disclaimer. I don't own Once Upon a Time.

pairing. Hook/Emma.

summary. The four times Killian tells Emma he loves her, and the one time she finally says it back.

The first time Killian tells Emma he loves her is a frosty summer evening—yes, frosty in the summer, because a Snow Queen has somehow miraculously found her way into Storybrooke (Rumplestiltskin hasn't yet mentioned that she had previously been trapped in a jar, the one Killian had accidentally taken through the time portal with him) and is wrecking havoc in the small town. She realizes that she's the one causing this mess, and as upset as that makes her, she can't control it either way—because, much like Emma, she hasn't yet learned much about her powers. This Snow Queen has accidentally covered the town in a blanket of snow, so yes, each morning when Killian awakes here in Storybrooke, it should be warm and sunny but no—it is as cold and frigid as the middle of winter.

Killian knows Emma will find a way to get Elsa under control soon—she is the savior, after all. He figured his "girlfriend" (or at least, that's what she told him to call her around a day after their kiss outside Granny's, and apparently that made him her "boyfriend") felt like this was all under control, that she could deal with it easily and she was fine with this rather unexpected challenge.

Killian doesn't expect her to nearly burst into tears while they're in the forest that evening, searching for a clue as to where Elsa had run off to, seeing as the poor woman had accidentally caused another snowstorm and disappeared in a fit of confusion, frustration, and rage. (Again.)

"I can't take this anymore, Killian," Emma tells him, raising up her hands in exasperation. "I thought that—when I came back to Storybrooke after we got trapped in the past—I thought that all of this would be over. Yeah, I'm the savior, but I'm also a human being and this is just so much stress, Killian, and I just don't know if I can take much more of it."

Killian is silent, and Emma glances over at him. She can see the look in his eyes. It's the same look he had back when they had just defeated Zelena, when he had asked her if her powers had returned yet and she replied (probably not realizing just how cold she had sounded then), "I won't need it in New York."

He's afraid that she will make that same decision. After this is all over, he's afraid that she will realize that life is much easier in New York, or in some other place besides Storybrooke, because living elsewhere means no monsters, no villains, and no evil snowmen that run around throughout the night, trampling everything in their path.

Emma sighs.

"Storybrooke is my home," she tells him, relaxing at the way her boyfriend relaxes at her words. "And I'm not going to leave, ever again, I just... this is so much, and I don't want people always expecting me to be the one to solve every little problem that goes on here, always relying on me to get the job done."

"Hey." Emma tenses a little when Killian reaches over and takes her hand, then loosens under his touch when he starts to rub small circles on the flesh between her thumb and forefinger.

"No one is expecting anything from you," the pirate tries to assure her, but Emma quickly shakes her head.

"They all expect me to be the savior," Emma tells him. "Which I obviously am. But it's so much... it's so stressful. I just want a life, you know? I want to get to know my new baby brother, I want to take Henry out of school at noon for lunch at Granny's like I used to, I want to sit down at the sheriff's station and get paperwork done because yeah, it's boring, but it's so much less stressful than all of this..." "I also want to spend time with you," she wants to say, but she's not ready yet, and she doesn't know if she'll ever be. (Especially what with all the crap that's currently going on in her life—when will she ever be ready?)

Killian can almost hear that unspoken sentence, because she gives him a sad look—a look that you really only give to the people you care about (the people you love)—and he understands, reads it in her eyes. And he feels the same way.

"There are so many people that get what you're going through, Swan," Killian tells her. "I understand, and so do your parents, and practically everyone in this town. If you're asking for a break, they'll give it to you, and they won't hold it against you."

Emma gives him a small smile. "Why do you always do that?"

Killian arches an eyebrow. "Do what, exactly?"

"Stick by my side," Emma explains. "Believe in me. I don't know, you're just always there, reassuring me and being there for me, more than anyone else has in my entire life. You know the darkest sides of me—orphan, "lost girl", yet you still continue to treat me like I'm so special, so important. Why?"

Killian smiles at her. He doesn't need to tell her—she knows, she's known for a while now—but he tells her anyway. "I love you."

Even if Emma knows already, hearing him actually say it for the first time (not "until I met you", or "as you wish", or "I traded my damn ship for you"—but those three life-impacting words) warms her heart and she leans up and presses a kiss against his lips. Killian kisses her back.

Killian doesn't ask her to say it back. And quite frankly, he doesn't care that she doesn't. He knows she's not ready.

(But he'll still be here when she is.)

::

The second time Killian says it is when Elsa tries to attack that distrustful Prince Hans, though of course she loses control and shoots a stream of ice magic straight towards Emma's heart instead.

Killian watches—it all happens so fast, and he soon sees Emma limp on the ground, the frost quickly crawling up her skin. He runs to her side. "Oh, gods, no," he mutters fearfully, desperately. "Emma, please. Stay with me, love."

She looks up at him, and weakly reaches up to cup the side of his face. "I'm sorry," she whispers. "I failed, I'm sorry."

"No, you haven't failed," Killian assures her, but by this point she's gone, merely a frozen statue beneath his touch.

The pirate scoops her up in his arms and holds her tightly, crying warm tears onto her cold, frozen body.

"I'm so sorry," he hears Elsa say behind him. "I'm sorry, Killian, I lost control, I—"

Killian spins around, eyes blinded by his anger. "GO!" he yells, his hand moving to his sword. The hero in him would never hurt this poor, misunderstood Queen, but the lover pirate in him is so angry and distraught, and doesn't know what he would do to her, considering what she just did to him.

(He's giving her a choice, to leave so that the side of him blinded by anger won't hurt her, or to stay—and we all have an idea of what might happen if she chooses to stay.)

Elsa lowers her head and runs into the forest.

No one else chases after her.

They're all in shock.

They're staring at the heartbreaking scene in front of them—a tough pirate, sobbing as he holds his loved one in his arms. Why does this particular situation feel so familiar to him? (Oh, right. Liam. Milah.)

Killian expects David to come in and take his daughter from him. He doesn't.

He says something completely out-of-the-blue instead—something that really takes Killian by surprise.

"You love her, right?" Killian lifts his head and turns to look at the prince. He seems worried, yes, and upset—but at the same time, there's an odd calmness surrounding him (and just about the majority of the people here).

"Pardon?" Killian asks. He's angry at everything right now and doesn't intend for the words to come out so venomously, but David understands.

"You love her, my daughter," David says again. "Don't you?"

Killian looks down at Emma, then back up at him. "Of course I do," he snaps.

The prince pauses. There's a moment of silence. And then he slowly and carefully says (as if still deciding if he approves of Hook as Emma's boyfriend or not), "True love's kiss will break any curse."

Killian's eyebrows shoot up. He glances down, gently stroking the side of Emma's cold face. He doesn't take too long to ponder what David says. Yes, for a moment he has a scary thought: What if she doesn't feel the same way?

But she does. She doesn't need to say it out loud to him, but he knows she does.

He leans down and kisses her frozen lips.

Magic flows from the savior's body, travelling all throughout Storybrooke and sending everyone staggering backwards a little bit. A few terrifyingly slow moments pass and then Emma's eyelids fly open, and the people around them cheer loudly—though Killian doesn't hear anything but her tired whisper.

"You did it," she observes. "You saved me."

"I thought I lost you," Killian tells her. He helps her sit up, brushing a piece of her blonde hair back behind her ear. "Gods, Emma, I love you. I love you so much."

Emma smiles warmly at him. "I know."

Behind them, David grins.

::

The third time Killian tells her is the night they get Elsa's powers under control by defeating her villainous mother, who had decided to finally make an appearance in Storybrooke. (This woman had apparently cursed her daughter with these powers when she was a child and then disappeared, thus never teaching her how to control them.)

They go out for a celebration dinner at Granny's, and then Killian walks Emma home to the new apartment she shares with her son.

He stops outside of the door.

"I'm glad that's all taken care of," Emma says.

"As am I," Killian agrees.

"Now we can finally have some time to ourselves," the savior adds with a smile. Killian smiles back. She hasn't yet found a way to be comfortable with admitting her true feelings for the pirate, but at least she's able to admit that she wants to be with him.

(Either way, Killian knows the truth.)

"Aye," he replies.

Emma leans up on the tips of her toes, grabbing Killian by the collar of his leather coat, and kisses him. When she pulls away, she turns and unlocks the door, turning again to face him before heading inside. "Night."

Killian starts to respond with a warm "Goodnight", but then he has another idea—he wraps his arm around Emma's waist and kisses her again, whispering against her lips, "I love you."

And then he smiles at her before walking away, and Emma watches with an even bigger smile as he goes.

She might have had another guy in the past that would kiss her goodnight, but not once has any man important to her ever said "I love you" as night falls.

(She loves him, too.)

::

The fourth time Killian says it is after their first night together.

They've been dating for several months as of now, and as they lay underneath the tangled sheets, sweaty and pressed close to each other, Emma has never felt safer in anyone's arms—and neither of them have felt more in love.

"I'm so glad you're here," Emma mumbles tiredly into his shoulder as she snuggles against him. "Please don't ever leave."

Killian runs his fingers through her hair and smiles softly. "I won't."

"Promise," Emma sighs.

"I promise," Killian says, and it is the most truthful promise he has ever made in his entire life. "I love you, Swan."

Her eyes are closed and she doesn't respond when he says it, and he thinks she's asleep—but he's okay with that. He wraps both arms around her and hugs her tightly, as he too slowly drifts off to sleep.

(She wasn't asleep when he said it, and she wanted to say it back, but she wasn't ready. Not yet.

She will be soon.)

::

A week later, they're on their third actual date (if little lunch dates at Granny's don't count)—or rather, on a walk after their third actual date. They had eaten at a fancy restaurant and then got ice cream (thank God being trapped in an eternal winter didn't change Emma's view on the tasty frozen treat) and were now casually walking through Storybrooke, hand-in-hand.

They pass by the docks, and Emma turns to him. She doesn't miss the flash of longing that appears in Killian's deep blue eyes when he glances over at the boats, and the clear ocean waves beyond them.

"You miss it, don't you?" Emma asks gently.

Killian knows what she's talking about. The Jolly Roger. "Aye," he responds. He turns and meets her gaze, smiling at her reassuringly. "But I traded her for a good reason. A very, very good reason."

This warms her heart. In the past, Emma would constantly ask him why he would trade his home for her and he would respond with the exact same thing. She's found a way to not argue with him—"I know it was important to you, you didn't have to do that for me"—but she never ceases to wonder—how could she possibly be so important to anyone that they would be willing to trade up their home, practically a symbol of their life for her?

"I know you did," Emma says. But she's still uncertain and Killian notices this.

"You're important to me, Emma," he tells her. "I would trade everything of mine a thousand times over for you."

This brings tears to Emma's eyes. No one has ever cared about her this much before.

(Someone has. Killian. He has cared about her since the first moment he met her.

He's loved her for a while, too.)

Emma loves Killian.

She's felt it since they danced together in the past, and she's known it positively since he said it to her that night she was heading to bed after Elsa was defeated.

But she hasn't actually said it to him yet.

"Emma?" Emma comes back to reality, and Killian is watching her curiously with those big, gentle, caring eyes of his. "What's on your mind, love?"

Emma takes a deep breath. She's ready.

"I love you," she says.

Killian smiles. He isn't surprised, and Emma is glad he isn't.

She knows he knows—he's known it all along.

"I love you, too," he responds, and he lightly touches her face, and the couple kisses soundly beneath the pale silver moonlight.

They love each other more than anything.

And they're never going to stop.

THE END