Pet for Rent

by JLRob64

Emma Swan tries to cheer up her heartbroken son by 'renting' a dog from the local animal shelter. When she attempts to do it a second time, she makes a mistake, and realizes the dog has been rented by someone else the same day - a very handsome man named Killian Jones. Written in memory of my beloved dog Zeke (whose original name was Ernie) & in honor of our new rescue, Winston.

4. The Happy Ending

Winston's routine between the two households was firmly established during the next month. He spent weekdays with Killian at his apartment, and evenings at Emma and Henry's house. On the weekends, all four of them spent as much time together as possible.

Emma and Killian were both happy to see that the dog was housebroken and didn't require a lot of extra work. He did crave attention at times and demonstrated some behaviors that made them think he still had some puppy in him, but the three humans were consistent in their training to stop him from jumping up and barking excessively.

From the very first night he spent with them, he didn't need to be put outside until morning, and slept soundly on Henry's bed. The boy and dog formed a fast friendship and once again, Emma had her happy-go-lucky son back. He kept a picture of Ernie on his dresser and mentioned how much he still missed him from time to time, but the joy of having a new dog was healing his heart.

On Fridays and Saturdays, Killian would stay for a few hours after Emma got Henry into bed. They watched television, had lengthy conversations and kissed…a lot. Once they were sure Winston was acclimated to his new environment, they were able to plan another date to eat out and see a movie.

Their relationship was deepening, but they had yet to declare their love for one another. Killian was sure of his feelings for Emma, but didn't want to spook her by saying anything. Emma wanted to make sure what she felt wasn't just an infatuation. She had only fallen in love with one other man and had her heart shattered into a million pieces. She couldn't afford to be wrong about her feelings again, especially since she now had Henry to take into consideration.

The bond between Henry and Killian was getting stronger as well. The two of them watched sporting events on TV, played video games, worked on training Winston and built Lego sets together. Emma was happy her son had a male figure in his life now, but worried about what would happen if Killian decided to move away from Storybrooke.

The first substantial snowfall of the season happened on a Friday in early December. School was letting out at noon due to the storm, which put Emma in a bind. Ashley couldn't watch him because she was away for the weekend. Emma had already arranged to take off work at three o'clock instead of five, but she wasn't able to leave another three hours early.

When she considered who else would be willing to help, the next person who came to mind was Killian. As she quickly placed the call, she tapped her fingernails nervously on the desk.

He answered before she even heard it connect. "Swan! This is a nice surprise."

"You might not think so when I tell you why I'm calling."

She could hear the instant concern in his voice when he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"They're letting school out in half an hour because of the weather and Ashley is out of town. I can't get off work until three o'clock and I need somebody to pick Henry up and watch him until…"

"Calm down, Love," he interrupted. "Winston and I will pick him up and take him home."

"Are you sure you don't mind? I don't want to take you away from your work…"

"No worries. I'm finished for the day because I already put in extra hours this week."

"Oh, good," she said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'll call the school and tell them you'll be picking him up. Since you're not an authorized pick-up person, you'll have to go inside to fill out a form when you get there. I'll also text Mary Margaret and let her know. I really, really appreciate this, Killian."

"It's truly no problem, Love. I'll get Winston ready to go right now. We should be there in about twenty minutes. Will that work?"

"That's perfect. I need to warn you that it's probably going to be a bit chaotic in the school office because of the early release."

"Duly noted. I'll send you a text when I've collected Henry and we're in the car ready to go home."

"Thanks, again. You're a lifesaver."

Ending the call, she sent up a prayer of thanks and went back to work.

XXXXXXXXX

Emma was right about the chaos in the office. Killian had to wait several minutes before they could verify who he was and hand him a form to complete. Just as he was signing his name at the bottom, Mary Margaret ushered Henry in the door, along with two of her other students, whose parents were also waiting.

"Killian!" Henry cried, spotting him immediately.

"Hello, lad. Your mom asked me to pick you up."

"Yeah, Mrs. Nolan told me. Thanks!"

"You'll have to sign him out," Mary Margaret explained, gesturing to the line of parents who were waiting to do that very thing. "Be careful driving home."

"Thank you. You do the same," Killian responded, stepping behind the last person in line.

Once Henry was properly signed out, they slipped and slid through the accumulating snow to where Killian had parked the car. Winston started barking from inside as soon as he caught sight of his boy.

While Henry greeted the dog and got himself buckled in, Killian texted Emma, then started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. So far, the snow was just making the roads slushy, but with such precious cargo in the back seat, he drove with extra caution.

By the time Emma arrived home three hours later, the snow was making travel hazardous. Killian heard her come in the door and paused the video game he and Henry were playing.

She was stomping off her boots and shaking the snow out of her hair when he greeted her. "Did you have any trouble, Love?"

"The roads are terrible and the snow is picking up, which means they're only going to get worse."

He helped her out of her coat and hung it on one of the hooks on the wall. As she sat on a bench to pull off her boots, he scratched behind his ear and said wistfully, "Perhaps I should just go home now, if they're getting that bad."

She glanced up at him, then back down as she finished her task. Once both of her boots were sitting on the rug, she stood and looked toward the living room. "What's Henry doing?"

"We were playing a video game. He's probably waiting for me to rejoin him."

"Let me go say hi to him, then I have something to ask you."

"Okay, but first…" he said, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a tender kiss. "Welcome home, Love. I'm very glad you made it safely."

"Mmm, me too, especially when I get a greeting like that." After giving him one more kiss, she linked their hands and led the way to the living room. Henry was sitting on the couch petting Winston, who was laying beside him. Both of them perked up when the adults entered the room, a wide grin splitting Henry's face, while Winston thumped his tail on the cushions.

"Hey, kid. How was school today?"

"Great! I wish we could get out early every day!"

Emma laughed. "I wouldn't count on it. Were you able to go to art class? I know how you look forward to it."

"We still got to go and I finished my Rainbow Fish project. It turned out really good!"

"Oh, yeah? Did you bring it home?"

"No, it had to finish drying. Mrs. Fisher said she wants to hang it up in the hallway."

"Maybe I'll schedule a day to come in and have lunch with you, and you can show it to me then. How does that sound?"

"Cool! I love it when you have lunch with me!"

"I know. I love it, too. Let me know when it's hung up, okay?" She watched him nod his agreement, then asked, "What have you three boys been up to this afternoon?"

"We went out and played in the snow for a little while, but it got too windy and cold. Killian made hot chocolate when we came inside. Winston loved the snow, didn't you, boy?"

"He was trying to catch all of the snowflakes," Killian laughed. "Then he started eating the snow on the ground. He's such a funny pooch."

"Show her the picture you took, Killian," Henry urged.

Killian pulled his phone out of his front pocket and opened his photo gallery. Holding it so Emma could see, he said, "I took several pictures and a couple of videos."

As he started scrolling through them, he didn't see the doey-eyed look she gave him before directing her attention to what he was showing her. When he came to the last picture, she burst out laughing. In it, Henry was kneeling on the ground beside Winston, who had snow all over his muzzle.

"He looks like he has a white beard," she giggled.

"Aye, Whitebeard the Weird, distant relative of Blackbeard the Pirate," Killian chuckled.

Emma laughed again, then asked her son, "Where did you put your wet clothes?"

"Killian put them in the dryer."

"Henry showed me where it was located."

"Thank you. He usually lets them lay in a heap inside the door." Turning back to Henry, she said, "What else did you do?"

He picked up the Nintendo Switch controller, gesturing to the TV with it. "We played video games until you got home."

"Sounds like you guys had a good time."

"We did," Henry assured her. "And don't worry, Mom. I thanked Killian for everything."

"Aye, he did. Henry has very good manners, don't you, lad?" Killian said, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Yeah. Are you ready to finish our game?"

"Your mother wanted to talk to me about something first, then I should probably head home. She said the roads are getting bad."

Henry's shoulders drooped. "But I thought you would stay like you always do on Fridays."

Emma said, "Henry, why don't you play a game by yourself for a while, so I can talk to Killian?"

"Can I play Mario Kart?"

"You know the rules - only if you turned in all of your homework and didn't get your card pulled for bad behavior this week."

He jumped off the couch and grabbed his book bag from the recliner where he had tossed it when he got home. Unzipping it, he pulled out a folder and handed it to his mom.

She took it and pulled out the papers from the 'keep at home' side, placing them on the end table to look at later. Then she took a sheet from the 'return to school' pocket. After looking it over, she gave Henry a smile and kissed him on the forehead. "Good job, kid. I'm proud of you."

While he was putting the folder back in his bag, she went to the closet and got the treasured game off the shelf above the coat rack. As soon as he got the game set up and was fully engaged in choosing his racer, Emma motioned for Killian to follow her into the kitchen.

She leaned against the front of the sink out of Henry's line of sight, and Killian stood in front of her, his hands on her hips. "What did you want to talk to me about, Swan?" he asked, a concerned crease across his forehead.

Her eyes remained focused on the floor for several moments. When she finally looked up, there were tears in them.

He stepped closer, dipping his head to scan her face. "Emma, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she answered quickly. "I just…I…I think I love you."

Killian's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Wh-what?"

"I love you. I've fallen in love with you, Killian Jones."

He surged forward, claiming the lips that just uttered the words which were music to his ears. He could have kissed her for hours, but he needed to ask her a question. "When?"

"When did I fall in love with you?" she asked, seeking to clarify.

"Aye. When did you know?"

She licked her lips. "I think I've been falling for you since the first day we met, but I wanted to make sure it's really love that I feel. I've been burned before, and with Henry to consider, I didn't want to jump right into a serious relationship. Then today, I just…I realized…I mean, you're there for me, for us. You're wonderful with Henry and it…it's not because you're trying to impress me or win my affections through my son. You honestly seem to like spending time with him. You dropped everything to pick him up today and then, those videos and pictures…you took videos and pictures of my kid because you were having fun with him."

She paused for a second and he waited, understanding she needed to gather her thoughts. "But it's not just because of Henry. That's important, but it…it's the way you make me feel. I love every minute we spend together. I can never get enough of being with you. As soon as you leave, I immediately look forward to the next time we'll see each other. I…I…oh hell, I'm rambling and not making any sense."

"You're making perfect sense. I completely understand what you're trying to say."

"You do?"

He framed her face with his hands, brushing the apples of her cheeks with his thumbs. "Aye, because I feel the same way. You're the best part of my day, whether we're texting, talking, or actually together. I truly do love spending time with Henry because he's such a great kid and I would never use him to try to impress you, Emma." He brushed a kiss across her lips. "I've known for a while, too. That I love you. I'm in love with you, Emma Swan."

The brightness of her smile was nearly blinding and it was her turn to initiate the fiery kiss. Afterwards, they stood with their foreheads pressed together, while her fingers played with the ends of his hair at the nape of his neck. "Can I ask you something?" she whispered.

"Of course, Love. Anything."

She looked into his eyes. "Are you still thinking about moving away from Storybrooke?"

"No," he answered without hesitation. "I've got every reason in the world to stay right here."

"Good."

He kissed her sweetly, then sighed. "I hate to ruin this moment, but I really should get started for home. The road conditions are probably worsening by the minute."

"Actually, that was the original reason I wanted to talk to you. I was thinking that maybe…you could…stay here tonight."

"Why, Swan," he teased, "are you inviting me to a sleepover?"

"Well, it would be a very adult sleepover," she said, watching him closely to gauge his reaction.

He tilted his head and studied her for a moment or two. "Are you saying…you want me to actually sleep with you?"

"I guess we would sleep eventually…"

"Emma, are you sure you're ready to take that next step?"

"You're not?"

"I'm not saying that at all," he said quickly. "I just…would you be comfortable having me stay with you when Henry is right down the hall? We could…we could wait until we're at my place, if you'd rather."

"This isn't spur of the moment, Killian. I've been thinking about it for a while now. I think Henry is too young to understand what it means for you to spend the night and still be here in the morning. He just loves having you here and is always sad to see you leave. I'm not saying it's going to be something that happens every night…"

"I wouldn't expect that, especially during the week, but perhaps on the weekends?"

"That's what I was thinking. Of course, we might be jumping the gun to consider more than tonight. You might be appalled by my snoring, drooling, or what I look like first thing in the morning. Or maybe we won't be…compatible…in bed."

He grinned. "I highly doubt that will be the case, Emma. Ever since the day we met, I've felt like we have a connection to each other that goes beyond friendship. I can't imagine that not transferring to the bedroom. As far as your snoring and drooling, I'm sure I'll find it to be absolutely adorable."

"Whatever you say," she scoffed. "But when you wake up with my morning breath in your face, you might change your mind."

"I'm willing to risk it," he smirked.

She began playing with the buttons on his shirt. "There's, um…there's one more thing I need to tell you."

"What's that, Love?"

After stepping away from him to check on Henry in the other room, she returned to face him again. "I haven't been…intimate with anyone since Henry's father. Henry is my world and everything else has taken a back seat."

"Which is quite understandable," Killian said. "It's been a while for me, too. After getting hurt like I did, I was in no hurry to be with another woman. You have changed so many things in my life, Emma, and I'm anxious to begin this next chapter with you and Henry."

"Don't forget Winston," she quipped.

"How could I forget Winston?" he laughed.

"Okay, so how about we get some supper and watch a movie like we usually do on Friday nights? My guess is that after the excitement of the day, Henry will be asleep before it's over."

"That sounds wonderful, Love. What were you planning to eat?"

"I was planning to order pizza, but with the roads the way they are, I think we better go with plan B."

"Which is…?"

"I have no idea."

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Do you mind if I search your cupboards a bit?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and crooned, "You can search anything you want."

"Swan, are you flirting with me to get me riled up?"

"Maybe. Is it working?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he teased.

"Perhaps I would," she answered, before scattering kisses along his throat.

"Bad form, Love," he groaned.

"You don't like it?" she asked innocently, looking up at him through her lashes.

"I like it too much, that's the problem," he said, pressing his hips against hers so she could feel the effect she was having on him.

"Okay, I'll stop…for now," she said. She started to move away and he reluctantly released her. "Dig around to your heart's content and I'll go see what movie Henry wants to watch."

Killian ended up making spaghetti with garlic toast for supper. Afterwards, they watched "Luck" on AppleTV, while munching on chocolate chip cookies Emma whipped up. She and Killian managed to make the food while sharing lots of kisses in the kitchen.

Henry didn't question Killian staying instead of going home; he was simply happy to carry on with their usual Friday evening routine. He made it through the movie without falling asleep, but was reluctant to move when it ended. Emma realized that he wanted Killian to carry him to his room, which he did, making her heart melt as she watched.

While Emma took Henry through his bedtime routine, Killian put Winston outside to do his business. Although he had cleared the patio of snow earlier in the evening, it was covered again.

When he took Winston into Henry's room after toweling him off, he reported, "I'd say there's at least six inches of snow and it's still coming down."

"Oh, boy!" Henry exclaimed, perking up. "Can you come over tomorrow to play in it with us again?"

Killian scratched behind his ear, looking to Emma for help.

"Actually kid, Killian is going to stay here overnight," she said.

"He is?"

"Yeah. The roads are pretty bad and I didn't want him to risk driving home. Is that okay with you?"

Henry gave her a puzzled look. "Sure. Why wouldn't it be okay?"

Emma shrugged. "He's never spent the night here before."

"Well, he should, because we're usually together all day on Saturdays, too. It doesn't make sense for him to go home."

Killian and Emma exchanged a look, then he bid the boy goodnight, patted Winston and left the room so she could read to her son.

After kissing Henry and closing the door to his room, she found Killian sitting on the couch. "Well, I guess that answers the question of whether it's going to bother Henry," she said, plopping down beside him.

"Aye," he chuckled, but she noticed he didn't look at her.

"Hey," she said, reaching to take his hand. "Is something wrong?"

"I, uh, I…if we're going to take that next step in our relationship, I'm concerned about what to do because I don't have any kind of protection."

"Well, I obviously don't have any STDs and I assume you don't, either."

"I don't, but what about preventing you from getting pregnant?"

"Oh, that's not a problem. I have an IUD. My doctor suggested it because I had such heavy periods after Henry was born."

"Well, that is a relief," he said, finally looking at her. "Did Henry fall asleep while you were reading to him?"

"He was out before I read half a page. He actually held out longer than I thought."

"Tomorrow will be another fun day in the snow for him."

She turned on the sofa to face him, draping her legs over his. "I was meaning to ask you - did you bring along clothes to wear out in the snow?"

"Aye. Liam advised that I keep extra clothes in the car during the winter months, so I changed into them once we came inside."

"Did you dry them with Henry's clothes?"

"I did. I hope that was alright."

"Of course. I want you to make yourself at home here. I was thinking it might be nice to put up the Christmas tree tomorrow."

"That's a wonderful idea. I'm sure Henry loves doing that."

"Oh yes, he really gets into it," she laughed. "Although I'm sure you can't imagine him getting excited about anything!"

Her sarcasm made him chuckle. "That's one reason why I enjoy being with him so much. He's enthusiastic about everything."

"You clearly haven't seen him do his chores."

"Well, that's true," he agreed with a grin. "I suppose that's typical for a kid."

"Not just a kid. I hate doing chores, too."

"You know," he said, wrapping his arms around her to pull her into his lap, "I could think of much better things to talk about than chores."

She adjusted herself so her knees were on either side of his hips, her hands on his shoulders and her forehead resting against his. "Like the fact that I love you?"

"Aye, that's a much better subject," he said, nuzzling her nose. They indulged in a long, slow kiss, while their hands roamed each other's body. "I love you, too," Killian murmured against her lips. In response, she deepened the kiss and adjusted her position, putting more pressure on his groin. "Swan…" he rasped.

"Maybe we should move to the bedroom," she whispered in his ear.

The tickling sensation and implication of her words served to increase his arousal. "I like that idea, Love."

She kissed him one more time, then pushed herself off of him. Threading her fingers through his, she tugged him to his feet. As they quietly moved down the hall, Emma stopped outside Henry's door, listening intently. Giving a nod, they continued into her bedroom and she closed the door behind them.

"He's out for the night," she commented.

"You can tell that just by listening for a few seconds?"

"He's a mouth breather, a loud one. He probably needs to have his tonsils and adenoids removed, but up until now, I haven't had a job with good insurance. I just haven't taken him to the doctor yet."

"What about Winston?"

"If he needs his tonsils and adenoids out, I'll let you pay for it," she teased.

"You're hilarious, Swan," he remarked, trying to look stern, but failing to keep the smile from taking over his face.

"Yeah, I know," she smirked. "Winston has slept through the night since the first night we brought him home."

"In that case," Killian said, sauntering into her personal space, "I guess the night is ours."

"I guess so," she said, then nervously pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

Tilting his head, he looked into her eyes for several seconds, then brushed some locks of blonde hair over her shoulder. "Emma, please don't feel like we have to go ahead with this if you're…"

"No, Killian," she interrupted firmly. "I really want this, I'm just…out of practice, I guess."

He put his hands on her waist and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "Relax, Love. Just let things happen naturally, and if they don't, then we sleep instead. No pressure, okay?"

"You know, the first time I saw you, I had to convince myself you were real. I was sure no one as handsome as you could actually exist. And now, you say something like that and I have to convince myself that you're real all over again. I mean, when a guy's girlfriend is offering them sex, how many would say it's okay if it doesn't happen?"

"Probably more than you think. I would hope there are more gentlemen than rogues out there."

Emma thought about that for a few moments, before saying, "I should wash my face and brush my teeth. Why don't you, um, get comfortable in here and I'll go take care of that."

He watched her leave the room, then ran his hands through his hair. He longed to show Emma how much he loved her, but the last thing he wanted was for her to feel uncomfortable or pressured in any way. After stripping down to his navy blue boxers and white T-shirt, he sat on the bed to wait for her to return.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, she was quietly berating herself in the mirror. "You have this sweet, sexy, perfect boyfriend in your bedroom and you come running in here like a scared rabbit. What is wrong with you?" she asked her reflection. When she didn't receive an answer, she sighed, tossed a washcloth into the sink and turned on the hot water.

After she finished in the bathroom and padded back to her room, she tapped lightly on the door before entering. Killian looked up at her from his seat on the bed, concern etched on his face. "Alright there, Swan?"

She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I, um, I laid an extra toothbrush out for you if you wanted to, um, brush your teeth," she stammered.

"Thank you, Love." He stood up and slipped out the door.

Emma used the time to change out of her clothes and into a turquoise nightshirt that barely covered her underwear. She was standing in front of her dresser brushing her hair when she heard a soft knock on the door. "Come in," she said, when it didn't open right away.

As Killian entered, she saw his reflection in the mirror. She hadn't gotten a good look at him before he left the room; but now, she saw that he was utterly tantalizing in very little clothing. It made her mouth go dry, but at the same time, made all of her nervousness vanish.

Turning toward him, she saw the anticipation on his face and quickly crossed the space between them. Standing in front of him, she reached up and cupped his face, then pulled him down to connect their lips, trying to pour every ounce of her love into the kiss.

His arms wrapped around her, pulling her snugly against himself. She'd been in his arms many times, but there were always more layers of clothing between them. Feeling his well-defined chest pressed against hers and his strong back under her roaming hands, she could feel her own body reacting.

Finally breaking the kiss, she said breathlessly, "I'm sorry for being so hesitant. I asked you to stay and then I let my nerves and insecurities get to me. It's just that, in the past, people were always letting me down…"

"Let me assure you, Love," he said, softly stroking the tips of his fingers over her cheek, "I don't intend to let you down or hurt you in any way. You mean far too much to me to ever let that happen, trust me."

Her eyes searched his, knowing she would see nothing but sincerity and love in them. "I do trust you," she whispered. Taking his hands, she backed up until the backs of her knees hit the bed, then sat down and pulled him down beside her.

"I'm yours," she said. "Make love to me, Killian."

Twisting his body, he embraced her, then rolled them until he was on top of her in the middle of the mattress. "As you wish," he grinned.

They took their time undressing each other between impassioned kisses, their lips finding the skin that was revealed with every discarded article of clothing. Killian paid special attention to Emma's bare breasts when he removed her shirt, his mouth and calloused fingers on the sensitive flesh making her body sizzle with desire.

When she pushed his boxers down his legs, her eyes widened as she took in the size of his manhood. Her hand wrapped around it, the smooth skin feeling like satin on her palm.

As she slowly stroked him, his fingers moved between her thighs, feeling the damp heat. She widened her legs as one finger made its way inside her. "Killiannn," she whined.

"Does that feel good?" he murmured into her ear.

"Yesss…so good."

"What you're doing feels good to me, too," he assured her. He pushed himself up to lean on one elbow, sweeping his eyes up and down her form. "Gods, Emma. You're the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen," he praised. "You're absolutely perfect."

Her hands moved to his chest, fingers swirling through the generous dusting of hair. "So are you." The fingers of one hand followed the dark trail of hair down his belly and between his legs to fondle his testicles, satisfied when she heard his sharp intake of breath.

They continued to explore, working one another up until both were panting and pleading. Killian took his time ensuring that Emma was prepared, using his fingers around and inside her opening to make her slick with arousal. At the same time, her attention to his cock and the way she scratched her fingernails over the skin of his chest and back made him the hardest he'd ever been.

As he sucked love marks into the soft skin of her breast and rubbed his thumb over her clit, she gasped, "Killian, I…I'm ready."

He looked up at her through his long, dark lashes. Her skin was flushed, her tongue licking at her kiss-swollen lips. As his eyes connected with her lust-filled green ones, a rush of love and longing crashed over him. "I love you, Emma," he said, moving up to seal the declaration with another kiss.

"I love you, too. So much," she replied, running her fingers through his damp strands of hair. Then she shifted on the bed so he could settle between her thighs.

Holding himself above her on one elbow, he reached down to grasp his cock, rubbing it through her slick, wet folds, then slowly began pushing forward. His eyes scanned up her body to study her face, hoping to catch any sign of discomfort in her features. He halted his progress when he detected a slight grimace. "Does that hurt?" he asked.

"No, no," she assured him. "It burns a little, but mostly it feels…amazing. Please don't stop."

He was happy to hear those words, because being only partially inside her felt incredible, and he yearned to keep going. Dropping his elbow down to the other side of her body, he pulled back a little, then pressed forward again, going deeper inch by inch, until he was fully engulfed in her warm, tight sheath.

Resting his head on her chest, he ground out, "Bloody hell, Emma. You feel fucking fantastic."

She skimmed her hands through his hair. "It feels like you were made for me," she whispered. Bending her knees, she pulled her feet up beside his hips and gave a slight thrust of her pelvis.

He got the hint and began rocking slowly, savoring every moan and gasp from her. Sensing that she had adjusted to his size, he pulled out until only his tip was still inside, then slid all the way back in with one stroke, gradually picking up the pace.

"Faster…deeper," she begged.

He obliged, thrusting into her several times in quick succession. Her hips raised off the bed to meet him every time, while her fingers gripped his hair almost painfully.

"Killian, I can't…I'm going to…"

"Let go, Love," he encouraged, knowing she was right on the edge.

Throbbing heat and a sudden flood of wetness around his cock told him that she followed his command. She crossed her ankles behind his back, trying to pull him closer, while her head thrashed back and forth on the pillow.

He stilled within her, trying to delay his own climax. As good as it felt to have her pulsing around him, he didn't want it to end so soon.

"T-top," she mumbled.

"You want to be on top?"

"Mmhmm."

After wrapping his arms around her, he carefully rolled them over. Emma planted her hands on his chest and pushed herself up, her knees tight against his hips. His hands gripped her forearms as she began lifting and lowering her pelvis, his cock sliding in, then almost out of her over and over again.

Killian was muttering a steady string of praises, telling her how perfect she was and how good she felt. Raising his head, his mouth found one of her nipples, alternately rolling his tongue over it and sucking hard. The effect caused her rhythm to stutter and she threw her head back, letting out a long, guttural moan of his name.

Feeling his release growing imminently closer, he started thrusting up into her. His hand moved down to find her clit, rubbing it roughly as he groaned, "Come again, Emma. Please come, Love. I…I can't…"

With one final slide down on him, she did, shuddering and shaking as she cried out, "Yes! Yes, Killian!"

Watching her ecstasy, hearing her shouts and feeling her pulse around him brought him to his peak, too. He jerked and spasmed, spurting hot streams of cum inside her.

When she collapsed on top of him several moments later, he held her close, murmuring words of adoration into her hair. Gradually, their breathing and heart rates returned to normal, and Killian groped around the bed, finding the blanket and pulling it over the top of them.

Emma sighed happily, pressing kisses to his throat and collarbone. "That was amazing! I know it's been a while, but I don't remember sex ever being that good."

"Well, that's because you've never done it with me before," he chuckled. Hearing her hum of agreement, he added, "It's never been like that for me, either. Then again, I've never loved anyone like I love you. I think that's what made it so much more intense and meaningful."

She lifted her head and rested her chin on his sternum, looking into his face. "I'm sure you're right about that. I'm very glad we decided to take this next step. I feel like we're more closely connected now." She wiggled her hips, causing his softening length to shift inside her. "In more ways than one."

He grinned and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ears. "Meeting you and Henry is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Leaning forward, she kissed him; a slow, tender kiss that communicated her feelings more than words ever could. They cuddled a while longer before Emma slipped her shirt back on and went to the bathroom to clean up, bringing a warm washcloth back so Killian could do the same. After he put his boxers on and visited the bathroom himself, they burrowed under the covers, intertwining themselves and sharing more kisses until they finally drifted off to sleep - content, sated and thoroughly in love.

XXXXXXXXX

Emma awoke slowly the next morning, the smell of coffee tickling her nose. When her foggy brain remembered what happened the night before, she reached over to find the other side of the bed empty. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and stretched.

She felt pleasantly sore in all the right places and smiled when she remembered how she had awakened in the middle of the night to find Killian watching her sleep. The sliver of moonlight seeping in through the slight opening between the curtains illuminated his mischievous blue eyes. It was then she realized he had worked her shirt up above her breasts and was gently massaging them. Soon they were engaged in round two, finding more ways to bring pleasure to one another.

Flinging back the blanket, she grabbed a robe out of her closet and put it on as she walked down the hall. She could hear Henry chattering before she reached the kitchen.

"...and after we play in the snow, we can play more games and watch movies and…"

"Slow down, lad," she heard Killian say, his gruff morning voice sending shivers down her spine. "I think your mother has some plans for us today."

"That's right," she said, joining them. "I think you'll like what I have planned." Peeking over Henry's shoulder, she asked, "What are you eating, kid?"

"Killian made egg in a basket!" he said excitedly. "It's really good and he told me he would teach you how to make it too, if you want."

"Is that so?" she asked, passing behind the 'chef' and discreetly pinching his side.

"Bad form, Swan," he chided playfully. "And to think I made coffee and breakfast for you."

"Sorry," she said, stretching to her tiptoes to kiss the underside of his scruffy jaw. He turned so her next kiss was to his lips.

"You guys are being gross," Henry complained, making the couple laugh. "So what are we doing today, Mom?"

She poured herself a mug of coffee, splashed some creamer into it, then leaned against the counter to take a sip before answering, "I thought we would put up the Christmas tree and decorate it. How does that sound?"

"YAY!" Henry shouted. Winston started barking from where he lay under the table.

"Winston, enough!" Killian commanded and the dog quieted immediately.

"Good morning, sweet boy," Emma said, bending down to ruffle his ears. "I didn't see you under there." Straightening up, she asked her son, "Did you already feed him?"

Henry's ears reddened. "Uh, no. I forgot."

Emma gave him a stern look. "You know you're supposed to feed your dog before you sit down to eat, young man."

"I know. I'm sorry," he said, hopping out of his seat and going to the pantry where the dog's food was stored.

"Apologize to Winston, not me."

Henry scooped out the food and dumped it into Winston's bowl. "I'm sorry, boy," he said, as he set it down beside the refrigerator where the dog sat waiting.

Killian laughed as he watched Winston inhaling his food like he was afraid it was going to disappear. "I think he forgives you, lad." Looking at Emma, he added, "I already put him outside to do his business. The snow is up to his belly, but he found a spot by the side of the house that wasn't quite as deep."

"How long have you been up?" she questioned.

Killian glanced at the clock on the microwave. "Almost an hour."

"Wow, you're a morning person. It usually takes me half-an-hour just to pry my eyes open and get out of bed, especially on a Saturday."

"Well, you know what they say - opposites attract," he said, setting a plate of food in front of her and sitting down beside her with his own.

As they began to eat, Henry returned to the table and asked, "When are we gonna put up the tree, Mom?"

"You can help decide. Do you want to do it before or after we play in the snow?"

He thought for a second. "Let's go outside first. Can we bake gingerbread cookies like we did last year, when we decorated the tree?"

"I'm afraid not. We don't have the necessary ingredients for that kind of cookie."

Seeing Henry's disappointed look, Killian said, "I know a good recipe for sugar cookies. Do you like that kind? I know your mother has all the ingredients for them."

Henry perked up again. "Yeah! Can we decorate them? We have sprinkles left from when you tried to make cupcakes for Avery's birthday, remember?"

"Ugh, don't remind me of that fiasco," Emma groaned, making Henry giggle.

Killian looked between the two of them. "Why was it a fiasco?"

She covered her face with her hands as she answered, "I forgot the baking powder."

"Do you mean to say," he began, trying to contain his laughter, "that you baked cupcakes and didn't put any baking powder in them?"

Dropping her hands, she replied indignantly, "Hey, it happens to the best of us. I've seen episodes of the Great British Baking Show where the bakers forget to put in key ingredients."

"Point taken. Did you take the cupcakes to the party?"

"Are you kidding? They looked like hockey pucks! Of course I didn't take them to the party."

Killian laughed heartily, while Emma tried and failed to give him a reproving look. Instead, she dissolved into laughter, too.

"Mom picked up cupcakes at the grocery on the way to the party," Henry said, then shoved another bite of food into his mouth.

"Well, I promised to bring them, so I had to do something."

"Very resourceful, Swan."

By the end of breakfast, they had the day's schedule worked out. They played in the snow as soon as they were all dressed, then drank hot chocolate and baked cookies. While waiting for the cookies to be cool enough to ice and decorate, Henry and Killian brought the small artificial tree in from the garage.

As they were setting it up, Emma explained, "Henry wants to have a live tree, but I told him he needs to be a little older, because I don't think I could get one unloaded and set up by myself."

"Ah, well, if it weren't for the fact we're snowed in today, I could have helped you with that," Killian said. "Perhaps next year."

"Yeah, that would be nice," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "I hope we'll still be together by then."

He pulled her against him, wrapping her in his warm embrace. "I have every confidence we will, Love."

The day was the most fun any of them could remember. They decorated cookies and the tree while listening to Christmas music, played some board games, then watched two Christmas movies with only the lights from the tree and television illuminating the living room. Killian sat on the couch between Emma and Henry, both of whom were snuggled close to his side.

Emma and Killian shared many affectionate caresses and kisses throughout the day, unable to keep from touching each other. That evening, after Henry and Winston were in bed, they spooned on the sofa, quietly discussing plans for the next day, Christmas and New Years Eve.

Both of them were hopeful and excited about their future together.

XXXXXXXXX

Eight Months Later

"Great pass, Nicholas!" Killian shouted, running along the sidelines to coach his players. "Keep it under control, Grace! Get open, Henry! There he is! Pass it, Grace!"

As Henry's kick sent the soccer ball flying into the goal, Emma leaped from her seat with a cheer, causing Winston to jump up and start barking. Everyone around them laughed, used to the excitable black dog who was always at the games to watch his young master.

When the game ended, Killian's team was victorious for the third week in a row. Henry shook hands with the other team, then sprinted over to his mom and Winston.

"Good game, kid!" Emma exclaimed, returning his hug. "Your team is doing great this year."

"That's because we have the best coach in the whole world!" he beamed, taking Winston's leash from her as the dog jumped around him enthusiastically.

Emma watched Killian gather his clipboard and Henry's water bottle. Several parents approached him to offer their words of appreciation, and she smiled as he humbly accepted them.

He really was too good to be true, except that he absolutely was…and he was hers.

She turned to fold up her lawn chair and collect Winston's favorite ducky toy, and soon felt two strong arms wrap around her from behind.

"Congratulations, coach," she said, twisting in his arms to kiss him.

"Thank you, Love. The team is really starting to gel, don't you think?"

"That's because, as Henry just said, they have the best coach in the world."

"He said that?" Killian asked, rubbing self-consciously behind his ear.

"Yeah, and I agree. They love playing for you, Babe."

"Well, they're fun to coach. I'm glad you talked me into it."

"Pfft," Emma scoffed. "I'm not the one who did it. It was that nine-year-old con artist who lives with us."

"He can be quite persuasive," he conceded. "Takes after his mother."

"Hey!" she said, lightly slapping his chest. "I never talk you into doing things you don't want to do."

"That's very true," he murmured into her ear. "I'm always up for what you want me to do."

She giggled and engaged him in another kiss, only to be interrupted by a loud, exasperated, "Mom! Killian! You guys are embarrassing!"

They broke apart with a laugh. "Sorry, kid," Emma said, not sounding one bit apologetic. "Ready to go home?"

"Actually, Henry and I thought it might be fun to go to the nature preserve this morning," Killian said. "Is that alright with you, Swan?"

"Sounds good to me. I'm glad I wore sneakers instead of sandals."

They headed to the car and were soon on their way to the preserve. Emma noticed Killian shifting in his seat and nervously tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Oh, um, aye. Just working out some energy left over from the game."

She studied him for several more moments, then shrugged slightly and turned to ask Henry what he wanted for lunch when they got home, later.

There were several cars in the main parking lot at the preserve, so Killian kept driving until they reached a more remote section. Winston always got distracted if there were too many people around, so they tried to stick to the paths that weren't likely to be as busy.

Once they found a place to park and were out of the car, Henry and Winston started along the path that led into the woods. Emma and Killian trailed behind, falling into easy conversation, as always. Their current topic was Belle and Liam, who were due to return from their honeymoon the following day. Despite being wed at the beginning of June, the couple waited to go on their trip until August, because Liam could get airline tickets for a much better price late in the summer.

"Bloody wanker, always after a discount," Killian grumbled, not for the first time. "Even for his honeymoon!"

"Belle didn't seem to mind," Emma pointed out. "She was excited because the best time to see Beluga Whales in Alaska is during the month of August. I hope they were able to see some."

"Aye, me too. That's probably the reason Liam booked it for this month, anyway. He just wants to make everyone think he's a miser."

Emma wrapped her arm around his more tightly and leaned into him. "I definitely got the better brother," she stated playfully.

"That you did, Love," he grinned, pressing a kiss to her temple.

After hiking for twenty minutes, they came to their favorite spot on the path - a small fishing pond surrounded by tall, reedy grass and cattails. Henry and Winston started exploring the perimeter of the water, in search of frogs. Ever since finding one at this pond earlier in the summer, they were determined to find another.

"Care to sit down for a bit, Love?" Killian asked, indicating a wooden bench.

"Yeah. I'm sure the two of them will want to stay here a while."

They sat together in comfortable silence, listening to the chirping of birds and buzz of insects. Finally, Killian turned to her and said, "We've known each other for almost a year now, haven't we?"

"We met in September, so it'll be a year next month."

"It's been the best year of my life."

"Mmhmm. Mine, too. Especially these last three months when you officially moved in with us."

"Well, I did have to live somewhere, since the lease on my apartment was up," he teased.

"Oh, so now the truth comes out," she shot back with a giggle.

"Aye," he sighed dramatically. "I only love you for your house."

"You're so full of it, Jones," she said, elbowing him in the side.

He leaned back and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side, both of them watching Henry and Winston chasing what looked like a dragonfly.

"Those two are something else," she remarked.

"They're both good boys. I'm very lucky to be part of their lives."

Emma hummed. "We're all very lucky to have you in our lives."

After another lengthy pause, he murmured, "I love you, Emma."

"I love you, too."

He slipped from his seat and knelt in front of her. "Enough to marry me?" he asked, looking up into her eyes, widened in surprise.

"Killian…wh-what are you doing?" she stammered.

"Isn't it obvious, Love? I'm proposing. But I guess I've forgotten something, haven't I?" Unbuttoning the pocket on the side of his cargo shorts, he reached in and withdrew a diamond solitaire ring, holding it up between them. "Emma, we may have met because of a mistake, but I don't think of it that way. I'm convinced it was God's plan for us to meet in just the right place at exactly the right time. You, Henry and Winston are the center of my world and that's where I want you to be for the rest of my life. So, Emma Swan, will you marry me?"

She brushed at the tears trickling down her cheeks as a huge smile crossed her face. "Yes, Killian! Of course I'll marry you!"

He took her trembling hand in his and slid the ring into place. Then he wrapped her in his arms, kissing her hair, eyes, cheeks, and finally, her lips, salty with her tears.

Their celebration was cut short when Henry asked, "Did she say yes?"

Both of them dissolved into laughter. He was notorious for interrupting them when they were kissing, whether out of disgust or because he was simply oblivious.

"Aye, lad. She did," Killian answered.

"Wait, you were in on this?" Emma asked her son.

"Yeah. Last night, Killian asked me if it was okay for him to marry you. I said it was, so that's why we decided to come here after the game today - so he could oppose."

"Propose," Killian corrected, as Emma laughed.

Henry shrugged. "Whatever. So you're getting married? We're gonna be a real family?" His excitement grew as he realized what it all meant.

"Yeah, kid. We'll officially become a family. What do you think about that?"

It wasn't a surprise to either of them that his answer was a loud, "YAY!" while Winston barked his approval, too.

XXXXXXXXX

Emma and Killian were married sixteen months later, the day before the second anniversary of when they first declared their love for each other. Fortunately, there was no snowstorm on their wedding day.

Henry proudly walked his mother down the aisle to meet Killian at the altar. The boy shook his soon-to-be stepfather's hand, then nearly tackled him in a hug, before taking his place beside Liam.

The ceremony was beautiful and perfect, which in Killian's mind, matched his bride. Everyone had a wonderful time at the reception afterwards, celebrating the couple with food and dancing. Liam's best man speech caused Killian's face to turn red with embarrassment, as everyone else's turned red with laughter.

The traditional father/daughter dance was replaced with a mother/son dance instead. As the two most important people in his life moved in small circles in the middle of the floor to the song "How Long Will I Love You?", Killian repeatedly swallowed past the lump in his throat and wiped away a stray tear or two.

While the newlyweds enjoyed a honeymoon in a tropical climate, Henry and Winston stayed with Belle and Liam. The boy and his dog slept in the spare bedroom that was in the process of being turned into a nursery for Henry's future cousin, due to arrive in two months.

Emma and Killian purchased a larger house, two blocks from the Storybrooke harbor, six months after their wedding. While they were signing the final legal papers for the sale, they were beginning another legal process.

One morning in October, Henry came into the kitchen and gave Winston an extra helping of food in celebration of their pet's 'gotcha day'. Sitting down at the table, he was excited to find his favorite breakfast of French toast with bacon on his plate, and folded pieces of paper beside it.

After drowning his food in maple syrup and taking a huge bite, he picked up the papers and asked, "What are these?"

"Open them and see," Emma said, her face glowing with excitement as she met Killian's eyes across the table.

Henry did as he was told, scanning the page until he realized that the first one was a certificate of adoption. His eyes shot up to land on Killian. "Does this mean you're officially my dad?"

"Aye, lad, I'm legally your father. I signed the final papers a couple of weeks ago. We've just been waiting for that other paper to arrive before we told you."

Henry slid the second paper out from underneath the first, his eyes widening even more. "It says Henry Andrew Jones. Is that really my name now?"

"Yeah, kid," Emma answered. "That's your new birth certificate and it names Killian as your father. What do you think?"

In answer, he jumped out of his chair and ran around the table to fly into Killian's waiting arms. "I think it's the best day of my life!" he exclaimed. "I love you, Dad!"

"I love you, too, my boy," Killian replied, a slight catch in his voice at hearing Henry call him that title for the very first time.

Henry turned to give Emma a hug, also. "It's pretty cool that Winston and I both have the same 'gotcha day'," he said.

His parents laughed. "I didn't think about that," Emma admitted.

That Christmas, their friends and family received a card which included a picture of Henry, Emma, Killian and Winston in front of their decorated, live Christmas tree. It was signed:

Happy Holidays! With love from the Jones family.

XXXXXXXXX