Chapter 25
Two weeks after Thanksgiving, Emma and Killian had decided to find out what the twins were going to be. They had debated over whether to find out or keep it a surprise for everyone, including themselves. After some debate they agreed to find out and now knew the genders of both of the twins. Even though they knew what they were having they decided to wait till Christmas next week to tell everyone together. They had started discussing names before they even knew what they were having but now that they knew it would be easier on them. Right now though, they were laying on the couch whispering about names so that Henry could not hear what they were saying since they had not told him what the twins were, even though he kept trying to get it out of them. Henry was currently in his room getting ready for his first official date with Melody, and he was a nervous wreck.
"Mom!" Henry yelled from his room scaring Emma and Killian from their bubble, "I can't decide what to wear?" Emma laughs burying her face in Hook's neck, "Isn't it the girl who is supposed to be stressing about what to wear?" she asks her fiancé. Killian leans away and places a sweet kiss to Emma's lips before he answers her. "Love, let me handle this," as he tries to get up from the couch, "That means you need to let me up, Swan." Emma reluctantly lets her pirate up from the couch to help her son when she heard a knock on the apartment door. "Hey Regina," she said opening the door, "What's going on?" "Can't I come to see my son off on his first date, Miss Swan," Regina retorts. "Of course, I'm sorry. Killian's in his room with him right now. He couldn't decide what to wear," Emma chuckled as she led Regina to the living room. "Can I get you something to drink?" Emma asks. Regina sits on the couch and rubs her 25 week belly before asking, "Do you have any chamomile tea?" Emma nods her head, "Chamomile tea coming right up," as she heads into the kitchen to make the tea and a new hot chocolate for herself.
"Hey love, I think… Oh good evening Madame Mayor," Killian says coming down the hall, "I think the lad has finally figured out his clothing situation." he tells the two women waiting in the living room. Both women smiled and nodded as they took a sip of their drinks. "What time is he picking her up?" Regina asks while sipping on her drink. "Dad is dropping off Mom and Neal then he is driving him over to the Christensen house while the rest of us get family dinner started around 5." Emma answers, starting to get up from her seat to get more to drink when Hook stops her and takes her cup to refill it so she does not have to.
Henry comes out of his room as Hook finishes pouring Emma's drink and a knock is heard coming through the door. "Come in," Emma calls from the couch as Henry pulls his charcoal dress coat over his crisp white shirt and navy, plaid tie as her parents come through the door with her baby brother, who runs to climb into her lap. "You look very handsome Henry," Regina says standing up to straighten his collars, "Have fun tonight, sweetheart." she tells him trying to hide how nervous she is about her son going on his first official date. Henry gives her a hug and kiss on the cheek, "Thanks Mom. I will; love you." he tells Regina before he heads over and does the same thing with Emma. A minute later Henry and David walk out the door.
On the way over Henry fiddled with the bow on top of the Christmas present he had for Melody. He could not believe Christmas was in a week and he was going on his first ever official date with a girl. "Henry, stop fidgeting. You will be just fine. Just be yourself." David told him as they pulled up in from of the house. "Thanks Gramps!" Henry said as he got out of the truck and headed to the door.
Henry took a deep breathe before he knocked on the door. When it opened Princess Ariel was standing just inside, "Hello, Henry. Come on in. Melody is almost ready and then we will drive you." she told the nervous young man standing on her front porch. "Thank you, ma'am," Henry says as he steps in and catches Melody coming down the stairs in a beautiful green sweater dress. "Henry…" Melody says after she reaches the bottom of the stairs, "are you okay?" Henry takes a breath and looks back at Melody, "You look absolutely beautiful," he tells her pulling her into a hug as she flushed pink and they heard Ariel let out a sweet "Awwww." As they pulled apart Henry sat down Melody's gift and grabbed her coat to help her put it on as he had watched all of the male figures in his life do with their loves.
"Are we ready to go," Prince Eric says as he comes in and sees Melody buttoning her coat. "Yes we are, Daddy." She says picking up her gift she got for Henry before grabbing his hand. Getting a glare from her father, she just rolled her eyes as Henry tried to remove his hand as she held it tighter and headed to the car. Henry and Melody did not let go of each other's hands, though they kept getting a look from Prince Eric, the whole way to Granny's. "We will pick you up outside at seven-thirty." Ariel told them before they got out and headed in. He led her to a back booth where they could have a little bit of privacy for their date.
Ruby: They just came in and sat at a far booth away from everyone, across from each other.
"Ruby just texted that they are there," Emma said louder than she planned to Regina. "You're having Ruby text you? Are you crazy, love?" Killian asks her crossing his arms as both her's and Regina's phones vibrate and before they can grab them their fiancés do.
Ruby: Awww… They are so cute. They are holding hands across the table.
"Love, you need to tell her to stop. It's not right to have a friend spy on your son's date. How would you feel if you parents had spied on us?" Killian tells her as he hands back her phone. "I agree with Hook, mi'lady. This isn't right." Robin hands Regina back her phone too.
Emma: Ruby, no more texts about Henry and Melody. Leave them be except for serving them. Thanks!
As they finished getting dinner ready they talked about Christmas plans for next week. Regina and Emma discussed what they had gotten Henry to make sure that they had not gotten him the same thing. Emma could not wait for Christmas. She, Henry, and Hook had decorated the apartment and she was loving the smells of Christmas all around her especially this year with the pregnancy and engagement. It also made her look forward to next Christmas when the twins will be having their first holidays along with Robin and Regina's little one. Emma had not realized she zoned out until she felt Killian put his hand on her stomach. "Love, dinner is ready. Are you going to join us?" Killian kissed her cheek before leading her to the table.
Henry and Melody had talked about everything they could think of. Henry could not help but just stare at her when she talked because of how beautiful he thought she was and how much she loved talking about certain things. She told him all about living under the sea with her grandfather, and her aunts and their families. She missed them and the water, but she loved being back with her parents and being in Storybrooke. Henry smiled at her, "Mel, how about you open your Christmas present," Henry says as he hands the gift across the table. Melody opens the present and begins to chuckle," Henry, I love it. Thank you!" she squeezes his hand across the table, looking down at all three of The Little Mermaid movies. "We should watch them sometime. I want to know how this world sees my family." she tells him. It's Henry's turn to chuckle before saying, "They definitely see you guys better than they do my dads. You'll have to see those movies sometime too." he tells her. Henry had recently started calling Robin and Hook dad from time to time. While they would never replace his actual father, he enjoyed having two strong male figures in his life to help guide him. It was taking some time to get used to calling them dad, but slowly he was making the transition and felt that it was appropriate giving their relationships with his moms and the role they were playing in his life.
"How do you think the date is going?" Regina asks in the middle of dinner. "Sweetheart, don't worry so much about what is going on. You raised an amazing young man. You both have," Robin tells her, as he looks to Emma. "He knows how to treat a girl and he will more than likely tell you both all about it so worry about feeding yourselves and the babies and all will be fine." Robin continued with his reassurances. As both women looked at each other before getting back to eating their dinner.
They all choose to move to the living room for dessert so that they could wait on Henry for a family game and they could watch Neal and Roland play. They enjoyed some lava cake with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream as both Regina and Emma wanted something really chocolatey. Looking at the clock Emma realized she had forgotten to ask Henry what time he would be back so they could have game night.
Emma: Hey kid, sorry for interrupting. Just wanted to know what time you would be back to the apartment for game night.
Henry: Hey Mom, Melody's parents are picking us up from Granny's at seven-thirty. Can she stay for game night?
Emma: Sure kid!
Emma relayed Henry's messages to the rest of the group and they all continued to talk about life and the babies. "So Emma ready to tell us what the twins are yet?" Snow sneaks into the conversation as Neal climbs into Emma's lap, "Emmy!" Neal whines placing his little hands on Emma's belly, "Baby!" he exclaims excitedly. Emma can't help but smile at her baby brother, "Yeah, babies. Is Mommy trying to use you to get to me?" she fake glares at her mother when Snow says, "Well I thought you would fall for his sweet face." Snow replied. "Sorry Mom, not happening. You can wait one more week." Emma tells her as she pulls her baby brother farther into her arms as he lies his head on her shoulder and falls asleep.
After texting his mom and opening his gift, Monopoly; Avengers Edition, he and Melody chose to share a dessert. They continued to talk about school and the different adventures they had been on. They finished their hot chocolate and decided to get some to go before waiting outside for Prince Eric and Princess Ariel while watching the snow fall around them. This was Melody's first winter so Henry was telling her all the things they could do when there was more snow on the ground. Melody laces her fingers with Henry's before saying, "Henry," she paused catching his eyes, "are you ever going to kiss me?" she innocently asks the question she's been dying to ask all night. Henry's eyes widen, "Ummm…. I didn't think you would want me to." he replies. Shyly Melody ducks her head, "Of course I do Henry." Without another word Henry leans forward and places a sweet, chaste kiss to Melody's lips. What neither of them realized was that they were being watched.
Ruby: HENRY JUST KISSED HER!
When two cells phones vibrated simultaneously Hook and Robin knew that Ruby did not listen to the no spying rule. "You can look," they say as the same time to their fiancées. Both looking at their phones, their jaws dropping as Regina shrieks, "He did what?!" At this, Robin pulls the phone from her hands to read the text before he starts laughing getting a glare from his future wife. Wanting to know what is going on with their son Killian reads the text over his love's shoulder before letting out a chuckle of his own getting an elbow to the stomach, "Aye, love, bad form." Emma rolls her eyes, "Oh boo hoo pirate." She looks over at him with a pout before whining, "I'm not ready for this." burying her face in her hands.
Pulling away from Melody, Henry cannot help the smile that graces his lips as he watches her lift her fingers to touch her's. Now Henry understood why his parents were always kissing and their's was quick unlike the kisses he had seen his parents and grandparents share. After a couple minutes of sitting in silence still holding hands Henry finally spoke, "Melody, would you like to join family game night with my family tonight?" Melody squeezed his hand smiling at him, "I would love to Henry." Before she can say anything else Henry puts his hand on her cheek and gave her another kiss but this time it was longer, harder, and for a fifteen year old who did not know what he was doing, more intense. Henry pulled away and whispered sorry before taking a drink of his rapidly cooling hot chocolate. "Henry, why are you sorry? It's not like it bothered me. I did ask," Melody forces him to look at her. "The first time you did," Henry lets out a sigh, "but the second time you didn't and I'm sorry." he continues turning his head to look towards the ground. Before he could though, Melody leaned in and gave him another kiss before saying, "Henry, there is nothing to be sorry about. We are 15 but I think it would be best if Daddy never caught us or he might have grandpa turn you into a merman." Henry looks at her with a worried look on his face before they both burst into laughter.
Ruby: He just kissed her again!
Ruby: Wait, now she just kissed him! Can your son please stop growing up!
The closer it got to the time for Henry and Melody to get there the more his moms wanted him home. The last two texts have his moms in worried mode. Neither one is ready for Henry to grow up too fast and kind of want this relationship to slow down already. Emma keeps running through her head that she was only two years older than Henry when she found out she was pregnant with him. She did not want that for him and knew that Regina did not want that either. They both knew that with the family Henry has he will know what is right and wrong when it comes to dating and relationships. Emma though, feels like she is a bad example since all her pregnancies have been out of wedlock, but she also knows that the loving relationships she and Killian along with Regina and Robin and her parents show him every day he will know that love is all that matters. Looking over at Hook with a smile she leans toward him and looks at his lips before he get the clue and places a kiss to her lips as she adjusts Neal into a more comfortable position on her shoulder.
Henry looked at the time on his phone to see how long they had until Melody's parents showed up. "What time is it?" she asks seeing what he was doing. He looks up at her with a smile, "Seven-twenty. Would you like another hot chocolate?" Henry asks. Melody nods her head to answer and they head inside to get another cup each. They are waiting for it when they see her parents pull up; grabbing the cups Ruby sat on the counter, a second later, they head back outside. Opening the door, Henry takes Melody's cup before handing it back to her after she was in so that he could get in too. They tell her parents all about the date on the drive to the apartment, leaving out the kisses they shared. When they get to the apartment they tell her parents thank you and that Snow and David will drop her off later. Before opening the door Henry gives her one last kiss of the night.
Walking through the door Henry cannot help but chuckle. His moms are sleeping with their heads on their respective loves shoulders, and a hand on their pregnant bellies. Roland is asleep with his head in his mom's lap and Neal is asleep on Emma's shoulder still. His dads are watching an action film quietly on the television. Looking to his right he sees his grandparents doing dishes in between innocent kisses and teasing each other. Having heard the door open Killian looks up from the television, "Hey how was your date," he whispers pressing a kiss to Emma's head as she snuggled closer never loosening her grip on her brother. Henry looked at Melody and smiled, "It was good. Are we still having game night?" Henry looked between the two male figures in his life waiting on one of them to answer. Robin finally nodded and told him they would but they were going to let his mothers sleep. Henry agreed and they set about playing his new game with all of them helping Robin and Hook move their pieces around the board since they could not move much without disturbing the sleeping women.
Once the game ended they realized it was getting late and Melody needed to get home. "Snow leave Neal," Killian said as his future mother-in-law went to pick him up, "We have his travel bed, he can stay here. So can you, Regina and Roland," He tells Robin, "So you don't have to wake them." further elaborating on why he was offering. Robin nodded his head, applying a gentle kiss to his son's forehead before doing the same to Regina, being careful not to wake either of them. David carried Roland into Henry's room laying him on the trundle bed as Robin carefully picked up Regina and carried her into the guest bedroom. Regina did not wake at the movement, she merely gave a quiet groan before snuggling into Robin's arms. Neal was moved into the corner of the master bedroom when Hook started to get Emma in that direction as well. "Come on, love, let's get to bed." He tells her wrapping his hook around her waist as he waved bye to everyone and ushered Henry into his room after he had locked the door.