So, I wrote this little love confession drabble (just for us) a while back and my muse decided to write more of it in my head as I was driving to work today. I'm going to include the initial drabble at the beginning as a reminder. I rewrote it a bit to match the tense of the continuation…

"You snore."

"I most certainly do not, Swan."

Emma cuddles deeper into his blanket as she laughs into his chest. Her fearsome pirate is embarrassed about his sleeping habits and it is the cutest thing ever.

"It's okay, Killian, no has to know but me."

He heaves a deep sigh, his fingertips resuming their slow slide along her back, reaching the nape of her neck before slowly moving back down her spine.

"Fine, then it's only fair that I should know something about you that no one else is privy too."

"I love you."

"I knew that already, love."

Silence falls between them again, Killian's hand pausing its movements on her spine, his fingers tapping an absentminded rhythm lightly against her skin. She lifts her head to look at him, catching a somewhat faraway expression on his face, his gaze locked on the ceiling above them.

"Killian, what is it?"

His hand begins to move again before he looks back down, his blue eyes softening as he looks over her face, a small smile quirking his lips before answering her query.

"I was wondering…when did you know?"

She knows what he is asking, knows that he deserves the answer, wishing she could have told him then, that moment being one of her biggest regrets.

Shifting so she can face him, her chin comes to rest on her arms as she settles on his chest, hooking a leg between his as she snuggles closer. His fingers move to her hair, sliding between the smooth strands as he waits.

"Earlier than you probably think."

"Well, Swan, I started falling in love with you from the moment we met, so I have you beat regardless."

His cheekiness earns him a cold foot to the calf, causing him to jump a bit as his chest rumbles underneath her, laughing softly at himself.

"If you're quite done…"

"Sorry love, please continue."

"Well, I do think it was a gradual thing, but there is a definite moment where I knew." She can feel her cheeks heat up, not embarrassed by this confession, but talking of feelings a new thing for her, something he has been making easier for her every day.

The gentle stroking of his fingers along her scalp calms her, reminds her that she is safe here in his arms, that he loves her, every part of her.

"It was when I was being forced over the town line, thanks to Pan's curse. I felt my heart drop to my feet when you began to walk towards me to say goodbye, every step you took like a kick to my stomach. I wanted you to touch me, but at the same time, not, as if you did I don't think I could have let go. I had to choose Henry, but there was a big part of me that wanted to choose me, choose you. I even thought for a moment that I should just grab you and kiss you until the magic washed over us, hoping that True Love's kiss would break the curse and I wouldn't have to leave you."

Suddenly she finds herself on her back, Killian's lips hot and needy, consuming her, his emotions escaping in a rush of passion and need. Returning his kiss greedily, she takes what he is offering her with his lips and body, allowing some of her regret to slowly fade with each touch. Finally breaking from her lips, his eyes fill with unshed tears as gazes upon her, his thumb pressing at the dent in her chin before he leans in to brush his cheek lightly against hers.

"Sorry, love, you just have no idea what it means to me to know that I wasn't alone in my feelings back then."

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I was… I don't know. Scared…heartbroken….overwhelmed. I didn't think about the fact that you were, too."

He lifts his head from her cheek, his eyes searching hers for a moment before brushing his lips against hers again briefly, nudging her nose playfully as he leans back again.

"It's okay, love. But next time there's a curse coming, feel free to kiss the living daylights out of me. If it doesn't work, which I deem unlikely, I assure you it will still be worth it."