A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading, and if you review, thank you again! Seriously, your reviews help motivate me to keep writing, and trying to keep each chapter at the same standard as the last. So keep it up!

Emma's Third Reason: His Love For Henry

It was Saturday morning and the sun was shining brightly through the window over Emma and Killian's bed. The clock radio on her nightstand read 8:15.

She awoke slowly, and rolled over to look at Killian. He always looked so peaceful as he slept, and this morning was no exception as he laid on his back and snored softly. Emma smiled to herself as she reached over to wake him, tapping him on the chest. "Killian, it's time to get up."

He stirred, groaning as he turned onto his side, away from her intrusion.

"Come on, you have to get up now. We promised Henry we'd have breakfast at Granny's and go to the park."

Killian remembered all that they had promised the boy, but saw no crime in sleeping in ten more minutes. His voice was gruff and lethargic as he spoke. "Just a few minutes more, Emma."

She sighed, knowing that he was set on having his own way. "Well, I guess I see no harm in that," She started as she rose from the bed. "I'll just be in the shower." Emma noticed that he wasn't affected by her statement, so she decided to keep going. "Such a shame that you don't want to get up yet. I could really use some company."

When he heard the tone in her voice, Killian sat bolt upright and looked at her. She laughed as he jumped out of their bed and followed her into the bathroom.

Killian enjoyed showering with Emma. Not only for the obvious reasons, but because he just loved being so near to her.

Under the spray of the shower head, she always looked so enticing. Her golden hair darkened in the water to a light brown, while her body appeared to take on a completely different form as she lathered herself up in front of his watchful eyes. He was surprised that even though they'd been together for just over a year, he could still be affected by every little thing that she did.

Emma noticed him staring at her, and she paused. "Something the matter?" Killian was very deep in thought and hadn't realized that he was staring or that she had even spoken. Emma stepped closer to him, and looked him in the eye. "Killian, hello?"

He snapped back to reality and looked at her quizzically. "Yes?"

She narrowed her eyes at him before she spoke. "Is something wrong, Killian?"

He smiled lovingly at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Not a chance, love." He kissed her lightly on the lips, then neck, then shoulders.

Emma felt a buzz between her thighs and moaned softly. He always knew just how to get an immediate reaction from her body, but she had a few tricks of her own. She placed her hands on his shoulders and bit him gently on the ear, which caused Killian to groan as his hands started to roam over her skin. He turned her around so that her back was flush against his body.

Emma could feel his arousal pressing up against her. She reached behind her back, and took his length into her hand. Killian smiled as he followed her lead, his hand trailing from her navel down to the place where she wanted it most. He pressed his finger against her, and he could feel her excitement as he started to move his finger in a tight circle. Emma responded to his tempo as she worked on him. Soon, both hands were moving feverishly as each brought the other closer to release.

Emma, aware that Henry was just down the hall, had to bite her lip to keep from screaming as Killian pushed her way past the point of no return. Her knees were getting weak as she reached out to the tile wall in front of her to keep from falling over. Emma's hold on him tightened as she worked her way through the orgasm she was experiencing.

Killian buried his face in her neck as he felt his release building up. He was on the edge and she turned around now, kissing him fiercely. That was all he could take, as he lost control, feeling his knees wobble under him. He breathed heavily, trying to get his bearings as he looked her in the eyes. "Bloody hell, woman." His voice was shaky, letting Emma know just how good a job she'd done. She laughed as she rinsed the soap from their bodies and turned the shower off.

The pair exited the bathroom and set about finding outfits for the day.

Emma was already dressed and was waiting in the kitchen when she saw Killian standing at the top of the stairs in a tee shirt and jeans. She noticed he had his brace on, but the infamous hook was not attached. Killian looked at her, holding up his left arm.

"You seen my hook, love?"

Emma furrowed her brow, as she seemed to be thinking before she answered him. "You usually keep it on the dresser. Did you look there?"

Killian turned around and went off in search of his missing appendage. She could hear him looking around in their room, and she could tell he'd found it when she heard him exclaim, "Aha! Found you, you sodding thing."

She laughed to herself for a moment, and before she knew it he was coming down the stairs again, only fully dressed with his hook properly attached. They looked for their jackets as Emma called up the stairs to Henry. "Hey, kid, it's time to go!" She heard the shuffling of Henry's feet upstairs as he called back, "Just a second, Mom! I'm trying to find my storybook."

Emma felt for a second that she was experiencing déjà vu, after just having gone through a similar exchange with Killian. She sighed as she craned her neck to look around the apartment. "It's down here, Henry. You left it on the coffee table last night." She was tired of shouting back and forth now. "Just come down already!"

A second later, Henry appeared at the top of the stairs fully dressed and ready to go. "Sorry, Mom! I promised Grace that we could look through it together today." He scrambled to put on his coat and shoes. Once he was ready, he grabbed the storybook, and the three of them left the apartment for Granny's Diner.

Emma felt content as they walked to Granny's. When they approached the diner, Killian held the door open for the other two as they walked through it. The three of them hung their jackets up as Emma turned to Henry. "Where are we sitting today, kid?" Henry put his hand to his chin, as he looked around. "How about over there? We haven't been over there for a while."

Emma smiled as he motioned for them to follow him. Henry got to the booth first, putting his storybook on the seat and then sliding in after it. His mother and Killian sat opposite him. Within five minutes Ruby was standing by their table with a tray in one hand, and a pot of coffee in the other. On her tray were three mugs, one full of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, the other two empty. Ruby placed the full mug in front of Henry, then placed the empty two in front of Emma and Killian. She filled their mugs with coffee before reaching into the pocket of her apron and pulling out a small container of cinnamon. She shook it over Henry's mug, and waited for him to say when. "That's good, Ruby. Thank you." She smiled at the boy. "Sure thing, Henry. You guys let me know when you're ready to order."

After ordering and receiving their food, the three talked as they ate, joking and telling stories. At some point over the course of their meal, conversation shifted to Killian, as he told Henry tales of his life at sea. Henry was enthralled by the stories, his eyes wide as he listened. Emma had a warm feeling in her chest, her eyes shifting between the two loves of her life as they got deeper and deeper into their conversation. She didn't even mind feeling like a third wheel as the two boys went back and forth.

When they'd finished eating and payed the check, it was around 11:00. The three of them put their jackets on, and left the diner in the direction of the park.

Killian and Henry continued their conversation while the three of them walked. As they entered the park, Henry saw Grace and gave the two adults a small wave as he ran off to share his stories with her. Emma and Killian sat down on a park bench as they watched Henry and Grace from a distance.

After a few minutes, Emma felt a buzzing in her pocket. She pulled out her cell phone to see who was calling. "It's David. I should probably answer this."

Killian could tell by the tone in her voice that she was waiting for him to show some form of understanding before she ran off. He looked at her and nodded. "Go. I'll keep an eye on the lad."

She smiled before kissing him lightly on the cheek and walking away, phone in hand. "Hey David, what's up?" He heard her answer before she walked further out of earshot behind him. Killian kept his eyes trained on Henry, who was speaking happily with Grace while motioning to pictures in his book.

A few minutes later, Killian heard a voice next to him.

"He looks like a very nice boy."

He hadn't noticed when the elderly woman had sat next to him, so he hadn't heard what she'd said. "Pardon me?"

She looked at him, and repeated herself. "Your son, I said he looks like a very nice boy."

Killian smiled at her words, not finding it necessary to fill her in on the particulars of his relationship with Henry. "Aye, that he is. Thank you for saying so."

The old lady smiled before going on. "He appears to be quite the little gentleman. You must have raised him right."

He laughed softly to himself. "That's nice of you to say, however any manners he's got he learned from his mother."

The old woman laughed at his last remark. "Oh, nonsense. I'm sure you're a very loving father."

Killian's face grew somewhat serious as he looked at the woman. "I try, but the boy is very easy to love." The woman patted Killian on his shoulder before she rose from the bench and went on about her day.

Emma's phone call had ended just as the woman sat down next to Killian. She proceeded to walk back to the bench, but froze when she heard the woman refer to Henry as Killian's son. She panicked, having no idea how Killian was going to react, and hoped that he wouldn't say something she'd regret hearing.

When he chose not to mention the fact that Henry was of no relation to him, Emma could feel a lump forming in her throat. She walked closer, trying to hear their conversation better, but she was getting distracted by the loving tone in Killian's voice as he spoke about her son. When the woman left, Emma walked up to Killian. He was still seated, so hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck, and resting her head against his as silent tears began to fall.

Killian stood, turning to her with a worried look on his face. "Emma, what's the matter? Why are you crying? What did David have to say?" He hugged her tightly, resting his hand on the back of her head.

She took his hand and lead him back to the bench. They sat as she began to speak. "It's not that, Killian. I heard your conversation with that woman."

His cheeks had turned a very faint shade of red as he looked into her eyes.

"She called Henry your son, multiple times, and you didn't correct her. Why?"

Killian sighed as he squeezed her hand. "I didn't feel the need to. Whether I've ever told you or not, I do love Henry. The fact that I'm not his father has no bearing on the way I feel about him." Killian put his hand on Emma's cheek, his thumb wiping away her tears. "As long as I love you, Emma, I will hold a place in my heart for your son."

Emma threw her arms around his neck, needing to feel close to him. "I love you, Killian."

He smiled before he replied, "And I love you, Emma."

The next morning, Emma once again awoke slowly, reaching out for Killian.

Only he wasn't in bed next to her.

She looked around the room, and saw that his brace and hook weren't on the dresser. She started to feel a panic rising in her gut as she got up and walked over to their closet, confirming her worst fears: his clothes were gone, too. Could he really have left her like this? No goodbyes? No reasons? She called out for him as her own voice was echoed back to her. She searched all over the apartment, not quite sure what she was looking for. Maybe some sign that he was coming back, even though in her heart, she knew he was gone for good.

Emma sat down on the couch, trying to hold back her tears. She cursed herself for being so stupid. How could she have believed that he truly loved her? How could she have let him in, and given that much of herself over to him so willingly? In that moment, Emma felt loneliness the likes of which she hadn't felt in over ten years. She was now alone, abandoned, and starting to think that this was what she deserved.

Emma sat up in her bed, her vision blurred.

Had she been crying in her sleep?

She looked at the clock radio on her nightstand, which read 3:52. For some reason she had the urge to look at their dresser, seeing Killian's hook and brace shining softly in the moonlight that came through the window. She tried to sort out the details of the nightmare she'd just had, but she couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness that had felt too real to be just a dream. She reached out, and felt Killian's body in the bed. She sighed, trying to fight the tears that were brimming in her eyes.

Her dream had awoken something within her that she hadn't felt since being with Killian: fear. Mostly, fear of losing him. She was starting to sob now, as she sat up, sitting on the side of their bed. She rested her elbows on her knees, and buried her face in her hands. "It was only a dream, Emma. Shake it off." But no matter how she tried to put it out of her mind, she couldn't stop thinking about the sad, rejected version of herself that sat on her sofa, alone.

Killian felt Emma's hand on his chest when she had reached for him. He could feel her get out of the bed, and he could hear her trying to catch her breath. He looked at her, not moving, and saw her sitting on the bed. "Emma, are you crying?" He asked, even though he already knew the answer.

He got up, crawling over the bed to sit by her side. He put his left arm around her shoulders, and used his right hand to hold hers. When he put his arm around her, Emma leaned her head against him, trying to memorize the way he felt as she sat by his side. She decided to speak, though her voice was feeble and small.

"Promise you'll never leave me."

Killian was caught off-guard by her words, but obliged, looking her in the eyes. "Emma, I will never leave you. I will be here for you and Henry as long as I draw breath. That is my promise."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, never wanting to let go. "I just had the most awful dream. I woke up, and you were gone, and all of your things were gone. You didn't leave a note, and you didn't say goodbye. I just felt so alone and I-" She couldn't bear to think about the dream anymore, and couldn't complete her thought as fresh tears found their way down her cheeks.

Killian held Emma close, wanting to shoo away all the worries and fears that he could feel were burdening her. "Don't think about it anymore, love. I'm here, and I will never leave you."

When Emma finally stopped crying, they got back into bed. Killian laid on his back, and Emma got in close to him, laying her head down on his chest. He used his hand to stroke her hair, trying to calm her nerves.

The steady beat of Killian's heart was the last thing Emma heard before drifting off to sleep.