an: thanks to everyone who flailed and wondered about more, I ended up writing this miniature sequel of a sorts. I hope you enjoy!
After the winter melts away and spring showers help Storybrooke's natural beauty come alive, there is a warm summer breeze that gusts through town.
Summer is a time for a lot of things. It's time for ice cream dribbling down chins and trips to the beach and to the harbor, on Liam and Killian's pet project: The Jewel of the Realm.
It's time for cookouts and summer festivals. There are fireworks and ice-cold beers and lemonade.
Granny puts out a special summer menu in the middle of June, introducing a heap of flavor to her diner's palate.
They open the windows and doors and allow a steady flow of cooler air through their small home.
Henry's started running a lot, which is fun at first, but he wears them down easily. He likes to play with all of his toys and they're trying to get him to potty train, but he seems to be less interested in sitting still when they try to coax him into it.
Emma finds joy in the little things now.
She wears her hair in a ponytail because she can and she spends her mornings sitting out on the back porch with her painting kit and a cup of coffee. She likes to go for walks along the harbor with Killian and Henry. She likes listening to Killian tell Henry bedtime stories and her son's anxious replies when the tales become scary.
She loves the nights after work that she can cuddle up on the sofa with a movie and her boys, though. Those are her favorite nights, with the windows open and the television's volume a low murmur while she sits beside Killian with Henry on either of their laps.
She paints a lot more with the summer weather and Killian always comes to find her sitting out on the porch in the mornings. He always has the messiest hair he can possibly muster and he's always squinting at her as he sits down in one of the chairs of the table they'd bought for sitting out under the stars.
Sometimes, he just sits quietly beside her and she enjoys his company. Other times, when he has something on his mind, he'll talk with her in a groggy tone. Sometimes, he wants to see what she's painting and he'll tease and poke her until she shows him with laughter bubbling from her lips.
It's in moments like these that it hits her in warm waves: they're happy.
They've made themselves a home here in Storybrooke. They have friends and they have jobs. They fit into this town as easily as could be.
The simplicity of it all could scare Emma, but she can't question it when her heart is more and more open by the day.
"I've been thinking," Killian says to her one morning.
"Uh oh," Emma says with a tiny smile.
She glances up from her canvas to find him glaring at her and she just laughs, reaching over to swat his arm. He smiles just a little at the action and sits upright in his chair. He grabs his cup of coffee from its spot beside hers and has a sip.
"What were you thinking about?" she wonders as she watches him.
Killian licks his lips as he settles his coffee down and his gaze turns soft as he stares at her. He laughs once and his attention falls to his lap, where his hands rest.
"I've been thinking about us," he says. He manages to meet her eyes and her heart skips a beat as he drags his teeth over his lower lip. "It's been… six months since we moved here and five since we started sharing a bed-"
Emma gives him a look that makes him laugh.
"Fine. Six months. You're right."
She nods her head and dips her paintbrush into her paint before glancing out at the water for reference and dabbing the canvas.
A small smile fills her lips as she thinks back over their time here. It was nearly impossible to stop sleeping in the same bed. For probably two weeks they managed to stay apart, but after their fifth proper date, Emma had just told him that they may as well just redefine their sleeping arrangement.
She doesn't regret it most nights. There are some, like when the temperature got way too hot one night, and her body was quite possibly on fire, that she gets frustrated with sharing a bed, but for the most part, it's been nice.
She likes having him beside her. In all things.
"Anyway," Killian clears his throat. He sits straighter and she looks at him as she dips her brush in water. "I was…" He sighs. "I love you, Emma."
Emma smiles at him. "I love you too, Killian."
"And I love Henry," Killian adds, and suddenly, Emma's eyes widen. Her jaw falls open and she turns toward him.
They're sitting out on their back porch, birds chirping as the sun rises, and they're both in their pajamas. This isn't anything special, but the way he's talking is.
"Are you proposing?"
A slow smile spreads on his face and he playfully lifts his eyebrows.
"Ah… I…" He doesn't deny it, instead just shaking his head as a blush fills his cheeks. "I had thought it would go better than this. I'd thought you'd let me actually do it before wondering such a thing."
Emma's eyes widen more and she swallows as reality hits her with a wince. "Oh."
Killian laughs warmly and he licks his lips as he fidgets with something between his fingers. He decisively looks up at her and her heart skips a beat.
"Darling, I don't want to propose if you're not ready."
Emma sits upright and turns toward him fully. "No, no, no. I- it's okay. Do your thing."
A devilish grin fills his cheeks and he pushes back his chair.
As he gets down onto his knee, Emma feels her heart racing faster. She studies the way he gazes up at her, at how desperately in love with her he is, and she knows in this moment that she made the right choice- picking him.
He takes a breath and releases it. "Well, I've proposed only two other times in my life, but neither of them-"
Henry's voice interrupts them, his early morning chatter cutting through the speaker of the baby monitor as clear as ever.
"Daddy!" he sings. "Daddy!"
Killian laughs. "Well, that's one way to expedite things." He shakes his head as he stares at her. "Love, I promise I had a speech planned out. It was grand and there was space for a joke or two if you were receptive."
Emma laughs and nods. "It's okay."
Killian just gazes at her and they both listen as their son begs for attention. "Emma Swan, will you marry me? Truly and properly this time?"
There's really only ever been one answer to this question.
And with things as wonderful as they are, she can see why he'd want to ask her now. Its just time. They're happily in love and it's not like they need much time to know if this is what their future looks like. It just is. It always has been.
Emma, despite the proposal being rather rushed, has tears in her eyes when she manages to whisper, "Yes."
Killian breathes a laugh and holds up a ring between his fingers. "I've been trying to find a good time to ask. You just looked too beautiful this morning, love. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. And this ring has been burning a hole in my pocket since I got it a week ago."
Emma rolls her eyes as he slides the ring over her finger. He leaves a kiss to her knuckles and then pops up to lean down for a kiss. She smiles against him, cupping his warm scruffy cheeks with her hands.
"Mommy!"
They break apart smiling, regardless of the little boy that apparently has deemed this morning something to interrupt.
"I love you." Emma says. She licks her lips and wishes for once that their toddler wouldn't desire to break them apart.
"I love you." Killian says in turn. He leans in for another quick kiss.
"Go get our monkey," Emma sighs when Henry makes a rather frustrated sound. "Maybe we can go see Granny for celebratory breakfast at the diner."
Killian grins at that. "Alright. I do quite like the sound of that." He steps back, beaming from ear to ear just as much as she is. "Shall we phone the Nolan's and see if they'd like to join us?"
Emma scrunches up her nose at him. "I think I'd like to have breakfast with my fiancé and my son, if that's okay. I've only been married- never engaged. Kinda want to take it slow and enjoy this."
He laughs and nods. His cheeks are pink and he seems giddy. "As you wish."
They smile at one another as he goes back into the house and she listens through the baby monitor while she finishes up her painting as Killian gets Henry out of bed.
"Monkey! Hi!"
"Daddy! Daddy!"
A soft happy smile fills her lips and she nibbles on her lower as she catches a glimpse of the ring wrapped around her finger.
Yes. This is right. This is good.
"Oh, you're getting so heavy," Killian grunts. Henry starts giggling and Emma imagines Killian must be tickling him. "D'you remember when I asked you for your permission the other night? Hm? Well, she said yes. Mummy said she'd marry me. For real this time. Not for pretend."
Her heart warms at the idea of Killian preparing to ask her to marry him and she sighs contentedly as she stares out at the horizon.
Things have almost been too good, but she's not complaining. She'd spent plenty of time living with hurt. Now she has a family and a home and friends. She has a job she actually kind of likes and there's nothing stopping her from finally embracing this happy ending.
"I can hardly believe it, to be honest," Killian admits to Henry. "But now I can properly be your daddy, can't I?"
"Daddy," Henry sounds just as happy as Killian does.
Emma's heart swells happily and she decides to stop painting so she can go inside instead.
She tidies up her stuff and carries them inside, leaving them at the kitchen counter before she shuffles into Henry's room where Killian's dressing him up for the day.
"Mommy!" Henry giggles.
He comes rushing toward her wearing only his diaper and she laughs as she drops down to catch him.
"Hi, monkey boy!" Emma presses kisses to his head and giggles when he head-butts her. She hoists him away from her and he grins while she brushes back his hair. "Are you giving Daddy a hard time? Huh? You gotta get dressed, Henry. We're going to see Granny."
She turns him around and he goes back to Killian, who lifts his eyebrows at the boy.
"Will you stay put so I can get you dressed?" Killian uses a firm tone to get Henry to do as he wants.
Sometimes she teases him for it, calling him Captain just to make him stammer and blush, but it works, so she's not going to ask him to stop.
Henry does, indeed, stay put.
Killian meets her eyes when he's done and they smile and shake their heads at each other when Henry decides to go find one of his favorite toys to play with.
"Well, at least he's ready to go," Killian sighs. He watches the boy as he toddles back toward him with his favorite toy train and Killian takes it with a, "Thank you."
Emma licks her lips and tucks her hair behind her ears. "I'll go get dressed, babe."
"Alright." Killian smiles back at her until he has dimples in his cheeks.
He watches her get up and she waves her left hand at him, her eyebrows dancing as she gives him a coy look.
He laughs sweetly. "I take it you like the ring."
Emma shrugs. "I like being engaged. To you."
Killian hums happily. "I do too."
Between the both of them taking time to get dressed and ready and Henry wanting to play with them in his bedroom before they painstakingly had to get him to put the toys away so they could go, it takes them an hour to get out the front door.
Emma watches as Killian carries Henry inside the diner. Henry's happy to be outside, grinning at her and gesturing to the outside world with a song on his lips. She holds Killian's hand and he grins over at her as they walk the sidewalk to the front door.
Ruby's attending to a table and the diner is relatively quiet for the hour, which is nice.
"Hey!" Ruby calls out. "Take your pick, Joneses. I'll be right there."
Ruby winks at them and Emma's heart leaps. She might not know they're engaged, but they are, so the teasing is a little more than that now.
Killian laughs softly and chooses their favorite booth near the front window. He settles Henry down first, but when he slips into the booth, Henry wants to climb into his lap anyway.
Emma laughs and plops down across from them so she has a good view of both of her boys.
She can't stop smiling. She's sure she must look really ridiculous, but she's just incredibly happy.
"Mama," Henry says, brow creasing as Killian flips the menu over on the table.
"Yeah?" Emma replies, tilting her head at him.
Her son stands up in Killian's lap and bumps Killian's head back, making her laugh to herself.
Henry starts chattering nonsensically and she just hums as she listens to him. Killian's fingers pinch at Henry's sides until he stops talking and instead laughs so happily she thinks he might start crying. He twists in Killian's arms and ends up staring up at him, caught in the crook of his arm.
Emma's heart warms at the sight and she sighs happily.
"Do you know what you'd like?" Ruby asks from the head of the table.
"The usual," Emma smiles. She keeps her hands below the table to keep their engagement a secret for the moment and Ruby just nods her head and turns to look at Killian.
"Aye. The usual for me as well. And could we get Henry-"
Ruby pulls out a kids menu before Killian can finish talking and digs into her apron for the big crayons she's started carrying around thanks to all of the little ones that come in to eat with their parents.
"Thanks," Killian grins.
"Mhm," Ruby winks at them. "I'll have your breakfast in a few."
Henry immediately takes interest in the colors on the menu when Ruby walks away. He props himself up on Killian's lap and Killian takes one of the crayons to the page, showing Henry what to do before relinquishing the crayon to the almost two-year-old.
"Do you think you'll be an artist like Mummy, Henry?" Killian wonders.
Emma hums skeptically. "We'll see."
She props her chin up in her hand and leans her elbow against the tabletop. She watches her son color the crap out of the character on the front page and laughs when he turns to his daddy with a huge grin.
Killian gasps and kisses Henry's head. "That's brilliant. Mummy, look!"
She hums and nods when Henry turns to her. "Yeah. Good job, monkey!"
The bell to the front door tinkles and she glances over in time to see Liam and Elsa enter. They grin at them and wave.
"Oh, look who it is!" Liam laughs. "How are you?"
Emma, feeling just a little subconscious about the ring wrapped around her finger, stretches her fingers against her thighs and sits upright while she watches Liam and Elsa come to the head of their table.
Telling Liam and Elsa that they're getting married will probably be one of the more important discussions they'll have and her nerves tickle her belly just thinking about it.
"Good," Killian grins. "Just having some breakfast. How about you?"
"The same, actually," Liam says. He gazes down at Henry and then looks at Emma with his dimples in his cheeks. "Are we still on for tonight?"
"Absolutely," Killian says. "We've been looking forward to it all week long."
Elsa and Liam both laugh. Emma just smiles at her secret fiancé.
"Good," Elsa says. "Because we're very ready for another trip on the boat. We're bringing the food. You're bringing dessert, right?"
Emma hums. "Yes. Twice as many brownies because last time Killian ate them all before we got to the harbor."
Everyone laughs happily.
Liam nods his head. He studies their table and furrows a brow. "If there was room, we'd join you."
Emma gives Killian a look that he perfectly interprets in a heartbeat. All those days of silent communication when they were faking marriage have really paid off.
"You can sit behind us," Killian offers. "That's close enough, right?"
It's a compromise that goes well. Having them close, but not terribly close, is good. She can breathe this way and not have anyone freaking out about the engagement when she reaches for her drink.
Well, that is, until Mary Margaret, David, and little Leo enter the establishment.
"Emma!" Mary Margaret grins and comes to the head of the table. David's holding the baby in a carrier and he peels off his sunglasses as he comes to stand beside his wife. "You won't guess what Leo said this morning."
Emma laughs. "I can't even begin."
Mary Margaret's eyes are wide. "He said something that definitely sounded like 'Emma'."
"No way," Emma laughs.
She looks over at Killian, whose eyebrows are lifted high on his forehead.
"Love, I didn't know you were trying to get him to say your name. I've been trying, but he doesn't seem to want to say Killian. Nor does he want to say Killy. I've tried it all."
Everyone laughs, including Liam, who sits behind his brother. He turns around in his booth and the Nolan's grin and greet the pair.
"Hey, Emma, are we going to get together for a barbecue next weekend?" Mary Margaret asks.
Emma nods. "Yes. At our house this time. And you don't have to bring anything."
Mary Margaret gives her a pleading look. "Are you sure? I can bring a cake or-"
"No," Emma insists. "We've got the whole thing covered. Just bring yourself and be ready to listen to Killian tell the same stories he tells at every barbecue."
Killian rolls his eyes when she glances over at him with a teasing grin. Mary Margaret giggles happily.
"You're too cute," Mary Margaret says. "Okay. We'll get out of your hair. I could probably eat all of the pancakes Granny could make me right now."
Emma just chuckles as she watches the Nolan's find their table and she turns back to Killian with a sigh.
"Do you think any of them know?" she asks quietly.
Killian ponders her question and then squints as he shakes his head. He leans across the table, his voice lowered, "I don't think we'd be left alone if they knew."
Emma hums. She pats his cheek and then he pulls himself upright as Henry sets the crayon down.
"You hungry?" Killian asks their son.
At that moment, Ruby comes to their table with Emma's hot chocolate and Killian's coffee and orange juice. She lifts her eyebrows at them.
"Your breakfast is almost done." She catches Henry's eye and smiles at him. "Hi, little dude! How are you?"
Henry beams at Ruby and she reaches in to tickle his belly. She's rewarded with giggles that make her grin.
Ruby looks at both of them. "So what do we think- on his second birthday can I ask?"
Emma gives Ruby a confused look. "Ask what?" She reaches for her hot chocolate and sips.
Ruby's eyebrows dance on her forehead and she shrugs. "You know… when you're going to have another. Preferably a girl so I can take her under my wing."
Emma's cheeks feel hot and Killian just laughs.
"You are not becoming the mentor to our hypothetical baby daughter," Killian says firmly. "And you can't ask until Henry's third birthday. I'm afraid it's the rules."
Ruby narrows her eyes at Killian. "Fine."
Killian winks at her before she turns around to go attend to another table. Emma's stomach twists and she licks her lips nervously.
They haven't talked about kids because Henry's enough for them right now, but she doesn't know what he actually wants.
And she just agreed to marry him.
It hits her with a terrifying pang in her chest.
"We don't have to have a baby," Killian says softly. He must notice the way she's staring at the table, as if she could drill a hole into it with her vision. Her gaze flickers up to his and he smiles gently. "I'm happy with how things are. We can talk about it, though, aye?"
Emma nods. "Yeah. We can talk about it."
Her excited anticipation for their future together returns when she feels the ring around her finger. They're in this together. There's no need to worry about hypothetical future children when Killian is the most understanding and caring person she's ever known.
She sucks in a deep breath and smiles at her son when he sends one of his toy trucks zipping across the table to her.
She sends it back to him and he giggles happily.
The bell above the door tinkles again and Emma's attention is solely on the way Killian kisses Henry's head, and how he tickles his side so his laughter echoes off of the walls.
"Emma?"
The voice, so familiar, breaks the smile from her face, and she turns, her heart racing, to find someone she'd thought she'd never have to see again. Neal Cassidy.
Her eyes widen and she shakes her head. "Neal?"
At this, Killian straightens out and holds Henry close.
The thing is, Neal hasn't been in her life for a while. He's called, as he always attempts to, and she always either ignores him or gets into an argument with him. Seeing him in person is almost terrifying.
He comes to the head of the table and she feels like all of the life and happiness she'd once felt for this day has been zapped straight away.
Neal rakes his eyes over the situation and Emma tenses. She knows Henry's safe in Killian's arms, but she doesn't have him on her side of the table, so she feels vulnerable.
"Neal, why are you here?" Emma asks, teeth gritted. "You can't just-"
"I'm here to see my son," Neal says, furrowing his brow.
Henry whimpers as if he's afraid and she can relate. Neal's tone is angry and hard.
"Daddy," Henry murmurs.
Killian turns his gaze to the boy. "Shh. It's alright. I'm here."
Neal looks at Killian and Henry's little eyes peek up at the man who sired him before he burrows close to Killian. Killian just wraps Henry up close and strokes a hand over his back in soothing circles.
"It's too late for that," Killian says to Neal. "You lost your chance at being in his life when you left them."
Neal narrows his eyes at Killian and shakes his head. "Who the hell are you?"
Killian gives Neal a hard look. "Killian Jones. We've spoken on the phone a few times. I believe you once called me 'The British Ass' when you texted Emma?"
Emma swallows thickly and slides toward Neal on the bench. "Hey, Neal, we can talk outside. I really don't-"
"Emma, why are you hanging around this guy?" Neal asks with dismay in his tone, as if he's any better.
She gives him a dry look. "Because we're happy together."
Emma stands up and shoves him backward with a single hand to his chest. She arches a challenging eyebrow at him when he growls at her.
"Come on. We can talk, but not in here. Not around my son. You scare him."
Neal scoffs. "I do not scare him. He's my son!"
Killian suddenly stands up and leaves Henry with Liam before approaching Neal. He tilts his head toward the front door, looking deadly serious when he says firmly, "Come on, then. If Emma wants to talk, you'll talk. Outside. Per her wishes."
Neal searches Killian's face, both of them puffing out their chests in an attempt to seem more powerful, and Emma just waits, twisting the new ring on her finger.
"Fine." Neal huffs. "But you don't scare me, pal. I know you're not married. Emma doesn't commit."
Something inside of her snaps and she steps forward. "I did commit," she says with a growl. She yanks him by the collar of his shirt. "Come on."
Emma leads the way outside and she doesn't look back to see how Killian's probably glaring at her ex.
Neal joins her in Granny's front garden and she folds her arms to her chest, shaking her head at him as he slides his hands into his jean pockets.
"Why did you come here?" Emma snaps. "I thought we had an agreement. You don't get to see him because you weren't there at all when I was pregnant or when I had him."
Neal shrugs. "Yeah, well, I changed my mind. I want to see him now."
Emma becomes nervous at the look on Neal's face. She lowers her arms and curls her fingers into fists by her sides as she stares at him.
"You can't," Emma informs him, eyes wide. "Because he's happy with the life Killian and I are giving him. I'm not going to let you just take him from us." She tosses a hand toward the diner. "You saw him in there, Neal. He was scared when you came up to the table. And Henry loves meeting people, so obviously you're an outsider to him."
Neal clenches his jaw and shakes his head. He becomes slack, his shoulders sagging, and he licks his lips before dragging his teeth over his lower lip.
"Em," he sighs. "I just… I miss you."
Emma rolls her eyes hard. "Yeah. Right." She tilts her head to the side. "Neal, you never once missed me. Even when we were together." They stare at one another silently. "You just have to face the facts. I'm with Killian now. He's Henry's dad and we're happy together."
Neal gives her a pathetic look. "C'mon, Emma. Henry doesn't belong to him."
"He gives of himself every day just to care for him," Emma snaps. "He's changed more diapers, soothed more tears, and played with more toys than you ever have. He makes Henry laugh. He makes him happy. And that's all I want for him. Why can't you want that too?"
Neal just stares at her.
Emma scoffs. She shakes her head. "This is how selfish you are. You've always been like this. Ever since Portland and the damn watches."
"That wasn't my fault," he argues. "I was set up."
"And why didn't you bail me out?" Emma raises her voice. "Why did you let me sit in that jail cell for eleven months? I didn't do anything."
Neal frowns. "Emma, I- I couldn't be implicated. Someone had to take the fall and I couldn't. I had been caught too many times before. You knew that."
She laughs hysterically. "You know how ridiculous that makes you sound? And you want me to let you have time with my son? No, Neal. You can't."
"I deserve to have a second chance," Neal yells. "Give me a second chance with my own kid, Emma!"
"No!" Emma fights back. "You've already had more than one second chance, Neal. And you failed me every single time. I wish you would stop coming back because I'm not about to bend over backwards just so you can have your way."
"Oh, so just because you found yourself a fancy new boy toy with an accent you think you're better than me? I was all you had, Emma. Remember that? Remember what we had?"
The front door to the diner swings open and Killian steps outside. Clearly, he could hear them arguing from inside. She knows if she were to look, she'd see everyone she cares about snooping a look too.
It would embarrass her, but she feels more embarrassed for Neal at the moment than anything.
Killian comes to stand beside her and Neal, who is already worked up, scowls.
"Okay, mate," Killian says, nodding toward her ex. "I think it's time you took a walk. Calm down a bit. Before someone gets hurt."
She sees him cock a fist and before she can say anything, Neal hits Killian in the face. Twice.
Killian staggers backward and she gapes at Neal, reaching for Killian.
"What the hell? You can't just-"
Killian decks Neal in the face before she can finish her sentiment and he falls onto the ground with the force of it.
Her eyes blow wide at the situation and she looks between the two men, ultimately staring at the man she's sharing her life with. Killian's chest heaves and his jaw tightens and shifts as he stares at the man he'd knocked down.
"Are you okay?" Emma asks him, reaching to touch the skin of his cheek where Neal's fist had landed.
She examines his face, finding his eye just beginning to swell and her heart aches. It shouldn't have been taken this far.
"I'm fine," Killian promises her with a tight smile.
She sighs and lowers her hands before she turns to see Neal. She offers him a hand, but he doesn't take it.
"Stay away from us," Killian says as Neal pushes himself to his feet. "Or we'll have to take legal measures, and I'd rather allow Henry the option of meeting you when he's old enough. If he wants to."
Neal just looks down in shame and Emma shakes her head.
"I'm sorry," she says to him. "But you don't have a place in my life or Henry's right now. Not anymore."
He meets her eyes for the first time and she thinks she can see him- broken and unguarded. "Okay."
Emma wraps her hand around Killian's arm as they walk back inside. She's worried about him and she's still angry about what happened and she feels like running and hiding.
"We should just go home," Emma murmurs.
Killian sucks in a breath and gives a consenting nod as he pulls open the door for them. She goes first, because her fiancé is a dashing gentleman regardless of whether or not his eye is currently in the early stages of swelling.
To no real surprise, Ruby, Liam, Elsa, Mary Margaret, and David are all standing there with concern in their expressions.
"Is everything okay?" Mary Margaret asks, nervously eying Killian. "Are you okay?"
David goes to Killian, frowning as he inspects Killian's face.
Killian gives his friend a look and shoves him back gently. "I'm fine. I'm all right. Just… give me a little breathing room, Dave."
David shakes his head. "He hit you. Do you want me to call Graham?"
"No," Killian insists. "Everything's alright now."
Emma just manages to smile as she reaches for her son in Liam's arms. She hasn't told them much about Henry's birth father. They all know he's no good, and she's sure now they have an even better picture of her past now that he came to visit.
It makes her just a little uneasy, as if that part of her history could make them like her any less, but they all appear concerned, as if they want to help but aren't sure what to do.
"We're okay," she promises. "We should take our breakfast home, though. I think that would be best."
Elsa frowns at her. "If you need anything, just let me know, Emma."
Mary Margaret nods in agreement. "You have my number."
Emma nods her head and smiles at her friends. "Thanks."
/
"God, Killian, what did he do to you?" Emma murmurs as she presses her fingers to the swelling around his eye. He hisses when she pushes too hard and she winces as she pulls away.
"It's fine," he promises her softly.
Emma gives him a look. "It's not fine. My psycho ex boyfriend hit you and now your eye is swelling closed."
He sits on the couch in their living room. Having left the diner almost right after they came back inside, he's still quite hungry, and the scent of Granny's To-Go sitting in the kitchen isn't helping.
Henry's fussing from his spot on the floor and Emma sighs.
"Okay. I'll get you food, Henry. I'm sorry it's taking so long."
Emma grabs their son from the floor and carries him into the kitchen.
Killian sighs and leans back against the sofa cushions. He presses a hand over his eyes and closes them.
This certainly wasn't how he had envisioned their morning. Proposing to Emma and finally meeting her ex in the same day. Quite the interesting mixed bag.
At least he can rest a little bit easier knowing that Neal had staggered away from Granny's looking worse than he must.
He listens as Emma feeds Henry and then, after a little while, she grabs something from the freezer and comes back to him. She sits herself down on the couch beside him and he pulls his arm away from his face, managing to gaze at her lovingly.
"A bag of peas for your eye?" Emma winces, holding out the bag in her hand. She brings it up to his face when he nods and he hisses when she settles the freezing cold bag to his eye.
Killian covers her hand with his to tell her she can let go and she does, sighing as she cups his cheek. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, love," he murmurs. "He's probably far worse off than I."
Emma lowers her hand to her lap and frowns deeply as she sits there with him. Killian licks his lips and reaches in to take her hand.
"I'm alright, Emma."
She smiles a little. "I know. It's not… it's just that I spent a year fighting him on this and he just thinks he can come back and keep fighting as if it'll change my mind." Emma shakes her head. "And he insulted you and hit you. It's my fault."
"It's not your fault," Killian promises her. "I think he's just got a lot going on in his life and he felt he needed to take it out on me because I'm the one that took his place."
Emma gives him a hard look. "You didn't take his place. He never had a place."
"Aye, well," Killian manages a smile. "He doesn't believe that's the case. Or at least, he didn't."
Emma sighs heavily and he can see her mind working as she plays with his fingers. He grabs onto her hand firmly and strokes over her knuckles.
"Don't feel guilty, Emma."
"It's too late for that," Emma shakes her head. "How is it that the day we get engaged this part of my life suddenly comes back to haunt me?"
Killian adjusts the peas on his eye and cranes his head to look at her as best he can. "I think it was only a matter of time, Swan. He's been calling a lot more lately."
Emma takes a deep breath and licks her lips. She leans back against the couch and drapes her legs over his lap. He grabs her knee and tucks her closer to him, thumbing over her leg as he listens to her breathing.
"I was so done with him," Emma whispers. "When he left us alone in New York. I was so done with him and I was so thankful that he was finished butting in where he didn't belong." She slides her palm against his chest. "And I was happy."
Killian's heart flutters.
"Are you happy now?"
"No. I'm angry that Neal would ruin this day. Now I'll never be able to tell our engagement story to anyone because all I'm ever going to think about is how just a few hours later, Neal came and you guys hit each other."
It's not the best memory to have. And, as he thinks back on their actual engagement story, he's not all too pleased by what hits him.
"Swan, as far as engagements go, I think I could do better, too." Killian tells her.
Emma frowns at him. "Are you telling me you want a do-over?"
Killian smiles a little to himself and laughs softly.
"What?" Emma asks.
His laughter continues and he pulls the peas off of his face when Emma laughs along with him.
"I had this whole speech planned out," Killian chuckles.
He shakes his head as he studies Emma and he admires the way her eyes lilt happily as she smiles in the aftermath of her laughter.
"I was going to really go for it. I was going to paint a story and bring it home with the question. I think I was probably going to attempt reciting poetry." Both of them laugh at that. "I was actually a bit nervous going into it. Wasn't sure if you'd say yes."
Emma laughs softly and Killian heaves a sigh, shaking his head again.
"And then Henry had to wake up and ruin it." Emma laments playfully.
Killian hums. "Aye. As much as I love him… that was not his shining moment."
Emma breathes a laugh. She reaches up to drag her fingers through his fringe. "I really do want to marry you. For real. With an actual ceremony and with everyone we love there."
His heart warms at the mere idea.
He nods. "Aye. So do I."
"I guess today wasn't a complete disaster," Emma murmurs. She smiles more. "If we both want to get married after that mess, I think it can be considered good."
"Any day I wake up and get to see you is a good day," Killian replies, though his response is buried when Henry drops something in the other room.
Emma winces and he grimaces.
"Uh oh!" Henry gasps.
Emma drags the bag of peas back to his eye and sits upright. "Duty calls."
"Sweetheart," Killian calls her back and she immediately turns, her eyebrows lifted. He smiles and taps his lips. "I did save the day back there, didn't I?"
Emma laughs and rolls her eyes. "You were a regular Prince Charming." She leans in and obliges him with a soft kiss. "I love you. Thank you for being my hero everyday."
Her fingertips brush through his hair and they exchange gentle smiles. "I love you too, Swan."
/
It only takes a all of twenty minutes on The Jewel of the Realm for Emma and Killian to tell Liam and Elsa that they're getting married.
She's nervous as they stand there, mostly because she's worried about their reaction, but it just feels like it's the best timing as they're standing on the Jones brothers' ship in the middle of their trip out of the harbor for the evening.
Henry's in his life vest, sitting with Elsa because he likes to play with her hair, and they're all in their swimsuits. Just in case.
She can't lie- she does enjoy getting to stare at her devilishly handsome fiancé in his half-naked glory as the sun sets.
Emma has her hair in a braid over her shoulder and she holds a bottle of beer while Killian settles himself down beside her.
Liam's standing at the wheel, wearing his captain's hat, and Elsa keeps looking at him and snickering about the ridiculousness of the fact.
"So we have some news," Killian says to Liam and Elsa. His arm goes around her and he grins as he stares at her.
"Oh?" Elsa asks. She giggles when Henry pokes her nose and she pulls his hand away, settling him down so he's sitting with his back to her chest.
Emma takes a soft breath. She presses the bottle between her thighs. "This morning, Killian and I got engaged."
Elsa gasps. She looks genuinely happy, her eyes widened and her laughter bubbly when Emma shows off her engagement ring. "Congratulations, you guys!"
Emma hums. "Thank you."
When she looks at Liam, he just laughs out of disbelief. "Truly? You're not pulling my leg, are you?"
"No, brother," Killian rolls his eyes. "Not this time."
"Then I'm thrilled!" Liam cheers. "Wow. My little brother finally making an honest man out of himself. Getting married. I can't believe it."
Emma laughs happily and Killian groans. "Younger brother. And we're quite excited as well, thank you."
Elsa squeezes Henry and bounces him in her lap. "This must be so exciting for Henry too, huh? Mommy and Daddy getting married."
Henry grins up at his unofficial aunt and she scrunches up her face at him.
Emma can see it in her mind's eye: her little boy all dressed up for the wedding. Killian losing it when he sees her at the end of the aisle. All of their family and friends there.
It's real this time and their love for one another is too.
Emma cranes her head to look up at her fiancé and she smiles when he grins back at her. She reaches for his hand with her left and laces their fingers together before she leans her head against him. He leaves a kiss to the top of her head that makes her close her eyes.
The sea breeze brushes against her skin and she feels content sitting listening to Killian and Elsa and Liam chat about a variety of things as the sun goes down.
When the stars come out, they get giggly and dare each other to jump into the water while Henry sleeps below deck.
Emma ends up being tossed in by Killian, who dives in after her in an attempt to save her, but she just laughs and wraps her arms around him when he swims up to her.
She bites on her lip and studies the way he stares at her in the glow of moonlight.
"Hi," she whispers. She lifts her eyebrows and grins. "My fiancé."
Killian laughs happily. "I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that you've agreed to marry me."
"I did it before," Emma teases. "Twice."
He rolls his eyes. She treads water for a moment with him and then glances over his shoulder at the boat.
"This is real," he tells her softly. "And I'm excited to actually marry you, Emma."
She can't help but feel her heart swell. "Me too."
The water around them is restless and she finds that she is too. In the back of her mind, she's thinking of what happened earlier, especially with Killian's eye purpling as the hours tick on.
"He's not going to ruin what we have," Killian sighs when he notices her studying his eye. "He's gone, Swan. He admitted defeat."
Emma sighs. "Yeah. You're right." She manages to smile. "Okay. Let's get out of the water. It's cold."
Killian chuckles. "That it is, love. But I like to think I'm warm, aren't I?"
"Of course you are," Emma laughs. "Just not in the cold water."
/
Killian bites down on his lip when Henry wakes up.
He's sliding his pajamas on in the darkness of his bedroom and the little boy's voice is soft and slurred, "Daddy?"
"Hey, shhh," Killian whispers. "Time for bed, son."
Emma, from her spot beside him, smiles at Henry and strokes his hair. "You were a good boy today, Henry. Thank you for being so good."
Henry just hums slightly before he starts to snore again. Emma laughs and Killian finishes slipping Henry's legs into his pants.
"He's getting big," Killian whispers. "We should go find him some new clothes soon."
Emma hums. She leans over their boy and kisses his forehead. "Sleep well, Henry. I love you."
Killian waits for her to lean away before he kisses Henry's forehead as well. "Goodnight, my boy. I love you even more than Mummy does."
It makes Emma shove him and he laughs almost loud enough to wake the toddler, but Emma just laughs quietly as she shoves her hands over his face.
They leave Henry's bedroom after a few moments of watching him sleep and retreat to their bedroom yawning.
Emma sinks down onto the bed and glances over at the time before she watches Killian strip out of his clothes in exchange for his nightclothes.
Killian slips on a tee shirt and goes to their bed. It's a little hot tonight, so she suspects they'll be sleeping over the covers again with the windows open.
Emma finds herself lost in thought, staring at the bathroom door, and she shakes her head slowly when she feels the bed shift and Killian climbs up onto the bed.
"He said I couldn't commit, earlier," Emma says.
She turns toward him and he furrows his brow. "Are you worried I think you won't actually marry me, love? Because I'm fairly confident, it being that we moved in together and admitted our love for one another so quickly in our relationship."
Emma actually manages to laugh. She shakes her head. "Yeah. You're right. I'm just… I let him get into my head again. I guess he left a deeper wound than I thought he did."
She turns around and gets out of bed to grab one of Killian's shirts for sleep.
"It's not easy, Swan," Killian says quietly. "To let go of what happened in the past. Moving on from Milah was near impossible. But… I did."
Emma slips out of her swimwear and redresses in the closet before she emerges again, sighing softly as she floats toward their bed.
She curls up onto her side facing her fiancé and pushes her hands under her pillow. "How do I put him behind me when he's still around?"
Killian takes a deep breath and gazes at her. "You're already doing it. Every morning when you paint. Every minute you spend living for yourself." He smiles at her. "I like to think I've helped."
Her heart squeezes and she nods. She settles a hand on his cheek, thumbing over the scruff of his beard. "You have."
Emma slides toward him and settles her left hand over his chest. She admires the ring he'd chosen for her.
"Do you want to propose again? Since you had it all planned out."
He chuckles. "In all honesty, no, but…" He pauses and she lifts an eyebrow at him until he says, "Would be alright if I asked you a fourth question?"
Emma furrows her brow. "What do you mean?"
His tongue darts out and he wets his lips on a sigh. He starts to get embarrassed, with red filling his cheeks and ears.
Her eyes widen. "Oh. Oh. Okay. Yes. I know what you mean, babe. Please continue. Fourth question. Go."
"Are you certain?" he teases. "Perhaps I could save it for tomorrow. We do have an engagement we could be celebrating."
His eyebrows dance and she just rolls her eyes and smacks his chest. "Shut up and propose to me."
Killian laughs. "As you wish." He sucks in a breath. "Okay. Would it be alright if I asked you a fourth question?"
Emma smiles sweetly at him. "Yes."
Killian's fingers find the ring on her finger and he twists it off. "I'll need this for just a moment, Swan. Promise to give it back."
Emma giggles softly. "Mm."
Killian clears his throat and steadies himself. "I love you, Emma, and I love Henry."
Her heart swells happily.
His eyes shimmer as he stares at her. "Falling in love with you was never part of the plan, but, I've never been happier that I have. You make me want to be a better man. Every single day. And I just want to spend the rest of my life giving you and Henry a home, because you're mine."
Emma smiles and nods at him.
Killian takes a breath. "So, to ask you my fourth question." He takes a long moment to study her, as if he's actually doing this for real, all over again, and it makes her breath catch. "Emma Swan, will you marry me?"
Tears gather in her eyes and she nods before she whispers, "Of course I will."