CHAPTER 2: TEARS OF JOY, TEARS OF WOE.

Seven years earlier.

It was six months after their wedding and final battle that Emma discovered she was pregnant with Killian's baby. The night she came home after visiting the doctor under the pretense of working an extra hour (it had been Killian's day off and he had, as he now frequently did, taken Henry sailing), she stopped by the boutique to buy a special gift for the pirate gone sheriff. That and a sizeable slice of blueberry cheesecake, something he had developed a particular taste for.

He wasn't home yet, so Emma settled in for a warm lavender bath and her thoughts. A baby… a second chance at being a parent from the getgo, raising the child and loving it from the moment it drew its first breath! The mere notion of this excited her and, if she knew her pirate husband at all, she knew he would be beyond thrilled.

The sound of his rustling keys and the thunk of boots on hardwood drew her attention and she smiled, pulling herself out from the tub.

"Emma? Are you home, love?"

"Yeah, just getting out of the bathtub! Be right down!" She shouted back.

She herd him pace to the kitchen as she wrapped herself in his black bathrobe and tied her hair up. She had left the pie served on a plate, next to a little box labelled, "A very big present for my dashing husband, love from Emma". She'd miss the look on his face, but she knew him well enough to understand he would need a few seconds of solitude to process what was in the box.

The silence that ensued confirmed exactly what she knew he'd do. He'd open the box and see the contents, and he would take a few seconds to understand that the little yellow boots, roughly the size of his own thumb, were the very first garment of his very own unborn child. She silently stepped down the hallway and the stairs and sure enough, the black leather-clad figure of her Captain stood with his back to her, holding up the booties and hardly breathing as he looked at them.

She cleared her throat and he turned, eyes shining, and what looked like a surprised demeanor. "Swan…"

"So… you like your gift?" she grinned, leaning on the wood pillar by the kitchen door.

Killian paced to her, eyeing this beautiful creature that was now his wife, smiling at him. "You… you carry my child…" he said, not asking. "You are with child…"

"I am." She grinned and spoke softly, looking at the boots in Killian's hand. "I confirmed it today."

He smiled in silence and chuckled, a tear finally escaping down his cheek, looking down at the boots. "I never… I never imagined in over two centuries I'd ever…" he trailed off and laughed softly.

She paced towards him and raised her hand to his cheek. "Me neither. But hey… This house needs occupation, it's got five rooms, it's too big for just the three of us." He raised his eyes to her and smiled, and she caressed the tear off his skin with her thumb. "Are you happy, Killian?"

"Happy?" he whispered as he exhaled through a gleaming smile. "Emma... You have always made me happy, but this day… you have made me a father… and that, that is the kind of joy that indeed has no measure." He laughed and held her tight. "I am not happy, Swan, I am delighted beyond words!"

She held him back and when they pulled apart, he studied her face warmly. "Are you well? The babe?"

"We're fine!" She nodded happily. "It's weird, I had all the symptoms with Henry, but this one? The only reason I suspected it was because I'm about a week late. No sickness, no dizzy spells…"

"Henry was always a little spitfire." He smiled back and caressed her arms. "Oh, Emma… our child. A son… or a daughter, made by us." A small shadow fell over his eyes as he looked into her eyes. "Do you… think I will make a fine father? I'm afraid I've not much of an example to go on. "

"Killian…" Emma reached to the back of his head and ran her fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck. "If your relationship with Henry is any sort of example, I do trust you'll make a great dad for our kid. But… you know, one thing at a time. I need to see Whale tomorrow. Pre-natal. It's kind of a big deal in this realm."

"Aye, the medic." Killian nodded. "And… who else knows?"

"For now, just him, you and me."

"Who shall we tell first?" he smiled from ear to ear, giddier than a school boy. "Bloody hell, I mean… I can't wait for the world to know!"

Emma frowned. "Well, where is Henry? I thought he'd gone sailing with you and I was hoping I'd be able to tell you both."

"Aye, well he said he forgot his nightwear at Regina's, so he will be over soon enough." He hugged her again. "Emma…. This is indeed the biggest bestowment I've ever had. Thank you , love. Thank you…"

"Why are you thanking me? You're the donor."

As they chuckled in each other's arms, the heard the steps of the teenage boy going up the wooden stairs of the porch.

"Should you tell him, or should I?" Emma shrugged.

"Oh… allow me." He smiled and cleared his trhoat as he placed the boots behind his back.

Henry stepped in and turned, stopping in his tracks to find a grinning mom and stepdad on the foyer. He narrowed his gaze and his eyes averted from one to the other. "Okay… are we going to Disneyland or… what's with the cryptic smiles, guys?"

Killian and Emma exchanged a grin and the Captain took a step forward. "We've something to show you, lad."

"Ok…"

"Close your eyes."

Henry closed his eyes and sighed.

"Right. Now, hold your hands out."

"Killian, what are…?"

"It's a surprise m'boy, go on."

With a sigh, Henry held his hands out and Killian gently placed the baby boots on his hands. "Right. Open your eyes, Henry."

When the teen boy opened his eyes, he blinked a couple of times, looking at the tiny footwear, and he shot his eyes up at his mom with a gasp. "NO WAY!" He smiled. "MOM?"

Emma raised her eyebrows and grinned as she nodded. "Yeah kid. We're adding one to our little family here."

"Wow… WOW!" He jumped to his mom and hugged her, and then turned to Killian with an equally affectionate hug. "You guys! I'm gonna be a brother!"

"That you are, Henry." Killian smiled, also embracing the boy he'd come to love as his own son, and his wife, the savior.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So have the two of you thought of any names?"

It amused Emma to no ends whenever she thought that this woman was the same woman who had so desperately tried to anihilate her with a posioned turnover only three years earlier. Now, they sat eating a sundae together on a patio table at Granny's, like some sort of teenage posse. She was already five months into gestation and the smell of Granny's kitchen seemed a bit overwhelming to her sensitive nostrils.

"We don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet." Emma shrugged, scooping and taking the rich creamy spoonful into her mouth. "I mean, Killian suggested his father's name."

"Really?" Regina frowned. "I thought he hated that man."

"He did. A long time ago. But… He feels guilty because… you know…"

"I do know, Emma. Not proud of it." Regina shook her head and took a large spoonful of ice cream. "And just what was the name of daddy dearest?"

"Brennan."

Regina widened her eyes. "It's actually not too bad!"

"David Brennan Jones." Emma added. "Because of my dad."

"Oh, wait, I take it back, that's just unfair to the kid."

Emma chuckled.

"And if it's a girl?"

"We both have our heart set on Elizabeth. It was his mother's name. Henry wants us to name her Emma, but…" She wrinkled her nose. "I don't know, I've never been into that whole 'name your kids after yourself' thing…"

Regina thought for a minute. "Emma Elizabeth Jones…" she grinned and nodded. "It's actually pretty powerful. She'll need a strong name."

Emma frowned. "What are you talking about?" Scoop, scoop and scoop.

"Emma, " Regina shook her head. "You are the product of true love, and look at what you can do. You're the most powerful witch I've ever met. Now, imagine your child. He or she, will be the product of true love, twice over!" She grinned. "Can you just imagine what the kid will be capable of?"

Emma hummed and sat back. "Yeah, well, we both know that this whole magic thing is not all it's cracked up to be. The price sometimes is just too steep."

"Regardless, if the child is born with that skill…"

"I don't know Regina…"

"…it would be completely unfair not to teach him or her to use it and control it."

Emma sighed. "We will see."

"What does Hook think about that?"

"Huh…" Emma shook her head. "He's always defended my magic and my skill, I have a feeling he'd be the first to bring the kid up for you to train her."

Regina laughed and nodded. "Gesture appreciated. However, I think you're far more skilled than I, Emma, and I think it would be for you to undertake this endeavour. And make no mistake; your baby will be born with magic." She looked at her watch. "Oh… damnit."

"What is it?" She looked at her former foe turned best friend, as she gathered her jacket from the back of the chair.

"There's a town hall meeting regarding the paintwork on main avenue. I forgot all about it. Ugh." She looked at Emma. "Tell Granny the tab's on me, ok?"

"No I got it, you go on."

"Will you be ok?"

"Yeah! Killian will be over any minute." She waved her friend goodbye and sat to finish the glorious sundae before her face.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Captain?"

"Yes…"

"You have a daughter. "

"A… daughter?"

Dr. Whale smiled and nodded. "Came in with a powerful thud and an even stronger pair of lungs, I might add. 7.8 pounds, full head of dark hair and perfectly healthy."

Killian huffed through his huge smile as David patted him in the back, with Henry hugging him. "And… Emma?"

"Pfff. Are you kidding? The woman went to the underworld and returned unscathed, she's a trooper." Whale laughed. "Emma is fine. Fastest delivery I've ever witnessed." He looked over his shoulder and then back to Killian. "Maybe you'd like to join her? So you can meet your little one."

"Aye… Lead the way." He turned to Henry and David with a smile and they let him go, watching him as he eagerly followed Dr. Whate down the hall.

Killian gasped softly as he encountered Emma and Snow cooing over the baby in Emma's arms. Snow looked up at her son in law and smiled. "Killian, she is beautiful…"

He slowly approached and peeked to find a squirmy, pink babe wrigling in her mother's arms. And at that moment, he knew that no treasure would ever compare in value and beauty. This was treasure beyond his wildest dreams. His daughter.

He leaned in and gently touched her cheek, smiling as he spoke to her through his won tears. "Hello, my darling… hello…"

Emma turned her face to him. "She's so perfect…"

"Aye love, she's… bloody hell…" He smiled and wept. "I've no words." He turned his gaze to his wife. "C… can I hold her?"

Silently, Snow took the baby from Emma and turned to Killain. "Take off the hook…" After he complied, she handed the little one over to him, and Killian all but melted on the spot. Gone was any trace of the dread Captain Hook. He talked to her, soft words of love and devotion, smiling, even singing, and from that very moment it was plain to see that the little one would be the apple of his eye.

He leaned over and kissed Emma's head. "You're a bloody marvel Emma."

She smiled back at him, tired but happy beyond measure. "You don't do so badly yourself there, Captain."

"Maybe I should get David and Henry in here." Snow looked at emma. "They need to meet the newest addition to the Charmings."

"That's the Jones, milady." Killian smiled, still enthralled with his little one.

Snow raised her hands and laughed. "My bad. I'll go get them, if that's ok, Emma.?"

"Yeah mom."

The happy couple was left alone with their precious little princess, and Killian didn't seem to be able to get enough of her. "Oh, my princess, my angel…" He kept repeating. "I'm your dad… aye, I am your dad. And you and I will be having a great life… I'll teach you how to sail, like your brother Henry. And you'll be this realm's little pirate princess…" He reached to touch her little hand and was suddenly zapped with a mild shock. "Bloody hell!" He tunred to Emma. "Swan, your daughter just gave me a shock!"

Emma giggled. "Yeah, well, Regina did warn me chances were she'd be born with magic."

"Is that what that was?"

"It's gotta be. Leather doesn't conduct electricity."

"Huh… so let me rephrase that then, my angel…" she turned back to his daughter. "You will be this realm's little pirate witch princess." He looked to Emma. "Just like your mother."

"I'm not a pirate."

"You're a pirate's wife."

"That doesn't make me a pirate."

"Your mother is quite argumentative, darling babe. Pray that that is one think you avoid inheriting, if you please."

Emma smiled and reached out, touching his leg. "How do you feel, daddy?"

He sighed and looked to his wife. "Born anew, Emma. Born anew." He looked back to his now sleeping daughter and gently kissed her little forehead. "Welcome to the family, Emma Elizabeth."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Two Weeks Ago

Emma woke up gasping for air. "That a girl, just… come on, Emma, get it all out."

She sat up in Killian's arms and reached for his cheeks. "Wh… are you ok?"

"Aye, I do believe I may have broken an ankle, love, but I'm well." He held her hard and kissed her forehead. "Bloody hell Swan, for a second I thought you were gone as well…"

"As well?" Emma sighed and closed her eyes, but suddenly they shot open. "Killian, where's Lizzie?"

He gulped. "I… I don't know, Emma, I… I couldn't find her. I … I can't…"

"Oh no… no no NO!" Emma stood up and frantically looked around the beach. "LIZZIE? LIZZIE!"

Killian groaned and stood up, limping his way up to Emma. "I've already called out her name, love. I have been looking for both of you for three hours and only just found you." He shook his head, tears again forming in his eyes. "We need to call the coast guard to help us."

Emma looked terrified. "K… Killian what the hell happened?"

"Bloody boat capsized." He ran his hand through his hair,, his voice broken. "IThe storm, it…. It came out of nowhere. Gave no signs, no winds, nothing. When the vessel flipped, I held on to you and Lizzie but… the storm pulled us all apart."

"P… pulled us apart?" Emma sneered at him. "What's the matter with you? YOU LET HER GO?".

"I let BOTH of you go!" He shook her by the shoulders. "Don't you understand, Swan? The storm pulled us apart!"

"Pulled us apart MY ASS! You let our daughter go!" she shouted angrily at him. "What the hell's the matter with you? You're supposed to be a goddamned Captain!"

"AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SAVIOR AND YET, HERE WE ARE!" He shouted back.

Emma gasped and her lower lip began to quiver. Killian stepped back and closed his eyes. "Emma… Emma forgive me…" He reached out for her and gently grabbed her arm. "Look, let's just… let's not quarrel, love. Let's just find our little girl, aye?"

Emma nodded desperately and looked up into his eyes. "I'm sorry too…"

They embraced and kissed swiftly before resuming their quest.

They spent the whole morning and the better half of the afternoon at that beach shouting her name and looking along the entire coast, cold and wet, desperate and distraught, until the coast guard finally responded to their call and began the search, a search that would yield no desirable results.

xxxxxxxxxx

Two days ago

The quivering little girl sat in a hut, drinking the broth the two cockle harvesters had given her.

"Whatdya think, then? She does 'ave 'is looks, don't she?" Midge spoke softly.

Myra sighed and shook her head. "I do find it 'ard to believe the dread Cap'n settled down long enough to 'ave 'imself a family, although, if I remember, last I 'eard 'e was with this no good woman, Milah. Remember 'er? Tall skinny, blue eyes…"

"Oh aye, I remember 'er. But the child says she's not the one. She mentioned someone named Emma Swan."

"Per'aps we'd sooner take this with the See'er. She'll know 'eads from tails."

Lizzie sat shivering and softly sobbing underneath the blanket, trying to remember what had happened.

It had been a perfect day to sail. She had learned much from her father in the arts of navigating a vessel, and she knew well that storms come with notice. This, however, was a storm none had expected. She and her father had been launched from the helm, and her mother had fallen in fterwards while a massive swirl of water had engulfed and sunken The Merry Swan. She remembered the exact moment her grip slipped from her father's hook and how it felt to be dragged by an unseen force into a spinning vortex from which she thought she'd never come out alive. And yet, here she sat.

Where was 'here', anyway?

She stood and placed the mug with broth on the floor, and turned to the women. "E… excuse me…" she spoke softly. "I… I thank you for your kindness, but… I need to find my parents. "

Midge approached the girl and caressed her hair. "Aye, m'dear, we are working on that. We will take you to a lady that sees all, and she will tell you where they are…"

"Well…" Lizzie nodded. "…for now, I'd… like to know where I am, please. What land is this?" she gulped. "Is this the Enchanted Forest?"

"Oh heavens, no!" Myra smiled kidly. "Misthaven's a ten day's sail from here. Is that where your parents hail from?"

"Ehm… I guess." Lizzie replied. "Please… where am I?"

"This is Shoreman's Cove, dear. It's a Pirate's Island." Midge replied. "But do not worry yourself m'dear, we know 'em all and they leave us well alone."

Lizzie nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! My father, he's a, well, he was a pirate once. Maybe someone here will know him? He went by…"

"Captain 'ook, aye." Midge cut in again. "We kenw 'im well enough, but we've not seen the likes of 'im for over thirty years! Was 'e in the original curse? The one cast by the queen of Misthaven?"

Lizzie sighed. "It's a long story. Listen, yes, my dad IS Captain Hook and my mom is The Savior, daughter of Snow white and Prince David. They are married. I'm their daughter and if I know them they're probably having a huge fit right now…" she gulped. "If they survived."

"Aw child…" Myra rubbed her shoulder. "If I knew our Killian jones, he always, always survives."

"Aye, and if he married the famous Savior it can be guaranteed she lives as well. Only one way to be sure, though."

"How?"

Midge nodded. "The see'er. She will tell us all we need to know for you to find your mom and dad., all right? Just… one thing dear: Tell no one in the village about your parentage. Pirates are competitve blokes, they might want to take advantage of the fact that you are the child of a fairly strong rival. Not to mention, the offspring of a princess. You are worth your weight in gold to 'em."

"Ok… ok I won't say a word."

Myra turned her face to Lizzie. "As far as you know, you are our niece, and your name is… Molly. All right?"

"Yeah, Molly, got it."

"And you're mute and deaf also. Let us do the talking, child."

"Fine."

"Come now. Finish your broth. We will see her tonight-"