Disclaimer: Reluctantly I have to admit that I don't own these characters. They are property of others far luckier than myself.

What to do with my Sunday nights until September? Why read and write of course.

Enjoy.

"The townsfolk are quite impressive fighters," Killian noted at the end of their first week of training.

"Not their first time in battle," David sheathed his sword, "We fought many battles together back in the Enchanted Forest, and I'd take them into battle at any time."

"Feeling better about our odds?" Emma turned towards Killian. She knew that the impending danger was weighing on Killian's conscience. He was losing sleep over it. She'd woken several times over the past week to find him on deck looking pensively out at the open water. He'd promised that he wouldn't sail, but she worried that he'd break his promise to her.

"Aye," Killian nodded.

"The dwarves have been working on a few surprises for any foes coming into town," David stated, "I think Sleepy has been watching 'Swiss Family Robinson' one too many times. He wants to add all kinds of booby traps down by the docks."

"Not a bad idea," Emma responded after a moment of thought, "As long as they're well marked until the pirates arrive. We don't want any townsfolk getting injured in the interim."

"I'll tell the dwarves to proceed," David replied, "They'll be thrilled."

"We'd better get to the station," Emma glanced at the clock on her phone, "Stay out of trouble, Pirate."

Killian chuckled in response, "Will you have dinner with me tonight?"

"We eat together every night," she turned towards him, her eyes awash in confusion.

"This will be a special dinner," Killian told her.

"I like the sound of that," Emma beamed in reply.

"I'll pick you up at seven," he leaned in for a soft kiss.

"I'll be ready," Emma nipped at his lips once more despite her father's groan of protest, "I love you."

"I love you."

"What's the occasion?" Mary Margaret wondered while she helped Emma prepare for her night out with Killian.

"I have no idea," Emma brushed her cheeks with blush, "He's been so distracted with the upcoming battle. This came completely out of left field, but I'm not complaining."

"I never would have expected Captain Jones to be such a romantic," Mary Margaret confessed as she curled a lock of Emma's hair.

"I probably should have expected it. He's been planning to avenge his first love's death for a few centuries. It would make sense that he'd be a bit of a romantic," Emma replied, "I get the feeling that if Milah had asked, he would have given up the seas for her completely."

"Do you think he'd do the same for you?" Mary Margaret asked.

"He already did," Emma frowned slight in reply, "He traded his ship to find me. That's the same thing, isn't it?"

"I suppose," her mother conceded.

"Do you think there is ever going to be a time that we're not facing eminent danger?" Emma sighed, "Storybrooke does feel like home to me now, but it would be nice to not feel as though I'm going to be in danger every minute of every day for the rest of my life, Henry's life, Baby Neal's life."

"I don't see much of a way out of it," Mary Margaret replied, "It's been like this for me for most of my life, since my father died really."

"Don't you get tired of it?"

"Yes…and no," Mary Margaret stated after several moments of thought, "This is what our lives are. I don't see it changing any time soon, so what is the point of wishing for it to be any different. It's certainly never a dull day around here."

"I could do with a few dull days," Emma sighed, "If it meant that my family was completely safe."

"Emma, you're dating Captain Hook. I don't think you'll ever see another dull day," Mary Margaret smirked.

"The captain is here," David entered Emma's bedroom where she and Mary Margaret were preparing for her date.

"She's not ready yet," Mary Margaret informed her husband, "Go stall for a few minutes."

"Can I make him sweat it out?" he folded his arms in front of his chest as he casually leaned against the door frame.

"As long as you do it in a nice way," Emma spoke up, "No sword fights or any other physical confrontations."

David frowned for a moment before he returned to the main living where Killian had taken it upon himself to entertain Baby Neal. David was startled to find his son sitting upon the pirate's knee while Killian told him a particularly colorful story about his life at sea.

"Making yourself at home I see," David interrupted just before the story turned a bit more adult than was suitable for his infant son.

"He's a pleasant little lad," Killian stated as David snatched his son away despite Neal's screech of protest.

"You seem to have a way with young children," David bounced Neal about to improve his mood.

"It's my natural charm," Killian gave his girlfriend's father his most charming smile.

"Uh huh," David agreed skeptically as he lowered Neal into his playpen, "Where are you taking Emma tonight?"

"Out to dinner," Killian responded with an intentional vagueness, "And then perhaps to one of those moving picture shows that Emma's fond of."

"Hook, what are your intentions towards my daughter?" David asked abruptly.

"Sorry, intentions?" Killian scratched behind his ear in confusion.

"You say you love her, but do you have plans? Is this relationship going anywhere?" David pressed, "Is there any future?"

"David!" Mary Margaret gasped when she entered the room to hear David's questions, "That's completely inappropriate."

"Is it?" David challenged his wife, "I believe I have every right to ask this question. She is my daughter."

"Emma has the right to ask those questions, not you," Mary Margaret rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Honestly, Charming, you would have been better off challenging him to a duel."

Killian felt a bit of relief that he didn't have to come up with any responses to David questions. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't even asked them internally. He'd simply been enjoying the moments he had with Emma.

"Should we be expecting Emma home tonight?" Mary Margaret inquired.

"That is for Emma to decide," Killian responded.

"We won't wait up," Mary Margaret gave him a gently smile. She could see that he was still a bit frazzled by David's impromptu line of questioning.

Emma cleared her throat to announce her presence. She appeared to float down the staircase. Killian was overcome with so many emotions while she glided down.

"You look beautiful," Killian stepped towards her when she reached the bottom step.

"You clean up pretty good yourself, Sailor," Emma tugged on his modern leather jacket.

"Should we go?" Killian's hand went to the small of her back to guide her towards the door.

Emma grabbed her shawl before turning towards her parents, "Don't wait up."

With the door closed, Mary Margaret dreamily added, "He's the one."

"The one what?" David grumbled.

"He's her Prince Charming like you were mine," Mary Margaret explained.

David groaned in reply. No man was ever going to be good enough for his daughter, but Killian was even less so than he'd ever imagined.

"You don't like him," Mary Margaret included.

"I like him well enough," David stated, "But does he have to date our daughter?"

"You can't help who you fall in love with, David," Mary Margaret's eyes narrowed towards him, "You should know that well enough by now."

"He's a pirate," David grumbled.

"And a good man," Mary Margaret chimed in.

"She's a princess," David added.

"So was I, yet I fell for a shepherd masquerading as a prince," Mary Margaret reminded him.

"She deserves better," he insisted.

"She deserves our support in whoever she chooses," Mary Margaret replied, "If she can't have that, then she deserves your silence on the matter." There wasn't a hint of anger or malice in her voice. She was merely stating a fact, and David knew she was right. Whatever his reservations, for Emma he would keep them to himself.

"Everything alright?" Emma inquired as they strolled along the familiar streets of Storybrooke arm and arm. Killian was quieter than was typical for him. "David wasn't too hard on you earlier, was he?"

"He's a concerned father," Killian shrugged, "I can't say that I blame him."

"He's making up for lost time," Emma added.

"He's an honorable man," Killian nodded.

"So are you," Emma nudged him playfully with her shoulder. He only nodded in acknowledgement of her words. He certainly wasn't in agreement, so Emma felt the need to elaborate. "You'd done so many honorable things since I've met you. How can you disagree with me?"

"You don't know everything," Killian grumbled.

"You're right," she conceded, "I don't know every single thing you've done in your three hundred plus years, but I know enough."

"You know what you've been told," Killian replied.

"I know all I need to know," she insisted. She sighed heavily before adding, "What did my father say that has you in this self loathing mood?"

"It wasn't him," he was quick to assure her, "It's me. You're father asked me what kind of future I saw for us, and honestly I had no answer. For so many years, I lived just for the day or for my vendetta, but now things are different."

"What's so different?" she pulled him towards a bench so they could have what was amounting to a serious discussion about their future.

"For the first time, I actually want a future," he stated.

"What kind of future?" she swallowed hard.

Killian hesitated in giving his response. He knew after he spoke that there could be no turning back, but he worried about where she was with her feelings. For as many issues as he had with relationships and commitment, she had her own. It had been a big step for her to break down her walls to trust him in the first place.

"You can be honest with me, Killian," she took his hand into hers and brought it to her lips.

"I can be honest with you, but can I be honest with myself," he closed his eyes as the full weight of his thoughts hit him.

"Just say it," she encouraged him.

"Never in my three hundred years have I ever truly wanted what I do now, not even with Milah," he spoke softly. He wasn't looking at her. He was in a trance of sort of his own making. "I didn't have a usual upbringing. I grew up having to fend for myself as you did, but without the benefit of the foster care system that you had. I know it wasn't always pleasant for you, but occasionally you had others that cared. I didn't. Until Liam found me, I was always a heartbeat away from death. I would go days sometimes without much more to eat but moldy scraps of food meant for the animals in the alleyways. I would steal what I could so I'd survive another night. I would shiver in the cold night air without so much as a blanket to keep me warm. The clothing was mere rags. I couldn't read. I couldn't write. I had no meaningful skills."

"How did Liam find you?" Emma asked as she swallowed the sob that wanted to burst free.

"By pure luck," he replied, "I went aboard the ship he was working when all the other sailors went ashore for their usual leave. Liam had been tasked with staying back to make sure the ship was secure. He caught me trying to steal a loaf of bread from the galley.

"Thought he was going to cut off my arm for the crime, but he saw something in me, saw our mother's eyes. Next thing I knew he was hugging me tight. That evening I was standing before the ship's captain while Liam convinced the man that I'd make a suitable cabin boy for the ship. The captain reluctantly agreed but put me in Liam's charge. Any mischief that I was responsible for was on Liam. He took me under his wing, taught me how to read and write and fight with a sword and everything that a sailor needed to know to be useful aboard a ship.

"When I became eligible, he got me into the naval academy and then took me on as his lieutenant. Everything good that is in me is because of my brother."

"What does this have to do with your future?" Emma asked softly.

"I never once imagined that I could have a home or a wife or a family of my own. I never felt I deserved it. With Milah, there was never a chance to have any of that. Perhaps that is why I was so drawn to her. She had no desire to be another's wife or have a child. She'd already had that and given it up. She wanted adventure," Killian explained.

"And now you want that?"

"Somewhere inside, I've always wanted that," he replied, "But I've never thought it was attainable."

"Is it now?" Emma asked.

"That depends," Killian looked at their adjoined hands, "Is that something you want?"

"It wasn't," she admitted, "Not for a long time."

"But now?" he prompted her.

"I could see myself settling down, finding a place with Henry," Emma added.

"Is there room for me?" his voice broke with nervousness.

"There might be," she gave him a shy smile, "As much as I'd like us to have that home together, I have to put Henry first."

Killian nodded in agreement.

"As fond as he is of you, I don't know if he'd be ready to accept you as a…a roommate or even a stepfather," Emma felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she spoke the last word. She took a deep breath. "He just lost his father. In a perfect world, I'd say absolutely, let's all live together and be one big happy family, but I just don't know if that's ever going to be in the cards. Storybrooke is such an unpredictable place. If this Teach ever finds us and we do away with him as we've been lucky enough to do with the other threats, there will always be another danger lurking around the corner."

"You don't need to explain yourself," he replied, "We should be focusing on Captain Teach."

"We also need to live our lives," she repeated what he's told her before, "You've taught me that."

"Shall we come to an agreement?" he suggested, "Let's focus on this current danger. The instant that it's over, you and I will sit down and figure out exactly where we want to end up in our relationship."

Emma nodded in agreement.

"Shall we seal our agreement with a kiss?" he leaned into her with his charming grin.

Emma smiled as her lips found his.

"We got all dressed up for dinner on the docks?" Emma inquired when they arrived at the Fish and Chips Shack they'd frequented since it reopened in the early spring.

"We got all dressed up, as you say, for each other," he chuckled, "Find us a table love. I'll buy our meal."

"Evening, Sheriff," one of the nurses from the hospital greeted her.

"Hi," Emma nodded as she took in the nurse's attire. She was clearly on her break as she was dressed in the standard nurse's uniform.

"Nice night," the nurse added.

"It is," Emma agreed, "Keeping busy at the hospital?"

"Mother Superior has us working hard in preparation for the coming battle. We'll need to be in fine form to treat any of the injured."

"We're in good hands," Emma smiled.

"We'll certainly do our best," the nurse nodded as she went about eating her meal.

Emma turned to look out over the water. It was a calm evening. With no ships coming into the harbor, there was very little activity. She wondered how much longer they'd have to wait. The harbor had been closed for nearly a week. Ships had sailed out with the gossip that Killian Jones was in Storybrooke. She wondered if the message had been received yet, if Teach was even in their realm. They couldn't keep the harbor closed too much longer. They depended on it to get their everyday supplies.

"Those are some dark thoughts floating through your head, Love," Killian announced himself as he carried their meals to their table.

"I was just wondering if we're on the right track," Emma bit into her first fry, "What if we're wrong about what happened in Portsmouth? What if it was just a coincidental thing?"

"He's here," Killian shook his head, "I can feel it. It's only a matter of time before he arrives."

"I wish he'd just get here already," she sighed, "I'm tired of waiting."

"You might be rethinking that when you see his flags on the horizon," he replied.

"I might," she conceded, "But for right now, I want to get this over with."

"Enough of this talk tonight," Killian waved off their current discussion, "I wanted this night to be about us enjoying each other's company."

"We don't need a special night for that," Emma smiled, "I usually enjoy your company."

"Usually?" he prompted her with a chuckle.

"Well you have to admit that you do tend to irritate me on occasion," she replied, "You can say it's part of your charms all you want, but, Captain, sometimes you are downright annoying."

Killian released a hearty laugh in reply. "And Sheriff, sometimes your stubbornness is equally annoying."

After devouring their meals, they took another stroll through the town. There wasn't anything interesting playing at the theater, so they felt that a nice stroll was just as entertaining. Soon enough they found themselves on Killian's ship, nestled in a comfortable spot with their arms around each other.

"Are you cold?" Killian inquired as Emma shivered in his arms.

"No," she shook her head slightly as his arms tightened around her.

"Did you ever hear back on that apartment you applied for?" he asked abruptly.

"Yes," she was visibly startled, "Didn't I tell you about that?"

"Haven't heard anything since we looked at it," he replied.

"Henry and I move in the a few weeks," she replied, "Did I really not tell you?"

"First I've heard of it," he shook his head slightly.

"Wow, I'm sorry," she shook her head slight, "They called first thing the Monday morning after we filled out the application. It's ours. Henry already has paint samples picked out."

"The lad is always prepared," he chuckled.

"I'm going to want to spend more nights there," she stated, "But you'll have a standing offer to stay over."

"I intend to take full advantage," he tightened his arm around her shoulder.

"What do you regret most over your three hundred years?" Emma inquired as they continued on with their late evening star gazing, "Would it be that you didn't avenge Milah's death?"

"Perhaps," Killian replied, "But more than that, I regret that I had to become someone else to do it. I lost the man that she'd fallen in love with…What is your biggest regret?"

"Giving up Henry," Emma responded instantly, "I was a mess. I was seventeen. I had no business being a parent, but seeing the boy that he's become, I wish I'd had a part in that."

"You do have a part in that," he reminded her.

"Now I do," Emma agreed, "But those eleven years that I missed, I wish I'd had them back. Maybe I couldn't have been his mom every day, but I could still been a part of his life. I could have chosen an open adoption where I was entitled to be in contact with him."

"Why didn't you?" he asked.

"At the time, I thought it would be easier for me not to know anything about him and his life," Emma replied. "It was easier just to forget that I'd even had a child, but what you think is easy can sometimes be the hardest thing. I almost went looking for him once…about a year before he came knocking at my door, I seriously thought about making contact with him."

"What stopped you?" Killian inquired.

"Fear of rejection," Emma admitted, "Fear that he'd be so happy with his family that he'd want nothing to do with his mess of a birth mom. I also worried that he'd ask questions about his father that I didn't have any answers to. All I knew of Neal Cassidy was his name and that'd he left his home because his home life had changed and begun to suck. Knowing what I do now, it makes sense that I didn't know anything else, but back then…"

Killian saw the sadness enter her eyes as she remembered her first love.

"I miss him too," Killian offered some consolation.

"I've mourned for this man more than once," Emma pushed away her tears, "I'm done being sad about losing him."

"You can say that all you want, but you can't control your grief. No one knows that better than myself," Killian stated.

"Are you done grieving Milah?" Emma inquired.

"I'd like to say yes, but there are some days in which her death still feels as fresh as it did when it first happened," he confessed, "It hasn't been a year since we lost Baelfire. It's okay to still be grieving him, to be missing him. It doesn't make what you and I have any less special."

"I still would have ended up here with you," Emma replied, "I would have chosen you over him. . .maybe that's what I feel most guilty about."

"He'd want you to be happy," Killian stated.

"I am," she smiled as she turned to kiss his cheek, "I didn't know if I'd ever feel this way again, but you were so persistent."

"Is that what you're calling it now?" he laughed, "I recall something about being annoying and stalking you being thrown out."

"Call that a defensive mechanism," Emma replied.

"Defensive or not, it worked," he grinned.

"Did you ever think that I chose to look past those annoying faults?" she smirked.

"Admit it, Love, you found me devilishly handsome and a dashing rapscallion," he cocked his eyebrow with confidence.

"You definitely have the rapscallion part down," she snorted.

He placed a finger under her chin and guided her lips to his. She turned towards him suddenly, throwing her arms around his shoulders as she leaned in closer to him. Killian would be happy spending the rest of his night doing exactly as they were, but Emma was seeking more, seeking what they'd been putting off for months.

"Emma," Killian broke free for air when her fingers began unbuttoning his shirt.

Emma's fingers went to his lips to silence him before reaching for his hand and leading him below deck.

Killian's mind began to race as he backed her up against the door of his cabin. He needed to devour her. It had been much too long since he'd given into temptation, and she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Emma's eyes were glazed over with love and lust as she feverishly worked the remaining buttons of his shirt open and then peeled the jacket and shirt off his shoulders in one motion.

"Swan, are you sure about this?" Killian hesitated in reciprocating.

"I love you, Killian," she caressed his cheek tenderly.

He dove in for another kiss that took their breaths away as his fingers searched out the zipper at the back of her dress. He was nearly tempted to tear it from her body, but she didn't keep many clothes aboard his ship. He worried she wouldn't have anything to wear back to her parents' loft.

When her dress fell to the floor, he lifted her off her feet. Her legs wrapped around his hips as he carried her to the bed. He sat at the end with her straddling his hips as they found pleasure in each other's lips. Emma's hands caressed the exposed skin she could reach, but soon it wasn't enough. She needed more. She needed him. She reached for the zipper of his pants. Without breaking their kiss, she returned to her feet and took him with her so she could rid him of his leather pants. He kicked off his boots and pants as quickly as possible before reaching to take care of his brace. She used those few moments to rid herself of her bra and panties. They both rose to their full height to take in each other's naked form.

Eyes glanced up and down as smiles found their lips. They came together again in a mess of limbs. They tumbled onto the soft mattress. They rolled until Emma was pinned beneath him. He held himself at arm's length for a moment, his eyes searching hers for any hint of fear or regret she may have. Finding only love and adoration, he slipped inside her waiting body. They released a simultaneous moan of pleasure as they found a steady rhythm.

Moans filled the room. All too soon the powerful climax approached. They rushed towards the finish. Their eyes locked and a silent promise was exchanged in which they vowed to be together until fate separated permanently. With a rush of emotion they fell over the ledge together. The excursion took away Killian's strength as be collapsed above her. They were both gasping for breath. Through each puff of air, their hands continued to roam each other's bodies, their lips continued to taste each other's skin. Neither could get enough of the other.

Killian used the last remaining bit of strength he had in him to roll most of his weight off her before sleep claimed him.

She'd tease him for his surprising lack of stamina later, but for the moment she was too overwhelmed by what had just transpired. She wasn't a virgin. She had proof in the form of the son that walked around town, but with Killian she felt something more powerful than anything she'd ever felt. She turned onto her side and traced the contours of his body with her fingers as she tried to commit every piece of him to memory.

He flinched in his sleep a few times when she found a surprisingly ticklish spot. She tucked those references away for later as she continued on with her exploration. The moonlight suddenly filled the cabin and bathed him in a transcendental glow, one that would surely haunt her dreams on the nights they were forced apart, which she hoped would be a long time from that moment.

TBC…