She hears the patter of feet just before she sees the little blur of blonde, and really it has taken her far too long to not jump for some form of protection whenever their little monster deems her worthy of his spurts of affection. It is remarkably against her instinct to drop the spoon she is lazily stirring her afternoon cocoa with and meet Liam with open arms and a smile as he pounces excitedly upon her.
"Careful lad," His voice comes from the doorway, and she looks up smiling from delicate blonde curls, "Your mum is carrying precious cargo."
Liam giggles against her belly, right where the littlest Jones has been kicking incessantly all day (surely quite perturbed that her father has gone off sailing without them all day).
"Me!" He agrees fullheartedly, cuddling nearer to her.
"I dunno, kid. You're getting a bit big to be carried, aren't you?" She raises a hand to ruffle up his curls, and he tilts his head to peer nervously up at her with anxious blue eyes that are precise reflections of his fathers, eyebrows scrunched tight.
"Daddy still picks me up."
She rolls her eyes as she glances upwards at Killian, who is biting back a smirk.
"Well your father isn't carrying your little sister right along with you," she answers, trying not to smile as Killian's grin finally cracks brightly across his face. The little boy ponders the thought a moment before letting loose a long-suffering sigh.
"She gets all the attention."
Emma bites her lip to hide the tugging smile.
"Ah, you are quite the little orphan indeed," Killian agrees, still smirking as he comes up behind the little boy and swoops him into the air. Giggles tumble from Liam's mouth only after a quite valiant effort to keep a straight face, and Emma finally allows herself a smile. "You'd best go wash up for supper, lad," he tells him as he plants his feet firmly back on ground, "Else you want that wretched sister of yours to arrive and eat it all up first."
He does as he is told, hurrying a jagged path towards the bathroom and muttering to himself the entire way.
"He gets that from you." Emma accuses, prodding a finger at his chest. His grin doesn't fade as he moves nearer to her, slipping an arm round her waist and gathering her nearer to him until her swollen belly is against him and he bows his nose to nudge lovingly at hers.
He smells of the spray of the sun-kissed sea and she loves it and she loves him. His eyes still drift lazily over every feature of her face before he finally brushes her lips with his.
(When their littlest kicks her belly again he is still flush against her and freezes, glancing down and running his hand gingerly to her front, pressing his fingers gently where their little girl is trying to bust a hole through her. The gentlest of smiles plays at his lips as he gazes back up at her, excitement twinkling in his bright eyes.
"She's quite the little fireball."
She nods.
"Just like her mum.")