Here you go guys, final flashback chapter. I think you'll be happy to hear that I have an idea for a new CS fic, but I can't get to it until after my finals are done. Enjoy the new chapter, and thank you again for all your reviews and encouragement.

Storybrooke, eight months ago

Emma goes to see Neal after work, while Killian and Henry stay at home and make pancakes for dinner. It's been two days since Neal's sudden appearance, and Emma still hadn't find a way to tell Henry. She had decided to talk to Neal first, see what's on his mind and how involved he wants to be in Henry's life.

When she gets to Granny's B&B and asks for him, Granny gives her a knowing look and tells her that he's gone. Apparently, he spent a single night in Storybrooke, and was gone the next morning.

Emma can't remember the last time she was this furious, her hands shaking as Granny gives her the letter he had left for her. She storms out without a word, deliberately closing the door gently because if she slams it, she's afraid all the glass in it will break. Her hand closes in a fist around the letter, and she's tempted to just throw it away without reading it. She thinks how much worse everything would've been if she had told Henry that his father is alive and in Storybrooke, and she wants to break something, preferably Neal's face.

She finds herself back home without realizing how she even got there, kicking off her shoes and throwing her jacket in the closet, slamming the door without waiting to see where it lands.

"Emma? How come- What happened?" Killian asks coming down the hallway, and Emma's fury slowly drains away from the mere sight of her pirate wearing an apron which reads "kiss the cook". Henry appears behind Killian's shoulder, and Emma manages a smile for his benefit, her eyes telling Killian to drop it for now.

"You two finish the pancakes, and I have to do something alone", Emma starts toward her room, but Killian grabs her wrist when she passes by him and pulls her back, just looking at her. "I'm fine", she tells him, but it means so much that he understands that she's really not. She doesn't care about Neal, but she cares about her son, and it kills her to think how close she was to having to break his heart.

"The pancake is burning", Henry calls from the kitchen, and Emma pushes Killian away gently, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

Neal's letter is exactly what she expects; "I don't want to disrupt your life", "I don't deserve to be in Henry's life", and a dozen more meaningless excuses. She tears the thing in little pieces and burns it in the bathroom sink, unable to believe that he gave up on both her and Henry the second he saw that she had moved on. Selfishly, she's glad that Killian was there, because if he hadn't been, Neal could've stayed in hopes of winning her back, and the outcome would've been the same; he would leave again, and the hurt would be twice as bad. At least Henry is protected now, unaware of what a bastard his father really is.

By the time pancakes are done, Emma is a little calmer, and not even the disaster area that is the kitchen can faze her. Killian keeps watching her carefully, and to her surprise, she welcomes the attention. It's good to have someone who genuinely cares if she's upset or sad, even though they can't talk about it until Henry goes to bed.

"What's wrong?" Henry asks her when she comes to wish him good night, and Emma sits on his bed and tells him that she loves him and that nothing is wrong. He's too smart to believe her, but he just kisses her and tells her he loves her too. Emma tucks the covers in and tells him the made up version of her and Neal's love story, the one he's heard a hundred times but still loves hearing again.

"I'm glad you found Killian to love now", Henry tells her when she's already at the doorway, and Emma smiles to herself.

"Good night, Henry."

"Good night, mum."

Killian is waiting for her on the sofa and puts his arm around her when she drops down next to him. Emma settles against him and stares at the dark night outside the windows, trying to put into words how disappointed she is.

"Should I go beat him up?" Killian asks, only half-joking, and she snorts completely unladylike.

"He's not in town anymore. He knew I'd slug him if he had stayed to tell me that shit he'd written in his stupid letter."

"You mean he just left?" Killian sounds incredulous, and Emma turns to look at him. He puts her legs across his thighs and he's so warm, and he smells so good that it's hard to hold onto her anger.

"He's a coward and I should've expected this", she says, tracing the scar on his stump with her finger. Killian goes completely still, his eyes finding hers, and she stops, but keeps her fingers wrapped around it. "What?"

"Nothing", he says, and Emma goes back to her ministrations. Instinctively, she understands that he was wearing that hook for so long, hiding what was under it from the world, and there probably weren't many people who'd seen his stump, much less touched it. If she's objective, it looks bad, but at the same time it doesn't because it's a part of him. She leans down and presses her lips against it, and when she looks up at him and smiles, tentatively, he smiles back.

"I don't want to talk about him anymore", Emma says, and Killian nods, holding her gaze and brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear, his hand cupping her face. Her eyes drift closed and his kiss is like magic, healing her and making her fall even more in love with him.

It's been over a week since Neal's unexpected visit and even more unexpected departure, and Emma feels almost grateful because it's made her and Killian take things slow. They cuddle on the sofa every night and watch TV after Henry goes to bed, but tonight it feels different. She comes into the living room, sees Killian's perfect profile, and something in her heart flutters; it's like an equation coming together in her head, and she knows that this is the night they move forward.

As if sensing her mood he looks at her and instead of sitting down next to him, she straddles his lap, her eyes never leaving his. She's nervous and excited, drowning in his eyes and getting the weirdest impulse to pinch herself. Her skin sings when he pulls her head down with a hand on the back of her neck, their lips meeting with an electric charge, her eyes fluttering closed. He leans her down, biting her lower lip, a soft moan escaping her lips when his hand goes under her shirt, his fingers caressing her skin.

"Not here", Emma pants, and his lips move to her neck. Everything is happening so fast and his hand seems to be everywhere at once, making her dig her fingers into his shoulders. He gathers her in his arms and caries her toward her bedroom, moving slowly by Henry's room, but there's only the sound of his breathing coming from inside.

Killian closes the door of her room with his foot and sets her down on her feet, his eyes moving over her hungrily. It's like there's a fire in his blue gaze, her skin burning even before he touches her. She's a little bit scared because it's been a long time since her guard came down like this, since she went to bed with someone and had every intention of waking up with them, but the second his fingers meet her skin she's calm again. There's no one and nothing more important than the two of them, coming together in perfect sync, clothes pooling on the floor as they undress each other.

He kisses her, and she stumbles back toward the bed, pulling him along, her fingers counting vertebrae up his spine. For someone with five fingers less than her other lovers, he's way better, her breathing getting heavier, her legs spreading to allow him better access. She bites his earlobe and enjoys the tiniest hitch in his breathing, but soon she can't concentrate on anything at all, his clever fingers driving her crazy with need.

"Please", she whispers, not even recognizing the sound of her own voice. He pulls away to look at her, a devilish smile on his face as he keeps teasing her. Emma sits up and cups him with her small hand, their eyes locked together.

"Aren't you a feisty lass", he says, gasping the last word out and biting his lip as she moves her hand up and down the length of him.

"You have no idea", Emma tells him and leans forward, pressing her breasts against his chest. He drops his head and takes her nipple in his mouth, and Emma arches her back, thinking that it has to be him, has to be the way she feels about him that allows him to do this to her with such a simple touch.

When he finally enters her, Emma wraps her arms around him as tight as she can and leaves bite marks on his shoulder, rather than wake up Henry with the scream that wants to come out of her mouth. She thinks that this is the proof that he must be the right one for her, and the way he keeps repeating her name louder and louder only makes her more certain. She only just manages to put her hand over his mouth before they both tumble over the edge of sanity and take flight together.

"Where are you going?" Emma asks drowsily when Killian tries to get up without waking her. It's still dark outside, and she climbs to her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind.

"Henry will notice if the sofa wasn't slept on. Again", Killian tells her with a half smile, trying to pry her arms apart. Emma just holds on and waits until he stops fighting her.

"Henry knows I'm in love with you", she tells him, and the words come out so easily, tasting so good on her lips she wishes she'd told him sooner, maybe even made the first move.

The look on his face can't really be described; it makes her heart feel heavy because he looks so surprised, like he can't really believe she feels like that about him.

"Come back to bed", Emma says softly, pressing her lips against his stubbled cheek, and releasing him, lying down on her side of the bed. She knows that it's over; no matter what happens next, no matter what curveball life throws at them, his place in her bed and in her heart will remain safe. He has always been her one true love; it was only a matter of time until they found their way to each other.

Killian gets back under the covers with her and Emma settles against his shoulder with a sigh, pressing a kiss against his chest.

"I'm in love with you too", Killian says against her ear, and Emma smiles to herself.

"I know."

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