CaptainSwan in College

Surprise

* Emma's POV *

It'd been two and a half years since Killian left and it never got easier. I kept thinking it would, but that ache we had talked about the day before he left had only seemed to get worse. We emailed and video chatted as much as we could trying to make it easier, but I could tell it was wearing on him too by the ever darker circles under his eyes. He'd promised to be home a million times, but something always came up and he got delayed yet again.

Juliette was two and a half now and in the middle of potty training. The video chatting had let her know Killian, but I could tell she longed for more the same way her sister and I always did. She looked more like him all the time and while I loved it, it also made me ache even more. Amelia had just turned six, somehow talking more and more every day. She loved going to school and today was her last day of kindergarten.

I'd gotten very involved in her school, needing something to keep my mind off of Killian, especially since that was what my books were about. I'd become friends with the other moms and a few of the teachers and we'd set up a huge party for the whole school for today. They were all great, it just gave me a bit of a twinge in my heart every time I saw them with their husbands and kids, together and blissfully unaware of how lucky they were.

I was sitting with all the other parents while all the kids played, Mary Margaret and David next to me. It was past the end of the day, but we were just letting them wear themselves out. I was just watching the girls play with James, stuck in my own mind.

"Hey," Mary Margaret put her hand on mine to get my attention. "You alright? What's wrong?"

"Oh, I'm fine," I shook my head, wiping tears off my face that I hadn't even noticed and looking back at the kids. "I just... Killian should be here for this. He'd love it. He'd be making a fool of himself while he had way too much fun playing with all the kids, and hanging on me because he would have taken the day off... he should just be here and I hate that he isn't."

"Alright everyone!" The principal said into a microphone before Mary Margaret could respond, her eyes stopping on me. "Before we get you all off on your summer vacation, we have an announcement." She gestured for me to stand so I did, totally confused. "Over the last two years, the Jones family has been a crucial part of this school. Emma helps with fundraisers and bake sales, she even helped make today possible. We don't know what we'd do without them. But as many of you may know, Captain Jones was sent overseas just before Amelia started here, barely having met little Juliette before leaving, and hasn't been back since. Well, as a thank you to this wonderful little family for all they do, we have quite a surprise for you."

"Daddy!!!" Both my girls screamed and I looked up as Killian came into view still in his uniform, jumping up and running straight for him. He immediately grinned and scooped them up in each arm, looking up for me.

I put both my hands over my mouth, sinking to my knees where I stood as a steady stream of tears made their way down my face. I watched him make his way over to me, setting the girls back with their craft things with a kiss to each their heads and a promise to play with them in just a minute before turning towards me again. He helped me to my feet by my elbows, tears in his eyes as he put his hands on my cheeks to wipe my tears. I finally let out a sob, quickly wrapping my arms around his neck as his held me to him tightly. The entire gymnasium applauded but I could barely hear them, squeezing my eyes shut as we held each other.

"There's my Swan," he sighed seemingly to himself, burying his face in my hair as the festivities continued around us. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too," I sniffled, pulling away to look at him with my forehead on his and my hands on his cheeks. "Are you okay? You're not hurt or anything, are you? Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?"