AN: Loving most of the replies I've gotten. Some of them make me wonder if the person reading the story likes the story. Anyway, have a great day.
"Okay, I get it," Emma put her hands up in surrender as Mary Margaret scolded her as she tried to get near the stove. "I would just like to point out I did keep Brooklyn and Austin fed for the first four years of their lives without outside help."
"And children can only survive on macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets for so long," Mary Margaret replied as she yanked the kitchen utensil out of Emma's hands and pushed her towards the living area where the children we watching the Macy's Day Parade.
"I know how to make meatloaf too," Emma reminded her mother. "How's the parade, guys?"
"Better than last year," Henry stated.
Emma looked at David and smiled. The man was flipping through the sports section of the Mirror.
"Picking out your game, David?"
"Austin wants to learn football," David nodded, "Figured I should know the teams playing first."
"We live in New England," Emma reminded him, "Patriots."
"They don't play on Thanksgiving," David replied, "It's always Detroit and Dallas playing some random opponent."
"Watch the Cowboys then," Emma smiled. "I'm gonna get some air."
Emma walked into the children's room and opened a window so she could crawl out. Before she disappeared, she made sure that Killian had noticed her exit from the room.
Killian watched her movements and waited a few moments before following.
"Took you long enough," Emma smiled as he joined her.
"Forgive me, Love," he smiled as his lips found hers, "I was trying to be discrete."
"Enjoying your second Thanksgiving with me?"
"Almost as much as the first," he nodded as he hugged her close.
"That awful restaurant," Emma shook her head.
"What was that they were trying to feed us again?" Killian chuckled as he recalled the same memory, "It couldn't have been any bird I'd ever heard of. It certainly wasn't turkey."
"I think it was criminally overcooked duck," Emma furrowed her brow in thought. "Dessert was better. It was the first time I'd ever eaten pumpkin pie in bed."
"We needed something to keep up our strength," he reminded her as his grip around her waist tightened, bringing her in closer to his body.
"One of the better holidays I've celebrated," Emma smiled. "I got you to watch the parade that day."
"Still haven't quite figured out the point of it all," he frowned.
"It's entertainment," she rolled her eyes, "Not everything has to have a point."
"Kind of like those little nothing kisses you'd give me for no reason," Killian smiled.
"They have reasons," she replied as her hands found the nape of his neck and pulled slightly to bring him closer.
"Oh I see," Killian smiled into the kiss.
"You are quite the kisser," she whispered against his lips.
"I've had a few centuries of practice."
"Don't spoil the moment," she hushed him with her lips.
"Sorry, Love," Killian murmured.
"Hey Mom, Gran- Whoa," Henry stopped talking abruptly as he caught sight of his mother and Killian wrapped in each other's arms.
"Henry," Emma gasped in surprise as she quickly pushed Killian away.
"What are you doing?" Henry asked curiously.
"Would you believe CPR?" Emma asked.
"Maybe if he wasn't breathing," Henry stated.
"Okay, you probably figured something was going on when you came home from Grace's the other day," Emma started. "We just don't want this thing to go public until we are sure it will last."
"So has this been going on for awhile?"
"A few weeks," Emma nodded.
"I have to tell Austin and Brooklyn," Henry moved back towards the window.
"No," Emma grabbed her son's collar carefully and pulled him back. "Not yet."
"What?" Henry asked, "Why not?"
"I don't want to confuse them or get their hopes up. It's also why we're not yet telling them that Killian's their dad."
"But," Henry began to protest.
"Sorry, Kid," Emma told him, "We're waiting."
"Okay," Henry said glumly. "Grandma wants to know why you're saving the pumpkin she didn't use for the pie."
"Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies," Emma smiled. "I'm actually able to make them with some success."
"Not sure if I believe that," Killian snorted in disbelief.
"Austin loves them," Emma nodded.
"We'll believe it when we see it," Killian added
"Is dinner almost ready?" Emma asked her son.
"I'll go check," Henry left the balcony.
"That wasn't on today's list of things to do today," Emma snickered as she wrapped her arms around Killian again as they were left alone.
"Yeah, I know," Killian nodded.
"You're not mad, are you?"
"Why would I be mad?" he asked, "I enjoy kissing you."
"Glad to hear it," Emma smiled. "But I mean about not telling everyone yet."
"We're protecting Brookie and Austin."
"Thank you," Emma smiled.
"Dinner's ready," Henry stuck his head out for a minute, surprised to again find his mother with her arms wrapped around the pirate.
"Be right there," Emma nodded as she looked into Killian's eyes. "Ready to eat?"
"Worked up quite an appetite."
"Yes, but you need to start being quieter."
"Whatever for, Love?" he asked.
"Because one day, you're going to moan too loudly and my father will get wise."
"Yes, that would be very bad," Killian replied, "How fast can he unlock his gun?"
"You don't want to find out," she told him. "C'mon, let's go eat turkey."
"Gobble, gobble," he raised an eyebrow towards her.
=f=f=f=
Emma poked her head into the living room. It was completely dark. She walked over to the couch and put her hand on Killian's shoulder, "You awake?"
"Can't sleep," he replied.
"Meet me in my room," Emma smiled.
"Is this the part where I need to keep my voice down?" he asked as he rose from the couch.
"Yes and also we are continuing a tradition." Emma smiled.
"Pie in bed?"
"Pecan this time," Emma smiled
"I'm not picky," he chuckled.
"Go," she encouraged him, "I'm just going to check the children."
"Alright," Killian disappeared into Emma's room.
Emma checked in on her children quickly. All three were sound asleep. She heard low whispers from her parents' room, nothing that was thankfully too scarring as she dished out the pie for the two of them.
She grabbed some forks and after a moment of thought the half empty empty bottle of wine and two glasses before she went back into her room. Killian was sitting on the bed waiting eagerly.
"I don't recall wine being a part of our tradition," Killian made note of the additional items she carried into the room.
"This is a really good bottle," Emma smiled
"Aye," Killian agreed as he pulled out the cork and poured them each a glass, "Do we dare make a toast?"
"All heaven's wishes at your command," Emma started. "God and his angels they're close at hand. Family and friends, their love doesn't part. Great Irish blessings to you, we impart."
"Did you think that up on your own, Love?" Killian asked.
"Borrowed from a soap opera that I watched while pregnant with the twins," she shook her head, "It seemed appropriate here."
"Works for me," Killian nodded as he clinked his glass to hers softly.
"So Henry seems a little excited by the prospect of us rekindling things," Emma noted after she took a sip.
"I think the twins would be too," Killian agreed.
Emma nodded, "Brookie especially. She really likes you."
"She has good taste," Killian smiled at her.
Emma took a bite of pie to hide her smile.
"Is that a blush I see, Swan?" he couldn't resist teasing her as the pink began to tint her cheeks.
"Just remembering how much of the pumpkin you ended up wearing last time we did this," Emma smiled.
"If I recall you said it was the best pumpkin pie you had ever eaten," he grinned devilishly.
Emma felt a sudden rush of emotion, and she looked down to hide the tears that pricked at her eyes.
"Was it something I said, Love?" Killian recognized the sudden shift in her emotions.
"I just," Emma shook her head. "That was the first holiday I really liked because I felt like I wasn't all alone for the first time."
"It was a special time for us," he agreed, "This year is too. It's our first real holiday together as a family."
"February twelfth," Emma said simply.
"What does that mean, Emma?" he asked.
"That's their birthday. They will be five this year," Emma smiled. "Finding out there were two of them was the shock of my life. My dad's a twin."
"There are two Charmings out there?" he gulped with dread.
"No," Emma shook her head. "His brother is dead. How good are you at keeping a secret?"
"I'd like to think I'm pretty good," he nodded hesitantly.
"My dad and his brother were born to a farmer and his wife. Rumple, of all people, brokered a deal with my grandfather for one of the babies," Emma shifted so her legs were across Killian's lap. "David was raised by his biological parents, and James was raised by King George."
"And why is that a secret?" he asked.
"Because when James died, David took his place," Emma told him.
"Does that mean that your father's kingdom isn't really his?" Killian asked.
"To put it mildly," Emma nodded. "King George made a deal with King Midas to join the kingdoms. David as James was to marry his daughter Abigail."
Killian dug his fork into the pie and brought it to Emma's lips. "So if he was supposed to marry another, how did he end up with Snow?"
"She robbed him," Emma said before she took a bite of the pecan pie.
"Yes, that's a way to a man's heart," he chuckled.
"The ring she wears," Emma started. "That's part of what she stole. It was the ring David's mother had given him to give to his future wife. He tracked her down and got it back. During the time they were together, he fell in love with her."
"And they lived happily ever after," he smiled as he fed her another bite.
"No," Emma shook her head as she returned the favor. "First King George threatened my mother with my father's death if she didn't tell him that she didn't love him."
"Which I'm guessing was a lie," he responded as he dropped a kiss to the nape of her neck, "After all, somehow you exist."
"She lied through her teeth to save his life. Then David helped Abigail find a cure for her true love, Frederick, who had been turned to gold by the touch of King Midas. After Frederick was restored, David searched for my mother, who had since taken a potion that wiped David from her mind."
"How'd she get her memory back?" he asked, "Or did they just fall in love a second time?"
"Both," Emma smiled. "He found her and got her to fall for him a second time. When he kissed her, she remembered him."
"No wonder your mother is a hopeless romantic," he replied.
"There's a lot more to the story, if you ever want to hear it," Emma said as she shifted so that she could lean back against his chest.
"I want to hear anything you have to tell me," he replied as he kissed the side of her head.
"This has been a good day," Emma smiled.
"Solid top five in my Thanksgiving memories," he grinned.
"It's your second Thanksgiving," she reminded him.
"Which means it makes the top five," his grin widened.
Emma elbowed him lightly, earning a grunt and making her smirk as she finished her wine.
"I love you, Emma," he sighed.
"Yeah?" she smiled. "Good, because I love you, too."
"After we survive Cora, I want us to sit down and figure out our future with the children."
"Okay," Emma nodded. "May I ask what you want the future to look like?"
"Hmmm," he hummed as he surveyed their surroundings, "For starters, I think we should look for someplace a little less crowded."
"That'd probably be a good idea," Emma nodded with a smile.
"What do you see?" he prodded her with a nudge to her ribs with his hook.
"You and me," Emma said softly, "Happy."
"And how happy are we?" he asked.
"Stupidly, insanely, we disgust people when we're in public, happy," Emma giggled.
Killian's hand sought out her chin, angling her face so that he could kiss her lips. Emma turned in his arms to have better access to his lips as her hands caressed his chest.
"How quiet can you be?" Emma murmured.
"As quiet as I need to be," he breathed.
"Promise?" she whispered against his lips.
"Yes," he nodded.
"Good," she smiled as she pulled her top over her head.
Killian smiled back as he trailed his hand over Emma's shoulder and down her arm. He stiffened just a bit as she took his left wrist in her hand and pressed it her heart before bending her head and kissing the scarred skin.
"Emma," he whispered.
"You never told me what happened," she replied as she caressed a line on his chest.
"One of my many battle scars," he told her.
"I have them too," Emma admitted. "Unfortunately mine aren't as visible as yours."
"I have those too," he lifted her chin to look deeply into her eyes.
"I love you," she said again, "Scars and all."
"The feeling is mutual," he brought her lips back to his, "Now how about we go back to that need to be quiet? I want to test that theory."
Emma smiled into the kiss as Killian lay back on the bed.