settled against him.

The last thought she had before she drifted off was that it was nice to know that she didn't have to figure this out alone. She had her True Love beside her, for always and forevermore.

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Killian listened to the sound of Emma's deep, even breathing, his heart aching with the decision he had to make. Back in her parent's loft, he'd stopped himself from going after Gold because he'd made a promise to her. They were a team and he'd sworn to her that they'd face any obstacle together.

But the pain he'd seen in her eyes just now was more than he could stand. The decision he'd made before became null and void; he'd do anything to take that agony from her.

It had been too much for an old pirate like him to expect, really; the happiness he'd felt over the past few days had been unparalleled. To know that Emma loved him, truly and deeply loved him, and that they were going to have a child together was beyond any dream he'd ever had for his life. There weren't words to express how he felt knowing that she was his and was carrying a piece of his family with her.

And now he needed to protect them. He needed to be the hero that his family needed, doing what was selfless and right to save them. By making this decision, he was letting Emma rest for once in her life. What had Regina told him when she'd brought him to Gold's shop two days ago?

That the Savior needed saving…and he was going to try to do just that.

When he was sure that she was asleep, he pressed one more kiss into her hair, breathing in the scent of vanilla and sex, whispering that he loved her and blinking back the tears in his eyes. He wasn't sure if he was going to live through this, but he had to try, for her, for their child.

Extricating himself from her grasp, having to pry her fingers from his necklace, he waited for a few minutes to make sure that she was still asleep before he left the warmth of her bed. He quickly pulled his clothes on, his eyes on her the whole time. Her hair was spread out over the bed, silvery gold in the moonlight, her face peaceful in slumber.

Her beauty was unparalleled in any realm and he smiled softly to think that, miracle of miracles, _she loved him_.

He carefully removed his hook from the bed frame, inserting his stub into the brace and securing it into place. The weight of the steel was welcome as it was the only weapon he would have with him in this fight. Taking a deep breath, he paused to look back at Emma, his heart aching to leave her without telling her where he was going. He knew she'd understand when she awoke and found him gone. He just hoped that she would be able to forgive him.

Turning to the door, he stopped next to the dresser where the Sphere was hidden. He reached out, placing his hand on top of the dresser for a moment, smiling faintly at the image of a little girl with dark hair and green eyes. Every time he'd held the Sphere in the past few hours, he'd seen that little face in his mind, staring up at him with a huge grin and the cutest dimples.

_His daughter._

She'd be beautiful, like her mother, and would live a long and wonderful life. He hoped that if he didn't survive this night, Emma would tell her that her father had died a hero.

And with that thought, Killian took his leave.

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_What's Killian gonna do? Stay tuned..._

_Thanks for all the reviews. I read each and every one and blush at your kindness._

_**Hook** me up with more, lovelies!_


	18. Chapter 18 - Sacrifice

Disclaimer: If only they were mine, but they aren't. So there.

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_"__The course of true love never did run smooth."_

_-William Shakespeare_

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**Chapter 18: Sacrifice**

Killian stared across the street at Gold's shop, the light still on inside despite the late hour. The sign on the door read 'closed,' but he could see Gold moving about inside. He wondered if perhaps the Dark One was expecting this visit, had seen it in a vision of the future.

It gave Killian pause to think that Gold was waiting for him, but not enough to deter him from his plan.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the street, quickly crossing over to the storefront. He held his hook at the ready, knowing it wasn't much of a weapon against the Dark One, but it was all he had. He suddenly wished he'd gone back to Granny's for his old leather coat. Going into a showdown with such a formidable adversary required a bit more flare than his new coat provided.

The door to the shop was unlocked, not that it would have proven a challenge to him if it hadn't been. He stepped inside, his eyes landing on Gold behind the glass counter where he was simply…waiting.

"Well, look who's come to pay a visit." He said, his voice filled with quiet menace.

Killian clenched his fist at the sound, reminding himself that he needed to use all due caution when dealing with Gold. As much as he wanted to attack, to run at him with his hook raised high, he knew that such a brash, impassioned act was useless against the Dark One.

Stepping up to the counter, he stared into the eyes of the only man he'd ever truly hated. Killian had never been able to abide a coward and the Crocodile was certainly no exception, choosing power over love each and every time he'd been given the choice. Now the Dark One's lust for power was directly impacting those that Killian cherished, and he wouldn't just sit idly by while Gold destroyed his family.

Killian knew he didn't have any real advantage against Gold in a fight, but he did have one card to play, a bit of information that he could use to control Gold's actions; he knew Belle didn't actually hold the true dagger. It was a weak plan, even he had to admit it, but he had to try. For Emma, for their child.

"I've come to make a deal." He said.

"What if I don't want to make a deal, pirate?"

"That's a bit of a hasty response. You haven't even heard my proposal."

"Hasty is not in my nature." Gold responded. He tapped his finger along the glass counter, staring at Killian in calculated contemplation before he nodded once as if to say, "continue."

"How magnanimous of you, Crocodile." Killian bit out, sarcasm clear in his tone. "You will release my child's soul and in exchange, I won't tell your lovely wife that the dagger she holds is not the true one."

"Ah." Gold licked his lips, reminding Killian of a snake about to open its jaw and swallow its prey whole. "How much do you know?" He asked, eyes cold and calculating.

"Enough to know that both Emma and the baby are at risk. I'll not let you hurt them, Crocodile!" Killian took a step forward, barely repressing his urge to grab Gold and shove his hook deep into his throat.

"Well, dearie, it's not as if you have much choice in the matter." And as much as Killian hated to admit it, what Gold said was true.

"Why do this? Why hurt Emma like this? She's your grandson's mother, Gold, does that not mean anything to you?"

"Who Emma Swan is to me is irrelevant to my purpose, Captain."

Then, before he could make a move to get away, Gold flicked his hand and black smoke swirled up behind Killian. He felt an intense pressure on his wrists, both arms pulled painfully behind him. He couldn't move, couldn't get away. Looking back over his shoulder, he was able to make out what was holding him in place, his mind not quite making sense of what he was seeing.

It was a broom with…arms? Well, that couldn't be right.

_What the bloody hell_?

"Now then, Captain, let's discuss our options." Gold walked around the counter, slowly, drawing the moment out in obvious pleasure. Killian struggled for a moment, trying to break away from the broom's grip. Once he realized it was pointless, he turned back to glare at Gold, waiting to find out his fate.

"I find it amusing that you came here to make a deal to save your family. It's a bit ironic, really." Gold stepped closer, his breath wafting over Killian's face. "Do you remember when I came to you and begged you to give me my wife, so that I could have _my _family back?" He sneered then, the hate of all those years ago bubbling easily to the surface.

"I never held Milah against her will. She was welcome to go back to you and Bae at any time. She _chose_ to stay with me. You can't hold her choice against me, Crocodile." Killian leaned forward, pulling against his restraints to no avail.

"And yet, I do hold it against you, Captain. Milah would never have left if you hadn't shown up with your stories and your pirate ship to entice her." Killian laughed at that.

"You can tell yourself that all you like, Crocodile, but she wasn't happy with you. A woman that unhappy will do anything to change her fate. Milah would've found a way to leave you, with or without me. I'm not fool enough to think that if she were truly happy with you, I would have had any chance with her. It's unfortunate that you don't appear to have the same insight, Crocodile."

"You came to make a deal, Captain." Gold snarled back, not liking this observation. He took a breath, his face settling back into contemplative lines as he started at Killian. "Let's leave Milah in the past, shall we? We've both moved on, found our True Loves elsewhere, haven't we? I'm in a forgiving mood today, especially since you've given me the means to obtain my heart's desire."

"What do you mean? I've given you nothing."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. You and Miss Swan have created a child that will be more powerful than any being in this world. And, thanks to my endless ingenuity, I've caged its soul. So, you see, by giving in to that pirate libido of your's, you've set my plan into motion and for that, I thank you."

"Why are you doing this?" Killian asked again, trying to understand why Gold had set all of this into motion.

"Isn't it obvious? The product of True Love, twice over, will be more powerful than anyone before and with me as its master, I'll be able to break the hold the dagger has on me. No one will ever be able to control me again."

His confession rang through the shop, silence descending on the two of them as Killian processed what he'd said. It all clicked into place; _this_ was the true reason behind Gold's plot. It didn't have anything to do with Emma; she was just a mean's to an end. He wanted control, _complete_ control over his destiny and he'd found the perfect way to get it, Henry's mother be damned.

"Now, Captain, the moment is at _hand_." Gold grinned mockingly, his eyes sparkling with dark humor. "You wanted to make a deal, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline. You see, there is a very easy way to_ eliminate _the threat you pose to my marriage."

Killian struggled against his bonds then, understanding the implied threat in Gold's words. He was going to kill him before Killian had a chance to tell Belle about the dagger.

Gold took a step closer to Killian, contemplating his adversary for a moment before making a decision. "You can, however, be of use to me before I kill you. I suppose Regina has alerted Miss Swan and her annoyingly heroic family of my plans. Pity. I'd planned for Miss Swan to simply return the Sphere to me once your child's soul was encapsulated within it, not understanding its significance. Well, no matter. _ You_ will get me what I need."

"I'll never get you anything, Crocodile!"

"I was afraid you'd say that, so I'll just have to take matters into my own hands." He stepped closer, eyes dark with malicious intent. Moving so quickly Killian didn't have time to react, Gold shoved his hand into his chest, grabbing his heart and easily removing it, a triumphant grin on his face.

Killian stared down at the pulsing organ in Gold's hand, gasping for breath as he tried to get his equilibrium back. Gold laughed, leaning in close to the heart and whispering an order that Killian knew he must follow.

"Get the Sphere and bring it back to me. Don't tell Emma what you're doing, don't tell her that I'm controlling you, don't ask anyone for help."

Killian's head dropped as Gold waved his hand to release the broom's grip from his wrists. He stood there for a moment in defeat before looking up and glaring at the Crocodile.

"Oh, such anger." Gold shook his head in mock disapproval. "Save it, pirate. Bring me the Sphere of Laurentum. And when you return, I'll put you out of your misery. You'll finally be able to reunite with Milah. You can tell her hello for me." Gold grinned at that, turning his back on Killian in dismissal.

That's when the door to the shop banged open and Killian heard the most beautiful voice in the world ring out an order.

"Tell her yourself, Gold! Now give Hook his heart back and let's you and me settle this once and for all."

Gold swiftly turned, surprise on his face as he spotted Emma in the doorway. Killian turned, taking a step toward her, his hand stretched out as if to warn her away. Then his gaze landed on the Sphere in her hand; he could see the light pulsing between her fingers as she held it at her side.

Why had she brought it with her, he thought, panicking as his feet began to move against his will. He wanted to call out to her, to warn her that he would stop at nothing to get the Sphere, but Gold's orders prevented him from saying anything.

Emma's eyes flicked to his, seeing something on his face that she instantly understood. She brought her free hand up in front of her, the white light of her magic flaring in her palm as she directed it toward him. He stopped moving, frozen, her magic holding him in place.

"Miss Swan. It's always a pleasure to see you, but I do believe you have something I want." Gold said then.

"Well, why don't you come and get it then?" She taunted Gold, holding up the Sphere and then releasing it so that it hovered in the air next to her. It started to circle her torso in broad arcs, spinning and twirling around her. It was as if it was tethered to her by an invisible chain, its light radiating onto her as it orbited her.

She smiled at Killian, throwing a saucy wink in his direction that filled him with hope, and then she was turning on her heel and running out into the street. Gold swiftly followed her, waving his hand to remove the spell that she'd placed on Killian to keep him from coming after the Sphere.

"Come, Captain. This should be enjoyable for you. It'll be the second time you get to watch as I kill your love." Killian followed, unable to fight against Gold's order. He knew that the Crocodile could easily crush his heart, but his sadistic desire to punish Killian for stealing his wife, even after all these years, was too strong. He wanted Killian to watch as he destroyed his family yet again.

Emma was standing in the middle of the street, directly in front of Gold's shop. She'd brought backup, Killian was ecstatic to see; both Regina and Elsa stood behind her, hands raised in preparation for the impending battle. He'd never seen anything more beautiful than Emma Swan, wrapped in red leather, blond hair streaming behind her as she prepared for battle. He could almost see her power crackling under her skin, her hands up and waiting for Gold to make his move.

"Time to end this, Gold." Emma called out as Gold stopped on the sidewalk, Killian at his shoulder.

"I beg to differ, dearie, it's time to get it _started_." Gold's hand lifted then, a ball of flame immediately appearing over his palm. Then, with a twist of his wrist, he let the ball go, aiming it directly at Regina.

Elsa took a step forward, hand held before her as a steady blast of icy air engulfed the flame, freezing it into a frozen ball. It dropped onto the street, shattering into a million shards that scattered across the pavement.

"Well, now, that's truly a shame." Gold muttered. He seemed to be reassessing the situation, not quite sure which woman to attack next.

"Back off, Gold!" Regina called out. "There's no way you can win this fight!"

"You really are quite the pain in the ass these days, Regina. Losing your True Love will do that to a person, I suppose." Gold shifted his attention to his former protégée and Killian tensed. Regina was the weak member of their threesome simply because the Crocodile knew all of her tricks, having taught the majority of them to her.

What happened next went down so fast that Killian had no time to move out of the way. Regina took a step toward Gold, hands up, a curse ready on her lips. Gold immediately reacted, sending a curse in Regina's direction. Emma saw Gold's curse coming, deflecting it with a burst of white light just as Regina finished her curse. Regina's regal purple spell rammed into the white of Emma's and the red of Gold's, the three curses colliding in the air between them all. The resulting arc of magic expanded out, threatening to encompass the whole of main street in its wake.

Elsa was able to throw up an ice wall to keep the spell from hitting her, Emma, and Regina, but Killian and Gold had no such protection. Gold reacted in the last second, a plume of red smoke removing him from the curses's trajectory. The spell hit Killian full force, lifting him up off his feet. His head snapped back when he landed several feet away, body colliding hard with the ground. He lay there, the combined magic flowing quickly through his veins, overtaking him.

He could hear Emma scream and he wanted to call to her, tell her he was alright, but he wasn't. Not by a long shot. Staring up at the night sky, he knew his end was near, his empty chest aching with the finality of it all.

He'd tried, even if he'd failed miserably, to save his love. He'd done the honorable thing. For her. For their family.

His last thought as he closed his eyes was of them, his beautiful dark-haired daughter to be and his True Love, smiling at him as he breathed his last.

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_Killian! Noooo! _

_**Hook **me up with some reviews, loves! It feeds my muse. She's a greedy thing._


	19. Chapter 19 - Peace

Disclaimer: Nope. Not mine.

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_"__Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness."_

_-Bertrand Russell_

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**Chapter 19: Peace**

Emma screamed as Killian landed, her heart in her throat at the sight of her True Love unmoving on the ground before her. She started to run to him, but Elsa's hand wrapped around her elbow, holding her in place.

"Where's Gold?" She was right, he'd disappeared. Emma quickly scanned the surrounding street, not seeing him anywhere.

"Keep an eye out for him." Emma ran, kneeling quickly beside Killian's prone body. His face was angled up to the sky, eyes closed in a peaceful repose. He looked so innocent and unburdened as he lay there, arms thrown wide, body unresponsive to her touch.

He wasn't breathing and without his heart in his chest, she didn't know how to solve this problem. She couldn't do CPR…would True Love's kiss work without a heart? Would it even work at all?

"Seems you have a problem, dearie." Gold's voice pierced the air, drawing her eyes up from Killian to the front of the shop. He was standing in the doorway, legs splayed, Killian's heart still beating slowly in his hand.

If his heart was still beating, he was still alive!

"Please, don't do this!" She yelled at Gold. She stood, legs trembling underneath her as she faced him.

"Give me back his heart!"

"Well, where would be the fun in that?" Gold sneered at her. His gaze flicked down to Killian, taking in his unmoving body, and a smile of pure pleasure appeared at the sight. "You know, I've been waiting a long time to see that. I told him once that I wanted him to live to feel the pain of life without his love. I made the wrong choice, this is infinitely better."

Emma couldn't help the sob that tore from her throat at that. She curled her fingers at her side, her magic running under her skin like an electrical current. Wanting nothing more than to obliterate Gold from the face of the earth, she brought her hands up before her, channeling her rage and agony into her magic.

Just before she let it loose, she felt the heat of the Sphere wash over her as it continued to orbit her. She paused, feeling the warmth and the _love_ that had created it fill her heart, her chest expanding as if she'd taken a deep breath.

"No." She whispered. Looking up at Gold, she shook her head, rejecting her anger and focusing instead on the love that she had for Killian, for their child. "Love is strength."

Closing her eyes, she felt her magic boom out of her chest, a cry from Gold letting her know that it had found its mark. When she opened her eyes, he was lying on his back inside his shop, Killian's heart rolling a few inches from where he had dropped it.

She waited a moment, watching to see if Gold was truly knocked out. He did appear to be and she swiftly turned back to Killian. He hadn't moved from his place on the ground. Emma held out her hand, not really thinking about what she was doing, simply wanting his heart and then she was holding it, its beat slow and erratic against her palm.

"Regina!" She yelled, sobbing as she knelt beside Killian. She'd never had to return a heart before. Was there a proper way to do this?

"Just shove it back in!" Regina ordered as she knelt on Killian's other side. Emma swallowed hard, realizing as she jammed the heart into his chest that it had stopped beating. She sobbed as she leaned over him, her hand pressed to his cheek as she watched his face for any sign of movement.

There was none.

"Emma. Move out of the way." Regina said, pushing against her shoulder roughly. She started CPR, pressing her clasped hands down over Killian's chest again and again, _hard,_ as Emma watched. She felt as if she was watching a movie, watching the love of someone else's life die before her.

This was her sacrifice, she knew. After she finally found him, after he'd told her that he was a survivor, she was required to lose him so that their child could live. She turned to watch the Sphere as it circled her, its white light suddenly less intense, less bright, its warmth no longer reaching her skin.

She was numb.

She'd known as soon as she'd woken up where he'd gone because that was just like him. She should've figured out earlier that he was planning something. As soon as she'd realized where he'd gone, she'd called Regina and Elsa to meet her at the shop.

On her way out of the apartment, she'd heard the Sphere struggling to escape the drawer where she'd placed it. She'd grabbed it, feeling it struggle in her palm, vibrating so hard against her that she couldn't hold on to it any longer. She'd released it, watching it as it hovered and then began to circle around her.

It wanted to help, she thought to herself, biting her lip as she'd closed her eyes and focused on the Sphere. She could _feel_ it; their child,wanting to help save Killian. And who was she to deny their child anything?

Now, as Regina worked over Killian, the Sphere stopped circling around her, hovering over her shoulder, it's normal boundless energy muted as they both waited for Killian to awake.

When Regina finally stopped CPR, leaning back in defeat, Emma felt a pain unlike anything she'd ever known. A sob tore loose from her throat. Regina turned to grasp her hand at the sound, hope dawning on her face as she stared at Emma.

"You have to kiss him."

"What?" Emma sobbed back, tears wetting her cheeks.

"True Love's kiss!"

"It didn't work before!" Emma cried, suddenly scared that if she tried this and it didn't work, her heart would simply stop beating along with Killian's.

"That wasn't a curse before, I told you, the incubus was a creature bound to Gold. This time there was a curse involved, three of them, in fact. Hook was hit by magic."

"But, what if this is my sacrifice? What if…what if Killian is what I have to give up to save our child?" Regina reached up, cupping Emma's tearstained cheek in her hand as she stared hard into her eyes.

"Killian died to save you and your child. _That's_ sacrifice enough. There's no reason he has to stay dead! You're the Savior, Emma! Make your own damn rules!" Emma gulped, hope bursting forth from where her heart was pounding.

She pressed her hand over his heart, sobbing when she didn't feel any answering beats under her palm. Leaning over him, she cupped his stubbled jaw in her other hand, her thumb sliding over the scar that adorned his cheek. All she wanted was for him to open those beautiful blue eyes and smile up at her as if this was some massive joke that only he had the punchline to.

She took a deep breath before leaning down to his mouth, hers hovering there for just a moment before she kissed him.

There was a pause, a calm that settled over her heart, and then she felt his chest expand with a deep, gasping breath. His mouth opened, his tongue sliding hesitantly into her mouth. His hand went up to the back of her head, holding her to him as she kissed him senseless, a warm burst of magic booming out from between them. When he finally pulled away, his eyes sparkled up at her, his smile matching hers. She heard Regina gasp and clap her hands once beside them, calling Elsa over to them in excitement.

"Hey." She whispered down to him, not quite trusting her voice with anything more elaborate than that.

"Hey, Savior." He replied back and she wondered how it was possible to hear so much emotion in just two words.

"Emma!" Elsa called out. "The Sphere!" Emma looked down to where the small globe was spinning madly over Killian's chest, its white light almost blinding her.

Killian gasped, sitting up as Emma slid herself behind him, letting him rest against her as they watched the Sphere. Regina stood up and back, her hand over her eyes as she shielded herself from the ferocious light pouring from the Sphere.

"Regina! What's happening?" Emma cried out.

"You made your sacrifice, Emma, you both did. The Sphere is losing its power over your child's soul."

"Will she be okay?" Killian asked, his hand reaching up to entwine with Emma's as they watched their child's soul fight to break free from the Sphere's glass.

"She'll be fine." Regina confirmed, smiling down at them as the Sphere suddenly stopped spinning. It paused in mid-air, tendrils of light encompassing the whole of the glass's surface, becoming so bright that Emma couldn't stand to look at it any longer. She closed her eyes, turning her head. When the light behind her eyelids lessened, she slowly opened them to look back at the Sphere.

The small orb was gone, but the white light that had been housed within it was floating there, no longer caged, its shape indistinct. It hung there for a moment and then glided over to where she held Killian in her arms. As they watched, the light entered Killian's chest, right over his heart. He gasped, stilling against her and then…

Then she felt her child, her _daughter, _as her soul slipped from Killian's body and into her. She felt a warmth, a happiness and joy unlike anything she'd ever known before.

Emma still had a lot to learn about magic, about life, but she was pretty sure that her daughter's soul had just joined with the microscopic bunch of cells forming within her. Tears, decidedly more happy now, poured down her cheeks as she held Killian in her arms. She rocked him back and forth, face pressed into his neck as he held the back of her head. Regina and Elsa stepped away to give them a few moments alone.

"You did it." Killian whispered.

"You left me." She accused, angry, but not enough to let him.

"I'm sorry, love. I had to try."

"I know. Stupid pirate." He pulled gently out of her embrace, turning to wrap her up in his arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Did you feel her?" She asked, still a little stunned at what she'd just experienced.

"Aye."

"Don't you dare ever leave me again, do you hear me?"

"Aye." He whispered again. He kissed her gently with his hand pressed tight to her stomach.

When she opened her eyes back up, Mary Margaret and David were pulling up outside the shop with Henry between them in their truck. Her mother ran to her, wrapping first Emma and then Killian into a hug after they had shakily stood up.

"You okay?" She asked her daughter, hand cupping her cheek for a moment before she looked at Killian with an assessing gaze.

"We're okay. All three of us." Killian replied, his arm going easily around Emma's waist as he pulled her to him and pressed a kiss into her temple. Mary Margaret beamed.

"I knew you could do it!" She exclaimed, laughing as Emma returned her happy smile.

David made his way over to where Gold lay. He was just starting to come around, clearly dazed. Regina murmured a spell under her breath, manacles coming up out of thin air to wrap around his wrists.

"We need to find his dagger. That's the only way we'll truly be able to keep him in check." Emma stated.

"I have it." Emma turned at the voice, surprised to see Gold's wife, Belle, in the doorway of the shop. She held up the dagger, staring down at Gold, tears filling her eyes as she watched him come around.

"I found it, when I was cleaning the house the other day, and I knew he'd lied to me, but I didn't know what he was up to. I heard a noise a little while ago, saw a light on the horizon and I knew it had something to with Rumple. I came as soon as I could, snuck in the back of the shop. Explain to me what he's done."

They told her everything, Emma feeling sorry that the woman had to hear her husband's misdeeds from them. Once the whole horrible tale had been told, Belle turned to Gold, holding the dagger at eye level, saying in a voice that brooked no argument. "Take us to the town line, Rumple, because we need to be alone for what comes next."

With a wave of his hand, Rumple and Belle vanished. Emma stared at the spot where they'd stood for a few seconds then turned in Killian's arms. She pressed a lingering kiss to his mouth, her toes curling in happiness at the warmth she felt spread through her at the taste of him.

"I love you." And the answering giddy grin on his face simply took her breath away with its beauty.

"Let's go home." He said, grasping her hand in his and turning them toward her yellow bug. She held her hand out to Henry, tugging him into her side as they walked.

"So, Henry, Killian and I have some stuff to share with you."

* * *

Hours later, she was back in her bed, fingers wrapped up again in the chain of Killian's necklace. It was hard to believe that just a few short hours ago, she'd been lying here beside him, hesitating to take up the impending battle, and now they'd come out the other side, a little worse for wear, but together still.

They'd talked to Henry on the way back to the apartment, explaining that Emma was pregnant. Killian had let Emma tell the majority of the story and she was able to get most of it out with only a few moments of embarrassment.

"Makes sense." He'd said, leaning back comfortably in his seat.

"What makes sense?" Emma asked, truly puzzled as to his meaning.

"That Killian is your True Love. You're in the book together, after all. That's kind of a big deal." She glanced over to Killian, catching his smile and returning it.

"So, you're okay with the being a big brother part, kid?" She asked, anxious for his response.

"Yeah. It'll take some getting used to, but it'll be nice to have a little brother or sister."

"Sister." Both Emma and Killian muttered. They grinned at each other.

"How do you know that?" Henry asked.

"We just…_know_, kid." Emma responded. "Kinda the same way I just _know_ that you're going to be an awesome big brother." She looked at her son in the rearview mirror, watching as he smiled at her before turning his head to look out the window.

He really was an amazing kid, she thought. She wasn't sure what she'd done in her life to get this lucky, but damned if she wasn't going to enjoy it.

Once home, Henry had yawned and said he was going back to bed. Regina had woken him up to drop him off at the Nolan's on her way to Gold's shop. Hugging Emma, he turned hesitantly to Killian, reaching out to bump his fist with the pirate, grinning shyly before turning to make his way to his room. Emma couldn't help the prickle of tears in her eyes at the exchange, sniffling as Killian smiled widely at her boy's acceptance of him.

They made their way to her room, Killian pulling her easily into him once he'd shut the door behind them. They took the opportunity to simply hold each other, the enormity of what they'd almost lost overwhelming them. When a huge yawn cracked Emma's jaw, Killian pulled back, ordering her into her pajamas and then bed.

As she removed her clothes, slipping into her flannel pjs, her phone went off. Grabbing it, she read the text message Regina had sent, sighing sadly as she turned to Killian.

"Belle sent Gold over the town line. He' s gone." Killian stilled, shirt half unbuttoned as he stared at her.

"Why do I think that's not the last we've heard from him?"

"Because that would be too simple. And we both know, I don't _do_ simple." He grinned at that, sauntering over to her. Resting his hand on her hip, he pulled her to him.

"Thankfully, neither do I, love." Then he was kissing her, pressing her back onto the bed where she settled into her nest of blankets. Leaning back, he smiled down at her, kissing her nose before he stood back up to finish undressing.

Pulling on his own pair of pajama pants (flannel, with little anchors on them), he crawled into bed with her. She was instantly snuggled into his side, a deep weariness taking over her body.

"It's been a crazy couple of days." She murmured.

"That's seems to be a bit of an understatement, love." He whispered back.

"Are you okay? I mean, really okay?" She asked, her hand pressing to the space where Regina had performed CPR, noting the bruise starting to settle over his heart.

"I'm fine, love. Do you remember what I told you on that ship? I'm a survivor."

"You almost weren't." She couldn't help the tremble in her words or her lip as she said it.

"But you saved me. And I'm here now with you and Henry. And our babe." He let his hand slide down to press warmly against her stomach. She grabbed his wrist, holding him in place against her.

"I don't do fast, you know." He chuckled at that.

"I'm not a man who's used to waiting for anyone, but I've waited so long for you that I've lost count of the days." Her breath caught. He was forever stealing her air with a word or a look.

"The last time I did this whole pregnancy thing, I was alone and in prison. It wasn't exactly a joyous occasion."

"And now?"

"And now, I'm…beyond overjoyed." Then she was kissing him, hoping that he could feel how happy she was in her kiss. He responded quickly, pulling her tight against him as he tasted her.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, do you hear me?" She asked in between kisses.

"I'm sorry, love. I had to try to…" He trailed off and she paused as she looked at him. "I had to protect my family."

There it was again, that catch in her breath at his words. The look in his eyes, _god_, she could almost feel it touch her heart.

"_Emma_." He whispered, his hand coming up to trail along the apple of her cheek. "I love you."

It didn't take long for her pajamas to fall to the floor, his quickly following. They moved silently, slowly, mindful that the apartment was no longer empty. His hand was everywhere on her, his mouth following quickly behind. The rough feel of his beard on her sensitive skin had her biting her lip, back arching off the bed as he scraped against one breast then the other.

Had it only been two days ago that this man had touched her so intimately for the first time? How did he already know each place on her body to have her throbbing for him? When she asked him that, he simply chuckled and told her that a good pirate was an observant one, to which she rolled her eyes, giggling as he tickled her side.

Her laughter was quickly swallowed when he covered her mouth with his, his body gliding between her thighs. He grabbed her ass, tilting her hips up to meet his thrust as he surged forward, her giggles turning into a gasp at the feel of him stretching her body.

"_Killian_." She moaned, biting into his neck to muffle the sound.

"Quiet, love." He reminded her then he was moving, pulling out and pushing back in, falling easily into a wonderful rhythm inside her.

"Emma." He whispered as he slowed his hips. "Look at me."

She hadn't realized she'd closed her eyes until he ordered her to open them, which she quickly did. Looking up at him, she smiled softly, reaching up to trail her fingers over his bottom lip and then along his jaw, over his neck and down his chest, her fingers lingering on the bruise that covered his heart.

He settled back on his knees, bringing her foot up to his shoulder and holding her leg in place as he slid slowly back into her. She watched him as they joined together again and again, the pleasure on his face absolutely breathtaking to see.

"Gods above, woman, you feel bloody amazing." He whispered and she catalogued that phrase for later reference (she'd like to find out who these _gods_ were, exactly). He gripped her thigh in his hand, moving insistently within her, hitting the exact spot that had her breath catching with each drag of his cock.

"Emma?" He whispered to her. "Show me how you like to be touched. Make yourself come for me, love."

If she wasn't so far gone already, she might have been embarrassed by his blunt request. As it was, she simply blushed and did as he asked. Besides, she had to help him out seeing as his one good hand was holding her leg in place. She slid her hand down between her thighs, finding her clit easily, gasping as she stroked it for him.

He watched her fingers, memorizing her technique for future reference, she had no doubt. Killian Jones was nothing if not perceptive, she thought as she moved herself closer and closer to her release.

When it finally broke over her, he instantly dropped her leg, sliding deep inside her and pumping his hips quickly to chase her into oblivion. They came together, moaning their pleasure into each other's mouths to keep as quiet as possible.

When it was over, Killian dropped to her side, gasping as his body pulled out of hers. They lay on their backs, shaking with the aftershocks, her fingers still wrapped tightly in the chain of his necklace.

"Bloody hell, Swan." She grinned at how breathless he sounded.

"You know, in a few months, that position might be hard to do. Baby bump will get in the way." He propped himself up on his elbow, leering down at her as he pressed his damaged wrist to her stomach.

"I think we'll figure something out, love. I'm nothing if not industrious." She laughed, pulling on his necklace so that he brought his mouth down to hers. When he pulled back, he smiled contentedly at her, biting his lip for a moment before he said,

"Being shipwrecked isn't as bad as I once imagined it to be."

"Hmm?" She asked lazily, stretching a bit onto her side, her back to him. He quickly pressed his chest into her back, hips against hers as he nestled his chin on her shoulder.

"One of the worst fears a sailor has is being shipwrecked. To know that you could be stranded with no food or water, alone on the beach while your vessel breaks against the rocks…it's enough to keep a man on the shore and away from the sea, that fear of what could be."

"Well, that doesn't sound good." She responded, wondering where he was going with this. He chuckled, pulling her tighter into him.

"I was like that, Swan. Scared to sail out and find love again, scared to move past my vengeance. I suppose it was because I knew once I did, I would be letting go of my Milah and I wasn't ready to give that up. Vengeance can be a comfort when it's all you have."

"And now?" She asked.

"And now, I've sailed out and found you, my savior, my goddess. All I yearn for is you, in my arms, in my life, with me always. I am simply…_wrecked _on the shores of your love and I couldn't be happier to be so."

She turned in his arms then, her hand over his heart, counting the beats she felt under her palm as she stared into those stunning blue eyes of his. And when he whispered that he loved her, she smiled at the feel of her breath catching once again in her chest at his words.

_Wrecked indeed._

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_Well, there it is. The ending...I've got one more chapter to post, cause I'm a sucker for a truly happy ending. In the meantime, **hook** me up with some reviews!_

_I definitely did make use of some plot points and quotes from Season 4A, they were too marvelous to ignore. I personally loved what Belle said to Rumple before she took him to the town line. Chills._

_I enjoy reading all the kind thoughts you leave for me. Thanks for taking the time to read and post a review._


	20. Chapter 20 - Epilogue

Disclaimer: Not mine.

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_"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."_

_-Eleanor Roosevelt_

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**Chapter 20: Epilogue**

Emma stood, bracing her back with her hands as she stretched. She'd been hunkered over a laundry basket for the past twenty minutes folding baby blankets, burp cloths, and teeny, tiny baby clothes along with Henry's jeans and Killian's shirts.

It wasn't her favorite pastime, but Killian had a hard time, what with the one hand and all. He never would've said anything (he never did) and sometimes she even let him fold the clothes anyway, so that he wouldn't think she was treating him differently (she refused to use the word handicapped when referring to him. It simply…didn't apply).

But they were late for dinner with her parents and she needed to speed through a few more chores before they could leave, so she'd tackled it while Killian and Henry had straightened up the house.

Having a newborn was exhausting, but Emma wouldn't trade it for anything. Even if that meant not having time to fold laundry or make dinner or get a full night of sleep. The happiness that came from holding her daughter always overrode any complaint she might have made.

And when her son was snuggled into the couch, his sister held tight in his arms as he read her a bedtime story, well, happy tears were assured to roll down her face, all messy and annoying, each and every damn time.

Her life was happy, was expansive in its good moments. There were still threats, villains both old and new, but Emma knew enough now to cherish each victory and each quiet moment that came afterward.

And the best part, the hands down best part, was sharing all of those moments, the bad and the good, with the love of her life.

Emma pulled the basket of freshly washed and folded clothes into her arms, smiling as she passed one of the framed photos of Killian and baby Evelyn, taken a few weeks after her birth. She'd been so tiny when she was born and Killian had been afraid of holding her, especially with his hook on. Over and over, she'd told him that he wouldn't, _couldn't_, hurt her, but he'd tense up and refuse to hold her until she finally forced him onto their couch with a kiss and a plea for him to feed Evie so she could take more than a five minute shower.

He'd argued with her, but she'd ordered him to "stay," threatening him with no sex, _ever again. _She'd taken off his hook, propped his arm up with a big pillow, and carefully placed their daughter into his arms. Handing him her bottle, she'd left him there, looking completely terrified.

When she'd come back downstairs, he'd been staring down at his sleeping daughter, a look of complete and utter devotion on his face as he inspected her little fingers wrapped around his. Emma had quickly grabbed a camera and took multiple pictures before he'd even realized that she was there.

Ever since then, Evelyn was rarely out of his arms.

"Henry!" She called as she carried the basket into Evelyn's room. He quickly appeared in the doorway, backpack over his shoulder, coat and scarf on.

"Can you clean up the kitchen table quick for me? I still haven't had a chance to get to that and lunch was hours ago."

"Already done. And I started the dishwasher. Killian has Evie's bag all ready. We're just waiting on you, mom."

"Oh, okay, thanks, kid. I'll be right there." She set the basket down, deciding to put the clothes away later.

Entering her room, she paused to check her reflection in the mirror. It was the first time since Evelyn's birth that she'd felt back to her old figure. It'd taken longer to lose the baby weight this time around. Three months later and she was finally able to fit comfortably into her jeans without feeling like a beached whale. She attributed the final weight loss to chasing bad guys around Storybrooke and long nights of vigorous "_exercise"_ with an insatiable pirate cause goodness knows she had no time to actually exercise these days.

"You look _stunning_, Swan." Turning, she found Killian leaning against the doorframe. He looked impeccable, as always, black vest over a bright blue shirt that highlighted the color of his eyes, eyeliner dark and flawless.

"Thanks, babe." He grinned at the nickname. He'd told her once that he found it incredibly sexy when she called him that or it's variant, baby. When she'd asked him why, he'd pointed out that she only did it when they were having sex, which she'd never realized before.

Now the nickname had a whole new meaning for her, no longer making her blush when she said it (calling a three hundred year old pirate _baby_ sounded a bit absurd), and she called him it often now, mostly when they were alone and could let nature take its course.

"Tease." He murmured, sidling up behind her. Wrapping his arm around her body, he pressed himself into her, propping his chin on her shoulder as he looked at their reflection in the full length mirror. "Bloody gorgeous." He murmured.

"Who, you or me?" She asked, a smirk bringing up one corner of her mouth.

"I think it's safe to say that we both fit the bill, love." She snorted, rolling her eyes at him before turning around in his arms.

"I love you, you know that, Hook?"

"Aye, I do. And I love you, Swan."

"Good." She pressed a quick kiss to his mouth then another to his cheek before stepping out of his embrace. She ran a brush quickly through her hair and took one more peek in the mirror to make sure she was comfortable with the way the sweater looked before she turned to the doorway.

Killian was making his way over to the dresser, not following her. She waited a moment, watching as he pulled open his sock drawer.

"Killian?" She asked, impatient to get going.

"Be there in two shakes, love." He waved at her over his shoulder, his back to her. She waited another second for him, but he didn't move. She left him there, wondering at the slightly odd behavior.

She made her way through the house, tidying up as she went, finally reaching the living room to find Henry kneeling beside Evelyn's carrier, making faces to amuse her as they waited patiently by the front door. Evelyn was happily gurgling up at her brother as she chewed on her tiny fist, little legs kicking at the blanket that was wrapped around her.

"There's my two most favorite people in the whole world!" Emma cried, bending over to ruffle Henry's hair as she smiled down at Evelyn.

"Hey!" Killian said coming up behind Emma, indignation clear in his tone. "Don't I rank somewhere in there, Swan?"

"And look, here's my third most favorite person in the world!" Evelyn squealed in excitement, her little legs kicking harder when she heard her father's voice. He grinned at her, reaching down to tweak her cheek as she happily bounced in the carrier.

"Alright, lad, do you have everything you need to take to Regina's tonight?" Killian asked as he straightened up. Henry nodded and they left for her parents's place.

She smiled over at Killian as she drove them all to the loft, noticing that he wasn't really paying attention to the story that Henry was telling from the backseat. His smile was distracted whenever he caught her looking at him. He kept twirling the rings on his fingers, which he usually only did when something was bothering him, when he was anxious.

"You okay?" She asked him softly.

"I'm fine, love." He was lying, but she knew better than to press him. He'd tell her when he was ready.

They parked outside the loft, Emma pulling Evelyn's carrier from its base, Killian grabbing the diaper bag, Henry grabbing his backpack and storybook from the trunk. They made their way inside, stepping into the welcoming warmth that was the Nolan's home, David calling out from the kitchen in his booming voice,

"Where's my granddaughter?"

Emma took her daughter over to her father, placing the baby carrier on the counter and then leaning over to hug him hello. He quickly hugged her then turned to her daughter with a big grin on his face. "There's my girl! Why Evie, how you've grown!" He leaned down to press kisses to her little cheeks, grinning down at her bubbly smile. The lights in the kitchen flickered happily above their heads.

"That still happening?" Mary Margaret asked as she walked over from Neal's crib, Emma's brother perched on her hip, cheeks rosy red and blond hair a wild mess from his recent nap.

"Some. Mostly when she's happy. What about you?" Emma asked, tickling Neal and then taking him from her mother to snuggle him close. He bounced in her arms, grabbing at her long hair before she swept it over to one side, out of his reach.

The lights flickered again as Neal laughed at Emma and Mary Margaret shook her head, pointing to the ceiling and saying, "The same."

"At least it's not like the fireworks Evelyn set off when she was born. I thought Whale was going to have a heart attack."

As Emma was well aware, being the product of True Love came with magic. Both Evelyn and Neal had been exhibiting it over the past few months, Evelyn's slightly more volatile and unpredictable in nature. Regina was convinced that they were feeding off of each other, strengthening their skills and learning together. It warmed Emma's heart to know that they had each other to lean on and support as they learned about their magic.

Emma carried Neal over to the couch, settling next to a distracted Killian. Henry brought his storybook over, forcing his way between Emma and Killian and opening the book as Neal squealed happily. Mary Margaret pulled Evelyn from her carrier, passing her to Killian so that she could help David finish dinner.

Emma grinned over at Killian as Henry began to read to Neal, catching her love staring at her as if he'd never quite seen anything like her before. He didn't return the smile, dropping his gaze down to their daughter, a red blush decorating his pretty cheeks.

What the hell was that about, she wondered. Killian Jones _never_ blushed.

Just when she was about to ask him what was up, Regina entered the loft. As soon as she saw Evelyn, she swooped down and pulled her from Killian's arms and cuddled her close to her breast.

Emma smiled at the sight, her nose wrinkling with happy memories of the day after Evelyn's birth when Regina had stopped by to meet the newest member of the Charming family. Both Emma and Killian had agreed that it was a no brainer to ask Regina to be Evelyn's godmother, but Regina had never expected such an honor. She'd stared at Emma, her mouth hanging open for several minutes before she finally asked if Emma was feeling alright.

"Of course I am. Why would you ask me that?"

"I just assumed that you've suffered some type of brain injury. That's the only explanation for why you just asked me, the Evil Queen, to be your daughter's godmother."

"Oh, and not the fact that you did all you could to protect my daughter before she ever even existed? Or the fact that you raised my son for the first ten years of his life? Those couldn't possibly be the reasons that I want you to be Evelyn's godmother, could they?"

Regina had stared at Emma for another minute, then had reached down to pluck Evelyn from her arms, smiling at the little girl before saying, "Yes, I would be honored to. After all, every princess needs a godmother."

Emma grinned up at Regina from her place on the couch, waving to Robin and Roland as they entered the loft as well. It seemed crazy to think that just a few short months ago, Regina had still been pining the loss of her True Love and now, she had him back as well as his adorable little son. She was ecstatic that Regina had found her happy ending.

She would never forget all that Regina had done to help her over the past year, not the least of which was protecting her daughter's soul and believing in the power of her and Killian's love when it counted most.

Emma's True Love.

A True Love that was currently brooding next to her on the couch, his eyes glazed over, jaw clenching a mile a minute. She opened her mouth, again ready to ask him what was bothering him, when David called them all to dinner. Standing, she carried Neal over his highchair then took Evelyn from Regina's arms as she settled into a seat across from Killian so that she could keep an eye on him as they ate.

The rest of the evening was spent catching up, laughter and stories as plentiful as the food. Emma loved these dinners and cherished them all the more now that she no longer saw her parents every day. It was a time to appreciate their family and it was a time for Emma to reflect on how full her life was now, how happy she was.

After dinner, Emma settled down in her favorite chair, holding her sleepy daughter close to her heart. Killian sat on the couch across from her, staring at the two of them intently. He'd been quiet during dinner, which was unlike him. He loved to tell the loudest, funniest stories, making the children laugh with his inappropriate jokes.

He'd been remote ever since they'd left the house, almost as if something was weighing on him. It was making her jumpy, anxious.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you or should I start guessing?" She asked softly, keeping her voice down so the rest of her family couldn't hear.

"Nothing is bothering me, Swan." He said, his gaze moving up to catch hers. She waited, not responding as she stared over at him with an eyebrow quirked in disbelief. "Do you know what today is?" He finally asked on a sigh, knowing that she wasn't going to give up easily.

"Sunday." She answered.

"Way to state the obvious, love." She bit back a smile; he sounded an awful lot like her pre-teen son all of a sudden.

"So, other than Sunday, what's today?" She asked instead, trying to be patient with him as he so often was with her. He smiled as he looked down at Evelyn, a dreamy and happy expression settling on his face.

"It's the day I became irrevocably shipwrecked, love. The anniversary of it, at least." She stared back at him, mouth dropping open in surprise.

"The incubus…" She murmured, cheeks flushing at the memories of all that had occurred on that night, on that ship, a year ago today.

"Aye. And the day that little one began." Evelyn gurgled up at that, almost as if she knew what they were talking about.

"With everything going on, I hadn't notice the date. I'm sorry." She murmured, suddenly feeling like a horrible partner.

"I know, love. It's okay." Killian smiled that soft smile that she loved, the one where the corner of his mouth turned up slightly and he paused then dropped his head with a quick nod before speaking. "You've been so busy lately, being a wonderful mother to our children, being the Savior, so I took it upon myself to remember for the both of us, love."

She smiled, nodding her head and looking down to find Evelyn staring up at her, clear eyes shining. While they were still that indistinct murky blue of all babies, Emma knew without a doubt that her daughter's eyes would be green.

Green like Mary Margaret's, like hers.

Killian shifted on the couch, fiddling with his rings again, before standing and making his way over to her. He kneeled before her, reminding her of the time that he'd knelt next to this very chair, trying to warm her after she'd been trapped by Elsa's ice wall. He reached down to trail his fingers along Evelyn's head, trying to smooth her erratic thatch of black hair. Emma watched the movement, smiling softly as his fingers trailed so gently across his baby girl's skin.

When her gaze landed on the unfamiliar ring on his pinky finger, her breath whooshed out of her chest and everything inside her stilled. Evelyn blew bubbles up at her, legs and arms flailing about in that jerky way that babies have when they're excited about something. The lights in the loft dimmed and then brightened, flickering merrily as Killian stared up at Emma from his knee...

He was down on his knee...with a strange ring on his finger.

And she suddenly got it, got why he'd been so anxious all night (as if he had to worry about her answer) and got why he was kneeling in front of her (really, how had she missed that) and got why the rest of the loft was suddenly so quiet she could've heard a pin drop two counties over (they were seriously all in on this, she just knew it).

"I was wondering, love, if maybe…"

"Yes." Emma cut him off, looking up, and nodding exuberantly in response.

He stared up at her, completely caught off guard by her immediate response and then that giddy grin of his burst onto his face, dimple flashing happily in his cheek. She couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes at the complete and utter _love _she saw in the blue depths of his eyes. Clapping her hand over her mouth before she started to sob (when were these damn postnatal hormones going to back off anyways), she decided to laugh instead.

The lights overhead suddenly brightened and flickered so much that she had to close her eyes, Evelyn obviously happy about this turn of events.

When she opened her eyes back up, she grinned as Killian leaned forward and slipped a silver band with a deep red stone onto her finger. It suited them, nothing traditional for this princess and her pirate. She jumped when Henry and David suddenly whooped from the kitchen, Mary Margaret's tearful voice calling out a congratulations as Robin pulled Killian to his feet to shake his hand and slap him on the back.

Later that night, after Evelyn had fallen asleep, Emma snuggled down in the warmth of Killian's embrace, sighing as he pressed a kiss into her temple. She was still coming down from the high of his touch, of his kisses along her inner thighs, of his cock sliding so easily into the warmth of her body from behind. She'd never get tired of this passion between them, needing it almost as much as she needed air.

"I love you, Emma Swan." He murmured and the butterflies those words always caused came instantly to life.

"Good." She murmured back, giggling when he tickled her side.

Sighing, she settled back into his arms, fingers twining in the chain of his necklace, her new ring sparkling against his chest as she whispered that she loved him, too. Her breath caught as she stared up at him, a smile curving her lips as she thought back to that night a year ago on Regina's ship.

"That was one, baby. Think we can break our record and make it to ten?" He grinned down at her, pushing her easily onto her back as he murmured in response,

"I love a challenge."

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_Well, here it is, the final chapter. Thanks all for sticking with me through the whole thing. I never expected to write 20 chapters, but enjoyed it immensely considering I had no real plot laid out past the first two chapters._

_Hope you enjoyed it!_

_BTW - I picked the name Evelyn, which is Celtic for light (the white light in the Sphere). Thought it was a good way to acknowledge how she started out._


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Once Upon a Time, Angst, Romance