"I'm sorry for what I told you. During the curse, I mean..."
Killian smiled at the boy. He knew he had never meant that, it had been just effects the spell he'd been under
"I know, lad. Don't worry about it."
"No, really... I am sorry" he looked at Killian deep in the eyes "You know, when I got my memories back, I was sad because my dad died... And after, the way my mom looked at you... I just wished that he was here too and that she looked at him like that. Then, we could be a real family, you know? The only normal thing in our family, I guess..." his voice broke.
Killian didn't know how to respond to that. He too had felt when Baelfire died, even though, sincerely, not as much as Swan did. He'd always been his lover's love; Killian had been fond of him as a lad, especially when the young boy reminded him so much of his mother, but still not enough to risk not revenging Millah. His adult self, however, was only another man, or worse, it was the Crocodile's son.
Selfishly thinking, Neal's death had been eliminating the concurrence of his beloved. He knew Emma had needed her time and space, and he'd given it to her, respected her mourning. But he had been there, always.
So he understood Henry. He understood that, despite everything, he was not his father.
"But..." The hesitated before continuing "But I see the way you look at my mother, and I know all you went through for her and… I don't think there would be anyone I'd rather she was with than you, Killian."
This caught him by surprise, he never thought he'd hear this. And he knew what it meant, that the lad was giving his blessing to him; that, despite being a pirate, despite the circumstances under which they'd met, Killian had proved himself worth; worth of Emma.
The lad was looking at his feet now, too embarrassed to not pretend that his shoes were the most interesting thing ever. Killian smiled at him, even though he could not see it and, all of a sudden, hugged him.
Henry was caught completely off guard, but he felt the boy relax after a moment.
"I told you, lad... Don't worry about it."
He released him and rubbed his hair.
"Now come, we don't want to keep your mother waiting, do we?"
He blinked at the boy, turning back to resume their way. Henry smiled briefly before running to catch up to him, a huge weight off his shoulder.
