Sorry about the delay once more. This wasn't my favorite chapter to write, but I did my best. I should be moving the story along in time in the next few chapters. Enjoy this one!

Chapter edit: I was made aware of a mistake when implying that the Republic of Ireland was part of the U.K. Total mistake on my part and I apologize if I might've offended anyone. I got my Ireland's mixed up.

Chapter 9

After fighting off another pre-tooth brushing morning kiss from Killian, they went downstairs for breakfast and found Tink chatting with Mrs. Potts. She set plates in front the three of them on the breakfast bar.

"Thank you Mrs. Potts." Emma smiled at her and picked up a piece of bacon.

"You're welcome dear. Enjoy." She continued to putter around the kitchen while the three of them ate in in silence. They were about done when the bell rang at the front door. Mrs. Potts returned with August in tow. Emma jumped down from her stool and ran to August, pulling him into a hug.

"Don't ever do that to me again, you hear me?"

"I promise. Anyways…" Emma saw his eyes shifting back and forth, like he was trying to avoid something.

"What is it?"

"Can we talk? Just you and me, it's important."

"Yeah sure, let me change and we'll go for a walk on the beach yeah?" August nodded and Emma took off upstairs. August saw Killian giving him a Look.

"What is it Jones?"

"Where were you?"

"I can't talk about it right now. At least not until I've spoken to Emma, and even then she's probably going to come running to you." Killian let out an exasperated huff.

"What are you talking about?" August didn't get a chance to answer because Emma made her way down the stairs at that moment, pulling on her red leather jacket.

"I'm ready." Emma gave Killian a kiss on the cheek, "We'll be back in a bit." Killian watched them leave, unease settling in his gut. Tink noticed.

"You okay?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

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"So can you please tell me what's going on?" Emma stopped August and turned him around. "I can tell it's bothering you Auggie. Please, tell me." August pulled her down to the sand and they sat.

"Have you ever wondered about your parents?"

"Why would I?" Emma doodled in the sand. "They abandoned me on the side of the road as a baby."

"They didn't."

"Huh?"

"You need to listen to everything I'm about to tell you, okay? No interruptions. Promise?"

"I promise."

"About a week ago, I received a phone call from David and Mary Margaret Nolan and it had to do with you. After stressing that it was extremely important that we meet, I was able to see them in Boston yesterday. 25 years ago, their baby girl was kidnapped by a woman named Ingrid. This woman abandoned their daughter on a stretch of highway with a note to please give her a good home. The Nolan's did everything they could to try and find their daughter. David, who worked in the Sheriff's department pulled every string and called in every favor he had to help find his daughter, but they never did." August paused his story and turned to look at Emma. "Until now."

"What…"

"Recently, they received a call that Ingrid had been found and that she'd returned to Boston and was in a hospital. They went to see her and she told them what had happened to their little girl. All Ingrid knew was that she'd been adopted by a family with the last name Swan."

"Oh my God." August ran a hand on her back to relax her. "Are you saying…August...are you saying that you've found my parents?"

"They found me."

"And?"

"They're here. In Dublin."

"What?"

"They want to meet you." Emma felt like she couldn't breathe. She jumped up from where she sat.

"Oh God. I…I…I can't do this right now. Way too much to process." She took off for the house at a run, with August hot on her heels, calling after her. When she burst inside, Tink and Killian stood from their spots on the couch.

"Swan? Is everything ok?" She just shook her head and ran upstairs. August ran inside.

"Where'd she go?"

"Tell me what happened."

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Emma wasn't sure how much time had passed. It felt like hours when it was probably only 15 minutes at most. She was still sitting on the floor, leaning against the foot of her bed with her knees hugged to her chest and chin resting atop them. While her face was wet, she'd stopped crying and just stared out the window at the ocean.

Her parents didn't ever not want her! She was stolen from them the way her childhood was stolen from her. They came all the way from Boston to see her after 25 years. They were only minutes away. Would they take her away? She didn't want to have to leave yet. She still planned on having several more months with Killian before he'd be gone from her life forever.

As if summoned, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Love? Are you alright?"

"I could be better."

"May I come in?"

"It's your house." The door opened quietly and Killian stepped in, shutting the door behind him.

"It may be my home, but this is your room and it will remain so as long as you wish it to be."

Killian slid down onto the floor next to her and pulled her into a warm hug.

"He told you didn't he?"

"Of course love. Forced him to."

"And?"

"Your parents, they didn't abandon you. They loved you and you were taken from them. From what August has told me about what they told him, the Nolan's never stopped looking for you. And now you've the opportunity that so many lost children will never have. I believe you should meet them, give them a chance. On your own time of course."

"You do? Would you go with me when I do?"

"'Course Swan."

Exhausted by the days revelations (and still recovering from being so sick), Emma stayed in bed the rest of the day. Killian and Tink spent the day in her room with her, having a Doctor Who marathon. Tink had convinced her to start watching it, reasoning that she knew her well enough ("Even after just a few days?" "Do you not think my brother hasn't mentioned you since the moment he met you?") that she was sure she'd like it. Emma finally fell asleep near the end of Christopher Eccleston's only season ("The Parting of the Ways"), so Killian ushered Tink out and lay next to her. He ran his fingers through her hair as she curled into him, her breathing still even. He lay that way in silence for a while and soon, the darkness of sleep pulled him under.

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August walked into Graham's house with a heavy heart. He knew Mary Margaret and David were going to want to know how it went as soon as he came back. He was sure they were hoping that he'd be bringing Emma.

No sooner had he placed his jacket over a chair in the kitchen that the Nolan's and Graham appeared in the doorway. Graham could tell something wasn't good and simply placed a hand on August's arm.

"I've told her. I told her everything you told me", he said as he looked over at Emma's parents.

"She doesn't want to meet us, does she?" Mary Margaret looked at him with tentative and watery eyes and David simply stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders.

"She didn't say yes or no. All Emma did was run off and hide in her bedroom."

"David, she hates us." David pulled his wife into hug.

"Of course she doesn't sweetheart." Graham stepped forward.

"He's right Mary Margaret. She's simply dealing with something huge that was just dropped into her lap. I've known Emma long enough to know that this is how she deals with things. Just wait a couple of days, and I'm sure that we'll get a call from her."

"Thank you Graham." David shook the Irishman's hand and gave him a smile. "We're going to go to bed, but if you hear from her, please let us know." Both men nodded and watched as the Nolan's retreated to the guest bedroom.

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Emma sat at a small wooden table, alone. She couldn't remember how she'd arrived there as she looked around. Suddenly, three figures appeared around her: Killian, August, and Neal.

"What are you all doing here?" She noticed her voice sounded small and scared. Neal stepped up closer.

"How could you think I'd want to stay with you?" he asked with a sort of snarl, and looking down on her. "A broken orphan with no family?"

"I have to agree." August stepped closer to her this time. "I don't know why I've stayed with you so long. You never seemed to care about my life or how I felt not having parents. I've got Graham now, why do I need you?"

"Aye love. Look how you treated me when we first met. Why should I have to deal with you when I could have any woman in this world? A parentless orphan whose kidnapper didn't even want her. You're too difficult to love Emma. Why would I want you? Why would your parents want you? All you're doing is upsetting the delicate balance with which we all live our lives."

"Killian? How…how could you-I thought you loved me!"

"How could I ever love someone like you?" He grabbed her arms and started to shake her.

"Emma! Emma love, wake up!"

Emma's eyes shot open to see Killian sitting up next to her in her bed. She pushed him away and scooted back.

"Darling, you were having a nightmare. Crying and yelling out, so I had to help you and get you out of it. Please, love…I didn't mean to hurt you." Emma was quiet as she tried to flush the look on everyone's faces in her nightmare.

"You all said you didn't want me, and why would you?" She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm too broken and not even worth it." She felt Killian place a hand on her chin and lift it up so she could meet his eyes.

"I don't want to ever hear that come from you ever again, do you hear me Emma Swan? You are worth everything and no one is too broken and I will always be here to help you and I will never leave you. Not unless you wish it of me."

"Really?" Emma hated how meek and small her voice sounded.

"Of course love." He brushed some hair behind her ear and smiled at her. "Now, you need to try and get some more sleep so that tomorrow, when I invite your parents over for lunch, they won't be worried about your lack of sleep."

"Okay. Wait. What? You're going to invite them for lunch?"

"Trust me darling, the sooner you get this over, the better. The longer you put it off, you won't be the only one feeling hurt. And I'll be with you the entire time." He kissed her on the forehead as she got under her covers and he tucked her in, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. He turned to leave her room.

"Could you stay with me? I sleep better with you around."

"Of course love. Let me put on something more suitable and I shall return in a moment." When Killian came back, she was snoring lightly and he couldn't help smiling and getting under the covers next to her. As soon as he did, she turned and placed her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and shut his eyes, going back to sleep.

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After a rough night of sleep worrying about his sister, August was woken up by the ringing of his phone. He pulled Graham's arm from him and sat up to answer.

"Hello?" His voice was still groggy from sleep.

"August, it's Killian."

"What? What happened? Why are you calling so early? Is Emma okay?"

"Calm down mate, she's fine. Had a talk with her and she has agreed to meet her parent's today. Bring them around tea time alright?"

"Are you sure? Is she sure?"

"I am very sure. As for Emma, of course not. She's nervous, but you and I will be there to support her. Graham and Tink as well."

"Okay, right. Yeah. I'll let them know. We'll see you this afternoon." August ended the call and replaced his phone on the nightstand.

"Who was it?" He turned to see Graham's stormy blue-grey eyes blinking up at him.

"Killian. He says that while she's nervous, Emma's agreed to meet the Nolan's this afternoon. Said to bring them around tea time."

"That's good. I'm sure they'll be happy, but for now, how about you get back in bed and we get some sleep?"

"Of course."

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Emma paced. She paced in her room, on her balcony, in the kitchen, until she couldn't watch Mrs. Potts prepare for her parents (oh God…her parents…she had parents now, if they wanted her. Would they?) any longer. She stole outside and jogged down the wooden steps leading to the private stretch of beach behind Killian's house where she dropped down into the sand and sat, staring out towards the rolling waves. It occurred to her that she had started finding the ocean calming like it hadn't been before.

The sand did nothing to quiet his footsteps as he came up behind her. She didn't turn to acknowledge his presence until he sat down next to her, leaning back on his hands and stretching his legs out in front of him.

"I won't tell you that you shouldn't be nervous and I won't tell you that everything will be perfect. All I'll say is that I will be there for you every step of the way. If you want me to hold your hand the entire time, I'll do it. If you want me to sit outside so it's just your parents, August, and you, then okay. Just don't shut me out in this Emma, I want to help you."

"I'm not meaning to. I'm just nervous." Emma turned to face him as he sat up, "And like I've said, I want you with me."

"Good." He leaned in and touched his forehead to hers, breathing in the scent that was uniquely Emma. He pushed forward the extra inch and kissed her lightly, smiling against her lips. There moment was broken, however, by the appearance of Tink.

"Oi, you two! Best stop that because they're here. Don't want the lass' da to have your guts for garters, do ya?" Tink leaned against the weathered wooden railing of the deck and looked down at them with a smile.

"No more Pirates of the Caribbean for you Rose." Killian stood and pulled Emma up after him, walking up to the deck where Tink stood with her arms crossed.

"Sod off, that's your fault, Captain. You watch those bloody movies all the bloody time." Apparently they'd been taking too long, because Graham was the next to emerge from the house.

"Oi, language! Now get in here, all three of you." Tink followed Graham back into the house as Killian stopped Emma.

"You can do this love." He kissed her forehead and ushered her inside. Emma heard voices coming from the living room and when she turned the corner, all bets were off. She lay eyes on her father first and she saw where her blonde locks came from and where a lot of other features came from. He smiled when he saw her and she her smile in him. From behind him came a petite woman with dark (slightly graying) hair in a pixie cut. In her, Emma saw her eyes and her chin. The woman had tears in her eyes.

"Mom? Dad?"

"Emma." He said her name with such love and that's all it took for Emma to run into his arms. He wrapped an arm around her and his other hand went to her head, cupping it the way one would a baby. Mary Margaret threw herself into the hug, sobbing happy tears and repeating her daughter's name over and over.

Tink pulled Killian into a hug as they watched the teary reunion. After a few minutes, they broke apart and Mrs. Potts entered to announce that tea was ready. Tink led the way to the dining room, showing David and Mary Margaret in. Graham and August followed behind, leaving Killian and Emma alone in the living room.

"How are you feeling love?" He rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

"Good, I'm feeling good. I can't wait to get to know them better. Thank you getting me to do this."

"I'm happy to help you find your happy ending. Now, how about we go have our tea and you get to know your parents?"

Killian led Emma into the dining room with his hand low on her back. They took their seats as tea was poured.

"So, Emma. Tell us about you." Mary Margaret looked at her earnestly as she stirred her tea.

"Oh, well…ok. I just…it might not be all that easy to hear, some of the stuff I went through."

"We need to know sweetheart", said David.

"Sure then." Emma took a deep breath and started her story. She told them about growing up in the homes and how life changed when she met August. She told them how he protected her from abusive foster parents and they had to stop when Mary Margaret jumped out of her seat and pulled August into her arms.

"Thank you so much for everything you've done August. You saved our little girl."

"It's the least I could do for family." He reached over and took his sister's hand. "I ended up in the system because my parents died and there was no one to take me. When I met her, I saw something in her that I just couldn't let go of."

Emma continued her story after the little calm down. She started wringing her hands together when she got to the part about Neal. She watched as David and Killian's jaws started clenching. They were both practically vibrating with anger by the time she got to the part about being thrown in jail and finding out she was pregnant with Neal's child. Mary Margaret was quiet and even seemed happy at the prospect of a potential grandchild.

The final straw was when Emma told them that two months in, she lost the baby. David slammed his fist down on the table, making the tea cups rattle.

"I will kill him. He better hope that I never see his face because I will kill him."

"Get in line mate", said Killian.

"Obviously you're both going to have to wait until I am done with him", added August.

"Can we please all calm down the Neal thing? Besides, I haven't seen him in 10 years." Emma looked around at the men at the table, "And anyways, you're going to have to wait for me to have my say."