Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own them, I just play with them because it's fun.
This is a sequel to my story entitled 'Frozen'. Killian and Emma are happily married. Henry lives with them on a nearly full-time basis, but still is close with his adopted mother, Regina. He's estranged from his birth father, Neal (alive and annoying in this story). Emma and Killian have two children of their own, a precocious three year old daughter named Fallon and a six month old boy named Bradyn. Many of Storybrooke's citizens will be popping up.
I hope everyone enjoys the journey. Please take a few moments to let me know how I'm doing.
"Papa," Killian felt the bed shaking.
His arms were wrapped tight around Emma while they both slept soundly. His wife was wearing only a cotton gray shirt, one of his favorites she must have pulled from his dresser without him knowing. He wondered where she'd hidden it. He'd been looking for that particular shirt for days.
"Papa," he felt the bed shake a second time.
The sleep clouding his mind began to evaporate. He was suddenly aware they he was not alone in bed with his wife. His early bird daughter was practically draped across his back, fulfilling her morning wakeup call duty.
"Papa," Fallon moaned while she shook him a third time.
"I'm awake," he voice was gruff with sleep.
"Pamcake time," she demanded. She punctuated her statement by bouncing on him.
Killian released his wife with a groan and rolled to get out of bed, grabbing a pair of flannel bottoms to tug on while Fallon flew down the spiral staircase. Prior experience told him that she'd be back up in the blink of an eye if he didn't join her in thirty seconds. Even so, he took a moment to observe his sleeping wife.
"Fallon's already up?" Emma mumbled when he bent down to kiss her hairline.
"Our human alarm clock," he chuckled while brushing the hair away from her face, "Go back to sleep. I'll send her up to wake you before the start of your shift."
"Is Bradyn awake?" she asked.
"Doesn't sound like it," he looked towards the baby monitor next to her side of the bed. She must have moved it to her side of the bed when she arrived home after her late night shift.
There were soothing gurgles coming through the monitor that let them know that though Bradyn was sleeping, he was soon to wake. "Get some sleep."
Emma didn't need to be told twice as she drifted off. Between her job as sheriff and keeping up with a teenager, a three year old and an infant, she was lucky to get five hours of sleep a night. Not to mention, she'd been picking up extra shifts at the station.
Her second deputy was on an extended honeymoon with the town's mayor, and her first deputy wasn't able to pick up many of the shifts as he had a child of his own with a cold that just wouldn't go away. The extra money was welcomed, but the part it was playing with her sanity was not.
Killian was more than sensitive to her plight. He'd nearly taken over all the household chores, even learning how to do laundry after a few colorful missteps. Fortunately they had a daughter that loved to wear pink.
"Pamcakes, Papa," Fallon cheered when Killian made his way down the stairs while shrugging into his shirt.
"You certainly love your pamcakes," Killian took a moment to kiss her forehead before making his way to the kitchen to begin breakfast.
Henry stumbled out of his room minutes later and announced, "Fallon needs a snooze button."
Killian chuckled at the comment.
"It's Sunday, Fallon," Henry gave her a good natured scolding, "We sleep in on Sunday."
Fallon shrugged her shoulders and went about coloring. She didn't know or care what day it was. She simply knew that the sun was up which meant it was time for breakfast.
"Will you check on Bradyn, Lad?" Killian requested of his stepson, "I'm trying to let your mum sleep in as long as possible, but I only have two hands."
"Maybe Mom can give you a couple more," Henry quipped before making his way to his youngest sibling's nursery.
"Where's Mama?" Fallon danced about in the kitchen in anxious anticipation of breakfast.
It always amused Killian to see how eager she was for pancakes when she had them at least twice a week.
"Mama is sleeping," Killian expertly flipped the first cake in the pan.
"I go wake her," she spun towards the stairs.
Killian quickly put down the pan and darted after his daughter, tossing her over his shoulder before she could take her first step up the staircase, "Mama needs to sleep. She's been very busy."
"But I no see her anymore," Fallon pouted as Killian set her gently on the sofa where the family dog had been happily napping. "She always busy."
"Leo is sick, remember," Killian tapped her nose before returning to the stove, "Poppy has to take care of him, so Mama has to work."
"Why can't Uncle Robin do it?" she petted her pooch's head.
"Because Robin and Regina are away," Killian responded.
"Away where?" she asked.
"They took a trip to the Enchanted Forest," Killian replied.
"Where's that?" she asked.
"That's where Grammy and Poppy are from, remember," Killian prompted her, "It's a long ways from here."
"Where you met Mama," she proclaimed with glee.
"Correct," he continued the cooking process.
"Can we go there?" Fallon hopped off the sofa with Max nipping at her heels, "We can take the Jolly Roger."
"It's a bit more complicated than just sailing the seas, Little Love," Killian told her.
Henry came in with Bradyn in his arms, giggling happily while they played tug of war with Bradyn's favorite toy. It had been meant as a chew toy for Max, but Bradyn had claimed it for his own. It would keep him occupied in his playpen when Henry set him in it.
"Good morning, Little Lad," Killian took a few moments from his pancake process to greet his youngest, "How did you sleep last night?"
Fallon tugged on her father's pant leg to get his attention. She didn't like not being the center of attention. She tolerated her younger brother because her parents seemed to not be giving her any option, but she refused to give up the spotlight without a lot of effort. "Papa, I'm hungry."
"Will you put him in his playpen?" Killian transferred Bradyn back to Henry's arms. Trying not to encourage Fallon's obvious play for attention, he simply continued to make breakfast. It was something that Emma had said that needed to be worked on.
With the last of the batter in the pan, Killian asked Fallon to wake Emma. There was a flash of brunette hair as Fallon sprinted up the staircase. It took only seconds for Fallon's giggle and Emma's groan to filter down to the main living area.
Killian had a cup of coffee waiting when Emma made her way down the staircase.
"Morning, Love," he kissed her temple before guiding her to the table where Fallon and Henry had already started eating, "I let you sleep as long as I could."
"I know," she stumbled towards the table, "I'll need a week off to catch up on all the sleep I've missed."
"Robin and Regina are due back any day," Killian pointed out.
"And Dad said that Leo is finally starting to feel better," Emma sighed in relief after taking a healthy gulp of her caffeine laced drink, "So he's going to take the extra shift tonight."
"Does that mean we'll be able to have a family meal tonight?" Killian's face brightened at the possibility.
"Absolutely," she smiled when Fallon cheered.
Henry and Killian filled most of the conversation about their plans for sailing that day, with Fallon chiming in with her own two cents. Emma was too tired to contribute much to the conversation.
Bradyn sat happily in his playpen with his toy. It would squeak at random intervals which would cause the tyke a great deal of surprise in that he'd drop the toy and stare at it for a few moments before deeming it safe to pick up again. He would then repeat the process over and over.
"Most useful three dollars we've ever spent," Emma motioned Killian's attention towards the playpen where Bradyn was giggling. His pacifier had been discarded in the corner.
Killian snorted in amusement.
Emma glanced towards the clock and frowned. "I'd better get ready for work."
"I help," Fallon offered.
"How about you eat your breakfast while I shower," Emma suggested, "Then you can help me pick out what I'll wear today. Okay?"
Fallon stuffed a rather large bite of pancakes into her mouth as she nodded.
"Take smaller bites, Princess," Emma kissed the top of her head before disappearing up the staircase.
David found Emma at the station when he arrived for his shift. She was asleep at her desk. His guilt was immediate. She'd had to work far too much over the past two weeks Robin had been away.
He put in a quick call to his wife to come drive Emma home. He was worried his daughter would wrap her car around a tree on the short drive home, and his son-in-law still hadn't mastered the art of motor vehicle operation despite the few lessons Emma had given him on the subject.
"You should have told your father how exhausted you were," Mary Margaret stated on the drive to her daughter's cottage. Leo was sound asleep in his car seat in the back.
"Then who would have taken care of Leo?" Emma released a deep yawn. It was everything she could do to stay awake on the short drive home. She hadn't felt this exhausted since she was in the first trimester of her pregnancy with Bradyn, though she was fairly certain that she wasn't pregnant with Killian's third child.
"We would have figured it out," Mary Margaret assured her, "You have your own young family to take care of. Sometimes your father and I forget that because of how well you and Killian can juggle it all."
"It's easier for us to juggle because Killian's job allows him to take Fallon and Bradyn with him," Emma replied, "It's not like you could bring Leo into the classroom with you."
"We would have figured it out," Mary Margaret reiterated.
"I'm fine," Emma waved off the obvious concern her mother was displaying, "I'm sure a good night's sleep will have me feeling alright."
"Well, you're getting it tonight," Mary Margaret replied, "Your father was calling your husband as soon as we left the office. If Killian does anything other that wait on you hand and foot for the evening, tell him I still have my bow, and I'd be happy to demonstrate my skills."
"I'll mention it," Emma snorted. They pulled into the Jones' driveway. Killian was waiting just a step from the vehicle.
"Welcome home, Love," Killian pulled open the door and offered her his hand.
Despite her exhaustion, the butterflies stirred in her stomach when he pulled her from the vehicle.
"Did you enjoy your afternoon nap?" Killian's eyes mirrored the concern her mother had displayed on the short drive over.
"Could have lasted longer," Emma wrapped one arm around his neck, pulling herself flush against him to whisper in his ear, "How about a nap, Pirate?"
"There's my Swan," he chuckled before extending his gratitude to his mother-in-law for returning his wife safe and sound.
"Robin and Regina are due home any day," Mary Margaret spoke up, "Robin is taking your next shift."
"Yeah, you swing that with the mayor," Emma snorted.
"Don't worry, I will," Mary Margaret threw her car in reverse and drove the very short distance to her own home.
"Will I need to be chivalrous and carry you inside?" Killian raised a flirtaeous brow.
"Only if you carry me to the bedroom so we can nap together."
"We both know neither of us would nap," he chuckled.
"How is that bad?" she touched his chin, "I think I've just found my second wind."
"So tempting," he groaned. He fought with his baser instinct and guided her inside.
Fallon promptly wrapped her arms around Emma's legs, overjoyed to see her mother.
"Hi, there, Princess," Emma lifted her up. Fallon's arms wrapped tight around Emma's shoulders. "Did you miss me?"
"Yep," Fallon's head bobbed immediately.
"I missed you too," Emma kissed her cheek before returning Fallon to her feet, "Did you have fun fishing with Papa today?"
"Yep," Fallon took Emma's hand and yanked her towards the sofa, "Henry and Papa caught lots of fishies. We have fishies for dinner."
"Sounds yummy," Emma pulled Fallon into her lap and hugged her, "Where is Bradyn?"
"Nappie time," Fallon announced.
"Didn't he have nappie time on the ship?" Emma brushed a lock of Fallon's brunette hair away from her face.
"Yep," Fallon bobbed her head and hopped to her feet so she could play with the family dog.
Emma motioned to get up, but Killian's hand closed in on her shoulder before she could move. "Rest up, Love."
"Why is Bradyn sleeping?" Emma asked, "He won't sleep tonight."
"He's not sleeping," Killian assured her, "He's happily playing with his toys in the nursery."
"Why did Fallon say he was sleeping?" she pressed.
"Because she likes to be the center of attention, and it's easier when her brother is sleeping," he replied.
"She's so much like you," Emma snickered,
"I don't need to be the center of attention for everyone, just my beautiful wife," he sat himself down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close.
"You can be the center of attention right now if we go upstairs," she winked.
"Tempting," he nuzzled into her neck, "But I have fish to clean and cook."
Emma frowned when Killian rose to his feet. Left alone she promptly fell asleep until Fallon was shaking her awake to join the family at the dinner table.
The family dinner was quick, and Emma was tucked in by her daughter rather than the usual other way around.
"Nite-nite, Mommy," Fallon pecked at her mother's cheek, "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite."
"Thank you, Princess," Emma tapped at her nose before snugging under the covers.
"And I'll be super quiet so you can sleep," Fallon buttoned up her lips.
"Thank you," Emma chuckled.
"Sleep, Love," Killian picked up Fallon from the bed and tossed her over his shoulder.
"That's the plan," she mumbled as she lifted off.
TBC...
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