A/N: Merry Christmas to all, even if it's a little late.

I started writing this last winter hiatus and, since I got so busy with the season, I couldn't get it up in time for Christmas and I let it drop. When we had Season 5 midseason's finale, I thought 'Hey! This would be a great time to try this story again!' So I wrote furiously, updating it and making it relevant for this season, hoping to get it completed and posted before Christmas this year. Of course, I didn't, BUT instead of waiting another year and I thought 'Hey, 12 days of Christmas, right?'

So I'm taking a spin on a highly loved Christmas classic. Probably not one of my brightest ideas because it's so timeless, but hopefully you'll find some enjoyment in it.

Emma sighed as she leaned over her desk at the sheriff's station. It was 9pm on Christmas Eve and she was nowhere near ready to go home. Rumplestiltskin was still out there.

She thought all that mess was over, well, sort of. Everyone returned safely from their journey to the underworld and, most importantly, Killian came with them. Her heart beat in his chest. She could feel their hearts beat as one whenever they were close. It was a wonderful feeling. Everything was wonderful now that she was in Killian's arms again, looking into those beautiful blue eyes again, full of love just for her. They could finally begin their future together with one exception.

Rumplestiltskin was still the most powerful Dark One who ever lived.

Emma had kept her promise upon their return to Storybrooke. She didn't tell Belle what happened. However, Killian made no such promise. As soon as they reached Storybrooke's soil, Belle eagerly awaiting them at the pond's edge, Killian greeted her with "Your husband is the Dark One again, lass. He lied to you."

It was a blur from there. Rumplestiltskin tried to attack Killian, but there was no way he was getting anywhere near him since they had literally been to hell and back to get him. Everyone put up a defense and Rumplestiltskin disappeared in a cloud of smoke and hadn't been seen in weeks.

Emma poured through the evidence, mapping out locations of those who had claimed to have seen him or witnessed any magic. Nothing. It was all extremely frustrating, amplified by the fact that it was Christmas Eve. She should be out, furiously wrapping presents last minute or baking cookies with Mary-Margaret and Henry, or spending time under the mistletoe with her favorite pirate. But no, she was stuck in her same office, doing what a Savior should be doing- protecting the people she loved.

The door to the sheriff's station opened, the jingle bells on the door that Mary-Margaret insisted on putting on it to make the place more festive clashed loudly as the door slammed shut. Emma looked up from her paperwork to see an exhausted Killian slump down in the chair next to her.

"Anything?" Killian shook his head with exhaustion, leaning his forehead to hers and she rubbed his head soothingly. Killian pushed his head into her hand, accepting her gesture with gratitude. He could never get tired of her fingers running through his hair, it was like a soothing balm that washed throughout his entire body.

"Someone claimed they saw him in the outer woods. Your father and I couldn't find anything," Killian said in defeat. "And some magical objects have gone missing from his shop. Belle has been taking careful inventory."

"We'll find him. We always do," Emma said, trying to give him hope. He gave her a small smile and kissed her cheek gently.

"That we do, love," he said softly.

"So what's our next move," Emma asked as she came out of her trance.

"Home," Killian said as he stood up with a stretch. Home. Their home. It was surreal that it finally came true. No one argued when Killian and Emma went straight to their home by the sea, the one that Killian picked out in Camelot in what felt like an age ago. They simply fell into bed, holding each other all night, occasionally crying together when their emotions became too much that they were actually together again.

Henry was happy to finally move his stuff in from the loft the next day, much to Killian's relief. Despite all he had done as the Dark One, Henry was quick to forgive and happy to have his family back. While Emma poured herself into finding Rumplestiltskin, Henry and Killian mostly spent their days together working on the house. Painting, bringing some of Killian's old furniture from the Jolly Roger in, making some small repairs from Emma's time as the Dark One. The basement in particular was a lot more appealing now that it wasn't a cave.

Their life together now was perfect except one thing- Emma could not sit still and enjoy it.

"What?"

"I want to go home, Emma. I want to make you some hot cocoa with cinnamon, get in our bed and hold you all night. Then I want to wake up and try that Christmas breakfast that Henry's been talking about all week. What were they? Cinnamon barrels?"

"You want to just go home and sleep then take the day off tomorrow when Gold is out there trying to kill you," Emma asked in disbelief.

"It's Christmas, love," Killian said as he leaned over to cup her cheek. "And it's the first one that I get to enjoy not only with my beautiful Swan, but in our home. I've got a second chance at life, Emma. Nothing is going to stand in my way of enjoying every moment with my family." Killian leaned in for a kiss, but Emma pulled away as she stood up.

"Killian, we can't just take the day off!"

"And why the bloody hell not?"

"Because- the Dark One is out there! People's lives, your life, could be at stake if we don't stop Gold for good!" Killian sighed and rubbed his eyes roughly in frustration.

"Swan..."

"Merry Christmas," David said as he entered with Henry and Mary-Margaret, both his and Henry's arms full of boxes of decorations and presents while Mary-Margaret juggled her little brother and the diaper bag. "Ho ho ho!"

"More decorations," Emma sighed eyeing the decorations that David and Henry plopped on the deputy desk.

"You barely put up anything," Mary-Margaret said. "Besides, tomorrow is Christmas. Better late than never."

"We got the works. Lights, tinsel, even a little tree," David said as he shifted through the box of decorations and began to hang them on the walls. "And we've got the whole holiday planned."

"Presents in the morning," Mary-Margaret continued for him. "Serving with the fairies for lunch, relaxing in the afternoon then Christmas dinner at Regina's, then the Christmas party at Granny's."

"I'm actually out after lunch," Henry said. "I promised my Mom I'd go to her house early in the afternoon so I can open presents with her, Robin and Roland." Emma nodded solemnly.

She was glad that Henry made a point to spend time with Regina. Honestly. Regina raised Henry. How could she deprive Regina of being away from Henry for a holiday? And it wasn't like it was all day he'd be away from her. Just a few hours then they'd all be together again. Emma could use some down time, right? Or perhaps use that time to go after Gold. Now there would be a Christmas miracle! Catching the bad guy so finally her mind could have a moment's peace…

"Does that sound good? Emma," Mary-Margaret asked, pulling her back out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Since Henry will be with Regina, you and Killian can spend the afternoon together. We weren't planning on doing any family stuff then because Neal will be taking a nap, so feel free to do whatever."

"I'm sure we could entertain ourselves, love, before the family revelry continues," Killian said, looking at her hopefully.

"Family stuff, right," Emma said. "Actually, I still have a lot of leads to follow, so after I opened presents with Henry and you guys in the morning, I was going to head back to work after I dropped him off at Regina's."

"Oh," Mary-Margaret said with a bit of surprise. "But we'll see you at the party later, right?"

"Actually, I think just Christmas morning should do it, if that," Emma said.

"Mom, it's Christmas," Henry protested.

"That's what I said, lad," Killian said.

"Yeah it's Christmas, but I'm the Savior and the Sheriff. And the Dark One, whose powers have just been amplified, is out there seeking revenge on the man I almost lost for good! So I hope you can understand why I'm not really in a Christmasy mood!" Emma watched as her son's face fell. "Don't worry, kid. I'll still be there for presents."

"Thanks for squeezing me in. We're supposed to spend Christmas together, Mom. All of us," Henry said as he walked out of the station, slamming the door on his way out.

"Henry, that's not…"

"I'll talk to him," Mary-Margaret said as she hurried away after Henry, Neal coming along for the ride. Emma sighed and went back to searching through the evidence. David came up behind her and looked through the papers with her.

"I doubt there is anything I can say to change your mind if you're not even going after Henry," David said as he picked up one of the witness statements.

"Henry understands," Emma said. "This is what I do."

"You also put Henry first," David said. "It's not like you to put work above everything. You always take Henry into account."

"But this is different, Dad. This is…"

"Gold. The man that made you lose Hook," David said, looking back over his shoulder at Killian, who was trying to give father and daughter some space. Emma stared hard at her paperwork. "Emma, you're not going to lose him if you take a day off." No response. "I know you think the Savior can't get a day off, Emma, but that's not how it has to be. Don't pass up on making memories with your family now that we're all together. Just think about it." David gave her arm a reassuring squeeze, giving Hook a nod before leaving to find Henry and Mary-Margaret.

"Is there anything else I can say that hasn't already been said to change your mind," Killian asked. "Because if neither Henry, your father nor I can change your mind, I don't know who can." Emma didn't have a chance to respond when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Merry Christmas, Ms. Swan," Gold's voice greeted from the other end. "I hope you are enjoying this delightful season."

"Gold. Where are you," Emma said, her jaw tightening at the sound of his voice. He was Henry's grandfather, and he'd helped them in the past, but she blamed him for sending her true love to death for nothing, and for that, there would be no mercy.

"You've been very persistent in trying to find me, Ms. Swan. And efforts like that should be rewarded. Especially around the holidays. Consider it a gift," Gold said.

"What is it?"

"Let's call it a parlay."

"A truce? You?"

"Like I said, the holidays and all that," he replied. She could practically hear the smile in his voice. "Meet me at the well. Alone. You have 15 minutes, Ms. Swan. A minute later and I won't be there." Then her phone was silent. Emma lowered her phone from her ear and looked at Killian, who was seething.

"Where is he?"

"I'm not telling you because you're not coming," she said casually as she started to strap on her gun belt. There was no way she was losing him. Not again.

"The bloody hell I'm not!"

"He said I'm to come alone. And if I'm late he won't be there."

"Of course he wants you to come alone. It's a trap, Emma! Why would he do anything bloody different?"

"Don't you think I know that? And that's exactly why you're staying here."

"Emma…"

"No, Killian! You're staying here where it's safe and as far away from Gold as possible," Emma said, waving her hand across the desk. Handcuffs appeared out of nowhere, chaining both his wrists to the drawer of the desk. Killian struggled against the bonds, attempting to reach the spare set of keys in her top drawer. She reached in and grabbed him before he could, throwing them across the room into a locked cell. "I'll call David when I get there and tell him to get you loose and come after me if you don't hear from me in an hour."

"Swan, please don't go alone," Killian begged, struggling against the bonds.

"Stay safe," she whispered, kissing him quickly before racing out the door.

"SWAN!"

Emma turned off the radio as she reached the road for woods. She'd had enough of Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime. She had tried to put Christmas music on to calm her anxiousness, but if anything, it made her nerves worse. Honestly, she loved the Beatles, but Paul's solo Christmas song had more sugary sweetness than Mary-Margaret's cherry chip cake. Besides, she wanted to focus on driving through the dark roads. It was getting close to 10pm and she already was getting tired. Emma sighed into the dark silence of the forest roads, now that the distraction of Christmas songs were gone, her mind drifted to the events of the evening. Maybe she could ignore the danger for the day. Maybe she could just sit back and enjoy a day with family. It was just one day a year. And it would mean so much to Henry.

But then another side of her mind took over. No. If she did allow herself to relax, that's when a psycho with a magic hat or a snow monster or a wicked witch would pop up and ruin everything. That's just the way her luck was. No, it was better to stay focused. Solve the problem, win the day. That's what Savior's do. Hopefully, whoever was behind all this could wait to swoop in until after Henry opened his presents in the morning and she could defeat them before the evening was over so she could grab one last dance with Killian before Granny's party ended. Maybe Mary-Margaret would save her some of those sugar cookies Emma knew she was making. Yeah, her family would understand and maybe they could celebrate after all the chaos was….

Emma's car skidded to the side of the road and crashed as she jammed on her brakes to avoid hitting a wolf.

To be continued...