Since the last chapter was pretty short, I thought I should update again this week. Also, I just could not wait for you to read this chapter. This will be the last chapter before the epilogue. I can not begin to explain how much you all have meant to me. Thank you so much for your encouragement throughout this story. It would not have looked the same without you all.

Review responses

fanfic333- Adding Robin has always been a goal. He will be much more prominent in my next fic. Make sure to check it out. Thanks for your dedication to this story!

fox24-Isn't Henry just the best when he is up to something?

I love you all. This chapter is dedicated to you.

Chapter 27: Simply Hello

Operation Penguin worked. Eventually.

It only took two months.

Henry orchestrated most of it, both Killian and Emma saying it was best not to intrude in Regina and Robin's business. Henry was stubborn though, she would give him that. The plan started simply-have Robin over for dinner, offer to play with his son in the park, things like that. Than, seeing that things were not going as quick as he would have liked, he started pulling some fast ones. He would ask his mom to pick him up at the sheriff's station and only every now and then would be actually be with Emma somewhere else and conveniently have forgotten to tell his mother. That gig had to be stopped after a few executions due to his mother's anger.

But about two months into Henry's infamous operation Regina called Emma and asked her to watch on Henry on a Saturday night. Regina did not reveal too many details, but Henry let her know what was happening the minute he burst through the door. His plan had worked-his mother was on a date with Robin. They both swore it was just casual, but Henry saw right through everything.

That kid was too smart for his own good.

One bright side of Henry's success was Regina's mood change. She was much happier, though she would not say why, but everyone knew. As a result, she was much more lenient with letting Emma see Henry, a plus for the two of them. If Regina dating meant Emma had more freedom with Henry, she was all for it.

Emma had no clue how Henry did it, but somehow he managed to figure out what everyone wanted before they even knew. It was like he had some type of gift.

"And here's his little foot!" Mary Margaret squealed one night at girls' night. She had just come from a doctor's appointment that day and found out the gender of her baby-a little boy.

""We are never going to have another conversation that doesn't involve the word 'baby' again, are we?" Ruby groaned.

"Oh hush, you." Aurora scolded her. "You know you're excited."

"Never said I wasn't." Ruby took another, large, sip of her wine. "Just mean that Emma and I are going to need to gang up against all of you mothers."

"What about me?" Belle asked. She was the other attendee with no child.

"Honey," Ruby waved her hands as she talked. "You'll have a bun in the oven within the year, trust me."

Belle just blushed at Ruby's remark and Ashley took control of the conversation. "Em can't be too far behind Belle, right?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "We've been together for three months. Calm down."

Ruby lit up again. "Oh you two are totally getting married."

"Ruby, how much have you had to drink?" Emma teased. "Maybe you should just have water like Mary-Margaret."

"I'm serious, Em."

"What about you?" Ashley pointed at Ruby. "You and Whale?"

Ruby blushed and all the other girls laughed. "I don't think marriage is in the cards for us."

Belle mumbled something under her breath as she took a sip of her drinks-something along the lines of "yeah right."

"Whatever," Ruby muttered.

"I'm telling you," Mary Margaret started. "There is something in the water here. Everyone's having babies and falling in love."

"You should probably mention that on the town's info page so people know that before they move here." Emma joked and everyone laughed. Even if she had known was would happen to her, she probably would not have changed it. Happiness was not the worst thing in the world.

Not by any stretch.

Emma was not one for big romantic gestures. Really, any type of proclamation of feelings was foreign to her-it was a side effect of growing up the way she did.

That morning, while she was at work, she received a text from Killian telling her to be dressed casually and ready to go by 6:30 that night. She smiled at the sentiment. Not many people went out of their way to do something nice for her and though the gestures were new to her, she was learning to be open to them.

Her relationship with Killian was a learning experience for both of them. They both had been broken and abandoned and had to figure out how to put themselves back together while also learning how to open up to someone else. Emma knew it was as hard for Killian as it was for her, but he always insisted to her that he was a fighter and was not going to give up on her or their relationship.

Prompt as ever, at 6:29 Emma heard a knock on her apartment door. She ran her hands over her black skinny jeans and went to open the door. To no surprise, a smiling Killian was standing on the other side, dressed in black jeans and his leather jacket and a rose in hand.

"For you, milady." He offered the flower to her. She blushed and invited him inside while she found a vase for the flower. She looked around for a few moments before realizing she did not own one-she never had a reason to, so she found a large plastic cup and filled it with water and place the flower in that. Killian just rolled his eyes.

"Ready?" Killian asked as she grabbed her red leather jacket. She nodded and he interlocked their hands and led her out of her loft.

"So, what are we doing tonight?" Emma questioned after they were outside the loft building.

"I was thinking a nice walk in the park and then dinner at Granny's to celebrate." He stated casually as they made their way to the town park.

"Celebrate what?"

"Celebrate what?" Killian faked offense. "Why, love, did you forget our anniversary?"

"Anniversary?" She raised her eyebrow. "We've been dating for three months and I'm pretty sure even if we were doing the whole month anniversary thing it would be next week."

He let out a laugh, pulling her a bit closer to his side as they crossed the street. There were few cars out-everyone opting to be home with their families after a long day of school of work. When they stepped back onto the sidewalk he said, "It's the anniversary of the day we met." He told her.

"Really?" She looked up at him, her voice a mix of disbelief and shock. "How did you know that?"

"How could I forget the best day of my life?" He smiled at her, but she was not completely buying it. He sighed. "I'd love to tell you I have a bloody fantastic memory, but alas, I wrote it down in a journal when I was a lad. I still hold to the fact that it was one of my best days, though."

"One of mine too." She told him. They entered the park and made their way to the trail around the pond-one of their favorite to walk together.

"Ten years." She whispered. It did not feel like ten years since they had met. Their time together as foster kids seemed like just yesterday but it also seemed like they had known each forever. And to think, for knowing of each other for ten years they had only been together physically for about ten percent of that. And of that year, they had spent six months as foster kids and three months dating.

"I know, love." He said. "It's been a good ten years."

"Not all of it." She reminded him.

"No." Killian agreed. "But I would do it all again if it meant I got to be here with you."

Emma thought of her past ten years. She had lived through a lot, but maybe it was all worth it for the end goal-a home. A real one. She found that in Storybrooke. She had friends that cared about her and wanted to see her happy. There was a little boy with hope in his eyes that looked up to her and that she saw so much of herself when she looked at him. A little boy who was not going to be little that much longer that taught her so much about love and strength. And of course, there was Killian who was teaching her to open up and how to trust. Killian, who gave her a second chance.

"Me too." She whispered.

"You're different than you were when we were younger." He said and waited a few seconds before adding. "Good different."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

He blushed a bit. "You were fantastic than, Swan, don't get me wrong. But ever since you moved here-you can see it in your eyes. You have a new outlook on life. You are extremely passionate and you're learning how to open up. You're, dare I say, happier."

"I am." She validated his point with a kiss to cheek as they continued to walk on the trail.

"Storybrooke's been good for you. It's been good for me too." He murmured.

"It's almost magical." She chuckled.

"You're starting to sound like Henry."

"I guess he's rubbing off on me." She would be lucky if she was half the person Henry was.

"We've been through a lot," He started. "More pain than either of us ever expected, but more happiness too. We did not start out the greatest, but I like where I ended up."

"So do I, Killian." She squeezed his hand.

He slowed their pace until they were standing still."Emma, I know it's only been three months and we agreed to take things slow, but I-"

"I love you." She cut him off. She had been nervous about saying those three little words to him for so long, but now that they were in the open, she felt at peace.

He did not question her. Did not tease her or raise his eyebrows or do some goofy thing like she thought it might. He simply whispered, "I love you too,Swan. So bloody much."

She did not hesitate when she leaned up and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as he could to him and then some. She reciprocated, needing to feel him, to love him. Ten years of emotions, of hurt and pain and frustration and most importantly love she poured out into that kiss. Ten years of words that she could never say were explained then and there.

It was there she absolutely knew she was home.

And that Killian Jones would always be her favorite hello.

See you next week for the epilogue! Please review! Let's see how many reviews we can get up to before the epilogue!