As always, thank you so much to the-lady-of-mishaven and zengoalie for beta'ing. At this point you all know that o-u-a-timer is the reason this fic even exists.

This is the last "real" chapter, folks. Expect the epilogue in a day or two (likely Wednesday). I cannot thank you all enough for sticking with me through this story. I know it was likely hard, but we did it. We've reached the end and the happy ending so many of you were worried about. I hope you enjoy it.

Again, thank you for all of the favorites, follows, and reviews. They really do feed the muse.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own OUAT or its characters.

Ten Years Ago.

They were holed up in Emma's dorm for the first time in many weeks, enjoying Ruby's absence and some alone time. Her body was curled around his, her head on his chest, as his fingertips twirled the ends of her hair. Her hands ran up and down his side under the new Ironman t-shirt she'd purchased for him. "It's time to broaden your horizons, Killian, and I think Tony Stark is just the way to go." His lips curled into a smile as he thought about how her face had lit up when he showed up wearing it. It was worth cheating on his beloved Transformers as long as he was on the receiving end of that look.

They had only been dating for a couple of months, but in that very short time he'd discovered that he would do anything in his power to make Emma Swan smile. Warmth spread throughout his chest. It had been so long since he'd felt this happy, this content. The last time had been before Liam left for his deployment overseas. Then, six months later, he'd received the phone call that had changed his life, the phone call that informed him of his brother's death...he'd been getting ready to start his freshman year at university when it had happened. Now, a year and a half later, he finally felt that he could move on. He owed that to Emma.

Emma tightened her hold on his stomach, a delicate sigh escaped her lips. He kissed the top of her hair lightly. Suddenly, her head popped up so her chin could rest on his chest.

"What is your dream job? Like if you could do anything, be anything, what would you want to be?" Her head inclined slightly at the question.

His mouth fell open, the tip of his tongue found the roof of his mouth as he considered his options. There was only one thing he'd always wanted, one thing that he'd work hard at. It was his major at Storybrooke University. It had been his dream since he was a young lad in England. It was why he spent countless hours practicing. It was why he spent Friday and Saturday nights in dive bars. It was the only thing he'd ever really wanted to do with his life.

He looked at Emma perched on his chest waiting for an answer. "I want to be a musician." He murmured, smoothing her hair down. "I want to really make it in the music world, to write songs the whole world knows, to sing at a sold out arena." His voice was wistful and full of hope.

Her eyes twinkled with pride, her lips easing into a smile. "You'll do it." She sounded so confident. "I've heard you and the guys play. There's just something there, something...magical. It'll happen. I don't know when, but I know it will." She rested her head on his chest still looking at him.

His heart burst in his chest. A brilliant smile overtook his features. Her faith in his success was almost overwhelming. It was something he hadn't felt since… he hadn't felt it in a long time. He cupped her face, his thumb caressing her cheek.

"What about you, love? What's your dream job?" He combed his fingers through her hair.

"Social work. I want to help kids like me, to help the ones growing up like I did. So they know that they have someone who cares, someone on their side." Her voice was a mere whisper as she bit her lip.

His stomach flip-flopped as he brushed the stray tear that had fallen from her eye. Any child that had her as their case worker would be the luckiest child there was. Because, Emma Swan wouldn't leave anyone behind. Not when she, herself, had been left so many times before.

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "You, Emma Swan," he murmured against her forehead, "have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met. I'm truly honored to be the one you've let into it."

Her eyes widened and for a moment he thought he may have overstepped some kind of line. They hadn't said the words yet, but he was beginning to feel them, beginning to recognize that he loved Emma with every fiber of his being. Emma was harder to read. His lass tended to shy away from the big declarations, from sharing how she felt.

She lifted her cheek from his chest once more and met his eyes, a slight smile on her face.

"Me, too." Her voice was low, almost like she was scared of her own admission.

Wide eyes searched her face for an indication that she hadn't meant what she had said, that she regretted it. Her normally pale cheek was flushed from laying on his chest for so long, slight creases had formed across it. Her teeth bit into her pink lips ever so slightly as if she were nervous. But when his gaze met her eyes he knew. Her emerald eyes were full of confidence, of joy, of love. She may have been frightened when she'd said it, but she meant it.

He knew in that moment that he would do anything for the woman in his arms.

He was in love with Emma Swan and he hoped that maybe, she loved him, too.

Juggling two bags of groceries in one arm, Killian pushed the front door open with the other. He expected Emma to arrive later that evening and he planned to have dinner ready by the time she got there. That had meant a quick trip to the store to pick up some much needed items. He felt his phone vibrate as he placed the bags onto the counter in the kitchen. Removing the device from the front pocket of his jeans, the corners of his lips turned up into a brilliant smile when he noticed the reason the phone had vibrated. Emma had sent him a photo.

Her smiling face stared up at him from the screen. The sun reflected off of her blonde locks, her eyes gleamed with happiness, her normally pale skin was flush and glistening. She looked beautiful and so happy. Underneath the picture, she'd sent a caption…

Beach day with Mary Margaret and Ruby! Can't wait to see you for dinner tonight! xx E

His thumb traced the line of her lips and he couldn't help but think that he was part of the reason she was so happy. It had been almost four months since their new beginning, four months of dating, of therapy, of finding their way back to each other. It hadn't all been smooth sailing, of course. There had been a great deal of tears shed during those months. They had let themselves become almost strangers to one another. Not to mention that Emma - and he - had lost something very dear to the both of them. Losing the ability to have children was something that some couples never recovered from. In fact, it was something that normally tore couples apart, not bring them closer.

But it had brought them closer and along the way, they had found each other again. He couldn't be more thankful for that. He scratched the stubble on his chin before saving the photo as the background of his phone. He wanted to look at that smile every time he used his phone, he wanted to see the happiness shining in her eyes, to see her completely free of all burdens... of all hurt. Seeing that picture on his phone would remind him that the tears, the pain, the heart-wrenching despair, had been worth it… because they were here and they were happy.

He grabbed the box of lasagna noodles and turned to put them in the cabinet by the refrigerator. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the sight of the calendar that always hung there. He frowned… he had been free of obligations that last several months, free to focus on himself, on Emma, and on their relationship. It had been exactly what he needed in order to get his life back on track, but his free time was quickly coming to an end. He was due in the studio at the end of the week. Thankfully, the studio was located in Storybrooke, but it was still going to take quite a bit of his time.

Which was time away from Emma, away from his family.

He knew that he couldn't spend his life at home, waiting for Emma to return. That was what he had expected of Emma before and they both knew how that turned out. The problem was… when did it end? Yes, they were recording in Storybrooke for this album. But, what about the next? Then, there was touring and press and award shows and… Bloody hell. He realized with a startling clarity that is was never going to end. That no matter what he did, there would always be something that took him away for long periods of time. He shook his head, remembering the conversation he'd had with Emma several weeks ago on their picnic. The one where she suggested they move to LA.

Moving was an option. It would certainly make things easier on him and the band, but Emma would have to leave her friends behind and, really, so would he. It wasn't only that though. Storybrooke wasn't just any town to him. No… Storybrooke was where he'd first met Emma, where they'd went on their first date, where they'd gotten married. It was were they had fallen in love and where they'd found each other again. It was the setting for their love story and he found that he was hesitant to leave it, to leave all that it represented.

He turned back to the groceries and combed his fingers through his hair, shaking his head slightly. The truth of the matter was… he was happy here. He'd always thought it was Emma that hadn't wanted to leave the small town, but it was him as well. Storybrooke was where he'd found his home.

He grabbed the mozzarella cheese roughly and turned to put it in the refrigerator. Next to the calendar was a photo of him and Emma from when they'd went to the pier several weeks ago. They both had giant grins on their faces as they shared a bag of cotton candy. He stopped, cheese still in his hand, and stared at the photo motionless. He wanted that. He wanted that happiness and he wanted it everyday. He wanted to wake up every morning with his nose buried in her hair and he wanted to go to sleep every night with his body curled around hers. If the last several months had proved anything, it was that he needed Emma in his life. He needed to put his marriage first, before anything else. But in order to do that, he needed to actually be present in their lives, he needed to be home.

He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the cool metal of the refrigerator door. He loved his career, he really did. He was damned proud of everything the band had accomplished in the last five years. It was rare for a band to actually make it in the business, but The Dashing Rapscallions had. They had made it to the top and were still there after all of this time. It was heartwarming. It was everything he'd ever dreamed of, but…. there was more to life than just that dream. There was love, there was Emma. He banged his head against the door gently. If he stayed in the band, he'd lose Emma. It had almost happened once already and he'd swore that if he could win her back, he'd do whatever was necessary to ensure he'd never lose her again.

His eyes popped open and he pivoted toward the counter where his phone lie. He'd won her back, despite her having every reason not to let him back into her life. If being in the band meant that they would have to be apart and, in turn, unhappy….then, maybe, it was time to make a change. He threw the cheese back on the counter and picked up his phone.

He wanted something more than late night phone calls, than skyping before shows, than seeing each other on the weekends. He wanted Emma and an actual life with her. He dialed Regina and put the phone to his ear.

Funny, he'd read in a book once that Happy Endings aren't always what we think they will be. He'd thought his happy ending was playing to a sold out crowd while they sang his songs with him… but he was wrong.

His happy ending was Emma's smile while they walked down the street hand in hand, it was Emma's laugh as she told him about something Ruby had done, it was the way she buried her face in his chest while they cuddled on the couch and watched television.

His happy ending was spending his life with the woman he loved.

"Killian?" Emma's voice carried down the foyer.

His heart skipped a beat as his panicked momentarily. When should he tell her of his decision? He didn't want to keep it a secret, but he was a bit unsure of what her reaction would be. After all, she had been the one to mention moving to LA. It was entirely possible that she truly wanted to leave Storybrooke and move there, but he hoped that was not the case. He hoped she wanted the same thing he did: a life together in Storybrooke.

He took a deep steadying breath and stepped away from the salad he was preparing to stick his head out of the kitchen doorway. "In here, love."

She smiled and set her purse on the floor by the front door before making her way to the kitchen. She looked beautiful. Her simple sun dress showed off her sun kissed skin, her long blonde locks were up in a ponytail giving him a marvelous view of her neck and shoulders. She looked like a bloody goddess. He was a lucky man.

"Mmmm. It smells amazing in here. What are you making?" She took at seat across from him at the bar, her ponytail swaying side to side.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just a bit of lasagna and salad. It's not much, but it's the best I could do. We both know you are the cook of the two of us."

Giggling, she leaned over the counter and pressed her lips to his in a gentle, chaste kiss. His stomach fluttered in response. He would never tire of kissing this woman, even after being together for almost ten years.

"It's the thought that counts." She pulled away and sat back into her stool.

Smiling, he threw the tomatoes he'd just cut into the salad bowl. "Aye, that it is."

Her hand snaked forward, snatching a tomato from the bowl she popped it into her mouth a moment later. When she went for another, he swatted her hand softly and moved the bowl to the other side of the kitchen.

"If you keep eating all of those there won't be any left for dinner, lass." He teased.

"But I'm hungry now!" She whined with a huff, her lips forming an exaggerated frown.

He waved his hand in her direction. "Dinner will be ready in a few…" The timer on the oven went off, halting his speech. He turned toward the oven and donned the orange oven mitts. He sat the lasagna on the stove top. Smirking, he turned back toward his wife. "Now. Dinner is ready now."

She rolled her eyes. "About time! I'll grab the salad. Meet you at the table."

He nodded his head and made his way to table. He knew better than to get in the way of Emma on her food.

After placing the lasagna on the table, he took his seat. A lit candle with a single rose sat in the middle of the table, soft music played in the background. Sighing, he straightened the fork in front of him. Everything looked perfect, which was good because he needed this night to go perfectly. He was about to change their lives for the better. At least that is what he hoped.

"Oh…" Emma voice pulled him from his thoughts. She had stopped in the doorway to the dining room, a shocked expression on her face. "Killian, you didn't have to go through all of this trouble." Her voice was soft, full of awe.

He smiled widely. "Of course I did, love. You deserve the best." He patted the seat next to him. "Sit, let's enjoy our meal."

She moved quickly, placing the bowl on the table before joining him. Clasping his hand, she met his eyes. "Thank you for dinner, Killian, and thank you for going through so much trouble."

He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently. "Thank you for joining me tonight."

Releasing her hand, he cut a piece of lasagna and placed it on her plate before adding one to his own. She did the same with the salad. For the first couple of minutes, they ate in silence. It was not unusual for them, once food was on Emma's plate… she tended to have a one track mind. It was instinct from her days in the system, one he normally found quite endearing.

Today, however, he wished she would talk. He had a lot on his mind - like blurting out what he'd discussed with Regina - and the silence was not helping matters. He didn't want to tell her now, not right in the middle of their meal. He wanted to wait until they had a quiet moment after. That would be better, right?

He shook his head to clear his mind. Maybe it would be better if he'd just told her now. That way he wouldn't have to dwell on it for the rest of the meal. He could tell her, get it off his chest, and deal with her reaction. That seemed like the better option…

He swallowed roughly. "I spoke to Regina today." He hoped his voice sounded more confident than he felt.

"Really?" She turned her gaze to meet his eyes. "What did she say?"

He stretched his neck, nervously. "It wasn't so much what she had to say, it was was I had to say…"

Emma cocked her head to the side, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "And what did you have to say?" An eyebrow rose.

He placed his hand on the table before lifting it to run his fingers through his hair. His gaze dropped to the table. He took a deep breath and met her eyes. "That I was quitting the band."

His heart beated rapidly in his chest as he waited for her response. Her fork dropping to the table was the only sound he heard. He watched as her features shifted from confusion to surprise, then back.

"I don't…" Her mouth opened slightly and closed. "I am not sure I understand. How can you just quit the band?"

"Really the timing was quite perfect, love. The next album is finished and going into recording in a couple of days. Robin is taking over on lead vocals. I'm completely free of any and all obligations to The Dashing Rapscallions per Regina." His eyes continued to hold her gaze.

"But, this is your career, Killian, your dream!" Her voice rose slightly at the end, not in anger though, in surprise.

He scooted his chair back, propelling his body forward he moved to kneel on the floor next to her. Grasping both hands in his, he stared into her befuddled eyes.

"You're correct, love, it was my dream and I lived it. But in doing so, I lost sight of what was truly important to me, of what truly mattered." He squeezed her hands.

"What truly mattered?" She murmured softly, her voice shaking.

His pained eyes bore into hers. He'd thought - hoped - that his actions over the last four months had shown her what she meant to him, had shown her that he was placing her first in his life. But, of course she didn't know how he felt, didn't understand. How could she? He'd spent the last five years too involved in his own life to pay attention to her, to notice when she needed him. That was his mistake and it was time he fixed it.

"Don't you know, Emma?" He spoke slowly, deliberately, reaching up to cup her cheek. His features reflected only the intense love he felt for the woman in front of him. She was his wife, his best friend, his other half, his happy ending. She was everything he could ever want or need.

"It's you." His voice wobbled at the weight of his words, at the weight of his confession. His head tilted slightly and his hair fell onto his forehead, his eyebrows knit together. He stared at her, his eyes serious and full of nothing but the truth about his feelings for her. He would chose her over his career, over his dreams, over anything. His need to spend his life with her trumped everything else.

He felt her inhale sharply, but he continued to speak. "Nothing matters without you by my side. I want to spend my life with you and I want to do it in Storybrooke because Storybrooke is our home." Silent now, his eyes pleaded with her to understand.

Tears fell from her eyes. "You shouldn't… I can't ask you to give up your dreams for me, Killian."

He felt his heart thumping wildly in his chest. He caressed her cheek softly. "You're not asking me to do anything. This is something that I want to do, that I need to do. I need to put you first, Emma. I want to be with you everyday and if I continue with the band… we both know that I would eventually have to leave for long periods of time. I don't want that for us. I want what we've had the last four months."

"But what will you do for work? You can't just sit home all day…" She wiped the tears from her cheek.

He smiled. "I've been considering songwriting. I quite enjoy it and, from what I hear, I am pretty good at it." He winked and could finally feel himself relaxing at her light giggle.

"This is what you really want? You promise?" He could see the hope shining in her eyes.

"Aye." He nodded confidently. "This is what I want."

The next thing he knew, Emma had thrown herself out of her chair and into his arms. Sitting on the floor, next to the dining table, he held her as she cupped his face in both of her hands.

"Then this is what I want." She whispered, her voice a little more rough than usual. His stomach clenched as he ran his tongue across his bottom lip. Her eyes were full of want, desire. His heart sped up as he realized she wasn't referring to his career any longer.

She surged forward, her lips meeting his in desperate kiss as her hands tangled in his hair. His eyes slipped closed. Warm. Her lips were warm… and soft. So soft. He groaned. His fingers inched up her back. When his fingertips finally made it to the base of her neck, where the material of her dress ended, she shivered. Tiny bumps formed on her warm skin. Goosebumps. His fingers traveled further up until finding the elastic that held her hair up. Pulling gently, he released her flowing locks. Tangling his fingers in her golden tresses, he pressed her harder against him. Her soft body molded into his and she ran her tongue across his lip, his mouth opened to deepen the kiss.

For a moment, he was lost, lost in the sensation of her. They'd shared so many kisses over the course of their relationship, but this one was different. This one was raw passion, it was full of desire, it was a beginning. Her mouth moved from his. Slowly, she pressed open mouth kisses along his jaw. This kiss that meant she was ready, ready to move forward, to finally be a family again. It was the kiss he'd thought he'd received when his tour had ended. But, he'd been wrong then. Her hands began to unbutton his shirt. His breath hitched. What if he were wrong now? Just like last time, he'd just made a startling confession to her. She could very well be reacting the same way. Shaking his head, his hands rose and pressed gently on her shoulders as he pulled himself out of her reach.

He couldn't make the same mistake he had last time. He'd let himself fall into bed with her too soon and she had ran. He shouldn't do this, not until he was sure this was what she truly wanted.

"Hey. Maybe we should slow down, love. We don't have to…" His words trailed off as she placed a finger to his lips.

"I know we don't." She murmured as she rested her forehead against his. "But, I want to. I want this, Killian." He held his hand up to protest, but she continued. "I'm not going to run. I promise. I will not run again."

His heart skipped a beat. It was like she'd read his mind and knew his deepest fear. He pulled away to meet her eyes and he found nothing but honestly in them. Well, maybe honestly and desire.

"You're sure?" He was barely able to restrain himself, but he needed to double check. If they did this, there was no turning back, no do-overs. If they did this and she ran, he would never recover.

She nodded, her eyes shining with confidence. A bright, easy smile formed. "I'm sure. Take me to bed, husband."

Bloody hell. His resolve broke the moment he heard her call him husband for the first time in months. His arms reached out and yanked her body to his, their lips met in a searing kiss. A blissful sigh escaped from her as he hummed lightly. They needed to get upstairs. Standing quickly, her hands wrap around his neck. Her ankles locked around his back and she pressed her body into his, their kiss never hands tangled in his hair while his trail down her spin to cup her ass. Now. They needed to get upstairs, now.

His kisses turned sloppy as he strode to the stairs. The steps groaned at he took them two at a time. His kisses turned sloppy, his need for her almost overwhelming. His feet had only just landed in the hallway before he stopped and pressed her back against the wall. Breaking the kiss, he trailed kisses along her jaw, down her neck. She tasted like cinnamon and he couldn't get enough. His head spun with a need to be closer, to fell her against him. His lips found her shoulder and he bit down lightly. The action caused her to squirm in his arms and press herself closer. He was intoxicated. Her warmth, her scent, it's everywhere. Her lips moved to his ear and she whispered words such as please, now, want. He cursed under his breath.

Spinning quickly, he pulled her body from the wall. She'd asked for a bed and he was bloody well going to provide her with one. There room was right down the hall. His mouth found hers again as he moved into the room. Knees hitting the bed, he fell forward with her still in his arms.

Her hands found his shirt buttons again and this time, this time he didn't pull away.

He floated on the edge of consciousness, his eyes opening slightly. His arm tightened around Emma's waist and she pressed her body against his. Inhaling deeply, he kept his eyes closed as he rolled his head toward her and buried his nose in her hair. Her scent enveloped him and the corners of his mouth turned up into a small smile. This right here, waking up with his arms wrapped around his lass - his wife - was why he hadn't second guessed his decision to leave the band. Waking up with her was a dream, one he never wanted to wake up from.

Her leg slid between his as her fingers ran lightly down his chest, pulling him from his sleep even more. Slowly, his eyes opened only to find she was already awake, awake and staring up at him with a blissful smile.

"Good morning, handsome." Her voice was hoarse from sleep, but her coquettish tone prompted him to open his eyes fully.

His eyes met hers and his breath caught in his throat. Her eyes, her beautiful emerald eyes, were twinkling. They twinkled with happiness and, more importantly, playfulness. He hadn't seen her this relaxed in months, possibly years. To know that he was the cause, that he had finally put his family first and was now witnessing the benefits of those actions caused warmth to spread throughout his chest.

He pressed a kiss to her nose. "Good morning, my love."

She giggled and popped up on her elbow to press a quick kiss to his lips before relaxing back into his side. His heart felt like it would explode from his chest. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let her go again.

"I don't want to get up. I don't want this morning to end. This perfect, perfect morning." She spoke the words into his chest as if she'd read his mind.

Staring at the top of her head, he twirled a lock of golden hair in his fingers and grinned. "Then, let's not. We can stay here all day today and all day tomorrow since it's a weekend."

Really, it sounded like a perfect plan to him. He'd been without her for so long, for too long, that he was more than willing to devote a couple of days to simply being with her. The last few months had been incredible, they'd been exactly what they had needed to begin mending their relationship, but he'd forgotten what it was like to wake up next to his wife. That was something that he was more than willing to fix, now that he knew she wanted it too.

She shifted her body, her hands rested flat on his chest atop each other and she set her chin on them. His fingers traced small, light circles into her bare back as he gazed into her eyes.

"That's not going to work." She spoke matter of factly while smiling at him coyly.

"And why's that?" He returned her smile with a smirk of his own.

Her eyes crinkled from the smile that formed on her face. She bit her lip and he wondered what she was plotting in that brilliant brain of hers.

"Because…" Her tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip and he thought he would die from the anticipation alone. "At some point in the next couple of days we'll need to stop by Ruby's to get my stuff."

It was as if his entire body was aflame. His heart beat rapidly, his stomach fluttered wildly. He'd never expected her to… but now that she'd said it, he realized that a small part of him was waiting for this moment, for the moment they would finally truly be together again. It seemed, at least to him, that moment had finally arrived.

His arms wrapped around her waist and he hauled her up so that their faces were only centimeters apart. He searched her eyes for any indication that she had regretted what she'd said and found none. She was confident in her decision, he could tell and because of that he closed the distance between them by pressing his lips against hers.

It had been a long, hard road. A road that was full of pain and heartache. There were times that he'd never thought they would never make it here, where he thought he'd lost the most important person in his life. The journal had caused him to grow up, to look at his life and decide what was important to him, to decide who was important to him.

And that person was, and would alway be, Emma.

He knew that they still had a long way to go. There was a lot of healing left, for both of them, but eventually they would be okay. If they could make it through this, they could survive anything.

They had fixed each other in a way neither had thought possible, in a way neither had expected. Love was funny like that.

Sometimes it hurt, but sometimes…

Sometimes it healed, too.

Thank you for reading. Please leave a review if you feel up to it.