here it is, one of the final chapter(s). hint: there could be an epilogue at some point, but i'm a bit busy with university right now. anyway, this story has taken me on a big journey and i'd like to think my writing has massively improved since the first chapter, and it's a bit sad but i'm so happy to finally have it finished.

there is sort of some smut - i mean there is, but it's not all that much? i've certainly written smuttier. just a warning in case that isn't your thing. labelling this as NSFW, just in case.

anyways, i hope you all enjoy!

- shauna! xo

Emma almost feels out of place when she wakes the next morning, because there's something under her that feels far too comfortable for it to be the floor of the tent and honestly, sue her, because she's always like this when she wakes up, but it takes her a few minutes to realise it's Killian and that the rising up and down is him breathing.

She blinks lazily, as she wills herself to come around, and she hears a low chuckle, followed by a tug of her hair.

Her lips press together, as she buries herself further into Killian's naked chest, his very warm chest, mind you, and honestly it really isn't normal for a person to be this hot when it's so cold outside.

She knows he's grinning, even as her eyes flutter shut once more, her lips pressing briefly to his chest, before he chuckles again.

"Shut up," she grumbles.

He laughs again, his whole body shaking with it.

"Anybody ever tell you that you're rather irritable in the morning?" he murmurs, his voice thick with sleep, and dear lord, he will be her undoing.

"No one's a morning person, Jones," she mutters, even as she refuses to look up, her eyes screwing shut. "Other than you, it seems."

"Raised in the Navy, darling," he responds.

She rolls her eyes and event that takes too much effort.

Clumsily, her hands reach above her, until she can press one sloppily over his lips.

"Shush," she mutters, still half asleep. "It's way too early."

She feels his lips twist up against her hand, before his own hand covers hers and she feels his fingers wrap around hers. He brings their joint hands to her neck, his arm wrapping more firmly around her.

"Actually, my little slugabed, you'll find that the sun is up and shining."

Emma grumbles unintelligibly.

"Doesn't say much," she mutters.

He grins again, and she wants to shoot him.

"Nobody should be this much of a morning person," she mutters.

"Perhaps you just inspire me, Swan."

Her head snaps up, finally, her eyes narrowing into a glare.

"Really?" She's unimpressed as her eyes gleam up at him.

His hand travels under the sleeping bag, pressing against the bottom of her spine, and his fingers briefly squeeze her ass in his palm, before he just lets it rest there. Emma almost groans at the heat stirring low in her belly.

But his eyes are blue, so blue, and he looks happy as he peers down at her that she can't help the little smile that she gives him back.

"I'm sure Ruby will be up soon enough," he tells her, and she notices the warning in his voice, letting out a groan of her own because she gets him.

Do they really want Ruby (and more than likely the rest of their friends) to catch the two of them pressed against each other, naked? No. Probably not.

She sighs, loudly, and shakes her head.

"Fine, I concede your point," she sniffs.

"Besides," Killian continues, "We do have plans for today. Do we not?"

She smiles, "Right."

His head tips to the side, as her hand reaches up to curve around his neck, her thumb rubbing against his cheek softly. His lips press together, though his eyes are as soft as ever as he watches her carefully.

"We don't have to go tonight," he murmurs. "We can go another time, if you'd like. We can just hang out with our friends."

It goes unsaid but she knows he means that they don't have to tell Ruby and everyone about them, if she doesn't want to. Once again, he's leaving the choice up to her, and she feels her stomach fluttering in response.

She arches her neck, as she finds his lips, pressing her own softly against his. She feels him relax against her, his arm covering her back, and she pushes him onto his back softly, following him down, as her legs straddle him, her lips never leaving his.

He lets out a small groan against her, when he comes into contact with the heat of her, and she could let him throw her down and have his way with her again, let the two of them laugh off a sweet moment.

But she doesn't want to. Not with him.

So she peels herself away from him, and she almost lets out a groan of her own, at the feeling of his erection pressing so deliciously against her, her back straightening as she hovers over him. His eyes flicker open, at the loss of her, a slight frown on his face.

"I wouldn't like," she says firmly. "I don't want to hide. Not from anyone, and I want to go on a date. With you."

His smile is blinding, and she grins back, before his hand pushes against her back, his fingers coming up to curl around her neck, and pulling her back down towards him.

"As long as that is settled," he murmurs, his breath fanning against her lips, "I'm sure we have a few quiet moments before everybody wakes."

His lips press against hers, as the sleeping bag is pushed off her shoulders and she fights a shiver, as he pushes himself up on his elbows, until his torso presses against hers. His lips become more frantic, his teeth biting in to her bottom lip, and she opens up immediately, his tongue pushing against hers.

She groans, when his hips shift beneath her, meeting hers enthusiastically, and she's reached down, her fingers curling around his cock when they both hear the noise of a zip.

"Jones, Emma," they hear in a sing-song voice, "You have ten minutes to make yourselves decent before I come storming in."

Killian's eyes are wide, as she pulls away from him, though her head is still around his cock, and his skin is flushed.

"She won't," he pleads, rocking up into her touch ever so slightly. "Have mercy, Swan."

Ruby snorts from the outside of the tent, and Emma knows she's far too close. Really, they should know better.

"Won't I?" And Emma just knows she's grinning, and then, "I'll be kind, you know. I'll even give you thirty minutes to sort your little problem out. Oh, and Emma? Not a moment more. I do want details."

Honestly, she could kill Ruby sometimes.

As they hear the sound of footsteps walking away, Killian's lips are back on hers, and she lets the thoughts drift away as Killian puts her on her back, his salacious smile in her vision, as he trails his lips across her breasts, and down her torso, before he kneels between her thighs.

His too blue eyes flicker up to hers, as he bites his lip, and his grin is far too smug for her liking.

"You should probably hold on to something, love," he tells her, before he ducks down.

And Emma's quite sure that the rest of their friends can hear how she moans his name, but she can't say she minds, not when Killian's tongue is on her clit, and her hands fist into his dark locks.

(It's nothing they hadn't done to her before, many many times.)

-/-

They don't make it out in thirty minutes, but Ruby doesn't come barging back in (thankfully). Though the two of them are greeted by knowing, smug smiles as they walk out, followed by widened eyes and raised eyebrows as she entwines her fingers with Killian's.

Emma snorts, rolling her eyes, as they sit down on one of the rocks.

"Get over it," she grumbles.

Ruby's eyes are full of excitement as they gleam over at her.

"Still not a morning person, Ems? And here I thought Killian would have managed to work that out of you this morning," she winks.

Emma glares.

"You have no tact."

Ruby shrugs, "I have never denied that, and besides, Victor likes that about me."

"I'm sure he does," Emma mutters beneath her breath.

Ruby raises an eyebrow but doesn't comment, and she feels Killian squeeze her hand tightly. Her head twists towards him to find him smiling down at her softly, almost encouraging, and she can't help the little twist of her lips.

She hears a cough somewhere in the background and she knows it's David.

Rolling her eyes, she twists to face him, though his face is unreadable and he's staring directly at Killian, making Emma wince inwardly. Maybe she and David should talk first.

"Yes?" she pipes up, causing his eyes to flicker across to hers, before moving back to Mary Margaret's

"How about we all go get breakfast?" At Ruby's pointed cough, he adds, "Or brunch."

Emma rolls her eyes.

"Mature," she accuses.

Ruby merely grins, her tongue pressing against her teeth.

It's Killian who speaks up next, "Actually the lady Swan and I have plans today." He pauses, "How about we meet up for tea later?"

It takes Emma a few moments to realise that he means dinner, and her fingers tighten against his, as she wonders what he has planned.

Ruby looks curious, but she doesn't push, and David looks as though he wants to say something, but Emma watches as Mary Margaret catches his attention once more and he obviously decides against it.

"Sound good," Mary Margaret says, "Shall we meet back up at say 6? We could go to that place you were raving about Victor," she suggests.

Victor nods, "I'll call up my buddy, reserve a table for tonight."

Ruby's eyes fly across to hers, and Mary Margaret stands, along with every one else shortly after.

"Come on then, Ems," Ruby tells her. "Let's get ready."

Emma hesitates for a beat, at the way David is staring at Killian like he's just punched him in the face but she coughs in the end, nodding.

"Sure."

She turns back to Killian, a small smile on her face.

"I'll see you in a few?" she asks quietly.

"No rush, love," he tells her in a just as quiet murmur. "You're okay for another hour."

Her eyes look pointedly over to David whose been staring at them, before back to him.

"I'll be quick," she promises.

He grins, and his hand squeezes hers once more.

"I find myself awaiting your return."

She snorts, shaking her head.

"You're such a dork," she tells him, but she kisses him anyway, a brief peck to his lips, before she saunters off, feeling his eyes on her back the entire way there.

(Maybe she should give them time to talk.)

(It's not like David would do anything. Not now. She knows that he values his friendship with Killian, even if he wouldn't admit it.)

-/-

Killian watches her walk away from him, and he presses his lips together to stop them from twitching at the way her hips sway (purposefully, he's certain). His hands fold together, too, as though he has to stop himself from following her. It seems now he's had her, he doesn't want to let her out of his sight. He's only human.

He hears a cough, and his head snaps up to find David staring down at him.

"Perhaps we should go for a walk, hm?"

He gulps at that, his eyebrows furrowing, and he suddenly feels like he's back in high school and meeting his girlfriend's parents for the first time.

"Of course," he grits his teeth.

They don't go far, barely a few minutes, but just far enough that David knows they won't be disturbed.

"So, you and Emma," Dave says, though Killian hears the question there.

"Dave-"

But, David cuts him off almost immediately.

"This isn't me grilling you," he says, and Killian raises his eyebrows in mock surprise, his lips pursing, and Dave sighs. "Okay, maybe it is. Don't tell Mary Margaret, she's already warned me against talking to you. Emma can take care of herself"- Killian snorts at the way his voice goes up a pitch and he imagines that's his friend's impression of his girlfriend, "But can you blame me?"

Not really.

Killian doesn't know the specifics of what Emma has been through, but he knows enough. He knows she's been through enough to hide behind those mile-high walls of hers, and he doesn't blame her. Not one bit. He also knows that she and David are something of a family, that David's mother had practically taken her in and taken care of her as her own, and that Emma was grateful, and as a result, David had become something of an older brother.

Killian knows that his own reputation can't help either.

"No," Killian sighs, his hand scratching behind his ear. "I can't. Not at all."

"And it's not that I don't trust you," Dave continues. "Because we've become something of friends now, I'll admit that. Emma, just, she's been through so much, and all I want is for her to be happy."

"And that's exactly what I want," Killian says firmly, "I always have."

David's eyes seem to soften slightly.

"I believe you. Just- go easy on her, okay?" At Killian's puzzled look, he continues "Just. I know she can be frustrating, believe me, I know. With all those walls of hers, but she's trying. Even I can see that, and a month ago, she wouldn't have come out like she did this morning."

Killian knows that too, and he nods.

"I know," he sighs. "I've got nothing but time," he says in response to the question.

Dave smiles, the most genuine one Killian's seen since the conversation began and he nods.

"Good," and then, "Don't tell Mary Margaret I pulled you aside." A beat. "Or Emma. I don't know which will be worse."

Killian laughs at that too, because he can visualise Emma's speech of I can take care of myself, David, and he finds himself nodding.

"Of course."

He slaps Killian on the back, with a big grin.

"Now, tell me. Where are you taking my sister?"

He used to find it strange when David called Emma his sister, in the beginning, but the more time he's spent around him, the more he knows that's true. After all, family is far more than blood.

Killian grins back, "Well..."

-/-

When he and David get back, the girls are still nowhere in sight though he can hear Ruby's giggles and he roles his eyes, as Victor sits down at the bonfire from the night before.

"Called Ryan. Said there'll be a table ready for us at 6:30 tonight," Victor tells them.

David nods, "That's good."

Honestly, Killian is just itching to get off, and he's sure it's nearly been an hour, and he's almost ready to go into his (their) tent to find out how much longer his Swan will be, when Mary Margaret steps out, smiling kindly at him.

"She'll be out in a minute," she tells him. "She and Ruby are just currently having a difference of opinion."

He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't ask, as Ruby walks out a moment later, her head held high as she sniffs. Killian merely rolls his eyes at her dramatics. He's long since stopped taking Ruby too seriously. Honestly, he's not sure how Victor manages.

He hears fumbling about, as he stands up and walks towards the tent.

"Swan?"

She doesn't answer, but she appears a moment later, zipping up the tent behind her.

She's simply beautiful, he knows that, but she's stunning.

She's wearing a simple lace top that he's almost certain isn't hers, emphasising her cleavage generously, with a leather jacket, and a few simple necklaces, paired with her usual skinny jeans, and a long pair of black boots. The thing what stands out to him is her eyes, and how they're shining. He can't help but smile back, and how can't he think she's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen?

"You look beautiful," he professes when he gains his breath.

He's sure she's blushing, as her hands smooth down her clothes, dodging his eyes, before her head snaps up to meet them once more and a beautiful mix of green meets his.

"Thanks," she murmurs.

He grins, as he takes a step towards her, and holds out an arm for her to take.

"Shall we?" he requests.

She doesn't roll her eyes like he expected, whenever he says something like that, and he's sure there is an insult on her tongue, but she bites it back, her arm curving around his, and her bright eyes meeting his. He's almost positive it's the happiest he's seen her.

"Anywhere with you."

(Yeah it's sappy, she knows that, but she supposes he brings it out of her.)

"Your carriage awaits," he grins.

(That time she can't restrain an eyeroll.)