Chapter 13: Hopes and Desires

The next few weeks could have been the most leisurely of Emma and Hook's lives. They could barely walk without tripping over someone who wanted to do something to make them comfortable. They were invited to homes to dine, offered the services of every artisan in town, and always had someone willing to perform every menial task. Of course neither of them was content to spend the days before returning home relaxing and being doted upon by those around them.

They explored as much of the jungle around the town as they could, looking for some evidence of other beings. There were a few homes at the outer most limits, likely put there as lookouts for the rest of the town. While they had hoped these more distant residents would be more willing to share information, even these less connected people refused to give up any information. Every person they found on the island had the same script. None of them tried to lie or deny knowledge, but they all warned about the dangers of knowing too much about the future and encouraged their heroes to put faith in destiny.

They were there longer than either had expected, and the days began to blend together. It had been weeks since they'd visited Odalee in this new world, and she insisted that everything had been prepared for their return home on the first night of the full moon. It was only a matter of waiting. Hook and Emma weighed the possibilities, but since weeks of investigation and questioning didn't unearth any information about the shadow or the curse, they decided it was time to go home and they'd continue their search for information in Storybrooke. After all, someone had to know something about this. The townspeople were already planning a farewell party for their heroes the night before the next full moon.

As they ate their breakfast the morning before the party, they knew little time was left. Hook, frustrated by the constant dead ends in his quest to defeat the shadow, griped, "I think half of the soldiers here would gladly offer me their left hand if I'd ask for it, but they won't answer a few simple questions about a damn curse."

"Soon we'll be home," Emma answered. "There's gotta be something in Regina's vault or Gold's shop or the library that can help us figure out what we're dealing with here. Crossing worlds isn't easy, but we've done it before." She poked at the gruel-like dish in front of her and groaned, "I can't wait to have a normal meal. What I wouldn't do for a grilled cheese or a stack of pancakes with a plain old cup of…" the dishes she had just mentioned appeared on the table in front of her. As she picked up the steaming cup, she finished her thought, "…coffee?"

"How did you do that?" Hook asked as he picked up half of the sandwich and investigated it. He took a bite and chewed for a moment before he shrugged and admitted, "It's delicious."

"What the hell just happened?" she asked as she sipped the coffee, flinching slightly from the heat of the liquid, but confessing, "God, it tastes so good."

"You conjured that?"

"Not intentionally. Someone else must have because it just appeared. That wasn't me."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Try it again," he suggested. When she opened her mouth to speak, he interrupted, "Don't say it aloud. Maybe someone's listening."

She thought for a split second, and then Hook looked down and realized that all of his clothes were missing and he was sitting at the table completely naked. Instantly mortified, he asked, "You did that?"

Emma startled laughing, mostly because of the expression of sheer horror on his face.

"Give me my bloody clothes back," he ordered.

In the next second, he was completely dressed again, but Emma was still laughing.

"What, exactly, did you ask for?" he asked.

"I said I wanted a naked pirate. I was trying to think of something that wasn't obvious."

"Your magic has grown that strong?"

"I don't know," she answered, her laughter dying as she started to consider exactly what might be going on. "It's not the same. I'm not concentrating and it isn't instinct or self-preservation. It's just happening when I think."

"Well, be careful what you wish for."

"This would be fun if it wasn't so disconcerting."

"Your magic has grown stronger since we've arrived," he commented. "Maybe your skills are still increasing."

"Killian, this is not the same thing. Trust me."

"Of course I trust you, love, but I doubt it's something to worry about."

Emma lowered her eyes in frustration, and so he stood and walked over to her seat. He took her hand so she would stand and face him. He lifted her onto the edge of the table and stepped between her legs. "What are you doing?" she griped.

"I don't know," he obviously teased. "Once again, what you want is just being given to you. I can't control it."

She laughed in spite of herself, resting her wrists on his shoulders. "Maybe this isn't what I want," she joked back.

"It must be…your hidden breakfast desires include, coffee and pancakes with a side of someone completely irresistible."

"Oh please," she said with a forced eye roll, but she tightened her arms around him, and when his lips moved to her clavicle, she titled her head to allow him access while her fingers slid up the back of his head through his hair.

He pulled her hips closer as they began to kiss, his tongue tracing the shape of her upper lip before sliding into her mouth.

"You should stop," she sighed, with a tiny moan escaping while she reached under his clothes and her fingernails dragged alluringly down his lower spine.

"Really?" he grinned. "You want me stop?"

She playfully tugged his lower lip between her teeth, her hips lifting against him. "What if someone comes back to take our plates? I don't want anyone walking in on us. So unless you can—"

Before she could finished the sentence, he untangled their limbs and hurried away, putting heavy chairs against both of the doors. He actually dashed back, ignoring his usual cool just to get back to her. "Once again…whatever you want seems to be offered to you today."

The subsequent flurry of activity left them both mostly clothed, but disrobed enough, and Emma's reactions to every touch and sensation seemed heightened.

"The fear of being caught does something for you?" he asked.

"It's not that," she moaned. "You feel…you just feel so good today, even better than usual. Whatever you're doing…don't stop," she said as she dragged him up onto the table with her.

Something was definitely different.

Later that morning, Emma convinced Hook to make one last attempt to get some information from the guards. She knew she needed to talk to Odalee alone. The old woman was perched on the top of a chair, precariously balancing on one foot and her cane while trying to get a jar down from a high shelf when Emma found her.

"Tomorrow you're going home," Odalee whooped happily as she got down from the chair. "I hear there's gonna be quite a party."

"Yea," Emma answered tentatively.

"You don't like parties?"

"It's not that it's…something's different."

"With what?"

"With me. My magic or someone's magic has been all around me. I get almost everything I can think of just by thinking of it. Certain things feel different, more intense. Even my emotions are amplified. And…I'm late," Emma was searching for words. "Really late, I think. We went back through time and then came here, and I haven't exactly been using a day planner lately."

Looking at Emma like a lost child, Odalee said, "What are you asking, girl?"

"Am I…pregnant? I couldn't exactly find a pregnancy test around here and…" as soon as Emma said the words, a pregnancy test appeared in her hand. "I guess I didn't want it enough until now," she added, with a tone of defeat.

"You don't need that. Come here," Odalee said, sitting in her rocking chair and gesturing for Emma to come closer.

The old woman lifted a hand in front of Emma, and her eyes shot open after a second, her expression more surprised than what Emma had expected. "What is it?" Emma asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong! There's a lot of magic all through you. It isn't just your magic in you right now. Be careful because, for the time being, all of that power is yours."

"So I'm right, aren't I? I'm pregnant."

"Looks like you figured out how to reverse that spell."

"But I didn't!"

"You reversed it without figuring it out then."

"But how?"

"You still don't know?" Odalee shook her head but finally said, "You asked for a spell to prevent unwanted pregnancy. And that is exactly what I gave you."

"So you're saying what? You're suggesting I want this?"

Odalee stared for a moment and then said, "Are you suggesting you don't?"

Emma walked to the window, staring through the cloudy glass. "He's gonna think I knew! That I did this on the sly."

"You really think that's what he's going to think?"

"That's how it looks! I reversed the spell, didn't tell him and we've been engaging in a lot of consensual activities when he didn't realize the risks."

"I suspect he'd believe almost anything you say," Odalee chuckled, "but maybe you should try talking to him and let him answer for himself."

Emma looked like she was about to break down in a sea of tears. Odalee walked over to her, put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder and said, "Girl, last I checked, baby making takes two."

"I'm well aware of that."

"What I mean is, a pregnancy can be unwanted by either parent and still be unwanted."

Emma lifted her head and asked, hopefully, "What are you trying to say? Are you saying this is what he wants?"

Odalee teased, "Maybe there's other men you've been hanging around with the last few weeks?"

"There's no one else," Emma answered back tersely.

"Then I supposed you have your answer," the old woman said with a gentle smile.

Emma smiled back, a little more optimistically but still with some worry. "Is the baby okay?"

Odalee nodded, "Listen for yourself." She waved her hand toward the cauldron. The water bubbled excitedly and as it calmed down, the room filled with the sound of a beating heart that was so loud and strong it sounded like it was in stereo.

Emma put a hand over her tummy, closed her eyes, and simply listened to the sound that filled her ears. As she listened, Emma's lips curled into an unmistakable but subtle smile.

After a few moments, Odalee waved her hand and the sound disappeared. The look of worry emerged on Emma's face again as she started to imagine telling Hook. Even if he wasn't excited about the pregnancy, Emma hoped he wouldn't be upset about it.

Sensing Emma's worry, Odalee said, "It's gonna take more than a pregnancy to destroy what you have with that man."

"I hope so."

"And tomorrow you can go back home, and celebrate this with your family."

Emma stopped and used the pregnancy test that had appeared in her hand. It was still hard to believe it was true, and she wanted all the proof she could get. It still seemed too early in their relationship for them to have a child, but she felt a different kind of hope that couldn't be squelched. She could almost feel magic coursing through her veins. Emma wondered how powerful this baby could become once it was grown if it was this powerful already. Still, when she reached the grounds of the castle and saw Hook engaged in a heated discussion with one of the soldiers, she became very nervous.

As she approached, he broke off the conversation and offered a reassuring smile. "Looks like that went well," she sarcastically stated.

"We only have a few more hours before we'll be on our way back to Storybrooke and—"

"I need to tell you something," she interrupted, leading him to a secluded area away from prying eyes.

She pulled out the pregnancy test and held it in her hand. He said, "You found some sort of magic wand?"

"Not exactly. It's…a pregnancy test. Which I have because…I'm pregnant."

He looked completely stunned. "The spell? It was reversed?"

"It was," she said as she started to tear up, worried because she couldn't tell what he was thinking and he certainly didn't look thrilled about the news.

He saw she was upset and wrapped an arm around her. "How?" he asked, softly.

"Apparently I asked for a potion to prevent unwanted pregnancy."

He shook his head for a moment and said, "So it's not unwanted. I thought we'd know if the spell was broken."

Every second she looked at his blank expression, Emma was certain that Odalee had been wrong and his assent hadn't been needed to break the spell. "Killian," she said somberly, fighting back the tears with every fiber of her being, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that the spell was broken. Had I known, I would have told you."

"It's not your fault, Emma, love. I'm likely the one to blame. I had been thinking about it since the night we heard of the prophecy. I probably owe you an apology. I'm sure I broke the spell—"

"Wait, you broke it?" she interrupted. "You want this?"

"I'm certainly not against the idea. I've been entertaining such thoughts."

"Then why did you look so concerned when I told you?"

"Because you seemed upset. I assumed that meant you were not happy about it."

"Odalee told me that both of us had to want it to break the spell. I guess she was right," Emma explained. "I mean, I didn't think it would happen so fast. I didn't realize I wanted it until I heard that our daughter was erased from existence, and suddenly…it was all I could think about. I just hope we're ready for this."

"We're ready for anything." He scooped her up in his arms, lifting her body against his as he hugged her tightly. When he finally put her feet back on the ground, his forehead was still pressed against hers as he suddenly said, "Hell, I'm not thinking. Did I hold you too tightly? I should be more careful."

"I'm pregnant, not made of glass. You don't have to treat me any differently. I'm fine. I promise," she smiled at his concern.

"This is all quite new to me," he confessed.

"But you're happy?" she asked.

"Quite happy. And honored. You?"

"I am happy. Nervous, but definitely happy."

"You have my word, Emma. I'll not abandon you."

She smiled, tears flowing more, but now tears of joy and relief, "I know that."

He stepped back, lifting his flask and wordlessly offering a toast to the heavens before he took a long swig, and held it out to Emma.

She shook her head, "I can't drink that."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess some things are different. Rum is not good for…our baby," she said, pausing slightly before she spoke the words to him for the first time because it sounded so strange.

"Understood," he answered, smiling a bit as he heard her words. "Mothers-to-be didn't take such precautions in my land. Which, actually, explains a great deal."

Emma snickered before she explained, "Some people think it's safe, others don't, but I don't want to take any chances."

"Now I need to increase efforts to locate and destroy that shadow."

"I think we should still return to Storybrooke," she said. "I need to get back to Henry. And I'm still hoping that someone there has some answers."

"Alright," he hesitantly agreed as they began to walk back to the castle.

"Wait. There's something I need from you."

"Anything."

"I know you want to protect me, believe me, I get that. I want to protect you too. But what I need…what this baby and I need…is her father. You need to be careful. I can't lose you."

"You will never lose me, love."

"I know you mean that. But I need you to promise to be careful. Any decisions we make about confronting this shadow or breaking the curse…we need to make them together. I won't let you fight this alone. It sounds like this kid has some pretty powerful magic. That means that, for now, I have a lot of power. So you can't go running off on your own. We're in this together."

He looked away, clenching his jaw for a moment before he turned his full attention back to her. He had a code, and giving her his word meant something to him. "You have my word."

She tugged his jacket, trying to lighten the mood, "Ya know…There is something you should fear more than the shadow."

"What's that?"

With a coquettish smile she replied, "My father."

"I'm not afraid of your father. Although that conversation is not one I look forward to. His views are a bit traditional. However, I don't feel like discussing that right now," he answered, carefully slinging an arm around her waist and holding her like he had the last time they'd danced formally. "In fact, I'm in the mood for a bit of fun. I wasn't keen on this farewell gathering tonight, but now, you and I will have something truly worth celebrating."

"Yea," she said with a grin of her own before she kissed him. "We will."

"May I accompany you to your second royal gala?" he asked with a tone of formality.

Emma's eyes skimmed over his face, studying the sincerity in his expression, as she nodded, "I'd like that."