Chapter 13: Birth

"Is there a rule to pick the baby's name?"

"What do you mean?"

"How can we know if a name fits a baby?" Killian asked.

He was lying on the bed next to her and playing with her fingers while she was counting the baby's moves – something she had got into the habit of doing on a daily basis, like the doctor had advised her to do weeks earlier.

"Do you have a name in mind?" Emma inquired.

"I was just thinking of this night when you magically became mine by accepting to be my fiancée-"

"As if I had any reason to refuse," she interrupted with a soft voice. "I love being your fiancée."

It had already been more than a month since the proposal, and they still both had stars in the eyes whenever they mentioned the word 'fiancé.' Killian shifted closer and kissed her.

"And I'll love even more being Princess Emma Jones," she whispered against his lips.

"It does have a nice ring to it," he said with a crooked smile, looking her in the eye.

"What name were you thinking of?"

"Do you remember when we talked about equilibrium?"

"That was right before you proposed, of course I remember." She examined him and bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. "You're not about to say you want to name the baby Equilibrium, right?"

"No, not Equilibrium," he chuckled. "I was thinking of Equinox, that's a beautiful name."

"Oh. Uh…"

"It evokes me a peaceful night under the stars."

"Would that be if the baby's a girl?"

"Could it be a name for a baby girl?" He examined her and laughed; her features were enough for him to assess, "It's not a baby name at all."

"I'm not sure."

"That's what I was talking about: what are the rules to know if a name can be a baby name or not?"

"I don't think there are any rules. But Equinox…"

"Don't you like it?" he inquired.

"I don't know. I probably need to think about it. But right now… I don't see myself naming our baby this. Equinox is when the night is as long as the day, and I know there are stars, but to me, night means darkness. This name would suggest the baby is half-light, half-dark, but we don't want darkness to be involved."

"Right." He caught her look and guessed she was trying to judge if he was disappointed. "Everything's fine, love. I've just said that on a whim."

She looked him in the eye before breaking the silence. "If the baby's a girl, I had another idea. I was thinking of Kaelyn?"

Killian raised his eyebrows. "My mother's name?"

"Yes. You always speak well about her. And, without her, the devilishly handsome man lying next to me, who happens to be my baby's daddy, wouldn't exist. Just for that, she deserves that we pay tribute to her."

"Said devilishly handsome man is head over heels in love with his fiancée." He searched her eyes. "Do you really want to name the baby after my mother?"

"She had a beautiful name."

He thought about the name itself and smirked. "Kaelyn, Killian… That sounds quite alike."

Emma bit her lip and lifted her shoulders up in a way he found adorable. "Maybe that's why I love it so much."

He flashed her a crooked smile before becoming serious again, "Do you know it means 'pure beauty'?"

She raised her eyebrows and her smile brightened. "I definitely love this name."

"Then, I guess we can go for Kaelyn."

"We can use Equinox as a middle name, you know?"

"What's a middle name?" he inquired.

"An additional name."

"What is it for?"

"I don't know. I never understood the point."

"Why would we give our baby a useless additional name?" he asked with a laugh.

"This way, Equinox could be used."

"Forget about it, love. It was just an idea which crossed my mind when I looked at your ring."

"Maybe I like it. But not as much as I love Kaelyn."

"Couldn't it work for a baby boy?"

"I don't know."

"Do you have a name in mind for a boy?"

Emma repressed a laugh. "Killian Junior."

Hearing this suggestion for the second time made him laugh. "No."

"Do you have another idea?"

"No, but we have more than a month to come up with something else. We already discussed it, and we're definitely not naming the baby after me."

"But it's my favorite name," she whined and it made him laugh even more.

Killian made her topple on her back while kissing her. Partly lying over his fiancée, he gazed at her. "You're the most adorable."

"Say that again, before the baby steals this title from me," she said playfully.

"You're definitely the most adorable." A crooked smile appeared on his lips before he added, "That is for now, indeed."

"Love?" Killian called while knocking on the door.

Emma looked up from the game of checkers she had just started to play with her mother, and watched him entering the library and coming to her. Her father and Henry were waiting on the doorstep.

"The baby's room is ready," he answered her inquiring look.

He held out a hand which she took almost instantly.

"Does that mean I can finally see it?"

"Yes. Come."

Snow, who hadn't seen it either, got up from the couch as well, and the five of them headed to the baby's room, located right beside Emma and Killian's.

"Are you ready?" he asked her.

"Yes!" she said excitedly, delighted to finally be about to discover what the room looked like.

Killian pressed his hands over her eyes and lightly kissed her cheek before indicating the door to Henry, which he opened.

"Move forward," he told Emma.

She complied, and he made her stop in the middle of the room, then uncovered her eyes to let her see.

"Killian…" She kept scanning the room before turning around, her mouth slightly open. "Dad, Henry… It's amazing! And it's perfect for both a girl or a boy."

"With a room like this, the baby won't have any trouble when we go sailing," Killian said proudly. "The Jolly Roger will feel like home straight away."

Emma could perfectly understand why he was saying this: she was standing in the middle of the room but was feeling like she was on deck; all around her, walls were painted like the Jolly Roger and, over the railing, the ocean and a blue sky, with a few white clouds and seagulls, were depicted. Floor and ceiling were completing the scene, with the ceiling representing a clear blue sky, and the floor, some wooden planks.

"We have artists in this family," Emma commented.

"It was Killian's idea," Henry said enthusiastically. "He drew all of it, and we helped painting."

"The lad is being modest."

Emma headed to the cradle, which looked like a wooden chest with a red velvet-padded inside.

"What a better place to sleep than a chest, for our treasure?" Killian whispered while slipping his hands over the baby bump and wrapping her in his arms.

"It's perfect."

Leaning against him, she played with the mobile made of seashells.

"When I was saying the lad was being modest: this was his idea, and he made it all by himself."

"That's why you went out looking for some seashells."

"Yes!" Henry joined the conversation and indicated the central seashell, which was the largest. "This is the one which contained the pearl we used for your ring."

"Oh."

Gazing at the mobile, she automatically played with the ring on her finger. The next object to catch her attention was the star-shaped rattle lying in the cradle which made her think of a magic wand. A light tinkling came of it when she waved it. Besides the cradle, there was another treasure chest inside which she found polished wood swords and a miniature spyglass. There was also a miniature wheel standing at the other end of the room.

"The baby will have everything that's needed to grow up and become the best little pirate captain!" Killian commented.

"Where did you get all of this?" she asked while examining the rocking horse. Everything in the room – the cradle, the treasure chest, the wardrobe, the chest of drawers, the wheel and the rocking horse – were made of the same light polished wood.

"There's a man in the village who creates all sorts of wooden objects. Most of the furniture comes from him. He was delighted to help. Speaking of, he said it'd be an honor to meet the Princess." Killian lowered his voice as he closed the distance separating him from his fiancée. "I've kind of told him that I would come back to his workshop with you, so that he can meet you."

"I'll gladly meet him," she said while glancing around.

"We still need more toys and clothes, but there's no need to worry about any of this. There's everything we need on this island and they're all willing to help."

"They actually feel honored to participate," Charming said.

"They don't see they're helping us more than we're helping them," Killian added.

"They sometimes don't even want to be paid. We had to insist."

Emma looked around and the thought this was the childhood she had missed crossed her mind. She mused on Killian's words: everyone was willing to help them. They even felt honored to do so. Her baby would not know the childhood that she had had; her baby would never lack anything and would always be surrounded by loved ones. She bit her lip as tears suddenly threatened to escape and hugged Killian, kissing his neck before hiding her face there.

"Everything is perfect," she whispered. "Thank you."

June had arrived and the parents-to-be were more and more excited with each passing day. Summer was coming and it was getting warm; so warm that Emma was constantly looking for some fresh air.

"I miss sailing," she said. "Feeling the wind in my hair as the Jolly Roger rushes across the ocean."

"Love, you know I would take you sailing if it was safe."

"I know." She flashed him a smile, and took his hand to play with his fingers while admiring the view. "I just wish the doctor was not such a wimp."

During the previous weeks, they had often been sailing, sometimes on their own, sometimes with Henry or even her parents. In May, they had spent more days on the Jolly Roger than at the castle. That was until the doctor had warned them that the baby could come earlier than expected, and that he wouldn't be able to help them if the baby happened to come while they were on the other side of the ocean. They thought they had found the solution when they invited him to come on board but, at first reluctant, the doctor had been seasick and had refused to go back, thus forcing them to stay at the castle. Instead of spending their days on the Jolly Roger, they were often on their balcony.

"Ouch!" Emma bent over and stood up before pacing around.

"Still the normal ones?" Killian inquired, getting on his feet as well.

"Yes."

Contractions had become recurrent and much stronger than weeks earlier. Killian had got used to seeing her suddenly stand up and pace around, but was asking every time, because they both knew the contractions announcing birth would feel different.

"Only twelve days before the due date, love," he reassured her.

"Even less days if we're lucky."

"There's someone knocking on the door," Killian noticed. Emma hadn't heard anything but he went to open the door. "Lad!"

"I think I've found a name for the baby if it's a boy!" Henry enthusiastically announced.

"But I had almost convinced him to call the baby Killian Junior!" Emma playfully complained.

"Not even close," Killian chuckled. "What did you find, lad?"

"It's in this book I've just finished reading. The main character happens to be even better than I thought! He's been a hero since the beginning, but becomes even greater in the end."

"What's his name?"

"His name is Riley. And it's said that it means valiant. Wouldn't that be perfect for the baby?"

Killian and Emma glanced at each other and didn't need words to know that they both loved it. The pirate patted Henry's shoulder.

"Lad, you've just saved the baby from being named after me."

"Come on, it wouldn't have been that bad."

"So you're going to name the baby Riley?"

"If it's a boy…" Emma paused to look at Killian who nodded in confirmation. "Yes."

Delighted to have come up with a name, Henry carefully hugged his mother.

"Riley or Kaelyn," he whispered before looking up. "You still don't feel like the baby's coming?"

Emma shook her head. "The due date is only in twelve days."

"But the doctor says the baby can come earlier. I hope it will!"

Henry was impatient and he wasn't the only one. They were all eager to meet the baby, and Emma felt like they were watching her every move. Even more than usual, Killian was waiting on her hand and foot. Every morning, she was waking up thinking of the number of days separating her from the due date that Lisa, the doctor she had seen in New York, had given her.

But June the thirteenth came, and nothing happened on that day. Every hour, she was expecting the baby to come, but a few more days went by.

"What if the baby doesn't know how to get out?" Killian asked the doctor.

"Some babies only need more time. The due date is nothing but an estimation," the doctor said. "There's nothing alarming yet, no reason to worry, everything is normal. Just wait a few more days and your baby should see the light."

He was right: two more days went by when nothing happened but, one night, in the wake of June the twentieth, Killian heard Emma leave the bed and go to the bathroom. It had become usual for her to get up in the middle of the night, but he was always attentive.

"Killian?" she called.

Instantly, he jumped off the bed. "Emma, are you alright?"

He found her leaning against the wall and looking down. "My waters broke."

Excitement washed over him because he perfectly knew what that meant.

"Come here," he said while placing her arm around his shoulders and slipping his arm in her back. "Can you still walk?"

She nodded but winced.

"Keep going, love. Almost there." He led her back to the bed and laid her down. "We're going to meet our baby!"

The mix of joy and excitement he was feeling was contagious and she smiled back. He quickly grabbed the sheets at the foot of the bed and covered her.

"I'm getting the doctor!" he said while heading to the door and she giggled.

"Killian," she interrupted him. "You can't get out of the room and see the doctor like this."

Following her gaze, he glanced down. "Right."

Catching hold of his bathrobe, he ran out of their room and put it on while rushing to the doctor's.

Careless of the fact it was still nighttime, he hammered on the door. "It's time! Hurry up!"

Noises coming from the room let him guess that the doctor was coming. He ran back to Emma who seemed to be fine.

"Is there anything I can do for you? Some water? Something to eat?"

"I'm fine," she reassured with a smile. "Just stay here with me."

"I don't intend to go anywhere." Sitting on the side of the bed, he took her hand and kissed her cheek. "With the baby coming, aren't you supposed to have contractions?"

"I had some, that's why I went to the bathroom, and they became even worse there. Right now, I don't, but I suspect they'll come back anytime. In the meantime, come here."

She softly kissed his lips and he leant his forehead against hers.

"We're going to meet our baby," he repeated.

Doctor Whale entered the room with all his equipment. Killian hadn't expected he would need all of this and, willing to understand, he suspiciously examined the different tools. He had never been fond of medical material, and the fact that there was so much of it was not reassuring him. He was unable to guess what most of it was for, but words written on a box worried him.

"Reanimation kit?" he read. "What would you need that for?"

"It's a precaution," the doctor answered casually while getting ready. "We never know what can happen."

"What? No!" They had talked about the birth, but never had he been told a reanimation kit could be needed. "Love…"

"Killian, everything's fine," she reassured him. She didn't look surprised, as if she had known giving birth could lead to the need of such a kit. "There's no reason why-"

She was interrupted by what seemed to be a painful contraction and Killian worried even more.

"Is this normal?" he asked the doctor.

"Yes. The baby's coming."

Emma writhed in pain and Killian didn't know what to do. Squatting beside the bed, he took her hand between his.

"Love, hold on to my hand."

But she screamed as the contractions obviously became stronger.

"Emma, stay with me. You can do it." He turned to the doctor who looked unaware of her pain, and his voice switched from tender to captain-like as he ordered him, "Do something!"

But Whale remained impassive. "Mr. Jones, calm down or I'll need to get you out of the room."

"There's no bloody way I'm leaving her!"

"Then, be quiet. I'm working. Mrs. Swan?" he called while looking up at Emma. "I need you to push!"

She let out another cry of pain which made Killian feel helpless. He had noticed during the previous weeks that the contractions seemed to make her suffer more than she was willing to let appear, but he was only now realizing that she had also sugarcoated the reality of giving birth, always assuring him that everything would be fine. He was not ready for this. He was not ready to watch her suffer like this. She was holding his hand and was also clutching the sheets, and he could easily notice the difference.

"Emma, love, you can squeeze my hand. As tight as you're squeezing the sheets. Don't hold yourself back, I don't mind losing it again. You can fix it later anyway."

During a second of respite between two contractions, she flashed him a weak smile, but shut her eyes closed out of pain.

"Use your magic to transfer your pain to me," he suggested.

He wished she would do so, as he'd rather be the one suffering than see her in pain. Every minute going by, every cry of pain, magnified his feeling of helplessness. He was desperate to find a way to help her but didn't know how to.

"How long will that last?" Killian snapped at the doctor.

"That depends on her and the baby," he answered, still impassive. "Since it's her second one, it might go rather quickly. Mrs. Swan, push!"

"Heard that, love?" he asked while brushing a sticky strand of hair off her face, "It'll be quick. You can do it. Push!"

She complied, but was still visibly in pain. Killian couldn't handle it. She was squeezing his hand, but he suspected it was not because of his hand that he was suddenly hot and sweaty; because seeing her suffering was so much to take, his vision became blurry. He shook his head in an attempt to pull himself together. He didn't want to be the one in need of the reanimation kit while she was the one doing all the work and going through all the pain.

He focused on her and repeated, "Go on, love. You can do it. Almost there. Almost."

He was breathing deeply but it wasn't enough; the doctor's voice sounded more and more distant. He knew he was about to pass out, and was feeling stupid for being so weak while she was once again proving to be so strong. He looked back on all the times when she had amazed him by handling situations like nobody else would have, and a sense of pride invaded him. He was so proud of her. He had always been.

He was thoughtful and had lost track of time, but he kept whispering words of encouragement and was not on the verge of passing out anymore.

It was an unfamiliar cry which made him fully aware of their reality again. He looked up and saw Doctor Whale standing up. His gaze fixed on the baby in the doctor's arms, Killian instinctively got up. He was about to close the distance separating him from the baby – his baby – but hesitated when he remembered Emma's hand in his and looked at her. It was the first time this happened; it was the first time that, while being with her, he was tempted to go to someone else. His eyes shifted between her and the baby in the doctor's arms.

"Go," Emma whispered with a smile, indicating the baby to him and letting go of his hand.

As he took the few steps separating him from the doctor, he was mostly curious and excited to meet the newborn. But as soon as he saw the baby that the doctor was holding in a towel, one feeling surpassed everything else: love. He was gazing at the little being who looked so fragile that he was afraid a simple touch might break it, and a kind of love that he had never experienced before washed over him. All he knew was that this little being was a precious treasure needing to be protected.

"Congratulations, you have a daughter," announced the doctor while going to Emma.

Killian smiled brightly at his fiancée and added, "It's Kaelyn."

Doctor Whale had described what would happen if everything went well: he had told them that, unless either the mother or the newborn needed some additional treatment, the best thing to do for the baby's well-being was to reunite both, and had explained that, right after birth, he would place the newborn on Emma's stomach. Knowing that this was the scenario corresponding to the everything-went-well situation, Killian was relieved and delighted to see the doctor go to Emma and place the little being on her stomach before rearranging the sheets to cover them. From this moment on, he became too busy admiring the baby – his daughter – to care about the doctor's whereabouts: after an indeterminate amount of time when he had worried about the one he loved, the fact that both his fiancée and their daughter were fine was all he needed to know.

"You did it!"

"We did," Emma corrected. Gazing at the newborn, she repeated in a hushed voice, "Killian, we did it."

He was still not fully realizing that the little being breathing on her stomach was a life they had created. When he reached for the hand clenched into a tiny fist, and grasped that this was one of the two little hands he had seen through the abdominal wall and spent hours tracking, caressing and kissing, tears filled his eyes. He glanced at Emma and saw her eyes watering as well.

"We did it," she repeated.

"She's beautiful."

"Killian?" The doctor interrupted them and handed him scissors.

"I've no idea what…"

But he trailed off as he realized he actually knew what had to be done: they had also talked about it. The doctor had placed two pliers on the umbilical cord. It was apparently time to cut it. He was apprehensive as he took the scissors, but the gesture happened to be easier than he had expected. The physical link between Emma and Kaelyn was cut and, somehow, this helped Killian realize that the moment he had been waiting for months had finally come: he had met his daughter. This simple thought made another wave of love wash over him.

"Killian, look," Emma drew his attention to the newborn.

Quickly handing back the scissors, Killian went back to squat beside the bed. His eyes were riveted on Kaelyn who was moving her lips.

"That's good," the doctor commented. "She's trying to feed. Don't help her, she should be able to find out how on her own."

It took Kaelyn a few minutes to prove the doctor right: moving her lips and shifting over Emma, she suddenly found it and started sucking.

"Well done, treasure!" Killian cheered.

Until then having only brushed the back of her hand, he was tempted to reach her again, to caress her light brown hair and to trail a fingertip over her chubby cheek but, afraid to disturb her, he stopped himself from doing so and simply admired her while she kept sucking. Holding her in her arms, Emma was not taking her eyes off their daughter either. At last, Kaelyn seemed to decide she had got enough.

"Do you want to hold her?" Emma asked.

Excitement rushed through his veins at the prospect of holding his daughter in his arms. He nodded and went to sit on his side of the bed. Very softly, he took her in his arms and was in awe.

"My little love, if you knew how long I've been waiting for this moment!" He trailed a fingertip down the side of her face. "You look beautiful." He felt like he would never get tired of looking at her. He was gazing at her and, to him, she was flawless. "Do you think she's sleeping? She hasn't opened her eyes even when she was eating."

"I think that's normal."

"She's beautiful."

Emma slipped her hand under her feet. "Look at them! Such tiny feet!"

"And her hands," Killian added. When he trailed his fingertip down her arm and reached her palm, she stretched her hand which she had kept clenched into a fist. "Look at her tiny fingers, her tiny nails."

Kaelyn closed her hand and captured his finger.

"Love, look! She grabbed my finger!"

"Her hand is tinier than your fingertip!" Emma pointed out, amazed as well.

She reached for the other tiny hand and Kaelyn grabbed her finger as well. The two parents were in awe of their daughter. Killian took her hand to his lips and softly kissed her fingers. That was when she opened her eyes and filled them with some more wonder.

"Love! She's looking at us!"

"Hey Kaelyn!" Emma greeted. "You're making mum and daddy so happy!"

Holding their fingers, her gaze shifted between the two of them.

"Beautiful little baby treasure," Killian said while caressing the back of her hand. "There's a whole new world waiting for you. You'll see, it's a beautiful place. Daddy will show you!"

"And mum will, too!" Emma added. Kaelyn looked at her and she was transfixed. "Killian, she has your eyes."

"I'm not sure."

"I am," she insisted. "Your eyes are the first thing I look into in the morning. She has your eyes."

They couldn't discuss it more as she closed them again.

"She falls asleep very fast," Killian commented.

"I'll need to take your daughter for a while," the doctor interrupted them.

"Why?" Killian asked at once.

"For some examination. I'll be right here, in the bathroom."

Killian hesitated. He was tempted to follow the doctor and watch him, but he eventually decided that he could trust him and let him take his daughter.

"How are you feeling, love?" he inquired.

"I'm fine!"

"My love, all of this looked so painful. I didn't expect it would be like this. With everything you had told me, I was reassured. But you don't need to hide the truth. Are you sure you're fine, now?"

"I didn't want to worry you. And you have no reason to worry, now. I'm fine. Slightly tired and it still hurts a bit, but I'm fine." She reached for his cheek and smiled. "You're a father."

His smile brightened at once. "That's all thanks to you." He tenderly hugged her and whispered in her ear, "I love you."

"I love you," she repeated. "You've been amazing during Kaelyn's birth."

"Amazing?" Killian pulled away from the hug and gazed at her with an amused smile. "Love, I almost passed out."

"What?"

"I almost passed out," he repeated. "I couldn't watch you suffer like this. There was no way to prevent it and I could do nothing about it. I couldn't take it."

"My Killian," she whispered while caressing his cheek. "I had no idea. You've been amazing still. You kept talking to me and your voice was what made me go through it. That, and the fact that we were going to meet our baby. The fact that I would finally see you holding our baby in your arms, after all these months spent waiting for this moment."

"Emma…" Overwhelmed with love, he kissed her before whispering against her lips, "You've been fantastic, as always."

The doctor brought Kaelyn back, clean and wrapped in a blanket, and still sleeping. "Your baby is in great shape! My work here is done for now. I'll be in my room if you need anything."

"Whale?" Emma called. "Thank you."

The man nodded and left the room.

"I think it's time for her to meet her brother. What do you say, love?"

"Yes!" Emma approved. "Go and get Henry. It's late enough to wake him up."

It was still early but the day had dawned.

"He wouldn't want us to wait. He told me to wake him up in case the baby came at night." Killian was ready to leave the bed, but saw Emma and handed her a nightshirt. "Don't you want to put that on?"

"Yes, thank you."

Killian took Kaelyn in his arms while Emma got dressed. "Little baby treasure, you're going to meet your big brother. He, too, is very impatient to meet you."

Taking her tiny fist to his lips, he pressed a soft kiss there before giving her back to Emma.

"Is there anything that you need?" he inquired.

"No. Go and get Henry."

His lips brushed hers. "I'll be right back."

With a bright smile on his lips, he left the room and rushed to Henry's bedroom.

"Lad?" he called while knocking on the door.

His answer was instant. "Is the baby here?"

"Aye! And she wants to meet her big brother."

"She! I have a sister!"

It took him only a few seconds to come out of his room, still in his pajamas. At first, he ran past Killian, but stopped and went back to him to quickly hug him before rushing to his sister. He slowed down when he got closer and quietly entered the room, followed by Killian.

"She's awake!" Emma announced with a bright smile.

"She's so tiny!"

"Do you want to hold her?" Killian offered.

"Yes!"

"Sit on the bed."

Henry happily sat next to his mother who placed Kaelyn in his arms.

"You can talk to her."

"Hi Kaelyn!" he said and beamed as she looked at him. "I don't know if you understand what I'm saying but I'm Henry, your brother. And you're Kaelyn, my sister. Everyone loves you already. You'll see, life is going to be awesome!"

Brother and sister held each other's gaze until she closed her eyes.

"Place your finger on the palm of her hand," Killian suggested. "She will grab it."

Henry tried and Kaelyn indeed grabbed his finger, just like she had done earlier with Killian and Emma.

"That's so cute!" the boy commented. "But now, does that mean I need to stay with her until she wakes up?"

"No, I can take her if you want me to."

"But she's holding my finger. Won't that wake her up, if I take it back?"

"If you slowly take it back, she shouldn't awake. Do you want me to take her now?"

"No, not yet!" Sitting between Killian and Emma, and keeping his finger in his sister's hand, Henry was gazing at her. "When will she be able to talk?"

"To talk? Not before months. Maybe a year, even?" Unsure of his answer, Killian glanced at Emma who didn't look much more certain about it.

"Does that mean that, for a year, we will talk to her without knowing if she understands us? And that she won't be able to reply to us?"

"She understands what you say. That's how she'll learn how to talk: by listening to us," Emma explained.

Henry thoughtfully looked at the baby sleeping in his arms. "This means I can invent some new words and teach her."

"Why would you do that?" Emma inquired.

The boy looked up with a playful smile. "So that we can have a language only she and I can understand. That'll be called Operation Secret Code."

Killian realized what he meant. "You met her minutes ago and you two are already up to some mischief!"

"Yes! That's what sister and brother are for," the boy confirmed with a cheeky smile and chuckled when Killian ruffled his hair. He looked down at his sister. "We'll make quite the team, it's going to be a lot of fun!"

"Not too much mischief!" Killian warned.

"We'll see," Henry replied defiantly.

They spent some more time just the four of them, and it was only later that they warned Snow and Charming, and Liam and Ariel, who had been staying at the castle because they knew the baby would be born soon. Afraid that Kaelyn would feel overwhelmed if there were too many guests in the room at the same time, they agreed to make Emma's parents come first, and Liam and Ariel later.

Kaelyn filled everyone with wonder. When she was not sleeping, she spent most of her time gazing at faces, holding fingers, or feeding. In the afternoon, exhausted, Emma slept almost as much as her daughter. Henry and the others had left to let her get some rest. Killian was lying on his side of the bed and watching over his two princesses. Kaelyn was sleeping between her parents, and Killian was unable to stop himself from playing with her hands or tracing the features of her face.

When the night came, both parents were still as filled with wonder as they had been in the morning. Though Kaelyn had her own room, they had decided to keep her with them for the first nights. Killian had managed to convince Emma to place her cradle by his side of the bed, thus allowing him to have his daughter close to him.

They knew that Kaelyn was likely not to sleep through the night and, indeed, she didn't. Each time she fell asleep in the evening, they thought the night was starting, but every time she woke up crying, requiring feeding or some attention. Sometimes, they didn't know what she needed or wanted, and could do nothing but watch over her until she fell asleep again.

Late at night, when the newborn had been sleeping for quite a long time, Killian was still sitting on the edge of the bed. Unable to get to sleep, he was gazing at his daughter and keeping his finger in her hand. He heard Emma moving behind him and coming closer.

"I couldn't sleep," he said before she had time to say anything. "Or more like, I don't want to."

"You won't be able to stay awake all the time. You need your rest too."

"That'll wait. Look at her, it looks like she's smiling in her sleep. I wonder what she's dreaming of."

Wrapping her arms around him, Emma placed her chin on his shoulder and caressed his chest.

"You're being an amazing father. Just like I expected." She kissed his neck before adding, "I love you."

"And I love you," he said while covering her arms with his own. "Do you think she will be fine on her own?"

"We're right here if she needs us. She will be fine."

"Alright."

Killian softly took his finger back, put the candle out and turned around to lay down and take his fiancée in his arms. More exhausted than he had realized, the new father quickly fell asleep.