A/N: Ye gods but the muse was helpful today! Can't believe I got this one finished so quickly. You are all being so generous and accepting of my version of baby Emma and Killian and little Liam. I absolutely love writing for my little pixies and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to put my scribblings out in the world. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you to all the reviewers and the kind people that have chosen to follow this little story. You really are the best.

Chapter 22: All Together Again

Liam was sent downstairs to the kitchen to ask Mrs. Hodge to organise an early lunch. He found Emma and Killian sitting at the kitchen table helping to make some dog biscuits. The children's contribution to the culinary effort was to cut out the biscuits from the dough that had clearly been rolled out by an experienced hand. Killian insisted they be as methodical as possible, so they could get as many biscuits in the batch as possible, just as Granny Lucas had shown him. He would point to where Emma should position her cutter and she would press out the biscuit. Every so often they would pause and just smile and giggle at each other; the novelty of keeping the secret of Emma's magic still fresh.

Always one to put duty first, Liam apprised Mrs. Hodge of the need to get the family lunch early and then greeted his brother. As soon as he saw Liam, Killian hopped off his stool and was dancing from one foot to the other, anxiously.

"Well you might fidget, little brother," Liam said, as he pulled Killian into a hug, then whispered in his ear. "I understand you now have a puppy, and I know how you got it."

Killian stood back from the hug, biting his lip and scratching his ear while he looked down at the floor. He looked the very picture of a guilty conscience. If Liam knew that much, then he undoubtedly knew all of it, including the really bad parts.

"Liam!" Emma's calling of his name was all the warning he got before she barrelled into him and threw her arms, flour and dough covered fingers included, around his waist and squeezed him tightly. "Killian and me met fairies and now we have puppies. You have to meet them. They're so cute." She let him go, leaving floury fingerprints on his jacket, and jumped up and down.

"The fairies or the pups?" Liam asked, his smirk indicating he knew full well what she meant.

"Silly Liam," Emma chided, and pointed to two puppies sleeping on a mat by the kitchen hearth. "The puppies are cute. The fairies are pretty."

"My mistake, Your Highness. Did you meet the Blue Fairy?" Liam asked, letting Emma drag him by the arm to meet the dogs. She nodded.

"Yes, the Blue Fairy was there, too," Emma informed him. She itched to tell him about her magic but she'd made a promise to her mother and forced herself to keep it.

"And, are Killian's eyes still bluer than her dress?" Liam asked, knowing his brother would be squirming in embarrassment as the kitchen staff laughed loudly.

"Oh, yes," Emma said, solemnly. She smiled brightly at the red faced Killian, then pointed to the brindle pup that was twitching in his sleep. "This one is mine. You can pat him, if you want."

Liam dutifully knelt down and rubbed the pup's ears. "He is a handsome fellow, and I see both of them have some fine leashes. Did you make these, little brother?" He picked up one and flexed it before examining the weaving more closely.

"We made them. I helped, didn't I, Killian? I helped and I didn't get tangled, not even once," Emma announced, her tone full of pride.

"You did," Killian agreed. "She was great, Liam. Even Nobby would've been proud."

"It's very neat work. Well done, both of you. They'll need oiling to keep them from cracking. We can do that after lunch. Then I need to speak with you about your behaviour," Liam said, his expression warning Killian he was in for one of Liam's lectures about good form.

The three children finished off cutting out the dog biscuits which were popped into the oven to bake. The pups awoke full of beans and the children took them back out to the garden so there'd be no puddles for Cook to frown over. That is where Snow and David found them.

Emma practically fell over herself to get to her father and get a cuddle. Snow gave her husband a pointed look, as if to remind him that no six year old soul mate, no matter how adorable, was going to replace him in his daughter's life just yet. David tickled Emma and kissed her forehead several times, before finally setting her down.

"Welcome home, Your Majesty," Killian said.

David ruffled Killian's hair and rolled his eyes at the formality he considered unnecessary. "Thank you, Killian. I'm glad to be home."

"Papa? See my puppy?" Emma held up her pup for inspection.

"Well now, he looks like he might want to chase something. Maybe a . . . ," David winked at Snow before taking the pup from Emma. "Duckling?" He turned the dog to look into its bright eyes. "Is that right fella? Do you want to chase that pretty little duckling? I think you do."

Emma squealed, joyfully, and took off across the lawn with her father, still holding her puppy, running after her. She dodged behind trees and ducked around bushes, but he caught her in the end. David snaked one arm around Emma's waist and pulled her in close so the, now very excited, puppy could lick Emma's neck. She giggled and struggled until all three fell on the grass. The pup yapped and bounced all over them until David grabbed hold of him again to keep him still. He sat up and scratched behind the dog's ears as Emma crawled into his lap to hug his neck. Snow saw David look over to her and smirk, then he whispered something in Emma's ear, to which his daughter seemed to think on very carefully before nodding enthusiastically.

"I wonder what that was about?" Snow mused. She never got to ask her husband, though, as Averil came out to advise lunch was ready.

It was quite the effort getting two hyperactive, bouncing, puppies, who really just wanted to run about, to calm down enough to go inside. The dog biscuits had cooled enough to be eaten and proved the very thing to grab the undivided attention of both pups and prevent chaos in the kitchen. With a biscuit sticking out at odd angles from each dog's muzzle, they pranced along behind their young owners to the dining room.

David entertained them all with details of the trip to the village. There had been no ogre, but there had been an abnormally large and very angry bear with a lot of bee stings that distorted his face. Liam had proved his cleverness again, as he wove a net of superior strength using a combination of knots and weavings he'd learned on the ship. The bear had been captured and its meat would provide for the village for several meals. The head man had offered to send the prepared hide to Liam in gratitude, but the young man had declined and asked that it be given to a family that would benefit from its warmth for many winters to come.

When lunch was over, David headed off to attend a meeting with the Head Gamekeeper and Liam asked if he and Killian could be excused. He needed to set his brother straight on a few things and with Emma's birthday fast approaching, they needed to come up with a present suitable for a princess.

Emma watched as Liam tugged his brother along outside, Jib yipping merrily and nearly tripping both lads with her leash as she darted about haphazardly. The little princess didn't like not being asked to join them, but Snow saw a chance to spend some alone time with her daughter.

"Looks like the boys are planning to keep themselves busy for the afternoon," Snow said. "How about we go get our bows and we have some archery practice?"

"No, Mama. Knot practice," Emma asserted with her hands on her hips and a defiant expression.

"No, Duckling, you do need to practice with your bow or you won't get any better," Snow said, booping Emma's nose with her index finger. "You haven't had the bow in your hand for quite a few days. You need to keep at it."

Emma fixed her mother with a very determined gaze. "Not archery practice," she said, and shook her head. "Knot practice," she reaffirmed, nodding. "Killian taught me, but I have to practice or I might forget. Knots are tricky like that."

Snow paused for a beat and then she caught up. "They are?" Trying very hard to commiserate while fighting the broad smile that desperately wanted out.

"Yes," Emma said, her shoulders rose and fell as she gave a big, breathy sigh. "Killian makes it look so easy. His knots don't ever get away from him."

"Well, how about we go have some archery practice now, while the sun is out, and you can practice your knots after dinner and before bed, that way they'll stay in your head all the way until morning?" Snow suggested. "You might even dream about them and they'll really stick."

Emma's little brow furrowed as she gave this idea the proper amount of consideration, before she nodded sagely. "I think that's a very good plan. You're so clever, Mama. I'll go get my bow." Like the whirlwind she was, Emma was off and running down the hallway. She got halfway and realised her puppy was lagging behind; his short legs and stiff legged run not as fast as his mistress. Dropping to her knees, Emma tapped the floor to encourage him to her. "C'mon, Leo! I'll help you up the stairs."

Snow's mouth dropped open and her eyes narrowed. "Emma? You named your puppy, Leo?"

"Yes. Papa said he should have a noble name for a noble dog. He said Grandpa's would be just right." She gave her mother a huge grin, then, completely oblivious to Snow's dark expression, picked up Leo and wobbled on up the hallway. Leo had his front paws resting on Emma's shoulder as he faced back towards Snow. Tongue hanging out, he looked like he was smirking.

Once her daughter and Leo had disappeared into the stairwell, Snow took a deep breath and yelled out, "Charming!"