Rolling over in bed Killian glanced at the clock. 5:35am. He sighed and rolled back over to the sleeping blonde next to him. Emma, his Emma, the mother of his children. He could lay awake for the rest of his life and never figure out what he did to deserve this amazing woman.

His arm snaked around her middle as he buried his face in her neck. She smelled faintly of lavender and vanilla with a hint of cinnamon. He heard her sigh before she spoke.

"What time is it?" Emma asked, her voice still raspy from sleep.

"About 20 minutes to 6, Love." He heard her groan.

"The girls will be in here any minute." she pulled the covers up to her chin and snuggled back against his chest.

"We still have a few quiet moments to spare, Swan." She'd been Jones for close to 10 years now, but he still uses her maiden name like he did back when they were just getting to know each other.

It was about 10 minutes to 6 when they heard the first signs of movement from down the hall. Over the last decade as their family had expanded, they'd had to improvise some living arrangements. All three girls shared one spacious bedroom down the hall from their parents. It had been temporary at first, but the girls had loved being close together so much that they had begged their parents to keep their room the way it was.

Emma and Killian heard the padding of their daughters' feet coming down the hall and they couldn't help but stop and smile as they listened to their little voices whispering to each other. The door creaked open and a tiny head peek around the corner before retreating back into the hallway.

"Are they awake?" they heard their oldest daughter, Leila, speak.

"I can't tell," of course they would send the youngest in to do the spy work, "They aren't moving."

"How long do you think until they just come charging in?" Killian chuckled.

No sooner had he spoken, here they came.

"MAMA! DADDY!" Hope, their youngest, came barreling through the door at full speed and flung herself into their bed. She may only be 5 but she can pack a serious punch.

"OOMPF," Killian exclaimed. "Bloody hell!"

"Sorry Daddy," Hope giggled." Did I surprise you?"

"You took us by complete surprise baby girl," Emma said grabbing her daughter by the waist and planting kisses all over, making the little girl squirm and laugh. "Where are your sisters, Sweetie?"

"We're right here Mama!" Rose squealed, running through the door and jumping up on the bed before making herself comfy in her daddy's lap.

Leila wasn't far behind. She climbed up onto the bed and sat at the foot.

"Mama, Daddy! Did you see? Did you see?" Rose said tugging on her mother's arm. "IT SNOWED!"

"SNOW DAY!" Leila yelled.

"NO SCHOOL!" Rose and Hope screamed at the same time. The excited yells of their daughters was deafening. Emma and Killian winced and looked to one another and chuckled.

"Alright Lassies," Killian said, pulling back the covers. "Why don't we go downstairs and prepare breakfast and let your Mom get ready for all the fun we are going to have today. Yes?"

"Pancakes!" Leila and Hope grabbed their Dad's hands and Rose pushed him from behind, dragging him out of the room. Killian glanced back and gave Emma his "Swan, help!" look making her giggle.

She would never get tired of watching Killian with their girls. He was so good with them. It seemed like just yesterday they had found out they were going to have Leila. Killian had been a nervous wreck. He hadn't had a father figure to look up to for most of his childhood and almost had a nervous breakdown when it was time to head for the hospital on that crisp winter morning.

"Swan! How am I supposed to be a father when my own abandoned me long ago?! I don't know the first thing about children! What if I let our little Pirate or Princess down?!" Emma remembered how the tears welled up in his eyes. She had assured him that he would be a great father and that he was already fantastic with Henry. When he held their daughter for the first time she saw tears of a different kind. Instead of tears of fear and disappointment, she saw tears of unconditional love. It was then she saw him realize that he could do this. She thanks her lucky stars she gets to relive that moment over and over, every morning when she sees him with his little princesses.

Emma shook herself out of her thoughts and wiped a tear from her eye. She got out of bed and walked over to her closet, pulled on her skinny jeans, slipped into her white knit sweater and put on her wool socks. As she made her way downstairs she could hear the sweet little giggles from her girls, followed by the loud roaring laughs of her True Love.

"I hope you're not having too much fun down here without me?" Emma said as she rounded the corner.

"Never, Love." Killian answered. "We were just waiting for you to join us for breakfast."

"Daddy made choco-chip pancakes! And I got to help!" Hope announced. Their youngest was such a Daddy's girl, they all were really.

"You did, did you?" Emma picked up her daughter giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek before carrying her to the table. "I can't wait to taste them!" she gave Killian a grin.

"Mama, can I have some hot cocoa with cinnamon with breakfast?" Rose asked.

"Way ahead of you Princess," Killian said as he strolled over to the table with 5 cups of hot cocoa with cinnamon. "Everyone gets a cup of hot cocoa."

"Eat up, Girls! We've got a lot of snow related fun in store today!" Emma instructed her girls.

In 45 minutes, breakfast was finished and the dishes were in the sink. Killian took Rose and Hope upstairs to get them ready. Left sitting at the table were Emma and Leila. Emma couldn't believe her little girl was already 10 years old. She was growing up so fast! They all were. She watched her daughter sip the last of her hot cocoa and couldn't help but smile at how much she looked like her father. Leila had inherited Killian's piercing ocean blue eyes and his dark brown hair. However, she definitely took after her in personality. She was the strongest little girl Emma had ever met, she was fiercely independent just like herself and she always put others first. She was so proud.

"Swan! A little help here!" Killian was making his way down the stairs with two small children clinging to his arms and legs. "I'm being unlawfully detained! It's mutiny, Swan!" She rounded the corner. The girls were giggling so hard they couldn't hold on any longer and dropped from their father. Killian had gotten them both dressed in their warmest clothes and ready to head outside.

"Daddy! Do you wanna build a snowman?!" Leila came skipping out of the kitchen, "…I mean a snow pirate?" she giggled at her joke.

"Absolutely, Love. Anything for my First Mate!" Killian had used that nickname for as long as he could remember. Probably since the day his little girl was born.

"Alright. Hats and gloves girls." Emma called out. "We don't want anyone catching cold! That means you too Killian."

"Swan!" Killian protested. "I'm not a child."

"Maybe not. But you sure act like one when you're sick." Emma retorted.

"You wound me, Love." Clutching his chest, Killian feigned pain.

"Hat. Gloves. Scarf." She handed him all his winter garments to keep him warm.

After they were all bundled up they headed out into the bright white day. Hope jumped right into the pile of fluffy white snow. Rose headed straight for the tire swing. And Leila grabbed her father's hand and dragged him over the yard.

"MAMA! PUSH ME!" Rose yelled from across the yard. Emma trudged her way through the snow and gave her a big push.

"Daddy! Help! I'm stuck!" Hope screamed from her snow pile. "I can't get out. Help me! Please!" tears began to fall from her eyes. Killian rushed over.

"Oh, my sweet little Love, don't cry, Daddy's here," He plucked Hope right out of the snow sniffling, she buried her face in his chest, calming down a bit in the protective arms of her Daddy. "It's okay, lass Daddy's got you. How about you come and help Leila and I build a snowman, huh?" Hope nodded in agreement.

"Daddy, help me push the snowball! It's too heavy." Leila yelled.

"Coming, Love." Killian called back, carrying Hope on his shoulders. "Okay, what do we do?" Killian was interrupted by a snowball right to the side of his head. "Ouch!" He looked around and saw Emma with her hands over her mouth and Rose roaring with laughter.

"SWAN! What was that for?!" Killian rubbed the side of his head.

"This is war, Pirate!" Emma screamed, picking up another snowball. But before she could throw it, she was hit with a flying ball of snow to her shoulder. "Oh, so that's how its gunna' be?" Leila was laughing so hard she was rolling in the snow.

"Daddy! I wanna play!" said Hope.

"Ah, of course little Love." Killian picked up his youngest and began using her as a human shield. "You can help protect daddy and Leila okay?"

"Alright!" Hope said excitedly. "I'll be your booty guard!"

"I think you mean body guard, Princess." Killian chuckled.

"Killian, that's not fair! You cannot use our child as a shield!" Emma protested.

"It's okay, Swan! She loves it! She's helping out her Daddy." Killian answered. "Leila, NOW!"

Emma and Roses faces froze, and then Leila started pelting them with snowballs.

"Attack!" yelled Leila.

"AH! Mama! Help!" Rose yelled as she scrambled for cover, letting out a few giggles.

Emma picked up Rose and ran for cover. They could hear Killian, Leila and Hope laughing.

"Alright, Sweetie. We are gunna' get them! I'll run out and grab Hope and you start hitting them with as many snowballs as you can. Ok?" Emma planned.

"OK!" Agreed Rose.

Emma snuck around the edge of the slide and when Killian wasn't looking, she ran up and grabbed Hope from his arms, knocking him flat on his butt. Hope was laughing so hard Emma thought she might pee herself.

"Oi!" Killian exclaimed. "Not cool, Swan."

Suddenly, Rose came out of nowhere and starting throwing snowball after snowball at her Dad. Leila thought this was hilarious and joined in. Soon the whole family had ganged up on poor Killian.

"OI! Alright! Alright! I give up!" Killian's hands shot into the air. "I surrender!"

Rose and Leila dropped their snowballs and dog piled on top of Killian. Hope soon scurried over and joined in on the fun.

Killian grabbed his girls and started tickling them all until they either couldn't breathe from laughter, or he feared they may wet themselves.

"That was quite the battle there, Captain." Emma strolled over. She reached out her hand and helped him up.

Killian pulled Emma into his arms and planted a sweet kiss on her lips.

"I love you, Emma." Killian said sweetly.

"I love you too, Killian." She placed another lingering kiss on his lips.

Protests from the girls broke them apart.

"Okay my little Snowball Warriors. I think it's time to head inside. It's getting cold and it's almost time for dinner." Emma instructed.

"AWWW." All three girls said in unison.

They made their way inside and shed their snow filled clothes and boots by the back door. Leaving their snowy pants, socks, hats and soggy gloves to be cleaned up later.

"Who wants some hot cocoa?" Emma called out from the foyer.

"ME! ME!" Killian said jumping up and down.

Emma chuckled. "I meant the girls, Silly." Shaking her head at her husband. "But I will make us all a cup."

Soon they were all cuddled up on the couch by the TV. Leila was curled into Killian's right side, fast asleep and Emma snuggled into his left. Rose was dozing off in Killian's lap, with her head resting on his chest. And Hope was curled up in her Mama's arms playing with her soft blond curls.

"Today was amazing. I can't even remember the last time I heard the girls laughing so much." Emma began.

"Yeah. Me either." Killian responded. "I guess you can thank the snow day for that one."

"Or I could thank you." Emma gave him a wink.

"Swan, please there are children present." Killian flirted. "But maybe you can thank me later." He finished with a wink.

Emma loved her family more than words. If you would have told her at 15, that she would have a husband who adores her, a son that changed her life, and three beautiful daughters that look up to her, she would've thought you were crazy. Now she sits here on her couch, married, to Captain Hook no less, and three girls who are her whole world. A tear came to her eye. When Killian noticed he gave her a concerned look.

"Emma, Love. Are you alright?" His eyes were full of love and worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just happy is all." She responded.

"What do you say we get these little lass' to bed, and then maybe you can get around to thanking me?" Killian suggested.

Emma nodded, picking up Hope and carrying her like a baby. Killian picked up Leila and Rose, one in each arm, and began up the stairs. Life was good.

"Thank God for snow days." She said to herself, before following her husband upstairs.