This is probably the latest I have ever posted something that I wanted to post by a certain time... I said on that I would post something on New Year but life got the better of me. I had some personal issues and when I got home from the holidays I got swamped with work but since I started this before, I wanted to finish it and get it out there so yeah... I don't really know where I was going with it, I just wanted some kind of conclusion to the mini-arc I built into the story which is also why it is probably not as fluffy as it should be... Still, I hope you enjoy it...

It'salmost a week into the New Year and she can't believe how much has happened already. She's finally getting around to taking down the Christmas decoration and cleaning up from the massive get-together that had ensued at their place on New Year's Eve. Initially, she'd planned on doing that the day after the party but apart from the fact that a certain pirate had kept her in bed for way too long (and she was not going to complaining about that), there had now been several sightings of strange things.

Firstly, more and more people had noticed the strange car, which Emma had finally realised was so familiar to her due to the 101 Dalmatians Disney movie and which worried her quite a bit. Cruella de Vil? In Storybrooke? The fact that her father had tried to hide the worried look he threw his wife when Emma had mentioned the name wasn't particularly reassuring either. Secondly, the strange flash she and Killian had spotted on Christmas Day had apparently also caught the eye of Leroy, who, to his usual fashion, had shouted it out to everybody, inventing some strange tale of a ghost ship. Emma had her own suspicion about the ship (there had definitely been a ship on the horizon) and she knew Killian shared her thoughts even though they had not talked about it yet in fear that they were wrong and would only get their hopes up for nothing.

Thirdly, Regina had reported that she thought she was being watched and Regina would not tell her such a thing unless she was actually worried.

Lastly, and most strangely, there were people reporting sightings of Gold.

Emma's investigations into his disappearance had led nowhere until Belle had finally told her a few days ago what had actually happened the night she'd confronted her husband. Apparently, after Emma had saved Killian from Gold's grip and he had ran off like the coward that he was, Belle had found him, his (real) dagger in her hands and the hurt of his betrayal all over her face. She'd confessed to Emma that she'd sent him over the town line for lying to her, deceiving her and hurting her at which point Emma had almost hugged the brunette.

Now, however, it seemed that the Dark One had found a way back in and with him at least one other person, maybe two or three, and that could only mean trouble.

She'd found out just how much on New Year's Day.

The night before, the night of New Year's Eve, had been amazing. She'd had invited quite a lot of people. Friends and family (at her mother's request even the dwarfs) had gathered in her flat, eating together, laughing together, and celebrating together. The surprisingly long period of uninterrupted bliss had made their little group joyful and almost careless and they genuinely enjoyed each other's company and the fact that Storybrooke finally seemed to be at peace.

Around midnight, they had all swarmed out to the docks. Her mother, as the major, had requested a display of fireworks for the entire town, curtsey of Regina and Emma. Both had agreed, if somewhat reluctantly, but when the time came they gave their everything. Her and Regina were still nowhere near a good friendship and Emma wasn't sure it was ever going to happen but neither of the two women could deny that their magic worked well together. They gave the town a fireworks display none had ever seen before and it probably even rivalled the official firework in New York or any other city in the world.

All the while, Emma had felt Killian's presence beside her and when she'd turned her head to look at him, he'd watched her and not the fireworks, the look in his eyes soft and loving and she'd smiled at him. The magic had tingled in her fingertips and she'd known that she didn't need to watch what she was doing, her magic had become part of her, something that was always there and didn't need her constant attention to be controlled, so she'd let herself melt into his side. His arm had sneaked around her and she'd whispered, "You know there is this New Year's tradition… You're supposed to kiss someone at midnight…"

"Mmmmmh," Killian had hummed, grin on his face and eyebrow slightly raised, just the way she liked it.

"May I have your first kiss of the year, princess?" he'd then whispered softly into her ear, his voice making her shiver, his words making her laugh.

"Only if you promise it won't be the last," she'd replied in a hushed tone.

"Gladly," he'd almost growled before his lips had met hers, soft and hot and wanting and Emma had had no need to see the fireworks or hear people's oh's and ah's to know that it had gotten even more magical. She then felt Killian chuckle and knew he'd noticed the spark in the fireworks, too and they'd separated, both laughing.

The next day, after waking up to the sun on her face and Killian's teasing kisses, after a few rounds in the sheets with lots of laughter and sweet whispered words or loudly shouted names, they were interrupted by the return of a yapping puppy and an overly excited Henry. ("Why are you still in bed?" "…We're just…resting" "Oh…okay." "I really don't think he still believes that excuse, love." "He's innocent enough to pretend to believe it for just a little longer…")

After they'd gotten showered and dressed in record time, Henry had explained to them that, while sleepwalking, Sleepy had accidentally reached the town line but instead of just walking further on and getting lost, he'd hit a barrier that had woken him (to the relief of Dopey who was supposed to watch him). Additionally, they had discovered a fountain in the middle of town with a statue of a most disturbing creature that Henry couldn't describe and the inscription It's our turn now on it.

"How utterly mysterious…" Emma had grinned. The tales were strange and the fact that they were once again locked in was disturbing and annoying but an inscription like that was not very subtle and she could hardly deny that she missed the adrenaline rush from chasing a good old villain through Storybrooke.

It had not taken them very long to figure out whom the message was for. They had arrived at the fountain in time with Regina and the Queen's face had turned ashen in a matter of seconds. Killian followed suit and ever since then, Emma had had her hands full. On the first of January there had been floodings all over town, keeping the fire department busy with pumping out people's cellars. It had kept Emma and David busy with filling out reports. In addition to that, the Pet Rescue was having trouble with all the animals running wild, as if stung by bees and not even Ruby could calm them down. And the Merry Men came to report Will Scarlet missing, who, soon after, had turned up at the Sheriff's station, begging Emma to lock him up somewhere save, not saying a word about why he wanted that.

Then, two days ago, Emma had had her first encounter with Cruella. Henry and her had been walking Comet when a car had pulled up beside them, a woman poking her head out of the driver's window, a smile on her face.

"What a lovely puppy you have there," she'd said and Henry had protectively picked up the dog. "Dalmatian, I believe?"

Emma had laid an arm around her son and nodded at the women. "I don't believe we've met," she'd then said to her. "I'm Emma Swan, I'm the Sheriff around here."

The woman had laughed. "Oh, I've heard a lot about you, Miss Swan. Cruella. Cruella de Vil."

"I know. I hope you are not here to cause trouble." Emma's voice had been firm. Fact was, Cruella had already caused trouble but Emma was determined to keep it to a minimum. But the woman only laughed, a grin lingering on her lips when she said, "Oh Miss Swan, I don't think you want me for an enemy. I know a lot of things about you, about your parents, your boyfriend…" She'd let the words hang in the air and then, with a nod of her head, she'd driven off.

"How does Cruella de Vil know you?" she asks, stuffing the last Christmas lights into a box. Killian has just walked into the flat, his mind obviously preoccupied with the things that are going on in Storybrooke because he doesn't react.
The question has been bugging her ever since she'd encountered the woman two days previous but she has not found the time to ask it to Killian or her parents.

"Killian?" she asks when he doesn't reply.

He looks up then, his eyes focusing on her. "Huh? Oh," he says. "The same way I know the other two…"

"Who are the other two?" she inquires as he has never specified.

"Ursula, the sea witch and Maleficent," he confesses and Emma's breath hitches.

"I believe that is a record, even for Regina. Gold, Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella are all out for you?"

"It seems that way, love." His voice is heavy, sad, worried.

Emma gets up, closing the lid of the final box and walks over to her pirate. "Hey, Killian," she almost whispers, "Don't worry. We'll get them, just like we did all the others and we'll do it together, okay?"

After searching her eyes for half a minute, he finally nods. "Together."

She smiles softly and throws her arms around his neck, kissing him tenderly, her lips barely brushing his. Then he latches on, nipping at her lips, coaxing a moan out of her that makes him smile. Together is good. Together is what they have and what protects them. And they still have their quiet moments even with villains running around. It has always been that way and they both know they like it just as it is.

This is definitely it now. No more adding to this fic. I have about 5 WiPs that I will probably post at some point, I just don't know when. Sometimes I can't write a word for weeks and then I have to write a lot in a day cause the ideas just keep flowing, I'm sure you know how it is.

Anyway. Thank you again for the support I got from each of you!