Title: Have a Holly Jolly (Roger) Christmas, Part One

Author: Pinkcat 4569

Rating: G

Description: Celebrating Christmas with a real, actual pirate is an unusual experience

Characters/Pairing: Killian/Emma, Henry

Author's Note: This came to me when my CS Secret Santa asked me what my favoite holiday tropes were. I got to thinking about my fave Christmas things in general. I love baking cookies. This whole thing came just from that. Fluffy Christmas fun.

4378 words total, split into two parts

Have a Holly Jolly (Roger) Christmas, Part One

It was Christmas Eve morning in Storybrooke and Henry had a suggestion, "Let's make cookies."

Emma put down her mug of hot chocolate. "Sounds good to me. How about you Killian?"

He leaned back in the booth at Granny's. "Whatever the two of you wish," he said. "Biscuits are not really my thing," he said.

Henry spewed his hot chocolate. It was so weird when the pirate tried to use modern lingo. "They're called cookies and they're delicious."

Killian smiled. "I will not argue the point with you, lad. If you two wish to construct the sweet baked goods, go ahead. I'm afraid that I will not be able to share your enthusiasm."

"Oh really?" asked Emma. She looked at Henry and smirked. "You know, Granny makes an excellent rum raisin cookie."

The captain's eyebrow jumped up. "Does she?"

Emma bit her lip and smirked. "She does. However, she is notoriously protective of her recipes."

He set down his coffee mug. "That will not be a problem," he said, getting up

"No stealing," warned Henry, "it's Christmas."

Killian hovered over the boy. "That provides a trifle bit more of a challenge, Lad, but not to worry, I'm up for it."

They watched as Killian Jones worked his charm on the diner owner. It wasn't going the captain's way apparently, until Emma noticed Killian digging in his pocket. Shortly after, Granny was holding a sparkling gem. She smiled, nodded and went into the kitchen.

After a few minutes, she came back with a small card and handed it to the pirate.

He rejoined Emma and Henry, a smug grin in place. "See, no problem."

"You bought it?" asked Emma.

He shrugged. "I was tired of that tarnished stone anyway."

"It looked like a nice, plump, sparkling ruby to me," said the Savior.

"It matters not. We have the true treasure," he said, holding up the recipe card. "Now, shall we commence baking?"

Emma and Henry were chuckling. "Sure," said Emma. "We need to stop at the store first."

Emma was busy picking up the cookie necessities: sugar, flour, butter, colored sugar, raisins, and rum extract. She looked around for her boys. Somehow they got separated.

She revisited the Christmas aisle when she remembered Henry saying he wanted to get some cookie cutters. They weren't there. So she wandered the store with no luck until she hit the party supply section, specifically the kids part.

Henry met her at the end of the aisle. "It's not my fault," he said, his arms up in surrender..

She sighed. "What did he do?"

She looked at her son, then further down the aisle. There stood Killian. He didn't seem to be causing any trouble. She walked down and saw that he was staring intently at something in his hand.

He looked up, a wide happy grin on his face. "Ah, Swan! Just in time! Worry not, for I have just saved Christmas!"

She looked at him with a puzzled grin. "OK."

He showed her the item in his hand.

Her mouth dropped open. "For Christmas, Killian?"

"Of course, Love."

She stared at him. "It's a cookie cutter in the form of a pirate ship. How does that say Christmas?"

He looked bewildered at her statement. "Tis the Jolly Roger, Love. It is the epitome of joy and merriment.."

"Unless you're on an enemy ship," muttered Henry.

The pirate turned and winked. "Too true, Lad. Those days are behind us, however. Now the Jolly and its captain are on a better, more joyous path." He turned back to Emma and gave her that happy, slightly cocky grin.

She shook her head.. "Only you would think a pirate ship screamed Christmas."

He smiled wider. "Of course it does, or what I understand of this holiday."

"Which isn't much, apparently," said Emma."

Henry was laughing. "I don't think you can talk him out of it, Mom. He insists we make cookies with it."

"Well, why would we not?" asked the pirate, like he just could not fathom the suggestion.

Emma shook her head. "Fine. I knew Christmas would be as weird as the rest of our lives Why fight it?"

"That's the spirit," said Killian, grinning from ear to ear.

"Here," said Henry. "I want these too. Maybe it will make Christmas more normal." He handed her had a Santa cookie cutter, a reindeer, and a bell.

"It's a good try," she said, smiling at him, "but we live in Storybrooke. You're the author, I'm the savior, and he's the infamous Captain Hook."

She glanced over to where the seafaring legend was looking at other items in the pirate themed party section. He turned towards them. He had fixed an eye patch over one of his eyes. He gave them a huge, playful smirk.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Come on, Captain Kidd, let's go check out."

"Captain who?" he asked, taking off the eye patch.

"A famous pirate of this land," Henry explained as he walked after Emma. "I don't know if he only had one good eye though."

"He was a poor man if he did," said Killian in sympathy. " I'd rather be burdened with a hook than have me eye put out. I have such lovely eyes."

At that, Emma had to turn back around and look at him. He winked and blew her a kiss. She chuckled, turned and resumed walking to the front of the store.

The store clerk was a young man, a few years older than Henry. He looked bored, ringing all the items up. Then he held the ship cutter in his hand. He looked back at the other items, mostly Christmas related. He got a grin on his face. "Nothing says Christmas like yo ho ho," he said, with a grin.

Henry stifled a laugh.

"Watch it, mate, it's unwise to insult a man's ship."

The kid laughed. "What, are you a tiny little pirate?"

Hook growled, moving to lunge over the counter. "Whoa!" cried Emma, intercepting Killian and pushing him back. She patted his chest, as he gritted his teeth, glaring at the cashier. "Let's keep everything merry and joyful, huh?"

The clerk had turned red. He nodded quietly, finished the transaction and practically threw their stuff in bags. They walked out, Hook glaring menacingly at the poor boy.

As they walked to the bug, Henry and Emma were laughing.

"That clerk was far too cheeky," said Killian, "His manners were abominable."

"Take it easy," Emma said. "He didn't mean anything. It's not his fault he doesn't see the Christmas appeal of a ship."

Killian took a deep, calming breath. "Perhaps I should feel sorry for the lad then. Having no one to teach him about the virtue of sailing," he winked at Henry.

"Yeah, I'm lucky," the boy said with a genuine fond smile.

They all climbed into the car and Emma drove home. Along the way they were listening to Christmas songs on the radio.

Suddenly Killian exclaimed, "There! That is the song!"

Emma kept driving, but glanced quickly at her passenger. "What?"

"The proof of the Christmas appeal of the Jolly Roger is in this song," he said, leaning forward and twisting the knob as he'd seen Emma and Henry frequently do.

They listened for a few moments. Henry burst out laughing. "He has a point, Mom."

Emma grabbed the wheel tightly, as if it could give her support. "Good grief," she muttered.

Killian sang. When he got to a certain word, the pirate smirked at Emma. He repeated along with the chorus, "'Oh by golly, have a holly Jolly Christmas this year!" Again, he turned to Emma at the 'j' word. This time he winked.

She rolled her eyes.. "That's not what the song means, Killian."

"You interpret it your way, Swan. I shall interpret it in mine.."

End of Part One