One year later

"It's time, Little Brother. Are you ready for this?" Liam asked, giving the bowtie of his tux one more straightening tug.

Killian ran a hand through his hair, examining his appearance in the mirror. He looked rather dashing if he did say so himself. "Younger brother," he murmured affectionately. It had been rather a running thing between them since they were lads. "And aye. I'm more than ready. I would have wed her after our first date if she'd have had me."

Liam laughed as they climbed the stairs and emerged onto the library roof, now decorated with a bower of blooms and a velvet aisle between rows of chairs, filled with all of their closest family and friends. "I trust you for that, Killian," he said. "It was plain to me from the first time I saw you together that the lass had stolen your heart clean away."

Killian smiled as he took his spot at the end of the aisle and his brother and best man stood beside him. "I'll not deny that. Given the way we met, it would have been pointless to deny our connection, and doing so would have prevented an entire year of bliss-although as I recall, you weren't too keen on Swan to begin."

Liam rolled his eyes. "I was merely trying to protect you. I must admit to a bit of selfishness as well. After all, it was clear you'd go to the ends of the earth for her. I had no doubt it was only a matter of time before you'd be leaving me for the States permanently. In any case, I've seen the error of my ways, and I did apologize."

"That you did," Killian agreed with a nod.

It had been quite a year since he'd woken from his coma. He and Emma had begun dating immediately, and it had been as though they'd been together all their lives. Their relationship held the comfort of a long union and the excitement of something new. It was the best of both worlds.

For a few months they'd endured a long distance relationship, each of them taking turns visiting the other, but it soon became apparent that Zoom calls, texts, and the occasional, far too short, in-person meeting simply wasn't enough for either one of them.

And so, as Liam had alluded to, he'd decided to move to Storybrooke. He'd taken a job at the docks and then eventually started a charter service where he took patrons on sails around the harbor.

Six months after they began dating, Killian took Emma on a midnight sail under the stars. There, he'd gotten to one knee, pledged his heart to her forever and asked for her hand in marriage. To his everlasting joy, she'd said yes.

The ensuing half year had consisted in a flurry of wedding preparations. Emma's sister-in-law and best friend had been rather insistent on throwing her the wedding of the season.

And so here they were, only minutes away from pledging themselves to each other for the rest of their lives.

In the end, the choice of wedding officiant had been rather a no-brainer. If it hadn't been for Merlin and his help, Emma and Killian may never have met. Killian might still be languishing in a coma.

And so, when Merlin took his place at the end of the aisle and clapped Killian companionably on the back, Killian shook his hand heartily, feeling the need to thank the man yet again.

It was then that the music started, and Killian's attention was drawn to the other end of the aisle where his bride stood smiling, arm in arm with her brother David. Killian felt the tears swell at the sight of her, so beautiful in her lacy white dress and veil that he was overwhelmed.

Killian watched a single tear trail down her radiant face as she slowly walked toward him. The rest of their life was about to begin, and he couldn't wait to take this adventure with her.

In the back stood three chairs, marked off as reserved. To all eyes the chairs appeared quite empty.

To all eyes, but Merlin's, that is.

He saw the truth. The chairs were occupied by the spirits of Graham Humbert, Arthur Pendragon and a woman Merlin had never sensed before, but a woman whose identity he knew well enough.

Alice Jones, Killian's late mother.

When Emma and Killian had asked Merlin to officiate at their wedding, they'd made another, rather unorthodox request as well.

"Is there any way we could, like, invite Graham and Arthur?" Emma asked. "I mean, it's really because of them we're even together. I don't want to, you know, disturb them if they're all happy and everything in the afterlife, but it would mean a lot to have them there."

And so, in lieu of a bridal shower, Emma had held a seance, she and Killian the only guests, other than Merlin himself. Graham had appeared as soon as he'd been called, although it took a bit more persuasion to bring Arthur back to the land of the living.

The two spirits had been delighted at Emma and Killian's happy news, and had readily agreed to be guests at their wedding. Just before returning to their everlasting reward after the seance, Graham had taken Merlin aside.

"There is someone else who very much wants to attend," he'd said. "Killian's mother has been watching over her little boy all his life, and she couldn't be happier at the turn his life has taken. She wishes to share in his joy."

Graham asked for Alice's presence to be a secret, to be revealed only at the right time. Merlin smiled as he guided Emma and Killian through the ceremony that would knit their hearts together forever. Once the formal events of the day were over, he'd bring the newlyweds back to reconnect with their most mysterious guests.

"By the power vested in me, I now declare you husband and wife," Merlin proclaimed joyously.

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Killian took his brand new wife into his arms, connecting his lips with hers.

"You may kiss the bride," Merlin said, rather unnecessarily, as the gathered assembly chuckled indulgently. "Are you ready for your happy beginning?"

The End!

Notes:

-Well there you have it! Happy endings for everyone.

-Thank you to everyone who read, liked and commented on this story! You're support has meant so much to me!