Chapter 21: Epilogue

Killian kept to his word; he took her on a date almost every day of the two weeks he spent in New York. They went sightseeing, had dinners on her rooftop, and went to the beach more than once. He took her sailing on day 5, rented a theater on day 8 and invited her family and Ruby to see his movie.

He was more than humbled when Emma's father pulled him aside and apologized once again for his behavior the last time they had seen each other and remarked how wonderful his movie was in the honest portrayal of what it was like to deal with addiction from all sides.

On the final night before he was due to return to California, he called August and told him to clear his schedule for the following week. He wasn't ready to go home yet. He knew he would have to return at the end of the week, he and Robin had contracts they needed to meet, but he couldn't leave Emma yet.

Three days before he was due to fly back, after an evening of popcorn and Netflix, with Emma sitting on the couch, her hair in a ponytail and her head thrown back laughing at a joke he didn't even remember telling after he said it, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with all the emotions he wanted to relay.

That night in her bed, their fingers dancing over flesh, exploring each other's bodies in the dark, he told he loved every part of her. Showing her by kissing and cherishing every limb with his mouth, worshiping at the apex of her thigh with his tongue, and marveling as she fell apart in his arms, him buried inside of her, her fingers in his hair, and I love you escaping her mouth.

As they lay in bed, the moonlight kissing her naked skin, he held her in his arms, not wanting to let her go. "Come with me."

"I thought that was what we just did?" She teased.

"To Cali, come back with me, Emma." He asked honestly, hoping that she wanted to be with him as much as he needed her to be.

"Killian, I can't just leave."

"Take a vacation, love. A day, a week, a month, I'll take whatever you give me."

"You're serious." She sat up, holding the silk sheets to her chest.

"I wouldn't joke about this. I've spent three weeks with you here, seeing how you live, what you love, and I don't want it to end. But I fear I must go back and I'm being a bit selfish I know, but I would love for you to come see the life I offer."

"What would I tell my parents?"

"That you have a dashing rapscallion who needs to devour you on every coast and can't go home without you."

"Killian be serious."

"Have you never taken a vacation, Swan? You know what those are right? Come see the West coast, visit with Will and Belle and that ugly babe of theirs." He squished his nose jokingly. "August and Robin have been more than curious to see you."

"I was feeling pretty sad about you leaving."

He grinned, "See it's a win win."

"You're terrible."

"Yes, but you love me."

"I do." She whispered. "Ok but let me talk to my parents first before you start making plans."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

She laughed, "You've already started, haven't you?"

"I've been caught, love, yes, but I'm dying to have you try this little place out by the ocean."

She leaned over, kissing his shoulder. "Is this real?"

He brushed her golden locks onto her back, "As real as it gets."

"Good."

He held her in his arms as she slept that night. A million plans running through his thoughts of the things he wanted to share with her, places he wanted her to see. He tried not getting excited for fear she would back out after speaking to her parents, but the woman in his arms had brought him something he had thought was no longer possible for him.

Hope.

When she returned home later that day with a smile on her face and luggage in her other hand, he allowed that hope to soar.

"Have you heard of the-mile-high club, Swan?" He smirked, tossing his clothes into a bag.

"That is so not happening." She exclaimed.

"I have my own jet." He sang.

When he caught her eye ten minutes later, he knew it was definitely happening.

Emma sat on the plane, watching as the city lights came into view and thought about the last few hours. She couldn't believe she was on a private plane with Killian heading to his home. The last three weeks had gone by in a blur. It was the happiest she had been in ages.

When he asked her to come to California, she immediately wanted to say yes, but she had responsibilities in New York. She couldn't just leave her parents with all the work. She worked so hard to prove to them that she was a responsible adult that could pull her weight with the family business. So, it was with that thought that she apprehensively approached her father to talk to him about California.

"Where's Killian? You two are usually attached at the hip at this hour." Her dad teased and she leaned against the desk in his office.

"I need to ask you something."

He put down his pen. "Alright, ask away."

"I need to take some time off."

His brow furrowed. "Is everything ok?"

"Oh yes, it's nothing like that, Killian asked me to come to California for…well I don't know exactly. A few days or maybe more."

Her father crossed his arms. "And how do you feel about that?"

She scrunched her lips together. "I want to go, I do. I just…we have the Harris deal happening next week, and I was going to look into the old building on 45th."

"Emma, is that the only reason for your hesitation?"

"I know you guys are so busy with Leo and I don't want to add to any of the pressure."

He stood up from his desk and went over to the filing cabinet. "You know, this could be a good thing." He pulled out a manilla envelope and sat it on the table in front of her, nodding for her to open it. When she did there were photos of a few buildings and some names of companies she hadn't heard of.

"What's this?"

"I'm thinking of expanding in LA. I haven't had time to meet with anyone since Leo was born, but maybe if you take some time off, depending on how long you stay, you could set up some meetings, maybe get some contract negotiations going."

"I had no idea you were ready to go out west."

"Well, that's the thing, it's been on our radar for a while, I just haven't had the time. I don't travel like I used to. And I honestly haven't found anyone I trusted enough to run it from there."

"Dad, I asked for a vacation, I didn't say I was relocating."

He nodded with a sly smile. "Yeah, for now. But I see the way that man looks at you. It's the same way I look at your mother."

"Dad." She blushed.

"Besides, you deserve a life, Emma. All you've done is live and breathe this business for the last 4 years. You deserve to be happy too."

"I love you dad."

"I love you too, sweetie."

She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "I'm gonna make you so proud of me."

"I already am."

"Where did you go?" She looked up to see Killian looking at her nervously.

"Just thinking about my strategy for these hotel deals."

"You're amazing, you know that?" The goosebumps amassed on her arms, the sincerity of his words never ceasing to affect her.

"How much longer til we land? You think there's still time to fill out my membership for that club."

He had her in his arms, escorting her to the bathroom before she even had a chance to remove her jacket. Pressed against the mirror, sitting on the tiny faucet, he reminded her of how much he worshipped her body. His hips pounding into her while she screamed into his shoulder, her orgasm spreading from her toes to the tips of her fingers as he pulled her hips against his to bring his own release.

Her week turned into two, which turned into a month. When she had been gone for three months, two hotels deals behind her, she decided to give up her apartment and settle in California to run the west coast portion of the business.

Killian was quick to ask her to move in and she was hesitant to accept until August made a comment about the fact that she would just waste her money on an apartment she was never going to sleep in anyway. August was always smarter than the rest of them.

Being in California allowed her to spend time with her friends, even convincing Ruby to come for a long visit. Once a month, they would get together at a cliff side restaurant in Malibu and tell stories well into the night.

"Will taught him to curse." Belle was complaining.

"Bloody is not a bloody curse word." He argued.

"Hey, did you guys hear about Jefferson?" Emma interjected to save the fight. "He called me yesterday, His daughter Grace came to visit him."

"He must be so excited."

"He is, I think this will be good for him. He wants to come see us in a few months."

"We'll have to bring him here. He'd love this place." Killian added.

She smiled at Killian, he looked tired today. He had returned home from a trip the previous week and disappeared every night to work on a project she wasn't to know about. He hadn't been sleeping which concerned her, but August ensured her there was nothing to worry about.

Two weeks later he walked into the house, spinning her around in his arms and kissing her soundly.

"What was that for?"

"Do I need a reason to kiss you?"

"No, it was just very enthusiastic for the middle of the day."

"I'm always enthusiastic about kissing you, no matter the time of day."

"That's what I love about you."

"Come with me." He put out his hand and tugged her toward the back door.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

She followed him out the back door onto their path to their beach. It was her most favorite place to go and Killian had barred her from being there for the last two weeks. She toed off her shoes as they reached the end of the walk and tip toed onto the sand. His hand squeezed hers as they walked toward the ocean.

"Ok Swan, close your eyes." He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I promise not to let you slip." She giggled, allowing him to push her forward on the sandy shore. He turned her around and then stopped, his arms leaving hers. "Ok open your eyes."

She peered through her lids, the sunlight blinding her for a moment before she settled on the end of their piece of the beach. "Oh Killian! Is this what you've been working on?"

"Aye."

Her feet skipped toward the newly built pier, stepping up onto the planks and walking out toward the water. "It's perfect."

He pulled her hand and lightly tugged her toward him. "It's for you. And me. I suppose." She peered up into his eyes, suddenly full of emotion.

"Well, it's not tall enough for us to get under, if you're looking to repeat the past." She teased.

"Ah now we get to the point." He said seriously. "When we met, we were both hiding. Afraid to face a future that we were not in control of. Now, we can face the future, above the pier, in the sunlight, no longer afraid of what that may be." There were times that she felt so much love for Killian that it almost felt like her heart was going to burst. Somehow in this moment, she felt even more than she had before.

"I love you Emma Swan. A part of me has loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you, but I knew I loved you that night on the beach when you told me about Henry." She blushed, remembering the way she herself felt that night. If she were to put her finger on the night that things changed for her that would be the moment she chose as well.

"I knew if we ever got to this moment, that this pier would need to be a part of our beginning. So, I went back and got it."

She laughed, "You went and got the actual pier."

"Aye."

"Wait, what?"

"You see the old girl was already on its last leg when we were there, so I just needed to point out to Regina that my free endorsement of Wonderland while doing pressers for my movie should be enough to purchase her."

"So, she gave it to you."

"Not exactly, but you see I am persuasive, so as soon as I pointed out to her all the times we broke rule #3 out by that pier under her watch, well she was suddenly happy to get rid of the ole girl, for the safety of her patients, of course."

Emma felt like she could laugh forever. "So, this is actually our pier from Wonderland?"

"Aye love, I couldn't start my life with you without the fortress that aided us." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, lifting on her toes, and pressing her lips to his.

"You're amazing you know that?"

"I wasn't quite done, love." He said seriously as she dropped back down onto her feet.

"My love for you began under these planks, so it is only right that I profess to start my life with you on top of them." Slowly he dropped to his knee and Emma stared at him, her mouth open before the tears started to form in her eyes. "Emma, love, I would be honored if you would be my wife."

She dropped to her knees, launching herself into his arms, kisses placed precariously on his cheek, his jaw, his eyes, until they settled on his lips. "Yes. Killian, a thousand times yes."

She lost count of the number of times they made love on that dock, the moonlight dancing on their naked bodies. She kept that piece of information out of the wedding invitations, as their family and friends joined them on that pier to witness their union.

Looking around she watched as Liam and Elsa fussed over their children, teasing Killian about how it would eventually be his turn. Her parents, Leo on David's shoulder, staring at her mom like she was the best thing on the planet. Ruby and Graham who held hands and walked the ocean shore until well into the night, just talking and enjoying each other. Will and Belle, a child in one arm, her stomach growing with the swell of their second on the way, August organizing everyone to ensure they were where they needed to be at the right time, Robin playing guitar and singing for their reception as he and Killian gave a preview of their newest album. Jefferson dancing with his daughter, a smile of happiness and joy she had never seen on his face before.

Emma knew that even thought they had all struggled, they had come out on the other side. It was possible to survive the darkest days if you believed in yourself and had faith in each other.

A year later and a half later, as Emma found it harder to sit up, her growing belly making it difficult to do even the easiest of tasks, she found herself thinking about the only part of her life she had never resolved.

"If you bend any further you are going to roll out of that bed, love."

She groaned, "I just want to tie my shoes."

"This is why I bought you the ones with the Velcro, love." He walked to the closet and took the shoes from the shelf, pulling her other shoes from her feet and placing the new ones. "There, all better?" She frowned, tears forming in her eyes. "Love don't cry, we can get rid of the Velcro shoes if they offend you this much."

"I want to find Henry." She squeaked.

He got up from his knees and sat next to her on the bed, taking her hand in his. "Alright." He said softly.

She peered up at him through glassy eyes. "Are you sure you're ok with that?"

"Aye." He walked to the other side of the room, opening a drawer, and pulling out a piece of paper. He walked back to her, handing her the white envelope.

"What is it?"

"I thought one day we might have this conversation. I asked August if he could find anything out."

"When did you do this?"

"About 7 months ago, when we found out about our own lass."

She stared down at the paper in her hand. "What's in here?"

"The name of the family that adopted Henry." Her head jerked up, staring at him in shock.

"You know where he is?"

"Aye. I was just waiting for you to ask."

"How did you know I would."

"Because Swan, I know you better than anyone else. I knew eventually you would come around to this. I didn't want to push."

"I love you so much." She handed him back the letter and he looked at her with confusion in his eyes. "Hold on to it. I want to get to know this little pirate before we find him." She rubbed her tummy, hopeful of their future, knowing that whatever they faced she had Killian by her side to support whatever she wanted to do.

He bent over and kissed her forehead, his hand joining hers on her tummy. "She's going to be a very lucky lass." His lips murmured against his skin. "She has the best mom in the world."

"And the best dad."

"Aye, we are very lucky indeed."

And Emma knew that everything they had been through, all the loss, the heartbreak, the struggles would be worth it in the end.

"It will be ok, darling. I don't want to drive any faster."

He knew it would be just his luck, Emma would go into labor on the night of the biggest storm they had seen in years. The rain was coming down in buckets and he could barely see in front of him on the road. Emma screamed out beside him. "I told you an hour ago that your contractions were coming too close together and we should have left then."

"Stop talking." She screamed, reaching out to grab his arm and squeezing on his flesh.

"Love, I'm trying to drive."

"Go faster than 25 miles per hour or I'm getting out of this car and walking there."

He chuckled to himself, imagining the woman currently hunched over beside him trying to walk a few steps much less all the way to the hospital. She exhaled beside him, her grip on his flesh subsiding. "Did it pass?"

She nodded, sweat pouring off her brow. "I'm sorry I yelled at you; I know you're just trying to be careful."

"It wouldn't be us if one of us wasn't shouting, Swan." She tried to laugh, the pain hitting her again. He knew the contractions were getting too close. He felt the wheels slip, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. Beside him she screamed out.

"Killian, something's wrong. I need to push."

"Oh no pushing, love, we can't push." He looked over at her, her chin to her chest, gritting her teeth and he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop her. "You're pushing, love, please don't do that."

He looked up to see headlights coming toward him and swerved back into his lane, quickly pulling off to the side of the road as his heart pounded in his chest.

"Where are you going?"

"Well Swan, it looks like we're gonna have to do this together."

"What?" Her eyes grew large as he got out of the car, rain immediately soaking his hair to his face. He opened her side of the door and helped her out of the seat, helping to relocate her to the back seat.

"Ok Emma, Lay back and let's see what's going on." She shook her head back and forth violently.

"Killian, you are not a doctor, there is no way you will have any idea what is going on."

"Sweetheart, it can't be that hard, it's a baby and it's trying to come out of you. I just need to catch it."

"Catch it? Are you out of your mind?"

"Only for you." He smirked as he pulled out his phone and dialed 911.

"911 what's your emergency?"

"Hello, my name is Killian Jones and I'm currently on the side of the road on the 101 by Thousand Oaks, my wife is in labor and we aren't going to make it to the hospital."

"Killian!" Emma screamed.

"Ok, one moment." He said into the phone.

"Emma, I need to take a look." He reached up under her pajama dress, pulling it up her hips and tugging her underwear down her legs. He peered where the operator told him to and saw dark hair. Considering Emma was a blonde, he knew he was looking at his child's head. "Yup, I see the head."

"You what?" Emma's head snapped up over her belly, staring at him. "We are not having this baby on the side of the road."

"Ok love, they say you need to push the next time you feel that pain you love so much."

"Killian I can't do this." She cried.

He reached up and took her hand, setting the phone down on the seat beside her and turning on the speaker phone. "Love, we can do anything together. Just look at me and push."

She screamed when the next contraction hit, their eyes not breaking contact as she pressed her chin to her chest. He looked down again and watched as the babe started to emerge. "Ok keep doing that Emma, almost there."

Suddenly the head popped out. "Oh, we have a head." He exclaimed excitedly.

"Ok sir, I need you to hold the head and she needs to keep pushing, when the baby gets free, just pull lightly to help her out."

"Come on Emma, you've got this, you can do anything. I love you so much." He pulled his jacket off and set it under her.

Emma screamed again and pushed, this time the baby pushed free, and he pulled with his hand, cradling his other arm under the child. "Emma, you did it." The baby fell into his arms, and he lightly set her in the jacket, bundling her up. "I don't know what to do with this thing attached to the baby, she's still stuck to Emma."

"It's ok sir, the ambulance is almost there. Hold tight."

He looked down at his daughter, trying to shield her from the rain as it fell, her tiny cries igniting his heart. Emma sat up on her elbows as Killian passed their daughter to her, watching as Emma cradled her in her arms. "We did it. You're here, my sweet, sweet Alice." She cried and Killian felt tears of joy leave his eyes. He sat down on the ground, leaning against the car, the rain soaking him through.

"I love you so much." Emma whimpered.

"I love you too. Even if this was a bit dramatic, even for us." He heard the sirens coming up the freeway, the lights flashing as they approached. He stood up, waving at them as they came running toward them, Emma was lifted onto a stretcher, the baby still held firmly in her arms.

Killian reflected on his life. The moment that mirrored the evening. This time, as the car sat on the side of the road, sirens, and lights all around him, it was a new life that would change him forever, like the woman who held her.

Granted, it was hardly love at first sight with Emma, but things changed, they changed. They made each other better. They were never a predestined love story guaranteed a happy ending, but they fought for their love and they won.