I do not own Once Upon A Time, I own no characters you may read about in this story and I own no plot lines to the original, fantastic, show. Also, I don't own the song that this story is titled from, I seem to say that a lot guys- it's rather concerning.
Song is: Lullaby - Sia :) And also, this is mostly based on a true story! Can you believe I've been writing this since June and illness had put a huge halt on it all, its actually very concerning.
Don't Break The Spell
3rd Person
There are some things that you all need to know when reading Emma Swan and Killian Jones' story, otherwise you'll be lost in a puzzle of both cluelessness and oblivion.
First off, to begin, most of you may have heard of the classical, strong, independent, emasculated superhero pairings you see on a brilliant TV show which you binge watch on repeat until eventually each episode seems blurry and you wake up with pizza stuck to your face. Or you may be a stereotypical labelled 'nerd' who has their head nose deep in comic books or watches films about fictional characters lifting cars off of people twenty four seven.
You're probably all familiar with the names Batman and Robin, Chewbacca and Han Solo, Antman and Wasp, even the Ninja Turtles could ring a bell.
However, this isn't a story about characters with powers that assist them in their role as a hero, or travel outer space in the Millennium Falcon with high powered guns that shoot lasers.
This story is about two real life heroes, 'everyday heroes' if you will.
Emma Swan and Killian Jones, to be precise.
Second of all, you may be thinking 'what's so special about these two? What have they done?' and you could be comparing them to a real life duo who have helped the world in undeniable ways, such as Angelia Jolie and Brad Pitt- they could be seen as real life heroes, considering the fact they've adopted children and given them fantastic lives.
Or you may be thinking of fire fighters, ambulance services, the police, disaster rescuers- you may be thinking these things, however, I am not in your head... therefore I do not know.
Well, I can confirm that I will answer all of your questions with the knowledge that may shock most of you- to learn that people could be so selfless, so completely out for others and kind that they would do this- which brings me, quite eloquently, to their stories.
Emma Swan was born on October 23rd in 1983, meaning she's thirty two, and was found on the side of a highway in Georgia- or so she was always told- by her foster brother August. She was adopted by a family who's last name was 'Swan' and she'd kept their last name even after they'd given her back, after discovering they were to have a 'natural child, without a second thought.
That still stings.
The beginning of the beginning of the 'story of heroism' would be when Emma was fourteen, and had met her best friend of many years named Mary Margaret Blanchard. Both were adventurous, Mary Margaret wanting to find love while Emma wanted to run away, and often went out clubbing with fake ID's and confidence to match- meaning they usually got into clubs.
A clubbing night was where they met David Nolan, who took a shine to Mary Margaret, however he was eighteen.
At this point, you could assume that's the end, but not this time. Instead of leaving and ignoring any potential romance, the pair lied and claimed to be eighteen too, which meant Mary Margaret and David began their relationship that night with a promise for a date the next day.
Emma covered for her friend to her parents like any good friend would, claiming the two were going shopping after school for dresses for Mary Margaret's mother's celebration ceremony for inheriting the company from her parents- or something along those lines, Emma doesn't remember.
In the end, David figured out the truth from one too many slip ups and it's safe to say he was unimpressed, however Emma managed to get him to calm down and the pair continued to be together and in love to this day.
To your possible surprise, the next act of 'heroism' was less than six months later when Emma's friend Ashley found herself pregnant at fifteen and her parents denied her any access to see her beloved boyfriend.
Yet this didn't stop Emma from helping, seeing as that as soon as Ashley had the beautiful baby Alexandra, Emma was often one to cover and end up babysitting whilst Ashley and Sean had a date in the park nearby- faking a sleepover and instead acting as a nanny for the night and day.
Emma had met Neal Cassidy when she was seventeen, stealing an already stolen car, and promptly fell in love- robbing convenience stores and ending up in jail with a baby on the way, alone and with a debt up to her eyeballs where he'd lied, telling her he had found a job when in reality he was forging her signature to get loans and not even letting her know.
In the end, after he'd left her and she'd be bailed out of prison by her foster brother- August, the same one who found her, if you were wondering- and kicked out of her foster home, she would have ran anyway, at seven months pregnant and living on a cheap motel mattress wasn't easy.
Emma's life all changed when she was approached by a woman named Maleficent, who ran a home for unwed mothers that helped them financially and emotionally, and was offered a place to stay until she found a stable job.
Since she didn't want to be living on motel mattresses and was almost full term with her pregnancy, expecting a baby boy near her own birthday and positively terrified, she agreed and moved from a place that reminded her of Norman Bates' motel into a place called Granny's Bed And Breakfast.
Within a week of living there, she'd found a friend in Ruby Lucas- who was another foster child under Widow Lucas' care and had given Ruby a job at the diner to help sort herself out.
Ruby was with her when she gave birth to Henry on October 23rd in 2001, cheering her on like one would at a football match.
Henry David Swan was the light of her life, taking up most of her time for the first year of his own life until Granny took babysitting duties while Emma had a part time job in a nursery down the street- a job that Maleficent helped her score with recommendations from both Ruby and Granny, as well as David (who now worked in the animal shelter as a volunteer).
When Emma was nineteen, Mary Margaret and David married with her acting as bridesmaid- since apparently, if you aren't married, you aren't allowed to be a maid of honor, Emma hates that rule and whoever created it- and Henry was in most photo's with a gigantic book with the words 'Once Upon A Time' imprinted on the front of the brown leather page turner that Henry seemed to love more than TV.
Soon after, only five months if Emma remembers correctly, Ashley and Sean got married and she'd once again been a bridesmaid- Henry still had the book with him and it was more prominent. However, and Emma is very irritated by this even now, she'd found out that you can be a Maid Of Honor if you aren't married, but not a Matron, and Mary Margaret was still getting glared at for that complete-
Never mind that.
When Emma turned twenty four, there came a terrifying time in her life when she'd found that her best friend, who had cared for her son on many, many occasions, was an alcoholic- it was a startling realization that made her snap out of being one hundred percent focused on her son and figure out that her friend was hurting.
When Ruby admitted to her that she was an alcoholic, Emma took it in her stride to do everything to help the woman who had been there for her since they'd met.
She's proud to say that after a year, Ruby recovered fully and married the man who'd been with Emma helping every step of the way- Victor Whale, the doctor who'd referred Ruby to a psychiatrist named Archie Hopper, and the two had one daughter by the time Emma was thirty- who calls Emma 'nanny Emma' due to the fact Ruby always claims Emma was like her mother, which made Emma feel old but she loved it anyway.
Next, if you couldn't guess, would be Killian Jones.
Killian Jones was born on the 26th of January in 1981 to Sorcha and Brennan Jones, however his mother died when he was five and his father left when he was eight, leaving him and his brother Liam as orphans- forced into the system until Liam turned sixteen and enrolled into the Navy, leaving Killian behind for four years until Killian managed to become the Lieutenant under Liam's Captaincy.
They were in the Navy together, sailing together, until Killian was twenty one and his brother died in his arms after being sent on a mission to collect a poisonous plant and Killian had been honorably discharged and given a large sum of money that Killian used to begin his own business to build ships and design docks.
Killian met Tink when he was twenty two and had employed her for help with his finances, as he was never the greatest with money (probably because he grew up with none and naturally assumed that was how his life would go forever) and needed advice.
When Tink's father died after only five months of working for Killian, she'd fallen into a cycle of one night stands and drug abuse- which Killian at first tried to convince himself that it was her life, before realizing that she was one of his best friends and needed help.
She'd been in debt with a numerous amount of drug dealers, and he'd paid them off before dragging Tink straight to his home and allowed her to stay with him until she was back on track.
A few years later,many offers to pay him back and a new apartment later, Tink had decided she wanted to be a mother however didn't have a partner. She'd decided to get a sperm donor however she'd need good recommendations and proof that she had support, so Killian wrote many a letter, showed up to all of her appointments with her and paid for it alongside her- which she did pay back, claiming that he'd done so much that she owed him her life, and quite literally her baby son's life- and she'd gotten pregnant after a few months of treatment.
When Tink's son (Adam if you wondered) started talking, his first word was granddad, it was said on Killian's lap when the two were working and Killian, at first, was rather offended, but Tink convinced him that he'd been a father to her over the years and therefore he took 'granddad Killian' perfectly fine- after many a thought about wrinkles and age.
Once Killian's business was sky rocketing and he was twenty four, he'd taken up singing and sang in bars whenever he got free time, where he met a man named Will Scarlet who spent most of his young life drinking himself to death- depressed over the loss of his love, Anastasia.
Killian had never been too close to Will unless the two drank together, Killian often drinking water alongside Will and switching their drinks when Will was buzzing and wouldn't notice the difference in taste- he hoped that saved the mans liver by a fraction.
It wasn't until Killian had taken his cousin, he can't remember which one to this day, who was only seven months old, out to the pub one day and Will was there. Killian had shown the baby the view from the roof and after a while went back down yet realized he'd left his phone up on the roof when he'd been taking photo's for the kids parents to see.
He'd gone up and found Will stood on the edge of the roof, arms outstretched and fully preparing to jump.
Maybe it was panic, fear or a mixture of the two, but somehow Killian managed to talk to man off of the roof and Will had ended up collapsing into Killian's arms and sobbing- and Killian had vowed to help him no matter of their lack of friendship, more of an acquaintance.
Once Will had sobered up, and stayed that way, Killian had given Will a job in helping him design- split the company up to give him a ten percent share to start off with, and the man had proved to be one of the best friends a man could ask for.
Killian met Belle Gold when he was twenty five, and she'd been in an unhappy marriage to an older man by the name of Robert Gold for almost six years, and he'd shocked himself when he'd helped her leave him- the woman four months pregnant and needing a place to live, and he'd offered the woman (who was the wife of the owner of his biggest rival company. Ever.) a spare room in his too-big-to-live-alone home.
Will had met Belle when the woman had been a mother for two months, giving birth to a healthy baby boy that had shared custody joint with Mr. Gold (who vowed to hurt Killian for helping Belle leave, Killian barely quirked an eyebrow) and the two went on a few dates before Killian realized that he should have introduced them to each other as soon as he met Belle- he blames himself, he swears.
Killian became a foster father when he was twenty seven, after Belle moved out and he realized how lonely he was without anyone around, and it changed his entire life.
He was told that he would most likely never get the chance due to him being so young, but after less than a month a pair of twins who couldn't get paired with anyone came to his home and stayed there for six months- yet got adopted and moved out.
Next, Killian had a little boy called Roland, but he was adopted within a few weeks of being with Killian by a the mayor and a man named Robin- whom Killian formed a friendship with and the pair ended up opening a chain to Killian's business for Robin to run, making hunting gear and it was soon enough a huge success.
When Killian was thirty, he met an eleven year old named Grace and found her father was accused of being insane and thrown in an asylum for it- and he'd decided to help her, as he could see that she loved her father dearly, and didn't want to take that away from her.
Killian came to love the young girl and she'd been calling him Uncle Killian for as long as he can remember.
"Uncle Killian," Killian looks up from where his eyes are on the road, stopping at the traffic lights and smiling at his niece. "Would you say Kayne West is a polymath?" Killian scowls at the name, before biting his tongue as a vain attempt not to speak how he truly feels- he doesn't want to be a bad influence on the girl.
"A polymath is somebody who specializes in many different areas, right?" She nods. "What does he say he does?"
Grace looks down at her phone from where she's been reading and bites her lip. "Um, he can rap, he produces music and designs clothes." Killian snorts, an unattractive but he believes it to be well worth it snort.
"His fashion range looks like a five year old has had glitter in art class and dropped it down themselves, love, hardly designing if you get your child to do it."
"You got me to help you design yesterday-" Killian goes as the light turns green, making a turn that cuts Grace off and makes him smile at her glare.
"Different thing entirely." He grins and she nudges him. "Okay, so Leonardo Divinci was a polymath... or Leonardo Ninja turtle."
"What?" Grace laughs but he shrugs, grinning as he continues to drive.
"I can accept the ninja turtles as polymaths." Grace raises an eyebrow. "Y'know, cause they're ninjas," He lists them off on his fingers as one hand (his fake one that is sufficient for holding the wheel steady as he drives in a straight line, he's not completely incompetent, thank you very much). "They're turtles, they're heroes in half shells."
"Uncle Killian..."
Killian liked to think of his life as fairly simple. Wake up, look after the child and bring them to school depending on their age, go to work, pick the child up from school, make them dinner, have a shower, put the kid to bed and then relax for the night.
His routine only ever changed if a child came into his home and he was fine in changing it, he was always lonely.
In fact, his life never really changed until one month after his thirty fifth birthday and he was given a four month old baby girl named Lennox and he fell in love with the baby within seconds.
After Killian had been taking care of baby Lennox for only one month, his friend Robin- who had adopted Roland a while before- had come knocking at his door with his wife Regina and Roland at his side.
Apparently, Robin had had a drunken fling with Regina's sister after the two had had an argument and Regina had forgiven him because she knew how manipulating her sister could be and he wasn't completely himself- Killian admired her ability to remain calm in the situation, truly he did.
Regina and Robin wanted custody of the two month old whilst Zelena, the sister, was currently not allowing them to see as they found her to seem, in Regina's words, 'bat shit crazy and unfit as a mother'. And the reason they came to him was because Killian was a foster father, a foster father who had helped in deeming them appropriate to adopt Roland and they asked for a statement from him to see why he found them fit parents.
Killian, naturally, agreed and the pair asked that he hand his (written by hand, apparently his neat-as-hell (Robin's words) handwriting would help by giving a good impression) statement to a woman named Emma who worked in the nursery Lennox was to attend in a few days.
He had the statement written within the week and had vowed to give it to this 'Emma' woman the day after he wrote it, yet in his rush to get Lennox to school and get to work for a meeting on time meant he forgot it at home- and had to call and explain to Robin why he'd have to run and grab it at lunch after the meeting, and give it to the Emma woman when he picked up Lennox later on.
At five thirty on the dot, he entered the nursery and made his way with the guide named Aurora (who smiled and politely asked him to remove his shoes before entering the room with the babies, he had to admire their hygiene, considering all shoes were left at his door because God-forbid Lennox ever touched the floor and stuck her hand in her mouth and got ill) into the room where Lennox would be and found her being bounced as she was being burped, probably after her food (she was still new on the beginning of soft solids), by a gorgeous blonde woman with the name tag 'Emma'.
"Excuse me, lass, are you Emma Swan?" The woman turned and he was met with the most stunning green eyes he'd even seen and the woman nodded.
"Yeah, let me guess? You're Lennox's dad?"
"Foster father but yeah." He shrugs and her eyes widen by a fraction. "Do you perhaps know somebody called Regina Mills?"
"Killian Jones?" She asks, still patting Lennox's back soothingly and she lays her cheek on the child's head softly, making him smile and he has to avert his eyes. "With the statement?"
"That's the one." He reaches into his bag and pulls out a few papers, all stacked neatly and stapled together in a neat binder, before checking their all there and handing them to Emma.
"Groovy," She grins, taking them and setting them down gently up high on a counter nearby so no babies will grab them. "Thank you, on behalf of Regina and Robin, in case they forget. I'm writing one too, but I'm not sure I'll top your efforts."
"I have faith in you, Swan." She smiles, before Lennox burps and the pair clap almost in unison- grinning at each other before Emma hands the baby to him and places the bib that was over her shoulder on the counter next to the papers. "I'm sure you'll do fine."
"Well, they need people. I'm a nursery worker and the Sheriff so... I suppose I'm a good choice, I guess." He smiles. "In fact, Regina used to look after my son before I kind of... sorted out my job...s." She chuckles to herself, grinning at him before shaking her head out of a thought and he wonders what it is. "Anyway, I hope to see her tomorrow, she's a lovely little girl, and I wish you the best, Mr. Jones."
"It was wonderful to meet you, Swan."
"Thank you. Ditto."
Emma doesn't stop thinking about Killian Jones for another week, only speaking to him twice more when he picks up and drops off Lennox at the nursery and making a beeline to Emma to drop her off before rushing out the door with only a kiss on the baby's forehead and a promise to see her later, it's rather concerning how much she thinks about the man if she's honest- she might need to talk to Archie about that one.
In two weeks, Emma spends most of her time in the nursery, being around the babies helping her forget about 'Killian Jones' and being a foster parent.
She just couldn't stop, most foster parents she saw were in their forties or fifties and looked miserable- or were so unprepared she was shocked they ever became a foster father or mother. And, yeah, she's seen thirty year old foster parents, but not of a five month old- babies normally go to the older generation, or so she thought.
Speaking to Regina didn't help, seeing as apparently they'd adopted Roland from when Killian had been his foster father and the boy now called him 'Uncle Killian' as apparently he helped Robin start up the hunting gear business and Robin is in debt to him- but he shrugs it off.
This Killian Jones man is too nice for his own good, she thinks.
It's two weeks later, and she's driving home in the pouring rain from the Sheriff's station as it was her day to work there, when she spots a girl running to get home and she pulls over despite herself. "Hey, girl."
The girl stops running and looks up at her like a scared puppy, she can't be more than fifteen, which causes Emma to pull out her badge and the girl approaches Emma's car to get a closer look at it. "Sheriff Swan?"
"That's me, do you need a ride home or... is someone picking you up?"
"I'm staying with my Uncle, my dad is on a date tonight." The girl explains.
"Alright, well get in and I'll get you home- it's late, c'mon?" The young girl nods, her blonde hair sticking to her forehead as she rushes to get into the passenger side- once she's in, Emma gets her to program the address of her uncle into Emma's GPS and when the directions come up, Emma pulls out of the place she was in, disabled oops!
"What's your name, kid?"
"Grace." She smiles. "Miss Swan." She finishes, and Emma grins at her polite manner.
"Just call me Emma," Emma glances down at the address and purses her lips in thought when she sees the name- her Uncle must live in one of the nicest areas in Storybrooke, down by the docks in a pleasant part of the small town. "Your Uncle's road is really lovely." Emma notes, and Grace nods.
"Yeah, his house is awesome. It's huge and he's always cleaning, cause he's a foster dad, and he design boats- he owns his own business- so he gets paid a lot." Grace halts. "Sorry, I'm rambling."
"No, no, it's fine. You're better at conversation than I am, I spend most of my day cooing at babies down in the nursery or I chase down criminals so..." Emma leaves the statement in the air, smiling even though the description of her Uncle sounds familiar in a way she can't put her finger on.
"You work in the nursery?" Emma nods. "His foster kid goes there, she's so cute. I visit her all the time, although my Uncle says not to get too attached cause she could leave soon- babies always get adopted quickly- but I can see my Uncle loves her so much."
"Wow, your Uncle sounds like a cool guy." Emma gulps, and she just knows now that she's headed to Killian Jones' home- like a freaking stalker.
"He's the best." Grace winces suddenly. "But he's gonna be so mad when I get to him, he told me to call him when I left the party but my phone died." Emma raises an eyebrow and sighs.
"I'll help soften the blow."
Emma's mouth is agape when she stops in front of Killian's home, she's still worried he'll think her to be a stalker, it's the most beautiful home she's ever seen.
"Wow, it really is a nice place." Emma blinks.
Twice.
Seriously, is this guy even real? Or is he an elaborate dream?
"Wanna come in, I'm sure he'll thank you." Grace opens the door and Emma nods mutely, doing the same and slowly stepping towards the home- luckily the rain is easing but she's still getting soaked. "C'mon, Emma, you're getting wet." Grace calls, grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the large home.
It's got a white picket fence, for Godssakes, and it's a beautiful shade of blue Emma has already fallen in love with, with white stairs leading up and pretty garden furniture she can't imagine Killian buying- but apparently he did- and as Grace leads her up the stairs to where it's dry she can see that the door frame looks as if it's been cleaned recently.
"It's wonderful." Grace smiles, pulling out a key from her pocket and opening the door- holding it open and allowing Emma to step in first. "Thank you."
"GRACE?" Grace closes the door quickly at the sound of the voice, accented and Emma's Killian theory is now confirmed, and both turn to see Killian running down the (also recently cleaned) stairs.
From what Emma can see, this Killian man is more hygienic than the nursery and that place is freaking squeaky clean. Although there are babies toys thrown onto a counter here and there, it's still immaculate, and the large hallway has a giant Minnie Mouse blanket on the floor where evidence of Lennox is left (her favorite blanket she always brings to the nursery).
There are photo's of Killian with famous people she wants to know the stories of, photos of him with Roland and others of him and Lennox, picture of Grace and who Emma believes to be her father, pictures of a pretty blonde with a baby- and it looks as though the baby has just been born considering the fact the mother is laying on a hospital bed with a wrapped-in-a-blanket baby.
"Why didn't you call me?" Killian asks, going up to Grace and hugging her gently before noticing Emma for the first time. "Miss Swan? Grace did you pull Sheriff Swan from her home?"
"No!" Emma exclaims, probably too loudly because Killian winces before glancing upstairs where she can only assume the baby is asleep. "Sorry, I was driving home and saw her running, I offered her a lift after showing her my credentials."
"Well, she's smart to check who you were but it doesn't change the fact she didn't call me, lass." Killian turns back to Grace, frown on his face. "Your father would have killed me if anything had happened to you!"
"But it didn't, Uncle Killian."
"It could, Grace, how could you be so stupid not to call me?"
"Mr. Jones," Emma cuts in politely. "I can see your slightly... pissed off but she told me her phone died-"
"Borrow one of her friends phones?"
"It died when I left, Uncle Killian," She pulls it out of her pocket. "Look!"
"Convenient, isn't it love?" Killian crosses his arms and takes a deep breath. "Listen, I get it, you want to be more independent but even I don't like walking home alone in the dark- there are bad people out there, lass, I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt-"
"Mr. Jones, Killian if I may?" Killian nods, and gestures for her to continue. "I understand how you feel, if Grace were my niece I'd be upset too, but you have to see the reasoning. I'm sure she didn't mean to-"
"But she should have done something other than walking home alone-"
"Maybe it was her only choice, Killian-"
A scream from outside makes all three of them rush to the window to see, stumbling over toys that Lennox has probably thrown around and he'd been about to pick up, but it's too dark and a crying makes Killian rush to grab his shoes, putting his keys in his pocket and ripping the door open.
Unfortunately, the rain had picked up again and the wind has muffled some of the screams but all three rush in different directions to find where the screams are coming from.
As Killian rounds a corner near the end of his road, he finds a young girl- probably only seventeen or younger, but older than Grace for sure- leaning against the street sign with tears streaming down her face and she's holding her side where blood is soaking her shirt.
"Lass, what's happened?"
The girl sniffs. "I don't know, I was crossing the road," She winces in pain when he removes her hand to see the damage. "And suddenly a guy runs to me and he took everything, my bag, my phone, and he stabbed me in the side and it hurts-"
Emma rounds the corner with Grace, phone flashlight on and she turns to Grace- shielding her sight. "Go back to Lennox, make sure she's alright, we'll be back soon, I promise. Go now." Grace nods and runs off back to Killian's, with Emma watching her the entire way as she calls 911 and tells the operator what's happened.
"What's your name, sweetheart?" Killian asks, ripping off his jacket and pressing it to her wound- she cries out.
"Julia."
"What a beautiful name, do you live here?" She nods, nodding her head in the direction of the house next to his. "You're my neighbor, huh?"
"You're Killian with the baby, right?"
"The one and only, well... maybe not the only one, lass, but I'm the only devilishly handsome one. Small mercies."
To her surprise, Emma snorts in the background even as the ambulance service tells her that someone is on their way. "Sure, very handsome with baby food in your scruff."
His hand reaches up to feel his stubble and he frowns. "Don't toy with a mans facial hair, Swan." He narrows his eyes and Julia chuckles- Emma finally realizes what he's doing.
Killian's using humor to get her to forget the pain, trying to convince her it's not so bad even if he's freaking out, keeping her calm, and Emma is impressed with his ability to act as though something dangerous had just happened.
"You guys are super cute."
"I know, I make up for her insults with my charm, don't I?"
Emma scoffs, but doesn't deny it.
Grace hands Killian's phone back to him, content with Lennox on her lap cooing happily being around her three favorite people- Emma tickling her side every so often while Killian uses his given-back phone to snap a photo with a thought to get it printed one day.
"Uncle Killian..." Grace looks up from where Lennox is playing with a squeaky toy and Killian sighs at how tired she looks- her once perfectly done curls for the party are now damp even though the hospital gave them towels to dry off when they got there.
They hadn't been allowed to go with Julia in the ambulance, but not knowing where her parents were and his fatherly instincts proving to be too strong, he bundled up Lennox and Grace in coats, blankets, whatever you can think of, and gotten Emma to sit with Lennox in the back while Grace took the front and helped him work his GPS.
So now, after an hour of sitting around, Lennox was wide awake after a fifteen minute nap in the car and sleeping on Emma's chest for half an hour- and his Auntie Peggy had volunteered to look after the baby six or seven times now, calling him while he's speaking to either Grace or Emma, or simply buying a cup of tea for them all.
He almost said yes but then Emma began to coo down at Lennox and his resolve crumbled, saying no and hanging up the phone before she could protest.
"Yes, Grace?"
"What is diplomacy?" She asks and he raises an eyebrow and she points to her book in Emma's handbag. "It was in my book, and I looked it up but I still don't understand. Not really."
"The ability," He begins, clearing his throat. "To tell a person to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip." Emma frowns and Grace laughs, while the vibrations cause Lennox to laugh with her- and Emma's frown turns into a chuckle at the baby's wide mouth and small laughs.
"What is it really, Uncle Killian, because I need to know for my report and I can't write about telling people to go to hell!"
"Miss Barker, right?" Grace nods. "Atheist, yes you can."
"Killian, c'mon, please! What's the real answer?"
"Fine...um," Killian puffs out a breath of air, considering the question. "By Google terms, it's the art of dealing with people in a sensitive and tactful way." He tries and Grace smiles.
"So... being charismatic like you?"
"Yeah!" Killian grins but Emma rolls her eyes before continuing to play with Lennox, making Killian smile as the baby responds to her questions- random questions that matter to no one- but Grace just shares a knowing look with an elderly man who's with his wife from across the room, she can see something.
(She doesn't know what, but it's something.)
Around about an hour later, Lennox is dozing on Killian's chest while Emma has Grace leaning against her arm as her eyelids droop and her head is far too heavy- but she doesn't say anything, and Doctor Whale approaches them with a tentative smile. "Emma, I didn't realize you were here?"
"Hi, Vic, is Julia alright?" Emma whispers, careful not to wake the (Emma checks slyly) sleeping baby or Killian, oblivious to the world around them.
"Yes, Emma, she's recovering now." Emma smiles. "We managed to get into contact with her parents, her mother is on holiday and thought she was staying at her fathers, but is on her way home now."
"When will she be back?"
"Could be tonight, could be tomorrow morning, Emma. I recommend you get that baby," He points to Lennox dozing on Killian still and then to Grace. "And this lovely young lady to bed. It's been a long night and I'm sure they need their sleep."
Emma nods but Grace frowns. "I'm fourteen, y'know, I can stay up." Emma pats her shoulder and smiles. "I can, but I know Lennox needs to sleep so how about I call Peggy and get her to look after Lennox and I tonight until my dad comes tomorrow morning?"
"Peggy?"
"Uncle Killian's aunt." Grace answers. "I know her number, can I borrow your phone?"
By the time 'Aunt Peggy' shows up, Killian is still fast asleep and Lennox is snoring on his chest, Emma stroking the five months old hair up until Grace picks up the baby and follows her uncles relative out of the building, leaving Emma sat with Killian alone and rather hungry.
However, she had no intention of leaving Killian alone while he was asleep.
Not gentle, at all, Emma pushes her hand into his gut like a shove and he comes awake with a gasp and glare directed at her. "What are you doing?"
"Waking you up, duh. I don't just punch people for no reason, Jones." He frowns before rubbing at his eyes and looking around.
"And good morning to you too, Swan, I see my assassins failed again." She grins and pats his arm to be a comforting gesture, and he sinks into his seat. "What time is it?"
Emma looks down at her watch. "Two in the morning, roughly. You've been asleep for an hour and a half almost, Jones, the kids were taken by some Peggy woman."
"I thought I said no to her." He growls. "I can look after Lennox just fine."
"I know, Grace called because Victor- Doctor Whale- suggested getting them to bed." Emma answers. "No one had any doubts in your abilities, Killian, in fact, this Peggy woman was rather impressed in how you handled the situation."
"Well, that'll be a first, love. Nobody can impress that woman." Emma rolls her eyes. "But she's all I have left, biologically, so I guess I love her enough to withstand it."
"At least you have someone." He doesn't comment on her words, instead focusing on the footsteps of Doctor Whale as he approaches them with a small smile.
"Sleeping Beauty had arisen then?" Whale asks and Emma nods with a smile. "Her mother is at the airport, apparently she wasn't too far away, just visiting a relative. Her mother should be here within the next half an hour, but she asked me to thank you two."
"What for?" Emma asks, shrugging."
"Saving her daughters life." Whale answers with a grin at their confused faces. "If you waited any amount of time, that would have been a call to tell her that her daughter was dead."
"I didn't think it was that bad," Whale smiles softly at Killian, who looks rather shocked. "We just heard a scream and ran to find the person."
"You two are heroes."
One week later, after parting ways with a fond smile and a promise to see each other soon, Killian enters the nursery to find Emma waiting at the counter- food in hand and big grin on her face. "How did you know I'd be here today?"
"Killian Jones, you are a creature of habit."
"How so?"
"Mondays are days where you have meetings so she normally goes in with you and stays with your receptionist until you're finished, Tuesday's mean Lennox comes into nursery, Wednesday she comes in."
"Alright, that's rather strange you know that-"
"Thursday is a no-go because you take her to the park to have some fun and then bring her to your friends home who also has a child- Tink is it?- and then Friday is a lovely day because you come in and stay to help out."
"How do you remember all of that?" Killian asks, impressed tone in his voice as he hands Lennox to Emma- shrugging off his leather jacket and hanging it up high where no babies can reach it.
"Habit." She answers, walking over to a high chair and placing Lennox in it- wrinkling her nose with a grin at the baby when she whines.
"Do you remember that about all of your... clients?"
"Nope," Emma answers, using the spoon in Lennox's food to stir it gently and tastes it to make sure it isn't horrible. "But you do a lot for this nursery, you helped pay the bills when your friends baby went here, you still give money to pay for food and diapers and stuff because you want Lennox to have her best chance."
Emma sits cross legged in front of Lennox and offers her a small amount of food on a spoon, both look down at her feet and smile at each other when they move erratically around and she opens her mouth.
If Lennox moves her feet it means she likes what she's eating, if not then you have trouble my friend.
"You're a pretty good community man, Jones."
"Well, I have the money and I have the kid. What a better use of it then on the kid?" He asks, shrugging. "Besides, who wouldn't spend it on her?"
"Certainly can't say I wouldn't." Emma offers her the spoon again and Lennox lurches forward for it. "She's a sweetie."
"Dare I say it, Swan, but I feel like we're friends." She shakes her head and smiles.
"Buy a girl a cup of coffee first."
"Alright, at lunch we can go out for coffee with Lennox at Granny's." She turns to him with a raised eyebrow. "Decaf or-"
"Fine, but if anything goes wrong today- we are back to friendly with giant walls, and you don't get to have a huge ego all the time. Deal?"
"Deal."
Killian does buy her coffee, and lunch, and they have a pretty good time considering they also had to feed an almost six month old while talking and eating themselves- so well that they agreed to do it every Friday.
As friends of course.
Emma found that she enjoyed his friendship and found herself opening up to him about Henry and Neal, how her life was and her friends. Killian surprised himself by doing the same, telling her about his parents and abandonment, the Navy and Liam's death- telling her about Tink and why he became a foster parent.
Three months later, when Lennox was nine months old and the two came to find that they were seeing each other more and more often with less gaps in between, Emma took the plunge and asked Killian on a date.
"Hey, Killian, is Lennox or Grace here?" Emma asked, setting her bag down on the table and wringing her hands- watching him throw darts into the board in the kitchen, squinting one eye and hitting bulls-eye.
"No, why is everything alright, love? Are you alright?" Killian asks, walking up to collect his darts and lining up again.
"Yes, no, yes. It's all fine. You don't need to worry about me." Emma smiles, still wringing her hands. "Are you alright?"
"You don't need to worry about me either, love."
"Good cause I'm here to ask you out." Killian's dart goes flying and he hits his fridge, causing it to have a dent where the force was too hard. "To dinner... or something."
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you out?"
"Should have known you'd be old fashioned, given your age, what are you, Gramps, like three hundred?"
"Should have never told you about Tink's child, obviously..." She grins. "Grandfather, uncle and foster father or not, you can see I've retained my youthful glow." She rolls her eyes but doesn't comment, sniffing the air as she can smell food. "I accept on the one condition you let me plan the evening."
Emma's mouth falls open and her voice raises by a few octaves. "I know how to plan a date!"
"You know how to take very good care of my child and chase down criminals. I know how to do one of those things and still plan a romantic evening." He winks and she scoffs but nods.
"Fine but I don't pillage and plunder on a first date, you know that?"
"That's because you haven't been out with me yet." She smiles, before sniffing the air again. "Pizza and I'll see you tonight." She nods, looking down into the oven with a drool. "Ten minutes, Swan, we can share."
"Groovy."
As it turns out Killian did know how to plan a good evening, in fact a great evening, and she had to seriously consider herself when he walked her home- having to remember Henry was in there being taken care of by Mary Margaret and her new baby.
Grace was delighted the learn to two of them were together when they told her two months later, as was Henry- in fact, Henry was jumping for joy at the thought of a little sibling but Emma shrugged that hasty thought away quickly.
After the pair had been dating for six months, Killian asked Emma if her and Henry would move in with him- seeing as his house was too large for just him and Lennox, who was still with him and turning a year old in about two weeks- and it had taken some serious talking with Henry and guilt tripping about father figures and little siblings that helped her decide to say yes.
Lennox's first word ended up being 'hiya' in the end, and she said it when Emma and Killian were cooking dinner, asking her what she wanted (cooing more like while thinking about what they actually had in the fridge) and the ten month old said it back in a muttering sort of way.
It was cute, and still is, but now it's every single time someone passes them and she's in her stroller- it gets the pair both very strange looks.
She had called Killian 'Dada' as her second word and he'd been unsure how to react at first, but Emma was certain he was jumping for joy inside because the night she'd said it he couldn't sleep and admitted to Emma that he never wanted any of them- Henry and her included- to ever go.
(Emma had promised that night that they never would, and meant it with everything she had.)
It was when, at ten and a half months old, Emma was labelled as 'mama' that she ever freaked out. She had never even considered the possibility of taking that role, but Killian assured her that he wouldn't have it any other way- would want nobody else to even be considered as her mother, foster or not- and she'd accepted her role just as easily as Killian had.
Henry was the only one who got off easily when she'd said his name, her fourth word, and he'd ran around the room jumping for joy with the eleven month old on his hip- who was laughing and squealing with her sort-of brother.
Henry knew that she was Killian's foster child, and that his mother and Killian weren't married, but she was still his sister in all the ways that mattered- which was why he began calling Killian 'Dad' after only a week of living with him.
For Lennox's first birthday, they all went to Disney Land in Florida so that she could meet all of the princesses and such- for some reason, that still makes Killian smile to this day, Lennox took a particular liking to Captain Hook and Snow White.
Henry enjoyed going on all of the rides with Emma and Killian, the pair alternating between staying with Lennox and going with Henry- most of the time Killian went with Henry, desperate to bond with his girlfriend's son, and Emma stayed with Lennox.
When they had gotten back, Henry was already planning their next holiday while Lennox kept on saying 'Mama' or 'Dada' every few seconds.
It was the night that they got back, when Emma was settling into bed with an awake one year old in her arms, that Killian told her he wanted to adopt Lennox.
At first, she was rather shocked and stilled, scaring Killian out of his mind and making the baby whimper for attention before Killian took her in his arms and held her close, Emma didn't know how to react and excused herself to go to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, when she came out of the bathroom and Killian explained how he put Lennox to bed in Henry's room- because Henry insisted on being near his baby sibling- and he'd looked so nervous about her reaction, second guessing himself until she broke out into a grin and ran into him on the bed.
Emma had knocked him into the bed, accidentally hitting his head on a left behind book she had been reading to Lennox, and kissing the hell out of him. "Does that mean your happy about this?" Killian asked her, and she kissed him again with a giant grin- 100% sure she'd just knocked his teeth out.
"YES!"
"Wait, wait," He stops her and sits up. "Would you... consider adopting her with me, Swan?" He inhaled sharply when tears came to her eyes, waiting on baiting breath until she nodded and kissed him again.
"I love you, you stupid idiot! I love Henry, I love you and I love the bones out of Lennox." She stated, crying happy tears right in his face and he'd pulled her into a huge hug.
"I love you three too, so much more than you can imagine." She kissed him again, and he'd laughed so hard she was scared his face may split in two, clutching him tightly while they spent the rest of the night grinning.
Unfortunately, like most good things in life, their paradise was shattered within a week of telling Henry (the morning after they'd decided to adopt her) by a woman at their door.
Emma had rushed to the door, thinking it was Killian's Aunt at their door seeing as she'd asked to stay with them since she wanted to stay in Storybrooke for a week or two and they'd agreed, but was greeted by a prissy nosed woman who frowned at her joggers and football jersey.
"May I come in?" She pushed past Emma stepping on her fluffy sock clad foot with her too high heels. "Thanks."
"Excuse me, but just who in the hell are you?" Emma asks, taking in the woman's appearance with a look of disdain- wrinkling her nose.
Heels scraping against her wooden floor, the woman stood tall in an outfit that looked fit for a court case, blazer and large black bag in tow- hair straightened within an inch of it's life and scowl on her face as she spots the ever present Minnie Mouse quilt over in the open plan living room, leading off from the hallway. "Rather messy, hm?"
"It's ten am, we played with our daughter, big deal." She scowls, using her hand to redirect the woman's attention back to her.
"Your daughter?" The woman chuckles falsely, pristine painted red nails coming up to pat her own shoulder and she shrugs her off. "My daughter more like!" She extends her hand with a look of disgust at Emma.
It's not as though people dress up in their own home, is it?
Emma was dressed in a pair of grey joggers, a football jersey she stole from Killian and a pair of pink fluffy socks with a Storm Trooper from 'Star Wars' on them. Her hair hadn't been washed in two days, put up in a messy bun, and the only jewelry she wore was an old ring that Killian had given her when they'd only been dating for five months, claiming it was his brothers and kept him alive all through the years.
"Calm down, Swan, I'm not proposing."
She smiled in her head at the slight disappointment in her head and scowled further at the woman, taking her hand gently. "Emma Swan."
"Natalia Clarke." Emma raises an eyebrow, wondering what the hell the woman wanted with her. "I'm that little girls mother, you know... the one you claim to be your daughter?"
"What? Can't even remember her name?" Emma sneers and the woman takes a step towards her, hand curled into a fist, before she stops and breaths without Emma flinching once. "It's Lennox, by the way, and she hasn't been yours for a while. So how about you leave my home?"
"When I get my daughter back."
"Not a shot in hell, missy." She pushes her towards the door. "You gave her up, you don't march into my home and tell me what to do."
"Miss Swan, if I don't get my daughter back then I can assure you that I will be taking this to court and I will win." She threatens, grabbing Emma's wrist and only lets her go when a cry from behind them makes their heads both turn.
Killian is stood with Lennox in his arms, calling out for her 'Mama' and Emma goes over to take her- Natalia goes to take her but Killian steps in front of them protectively, scowl on his face that, quite frankly, scared Emma even as she bounced a slightly upset Lennox up and down soothingly.
"Get off my property or I call the police."
"On what grounds? Seeing my daughter?"
"Forcing entry, assault and quite possible near kidnapping."
"Assault?" She asks, scandalized and steam practically coming out of her ears. "Near kidnapping my own daughter, don't make me laugh!"
"Emma is the Sheriff, Miss... Clarke was it?" She nods. "I saw you stand on her toe with your heel, and you just tried to take Lennox right from her arms. Now leave, please."
"Don't tell me that my little girl doesn't need anything from her real mother!"
"Oh she does need," Natalia grins at what she thinks Killian will say, a compliment probably. "What only you can provide: your absence."
She scowls, huffs and stomps out of the door. "See you in court, you two horrible-"
"Looking forward to it."
Killian slams the door in the woman's face, making Lennox wail and tears fall down her face at her parents distressed manner. Emma reaches out to touch his arm and he hugs her, leading the three of them to sit by the quilt on the floor and put Lennox in the middle- fully intent on entertaining her until she stops crying.
Henry steps towards them slowly and hugs his mother, who has a single tear falling down her face as she watched Killian playing with their baby girl, pulling himself down to sit with them and he hugs his father- taking Lennox and kissing her forehead to calm her. "It'll be fine."
Emma nods, kissing her teens cheek and taking Killian's hand as they watch their children. "I know." She answers, breathing out slowly and using her free hand to grab Liam's ring.
"A man unwilling to fight for what he wants..." Henry trails, nudging Killian and Lennox sucks on Henry's finger.
"Gets what he deserves, lad."
They go and see Archie within an hour of her leaving, dressing Lennox and hauling all four of them to his office for advice- he always had knowledge on court proceedings and Emma knew he would help her if he could.
Archie liked to help everybody.
"I'm sorry, you four." He even addresses the baby in Killian's lap, being bounced by his shaking knee. "But, considering the fact that you and Killian have been together for less than a year... the relationship could be seen as unstable against her mother."
"How do you know? She gave her up."
"I did some research on her, like you know, and the reason she gave her up was so that she could focus on her studies- only twenty two years old- and now she's a lawyer. Without documentation, you two's chance is practically null."
"What?" Killian asks, heartbroken at the news, and his grip on his daughter tightens. "What about the fact we have taken perfect care of her for the past seven months almost?"
"It's your job as foster parent, Killian, it would count slightly but-"
"What about Emma? Emma wants to adopt her even though she isn't her foster mother!"
"Emma works in a nursery and is Sheriff, again, her job is a factor to take excellent care of children." Archie sighs at their faces.
"What else could we do, please Archie?" Emma asks, taking Killian's hand with her own and using her other one to wipe a tear from her eye.
"I'm very sorry, the only thing that could possibly help, that I can think of, is statements from everybody who you've ever helped. So, Emma, Ruby would be an excellent choice."
"That's it?" Killian bursts out, tears in his eyes and Lennox close to his chest. "All we can do is get bloody statements-"
"Thank you... Archie." Emma glares at Killian, frown on her face. "We will do that, call us if you think of anything, please?"
"Of course, I will also write a letter for the courts as somebody who treated Ruby. Maybe get Doctor Whale, seeing as he was there when you helped that young girl last year."
"Thank you, Archie."
Henry hates seeing their disappointed faces and almost cries when they get home and Killian bursts into tears, sliding down the door frame in what looks like physical torture, Emma takes Lennox from him and hands her to Henry before rushing to her partner and hugging him.
"It will be alright, we can do this baby." She coos down at him like she does with Lennox when the baby won't sleep at night, like she's telling him a story.
"Mom-" Henry tries but Killian's sniffing into his mother's chest, tears wetting her top, makes him pause. "Dad, I was looking online for help and I found something."
Both heads snap to him almost simultaneously, hopeful expressions casting over their faces. "What? Lad, what can we do to keep her?" Killian asks, still heartbroken but he knows Henry wouldn't taunt him in a moment like this- he's too kind to do something like that.
"Get married."
Killian sighs, before looking up at the wide-eyed, jaw-dropped face of his girlfriend- who, despite the look of shock, doesn't look horrified and it makes his heart rate speed up by a fraction but he would never tell.
"Henry, you're mother and I have never spoken about marriage." Killian tells him and Henry rolls his eyes.
"Listen, hear me out okay?" Killian makes a 'continue' motion with the hand that isn't wrapped around Emma. "It could help secure your chances, and I've looked it up that a couple who is married always has a better chance. Also, you're both in your thirties with secure jobs and you already have a son." He points out. "Along with statements it could bring your chances up significantly."
"Henry-"
"Please, just consider it. And... also, it would mean that you would be my dad. For real." Henry shrugs before turning with Lennox in his arms and going to his room- the baby squealing in delight ans they walk up the stairs.
"We'll think on it." Emma whispers, head balanced on Killian's own.
His problem isn't that he doesn't love Emma or Henry, because he loves them with all he has and will ever have. His problem isn't that he thinks it won't work, because he knows it could improve their chances- even slightly.
His problem is that he's terrified that Emma will say no when he, so desperately he may break, wants her to say yes and marry him on the spot.
To her credit, Emma hasn't seemed to freak out yet, which he supposes is good.
However, she didn't exactly seem perfectly normal in what she did either, always having wide eyes whenever Henry gave her the 'pwetty pwease mommy' face may have freaked her out slightly and Killian is close to pummeling the kid for that one.
After they'd informed Henry that they would think on it, Killian had gone to clean up the mess from the morning where they'd all been playing with Lennox- something he could only do when she wasn't there because if she saw him putting her beloved toys away, she'd turn around and pull them all out, even the ones she wasn't using.
Their little daughter has always been a menace.
Emma had gone about her regular day, washing and ironing with him later in the afternoon- a little ritual they do every weekend whenever they can, something they hope to see Henry joining soon.
In the evening, after a hectic day filled with (basically) all playing with Lennox on the Minnie Mouse blanket and pleading looks from Henry, Emma had gone to bed early- reasons unknown, though she claimed to be tired- and around three hours later Henry also went to bed, so he'd decided that rather being alone at twelve o'clock at night watching horror movies-
(He scares easily. When he was only eleven, Silence Of The Lambs had come out on the TV for the first time since it finished showing in the cinema's, and his father had left him and Liam three years prior so he was in a group home with an uncaring foster family who let them stay up into Godforsaken hours in the night... he remembers staying up until four AM watching Hannibal Lector and Clarice, Buffalo Bill and the rest, and he'd cried himself to sleep, vowing never to do that again.
He failed, not a year ago did he sit up watching the same bloody film and he's still terrified. He should really get his life sorted since he's a foster father, priorities have never been his strong point...)
-he'd decided to go upstairs and join his girlfriend, expecting to find her dead-to-the-world and asleep, instead he found her applying hand lotion that had gone dry earlier with a worried look and unaware of the time.
"Love, are you alright?" He pried her hands away to hold them, rubbing the already dry lotion into her skin with soft circles with his thumb, pressing a kiss to her left hand and she gasps. "What is it?"
"I have a problem." Emma rasps, her voice not used to speaking after being neglected for hours, and she swallows, loudly and (it sounds to Killian, at least) painfully. "I don't know what to do..."
"What about, Swan, you know you can tell me anything."
"I know, but, I don't know how to phrase it."
"Well, then, just let it all out. I'll understand what you mean, I always do, don't I?" She nods, smiling softly at him.
"I don't know what to do... because I love you, and I love our children." She laughs to herself. "And I know how badly you want to be Henry's father, he's wanted to call you Dad since he met you, I know it."
"And when he finally did, I was thrilled, remember? We all went for ice cream and cake, Henry pushed my head into the buttercream and we spent the rest of the day throwing food around the house, love." She laughs, remembering it very well.
"I was so annoyed because I had on a new blouse, and you got cake on it, but then Lennox was sick down it and it wasn't so bad." Emma sniffs, eyes watery and she wipes at them with her sleeve. "Suddenly we all realized that there were worse things than being with who you love, having a family and-"
Emma places her hand over her mouth, breaking down into a sob and Killian reaches out to bring her into his arms. "It's okay, love, let it out." She nods, sobbing into his shirt but tries to calm herself.
After ten minutes of dry sobbing, mouth open and no more tears coming (which Killian thinks it's just cruel, that should be illegal), Emma sits up to look at him again. "I want our family to be for definite, and I want Lennox to be our baby girl legally and Henry to be yours by marriage- I want to marry you but it's so soon-"
"Wait, lass, you want to marry me?" She nods, smiling sheepishly. "I want to marry you too."
"You do?"
"More than anything, but it's a big step, and I want you to be sure." She presses a kiss to his lips, so hard he thinks she's bruised him. "Is that a yes?"
"That's a big, fat, hell yeah I'll marry you!"
They marry less than a week later in a registry office with only Mary Margaret, David, Henry and baby Lennox there as witness' and children. It's quiet, quick and secret, but all that matters to them is that they both say 'I do' and mean it- and God, do they mean it with everything they have.
Regina forges the records to make it look like they've been married for three years and Emma has been fostering the entire time, Archie signing all the forms he's needed to with a promise to not utter a word, and everyone comes up with an idea or problem they've had in which Emma and Killian once helped them with and they all begin to write statements.
Some are short and only describe how good they've been to them while others are longer and explain how they couldn't have lived without them- which the newly married couple is shocked at but take it with giant grins and thank you's.
Tink, Belle, Ashley (and Sean), Will and Ruby write them the most convincing statements- mostly because all of them have children that may not have had the lives they have unless Emma and/ or Killian helped them.
To Killian's utter surprise, his most convincing statement would be from Will- or so Archie says- because he explains very clearly, in a way that could never be taken differently in any court or twisting of words, how he'd be dead if Killian hadn't found him and given him the world.
Will uses phrases such as: 'he's helped me find a wife and child, he saved my wife from an unloving marriage, he helped my wife raise our child even though he was the rival of her previous husband' and Emma grins at every mention of the love Will expresses for his best friend.
Tink talks about how much Killian helped her financially and gotten her out of a horrible cycle she'd be doomed in, how he'd helped pay for her to find a donor and how her child now called him 'granddad' because of how fantastic he'd been to them.
Both Emma and Killian laugh at Ashley's telling of how Emma used to babysit when Alexandra was a baby, the woman explaining how Emma helped her realize she needed to be there for her child and remain strong no matter the situation, and how she'd always be on hand to help- even if Emma herself was in dire circumstances.
Emma tears up at Ruby's statement, grinning as she recounts Henry's birth and Emma never leaving her sons side- working three jobs for a while until she couldn't stand and she'd managed to gain a stable job as well as one in which she loved children. Ruby tells, with great joy, how much Emma's saved her life and given her more then she could ever wish for.
One month later, the pair go into Archie's office (fully prepared from statements from everybody- and I mean everybody, not just the people mentioned before) and he stops them with a giant grin and the news that they can adopt her.
Both are shocked as Archie goes to explain how Natalia never went to get her back, leaving only empty threats, and passes the adoption papers to them over the desk along with a couple of pens and the pair are half crying with happiness.
Killian cuddles their baby girl closer to him and hides his happy tears behind her head while kissing Emma relentlessly- her wiping her own tears before they fall on Lennox. "I love you." Emma whispers, smiling so wide she's rivaling the time she told Killian she'd marry him- he's worse, looking like he'd slept with a hanger in his mouth.
"I love you too."
When Lennox is one year and six months old, and has been adopted fully by them and all the records are through, they get a call from Archie that Natalia has resurfaced and is fighting for custody- the pair are immediately on edge and keep Lennox with them at all time, however Henry is 100% convinced the court will see how flighty she is and deny her.
He's right, as he always is in his baby sister's eyes, as accompanied with all of their statements they'd been told to keep by the people who'd written them (just in case, they'd all said), Natalia Clarke was denied any custodial rights under any circumstances and the woman made a grand show of running out of the court screaming at the order.
All four of them go on holiday to Ireland to see 'where Daddy grew up' and he takes them on a two weeks tour of the best places to travel and they take so many photos they have to create an album for the one holiday.
Lennox loves it and they spend most of their days at the beaches whenever they can, being there for a month with two weeks of travelling means Mommy and Daddy need relaxation time too- when the sun is out shining and the rain leaves, which truth be told isn't often, all four make a day out of it.
Killian has a house in a seaside town, he's said the name so many times and claimed that it is a 'port town' but it's got one long beach split into four so Emma will call it a seaside town to her grave- Lennox and Henry always laugh whenever their parents speak about it- and they all stay there for the two relaxing weeks.
To her surprise, she finds that- although Killian claims to have no family except for 'Aunt Peggy' back in America- most of the local people address him by name and reminisce with him about remembering when he was Lennox or Henry's age, marveling at how he's now a husband and father.
Truth be told, Emma's slightly jealous, but when some woman named Maggie hands them an apple turnover (Killian claims she makes the best) and hugs Emma even though she's never met her, Emma can see how Killian knows everyone.
In their last week, after Henry has been round their neighbor playing with the two children there, a woman who isn't much older than Emma offers to take her shopping and Emma enjoys it so much they spend the whole day laughing- Emma opening up about everything with Lennox and their neighbor, Noleen, being so supportive and kind that it makes her heart hurt.
It's a no wonder she fell in love with Killian's personality before anything else if he's as good as these people here- which she knows he is.
To Emma and Killian's dismay, there's a downside to their holiday. The fact they have to go home and face more of Natalia's threats, most likely although she's been quiet since the custody battle and her childlike display of emotion.
Henry, like before, is already planning their next grand adventure, announcing that he's always thought Sweden sounded interesting and that they could show Lennox all the different parts of the world now they're a family. It leads to Emma smiling at him most of the time, but secretly ends whispering to Lennox about all she wants to show her as she grows up when she's putting Lennox to bed for the night.
Luckily her baby girl doesn't understand anything she's saying or she'd think her loving mother has gone absolutely mad.
(Killian just shakes his head with a grin, too happy to care about anything but his family.)
After their short lived holiday, they were back in Storybrooke, expecting to face more of Natalia's hatred and fighting for Lennox, however it never comes, the woman never shows her face, they never heard from her again. At least not personally. However, a month after they came back, Killian was told she had moved away, signing away any right to Lennox she had, hopefully never to come back again.
A few months after they heard the (slightly) overwhelmingly happy news of Natalia's disappearance from their lives, Killian asked Emma to marry him. For real this time, no rushing, no worries of losing their daughter. Just them, their children, and a few of their friends, neither of them having any family to come, not that they needed it, they felt loved enough surrounded by their friends.
Lennox was almost two when Killian had found Emma sat in the nursery with her, cuddling close, hugging her close. "Lennox, you know mummy and daddy love you and Henry more then anything right?" To which Lennox had just played with the dollhouse in front of them, banging a doll against it gently. "We would never replace you, you belong here you know that?"
Lennox just blabbered randomly, and Killian smiles when he hears her giggling, standing in the doorway as he watches them, wondering why she sounded so worried. He goes to make himself known, say hi, he'd been at work all day and just wanted to see his girls, but he didn't know why Emma sounded so anxious, so he'd stayed hidden. "And Lennox, baby? Mummy being pregnant won't change anything okay?" She had whispered softly, Killian barely hearing, but he did, and his eyes widened, unable to help his small gasp of surprise.
Her head snaps up, hearing his gasp, and she stood, bouncing Lennox on her hip. "Killian?" She questions softly, walking over and seeing him, which only causes her to blush deep red. "Did you...hear?" She asks him, biting her lip.
Killian nodded slowly, and a giant smile lights up his face. "You're pregnant?" He asks, voice soft, blinking back his tears of joy, he'd wanted this for so long and now...well now he had everything. With her nod as confirmation, he gathers his girls into his arms, kissing Emma's head, laughing softly.
In that moment, with his stepson downstairs in the living room, his wife and (technically) two children in his arms, he doesn't think he's ever been happier. However, almost seven months later, when their little Liam was in Emma's arms- hair sticking to her face, sweat clinging her clothes to her body- he knew that he had been wrong before. He could only get happier then what he thought was physically impossible when Emma Swan was involved.
She was his savior, through and through.
Okay wow, after 13,000 words on the dot, I finished this MONSTER of a one-shot. I hope that its well received and liked. Sorry I've been an inactive little bugger, but life got in the way, still is technically, but anyway, here is my pitiful attempt at trying to write a gouda fanfic. :)