It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Everywhere you go

Take a look at the five and ten, it's glistening once again

With candy canes and silver lanes that glow

The snow was calmly falling down onto the street. Not a soul was outside in the cold, everyone was huddled together in their homes, celebrating this very special holiday that was all about decorations with twinkly lights, candy, hot peppermint cocoa and eggnog, stockings hung by the fireside, an overweighed old man in a red bathrobe with a beard who was flying on a sleigh with reindeers, and somehow also about the birth of some other savior somewhere long ago, but Killian wasn't sure whether he was also living here in Storybrooke.

He peeked out the window through the curtains, getting more and more impatient by the second. Where the bloody hell were they? They said they'd be here an hour ago.

„Darling?", he turned around when he heard her voice and almost got a heart attack when he saw her in her tight bordeaux-colored velvet off-the-shoulder dress. How could any person be that incomprehensibly beautiful and perfect? And tonight, she even had a smile for him that seemed to actually come from the heart.

„You look absolutely stunning, love", he said, reaching out for her hand.

She walked over to him and let him take her in his arms. „Thank you. You do too, though! I think I'll never get enough of the sight of you in a suit."

He leaned in to give her a gentle kiss, then she looked at him with big brown eyes. „Are you coming? Most our guests are already there."

„Aye, I was just waiting for…"

„Henry and the other Hook?", she nodded, „Henry called, they got back into town today and are just taking a bit of time to shower and get ready. They should be here any moment now. Come, mhm?"

Arm in arm they went into the living room where the rest of their family and friends were already sitting around the festive tree and the cozy fireplace.

„Alright, so…", she said with an inviting gesture, the perfect hostess, „who'd like hot chocolate or eggnog? We also have mulled wine, with or without alcohol."

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Toys in every store

But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be

On your own front door

Finally, the doorbell rang, and Killian almost ran to the door to let in their last two remaining guests.

„Finally…", he whispered when he greeted Henry and his stepfather.

His other version raised an eyebrow. „I believe the words you are searching for are ‚Thank You', mate! We got lost in that damn forest and almost didn't make it back in time."

„Aye, I noticed that!"

„Henry!", Regina came down the hallway, arms wide open to give her son a hug, „You made it! Welcome home!"

He hugged his mother tight, thinking about where they had been and what they had done – and what that would or could mean for her and her future.

„Are you okay?", she asked, stroking his back, when he didn't seem to want to let go of her again.

„Yeah yeah, I'm fine, I'm just… I've missed you!"

„Oh, well isn't that nice! You were only gone for a week, but I've missed you too", she gently cupped his face between her hands, then went up on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead, very carefully to not leave any traces of lipstick.

When he and Hook went to greet the other guests, she gently stroked Killian's back. „And you, are you alright, dear? You seem a little fidgety tonight?"

„Oh, I'm just… excited, that's all! I don't think I've ever had such a festive and tranquil Christmas Eve celebration."

„Ah, I see. Don't worry, huh? There's a first time for everything. You're doing splendidly so far", she smiled at him, proud. When she was with Robin, she had never really gotten the chance to properly entertain guests at her place, and she hadn't been sure whether Killian would be a great help and the type of partner for it. But just like Thanksgiving a few weeks ago, everything was absolutely perfect! So perfect in fact, that she almost forgot all about the shock that still sat festering deep inside her. Almost…

While Regina made a detour to the kitchen to check on the food, Killian joined the two new arrivals standing by the fire together with Emma, Ella, Snow and David.

„Did you get it?"

„Yes, we did", said Hook, „Chill, mate!"

„Apologies, but it's a little hard to ‚chill' when it's about the future of my family", he turned around to make sure his girlfriend was still far enough away and couldn't hear them,

„Also, I don't have any other gift for her… Where the bloody hell is it?"

His lookalike raised a bottle of rum containing a clear fluid.

Killian raised an eyebrow. „That's it?"

„Aye!"

„You put the magic water that is supposed to help me get my girlfriend pregnant inside a bottle of rum?"

„And why the bloody hell not? Don't these stories always start with a bottle of rum and a poor decision?", he grinned.

„Hey hey, no fighting on Christmas Eve, alright?", Emma wouldn't be argued with, „So I figure, there was still some of the water left?"

„There was", said Henry, „Wouldn't necessarily call it a lake, but once we had found it, getting the water was a breeze."

„And does it work?", asked Killian.

„I believe so!"

He wouldn't take any chances though! And so he opened the bottle and poured a few drops on a pretty sad looking poinsettia that Lucy had given her grandmother. Even though his girlfriend wielded magic, she wasn't exactly a Mother Gothel when it came to her botanical skills.

Instantly, the flower recovered and grew strong, bright red and luminous again. His heart stopped for a moment and then resumed beating twice as fast. It worked… it actually worked!

„Did… you just water the plant with rum?", he jerked around and saw Regina looking at him, curious and amused at the same time.

He cleared his throat and shrugged, then managed a casual smirk. „It worked though, didn't it?"

„It looks like it, yes!"

He just couldn't take his eyes off of her. This was it! She was the woman who would – hopefully – carry his child. Or even, children, and he was struggling to fully wrap his head around it. He simply was the luckiest bastard alive.

„Everything okay?", she asked carefully when he didn't stop staring at her.

Eventually he shook his head and managed to return to the here and now, nodding. „Yes, yes… I'm sorry, you're just… you really look incredible in that dress."

She blushed, briefly looking down and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, then she said to him and the others: „Dinner's almost ready, why don't you slowly head over to the dining room and have a seat?"

Snow chuckled and gently poked Killian in the ribs. „It is a nice dress, but very tight, huh? Hopefully not one she'll be able to wear for that much longer, am I right?"

She winked at him and walked away with David.

Killian looked at the bottle in his hand, holding it like the world's most precious treasure, then he looked at the other Killian. „Would you expect for this to also work on this?", he held up his hook.

He shook his head with a sigh. „Probably, but I wouldn't risk it, mate. That hand we're missing is unpredictable."

„Trust him", said Emma, nodding, „Been there, done that. Never again!"

When eventually all their guests had left, they went to fetch the presents that they had collected from everyone for everyone and stored in one of the spare rooms on the ground floor to place them under the tree in the living room, where they would be reunited with their family tomorrow on Christmas morning, all in their Christmas PJs, for an equally festive brunch. Lastly, he sneaked his gift for her under the tree as well. And he knew already that he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, but not because of Santa Clause. He just couldn't wait to see the look on her face! She'd be thrilled about it… wouldn't she?

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lucy and Neil could barely contain themselves when they saw the tree with all the presents, most of which of course were for the children, for Hope too, but she was still too little to really care.

With a decent amount of jealousy he watched the other Killian hold his baby daughter, the proudest father, and he couldn't help but wonder whether next Christmas he too would be holding a little one? He had dreamt of it last night when he had finally managed to fall asleep: they had been blessed with a little girl. His little princess, who looked just like her mother!

One by one they were unwrapping the gifts as they all sat around the tree, marveling at the sweet and considerate gestures they had all prepared for each other. Robin had finally been able to buy Alice the most beautiful engagement ring and proposed to her all over, with getting down on one knee and all, while Zelena gave her sister some oddly shaped sex toy that was appropriately called ‚the wand'.

„To make up for your most certainly disappointing pirate", she had said with an arrogant smile towards him. Apparently she still wasn't ready to be friends with him or at least call it a truce quite yet.

Regina had looked at it with eyes wide open, then let it disappear discreetly before the kids would start asking questions. „I can assure you", she whispered, „There's absolutely nothing disappointing about him!"

And then, he saw her looking at him with those deep brown eyes that he loved so much, with a longish box in her hand, wrapped in sea blue paper. „Merry Christmas, darling! And thank you, for everything. For saving me. For loving me. For making me feel like myself again. And I hope that I too can give you back a little bit of yourself. With this…", she handed him the box, and for some odd reason it left him completely flabbergasted that she had a Christmas present for him.

„What is it, love?", he asked carefully, but she only chuckled.

„Open it! That's how it works."

Carefully he unwrapped then opened the box and his heart stopped for a second. „Is that…"

„The Jolly Roger? Not quite, it's smaller, but that also means that it can be operated by one person only if needed."

„It can b… I'm not sure I understand?", he pulled a bottle from the box containing a miniature model of a marvelous sailing vessel.

„It's magic! It's trapped inside the bottle, but any contact with sea water will release the ship and bring it back to its true size – otherwise I could hardly have put it under the tree! We can take it down to the pier later."

He felt his eyes become dangerously moist, he had never even been aware of how much he had missed the idea of having a ship and the freedom it provided – until now. This woman truly knew him better than he knew himself.

He had no words, so he just hugged her. „Thank you, love", he whispered, „I love you so much, Regina."

„I love you too, Killian! Merry Christmas! Maybe you want to invite me to take her for a spin these days, or when the temperatures get a little more friendly?"

„You bet!", he looked at her, full of love.

„Killian?", Lucy asked with a broad smile and sparkling eyes, „Did you also get a present for grandma Regina?"

He took a deep breath, then nodded. The time had come. „Aye, most certainly. He reached under the tree, her gift was quite a bit smaller, in the end he had filled a small, delicate looking vial he had found in one of her kitchen cabinets with some of the water. According to Snow, it didn't need a lot, and he thought, it wouldn't be the worst thing to keep some of it in stock, after all, one never knew what it could be useful for one day.

She opened it with shaking fingers, her first Christmas present from a boyfriend in… pretty much ever? Then she pulled out the little bottle and looked at it, questioningly.

„What is it? Is it… a special drink, or a potion?"

„Aye, love. Both, kind of."

Of course, this was still not enough information for her to understand, so he took her hand in his and looked her deep in the eyes when he explained further, careful to not get too personal in front of all their guests to not embarrass or expose her: „Many, many years ago, you drank a potion in order to take something away from you. And… I know that you've been regretting it for a long, long time. Especially the past few weeks. The water in this bottle has magical properties indeed. It has the ability to return what was once lost. It will reverse the potion's magic."

She looked down at the vial in her hand and was unable to fully comprehend what he was saying. It was as if his voice was coming from far away, like he was not even really talking to her at all. All of a sudden it was just her and this bottle. Her hand started to shake, then a single tear fell from her eye onto the glass which made the liquid inside glow for a split second.

She looked up again at him with wet, red eyes. „Is it true?"

„Aye, love. I swear on my life… on my ship. It's water from Lake Nostos. Henry and Killian have brought it. That's the real reason why they had gone out of town."

She had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep herself from sobbing as she commended first the other Killian, then her son with a grateful look.

„I know, since we've been back from our brief trip to the Enchanted Forest", continued Killian, „you've been asking yourself how they did it. I don't know for sure, but… I'm guessing this is how. And if she could do it, then so can you. So can we…"

Her voice was merely a whisper, her body so fragile all of a sudden that he simply had to take her into his arms and hold her. „What are you saying?"

Finally, it dawned on Henry that his mother and her boyfriend would probably want a bit of privacy for this very intimate conversation, so he said: „Oh wow, it's gotten quite late! What do you say, Lucy, I think it's time we check out all your awesome presents at home, what do you think?"

The girl, smart as always, instantly caught the cue. „Oh… yes, daddy! You're right, let's do that!"

„I think we'll head home too", said Emma, „I'm sure Hope will get fussy soon."

Snow and David also said their goodbyes after she had to poke her husband in the ribs not once, but twice to get him to get the hint.

Only Zelena still sat there as if she had a front row ticket to the prime time show, her face plastered with excitement.

„Mom?", said Robin, „I think we should go too?"

„Are you insane? I'm not gonna miss this!"

She sighed. „Mom, please! We're going. Now!"

With a grunt, she rolled her eyes and got up, stomping her foot to underline her displeasure. „Fine! But I'll want details, Gina! I call you later."

With that, also Zelena, Robin and Alice, beaming with the excitement of possibly getting a little brother or sister, left, and then they were alone.

Only then did Regina allow herself to cry, and he just held her, rocking her gently his arms waiting for her to calm down again.

„It's true, love", he repeated himself, „We can have a child together. When you drink this, you will be able to get pregnant again and have a baby. A baby that's yours, and only yours."

„But", she sobbed, „Lake Nostos, I… I thought it dried out forever ago?"

„It did! But apparently, Cora… your mother, brought it back. So in a way… she's the one who took it from you, but she's also the one to give it back. If you want to, that is?"

He placed his hook under her chin to lift her head so he could look into her by now swollen eyes. „I want a child with you, Regina. A family. Bloody hell, there's nothing in this life I want more. What do you say?"

She looked at him for a few more deep breaths, then, instead of an answer, she opened the bottle, put it against her lips and drank. Protectively he placed his hand over her belly. He had no idea what would happen to her now, but he just wanted to support her in whichever way he could. And indeed! He felt a few short and rather light cramps underneath his hand, and she winced just very briefly, gasping for air. And then it was over.

„Did it hurt?"

„No", she shook her head, „not hurt, but… something happened, for sure."

„Aye. How do you feel?"

She looked at him, not really sure how she felt. Incredulous, scared, hopeful… happy?

„I feel like… I might actually be able to have a biological child. After all these years!"

She framed his face between her hands and gently placed her forehead against his. Then she whispered with the most grateful smile: „Let's make a baby!"

His heart was about to explode when he pulled her into a deep kiss before lifting her up on his arms and carrying her upstairs.