Author's Note: The story is coming to an end, sadly. Only a few chapters left. There's lots of big stuff in this chapter – I hope you like it. I still don't own OUAT.
According to Doctor Archie Hopper, Sophie's therapist and Emma's friend, it was finally time to explain his relationship to her – that he was her biological father. So Killian was pacing the hall outside of the school, waiting for the bell to ring. When it finally did, he was surprised to see Mary Margaret leading a class outside to meet their parents and buses. When she saw him, she came over.
"I didn't know you taught here, lass," he said.
"Yep, first grade. I've been doing it since right out of college, I love it," she responded just as Sophie came barreling towards them.
"Killy!" she yelled, grasping her little arms around his legs for a hug. She was small for six years old, but was brilliant (not that he was a biased father or anything). Her reading was getting better, especially now that she read to her baby brother every day. She could spell. She was great with people and animals alike – there wasn't a single living being that didn't love her. He was truly a lucky man. As usual for after school, her once beautifully pressed school uniform was now rumpled and a little stained. Her black, curly hair was escaping from her once perfect ponytail, and her empty lunchbox was hanging from her hot pink backpack. She was always a silly mess at the end of the day. Emma claimed it was because she had way too much fun at school. When Sophie finally let Killian go, she noticed Mary Margaret standing near them, smiling fondly.
"Mary Margaret!" she exclaimed before duplicating her hug on the brunette woman.
"Hi, Sophie. You're in kindergarten here?" she asked. When Sophie nodded proudly, Mary Margaret continued. "Hopefully you'll be in my class next year then."
"Yeah, that'd be awesome," Sophie replied excitedly. "Killy and Emma say I'm a really good reader, too. I could show you some time," the little girl said with an innocent smile. Leave it to my child to sneakily ask to spend time with someone, Killian thought, before realizing how late it was getting. Mary Margaret responded (with a yes, of course) before Killian announced it was time to go.
"We've gotta go see Archie, little lass. Time to go. See you later, Mary Margaret." With one last small hug to Mary Margaret, Sophie grabbed Killian's hand and dragged him towards his car.
Half an hour later, he was sitting outside of Archie's office, waiting for doctor to retrieve him. He was fidgeting in his seat when his phone starting ringing. Emma. He immediately answered.
"Hello, love," he whispered.
"Hi Killian, you still with Archie?" she asked.
"Aye, they haven't called me back to the office yet. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing…" he told her.
"It will be fine, Killian. She is seriously one of the most adaptable human beings I've ever met. And Archie assured me when I talked to him last week that he's handled these types of situations before. He knows how to do this," she assured him.
"I know, love… I'm just nervous. I don't want her to hate me, or resent me for replacing Gold." Before he could continue, Doctor Hopper came out of the office, beckoning him to come back. "Got to go, I'm being summoned. We'll see you in a bit."
"Alright, I love you. Good luck," she replied.
"I love you too, lass," he said, getting up and going into the doctor's office. He pushed his phone into his pocket and sat down next to Sophie on the sofa. She was smiling wildly, a good sign.
"Killy, Archie said you're my blood daddy. Daddy was my daddy, but you're my daddy too. Is that true?" she asked him, turning her body to face him. With silent assurance from Doctor Hopper, he nodded.
"Aye, little love. I am your blood daddy. See, you have my black hair and my blue eyes," he said, turning her to face the mirror on the wall so that they were side by side in front of it. He held a piece of her hair up to his and pointed to his eyes, directing her where to look. Her eyes went wide as she took it all in.
"So… so that means that you can be my daddy now that daddy is gone?" she whispered. Killian, at a loss for words, nodded. The little girl scooted closer, hugging Killian. "I… I can call you daddy?" she continued. He nodded again. "And I'll be your girl, even when the new baby comes? He'll be my brother? You won't leave me?"
He nodded, saddened that she was so concerned. "Aye, love, I'll be your daddy forever, no matter what," he reassured her. Her little frown turned into a wide grin.
"Okay then, Daddy, can we go see Emma now? I miss her and the baby."
Killian let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and looked over to Archie, who was nodding and smiling. "Why don't you go gather your things while I finish up with Archie," he suggested. When Sophie went out to the hall to gather her belongings after a quick goodbye to Archie, he turned to the doctor.
"Was that… normal?" he asked hesitantly. He had not expected it to ever be this easy.
Archie chuckled. "Yes, actually. She loves you already and you've already taken on the role of father in her mind. We just confirmed that that was true for her. That she can love her first daddy and you both the same and that you won't leave her. As she gets older, she may have questions, but for now she's good."
Killian grinned, shaking the doctor's hand. "Thanks, Archie. I appreciate you helping with this. It was quite painless. Not anything like the event I dreaded in my mind."
"Not a problem, Killian. I wanted to talk to you. You know I was Emma's mentor when she was in school – she was a great student. There's an opening for a social worker position here and I was hoping to offer it to her. It's working with foster kids and adopted children. I want to wait until after the baby's born to officially offer it to her, though. Are you open to her working?"
"Wow. Yes, of course, she can work if she wants. I don't want to own her – I just want to be with her. If working here, or anywhere, will make her happy, I want that for her," Killian said.
"Good. I think she's a bit nervous about what being a mom and girlfriend may mean for her. You two should talk," Archie said.
"Daddddddyyyyy!" he heard from down the hall.
"I'll talk to her, thanks again Archie. See you next week!" he said as he walked out to the waiting room.
Ten minutes later, Sophie dragged him into Emma's hospital room. Emma was sitting up in the bed and Blue was there taking her blood pressure. As soon as Killian saw Emma, he knew something was wrong. Emma was wiping tears from her eyes. Sophie, oblivious, went over to a chair in the corner to read her newest book, so Killian immediately ran to Emma's side and held her hand.
"Is… is everything okay?" he asked. Emma smiled at him, but he could tell it was forced. It was more of a grimace than a smile and she still had moisture in her eyes.
"My blood pressure spiked really high and won't go down. Blue said they want to deliver the baby now. But he's not ready. He still needs another week to bake!" Emma wailed, crying harder. Killian just stared, unsure of what to say.
Blue joined the conversation, probably sensing the anxiety in the room. "It will be okay, Mr. Jones. At 39 weeks, there is no reason that the baby won't be perfectly healthy and happy. Lots of babies born much earlier than that are fine. He won't even be considered premature. He's been carried close enough to full term. We've begun the inducement process to start labor. As we explained to Ms. Swan…" Emma interrupted the nurse.
"But… but… I have more time... He's not ready yet. He needs to stay with me!" she cried.
"Blue, would you mind leaving for just a few moments?" Killian asked the nurse.
"Sure," she said. "Sophie, want a lollipop from the nurse's station while I fill out some paperwork?" she asked the little girl, who looked up from her book with a smile. As the two left, Killian squeezed Emma's hand.
"Now love, what's wrong? Aren't you excited for Liam to come?" he asked quietly.
"Of course. But, he needs me. I'm his oven. And… I… I need him. I'm not ready to give him up, Killian. I thought I would be, but I'm not. He's my baby – he shouldn't be, but he is." Killian had never seen Emma so upset and his heart broke for her – especially because he knew that she had nothing to worry about.
"Move in with us, Emma," he said, out of nowhere.
Her sobbing slowed. "W-what?" she asked.
"Move in with us. I love you, Emma, more than anything. I want you to be by my side. Sophie adores you. Liam needs a mom, and you deserve the family you've always dreamed of. I know it's a lot to ask, what with Sophie. You didn't sign up to be a mom of two, I know. And I also know it's soon. But I love you, and I want you by my side for all of it. I want to wake up with you in the middle of the night when Liam needs to be fed or changed. I want to worry with you when one of the kids has a fever. I want to spend hours with you at Toy R' Us as you painstakingly pick out Christmas presents. You are my happy ending, love. You, Sophie, and Liam. And one day soon, I'll make you a Jones. Please, Emma, I can't lose you again." He was crying now, too.
"Killian, I never wanted this. A family. After Henry… I figured it wasn't ever going to be my story. But I want it now, with you. I want it so much that it hurts. I… yes, I'll move in with you. I'll even say yes when you ask me to marry you," she said before leaning forward to kiss him. As they broke away, she smiled. "Rip up the stupid surrogacy contract, Killian, so we can have our baby." He laughed before going over to his briefcase, where he'd kept the contract for the day she went into labor. He handed the document to Emma, who promptly ripped it to shreds.
"Well, now that that's settled, what do you say we have a baby, love?" Killian asked. When Emma nodded, Killian retrieved Blue and Sophie, who immediately made her way to Emma's side.
"Daddy said the baby is coming!" Sophie exclaimed. She was practically bouncing up and down, ready to meet her new brother. Killian's heart skipped a beat at Daddy… and the smile Emma sent in his direction made it all the more wonderful.
"Yep, your baby brother is coming," she said to the little girl, whose blue eyes were wide with wonder and excitement.
"And you'll be the new baby's mommy…" Sophie said. Emma nodded. Killian could almost hear the cogs turning in his daughter's head as she connected all of the dots. "And you love my blood daddy. So does that make you my blood mommy?" she asked, so full of innocence and curiosity. It was heartbreaking for Killian to hear the hope in her voice. Emma was filling the role of mother already, and just like with Killian, Sophie needed assurance that it was okay.
"I won't be your blood mommy, honey. But I promise I'll love you just as much as your mommy did. I'll take care of you, and read you bedtime stories, and pack your lunch, and even make sure that your daddy isn't too hard on you. I'll be your second mommy. I won't replace your mommy, but I can be a mommy, too, kind of like how Killy is your daddy even though you had another daddy too. If you want me to, that is…" Emma trailed off. Killian could tell that her insecurities were bubbling to the surface. She wasn't sure that she was wanted.
"I miss my mommy," Sophie mumbled. "But you're a really nice mommy, Emma. I want you to be my mommy too. I can have two mommies and two daddies." With that, the little girl climbed into the bed and curled into Emma's side. Both Emma and Killian had tears in their eyes when Blue and Doctor Whale entered the room a few minutes later.
"I'm going to call Mary Margaret," Killian told Emma as he made his way back to her side. "Maybe she'll be willing to take Sophie. We're going to have a baby."