Been a while for one of these chapters! Just remember- unrelated one shots. Based on a line from the sneak peek preview for 5x04 (Just the line is used, no other spoilers)
Emma didn't understand why she had such a hard time sleeping. When she was pregnant with Henry, she was sleeping on a cot that was more springs than mattress, poking her in the sides on top of Henry's barrel rolls inside her. Somehow, she slept. Now, she was on the most comfortable mattress she's ever owned and without fail...
2:00am need to get up to use the bathroom
3:00am awake again, thoughts buzzing in her head ranging from how they haven't cleared a space for the bassinet yet to 'at what age will my baby start to have powers?'
4:30am finally starting to drift back to sleep
5:00am have to use the bathroom again
6:00am alarm goes off. time to start the day.
It's been like that every night for almost two weeks. Killian tells her to wake him up when this happens, but she can't. Well, won't. It's bad enough she can't sleep. He shouldn't have to deal with an insomniac pregnant woman at 4 in the morning, no matter how much she protests.
When it happens again the next night, Emma decides to embrace the inevitable. Slowly, she rolls out of bed as quietly as possible. For being six months pregnant, this doesn't come so easy, especially since she's been spoiled with Killian helping her out of bed every morning even though she can still get up herself. However, when she glances over at the pirate next to her, still sleeping like he wouldn't awake of a cannon went off, Emma pads down the hall and downstairs.
The house is brighter now that she's no longer the Dark One. The gray walls and generic furniture is gone, replaced with newly painted walls and items both from Killian's ship and a little shop outside Storybooke (taking advantage of the short period that the town wasn't cursed). Emma switched on a lamp and skimmed through the titles on the bookshelf. Most were fairytales, which Henry called 'research', and various maps and charts from Killian's voyages.
There was one book that caught her eye. The binding was worn from over use, the cover faded due to time. The pages were dirty, like it had been thumbed through many times. Emma pulled it off the shelf, gently handling the dark red cover and gently turning the delicate pages.
9/6, year of King Ferdinand's jubilee: At the graciousness of my commodore, I was able to procure Killian a seat in the King's naval academy. Although he is only 10 years of age, he was impressed at Killian's sword fighting skills, which are already at the level of his third year students. Of course, on the first day, Killian decides that he and his classmates are more than fit for sailing, sneaking out after lights out were ordered and taking a sloop to sea. However, he did not realize that he took the boat out of the harbor assigned for the carpenter, taking out a leaky boat out into the sea. The look on my little brother's face as he was dripping on the dock was incredibly amusing and I had a hard time not laughing. Needless to say, my superior was not pleased with me or my brother.
It was Liam's log, filled with stories of Killian! Page after page were stories of a young boys antics, gradually growing into the 'by the book' lieutenant Killian once told her about. She couldn't help laugh at each story about her pirate, but also feeling the strong emotions of love and pride that Liam had for his brother. Defending him to his superiors in the beginning when Killian almost got himself thrown out of the academy, working penalty duties in Killian's stead, how much Liam missed him when he was sent to sea on assignment for almost two years, how Liam's first recruit when he became Captain and given a ship was Killian, who was in the top of his class. Emma devoured page after page, she almost forgot what time it was.
"What are you doing, love?" Emma almost dropped the book, running her hands over it to make sure she didn't accidentally tear anything.
"I couldn't sleep," Emma said sheepishly. Killian came down and joined her on the couch, taking the book from her hands and stared at the cover.
"I used to read this every night after my brother passed. He developed the habit of journalling daily in preparation for his Captain's days and all he had to write about at the time was his scamp of a brother," Killian chuckled before growing somber. "It tore me apart that he'd never write in it again." Emma put her hand over his as she moved closer into the circle of his arms.
"I'm glad he did. I love to hear stories about you. And, in a way, it makes me feel like I know Liam a little bit," Emma said softly as she rubbed him soothingly.
"Ah, but you know the role of the doting big brother," Killian said with a wink. "You don't know about his other escapades."
"Oh really," Emma said with a smile. "I'd love to hear about them." Killian smiled softly as he wordlessly gestured to make herself more comfortable, putting a pillow on his lap to rest her head on and using his hook to pull a blanket over her as well. He told a story of Liam getting into a row with a drunken harbor master and somehow both of them ended up in the drink- right in front of the Princess of Glourhaven. He was into his story of his and Liam's adventures in the Southern Isles when he realized Emma was falling to gently pull and stroke of his fingers through her hair. He let out a soft chuckle as he eased her from the couch into his arms. Emma let out a little moan and some sort of mumbling about her being too heavy, which Killian ignored as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Come on, love. Let's sail away." Killian shut off the alarm before tucking himself behind Emma, thankful that she at least had the day off tomorrow and Henry was at Regina's for the night. They slept until almost noon. Emma couldn't remember the last time she felt so rested.
When insomnia came back to haunt her a few weeks later, she would wake Killian up, quickly soothed back to sleep by his voice and his tales on the high seas. Her favorites were ones about young Killian and Liam.
