Presents

Emma and Mary Margaret were out shopping for gifts, with Neal in tow. Mary Margaret's shopping was easy. A new coat and some books for David. A beautifully illustrated book on this realm's oceans for Killian. Video games for Henry. Clothes and baby toys for Neal.

Emma was struggling. She didn't want to be the Grinch, but Christmas shopping was not her thing. Too many people. Too much useless junk solely being sold so people could buy gifts for people they barely knew. Mary Margaret then came up with the perfect idea for Emma's gift to Henry; a bicycle. He was old enough to get around by himself, but still too young for driving. A bike would give him some freedom. Plus, as Mary Margaret pointed out, a bike was a very parent-y type of gift. Emma loved the idea, and was so grateful to her mom for suggesting it. She still needed gifts for her parents and Killian, but getting a stellar gift for Henry was really starting to help her mood.

Deciding she could handle a few more stores, she and Mary Margaret continued. As they walked by the local gallery, Emma found a beautiful painting of a boat that looked just like the Jolly Roger. Killian may not have his ship anymore, but she could at least give him something that reminded him of his long-time home. Her only issue with it was where would he hang it? Granny probably wouldn't like him knocking holes in her walls. Emma said to herself, for what felt like the thousandth time, "I've got to get my own place."

As she and Mary Margaret were heading home, Emma picked up the local rag with apartment listings. At least if she had her own place, Killian could hang it there, and maybe, when she was ready, it would be their place.

\\\

Killian was starting to get really nervous about a present for Emma. He wanted to ask Henry and David about his ideas. The pirate had decided that this year's gift needed to be the best she'd ever received, and wanted their input.

While Mary Margaret, Emma and baby Neal were out shopping, Killian went over to the loft to talk to the guys. Standing around the kitchen island, he sighed and put his hand and hook on the counter in defeat.

"I'm at a loss as to what to get Emma for Christmas. Everything I think of seems like it would either be not great enough, or too much."

"What do you mean by too much, Killian?"

"If I had it my way I'd go out, rent an apartment for both of us, buy her a ring, and have her move in with me. If I were to do that, she'd run for the hills. So what's four notches back from getting married and living together?"

"Jewelry," said David and Henry in unison.

David turned to Henry with a questioning look. "How do you know about buying gifts for women?"

Henry simply said, "TV."

Shaking his head David turned back to the conversation at hand. "But seriously, Killian, if you want that with Emma, maybe you should at least start discussing it. Does she know this is what you're thinking about?"

Killian was surprised that David hadn't already kicked him out of the house, shouting about how 'Hook' would never win his daughter's heart. The two had come a long way.

"She knows. I mean, she has to know that I want us to be together forever, but I haven't actually said it. I don't want to scare her."

Henry and David agreed that maybe Killian's Christmas gifts would be too much for Emma, but also suggested that maybe it was time for Killian to move out of Granny's and start looking for a permanent place in Storybrooke. It would be a present to Emma, even if she weren't living with him, to have someplace she could go that wasn't the loft. And it would be another sign that Killian was in it for good, putting down roots in the town.

The three decided to head out shopping and just see what struck them. Henry was feeling flush with cash, as his moms, his grandparents, and Killian had been slipping him money to buy Christmas presents.

He was the first to spot something. At a boutique he noticed a case of tiaras and thought it would be the perfect present, as his moms and grandmother were all royalty. They just didn't have the head gear to support it in this realm. David and Killian agreed that it was the perfect gift for the three women, and helped him pick out one for each that would match their personalities. Henry knew this was silly, but he also liked that it was a nod to their past lives.

David, who didn't have as much pressure on his shoulders as Killian did, found a pair of peridot earrings that matched Mary Margaret's ring exactly. He also found a print of a painting of the Seven Dwarves cottages. At least, this realm's interpretation of the cottages. He knew Mary Margaret would like the artwork, adding a little piece of their former home to the loft.

While David bought Mary Margaret's earrings, Killian was perusing the jewelry cases. And then he saw it, Emma's ring. Even if he wasn't asking her to marry him yet, this was her ring. This was the ring that he wanted to see sparkling off of her finger every day for the rest of their lives. A simple solitaire, with small emeralds flanking it. Calling David and Henry over, he showed it to them and asked their opinions. Both agreed that this ring just looked like Emma, and suggested, as he suspected, that he should just buy it now and save it for the day it was right.

With ring in pocket, Killian was still disappointed that he didn't have anything for Christmas.

On the way out of the shop he picked up the weekly paper that also had the apartment/house listings in it. He thought that David was right, and it was time for him to find a place, and he could at least try for someplace he thought Emma would like.