The Mind

Chapter 38

On Saturday, David and Emma had agreed to go out to dinner with Killian and Mary Margaret. Emma didn't really want to talk about her birth parents. All she knew was that her mother was murdered and her father was a crazy scientist who had gone practically insane. It wasn't exactly a thing that she wanted to bring up out of the blue.

"Swan." She could hear him calling her name, but it wasn't processing through her mind. "Emma?" Her head jolted up as she looked at Killian. He made his way over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "You were lost in your thoughts. Tell me, what were you thinking about, love."

"Tonight. I-I don't want to talk about my dad or my mom or what happened as a baby. I just want to talk about us. Our future. What we are going to do tomorrow. What we did yesterday. I don't want to think about how screwed up everything is in my life because for once, I have something good. I have a job I like. A guy I love. After everything unpredictable, I have you. Someone who won't be predictable and doesn't have to either." Emma brought her hand up and cupped his cheek. He let his head fall into her hand and smiled. "I ask myself everyday- more than normal now, is what I have done to ever get you."

"Reward. I told you before that everything you had to endure, is that this is your reward for having to go through that stuff." He pulled away and helped her up from the bed. "We must get ready for our dinner with David and Mary Margaret tonight." She nodded and got up, grabbed the navy blue dress that was hung up in the closet and rushed into the bathroom to change and get ready to go.

When both Emma and Killian were finished getting ready forty minutes later, he met her by the front door. He was wearing a black tux with a navy blue tie that matched her dress. Emma's dress went down to her knees and had elegant folds down the skirt. It had thin straps over her shoulders. She curled her hair and left it hanging over her shoulders and back. Killian's jaw dropped when she came down the stairs in her silver heels. A smile formed on her face as she became distracted for a moment, missing the last step and falling. But, Killian was faster. He caught her in his arms, successfully stopping her from hitting the ground.

"Thank you," she said with a blush as he helped her to her feet again. "I guess I'm better in a pair of sneakers than heels."

"Nonsense, darling. It's probably because I am so devilishly handsome. Don't worry," he smirked, "I tend to have that affect on women."

She playfully shoved his chest, "we should go."

"Yes, but first, I think that your dress is missing something."

"What? Oh God, did I not pull up the zipper? Worse, is it stuck in my underwear?"

"No, no," he laughed. He pulled something out of his pocket and kneeled down on one knee. "Emma Swan, I know you have already agreed to be my wife, but I wanted to do it formally. I want men to see the ring on your left hand and know you are mine. That a woman as beautiful as you is already spoken for. I want to love you and hold you in my arms and whisper sweet words into your ears for the rest of our days. For there isn't a thing that I want more of. You are like my drug. I can't get enough and I can't shake the habit. But I don't want to. When I'm with you, it's like I'm on a high and I never want to get down from either. I love you so much. Will you marry me?"

Tears welled in her eyes. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!" She held out her hand and he slipped the ring onto her finger. He stood up and they kissed, possibly smearing her lipstick but neither of the adults cared. He was about to start trailing kisses down her neck when she popped out of her trance. She tugged on his hair, pulling him away from her skin. His eyes were blown wide with lust. "Easy there tiger, we have to go to dinner."

"Bloody hell," he mumbled. "Fine. You look absolutely beautiful in that dress, but I would love to see it on the floor even more." Killian reached around and squeezed her ass, making her jump and giggle. "You ready?"

"Yeah." Emma grabbed her phone and they left the house.

-----

"Emma, I wanted to tell you something," David said, a stern and serious look on his face. "I'm getting older and the precinct thought that it would be best if in a few months, I start looking for a replacement as captain."

"You should get most out of your job, David. Have fun with the few years you have left," Emma told him, taking a sip of her water.

"I intend to do that, but until then, I have to start weighing my options. Once I retire, I will need someone to take over as captain. I want that to be you."

Her jaw dropped. "What?"

"Yeah. I know. I want you to take over the responsibility of being captain of the precinct. All you will have to do is sign some paperwork. What do you think?"

"I'll do it," Emma said. She stood up and hugged the older man. "This means so much to me, David. You don't even know."

"I don't have to. I can see it in your eyes."

"How about we get some dessert?" Killian suggested, flagging over the waitress,

"Wonderful idea, Killian," Mary Margaret said, picking up the dessert menu.

Emma shared a look with Killian before wrapping her arm around him. "Our hero." She brushed her nose against his cheek, his stubble scratching the tip of her nose. "My hero," she whispered in his ear, then pulling away to order her dessert.