A/N Yes, this is a Christmas fic. I had originally posted to my tumblr in December, but I wanted to move everything over here. :)
Since arriving in Storybrooke, Emma has had many firsts. There was the first time she broke a curse. And the first time she slayed a dragon. Oh, and the first time she got sucked into a portal. And, the time she sailed a pirate ship into one. The time travel portal, ice wall, Wicked Witch, evil imps who shall not be named…all firsts she hopes to never have a second of. But then there was also the first time she hugged her parents. And the first time she realized she loved Henry. The first time she held her little brother and realized she had the family she had dreamed of for so long. And then there's Killian, the first man she has let into her heart since Neal. These firsts she wouldn't give up for the world.
Standing in her parents' loft on Christmas Eve, Emma mentally added tonight as yet another first she would cherish. Her first real Christmas. Sure, she and Henry had years of fake Christmases thanks to Regina's curse, but those don't really count. And before that, well, Christmas wasn't a holiday much celebrated in her various foster homes, orphanages and youth hostels. Tonight, with everyone she loves all together, Emma finally understands what all of the fuss was about. It's been about a month since Gold was banished over the town line and things in Storybrooke have been blissfully peaceful. It seems as though whatever big bad was around the corner got a bit delayed upon arrival, which no one was complaining about. Emma and the rest of the town were all relishing the quiet moments, as they have all learned to do whenever they can.
Sipping her eggnog, Emma takes a quiet moment of her own to just observe the scene in front of her. Mary Margaret was on the sofa with her brother, attempting to wrangle him into the reindeer suit Belle had given him for Christmas. Henry and David were contemplating the star that would adorn the top of the tree, but couldn't decide the best plan of action without a ladder. Killian stood by the two, failing to untangle a string of Christmas lights, hopelessly tangling them further with his hook. The whole tableau was something straight out of a cheesy Lifetime Christmas movie, but Emma didn't care. She was soaking in the sweetness and feeling her heart grow lighter with each new holiday tune blasting over the stereo.
"Hey guys, why don't you let me help." She made her way to her trio of decorators and waved her arms to have them step aside. She closed her eyes and let the happiness inside her take over. Her magic pulsed brightly from her palms and with a flick of her wrist the lights untangled themselves from her pirate and wrapped in perfect spirals down the tree. The star lifted gently from Henry's fingers and made its way to top where it settled in perfect alignment. With a final burst of magic, Emma gave the star a faint glow from its center, casting golden reflections about the room.
She opened her eyes and found herself in a huge Henry bear hug. "Mom, you know you are seriously the coolest, right? Er…hey, don't tell my other Mom I said that."
"It'll be our little secret, kid." Henry bounded back to David and they took on the task of getting the tree skirt in place.
Killian made his way to her side and draped his arm loosely around her waist, pressed a light kiss to her temple and whispered in her ear. "You are so beautiful when you use your magic, love." She leaned further into his side at that and they stood there together simply enjoying the lights and the moment.
Before long it was time to sit down for dinner and everyone crowded around the small table to enjoy Mary Margaret's Christmas Eve feast. The conversation was lively, full of tales of past holidays in the Enchanted Forest when Charming and Snow were young as well as some of the fake memories Henry still had from their time in New York. They were happy times for him, even if they weren't real. Killian was quiet for the most part, laughing at the occasional anecdote, but not contributing much to the conversation. One thing she had learned about Killian is that once he let the Captain Hook bravado fall, he was a more reserved, contemplative man than she ever would have guessed him to be. She sensed that he was also still a bit uneasy within the Charming Family dynamic as well, which she could understand. There was a time when he was not the man he is now and he surely remembers being punched in the face in this very kitchen by her father in the not too distant past. Now, he was a guest at his table and dating his daughter. No one could blame him for being a bit off kilter. Heck, she still felt off kilter at times. It's been a crazy few years. Emma sought Killian's hand under the table, causing him to wink and give her hand a squeeze in return.
After dinner, Emma offered to help David with the dishes while Mary Margaret put Neal to bed. Emma spotted Killian on the sofa, instructing Henry as to how to put together the train set that would run around the base of the tree. It was such a sweet domestic moment that Emma found herself daydreaming of what a life with Killian would be like. Would he want to be around for Henry as a father? Does he want kids of his own?
"Emma, the water's about to run over the side of the sink."
Fumbling to shut of the faucet, Emma blushed and went back to the task at hand. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure everything was okay over there."
Glancing over his shoulder at his grandson and Killian, David gave a small chuckle. "I think Hook can handle putting together a train set. He used to captain a pirate ship, so that should be a piece of cake."
"Yeah, but I remember the crib assembly debacle all too well. I learned that day that highly capable men can still get flustered by simple directions."
David gasped at that. "You wound me, Emma."
She flicked some suds his way, which led to an all-out water fight before they were both through. Dishes eventually washed, Emma found that she really needed to change her soaked through sweater. Making her way up to her room she was surprised to find Killian standing at her window looking out over Storybrooke.
"Hey, I thought you were helping Henry with the train set?"
"Love, we finished that about 20 minutes ago. It was really quite simple." Emma couldn't help but be a bit proud at that and made her way over to Killian at the window. As she drew closer, she could see the furrow to his brow and the faraway look behind his eyes.
Emma reached up and smoothed her fingers through Killian's hair, feeling him lean a bit into her palm. "Hey, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, love. Just feeling a tad bit overwhelmed. It's been a very long time since I've been around a family like this."
Emma turned his face towards her with the palm that was now resting on his cheek. Looking him in the eyes for a moment, she leaned up and brushed a feather light kiss to his lips. "Stay here a minute. I'll be right back."
Emma grabbed a new sweater out of her wardrobe and snuck out the door to change in the bathroom. Before heading back to her bedroom she ran downstairs and grabbed a small gift from under the tree. Her family looked at her from the sofa where they were now huddled together watching a holiday movie on TV.
"Um…we'll be back down a bit later. I want to give Killian his present early…and in private."
David choked on his eggnog, causing Emma to realize just how her last statement had sounded. "Oh god, that is NOT what I meant."
Before she could embarrass herself further, Emma sprinted back upstairs and quietly shut the door to her bedroom once she was inside. Killian was still at the window, but the melancholy expression from before was now replaced with a look of amusement at Emma's bright red face and lack of breath.
"Sorry, things got a bit…embarrassing downstairs. I really need my own place."
Killian's bright eyed grin and deep chuckle brought Emma back to the present moment. Reaching behind her back, she held out the small wrapped box towards him.
"Merry Christmas, Killian."
The shock that reflected on his face was enough to make Emma's heart hurt a bit for him. Like her, holidays have been few and far between and gift giving an even rarer occasion. She mentally made a note to find ways to give him little gifts more often.
"Love, you didn't have to get…"
She interrupted him before he could finish. "I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to."
Emma made her way over to him at the window and placed the box in his hand. He looked at her with slightly misted over eyes and used the tip of his hook to slice gently through the wrapping paper. Lifting the lid, he found inside what looked to be a charm. Lifting it out of the box he gasped a bit when he realized that it was a perfect replica of the compass he and Emma had retrieved from the beanstalk. But …it was only the left half of it.
"Emma, I…"
Reaching up, she placed her fingers to his lips, stopping him from saying anything else. With her other hand she reached under the collar of her sweater and pulled out the necklace she was wearing around her neck. Hanging from the chain was the right side of the compass. Looking up at Killian, she found him focusing on her with so much awe and love that she was the one who was starting to feel overwhelmed.
Emma took a deep breath and said what she needed to say. "I used to wear the keychain Neal gave me to remind me never to trust anyone again. And I didn't…for a very long time. That day on the beanstalk you scared the hell out of me. I wanted to trust you, but my fear of being hurt again won out and I am so sorry about that. However, that compass brought me home and…you followed. You've come back for me so many times and forced my walls down brick by brick. You made me want to trust my heart to someone again, Killian…to you. I'm going to wear this to remind myself that trusting my heart to you will always lead me home."
Killian's resolve finally broke and his lips crashed into hers, his arms almost crushing her in the strength of his embrace. Passion, love, acceptance…everything they were feeling at the moment, could be felt from the fusion of their lips and the melding of their bodies from chest to knees. Killian pulled away first, after taking a shaky breath he leaned his forehead to hers, while still holding her as close as he possibly could.
"Emma…I am having trouble finding the words to express everything I am feeling at the moment. Well, no, actually, I think the perfect sentiment would be…I love you. You know that I do, but I needed to say the words out loud. My love for you has changed my life, Emma. I promise to cherish your heart with every part of me from now until forever."
Emma couldn't help the tears that were now rolling down her cheeks and Killian reached up and brushed them away gently with his thumb. He knew she wasn't ready to say she loved him yet, but he didn't need her to. The way she was looking at him and the words she had already said tonight would keep him going for a few more centuries. He leaned down and pressed another lingering kiss against her lips, but pulled back before either of them could get carried away.
"As much as I would love to spend the rest of the evening here in your bedchambers, love, your family is probably wondering what has kept us for so long."
Emma chuckled at that. "Oh, I know exactly what they are thinking, trust me."
Emma turned to lead him from the room, but he clasped her wrist and turned her back to face him. Seeing his new charm on the end of his hook, he reached it towards her. "Love, can you put this on my necklace for me?"
Shifting her arm so she could clasp his hand that was holding her wrist, she laced her fingers with his. He felt a slight tingle in his palm and watched as the charm slid off his hook and attached itself to his necklace. With wide eyes he watched as both his charm and Emma's began to glow and a single beam of light stretched from hers directly into his. He could feel warmth radiating from the charm against his chest and then the light faded and everything felt normal again.
"Love, what was that?"
"When Elsa and I were practicing spells I learned a few new ones. I just enchanted the charms so if we are ever separated, all you have to do is hold it in your palm and think of me and it will guide you home….to me. Mine will do the same."
Killian raised their linked hands to his lips and placed a kiss to her knuckles. "You are bloody brilliant, Emma. Have I told you that lately?"
"Oh, only three times today, but a lady can never get too many compliments…"
Burying his face in her neck, Killian proceeded to whisper as many flowery praises as he could think of between nibbling kisses to her pulse point. Needless to say, it was another twenty minutes before they rejoined their first Charming Family Christmas downstairs.