AN: Here's part two! Once again, it focuses more on Emma/Snow/Henry than Emma and Killian, so I apologize if that's not where your interest is. I promise that the next chapter will contain much more Captain Swan.

(PS: I wrote a lot more than I planned to, and it seems like this one-shot is becoming something else entirely. So, chances are that I'll end up publishing this as its own separate story. I'm not entirely sure yet, but I'll keep you updated.)

Thank you for reading!

Well, Emma had to admit that her mother and Henry had been right. The place was essentially perfect; from the open floor plan, to the brick interior (which closely resembled what had been their apartment in New York), to the balcony just off the living room that opened to a stunning view of the ocean.

A view which Emma was taking in at that moment, waiting for herself to find reasons to dislike the place. (None were coming to her).

Snow cleared her throat behind Emma, making her presence known before stepping forward to lean against the railing. Emma glanced at her mother momentarily, giving a small smile before returning her eyes to the horizon.

"So." Mary Margaret said, giving her daughter a measured look, "What's wrong with this one?"

Emma breathed in, tasting the sun and salt all around them. It was pretty damn nice, she had to admit. "I keep trying to find something to dislike." she said honestly, "But I'm coming up empty."

Snow didn't respond for a moment. She took in the view as well, shooting Emma glances out of the corners of her eyes. "Well, Henry certainly likes it. Right now he's talking to the realtor about the best way to set up his bedroom."

Emma laughed at that, remembering her son's eager reaction to the house. "I think this may be the one." she agreed, but there was an edge to her voice that wasn't lost on Mary Margaret.

"You don't sound too happy about that," Her mother noted mildly, not quite pushing Emma to talk but not quite leaving it be, either.

"I am." Emma insisted. Sighing, she added, "But something about this just feels...off."

"Something, or someone?"

Mary Margaret knew her daughter too well. Emma shot her a look, but Snow was watching the waves again. It was quiet for a minute, Emma debating whether she truly wanted to talk about it. Evidently, she did.

"I'm still not sure about Killian." she admitted, voicing the name Snow hadn't dared to. "About what we...are."

Snow didn't respond right away, giving only a hum of acknowledgement. She had learned by then that if Emma thought out loud for long enough, more often than not she would solve the problem on her own. And if not, Snow knew the exact moment to jump in with her advice.

"I just don't know if Henry's ready for that." Emma was saying, her face overly-animated; a surefire sign that she was nervous. "Or if I'm ready for that. I know that Killian is 'in this for the long haul'-and I'm definitely not planning on running away again-but this thing with us is still sort of new. And I've never lived with a guy, in a house of our own. I guess I'm just...worried it might not work out."

"You're scared." Mary Margaret observed when she was certain that Emma was done for the moment. Her motherly intuition had kicked in, telling her that there was something beyond what Emma was saying aloud. "But it's not just about Killian. What else is on your mind?"

Emma hesitated, recalling her talk with Killian about that 'what else'. They had been talking on the phone the week before, making easy but unimportant conversation, when Killian had asked about her house-moving prospects. He had meant it innocuously, Emma was sure, but the question brought with it a sudden flood of emotion that had rendered her speechless.

"Swan?" Killian had asked, mistaking her prolonged silence for a dropped call. There was a bit of shuffling on his end as he pulled the phone away from his ear, checking the screen.

"I'm here." Emma said when he'd spoken her name again, "The house hunting's hit a bit of a...road block."

She could practically see the way that Killian's eyebrow would raise, his interest piqued. "Of what sorts?" he wondered cautiously, sensing the unusual lilt to Emma's voice. She went quiet again, unsure how to answer. She'd been far too emotional the last few days, overcome with (what she considered irrational) fear at the prospect of leaving her parent's house. And it was pretty ridiculous, because she was an adult, for crying out loud, and she had lived on her own most of her life, anyway, and she was certainly in need of some privacy these days-

But she was scared.

"I don't know." Emma said finally. She still didn't understand it, but she did know that if anyone could decipher the source of her concern, it would be Killian. "Whenever I think about leaving, I just get this sudden fear, and then I can't bring myself to even look at the apartments Henry's been scoping out."

It was Killian's turn to go quiet. When he spoke again, his tone was thoughtful. "Well, you're the Savior, love. Your natural instinct is to protect those that you care for...And it appears to me that you have begun to associate that protectiveness with proximity. Perhaps without your family nearby, you worry that any altercations will be outside of your control."

Emma processed that, the sinking in her stomach indicating that Killian had hit the nail on the head. "I think you might be right." she murmured, somehow still surprised by the ease with which he could read her. She doubted that she would ever really get used to being an 'open book'.

"Swan," Killian said, his voice now tender rather than pensive, "You were without your family for a long time. It's only natural that you would desire to be around them now that you have such a luxury."

Now, Emma sighed, looking back at her mother. "I guess I've convinced myself that moving out means not being able to keep you and David and Neal safe."

Mary Margaret turned away from the water, softening at the words. She patted Emma's cheek in an unmistakably mother-like fashion. "Emma, we love having you around." Snow said, earnest enough that Emma had to glance away. "But we also love that you're happy, with Henry and with Killian. So if this next step-getting a home of your own-means that you could expand on that happiness, that's what we want for you." She smiled at her daughter, her sincere tone becoming lighter, "And I promise you, your father and I can take care of ourselves."

Emma nodded, letting a laugh bubble out. While she knew her mother was right, it didn't entirely ease her mind. The uncertainty about Killian still remained, leaving Emma to wonder whether this 'next step' was the right one. She wasn't sure, but with all of this in mind, she did know that it was time Henry had some say in the matter.

Back at her parent's loft, Emma kept a close watch on Henry, engrossed in his phone. After walking through the door, Mary Margaret had oh-so-conveniently remembered leaving her phone at the last house they'd visited. She had hurried right back out of the apartment, tugging a bewildered David along with her. (Emma wasn't impressed by her mother's subtlety, but she was glad that Mary Margaret had enough sense to get David out of the house. The last thing Emma needed was her father listening to this conversation).

Now, Emma wrung her hands nervously, taking a seat at the kitchen table. Across from her, Henry looked up from his phone expectantly. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he noticed how antsy his mother was.

"Listen, kid." Emma began, leaning her elbows on the tabletop, "You're really ready to move into this new place?"

Henry nodded without missing a beat."Totally." he assured, "It's just what we were looking for, isn't it?"

"Well, sure. What I mean is, I was thinking..." Emma hesitated. She wished she knew how to broach this subject, cursing the fact that she'd inherited Mary Margaret's lack of subtlety. "If you're okay with it, since you and Killian get along, I thought it might be..." She searched for the right word, coming up utterly empty, "Nice...If he stayed there, you know, with us." Emma finally let herself meet Henry's eyes. "What do you think?"

"Mom." Henry said immediately, a smile on his face, "Why do you think I only picked out houses by the water?"

Emma allowed herself to grin at that, relieved to know that this detail hadn't been her own imagination. She was a little touched, realizing how much thought Henry had put into their new home; that he had thought to factor Killian into the equation. Her uncertainty wasn't fully sated, however, and she titled her head before going on.

"But your mom's boyfriend moving in...That's kind of a big step, right?" Emma asked. She was just as new to this as Henry was. "Shouldn't you be slamming doors and yelling that Killian's not your real dad?"

Henry let out a laugh, but it held a note of exasperation, making Emma think of David. "I like Killian, Mom. He's cool, for a guy who betrayed us all once. It's nice that he's been teaching me to sail, and that he tells me stories about my dad whenever I ask."

"I mean, it is weird." Henry amended, just as Emma had begun to feel reassured, "Since he kind of dated my other grandma. And he tried to kill my other grandpa a bunch of times..." Seeing his mother's look, Henry grinned. "But the point is, even though it's pretty weird, I know he cares about us. That thing I said, about Walsh wanting you and me to be his home? I think that's what Killian wants, too. But for real, this time." he added, recalling the former's turning out to be a villain (of the flying monkey variety, at that).

"And," Henry went on, the serious look on his face again reminding Emma of David, "I know he makes you happy. You smile more now."

Emma scoffed, feeling a rush of both embarrassment and affection overcome her. She gave Henry a sober look, then broke into a grin. "You're pretty great, kid. You know that?"

Henry beamed, proudly. "I know." He stood, putting an arm around his mother. "So are you."