N/A: OUAT and its characters obviously do not belong to me.
Killian had been too preoccupied in stepping around the ice and getting Emma safely to the car to analyze the brief flash of color that blinked in his mind when he lifted his freezing Swan in his arms. She was shaking and as bluish pale as the ice wall now behind them and he wished he was wearing something warmer than leather. He was analyzing the situation, knowing he'd have to – at least momentarily – set her on her feet in order to open the damned door when David ran up to them and opened the passenger seat as wide as it would go, merely clenching his jaw when he saw that the pirate had absolutely no intention of letting his daughter go. The prince went around and turned the heat up to the maximum, all vents blowing up towards Emma, before helping Elsa to the backseat and then getting in himself and speeding home.
It was only now, in the warm loft, with Emma slowly returning to her normal color – and internal temperature – thanks to the layers and layers of blankets, the heater and Henry's hot cocoa, her head sleepily resting on his shoulder, that Killian allowed himself to go back and analyze the scene his memory had throw at him. Another moment he'd held her in his arms, a memory he knew he didn't have before Zelena's time portal. He chuckled upon the recollection of his drunken ramblings and the sudden movement made the blonde startle awake and lift her head.
"Sorry love, didn't mean to disturb you."
"It's alright. But now I'm curious. What made you disturb my recovery?" she asked jokingly, making him chuckle again.
"I've just been assaulted by a recollection. Of a certain Rolly Joger."
She chuckled too, then yawned and pulled on his hand until he had sat on the chair and lifted her into his lap, and she could resume her position against his shoulder, making him shiver a bit when she nuzzled against his neck. "You know, for how drunk you were, your balance was surprisingly steady."
"You wound me Swan. You should know there is no amount of rum, in whichever timeline, that would make me let you go."
She sighed, and when she spoke again her voice was so quiet he could have sworn she was already asleep. "I know. Sometimes I'm just still too scared to believe it, but I know." She relaxed the hand that was entwined with his and her breathing evened out, clear signs that she was indeed asleep.
Killian smiled. He knew that, even if she remembered saying it, she'd never admit it out loud once she was awake and her guard was back up. But just knowing she thought it warmed his heart. He smiled, settling her better against him, getting as comfortable as he could. He had absolutely no intention of moving until David or Mary Margaret came to burst their bubble.
When, on the following morning, he woke up to a ray of sun on his face, the smell of breakfast going around the loft and Emma still on his lap, he couldn't even bring himself to complain about his sore back.