Find My Way Back To You

Chapter 42

~~~ PAST EMMAS'S POV ~~~~

Emma looks down at Hope and smiles softly at her daughter. "Let's go home, little love."

I smile. I imagine that's what Killian calls the little one, too, since he refers to me - and everyone else, I suppose - with 'love.'

At the sound of her mother's voice, Hope reaches up her tiny little hand. Emma kisses the palm of it softly and the baby instantly makes a cute noise, lost in pure happiness with an adorable smile on her face. Is she sensing, that they are going home?

She might be. If so, she's even smarter than I assumed. I'm sure, she'll grow up to do great things - she already managed to time travel at her young age, which no one has been able to do so far, according to Belle's research.

She's has very powerful magic, and it kind of scares me. But I also know, that it'll be alright.

I can't wait to be there for her through all of her future moments - the good and the bad.

But for now, I guess it's goodbye. I'll really miss her, I can feel that deep down. I just probably won't know what I'm missing since I won't remember her visit. It'll just be like a void in my heart.

It makes me really sad. I wish I could remember her even after she's gone home, but I know that's too risky. I don't want to change the timeline. It's too dangerous.

My future sounds pretty nice after all. I don't want to change that in the least.

So right now, is all I have with Hope for the next few years.

I approach her and Emma, and let her take my finger into her tiny hand. She smiles softly at me.

A moment later, her smile widens, and as I move my gaze a bit to the left. I realize Killian is standing right next to me again. I assumed as much, when I saw our daughter's face light up. She loves him a lot. It's adorable.

Killian reaches out his hand and softly tickles her feet, which she happily kicks through the air a moment later.

"Goodbye, Hope." I say, my voice sounding much calmer than I assumed it would. I suppose I really can be strong and hold my emotions in check, if only it brings a smile to Hope's face. I'd do anything for my little angel. "I'll miss you."

I place a soft kiss on her forehead, and inhale her soft baby smell one last time.

A single tear slips down my face.

"You wanna hold her for a bit, before we leave?" Emma asks me, and I nod. She hands over Hope to me.

Once Hope is settled peacefully into my arms, Killian puts his arms around my waist, embracing me and our daughter. He rests his chin on my shoulder to look down at her. I lean back into his chest.

"We'll miss you, little love. We can't wait to meet you again in a few years." Killian says in an incredibly soft voice. Look at that, Captain Hook speaking to his daughter all soft and lovingly. Who would've thought?

I turn my head to look at him. His smile is the purest one I've seen on him, yet. Fatherhood really looks good on him.

I lean back a little and press a kiss to his cheek, which turns it crimson red, I realize as I pull away again to look back at my daughter.

It's in the moment, that I realize, this is not only goodbye to Hope, but also to Killian.

He'll still be here in Storybrooke with me, but in a few minutes we'll go back to being enemies.

Another tear slips down my cheek. Killian tightens his arms around my waist, while Hope reaches up to touch the tear. She squirms for a second. I turn my head and kiss her hand.

"Everything alright, love?" Killian asks, his gaze burning hot into my cheek.

I turn around in his arms and look at him. My vision is blurry from the tears, I try to keep in. "It's fine. I'll just...miss you two." I say quietly. I'm not even sure, he heard me, until he tightens his hold on me.

"I told you, Swan, I'm not going anywhere." He says reassuringly.

"But you will." I state rather coldly, trying to keep my emotions in check.

Killian raises his eyebrow, and I can tell he's hurt by my words. "I'm not like everyone else, Swan. I'm not going to leave you. Not ever. You just have to trust me."

He's got it all wrong.

Explains why he's upset.

"No. No. That's not what I meant, I know you're not going to just give up on me. I do trust you. But that doesn't change the fact, that in a few minutes nothing will be the same. We'll go back to being nothing to each other, so while you'll physically be here, it won't be the same. I'll still lose you, for a while at least." And then I add very quietly "Or maybe for forever. Maybe I'll mess this up and make us never happen. I always run from happiness after all."

Killian gives me a sad smile. I can tell that he's been trying not to think about that. He lifts his hand and puts it on my cheek.

"No. It's only temporary, Swan. I'll always find my way back to you. I promise. And I will never give up on you. You and I, we're true love, which means that we're meant to be. Just trust that." He leans in and kisses me softly. Once we pull away from each other's lips, he places his forehead on mine, holding it there.

Then, someone clears his throat. I turn around and am faced with David, whose arms are crossed. He looks really uncomfortable.

For a moment, I forgot that my parents and Emma were still here. I got so lost in my own little world with Hope and Killian. But, I also don't move away from Killian further.

This is all the time we have left together for now, and I won't let anyone get in between us right now.

I've wasted enough time by being scared of happiness, already.

I'm done with that. I'm tired of running away from my feelings - from my happy beginning.