Epilogue: Part 2
Married people develop routines. It just happens.
One might assume that this makes life boring and repetitive, and in some ways, it does. However, just like a hockey team practices their power play over and over again until they get it right, a couple's practiced routines can help them tackle life's challenges most effectively.
Such was the case with Emma and Killian. When they faced a problem, their routine was as follows: Emma would retreat inward, mentally developing a list of everything that they needed to worry about. Her list would be comprehensive, but disorganized and therefore daunting.
Killian would give her space to brood for a little while, watching her as her eyes darted back and forth reflecting the speed of her thoughts. He would be developing his own list of worries, but with the added dimension of considering what might be troubling his wife the most. When he judged the time to be right, he would gently bring up the issue and offer, if not a solution, at least a reminder to her that he would be by her side as they tackled it. That she didn't have to handle it alone.
Then, she would smile and breathe and relax, and they would vanquish their problem together.
Today, as they drove over to Ashely and Sean's house, which doubled as Hope's preschool, Killian studied Emma and tried to gauge what might be weighing most heavily on her mind as she thought about adopting the young novice's babe.
He watched her as she drove. Her eyes darted slightly as she looked at the road, and her brow was a bit furrowed. She was silent and thoughtful, and he wanted to bring her out of her shell. If he was being honest, he had his own worries and fears, and he wanted to talk.
"We can clear out the office pretty easily," he began. "I can get the crib from downstairs, and Henry and I can reassemble it."
Their house had four bedrooms. Killian and Emma had the master suite, and Henry and Hope each had their own room. The fourth bedroom was currently set up as a small office. It was rare that Emma or Killian had to do desk work at home, however, and Henry had a desk in his room, so the office was rarely used. He knew that they both had always assumed that it might someday be used as a nursery for a third child.
"Yep," Emma replied. "The bassinet is still in good shape, too. I just need to give it a good cleaning. We should probably get new sheets and blankets, though. Oh, and we can move the dresser with the changing table from Hope's room, but it needs a new pad."
"Of course, love, we'll start making a list." He pulled out his phone, and deftly started typing one handed on his notes app. He inwardly celebrated the fact that he'd gotten her talking.
"Then it's all the usual stuff. Diapers, wipes...formula, I guess?" Emma continued. "We should probably get some new, newborn size bottles, too. I wonder how people usually handle feeding. I think I read somewhere that adoptive moms can use hormones to stimulate breastmilk production. I wonder if it's too late for me to start that?"
"We'll start some research," he replied as he continued to type.
"Yeah, once again it would be nice to have some other health care professional besides just Dr. Whale in this town," Emma noted with a roll of her eyes. "I am guessing some of this stuff is beyond his experience."
Killian chuckled wryly and noted that they were turning onto Ashley's street. At least they had gotten started on their 'to do' list for the new babe, if she indeed was going to be theirs. They were meeting with the young former novice, Winifred, tomorrow to start to get to know each other and talk about next steps.
Emma sighed. "So any bets on what kind of trouble your daughter has been causing at school?" she said tiredly.
"Well, if she's anything like her mother, she was probably defending another child from a treacherous bully."
That earned him a laugh.
"Let's hope!" she replied.
Emma parked in a spot on the street a few houses down from Ashley's, and they walked up the sidewalk and to the house hand in hand. Ashley appeared at the door before Killian even had a chance to knock. The sweet blonde woman smiled at them warmly and welcomed them into the house's small foyer.
"Hey, guys, thanks so much for coming. The kids are in the back playroom doing the goodbye song, so we can talk for a minute."
As their daycare center and preschool had grown over the last several years, Ashley and Sean had put a large two-level addition onto the back of their house. On the ground floor, the added space became the main playroom for the preschool. Above it was an expanded master bedroom. They also had two additional bedrooms upstairs, which was helpful, because they had given Alexandra a little brother, Elliot, two years ago.
Off the playroom on the ground floor was a large deck from which a few steps led down to a fenced-in backyard. The deck held a number of toys, including a sand table that the kids used year round, and a water table that they used only in warmer weather.
When they stepped inside, Killian immediately heard the sweet sounds of one of the other teachers leading the children through the usual goodbye song, in which each child received a musical goodbye by name. He was struck with an eagerness to see Hope and wrap her into an enormous hug.
But first, they had business.
Emma must have had the same thought. "So," she began, "what happened?"
Ashley immediately switched into her kind but firm and pragmatic teacher voice. "So there was a little incident with Hope and another child when they were out on the deck using the sand sensory table today."
"Okay," Emma replied.
"They were playing with cars in the sand," Ashely explained. "The other child, Aidan, started pulling all the cars toward his corner of the table, basically hoarding them. Hope and the other children started to complain, to ask for them back, and I guess he refused. I walked over to intervene when I heard the raised voices, but before I know it, there was a burst of air and, well, like, a two-foot-tall sand tornado rose up out of the table."
"Bloody hell," Killian muttered, unable to help himself.
Emma gently swatted his arm, wincing as she nodded at Ashley to continue.
"The sandstorm, I guess you'd call it, moved over to where Aidan had hoarded the cars. It picked them up and brought them back to the other kids who were gathered around the table. Then all the sand just dropped back into the table."
Killian held his breath and offered, "That doesn't sound so bad."
Ashley sighed, "It wouldn't have been, if Aidan hadn't gotten sand in his eyes. We had to flush them with water and he cried for quite a bit."
"Oh no," Emma replied.
"Yeah. I had to call his parents to let them know just so they could watch for any signs of irritation. They already came to pick him up, and they were pretty upset. They're probably going to want to talk to you."
"Who are the parents?" Killian asked. He could picture the sharp-featured little boy, but not his folks.
"The Wicks," Ashely replied. "They own that fancy candle shop off of Main Street."
"Right," Emma replied.
That jogged Killian's memory. He knew the family enough to wave and say "hello," but they weren't friends. They were likely in for an awkward conversation.
"Did Hope apologize?" Emma asked.
"She did," Ashley replied. "At first, when I reprimanded her for using magic to get the toys back, she insisted that she was in the right. But once she saw that Aidan had gotten sand in his eyes and was crying, she felt terrible. She apologized and then sat in the corner by herself for most of the rest of the day. We just finally got her to join the goodbye circle."
"Poor little lass," Killian muttered. He felt bad for the little boy, but frankly, he sounded like a rascal. Hope was just trying to do right by the other children. However, he knew that she couldn't be using her magic at school. It was dangerous. He and Emma were going to have to help her see that.
"We're really sorry, Ashley," Emma said with what sounded like a tired sigh. "We'll apologize to the Wicks, and we will sit Hope down and talk to her again about using magic here. It won't happen again."
"I know. It's okay, guys. It is what it is. Hope's magic is really special. Everybody knows that, and people understand! Just, whatever you can do to make sure she controls it here...I'd really appreciate it."
"Of course," Killian replied. He was craning his neck to look past Ashley towards the back playroom to try to see Hope. It had been such a harrowing day for all of them. His heart twisted with worry for her, and he felt his arms twitch with anxiousness to hold her and comfort her.
Emma must have had the same feeling because she asked Ashley, "Can we take her?"
"Of course!" Ashley replied with a warm smile. "I'll get her."
Seconds later, Hope trudged out of the back playroom and through the converted living room on their left. Ashley trailed behind carrying Hope's little backpack.
Hope's eyes were downcast, and it broke Killian's heart that she might feel any hint of shame in front of them. He instantly stepped forward to meet her.
"Hello, little Cygnet! How is my favorite first mate?" he called, kneeling down so he could look her in the face.
She finally looked up from the floor to meet his eyes, and though he could tell she was fighting it, she smiled. It warmed his heart.
"Hi, Daddy," Hope said finally.
He pulled her into a big hug and stood up, and she hugged him back with gusto, burying her little face in his neck. He supported her with his left arm and stroked the back of her blonde hair with his hand. He glanced down at Emma who was smiling at them. Her brow was furrowed slightly, but her eyes were full of adoration. He winked at her, and her smile widened.
He continued to hold Hope as she greeted Emma with a kiss. Emma took Hope's backpack, and they all said their goodbyes to Ashley.
Outside by the car, Emma paused for a moment before unlocking the doors and gave Killian a nod that he knew to mean, "Let's just deal with this now, while it's still relatively fresh in her mind." He nodded back and put Hope down so that she stood on the grass by the curb. Both parents knelt down in front of their daughter.
"Sweetheart," Emma began, "do you remember the rules we made about magic before you started school?"
"But Aidan took ALL the cars!" Hope cried righteously.
"I know," Emma continued calmly. "What he did was wrong. But the right choice for you would have been to call one of the teachers over, not use magic to get the cars back."
Killian just watched Emma with admiration. She was so good at this. He constantly strove to emulate her patience and her short, direct statements to the young girl.
Hope nodded, and it hurt Killian's heart to see that her little lip was quivering.
"Sweetheart, we know that you were just trying to help your friends," Killian said gently as he stroked her arm and reached down to take her little hand. "We are very proud of you for standing up for them. But, you must remember, your magic is very special and is just to be used at home when Mummy is helping you practice."
The righteous indignation returned to Hope's face. She released Killian's hand and crossed her arms over her chest. "But I can't always help it! Sometimes when I think something or want something, it just happens!" she exclaimed.
Killian glanced over at Emma, who looked sadly and sympathetically at their daughter before pulling her into a hug. "I know, baby," she said. "It's okay. We'll keep practicing."
Killian reached out and gently rubbed Hope's back as Emma continued to soothe her. He remembered how Emma, even as an adult, had struggled to control her powers at first. Children wore their emotions on their sleeves even more than grown ups. He wondered, not for the first time, if they were really equipped to help Hope keep her powers in check just through practice and controlling her feelings.
Maybe that was just too much to ask of all of them, especially if they were adding a new baby to the mix.
Emma turned slightly and looked up at him with a tired, commiserating smile. It was as if she was reading his thoughts and saying, "I know, babe. But one thing at a time."
He nodded.
She pulled away from Hope and stood up. "Come on, Hope, maybe we can talk Daddy into making us grilled cheese at home."
"Okay," Hope replied with a sniffle as she looked up at Killian.
He grinned at her and said, "Anything for my ladies."
She grinned back. He picked her up, placed her into her carseat, and started asking her some questions about her day as he strapped her in. She relaxed and answered happily, chatting away about the class's art project as Emma drove them all home.
At home, Killian made grilled cheese as promised, with a side of tomato soup. They gave Hope her bath together and read with her in her room. Emma cuddled with the little girl on her small bed, and Killian sat beside them in a squat, overstuffed chair.
After they kissed a very drowsy Hope goodnight and left her in the care of her stars nightlight and stuffed animals, Killian offered to finish cleaning up the kitchen so that Emma could relax. However, twenty minutes later, he came back out to the living room to find her on the couch with her laptop open. Her eyes were closed, and she was rubbing her temples as if she had a headache. A small notepad and pencil was beside her, and he could see that she'd started to scribble another "to do" list.
He sighed and approached her. He picked up the notepad and pencil and moved them to the coffee table so that he could sit down beside her. He was on her left side, so he reached up with his hand and began to rub her neck. He could feel how much tension had gathered there during their rollercoaster of a day.
She closed the laptop and turned her head slightly. She opened her eyes just a little and breathed, "Thanks."
"Of course, love." He paused for a beat as he continued to rub her neck. "We don't have to sort it all out tonight."
"I know," she replied. "I just, had some things I wanted to look up. I want to make sure I know how to talk to her when we meet her tomorrow."
"What did you learn?" he asked.
Emma sighed and replied, "It was all pretty common sense. That we should be honest; be ourselves. That we should listen to her and not make her feel overwhelmed if she's nervous or scared. We're just getting to know her, and nobody needs to make any final decisions. But, we should also leave the meeting with a clear, shared understanding of the next steps."
"That all makes sense," Killian agreed.
He noticed that Emma's shoulders had relaxed a bit, so before she could think to open her laptop again, he made a suggestion. "Emma, it has been a hell of a day. You must be exhausted from the stress of it all; the anniversary, and now this adoption. Would you like to go upstairs and draw a bath for yourself? I can bring you a glass of wine."
She turned towards him so that she faced him fully. Her brow relaxed and her green eyes were soft and full of love. He lowered his hand from her neck, and she picked it up and squeezed it tight. "That sounds amazing. But..."
He frowned as she paused, expecting her to argue that there was more to do before she could relax. Instead, she leaned in and kissed him softly. Her lips lingered on his for a tantalizing moment, and then she tugged his lower lip between hers just a bit before she pulled away.
"How about you join me?" she finished.
He must have looked surprised and probably a little wrecked, because she chuckled. "You're right, Captain. We can do more research tomorrow. I'm kind of ready to turn my brain off for today. It's fried. You get some wine. I'll go run the bath." With that, she stood and walked slowly to the stairs, swaying her hips back and forth as she did so. The minx.
He went to the kitchen and poured a couple small glasses of wine, happy that she had taken his suggestion to take the rest of the evening off and step away from her worries. He wasn't one to gloat (oh, who was he kidding, of course he was) but even after all these years, the fact that Emma Swan trusted him enough to relax and let her guard down still filled him with radiant pride.
He turned out the lights in the kitchen and carefully carried the wine upstairs to enjoy what turned out to be quite a pleasant and highly relaxing bath.
After, they dried off and dressed in their robes. They bumped hips playfully as they fought for space while brushing their teeth. Gods, he couldn't get enough of touching this woman. He doubted that he ever would.
Killian kissed Emma's cheek and whispered that he was going to go check on Hope one last time. He tiptoed into his daughter's room to find her sprawled in her usual position in her bed: on her back with her head turned slightly to the side. She was breathing deeply and out like a light as she usually was this time of night. He gently kissed the tips of his fingers and lightly pressed them to her chest, right above her tiny little heart, feeling the incredibly rapid beat common to the hearts of young children. But Hope's heart was completely unique, full of love and a magic they were just beginning to understand. She was his perfect little miracle, something he never believed could be possible for him.
When he returned to his and Emma's room, he found his wife reclined on the bed, her robe tied only loosely at her waist, exposing an expanse of milky skin and the glorious swells of her breasts, as well as her endless legs. He cocked his eyebrow and grinned at her in an exaggeratedly lascivious way as he turned back to close the door completely (these were the only times that they closed their door all the way; the extra second it would take Hope to jiggle and turn the knob were she to wander in would, theoretically, give them a moment to gather themselves.)
Though he was dying to touch her, he tried to rein in his excitement. He took his time making his way to the bed and laid down beside her, propping himself up on his left arm. She turned onto her her right side and faced him. Her loose robe fell farther off her shoulders and she raised an eyebrow as if to say, "Now what, Captain?"
Still, he focused on taking his time. He reached up with two fingers and began to slowly trace a path starting just below her ear, down the front of her elegant neck, over her breast bone towards her belly button, pausing just above it to push aside the sides of her robe. He smirked as she licked her lips and shimmied forward a little, anxious for more of his touch. It was a point scored for him in the little game of chicken they liked to play, winding each other up as much as possible before giving the other what they desperately wanted.
He made a show of looking her up and down, drinking her in, knowing his face likely betrayed every bit of his undying awe of her. The passing years and another pregnancy had done very little to change her. The tiny, puckered stretchmarks on the sides of her breasts would only be noticeable to him. After all, he was an expert in every contour, every mark, every perfect feature that made his wife Emma.
Finally, after she shuffled forward further and keened a little, he gave in, cupping her left breast in his hand and deftly stroking his thumb across her nipple as he dove in to kiss her deeply.
Things progressed rapidly from there. They were well practiced at keeping their lovemaking quiet. He was familiar enough with her responses that he could anticipate every moan and capture it with a kiss.
After he'd made Emma come apart under his hand, he moved to slide into her, but she paused her movements suddenly as if remembering something.
"Oh, shit. Don't forget to pull out!" she said with a little laugh.
He took in the meaning of her words, remembering that they weren't currently protected from another pregnancy.
"Right," he replied, between pants of anticipation.
It was glorious, as usual, and after she fell once again, he managed to control his own release long enough to, hopefully, prevent a second surprise child.
After they cleaned up and dressed in pajamas, Emma checked on Hope one more time ("just to look at her" she admitted.)
Finally, relaxed and prepared to rest up for the next day's challenges, they settled into bed. She laid against him, her head resting on his chest and her hand gently running through the dark hair there.
"We're going to be back to all-nighters with a newborn pretty soon," she observed quietly, without any real distress.
"Aye, love. I'd thought of that," he replied. "It just means we'll have to make the most of the next two months." He punctuated the statement by reaching around to lift her chin softly and leaning in to kiss her again, his tongue gently seeking and finding entrance."
She playfully pushed him back. "Easy, tiger. We need sleep!" she laughed. He reveled in the sound of her relaxed happiness, and when she turned to her other side to drift off to sleep, he wrapped his arm around her waist and sailed off with her.
Friday morning broke cold and rainy. Hope was in a quiet mood all through breakfast and during the drive to Ashley's. When Emma asked her if she was nervous about going back to school, she simply shrugged in response.
They ran into Mrs. Wick during drop off. She was a tall, thin woman who shared the sharp, pinched features of her son. As soon as Emma recognized her in the foyer of Ashley's house, she sent Hope to hang up her backpack and immediately went over to apologize. Killian joined her, and their combined sincerity (and a hefty dose of Killian's charm) seemed to soften the woman's brusque demeanor. They promised that they would continue to work with Hope, that her powers were still very limited, and that everyone was safe to be around her.
Ashley came over to them and added her assurances that she would keep close watch. She also pointedly reminded Mrs. Wick that there had been an incident involving thrown sand earlier in the year, and that it wasn't just magic that could cause an injury. Mrs. Wick seemed a bit chastened by that (Emma suspected that her little Aidan had been the sand-thrower in question) and she accepted their apologies.
Emma and Killian said a final goodbye to Hope, who had been anxiously watching them apologize to Aidan's mother. The little girl had visibly relaxed when Emma and Killian exchanged cordial farewells with Mrs. Wick.
After she hugged her parents one last time, Hope hurriedly made her way over to the toy kitchen to play "Granny's" with another boy and girl. Emma and Killian chuckled as they watched her. She strode over to the kitchen confidently, pushed imaginary spectacles up onto the bridge of her nose, and, in an uncanny imitation of Granny herself barked, "Order up!"
Emma drove them to the station where they spent a quiet morning returning calls and looking over the budget proposal until it was time to meet Winifred.
The rain had subsided and the sun was trying to peek through grey clouds as Emma pulled the car up in front of the convent. She started to get out but paused when she noticed that Killian was making no move to exit.
"Nervous?" she asked him.
"Aye, love, a little," he replied quietly.
"It will be fine, babe," she assured him. "Winifred wants to do this. She wants us. From what I understand, she's going to be so relieved that we're saying yes."
"I know. It's just...every time I come here, every time I see these women, I can't help but wonder what they must think of me. I think about what I did to them, back when I carelessly allowed The Crocodile to take my heart."
"Oh damn, Killian. I had forgotten."
"I haven't."
She turned in the driver's seat so that she fully faced him. "Killian," she began firmly. "Do you know why I forgot?"
He turned from the window to face her. His eyes still showed his worry, but also his curiosity about what she would say.
"I forgot," she continued, "because I don't even think about that as being you. It was Gold who took the fairies, took their power with the sorcerer's hat. He had your heart, Killian. You had no control over your actions."
He sighed sadly. "That may be true, love. But when those fairies think about that day, about the person who abducted them, the man they see standing before them is me, not him."
"They understand," she assured him. "Everyone does. And it was years ago. They wouldn't have asked us to do this if that still bothered them. Please, Killian, you need to forgive yourself. Everyone else has."
She stared at him, pouring all of her faith in him into her gaze. More than anyone else she knew, he had a tendency to hold onto guilt and self-loathing, and it broke her heart. So, despite everything, she had to do this from time to time: reassure him that he was forgiven. That he was a good man. A hero.
He answered her reassurances with a grateful smile, and she leaned across the seat and kissed him firmly.
They exited the car and walked hook in hand to the front door of the convent.
Blue greeted them with her usual terseness and led them up a flight of stairs to a hallway full of similar doors. It reminded Emma of a college dorm, not that she'd ever lived in one herself. Blue knocked lightly on the second door from the stairwell, and they heard an enthusiastic, "It's open!" in response.
Blue led them in, and Emma and Killian met Winifred Pryce.
Emma wasn't sure what she'd been expecting Winifred to be like, but the girl she met certainly wasn't it. Emma supposed she expected her to be timid and scared, but this girl was smiling brightly at them as they entered her room. Winifred's dark red hair fell just past her shoulders in attractive curls that Emma suspected had only been tamed by a healthy dose of styling products. She had a generous smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her face was round, more cute than traditionally pretty, and her grey-green eyes sparkled with mirth when she smiled.
She was petite, which made the swell of her basketball sized belly that much more pronounced. She sat on the small single bed, her back propped up with pillows and her legs stretched out in front of her. She had an older model iPad in her lap, and she was pulling earbuds out of her ears. She made a move to stand, but Emma and Killian immediately assured her that there was no need.
After making the introductions, Blue took her leave. The room was small and had only one chair, so Winifred pulled her knees up as far as her belly allowed and enthusiastically patted the foot of the bed so that Emma could sit. Killian pulled up the lone chair beside Emma and sat down.
Emma had been worried that the encounter would be awkward or melancholy, but her worries were dispelled when Winifred launched right in with gusto.
"Thank you guys SO much for coming and agreeing to do this! I am, so, so relieved. I really fucked...I mean messed up with that jerk in New York." Her cheeks blushed adorably in embarrassment at her crass language, and Emma heard Killian stifle a chuckle.
"I had a whole plan, you know? I had enrolled in some acting and singing classes. I was going to start auditioning for theater, commercials, the whole thing, and then I met Brandon, who supposedly already had an agent in L.A. and told me that that I should totally go out there with him."
Emma struggled to keep up. Her eyes kept flickering to Winifred's belly, realizing just how real this was, how soon the baby would be here. Their baby. Another daughter.
"Brandon," Killian said with just a hint of acid in his tone. "He's the father?"
"Yep. The one and only," Winifred replied, rolling her eyes. She had been brash and confident up to this point, but her eyes suddenly betrayed the fact that she was nervous. Emma realized that the young woman was probably worried that they would judge her for getting pregnant, or that they would suddenly change their minds. Winifred likely wanted to make sure they knew that she wasn't a careless, irresponsible person. She had made one mistake with one boy, and here she was.
Emma could relate to that. She could relate to that a whole hell of a lot.
Feeling a sudden, deep wave of affection for this woman she had just met, Emma reached out and took her hand. "And he bailed, right? Didn't keep his promises?"
Winifred looked down at her and Emma's joined hands, then back up to meet Emma's kind gaze. Emma felt the girl soften and saw that her eyes were suddenly wet with tears. "Yeah," she said softly. "I told him, but he—he said he still had to go. That it probably wasn't his anyway and that I should just deal with it. He left for California a couple days later."
Now it was Emma's eyes that were full of tears. She remembered that feeling. Of having to deal with something completely monumental and life changing when the one person you thought you had suddenly ran out on you. She felt Killian's eyes on her and glanced over to see him looking her with concern, no doubt reading her thoughts as he always did. She gave him a nod and took a breath to collect herself.
"Winifred," Killian began, "we are so honored that you've asked us here. That you would even consider us to be the ones to adopt your babe. Is there anything that you wish to know about us that you don't already?"
Winifred turned to look at Killian, and Emma could see how his trademark sincerity had impressed the girl.
"I'm the one that's honored!" she replied to him. "Everyone in town knows all about you guys. How Emma broke the original curse, how you turned your life around and became a hero. You sacrificed yourself to overcome The Dark One curse, and then Emma won The Final Battle. Everyone in town looks up to you two! Plus, the True Love thing is crazy romantic. Oh, and I've seen you, your whole family, at Granny's, and around town. Hope is so adorable, and you guys all just look so happy all the time!"
Emma and Killian couldn't help but exchange bemused looks at the girl's list. But Emma wanted to make sure that Winifred had thought everything through, so she turned serious.
"We are thrilled that you think so highly of us," she said. "And we would love to be your baby's parents. But, we need to make sure you really want this, and that you really want us. All those things you said are true, but who we are means that we often end up being targets of some pretty nasty things. Our family has been in danger more times than I can count. You know about what we just went through in Boston, right? With Hope?"
Winifred returned Emma's serious gaze. "Yes," she replied solemnly. "Mother Superior told me the story. You were cursed. You had no memories of who you really were, but you still ended up together. You broke another curse and you saved Hope! It's amazing! I mean, True Love, right?"
Emma was still uneasy, worried that this girl was over-romanticizing what they had gone through and ignoring the very real danger that Hope had been in. Winifred must have sensed her concern.
"Look, I know I'm excited, and I probably seem a little crazy, but I have thought this through," she assured them. "I've lived in Storybrooke and I've lived outside of Storybrooke. I know enough about the system out there to know that I don't want my baby to get caught up in it. And even though I don't believe that Storybrooke is the right place for me, for my dreams, I do think that it is a wonderful place for a child to grow up. You guys are already amazing parents. Everyone can see it. I know that you'll love and protect this kid just like your other kids. I know it. I believe that, if you adopt my baby, I can move on and go back to living out my dream."
She continued to grasp Emma's hand, and her eyes moved back and forth between Emma's and Killian's. She was serious, and she was being honest. She wanted this. They all did.
Emma glanced at Killian, who returned her look with a happy grin and a slight nod that said "I'm still in if you are."
Emma's heart swelled and she grinned back at him.
Turning to Winifred, Emma took a deep breath and said, "Okay, so we're doing this!"
"Yeah?" Winifred cried, gripping Emma's hand harder and leaning forward on the bed.
"Yep," Emma replied as she felt the tears return to her eyes. After a beat, she scooted forward and pulled Winifred into a hug. She was so grateful to this young woman for being so brave, and for believing in them. She also needed her to know that they would protect her and take care of her for as long as she needed. Emma tried to pour all of that into the hug, knowing that all the words and plans and details could come later. She felt Winifred's shoulders relax in relief as she returned Emma's embrace.
After a moment, Winifred pulled back, dabbed at her eyes, and addressed them both again.
"Okay, so you guys are going to want to come to my next ultrasound appointment, right?" she said.
Emma glanced at Killian, they were both a little taken aback at the pace at which things were moving.
"Yeah, of course," Emma finally replied.
"Great, so that's next Thursday at 10 AM," she said.
Killian took out his phone and began to type a calendar entry.
"Oh, and the official due date is January 12 but I have a weird feeling that she's going to come early. She's super active, and I feel like I'm HUGE. So maybe, just, be prepared for that."
She gasped suddenly and put her hands over her mouth. "Shit! Wait," she exclaimed. "You knew it was a girl, right? Did I just give it away? Did you want to be surprised?"
Killian chuckled and Emma smiled and replied, "We knew, don't worry."
"Phew. That's a relief!" Winifred replied. She then continued to enthusiastically tick through a list of everything that had been on her mind since deciding to give up her baby, and Emma and Killian were happy to listen, exchanging amused looks here and there.
Emma was relieved to find out that Winifred had been having some sessions with Dr. Archie Hopper, the town psychiatrist, and that she would continue to see him every week. ("Oh, right, he married you guys!" Winifred had cried happily after asking if they knew Archie. "I saw the pictures. You looked so absolutely incredibly gorgeous!")
Emma gently suggested that they ask Archie to help them draft up an adoption agreement, and Winifred happily agreed.
"But I'm not going to change my mind," she assured them. "I know you're worried about that. Of course you are. But I really won't."
Emma believed her.
Blue came back in to see if Winifred wanted to come downstairs for lunch, and they all agreed to walked down together, as it was time for Emma and Killian to head back to work.
Killian, being the gentleman that he was, offered Winifred his arm as she waddled down the steps. She gave him a surprisingly graceful and charmingly genteel curtsey as a thank you when they reached the bottom, and Emma suddenly had vision of this charismatic girl playing a brash, witty woman in a movie adaptation of a Jane Austen novel.
She suddenly, desperately wanted all of Winifred's dreams to come true.
After they said their goodbyes, Killian and Emma took their time making their way to the car. Emma focused on taking deep breaths and forced herself not to get overwhelmed by how much there was to do in the next two months. They would manage. They always did.
The sun was shining now. It had turned into a beautiful, crisp autumn afternoon. Killian and Emma leaned against the passenger side of the car for a moment, taking everything in.
"So, January 12. Or sooner. A new baby daughter," Emma said.
"Aye," Killian replied with a note of awe in his voice.
"Winifred's amazing," Emma added.
Killian grinned. "Aye, she's a spitfire," he replied. "This little girl might be quite the handful if she takes after her mum."
"Great, another one," Emma said, rolling her eyes and thinking of all the challenges they still had ahead of them with Hope, her magic, and her stubborn insistence on fighting injustice.
"Are you all right?" Killian asked after a moment as he turned to look down at her. "I know some of her story might have been painfully familiar for you."
It was true. Beneath her excitement about the baby were swirling memories of sitting on a prison cot looking at a positive pregnancy test. Still reeling from being betrayed and left to take the fall for a robbery she didn't commit, seventeen-year-old Emma Swan had no idea what the hell she was supposed to do with a baby.
Emma sighed, turned toward her husband and leaned against him. She rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She let herself feel the hurt of those memories again, just for a moment. Then, she focused on the strength of the arms that held her and the security of knowing that she would never be alone and unloved ever again.
She pulled back a little and looked up at Killian. "I'm okay," she said firmly. "I just really, really want to do right by Winifred, and this baby."
"I want to as well, my love."
She nodded, leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly.
"Then let's get to work," she said.
After they got in and started up the car, Killian asked the question that had been on her mind since they left Winifred's room.
"So," he said, "when do we tell the kids?"
They decided to give themselves a couple of days to think and adjust before telling Henry and Hope. Emma tried to tell herself that it was a good idea to wait, just in case Winifred changed her mind, but she knew in gut that she wouldn't.
They had exchanged phone numbers with Winifred, and she had taken to texting Emma a couple of times each day, letting her know how she was feeling or whether the baby was particularly active. Her enthusiasm for involving Emma and Killian in the pregnancy continued to build Emma's comfort that the young woman was confident in her choice. Emma asked whether there was anything she needed, but Winifred assured her that Blue and the other fairies were keeping her well fed.
Regina had Henry for the weekend, and he wasn't due back at the Swan-Jones house until late Sunday afternoon. Emma and Killian decided that they would tell the children at the same time Sunday evening after dinner. Emma was confident that Henry would be excited. Hope was bound to have a million questions, but she would most likely follow her brother's lead.
Emma, Killian, and Hope spent a quiet weekend at home. They spent most of Saturday raking (and jumping into) the leaves that littered their expansive yard. They read and played and watched movies. Emma declined an invitation to Saturday dinner at her parents' house, feigning a sniffle and feeling guilty as she told Snow that she thought she might be coming down with a cold and didn't want to get anyone sick. If they were to see David and Snow, they would have to tell them about the baby. If they told them about the baby, the whole town would know in an instant.
Emma wanted to make sure her kids were all right and settled with the news before they took that step.
When Henry got home on Sunday, they ate dinner early and cleaned up most of the kitchen together. When the dishwasher was running and the counters were cleaned, Emma and Killian exchanged a glance, and she asked Henry if they could speak to him out in the living room. Killian plucked Hope out of the kitchen chair in which she'd been sitting while she colored a picture of a very fat Thanksgiving turkey. She giggled as he swung her back and forth in his arms as they made their way to the other room.
Henry sat in an armchair, and Killian and Emma sat across from him on the couch. Hope sat on Killian's knee, where he bounced her lightly. Henry eyed them warily as they settled in.
Emma glanced at Killian who nodded and deferred to her to take the lead.
"So," she began. "Your dad and I wanted to talk to you guys about something pretty important. We LOVE you guys, and we love our family just the way it is. But, we've also been thinking that it would be really nice to grow our family even bigger."
Emma noticed a grin begin to spread across Henry's face, and his knee started bouncing up and down excitedly. Clearly he thought he knew what was coming. However, he held his tongue and didn't interject.
"We have an opportunity to expand our family in a really wonderful way," she continued. "A way that is very special to me and that I think will be special to Henry."
She watched her son carefully as his smile faltered and his brow furrowed. She held eye contact with him as she continued, "There is a young woman in town who is expecting a baby, and she is choosing to make an adoption plan for it. She believes that adoption is her best chance to give the baby a happy life and a loving family." She glanced at Killian before finishing, "We've agreed to be the baby's parents."
She had chosen her words carefully, making sure that Henry knew, as always, that babies were given up for adoption because the birth mother loved the child and wanted what was best for it. His smile returned as he held her gaze.
"Whoa, guys," Henry breathed. "That's amazing!"
Emma let out a breath in relief and grinned as she replied, "It is, right?"
Hope was looking between the three of them with confusion. Emma turned to her and winced at the perplexed expression on her daughter's little face.
Maybe they should have told each kid separately.
"Huh? You're buying a baby?" Hope finally asked with her trademark bluntness.
She sat sideways in Killian's lap so that she was turned towards Emma. Emma took Hope's hands in both of hers and squeezed them.
Killian leaned down and kissed the top of his daughter's little blonde head. "Not buying, darling. This young woman who is having the baby has chosen your mother and me to be the parents. After the baby is born, we'll take her home and she'll be our daughter just like you are."
"It's a girl?" Henry interjected.
"Aye," Killian replied happily.
Hope's face was still scrunched up. "So there will be a baby, but she won't be in Mommy's tummy like I was?"
"No sweetheart," Emma replied. "She won't come from my tummy. You know how Regina is Henry's mom just like I am, even though Henry was in my tummy?"
Hope nodded solemnly. She did understand the basic logistics of adoption because of Henry's history, and that was going to help them here.
"Well, Killian and I will be the mom and dad to your new sister, like Regina is Henry's mom just as much as I am. We're going to take care of her and love her just like we love you and Henry. She'll be our kid just the same as you guys are."
"But, will we share her with her other mommy?" Hope wondered.
Emma and Killian exchanged glances and Killian replied, "No, darling. She'll be with us all the time, so it's a little bit different from how it is with Henry. Her other mom is going to go live in another city, so she won't be around. But she'll be happy to know that her baby will be loved and taken care of by our family."
Hope nodded again. "Okay," she said. "A baby sister...so when is she coming?" She turned in Killian's lap and looked towards the front door, as if any second it was going to swing open and reveal her new baby sister.
Emma saw Henry stifle a grin. She knew that he must have a million questions, and she appreciated him giving his sister a moment to process this confusing news. They let Hope ask some more questions, like where would the baby sleep, what would she eat, and what was her name.
"Well, baby," Emma answered to the last one, "we'll have to pick out a name for her."
"Can I pick it?" Hope asked excitedly.
Emma sputtered as she had a sudden vision of Hope insisting that they name the baby Tinkerbell 3, and she couldn't help but cringe. She noticed that Killian's eyebrows had shot up to the top of his forehead.
"Um," Emma replied finally, "maybe we can all work together as a family to pick out a name."
Killian nodded. "That's a grand idea," he added.
Hope seemed satisfied with that, and she cuddled quietly with Killian for a few minutes as Henry took his turn to ask about the birth mother and when the baby was due. Emma told him about Winifred; about how wonderful she was and how excited that she was that they had agreed to adopt her baby. He was shocked, of course, when he found out that she was due in early January.
"Aye, lad, it's soon," Killian acknowledged. "I may need some assistance carrying items up from the basement and reassembling the crib."
"You got it," Henry replied.
Emma grinned with pride and got up to ruffle her son's hair and kiss his forehead. He stood and pulled her into a hug.
"I can't get used to how much taller than me you are, Kid," she said as she held him tightly.
"I've been taller than you for a while, Mom," he replied with a smile. He then pulled back and continued, looking with seriousness between her and Killian, "I think this is awesome, you guys. I'm really happy. I'll do whatever I can to help us get ready."
"Thanks, Henry. Truly," Killian replied, his eyes glassy as looked with pride at his nearly grown stepson.
"So, have you told Grandma and Grandpa?" Henry asked them.
Emma winced and looked at Killian. .
"I think that may be on the agenda for tomorrow," Killian replied for them both. "We'll be drowning in well wishers soon after!"
Henry laughed. He reached down and plucked Hope from Killian's lap. "How about I give you your bath and read you a story tonight, kiddo?" he said to his sister.
Hope beamed at him. She was used to their shared custody arrangement, and of course she enjoyed the undivided attention of her parents, but she missed Henry when he was gone. She held onto his neck and nodded. "Sounds great," she cried. "Let's do a looooooonnnnng book."
Henry rolled his eyes. "Just this once," he replied.
"We'll be up soon to hear the end of the story and tuck you in," Emma told Hope before Henry carried her upstairs.
Emma collapsed back down on the couch next to Killian. She felt boneless with relief, but her mind was beginning to swim again with her next tasks and a hundred open questions.
As usual, Killian brought her back to the present. "They're happy, love. They're going to adore having a baby sister."
She turned toward him and grinned. "They are, right?"
He nodded and said, "January 12."
"January 12," she replied. "Plus there's the small matter of Christmas coming in about seven weeks."
Killian smirked. "Well, what's a better gift than a new sibling?"
Emma rolled her eyes."I'm pretty sure they're still going to expect presents, babe."
So, they started another list before heading upstairs as promised to hear the end of Henry's story and kiss Hope goodnight.