Thank you for all your kind words and I hope you will keep enjoying this story; there's more fluff coming your way in this chapter.
Emma and Killian are taking a walk in the snow across the field behind Killian's house, their boots crunching as big snowflakes keep falling all around them and catching on Emma's eyelashes.
There's just a week left until Christmas and it's the first one Emma is not going to spend alone, so she doesn't quite know how to stop smiling.
"Can I ask you something, lass?" Killian says and Emma tilts her head to the side, wondering at the hesitant tone of his voice.
"Sure."
"You don't have to answer if the question upsets you in any way."
"I can't imagine what could be so upsetting that I wouldn't want to talk about it with you", Emma tells him and leans down to gather a handful of fresh snow.
"How come you don't have a guide dog?" Killian asks her softly and Emma squeezes the snow tightly, her steps faltering when memories of fluffy, soft fur and wet nose nudging her fingers assault her without warning.
"Love? Are you alright?"
"I was given a dog soon after I left the hospital after the accident", she tells him and debates on whether she should go on or take Killian up on his offer and change the subject.
"What happened?"
"He died", Emma whispers and rests her head against Killian's shoulder, surprised at how easily the old hurt returns.
"I'm sorry", Killian says and pulls her in for a hug, his hand rubbing up and down her back, soothing and encouraging at the same time.
"His name was Buddy and he was everything you could wish for… smart, gentle and loyal when on duty and incredibly cuddly in our down time", Emma says, her voice muffled against the material of Killian's jacket.
Killian doesn't speak, just continues to hold her and lets her tell the story in her own time.
"I was a complete mess back then, losing my sight and Neal and…", she trails off because she still doesn't have the courage to tell Killian all her secrets. "It felt like living in a dark hole, and Buddy was the only thing that kept me from going crazy."
A tear rolls down Emma's cheek and she squeezes her eyes shut, swallowing the lump in her throat before she tells Killian the rest.
"I had him for just three years before he got sick, and the worst thing was that nobody could tell me what was wrong with him; they did countless tests and by the end of it he was spending more time at the animal clinic than he did at home with me", Emma says, her voice getting lower because she doesn't want Killian to hear the tears in her voice.
They have both lost so much and it seems silly to cry over a dog that has been dead for years.
"In the end, they told me that there's no saving him, and that I should let them put him down because he will just keep getting worse until he dies", Emma finishes and takes a deep, calming breath, letting the smell of Killian's skin and his arms around her calm her down.
"I am so sorry, love", he murmurs against her ear and rocks her from side to side until she is ready to face him with dry eyes and a lighter heart.
"What made you ask me about guide dogs?"
"Will wants to buy Elsa one for Christmas, and I told him that there had to be a reason why neither of you had a dog", Killian says and turns them around, leading the way back toward the house.
"Elsa is allergic to dogs."
"And you don't want to lose another one", Killian concludes and Emma shrugs, kicking up snow as she walks and sliding her gloved fingers down his arm until she finds his hand.
"When I had Buddy, I relied on him for everything when I was out on the street… he was a huge help, but it made me lazy, and when I had to do without him I was both lost and terrified", Emma says and they walk on in silence, even though she can sense that there's something Killian is dying to say.
Still, he changes the subject and asks her about her parents' plans for the wedding, and when they reach home they leave their jackets and boots in the hallway before Killian goes to get Emma a pair of socks because hers had gotten wet.
"I have an idea", Killian says once they are curled up on the couch in front of the fire and with a mug of hot chocolate each on the coffee table in front of them.
"About?"
"You miss having a dog."
"Do I?" Emma asks, but she thinks she knows what his idea is, so it's hard not to get excited.
"Yes, you do. But at the same time, you don't want to have one again."
"True."
"What if I got a dog?" Killian says quickly, then hastens to add that he won't if she will mind.
"What kind of dog?"
"You can pick, if you want."
"Can I pick a name too?"
"Of course", Killian tells her and twirls a lock of her hair around his finger, and she can picture the look of cautious enthusiasm on his face so well.
"What if I pick a poodle? Or a chihuahua?"
"Then I am going to be a proud owner of a poodle. Or a chihuahua", Killian chuckles and Emma's lie detector stays quiet.
He would own a ridiculous dog just to make her happy, and it means more to her than she could ever express in words.
"Buddy was a Labrador", she tells him and idly traces her fingers up and down his good forearm, trying to decide if she wants to have a puppy who would remind her of Buddy or not.
Killian presses a kiss against her temple and she closes her eyes, then makes up her mind and tells him that she wouldn't mind another Labrador as long as they don't call him Buddy.
"As you wish", comes Killian's instant reply and Emma snuggles deeper into his embrace and spends the rest of the afternoon telling him about Buddy's antics.
On Christmas Eve Killian parks his truck and dials Emma's number before wedging the phone between his cheek and shoulder, his hand going into the cardboard box on the passenger seat and caressing the little ball of fluff that trembles inside of it.
"Hello?"
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah, I just finished with my tree a few minutes ago. Are you coming up?"
"Come meet me in the parking lot."
"Why?"
"I can't come up to get you, and I can't tell you why", Killian says and Emma doesn't argue, assuring him she'll be down as soon as she gets her coat and locks up.
A few minutes later she rounds the corner of her building and Killian jogs to her, takes her hand and gives her a quick kiss before leading her to his truck.
"What's going on?"
"Open the door", he tells her and she gives him a suspicious look before reaching for the door handle and carefully opening the passenger door, as if afraid something might jump at her.
Killian braces the door with his body and watches Emma's face when her hands encounter a cardboard box and then slowly trace the edges before she puts both of them inside, her eyes widening when she finds the puppy curled at the bottom of it.
"Killian", she says and grins before taking the whimpering ball of fur out of the box and holding it against her chest.
"Happy Christmas, love", Killian says and leans around Emma to clear the seat for her, then helps her get into the car because it's clear she's not going to let go of the puppy in the unforeseeable future. "She's three months old."
"She's cold", Emma murmurs and wraps the puppy in her coat, ducking her head and murmuring comforting words against the top of its head.
"We'll warm her up soon enough, don't worry", Killian tells her once he gets behind the wheel and turns the heating on before he eases out on the street, his eyes constantly straying from the road to watch Emma cuddle the puppy, her hand smoothing over the golden fur on its back.
As soon as they get to Killian's house he builds a fire in the fireplace while Emma makes the puppy a bed from a bunch of Killian's old clothes, then sits next to it and laughs as the puppy keeps trying to clamber on her lap.
"Don't worry. We're going to take good care of you", Emma tells her and the puppy licks her fingers, her whimpering and shivering slowly subsiding.
"If you two are okay, I'm going to start on the tree", Killian says and kneels next to Emma, their hands bumping together when he scratches the puppy behind her ears, Emma's body swaying into his.
"Her name is Daisy", she tells him and Killian smiles against her cheek, then kisses it and pets Daisy for a while longer before he goes to make the tree in the corner look presentable.
For the next hour Killian alternatively hums with the radio and curses under his breath when he gets the Christmas lights tangled up and occasionally fumbles the colorful balls because he keeps looking over at Emma, who keeps stroking Daisy's fur until the puppy sighs and falls asleep in her lap.
Both Emma and the dog look content and at peace, and once Killian is done with decorating he sits on the carpet next to them and describes all the ornaments he's got for the tree and counts the names of all the colors that are sparkling from it.
Emma tells him that she had only used red Christmas balls for her tree, and that she doesn't doubt his looks much prettier, her voice wistful and her gaze locked on something neither one of them can see.
"I'm sure your tree is lovely, Swan", Killian tells her but she refocuses her attention on Daisy and he retreats to the kitchen to cook them dinner.
He goes the whole nine yards with chicken and potatoes in the oven and three kinds of salads, the smell of the food coaxing Emma from the living room and into the kitchen.
"Do you have puppy food?" Emma asks and Killian assures her that he's got everything necessary, but the closer it is to the time when Killian usually drives her back home, the more reluctant Emma is to leave, as if she just can't bring herself to part with Daisy.
If he knew that the way to her heart was through a puppy, he'd have gotten one sooner.
"Swan? Would you like to sleep over?" Killian asks her when it's almost 11:30 p.m. and she's still sitting on the couch with the puppy cradled in her arms.
"On the couch?"
"I'll take the couch, love. You can have my room."
Emma looks torn, and Killian gets the feeling that she would not mind sharing his bed, but he's afraid to ask because he doesn't want her to think he's trying to pressure her.
"Unless…"
"I'm sure your bed is big enough for both of us and Daisy if need be", Emma says and Killian chuckles with relief, then gently takes Daisy from her and carries her out, determined to teach her early on to do her business outside.
"Come along, Swan", he says once Daisy is back in her bed and leads Emma into his room, letting her pick the side of the bed and then showing her the way to the bathroom in case she needs it during the night. "But don't hesitate to wake me up if you're not sure you can find your way in the dark."
"I won't", Emma says and then they just stand facing each other, her fingers pulling at the edge of her shirt but not actually taking it off.
"You can borrow one of my shirts if you want", he tells her and Emma reaches out her hands, finding him easily and wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I would love to sleep in your shirt", she says and stands on tiptoes to give him a kiss, then retraces their steps to the bedroom while Killian quickly changes in the bathroom, then agonizes for good ten minutes because he knows his fake hand can't stay on and at the same time he doesn't want to face Emma's reaction if she touches his stump accidentally.
In the end he shoves his fear far into the back of his mind and returns to his bedroom, shoving the prosthetic into the hallway closet on his way there; his bed is not as big as Emma had made it out to be, but there's still room between them when Killian turns off the light and slides under the covers.
"Good night, love", he says and reaches for her hand, but instead of entwining their fingers Emma just rolls over his arm and snuggles against his side.
"Good night, Killian", she murmurs and rests her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly when he embraces her with both arms although she can't be missing the fact that for the first time since they've met each other, he's not wearing his prosthetic.
Emma rests her hand above Killian's heart and her breathing evens out before Killian can ask her if she's happy, which is an answer in itself, considering the fact how untrusting his Swan is of other people, so he kisses the top of her head and closes his eyes, staying awake for quite some time until he manages to relax enough to fall asleep.
Review?