Having lived in a Northern town like Storybrooke, Maine for over a year now, Emma Swan should be used to the idea of it snowing regularly. But when she awoke that Saturday morning and saw the stark brightness of outside through her window, she groaned. Even though snow hadn't been a huge part of her childhood, she could tell from the intensity of light coming through her blinds that today she was going to have to wade through several inches of the cold precipitation to accomplish anything at her job today.
The sound of her ground and the shifting of her body woke Killian, who opened one eye slightly as he asked, "What's the matter, Swan? In the midst of a great dream as you awoke?"
Smiling, she titled her head sideways as she looked at the pirate. "Nope, not even close".
She laced her fingers through Killian's as he closed his eye and smiled contentedly for a moment. "Then what is it, lass? Nothing too serious, I hope."
"It's just that it snowed last night and now I'm going to have to be out in it all day for work." Emma started too slide out of the bed, but as she let go of Killian's fingers, his hand immediately wrapped around her wrist. His grip was strong but gentle, and she knew what he was going to say next.
"Do you really have to go to work though? Surely your father can handle it? Besides, doesn't Robin help out on Saturdays anyways? I doubt you need three on the force at one time. The criminals will be too frozen to do anything on a day like this."
"You use the Robin excuse every weekend," she said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, I'm the sheriff. I'm supposed to be running the place."
Hook began to slowly tug her back onto the bed. "But it's true. And it's much warmer in here," he said, as she gave in and lay back down. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his face into her hair. She rested her head on his chest, allowing herself to sink into his warmth. After having gone so many years without someone like Killian, she was still slowly adjusting to the little displays of affection he showed every day.
"Mmm, do you know how long it's been since I've built a snowman?" she muttered.
"It's settled then, love. You're not going to work; we'll have a snow day." Hook let go of Emma, climbed out of bed and marched out of the room. She lay flat on the bed, smiling, with her eyes closed. "Three, two, one…" she whispered, as she heard Killian call out, "Emma, love, how do you use this blasted telephone device again?"
The delicious smell of bacon filled the kitchen as Killian assisted Emma in preparing breakfast. Henry was spending the weekend with Regina, so it was just the two of them today. Hook was still getting used to the idea of electricity, especially the cooking appliances. While Emma was scrambling eggs and frying the bacon, he was quite proudly making cinnamon toast-the only thing besides canned soup that he was able to cook for himself yet. Emma smiled at Killian as he finished up his contribution to the meal and set it next to the orange juice on the table. She quickly put the food on two plates and joined Hook at the table. Like a gentleman, he held the chair out for her before sitting down to the meal himself.
After eating and discussing local events for a while, Emma ecstatically said, "Hurry up and finish your food; I have a surprise." The two stuffed the remaining eggs and toast in their mouth, and Killian followed her to the stove.
A pan of dark, thick liquid was gently bubbling, spreading a sweet smell through the air. "Have you ever eaten snow?" Emma asked, stirring the gently syrup with a wooden ladle.
"I can't say that I have. I assume I am about to find out?"
Emma plucked two bowls from the kitchen cabinet, ran outside, and quickly returned with the bowls filled with snow. After stirring the syrup for one last time, she poured it over the bowls, turning the white snow a delicious golden brown. Grabbing two spoons from a drawer on the way, she brought the bowls over to the table. "Try it and see what you think."
Bracing the bowl against his fake hand, Killian scooped a bit of the snow out and tasted it. "Wow, that is quite delicious. Where did you learn to make such a concoction?"
Emma looked down at her bowl and smiled sadly. "I was in the foster system quite some time in this world because I didn't have parents. When I was twelve, I stayed with this older lady in Vermont. She was different than most of the people I lived with; very sweet lady. Her name was Annabeth, and she didn't have a lot of money. Since it was Vermont, it snowed all the time, and it was a cheap dessert to mix it with a little bit of syrup. I haven't eaten it in years; partially because I haven't been in a place where it snows for any good length of time…"
"Well, love, sounds like you've been through quite a bit in your life," he said, reaching across the table to rest his hand on hers.
"It wasn't all bad, I suppose. Annabeth was the nicest person I've ever met. I was devastated when I had to leave."
"What exactly made her have to give you up?"
Emma sighed. "Apparently her grandson had forced her into some sort of drug ring… I was too young and too upset to know the details. She was arrested and I was pushed off onto someone else, as usual."
Killian took her chin gently in his hand and pulled her head up until her eyes met his. "Well, darling, at least you don't have to worry about that anymore. You have more than enough people willing to take care of you now."
She smiled at him, sweetly, before abruptly hopping up out of her chair, giving him a peck on the forehead, and running off in the direction of the bedroom. "Enough moping around!" she yelled. "Get bundled up and we'll go build a snowman!"
_
Killian looked quite ridiculous with three scarves piled around his neck and face, but the Charmings had yet to finish purchasing the rest of his modern wardrobe, and the only thing Emma had that would fit Hook and keep him warm was an array of scarves she had collected over the years. His top half looked like Randy from "A Christmas Story"-only with much more available movement in his limbs.
Immediately upon marching out the front yard, he was hit from behind with a flurry of snow. Emma hadn't even bothered to form it into any sort of ball, but Hook wouldn't have been able to retaliate either way. The sparkle in her eyes and the sound of her laughter melted his heart. After the months of heartbreak, nearly losing her son and her parents, nearly being killed herself, she was finally in a place where she could relax and enjoy all the stupid little pleasure that life had to offer.
"Come on, Swan; are we here to build a snowman or aren't we?" he said with a cocky grin. He held out his hand, and she gladly took it, walking with him to the center of the yard where an extra-large pile of snow had been dumped from a tree.
Emma bent down and started packing snow together to form the base. She had gotten the bottom almost finished when she realized she had been doing it all by herself. "Why aren't you helping-what?" she asked, when she saw the look the former pirate currently possessed on his face.
"The snow, in your hair-you look quite beautiful," he said, almost as if he were sighing instead. The look in his eyes was that of a man who was utterly lost. He didn't seem to mind however; it was his heart that was lost to Emma, and she could tell that in his years of searching for revenge and his year of searching for her, he had never felt so much emotion as he showed right now as he looked at her.
She wrapped her arms around the bundle of scarves as her lips crashed gently into his. It was not a deep, passionate kiss, but a soft, adoring one that spelled their love for each other out with each gentle movement of their mouths. Emma and Killian stood there, lost in each other's embrace, never happier.
When they finally went back inside the house, the falling snow had already covered up the base of the snowman, but Hook and his Swan had not a care in the world.