I do not own Once Upon a Time.

Fast forward a few years. I wasn't going to give the kid any lines, but I thought it would be cute. Brace yourselves, our favorite imp is going to show his crocodile face. And that can't be good.

A tiny set of arms closed around Bernadette's knees. She didn't bother stopping the smile that was growing on her face. Well, that tonic was going to have to wait.

She turned around and picked up the child. Liam was a spitting image of his father. Blue eyes, black hair and an adventurous spirit. Well, that he got that spirit from both parents.

"Mama! Papa took me on the ship today. We searched for buried treasure." Liam Jones learned early on that his father had a ship, not a boat.

"Did you now? Did you find anything special?" Bernadette picked him up in her arms. She pushed a stray piece off black hair from his face and she had to bite back a laugh. Killian's hair had the same habit when he was sweaty.

"No, we didn't find anything." Liam answered sadly.

"Not all treasure is gold, lad, you have to appreciate the little things." Killian entered the house and kissed Bernadette's cheek.

"Can I come next time with you boys? I know how to read a map." Bernadette asked.

Liam squished his face up. "No, no girls allowed."

Killian came to her rescue and took the child from her arms. He placed Liam on the floor and got down to his level. "Liam Jones, you never tell a woman she is not allowed on your ship. Having them around makes you act like a gentleman and keep up good form. And if you impress them enough, she might give you a gift." Killian told him seriously.

"What kind of gift?" The child asked. Bernadette raised an eyebrow at Killian, what was he going to answer?

Her husband looked up at her and winked. "The fair lady might give you a kiss."

"Ewww!" That thought made Liam gag and run from the room. Well, he was five after all.

"You two searched for buried treasure?" She asked Killian, half serious.

"I obviously avoided the P-word. Liam is a sailor through and through."

She smiled, breaking the stone face she had set. Her arms went around his neck. "You let me on your ship Captain, have you been enough of a gentleman to deserve a kiss?"

"Maybe. If my actions weren't enough, I will gladly make it up to you tonight." He told her, smiling. His hand touched her back.

"Can you now?" She asked innocently.

"Papa!" Liam came running back in. "We still have to find the treasure!"

Killian twisted in his wife's arms to face his son. "I'm stuck here lad. You have to save me."

"I'm holding your father hostage. You have to pay the ransom." Bernadette told Liam.

"What's the ransom?"

"A kiss."

Liam squished his face but stepped closer. He loved his parents and would do anything for them. Bernadette let go of Killian and bent down to Liam's level. The boy gave his mother's cheek a quick kiss. She grabbed him and threw him over her shoulder. Liam giggled and hugged her back.

"Never thought I would have to beg a Jones for a kiss." Her comment was directed at Killian.

"Challenge accepted, love." He answered, his voice in her ear. She looked up at him and recognized that look. She was in for a long interesting night.

Bernadette remembered his birth like it was yesterday. She had experienced pain before: mental, spiritual, physical, but nothing could have prepared her for that. It had taken hours. Killian had stayed by her side, refusing to listen to the midwife. He kissed her sweaty forehead, told her repeatedly how strong she was every time she said she couldn't do it and didn't yell in pain when she almost broke his hand in her grip. Why he had given her his real hand to hold was beyond her.

After hours of pushing and screaming, a baby boy with a healthy set of lungs was placed in her arms. And all the pain seemed worth it.

Bernadette just stared at the child. She did this, she and Killian. She was bewildered that two people like themselves could make something so beautiful.

"What do we name him, love?" Killian almost didn't have a voice. He just stared at his beautiful wife and their child in her arms,

"How about Liam?" She had tears in her eyes. "Do you want to hold him?" At that question, he seemed terrified. He still felt broken, missing a hand. What if he dropped the baby? "You'll be fine." Her smile reassured him. "Liam, this is your father. I promise he will take very good care of you." She carefully placed the baby in Killian's arms. He stiffened for a moment then relaxed. And then the tears flowed.

Liam was five years old, walking, and talking and getting into everything. But Bernadette wouldn't have it any other way. Her heart melted a bit each time she saw Killian tuck Liam in at night. Or when the two of them played. Or when Liam's cuddles made life perfect.

Liam was the center of their lives, not that they weren't trying for a second one. But right now Liam held them together, he was proof that choosing each other had been the right choice.

Maybe she had a sixth sense or something but Bernadette had a sick feeling in her gut all day. A feeling she couldn't shake. She was heading home from the woods empty handed when that feeling turned to dread. She tried to focus on happy thoughts, being home with her boys. It slightly calmed her down. Until she reached home.

Liam was nowhere in sight. There was Killian in the front yard and he was not alone. Even from her angle, Bernadette knew who was at their house.

The Dark One.

"Do you have any idea how long I have been looking for you, dearie? Never thought I would find you on land. So you gave up your pirating ways?" The Dark One taunted.

"Turned my back on it, turned over a new leaf." Killian said as calmly as he could with a sword at his throat.

Bernadette almost couldn't breathe. Quickly she pulled an arrow from her quiver, notched it and let go, aiming at the Dark One'd back.

"Step away from my husband." She more or less shouted.

"You need to work on you aim, dearie." He made the arrow stop before it could do any damage. Then he turned around and saw exactly who he was dealing with. "You?" He seemed shocked. "Him?" The Dark One turned back to Killian. "Her? Well, this is a sight. True love again, Captain? I'd hate to break it up. No wait, I don't." Suddenly the arrow changed direction and sailed right at Bernadette, stopping an inch from her forehead.

No one spoke or breathed. Bernadette and Killian locked terrified eyes.

"Mama." A tiny voice broke the heavy silence. "Papa."

Liam entered their line of vision. As if the current situation couldn't get any worse.

And the Dark One saw the child too. "Is he yours?" He looked at both Bernadette and Killian. "You took someone from me, now I'm taking someone from you."

Bernadette's eyes widened in horror and dropped the bow and attempted to throw herself in Liam's direction.

But suddenly she found herself waist deep in the ground. Kilian attempted to knock the Dark One to the ground.

But before either of them could blink, both the Dark One and their child were gone.

And it just hit the fan!

FYI- I was going to write the long interesting night scene but it would be cruel to have it with the way this chapter ends. Maybe it will be added to "Pleasured and Tortured". No due date though, I have a plot shimmering in my head, an evil plot. As if I haven't been evil enough already.

Now what? Besides world war three.

Reviews?