Be Patient.
Killian had been bloody patient all his life.
It started when he was just a lad, Liam going off to join the Royal Navy. He had wanted to go with his brother but of course his mother had reminded him that he was too young. Be patient Killian, your time will come. So Killian was a good lad and did what his mother said while dreaming of grand adventures on the sea.
His mother was gone and his father abandoned him and Liam found him. He convinced his captain to let Killian join them on the ship as the cabin boy. Killian wanted to work with his brother and not be the one trapped below decks all day. Be patient little brother. So Killian gritted his teeth, kept his head down and worked hard.
He had worked hard and was one of the youngest Lieutenants in the Royal Navy. He was going to go on a hero's journey with his fine Captain. His brother had chosen him especially to be his first mate and he felt like all his dreams had come true. Until Neverland. He had goaded Liam and now he was the Captain of the ship, a pirate who longed to rub the King's nose into the ground. He wished it was the King that had found his final resting place in the sea instead of Liam. If it were not for the wise old Bosun of the ship he would have joined Liam long ago. Be patient sir, let the crew learn the ropes before you go after that particular ship. So once again Killian listened and gradually became a worthy opponent.
Killian had fallen into the life of a pirate and had begun to enjoy himself. He had finally settled into the role with vigor. Then he met Milah. She had begged him to let her come with him and he felt that her husband did not really care for her since he did not want to fight. He figured he would let her come along and she could leave when she got bored. Then he fell in love with her. Eventually, Milah began to wish that she could see Baelfire again. So Killian indulged her and they went back to retrieve the boy. Rumpelstilstkin found them and took Milah from him. He also lost his hand and he vowed revenge on the man. He was ready to do something rash and yet this time it was Smee who stayed his hand. Be patient Capt'n, we will find a way to defeat him. So Killian took his crew to Neverland to give himself enough time to plot his revenge.
Killian was patient through 300 years in Neverland. He was patient through Regina and Cora's scheming in the pre-curse enchanted forest. He was patient through 28 years of waiting for the curse to be broken. He was patient through the Beanstalk adventure, Storybrooke, Neverland (again mind you), another curse and a year away from Emma, another Witch to defeat and a travel back in time.
Killian felt like Emma might be opening up to him but he was still not sure if she felt about him the same as he did her. She was alone and it was quiet. It was the perfect time to have a happy moment with her. She had asked him if he wanted to go home and see what was on Netflix. He did not bloody care what that was if it gave him the opportunity to spend time with her. He was elated and then she stepped back. Suddenly, it felt as if he couldn't breathe. Maybe she was not going to open up to him. Maybe she was going to run away from him. He was about to explode and decided to call her out on it.
Then she was kissing him. For one brief moment he thought that maybe he was wrong. But the kiss was short and then Emma said Be Patient.
Killian huffed for a moment and felt like throwing a tantrum but he loved Emma so much that he would reach deep down and drag up just a little more patience for her. He had been patient for so many years that he thought What could it hurt to wait just a little longer her. He could not help the little snark when he said, "I've got all the time in the world…unless another monster appears and kills me."
Quietly he trudged behind Emma and thought Be patient Killian, no matter how long it takes she is worth the wait.