Author's note
Sorry for the wait! It seems that writing a Christmas chapter is much more work when it's a hot summer outside :)
I hope you enjoy it either way!
Sadly I have to say that the story is nearing its end. Originally I planned to end it with the birth of Liam and an epilogue. What do you think? Would you like me to continue the story of Emmas's and Killian's family life together any further? Please let me know!-via review or pm.
34 weeks pregnant
Till his question about the strange decoration overall the town (Swan, why does everyone decorates his house with snowmen, reindeer or a fat man in a red coat climbing their houses?), Emma wasn't aware, that Christmas was no common holiday in the Enchanted Forest and between all the different villains and curses it seems that he never experienced the time yet. She explained him the concept of it and he was very excited about this holiday, especially as it was one of the most important holidays for families.
"So everyone gets together, eating and giving each other gifts to celebrate the birth of some great holy man?"
"He's called Jesus. And yes, that's the main concept, but in this world they add Santa Clause as well some time ago."
"Ah, that's the fat man at the houses?" "More or less. We tell the children that he's the one who is responsible to give them presents but just to the ones who were nice during the year."
"But in fact you are buying the presents, right?" She nods.
"Bloody hell and if I haven't asked about the decoration I would be absolutely clueless." She feels that he is upset. Since the incident at the docks, he tries to make it up to her, bad conscience and all.
"I'm sure we would have talked about it! My mom likes to cook and I don't think that she makes an exception this year, so she would probably ask us for our favourites."
He doesn't seemed to be convinced.
"By the way it's still one week to go. Most men buy their presents the day before Christmas."
Now her pirate is back, smirking at her, pulling her in his arms to whisper in her ear, so Henry won't hear it.
"But Love, you should have realized by now. I'm not most men" and his tongue softly strokes her earlobe that makes her moan.
Henry, engaged in a videogame until now, turns around and makes a disgusted sound.
"Please, mom, not now - Teenage son present!"
Emma starts to giggle and Killian tickles her additionally.
"Lad, care to join me in shopping Christmas gifts?"
Henry stops his game and turns around again. "Of course Killian! Better you have the right company and with grandpa you can't go outside of the town and I doubt we find something great here."
"So, you're free this afternoon?" Henry holds up his hand to high-five Killian. "Deal and afterwards ice-cream-Sunday at Granny's"
"Deal" Killian's hand slaps into her son's hand.
A few hours later she is alone at the house with Lady, her boys out to the next town's mall, buying Christmas presents or whatever.
"What do you think, Lady? Shall we also decorate the house a little bit?" Lady barks in agreement and she bends down to the dog whispering:
"I think I need to use a little magic for that. I'm feeling like a whale. I can't even walk a half mile by foot anymore. You promise not to tell the boys?"
Lady just starts to hackle and Emma translates it as her agreement to the plan and so both are starting to work. She even found some reindeer antlers to put on Lady's head, but that she will save for the family pictures on Christmas.
When Henry and Killian arrive back home, they're surprised by the Christmassy decoration around the house.
Henry's mouth gapes open and even Killian is at a loss for words at first.
"How did you do this in this short time period?" She just shrugs her shoulders "I got help" and she motions to Lady sleeping on her blanket by the fire place.
"Yeah of course, she turned into a busy butler and helped you with all this." Killian starts to laugh at Henry's ironical statement.
"I may have used some magic as well.." she admits hesitantly.
"Oh, Emma, is it possible that this is your nesting instinct the books write about?" He places a kiss to her temple, which is so soft and loving, she can't help but turning to him and kiss him on the mouth.
Henry just snorts and they break apart directly.
"Perhaps, I don't know. I never really felt at home anywhere and our last Christmas in New York was just based on wrong memories, so I thought I want to do it right."
The doorbell rings and Henry runs to the door and open it. It reveals her parents and her baby-brother Neal wrapped in a fluffy snow-suit.
"Why does my uncle looks like a bear, grams?" Henry asks, eying the little ears at the hood of the suit.
"Because it's sweet, isn't it Emma?" Mary-Margret asks her daughter who is already cooing at her little brother. Her father comes into the house as well and stays frozen at the overwhelming decoration in front of him.
"What the hell?"
"Emma finally has become a nesting instinct." Killian smirks at his father in law.
"It looks wonderful" Her mother googled the whole new appearance of her daughter's home.
"I'd always know you had it in you, see Charming, some attitudes she inherited from me"
Emma rolls her eyes. "Guys, don't make a deal out of it. I just decorated a bit for Christmas and about that, how would you like it, if we all celebrate it here?"
They all agreed at the terms. Killian and her mother will make the cooking and Henry and she will make the desert and her father is responsible for the beverages and soon Christmas Eve has arrived.
Killian and her mother have built a rather close friendship as well and so they had no problem standing in the kitchen cooking all day.
They will have a simple dinner today, sleeping all together at Killian's and Emma's house and the great dinner will be on Christmas Day.
The evening is beautiful. They're eating lasagna together and playing some games afterwards. Soon Emma's eyelids are getting heavy and Killian takes this cue and takes her with him to bed.
"So, Swan, before you're drifting off to dreamland, when is it usual to exchange presents?"
"Tomorrow morning" she mumbles and cuddles closer to him.
Sunrays are shining through the window the next morning and Emma awakens by the unusual commotion in their house. Oh right, Christmas Day is today and her parents slept over so Killian has finally some company early in the morning by her mother and they're probably making breakfast. Yep, that smells like pancakes, god, I am hungry!
When she is nearing the stairs she hears laughing from the kitchen and gets bits and pieces of a conversation.
Something about her and Killian's gift but she doesn't want to be unfair and doesn't even try to get down the stairs silently.
"Good morning love" Killian is holding a mistletoe above them.
"Your mother told me about this tradition of your land"
"You know, you don't need a mistletoe to get me to kiss you, right?"
She giggles at him as he bends down, kissing her softly still holding up the mistletoe.
"You're so adorable" her mother squeals. "Breakfast is almost ready. We should wake the others, so that we can eat and exchanging our presents afterwards!"
With this words she vanishes upstairs and a little while later she is back, followed by a sleepy David and Henry.
Breakfast was amazing and she ate as much as she could.
"Emma, I know that you have to eat for two, but don't you think eating 6 pancakes with maple syrup, a plate full of scrambled eggs and 3 carrot cupcakes are enough?" Her father looks at her in disbelief.
She's still eating then she recognizes the pain in her stomach. Ugh, he might be right. She places the half eaten cupcake onto her plate and shoves it over to Killian who just smirks.
"So, can we now start with the presents?" Henry is eager to start and so the whole family including Emma go to the living room, there under the Christmas tree the gifts are lying.
"I want to be the first!"
He picks up a square box and holds it out to Emma. "This is for you and Killian!"
She opens it, Killian sitting beside her and as she discovers that it is in fact a photo album designed like Henry's Storybook.
She opens the first page and sees that he already put in some pictures. From them and their time in New York, their first adventures before the curse is broken and lots and lots of pictures of them as a family including Killian and Lady.
She has tears in her eyes.
"That's beautiful, kid"
"I thought that we need a book just for our own story and there is much place left to put in pictures of Liam as I only got one good ultrasound picture."
She hugs him and Killian hugs him too.
They exchange the other gifts, the latest playstation game for Henry from her parents and the highlight from her and Killian, his first real sword.
A new set of bow and arrow for her mom, a cooking class for her dad, apparently her mom got one for Killian too, brotime and so on, a new leather jacket for Emma and some toys for Neal.
That's left Killian and Emma to exchange their gifts. She can see that he is really nervous and so she starts by giving him her present.
He opens the box and she sees that tears are glistering in his eyes. She has gotten him a little replica of the Jolly Roger, or in fact, she has asked Marco to draft one.
He kisses her fiercely. Shutting out the presence of her parents and Henry she kisses him back.
"One day, we get her back" she promises him in a whisper.
"Well, that leaves me to give you your present" he smirks and pulls out a small box which he handed over to her.
She opens it and gasps at the sight before her. It's a fine silver chain with circle in the middle and 2 charms hanging from it.
She holds it up and her mother is gasping at the first sight. "This is absolutely beautiful!" her voice has nearly no volume as she examines the necklace further. One of the charms seems to be a diamond heart and the other one is a little silver swan.
She didn't even realize that Killian has already stood up and is now behind her.
"May I?" He reaches out for the necklace. He takes it and puts it around her neck and it feels like it belongs there.
"You know, your mother told me that this is quite the fashion today" he smiles insecurely.
"I love it Killian, it so beautiful!"
"I put some thought in it too" he seems now be a little bit self-assured. "This" he traces the circle. "Is the eternity circle representing my everlasting love for you and our family." He reaches out for the charms." Well, the heart is meant to be for Henry as he has the heart of the truest believer and well the swan is for you my dear."
She is speechless and just stares at him.
He is so perfect, he can't be real!
"And then Liam is born, I will give you another charm for him"
"Sometimes, you're such a dork!"
"But you love that dork!" a stupid grin showing on his face and they all start to laugh.
The rest of the holidays went by smooth. Henry is at Regina's the next day and he even visits Gold and Belle.
At the evening they're lying in their bed, both naked except for their necklaces, Emma is playing with hers while Killian is drawing circles on her big baby bump.
"Next year, Swan, we will be four on Christmas. And this will be the best present ever"