~~~ EMMA'S POV ~~~

With Carter gone for quite a while now, I stand up. There's no way he's still hanging out on my porch, right? That'd be far too desperate. So, I doubt he's still here. I should be safe.

He won't get in my way now when I leave to go to my true love. I get my red leather jacket and I slip it on. Then I walk out of my house. The house that Killian and I will finally get to live in together. Now it'll finally feel like a home to me.

Our future begins now and even though I expected that thought to freak me out once again, it really doesn't. I'm ready this time. I don't have any doubts.

Having lived without Killian for all these years, I noticed how much I never want to lose him again. I suppose that saying about only knowing what you have when it's gone is true after all.

I get into my bug and start it. It'll take me to Killian quicker than my feet ever would.

That's exactly what I need right now. I need to see my pirate soon. It's been too long. I don't want to waste any more time.

Luckily as the Sheriff, I can drive as fast as I want without getting a speeding ticket for it.

I make it to the docks in record time.

I get out of my bug and literally run towards the Jolly Rodger.

Killian is waiting for me on deck. He's standing at the railing and he's looking out at the horizon – lost in his own thoughts. Why does he seem so sad and defeated? He's back for good, right? And not just for a few more minutes?

I walk up to him. He doesn't seem to notice though. That's weird. Usually, you have to step on his ship with only one toe and he'll know instantly. That man's instincts are insane. Must be the pirate in him.

I sneak up on him and hug him tightly from behind. I press a quick kiss to his cheek. He quickly turns his head to look at me. Then he turns me in his arms and gives me a proper hug.

As I place my head on his chest, I hear his heartbeat. It still feels too good to be true. Killian is back and he's alive again. At that thought, tears begin to stream down my face for the second time today. Well, it's the second time I cry out of happiness.

Killian pulls away a little then and puts his hand on my cheek, wiping away my tears with his thumb. "Is everything alright, Swan?"

I look up at him with the biggest smile possible and nod enthusiastically. "Everything is perfect." I press three kisses to his cheek, which causes him to giggle adorably. "How are you here?" I say. My voice sort of breaking from the crying, even though I'm not sobbing or anything. I'm not sad after all. Not at all.

The loss of Carter isn't really something, that has the ability to hurt me. He's not Killian. Losing him won't bring me down as it did with my true love.

"I'm honestly not sur-" He starts to say, but I cut him off by putting my finger onto his lips.

I realized, that on second thought I don't really care about any of this. Not right now.

We can talk later. For now, we've got to make up for lost time.

I stand on my tiptoes and pull Killian's head down to me. I crash my lips onto his in a passionate kiss. He puts his hand and hook on my waist and pulls me close to him. And then we get lost in each other as if we were never separated to begin with.

I missed his lips on mine. They still feel exactly the same – incredibly soft and somehow meaningful. He's a great kisser. I haven't been kissed like this for five years now and I missed it so damn much.

He walks us backwards a little, trapping me between his body and the railing. He moves his lips from my lips to my cheek and then down my throat.

"I missed you so much." I sigh. The tears back once again.

Killian pulls away and looks at me with so much love, that I think my heart might burst any second. I peck his lips once more.

"I love you, Killian Jones, and I'm never letting you go again. I'm afraid you're stuck with me." I say with the biggest smile on my face.

Killian grins at me and moves his hand from my waist to my hand, interlacing our fingers and lifting them up to kiss my hand softly. "I love you, too. Don't worry, Swan, I'm not going anywhere." He freezes at that. He takes a deep breath, and something is definitely on his mind. His expression saddens and he looks towards the floor, refusing to meet my gaze. "Unless you want me to leave."

Wait, what? Why would I want him to leave? I just got him back. This is not what I want in the least. Not now and not ever.

"Hey…" I say softly, putting my other hand on his chin and lifting it up. Our gazes lock and I have to concentrate hard, so I don't get lost in his eyes. Those I missed almost as much as I missed him. "I don't ever want you to leave. Why would you think that?"

"Because of that guy…your boyfriend." He almost chokes on the word boyfriend. There are actually tears forming in his eyes.

Oh, shit.

I never wanted to hurt him. But I can see how much pain the whole situation causes him. This pain he feels right now is all my fault.

I never should've dated anyone. Why the hell does my mom have to be so annoying?

Now my true love thinks, that I moved on from him, while he was gone. He thinks, that I'm in love with someone else. I really, really hate this.

I take his face into my hands and kiss both of his eyelids.

"He's not my boyfriend. Not anymore." I say through my own tears. It kills me to see Killian hurt. Especially knowing that it's all my fault. If he was this sad because of someone else, they'd be dead by now. I wouldn't show them any mercy.

"That's exactly the point, Swan. You were happy with this guy and me being here ruined that for you. I caused your heart to break, even though I always thought it was my job to protect your heart. But I failed." He says with a mix of sadness and a bit of anger.

"Killian, you didn't break my heart. You fixed it. I was never happier than I am today." I kiss him softly, but he isn't reacting. I hug him tightly, before looking deeply into his eyes once more. "I was never in love with Carter, okay? My mother was just so infuriating with trying to get me to date again, so I sort of dated him to keep her at bay."

Killian still seems hesitant to forgive himself, I suppose. He hasn't even done anything wrong. I'm the one he should be mad at.

"I only love you. I thought about you every day we were separated and wished, that I could just see you once more. I would've done anything to get you back, even if it was just for a second. I wasn't able to move on from us. I never wanted to because I could never love anyone as much as I love you. For the most part, I believe, that when you died, so did the piece of my heart, that is capable of loving people. I just wasn't the same person without you in my life. I feel like the best version of my life will be with you – our future together. You're the person I truly love and no one else can compare to you."

Killian's expression softens over the course of my little speech. His eyes light up again and a smile slowly creeps upon his lips.

"I'm sorry, my love." He says.

"No need. You and I both know, that I would've reacted exactly the same. Maybe even worse than you."

We smile at each other and he pulls me back into his embrace, locking our lips in the process.

AN: Hi. Thank you all so much for reading this story and your feedback. It means to world to me. I'm sorry for my lack of updating lately, but next two chapter are almost done, so the updates should come pretty soon.