It had been another long day at the station. Fairy tale characters had a surprising number of quarrels and arguments that they felt the need to notify the sheriff about. Dopy had left trash all over Doc's yard, someone had stolen one of the Granny's garden gnomes, and Old Mother Hubbard and her husband had gotten in a violent argument while at a therapy session with Dr. Hopper. All Emma wanted to do is sit down with a tall glass of wine (or bottle of rum) and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. She smiled as she walked up the stairs to her porch. Maybe the Jones family could have movie and cuddle time after dinner. That would certainly make her day better.

The second Emma opened the door she realized that would not be the case. Her young daughter and son were running around in circles covered from head to toe in what looked like blue paint being chased by their father. Henry had a megaphone shouting, "We come in peace! We come in Peace!" over and over again. There was a buzzer going off very loudly in the kitchen, which was causing the family's new puppy to howl, and though Emma was not a super clean person, the state of their living room was enough to make anyone cringe. There wasn't a patch of bare carpet in sight.

As Emma shut the door, everyone stopped for a second and then the chaos began again. Liam and Ella ran up paint covered hands outstretched yelling "Mommy, mommy!" Henry began announcing loudly in the megaphone, "Mom has arrived home, abort mission, abort mission." Killian's face broke out into a huge grin and shouted over all the noise "Welcome home, Swan! We've created a new game. Would you like to join?" It was almost too much to take. After all the patience she had exerted during the day at her job, she was at wits end. Why couldn't she come home to a nicely put together house just once? Before she blew up, Emma quickly kissed Liam and Ella on the heads as they tried to explain the new game that had been invented, and stated to walk back to her bedroom."

"Where are you going, love?" Killian called after her.

"Shower." She replied gruffly. "And you might want to check whatever is going off in the kitchen. " Just as she closed the door she heard him yell. "The chicken nuggets!"

The small bit of relaxation Emma had experienced while taking her shower quickly evaporated 20 minutes later when she walked back out to the same amount of chaos she had left. The younger kids had a very obnoxious children's show turned all the way up and were singing along loudly with the cartoon characters. Henry was chasing the puppy around try to get back something it was carrying, and Killian was setting the table with a bowl of slightly burnt chicken tenders already sitting in the middle. Emma didn't even reply besides a shrug when he asked her how day had been. She turned the TV off and told the kids to sit down spending the rest of dinner on autopilot only half listening as the kids told her about the day. Killian kept giving her scrutinizing looks over the table but she pretended not to notice when he tried to catch her eye.

After dinner she sent the younger ones straight to the bath to wash off all the paint telling their father to help them. Henry followed her around the kitchen as she cleaned up rambling about what his friends were doing while they were off for summer break and the book they had been assigned to read for English in the coming semester. She attempted to help him create a list of things he needed to pack before he moved back to college but couldn't concentrate. From the sounds of it, Killian was creating another one of his sea storms for Ella and Liam in the bathtub that went along with a story from his pirating days. Despite the little shrieks of joy and laughter coming out of the bathroom, all she could think about was the huge mess all the water sloshing around was going to make.

About an hour later, Henry left to spend a few nights with Regina and Robin before he returned to school and Killian could be heard reading a bedtime story to the other two. Emma attempted to pick up the toys that were thrown everywhere in the living, but the magnitude of the task was so overwhelming she soon gave up, settling onto the couch with her rum.

She was still sitting there sulking when Killian came down the hall and sat next to her attempting to take her hand before she brushed him off. He sat there a few more minutes waiting for her to speak and when she didn't he asked, "Why don't you go ahead and tell me what is wrong Swan?" He said softly.

She tried to rebuff his attempts at conversation with a simple "nothing" but he wouldn't have it. He tried asking her a few more times before finally she couldn't hold it in any longer and she blew up.

"You want to know what is wrong! I have a horrible day at work and I come home to all this!" She yelled gesturing to the battlefield of toys that was their living room. "Would it kill you to have everything put together just once when I came home? I'm not even asking for spotless just a little bit of order and clean kids. I mean look at this place! Every toy they own must be out and why in the world made you think it would be a good idea to let them cover themselves in paint? There is blue all over the place! I spend all day at work dealing with shenanigans and all I want to do is have a peaceful evening with my family. Instead I come home to a burnt dinner, screaming children, and a completely dirty house. What did you even do all day?" Emma screamed.

Killian eyes flashed but to his credit tried to keep his cool. "I'm sorry that you had a bad day at work, love, but that doesn't mean you have to take it out on us. And I'm sorry things were a bit messy when you got home but the kids were having so much fun I couldn't say no. Besides, you told me that paint didn't stain so I didn't think it mattered when finger painting got a little out of hand."

"Just because it was washable paint doesn't mean you should cover yourself in it. You've got to be responsible sometimes Hook! You're their father for heaven's sake!" Emma shot back.

"What is that supposed to mean," Killian cried starting to get angry. "I take damn good care of our children and you know it. You're always out and about trying to fix one town problem or another. You spend more time with the bloody towns people than with your own family. Would it kill you to take some time off to actually be here?"

"I'm only at work all the time because I have to be!" Emma shouted, "This town has so many problems and to top it all off we need the money. It's not like in you're brining in much working as dock manager. How many ships come in that you have to manage? 2 a month maybe? I would love to be able to stay home and spend more time with my children, but I have the job so I have to work." Emma could tell from the look in his eyes that she had hit a nerve but in the moment she couldn't bring herself to care. When he spoke again it was a low growl that was almost scarier than when he had been shouting.

"I try to do everything possible to make you happy, Swan. Do you think I enjoy being obsolete with no skills to use in this world? When we had the children you were the one who suggested it be this way and I agreed it was best. As much as I love staying home with our children, don't you think I would love being able to work? It's not easy being here with them all day with their tantrums and refusals to take naps and having to hear those bloody songs over and over again on that moving screen." He said pointing at the TV. "It's not like you could do any better. This house would probably be much messier if you were at home with them all the time. We both know that I am naturally much neater than you." Although he had a point Emma refused to acknowledge it.

"At least I know how to cook in the oven without burning it and how to do laundry without turning all our white clothes red!" She spat.

"Bloody Hell! Not all of us grew up with these odd contraptions with all their buttons. I've learned to use them at your request!" He yelled back.

"Maybe if you weren't 600 hundred years old you could learn a little faster." Taking a dig wherever she could get it.

"I'm not 600 and you bloody well know it. And for someone who claims to know so much about contraptions why do you let that clock by you bed ring so many times in the morning before you actually get up. Just get up when it goes off like it supposed to." Killian exclaimed jaw pulsing. Emma could tell that this argument was going down hill fast and they were both taking jabs they might not recover from if they let it go on much longer. Emma got up slamming her glass onto the coffee table and stomped off to her rooms ignoring Killian's shouts to come back and finish the fight.

Emma promptly got ready for bed and lay down expecting to fall asleep right away. An hour later, she was still wide-awake when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. She quickly rolled over and pretended to be asleep. Although, she was starting to regret some of the things she had said during the fight she wasn't quite ready to face her husband yet. However, to her surprise, he didn't come lay down beside her once he was finished in the bathroom. He left the room again and didn't return.

After a bit of tossing and turning Emma finally fell asleep only to take back up at 2:00am grumpy, cold, and very angry with herself. She had let her emotions get away from her and taken out a bad day at work on the person who loved her most. Putting on her robe and slippers she walked down hall in search of Killian stopping by to check on the children on her way. When she saw her husband curled up on the couch, her heart ached. In the 4 years they had been married there had only been a few nights they hadn't slept in the same bed together. Emma couldn't believe she had upset him enough that he had decided to sleep on the couch. He looked so peaceful laying there Emma almost left him but decided she would never be able to fall back asleep without his warmth beside her.

She gently stroked his hair and whispered in his ear. "Killian, Killian please wake up we have to talk." With in a few seconds he rolled over and mumbled "What do you need, Swan?"

Emma opened her mouth to start apologizing but didn't know where to start. "I.. well.. I was asleep and then I realized… you didn't come to bed." She finished lamely searching his eyes and hoping he would understand what she was saying without actually having to say it.

"Aye." He replied looking at her skeptically. "I figured it would be better for us to have some space since we were both so heated." He said rolling back towards the couch. This had Emma in a near panic. Killian was always the more patient and forgiving of two. He almost always came back first to apologize after a fight and always forgave her when she came running back to him.

She took a deep breath before she whispered into the dark, "I don't want space." She felt him tense and then plowed forward before she lost what she was trying to say. "I'm so sorry Killian I didn't mean any of the horrible things I said. You are an excellent father and our children adore, Henry included. You are so caring and loving making everyday with them fun and special. There is no one else I would want to raise them. And all those things I said about you not having a job aren't true either. You have plenty of skills you could use here and you do learn quickly. There is a lot of technology to take in. And I should make family time more of a priority. I just feel so responsible for everyone being labeled the savoir and all. And we both know I can't cook either. That's why we always eat a Granny's. And I never know… " She continued to ramble until he stopped her.

"Emma, love" He started. "I'm not going to lie to you. Some of those things you said to me were extremely hurtfully."

"I know!" She interrupted, "I'm so sorry! There is no excuse, but…" Killian held up his hand.

"Let me finish, love. I was going to say, I said some hurtful thing too. We're supposed to be a team, Emma. Working together to make this family run. Raising the children together, sharing the responsibilities. We can't do that when we're angry at each other."

"I just let everything get out of hand." She started to cry. "I was upset from work and I let the little things get to me and I said things I knew would hurt you to make myself feel better, only now I feel so much worse. I wish you could know how sorry I am." Killian reached over pulling her closer and wiping a tear away from her cheek.

"I do know, love." He said leaning forward to give her a feather soft kiss but then he pulled back still cradling her head. "But you really didn't mean it? About me not being a good father, because I worry I'm not doing it right. I really don't have anyone to model my behavior after and I just feel like I'm…" This time she stopped him.

"Killian Jones," She said looking straight into his eyes. "There is no one I would rather have to be the father or my children. You are the best husband and father I could have hopped for. You put up with all my crazy for goodness sake. Don't you every doubt for a second how much this family loves you and needs you." She finished, leaning in for a deeper kiss.

When they pulled apart resting their foreheads together, Killian couldn't contain his grin. "I love you, Swan." He sighed.

"I love you too." she replied. "Now will you come back to bed with me?"

"As you wish."

The next morning Emma woke up closely curled up to her husband's side with light streaming through the window. She stretched smiling and then sat up fast exclaiming, "I'm late!"

It's alright, love." Killian said pulling her back down. "I texted your father this morning and told him you needed a bit of a personal day and he was more than glad to give you the day off. I took the liberty of turning off your beeping clock and thought we could spend the day as a family." She smiled down at him feeling an overwhelming sense of love.

"That sounds wonderful." She said leaning down to kiss him. "How did I get so lucky?"

"No lass, it I who is the lucky one." He smiled back. "Now let's go see what those little rascals of ours are up to. They've probably already destroyed half the house by this hour."

"After you Captain." She replied, glad she got to share all of life's adventures with him.