Disclaimer: Reluctantly I have to admit that I don't own these characters. They are property of others far luckier than myself.
Less than twenty-four hours to go before the next episode. YAY!
"How was your follow up with Doc?" Emma asked several days later.
Killian had gone to the hospital for a check-up that afternoon at Emma's request. It had been nearly a month since he'd been attacked, and he was healing rather well. The bruises were nearly gone. The pain in his ribs was minimal, and the spring in his step had returned. He'd wanted to yank out his stitches, but Emma requested that he have Doc take a look first. He'd hesitated, but she pulled out her co-captain card as she'd been fond of doing since he'd first given it to her. He relented.
"Stitches free," Killian lifted up his shirt to show the angry red line that was left in wake of the knife attack.
"Does it still hurt?" Emma's fingers ran gently along the line.
"Aw," Killian winced, "No, but it tickles."
"Is the great Captain Hook ticklish?" Emma's eyes began to shine in amusement, "Never read that in Henry's book."
"I'm ticklish there only," Killian lowered his shirt before Emma could test him for other weaknesses.
"We'll have to verify that," Emma snickered while townspeople moved about around them, "Later."
"Aye, later," Killian agreed with a shimmer of mischief in his eyes.
"I talked to the police officer in Portsmouth today that was working your case," Emma informed him, "No suspects have turned up, and they've concluded their investigation. Whoever it was either sailed on to another port or has laid low long enough to avoid suspicion. We may never know why you were attacked."
"And that bothers you," Killian read in her eyes.
"Of course it bothers me," Emma stated, "I don't like loose ends. I have half a mind to drive back down there myself and dig around some more, but I know if I go that you'll insist on going with me."
"Aye, I would," he confirmed.
"Which is why I'm sticking around," she sighed, "We'll just have to keep a watch out for strangers coming to town that seem to enjoy lurking about."
"You said that the town doesn't get too many visitors," Killian reminded her.
"Only at the docks," Emma agreed, "We'll just have to keep our eyes open and stay alert."
"I can do that," he tapped at the sword at his hip, "And I have a good friend along to keep my company…Didn't dare wear it in Portsmouth. Would have stood out too much. Probably wouldn't have done me much good anyway if I had it on me that night. I never had time to draw it."
"You must have been pretty distracted that night," Emma concluded, "What were you thinking about that allowed them to jump you without you noticing?"
"I was having what you'd call a particularly good daydream," Killian grinned.
"Must have been one hell of a good daydream," she snorted.
"Aye, it was," Killian confirmed, "I dreamt of showing off your namesake when I returned to Storybrooke and the hero's welcome I was sure to be greeted with by one particularly sexy sheriff."
"I think only my mother should be the one calling my father sexy," Emma teased, "It's a bit creepy for you, Pirate."
Killian howled with laughter in reply.
"Come, Captain," Emma yanked on his collar, "I promised Mary Margaret that we'd watch Baby Neal tonight so she and David can have a night out."
"And you want my assistance?" Killian looked bewildered by the idea.
"Not with the actual tending to the baby," Emma smirked, "But once he's down for the night, I'm hoping to use you for entertainment of an adult variety."
Killian caught her drift instantly and followed along like a puppy dog.
"Neal's a bit fussy tonight," Mary Margaret told Emma when she handed off her crying son, "He's teething. His teething ring is in the freezer. It needs another twenty minutes to fully freeze before Neal can use it again. I'm sorry. I'd hoped to have him in bed before we left, but our reservations are in fifteen minutes. If you want us to stay in, you can take our reservations instead."
"Don't be silly," Emma waved off Mary Margaret's suggestion, "We can handle this. Enjoy your dinner."
"You have our numbers if anything happens. All doctors' numbers are on the fridge, poison control too, if anything happens call us immediately," Mary Margaret demanded.
"Poison control?" Killian repeated in confusion while Emma bounced Baby Neal on her hip to try to calm him down.
"I'll explain it later," Emma told Killian before she turned to her parents who were getting into their coats, "Don't worry. We can handle this."
David did his best of reassure his overprotective wife that their son was in capable hands. Emma had watched Neal on numerous occasions without incident. She could handle an evening with their irritable son. Mary Margaret didn't seem altogether convinced, but followed her husband along.
"Goodness, that's a lot of crying for one little tooth," Emma told her brother in a soothing tone, "Killian, will you get the teething ring from the freezer?"
"I thought it needed to stay in there for twenty more minutes," he looked to her in confusion.
"I have a trick up my sleeve that I've been dying to try," Emma grinned, "It's a little something Elsa taught me before she and her sister returned to Arendelle."
"Thought you didn't like to use your magic," Killian stated while dutifully looking for the ring in the freezer. He felt pretty proud that he was able to identify it without her help. Perhaps he was getting the hang of this realm's trinkets.
"It's just a little something," she shrugged, "Can't hurt to keep my skills sharp, can it?"
"Not at all," he kissed her cheek softly before handing off the ring.
"Here, take Neal," Emma attempted to trade off Baby Neal for the teething ring.
"That's probably not a good idea," Killian hesitated as he held up his hook as a reminder.
"You'll be fine," Emma assured him, "You've held me dozens of times without incident."
"You're a bit sturdier and less squirmy," Killian pointed out while he continued to resist.
"Hold out your arms you cowardly pirate," Emma scowled at him, "I need two hands to do this."
Killian dutifully followed her commands and took Baby Neal. The boy did squirm while Killian maneuvered him about to get him comfortable, but no harm came to Neal when he settled against Killian's hip.
Emma took the teething ring and turned her back to attempt the freezing spell that Elsa had taught her. She felt pretty proud of herself that it only took two attempts. She turned back towards the pair to give Neal the ring to quiet him, only to realize that he was already quiet. She was startled to see that the reason Neal was quiet was that he was using Killian's hook as a teething ring. The cool metal was soothing his gums just like the teething ring was supposed to.
"Don't ever tell my mom he did that," Emma's eyes shone with amusement while she pulled out her phone and took a picture. Baby Neal was as happy as a clam.
"He just pulled it straight into his mouth," Killian explained how his hook ended up in it's current place, "I maneuvered it at the last possible second to keep the sharp end out of his mouth."
"I have never seen anything so adorable," Emma looked at the picture on her phone.
"Are you sure you want that as evidence?" Killian glanced over her shoulder to see the picture as she was changing it to be the picture that came onto his phone when he called.
"I absolutely want this evidence," Emma laughed as she pocketed her phone, "But we'd better not let him develop a taste for it." She pulled the hook out of Neal's mouth and in the same motion slid the teething ring into place. Neal didn't make a sound.
Emma took her brother back and settled him on her lap on the sofa and then patted at the available space next to her for Killian to sit.
"So this is babysitting," Killian's arm came around her shoulders while he made himself at home in her parents' loft.
"Yep," Emma confirmed, "It's not too glamorous, but once Neal's asleep I'll show you some of the entertainment I was talking about earlier."
"I'm a patient man," Killian assured her.
"How did that happen?" Mary Margaret came home to find her son asleep on the chest of her daughter's boyfriend. Both of them were fast asleep.
"Neal would cry every time we tried to lay him down," Emma explained, "My arms were getting sore holding him, so Killian volunteered. I went to get a glass of water. When I came back, they were like this."
"Don't know how I feel about this," David stood with his arms crossed while he surveyed the scene.
"Oh it's adorable," Mary Margaret gushed, "Emma, do you have your phone? Take a picture."
"Already done," Emma pulled out her phone to show off her proof, "Big, bad Captain Hook is actually pretty good with children. Who knew?"
"Who knew indeed," David continued to scowl.
"Oh relax," Mary Margaret swatted at her husband's shoulder, "One evening with Hook isn't going to turn our son into a lawless pirate."
"Is that what I am?" Killian responded sleepily, "Thought I'd evolved."
"Turns out you're also a decent babysitter," Mary Margaret lifted the soundly sleeping baby off Killian's chest, "We may have to take advantage more often."
Emma pulled Killian to his feet slowly. He groaned with the movement.
"That's an old man groan, Sailor," Emma teased, "Are those three hundred years starting to catch up to you?"
Killian scoffed.
"Thank you both for your service," Mary Margaret smiled while she rocked Neal to keep him asleep, "I hope he wasn't too much trouble."
"Nope, that frozen teething ring worked wonders," Emma replied, "Hopefully those teeth cuts through soon or you're going to need more rings. He was gnawing away pretty good at that one."
"Enjoy what's left of your evening," David walked the pair to the door as Mary Margaret put Neal in his crib.
"We'll try," Emma took Killian's hand when they left the loft.
"Care for a moonlit stroll?" Killian motioned towards the nearly full moon.
"Considering my car is down by the docks, I think our only choice is walking," Emma replied, "Unless you want me to refresh my car boosting skills and break into my dad's truck."
"I'm trying to set the mood," he scowled at her before offering his arm.
Emma felt herself swoon at the formality of his offer. He was more than dating her. He was courting her, wooing her.
"Such a clear night," Emma observed the millions of stars that shone bright.
"Aye," Killian agreed.
"Thank you for being a good sport about tonight," she stated, "I know babysitting my baby brother isn't high on the list of date night activities, and he did seem to spoil my attempts at adult entertainment."
"Your father probably put him up to it," Killian grumbled.
It was Emma's turn to laugh.
"I have a surprise for you," Killian led her down the docks to his ship.
"I'm not all that big on surprises," Emma replied.
"You'll like this one," Killian motioned towards the back of his ship. 'Emma's Swan' had been painted on. "It's official."
"I still can't believe you named your ship after me," Emma looked at the letters in disbelief, "Isn't that too much pressure on our relationship?"
"None at all," Killian replied, "We're in love. That's all I need to know."
Emma took a deep breath to keep her emotions in check. They'd only professed their love once. Since that moment, it had been something that was understood yet not verbalized. To have it come out in the most natural of ways caught her off guard.
"Come here, Love," Killian encouraged her into his arms. He recognized her difficulty and wanted to comfort her.
Emma clung to him, allowing her walls to completely crumble, to trust that Killian would catch her if she fell.
"Let's go to bed," he encouraged her, "I have one final surprise for you."
Emma nodded into the crook of his neck and allowed herself to be lead to his quarters.
"New sheets," Emma observed.
"Have a seat," he encouraged her.
It was when her rear hit the softness that it occurred to her that he'd replaced more than the sheets.
"You said you wanted a new mattress," he reminded her.
"You spoil me, Hook," Emma grabbed at his shirt and brought him towards her, kissing him deeply. She surprised him when her hands searched out the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head. "Will you teach me how to remove the hook?"
Killian nodded when he grasped her hand and brought it to the strap at his shoulder where the buckle held the brace on and ran her hand along the leather until her fingers felt the cool metal of the hook.
"Twist off the hook," Killian spoke softly, showing the vulnerability he'd allowed only with her.
Emma turned the hook until she felt a click that disengaged it from the brace and set it aside. Her hand retraced the leather strap until she felt the buckle and unfastened it. The brace fell away, leaving him fully exposed.
Killian swallowed hard when her fingers ran along his remaining stump for the first time. She didn't show the pity he had expected. Her face showed compassion and sympathy.
"Let's go to bed," Emma pulled him to lay beside her, her head lay against his chest.
"I love you, Emma."
"I love you, Killian," Emma pressed her lips to his before her head came to rest against his chest again. Both found a restful sleep.
TBC…
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