Killian Jones let out a deep sigh as he approached the Storybrooke Sheriff Station. He and his younger brother, Liam, had only been in town a few weeks, and although they'd had a rough few months leading up to this point, Killian thought Liam was past this sort of behavior. He supposes nothing should surprise him anymore.

It wasn't until five months ago that Killian was even aware that he had a younger brother. His father, Brennan Jones, had passed back in England and the executor had been sent to America to both notify Killian of his father's passing and to inquire whether or not he would accept guardianship over his half brother, per his father's wishes. Killian hadn't seen or heard from his father in nearly twenty-five years, and he wasn't sure which had been the biggest shock, the news of Brennan's death, the news that he had a half brother, or the fact that his younger brother shared the same name as his deceased older brother.

At first, Killian's anger towards the man who had abandoned him, his older brother, and his mother had caused him to refuse taking responsibility of the younger Liam. For a brief few days Killian justified his refusal to uphold his father's last wish as a way to somehow get back at the man who'd walked out on them and then, apparently, replaced them with another family, but then that voice of reason (which always sounded like his brother, Liam - his older brother, Liam) had prevailed. Within a week, the younger Liam had arrived and Killian found himself in the role of part brother, part parent to a thirteen-year-old boy whose entire world had been turned upside down.

Fortunately, Liam's arrival had coincided with the start of the season for Killian's side business, touring his replica of a 1770's Brig up and down the eastern seaboard. His full time occupation was that of an online History professor, a job he could do virtually from anywhere during the months of September through May. During the late Spring and Summer months, he would take his ship to historical events in various coastal communities and educate visitors about maritime life in the late eighteenth century. A point in history that Killian had always connected with for some reason.

At first, Liam hadn't wanted any part of it. Sullen and withdrawn, he'd spent most of his time below decks or running off when they were at port, hell-bent on making trouble for Killian and the crew that had been hired on for the Summer. Killian had tried to be patient with Liam, remembering how he had felt immediately after the loss of both his mother and older brother, and all the bad choices he'd made in his grief. It was this shared understanding of loss that had finally turned the tide in their relationship, allowing them time to get to know one another, and slowly build something like a brotherly bond while Killian taught Liam all he knew of sailing.

Each Fall Killian had always chosen a different location to dock his ship for the Winter. He usually chose somewhere warm so that he could live and work from his ship, but now that he had Liam to look after Killian wanted a place that they could come back to each school year after touring in the Summer. A place where he could provide Liam with some stability and normalcy. Killian immediately thought of Storybrooke, Maine.

It was a place he'd always had a great fondness for each time he'd visited on tour. It reminded him of the little seaside town from his childhood back in England, a place where he had wonderful memories of his mother and brother. He hoped Storybrooke would provide those same kinds of memories for young Liam as well.

That is if they didn't get run out of town first. The message from the Sheriff's station hadn't provided any details as to what sort of trouble Liam had gotten himself into, and Killian could only hope it wasn't anything too serious.

As Killian entered the main room of the station, he immediately saw Liam seated on a long bench against the far wall with two other boys. Liam's shoulders were slumped and his head hung low as his focus remained on the floor. Well, he looks contrite at least, Killian mused as he sighed to himself while looking around for someone in charge.

"Can I help you?" Came a woman's voice from the office behind him.

"Aye, I'm -" Killian began as he turned to address the woman. A woman who immediately rendered him momentarily speechless.

She was stunning. An absolute vision. Slender, but not slight, with soft, blonde hair that was pulled back into a low ponytail, and features that were both enticingly feminine and unwaveringly strong. Her eyes, a sparklingly green, pierced through him as she stared at him expectantly with her hands on her hips. He tried to keep his eyes trained on her face, but he couldn't help being drawn to the shine of something metal at her hip. A badge. She's the local law enforcement? He thought, and started to see the appeal of committing petty crimes in a town where she'd be the one to slap cuffs on you.

Killian cleared his throat as he cast off that last thought and tried to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth. "Huh, yeah. S-sorry," he stuttered. Smooth, real smooth. "I'm Killian Jones. I received a call about Li-"

"Right, Liam Jones," she interrupted, as she waved at him to follow her back into the office while asking over her shoulder, "You're new in town, right? The guy with the boat?"

"Ship, actually," he corrected, as he followed her into the office, trying to keep his gaze from drifting down towards her backside. Eyes front, Jones!

"Of course," she said almost sheepishly, "Ship. Sorry."

She seemed flustered by something. He watched her tuck an errant lock of hair behind her ear and lick at her lips as she closed the door behind them. Their eyes caught one another's for a brief moment and he felt like the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. Get it together, Jones. You've Liam to think about.

"No worries, lass," he reassured her along with what he hoped was a friendly, if not slightly dashing, smile before focusing his features into a more serious expression. "Now, tell me, please. What is it that Liam's done?" He asked, bringing his attention to the matter at hand regardless of how much he'd rather simply chat with the beautiful Deputy (he got a better look at the badge) before him.

"Right," she said, clearing her throat while offering him a seat. "Mr. Jones, your son was caught -"

"Brother, actually," he interrupted, as they both took a seat on opposite sides of her desk.

"Excuse me?" She questioned, clearly confused by the correction to their relationship given the nearly twenty year age difference between himself and the lad still stewing on the bench just outside the office.

"Liam is my much younger half brother, not my son," he clarified. "It's a long story," he assured her.

"Right…," she said, without pressing for any further details. "Well, then, your brother," she corrected, "was caught at the scene while some local miscreants were defacing public property with spray paint."

Killian closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose at the news. Really, Liam?

"We've no proof that he was an active part of the vandalism," she went on to explain, "it seems he was just with the wrong people, in the wrong place, at the wrong time. He was brought in with more 'guilt by association' reasons than anything."

"I see," Killian said, unsure as to whether or not this information made him feel any better about the situation. "So, what now?" He asked. So help him, Liam would be repaying whatever fine this cost him by scraping barnacles from the hull until Christmas.

"Now? You sign him out and take him home," she said, her expression and voice revealing a sympathetic understanding he wasn't expecting. A moment ago she'd worn a no nonsense expression of authority, but now her features had softened, and Killian was intrigued by the many facets of herself she'd revealed in the short time they'd interacted. Her words sunk in as he contemplated her, bringing him back to the matter at hand.

"Really?" He questioned. "That's it?"

"Well, I would advise you to have a talk with your brother about the company he keeps," she suggested sincerely. "Peter and Felix have a reputation in this town for this kind of trouble. They usually find a patsy to take the fall for them, which I think was their intent with your brother today. You might want to discourage any further interaction between him and those two."

"Aye," he concurred. "I will most certainly talk with Liam about his choice of friends." She nodded at his agreement and stood, their discussion of Liam clearly over. As she made her way to the front of her desk, he stood and extended his hand. "Thank you for your clemency in regards to Liam and for your insight Deputy…"

"Oh! Sorry. Swan, Deputy Emma Swan," she said. As she took his proffered hand, he felt a jolt go through him that caused the hairs to raise on his arm, and his heart to start racing. He thought he might have caught a slight blush across the Deputy's cheeks before she let go of his hand, and led him out of the office. A smile came to his face at the thought.

"Liam Jones," she called out, her voice back to it's authoritative, no-nonsense tone. "Your brother is here to take you home."

Liam stood and hesitantly made his way over to where he and the Deputy waited. Killian signed the necessary form, and handed the clipboard back to Deputy Swan, catching her eyes again.

"Thank you again, Deputy," he said has they held each other's gaze. "In spite the circumstances it was a pleasure to meet you, let's hope our next meeting will be under better conditions, yeah?" He offered her a smile as he put a hand on his brother's shoulder to lead him out of the station, desperately hoping it wouldn't be too long before they met again.

"Let's hope so, Mr. Jones." she agreed with a smile of her own.

Fortunately, it wasn't that long before he had the opportunity to be in the radiant presence of Deputy Emma Swan again. Unfortunately, the circumstance weren't that much different than the first time they'd met.

Killian had just made his way above deck on his ship when he heard someone call out from the dock.

"I believe this belongs you…"

His first response was to grin at the sound of Deputy Swan's voice, but his expression sobered as he saw Liam clutched in her hand by the elbow.

"Liam?" he said incredulously. "Why the bloody hell aren't you at school?!" He demanded as he made his way down the gangplank towards his brother and the woman whom he hadn't been able to get off his mind in days. This was NOT how he'd hoped to see her again.

"That was my question, as well," Deputy Swan commented as Liam just petulantly shrugged his shoulders at the question hanging in the air amongst them.

Killian told Liam to go below and wait for him, watching as Liam trudged off towards the ship. First attempted vandalism and now skipping school? What was going on with the lad, Killian wondered to himself as he ran a hand through his hair and down his face, before turning his attention to back to Deputy Swan.

She was even more striking than the first time he saw her. Her hair gleamed in the sunlight and her cheeks were tinted pink, probably from the brisk sea air whipping over the docks. Her eyes shined as she took in the sight of his ship, an awed smile hinting at her lips.

"I found him in the park," she explained before he could ask. "I would have taken him back to school, but there was only twenty minutes left in the day so I thought I'd just bring him to you instead." She was still perusing the lines and details of his ship, but he couldn't tell if it was out of genuine interest or an avoidance to make eye contact with him.

"Thank you, Deputy Swan," he said uncomfortably, as he scratched behind his ear. What must she think of him? It was the second time in less than a week that she'd had to relay Liam's misdeeds to him. He was trying to do right by Liam, but sometimes he felt so far out of his depth.

"Look," she said gently, her attention falling to the docks beneath their feet. "I don't know your and Liam's full story, and it really isn't any of my business, but I can tell you've both been through a lot." He watched as her eyes flicked toward him, before she resettled her focus on his ship. "I've got a son about Liam's age," she shared, her openness in the moment catching him off guard, "and although he's a pretty good kid, he can be a handful. Just maybe give it some time."

This last statement brought her focus back to him, and he could feel a bit of a kinship in her words. He'd noticed that she didn't wear a wedding ring, so she was clearly facing the daunting task of raising a teenage boy on her own as well. Or had she always been alone in raising her son?

"Aye," he responded, feeling a tad calmer at the situation. "Thank you, Deputy Swan."

"Please," she said with a hint of a smile, "call me Emma. This town's too small for all that formality."

He agreed with a chuckle, and they both just stood there looking at one another and smiling. He racked his brain for something to say, not wanting her to leave just yet. He knew he needed to go and have a talk with Liam, but he found himself bereaved at the thought of her leaving. She didn't seem in any hurry to rush off either.

"So…" she began as she turned her eyes from his, "this is your ship? It's amazing."

"Aye, she's a marvel," he responded with a note of pride and then a bit of excitement, as a sudden thought came to him. "Would you like a closer look?"

He watched as she began to chew on her lip, as she considered the offer. He found the action to be both charming and enticing, as he wondered what it would be like to kiss those lips.

"Maybe another time," she said, bringing him back to himself with a blush at his runaway thoughts. "I need to get back to the station."

"Of course," he replied. "Don't let me keep you." He escorted her back toward the end of the dock.

"I do have a question, though," she said as the reached the parking lot and the waiting police cruiser. "Do you and Liam live on your ship?"

He could hear the note of concern in her voice and he was touched by it, until, that is, he realized that she was probably asking more out of professional rather than personal concern. Eighteenth century ships weren't known for their warmth and comfort, and Maine had some brutal winters.

"Only for the time being," he assured her. "I'm looking into a few properties and hope to have something secured for us within the next month. I'd like to find something we can rent out for the Summer season, while we're gone, that will also meet our needs when we're here during the school year."

"Good," she said in her authoritative tone, "you wouldn't believe the amount of paperwork two frozen bodies found on pirate ship can generate." She smirked with a mischievous glint her eye.

He chuckled at her remark which clearly indicated that she'd noticed his ship's moniker, The Jolly Roger.

"What can I say," he said, with an unapologetic shrug, as he scratched the back of ear. "I like pirates."

"Well, try to keep the pillaging and plundering to a minimum," she answered back with a mocked warning, as she opened the car door.

He held the door open for her, as she slid behind the wheel, while he teased back, "but Deputy, what fun would that be?" He gave her a devious smirk and raised his brows at her, as he closed her door. She rolled her eyes at him through the glass as she fought back a smile, waving at him, before she backed the cruiser up and then drove off.

It was going to be difficult to come down hard on Liam for skipping school when his actions had led to such a wonderful encounter with Deputy Swan.

Was it wrong for her to hope that a certain teenage boy would continue to find himself in trouble so that she had an excuse to see his guardian? Probably, but that didn't stop Emma's stomach from swooping every time she had to notify Killian about his brother's latest misdeeds.

Since the initial truancy violation, he'd been caught twice more skipping school. He'd also been picked up for loitering outside Leroy's bait and tackle shop, but she didn't really fault the kid for that. Leroy would have her arrest the gulls for loitering if he could. The man was just plain grumpy.

None of Liam's offenses had been all that serious. He wasn't causing harm to anyone or damaging property, although she had been concerned that he might have been involved in the trouble at the Mayor's house the previous week.

Vandalism, destruction of property, trespassing and a host of other grievances had been wrought upon the mayor's mansion in the wee hours of the morning. The usual suspects had been rounded up and questioned in the presence of their parents, and she hated having to call Killian into the station to question Liam. She really hadn't thought he'd been involved and she was quick to take Killian's word that Liam hadn't left the ship that night. Destructive outbursts just didn't seem to be his m.o.

Liam's antics seemed to be more cries for attention than anything which confused Emma because Killian seemed to be a very attentive fixture in his younger brother's life. It couldn't be easy for him, going from a care free bachelor to taking on the responsibilities of raising a teenager in less than six months. Plus, if the rumors were to be believed, Killian hadn't even known about Liam until just before he'd taken guardianship over him.

Despite their many interactions, Killian Jones continued to be something of an enigma to her. He'd completely caught her off guard that first day. With his devastating good looks, and good lord that accent, she'd had a hard time keeping herself together in order to at least seem professional during their meeting. He was flirty, but courteous. Confident, but also unsure of himself at times. He was quite open and friendly, but he didn't seem particularly close to anyone in town as of yet.

According to the rumor mill he spent most of his time either at Granny's Diner and B&B (the proprietor allowing him unlimited access to her wifi and a small office in the back so he could conduct his online class, saying 'how could anyone say no to that accent?') or working on fixing up the house he'd purchased for he and Liam to live in during their months in Storybrooke. Not to mention the regular upkeep of his ship, the responsibility of which seemed to fall upon Liam as his assigned duty.

The town gossips had yet to ascertain much about either of their backgrounds, but Emma suspected that they'd both experienced some significant loss in their lives. It was telling that Killian had chosen a profession and side job that didn't require him to settle in one place too long. He wasn't a man that seemed to form attachments easily or had ever really put down roots before. Emma understand that all too well, and wondered if that wasn't the source of Liam's trouble. Perhaps he didn't feel connected with his brother?

Emma was still pondering the reasons behind Liam's behavior when Henry asked her to look over a paper he'd written for his English class. The request made her wonder how Liam's slightly delinquent behavior was manifesting itself at school. Was Killian having just as many meetings with the principal as he was with her about Liam?

"Sure thing, kid, but first I want to ask you something," she said, as she laid his paper on the table next to her.

"Okay," Henry replied as he sat at the table, "what's up?"

"Do you know a Liam Jones at school?" She asked cautiously. She didn't want to put Henry in an uncomfortable situation, but she knew he'd give her an honest assessment of the situation.

"Yeah. Why?" He asked, reaching for a piece of fruit at the center of the table. The kid never stopped eating.

"Well, he's been in some trouble around town lately and I'm wondering what kind of trouble he might be causing at school." She kept her tone casual as she waited for the Henry to spill the goods.

"He doesn't," Henry said with a shrug, as he took a bite of a now peeled banana.

"He doesn't?" That wasn't the answer she'd been expecting.

"No. He's really nice, actually," he mumbled with his mouth full.

"Really?" She asked, not sure if she heard him right with his mouth crammed full of food. Might be time to revisit some lessons on table manners.

"Yeah. In fact, he's offered to help me with my history paper."

"Help you how?" She couldn't help but be suspicious. Was he gonna sell him a stolen paper from his older brother? Encourage him to plagiarize off material from Killian's history course?

"I got assigned the topic to compare and contrast privateers versus pirates. He said I could come see his brother's ship, and get some first hand research on the kind of vessel each might have used, and get quotes from Mr. Jones as an authority in the field." Well now she felt like a horrible human being, that actually was really nice of the kid to offer.

Something wasn't stacking up with this kid. She had to be missing something, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She also couldn't figure out why it matter so much. It wasn't like Liam Jones was the only kid in town that caused trouble. He wasn't even close to being the worst offender. Her interest couldn't possibly have anything to do with her growing infatuation with a certain enigmatic older brother. An infatuation that had no business being a part of her next suggestion, which it totally wasn't. Uh, huh. Sure.

"I think that sounds great," she affirmed. "You should definitely take him up on that."

Maybe Liam just needs a good friend, she thought. Henry could be a good influence on him, and maybe glean some additional insight on what was causing him to act out. If spending more time with Liam Jones meant that she'd get to interact with Killian in situations that didn't involve her badge, well...that would be okay too she supposed.

"Thanks again for letting me come aboard and see your ship, Mr. Jones," Henry said as Liam's older brother led him and Liam down to the captain's stateroom, so they could begin working on their history papers.

"No need to thank me, lad," Mr. Jones said with a chuckle, "I quite enjoy showing off The Roger."

Liam had invited Henry to come see The Jolly Roger after school that day, and he and his older brother had spent the last hour or so taking Henry all around the ship and answering every question Henry had. Now, the two boys were settling in around the large table where Mr. Jones had left snacks and drinks for them while they worked.

"Your brother seems pretty cool," Henry commented after Mr. Jones had left the room.

"Yeah, he's not too bad I guess," Liam said with a shrug. Henry could tell he was trying to act cool, but he could also see a hint of a smile on Liam's face. He was obviously proud of his brother, and had really enjoyed showing him and the ship off to Henry. Henry recognized it because he had similar responses to people when they complimented his mom to him.

"So, how long have you been with him?" Henry asked. She hadn't said as much, but Henry had gotten the feeling that his mom wanted him to find out more about Liam and his brother. She seemed genuinely concerned with Liam's behavior, and wanted to help the two brothers settle in better. After spending the afternoon with them, so did Henry.

"About six months," Liam answered, "I was sent to him after my dad died. Killian didn't even know I existed until then." Liam kept his gaze on the papers in front of him, and Henry wondered if he was uncomfortable talking about it.

"But you knew about him?" Henry asked. He'd keep asking until it became evident that Liam didn't want to discuss it. Liam seemed to want to discuss it, though. He probably hadn't had anyone other than his brother to talk to about it with and even then, he probably hadn't been comfortable sharing everything with him.

"Yeah," he answered. "I knew that dad had had another family before he'd met my mom and they'd had me. He wasn't proud of how he'd left them, but he was honest with my mom and me about it. I'm actually named after our eldest brother. Killian's older brother, I mean. He was also named Liam."

Woah!, thought Henry. Awkward…

The boys spent the next half hour or so discussing their lives, their relationships with their respective guardian, and their move to Storybrooke. Henry and his mom had only been in town themselves for about a year, having moved from Boston when his Uncle David, the town Sheriff, had offered his mom the Deputy position.

Henry told Liam about how he had never met his father. The man had left his mom to take the fall for a crime he'd committed, and she'd had him while she was still in prison. His father didn't even know he existed. He knew it hadn't been easy but his mom had been able to raise him mostly on her own, with some support from her adoptive family. He liked being closer to them; his Uncle David and his Aunt Mary Margaret. He liked how much more open and relaxed his mom seemed to be since they'd come to Storybrooke to be closer to family.

Liam told Henry about losing his mom in a car accident and then, five years later, his father to liver disease. Apparently, he'd had a problem with alcohol earlier in life, before meeting Liam's mom. It was one of the reasons he'd left his first family. Liam confessed that he'd acted out towards Killian when he'd first come to live with him. He'd been angry about his father's death, angry that Killian had refused to take him in at first, angry that Killian was angry at the father Liam loved. Just, angry.

He felt bad about that now that they were in a better place. He, actually, was quite thankful that Killian had changed his mind and taken him in. Living on the ship and sailing it different places all Summer had been an awesome experience, and Liam was starting to feel happy in Storybrooke with his brother.

"I don't get it then," Henry said after that last revelation. "If you're happy here, and things are better between you and your brother, why do you keep getting into trouble?"

Henry watched as Liam's cheeks turned red as he all of sudden couldn't look Henry in the eye.

"Promise you won't get upset?" Liam asked, nervously.

Why would I get upset, Henry wondered, but promised Liam he wouldn't.

"I keep causing trouble to get my brother and your mom together," he confessed sheepishly.

"What?!" Henry exclaimed with a laugh.

"I know my brother likes your mom, but he hasn't done anything about it, so I thought if I kept forcing them to interact maybe something would happen." Liam's face turned an even brighter shade of red.

"Did you ever think that maybe your brother is hesitant to ask my mom out because she keeps having to tell him you got in trouble?" It was evident by the look on his face that he hadn't. Henry shook his head at his new friend. Amatuer.

He absolutely agreed with Liam, his mom and Liam's brother were totally into each other. He could see it on his mom's face every time she mentioned Killian Jones. Henry also knew that his mom's default to any kind of relationship was to move at a glacial pace. She used to tell him that he was the only man she needed in her life, but he could tell she was lonely. He didn't want his mom to miss out on a chance for happiness because she thought she needed to be solely focused on him. He wasn't a little kid anymore.

"I think between the two of us, we can come up with a better plan to get my mom and your brother together," Henry suggested.

"Really?" Liam asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," Henry continued, "I mean, that is, if you really think your brother has a thing for mom, because I know she definitely has a thing for your brother."

"Oh, he does," Liam assured. "Trust me."

"Okay, then," Henry contemplated, "we just need to come up with other ways to get them together that doesn't involve either of us getting hauled into the police station every other day." Henry already had a few ideas swirling through his brain, but first, they'd need something.

"We need a code name," he stated.

"A what?"

"A code name," he said again, "so we can talk about the operation without anyone knowing what we're talking about."

"Operation True Love?" Liam suggested.

"Too obvious," Henry responded, shaking his head. "How about...Operation Pirate Law? Anyone who overhears it will just think we're talking about my history paper."

"Operation Pirate Law," Liam repeated thoughtfully. "I like it. When do we start?"

Henry just grinned at his new cohort, "Right now. Let Operation Pirate Law commence!"

October had been a welcome change to the turbulent September Killian had endured with Liam. For nearly four weeks now there hadn't been a single incident involving Liam and a certain Deputy. A certain gorgeous, blonde Deputy with a sparkling green eyes and a smile that made him forget that oxygen was a necessary element to living. You've got it bad, mate.

Killian wasn't completely sure what had caused the change in Liam, but he suspected that his new friendship with Emma's son, Henry, might have had something to do with it. The two were thick as thieves these days, something that Killian couldn't be more please about, and not just because their camaraderie had allowed for Killian and Emma to spend time together as well.

It had all started that day Liam had invited Henry to The Jolly Roger. The two had worked far longer on their papers than they had anticipated, and Killian had ended up taking Henry to Granny's to meet his mom rather than the station. Henry had invited them to stay and eat with he and Emma, and although the boys had done most of the talking, he'd enjoyed getting to know Emma outside of the courses of her duty.

Since that night, he and Liam had run into Henry and Emma at Granny's several more times, each taking a turn to invite the other to join them for dinner. The more he learned about Emma, the more his affection for her grew as he discovered what a bright, brilliant and tenacious woman she truly was.

He'd been delighted to find himself paired up with her at a school fundraiser that Liam had signed him up to volunteer, and then again just last week at the Halloween carnival the community put on every year on main street. They'd laughed together, and had been able to share some deeper conversations about themselves that they'd shied away from in the presence of the boys.

It was beginning to feel like fate kept putting them together, and although he truly wanted to seek something more with Emma, he was hesitant. Things with Liam were going very well, but they were still finding their footing with each other and the town. How would the addition of a romantic endeavor between himself and Emma affect things between he and Liam or Liam and Henry?

Liam had already been through so much, they both had, and he just wasn't sure that it was the right time to try and start something with Emma. Besides, he got the sense that Emma felt much the same in regards to Henry. He was her main focus and priority, and Killian couldn't fault her for that. They had a duty and responsibility to their charges, and as much as he'd love to take things beyond friendship with her, he'd felt that just being friends was best for the time being.

"I think it's time to move Operation Pirate Law to the next level," Liam told Henry, as they sat down at the cafeteria table for lunch. "I mean, at this rate, Killian and I will be leaving for the Summer tour and he still won't have asked your mom out. I think they need a bigger push."

Henry agreed. He was pleased with the progress they had witnessed between the two adults during their dinner set-ups and arranged volunteer assignments, but they hadn't gotten the pay off they were hoping for...yet.

He could tell that his mom was opening up to Killian, but she also still had her walls up when it came to encouraging anything other than friendship. He also knew that after every encounter she had with Killian (whether arranged by he and Liam or occurring naturally), she berated herself for not taking the chance. If rom coms had taught him nothing else, they'd clued him into what all the empty ice cream containers and chocolate wrappers meant. His mom had it bad, but for whatever reason, she was still holding back.

"Yeah, you're right." Henry nodded, as he began to think of possible scenarios that would help take Operation Pirate Law over the top. "Subtly isn't working. We need to be more direct."

"How direct?" Liam asked with enthusiasm.

"How much allowance do you have saved up?" Henry inquired with a grin. He had an idea.

As was the norm lately when she knew she would be seeing Killian, Emma's heart was racing a bit, and she found herself a tad breathless as she approached The Jolly Roger. No man had ever made such a wonderful wreck of her nerves like Killian Jones did.

Why not just take the leap and ask him out already? She'd asked herself that time and time again over the past several weeks. There was no denying the spark that existed between them, and more than once she'd almost acted upon them, but always chickened out at the last minute. He hadn't acted upon it either, but she felt it had more to do with his concerns over Liam than any anything else. She totally understood that, having wondered how Henry would react to her dating someone after it had been just the two of them for so long.

She made her way up the gangplank, calling out for Killian. Henry had texted her that he'd left his backpack on board, and asked if she'd run by and get it on her way home. He'd taken to helping Liam with the care of the ship after school, then working on their homework together, before he met her at home or at Granny's for dinner. Emma waited for a response to sound from below deck, and she was startled to hear Killian calling out to her from the dock.

"Hey there, Swan," he greeted her with a teasing smirk. "Don't you know it's bad form to step aboard a ship without being invited by its Captain first?"

"Well, Liam wasn't around to ask," she replied cheekily. "He's at Granny's with Henry."

"You wound me, Swan." Killian responded with his hand over his heart in mocked anguish. "Wait. Liam is with Henry?" He asked, his expression switching to confusion.

"Yeah," she answered. "Henry said he left his backpack here and asked me to pick it up before meeting them over there. Why?" She could see something wasn't clicking right in Killian's mind.

"Liam asked me to meet him here," he explained, "said there was a problem on the ship he didn't know how to fix and that he needed me to have a look." That was puzzling, but knowing teenage boys and how their stomachs overruled almost everything else, it wasn't hard to imagine why Liam had abandoned the ship for Granny's instead.

"Well, why don't I grab Henry's backpack and then we can go to Granny's and ask him about it?" She offered.

"Aye," Killian agreed, as he led the way below deck to the stateroom the boy's typically studied in.

As they made their way down the hall, Emma could hear the faint sounds of music coming from just up ahead. Killian paused just outside the door, and glanced over at her with furrowed brows, clearly thrown off by the sound as well.

As he opened the door, Emma let out a small gasp at the sight before her. The candelabras had all been lit, casting a warm and romantic glow across the room. Flowers decorated the length of the table, some on whole stems and some just petals. The music was a soft jazz playing from a set of speakers in the corner. Two place settings were set on both sides of the middle of the grand table with to go bags from Granny's placed on top. Emma stifled a watery giggle at the sweet intention the scene displayed, and she heard Killian chuckle beside her.

"Those cheeky, little…," was all he could get out, before his chuckle turned into a hearty laugh.

Emma bit her lip and looked over at Killian, who was glancing at her while scratching behind his ear, a huge grin on his face that crinkled at his eyes. It was clear to both of them that neither knew what the boys had been up to, and they each waited to gauge the other's response. Her response must have told him all he'd needed to know.

"Well, what do you say, Swan?" He asked softly, as he turned closely to her. "Care to have dinner with me?" She could see the hopeful anticipation in his eyes that mirrored everything she was feeling in that moment.

"Well it would be a shame to let all their efforts go to waste, I suppose," she answered coyly, as she stepped closer to him.

"Aye," he agreed, leaning further into her space, "efforts that I'm just now guessing have been in the works for quite some time."

It hit her then. Liam's behavior, the conveniently timed meetings at Granny's, the volunteer assignments…

"Operation Pirate Law," she whispered in amusement.

"Pardon?" Killian pulled back slightly in confusion. "What does Henry's history paper have to do with their clandestine efforts?"

Emma giggled. "Operation Pirate Law was never about the paper," she explained. "It was about us," and she gestured first to Killian, "Pirate," and then to herself, "Law."

Killian laughed again, and wrapped his arms around Emma's waist, drawing her closer.

"Well, I for one would hate to see Liam's first operation end in failure," he mused with feigned seriousness.

"Oh, absolutely," Emma agreed with a tone to match. "We really should do everything we can to help them succeed in their endeavors. It's just good parenting." She finished as she licked her lips at the increase of her pulse. Killian's eyes flitted between her own, and then settled on her mouth.

"Aye, love," he said softly as he leaned in, "just good parenting."

Emma sighed into his kiss, his lips soft and warm against hers. It lasted only for a moment, but the promise it held for something more vibrated under her skin. They smiled at one another as they stood there with their foreheads pressed against each others.

Once they finally broke apart and sat themselves down to share the meal their boys had provided, Emma couldn't help but laugh at herself. All this time spent worrying about how Liam and Henry would react to their guardian and parent getting involved with one another when it had been their plan all along.

"So, as happy as I am that they went to all this trouble for us," Emma began, "I do think it only right that we get back at them in some way. Don't you think?"

"Absolutely, love," Killian agreed. "Should we establish our own top secret mission? Operation Thanks, But Mind Your Own Business From Now On, perhaps, or is that a bit too long?"

Emma shook her head. "How about...Operation Dead Meat?"

"No...Operation Abject Humiliation? Whereby we take every opportunity to embarrass the daylights out them with our public displays of affections?" Killian offered with a waggle of his eyebrows.

They never did come up with the perfect operation name, but that didn't matter. Operation Pirate Law turned out to be a great success and that very next Summer, Killian enlisted the boys into a new operation while the four of them sailed The Jolly Roger up and down the east coast. Operation TouRING.