Epilogue

"Killian!" she giggled, actually giggled, as she tried to get away from his wandering hands. "Wait until I'm out of my wedding dress."

"No," he mumbled against her neck, his tongue flicking out and licking a wet path down her throat.

"Would you just ..." She shoved her hands against his chest, but he didn't budge one inch, and he smiled as she let out an exasperated sigh and relaxed in his arms in mock surrender. But the fluttering pulse in her neck betrayed her, and he was actually grateful that she'd decided to wear a strapless dress. It made it much easier to …

"Killian!" she gasped as he jerked her dress down, taking her bra with it, and revealing her perfect breasts to his gaze.

She couldn't complain more because a moment later he leaned down and sucked her nipple into his mouth, and all he could hear was a breathless moan when her fingers threaded through his hair and her back arched.

And she didn't complain when his hands closed around the fabric of her dress over her thighs and he pulled it upwards until it was bunched around her waist. And she didn't complain when he went down on his knees in front of her and buried his face between her thighs. And she didn't complain when he freed his cock and just took her right then and there. Against the wall.

Much later that night they were lying in bed with a bottle of champagne on the nightstand, her wedding dress lying in a heap of white fabric on the ground and his tux scattered all over the floor as his wife was stretching like a cat beside him, her fingers drawing lazy patterns on his chest, making his heart almost burst out of his chest with happiness.

"Killian?" she said softly.

"Aye?"

"You … did you … I was just wondering if ..." she trailed off, avoiding his gaze and he leaned back, putting a finger under her chin and pulling it up so that she had to meet his eyes.

"What is it, Emma?"

"Did you ever think about going back?" she whispered, her eyes staying glued to his to probably not miss any of his reactions.

He didn't have to ask her for elaborations. He knew what she meant. Rubbing his thumb over her lips, he took in a deep breath before he replied, "I did."

"I mean … it was always your dream and even ..." She hesitated, gulping hard before she continued, "Even after what you've been through I've wondered ... if you still want to go back to the work."

"Honestly, I considered it. But ..." He paused, and pulled her into his arms, cradling her head against his chest. "I can't. Maybe that makes me a coward. But I realized that we have enough injustice in our own country. Enough writing material right in front of our doorstep."

"That's true," Emma replied, her fingers splaying out over his chest. His eyes caught the twinkling of her wedding band and he couldn't resist to reach up and smooth his fingers over it.

"I want to stay at your side, Emma," he said softly, tilting his head to press a kiss against her forehead. "Maybe that's selfish of me. But the thought of being separated from you for months … I can't bear it anymore."

"Me neither," she whispered, her lips brushing over his skin, and his fingers curled around hers, squeezing them gently.

They lay silent for quite some time before Killian shifted and turned around, reaching for the bottle of champagne and filling two glasses.

Emma had pushed herself up against the headboard, not bothering with covering herself, and he felt lust coiling deep in his groin as he took in the sight in front of him. Leaning forward he closed his lips briefly over one erected bud before he held one glass out to her.

She waited for him to take the other glass before she clinked her glass against his, her voice low as she breathed, "To our future, Mr. Jones."

"To our future, Mrs. Jones."

-/-

Five years later

When she entered their living room with their three-year-old daughter in her arms she almost stumbled back as she took in the chaos. Cushions and blankets were strewn all over the floor, the couch table was pushed into a corner to make room for what seemed to be a fort, and she actually chuckled when her eyes fell on the three persons lying on the floor.

They must have exhausted themselves. And their uncle. Because they were all lying on the remnants of their fort now, James and Lily sprawled over Killian while they all seemed fast asleep. Her eyes wandered to the chimney, skimming over their wedding pictures and pictures of them with Riley until they landed on the Pulitzer Prize Killian won two years ago, sudden tears springing into her eyes as she was once again reminded how close she'd come to never having all of this.

"You okay, love?" his hoarse voice reached her ears and she blinked the tears away and turned around, smiling down at her husband.

"Yeah, everything is fine," she breathed.

She sat down slowly beside him in an effort to not wake up their daughter but Riley opened her eyes nonetheless, looking up at her with a sleepy gaze before she turned her head and saw her father. Stretching out her arms, she pumped her legs, eliciting a groan out of her mother when she pounded her feet against Emma's stomach.

"Daddy," she announced loudly. "Daddy, daddy, daddy."

Emma chuckled and leaned forward to give Riley to Killian and the moment she was in her father's arms she quieted down and wiggled against his chest until she found a comfortable position, her eyes drooping shut and seconds later she was fast asleep.

"You wanna join us, Mrs. Jones?" her husband asked, patting the cushions beside him with his free hand.

Emma shook her head and grinned. "No room for me anymore."

"There is always room for you," Killian said softly, wiggling his eyebrows at her, making her laugh. Of course he would turn an innocent comment into something lewd. "After all you can be my pillow."

"Scoot over," she said firmly, and Killian shifted carefully until his head lay on her outstretched legs, a soft moan slipping over his lips as she pressed her fingers against his temples. "Headache?"

"A little," he murmured, and she kept rubbing his temples until she felt him relax under her fingers, and she looked over the tumble of legs and arms on the cushions in front of her, tears rising up in her eyes again.

She didn't know what she did to deserve this happiness. Maybe going through the hell of thinking he was dead and gone forever made every moment she could spend with him so much more precious. She never forgot about these horrible weeks, and sometimes she had still nightmares about it. But every time she woke up screaming Killian was there, his strong arms wrapping around her, his soothing voice whispering in her ear until she calmed down again.

Looking down at the sleeping face of her husband through bleary eyes, she smoothed her fingers over his cheek.

"I love you, Killian Jones," she breathed. "You have no idea how much."

His hand suddenly reached up, closing around her fingers and his eyes opened slowly, finding her gaze, and her heart skipped a beat when his mouth tilted up into a soft smile as he said, "As much as I love you."

He drew their entwined hands to his lips and pressed a tender kiss against the back of her hand, and her heart swelled in her chest with all the love she felt for this man, tears clogging her throat and she pressed her eyes, trying to get a grip on the emotions playing havoc inside of her. Then his tongue suddenly flicked against her skin and a moment later he sucked her finger into his mouth, and her eyes flew open, a startled gasp rumbling out of her throat. When she looked down at him, the soft smile had turned into a lopsided smirk, his eyes practically smoldering with heat, and she couldn't help but chuckle, her heart starting to gallop in her chest as his tongue twirled around her finger, his teeth scraping along her skin before he released it out of his mouth with a loud pop.

"Later," he promised in a voice that shot a ball of lust straight down between her thighs, and her fingers curled around his as she licked her lips, her mouths curling up into a grin when he followed her tongue with his eyes.

"Yes, later," she said with a husky voice, settling her head back against the couch and closing her eyes.

Maybe she didn't know what she did to deserve being this happy. But one thing was for sure … she would cherish every single second.

The End

Okay, that's it. This story is over now.

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