This came from a tumblr prompt and is set during "Lily" right after Emma and Regina leave in the bug. If you've read the previous chapter, you know that I have a headcanon that Emma told Killian all about what happened with Neal during the happy 6 weeks. Needless to say, if you are a Neal fan, feel free to skip this one.
Standing there watching Emma's bug drive away, Killian can already feel the dread begin to settle deep in his gut, his trust that Emma will make the right choices battling with his knowledge that circumstance never seems to fall in her favor.
"Henry, why don't you head over to Granny's? She's probably ready for someone to reprieve her from babysitting duties."
Henry shrugs and stuffs his hands into the pocket of his jacket, his eyes searching Snow's for the reason she's sending him away before looking to David and then over to Killian.
"Uh, sure, see you at the loft later?"
Seeing as Henry's question is pointedly directed at him, Killian chest warms at the obvious affection growing between him and the boy, the fatherly tug he feels growing stronger with each passing day. Loving Emma has brought many wondrous things to his long life, but perhaps the most cherished being the burgeoning family surrounding him at this very moment.
"Of course, lad."
Nodding back over to Snow and David, Henry rocks on his heels for a brief moment before setting off in a quick jog towards Main Street, bottled up thirteen year old energy taking him out of sight in mere moments.
"Killian, do you think she will be okay?"
Snow's voice is quiet, broken, not fitting the spitfire he has come to both respect and, well, fear during his somewhat tenuous acquaintance with the woman. The deterioration of her relationship with Emma has taken its toll and more than anything, he wishes he could provide some solace, anything to help bridge the gap that only seems to be widening between his Swan and her mother.
"Aye, I have hope that she will be able to fight the darkness better than I was able. She's proven stronger than most of us on more than one occasion."
"I know…you're right. I just feel so…"
"Helpess."
David's interjection sounds as pained as his wife's, his gaze focused on his hand clutching Snow's as if he is using her as a lifeline, Emma's distance obviously affecting him just as deeply.
"I know the feeling, mate. I do wish she wasn't heading back to that city. I fear there are many jumbled memories, both good and bad, awaiting her there."
David nods and a small smile cracks Snow's forlorn expression as they begin a leisurely stroll together back towards the loft.
"She was happy there with Henry. As much as I missed her, I'm glad she had that time with him. It's too bad Henry missed that year with his father, though."
Killian doesn't know what to say to that, so he remains silent. His own regrets concerning Neal and the truths he's recently learned of the man's time with Emma make this a conversation he is not keen to be a part of. Anger at Neal's betrayal and abandonment of Emma is still too raw, as is the guilt he feels, wondering if his own part in Neal's life played any part in him making such a selfish decision.
"Hook, are you alright?"
Too many years spent living off of his tumultuous emotions has left him with a rather lackluster poker face, and the Prince, too observant for his own good has obviously seen right through him.
"Apologies, mate, but Neal is not a topic I wish to discuss."
His attempt to continue them on their path is thwarted with a soft hand to his elbow, Snow's gentle touch so unexpected he nearly stumbles.
"Killian, is there something we don't know?"
In all honesty, he is unsure as to the level of knowledge Emma's parents have in regards to Neal and he can't help but feel nervous at perhaps divulging secrets not yet shared. But Snow's wide eyes pleading for answers are exceedingly hard to resist, the sweep of her chin and determined expression so like Emma's it sometimes takes his breath away.
"Alas, I'm afraid so, milady. I know you and Emma were friends back, well, before she knew who she was. I had hoped she would have shared more of her past with you then, but I'm afraid I may be mistaken?"
"All I really know about Neal is they were no longer together when Henry was born, that something bad occurred and Emma wasn't happy to see him again when she found him in New York. She seemed to warm up to him rather quickly, though, so I assumed they worked through whatever had gone on in their past?"
While he does believe that Emma came to a certain understanding with Henry's father before his passing, the pain he could see on her face when she told him of their history made it quite clear that their issues were never more than glossed over.
"My belief is she was putting on a brave face for her boy's sake. And to be honest, the short span we had with Neal was a stressful time, between Neverland and the missing year and the one day he was back here in Storybrooke. There wasn't much time for the two of them to really, truly reconcile. It would have taken much longer, as we all know, for Emma to truly begin to trust him again."
"Hook, what did he do to my daughter?"
David's patience has obviously waned, anger and concern sparking behind his request as his hand goes to his hip, seemingly searching for his sword in which to rest his curled fist and finding naught but his belt to grab hold.
Releasing a heavy sigh, Killian turns to face the couple as he searches for the words to perhaps ease the blow of truths Emma has been holding from them for far too long. He silently hopes that he will be forgiven for being the barer of them, both by her parents and more importantly, by Emma.
"He abandoned her. Left her to take the fall for his own crime while he ran away to some other land, Canada…I believe. She ended up in jail, pregnant and alone, with nothing but that bloody car to greet her eleven months later. Henry was born while she was still serving her sentence. Hence why she gave him up, impossible for her at 18 to believe that she could ever provide a life worthy of him, not by herself. "
Snow's mouth has dropped open in disbelief and David, he appears to be in a state of shock, his mouth in a thin line and completely unmoving, not even to blink.
"But why, I thought…didn't he love her?"
"Milady, I, don't confess to understand his decisions myself, but apparently August convinced him of it. He found Neal and told him of Emma's destiny, that he needed to leave her so she could fulfill it and break the curse. Emma believes that it was really fear of his father finding him that was Neal's true motivator though. His love for her, as real as it may have been, wasn't strong enough for him to stay."
Killian cringes as a tear falls to Snow's cheek, hating that he is responsible for adding to her sadness, but thankful that she knows the truth. David finally moves, reaching for his wife to tuck her against his side and press a kiss to her temple, his eyes faraway and slightly misty as well. Reaching into his jacket, Killian retrieves his flask and offers it to the couple, not surprised in the least to see Snow be the first to reach for the strong liquor. While she drinks, David finally finds his voice, regret tinging each word as they resume their slow walk towards home.
"To think, we both pushed her to be with Neal after Neverland, never really asking her what she really wanted."
"I did the same, mate. Emma doesn't even know this, but I made a promise to Neal to step back to give him a chance to be a family, completely disregarding Emma's wishes in the process."
Snow passes the rum to her husband who takes two rather long drags before reaching over to pass it back to Killian. David doesn't let go when Killian's fingers wrap around the flask, prompting him to look up and meet the Prince's rather steely gaze.
"It seems we all should learn to trust Emma to know her own mind and make her own choices. She chose you in the end, a decision that has obviously made her quite happy."
The weight of this moment brings both men to a halt, both sharing a long overdue nod of understanding and acceptance as Snow looks on with a small smile.
"Thank you, Killian."
Finally having the flask back in his palm, Killian tucks it back inside his jacket and looks over to Snow, curious as to what exactly she is thanking him for.
"For what?"
"For loving Emma enough to fight for her."
Sure that the tips of his ears have gone crimson at her words, he can't stop his hand from reaching up to scratch at the back of his head, or the slight dip of his chin as he searches for the right words to respond.
"I'd lay down my life for her, your highness."
The tense bubble is broken after that and they reach the loft only a few minutes later, Killian leading the group up the stairs with Snow and David a few steps behind. So lost in thought he only catches the end of their quietly spoken conversation, but can't help but smile at what he does hear before leaving them in the stairwell to hash out their newest dilemma.
"He's still a baby, David, he can learn a new name. Plenty of people choose to go by their middle names nowadays."
"But Leopold…not sure if that's a better choice?"
"It was a perfectly good name for my father!"
