Chapter 1

They were the last to get off the boat, Killian skilfully hopped off the edge of the boat and held his arm out to Emma as she levered herself off it using his arm as a weight. Emma held him close to her as they walked up the hill to the rest of the gang.

Killian felt it, as soon as he jumped off the boat, the earth crunching underneath his boots, he was alive, and the last two weeks of death had made him the most exhausted he had ever been. He gave Emma a half smile and held his arm as she entwined her arm around his as they walked to the rest of the group. "Well I think we should all celebrate! Granny's?" Snow chirped, Killian could feel his eyes drooping as she talked.

"…Actually, I think it's been a particularly rough few weeks for some people… and we should get some rest. Maybe we should all meet at Granny's tomorrow?" David nodded towards Killian, Snow seemed to take the hint.

"You're right, besides if I don't see Neal and take him off the Fairies hands soon I might go crazy. Robin you're probably dying to Roland and your baby girl?"

"Quite right, and I know Roland would love to spend some time with you Henry since you've been away if you want to stay at your Mom's tonight."

"Uh, yeah sure… Mom is that cool?"

Emma thought it was still a bit funny that Henry had to ask for permission to stay his own mothers house, even if he had two, "go ahead, kid." To be honest she was slightly glad for it to be just her and Killian. The last two months had been the most exhausting she'd ever experienced; it was a challenge to even make a sentence.

"Okay Henry, lets go," Regina gestured.

"Hook, I'm really glad you're back home," Henry smiled and turned to catch up with his Mom. Emma's lips couldn't help but curl.

She turned to Killian, "let's go home."

"Aye."

Emma took out her key, hanging from it was an anchor key chain and a spare key. "I like the key chain, love."

Emma let out a chuckle, "yeah, I thought it was fitting… Oh! And this is yours." She unthreaded one of the keys off the chain and placed it in Hook's hand. She couldn't help but smile watching him hold it.

"Emma, are you sure?"

"This house was never mine to give… It's always been ours." She opened the door, it was emptier than she remembered. They weren't gone for months or anything but she has somehow forgotten what the house even looked like. Dark Emma didn't really have time for decorating. The living room was just a living room, it felt so empty without the cot and her baby mobile and that beautiful antique lounge. She turned to find Killian was staring into the living room as well. "Come on," she took his hand and led him upstairs.

Killian had never been upstairs before, there was a decent sized landing with a giant French trimmed window looking out to the ocean over the tree tops. It was beautiful, this was definitely his home. To the left led the hallway with four doors, one on the left hand side, two on the right and one right down the very end. He followed Emma right down to the last door and watched as she opened it. In the centre of the room was a large bed with cream coloured linen and lots of cushions. There was a long chest at the end- it looked like a treasure chest Killian thought- draped on top was Emma's baby blanket and some more throws. The rest of the room was just as cosy with a large wardrobe and a reading chair in the corner. Killian turned to then see the window that covered almost the entire wall in that same French trim, framed by cream coloured curtains to the view of a lifetime. They should have put that picture on the newspaper advertisement he thought. "Makes you want to just stay here forever, doesn't it?" Emma wrapped her hands around him fro behind.

"I don't know about you love, but that's exactly what I'm planning on doing." Killian turned around to face her, "Thank you. For bringing me home." He leant in and kissed her softly. They stood there for a while smiling at each other, forehead to forehead.

"Now, I know you're tired and I really think you should get some rest after… well, everything."

"Swan, it's 3 o'clock in the afternoon."

"So? That gives me enough time to grab some things for dinner and cook up something while you take a well deserved nap."

"Captains don't take naps Swan," Killian's eye lids kept drooping no matter how hard he tried.

"Yahuh, while I'm out I'm going to grab some of your clothes and things from Granny's, so I'll need the keys."

"Actually, before I realised… what I had become, I was staying with your parents."

"Oh okay, really?"

"Aye, your mother can be quite persuasive when she wants to be. Besides we were all so focused on a common goal."

"That is true about my Mom. Well, I guess I'll stop by there on my way back then. Want anything that you can't live without for a couple of days?"

"No… I think I've got everything I need right here." Killian smirked as he pulled Emma close to him again.

"Okay, pirate. I'm going to have a shower and get changed before I go and you are definitely going to get some rest. You're falling asleep while I'm still talking to you," Emma grinned as she pulled back from him.

"Am not!" 'My God,' Killian thought, he had never sounded so childish in his life.

"Go to bed!" Emma retorted as she walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Killian couldn't help but sit down on the edge of the bed in silence, soaking everything in. He heard the shower turn on in the other room, that was his Emma, in their bathroom, bathing. The whole idea of it, made Killian giddy inside but the weight of his very much alive body had become overwhelming. He removed his boots one foot at a time, and took off his jacket and vest and went to hang them in the closet. Each step was harder the next and the idea of a nap became more and more enticing. He sat back down on the bed on the side closest to the window and started to take off his rings He saw a small decorative bowl on the bedside table, he imagined Emma had put it there for him and his jewellery, since she almost never wore any of own accept for Liam's ring around her neck. Hook noticed that this was one of the only rooms in the house fully decorated, perhaps because it was the one Emma used the most while she was here alone. He laid down on his back and listened to the sound of the shower running, he couldn't help but think about the woman standing underneath the running water, his heart clenched at the thought of it. He had never felt so at peace, listening to the water, knowing that his Emma was there with him.

"Killian?" Emma poked her head out the bathroom door, "Hook?! Could you get me a towel from the linen cupboard?" No Reply, "Killian?" Emma sighed and started her sprint to the linen cupboard, picked the first towel she saw and wrapped it around herself. She walked back into the bedroom to find Hook with most of his clothes still on, on top of the covers, fast asleep. Emma stood and stared at her pirate for a while, smiling and got dressed. Before she left, she grabbed a throw and draped it over Killian. "Be back soon," she whispered and kissed his forehead.