a/n: This is it. This is the last chapter! Thank you so much to everyone that has taken the time to read it :) I'm kind of sad that its over, but I love the way it's ended. I'd love any last thoughts or reviews you have and thank you again for going on this little journey with me!

Killian's not sure what he was expecting upon stepping through the portal, and he's not sure the experience is long enough for him to even register what actually happens. All he knows is that for a small moment complete blackness engulfs him and he's aware of little else but the feel of Emma's hand in his. And then, before he even has a chance to take a second breath, it's over.

He blinks against the brightness of the sun, squinting as his eyes readjust. Immediately he scans their surroundings, and it's not hard to recognize the stone walls of Queen Snow and King David's castle that now towers above them. The portal must have dropped them off right in the middle of the castle grounds.

The air around him vibrates with the excited voices of The Swan's survivors. They laugh and talk in tangible relief, hugging one another as they rejoice in making it home.

Killian can't help but smile right along with them, his heart racing from pure joy.

They did it, they made it back.

Quickly, he turns his attention to Emma, anxious to see how she's taking this all in. But she doesn't even glance at him. Her eyes drink in everything in front of her, and complete and total happiness seems to radiate off her as she searches the crowd eagerly.

Her focus eventually settles on the castle's entrance, and looking up to follow her gaze, he spots the king and queen as they step out into the courtyard.

Her parents stand with their mouths slightly agape, shock and a tentative hopefulness etched in the lines of their faces. Their eyes skate across the throng of people but never quite land on Emma.

"Mom! Dad!" Emma yells, standing on her tiptoes in an attempt to make herself more visible. But her voice never reaches her parent's ears, easily becoming lost amidst the noise of celebration

She turns back to him briefly, a huge smile on her face, and hands him the dagger before squeezing his hand and turning to set off for her parents.

Killian follows after her at a slower pace, watching her blonde hair sway against her back as she pushes her way through the crowd.

"Mom! Dad!"

This time they hear her.

Both of their heads snap up and Killian can pinpoint the exact moment they spot her. And if anyone were to ever ask him what pure joy looks like, this would be it.

Their eyes widen and Queen Snow brings her hand to her mouth as tears that Killian can see even from this distance, shine from her eyes. King David has tears of his own streaming down his face as he looks at his daughter as if nothing in the world means more to him.

When Emma finally pushes past the crowd, and there is no longer anything blocking her path, she sprints the last few steps to her parents. They run to meet her, and with arms outstretched they envelop her in a desperate hug.

Killian watches as Emma's mother squeezes her eyes shut, tears continuing to fall from her eyes as she laughs with complete joy. Her father tenderly places a hand to the back of her head and closes his eyes, inhaling deeply as he presses his cheek against her head and soaks her in.

So desperate, and so potent is their happiness as they cling to one another, that Killian can practically feel it tugging at his own insides. He stops a few feet away, leaving the royal family to their happy reunion.

"Emma, oh Emma," Queen Snow gushes, pulling back slightly so she can cup Emma's face with both of her hands. "We've been so worried. But I knew—I just knew you were still alive, no matter what anyone tried to tell me."

"We're so glad you're alright." King David sighs as he presses a kiss to her hair. "We missed you so much."

They hug a little longer before Emma finally steps out of their embrace, wiping at her eyes. She laughs happily, repeatedly bringing her hands to her face to brush away the tears that can't quite seem to stop.

"I thought I'd never see you again. The Swan, it crashed," she starts to explain. "Not many of us survived and communications were ruined, but we were on some planet and—" she pauses to take a deep breath before looking over her shoulder at Killian, as though searching for his help in explaining everything.

The queen's eyes follow Emma's attention, her eyebrow quirking slightly as she takes him in. Her attention doesn't linger, however, and soon she's turning back to her daughter and placing her hands on Emma's arms, giving her a gentle squeeze. "We'll have time to talk about it later after you've rested."

Emma visibly deflates in relief, and it hits Killian just how much they've been through together. How could they ever possibly explain it all?

"You're Lieutenant Jones. I've seen you at gatherings with the Navy." The queen says turning back to him and eyeing him curiously. A smile lifts her lips when Emma steps towards him and wraps her hand in his. And if he's not mistaken he would say her eyes brighten just a bit.

The queen is all smiles, and quite possibly the kindest woman he's met. It's the king, however, that makes his brow sweat and his stomach clench with nerves, especially with the way his eyes drop to their entangled hands. Killian has to swallow thickly as he does his best to resist the temptation to scratch behind his ear. He stands a little straighter and hopes that despite the dirt and wear that comes from living on an unchartered planet he looks the respectable part of a Navy Lieutenant, that maybe he looks like he is good enough for someone like Emma.

"Your majesties," he says with a slight bow to his head.

The queen's exhale comes out as a soft laugh. "Call us Snow and David, please," she admonishes sweetly.

Emma leans into his side and rests both her hand and her head on his chest. Warmth spreads through him at her intentional display of affection, the nerves in his stomach easing the second she settles against him.

"I wouldn't be here without Killian." Emma says almost reverently as she looks up at him, and Killian gets a little lost in the affection shimmering in her eyes. He smiles softly at her, and he'd kiss her if her parents weren't standing not but a foot away.

The king clears his throat, and Killian looks up quickly, desperately hoping that the burning he feels in his ears isn't visible.

Snow is just shy of bouncing up and down, and if the way she's beaming at them is any indicator, she holds no objections to where her daughter has seemingly placed her affections.

David's smile is quieter, and he nods his head and offers Killian his hand. "Thank you for watching out for her."

His voice rings with sincerity, and all Killian can manage for the moment is to blink at the king as he shakes his hand.

Finally, after clearing his throat and giving his head a hard shake, Killian finds his voice. "Of course, but it was your daughter that really kept us alive."

David's smile inches a little higher as if he'd expect nothing less, and he gives Killian's shoulder a strong squeeze before stepping back and reaching for his wife's hand.

Suddenly remembering the dagger that's still in his hand, Killian holds it out in front of him, offering it to the king and queen.

"We had a little run in with the Dark One, it's how we got home, but here—" he stretches his arm a little further, waiting for them to take it.

Both of their eyes widen, and in perfect synchronization they turn and look at one another. David is the first to do anything, reaching for the dagger and sliding it into his belt before saying anything.

"It seems there's a lot you need to tell us. But we can't thank you enough," he says, shaking his head in slight awe. "You have no idea how long we've searched for this."

"We have a dungeon that will hold him," Snow supplies as she places her free hand on her husband's chest and looks up at him. "We had it built the second we realized he was after Emma. It's such a deep relief to know we can keep her safe from him now."

"Aye, I know the feeling." Killian lets go of Emma's hand in favor of wrapping his arm around her. He knows all too well what it would feel like to lose her to that crocodile, and he pulls her a little closer to chase away those dark thoughts.

"You must be exhausted," Snow says, and she looks between them with the type of concern only a mother could show. "Let's get you settled, and then you can eat, or bathe, or sleep, or do whatever it is you need. And then tomorrow we can talk about everything."

She steps up to them and takes Emma's hand, and together the two women begin walking towards the castle. Killian hesitates, unsure if the invitation extends to someone such as himself. But as he's standing there contemplating whether or not he should just step back and disappear into the mass of other survivors, Emma turns back to look at him, an easy smile on her lips.

"Come on," she hums, extending her hand and waiting for him to take it. Tentatively, he places his hand in hers and nearly trips over his feet when she tugs him towards her. "Think I'm going to let you stay out here?" she whispers with a cute tilt of her head. "I want you to stay with me."

And the way she says those words sounds like so much more than her just asking him to come up to the castle with her.

I want you to stay with me.

I want you to be with me. I want you.

And bloody hell, he loves this woman.

"I'll take care of things out here," David says, and it takes physical effort for Killian to drag his eyes from Emma to look back at the King. "Make sure everyone gets some food while we contact their families."

Snow nods. "We'll see you inside."

-CS-

The first thing Emma does is bathe.

And it's not just a quick rinse. It's an as hot as she can stand it, soaking for hours, bubbles and soaps included type of bath—and it's wonderful.

Later she stuffs herself with her favorite home cooked meal and spends hours cuddled up on the couch talking with her parents. And before she knows it she's lying in her huge bed surrounded by the softest pillows and the thickest blankets waiting for sleep to come.

It feels so good to be home.

After so many nights spent on the stiff, unforgiving ground she could sink into the depths of her bed, never to be found again, she's sure of it.

But in spite of the absolute cloud like quality of her bed, she finds herself unable to do anything but stare up at the ceiling. Sleep dodging her like some cruel game of hide and seek.

She probably only spends a few minutes tossing and turning—though it feels like hours—before she sighs and sits up, using her hands to push herself up against her headboard.

It's not hard to figure out why she can't sleep, and she licks at her lips contemplating whether or not she should just suffer through the night, or if she should get up and fix what is so obviously wrong with her sleeping arrangements.

Deciding she'd rather sleep, Emma swings her legs off the side of the bed and heads for her bedroom door. The floor is cold against her bare feet, but she keeps quiet as she steps out of her room and closes her door softly.

The patter of her feet echoes throughout the long hallway as she makes her way to the other end of the castle. Her parents had made sure Killian got a room up on the same floor as the rest of the family, but it was very obviously on the opposite side of hers. She figures her father had more to do with that than her mother.

Stopping just outside Killian's door, she stares at the dark oak for a solid ten seconds deliberating on whether or not she should knock or just walk in. She shifts her weight from side to side for a few more seconds before giving her head a tiny shake—she's being silly. Of course she can just walk in.

And so with an exaggerated breath that lifts her shoulders, she places her hand on the doorknob and quietly pushes the door open before whispering his name.

"Killian?"

She hears the rustle of his bedsheets before she sees him, his shadow becoming visible as he sits up. It's a dark contrast against the brightness of the moon that shines behind him. His curtains blow softly as the wind from the open window whispers against them. She should have guessed he'd like sleeping with the window open, what with how much he loves the stars.

"Emma? What is it, love?"

He doesn't sound as though he'd been sleeping but as she crosses the room and crawls onto his bed she apologizes just the same.

"I'm sorry if I woke you, I just…I couldn't sleep."

With a sigh he lies back down, gently pulling her with him. He tucks the blanket around her and she scoots a little closer, laying her head on his chest and listening to the quiet rhythm of his heart.

"I wasn't asleep. Couldn't sleep either, is what I should say."

She hums, reaching up to trace nonsense patterns along his chest as she lets an easy silence settle over them. It's not until their breaths gently synchronize that she says anything.

"I missed you. Guess I'm so used to falling asleep next to you that it feels weird not to now."

He takes a deep breath, her body rising and falling with his, before pressing a kiss to her hair. "Well then, we seem to be in quite the predicament, darling. I was having a difficult time finding sleep without you as well. I suppose you'll just have to keep sharing my bed if either of us is going to get any sleep."

Pushing herself up slightly, she rests her forearms on his chest and stares down at him. She has to suppress a giggle as she tilts her head and raises an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Aye, I'm afraid it's the only way."

She doesn't even try to contain the laughter that bubbles up inside of her this time, giggling as she leans down to press a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Hmmm… that doesn't sound so bad."

Even with only the light from the night sky spilling into his room, she can still see his responding smirk as he reaches up to twist a piece of her hair around his finger.

"We'll have to treasure it, love. I might not be here come morning, your father is likely to kill me if he discovers you in my bed."

She reaches up, brushing back the hair that's fallen in his eyes. "He'll just have to get over it then." Killian raises both eyebrows and she laughs again before placing her head back on his chest. "Okay, right. He'll probably never get over it—but don't worry I'll protect you."

Killian chuckles lowly and she feels it vibrate throughout her. "I have nothing to fear then, do I?"

"Nope," she says, popping the p at the end just as her eyes drift close, the long day suddenly catching up to her. She hasn't slept since the night before, when she went chasing after the planet's magic and ended up running into the Dark One instead.

It feels like it happened a lifetime ago.

And here now, with Killian's arms around her and an actual bed beneath her, she finds herself falling asleep easier than she has in a while.

"How has your first day back home been?"

She barely hears Killian's question, and she has to drag herself back to full consciousness to answer him. She yawns and licks her lips, keeping her eyes closed as she responds. "It was wonderful. How was yours? I haven't seen you since dinner."

"It was good. I wandered the castle a bit—found the library."

"I can show you around more tomorrow if you'd like. And then maybe we can go out? To the beach maybe? Or maybe you could take me sailing?"

He presses another kiss to her head. "I'd like that."

"Good," she says simply, and she finds herself dreaming about all the things they can do together now that they aren't spending their days worrying about surviving.

The minutes tick by as silence falls over them, peaceful and warm, and Emma finds herself surrendering to sleep's pull.

Distantly, she thinks she hears Killian whisper the words I love you, but she's too far gone to actually tell. She sighs deeply and nuzzles a little closer, and even though sleep takes her before she can say it back, she definitely feels it.

She's never loved someone more.