Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time

AN: A massive thank you to GranddaughterOfCaskettAndTivia for her help with this story. I know these chapters are a lot longer! Also, thank you to everyone who has responded so positively to the story. I know it's not super traditional to have Emma this at odds with her parents, but for those of you patient enough to stick with the story, all will be explained in the future! Thank you everyone and enjoy chapter 4! ~ XOXO MAS

Chapter Four

Emma's eyes narrowed in on her mother. "A ball?" She questioned. "You're kidding me, right?" She didn't give her mother a chance to respond. "The kingdom is in shambles. The surrounding villages haven't been built up and you want to have a ball? A ball to find a prince that I don't want. Is that how it works here? We wind up back in your land and all of a sudden what I want and need doesn't matter? What my son wants and needs doesn't matter? Hell, what the kingdom needs doesn't matter? All that matters is you trying to rewrite the past. Well, it's too late for that. I grew up alone. I'm ruined. And the ruined, orphan girl that I am does not want a fucking a prince or to attend a ball."

Snow took a step forward, only to watch Emma take a step backwards. "Emma, you're not from here, sweetie. This will give the people hope. It's what we do."

Emma scoffed. "Of course it is what you do." Without waiting for her parents' response, she spun and left the room.

"Well?" She was met in the hallway by Regina, Tink and Henry.

"The ball is happening," Emma scoffed. "This is such a waste of time." She tugged her hand through her hair. "I have to find Killian. I just... he was just kicked out?" She asked again.

Tink sighed. "Yes, Emma, for the last time, they kicked him out yesterday."

Emma nodded. "Okay, that's it, the four of us are going to the nearest port. It's not far from here, right?" She asked Regina.

Regina nodded. "It's just a couple of hours ride. If we leave now we could have him back here by supper," she confirmed.

Emma glanced down at her dress. Focusing, she raised her hand and closed her eyes. A moment later she was dressed in her clothes from back home. Henry grinned. "Do me, Mom!"

Emma nodded and focused on Henry. A moment later he was back in his clothes. "There." She arched a brow at Regina.

The woman simply raised her hand without so much as a second thought and was in comfortable clothes. "Tink?" She asked. "Do you need help?"

Tin scoffed. "Unlike you three, I have never left these clothes. Now come on, let's go steal three horses."

Regina knocked out the guards and stable boys, she promised they'd be fine, not that Emma cared at this point, and the four of them were pointing their horses towards the port. Emma had wanted to go after Killian the afternoon before, but even Regina had told her they'd never make it to a town or back to the palace before nightfall. And Emma wasn't stupid enough to go off on her own in an unknown land.

It took them four hours before they finally reached the little town on the port. The members of their kingdom who lived there had worked with amazing speed. They were cleaning up the homes, had opened the tavern and it looked as though most of the shops would be open soon. "Wow." Regina shook her head. "I must admit, I'm impressed."

Tink nodded. "No kidding, I can't believe all they've accomplished."

Emma dismounted and moved to help Henry off of Regina's horse. "What do you guys think? Should we start with the tavern?"

Tink nodded. "With Hook? Definitely."

Regina took the reigns from their stolen steeds. "Let me just make sure they can't be taken. We'd hate to lose our ride back to the palace," she muttered, leaving them alone for a moment.

Five minutes later, they were walking towards the tavern. "Do you think he'll come back with us?" Henry asked quietly.

Emma wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Yeah, kid. And if he's not allowed in, he's still a pirate, he'll just sneak in," she reminded him with a wry smile.

When they pushed the doors to the tavern open, they were surprised to find it busy. It seemed that the town was enjoying lunch inside. Emma's eyes landed on the solitary figure in the back, hunched over a mug that was likely filled with rum. Regina placed a restraining hand on Henry's shoulder. "Give Emma a moment alone with him," she suggested softly, leading their son and Tink over to an empty table in the corner.

Emma tossed a grateful smile to Regina before she pushed her way to the back. She settled down across from him. "You left," she accused softly.

Killian's head shot up. "Swan," he whispered.

She swallowed hard. "You left me. You left Henry," she repeated.

Killian cleared his throat. "It was for the best, love. Henry and his father need to bond and-"

"And I already told you I didn't want to be with Neal." Her voice was stronger this time. "Or did you think that the moment we stepped off of your ship everything I said wouldn't be true? Killian," she reached across the table, one hand latching onto his hand and the other onto his hook, "I want to be with you. I don't want to be with Neal and Henry misses you. He was hysterical when you were gone. He was afraid you were going to leave and then you did. God help us, even Regina wants you around."

Killian's head dropped. "Your parents made a compelling case for Bae and-"

"And you should forget everything they said," Emma stated firmly. "I don't care if they're the fucking king and queen of this land. I was not raised here. I may be a princess by birth, but I'm not one. I will choose who I want to be with and if that means I can't live there, then hell, we'll steal a bloody boat and find the Jolly ourselves."

Killian arched a brow at that. "A thieving princess. You'd make a fine pirate yet, lass."

Emma chuckled and squeezed his hand. "I mean it, Killian. My parents will eventually come around. I think the problem is that they finally believe they can have everything they hoped for. They're forgetting that I didn't grow up here and I wasn't raised here and I had the opportunity to meet a dashing pirate long before any princes." She paused and her head fell to the side. "Actually, I rather think that no matter where I am, no matter how I was raised," her cheeks flushed lightly, "I would always want you, Killian. You would always be..."

She stopped speaking and he arched his brows. "Always be what, love?"

She swallowed hard. "Always be the one for me," she whispered.

He stood, moving to sit by her. Gathering her up in his arms, he pressed a kiss to her lips. "I believe, darling, that you will always be the one for me, as well."

Her hand came to tangle in his necklace. "Then don't leave," she pleaded. "Fight for me. Fight for us. You're a pirate. Take what you want," she challenged him.

Growling, Killian pulled her up against him, his mouth pressing hard against hers as his teeth nibbled on her lower lip, sucking it into his mouth. A throat clearing caused them to pull back. "I'm sorry to interrupt," Tink hovered above them, "but Henry wants to see Killian and I don't think he needs to see that. Hell, the entire tavern does not need to see that." She motioned to the two of them. "But I'm very glad you two found each other again."

Emma nodded. "We'll behave," she promised. When Tink nodded and moved to go get Regina and Henry, she whispered in his ear. "Until later tonight," she promised darkly.

He grinned at her, his nose nudging against hers. "I'm holding you to that, Swan." He paused, his gaze softening. "And I'm sorry. I should've consulted you first and-"

She pressed her finger to his lips. "Show me how sorry you are later. For now, let's just get you back to the palace."

He scratched the back of his ear with his hook. "Love, it may be best if I don't stay at the palace quite yet. We may want to warm your parents up to the idea of me and-"

"You're not coming back with us?" Henry asked. The look on his face was clearly one of devastation.

Killian pulled away from Emma and pulled Henry down on the bench next to him. "Look, lad, it's not that I don't want to be there, because I do. I want to be with you and your mum more than anything, but I also don't want to cause a strife between you and your grandparents. Do you understand that?"

Henry scowled, his expression a mixture of both of his mothers. "I thought you were a pirate!" He cried out.

Killian chuckled. "Aye, lad, I am, but I also know that it will do me no good to be in your grandparents bad graces. I was thinking, perhaps, I will set up camp here in the village, at the inn, and then from there we will work on them. We can see each other everyday. I promise. And eventually I'll be able to track down the Jolly. Then you can really learn to sail," he promised. "And we can go on all sorts of adventures."

Henry didn't seem convinced and the look on his face said as much. Regina sighed and stepped in. "Henry, Killian is right about one thing, if we push your grandparents they will never let him stay with us. Let's help him set up here at the inn and then we'll work on the rest of the court. I'd imagine by the week's end he'll be living at the palace sword fighting with Charming." She tried for a smile.

Henry still wasn't buying it, but he nodded after a moment. "Fine, but you owe me some pretty awesome adventures," he told Killian sternly.

Killian held out his hand, shaking Henry's. "It's a deal, mate."

OUAT

"No." David crossed his arms. "Absolutely not, Emma."

"Why? Why not? You'd be dead if it weren't for Killian and you're really going to be the one to not let him come?" Emma tried bargaining. "I told you, I'll wear the dress, I'll smile and meet the princes if you let Killian come to the ball."

Snow was shaking her head. "No, you will wear the dress, you will meet the princes and Killian is not on the guest list. And you will do as I say because I am your mother."

Emma snorted. "You're going to pull the mother card? Now?" She asked. "Really? Because where have you been? Where were you when I was jumping from foster home to foster home? Where were you when the abusive foster fathers were around? Or the mothers who wouldn't give us enough to eat? Where were you when I was in jail? Or pregnant and alone? Where were you when I was jumping from city to city trying to find a home? And you think you can tell me what to do now? I am twenty-nine years old. I am an adult. I raised myself. I make my own decisions. I have chosen Killian. And you can trot out the rich, petty princes who don't know what it means to fight, to survive, but I don't want one of them. I want Killian. He has been abandoned and betrayed and experienced loss. He and I have lived similar lives. I was a thief, just like him."

David cleared his throat. "He's still not welcome, Emma," he murmured.

Emma's eyes flashed and she didn't respond, instead she stalked away back to her rooms. She'd only just slammed the door shut with a loud and thoroughly satisfying bang when there was a knock. "Go to hell!" She screamed. The door opened anyhow and she realized that it could've been Henry, Tink or Regina. Taking a breath, she turned. "What?" Instead she found Greta, her ladies maid. She sucked in a breath and asked, "What, Greta?"

The young woman flushed. Emma felt bad for snapping at her, but she was just so damn mad she could barely contain her anger. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to take your measurements for your ball gown. The seamstress has already begun on it, your highness."

Emma closed her eyes and took five very deep breaths. She couldn't take it out on this poor woman. It wasn't her fault that her parents were being entirely unreasonable. She sighed. "Fine," she muttered, throwing off her red leather jacket to strip for the woman.

OUAT

Three hours later, she was tugging at the laces on a corset desperately when a clattering sound drew her from her dressing room and into her bed chambers. She bit her lip and laughed at the sight of Killian sprawled out on the floor. "Having trouble there, Captain?" She teased.

"Ah, now there is a sight." He propped himself up on his elbows, taking in the sight of Emma in her underwear, corset and heels.

She rolled her eyes and spun. "Get it off. I can't breathe, it hurts, and I don't want to wear it anymore. Rip it off," she demanded.

Killian scrambled up off the stone floor, pulling Emma's back into his chest. "You want the captain to use his hook on you, don't you, princess?" He murmured in her ear.

Emma hummed. "Please." She leaned back into his hook. She could feel the metal on the small of her back between where her underwear and corset met.

He raised the hook and there was a satisfying rip and Emma let out a moan and Killian groaned. "The princess likes it when the captain uses his hook," he murmured in her ear as the corset slid to the floor. He tugged her into his chest, his hand and hook sliding around her torso. His hook skimming over the flushed skin on her stomach while his hand skimmed up to cup her breast, his fingers tweaking her nipple.

She keened and arched her back. "Killian," she murmured.

"Tell me, love. Tell me what you need," he ordered softly.

She turned in his arms, her hands resting on his chest. "I just need you." She brought his head down to hers. "Please?"

He scooped her up, carrying her over to the bed. He laid her down gently, his hand running down each leg and removing the heels. "You were getting measured," he surmised, noting the corset now lying in tatters on the floor.

Arching up, she kissed him hard, nipping at his lips, fingers delving into his hair. When they broke away, she murmured, "For a gown. I couldn't take my anger out on Greta. It's not her fault my parents are being unreasonable."

Killian seemed to consider this as he hovered above her. "I'll not lie, Swan, I'd very much fancy seeing you in a ball gown," he admitted, his hand skimming the swell of her breasts.

Emma arched into the touch, her fingers raising to grip the lapels of his long leather coat. "Off," she murmured, her hands flying to the buttons on his vest. "Less clothes, more skin," she whispered her voice thick. "Please?"

Killian pushed up to his knees before getting off the bed. Emma rolled onto her side, watching as he stripped slowly. Her eyes traveled to each new patch of skin that was revealed until he was naked and crawling onto the bed next to her. "Better?" He asked.

She nodded, tucking herself into his side and pressing her face into his chest, inhaling deeply the scent of the sea, leather, rum and something that was just Killian. He was all male and it called to something primal deep in her gut. She took another breath and it was released with a sob.

Killian tightened his grip on her, his hand tangling in her hair. "It's going to be okay, love. I promise. Everything will work out in the end."

Four hours later, Killian carefully slid out of Emma's grasp, dressing as quietly as he could. He had a feeling that being caught naked in bed with Swan was not the way to win over her parents. As quietly as he could, he moved back to the balcony with one last glance at his blond princess who was finally sleeping. The nightmares of Neverland and Pan still kept her tossing and turning and now the issues with her parents were only fueling them. He shook his head, determined to have a word with her father the following day to point that out. Perhaps they would at least be able to make it a bit easier on her in that regard.

He sighed and latched onto the trellis on the stone wall.

OUAT

Emma turned over, her nose pressing into where Killian should've been. Instead she met with a cold pillow that smelled like him. Pushing herself up, she glanced around. Immediately she noticed his clothes were gone. "Killian?" She whispered.

The next moment there was a knock at the door and it was pushed open. Her mother stepped in the doorway. "You were sleeping?" She asked as Emma clutched the bedspread to her chest. Emma nodded in response. "Well, I just wanted to let you know that dinner is ready. Greta told me she got your measurements, thank you for cooperating." Emma nodded again. "Are you going to dress for dinner?" Her mother asked.

Emma shook her head no. "Not hungry." She rolled back over onto her side and closed her eyes.

An hour later, dressed in yoga pants that she whipped up, Henry, Regina and Tink pushed their way into her room, setting up a picnic in front of the fireplace. Emma pulled the pillows and spread onto the floor for them. "He was here," she whispered. "He was here and then he left again." She pulled Henry into her arms. "I don't know how to get through to them," she admitted. "I'm sorry, kid."

Henry curled into her side. "I gave them my storybook. I reminded Grandpa that he was supposed to marry King Midas's daughter and not Grandma."

Emma pressed a kiss to the top of Henry's head. "Thanks, kid."

"We'll figure it out, Emma," Regina promised. "We'll figure it all out."

Emma shook her head. "I need a distraction. What can we distract ourselves with?"

"Looking for the guy with the lion tattoo?" Tink suggested.

Emma straightened. "I like it."

"No!" Regina protested.

"Operation: Lion is on," Henry decided definitively.

OUAT

XOXO

MAS