Disclaimer: Reluctantly I have to admit that I don't own these characters. They are property of others far luckier than myself.
"Will you stop doing that," Emma scolded Killian when he carried another box into her newly rented apartment, "You should be resting."
Despite Killian's insistence that he was better than ever after Emma's magical demonstration the previous evening, he was still plainly injured. She'd wanted him to stay on board his ship, but he had insisted on tagging along while Emma and Henry moved in their belongings, vowing to stay out of everyone's way. She should have known better.
"Where shall I rest, Love?" Killian looked around the mostly vacant apartment, "Your bed is still in that rolling box looking thing downstairs."
"Sit in that corner," Emma motioned towards one of the empty corners of the room.
"Sit in the corner, what is he, three?" Mary Margaret snickered as she held the door open while David and Robin carried Emma's mattress into the apartment.
"He's acting like it," Emma scowled at Killian when he ignored her advice and followed David and Robin into the bedroom. She followed him just as his hand closed around the mattress propped up against the wall. His intention to lay it down so he could rest was clear. "Leave that mattress alone until the frame is set up." She returned to the kitchen where she and Mary Margaret had been unpacking the dishes she'd retrieved from New York the day prior.
"How did you get this table into the truck?" Leroy groaned as he and two of the other dwarves carried it into the apartment.
"We hired a couple of guys in New York to do all the heavy lifting," Emma shrugged, "But I didn't need to do that here. Plenty of helpful volunteers."
"Are we getting paid?" Leroy asked hopefully.
"I was planning on buying a few beers for everyone at Granny's tonight," Emma replied.
Leroy began grumbling under his breath while they set the table down and then returned to the truck for the next load.
Killian had a good chuckle, "Should have negotiated the terms before you agreed to help, Mate."
"Don't go inspiring a mutiny on me, Pirate," Emma scowled at him.
"I would never," Killian scoffed.
When the sofa arrived, Emma instructed Killian to sit and not move until she said so.
Killian would have added a snarky comment, but he could see that she was a bit frazzled having to coordinate the move of her possession. Killian caught a nap despite all the commotion around him.
"He looks so innocent when he's asleep," Mary Margaret made note of Killian's slumbering state a bit later.
"He hasn't been sleeping well," Emma spoke softly so the others couldn't hear.
"Nightmares?" Mary Margaret lowered her voice to match that of her daughter.
Emma nodded slightly, "And he's still in pain when he rolls a certain way. I've woken up several times in the middle of the night to his groans. He won't take anything more for the pain."
"Men are so stubborn," Mary Margaret sighed.
"I heard that," David glared at his wife when he and Robin carried the last of the heavy stuff into the apartment.
"Henry's room," Emma commanded him.
The unpacking commenced in earnest once all the furniture was in place. The heavy lifters left with the promise of free alcohol later in the evening.
"Not a bad start," Mary Margaret gathered several empty boxes to carry down to the trash on her way out.
Emma pulled out several bills and handed them to her father, "Will you do me a favor and buy everyone a few rounds at Granny's for me? I don't know that I have the energy to make it there tonight."
"Sure," David took the money from her. "The fridge is empty though. What are you going to do for food tonight?"
"I'm just going to get a pizza delivered," Emma shrugged.
"Do you mind if I go with Grandma and Grandpa?" Henry asked.
"Not feeling pizza tonight?" Emma was taken aback by his request. He'd been so eager for them to get the Storybrooke apartment. She'd assumed that he'd want to sleep in his new room the first night he could.
"Not really," Henry shook his head. He had ulterior motives that he wouldn't share with his mother.
"Sure, have fun," Emma hugged him around the shoulders.
"I promised Regina that I'd stay with her tonight," Henry added.
"Alright, but you'll need to unpack sometime," Emma reminded him.
"I will," Henry nodded.
"I'll be back tomorrow with Neal to work on the decorating," Mary Margaret promised.
"I'm going to need the help," Emma hugged her parents. She sighed with relief when everyone was on the other side of the door.
"I'm exhausted," Emma plopped down on the sofa next to Killian, "Moving is hard work. I'm in need of a shower."
"I will pick up dinner for us?" Killian suggested, "That will give you the privacy that you need."
"You don't have to," she smiled softly.
"I wasn't allowed to do any heavy lifting," he reminded her, "I have plenty of energy."
"Feel comfortable getting pizza on your own?" Emma held out a key to the apartment. She was going to make a bit of a production in giving him a key, but she was too exhausted to do so.
"I'll manage," he chuckled.
"Get the one with everything on it," she kissed his check after he grabbed the key.
"Take your time," he touched her chin lightly before he took another kiss.
"A bath does sound rather tempting," she smiled.
Emma managed to dig out a bit of bubble bath and a clean towel from one of her many boxes. She was so relaxed she was nearly asleep when Killian knocked softly at the bathroom door with the message that dinner was ready. When she didn't respond right away, he inched the door open and looked inside.
"Everything alright, Love?" he inquired.
"I don't want to move," Emma gave a dreamy sigh.
Killian gulped nervously when he took in the scene. Emma's hair was dripping wet and curled by the humidity of the water. She was covered in suds from head to toe, but he knew beneath that fragile layer of bubbles lay the greatest of treasures.
"Ever taken a bubble bath, Captain?" Emma opened one eye to gaze upon him with curiosity.
"Though I bath frequently, I can't say that I've ever bathed with bubbles," he knelt on the floor next to her.
"You'll need to try it," she smiled and reached out a hand to touch his chin.
"It does look enticing," he grinned when she dusted his face with suds only to wipe them away. "Dinner awaits."
"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" Emma's finger traced the scar on his cheek, completely ignoring his food prompt.
"I think you have that backwards, Love," he dipped in for a tempting kiss.
"I mean it," Emma's eyes locked with his, "I don't know anyone that wears this scruff quite as well as you."
"You don't want me clean shaven?" he inquired while she ghosted her fingers across his cheeks and chin.
"No," she shook her head slowly with a coy grin on her lips, "The scruff suits you."
"Let's eat," Killian entwined his fingers with hers and gave her hand a gentle tug.
She gave a slight nod and rose to her feet. The suds clung to her body, hiding most of it from his hungry eyes.
"I'll be out in a minute," Emma kissed his lips softly before reaching for a towel.
Killian released a slight groan of disappointment before he left the bathroom.
Emma emerged minutes later wrapped up tight in a terry cloth bathrobe. "How are you feeling?" she helped herself to a piece of pizza.
"Better with each day," Killian replied as he took her hand and kissed her palm, "Thanks to my lovely Swan."
"Maybe we can give the healing another go after dinner," Emma responded.
"I'll agree to anything if it means your hands on me," he lifted a suggestive brow.
Rather than roll her eyes like she usually would, she leaned in for a kiss. Her fingers found the hair at the nape of his neck, encouraging him to deepen the kiss.
"Our dinner is getting cold," he spoke against her lips.
"Don't care," she continued to peck away at his lips. Killian smiled against her lips and deepened the kiss.
After cleaning up dinner, Emma had Killian lay on the bed, figuring it was the safest place for him if her attempt at healing went the same as the day before. Killian shed his shirt and hook in preparation.
"Ready?" Emma climbed up onto the bed and straddled his legs in preparation.
"Do with me what you wish," he folded his arms behind his head.
"The possibilities are endless," her hands rested against his chest.
Both Killian and Emma closed their eyes, hers in concentration, his in nervousness. He fully trusted Emma, but her magic was still in the developmental stages. He could very likely be launched through the wall and into the neighbor's apartment.
Emma took a deep breath. She wanted to heal him but in the gentlest of ways. She could feel the magic flowing through her body and towards her fingertips. She held back as much as she could so that she didn't hurt him like she had the previous day.
Killian felt warmth hit him from Emma's palms resting flat against his chest. His eyes opened and saw Emma was glowing. In turn, she was making him glow while the magic began to course through him and heal his injuries.
"Open your eyes, Love," he whispered softly.
Emma's eyes opened slowly and then a smile spread across her lips.
"Bloody marvel, you are," Killian's hand caressed her thigh when he sat up. His movements were easy and without pain. He held himself back as she peeled away the bandages that had covered his torso.
"They're gone," she beamed with pride as she pawed at his chest. Even the angry red mark from his nasty encounter in Portsmouth had been erased.
"We'll shoot for a new hand next time," he told her with a wink.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"Better than I have in a long, long time," he replied.
"Good," she bit her lip slightly before she attacked his lips, "Now I don't have to feel guilty for what comes next."
"Those two are thicker than thieves recently," Mary Margaret noted when she entered Granny's with Emma to see Killian and Henry with their heads together about something.
Emma's heart began to flutter when Killian flashed her a grin
"You should see them together in the apartment," Emma shook her head in amusement, "It's supposed to be my place with Henry, but somehow I always manage to feel like the third wheel when we're all together. They're planning something. I walk into the room and suddenly they stop talking."
"Is there room for two more?" Mary Margaret asked when they approached the table. All conversation suddenly stopped.
"Proved my point quite nicely," Emma shook her head and slid into the booth next to Killian after he slid over to make room. His arm immediately went around her shoulders.
"'Ello, Love," he kissed her cheek.
"What are you two up to?" Emma looked between the pair, "You've been plotting since Killian was in the hospital."
"We're just discussing the Swan's first major voyage," Killian replied.
"Not buying it," Emma shook her head.
"It's a surprise," Henry stated.
"What kind of surprise?" Emma eyed her son.
"That's all I'm saying," Henry instantly clammed up.
"When is this surprise going to be revealed?" Emma pressed.
"Soon," Killian offered.
"I'm going to get some coffee. Did you want any, Mom?" Emma slid out of the booth.
"Yes," Mary Margaret nodded, "Thank you."
With Emma's back turned, Mary Margaret demanded that she be filled in on the surprise.
"Great," Emma came back to the table with two coffees to have all conversation halt yet again, "Now all three of you are in on it."
Mary Margaret bit her lip to keep from laughing.
Emma released a resigned sigh. "I should have stuck it out at the station."
"But I wouldn't be able to appreciate your loveliness if you were at the station," Killian's arm went around her shoulder, the hook at the end tapping lightly.
"How are you feeling, Captain?" Mary Margaret noticed his movements were freer than they'd been the last time they spoke.
"Better than ever," Killian responded with a kiss to Emma's temple, "This lovely lass saw fit to grace me her magical talents. As a result, I am fully healed."
"Knocked him flat on his back the first time I tried it," Emma confessed.
"She was much gentler the second time around," he nuzzled at her neck.
"Gross," Henry groaned at the sight of his mother and her boyfriend's moment of affection.
"Let's curb that until later," Emma suggested with an elbow to Killian's newly healed flank.
"So when is this big voyage of the Swan?" Emma inquired.
"We're hoping for good weather the weekend after next," Henry replied.
"What's wrong with this weekend?" Emma asked.
"Killian has other plans for this weekend," Henry responded.
"Other plans?" Emma looked towards him curiously.
"My secret," he winked at her.
"Have I ever mentioned that I dislike surprises?" she replied.
"You'll like this surprise," Mary Margaret stated confidently.
"Just go with it, Mom," Henry insisted.
"Looks like I have little choice," Emma thread her fingers through Killian's and curled into him, "I know how stubborn this old pirate is."
"It's my stubbornness that has kept me around, Love," he squeezed her hand, "It's my stubbornness that drew you to me."
"Hardly," Emma snorted.
"How is my favorite lawman this fine day?" Killian inquired.
"I don't know," Emma pulled out her phone, "I'll call him and find out."
"Your father is a fine man, but most definitely not my favorite," he chuckled.
"What is David doing today anyways?" Emma inquired of her mother.
"He and Neal are having a day of bonding," Mary Margaret replied, "According to my husband, he hasn't had enough guy time with his son because I've always monopolized his time. In my defense, it's called breast feeding."
"Sounds like a lovely way to be fed if you ask me," Killian sent a leering glance towards Emma's chest.
"Gross," Henry rolled his eyes.
"Give it time, Lad."
Emma gave Killian a second scolding elbow to the ribs.
TBC…
One chapter left.