Title: Calm after the Storm

Timeline: Set in the future, Emma and Killian have a child called Liam.

Rating: K+ (to make up for all that smut, lol)

Category: Fluff, Comfort, Future fic

Summary: Liam hates thunder & lightning.

Notes: This is mommy!Emma pure fluff.

Liam whimpered and clutched his pillow tighter against his body as he heard the sound of rolling thunder from outside, the lightning temporarily lighting his bedroom.

Storybrooke wasn't known for having storms very often, but when it rained, it rained hard. Flash floods weren't uncommon and with harsh winds and lightning, many residents are left without power for days at a time. It was nothing short of a miracle that the house was spared from a seemingly inevitable power-outage.

He flinched under the covers as the thunder boomed again. He had always resented his fear of thunderstorms, just like his mother.

Mother.

With another loud crack of thunder, still clutching his pillow, he took a shaky breath and sat up. Slipping into some slippers, he left the comfort of his bed and escaped into the hallway. Once he finally reached the door of his parent's bedroom, he knocked and entered.

"Mama?" The little boy whimpered softly, though he knew that there was no way his mother would be able to hear her. She was all the way on the other side of the room, much too far away for her to hear his muffled cries.

"Mommy!"

Emma lifted her head up from the pillow, turning on the bedside lamp as it lit up the room in a dark glow.

"Liam, is that you?" She sat up, rubbing her eyes and slowly regaining her bearings. Hook was still fast asleep, with his back towards her, led on his side. He nodded back at her, clutching tighter onto his pillow, as Emma sighed.

"C'mere." She offered her hands out as he ran to her and jumped onto the bed. Climbing onto her lap, he snuggled his head into her neck. They leaned back onto the pillow, quiet for a few moments, before she answered again.

"So are you going to tell me why you're up so early in the morning?"

Liam glanced over at Killian, then back at Emma with his glistening blue eyes.

"I'm scared."

She sighed at him sympathetically, before kissing him on the forehead. "Why are you scared, darling?"

Thunder boomed once again, making him squeeze onto her arm tighter, and pull in closer to her embrace.

"It's the the storm, isn't it?"

"Yes. Mommy. It's scary." The boy whimpered as Emma gathered him into her arms, stroking his hair softly in hopes to soothe him.

"Oh, sweetie. I know it is, but it's going to be alright. It's just a thunderstorm. It can't hurt you."

"But, Mommy, it's so scary. And loud. Why?" Liam replied.

"I'm afraid that's how thunderstorms work, they're loud and they probably seem a lot scarier than they really are. They can't hurt you, love. We just have to ride them out."

Liam hiccuped a little bit. "H-how do you know it won't hurt me?" He asked quietly and Emma smiled warmly.

"I've been on this earth quite a bit longer than you and a thunderstorm hasn't ever hurt me. That's how I know. Now," she settled down on the bed, Liam cradled in her arms. "I think there's a little boy who needs to get back to sleep,"

Liam smiled slightly and yawned, for once having no protest to this. She smiled back and settled him underneath the covers, humming softly as she did so.

"Go back to sleep, my love. I'm right here. I won't let the thunderstorm hurt you. I won't leave you." The woman said gently, stroking Liam's blonde curls away from his forehead.

He smiled slightly and grasped Emma's hand tight as he closed her eyes and tried her best to drown out the scary sounds that the thunderstorm was making. Just as the boy was about to finally drift off again, the thunder began to boom once more and started Liam out of the restful state he had just entered. He jolted up in bed, his heart beating rapidly.

"Mommy!" He wailed again. "Make it stop being so loud. I don't like it!"

Emma smiled and gathered her son into her arms again, shushing him softly. "Remember what I told you, sweetheart? Thunderstorms just sound a lot scarier than they really are. We just have to wait for them to go away on their own."

"But why are they so loud, Mama? Why can't they be quiet?"

She thought for a moment, trying to figure out the best analogy to use to help the little boy understand.

"You know how the storm makes you upset, sweetheart? How it makes you cry?" She asked gently and Liam softly nodded.

"Yeah..." He said quietly.

"Well, something happened to the sky to make it upset and the thunder is just its way of crying. It can't hurt you. It's just letting off steam,"

Liam mulled this over for a few moments. "Is that really why it's so loud, Mama?"

Emma smiled and nodded. "It sure is, sweetheart. I promise that there is no way the thunder can hurt you, alright?"

Liam nodded again. "Alright, Mama." He agreed and Emma kissed his forehead.

"Do you want to try and get back to sleep now, my love?"

"Will you stay with me, Mommy?" He asked quietly and she smiled.

"Of course, sweetheart. C'mon, let's get you settled in again."

Emma tucked her small pirate in underneath the covers again and this time, he drifted off with little trouble. He felt much more at ease knowing that his mother was with him and that he would be protected against the harsh storm outside.