Rating: G

Tags: Nesting

Emma's eyes drifted closed as she sunk further into Killian's warmth, her sore muscles relaxing as his fingers combed through her curls. His other hand looped around her side and rested protectively around her rather large stomach, his thumb drawing light circles against the thin material of her shirt. In the background, the sound of the TV faded into a pleasant drone, the cadence of her mate's breathing and the soft, content hum that rumbled in his throat lulling her closer to sleep.

It was a welcome change, being back in their living room. The past few weeks her hormones had gone into overdrive with the impending birth of their pup, and she'd been far too anxious to leave the comforting nest she'd built in their bedroom – the blankets and pillows entangled and suffused with weeks of her mate's heady musk, the blinds drawn closed to keep everything dark and still, the movement of the world outside the windows making her panic.

The open expanse of their apartment had been too much to bear, and so she'd retreated into the space that felt the most cozy and secure, filling every inch of it with pieces of her mate's clothing until she almost couldn't smell herself anymore. He'd been wonderful about it, really, even though she knew his supply of shirts was dwindling quickly.

Each night Killian slept on the very edge of the bed, her mop of golden curls the only thing peeking from the mound of blankets as she nuzzled against his chest, bathed in his scent, his fingers lost in the fabric surrounding her, gently stroking her heated body until she relaxed enough to slip into sleep.

But this, snuggling on the couch, it was something she hadn't felt enough of herself to do for some time, and it was perfect. Killian had left the door to the bedroom wide open, and she knew should the need arise, her nest was still there waiting, plush and safe and perfectly tucked away from the world.

She remembered a time when the idea of this very thing had paralyzed her with fear and hatred for her own body – never understanding why anyone would be happy to be an omega, to submit themselves to an alpha and lose all sense of who they were, to find themselves trampled by their own biological needs once a month, their entire life pushed to the side as they begged and pleaded to be overpowered by another. At least, that's what she'd always imagined it was like, was why she'd spent so many years locking herself away from the world and avoiding alphas entirely. She'd promised herself that she wouldn't bow to the pressure to be claimed by another, to be forced to give up everything she'd wanted from life just to birth a pup who could one day grow up to resent their biology just as much as she'd hated hers.

Then she'd met Killian – unexpectedly and definitely unplanned for – and the road hadn't exactly been smooth, but somehow they'd ended up here, and she'd finally understood it all – the why of it.

It was as if she'd finally found the invisible door that opened a whole world she didn't know existed before.

Sure, being an omega could still be as terrifying and demeaning as she'd once thought was normal, but it wasn't meant to be. It was meant to be something else entirely...with the right alpha. With her Alpha. It wasn't a submission of herself, when she and Killian made love, when they chose one another over and over again, it was a breath of release, of letting herself be cared for by someone else, of trusting them not to just see to their own needs, but hers as well – to learn and know her body better than she did herself. And despite the fears she'd harbored her entire life, being with him hadn't taken anything away from her own identity. Killian wasn't that type of alpha. He had never pushed her for more than she was willing to give, never tried to force a claim or a life she didn't want. He'd never once suggested that she shouldn't be doing the work she was doing, that bail bonds was far more suited to an alpha, or even a beta, than an omega. He'd loved her for who she was and never asked her to change.

So one night, when the desire she hadn't been completely aware of had risen up inside of her chest, that longing for something more, instead of swallowing it back down in fear, she'd told him, her mate – I don't want to get my shot anymore...

And all those months later, here they were. Her Alpha was curled around her, his presence a solid reminder that she was safe, their pup was safe, and that he would never let anything harm them.

"Are you alright, love?" he purred, feeling the way her tiredness had slipped away from her, her thoughts too busy to let her drift off, no matter how comfortable she was.

She turned in his arms as much as she could, meeting his piercing, blue eyes as he searched her face for what could be causing her any concern. His hand still rested warmly over where their pup was nestled – a pup who was, thankfully, finally giving Emma a little bit of a break from all the kicking he normally got up to.

"Do you want to go back to your – "

"No," she assured him, snuggling more firmly into his chest and pulling his other arm down to cradle her body. "I'm perfect right here, we both are."

The satisfied growl in his chest nearly made her purr with pride, pleased that those few words – after weeks of craving the contained solitude of her nest – could make her Alpha happy, could remind him that there truly was no place as safe or perfect as his arms, and there never would be.