Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows and favorites. I know it's been forever but this last chapter gave me more than one headache because I didn't want to make it too fluffy and sappy. I'm not sure I succeeded, though! I made myself all teary-eyed writing the end scene, so … maybe you should have some tissues handy?

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 10

He didn't move for over a minute just staring at her, a frown building between his eyebrows and Emma scolded herself for agreeing to his proposal in the first place. He might have hurt her badly all these years ago but that didn't give her the right to just play with him. Because deep down she had known all along that she had found her match, the one person who completed her. And it wasn't Neal.

"Would you please sit down, Neal?" Emma broke the silence, gesturing towards the stool beside her bed.

He hesitated for a second before he walked slowly towards her, pulling the chair beside her bed and sitting down. She could see him wringing his hands, his gaze locked on the ground and she actually wanted to sit up and hug him. She never wanted to hurt him. No matter what he did to her, she didn't say yes to get back at him.

Fisting her hand around the bed sheet, she waited for him to speak or at least look up. She didn't want to start the conversation before he was ready to hear what she had to say. The minutes ticked by but then he let out a deep sigh and lifted his head, meeting her gaze.

"Captain Hook, Emma? Seriously?"

She couldn't stop the smile that spread out over her face as she replied. "It's insane, isn't it?"

"You really do love him." Neal said quietly, slight resignation in his voice.

"Yes, I do." Emma spoke softly. "I'm sorry, Neal. I shouldn't have said yes."

"Why did you?"

"Because I was scared. Scared of getting hurt again. Scared of getting my heart broken again. I was ..." Emma trailed off, not sure how to finish the sentence. "I was just scared."

"I'm sorry, Emma." Neal replied, stretching out his hand, his fingers brushing over her skin. "I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have left you to yourself all these years ago. I should have fought for you. I loved you, Emma. I still do. But I can see that I lost my chance. You belong to him. I won't stand in your way."

"Thank you, Neal!" Emma reached for his hand, wrapping her fingers around his and squeezing them gently. "I do love you though. I hope you know that."

"I know." Neal replied, a sad smile lifting up his mouth. "Just not in that way."

"Yeah. Just not in that way."

Silence fell over the room and Emma stared at their entwined hands, letting herself ponder for just a minute over the what if's. What if he hadn't left her? What if they would have been a family? Neal, Henry and she? Would she have found Killian despite of it? Would she have fallen in love with him even though she would have been married to Neal? Would she have led an unhappy life because she couldn't be with the one man her heart belonged to?

Shaking her head, she pulled herself back to reality. The what if's didn't matter. The past should stay in the past. What happened happened. She couldn't change it anyway and she didn't want to. Because it had led her to Killian. She couldn't feel sorry about all the hurt she had to endure in her life because maybe she needed to get through it to find him.

Realizing that she was still holding Neal's hand she remembered that there was one thing she still had to discuss with him.

"Neal?" She pulled her hand back, suddenly getting nervous. "I need you to do me a favor."

"Okay." Neal sat up straighter, looking at her expectantly. "Sure. What is it?"

"I need you to talk to your dad."

"What do you want me to tell him?"

"They need to stop trying to kill each other. I'll take care of Killian and you'll take care of your father."

Neal stiffened, knowing immediately what she was talking about. "I should persuade him to just let it go that the pirate stole his wife?"

"You are the key, Neal. Your father loves you. You know, Killian ..." Emma inhaled a deep breath, trying to find a way to explain to Neal that Killian didn't have a chance to act any other way. "He really did love your mother and she loved him. You have to forgive him. It wasn't his fault. He didn't kill your mother. He didn't steal her away from you."

"Because the heart wants what it wants." Neal said quietly, his shoulders slumping down in defeat.

"Exactly." Emma replied softly, waiting for him to look her in the eyes before she continued. "I didn't want to fall in love with him but I stood no chance. My heart wanted him but I was too scared to listen to it until it was almost too late."

"I still don't understand how you could fall in love with him, Emma." Neal shook his head, his lips tilting up into a lopsided smile as he added. "But I will respect your choice."

As he stood up Emma gripped his hand tightly and pulled him towards her, wrapping her arm around him and hugging him close. "Take care of yourself, Neal."

"I will."

~K&E~

She was lying in bed, staring absentmindedly out of the window, still thinking about her conversation with Neal as the door opened and Killian stepped into the room. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched him standing hesitantly at the door. She loved him so much and she hated to see the uncertainty that flashed over his face. She didn't want him to feel insecure about her love for him but she knew it was her fault. Her behavior had planted those doubts in him. Lifting her hand, she waited for him to step closer and join her and when he sat down beside her on the bed she cupped his face, pulling him down to press her lips against his.

"I love you, Killian Jones." Emma whispered against his lips.

"And I love you, Emma Swan." He replied, his body relaxing slightly as he drew back to look into her face.

"You don't have to worry about him anymore."

"About who?" He asked, trying to act nonchalant but she could see the wariness still lingering in his eyes.

"I was an idiot to not tell you sooner how much you mean to me. I was an idiot to say yes to Neal." She felt him stiffen again and she raised her hand, her fingers shaking as she brushed them over his lips. "I love you. It was always you. I felt it the moment I met you."

He captured her fingers with his hand, pressing a kiss against them before he intertwined his fingers with hers. "We are meant to be."

"Yes, we are." Her fingers tightened around his, her voice turning stern as she added. "But if you ever act so reckless again I'm gonna shoot you myself."

"I'll remember that, Sheriff."

"You should, pirate."

~K&E~

"So, I will finally find out what you two were up to over the last two weeks?" Emma asked, snuggling deeper into her jacket as the cold wind rattled at her clothes.

She had seen Henry and him sticking their heads together whenever they had the opportunity, jerking apart every time she entered the room and came into hearing distance. One part of her was happy that they apparently got along so well but another part was annoyed that they apparently shared some secret mission together.

"We were searching for something." Killian replied cryptically.

"And you finally found it?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

He didn't answer her, just grabbing her hand and pulling her into the clearing and it took Emma a few seconds before she realized where he had led her and she turned around, staring at him curiously, wondering why he went to this place with her.

"This is the place where you almost died." Killian said quietly. "I thought I had lost you.

"I know." She replied softly. "But why are we here?"

"I thought it fitting."

"Fitting for what?"

Her breath hitched in her throat as he lowered himself on one knee and pulled a velvet box out of his leather coat.

"Emma Swan ..." His lilting voice made her throat close up and her chest constrict, her legs almost giving out under her as he snapped the box open, his blue eyes full of love as he continued. "Will you give me the honor to be my wife?"

Emma stared down at him, her eyes flicking to the ring and tears shot into her eyes as he saw the swan and hook, forming a heart, a blue and green emerald filling out the two halves of the heart.

"Emma?"

"Yes!" The answer burst out of her, a silly grin tilting up her mouth as she let out a sound half sob, half laugh. "Yes! Of course I will marry you, you idiot."

As he stood up she stretched out her arm, her hand shaking as he slipped the ring on her finger before he pulled her into his arms, engaging her in a toe-curling kiss that left her breathless and slightly dizzy.

"Let's go home." Killian said softly, his fingers caressing her cheek.

"Yes. Let's go home." Emma replied, pressing her hand against his chest, staring with wonder at the ring on her finger.

Home.

Home was where her heart was and her heart was with him. As long as she was by his side she would never feel alone again.

He was her home.

This story will always have a special place in my heart because it's my first CS story and I feel sad to let it go. But every story has to end eventually, right?

Thank you all so much for joining me on this journey and thank you for all the support. I love you all!

And now we will go on another journey! Only one day, guys, and we'll get to see the premiere. Neverland! A ton of CS scenes! And they are gonna fall in love! And … I'm already dying of feels! I'm so excited! :-)