The Convention

CS Genre: CS future fic

Killian scanned the auditorium warily as he found their seats and stepped back for Henry and Swan to step into the row before him. He grimaced as he noticed the fourth person that day dressed in a ridiculous curled wig and mustache. To a man, they wore bright red great coats, large brimmed hats trimmed with feathers so big he'd never be caught dead in them.

To be sure, there were others in odd attire as well. Girls in long white nightgowns and mobcaps. Boys dressed in green with small green hats on their heads, women dressed vaguely like Tink had back in Neverland.

No wonder Swan had insisted he attire himself in his full pirate regalia before they left home this morning.

"But Swan," he'd said, as she pulled his large, black great coat and red vest from the closet, "we're traveling to the Land Without Magic outside of Storybrooke, love. Won't this method of dress draw undo attention?"

"Trust me, Killian," she'd said with a secret smirk. "You'll look positively normal where we're going. Besides…I thought they ought to see what the real thing looks like."

"What the devil does that mean?"

But Swan had no intention, it would seem, of enlightening him further. And so, the three of them had piled into her bug and traveled to a town outside of Boston, headed for an event called a "Disney Convention."

Killian had very little idea what that entailed, only that both Swan and the lad were quite excited at the prospect. He'd viewed a handful of this Mr. Disney's films, brightly colored moving pictures featuring versions of the townsfolk along with assorted talking animals and singing. So much singing.

The only film he'd flat out refused to view was Peter Pan. He'd no desire to see such a travesty that portrayed the little demon as the hero and himself as an absolute buffoon.

"Swan, exactly what sort of event is this 'panel' we're attending?" he asked carefully as he took his seat, lacing his fingers with hers.

She shrugged evasively. "Oh, you know. It'll be like the other Q&A panel we went to this morning. A star of an upcoming remake will take questions from the audience about their show."

Killian had to admit the morning panel was greatly entertaining. The focus of the panel had been Snow White and Prince Charming. Killian had nearly guffawed when the prince came out wearing tights, a billowing shirt and a tiny little hat.

"Is it just me," Henry had said, leaning over to whisper to Killian, "or are we going to have to rib Gramps about this forever?"

"Absolutely unmercifully, lad," Killian said. "Perhaps we ought to purchase him one of those costumes they have for sale in the vending room."

"Oh, you have no idea what's in store," Swan said, under her voice, a teasing smile on her face.

Now, looking around the auditorium, Killian had a sinking suspicion just what it was that was in store for him in the afternoon panel. He suddenly remembered, in stark clarity, a certain conversation he'd had with Swan amid the humid Neverland jungle.

"And what was I like in these stories," he'd asked, cocky grin in place. "Handsome, I gather."

"If waxed moustaches and perms are your thing," she'd smirked back at him.

Surely, surely these sodding dandies prancing around weren't meant to represent him!

"Love," he said, "you cannot be serious!"

She attempted to look contrite, but the effect was ruined by the merriment in her eyes. "Sorry Killian. Henry and I thought you ought to see what this world thinks of you, and since you won't watch the movie…"

"Ambushed by my own wife and son!" he said. "You're more of a pirate than I am, Swan!"

She patted his arm and reached up to kiss his cheek. "I learned from the best."

"I have half a mind to join the queue along either side of the theater. The man chosen to portray me needs to answer for his high fashion crimes and misdemeanors!"

Emma laughed, and exasperated as he was, Killian couldn't help the way his heart leaped at the joyous, carefree sound. "Killian, you're such a drama queen! But don't worry. No one who saw the real Captain Hook could ever want one of those idiotic knock offs."

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

Emma chanced a quick glance at Killian as "Captain Hook" finished his Q&A panel. It had seemed like a great way to tease her husband, bringing him here to see Disney's Captain Hook. It was all meant in good fun, just a chance for them all to see and laugh about how very wrong Walt Disney got this one.

But Killian had seemed so put out when it dawned on him just what she and Henry had brought him to. He'd muttered under his breath throughout the panel, brows furrowed. Maybe she'd gone too far. Maybe he'd misunderstood her intention; maybe he thought she really saw him that way.

They had time to kill now. The audience was being called row by row for autographs (this afternoon with Snow White, Rufio and Prince Philip's horse—that one ought to be…interesting. They were having a real white horse stamp his "signature" on items.) Maybe it would be best to smooth things over.

"Killian," she said carefully, turning concerned eyes toward them. "I'm sorry if we…"

But at that moment, a little girl from the row in front of them leaned over and tugged on Killian's coat sleeve. "Excuse me," she lisped. "Who are you supposed to be?"

The slight frown melted from Killian's face, and he smiled down at the little one. "I, my lass am Captain Hook."

She giggled. "No you're not! You're not the real Captain Hook!"

Killian flashed an amused grin Emma's way and then turned back toward the tiny skeptic. He raised his left arm, proudly displaying his gleaming hook. "On the contrary, little love," he said. "I very much am the real Captain Hook."

"Nuh-uh!" she said, around giggles. "I know you're not him! You're just dressed up, like for Halloween!"

"What the bloody hell is Halloween, Swan?" Killian asked under his breath.

"I'll explain later," she said. "Looks like your little friend has company."

Sure enough, now two little girls stood, eyebrows raised as they waited for her oh-so-dangerous husband to explain himself.

"I quite assure you, I am Killian Jones, Captain Hook himself!" he said, donning a mock fierce scowl. "I have centuries' worth of thrilling tales I could tell that would make your hair stand on end!"

"Tell us! Tell us!" the little girls insisted, apparently not at all fooled by Killian's nonsense.

"Very well," he said in a low, dangerous voice. "There was one morning when Mr. Smee…"

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

Emma crawled into their hotel bed later that night, and quickly turned on her side to lay her head against her husband's shoulder.

"You aren't angry with us are you, Killian?" she asked, reaching up to caress his bare chest.

He glanced down at her, surprise evident on her face. "Whatever for, love?"

"For, you know, Henry and me tricking you into coming to the Captain Hook panel at the con," she said. "We didn't mean anything by it; just trying to, kind of rib you about how much they got wrong."

Killian leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "No, Love, I'm not angry. I doubt I could ever remain vexed with you. I admit to being a bit disconcerted at first, but the more the man spoke, the more ridiculous I found the whole affair."

"You know how much both Henry and I love you, how much we admire you, don't you, Killian?"

"Of course," he was quick to assure. "And the feeling is mutual. You are my family, and I will always, always think the best of you."

Emma sat up on her elbow and kissed him softly and for several minutes their mouths were too busy for talk.

Finally, Emma settled back against his chest, smiling as she felt his arm come around her, his hand caressing her side.

"You were certainly a big hit tonight," Emma said, after a while. "You ended up with four little girls totally smitten with you before all was said and done."

"What can I say," he grinned. "I'm devilishly handsome. The ladies of all ages can't resist me."

Emma laughed again. "Well there mothers were certainly pleased. They were tripping all over themselves thanking me for the free babysitting sitting service you were providing."

Killian chuckled softly. "Glad to do it. I have rather a soft spot for little ones."

Emma sat up once again and looked carefully at her husband. "You really do like children, don't you."

"Aye."

"And you're so good with them. Little Neal and Robyn love you. They light up whenever you walk into the room."

"When I was young," Killian said, "I always thought I'd marry and have a houseful of children. But after becoming a pirate…it seemed my dream was gone just as surely as was my commission in the royal navy."

"Killian…" Emma said, feeling her heart break all over again for the young lieutenant who had lost everything when he'd lost his beloved brother.

"No matter, love," he said gently. "I love your lad…our lad. And I've finally gotten the son I always wanted. I'm happy with our life."

"I know how much you love Henry," Emma said slowly, "but do you ever wish we would, you know, have more kids?"

Emma watched a quick, wistful look come over his face before it settled into a content look. "I've no wish to pressure you into something you don't want. If Henry is the only son I ever have, I will be content with my life."

"But," she said slowly, determinedly not looking at him. "What if it's something I want too? What if I've started thinking about expanding our family, and I was just waiting for a good time to ask you about it?"

He looked at her intently before a gentle smile settled over his face. "If that be the case, love, nothing would make me more delighted."

"Good," she said, "because I think it's time we start trying to give Henry a little brother or sister. You'll make an amazing father, and I really want to see what it's like to be pregnant and have a baby when I'm surrounded by people who love me."

"Then a baby I shall give you," Killian said, pulling her down for a long, hungry kiss. "It shall be my very, very great pleasure. When shall we begin our endeavor?"

She looked down at him seductively. "What's wrong with right now?"

He flipped them, hovering over her for a moment before leaning down to give her a kiss that made her toes curl. "Not a thing in the world."

Notes:

-Sorry for my lack of update last week. I went to the OUAT con in Chicago a couple weeks ago, and I ended up spending all of last week working through my notes and videos and everything else from the con. The result was that a grand total of none of my WIPs got updated. Hopefully I'm back to the regular weekly schedule now, though.

-Today's Fluffy Friday update is directly inspired by something that happened at the Chicago con. There was guy sitting in the row in front of me who was cosplaying as Hook, and man did he look authentic! He was wearing the leather pirate coat, the red vest of sex and leather pants. (Seriously, he was double-take worthy.) There were several little girls sitting in his row and the one in front of him, and they spent a good portion of the weekend talking to him, insisting he wasn't the real Captain Hook, and stating that they knew he was wearing a costume, like for Halloween. All weekend long he didn't break character. Continually insisting (to the delighted giggles of the little girls) that he was, in fact, Killian Jones. It was pretty much the most adorable thing ever. And it was just begging to be written into a story with daddy Killian feels!

-Up next: The 100th chapter of this not-at-all little collection! I don't know what it will be about, but I hope to make it special.