Title: Finding Home With You

Warning: Contains spoilers from Season 4.

Author's Note: This chapter will be from Emma's perspective.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Once Upon A Time characters.

Summary: (Lieutenant Duckling!AU) What would have happened if Emma and Henry couldn't help Regina get her happily ever after? Now stuck in the story the Author wrote them into, Emma and Henry will have to start a new life in the Enchanted Forrest. With a little help from a timid sailor, Killian Jones. But plagued by the new Evil Queen, the three will have to continuously dodge Snow's effort to hunt them down and end them.

Word Count: 2351

Chapter 1

She had been through this before. Seeing Hook without him seeing her.

This was different than last time, though. Last time, she was distracting the infamous Captain Hook, all the time knowing her Hook was with her, waiting for her, plotting with her to get back home.

He hadn't been her Hook then, though. That didn't come until later. After the portal back home, the simple "Aye" that meant so much more than words could express, the kiss that attempted to express what words couldn't, the Ice Queen that tried to take him from her.

Looking back, Emma supposes she hadn't really realized just how completely he was hers until mere days before he was taken from her again by the Author's new story. She spent so long trying to convince herself she didn't need to belong to anyone that she failed to see the truth. Killian belonged to her just as much as she did to him. He continuously showed her just how much control she had over him, that he was willing to go as slow as she wanted as long as they were together and that he couldn't fathom being anywhere else but with her in Storybrooke. And it may have taken her a while to realize it, thanks to her stubborn streak, but she now knew just how much she desperately needed and wanted him to be hers.

Of course, she barely had time to revel in her acceptance of their relationship before he was ripped from her once again.

But she was determined to get him back. The real Killian. Her Killian.

For now, she could appreciate this Killian. This Killian was similar to her Killian, much more than Captain Hook had been. Captain Hook had been rough, lost in the darkness, incapable of love or any other emotion besides hate and lust.

This Killian was softer, capable of emotion which shone in his eyes whenever she met his cerulean blue gaze. This Killian looked at her in such a similar way to her Killian; she saw the same adoration in his eyes. But she couldn't help but miss the love she had grown used to in her Killian's devoted gaze; even though it had taken most of the time he had known her for her to get over being scared of such devotion.

This Killian had an innocence to him that called her to him. It seemed to her that this was her Killian with all his walls torn down. Without the smirk and the innuendos to hide behind.

But he also lacked her Killian's confidence and self pride, and that cut at her heart. To see the man she loved at such a low point was difficult to swallow. Sure, she was going back to her own Killian and this Killian with his insecurities would never exist except as a faint memory, when they succeeded at their task. But it was still hard to see. So as long as she was here, she was determined to help him gain back his gusto.

Plus, she couldn't stay away from that man even if she wanted to. Which she certainly didn't. A part of her felt guilty for teasing her Killian about Hook's predictable preference to her when they had been stuck in the past. She understood the draw now, since she'd given in to her feelings and her let walls down, or most of them anyway.

She marches up the stairs, pushing away the thoughts of her Killian.

She can't describe just how beyond thankful she is for the change in wardrobe. After going below deck to find a few swords, she had searched high and low for a pair of freaking pants to wear. She'd done the whole trudge through the forest in a giant gown before, and she was not looking forward to doing it again. So instead she found a rather perfect fitting outfit and some boots. Her tangled hair had been pulled up in the ponytail that had once been her signature look, before Neal had stolen her innocence, in every sense of the phrase.

But there's no time to dwell on the past. She needs to focus if she's going to get herself and her kid home.

Stepping out into the sunlight, her eyes are immediately drawn to him. And her heart aches because for a moment it's almost like he's her Killian. He stands tall, cutting an impressive figure behind the wheel, hand and hook gently guiding the ship this way or that.

From this angle, where she stands on the main deck looking up at him, the innocence is gone. She sees a strong man, a strong captain. There's power in his stance and determination in his eyes. And complete awe in her heart.

She must have made a noise because his head snaps in her direction. His whole countenance changes when he sees her, reminding her that this is not her Killian.

His neck and ears flush red and he's quick to look anywhere but at her. His shoulders sag and his stance becomes a bit more awkward, more unsure of himself.

"Ah, uh, well, lass," he struggles, rubbing the back of his neck in that nervous way she had grown to love.

"I found us some swords," she rescues him from stumbling on any further. She already has hers in the scabbard strapped to the belt around her waist, and is holding his in her left hand.

She climbs up the set of stairs that lead to the helm. He's still not looking at her. Looking anywhere but her.

It takes her a while to realize what the issue is and once she does, she decides to take full advantage of the situation. This Killian was used to women who wore dresses.

Did any female in the Enchanted Forest even own pants? She vaguely remembers a picture from the storybook of her mother wearing pants, but only to fight in. It must be strange for Killian to see her new attire. But she can't fight the urge to see him a bit more flustered. She loves the effect she has on him, on all versions of him.

She draws closer to him, finally catching his attention. The minute their eyes lock he gets that same lost look he had when she crashed into him in the tower. The same lost look her Killian sometimes gets. Her Killian once told her that he loves to get lost in her eyes, even equated it to getting lost in the beauty of the sea.

She has to fight down a blush at the memory.

"What's the matter, Captain? Swan got your tongue?" She teases, sidling up close to him with a smirk on her face.

The irony of their role reversal is not lost on her. In fact, it only spurs her on further, exacting her revenge for all his teasing in the past. This Killian might not remember their history, but when the curse is broken and they're back home, her Killian will remember the time he was bested at his own game.

She ducks under his arm and places herself in between him and the wheel, their bodies brushing against each other every now and then with the gentle sway of the ship over the waves. Part of her revels in the embarrassed and nervous mess in front of her. But a bigger part of her wishes he would put his arms around her, would brush her hair behind his ear and cock that devilish eyebrow at her.

But his arms stay extended on either side of her, still gripping on to the wheel that was pressing against her back whenever the ship's rocking caused her to tip back on her heels.

"I'll take that as a yes," she murmurs at his silence, allowing her right hand to trail slowly up his left arm, running up to his shoulder and finally stopping as her grip latches onto his lapel. She grasps onto him, holding herself firm against him instead of allowing herself to rock with the ship. "Now about those fighting lessons."

His eyes widen in a comical way as she releases her grasp and then wraps her arms around his waist in a tantalizingly slow manner, pressing her front completely against his. She giggles as he flushes even darker, before wrapping the sword belt around him that she had been holding in the hand that wasn't occupied with teasing him.

She leans back slightly to buckle the belt, allowing her hands to linger at his waist longer than was probably reasonable. Emma takes the moment to just be close to him, memorizing the way his firm body feels beneath her fingers before pulling away.

Chastising herself in her mind for getting distracted, she tries to focus back on the light teasing air she had assumed before.

"You, um, want to teach m-me to fight on, uh, the ship?" Killian struggles to get out, looking as though he was gasping for breath at her closeness. He can't seem to look straight at her for more than a few seconds.

Placing her hand on his cheek in the hopes of comforting him, she lightly pulls his face down to look at her. She can't help but stroke her thumb lightly over his cheek when he tentatively leans into her hand after a few seconds.

"Would you rather we do it on land?" She asks quietly.

His eyebrows shoot up and a dark blush covers his neck and ears. He sputters for a moment or two, seeming shocked and Emma is confused by his reaction.

She thinks about what she had just said and then lightly slaps the hand that's cradling his face against his cheek before resting it there once more. "Cheeky man, I was talking about the fighting lessons," she corrects him, fighting a blush of her own.

"Oh, ah, yes. Yes, I would rather, um, do those on land," he forces out, bringing his hook up to tug on Emma's wrist and bring her hand away from his face. She nods to acknowledge his words, but can't help the pain that comes with him pushing her away.

She knows he can see the disappointment and rejection on her face at this action, so she uses the opportunity of his left arm being at his side to slip out from in between him and the wheel. It took her long enough to let her walls down to her Hook, she isn't ready to let them down in front of this Hook. She doesn't want him to think she's weak and needy, so she begins to walk away, down the small set of stairs to the main deck and towards the staircase that led below deck.

"Swan," he calls out after her, causing her heart to ache at the familiar pet name.

She steels herself and then turns to look at him. He's a few feet away, having followed after her a bit, and he looks regretful and scared. She just stares at him, hoping beyond hope.

"Swan, I, well," he stammers, looking away from her. He closes his eyes for a brief second and then glances up at her again. He closes the distance between them and reaches for her left hand with his right. He tentatively holds the back of her hand in his palm for a few seconds, before looking up at her to gauge her reaction. She doesn't know exactly what her face must look like right now, since her emotions are in a bit of a whirlwind at the moment, but it must have been enough for him because he guides her hand up to his face and holds it there with his own, tilting his head into her cupped hand slightly.

She releases a breath of relief that she hadn't known she had been holding. Her other hand quickly joins the first and his hand drops from her own as she holds his face gently in his hands for the first time in what's seemed like ages. His hand and hook come to rest very lightly and very tentatively against her waist. She can't help the joy that overcomes her.

She tilts Killian's face forward just as she does her own, allowing their foreheads to rest against each other and their noses to just barely brush softly against one another. She's grinning like a mad woman and she's got her eyes closed in a failed attempt to keep the tears of joy at bay.

When one escapes, Killian surprises her by catching it gently on the edge of his hook before replacing the hook on her waist, more sure of himself this time. Another he wipes away sweetly with the pad of his thumb, which ends up staying there, swiping back and forth in a comforting manner as his hand cups her face, causing just a bit of space between them once more.

With her forehead no longer resting against his, she can now see the crease of concern that has formed on his brow. She gives a light laugh and removes one of her hands from his face to wipe away the remaining tears.

"I'm fine, Killian, really," she says soothingly, her free hand resting on his wrist, allowing her thumb to rub circles on the back of the hand that is cupping her cheek.

"Mom?" Henry's yell from below deck has Killian jumping and attempting to pull away.

Emma just holds onto him for a moment longer, meeting his panicked eyes with her calm and sure ones. She smiles sweetly at him, before pulling his hand from her face and using the hand still on his face to turn his head to the side, giving her the opportunity to place a gentle, lingering kiss on his cheek before whispering, "He's seen us in more, shall we say compromising positions."

She saunters away from him after that, feeling light headed from the joy of being close to her true love once more, even if he wasn't completely himself at the moment.