The first time he saw her, she was merely a chess piece, a way for him to play his way to revenge. To fulfill his lives purpose, or what he believed the purpose to be. She'd been beautiful, yes, but at the time his mind was still occupied by another woman. The blond halo he'd come to love was then only a recognition sign of one of the four women we was stranded with. It had not been love at first sight, no.

However, she'd made an impression on him at an early stage. He'd told her once that she was an open book to him, but she'd been the one to read him from the first moment. She'd seen through his lies and gotten the truth out of him. Bested him in the best way.

She'd intrigued him, and as they'd climbed the beanstalk together he would later on admit that's when he'd started to fall in love with her. He hadn't known at the time, too focused on skinning a crocodile and the memory of a woman who died centuries before to see what was happening.

It had taken him longer than he was content with to admit to his own feelings. Not as long as it had taken her, of course, but still far too long for his liking. Their kiss in Neverland had been his first eye-opener; the moment he later on could pinpoint as the one where his adoration for her clouded the memory of Milah. That was the moment he had admitted to himself that he would fight for her being his future, in place of vengeance.

Fallen in love they'd done, eventually, and with a curse to prove it, true love had grown strong between them. He would never forget the dread he'd felt when he found her. After days of searching for her as yet another villain had taken her captive, because she refused to be used against her family, he'd found her pale and lifeless. Too scared of the possibility of failure, he hadn't dared to kiss her at first. Not because he doubted his love for her, but because he'd doubted himself. He'd brought her to her family, hoping they'd do it for him, but it didn't work for them. Later he found out only someone not blood related could wake her, but at the time he thought he'd lost her. As he kissed her goodbye, tears clouding his vision, the blast had emerged and she'd gasped, awaking.

It hadn't taken them long before their engagement were official, only months before being permanently committed. Her face when she walked down the isle, arm resting on her father's and gown smooth and long enough to create a tail after her; that was a memory he'd never tire of. Or her soft smile, and the tears filing in her eyes as he wowed to love her until his last breath and beyond.

Long ago I went into darkness, no hope of seeing light again, but no intention of it either. That darkness remained, for years to come. And, the years have been many. I have had a longer life than most, for better or worse. I saw my long life as no more than a chance to get the vengeance I so desired. That changed the day the light you bring made its way into my life. I no longer see my expanded lifetime as a curse, or something the universe thrust upon me. I now see it as destiny, universe's plan to make sure I ended up with you.

When they months later welcomed a son, Liam, his life became impossibly more complete. Two boys, a wife, friends, and a relatively safe life. If only his brother could see him.

Liam grew, Henry grew, new villains passed by, but their life went on. Routine had finally settled in their home by the time Liam was 2, and they kept it going, trying their hardest to make their sons' lives as safe as possible. They kept it, until Emma became pregnant again, just after Liam's fourth birthday. The joy of a new addition to their family was short lived as Emma became sicker by the day. Her strength was leaving her and making her unable to act sheriff by her father's side already in the fourth month, forcing her to spend her days at home. Killian grew more worried as time passed, and his wife's condition didn't improve. The baby was healthy, they checked often enough, but it's mother was worse.

When Emma finally was diagnosed with preeclampsia Killian was almost sick himself with worry. She was committed to the hospital around a month before the baby was due. She put up less resistance than Killian had expected, which made him worry even more. He sat by her side at all times, bringing Liam to the hospital or leaving him with his grandparents to play with Neal.

When their daughter finally arrived, the happiness over his little girl was overwhelming. It had been a tough labor, Emma almost passing out from pain and exhaustion when it finally came to an end. But she did good, and according to the doctor she would be just fine.

Pacing the room with his new daughter in his arms, Henry holding his mother's hand while reading a book, Liam sleeping by her side, and the woman herself drifting further into unconsciousness by the second, he could only smile. His family. Yeah, what if his brother could see him.

The first time he saw her she'd merely been a chess piece, a way for him to fulfill his lives purpose. Never would he have thought he only a few years later would he be standing by the woman's side, sharing children, a life and a name, only to realize she was his lives purpose.

Part 2, Emma's perspective, coming soon!