#emma swan pack

[pirateswhore]

I know what Emma's outfits in s6 remind me of.

going back home for the holidays but you didn't pack enough clothes so your mum gives you some of hers to wear.

[theodoresgirl]

hey I have a request for a Killian jones x female reader where the female reader is Emma’s twin sister (looks more like snow) and has a 3 year old daughter from a past toxic relationship, if you can’t do it that’s fine either way thank you :)

Killian jones x Emma’s twin sister

Killian jones x Fem!Reader

A/n: I did not forget about this request, Sorry it took me a few days to do! Hope you enjoy<3

—————————————————————————

Y/n was the daughter of David Nolan and Mary Margaret. She also is the twin sister of the savior Emma Swan. She grew up being bounced between foster homes in New Orleans. When she was 23 she had gotten into a really toxic relationship, at 25 she got pregnant and had a daughter.

She had been stuck in the toxic relationship until she was 28, She had packed up her and some of her daughters things and left in the middle of the night.

She had silky long black hair that was curly, brown eyes and a round face with dimples. She almost looked like a clone of Mary Margaret. Her daughter Edith had long dark brunette hair with emerald eyes.

Killian had met y/n and her daughter Edith one day when she had went to visit her sister and parents for one of the first times.

⭐️

Thursday June 25th, 12:51pm.

Y/n was sitting on the top deck of the jolly roger with Edith, They were eating some sandwiches from granny’s. They were waiting on Killian to finish cleaning his ship.

Edith was sitting on the edge of the ship walls looking out on the water, Y/n kept her view on her daughter and occasionally if he was in view, glancing at killian. Y/n finishes her sandwich and crumbles up the wrapper putting it into a bag.

Y/n looks around trying to see killian but doesn’t, “can i have your trash princess?” She holds the bag out so Edith can put her trash in it, “and I need you to be on the deck instead of railing so I can go run this up to the dumpster” Edith shakes her head as she puts her trash into the bag.

“I can’t leave you on the railing of the boat- ship? You could fall in the water” “Mermaid” edith looks over the edge. “It doesn’t work that way” She holds Edith back so she doesn’t fall. “I’ll watch her, Don’t worry about it love” Killian came up behind her, startling her. “Oh!- it’s fine- you- You don’t gotta worry about it, Weren’t you cleaning?” she nervously smiled, still not used to someone offering to help her.

“I’m done cleaning, Honestly love we could just head back to your loft if you wanted-“ “i wanna stay” the little one interrupted. Y/n sighed before nodding “i’ll be right back then” she said as she walked down and off the jolly roger.

“Alright then love” Killian smirks and she walks away. He turns towards Edith and leans against the railing of the ship and holds himself up with his elbows. “So what do you like kiddo?” He asked curiously. Edith answered back “Princess, Cartoons, Barbie-“ “I'm gonna have to cut you off there my lady, I have no idea what this ‘barbie’ is, Cartoons too?” Killian admitted. Edith looks at Killian with a confused look, “you don’t know barbie?”. Killian shook his head “what is it?”

“Barbie is movies, some of my favorites” She smiles. “You’ll have to show me one next time I’m over then” Killian pats her head with his hand.

Edith nods and giggles “we can watch a mermaid one” “oh? There’s mermaids?” Killian raises an eyebrow. “yes!! Yes!!” she nods and smiles.

⭐️

Saturday June 27th, 8:00pm

Y/n was laying in the living room with Killian and Edith. Edith was sitting in front of her mother and the pirate watching Barbie: In a Mermaid Tale 2. Killian was laying on the couch with y/n laying on his chest.

Killian had his focus on the tv, only sometimes asking questions about ‘Barbie’, and either getting an answer from the little brunette in front of him or the pale skinned woman in his arms.

After the movie was over both Y/n and Edith were asleep, Killian carefully slips himself out from under Y/n and picks her up. He carries her to her bedroom and lays her down before going out to the living room again and turning everything off. He picks up little Edith and carries her to her room and lays her down, tucking her in, “Goodnight Kiddo.” He muttered as he walked out of the room going into Y/n.

[the-apocrypha]

Dream the Olympic diver gets a concussion and gets rescued by Hob. He could be his diving partner, a lifeguard, a hunky medic...dealer's choice. :D

Meant to write like 500 words. Ended up with 5000 instead.

song of a swan dive Dream of the Endless/Hob Gadling || 5k || Complete

Alternate Universe - Olympics, Alternate Universe - Human, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Hurt Dream of the Endless, Author Knows Nothing About Diving

Dream is aware that he should probably not be doing this.  His shoulder is beginning to ache, after that most recent dive, and though his lower back feels fine right now, it had also given an ominous crack during his last back dive. Experience informs that Dream will be microwaving a heat pack for it tonight before bed, and then downing neurofen well into tomorrow afternoon.  But after a lifetime of dashing his body upon the rocks of athletic greatness, it is hard to view pain as a deterrent, even with sixteen years gone since his last competition and all possible rewards long since reaped. Pain is as temporary as joy, and so why should one preclude the other?  Dream makes a note to remember that particular line for his next appointment with Emma, his long term physical therapist.  It has been some time since they had a proper argument as to whether joint pain is merely a tedious illusion of the brain meant to waylay the fickle-minded and thwart the weak (Dream) or a genuine and physiological warning sign that should not be ignored (Emma). She will already be cross with him for neglecting his exercises in Paris. He might as well funnel her inevitable frustration into an engaging debate.  And so he stands upon the platform, toes hanging over the thirty foot drop, staring down at the rippling water below. A thousand times, perhaps ten thousand times, he has perched on the edge of this precipice. 

Read on AO3

[shady-swan-jones]

August Rec List!

So, it's August after April, right? RIGHT?

Today is Author Appreciation day so that ties in nicely, thank you @4getfulimaginator2022. Show your appreciation in the comments, it's mandatory. I have no way to enforce this but come on, spread the love!

She's Perfect But You're Mine (3/3) by me

Killian has a girlfriend. Emma handles it with the utmost maturity and grace. Or not.

Dark Swan Story by isaballerina89

What if Emma is pregnant as Dark Swan? Based in season 5 captain swan love story fanfic. It is different from the show.

What if... (Season 4) by Kml19

What if Captain Hook turned into the Dark One to get revenge on Rumplestiltskin? What if he only met the heroes in Neverland?

I can’t love you in the dark (oceans apart) by weareforeverstarlaced

Emma had long resigned her role as princess and Killian did the same, having left piracy. But now, as the mist covers their cliff side cottage, Emma and Killian say their final goodbyes when Rumplestiltskin steals the former pirates heart. And all they could do is wait it out until Rumplestiltskin’s torment was done and it’s crushed. Not knowing when it would happen. However, when morning comes and Killian is gone, Emma has one final idea to bring him back.

Ties That Bind (6/20) by Anonymous

When Killian Jones returns home after years away, it's not for a warm reunion—he’s there to confront his adoptive father, the powerful and rich politician Mr. Gold. Desperate to free Milah from his clutches, Killian finds himself ensnared in one of Gold’s infamous deals. In exchange for Milah’s freedom, Killian must carry out a dangerous mission that puts him on a collision course with Emma Swan, a sharp and determined agent for a secretive government force.

Into the Parallel by CSColifer

Emma and Killian are Travelers with and ability to travel through time and across parallel realms. A chance meeting will change their lives forever.

Cann I Be Your Werewolf? by @belovedcreation

After a particularly nasty encounter with a criminal, bounty hunter Emma Swan's friend convinces her to adopt a guard dog from the shelter. Little does she know that the massive dog she brings home is really the werewolf Killian Jones, who's laying low in wolf form to hide from danger.

Heart Bound by @4getfulimaginator2022

CS historical AU (mid-19th century), real world setting, teacher!Emma and artist!Killian. After years of private tutoring, Emma goes to teach in a village by the sea in a desperate bid to escape her heartbreak and the outside world. She thinks that she'll always be lonely and out of place, but the local lighthouse keeper, a fellow recluse and the town outcast, makes her see that she is right where she belongs.

Animal Instincts by @hookswench

Killian Jones noticed the moment Emma Nolan walked into the tavern. She was innocent... and she was trouble. As a lone wolf, he wanted no part of her pack politics. But when rival Neal Cassidy attacks, Killian can't just stand by. One quick escape later, and Killian finds himself alone with temptation. And Emma isn't one to back down from what she wants.

The Secret Romance by CaptainSwan02

Emma Swan and Killian Jones have been hiding their relationship for a while now, not wanting anyone to find out. The two have navigated treacherous waters and clandestine meetings, all to keep their love hidden from prying eyes. But as their feelings deepen and the challenges they face grow, the strain of their secret weighs heavily on them.

haunted by the ghost of you by @exhaustedpirate

Killian is cursed - cursed to lose Emma over and over again. He is doomed to live, to lose his love forever until he can break it.

For All Life and For All Time by @snowbellewells

Having lost her dearest friend and with her own life on the line, Emma Swan joins a noble band to face an ancient evil. Three of them stand by her in honor of the one they loved and lost. The other might be the first man she could love. He might love her as well - even more than life itself. Time will tell... if they both survive the fight against their immortal enemy.

Pan Says... (13/13) by @hollythecurious

After waking up in a strange room with a naked stranger, Emma and Killian must endure the twisted game their kidnapper insists they play in order to gain provisions and avoid punishments.

Flight 815 (3/?) by @honey77bun

Emma moved into a new, incomprehensible world for her, in 1986. What to do? Unclear. And in this chapter, she'll have to find the strength to figure out what the hell is going on.

Too Well Tangled (12/21) by @myfearless-love

Killian Jones, the enigmatic Marquess of Hookstone, has more than earned his sinister sobriquet, the "Prince of Darkness." His past, a stormy mosaic of rejection and rebellion, has forged a man both feared and revered. Yet, the indomitable Miss Nolan proves an unexpectedly formidable opponent for his infamous charm.

Dracula in Storybrooke (6/?) by @grimmswan

“You don’t seem to be a vampire like the ones Dracula made.” Emma said softly, tracing her fingertips along Killian’s jaw. They were laying in bed. Holding one another. Gazing at each other lovingly.

Yet another villain had tried to tear them apart. And had failed. 

Not Broken At All (17/?) by @donteattheappleshook

A season 1 Neverland AU. Emma is still trying to adjust to her new life as Sheriff of Storybrooke and mom to Henry, who still believes everyone in town is a fairytale creature. When she finds a badly beaten, one handed man while patrolling, she’s convinced he’s crazy. But when Henry is suddenly taken out the window of a house everyone believes is haunted, the madman in the hospital might be her only hope of getting her son back. Whether he likes it or not.

I’ll Wait a Lifetime or Two by @hookedonapirate

At forty, Emma Swan is living her best life. She's happily single and owns a thriving art gallery with her best friend Elsa. And of course, there's the love of her life, her teenage son, Henry. Since the divorce three years ago, her carefully curated life has been quiet, peaceful, ordinary. So why does the one guy she ends up falling for have to be the rockstar her son has a poster of on his bedroom wall, whose life is nothing short of extraordinary?

Independence Day by @whimsicallyenchantedrose

With the Black Fairy defeated and the final battle won, Storybrooke is enjoying it's happily ever after and trying to make new memories. Emma has some exciting news for Killian.

Timeless (4/?) by @killiansprincss

Season 3 divergence - When Zelenas time portal works, Henry wakes up alone in Storybrooke and must travel to the Enchanted Forest to get his family back. Only once he gets there he quickly realises its not like the one in his book, theres no Evil Queen and his mother Emma wasn't put through a wardrobe, theres even a poster inviting the entire kingdom to her engagement ball, to Hook. What will happen once Henry gets them to break this new curse and they get their memories back?

@caught-in-the-filter @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @the-darkdaughter-blog @teamhook @justanother-unluckysoul @karlyfr13s   @snowbellewells @xarandomdreamx @klynn-stormz @omninerdgirl   @facesiousbutton82 @finmnsoh56  @followbatb @killianxswan @booksteaandtoomuchtv @exhaustedpirate @anmylica @hollyethecurious @winterbaby89 @undercaffinatednightmare @resident-of-storybrooke @tiganasummertree @stahlords @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite @captainswan-kellie @motherkatereloyshipper @soniccakes @jonesfandomfanatic @zaharadessert @bluewildcatfanatic @once-upon-a-happy-end @ultraluckycatnd @spartanguard

[swanqueenffprompter]

Regina Mills is trapped in a life she never wanted. At 33, she works tirelessly for her mother, Cora, at the family’s powerful company—a position she loathes but feels obligated to uphold. Her relationship with her mother is strained at best, and her thoughts often drift to the father she hasn't seen in 28 years. Henry Mills, her beloved father, disappeared from her life when Cora took her away after their bitter divorce. He left for South Africa, where he built a new life running a safari, and she hasn't heard from him since.

One day, Regina receives an unexpected letter from a South African lawyer. Her father has passed away, leaving her his pride and joy: the safari. The news shakes her to the core. Despite the anger and resentment she feels for being abandoned, something compels her to pack her bags and head to South Africa.

Upon arrival, she is greeted by the wild beauty of the African savannah—a stark contrast to the cold, sterile world she's used to. But as soon as she steps foot on the safari, she clashes with Emma Swan, a fiercely independent and stubborn worker who has been with the safari for years. Emma isn't thrilled about Regina's sudden appearance, and they quickly butt heads over how things should be run.

As the days pass, Regina begins to uncover secrets about her father and herself that she never imagined. Meanwhile, despite their initial animosity, the chemistry between Regina and Emma becomes undeniable. Sparks fly, and beneath the tension, an unexpected bond forms.

But with Cora trying to pull Regina back into the corporate world and Emma wrestling with her own past, they’ll need to navigate more than just the wild terrain to find a path forward—both for the safari and for themselves. Will they give in to the passion growing between them, or will their differences tear them apart before they even begin?

[booksteaandtoomuchtv]

Burn The Ships (4/?)

A HUGE THANK YOU TO @snowbellewells FOR THIS INCREDIBLE ART.

THIS IS/WILL BE MATURE.

1 | 2 | 3 | AO3 | 5 | ???

Tagging: @anmylica, @deckerstarblanche, @elfiola, @goforlaunchcee, @jrob64, @kmomof4, @pirateswhore, @stahlop, @teamhook, @tiganasummertree, @undercaffinatednightmare, @xarandomdreamx, @zaharadessert(let me know if you want to be added or dropped)

A slightly hysterical laugh slipped out before Emma could stop it. Captain Hook of "Beware the Captain" fame was her mate. He was the one predator that sent fear through the pack of twisted, cruel wolves who surrounded Pan. She had imagined him to be terrifying, more unstable and dangerous than the wolf she just escaped. Early in her captivity, she'd considered trying to contact him, but Pan's wolves were too loyal to him to allow her to slip any notes out. She had pictured a terrible, crazed monster, more menacing each time his visage crossed her mind. 

The man before her was stunning. He was beautiful rather than barbaric. The leathers he wore made her stomach clench, but not with fear. Although, she probably should not have threatened him on his ship, in front of his crew. 

“Sorry for all the…,” she gestured as trying to find a way to indicate their entire interaction up to this moment. She blew out a breath somewhere between exasperation and humour. “Could we possibly forget every moment leading up to this?”

“I could live hundreds of lifetimes and still remember in perfect clarity the sight of you storming the deck in my shirt, love. It is not a memory from which I am willing to part.”

When she didn’t seem convinced, he continued, his voice soft and encouraging. “It is a beautiful thing, Swan, to be able to fight after being a captive of that little demon.”

Emma wasn't sure how to respond to that. Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment and she felt exposed in a way she wasn't expecting. Hook, no, she remembered now that he'd introduced himself as Killian. Killian even seemed a bit proud of her. But, what did he see in the woman standing before him that would make him feel anything akin to pride? And, why did Emma fear she could only disappoint him?

"I didn't have a plan, I just knew I could not go back."

"I understand.” And the pain behind his eyes more than his words made it clear that he did know what it was like to be held against his will, subjected to someone else's whims. She had the strongest impulse to comfort him in that moment. But, she wasn't sure how. Or if it was something he would welcome. Did he want a mate? Even if he did want a mate, she didn't know that he wanted her to be it. Did she want a mate? What did they do next? Knowing they were mates did not make them any less of strangers.

"Would you join me back in the cabin to discuss things privately?" He gave her a shy smile and gestured toward the hatch she had previously stormed out of. "There's rum?"

"Yeah, rum would be great." Perhaps it would ease her nerves and help her wrap her mind around this new reality. 

§§§§    §§§§    §§§§

Emma sat a bit awkwardly on the edge of the bed. Killian leaned comfortably against the furthest wall, clearly granting her all the space he possibly could in such tight quarters. She noted that he’d ensured she was closer to the door and the ladder and was touched by his physical reminder that she was not being held here and could leave when she liked. Granted, her only escape would land her in the hands of a furious and unhinged wolf, but she appreciated having a choice in her circumstances all the same. 

“Why are you here?” Emma asked suddenly. 

“It’s my ship,” Killian answered with an amused smile tugging at his lips. He continued, the smile turning bitter, “I had to finish a contract I…inherited from my father.”

Emma’s heart broke for him, but he did not appear to want her to try to soften the hurt in those few words. Instead, she gave him something she knew he wanted, “My ex traded me to pay off his debt to Pan.”

Anger turned his eyes to ice in an instant and a growl rumbled through him that sent chills up her spine. The strength of his emotion loosened his control enough that she felt his wolf. The brief contact was intense. She could feel the heat of his anger and hear the violence he was planning for her self-serving ex before Killian snapped the leash back on his control. “Sorry, the telepathy bit is going to take some adjustment. I don’t want to force you into any decisions, but I want you to know that I am not planning to reject our bond unless we agree that is the right thing for us both.”

“I don’t want to make any decisions until we are out of this nightmare place and we know each other better.” 

“I look forward to getting to know you, Swan. As for the other, I have a plan.” He pulled out a vial of black liquid from his pocket, his expression serious as he crossed to her and dropped it into her palm. 

She tried to focus on the strange liquid, but their sudden nearness consumed her attention. Her gaze was on the vial in her hand, but her thoughts were of pulling him into her, falling back onto his bed, and claiming his lips with hers as his weight pinned her to the mattress. 

“Swan.” Her name was a plea and a warning. She looked up at his face- his eyes burned with desire for her and his jaw was clenched tight. She should probably feel embarrassed that she’d blasted her daydream at him, but his reaction only excited her further. She leaned toward him, eyes on his lips, and slid her hand into the pocket of his leather breeches, depositing the vial and dragging her hand out slowly, suggestively.  

“Swan?” Killian’s voice was a broken whisper. 

She grabbed his coat and kissed him greedily. Without hesitation, he kissed her back just as hungrily. His hand cradled her head reverently as his tongue licked and explored, his hook was a gentle pressure against her hip. In his kiss were the promise of safety and the hint of an unfathomable love that was, somehow, insanely, directed at her. She was sure she hadn’t earned such devotion. Hell, she’d just tried to steal his ship. But at this glimpse of him, of his love, she knew she wanted it and feared it all. She poured her desire into her kisses, devouring him as he teased and tasted her.

He broke away, his head pressed against hers, as they gasped for air. 

“Emma,” he breathed, “that was…”

“I know,” she smiled. His answering smile was a beautiful thing. He brushed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. 

“I want to keep doing this, I do,” Killian murmured, “but, before we do, I need to be sure we aren’t rushing into this. I want this, you, but not as a one-time thing when you’ve just escaped Pan. I want to be with you when you know you want to be with me.”

“I…,” Emma started to say that she did want him. The taste she had of him was everything and she wanted more. But, it wasn’t fair for her to pretend she was doing more than reacting to physical needs. She could not promise him anything beyond this moment. She could not answer the deep well of love that she felt in him, yet. She needed time to know him, simply being his mate was not enough for her to let down her walls and let him into her heart. 

“Ah, I see,” Killian said sadly, kissing her cheek and stepping back from her reach. “Whenever you’re ready, love.” 

“I am sorry, Killian.” 

“No need, Swan.” Killian pulled the vial from his pocket and held it up, between them, “This is squid ink. It will strip Pan of his powers for long enough for me to make one strike against him. His pack of lost wolves will likely be here tomorrow to get back what he believes I have stolen from him. My crew is prepared for a fight, but Pan is mine to kill. And, this is how I do it.”

“The fight is over me. You have to let me fight with your pack.” 

Killian studied her face intently, “If you wish it, so it shall be.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

“No, thank you for everything.” 

“Everything I have to give is yours, mate,” Killian answered. Then, he went on deck to prepare his crew for the upcoming battle.

[cssns]

Let's welcome @belovedcreation back for CSSNS24!

Your Tumblr and other applicable names

BelovedCreation - aka Heather

How long have you been a part of the CS/OUAT fandom?

Watched the show premiere with bated breath! Watched the first six seasons, but never finished seven.

When did you start shipping Captain Swan?

Oh man, I remember watching and re-watching Tallahassee and being OBSESSED with these two potential love interests (both Hook and Neal) but I honestly think it took the first kiss in Good Form before I set my heart on CS and it hasn't strayed since!

What drew you to this event?

I used to participate in CS fandom events during my first foray in the fandom but nothing official like this - having gotten back in a few months ago, I'm excited to be a part of an event and share a story with the fandom!

What inspired your topic?

My fic was inspired by the prompt: what if you adopted a huge mutt from the pound and later you found out it was a werewolf who was staying in canid form. and what's more fucked up is that you already love your dog and you've had them for a while when you find out he's been just some guy. what then

If you would like to share a snippet/sneak peek/summary of your fic or artwork, please use the space below.

When bounty hunter Emma Swan gets beaten up by a bounty, her friend convinces her to adopt a guard dog from the bound. Unbeknownst to her, she adopts Killian Jones, a werewolf who's staying in canid form to lie low for a while. Their bond only gets stronger when Killian's troubles in the supernatural world come knocking on Emma's door. Together they must figure out how to save not only Killian, but all of Storybrooke, from a werewolf pack hell-bent on power and destruction.

What are you looking forward to most about participating in this event?

Just the sense of connection to others and seeing what others come up with!

I can't wait to see what @belovedcreation has in store for us! Make sure to catch her story dropping on August 6th!

[kmomof4]

Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres: A Fic Collaboration Between @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @jrob64

Ready for Ch3, y'all? Here we go! In today's installment, we are heading to Savannah for sightseeing and the bachelor and bachelorette parties!!

Rating: T

Words: 3700 of approx 21k

On ao3 and ff.net

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

The second full day of their vacation dawned bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky.  It was a gorgeous day, and Emma found herself looking forward to their planned excursion in Savannah.  She donned a breezy, sleeveless, white sundress sprinkled with yellow sunflowers and her favorite pair of comfortable strappy white sandals. 

While normally one to simply toss clothing options into her suitcase, she’d needed to put a little more effort into packing on this trip with all their scheduled adventures, and today’s outfit was no exception.  They planned to spend a fair amount of time walking around Savannah today, and then she and Ruby had organized a bachelorette party for tonight.  Given the itinerary, she’d needed an outfit casual enough for a stroll through the city and yet dressy enough for a night out with the girls.

“You look tantalizing enough to tempt a man to stay home and have his wicked way with you, Swan,” Killian said, coming up behind her in the living room, wrapping his arms around her middle and nosing at her hair, before placing a not-quite-chaste kiss at the base of her neck.

She shivered in response.  When he used that tone of voice, all low and gravelly and full of sin, she nearly forgot her own name.

“What, and miss out on Savannah?” she asked, her voice far from steady.

“I’ve no doubt Savannah has many charms, Love,” he said, still peppering her with kisses, “but she couldn’t possibly hold a candle to you.”

“Oi! Get a room you two!” Will said, opening the cottage door and breezing in.  

“They already have one,” Regina said with an eye roll as she came into the room where they were all gathered, “and if we have to wait for them to make use of it, we’ll never get to Savannah, and I, for one, am looking forward to touring the cemetery.”

“That’s not creepy at all,” Emma said under her breath.

“It’s actually not creepy at all!” Belle said, standing close enough to her friend that she heard exactly what was said. “The cemeteries there are so old, there’s so much history!  It’s fascinating.”

“I’m interested in taking a stroll along the river, getting a gander at the establishments and riverboats,” Liam said.

“I’d like to walk through the squares under the shade of all of those big, beautiful live oaks,” Mary Margaret said.  “I wonder why they’re called live oaks?”

“It’s because they are semi-deciduous,” Graham said. “They never lose all of their leaves.  There’s also a bit about the Spanish moss that clings to them–which is neither Spanish, nor moss, by the way. It got its name because…”

“Let’s save the botany lectures for the road,” Regina said dismissively.  “It’s an hour and a half drive, and if we wait for everyone to share all their collective knowledge, we’ll never get there.”

“Regina, did you just call us smart?” Will asked.

“You’re the exception that proves the rule,” she snarked.

With only one day to spend in Savannah, they knew they couldn’t possibly see everything they hoped to see, and so they planned on splitting up - Emma, Killian, Elsa and Liam taking the riverwalk, Regina, Robin, Roland, Belle and Will touring Bonaventure Cemetery, and Graham, Ruby, Mary Margaret and David strolling through the various squares and touring the shopping district.

With their plans made, they headed to their respective cars for the drive north.

Two hours later, Emma and Killian walked hand in hand down the sidewalk overlooking the river.  It was a beautiful day, quite mild for Savannah in July and with a refreshing light breeze.

“So, you’re having dinner at The Melting Pot, right?” Killian asked. 

Emma nodded. “Then Ruby found something for dessert that she’s refused to tell even me.”

“Any idea what it might be?” he asked.

“Nope,” Emma chuckled.  “Knowing Ruby, it’ll be as risqué as she can possibly get by with and still remain within Mary Margaret’s requirements.”

“Was Ruby particularly disappointed with her stipulation against strippers?” he asked with a grin.

Emma laughed.  “Actually, it was the opposite.  She just shrugged and said it’s no big deal.  She’ll have Graham give her a strip tease when she gets home.”

Killian laughed. “And I’d assume the man in question went quite vermillion at that?”

“Naturally.”

“Killian, look at that,” Liam said, gesturing to the row of shops and restaurants across the street. “Who in their right mind would choose to name their establishment The Broken Keel?”

Killian shook his head derisively, “Bloody fools, that’s who.”

“So, I take it you aren’t interested in going there for lunch?” Elsa asked slyly.

“No!” both men shouted emphatically, causing the women to go off into peals of laughter.

The foursome continued their walk, enjoying the company and the sights of the historic district, the men particularly interested in the majestic river boats docked and awaiting passengers, and the women more interested in the shops and sculptures.

Emma had been fascinated listening to an old man with a long, white beard play his saxophone as he sat on a bench near the river.  From the alleyway behind came the sound of a man singing, clapping, and tapping his feet.  The city was so vibrant and alive and full of joie de vivre.

She turned around to comment about it to Killian, but her boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

“Looks like we lost your brother,” she commented to Liam.  “Let’s hope he didn’t fall in the river.”

Liam laughed and then gave her a look she couldn’t interpret. “I believe he headed toward the riverboats to make some inquiries.”

“Inquiries about what?” she asked.

Liam merely shrugged and then determinedly changed the subject.

Suspicious. Very suspicious.

But then Killian was rejoining their group and they were off again, and Emma put the strange incident from her mind.

~*~*~

As the day settled into evening, the men and women met up again to head to their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties. While the men had reservations for a dinner at the historic Pirate’s House, Ruby announced the locations of the bachelorette party with a mischievous look in her eye.

“First, Emma made dinner reservations for us at The Melting Pot. But no dessert,” she continued, shaking her finger at them all as they ooo-ed and ahhh-ed over Emma’s choice. “I found somewhere else for that. It’s this amazing place called Better Than Sex - A Dessert Restaurant.  Who doesn’t like their cake with a spicy dose of innuendo?”

Mary Margaret groaned…although if the dessert was as good as all that, she wouldn’t complain about their plans for the night. After taking a few moments to say goodbye to their men, the ladies made their way to The Melting Pot.

After their delicious and rather entertaining meal, they walked down the street to the dessert bar. Ruby had reserved a table for a private party, and as soon as the ladies arrived, their friendly, smiling waiter led them up to a room with red walls, plush carpeting, opulent chandeliers and gauzy white curtains covering the windows and ceiling. The room was dimly lit by flickering candles that lined a long banquet table, the chandeliers being more for ambiance than illumination. The smooth jazz music issuing from the sound system completed the atmosphere, and Mary Margaret rather felt as though they were having dessert in a very fancy boudoir.

“Are you ladies celebrating anything in particular tonight?” the server asked, glancing around the group.

“It’s her bachelorette party!” Ruby announced, pointing one exquisitely manicured finger in Mary Margaret’s direction. “She’s gonna tie the knot the day after tomorrow!”

“Congratulations!” the server beamed, “and might I say, you’ve come to the right place. I’m not just saying this; these desserts are to die for. I’ll give you a chance to look over the menu.”

“Order anything you want,” Belle said to Mary Margaret, as soon as the waiter withdrew. “It’s on us; we’re all pitching in.”

Mary Margaret took a sip of the water sitting before her place setting just as she began to peruse the selections, and she almost spit out the sip she’d taken. 

“Oh my! These dessert names are…quite something,” Elsa said with a little chuckle.

“That’s one way to put it,” Mary Margaret agreed with a smile and a shake of her head. The selections on offer had spicy names such as “Pound Town”, “Berry Bondage”, “Naughty by Nature”, “Man Flowers” and “Peanut Butter Perversion.” The descriptions themselves were so steamy they wouldn’t have been out of place on the pages of one of those bodice ripper novels with a half-naked Adonis on the cover.

After some deliberation, she decided to go with the titillatingly-named Hot Sex in Savannah. “Your wildest fantasies have come true!” the menu read. “Georgia peaches have gotten frisky with a little bourbon, pecans, and roasted habanero to reproduce a smokin’ good time. As if you weren’t already having a ball, we’ve added a friend for you to flirt with...... a tickle of our house-made bacon ice cream.” 

“What’s everyone getting?” Ruby asked. “I decided to go with the ‘Between My Red Velvet Sheets Cheesecake’.”

After a little discussion, everyone made their selections. Regina ordered the ‘Missionary Crisp’--an apple and cake-like confection. Emma opted for the ‘Morning After’ to no one’s surprise–it, after all, consisted of a chocolate and brie grilled cheese. Elsa chose the ‘Perfect Partner’, essentially a sundae made from vanilla bean ice cream and white chocolate. Belle rounded out the order with the very suggestively titled ‘Caress My Carrot’, perhaps the most decadent slice of carrot cake ever baked.

The restaurant was so very committed to its naughty puns, it had a note at the bottom of the menu that said 'and no suggestive dessert is truly complete without an equally racy cocktail'. They ordered such colorful drinks as ‘Midnight Vixen’, ‘Love Potion 69’, ‘Minty Moaner’, ‘Tingly-Tini’ and ‘Peanut-Tration’.

Mary Margaret noticed that Elsa was discreetly perusing the section almost tamely-labeled ‘for virgins.’

“So….you’re foregoing the alcohol tonight, I see,” Mary Margaret said, drawing out the first word meaningfully.

“I’ve never found a cocktail I really like,” Elsa said, studiously avoiding her friend’s gaze, a small, secret smile on her lips. “And besides, we need someone to be the designated driver.”

Mary Margaret wasn’t buying that for a moment, but before she could dig deeper to find out whether the secret hunch she’d carried since overhearing Elsa and Liam’s conversation was correct, their food and drinks arrived, and with that, all other thoughts were forgotten.

For long minutes after their desserts were served, the only sounds to be heard were soft exclamations, hums of satisfaction, and moans of ecstasy. There was no doubt about it, Mary Margaret decided. These desserts did not oversell themselves. How they’d managed to turn what was essentially a peach cobbler into such a rich, decadent, and spicy explosion of flavor on her tongue was beyond her.

“So what did you think?” Ruby asked. “Did it live up to its name?”

Mary Margaret thought for a moment. “It was good. It was very good,” she repeated, “but better than sex?” She shook her head with a smug smile. “Not a chance.”

“I did not need to hear that,” Emma muttered.

But in the end, all the ladies had to agree.

~*~*~

The men emerged from their vehicles in the parking lot of The Pirate’s House, the world famous restaurant housed in one of Savannah’s oldest buildings. The structure, only a block from the riverfront, was originally built in 1734 - a year after the town’s founding - as the quarters for the keeper of the Trustees’ Garden, the first public agricultural experimental garden in America. By the early 1750’s, Savannah was a vibrant and thriving port city and The Herb House, as it had been named, was converted into an inn that attracted sailors and pirates alike. Legend said the infamous Captain Flint actually died inside the historic building. 

“And perhaps, lingers still,” Killian intoned, his eyebrows waggling in intrigue at little Roland, whose eyes resembled round saucers.

“Really?” His high pitched screech made the men chuckle. “Is it haunted, Papa? Are we gonna see a ghost?” His voice got impossibly higher as he all but jumped up and down grabbing the hem of Robin’s shirt. “ARE WE GONNA SEE THE GHOST OF CAPTAIN FLINT, PAPA?”

“Not quite, Roland,” Robin explained. “Uncle Killian doesn’t quite have his facts straight.”

“Oi!” Killian protested.

“Captain Flint wasn’t a real pirate,” Robin continued, as if Killian hadn’t spoken at all. “He wasn’t even a real man. He’s a character in the story of Treasure Island written by Robert Louis Stevenson back in the 1880’s.”

“Wowwww,” Roland breathed. “So when you and Uncle Liam were little?” he asked, innocently. Loud guffaws burst out of Killian and Will alike, with Graham and David able to contain their mirth a little better, hiding their laughter behind their hands, their eyes dancing in amusement. Liam snorted and shook his head.

“We’re not that old,” Robin chuckled, ruffling Roland’s curls, “But it is said that The Pirate’s House inspired Stevenson to write it, using a fictional Captain Flint to set the story in motion.” 

The men and little boy stepped onto the porch and through the door of the establishment to be greeted by the hostess. The exterior was gray wooden clapboard with light blue shutters over very weathered red brick, but when they stepped inside, the dark wood paneling, low wooden ceilings, and various piratical accoutrements scattered around were enough to make one feel as if he really had stepped back in time a couple hundred years. 

In the corner across from the door, a life-sized carved wooden pirate stood sentry at the crossroads between the bar (for Thirsty Pirates, according to the small sign above the hostess station pointing left), restaurant (for Hungry Pirates, according to another sign pointing to the right), and the stairs leading up to the second story where the gift shop could be found.

Roland was beside himself and begged Robin to take his picture with the statue who could only be Captain Flint before being let loose in the gift shop to find pirate toys to play with back at the cottage. Robin waved the others on, telling them they’d catch up in a few minutes. 

It only took Roland about ten minutes to fully outfit himself with a plastic sword and hook, a pirate hat, and an eye patch, as well as a door hanger with the Jolly Roger flag on it and the caption NO TRESPASSING PIRATE’S TERRITORY. The men all laughed and cheered when he and Robin made their appearance at the table.

“Arrrrrrr, me hearties!” Roland growled, jumping out from around the corner as Robin made his way to an empty seat. He prowled around the table, swinging the sword this way and that until his father admonished him to be careful not to hit anyone or anything with it. Once he was seated, David showed him the kids’ menu and helped him pick his meal of the Frozen Rainbow- a very fruity frozen drink- and Bold Billy Bones, which consisted of fried shrimp and special Pirate’s House fries.

Once all their orders were placed and their waiter withdrew, a female pirate approached. She had long strawberry blonde hair and wore a bright red long-sleeved blouse underneath a leather vest and tight leather pants.

“Ah ha!” she gasped, focusing on Roland at the other end of the table. “It be the villainous Captain Hook.”

Roland didn’t miss a beat. He jumped to his feet, brandishing his sword and challenged the female pirate to a duel. She drew her own blade, and they proceeded to cross swords for just a few seconds, the men whooping and hollering encouragement to Roland before the lady was disarmed. She smiled proudly at the boy and declared him a master swordsman to have defeated the most famous female pirate of all time, Anne Bonny.

She offered to show Roland around the Pirate’s House, and Will jumped up and took Roland by the hand to go see some of the historical artifacts and the rum cellar, stating that he was sure Belle would be interested to hear about it. 

While Will and Roland were gone, their drinks arrived. The pirate theme was pervasive throughout the restaurant, and the guys had had a great time choosing their respective drinks. First, they ordered two Diplomatico Rum Flights to share between them all. Well, David and Robin as the designated drivers didn’t indulge in the rum flights but focused on a single cocktail for the evening. David had the Savannah Tea while Robin chose the Savannah Storm. Killian had trouble choosing between Pirate’s Pleasure and Release the Kraken, but finally settled on Pirate’s Pleasure when Liam chose the Kraken. But once the drinks were delivered and Liam offered Killian a sip, he opted for the Kraken as well to accompany his meal. Graham chose the Raspberry Mojito because it reminded him of Ruby, and Will ordered the Skull Crusher in a souvenir skull mug.

A few minutes later, Anne Bonny, Will, and Roland returned to the table, Will sporting quite a goose egg on his forehead over his right eye.

“What happened to you?” David asked loudly. Roland ran to Robin talking a mile a minute.

“Uncle Will was going down the stairs to the rum cellar and was telling me to watch my step and didn’t see the… the…”

“The bloody roof of the cellar, or floor we’re walking on, whatever,” Will interrupted.

“Yeah, what Uncle Will said,” Roland said, turning back to Robin and continuing his monologue with hardly a breath in between. “And bam, Uncle Will hit his head and then fell on his bottom on the stairs and bump-bump-bumped down to the bottom,” he said, with appropriate sound effects included. “The first step was really big, and Pirate Anne was holding my hand so I didn’t fall, and Uncle Will turned back around just in time to hit his head. He says his noggin is fine, but his butt is sore. Again.” It didn’t take much imagination for the men to realize that those were the exact words out of Will’s mouth when the accident happened, and they all broke into loud laughter.

Will sat down - slowly and carefully - and immediately took a sip of his drink, waving aside the skeptical look Killian shot him. 

“I’m fine, Mate,” he said. “But look at the skull! How cool is that?”

“And it’s not even cracked like yours, Mate!” Graham cackled.

The other men all laughed as Will grumbled under his breath before taking another sip.

Roland proceeded to recount all the history and things they’d seen and experienced during their private tour, with Anne Bonny staying at the table to fill in details that Roland missed. 

“There was definitely something weird over in the corner of the rum cellar,” Will interjected when Roland was telling them about the giant Jolly Roger flag down there and how there were chains suspended from the ceiling that just started swinging all on their own. “Where the tunnels led down to the river,” Will continued. “Just like an electrical current, felt kind of odd. Not cold, but odd. I don’t know if it was a ghost or not…”

“Of course, it was, Uncle Will!” Roland interrupted. “Captain Flint,” he said, attempting to make his voice low and gravelly. “He died here, remember? It had to be his ghost.” 

Everyone laughed good naturedly, then Anne spoke. “No, not Captain Flint, me bucko,” she said, her rich Irish brogue dripping from every word, a mischievous smile on her face, “but perhaps the Rowdy Ghost who usually haunts the Captain’s Room next door. Ee’s been known to follow patrons down to the rum cellar and play tricks on ‘em. Now this room that y’ere in is haunted by the Friendly Ghost. It’s a bit of a misnomer. Ee’s not exactly friendly, but more of a prankster. Ee’ll switch drinks around, steal food, that sort of thing.”

Just then, their meals arrived. Once everyone was served and beginning to dig into the delicious looking and smelling banquet, Liam announced loudly, “Well, I don’t believe in ghosts.”

No sooner had the words left his lips when his plate of parmesan crusted tilapia flipped over, depositing his meal on the surface of the table, the upended plate landing on top. There was stunned silence for a moment before Killian spoke up, hoping to diffuse a potentially traumatic occurrence for the precocious and brave, but still very small, boy in their midst.  

“That’ll teach you to say you don’t believe in ghosts inside a clearly haunted house, big brother,” he teased. Roland’s eyes were still as huge as saucers, his mouth hanging open slightly, but he laughed when everyone else did as Liam turned as red as a ripe tomato. Robin shot Killian a grateful look, and Anne grabbed Liam’s plate.

“Aye,” Anne agreed, “It’s never wise to express disbelief in the resident spirits in a haunted house. I’ll just fetch ye a new plate, Sir.”

Once his replacement dinner arrived, Liam joined the rest of them in enjoying the excellent repast. No more ghostly incidents occurred, much to Robin’s relief, and by the end of the meal Roland was yawning nearly every thirty seconds.

Anne appeared again as they were all rising from the table. “Ah, me bucko, I see that ye have cleared yere plate of Bold Billy Bones’ fried shrimp and special fries. And your Tiny Tim dessert as well! Ye’ve earned a trip to Billy’s treasure chest in the lobby.” That got Roland’s attention quickly, and he perked up and took her outstretched hand, following her through the restaurant until they emerged in the lobby. He hadn’t noticed it when they came in, but there in the corner was a real wooden treasure chest filled to the brim with lollipops.

“Can I have one, Papa? Can I?” Roland begged.

“Sure,” Robin agreed, an indulgent smile on his face.

After Roland picked his treat, they all emerged into the night, piled into their vehicles and went to pick up their ladies for the drive home to the cottages.

~*~*~

Notes

As with previous chapters, most of what we had our characters do in this chapter was taken from our actual adventures.

We met Giennie for the day in Savannah and she took us on a tour of one of the very old cemeteries (although our excursion was in Colonial Park Cemetery. We didn’t have time to tour Bonaventure Cemetery like Regina and Robin did). We also drove around some of the squares with the magnificent live oaks and Spanish moss.  

With a little bit of time to kill before our reservations for the evening, we took a walk by the river and saw many of the same sights Emma, Killian, Liam and Elsa saw– The Broken Keel, street performers, river boats and memorial sculptures.

We did indeed eat at The Melting Pot, but our dinner was on the way to our rental on the first day of vacation rather than during our primary Savannah day. Unlike the ladies in our story, we opted for the full 5 course celebration rather than the cheese and meat courses alone.

Better Than Sex: A Dessert Restaurant is an actual Savannah restaurant, and while we discussed going, it wouldn’t fit in our schedule. The descriptions of the private party room as well as the names and descriptions of the desserts and cocktails were taken from the restaurant’s website. When we were planning this fic, we had fun choosing desserts and cocktails for the characters.

The Pirate House is also a Savannah restaurant, but this one we did visit. Our evening involved not only dinner at The Pirate House but a haunted tour of the city beforehand and a tour of the (now rum-less) rum cellar. Our table was in the Herb House, which is the oldest part of the restaurant, built in the 18th century. Our waiter was not, in fact, Anne Bonny - historical female pirate - but she made a nice addition to our story. Was she really there? Was she a ghost? Was she a waitress in costume? I guess we’ll never know. The large first step and the low entrance to the rum cellar were real. As we descended the stairs, we immediately knew Will had to crack his cranium one more time as a callback to last year’s fic in addition to denting his derriere. Again. We were also told stories about the ghosts that haunt the Pirate House–from floating orbs to the ghosts named in the story. None of us had any kind of paranormal experience – although one of the guys in our tour group tried to trick our guide into thinking there was – by setting some chains in motion when the guide told us they sometimes move on their own.

Up next on Thursday: Big moments for all of our couples! The most significant being David and Mary Margaret’s wedding, of course – but there are several other secrets revealed, as well as a life-changing moment aboard a riverboat.

~*~*~

Thank you for reading and sharing! We'll be back with our final ch on Thursday!

[captainswanfluffyfebruary]

A Band of Grass and Crown of Flowers

Emma Swan is on the cusp of escaping her life of indenture at the tavern she has spent her whole life serving. While packing her things, she comes across a long-forgotten box of childhood treasures. Among its contents is a small, leathered band of grass, given to her when she was just a child by a boy with eyes the color of the ocean horizon and a lop-sided smile that had made her young heart flutter for the first time in her life. Not for the first time, Emma wonders whatever happened to the boy she “married” during an afternoon of play along the inlet beach, and where she might ever see him again.

Read on A03 and send some fluffy love to @hollyethecurious

[mizusswordtip]

Down The Rabbit Hole ⚝ Killian Jones x Reader (29)

find the story on wattpad

summary: Alice's plan to overthrow the Queen of Hearts is thwarted by a dashing pirate with a hook. Years later, after the curse is broken, they reunite once again.

masterlist

 Emma decided it'd be a good idea to go back to Archie's office and check for anything we missed. So far we've turned up empty. There isn't even blood or signs of a struggle. The Charmings came along, as I expected them to. I don't complain though, four sets of eyes are better than two."Regina's file. It's Empty." David says, holding up a manila folder that has Regina's name neatly written on it. His expression is sever as he looks to his wife who practically crumbles at the discovery.

"So she did it. She killed the kindest soul in this town. A man who only cared about helping." She walks over to David who immediately goes to comfort her.

"Don't jump the gun. This has 'set up' written all over it." I say with a shake of my head, getting down on my hands and knees to look under the furniture.

"I promise we'll find whoever really did this." Emma chimes in and I don't need to look to know her parents are giving her a chastising look.

"Isn't it time you guys admit we already have? Regina had a fight with Archie, Ruby saw her outside last night, and now her file is empty. That's a lot of evidence." David implores softly and I roll my eyes.

"Circumstantial evidence." I correct, standing back up once I don't find anything.

"Alice is right, this all screams that Regina is being set up." Emma says and I nod in agreement.

"What do you mean?" Snow asks. I sit down next to Emma once I realize we've searched every inch of this office.

"Well, I don't know how it is in fairy tale land, but in the real world, it's usually hard to find evidence." Emma explains and Snow looks at her thoughtfully.

"It's even harder if the alleged murderer has magic." I add on and thankfully they actually seem like they're listening for once.

"Exactly! This has been way too easy." Emma says and Snow comes over to sit beside her.

"So you think someone is framing her?" She asks, clearly having a hard time believing it.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time this happened in this town." Emma says with a pointed look to Snow.

"Who would want to frame her?" She asks and I laugh.

"Um...only most people in town." I say and Snow nods her head, conceding.

"Yeah, but there's only one name on that list that would resort to killing to get what they want." Emma says and I nod my head, glad we're still on the same page.

"Gold."

We walk into Gold's shop to see Belle and Gold together, clearly planning on going on a picnic. I feel my face lighten up a little when I see Belle. I haven't seen her since our reunion in Gold's shop after the curse broke. I have really got to ask her about her relationship choices soon. Belle and Gold turn to look at the group of us.

"Ah! Nothing warms the heart more than a family reunited. You have your mother's chin miss swan." Gold says casually, still packing the basket. Belle's face lights up once she sees me and I give her a little wave.

"Alice! Thank god you got back alright. I was worried." Belle runs over to me and throws her arms around me, which I return with a small smile.

"We know that you killed him." Emma's words shock Belle out of the hug as she walks back to Gold's side hesitantly.

"And your father's tact." He says with a condescending smile.

"Someone's dead?" Belle looks horrified and I give her a sympathetic smile. I may not be a fan of Gold but that doesn't mean I can't feel sorry for accusing her... boyfriend of murder.

"Archie." I inform her and she looks stricken.

"Why on earth would you think I had anything to do with that?" Gold asks and I roll my eyes.

"Besides being evil? All the evidence points to Regina." I tell him and Belle lets out an incredulous laugh. I look over to see her looking at me with confusion.

"Alice, after everything she's put us through, you don't think she's capable of doing something so vile?" She asks rhetorically and I smile a sad smile in return.

"I know she is. Which is why it should speak volumes that I'm not jumping at the first opportunity to put her behind bars." I tell her and while she still doesn't look convinced, it's clear she at least believes that I don't believe Regina's guilty.

"And it wouldn't be the first time you used someone to try to hurt her." Snow adds on, unamused by Gold's glibness.

"Nice to see your memory's still intact, dearie, but this time I'm afraid I'm gonna have to disappoint you. It wasn't me." He says and I shake my head.

"And we're supposed to just take your word for it?" I ask sarcastically.

"No, but I can prove it. Ask the witness." He smiles condescendingly but his words cause all of us confusion. From what Emma told me, the only people known to be in Archie's office that night were Archie, Regina, and his dog.

"No one was there." I say with a roll of my eyes.

"Well, that's not strictly true, now, is it?" His smile only grows as realization comes over me. There's no way he's serious.

"You want us to interrogate a dog?"

[deckerstarblanche]

It’s my first WIP Wednesday!

I thought it would be nice to show anyone who likes “An Offer She Can’t Refuse” that I’m actually working on it!

Here’s a little taste from the FINAL CHAPTER:

Killian considered his dilemma: Was he in love with Emma, or was his intense urge to possess her just his Alpha helping her Omega through a heat?

He wasn’t sure, and suddenly he felt grateful that their time together hadn’t sent him straight into a spontaneous rut. If that happened, he would have been a slave to his most primal urges, tearing across campus hotheaded and snarling until he found his Omega safe and sound.

Emma wasn’t the submissive type, and if he showed any possessive behavior that she didn’t like, she would tear his head off like a praying mantis, he thought to himself, suppressing a shiver as the image crossed his mind.

He recovered quickly though, his lust for the fiery Omega igniting at the thought of them belonging to each other.

They were way too young for an official bonding ceremony, but there were plenty of other body parts for them to mark. The sensitive glands on her inner thighs came to mind, and just the thought of biting into her soft flesh in such an intimate place sent blood rushing straight to his groin.

Great, now he had a raging erection to deal with, too.

He couldn’t very well reenter the world in his current state, so Killian rose and trudged over to the shower. Even though it pained his soul to do so, he scrubbed shower gel over every trace of the last three days from his body. The hot spray soothed his sore muscles, and as he watched the evidence from their time together swirl down the drain, he found himself unable to regret a single moment.

Whatever the risks of pursuing her wound up being, Emma Swan was worth it.

He dressed and packed quickly. Before leaving the Safe House, Killian took a last look at the space he and Emma shared for the last three days. He hadn’t anticipated leaving without her by his side, but when he thought about it, he wasn’t really surprised.

Emma left out of fear that he’d leave first. That stung more than he wanted to admit, but deep down he knew it would end up that way. He’d heard all of her stories from the past, of being abandoned since she could even remember.

Now, all he had to do was convince her that he could be more than a friend, and certainly more than her new go-to Alpha.

Killian scrubbed a hand down his face with a rueful chuckle, scratching his fingers through his overgrown beard.

He was confident that he could win her over, but he’d have to plan his strategy exactly right.

If you’d like to be on the tag list, just let me know! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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[countrymusiclover]

12 - Thief History

Princess Red Thief

Part 13

Tag list - just ask to be added @mystrey101 @melvia-ito @kmc1989 @tallrock35

Walking across the wooden shop floor it had been a few weeks before Mary Margret had been arrested for the seemingly murder of David's wife. Henry knew she was innocent as did I but we didn't know how to prove such a feat. Finding the sword and cane holding stand near the shop entrance door I wrapped my fingers across one of the handles drawing it out.

Staring at the blade I saw the familiar marking of a crown engraved into the edge of the handle. The symbol that represented our royal house. "I was wondering when you'd go looking for it."

"Why's that, Rumple?" I asked him lowering the blade down to my hip after hearing him entering the room by his cane hitting the floor.

He paused in his steps in front of me. "The more you show who you truly are to Emma Swan can only lead the curse closer to being broken."

"I'm not sure about that. She seems to still be avoiding the truth that is right in front of her." I slumped my shoulders, rummaging around some of the shelves finding a sword holder and sliding the sword inside of it.

Rumple clicked his tongue before my phone started ringing so he nudged his head down to my Jean pocket. "Maybe that boy we'll come up with a better plan."

"Hey Henry, what's up?"

He explained back. "Eve, I need you to come with me to my moms office and get something."

"Henry, what would you need from her office?"

"Keys that can open any door. But I need your help getting inside her office. You broke into Rumple's castle all those years ago so I know you can help me."

Brushing hair out of my eyes I clicked my tongue. "I'm out of practice, kid. I don't even have my old thief pack-"

"Surprisingly Henry and I seemed to be on the same track. I found your old gear in one of my boxes yesterday morning." Rumple cleared his throat entering our conversation.

I cleared my throat, focusing back on the kid. "Okay I'll grab my things and meet you behind her office building - looks like I get to say I stole from the Evil Queen's castle now." Rumple sent me a cheeky smirk going to grab my old gear. I pondered on the man who taught me how to break into the Dark One's castle all those years ago.

Tromping through the thick woods of trees my hands were shaking underneath my red cloak. Earlier this week I went to open a window but somehow set the bed spread on fire when my hands turned red. I knew it could only be done through magic and I needed to fix it. "What am I going to do? What am I going to do?"

Halting in my tracks I saw a camp up ahead that I ran straight towards until I got to the edge peaking around one of the empty tents. Men were surrounded by a fire and I saw a little boy playing around with them. "Put your hands up in the air and turn around very slowly." I heard an arrow be drawn in a bow and a male voice speaking behind me.

"I don't mean any harm, sir. I just need help." Raising my hands up I did as I was told coming into contact with a guy that had dirty blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He had a bow and arrow in his hands aimed directly at me.

"Why are you snooping around my camp?" He asked me.

I gulped nervously. "I have heard rumors of a very powerful wizard not too far from here. I need to break into his home and get my hands on a certain object."

"What kind of object?" The man asked me not lowering his weapon.

I met his gaze hoping he would understand where I was coming from. "An object that is said to control him. I need his help before I hurt someone in my family."

"It sounds like you already know all the information you need. So what are you needing from my camp?"

"I need someone to teach me how to be a thief and break into a very secure castle." I responded to the stranger who finally lowered his bow.

The man extended his hand with a bow. "Robin Hood of Loxley at your service."

"Princess Everly. It's nice to meet you, Robin." I curtsy to the thief before me with a slight smile.

He cleared his throat and bent down on one knee. "Apologies princess."

"That's not necessary. You can simply call me Everly." I held my hands helping him up to stand in front of me, finding the formality ridiculous at this moment in time. "I am simply asking for some guidance."

Robin nodded in agreement picking his bow up from the dirt ground gesturing for me to follow him inside the entrance of his camp. "That can be arranged, Everly. And if you're going to learn you might as well learn from the best." We entered his camp and from that day on my life was changed forever.

Coming around the corner after leaving the pawnshop I found Henry where I told him to meet me behind her office building. He ran over to me seeing me slide a duffel bag from my shoulder onto the ground. "So what all do you have in there, Everly?"

"Lock picks, rope, arrows, a bow." Rummaging around I tied one end of the rope onto the arrow tip then drew it back with the small bow. Firing it off the arrow tip stuck into the seal. "Okay I'll go up first then you climb up."

"Okay. Be careful." He nodded watching me climb up the rope and unlocking the window lock with one of my pins from my bag. I crawled through the window and Henry shortly came through it. I slowly began looking around, seeing some apples on the center of her desk, a long coach and some mirrors. "So where would she keep the keys?"

Henry moved past me looking through the different cabinets until he found them underneath the main desk with a secret drawer. "I got them."

"Okay kid we should get out of here before we get caught."

Henry gave me a confused look. "I think we'll be okay."

"Shit! Henry run, run!" I tossed down to him climbing up in the open window seal hearing an alarm sound going off. I eyed the ground, closing my eyes and jumping where I hit my feet hard and rolling down into the grass below. Henry helped me up, holding my back and we bolted away as fast as possible until we called Emma to meet us outside Mary Maragarets apartment.

"I have proof." He holds up the ring of skeleton keys. "This is how my mom got into your apartment. This is how she framed Miss Blanchard."

Emma met us at the top of the stairs eyeing the keys. "Did you steal these from her office?"

"The book said they could open any door." Henry replied to her with a sad expression from her disapproving eyes.

I finally spoke up to the blonde woman. "Emma, don't judge him too much. It was my idea to steal them."

"You should've seen her. It was so cool."

I warned the boy. "Henry, not now."

"There's no way they'll even fit in the lock." Emma nodded, going back to focus on the keys.

"We have to try." Henry tries to open the door with multiple keys, but is unsuccessful.

Emma drops her arms at her sides. "See? What did I tell you? Come on, Henry. I know you want to think the answer to everything is in Operation Cobra-

"It is!" Henry and I blurted out in unison.

Emma sighed heavily. "But, sometimes the real world needs to come first."

"Just try one more. Please." He begged her.

She paused for a moment. "Okay, one more. But then we're done."

"You do it. This one." Henry rummaged the keys around before picking the last one holding it up for his mother to take and she did.

Emma takes the keys from Henry and tries the key he picked out with the door finally opening. "Do you believe now?" Henry asked her, seeing pure shock cross his mother's face. We were getting closer to breaking this curse once and for all.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[grainsofexcellence]

teaser

Emma sighed and grabbed their only full water bottle and made her way towards the sick brunette. She must have eaten something that had gone off in their pack. The blond figured they should move again tonight — they had been here long enough — and could replenish their supplies.

She set her hand on Regina's back and tried to hand her the bottle of water. Tired eyes looked up and she shook her head before turning back to the bush to puke again.

Emma pulled her hair back from her face, noticing that she would have to help Regina wash it before getting back into bed. “What did you eat?” Emma ran her hand softly in circles over a tense back.

Regina coughed up a bit. “I don’t know.” Her hand rubbed at her stomach. “You probably grabbed something bad in your mad dash back to me. Be more careful next time.”

Emma wanted to tell her to find her own damn food, or maybe that she could go risk her neck next time, but she didn’t have the heart while the woman looked so sick and pathetic. Eventually, Regina slowed down and Emma coaxed her to the stream to freshen up. Regina shivered at the freezing water. Emma took in the slight bulge of her belly and wondered if the brunette had maybe just stuffed herself this morning. It wasn’t the first time she had thrown up lately. This was just worse than the other times.

“Don’t eat so fast. The food will be here.”

Regina shivered. “Says the woman who refuses to go back for supplies.”

Regna noticed Emma's eyes wandering over her form, and her hand rubbed at her stomach. “Amazing that I can still have a food baby after all that.”

Emma laughed, placing her hand over Regina's. “Hey, be nice. That’s my kid in there.”

The brunette's face seemed to scrunch in thought and Emma's eyes went wide until Regina was rolling her eyes. “Can’t be yours, Swan. I must have snuck off in the night and met up with some forest man.”

Emma offered Regina her hand, really kicking herself that their one towel was still wet from when she bathed yesterday, pulling Regina into her arms to try and dry her with body heat. “You would never.”

“Oh, I would.”

[sssammich]

one word swan queen prompt: "Snow"

(see what i did there.... is it winter themed? is it Emma's annoying mother?? is it something unexpected from your galaxy writer brain???)

XD luv ya bestieeeeeee

lol no galaxy writer brain here but i do have an update to ritual fic.

if you wanna read on ao3

otherwise, here's ch 1

---

Storybrooke, Maine is not exempt from the dirty piles of snow that accumulate after trucks go through the streets and plow them off the road. The snow is never ending, pouring out of the sky like a broken machine. For days now, fat flakes of snow descend from the heavens, blanketing any and every inch of whatever has been cleared the day before. 

Still, Emma shoves her feet in her snow boots donning only loose black sweatpants and a zip-up hoodie before making her way to the garage to retrieve the snow shovel. She grips the shovel while the other presses the garage door button, the metal cranking of the door rising fills the quiet stillness of the morning. It squeaks and it screeches and Emma notes to herself to get some grease to put on there. 

Carefully, she maneuvers around the parked Mercedes Benz and begins the first dig. She clears the path with a small ‘hup’ as she exhales and chucks the shoveled snow out of the way, a growing snow mound on the perimeter of the driveway. All too soon, she works up a sweat, her hands reddening from both the cold and the exertion, her breath visible as she tows herself back and forth.

Before long, she has cleared half of the driveway and is making her way towards the walking path to the front door. She quickly surveys her progress and wipes the sweat off her brow with the back of her sleeve. She doesn’t know how long it takes her to do this; only focuses on the way her muscles strain and stretch with each shovel, with each dig. It is as meditative as it is repetitive and it gives her body purpose despite the tempest of her thoughts. 

She takes a small break and inspects her work thus far, her gaze not quite landing towards the front window where she can just make out a shadowy figure. 

She returns to her task, her mind wandering once more. Emma is exploring unknown territory having accepted the offer to move into the mansion. She is happy to live in the same place as her son, the back and forth shuffling of shared custody taking a much deserved respite after all that’s gone on. She is happy to carve out space for herself instead of whittling herself down to fit whatever space is available. 

She enjoys leaving work on time in time for regular dinners, happy to close out the workday at her desk knowing what waits for her at home.

All of these, she favors more than where she’d been in the past. The mansion is very much Regina’s house, without question, but she does not feel temporary, like an outsider, like a trespasser. 

However. 

However, what she struggles to contend with is the limbo space she has found herself in as of late. One that blurs the lines that she’d drawn for herself when she accepted Regina’s offer to make her temporary stay more permanent. 

“It’s not too much of a leap, dear. But I won’t stop you if you need to find your own space. Just know that you have a place here,” Regina said, pausing her stirring of that night’s dinner and turning to face Emma sitting at the far end of the counters. She’d placed the spatula on the holder before docking her hand on her hip, tilting her head slightly and studying Emma. For her part, Emma tried her best not to squirm under Regina’s gaze.

“Alright. Can I let you know soon?” she asked, flashing a lopsided grin just as Regina smiled at her warmly in return.

“Whenever you want.” 

So here she is now, heaving a large chunk of packed snow and swinging, until it hits the top of the existing snow hill and breaks into hundreds of tiny pieces. She grunts and breathes hard, resting against the ground and her arm against the handle. The walking path is clear now, and she can return to the remainder of the driveway. 

Despite the cold weather, Emma has shed herself of her hoodie and wrapped it around her waist until all she’s left in is her black tank top. The cool, crisp air a welcomed sensation on her heated skin. 

While she resumes shoveling the driveway, she doesn’t immediately turn towards the soft click of the door to the garage opening, nor the padding sounds of boots approaching. 

She angles her body away just slightly under the guise of her shoveling efforts, waiting. 

“Emma.” 

She bites the smile threatening to swallow her face whole before she turns her head. Only when Regina comes into view that she draws herself back up, propping the shovel up and resting her weight on it. “Hey, morning. Oh, careful you don’t slip.” 

She holds a hand up to catch Regina, if she slips or falls, but she never does. She is as graceful and poised on snow as she is on dry land. 

“Thank you.” The corner of Regina’s lips quirk upwards, the scar on the top of her lip moving slightly. “Thought you might like to have some breakfast.” 

Emma glances down to find a rolled pancake wrapped in wax paper in one hand and a steaming cup of coffee in the other as Regina stands right in front of her. She observes that the coffee is the exact shade of brown she likes, no doubt from the perfect ratio of cream Regina has added. If she takes a sip now, she knows it'll have the right amount of sugar just to her liking. 

She arches a brow at the offered food, but Regina shrugs, almost defeatedly. That brings an amused smirk on Emma’s face.  

“Henry insists that the pancake is better this way. Something about syrup density.”  

“Well, he’s not wrong,” she says, slowly taking the food out of Regina’s hands. Without any more prompting, she takes a healthy bite. 

Regina grimaces before sighing. “Please stop teaching our son terrible eating habits.” 

“It can’t be terrible when it’s clearly genius.” 

She continues scarfing down the rolled pancake, alternating sips with her coffee. Regina wraps herself in her arms, her focus shifting around her driveway, seemingly inspecting Emma’s work. 

“You know, there’s more snow coming overnight,” she announces needlessly. Emma is more than aware that there is another week of heavy snow forecasted for them. 

“I know.” 

“Yet you still do it.”

“If I don't, who will?” she asks, testing. The answer, of course, is Regina will. If Emma didn't do it, Regina’s magic can easily melt all of the snow on her property before Emma can even think it. 

It’s not about the snow. It's not about the magic. 

“You’ll be late to work if you don’t hurry along.” 

“It’s fine. I have it in with the boss. She won’t get too mad if I’m a few minutes late.”

“Is that so?” 

She doesn’t immediately respond. Instead, she polishes off the now empty mug of coffee and places it back in Regina’s hands; the coolness of her knuckles grazing against the warmth of Regina’s fingers. 

“I have it on good authority.”

“And how can you be so sure?” 

“Just a feeling,” she shrugs. 

Emma chooses to participate in the same song and dance with Regina if only to make sense of the steps she’s making—if it will lead to anything. If it will lead to anything more. 

“I wouldn't be too sure of that.” Regina hums, thoughtful. Emma just offers her another toothy grin before returning to her task, flexing her arms just so as she shovels a particularly dense section of snow. 

“Thanks for breakfast.” 

Emma catches Regina from the corner of her eye and simply stands there without moving. She shovels three more times before she sees movement, Regina trekking back into the garage. She’s just about to fully turn to her shoveling when Regina glances back at her. 

Wickedly, she smirks at Emma and waves her fingers.

A small rumble fills the air until a small avalanche of the snow on the roof drops straight down and covers the driveway that Emma had just finished clearing. 

Her jaw drops, but she can’t get too upset when she hears the melodic lilt of Regina’s amused laugh filtering out from the garage and to her ears.

She takes a deep breath and starts shoveling again.

[heartlesshuntsman]

[ tie ] sender helps receiver with their tie, either by putting it on or adjusting it / from emma! @feylived

He hadn't meant to wake her, but it was still early and his tie was giving him issues even though he'd tied the damn thing a thousand times with no problem.

Graham was ready to just throw the damn thing away when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, was I being too loud?" He turned to look at the blonde, smiling sheepishly.

It amazed him that even at zero dark thirty, Emma Swan looked beautiful, but he may have been biased.

Sighing he held out the tie to Emma in silent explanation.

"Do you think I could get away with a t-shirt and and leather jacket like you?" Graham teased, smiling when Emma took the tie and draped it around his neck, tying it easily.

"Thank you." he pulled her in by her hips and stole a kiss, he'd never thought he'd have a pack bigger than just him and his brother, and he'd never thought humans would be part of that pack. But here they were.

"I should head to the station, and you should try to get back to sleep. I'll see you after you put Henry on the bus."

[happy-emmdings]

Hometown Goodbye

on AO3

Summary: The car ride from Storybrooke to Henry's new college is a chaotic experience worthy of their chaotic family. Even without the whole royal escort of his family accompanying him into the new environment, three parents and a restless toddler are already quite enough for one small car and a very long ride.

Word count: 3 026

Author’s note: Season 7 canon divergence, in the sense that it ignores the existence season 7. Hope ended up kinda stealing the spotlight in this but... good for her.

It was bound to happen. After years of discovering curses and fighting villains alongside his crazy fairytale family, it was time for Henry Mills to embark on a new journey, wherever it may take him. College life sure did sound like a whole new kind of adventure. He wasn’t even sure if he’d be able to stick to the plan. Now that the new chapter was just around the corner, the real world suddenly seemed more daunting than a trip to a land full of magical danger. But there is no use getting ahead of oneself, when every journey has to start first. Some start with a curse, some with a long family road trip.

He had already said a proper goodbye to his grandparents and his kid uncle in advance. Luckily, Emma had managed to gently relay to them that he wasn't comfortable with having a whole royal escort of a family accompanying him into the new environment and that yes, he'd remember to call. Three parents and a toddler were already quite enough, especially all in one small car.

"Alright, I think we're good to go," Emma announced as she slammed the trunk of her yellow bug shut.

"Are you sure you have everything, honey? Socks, all your chargers, toothbrush-"

"Mom!" Henry interrupted Regina's endless checklist that she already went over for the third time since she arrived in front of the Swan-Jones' grey house.

"I'm nineteen years old, I packed a toothbrush, okay?" he snapped.

"And your laptop?"

"Yes!"

"And your books?" Emma joined in.

"Yes!"

"And your sword?"

"Ye- No!"

Henry turned back to the house to see Killian descending the stairs with Hope and smirking at him with an amused twinkle in his eyes. He must have found the endless fussing amusing. Easy for him, when he wasn't the victim of it...

"No, Hook, I'm not taking my sword to college. Pretty sure that's not allowed. But I- shit!"

"Language!" both his mothers exclaimed at once as he suddenly bolted inside the house.

"My books," he grumbled hastily, slipping past Killian and running upstairs.

"You mean these?" Killian called after him, lifting up his left arm with a backpack hanging from his hook.

Henry turned around, already at the top of the stairs and rolled his eyes.

"Yep," he confirmed awkwardly and jogged back to take the heavy backpack from his stepdad.

"Thanks," he muttered, when Killian smiled and gave him a teasing wink.

“Now we're good to go!"

"Aye, just gotta put the little pirate princess into her travel throne," Killian said, tickling Hope under her chin, eliciting an adorable giggle and an even cuter attempt at a scary growl from the tiny girl. With almost theatrical courtesy he opened the car door for her, but then he suddenly swept her up without a warning and spun her around, while holding her under his arm like a sack of flour. Little Hope spread her arms and screamed in delight at her daddy's excess.

"Killian, she's gonna be dizzy," Emma protested, but she couldn't hide the soft look in her eyes and the smile that broke through her fatigue like a beam of sunshine hitting water surface and setting it alight with a thousand sparkles.

"Apologies, love," Killian smiled innocently as he finally put his daughter into the car seat and started working on strapping her in.

"If she throws up, you're gonna be the one cleaning it up," Emma added, crossing her arms.

"Are you actually wearing that thing?" Regina gestured to his hook, raising her eyebrows. "We're going to the outside world. Don't you have a fake hand or something?"

"Aye," Killian rolled his eyes and glanced over his shoulder with an annoyed look.

"But I can't do a bloody thing with that useless hand-shaped piece of wood. So forgive me if I prefer..." he used his hook to pull the seatbelt over Hope who was holding his only hand in her little fingers, trying to take his rings off "...to avail myself of the ability to handle things."

Regina shrugged with a quiet whatever and Killian raised his hook to tickle Hope with it, making her squirm in her seat. Her carefree laughter rang like chimes in the wind and Killian wasn't the only one whose face lit up with a wide smile at the sound.

"Besides, I haven't sharpened it in years," he added, nodding to the blunt tip of the curved appendage.

"Yeah, we all remember Captain Pacifier," Regina scoffed, evoking the memory of Killian's babyproofed hook. When Hope was just a baby, he started wearing a pink piece of plastic on his hook to make it harmless. It just so happened that it also became Hope's favorite thing to stick into her mouth.

"Oh yeah, that worked wonders," Emma sighed.

"That it did. But as proud as I am of my pacifying techniques, I never quite grew fond of that particular moniker." Killian shot them an irritated look, but Emma's innocent smile made his eyes soften.

"Okay. Are we ready to go?" Henry chuckled.

Killian sighed in frustration, when Hope managed to slide a black-jeweled ring off his index finger, and gestured for her to give it back. Instead, she raised it to his ear as if trying to see how it would look as an earring.

"Daddy, why you never wear your birthday eawing?" she pouted at him.

"I- uh..." Killian looked up at Emma with a silent plea for help.

"Daddy is saving them for a special occasion, sweetheart," Emma chimed in. "Give him his ring back, we have to go now. Henry doesn't want to be late."

"What is special occasion?" Hope crossed her arms.

"Um, it's when something important happens." Emma explained hastily. "We can chat on the road, baby."

"Today is impowtant," Hope insisted.

"I'd say she has a point," Henry teased, giving his stepdad an innocent smile.

"Daddy, please," Hope pleaded with big puppy eyes as she slipped the stolen ring back onto his finger.

"Love, I'd be delighted to but we don't have time to- oh okay-"

Killian watched the little girl clap her hands in excitement and reach into her pocket to pull out the kitschiest pair of earrings the pirate has ever set his eyes upon in his long life. They were two little silver princess crowns with sparkly hearts at the tips. That would not have been so bad if not for the even more sparkly unicorns dangling from the crowns on short little chains along with a pair of cheap-looking hot pink feathers. For some inexplicable reason, Hope thought they were very elegant and she had convinced Emma to buy them as a birthday gift for her daddy.

Surrendering to his stubborn baby girl with a deep sigh, Killian took off the black earring he was wearing and let her attach the atrocity to his ear. He waited patiently for her to find the hole in his earlobe after a few probing stabs. But he stopped her hand by gently catching it with his hook, when she reached for his other ear.

"I don't have my left ear pierced, darling. And I would prefer not to have it done by that earring."

"Oh… okay,” she shrugged, looking a little sad.

"Here," Killian smiled and carefully put the sparkly accessory on her right ear. "There you go, pirate princess. We're in this together."

"Now we're both pirate princesses," Hope beamed at him and leaned forward to plant a big loud kiss on his nose.

"Whatever you say, love," he smiled wearily and raised her tiny hand to his lips, before finally stepping back and closing the car door, pointedly ignoring the amused looks of the other adults.

"I think you look adorable," Emma teased with her arm around Henry's shoulder and a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Oh, save it, Swan. You know I love her to bits but how can my own blood have such an atrocious sense of style?" he sighed. "Of all the jewelry we could share..."

"She's three, babe. Style isn't necessarily what she's developing right now," Emma chuckled.

"I suppose you're right," Killian shrugged and tugged at the gaudy fake feather. "Let's depart then, shall we?"

"Are you really sure you want to spend hours inside that thing with a three-year-old that is going to get bored in ten minutes?" Regina raised her eyebrows at Emma and Killian.

"I did say we should take the Jolly Roger," Killian shrugged, raising an eyebrow at Henry as if to say the offer still stands.

"No offense to your ship, Killian, but this time it'd be easier to just park right next to the campus," Henry explained. Killian swallowed any offense he might have taken, simply nodded and got into the car.

"You can always take your own car, Regina, if it's a problem," Emma shrugged, "but I am not negotiating with her about this again."

Convincing the Charmings not to tag along was one thing, but trying to explain to a very stubborn toddler that she was most likely not going to enjoy a several hours long car ride proved to be rather impossible. She had already spent the entire previous evening crying because she realized that Henry going to college meant she wouldn't see him for months. She wasn't usually one to throw a tantrum but this time she made up for all the times she had been reasonable. It wasn't until Henry offered to let her come see where he was going to live, so that it wouldn't feel like he disappeared into a void, that her sulky pout turned thoughtful and she nodded her little head.

So now, Henry, his two moms, Killian and little Hope all squeezed into Emma's old yellow bug. Emma was at the wheel, of course, with Killian in the passenger seat. Henry sat in the back between Regina and Hope's car seat and they were on their merry way. Luckily, the Storybrooke's townline released them into the outside world with no side-effects.

"Remember when you brought me here, Henry?" Emma reminisced wistfully.

"Yeah," Henry smiled. "Feels like a whole another life now, doesn't it?"

"Ha! You bet! I can't believe you're all grown up now," she shook her head slightly.

"Me neither," Regina echoed.

"Call if you ever need anything, okay?" Emma said. "But even if you don't. Just call from time to time."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'm gonna miss you," Regina smiled at him and smoothed his hair.

"Guys, I'm not going to another realm. I'm gonna be home for Christmas," Henry rolled his eyes.

"Or for a weekend, if you want to visit sooner," Emma shrugged.

"It sure won't be the same, taking the Jolly out on the water without my trusted first mate," Killian said, turning in his seat to look at him with a little smile.

"Yeah, I'll miss that too," Henry assured him. "But I'll see you all before you know it. I'm ready for the next adventure now."

"Preferably one without evil witches or fairies," Emma scoffed.

"Or rogue authors," Henry added.

"Or nasty demon boys," Killian smirked.

"Or dragons or dark wizards," Regina continued.

"Okay guys, now you're making it sound boring," Henry frowned.

"If you ever miss haywire magic, you know where to find it, kid," Emma chuckled.

"I guess," Henry smirked. "Just don't get all cursed or something while I'm gone."

"We'll try our best, lad," Killian promised jokingly.

Even if the last few years had been rather peaceful for Storybrooke's standards, life was never entirely 'normal' in their small cursed town. Even without dark curses and grand evil schemes, magical shenanigans still kept the sheriff's department busy sometimes. However, nothing too life-threating has happened in the last five years, so what would once have been a real peril, was now easily converted into an inside joke. For a second Henry almost regretted making it though, as a quiet little voice in the back of his head whispered an anxious what if... But he shook his head and pushed it away. No, there have been enough curses already. They have won every fight so far and it was time for a peaceful chapter in their lives. His family would be just fine.

———

Despite their initial worries, Hope was enjoying the car ride more than anyone. She made up for not being able to run around with swinging her legs ceaselessly and when she wasn't chattering, she provided everyone with music. Hope, the self-proclaimed shanty girl, filled any moment of silence with one of her songs made up in the spur of a moment. Ignoring Regina's exasperated sighs, Emma praised Hope's singing voice. Even if it was getting a little tiresome, Emma still found it incredibly cute and the way Hope's little face lit up in the rear-view mirror at the words of encouragement melted Emma's heart. The lyrics were mostly nonsensical even from the start but after an hour, even her tireless creativity was running out and she simply started filling gaps in her songs with endless yo-ho-hos.

"Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum!" she added loudly to the end of her latest car shanty, clapping her hands on her knees and nudging Henry to do the same.

An unsure frown appeared on Emma's face as she titled her head thoughtfully. She glanced at her husband with suspicious eyes.

"Isn't that from the song about fifteen dead guys?" she whispered to him.

"You mean Fifteen Men on a Deadman's Chest, love?" he asked, innocently scratching behind his ear.

"Why do you sing about fifteen dead guys to our toddler, Killian?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"I don't," Killian lifted his hand defensively.

"Yo, ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum!" Hope shouted happily from the backseat.

"Maybe she heard you sing it in the shower," Henry suggested, leaning forward to join the conversation.

As if on cue, Hope clapped her hands. "Sing with me, daddy! Our song! Mommy you too!"

Emma gave Killian a pointed look before turning her eyes back to the road.

"Alright, I might have sung it a couple times," he admitted, his voice making a little squeaky sound as he put on an innocent smile.

"Don’t worry, she made some… adjustments to it," he added.

"Daddy, sing!"

“Please don’t,” Regina groaned silently.

Emma lifted her eyebrows again, this time with her eyes still on the windshield. The corner of her mouth quirked up a little in amusement as Hope began the song which consisted of mostly gibberish. Killian joined in for the chorus, which changed almost every time, one of the versions being:

"Fifteen beans in a princess chest Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum Sheriff star, sword and a pretty dress Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum”

Together, Killian and Hope made up a long list of various things that the princess had in her chest. Among other things there were fifteen rings, fifteen teeth or fifteen cats. Killian added a sextant, map and a gold compass, while Hope came up with strawberry ice cream ‘cause it’s the best, and of course yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum. “It’s the best” turned out to be her go-to rhyme. Emma started singing along with them and even Henry joined for the part of the chorus that remained the same.

“Careful before you raise an alcoholic,” Regina muttered, equally annoyed and amused by the situation.

“It’s just a song,” Emma waved her hand.

“She doesn’t want to drink rum, right love?” Killian said, looking at Hope over his shoulder.

“It’s bleh!” she shook her head furiously.

“I may or may not have tricked her into taking cough drops by promising her a real pirate’s drink,” Killian whispered into Emma’s ear. “Rest assured, her curiosity was sated.”

Henry caught that and made a mental note to replace the rum in Killian’s flask with cough medicine the next time he’d declare him a prank war. Emma shook her head with a chuckle.

“I thought you didn’t use trickery on women,” she quipped.

“Only when their little throats are sore and they refuse treatment,” he explained with a conspiratorial wink.

Eventually, Hope’s supply of songs was exhausted and she decided to occupy herself with trying to dismantle her doll. Henry started scrolling mindlessly through his phone with his thoughts wandering to the future of almost scary normalcy that awaited him at their destination. Every once in a while, he let his eyes get captivated by the landscape running past them outside the window in endless smudged stripes of green and grey and blue. He spun his pen between his fingers. He had a habit of keeping it in his pocket these days. Ever since he finally finished his second volume of Storybrooke’s history, he has had a strange itch to write something new, though he couldn’t figure out exactly what. He wondered if bidding his hometown goodbye was the answer or if there even was any inspiration for him in a world without magic. But perhaps it was precisely the lack of magic that had inspired him to first start seeking it out. Perhaps his own realm had its own lessons to teach him. He just still wasn’t quite sure how good he was going to be at being an adult in a normal world after growing up as a boy who’d been to Neverland and Camelot among other places. His fake memories of a normal life with Emma from the year after Pan’s curse felt more like a vague, distant, elusive dream, but he had some recollection of what it would have been like to have been a regular kid. But if the years that have passed since then have proved anything, it was that he was anything but. He just hoped he could find a way to fit in in his own world. He spun the pen again. Well, if he couldn’t, there were always other worlds to explore. And he just happened to know a town in Maine full of secrets and haywire magic that could be a gateway to any new adventure he’d pick.