Hello Dearies! I am very sorry for the long, long break in updates on this story. I had a bad bout of writer's block, and when that was combined with the holidays and a busy season at work, I had very little time or inspiration to write. I've been working on the story for the last month, and have a few more updates ready. I hope to be able to maintain a weekly posting schedule. Say a prayer for me that I can stick with that. :-)

I am also on Tumblr now, so come say hi! My url is branlovesouat.

Thanks for reading. If you like the story, I would really appreciate a review.

Chapter 13

A soft beeping crept its way into Emma's dream. A delightful dream where she and Killian were reliving their first date, only without all the drama. Despite her best efforts to ignore it, the beeping continued until she was roused to consciousness. She groaned and looked at the bedside table. Was it 4AM already? She attempted to roll over, but Killian tightened his grip on her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"A little while longer, love."

She expelled a wistful sigh. "Killian… you know I just don't want to take a chance that Henry will find you here. I'm not ready for him to know you spend the night." Killian mirrored her sigh, but released her.

She sat up and turned off the alarm while turning on the bedside lamp. He stood and pulled on his jeans and t-shirt. Walking around the bed, he sat next to her as he put on his shoes. Emma sat still, feeling guilty.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just not ready for Henry to find you here in the mornings."

"You don't need to apologize, love. I understand. We'll wait until you feel the time is right."

He stood and walked to the bathroom and she smiled contently to herself as she watched him go. He was her boyfriend. She had an actual boyfriend, and the last two months had been some of the happiest she'd experienced.

They hadn't officially moved in together, but living in the same building blurred the line considerably. Killian spent nearly every night at their place, helping with dinner, or sometimes cooking for them. He would help get Henry to bed. And after Henry was asleep, he and Emma would spend time on the couch watching Netflix. It was all very domestic and felt luxurious to Emma, who'd spent so much of her life doing things on her own.

A few weeks ago, after a particularly long day, Killian stretched out on the couch, with Emma curled into his side. Their intention was to snuggle, talk, and maybe make out a little, but Killian was so tired he ended up falling asleep. Emma couldn't bring herself to wake him, eventually succumbing to sleep as well. She found she slept better at Killian's side than ever before. Later that week, after a sleepless night punctuated by bad dreams, she asked Killian if he would lay down with her for a while before heading back to his apartment. They continued in this way for sometime, Killian staying a little later each time.

Emma was still nervous about Henry's reaction if he found Killian in her bed, so she started setting the alarm early enough that Killian could head down to his apartment before Henry was awake. Her nerves also extended to her son's reaction if he were to catch them fooling around. She wouldn't go beyond kissing when Henry was in the apartment. Killian was understanding and supportive to a fault, lending further evidence to Emma's theory that he was too good to be true.

Their busy work schedules had been the impetus for this new situation. They couldn't find time for dates. Between Emma's odd hours at her job and her new tentative custody arrangement with Neal, there wasn't much time for romance. But she found she liked this even better than she would have liked elaborate dates. It was still early, but she truly felt like she could be falling in love with Killian.

He stepped out of the bathroom and smiled at her. "May I ask why you are staring dreamily in my direction?"

She gave him a playful smile. "Don't you know? What happened to all that 'open book' stuff?"

"I like to hear you admit you're smitten with me," he said, sitting next to her on the bed.

"Don't get too full of yourself, pirate." She leaned over and gave him a soft kiss.

"I much prefer it when you are filled with me, darling," he growled in her ear as he pulled away from the kiss. Her nipples tightened and there was a rush a heat between her legs.

"You're a bloody tease," she said, doing her best to imitate his accent. He gave her a wicked grin, and she sighed longingly. "I miss you."

"We see one another daily."

"Yes, but we haven't… you know… in a while."

"Been feeling a bit deprived lately?" His wicked grin returned, causing her to shudder involuntarily. Oh… this man did things to her.

"I need to set up another sleepover for Henry with Roland."

"Or you could allow Neal the overnight visit he's been asking for."

She suddenly felt as if he'd dumped a bucket of ice cold water on her head. Her mood changed instantly from aroused to angry. "You know I haven't made my mind up about that," she said with a glare.

"Aye, that I do, and I am suggesting that you think on it some more this morning. You and Henry will see him this afternoon, and he's likely to ask about it again. You can't keep putting him off forever."

Emma's mouth settled into a firm line. She knew she had to budge on this, but it was a sore spot. How could she trust Neal alone with Henry after everything he'd done to her? The only concession she'd made in the last two months was to stop insisting Milah be there for every visit. She still did not feel comfortable with the idea of allowing Neal to see Henry unsupervised. But it was now three months since she found Neal, and even she was starting to wonder what would have to happen to change her mind.

Killian stood, the motion pulling her out of her thought spiral. She looked up at him, and he leaned down, cupping her chin in his hand. "Don't worry too much about it right now, love. Why don't you get a little more sleep? Text me when Henry's up, and I'll come back up and make breakfast for us."

"Okay," she replied in a near whisper. She reached up and slid her hand around his neck, pulling him close to her. When his lips were millimeters from her own, she added "but only if you help me get back to my dream where you were ravishing me."

He growled softly and captured her mouth with his own. Their lips danced in a furious pattern, his tongue tangling with hers. Simultaneously, they each tilted their heads, taking in more of the other. His hand threaded through her hair, while her own slipped under his shirt, raking through the trail of fuzz on his lower stomach.

Finally he pulled back, planting a soft, chaste kiss on her lips before standing at his full height. "You, darling," he said with a smirk, "are the bloody tease. Get back to your dream. I will lock up."

She sighed and fell back on the bed. She heard him leave the apartment and lock the deadbolt, but she had a very hard time falling back asleep. All she wanted was her boyfriend by her side.

"Henry! Slow down!" Emma called as her son bounded up the steps to Neal's door later that day. Despite her own misgivings, she was happy to see the relationship developing between Henry and his father. Henry loved these visits, and Neal loved seeing Henry. Seeing her son's excitement made her rethink her earlier reluctance. Maybe she should give Neal more of a chance.

Henry stood on his tiptoes, straining to reach the doorbell. Laughing, Emma caught up to him. "I'll help you, kid." She picked the boy up by his midsection and lifted him so he could press the button. Henry giggled when he heard the sound and pressed it again twice before Emma could stop him.

"Alright. Alright! I'm coming. Chill out!" Emma heard a female voice call from the back of the house. It was a voice she didn't recognize, and she had a moment of panic, wondering if Neal had moved without telling her.

The door swung open, and a beautiful, raven-haired girl stood before them. "Can I help you?" She asked, not exactly sounding unfriendly, but definitely unsure about the mother-son duo currently on her doorstep.

"I was looking for Neal."

"Oh my god!" Her tone changed instantly. "You must be Emma. I completely lost track of time. Come in, come in. I'm Tamara, Neal's girlfriend."

They stepped inside and stood awkwardly in the foyer. "Is Neal here?"

"He had to run to the store. He should be back any minute."

Henry clung to Emma's leg, all his earlier exuberance gone in the presence of a stranger. Tamara seemed unsure of what to do with them, so they stood there not talking and avoiding one another's eyes.

"So," Emma said, finally breaking the silence, "how long have you and Neal been dating? We've been doing these visits weekly and he's never mentioned you before."

"It's been about a month. I asked him to keep it quiet for a while. I don't like everyone up in our business, you know? But, now that we live together, I figured we couldn't keep it a secret anymore."

"You live here?"

"Yeah. I moved in yesterday. I know a lot of people would say it's too soon, but my lease was ending, and when you know it's right, you just have to go for it. Right?"

Emma wasn't sure how to respond, and was preparing herself for another awkward silence when the door opened and Neal stepped in.

"Daddy!" Henry cried, running to Neal.

"Hey buddy!" Neal said, bending down to give his son a hug. He looked up at Emma. "I'm sorry I'm late. I had to go run an errand. I thought I'd be back in time, but I didn't account for traffic."

"It's okay," Emma replied. "I was just getting to know your new girlfriend."

Neal leaned over, Henry still attached to his legs, and planted a quick kiss on Tamara's cheek. "Thanks for keeping them company, babe." He them turned back to Henry. "Now let's go into the backyard. I have a surprise for the soon to be birthday boy."

"Really?" Henry cried. "What is it?"

"Come see."

The surprise turned out to be a soccer set. For the rest of the afternoon, Neal attempted to coach Henry on how to play soccer, but it was a tough challenge for an almost five year-old. Emma watched from the back porch, while Tamara flitted in and out, making no conversation.

"It was so awkward," she told Killian that night. "She hardly spoke to me, but she would come sit out there and mess with her phone. There's something weird about her. Do you think she's using Neal?"

"To what end?"

"Money? A free place to live? You know Gold doesn't charge Neal rent."

"It's possible, but maybe there were other factors at play."

"Such as?"

"Perhaps the awkwardness had more to do with the fact that you are his ex and the mother of his child. That can feel threatening to a partner in a well-established relationship, to say nothing of a new one such as theirs."

"Maybe… I don't know. It just seems off. I mean, they've been dating a month and I never heard about her until after she moves in? And who moves in with someone after just a month?"

"Didn't you move in with Neal the day you met him?"

"That was different. We were living in a car. And I was a dumb seventeen year-old."

"I'm not saying you have to like her Swan, but give her a chance before you brush her off. Neal has backed off of me. You can return the favor."

"Maybe. We'll see.

Killian stood in the costume shop, waiting for Emma. Henry's birthday party was this weekend, and Emma'd spared no expense to give the lad the pirate party he'd been asking for. She'd found a pirate-themed children's play center, complete with a large-scale replica of a pirate ship, and purchased eye patches, foam swords, and bags of gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins for the children's favors. This morning, she'd asked Killian if he would be willing to dress as a pirate as an extra surprise for Henry. Killian was quite fond of the lad, and would gladly do anything to help secure the boy's happiness. If wearing a silly costume for a few hours was what it took, he saw no issue with doing so.

He caught a flash of yellow outside the shop windows and saw Emma park her Bug. Within a moment she was inside the store.

"Am I late?" She asked when she saw him standing there.

"No, love. I was early." He laced his hand with her own. "Should we take a look around?"

The store proprietor had a catalogue of the costumes available for rent. He quickly turned to the pirate section, which had only two options. The first option was an over-the-top, flamboyant ensemble with a velvet coat and matching, broad-brimmed hat adorned with an impossibly large feather. The model wore a terrible looking wig styled in what looked like a botched perm. The second outfit included a striped shirt, breeches, and a patchwork vest. Neither choice appealed to them.

Emma looked at the proprietor. "Don't you have anything… less cartoonish?"

"Swan, it's a children's birthday party. I'm alright with looking a little ridiculous."

"I can't let you be seen in either of those atrocities."

The other man chuckled. "I suppose they are a little out of date. I don't have any more rentals, but I think we could piece something together for you."

He led Emma and Killian through the store, picking from the racks tight leather pants, a blousy black shirt, an embroidered red leather vest, and a heavy leather jacket. He shoved the clothes into Killian's arms and pointed toward the changing area. "Check for the fit."

Emma stood just outside the door while he struggled into the pants. The shirt had elaborate buttons spaced closely together all the way up to the high-necked collar, and his hand started cramping as he fastened them. Once he closed the shirt to just below his sternum, he decided to leave the rest open. It exposed a fair amount of his chest, but it seemed fitting for a pirate. He donned the vest, rather liking the contrast with the black shirt and pants. When he shrugged on the coat, he had to admit he liked the effect. He looked every bit the ruthless pirate. Like something straight out of Black Sails.

He stepped out of the stall and presented himself to Emma. She stood gaping open-mouthed for longer than was strictly polite, but he couldn't bring himself to mind.

"See something you like?"

She rolled her eyes but gave him a playful smirk. "As if you need to hear it. You know you look incredible."

He smiled. Oh how he loved this woman. He'd been careful not to say the words since that first night, terrified about scaring her away again. He walked toward her and leaned down. She tilted her head up, expectantly waiting for his lips to meet hers, but he stopped just mere inches away. "Perhaps I enjoy hearing how attractive you find me." He stayed frozen, even after her mouth puckered into an adorable pout.

"You look incredibly sexy." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Satisfied, he closed the gap and gave her a chaste peck. "Then I'd say this ensemble is worth the investment."

The shop owner helped the round out the costume with boots, jewelry, and a hook-hand attachment. "You know, to really sell it," he said.

Emma was bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Henry's going to be so excited when he sees you!"

"Might I suggest applying a bit of kohl to the lower lid? It was a common practice among pirates and will add a nice finishing touch."

Killian chuckled as he handed the man his credit card. "I don't think a group of five year-olds is going to be worried about things like that."

"We can give it a shot," Emma said. "If it looks bad, I've got eye makeup remover."

The day of the party arrived, and Killian was nervous. He didn't like admitting it. Today was for Henry. But, as it was the boy's birthday party, Milah and Neal were invited. Killian had no nerves about encountering his old friend. He had not seen the younger man since the encounter in his office earlier in the summer, but according to Emma, the hostility Neal had previously shown was now reigned in. She reported that the visits were more relaxed, with Neal no longer trying to make a case as to why Killian was an inherently bad person.

No, his nerves were entirely due to an uneasiness about seeing Milah again. They'd not spoken since the breakup, other than to exchange well wishes via Emma. Emma assured him that Milah was at peace with his new relationship, but Killian couldn't help recalling his empty promises to never date his now girlfriend. When he'd been pleading with Milah, claiming he couldn't imagine a life without her. Now he was happy, happier than he'd been in years, and that made him feel guilty.

Emma insisted that Milah seemed truly happy as well, which gave Killian hope. Although she was not dating anyone, he'd heard that she was designing wedding gowns and had plans to attend fashion week in New York. He was proud of her accomplishments, and hoped to have a chance to tell her so today.

He showered and dressed in his pirate ensemble. Emma and Henry had already left for the party. He stepped out of his apartment and headed downstairs, getting a few curious looks from the neighbors. He imagined it wasn't often they saw a pirate in their midst. Settling into his car, he removed the hook attachment and placed it on the seat beside him. The August heat was merciless, and he had to remove the jacket and unbutton the vest as well. He started the car and turned the air conditioning on to full blast. Once his body temperature had calmed somewhat, he put the car in reverse and backed out of his spot, heading for the party.

As Swan instructed, he parked behind the venue and donned his pirate garb once again. He approached the door labeled "Shipwrecked Playhouse: Staff Only" and knocked.

A kind-looking woman with pale blonde hair opened the door. "You must be Killian! I'm Ingrid, the owner of Shipwrecked," she said, her tone low and breathy. "Come on in. You must be roasting in that getup."

"Aye, lass, that I am. Thank you."

"Well, if it's any consolation, you look fantastic. Like a real pirate."

"Thank you, my dear."

"Follow me, the party is through here."

Ingrid led him to through a hall and told him to wait just near the entrance to the play area. She ducked inside and a moment later emerged with Emma behind her.

Seeing him fully decked out, Emma's eyes took on a hungry cast once more, and he couldn't help the salacious grin he gave her. Unconsciously, they walked toward one another, the pull almost magnetic. When he realized they were so close, he leaned down. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up. He placed a soft kiss on her lips before pulling back and posing for her. "Rather dashing, don't you think?"

She cleared her throat and stepped back slightly. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe you should wear eyeliner more frequently. It makes your eyes look more blue than I thought possible."

He stood transfixed by her gaze, nearly forgetting where they were until he heard Ingrid politely clear her throat.

"It's nice to see a young couple so in love. Henry is fortunate to have parents who make each other a priority. That's how you keep a relationship strong."

Emma stumbled backward at the other woman's words. "Um… love… we're not… that's not…"

As patient as he was trying to be, Killian couldn't help the anger that bubbled up at Emma's fear of the word 'love.' Opting to change the subject, he turned to his lady. "Shall we head into the party?"

"Yes," Emma said, recovering. "Henry is going to be so excited when he sees you. Do you have the hook?"

He lifted his left arm, displaying the appendage. "I do indeed. Now, let's go see that filthy bilge rat you call son. He has crossed Captain Hook for the last time."

Emma smiled to herself as she watched Killian run around the play center, chasing after Henry and his friends. The party was a great success, and Henry was having a wonderful time. The room was filled with laughter. She didn't often congratulate herself for it, but she definitely felt that this was a 'parenting win.'

"He's really good with the children."

Emma started as she heard Milah's voice. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the other woman's approach. But she smiled to see her friend. "Yeah, he really is."

"He's nervous about seeing me, isn't he?"

"How did you know?"

"I know Killian. But I can assure you that he doesn't need to worry. Neither of you need to worry. I care for you both and want to see you happy."

"You're sure? It feels a little strange, like I've broken some sort of woman code… or something."

Milah smiled. "It's strange for me as well, and I'm sure an outsider wouldn't understand it. But I broke up with him because we weren't happy. Liam was right. We were both so afraid of making a change. I'm glad we did, though. I feel like I've accomplished so much. And he looks happy. You look happy."

"Thank you," Emma said with a smile. Milah surprised her then, pulling her into a hug. As they separated, She noticed Neal and Tamara approaching. Milah's face lit up, Emma assumed in response to seeing her son. So she was shocked as she watched Milah embrace Tamara.

"It's so good to see you." She broke the hug and looped her arm with Tamara's and turned to Emma. "Emma, have you met Tamara?"

"Yeah, we met last Sunday. You know her?"

Milah smiled. "I introduced her to Neal. Tamara is one of my best customers. She has an impeccable sense of style."

Emma reassessed her own attire of jeans and a t-shirt with sneakers, and couldn't help feeling sloppy in Tamara's presence. "I didn't know you would be here today."

"It's okay, right?" Neal asked

"Of course. I just wish I'd known we had an extra person so I could've made sure we'd have enough pizza and drinks."

"You don't need to worry about me," Tamara said. "I'm on a strict diet, no pizza or soda allowed. I'm training for a marathon."

"Oh, okay." Emma wasn't sure how to respond and glanced around the room, looking for a way to extract herself from this situation. David and Rob were roughhousing with the boys while Mary Margaret and Regina looked on. Emma excused herself to join them, but was stopped by Ingrid.

"Emma, should we grab Killian and Henry? It's almost time for cake, and I like to have the child's mother and father stand with him while everyone sings."

Neal overheard her and spun to face the older woman. His voice boomed through the small play center, silencing the children."Killian is NOT Henry's father! I am!"

Poor Ingrid was flustered at his outburst. Emma was incensed and Milah tried to intercede. "Neal, honestly, it was a mistake. Don't do this."

Neal held up his hand dismissively. "No, mom, you don't get to defend your precious Killy right now."

"Neal," Emma seethed. "Don't do this here."

He paused and seemed to take stock of their surroundings. "Let the kids play for a bit longer. We need to talk outside." He turned and walked out the door before Emma could argue, Tamara and Milah following in his wake.

Emma stood flabbergasted for a moment before she murmured an apology to Ingrid and stepped into the parking lot. She caught Killian's eye as she exited, and he moved to follow her.

Neal was pacing across several empty parking spaces on the side of the building. When he saw Emma, he turned and continued his tirade.

"I am so sick of you, Emma!"

"Me?" She couldn't help the anger in her voice. "You're sick of me?"

"Yes! Ever since I came back, I have been trying to do everything to connect with Henry and make peace with you, but all you give me is two hours every Sunday! Meanwhile the man who broke up my parents gets to hang around and spend as much time as he wants with MY son!"

"Now hold on a second," Milah interjected, "Killian didn't break up your father and I. You know that's not the case."

He rubbed his temple and heave an irritated sigh. "I can't listen to you, mom. You always choose perfect Killian over me. I think you secretly wish he was your son instead of me."

Milah was stricken by this accusation. She stepped back, away from Tamara, who stood paralyzed between her boyfriend and his mother. Emma opened her mouth to respond to Neal, but was cut off by Killian.

"Neal, stop this tantrum before you say something you'll regret." He stood tall, his stance wide, right hand resting on his elaborate belt.

Neal whirled to face Killian. He furrowed his brow and held his hand aloft. Narrowing his gaze, he scoffed. "Yeah… I can't talk to you when you're dressed like that." He dropped his hand and turned back to Emma. "And that's another thing! You didn't even think to ask me if I wanted to dress up for my son's birthday party. No. You just go ask old Killian again! Henry's hardly said two words to me today, but he cheered when he saw Captain Hook over there enter the room. I can't win with you, Emma, and you're doing everything you can to make sure I can't win with Henry. If you only planned to shut me out, why'd you even come looking for me in the first place?"

"I'm shutting you out?!" Emma balled up her fists and leaned in to him as she shouted. "Get over yourself! You shut me out when you abandoned me! When you let me give birth to Henry while I was handcuffed to a hospital bed! When you never came looking for us! I would have been happy to never see you again, but I wanted to do the right thing for MY son! You're lucky I give you two hours a week!"

Neal stepped into her space. "I'm gonna take your ass to court and get full custody of Henry! I'll keep him away from you, and see how you like it. You'd better get a good lawyer!"

His tone was menacing, and Emma felt her heart seize at the thought of losing Henry. Thankfully, Regina had stepped out a moment earlier, and heard Neal's threat.

"Mr. Cassidy," Regina began, "No judge in the state of Massachusetts or anywhere else would grant you full custody of Henry."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Regina Mills, Miss Swan's attorney." Her posture and commanding tone conveyed her displeasure with his behavior.

"You brought your damn lawyer here?!"

Emma felt defeated. She pointed to Regina. "She's a guest, Neal. Her son is Henry's best friend."

"I also happen to specialize in Family Law. You are welcome to bring suit against Miss Swan, but you will only do yourself more harm. You have no job, no established residence, and a history of criminal activity. The outcome would likely be the judge assigning a social worker to be present at each visit with Henry."

"How do you know I don't have a job?"

"Your father's not the only one who knows how to do surveillance," Emma replied as she shuffled her feet.

Neal glared at her. The air was thick with tension as they stared daggers at one another.

"Might I make a suggestion?" Regina said, breaking the silence.

"What?" Emma asked. She had no clue what Regina was about to say.

"If you truly care for Henry, Mr. Cassidy, and want to spend more time with him, I suggest working gradually toward unsupervised visits, instead of getting the courts involved."

"What do you mean?"

"Begin by meeting Emma at a public place, such as a park, and you take charge of Henry while Emma is away for an hour, but at a nearby location. Once he is returned safely, this could be repeated, with increases in the time interval. Maybe you take him to a movie, or to see a hockey game. Based on the results of these outings, Emma may permit you to have one on one time with Henry in your home."

"How long would that take?"

"It's not going to happen overnight. But if you can agree to prove you are worthy of caring for Henry, and Emma can agree to set aside her own sense of betrayal, I think you could come to a situation that is more desirable. And perhaps we can avoid any more shouting matches in the parking lot of a children's play center."

Neal looked almost hopeful as he turned to Emma. "What do you say, Ems? Can we bury the hatchet?"

Emma hesitated. "Can I have some time to think about it?"

"Oh for chr…" Neal grabbed Tamara and walked back toward the party. "C'mon babe. Let's go say bye to Henry. We're obviously not wanted here."

He'd nearly turned the corner when Emma called out. "Neal… wait!" He stopped and turned to face her. "Fine," she huffed. "We can start with a park playdate tomorrow. I will step away and go to the diner nearby. You can have some time with Henry, just the two of you."

"Well, I guess it's better than nothing. We should go back inside. Didn't that woman say we needed to stand by Henry while everyone else sings to him? Wouldn't want our boy to miss out on his cake."

He walked back inside, leaving Emma, Kilian, Milah, and Regina in the lot. Regina patted Emma on the shoulder. "I'll tell Ingrid you need another minute."

"Thanks Regina." Emma looked at Milah, who was on the verge of tears.

"Love?" Killian spoke gently as he looked at Milah.

"When will he stop punishing me?" Milah asked, refusing to take her eyes off the pavement under her feet.

"Milah, are you okay?" Emma asked.

She looked up then, training her eyes on the two lovers. "Look, I am happy for you both, I really am. But right now I need to fix my relationship with my son. I'm here today for Henry, but after today I need to focus on Neal. I don't want you to take it personally, Emma, but I'm not going to answer your calls for a while."

Emma felt her eyes tear up, but she nodded. "I get it. But please give me a call if there is anything I can do for you. I don't want you to be alone."

"I appreciate that." She turned and walked back inside.

Emma stood next to Killian and leaned into him. He put his arm, still holding the fake hook, around her shoulders "What do we do now?" She asked.

"We go back inside, have some cake, and put on the biggest fake smiles we can muster to get through the rest of this party. For Henry."

"For Henry," she agreed. They laced their hands together and returned to the party.