Thanks for sticking with me and this story; just a little bit longer and we're finally going to reach the happy chapters. If you want to actually see the card trick Killian does here, type James Galea (Card Trick) Comedy Festival Gala 2009 into youtube and enjoy (it starts around 1:45 mark)!

Emma is fiddling with the ticket for Killian's magic show, watching the darkened stage and feeling her anticipation rising as the crowd gradually becomes quiet.

While Emma is waiting to see the love of her life for the first time in over twenty years, everybody else is waiting for cool card tricks so when he finally comes on stage they all cheer and clap; the noise would be deafening if Emma could concentrate on anything except the fact that Killian is finally standing not ten feet away from her.

Finding him this time wasn't hard, but getting a golden ticket for his show was nearly impossible and it took her over three years despite all her skill.

Killian starts it off with the usual; I'll guess what card you're thinking of, how did that card get there, how did that regular deck turn into a deck made entirely of Queens of Heart?

Time flies by and it's almost the end of the show, which means the trick that made him a star; the story he tells changes every night, but the cards that go with it are always right, no matter how many times he lets people cut the deck.

Killian comes to the table in front of Emma's chair and smiles at her, asking for her name.

"Emma", she says and he looks up from shuffling the cards, giving her a long look that makes her heart race even faster than it already was.

"Cut the deck for me, Emma", he says and she leans forward, doing just that. "Now… Look closely."

Tonight he tells a story about meeting some ladies and joining his friends at a place called 673 James Street, and turns over cards 6, 7, 3 and J. The audience cheers but he's not even nearly done yet; he asks Emma to cut the deck again, and then every time he mentions his own name in the story a K comes out without fail.

"We decided to play poker and Emma here wanted four nines, which is a pretty good hand, but I wanted her to win so I gave her four Aces with an eight", Killian says and winks at Emma, turning over cards 4, 9, 9, 9, 9, followed by four Aces with an eight, just like he promised.

Emma had seen real magic, but this still takes her breath away, and she's sad when the story is over and the entire deck is used, neatly lied out on the table in front of her.

"That was amazing", Emma says and he leans down to kiss her cheek; she turns her head at the last possible moment and his lips find hers, and then there's actual magic swirling around them and making the audience go mad.

"What would've happened if I hadn't gone for the kiss?" Killian asks her, pulling her up from her seat so they can take a bow for the audience.

"I have the ticket for the meet & greet", Emma tells him meekly and he laughs, dipping her over and kissing her again.

"That's not happening tonight", he tells her and takes her hand, leading her back stage as the audience keeps screaming and chanting his name.

It takes them about twenty minutes to get to his dressing room because he keeps pulling her into darkened nooks and kissing her senseless, and she'd been starving for him for far too long to care if anybody's watching and deeming their behavior inappropriate.

Killian finally opens the door for her and she goes in, stopping dead in her tracks because there's a little girl sleeping on the couch, a stuffed rabbit clutched to her chest.

"But… You're not married", Emma says dumbly, looking between him and the girl that's obviously his daughter.

"Her mother died in childbirth", Killian says softly and Emma feels relieved, then feels like a monster because she's glad that Killian's baby had to grow up without a mother the way Emma did. "Emma, I'm so sorry. I can't believe I managed to forget you."

"It's okay. She's so beautiful", she tells him and leans against his chest, resting her hands on top of his on her stomach as they both watch the precious sight in front of them. "What's her name?"

"Anastasia. But she can't quite pronounce it, so everybody calls her Ninie", Killian says and Emma tilts her head to look at him, tears spilling from her eyes because there's such love in his eyes for Ninie and she wishes she was their child, wishes she was the one that's always just a little out of reach.

Emma wipes her eyes and tells herself that maybe this time they will succeed, maybe this time they are going home with two babies instead of just one.

"Tell me what's wrong", Killian whispers against her ear and Emma is about to open her mouth and tell him everything when Ninie wakes up and looks right at her.

"Later", Emma murmurs and smiles at his little girl, her heart expanding because Ninie rubs her eyes and smiles back at her. "Somebody's awake."

Unlike the last time Killian had children, this time nothing's preventing her to bond with his daughter, and because Ninie is his, Emma knows that loving her is going to be so easy.

And it is.

Emma spends a lot of time with Ninie while Killian is preparing and having his shows; they go shopping, read books and have countless tea parties that neither of them can get enough of. Months go by but Emma barely notices because she's living a dream and she's too busy loving Ninie and making love with Killian to worry about the future.

After all, what happens, happens, right?

It's a bright summer day and the two of them are sitting in a park across from the building where Killian is practicing his tricks, waiting for him to join them for lunch, Emma trying to teach Ninie how to braid her hair.

"Show me again", Ninie demands and frowns adorably as she concentrates on the movement of Emma's hands.

"You don't have to get it today", Emma tells her and kisses her nose, Ninie's laugh sounding like tiny bells and making her a little misty eyed.

"Emma?"

"Yes, honey?"

"I was thinking. You love daddy and me, and we love you… Does that mean I should call you mommy?" Ninie asks her, looking up at her with a serious expression as Emma hunts for words.

"You can call me whatever you want", Emma finally says, and Ninie nods, thinking about her answer for a few seconds.

"I don't really remember my mommy, but I think she wouldn't mind if I called you mommy now", Ninie says and snuggles into Emma's lap, staying there for about three seconds before she sees Killian coming across the street. "Daddy!"

Ninie slips from her lap and launches herself into Killian's open arms as Emma sits on the bench, stunned and happier than she'd been in years.

Emma gets her period and for some reason she can't shake the cold and the pain, so she stays in bed. Killian brings her breakfast and sits down next to her while she shuffles the food on her plate around and avoids looking at him.

She told him everything except what had happened in his last life and it's a heavy burden to bear alone.

"Whatever it is, Emma, you can tell me", he says and embraces her, tilting her face up so she has to look at him.

"You told me to do something, and I did it, and it messed up everything last time", she blurts out, then bites her tongue but it's too late, the words are already out.

Killian is silent for a while and she closes her eyes, preparing herself for more questions she does not want to answer.

"It doesn't matter, lass", he says, his lips grazing her temple.

"What?"

"I forgive you", he says and tilts her head until she's looking at him. "Forgive yourself, Emma, and let it go."

Emma wraps her arms around him and buries her head in his chest, wishing it were that easy, wishing she could love herself the way he loves her.

On their second anniversary in this life Killian drives the three of them out into the desert. He refuses to tell Emma where they are going and what are they going to do, and Ninie giggles in the back seat but stays as cryptic as her father.

"Close your eyes", Killian says when they reach a parking lot and Emma obeys, feeling Ninie crawl into her lap to make sure she's not peeking.

"Tell me what it is", Emma says, running her fingers through Ninie's hair and feeling her shake her head.

"It's a secret", Ninie whispers and Emma smiles, waiting impatiently until Killian comes back for them.

"Keep 'em closed", he says and steals a kiss before picking Ninie up and leading Emma around the car.

"Now mommy, look", Ninie exclaims and Emma opens her eyes to see the desert sky explode in rainbow colors, a firework just for her.

"How-"

"Shhh", Killian sushes her and wraps his free arm around her waist; Emma relaxes against him, watching the bright flowers in the sky and feeling her hope grow again.

He's creating magic out of thin air, and Emma lets herself believe that someday he's going to create their happy ending too.

Emma is in the kitchen making breakfast when Ninie runs into the kitchen in her pajamas, tears streaking her face.

"Daddy is sick", she chokes out and Emma takes her hand and leads her back upstairs, her heart hammering in her chest even before she sees Killian sitting on the floor, leaning against Ninie's bed with eyes closed, his hand clutching his chest.

"Killian", Emma kneels next to him and embraces Ninie, laying her free hand on his shoulder. His eyes open slowly and find hers, and he doesn't have to say anything for her to know that this is the end. "I'll go call the ambulance."

She knew he'd leave her too soon the second he frowned when she asked him about the Ninja, but she made herself believe that this time it's going to be different because she couldn't face the possibility of Ninie losing a father too.

"Emma", he says gently and she blinks back tears, staying right where she is.

"Please don't go", Emma says, taking Killian's hand in hers and squeezing his fingers, embracing Ninie tighter; she sounds calm, but it's all for their daughter's benefit.

"I'm sorry", he says, smiling at Ninie even though Emma can see a muscle jumping in his jaw, his hand trembling in hers; his heart is giving out on him two years too soon. "Promise me something, love."

"Anything", Emma breathes, painfully aware that Ninie is looking between them, confused and scared and not realizing that her father is about to die.

"Ninie-", he starts to say and gasps for air, and Ninie crawls into his lap and wraps her arms around him.

"I'm here, daddy", she tells him and Emma bites the inside of her mouth and looks up to keep her tears at bay, her heart shattering like it never did before.

"I'll look after her", Emma says, cupping Killian's face and kissing him, one last time, again.

"Look after yourself too, lass", he says and Emma embraces him, Ninie caught between them, both of them holding on long after he's already gone.

Ninie never sleeps in her room again. She refuses to even enter it and Emma finds a new house for them, but she still wakes with Ninie's head on her shoulder, long dark hair spilling over her pillow.

Emma doesn't let herself be sad. She does everything in her power to be Ninie's everything and tells her countless stories about Killian; she can't bear the thought of Ninie forgetting him.

Ninie's fifth birthday goes without a celebration because her daughter refuses to have a party without her daddy, and Emma has to call all the parents of Ninie's friends and explain to them that the party is cancelled.

They spend the day watching videos of Killian's performances and Ninie is so subdued and quiet that Emma lets her eat more chocolate than she should; her father is dead and nothing Emma says will ever make it better.

"How much longer until you leave me too?" Ninie asks her when Emma tucks her into bed that night, and she looks so small and fragile and afraid that Emma wishes she could just stay; for the first time she's ready to stop, ready to let Killian go, and it's fitting that she'd do it for his daughter.

But she can't.

"I'm never going to leave you", Emma tells her firmly and kisses her forehead, and somehow, she makes them both believe that she won't.

By the time Killian's 32nd birthday comes around Ninie isn't Ninie anymore; she's Anastasia, she's finishing first grade and she smiles Killian's smile when Emma gives her the lunchbox and kisses her goodbye.

"I'll see you soon", Emma tells her daughter and only falls apart after the school bus takes Anastasia away.

A part of Emma knows that her little girl is just going to disappear with the rest of this reality as soon as she goes back in time, but she still makes one of her friends promise that if anything ever happens to Emma, she's going to take Anastasia in and love her like Emma would.

It's horrible, but Emma hopes that there's going to be no need for that because she'd rather have Anastasia disappear than feel abandoned, and when time starts pulling her back she finally understands exactly how Killian feels every time he has to go.

He's much braver about it than Emma is.

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