Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time

You and Me

Cause it's you and me

And all of the people

With nothing to do, nothing to prove

And it's you and me

And all of the people

And I don't know why

I can't keep my eyes off of you

- "You and Me" Lifehouse

This was not how Emma Swan wanted to spend her night. Not even a little bit.

Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled silently, picked up her glass of rum (the bastard had ruined every other drink for her, among other things) and took a long sip. Her eyes flitted around the table to her mother, Belle, Ashley, Ruby and Regina. They were having a girls night out, which was not how she wanted to be spending an evening not on call.

David was on call tonight and promised not to drink on the guys night out they were having at The Rabbit Hole. And by they, her mind silently flicked over images of her father, Robin Hood, Leroy, Tiny, Whale, Sean and (grudgingly on her father's part) Killian.

What Emma wanted to do on her night off was lounge around her apartment with a glass of rum and her pirate, preferably in one of his old linen shirts until he removed it for her. Maybe even with his hook. She did not want to be out with a group of women she was currently at odds with. Well, at odds with all of them except Regina. Since Regina's new found love in Robin and Emma's discovery of magic, the two had become almost friends. Not quite, but close enough that Regina convinced Robin to invite Killian to guys night in spite of her father's distaste for the pirate. And her father and Robin had enough sense not to question or cross Regina.

The light from her phone and a slight buzzing drew her attention from her thoughts on the lackluster night out. Her eyes widened at the text. If she had made any mistakes since her decision to stay in Storybrooke after her little adventure back in time with Killian, it was getting Killian a cell phone. At first she just taught him how to call her and the sheriff's station. Then she set him up to call Henry. Then (once Regina got Robin a phone) she put in his number. Then Henry went and showed Robin and Killian how to text. She wanted so badly to ground her son for that because now she got sexts from him on a regular basis. She was fairly certain by the looks Regina was giving her open purse, the former Evil Queen felt the same way.

She felt a flush rise up on her cheeks as she quickly typed a response.

"Who you talking to?"

Emma's eyes flashed up and connected with Ruby's arched eyebrows. "No one." She mumbled.

Mary Margaret grinned, "Oh come on, let us see it." She reached out for the phone. There was no way in the world she would let her mother read anything Killian sent her. Ever.

"It's really nothing, just Henry. Apparently he and Roland are a little bored at Granny's." There was no way that was a lie. She was sure he was bored.

Regina's eyes narrowed at her words. The damn woman knew she was lying. And Emma was fairly certain she knew why as well. She really needed to spend less time with her.

"Really? Because with that blush I'd think it was someone else." Ruby grinned wickedly at her.

Ashley squealed, "I knew it, you did meet someone!" She clapped her hands, her blonde hair flying every which way.

Emma shook her head, "No I didn't. I mean who the hell do you even meet in this town that you didn't know before?"

"Not here. In New York. You did come back from New York awfully chipper." Mary Margaret reminded her. "And you've been there four times since you've decided to stay here. And you only took Henry once."

Emma glanced down at her phone as another text came through. She felt her thighs clench as Killian's very vivid description of what he was going to do to her when they got home. With his mouth.

"What?" She finally asked.

"We're discussing who you could've met in New York." Regina droned on, "It's thoroughly boring." Regina was the only one who knew that the first time she and Henry went to New York to pack up their belongings it was just the two of them, but the three times after that it was with Killian. Emma felt it was only fair that his other mother knew what men were influencing their sons and surprisingly (or maybe not since Regina really wasn't that bad) Regina felt the same way. When Emma went to New York she just left that part out when telling her parents who she was bringing since they didn't exactly approve of her pirate boyfriend. And the weekends had been less about dealing with storage facilities (she and Henry so didn't have enough stuff to fill a unit) and more about spending a weekend with her pirate away from the prying eyes and disasters and evil villains out to kill them all.

Emma grimaced, "I didn't meet anyone in New York." She insisted. "I've told you that a million times and I'm done repeating myself." She snapped.

"Then who has you blushing like," Ashley paused, "oh."

Ruby rolled her eyes, "Seriously? Emma!" She scolded, "You can reach higher than a pirate."

Emma took a breath to push the visions of red aside. She was used to this. She was used to defending Killian. "There is no higher." She snapped. Still it was exhausting to constantly have to remind everyone how many times Killian has saved one of them or the town. She just couldn't understand why the only people willing to trust him were Henry, Regina, Robin, Roland and the Merry Men. Her father even convinced Tiny to be wary of Killian and it just made her blood boil.

"Emma, he's a blood thirsty pirate who has killed more people, bedded more women, and done more harm than good." Her mother gently told her. Leave it to Snow White to insult someone kindly.

Regina scoffed with Emma at this, "Do you think we'd have Henry back if Killian hadn't been with us in Neverland? And let's not forget who saved your precious Charming from the dreamshade." Regina reminded her.

This, this was why Emma could only stand to be around Regina. "Thank you." She murmured. "And Killian has done nothing but be supportive of all of us. And I'm sick of all of you insulting him and making him feel less than welcome." She stood up and threw back the rest of her rum, "And for the record, he was with me in New York." She grinned wickedly at the shocked women, "It was a vacation. With my boyfriend. My boyfriend who now lives with me. And Henry couldn't be more thrilled to have two dads in his life. He adores Robin and Killian." Grabbing her phone she stalked out of the bar.

She heard the clatter behind her as they made a mad dash to follow her down the street to The Rabbit Hole where she fully intended on yelling at her father and his friends before taking Killian back to their apartment, he'd given up his room at Granny's two weeks ago and Henry and she were both thrilled (for different reasons), and have him fuck her until she couldn't walk again.

By the time she reached the bar she'd really worked up her anger, throwing the door open and startling most of the patrons. She rolled her eyes as Will Scarlett, a former Merry Men and current thief, all but flew out of the bar after seeing the red in her eyes.

"Emma," David stood up as soon as he saw her, "I thought you were, oh," he paused as the five remaining women flew in behind her.

"Emma," Belle's calm voice rang in her ears, "just calm down. None of them understand."

"Just save it Belle." Emma snapped, "He's not Gold." Logically, she knew that Belle was just trying to be helpful and sympathetic, but it was insulting to Killian to compare him to that monster. And Emma wasn't feeling very logical at the moment.

"Emma, you've had a couple of drinks and you're overreacting." Her mother stepped forward. Emma stared down at her and wondered how this woman had been her best friend when now all she could see was the woman who was scared of her magic (even if she was hellbent on never admitting to it again) and didn't trust her choices.

"Stop it." She screeched, "I want everyone to hear this. I will fucking call a town hall meeting just to make sure everyone in this damn town knows where I stand."

Killian stood up and moved next to her, "Love, breathe." He whispered.

She spun around to snap at him, but the anger immediately faded as her green eyes met his concerned blue ones. She let out a long breath and a small smile curved at her lips, "I'm fine, but I'm going to say this one last time and then I'm done talking about it. It's not up for discussion." She spun around to face the group who was staring expectantly at her. Well, except for Regina who'd grabbed Robin's hand and made her way to the bar, ordering another apple martini.

"Emma," her father glared over her shoulder at the pirate who's hand and hook were resting loosely at her hips, offering her a quiet strength, "what's going on?"

"I'm dating Killian." She stated. "I know this is common knowledge, but I want you all to know that he was my choice." She enunciated the last word, "I choose to be with him. I don't want anyone else, I couldn't want anyone else. I love him." She ignored her mother's dramatic gasp and continued, "And I know no one trusts him, and I know you've done your best to alienate him, but let me be clear, that only alienates me. And Henry." She paused, "Henry and I both love him. He's a good man."

She stepped away from him and began pacing, aware she had the attention of everyone in the bar. Well, everyone but Regina who now had her tongue down Robin's throat. Not that he was complaining. "Emma, we're just concerned that,"

"Save it, Ruby." Emma snapped at the wolf. "You're basing everything off of his past. Well congratulations he's not perfect." She gestured to him, "But neither am I. I was a thief. I did time in prison. I had a son with a man who never loved me, a man who abandoned me. And I gave him up for adoption. Who am I to judge? I'm no princess. I'm a thief. And since he's met me all he's done is worship me. All he's done is stand by me and my crazy. I'm more than likely the most insecure person on this fucking planet with more abandonment and trust issues than anyone else." She paused and barely registered the look of guilt on her parents' faces, "And what has he done? Tried harder, stuck by me, saved me and my son and all of us. He's a hero. He's my hero. He's followed me across the realms, he's followed me to different times. He and Henry and Regina were the only ones who weren't afraid of my magic, afraid of what made me who I am. He's never looked at me as anything less than perfect when really I'm just this broken shell of a person trying to piece herself together to be enough for him. And I'll be damned if I let him go because some people who abandoned me don't like him. I love him and he loves me. And he shows me and tells me that every day. He loves me because I'm crazy. And he worships me and my body everyday" She chose to ignore the look on her father's face at that comment and just continue, "and I don't care what anyone thinks about it because I fully intend on spending the rest of my life with this man who is so selfless and so good. He loves me and he loves my son. Hell, he even gets along with Henry's other mom. What more could I want? And if you love me, you'll trust me. Believe me, I've been with my share of jackasses who leave me high and dry, and Killian, he isn't one of them."

She took a deep breath and faced him again. He was just standing there, with a dopey smile on his face, looking at her like the sun rose and set above her head. Taking a step forward, she placed on hand on either cheek and brought him down for a kiss, "Take me home?" She murmured against his mouth.

His arms slid around her waist, pulling her more firmly against him, "Of course. And you should know," he used his hook to push a strand of hair behind her ear, "I think you're a bloody amazing princess."

Emma felt as flush rise to her cheeks at his compliments. He was always able to do that. Stepping back she stared at her dumbstruck parents and their friends. That's just it, these women and men were their friends. Regina and Robin were hers and Killian's friends. That was all they would need for now. "Have a nice night." She murmured, smiling gratefully as Killian held out his leather jacket for her to slip her arms into. And just like they'd been doing it for years and not just a couple of months, she tucked herself under his left arm and raised her left hand to grasp his hook that was draped over her shoulder.

She loved him for who he was. Bad decisions and all. She loved him because he saw her. He saw her and he never looked back.

Well once they got past the beanstalk and Rumple's cage. But those small setbacks made her smile because even then, he saw her.

XOXO

MAS