Thankful
CS Genre: Deleted scene, pre 7x2
Growing up, Emma remembered the holidays as a cold, dreary, depressing time. Everywhere she turned there were happy families, basking in the joy of the season. Bright red and green decorations everywhere. Singers crooning about the happiest time of the year. Movies and tv shows about the joy and magic of the holidays.
All it ever did was remind Emma of what she didn't have.
But that had all changed when she came to Storybrooke and found her family and her true love.
Emma woke early on Thanksgiving morning, a bright smile on her face and a song in her heart. She lay pleasantly cocooned in a mountain of quilts, her husband's warmth surrounding her, his arm slung over her waist, his hand splayed across her still-flat belly, holding their child close.
It was incredible how much her life had changed in just a few short years. She missed Henry like crazy, especially during the holidays, but other than his absence, her life was about as close to perfect as it was possible to get.
Well…almost. Emma felt her stomach roil as the ever present morning sickness reared its ugly head. She took deep breaths, willing the nausea to subside, but after a minute or two she realized it was useless. Moving as gently as possible so as not to disturb Killian, she got out of bed and nearly sprinted to the bathroom.
She loved this baby with everything in her already, but anyone who suggested pregnancy was fun needed to be committed. Funny, she didn't remember the first trimester being this miserable with Henry. Oh she'd been a little more tired than normal, and she'd felt a bit sick for a couple of weeks, but it was the emotional turmoil that had been the worst.
It seemed getting pregnant in your early thirties was far different than getting pregnant in your teens. Still, despite the unbelievable fatigue, the morning sickness that seemed to last most of the day, the constant weird cravings, and the times she felt faint, she wouldn't trade this for anything.
Emma rinsed out her mouth, gargled a bit of mouth wash, splashed some water on her face and padded back to the bed. Killian sat up in the bed, his hair delightfully touselled, and looked over at her in concern.
"Swan?" he asked, pulling up the covers and welcoming her back into the shelter of his arms, "are you quite well, love?"
Emma chuckled humorlessly. "Killian, this kid of yours is trying to kill me."
If possible, Killian looked even more concerned. "Shall I ring the doctor?"
Emma laughed again. "Killian we've talked about this. I'm fine. A bit miserable, but fine. Besides, I think if you call Whale one more time to freak out about a little routine morning sickness, he's going to come over here and beat you with his stethoscope."
Emma loved having a husband who wanted to take care of her during her pregnancy, one who loved and wanted this baby at least as much as she did. She loved Killian for it, but his whole concerned husband/mother hen routine had gotten old by about the second day they'd known about the pregnancy.
"Are you sure you should be lifting that love?" he'd asked, as she reached for the throw pillows that decorated their bed.
"A pillow, Killian? Seriously?"
Later in the sheriff's station, he'd been even worse. "Swan, I'm not altogether sure you should go out on that call. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you or the baby."
"Killian, Dopey and Doc got into a fender bender. Just how dangerous do you think responding to that is going to be?"
"Perhaps you'd best take a rest in one of the unoccupied cells, love. You must keep your strength up," he'd continued.
"Killian stop fussing!"
But the last straw had come when Killian called Whale for the fifteenth time in the first week, concerned about her fatigue and nausea.
"Killian," Emma said firmly, "I love you with all my heart. I would go (and have gone) through hell for you, but I swear if you don't stop hovering I'm going to turn you into a ferret. I'm pregnant, not an invalid.
He'd gotten much better since then, but he still watched her like a hawk, ready to come to her assistance at the slightest indication it was needed.
Emma settled into the bed, kissed her husband, and prepared to catch a few more z's when her stomach growled loud enough to wake the dead. Killian chuckled. "Our lass is demanding nourishment now, is she?"
It was, of course, far too early to know the sex of their baby, but Killian was sure they were having a daughter, and Emma had to admit she had the same feeling.
"She's famished, as always," Emma said. "Guess it's time to get up and see what's for breakfast."
Killian stopped her with a gentle hand to her shoulder. "Stay put love. Let me bring my girls breakfast in bed."
Her heart turned over at the love in his eyes, the way he always wanted to do little things for her. "Certainly not going to turn down an offer like that."
"And just what does my little princess wish for her morning repast today?"
Emma grinned. "Okay, I know this sounds totally disgusting, but do you know what I'm craving like crazy right now?"
"I couldn't even begin to guess what noisome combination of food items you desire today," he said.
"What I really want is a couple of my blueberry Pop-Tarts and a big dill pickle."
Killian pulled a face, but dutifully shuffled off toward the kitchen.
Emma settled back against the pillows and smiled, putting a protective hand over her belly as she waited for her breakfast. Today was a big day. Today was the day she and Killian told the family their big news. Killian had been so excited when she told him about the baby six weeks ago that he'd been ready to call her father (and his best mate) on the spot, but Emma had stopped him.
"Killian, would you mind terribly if we waited a bit to tell people?" she'd asked hesitantly.
He'd given her a surprised look, but then slowly shook his head. "I suppose not, love, but why shouldn't we share our joy?"
She'd shrugged. "I don't know. It's just so…new and exciting. I was kind of hoping we could celebrate privately for a while, just have this an incredibly amazing secret just between the two of us."
He'd agreed with her, and in the end, they'd decided Thanksgiving day would be the perfect time to tell the family.
"Your grandma and grandpa are going to be so excited to find out about you, baby," she whispered softly.
Emma had more to be thankful for this Thanksgiving than she ever had before.
~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~
Thanksgiving dinner had become somewhat of a tradition for the Charming/Swan/Jones/Mills family over the years. The first Thanksgiving dinner they'd had together wasn't actually on Thanksgiving at all. It was in the middle of the spring, just after the Black Fairy had been defeated. The whole gang (including Rumple, Belle and a newly baby-ized Gideon) met at Granny's for lasagna and Regina's famous apple turnovers. Snow had insisted they go around the table and list something they were thankful for. Despite some snark and grumbling (mainly from Zelena), everyone had complied, and a new family tradition was born.
Ever since that day, Thanksgiving dinner had moved to the appropriate day, near the end of November. Granny's had hosted them for the first couple of years, but when Anton finally succeeded in getting his newly planted magic bean fields to yield, she'd taken to realm hopping over the holidays so she could spend time with Ruby. Now they all took turns hosting.
This year, the Mills sisters had the honor of hosting the big family dinner.
And so it was that early in the evening, Emma and Killian walked hand in hand into the mayor's mansion, proffering a bottle of rum as a hostess gift.
"This looks like the good stuff," Emma said, as Killian rang the doorbell, and they waited to be welcomed in. "Too bad I won't be able to drink it for a good seven months."
"Don't worry love," Killian said with a wink. "I'll drink enough for both of us."
For that, he received a (somewhat) playful smack.
Zelena opened the door with an eyeroll. "About time you two arrived. You're ten minutes late. After hours of slaving away in the kitchen (which is torture without magic), if you ruined a single dish there will be hell to pay."
"Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Zelena," Emma said with a grin. "Sorry, we were just…um…delayed a bit, and lost track of time."
She prayed her face wasn't flaming as much as she suspected it was. Another side effect of this pregnancy seemed to be that she wanted her husband. Like all the time. And Killian, good husband that he was, was always up to the task. It's possible they might have gotten carried away this afternoon and been so lost in each other that they totally forgot there was even such a thing as Thanksgiving.
Zelena looked back and forth between them for a moment, and then dramatically rolled her eyes. "Can we just have one day where we're not all nauseated at the thought of the two of you constantly getting it on?"
Killian smirked as he looked down at Emma, his look pure sin and wickedness. "I wouldn't count on it."
And Zeus help her, but she was ready to drag Killian into the nearest private space she could find and have her way with him again. Pregnancy hormones were going to be the death of her (and possibly the death of her pirate as well, considering the look her dad shot him as he walked into the foyer just in time to hear that little exchange).
The Golds had left on their big world tour some five or six years ago now, and of course Henry was off trying to create his own story, but even so, the Mills sisters' dining room table was nearly filled to capacity between the Charmings, the Swan-Jones's, the Mills sisters and the two rambunctious kids. (Seriously, Neal and Robyn could get into more trouble together than any ten children Emma knew growing up in group homes.)
Emma settled in with Killian on one side and her mother on the other. Snow leaned over and gave Emma a motherly one-armed hug.
"Something's different about you today, Emma," Snow said with a smile. "You're positively glowing."
Emma smiled and on impulse hugged her mom back. "I'm just happy, mom," she said meaning it with her whole heart. "These big family get togethers are more than I ever could have hoped for, despite the inevitable snark-off between Regina and Zelena."
Snow smiled gently. "I'll always regret all the years we missed together, but the fact that we can have these moments now, well it's what I've always wanted for our family."
Dinner, consisting of all the traditional Thanksgiving favorites, was delicious. Emma always secretly loved it when Regina and Zelena hosted Thanksgiving, because magic or no magic, they were amazing cooks. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade dinner rolls, sweet potatoes and steamed vegetables. All of it was delectable. This year, however, the cranberry sauce nearly made her stomach turn. Right then; so baby Swan-Jones did not like cranberries. It took a few moments of deep breathing and swallowing hard, but luckily Emma was able to push the nausea aside and finish her dinner in peace.
David waited until they'd finished eating, everyone feeling like they'd burst if they consumed another bite, and then stood at the head of the table, clinking his glass.
"Well now that we've eaten, you all know what time it is. It's time for everyone to share what they're thankful for. Regina, as hostess, do you want to start?"
Regina smiled, waved her hand and produced a small piece of paper. "I'm grateful for this letter Henry managed to get to me yesterday. He's doing well, and he's having all types of adventures. Okay, Zelena. Your turn."
Zelena took a sip of her rum. "I'm thankful Leroy caught laryngitis. His constant town crier act got old about ten years ago. Robyn, darling?"
The little red head grinned, showing off a missing tooth or two. "I'm thankful Mother Superior never found out it was me that put the 'Shady Blue' sign on her back."
This, of course, resulted in admonishment from most of the adults, but Emma turned away to hide her grin.
"Neal, you're next."
Neal Nolan, frowned with all of his eight-year-old might and glared at his parents. He, apparently was still put out about his mother forbidding him from having a third apple turnover. "I don't want to say anything! I'm not thankful!"
David shot him a stern look, and Neal looked back defiantly for another moment, but then dropped his eyes. "Fine! I'm thankful for Wilby."
Ever since the Charmings had bought their farmhouse and adopted Wilby, dog and boy had been nearly inseparable.
"I guess I'll go next," David said after nodding approvingly at his recalcitrant son. "I'm thankful for the life we have now. I'm thankful to be back on a farm, working the land. I'm thankful to have the best wife, son, daughter and son-in-law a man could ever have. Snow? How about you?"
Snow reached over and squeezed her husband's hand affectionately. "I'm thankful that we're all here, all together, all happy and healthy. It's all I ever wanted for this family. Emma? Your turn. What are you thankful for this year?"
Here it was, the moment of truth, the moment she and Killian had been planning pretty much since they got the positive pregnancy test. Emma reached over and linked her fingers with her husbands'.
"Actually, mom," Emma said, unable to hold back her smile. "This year Killian and I wanted to share what we're thankful for together."
A knowing, excited look came into Snow's face. "Emma, honey? Are you about to tell us what I think you're about to tell us?"
"Yeah, I think I am," Emma said, smiling as she looked over at her mom then her dad. "So in just over seven months you and dad are going to be grandparents again. Killian and I are expecting!"
Emma couldn't have hoped for a better reaction to their big news. From Snow nearly crushing her in a hug, to David patting Killian on the back, to the kids cheering about having a new playmate on the way, to Zelena demanding Regina pay up. "I told you that's why she wouldn't drink the rum, Sis. You owe me", everyone shared their joy. Everyone was ready to welcome the little cygnet into their big, crazy family with open arms.
"We can't wait," Killian said, "we've wanted this for such a long time, but I was starting to think it would never happen. Not for lack of trying, mind you. Swan and I had plenty of practice over the last couple of years."
Neal tugged on his dad's sleeve. "Dad, what kind of practice does he mean?"
It was hard to tell, which was redder, the cranberry sauce or David's face. "Trust me son. That's a detail neither you nor I want to know about. At all."
As Regina and Zelena set about to clear the table, and Snow began talking about the baby shower she was bound and determined to throw for them, Emma looked over at Killian, tears welling in her eyes. He shot her a tender look, reaching up to swipe at her cheek. A lost girl and a lost boy they might have been, but this child, the product of their true love, would know no such heartache. Still months away from greeting the world, and already she had more people that loved her than she'd ever know what to do with.
Never had there been a time when Emma had more for which to be thankful.
Notes:
-*Waves* Hi! Did you miss me? Sorry it's been so very, very long since I updated Fluffy Fridays, but I recently got a second job as the music coordinator at my church. As you can imagine, especially with Christmas coming up in a little over a month, my fandom related time has been quite a bit limited as a result.
-As I mentioned on Tumblr, I've been mulling over what Fluffy Fridays will look like moving forward, and here's what I've come up with: Since CS's story is effectively done in canon, I think this season will be it for me as far as Fluffy Fridays is concerned, unless I suddenly get a burst of inspiration. 125 chapters seems like a nice, milestone number to end with, so that means I have 9 chapters left to write.
-My tentative update schedule is as follows: Dec. 22, Jan. 12 and 26, Feb. 9 and 23, Mar. 23, Apr. 6 and 20 and May 4.
-As for topics, I'm thinking Christmas, Deleted or Divergent scene for each of seasons 2-6, Lieutenant Duckling, Future Fic, and AU. (No idea what order I'll write them in, other than Christmas will be in December, and it might be nice to go out on a future fic).
-So if you have any specific requests for any of those topics, feel free to send them my way!