Author's Note: Figure it would be Captain Swan that has me writing fanfic after a 10 year vacation. I don't have a beta (applicants, message me!) so all mistakes are my own. More chapters to come.

Prologue

6 weeks until Christmas

"Mom?"

Emma Swan carefully finished wiping down her coffee mug and eyed Henry carefully. He had been through an undeterminable hell in the previous month and her normally cheerful, happy, truest-believer son had been a little too quiet since arriving home. To say that she was concerned that Pan had forever scarred Henry was an understatement. "Yeah, kiddo? What's up?" She replied.

"It's almost December." Henry stated carefully, looking at Emma from across the room. "It's almost Christmas."

He crossed the living room of the loft over to where Emma was standing in the kitchen. Henry looked at Emma expectantly for a moment.

Christmas, Emma realized. Shit. Her hands stilled as worried thoughts tumbled through her head, she could have sworn her heart missed a beat. Her first Christmas with Henry.

Her first Christmas with her family.

Her mind drifted to David and Mary Margaret, still not quite okay after Neverland. She mentally cursed Peter Pan for the tenth time today and relished the moment that her fist connected with his smirking jaw.

Weaseling dirtbag.

"And I was thinking," Henry continued on, jumping on a kitchen stool , "It's really the first Christmas in Storybrooke since the curse broke."

"Wait a second. You mean, you didn't have Christmas in Storybrooke before the curse?" Emma couldn't help but ask. Her mind was already spinning with irritation towards Regina. Typical that the woman would keep the most magical holiday away from Storybrooke. Couldn't have Santa competing against her.

Henry considered this for a moment. "We did, but I've been thinking. It wasn't real for anyone. Grandma never spent any Christmases with Gramps. Gepetto was all alone. Belle was locked up. The curse separated people."

"And you should be with the people you love on Christmas." Emma filled in the gap quietly. She briefly thought back to her last few Christmases. At least three of which involved a bottle of alcohol and a silent apartment. The others, she was busy catching bond jumpers and interrupting celebrations instead of being a part of them.

Certainly not saving Christmases.

"Yeah." Henry smiled up at her. A full real, 1000 kilowatt, Henry smile. It made Emma's heart ache that she hadn't seen him smile like that in so long. She motioned for him to continue. "So, I was thinking that we needed to do something. Give everyone in Storybrooke exactly what they want for Christmas. Even if they don't know it."

Emma couldn't help but marvel at her son. She quickly stepped around the counter and hugged him tightly. He had almost died a month ago, trapped with that damned Peter Pan and now he was saying all he wanted to do for Christmas was make everyone else happy.

She knew then that even a horrible experience in Neverland couldn't change her kid. He had a good heart, even after experiencing the true evil of Pan.

"So, you'll help me?"

Emma didn't have to hesitate. Her first Christmas together with Henry and they had a mission together. It was just like old times. She grinned at him. "Only if we can give it a codename." She thought for a moment. "Operation Snow Cobra."

"Mom! Operation Reindeer!" Henry laughed and hugged her tightly. "I'm going to start a list of what we need to do for everyone. I mean, there's Grandma and Gramps, Belle, Gepetto, Ariel..." He jumped off the kitchen stool and raced for his room.

Emma laughed. It was doing nice things for people in Storybrooke for Christmas. It should be easy, right?
-

Emma's boots crunched on the snow as she made her way towards Granny's from the station, one chilly Monday afternoon. Her morning had consisted of watching the snow fall consistently and heavily from the window of the police station. The phones had fallen silent.

I guess it's too damn cold to commit crimes. Emma thought ruefully as she hitched her coat up higher to guard her face from the wind. The snow had finally started to let up enough for Emma to make the walk from the station to Granny's. In addition to changing up the monotony of her day, she was looking forward to the large cup of hot chocolate that had her name on it. Henry was planning on meeting up with her after-school, he was eager to start planning Operation Reindeer as soon as possible.

The chime on the door to Granny's tinkled as Emma slid inside.

"Hi Emma." Ruby greeted her friend with a wave. "Henry beat you here."

"Thanks Ruby." Emma replied as she slipped out of her thick red coat and hung it up on the coat rack. "What?" She narrowed her eyes as she noticed Ruby's smirk.

"Oh nothing." Ruby said innocently grinning. She tried to look busy wiping down the already spotless counter.

"Mom! Over here!" Henry called from the booth before Emma could interrogate Ruby on what exactly was going on. She gave Ruby one last glance as she turned towards Henry.

"Hey kid." Emma made her way over to Henry and then noticed the reason why Ruby was smirking at her.

"So, tell me lad, what is this Christmas you speak of?" Captain Hook was seated across from Henry, sipping from a mug of tea. His eyes flicked over to Emma as she slid into the booth, next to Henry. "Well... Good afternoon, Emma. Your boy was just filling me in on what seems to be the most promising of holidays."

"Was he now." Emma replied, trying not to seem too cautious and guarded. Since returning from Neverland, Emma had been in contact with both Hook and Neal, but to their dismay, held both of them at arms length. Old habits die hard, she mused. Even so, she briefly remembered the whispered, "and that's when the fun begins." and tried to suppress the shiver that raced down her spine.

"Aye. Presents, good cheer and kisses under hanging plants sounds excellent." Hook smiled at Emma, one eyebrow raised slightly. "Thanks lass." He smiled over to Ruby who had arrived and delivered Granny's famous cheeseburger to Henry and Emma's usual hot chocolate with cinnamon.

Emma rolled her eyes at him, although listening to his usual flirty comments made her feel like he was keeping the status quo.

"It's called mistletoe." Henry supplied helpfully.

"Ah. Duly noted." Hook replied with his grin.

"So, Mom. I was telling Hook all about Operation Reindeer and he's going to help us!"

Emma looked at Hook, eyebrows raised, who innocently shrugged in reply. "Well love, I told Henry that his plan..."

"Operation Reindeer." Henry said through a mouthful of cheeseburger.

"...Too right, Operation Reindeer, sounded like a true pirate plan." Hook finished with a grin. "Hearing about it made me miss me pirating ways. You'll have my services, if it's okay with your mum, of course."

Nice Hook, Emma thought as she glared over at the happily smirking pirate. She aimed quiet kick at the Hook's shin under the table for his slightly underhanded scheme. He had the balls to shrug off her kick and wink at her instead. Pirate. He mouthed at her in response. Emma looked over to Henry, who seemed to be anticipating her conflict and just smiled at her.

"It's fine. He can help us with Operation Reindeer." Emma replied begrudgingly. She took a sip of her hot chocolate. "But no stealing! Breaking in! Or any other illegal acts. I still am the Sheriff of Storybrooke, even if this is Operation Reindeer." She admonished Hook.

"Pirate's honor, love." Hook's blue eyes twinkled as he laid his hook across his chest.

"Thanks Mom!" Henry said as he hugged her. "Now, our first target? Gramps and Grandma."

Emma resisted the urge to groan as Hook gave another wink her direction. Operation Reindeer did not look so painless after all.