The tight knot of anxiety in Emma's chest eased as she watched her father pull up beside her outside Granny's. Zelena, Snow, David and their new friend got out of the car, but Emma was only interested in Killian. The small smile on her face beamed bright, and she caught him in a hug as he exited the car. She couldn't help but nestle her head against his as his hook landed on her waist and his hand caressed her back. They swayed from side to side, holding onto each other tight. She felt Killian breathe in deeply and exhale slowly, as if trying to remind himself that he's back, and that he's home.
"Follow me, we'll show you around!" she heard her father say to their new friend, a very timid looking man if she might add.
Killian's fingers interlaced themselves with hers and she felt herself lean against him automatically, whilst she was lost in thought. His words to her in the Underworld, about how she can only say how she truly feels when they're either in the middle of a crisis or facing certain death, echoed in her head as Killian led her after the group towards the diner.
"Killian…" Emma said slowing her pace and tugging him back a little.
"What is it, Love? You don't still feel guilty about my return do you?" he tilted his head slightly and asked, stroking his thumb gently over her knuckles.
"No, just… after everything we've been through…" Emma's train of thought sounded just as crazy out loud as it did in her head and she winced as she continued, motioning with her free hand all the things they'd gone through together, "The darkness… Hades… being separated by realms…" she chanced a look at him out the corner of her eye and found his eyes narrow at the painful reminder, "I just wanted to say something, y'know when we're not in the middle of a big battle or one of us is facing death…" she shook her head at the sheer ridiculousness of what she'd just said, laughing in disbelief at herself, "…when things are just normal." she finished and looked up into his confused blue eyes. The little way his eyebrows raised in confusion making her lips curve into a small smile.
"What's that, Swan?" he asked, his eyes searching mine for some answer to a hidden question of his.
A wave of de ja vu hit Emma in that moment. This situation reminded her of the time they'd returned from the alternate universe and she'd thought she'd lost Killian for good, before he revealed himself to be upstairs in the Charming's loft looking for Henry's book. She'd never ran so fast in her entire life until then, capturing him in her arms and knocking them both back onto her old bed.
The overwhelming sense of relief had left her speechless when it came to the moment she'd wanted so desperately to tell him that she loved him, but her deep-rooted fear had gotten the best of her in that moment, and ever since the Underworld and when Killian questioned her on why she can't admit her feelings, she promised to work harder on it for him, for them.
He knows she loves him, she knows he loves her, they know they're True Love, and yet Emma still couldn't help but blush at the thought that this flirtatious and devilishly handsome pirate was hers.
She was no longer scared to tell him how she feels, not when she's come so close to losing him time and time again. She's more scared now of not telling him.
So as she stares into his eyes and finds him gazing back, his eyes so full of love even with the little crease in his confused brow and the adorable way his bottom lip juts out as he tries to read her, she releases those three powerful words on a single breath, the ones she knows he never tires hearing from her lips, and she can't help but smile shyly up at him, as she watches as her words sink in.
Killian's face quickly morphs from confusion to utter joy as he leans in to capture her lips in a desperate, but much needed kiss.
Emma feels his arms come around her then and she reaches up on her tiptoes, only to be taken by surprise as he lifts her off her feet.
In a moment that can only be described as a total cliché, Emma pops her heel like a Princess that has truly and utterly been swept off her feet, as she tangled her fingers in his hair and chased his lips, she loses all concept of where they are and what they're doing, because she finally has a quiet moment, somewhat alone, with her… she can't call him a boyfriend because he's so much more than that. He's her partner and her best friend. Emma's never really been one for labels anyway, so she pushes that to the back of her mind right as he sets her down gently.
"I love you too." he whispers against her lips before brushing them against hers once more.
Emma's thumb caresses his cheek and her heart skips a beat as Killian closes his eyes and leans into her palm, releasing a content sigh.
Seconds, minutes or hours could've past, Emma didn't care at all. She was quite happy to stand in the circle of Killian's arms and stare at how long his lashes were, or how many faint freckles covered his nose and cheeks, or wonder about the story behind the scar on his cheek or the way his hair had grown so long since the last time he was in Storybrooke, that it now covered his eyes slightly.
Emma reached up to brush it out of the way absentmindedly and Killian caught her off guard, leaning in to kiss her again, smiling against her lips as she giggled.
He rest his forehead against hers, his smile unwavering as he moved a lock of her hair over her shoulder with his hook and winked at her, making her roll her eyes and bit the inside of her cheek from smiling.
"I guess I have a question for you then, seeing as I never actually got to ask you in the first place…" Killian said and Emma didn't miss the uncertainty flash behind his eyes.
Emma's eyes widened, as the way he said those words led her thoughts down a very different path.
Killian soon realised where her train of thought was headed and laughed heartily. "I was actually just going to ask you if you'd move in with me?" he smiled down at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. A giggle escaped her once more and they both swayed from side to side in each others arms laughing.
Emma reached up to circle her arms behind his neck, "You never did get to ask me, did you?" she wondered aloud, her cheeks flushing scarlet as she bit her lip, remembering how she'd approached the subject whilst they were still back in Camelot.
"Alas, I wasn't given the opportunity to woo you with my excellent home choosing skills, No." Killian teased, laughing again.
Emma rolled her eyes at his sense of humour before turning to look up at him skeptically.
"What?" he asked, his brow raising high on his head.
"When did you know?" Emma asked quietly.
"Know what?" he asked confused.
"When did you know that you wanted to move in with me?" she asked, her eyes looking straight down on their feet.
Killian gave her a moment to collect her thoughts. 'Baby steps.' he thought to himself, staying silent until she looked back up.
When Emma glanced up from beneath her lashes, he lifted her head gently by her chin, holding her still where he could see her, where she could see that there wasn't any lie to the truth he was about to tell her.
"I've know that I could trust you since Zelena cursed my lips and you brought me back when you didn't have to. I've known that we make a great team, you and I, ever since the very beginning, I'm talking right back to that bloody beanstalk." Killian shook his head, remembering how tall that beanstalk had been and smiled as he heard Emma's breathy laugh against his shoulder.
A whole montage of memories, of their shared moments, flashed through his mind all at once and he sighed looking into her eyes again, "I've known that you're my happy ending, Swan, since it quite literally broke my heart to see yourself and Henry get in that yellow contraption of yours and leave for New York." his voice shook slightly and Emma watched as the tips of his ears turned bright red. Killian scratched behind his ear in that adorable nervous tick of his and Emma felt butterflies in her stomach from his heartfelt confession.
She cradled Killian's face between her hands and stretched up on tiptoes so they were eye level with each other.
"Yes, I will move in with you." Emma found herself grinning as a weight lifted off her shoulders. She raked her fingers through his hair as he smirked at her, resting his forehead against hers and pulling her flush against his chest.
"Well, it's a good thing we've already found a place then, isn't it?" he whispered huskily against her lips.
"Y'know I'm suddenly not in the mood for Granny's." Emma's gaze trailed from his eyes to his lips and back again, as a mischievous smirk curved her lips.
"Why don't we go home then, Love?" Killian suggested, stepping back and holding out his arm for her to take, like a gentleman.
Emma smiled excitedly before reaching for her phone in her pocket, "One sec." she sent a text to her parents, knowing they'd understand and sending one to Regina, saying it was fine for Henry to stay at Regina's tonight, before turning her phone completely off, sliding it back into her pocket and linking her arm through Killian's.
The shop across the street 'Modern Fashions' had a wedding gown in it and Killian caught Emma's eye linger as they walked past.
He leant in and whispered in her ear, "I'll ask you one day, Swan."
Emma looked up at him with her brow raised and a smile playing on her lips.
"Who's to say I won't ask you?" she asked challengingly.
A playful smirk graced Killian's face, "Just like when you asked me to dinner that time, even though traditionally I'm supposed to ask you?" he asked teasingly.
Emma rolled her eyes at that, "Traditions." she scoffed, "Welcome to the 21st Century, Buddy. Women can ask men to marry them if they want." she shook her head, laughing at his shocked face.
"So does that mean… are you asking this old pirate to marry you, Swan?" he asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
They walked in silence until they reached the white picket fence which surrounded their house.
Emma turned to Killian and took hold of both his hand and hook before he made his way up the path the led to the front porch steps.
Emma took a deep breath and released it on a shaky exhale before looking up and into mesmerising blue eyes.
"Killian Jones…" Emma's voice stuttered on his name, "Will you marry me?" she asked him, her eyes casting downward so she didn't see his reaction.
Instead of answering, Killian hoisted Emma into his arms, bridal style, kicking open the front gate and closing it with his foot behind him.
"What are you doing?" Emma half-shrieked, as she held onto him.
"Practising." Killian said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, as he ascended the front porch steps.
"For what?" Emma asked, turning her key in the door as Killian leant down for her to do so.
"For after we're married. I know you're not one for traditions, Swan… but I want to at least cross the threshold of my house, or my ship, with my beautiful wife in my arms. And who knows, maybe we can make our own traditions with Henry." he wondered aloud.
Emma pulled his face down so she could kiss the life out of him. "Is that a yes, then?" she asked, smiling shyly.
"Were you asking?" his eyes searched hers, his ears turning red again.
"Yes." she whispered silently and nodded, biting her lip as the fingers of her right hand landed over his heart, a warmth spreading through her veins as she felt the steady heartbeat.
"Then of course, yes." he smirked at her, his heart skipping a beat as she grinned up at him at his answer, before he took that final step across the threshold of the place they call home.