"Alright team, you know the drill," Henry stated as he gathered his mother, his stepfather, and his little brother into a group huddle. "No peeking, no spoiling, and absolutely no following.".
"Aye lad, we know," Killian confirmed. The Swan-Jones family was getting ready for their annual gift-buying frenzy. They wait up until Christmas Eve to buy gifts for each other, and the rest of their very extended family, spending hours at the mall trying to make sure everyone has something better than a pair of socks.
The whole thing started a few years ago, right around the time Liam was born. Emma had just given birth and had been so preoccupied with taking care of the newborn and making sure Storybrooke remained in its relatively peaceful state, that Christmas completely slipped her mind. It wasn't until Mary-Margaret called to make sure she was bringing wine to the Christmas party tomorrow that she remembered. She grabbed her family and had them help her in her last minute hurry to buy gifts for everyone, and since then, it's become tradition.
"Good. Liam, are you gonna go with papa or mama?" Emma asked her 5 year old son. He was sat on his father's shoulders, his favorite place to be. Liam took after his dad in that he loved the stars, and how their light bounces off the waves. When he was a baby, Kilian would take him out onto the Jolly whenever he woke up at night crying. The infant would stop crying as his father told him the stories of the stars and how they'd saved him from monsters, and how they'd led him to his true love. When the boy got a little bit older, and a lot better at walking, Killian began taking him up to the poop deck, the highest part of the ship, where the small, curious lad had a better view of the stars. Liam took to calling his father's shoulders the poop deck and when the Jolly Roger wasn't nearby, he'd sit on his papa's shoulders and look at the stars from there.
"I wanna go with papa because he said I could get cocoa if I picked him," Liam replied, patting his father's mess of dark hair. He bent over to smile at Killian, and was met with a sheepish grin.
"Yes well, that was supposed to be our secret, Liam, remember?" Killian stage whispered to his son. "Right, it's not what it seems, Swan, he had already decided upon going with me. The cocoa was merely a reward."
Emma gasped in response, feigning a look of betrayal. "Liam, what about mama?" she asked. She had heard them talking this morning when she walked past the bathroom where Killian had left the door open while he bathed their son.
"I'm sorry mama, I'll go with you later. And brother too," the boy replied apologetically. "Let's go, papa. I want cocoa!"
"Alright, I guess we're ready. Operation Christmas Cobra is officially a go. Gotta make sure everyone has a merry Christmas," Henry concluded and they went their separate ways, determined as ever to buy their gifts.
-x-
Killian wrapped his hand tight around his son's as they made their way through the crowded mall, careful as to not lose his son. "Alright Liam, what do you think mum would like for Christmas?" he asked, looking down at his son.
"I think mama wants a pirate ship, papa," the boy replied with a cheeky smile. "Or maybe she wants a toy car."
"You're sure about that, lad? That's what your mother wants?" Killian asked with a laugh, scooping the child up in his arm, laying his prosthetic hand over the boy's legs. The former pirate decided long ago that it would be best to put the hook away until Liam was older. He had brought to the world a curious child, not afraid to grab what he wants and to throw what he doesn't. While that might be a good outlook for life, Killian decided his hook shouldn't be around a small child, for his child's sake and everyone else's. "I'm not too sure what mum would do with those things, my boy."
"I was just kidding papa! That's what I want!" Liam admitted with a laugh. His laughter sounded like an echo of his mother's and filled Killian with the same joy that his wife's does every day. "I think Mama wants… Something to make her warm!"
Killian pondered the idea in his mind, wondering what he should get Emma. He wanted to give her something clever, but something useful as well. He kept the idea in his mind as he scoured the mall looking for gifts for his sons, and of course for his in-laws. For Henry, he found some rare collector's edition comic books that he knew the boy would enjoy, and as for Liam, well, shopping for him was much trickier.
The small child's electric blue eyes shine with delight at everything and although Killian wanted to give him the world, he knew he had to limit his present to a few things. He picked up an Iron Man action figure and found an adorable set of Captain America pajamas. The child's eyes shone as his father revealed his gift to him, breaking one of Henry's rules.
The Jones boys wandered around the mall, the promised hot cocoa warm in Liam's belly and a smile etched on Killian's face. Killian looked down at his boy, who seemed more tired after their hot cocoa run, but was still eager to find his mother a present. He was still pondering what to get her, when Liam let go of his hand and ran into a store. "Bloody hell, he takes after his mum- having me chase him around," Killian muttered as he raced into the small store, full of fun and festive gifts.
Liam was in one of the aisles looking at a hat in the shape of a Christmas tree, with lights and bells to go with it, when he heard his father's voice, calling to him with a sigh. "Liam, you can't just go running off like that lad," he sighed. He walked over and scooped the boy up in his arms. "What have you found here, my boy?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrows.
"Daddy I found all sorts of gifts for mommy! Look at this hat! She can have a tree on her head!" Liam exclaimed, his face full of excitement. Killian put the hat on his head and made a silly face, earning a melodious laugh from his son. "You're so silly, papa. We should get one for you, and me, and mama, and Henry."
Killing beamed at the thought of his family having matching hats. As ridiculous and cheesy it sounded, he marveled at the thought that he finally had his own family to make these kinds of sweet memories with. Memories he'd once thought weren't in his fate because he was a villain. This was the happy ending he had unknowingly spent centuries searching for, and he wasn't going to let it go. He grabbed three more identical hats and continued down the aisle until a brightly colored box caught his attention.
"Liam, do you think mum would enjoy this?" Killian pointed to the box and his son nodded in response. It was a two-person sweater and Killian thought it was the weirdest thing he'd seen since coming to this realm- and one of the first things he saw was a metal box that had people in it. The sweater seemed to have a very Christmas-y pattern on it, and definitely fit the idea he had for Emma's gift. He grabbed it and paid for it along with the four hats with the plastic card his wife had given him years ago. Killian led the small boy out of the store and found the other half of his family. After rewarding themselves for a long day of last-minute shopping with a cup of hot cocoa, they made their way home to wrap up their gifts for the next morning.
-x-
Liam was the first to wake up the next morning, even before the sun. He bounced on his big brother's bed, shouting, "Henry it's Christmas! We have to wake up mama and papa!" Henry squinted as he checked the time on his phone, which was too bright against the darkness of the room. 5:43 A.M.
"My god, okay Liam, I'm getting up." Henry sighed as he stood up from his bed and offered a piggyback ride to his brother. The lad was almost 18 now, too old for the same enthusiasm his little brother has, but young enough for his heart to race at the thought of what lays under the tree.
The boys made their way to their parents room, where they were lying snugly under the covers, basking in each other's warmth. Henry closed the door behind him and squat down to whisper to Liam. "Alright kid, here's the plan: you wake up mom and dad and I'll go get us some breakfast and then we'll open gifts. Deal?" The child nodded, a determined look engraved on his face and Henry left the room in search of food. Liam climbed his way up onto his parents' bed and began jumping, waking them up the same way he did his brother. Killian and Emma woke up slowly, smiling knowingly at each other before both reaching a hand up to bring their son down to them, greeting him with a shower of tickles and kisses.
"Merry Christmas, guys," Henry called as he entered the room with a tray of leftover cookies from the plate they left out for Santa, and four glasses of milk. He set the tray on the bed and they all dug in. The room was slowly being filled by a dimmed pale light, and Liam looked outside to see that the world outside them was covered in a blanket of snow.
"It's snowing! Everything is white!" Liam beamed with excitement. Emma laughed and mussed his dirty blonde hair up. It wasn't the first time it's snowed on Christmas in Storybrooke, but every time it happens, it makes her remember just how magical the town is and how thankful she is for it. "Let's go open presents and then we can play outside!"
They sat on the floor of the living room by the warmth of the fire and Killian handed out presents one at a time, shooting a photo whenever anyone opened a gift. He may not have ever seen a camera before coming to Storybrooke, but he did have one hell of a photographer's eye. His camera was a Christmas gift from Emma, their first Christmas together after getting married and he's cherished it ever since.
Killian handed everyone a parcel, and Emma a box as well and told them all to open them at the same time. He captured each one of their bemused faces as they opened their hats and turned them on. He snapped another photo of his wife as she opened the sweater and put it on. She beckoned for him to join her and he handed the camera to Henry. Her son laughed as he took the picture of them in the conjoined sweater, Emma feigning a look of annoyance and Killian smiling like a child with his eyebrow raised.
Killian tried to get out of the sweater but Emma held onto his arm on the inside. "Henry, go set the timer on it and we'll take one of those family photos your grandmother is always trying to get me to take." Killian raised an eyebrow at his wife, while Henry set up the camera. They sat down on in front of the fireplace with their boys sitting on either side of them, making sure the ridiculous sweater was seen. "You know what? We should wear those hats dad bought for us," Emma suggested and they all took another picture with them on, but with silly faces replacing their simple smiles.
They spent the rest of their day like this- in pajamas and ridiculous hats, surrounded by empty mugs of cocoa and red and green gift wrap, and full of laughter and happiness. This was the kind of happiness Emma had only dreamt of having as a child, never actually believing it would ever exist for her. This was the kind of family Killian had only dreamt of having as a child, never thinking it could happen without his father. This was was their family, their happily ever after, and they wouldn't trade it for anything.