Emma pulled the bug up outside Granny's and put the car into park. Killian had been exceptionally quiet since the revelation that they would have to go to Neverland; Killian was never quiet. Emma tightened her hands around the steering wheel, the material crunching beneath her grip in the stillness.

"Go get your things," she demanded in a soft voice.

Killian glanced over to her, blue eyes blinking and his tongue darting out to wet his pursed lips. "I'm paid up through the end of my stay."

Emma felt a rip sear through her chest at his words. Did he not want to come back with her? Would he rather stay at the Inn than sleep in their bed for what might be the last time in a long while? Surely not after he had practically begged her to stay the first night he came to her. So why the backtracking now?

"Your parents are there, are they not?" he asked with a raised brow, seeing through her thoughts.

There it was. He was worried about Mary Margaret and David. Relieved, but only slightly, she nodded. He was supposed to be the most feared pirate Captain of the seas and here he was afraid of her parents. Still such a lost boy after all.

"I hardly think my presence would be a welcome one, love," he admitted with a sad smile. After a soft kiss to her cheek, his hand reached for the door handle, "Goodnight, my dear Emma."

Emma's fingers lingered on her cheek, still warm from the pressure of his lips as she watched him slip behind the building's doors. She admired the fact that he didn't want to piss off dear old dad any more than he probably was, her mother tended to be a little more understanding on the matter. But damn, she wasn't a child, far from it. Her life, her decisions; and she wanted to bring him back home where he belonged. Judging parental stares be damned.

She marched up the stairs and didn't even bother knocking before barging into his room. Killian was seated on the bed, glass tumbler in one hand, and his head in the other.

His head lifted at her arrival, brow furrowed in confusion. "Emma? What—"

"Pack. Your. Shit. You stupid, stubborn, pirate."

Both his eyebrows lifted at her crass tone and hard gaze.

"It's about time you came home, Killian. Tomorrow we'll be off chasing pixies in a land I'm not familiar with and before that happens I just want a night back with you, in our bed."

"Home?" he murmured quietly.

"Yes." She stepped further into the room, taking the glass from his hand and kneeling in front of him, her hands running up the sides of his face. "Home," she whispered with finality and the ghost of a smile on her face.

Her smile widened at the flash of his teeth above her. "Well then, Swan, I best get my things." He leaned forward, pressing a swift kiss to her lips before standing from the bed and retrieving the duffle from the closet and stuffing the remainder of his clothes inside.

"What shall I tell the wolf girl?"

"Ruby?" Emma bit back a chuckle and rolled her eyes, "Seriously, Killian, please tell me you don't call her that to her face."

"Oh, come now, love, it's a term of endearment, really." He grinned. "She is rather…" he paused at the glowering look Emma was shooting him, "…wolfish," he completed under his breath. "Right, should we go then?"

Emma stepped aside and swept her arm towards the door. "After you, Jones," she said coolly.

"Green really isn't your color, sweetheart." Coming up behind her, he swept the hair from her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her neck, nuzzling her softly. "Besides," he muttered huskily, "I'm far more partial to swans and princesses, and I have the best of both."

Emma reached back and entangled her fingers in his hair, eliciting a soft groan that vibrated against her skin. His hands settled at her hips and she leaned back against him with a soft sigh.

"As content as I am, Emma, we should really get going." His lips brushed her temple and his hand sought out hers, his left hand.

Emma quirked an eyebrow at him at the gesture.

"Indulge me, lass," he smirked, "Yours is the one I wish for this hand to hold, as well as the last."

With her bottom lip between her teeth she gave him a nod and squeezed his hand gently, pulling him out the room and down the stairs to the car.

.


.

If eating diner was going to be as awkward as this, Emma hated to think how holidays were going to be around the Charming family household. They ate their food in complete and utter silence, exchanging casual glances and polite nods when eye contact was met. Killian did his best to keep a cool and collective manner about him, but Emma couldn't help but notice how he fumbled with his silverware, his grip around the pieces more than tight enough and his grumbled frustrations muffled under his breath. She laid her hand across his forearm and all his movement came to a standstill, the bright blue of his eyes meeting the sea green of hers. She gave him a reassuring smile and a soft squeeze, her hand traveling half way up to his shoulder in a gentle rub before she continued on with her own meal.

Her parents watched on in wonderment. David, still annoyed that she would let him back into her life so quickly and Mary Margaret with an all knowing smile. A pirate might not have been the first choice she had in mind for her daughter, but he had the ability to make her happy, to make her smile and she missed seeing Emma smile. So if a dreaded pirate Captain happened to be her happily ever after; then so be it.

Things only grew tenser in the house after dinner. They had yet to bring up the subject of Neverland and knew the news would not be taken lightly. Emma sat with her mother at the kitchen island sipping cocoa while David attempted to converse with Killian over some sort of T.V. show. Emma chuckled softly and shook her head. Even years back Killian couldn't grasp the concept of television. The sea was plenty enough entertaining for him. He always gave in when it came to Henry though; on more than one occasion Emma came home to find the pair asleep on the couch. Henry nestled into Killian's side, always the same movie playing in the background.

"A disgrace is what it is, Swan," Killian huffed with an eye roll after tucking the poor kid into bed. "To think that's what people actually think of me."

"It's a movie, Killian," she laughed, "A children's movie, let it rest." She pulled on a pair of shorts and climbed under the covers.

"Oh, no, lass, there's a book as well. I've been well informed of all the drivel you people keep of me," he grumbled, undoing the buttons of his shirt with his hand and shrugging it off his shoulders. "Bloody rubbish, the lot of it."

Emma crawled over to the edge of the bed and took his hook in her hand, turning it over and running her fingers over its curve.

"How about you tell me how it really was then, my dear, sweet, Captain?" Her hands slid up the apparatus that held the hook in place on his arm and began to work at the buckles. A gesture she had come to enjoy over their time together. Especially when done in tender moments.

Killian's eyes met hers in a look of longing and a small amount of sorrow. "A sweet man, I am not, Emma," he murmured almost regretfully.

She placed the device on the night stand and linked her hands behind his neck, pulling him down until their foreheads met. "You have such a capacity for love, Killian. And underneath all that self-depravity is indeed a wonderful man." She softly pressed her lips to his and he wrapped his arms around her back. "You're not all innuendos and an overly large ego; you have quiet moments when you think nobody is watching. It's those moments I love the most, the man behind the pirate."

Killian's eyes fell closed and his head landed on his shoulder in a sigh. "You deserve much more than me, Emma."

Emma pressed a kiss to his hair, "I chose you, just as you chose me. And hell if that shock wave when you first kissed me wasn't enough I don't know what is."

"Perhaps I'm just that good of a kisser," he chuckled against her skin.

"You wish, buddy," she grinned, squeezing her arms around him and pulling him down onto the bed, glad that he was coming back into his playful self.

"Oh, you wound me, Swan!" Killian rolled onto his back and put his hand over his chest, feigning a painful look on his face.

"Only your pride, Jones," she whispered with a swift kiss to his scruffy cheek, "And as big as that is, it could use a few good nicks." Removing his hand from his chest and situating herself close to his body. He rolled on his side, keeping her enveloped in his arms and pressed a kiss to the back of her head.

"…Emma, Emma are you okay?" Mary Margaret's hand reached over the bar and covered hers breaking the memory with a jolt. Emma glanced over to see Killian watching her with slight worry in his eyes. Her eyes slowly closed and a smirk grew on her face, her teeth drawing in her lower lip. Her eyes reopened to and found Killian's again still watching her but now with a wary grin.

She drained the rest of her cocoa and blew out a sigh, turning her attention to her mother.

"We're going to Neverland."

"Emma!"

"What on earth for?!"

"Shit."

Mary Margaret's cup fell from her hand and landed on the countertop with a clatter, David's eyes were narrowed in on Killian and his facial features were less than forgiving, and her dear Captain had his head in the palm of his hand.

"Well, is someone going to answer me or not!" David shoved off the couch in a huff and marched over to his wife and now the daggers in his eyes were being directed at Emma.

Killian came to stand by her side, his hand resting at the small of her back, "Listen, mate…"

"Oh, don't you listen, mate, me, Hook! Haven't you done enough?!" the prince growled.

"David!" Mary Margaret chirped, "Hoo-Killian, is part of this family, with or without your approval. Stop berating him."

"Thank you, milady," Killian nodded with gratitude.

"I wouldn't be so thankful just yet. You still haven't told us why the two of you are leaving when you have a situation here to take care of."

Emma sighed, her hand tugging at her hair. "We went to Regina."

"You what?" Mary Margaret gasped.

"Are you going to let me finish or not?" Emma snapped.

Her mother pursed her lips and nodded.

"Right. The short version, there is a potion that can strip Gold of his magic; the key ingredient just so happens to be in Neverland. So…" Emma shrugged and tossed up her hands in defeat, "there you go. Neverland it is."

"We're coming with you." David's stoic voice commanded from his stance behind his wife.

"I'd have to disagree, Charming." Killian coolly replied.

David stepped around Mary Margaret and placed his hands on the countertop, leveling his eyes with the pirate on the other side. "She's my daughter, Hook, and I'll be damned if I'm letting her go again."

Killian's fingers clenched on Emma's back and she placed a warm hand over his arm to calm him. He closed his eyes and let out a slow breath before opening them again, meeting the prince's stare. "That may be, and if I could convince her to stay behind without putting up a fuss I would. Fact of the matter is we work as a team, your daughter and I, a pretty damn good one at that." His eyes turned to Snow, blue eyes softening and his hands grasped hers in a pleading manner. "And I give you my word; I will look after her with my life. Always."

Mary Margaret nodded, tears pricking her eyes as she cast a look to Emma and sucked her lips into a tight line. "I know," she whispered with a flicker of a smile.

Killian released her hands with an acknowledging bow of his head and turned to face his Swan, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and letting his thumb trail down the length of her cheek. "I think I'll be turning in now." He leaned in and pressed a slow kiss to her temple, his hand sliding down the back of her head and resting on her neck. His lips lingered in her hair, exhaling a warm breath in the equivalent of a heavy sigh.

Emma's hand found his under the island and she curled her fingers around his. "You okay?" she asked him in a whisper. She felt his head nod against hers before his mouth brushed against her again.

"Goodnight, love. See you in a bit, yeah?" His mouth curved up into a lopsided grin that hardly sparked in his eyes.

"Yeah." Emma nodded, "Be up in a minute."

Killian stepped away from her and gave a small bow to her parents. "Charming. My dear, Snow, I wish you a pleasant evening. We'll be leaving in the morning…I'll do my best to keep our trip as short as possible."

"Goodnight, Killian," Mary Margaret replied warmly with a soft smile. "And good luck."

"Bring her back in one piece," David stepped forward and offered out his hand to shake, which Killian took hesitantly. "And yourself as well."

Emma breathed a sigh of relief; at least her father was attempting to get along with him. It had been hard enough the first time around, they had just gotten the hang of casual conversation and even dared to exchange a few laughs when he was ripped away from her. Seems they were far off from that now.

"I'm just worried about you, you know that, right?" David's voice broke through her thoughts, his hand coming down on her shoulder and a concerned look etched onto his face.

"I know," she reassured him with a smile. She stood and tentatively wrapped her arms around his middle. They had shared few father-daughter hugs in their time together. Family hugs, sure, but not many intimate moments like this one, and although she wouldn't admit it, she did enjoy them more than she let on. His grip was tight around her shoulders and she pressed her cheek into his chest, smiling against him when he gave her a final squeeze and a parental peck on the forehead before releasing her. She might have grown up without knowing the love of a mother and father, but she had it now, and that was what mattered.

.


.

Killian was still awake when she made her way up the steps to her room, sprawled out on the bed with his hands interlocked behind his head. Emma took the liberty of slipping into one of his t-shirts before sitting on the bed beside him and he still had yet to acknowledge she was there.

"All right, Jones, what gives?"

"Hmm?" he grunted, eyes finally flickering over to her.

"You've been awfully quiet all night, Killian. What's wrong?" She shifted closer to him, lying down on her side and tucking her arm under a pillow.

"Nothing, lass, thinking is all."

"About?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and let his arm fall across his eyes, saying nothing. Emma was used to herself throwing up walls, hell they both did, but it had been some time since she had seen him so shut up and unwilling to tell her what was on his mind.

"Emma, love, stop fussing and go to sleep. We have a tiring journey ahead of us," he finally muttered.

Killian had always talked of whisking her away to Neverland, and now they were going he was less than pleased. Emma couldn't shake that it had more to do than the circumstances that their trip entailed. She'd asked him numerous times about his time there, and come to think of it he always skated around giving her any direct answers. Nothing ever personal came out, always about how its beauty masked the dangers that lied there.

"Killian—" she beckoned softly, her fingers sifting through his dark hair, "Killian talk to me."

He turned on his side, eyes glistening with unshed tears as he stared at her across the small space between them.

"Hey," she cooed, her hands cupping his cheeks and pressing her lips to his forehead, "Hey, it's okay, we're okay"

His arms latched quickly around her back and he pulled her tight against him, sinking his head into her neck with a muffled sob. She'd been on the opposite end of this a few times with him, but never this. No. She had never once seen him break down like this.

"I couldn't save her, Emma," his muffled voice choked out. "What if I can't save you either."

Milah. This was grief and guilt that was tied to MIlah. Another subject they had treaded lightly around. She knew what had happened, and while she didn't agree with the woman's choice to leave her family she certainly didn't deserve such a horrid fate. But he had loved her, none the less, maybe she wasn't his true love, but he did love her. And that was a rare thing to come by in his line of work.

He blamed himself, and now he was scared the same fate was going to befall her and yet again it would be his fault. He would lose another woman he loved at hand of that unruly Crocodile.

"That was not your fault, Killian." Emma assured him, her hands running through his hair as he clung to her. "It wasn't your fault," she repeated in a whisper, kissing his hair.

"I meant it, you know, I'd die fighting for you. I'm no match for him, but I'd try, if it meant you'd get the chance to live."

"I know." Emma tilted his head up to face her, wiping his tears away with her thumbs and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. "But I don't want that."

Killian's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and Emma couldn't stop a soft laugh from escaping her lips.

"As noble as it is, my sweet Captain, I'd rather you alive, here, with me."

He touched his forehead to hers, sniffing what was left of his tears away, "Gods, I love you, Emma."

"I love you too, Killian."

She molded herself to his chest whilst he nuzzled his face in her golden hair, pulling her closer to his body as they settled in for the night.

"Tell me we're going to be okay, Killian. I know this Neverland thing is worrying you more than you let on."

Killian's breath was warm against her when he let out a long sigh, his fingers stroking her arm absentmindedly. "It's sooner than I would have liked, darling, yes, and the circumstances…well…they aren't fit either."

She turned in his arms and sought out his eyes, still bright despite the darkness of the room and still tinged with worry.

"It's been a long time, love, that's all." He dipped his head and gave her a soft peck on the lips. "Now sleep, Em, you'll need do with all the rest you can get."

There was something lingering behind his blue gaze, not quite a lie, but not the whole truth either. Something he wasn't ready to share with her just yet. No matter, they would be in the place he had called home for centuries come tomorrow; and although they were going for a specific reason Emma couldn't help but smile at the thought that they just might get that chance to dance amongst the stars after all.

.


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A/N:Sorry, I needed a bit of a emotional Killian fix before Neverland. Don't mind me. Plus I love Daddy!Charming. Reviews would be lovely, especially from all you new folks.

Shelly.