Wow, I am so sorry this has taken so long to update! I hope it was worth the wait! I've already started on the next one so I'm hoping I'll update a bit quicker next time! Anyway, hope you enjoy! Thanks again for all the reviews and follows! Please feel free PM me or tackle my ask box at anytime for anything! I'd love it!

~Mags

Chapter 21

"He's changed."

Killian glanced at Emma who stood next to him at the helm but her eyes were on Henry, who was at the bow of the ship with Aidan. "Neverland can certainly change you."

"It's like he's not a kid anymore…he grew up in Neverland, which is so incredibly ironic."

"He'll be okay, lass."

She smiled softly as she glanced at him but the smile didn't last long. "He's been through so much in such a short time."

"So have you."

She shook her head. "I'm not worried about me."

He rolled his eyes at her. "What else is new, sweetheart? You're always putting others before you...if I didn't care for you so much, I'd find it rather irritating."

She smiled a little. "You care for me?"

His eyes narrowed. "You can go ahead and wipe that smirk off your face, love…I'm certainly not happy about it, but it seems I have a thing for sassy, stubborn blondes that handcuff me multiple times, knock me out cold and kiss me brainless in mermaid infested waters."

Her smile brightened…she couldn't help it. He just looked so adorable standing there looking irritable and annoyed. It surprised her how much of a turn on it was and she wanted nothing more than to jump him right then and there. However, since her parents were standing close by she didn't think it was wise. She decided a verbal response would be the best way to go.

"Despite your arrogance and need to make sexual innuendoes at every given opportunity…I care about you, too."

He knew she was trying to be funny, but her words still sent his heart skipping a beat in his chest. Someone cared for him…Emma caredfor him…no one had in his long, miserable life since Milah, so it was a wonderful thing to hear after all this time. But as much as it touched him, he still kept it playful as he gave her a little pout. "Aww, honey…that's the sweetest thing." He held out his hook arm. "C'mon…let's have a hug."

Emma gave him a look. "Really?"

"C'mon," he said as he waved her in. "We're having a moment…let's hug it out."

"You do know my dad's standing right over there, don't you?"

"Worth the risk," he said as he pulled her against his side and then sighed when she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Very much worth the risk."

"Looks like he's too busy to notice anyways."

Hook looked over portside to see David kissing his wife passionately with the wind whipping around them. "Go, Charming," he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

Emma chuckled softly. "Sounds like you've made a new friend."

"Seems that way," he said as he looked up to check the wind in the sails. "But don't tell him that, he'll just get mad."

She smiled softy as pressed her cheek against the cool leather of his vest. "He could use a friend."

Killian snorted a laugh. "The prince is loved by all, Swan…he has too many friends."

"That's not the same thing." She leaned back a bit so she could crane her neck up to him. "There are many people that love and admire him…but they're not his friends…they look to him as a leader, as a man they trust to do the right thing…you don't see him that way, Killian…you see him more as David then Prince Charming…and that's what he needs."

"Perhaps you're right," he said with a small smile. "Besides…I think it'll do David some good if I was a bad influence on him…too much of a goodie, goodie."

"As long as it doesn't involve me arresting you both," she said dryly causing him to laugh and Emma couldn't help but smile as she leaned into him once more.

XXXX

Aidan was quite the chatterbox. He was talking a mile a minute and Henry wondered if he ever needed to catch a breath before he turned blue in the face. He didn't blame him, though…after years in Neverland he imagined it was quite exciting to be entering into a whole new world.

So he mostly stayed quiet and let him do the talking as he smiled or laughed at the appropriate times. His eyes then shifted over to the helm and felt something twist painfully in his belly when he saw his mom lean into the pirate's arms. He wasn't an idiot, he knew something was going on between them…even longer than either of them could expect.

The way Hook stared at his mom in the diner…it seemed like a lifetime ago but he still remembered the undeniable spark that passed between them. And when they headed back from New York…he found his mom in Hook's cabin but didn't make himself known as he watched her explore his personal space. They way she smiled as she pulled out a book and then letting out a surprised laugh after she opened it. "He has notes in the margins," she said out loud.

He had quickly backed out without her noticing and pretending to call for her so he wouldn't get caught staring, but seeing her so relaxed in his space was the first sign he got that something might have happened between his mom and the pirate. He didn't like it…he of course wanted her to get back with his dad…but he knew now that couldn't happen. His dad was dead…and he wasn't coming back. He needed to accept that and move on…obviously so did his mom and if she truly was happy with Hook…he wasn't going to stand in the way.

"Hey! Hey!" Adrian exclaimed suddenly as he tugged on Henry's sleeve! "I see land!"

Henry turned his back on Hook and Emma and then smiled when he saw the distant shore of his home.

"Is that Storybrooke?" Aidan asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah…that's your new home, Aidan."

Aidan grinned up at him. "I've never had a one before."

Henry frowned slightly. "Not even before Neverland."

"No…I lived on the streets with my mum…it wasn't till she abandoned me that Tink found me and took me back to Neverland."

"Do you remember where you're from?" he asked as the ship took them closer and closer to the docks. "I'm thinking you lived in Ireland. Does that sound familiar?"

"Sort of," he said as he shrugged his little shoulders. "Is Ireland in this world?"

"Yes…but it's pretty far…I bet Hook would sail you there if you wanted to see it."

He thought about it for a moment and then shook his head. "No…I don't want it to bring up any bad memories."

"I can understand that."

"Maybe one day when I'm older," he said with a laugh. "I can't believe I'm going to grow up…I can't wait to get taller…I'm sick of always looking up at people."

Henry laughed. "You and me both, Aidan…it's actually weird not being the shortest anymore and having to…"

He trailed off when he noticed a figure on the docks…they were too far away to tell who it was but something tingled in his belly as they got closer. He knew that frame…it was impossible…but he knew who was waiting for them on the dock.

"Dad," he whispered as he gripped one of the ropes for balance and got closer to the bow.

"That's your dad?" Adian asked as he joined him. "But I thought you said he was dead."

"We thought he was," Henry said with a laugh. "But it's him…that's my dad!"

He saw Neal start to wave his arms back and forth and Henry waved back with enthusiasm before spinning around on his heels. "Mom!"

Emma turned away from Killian just as Henry came flying up to the helm. "Henry?"

"He's alive!" he exclaimed as he threw his arms around her. "Dad's alive!"

Her belly tightened as her head snapped up and sure enough there he was…standing on the docks with his hands in his pockets and a grin on his face. "Oh my god."

"What's going on?" David asked with Snow on his heels.

"My dad's alive!" Henry said as he left Emma to join his grandparents.

"It's impossible," Emma whispered to herself and then jolted when a hand touched her shoulder. "Tamara shot him…there was no way he could have survived that."

"And yet he did," he said and gently tugged on his shoulder until she was facing him. "Henry didn't lose his father after all."

"Killian…"

"Why don't you go down and help David with securing the lines…I need to concentrate on docking."

She hesitated for a moment, it didn't seem right just turning her back on him without saying something…anything…but she knew it wasn't the time and also knew Killian wouldn't want to hear it. Neal alive changed things between them…exactly how or what, she didn't know…but things were definitely going to be different.

When she left him he turned back to the helm and took a moment to close his eyes and compose him self. He shoved his feelings for Emma temporarily aside as he focused on going through the motions of docking his ship. He adjusted his steering, called out to David to loosen the sails to slow them down, then instructed Aidan to drop anchor.

Henry ran off his ship as soon as they were safely docked and Hook felt his heart tighten when he heard Neal's joyous laughter as he picked him up and swung him around. He still couldn't get over the fact that Balefire was all grown up…that he was a father of his own…and that he shared a son with the woman he had fallen in love with.

There was no denying it…especially to himself. Somewhere along the way, besides his better judgment, he did fall for the Swan girl. From the first moment his eyes fell on her he heard the warning bells go off that this woman was different. That this woman would change his life whether he wanted it to or not.

And she did. She changed everything.

The moment they had just shared together at the helm…with her arms around his waist and her cheek resting against his chest…had been one of the happiest moments of his long life. His heart had been filled with such joy and wonder that it was almost painful…but he still welcomed it full heartily. He didn't want it to ever end.

But it did…when Henry came rushing up with excitement and joy on his face, claiming his father was still alive. The words were like an anvil crushing on his heart. He knew then and there that there was a chance he would lose her…that there was a chance that even though Emma cared for him, her love for Neal was stronger.

Even though he wouldn't back down, he also had to prepare himself that Neal coming back from the dead could mean Emma walking out of his life. He wouldn't return back to the dark, though…he had Aidan to take care of now and as much as he loved Emma, he wasn't going to wallow if she made the wrong choice and chose to be with Neal.

And even though this complicated things, he was still glad Bae was alive…he had been devastated when Emma had told him he was dead. He had even felt regret…regret that he didn't get the chance to talk with Bae…Neal…that he didn't get to have some sort of closure with him.

And now there he was…standing a few feet in front of him on the docks looking down at his son with love as he listen to him jabber away. Gold, who was still decked out in his Rumpelstiltskin form, joined him next, but the look he had on his face showed no sign of the Dark One. Neal had lifted an eyebrow at his attire but Gold waved it off before bringing him in for a hug.

While father and son were reunited, Hook watched Regina pull Henry aside to saying something to him with a quick smile. Henry nodded and then hugged her around the waist while Regina dropped a quick kiss on top of his head. She then touched Neal's arm and said something to him that made him give her a quick nod of acknowledgment before she turned and walked away.

Snow reached up and gave Neal a quick hug, but David just gave him a curt nod and his back a manly slap before grabbing his wife's hand and leading her down the docks towards town, with Gold following shortly after.

It was then that he realized Emma had yet to leave his ship. She was standing on the top of the platform looking at Neal but didn't show any signs of moving. "Emma?"

She turned and looked down at him. "I can't seem to make myself move."

He let out a sigh as he glanced over at Neal who was now listening to Henry but his eyes kept shifting over to them. "Emma." His searing blue eyes flickered back up to hers. "Are you glad he's here…that he's safe and sound in Storybrooke?"

"Of course I am," she shot back defensively. "I was heartbroken when he fell through that portal."

"I know you were," he said softly. "I know what he means to you…so why don't you get the bloody hell off this ship and go show him. He's probably wondering why you haven't already."

She let out a shaky laugh and then lifted a brow. "Is that an order, captain?"

"Aye."

She pursed her lips as she nodded slowly. "Okay, then." She turned on her heels and started down the ramp but then paused halfway and looked back up at him. "Promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Don't leave."

He lifted a brow. "Do you think I'd do that?"

"No…yes…I don't know…all I know is that I don't want to come back to the docks and find you and your ship gone."

"I have no where pressing to be at the moment, Swan…you need not worry."

She let out a sigh of relief. "Okay…all right…I knew that, I just…I wanted you to know that I don't want you to go."

"You don't need to tell me something I already know…now, get out of here."

She gave him a little smile before finally making her way down the ramp and onto the deck. He was there with Henry at his side and the sight warmed her heart…how could it not? Killian's words rang back to her…

Looks like Henry didn't lose his father after all.

The joy in that made her finally go from a hurried walk to an excited trot as she finally reached him. "You've got nine-lives, you jerk," she said as she stepped into his arms.

He chuckled as he held on tightly to her…something he didn't think he would do again. It felt good to have her in his arms…it was as if no time had passed and they were both still young and in love and nothing else mattered. So why did it feel like something was missing? Why did he not feel that same rush of joy and love like he did all those years ago? Sure, they both had grown-up, both were different people…but at the end of the day he knew he still loved her.

That would be enough…that had to be enough.