Epilogue: Home

Six Years Later

The day was perfectly clear when Emma went riding through the western forest on her own. It had been many years since the kingdom of Anselor had found themselves at peace once more, and many years since her parents had forced her to take a guard with her when she went riding.

The winter solstice was fast approaching.

"Henry!"

Emma gave a soft and sad little smile, tears welling in her eyes even as she pushed aside the branches to the clearing where she knew she'd find her unicorn. Every year. The winter solstice. This was where she'd be.

"Henry, come back here! It's not safe!"

"Don't be such a sissy, papa," a boy's voice returned in a hushed whisper. It seemed to be getting louder as Emma got closer, catching a glimpse of the unicorn's soft glow through the trees.

"Unicorns aren't our friends, Henry," the man's voice berated. "They can be dangerous."

"You're being silly, Papa," the little boy answered, the sound of his huff gracing Emma's ears. Wishful thinking, she reminded herself, nothing more.

Or at least, that was what she thought until she felt someone tugging at the bottom of her tunic.

"Excuse me, Miss," the little boy said, looking up at her with a toothy grin. Too much in shock, Emma stepped aside when she realised that she was blocking the path to the unicorn. When she finally regained control of her mouth and realised that those voices were actual people, she asked gently, "Shouldn't you be listening to your father?"

"He doesn't always know what's best," the boy called back with an impish grin, before turning around and eyeing her expectantly.

"Well?" he enquired. "Aren't you coming?"

Emma frowned, before heading after him. If the boy's father was nowhere in sight, surely she should look after him, shouldn't she? "Okay," she finally said. It was strange, she wondered, she felt an urge to protect him.

When the boy, Henry, she remembered with a pang of familiarity, pointed out the unicorn with a grin of delight, Emma couldn't help but let a smile grace her own face. His joy was infectious.

But the unicorn noticed them almost straight away. And Emma gave a sigh as she went to pull Henry back. However, there was no fear in that unicorn's eyes. Instead, it gazed at them with a sparkling laughter, as though it knew something they didn't.

And when it began to step cautiously towards them, Emma held Henry back by his shoulders, before shuffling him behind her. The unicorn continued to advance and Emma continued to remain fearful, until it looked her in the eyes, bent its head, and nuzzled the side of its face against her arm.

Emma's eyes widened in shock as the unicorn looked back at her, as if asking permission. Bending down, Emma crouched to the same height as Henry and let the wondrous boy hold out his hand with a murmured, "Be careful."

The unicorn bent down and nuzzled the boys palm before licking it. Henry let out a soft laugh as he murmured, "It feels funny." Emma smiled as she heard a voice start up again, "Henry! Henry where are you!"

Strange, Emma thought with a mild frown, the voice seemed familiar.

But the unicorn didn't falter when it heard the voice, allowing Henry to stroke its face and its neck gently. "Henry!" the voice was frantic now.

"Over here," Emma called out in a carrying voice as she put her hands on Henry's shoulders as the boy questioned her for silent permission. But even she wasn't going to let him just ride off on a unicorn.

The sound of leaves crushing behind her signified more than she ever thought possible.

Killian Jones was frozen.

His child was patting a unicorn, and the woman beside him…no…it couldn't be…

"Emma," he finally choked out.

She spun around, her face confused for a moment before her mouth fell open and her eyes widened in shock. "Killian?" Her eyes went from him to the boy then back to him. Henry realised something was going on and his brow creased before realisation dawned. Turning to his father he grew excited.

"Papa, this is Emma?" Henry's voice was wondrous, before he wrapped his arms around Emma's waist and clung to her, "You're here! You can make Papa happy again!"

Emma's brow furrowed as she looked from Henry to Killian in confusion. "What…"

"He…" Killian could barely speak. After all these years, she was just as beautiful. "He thinks that you can make me happy. I…I used to tell him stories…"

Emma's heart ached with the inability to run to him and hold him in her arms. It would make her happy, that much she knew.

"And is he right?"

"I'm still here you know," Henry pouted, crossing his arms, but a playful smile still in his eyes. "Of course I'm right. Papa will be happy and you can be my new mother."

Oh.

"New mother?" Emma's face was downcast. She'd had those few moments…she'd hoped…

But then Killian was in front of her, lifting her chin with his still roughened fingers, his blue eyes tear glazed as he drank in her every feature.

"Only mother," he whispered, brushing his fingers over her cheek and Emma bit down on her lip, her brow furrowed.

"But Regina…"

"She did raise him," Killian whispered, "As much as I did. But she was never his mother."

"Papa!" Henry interrupted, his wide eyes open in curiosity as his six year old brain put two and two together. "Is Emma…my mother?"

Emma took the chance then to look at him – to truly look at him. He had her eyes, Killian's face – oh how the girls would swoon. And Emma felt tears welling in her eyes. After all this time.

"Henry."

Why hadn't she realised sooner? That conversation about what they would name their child. Henry for a boy, Allina for a girl. They'd stuck with it. Henry.

Emma collapsed into tears as she sunk to the ground, pulling Henry into a deep hug that she never wanted to let him go from. Killian placed his hand on the neck of the white unicorn beside them.

"You, buddy," Killian whispered to the unicorn fondly as a tear slipped past his eye. "You planned this all along didn't you?"

And the unicorn's eyes remained innocently blank, even if Killian could have sworn he saw a sparkle of mirth in acquiescence.

King Killian of Mercian and Princess Emma of Anselor were married the following Spring. Many of the common folk didn't realise what exactly that meant, but word spread quickly through the peoples.

"They say that it's to thank him for defeating Rumplestiltskin in the war –"

"…It's because of that little bastard running around. You all know that Princess Emma is past marrying age. She can't be choosy…"

"You remember she went missing during the war and no one can account for her whereabouts. Perhaps the child…"

"The countries are united under one rule. Apparently we are getting a new name."

But Killian and Emma couldn't care less for the words. They toured the newly combined kingdom to the joy of the people, their son cuddled to his mother's side as she showered him with years of lost affection. And despite the gossip, the people loved them. For Princess Emma was kind. And she made their old king happy once more. The land was flowering; it was as good a time as any to merge two countries into one.

Plus, a happy royal family and a merged kingdom meant lower taxes.

So when finally they arrived in Mercian, they were greeted warmly by Regina and Robin with their infant son Roland. Regina held onto Emma far longer than necessary as she whispered apology after apology in her ear. But when Emma broke away, it was only to hold onto Regina's arms and whisper, "Thank you."

And that night, Emma watched over her son, tucking him in as disbelief flooded her being.

"I'm so lucky to have you, Henry," Emma whispered as she pulled the covers up around him.

"I'm glad you came back, mama," Henry grinned up at her before curling into his side. "I love you."

"I love you more," Emma said, kissing his nose as he giggled.

Killian waited until Emma had turned off the light before approaching her. He'd heard the exchange down the corridor and it filled him with such great joy that he wanted to burst.

"Are you ready to go to bed, my lovely, beautiful, sexy, wife?" Killian's voice whispered huskily from behind her, arms wrapping around her waist as she was enveloped by his warm and familiar scent.

"Two more minutes," she answered, with a soft smile. He planted a soft kiss on her shoulder before leaving her in the doorway, watching her son's chest rising and falling in sleep. With soft steps, she walked over and placed another gentle kiss on his forehead. After a few more moments, she left him in the darkness to sleep in peace.

Killian was already lying in bed when Emma arrived, a smile permanently etched upon her face.

"Someone's happy," he whispered as she got into bed with him. He was already shirtless, his book put to the side. She climbed atop him and gave him a glowing smile before planting a tender kiss on his lips.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Emma enquired, leaning back as she went to remove her nightgown. A lazy grin spread across Killian's face as he took in Emma's visage with a smirk. She leaned down and covered his chest with her naked body, sliding over the growing bulge in his pants as she leant down to kiss his chest. Peeking up at him she grinned, "I have a very sexy man beneath me who chose to hold out on all other offers of marriage for me even though it was possible we would never meet again. You took care of our son; you loved him. And then you married me."

"Worst mistake of my life," Killian rolled his eyes as she reached his mouth. Emma froze, sneaking her hand beyond the loose waistband of his cotton pants. He gasped as she took him in her hand.

"Say that again," she whispered against the corner of his mouth, rubbing up and down his length.

"Best mistake of my life," Killian rectified and Emma nodded, kissing him full on the mouth and murmuring, "Better."

Killian groaned as Emma continued stroking him, finally taking her by the waist and flipping her onto her back. Hovering over her, he placed a few gentle kisses on her collarbone.

"Let me make love to you, my Princess?"

"Bit of a demotion, isn't it?" Emma teased as she realised her title was still the same, only his has changed. "From King to a Prince Consort."

"And I'd do it a hundred times over to see you smile like you are now," Killian answered honestly, leaning down to kiss her lips gently. "Besides, I don't think the world is ready for a dual kingship yet. To be frank, I don't think your father and I are ready for that. He still blames me for taking your honour."

"Well, didn't you?" Emma smirked.

"Are we going to do this, or not?" he teased, rubbing himself against her and causing her to moan.

"Yes," she whispered, eyes blinking open, "And yes to the other question too."

"You'll let me make love to you?" Killian confirmed.

"Always," Emma whispered as he leant down over her, sealing her promise with a kiss as she struggled to push his pants down past his hardened length.

He pressed his fingers against her core and groaned, his self-control waning. "Emma, you're so fucking wet."

"Shh," Emma whimpered. "There are children in the castle."

"These are thick walls," Killian answered.

"No they aren't," Emma grinned, looking up towards the wall above them. "I recall you coming back and making some particularly delicious sounds one night…"

"You little voyeur," Killian smirked, kissing her once more, tongue plundering her mouth.

"It's not my fault you were loud," she answered with a grin. "But there isn't anyone next door now."

"Is that permission to make you scream, Princess?" Killian muttered, pinching her clit and making her gasp before moaning as he began to rub gently once more, pressing on finger into her, followed by another.

"Get in me, Killian."

"As you wish," he smirked, his fingers replaced quickly as he thrust himself inside of her in one long movement. Emma groaned loudly, pushing herself onto him as he began to thrust as a slow and languid pace, their bodies moving together in a slow tango of panting breaths and murmured whispers of love.

Promises, that for the first time, they knew they could keep.

And when they came together, they were in one mind that shattered. A mind of life and love; of beauty and hope. They settled against each other, warm from pleasure and content in the knowledge that they would wake up to each other's faces, Emma smiled.

"I think the world finally caught up," Emma whispered into his shoulder warmly. He grinned, his words coming back to him.

"And to think," Killian mused, "This all started because I opened the wrong door."

"I think that you, most definitely, opened the right door," Emma answered, grinning at him.

"Aye," he answered softly and adoringly, kissing her forehead delicately. "I think I most certainly did."

fin.

A/N: And this is where we end, my wonderful readers.

You have been the best readers ever. And to each of you who has read, followed, favourited and especially reviewed, you guys have been so beautiful and words cannot express my unending gratitude.

I've already got another fic on the move (physically impossible for me to stay away; it's terrible), and it's a pirate!Emma fic so I think it's gonna be loads of fun to write. The prologue's already up, so if you're feeling it, head on over to my profile and take a look at Wayfaring Stranger.

Once more, thank you for reading! xx

Hugs and butterfly kisses!

YouSaid.