For Nicole- Hope you had a very merry Christmas!
Their Christmas tree glittered through the dimly lit house, sending a feeling of pure joy and happiness along with it. Everything was absolutely silent, a peaceful kind of silent.
"Mommy! Daddy! Wake up wake up! It's Christmas!" Came the shrill voice of a little girl bounding up the staircase and swinging open their bedroom door. Before either of them could even fully wake up, the girl jumped on the bed and shook her parents until they stopped groaning and opened their eyes.
"Rosie, it's too early," Killian mumbled, despite her constant persuasion.
"But it's Christmas!" She whined, "I want to see what Santa brought me!"
If only she knew that her parents were out for hours setting up her array of presents under the tree.
Emma was dead tired, but she wasn't about to disappoint her daughter on the most special time of year. "What do you say Killian, should we head downstairs?"
The man gave her a look, but there was no way he could say no to his wife. Taking hold of his five year old, the pirate swung his legs over the bedside and stood up, glancing outside the window and smiling.
"Looks like it snowed Rosie," he told her, "we have a white Christmas."
Emma came up behind them and wrapped her arms around her pirate.
"Merry Christmas you two."
Killian turned around and gave her a light kiss, her lips lingering on his for a blissful moment or two before she pulled away, glancing up at his soft brown eyes.
"Let's go see what Santa brought." Emma whispered, finding it hard to keep a smile off her face. She had spent six years with the man, and he still managed to leave her breathless, like a smitten schoolgirl.
The three made their way downstairs and into the living room, where a brilliant array of presents were splayed out underneath their nine foot pine tree.
Rosie just about gasped in surprise when she saw all the colorful gifts. "Santa came! He came!"
Emma laughed at her daughter's enthusiasm. She wanted to make Christmas extra special for her family, considering the fact that she never had a good holiday season growing up in the foster system.
"Let's open them all now!"
Killian set her down, but halted her from charging for the pile of presents. "We have to be patient; after all, we all have presents, not just you."
The girl made a pungent face, but obeyed his words.
"Let me go get the camera really fast," Emma said, soon vanishing down the hallway.
"Rosie, how about you pick one out while we wait for mommy?"
She didn't have to be told twice. The biggest one with her name on it was the one she pulled out.
Emma came darting back into the living room and switched the camera on, sitting down next to her husband and pointing the camera down at the brown haired girl.
"Open it sweetie," she said with a smile, watching Rosie's face continue to brighten.
She did, and soon the white carpet was covered with red and white wrapping paper.
"Show what you got to the camera..." Killian told her, gesturing towards the doll she was holding.
"It's what I wanted! Santa knew what I wanted!"
Both parents smiled. Thats how things went for the next five presents; Rosie got lots of things, new clothes, a board game, and lots of Disney movies.
"Emma, it's my turn to get a present for you." Killian interjected, before his daughter could run and grab another one.
He had in his hands a small package wrapped in blue paper. The blonde have him a look, but took it gratefully and began to open it. Gently taking the camera out of her hands, Killian grinned and aimed the camera at her.
"Oh my goodness!" Emma exclaimed, holding in her hands a chain necklace with a pale blue stone in the middle. On the back was the phrase, my ship will always sail on, forever.
"Killian! I said no big presents for me!"
The pirate rolled his eyes, setting the camera down and reaching over to move her blonde hair from her neck. "I couldn't help it, love- you're worth more than any present I could ever give to you."
His words struck a chord in her heart, making her cheeks redden slightly.
"I love you, you know that right?" She said, a dubious smile on her face.
"Oh, do I know." Killian replied, rolling his eyes. "One last thing."
He got up and went over to the kitchen, fetching three mugs and some hot chocolate packets. A couple minutes later, he returned with a tray full of three steaming cups of cocoa.
"Wouldn't be Christmas without these," he smiled, handing one to his daughter and the other to his wife. "Careful, it's hot."
"Wait daddy," Rosie said, jumping up and running off to the kitchen. She came back with a shaker in her hand. "Cinnamon!"
Emma gave her a smile as she dumped a few tablespoons into her drink.
"Merry Christmas, sweetheart."