Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It has always been said that when you know you have found your soulmate, your person, your true love, that you will know the instant that it happens and Emma Nolan can attest to that. She found her other half when she was just ten years old. It was the middle of the school year in her fifth grade year when a tall, lankly, dark haired boy with ocean blue eyes walked into her classroom, and even at her young age she knew that this boy was going to change her life in one way or another. She had learned that his name was Killian Jones and he had just moved to the states with his older brother and Father. It was on that same day that while he sat alone on the swing set looking lost that Emma marched right up to him with her blonde curls blowing in the autumn wind and he green eyes shining bright that she declared that they were going to be best friends, and when she was meant with no objections she promptly sat on the swing next to Killian's and held out her hand.  They stayed like that for the rest of recesses and they rest of their school days, and she jokes with herself saying that is the day she fell in love with her best friend. She would later learn that the reason they had moved was because Killian's mother had passed away and their father had lost his job, therefore, prompting him to give his sons and himself a new start here in Storybrooke, Maine. She held his hand while the tears fell down his face when he told her that story and she held him even closer five years later when his father had passed away, and Liam was left to care for him. That's the day she made a vow that she would never leave him, that Killian jones has experienced too much pain and heartbreak for a lifetime. 

The next eight years fly by in a blink of an eye and with so many changes, but the one thing that remains the same and that is the friendship between Emma Nolan and Killian Jones and not to mention her true feelings for him. It's not like either of them haven't dated people over the years, but no one would measure up to him and deep down she knew that. Of course, when high school hit and so did the major growth spurt and filling out on Killian's part he had a lot more of a dating history than she did. She would be happy for him each time, even helping pick out gifts or date ideas but it still stop her heart from breaking a little more each time. No, she would put on a brave face and keep her promise she made to herself when they were ten years old about how she would never leave him, even if the cost was her broken heart. 

"So... are you going to finally tell him?" Ruby asks as she reapplies her lipstick in the mirror 

"Tell who what?" Emma questions with annoyed roll of her eyes as she looked between two dresses to wear for their high school graduation 

"Don't blame dumb, Emma" Ruby retorts back with a lad click of her lipstick cap 

"Ruby, I honestly have no idea what you are even talking about, so no, I am not playing dumb." Emma snapped back not even bother hiding her annoyance. She loved her best friend, but sometimes she wishes she would just mind her own business

"Are you finally going to tell Killian Jones that you're in love with him?" Ruby said green eyes meeting green eyes with a smirk appearing on her lips

"I have no idea what you think you know, but I am not in love with Killian. He's just my best friend." Emma said while throwing down the dress she was holding up to her body. " I don't know why you think otherwise."

"Emma, I love you, but you're an open book. I see the way that you look at him, the way that you light up when he walks into the room, and the way that you would do anything just to see him smile. You are in love with your best friend and all I'm saying is that you better tell him before it's too late. He leaves tomorrow." 

Falling backwards on her bed "I know. I know, okay?! I can't risk it though. I can't risk losing my best friend right before he leaves to join the Navy. It would absolutely break me if I told him and he decided he couldn't handle it right before he left." Her voice was starting to choke up and she raised her hands to wipe the tears forming in her eyes.

Ruby crosses the room and lands softly next to Emma and grabs her hand "I know." is all she says to her, but to Emma it is enough to know that Ruby understands where she stands on the subject 

There is a sudden knock on the door "Emma! Ruby! are you guys ready? Killian is here to pick you two up." Emma's mother, Mary-Margarett calls out on the other side of the door 

Speak of the devil Ruby mumbles underneath her breathe and Emma rolls her eyes as she gets herself up and grabs hers and Ruby's graduation gowns before helping Ruby to her feet. "Are you sure you're going to be able to walk in those?" Emma nods down to the 5 inch stiletto heels that Ruby insisted on wearing. 

"Yes I can and if I fall, well, I will make sure to make it look graceful as hell" She retorts grabbing her gown, checking her make up one last time, and heading out the bedroom door.

Rolling her eyes behind her friend Emma slips on her graduation gown and fixes her hair one last time before taking a deep breath. She knew today was going to be hard because while she will be going off to college in Boston studying social work, her best friend in the entire world will be miles and miles away training at the Navy base and today was their last day. 

"Where's Emma?" She heard the voice that she could recognize anywhere asking for her 

"I'm coming! I had to make sure I looked presentable." She shouts back taking one final look and a giving herself one last final moment before descending downstairs for pictures with her family. 

"You always look presentable, love" Killian calls back just as she comes into view of everyone.

She walks into the living room of the farmhouse she has grown up in and see's her parents, Granny, and Liam all there waiting, but all she see's in that moment is Killian and he is dressed a black suite and she is pretty sure her heart skipped a beat...or several when she laid eyes on him and the rest of the world disappeared. He smiles back at her and it is a smile that reaches his eyes and she cannot help, but grin back herself and reach to give him a hug, at least she can do this. He engulfs her in his arms and she tightens her hold on him, never wanting to let go and never wanting this moment to stop. In this moment there are no college plans, no basic training, no flights tomorrow and no tears have to be shed as the inventible tearful goodbyes are sure go come this evening, No. She want's to stay in this moment. Then she hears a cough come from somewhere in the room and she feels Killian chuckle beside her as she lets her go. 

"Awe you guys make such a cute couple... now can we take pictures? These shoes are killing my feet." Ruby gripes as she walks outside followed by Granny, her parents, and Liam and Emma mutters under hear breathe about giving Ruby a good kick later for her comment.

The pictures take about 45 minutes for everyone to get the ones they wanted and the many different combinations. Emma's mother wanted one with just her, Emma, and David, then she wanted another one with the three of them with Killian, and then one with Liam in the picture as well. Emma's mother kept mentioning about how she needed all these pictures for her scrapbook and then joked you never know, we may need these pictures for their future wedding to Liam who had a good laugh about that, but ultimately agreed. To say that Emma felt embarrassed was an understatement. It's not as if she professed that she was in love with her best friend, but maybe she wasn't hiding it as well as she thought, and if she wasn't then maybe Killian had an idea. She decided right then and there that tonight she was going to tell her best friend of eight years that she was in love with him, for better or worse she needed to tell him.

The whole graduation ceremony lasted about an hour and half at the local high school and that was it. The countdown was on and it was only so many hours left in the day to tell her best friend how she truly felt before he left the next morning. The thought kept making her stomach churn, but she kept trying to push the thought aside and stay in the present while they all headed back to the Nolan farm for an after graduation celebration. Though the real celebration was going to happen tonight down by the beach with the rest of the graduating class, but Emma didn't mind the quiet time with her friends and family. 

"Killian" her father said in his 'dad voice' one she knew way too well. "I hear you are really leaving tomorrow for naval training?" 

With a laugh she hears beside her at the table "Aye, sir, I have to catch my flight tomorrow bright and early." Killian answers straightening up his posture.

"Well, Who is going to keep Emma out of trouble for the summer if you're not here?" Her father asks crossing his arms, but a smile creeping through his tough exterior 

"Don't look at me Mr. Nolan, I plan on having a wild summer before me and this one leave for Boston in the fall" Ruby replies while giving Emma a wink which she rolls her eyes to and Granny gives them both a stern look

"Ah, David, It's more like how is this one going to stay out of trouble without your daughter around?" Liam asks as he walks up behind Killian grabbing him by the shoulders 

"Well, I can't say for myself how I will get on without my best friend here" Killian wraps his arm around Emma's shoulder and she feels the rush of red sweep on her cheeks "or stay out of trouble, but I can imagine she will be stay out of trouble with me being here. You know considering I am the one who drags her in it most of the time." He finishes by throwing her a wink, but keeping his arm where it is. 

David lets out a big laugh "I do have to agree with you there, I can remember before Emma turned ten that I never saw her sneaking out of the window to catch lightening bugs or hoping in your jeep to go to a party." He says lowering his gaze on the two of them. 

"Ah yes, How will I ever have go on with my wild partying days without the infamous Killian Jones by my side?" Emma nudges him in the side while giving him a genuine smile, one that she really reserves for him 

The rest of the group breaks into smaller conversations but Emma and Killian remain where they are at the table until he lowers his voice and whispers "Speaking of sneaking out... do you think you can do it one last time tonight? I want to spend my last hours this evening with you." 

She doesn't answer him with words, but a nod of her head and the soar of her heart. This is the moment she has been waiting for since that fateful autumn day eight years ago. She finally get's to tell her best friend that she is in love with him. This is the moment and she is counting down the hours, minutes and seconds until she can slip through her window and hop right into the passenger seat of his red jeep. 

Later that evening Emma excuses herself from her parents stating that it has been a long day and she just wanted to go to bed. They only questioned her partially, but let her go with no real complaints. She rushed up the stairs and pulled on a pair of blue cut off shorts, her favorite white t-shirt, a flannel that she stole from Killian with no intentions of ever giving back, and her black vans. She turned off all the lights in her bedroom and left the TV on to hide any noise that may come from her sneaking out the window. She waiting patiently for the text that told her the coast was clear and to head outside to the sweet escape that was waiting for her. The clock on her nightstand read 10:55 and she was starting to worry that maybe Killian wasn't going to show and he changed his mind after all. It would break her heart, but she understood if it was going to be too painful to say goodbye again. 

"Alright, Swan, the coast is clear like the sky" She laughs at the joke because he called her swan ever since he learned that the constellation in October is Cygnet, the Swan

"Look at you already talking like a sailor. I'm heading out my window now, and make sure to cut off the headlights."

She quietly and gracefully shimmied out her window and headed down the long dirt path that was the driveway to her house, she ran looking behind her to make sure that the porch light was still off, and that no one suspected her leaving in the middle of the night. She found her salvation in a red jeep that was parked a little ways up with no headlights on, just like she had told him. She ran up to it and yanked the door open and jumped into the passenger seat laughing and finally being able to take a deep breathe from the sprint from the house to the road.

"Emma Nolan, if you accept this mission, are you ready to have the night of your life? This will include: driving around with your best friend, bad sing alongs in the car, and late night Granny's on the beach. Do you accept?" Killian looks at her with such a strong desire in his eyes and how could she ever tell him no?

Chapter Text

"Yes, Killian Jones, I accept this mission to have the night of the life with my best friend." She laughs barely able to even finish her sentence 

"Good! Then let's get started. Second, we will get our food at Granny's and then head to beach." Killian answers her as he pulls the jeep around and turns on the headlights and heads for the main road.

"What's first?"

"My dear, Emma, the first one is clearly bad sing alongs in the car." He stops the jeep and pulls out his phone and hits play.. the Taylor Swift song "Fearless" plays over the speakers 

There's sometin' bout the way 

The street looks when it's just rained

There's a glow off the pavement

You walk me to the car And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there In the middle of the parking lot

Yeah

oh, yeah

They are both belting out the lyrics as they drive up to the parking lot of Granny's and as she is about to open the door Killian rushes over and stops her, only to open the door for her and offer his hand to help her out. "What are you doing?" She asks as she takes his offered hand and leaps down the pavement.

"What does it look like? I'm taking you out on a date" Killian replies with such a matter of fact tone that it takes her back and she stares at him with a raised eyebrows 

He still has her hand and he throws it up to twirls in the middle of the parking lot and she lets out a small chuckle and smiles up to him. "What are you doing now?" 

"Nolan, I'm taking out of the Taylor Swift playbook here and we're going to dance in the middle of this parking lot" He gives her his dashing smile and pulls her closer.

He places one hand on her lower back and holds on to the other as they sway back and forth.  "Is that what this is? a date?" she asks her voice cracking at the end while her mind swirls rethinking the words he just casually mentioned 

"Aye. What else would it be? I'm taking my best girl out for one last night of fun. Is that a crime?" he smirks with one eyebrow raised to his hairline and a mischievous look she knows all too well in his eyes 

"No, Jones, it's not a crime. Well, if this is a date then let's get our food and head to the beach" she laughs as he pulls her in close and slings his arm around her shoulder guiding to the entrance of the diner.

not a crime he mutters under his breathe as he reaches for the door and ushers Emma inside as he follows behind her. The usual regulars are there on a Saturday night and then theres the crowd of younger people who are there to grab a bite to eat before they head out to the bars, Emma couldn't wait for those days sometimes and that made her more excited for college. She quickly pushed the thought away when she heard Killian placing their order to go and yeah an order of grilled cheese with a side of onion rings, not fries. I'm serious my girl wants onion rings. Also a hot chocolate with cinnamon.  She smiled to herself because of course he would know her order by heart and that she prefers the crispy onion rings over the crinkly fries any day and that a grilled cheese is her favorite meal because despite being 18 she still loves to eat like a child. They wait about 15 minutes for their food to be ready and Granny gives them a stern look and telling them to stay out of trouble because she would hate to have to call Emma's dad on them before handing off the bag and they have a good chuckle about that, because they know that it is an empty threat and Granny will be calling no one especially since it's Killian's last night. They walk back out into the summer night and Killian opens her door once more and helps her up.

"Here is the precious cargo, Swan. I'm trusting you not to spill it." He says as he hands her the bag of food and her hot chocolate, which he is totally judging her for drinking in the summer 

"Aye aye, Captain" she says with a fake salute to him as he rolls his eyes and makes his way to the other side 

When he adjusts himself in the seat he pulls his phone out again to find a song to play "So, are we continuing our Taylor Swift montage? or changing it?" She asks him 

With a small chuckle "We are continuing the song and then I have it set to shuffle, so we will see what comes on after that." 

We're drivin' down the road

I wonder if you know

I'm trying so hard not get caught up now

But you're just so cool 

Run your hands through your hair

Absent mindedly makin' want you 

And I don't know how it gets better than this

You take my hand and drag me head first

Fearless

And I don't know why 

But with you I'd dance in a storm 

In my best dress

Fearless

By the time the third verse is over they have made their way to the beach and Killian puts the jeep in park and looks over at her, making her heart beat a thousand times faster than could possible be safe. His blue eyes are shining so bright in the moonlight and all she wants to do is reach out and touch the scar on his face that he got when they were kids, he was defending her against some neighborhood bullies and he ended up getting cut with a piece of glass. She tried to thank him for protecting her but he brushed it off claiming that's what best friends do for each other, helping her to her feet and walking her all the way home that day. 

"If you stare at me any harder you're going to drill a hole in my head" She says with a soft laugh resisting the urge to close the gap between them. If she moved a couple more inches in than she could press her lips against his, and that is something she wants more than anything. She kissed him the day he fought off the bullies and it caught him by surprise. He ran home after that, but she remembers how sweet it was and how sweet that they were each other's fist kiss.

"Sorry, love, I was just trying to memorize how you look since I won't see you for two months and I don't want to forget a single detail of your beautiful face. I want to remember every freckle, dimple, and the way you smile when I make you laugh at some dumb joke I just told you. I need something to hold on to." He admits never breaking their eye contact.

"You don't have to apologize for that, Killian. You can stare all you want" giving him a wink and then making her tone more serious “I will always be something you can hold on to.”  Reaching out for his hand to hold. 

He closed his eyes and held on to her hand “Thank you.” And then he opens his eyes and a wicked smile appears “let’s continue this date and get to the dinner part” jumping out of the car and walking to open her door and just like her Killian is back giving her whiplash.

They make their way down to the beach with blanket in hand and the moon and stars above then lighting the path down to a spot Killian had in mind for them. If this was going to be their last night together, well, she couldn’t have asked for anything better and she would soak up every minute she possibly could. It’s a memory she knew that she would cherish for the rest of her life. She was still determined to tell him her true feelings, no matter what would come of it. Laying here on this checkered blanket next to her best friend as they look up at the stars and he points out all the constellations to her. This is her favorite moment.

They finish their meal and talk about their childhood memories and how many times either or father or Liam had caught one of them sneaking out of the house to go to the others house and how many times those two people let them slide because at least they were together, and she knew that her dad knew that she would be safe with Killian.

Still laughing at how at freshman homecoming that all these girls had kept asking Killian to the dance, but he turned them all down because of the pact they had made together the summer before starting high school that they would go to all the dances together. 

“You know I totally would’ve let you out of that dumb pact we made. Ariel was so angry that you turned her down that year. She disliked me strongly because of that.” Emma let’s out a sigh “Why didn’t you go with someone else?” sitting up from the blanket leaning on her arm to look at Killian. 

Without even budging from where he was laying he took a deep breathe “Don’t you know, Emma? It’s you. It’s always been you.” 

Her head was spinning at this deceleration and she’s not even sure she had heard him correctly. “What? What do you mean it’s always been me?” 

She can feel him tense beside her and let out a long sigh “Emma, I can’t leave tomorrow without telling you how I truly feel about you.” He sits himself up and looks down at her “I know that we are only eighteen and that we are just some dumb kids, and we have our lives ahead of us. There is something I have to tell you and that is that since that first day in the fifth grade, when you walked up to me on the swing set and demanded that we were going to be best friends” he shakes his hand runs his fingers through his hair “Emma Nolan, what I’m trying say is that I have been I love with you for the past eight years.” He drops all bravado and looks into her soul as he bares his to her. 

“Is this real for you? Is this how you truly feel? Because if it is, then I need to know. Because Killian Jones, I have been I love with you since the moment you walked into that classroom. I knew that one way or another you were going to change my life. If this is real and you want to try, then I will try with my every being. I will try. Please say that you want this too. Please.” 

He walks towards and cups her face ocean blue eyes peering down into emerald green eyes “There is nothing I want more than to try with you.” 

Then it is lips crashing into one another, years of love pouring out of their souls and it couldn’t have felt more right. Emma’s heart is swooning as she wraps her arms around his neck and finds her fingers in his dark locks, as his hands cup the back of her neck. There is nothing that has felt this right as this moment does. They pull away from each other and lay their foreheads against one another. She looked down at her lit up phone with the time 2:30 a.m shining back at her. 

“Well, look at the time, Cinderella, it seems it’s time to get you home before the carriage turns back into a pumpkin.” He joked as he helped her to her feet. 

"Okay, Captain Hook." she retort with an eye roll but a smile that did not match her annoyance.

"Why the bloody hell am I Captain Hook?" Killian asks as he picks up the blanket they were using.

"Isn't obvious? Because you're going to be sailing the seven seas starting tomorrow." Emma says with a wink as she turns back around and runs back up to the jeep 

The drive back to the farm house took about 20 minutes and at this point they were pushing to three o'clock in the morning. This has been the latest either of them have stayed out together and she knows it's going to be hell to pay tomorrow for Killian. He shut off the headlights have way down the road and crept up farther up the driver than when he picked her up. Killian turns the jeep off and turns to Emma.

"Love, will you come with me to the airport tomorrow...er... this morning to wish my good luck? I can't leave without my best friend by my side." He asked in a whisper and uncertainty in his eyes.

"Killian I would love to come with you to the airport. What time do you need me to be ready?" Looking at the dashboard that read three A.M on the dot

"In about four hours" He says with a laugh followed by a tired sigh as he rubs his face with his hands.

"I will be ready and see you in a couple hours, Sailor." 

"I love you, Emma Nolan"

"I love you Killian Jones" 

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and scrambled out of the jeep while trying to close the car door behind. She quietly crept up to the front of the house and grabbing the chair that she hides away for when she returns from her late night adventures with Killian. She slowly opens the window and flinches when it creeks, but she finally gets it opened enough to where she can crawl through it and lands softly in her bed. She lets out the breathe she has been holding in and lets the giant smile she's been holding back finally shine through and kicking her legs like the school girl in love that she is. 

"So... I see that you made it back in one piece. Not that I had much worries." She hears the voice in the corner of the room and jumps to her feet to see her father standing there

"Busted?" 

"Oh, you are so busted, but I knew that you were going to sneak out and I totally let you get away with it. It was Killian's last day here before he left and I knew that he was going to come back late and pick you up. Your mother and I totally watched you sneak across the front yard down to his jeep. We had a good laugh about that." 

"How much trouble am I in?" Emma asked hanging her head at the fact that their elaborated plan, well, turned out not to be so elaborate. 

"Nah, you're not in any trouble, as I said we knew that this was going to happen and we knew that you were safe with Killian. I am curious of one thing though. Did you finally tell him that you love him?" 

"Dad! what?! How did you know?!" Emma rambles thinking did everyone know her true feelings.

"Emma, you look at him the way I look at your mother. It wasn't hard to guess, but you are not allowed to get married until you're at least thirty-five. Now, get some sleep because I'm sure that he will be picking you up to send him off at the airport. Try to get some sleep." Her father walks over to her and pulls her into a hug cupping the back of her head and pressing a kiss to her head. "I love you, Kid" 

Chapter Text

"Thank you for letting Emma come say goodbye at the airport Mr. Nolan" Killian says as they head out the door to car where Liam is waiting for them

"Well, I figured this was better than having her sneak out and meet you at the end of the drive way" He says crossing his arms.

"Busted?" Killian asks as he does his nervous tick scratching behind his ear.

"Oh yeah, but as I told Emma very early this morning it was hilarious watching her run across the lawn." Her dad gives Killian a strong pat on the shoulder "Take care of my girl and good luck. We will see you at the graduation ceremony." 

"Thank you, sir and I promise I will take care of her for as long as she will have me." Killian replied while grabbing her hand and they walked to the car.

The drive to the airport took about 45 minutes, but it was the longest 45 minutes of her life and every second that they got closer the faster her heart started to race and she wishes this was anything else but saying goodbye. They had finally admitted their feelings to each other and now he has to go off to naval training and she will be heading to Boston for college. She knows that they are going to do everything they can do make the long distance work, but somewhere deep down that fear is starting to creep in. They pull up to the parking garage and it is like her feet have forgotten how to move, but she forces her legs to listen to her brain as they walk closer and closet to the entrance. Everything goes in a blur until they are standing outside of the security check and that meant this was the final point, where they would have to say goodbye. The moment she has been dreading for the past six months when Killian told her that she was joining the Navy as a way to help lessen the burden on his brother, but also wanting to prove to himself that he could be better than his father before him. 

"I will miss you, little brother." Liam says as he pulls him into a hug as his voice chokes on the word brother.

"I think you mean 'younger' brother, Liam. Aye, I will miss you too. I will see you at graduation though and you better bring my girl with you." He says still holding onto his brother and then patting his back as he pulls away turning his attention to Emma.

"My love, I will see you in two months at graduation and in the meantime we can write letters to each other. It'll be here before you know it and I want you to enjoy your summer before you leave for Boston. I love you" He pulls her in and kisses until she is seeing stars. 

She eventually has to pull away and watches him leave with that smirk that she loves so much. She held it together until she walked through the doors of her home and her parents were sitting at the kitchen table drinking their morning coffee and it took one look and she let the dam of tears break through and they held her until she couldn't cry anymore. All the comforting words from her parents helped, but nothing was going to ease the pain that she felt in her heart. She was going to give herself this one day to miss him and then she was going to throw herself into distractions, whether it be getting stuff ready for college, writing letters to Killian, or picking up shifts at Granny's so she could save up for the trips they have been planning for her to come visit him. Thankfully, with all those the two months leading up to Killian's naval graduation did arrive before she knew it and soon enough she was headed to the same airport where she dropped him off two months ago, expect this time she was headed to him and she couldn't contain her excitement. She boarded the airplane with her parents in tow and she kept bouncing in her seat the whole three hour plane ride.  

The graduation took about two hours but that was nothing compared to the two months that she had spent waiting for this exact moment. As soon as it was over she ran down the steps towards the stage, and that's when she found him in his white uniform and she couldn't help when she flung herself into his arms and he spun her around. A few seconds later they were joined by Liam and her parents, but they didn't even acknowledge them because they were so entranced with each other. 

A cough from Liam she had assumed separated them and he snuck in and picked Killian up with the biggest hug she has ever seen between the two brothers. "Ah! There he is!"  

"Good to see you too, brother!" A rugged laugh escaped Killian as Liam placed him down on the ground.

"Mr. and Mrs. Nolan thank you so much for coming and allowing Emma to visit. It really means a to me." He says as he pulls her close to his side.

"It is not a problem and we are honored you invited us to your graduation, and besides I think Emma would've walked here if she had no other choice. There was no way she was going to miss this." Her dad said pulling Killian in for a hug of his own.

The rest of the weekend goes by and Emma gets to meet some of Killian's new friends he made in basic training. She learned that Will was also from London and shared a lot in common with Killian as they were actually roommates. They didn't talk much about future plans or how they were going to figure out the long distance part of their relationship, but Emma had no worries because if they could survive writing letters back and forth for two months, well, then they can get through any obstacles they will face. It was the last day of the weekend before she went home that she learned that Killian was going to be stationed in Florida and she quickly looked up the distance between there and Boston and it was about 22 hours give or take. Her heart sank when she discovered that fact, but she knew they were both determined to make this work and she knew it wasn't going to be easy. 

The first year of college was a welcome change in Emma's life, even though it filled with new stress that she was not prepared for but she liked the feeling of working towards a goal of her college degree. Add a long distance relationship on top of that and it was the most stressful year of her life because there was always scheduling conflicts with Killian whether it be phone calls, or visits that they had set up. They had the biggest fight over Christmas break, which Killian ended things because he thought he was doing the right thing by her. It was the worst week of her life and she hates that very memory of it. 

"Emma, this is really hard." He had whispered into the phone, his voice sounding so defeated .

"I know." she replied with the same defeat in her voice as his. "I just don't think I can do this anymore. This is too much and we never see each other or even get the chance to talk more than a couple times a week. I mean I have finals coming up and this added stress of our relationship isn't helping." she was trying so hard to hide the sob that was trying to break through

She heard him sniffle on the other line and she knew that he was trying to hold back his own tears "Maybe..." taking a deep sigh to try to calm his voice "Maybe we should end things now. I don't want to add to your stress of college. You deserve someone who can be there for you physically and emotionally. I mean my damn girlfriend is crying and I can't even be there to comfort her. What kind of boyfriend am i? Emma, my love, you deserve better than what I can give you." Killian finished with a crack in his voice and a muffled sob.

"I don't want that!" She screamed "I love you! Okay?"  Emma cried out "Please don't end us because we can make this work." 

"I love you too, baby, but I can't be selfish and keep you from your college experience. I'm so sorry. We can talk more about this in a week." Killian said before hanging up the phone and never giving her the opportunity to ask him to reconsider. 

Ruby had come bak to their dorm room that night to find Emma curled on her bed with her body silently rocking back and forth from the sobs that had become quiet. It took at least two more hours and lots of smuggled wine for her to open up to Ruby about the phone call, the break up, and how all she wanted was the person who didn't want her anymore. The next day she drove back home to Maine for Christmas break and laid up at her parents house the whole week just waiting for her phone to light up with his name or wake up from this nightmare she seemed to be stuck in. She put on a brave face for her family and did all the traditions with a smile on her face, but in private she would break and resist the urge to reach out to him. It was on New Year's Eve that the knock on the door had her confused because she was the only one home, declining the offer her parents extended to her for a party that evening. There in her doorway stood a snow covered Killian with roses and a look of desperation mixed with regret and guilt. She was so tempted to slam the door in his face, but something in his eyes told her to invite him in.

"Emma..." 

"What are you doing here?" she asked him looking at her feet and refusing to meet his eyes

"I have been driving two days because about an hour after our conversation I realized how much I fucked up and then the other three days I had to beg my superiors to let me leave the base. I had to come see you and tell you how stupid I was and I didn't mean a single word. I love you so much, Emma and I know I have no right to ask you to take me back, but that is exactly why I am here."

That declaration caught her attention and she shot her eyes up to him and in that moment she forgot and forgave everything he said during their last conversation. "I love you too" is all she had to say to him and he knew that she was willing to give him a second chance. 

That night they fell into bed together for the first time and it was the most beautiful experience because it was with someone who she loved that loved her back. He wasn't her first, but she wanted him to be her last and that night as they laid next to each other on her childhood bed that this was the life she wanted. She wanted her life to be intertwined with Killian's and that was going to be enough for her. 

That wasn't the last fight they would ever have, but it was the last break up that they would ever go through. They stuck by each other through the last three years of Emma's college degree and multiple deployments and moves. It was at Emma's college graduation that Killian finally asked her the question she has been waiting for him to ask... he asked her to move in with him as he was being stationed back in Storybrooke. It was another year after that graduation and a year into her social service degree that on a summer night that Killian had recreated their first date, even down to the Taylor Swift song that Killian asked the most important question someone can ask the person they love most in the world. 

As the laid on the checkered blanket in the sand and looked up at the stars "Emma Nolan, you already have the title of being my best friend but now would you hold the title of my wife? Will you marry me? 

The biggest smile stretches across her face as she contemplates her answer, well more for making Killian wait "Killian Jones, I would love to hold the title of being your wife. Yes, I will marry you. I will marry the hell out of you, Sailor." Emma can barely finish her sentence before Killian is on top of her kissing her 

6 months later 

"Last chance to make a run for it" Her dad jokes as he takes her arm and places it inside her elbow as they look down the make shift isle on the beach.

"Dad, I'm sorry, but I've been ready to marry Killian Jones since I was ten years old." Emma laughs looking up at her dad 

"Oh, I know. The first time I saw you two together I knew it was only a matter of time before this day would come. Though, I am surprised it wasn't an elopement right after graduation." He said as he straighten up as it was their turn to walk down the isle  

"Ready?" 

"I'll never be ready to let go of my baby girl, but at least I know Killian will take care of her." Her dad chokes up a little and grunts to get himself back in check as they walk towards her future.

Thew wedding was small and simple and everything that they had wanted and more. Emma's father walked her down the isle as she wore a loose boho wedding dress she had put together with the help of her mother, Liam officiated the wedding after getting certified over the internet. Will was in attendance as was Ruby with her new boyfriend from college, Graham. It was a beautiful autumn evening and the stars shine bright above them. The rest of the guests had retreated home, just leaving two of them holding each other them as the storm clouds appeared above them. and the storm broke free.

"How does that verse go again in that Taylor Swift song? But with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress"  Killian questions as they are getting drenched in the random downpour

"Fearless" Emma finishes the last lyric of the verse