#future cs

For years she’d been trying to wake up before him and, save for a few emergencies in the night when they were both roused from sleep unexpectedly, it had never happened. Somehow her pirate was simultaneously a night owl and an early bird, and more than that his biological clock was perfectly attuned to hers. If she woke up at 6, he woke up at 5:59, but after years of thinking that maybe she’d wake first, it was just a fact of life that this was a game she’d never win.

“I think it highly unlikely, my love. But I have some good news for you.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked holding back a contented sigh that threatened to slip when he grinned in that sexy as sin way of his as his eyes cast over her with nothing but the truest appreciation.

“Aye. The good news is for once we have time. It’s early, too early for the kids to be up, and you know what that means.”

Emma noticed the clock on the bedside table read 5:30, meaning Killian was right. Even at Christmas her kids never woke before 7. Young as they were, Hope and Liam were good sleepers and that was fantastic because both of them needed a tremendous amount of rest to get them through a normal day. It was all thanks to Killian of course, the master of regimen and routine. Apparently that came from his time on the high seas. Emma didn’t really know the particulars, all she knew was that she loved it, and in moments like this, where her husband was looking at her with seductive, sultry eyes, she was eternally grateful. Still, she had to tease him, if only to get the response her sass always brought out in him.

“Do I?” She asked, feigning a yawn. “Because I’m thinking it means I can catch some more Zzz’s...”

With a movement so quick it was almost superhuman, Killian came above her, putting her on her back and sending the anticipation in her belly spiraling even higher. The need and want she felt with him was palpable, pulsing through her with the quickened haste of her beating heart, and he’d barely even touched her. The second he did, she was gone, all rational thought flying from her head, and Killian knew it too. She could taste it in his kiss and feel his satisfaction crackling in the air around them. He toyed with her, riling her up with his hand and his mouth, nipping and sucking and caressing each place that she desperately wanted him to. It was the sweetest of tortures, one that went on for so long, until Emma was writing beneath him and desperately trying to turn the tables. Two could play at this game, but damn, in the end, Killian just played it so much better.

“You knew what would happen the moment you called this into question, didn’t you?” Killian ground out, his voice hoarse from her own attempts at pushing his limits. Still he was too strong for her. His willpower was unchecked, and no matter what she did, he wouldn’t give in until he was ready to do so. He had a rule, he never came before she did, and his constant fidelity to that rule filled her with lust and love in equal spades. On the one hand it was the sweetest most selfless thing, but on the other hand it was dominant and confident and irresistible.

“Maybe,” she hedged. His mouth nipped down her body, trailing from her breasts down the swell of her belly, which had just begun to show signs of their little one on the way, but as he slowed down his tempo, showing he wanted more from her, she changed her answer. “Yes I knew.”

“And yet you did it anyway,” he acknowledged, a mirthful delight etched in the gravel of his voice. “Because you wanted me like this, barely hanging on but never letting you go.”

“Yes,” she said, and as his grip on her thigh tightened, she clenched in desire. 

Damn! She was so freaking needy, but she didn’t care, all Emma wanted was him and the completion he always brought her. She pleaded with him to give it to her, but the plea fell apart before it could even take form as Killian kissed her sex with a mastery that transcended all reason. No one man should be capable of such a wickedly wonderful thing. It was a revelation every time, even if they’d shared this a million times before, but he kept her so dizzy with pleasure. He gave and he gave and he gave until she lost count of how many times she broke apart. She was satisfied but hardly sated and finally she had to do something, resorting to a play that she only ever used when she was at her wits end.

With a flick of her wrist she summoned her magic, using it for her own personal gain and switching their positions so he was laying back on the bed and she was right above him. Before he could protest, she took him in to the hilt, making them both groan just a little too loudly. Thank God she had the sense to put the barrier spell in place years ago, so no one outside this room could hear anything.

“Fuck, Emma!” Killian cursed and Emma smiled despite herself. He liked to call her his siren all the time, heaping praise on her and how she tormented him with her beauty and her mind, but these were the moments where she felt that power the most. Seeing Killian straining for more, tossed over the edge of his carefully crafted control, and craving her with a wanton abandon made Emma feel like she could do anything, anything at all.

“That’s the plan, love.”

Her attempt at recreating his accent was never without flaw, but hell if she cared as Killian met her thrust for thrust, helping her arch to that place where every time he filled her he hit that perfect spot. She felt consumed with fire and filled with light, her eyes closed as she reveled in the sensation, and then she heard Killian’s voice again, telling her to come and she did instantly, feeling that perfect rightness that came when the two of them caught that crashing high together.

In the aftermath Emma took a while to catch her breath, but she felt totally at peace in the warmth of Killian’s arms. He held her close, still pressing gentle kisses along her body, telling her with actions that he loved her. It brought happy tears to her eyes to know that she had all of this, a husband who loved her, a true match for her once wayward soul, and a family that was forged in nothing but happiness and hope and joy. Here, on this still dawning Christmas morning, Emma had nothing to wish for, because she already had it all.

“You make me so happy,” she finally said, running her hand against the stubble of Killian’s growing beard. He hadn’t had time to trim it this morning, but Emma loved it like this, enjoying the feel of the coarse hair just a shade longer than normal. “You bring me such joy. I love you, Killian. Merry Christmas.”

Her words were met with wonderful, heartfelt words from Killian too, and though she knew her husband could have gone another round or two, he let them slide back into slumber again, taking one last quick nap before their very long, but beautifully bright, day began.

“Mommy, Daddy wake up! Santa came! Santa came!”

The words from Hope as she came bursting into the door were a definite wake up call, and for a second Emma panicked before realizing she’d used a last bit of magic to get her and Killian dressed in their Christmas morning attire before falling back asleep. Everything was totally kid friendly, despite their sensuous actions just a little while before, and for that Emma was grateful. That was definitely not the kind of surprise any child needed to get at Christmas.

“How do you know he’s come, little love?” Killian asked, cuddling their daughter close as she hopped up into their bed with them.

“Because daddy, it’s Cwistmas. It’s when he comes.”

“Bright lass,” Killian said, pressing a kiss to the crown of Hope’s head as he gathered her up, making her giggle and squeal as he headed downstairs.

Emma chuckled at her daughter’s antics as she moved from her room and went to find baby Liam. She was unsurprised to see him already sitting up in his crib, his eyes wide and excited, but his demeanor quiet, like he was waiting for her patiently. Liam was nowhere near as excitable as Hope, but he was filled with just as much love and cuteness. The smile that he shared with her spoke to that, as did the chirpy little laugh he made when she picked him up.

“Good morning, handsome. Sleep well?” Emma asked and Liam babbled in that precious baby way as she got him ready for the morning and headed downstairs. Once there, she saw Hope perched on the very edge of the couch. She was waiting for them and Emma smiled.

“Go for it, bean.” Emma’s words were barely out and Hope jumped off the couch, sprinting at the tree. “Careful, don’t want to break anything.”

The word of caution was immediately met with Hope’s increased care, and as the morning went on she opened gift after gift that she oohed and ahhed about. She loved everything, and was happy as a little girl could be, making Emma’s heart melt more than once as she not only showed them her toys but also tried sharing with Liam too. But it was the last gift that Emma was most excited to give Hope, and most anxious to see a reaction for.

“All right, honey, we’ve got one last present ok?”

“Where is it, Mommy?” Hope asked, searching under the tree, where there were no more boxes with her name left to find.

“What did you want most of all? What did you ask Santa for not once, not twice, but three times on your list.”

“A little sister,” She said automatically and then as she started to realize what they were saying, her little hand came up to cover her mouth and she gasped. “Oh my gosh Mommy, a sister? Is she here? Is she here?!”

“Not yet, little love,” Killain said, sweeping Hope into his arms and bringing her towards Emma. “But she’ll be here in a few short months. She’s still growing.”

Hope gasped before carefully reaching out to Emma’s belly. “She’s in your tummy Mommy.”

“Yes she is.”

A few seconds passed before Hope screeched at the top of her lungs, a sign of her unbridled joy, and she started sprinting around the room yelling ‘A sister! A sister!” It made Emma and Killian both laugh, and prompted a rare screech from Liam too, which had them all laughing once more. She only wished that Henry was here for this moment, but she had had the chance to tell her son the good news last night, making him the first to know apart from her, Killian, and the doctor.

“Now princess, since you’re such a big girl now, we were wondering if you wanted to help us tell everyone else about the baby,” Killian said, and Hope nodded so much it almost hurt Emma’s neck just seeing it.

“Oh yes yes yes! Please, can I help?!”

“Of course, but we have a plan, okay?” Emma asked.

“A seec-wet plan?” Hope asked, excited at the prospect.

“A secret plan,” Killian said, explaining it to Hope as they all four of them headed in to eat their Christmas breakfast. With the plan laid before her, Hope was satisfied for the moment, and luckily they didn’t have long to wait. The kids only had a few hours of playing with their things before they all had to get ready for the yearly Christmas meal at her parents. And because Emma knew there was no way Hope could keep a secret that long, their plan was one that could be hatched right away.

“You remember what to do?” Emma asked as she held Hope’s hand, walking up the front path at her parents’ place. Her daughter nodded, brown curls bouncing up and down as she did. “Good. I love you.”

“Love you too Mommy.”

The next few minutes were composed of a flurry of greetings and warm wishes. Her parents, as ever, were wonderful hosts, and the house was already filled with people. In fact, it seemed they were the last to arrive, which was perfect seeing as this reveal could only happen once.

“Can I take your coat, Princess Hope?” Emma’s father asked gallantly, pretending that he was fully at her disposal and ready for her orders.

“Sowwy Grandpa, but I can’t talk so much right now,” Hope said, barreling into the house without so much as taking off her jacket.

“Oh no?” he asked.

“Nope,” she said, popping the p with four-year old intensity. “I gots a supwise.”

“A surprise?” he asked, his brow raised at Emma and Killian.

“Yup. Come on, let’s go find grandma.”

“Oh jeez,” Emma whispered, not even risking a look at Killian who she could feel was at the edge of laughter. But it was useless because then Hope flung her jacket in the big reveal, only she ended up hitting an unsuspecting Grumpy with he coat. He cried out in frustration and Emma barked out a laugh before mouthing a half-assed ‘sorry to him.’ But while everyone was distracted by Hope’s unending flair, their daughter was growing more and more impatient. She cleared her throat and looked to Killian who then called for everyone’s attention.

“Excuse me everyone, before we get started today, Hope has a little something she’d like to share with us.”

“What is it, sweetie?” Emma’s mother asked and Hope twisted from side to side.

“A song grandma. I made it myself.”

A chorus of ‘wows’ broke out through the adults at the party and then without anymore fanfare Hope was off.

‘Oh all I want for Cwistmas is a sister please, A sister please, oh a sister please Oh all I want for Cwistmas is a sister please and I could have a merry Cwistmas!’

Apparently finished though she still had two more verses she was supposed to sing, Hope danced around expectantly, waiting for everyone’s reaction and though it took everything in her not to laugh, Emma stepped in.

“Hope, honey, is that the whole song?”

“Oh no, there’s more, but it’s too long. Mommy’s having a baby and I get a little sister!”

Immediately everyone was in motion, congratulating them and cheering for the new addition. Her parents especially were thrilled, and though it hadn’t gone exactly according to plan, Emma still thought it was just about the sweetest moment she could imagine.

“Don’t worry, Mom, I go the whole thing on tape,” Henry said, showing her his phone as he came to give her a big hug. “We’re gonna want to remember that one, he said with a laugh.

“Yeah we are, kid,” she agreed, thanking Henry for his thoughtfulness before Hope pulled him over to talk all about the new sister who was coming.

“You already knew at Thanksgiving, didn’t you?” Emma turned to see her mother, who had happy tears in her eyes and she nodded, knowing it wasn’t right to lie.

“Yeah I knew. I wanted to tell you but…”

“No, this was better,” her mother said, hugging Emma close. “This was perfect.”

And the thing was that her Mom was totally right. Even with all its unanticipated twists and turns, this part of their story was perfect. Her kids were happy, their family was growing, and everyone was together and healthy and whole. It was exactly what Emma wanted and what she never could have dared to dream of years ago, back when she was a lost and lonely little girl. 

“It’s only right that things should be this way,” her father’s voice said from beside her, bringing Emma out of her own thoughts and back into the moment. When she looked at her Dad he had that gentle expression she often saw, one of understanding and love. “All those Christmas wishes that you thought went unanswered – they found you in the end.”

“They really did,” Emma agreed, hugging her Dad close and telling her she loved him, fighting off tears that were sparked from nothing but the truest kind of joy.

As if he could sense her emotion, Killian caught her glance across the room, approaching her as he still held little Liam. But no sooner was he in front of them, then Emma’s Dad was snatching Liam and carrying him away for some ‘littlest grandson bonding time.’  With his arms now free, Killian pulled her close, kissing her gently and then just holding her, luxuriating in being together, and enjoying all that their life had turned out to be.

“Best Christmas yet, love,” he said, putting her exact thoughts into words. 

“Yeah,” she agreed. “Best Christmas ever.”

“Are you toying with me, love?” he asked, coming behind her and wrapping his arms around her, his hand skimming over her with practiced precision. His fingertips brushed across an exposed patch of skin where her shirt had ridden up, and her pulse fluttered. She hoped he’d missed it, but when he pressed a kiss to her neck, nipping ever so slightly she knew he hadn’t. She pushed back against him, and now she understood his words. She’d said it was hard to say, but that wasn’t the only thing that was hard. Not by a long shot.

“When have I ever been known to do that?” she quipped.

He mumbled something into her hair about her being a siren who always called him back again. She swallowed harshly, but leaned back into his affectionate touch before twisting in his arms to look at him.

“The kids?”

“Coloring,” he reported. Emma arched a brow. “Well Hope is. Little Liam is reporting as her first mate and serving honorably.”

“So he’s chewing on the crayons and drooling on the paper?”

Killian’s only response was that roguish smile of his and Emma giggled – yes giggled – at the idea of an image she’d seen many times. Their daughter, spirited and fiery as she was, had it in her brain that she needed to color every day. When pressed on why it was important, Hope said she needed to become an ‘’aw-tist’ (her word for artist). Emma had asked her why, and her response was well thought out if a little harsh:

“I has ta do this, Mommy.”

“Why, honey?”

“Because.”

“Because why?”

“Because Daddy tells me pwetty stories but there’s no pwetty pictures to go with them. My other books have pwetty pictures. Daddy’s stories need them too.”

This would have been a purely adorable thing for her charming and precocious daughter to say save for one small problem. The stories her ‘Daddy’ told her did have pictures, and they just so happened to be drawn by Emma’s father, and Hope’s grandfather.

So far they’d managed to keep Hope’s true objective under wraps from her Dad, who though strong and always doting, would probably be a little hurt about the comments on his sketches. Those homemade storybooks were just supposed to be a cute little project to make for Hope when Emma was pregnant with her, but somehow the stories had clicked. Their little princess was obsessed with tales of the savior and her pirate. She just wasn’t so enthused with the pictures that went with them.

“Henry’s got his eye on both of them, and no interest in being recruited for cooking duty. So that leaves you,” he pressed a kiss behind her ear, “me,” he managed to grasp her earlobe with his teeth in a way that made her sizzle, “and however much time we can manage.”

Emma glanced up at her husband, taking in the handsomeness of his features, and the sexy stubble that still graced his strong set jaw, before pulling him in to her by the collar of his dress shirt. She wanted the kiss that they shared so badly, and immediately they were catapulted back in the thick of the lust that blended so seamlessly with the true love in their hearts. It was so easy to get swept away, to forget that the kids were in the next room and that guests were on the way, but hell if she cared. All that mattered was how good Killian always made her feel, and brilliantly beautiful pleasure that was seeping through her at the promise of what was to come.

“Knock knock!”

Her mother’s call came from the front door, and because she was in the thick of a stolen moment with her pirate, Emma almost ignored it. Then it dawned on her.

“Shit! My parents,” she whispered and though she sought to scramble away, Killian held her firmly where she was.

“Not so fast, my love. Wouldn’t want to hurt the little one.”

His hand came over her stomach which had not yet started to show. In another week or so a bump would start to form, at least if the tendencies of her last two pregnancies held up, but for now, it was still her and Killian’s little secret. A secret they planned on keeping until Christmas day. It seemed only fitting, since all Hope could think to ask for Christmas was a baby sister. Hopefully this would turn out in their daughter’s favor, and Killian was convinced it would thanks to his strange but usually accurate pirate intuition. But no matter who their newest bundle of joy turned out to be, Henry, Hope, and Liam would be happy. There was more than enough love to go around in this family, and all Emma’s children were eager to share it.

“Look what I brought, Henry!”

Emma heard her brother, Neal, excitedly charge to the living room and then heard her oldest’s enthusiastic reply.

“Cool! What is it?”

“It’s a football, Henry. Don’t you know what a football is?”

“Yeah, Henwy, don’t you know?” Hope asked, prompting both Emma and Killian to chuckle, since the likelihood that Hope had any idea was minute at best.

“I was just teasing, bean. Of course I know what a football is. We gonna play later?”

“You bet ya. You want to play Hope?”

“Maybe. I’m an awtist now. Can awtist’s play?”

“Damn, I should –“ Killian started as Emma tried to say “We should handle that.”

“Until later, love?” Killian asked with a wry grin and she smiled, pressing one last kiss to his lips as he went to go swoop Hope up, greet her parents, and prevent a storybook revelation the likes of which this town had somehow never seen.  

After giving herself a moment to regroup and fanning her face a bit to try and blow away the tell tale color of a moment with Killian, Emma joined them all out in the living room. Embracing her parents and her little brother before turning her attention to her kids.

“Looking good, bean,” she said, echoing Henry’s endearment for his sister that had a special history.

When Emma first found out she was pregnant, they’d all taken to calling Hope the little bean and it was Henry originally who said it was fitting. Killian and Emma couldn’t figure why until he reminded them. She and Killian had shared their first real story on the bean stalk, so the product of that kind of true love would be a bean. Killian especially had loved that, so much in fact that the nickname stuck, and the eventual nickname of ‘sprout’ for Liam was just as permanent as well. Emma didn’t know what the new baby’s name would be, but she was eager to see what Killian could come up with.

“It’s my tuckey!” Emma bit back a smile at her daughter’s exuberant words, especially the one that was glaringly mispronounced.

“And what a beautiful turkey she is,” Emma’s mother cooed. It was totally typical. She loved being a grandma just as much as she loved being a Mom.

“Tuckey is a girl?” Hope asked, clearly confused that turkeys could be girls too. But soon enough she did that thing so many four-year-olds tended to do, she decided to roll with it and forget her line of detailed inquiry. “Mommy and Daddy was kissing in the kitchen again.”

“Hope!” Emma said, aghast at having been ratted out so promptly and matter of factly. But her shock grew more profound as she watched her mother take a chocolate from her purse and hand it to Hope. “Mom?”

“My granddaughter and I have a deal. She’s my eyes and ears. My little birdie, so to speak.”

“Oh really? Because it sounds like she’s a spy...” Emma teased.

“A spy?!” Killian proclaimed, play acting like it was his life’s work. He pretended to scour the room, even lifting a squealing little Liam into his arms to help in the exaggerated search. “Tell me we don’t have a spy! A dreaded spy, oh Liam can it really be so?”

“I’m not a spy! Not a spy!” Hope said, immediately shaking her head and looking completely uninterested in this twist on things. She shoved the chocolate back towards Mary Margaret, something that Emma had never ever seen before. “No more tellin, grandma. Sowwy. Love you.”

“And I love you, princess,” she said, pressing a kiss to Hope’s head as she shot a scolding look at Emma. Emma ignored it, but handed the chocolate back to Hope. Her daughter grinned immediately before ripping it open and shoving it all in her mouth as fast as she could, her eyes closing in that intoxicated way that every kid gets with quality candy.

“You mind helping me in the kitchen, Mom?” Emma asked with the benefit of distraction, and her mother agreed with no question, moving behind Emma and stepping into the preparation process seamlessly. After a few minutes though, Emma caved and asked what exactly was up. “So, care to explain why you need a ‘little birdie’ all of a sudden?”

“Oh there’s no reason,” her mother said in that way that said she wasn’t being totally truthful. Emma didn’t even need a super power to feel that either. Her Mom was just a terrible liar. “Fine. I was just thinking that one more baby would really round out this family.”

“Okay, so you and Dad should get right on that,” Emma quipped and her mother huffed.

“Emma.”

“Mom. You act like that’s crazy. What’s stopping you from having another kid?”

“Nothing’s stopping us,” her mother said, her honesty back in full force. “We are blessed with the children we have. I’m perfectly comfortable with two kids. I wanted one girl and one boy and we’ve been blessed with exactly that.”

“But we’re different?” Emma asked, intrigued to know why her mother felt that way specifically.

“Yes I think you are. You and Killian were both denied the childhoods you deserved in so many ways. And I know, even though you’ve never told me, I know in my heart that when you wished for us to find you, you also wished for more.” Her mother’s voice broke, a sign that tears were threatening to come, and Emma wasn’t surprised, not when her own tears were lurking at the edge of her vision. “You dreamed of a big family, Emma. You wanted brothers and sisters and parents who loved you more than anything in the world.”

“And I found that, Mom. Well, most of it at least.”

“I know you did, Emma. I know,” she said, hugging Emma to her quickly. “Your father and I do love you. So much it drives me to enlist Hope in trace amounts of espionage.”

Emma laughed at the reminder. “Yeah, not exactly your best moment.”

“Maybe you’re right. But my point still stands – you are an amazing mother, Emma, and you know how magical that dream of a big, huge family can be to a kid. Now you have the chance to make that come true for your babies, and for yourself.”

Emma smiled at the thought, and she was so pleased that her mother truly understood her despite the long 28 years she’d gone without her. Time had been a great healer, but the remnants of Emma’s past did remain, and those dreams, though they were dreamed so long ago, they still lingered, even now. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell her mother that the dream would come true. Another baby was coming, and this family would in fact grow, but just as she was about to she remembered – there was no one in the world less equipped to handle a secret than her mother.

“Just promise me you’ll think about it,” her mother begged, saving Emma from an awkward half response and Emma exhaled a breath of relief.

“Okay, I promise.”

The joy that brought her mother was undeniable, and the rest of their prep time was spent with elated conversation, and genuine familial love. Soon the rest of their family and friends appeared, filling the house with so many personalities, and laughter, and light. It was unbelievable, but somehow, miraculously, it was also their real life.

“Would you like the honors this year, my love?” Killian asked, when the time had come for the Thanksgiving speech. It was tradition now, that each year before their favorite meal they came together and said all that they were thankful for. Sometimes Killian started things, sometimes it was her parents, but this year Emma felt particularly inclined to take the lead. Killian could see as much just from the expression on her face, and he kissed her cheek before taking his spot at the opposite end of the table. When all eyes were on her and an expectant silence descended, Emma spoke her mind.

“Thank you all so much for being here. Every year we say pretty much the same thing. That we are grateful for our health, for our family, and for our friends. We thank whatever forces out there have gotten us to here, and we wish to be just as blessed in the years still to come. Thanksgiving is all about acknowledging what we are thankful for, and I would be remiss to let this moment pass me by without saying how special this is to me.”

“What’s we-miss mean, Henwy?” Hope asked in what tried to be a whisper but was a very loud inquiry. Some of their guests failed to stifle their laughter as her brother explained.

“It means Mommy really wants to say this and share it with all of us.”

“Oh! Okay, keep going Mommy.”

Emma bit back a chuckle but took her precious girl’s advice. “For so many years I did not have this, and I know that really none of us did. We were all dealing with our own burdens. No one’s story had gotten to that promised happy ending just yet. But we’re here now. We have so much, and it’s all because we have each other. I couldn’t ask for anything more than the love in this room. I couldn’t have dreamed of a life as worth giving thanks for as this one. And I want to thank you all for the part you play and for the light you bring on this day and every day.”

“To family,” Killian said, taking Emma’s silent queue that words were beginning to fail her.

“To family!” Everyone echoed.

With that, everyone proceeded to enjoy the rest of the night, eating and talking and sharing stories of all the highs they’d achieved together throughout the years. It was a perfect thanksgiving, or ‘tuckey-day’ as Hope had fondly put it, and though it ended sooner than the kids might have wished, by the end of the evening Emma was feeling the length of the day. She was tired, but she was also tremendously happy, and so comforted by the safety of her children and the presence of her true love at her side.

“Hard to imagine that I could ever be more thankful than I was the day I made you mine, Emma,” Killian whispered as they shut the door to their room behind them. They’d put Hope and Liam to sleep, so they were officially off the clock. Well, at least for a little while.

“And now?” Emma asked, knowing he was about to say something that would take her breath away with its thoughtfulness and sincerity.

“Now every day shows me how wrong I was. Life has only become more incredible, the world is always brighter, and every moment is one I would never trade for all the riches in the world. And I have you to thank for that, Swan. So thank you, Emma. For your love, for your light, and for everything you are.”

“How is it you always say the right things?” Emma asked, pulling him closer to her and running her hand along his face, her eyes tracking every feature that she’d memorized since the first moment they met all that time ago.

“Because, love, we’re one. Two hearts made whole and all of that.”

“Oh really?” Emma teased, running her other hand down the hard lines of his chest. “And does that two parts made whole just go for hearts or -?”

She squeaked out a sound of delight as Killian swept her into his arms and brought her over to the bed, silencing her with a kiss, and then proceeding to outline just how very together they were meant to be. With his hand, mouth, and body he drew her into a frenzy, making her see stars and succumb to that fever in her blood more than once, helping her reach a high that she only ever found with him. And when it was over, and the two of them were spent, catching their breath curled up in bed, Emma brought her hand over his chest, reveling in the feal of his heart synced in perfect time with hers.

“I love you, Killian. Now and forever.”

“And I love you, Emma. The same and somehow more.”

And with those final words they drifted off to sleep, and Emma’s final thought was that she was so immensely grateful and that she’d never take any of this magic that they’d found for granted, no matter how long their fairytale turned out to be.

……………….

La la la la la la

Mixed up and lost You showed me love at no cost And when nobody else cared You were there

Down on my luck You helped my life get unstuck And when the world went away You stayed

Thank you for the good times Thank you for your love Thank you for the joy you've given me Yeah, yeah, thank you

La la la la la la

You fight off my enemies You'd take a bullet for me And you know I'd do the same for you

'Cause that's how we roll Connected at the soul And I just wanted you to know how I feel

Thank you for the good times Thank you for your love Thank you for the joy you've given me Yeah, yeah, thank you

La la la la la la

Thank you for loving me every day Thank you for showing me the way Thank you for things that I'd never say

La la la la la

Thank you for the good times Thank you for your love Thank you for the joy you've given me Yeah, yeah, thank you, thank you

Thank you for loving me every day Thank you for showing me the way Thank you for things that I'd never say

La la la la la

Post-Note: So there we have it. Just a little family fluff for everyone in this holiday season. And, at the moment, I am thinking it might be fun to write a follow up for Christmas with the baby reveal and a bit more CS smut. Would love to hear what you all think, but more than anything just want to wish you all the best holiday and a lovely rest of your year!!

Killian’s presence was a constant safe harbor in Emma’s world, and where she was prone to worry and unease, he always seemed to weather every storm without flinching. His faith had never been shaken in all their years together, and though at first he was unsure when new challenges came their way, Killian was always ready to learn and lend a helping hand. In town he was her right hand man, aiding her whenever she needed it and becoming a central anchor for all of Storybrooke, and in their home he was her other half. The kids adored him, but it wasn’t because he was more lax or unassuming as a parent. No, Killian always made sure to compliment Emma. They were a team together, both good cops and bad cops, and no matter what the situation, they were always guided by love. Emma knew her younger children, Hope, Leia, and Liam, could sense that, and she knew Henry, though he may be farther from home, had grown to love Killian too and to see him as a friend and more fatherly figure. For that, and for everything else, Emma was truly grateful. Still some days – days like today – when things were already stressful at the precinct, and when she was dreading the impending scramble to get the kids to everything this afternoon, Emma still felt like it might be nice to have a bit more peace in this perfect little life they led.

“I really wish I had more of this report done,” Emma mused aloud, filling the space between her and her father with a tone of frustration. “I’ve been working on it for days. I feel like it’ll never be finished.”

“Emma, I know you want to get past it, but it’s not due for another month. And even then I think the town will be fine if it’s delayed. It’s time consuming yes, but for an annual report it’s pretty standard. We broke up some dwarf fights, found some wayward animals, and pulled a few of our more reckless neighbors over for speeding. It was hardly a year of crime and punishment.”

Emma chuckled at her Dad’s assessment of their jobs in Storybrooke, and she knew he wasn’t wrong. The things they were tackling these days were almost always small fry, but while there might not be any career criminals lurking around town, this was still a place where everyone seemed capable of getting into at least a little bit of mischief. There was always enough to keep her and her father busy, and when it came time to list out everything and reflect on a full year’s worth of work Emma couldn’t help but feel daunted by the task.

“Do you ever wish you could press the pause button?” Emma asked, sitting back in her chair and avoiding the paperwork that was numbing her brain and draining all of her precious energy.

“Never,” her Dad said, surprising Emma, and then she thought about it and she realized why her Dad might be averse to such thinking. He and the rest of this town had been stuck on pause for more than twenty years once upon a time, so no, he probably wasn’t very eager to subject himself to any more lost time ever again.

“I don’t mean long term. I understand the value of taking in every moment – truly I do. But still, sometimes I think of what a day away would mean. No work, no responsibilities. Just… peace and quiet.”

“And this peace and quiet, is it the solitary kind, or do you get to bring guests?”

Emma laughed, knowing that her Dad wasn’t a big fan of being alone. He loved being surrounded by people, and she was hard pressed to think of a time when either of her parents ever had time apart aside from during the workday. But now that he said it, Emma realized her own fantasy of relaxation wouldn’t involve being totally alone. No, if anything what she really craved was time alone with her husband, and though she’d miss the kids, she secretly wished for a chance to have that when her and Killian’s stolen moments had become all too rare.

“On second thought, don’t tell me. You’ve got that look that tells me you’re thinking of a certain ex-pirate and I don’t need to know.”

Emma laughed again at her Dad’s antics, but just as she was about to respond her radio sounded.

“Sherriff station this is dispatch. We’ve got a call of a disabled vehicle at the town line. Requesting response – over.”

“You got this?” Emma asked, her eyes casting down towards her paper work again, a sigh slipping free as she thought of how much she didn’t want to do this.

“Actually would you mind? I…” her Dad trailed off as he looked at his phone. After a few seconds of trying and failing to come up with an excuse he looked back up to Emma and immediately she could tell he was trying to hide something. That was interesting, and also very unlike him. She felt her brow lift slightly in question, but stayed quiet so as to force him to finish his thought. “I just think it’d be better if you went.”

“Okay,” Emma replied, slowing down the word to show that she was on to him. “I guess I’ve got it.”

Immediately her Dad looked relieved, and Emma’s curiosity only grew. She replied to dispatch saying she was on her way, and with a final goodbye to her Dad, she set off, knowing that when she got back she was absolutely going to investigate what the hell was going on with him. She moved automatically to where the emergency services operator had said the broken down car was, but when she got there she was shocked at who was waiting for her.

“Killian? Mom? Is everything all right? What’s wrong? Are you guys hurt?”

Emma asked the series of questions as she hopped out of the squad car she’d been driving, and for a moment she was truly concerned. Why would dispatch have been alerted if this wasn’t an emergency? Emma looked at two of the people who meant the most to her in the world, and she was seriously perplexed. They seemed, at first glance, to be totally fine, thank God, but after a moment she was even more confused by the look of pure happiness on her Mom’s face and the slight bashfulness coming from her husband.

“Oh Emma, you’re here. We’re fine, honey. Totally okay.”

“The kids?” Emma asked, looking to Killian who assured her as much with the sincere depth of his blue gaze as with his words.

“Safe and sound. Hope and Leia are at school and Liam is at day care. Last I saw he was teetering towards the clay dough.”

“Play dough,” Emma and her mother said at the same time and Emma couldn’t help but smile, both at the fact that her son was getting to play with his favorite toy of the moment and that her husband was completely incapable of remembering it’s name.

“Right. Either way, the little ones are all set.”

“And you guys are evidently okay,” Emma said, sneaking a glance at the mini-van (yes, mini-van) that Killian had adamantly demanded that they buy once he really figured out how to drive a car. “Same with the car. Which begs the question: why the call?”

“Because-,” Killian was evidently planning to say something, but her Mom beat him to the punch as she threw out the words in a hyper-fast jumble.

“Because your husband has planned a romantic weekend just for you two! Isn’t that the sweetest?”

Emma blinked, trying to understand what her mother had said for a moment. She honestly couldn’t believe it. Could this be true? Could they really be taking a trip just the two of them, and so precisely when she’d been craving exactly that. All it took was one more look at Killian to know her mother was telling the truth, and though she could tell that he was a bit miffed at not getting the chance to tell her himself, Emma could also see that he was glad for her Mother’s easy acceptance and affection for the two of them.

“A trip? But I’m working. I’m on until five, and then on call this weekend,” Emma said, her voice giving away her disappointment at the realization that this beautiful gesture might not come true.

“Nonsense,” her mother said, pulling Emma’s bag from the sheriff’s car and then tossing it into the minivan. “Storybrooke is more than capable of surviving one weekend without the savior. Heck, we haven’t needed one in ages. Your father and I will run point here. We’re on grandkid duty and town duty, so all you two have to think about is… well, whatever you want!”

The cheery tone of Snow’s words hardly matched the sneaky move she made to swipe the cruiser keys from Emma, and Emma cried out a bit at the show of petty theft. But it was hard to stay angry when it finally began to sink in that she was getting exactly what she wanted, and that it was all the work of her perfectly thoughtful husband.

“You’re sure it isn’t too much, Mom?” Emma asked, though her heart would be practically crushed if her Mom changed her mind now.

“Of course not. We’ve had this planned for weeks, and Killian’s taken care of everything,” Snow said as she gave Emma a quick hug before heading to the cruiser. “You two have fun, and don’t even think about coming home early. We got this.”

Emma watched as her Mom drove off then, making a 180 before driving into town. She found herself shaking her head as she watched the taillights of the cruiser drive away, but all thoughts of the car were gone when Killian approached, wrapping his arms around her. She immediately relaxed, leaning into him and savoring his warmth and the faint smell of leather and rum that still hung around him all these years even though he had largely changed his old sea captain ways.

“Tell me, love, are you very angry at my temporary deception?”

“No,” Emma said, truly meaning it. “But why the big show?” Before he could even respond, Emma filled in the likely reason. “Let me guess, my mother.”

“Aye, Swan. Though to be fair I did try to keep you home this morning,” he replied, his words a low rumble that washed across her skin, making her shiver and immediately sparking that all too familiar need and want low in her belly.

“You try to keep me home every morning,” Emma replied, her smile unstoppable when Killian’s eyes lit up with heat.

“And yet you resist me, even though I do everything in my power to persuade you.”

Emma swallowed harshly, her mind ablaze with exactly the kind of dirty and delicious things her husband tried each morning before the kids were awake or their day ever began. Her thoughts raced, covering everything from the feel of his hands on her body to the sinful mastery of his mouth. All these years later and Emma was still just as wrapped up in Killian, and honestly she deserved a damn medal for being anything even close to productive when he was around distracting her.

“What did you have to do to get my parents so firmly on board?” she asked, trying to tamp down the gravel in her voice that came every time she let her lust get the best of her.

“Oh that was easy,” Killian said as he ran his hook lightly across her hip, finding a piece of bared skin where her shirt had unknowingly risen up. The cool metal on her skin sent bursts of sensation coursing through her, and Emma was like a moth to a flame, almost missing the giant statement he made next. “I just promised them another grandchild.”

“You what?!” Emma yelled, and the reaction prompted a genuine laugh from Killian that shook not only through him, but her as well.

“Only teasing, Swan,” Killian said, and though Emma shoved at his chest, it was playful and more an attempt to hide that little bit of want in her that thought another baby might be perfect despite all the craziness that already filled their lives. “It wasn’t difficult to get them to help me out. They could see as well as I that you’ve taken on too much. You deserve a break, Emma, and that’s exactly what we’ll have this weekend.”

His determination that she needed to relax made Emma’s heart melt. It was so sweet and impossibly sexy that he always prioritized her like this. There was never any room for doubt about Killian’s drives or motivations. She and the kids meant everything to him, and it was for that reason that Emma knew they’d always have a love for each other that was strong and pure and right. The bones of their lives together – their foundations of love – were strong and resilient. There was no breaking down what they had built, and no matter what storms came or what new trouble would emerge, they always had each other and the love that they shared. Just the thought of how miraculous that was brought happy tears to Emma’s eyes, but she fought them off as she asked him a critical question.

“How did you know?” Emma whispered, her eyes taking in his knowing look and the growing grin that appeared at her admitting that she needed this time away.

“Because I love you with everything I am,” Killian professed easily. “Because my heart beats in time with yours, and because what you want, I want too. I love our life and our family, but it’s been too long since I had my Swan to myself, and I damn well intend to make the most of it.”

“Oh yeah?” Emma asked, angling up so her lips were a breath away from his. “So what are you waiting for, Captain? Take me.”

His lips crashed down to hers as his arms locked tighter around her, pulling her close. Emma arched into him, her thoughts all dancing away as she was consumed by the kiss. It was real and raw and demanding, so much so that Emma forgot herself and where they were. She was moments away from pushing for more, but as per usual, Killian remained the one with a more level head. He pulled back, his eyes filled with passion, but he restrained himself far more than she could, his thumb running across her lips as his hand held her cheek.

“My days of stealing and pillaging are long gone, my love. You know that as well as I do.”

“I do,” Emma replied. “So it’s a good thing I’m yours, totally and completely.”

That was all she needed to say to get her husband moving. One moment her feet were firmly on the ground, the next he’d swept her up and was buckling her into the car as if she were incapable of doing it herself. Emma giggled at the very notion of her being unfit to fasten a seatbelt, but as her laughter quieted, she couldn’t help but reach out to Killian’s jacket, pulling him closer again for another kiss.

“I love you, Killian. Forever and always,” she whispered when they broke apart again. “Now let’s go get to that peace and quiet, okay?”

With one last kiss, and a promise that while they’d find peace they might not find much quiet, Killian got in the driver’s seat and they set forth towards a weekend filled with exactly what they wanted. And the best part of it all was that when they were back, things remained just as wonderful and magical as they had always been. For that’s the way things were when you found a happily ever after, and Emma for one couldn’t be happier about it.

………………

We're in the homestretch of the hard times We took a hard left, but we're alright Yeah, life sure can try to put love through it, but We built this right, so nothing's ever gonna move it When the bones are good, the rest don't matter Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter Let it rain 'cause you and I remain the same When there ain't a crack in the foundation Baby, I know any storm we're facing Will blow right over while we stay put The house don't fall when the bones are good Call it dumb luck, but baby, you and I Can't even mess it up, although we both try No, it don't always go the way we planned it But the wolves came and went and we're still standing When the bones are good, the rest don't matter Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter Let it rain 'cause you and I remain the same When there ain't a crack in the foundation Baby, I know any storm we're facing Will blow right over while we stay put The house don't fall when my bones are good When the bones are good Bones are good, the rest, the rest don't matter (Baby, it don't really matter) Paint could peel, the glass could shatter (Oh, the glass, oh, the glass could shatter) Bones are good, the rest, the rest don't matter (Ooh) Paint could peel, the glass, the glass could shatter (Yeah) When the bones are good, the rest don't matter Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter Let it rain (Let it rain, let it rain) 'Cause you and I remain the same (Woo) When there ain't a crack in the foundation (Woo) Baby, I know any storm we're facing Will blow right over while we stay put The house don't fall when the bones are good Yeah, ooh

“There’s not a day that will go by where I won’t think of you,” he’d told her, and Gods above how true that had been. But it was her response that haunted him most, and the look in her eyes when they’d departed that kept him awake in the wee hours of the morning even now.

“Good.”

One simple word, one blip in the hundreds of years of his life had shaken every foundation, for there was so much more in that agreement than what appeared at the surface. Suddenly he felt that there truly might have been an opportunity to seek something out with Emma. He could feel her trust, and he could also feel her sadness, a sadness he’d give anything the realms over to have spared her. Somehow his motivations for everything had shifted of late, and suddenly the one drive that trumped all others was the one that sought Emma’s happiness over everything else.

“But she is happy,” Killian whispered aloud to the empty space along the deck where he resided. “Regina said they would be.”

And though Killian and the Queen had a history together, one that hardly stood the test of truthfulness, Killian knew she was honest this time. She would never have risked Henry’s chance to be happy, even if it meant that Regina herself would never move on from the memories they shared. What the Queen lacked in decency to the rest of the world, she made up for with her son, and no matter what anyone said, her love for the lad was a constant and an assurance that somewhere, realms away from here, Emma and Henry were okay.

He on the other hand, was far from well, and since drinking himself into a stupor hadn’t worked (mostly because there always seemed to be this niggling voice in the back of his mind asking whether Emma would approve that kept him from going too far), he was resigned now to taking another path. This path was a quieter, lonelier one than even he was used to, but it was the only thing he wanted. The old thrills of a portside town held nothing for him now, just as banditry and piracy had lost their lush appeal. Only the sea provided any kind of solace, and so tonight he’d set his whole crew off ship, even the typical watchers and guards, to have some time alone. It wasn’t a cure by any means though, for the ghost of Emma lingered still, as prevalent and prominent as the waves lapping along the ship’s wooden sides.

“Get a hold of yourself, Killian. You have to let it go… I have to let it go,” he said into the night, knowing it would make no difference. He’d tried a thousand times before but there was no wishing this away. The memories lingered, the prickling sense of regret remained, but where others in Emma’s life might have preached for hope, he had none. This was what he deserved after everything he’d done. All the bad he’d partaken in, all the mistakes he had made, earned him this pain, this loss of love when he’d never dreamed a second change possible in the first place.

In that moment of despair a soft coo sounded above and Killian looked out on the water to see a white dove. A strange creature for these parts, but what was stranger was the attachment to it’s leg. There was a note there, and a parcel of some kind. It was all very odd, and then, just like that, his whole world changed as he unfurled the piece of paper and found the meaning of this sudden appearance. The message it contained was written in haste but the intent could not have been clearer and the most important words rang over and over in Killian’s mind.

Find Emma. Make her remember. Bring her home.

Only a few seconds passed where Killian debated what he should do and it wasn’t because of any lack of want to see her. No, if it were up to him, he’d have moved in an instant, but there was one small thought for what he would be ruining if he did go. Chances were Emma would have to sacrifice for what was to come. To save her family, to save all of the people of Storybrooke, she’d likely have to do as she’d always done – she’d have to give up what was easy and take the harder road, and if he could he’d keep that from happening. He would spare Emma, but in the end there was no choice. She was needed, and he… well he was the man so desperate to see her again that it almost didn’t matter if it was the right thing to do. He’d do whatever it took to see her again, and so he did, comforting himself with the simple fact that though Emma might be giving up everything, he was giving it all up too to give her a chance, and to maybe grant the two of them one at the same time if somehow – someway – things did work out as he wished in the end.

………

“Killian?” 

The question came from beside where he was standing at the Jolly’s edge and Killian focused back on the present moment, glad for the fact that the voice of his companion was none other than Emma herself. Years had passed, their world had radically shifted, and now the trials they’d faced before seemed long gone. That slip into the darkness of before was just that, a trick of the mind, and here before him instead of sorrow there was a light he’d never imagined possible back when he was a villain and a pirate and nothing more.

Turning back around he found exactly what he expected, his Swan looking every bit a vision as her loose curls danced about in the wind, and in her arms their three year old daughter – their little Hope – with wide eyes of excitement trained on him and clearly filled with appreciation for this vessel and their time at sea. His daughter was on track for filling her father’s shoes as a sailor, but with Emma as a mother, and the goodness their life in Storybrooke now had in abundance, he didn’t worry for her future. Their little lass would live a happy life, safe and surrounded by a family who loved her and protected her from any harms the worlds over.

“Aye, love?” he asked, ready and willing to yield to any wish his wife might mention right now.

“Your little lieutenant has a special request this evening,” Emma said before deferring to Hope who reached out for him, smiling and looking so like her mother as she did.

“Is that so?” Killian asked with a chuckle, taking Hope in his arms and placing her on his hip with a casual nature that told how commonplace this had become for all of them.

“Let’s go fast, Daddy!” Hope said excitedly, prompting a laugh from both Killian and his lovely wife. The two of them shared a look, acknowledging that they’d take the Jolly for a swifter jaunt than usual, but nowhere near as fast as she could go during times of need. This kind of excursion could only be taken because there was no real danger in sight, but neither Killian nor Emma would ever put their daughter at undue risk for any reason.

“If that’s what my princess wishes, it’s what she’ll have,” Killian replied jovially, pressing a kiss to Hope’s temple before setting her down with Emma and going about procuring the happiness of the two most important people in his life.

Later that night, after a speedy sail around the harbor, a dinner under the stars, and putting their little lass to bed, the memory of that previous life still lingered with him, and in typical fashion his Swan knew right away. So when they’d said goodnight to Hope, and left her room hand in hand, Emma stopped him for a moment, checking in and reminding Killian that she was there for him just as he was there for her.

“Everything all right?” Emma asked and Killian could only pull her in for a kiss, one still as searing and passionate as all they’d shared before. There was no ebb in the spark between them, and when they pulled back, his wife’s face had flushed a perfect shade of pink that his hook brushed ever so gently.

“Everything is nearly perfect, Swan.”

“Only nearly, huh?” She asked with a smirk as her eyes flicked down to his lips and her hand ran over his chest. That was it – he was lost to her just as he always seemed to be, and Killian was happy to be as such, because being lost in Emma was exactly the kind of happily ever after his long weary heart had always needed. It was, for lack of a better turn of phrase, perfection itself.

“Aye, but not to worry, love, I’ve every intention of seeing we reach that completely perfect state before the night is through,” he whispered before sweeping his lovely wife into his arms, pulling a muffled laugh from her as he carried her back to bed and delivered on that insinuated promise over and over again.

………….

This love of mine goes on and on Though life is empty since you have gone You're always on my mind, though out of sight It's lonesome through the day But oh, the night I cry my heart out, it's bound to break Since nothing matters, let it break I ask the sun and the moon, the stars that shine What's to become of it, this love of mine

I ask the sun and the moon, the stars that shine What's to become of it, this love of mine This love of mine

Post-Note: So hopefully you guys enjoyed this little bit of fluff! Sorry if I’ve just been so stupid as to forget an already lovely scene about Killian getting the message, but I figure it never hurts to reimagine things right? After all, there’s so many ways CS could have gotten to a happy ending, and half the fun is crafting out those ways. Anyway thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a lovely rest of your day and that you’re all enjoying the holiday season!

“Aye, love. But we’ve had our fights, we’ve waged our battles, and we’ve earned this through and through.”

Emma hummed out her agreement to that indisputable fact into the mild night air as she tucked her head against his shoulder and Killian felt his own sense of peace shift more thoroughly into place. His mind wandered back towards the journey they’d gone through to get here and he tracked in a matter of seconds all of the twists and turns that got them to this beautiful moment.

After the final battle had been fought and calm and peace had returned to Storybrooke once more, there had been enough of a lull for Killian and Emma to decide on next steps. Given the breakneck pace of the several years before, it was almost alarming to have so much down time, but they had made the most of it and Killian’s grin widened as he thought of all the afternoons he’d spent stealing moments with her at the station and all the nights they’d spent not sleeping and getting wrapped up in each other instead.

It was one of those nights that had brought forth their next chapter in the story of their love, one where Henry ended up having a little sister and Emma and Killian had the chance at doing this whole parenting thing together right from the start. It was pure magic and also complete terror rolled into one indescribably entity, and the first year of his little Hope’s life Killian had fluctuated between being a wreck with worry and blissfully happy to have this chance and have Emma as the partner to undertake such a journey with.

Since that time Hope had reached the tender, troublesome age of four and she’d also been joined by another sibling, a healthy baby boy named Liam who was currently waddling through the thick of his terrible twos with Emma’s golden hair and Killian’s teasing blue eyes. That smirk that Killian was known for had also been past on to their little boy, and every time it appeared on his son’s happy face, it spoke to all the mischief they’d have in store with this lad someday.

“You think the kids were good for Mom and Dad?” Emma asked and Killian chuckled at that, shaking his head in an honest reply.

“There’s really no telling. They’re darlings the two of them, but they also realize they’ve got their grandparents wrapped so tight around their little fingers they can get away with anything they bloody wish to.”

Emma laughed at that breakdown of their children’s relationship with their grandparents, her hand running over Killian’s arm lovingly as she looked back up to him and her jade colored eyes caught his. Gods she was beautiful, truly just as lovely as the first time he’d laid eyes on her, and though they’d had all this time to get used to being together, Killian’s heart still skipped a beat at the gorgeousness of that happy smile that curled at her lips. It was such a treasure to spend a happy moment with Emma, and right now life was filled with such moments to a remarkable degree.

“Are you trying to say that we’re not just as under their spell? Because I hate to break it to you Captain, but you’re hardly the strict disciplinarian when either of them flash you that puppy dog look of theirs.”

“Perhaps you’re right, Swan, but can you really blame me? They’ve all the same magic and magnetism of their incredible mother, and then on top of that they have the benefit of being my children too. As such they’re the whole package in any conceivable way.”

Killian didn’t need to look at Emma to know she was rolling her eyes at that, but he couldn’t help the joke all the same. Truth was he could be a total pushover when it came to those little tykes, but there were moments when he was far more serious, especially when it came to their safety. And when Emma believed it was time to put their foot down as a parental unit, he never questioned her, always knowing that it was best for them to be a team. Besides, his lovely wife was easily the smarter of the two of them with better instincts than he could ever hope to have, and Killian would be a fool not to follow where she led.

Emma replied to his teasing with some sass of her own, checking his ego in a way that was blunt but also loving, which was easier said than done, and at that moment they turned the corner onto their street, finally coming into view of the house they called home once more. It was a relief to be back in this place where they both belonged to be sure, but as they were making their way up the walkway of the house, Killian knew the night couldn’t end just yet He had plans for Emma, and as she looked to head up the front steps, Killian held her back, surprising her with his lack of motion and bit of redirection.

“Before we go inside, my love, there’s one last thing I was hoping we could do.”

“Oh really?” Emma asked with a smirk and a heated look that spoke to the best kind of trouble life could bring. She licked her lips and her gaze dropped to his mouth in turn and Killian’s whole body flared with warmth and delicious tension. Damn she was a siren! She was still capable of making him crave so much more with just as ingle expression, but he had to resist, at least for a while longer until they were back inside and in the confines of their bedroom once more.

“Do you trust me?” he asked and Emma’s face softened into a sweet, sincere smile as she nodded.

“Always.”

With that soul searing agreement in his grasp, and with Emma’s hand clutched in his, Killian moved them around the house to the backyard where his surprise for her was currently waiting. It was a familiar path to get to that quiet, little oasis, and once they were through the back gate Killian flicked on a light switch to illuminate the space. The resulting gasp that came from Emma was exactly what he’d wanted. He looked to her reaction and he found her truly surprised in the best possible way, if the happy tears that were misting up her eyes were any indication.

“Killian… it’s beautiful,” Emma finally said, tearing her gaze from what he’d prepared and designed in the backyard today before leaving for their date without her knowing.

The space out here was a place of haven and reprieve for their family, and along with the playground contraption meant for the kids (which had taken Killian and David far longer than they’d care to admit to put together) there was a garden and flowers and greeneries all around. This outdoor place truly enhanced an already wonderful home, and this house, that had at one time been shroud in dark memories, held nothing but brightness now. Everywhere he looked Killian could recall some perfect moment, and tonight the whole place was lit up with twinkling lights and precisely hung lanterns to enhance the evening’s moonlight and to provide a special ambiance he knew in his heart his wife would enjoy.

“I’m glad you like it. But I have to admit my motives are not purely unselfish.”

“They aren’t?” Emma asked as she looked back to him with a curious glance and a raised brow that he had to smile at.

Even with this face of confusion coloring her expression, Emma was the most beautiful person he’d ever laid eyes on. She was more than words could ever hope to capture, but the one that came to mind as the twinkling lights illuminated her golden hair was angelic. Like an angel Emma was something more than human, something so far surpassing ordinary, and yet somehow she was also his. He could feel it so surely, sense their hearts were completely intertwined, and see the love in her eyes even with his questionable behavior right now. His heart stopped for a moment as he tried to take her in and feel that love, and a few too many seconds passed where he forgot he was supposed to respond. But when he regained his composure he cleared his throat and set out to explain his intentions.

“I was hoping that with this heightened setting as an inducement you might dance with me, love.”

“You want to dance? Out here?” Emma asked, sounding like she couldn’t fathom his train of thought even as excitement and desire colored her features.

“I do,” Killian said easily and Emma took one more second to think about it before beaming up at him again and moving to take off the heels she was wearing.

Now it was Killian’s turn to be thoroughly confused, and he sent her a questioning look about why she would be shedding her shoes in such a situation. But then Emma explained that knowledgeable partner or not, this would not be a successful dance if her heels were sinking into the dirt the whole time. This made a good amount of sense all things considered, and because Killian was always a gentleman, he removed his shoes as well so they were perfectly matched out here under the starlight.

The only thing left for them to do at this point was to play some music, and with the help of some trusty instructions for all things modern that Henry had left for Killian when he’d last left home, Killian had figured out a way to get some playing out here in the yard. All it required now was the click of a button and the soft, soothing tones of the melody he chose played out all around them. The song in question was one of Emma’s favorites. It was a timeless classic in this realm, he’d been told, and it was one he’d grown rather fond of too because every single lovely word reminded him of Emma.

“Just when I think I’ve got you all figured out you find a way to surprise me,” Emma said at one point when he’d twirled her and then dipped her low and Killian laughed aloud.

“You know me better than I know myself, love. You just sometimes forget that there’s nothing in my world that matters more than seeing you happy.”

With those words let loose between them Emma tucked in closer to him, changing their style of dance to something less rigid and rule based than a waltz. Killian had no problem with that either, for it meant he and his Swan were wrapped up closer together and he could feel her heart beating in time with his. The gentle thump thump thump was a beautiful reminder of he fact that they were both here and alive and living the life they’d always fought for.

Out here in the quiet, with the soft hum of the song’s melody around them and the gentle chirping of crickets coasting on a soft ocean breeze, Killian felt like all worry and care could slip away. Nothing could touch him here, and part of the thrill of all of this happy feeling was that they needn’t travel far to find it. Being here – being home – was the best thing imaginable, and even when this moment did eventually fade away and they slipped back into the house, Killian knew he’d have no resentments or regrets. For when he was with Emma, such moments of magic would always find a way to come again, and Killian was ready for a long long life filled with such interludes.

“I know it’s hardly news at this point, but I think it bears repeating that I love you,” Emma whispered as she looked back up at him and Killian smiled at that, not in a cocky way, but with genuine gladness. It didn’t matter that he’d heard that every day for years at this point. It was still a miracle in his estimations that he’d ever secured Emma’s love at all, and he was always grateful to know he’d maintained a claim to her heart through all the ups and downs life had to bring.

“It might not be news, but it’s still the sweetest thing I’ll ever hear, Swan,” Killian said before whispering that he loved her too. He saw the impact of his honest words too, and the light of wanting and desire that had already been smoldering in Emma’s green eyes sparked to a higher pitch as she pulled him down for a kiss out there on the lawn and under the golden lights.

The kiss made no attempt at politeness, and it was all too easy to get sucked into a yearning that wasn’t strictly appropriate for being out in the open like this, but that didn’t stop Emma and Killian from lingering as long as they could in this embrace. They took things just to the edge and then pulled back, and even then, the only reason Killian could even begin to move away from his lovely wife was because he heard a creaking sound on the floorboard of the back porch. He knew then that they weren’t alone any more, and all it took was one glance in the direction of the house to see he was right and that there were in fact two tiny witnesses to what was meant to be a private moment.

“You guys sure do kiss a lot,” their daughter Hope acknowledged bluntly.

Killian felt as a laugh broke from Emma’s chest, and though she tried to keep it quiet the shaking reverberated through since he was still holding her squarely in his arms. He had no intention of changing that just yet either, even with the unexpected appearance of their two little ones out here. Instead he only grinned as he watched his little lass pushing her wayward brown curls from her precious face as her other hand held onto Liam’s little fist with all the care and authority of a good big sister.

“And you, my little princess, are out of doors when it’s past your bedtime. How did you two get out here anyway?” Killian asked, though he had his suspicions as he came to scoop a giggling but tired little Liam into his arms and Emma came to take Hope’s hand.

“Magic, duh,” their daughter said and Liam chorused with his own attempt at the word he called ‘magix.’

“What did we say about using your powers when Mom and Dad aren’t home, Hope?” Emma asked sternly but still with so much love it couldn’t be denied.

“Not to do it,” Hope said with a dramatic sigh. “Sorry, Mommy.”

“Sowwy, Mommy,” Liam chorused back and Killian felt his heart fill with even more love for these two little rascals he loved so dearly.

Emma, meanwhile, proceeded to forgive their little ones while still emphasizing that Hope had to be careful in that effortless way that only a truly good mother could maneuver. She walked the line so brilliantly, and Killian couldn’t help feeling this rush of pride that Emma had truly become the best version of herself that she could be. She was so good at this, just as she was so good at so many other things, and it was impossible to resist her as she flashed him a knowing smile and they got the kids squared away for bed once and for all after relieving her parents from babysitting duty.

“I have to be honest, Swan. This is not exactly how I envisioned this night ending,” Killian said when they’d entered the hallway once more after Hope had finally drifted off to sleep with Liam fast on her tail.

“Really?” Emma asked with a smile and a glance back in the doorway where Hope’s nightlight illuminated their sleeping daughter in a soft golden light.

“Really. You know I had all sorts of ideas about getting you alone. I never anticipated an interruption in getting here,” Killian whispered as he led her back to their room and watched Emma’s eyes darken and her cheeks flush ever so slightly.

“Maybe it was unexpected…” Emma acknowledged thoughtfully as she came up to run her hand along his chest. “But if you want the truth I thought it was perfect.”

“As did I, love,” Killian confessed, glad for the fact that the two of them were on the same page. “In fact, I think perfect is exactly the way I’d characterize everything about this life we’ve made together.”

Emma whole-heartedly agreed with that, and she showed Killian that not only with matching words that sounded sweetly to his ears, but a night of bliss so blindingly brilliant it was almost like a dream. But the best part was that it wasn’t a dream. None of this was a dream. Somehow, someway, this was really their life, and the most magical part of this happily ever after was that they still had so much love and light and hope to share for now and always.

…………….

I found a love for me Darling just dive right in And follow my lead Well I found a girl beautiful and sweet I never knew you were the someone waiting for me 'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love Not knowing what it was I will not give you up this time But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own And in your eyes you're holding mine Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight Well I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets To carry love, to carry children of our own We are still kids, but we're so in love Fighting against all odds I know we'll be alright this time Darling, just hold my hand Be my girl, I'll be your man I see my future in your eyes Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful I don't deserve this, darling, you look perfect tonight Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song I have faith in what I see Now I know I have met an angel in person And she looks perfect I don't deserve this You look perfect tonight

Post-Note: It’s always nice to have another Ed Sheeran song in the CS mixtape, and as I have joked before, I have had enough prompted Sheeran chapters to make a whole mixtape just for him. I honestly still might, someday because I love him, but we will have to see. Anyway, there are still a lot of prompts on my list of songs, and though this one was a newer one than some, it’s where my inspiration wanted to lead me to today. I hope you guys have enjoyed and that this chapter finds you doing well! Have a great rest of your day and thanks for reading!

“Bloody hell it’s practically a hurricane!” Killian called out from across the decks of the Jolly and Emma rolled her eyes thinking he was exaggerating. Then another bolt of lightening kissed the turbulent blue-gray waves they’d left further out and Emma jumped, admitting it was a pretty nasty swell after a picture perfect day. Thankfully they were back now by the docks just trying to set things up so the Jolly would be safe to leave, but it had been touch and go for a spell, and a few more minutes out spent enjoying the open seas would have created quite a problem for the two of them.

“It’s just a little rain!” Emma called back with a purposefully teasing lilt in her voice as Killian brought down the sails, showing off the hard lines of his muscled arms to Emma as he did and drawing her attention. Damn her husband was hot, that was just a fact of her life, but there was something about him soaking wet and taking command of the harder problems they were facing that sparked a need in Emma that probably shouldn’t be so apparent in the middle of a rainstorm.

“A little rain?!” he scoffed as he continued moving about the ship, momentarily oblivious to her ongoing interest in how he appeared right now. “Come now, love, you know this is hardly a light misting.”

“It’s nothing we can’t handle,” Emma countered, her words a little tighter than they had been, and when he heard the subtle change Killian looked back to her, taking her all in before responding. In his expression Emma could see his own ever present level of admiration too, but it was outshone by genuine concern for her that touched Emma as Killian’s caring always did.

“Maybe not, but I’ll be damned if you catch a cold out here after the day we’ve had. A man doesn’t romance his wife like this just for it all to be washed away.”

Emma laughed outright at that, thinking that on some level Killian had to be kidding. After all they’d just spent the day together in the sun, exploring the coastline around them and luxuriating in their afternoon away from the rest of the world with a mix of sweetness and sex appeal befitting any good honeymoon. There’d been a picnic, some rum, and more than one interlude not fit for public or family consumption and all of it had been brilliant. But right now her husband looked dead serious in his concerns, and in between the tasks that were more than second nature to him that he was undertaking to secure the ship, Killian kept looking her way as if worried Emma would wilt under the pressures of the storm.

If anything, however, Emma felt rejuvenated by this. The day had been almost overly warm even in all its glory and they were in the midst of a long hot summer that was stretching on and on, so a storm like this was welcome if a bit overwhelming in its unexpected intensity. Yet from the look on Killian’s face one would think that Emma was in actual, tangible danger, and Emma didn’t want him to linger in those worries. Killian was right, they had just spent a wonderfully romantic day together and they shouldn’t be fretting over a relatively harmless storm; they should be chasing those good feelings some more and ending the day on the high note from which it started.

With that thought in mind Emma found herself moving, cutting across the worn wooden decks of the Jolly until she was right before Killian with all of his attention locked right on her. In his deep blue eyes that shone so much brighter than the sea around them now she saw nothing but love and a little curiosity, but that questioning melted away when she pulled him down by the shirt he was wearing and in for a kiss right there in the rain. Maybe it was a little cheesy, and yes, perhaps it was reminiscent of a few too many romantic movies to be totally her style, but Emma gave all of herself to that kiss and she found that she loved it, connotations be damned, as soon as Killian met her beat for beat giving just as good as he got.

It was hard to say exactly how long the kiss lasted, and despite the cool trickles of rain that continued to fall and slide across their skin and seep into their clothes, Emma was on fire, consumed with the love that she had inside her heart for her husband that had never faded and that never would. It was actually kind of perfect, standing out there in the midst of a storm as natural chaos unfurled all around, because standing in the arms of the man she loved Emma felt untouchable without a care or a fear or a worry anywhere in sight.

“No storm is going to wash us away, Killian. We’re stronger than that. We’re stronger than anything, as long as we’re together,” Emma finally whispered when they’d pulled apart from the kiss, their foreheads touching and their bodies wrapped together. Emma could feel the push of Killian’s hook against the small of her back and his hand at her waist, but then it came up to cup her cheek as his eyes met hers, shining bright with hope and honesty and all the trust in the world.

“Aye, love. You’re more than right about that. And if you want to stay out here all night then by the Gods we will,” he promised, grinning at her and pulling a genuine smile to her lips in the process.

“But you had other ideas?” Emma prodded, knowing that he did even without having to ask and pulling a chuckle from Killian as his thumb traced the corner of her mouth ever so lightly and his eyes dropped back down to her lips.

“I was just thinking that the only thing better than having this moment out here would be getting you home and warm and out of these wet clothes…”

There was nothing more that Killian needed to say to convince Emma, and her only response was to ask if he had anything left to do to protect the Jolly from the storm. And when he told her that he didn’t Emma thanked her lucky stars before flicking her wrist and poofing them both back home so they could make good on all those wonderful thoughts of his and spend the rest of this perfect day in a way befitting two people so truly and wonderfully in love.

……………..

Look around There's no one but you and me Right here and now The way it was meant to be There's a smile on my face Knowing that together everything that's in our way We're better than alright Walking between the raindrops Riding the aftershock beside you Off into the sunset Living like there's nothing left to lose Chasing after gold mines Crossing the fine lines we knew Hold on and take a breath I'll be here every step Walking between the raindrops with you Take me now The world's such a crazy place When the walls come down You'll know I'm here to stay There's nothing I would change Knowing that together everything that's in our way We're better than alright Walking between the raindrops Riding the aftershock beside you Off into the sunset Living like there's nothing left to lose Chasing after gold mines Crossing the fine lines we knew Hold on and take a breath I'll be here every step Walking between the raindrops with you There's a smile on my face Knowing that together everything that's in our way We're better than alright Walking between the raindrops Riding the aftershock beside you Off into the sunset Living like there's nothing left to lose Chasing after gold mines Crossing the fine lines we knew Hold on and take a breath I'll be here every step Walking between the raindrops with you Between the raindrops with you Between the raindrops with you Between the raindrops with you

Post-Note: So it’s just the shortest little fluff piece today because I have been busy and actually working on other chapters entirely, but I was going through the list of songs I compiled myself months ago and this one jumped out immediately. Basically if you haven’t heard the song I would definitely recommend it, and if you are a reader waiting for your prompt to be answered then no worries. We’ll be backed to our regularly scheduled programming soon enough. In the meantime though I hope you all have a lovely rest of your day and thank you so much for reading!!

And wasn’t that the truth? Killian still looked back on those moments with mixed emotions, because on the one hand it had been damn tedious to learn how to captain these vessels, especially in that tiny bug of Emma’s. But on the other hand he had all that extra time with his Swan, and she’d been very generous and creative in the reward system she made to motivate him to do well. She was so good, in fact, that Killian earned his license in record time, and now every time he got behind the wheel of one of these automobiles, he had those fond memories to reflect on.

“Is that a real compliment, mate?” Killian asked as they strolled into the station and David slapped his hand upon Killian’s shoulder good-naturedly.

“It is, and I think you’ve earned it seeing as how you put that last complaint to bed so quickly.”

Killian groaned aloud thinking back to today’s one actual encounter with the Storybrooke populace. It was, unsurprisingly, an incident having to do with the dwarves, and where both David and Emma had a bit more patience with these matters normally, Killian did not. He knew better than to entertain the dramatics that flared up between that group of busybodies and luckily none of them, not even Grumpy, ever questioned the badge he’d taken on after the Black Fairy’s curse was lifted. Instead they grumbled about his being so abrupt, but they settled down enough again to rectify the noise complaint that Granny had been forced to file after their antics.

“I think we need a new system,” Killian said as they moved into the precinct once more and he hung up his jacket and grabbed his share of lunch from David before moving to his desk. “Each of them can have one infraction a week or it’s a stint in a cell for the lot of them. Otherwise they get themselves all worked up over and over again and we’ve got more work because of it.”

“You might be onto something there,” David admitted as he sat down across the way with his own food. “But all things considered, I’ll take dwarf wrangling to facing actual villains any day.”

“Hear, hear,” Killian agreed as he toasted with his cup (which thanks to his being on duty and his wife’s loving insistence, was not filled with rum as he might have preferred, but with water) and dug into his meal.

Yet as Killian sat there with David in companionable silence, it wasn’t work or villains that were on his mind, but his Emma and their daughter Hope who were waiting for him at home. Since he was working today Emma was at the house with their little princess, who would be turning four in a few weeks time, and Killian was anxious to get back to them. Nothing ever felt as right as when he was with his family, and work was all the more tiresome when Killian knew he could be there treasuring these sacred moments with the two most important people in his life instead.

In the meantime though, Killian did have some small comfort in the form of their many pictures framed on his desk. It was impossible to see them all and not smile, and today his gaze cast to his favorite one and he remembered the moment when that shot had been captured. It was an image of the three of them and Henry all aboard the Jolly Roger, with Hope up on Killian’s shoulders making a precociously silly face and Emma in his arms smiling right for the camera as Henry did the same on his other side. Killian meanwhile had been caught looking at Emma in the same way he so often did, like she hung the moon and stars, because in his world she did. Everything good in his life that he had was thanks to this woman, and there was never a day that went by where Killian didn’t feel that right down to his soul.

Suddenly the familiar chirp of his phone went off, and Killian saw that it was Emma’s number flashing on the screen before he answered it. The fact that it was his wife who was calling made the whole idea of having to use this bloody contraption far more bearable, and he was hoping for some good news that perhaps she and Hope would visit this afternoon and end the long hours of separation he had dealt with for this shift.

“Couldn’t last a whole day without me, could you love?” Killian joked as a way of answering, but where he expected to hear Emma’s equally teasing voice floating back through the speaker, he heard his daughter’s instead sounding animated and adamant.

“Daddy you have to come home right away!”

“Hope? What is it? What’s happened?” Killian asked, feeling immediately on edge and rising to his feet, sending a look to David who also appeared incredibly concerned. Without any words exchanged, David just gave Killian a nod and Killian grabbed his jacket and threw it back on as he raced out the door before Hope elaborated.

“We need you here right now!” Hope said, this time just as enthusiastically, and Killian was at a loss for what to do. His natural response was to run, figuring he’d get home sooner at a full sprint then he would getting in the truck and driving back. But while he planned to keep Hope on the phone with him to get more information, she only added that she loved him and then the line went dead.

The rush of cold and pounding dread that coursed through Killian in that instant was severe, and he didn’t bother to try and call Emma’s phone back. Hope would likely not know how to answer, and it would just take time from getting to them. Instead he moved as fast as he could, making it back to their house in record time and running up the stairs at a loss for breath but ready to face whatever situation awaited him.

“Swan?!” Killian called out into the house, worried that something would be amiss, but then in a white poof of her own true-love induced magic, Hope appeared with Emma right on her tail.

Seeing that the two of them were in fact alright was incredibly reassuring, but while Killian’s mind might be able to process their being safe, his body was still running on that adrenaline that fear had instilled only minutes ago. His hand and hook shook from the force of the exertion of running here and from the lingering sense of terror he’d been suffering from. But just the sight of his daughter bounding towards him with her chestnut brown curls bouncing and her blue eyes filled with happiness at his arrival was enough to steady him somewhat.

“Daddy you made it! We’ve been waiting forever,” Hope said with a mix of childish cheer and a bit of chastisement all at once as she hugged his legs tight.

“Forever?” Killian asked, still not following as he squatted down to get to eye level with his little princess. “You just called me, lass, and I ran all the way here from the station. Not all of us have magical powers you know.”

At the reminder Hope actually looked sad for him and for her part in worrying him and she patted him on the shoulder sweetly before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Though he was damn near losing his mind just a moment before, Killian found some substantial comfort in that warm embrace from his daughter, and it was heightened all the more when he looked over her shoulder to her mother who had an apologetic smile of her own waiting for Killian.

“Hope just told me that she cracked the password on my phone. Guess who her first call was?”

Ah, that made a bit more sense and now that he wasn’t worried that Emma or Hope was in trouble he could see the humor in that. At almost four, Hope was a fast learner, and she’d taken to mechanisms in this world in a vastly superior way to him. Truth be told Killian still had an aversion to the phone and it had been years since he’d first been given one, which had made the call he just got all the more alarming.

“It was you Daddy!” Hope said happily. “I called to invite you to our tea party.”

If someone had told Killian Jones even a dew years ago that he would not only be willingly attending an affair of this sort, but that he’d actually be happy in the face of such a chance, he’d have called them a fool. Then he’d have called them a half a dozen other things that were hardly appropriate for little ears. But now he was a different man entirely, a man who loved his wife and child more than anything, and who knew that a person only had so many moments and so much precious time with the people they loved in this life. He’d been blessed enough to find his happy ending, and if it happened to include tea parties with his two girls then so be it.

“I’m honored, lass. I should just call your grandfather and let him know I have urgent celebratory business to attend to.”

Hope giggled at his ways of describing things, and Killian knew it was because she largely didn’t understand him. He’d tried to bring his language down to her level ever since she was born, but then he reasoned she was such a smart lass she’d pick up on it soon enough. Besides, his joke landed well with his wife who let out a sweet sound of laughter that filled Killian’s chest with warmth as she came over and bestowed her own kiss on his lips and took his hand in hers.

“I just called Dad when Hope told me what happened. He says there’s nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow and he’ll radio if anything else comes up.”

“Well thank the Gods for that,” Killian muttered and Emma ran her hand against his chest in a soothing gesture.

“She got you good didn’t she?” Emma asked and Killian nodded, his eyes tracing back over their little girl as she led them back to the living room and then moving to Emma as he reminded himself all over again that they were actually safe.

“Aye. I know things have been peaceful since well before she was born, but…”

“But it’ll always be our job to protect her no matter what,” Emma said and Killian nodded, loving even after all these years that the two of them were bound together like this. They were a team, had been almost since the start, and though parenting was in many ways an adventure he hadn’t been ready for, it was the best one he’d even been privy to save perhaps the adventure of being Emma’s husband.

“It’s my job to protect both of you, Emma, and I have every intention of doing it for the rest of our lives.”

Emma’s eyes lit up at the promise and the brightness of her smile infiltrated those jade colored pools in a way that made her even more beautiful. In truth she was a vision, and Killian just stood there knowing that he was the luckiest man in all the realms because he truly had everything he’d ever wanted.

“Daddy always comes when we need him, doesn’t he Mommy?” Hope asked then as they sat down at the little table Killian and Henry had crafted together for Hope some time ago, and Emma smiled at Killian before replying.

“Yes he does, honey. And it’s safe to say that he always will.”

“Aye. I’m only one call away, love, whenever you need me. But maybe next time you can tell me why you need me too, alright?”

“But what if it’s a surprise?” Hope asked, genuinely curious and clearly not following how much she’d alarmed Killian, but her clear desire to understand made both Emma and Killian laugh as he pulled Hope in to press a kiss to the crown of her head.

“Then you tell me it’s a surprise and I’ll follow you wherever you lead, lass.”

“Okay it’s a deal,” Hope agreed, and with that the tea party commenced and Killian and Emma enjoyed the rest of their day with their rambunctious daughter, soaking up the everyday normalcy of their glorious happily ever after.

………………..

I'm only one call away I'll be there to save the day Superman got nothing on me I'm only one call away

Call me, baby, if you need a friend I just wanna give you love Come on, come on, come on Reaching out to you, so take a chance

No matter where you go You know you're not alone

I'm only one call away I'll be there to save the day Superman got nothing on me I'm only one call away

Come along with me and don't be scared I just wanna set you free Come on, come on, come on You and me can make it anywhere For now, we can stay here for a while, ay 'Cause you know, I just wanna see you smile

No matter where you go You know you're not alone

I'm only one call away I'll be there to save the day Superman got nothing on me I'm only one call away

And when you're weak I'll be strong I'm gonna keep holding on Now don't you worry, it won't be long, Darling And when you feel like hope is gone Just run into my arms

I'm only one call away I'll be there to save the day Superman got nothing on me I'm only one, I'm only one call away I'll be there to save the day Superman got nothing on me I'm only one call away

I'm only one call away

Post-Note: So this request came a long long time ago, and there were so many possible ways to take it, but given recent events I wanted to make it a future CS snapshot, and once I had that in mind, the rest came naturally. Thank you very much to my lovely reader who was so patient with this song request, and to all of you who have been equally patient. I hope you all enjoyed and that you’re weeks are going okay all things considered.

“Hardly Swan. I think we’ve a good many more years to go with those tales of hers.”

When her parents had turned the corner and were finally out of sight, Killian’s hand came to the small of Emma’s back, leading her back inside from the cool night air. There was no need to clean or anything after her parents had come and taken care of all things domestic this evening. Emma actually was hard pressed to think of a single moment all night other than when they were actually eating where either her Mom or Dad had been still. Her parents were so amped up and constantly moving, creating a funny little spectacle whether they knew it or not, but it all came from a place of love and though she’d always be an independent kind of person, Emma had to admit it was nice to have her parents doting on her this way.

Actually, it was hard for Emma to pick exactly what part of her life she loved most in this moment. There were simply so many good things to choose from. Henry was growing more and more sure of himself every day and turning from the little boy she once knew to a young man with a bright future ahead of him. He was a teenager in every way, distracted by technology and a girlfriend and all sorts of other teenage dilemmas, but in his heart he was still Henry, that same great kid with so much belief that good would win, and so much love to share.

Then there were Emma’s parents, who after years of fighting had finally found their times of peace, and their love for each other and for Emma and her brother was true and unwavering. It felt good for Emma to have family and to share in those strong bonds and connections, but she knew that her parents were even happier for this chance. Both of them had always had one ultimate goal in mind – to do right by their children and to share all of their love with them, and now finally they had the opportunity to do that, when so many chances had been stolen from them before.

And then there was Killian, the man Emma had found her own happy ending with and the one she’d chosen to be with all the days of her life. They’d only managed to defeat the Black Fairy relatively recently, and they’d married in the midst of all that madness, but in all the time since Emma had known true joy and the contentment that could only come when things were really meant to be. She knew now that Killian had been a part of her destiny, and that even if the world had tried to pull them apart half a dozen times, they’d always find each other. That was their fate and it was something Emma was more than willing to embrace.

But even when things were going so well, stresses were bound to appear. Things couldn’t always be smooth sailing even if ‘the final battle’ was behind them, and since they’d managed to find this happy state the stakes seemed that much higher. If another villain came to town waging war on all of them it meant more than losing a chance at a happy ending: it meant losing the future they were already building together, one that was about to take a new step in the form of another child.

Emma knew that idea of losing what meant the world to them was what was plaguing Killian tonight. She’d seen it all through dinner and felt that underlying wave of anxiety from where they’d sat together as her family visited, but she hadn’t had the chance to say anything. Now, however, she intended to so they could put the fear behind them and get back to what really mattered – living in the moment and appreciating all that they did have while they could.

“You know if you tell me what exactly is on your mind, maybe I can help,” Emma offered gently.

Her husband had taken up his favorite perch at the window in the house with the best view of the sea and Emma knew that in another situation he’d likely have gone down to the docks to see it in the flesh. As it was though, Killian hadn’t been much more than an arm’s length away from her since she shared the news about the baby, and his already prevalent want to protect her had climbed to an even higher degree. Emma appreciated that desire to keep her and their family safe just as much as she appreciated the impact of Killian’s gaze when he turned from the window that overlooked the sea and looked her way.

When faced with those piercing blue eyes of his, there was no denying that Killian loved her and no doubt in Emma’s mind that she was the most important thing in his whole world. His closing himself off like this wasn’t because of her, but to spare her any undue worry, and though she appreciated Killian’s trying to look out for her, she also couldn’t allow this to go on. Whatever was wrong, they were in this together.

“There’s no helping this, love. It’s all for nothing – mindless worrying, nothing to concern yourself with.”

Emma came and took his hand, leading him to the couch gently, glad that at least he was responding and that he wasn’t trying to fend her off. She thought back briefly to all those times in their past when he’d been the one to try and help and she’d pulled away, and even the times when he’d had doubt and she was the one trying to hold it all together. Luckily they were past that now and Emma hoped they never returned to such a state again, but the key to staying above those old demons was knowing that in the other they would always have someone they could trust.

“Try me,” she implored, seeing the moment when Killian’s resistance crumbled.

“It’s just… even in my dreams I didn’t expect this Emma, not really. Everything we have, everything we’re going to have…” Killian said as his hand moved to rest with hers above her stomach, feeling the tiny swell of where their new addition was already starting to grow. “It feels too good to be true. How can I possibly have gotten this lucky?”

“And when is the other shoe going to drop?” Emma added and Killian nodded, his fingers flexing ever so lightly and causing her heart to clench in her chest.

“Aye love. I know it’s wrong of me to linger on the doubts, but the panic never truly fades. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect you and our family, Emma, but I’m just one man. One man who’s been beaten before.”

The heartbreak in his tone reverberated through Emma, and she could claim it was the hormones from the pregnancy that brought tears to her eyes or she could be honest and admit her sympathy for Killian had such a strong pull. She never wanted to see him hurting, and she never wanted him to doubt himself and all he’d given her. He’d kept his word to her all this time and even when all hope was lost he found a way to find her again, to survive and to ensure when he did that they both lived the lives they wanted.

“You know what the best part of marrying you was for me?” Emma asked, coming at this from a seemingly random angle. Her approach was working though when she saw Killian’s features soften and she felt some of the tension in him already ease away.

“Cementing your claim to my roguish charm and dashing good looks?” Emma smiled but rolled her eyes and moved closer to him, snuggling in to seep up the warmth only Killian had to offer.

“The best part was knowing that I would never be alone again. When we said those words, when we made our vows, we swore to face the world side by side. So you’re not just one man – you’re part of a team. We’re stronger together, and that strength is growing with this new change. We have so much more to fight for when it already felt like we had everything before.”

When she said the words, Killian tilted her chin up to look at him and Emma felt the pulsing need within him. Whether he’d wanted to admit it or not, Killian needed to hear those words. He knew by now how much she loved him. She’d said it so many times and in so many ways, and she meant every word and every action that had proved it. But what he failed to see was that when it came to them, love truly could be enough. It would be the light that got them through the dark times, and it would be their strength in any battle still to come.

Instinctually Emma moved to close the rest of the space between them, pressing her lips to his and pulling him closer so she could show him just a little more of how she felt.  A kiss like this, sweet in its sincerity but also filled with passion and heat and yearning was a rarity for many, but to them this was their life. This was what they’d found together, and Emma and Killian were only going to continue to let that love grow and flourish as their family expanded in the coming months.

“You’re everything, Emma. You and this child are everything a man could dream to call his own,” Killian whispered his forehead pressed against hers and his breathing ragged from the kiss.  “Gods only know what I’d do without you, love.”

“Good thing you’ll never have to find out,” Emma quipped, running her hand along his cheek and hoping that Killian trusted that promise because she truly meant it. There was just no way their story was headed for any more prolonged separation or terrible heartbreaks. Those chapters had passed and now they were on to bigger and better things.

“Good thing indeed,” Killian agreed before pressing another kiss to her lips and sending those same dizzy flutters of happiness and bliss coursing through Emma once more.

And with that Killian came to his feet again, sweeping Emma in his arms and bringing her back to their room where they spent the night reminding each other just how lucky they were to have all this and still so much more to come.

………………..

I may not always love you But long as there are stars above you You never need to doubt it I'll make you so sure about it God only knows what I'd be without you

If you should ever leave me Though life would still go on, believe me The world could show nothing to me So what good would livin' do me God only knows what I'd be without you

God only knows what I'd be without you

If you should ever leave me Though life would still go on, believe me The world could show nothing to me So what good would livin' do me God only knows what I'd be without you

God only knows what I'd be without you

Post-Note: I’ve gotten such lovely feedback from so many of my readers with this series, and while some of you have big visions for chapters or songs that could be included in the mixtape, others are a little vaguer with their wishes. One common thread, however, is that people love when one part of this ship is worried and the other helps them get through it. I have to admit I love that trope too, and I REALLY love fics where these two lovebirds are expecting and finally getting the happiness they deserve. Dear God please let this show bring me that. Please, please, please. Anyway, thank you all so much for reading and I hope that you enjoy and have a great rest of your day!