Life Unimagined
It was a tradition at the Office of Child and Family Services for an employee to bring in cookies to share when they found out they were expecting a baby, so Sunday evening after they told Henry the news, he and Killian helped Emma make Snickerdoodles.
As the adults rolled the dough into balls and handed them to Henry to dip into the bowl of cinnamon and sugar, they talked about the baby and how it would change their lives. Now that Henry understood his place in the family, he was eager to join the discussion about the various pieces of furniture, equipment, supplies and clothing the baby would require.
"Why does something so little need so much stuff?" he questioned.
Emma and Killian chuckled. "That's a very good question, lad," Killian said. "I don't have any experience with babies, so all of this will be new for me, too."
"I'm afraid I'm no expert on it, either," Emma chimed in. "I was in foster homes where there were infants a couple of times, but I didn't help take care of them. I just stayed in my room and tried to ignore their crying."
"I hope you're not planning to use that tactic this time, Love," Killian teased.
She dramatically snapped her fingers. "Well darn, there goes that idea!"
Henry laughed as he placed the sugary lumps of dough on the cookie sheet. "I wonder how Coco and Minnie are gonna feel about having a tiny baby around."
"They'll probably be just as protective of it as they are of you," Emma said.
The boy grinned and licked his fingers, watching Killian place the tray in the oven. "What are you gonna name it?"
"We haven't started discussing that yet," Killian said. "We have plenty of time to decide."
"Can I help pick it out?"
"Of course," Emma assured him. "That's one of the privileges of being a big brother."
"Cool!" he responded. "I'm gonna go start making a list!"
He and his two canine companions charged out of the room, leaving Emma and Killian shaking their heads. "I'm not entirely sure I want a nine-year-old choosing the name of our child," Killian said. "We might end up with a Zelda or a Luigi!"
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Emma carried the plate of cookies into the office the next morning under the jacket she strategically placed over her arm. Knowing Ruby was always the first one in the break room every day because she barely functioned without coffee, Emma was confident her friend would be the first to find the treat with the underlying meaning.
After setting the plate on the counter with a note saying 'Enjoy! From Emma and Killian', she went to her cubicle and prepared to cover her ears. She didn't have long to wait, and she wasn't disappointed.
Less than three minutes later, a scream echoed through the building, followed by Ruby's voice screeching, "EMMA JONES!" and the sound of high heels pounding down the carpeted hallway.
Emma leaned back in her chair and braced herself for the onslaught. Within seconds, Ruby appeared, waving a cookie in one hand and the note in the other. "Does this mean what I think it means?" she shouted.
"What do you think it means?" Emma evaded.
"Don't be a smart ass! Are you pregnant?"
Emma couldn't contain herself any longer. "Yep! Due in March!"
She regretted not covering her ears when the next sound to come out of Ruby's mouth reached them. Before she could even react, she was pulled out of her chair and into a firm hug by her excited friend. "I'm so happy for you!" Ruby said, swaying Emma back and forth. "Due in March, you say? How long have you known?"
"We found out in the middle of August. Remember when Killian had to take me to the hospital with what I thought was food poisoning?"
"That long ago? And you kept it from me all this time?"
"We kept it from everyone because we wanted to wait until after the first trimester and the wedding. We just told Henry yesterday."
"What did he say?"
"Well, he was a little upset at first. I think he thought he would become the outsider in the family, but that fear subsided when we told him we're adopting him."
"That's so great! I was hoping you would tell him soon! It was hard not saying anything when I met with him last week about his sessions with Mr. Hopper."
"He's very excited about everything. Killian and I are sure he's going to be a terrific big brother."
"Without a doubt. This kid is gonna be very lucky - a gem of a brother, a fun Aunt Ruby…and its parents aren't so bad, either."
"Gee, thanks for including us!" Emma chuckled.
"No prob," Ruby smirked. "So how have you been feeling?"
"I have my moments, but the doctor suggested taking herbs and ginger, which really do help. Also, Killian got one of those pressure point wristbands for me," she said, holding her arm up to show her friend.
"He's a good man, that one."
"Yeah he is, and he's going to be an amazing father to this baby, too."
"What did he say when he found out you were pregnant?"
"We were both shocked at first because I was on birth control, but I wasn't as careful as I should have been. After the news sank in a bit, he was thrilled. When we discussed having kids once before, he was concerned about being too old, but he hasn't mentioned it at all since we found out."
"Pffft! He's not too old. This kid will keep him young. He's already proven what a great dad he is with Henry."
"That's for sure. I can hardly wait for the adoption to be finalized. I'm hoping it will be completed by Christmas."
"I think it will. It should be cut and dry since Killian is already fostering him and there aren't any parental rights involved to complicate things."
"I need to start checking my emails. Thanks for the congrats, Rubes. I'll talk to you more later."
"Good luck trying to work once Anna finds the cookies!" Ruby said with a wink. "I'm truly happy for you, Emma. Tell that man of yours I said good job getting his little guys to hit the mark!"
"Oh jeez, Ruby! Can't you find a less crass way to say it?"
"If I did, you would be disappointed. See you at lunch!" She took a huge bite out of her cookie and started down the hall.
Emma shook her head fondly and clicked on her inbox.
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Killian and Emma invited Mary Margaret and David over for dinner the following evening to share their news. As they were preparing dinner, Killian asked Henry, "How would you like to be the one to tell Mary Margaret and David about the baby and your adoption?"
"Really? Can I?" he responded excitedly.
"Of course. It's just as much your news as it is ours," Emma said.
"Cool! How long do I have to wait?"
Just then, there was a knock at the door. "I don't see why you have to wait at all, lad. Just let me hang up their coats and then you can tell them."
Killian answered the door and showed the couple into the kitchen, after taking their coats and putting them in the closet. Emma greeted them with hugs, and Henry blurted, "Can I tell them now?" as soon as Killian returned to the room,
"I think you better, before you explode," Killian chuckled.
"Tell us what?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Emma and Killian are adopting me! And they're having a baby!"
"Oh!" Mary Margaret said, her eyes widening as she processed everything she just heard. As soon as it sunk in, she started waving her hands around, so excited she couldn't even form words. She finally rushed across the kitchen to pull Henry into a fierce hug. "Oh, Henry! That's wonderful news! Congratulations! I'm so happy for all of you!"
David shook Killian's hand and clapped him on the back. "That's the way to do it, man! From no kids to two in the space of a few months!"
Emma laughed at his remark as she was embraced by Mary Margaret. "That's true! Last year at this time, I could have never imagined I would be married with a son and a baby on the way. It's been a very eventful year!"
After sharing the specifics of how long it would take for the adoption to be finalized, and when the baby was due, they all sat down to enjoy dinner. The conversation never lagged throughout the entire meal, since everyone was so excited about all the changes taking place in the coming months.
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Towards the end of October, Killian and Henry planned a quiet family celebration at home to observe Emma's twenty-ninth birthday. Even though she was supposed to be past this stage in her pregnancy, Emma still came home from work completely exhausted, so they knew she wouldn't want to go out to a restaurant. Killian worried about her driving home while being so tired, but she assured him that she would pull over and rest if she felt herself falling asleep behind the wheel. Most days, she placed a call to him before leaving work and carried on a conversation on speakerphone during the twenty minute drive home, to help keep herself awake.
The boys picked up cupcakes from the Storybrooke bakery on their way home from school, and Killian cooked her favorite meal of chicken stir fry. Henry decorated the house with signs he made himself and tied balloons to the dogs' collars. When Emma walked in the door, they greeted her with hugs and shouts of 'Happy Birthday!' and Killian kissed her until Henry's sound of disgust caused them to break apart laughing.
Henry was eager to give her his gift after they ate dinner and had cake and ice cream. He had written and illustrated a story about Coco and Minnie having superpowers and saving mankind, which had Emma and Killian feeling both proud and amused over the humorous storyline and cartoonish drawings.
When she opened her husband's gift, she went from amused to surprised, and started crying tears of joy. Killian had asked Marco to design a silver necklace which depicted a stylized man and woman, with their arms creating a circle, encompassing a young boy and an infant. As he fastened it around her neck, she declared it was beautiful and loved it so much, she would wear it every day.
They all put on their pajamas after she finished opening her gifts, and spent an enjoyable evening watching one of Emma's favorite movies, "Tangled", even though she slept through half of it. Once it ended and Henry got his teeth brushed, they headed into his bedroom for their nightly ritual of Killian reading a chapter from a classic novel. Ever since he heard that research proved babies read to in utero tended to be better readers in school, he asked Emma to join them every night.
After reading part of chapter eleven of "Peter Pan", the couple kissed Henry goodnight, gave their dogs some love, and went back out into the living room to cuddle in front of the fireplace.
"Is it weird that I think Peter Pan is more of a villain than Captain Hook?" she asked.
"Not at all, Love. I think the movies made that little demon out to be something of a hero, but I get the feeling that wasn't J. M. Barrie's intention."
"Actually, I think Hook is kind of sexy," Emma admitted.
"Is that right?" he chuckled.
"Yeah. Maybe I just have a weakness for men who are missing a hand," she smirked.
"Ah, well that's fair. I have a weakness for women who were born on October 22nd and are carrying my child."
"That narrows your choices down tremendously," she giggled.
"By my calculations, I have one, and she's perfect." His fingers rubbed circles into the small bump that was their baby, while he pressed sweet kisses to the crown of her head.
Emma sighed and snuggled more tightly into his embrace. "This is the best birthday I've ever had, my love."
"I'm very happy to hear that, Sweetheart, and I hope they get better every year."
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The week after Emma's birthday, the three of them attended a court hearing where Ruby was to present evidence of Emma and Killian's suitability to be adoptive parents for Henry. The judge reviewed the report the case worker submitted, asked a few questions to clarify the information, then requested to speak to Henry privately in his chambers.
On the way out of the courtroom, Henry turned back to look at Emma and Killian. They expected him to be nervous, but the grin and thumbs-up he gave them set their nerves at ease.
Entering the office, the judge said, "Please have a seat, young man." As Henry settled into a chair, the judge pulled out a second one so he could sit down facing him. "Henry, my name is Judge Frederick and it's my job to make sure you have a safe and loving place to call home. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"I see you have been living in Killian Jones's home for nearly five months now. How do you like it there?"
"It's great! I have my own bedroom, and Minnie and Coco - those are our dogs - sleep in there with me every night. Emma and Killian make sure I have clothes that fit, good food to eat, and everything I need for school. They do homework with me every night and Killian always reads to me before I go to sleep. We live right next to the beach, and we go to the library and the nature reserve a lot. We play games and watch movies together; oh, and Emma is gonna have a baby, so I'll be a big brother!"
The judge smiled. "It sounds like they take very good care of you."
"They do! I love living there and I can't wait until they adopt me!" He stopped and his brows furrowed before he asked, "You will let them adopt me, won't you?"
"I don't see any reason why not. There are still a few things I have to do before it can be finalized, but it shouldn't take very long."
Henry's face brightened once again. "Thanks, Judge Frederick!"
"Now Henry, there's something you'll need to do before the next time you come see me."
"What?"
"You need to decide what you want your name to be; you can keep Cassidy or you can change it to Jones."
His eyes widened. "I get to choose?"
"Yes, I believe you're old enough to make that choice. You can discuss it with Emma and Killian if you like."
"I just need to let you know the next time we come here?"
"That's right. Do you have any other questions?"
"Will I be adopted by Christmas?"
The judge chuckled. "I can't promise anything, but I think it's a good possibility."
Henry's grin stretched across his face. "That will be the best Christmas present ever!"
Judge Frederick stood up and put his hand on Henry's shoulder. "I'll do everything I can to make that happen."
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On the way home from the courthouse, Henry was unusually quiet in the back seat.
"Did everything go okay with the judge, Henry?" Emma asked.
"Yeah, it was fine."
"Did he ask you any questions?"
"A few."
Emma and Killian exchanged a puzzled look. "Is something bothering you, lad?" asked Killian.
There was a long silence and the couple became increasingly concerned as they continued the drive home. Finally, they heard Henry heave a sigh. "Judge Frederick said I get to decide what I want my name to be when I get adopted, and I don't know what to do."
"I imagine that's going to be a tough decision," Killian sympathized.
"I really want it to be the same as yours, but…" He paused for long moments while Emma and Killian tried to wait patiently. When he began to speak again, they could hear the emotion in his voice. "But do you think my dad would be upset if I didn't have Cassidy for my name anymore?"
The couple glanced at each other again, their eyes conveying the heartbreak they felt for the little boy. They knew he wanted to remain loyal to his father and they understood the dilemma it was causing him.
"I don't think that's something you need to decide right away," Killian said. "You can think about it for a while."
"I know, but the judge said he's gonna try to let you guys adopt me by Christmas and I have to know by then."
"Maybe when we get home, we can start making a list of reasons to change your name to Jones, and reasons to keep it Cassidy," Emma suggested.
"That's a good idea," Henry agreed.
"Do you know if your middle name has any significance?" Killian asked, suddenly inspired.
"My dad said I was named after his dad, Robert, but he wished he wouldn't have done it because my grandpa and him never talked anymore and I think they hated each other."
"I may have an idea, then. What if you replaced your middle name with Cassidy and took the last name Jones? Then you wouldn't disappoint your dad."
"Could I do that?"
"I don't see why not since the judge said you could choose, but I'll check into it when we get home," Emma said.
"Hmm…Henry Cassidy Jones," Henry said, testing the name out. "I like it! What do you guys think?"
"I think it sounds great," Killian said, and Emma nodded in agreement.
Henry seemed relieved to have made a tentative decision and chattered about his conversation with the judge the rest of the way home. After lunch, Emma contacted Ruby and did some searching on the internet, and was able to determine that Henry could indeed change his middle name, so the decision was made.
Now, all they had to do was wait for the adoption to be finalized.
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They celebrated Henry's tenth birthday the weekend before Thanksgiving by taking him and his friend Nicholas Zimmer to an indoor waterpark hotel in Augusta. For two days, Emma and Killian watched the boys go down waterslides, attempt to surf in a small wave pool, and get water dumped on them by a huge bucket, and sometimes joined in on the fun. The couple thought the boys would go to sleep immediately after the first day of being water rats, but they could hear them laughing and talking for quite a while after climbing into their pullout sleeper sofa in the small living room area of the hotel room.
The next week, Killian and Emma wanted to have Thanksgiving at home with their friends, Mary Margaret, David, Ruby, Jefferson and Ingrid, all of whom were almost like family, and were invited for a late lunch. The Joneses spent the morning preparing the turkey and making side dishes. Their guests all brought something to contribute to the meal, and by the time they sat down to watch football in the afternoon, everyone was stuffed. It turned out to be a fun and successful day.
They began decorating the house for Christmas the following weekend. Since Killian never felt the need to decorate when he lived by himself, the three of them had fun purchasing wreaths, garland, and lights, and went to a local tree farm to select and cut down a live Christmas tree. As they did, Henry had one of his rare moments when he shared a memory of his parents. "I remember having a real tree one time. I think it was the last Christmas with my mom and she wanted one, so me and my dad went and got one, but we didn't cut it down ourselves. It made her really happy, even though she was too sick to help us decorate it."
Emma put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him against her side. "I'm sure that was a special Christmas for all of you."
"Yeah. I don't remember any of the presents I got that year, though. I just remember how much my mom liked watching us decorate the tree while we listened to Christmas music and ate gingerbread cookies. My dad bought them for her because they were her favorite."
That evening, they decorated their tree, while the fireplace crackled, Christmas carols played through the bluetooth speaker, and the house smelled of the gingerbread and sugar cookies they made together that afternoon.
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Two weeks before Christmas, they got the phone call for which they'd been waiting, and went to court the following week. Before the judge signed the paperwork authorizing Henry's adoption, he spoke to the couple in front of him. "I wish all the cases that come before me were as easy to decide as this one. Mr and Mrs Jones. It's quite apparent that Henry is happy living with you, and that you're taking very good care of him. I'm confident you will be excellent adoptive parents for him."
Directing his attention to the little boy, who was standing between Emma and Killian, shifting excitedly from foot to foot, he said, "Henry, do you remember what I asked you to do the last time you were here?"
"Yes, sir. I was hoping I could keep Cassidy as my middle name, instead of Robert, and have Jones as my last name. Is that okay?"
"I don't see why not." The judge started writing on the paper in front of him, then called Henry up to join him at his bench. "These papers say that your name is now Henry Cassidy Jones, and that your parents are Emma and Killian Jones. How does that sound to you?"
"It sounds awesome! Thanks, Judge Frederick!"
The judge smiled broadly and signed the papers with a flourish. "Congratulations Henry, Mr and Mrs Jones. You are now officially a family!"
Henry hugged the judge before flying back down the steps to embrace his new mother and father. Ruby took pictures of them with the judge, before taking several more of just the three of them, and couldn't help wiping a few tears away as she did.
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Christmas was filled with excitement and joy for the Jones family. They attended Christmas Eve services at church, then returned home to open one gift before going to bed, which turned out to be matching pajamas. Emma knew it was probably cliché when she chose the red flannel sleepwear decorated with flying reindeer for them, but she couldn't help herself. She even bought similar sweaters for Minnie and Coconut. It was the first time she ever had a family of her own and wanted to start some Christmas traditions to continue for years to come.
After changing into their pajamas, they drank hot chocolate in the living room, which was illuminated by only the lights of the Christmas tree and the flames in the fireplace. Seated on the sofa between his wife and son, with the dogs laying at their feet, Killian read "T'was the Night Before Christmas", prior to seeing Henry off to bed.
Once they returned to the living room, Killian gathered Emma into his arms on the couch, with her back pressed to his front so he could run his hand over her rather pronounced six-months-pregnant belly. "Christmas next year is going to be even better," he murmured into her ear, "when we add this little one to the mix."
They still didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl, since they had finally decided to be surprised.
"Mmhmm," Emma agreed, "but I'm enjoying every second of this one. It's been so much fun doing all of the traditional things with you and Henry. It's something I've always dreamed about and I can hardly believe it's actually come true."
"I know what you mean, Love."
The flames mesmerized them as they cuddled, until Emma carefully shifted to face him and initiated a sweet kiss, which quickly grew more heated. When her pregnancy bump had started to become more pronounced, Killian was hesitant about being intimate with her, but some research and a talk with the doctor assured him that he wouldn't hurt the baby or her by making love to her. This made Emma extremely happy since her hormones had her craving sex quite often.
"Shouldn't we," he panted, "get the Santa gifts under the tree first?"
"We can do that afterwards. I need you now, my love," she whispered hotly into his ear.
His answering growl sent shivers across her skin, despite the warm flannel they wore and the cozy heat from the fire. He gently encouraged her to stand up, and they went into the bedroom hand-in-hand.
After the door was closed and locked, she went to work undoing the buttons on his shirt. "You probably think these pajamas are sappy," she said.
"I don't think that at all, Sweetheart. I love having matching family pajamas. Perhaps we should get into the habit of dressing alike more often," he smirked.
She laughed. "Yeah, don't count on it, buddy!" By this time, she had succeeded in ridding him of his shirt, and soon, the rest of their ensembles were scattered across the floor. He eased her onto the bed and laid beside her, running his hand over her belly, then up to her swollen breasts. He'd found that fondling and lightly sucking on them brought extreme pleasure to his wife, and was something he enjoyed as well.
His talented fingers and mouth went to work and soon her erotic moans had him fully erect. Her hands weren't idle, as they continuously ran through his hair and over his shoulders.
He caressed and licked her breasts until she was writhing beneath him on the bed. Her hands moved down his body until they were wrapped around his rigid shaft. Stroking him lovingly, she implored, "Scoot up, Killian."
"Emma, you don't have to…"
"Please? I want to."
He nodded and kissed her, then swung a leg over her and crawled forward until he was hovering over her face. She immediately licked the underside of his cock while her hands began to massage his scrotum. His arms started to shake with the effort of remaining still above her as she sucked, licked and fondled him. It was hard for him to believe that what she was doing was just as pleasurable for her as it was for him; but every time she did it, she reassured him it was.
She could sense when he had nearly reached his breaking point, and gradually decreased her ministrations. Lately, they had been experimenting with the best sexual positions to accomodate her growing belly, and one that was comfortable and extremely satisfying for both of them was when he took her from behind.
Leaving him with one last, lingering lick along his straining shaft, she urged him to slide over, then got up on her hands and knees. He knelt behind her and his fingers moved between her legs to gather some of her slickness, using it to help lubricate her, even though she was so worked up, it really wasn't necessary.
Once he was satisfied she was ready for him, and with her throaty moans enticing him, he rose up and teased her entrance with the head of his cock. When she impatiently pushed her hips back towards him, he chuckled lowly, then grasped her hips and slid inside her.
His left arm wrapped around her belly, while his hand found her breasts again, allowing a few moments to let her adjust. When he heard her murmur, "Please move, Killian," his hand and wrist found their way back to her hips and he started thrusting, shallowly at first, but growing deeper and faster as the pleasure increased in intensity.
The bedroom filled with sounds of skin slapping against skin, panting breaths, and deep, guttural groans as they chased their release. He knew she was nearly there when her legs began quaking and her shoulders tensed, so he doubled his efforts to bring her to climax.
"Yes! Yes!" she shouted, throwing her head back, and he felt her walls squeezing him, triggering his own orgasm.
"Bloody…hell…Emma!" he gasped, feeling all the air whoosh out of his lungs. His arms held her up as the aftershock spasms passed through them.
Once their bodies stilled, Killian gently rolled them until they laid side-by-side, panting for breath. "That was…" he began.
"Amazing," she finished.
"Absolutely! I love you, Emma."
"Love you, too."
As their bodies continued to cool, they heard the clock in the living room chime midnight. "Merry Christmas, my love," she said, pressing a kiss to his lips.
"Happy Christmas, Darling."
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Henry woke them up the next morning at six o'clock with shouts of "Santa came!" At ten years of age, Emma and Killian knew he was probably not going to believe in Santa Claus much longer and were happy they were able to be a part of one of those final years, possibly the very final one.
They got immense joy out of watching him open his gifts and hearing him exclaim over the new video games, board games, clothing and books. Wrapping paper littered the living room floor and gifts were scattered everywhere as Henry checked all of them out.
"Did you get everything you wanted, lad?" Killian asked.
Henry looked up from where he was studying the description of a video game. "What I really wanted was for you guys to adopt me and I already got that, but all this stuff is great! Thank you for everything, Mom and Dad!" Killian and Emma exchanged smiles, still happily getting used to being addressed that way by their son.
He stood up and gave both of them a hug, then went to get the personalized stockings hanging on the fireplace mantel. He handed one to each of his parents, then called Coco and Minnie over to get the treats and toys tucked into theirs.
Making sure he was preoccupied, Emma turned to Killian and whispered, "I thought we weren't getting each other anything." They had agreed that with the expenses for the adoption and buying necessities for the baby, they wouldn't spend money on each other for Christmas.
Killian attempted to look innocent. "I didn't fill your stocking; Santa must have done that. Besides, I think there are some things in here as well," he said, holding up his stocking. "How did that happen?"
She giggled. "I couldn't help myself. It's not much - just some little things I thought you would like."
"I did the same, Love." He leaned over to kiss her before they began pulling the small items out of their stockings. Even though neither of them spent much, they could tell the other had put thought into the gifts as they pulled out some of their favorite things.
Henry found more goodies in his own stocking, and the dogs were excited to get new chew toys, which they promptly set to work destroying.
Once everything was opened, Killian headed into the kitchen to begin making a cinnamon roll casserole, a special treat for Christmas morning. Emma offered to help, but he encouraged her to get some rest since they were awake until the wee hours of the morning playing Santa.
When he came back into the room after sliding the casserole dish into the oven, he found Henry engrossed in playing one of his new video games, the dogs gnawing on their chew bones, and Emma curled up on the sofa, sound asleep with her hand resting on her rounded belly.
He smiled with the contentment of knowing his whole world was right in front of him in this room.
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Killian's forty-third birthday was at the end of January, sparking another celebration. Emma and Henry took him out to eat at his favorite seafood restaurant, followed by cake and ice cream at home.
When he opened his gift from Henry, he found the story written about the dogs as superheroes bound into a professional-looking book, with more chapters added to it. Henry explained that sending his original manuscript away to get it printed was Emma's idea, earning her a warm hug from Killian, as well.
Later that evening, after Henry was in bed, Emma apologized to her husband for not getting him a gift that was just from her. "I couldn't think of anything that would be as special as the necklace you had made for me for my birthday."
"Emma, Love, you didn't need to get me a birthday present. You already give me so much every day. You're the mother of our son and our unborn child, you bring warmth, love and laughter to our home, and you're my best friend and passionate lover - why would I ever ask for more than that?"
She stepped forward to frame his face with her hands. "Happy birthday, my love," she said, before kissing him.
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As the final days of February slowly crept by, Emma grew more and more uncomfortable in her pregnancy. After a full day of work, her ankles were swollen, her lower back was in agony, and she was nearly falling asleep at the dinner table every night, since the exhaustion had returned in her last trimester.
Killian was her prince - rubbing her feet, massaging her shoulders and back in the evenings, drawing her a hot bath when she requested one, and helping her get comfortable enough to sleep at night.
The two of them attended Lamaze classes once a week for six weeks. On the evenings they went to class, Ingrid would come over to stay with Henry. She was always happy to spend time with her former foster son, and the family had come to think of her as an honorary grandmother.
Henry was still adding to his list of possible names for the baby and every once in a while, he would share them with Emma and Killian. The names ranged from those of kids at school, to ones he read in books, or heard on television and in movies. Some could be easily discounted, such as Tiana and Hercules, but others were taken seriously and added to Emma and Killian's final list.
Killian remained convinced that the baby was a girl, and while Emma protested that he shouldn't discount the possibility of it being a boy, she had a strong feeling he was right. They had two favorite names selected for a boy, but had yet to find one they truly liked if the baby was a girl.
One evening early in March, Henry came hurrying out of his room with a familiar notebook in his hands. "I added some more girls' names to the list," he informed his parents.
"Did you, indeed?" Killian asked, pulling his hand out of the dishwater and grabbing a towel.
Henry nodded and offered the notebook to Emma, who straightened up from putting leftovers in the refrigerator, her hands automatically going to her lower back. She took it with her left hand while her right one continued trying to ease the ever-present ache.
"Can we look at it in the living room?" she asked. "I need to sit down."
"Sure! There's one I really like, but I'm not gonna tell you which one," Henry said, leading the way out of the kitchen.
Killian tossed the towel onto the counter before following his wife and son, chuckling about Henry's statement and wondering which one he chose. Once they were seated on the sofa, with Henry perched on the arm of it, Emma held the notebook out for all of them to see. The page was curled and wrinkled, with four long columns of names, divided into 'boys' and 'girls', many of which were crossed out, and a few circled.
"Okay, let's see," Emma said, looking down the list to find the newest additions. "Maya, Tillie, Ariel, Hope, Hermione." She turned to look at him with raised brows. "Hermione? Seriously?"
He grinned and shrugged. "It was worth a try."
"Yeah, not gonna happen, kid."
Killian laughed, then read the remaining four names again. "Maya, Tillie, Ariel, Hope."
"Hope," Emma echoed. "Hope Jones. What do you think, Babe?"
"I like it. How did you come up with it, lad?"
"I don't know. I was just thinking about everything that's happened in the last year and how much you guys have done for me. Last year at this time, I was living at Ingrid's and didn't know what was gonna happen to me, especially after my dad died. Then you brought me here to live with you, and it gave me hope that I would have a home again. I just thought it could be a girl's name and added it to the list."
"Is that the name you like, too?" Emma asked.
"Yep, that's the one. Can I circle it?"
Emma and Killian exchanged a look. "Absolutely," he answered. "Move it to the top of the list. I think we may have a winner!"
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Emma worked until the second week of March, a few days before she was due. She encouraged Killian to continue working, but to keep his phone handy in case she needed to contact him. The school was only ten minutes from his house, and the hospital another fifteen, so they felt confident he could get her there in plenty of time if she went into labor while he was at school.
As he was beginning his math lesson on the morning of Friday, March 14, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He had all notifications silenced, except the ones from Emma, so he immediately checked it.
My water broke an hour ago and I think I'm in labor.
"Alexandra, please pass these papers out," he instructed, grabbing a stack of worksheets off of his desk and handing them to the girl sitting in front of him. Then he quickly picked up the handset of his classroom phone and punched in Archie Hopper's extension to set the established plan in motion.
Within minutes, the guidance counselor scurried into the room. Killian gave him some rushed instructions and showed him where they were in the day's lesson plans, then took off out of the room. He stopped in the office to let them know he was leaving, and ran out the door to a chorus of "good luck" from the office staff.
By the time he got home, Emma had contacted Ingrid to pick up Henry after school and had her hospital bag waiting by the door. He wanted to leave right away, but she was abiding by the advice given to them during Lamaze class. They had learned that leaving for the hospital should be based on the frequency, length and intensity of her contractions, and she knew it wasn't time yet.
After nearly two hours of them pacing the floor and timing the contractions, she finally agreed it was time to go. She was already pre-registered, so they were shown to a birthing suite as soon as they arrived. Killian helped Emma into a hospital gown, the monitors were attached, and they settled in to wait for the doctor to make his appearance.
Killian sent texts to Ruby and Mary Margaret between contractions. When his phone pinged with a response, he read it, then chuckled as he began telling Emma what it said. "Ruby says she wants to make sure we get the name spelled right. It's R-U-" Looking up, he saw that her face was drained of color and her chin was trembling.
He quickly moved to her side and took her hand. "What is it, Love? Are you in terrible pain?"
"No, I…I…Killian, I'm scared. What if I can't do this?"
"I'm sure nearly every woman in labor has those same fears, Sweetheart. It's a very intimidating experience you're facing, but I know how strong and determined you are, so I have no doubt you can do this. And you won't be doing it alone - I'll be with you every step of the way. Just think, before long we're going to be holding our baby!"
A faint smile crossed her pale face. "Yeah, the end result will be worth it, I just hope it doesn't take forever."
He smiled and brushed some strands of hair away from her face, leaning in to leave a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Emma."
"I love you t…OH!" Her words cut off as another contraction hit.
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Emma's labor lasted far into the night, exhausting both her and Killian, who felt helpless to ease her pain. Midnight came and went before the doctor finally deemed her ready to push. By that time, Killian was beginning to fear she wouldn't have the energy needed to bring their baby into the world.
However, she surprised both of them by digging deep within herself to find the strength she needed, and after a half dozen hard pushes, the doctor held up a squalling, red-faced baby, pronouncing it a girl before laying the infant on Emma's chest. The baby's cries calmed almost as soon as she made contact with her mother, and she stared up at her with wide blue eyes framed by dark lashes.
The new parents cooed and spoke words of love to their tiny daughter, ignoring the activity around them to focus on the perfect little girl.
"Welcome to the world, Hope Elizabeth," Emma murmured, tracing the baby's cheek and ear with her fingertip, while Killian nuzzled kisses into her generous amount of dark hair.
They spent more than an hour bonding with their daughter, encouraging her to nurse, sharing skin-to-skin time, and examining every inch of her. When the nurse finally took the baby to be weighed, measured and given all the newborn assessments, Killian went into the bathroom to wet a washcloth, using it to wipe Emma's sweaty face.
"You did it, Darling," he praised. "You were bloody brilliant."
"I couldn't have done it without you, Babe."
Even though it was the middle of the night, Killian sent out messages to their friends and Ingrid, informing them that Hope Elizabeth Jones arrived at 2:12 AM, weighing six pounds, fourteen ounces, and measuring nineteen inches long, with a head full of dark hair and deep blue eyes. They were surprised to get responses back almost immediately. After they responded, they gave into exhaustion and slept.
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Ingrid brought Henry to the hospital around ten o'clock the next morning, having held him off as long as she could while he pleaded to go meet his baby sister. She hoped the new parents would be getting some much-needed rest and didn't want to interfere with hospital staff morning routines.
After she finally entered through the sliding doors with a fidgety and eager Henry, and checked him in at the front desk, she allowed a nurse to take him to the room, not wanting to intrude on such a special family moment.
Henry pushed open the heavy hospital room door and peeked around it, to see Killian sitting in a rocking chair, holding a small bundle swaddled in a yellow blanket, while Emma laid in the bed with her eyes on them.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
"Absolutely," Emma answered, holding out her hand to him. "Come meet your little sister."
He squeezed through the door and hurried across the room to gaze down at the baby. "Aww, she's so tiny and cute!"
"Would you like to hold her?" Killian asked.
"Is that alright?"
"Of course! We're counting on you to help take care of her, so you might as well get used to it."
Henry's grin lit up the room. Killian stood and allowed him to take his place in the chair, then carefully transferred the baby into his arms. "Support her head and neck," he reminded him.
Emma and Killian looked on with pride as the siblings met each other. Henry was enraptured as he ran his eyes over his little sister. "Hi, Hope. I'm your big brother, Henry, and I'm really excited to finally meet you! When we get home, you'll get to meet your puppy brother and sister, Coco and Minnie. They're going to love you, just like I do. We're so lucky, Hope, because we have the best parents in the whole world, and I'm gonna be the best big brother you could ever want."
As he tenderly kissed her cheek, Emma and Killian brushed away tears, watching their children getting to know one another. Their family might not have come into being the traditional way, but it was forged through love, and now it was complete.
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Two years later
Emma stepped out onto the back deck of their home with a bottle of water, and smiled as she looked around. They had invited their friends over for a Fourth of July cookout and fireworks viewing. The yard was a bevy of activity, with Killian, David and Jefferson attempting to build a swingset for Hope, Ingrid and Henry playing with the dogs, and Mary Margaret and Ruby entertaining the little ones.
A little over a year after Emma had Hope, Mary Margaret and David welcomed a baby of their own - a little boy they named David Jr., whom they called Davey. After he was born, Mary Margaret left her teaching position, she and David moved to Storybrooke, and Mary Margaret got a job babysitting Hope every day during the school year. This allowed the two toddlers to become the best of friends.
Hope had a birthday the previous March, but most days she didn't live up to the 'terrible twos' moniker. She was a sweet, easy-going child with an adorable giggle, an extensive vocabulary, likely picked up from her father, and a determined attitude, just like her mother. In appearance, she was nearly a carbon copy of Killian, with dark brown curls and deep blue eyes. Emma playfully groused about being the one to do all the work of carrying their daughter for nine months, just for her to have the audacity not to resemble her mother at all, but she secretly loved that Hope looked so much like her daddy.
The little girl adored Henry and was his constant shadow, trying to replicate everything she saw him do. He, Minnie and Coco were endless sources of entertainment for the little girl, and nothing gave Emma and Killian more joy than watching the four of them together.
Henry was now twelve-years-old and his parents were waiting for the dreaded pre-teen years to kick in, but he continued to be kind, fun-loving, creative and studious, and demonstrated endless patience and love toward his sister.
He didn't go to counseling sessions with Mr. Hopper any longer, even though he still dealt with the trauma that came from being abused, neglected, and losing both parents. The emotional wounds lingered to a certain degree, but he didn't allow them to overshadow the wonderful life he had with his new family. Sometimes he sought solitude and would disappear into his room for a couple of hours. Emma and Killian allowed him to have time to himself, but kept a watchful eye on him and made sure he knew they were there if he needed to talk.
After surveying her busy friends and family for several moments, Emma descended the steps and crossed the yard. "Hey, Babe. Would you like some water?" she asked, joining Killian as he stood reading the extensive assembly directions for the swingset.
"Thanks, Love." He brushed a kiss across her lips, then opened the bottle. After taking a long drink, he wiped his forehead on the sleeve of his T-shirt and joined her in watching the activity going on around them.
Henry was throwing a frisbee to Minnie, while Ingrid tossed a small tennis ball for Coco to fetch as both dogs barked with excitement. Ruby led an impromptu parade with Hope, Mary Margaret and fifteen-month-old Davey marching alongside her, tooting plastic toy trumpets she so helpfully provided. Behind the couple, Jefferson and David argued about how to put together the frame of the swingset. The whole scene was noisy and utterly chaotic.
"Our life is a bit crazy, isn't it?" Killian remarked.
Emma slid her arm around his waist, pushed up on her tiptoes, and pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. "It's perfect."
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