Puzzle
"Bloody hell Swan! What is the point of this game?" His lilting voice called from the couch, where he was sitting with her son and trying his hardest to figure out 'the most difficult of games in all the realms' according to the pirate. Giggling to herself, Emma continued mixing the cinnamon into their hot chocolates, letting her mind wander.
It had been a month since the final battle with the Wicked Witch, a month since they had lost half a dozen nameless faces and one not-so-nameless.
Neal.
The death hit Henry the hardest out of anyone, causing him frequent panic attacks since then. The first time it had happened, they were at Granny's with her parents and Hook, when suddenly her son began gasping for breath, a look of complete hysteria in his hazel eyes. In that moment, Emma knew what it felt like to be truly powerless, having not the faintest clue of how to comfort him. Contemplating whether or not to rush him to the hospital, the blonde woman didn't notice Hook kneel beside Henry and told him to hold his breath, rubbing small circles onto his back until his breathing returned to normal.
Since then, the pirate had taken a role of friend to Henry and in some ways a father. Killian always seemed to be around whenever another panic attack washed over the small boy, and for that Emma was grateful, he seemed to be the only one able to calm her son. He had moved in no longer than a week ago and she could already see a change in the boy that looked so much like his father. He seemed happier, more like himself whenever the pirate was around.
"SWAN!" Hook yelled once again, jolting the blonde woman from her thoughts. Grabbing the mugs on from the counter, Emma made her way back to them, smiling when she saw the utterly confused look on Killian's face. It wasn't the first time the three of them had tried to make a puzzle together, but they had finally made their way up to the 1000+ piece that would eventually create a magnificent castle landscape. The small pieces had been thrown all over the apartment for the past 2 days and they hadn't even made a dent in solving it.
"What?" She sighed as she set the mugs on the table and plopped down on the couch between the two.
"Why is it that your world makes such challenging children's games?" The pirate asked as he wedged a piece into its slot, groaning loudly when it didn't fit, clasping stump and hand together under his chin, focusing intently on the test mystery in front of him. He had stopped wearing the hook and brace a while ago, wanting to be seen as much more than the malicious pirate.
"Maybe they aren't that difficult, and you just aren't smart enough for them, ever think of that?" The savior teased while running her fingers through Henry's hair.
"I seem to remember a certain blonde sheriff who quit after we reached the 200 piece game!" He shot back with a smirk, eyes never leaving the table.
"That's because I know how to pick my battles, and these things, can take forever!"
"Only because you have no patience, mom!" Henry spoke up, pulling away from her as she tried to ruffle his hair.
"Nope, I don't. So I'm gonna sit back with my hot cocoa and leave this to you guys." Emma explained as she snuggled into Killian's side. It was a routine now, this 'puzzles and cocoa' thing and it warmed the savior's heart. But what made it swell was Killian's stumped arm wrapping around her and pulling her closer, silently allowing her past the wall that was his handless arm.
The blonde woman was finally content, with her son and pirate.
End.