"For you, milady" he says as he hands her the colorful bouquet with a bow of his head. Making sure to keep the cup from Granny's secured in the curve of his hook and the single red rose tucked into his elbow. He thinks, not for the first time and dare he say far from the last, how much easier it would be (how much easier it was) for him to have two hands again. He shakes the thought from his mind as quickly as it enters. He won't dare go down that path again. Instead he raises his eyes back to Mary Margaret's face and greets her smile with one of his own.

"They are very lovely. Thank-you, Hook" she steps back and tells him to come in as she makes her way to the kitchen. He closes the door behind him and takes in the seemingly empty, and unusually quiet, apartment then follows her to the kitchen where he places the rose on the counter and removes the cup of hot chocolate from his hook, silently impressed with himself and his ability to not pierce the delicate material with the sharp point. "Emma went to drop Henry off at Regina's. She didn't want him to walk all that way in the rain. She'll be back any moment. Would you like some coffee while you wait?" She looks at him over her shoulder as she presses a few buttons on the piece of equipment that he knows makes coffee then grabs two mugs out of the cabinet.

"That would be grand, thank-you" he replies, feeling he might not have much choice in the matter. She turns back to him, leaning against the far counter and scrutinizes him as the machine makes a series of noises. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable he tries to repress the urge to scratch that itch behind his ear and fidget under her gaze. She crosses her arms and looks at him in a way that tells him he is in for a conversation he has been hoping to avoid with this particular royal, at least for a while anyway.

"So, Hook, there's been something I have been wanting to say to you." She pauses there as the machine behind her beeps and turns to fix their drinks. He isn't sure how long he can sit here and wait for her to finish that sentence. He doesn't get nervous often, lately only when Emma or her boy have been in danger, but he can feel his palm start to sweat and he is just itching to reach up and fiddle with his ear, instead he plays with one of the rings on his hand under the table. A feeling of dread filling his stomach. While he knows he doesn't need her approval, he does quite admire Mary Margaret and would like for her to approve of his relationship with her daughter. He also knows Emma values her mother's opinion and he doesn't want to think about what it could mean if Mary Margaret was against their relationship in any way.

She turns then and places his mug on the table in front of him. He is surprised she remembers he likes his coffee black seeing as he really only had the drink in her presence just a handful of times. He figures it might just be a lucky guess.

She places her own mug across from his and leans down slightly so her elbows are resting on the table, her hands cupped around the mug. She looks up at him then, and surprises him for the second time that night when she gives him a genuine smile. "David told me about the conversations you two have had in regards to our daughter." He nods, he knew David would tell her, they aren't the kind to keep those kinds of things to themselves. "I won't waste either of our time by having that conversation again. Not that I would have anyway, Emma is old enough to make her own choices, plus between you and me, I think it's a little old fashioned of him to ask your intentions." He smirks as he remembers saying almost the exact same thing to the man in question. "And I don't think I need to remind you how good I am with a bow and arrow, so what I want to say instead," she pauses again as she seems to study him for a moment, "is thank you." His mouth opens slightly in shock and confusion and his eyebrows knit together. He feels she isn't going to stop surprising him tonight.

"Thank you for taking such great care of my daughter. She seems so happy lately and I know that has a lot to do with you." He can feel the heat begin to sweep across his cheeks and tries to wave off her comment, looking into his mug and mumbling that having her family together is why she is so happy, but Mary Margaret reaches across the table and puts her hand on top of his own. "The reason her family is even together is because you brought her home to us, Killian, not just once but twice." He can feel a lump forming in his throat. This isn't the way he expected this conversation to be going.

"You know that I didn't really like you when we first met, and I am going to be honest and say I wouldn't approve of that man dating my daughter. But you have changed. I know that you love Emma and I feel I can trust that you will never hurt her, because you look at her the way David looks at me. So Killian, I would like a fresh start. If it's alright with you, I would like to get to know the man my daughter cares greatly for."

He looks at her stunned for a moment, then smiles. "Aye, I would like that."

She smiles genuinely at him before asking him about his and Emma's plans for the evening. He finds it easy to converse with her as they sit there drinking their coffee waiting for Emma to return. He feels relaxed all of a sudden, like a great weight has been lifted from his shoulders. He knows he didn't need it, but having both of her parent's approval makes him feel better, accepted even. He greatly admires David and Mary Margaret and to know that they approve of him being in Emma's life means a great deal to him. It's been a long time since he has had hopes of having a family, it's been even longer since he even had a family to call his own, but sitting here drinking coffee and conversing effortlessly with Mary Margaret he feels as if it might all be possible for him someday.

It isn't long before they are interrupted by the baby's cries and she is heading into the bedroom to care to her child. She tells him to help himself to anything and make himself comfortable as she disappears behind the curtain separating the rooms.

He sits there for a just a moment before he hears the door behind him opening and swivels around in his chair to greet Emma and smiles when she meets his eyes. He can see the surprise written all over her face and is relieved that she seems happy to see him. She removes her hood and shakes out her hair before she drops her keys on the table near the door and heads to the kitchen, taking her coat off as she goes. "Don't take this the wrong way, but what are you doing here? I thought we postponed our date because of the rain." She hangs her wet coat over the back of the chair next to him and leans down to press a quick kiss to his lips. Not wanting to let her go so quickly he brings his hand up to tangle in her damp hair while he deepens the kiss. They break apart after only a moment at the sudden and deliberate coughing from Mary Margaret as she reenters the kitchen holding little Neal and goes to sit on the couch in the living room.

Emma takes a small step back and smiles a greeting at her mother as she passes before turning her attention back to Killian, who is reaching across the counter. He places the hot chocolate on the counter in front of her, "you might have to warm that up, I'd wager its cold by now." He reaches back to grab the rose as he finishes speaking and holds it up, "For you, love." He hands it to her, matching her smile with his own. She leans down and presses a kiss to his cheek with a quiet "thank you." She grabs the cup and rounds the island to the shelves on the far wall, grabs a cup and transfers the hot chocolate to it before placing it in the microwave. While it's heating she turns back to him.

"So, you never did answer my question."

"Well, the storm will be letting up soon and I thought we could go for a walk or to get some dinner. If you would like to, of course. I know you wanted to go sailing but it is getting late and the waters are going to be rough for a while longer. We can go sailing this weekend, perhaps take Henry along. He mentioned wanting you to come sailing with us sometime to show you what he has learned. He's a natural, got the sea in his blood, that one."

"I would love that. Why don't we make a day out of it? I can ask Leroy if we can borrow his boat again, I'm sure he won't mind. He barely uses it anymore anyway, we can pack a lunch and spend the day on the water, just the three of us."

"That sounds lovely." He finishes the last of his coffee as she returns to his side and sits on the chair next to him, the mug of hot chocolate in her hand. She blows on it before taking a sip and setting it down on the table holding it between her hands the same way her mother was holding her mug earlier. "So, love, what do you say about taking a walk with this old pirate?"

They end up sitting on the end of the docks, side by side with their hands intertwined, feet dangling off the edge, her head resting on his shoulder as she listens to the tale he is regaling of the time he took on a giant water serpent in Neverland with only his hook and his wits to defeat it. He is certain she knows he is embellishing the story a bit, but she seems content enough to let him tell it as he wants so he tries to see how much he can get away with before she mentions it.

"That's when the beast wrapped itself around me, chest to foot and started squeezing. All hope seemed lost but no beast, and certainly no reptile, water type or not, will ever best the great fearsome Captain Hook in a fight! So I twisted my arm out of its confinement and swung it down right into the monster's side so forcefully it loosened its grip immediately, allowing me to kick out and trap the tail with my legs and give one final fatal swing of my hook. I let go of the lifeless beast and watched as it sank to the fathoms below. A large cloud of ocean floor rising up from the force of this giant beast finding it's grave among the sand. I swam to the surface and emerged victoriously to the sounds of my crew cheering exuberantly from the bow of my ship." He made sure to add extra inflections into his voice to make it as dramatic as possible. He knows he has succeeded in entertaining her at least when he feels the shake of her head against his shoulder during the more theatric parts of the story and he can hear her quiet laughter as he describes the way he and his crew celebrated the victory as soon as he swung up onto the deck from the murky serpent infested waters.

"You're ridiculous, you know that right?"

"Aye, so you've told me."

She lifted her head off his shoulder and rested her chin there instead to look at him, their faces just inches apart "and how much of that story did you just make up?"

"Not a bit of it, Swan. I am offended you would even think such a thing!" he exclaimed with false exasperation. Emma shook her head and rolled her eyes but the smile on her lips was all he cared about. He would spend all day making up stories for her if it made her smile like that. He closed the remaining inches between them and kissed her nose quickly and laughed when she scrunched it up at him.

She pulled back and turned towards the sea in front of them for a moment, then glanced sideways at him, her chin raised up a bit. "So, what other stories have you got for me, Captain? Any worth my time?"

He raised his eyebrow at her once again and lowered his voice. "Oh, Darling, I can assure you, they are most definitely worth your time."

"Well, let's hear one then!"

"Happy to oblige, if you only inform me to the type of story you wish to hear."

"I don't know, a good one."

"Well there was that time I singlehandedly-" she snorted at his choice of words and turned her head to look at him with her eyebrows raised causing him to glare playfully and raise one of his own eyebrows challengingly. "As I was saying… I singlehandedly fought a kraken off the side of my ship during a particularly nasty storm."

"A kraken? Come on! Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"You've encountered mermaids, dragons, ogres, giants, and oh yes… flying monkeys but you can't accept that a kraken just might be real too?"

"Maybe I just can't accept it because you were lying!"

"How do you know the kraken was the lie?"

"The whole thing was a lie!"

"Aye. That it was, but tis a good story."

"I repeat my earlier statement – you're ridiculous"

"Do want to hear the bloody story or not?" He narrowed his eyes as he asked, pretending to be cross with her. She waved her hand and grumbled something that sounded like "go ahead" but he wasn't about to accept that as her answer. "What was that, Swan? I don't think I heard you."

"Fine, I want to hear your made up story. Happy?"

"Immensely" he smiled at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her back to rest against his side. She smiled and tucked her head into the crook of his neck and settled in to listen to his story.

They were so wrapped up in the story and just enjoying each other's presence that neither of them noticed the rain was back until it was down pouring on top of them with a crack of thunder in the distance. They both jumped up at the sudden storm and after a moment of standing there staring at each other through the heavy rain they both burst into laughter.

"I thought you said it was done raining!" Emma shouted through her laughter and in order to be heard over the sounds of the storm and the ocean

"I just said it was letting up, I never said it was done for the night! Come on we have to get somewhere dry." He grabbed her hand as they took off down the docks toward town.

Once they reached Main Street they stopped in the overhang of the first store they came upon to catch their breath. Emma was looking out at the rain trying to tell if it was going to let up soon, but Killian's attention was completely devoted to her. He stepped towards her and cupped his hand on the side of her head as soon as she turned in his direction and captured her surprised gasp with his lips. She responded immediately, closing her eyes and throwing herself completely into the kiss. Her arms went around his shoulders to hold him close, one hand grabbing a handful of his rain slicked hair, the other holding onto his shoulder for support when she felt like her knees could give out any moment. His arm went around her waist, keeping her pressed against him, being careful to keep the sharp end of his hook pointed away from her. He pushed her back against the wall as he deepened the kiss, tasting chocolate and cinnamon on her tongue. They pulled away when the need for air became too strong to ignore, but not wanting to stop kissing her he dragged his nose across her jaw and to her neck pressing kisses as he went. Her hands tightened their grip on him and he could feel her leaning against the wall for additional support. He placed a kiss against her pulse point, feeling the erratic beating of her heart, knowing it matched his own. He noticed she didn't seem to mind that he had taken complete control and brought his lips back up to hers, kissing her roughly before pulling back to rest his forehead against hers as he tried to get his breathing back to normal.

"We should probably go somewhere more private before we make a complete spectacle of ourselves." She said breathlessly. She loosened her grip on him, leaving one of her hands on each of his shoulders.

"Aye." He finally opened his eyes to see she was already looking at him. Her eyes wide open, the usual light green now dark with lust. He smiled at her then reached up to take her hand off his shoulder similar in fashion to the way he placed it on his shoulder during their waltz in the past. "Ready?"

At her nod he squeezed her hand and led her back out into the rain. They ran the remaining two blocks to Granny's and headed into the back door that led directly to the inn. Still holding hands they quickly made their way up the stairs and to his room. As soon as the door closed behind them they started peeling off each other's wet layers of clothes in between passionate kisses and making their way to the bed where they collapsed down in a tangle of limbs.

He wakes to the feel of soft fingertips drawing patterns across his skin, but keeps his eyes closed and just lets the moment sink in. He can feel her breath dance across his neck and chest, the soft strands of her hair tickling the arm that is wrapped around her, the weight of her head resting on his shoulder, the heat of her naked body pressed against his own. He holds in a sigh as the fingertips move from his left bicep up to his shoulder and down to his chest. He wants to live in this moment forever. He can't remember ever feeling so completely at bliss.

A gentle kiss is pressed into his collarbone. "I know you're awake." All he can do is sigh in response. "I'm hungry, let's go find some food" He groans and holds her tighter to him, ignoring the chuckles he receives in response. He doesn't want to move yet, doesn't want to move ever, but he knows he lacks the strength to refuse whatever it is she wants and knows he may only get a single moment left to enjoy this. So he holds her tight and presses a kiss into her hair before relaxing his grip. He feels her press another kiss to his jaw before the bed shifts and the sheets are pulled from his body.

"Bloody hell! Stealing a man's blankets now, huh, Swan?" he hears a quiet chuckle then feels something soft land on his chest. He opens his eyes and picks it up, holding it in the moonlight shining in through the window to discover it is his shirt. He leans up on his left elbow and looks to where she is rummaging through his wardrobe, the stolen sheet wrapped around her body. He can only just barely see her in the darkness, the light color of the sheets and the gold of her hair really the only thing he can even see but even so he watches as she picks something out of one drawer before closing it and opening another. She looks through that drawer quickly before closing it and trying the next one down, "and just what are up to now, Swan?"

He sees her head turn in his direction but can't make out any of her features, "I'm trying to find something to wear to go get food." He sees her silhouette turn back to the dresser. "The diner might be closed but I still can't exactly go down there with nothing on, can I?" he just barely opens his mouth to respond, an innuendo already on the tip of his tongue, when she holds her hand up to him," Don't answer that." She pulls another item out and holds it up to the light. "Are these David's?"

He can't see what she is holding but can guess what it is. "Aye, the night you returned my heart and I came to my room to rest I found a bag hanging from my door with a note saying it was some kind of sleepwear. There were a few pants and shirts. I believe you are also holding one of the shirts." He brought his hand down from where it had been subconsciously playing with his ear to gesture at the shirt she had hanging over her arm. "I haven't made use of them yet, they seem fine but I'm more accustomed to sleeping without clothing." He lowers his voice and runs his tongue enticingly over his teeth and bottom lip.

She rolls her eyes and tosses a pair of pants at him, "well you can make use of them now. Come on, get dressed" she threw over her shoulder as she headed into the bathroom.

He groaned then got up to dress. He was normally a morning person, after so many years at sea you become a morning person whether you want to or not, but 3 am did not count as morning, so he figured he was allowed to groan a little. Besides he was thoroughly worn out by the previous night's activities. He let his mind wander back to the events of the night while he dressed and put his brace back on until Emma came back into the room, fully dressed with her hair thrown up in a ponytail. He walked over to her, took her hand in his and placing a quick kiss on her lips led her out the door.

They quietly made their way down to the closed diner and got out the ingredients for sandwiches. As they worked side by side they talked. They planned a little more of their sailing trip and shared stories about their past, real ones this time. He talked about the time Liam went to the market to get some flour and returned with a baby goat instead, and the time Smee got so drunk he decided to strip bare and sleep in the crow's nest, which left Killian with an image still seared into his brain over 100 years later. She talked about staying up late watching movies and baking cookies with Ingrid, and about her first job working as a waitress in a busy diner. They sat at the counter and ate as they talked, each of them sharing some of the good and bad moments that made up their pasts. They were laughing at one story Killian was telling while the sun rose over the town, washing the diner in a golden light. He was watching her laugh, her eyes watering and her hand holding a stitch in her side, thinking that he had never seen a sight so beautiful. Her laughter died down a few moments later and as she met his eyes she smiled and looked so carefree, so happy, he couldn't help but fall in love with her all over again. Her own thoughts were similar as she looked into his eyes, they were so open she felt she could see everything he was thinking and she felt safe. She felt loved.

She knew then that she didn't want to let another moment pass without telling him how she felt. So she leaned over and cupped his cheek in her hand, smiling softly when he leaned into her touch. She ran her thumb over the scar she now knew the story of and whispered the words that have been on her tongue for a long time now, probably a lot longer than even she realized.

He smiled and leaned over to press his forehead against hers and whispered the words back to her.

"I love you too."