A/N: A bit longer chapter here, with a re-purposed (gender-swapped) scene from the show, won't tell you which one, but I'm fairly sure you'll know when you get there.
I'm blown away by all the reads and kudos my stories get these weeks, it's such a joy seeing new kudos show up along with comments. Thank you all for reading this story.
Thanks to my beta for helping me with this, been such a huge help.
The current chapter count is 15, but that last one is still a bit of work in progress and I still need to wrap up the story in a nice little bow of fluff.
Enjoy
Chapter 10"You'll be fine," Emma said and rubbed his back while they walked up the steps leading to her parent's farmhouse.
Killian gave her a wry smile. "Are you sure they're okay with me just showing up without notice?"
"My mother always makes extra." She hugged herself closer to him before she opened the door and called out, "Mom, I hope you made extra food."
"Oh, you're just in time…" Mary Margaret came out in the hallway, wiping her fingers in a dishtowel. "Killian?" Her face split into a huge grin. "We weren't expecting you until Saturday." She closed the gap between them and gave him a brief hug before she stepped back.
Killian rubbed behind his ear and shrugged. "Got off a bit earlier from our studio time so thought I'd come today. Hope that is not an inconvenience to you?"
"Not at all." Mary Margaret waved to the hallway closet. "Hang up your coats and come in." The petite woman turned to her daughter. "Your father is out in the barn tending to the animals."
Both Killian and Emma hung up their coats and followed Mary Margaret inside; the house hadn't changed much since he'd last visited Emma, twelve years ago.
Emma slipped her hand into his before leading him to sit on the couch.
"Shouldn't we offer to help your mother?" Killian asked.
"I'll let you know when I need help," Mary Margaret called out from the kitchen. "You kids just sit down for now."
Emma chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Sorry about that, the sound travels easily in this house."
"I can see that," Killian whispered, sitting down next to Emma.
Emma snuggled closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm happy you came here early."
"Hmm, me too."
"Gives us more time together." She looked at him, her chin resting on his shoulder. Her green eyes glinted with a new twinkle, making Killian wonder what she had planned for their time in their old hometown.
Before Killian could give it much more thought, the backdoor opened and closed.
"Relax," Emma whispered.
A few minutes later David Nolan entered the kitchen and kissed his wife who whispered something to him. This had him turning his head towards the living room, the arched open wall between the kitchen and the living room gave him a clear view of who was in there.
"Killian," David said with a smile. "Welcome back to Storybrooke."
Killian scrambled to his feet and reached for Emma's father. "It's good to be here, Mr Nolan."
David clasped Killian's hand. "Please, you don't need to be so formal here, David will be fine."
Killian nodded in understanding and rubbed behind his ear, unsure what else to say, so he glanced back at Emma.
"I'll go see if Mom needs some help." Emma leapt up and walked past Killian, her fingers brushing over the back of his hand, she glanced at him with a small secretive smile.
Killian never got to reply before she sauntered out into the kitchen. He had not realized he'd been staring until David cleared his throat.
"Ah, yeah, well, how are things for you?" Killian scrambled for something to speak with Emma's father about.
"We're all doing good." David pointed to the couch. "Let's sit."
Killian sat down on the couch, and David sat on one of the two recliners.
"I…"
"Killian…"
They had both spoken and the two men chuckled at the clearly awkward situation.
Killian waved for David to go first.
"Let me start by saying that both Mary Margaret and I are happy you and Emma found each other again."
"Oh." Killian rubbed his sweaty palms over his jeans. "Thank you."
"The glamorous world you live in is a far cry from what you came from. How are you dealing with all the fame?"
Killian blinked a few times before answering. "I have a wonderful support system in my band." He rubbed behind his ear. "I hit rock bottom in England." Shifting uneasily in his seat he let his eyes travel around the room trying to come up with how to explain his past to Emma's father.
"Look, son, you don't need to explain everything. All that matters is that you seem to make our daughter very happy." David rested his elbows on his knees looking at Killian with a friendly smile.
"She makes me happy too." Killian gave the other man a weak smile.
"We're proud of what she's accomplished with her books, this latest movie deal was more than she'd ever dreamed of ever happening," David said and relaxed back in the recliner. "Meeting you in the process was a bonus."
"Aye, I never imagined I'd be seeing her at the audition." He swallowed hard, still remembering how it had pained his heart to see her so distraught after she'd run from the room. "But now things have settled down and we seem to be in a good place." He glanced out towards the kitchen. "At least I hope we are."
"I'm sure you'll figure out the details along the way." David smiled. "For now, let's enjoy a family meal, and remember all the good times."
Emma and Mary Margaret announced that dinner was ready and the two men walked to the dining table and the four sat down to enjoy the family meal. It was a joyful evening with a lot of stories shared of his time on the road. The Nolans shared some of the new things that had happened in Storybrooke in the past twelve years. Mary Margaret spoke a lot about the preparations still needed for the Halloween party.
It was a fun-filled time and when Emma got up to head home, she easily deflected her mother's inquiries on where Killian was staying. "He'll be staying at my place." When her mother gave her a pointed stare Emma merely rolled her eyes. "I have a spare room, you know." Then she bid her parents goodnight and pulled Killian along out into the cold Autumn air.
"Well, that wasn't awkward." Killian mused, following her to her car.
"Oh, my mother will survive, I'm sure." Emma buckled her seatbelt and started the car, giving him a smile. "And just so you know I don't think you'll be using the spare room." Her face flamed in a blush. "I mean if you want to you can, but I really… I thought you might…"
"Emma?"
"Yeah?"
"I'll be happy to share your bed with you." He smirked. "But nothing needs to happen but sleep if that is what you desire."
Emma mumbled something under her breath that sounded much like, "Oh I have plenty I desire." But she gave him a bright smile and said loudly, "Let's go home then."
Killian nodded and settled back in his seat, this trip to Storybrooke was already becoming far better than expected.
Killian woke up with his arms wrapped around Emma, still fully dressed in her sleepwear. He smiled as Emma shifted in her sleep mumbling something about the sun.
"Perhaps you should sleep a bit more, love." Killian chuckled and placed a kiss on her temple.
"Hmm. Love you." Emma mumbled and burrowed her face into the pillow.
"Love you too." He slipped out from behind her and padded to the bathroom to take a shower.
Twenty minutes later Killian ventured down in her kitchen and searched the cupboards for something to make for breakfast. The selection was sparse since Emma didn't seem to do much cooking. He would rather not eat her sweet Poptarts, so he opted for a batch of pancake mix.
He started the coffeemaker and began preparing the pancake mix, then he found a griddle so he could make their breakfast.
Killian's back was turned to the door, but he heard the stairs creak and smiled to himself as the footfall of his sleepy swan entered the kitchen. Soon a pair of arms wrapped around his waist. "Um, something smells nice." Emma nuzzled into his back.
"Just pancakes out of the box." He chuckled. "Since my girlfriend had nothing else."
Emma laughed. "I wasn't speaking about the pancakes." She took a deep breath, her nose brushing over his back.
"Is that so?" He twisted around in her arms and captured her lips in a deep kiss.
They kept kissing, and he ended up mumbling, "To hell with the pancakes," and used one hand to slide the griddle off the burner and turned off the heat. He then pushed Emma back toward the kitchen island. Emma moaned against his mouth and pressed herself closer to him while tangling her fingers in his hair. The pressure of her body against his had his blood rush south, and he knew it wouldn't be long before Emma would feel the extra hardness against her.
The sudden jangle of the door slamming shut had them both jump apart and look towards the hallway.
"I brought breakfast, I thought we could go over the details for the Halloween party, you know I wanted to see if Killian has his…" Mary Margaret's voice trailed off as she tilted her head and finished, "If Killian has a costume." Shaking her head confused, "Did I interrupt something?"
"Uh, we were making pancakes," Emma mumbled, her hand still on Killian's waist.
"Oh." Mary Margaret's eyes blew wide as if she suddenly realized what she'd really been interrupting. "Perhaps I should come back after you finish your… eh pancakes."
Killian could have sworn he saw a slight blush creep up the woman's face.
"I suddenly lost my appetite," Killian mumbled, brushing his lips against Emma's temple. "I need a shower." A really cold shower this time, he thought as he hurried out of the room leaving the two women behind.
When he returned, Emma and her mother were pouring over a binder filled with various Halloween inspirations.
"How big is this party, anyway?" Killian asked and slipped into the seat next to Emma who pushed a plate with pancakes to him.
"Oh, you're speaking with the queen of party planning." Emma laughed and pointed at her mother. "She's this town's best party planner, so the city council usually turns to my mother to help organize town parties like this."
"I see." Killian gave Emma's mother a smile.
"Oh, stop it." Mary Margaret waved them off with a bashful smile, while her eyes still dropped to the massive binder.
"Mom, I still need to make that last item for my costume, can I still come by the school this afternoon?" Emma asked and swiped her last bite of pancake over her plate, picking up the remaining syrup.
"Sure, meet me in the arts and crafts room by 2 o'clock. I should be ready then."
"Costume?" Killian asked with a smirk. "Care to share?"
"Nope," Emma said, chuckling.
"Awe dang I thought you could match my pirate swagger and be my swashbuckling wench," Killian smirked.
"Your costume is a pirate?" Emma asked delightedly, "Jack Sparrow?"
"Nah not that nutter." Killian laughed when both women gasped in outrage. "I always had a fondness for the classic, so I'll be going as Captain Hook himself." He leaned back in his seat waiting for their reaction.
Emma wrinkled her nose while Mary Margaret frowned. It was Emma who spoke first. "Please don't say that you'll be wearing a ridiculously large hat and a permed wig. I'm not sure I would stop laughing if you did." She chuckled as if she had already pictured the image inside her head.
"Nope, it will be a different take on the ol' pirate. But don't worry, I'll have you swooning at my feet, love." Killian grinned when Emma suddenly found her glass to take a sip of her juice as if his comment had rattled her somehow.
"What do you mean?" Mary Margaret asked curiously, her head tilted as she regarded him with open interest.
"Ah," he rubbed behind his ear, suddenly realizing that Emma's mother was still at the table. "Let's just say it's a bit more suave and steampunk-ish."
"Oh, that will be interesting," Mary Margaret mused, before looking at her daughter. "You could change your costume to match his."
"Nope, not gonna change this."
"Why?" Killian asked.
"Because this is a sort of personal thing for me." Emma shrugged and pushed her plate out of the way so she could rest her arms on the table. "Like connected to the fantasy story I've been writing."
"Ah, yeah the one with the dragon shifter princess, so you'll be in a princess dress?" He lifted a bemused eyebrow, trying to picture Emma in a fancy glittering princess gown.
"Good heavens no!" Emma exclaimed. "Let's just say that the main character in my story is a far cry from your usual princess so don't get any ideas in that head of yours, Mr. Jones." She waggled her finger at him, shaking her head.
"Interesting, I can't wait to see your costume then." He finished his pancake and collected their plates wanting to help clean them up.
But Mary Margaret rose from her seat and took them from him. "No please let me do that, it's the least I can do after interrupting your, eh… pancake making." She rushed to the sink busying herself with the cleaning.
Emma groaned beside him and he looked down at her with a smile. "What's wrong, love?"
"I'll never be able to eat pancakes again." She hid her face in her hands.
"Why ever not?"
"I'll be thinking about the, you know, our kiss and my mother walking in on us." Emma's voice was still muffled by her hands so Killian was sure that her mother hadn't heard them.
"We can always recreate that scene another day." He kissed the top of her hair. "And perhaps remember to lock the door."
"My mother has a key," Emma mumbled, looking up at him. "But I'm sure she won't pull that stunt again, I think we shocked her a bit." She glanced over her shoulder. "My mom can be a whirlwind sometimes, but she does it all with a good heart."
"I know," Killian reassured her.
Emma stretched her body and proclaimed, "Do you want to take a walk down Main Street, a lot has happened since you moved away." Her eyes darkened a little but she gave him a big smile.
Killian knew that thinking about the past was hurting her and all he wanted for them now was to create new and better memories. "Aye, I'd love that."
"I'll just take a shower and be ready in twenty." Emma got to her feet and kissed his cheek, before hurrying up the stairs, leaving Killian alone with her mother.
Killian took the coffee mugs from the table and carried them to the kitchen. When Mary Margaret saw him she smiled. "Thank you, Killian." She let the mugs soak in some water and turned to him, "We're happy to have you back."
"Uh." Killian rubbed behind his ear. "Thanks." He looked out over the kitchen, not sure what to say.
"Emma cared for you back then." She wiped her hands with the towel. "I know your life since then has been a rollercoaster ride."
"You could say that, aye."
Mary Margaret turned to look directly at him. "There will always be a place for you here in Storybrooke if the limelight gets a bit too crazy."
"That is good to know," Killian smiled. "The past three years have been a crazy whirlwind of concerts, working in the studio, and releasing new music."
"Now you can also add acting to that list." Mary Margaret said with a bemused smile.
"You saw the movie?" He lifted his eyebrows in surprise.
"Of course we did, Emma had even sent out an invite for us to join her at the premiere party." Mary Margaret shrugged. "We thought about it but waited to go see it with her in the local movie theater."
"Oh, so you liked it?"
"It's absolutely wonderful." Mary Margaret leaned against the kitchen table. "Can't believe my little girl has grown up writing stories that sell and become movies."
"You have every right to be proud of her," Killian said, shifting back and forth on his feet, eager to go on the walk with Emma.
"We are, everyone is still talking about her here in Storybrooke." She beamed. "So might expect people to want to talk."
"I can deal with people, it's more the press and paparazzi that I regret being part of this life I live right now."
"It seems as if you're dealing with it wonderfully." Mary Margaret patted his arm reassuringly.
"Thank you." He glanced towards the stairs.
"I'll leave you now, have a nice walk."
"Aye, until next time."
"Next time I'll ring the doorbell." Mary Margaret said with a small smirk before she walked to the hallway and called up the stairs. "I'll be going now, darling. See you at the school."
Emma called out a loud, "Okay." And Mary Margaret waved at Killian a final time before slipping out of the house.
Their walk was pleasant, and true to Mary Margaret's words a few people crossing their path stopped them to talk about the movie. Everyone liked it and raved on and on about how proud they were of Emma, and him too. A few had recognized him from when he was a teenager and were even more pleased to see a familiar face among them.
They ended by the docks and stood for a while looking over the water. Killian stepped behind Emma and wrapped his arms around her. "So still not going to reveal the costume you'll be wearing for Halloween?" He nuzzled into her neck and nibbled at her soft skin.
"Nope." Emma sighed and leaned back against him, "I want it to be a surprise, but as you know it will be my character from my book, so you might have an idea how she'll look."
Killian recalled the times she'd spoken about her book and the characters. "A badass dragon shifter princess. So what do you need your mother's help with?"
"Her weapon." Emma craned her neck and looked back at him. "She does have a rather spectacular weapon."
"Can't wait to see you all dressed up."
"Oh, right back at ya' buddy." Emma turned around in his arms. "Why didn't you say you had a Hook costume."
"I hope it can stand for inspection." Killian rubbed behind his ear. "It will differ greatly from the old versions you've seen in movies."
"I can't wait to see you." Emma blinked up at him with a smile, before she pressed herself closer claiming his lips in a sweet kiss.
Killian only hummed in response and kissed her back, while in the back of his mind hoping that the good people living in Storybrooke would keep their phones in their pockets.
They opted for a quick lunch at Granny's. It still amazed Killian to see the old woman, Granny, still running the diner with her usual sharp tongue and sweet smile. It was good to be back here, a few shops had changed since he moved away but there were still a lot of familiar faces.