LOVE IS STRENGTH

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time, Regina Mills, Captain Hook, and everyone else appearing in this story belong to Disney, ABC, Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis. Sadly I don't own Lana Parrilla or Colin O'Donoghue either.

Last chapter, last reminder? I would love to hear from you. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing. I'm glad you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

No Place Like Home

The Jolly Roger passed through a portal and appeared off the coast of Maine. They were safe again. Henry sat with David, Snow, and Emma, and Rumple stood at the bow, casting a protective spell around Storybrooke. Greg and Tamara's people wouldn't be able to locate the town ever again.

Regina sat next to Hook at the helm.

"We'll be home soon, and you'll be safe again," he said. "You and Henry."

Regina glanced over at him. "Just me and Henry?" she asked. "So where does this all leave us – you and me?" She was suddenly afraid. She thought he loved her, that they were together, and that she didn't have to be alone.

Hook shrugged. "I didn't want to force you into a relationship if you weren't ready, love. Of course I want us together – all of us – you, me, Henry." He paused. "But if you needed time, I'd be willing to wait for you. I do love you, but if you don't want…this…now that you're home…"

"I do, I want this, I want to be with you," she said. "I couldn't go back to the way things were before. I was so alone, so broken."

He leaned over and kissed her temple. "You'll never have to be lonely again, my love." He smiled at her. "We can fix each other. With you I can be whole again."

"I love you, Killian."

He kissed her lips, taking his hand off the helm to wrap his arms around her. They ignored Snow and Emma, who nudged Charming to look up at the pirate and the queen.

Henry looked up too, and saw his mother kissing the pirate. "Is Captain Hook my mom's new true love?" he asked.

Snow laughed. "Maybe he is. She deserves to be happy."

"They fit rather well together, don't they?" Emma asked.

David nodded. "I think they can help each other."

Emma sighed. She still thought Neal was dead, and she hated herself for only confessing that she loved him in their last moment. That's the way she always had been, though. At least Henry would have a father figure now, even if it was Captain Hook. And she admitted to herself that she was happy for Regina. She was a bit thankful to the woman for stopping her from killing Tamara. Regina said later that she didn't want the savior to blacken her heart – for Henry's sake. She smiled, maybe Regina was more good than bad. Well, Emma always kind of thought so , but it was becoming more and more evident. Even if Tamara really did deserve to die; she'd killed Neal and August. But wherever Tamara was now, dead or alive, she couldn't find them ever again.

Henry grinned. "If Hook makes my mom happy again, that's good enough for me." Plus it sounded super cool to have a pirate for an adoptive dad.

Snow White hugged her grandson. "Me too."

Reunions

The Jolly Roger docked at the Storybrooke harbor, and even before the heroes piled off the ship onto dry land, there was a crowd waiting for them. Belle pushed through to jump into Gold's arms. Ruby and Granny hugged Snow, Charming, and Emma, and then they heard Henry shout, "Dad!"

Emma looked up and there was Neal – alive, well, and home in Storybrooke. "But she shot you – and you fell through a portal," she said, kissing him.

"Some new friends nursed me back to health and sent me home. Friends you know – Aurora, Mulan, and Philip."

"Oh good," Snow said, "Aurora found Philip again."

Regina and Hook stepped off onto land together, hand in hand. They didn't care if the town talked – Regina, the queen, the mayor – with Captain Hook? They were happy and safe, and that's all that mattered.

"Home," he said, "at last."

She nodded and watched her crewmates reunited with their friends and family. She felt a sense of peace settle over the town, and in her heart. They were home, safe, and they'd somehow gotten closer. Maybe they were family now. And she wasn't alone. She smiled up at her new love.

"What is it, Your Majesty?"

"I'm just…happy. For the first time in a long time."

"Me too, Regina," he said, pulling her in for a kiss.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too."

"Thank you for making me feel whole," she said. "I never thought I'd fall in love again."

"I didn't think I could either, my love," he smiled, kissing her again. "I'm glad I have you to live for. And Henry, of course."

Her nod and passionate kiss was enough to tell him she felt the same way. Maybe there was a way to start over after a lifetime seeking revenge. Finding love again was certainly a beautiful way to start over. She ran her fingers through his hair as she kissed him, and he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. The need for air broken them apart, but as soon as they caught their breath, they reached for each other again. He smiled like the sea, and she loved it, it was intoxicating and it reminded her of him. Despite the days at sea, she, on the other hand, still smelled like her apple perfume. Beautiful, sweet, perfect…like her. Maybe the thought of her as a pirate's wife wasn't so unrealistic. Pirate queen sounded even better. They would have such a wonderful life together, he knew already.

And so, from that moment on, the pirate and his beautiful queen (and their son) lived happily ever after.

THE END.