Four's A Crowd

Chapter 4 - All the way back

Henry walked back downstairs to tell Emma about Killian.

"Hey, mom... Killian said he won't be down tonight-again..."

"Dammit," Emma said, "that's three times this week... I'll talk to him, did you clean your room?"

"No, but I'll go do it now."

Henry went back upstairs, while Emma poured the noodles into the pot. Then she went upstairs.

Knocking on the door and walking in "Killian Jones, I don't care how you feel, I need you at dinner tonight-"

"Love, I'm not coming."

"Yes you are!" Emma was yelling now, "I need you Killian, Henry needs you. I need you to be the man I fell in love with! I need you to be Henry's father figure! I need you to step up and help out around the house! I need you to stop drawing!" Through the tears she tried to push out the last bit, "I need you-"

But Killian was already standing, wrapping her in his arms.

"Shhhhh. It's okay love. I'm here, I'll always be here. I can be what you need, I just need time."

Emma, now fully embracing the tears, let herself sink into his strong arms. She breathed in his scent, and let herself go. Back to the days when their love was new, back to before Killian died, back to before she subjected Killian to the darkness, back to before she sacrificed her self to the darkness. Back to when he tied the bandage to her hand at the Giants castle. Way back to the first time she saw him in the enchanted forest. All the way back...

Killian was still holding her, and showed no signs of letting go.

"Dammit, the noodles!" Emma exclaimed, wiping her face.

"It's okay love, I'll take care of dinner. You go lay down, I'll tell you when dinner is ready."