Once Upon a Time 1. Chapter 1

Killian was pretty livid and with good reason.

Love was not a thing to be questioned any more. He knew he loved her. Deeply, madly, insanely enough to die for her, if need be. Why grill him like this? Over a bird? He got the bird, that much was true... but to claim distrust, after all he'd done, after how hard he'd tried...

That was just... bad form. And pirate or not, one thing he hated was bad form.

She knew he loved her, too. They all did. He really didn't even try to make much of a secret about it anymore; it was impossible to conceal. It had become completely unavoidable for his entire body to respond to her. His eyes, once smarmy and wise-looking, were now doe-shaped whenever she was around. It was hard to smile, even when she was being friendly... the pain and longing for a kiss or a hug or even just a glance with a smile made even the simplest tasks, such as breathing, hard as hell. He ached in places he never even knew existed, even with Milah, and god knew that THAT loss had been a serious blow.

Still, he remained at her side, fighting her fights alongside her and her family. Alas, the witch had intercepted and tricked him and the cute little curse on his lips, together with the threat of hurting the boy he wished he could one day call his son had all but tied him with his hands behind his back. If he told her, it would be bad; if he kissed her, it would be bad... and of course, not telling her, would ALSO be bad. So he tried to have the boy shipped to New York, away from Zelena's ravenous reach. He thought that, of all people, the Charmings would understand such a maneuver; hadn't they done the same to Emma, to save her life? Except, of course, Emma had been a helpless infant with nowhere to go, so maybe sending Henry home to his apartment wasn't half as bad.

Oh but it was... it seemed everything he did and didn't do was bad. Such is the life of a former pirate who no longer knows who the hell he is, and who lives and breathes for someone who apparently refuses to even give him the benefit of the doubt... and whom he loves with every inch of his heart, or at least what's left of it.

"Who else would know where to find the Savior?" He defended himself, his eyes searching in their eyes for an ounce of faith.

Snow turned her gaze to the floor and David pressed his lips hard. It was clear that they didn't trust him at all. "Swan..." he turned pleadingly to Emma, hoping that she, of all people, would understand and believe in him.

But she averted her gaze to the floor.

Killian sighed. "Right, then, if that's how things are... I suppose I have no further use for this!" He reached into his inner coat pocket and produced a scrap of cloth. He violently grabbed Emma's hand and placed it in it. "May it serve you well, love." He spat angrily before turning and storming out of the boathouse in a furious fit of anger.

The Charmings exchanged a wry look before turning to Emma, whose forehead had once again acquired that wrinkled scorn she usually sported around the flirty, smiley pirate. She looked at the scrap in her hand and closed her eyes, with a sigh. She knew then... she had been so wrong.

"Emma, what is that?" Snow inquired.

The blonde savior felt the fabric with her fingers, almost reminiscing the feel of his old shirts. He had become one of the closest allies of her life and from the looks of it, even Killian's rival in the fight for her heart had more faith in the wayward pirate's steadfastness than she did. She felt embarrassed and regretful as she handed her mother the scrap.

"He was telling the truth..." she spoke under her breath, before turning to her parents. "It's the note he received..."

David looked at it. "Emma, for all we know, he could have done this himself."

Emma shook her head. "Not in a million years."

Snow shook her head. "How can you be so sure? I mean, he has lied before, maybe your father has a point and..."

Emma huffed and shook her head. "You know, for a couple of people who claim to be the most kind and forgiving human beings in the Enchanted Forest, you guys are really working hard on being the complete opposite on him, aren't you?!" she spat, shocking them. "She swallowed hard, ran a hand through her hair and turned back to them. "I'd know that handwriting anywhere. That's Neal. Neal sent the bird." She raised her eyes to her parents. "Even he believed in Hook..."

David swallowed and shook his head, eyes gazing to the floor. Snow sighed and turned to him first, before glancing towards her daughter. "Oh, Emma, I..."

"You know what?" she raised her hand. "Save it. I'm gonna find him before he does something stupid like, maybe trying to leave."

She walked away, leaving her contrite parents with a heavy burden of guilt.

For a guy that wasn't so tall or long-legged, Killian had walked quite the distance along the docks. He wanted to block out the hurt of her words. _"I can't trust you now. How can I?"_ How could she? Did she really ask that? He thought the loud stomping of his boots on the wooden planks under the snow would suffice. His eyes stung with angry tears and he seriously wondered why he hadn't asked for a refill of his flask the night before. Downing the whole contents in ten seconds seemed like an appetizing idea.

"Killian!"

He closed his eyes and accelerated his stride. He could still hear hers behind the trace of his boot marks on the snow as she ran, trying to catch up.

"Come on, Killian, wait!"

He hated being in love. All she had to do was say wait and his legs stopped obeying his own command. In fact, his own command stopped obeying his own command. He was like a drone for her... anything she wanted, needed, asked for... he'd do it. Cursed love...

He didn't turn around or even look at her. He adored her, that was not at all questionable. But he really didn't want to see her face at that moment. She panted and reached him, standing a few yards away as she tried to catch her breath. "I know who sent it..." She breathed heavily. "It was Neal. It was his hand writing."

"Well, I'm glad you worked that mystery out, my darling swan!" he replied, his voice full of anger and sarcasm. "Now if you don't mind, I'll just go cut of my leg and get myself a colorful parrot for my shoulder... I am, after all, just a lying, dishonest pirate..." He resumed his stride.

"Ok... ok I deserved that!" she ran alongside him. "Look, will you..." She jumped in front of him. "...Will you stop?" she barked.

Killian rolled his eyes away from her, his lips pressed hard.

"Look, I was wrong, ok? I was out of line with what I said!" She offered. "I was so angry, I mean, you really shouldn't have taken Henry like that..."

"So even the fact that I was trying to save the lad doesn't count now, does it?" he spat at her. "You have entrusted me with his well-being all this time and now, just now, because we were ambushed, you get like this?"

"You were sending him to New York on a boat, Killian!" she replied intensely. "Don't you think that as a mom, I should have been informed of this!?"

"No, Emma!" He raged, making her jump as he held a finger to her face. "And I'll tell you why: Because if I HAD told you, Zelena would have brought this onslaught a lot sooner and for all you know, none of us might have been able to save your boy! For weeks she's been after me! If I had kissed you and you had lost your power, I would have been the distrustful pirate... If I didn't, she would have taken your bloody son a lot earlier than now and I still would have been RAKED by you and your precious parents for not saying a bloody thing! And now, I get this? For trying to get him out of harm's way and NOT affect you in the process?" he ran his hand through his hair. "Have you ANY idea what I go through every day, Emma? Looking at you, watching over you and your family, just hoping that one day, one miserable, pathetic day, I'll get at least a smile? And all I get are wise-arse remarks and a bloody cold shoulder! It can drive ANY suitor mad, I tell you! I've had enough!"

Emma stared at him in silence as he tried to regain composure; she had never seen him behave this passionately and yet so out of control. Killian was always the contained gentleman, the flirty but quiet follower.

He'd obviously had had his fill; and suddenly the idea of him giving up on her ached. Why? She had no clue. She knew about his crush slash infatuation slash love for her and hadn't really given it much thought. But hearing him say "I've had enough" made her shudder. Had she really been that tough on him? She had... she knew she had. And for the moment, she suddenly hated herself.

"You'll ... leave, won't you?" she whispered.

"What?" Killian spoke back.

Emma grinned the saddest grin he'd ever seen, and nodded. "I have a way of driving people away... I know that."

Killian huffed hard and ran his good hand down his face before placing it on his hip. "No..." he whispered, shaking his head. "I'm not leaving, Swan. And let me make my reason for it perfectly clear, just in case you missed the message..." He looked into her eyes, electric blue clashing with her deep green in waves of passionate anger. "I love you too bloody much to be away from you, to leave you to fend for yourself. That's it. I... love... you. " He poked her shoulder softly as he said 'you' and pulled himself back. "But of course, you'd believe I'd be going, wouldn't you? It's easier to deal with that, than to think that the bloody pirate will leave you, just like the rest of them. Well, I won't. I got your back, Swan, no matter what. That's what love is about, even if you kick me around like some bloody fish jumping on a deck out of water. However..." he spoke through pressed lips. "...and in spite of my sickeningly powerful affection for you, I can say without fear of erring, that for this particular moment..." he looked into her eyes. "...I really don't want to see your face, Emma Swan... neither yours, nor your beloved family's. So kindly leave me be. "

Emma froze as he coldly glanced into her eyes one final time, before turning around and stomping away. She had never seen him like this and it suddenly made her feel like she had just made the biggest mistake of her life. All the same, she knew when a person needed to be left alone; they had hurt him pretty bad, she knew that much. So she swallowed her tears and turned around, shoving her hands in her pockets and hoping he'd simmer down soon enough.

As she walked back to her family, she thought of that infallible teenage love formula: Treat them poorly and they'll eat out of your hand. Is that what she had been doing? She did know he had made a dramatic change for the better since Neverland and had been next to gold when it came to looking after Henry. Of course she trusted him! Why the hell had she said that? Maybe on a very deep level, she enjoyed his pining for her and the thought of her being some bitchy woman who thrives on the lovesick ache of a suitor made her feel even worse... this wasn't who she was! Or was she?

When she found her parents, they eyed her inquisitively. "Well?" Mary Margaret asked sheepishly, knowing well how wrong they had all been. "Where's Hook?"

Emma sighed and shook her head. "He wants to be alone for a while. Can't blame him..."

David shook his head. "He shouldn't be! Not with Zelena rummaging around! She's already targeted Hook before, what makes him think she...?"

"You know..." Emma turned to him with a sneer. "The man has a name. It's Killian Jones. Killian!" She enounced. "The name 'Hook' is basically because he is one hand short and has a seventeenth century prosthetic, which in our day and time, would be considered bullying! And if I of all people have it in me to call him Killian, I'm sure you two can handle it." She looked at both parents. "It's about time we stop tagging the guy, don't you think? Aren't Snow White and Prince Charming all about second chances?" having said this, she walked out, leaving a pair of thoughtful parents as she tried to ease off the ache of his angered eyes and the sharp, pained words that had simply cut right through her.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a lingering, awkward vibe at the loft apartment that evening, at least between the Charmings and their daughter, who sat around the table, silently fiddling with tea cups they apparently didn't intend to drink from; Henry was on a roll with Regina, however, talking about New York, his friends, his house, his gamer skills and the cute girl next door that was currently smiling at him when they met in the building halls.

Emma looked at them and grinned sadly; Henry seemed delighted and Regina? Well, she was recently oozing love out of every pore, especially since she had started dating the rogue but charming and handsome Robin of Locksley, whom, it had to be said, was clearly infatuated with the regal qualities of the town's mayor. Having Henry remember her and greet her with such love had been all the proof she had needed that the boy belonged in Storybrooke and that planning to return to New York was now a moot point.

She had blamed Killian of wanting to run away when she had been the one wanting to leave all along... and her guilt trip took a turn from bad to epic.

Still glancing at Regina and Henry, she spoke softly. "We believed her..."

"What?" Snow turned to her quietly, her rounded face the clear evidence of a woman who is probably seconds from going into labor.

Emma grinned. "Only two years ago." She turned to Snow with a smile. "only two years ago, I was slamming her against the hospital racks when Henry ate the turnover with the sleeping curse; I was cutting off her apple tree with a chainsaw..." She grinned. "... and now I can call her a friend. That says something, doesn't it?"

David sighed. "It's a little bit... different." He looked at Emma. "She's family..."

"Yeah, political." Emma nodded defiantly. "And so are you two. You're two strangers who happened to have stumbled upon each other one day in the woodland and fell in love. You are a shepherd, she's a princess. No blood relation there."

"It hurts, that you say that!" Snow replied, incented. "Your father and I are family nonetheless! It's love that binds you to a family, Emma, not blood! Look at Henry and Regina! She's still her mom and so are you, so there's no need for..."

"My point exactly." Emma nodded, then turned a challenging pair of eyes to her dad. "Unless there are other reasons at play..."

David gasped in shock but was met with the mutual gaze of his wife and his daughter. "What!" he exclaimed. "Seriously, I really thought that... he... I..."

"He saved your life." Emma raised her eyebrows.

"He... I ... but..." David caved in with a sigh. "Ok, I'll admit I do feel a little... jealous. I mean, he is a p..." He was met with the scornful gaze of his daughter. "Was. Was a... pirate. And you are my daughter and..."

"He saved... your... life..." Emma insisted. "You wouldn't be judging him like some school headmaster right now if he hadn't taken you for that drink of water..." She took a sip of tea and calmly turned back to her father. "And for your information, he didn't kiss me, back in Neverland. He said that at the cave, but I kissed him. I did it. He never laid a hand on me. Just think about that."

David bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. "You're right... I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Ho... Killian." He looked at Snow with a grin. "Maybe I'm getting old."

Snow grinned and turned to Emma, reaching out for her hand as the blonde savior wrapped her fingers around the tea cup. "I am really sorry about how that went today, Emma. You're absolutely right. We haven't really given him the chance he deserves."

Emma hid her face under her hands as she leaned on her elbows, shoving her fingers into her hair. "You didn't see the look on his face... I swear I never want to see him look at me like that again. It's... painful."

"It's just a lovers' spat, you'll get over it." Came Henry's voice.

Everyone turned to look at the young boy with a collective gasp.

"Henry!" Regina scolded him. "That's just a very bad thing to say to your mom!" She turned to Emma with her eyebrows raised. "Although..."

"We're not lovers!" Emma debated, wide-eyed.

"Come on, mom!" Henry held his hands up. "It's like, everyone can see what's going down except you. You never see things until they hit you in the face! I had to eat a poisoned turnover to get you to believe..." he turned to Regina. "No offense."

"None taken." Regina agreed, smirking at Emma. "Now..." she stood and walked to the blonde woman. "Let's talk about that... curse of his. You said it was... his lips?"

Emma nodded. "So?"

Regina smirked. "It's his kiss." Everyone looked at Regina, waiting for a more detailed explanation. "Amateurs..." Regina closed her eyes and shook her head before drawing a deep sigh to explain. "She must have gotten a confession out of him. Once the name of your loved one touches the tip of your tongue, it's relatively easy to curse the kiss."

"So it's... specifically the kiss?" Snow sneered.

"Yes." Regina sat at the table. "Love spells are pretty powerful... and painful. They feed on the love we might feel for someone else. Let's say Mr. One-Hand spoke your name out loud, Emma; Zelena now has a target: You. Kiss spells can have different intentions. Someone might use a loved one's kiss to kill the other person, others to perhaps turn him into a frog... or a prince..."

"That story's... true as well?" Emma rolled her eyes from one person to another.

"The idea of it could be." Regina nodded. "Zelena's curse is all about using his love to remove your power. The question here is..." she smirked at Emma. "What's your take on our resident rogue rebel? Any... feels when he gives you one of those dashing glares?"

Emma huffed. "Come on!" No one said a word. Not even Henry; everyone just stared at her. "Really?" she returned their glares. "You all think that I...?"

"Doesn't matter what we think, Emma." David sighed. "Bottom line is, he's a part of our team and he's enduring a pretty nasty curse."

"She likes him..." Henry quipped from the couch, making all heads turn in his direction again. "It's like with me: She didn't want me at first... then she endured me when I showed up... then she liked me... and now she can't keep me out of her sight." He shrugged. "That's just how you operate, mom, nothing wrong with it."

"Well, thank you very much!" Emma nodded in his direction before turning back to her family with a huff. "So, Regina, how does this get broken?"

"Now you're talking!" The queen smiled. "If his affections are one sided, then I'm afraid he gets to keep his puckers to himself. Because Zelena's counting on his love being unrequited." She tapped the table with her finger. "Because nothing, no spell, charm or curse can beat the power of..."

"True love's kiss!" Snow chimed with a grin. "That would definitely break it!"

"I'm not in love with him." Emma quipped, all seriousness.

Henry picked up his PSP and sank back into the couch. "That is SO not true..."

"I'm not!" she replied pleadingly. "Am I?"

Regina smiled. "do the math, savior: True love's kiss doesn't necessarily have to be a French kiss, you know." She winked at Emma. "We've broken it twice with a simple peck on Henry's forehead. But you? My mother who happened to be one of the most powerful wizards ever was unable to rip your heart out and form what I heard, you pushed her away like a feather in the wind! Magic is drawn from sentiment, Emma..." Regina leaned in. "And your strongest emotion... is love."

Emma didn't reply this time. She dabbled with the notion of what was being told to her: Was it possible that the intention behind their relationship had grown to that point and she hadn't noticed? She remembered the hurt in his eyes and how it ached in her own heart.

"Well, whether or not I might have to deal with him as a possible son in law is irrelevant right now. Cursed or not..." David quipped, "...he's out there on his own and Zelena's still marauding the town."

"And she's pissed." Regina added.

David nodded and stood up to reach for his jacket. Emma jumped after him. "Whoa, wait, where are you going?"

"We need to stay all together." He replied. "He's already been targeted by her before, sitting out there, on his own? He's a sitting duck."

The blonde woman huffed and reached for her jacket. "I'll go."

"On your own? Not happening!"

"Happening." She turned to David. "I think I have a better chance at reasoning with him today after what went down. Believe me, I can get to him. All you'll get is, no pun intended, a left hook."

David shrugged. "But Zelena's out there!"

"So will I." Emma nodded. "She's far more scared of me than I am of her, believe me..."

David slowly acknowledged his defeat, thinking Hook would probably not want to even go near David whereas his besotted infatuation with his daughter was a bonus in her plan to lure him into joining them all for the night. He was, after all... family. Or would be, from the look of things.

Emma drove up and down Main and eventually found Killian sitting on a bench overlooking the harbor. He really couldn't see too far ahead; night had fallen and the only audible sound was that of the waves hitting the concrete port and the sides of the different boats peppered along the docks. His gaze was actually fixed into the stars. He wondered what this world might have offered him, had he sailed with the Jolly extensively in this realm and from the star map above his head, it would have probably been the trip of his life. He nmade out north from south and east from west and when the wind suddenly gushed inwards from the ocean, he grinned merrily.

Trust or not... his place was at her side. No stars would change that. He loved her enough to have sold his vessel, his precious ship, in exchange for safe passage to be with her.

She lowered the window of the shotgun seat. "Hey!"

No reply.

"Will you at least be the gentleman you always are and say good evening, or something?"

He turned his face, glanced at her from the corner of his eye and then turned his face ahead again.

"Aw, come on, Killian... I'm really sorry about the things I said, ok? I do trust you, you know that." That last comment caught his attention and he found himself staring at her suddenly, but silently. "Look, you can't be out here like this, Killian. If Zelena finds you she might come up with another brilliant idea to make your life even MORE miserable." He still looked at her in silence. She grinned. "I'll make you tea..." He frowned as she spoke. "I'll put rum in it!"

The frown melted very slowly into a grin, which in turn, slowly became a smile and a chuckle. And that happy, bright face suddenly transformed her own into an equally pleased one. "There you are! Thought I'd never see the real you again." She smiled and climbed out of the car, sitting by his side and looking at his face. "So... you want to come?"

Killian sighed deep. And shook his head. "No matter what you do, Swan, I can't be mad at you for more than a couple of hours."

"Good." She nodded. "I can get mad for weeks."

He rolled his face at her and chuckled. "Being mad is your natural state, love... you've been mad at me for nearly two years now."

She looked at him grinning. "You are rather infuriating, though, you got to admit."

He side smiled. "Aye, I'll give you that much. But I'm also irresistible."

"Not to me, you aren't..." Emma smiled.

He nodded. "And that, alas, makes you the world's most desirable woman." He looked at her. "I'm terribly sorry, Swan. I should have at least consulted with you whether or not I could take the lad with me for the day."

"True..." She shoved her arms into her pockets and extended her legs. "But you did mean well."

"I also want to apologize for raising my voice at you. No lady should ever have to bear with that, especially not you."

Emma grinned and wondered if any guy could really be so damn noble about what would be an otherwise normal reaction to the mistrust he had been subjected to. "It's ok. I deserved it. We all did."

Killian sighed. "You, savior, are a real piece of work... But I meant what I said. Every word..." his eyes shifted to hers and Emma felt her knees weaken; there was so much love in that infinitely blue gaze it seemed impossible that two tiny orbs could contain so much. "I love you. And the boy as well... and even that bleedin' family of yours have actually grown on me." He chuckled. "And that includes the Evil Queen, go figure..."

She nodded. "He's pretty fond of you, you know..."

"I like Henry." He grinned. "I loved his father almost like he was my own lad. And that makes Henry the son of the two people I've loved more than anything, so..." He licked his teeth and averted his gaze to the blackness of the harbor. "I would lay down my life to save his as well, Emma, you know that, don't you?"

"I do..." She smiled. "And don't think I'm not grateful for that, Killian."

He sighed and grinned. "Why are you really here, lass?"

"I came to try and coax you to come over with us..."

He chuckled sarcastically. "Me? A pirate? Do you really believe your father the Goodly Prince would agree after what happened today, love?"

"Trust me, it's all ok." She shrugged. "David's just being a dad... he thinks you wanna get into my pants."

Killian turned a confused grimace to Emma. "Get into...? I'm sorry; I don't quite follow you..."

She laughed. He smiled... it warmed his heart to see her happy, really happy. "That means that he thinks you want to... you know, have your way with me."

"And, I do." He nodded with a smile. "But honorably."

She laughed again and once more, he smiled back at her. If only he could make her smile like that every day, it would certainly brighten the darkness Zelena had submitted him into by cursing him.

"So? Will you come?" She turned to him. "You'll see what it feels like to have a Prince and a Princess ask you to forgive them, now how many pirates do you know that have enjoyed such a privilege?"

Killian sighed. "It would be lovely, alas, I don't believe I'm a pirate any longer..." He turned to her. "Might they address the issue to Captain Jones instead?"

Emma nodded and smiled. "That can be arranged."

"Thank you your highness."

"Don't call me that..." Emma recoiled.

Killian turned to her, entirely. "Emma, it's who you are. You are the savior AND a princess. The most beautiful of all." He smiled. "Embrace it, love, only then will you really come into yourself."

Emma looked into his eyes. True, he had been the only one who had constantly encouraged her to accept her magic and fully embrace who she was... and now that she had, he worked on her royal status. There would always be necessary work for his Swan to do. And she knew he'd be there to remind her of it. She felt a sudden urge, a desire she had felt only once, in Neverland. And it was terribly frustrating that she couldn't have it now. Brought a whole new meaning to the phrase 'you don't know what you have until it's gone'.

Killian picked up on her sudden desire; it was impossible not to see that sudden flush of redness on her cheeks and that glint in her eye and it killed him to know his moment might have finally arrived and he would not be able to collect. He closed his eyes and took a step back. But Emma just stepped forward, her face inches away from his own.

"No, love... please don't..." he pleaded, nearly in tears, his entire body shaking.

It amazed Emma to see just how far he'd go for her. She knew how much he wanted it, longed for it, and could see how it ached him to be ripped in two this way, how his heart ached at having her there, willing, and not being able to come together in that intimate kiss he had wanted for so long. _'Wow, he really does love me..._', she thought as she studied every inch of his face, from the rough stubble around his jaw, to the tip of his nose, his cascading black lashes and the depth of his blue eyes, the hair he liked to keep a mess atop his head and the trickle of sweat that had begun to run down his temples... but his lips, they suddenly seemed to look like the forbidden fruit one was not supposed to take... and that made them all the more desirable. He was her tree... Zelena was the snake... she was Eve and Killian's lips made one hell of an apple.

And she'd have the apple. My god, she'd have it!

"You know..." she spoke softly. "...there are only so many other places where I could kiss you." She reached forward and grabbed his ring-fingered hand, gently, her fingers entwining with his own. His heart rate was going so fast, Emma could see his pulse on his neck. He was breathing hard and fast and he looked like all emotions ever made clear to human kind were manifesting in him: fear, rage, desire, love... above all, love. It made her smile as she chose the destination for her lips to set themselves on.

With her other hand, she caressed his left cheek and felt dampness. Had he cried? Perhaps he had. She took her hand to the back of his neck and pulled her to him, pressing her body against his and feeling his every reaction as she passed his lips to the skin of his cheek.

A gentle, soft, loving kiss. That was all it took.

The shockwave was not like the one they'd seen earlier from Henry and Regina. Killian's mouth tickled and ached and burned as a greed cloud of sparkly dust seemed to detach from his fleshy lips, leaving them dry and him dizzy. He looked down and saw Emma still there, smiling and looking into his eyes.

The curse was gone.

Neither said a word, at least not verbally. Poetry was exchanged between gazing eyes and his hand released hers as his fingers found life of their own, reaching up to caress the perfect skin of her face. "True love's kiss..." he whispered as he grinned slightly.

"Yeah, who knew..." she grinned back, leaning her forehead on his.

She felt his other arm circle her waist, pulling her to him as he gently, softly, deposited her lips on her own. He felt tears involuntarily leave his eyes as he savored them, a taste of something he hadn't known for so many years: peace. Finally, peace. He pressed harder against her and exhaled as he hardened his embrace, the desire and frustration of longing released through every pore and follicle. She responded with equal passion, tasting the feel of his lips with the tip of her tongue, feeling every breath, every shudder, as a manifestation of sincere love, the kind one only finds once in a lifetime.

When they stopped, both were breathing hard. Killian took his hand to her face and whispered, "Emma..." the only word he could articulate.

She fell into his embrace, leaning into his chest and hiding her face in the safe warmth of his neck. Eyes closed, he cradled her there, wishing, hoping to be frozen in time forever that way.

"It was a surprise for me too..." She whispered.

That finally broke his stoic spell as he laughed, his hand in her golden hair. "However did you manage to know?"

"Henry."

"Henry?" He sneered.

"He said we'd had a lovers' spat." She laughed.

He laughed along with her. "Clever lad."

"It just dawned on me..." She shook her head. "I hated thinking I could be the one hurting you like this. Then I realized I normally wouldn't care, but... I did." She pulled away and looked into his eyes. She just lost herself there.

"Go on..." he teased, his voice slightly squeaky with playfulness. "You know you want to say it..."

She smiled. "I love you too." She licked her lip and frowned, looking to the floor. "Actually, I think I have for quite some time..."

"Ah, well, about bloody time, then."

She held him again as their heartbeats slowly went down and became one. "I did put you through the wringer, didn't I?"

"Aye..." he sighed. "But it was worth it."

"Really?"

"Yes, love. I'd do it all over again for this moment."

She looked at him and kissed him again before sighing. "I do trust you... with my life. You know that, don't you?"

That evoked a tender smile from him. "Thank you, my love." He kissed her again quickly before turning his gaze to the dark, starry sky. "well, I am sure Zelena's on to the fact that her curse was broken and we could very well expect simian incoming, so..." he turned to her, his full flirty, head bobbing old self to her. "What do you say we resume this little soiree elsewhere, my love?" He added a wink to the mix.

She smiled. "How about that, you really DID want to get into my pants!"

"Of course I do, Emma." He smiled. "For the rest of my life, hopefully."

That sounded promising.

"Well, for tonight you'll have to make do with a crammed loft."

He sneered. "And your parents? The boy? The Queen?"

"This isn't our Honeymoon, Killian!" she laughed.

He smiled at her and nodded. "Aye. Not YET."

Teaser... Like she'd really hold out THAT long! Just... not tonight.

Hand in hand, they walked to the bug and headed to the loft, where a contrite David and Mary Margaret were suddenly very surprised to open the door and find their daughter seriously sucking face in the foyer with the rugged, handsome Captain, who turned a single blue eye and broke the kiss for three seconds to smile at them. "A minute, please, mates..." he grinned and reached with his hook to pull the door shut again.

But this time, they all bit their tongues. Mary Margaret grinned and looked at her stunned husband. "Who knew..." she grinned.

"It was only OBVIOUS." Henry chimed again.

"Will you just be a kid, and stop being so damn grown up?" David laughed at his grandson.

Henry looked at his family and shook his head. "You guys have a lot of trust issues..." He resumed his PSP match. "Really, my mom's so easy to read."

Regina smiled and walked to the kitchen. "I think we might need some dinner." She looked at them. "I make a damn good lasagna..."

"I could do with lasagna!" Snow added happily, touching her very bulged tummy. "We both could!"

"Your lasagna?" Henry looked up and actually... ACTUALLY dropped his PSP. "I am SO in!"

David shook his head. "I don't think we have the ingredients for..."

Regina twirled her hand and under a small cloud of purple smoke, suddenly stood the ingredients. "Ye of little faith." She playfully sneered at David. "Besides, I've seen how you and the Captain eat, so I am guessing we can all do with it."

"Not to mention, Emma will be starving after the athletics she's pulling out there..." Snow joked as she joined Regina to help out.

Not two seconds later, Emma stormed in, pulling Killian by the hook. "Anyone say the word Lasagna?" She looked from face to face. "I could eat some lasagna."

"Lasagna?" Killian sneered.

"You'll love it." Emma turned swiftly before releasing his hook and joining in the kitchen efforts.

David walked to him. "It's a dish. Regina's specialty. Very good to the pallet."

Killian looked at him from under thick black brows. "I'll indulge."

David placed a hand on his back. "I am sorry for what happened, man. It's hard..."

The blue eyed pirate sighed and looked at Emma as she buzzed with the other ladies back and forth from the kitchen. "No matter, mate. All is well."

"Yeah, I saw that."

"Sorry you had to watch." He replied with a cheeky grin.

"Actually..." David smiled. "It's not so bad. Besides, you two are a far stronger weapon against that witch together than what you are apart, I mean, look at her; she's glowing!"

Killian rolled his eyes to her. "She was ALWAYS glowing, mate. You just never saw it like I did." He winked at David and pushed past him into the living room, where he sat next to Henry. He and the boy exchanged looks until Henry spoke. "It's cool."

"Come again?"

"You and my mom. I'm cool with that."

Killian smiled and hugged the kid roughly. "That's good mate."

Henry looked at him. "She trusts you, you know. Like she trusts no one else I've ever seen."

Killian felt surprisingly well; he turned his gaze to Emma, who just then managed to look in his direction and smile briefly before returning to chopping up tomatoes. '_Trust needs love and love needs trust_', she thought as she placed them in the blender.

Regina elbowed her. "I told you. You draw power from love. You, my dear, have become the ultimate, unbeatable witch. Nothing can stop you from stopping her now."

Emma sighed and grinned. "I have to thank you for that. You're pretty ruthless, but..." she turned to Regina. "You're one hell of a teacher."

"He's pretty powerful too." Regina winked. "If he managed to stir up all that power in you... He might not be magical, but he makes one pretty damn good energy source."

"Yeah..." Emma smiled in the direction of her son and her new love, who seemed to be enthralled in a conversation over how to use the PSP with one hand. "I trust that he is..."

THE END


End file.

Once Upon a Time, Hurt-Comfort, Romance