“You two really don’t need to do this,” she argued. “I’m fine not being there, really.”

“But it’s also a celebration,” Killian argued, coming around the kitchen island to lean over the couch, “one year ago, we were on the show. Little did I know how much it would change my life.”

She accepted the kiss he gave her with a smile.

“Hey!” Henry admonished. “Remember my rule about the kissing?”

“Never agreed to that rule, kid,” Emma laughed.

“Yeah, well,” Henry told her, “Killian’s gotta help me with this tray.”

“Be right back,” Killian told her with a wink, “get the show queued up, okay?”

Emma searched for the Roku remote on the coffee table, groaning when she looked across the room to find it neatly lined up with the other remotes on a shelf of the built-ins. Killian never seemed to understand why she and Henry got so frustrated with this neat habit of his, no matter how many times they tried to explain that storing the remotes right next to the TV defeated the whole purpose. She got up and walked over to retrieve it, her eyes lingering on the top shelf where the Dancing with the Stars mirror ball trophy sparkled in the light shining through the window. Right next to it sat the Emmy she had won for her choreography to Heart Shaped Box. Emma had argued with Killian about it when the three of them moved into their London flat. It was the first thing he unpacked, and he insisted that this was where it should go. Not only that, he had already pointed it out to every person who walked through the front door, even the guy who delivered their Chinese order a few nights ago. She pretended to be embarrassed, but his pride in her accomplishments honestly took her breath away. He had never even been nominated for an Emmy, and yet he displayed not a shred of insecurity or bitterness for hers, only wholehearted support.

They had made the move to London at the beginning of the summer so Henry could adjust to living in a new country before school started. The movie shoot would be a long one, not wrapping until February, if things stayed on schedule. It would make no sense to pull Henry out of school at that point, so they signed a year’s lease on the flat and threw themselves into making London their new home.

Rehearsals for the movie had started last week, and Emma was glad to have Killian at her side. At the first read-through of the script, she had shaken with nerves. She had worried that the rest of the cast wouldn’t accept her; that they would think she had won her role just because of her relationship with its star. But it turned out that the producers had intentionally gone with a largely unknown cast, except for Killian, and the feeling amongst everyone was largely one of excitement instead of ego and competition.

Emma loved the script, too. She played a naïve girl from a Midwestern town who moves to London to follow the punk band she idolizes. Killian played the equally naïve young man from the English countryside trying to make it as a musician, pining for Emma’s character while she chases her self-absorbed rock idol. It was a completely different role from Captain Hook, and she couldn’t be happier for him.

The theme for Dancing With the Stars was playing on the TV when Killian and Henry came in, the latter carrying a tray laden with popcorn, sodas, and boxes of movie theater candy. Henry set the tray down, and Killian pulled his hand from behind his back with a flourish to produce a bouquet of buttercups and forget-me-nots and presented them to her.

“M’lady,” he told her with a wink.

Emma accepted the bouquet, frowning in concern when his hand shook slightly as she took them. “Are you okay?”

“Of course? Why wouldn’t I be?”

He sat down next to her on the couch, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She didn’t press him despite the telltale scratching behind his ear. Henry plopped down on the floor by the coffee table, but kept glancing back at the two of them. On the TV, the couples had all been introduced, and the judges were being brought out.

“Is it weird to see your brother as a judge?” Killian asked, reaching over for some popcorn.

“A little, but I think he’s going to do a great job,” Emma answered, snatching some popcorn out of Killian’s palm. “Hey, kid, hand me that bowl and the Milk Duds.”

Henry’s eyes grew wide and caught Killian’s as he handed her the bowl. Then he lifted the box of Milk Duds slowly and carefully. Emma narrowed her eyes as her gaze toggled between the two of them.

“What is up with you two . . . “ she trailed off as she accepted the candy. “This is already open! Is there even candy in here?”

She opened the box and peered inside. Something sparkled. Her mouth fell open as she looked first at Killian and then at Henry. Slowly, she tilted the box and shook the contents into her open palm. Instead of Milk Duds, the box contained nothing but a simple, elegant, princess cut diamond ring. Speechless, she looked up to meet Killian’s eyes, which shone with emotion.

“Emma,” he said softly, “I love you. This past year has been the best one of my life. Dancing with you, now making this movie with you, it’s shown me one thing with startling clarity. No matter what comes in our lives, I wish to always, always be by your side.”

Emma blinked and swallowed, but she couldn’t stop the tears from pooling in her eyes. He took the ring gently from her hand. “Emma Swan, would you marry me?”

She nodded, the tears spilling over and making tracks down her cheeks. “Yes!”

Not that there was anything wrong with that, as Killian kept assuring her, he was more than comfortable moving at her pace.

But Emma was frustrated with herself. It had been so long since that incident with her stepfather and she wanted to be over it, she truly did so she didn’t feel like she was holding something back in their relationship. But anytime Killian put his full weight on top of her for an extended period of time she still felt that fear rising out of her, and her flames flickering awake to try and protect her.

She hadn’t burned him again since that one disastrous night, but she didn’t want to risk doing it again.

Killian’s wrist rubbed along her back as he rolled over and leaned into her side, his face buried against the back of her shoulder.

He clearly didn’t want to wake up and see who was at her door either.

The pounding became more insistent. “Emma, Come on, wake up!” She heard David call through the door.

Her and Killian both groaned at the familiar voice. They both probably should have moved faster at getting out of bed though, forgetting that David had a key to her room. The door swung open unexpectedly, causing Killian to bolt upright, lobbing the pillow he had been using in the direction of the door.

David caught it with ease, his eyes widening comedically as he caught sight of a bare-chested Killian in her bed.

“Uhhh, is Emma here?” He asked, sounding completely uncomfortable with the state of things.

She extended her hand out from under the blankets and grunting before dropping her hand back down to the bed. It was too early in Emma’s opinion for this to be happening.

“Are you dressed under there?” He asked, sounding even more uncomfortable than he had previously.

Killian laughed, causing the bed to shake with the force of his laughter.

“Yeah, I am.” She groaned, still not moving.

“Good, because I have some news for you.” He said, “Riggans was fired.”

That got her attention. She bolted upright in bed, shoving her hair out of her face as she fully started waking up.

“What do you mean Riggans was fired?” She asked, disbelief coloring her voice.

“I mean, he was removed from his position as Headmaster of the lower and upper campuses here at Greenwood, pending an investigation into his possible involvement with the attack that happened a few months ago.” David explained.

She looked over at Killian in disbelief. He looked just as shocked as she felt. Emma couldn’t believe that Riggans would have been involved with the organization of the military style attack on their campus that got both her and Killian locked down.

Then again, she had remembered August and Graham commenting about how it was unusual that she was the one who was punished for protecting her campus while Gaston hadn’t been sentenced afterwards besides being sent off campus to a different facility. Not even a more secure facility, one that had less security than the one they were currently attending. That had always struck her and Killian odd whenever they had talked about it.

“Bloody hell.” Killian intoned next to her.

She could tell that he didn’t know how to react to the news either.

David pointed towards the window, “As you can see, not many people are mourning him getting fired.”

She and Killian shared a look before darting off her bed and pushing aside the curtains on her window.

Normally, she had a nice view of the courtyard between all of the high risk buildings. The courtyard was normally pretty quiet as not many students lived this far out on campus and the only traffic was high risk students getting to and from their buildings.

Now it was packed, full of students chanting and cheering and celebrating the loss of the man who had ruled this school with an iron fist for the last two years.

Emma had the strong urge to join them.

But there were more pressing thoughts on her mind.

“Do you know who they have selected to replace him?” She asked, not taking her eyes off the scene in front of her.

“I don’t know him, but they announced that someone named August Clasen would be taking over until they could appoint a new Headmaster. Apparently he used to be the head of security.” David said.

Emma’s knees went a bit weak and she dropped her hand down onto the windowsill while the other went to her chest in shock and relief.

“Emma! Hey, what’s wrong.” Killian asked, his thumb brushing through tears she hadn’t known she was shedding.

“We get to leave, we are going to get to leave.” She said, hope shining in her eyes at the prospect of finally being able to leave this campus for good.

.o.O.o.

One year later.

Emma’s hands were shaking as she walked into the administrative building. She was finally doing this.

Not long after August had taken over as interim headmaster of Greenwood Academy, Edward Riggans, former headmaster, had been found guilty of conspiring to lead an attack against the gifted students at the academy in hopes of eradicating them.

The nail in his coffin had come when they called August onto the stand during his trial, and he had revealed his powers to the court and to Riggans for the first time.

Riggans had blown his lid in response, throwing out all kinds of slander at him and accusing him on manipulating him into doing all of those things that he was being charged for.

The only problem was that August could only read thoughts, not plant them. And the Judge knew that from first hand experience, because he had asked August to apply for the security job after a number of complaints had come in about how students were being treated at Greenwood that an investigation was launched while he was still headmaster.

The Jury sentenced him to life in prison for endangering the life of the minors on the campus and for targeted hate crimes.

Emma had never heard better news in her entire life.

At least, she hoped the news she was going to receive today would be better.

August had been selected as the new Headmaster for the Academy after the trial since no new candidates had applied for the position, and he had said when he took that office that he would listen to any case that came across his desk for a student requesting to live off campus.

Killian had held her when she cried after hearing that, because while Riggans had been headmaster, and the man who had held the office before him, they had both stated that High Risk cases wouldn’t get a hearing. They would get moved to a community that was assigned to them when they outlasted their stay on the upper college campus.

Now Emma, and Killian as well, would get the opportunity to apply to live off campus in the community of their choosing, and if they were lucky, without any of their suppression gear.

Killian had been working hard all year with a new trainer who had been brought in to help him with his abilities. It took August some time, and he called in a personal favor to do it, but he made sure that everyone who didn’t have a trainer before, or who wasn’t getting trained, was getting the care that they needed to become good functioning members of society again.

After a couple of sessions, they had finally figured out what was triggering Killian’s flares when he wasn’t wearing his glove, and had created a plan to help him contain the flare before it created any kind of an issue wherever he was located.

It took a few months, but he was able to tell her three months ago that he finally stopped having flares that he couldn’t control, and was able to use his powers with intent instead of it being a random explosion of darkness from around him.

And last month, she had applied to move the the community just off campus since she was graduating with her fine arts degree.

Killian wasn’t going to be that far behind her, since he was graduating in the fall instead of in the spring. But he had also applied to live off campus with her, pending a final review from the trainers on campus. August was willing to let him finish his last semester off campus, so Emma hoped that would mean good things for her as well.

As she walked up onto the floor where the hearings were held, she headed over to where the secretary was currently typing away at her desk and cleared her throat.

“Emma Swan to see the Housing Review Committee,” she said.

The woman looked up at her and nodded, gesturing to her to sit down in one of the empty chairs.

Emma tapped her hands against her knees restlessly. She was so nervous that her request was going to be denied.

“Emma Swan,”  A gentleman called from the doors.

The 5 other students who appeared to have been waiting before her scowled in her direction as she made her way back, smoothing down the edge of her cardigan nervously.

As she made her way into the room, she saw a table seated in the center of the room facing the committee panel lined up along the far wall. August was sitting in the middle of them, shuffling papers around to find what she presumed was her case file.

The gentleman who had called her back gestured for her to sit down at the table, calling out her name and case file number one more time for the committee .

There was another flurry of activity as everyone moved papers again to double check they had the right case number before they all turned and looked at Emma.

She resisted the urge to shrink down in her chair a bit.

“It’s very nice to see you again Ms. Swan,” August said, still leafing through her file.

“You as well, Sir. I don’t think I ever got to thank you.” She said, folding her hands together in an effort to keep from fidgeting.

“Whatever for child?” He asked, looking up at her surprised.

“For having the mercy to remove my suppression bracelets and the gloves before locking me on ICE two years ago. If it hadn’t been for that kindness, I likely would not be here today.” She said.

“Think nothing of it. Anyone could have seen what was happening to you was unjust.” August said, returning to the files in front of him. “Now, it says here that you want to live in the community just off campus here, without visitor restriction, is that correct?”

Emma nodded at him. She didn’t say that she really wanted to live there without her bracelets, but that would be a request for another time. “Yes, My brother, his wife and daughter would like to come and see me if approved. I haven’t seen my brother in over ten years.”

August’s eyes crinkled behind his glasses.

“Yes, I see. The committee has taken the time this week to review your case and court files, and will be making a ruling today to either deny or accept the request to move off campus to the community.” August started, looking down at her.

She nodded to show that she was following the formal language of the proceeding.

“I move that we accept the request to move one, Ms. Emma Swan, off campus to the Greenwood community, allowing her full visitor privileges and the ability to live without the suppression gear that has been provided to her by this academy.” Emma’s jaw dropped in response. “The committee will review the case in 5 years time to determine if the suppression gear needs to be reinstated or she can begin to assimilate back into normal society while maintaining residence in a community. All in favor, say aye.”

Tears filled Emma’s eyes as one by one the committee members voted to live off campus without her bracelets. As the last committee member cast his vote, August turned his smiling eyes on her.

“Congratulations Ms. Swan, the committee has moved to approve your request. You will be assigned a housing location by the end of the week and will have a months time after the end of the spring term to move in. Case closed.” He said, hitting his gavel once on the desk.

Emma walked back to her dorm where Killian and the rest of her friends were waiting in a daze.

She was going to be free.

.o.O.o.

Killian groaned as his alarm clock went off. He rolled over and hit the offending device a few times before finally getting it to quiet.

Rolling back over, he reached his hand across the bed towards where Emma should have been laying, only to encounter empty sheets instead. He could hear the sound of the shower running in the other room.

Killian sighed. He knew Emma would be stressed out today, it was understandable considering the circumstances, but he had at least hoped that she would have gotten at least some sleep before she got up in the morning.

She had been turning over and fidgeting restlessly next to him for a good portion of the night, until he had reached over and pulled her body into his, tucking her back against his chest. He had hoped that stilling her movements and feeling the heat of his body would at least relax her enough to allow her to sleep, but it seemed like he was the only one who got some peaceful sleep out of the arrangement.

Pushing his hand through his hair to try and straighten it a bit, he pushed himself up and out of bed. Killian grabbed a shirt from off the floor and shrugged it on as he made his way downstairs towards the kitchen.

He thought it was the least he could do to make them breakfast.

Killian grabbed a box of pancake mix from the cabinet and set to work, grabbing the eggs and milk from the fridge. On a whim, he also grabbed the cinnamon from the cabinet as well, throwing a dash into the mix before whisking it all together.

Emma came pounding down the stairs just as he began to  pour the first batch out onto the skillet.

“Morning Love,” He said, turning to look over his shoulder at her.

She gave him a half smile in return as she continued to rub a towel through her damp hair.

“Do I smell pancakes?” She asked.

“Of course, with a secret ingredient thrown in for good measure as well.” Killian said, flipping the first pair over.

“Color me intrigued.” Emma replied, leaning next to the counter next to him. She was distractingly clad in his black robe, and nothing else from the looks of it, and it took all of his focus to make sure he didn’t burn the pancakes.

He flipped the finished product out onto a plate, turning to pass it to her. Emma surprised him by wrapping her hand around the nape of his neck and pulling his lips down to hers, kissing him soundly.

He grunted, wrapping his left arm around her and pulling her as close as the plate between them would allow.

He broke away first, not wanting to get overly carried away. “What was that for Love?”

“Can’t I thank my boyfriend for making us pancakes?” She asked with a smirk on her lips.

“Of course, whatever was I thinking.” He replied sarcastically, even though he knew it was more than that in the kiss. She was still nervous. “Sit down and enjoy your breakfast Swan, I’ll join you shortly.”

Emma nodded, turning and sitting down at the kitchen table.

Once Killian finished the pancakes, he joined her at the table to eat. She still said little, pushing the pancakes around on her plate and not really eating them.

Killian sighed quietly and reached his hand over, stilling her fingers where they were tapping on the table top. “It will be fine Emma. I’m going to go up and shower.” He said, squeezing her fingers and leaning over the table to press his lips to hers, a chaste comparison to the kiss over pancakes earlier.

~~~~

Emma watched as Killian made his way up the stairs towards their shared room and sighed. She knew she was worrying him, but she couldn’t seem to relax. She hadn’t seen Sean since he was 16, and so much had changed in the last 11 years.

She also didn’t know what he thought of her and her powers, which made the fact that he was coming over for his first visit today the more nerve-wracking for her. For all she knew, their mother had changed his views of her over the last 11 years, which would make this all the worse.

But he agreed to meet, so that was at least something.

She pushed the rest of her half eaten breakfast into the trash and left the plate in the sink for them to clean later.

Heading up stairs, she began shifting through her dresser and half of the closet for something to wear. What did you wear to meet with a brother you hadn’t seen in 11 years? Not that, she thought as she passed on one of her short, red dresses in the back of the closet.

Finally, after a lot of indecision, she settled on a comfortable pair of jeans and a light sweater. She heard the shower shut off as she finished dressing, and she smiled softly as she heard him humming a song.

She was just as proud and excited as he was when he found out that his trainers had approved his request to be off campus for the remainder of his time at Greenwood. He still had to wear his glove, he wasn’t that in control of his powers yet, but that didn’t take anything away from the day they both found out. And it was a no brainer that Emma asked him to move in with her as well.

A good choice, she though as he stepped out of the bathroom, a towel slung low across his hips and his hand raised to towel off his hair.

They still hadn’t taken that last step, but Emma was certain it would be happening soon. She was finally reaching that point where sexual contact wasn’t sending her into a panic attack, but it wasn’t entirely comfortable either. Her therapist, who she had started seeing to try and help things out, because she had a serious case of PTSD when it came to this even in her childhood, said that it would take time. And Emma was happy with the way things were coming along, it made her feel like maybe there wasn’t something wrong with her.

Killian walked over to her and pushed her still wet hair back from her face, “Feeling better Love?” He asked, kissing her briefly on the lips.

“Surprisingly, yeah,” She replied, standing up. “But you should get dressed, Sean is supposed to be here soon.”

She kissed him once more for good measure, and then moved around him out of the room.

Only, once she was away from him and by herself again in the main room, her nerves came back ten fold.

A loud knock on the door forced her out of her thoughts.

Killian came bounding down the stairs, fully dressed if barefoot, and moved to get the door for her.

The sun shown through the open door, obscuring the features of the person at the door.

A throat cleared. “Uh, does Emma Swan live here?” A deep voice asked.

“Yeah, come on in. Name’s Killian by the way. I’m Emma’s boyfriend.” Killian stepped back and let the gentleman in.

“Sean, Though you probably already know that.” The voice held a faint trace of a smile.

Killian’s response was lost to her as she took in the figure in front of her.

The face wasn’t that different, though he had shed the last of the teenage softness and grown into the gangly shoulders. Sean stopped short, mouth open in what would have been a response to Killian when he caught sight of her. Tears welled in her eyes.

“Emma?” He asked, of course she would have looked different to him.

She nodded her head, “Hi.”

Tear welled up in his eyes as well and he moved suddenly, pulling her into a crushing hug.

Her arms went around him and gripped him just as hard, both of them shaking with built up emotion.

“I missed you so much Bug.” He said, gripping her tighter.

“I missed you too.” She said.

Finally, everything in her life was perfect. And she could begin to leave behind the horrible things that happened to her at Greenwood for good.

Emma sighed, “You know that’s acting, right? It’s part of my job. And his.”

Henry’s brow creased in confusion the way it always did when she tried to explain this aspect of performing. “Yeah, you’ve said that before, but . . . “

“Hey,” Emma said, crouching down to kneel by the bed, “you don’t have to worry about me dating. You come first, kiddo, always.”

Henry nodded. “I know. But if you wanted to go on a date, it would be okay with me.”

Emma tilted her head. “You want me to go out with Killian?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that,” Henry said, picking at a tear in the binding of his book, “I mean I like him and all, it’s just . . . you having a boyfriend or whatever will be weird to get used to.”

“Whoa, hold up, who said anything about a boyfriend?” Emma asked, raising both hands in the air.

“You know what I mean,” Henry laughed and rolled his eyes. He looked so much like her in that moment, it was uncanny. “Just don’t kiss in front of me. Or on tv again. I think I’m scarred for life.”

It was Emma’s turn to roll her eyes as she stood up and straightened out his blanket. By the time she made it to the door, he was already engrossed in his book again. As she gently closed the door, she heard her cell phone ringing and dashed to retrieve it from where it sat charging on the kitchen counter. Killian’s name was on the screen.

“Hey,” she said as she answered, a smile filling her face. Killian calling or texting just to chat had become fairly common since that night on his yacht, and she couldn’t deny that seeing his name pop up always brightened her mood.

“Emma,” he replied, and she could tell immediately from his tone that it wasn’t a mere social call, “I wanted you to know that Belle’s staying here at my place tonight. We tried to take precautions, but I didn’t want you waking up tomorrow and seeing something in the tabloids.”

Emma was touched that he had considered her feelings and was trying to be upfront, but she was more concerned about her friend’s safety. “Is Belle okay?”

Killian let out a shaky breath. “Gold came to her house.”

“Oh my God,” Emma breathed out as she sank down to the arm of her love seat. Across the room, Elsa sat up from the couch, her eyes wide with concern.

“She wasn’t home, thank God,” Killian replied, “but her neighbor saw him poking around the property, peeking in windows and everything. They knew about the restraining order, so they called the cops.”

“Please tell me they threw his ass in jail.”

Elsa started whispering a million questions, and Emma waved at her to wait.

“Not yet. He was gone by the time they got there, and he wasn’t at his penthouse either. Belle was freaked out, obviously, so I told her she could stay here. My place is gated with a state of the art security system,” he paused. “Are you okay with it?”

She couldn’t believe he was even considering her feelings in the matter. After all, it wasn’t like they were seeing each other. Nevertheless, the gesture and his honesty was incredibly sweet.

“Of course it’s okay,” she told him. She gnawed her lip for a moment before adding, “You’re a good man, Killian Jones.”

He chuckled, and she could imagine him scratching behind his ear and ducking his head. “Don’t know about that, but it would be a poor friend indeed who didn’t offer help to the lass.”

Emma heard a voice in the background that she assumed was Belle’s. It sounded as if Killian were turning away from the phone to talk to her, then he came back on the line. “Belle wants to talk to you.”

There was a shuffling as the phone changed hands. “Hi, Emma,” Belle said, “I feel awful about all of this. You were right, I should never have tried talking to him. He showed up at my house because I told him to stop texting me, I know it.”

“Don’t you dare apologize, Belle, none of this is your fault. You tried to see the good in someone. No one can fault you for that.”

“Thanks,” she said with a sigh, “though I have my doubts about that. Killian called Regina, and she says that the finale can’t be filmed out at The Grove anymore.”

“Again, that’s because of Gold, not you,” Emma insisted. “They have to make sure everyone is safe, fans included. The finale will be just as nice in the studio.”

“Despite Gold, I have made so many friends doing this show. You, Killian, Jefferson –“

“Liam,” Emma teased, and Belle laughed.

“Yes, him too. Killian says his flight comes in Saturday so that –“ Killian’s voice interrupted the conversation in the background, and Emma heard Belle say, “he doesn’t have to do that!” Then she came back on with Emma. “Correction, he changed his flight to tomorrow. He’s worried about me, apparently.”

“Well, that’s the Jones brothers for you, I guess,” Emma chuckled.

Belle’s voice lowered, “You’re right about that. So when will you snag one for yourself?”

“Belle!”

She laughed at Emma’s indignant reaction. By that point, Elsa was about to burst a blood vessel begging to know what was going on, so Emma quickly ended the call. She filled her sister in on everything, including the cancelling of the outdoor venue for the finale.

“That’s a shame,” Elsa sighed, “but safety has to come first.”

“That’s what I told Belle,” Emma agreed. She tilted her head at her sister. “Speaking of the finale, are you and Graham prepared to dance on the show again now that your relationship has gone public?” The finale always featured favorite dances from all the couples, and Elsa and Graham would be dancing their “Human” routine again from the most memorable year week.

“Oh sure,” Elsa replied breezily, a mischievous light gleaming in her blue eyes, “we might even add a kiss to the end of the routine this time around.”

Emma tossed a throw pillow at her sister’s head as Elsa dissolved into giggles. Apparently, no one, not even her family, would let Emma live down that spontaneous kiss.

********************************************************

“Are you ready?” Emma asked Killian, feeling strangely shy. She gnawed on her bottom lip as she grasped the door knob to the rehearsal studio.

Killian swallowed hard and nodded, for once speechless. Emma nodded back and slowly opened the door. She had never made it this far in the competition, so this particular tradition of the show was new to her. The effect took her breath away. She turned in a circle, her hands at her lips and her eyes blinking back tears as she took in the gorgeous photographs lining the walls; one for each of their dances throughout the season. Killian came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

“It’s a bit overwhelming,” he said softly.

“Yeah,” Emma whispered as she crossed the room to the photograph of the two of them in their samba that very first week. They were smiling at one another, and Killian’s hands rested at her hips, the fringe of her dress frozen mid-shimmy. Emma cocked her head as she looked at her smiling face. That week, it had been fake. Now, the smiles that filled her face when dancing with Killian were real. She sighed and swallowed down the sadness that welled up inside of her.

“Remember this one?” Killian said from the other side of the room.

She turned and smiled at the picture he was pointing at. They were dressed in their nerdy outfits with those black-rimmed glasses perched on their noses for their jive to Sk8er Boi. Emma was crooking her finger to get his attention, and Killian’s face held an exaggerated expression of shock. She giggled remembering how much fun that jive was.

“I think that was a turning point for me,” Killian told her. He pulled her to him in a side embrace. “Thank you, for everything.”

“I’ll miss you,” she told him honestly, not caring that their conversation was being filmed.

He embraced her and kissed the top of her head. “And I you. Not a day will go by that I won’t think of you, Swan.”

Emma chuckled and gave him a playful shove. “Good.” Her gaze rested on a photograph of a romantic embrace from filming just two days ago. The intimacy displayed there was almost too much, so she quickly averted her eyes. “So,” she said, clearing her throat, “ready to do that Nirvana dance again?”

“Absolutely. It’s my favorite, you know.”

She smiled and laced their fingers together. “Then let’s get to work, partner.”

******************************************************

Emma’s only experiences with finales on Dancing with the Stars was in the troupe. It was a completely different experience dancing it as one of the finalists. She had expected it to be emotional and nerve-wracking, but instead it all went by in a blur. She and Killian barely had a moment alone, rushed from a group routine, to their Nirvana routine, to another group routine, then to the balcony for multiple interviews. Emma also had to dance a group routine with all six female pros, and a duet with her brother for a performance by a guest pop star.

Killian tried on multiple occasions to pull her aside for a private conversation, but there honestly wasn’t enough time to spare. And maybe, in a tiny way, Emma was avoiding the inevitable goodbye, or trying to make it easier on herself. Expressing emotions off the dance floor had never been her strength, after all.

It was ridiculous in a way that the finale was two hours long. The only thing anyone really cared about was the announcement of the winner. Of course, that moment was dragged out until the final five minutes of air time. Only then were the final three couples lined up on the dance floor: Aurora and Sean, Belle and Jefferson, and Emma and Killian.

“The third place couple,” Marco announced, pausing an inordinate amount of time, “is . . . Aurora Briar and Sean Herman!”

There was polite clapping as Aurora and Sean hugged the other four competitors. Aurora didn’t seem too disappointed as she rushed to embrace her brand new fiancé. The lights dimmed further, the spotlights intensifying on the final two couples. Killian tightened his hold on her waist and pressed his cheek to the top of her head.

“I want to win this,” he whispered, “but not for me, Emma, for you.”

She squeezed his hand, her throat too dry to answer.

“And the winner,” Marco announced, “of this season of Dancing with the Stars . . . winner of the coveted mirror ball . . . is . . . “

Emma refrained from rolling her eyes at the ridiculous way they were dragging things out. She felt her heart might burst out of her chest from the anticipation.

“ . . . Killian Jones and Emma Swan!”

Emma had never been a fainting type of woman, but in that moment, her knees threatened to buckle beneath her. Killian practically caught her in his embrace as a confetti cannon blasted glittery pieces of paper all around them. The entire cast burst onto the dance floor, and Emma couldn’t tell who was hugging her. David and Graham hoisted Killian into the air on their shoulders, and Jefferson handed him the mirror ball trophy. Killian lifted it in triumph above his head. Then he patted David’s shoulder, gesturing to Emma. David put him down, and Killian rushed to her. She was afraid for a moment that he was going to grab her and kiss her. Not that she wouldn’t have enjoyed it, but they couldn’t have blamed such a display of affection on acting or choreography.

He didn’t kiss her. Instead, he bowed dramatically, presenting the trophy to her as if she were a princess on a throne high above him. She took it but shook her head at him. His eyes locked with hers, and he seemed to understand her meaning. He reached out and grasped the heavy trophy as well, and together they hoisted it into the air above both their heads. The meaning was clear; they had won this together.

************************************************************

Emma stood before the mirror in her trailer attempting to comb the hairspray out of her curls. She then smoothed out the stiff strands and twisted them into a messy braid. She then slipped into a navy blue wrap sundress and strappy white sandals. The media was always lurking around the lot after the finale for interviews, and she didn’t want to look like a mess in front of the cameras. She was just about to grab her dance bag and keys when a knock sounded at her trailer door. When she opened it, Killian was standing at the bottom of the steps looking up at her. His eyes brightened and a smile graced his face at the sight of her.

“You look lovely, Swan.”

She shrugged. “I know.”

They both laughed, a touch of nervousness in both their voices.

“You slipped out without saying goodbye,” he told her.

She glanced down and began to fiddle with the sash at her waist. “I’m not really a tearful goodbye person.”

“Well that’s kind of why I stopped by. You see, it’s not that big of a goodbye.”

Emma’s head snapped up to meet his gaze. “It’s not?”

He inclined his head. “May I come in?”

“Um . . . sure,” she said, stepping back to let him through the door.

The entire season, he had never been inside her trailer. It seemed odd now to see him in the small space. He picked up a photo of her and Elsa backstage last season, then one of her and David at their first ballroom competition when they were 13. He smiled fondly at both then turned to her with his hands in his pockets.

“I just told Regina that I’ll do the tour after all.”

Emma’s eyes widened as she took a step towards him. There was always a six week tour following the close of each season, but Killian’s contract had specified that he would be unavailable because of Neverland’s shooting schedule.

“How did you manage that?” she asked him.

“Well, the tour starts a couple of days after New Years’ and goes to mid-February. Filming for Neverland starts on January 31st, so I’ll just be suffering from serious jet lag for two weeks in February.” He quirked a brow at her. “I mean, I just won the show. Ticket sales will suffer if I don’t go, right?”

Emma tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s all it is? What’s best for the show?”

He didn’t shy away from her gaze. “You know it’s more than that, Emma.”

She shook her head. “It won’t change anything. Neverland ends, then you’re expected in London.”

“We could make it work,” he replied softly. He reached out with one hand to fiddle with the end of her braid.

She stepped back. “With an entire country and an ocean between us? It’ll only end in heartbreak.”

He nodded, his shoulders slumping. “Then I’ll cherish those six weeks all the more.” Then he slipped silently past her, pausing when he got to the door. “My flight for London leaves tonight, remember?”

“I know.”

Emma turned away as he closed the door. She collapsed onto the sofa behind her after he left, her emotions leaving her slightly dazed. She rubbed her forehead wearily as she tried to process what he had just told her. They had six more weeks together. Dancing together almost every night, sharing tight quarters on a tour bus. She thought of the men she sometimes took back to her hotel room in some of the cities they stopped in. And now Killian Jones might be across the hall. She thought of the sexual tension always buzzing between them and began to massage her neck as her throat tightened. The whole thing was a bad idea in every possible way.

She jumped as another knock sounded at her door. She marched angrily across the trailer and yanked it open. “Killian, I’ve said all I need to-“ she stopped abruptly when she saw the woman standing there. “Oh . . . Mom! I thought you were someone else.”

Ingrid chuckled. “Obviously.”

Blushing, Emma waved her in, accepting her offered hug.

“Oh, honey,” Ingrid said, squeezing her tight, “I am so proud of you! You saw me in the audience, right?”

“Of course I did,” Emma replied, grinning as she pulled away from her embrace.

“Anna wanted to come, too, but with everyone heading out to the ski lodge this week, she was nervous about leaving Kristoff alone with the boys. Hosting Thanksgiving this year has her a little frazzled, truth be told.” Ingrid settled to the sofa as she spoke, pulling Emma down with her.

“I understand,” Emma said, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture. “We’ll all see her in a couple of days anyway.”

“So,” Ingrid said, squeezing her hand, “what was that outburst just now directed at your handsome partner?”

Emma rose from her seat, turning her head to hide her blush. “Oh, nothing. He’s just decided to do the tour, that’s all. He was excited to tell me I guess.”

She bit her lip as she pretended to busy herself tossing makeup and face creams into her cosmetic bag. She heard Ingrid make a suspicious humming sound, but she said nothing more about Killian and instead changed the subject.

“I’m also here to talk with you in a professional capacity.”

Emma turned to her mother with brows arched in surprise. “Professional capacity?”

Ingrid patted the sofa next to her. “You really need to find someone else to manage your career, sweetheart. David and Elsa have.”

Emma shook her head as she sat back down next to the woman who had changed her life. For the better. “No way. You help with more than contracts and auditions. You move to LA for six weeks every winter to stay with Henry while I go on tour. Then you entertain him in Colorado every summer for another six weeks. What would I do without you?”

“Oh, my sweet girl,” Ingrid told her softly, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead, “that’s called being a mother and a grandmother. I would do those things even if you got a different agent. Surely you know that?”

Emma softened at her tenderness, sagging against the back of the sofa. “I know. I guess I could start looking for an agent here in LA.”

“Especially if you plan on having a movie career,” Ingrid said with an eager grin.

Emma tilted her head in confusion. “A movie career?”

“That’s the exciting news!” Ingrid squeezed her hands. “A movie producer has been watching you dance this season. He liked what he saw so much, he looked into your time on Broadway. He wants you for the lead in a movie musical he’s producing. They’d like you to fly out to London as soon as you can to talk it over with them. I asked if there would be a screen test with the male lead, but he seemed to find that funny for some reason. They won’t tell me who the actor is, something about confidentiality.”

Suddenly, the room felt like it was spinning, and the blood pounded in Emma’s head. “I know who he is.”

“What, honey?”

Emma surged up from the sofa, her fists clenched tightly. “It’s Killian. The actor in the musical. It’s Killian.”

Ingrid’s face creased with concern at her reaction. “Is that a problem?” she asked as she rose to stand. She reached for Emma’s hands, but Emma turned away.

“I – I have to go.” Emma snatched her bag and keys and left, slamming her trailer door behind her.

**********************************************************

Even though Emma knew where Killian lived, she had never gone to his house until now. It wasn’t what she had been expecting. It was a modest sized two story stucco on a steep street up in the hills. Though there was a gate, the house wasn’t all that far from the road. It was a nice house in a pretty neighborhood, but it wasn’t ostentatious. She would never have guessed that it belonged to a celebrity.

The gate stood open because a team of landscapers were trimming the hedges along the drive. Emma pulled up and saw Killian’s garage open. Then Killian came outside laden down with bags for his trip to London. When he saw her, he instantly dropped them, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Emma?” he asked tentatively as she got out of the car.

She slammed the door shut and marched angrily across the concrete drive. When she reached him, she didn’t hesitate. She lifted her hand and slapped him hard across the cheek. His face whipped to the side with the impact, and he blinked in shock.

“What the bloody hell?”

“How dare you?” Emma seethed. “What do you think gives you the right to meddle in my life that way?”

Killian’s eyes darted over her shoulder, and he put a trembling hand out and put it over her shoulder. Emma tried to shrug him off, but he stubbornly steered her towards the door.

“Let’s take this away from prying eyes, shall we?” he said calmly. He hit the button to close the garage door as he led her inside.

The room he led her into was an immaculately clean kitchen, worthy of a chef, but in her blind anger, Emma barely paused to appreciate it. Instead she slapped her palm down on the marble-topped island, shooting daggers at him with her eyes.

“Away from prying eyes, huh? Don’t want to risk the precious reputation you used me to build.”

Killian lifted both hands in a hesitant gesture. “I’m thinking of your reputation too, Swan. Now, care to explain what I did to earn your ire?”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Please, don’t act as if you don’t know! And all this time I believed your lines about not wanting to pressure me for more than I was ready to give. But that’s all they were – lines delivered by a pretty actor.”

Killian physically recoiled from her words. “Where is this coming from? You were fine when I left the lot.”

Emma marched right into his personal space, poking her finger into his chest. “What was your plan, huh? Manipulate my life so that I’m forced to be around you, and then what? You assumed I’d eventually just fall into bed with you?”

Killian’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry, Emma. I didn’t think of it that way.” He lifted tortured eyes to hers. “I swear to you Emma, all I could think of was spending just six more weeks in your presence. But I see now how it looks from your point of view. I’ll talk to Regina. If it makes you uncomfortable to have me on the tour, I won’t do it.”

It was Emma’s turn to blink. She shook her head, his words not computing. “I’m not talking about the tour. I’m talking about the movie!”

“What movie?”

In that moment, Emma could hear every tiny noise in the kitchen: the hum of the refrigerator, the air conditioner kicking on. And Killian’s confused and dumbfounded expression stood out in high definition. Yes, he was an actor, but in that moment, Emma realized something with startling clarity. She could read him. She knew his every expression, every tell, every nervous tick. Over all these months of dancing together, she knew him in a way she had never known anyone else.

“You didn’t know?” she whispered.

“Know what?” he said it on an exasperated sigh. He didn’t know. She choked out a sound between a laugh and a cry. “Swan?” he asked, voice edged with a hint of concern.

She lunged at him then, grasping his face in her hands and covering his mouth with hers. She backed him up against the cabinet behind him, her arms wrapping around him and her hands clutching at the fabric of the back of his shirt. He kissed her back, and their kisses were the frantic, devouring kind. He spun her around and grabbed the top of her thighs, hoisting her up on the kitchen island. His hands were roaming too, cupping her breasts and sliding up the inside of her thighs, hitching her dress up past her hips. His lips trailed across her jaw and down her neck.

“This marble,” Emma panted, “isn’t very comfortable.”

He hoisted her up again and carried her easily across the room. Emma wrapped her legs around his waist, fusing her lips to his again. She let out a yelp followed by a giggle when he deposited her on a sofa, her legs almost flying up in the air. He dove after her, swallowing her laughter with more kisses.

“What about your flight?” she gasped.

“There will be others,” he muttered against her collarbone, clearly not caring in the least.

“What . . . about . . . Liam?” she asked between kisses.

“Out somewhere with Belle. Who cares?”

“What if,” Emma started to ask, then was momentarily distracted by more deep kisses, “they walk in on this?”

Killian pulled back, looking adorably wrecked with flushed cheeks, swollen lips, and hair mussed. He grinned down at her, then scooped her up without warning bridal style. Emma squealed as she braced her arms around his neck.

“That can be remedied,” he told her, then carried her up a nearby staircase.

The time it took for him to carry her upstairs and to his bedroom gave them both time to calm down from the frenzy they had just been consumed with. Killian had intensity in his eyes as he lowered her to his bed. He stroked her face tenderly as he lay down beside her.

“Emma,” he asked her gently, “what are we doing?”

She reached up and ran her hand along his jaw, relishing the feel of his scruff beneath her palm. “Isn’t it obvious?”

He bent and brushed his nose with hers. “I don’t want this to just be sex and then have you tell me afterwards that it’s a one time thing.” He took a deep breath and released it before he spoke again. “I love you, Emma Swan.”

She ran her thumb across his lips, “I know,” she whispered back. She had known it for a while, she realized. But she knew something else too. “And I love you.”

His face filled up with a radiant smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. He kissed her again, but this time it was slow and tender; passionate but unhurried. His hands were the same, caressing her body with something close to reverence. She arched into his touch as his hand slid up her inner thigh and his lips made a slow, languid path down to the dip between her breasts.

Emma had never really thought about it before, but she had very little experience with foreplay. It was more intimate than she was comfortable with for a one night stand. As for Neal, well, her sexual encounters with him had always been about his desires and wants, not hers. Now, as Killian slowly undressed her and explored her body like someone seeking a precious treasure, she was almost overwhelmed by the assault on her senses and emotions. He had her writhing as he kissed a path down the length of her body, pausing teasingly just below her belly button.

“Killian,” she whimpered, digging her fingers into his hair.

He didn’t make her beg, but continued his path, and when he caused her to come the first time, it was almost frightening in its intensity. He did have her begging then, yanking on his hair. He practically smirked as he hovered over her, but his expression turned to surprise when Emma pushed and rolled him onto his back without warning. Straddling him, she pinned his arms over his head.

“I’ve been fantasizing about this for over two weeks now,” she told him with a smirk of her own.

He grinned up at her salaciously. “Aye, love, me too.”

******************************************************

Emma lay drowsily against Killian’s chest, absentmindedly running her fingers through his chest hair. His fingers played idly with her hair. She turned and buried her face into his chest, taking a deep breath of his scent. She wasn’t sure when it had become such a comforting aroma. His arms tightened around her and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“What are you thinking?” he whispered.

She craned her neck up to look at him and smiled. “Just that I’m happy.”

He grinned back as he arched a brow at her. “Are you sure about that? Since you slapped me when you first got here, I’m assuming this isn’t how you thought this would go.”

Emma laughed, then groaned as she buried her face in his chest again. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

He placed a finger beneath her chin and tilted her face up towards his again. “Now, what’s this movie you were talking about?”

Emma bit her lower lip as it suddenly occurred to her that maybe they should have discussed all of this before falling into bed. What if he didn’t want her tagging along to London? What if it was too much too soon for him?

“Believe it or not . . . it’s the same movie you’re doing.”

A huge grin split his face, making him look like a big kid. “Really?”

Emma nodded and sat up, bunching the bedsheet at her chest. “The female lead, actually?”

She studied his face nervously, but she shouldn’t have worried. Instead of saying anything, he grabbed her and kissed her.

“This is fantastic, Emma! It’s . . . perfect! I told you everything would work out.”

Emma shook her head. “Slow down, okay? They may change their mind about casting me once they meet me.”

He shook his head vehemently. “No way, Swan, they’ll love you.”

Emma turned her face away, nervously tracing the trim on the edge of the sheet. “What if it’s more than I can handle? What if I just can’t do it?”

Killian shifted close, brushing her hair from her bare shoulder and pressing a kiss there. When he spoke, it was against her skin, “Nonsense, Swan. I have yet to see you fail.”

She turned her face to gaze into his, overwhelmed at the utter faith he had in her. She let the sheet fall from her grasp and hauled him in for a passionate kiss, pulling him down onto the bed on top of her.

“When I change my ticket,” he told her in between kisses, “I’m thinking I’ll get three.”

Emma paused. “Three?”

“You,” Killian explained, kissing her nose, “me,” he added, kissing her cheek, “and Henry.”

Emma laughed against his lips as they drifted over hers. “You’re forgetting one thing, Brit. There’s this little American holiday on Thursday called Thanksgiving.”

“Oh, right,” he said with a frown, “the turkey day thing where you watch that atrocity called American football.”

“Hey,” Emma said with mock defensiveness, “I have you know I’m a huge Patriots fan.”

Killian’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You are?”

Emma laughed, “No, I’m kidding.” She fiddled with his hair and studied him as nervous butterflies skittered around in her stomach. “You could change your flight to Colorado instead. Come with us for our Swan family Thanksgiving at Anna and Kristoff’s place. I mean, I know it’s asking a lot. You’d have to change your meetings and all –“

“I accept.”

Emma blinked. “You’re sure?”

He smiled teasingly. “I’m a Brit, remember? It’s not as if I’ve got plans that day. And as for meeting with the producers, well, I’ll just explain that I want to wait for my leading lady to join me.”

Her own smile threatened to split her face now as she pulled him in for another kiss. Afterwards, she pressed her forehead to his. “This seems to be getting into serious territory kind of fast, though, doesn’t it?”

“Yes,” he admitted, rolling to his side to face her. He reached out to trace the apple of her cheek with his fingertips. “But it feels right, too, don’t you think?”

Emma scooted closer to fit herself into that spot beneath his chin, pressed against his chest, that spot that felt made just for her. “It does feel right. Like all my broken pieces fit perfectly into yours.”

**************************************************