Chapter 9
Hello everyone. I just wanted to thank every single one of you who has come on this little journey with me. When I began this piece, it was originally meant to be a one shot. Then it grew. I have fallen in love with Haven. Thank you all so much, for your comments and kudos. I can't tell you how much it has meant to me to have readers enjoy my work. I have really enjoyed writing this piece!
The dusk was coming on rapidly as Killian walked home.
The air was cold, but Killian sauntered through Storybrooke with a warmth in his heart. Killian felt like a different man than he had on patrol that morning. This morning he thought he had been worrying about his ability to be a Sheriff. He know understood, in retrospect, that what he was really concerned with,, was his place in this town, in this life, in this century, in this whole bloody realm.
Throughout the constant twists and turns throughout the centuries of his life, there was one thing he was sure of, and that was who he was. He always knew his place in the world. Whether he was scum or a sailor or anything in between.
He knew now who he was meant to be.
He was Killian Jones, husband of Emma, and father to Hope and Haven Jones.
Father.
He couldn't stop smiling to himself at that knowledge. He was going to be a father. A papa.
Hook found himself daydreaming about the life that he was going to have. About the summer days they spent swimming, sailing, and canoeing. About winter breaks spent playing in the snow and watching that awful Frozen movie and sipping cocoa and cinnamon. Taking his little family on day trips on the Jolly. Teaching his daughters to sail as he had taught Henry. Tucking them in at night and singing them the song his mother sang him. Telling them the story about the pirate and the princess climbing a beanstalk. Teaching them how to waltz in their living room. Sending them off to their school dances like he had with Henry.
His jaw stiffened at the thought of lads stealing off with his little girls. No wonder he had kept his hook.
He felt as though his entire life had lead up to this. To finding his home, finding his family.
Speaking of family, the lights were on at his home as he approached. That meant his Swan was home.
Wanting very much to hold his wife, Hook took the steps two at a time and opened the front door, looking at his home with new eyes. Perhaps he should have asked Haven to describe her home.
"Emma?" His voice echoed through his home. He frowned at that. Indeed, it was time for some for some more furnishings and decorations. "Emma, are you home?"
"Killian?"
Emma appeared from their kitchen, her her hair swept into a side-braid and wearing her black sweatpants and soft socks. She looked cozy and comfortable and perfect to his eyes.
She melted into his embrace. They stayed like that for several moments, savoring the feeling of being wrapped up in one another.
"Hey you. I missed you." She murmured.
"And I you." He held her, inhaling her scent, enjoying the warmth of her hair on his chilled nose.
"Hey," Emma pulled back enough to look him in the eyes. "What about that girl you found? Is she okay?"
"Aye love. I found her father, and she is on her way home now."
"All in a day's work for a hero, huh?" Emma cajoled with a smirk. Her delicate hands gently sliding up on his chest.
"No darling, it was all her, she was brilliant and brave." Again, his heart twinged with pride. He gazed at her now, the future mother of his children, he saw remnants of the daughters he would have one day.
"She made me realize something though, Swan."
She looked at him questioningly, but remained silent for him to answer.
"We are going to live a wonderful life, Emma."
Emma pulled back slightly from him then, her expression hopeful if not a bit vulnerable.
"You are vexed." He observed "What is it?"
She took Killian's hand and gently pulled him to their couch. She waved her hand and the fire roared to life, just as it had when Haven had done it.
"There's some stuff I should clue you in on." She started.
"Henry doesn't want to go to college."
Killian blinked in surprise. "No?"
Emma nodded. "He told me that, but Regina and I didn't really believe him. We took him to Boston because we thought that he would change his mind once he saw the campus. You know, saw the libraries and the cute girls."
" I get it, but Regina is having a harder time. He's staying with her tonight."
"But here's the thing, ever since we went to my high school reunion, I've been thinking about maybe taking a class?"
"A few days ago I was researching the schools we were going to, and I found all these online programs." She began speaking a little more excitedly, "I can go to college without leaving our home."
"Today, I signed up to go to school. I am going to study criminal justice at the University of Massachusetts."
.
"I know I should have mentioned it to you first, but I wasn't even sure if it was what I really wanted. I don't know if I can actually do it."
Emma waved her hand and some bags appeared on their small coffee table. "I went a little overboard and bought a laptop, and went ahead and got the books and stuff I needed for the classes this fall."
She pulled something else out of the bag and Killian's choked a bit. Impossibly it was the same striped scarf that the older version of himself had just been wearing. She saw him staring at it. "Yeah, it's silly but they gave that to me for signing up. School pride and all."
She scoffed. To anyone else, it would have appeared nonchalant. But her True Love new better. She was masking how excited she was for this new adventure. She needed for him to support her in this. Killian pulled the scarf out gently draped it around her neck like a lavaliere.
"It suits you." He said softly.
She smiled at him and he saw the relief there. "There's one more thing."
Emma took a breath."This whole Henry college thing has been making me think of a lot of things. There was a part of me that was thinking I should just be excited for him, and be excited that you and I would be alone together. That we could travel or something. But, there was something missing. I didn't realize what that something was until today." Her smile was full of hope.
"I thought I was too old to start over, but I guess, that isn't true." She reached into her sweater sleeve and pulled out something that looked like a white stick.
"I'm pregnant."
Killian breathed out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and tears prickled his eyes. If he had thought for an instant that knowing that he would be a father would in any way diminish the immense joy that he would feel at this moment, he had been very mistaken.
"Emma." He gasped out and pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.
She pulled away and her smile was just as brilliant as his, her green eyes sparkling with joy. "I knew you'd be happy."
"Aye, my love, I am happier than I could ever describe." He kissed her again and his hand went to her still flat stomach and caressed her warm skin.
"I have the perfect names."
