A Clean Slate
Chapter One - The Arrival

The sun's rays crept between the partially closed blinds illuminating the room with a warm glow. As the light gently touched the faces of the two inhabitants sleeping soundly, one of them begun to stir. Always one to rise with the sun, Killian's eyes fluttered open, blinking against the sunlight. As his eyes focused, he took in the familiar pale blue walls and solid oak furniture before rolling onto his side. Still fast asleep next to him, a gentle smile playing on her lips, was Emma.

Seeing her like this, so at peace, every morning was his favorite part of the day. It caused him great pain to think that in just a few short hours, she could be put in yet another dangerous situation as she defended the town from its latest attack. In fact, it was that very thought that stopped him from caressing her face and planting a kiss on her soft lips. Not wanting to wake her from her peaceful slumber and drag her back into a world that was most certainly not peaceful.

He longed for the days when her troubles were not life or death matters, when they could focus on the future. Their future. Without worrying whether or not they would make it through the day. Long ago, in another lifetime, his thoughts couldn't have been more different. He longed for the days filled with danger and adventure, when his enemies would threaten his existence and he would have no choice but to fight to the death. But that had all changed when he met Emma.

If he was truly honest with himself, he had started to see things differently the moment Milah was taken from him. Her death was perhaps the first time in a long while that he had realized that there were more important things in life than adventure. Sometimes in fact, the greatest adventures could be found in the most mundane activities. Because it wasn't the adventures themselves that made them exciting, it was the people you shared them with that made them worthwhile.

In fact, the past six months of living with Emma was the greatest adventure of his entire life. And after debating with himself for the past three weeks he had made a decision. He was going to ask Emma to marry him.

Today. And not even the Crocodile could stop him.

"What are you thinking about?" Emma asked, abruptly pulling him from his thoughts.

"What, love?"

"I said," Emma begun, rolling on top of him. "What are you thinking about?" She smiled down at him, enjoying the sight of him pinned beneath her body.

"I can assure you, Swan, it was nothing of importance."

"Oh yeah? Then why won't you tell me?" She teased, as her fingers traced the compass he had tattooed on his right shoulder.

"Because.." Killian begun, his hand slipping under her shirt and along her back. "There are more important things I could be doing." As his hand reached the dip in her lower back, her body involuntarily curved toward him.

He grinned widely at her reaction. "Wouldn't you agree?"

She groaned as his hand slipped beneath the waistband of her shorts.

"Shut up," she finally replied, before pulling his face toward hers and kissing him deeply.

Granny's diner was brimming with life, as it was every Saturday morning. Together, families, friends, and lovers shared hot meals and countless cups of coffee as they reveled in one another's company. Things had been quiet in Storybrooke for the past week and while no one expected it to last, everyone's spirits had certainly been raised.

The door's bell chimed as Belle entered, her eyes glued to the pages of the book she was reading. Without looking up, she attempted to navigate toward an open seat near the counter. She had almost reached when Granny, carrying two cups of coffee, collided with her.

"I'm so sorry," Belle cried, as the cups shattered on the ground and her book landed at her feet.

Granny shot her a displeased look before bending over and collecting the fragments.

Belle sighed, so much for her uneventful breakfast. She had a feeling today was just not going to be an easy day. Grabbing a handful of napkins from the counter, she dropped down and begun mopping up the spilled coffee.

"I think you dropped this, love" Killian said, as he crouched down and picked up her book. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he read the title: The Forgotten Secrets of The Underworld. "Not exactly light breakfast reading," he commented, handing it back to her.

She sighed once more, as she reached up and placed the book on the empty seat.

"I'm not sure if the water from the river of lost souls is the only thing my husband brought back," she confided in a whisper.

Killian nodded in understanding, as he helped her clean up the coffee. "You're right not to trust him, love. There's no telling what the Crocodile is up to."

"I know he said he's been busy looking for our son, I just get the feeling he's not being entirely honest with me. Like there's something else going on."

'You mean with the Black Fairy?" he asked.

Belle nodded. "I just wish..." she trailed off as she spotted something lying on the floor. Her eyes widened. "...Killian?"

"Aye, love?"

Belle's eyes somehow widened further.

"What is it?" he prompted.

"Is that?" Belle asked, her head nodding toward the small velvet box next to his foot.

Killian's eyes widened in panic, as he quickly grabbed the box and shoved it in his pocket.

"Was that?" Belle asked again, excitement in her voice this time.

"Aye, and you didn't see anything," he told her, as he stood up and extended his hand out to her. Belle accepted his offer, allowing him to pull her up, before she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I'm so happy for you. For both of you," she said with a genuine smile.

Seated in a booth near the back of the diner, texting on her phone was Emma. As she hit send, she looked up and around in search of Killian. He had gone to get them some coffees from the counter a while back and hadn't returned. Her eyes scanned the crowd before she finally found him, standing at the counter hugging Belle.

"Huh," she said aloud to herself.

After a moment, the pair parted and he turned around. His eyes locking with Emma's from across the room.

In no time at all, he was in front of her and sliding into the bench opposite her.

"Everything okay?" Emma asked.

"Aye, love. Nothing to worry about."

"Not trying to run away with Gold's latest wife, are you?" Emma joked. "Captain Hooks doesn't have quite as nice of a ring to it."

Killian frowned, not appreciating the joke. "She's just feeling a tad emotional what with the baby missing for so long," he lied smoothly.

Emma nodded in acceptance.

She knew he was lying, but decided to let it slide. "So where's the coffee?"

"Oh right. Slipped my mind. How 'bout we just order some with breakfast?" he suggested, picking up a menu.

"I thought you were in a hurry to get started on that secret day you have planned for us?" Emma teased with a smile.

Killian laughed lightly, "It can wait. Sitting down for a proper breakfast never hurt anyone."

"I agree," Emma replied, leaning over and kissing him. She pulled back, just as the door's bell chimed once more announcing the arrival of another patron of the diner. Without thinking, her eyes glanced at the doorway. Emma suddenly froze, stunned.

"Swan?" Killian prompted, concerned. "What is it love?" he asked, as he turned around.

And that's when he saw the cause of Emma's sudden shock. For standing just in front of the door, looking completely out of place with her damp and rumpled clothes, her brown hair a wavy mess, was an all too familiar woman.

Finally, after his brain had had a moment to process what he was seeing, he dared speak.

"Milah?"