Chapter 54

Emma paces the floor of the master bedroom, her dress laying out on the bed ready for her to wear on her anniversary date with Killian. She had his gift laying there too, a Rolex watch. She had some money saved up to splurge just a little bit for him and she knew this was a special enough occasion to do so.

She cannot believe it's been a whole year since the two of them went on their first date. Both could count the infamous perp chase that brought them together at an old bar down by the harbour, but their first date was much more meaningful.

She had dressed in a pink/white dress with short sleeves and heels, she had even pulled her blonde hair up into a ponytail for the occasion. Mary Margret and David were there to keep an eye on Henry and were present when the docks man knocked on the door. Killian dressed all in black with his famous leather coat and presented her with a red rose as a gift.

"Swan, you look… stunning," he'd said.

"You look…" she said, unable to really speak.

"I know," he grinned cheekily.

After they complimented each other, Emma could see that David was not happy about this exchange at all. Like a protective big brother, he was on guard and eyed Killian suspiciously. Mary Margret, on the other hand, was taking pictures, much to Emma's mortification. Henry had made himself scarce, likely because he didn't like the thought of his mom dating someone who was not his father. She had discussed it with him, and while the teenager didn't fully like the idea, he accepted it in his own way. Like a father watching a daughter go on a date, David warned Killian about keeping her too late and then they left, going to an Italian restaurant across town. He'd offered to buy her a drink, but she declined, and he slyly suggested that she'd find him irresistible after a few "libations." But she said no to the smug comment and said she'd rather not go home to her son drunk.

Then they were able to really talk for the first time and introduce themselves properly; Emma surprisingly opened up to him. Even though he'd said that she was an open book, she told him about her life, her job, her son, and he told her about where he'd lived, the places he'd travelled and the loss he'd encountered. But the blond-haired girl could tell that he was not mentioning these rather hard topics to gain sympathy or to get her into bed as she'd often encountered in her one-night-stands, he did it because he liked her and trusted her with these details. While she was guarded at first, by the end of the evening, they both had a good idea of who they both were… broken people who'd experienced hardship and had built their own kinds of walls to protect themselves, Emma more than Killian, but the two had a connection that could not be severed so easily. He'd kissed her at the end of the night and she invited him in for coffee, with her fifteen-year-old son likely playing video games on the couch and her friends, one of whom was a cop and would interrogate him like a criminal and the other would take pictures to blind him. He politely declined but stated that he wanted to take her out again. Despite her misgivings about relationships because one-night-stands were usually how far she'd go, especially after Neal, Emma Swan said yes. She was willing to give a real relationship a try, which was like taking a step off a cliff into a deep ocean for her. It frightened her to some degree, but it was also exciting. Afterall, it had been two years since Neal had left them and she'd vowed she wouldn't be hurt like that again and yet… Killian Jones was different... She couldn't quite describe it, but she was drawn to him, like a moth to a flame. Maybe it was because he'd saved her life during the chase, or maybe because he treated her like a true lady and with the respect she deserved. The two then exchanged numbers and said good night, leaving Emma with a smile on her face and Ruby begging for the details the next day.

The blonde reflects on what has happened since then. She'd been abducted, he'd almost killed himself in a car accident over the guilt he felt, the two were reunited, found out they were having a baby, moved in together, and were now raising a daughter together. Life certainly did not go the way she expected it to… In some ways, it was a good thing, in others it seemed so scary. The old Emma Swan would have said goodbye at the door that night, or even before she'd met him at the bar, but the new Emma Swan had changed, let her walls down to allow love back in, and while it certainly was not easy, she felt that he was the best thing to ever happen to her… and her family.

Sophie begins to make noises in her bassinette. Emma goes over to see her daughter kicking and looking up at the crystal unicorns as they danced above her. She wondered if Sophie knew that kicking her bed would make the mobile move yet. The little one was growing so quickly, but at least everyone she cared about was here to see it and the two of them were not locked away in some cabin, held there by a madman… if she was even kept alive after giving birth. She knew that Arthur King kidnapped her for one reason, and that reason, while not his genetically, is now staring up at her mother with her real father's bright blue eyes.

"How can I protect you?" she whispers to her little girl.

The threatening letter is still buried in her closet, she knew it by heart. She fears for her daughter's safety and everyone else she loves. He hadn't struck yet, maybe he never would and was just doing it to taunt her…

She didn't think that was possible that he would give up and move on; the man was fixated on procuring Sophie as his own and it made his former captive sick to her stomach.

She scoops her daughter up and holds her against her chest tightly.

"I won't let anything happen to you," she whispers. "I promise."

Suddenly, the doorbell rings, startling her and making her jump.

"It's Mary Margret, Mom!" Henry calls from downstairs.

Emma goes down to greet her friend and is surprised that Jacob is not with her this time. She hugs her best friend tightly.

"No Jacob?" she asks.

"Father-son bonding night," the teacher says with a grin. "Plus, it's about time David learned how to change diapers."

"He seriously doesn't change diapers," Emma asks.

"When was the last time Killian changed Sophie?"

"Last week,"

"And not since," her best friend snickers. "And how is the little princess?"

"Active," Emma answers.

"Emma, why aren't you dressed yet?"

"What? I still have time."

"No, you had time half an hour ago, now, give the baby to me and go get changed,"

"But…"

"GO!" her dark-haired friend insists.

With much reluctance, Emma hands Sophie to Mary Margret and then goes upstairs. She changes into the altered Italian dress and then goes to do her makeup. She continues to stare at the dark circles under her eyes, knowing that it wasn't healthy to lose so much sleep, but she couldn't help it. Not a million sessions with Dr. Hopper could cure the nightmares she had whenever she closed her eyes at night. She is afraid to go to sleep and watch the horrors of her abduction all over again. She hides the circles with the strongest concealer she can find, but she knows it's not enough to mask the pain she truly feels. She is a walking nightmare… nothing could heal what she felt inside.

She manages to find one moment of quiet in her mind when she pulls her hair up into a ponytail in honour of their first date. She forces herself to smile; a year later and she is still a broken woman, maybe more so than before.

She comes downstairs to go through the childcare list with her best friend.

"Oh Emma," Mary Margret says, standing up from the kitchen island with Sophie in her hands. "You look so beautiful."

Emma blushes and smiles. "Thank you." She playfully curtsies before getting down to the business at hand.

"So, there are two bottles in the fridge," she says. "Don't heat them in the microwave, Killian learned that the hard way…"

"I know Emma, so did David."

"There are leftovers in the fridge for you and Henry if you're hungry, but there's also tonnes of stuff in the pantry."

"I know Emma,"

"Uh… her toys are in the nursery and scattered around the house; extra diapers under the changing station, burping rags in the linen closet… If you want to take her outside the stroller… no wait, it's too dark for that so forget that. If she gets fussy you should…"

"EMMA!" Mary Margret says loudly, putting her hand on her friend's arm to stop her from hypnotically milling about the house giving instructions. The two make eye contact.

"Everything will be okay. Don't worry, I understand how hard it is to leave your baby with someone else, even if it is only for a few hours. It's scary and nerve-wracking, but don't worry. Henry will be here if I need help, but I have had more experience than a regular babysitter might have."

"Only a few extra months of experience," Emma mutters. She keeps staring at the clock, her silver shoes tapping nervously. She wonders where Killian is, was he held up. Their reservation was at 7 and they couldn't miss it.

She fixes her hair and puts her evening purse together; the one she only brings out for special occasions. She packs her keys, lip balm, tissues, phone… she pauses, looking at her other purse and wondering if she should bring her gun, just to be safe… She hesitates longer than she anticipated. She takes a deep breath, looks at Mary Margret who's cradling Sophie expertly and her son, who sits at the kitchen island, looking through some of his study notes and chowing down on pretzels. She sighs and decides a night away from all the paranoia will not kill her.

"Where is Killian?" she mutters, beginning to pace a little bit.

"I wonder what's keeping him," the teacher agrees.

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.

Confused, Emma and Mary Margret look at each other and then Emma goes to open the door. To her surprise, Killian stands there, dressed in his best black clothing and holding a red rose in his hand. His blue eyes drink in her beautiful form.

"Swan… you look,"

"I know," she blushes, feeling the parallels from their first date.

He then steps into his house and looks around like he was a stranger instead of entering his own home. He then presents her with the rose.

"How did you manage to shower and change without coming home?" she questions.

"Robin let me keep my things at his place, I felt it appropriate to pick up my date the proper way," he smiles.

Emma blushes and smiles. She knows they have to keep their flirtations to a minimum as her best friend, her daughter, and her son are all watching.

"Sophie should be in bed a little after nine. We shouldn't be too long after ten" Emma says, coming over to kiss Sophie good night. The kiss lingers as she cannot bear to let her baby girl leave her sight. "Henry should be in bed before eleven if we get stuck in traffic or something."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," the teacher says calmly.

Emma then goes to kiss Henry on the head. "Study hard and take care of your sister," she whispers.

"I will Mom, now go have fun."

Killian also kisses his daughter goodnight and ruffles Henry's hair, murmuring a "good night lad" to him. Emma then grabs her jacket, spends a long time gazing at her daughter, before Killian puts his hand on her back, reassuring her; he kisses her cheek and the two go out the door.

"Are you driving?" Emma asks.

"Aye," he smiles as she tosses him the keys to her bug. "Let's go have a good night."

As the couple get into the car and prepare to leave, they are unaware of a truck idling nearby, watching the house with extraordinary patience for the yellow bug to drive off into the night.

Once the yellow car is gone, the shadowed stranger in the truck, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting…