"I think you should invite him to dinner," Henry said suddenly, taking a bite of his cereal.

Emma sighed. It had been three weeks since Gold had found out his son was alive, and two weeks since he'd asked her one last time to bring his son back through Jefferson's repaired hat. Gold was unable to go himself, as he would fully turn into the Dark One if he were to cross into that realm. She'd begrudgingly agreed, Gold owing her a favor for it. She'd called it in pretty quickly, asking Gold to reattach Killian's hand. She wanted someone with her if she was going back to the Enchanted Forest and knew he would have her back. They found Neal with ease and were able to return to Storybrooke a lot quicker than last time.

She turned toward him, leaning onto the counter, giving him a sympathetic look. "Henry, we talked about this before your dad disappeared. Neal and I aren't getting back together. We're totally different people now."

Henry let out a small chuckle. "I wasn't talking about Neal. You should invite Killian."

Emma stood up, shocked by his words. She knew Henry and Killian had grown a bit close in Neverland when they were still trying to figure out how to get back, but she hadn't been sure how close. She would watch them have conversations as Killian allowed Henry to steer the ship, the only thing that seemed to bring Henry joy while they were in Neverland. "And why would I do that?"

"Why does anyone invite anyone to dinner? Mom, he saved my life. And he's always out on his ship by himself," Henry replied.

A sad look was on his face, but Emma could see something behind his eye. She decided against saying something. "Why do you think he'd want to have dinner with us?"

Henry let out a solid laugh, the first real laugh she'd heard since they'd returned, and it brought her a small amount of joy, despite the fact that she missed what was supposed to be funny. He hopped of his stool, picking up his backpack, turning to her once he'd opened the door. "Just think about it, okay?"

She was left standing in the apartment alone, still caught up in the very idea of Henry's request. Things had changed between her and Killian in Neverland in a way that had scared her at first. But as time went on, and both of their walls had crumbled, she found that trusting him came as easy as breathing. And when he'd singlehandedly saved Henry from the Shadow attaching itself to her son, she couldn't stop herself from almost knocking him over with her embrace once they'd reached the safety of the ship. The quick kiss had been a bit of a surprise, not expecting herself to be brave enough to go through with it, but he'd reassured her when his thumb stroked her cheek.

Henry was right about one thing. Killian was always alone, unless he was with her and her family. Even though he'd brought them home safely, convincing the fairies to get them back to Storybrooke, she and her family were the only ones to really trust him, everyone else seeing the scoundrel of a pirate that they wanted to see. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss him, even if he had come by with a surprise hot chocolate at the station the day before. She shook her head, walking over to the door. She grabbed her coat and left the apartment, starting her walk toward the docks.

Killian ran his left hand, a feeling he was still getting used to, over the wood behind the wheel, the newly smooth surface bringing a smile to his lips. He'd finally rid himself of the marks that had painfully reminded him of the past, taking Henry's advice to do so. The boy had quickly wormed his way into Killian's heart, and it pained him that he'd let it happen. He cared for Henry deeply, but with Neal back in the picture, he would take what he could get, only able to be the boy's friend and confidant. He examined the wood one last time, admiring the handiwork, thinking back to when it was still marred by his hook.

"Take her a notch starboard, lad," Hook said from his position next to Henry at the helm. They'd been circling the island for three days, trying to figure out what to do and how to get home. Henry hadn't been himself since they'd rescued him, but Hook knew that no one was when they left Neverland. He noted that Henry seemed more at ease when he steered the Jolly Roger, so he let him do it as often as he could. The sheer joy that sat behind his eyes when he did, which he saw reflected in Emma's when her son was happy, made him all the more willing to let him.

"Which way is starboard again?" Henry asked, uncertainty creeping in his voice.

Hook walked to the other side of the wheel, pointing at the scratches in the wood. "Starboard is right, and port is left. Use this whenever you need to."

Henry turned the wheel one notch to the right before holding it steady once again. His eyes drifted from the horizon to the carving in the wood. "What happened there?"

Hook sighed, reliving the memory in his mind. Three hundred years later and it still pained him to think of it, but he put on a brave face for Henry. "That's actually how I…taught your father to sail. The sea is in your blood, lad."

Henry let out a small smile, having had weeks to get used to the idea of not having his father in his life. "Once you know where you're going, it's pretty easy." His eyes moved back to the horizon. "He let me sail it once, when we were coming back from New York. He didn't tell me the direction, though. He just said left and right." He scrunched his nose at the memory. "Sorry about stealing your ship."

Hook let out a laugh, now able to look back on those moments with a new clarity. "That's quite alright. I made it back, didn't I?"

"Just a little battered, though," Henry commented, glad that Hook wasn't mad about that situation.

"I think we can attribute that to the car I jumped in front of like a git," Hook said, looking back out to the horizon. He saw a large rock jutting out of the water ahead. "You might want to go another notch starboard, mate."

As Henry took his command, Hook's gaze fell to Emma, who looked more visibly relaxed than she had since they'd arrived in Neverland. When he'd rescued Henry, he hadn't been expecting her to hug him, or kiss him for that matter, but he wasn't going to complain. She'd let him behind her walls not long after arriving, finally allowing herself to trust him fully. This kiss on the deck hadn't been the first they'd shared, but it was the first in front of the others, and it made whatever it was between them feel that much more real. And he knew what he wanted. He knew exactly what he wanted, but he was willing to wait however long it took for Emma to fully be ready to move forward.

"So how long have you been in love with my mom?" Henry asked out of the blue.

The question took Hook by surprise, and he had to take a second to calm his heart. "I'm not in love with Regina, Henry," he replied, trying to avoid the question.

"We both know I wasn't talking about Regina." Henry was giving him a look that said Hook wasn't going to fool him. "I mean, I guess it had to be even before I was taken, because you're looking at her now the same way you did back home."

Hook mentally scolded himself for being so transparent, also cursing the fact that it seemed Henry had picked up his mother's lie detecting abilities. "Henry, it's not that simple." He ran his hand over his face, unable to meet Henry's eyes, automatically focusing on Emma like she was all there was. "What we are—and we aren't really anything—is complicated."

"That kiss didn't look complicated," Henry said. Hook shot him a look, and he shrugged. "I'm just saying. You know she feels the same way about you, right?"

A sigh came quickly as he looked back. "Henry-"

"Look, I don't know what my dad did to mom to make her lie about him, but I know it wasn't good. And I know that she looks really happy when you're around." Henry continued when a disbelieving look crossed Hook's face. "She looks at you when you're not looking, and it's like when Grams looks at Gramps. And you look at her the same way, too." Henry moved his eyes back out to sea, a triumphant look spreading over him. "I may be eleven, but I'm not stupid."

Hook sighed, leaning against the helm next to the wheel. "Well, what would you have me do, lad? She's still a bit…distant toward me around your family."

"If they still don't trust you after this adventure, then there's a problem. They may have been against you before, but you saved my life. You're okay in my book." Henry leaned toward him a bit, lowering his voice. "And between you and me, my opinion is the only one that matters." Hook couldn't help but laugh at the statement. Henry smiled. "I read your story once, you know? In my book back home. 'A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets' is what you said once. So," he said, nudging Hook's leg with his foot, "fight for her. I don't think she's ever had that before."

"If I get the chance, I promise I will. Now, go a notch port, lad," Hook sighed, turning his eyes back to Emma. Her face was relaxed, eyes closed, soaking in the Neverland sun. Her coat had been tossed to the side, leaving only a camisole under a thin long sleeved shirt that billowed in the wind. Her blonde tresses caught the sun in a way that made him feel he could run his fingers through it all day, and he'd be the happiest man in all the realms. But it was more than her appearance. He could imagine her catching him staring, making a quip at his ogling, having a good laugh at him. He didn't mind, though, if he got to hear her laugh. He then realized that she was sitting on the very crate that he'd first kissed her on, and he found himself wanting to march down the steps to kiss her again, but he would wait. He would wait for the cover of darkness to take them once again and hope she would join him on deck when all others were asleep.

She did.

Killian thought over Henry's words as he made his way to sit on that very crate once more. The boy was right, and Killian knew it. He'd seen it in her eyes the moment he met her. No one in her life had ever fought for her, except for Henry. Emma had told him the story of how Henry came back into her life after the first week in Neverland. It made his promise to get Henry back all the more heavy and made him even more unwilling to break it. And he wasn't about to break his promise to Henry either.

Trying to decide how he would approach Emma for the day, he turned, not having heard the steps up the gangplank and onto the deck. Suddenly, he was falling forward, bringing the person he'd bumped into with him. When he recognized the blonde mess of curls, he turned before they hit the deck, keeping her above him as they fell. His back hit the deck, knocking the air from his lungs, but he kept a tight grip on Emma's waist, making sure she was safe.

He heard her laugh—the laugh he loved so much—and tried to muster a chuckle but failed. "Oh my god," she said in between laughs, "are you okay?"

His eyes were clinched, still a bit in pain. "Just fabulous, darling," he muttered. He didn't have to open his eyes to feel that she was still atop him. If he had been able to breathe properly, he would've made a comment about it, but he was still focusing on getting the air fully back in his lungs. A sense of loss spread over him when Emma pulled herself from his arms but was immediately replaced when he felt her lifting his upper body from the deck. He managed to open his eyes to meet hers, ones that were laced with concern.

"Are you dizzy?" she asked, and he could tell that she was trying not to let the worry seep in. The thought made his heart beat faster once more.

"Just had the wind knocked from me, love. I'm fine," Killian reassured. He brought himself to a standing position, a joyous feeling spreading through him when he felt her hands on him, steadying him if he wavered even slightly. When he was sure he was fully functional again, he sent her a smile. "What brings you to my ship today? Finally cashing in that private tour I offered?" He added a flourish with his hand, making it all the more dramatic.

"Not today, Killian," she said, and he watched as her gaze moved down his arm. "How's the hand?"

"Ah," he said, bring his hand out in front of it, clenching and unclenching his fist over and over. "It's taking a bit of getting used to again. I had three hundred years to get used to a hook and only around thirty to use my hand. Good thing I'm right handed, aye?"

"Right…" Emma said, trailing off, chuckling at his non-existent joke, and suddenly staring at him.

He took in the fact that she was openly ogling him, and it took everything in him not to laugh. It wasn't the first time she'd done it. In fact, it reminded him of the first night they'd kissed. As flattering as the moment was, he realized she was there for a reason. "You were here to ask me something, darling?"

Emma shook her head, and his signature smirk made its way to his lips. "Oh! Right. Henry…" She stopped, seemingly gathering her thoughts. "Henry and I would love if you came to the loft tonight."

Killian did his best to hide the smile that was threatening to show itself. It had been since before their trip to the Enchanted Forest since he'd been to the loft, and it was just so Emma could say farewell to Henry. It had only been his second time there, both visits being only a few minutes. But this had been a formal invitation to stay for longer than a few minutes it seemed, and the thought made it hard to continue fighting the smile. "And what would that be for, m'lady?"

"We were wondering—Henry suggested it really, not that I think it's a bad idea—if you'd like to have dinner with us," she said with a slight smile, trying to cover her rambling.

Killian was taken aback by the statement. He had met with Emma for coffee a few times in Granny's diner. She had visited him on his ship multiple times, but the only time he'd ever been in the loft was on the day Henry was taken. And the fact that her son had wanted him to come over gave him a greater sense of happiness. A smile quickly replaced the shock on his face, and he tried to recover as quickly as his brain would allow. "Nothing would please me more. When should I arrive?"

Emma smiled a bit wider, despite her nervousness. "I think seven would be fine."

"Seven it is then."

"Great," she replied. She looked around the deck for a second, her hand moving to the back of her neck. "Well, I have to get to work now. David… He can only run the station by himself for so long."

"That I know," Killian said, chuckling at the memory of sneaking up on the Prince so long ago. Everything before Neverland seemed so distant and close all at once. Like it had been mere hours and long years since they'd made those memories, and they'd only grown closer since. All the kisses in the dark, the comforting touches, and being the best team they could be came flooding back at every thought of /his/ tough blonde princess, and it warmed him to the core. Deep down, he knew why she set his very soul on fire. He was in love with her, and he knew there was no coming back from Emma Swan.

He'd been so enraptured by the mere thought of her, he hadn't realized that she'd already left the ship and was walking down the dock. Leaning over the railing of the ship, he watched her silently walk away, a happiness in her step—he could tell. She suddenly stopped and looked back, immediately blushing upon seeing him staring. He sent her a smirk, and she turned, walking a bit quicker. He didn't mind getting caught staring, because he got to see that split second look of adoration before the embarrassment set in.

He smiled looking up at the clock tower. He had a good ten hours before he had to arrive at Emma's loft. He would take extra care of himself to make sure he looked his most presentable for his two hosts that night. As Emma's figure disappeared around the corner, he turned on his heel to go below deck to ready himself for the night he wouldn't soon forget.