"Mama?"
Emma's eyes snapped up from the hot chocolate simmering in the pan to see her little boy standing at the bottom of the stairs, rubbing at his tired little eyes, a yawn on his face. She could see his little blue socks poking out under his pirate pyjamas, the beloved pirate toy dangling from one hand.
"Why aren't you in bed, little duckling?"
Killian had called Liam his little duckling the first time he had held him in his arms, tears flowing down his cheeks. The nickname had stuck.
"I had a bad dream."
Tears started to build in his eyes. His next words seemed to tumble out of his mouth, he could not be a big, brave boy in front of his mother.
"It was cold and dark, and you and Papa and Henry were gone! I was so scared Mama!"
With a hysterical breath, he flung himself into his mother's waiting arms. His small frame wracked with sobs as Emma carried him to the couch and rocked him back and forth whispering comforts into his soft hair. When his sobs had turned into occasional sniffles, Emma unwrapped him from her embrace to wipe the tears from his rounded red cheeks.
"Do you want to stay here with me until Daddy gets home?"
He nodded quickly in response, burying his nose back into her hair. And so they sat, Liam defiantly forcing his eyes to remain open. His lashes fluttered as he lost his battle and gave into sleep. Emma could not bear to move his small body from where it lay curled up against her; watching his chest rise and fall reassuringly as she too succumbed to the pull of unconsciousness.
When Killian returned home later he found his wife and son wrapped up together, his entire world on one couch. He carefully pushed the front door closed behind him and creep past his sleeping family towards the kitchen. Quietly reheating the now cold hot chocolate before pouring it into a mug, Killian walked over to his wife and gently shook her awake. Her eyes blearily gazed up at him as she woke from her dreamless slumber. Her voice was rough with sleep as she whispered.
"Hey, welcome home. Sorry I fell asleep."
He brushed a lock of her hair out of her face as he replied.
"It's alright, why's our little duckling not in bed?"
She leaned into his hand on her cheek, her flushed flesh welcoming the coolness he brought home. He smelt of the sea and fresh air, days spent on his beloved Jolly Roger always strengthened his scent.
"He had a bad dream so I said he could wait up for you, I must have fallen asleep too."
"I'll take him up to bed. I reheated the hot chocolate for you, it's on the counter."
He scooped down to lift his son into his arms, allowing Emma to get up. She kissed him on the cheek as Liam snaked his arms around his neck in an unconscious recognition of his father. Killian could not tell, but he suspected the small mumble that escaped Liam's mouth was some attempt of a goodnight to his mother. As Killian turned at the top of the stairs towards Liam's room, he caught Emma, hot chocolate in hand, gazing at two of her boys with a content smile gracing her lips.
