CS Genre: canon divergence/deleted scene from 6a

Killian hoisted his trunk on his shoulder and walked down the gangplank ready to start his new life. He spared one last concerned thought for Belle still on his ship, unable to leave thanks to her miserable husband. Killian knew from painful, agonizing experience just what the Crocodile was capable of when his wife refused to fall in line and bow to his whims.

With a sigh, Killian put the matter aside. Belle assured him she'd be fine, and he had to take her word for it. Besides, had she need of him, she had the shell to call him. One thing was for damn sure; Belle would not face the same fate as his Milah, not while he still had breath in his body to prevent it.

But now was not the time for such painful thoughts. Now was time for the joy of beginning the next phase of his life with Swan. Now was the time to go home.

Home. It was such a foreign concept. How long had it been since he'd had a home to call his own aside from the Jolly? Centuries.

Yesterday Swan had asked him to move in with her. Just a simple request with little pomp or fanfare, but it filled his entire being with a warmth and exhilaration he hadn't felt in ages. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this woman, and the fact that she seemed to want the same was pure bliss.

Killian knew something was still bothering Swan. She was an open book to him after all, and something besides commitment jitters caused her to hesitate in asking him to take this step with her. Something sat heavy on her heart, and he hoped she'd confide in him soon.

Until then, he'd simply focus on savoring the fact that at the end of the night he no longer need part from her, he no longer need go home. With her he was home.

Killian bounded up the front steps of the house, hesitated for a moment, and then knocked on the door.

She opened it a moment later, a joyous, carefree smile on her face. "Welcome home."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her, couldn't help it. "There's no place I'd rather be, love."

Emma ushered him inside, and gestured for him to set his trunk aside. Killian sniffed the air, noting the scent of tomato and spices and meat. "Have you prepared dinner, love?" he asked. "It smells delectable, though you needn't have gone to such trouble."

She laughed, taking his hand and pulling him with her to the couch. "I 'prepared' dinner if you can call buying one of Granny's frozen lasagnas and popping it in the oven preparing it. And it's no trouble. I just wanted to make your first evening here, you know, special."

Killian leaned down and kissed her again, a long, slow, lazy embrace this time. "Swan, had you fed me nothing but those noxious PopTarts of which you're so fond, tonight would be special. Tonight I am the luckiest man in Storybrooke."

Emma pulled him in for another kiss, this one tinged with enough passion to make Killian feel as though he would catch fire. When she moved to straddle his lap and card her hands through his hair as she continued her assault on his mouth, he felt himself respond, his thoughts roaming to the many ways he wished to make this first night living together one to remember.

Suddenly the timer on the oven buzzed, and Emma pulled back with a groan. "Ugh! That would be the lasagna. I better get it before it burns."

Killian made a feeble attempt to pull her back. "I think I'd rather devour you at the moment, Swan."

She swatted at him playfully, her face tinged a delightful pink. "Patience pirate. You better believe we're going to pick this up where we left off later tonight, but I worked hard defrosting and baking that lasagna. Let's eat and get you settled in, and then you can pillage and plunder to your heart's content."

"Shall we wait for your lad to begin our repast?" Killian asked, following Emma into the kitchen as she grabbed a potholder and opened the oven.

She shook her head. "It's just us tonight, babe. Henry said Regina's having a rough day today, missing Robin and he wanted to spend the night and keep her company. Besides, he said, and I quote, 'No way I'm staying with you and Killian on his first night home. You two would probably scar me for life with all your PDA.'."

Killian laughed. "Though I have great affection for your son, Swan, and I look forward to living with him as well, I can't complain about a night alone where I can show you in exquisite detail just how grateful I am that you've asked me to reside with you."

He shot her a heated look, his eyebrow raised in flirtation. He grinned seeing the red flush on her cheeks deepen as she set the bubbling casserole dish on the stove.

"To hell with the lasagna," she said in a low, breathy voice, dragging his mouth back to hers as she maneuvered him toward the stairs.

By the time they finally ate their lasagna it was just on the wrong side of lukewarm, but Killian couldn't, for the life of him complain as memories of the last fevered, passionate hour filled his mind.

After dinner, Emma waved her hand and lit the logs in the fireplace as they cuddled together on the couch. "So, how was your day?" she asked, laying her head against his shoulder.

He smiled, idly caressing her shoulder, turning to plant a soft kiss against the top of her head. "Aside from a rather unpleasant encounter with the Crocodile, it was lovely."

She sat up and gave him a concerned look. "What's Rumple done this time?"

It warmed Killian's heart more than he could say that without hesitation Swan assumed the altercation had been the fault of his enemy rather than himself. She'd once told him that she would choose to see the best in him, and though he still occasionally struggled to see the best in himself, she was keeping her word admirably now.

"Well, there was a little matter of him imprisoning his own wife aboard my ship…" Killian went on to detail the entire sordid affair.

Emma's brow furrowed. "You know, I think we would have all been better off if we'd just left him in the Underworld."

Killian laughed. "Quite right."

"Do you think we should check on Belle before we head to bed?" Emma asked. "Just to be sure everything is alright?"

Killian thought for a moment and then shook his head. "She's been so tired lately due to the child growing within, I'd hate to wake her if she's gone to bed."

"We'll keep your shell phone handy in case she needs us," Emma said finally, getting up and stretching. "Well, it's been a long day, and tomorrow's sure to bring us more issues with Hyde...or the Evil Queen...or Rumple...or, with our luck, some other nasty big bad who hasn't shown themself yet. I think it's time we get some sleep."

"Oh, I quite concur it's time we adjourn to the bedroom," Killian said with a smirk, "but perhaps sleep can wait for a bit."

Emma grinned giving him her hand to help pull him to his feet. "You know, you always have the best ideas."

Notes:

-Sorry it's again taken me forever to update. The muse just hasn't been cooperative.

-This is the first half of a 2 part story about Killian moving into Emma's house. Obviously we know Killian had to go back and save Belle from Jekyll later that same day, so this is, of necessity, kind of canon divergent, but I wanted to give CS a day or two of normal happy domesticity together without the need for plot!plot!plot!

-Next week (the muse willing), we'll get the second part of this story. This time from Emma's POV. This one will have a touch more angst, but don't worry. This is Fluffy Fridays after all! Things are bound to end on a happy note.