Faith
The Jolly Roger jumped from the sky with a blast of energy barreling out around it as it landed on the surface of the water. Everyone on board the ship held tightly otherwise they'd be tossed around the ship like dolls. Emma held tightly to a rope with one hand while the other was still wrapped tightly around her son, Henry who was clinging to her with everything he had. Since the moment he saw her in Neverland he hadn't left her side since and Emma wasn't about to send him away, she'd rather he remain tight to her side so she would know he was safe. Her parents were clinging to one another as well, Snow was making sure he wasn't about to collapse on her or anything. The last thing they wanted was for him to die after everything they went through to keep their family intact for their return to Storybrooke. He smiled reassuring her that he was more than fine. She looked unconvinced even as Killian looked over from where he was steering his ship, David grinned at him. Killian just nodded as he turned the wheel pulling the ship towards the docks of Storybrooke. All things considered he had been rather quiet the whole trip home as Neal guided them using Pan's shadow to navigate the stars. Tinkerbell helped in anyway she could with that while Regina and Rumpelstiltskin continued to chat while watching over Pandora's box where Peter Pan was trapped.
Emma smiled as they reached the port welcoming them home to Storybrooke. The protection spell cast by Belle was dulled by a counter Regina and Rumpelstiltskin had come up with before they left. Everyone seemed so thrilled to see what was home that Emma almost missed the forlorn expression on Killian's face. He looked so sad for a moment before he shook it off as he began to speak.
"Well," he began. "Looks like we've made it back in one piece. Mind helping me dock?"
The Jolly Roger sailed into port and without a word from either Regina or Rumpelstiltskin they waved their hands and everything around the ship began to put itself right where it should be. They all climbed off the ship to the dock where they saw most of Storybrooke was coming running to greet them. Killian followed closely behind but he still wore a grim expression on his face which Emma wasn't quite sure she understood. Neal hovered close to her and Henry with Regina hovering even closer to Henry. They were all just so happy to see him as happy as he was to see them. Everyone in town wrapped them in hugs, telling them how much they missed them, and how it wasn't the same without them around. Henry was almost crushed by the dwarfs' hug as they all hugged him at once and then Snow and Charming. After a while everyone began to clear out walking back to Granny's to get some food together. Emma's stomach grumbled happily at the thought of some good food she didn't have to kill or cook over an open fire in the middle of place where she thought she could die at any moment. She was about to follow the rest of them when she noticed Killian hovering closely to his ship, not following the rest of them. Emma turned to Henry who was still glued to her side.
"Why don't you go with Regina?" Regina turned in shock. Henry's face held a similar look of shock. "I need a minute but I'll catch up. I promise, I won't leave you."
Emma did her best to assuage any fears that may come out of her son. She gently ran her hand down the side of his face.
"I will always find you." Emma smiled. "After all, this family always does and we always stay together."
"Don't I know it?" Regina drawled.
Henry smiled hugging his mother tightly before he joined his other mother. Before they could walk away Henry stopped, turned around, and ran back over to Emma. He tugged her down to his level with a small smile playing on his lips.
"Good luck," Henry said softly.
"Good luck with what?" Emma whispered back curiously.
"With Hook," Henry smiled. "You'll probably need all the luck you can get."
Emma ruffled his hair as he walked away again. Somehow that kid was able to see through her just like he was able to get through all of her defenses unlike so many people, except a select few but he was the first to breech. She took a deep breath steeling herself as she walked back over to Hook ignoring the few people still lingering around the docks. Killian turned to look at her surprised after he had started towards his ship.
"Shouldn't you be off celebrating with the others?" Killian asked.
"Shouldn't you be coming with us?" Emma retorted. "After all, you helped just as much as everyone else to get here, to get my son back, and I think you deserve to share in the credit with all of us. I did say that if you joined us you would be a part of something. Well, now you are."
"They don't want me around." Killian answered. "To them, I'm just a pirate."
"First, I didn't peg you as the type to care what anyone thought." Emma raised an eyebrow at him. "Second, I don't care what they think, everyone who was with us in Neverland knows the truth. Third, I want you to come with us."
"Mm, why's that?" Killian asked.
"I've gotten used to having you around." Emma teased.
Killian nodded slowly, almost as though he was thinking something over. He walked ever closely to her and Emma wondered how many times he had invaded her personal space recently, although she tried not to think about why she was letting him get away with it.
"Well, I was right." Killian said softly. "Another win to your long list."
"Thank you," Emma said softly.
"For?" Killian quirked an eyebrow.
"For believing in me." Emma said softly. "I needed that."
"Anytime," Killian nodded. He opened his mouth to say something else but she cut him off.
"I haven't forgotten." Emma said slowly. "I know I put everything between you, Neal, and me on the back burner until we got back to Storybrooke. I haven't forgotten that it still needs to be sorted out but for right now, I don't want to think about anything. I have my son back, my family is whole, and I just want to enjoy that for one night without any fighting. I don't want to tear anyone or anything apart after I just got it all put back together. Right now, I want a nice hot meal with everyone at Granny's and you're included so come with us you stubborn, stubborn man."
His heart and stomach jumped as she said man, not pirate. She wasn't calling him a pirate at the moment and she wanted him around.
"So, for one night can we all put everything aside?" Emma asked softly. "Tomorrow we can all go back to normal."
"As you wish," Killian nodded slowly. "Lead the way."
Emma eyed him for a moment before she turned around with Killian following closely behind as they walked to Granny's in silence. Along the way they had picked up the few other people who had been lingering before they headed to Granny's together. Emma felt slightly grateful for their company because she didn't want to have to explain she had stayed behind to get Killian to come with her, it wouldn't blow over well with Neal, and a nice quiet night might be shot to hell. A large section of tables had been pushed together to accommodate the amount of people who wanted to sit together. Rumpelstiltskin and Belle were together, her parents, Neal was across from Henry who was sitting on one side of Regina on the other side of whom was Rumpelstiltskin. Next to Henry there was an open chair which he motioned for her to take as soon as he saw her walk into the room. Emma kissed the top of his head as she took the seat.
"I saved it for you." Henry said softly.
"Wouldn't let anyone sit there." Neal said teasingly. "Not even me. Wanted to sit between his mothers, suggested I sit across from him."
"Thanks kid," Emma hugged him. Regina moved her arm from behind Henry's chair to give her some space. Emma was trying to figure out when they had come to such an understanding that they could give each other space without talking. "Sorry, Neal. Guess you'll just have to figure out how to move up the totem-pole."
"I helped save his life."
"So did I." Regina answered softly. "More than just this too."
"I did save his life." Emma answered. "More than once. You'll have to do better than that, Neal. After all I carried the kid for nine months while he kicked at three in the morning, made me need the bathroom every other five minutes, and caused me to crave the weirdest food I have ever eaten. Not to mention everything Regina did too."
"I raised him for ten years." Regina looked shocked Emma had her credit of her own. "I took care of him, I changed diapers, soothed fevers, and calmed every qualm. You should be on the bottom of the totem-pole."
"Sorry," Henry shrugged.
"It's cool." Neal smiled. "I'm just happy you're home with all of us."
Emma glanced up in time to see her father offer Killian a seat. Her parents were sitting at the corner of the table, her mother on her left while Henry was on her right. Her father was at the end of the table while the seat across from her mother had been empty until Killian claimed it for himself. Tinkerbell sat between both Killian and Neal but she looked extremely uncomfortable where she was but Emma just shrugged. So far, everyone was being more than civil to each other. If she and Regina could get along for more than ten minutes, if they could sit at a table, and eat dinner together without arguing for their son Emma would make damn sure Neal and Killian kept their feelings locked away for one more day. One more day and then she would sort everything out for them, then she would make a choice, and pray everything wouldn't come crumbling down around her in millions of pieces.
For everyone involved in the little the people left behind in the town while they were gone were also surprised by how smoothly everything went that night because no one fought, no one argued. There weren't problems that night. It surprised all the people who were used to the Charming family arguing with Regina over everything, they were surprised to see how effortless it was for Regina and Emma to share their son's attention. Even when he announced what he had been able to do on the island by changing a stick to a sword and how it momentarily caused him to lose sight of who he really was. Emma soothed him telling him they would figure it out, that nothing bad would happen, and that neither of them would let it. However, Emma and Regina were too far gone in wonder because they were both still trying to figure out where his magic stemmed from. Regina borrowed hers using the tricks Rumpelstiltskin had taught her while Emma used what she felt buried in her chest, buried deep inside her to wield magic, and both wondered if he had gained his power through Emma, if she somehow passed it on to him. All in all, everything went smoothly to the shock of everyone in the town plus all the people who had gone to Neverland to save Henry. Henry even admitted that it was a little weird to see everyone getting along so well or at least ignoring the existence of the people around them they don't like to keep the peace.
Once dinner was over people stayed in Granny's talking together, of course, Emma, her parents, Henry, Regina, Neal, Rumpelstiltskin, and even Killian left to change their clothes. Before they returned to listen to music and talk with friends catching everyone up on what had happened while they were gone but also filling everyone in the town in on what happened in Neverland. After a while Emma just needed a break, she still wasn't used to being around so many people for so long, so it started to make her head spin. She grabbed her red leather jacket from the coat rack before she left Granny's almost completely unnoticed, three people noticed her leaving the diner. Henry watched his mother leave the diner flipping her jacket on carefully only turning around for a moment to wink at him letting him know she'd be back, she'd always come back. He waved goodbye to her before she walked out of the door, he was sitting with Neal who noticed Henry was no longer paying attention to the conversation. Neal looked up following Henry's line of vision watching as Emma left the diner heading out into the cold, icy night with her red leather jacket. At the counter of the diner Killian had a glass of beer in front of him, he noticed the moment Emma was no longer sitting with her parents at the other end of the bar. He turned to watch her walk out into the night, from the way she moved without bothering to tell anyone except her son that she was leaving he guessed she wanted to be alone, which is why not even her son got up to follow her.
Emma felt the change in temperature the moment she set foot outside into the frosty air. She took a deep breath letting it out watching as her breath formed in the air around her. She zipped up her jacket walking down the stairs as she put her gloves on. She managed to get around the corner a few ways before she heard the door open behind her. Emma took another deep breath looking around at the peaceful night.
"Emma!" Someone shouted. She turned. "Hold on!"
Emma frowned watching as Neal quickly swept his scarf around his neck fixing it so it was just right. Emma couldn't help but wonder what he could possibly want right now, against her better judgment she stopped waiting for him to catch up to her.
"Everything okay?" Emma asked warily.
"Where are you going?" Neal asked breathlessly.
"For a walk," Emma answered. "I didn't realize I needed permission or to tell you where I'm going every time I leave your sight."
"That's not what I meant." Neal shook his head. "Mind if I come with you?"
"I just want to be alone." Emma shrugged.
"Can we talk?" Neal asked hopefully. "I know you wanted to wait until we got to Storybrooke before we figured out everything going on between all of us and we're here. We've got Henry back. Everything's back to normal so I was hoping we could talk."
"Normal?" Emma said incredulously. "Normal? Things haven't been normal in my life since my ten year old son showed up on my doorstep in Boston because he needed my help breaking a curse cast on the town he grew up in. Ever since then things haven't been normal at all! Normal for me was catching whoever was needed and then going home each night alone. Moving from place to place so I don't get bored and being alone. Since Henry came back into my life I've killed a dragon, broken a curse with True Love's kiss, found my parents who are Snow White and Prince Charming, discovered fairytales exist, tossed to another realm, discovered I can do magic, climbed a beanstalk, made friends with a giant, fought off an evil, evil mother who tried to rip out my heart only to fail, discovered you were from the same world I was, had you thrust back into my life, and let's not forget I had my son stolen by PETER PAN. That's not even everything I've had to deal with."
"Okay, so maybe not normal." Neal conceded. "But things are back the way they should be. We're all alive, we're here in Storybrooke, and Henry is home with us. Let's talk."
"I don't want to talk now." Emma shrugged. "I've had a long day, we've all had a long couple of weeks, and for tonight I don't want to think about anything. For tonight I don't want to deal with any of the heavy stuff, those are decisions for tomorrow. Those are things I will deal with tomorrow but for tonight I just want to revel in the fact that my son is home safe and sound because right now it's all that matters. Not my happiness or anyone else's only my son's."
Neal nodded in understanding. "Tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow," Emma agreed.
"Tomorrow," Killian said to himself at the bar before he took a sip of brew. "That's when the fun begins."
"Well, off to bed, kid." Emma and her family walked into the loft.
"But," he yawned. "Okay, night, mom."
"Night, kid." Emma said softly. "I'll be up in a few minutes, I'm looking forward to not having to sleep on the ground tonight."
Henry nodded in agreement as he walked slowly towards the stairs walking up to his bed next to his mother's. David decided he wanted a shower with both Emma and Snow demanded he save them some hot water because they both wanted one as well. So, with him in the shower mother and daughter were left alone in the living room.
"So," Snow began. "Hook and Neal managed not to throttle each other at dinner tonight. What happened there?"
"I told them we'd work it out tomorrow but for tonight I just wanted peace so I could enjoy the time with my son." Emma answered softly.
"Does that mean you've decided?" Snow asked carefully. "I know you have feelings for both of them but I didn't think you'd made up your mind yet with all the focus on Henry. In Neverland you reminded me so much of your father with the narrow minded straight forward thinking that you needed to get to Henry and everything else in the world could wait."
"That's where my head was." Emma nodded. "But my heart decided it was doing it's own thing in some ways too. My heart was screaming for Henry, I wanted him in my arms again safe and sound but at the same time it was running away from me, something it hasn't done in so long. The last time my emotions felt so out of control was when I met Neal."
"You never did tell me how you met him." Snow said carefully. "Would you tell me now?"
"I met him when I stole his stolen car." Emma said slowly. "He smooth talked us out of getting arrested and I don't know, we clicked instantly."
"You were both thieves," Snow said warmly. "You had something in common."
"In Neverland I was focused on getting Henry but it didn't mean I was blind." Emma sounded like she was clearing out her head so Snow just listened to her daughter wishing they could have been doing this for years. On the other hand Emma was trying for once to really let her mother in like she wanted so she took a chance, she decided to spill her guts before she could change her mind. "When I heard Neal was alive you told me to have hope, but the only hope I could feel was the hope or the wish that it was a trick, that he was dead because it would be so much easier to put the past behind me that way. I wouldn't have to face him for the rest of my life. That was my secret in the Echo Caves. I do love Neal, I will always love him. A part of me heard him when he said he would fight for me once we were outside of the Echo Caves, that part was thrilled, it was a part that had wanted him to do that for so long. But there was another part of me that just didn't believe him, that felt he had ten years to fight, six months to fight when he knew the curse was broken, the time when he here with Henry but with Tamara as well, and that part felt vindicated after we escaped the Dark Hollow. When he said that if Henry was the only good thing that came from us being together well, then so be it. It sounded like he had given up.
"Then, well then there's Killian who is nothing like I first thought him to be. The part of me that thought Neal wouldn't really fight kept screaming Killian would never give up." Emma scoffed. "He spent 300 years fighting for the last woman he fell in love with. If I was able to make him move on from that, that part kept wondering what it meant about how he felt about me. How strong it had to be. Of course, on the island when he said he was so sure he'd be the one I choose I wanted to slap him, the part that was happy about Neal fighting for me just wanted to wipe the smug look off his face. And maybe, so did the other side until I saw how terrified he was, it was in his eyes, and I knew he realized there was a chance for him to lose. A chance he wouldn't get a happy ending. I tried to get him to forget about it by telling him the only thing that mattered was getting Henry back. He believed I would because he hadn't seen me fail yet, that he would put everything major on hold, he wouldn't ask me to choose until Henry was home again, he had faith in me, and I felt at war with myself."
"Two parts inside you, each rooting for two different people." Snow said softly.
"Something like that," Emma nodded.
"Then how did you come to a decision so soon after getting home?" Snow asked carefully.
"Because I already decided in Neverland." Emma admitted. "I knew what my decision would be."
Emma knocked carefully on the door then waited until the person behind the door tugged it open. Neal was wearing sweats, a t-shirt, his hair was sticking up in every direction, and she could tell he had just woken up. A regretful look crossed her face but he ushered it away by asking her to come inside the room. Emma stepped over the threshold into the small room at Granny's Neal had been staying in with Tamara before all Hell broke loose.
"I can come back later." Emma said softly.
"No, no, it's fine." Neal shrugged. "I just wasn't expecting company."
He kicked Tamara's clothing out of the way so it wasn't in plain view anymore but it really didn't matter at this moment to Emma, in fact she couldn't have cared less at this moment.
"I think we should talk." Emma said softly. "About us."
"Okay," Neal nodded. "We should, we should talk, and figure it all out."
"You did?" Snow asked. "When?"
"In the Dark Hallow." Emma answered. "The war inside of me ceased then because suddenly everything became crystal clear to me, even if I didn't want it to."
"How?" Snow had curious throughout all of her voice.
"I used magic." Emma answered plainly. "We needed to light the candle in the coconut to trap the shadow inside of it, however, light in the Dark Hollow isn't something that can happen. The torches were blown out and the lighter wouldn't light. The two idiots kept fighting over it anyway trying to make it work but it was too late the shadows discovered us and attacked. One of them pinned Killian to a tree first and I screamed yelling out for him just before another grabbed Neal causing him to yell for me. Both of them told me to leave but instead I remembered trying to light the fire with magic, the first time I tried it didn't work. I remembered Regina telling me to be angry and I was at both of them for fighting for the lighter putting us into this position but nothing happened. Then I remembered what Gold had told me about magic that it was about emotion, that I needed to ask myself what am I fighting for, and who am I protecting. With one thought the candle was lit saving us. I thought about saving Killian."
"What do you mean?" Neal asked confused. "How can you say that?"
"Because it's the truth!" Emma answered. "I've seen True Love and this isn't it. My parents would do anything for each other, they'd have lived happily ever after together in Neverland if one of them couldn't come home. You and I can deal with being apart, we did it when you fell into that portal. They would die, if they lost their other half, but we would live. They would do anything for one another, they will always find one another, and they were always come for each other. Even in the face of rejection, in death, and worse they would go through it together. But you and I we wouldn't do that for each other and we both know it. This isn't True Love and if we stay together because we think we should both of us could be missing out on something special, something bigger than the two of us, and I think we both deserve a happy ending after everything we've been through. But I do know, our happy endings aren't with each other. We've just been too stubborn to admit we're all wrong for each other. Don't you think we deserve our happy endings?"
"Of course," Neal shook his head. "But how can you be so sure it isn't with each other? How can you be so sure that we're not True Love?"
"You thought about Killian?" Snow smiled warmly.
"I kept thinking that I couldn't lose him." Emma shook her head. "I kept thinking if I did I wasn't sure what I would do. I kept thinking that if I lost him I'd never find Henry, I kept thinking I'd be truly lost. Then I felt a surge of energy and then the candle caught fire."
"Wow," Snow sounded amazed.
"You're telling me." Emma shook her head. "Because in that moment I realized the smug pirate was right. He managed to worm through my defenses, through all my walls. I just didn't want to tell them while we were there, I was terrified something worse might happen. Neverland sucked the hope out of everyone, the last thing I wanted to do was rip it away from one of them to make everything they were going through a hundred times worse. Besides, I didn't think a decision there would've helped, all I think it would've done was make them fight even more."
"That's a good point." Snow nodded. "But what are you going to do now?"
"Sit them down - separately - and tell them what's going on." Emma shrugged. "They each have a right to know."
"Hook," Neal said curtly. "That's what this is about? You want him."
"It's not just about Killian." Neal almost scoffed at the sound of his real name. Emma kept talking ignoring his reaction to the name. "This is about us. We've had so many chances to choose one another but we always choose something else. In that moment even with my son on the line I choose to save him. I needed to save him to keep myself sane enough to find my son. I told you in the cave that it would've been easier if you were dead because I could it all behind me. Just because you're alive doesn't change that I want to put the past behind me so I can move on with my life. I spent ten years struggling with what happened between us, letting myself build walls to protect my heart, and by the time Henry found me it was almost to late. I almost couldn't let my son into my heart. I spent ten years feeling like I could never let myself be vulnerable again."
"Emma," Neal began. "I never meant to hurt you. I only did what we thought was best."
"You don't get to decide what's best for me. I do." Emma said firmly. "But it doesn't matter, you swore that the moment the curse was broken you were coming back for me but you broke your promise. What we have isn't True Love, it's destructive to us. We love each other and I firmly believe we always will because you were my first love as I believe I was yours but first love isn't always forever."
"So, that's it huh?" Neal said softly.
"We have to get along." Emma sighed. "We have no choice, we're both going to be in each other's lives as long as we have Henry. We have to get along for OUR son's sake if for no other reason."
"I can do that." Neal nodded. "I'm not angry, I'm disappointed, and a heartbroken but I'm not angry. You can't change the way you feel no matter how much I might want you to."
"I'm sorry." Emma shook her head. "I'm sorry I can't be everything you need me to be. I'm sorry I can't love you like you want me to but I can do this, I can give you a chance to find your True Love. I hope you do and I hope that you're happy more than anything because you deserve to be happy."
"Starting to believe in happy endings I see." Neal chuckled. "When did you become such a believer?"
"I don't know," Emma smiled. "Maybe after watching my parents together, it grew on me. It made me think I want someone like that, I want someone who would do anything for me, that one person I would do everything for, and that I can count on to be there for me. Someone I can be there for. Maybe I finally realized after being alone for 28 years, maybe after finally finding my family, I realized being alone is a terrible fate, and I don't want to push that on myself anymore by pushing people away."
"Hell of a revelation." Neal shrugged.
"I agree." Emma nodded. "Now, I also am here for another reason."
"Oh?" Neal questioned. "Why's that?"
"Thanksgiving soon approaches and we've decided to try something new this year." Emma sighed. "My mother has insisted we're inviting everyone over this year and – yes – I do mean everyone. She wants the whole family and friends thing done up since we're all finally in one place. So, I was tasked with asking if you would like to join us for dinner this year."
"Everyone, huh?" Neal asked.
"Oh, yes, everyone." Emma nodded. "Regina, Rumpelstiltskin, Belle, you, Ruby, Granny, Archie, Killian, my parents, and everyone else too numerous to mention. The whole lot of us because we're stuck with each other too being Henry's family. And I do have to say without trying that kid just brings everybody together."
"I've noticed." Neal nodded. "Alright, I'll be there."
"You will? Emma asked.
"Yeah," Neal nodded. "I assume that was the answer you were looking for. So, should I bring anything or should I just show up?"
"Show up, dressed nicely." Emma shrugged. "My mother keeps telling everyone not to worry about the food. And I'm pretty sure this is going to turn into a huge project that will suck the life out of me because I'll get roped into helping cook or something just as awful. So, just show, any time after 12 will be fine, dinner is going to be served at 3:30."
"Got it," Neal nodded.
Emma nodded before she said her goodbye and left the room feeling a huge weight being lifted from her chest as she stepped back out into the freezing cold air. She managed to get past the bushes before she crashed into Killian who looked like he was headed towards Granny's. Emma inhaled a sharp breath as she realized who was standing in front of her. Killian on the other hand looked up at the building next to them and then back to her a guarded look on his face.
"Headed somewhere, love?" He asked in his usual tone.
"I was looking for you." Emma admitted.
"Well, look no further." Killian smiled. "You seem to have found me and nearly run me over all at the same time."
Emma opened and closed her mouth repeatedly for a minute looking for the right words to say but nothing came to mind. She had been hoping for the walk to the Jolly Roger to help clear her head but it was all shot to hell the minute she ran into him. Now, she was caught unprepared for this talk with him but she needed to say something. Killian kept looking at her expectantly with an eyebrow raised along with the mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"Was that all you wanted, love? To run into me?" Killian asked curiously. "Because – if so – you did a wonderful job already."
"No," Emma shook her head.
"No?" Killian questioned.
"No." Emma said firmly. She held her jaw up a little higher with a small shake of her head. "No, that's not all I wanted. I wanted to talk to you, that's why I was coming to find you. I wanted to talk to you."
"Alright then, love." Killian nodded. "But would you care to move this? Because I am absolutely famished, perhaps you could join me for something to eat."
"I think I'd more than likely need a drink, not something to eat." Emma was shaking her head. "I'd rather talk someplace else, someplace private without a hundred people listening to every word I say because they're nosy and want to know what's going on in my life even if it's none their business."
"Alright," Killian tried to suppress a smile. "How about we take the conversation to the Jolly Roger? I doubt anyone in this town is eager to set foot aboard my ship so we shouldn't have to worry too much about prying ears."
Emma nodded following him as they walked in silence to the docks. They both climbed the ship but without a word Emma headed down to the lower part of the ship where Killian had found her doing pull-ups before he gave her Neal's sword. Killian followed quietly behind wondering when she had been able to navigate through his ship so easily. She seemed to know exactly where she was going and had no qualms just walking right into his ship without even bothering to ask for permission. Killian kept the smile threatening to form at his lips at bay as best as he could. Emma walked into the room running her fingers through her hair as she walked to one side of the room quickly. He watched lingering at the doorway as she turned around quickly to face him her hand dropping to her side as she opened her mouth to address him. He felt his heart jump into his throat as he wondered what was coming next.
"You know something?!" Emma demanded. "You are the most infuriating man I have ever met! I've never dealt with anyone else who can make me feel so off kilter with just one glance and it drives me crazy because I'm always in control. I haven't not been in control of myself since I fell in love with Neal and after everything that happened with him I never wanted to feel so vulnerable again! So, I locked my heart up behind the tallest walls possible and threw away the key."
"Calm down," Killian said softly.
"I don't want to calm down." Emma shook her head.
"I know you don't." Killian pointed out with a smirk. "That doesn't mean that you shouldn't."
"I threw that key away because I never wanted to open myself up again." Emma was still shaking her head. "But I should have gotten a better lock when you told me you would win my heart because I should have realized you don't need a key to get behind my walls. And somehow, you did find a way to get to me, and after a while I stopped caring to keep those walls up around you. I kept turning to you for help, I turned to you when I wanted information. I did it when my parents told me Neal was alive, I didn't believe it until I saw the look on your face. When Neal told us about the Dark Hallow I went to you for information because I knew you wouldn't lie to me. After everything I've been through I started trusting you over everyone else because you had never been anything less than honest with me."
Killian was silent as he watched her rant and rave on the other side of the room. He wanted to close the distance between them but he knew she needed to talk to get out what she was feeling so he let her waiting patiently for her to come to a conclusion.
"When we were in the Dark Hallow I was angry with you and Neal for fighting over a lighter, even if it wasn't the lighter you were fighting over because you were both not helping me get my son back." Emma felt tears prick her eyes as she kept talking while she stared at the silent Killian. "But when I saw you grabbed by the shadow I lost it. Everything else didn't seem to matter because I didn't know what I would do if I lost you. Gold told me that magic was about emotion, Regina wanted me to use anger but I found something that works better for me. Gold said I needed to think about why I was doing this, who was I protecting, and in that moment it was you. I needed to save you, not for Henry, or because it was the right thing but because I didn't know what I would do without you. I used what I felt for you to light the candle because you were right. As much as I hate to admit it, as much as I hate you were right, you were."
"Right about what?" Killian asked carefully.
"That you'd win my heart." Emma answered softly.
There it was. Everything laid on the line, bare for the first time in years. Emma Swan was leaving herself open to being crushed or to being saved by someone else. Something she swore up and down she would never do but she realized Gold was right when he said she had never taken a leap of faith but she was going to do it now. She was going to take a leap of faith that she was right, that she wasn't wrong in letting Killian free from that tree in the first place, she was taking a leap of faith on him.
Killian could see the vulnerability on her face, how terrified she was to expose herself to him, and to take a chance on him but she was doing it anyway. She was giving him a chance, she was giving him her heart, and she was trusting him not to break it or damage it further than it already was. Something he knew she never wanted to do in the first place was leave herself open but she had bared her soul and he'd e damned if he wouldn't do his best to protect her heart with everything he was. He wouldn't leave another scar on her heart.
Without a second passing since she spoke he crossed the room hauling her into his arms so he could kiss her. Emma slowly recovered from the shock of being grabbed by him after he had been standing so still throughout the whole confession but she grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket so she could kiss him back just as fiercely as he was kissing her. When they pulled away from each other Killian kept her firmly pressed against him. Her feet weren't even touching the ground as they leaned their foreheads together breathing rather heavily, Emma looked him right in the eyes as she spoke.
"Don't break my heart." Emma asked carefully.
"As you wish," Killian promised.
A.N. Alright, just something floating through my head I needed to get out. Review! Please, for the love of all that is good! REVIEW! :) Thanks for reading!