Emma smiled as she ran her hand over his mop of unruly black hair and then placed a kiss at his temple. "How was the sleepover with your uncle?"

He rolled his blue eyes at her and then chuckled because despite the fact that his best friend was his age…he was also his uncle considering that his mom and grandmother had been pregnant at the same time. "It was fine…James and I camped out in Gigi and Pop's backyard."

"Get into any trouble?" Killian asked with a brow raised.

Liam grinned. "Maybe."

He ruffled his son's hair. "That's my boy."

Emma rolled her eyes. "God, don't encourage him, Killian." She then gave her son a questioning look. "What did you two do?"

He gave a little shrug as he adjusted Nolan more securely on his hip and she wrapped her arms around his neck and dropped her tiny head on his shoulder. "We may…or may not…have gone toilet papering."

Killan snorted a laugh and Emma elbowed him in the stomach. "Hush…whose house, Liam?"

He pressed his lips like he didn't want to say and then looked over at his dad for help, who responded with a grin and a shrug. "Might as well tell the truth…you know of her super powers."

"All too well," Liam grumbled and then sighed. "We may have…done…Jordyn and Allysa's house?"

Emma lifted a brow at the mention of Tink and Neal's seven-year old twin girls and then looked over at Killian who was trying his best not to laugh.

"Don't look at me," he finally said with a chuckle. "I couldn't be more proud."

Liam laughed at that but immediately sobered when his mom looked at him. "It's really not that big of a deal, Mom…and we didn't do too much damage and this time we left the egging out of it."

She sighed and held up her hands in defeat. "Fine…but if they retaliate on our house, you just be prepared to be the one to clean it up."

"Please," he snorted with a roll of his eyes. "Those girls suck at rolling…the stupid girlish giggles always gives them away and we end up catching them in the act." He then winced as he adjusted Nolan. "Can someone take her? My arms are about to fall off."

"I got her," Emma said as she took her from her son's arms and settled her on her own hip.

"Thanks…hey, dad…you're hook sure looks awfully pretty. A new look for you?"

"Wise ass," he grumbled as he reached out and pulled his son in a headlock.

"Gee, I wonder where he gets it from," Emma teased with a smile and then looked down at Liam who was still struggling to get out of Killian's ironclad grip. "Liam…you might as well get it over with, he won't let you go until you do it."

"No!" he laughed as he continued to struggle against his father's grip. "I'll never yield!"

Killian chuckled and bent Liam's head lower. "Sophie! Get him, Sophie!"

"No! Dad!" He then laughed and squirmed while Sophie attacked his face with slobbery wet kisses with her tongue. "Stop! Sophie, stop…okay, okay, I'll do it."

He lifted him away from the dog and smiled as Liam's breathless laughter filled the air. Teasing him like this was their thing…they did it all the time and he knew one day his son would grow-up and overpower him and get some serious payback, but…that day wasn't the day. "Kiss it, lad…kiss the hook."

Liam rolled his eyes but kissed the hook and then laughed when his dad playfully picked him up and planted his own kiss on his temple. "You know," he began once he was back on his feet and free from his father's grasp. "Most father's just make their sons say "uncle" when they give up."

"I'm not like most dads."

He grinned. "I know…you're the best."

Killian felt his heart lift joyfully in his chest as he resisted the urge to pull him in to his arms and hold him tight. He was almost nine now and he was no longer the little boy that would run to him on unsteady legs and hug him for no reason. He was no longer the boy that would crawl into him and Emma's bed when he was scared of a thunderstorm. He was growing up every single day and it was almost painful to watch…but that's how it was suppose to be.

"You're not so bad yourself, lad," he teased as he ruffled his son's hair.

"Hey, do you think we could take out the Jolly Roger today?" he asked hopefully as he looked between his parents. "We haven't in awhile…or do either of you have to work today?"

Killian looked at Emma who shrugged and then looked at Liam. "No, we both have the rest of the day off so, I suppose we can do that…after Nolan's nap."

"Yes! Can I invite, James?"

"I don't see why not," Killian said.

"Great!" Liam exclaimed and then stuffed his hands in his pockets. "And, um…I guess we could invite Alyssa and Jordyn, too…they're not so bad…for girls."

Killian and Emma exchanged an amusing look when Liam looked down at the floor in embarrassment. "Sure," Emma finally said. "I'll give Tink a call and see if they're available."

Liam just shrugged like he didn't care either way. "Whatever…I'm going to go raid the fridge…I'm starved."

"It's going to be so entertaining when Liam and James and the girls hit puberty."

Emma just chuckled as she pressed her lips into Nolan's curls. "I'm going to go put her down and…."

A knock at the door cut her off and they both looked as someone opened it and then popped his head inside. "Anyone home?"

Emma's face brightened as she smiled from ear to ear. "Henry!"