In front of Emma's eyes, she could see her parents shuffle around awkwardly as they talked on the troll bridge. She admired her mother's feistiness against the trolls and Emma immediately knew where she had gotten it from. After interrupting their first meeting, Rumplestiltskin had appeared (and Emma had finally realized why Killian had always called him the Crocodile) and told them that they had to fix what they had done, before everything changed. Emma didn't want to think of what would've changed, but she knew that it probably would've included Emma ceasing to exist. And that would've been a no-go for Emma, especially when she was finally realizing what she was so densely ignoring for the past few weeks, ever since Killian had returned her and Henry to Storybrooke.
Killian smirked while he was crouched right beside Emma, behind bushes so Charming and Snow couldn't see the two of them. He was having just as much fun as Emma was at looking at the awkward first stages of true love. The way that Charming and Snow interacted with each other reminded Emma so much of how you would be around your first crush: blushing deeply, hardly meeting their eyes, stumbling over their words. Emma loved that their love began the same way many loves began.
"David isn't quite so charming right now, is he?" Killian asked under his breath and Emma chuckled silently. "This is almost hard to watch."
"Shut up, Hook," Emma whispered back as she elbowed Killian in the side.
Killian chuckled under his breath as his gaze turned back to watching Emma's parents begin to fall in love. Emma knew that their mission was finished, but she didn't want to move from behind the bushes. Moving meant that they had to find their way back to Storybrooke, and that meant that she was going to be leaving soon to go back to New York with Henry. Emma noticed Killian stiffen beside her, the same thoughts probably going through his mind. During this entire trip into the past, Killian had been trying tooth and nail to convince Emma to stay in Storybrooke, that Storybrooke was her true home. But, she couldn't do that. Henry had his own life in New York and she couldn't ignore that fact.
Even though Emma knew that she wanted to go back to New York more for herself.
She had been searching for a home for as long as she could remember and New York fit the bill for her. Sort of. Maybe. Okay, fine. New York may not entirely be what she wanted in a home, but Henry had friends there and Emma had a job. She belonged in New York. Storybrooke was filled with fairytale characters that Emma couldn't even compare to. Emma didn't fit in in Storybrooke; in New York, it's big enough where you can slide in without a second glance from anybody.
But, even though Emma didn't want to admit it, she was having a harder time finding reasons to leave the longer she was with Killian. He was by her side unwaveringly. He traveled across realms for her and saved her from a life that was built on lies. He was always there. He always would be there for her, Emma knew that for sure. Every time he looked at her, Emma could just see the adoration and admiration pouring from his ocean-blue eyes. The very same ocean-blue eyes that Emma found herself dreaming of every night since he first came to her in New York. He looked at her like a blind man looking at a sunset for the very first time and Emma couldn't hide the fact that she loved that. She wanted to bask in that thought for years and years to come, but she was positive that one day, those looks would stop.
That's what kept her from wanting to make a future in Storybrooke.
The fear that one day, Killian would realize that she wasn't worth it. That she was never worth it.
"We should go," Emma found herself whispering, long after Charming and Snow left the bridge behind. She hated how her emotions had laced their way into her voice.
Killian glanced over at her after a long moment, and nodded. "Alright. Let's try to get home."
Home. That's what Emma had been searching for since her very first foster home and she still had no idea where it was. Was it with her family in Storybrooke? Or with just her and Henry in New York? Emma knew that Killian was hoping that she'd change her mind, and she thought she saw a pleading look from him before he turned away to stand from behind the bushes. Killian offered his hand to Emma and she took it willingly, so easily. Their hands wrapped together so effortlessly that it gave Emma a second thought about leaving Storybrooke. Something about the small touch made Emma think again, even though they had touched plenty in the Enchanted Forest (they danced together, for God's sake). But there was something about the simple offering of a hand that had Emma torn in her mind.
Emma picked up her skirt as they began walking through the dense forest. Her skirt still got snagged on a few branches here and there, leaving a few holes in the beige, raggedy dress. Killian kept ahold of her hand, helping her over fallen trees and mud from a recent storm. Her hand began to feel electric under his touch, and Emma tried-really tried-to ignore how it made her feel. Maybe she was just hungry or something from their long day in the woods. There's no way that she was actually feeling that. She ignored those feelings and they always melted away. But the closer they got to the road to head back to town, the stronger the electricity in her hand felt.
Killian froze in his tracks, his hand tightening around Emma's. Emma looked up at him and was about to ask him about why he stopped, but he quickly held his false hand up to his lips, as if he was telling her to be silent. Emma did as he asked, noticing how he was stiff and alert. His gaze was shooting all around the forest that surrounded them, but all Emma could hear was the pounding of her heart. She knew that the Enchanted Forest was filled to the brim with bandits and animals and she feared that they had become the hunted.
Killian leaned his mouth to Emma's ear and Emma's skin exploded with heat as she felt his breath on her neck. "Do you still have that dagger, love?"
Emma nodded, remembering how Killian had swiftly dispatched a few of Regina's-The Evil Queen's, Emma mentally corrected herself-soldiers and how he had told her to take the dagger one of the soldiers was holding.
"You're going to have to use it," Killian warned her and he noticed how Emma had stiffened in worry. He stroked his thumb over Emma's hand that he continued to hold and Emma began to feel relaxed. It was strange to her how the most subtle of things that Killian did could change everything that Emma was feeling. "Just do as I say and watch out."
"What's happening?" Emma asked, not being able to retain her curiosity anymore.
Before Killian even returned an answer, a leather clad man appeared from behind a wide tree. As soon as she saw the leather, she was afraid that it was the other Hook who had returned for some vengeance, because he seemed to be full of it back in these days. But Emma's eyes fell on the unfamiliar face of the man in front of her and Killian and she breathed in relief. If it was the other Hook, there was no way either of them would be leaving alive. Well, Killian wouldn't be leaving alive. Emma feared what would happen to her.
Emma's eyes darted to the right and to the left of them, noticing two other men making themselves known. She knew now that they were dealing with bandits, and now Emma had really no idea what to do. But, it seemed to Emma that Killian was prepared enough for the both of them, stepping in front of Emma, as if to protect her. Emma's heart pounded harder than it had before, thinking of Killian sacrificing himself to protect her. She felt a sob wanting to build in her throat at just the thought of losing him. There, she realized her feelings for him ran much deeper than she had realized. They ran much deeper than she thought they did after saving him from drowning.
"Give us what you have and the girl and nobody gets hurt, mate," The man in front of Killian and Emma announced loudly, his hand twisting around the handle of a broadsword.
"Not bloody likely, mate," Killian spat out, drawing his sword from the scabbard at his hip.
The man, clearly the leader of the gang, let out a low laugh. "Are you sure you want to do that? No lady is worth dying for."
"Then you clearly have never been in love," Killian responded back and Emma stilled. "Just continue on so I won't have to kill you."
He was in love with her? No, that was impossible. Nobody was ever in love with Emma Swan. Maybe in lust, but never in love. Killian must be confusing the two or something, right? But, Emma then remembered that he had lived three hundred years, most of which were spent searching for revenge again Rumplestiltskin because of Milah. Oh, Killian definitely knew what love felt like and Emma was sure that he knew exactly what he was saying.
The man laughed again, taking a few steps toward Killian and Emma. Killian reached his fake hand back to Emma, beckoning her to move back.
"How adorable," The man taunted, an evil leer spreading on his face. Emma now noticed how a long scar stretched from the left corner of his forehead down to his right cheek. Damn, he even looked like a bandit. "Well, I guess you'll die protecting your love." The bandit said the word like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "And after you're dead, well, we'll get to have all of the fun with the girl, won't we?"
Emma could see Killian practically vibrating with rage. He turned his head an inch as he remained crouched, prepared for attack, and whispered to Emma, "Get your dagger."
Emma reached under her pale blue cloak and grabbed the dagger that was wedged in the belt around her dress. Emma slowly brought it out and she knew that both men on the sides had noticed the dagger. One man looked prepared for a fight, leering at her in a way that made her vastly uncomfortable, while the other man looked hardly a man at all with his baby face.
"She's much feistier than she looks, lad," Killian drawled, shifting his hold on his sword. "Don't let her looks fool you."
And of course Killian would start bluffing. Emma had no idea how to wield a dagger and how to even fight with a weapon like this. But Emma then remembered that her old fucking job taught her how to fight with her hands, and hell, it shouldn't be too difficult to use a dagger, right?
The lead bandit sneered at Killian, his almost black eyes narrowing as he crouched with his sword raised. "I hope the lady has no qualms of me killing you. If I have to listen to her cry afterwards, it won't be as fun when I share her with the boys."
Killian's grip tightened on the sword and soon, the bandit made the first move and their swords met in the air, the sound filling the forest. Emma looked to her right, where the baby-faced man had run off into the forest, making her smile. But soon, she twisted around to see the other man making his way over to her, that leer still plastered on his face. And how Emma so wanted to wipe that look off of his fucking face.
Emma swiped the dagger at the man, who had dodged it easily by leaning back. Emma realized that he must've fought many times before and that she probably had the lower hand in the fight. The man swung a punch, but since Emma had done this plenty of times too with bail-jumpers, she ducked swiftly, switching the dagger into her left hand, and threw a right hook into the man's gut. He groaned as he held his stomach, then his leer intensified as he grabbed ahold of Emma's arm as it continued to retract. Before the man could pull her into him, Emma kicked his knee, which made him release her in pain. Emma smiled as she gleefully thought that she was totally, definitely winning this fight.
But she turned her head and saw Killian continuing to fight the bandit, leading her to worry about the outcome of his fight. The bandit swung the sword at Killian, who deftly dodged the swipe by leaning back and raised his own sword to push away the bandit's blade. She was so entranced by graceful Killian was that she hadn't noticed her own opponent gathering his strength from behind her and he wrapped his arms around Emma from behind, pulling her tight so that she couldn't move. Emma struggled against his arms, her hands trying to wrench him off of her.
"Looks like she wasn't as feisty as you said," The man behind her cackled, the awfulness of his breath making Emma nearly gag.
When Killian looked at Emma, Emma could see the despair in his eyes. He was terrified, just as she was. He was distracted enough that his opponent, who had somehow ended up on the ground, got up and fished out a dagger from his belt.
"Killian!" Emma shouted at him, which shook him from his thoughts and swiftly dodge the bandit's stab at him.
Emma squeezed her hands on the man's arm and put all of her weight into him. She pushed her hips against the man, throwing all of her weight against him, and skillfully threw him over her shoulders. He landed with a loud thud on the ground and groaned as Emma grabbed her dagger from where it fell on the ground. Emma kneeled beside the man's head as he looked at her, that leer seemingly permanent on his face, grabbed his head in both of her hands and slammed it as hard as she could into the hard ground.
"Emma, run!" Killian shouted at her as he dodged another swipe from the bandit's sword.
"I'm not leaving without you!" Emma shouted back before she even realized what she said.
That seemed to give Killian the strength to somehow swipe the sword and dagger from the bandit's hands and hit him in the temple with the blunt end of Killian's sword. The bandit fell to the damp forest ground and Killian ran back to Emma, grabbing her hand after he sheathed his sword and running through the forest before either of the bandits awaken.
It seemed to be forever before Killian and Emma stopped running, both utterly out of breath. Emma leaned over a tree, her hand scraping against the bark, and Killian collapsed on the opposite side of the tree, trying to regain his breath. Emma looked over at him and saw Killian hold his left side with his fake hand. Emma furrowed her eyebrows as she saw Killian move the hand to look and saw blood on the glove.
No. No. No.
"Killian!" Emma nearly shouted in panic as she rushed over to his side, placing her hand where the wound was bleeding steadily. She could feel the warm blood trickling out of his side and through her hands and onto the forest floor. "No, please no. Oh God, no."
Killian's face grimaced in pain and he tried to smile for her. "Well, I've lived for over three hundred years. Maybe it isn't so sad, Swan."
Emma shook her head rapidly, feeling the tears build behind her eyes. "No. No. You aren't gonna die. You'll be okay, Killian."
"Emma," Killian said, his voice weakening. And that's what made Emma begin crying. She could feel the tears trail down her dirty cheeks and she sniffled loudly in the empty woods. "Emma, look at me."
Emma shook her head wildly again and she sniffled more, the tears falling steadily from her eyes now. He can't die. She can't even think of living without him. He needs to be here. He has always needed to be here. These same thoughts crossed Emma's mind when she saved him from Zelena, but she never realized the true emotions behind them. Emma literally couldn't imagine life without Killian by her side. She didn't know why or how she hadn't seen that before because it was always right there. Every time he looked at her with that smile in his eyes, she could see it. But, she was blind until now. Until he was literally dying in her arms.
Emma couldn't live without him. She already knew that. But now she realized why she thought that. Before, she had thought because she just really cared for him. But now, Emma knew that she was deeply in love with Killian Jones. She was head over heels in love with him, more than Emma had ever been with anybody, even Neal. And now, Killian was going to die.
"Emma, look at me," Killian urged her again, his voice weakening even more.
Emma gulped as she met Killian's eyes, still that striking ocean-blue. His face was paling-oh God, he's going to die-but he smiled at her. Even on the verge of death, Killian found a way to assure Emma. Emma began crying harder, hoping that she wasn't having those stupid snot bubbles. She didn't want Killian's last look at her to be of snot bubbles and her ugly crying face. Killian lifted his hand and stroked Emma's cheek. Emma shut her eyes at the feel of it and pressed her cheek into it. She opened her eyes again after savoring the moment and saw the tears building in Killian's eyes.
"Killian," Emma whispered to him, love laced in her voice.
Since he was dying, Emma had decided to give him-or her-something to remember each other by. She leaned down and brushed her lips against his, pressing a soft kiss onto his lips. Emma heard Killian sigh and he opened his mouth to invite her in. Emma took his bottom lip in between hers and pressed down onto his lips harder, as if she was trying to save him by just kissing him. She wanted to pull the death from him and make it leave Killian, but she knew it wouldn't work that way. So she kissed him forcefully, allowing herself to moan quietly into his mouth because she knew that he needed this just as badly as she did. With that, Killian put his hand behind Emma's head and pulled her down, pushing her lips against him more. Emma wrenched his mouth open and traced her tongue along Killian's bottom lip, which led to a loud groan from Killian who sucked Emma's bottom lip into his mouth, grazing his teeth along it.
In the midst of the kiss, Emma and Killian hadn't noticed the swirling of wind and the howling as the wind cycled around them faster and faster. It wasn't until the ground seemed to move that Emma removed herself-admittedly reluctantly-from Killian's lips as she looked at the magic that was surrounding them. Suddenly, a portal opened from just underneath Killian and Emma and they dropped like rocks. Emma grabbed ahold of Killian tightly, not even caring that his blood was getting onto the dress she was wearing. Killian held on as tightly as he could muster, given that he's already lost a lot of his blood into the forest. Emma opened her tightly shut eyes to see the familiar surroundings of Storybrooke as they continued to fall from the sky. She recognized downtown Storybrooke, at the main intersection, and she squeezed her eyes shut to prepare for the oncoming impact that was really, really going to hurt.
But somehow, Killian had managed to flip her position as they fell, so he would be the one landed hard on the concrete ground. Emma continued crying soundlessly in the air, knowing that this impact would probably be the one that killed him. Emma kissed his cheek, his forehead, anywhere she could reach as they continued to barrel quickly to the earth. But they suddenly were falling slowly as they reached the last ten feet before the ground.
Emma looked over and saw Regina standing not thirty feet from them, along with everybody else that had been at Granny's Diner before Killian and Emma had left to go to Zelena's farm. She recognized her mother's fearful face as she held her younger brother, Daniel, as they landed safely on the ground. Killian groaned loudly as Emma landed on top of him and Emma moved quickly from him, going back to his side to press her hands on his wound, which was continuing to steadily bleed. Emma saw people begin to move toward her and Killian, but she raised her hand.
"Don't come any closer!" Emma shouted at them, which made them shuffle uncomfortably.
Emma pulled Killian into her lap, continuing to press on the injury as she could hear gasps and cries coming from the crowd. She clenched her jaw as she tried to slow the bleeding, because that's exactly what Dr. Whale would need to do before he could even try to treat Killian, but it just wasn't stopping. Emma could feel the tears come down her face again and she sniffled loudly, not even ashamed that everyone could hear her.
"Killian, come on, stay with me," Emma said to him as he was slowly closing his eyes. "You're going to be fine. Dr. Whale should be here soon."
Emma said the last part loud enough for Regina to hear it and Emma noticed Regina walk back to Ruby and whisper something to her. Emma looked back down at Killian, whose eyes were growing weaker from the blood loss. Emma sniffled again and a sob broke through her as she pressed harder on Killian's wound.
"Emma," Killian said softly, his voice just telling her that he's so close. So close to the edge. So close to never smiling at her or saying his innuendos ever again.
Emma cried as she met his eyes. Those blue eyes were losing their power and Emma couldn't stand it. She couldn't let him die. He had to stay. He always stayed for her. Even though she always pushed him away, he was always there, unlike so many other people in her life.
"I love you, Emma Swan," Killian whispered to her, smiling as much as he could. He wrapped his hand in her hair, savoring the feel of it around his fingers. "I've always loved you. And I always will."
Emma shook her head, a sob building inside of her. "I know, I know. Stay with me, Killian. Please. Please."
Her voice cracked at the last plea and Killian tried to smile at her again, but the light drained from his eyes and Emma could feel his grip on her hair loosen. Emma released the sob that built inside and let out a bloodcurdling scream into the air. She kept her hand on his wound, which was still pouring blood. She dared to look back at his face, which was still stuck in that last smile he had given her. Emma wept loudly, not even caring about the snot bubbles or her ugly face, because he was gone.
Emma slowly moved her hand from his wound, fresh and dried blood still stuck on her hand, and stroked his still warm cheek with the back of her fingers. He was supposed to be here. He was always supposed to be here, right by her side. She had taken advantage of that thought and pushed him away every single time. And now he was gone and Emma was utterly and irreparably broken. Shattered. She could hear the familiar cry of Henry, who must've been somewhere in the crowd. Her heart broke-if that could happen-at the sound and she leaned her head against Killian's.
"Killian, please come back," Emma pleaded, even though it was falling on deaf ears. "Please come back to me."
Emma placed her hand back on his wound, pressing firmly against it as if it would make him whole again and bring him back. Emma began to cry harder again, her entire being shaking against Killian's dead body. She tightened her arm below him, as if she was still protecting him from falling back. She didn't care about the ache in her legs. All she cared about was the ache in her heart that will never be the same.
Emma pressed her lips against Killian's lip, expecting them to move with hers but knowing that they won't. They never will again and that triggered Emma to sob harder. Her blonde hair fell around them, like curtains trying to create privacy, and she just kept kissing him, wishing that he would just come back like he always did.
Emma heard murmuring from the crowd in front of her and she looked up to see what was going on. And all she saw was white. White that was flowing from her hands. White that hadn't been there since Emma had saved Killian from drowning yesterday. White that meant that it was her magic, the magic that had been taken from her. The magic surrounded Emma and Killian, an invisible wind whipping Emma and Killian's hair around them. Emma leaned her head against Killian's again and pressed a more forceful kiss against his lips, almost willing him to come back because he always came back.
"Come back to me, Killian," Emma whispered against his lips. "Please."
And that's when she felt it.
She felt the tightening of his hand in her hair. She felt the slow raise of his chest as he took a breath. She felt the smile spread on his lips. And she could nearly feel those cerulean eyes open to look at her.
"Did I ever tell you I've got a thing for blondes?" Emma heard Killian ask and Emma brought her head back to look at the dashingly handsome pirate laying in her lap with that panty-dropping smirk.
Emma giggled. "Killian!"
Emma brought herself over into Killian's lap and pulled him up into a tight hug, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pressed herself against him because she never thought she would be able to again. Killian wasn't even taken by surprise as he wrapped his left arm around Emma's waist and pulled her closer to him, his right arm propping them both up from the pavement of the street. Emma could hear him smelling her deeply and could almost hear him smiling again. Emma pulled back and just pushed her lips against Killian's. Killian kissed Emma back with just as much fervor as Emma had displayed. Emma held Killian's head in her hands as their lips moved together, fitting together perfectly as they always had.
"How the hell is he alive?" Regina asked, genuinely curious as her arms crossed over her chest.
Emma shrugged, still in her peasant dress from the Enchanted Forest. She had explained everything that had had happened to them, starting from the moment that they went to Zelena's farm and ending at the moment that Killian and her had fallen from the sky. Dr. Whale had taken Killian to the hospital, even though Killian had been completely healed, and he decided to keep Killian overnight for observation. Emma couldn't argue with what Dr. Whale decided on doing; Emma was just as confused as he was.
"And how did you get your magic back?" David asked Emma, standing beside Mary who was still holding Daniel in the hospital waiting room.
Emma shrugged again, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know."
"And how did you get back?" Robin chimed in as he walked over and stood behind Regina with his hands in his pockets.
"A portal opened right beneath us," Emma explained, as she had before. Robin was with Roland during the story, so she didn't mind repeating it.
"What happened before the portal opened?" Mary asked, furrowing her eyebrows and rocking Daniel. "Like, right before?"
Emma began to blush as she remembered the desperate kiss she had given Killian when she thought he was dying. Regina smirked and let out a wry laugh, alerting David and Mary to look over at her.
"Let me guess," Regina said, taking a step toward Emma, her heels clacking on the tile floor of the hospital. "You two kissed, didn't you?"
David and Mary shot their glances over at Emma, who had turned an even deeper red. Mary began to smile while David still looked obviously confused.
"Uh, yeah, we did," Emma confessed, holding her head high as she met her gaze with Regina.
Regina laughed again, a sound that Emma had never really heard before Robin came into her life. "And that's why your magic came back."
Emma raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
"Before your magic was taken, I felt something off about Hook," Regina began and Emma knew exactly what was coming. "But after it was taken, whatever was different about Hook, was gone. I immediately knew that it was some sort of curse, no doubt a present from Zelena. So, obviously whatever curse was on Hook had transferred to you and took away your magic." Regina smiled that signature, mischievous smile. "And guess what can break all curses?"
Emma gulped and whispered, "True Love's Kiss."
"Exactly," Regina replied, that smile still plastered on her face as she stepped back to lean against Robin. "But, how the hell is he alive?"
Emma was still too dumbstruck by the confirmation that she and Killian were true love, something that she had been chasing all her life. And she was going to just let it go to go back to New York, a place that didn't even feel like home? God, was she an idiot or what?"
"Magic can't bring back dead people," Regina continued with her arms crossed. "That's a magic law. We've already learned what happened when you do that." Regina said the last part in a quiet tone and Mary looked down at her own Daniel, stroking his cheek. "So, what the hell happened?"
"Well, she's the Savior," Mary muttered, looking over at Regina. "Maybe her magic can do things that magic normally can't do. Zelena was able to go to the past, even though that was a magic law."
"That must be it," Regina said, looking at Emma with a new look on her face. Was it reverence? Was she impressed?
Emma shook her head, placing her hands on the sides of her head to keep it from exploding. "I'm going to see Killian."
"Go see your true love," Regina teased Emma, and Emma flipped Regina the bird as Emma walked across the waiting room to the room where Killian was lying in his bed, alone.
When Emma stepped in, Killian looked over at here with a wide smile on his face. Emma's heart warmed at the smile, since she had thought for the longest minute or so of her life that she would never see it again. Emma walked over to Killian with a matching smile and sat on the edge of his bed, by his knees. Emma immediately took his hand into hers and felt the very same electricity she had felt before everything had happened in Fairytale Land.
"Feeling better, love?" Killian asked as he reclined in his bed.
In a hospital bed after being dead and he was worrying about her? Classic Killian.
Emma nodded as she smiled again at him. "Much better."
Killian looked down at the large bloodstain on Emma's peasant dress, his eyes darkening at the memory. "You didn't change."
Emma shrugged. "Haven't had time to. I was talking to Regina and my parents and I wanted to see you. I'll change before I see Henry, though. He doesn't need to see anything else damaging today."
"He saw?" Killian asked quietly, so quiet that Emma almost hadn't heard it.
Emma nodded subtly and Killian sighed, leaning his head back against his pillow as he stared at the ceiling.
"Be prepared for some kind of tackle when he sees you," Emma told Killian, trying to make light of the situation.
Killian smiled wryly as he met Emma's eyes. "How am I alive, Swan?"
Emma chewed on the inside of her cheek. "We'll talk about it when you're out of here tomorrow. It's complicated."
"True love isn't complicated, Emma," Killian said softly and Emma smiled at him, genuinely happy for the first time in a long time.
"It is when it's with the Savior," Emma replied and Killian smiled back.
"How about we make it uncomplicated?" Killian asked with a raised eyebrow and a wink.
Emma laughed loudly in the empty room, her hand tightening around Killian's. She looked back at him and he was still smiling. Emma could get used to that genuine, boyish smile.
"You see these machines?" Emma asked him and Killian nodded. Emma pointed to the machine that was connected to the monitor on his right index finger. "This one monitors your heart. If your heart rate raises, you're gonna freak everybody out and make them think something is wrong."
Killian smirked and Emma rolled her eyes at him. "I can handle myself, Swan."
"Bull shit," Emma replied bluntly.
"Perhaps, you couldn't handle it, love," Killian taunted her, recalling back to Neverland at their first kiss. The kiss that Emma honestly couldn't stop thinking about.
Emma looked at Killian with a hooded gaze and Killian gulped at seeing her eyes darken. Emma removed her hand from Killian's and traced her fingers up Killian's thigh. As she got closer and closer to Killian's sword, as he so aptly put it at Lake Nostos, she could hear his heart rate slowly raise. Once she landed her hand at the very inner of his thigh, the monitor was beeping quickly and she winked at Killian as his eyes began to roll back into his head. Emma removed her hand as she laughed at him.
"Told you," Emma said to her one true love as she stood from the bed.
"Bloody minx," Killian mumbled.
Emma laughed as she walked over to him and pressed her lips against his, softly but with all of the power in the world. Even from the small kiss, the monitor began beeping rapidly again and Killian groaned as he let his head fall back onto his pillow.
"Henry should be here soon," Emma warned Killian as she stood back up. "Mary grabbed me some clothes from my room at Granny's, so I'm going to change. But, I'll be back in here for when Henry comes, okay?"
Killian nodded and gulped. "Alright, love."
Emma could clearly see that Killian was nervous about seeing Henry. Killian had basically already adopted him as his own son and was obviously very fond of Henry. Emma knew that Killian would have just as much of a reaction to seeing Henry as Henry would to seeing an alive and well Killian.
Emma took only a few minutes to change into her favorite jeans, a white t-shirt and her red leather jacket. She tossed the Fairytale Land clothes into the trash in the bathroom and she exited quickly. Just as she left the bathroom, Henry was walking down the hallway, toward Killian's room. Henry broke into a smile and ran to his mother. Emma kneeled and wrapped her arms tightly around Henry's waist as Henry wrapped his arms around her neck. Emma kissed his cheek and took in a deep smell of his hair. It was only maybe a half hour here, but Emma was in the Enchanted Forest for a few days and she missed that smell.
"Is he okay?" Henry asked quickly, as soon as he let go of Emma.
Emma nodded and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Yeah. Even though he's completely fine, don't attack him. It's been a really long day."
Emma placed her arm around Henry's shoulder as he nodded and led him over to Killian's room, past the waiting room where Regina, Robin, Mary and David were still sitting. Before entering the room, Emma ran her hand over Henry's hair and took a deep breath. Henry opened the door and saw Killian lying in bed, then practically darted over to the bed. It wasn't until Killian welcomed him with open arms that Emma heard Henry crying. Emma walked over to Killian and Henry and saw the tears that Killian had shed while Henry laid over his chest. Emma kissed Killian fully on the lips again and hugged her family tightly, never wanting to let them go.
And there she realized: she was finally home.