Holding Court

CS Genre: Future Fic (mainly Killian, but implied CS)

"Time to rise and shine, you bilge rats!" Killian yelled into the Enchanted Forest tavern, which was now situated approximately five miles due south of his and Emma's home in Storybrooke. "We've an important day ahead of us."

There was grumbling as one by one, his old crew–both those from his own Enchanted Forest, and those of the Wish Realm–raised heads from the table where they'd passed out from drink the night before. Annoyed, bleary eyes turned toward him.

"Beggin your pardon, Cap'n," an old sea salt named Murphy called out in a gravelly voice, "But I seem to be a damn sight drunker than I thought. I see two of you."

Another sailor Killian didn't recognize, one Wish Smee must have taken on during his years as captain of the Jolly Roger, smacked the back of Murphy's head. "Ye old doddering fool! There are two of them now!"

Killian turned and shot his Wish Realm counterpart an amused look, before schooling his features into a stern look as Rogers (as the family had decided to continue calling him in order to distinguish the two men in conversation) stepped forward.

"Aye," Rogers growled, raising his hook slightly, "there are two of us now, and neither of us has gone a wit soft, so I'd suggest you listen to my brother, lest we make you walk the bloody plank."

Killian felt the warmth bubble up in his chest at Rogers' use of the word "brother". Technically, of course, it wasn't true, but they'd decided it would be a far easier way to refer to each other than "the alternate universe version of myself".

The men seemed properly intimidated, getting up quickly (with various curses as they held their clearly aching, hungover heads), and standing to attention.

"Aye, aye, captains!" one of the Smees, Killian wasn't sure which, said, coming to the front of the tavern, "And what are our orders for the day?"

"We've a new first mate to introduce," Killian said, "and I expect all of you to conduct yourselves like gentlemen. No shouting, no swearing, and for the love of the gods be gentle!"

There was a smattering of disgruntled voices, before Smee stepped up. "A new First Mate? You're…you're replacing me, Cap'n?"

Killian clapped his loyal first mate on the shoulder (this one must be his Smee, as the other was now captain of the Wish Realm Jolly Roger.) "Not to fear, Mr. Smee. You're not being replaced. Let's just say the new mate is more of a figure head. Gentleman, I present to you Hope Swan-Jones, destined to be the finest sailor in all the combined realms!"

Emma dutifully entered just as their little pirate princess was announced, an indulgent smile on her face as she looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms.

There were "ooh"s and "ahhhh!'s all around as the men crowded around his wife to get a look at his daughter.

"Guys, I'm warning you," Emma said as one sailor reached out one slightly dirty hand to pat the baby gently on the head, "if you wake her up, I'm going to turn you into toads. She's been fussy all morning and I just got her down for her morning nap!"

Rogers shot Killian an amused look as the pirates took a step back en masse.

"Begging your pardon, ma'am," one mumbled. "She's just so pretty, got carried away."

"Don't let her beauty fool you, gentlemen," Killian said, with a grin at his wife, "this little one has quite the formidable temper. She'll make a hell of a captain one day, and we'll likely all jump to her orders."

"Aye," Smee said. "She's the daughter of the Savior and Captain Hook. Cap'n she'll prove to be the best of us all."

And there wasn't a pirate in the tavern who didn't enthusiastically agree.

Killian put his arm around his wife and looked with wonder at his sleeping daughter. "That she will, Mr. Smee. That she will."

Hope Swan-Jones was already a force to be reckoned with, and Killian had no doubt she'd go on to change the world.

Killian had everything he could ever want, and he was truly the happiest man in any realm.

Notes:

-So this is kind of a "rerun" of sorts. I originally wrote this story as the fulfillment of a prompt I got just after the OUAT finale. I love Killian, and the thought that 2 of them are out there now, probably hanging out and trading stories of how to be fathers to daughters. *swoon*

-Up next: CS future fic Christmas story. Hope, now a toddler, manages to use magic to bring the Elf on the Shelf to life.