Emma Swan

Hearing Henry say his first words (for real) was nothing short of magical, but nowhere near as amazing as the look of adoration which Killian returned to him (I can't lie- I was jealous that in this reality Henry's first words had been for Killian) (although I couldn't fault him when he immediately turned to me and called me "mama") and then later the man who I only could have wished I had met sooner had managed to find a new part of my magic which I had no idea existed- I could glow. Albeit not on command (unless that command was being tickled by your pirate boyfriend if that counted) but amazing nonetheless.

I wished that my parents and Regina could have stayed asleep a little longer so Killian and I could stay in our happy bubble, but instead they were complaining of something I could easily relate to. They were hungry. And thankfully Killian had made me order the food before he decided that he wanted to know whether or not I was ticklish, because otherwise we would all be sitting here for forty minutes with grumpy children (they were putting Leroy to shame at some points) we only had to wait five.

Henry decided to sit on my lap for a change (instead of Killian's- he was becoming a daddies boy, even if it wasn't his actual father) whilst my parents were flanking Killian at the other end of the table. It wasn't until my mom was half asleep in my arms did I realise that I hadn't looked into the story book which my parents had picked out, so once I had tucked Regina and Snow into my bed I picked the book up and took it back downstairs with me to see who's story it was- for it certainly wasn't my parents as theirs wasn't a pop-up book.

Ass I came down the stairs Killian had already started to make some hot cocoa and cinnamon for the two of us, quickly noting the book underneath my arm with a sense of recognition. Apparently I wasn't the only one that had noticed the new book.

"Where was that love? I have been wondering what it was but couldn't see it earlier" It was almost magical, the way Killian was drawn towards the book, his eyes never leaving the cover

"It was under my bed- the girls must have hidden it there to keep it safe or something. I can't say that I recognise this one, because it decorated differently to my parent's one" Not to mention about five times bigger. Seriously, how had they been carrying this around with them?

"Perhaps the decorations change with each author?" Well he certainly had a point there. This book had seemed a lot older than Henry's book, and even the illustrations inside were of a different style.

"Maybe it would make sense. But whose is it?" I wasted no time at all in opening the cover, and lo and behold, the first thing I see was what looked to be Killian throughout every stage in his life as the title page. Turning the page began the tale of how the man sitting beside me had ended up by my side, I saw Milah and Liam, the place where he had once called home, and I saw him stand up against Poseidon for Ursula, something which he had conveniently left out from his retelling of that particular story. From start to finish the book had been filled with endless adventure and magic, and towards the end, I realised that I was amongst the pages, more so than I ever was in my parents book, something which pulled my mind into a new perspective; for even though I was important in my parents story, I was nowhere near as important as I was in Killian's.

Upon closing the book, I realised just how tired I was, and what time it was at that matter.

"It's four AM already?" I said to Killian, but he was already one step ahead of me, pulling me into his arms with a grace only I knew that he had. I must have been really tired because the next thing I knew it was twelve PM and Killian had gone and gotten lunch- with all of the children with him to allow me to sleep in. Well I thought it had just been to catch up with my sleep until I realised that I had come down with the cold which Henry had had just two days ago. Just my luck- just when I find a quiet moment to enjoy with those around me, something bad happens to stop that. And this something happened to be the Flu.

Half an hour later, Killian and the others walked through the door, and with them brought the heavenly smell of chicken soup (Killian MUST have bribed Granny for that one- for that had never been on the menu. I had since moved to the couch and Killian had immediately brought me another blanket as soon as he had dropped the food off on the counter. He didn't have to say any words for me to understand what he was feeling and telling me. I must have dosed off because the next thing I knew the children were all asleep in their beds, and Killian was silently playing the nurse just as I had for him and Henry. Seemed what goes around comes around after all.

It was four days of being pinned to the couch by all the blankets loving placed by Killian that I finally recovered, although this time all the small versions of the people I knew had stayed in the loft with us both (and I'm still not sure how Killian managed to do everything by himself). It was only once Killian was completely sure that I was now fine that he allowed me to go back to work, although he didn't allow any of the children to join me until a couple of days later.

Even though I couldn't say it out loud and it scared me when I admitted it to myself: I did love Killian Jones. I just had to work up the courage to tell him that.

Killian Jones

Finding the book with my own story within it was nothing short of bizarre- and it was a wonder that the prince and princess had never felt this way about their own book. Or perhaps it was just because I wasn't as proud of my past as they were- for I had a lot more to hide away from the world than they did, and at least a few hundred times over at that. But it seemed like life just wanted to make everyone in the loft even- for the next morning (well after Emma had gone to bed at four in the morning) I discovered that she had come down with the cold which Henry had not four days before.

Having Emma fall ill straight after Henry and I seemed to be exactly what she needed, in a completely backwards way- for it forced her to stop for a few days and catch up with herself and allow me to finally repay the favour and look after her and the children for a bit.

I also managed to finally go shopping, and so I left the children with Belle (apart from Henry), and so I pulled out the shopping list, and made my way to the various stores which lined main street.

Reading the list I made mental notes as to where I would have to go for each;

2 chickens

20 fish (various assortment)

Vegetables (assorted)

Fruit (check where Smee and the others have been getting theirs from)

Spices; Paprika, Chinese five spice (?), cumin

Herbs; oregano, Basil, Tarragon

Beef mince (little Bo peeps butchers)

Potatoes

Pasta (sheets and twists)

Snacks (ask Emma later- get another time)

To say the least I felt fairly confident in being able to get some items with which I could successfully cook a few meals for everyone, and fortunately for me, Henry couldn't reach the shelves to put any unwanted items in the basket (didn't stop him from trying mind)

It struck me as Henry and I were on the way back to the loft how strange but also how normal this whole situation would be to everyone looking in, for those who knew me as Captain Hook would fear for the child, or would at least find it strange, however had the viewer been from the world without magic, it would look like nothing more than a father and son who had gone shopping together. Now that was a strange yet daunting thought.

By the time I had gotten back all the others (including Emma) were all asleep for the afternoon leaving me to put Henry back to bed for a bit whilst I got some food ready for later. Belle had stayed surprisingly and ended up helping me to prepare some chicken Kiev's (how do you even know what these are Killian? I had some when I was having to retrieve something or other for Pan. Good food mind) Emma was just about stirring from her sleep when I was serving food (something that not even ill could take from Emma- the undeniable knack to when food was ready to eat.

It was four days before Emma was back her usual self, and two more on top of that before I allowed her to take any of the children to the station with her (I didn't want her getting ill again) and my plan to get her back to full health and sanity had seemed to work. Mostly at least that was. Because there was still the matter of her looking after her toddler parents and step Grandmother. At least his family tree wasn't so complicated. Although the reason for it being so simple was because he was the only one left (to the best of his knowledge- but how many other Jones' could have found a way to live for longer?).

Little did we know that Maleficent was done hiding, and was coming back to town.

Emma Swan

I had been back to work for a week when Killian and I's daily lunch date was crashed by the very dragon who had caused all the craziness in my personal life in revenge for what my parents had done to her own daughter.

We had been sitting enjoying our lunch when she burst through the doors, asking me to find the daughter which had been thrown into the world without magic; a daughter who had hurt and betrayed me- Lily. Killian had been nothing but supportive in the whole situation, and had agreed to get the others to help him look after my family for me whilst I was away. But I knew Killian Jones, and the glint that he held in his eyes suggested that he was up to something; and I could only guess about what he was evidently planning to do whilst I was away fetching Lily, as well a paying a visit to New York, after a message in a bottle from Ursula arrived for Killian saying that Zelena was the one with Robin but Robin still believed that she was Marion, and so Emma was going to get Robin and Rowland back into to Storybrooke with her.

Taking one last look at Killian as I crossed the town line, I felt something that resembled what Killian felt when he had no heart- my chest was empty, and… it hurt. I couldn't feel the safety or warmth that Killian usually provided me with, and so I knew that I was just going to have to rely on a call every day to keep me sane with all that was going on.

The roads between Storybrooke and New York were tedious, especially when you have someone who you don't like (and doesn't like you) sitting in the passenger seat- and I still hadn't gotten to the worst part yet- for soon Zelena, Lily, Robin, Rowland and I would all be trapped in a tiny compartment until we got back to Storybrooke. Until I reached Killian's safety once again.

"He must be real good in bed to keep you with him" Lily's words pulled me out of my reverie faster than the wolf that showed me to her.

"What?"

"You're real quiet- meaning your thinking about someone special. And seeing as you don't do feelings he must be real good in bed to get your thoughts from so far away" She was regrettably right about that- but that was the old me. The new me actually acknowledged my feelings for Killian… They just refused to name what that feeling was per say.

"I wouldn't know whether or not he's good in bed, we haven't got that far." It was Lily's turn to be surprised, although when I admitted it was only because curses and various other magical forces had been stepping in and stopping it. And the fact that he was an inherent gentleman.

"You? With a gentleman? You have to be kidding me! Your usual type is tall, dark and dangerous. Not to mention usually thieves."

"Well he is all those things, in a sense. Although he gave up a lot for me"

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"His home of around four centuries, his path of darkness and revenge, as well as so much else. I really don't know how I got so lucky"

"Wait, go back a bit… Around four hundred years old? How old is this guy!?"

"If we ever figure that out- I will tell you. Let's just say he's so old that he can't remember how old he is himself." And for once, we were both laughing, just like old times (before I ruined everything).

After that, conversation flowed freely between us, although it was clear that Lily was still against her mother and my own parents. That being said she was appeased a bit when I told her about the curse that she had placed over my parents. We talked until we realised that we had passed our destination by about two blocks- something which would take a while to get back to in New York.

Reaching Neal's old apartment, I realised just how complicated this would all be, because not only had Zelena disguised herself as Marion, she was now also pregnant with Robin's child. Rowland had apparently missed me, (or he was running from the maniac who had disguised herself as his mother) as he grasped onto my leg, not too unlike how my parents did to me nearly every morning when Killian was trying to make food whilst I tried to distract my cursed family from hurting themselves on the corners of the kitchenette, and in a reasonably neat state (that was a losing battle most (every) mornings).

I just wanted this entire thing to be over already- because then I could get back to where Killian and everyone else was waiting for me. Even with my parents cursed as toddlers that reality was still more sane/normal than this road trip from hell.

Killian Jones

I had waited until Emma was over the town line till I called the dwarves and Merry men who weren't at work into my plan- to create a suitable living space for Swan, Henry and I, one that would suit our needs if it was just us, and would still be able to cope with the situation which we had found ourselves in concerning her family.

I had managed to find a place which I almost knew Swan had never seen before- A large house which was a way out of town, yet close enough to town to get anywhere quickly, and had its own beach and private dock. The gentle blue and grey wooden shell housed four bedrooms, two studies (one of which I already planned with Belle to turn into a Library which could hold all the important scripts we would need for any magical research), a big kitchen which was openly planned with the dining room, and the lounge was just off to the side of that. The house also held a basement which had previously been used for storage, and would probably be turned into a larder so that we could always be able to cook for ourselves each night (unless Emma was particularly craving Granny's). In The bedrooms I had already chosen a master bedroom for Emma and I, whilst Henry would have the loft bedroom, a space which the dwarves had already started on fixing up and insulating to bring it back to its former glory.

The house as a whole was a blank slate which happened to be in the shape which Emma and I had wanted so that we could have somewhere which we could escape from the craziness which had become our lives.

The dwarves had started by modernising the kitchen whilst the merry men had gotten to work moving in some furniture (my desk from the Jolly Rodger for the dining table, some beds and bookshelves from Gepetto, A leather couch from Ruby and Granny as well as various other items which were being donated by the people of Storybrooke for their Saviour. I had taken a stroll down the dock outside the house when Emma called.

"Hello Love"

"Hi, Killian…"

"What's wrong love? Has something happened at your end?"

"Sort of, yeah. Let's just say that whole situation with Zelena pretending to be Marion just got a lot more complicated"

"How so love?"

"She's pregnant with Robin's child. And on top of that Lily is being difficult on coming to Storybrooke- though she was more than happy to talk about you and laugh at your age"

"Really Swan? You haven't seen the woman for years, and one of the first conversations was about insulting my age? I thought we were past that love"

"You were past that. I can still laugh at it. Although I should thank you for it really, because after that it became a lot less awkward between us."

"Well… I guess that would be an upside to it- although I still don't like the fact you have said that because I know that I will never hear the end of it once you all arrive back in Storybrooke."

"So I gather you have had a better day over there with the less than stressful children to deal with by yourself? And what about your project which you are evidently trying to hide from me?" nothing got past this woman sometimes.

"Well Tinkerbelle and Belle have been helping with both the children and my project today- and no, I am not going to tell you what I'm planning. I'm just trusting you to trust me, and that you will hopefully enjoy my gift to us."

"A gift to us? You haven't found a way to make Storybrooke less crazy have you? If so that would be great"

"Unfortunately not. But I have a feeling that you will like it. I know Henry does"

"How is he?" I could hear the love in Emma's voice, all her attention on a little boy whom she could not even see at the time

"At the moment, sleeping, along with the others. He has been asking after you though- putting those new found words to good use in your absence. I just…"

"What is it Killian?"

"What happens when they all turn back, and Henry realises what he called me? I know that he regretted not knowing his own father that much, and I just feel that…."

"You feel like what Killian? Uncomfortable? What do you feel about it?"

"I just feel that once he is returned to his natural state- he may not like me anymore, or see me in the same light as he did before all of this"

"Killian, you don't really think he would hate you for this, do you? Henry already saw you as a father figure before this whole mess. All this will have done is possibly strengthened that thought and he may even just accept that you are his father. We have no idea how all this is going to work once we get rid of this curse, but I know that Henry will not hate you for what he has said. If anything he may just continue to call you that. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about Killian"

"You amaze me sometimes Swan"

"Only as much as you do to me. So….. Are you going to tell me what your project is or….?"

"Ha, nice try Swan, but a pirate does not share that easily"

"Are you really going to make me guess? Even when you know I hate surprises?"

"Well I promise you that you are going to like this surprise, even if that doesn't come immediately"

"You're no fun sometimes Killian. I'd better go back inside the apartment from hell and stop Zelena or Lily from doing anything stupid. Good night Killian"

"Sleep soundly, my Swan"