Title: The Ever Circling Path

Part: 7/8

Author: Roguie et al.

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Characters: Emma/Killian

Rating: T

Spoilers: Yep.

Summary: Tired of the distance between them, Killian challenges Emma with an adventure, on that he controls entirely, at least until the final leg of our journey, which is completely out of his hand.

Disclaimer: Definitely not mine, if they were – well, hiatuses just would not exist.

A/N: Two days two days two days two days two days! It's safe to say that I cannot wait until Sunday. As such, here is the second to last chapter of The Ever Circling Path. If I garner enough inspiration between now and Sunday night, I may have the last chapter up in time to say this is bloody finished before the hiatus ended. Wouldn't that be great?! Lol! Thanks for staying with me with this. It's been a TONNE of fun to write and your reviews have meant the absolute world to me. Tonight we have the final relationships in Emma's life coming together – since all of you impatient people were demanding what I had always planned to do! :P~ Now, convince me to write the last part, would ya? Or no Hook and Emma for you! ;)

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It didn't escape Emma's attention that David was silent the entire long drive from the loft, across town, and very obviously towards the docks. She smiled at him gently, her hand covering his for just a moment, bringing a small curve to his lips. The sadness that radiated from him was buried beneath the happiness that glowed in his clear blue eyes. Somehow, Emma just understood; tonight, in his mind, David was taking the last step to give her away. Oh, sure, it's not like she and Hook would be walking down the aisle in the coming hours (at least, they better not be or she'd have to break her own heart by killing the pirate before dawn), but this step, this game playing, this taking her step by step closer towards Killian, all of it sent David a clear message: if all went well tonight, Emma would no longer be his. Another man would be the important one in her life, and since he'd missed every single moment since she'd been born, that hurt her father. He would never deny her love, but he just wished he had more time. And a prince to offer her rather than the somewhat scraggly, one handed, occasionally alcoholic, recently homeless pirate she'd chosen instead.

For once, Emma found the right words.

"Hey, David?"

He smiled up at her, cocking his head to the side before returning his eyes to the road.

"So, yeah, I know I've never been your little girl, but you know whatever happens, I'll always be your girl, right? Can't really change that, and we've kinda proven it. A lot."

She was rewarded by the blistering grin that spread across his face and the straightening of his shoulders as he glanced at her and then looked straight ahead.

"You have a long list of people you belong to Em." He chuckled, shaking his head. "My girl. Henry's mom. Hook's woman." He paused, waiting for a protest to his words that never came, which lightened him and caused him to sigh at the same time. "As selfish as it sounds, I just don't want to be last on your list, when I never got to be first."

Emma shook her head, looking out her own window. "Jesus, three years ago, who knew I'd be here with more family than I could ever know what to do with? You're never gonna be last, Dad."

He smiled. "That's all I ask. Hey, look up. We're here."

When Emma looked out of the windshield, she was surprised to see her son waving at them in the darkness from only a foot in front of the truck. She couldn't help the grin that took over her lips at the sight of her son, his brown hair askew in the wind, his cheeks pink from the cool air, his hand stretched out to take her own as she stepped out of the truck and towards him. The boy let out a low whistle as he looked over his mother, nodding in approval.

"You look great, Mom."

Even after all the compliments she'd gotten from David and Mary Margaret earlier in the night, her son's hit home the hardest and she blushed. "Yeah, well, I can't deny that the pirate has a good eye for pretty things."

David chuckled behind her. "As I reminded your mother earlier tonight, of course he does, he picked my kid."

Emma was surprised by the silly, breathy laugh that escaped her lips, following the kid as he led her down the length of the wooden dock and towards the small sailboat moored at the end. Rows of white tea lights hung from the mast and sail lines, lighting their way as Henry made sure she was settled on board before turning to hug his grandfather, taking the duffle bag and roses from the older man's hands and settling them safely in the bow of the boat. He headed back towards the docks to loosen the moorings and as the boat set lightly adrift, he returned to Emma's side, carrying a large box and an envelope.

"I got this, Mom; you sit on the bench at the bow and see what Killian left you."

Emma was quietly impressed with Henry's sailing skills as he carefully maneuvered them off the docks and out into open water, sailing easily up the shoreline, watching the stars with what she swore was a trained eye, using them to navigate their progress through the lightly rolling tide.

With a deep breath, knowing Killian wouldn't give her anything questionable in Henry's presence, she opened the box first. Inside was a long, oxblood cloak. Her sudden gasp drew Henry's gaze and he secured the sail before moving over to her, glancing into the box, another low whistle on his lips.

"Wow! I mean holy crap!"

"Right? He's insane!"

Henry laughed lightly, digging into the box to pull the soft, warm fabric out and shake it straight. "Come on, stand up and turn around."

Emma did as her son asked, shaking her head as he latched the soft fabric around her shoulders, grinning as she turned to face him, flipping the hood up over her delicately curled hair.

"So, think your old mom can give Ruby a run for her money in this?"

Henry chuckled, shaking his head as he moved back across the boat, turning them slightly in the water. "Ruby's got nothing on you, Mom."

Emma's grin was crooked as she watched her kid with thoughtful eyes before opening the white envelope that accompanied the cloak. Instant tears once again clouded her green gaze, blurring the sweet words on the page before her eyes.

My Dearest Emma,

I have loved you since the moment I saw you.

I will love you until my final breath, and beyond.

Come home, my love.

I've been waiting for you for far too long.

Always yours,

Killian Jones.

Henry expertly moved the little sailboat up against a new dock, throwing the ropes easily onto the moorings and jumping out to tie them off before extending a polite hand to his mother.

"You know, it's okay to be happy, right?"

Emma snorted through her tears but was nodding before she even realized it. "I know, kid. It's just not something I'm used to yet."

"Yeah, well, I get the feeling you better get used to it pretty fast."

"Hey, not to bring down this moment, but you really are okay with this? I mean…"

Henry sighed, holding up a hand to stop her. "It's fine, Mom. I don't know if he told you, but I was pretty hard on him with the whole shattered mirror curse. I said stuff that I couldn't take back afterwards, and really, I didn't know if I wanted to take it back anyway. It was pretty much true. Most guys would have bolted after that, I mean who wants to voluntarily put up with someone else's moody teenager, right? Instead, he showed up like the day after the clock tower and took me out sailing, just like I never said anything at all. I mean, who does that? Really? What I said was like a total non issue with him. Only someone who really honestly cares could look the other way after that, y'know? Only family could say they forgive and really mean it. He really means it, Mom. As stupid as it sounds after how hesitant I've been to let him in, we are his family, which kind of makes him ours, don't you think?" Henry grinned. "Besides, he let me sail this girl all by myself, and that's pretty cool."

Emma laughed, holding her kid close, shaking her head. "You're pretty cool, y'know that, kid?"

"Yeah, well, I kind of have to be. Look at my family."

He turned her on the docks and shoved her towards the beach and the small house she could see lit up in the darkness. She reached the door, hesitating before knocking, chewing her lip lightly and jumping as it opened seemingly of its own accord. To say she was surprised to see Regina exit the house was an understatement.

"Miss Swan."

"Regina."

"Henry has offered to take me sailing up the coastline before I take him home for the evening."

Emma smiled, glancing back down to the docks where she could just see her boy adjusting the lit up sails on the small boat. "He's waiting for you."

Regina glanced back at the house, sighing heavily as she shook her head in defeat. "Your pirate has certainly made an impression on our son, Emma."

"Yeah, he has that effect on people. Just worms his way in when you're not looking and takes up residence like he owns the place."

Regina chuckled darkly, shaking her head. "I believe you've described more of a parasite than a boyfriend."

Emma shrugged. "He's good for me; in a weird I'm three hundred years older than you and piss off your father on a constant basis kind of way."

The smile that crossed Regina's face was soft as she looked out at the ocean with unreadable eyes. "He convinced you not to leave Storybrooke with our son. He convinced Henry that there is more to life than story books and video games. He convinced your parents that he's good enough for their precious princess. He is an extremely convincing fellow."

"What has he convinced you?"

The queen shrugged. "That maybe he's worth a second glance." With a wry smile, Regina stepped off the porch and moved a little closer to the docks. "Best not keep Henry waiting for too long, if it gets much colder out here I'll have to charm the boat to keep us warm on our journey." She paused again, sighing. "Henry is happy when you are, Emma. Let yourself be happy for all our sakes."

"You gonna take your own advice, Regina?"

The queen smiled, her gaze once again somewhere off in the distance, lost amongst the waves. "I think this time I will. Goodnight, Miss Swan."

"Night, Regina."

She watched for a moment as the other woman made her way carefully to the docks, their son greeting her with a hug and gently helping her board. Emma continued watching for long minutes, raising her hand in a wave to her son and his other mother as they pulled away from the dock, the tea lights on the boat's sails disappearing on the horizon before Emma dropped her bag onto the porch, and gently placed the pile of roses on top of it.

Two steps. That was all it would take to cross the small porch and enter the house where she was certain her pirate was waiting, maybe a little eager, maybe a little panicked, but most certainly filled with the same breath stealing anticipation that stuttered the normally regular beat of her charmed heart.

With a deep, trembling breath, Emma forced her feet forward, covering those two little steps before her heart could beat another thump in her chest. The door closed silently behind her and the world outside continued on.

~~~TBC~~~

Remember, much like magic, all muses come with a price. This muse's price is that little review box down below. Please don't make her chase you for payment, it seems a bloody awful waste of her time, wouldn't you agree?