Pinocchio doesn't remember how long he's been in love with Emma but he knows, whatever his feelings might have been before, are different now. Things didn't really change until Emma came back and officially announced her engagement to the pirate. A pirate and a princess. Maybe it was because he always imagined like Snow, that Emma would marry someone like a duke, knight or some royal noble.

He and Emma grew up together; they played together and his papa would always tell him, "One day my boy, you will marry the princess Emma." Of course, as a boy, he only liked Emma as a friend; he was the protective older brother she never had and she was always annoyed with him about something.

Love, the idea that maybe one day Emma would fall in love with him, seemed highly unlikely. But Pinocchio still fell in love with her.

He looks down at the carving in front of him and sighs, smoothing out the grooves; he doesn't even notice someone enter the shop.

"You won't tell anyone will you?"

He smirks, not looking up at her. "That you lied? I won't tell anyone," he promises, "Whatever happened while you were away Emma, it's your business, yours and your fiancé. Although, why you have to lie to your parents about where you were is a bit confusing,"

"It's not a lie," Emma defends, "and he's not a pirate anymore,"

"Excuse me, he retired and he's becoming a better person for you," he retorts, "You deserve better than a pirate Emma,"

Emma comes over to him. "I understand why you might not approve but he's my choice and I love him," she declares, "but you're not going to say anything to my parents?"

"No, I won't say anything," he promises and Emma starts to leave.

"Emma wait," he calls and she turns back to him. He bends down and picks up a carving he had been working on and beckons her back over. "I started making this awhile ago. It was meant to be a birthday present and then you were kidnapped and missing, and I wasn't able to give it to you,"

He hands her the carving, a swan jewelry box. Emma takes the gift, looks it over and smiles at him. "It's beautiful Pinocchio, thank you," she says.

Pinocchio smiles back at her and leans in a bit as if to kiss her but Emma backs away, looking at him curiously and he frowns, looking down sheepishly. "Sorry," he apologizes and laughs to himself, "How foolish of me to even try and make you love me with a simple gift,"

"Pinocchio?"

"There's no point in hiding the truth anymore. I've been in love with you Emma since I can remember. I didn't always know it but it was always there in the back of my mind and when you were kidnapped the first time, whatever feelings I tried to hide came to the surface and they're still there,"

"Pinocchio, I don't know what to say but I'm sorry," she laments, "I love you but not in a romantic way. You're my best friend and the annoying big brother I never had but that's it,"

"I know," he says.

Emma sighs, looking down at his gift and then to him. "This is very beautiful Pinocchio but if you were expecting a romantic gesture in return, then I'm afraid I can't accept this gift," Emma continues, giving it back to him, "Somewhere out there, there's someone for you Pinocchio but it's not me,"

"Someone better than you, prettier than you?" he teases.

She shrugs. "It's not a contest but if I found my True Love then surely, one day you will find yours too," she suggests, "and when you do, you'll give this to her,"

He doesn't say anything and Emma starts to leave again.

"I won't say anything," he reiterates, "I promise,"

"Good," Emma muses and leaves.

Emma feels bad for Pinocchio. She honestly had no idea that he was ever in love with her, but his admission doesn't really change anything. She still loves Killian and cannot wait to make a life with him, and now she knows that she has to tell him the truth about her dreams. He has to suspect something now if he doesn't already and Emma doesn't want to start their life built on lies.

Lies almost tore them apart before and that can't happen again.

Before she can do that, she finds her mother in her room, going over guest lists. Snow notices her at the door and invites her inside, putting away what she was working on.

"I hope you didn't invite the whole kingdom mother," Emma teases, "You know I would prefer to have a small gathering,"

"I know darling," she says, "but this is a big event and it's a time to celebrate and be happy, and if I could share that with the entire universe I would. At the end of the day, it's still your special day Emma and I want it to be perfect for you,"

"I want that too," Emma muses, "All the wedding preparation are nearly ready but there's still one more issue I need to address,"

Snow looks at her curiously.

"I need to tell Killian the truth," Emma breaths, "I can't start out our life together with one of us lying. I need to tell him the truth,"

"Oh Emma," Snow starts, "That's very noble of you but don't you think that's a bit premature?"

She shrugs. "I don't think so. I mean, I already know that I will be expecting a baby girl but if there is danger coming, he needs to know about it. He protected me when I was in his care on the Jolly Roger and I know that he would protect me and our child with his life if he knew," she reasons, "He deserves to know,"

"I know," Snow sighs, "if you need me to come with you and talk to him,"

"Thanks mom but I need to do this myself," Emma admits and pauses, hesitant with her next question. "Did you know about Pinocchio?"

"What about Pinocchio?"

Emma shakes her head. "I just saw him awhile ago and he gave me a belated birthday present and then he tried to kiss me," she says, "and he admitted that he was in love with me,"

Snow frowns, sighing. "I always had a suspicion that maybe he was," she starts, looking at Emma, "What did you say to him?"

"That there's someone out there for him but it's not me," she says, "and when he finds he, he should give that jewelry box to her,"

Snow smiles at her thoughtfully. "We all find our loves in time, and I'm sure that he will find his,"

"Charming," Snow starts, finding him in their room. "Why did you summon Pinocchio today?"

"He knows to spot a lie," he reasons, "not that Emma would ever lie to us about anything but I don't exactly trust pirates either,"

Snow sighs, walking to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Darling, there's something you have to understand: Killian is going to be our son-in-law. Emma loves him dearly and I doubt she would give her heart to any random pirate without trusting him first," she reasons, "We, you especially need to trust her judgement,"

"I do trust her judgement Snow, I do but it's going to take me time to trust him," Charming admits, "but I'm getting there, albeit slowly,"

Snow smiles at him thoughtfully. "The wedding is in a few days," she continues, "which also means, no more meddling either,"

"What meddling?"

"Emma came to me and said Pinocchio gave her a belated birthday present and then he tried to kiss her," she says, "and he admitted that he was in love with her,"

Charming looks away from her. "I told him that I knew that he was in love with her, but I certainly did not encourage his feelings towards her," he says and Snow groans. "Is Emma upset now?"

"It caught her off guard but she let him down gently," she says, looking at him curiously, "but you promise me, you weren't meddling?"

"I wasn't Snow, I swear,"

Snow smiles at him thoughtfully and hugs him. "I just want our daughter to be happy," she cries, "I know he's what we expected but now, I'm starting to think that's a good thing,"

"Why is that a good thing again?"

She shrugs, smiling coyly. "Well, Emma loves adventure and former pirate definitely exemplifies adventure and there's probably other qualities that she loves about him too; but what really matters is that he loves and adores her and he makes her happy," she says.

"I suppose at the end of the day, Emma's happiness is all that really matters," Charming reasons.

Emma needs to tell Killian the truth. She cannot start their future with lies, she reminds herself, pacing back and forth nervously in his room. She doesn't know where he is at the moment but Emma's not leaving his room until she sees him.

She eventually settles on his bed, soft like hers and sighs, laying back, smiling and remembering some of the more scandalous moments of their relationship. Emma closes her eyes, remembering sleeping in the nude next to him onboard his ship. Now that Emma thinks about, he showed tremendous restraint for not taking advantage of the situation. She knows that she went too far with wanting to learn more than what she was ready for, but Emma doesn't really regret her time with him on the Roger.

She does however miss him terribly at the moment and wonders where he is. Seconds later, Emma's about to go looking for him when he suddenly shows up, looking her over curiously, all sprawled out on his bed and smiles. "Well, I didn't realize we were starting the honeymoon early love," he teases, walking over to her as she sits up. "but I certainly don't mind,"

"Now what makes you think that I'm here for that?" she counters, whispering, "I mean, I know we could if we wanted but I want our wedding night to be something special,"

"That's alright sweetheart," he says. "Not that I don't mind seeing you, but is everything alright?"

Emma exhales, fidgeting. "There's something I need to tell you," she starts.

Killian gets up first and closes the door and looks back at her. This is serious, she's serious.

"First, there's good and bad news," Emma continues, biting her lip. "The good news is, well, we will be married and one day, very soon, we will have a child,"

Killian shrugs, looking at her curiously. "And you know this for certain, even though we haven't been together intimately?" he wonders, "How?"

"The thing is, after our engagement was made official, I started having these dreams about our future," Emma starts, "I know it may sound crazy but they're true, Killian. We will have a child; that's the happy news,"

He smiles at her, coming over to her and kissing her cheek. "Of course, I wouldn't mind a wee lad or a little girl, Emma," he says, "I don't know why you were so afraid tell me that,"

"I'm not, I wasn't but there is bad news too," Emma continues, "Not too long after I give birth, I beg you to take our child to a wardrobe. I didn't understand why I would ask you to do such a thing, but I think I know why,"

Killian frowns.

"Remember when we went to see Rumpelstiltskin in his cell? He told us about the Dark Curse. He said that it was supposed to have been enacted eighteen years ago but it wasn't because history changed when the Evil Queen ate the poisonous apple," Emma cries, "and then there was the witch who wanted me dead,"

"And we defeated her Emma," he remembers, "I doubt that she would come after us again,"

Emma smiles at him hopefully. "I would hope that she wouldn't come after us again but she was powerful

enough to create a storm and something tells me, she's not done with us yet. If she is who I think she is, then she blames my mother for taking away her daughter and if my vision is true, then she will succeed in separating us from our child by enacting the Dark Curse,"

"Do your parents' know about your dreams?" he wonders.

"I told my mother, she knows but not my father," Emma muses, "I don't want there to be anymore complications for us and if he knew, it would give him one more reason not to allow us to get married,"

Killian sighs. "To recap, your mother and I know but no one else, right?"

"Right,"

"I knew something was bothering you but I didn't know what it was; now, I know," he reasons, "You should have told me Emma. I would have helped you deal with this however way I can. I love you sweetheart,"

"I know," she smiles at him thoughtfully, "I love you too Killian but I didn't want to scare you off, or make you think that I was crazy or something,"

"Love, I think we've both seen many crazy things but this isn't one of them," he says.

"What are we going to do?" Emma cries, "The only part of the future I so desperately want to keep in tact is our child, but if there's darkness coming..."

"If enacting the Dark Curse is the witch's final act, then we will be ready for her," Killian promises, kissing her forehead. "You need not worry my love. I will do everything to protect you,"

"I know you will. I have faith in you," Emma coos, "but Killian, what if we can't stop her?"

"We'll find a way, we will," he promises, hugging her, "I'll find a way,"

tbc