Thank you all so much for the reviews, favorites and alerts!
This story is coming to an end with this chapter. This is kind of an epilogue to give you some glimpses into their relationship during the six weeks - and yeah, I know they don't have sex on the show yet, but it's 'canon' in my story. :-)
Chapter 7
Eventually they had to go back, packing everything up and leaving the cabin behind. Emma was melting a path through the snow with her magic while holding her pirate's hand the whole way, and the moment they stepped into the outskirts of the town she felt slightly melancholic.
Her alone time with Killian was over, the town had them back, and they were sucked back in only a few minutes later.
Henry was running into her arms when they entered Granny's, babbling excitedly what they'd found out about the author so far - not much apparently but it didn't quench his enthusiasm at all - and she finally told Killian about their new mission.
And Killian had a mission of his own – trying to find a way to free the fairies with the help of Belle. Each day he was going to the library, and flipping through book after book, trying to find a solution; while Emma was meeting with Regina and Henry when she was not busy at the Sheriff's station, trying to find out more about the author.
But they still managed to find time for themselves.
-/-
Emma started to give him driving lessons with David's car, her stomach hurting so much from laughing when Killian got annoyed, and pouted adorably after he'd managed to bury the hood of the car in a snow bank at the side of the road.
A day later she picked him up with her bug, and drove deep into the woods where she was certain no one would stumble over the car, and showed her pirate that a car could be also used for something else than driving, as she introduced him to the merits and detriments of car sex.
-/-
They even went on a sailing trip when an especially warm weekend came up, taking Henry with them, and it warmed her heart as she watched Killian interact with Henry, both of them with ruffled hair and bright red cheeks, her son almost toppling over the side of the ship with excitement, before Killian was able to haul him back from the railing.
They strolled along the pier after bringing Henry to Regina that night, sitting down on a bench and looking out over the ocean. It was then that she asked him if he missed the Jolly Roger, the expression on his face squeezing her heart. She knew he would do it all over again in a heartbeat, without any hesitations. She knew he loved her so much. But she still felt sad that he had to give his ship up to come back to her. Maybe one day they could buy him a new one. If he wanted to.
-/-
Five weeks after Belle had forced Gold over the town line Emma started to skim over the newspapers to find a new place, circling the ones she wanted to take a look at. She told Killian later that day that she wanted him to go with Henry and her, because after all he would spend a lot of time there too.
She didn't ask him to move in with them. It was a little too soon for that. But in a few months they both might be ready, and she wanted him to like the new place. It should also feel like home for him.
All three of them agreed that the apartment near the ocean was perfect, Killian taking in a deep breath as he leaned out of the window, a soft smile curling up the corners of his mouth as he pulled her into a tight embrace.
He accompanied her home later, like every day, giving her a long good-night kiss in front of the door. Her body was humming pleasantly with heat, and she couldn't wait to have her own apartment where he could sleep over whenever they felt like it.
"Same place and time tomorrow?" he asked, his thumb caressing her cheek while he smiled down at her.
She stood up on her tiptoes, and pressed her lips against his for a last kiss.
"Yep, it's a coffee date."
The next morning she met him at the street corner, like always, his lips brushing over hers after he'd handed her the coffee, and they strolled down the street arm in arm, parting ways as they reached the library.
She was grinning like an idiot the whole way to the Sheriff's station.
Life was good. Life was really, really good.
