My Captain

Parties: Part 1

*Emma's POV *

I look my self up and down in the mirror as I put in my new earrings. I got them last night. They're sterling silver studs so I can just leave them in, and my earlobes now held gem covered anchors. The rest of me was adorned only by my second date outfit and my engagement ring.

I looked at the ground, and took a deep breath. This was all so much. An engagement party? Really? That's what I get for putting my mother in charge of planning. My eyes were closed, thinking about just 6 months ago when Gold had taken his heart.

~~~~~~~~flashback~~~~~~~~~

"Just be gen-" Killian was cut off by me slamming his heart into his chest. His expression went from his signiture smirk, to pain, to such raw emotion I couldn't quite place it. "Sorry. I thought if I did it quickly it'd be like ripping off a-" This time I was the one interrupted.

His lips crashed with mine as my back hit a wall and his hand cradled my head. I went to deepen the kiss, but Killian pulled away. "I told you, Swan," he said quietly as I bit my bottom lip. "I'm a surviovor."  I smiled back at him and looked into those amazing eyes of his for a few moments before answering. "It seems thats true. But you're also a huge idiot."

Killian chuckled. "Aye. I've become quite aware of that recently." He pulled me back to him, holding me tight around my waist. I rested my head on his chest, my arms around him, and sighed contently. Maybe now we would get a chance to breathe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The feeling of familiar arms around me broke me away from my thoughts. I looked back up into the mirror, immediately met by the eyes that enchanted me from the beginning. Taking a deep breath, I turned in his arms, wrapping mine around his neck with a smile. "You ready, love?" Killian asked with that smirk of his. I grinned. "I suppose. At least we let Henry plan this one. It can't be too bad, it's a bowling alley." I laughed again, this time at his confused expression. "I still have no idea what you're talking about, Swan. But if you say it's okay..."

We arrived just as they shut off the lights for globowling. Wow. This was going to be interesting.

*

After explaining bowling to Killian, three separate times, the party really got going. Somewhere between gifts and cake, I had to go get some air. I put my face in my hands and took a deep breath, trying not to cry. This was all so much... Even my thoughts trailed off, overwhelmed.

Suddenly, there were arms around my waist. If they hadn't been so familiar,  I'd have sent an elbow into their abdomen. But those arms were the most familiar and comforting thing in my world. I turned and wrapped my arms around Killian's torso, burying my face in his chest as his arms tightened around me. We stood like that for a long time, his face in my hair as tears finally made a slow path down my cheeks.

At one point I thought I heard the door open and close a few moments later, but I ignored it. But soon I couldn't ignore the fact that there were people inside waiting for us. I pulled away slightly, looking up at him with a guilty smile. Killian just smiled and kissed me softly before wiping away my residual tears.

We stayed wrapped around each other as we made our way back to the party. Only one person noticed our arrival, or probably even our absence, my mother. She gave me a knowing smile as I sat on Killian's lap and snuggled into the crook of his neck, his arms tight around me. She must've been the one who opened the door when Killian and I were outside.

I spent the rest of the evening that way, in my favorite place, just watching everyone interact. For some reason, very few people tried talking with Killian and I. They just left us to each other, but we were quiet, just enjoying being together.

The party wound down and everyone made their way home, congratulating us as we left as well. We walked home in the same embrace we'd been in most of the evening.