A/N It's hard to believe that it's been a year since this journey began, and to see how far our little Swan Jones family has come, both on the screen and in these stories. It has been so much fun to make these characters come to life, and even more so to see the response all of these stories that I've gotten. So here you guys go, a year after Thanksgiving With the Charmings. I present to you, the first Swan-Jones Thanksgiving
Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT I just really like to play.
Morning seemed to come all too swiftly for the Pirate, having not gotten much sleep the night before, because of his little Swan. He couldn't understand, why Emma felt the need to rise at such an ungodly hour.
"Swan!" He groaned. "Come back to bed. Your family won't be here until one." He complained.
Emma pressed a kiss to his cheek, seeming far more awake than she should. "You sleep. I need to get started on dinner." She told him.
He cracked an eye. "It's five in the morning, Swan. I think dinner can wait." He explained.
Emma giggled. "Not Thanksgiving Dinner, babe." She told him. "I need to start the turkey. Now go back to sleep."
"You know I can't sleep without you." He complained, sitting up.
Emma smirked. "Alright, sailor. Tell you what, you start breakfast, and I'll start coffee and the bird." She told him.
Killian shook his head. "Alright. You win. I'll make breakfast." He told her, slipping out of the bed. "I still don't understand why we must rise before the bloody sun." He grumbled, as Emma chuckled from the bathroom.
"Because, Thanksgiving? Tends to be one of the oddest eating things ever. We eat dinner around two in the afternoon. I never used to get it either, but why fight tradition?"
Killian grabbed a shirt out of the closet, and shrugged it on, not bothering to button it. Henry was at Regina's not likely to walk in on his future stepfather in a state of undress. "Maybe sleeping till a decent hour, would be reason to fight." He mumbled, just as a small whimpering cry came from the cradle. He moved to get the baby, but Emma was already there, tending to their daughter.
"She wouldn't let us anyway." She reminded him, bouncing the baby. "Because it seems, little Swan here? Has decided that it is breakfast time too." She yawned.
Killian smiled at his fiancé, as she settled into the rocking chair, preparing to feed their daughter. Killian got an idea. "Swan?" He asked. "How about, while you go through the morning with the little lass, I get started on that bird?" he finished his suggestion with a smile.
Emma gave him a grateful smile. "That sounds fantastic. Remember to season it, and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Then you know that "blasted cooking device" you didn't want to get? That's the roasting pan. Set the turkey in the rack. V down, otherwise it is just going to go very bad. Then you rub it with salt, pepper and butter." She giggled at his expression of shock over the mocking way she mimicked his accent.
~~Swan-Jones~~
Killian underestimated his skill in this situation. After struggling to get a partially frozen bird out of the fridge and onto the counter, came the confusion at how the blasted pan worked. He held the metal grate out in front of him, glancing at the pan, before he held it out flat, and spotted the V that Swan had mentioned. He gave a victorious laugh, as he placed it into the pan, and began attempting to situate the turkey inside.
Now he only needed to figure out the next step. He recalled Emma saying something about butter, salt, and pepper. He took the butter and started to massage it into the turkey. Once that was done, he rubbed it with salt and pepper.
"Dang, and here I thought I was going to need to help you." Came a soft voice from behind him. He turned and saw Emma standing there, Eala tucked into the crook of her arm. "Looks like you don't even need me."
He gave her a smile. "I wouldn't say that, luv. I've no idea what to do next. I am merely the student." He explained, stepping away from the turkey and turning on the water, and washing his hand. "I could take the lass, if you would like to show me." He offered, holding out his arms to take the baby.
Emma pretended to ponder for a moment, before she smiled at him, and passed her squirming infant to her father. He bounced her gently, as he joined Emma by the counter. "So, as for breakfast…" he began.
Emma looked up, eyebrow raised. "So, breakfast?"
"How about I cook up some eggs, and other accoutrements? I believe we have bacon." He offered.
Emma chuckled. "With a baby on your arm?"
Killian gave her a mock look of offense. "Luv! How dare you! We have a… what was it Henry called the blasted thing? Ah yes, a bouncer seat." He pouted at her, as Emma laughed. "Anyway, I can think of no better way to get the lass started. The first step to becoming a pirate, learning to work the galley."
Emma raised an eyebrow, as she lifted the bird, and with one foot, opened the oven. "She's not even a month old, Killian. I doubt she really cares about working the galley. Anyway, how much help will she really be, she's already fallen asleep on you."
Killian glanced at the infant in the crook of his arm, and noted that indeed little Eala was asleep. "It takes a lot out of you, to be a baby." He informed her, "In any case, I believe she made this easier." He told her, momentarily stepping out of the room and returning a moment later, with the rolling bassinet, Eala already nestled inside. "There, now, a pirate never goes back on a promise to his lady." He told Emma, dropping a kiss on her cheek on his way to the fridge.
~~Swan-Jones~~
Killian had not lied, when he promised breakfast. She hadn't expected this much food, or to still be eating it, when Henry walked in, ignoring both adults eating at the kitchen table, and went to his sister.
"Morning Kid." Emma greeted, as the young man scooped the baby up. "Want some breakfast? Killian made enough."
Henry shook his head. "No. I just came over early, to watch the parade with You guys and Eals" he told them, using the affectionate nickname he had dubbed on his baby sister, the moment he had learned her name.
Killian looked confused. "Parade? What parade?" He questioned.
Henry gave him a disbelieving look. "What parade?" He turned to his mom. "You mean, you never showed him the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?" He turned back to Killian. "You're in for a treat, come on. They'll be cutting the ribbon soon." With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Emma and a confused Killian to clean up the dishes, before joining their small family in the living room.
When they got there, Henry was already planted on the floor in front of the couch, Eala cradled in his lap. The TV was on, and some man wrapped in a scarf was talking about the parade that would be starting momentarily. Emma sat behind her son, and patted the couch urging Killian to join her.
Killian slipped onto the couch, careful so as not to jostle the fourteen-year-old and his infant daughter. Emma settled into his side, as confetti flew into the air on the television, and the parade began. He wasn't entirely sure what the point of watching these people walk through the streets of New York was about, but then it cut to some performances in front of a store, and he realized it was a bit more than a few people taking a stroll. Emma informed him on a commercial break, when he had joined her to baste the turkey, that people prepared for entire years for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He couldn't say he cared, but he would endure watching it with her, if it made her happy, and it made Henry happy, so he couldn't complain.
~~Swan-Jones~~
Before the parade was over, the rest of the family began to arrive. First were Emma's parents, and the exuberant little prince, who wanted to play with his little niece, even though he didn't understand why he couldn't play with her like Daddy played with him. Followed by Regina, Robin, and Roland. Regina brought an apple pie, which Emma joked about, earning a disapproving head shake from the former queen.
Liam and Nemo were the last to arrive, their offering being rum, which Killian accepted gratefully, even though Emma couldn't drink, to keep herself clean for the babe, he could help them enjoy the drink.
It was a light affair, much easier than the year before. Killian was finally a part of the family, and David had finally stopped giving him the evil eye, whenever Killian so much as glanced at his daughter.
Before they settled in to enjoy the meal, David stood from his seat. "I'd like to make a toast." He declared, smiling at the group gathered around the table. "Four years ago, Emma came to Storybrooke, and despite the struggles that came after, I'll never forget the day that my family found each other again, with me having amnesia, and all." This earned a chuckle around the table. "But more so, I'm so proud. I'm proud of my daughter, for finally having found her happy ending, after fighting for so many of us, to get ours. I'm proud of my son, who is growing into a perfect little prince. I'm proud of my Grandson, for being a strong and mature young man. I'm proud of my Granddaughter, for being a perfect little princess, despite her pop's desire for her to become a pirate." He shot a look at Killian. "She will be a princess. Just like her mother."
Killian smirked. "She'll be a perfect little Pirate Princess mate! Just like her mum."
Emma laughed, swatting at his arm, as David shook his head and continued. "And despite how insufferable he can be. I'm proud of my future son-in-law, pirate and all, because despite whatever I may have thought about him before. He makes Emma happy, and that's not something I can deny. I'm proud of everyone around this table, so many people that have proven to us, that people can change. So with all of the things to be thankful for, I say let's enjoy this delicious meal that my daughter prepared. Happy Thanksgiving." He finished, before sitting down.
The meal was delicious, and Emma even told everyone that he had prepared the turkey, shooting him a wink over the table. Just like the year before with Mary Margaret, Emma made far too much food, and he knew each of their guests would be going home with leftovers.
After the meal, they returned to the sitting room, and Emma told them, that they were going to start a new family tradition. One they would carry on for Eala. It was something she and Killian had discussed a few weeks before. That they needed to create traditions for her, even though neither of her parents ever had them. So, Emma decided, to start with, watching her favorite Christmas movie to kick off the holiday season. He knew it would grow from there, but for now, gathering with his family and watching 'It's A Wonderful Life' With his daughter in his arms, and his true love curled into his side. This Thanksgiving was sure one he was thankful for.