"Did you bring the rum?"
"Aye."
Grinning widely, Killian held the bottle aloft for her to see as he joined Emma on the deck of the Jolly Roger just as her note had asked him to.
The moon was full. The sea was calm. It was a perfect night for the two of them to go sailing and steal some uninterrupted time alone.
"Great! And I've brought Archie."
Or maybe not…
"The cricket?" he queried dubiously, grin disappearing at the unexpected news.
"Yeah. Who else is going to marry us?" Emma asked reasonably.
She grabbed the bottle from him then took his hand and led him across the deck to where their friend stood waiting, smiling happily.
"Marry us?" Killian repeated in complete bafflement. "But I thought we'd agreed to postpone the wedding?"
"We did – as far as mum and dad are concerned," she clarified, putting down the rum before reaching out to take hold of his hook so that they faced each other. "But for us - we both know that there's always going to be another crisis, another villain coming after us or our family. That's my life – our lives, because whatever happens, I know that you'll be right there with me. And...I just...I don't want to wait anymore. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you – starting now." She released his hand, then with a little poof of magic, she held out their wedding bands and gazed at him expectantly – hopefully. "So - what do you say?"
The pirate slowly smiled and reached out to take her ring.
"I say that I love you too and nothing would please me more than to become your husband." He paused a moment to simply look at her and then continued in a low, slightly emotional voice, "I say that you've owned my heart for so long now, Emma, that I no longer think of it as mine."
She drew in a soft breath at his words and gave him a tremulous smile.
"I'll make sure to keep it safe," she promised. "Just as you do for me."
They stared at each other a moment until a discrete cough drew their attention. Glancing over at Archie, the man simply pointed to the rings each held.
Killian gave him a nod then turned back to Emma. Gently, he lifted her hand with his hook and slid the diamond encrusted, platinum ring onto her finger. Gazing at her intently, he then ran his thumb lightly over the band before raising it to his lips and giving it a reverent kiss.
Tears shimmered in Emma's eyes at his gesture, then she took his hand and slowly slid the plain, platinum band that was his choice of ring onto his finger.
"I believe that just leaves me the very great honour of pronouncing you man and wife," Archie declared happily. "You may ki..."
He stopped when he realised that Emma and Killian had pre-empted him, and then looked away feeling slightly uncomfortable when their kiss noticeably deepened. When it became obvious that they needed their privacy, he sidled away then felt the air suddenly shift around him.
"Hold on to your umbrella," Emma advised with a giggle as she waved her hand to send Archie back to his home.
She'd have to remember to thank him later but right now there was a wedding night to be had. Somehow, in between heated kisses and almost falling down the steps, they stumbled into Killian's quarters and fell onto his bed.
"I should go and cast off before we get interrupted," the pirate muttered as he kissed his way down her chest.
"Leave it to me," Emma panted, her fingers fisting into his hair as he reached the part of her that needed him most.
The ship creaked around them, then began to move slowly out to sea.
Inside the cabin they lost themselves in each other again and again not having a care about what tomorrow might bring.
Because for this one night all that mattered was their love.
And them.
Finally, husband and wife.