It's been a few days since their not-so-little jaunt to the past and it is snowing.
This wouldn't be such a problem except for that one tiny detail.
It's the middle of summer.
And it is snowing.
As a precaution, Emma makes a round of calls.
In the aftermath of the revelation of Marian's identity, Henry requested to spend the next few days at Regina's place, a request she acquiesced to since it was the least she could do after putting a damper to Regina's romance. Awful as that was, she still couldn't bring herself to feel completely guilty about it. Sad yes, but she reunited a family, something she was scarily familiar with and that is always a good thing in her books.
That doesn't mean Regina sees it that way though so yes, Henry to Regina's rescue to curb any homicidal tendencies it is. But if there's anything Emma trusts Regina with it is Henry so she knows, he is safe.
Her parents too, she discovers, just having got off the phone with them. She finds that they are nestled in their apartment, understandably occupied with her new baby brother (Neal, she reminds herself warmly) and snowed in as well, as is all of Storybrooke. As much as she wants to investigate this sporadic winter, she can't do that with three feet of snow littering the road and so…
Emma is having a snow day.
"It is freezing, love."
And she isn't alone.
She sees her reflection smile back at her from her window as she presses her fingers to it. She tries not to grin wider, never once thinking in all her life that she could smile this big, feel this happy.
But she does and while she knows this can't possibly be forever, it is entirelyfantastic while it lasts.
Giving one more, fond glance at her reflection, she turns to her pirate who is draped across her bed at Granny's. Once it was clear there was no going out in this weather, Hook made his way to her room as she was on her way to his and well… it doesn't make sense to stay cold and separate so a silent, mutual agreement was made between the two through sly glances and entwined fingers.
She shakes her head.
"I'm not surprised, it's impossible to stay warm in clothes like these!" She gestures to his black, long-sleeved shirt, which she has taken to wearing (andnothing else). "Plus, you're shirtless."
Indeed he is, propped up on his elbow and preening like a peacock at the image he presents. Idiot, she thinks, however fondly, for she doesn't understand how he's managing given that the heater can't quite completely cancel out the cold that has engulfed their room.
And damn, is it cold!
But then he does that thing where he touches his thumb to his lips and gives her a slow once over from head to toe with his eyes lingering in his favorite parts (as she has come to realize during the past couple of days, namely her lips, her chest and her legs) and she feels her entire body go aflame.
"Yes and well, it might not seem like it, but I'm also quite cold without a certain… companion next to me." He smirks and raises an eyebrow at her challengingly.
"Well," she murmurs, a hint of the devil in her eyes, "I'm sure we can find some way to warm you up."
She begins a slow walk back to the bed, his shirt falling to the side to expose one creamy shoulder and his entire face drops the mirth then darkens with lust because that bloody minx.
Emma grins like she's just read his thoughts.
(And because she knows the power she has over him and she loves it)
(But he doesn't really mind anyway)
Another bout of lovemaking and the morning done, they have built a fortress of their sheets and are now cocooned within them. The cold making them feel lazy and maybe even vulnerable as they seek warmth from one another.
They sit cross-legged and facing each other, Emma tracing shapes across his palm and Killian taking pleasure in the contentment he reads in the upturn of her lips. But then Emma makes a line from his palm, that sits resting on his knee, to his leg until she reaches his other knee and ultimately, his stump.
She feels his entire body go still, for she may have seen him without the brace, but she has yet to lay her eyes on his left arm so closely.
"I will not hide from you, Emma," he begins, his voice taking a hoarse quality. "And I will not lie. But this–" he gestures to his stump "this is a part of me I wish I could erase." He sighs, his eyes suddenly shining with tears he refuses to shed and she, for once, feels her heart break for someone other than herself – the lost boy to her lost girl.
"You have inspired me to grow into a better version of myself for the first time in three centuries." She smiles encouragingly at him and for a brief moment he reciprocates before the devastating look returns to his features. "But I am not a whole man, Emma. I don't even know what you see in me, you – who is everything that is good and gentle and loving in this world. You – who is worthy of the greatest love there can ever be and you – who deserves far better than me." His voice breaks so he drops it to a whisper. "But this is a part of me. And I wish I could be whole for you, Emma. I wish I could be whole for you. But the truth is, and you must always know the truth, I'm not. Yet I am selfish enough to still want to be with you despite being merely a shadow of what I used to be, of who I once was. Despite beingbroken."
He ends in a sigh and hangs his head. But before he can truly retreat into himself she cups his face and looks directly into his blue, blue eyes.
"You forget how alike we are sometimes." He looks at her confusingly before she lets out a small albeit humorless laugh. "I already know all that about you, Killian and guess what? I wouldn't have it, have you, any other way. You gave up the Jolly Roger, your home, for me. I know exactly how capable you are of being selfless that sometimes I think I don't deserve you. So if anyone's being selfish, it's me because I still want to be with you. And withoutthis," she takes his stump and gently brings it to her heart before running it up to her neck then her cheek before placing a soft kiss upon it. "You wouldn't be as strong as you are now. This is a part of you that I lo– " she stops herself in time and his eyes, still downcast, snap to hers immediately. She caresses his cheek.
"That I cherish." She settles at last. "I'll take whatever you give me, Killian.You're more than enough."
Before he can respond, she crawls over to him, straddles his lap and lays a long passionate kiss upon his lips, which he returns ardently. She draws back slightly though to utter, "So don't worry about being broken, because you know more than anyone that I'm broken too."
She knows he wants to protest if his sudden intake of breath is anything to go by. But she gently tugs at the ends of his hair by the nape of his neck and peeks at him through hooded eyes, conveying the words she knows she wants to say but can't bring herself to yet.
And when he nods slightly and smiles, she smiles back knowing that he understands her perfectly, as he always does. Understands that his past is a part of him just as much as her magic is inherent in her, qualities that they both appreciate in one another.
Understands that apart, they are two broken souls but together…
We'll make each other whole.
And if he still believes himself to be a shadow then she will take it upon herself, to be the light that chases away the darkness.
She mutters these promises into his skin and seals it with a kiss.
It started out as a snow day, but she feels her magic – fuelled by the emotion she holds for this man (she will not call it love, not yet, but she senses herself getting there) – take root as warmth trickles from her and into the space surrounding them. They are consumed by heat and light.
They sit with her knees on either side of him and facing each other, foreheads touching as they breathe each other in.