Emma kissed each of her little monsters and then stood back up and whispered, "Push-over," into his ear as she pushed him out the room as the twins were cheering. Charlie took hold of his hand, while Leia held onto his hook as they pulled him up the stairs. Lady right on their heels behind them.
Killian looked over his shoulder at his wife, "If you don't see me in thirty minutes, I've been captured, come save me."
All he could hear was her laughter as he went up the stairs the twins dragging him. His smile huge, his heart full as he got to the top. "Okay, brush your teeth, and meet me in your bedroom." Both whined but followed orders. He walked past Charles bedroom which was currently their playroom, and over to Leia's. The two twin beds in the same room. He looked through the large book case. His fingers traveling the spines of so many books he had read to them since they were born.
He smiled when he found the perfect one, then walked over and sat in the high back arm chair between the two beds. He knew in a couple of years they would 'grow up' and want their own rooms back. But right now, he was cherishing this nightly tradition.
It didn't take long and the twins bounded in the room, in their Christmas themed PJ's and were crawling into bed. "Alright, my little ducklings. Everyone comfortable?"
"Yes daddy," Leia said as her dark locks splayed across the pillow.
"Mmm hmm," Charles replied with a small yawn already on his lips.
Killian was almost ready to start reading, when Leia shouted, "Wait!" Then she waved her hand and the main light turned off, the night light turned on as did the light next to her father's head.
Killian smiled at her, "Thank you little love." She nodded and he opened the book, and began, "Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." He made little squeaking sounds, and the twins laughed.
"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there." His mind thought of the socks hanging over their own fireplace down stairs.
"The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads."
"Daddy what is a sugar plum?" Charlie asked.
Killian smiled, because he had asked Emma that back when he first read this story. Since he hadn't heard of it in the Enchanted Forest. Though Santa Claus back home was nothing like in this book either. "It's like candy, lad." Then he continued, "And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap."
"And what's a ker… ker.. chief?" Leia asked, her green eyes gazing over at him, her lashes trying to stay open.
He grinned, the twins were in that question stage now, anything was fair game. "It's a piece cloth that some ladies use to keep their hair tidy, keep it from tangling, while they sleep."
She nodded in acceptance and he went on. "When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter." He sprung up from the chair, "Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash." He quickly went over to the window looking outside, as the twins laughed.
"The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer."
He turned back around and returned to the chair, "With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!"
He sat up in the chair, put the book in the crook of his arm, and used his had to look like he was holding reins. ""Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!" His voice rising and the twins joining in on the next group, "On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!"
"Don't forget Rudolf!" Leia squealed.
"Rudolf wasn't yet part of the team at this point love." She pouted a little but accepted it as he continued, "To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
He lowered his voice as he continued, he did want them to go to sleep after all. "As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too."
He saw Charlie yawn again as his eyelids fluttering trying to stay awake, "And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof." Leia's eyes drooped and he could tell she was losing the battle one blink at a time.
"As I drew in my head, and was turning around, down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot."
"Mommy won't like dirty footprints on the rug," Charlie said softly.
"No she won't, lad. But I think she could forgive Santa." He smiled at his son's small yawn and nod, "A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack."
He continued to read as his son and daughter started to drift off to sleep, and continued until the end. He stood up and closed the book and put it in the book shelf as he came back to their bed.
He pulled the blanket over his son and kissed his forehead as he whispered, "But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight."
Killian moved over to Leia and pulled up her blanket and kissed her forehead as well. Pushing a lock of hair away from her face, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night…"
He moved to the chair, shutting off the light. The small night light casting a faint glow over their sleeping forms as he moved to the door, turning back to look at them once more, "I love you, my ducklings." He shut the door behind him and headed down the stairs to help his lovely wife and Henry put the gifts out under the tree.