Emma's hair fanned out against the pillow, her breath coming heavy and fast. The smile coming from the man above her made her own face lit up a bit, and she leaned up to press a small kiss to his lips, which he returned. Once he was off of her and her vision was occupied by the ceiling, her smile faded, and she got that feeling in her stomach like she always did. The feeling that she needed to run always plagued her after, and she knew why. It wasn't that it felt wrong to be with him, because it felt so right, and that was the very reason she always felt the need to leave.
Their date had gone perfectly well, just as the ones before had, and, as she went to say goodbye, things led to the cabin as they did on occasion, and she found herself in the arms of the man she loved—something she'd yet to admit back to him—as he made love to her. Afterwards, she'd lie next to him, staring at the ceiling until the feeling of fear became too much to bear. She would then set about putting her clothes on before giving Hook one last kiss and leaving him for the night. That feeling came sooner than normal, and she sat up quickly, making her way to the edge of the bed when she felt a hand on her wrist.
"Where do you think you're off to, love?" he asked, sitting up and scooting closer to her.
His question stopped her before she could even let her feet touch the floor. When she'd make her way to leave, he'd always just sit quietly against the headboard of his bed and wait for his kiss goodbye, so the fact that he was questioning her took her by surprise. She turned a bit and sent him a tight lipped smile. "I was going to head home. It's kind of late."
"You could always stay, you know. If you hadn't noticed, I rather enjoy your company." He had yet to let go of her wrist, and he'd started rubbing circles on it with the pad of his thumb.
Emma shrugged, still getting used to his compliments, even if they were on the small scale. "Like I said, it's late. I need to go pick up Henry."
Hook pulled her a little closer to him and let his chin rest on her shoulder. "You could always call your parents on your little phone contraption. I'm sure they'd understand keeping him for the night."
She felt him place a kiss to her shoulder, and her eyes fluttered closed for a few seconds. For a few moments, it escaped her why she was fighting this before her mind cleared a bit. "Well I want to take him to school, too. So, you know, early day and all." She tried to scoot away again, but she found his arm was firmly around her waist.
He let out a small chuckle, and she wondered what could possibly be funny about the situation. "You know, lying doesn't look good on you, lass. It's very unbecoming. I mean, using your son as an excuse not to stay?" He clicked his tongue in disappointment.
Emma refused to look at him, knowing if she did, he would really see all the way through her. "I'm not lying, and it's not an excuse. After Neverland, can you really blame me for wanting to be with him as much as possible?"
He let out a frustrated breath. "Will you just tell me, Emma? We both know that answer is a bunch of rubbish," he said, hoping she'd look at him. "I don't have to see your face to read you. You're an open book at all times."
Emma sighed. He didn't deserve how she was treating him. He'd been nothing but kind and wonderful to her throughout their time together, and that scared her more than it should have. Deep down, she knew that she loved him. From that first kiss they shared in Neverland, it was hard to deny what was between them. She looked over her shoulder, her resolve crumbling at the sad look he was trying to hide behind his stern features. She closed her eyes, suddenly nervous as to what he might think. "It's always the same… I always wake up alone. And if I'm going to, I'd rather it be by my own choice."
She gasped slightly when she felt him cup her face and press a gentle kiss to her lips. When her eyes fluttered open, she was met with such a warm and loving smile, it made her breath catch in her throat. "Emma, why would I leave when the woman I love is safe in my arms?" His hand left her cheek and smoothed down her hair. "I am not everyone else in your life. I may have left a few times before, but I always came back. And I promise you this. By my heart that is fully yours, I will never leave you. I love you too much to disappoint you." He placed another kiss on her lips before looking back in her eyes. "Please stay."
Tears brimmed in her eyes at his words. She knew he was better than all the others that had come and gone in her life, and in the back of her mind, she'd always known those words before he even uttered them. Before she knew it, she was pulling herself back onto the bed. As she curled into his side, she let his words play in his mind again and again always stopping before the kiss. She rose back up from his embrace and gave him a kiss, lingering on his lips a bit longer than intended. When she pulled away, he was smiling up at her with all the love he'd been showing her since their return from Neverland five months prior. And she knew. "I love you, too. Killian."
She missed the smile that spread all the way up his face as she snuggled back into his side, and he pulled her tighter to him. "Shouldn't you let them know that you're staying?"
Emma let out a small laugh, letting her eyes fall close. "I think they can figure it out." As she laid there, listen to his heart beat beneath his chest, she wondered why it had taken her so long to find him. But she knew if she hadn't gone through all the bad in her life, she wouldn't be the person he fell in love with, and he wouldn't be the kind of person she needed. All the bad led to this good laying beneath her and for the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid. There was nothing to fear with him at all, because nothing that felt as right as being in his arms could be scary at all.