The Next Phase of the Operation

CS Genre: Deleted scene from 6b

Killian rolled over in bed, propped himself up on his bad arm and just looked down at Emma. She lay sleeping peacefully, her hair piled up on top of her head in a messy knot, her mouth slightly open, her hands tucked beneath her head as she lay on her side facing him. She wore an over-sized t-shirt and a pair of baggy pajama bottoms to bed, but even so she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

Waves of love crashed over him, and he couldn't stop himself from reaching over and tucking a small fly-away strand of hair behind her ear, his hand resting on her soft, smooth cheek for a moment longer than strictly necessary.

Emma smiled slightly in her sleep, murmured his name and then scooted closer to him. Killian smiled gently to himself, lying back down and gathering her to him until his chest pillowed her head, and her hand covered his heart. It was her favorite way to sleep. She said it brought her comfort to hear him breathing, to feel the beat of his heart, to know that he was still there with her.

He would always be there with her.

It had been a trying few days. First, he'd learned what had been bothering her ever since they returned from the Underworld—she was living under the prophecy of death. Then she'd given him the shears of destiny, asking him to dispose of them, but he'd disobeyed her orders. He was a weak man, an imperfect man, but gods help him he couldn't toss the damned things into the deep. He couldn't. Not when they may be the only way to save the life of the woman who was as important to him as the air he breathed.

But, as always seemed to happen, his subterfuge had been discovered, and he had come to grief because of it. When Henry had confronted him down at the docks, accused Killian of wanting to take away Emma's choice in the matter…it had been as painful as the loss of his hand. He loved Emma with every fiber of his being, but it wasn't merely her he loved. He loved Henry as well. In many ways, he was the son Killian had never had, and the thought of the lad looking at him with such contempt and even hatred…it made him feel as small as the spider Swan had demanded he squash on the bathroom floor.

Yet despite all of this, they, the three of them came out of the ordeal even stronger for it. Emma assured Killian she understood why he'd disobeyed her. She reacted with love and compassion. Henry had come to realize the depth of Killian's love for Emma, the fact that he would never, never do anything to hurt her. The lad had even gone so far as to almost call Killian family.

And now, looking down at Swan, Killian wanted it to be reality, not just in word but in truth. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Emma Swan and her lad. He wanted it all—this lovely house, a handful of little ones to fill its rooms, holidays and anniversaries and simple everyday nights spent as a family.

Marriage.

After nearly 300 years, this old sailor was ready, more than ready, to settle down and pledge the rest of his life to the woman who had become his everything.

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

Once the decision to propose was made, Killian immediately got to work with the planning. His proposal had to be perfect, achingly romantic, timed just right. This had to be a moment the both of them would remember for the rest of their lives and fondly tell their children and grandchildren.

But before he could plan the perfect date in which to declare himself and ask for her hand there was something he must do. He must speak with the most important man in Emma's life—Henry.

He'd speak to her father as well, but somehow speaking to the lad felt more important, more momentous and infinitely more frightening. This decision, after all, would impact Henry directly. Killian and Emma would, of course, make the ultimate decision, but if Henry had objections…well, perhaps Killian would do better to consider his plan more carefully.

"What is with you and getting up so early?" Emma asked, coming up behind him and planting a quick kiss on his neck. "Sun's barely up, and you've already got a full breakfast prepared."

Killian shrugged, turning around to properly kiss his (hopefully) soon-to-be fiancée. "Old habits, darling," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

"Hm," Emma said, reaching up to kiss him again before resting her forehead against his. "I might have to find some way to keep you in bed longer. You need to learn the pleasures of sleeping in."

"Oh love," he said, his voice going low and intimate, "I can think of a few ways you could keep me within the confines of our bed. Shall I tell you…or would you prefer I show you?"

She groaned, closing suddenly desire-filled eyes. "I soooo wish I could take you up on that," she said, finally, reluctantly stepping back, "but I've got to get to the station early this morning. Neal's got a cold, apparently, so dad doesn't know if he'll make it in today, and there is so much to do. You have no idea how far a sheriff's department can fall behind on paperwork during times of crisis. Or, as we like to call it in Storybrooke, just another ordinary day."

Killian chuckled, handing her a steaming mug of coffee and dishing her up a plateful of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. "Then we shall simply have to push our more pleasurable activities back to tonight when you return from work."

"Looks like it."

"Just as well, Swan," Killian said, preparing his own breakfast and then sitting next to her at the kitchen table. "I've plans with the lad today."

"Oh yeah? What you guys gonna do?"

"I thought to take him sailing," Killian said, spreading a thin layer of strawberry jam on his piece of toast. "We haven't been since before you became the Dark One, and we're long overdue."

"Wish I could join you, babe," Emma said, swallowing the last sip of coffee, and then digging into her eggs. "I'm sure a trip out on the Jolly would be a lot more fun than filing police reports about the dwarf's getting arrested for drunk and disorderly."

"We shall miss you, Swan," Killian said, "but I'll enjoy having the time to talk to the lad man to man."

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

"Excellent!" Killian said, clapping Henry on the shoulder. "You're a natural. Now turn another notch to starboard and we'll be on the perfect heading."

Henry beamed at the praise. "Thanks! I think I'm really getting the hang at this."

"The sea's in your blood," Killian said, "it was the same for your father. During the time we spent together on Neverland, he took to sailing like a duck to water. I…I wish he could have joined us here on the open water."

Henry shrugged. "Me too."

Talking about his father was…weird. He was like any boy who'd been adopted. He'd always wondered about his parents—who they were, why they gave him up, all of that. He found out the answers, reunited with his birth mom and then met his dad, and…it had been great. It really had. He wished he'd had more time with Neal, but at the same time, he'd only known the man for a couple of weeks. They'd been a good couple of weeks, and the fact that his dad had desperately wanted to spend more time with him had made him feel really good, but…well, it had only been two weeks. Honestly, Gramps and Killian felt more like dads to him than Neal had.

Henry felt an intense stab of disloyalty at the very thought.

"I'm so very sorry you had so little time with your father, Henry," Killian said, giving him that angsty, tragic look he usually reserved for talking about mom being in trouble or something.

Henry shrugged again. "That's just the way it goes, I guess."

"You know, whatever happens between your mother and I, I have no intention of trying to usurp your father's role in your life."

"Yeah, I guess."

Killian began scratching behind his ear, and Henry suddenly looked closely at him. Something was definitely going on with his mom's boyfriend. He was acting weird and nervous and stuff.

"I'm not, you know mad at you or anything anymore," Henry said carefully, wondering if Killian's weird mood was still about the whole shears situation. "I know you just wanted to find a way to save mom. And you did the right thing in the end, so it's all good."

"I'm pleased to hear it Henry," Killian said, leaning against the rail and gazing out to sea, "that will no doubt make this easier."

"Um…make what easier?"

Killian took a deep breath and then turned to face Henry. "As it happens, there was a reason I asked you to sail with me this morning, lad. I had something I wished to discuss with you."

"Ooookay?" Henry said.

"It's about your mother," Killian began. "I was in bed with her the other night, and…"

Henry shot him a disgusted look. "Ew! I don't want to know anything about you and mom in bed together and…stuff."

A blush crept over Killian's face and radiated out to the tips of his ears. "Never fear; I have no intention of discussing your mother's and my amorous activities with you, Henry."

"Thank gods for that!"

Killian chuckled and then sobered. "Henry, lad…" he began again. "I love your mother. More than anything in this world or any other. I love her, and I love you too."

Henry looked over at his mom's boyfriend, brows furrowed. "Yeah, I know that," he said. "What's this about, Killian?"

"I know we'll find a way to save your mother from her prophecy of death," Killian said, "there's no doubt whatsoever in my mind about that, but looking over at her as she slept the other night, it all hit me again. Our lives will never be simple. We'll always be fighting some villain or another. Danger seems to follow us around like a lost puppy begging for scraps. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, so we must live each day to its fullest."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"And one thing is absolutely crystal clear for me," Killian said. "I know that I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with your mother and with you. I want you both to be my family, in every sense of the word."

Killian was silent for a moment, looking once more at the sea before nodding firmly and turning back toward Henry.

"I wish to propose marriage to your mother," Killian said finally. "I wish to marry her and to make a family with the two of you—and perhaps another wee one or two in the future. There will never again be another woman for me than her, and I wish to offer her my hand and my heart."

Henry stared blankly up at Killian for another moment, and then a wide, delighted grin covered his face. "Awesome!"

"Truly, lad?"

"Yeah!" Henry said, "Mom is going to be so psyched!"

"I do hope so," Killian said, with a grin.

"I know so!" Henry said. "So what do you have planned? How are you gonna pop the question?"

"I've no idea," Killian said with a shrug. "I'd rather hoped you would help me plan the perfect moment."

"Of course I will!" Henry said. "It could be, like, Operation Light Swan part 2! What do we do first?"

"I think perhaps first, we should purchase the ring."

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

That night, Killian sat on the bed he shared with Emma holding the small black box in his hand. He and Henry had found a jewelry shop on the far side of town, and together they'd found Swan the perfect engagement ring. Flipping open the lid with his hook, he peered down at the simple solitaire diamond set within the silver band. It was perfect, beautiful…and with any luck he'd be seeing it every day for the rest of his life on his True Love's finger.

This was happening, he was truly doing this. He was going to ask Emma Swan, princess of Misthaven and savior of Storybrooke to be his wife and love him for all eternity. He couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with her.

Notes:

-Sorry for a lack of update last week. I fell behind in some of my other fics, and my normal Thursday update got pushed back to Friday, and then I ran out of time for my normal installment of Friday fluff.

-Up next: Not sure. I guess I'll just see where the muse takes me!