Chapter 7

When Emma woke, she refused to open her eyes. The night before had been so incredible, she couldn't believe it wasn't a dream. Killian had proposed, and then they hadn't just crossed the line they'd been toeing, they'd obliterated it completely, rousing each other throughout the night with hot kisses and making love with only the moonlight illuminating the room.

It couldn't have been real, how Killian had woken her with kisses down her spine, rolled her over when she woke and buried his head between her legs until she was moaning and writhing and had to pull him up to kiss him and have him again, how she'd returned the favour at first light, woken him with open-mouthed kisses to his jaw and neck, kissed down his body until his hand was fisted in her hair and he was incoherent.

And it had to be a dream, except she felt sated and aching and loved, and his naked body was warm next to hers, and his, now her, ring was heavy on her finger.

So she opened her eyes, squinting at the brightness in the room, the sun high in the sky, and it had to be late morning, far later than either of them would usually wake. He should have been on deck, should be steering them out of port, but instead he was gazing at her. "Good morning." she said, and he reached out to run his finger along her cheek, and she felt more playful than she'd ever felt in years, leaning across to kiss his cheek. "I love you."

Killian beamed at her, but then he glanced out the small window and groaned. "I have to get out of bed." He admitted. "We should have left port hours ago."

"Can't someone else man the helm?" Emma asked, rolling over so that half of her was resting on him, her chest pressed against his, hands on his shoulders. "So that we can stay here? Just bask in this?"

"I wish we could." Killian sighed, moving Emma off him, twisting to kiss her and then reaching for her hand to kiss that too, his lips brushing just below the ring. "But not today. Besides, sweetheart, we're going to have forever to wake next to one another. I'm sure we'll find at least one day where we can stay in bed." He brushed the sheet aside and sat up, running a hand through his hair.

Emma was too focused on the word forever. She'd never had that possibility before, not one that felt so serious. As much as she had believed herself in love with Baelfire, they were both young and immature and forever seemed too long.

Emma entertained the thought that maybe, with Killian, forever was too short.

For a minute, she thought that it was ridiculous, having a thought like that, but surely she could think about forever when it was to be spent with the man she loved, the man she was going to marry.

He was still sitting on the edge of the bed, using his one hand to fasten his belt, and Emma crawled over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, one hand on his stopping him from assembling his clothing, her bare chest pressed against his back. "You should still stay here today." she murmured, catching his earlobe between her teeth and grinning when his breath hitched and he leant back slightly, leant into her. "You have a crew, they can do it."

"I promised Henry he could help me steer the boat out of the docks." Killian told her, and Emma's smile softened. "I imagine he's still waiting for me to surface. I don't want to let him down."

She beamed at him, sliding one hand up his chest to take hold of his chin and turn his head so she could kiss him. "You won't let him down. You're going to go up there and teach him the difference between port and starboard and you're both going to have fun."

Killian nodded, prized her arms away from him and finally stood from the bed, pulling on his shirt and vest and then leaving their cabin with a soft goodbye.

Emma refused to get out of bed yet, feeling pleasantly exhausted after the night shared with Killian, falling back on to the mattress and wrapping the sheet around herself.

She had never had this before. With Baelfire, their romance had been quick and exciting, stealing away together in shadows and locked rooms, sharing only light kisses until the day she said she loved him, the day he had taken her to bed and left her to wake up alone the morning after.

Things had been slower with Killian, but somehow even more thrilling, knowing everything about one another before they even admitted their feelings, travelling together and spending hours with one another, They had shared more than just kisses, had shared a bed and a room and their lives, had known they loved one another for weeks before they finally slept together.

And she had woken up with him beside her, something she hadn't even thought about when she was in his arms and he was making love to her. But when she opened her eyes and he was there and next to her, it was as if the last lingering fear she had about them, one she hadn't even realised she had, was gone. Because he had really been there, and he had still been holding her. She had needed that.

Before Killian, all she had ever had was a one-time thing, but he was giving her forever.

Emma had dozed for an hour, but the sun was too bright for her to sleep deeply. So after a quick wash, she ventured up on to the deck. Although they had been travelling north, it was surprisingly warm, a cooler breeze only occasionally crossing the deck.

Knowing Killian would be at the helm, she hurried up the stairs to see him. The sight at the ship's wheel made her stop, a warm smile across her face. Henry was still with Killian, and

Killian was looking down at Henry with one of the softest looks she had ever seen him wear.

Henry laughed as Killian ruffled his hair and joked with him, her son's hand gripping the spokes of the wheel tightly.

When she drew even closer, she realised they were talking about Baelfire, Killian regaling her son with stories of his father's time aboard the Jolly Roger. Beaming, she joined them at the wheel, Killian pausing in his tale for only a second when he saw her. She slid her arm around his waist, Killian's hand leaving Henry's hair to rest on her shoulder.

"Afternoon, Mom." Henry chirped when Killian finished his story, Emma biting her lip when she realised how late in the day it actually was. "Killian said you were tired so you needed to sleep in."

"That's right." she answered, turning to send Killian a grateful smile. "I slept for hours."

"Well, you need sleep because Grandpa says we'll be at the palace tomorrow morning." Henry said matter-of-factly. "Is that true? Are you going to save Grandma tomorrow?"

"We're going to try." Emma answered, surprised when she heard her father's murmur of agreement. She had been so focused on Killian and her son that she hadn't seen her dad make his way up the stairs to join them.

"Emma." David said, staring at Killian's arm around her. "I heard Hook telling Henry that you were exhausted. So, I wanted a word with him."

"Why would you want a word with him when it was Mom that was sleeping?" Henry asked, and David choked, sending a panicked look to Emma. She just raised her eyebrows at her father. If he wanted to talk with Killian now, it was up to him to figure out an explanation for Henry.

"Actually, Henry, I want to speak to Hook because," David began, now sending his look of alarm towards Killian.

"Because he wants to revise the plan for tomorrow, lad." Killian said slowly, David nodding slowly. "Nothing to do with your mother. Unfortunately, this means our sailing lesson will have to be over for today. How about heading down to Jukes?"

Henry looked between David and Killian and then let go of the helm, his hand still hovering over the spoke. "You'll teach me again on the way home, Killian?"

"Of course I will." Killian said, Henry only stepping away from the helm when he heard the pirate's answer. "I might even start teaching you how to navigate, seeing as you're getting so good at this."

Henry beamed up at Killian and then darted down the stairs, leaving Emma and Killian with David.

"If it's alright, Emma, I'd prefer to talk to Hook alone." David suggested, but Emma shook her head, stepping closer to Killian, leaning against his side. "Or we can all just have a chat? Because I didn't see either of you last night and it looked like you were in your room. The one that you share. All night."

"Dad?" Emma said warningly, unable to hide a laugh at the fear on Killian's face. "Are you sure you want to do this? I'm pretty sure you don't want your suspicions about what we did last night to be confirmed."

"Confirmed?" David squeaked, looking uncomfortable for a few minutes before he shook his head and tried to look more at ease. "Look, I really hate to even bring this up, because I never wanted to have this talk with you. It's just that I remember what it was like to be your age," Killian sniggered slightly, Emma reaching out to elbow him gently in the side. She didn't think it was necessary to reveal Killian's rather extended lifespan, especially as the conversation was already unpleasant. "and in love. As a concerned father, I'd just be happy knowing nothing untoward occurred."

"Not that it's any of your business," Emma said, resting her hand on her father's arm to pull his attention from Killian. "But seeing as we're getting married, I don't think you have any reasons to complain."

David blinked and then his eyes widened when he looked down at her hand. "The two of you are going to get married? Since when?"

Although Killian seemed to be expecting David to turn on him and ask him why he hadn't asked for her hand, Emma knew that her father was aware that she would do what she wanted, with or without David's permission. Her father was more concerned with the fact that he hadn't been told.

"Since last night." Emma answered quickly, wanting to reassure him that she hadn't been hiding anything. "Only last night. I wouldn't have kept this from you."

"Last night?" David repeated, wrinkling his nose and shaking his head when he seemed to remember exactly what he had been questioning them about before. "So, I suppose last night was a bit of a celebration then. Which is fine. Because you're in love. And it's fine. But I don't want to know about it, so don't tell me anymore."

"You asked the questions first, Your Majesty." Killian pointed out sheepishly, seemingly relieved by David's blustering.

Emma watched as her father composed himself, swallowed and then reached out to pat Killian's shoulder. "David's allowed. You're going to be family, after all. One day, you're going to be known throughout the land as Prince Killian."

Emma glanced over at Killian, frowning at her dad when she saw the shocked, terrified expression on the pirate's face. As certain as they were that they were going to be together, the fact he would be marrying royalty was a topic they hadn't had time to broach. "And that's enough, Dad."

David nodded awkwardly. "Sure. Can we talk sometime, Emma? Whenever you're free." he said haltingly, and then sent Killian another nod and smile but something dark crossed his face and he anxiously reached for the ring around his own finger. Emma knew what he was thinking, that her mother should have been there to share in the moment. "Congratulations, by the way. I'm glad you found each other."

"Thank you," Killian said quietly, clearly still thrown by what her father had mentioned, and Emma felt his fingers brush against hers as if seeking comfort from him, and she felt him relax when she took his hand tightly in hers. Just before her father reached the bottom of the stairs, Killian spoke again. "David."

Her father halted and then turned to Killian and grimaced. "That's going to take some getting used to."

The King walked away before Emma or Killian could speak, a surprising air of despondency surrounding him, and Emma was about to disentangle herself from Killian and see what had disheartened her father so suddenly but then Killian spoke, his voice a quiet murmur. "I don't think it will take as long to get used to as Prince Killian."

She turned to face him, his eyebrows furrowed, looking overwhelmed. "Did you forget I was a princess?" she asked, moving to stand in front of him and reaching to caress his cheek, brushing her hand down his face to rest on his neck. "I have to admit I've found myself forgetting that I have a home other than this ship."

"I never forgot." Killian stated. "But I never considered what it meant for us. All I wanted was to be with you. But Prince? That's not exactly a suitable title for a man like me. I can already imagine the gossip when your kingdom finds out that their princess has deigned to marry me."

Emma shook her head, moved her hand an inch to grip the leather of his collar and pull him down for a soft, reassuring kiss, just lightly brushing her lips to his. "Stop being ridiculous." she breathed, swaying into him when he rested his forehead to hers. "I could call you my prince from time to time? Try and get you used to it?"

"Or you could keep calling me sailor?" He suggested, pressing a kiss to her neck before pulling back and grinning suggestively at her, and Emma knew they were both remembering how she'd called him sailor as she asked him to join her in the bed. "I like it when you call me that."

Emma couldn't spend the day with Killian and her son when her father had walked off with such despondency. She'd gone looking for him, not surprised when she found him sat on the small bed in the crew's quarters, his head buried in his hands.

"Daddy?" she asked quietly, staying in the doorway, frowning when he looked up and she saw the redness in his eyes. "Are you alright?"

David nodded stiffly, but when Emma refused to leave, he eventually shook his head. "I didn't want to burden you, Emma, but no. I'm not alright."

"What's upset you?" Emma asked, crossing over to sit beside her father, leaning her head on his shoulder when he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I know Mom's still missing, but we're almost at the Evil Queen's palace. For the last week, you've been so determined. What's changed?"

David swallowed, his hand rising to rest on her head and hold her closer. "You've changed, Emma." he admitted in a whisper. "Hook makes you happier than I've ever seen you, and that's when all of this is happening, with your mother-"

"I think about Mom every day. I've not forgotten." Emma interrupted.

"I didn't think you had." David insisted. "I love that you can still find happiness. I just know your mother would have loved to see you like this. I'm so happy for you, Emma, that you've found him and that he makes you smile. But when you told me that you were engaged, all I could think about was what if your mother isn't there to see you with him."

Emma swallowed and glanced down. As involved as she had been with the planning, she had determinedly ignoring any negative thoughts about what was happening with her mother, had absorbed herself in trying to live the life she had wanted with Killian. If she ignored it, she could be strong for Henry and for her father.

But she wanted her mother to meet Killian and to see how happy he made her and to be there when she married him and hearing it said out loud that it might not happen, that they might not save her, was too much. She turned into her father's shoulders, closing her eyes and wishing that she wouldn't cry, but she couldn't stop the tears.

"I haven't seen you cry in years." Her father said quietly, and she felt him lay a kiss on the top of her head. "But with everything that's happened, it's alright to cry. You've been through so much. First with Henry and now this and you can't keep it all bottled inside you. Have you spoken to Hook? He'd want to listen."

"I didn't need to talk about it." she murmured. "With Killian, I just know everything's going to be okay."

David nodded, and she spent a few minutes in the comfortable embrace of her father until she had no more tears left. When she felt her father take a deep breath, she pulled away and twisted to look at him. "So marrying Hook? This is what you want? It's not too fast for you?"

"Dad, you only met Mom once before deciding it was true love. And then after, what, three or four meetings, you woke her from the sleeping curse and proposed. I don't think you can ever talk to anyone about a relationship going too fast." Emma pointed out, and after a moments silence, her father actually chuckled. "As for if I want it… I didn't think I wanted to get married, but then I thought he was proposing and I didn't want anything more. Besides, we have no plans to marry anytime soon."

"When we get your mother back home, that may be changing." David told her with a raised eyebrow. "She was bad enough planning your first two weddings, so a wedding to the man you truly love is going to need to be an event."

"I don't know." Emma sighed. "I don't think we even want to get married anytime soon, just the fact that we will is enough for now. Especially since he's just realised he'll become a prince. He's not ready for that and he needs to be before any wedding happens."

David took another deep breath. "I could talk to him." he suggested reluctantly. "I wasn't always a prince either, Emma. One day, the Dark One showed up at my farm and took me to King George, you know this. I went from a shepherd to a prince in a day. But I never really felt like one. And then I proposed to your mother, and it wasn't going to be a lie anymore. I was really going to be a prince. That felt ridiculous. It wasn't easy to get used to. For years, I still felt like it was a title I didn't deserve, but I'd have worn any title to be with your mother. It might be good for him to hear that."

"You'd do that?" Emma breathed, her father kissing the top of her head again in answer.

"I suppose I should get to know him more anyway." David said, sounding resigned. "He is going to be my son-in-law, after all."

Emma had spent an hour with her father, him telling her the stories of how he met Snow, the way he had when she was a little girl. It was as much a comfort to her as it was to her father, hearing the familiar tales out loud again.

He hadn't told her them in years, because after Baelfire, she hadn't wanted to hear of true love and finding each other no matter what, but she'd always heard them. She'd heard them muttered to Henry as bedtime stories, but it was nice to hear them told to her once again?

And then her father had finished, and she'd seen the ring on her finger, and she knew it was time to find Henry and let him know.

She had expected Henry to be back on deck with Killian, but the two of them were in the Captain's cabin, playing with his ships the way Henry had used to do with his Grandpa. She had to pause in the door and watch them, because this was something Henry had only ever played with family, her and her father and now Baelfire, but he was letting Killian in too.

"Having fun?" she asked when Henry pretended he'd sent cannon fire towards Killian's ship, the pirate sighing and toppling his ship over when Henry announced the shots had hit his ship. "Any chance I might be allowed to join in?"

"I only have two ships." Henry said, looking up at and beaming at her when he saw her. "Sorry, Mom."

Killian chuckled and then gestured for Emma to join them. "Well, sweetheart, I'd be more than happy to take you on as my first mate." he teased, kissing her temple when she sat beside him. "If you're prepared to take orders from the Captain, that is."

Emma raised an eyebrow, seeing how he was reaching out to adjust the toy ship and moving quickly so that she did it first, grinning when she heard Henry laugh. "I don't know about that." she stated.

"I wish it could be like this all the time." Henry murmured, and she looked over at him, noticing how he looked shy. "But when Grandma's back and we go to the palace, things are going to be different again, aren't they?"

Emma and Killian shared a glance, and then Emma reached forward to take her son's small hand in hers. "I can't say things won't change when Grandma's back, Henry. Maybe we'll go back to the palace, maybe we'll stay on the ship, I don't know, but I can promise you that Killian isn't going anywhere."

"That's right, lad." Killian interjected, and Henry smiled at him.

"Because he's family? Even if you said before that he wasn't?" Henry asked, and Emma grimaced, feeling Killian's hurt look instead of actually seeing it.

"I was upset, Henry. I didn't mean it." Emma laid her free hand on Killian's knee, wanting him to know that it was really wasn't true. "In fact, that's something I need to talk to you about. I know I should have talked to you about this before, but it happened just yesterday and it wasn't planned, but would you be alright if Killian and I got married someday?"

Henry gaped at the two of them, looking from her to Killian as if he couldn't believe what she was saying, and then a slow grin spread across his face. "Yes! Of course I'm alright." He turned to Killian, his voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. "I kept telling her she needed to wait for you. I even said that you should be the only person she should marry."

Killian swallowed, and when Emma gazed at him, he looked touched. "Thank you, Henry."

"This is brilliant!" Henry continued, sounding so excited that Emma couldn't stop herself from smiling at him. "You can play this with me all the time until I have a brother or sister and I can play with them and win because they'll be too small to understand what's happening!"

"A brother or sister?" Emma stammered, noticing that Killian looked taken aback too. "I think you're getting ahead of yourself there, Henry."

"Maybe."

She swallowed, releasing her son's hand and tangling her own hands together, lying them in her lap to stop herself from fidgeting. Last night, she hadn't thought about anything other than Killian, but she knew it only took one time to end up with child.

She didn't want another child. Not yet.

"You are." Killian corrected, his arm wrapping around her shoulder. "That kind of thing is too far ahead to be thinking about right now." She felt herself relax, twisting to give Killian a grateful kiss. Henry groaned, the sound a mixture of bemusement and disgust, and Killian pulled back. "One day, Henry, you won't find this as horrible."

Henry looked doubtful. "Maybe."

There was a knock on the door before either of them could speak anymore, and they all looked up to see David in the doorway. "I wanted to speak to Hook?" he asked, Emma nodding enthusiastically at the pirate. "Just for a few minutes."

"Sure." Killian agreed, standing from the table, but before he could cross the room, Henry stood up and hugged him. Killian looked astonished, his arms hovering awkwardly in the air for a few seconds until he bent to return the hug. "We'll finish our battle later, lad."

Henry let go and Killian left with her father. "You really like him?" Emma asked, wondering if maybe Henry had been more excited than he actually felt because of Killian's presence in the room. "You're happy with this? You know he's not replacing your father, right? That we'll still spend time with Baelfire?"

"I know. I told you that you have to marry your true love, like Grandpa and Grandma did." She looked at him carefully, raised an eyebrow until he looked down nervously, the same way she did when she didn't want to say something. "And I know he's not replacing Papa, but it's nice to have more family who hasn't forgotten me."

When the sun had finally set, Henry was sent to bed, David retreating to the crew's cabin soon after, stating that he needed a good night's rest before they stormed the palace the following day. Emma had had a similar thought, but Killian had brought a bottle of wine up to their room and instead of sleeping they were curled up together on the bed, each of them holding a glass of wine and talking about their plans for the next day.

But Emma didn't want to talk about that, not when this was their last night together before they face the Evil Queen herself.

She wanted to talk about anything else.

"When did you know you loved me?" she asked quietly, and maybe it was the wine that had made the question come to mind. "Because, for me, I always knew I cared for you, but I think I denied how strong the feelings were until you told me your plan to kill Rumplestiltskin, and then kill yourself. Even then, I didn't realise it was love. And then you were imprisoned by Zelena and you lost your heart, and after I got it back, you told me you loved me, and I just knew and I didn't know how I hadn't known before."

He smiled at her, bent to kiss her and he tasted like wine. "It was love at first sight for me." he said, and Emma rolled her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure that's a lie." Emma said, but she set her wine glass down beside the bed and cuddled closer to him, curling her fingers in the fabric of his shirt.

"Maybe. But I always liked you." He said with a shrug. "You remember that night, the one where you told me that together we could have everything? My revenge had been holding me back from fully realising what I felt for you, but that night I fell. I knew everything had changed, that I'd changed. That witch in Sherwood, the one that separated us, she let me go because she knew I wouldn't harm Rumplestiltskin if it meant losing you. When she told me, I knew she was right and that I was in love with you."

She kissed him this time, a slower kiss than before, and felt him pull her closer. "And when did you decide you wanted to marry me?" she asked, her tone more playful, releasing her hold on his shirt to place her hand against his cheek, Killian turning his head to kiss her palm.

"There were times in Oz when I thought about being with you every day, but I didn't even think about marriage until we found each other again. When I heard you could have married another man, I realised that I wanted that with you. Even though until then, I had given up on even thinking marriage was a possibility for me."

"What about Milah?"

"I considered it." Killian admitted after a few moments of silence, his head falling back against the wall. "I loved her. But she was already married, and she would never have wanted to be married again. Marriage wouldn't have been possible with her, and I didn't mind that as long as she was still with me."

"But you wanted to marry her?"

"I remember when I was young. Once, I was an idealistic lieutenant who dreamt of rescuing a damsel in a distress and sweeping her off her feet. So there was a part of me that wanted to get that happy ending." he said slowly, kissing her palm again. "I have to admit, I think I prefer this."

"I don't know. It may have taken you a few centuries, but surely marrying a princess and becoming a prince is a pretty perfect ending to a story like that." She murmured, feeling him tense again when she said the word 'prince'.

"Except for the intervening years, perhaps?" Killian said, but he was smiling down at her. "But I'm not going to marry a princess, Emma. I'm going to marry you."

"Look, we can sit and plan about how to make everything okay, so being a prince isn't so daunting anymore." she said earnestly, wondering if the talk with her dad had been helpful or just awkward. "Because everything might suddenly change otherwise and-"

"I thought we didn't plan, Emma." Killian interrupted, hauling her closer for a kiss. "Whatever happens will happen, and we can deal with anything. It's just going to be a bit different. Besides, as much as I am worried about the prince moniker, I saw your face when Henry mentioned siblings. In Oz, you asked me if I would want a son? I thought, perhaps, you had asked me that because you thought that one day, we would have a child. Has that changed? Has something changed your mind?"

She heard the unspoken someone in his question, and she knew they had to talk about it. He couldn't think that her reaction to Henry's question had anything to do with him. "No. I think, one day, I might like another child and I'd want it to be with you, if that was what you wanted. But not now. Not yet." She said, relieved when she saw understanding in his eyes. "I don't regret last night at all, but we weren't careful, Killian. And it's just, I don't know, I don't want to be pregnant any time soon. I'm so grateful for Henry, but I don't want that again. I don't want one night together and then I'm with child. I want to experience us, to have time together. Because I've never had this before and I'm not ready for it to change like that."

"But someday?" Killian asked, a soft expression on his face as he gazed at her, and she felt the back of his hand brush against her stomach, just briefly, before he settled his hand around her waist. "We seem to have a few somedays to look forward to."

"I guess." she murmured. "I just don't want that someday to be anytime soon."

He nodded, accepting her words with an earnest smile. "Of course. Now, should we sleep? Before our adventure through the palace tomorrow? I doubt we should deal with Regina and possibly Rumplestiltskin while we're exhausted."

"Can we have tonight first?" she asked, sliding her hand down his chest and shifting so she was straddling him. "Just in case things go wrong, I'd like to have this." Killian made to speak, and she knew he was going to reassure her that everything would be fine, but she didn't want to hear that, so she pressed herself against him, kissed him until his left arm was around his waist, his free hand in her hair. "Let's just be more careful this time."

"As you wish."

There you go! I hope you enjoyed the chapter - reviews would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for the story alerts and the favourites! I'd also like to thank fox24, the-art-of-escape, paupaupi, CSdisneylover, LadaHathaway, Guest, buffybabe42, haadmho2000, mela16, Malzkenobi, emmas-prince and Aereal for reviewing. And of course, I'd like to thank BlackDragon733 for beta-ing.

Also, if any of you are interested, I've started a new CS Fantasy AU called 'once blind, in the light you can sing'. I'd love it if any of you wanted to give that a read. (I know some of you have, so thanks!)