A/N: Thank you so much everyone for the replies, the follows and favorites since last chapter! Hopefully this one will bring some answers… or not? :P

Chapter 12

"Should, hum…" Killian started, clearing his throat. "Should we be worried about where Ava went?"

Emma shook her head, her eyes still glued to an invisible spot on the floor of her daughter's living room.

"She left her shoes, her keys and her phone," Emma stated, still not taking her eyes off the floor. "She's most likely at her friend Marissa's, who lives down the hall, or she's sitting right outside the door."

Killian nodded, taking a sip of his drink. After a few minutes of silence, they both started to speak at the same time.

"Emma."

"Killian," Emma sighed, then gestured for him to go first.

"Emma, thank you for… everything you've done for Ava. She seems like an incredible young woman. You have every right to be proud of her."

"I am," Emma quietly said. "I just wish…" then she stopped and proceeded to throw back the entire content of her glass into her mouth. She winced at the burning feel of the liquid as she swallowed, suddenly wondering if the tears in her eyes were from her drink or something else.

"Why did all of this happen?" she asked, finally turning to look at his face, her breath catching in her chest at how handsome he was and how he could still make her heart skip a few beats when he smiled.

"I don't know," he told her, his hand tentatively reaching out to grab hers. When she didn't pull her hand back, he continued. "We were careful every time, weren't we? I mean, I swear I didn't do anything on purpose to get your pregnant!"

Emma nodded. "I know, but… remember those condoms from your brother's stash? The ones that were expired?"

Fuck! Killian thought. He'd forgotten about that. No matter how careful he'd been to wear a condom every time he and Emma had had sex, the one time he'd used one from his brother's stash had settled their fate. Their daughter, their beautiful, intelligent daughter, had been created the very first time they'd made love together.

"What happened to us, Emma? Where did we go wrong after you left Ireland? Was it something I did or said?"

Emma sniffled as she thought back to that summer.

It was a rather warm and sunny afternoon of May and Killian had taken Emma out for a stroll through some of the green hills a couple miles outside of his hometown. As they laid down on the tall soft grass to indulge in a heavy kissing session, Emma suddenly tensed as she felt Killian's hand going up her thigh and under the skirt of her flowy summer dress.

"Killian, wait!" she said, breaking the kiss. "What if we get caught?"

"What, by a sheep?" he laughed, capturing her mouth with his again, his fingers reaching the side of her panties and starting to pull them down.

"Stop, please!" she said again, this time grabbing his wrist to prevent him from removing her undies. "Not here, I'm not comfortable."

Killian released her undergarment and nodded. With one more kiss, he stood up and extended his hand to help Emma up.

"Come with me, then! I want to show you something!"

The two of them walked quietly hand in hand for a few minutes, until Emma spotted what looked like the ruins of an ancient church. Killian led her through what remained of the arched entryway, careful to mind their steps to avoid some fallen stones.

"Killian, it's so gorgeous!" Emma exclaimed as she looked up to stare at the sky through what would have once been the church's roof.

"I would like to agree, but nothing in the world will ever be as gorgeous as you, my love!" Killian told her, taking both her hands in his. Blushing heavily, Emma tried to turn away from Killian, but his hands grabbed her elbows to keep her in front of him.

"Baby," he started again. "Believe me when I say this: I love you more than words could ever say. We may technically be kids, but I know how I feel. And I know that there will never be another girl or woman more beautiful than you in my eyes. And I'd like to promise you one thing."

Emma watched Killian curiously as he reached into the front pocket of his jeans to retrieve something. Something small, round, and shiny.

"I promise to always love you, no matter what, no matter how far apart we may be, or how long it takes before we see each other again. This is a claddagh ring, a traditional Irish symbol that represents love, loyalty, and friendship, and it's my way of telling you how much you mean to me. So, what do you say, Emma? Will you wear my ring?"

Killian kept staring at Emma, his thumb gently rubbing the back of her hand as she silently let go of her tears. When she lifted her left hand to wipe at the tears, he saw it and gasped. There, on her left ring finger, rested the claddagh ring he had given her all those years ago.