This was a request for a fic of Anna Elizabeth & her birth parents. Don't think of this as sad – think of it as a wonderful snapshot of the past :)
Also, I couldn't help but think that The Wizard of Oz line made the perfect title for a trip to the zoo. :)
The sun shining through the pale blue curtains stirred Liam from his sleep. He stretched and yawned before he sleepily sat up, all the while being careful not to wake Elsa.
He then looked over at his wife and saw that she was sleeping peacefully. He couldn't help but smile at the way she used a pillow to cover her eyes while she slept. Though it was a habit he had picked up on during their honeymoon, the sight still brought him joy four and a half years later.
His mind then began to drift to the day that they said "I do." It truly had been one of the happiest days of his life, and he wouldn't have changed a thing that led up to that day. Nor would he change the many moments that led them to this lovely Saturday morning.
Yet, there was still a part of him that remained surprised that his life had taken this path. It surely wasn't what he envisioned for himself.
Romantic love hadn't even existed in his vocabulary – he had always been so busy taking care of his brother and sister and trying to provide a life for the three of them. As Killian had once told him, he had this "stern captain" air about him – he would have been the perfect fit for the Royal Navy, like their father. Killian had been joking when he had told him that, but it wasn't far from the truth. Liam knew he could dreadfully stubborn, and it wasn't always easy to admit when he was wrong or when he needed help. But, his family had always been important to him, even more so after he had been given the task of raising a 13 and an 11-year-old.
He knew his personality and situation wasn't one that was ideal for romance, but he never considered it to be a problem. In fact, he never considered romance at all – at least not for himself.
But then, Elsa came along, and she rather surprised him. He didn't feel any sparks, his heart didn't race, and he wasn't at all nervous when he first met her. She was simply a lovely lass with an odd taste for cold weather. Though walking her to class made him realize she was quite beautiful and intriguing, he didn't even consider the option of being more than friends.
As they got to know one another the following months, he began to see how alike they really were, and how much they had in common. It was when he found himself smiling at the mere thought of her and when he realized that he paid attention to every single thing that she did that he began to rethink the existence of love and romance in his life.
He wasn't entirely sure what the bloody hell he was doing when he asked her out or during the date that soon followed. Thankfully, neither did she, and they agreed to figure it out together.
And now, here they were sleeping next to each other, wearing gold bands on their fingers. The rings served as a symbol of the love that they had found, and the little girl produced by that love would be barreling in their room any second.
He then saw Elsa remove the pillow before she rubbed her eyes. She then turned to face Liam and smiled as she told him, "Good morning."
"Good morning, love," he replied before he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
She smiled once more before she asked him, "Were you watching me sleep?"
Liam nodded before he elaborated, "I was thinking about how life can often be unexpected."
"I believe that's an understatement," Elsa agreed with a chuckle. She then stretched and sat up before she snuggled into her husband's side, and he wrapped his arms around her.
They were enjoying their quiet moment in each other's arms and had almost fallen back asleep when they heard the excited squeals of their daughter.
"Mommy! Daddy! We going to zoo!" Anna Elizabeth yelled as she came bounding in the room.
She eagerly climbed on the bed and scooted her way over to her parents. She then grabbed their hands and began to tug, grunting as she did so.
"Easy there, love. I promise we'll get to the zoo," Liam assured the excited little girl as he ran his hand through her curls.
"Want to go now!" Anna Elizabeth continued as she tugged once more.
Liam shook his head as Elsa grinned. She then intervened, "Anna Elizabeth, why don't you go pick out your favorite outfit and then wait for Mommy?"
"Okay," the little girl agreed before she rushed off to her room.
Both Elsa and Liam chuckled before the blonde spoke, "She's just one big ball of energy, isn't she?"
"Aye, love, that she is," Liam agreed before he chuckled once more. He then asked his wife, "You think she'll even take the time to even look at the animals?"
"Well, she did take the time to look at the pictures that Mary Margaret and David had taken from when they took the kids," Elsa told him.
Liam smiled before he added, "She was so excited when we told her that we'd take her to see the animals."
Elsa nodded in response before Liam continued, "I think we'd better get going, love. I'm surprised that Anna Elizabeth hasn't already gotten herself dressed and made her way back in here."
The blonde couldn't help but shake her head and grin before she conceded, "You're right about that one."
The two of them then got out of bed. Elsa went to go help Anna Elizabeth while Liam changed before he started breakfast.
As Liam stirred the pancake batter, he found himself humming Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name."
Just as he finished mixing, Anna Elizabeth came skipping into the kitchen. She then asked, "Daddy, what we eating?"
Liam turned around and smiled down at his daughter before he told her, "We're having pancakes, love."
"I love pancakes!" Anna Elizabeth exclaimed, making Liam chuckle. The little girl then continued, "I help, Daddy."
She then sprinted over to the table and tried to drag a chair over to the counter. Liam shook his head as he thought, "Stubborn little lass. No wonder Elsa says she's like me."
He then walked over to his little girl and bent down in front of her. He then gently explained, "I'm finished mixing the pancakes, but I have something else you can do."
Anna Elizabeth nodded excitedly before she asked, "What, Daddy?"
"You can get the orange juice and go put it on the table. Mommy will help you pour it into the cups, okay?"
"Okay," Anna Elizabeth told him. Liam smiled and ruffled her blonde curls before she scampered over to the refrigerator.
Liam then rose to his feet and headed over to the stove. He kept a watchful eye on his three-year-old as he poured the pancake batter into a hot skillet.
Anna Elizabeth hugged the orange juice close to her chest as she carried it to the table.
Just then, Elsa walked out of she and Liam's bedroom and into the kitchen. She rested her hand on her husband's shoulder and told him, "Breakfast looks and smells amazing. Thanks, Liam."
Liam kissed her forehead before he told her, "Of course, love." He then glanced over and saw Anna Elizabeth opening the bottle of orange juice.
He shook his head at the sight, prompting Elsa to ask, "What is it?"
Liam then nodded toward the table as he spoke, "I told her to wait on you, but she's…"
"Stubborn?" Elsa interjected with a grin before she headed over to the table. Liam shook his head once more before he resumed making pancakes.
"Here, Anna Elizabeth, let me help you," Elsa offered as she bent down on her daughter's level.
"I can do it, Mommy," Anna Elizabeth stated just before the lid flew off, startling the little girl. Before she or Elsa could even react, Anna Elizabeth dropped the bottle, spilling orange juice on the floor.
"Uh oh," Anna Elizabeth lamented before she looked down at the mess. A saddened expression filled her blue eyes as she apologized, "I sorry, Mommy."
Elsa placed the orange juice back on the table before she took her little girl by the shoulders and reassured her, "It's okay, Anna Elizabeth. It was an accident."
She nodded before Elsa continued, "But next time, you listen to Daddy, okay?"
"Okay, Mommy," Anna Elizabeth replied. With a nod, Elsa then spoke, "I'm going to get some paper towels so we can clean this up."
Anna Elizabeth nodded before Elsa rose to her feet. As she turned toward the kitchen, Liam was walking out of it with a plate of pancakes in one hand and a roll of paper towels in the other.
"Thought you could use these," Liam told his wife as he handed over the paper towels.
"Very much so," Elsa agreed as she took them. He nodded before he placed the breakfast on the table, followed by Anna Elizabeth's excited shout: "Pancakes are ready!" forgetting the puddle of orange juice at her feet.
Liam then interjected, "Not just yet, lass. You help Mommy clean up the mess, okay?"
Anna Elizabeth looked back down at the puddle before she looked back up and spoke, "Okay, Daddy."
Elsa then tore off some paper towels and handed them to her little girl. Anna Elizabeth copied her mother's movement as they both began wiping up the orange juice.
A few moments later, Anna Elizabeth scrunched up her nose as she looked over the spot. She then asked, "Clean, Mommy?"
"Yes, it's clean," Elsa answered before she smiled and told her, "Now we can eat pancakes."
In response, Anna Elizabeth leapt up from the floor and hopped in one of the chairs at the table.
Liam and Elsa couldn't help but shake their heads before he placed a plate of cut-up pancakes in front of his daughter.
She immediately started eating just as Elsa threw away the paper towels.
When she returned, Liam was just closing the lid on the orange juice after pouring each of them a glass. He was about to bring the jug back into the kitchen when Elsa placed a hand on his arm.
"Let me. You cooked breakfast this morning."
"And you just cleaned up a mess made by our three-year-old," Liam pointed out.
With a shrug, Elsa replied, "It wasn't the first, and it probably won't be the last." She then took the orange juice and headed toward the refrigerator.
Liam couldn't help but chuckle before he sat down at the table. He ruffled Anna Elizabeth's hair before he fixed his own plate.
After Elsa had put away the orange juice, she heard a knock at the door. She folded her arms as she thought, "Who could that be?"
She then went and opened the door to find her brother-in-law on the other side. He smiled as he greeted, "Good morning, love."
Elsa smiled back as she spoke, "Good morning, Killian. What brings you by?"
He held up a pair of keys as he told her, "I came to return these. It was dark when Swan and myself returned from sailing, and I didn't want to bother you and Liam."
With a nod, Elsa then told him, "Thanks for that - we thought we'd never get Anna Elizabeth to sleep. Seeing her Uncle Killian probably wouldn't have helped."
Killian couldn't help but chuckle before he conceded, "I dare say it wouldn't."
Elsa chuckled as well, taking the keys from him. She then grinned as she asked, "So, did you and Emma have a good time?" a teasing lilt to her tone.
Killian rolled his eyes before he told her, "I think my brother has been a bad influence on you." With a shrug, Elsa replied, "We wouldn't tease you if there wasn't a little truth in it."
"The truth, my dear sister-in-law, is that Emma and I are only friends. But you and Liam can't seem to get that through your heads," Killian pointed out, raising an eyebrow at the blonde.
With a shake of her head, Elsa then told him, "We're kidding. Mostly." She couldn't help the giggle that came out, earning another eye roll from her brother-in-law.
He then told her, "I'll let you get back to those pancakes I smell. I have to get…"
Killian was interrupted when his niece came barreling into him as she yelled, "Uncle Killian!"
He couldn't help but laugh before he bent down and asked the little girl, "Hello, love. And how are you?"
In response, Anna Elizabeth exclaimed, "We going to zoo!" just as Liam walked up beside Elsa.
Killian smiled at his niece as he told her, "That's what your mommy and daddy told me. Which animal are you most excited about seeing?"
Anna Elizabeth didn't hesitate to respond: "The lions! I want see big Simba."
With as much seriousness as he could muster, Killian replied, "I'm sure you will, love. And you're gonna have so much fun."
Anna Elizabeth nodded excitedly before Elsa spoke, "Alright, Anna Elizabeth, say goodbye to your uncle. We've got to finish breakfast so we can get to the zoo."
"Okay, Mommy," she replied. She then wrapped her arms around Killian's neck as she told him, "Bye, Uncle Kilian!"
She then skipped off back to the table. Elsa bid her brother-in-law goodbye before she joined her daughter at the table, dropping the keys in the key bowl kept on the counter as she walked.
When Killian had rose to his feet, he commented, "You know, brother, I have to say that I'm rather surprised that you like cooking after you had to do it for Belle and I."
With a shrug, Liam told him, "I always rather liked cooking, and you two weren't too terribly hard to cook for."
He then shot his brother a pointed look and continued, "And then Belle decided to help out, which made things easier."
Killian rolled his eyes before he replied, "We both know that I probably would have burned down the apartment. Cooking just isn't my forte."
Liam couldn't help but chuckle before he spoke, "That, and you were always working on your motorcycle. But what had you the most distracted was whatever lass had caught your fancy."
A grin spread across Killian's features as he replied, "I don't suppose I can argue with that. I was rather hormone-crazed."
Liam only shook his head before he offered, "That you were, little brother…"
"Younger brother," Killian interrupted with crossed arms.
Liam couldn't help but roll his eyes before he continued, "As I was saying, you were rather "hormone-crazed" as you put it, so I was a bit surprised when you said you were in love with Milah."
"Aye, I remember. I think I was a bit surprised myself," Killian conceded with a chuckle.
He then nodded toward the table and added, "But I think it was even more surprising when you and Elsa got together. Shock is actually probably more accurate - but here you are, been married for almost five years, and you two have a lovely little girl who is every bit as stubborn as you are. And the lass is only three."
With a roll of his eyes, Liam said, "And here I thought you were giving an actual compliment."
"It is a compliment. The only reason Belle and I managed to make a life for ourselves is because you were too stubborn to let us give up on ourselves - or anything else, really," Killian told him, a genuine smile overtaking his face.
Liam smiled back as he told him, "Thank you, Killian. That means a lot to me."
With a nod, Killian then told him, "I should let you finish your breakfast before Anna Elizabeth combusts. I'm meeting…a friend anyway."
Liam narrowed his eyes before he pointed out, "We both know who it is you're going to see. It's the same someone you took sailing yesterday."
Killian rolled his eyes before he spoke, "I didn't say anything because I was trying to avoid the inevitable teasing. It's dreadfully annoying, you know."
Liam considered his words before he offered, "What it boils down to is that I don't want you to discount it completely - life can be rather surprising sometimes."
A thoughtful expression formed on Killian's face. A few minutes later, he resigned, "I suppose you have a point there, and I'll keep it in mind. But I'm really not sure any more, uh, surprises will be headed my way."
"Fair enough," Liam conceded with a nod. He then spoke, "I'll see you later, Killian."
"See you later," he replied before he turned and headed back toward his truck. Liam closed the door behind him before he joined his wife and daughter at the table.
Anna Elizabeth was singing "I Just Can't Wait to be King" in between mouthfuls of pancakes. While Elsa enjoyed listening to her little girl, she was also making sure that she didn't get choked.
A strand of blonde hair then fell into Elsa's eyes. She then saw Liam reach over and move it out of the way.
She turned to smile at him before a thoughtful expression overtook her features, prompting Liam to ask, "What is it, love?"
Elsa ran her fingers over her braid as she answered, "I was just thinking that maybe we're too hard on Killian about Emma? He always gets so defensive about it."
She then scrunched her nose and added, "And so does she, but I don't tease her nearly as much."
Liam tilted his head as he thought about how to answer his wife. He then told her, "It's mostly harmless. We're not trying to push them together."
"Aren't we though? At least partially," Elsa posed before taking a few bites of her pancakes.
With a sigh, Liam then admitted, "I suppose we are." A moment later, he then added, "But it's only because we know what it's like to find love when we least expected it."
Elsa couldn't help but smile at that. She then leaned over, and Liam met her for a sweet kiss.
When they pulled away, Anna Elizabeth piped up: "Mommy, Daddy! I finish my pancakes!"
With a nod, Elsa then explained, "Daddy and I are still eating, so why don't you go get one of your coloring books."
Anna Elizabeth nodded before she hopped out of her chair and skipped off to her room.
Liam and Elsa smiled their little girl before Elsa offered, "As for your brother and Emma, maybe we could cut them some slack?"
Liam considered her words before he spoke, "I suppose we should, but it wouldn't be nearly as fun," grinning at her.
Elsa shook her head and rolled her eyes before she told him, "And here I thought that Killian was the one who liked to joke about everything."
"Well, our mother had quite the sense of humor, so I believe it's probably hereditary," Liam told her with a chuckle.
She couldn't help but laugh just before Anna Elizabeth came back to the table. The little girl had resumed singing: "Look left, look right, look in the light. I can't wait to be king!"
Liam and Elsa couldn't help but smile at their daughter's rendition before they continued eating their breakfast.
A few minutes later, Anna Elizabeth looked up from coloring and asked, "Finish Mommy and Daddy?"
"Almost," Elsa told her with a smile. Anna Elizabeth smiled back in response. She then held up her coloring book and exclaimed, "Look at picture!"
Liam and Elsa looked over, and they smiled at her artwork. Liam then complimented, "That's a very pretty picture, Anna Elizabeth."
"Thank you, Daddy," she replied with a bright smile. She then drank the last of her orange juice before she began coloring another picture.
She had only colored the trunk of an elephant when Elsa grabbed her plate and glass. She then told her little girl, "Okay, Anna Elizabeth, go put your coloring book back. Daddy and I are finished eating."
Anna Elizabeth immediately shouted, "Yay!" before hopping up from her chair. She grabbed her coloring book and crayons before running off to her room.
Liam and Elsa smiled and shook their heads before they finished grabbing the dishes and headed toward the kitchen.
By the time they were placing the dishes back in the cabinet, Anna Elizabeth appeared in the kitchen.
She was jumping up and down as she chanted, "We going to the zoo! We going to the zoo!"
Liam then bent down on her level and spoke, "Yes, we are, love. How about a piggy back ride to the car?"
Anna Elizabeth nodded excitedly before Liam rose to his feet. He then scooped up his little girl and placed her on his back. As he headed out the door, he called over his shoulder, "We're taking my car, love."
Elsa couldn't help but smile at her family before she grabbed her mini backpack and followed them out the door.
She then locked it behind her before she walked over to Liam's 1970 black Mustang. He was currently placing Anna Elizabeth in her booster seat.
She asked him, "Daddy, listen to Lion King?" He smiled as he answered, "Yes, we can, love."
She clapped just as Elsa climbed into the passenger seat. The little girl then spoke, "Mommy! Play Lion King please."
Elsa then turned on the radio and adjusted it to play the Disney CD. She then flipped through the tracks until she found "Hakuna Matata."
"There you go, Anna Elizabeth," she then spoke with a smile. The little girl smiled back before she launched into the song, just as Liam got in the car.
He couldn't help but shake his head before he addressed his wife: "You know, love, I must confess that I'm rather missing the classic rock," before he put the car in drive.
Elsa chuckled before she teasingly replied, "I can't think why since you love to use Bon Jovi songs as lullabies."
Liam pulled out of the driveway before he shot her a look and defended, "I don't know what you mean. She rather likes it."
Elsa giggled at that before she scrunched up her nose in thought. She then offered, "It wouldn't be too surprising if she did end up really loving it, though. It was one of the first things we bonded over."
"Though I don't think we realized it at the time," Liam said. He then smiled as he reminisced, "Let's see, it was that first day we met, and I was walking you to class."
"And I told you that I really appreciated it because even though I had already been at NYU for a year, it - and the city - can be pretty overwhelming for a small-town girl," Elsa then added, her face breaking out into a smile.
Liam's smile grew as he picked it up: "And I asked you how you liked growing up and living in a place like that."
"To which I answered that I absolutely loved it. I then referenced "Small Town" by John Mellencamp."
Elsa then rested her chin in her hand before she continued, "I then hastily explained who he was because not everyone appreciates 80's rock like I do."
"I then told you that I not only knew who he was, but I was quite the fan. Of him and pretty much all 80's music and classic rock. You then asked who my favorite was."
"And when you said Bon Jovi, I thought it was pretty great. I think my whole face probably lit up."
"Oh, it did," Liam confirmed with a grin. He then finished, "I think it's safe to say that you became one of my best friends right then - with no idea in the slightest that we'd ever end up here."
"Especially considering that we were awkwardly fumbling for the first several months of dating," Elsa added, and she couldn't help the chuckle that came out.
Liam chuckled as well before he genuinely told her, "But it gave me the most amazing life with you, my amazing wife, and our beautiful daughter."
Elsa smiled brightly at him before she leaned over and planted a sweet kiss on his cheek.
When she pulled away, she teasingly spoke, "A beautiful daughter who's obsessed with Disney. But I think we can handle it if it means she'll stay our little girl."
"Aye, love, I think we can," Liam told her before he reached over and squeezed her hand. Elsa offered another bright smile in response.
Their hands stayed intertwined as they listened to Anna Elizabeth loudly sing along to all her favorites.