"It's nice seeing you so happy, Emma." Mary Margaret caught Emma's blush before turning back to the rest of the party, leaving her daughter in the safe arms of Killian in their corner booth. Emma felt Killian's arm apply a bit more pressure to her waist, almost imperceptibly, but enough for her to notice. She lifted her head from the crook of his neck to look at his face, expecting to see a smug smile on his lips. Instead, he met her gaze with a happy smile, no hint of mirth behind it.

"It's okay, you can say it."

Killian looked at her quizzically, cocking his head a bit to the side. "Say what, Swan?"

"I told you so."

She watched as his eyebrow lifted, and his hand came up to scratch behind his ear. "Love, I confess to not quite knowing what you mean by that?"

"Oh, it's an expression. It means…well…when someone says something to you that you deny, but later comes true, that person can say 'I told you so' when they're proven right."

The confusion left his features and a look of quiet contemplation took its place. He shifted slightly so he could look her directly in her eyes, searching for what she might be referring to behind her jade irises.

"So, love, what declaration of mine are you claiming has come to pass?"

Emma looked at him for a moment before answering him, her face reddening a bit as she wasn't very good at talking about feelings and happiness, as both had been a rare thing in her life, until lately. Seeing his patient smile as he watched her go through her internal musings, she knew he deserved to hear it.

"Honestly, a few come to mind, but I was thinking of one in particular. Before Zelena, um…drowned you, you said that I was scared of staying in Storybrooke because I could see a happy future here." She paused for a second, leaning closer so he was sure to hear her fully. "With you."

Killian's eyes widened as he took in her words, his hand reaching up to lightly cradle her jaw as he gazed at her with a tremulous smile. "And you are saying that this has come true, then, Swan? You are happy? With me?"

"Very much, Killian." She leaned forward until her forehead rested against his, uncaring of the public place they were in, just needing the contact. His hand on her jaw moved to the back of her head, holding her in place as his hooked arm pulled her closer. His next words were barely a whisper, the words passing from his lips to hers in the small space between them.

"My happiness at hearing that, my love, knows no bounds."

Emma closed the distance between their lips and captured his in a slow kiss, her hand grasping the lapel of his jacket to anchor her, allowing herself to get lost in the emotions she had held back for too long. His fingers began to move through her hair at the nape of her neck as the kiss deepened, his heart beating rapidly next to Emma's hand on his chest.

"Seriously, Mom? Get a room!"

Emma ripped her lips from Killian's, jerking back from him at the sound of Henry's voice from beside them on the other side of the table. Her breathing was erratic, sure her hair was bit of a mess from Killian's fingers and feeling like a teenager who had just been caught making out with her boyfriend, which I guess she had been, except it was her 11 year old son doing the catching.

"Henry!"

Henry plopped in the empty chair across from the couple with a huff, leaning his head onto his hands on the table. "What? It's not like you're the first of my Moms I've caught kissing her boyfriend in a public place. I swear…"

Emma was at a loss for words, but Killian seemed to have found his composure a bit faster, thankfully.

"So, lad, how is your other Mother faring? Still heartbroken over Robin?"

"Yeah, but she's been getting better. I think all of the work on Operation Mongoose has been helping."

Killian nodded, looking over to Emma to see if she was ready to join the conversation. She was looking at Henry with a soft smile, and he watched as she reached across the table to rest her hand over the boy's arm.

"I'm glad you've been spending so much time with her, Henry, I know she appreciates it."

"Thanks for letting me, Mom. I think she's ready to leave now, actually. Is it okay if I stay with her again tonight?"

"Of course, kid." Emma rose from her chair and moved to give Henry a hug, rustling his hair a bit before giving him a light shove towards Regina at the front door of the diner. The two women exchanged brief smiles before Regina ushered Henry into the night. Emma stood there for a brief moment, looking at the closed door with a thoughtful smile, before turning back to Killian.

"So, it looks like we have the evening to ourselves, pirate." She leaned her hip against the table, giving him an expression that clearly read 'Let's get out of here', and waited for him to catch on to her meaning. He rose, too slowly if you were to ask her, before making his way around the table to stand by her side. He leaned in, his lips just grazing her ear as his hook slid around her waist.

"What did the lady have in mind?"

Emma shivered, her mind reeling to all of the things that were clearly on her mind, and had been for quite some time now. They had been taking things slow, but she was done with that. Her confession a few minutes earlier seeming to break the dam of sexual tension that had been brewing for years between them, and she decided to not let another free night go to waste.

Her voice was breathier than she remembered ever hearing it as she responded, turning so her breasts deliberately brushed against his arm as she met his eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

His gaze was searing, desire turning his irises a deep midnight hue as he looked her over, her body simmering to life as she watched him take her in. "Perhaps I would."

She reached down between them to find his hand, clasping it firmly in hers as she did, before turning to lead him through Granny's to the back exit. She knew that the other party goers, including her parents, were probably watching their retreat but she didn't rightly care. Killian was following her wordlessly, his hand gripping hers tightly as they made their way to the stairs. By the time they reached the top, Emma stopped short, causing Killian to collide with her back slightly, his arms coming around her to steady them both.

"Swan?"

Emma turned in his arms, pulling him with her by his jacket until her back was resting against his door, her head leaning back so she could lock eyes with him. His hooked arm braced behind her waist as his right hand lifted to lightly cradle her neck. His gaze was questioning, but full of love and passion, just waiting for Emma to speak or do something.

"You were right about another thing, Killian."

His face softened, a hopeful expression taking over his features as he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her forehead, then her temple and finally her cheek. He felt her slight shudder and the soft breath she released against his throat, as her arms tightened on his lapels. "Have I won your heart, love?"

Killian leaned back at that, searching her face as her hands lifted up to rest on his cheeks, unshed tears forming behind her eyes.

"You earned it, Killian. Without any trickery, as you promised. Just an abundance of patience."

"You were worth the wait, Swan."

They both leaned it at the same time, lips crashing together in a fury, Killian's arms circling her with such strength she almost lost her breath. Her hands wrapped around his neck as their bodies collided with his door, their hips making delicious contact in a way they hadn't allowed until now. Their simultaneous gasps disconnected their lips long enough for Killian to find his wits, his hand coming around to dig in his jacket pocket for his room key. Emma maneuvered to give him room, wanting to get them inside as much and as quickly as he did. Once opened, they both stumbled through the doorway, hands grabbing at leather and buttons flying.

Killian slowed them as her fingers reached for his trousers, stopping to take in her half naked form and her pupils blown with passion as they raked over his bare chest. He lifted her hand from his waistband, bringing it to his lips briefly before holding it flat against his heart. Emma looked up and met his gaze, feeling his heartbeat pulse erratically under her palm, his skin warm under her fingers. He stepped forward, trapping her hand between his chest and her breasts, his lips coming to a stop just before reaching hers.

"My heart, Swan, it's yours…for as long as you will have it."

"Good."

He leaned forward this time, closing the distance between their lips and kissing her with the passion he had been holding back from her, unsure until now if she was truly ready to feel the depth of his love for her. His arms reached down to lift her, her hips automatically winding around his waist, allowing him to carry her the short distance to his bed. Their remaining clothes were shed with a bit more finesse, Killian taking his time to worship each inch of skin that was revealed to him as he divested her of her garments. He made sure to tease her most sensitive areas with his lips and his scruff, reveling in her responsiveness and her searching hands all over his skin, noting her apparent fondness for the hair on his chest as her fingers ran through it as she kissed him. When they were both finally bare to one another, she pulled him down to her, her thighs opening to cradle his weight, both too far gone for additional foreplay.

Her fingernails dug deliciously into his back as he entered her, slowly, his eyes boring into hers, unwilling to miss a second of her response to this moment. When he was fully seated her eyes clamped shut and a small cry escaped her lips, her legs gripping his waist as she lost herself in the feeling of him filling her so completely. His hand moved to her lower lip, tracing her slightly open mouth with his thumb before leaning in to kiss her, their tongues beginning to match the movements of their bodies, sliding and caressing in slow, sensual strokes. Before long they were panting in to each other's mouths, bodies slick with sweat as they careened to the edge of their passion, falling over together in whispered declarations and heated sounds of pleasure and completion. Killian's weight fell on her and she reveled in the feel of it, holding him tightly to her chest with her hands clasped to his shoulder blades. His breath was hot and fast against her throat as he attempted to regain his composure, his hook now buried deep in his mattress by his head while his other hand was lost somewhere in Emma's tangled tresses.

Shifting them slightly, he disengaged his hook so he could roll onto his side, pulling Emma with him as he did, not ready to leave the warmth of her body yet. When her head was settled on his upper arm, he reached around her with his hook to pull the covers over their cooling skin. He chuckled as her hand found his chest hair again, kissing her forehead as he drew her as close to him as she could get.

Emma looked up, noting the triumphant smile that had taken over his features suddenly. He laughed as she looked at him, a question in her eyes, not yet spoken from her lips.

Raising an eyebrow, he reached up to move her hair gently from her face with his hook, before leaning in close to her.

"I told you so, love."

It was her turn to raise her eyebrow back at him, waiting for him to explain what declaration he was referring to this time.

He reached down and pulled her hip tighter over his, hearing her slight gasp as their still connected bodies sparked to life once again. Her eyes shot to his and suddenly she knew, grabbing his waist to roll them so he was pinning her to the bed once again before sending him a challenging look.

His breath caught in the back of his throat for a moment, before meeting her gaze with a sinful look of his own. He found her hand and lifted it above their heads as he leaned down to run his nose lightly against her collarbone. As he reached her ear, he nipped her lobe lightly before whispering, "When I jab you with my sword, you'll feel it."