Home For Christmas
Genre: CS 5b canon divergence
Emma woke, as she woke every morning any more—with a smile on her lips and a song in her heart. The sun shone brightly into her bedroom window, letting her know it would be time to get up soon, but her bed was warm and cozy and she had no intention of leaving it until she had to. She stretched and turned over, hoping to spend a few more minutes snuggling with her husband before it was time to start the day.
Only her hand landed on empty sheets rather than a furry pirate chest. Emma sat up abruptly, her heart stilling before beginning to race, the panic hitting with no warning.
It had been three months since she, Killian and the rest of her family had returned from the Underworld, and though time had eased the pain of their two-month-long ordeal with the darkness and Killian's subsequent death, it was still difficult for Emma to let her true love out of her sight; it was still difficult to keep the fear at bay whenever they were apart.
Emma tossed the covers aside, stepped into her furry slippers, and wrapped herself in her warm bath robe. She tossed open the bedroom door, and hurried into the hall. No sooner had she stepped out of her room then the smell of frying bacon teased her nose, and the sound of her boys talking and laughing met her ears.
She let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. They were fine. They were both fine; safe, happy, and here with her.
"Come on, Killian!" Henry cajoled. "It's Christmas morning! Can't we just wake her up? She'll sleep all day if we let her, and I can't wait for you guys to open my present!"
Emma grinned as she stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe waiting for her two true loves to notice her.
"You know as well as I that's a dangerous prospect lad," Killian said, turning toward the stove and flipping the pancakes with the handy spatula attachment he'd replaced his hook with for the task at hand. "You know full well that waking your mother is akin to bearding the lion in its den."
Emma cleared her throat, masking her amusement with a fierce scowl. "Excuse me?"
Two pairs of startled eyes met hers, and then Killian reached up to scratch at that much abused spot behind his ear. "Merry Christmas, love! I just…I wanted to let you sleep. I didn't mean…you see, we understand. But when you don't get your sleep you are sometimes…not that you aren't bloody brilliant at all times, but…"
Emma chuckled, sauntered up to him, and placed a quick kiss against his lips. "Merry Christmas, Killian, and I think you'd better stop while you're ahead."
She noticed the tips of his ears reddening as she pulled back. "Aye, love. Perhaps you're right."
Henry launched himself at her, wrapping her in an exuberant hug. "Merry Christmas, mom!"
"You too, kid. From what I heard, it sounds like someone's excited to open presents."
He grinned. "Yeah, maybe a little. But Killian convinced me it would be better to have breakfast first."
Emma's stomach growled. "Smart man. So what can I help you guys with?"
Killian stepped to her side, kissed her cheek and handed her a mug of hot cocoa, topped, of course with whipped cream and cinnamon. "Not a thing at all, my love. You do so much for us, for all of the townsfolk. It's time you allow your men to spoil you."
"Yeah, mom!" Henry said, turning her toward the living room. "Why don't you go relax; maybe turn on some Christmas music."
Her smile widened. "How could I say no to that?"
After turning on the stereo, Emma settled into their plush, comfortable couch, looking up at their magnificent Christmas tree as she sipped at her cocoa.
This was Killian's first Christmas in the land without magic, and Emma and Henry had been determined to make this a holiday to remember. Her inquisitive husband had jumped into the holiday traditions with both feet, spending long hours searching out books and movies about the season, peppering everyone with questions, setting out to fulfill each and every time-honored ritual.
He and Henry had taken an axe and trekked into the woods on the morning after Thanksgiving, and they'd subsequently returned with the biggest, most magnificent Christmas tree Emma had ever seen. The three of them had spent hours stringing it with lights, hanging ornaments, positioning it just so, ensuring it was an outward expression of their inner joy.
Killian had gone on to hang three stockings on the mantle, meticulously neat and tidy, of course—and sprigs of mistletoe everywhere he could think of. Emma had to admit, she was rather glad she'd told Killian about that particular tradition.
(Henry, not so much. The way he complained about the two of them making out all the time you'd think the kid was traumatized for life. Henry couldn't fool her, though. She saw the pleased grins he tried to hide behind his eye rolls and groans of adolescent angst. Truth was, all of them were utterly, stupidly happy just to be together and alive and in the land of the living. Not much would really annoy any of them for some time to come.)
The result was that their home looked like something out of one of those cheesy Christmas movies, and Emma couldn't be happier.
Other than the year with Henry in New York, Emma had never been much for Christmas. Watching all those happy families smiling and laughing, enjoying each other's company, the love and joy clearly showing on each of their faces—well, it was nothing short of agonizing for a lonely, lost girl.
But she wasn't a lonely lost girl anymore. She was part of a family—a family she deeply loved, and one that she knew loved her just as much.
She couldn't ask for anything more perfect or more magical. Christmas was a time for love, a time for family. Emma smiled to herself as she thought about the plans she and her parents had made for today. She had one last plan for making this a Christmas her husband would never forget, one last surprise for the man who'd proven there was nothing he wouldn't do for her; the man who had given her her happy ending. When her parents had come to her with the idea, she'd cried, overwhelmed at the beauty of the plan, at the joy it would bring Killian.
Yes, Christmas was a time for family, and she was bound and determined to show her pirate that he never needed to spend a lonely holiday—or any other day—again.
~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~
Emma laughed at something Henry said, and Killian smiled to himself, picking up her hand and lacing their fingers as they walked. It was a bitterly cold afternoon, but yesterday's snowstorm had given way to a brilliantly sunny Christmas day, and he and Emma and the lad had decided to walk the few blocks to her parents' abode for Christmas dinner.
It did his heart good to see his wife so happy. The darkness and its consequences had weighed heavily on both of them, and for weeks after their return, Emma had woken nearly every night with the nightmares. The haunted look had finally begun to leave her face; the fear to leave her eyes. Killian knew her excitement over this Christmas holiday was a large factor, and for that alone, he would adore this holiday to the end of his days.
Killian sighed softly to himself, careful not to let his small family hear the wistful sound. He was happy; truly he was. Having Emma as his wife, Henry as his son…it was more than he could have ever dreamed. Not for anything in all the realms would he give up this life he was privileged to lead.
This holiday, this Christmas, it put such emphasis on love, on family joining together. He loved Emma and Henry with all his heart; he was profoundly humbled and grateful for the way Emma's parents had welcomed him with open arms into their family. (Even now, some three months later, his eyes still welled remembering the moment he realized not only Emma and her lad, but her parents, Regina and Locksley had all travelled to the Underworld for him, because they cared about him, because they couldn't stand the thought of him being gone from their lives.)
Even so, there was a bit of bitterness mixed in with the sweet. The truth was, Killian missed his family—his beloved brother and the father he'd been privileged to reconcile with in the Underworld. It had been a beautiful time among the horror and ashes, and Killian would never be able to fully express his gratitude to Emma for agreeing to wed him there, in the underworld with Liam as officiant and his papa as witness.
But all things must come to an end. When he and Emma succeeded in breaking Hades' stranglehold over the Underworld, his father and brother had finally been ushered to their eternal reward in the land of paradise. Killian had willingly returned to the land of the living with his new wife at his side, secure in the knowledge that the two men he loved more than anyone in any realm (save for the woman beside him) were finally happy and at peace.
Henry ran ahead up the steps and knocked on the Charmings' door, his gift for Grandma and Gramps held proudly in his free hand. A moment later, the lady Snow opened the door and soon enveloped each of them, in turn, in a warm, motherly hug.
"So glad you guys got here!" she said, ushering them inside. "Dinner's almost ready."
Killian looked around at the assembled group, the Charmings, the young prince Neal, Regina and Robin with their children-all smiled happily, talking and laughing, welcoming him with joy. It was enough. It was far more than enough; far more than he'd ever thought to have. Far more than enough to push the tiny ache of loss to the far corner of his mind.
"Smells good in here!" Henry said, peering into the oven. "Did you make your famous lasagna, mom?"
Regina ruffled Henry's hair. "That I did. And my apple turnovers—and don't worry, Miss Swan…er…Mrs. Jones, this batch is completely free of sleeping curse—for dessert."
"Awesome!" Henry said. "Can we eat?"
"In just a minute kid," Emma said. "We just have to wait until a couple more people get here."
Killian looked around in surprise. It appeared the family was all assembled. "Who else are we missing, love?"
Emma shared a look with her parents, and Killian noticed the tears in her eyes, the secret smile on her face.
Charming stepped forward, holding out a small, non-descript canteen, which Killian automatically took. "Hook…Killian," he began, "before Merida took the portal back to her land, she gave us a gift as a token of her appreciation. That canteen you're holding."
"That was…thoughtful," Killian said, staring in bemusement at the object in question.
"Yes, it was. It really was," Snow said, stepping forward in her turn, "but it's not the canteen, but the ale that's in it that's the real gift."
"Killian," Emma said, smiling up at him. "It's not just any ale. It's a special ale Merida got from a witch in her land. The person who pours it on the ground can bring back loved ones who have passed on—temporarily at least."
Killian's eyes widened, and he shot startled looks at all of them. "You mean…you mean, I could bring…?"
"Yeah," Charming said. "We discussed it, and we all agreed. That last cup of ale should go to you. Emma wanted to make your first Christmas special; she thought you might like to invite your own family to our feast."
Killian's vision blurred as he looked down at his wife. "You'd do this for me, love?"
She reached up and cupped his face, bringing him down for a quick kiss. "I'd do anything for you, Killian. I thought you'd know that by now. I know how much you miss them, and, well, I just wanted to make you happy."
Killian smiled shakily, returning her kiss, brushing away a tear from her cheek. "You do make me happy, love. Every day you make me happy. I wouldn't trade our life together for anything."
"I know," she said with a smile, "but it doesn't mean you don't miss those you've lost. I get that. I really do. So, when I found out there was a way to bring them back for the afternoon, I hopped right on that. Besides, I think it would be amazing to have the whole family together for Christmas.
"I love you," he said, swooping in for another kiss.
"And I love you."
"All of this love is great," Regina drawled, "but you think we could get on with it? My lasagna just came out of the oven, and if it gets cold because of your yearning looks and doe eyes, I might start throwing fireballs."
Killian grinned. "I wouldn't dare risk such a thing, your majesty."
Taking a deep breath, he pulled the stopper from the canteen and poured its contents on the floor of the Charming's loft. Before it hit the ground, it transformed into a fine, golden mist, and when it cleared Liam and Brennan Jones stood before him, brilliant grins draping their handsome faces.
"It looks like you've done quite well for yourself, little brother," Liam said, stepping forward.
"I think you mean 'younger' brother," Killian said, voice suspiciously gravelly, before launching himself into his brother's arms.
~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~
Several hours later, Emma lay in bed with her head cushioned on her true love's chest. She reached up and absently fiddled with the charms on his necklace as she listened to the winter wind howl outside.
Killian leaned down and captured her lips in a tender kiss that went on and on. When it finally came to an end, she rested her forehead against his.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that about?" She asked, smiling at him.
"I love you so bloody much, Emma, sometimes I cannot contain myself."
She chuckled, settling back in against his chest and planting a quick kiss against the space above his heart. "I love you too. So how was your first Christmas? Did it live up to all the hype?"
Killian was silent for a moment, absently running his fingers through her hair. "It was everything I could have imagined and far more, love. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You will never know what those two hours with my brother and my father meant to me."
"I think I can guess," she said. "We're kindred spirits, remember? The lost boy and the lost girl who finally found each other."
"Not lost anymore, love," he said, and she felt the deep rumble of his voice as much as she heard it. "Though we each possess but half a heart now, mine has never felt so whole or complete. Liam may have spoken of all the wonders he's found in paradise, but I'd wager no wonder could compare to having you here in my arms on this Christmas night.
Notes:
-Merry almost Christmas! Here's a story I wrote last year as part of my Fluffy Fridays collection. I realized when I was going through my old Christmas fics that I never posted this story on its own, so since 'tis the season, I figured I'd go ahead and do that now.
-This story was written just after 5a. We knew the gang would be going to the UW to save Killian, but we didn't know how that would all play out. Because of that, this story is really more of a canon divergence than anything else.