AN:Happy Father's Day to all! If you're a father, here's wishing you a wonderful day. To everyone else, give your dad a hug, in person if possible, another way if not.
I know that I can't be the only one with Daddy!Killian feels today, (and I hope not, because I want to read some beautiful fanfics) but I had to add my own story. This takes place 5 years after the season two finale. Established Captain Swan, Frankenwolf.
Killian walked down the stairs and stared at the sight in front of him. The normally tidy space was filled with intensely pink balloons, red and white streamers, brightly wrapped packages, and a stuffed elephant that approximated the size of the actual animal. In the midst of it all was his wife and her mother, wrapping ribbon around the dozen folding chairs than had had to borrow from Granny's. His eyes practically burned with the amount of colors assaulting them, and he began to rethink his plan for the evening of watching football in the comfort of his own home.
"Hey Killian," Mary Margaret greeted him with a smile.
"Hi. So, the shower is today?" he asked to clarify.
"Don't tell me you forgot!" Emma said, her voice betraying panic and disappointment.
"No, I didn't forget. I just, didn't remember for a little while," he said.
"I'm glad you remember now then, because we ran out of punch. Will you go pick up some more? The party starts in just a few minutes," Mary Margaret said.
Killian tried to cover up his sigh, but both mother and daughter saw through it. "It will just take you a minute. You can take Henry with you, and go do something...manly together after," Emma said.
"Maybe I can finally teach the boy how to properly sword fight." Despite Emma's rather terrified look, he smiled broadly, already planning on the skills he wanted to teach Henry. He walked up the stairs before Emma could attempt to dissuade him.
"Henry, I need to go to the store for your mom before the baby shower. Would you like to come?" he asked, knocking on the door.
"My dad was coming into town today," Henry replied, not looking up from his book.
"Come on, I was thinking of pulling out my real sword for a sparring match!"
"Remember what happened last time we used real swords?" Henry lifted his right foot, the scar on his ankle still raw and red in its freshness.
"You just weren't holding the sword right. Don't worry, we'll get it today."
"My dad and I already made plans."
Normally, Killian was happy to let Henry spend time with Baelfire. He was the boy's natural father after all. But today he didn't want to let Henry go.
"Why don't the three of us go out together? It could be nice." Henry's eyebrow raise initially brought feelings of pride to Killian at his imitation. Unfortunately, the suspicious look required greater explanation. "Come on! Practically every woman in town will be here at the party. We can make it a guy's night."
This seemed more believable to Henry, and he finally agreed.
"So, what did you and Bae - Neal - plan to do?" Killian asked, still not used to calling him Neal. In his mind, he felt like the name Milah gave him should be used still, especially in a town that included Jiminy Cricket.
"Dad wants to teach me how to play pool," Henry replied excitedly.
Killian racked his brain, but there was only one place in town that he knew had a pool table. "He wants to take you in The Rabbit Hole? What kind of father does that?"
"He made sure it was okay with my mom first. Gramps will be there, and I won't go near the bar," Henry said.
"Of course you won't, because I will have my eyes on you every second!" he threatened.
"Alright, fine," he agreed. When they arrived at the bar, Killian kept Henry in front of him, not wanting the lad out of his sight for even a moment.
"Hey kid," Neal said. He opened his arms to accept Henry's torpedo hug.
"It's great to see you Dad. How long will you be in town?" he asked.
"I have to work on Tuesday morning, so I need to leave Monday night. But that's not important right now. Let's shoot some pool!" Neal led his son over to the table, leaving Killian to sit alone at the bar.
"The usual?" the bartender asked.
"Sure," Killian accepted the offer, but he kept his seat in clear view of where his stepson was.
"Starting early, huh?" David asked, sitting down next to his son-in-law.
"Seeing how your wife and mine are hosting a frilly, pink overload party in my house this evening, I felt it was best to stay as far out of the way as possible. And you're not so innocent yourself," Killian pointed out.
"Excuse me, but I'm on duty tonight. Nothing but soda and water for me."
"If you're the paragon of virtue, why are you allowing your grandson into a bar?" he asked.
"Between you, me, and Neal, I don't think there is any way he is getting a drink."
"Well, I guess you are the one with experience here," Killian murmured, throwing back his drink and watching Neal demonstrate a move for Henry.
"Only a few more weeks for you though. How is everything coming?" David asked.
Killian groaned as he was reminded of everything he still had to get done. "Emma has been after me for weeks to put the crib together. But that thing has more pieces than the whole of the Jolly Roger. It's impossible!"
Sean stepped into their conversation. "Word of advice. When you do put it together, do it in the nursery. I put Alexandra's crib together in the living room, and when I went to put it in her room, it wouldn't fit through the door. I had to take it apart, then reassemble it all over again."
"I never would have thought of that. Thanks mate!" Killian thanked the man who he only knew in passing.
"Trust me, once that little one arrives, everything will be different. I just wish someone had warned me a little more about it before it happened to me," Sean said.
"Warned you about what?" Killian asked, desperate to know everything he could. With parenthood looming ever closer, he was realizing just how little he knew about caring for children.
"Sending your daughter through a magical wardrobe," David supplied.
"Or any portal really," Gold said, adding his own unwelcome advice.
"I don't exactly plan on getting into a situation that would require that. But the way, what are you doing here?" Killian asked Gold, his tone icy as he addressed the crocodile.
"Do I need a reason?" The two former enemies stared at one another for a long moment, challenging one another with their eyes.
"Killian, if you want to be a truly successful father, play with them everyday, no matter how tired you are after work, starting from the day they're born," Dr. Whale said, proving just how involved the entire town was in his personal life.
"Does that work with infants?" he asked.
"Gerhardt and Anita love it when I play with them. Though at four months, it generally just involves waving a rattle in front of their faces. Of course, it also scores me major points with Ruby." His suggestive eyebrow wriggle was worthy of one of Killian's own.
"You don't have to worry about that Killian. You're great at playing!" Henry said, coming over to sit right next to him.
Killian realized he had not been watching the boy as closely as he should have been, especially considering where he was currently sitting. He became very nervous at seeing his stepson so close to the alcohol. "What happened to pool?"
"I beat Dad in minutes. He said he let me win, but I know he was lying," Henry replied proudly. Neal shot Killian looks behind Henry's head to deny the fact, but he saw right through them.
"Why don't we go sit at a table, okay?" Killian suggested, scanning the bar for a place where he could help Henry avoid the drinks. Unfortunately, they were in the height of happy hour, and there wasn't a single empty table. Eventually, they found one with just a single occupant, and Killian, Henry, Neal and David headed in that direction.
"Do you mind if we sit here?" Killian asked.
"Sure," the man said, barely looking up from his drink.
"You're Mr. Tillman, aren't you? Hazel and Gretel's father?" Henry asked.
"Ah, yeah." Mr. Tillman returned to looking at his drink, stopping all further conversation.
"Do you really think I'm good at playing?" Killian asked Henry.
"Totally! I mean, you do sword fighting and sailing with me, but I really like it when you come up with new things, like Sky TV!" Henry said with a huge smile.
"Wait, is that where you just lay back and look at the sky? I remember that!" Neal said with a similarly excited grin.
Killian's heart swelled. It was one of the few memories he still had of his long absent father. Birds and clouds during the day and stars at night had provided hours of entertainment in a world that existed without much. Knowing that he had passed that on to Henry, and that Bae had an actual happy memory of him, just made him realize that maybe he could do something right.
"Okay, great. But what about when she grows up? I don't know anything about girls!"
"Could have fooled me," Neal muttered into his glass, his earlier happy mood now erased.
"I know a thing or two about women. But girls are a completely different experience."
"Not that much different. You just need to listen to them," Mr. Tillman offered.
"How old is your daughter?" Killian asked, recalling Henry's early observation about the man.
"Ava is 17. The teenage years are definitely the worst, but you can get through them. Most important thing to do is give them their space when they need it, and set clear boundaries. Oh, and only let her go by one name. Every other day she changes her mind on whether to be Ava or Gretel."
"One name, got it. It is just the way this town is though, after the curse," Killian said, glad that he was able to avoid that part of the world jumping that went on around here.
Jefferson turned his chair around from the table next to him and joined in. "Don't worry, Grace is the same way. I only get the upper hand with her because I refuse to call her Paige."
"How do you deal with your daughter as a teenager? Especially..." Killian didn't finish his sentence, but he did give a very obvious gesture in Henry's direction, knowing that the two 15 year olds were becoming much closer than friends. Luckily, Henry was engrossed in watching a couple of college age kids play beer pong.
"Like Michael said, clear boundaries really helps. Plus, I've learned I can't just ignore the difficult subjects. The Lethams, her cursed parents, talk to her about serious things, but I can't expect them to handle everything. Those difficult subjects include dating."
"Well, my daughter's not dating until she's thirty, so I won't have that problem."
Every man around the table, and even those who had been pretending not to listen burst out laughing. "That is the way that you will get a teenager sneaking out at night and lying about the 24 year old drummer she's dating," Neal spoke as proxy for the rest of the bar.
"What sage advice do you have Baelfire? To not leave her with a stolen watch and call the police?" Neal's response was a glare that could freeze Hell over.
"Killian, remember what happened last time you brought that up?" David whispered into his ear to try to defuse the situation.
"My shoulder went right back as it was, no problem. I can't say his nose is any better for the experience however."
"I'm willing to let that go, this time Hook, because it is related to something I thought of. Take care of Emma. I know I told you that when the two of you got married, but this time I don't just mean as a woman. Take care of her as a mother. Take the baby when she needs a rest, do the dishes when she's stressed, that sort of thing."
Killian's expression softened, and he did actually take the words to heart. Throughout her pregnancy, he had tried to make things as easy as possible for Emma, but he realized that couldn't stop as soon as the baby was born.
"Forget about giving Mom a break, give yourself one. You can't run yourself ragged you know," Leroy said as he walked over to the table.
"So now everyone is an expert?" Killian asked the dwarf.
"Hey, I may not have kids of my own, but I've seen what they do to other people. Don't let yourself get sucked into that. I need my drinking buddy."
"I'll take that under advisement," Killian replied. Leroy walked away, his mission having been realized.
"Don't completely disregard it. You do need to take some time for yourself every once in awhile," David said.
"May I offer my services as well?" Gold asked, walking over to them slowly.
"Yes?" Killian asked. None of the men at the table were giving him a particularly warm reception, but Killian was actually curious what this man who had let his wife be taken away, and then abandoned his son to another world would have to say.
"Actions speak louder than words. I have learned that in a very personal way." Gold's eyes sought out Neal's as much as Killian's as he continued speaking. "Make sure that everything you say is exactly what you do. Don't ever let her doubt that you love her, and make sure that includes showing her."
Killian was actually touched by Mr. Gold's words. He could tell Neal was as well, and he could only find one thing to say to him. "Thank you."
Killian glanced at his watch. "Well Henry, I think we should have our house back by now. Shall we go see the damage?"
"Yeah, one second." Henry walked away, and Killian strained to keep him in sight.
"What about me?" David asked.
"What, you want to come home with us?" Killian asked with a chuckle.
"No, my advice. You've gotten counsel from every member of town but me. Do you not trust me?" David asked.
Killian felt guilty immediately. They had had a rocky start, but there was no one in Storybrooke, besides Emma, that he felt closer to than his father-in-law. "I'm sorry David. I value your opinion above everyone else, you know that don't you?"
David chuckled. "Of course. I was just messing with you. But I do have something I want to tell you know, and something I want to save for later."
"Yes?"
"Enjoy her while she's still easy to carry around. Take her sailing, take her to the store when you go. Just don't, leave her behind."
Killian could tell there was more behind David's words than just what he said, and he felt like he could take it to heart. "Thank you David. What about, what you wanted to save?"
"Ask me about that again after she's born."
Killian nodded, then looked around for Henry. "Where could he have gotten to?"
David pointed in the direction of his grandson. Killian followed the finger, and began yelling vehemently. "Henry David Mills-Swan-Cassady-Jones, you put that beer down this second!"
The softest sound he could ever imagine roused him in an instant. The bright light from the window let him know that he had only drifted off for a moment, but it was enough for Emma to also be sound asleep. The quiet snuffling made his head snap up and his body carried him on autopilot to the clear bassinet.
"Shh, princess, we don't want to wake up Mummy, do we?" he said softly to the pink bundle. The words alone weren't enough, and the snuffling morphed into tiny cries.
He was extremely glad he had chosen not to bring his hook to the hospital. The blunt stump at the end of his left arm was enough for him to scoop the little girl into his arms, with no danger of harming her, and he used his right hand to smooth down the blankets. He began to walk slowly back and forth, but it wasn't working.
"Darling, you need to calm down." All the advice he had ever been given had not prepared him enough. As he failed to settle the infant, he attempted a new method. He sat down with her, and brought her extremely close to his face.
"You are the most beautiful little girl in all the worlds," he whispered into her ear. "You have a gorgeous mother who loves you very much, an older brother who is anxious to teach you everything he can, a grandmother who literally has tales written about her, and a grandfather who fights armed men off with a baby in his arms. You were born into a town with a very interesting past, but you will learn to love everything about it. You are perfect. And...I love you so much."
Killian relaxed his arms and saw that her eyes were closed and peaceful in sleep. He smiled down at her, unable to tear his gaze away despite knowing that someone new had stepped into the hospital room.
"She's beautiful," David murmured, finally breaking the silence. Both stared in wonder at the angel in their presence. The entire scene was beautiful and unbelievable.
"What did you want to tell me, that night at The Rabbit Hole?" Killian asked without glancing away from his daughter, remembering what David had said about asking him later.
"You already know it, and I knew you would. The only thing you really need to know about being a father is to love her."
Killian looked at the perfect miracle in his arms, and he knew it was true. This is what True Love was really about, seeing the love that you held for another person manifested so beautifully, so perfectly that your world was forever changed by it.
AN: I purposely didn't name the baby because nothing seems appropriate for the epicness that is Captain Swan babies. I'm thinking of doing a companion piece for Emma's baby shower, so if anyone would like to see that, please leave your request in a review. Thanks for reading!