I wrote this last week before 4x11 aired. I speculated that Killian would get his heart back (which he did!) but I also thought Rumple would stay in Storybrooke. Didn't see that one coming, but go, Belle! Anyway, let's pretend she didn't kick him across the town line.

This is short, just three chapters.

Plus.

It was a plus. It was a no-doubt-about-it, bright pink plus. And it popped right up, almost before the damned stick was all the way wet, like the test was just waiting to scream the result at her.

Emma sat on the cold edge of the bathtub, clutching the stick and staring. How was it even possible? It seemed too soon to know. Wasn't there a window in the very beginning when your body wasn't sure? She was well within that window and her body seemed pretty freaking certain about it.

She'd only gotten the test on a whim, after having a bizarre reaction to the smell of scrambled eggs at the diner this morning. The idea had popped into her head and refused to be dismissed, no matter how often she told herself it was impossible. She'd picked up the test on her lunch hour and taken it home just so she could prove it to herself and stop obsessing. But all she'd proven was that she was impossibly, emphatically pregnant.

And really? Once. She'd had sex exactly once since she left Boston a lifetime ago and somehow she was pregnant.

Sure, Killian had been in her life for the better part of two years, but they'd only crossed that final line two weeks ago, the night she'd found out about his heart, wrested it out of Gold's megalomaniacal grasp, and restored it to his chest. Imagining their near miss, knowing she'd almost lost him, she'd been weak with relief knowing he was safe again. Their sweet reunion kiss had quickly escalated into so much more. That night, a kiss hadn't been enough. She'd needed to touch him, feel him over her, breathing into her, reassuring her that he wasn't going to disappear. They were both alive and for a moment, she'd needed to physically embrace that fact. It had been frantic, desperate and quick. David had called with some crisis shortly after so she hadn't even spent the whole night with him.

And then before they'd even fully dealt with Gold the next day, a whole new trio of Big Bads had shown up in Storybrooke and they hadn't had a moment alone since, so there had been no repeat performance.

Which was really too bad, because… damn. Killian's swagger and bravado weren't misplaced. He knew what the hell he was doing in bed. Those three hundred years had served him well. Actually, they'd served her well. Just thinking back on those heated moments in his arms made her cheeks turn pink, and Emma Swan did not blush.

Which brought her back to that night. They'd used a condom. Sure there had been a bunch of groping and rubbing and maybe a few desperate thrusts before her head cleared enough to make him stop. He hadn't had a clue what she was talking about, of course, but Emma had put on plenty of condoms in her day, so she'd… taken him in hand, as it were. She knew she'd done it right. Did it spring a leak and they didn't notice? Maybe.

But she'd been with Neal for months, having sex every day, sometimes more than once, and she'd been an idiot kid who paid only passing attention to birth control. It was really no surprise at all that she'd gotten knocked up back then. But even so, it had taken a while. How had it happened with Killian that one time, through protection? It defied the odds.

Something told her there was more to it. When Killian had first entered her, the sensation, the overwhelming rightness of it, had shocked her senseless. It was more than just bare skin and lust. Something bigger happened. Something powerful had fluttered through her and the stunned expression on his face had told her he'd felt it too. It was different. She'd supposed it was because she hadn't had sex with someone she loved in many years. But it hadn't ever felt that way with Neal either, as unfair as that sounded. Killian had shifted her reality the moment they touched.

Emma suspected magic. After all, Killian was from another realm. So was she, even though it was easy to forget that. She could blow apart buildings with the glow from her hands because of the crazy voodoo that existed between her parents.

She thought of her parents, the way they said "We always find each other" like some kind of mantra. A snort of laughter escaped her, imagining Killian's magic sperm valiantly conquering every obstacle in its quest to reach her magic egg. But laughing was completely inappropriate, considering the circumstances, and she quickly sobered.

Right. She was pregnant. Improbably, perhaps magically, pregnant.

What was she going to do?

Her first reaction, one borne of a life spent on her own, was panic, the same as when she'd found out she was pregnant with Henry. She'd been eighteen, alone, betrayed by the father, in prison, and with very dim prospects for her future. Under those circumstances, a baby was a disaster. There had been no question then that she would give him up.

But now….

She gave herself a moment to imagine it, being pregnant again, giving birth again, and then actually reaching out her arms to take the baby afterward.

Suddenly she was crying. Huge, ugly, snot-sobbing tears. She spent five minutes indulging in her sob fest before wiping her shaky fingers under her eyes. Where had that come from? But she knew where it came from. Now she understood the fervent desire that Snow admitted to, wanting to have another shot at it. Yes, Emma was a mother. She had Henry back in her life and he was amazing. Such a great kid. But he wasn't a kid anymore. He was nearly as tall as her, with a raspy deep voice. He was already subtly pulling back from her and Regina, eager to finish growing into the man he halfway was. She was so glad to have him back, but she'd never get back his childhood. That was lost forever.

Emma wanted another chance. She wanted this baby, almost desperately. There was a gaping hole in her heart that she hadn't even been aware of. It had ached every time she saw Snow with Baby Neal, every time she held him in her arms herself. She'd never love Henry any less, but she needed to raise this baby to heal that hole.

Her hand had already subconsciously gone to her flat stomach as the baby moved from theoretical to real in her mind. Then she was laughing through her sniffles, almost euphoric in her delight. Well, her hormones sure as hell knew she was pregnant.

But there was someone else who needed to know about it, as soon as possible.

With a groan, she slid off the edge of the tub and onto the floor. How was this possible? They were brand new. They hadn't even officially declared themselves an "us". One date and a desperate round of sex didn't equal a relationship. Not that she didn't love him. She did. And not that she wasn't serious about him. She was. But she thought she'd have a lot more time to get used to the idea of a long-term relationship before having to tackle any serious couple issues. She'd never even been in a long-term relationship (the guy who sent her to prison and the one who was secretly a monkey didn't count) and now they were going to be co-parenting?

Then a terrible thought occurred to her. Would Killian even want this baby? He'd been a renegade pirate for three hundred years. She was quite sure fatherhood hadn't been part of his life plan. Her heart hurt imagining him backing away from this. Because she wasn't going to. In the ten minutes since the test had turned up positive, she'd gone from disbelief to planning a nursery. This baby was her new reality. And if Killian didn't want it…. then she couldn't want him.

No, she wouldn't descend down that panic spiral until she told him. Pushing herself up off the floor, she set the test aside and reached for her phone. She texted him, not trusting her voice not to betray her.

Can you come over?

His reply came immediately.

As you wish.

That made her smile, and she traced his words with her thumb before pocketing her phone. Thank god it was the middle of the day. David was at the sheriff's office, Snow was at the mayor's office and Henry was at school. They'd have the place to themselves all afternoon to hash this out.

Her nerves were stretched to the breaking point while she waited for Killian to arrive. Absently, she reached for the whisky bottle in the cabinet before she caught herself. She poured a glass of milk instead. She was still sipping it, sitting on a barstool, staring into space, when Killian knocked.

Sliding off the stool, she nervously wiped her hands down her thighs before crossing to the door. Good lord, she was more nervous than she had been for their date. Of course, this was so much more important. What she told him next would affect them both for the rest of their lives. Or maybe just hers. The possibility existed that this would be the last time things would be normal between them. As normal as they'd ever been.

She opened the door and there he stood, looking like some sort of renegade rockstar in his black leather jacket and tight pants. Where did he even find those things in Storybrooke? He held out a to-go coffee cup from Granny's.

"Thought you could use an afternoon refreshment."

She smiled as she took it. Weren't there rules about caffeine consumption while pregnant? She couldn't remember. Snow better have kept her baby books.

"Thanks," she said, turning the cup nervously in her hands without taking a sip.

Killian scowled. "What's wrong, Swan? You look absolutely terrified."

You're something of an open book, he'd once told her. Seemed that was still true where he was concerned.

"Not wrong, exactly. But we need to talk. You'd better come in."

Killian inhaled deeply as he followed her into the loft. "That sounds ominous."

"No. I mean, not really. I mean, I guess it depends." She had no idea how she was supposed to launch into this.

"Come on, Emma, out with it. You're scaring me."

"Okay. Do you remember the night I got your heart back from Gold?"

"You mean the night you released me from his nefarious clutches? Aye, how could I forget?"

Emma licked her lips and stuffed her hands into her back pockets. "Right. And you remember what happened later that night?"

His eyes lit up and the grin he gave her was positively lascivious. He swaggered towards her with that ridiculous feline grace that made her mouth water. "Is that what this is about? I can think of no better way to take advantage of our solitude—"

"Wait." She planted her palm on his chest, stopping him when he was just a foot away with his hand already resting on her hip. "That's not why I asked you to come over. Something happened…"

"Are you all right, lass?" He shifted closer again, his expression softening into concern.

"I'm pregnant."

Killian's eyes went wide and his hand dropped to his side. He opened his mouth to say something, but for once, he seemed to be speechless.

Emma's panic began to spiral seeing his dumbstruck face and she started to babble, taking a step back to give him some space.

"I know it's unexpected and it's a shock, but there you have it. And it's okay if it wasn't what you planned. What I mean is, I know what I want to do, but I'm not expecting anything of you. You don't need to feel obligated or anything—"

"I'm not meant to be obligated to my own child?"

She finally looked up at him and the expression on his face made her take another step in retreat. "I just meant that it's your choice how involved you want to be. But no matter what, I'm keeping it."

"Was there ever any other option?" he said, eyebrows furrowed.

"I mean, I gave up Henry, but things were different then."

"They bloody hell were," he snapped.

"I want this baby. But if that's not something you can see for your future—"

He laughed in disbelief. "Emma, whether I saw it in my future or not, it's there now, isn't it?"

"You still have a choice," she murmured helplessly. "I wouldn't try to trap you…"

He took two swift strides towards her and took her face in his hand. "Will you stop trying to shake me off, you bloody insane creature? It's mine as much as it is yours."

"And you're okay with that?"

For the first time since she'd dropped the bombshell on him, he smiled. "Having a child with you? Of course I am."

"We didn't plan—"

"One usually doesn't."

"Except in this world, one usually does. Or one tries to. I don't know how this happened."

There was the lascivious grin again. He pressed closer to her. "Oh, I know exactly how it happened. I can show you if it's slipped your mind."

She wasn't sure if it was her newly rampaging hormones or just the power of Killian, but suddenly that seemed like an excellent idea. After all, she'd cleared her schedule and there were two hours left until Henry got home from school. They could do a lot in two hours.

There was probably a lot more to talk about. She knew there was. But talking could wait, couldn't it? Her hot pirate boyfriend was pressing his hot pirate body against hers and he was okay with having a baby and the relief from that….god, she just wanted to enjoy the hell out of him while she still could.

When he dipped his head to kiss her, she didn't stop him. When he deepened it, she grabbed the front of his jacket and pushed it back off his shoulders. He shook himself free of it and then went to work on his hook. But Emma brushed his hand away and started unbuckling it for him. He smiled and lowered his head to kiss down her neck. His hand slid up her ribcage until he was cupping her breast. His thumb scraped across her nipple and she gasped, sagging against him.

"Oh, wow. They're kind of sensitive right now."

Killian nipped at her collarbone. "I promise I'll be gentle."

He rubbed his thumb across her again and she moaned. "Not too gentle. Oh, god."

His chuckle vibrated against her chest as he worked her buttons free one by one. Emma refocused on his cuff and moments later it clattered to the floor next to his jacket. Her shirt was next to go. He wrapped his left arm behind her back and leaned her over as he continued with his mouth what he'd been doing with his thumb. She could feel the wet heat of his mouth through the thin fabric of her bra. She threaded her fingers through his hair to balance herself.

"Perhaps a bed would be the thing just now," he murmured against her breast.

"Yeah. It's upstairs and down the hall."

Killian raised his head to grin at her. "Not that I'd mind taking you on the living room floor but perhaps that should wait until we're in our own home."

Emma blinked. "Our home?"

"Once we're married."

"Married?"

He threaded his fingers through her hair and kissed the side of her neck. "Mm hmmm. And quickly, so the whole town's not doing the math when the little one makes his or her appearance."

"Who said anything about getting married?" The old panic was back, the same freak out she'd had when Walsh had sprung his proposal on her. At the time, she'd thought it was her subconscious whispering to her that she couldn't trust him. But no, it seemed it was marriage in general that triggered this fight or flight response in her. With Walsh, she picked flight. Apparently her answer for Killian was fight.

Killian scowled. "I didn't think it had to be said. Of course we're getting married."

"We've been on exactly one date. Don't you think that's a little too fast?"

Killian waved his hand in the direction of her stomach. "I think it can't be fast enough under the circumstances."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh for god's sake, why on earth do you think we have to be married to have a baby?"

"And why do you think we don't? I just want my child and my woman to be—"

"Your woman? I'd have thought you figured out by now that I'm nobody's woman but my own."

"Of course you are, but—"

Emma snatched her shirt off the floor and stuffed her arms into the sleeves. "I mean, I can't believe you'd just assume I'd fall in and marry you without question."

Killian grabbed for his cuff, angrily jamming it back down on his arm. "Yes, I rather did assume so. I see I was mistaken."

He was yanking the buckles on his cuff closed as Emma heard a key turning in the lock. A second later, the door opened, revealing David and Snow, holding Neal. Their eyes widened as they registered Killian's jacket on the floor and Emma's gaping shirt.

"Oh," Snow gasped, taking a step back. "We just came home to check on Emma since she wasn't feeling well this morning. But we didn't mean to interrupt—"

"What exactly are we interrupting?" David said with a scowl, looking from Emma's furious face to Killian's.

Killian snatched his jacket from the floor. "Nothing at all, mate."

Then he pushed past them both and clattered down the stairs.

Snow and David watched him go and then turned back to Emma. Her hands were shaking as she buttoned her shirt.

"Emma," Snow began cautiously. "If you want to talk about it…"

Emma hesitated for just a second and then thought, fuck it. They were going to find out soon anyway.

"I'm pregnant."

She couldn't bear to look up and see their reactions, but their shouts of "What?" in unison made her flinch just the same.

"I know, I know, I'm as surprised as anyone else, but it's true all the same."

"I…." Snow fumbled for words. "I didn't realize that you and Killian had…."

"It was, um… it was just the one time, which is weird. I mean, that wasn't weird. The sex, I mean. It wasn't weird sex…"

"You know what?" David interjected desperately. "I'm gonna go find Killian and keep him from doing something stupid. You probably want to talk to your mother in private about this anyway."

"Yeah, that would be good. Thanks."

David made his escape as Snow deposited a sleeping Neal in his crib. Then she turned to Emma and pointed to the bar stools. "Okay, spill."

So Emma spilled, leaving out the most intimate bits. But she told her mother about the one frantic night of sex they'd shared and that unreal connection she'd felt to him. She swore she used protection, but had turned up pregnant anyway, and not just any pregnant, fast and insistent pregnant. When she told Snow about her revelation in the bathroom, how she'd missed Henry's childhood and wanted another chance at motherhood, Snow started to cry, and then Emma started to cry, and then several minutes were lost in tearful explanations and apologies.

"I never wanted you to feel like you weren't enough as my daughter," Snow sniffed.

"I know. I get it now. I love Henry as much as I ever have, but… I just want my chance back."

Snow smiled and reached out to wipe a tear off Emma's cheek. "And now you have it."

Emma smiled too, teary and tremulous. "Yeah, I do."

Snow took a deep breath. "And Hook?" she asked cautiously. "How did he react when you told him?"

"Fine, actually. I wasn't sure, but he was okay. He was happy."

"So why did you two fight?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Because he jumped right from baby to marriage. He even called me his woman. I mean, this is 2014. I've been on my own for almost thirty years. If he thinks I need a man…."

Snow winced.

"What?" Emma asked. "Don't tell me you agree with him?"

"No, but I think I understand him. Let me call your dad, okay? You should probably talk to him about this part. But Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"I am so happy for you. And I'm so excited about the baby."

Emma smiled in relief. She hadn't doubted her parents' support exactly, but she wasn't used to counting on people and she certainly had no one to count on during her first pregnancy. She didn't know how good their support would feel until she had it. Snow hugged her and then called David on her cell.

A few minutes later David came home. Snow slipped away into Neal's room to check on him.

"Where's Killian?"

"I left him staring into his glass at the Rabbit Hole."

"Oh, God."

"Don't worry. Whale's there, too, so he won't get into too much trouble."

"Whale's hardly going to be a help."

"I thought it was important that I come back here to talk to you. He told me why you fought."

"Please don't tell me you're siding with him."

David settled on a stool next to her. "I'm always on your side, Emma. But I understand him in this instance."

"You do?"

"Absolutely."

"But…" she sputtered. "He only wants to get married because I'm pregnant. One doesn't necessitate the other."

David reached out for her hand. "But in our world, it did. Where we came from, the two things go hand in hand."

"But that's not where we are. And you understand why I freaked out, David."

"I get it. I do. But only because the curse sent me here with all the knowledge of this world. Remember, Killian doesn't have that. He's trying to do his very best by you, as he knows it to be."

Emma closed her eyes and groaned. "I didn't really think about it like that."

"That's why I'm talking to you. With a foot in both worlds, I have a little perspective on this issue."

"So you think we should get married?"

"I think my daughter should do whatever the hell she wants. But maybe… and I can't believe I'm saying this… maybe you could cut the guy a break and understand why he wants to. And explain to him why you don't, because he's a smart guy and he loves you. He'll get it."

Emma nodded. "Maybe I should go talk to him—"

There was a knock at the door. She looked at her father. David grinned and shrugged. "I told him to give me ten minutes."

Emma rolled her eyes, but she kissed David on the cheek as she stood up. "Thanks, Dad. Or should that be 'Grandpa'?"

David chuckled. "Henry already calls me that. I think it suits me."

"It does."

Killian was waiting apprehensively when she opened the door.

"Hi."

"Emma, I'm sorry—" he started, but Emma held up her hand to stop him.

"Let's go for a walk."

Killian nodded tightly and Emma reached for her jacket. Outside, he nodded his head to indicate the dockside. Killian always returned to the sea when he was upset. She turned and followed him.

"I'm sorry I made the assumption that we would be married," he started again. "David explained that it's not always done that way here."

Emma ducked her head and smiled, slipping her hand into his and squeezing. "No, it's not. But David explained to me why you felt you needed to and… I appreciate it. You were doing what you thought was right."

"I still think it's the right thing to do—" He held up a hand to stop her when she started to protest. "But I won't push it on you. The important thing is the baby."

"Yeah, that is the important thing."

They'd reached the docks and Emma leaned against the railing, looking out over the water, turning purple and orange in the sunset.

"It's just…" he began, and then trailed off.

"What?"

"I thought… I was afraid that… perhaps… it wasn't marriage you objected to, but me."

Emma's mouth fell open. "Killian…"

"I wouldn't blame you if you had reservations. I've had a rather colorful past, and not in a good way. I'm a bit out of place in this world, and I probably always will be."

She reached for his hand. "Killian, stop. That wasn't it. You….you're not the problem. I am."

"Why would you be a problem?"

She shook her head. "It's just my stupid hang ups. It's why it took me so long to get this far with you in the first place. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me."

"I see." He paused and scratched behind his ear. "Then you're not sorry about this?" He waved a finger between them. "Me and you and the baby?"

"Sorry? No, Killian, I'm happier than I imagined I could be. I had no idea how much I wanted this until it happened."

"Even with me?"

"Honestly? I can't imagine it being anybody but you."

Killian's face relaxed into a grin, the boyish wide grin he got when he was truly happy, no suave façade, no swagger.

"And you're really okay about the baby?"

Killian reached up to cup her face with his hand. "I am more than okay, Emma. I'm delighted. It's not…" He stopped, looking down and shaking his head slightly. "It's not something that I ever thought might lay in my future. It seemed quite impossible. But now… with you… I'm in awe, Emma."

She hooked her hands behind his neck. "I'm kind of in awe, too. Honestly, the whole baby thing has knocked me for a loop. You and I hadn't exactly settled what this is, and now there's a baby."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Speak for yourself, Swan. I know exactly what this is."

Her fingers toyed with the curling ends of his hair at the nape of his neck. What she wouldn't give to have his faith, his sureness. In time. She just needed to be patient, to give herself time to undo a lifetime of loss. "You know I need a little time," she murmured.

"Aye, I know it. But now we've the little one on the way. So what do you propose?"

"Well, first I propose I get my own place, because two babies in that loft is officially over the limit."

Killian grinned, rubbing his palm up her back. "Your own place. I like the sound of that. And?"

"And, we just take it one day at a time."

"One day at a time?"

"Yeah. Because we have a lot to deal with. So let's take it as it comes and see where we end up."

"If we end up alone in your new place soon, I approve of this plan."

She smiled and tilted her face until their lips were nearly touching his. "I'm pretty sure that can be arranged."

"And might it be arranged sometime before this new place is acquired?" His blue eyes glinted with heat. What they'd started back at the loft still percolated under the surface. She felt antsy and tense and she guessed he probably did, too.

She chuckled at the same time her body came alive imagining what they would have done if they hadn't fought. "I suppose so. It's not like you can get me more pregnant."

He leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to her lips. "I happen to know that a certain room at Granny's is currently unoccupied."

"Well, then, maybe we should take advantage of a quiet moment. If Neal is anything to judge by, they're going to become scarce."