Epilogue: The little pirate
They found out on their honeymoon. After touring Rome for an entire week, hand in hand, with heated kisses and whispered love declarations; Killian rented a boat and sailed them towards Greece. It was then when she noticed that the movement of the boat made her sick, something that had never happened before. Emma mentally counted the days and, as much as she tried, couldn't help the flicker of hope that lit within her.
Killian looked at her with concerned eyes when she came above deck, "Feeling better, love?" He asked softly, gently rubbing her lower back in a comforting gesture.
"Yeah," She nodded nervously and he could sense there was something more.
"Emma?" He asked hesitantly.
Her green eyes met his with a mix of hope and apprehension. "I'm late…" She whispered.
Two minutes. Those were the two longest minutes of his life. He'd been alive centuries, years had gone by in the blink of an eye, decades almost forgotten in a blurred tangle of moments that he couldn't pinpoint any longer. And yet, those two minutes felt like an eternity.
But suddenly Emma's eyes were filled with tears of joy as she took the stick with shaky hands and he could see the two lines and his entire world changed forever.
They were going to have a baby.
He embraced her, holding her tight to him as he smiled against her hair. "Well, it was fortunate that we wedded when we did, Swan." He whispered.
He could feel her laughter reverberate all though his body. "Well, technically, you still got me pregnant out of wedlock." She replied as she pulled away slightly, her hands cradling his face. "But I don't think they'd care." She whispered against his lips.
"Neither do I." He replied before kissing her.
Keeping the secret for the first months was hard. He had to constantly battle his excessive worry over every slightly strenuous movement Emma did and hid it from the rest. He wasn't sure Mac hadn't actually noticed; but if he had, he had kept it to himself. Emma wasn't any better, her hands reaching for her stomach every time she sneezed and then looking around to see if anyone had noticed.
When they finally broke the news at the 12th week, it was to be met with absolute joy from everyone in the room before Laura, Mary Margaret and Maria started smothering Emma with food, tips and unsolicited advice. Which she took with incredibly grace and infinite patience, like the perfect princess she was meant to be in another life.
He never asked her to leave her job, as it wouldn't have been fair to ask her to keep herself from risk when he wasn't doing the same. They did, however, agreed to be more careful in their jobs and avoid as many situations as possible where they could be at unnecessary risk.
And he kept his promise, with one exception. Just one exception to finally close that chapter from his past that had haunted him for centuries. But it was done and dealt with and he was back at her side, ready for the next doctor's appointment.
She was in the middle of the pregnancy when they found out it was a boy. And although they haven't talked about it, she didn't hesitate when the doctor asked them if they have chosen a name.
"Liam" She whispered and she felt his hand squeezed hers and when she lifted her eyes to meet his gaze, she was almost blinded with how bright his love for her, for them, was.
Emma drove everyone crazy until the nursery was the perfect shade of blue and the mobile for the cradle was the exact replica of the Jolly Roger. There wasn't much from Killian's former life, but his spyglass and the compass found a place in the nursery too. And when David claimed that it didn't seem the nursery of a prince, Emma replied proudly, "It's because it's not. It's the nursery of a sailor."
Liam came to them on a sunny afternoon, after some painful labor hours and a C-section to avoid further stress. When they put him in Killian's arms, and he witnessed his son, a single tear run through his eyes. He leaned towards Emma so she could see him, "Welcome, Liam, we've been waiting for you, lad." He whispered to his son before he pressed a kiss to Emma's temple. "I love you." He vowed against her hair.
The first weeks were a hazy memory of sleepless nights, diaper changes, late night feedings and blissful exhaustion. And they wouldn't change it for anything in this or any other realm.
One night, Emma woke up to an empty bed and a silent house. Estranged, she got of bed and slowly padded towards Liam's nursery. She stopped at the doorframe, her breath caught in her throat at the image in front of her.
Killian was standing by the window, blue flannel pajama pants and a white shirt, barefoot. He was holding Liam, his left forearm supporting Liam's butt while his song curled against his chest and shoulder. Killian's right hand was softly caressing Liam's back, as he gently swayed back and forth, softly humming a tune while his son slept peacefully against his chest.
Emma smiled softly before slowly reaching them and pressing a kiss to Killian's shoulder blade. He smiled back at her, leaning to brush his lips against hers.