A/N: Here's the first of at least two holiday one-shots from the same verse as Brothers, Pizza and Game Controllers. The next one will come out closer to Christmas, once I'm done this semester. It's also written as a thank you. Thank you to all who nominated me (I only know who one of you are so I don't want to thank individuals in this but know I think you're the bee's knees) and for those who've voted for me in CSFA! I really appreciate it! And a massive thank you to those who've reached out on tumblr after I disclosed the abuse I've gone through and the repercussions I still feel daily. You make me feel validated and not alone and just, thank you, from the bottom of my heart! Honestly, I just love all this fandom. Much love!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Killian had seen many a thing in his long life. Realms that seemed to rise out of the fog, spiralling towers that couldn't be seen until right under them. Mermaids that weaved tapestry out of sea life. A princess who fell in love with the Scourge of the Seven Seas. And yet, Christmas was completely new to him.

As the town was constantly in an uproar this mysterious holiday had been skipped the previous two years. No one had had time between all the flying monkeys and Evil Queen's sister, and the previous year, the town had ended up back in The Enchanted Forest where the holiday wasn't celebrated. But this year, this year things had calmed down. The Evil Queen had been captured and returned to Regina's body. Robin had miraculously come back, the timing exceptionally helpful for convincing Regina that she could have evil in her and not indulge in the tendencies. Emma had survived the prophesy- the thing which Killian was most grateful for. For once they had a breather in the town and everyone seemed hell bent on celebrating this holiday before the next Big Bad showed up.

But Killian didn't understand this holiday. Emma had explained the origins, how it was celebrating a deity's birth and now had morphed into trees inside houses and lights outside and socks that got filled with treasure or heating material, depending on behaviour. But it was all so strange that Killian found it hard to wrap his head around. The only thing Killian understood, without a doubt, was that celebrating the holiday was important for Emma. It was another one of those things she'd never had as a child. The holiday was about family, something she'd never known she'd had. About presents she'd never gotten. About trees never decorated and lights never hung and strange songs that had never been sung.

Until now.

Since the day after Thanksgiving, another strange but wonderful holiday, Killian had caught Emma drifting off, eyes going glassy as she stared at some holiday thing. This whole thing was new for Emma as well, just as it was for him, despite her prior knowledge of it. And damn, if it didn't break his heart every time he saw that far off look. Because he wanted nothing more than to give her everything she never had. One problem though- he had no idea what he was doing. So he'd been waiting, ready to help whenever she needed him.

But Emma still hadn't had the time to sort out Christmas. Because, even without a Big Bad it was still Storybrooke and Leroy was still a gossiping pain in the ass. And Sleepy still crashed into things after falling asleep at the wheel. And Will still broke into the library, even though now it was to see Belle, but still- Emma was too often called out of bed at night for the security alarm going off.

Killian knew how important Christmas was to Emma, especially since this was their first year as a family in the new house by the water. But it wasn't just important to her. Henry had both mothers now, both father figures back in his life and two stable(ish) homes. It was his chance to have everything he'd dreamed about as a child tracking down Emma. The boy deserved everything he kept talking about. And Killian. Reformed villain that he was finally had a family again. A true love. A boy who was slowly accepting him and who he viewed as a son. And a brother. Once again he had Liam, or at least a Liam, back in his life. It wasn't the brother who he'd revered for years, but it was a brother and they were slowly learning how to be a family.

Liam had moved back to the Nautilus with Nemo following his release from hospital. While Liam had lived with Killian, Emma and Henry the brothers had slowly tried to mend years of damage. It wasn't easy. How could it be? Liam had had everything Killian and his older brother had wanted and Killian had killed Liam's only family. Tensions would still rise and jealousy would flare. One or two screaming matches had taken place in the house, Emma or Henry running in to separate the men before they could flay each other with kitchen knives. But everyday things got a little easier. The apologies fell faster from their tongues, the fights a little less vitriol. It got easier and easier to see that someday they may actually act like real brothers all the time.

The Jones brothers saw each other a few times a week, at least one of those days involving Nemo as he acted like a mediator, the calm, sage man that he was, helping the brothers sort through years of pain over dinners on the Nautilus. During the final hunt for the Evil Queen, Liam had helped Robin and he find the witch, Killian's brotherly pride flaring as he watched Liam sword fight with nearly as much grace as older Liam had. Liam still hadn't committed to staying in Storybrooke but he had taken a job at the docks and at least that meant he would stay for a while. At least until after the ice left the harbour. Which meant he'd be present for Christmas.

Which was another reason Killian wanted this Christmas holiday to go off perfectly. Because not only did he have Emma and Henry who deserved the time, but there was also Liam who'd never celebrated before with his family. If Christmas was about family, then Killian needed to include his brother.

Thanksgiving hadn't included Liam. Killian had invited him at the request of Emma, but to be fair, it was another holiday Killian didn't understand so hadn't known to invite his brother. But when he had gone to do so after Emma explained the day, Liam had declined the offer, saying he wanted to have it with Nemo and that it wasn't his place to interfere with Killian and Emma's extended family. No matter what Killian had said, Liam had stayed steadfast in his refusal and Killian had left the Nautilus feeling dejected and as if the idea of family he'd slowly been building was false. Emma had comforted him and then the big family dinner with Mary Margaret and David, Regina, Robin and their brood, Zelena, Emma and Henry and Belle and her son had helped soothe the pain Kilian had been feeling. But it just wasn't complete.

Killian was determined somehow to make Christmas complete.

Once he figured out all the things that Christmas involved.

December 4th found him still confused on the prospect but chomping at the bit to try and bring the holiday to his Swan. Each day that passed had Emma more and more frustrated, feeling as if she was once more going to lose the holiday trying to be everyone else's saviour. She'd gone to bed the previous night and told him a story about the one home she'd ever been in over Christmas that had hung lights up outside. How that was the only thing she could experience because the tree and presents were for the real family but she could go outside and stand there and watch the colourful lights and pretend she was a part of something. That was the one good Christmas memory she had and the townspeople just wouldn't give her a spare minute to recreate it.

So that morning, after Emma had left for work, Killian decided that he would do just that.

"Henry!" Killian called from the kitchen, the boy upstairs sleeping in, Sunday morning that it was.

"What?" Henry asked, irritated, a few moments later after stumbling down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"I need your help," Killian answered, sliding a plate of pancakes towards him before doing up one of his own.

"With what?"

"Do you know about Christmas lights?"

Henry laughed. "Of course, I grew up in this world," he answered easily. "Why?"

"Your mother told me a story last night, about the only good thing she remembered from Christmas as a child was this one house that had lights. And I know she really wants to make this Christmas special. Because it's the first time everyone's been together to celebrate and, really, it's the first time for her to celebrate. I know she has fake memories of New York, but those are fake and she wants something real. But she hasn't had time to do anything and I thought hanging Christmas lights would be a good surprise for her to come back to after work."

Henry had listened thoughtfully as Killian spoke, chewing on his breakfast. Once Killian had voiced his request Henry considerably brightened, the vestiges of sleep falling away. "Operation Twinkle," Henry stated excitedly.

"So does that mean you'll help?"

"Totally!" Henry replied. "I even know where there's some lights in the attic from the previous owner. And there's a ladder in the shed. But, well, you're gonna need some help hanging stuff. If Mom- and I mean Regina- knew I climbed the roof to help you she'd turn you into a frog. I mean I can direct, but hanging lights with your own hand might be kind of impossible."

Killian gulped. This was going to be a bigger project than he originally thought. "Okay, so we need a third person."

"Why don't you call your brother? I mean David's working but you could call Robin if you didn't want to get Liam?"

"Liam's a great idea," Killian answered quickly. This would be the perfect chance to start their Christmas bonding. If Liam agreed. If not, Robin wouldn't be a bad person to spend the day with but now that Henry had put the idea in his head, well, it wouldn't let go. "You go find the lights while I call Liam."

"Cool." With a nod Henry jumped up from his empty plate and disappeared up the stairs.

Killian finished the last few bites of pancake left on his plate before grabbing his phone and dialing Liam's number. After Liam had moved out from the house and back to the Nautilus, he and Emma had gotten Liam a cell phone. Liam was convinced to take it for safety reasons, just in case something happened with Nemo as he was healing, but since then he'd adapted to it well. It probably helped that he was used to all the technology on the Nautilus and had adapted much quicker than Killian had.

"Hello?" Liam answered after a few rings.

"Hello, brother," Killian answered, partially to let Liam know who was calling but also because he enjoyed the word rolling of his tongue again. The chances to call Liam that in the Underworld had been too few and it had been several centuries since the name had been a regular occurrence.

"Killian, hi," Liam answered. "What can I do for you?"

"Funny you should ask that," Killian replied as Henry thumped down the stairs and appeared in the kitchen holding a large plastic tub. "Henry and I have a project today-"

"Operation Twinkle!" Henry shouted in the background, eliciting a confused laugh from Liam. Ever since that first afternoon with the videogames Liam had been secretly taken by the boy (or well, he thought it was secret, Killian saw right through them). In Killian's opinion it was because Henry had grown up without a father, something both he and Liam knew well. But whereas Liam had been bitter, Henry flourished, a true believer in every sense, and it seemed that Liam admired Henry for it. And then there was the fact that Henry was always doing something and was simply entertaining to be around, often detracting from the tensions between the brothers.

"Aye, well, we're hanging Christmas lights as a surprise for Swan, and it seems that Henry and I are in need of some help. Would you be interested?"

Liam was quiet for a few moments. Did he know what Christmas was? Was he confused? Surely Nemo, with all his realm travel, knew and had explained it when decorations started cropping up in stores. Just when Killian was going to speak up again, Liam broke the silence. "I guess I could. When did you want to do it?"

Killian let out a relieved breath, pleased his brother was interested in doing something with him. "Whenever, so long as it's done by this evening."

"How about I come up in ten minutes?"

"That would be great!" Killian answered, flashing a thumbs up to Henry. "See you soon."

"Yeah, uh, bye," Liam paused for a moment. "Bye brother."

Killian hung up, swallowing down a grin. Every time they took a step back, whether it be from his own temper or Liam's, that crushing feeling hit him, the shame at what older Liam would think. Killian needed to make this relationship work and having Liam call him brother, well, it was a good feeling. A feeling of promise.

"Liam will be here in ten."

Henry nodded, holding out the big box for Killian to take. "I guess that means we need to go untangle the mess in there now then." Henry lifted the lid, showing a tangled pile of green wire.

"Bloody hell."

Henry and he hadn't gotten nearly half the knots out of the lights before Liam arrived. It seemed whoever had owned them previously had stuffed the lights in with little care of their condition the next year. It was to angry huffs and the occasional curse from Killian that Liam found the two of them, attempting to stretch out the wires across the snow covered front yard.

"Well, this is a mess," Liam stated in way of greeting.

"Liam!" Killian called, happy to see his brother, especially since the man didn't look to be in a mood. "Aye, absolutely horrendous. If my crew ever put rope away like this, I'd have them thrown off at the next port."

"Seems Nemo was a bit more understanding then," Liam answered with a little laugh. "I destroyed a pile of rope or two when I first boarded the Nautilus."

"Oh, I did the same on that first boat." Killian stopped himself before he could mention anymore about the slavery and the beatings his foolishness granted him. Because that would undoubtedly turn to their father. But Liam understood anyway, looking up and giving him a sharp, slightly upset nod, before reaching for the wires.

"Let's see if I can help untangle this with all my practice then," he replied, forcing some levity into the situation.

Henry chatted away about Christmas and the various traditions of the holiday as Killian and Liam did the majority of the untangling. Liam seemed particularly interested in the idea of the caroling in the town's centre. Apparently the youngest Jones was rather musical. Killian filed that little bit of information away for a later date.

Finally, the last knot came out and Liam gave a whoop of success. The strands of light were stretched out across the yard in straight, navy acceptable lines. Liam looked up and caught Killian's eye, who returned the satisfied nod with a grin.

"Alright, now what?" Killian asked, turning to Henry who was sitting on the front step, watching the brothers work together with a pleased glint in his eye. It was then that Killian started to wonder if the fourteen-year-old had actually been more interested in the brothers bonding than it being the truth of him not being allowed up on the roof. To be fair the kid got into serious shit on a regular basis so maybe the roof wasn't quite so off limits anymore. Killian just shook his head and silently vowed to try and get Emma to up his curfew by a half hour or so.

"Now we hang them," Henry said offering a staple gun from the bottom of the light box. "You just press here and it fires," he said, demonstrating by squeezing the lever handle and shooting a staple out with a little pop. Liam gave an impressed little face.

"Oh, come on. Tell me you have something like that on the Nautilus," Killian laughed.

"We do," Liam conceded with a little laugh, slowly getting more comfortable with the chatter as the morning wore on. "Bigger ones too. But you know, always entertaining to find a new one."

"Aye, especially when you're not off a submarine and this is all new."

"You should have seen Killian with the microwave," Henry added, much to Killian's embarrassment. "Or, well, the old microwave."

"Alright, enough about me. Henry, you get the lights ready while I go get the ladder." With that, Killian marched off around the house to the shed, pulling the old metal ladder out from under trash he really needed to deal with after the snow disappeared. Just the thought of that made him smile- because Killian had a project for the future. To make his house better. The house that stayed in one spot instead of sailing across realms and contained a beautiful woman. Yes, Killian wouldn't be upset at all about these chores. All he could hope for was that Liam was still around then and they could maybe turn the shed into a boat house for repairs to the local ships since they were close to the water. Jones Bros. Ship Building. Had a nice ring to it.

Of course, that meant his relationship with Liam was going to have to get a hell of a lot better before then.

With a sigh Killian shouldered the ladder and carried it around the front of the house. When he reached the front yard again, Liam and Henry had attached all the strands of lights together and plugged one end into an outside socket. The little lights illuminated the snow in bright patches of colour, reflecting off the smooth ground a little like magic. Killian whistled softly at the beauty.

"Like it?" Henry asked, biting his lip to contain a grin.

"Aye, lad. I can see why your mother loves them."

"Even though we have lights in the Nautilus, nothing's like this," Liam added, wonderment in his tone. It was almost as if he was thanking Killian for inviting him into Operation Twinkle.

"The Magic of Christmas," Henry sing-songed. "Come on, let's get this going."

Killian propped the ladder against the side of the house. Thankfully, it hadn't snowed the previous night so most of the ice had thawed off the roof in the previous day's and current morning's sun. "Liam, can you carry the staple gun up?" Killian asked as he wound the free end of the lights around his hook for the climb. "Henry, you hold the ladder in place and make sure we're doing this right."

Instructions given, Killian started to climb up onto the roof. Once he'd made it up onto the shingles, he started to shimmy sideways to the corner of the front of the house. Liam climbed up while he did so, soon following after to where Killian sat.

"So, I hold and you staple?" Killian asked, untangling the wires from his hook. Liam nodded, shifting a bit on the roof, as if he couldn't quite get a comfortable balance.

"Okay, just staple them to the shingles above the gutter," Henry called out. Killian held the light strand where he was asked and Liam stapled.

It was slow going, especially on the parts of the roof that were still slick with melting ice but the two men completed the majority of the roof with no issue, a staple between every few lights, Henry guiding the longer part of the strand from the ground as the brothers moved.

That was, everything when smoothly until they were nearly done. Killian had the plug end of the light strand pinned to the roof but due to the corner and slope of the roof, Killian really couldn't move much and Liam was forced to reach over him. Killian should have known that was a terrible idea, Liam had had issues gripping the roof with his boots the entire time. But he was just so pleased that they were getting along, chatting and laughing about Liam's job at the docks and Killian's misadventures with technology Liam was generally familiar with that he didn't think. And the next thing Killian knew Liam had slipped.

Was falling.

Screaming.

Killian lunged, digging his hook into the roof while the other reached blindly for his brother.

Body jerking when Liam's hand grabbed his own, the momentum nearly pulling him over the roof. Would have if it weren't for his hook. There'd be rope burn to deal with after this situation was resolved by the way the hook's straps were pulling on his forearm.

But that didn't matter now.

All at once Killian was hit with the memories of older Liam in the Underworld. Of how Liam had let go and Killian hadn't been strong enough to hold onto him. Of how frantic their last words had been because Killian knew he'd fail at pulling his brother up. But this time that situation wouldn't have a happy ending. This time, younger Liam would end up sprawled on the ground over twenty feet down, ice and snow compacted beneath him.

"I swear, Liam, if you let go, I will keelhaul your sorry dead arse," Killian shouted, unable to lean over and look at Liam.

"Don't drop me, brother," Liam practically begged, swinging off Killian's arm. The movement made it difficult to keep steady and Killian's shoulders ached with the potential for dislocation. But Killian wouldn't let go. Not before his arms ripped off. It was how older Liam should have stayed, in his grasp, until Killian could pull him up. Not plunging into a potential firestorm.

"I promise I won't," Killian replied, gritting his teeth through the pain and squeezing Liam's hand harder. On the ground Henry was shouting into the phone, calling for help. "I won't let anything hurt you, brother. Not anymore."

With that Killian started to pull and lift. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as he dug his hook harder into the roof, using that to stabilize him as he inched backwards up the shingles. Liam's fingers were digging into his own, the nails cutting his flesh, but Killian only squeezed back harder. Killian cursed as he pulled, feeling like it took ages until he saw Liam's hand appear in his own over the edge of the roof. Then Liam's other hand caught the edge of the gutter and started to help, easing the tension on what certainly would be pulled or torn muscles across his shoulders. A few more hearty tugs and Liam's torso was sprawled across the edge of the roof. Liam gave a few kicks of his legs, propelling him forward until he collapsed next to Killian.

"Brother- Killian, you saved me," Liam gasped beside him.

"Always," Killian answered. "Believe what you may, but I really am trying to be a good brother."

Liam nodded somberly, looking away from where Killian was panting. "I know now."

A pop sounded in the yard before Killian could respond. With muscles screaming he pushed himself up to see Emma now standing in the yard, eyes wide with panic. When she realized Killian and Liam were relatively safe siting on the roof she tried to glare up at him before dissolving into laughter, Henry quickly joining in. A wave of her hand and Killian and Liam were lying on the snow at her feet. Emma bent quickly and kissed his lips, whispering "thank you for the lights, we'll talk later," before standing again and looking at the brothers sternly, laughter gone.

"You two are not allowed to go get the Christmas tree alone. Or decorate it. Or make cookies. Seriously, just don't do anything without supervision," she instructed. With a muttered and exasperated "Brothers" she poofed away again, leaving the two Joneses lying in the snow.

"Maybe she is right," Liam put in after a moment, no longer quite as out of breath. Killian turned to Liam with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. "We definitely shouldn't cut a tree down on our own."

Killian only grinned back. Both too tired to say anything but also too pleased with the potential for a proper Jones Brothers Christmas to find the words.