365 days.
It has been 365 days since Killian had last seen Emma Swan. 365 days since he had last seen her warm hazel eyes and her beautiful golden hair that shone as bright as real gold and her gorgeous smile. 365 days since he last heard her contagious laugh and warm words.
Killian was surprised at himself for not going insane during the year he had departed from Emma. He wrote to her as much as he could despite him knowing at the fact she could never reply to his letters to due to Jolly Roger constantly moving. But that didn't matter for so long Emma got his letters, that was when Killian knew that Emma would know he'll always be there for her, even when he was not with her physically.
"Captain." Smee called as he walked over to Killian as fast as his legs could carry him, clutching at his red cap. "The men and I were talking. Since we've completed the King's mission, we were wondering if you want to come with us to the local tavern after we've landed. T'was wondering if you wanna join us?"
Killian gave him a pointed look. He had long given up on going to taverns for wenches for his eyes only laid on Emma. "Nay. I have someone I need to get back to." He got out his telescope and looked through it to see the Royal Castle looming up ahead. The home of where his true love resided in and he smirked, feeling pleased at the fact that the Jolly Roger was drawing closer and closer. "Mr Smell, I think it's time to tell the crew to prepare for land."
Killian stepped onto the decks of the Royal Castle only to be greeted by nearly the whole village that were waiting there to greet them back from their travels. The people all clapped and cheered merrily, glad to see the King's navy had returned safely as they watched the crew get off the Jolly Roger one by one.
Killian raised his good hand as a sign of thanks to the people before Prince Charming greeted him with a hug. It was actually King Charming now but everyone still preferred to call him Prince Charming. It suited him more.
"Good to have you back." Prince Charming grinned, happy to see his friend had returned safely and unscratched. It would be his fault if someone happened to Killian on the mission and he knew then Emma would never forgive him. He slapped Killian on the back good heartedly. "The whole family has missed you."
"Missed me? Tell me you haven't gone sentimental over a pirate."
"You're not a pirate anymore Hook." Snow reprehended him, giving him a warm hug with a large smile upon her face. "You're the Captain of the King's Navy now."
"Once a pirate, always a pirate." Killian replied, turning his gaze away from the King and Queen as he scanned over the large crowd of bustling people, trying to spot her. To his dismay, Killian couldn't find her. Had she finally given up on him? Had she given up on the fact that he might never return to her? He looked towards the floor, downcast and disappointed at himself when he felt someone tap his shoulders.
"Don't you think it's rude for a pirate to be ignoring his lass?" A familiar voice spoke and Killian quickly turned around and his breath got caught in his throat as his eyes laid upon the most beautiful being in all the Kingdom's that Killian has ever travelled too.
"Swan." Killian breathed as he gazed in awe at her beauty. To him, Emma always looked beautiful no matter what state she was in. Even if that meant Emma looking like a total mess after three hours of training with the Knight's of her parents Kingdom with having her hair all scrunched up and sweaty and her cheeks flushed from all the hard work; she would still look beautiful even then. "At last. I was beginning to think you've abandoned me."
She gave a slight scoff at the comment. "Abandoned you? Please. As if I would ever give up on you after receiving all of your 267 letters." She beamed up at him, straightening her pure white dress.
Killian blinked, fiddling with his hook. "You got them?"
"All 267 and I've read every single one." Emma tenderly caressed his cheek, so happy to be able to touch him once more after being so long apart.
Snow and Charming watched the interaction with knowing smiles on their faces, holding each other's hands as they watched Emma being reunited with the man she loved the most.
Killian leaned into her gentle touch. "Aye. I'm glad they've arrived to you and only to you Swan." And he was. He was so glad that they arrived safely for he knew that if those letters managed to go astray, who knew what enemies might find them? The Evil Queen might have found one and would have somehow used it to her advantage to destroy their entire Kingdom by a mere simple letter. Something that Killian never wished upon anybody. Of course, he would have wished it in his early years as a pirate but Killian had changed from that. The letters that he had sent to Emma during his mission from Prince Charming were for Emma and only for her.
Emma couldn't take it any longer. She quickly threw her arms around his neck, burying her head into his side when she felt Killian lift her up and spun her around, the sun shining down upon them and both of them smiling and laughing for the first time since he had landed.
The crowd whooped and cheered as the two of them embraced each other. Killian's crew whistled and cheered at him jokingly but neither Killian nor Emma paid any attention to the crowd for in that moment, all that mattered was for them to be reunited with each other and being in each others arms once more after a hellish year apart.
"My Captain." Emma smirked as Killian gently put her back down on her feet, her arms still hanging around his neck.
"My Swan." Killian retorted, giving her a wicked smile and he leaned in and kissed her on the lips, feeling the power of a true love's kiss rush through them. The only magic that Killian has ever used.
At last, Killian was finally where he belonged. Oh, he did belong to the sea. The sea was apart of him and ran through his blood but he was where he called home. Where he had something even better than the sea itself. He was in the arm's of his true love and to Killian, that was all that mattered.