Chapter Two

By Christmas Eve the robberies had slowed to a halt. But that wasn't surprising, who wanted to steal Christmas items when the holidays would soon be over? The last items that had been stolen were some garlands of tinsel that were decorating the shelves in the library. Not that any of the townsfolk seemed to care any more. It was with some sorrow and culpability that Emma had realised a day or so ago that a lot of people had given up and taken down their outdoor lights and other decorations in fear of them being stolen – another reminder that she had failed to solve the case yet.

But, as of now she was on leave for the holidays. The two part time deputies – August and Thomas were going to take turns to be on duty, promising to hold down the fort so as Emma could enjoy a relaxing Christmas with her family. Even if she did feel rather guilty for taking the time off when there was still an ongoing case to be working on. But her colleagues had insisted she take the break as planned and Killian had managed to convince her that she deserved it.

So far the three of them had been enjoying a quintessential Christmas Eve. Hope had treated her parents to a brief lie in, waking a little later than she usually did and then they'd indulged in a family cuddle in bed, until Hope became more interested in crawling all over her parents and then demanding her breakfast with loud protests of tears. After breakfast they had bundled up against the weather and taken a leisurely stroll down to the docks so as Killian could check on his ship. The Jolly Roger was covered in a blanket of snow and looked most enchanting.

By the time they arrived home, it had started snowing again. Hope was fascinated with it, giggling as the tiny frozen crystals dusted her cheeks and eyelashes.

"Want to catch it baby?" Emma asked her, holding out her hand, palm up. The snow landed and melted quickly, much to Hope's dismay when she copied her Mom and held her hand out.

"I have a question, love." Killian said, a sneaky smile on his lips. "Do you want to build a snowman?" He was laughing at his own quip.

"I am so stopping you watching Frozen with Hope. I think you only put it on for yourself," she said shaking her head, but laughing all the same just because she was so happy.

Between them they built a small, hastily built snowman. It didn't look so great, but that didn't matter, they were still having fun as Hope watched, still bundled up in her stroller. Once it was done, Emma lifted her out and then plonked her in the snow in front of the snowman to take a quick photo. But the look on her little face when she tried to crawl away and put her hand in the cold, wet snow had her parents in fits of laughter – she seemed most disgruntled and confused, but then the tears started.

"Hey, it's okay baby," Emma cooed, picking her up quickly. She rubbed her hand with her own to dry it and warm it up. "All better now, see?" she asked, blowing warm air onto it. "Can you grab her hat?" she asked, nodding to the woolly hat that had fallen in the snow.

Killian bent to pick it up and as he did, Emma grinned and looked at Hope with her finger to her lips. She stooped and scooped up a hand full of snow, moulding it into a ball and pelted him with it. It hit his back and he jumped up with an exclaimed "Hey!" as Emma giggled. "What was that for?" he asked, with challenge in his eyes.

Emma laughed and grabbed some more snow from the porch railing – the lure of the childish game was strong – and she threw another snow ball at him, hitting him square in the chest as snow fell down his opened shirt. She knew he wouldn't retaliate since she was holding Hope, but that didn't stop him chasing after her. She and Hope ran up the steps to the front door.

"We'll see how smug you are when you're not hiding behind our child!" he called after them as Emma giggled and they crashed inside the warmth of the house.

Once they got out of their snow gear and shook all the snow off themselves, Killian heated up some soup to warm them all up whilst Emma made the grilled cheese sandwiches to go with them and the three of them sat down to eat lunch together.

Emma was sat on the fluffy rug before the hearth, warming her toes by the fire and gazing up at the tree when she heard Killian padding back downstairs after putting Hope down for her nap.

"Well, that was the easiest nap I've put her down for recently, she was asleep before we even got to her room," he commented.

Emma turned and smiled at him. "All that fresh air probably did her good," she said.

"Aye," he agreed as he sat down on the floor beside her. "What are you doing?" he wondered.

"Just, admiring our tree and...thinking," she muttered, leaning back against him.

"What about?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her as she sat with her back leant against his chest.

She turned her head to look up at him. "I'm just having a really good day. I like spending some quality time together, as a family."

"Aye," he murmured and kissed her temple. "Me too."

"I know I've only been back at work for a couple of months, but it seems ages since we just had time to simply be together, without having a list of things to do," she sighed, enjoying his warmth against her back and the heat of the fire at her front. She felt cozy and relaxed, unhurried and just happy.

She was right, usually there was always something pressing that needed doing. Although she never worked weekends or nights if she could help it, when she was home with them, there was always the routine of bath time and bed time or they were busy doing chores together, shopping, having dinner with her parents. Weekends passed in a whirlwind sometimes and she felt they had done nothing of any importance. She decided right now that that was going to change – just enjoying being a family and being with them was much more important than having a pristine house or a tidy yard. From now on, weekends would be for family and having fun together.

"It certainly is nice to have this time together. And I think Hope has been delighted to have both of our attention all morning."

"She has," Emma, realising that as much as she liked her job, what she really relished these days was spending time with her husband and daughter and just having fun together. "We should make this our tradition, that Christmas Eve is always family time."

"Aye," he agreed. "This is much preferred to joining the garish town Christmas party," he grinned. Neither of them had wanted to go, knowing that she was only likely to get harassed from the towns folk wanting to know about their stolen belongings that were still missing.

"I know no one celebrated Christmas in the Enchanted Forest. But, did you have any family traditions from celebrations that did happen there?" she wondered. This was something else she missed, having real conversations with him, nothing about work or discussing Hope or what they needed from the grocery store. Just chatting, finding out little things about each other that they still didn't know, sharing random moments and memories.

He sighed and shook his head. "None that I remember. But then I don't even remember celebrating my birthdays, I was so young when the family fell apart. And after my father sold us, well no one wanted to even acknowledge us as slaves on a ship, let alone allow us to join in celebrations or parties," he told her sadly.

Emma grasped his hand that was wrapped at her waist and lifted it to kiss the back of. "I'm sorry," she said, feeling bad that he had such a gloomy childhood.

"How about you? Any traditions from your childhood?" he wondered.

Emma was silent for a moment as she thought back to her own experiences. "No," she sighed. "I was never in the same place twice for a Christmas – kids like me were always moved around from families and group homes. I learnt pretty early on that Santa wasn't real, but sometimes we might get lucky and be given a gift from a charity or something - maybe a book, perhaps clothing or a candy bar. I remember one year, I was about six or seven maybe, I was with a family for Christmas. They had children of their own who were spoiled rotten with presents. I got a second hand book and a pair of socks. I mean, I was grateful to get anything, but I was also intensely jealous of all the shiny new toys they had."

"As any child would be," he said understandingly.

"So, as I got older, I became rather cynical about the whole event and tried to act as though I didn't care. I started ignoring the holiday all together after I got out of prison and never really celebrated it until I came to live here. So, most of my real Christmas' have been with you," she smiled up at him and he caught her lips in a brief kiss.

"Then I'm glad we can learn to enjoy the holidays together. And we can create our own family traditions to share with Hope."

Emma nodded. "And I am so glad that she will never have to grow up the way we did. She will always be surrounded by people who love her."

"She's a lucky lass. She will never be alone or know what it is to feel abandoned."

Emma turned her head and kissed his cheek quickly, before burrowing into him even closer. For awhile they just sat together, savouring the peace, watching the flames dance in the fireplace and being perfectly content with their companionable quietness.

"So, what else would you like to do today?" Emma asked as he began nuzzling her neck with his nose.

"Well, I still owe you for those rogue snowballs you threw at me!" he frowned. "I'm sure my shirt is still damp!" he grumbled.

"And how do you plan on getting your revenge?" she asked, a huge, delighted smile lighting up her face.

"Hmm," he pretended to think about it as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "I have it on good authority that you detest being tickled. So I am declaring a tickle war!" His hands at her waist began to tickle her as she squirmed out of his embrace.

"Killian!" she whined, inching away from him. He just laughed and continued his attack. Emma laughed and shrieked, begging him to stop. He was relentlessness in his onslaught, coming at her from all sides – for a man with only one hand, that hand could certainly reach many places all at once. "Stop!" she panted, leaning away from him.

"Apologise for the snow balls!" he demanded.

"Nope," she shook her head.

"Then I'm afraid there will be no cease fire!" He was on her again, his fingers finding all her most ticklish spots, until he had her on her back on the fluffy rug in front of the fireplace.

He straddled her body as she squirmed and twisted against the rug and only when their faces became inches apart did he pause. He stared at her, watching her pant beneath him, gazing up at him all flushed as his eyes flitted from hers and down to her lips and back again. With little warning, his lips suddenly crashed against hers and he was kissing her with a fiery passion that she was quick to return. Her arms slid behind his neck as her body arched into his, moaning into the kiss.

He pecked her lips softly as he temporarily ended the kiss, both of their eyes still closed as their foreheads rested against one another, breathing each other in.

"Thank you for today, for everything," she whispered. "I'm having such a good time that I've almost forgotten about the stupid thief and all the nonsense going on in town," she added as she moved her head to kiss his cheek and then his jaw.

"If you think that's impressive, I can also kiss you until you forget your own name," he winked.

"Prove it!" she dared him.

Never one to back down from a challenge, he fully intended to prove he still had that effect on his wife. He was on all fours above her, one of her legs between his as he lowered himself on his elbows, pressing his body against hers as he reclaimed her lips. The kissing was hungry, urgent and heated, heads turning and tilting to get the best angle to deepen the kiss. Tongues brushing against one another's and teeth giving little nips to each others lips.

They both moaned, becoming lost in the moment, forgetting everything but each other. Her hands were everywhere as his cupped her face. She had hers on his face, his chest, his back, holding onto his arms and finally drifting down his back to cup his backside and squeeze gently and the kissing never stopped. It was noisy and sloppy at times, moaning and sighing together.

Suddenly Emma rolled them so as she was on top, sitting upon his thighs. The kissing resumed as his hand slid up under her sweater, caressing her smooth, warm skin and her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt as they practically devoured each other.

It had been some time since they'd made out like this, since they'd had the notion to fool around like this and most certainly not since Hope had come into their lives. Their sex life these days was pretty limited and hurried, hoping to get through it before the cries of a baby interrupted and often they were both simply too tired to even bother. But right now, lost in their delight of the free day and the quiet time, they were making out like a pair of horny teenagers or a lustful newly-wed couple.

Emma paused the kissing to sit up on his thighs and pull her sweater over her head before tossing it aside. Killian gazed at her, his eyes drifting lower to her lace clad breasts, he licked his lips and grasped her, flipping them until he had her beneath him again, her hands on his chest, fingers running through the soft hair and warm skin. His kisses left her mouth, tumbling to her cheeks, her chin and down her neck, covering her entire chest with soft, wet kisses. He pulled the cup of her bra aside and kissed the peak of her breast as she moaned and clung to him, her body arching against his.

It was a couple of minutes before either of them heard the plaintive cries of their daughter through the baby monitor. Both of them paused in their actions and turned their heads toward it.

"Bloody hell!" he hissed, dropping his head disappointingly against her shoulder.

"Maybe she'll go back to sleep," Emma said hopefully. But after a few more moments, in which Hope's cries just got louder and louder, she sighed and pushed Killian away from her. "I'd best go get her," she muttered, standing up and grabbing her sweater, adjusting her bra and pulling it back on as she hurried upstairs to find their baby.

Killian had managed to compose himself and button his shirt back up by the time Emma returned with a wide awake baby who refused to continue her nap. Perhaps she was having such a good day too that she didn't want to miss another moment of it. She seemed to be full of it after a barely 40 minute nap and when Emma set her down on the floor, she was instantly crawling off.

"Where are you tearing off to, little cygnet?" Killian asked, grabbing her and giving her a cuddle, kissing her chubby little cheeks. She squirmed out of his hold and wanted to get down again.

He let her go and she headed straight towards the entertainment unit, where the dancing Christmas tree sat. Emma was not looking forward to the not too distant day that she started pulling herself up on the furniture and was able to reach things she wasn't supposed to, she was already making some attempts. Hope sat on the floor, squealing and bouncing on her bottom as she reached for the tree until Emma got it down and turned it on for her, proceeding to torture her parents with the tinny rendition of 'Jingle Bells' repeatedly, giggling each time and wiggling to the music.

They loved her little giggle though, so they were willing to put up with it. But after the seventh time, Killian grabbed her again and blew raspberries on her belly instead. This created even more giggles than the tree as she grasped at his hair and kicked her legs, rolling around on the floor. It seemed that he had the knack of tickling both his girls into fits of laughter.

They played with her and her toys on the floor for awhile, Hope delighted to have all this attention from both of her parents. Once she tired of that, Emma picked her up and took her to the window so she could see the snow falling once more and the hurried snowman they had made.

"I know, it's not that great," Emma told her. "Perhaps if we both ask your big brother nicely, he'll make you a better one."

"He's coming over tomorrow morning, right love?" Killian asked, suddenly behind her and kissing her temple as he wrapped an arm around the pair of them.

"Yes," she nodded and hitched Hope up a little higher. "He said that he and Ella will be coming over around 10, so we can have brunch together and then unwrap gifts before we'll have to get ready to head to my parents."

"Sounds good," he said, grabbing Hope's hands when she started banging on the window. "I wonder how they're both faring at Regina's tonight?" he wondered. Henry and his girlfriend, Ella, were spending Christmas Eve with his adoptive mother, her sister and niece. It was bound to be an interesting experience.

"No doubt he'll tell us all about it tomorrow," she smiled, glad that she was getting her son home for Christmas Day. "And then we can get him to build you a bigger snowman!" Emma told Hope. "I think daddy and I need a bit more practice," she laughed, looking at their own sorry effort. To be fair though, it had been put together quickly so as Hope didn't get too cold out in the snow long.

If someone had told Emma ten years ago that one day she'd be spending the afternoon on Christmas Eve baking cookies with her husband and baby daughter at her side in the kitchen of her own home, she'd have laughed in their face. But that was exactly what she was doing and she couldn't imagine anywhere she'd rather be.

It might only be a packet mix for sugar cookies that she was using, since she was still not that great at baking, but the sentiment was the same and they still smelt amazing – making the kitchen warm and delightful. Emma mixed the dough and rolled it out whilst Killian cut out shapes of stars, Christmas trees and snowmen to put into the oven, all whilst listening to Christmas music playing in the background. With Hope accompanying them, perfectly happy playing with a wooden spoon and a plastic bowl, strapped safely in her high chair.

"See," Emma nodded to where their baby was banging the spoon on the bowl, "she doesn't need all those fancy toys. She's quite content there."

"Aye. But I think your mother might have something to say about it if we bought her nothing but wooden spoons for Christmas!" he chuckled, sliding another tray of cookies into the oven.

They couldn't wait when they were baked and each snaffled a fresh cookie, giving Hope small chunks that they blew on first, and declared that for a packet mix, they were quite delicious and were quite proud of their achievements.

After a dinner of take out pizza, since neither of them could be bothered cooking with having spent so long in the kitchen baking, it was time to get Hope ready for bed.

"Give it another two or three years, when she really understand what Christmas is all about and I should think this will prove to be a much more difficult task," Emma commented as they put Hope in her crib, almost asleep already.

"Why?" Killian asked, stroking the babies tummy to soothe her.

Emma gave him an incredulous look. "Did you forget the excitable whirlwind that my brother is at Christmas and has been since he was about four?" she asked. "Dad's always complaining that Neal is almost impossible to get to bed the night before, because he's too excited. And then he wakes them at the crack of dawn, wanting to see what Santa has brought!" Emma chuckled.

Killian sighed. "Then I am glad that our little one should hopefully allow us to sleep in a bit later in the morning. I don't want her to grow up too quick," he added.

"Me neither," Emma whispered and turned to kiss his lips softly, before creeping out of Hope's nursery and leaving her to sleep.

Back downstairs Emma made them both a mug of hot cocoa whilst Killian nipped outside to fill up the log basket for the fire. And then the pair settled down, curled up together on the sofa, to watch what she claimed was her favourite Christmas movie, 'Gremlins'.

"This is seriously your favourite Christmas movie?" Killian asked rather disbelievingly when the gremlins started causing havoc around the town. "Ugly little green monsters running around killing people?" He looked at her with one wary eyebrow raised.

"Well, Gizmo isn't ugly. He's adorable."

"I suppose he's fairly cute and fluffy, yes, but…really? This? I know your childhood was rather disturbing Swan, but..." he faded off, slightly amused and yet a little concerned.

Emma shrugged. "Maybe it appealed to the cynical part of me back then. I still think it's good though, so shush," she poked his leg with her toes, "because I am watching."

Killian chuckled to himself and let her watch her movie, finding some parts of it amusing himself.

Before they decided to turn in for the night, Emma and Killian took great delight in filling the red Christmas stockings hanging upon the mantelpiece and piling presents under the tree ready for the morning to instil the belief of Santa Claus for Hope. Emma yearned for her daughter to have a much more innocent and happier childhood than she'd had and hoped that would include a belief in Santa for as long as possible.

Finally settling into bed together, Emma snuggled up to her husband in her favourite position with her head on his chest.

"Is it weird that I'm rather excited for tomorrow?" she asked him.

"No. It's out little girls first Christmas. I know she's too young to understand it, but I'm still looking forward to seeing her reaction. And she's probably going to be enthralled in having so much attention from everyone tomorrow."

"Or overwhelmed," Emma sighed.

"She'll be fine. She's tough, our lass. Just like her Mum."

Emma made a sound of agreement. "I had a really good day, today," she told him, sounding sleepy.

"Me too, love," he murmured in reply and kissed the top of her head. "But right now, it's time for sleeping."

"Mmm," Emma moaned in agreement, snuggling into him more. "Night babe."

"Good night, love," he muttered in reply. And soon enough they were both asleep.

Killian woke just a few hours later and rolled over in search of Emma's warm body to cuddle up with again, but instead found himself alone in bed. He got up to use the bathroom, assuming that she'd gone to check on Hope. It had become a habit of hers, right from birth, he'd often wake in the night to find Emma sat up in bed just staring into the bassinet or stood by her crib in the nursery once they had moved the baby to her own room.

Deciding once he'd done in the bathroom that he'd go check on them both, he walked across the hall to the nursery. Hope was sleeping soundly, but Emma wasn't there. A slight panic arose in him, born from being ripped apart by curses and magic too many times in their past as he went in search of her. But all was well, as he reached the bottom of the stairs in his rumpled pajamas, he found her sat in the living room, just staring at the full stockings all bearing their names – Emma, Killian, Hope and Henry.

"Swan?" Killian said, stepping into the room. "I thought it was only the kids that were supposed to get up at the crack of dawn," he chuckled to himself as he rubbed his eyes and headed towards her.

Emma sniffed and surreptitiously wiped her eyes quick.

"Love? Are you all right?" he asked and when he was close enough to see that she was crying, he sat down beside her and took her in his arms. "Oh, Emma,"

She sniffed again and gave him a watery smile. "They're not sad tears," she told him. "Well, not really. I just got to thinking about the me of 10 years ago. She would never have imagined or even hoped to have everything that I do now. She was a rather stubborn woman," she smiled wryly, "she'd probably have insisted that she didn't want it and she was fine the way she was. But, she was alone, living in a small, impersonal flat in Boston, who had no friends or anyone close."

Killian looked down at her where she rested against his chest, his arm firmly around her. "And that made you sad?" he asked, wanting to understand, but feeling a little lost.

She shook her head. "No, it made me grateful. I have never been happier than I am now. I have my son, the love of a good man, our beautiful daughter. I have a good relationship with my parents and a little brother to tease. And we have this house that is a real home. And then I realised that everything I have right now is because of you," she said, peering up at him.

"Me?" he asked, his eyes widening.

Emma smiled and nodded. "Yes. Had it not been for you, your offer to take us and your knowledge of the island, I don't think we would have ever found Henry in Neverland. You even saved my father's life there. And then if you hadn't made a huge sacrifice to find me in New York and bring me home, I wouldn't have my family in my life. And if you hadn't loved me as much as you do, I wouldn't be married or have Hope right now."

Killian smiled softly and kissed her sweetly. "Aye love. And if it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have any of this either. I never even imagined I could love again, until you stumbled into my life, let alone that I could have a family, that I'd let go of my hatred and just be...happy. And that's because you made me want to be a better man, because you loved me. And I will always be grateful for you and Hope. And I love you both, so much."

"We love you too," she whispered and kissed him before snuggling into him tighter. It was rather cold in the early hours of the morning in their living room now that the fire had died.

Killian sighed and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, love," he nudged her to move. "We should head back to bed, we need to get some more rest. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Emma moved and stood from the sofa whilst doing nothing to stifle a yawn. "You're probably right." She held her hand out to him and hauled him up. Hand in hand they climbed the stairs up to their room.

"What made you come down here, anyway?" he wondered.

Emma laughed lightly at herself. "I woke needing the bathroom. Then I went to..."

"Check on Hope," he finished for her, knowing her well.

"Yes," she agreed. "And then I was convinced I had forgotten to put one of the presents out and had to come check. I want tomorrow to be perfect."

"It will be, Swan. Because we'll be with the people we love and who love us. Now," he paused as he pulled the quilt back on their bed, "back to sleep!"