A/N: Just a random one shot about what happens after Emma and Henry return from Manhattan. This is AU as I'm sure this is not how it is actually going to go on the show. Enjoy.
######
The entire car ride home Henry was silent. He wouldn't talk or even look at Emma. It broke her heart knowing that she had lost his trust. She never meant to hurt him. That was the whole reason she lied in the first place. Emma never thought she would ever see Neal again and though she wanted Henry to get to know his father, she felt like Neal had pushed her feelings aside like they didn't matter. The last thing she wanted was for Neal to do that to Henry. She wished she could make Henry understand the pain that Neal had put her through and the reason that she had lied to him about his father in the first place, but right now he wouldn't listen to her. So she just sat silently in the car with her thoughts.
They were only a couple miles away from the Storybrooke border and she had no idea what she planned to do when she got to town. Originally she was going to go back to the apartment with Henry, but she had no idea if he would even go with her at this point. Her parents were waiting for the two of them to get home and more than anything she wanted to see them. It wasn't long before they made it to town and Gold pulled the car over. As soon as the care stopped, Henry hopped out and began to run down the street. Emma jumped out of the car and attempted to follow him.
"HENRY," she shouted, but he didn't bother to look back and before she knew it, he was out of sight. Emma could feel a tear fall down her cheek and immediately wiped it away before turning back to Gold and Neal. She took a deep breath. "Our deal is over Gold. I found your son, now you can just leave me alone."
"Where are you going?" Neal asked.
"Home," Emma replied. "My parents are there waiting for me."
"What about Henry?" he replied.
"He needs time to think," Emma stated. "This is all a bit much for him and I get the sense that he really doesn't want to talk to me right now. He'll be fine."
"You're just going to let him wander around the town by himself?" Neal asked.
"He knows this town well," Emma stated. "And honestly I couldn't stop him if I wanted to and I have no idea where he went. Right now he doesn't want to talk, so I'm going to let him work this out on his own. He knows where to find me."
With that, Emma walked away from the two men, not at all interested in continuing this conversation. She may have not had the chance to be in his life until recently, but she was not about to listen to Neal tell her how she should deal with Henry. He had never even given her the chance to tell him that he was a father and she wasn't about to let him go around thinking he had rights he didn't have. For now she was just going to have the let Henry think and hope that he would be back later so she might actually get the chance to talk to him more about it.
##########
Killian was standing at the edge of his ship looking out over the ocean wondering what kind of lands he could sail to in this world. Most of the time he was just thinking about his revenge, but he realized that he didn't spend time thinking about much else. This was a new world and he wondered what it would be like to explore it. Even though he wanted his revenge he couldn't help it when his sense of adventure got a hold of him sometimes. He was a pirate after all.
Killian's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the gangplank. He immediately pulled his sword and turned around to see a young boy starting back at him with interest. Something about the boy was familiar, but he had no idea how he managed to find the invisible gangplank to his ship. After a moment he realized he still had his sword drawn at the boy and put it back in his scabbard before approaching the young man. When he got closer he realized what was so familiar about the boy.
"You're Swans son," Killian stated.
"Yes," Henry replied. "And you're Captain Hook."
Killian raised an eyebrow. "And yet you are standing on my ship and don't seem to be afraid of me. Most don't have that kind of bravery. What exactly are you doing on my ship, lad?"
"I don't know," Henry answered looking down at his feet. He seemed sad. "I was just wandering around the town and ended up down here. I tripped over the stairs to the ship and got curious."
"Wandering onto a pirate ship isn't a very safe thing to do, lad," Killian replied. "Why are you wandering around town anyway? Is something bothering you?"
Henry looked up at him. Killian could tell that something was troubling the boy, but he didn't know if he would actually tell him what it was. He looked a lot like Emma, but somehow seemed more trusting. After all he had climbed onto his ship and didn't run when he figured out who he was. He was definitely braver than most and Killian couldn't help but respect that. Henry walked over to the edge of the ship where Killian had been standing earlier.
"My mom lied to me," he stated simply.
Killian walked over to stand next to the boy. "What exactly did she lie to you about, lad?" He asked.
"She told me my dad was dead," Henry explained. "But when we went to Manhattan we found him. It turned out that he was Mr. Gold's son."
"Your father is the crocodile's son?" Killian asked.
"Rumpelstiltskin?" Henry asked, clearly confused by him calling the man a crocodile, but not really pushed that subject any further. "Yeah. She told me my dad was a hero and died, but now I know he's alive. She lied to me. Regina used to lie to me all the time too."
"Lad, there are many reason's people lie," Killian stated. "Regina, well my guess is she was trying to cover up her past. I get the sense that your mother. . .she didn't want you to get hurt."
"Why would she think I would get hurt?" Henry asked.
"Did she ever tell you that she chained me to the top of a beanstalk?" Killian asked.
"What?" Henry asked wide eyed. "No."
"Well she did," Killian replied, with an amused grin. "She doesn't really talk much about her past, but I could tell that someone hurt her. Hurt her enough that she felt like she couldn't trust anyone again. For a moment it seemed that she trusted me, but then she chained me to the top of that beanstalk. She told me that she couldn't take a chance that she was wrong about me. She was very determined to get back to you."
"Are you mad at her?" Henry asked.
"I was at first, but I think I was more hurt," Killian admitted. "I felt like she was someone I could relate to and I've lived 300 years without finding someone like that. I wanted to help her, but she couldn't let herself trust me. I assume that would be because of your father and what he did to hurt her. I get the sense he had abandoned her at some point and that is where she lost her ability to trust."
"How do you know that?" Henry asked.
"Your mother is a bit of an open book," Killian replied amused. "She can try to hide her feelings, but I could see through her to some extent. She herself is quite perceptive. We both lost people we loved. When you lose someone you love you feel lost; like you could never feel like that again. It can cause you to do many things you might regret later on. For your mother she lied to you, probably because she feared that you would be hurt the way she was. She was trying to protect you."
"So what should I do?" Henry asked, looking up at him.
"You forgive her," Killian answered. "When you love someone, you would do anything to protect them. That includes lying to them, dying for them, or throwing a swordfight. You would do whatever it takes to make sure that they are happy. Do you understand, lad?"
"I think so," Henry replied.
"You should go talk to your mother," Killian stated. "I'm sure she's worried about you."
"Okay," Henry stated with a smile. "Thanks, Captain."
"You're welcome, lad,"
##########
Emma just sat on the couch staring at the wall. Henry had been gone for hours and as much as she wanted to go looking for him she was afraid that would just push him away even more. She knew he had to think and she wanted to give him that time, but there was no way she was going to be able to sleep if he didn't come home soon. Like an answered prayer the door opened and Henry walked in. Emma was so relieved that she ran up and immediately pulled him into a hug without even thinking.
"Henry, I was so worried," she stated pulling back from the hug.
"I'm sorry," Henry replied. "I just needed some time."
"Henry, I'm sorry I lied to you," Emma started. "I had a good reason, or at least I thought it was a good reason."
"It's okay, Mom," said Henry. "I know why. You were afraid I would get hurt like you did and you didn't want me to live life not willing to trust anyone like you did. You did it because you love me and you wanted to protect me."
"How did you figure that out?" Emma asked, putting her hands on each side of his face.
"Captain Hook told me," Henry explained.
"You talked to Hook?" Emma asked, surprised. "How? Where?"
"I kind of stumbled onto his ship," Henry replied. "I talked to him. He didn't seem evil like the stories say. He told me that you once chained him to the top of a beanstalk because you couldn't let yourself trust him. He also told me that when you love someone you do whatever it takes to protect them. He told me I should forgive you, because you love me and just wanted to protect me."
"He told you that?" Emma asked, tears welling up in her eyes. She had no idea why the pirate would be helping Henry or even telling him to forgive her after what she had done to him in the Enchanted Forest. This was the last thing she would expect from Hook. She pulled Henry into another hug. "I'm so sorry, Henry. I didn't want you to get hurt like I did."
"I know," Henry replied returning the hug. "I forgive you."
Emma smiled and pulled back from the hug giving Henry a curious look. "What else did Hook tell you?"
"He said he was mad at you at first for leaving him on top of the beanstalk, but was more hurt," Henry explained. "He said that you both lost people you loved and that makes you feel lost and you can do things you regret because of it. And he told me that you would do anything to protect the people you love, like lie, or die for them, or throw a sword fight, which I really didn't understand."
Emma's eyes went wide at that. Did he really mean that he threw the sword fight, because he loved her? Emma could feel her breathing start to get shallow. There was no way that was true, though she had thought that she beat him far too easily for a man who had much more practice with a sword than she did. She had put it up to genes. She was the daughter of Prince Charming after all.
"Mom, is something wrong?" Henry asked.
"No," Emma stated, unsure if it was true or not at this point. "I think I need to go see someone. Why don't you go up and get ready for bed. We will talk more in the morning."
"Okay," Henry replied, as Emma grabbed her coat and headed out the door.
##########
Everything about this day was unusual. He started to think about going on adventures again instead of spending every waking minute thinking about revenge. Not to mention the conversation he had with Emma's son. At this point he didn't know what to think about his life anymore. Was it really worth going after the crocodile? He had spent so long plotting revenge he felt it would be a waste if he didn't go through with it and he still felt he owed Milah. He felt like something in him was changing and he didn't know why. Suddenly there was a knock on his cabin door and he turned around. The door was already open and Emma was standing there.
"Emma?" he asked, wary. "What are you doing here, love?"
"Henry came home," she explained. "Told me about the conversation you had. I wanted to say thank you."
"You're welcome, lass," he replied, giving her a questioning look. "Was that really all you came down here for?"
"No," Emma admitted. "I realized that maybe I owe you an apology."
Killian stared at her in awe. She wanted to apologize? Emma didn't really seem like the type to apologize and he wondered what would cause her to come here for that. "There's nothing you have to be sorry for." He finally stated.
"Yes, there is," Emma replied, walking further into the room. "I should have trusted you on the beanstalk, but I was too afraid. Instead I did what I always do; I push people away so they can't hurt me. I felt like we had a lot in common and I could relate to you and that's what scared me."
"It's okay, lass," Killian replied. "I knew you had been hurt before, though admittedly it didn't lessen the hurt when you left me there."
"I know," Emma replied, moving closer to him. "That's why I'm sorry. I realize now after everything that happened that you never really did anything to hurt me. Everything you did was for me. You helped me get the compass and you threw the swordfight so I could get back here to my son."
"He told you that?" Killian asked, realizing that he had let slip to the boy about the swordfight. He wasn't sure how Emma was going to take that especially when he had admitted that he did it because he loved her. Honestly, he wasn't sure he was able to admit those feelings to himself yet, but she was here and there was something different in her demeanor. It was like she was letting her defenses fall while she was around him.
"He did," Emma replied, taking another step closer so that she was standing right in front of him. "I had suspected that at first but I kept asking myself why the fearsome pirate Captain Hook would throw a swordfight. I was never really able to come up with a reasonable answer to that question."
Killian swallowed hard when she took yet another step closer to him. Their bodies were nearly touching now and he wasn't sure where this was going. His heart was beginning to race and he couldn't keep his eyes off her.
"I forgive you for bringing Cora here, you know," she said, looking him directly in the eyes. "Could you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
Killian couldn't find his words at the moment, her nearness was making his mind fuzzy and he was having trouble thinking. He found his gaze moving to her lips and then back up to her eyes. She smiled and he wondered if she had noticed. Once again she stepped just and inch closer and he lost all train of thought as he leaned down letting his lips lightly graze hers. There was a shock when their lips touched that he hadn't expected. He gasped and pulled back for a second. The look on Emma's face suggested that she felt it to.
Without another thought he moved his hand behind her neck and pulled her into another kiss; this one much more passionate than the first. Emma gasped against his lips before returning the kiss with equal fervor, moving her hands to rest on his chest. Their lips moved together like a dance they had always known. Killian moved his hand up to tangle in her hair as he deepened the kiss, his tongue brushing against her bottom lip begging for entrance that she gladly accepted. He wrapped his hook arm around her pulling her closer as she moved her right hand behind his neck. Killian groaned at the feel of her hand at the nape of his neck and attempted to pull her even closer if that was even possible.
Eventually air was going to be an issue, but Killian was afraid of how Emma would react when they pulled away. He feared that he would see regret in her eyes and she would come back to her senses and run from him. At this point he didn't know if he could deal with that. He had imagined on several occasions what it would be like to kiss Emma, but never thought it would actually happen. Now that it has, he didn't think he would be able to give it up. It felt too right to have her lips against his and their bodies to be pinned together so close.
Reluctantly, he pulled away from her when air became a necessity. His eyes remained closed afraid of what he would see when he opened them. He felt Emma's hand on his cheek and he opened his eyes slowly to see her smiling back at him. Relief began to wash over him when he realized that this time she wasn't running from him.
"So do you forgive me?" Emma asked, unable to contain the smirk that was forming on her face.
Killian laughed and pulled her into another quick kiss before replying, "Gods, yes."