Killian awoke to the sound of Hope crying from the baby monitor that was on the bedside table. He rubbed his eyes tiredly before turning to Emma who had just started to stir, "I got her this time love," he whispered to her. She smiled as he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek before falling back asleep instantly. He rose from the bed and made his way out of the room and down the hall towards his infant daughter's room

As he entered the semi-lit nursery his eyes immediately went to his nine month old baby girl, who was standing in her crib crying. When Hope saw her father her tiny arms raised in the air reaching for him. Stopping at the railing of the crib he reached down to pick her up, "What's the matter my darling," he crooned softly to her. Hope's cries turn into little whimpers as she settles her head on her father's shoulders.

Killian rubbed soothing circles on her back as he rocked back and forth. "Come now Hope, Mummy fed you not that long ago and you don't need a change so what's got you so upset," her whimpers die down and she calms completely.

He goes to put her back into the crib, but as soon as he lays her down and goes to move away she's standing up again, crying and reaching for him. Killian sighs and steps forward again, "It's alright little love," he said stroking her head trying to sooth her, but she just kept crying. Looking over at the baby monitor and not wanting Emma to wake up, he did the only thing he could think of.

Killian muttered, "Bloody Hell," under his breath as he braced his hand on the railing and carefully swung his leg over it. He lifted himself up and into the crib, settling down on the thin mattress and resting his head upon it. Almost immediately Hope laid sideways across his chest, burrowing her face into his stomach and fisting his shirt with her tiny hands.

He placed his hand on top of her blonde curls and laid there for several minutes until he was positive that Hope was asleep. He then tried to softly move her off of him and onto the mattress, but as soon as he did his daughter tightened her hold on his shirt and started to whine. Sighing deeply he closed his eyes and told himself just a few minutes more and he would try again.

XXX

Emma woke up surprised to find Killian's side of the bed empty. Blinking the sleep from her eyes she looked over to the clock and was amazed that it was mid-morning. Also realizing that her daughter hadn't woken her up, she had a pretty good idea where her missing husband was.

When she walked into their daughters room and over to the crib, she shook her head at the sight in front of her. Killian was fast asleep inside the crib with Hope curled up next to him. Their daughter had been have an unusual bout of sleeplessness lately, so her and Killian had been taking turns with her in the middle of the night. Last night had been the worst one yet, but how he had gotten into this situation was beyond her.

Leaning down she gently shook Killian's shoulder to wake him up. His blue eyes blinking slowly open and there was confusion on his face , "Hey, what are you doing in there?" she asked him softly.

Killian looked up at his wife who was staring down at him with a bemused smile on her face. Realizing that he was still in the crib he set out to explain, "She wouldn't settle down no matter what I did, and I didn't want her to wake you so I climbed in so she would fall asleep," he said in a rush, glancing down at his daughter when he was finished.

Emma's heart swelled with love for her husband. The fact that he would climb into their daughter's crib despite the discomfort he must have been in just to comfort her made Emma fall in love with him all over again. She reached down to pick Hope up, who had just began to stir, "Come on let's get you out of there," she said as she settled their daughter in her arms.

Killian managed to get himself out of Hope's crib sans injury. But as soon as he stood up straight he could feel the consequences of a night sleeping in a cramped space, "Seven Hell's," he groaned.

Shifting Hope slightly in her arms Emma ran a hand up his arm and to his neck, "Sore?" she asked.

"Aye," he answered, wincing as she touched a tender spot on his neck.

Hating to see him in so much pain she asked, "Why didn't you come and get me?"

"Because it had already been a trying night with her and you had been up with her not long before," he placed a hand to her cheek, "You needed to sleep love " he said.

Emma smiled up at him, it was hard to argue with him when he says such sweet things, she leans forward and the two meet for a lingering kiss. They broke apart only when Hope who was fully awake now voiced her displeasure at being ignored by her parents. Pulling back and looking at their squawking daughter Emma pressed a kiss her her forehead, "Ok sweetheart," she looked back to Killian, "How about we go give this one her breakfast and if you play your cards right I might rub those sore muscles of yours," she wink at him.

He threw his head back and laughed, wrapping his arm around his two loves he once again wondered what he did to deserve such a fantastic life.