P-R-E-G-N-A-N-T.

Hard to believe it, but yes.

Within her zipper pockets she still held the stick with a stupid little smiley face grinning at her fortune.

It was the third stick in one day.

No doubt about it.

She sat, sighing hard as she gazed into the sea over the boats that bobbed on the not-so-restless ripples at the docks. She shook her head. "Stupid, stupid…" She felt herself sob.

At thirty one, Emma Swan should have been well aware that sleeping with guys without a rubber was a risk; but then, she figured, she'd been out of the game for a while… not to mention him. His last serious girlfriend had died some three hundred years earlier, and whatever encounter with a wench or bargirl or hooker he could have engaged afterwards had also probably been at least thirty years earlier. STD's? Killian Jones had been around in one healthy piece (and apparently, sexually untouched) for at least thirty years, so that was unlikely.

If she had been rusty, he had probably restored his virginity by then.

She sobbed into her hands as she crossed her legs up on the bench, sobbing hard enough to heave. Here she was, finally getting her life under the reins: six weeks of peace had led her to believe all would now be well. It was hard to believe this was the same town that not long ago had endured yet another dangerous curse that almost got everyone killed. And then there was the matter of Killian's heart.

His heart.

It had come so close… too close for comfort. He who excelled at surviving, almost annihilated by the power of The Dark One. And yet, life had given him another shot at survival. Emma still remembered the chill and the utterly paralyzing feeling of helplessness as she froze, unable to move or speak, but quite able to look on as Rumple held Killian's heart before the pirate's ached wince. The bastard even smiled. He was enjoying this. Emma remembered the feeling of her own heart racing one million miles per hour when that pained holler left his lips and he fell to his knees, his red, vibrant and beautiful heart slowly and painfully pressured by Gold's punishing grip.

If she had been able to breathe, she would have gasped with relief when Belle made her appearance to save his life and disable the Dark One.

The only thing she remembers after she was finally able to move and Rumple and Belle had left, was the feeling of being in his arms. She had no recollection of going (flying) up the stairs or shouting his name… nothing. Only the sound of his breathing in coordination with the heavy panting she felt on her neck as he embraced her. His heart was in his hand; she gently took it from him and could feel the pulse of her pirate racing in her palm.

She remembered relief and fear.

He may have been staring at Gold in the eye, he may have been staring at death itself in the eye… But the pounding of the fleshy pumper was evidence of the fact that he was terrified.

Her heart beat in unison with his; no denying it: She was scared as hell of losing him.

After she placed it in his chest (albeit violently; she had to get rid of all that surplus adrenaline), she was met with a fierce kiss, a kiss she hadn't felt in a few days. How could she not have noticed before? She knew something was off, but she knew how he kissed. She should have been able to tell.

She didn't want to lose him, ever.

And after holding his heart in her hand, she knew there was no going back.

She yielded to the passion of the kiss. His reassurance that he was a survivor, meant to stay, not going anywhere….

She only wanted to make sure his heart stayed in its place. That's why she spent the night there.

And at least five or six nights since.

With Killian, all hell could break loose in bed. She felt empowered, loved, crazy, wild and happier than she had ever felt before when she was with him. And somewhere in the midst of wild, orgasmic bliss, one of them had actually enounced the three words that made it a surety. She didn't remember if it had been him or her to say it first, but it became a commonplace phrase after that.

I love you… I love you too.

But no. The first time had been the charm. That did it. And now here she sat, with that stupid smiley face stick in her pocket.

Killian was a free spirit; sure, he was in love, but that didn't imply he'd be the sort to settle down, have babies and cook breakfast on Sundays. She somehow didn't picture him "domesticated".

He'd run the hell away, for sure.

"Oh god, what have I done…" She sniveled, hugging herself tight over her red jacket.

She had vowed never again to let go off another child, if it ever came to be that she'd have another kid. So she'd be having this one for sure, and keeping it. But she hated the idea of losing the pirate. She had grown far too accustomed to his smile, his stupid twinkle-toed eyebrows that danced to the beat of his thoughts, the wrinkles around his eyes when that smile reached way up, his hand that seemed to do the job of two hands with amazing ease, his company, his ever-present support… His love.

"Swan?"

Teary eyed, she turned to the right, and found a calm-looking Killian standing by her side.

All she had to do to know he knew what was going on was to look into his eyes.

She huffed and shook her head. "I take it you know…"

"Aye…" He looked to the floor. "I went to the loft and only found your mother. She told me what happened, how you… ran off after you found out that… well..." He shrugged. "…that you are carrying my child."

She stood up, her jaw quivering as she spoke again. "And I s… suppose you've come to say g… goodbye…"

Killian frowned. "What?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, because… you know… you… you're a free spirited guy and… and…"

"Do you really believe I'd walk away from you in such a compromising condition, Swan?"

"I never think it, I don't, but… but it happens and…"

"Baelfire did it to you so now every man who crosses your path is out to leave you alone, with child and hurt, rotting in misery?" He shook his head and reached out to grab her hand. "You daft, daft girl. Didn't you understand what it means to me, to be by your side?"

She sniffed. "R… really? You… you won't go?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Aren't you… scared? Of change, of losing your freedom or…?"

Killian huffed with a soft grin. "Freedom? I'm not shackled to you, Emma. I'm with you because I want to be. And am I scared? Yes, yes I am, terrified. But you know?" He smiled and nodded, gazing at her intently from beneath his brow. "I believe you and … can pull this off the way we've pulled all major challenges off: Together."

Emma broke into sobs once more as she fell into his embrace. "Come now, Swan, you should know me better by now, darling, I love you too much to ever leave you, especially in light of this development…" He cradled her in his arms. "It's not the end of the world. You'll see, we will have a perfect, perfect child and we will all be very happy. Come now… Shh…"

"Killian…" She whispered. "I love you too…"

He kissed her head.

"Don't leave me…"

"I won't, Swan, come on."

"So… you… you're ok with this?"

"Positive, lass. There is one thing I do fear, however…"

"What is that?"

He chuckled. "You father. He'll tear my heart out again and throw it into one of your mother's casseroles…"

Emma laughed through her tears. "We'll deal with Prince Charming later… just… hold me right now…"

"Aye, love."

He always managed to make her smile through her tears.

Good thing she wouldn't have to miss him now.