Five beautiful years. No doubt the best years of his long life. Within these five years Emma became his. After five months, three weeks, and two days of being together, she finally told him she loved him. Exactly one year later he asked her to marry him. She said yes. They had only been married for four (blissful) months when they found out she was pregnant. Nine months later they welcomed a little pirate prince into their world. Killian cried when he held him. He never expected to have a family. Even before he became a pirate he loved the sea too much to settle down. As a lieutenant he only ever dreamed of becoming captain and sailing for the rest of his life.

But that was then. Now he had his Swan, Henry, little Liam, and a new little one on the way, and he knew he would never go back to that life of "freedom" on the open sea, even if he had the choice. He loved his family more than he had ever loved the sea. Much more. Even on the hard days where he wished he still had the Jolly Roger so he could sail away for a few hours, he knew he would always come back to this life. He loved it too much. He loved them too much.

But today was one of those hard days, where chaos reigned and silent moments only proceeded deafening disorder. Today was an exhausting Sunday in the Jones household.

Henry had a homework project due the next morning, and he had just started it. He was frantically typing, printing, cutting, and gluing things onto a poster board at the kitchen table. Procrastination wasn't usually something that happened for Henry, but he had totally forgotten about the project until a few minutes ago. A small ding! sounded from Henry's phone, and Killian knew right away what (or rather who) had been the source of distraction for the lad. Henry had had a crush on Grace for almost three years now, but had only recently acted on it. They had been on a few dates already, and they texted each other almost non-stop.

"Turn your phone off lad, or you'll never finish that project on time," Killian said with a hint of a smile playing on his lips as he finished preparing the final touches for dinner, sliding the baking dish into the oven.

"Ugh. I should have started this weeks ago! It'll be a miracle if I finish." Henry dropped the scissors onto the table in frustration, and leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest, head back and eyes closed. Almost as if he were holding back tears. Henry rarely left homework to the last day, and Killian could see why; stress was almost seeping from the lad. Feeling pity for the boy, Killian made his way to the table. Patting Henry's shoulder, Killian sat down next to him and kindly asked, "What can I do to help you, lad?"

Henry sat up and looked into Killian's eyes. "Seriously? You're going to help me?" He asked with a glimmer of hope dancing in his tone.

"Sure. Just tell me what to do to help." Killian had never seen a more relieved smile in his whole life.

Soon after they were both hard at work cutting and pasting pictures and words onto the poster.

Not long after, a frantic Emma emerged from the bedroom.

"Have either of you seen Liam's jacket? The blue one with green stripes?" Killian could tell from the tone of her voice that she was exhausted and nearly at the end of her rope. Her pregnancy made her tire out quickly, but she rarely showed how in need of a break she really was.

"Look behind the couch, love. I saw him stuffing something back there last night," Killian answered, looking up from the project.

"Ha! Found it! Come here kid, we've gotta go, your play date awaits." She exclaimed, pulling the jacket from behind the couch and chasing after a non-compliant Liam.

Killian stood from his chair at the table, and scooped Liam up into his arms as the dark-haired boy tried to run by. Seizing the opportunity of her relatively immobile son, Emma worked the jacket on the squirming boy.

"You'd better behave for your mother now lad," Killian winked to his son as he put him down.

"I will, daddy!" Liam held his tiny hand against his forehead in a salute. Killian saluted back, then turned to his wife, dipping into a deep bow.

"Have an adventurous time at the play date, Milady," Killian grinned as he stood and kissed her cheek lightly while she shrugged her own jacket on. The tiny kiss melted away some of her stress, and caused the corners of her mouth to tweak into a tiny smile, before she practically ran out the door, determined to make it on time to the play date this week.

Killian went back to the table to help Henry finish his project. They were almost done, and a satisfied smile played at his lips. Things weren't so bad. They were almost done! The smile immediately left his face when he smelled something burning. Before he knew it smoke was coming out of the oven and the alarms were blaring. Had he really forgotten to set a timer? What else could possibly go wrong today?

Henry rushed to open a window as Killian turned the oven off. All the day's worries and stresses seemed to weigh on him at that very moment, and he slumped back into his chair at the table. Once the smoke was gone, Henry closed the window and made his way back to Killian.

"We can order pizza tonight. It's just one of those days." Henry's words of wisdom registered in the pirate's mind, and he silently agreed by dialing the number for the pizza place that delivered.

Fifteen minutes later Emma and Liam stumbled through the front door, utterly exhausted. Pizza was eaten in near silence that night as everyone tried to decompress the stress from their day. After the boys had gotten ready for bed, everyone shuffled tiredly into the master bedroom. Emma climbed onto the bed and rested her back against the headboard. Liam and Henry followed suit, Liam curling into her right side, and Henry onto her left. Henry reached for the storybook that held permanent residence on the bedside table, and handed it to his mother.

The bedtime story tradition started when Liam was two, and everyone loved this time they got to spend with their family, so they did it every night. Killian usually joined them, but tonight he was content to watch from the doorway. He loved watching his perfect little family. A small smile played at his lips as he heard his wife utter the words once upon a time…

Walking back into the kitchen, Killian sighed when he saw the mess. This would only add to Emma's stress if they left it like this all night, so he got to work cleaning up the pizza and the scraps of paper left over from Henry's project, as well as all the toys, shoes, and crayons left out by Liam. Once that was all done, Killian quietly walked back to his room, hoping to hear the end of the story. The happily ever after was his favorite part.

Looking in, he saw his entire family asleep on his bed. One of Emma's arms was wrapped around Liam's shoulders, the other was draped across her pregnant belly, still holding the storybook. Henry was leaning on her shoulder, fast asleep. Love filled Killian's eyes at the sight, and he couldn't help the smile that broke across his face. He didn't want to wake them, so he simply walked to the living room and plopped on the couch. Sleep overtook him almost immediately.

Emma woke a few hours later to find her boys snuggling against her. The ache in her back told her this cute Kodak moment was a one-time thing. Careful not to wake her sons, Emma climbed over Liam and tip-toed to the kitchen, stopping short when she saw her pirate asleep on the couch and the entire house almost spotless. He was sitting on the farthest cushion, head back in a very uncomfortable looking position, arms dropped lazily by his sides. The same loving smile that graced Killian's lips a few hours before now shone on his wife's face.

She walked to the couch, curled into his side and kissed his cheek hoping to gently wake him so he could carry their kids to their own beds so she and Killian could sleep in theirs.

Unfortunately for her, Killian would not be awakened by a simple kiss. Not tonight, anyway. She stroked his cheek, whispered his name, pulled his hand, and even put a hand on his knee to shake him awake.

All to no avail.

Waking him from a curse would be easier! she thought to herself. Exhausted and defeated, she rested her head on his lap, propped her feet up on the armrest at the other end, and fell into a fitful sleep.

Morning found none of the Joneses in their rightful beds. Killian woke first to find Emma sleeping peacefully on the couch beside him, head still resting in his lap, one arm resting over her baby bump.

Yes, Killian Jones was happy. Happier than the sea had ever made him. Happier than the Jolly Roger could ever make him. Happier than he ever thought possible, and it was all because of this beautiful, wonderful woman who had given him everything.