Aria and Rachel were running around in the gardens chasing butterflies barefoot. Emma stood in the window and watched them with a smile. They had so much energy and acted like sisters. She was so glad her parents had adopted Rachel and that Aria had grown up with a best friend. She laughed when the girls got a little too over eager to catch the same butterfly and ended up tripping over each other. Down they went in a tangle of long limbs. Emma couldn't help but smile at the antics of the young girls. It made her heart sore with love.

Snow approached Emma and smiled at the sight through the window. She placed an arm around Emma's shoulders and hugged her to her side. Emma leaned into Snow and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. Then lifted it and looked at her, how is it your what twice my age or nearly –"

Snow gave Emma a scolding look she used on each of her children when they were up to no good. "Bite your tongue."

Emma smiled,"However you don't look a day older than the day Aria was born."

Snow laughed at her, "That's easy, Doc is a genius with potions for a non-magical he's got some pretty good magic in him. He makes me a youth potion and I drink it every year to stay young and healthy."

Emma's mouth dropped open and she felt her chin hit her chest," Serious?"

Snow let out a deep laugh and shook her head at Emma," no, I was only teasing. I guess I'm just lucky, your father too should mean well for you. Oh my darling daughter you were always too gullible."

Emma laughed with her mom and hooked her arm through Snow's and they walked toward the open doors leading to the garden. Emma looked at the girls and then glanced back at Snow. "So you adopted Rachel?"

"Yes, when she was only three, Aria was about two and a half, there's barely six months between them. Rachel's mother Delia was Aria's nurse maid." Snow watched realization form in Emma's mind.

"Her wet nurse because her mother was in a sleeping curse and couldn't feed her."

"Its common practice. Ella had to hire a wet-nurse, when she couldn't perform her motherly duties after baby Thomas was born."

"I know but I feel bad because I should have been here."

"Emma, if you had been here it would be Aria in that bed asleep. You brought that precious child into the world and then you saved her life. And you brought Rachel into our lives through that act of true love." Snow watched the girls run around carefree. It was such a relief to see the kids being kids again. She noticed off in the distance her son Dj, climbing a little too high in a tree. But relaxed when she saw Grumpy walk to the tree and start pointing at the ground. No doubt giving the energetic prince an earful. "Delia was Aria's nurse, when Aria became too old to nurse, Delia insisted on leaving us but we wouldn't let her go too far. We set her up in the cottage that used to sit at the end of the property that way Rachel could still play with Aria. Delia's husband Joseph was killed in the ogre wars shortly before Rachel was born. It was just the two of them Delia was a very proud woman. She was also one of my best friends during our short time together. One night the cottage started up on fire for no reason. Rachel came screaming to the castle LeRoy hot on her heels to inform us that Regina just threw some fire balls at the cottage. I thought Delia was safe and then Rachel told me her mommy was in the house. By the time the dwarves, David and Graham reached the castle it was too late. We took Rachel in for about 4 months to avoid sending her to an orphanage. One night I told David I wanted to adopt Rachel to be her parents, and he agreed. We talked to Rachel she was only four didn't really understand much but she understood staying to be Aria's sister. I couldn't love her more if she came from my own womb."

Emma wiped a tear and hugged her mom, "I missed you." She kissed Snow's cheek. "I'm glad you're my mom." She looked at the girls and then her mother, "I want to make Arai and Rachel gowns for the ball I know your planning."

"I have no idea what you could possibly mean; I know just who we need for this. Granny can help you. Though, unless you gained some new magical skills while you were in that sleep, you may need more than Granny, you may need a miracle." Emma stuck her tongue out at Snow and looked back out the window. Her breath hitched when she saw Killian walk over to the girls. She watched as Dj ran over to see what ever Killian was showing the girls.

"So, how are things with Killian?" Snow wondered, Emma felt her cheeks go red and she her mother.

"Things are okay, for now. We're going to take things slow."

"I think that's a great idea. Just remember you can only run so long, before something catches up to you." Snow said, "Or someone." She added when she saw Killian meet Emma's eyes she saw the slow smile spread on her daughters face and the one that mirrored it on Killian's face. "Do you want my advice?"

"Always," Emma said not removing her gaze form Killian's.

"Don't go too slow." Snow stood up and called the children in to attend studies. As she led three groaning children in to the castle she watched Emma walk toward Killian.

Killian felt his heart beat pick up as he watched Emma walk towards him. She smiled at him and he would swear his knees went weak. Emma walked straight to him and grabbed his hand and pulled him along towards the garden. She sat on a bench pulling him down beside her. As soon as he sat she was in his arms and her mouth was hot on his, Killian wasn't one to pass up opportunity. She smiled against his mouth and caught her breath before running her fingers over the beard on his cheeks and into the hair on the back of his head. He loved her hands on him in any way he could get them. "I think if this goes any further we need to find some privacy." Emma laughed and kissed his lips again then stood up and walked away without a backward glance. Killian let out a breath and sat still for a minute not sure what his next move should be. Emma disappeared around the corner in a swish of skirts.

Killian sat up in his bed quietly wondering what had woke him from his sleep, and then he saw a blonde head through the sliver of light coming in from the cracked door. "Aria, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I don't know if I should take that as an insult or a compliment that you thought I was our ten year old daughter." His momentary shock was replaced by amusement at the thought of Emma sneaking in to his bedchambers. He glanced up at her in her thin silk night gown bare feet.

"Almost eleven year old daughter," Killian joked. Emma laughed quietly.

"You'd think at eleven she gained the keys to the kingdom or something, the way she reminds everybody of that." Emma didn't ask or wait for permission she simply picked up the heavy blanket and slid under it coming up to wrap an arm around Killian's waist. He simply smiled and rested back on the pillows with Emma in his arms. He had never felt so good. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and rested his cheek on her hair. Emma sighed contently this is what she needed. She needed to be held. And she needed to be held by Killian. She looked up at him and smiled

"Hi."

"Hi."

Killian bent down and pressed a light kiss to her lips and then smiled at her. She felt the pull all the way down to her toes which she was certain had just curled at his smiled. Damn him for causing her to want him so much.

"I couldn't sleep. I keep having these dreams I had them before. I am in a room surrounded by fire and there's someone else in the dream with me but I've never known who it was. I don't see them I just know they are there. I talk to them and it's like they are in my head. It's not scary just a little unsettling."

He rubbed his arms over hers to comfort her and she leaned into his touch rested her head on his bare chest and closed her eyes. He pressed another kiss to the top of her head. Closing his eyes he just memorized the feel of her in his arms.

They both opened their eyes when the bedroom doors opened again letting in a crack of light. Arai came shuffling in tears drying on her face. She looked up and saw her parents then crawled up from the bottom of the bed to wedge between them. Emma reached out instinctively for her wrapping her in the cocoon of her arms Killian wrapped them both in his he had been wrong before holding Emma was the next best feeling in the world to holding his family in his arms. This had to be the best feeling ever.

"Why are you crying, Sweetheart?" Emma hugged her tighter.

"I had a dream."

"Was it a bad dream?" Emma asked smoothing the hair away from Aria's forehead.

"Not bad, just strange. I've had them forever"

Killian ran a hand over head, "We're here if you want to talk about it."

She sighed sleepily and snuggled in closer, "Mmmk," She slipped dreamlessly into sleep and let out a tiny snore, Emma and Killian both laughed softly.

"The first night she came to me, I thought she was some crazy lost kid and didn't believe her then I looked into her eyes and my heart hurt because I know who she was and I was so angry that you had kept her form me I sent her away then realized I sent her into a den full of rowdy pirates, Not that I don't believe for one second that our daughter could defend herself, I opened the door and she was sleeping on the floor in front of it. I carried her to bed and sat beside the bed that nigh and watched her sleep the whole night. I was awed. We have a beautiful baby girl, Emma."

"I know, I don't know where to go from here but I don't want to lose either of you, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

He bent down placed a soft kiss on Arias head then met Emma's lips with his own. They talked quietly for hours. She slept for the first time since waking form the curse dreamlessly in Killian's arms with their daughter safely cocooned between them. She never felt more blessed.

Killian came awoke in stages First thing he noticed was he was freezing. Emma and Arai had stolen the covers and were wrapped up in it in a tangle of arms and legs. The second thing he noticed was that he was on the very edge of the bed. A bed this big should be able to fit two grown adults and one little girl but apparently their daughter and her mother needed more room. The next thought was that the image he looked at was an image he wanted to wake up to everyday. He had to make a trip to town today. He got out of bed and placed a soft kiss on each blonde head before getting dressed and slipping out the door.

His first stop was to the private office of the king and queen. He knocked before slipping his head in the door.

"Killian, what a surprise," Snow greeted perkily. Killian stepped into the office and stood awkwardly behind a chair David glance up from the parchment he was reading and gave him a questioning look.

"Is everything all right?" David asked concerned about his friend.

"Yes everything is fine, I'd like to –"He paused and took a deep breath. "I'd like to ask Emma to marry me" He smiled finding it easier to speak once the words were said out loud." I love her, she loves me we love our daughter I want to be a family."

"Yes, of course. We love you Killian always have you're a very honorable man and a great father and we have no doubt you will keep our daughter very happy." Snow said jabbing David with her elbow.

"Of course we give you all the best wishes. " Killian smiled broadly and started to leave the room.

"Killian, do you have a ring?" Snow asked.

"Uh, I do not. I was going in town to find one."

"I have the perfect one for Emma." Snow walked to a vault hidden in the wall behind a picture and took out a velvet box and opened it to show him.

"I had it made for Emma, for her eighteenth birthday but everything that happened changed those plans and I'd like you to give it to her with our blessing."

"I'd be honored." Killian looked at the ring the stone was almost the exact color of his eyes he ran a finger over the crisscross pattern overlapping with forget me not flower. "It's beautiful."

"We always knew she loved you. And when I saw the stone I had to get it for her, I had intended to make it only a necklace but the stone was too big so we I had a ring made too."

"I was going to give her the ring for her birthday but Aria was born and the curse mere days before, so we left it in the vault all this time."

"Through all of this, waking Emma and meeting Aria and watching Emma fall in love with our daughter I never thought about your role in all of this. You had ten years to worry about your daughter to see her day after day still sleeping, and a newborn to rise amongst your own children, a kingdom to run, an evil queen to protect your home from. You truly are very magnificent people. You never gave up on her. You raised Aria to never give up on her either." Killian knelt in front of them and bowed his head. "I am honored to be able to call you both my family."

"I like you." Snow said laughing. 'I know you will treat my daughter with the love and respect she deserves."

David nodded at him, "You're right it wasn't easy, but it was one of the easiest choices we ever made. Arabella is our granddaughter raising her these last ten years has been a joy. Sure it's had its sad times and it's a bit strange to keep your cursed daughter sleeping in her bed chambers for ten years." David laughed lightly." But we love Emma, and we love Aria and even though you did accuse me of murder we have grown to love you. We love how you take care of Emma. We love how you brought Aria back to us even though you could have run off with her. We love how we can see that you will take care of both of them no matter what."

"Thank you your majesties. If you will excuse I have a daughter to speak to before I go find your daughter." Killian left in search of Aria.

He found her in the kitchen begging the cook for scraps to feed the family of mice she found in the barn. She held then in an old bird cage and gave the stern cook her most adorable sad princess look. She was not winning.

"Please Miss Abbi. You know I won't let them get in the kitchen I'll keep them in the barn. They're hungry."

Abbi looked sternly at the young princess, "No. No. No. Mice are not pets. You want to help poor defenseless animals you go feed those mice to that scraggly cat that hangs around every day begging food from my kitchen."

Aria looked appalled. "Henry would never eat these mice. They are his friends and we don't eat friends."

Abbi looked at Aria, "You named the cat Henry?"

"Yes. Henry is a fine name for a cat. "

"I suppose you named the mice too."

"I did." Aria stuck her chin up in the air defiantly. Killian decided it was time to make his presence known.

"I know the perfect home for those mice Aria." He told her taking the cage form her.

"Where?" She asked suspiciously.

"Why the Jolly Roger of course, everyone knows that mice eat bugs and there sure are a lot of bugs on the Jolly."

Killian looked at Abbi and winked she shook her head and handed him a piece of day old bread. Then she shooed them both out of her kitchen.

Father and daughter walked to the large pirate ship that was docked nearby. Killian had asked Smee to see that the crew was sparse today.

Aria set the cage on the floor of the Jolly and opened the cage door Killian broke the slice of bread into crumbs and set them in the cage for the mice to enjoy.

"LeRoy, Archie, and Ruby enjoy your new home. You are now pirates." She giggled at her own joke.

"Aria I'd like to talk to you about something important."

"You want to marry Mama but you want my permission."

Killian stared at her in shock, she grinned.

"I'm almost eleven."

"Right, how could I ever forget?"

"She'll say yes."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Let's go ask her. Are you certain she'll say yes?"

"Bet me."

"What?"

"Bet me. If she says yes, you have to teach me to navigate your ship and how to read Greek."

"And if she takes some convincing… "

"You have to teach me to navigate your ship and how to read Greek."

"Hmm, seems like somethings missing. How about if I am right you get your Greek and navigating but you also find a new home for Archie, Leroy and Ruby."

"Fine," She agreed.

Together they sought out Emma and Killian walked up to her and kissed her. She was surprised and looked over at Aria standing next to him. Killian reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. He knelt down and looked at Aria who nodded. Emma gasped. He took her hand in his and she pulled it back.

"Killian Jones, do not ask me to marry you."

"That's exactly what I am doing."

"Why?"

"Duh, Emma, I love you, I want to live my life with you and Aria and many more children."

Aria screamed, and Killian and Emma both turned to see Regina holding the girl inches off the floor a spindle in one hand. "You didn't think I'd let you win did you?"

"You may be true love but now you will have to live with your precious baby because she has no true love and I … oops." Regina stuck Aria with the spindle and dropped her to the floor. Then she looked at the couple frozen in place. If only you had let me do this is the beginning. Now toot aloo, I must be off but I'll be back this is just a small token of what I have in mind for Snow White's family, another day, another spell." The Evil Queen vanished in a cloud of purple smoke.

Emma rushed to Aria's side and Killian shouted her name and rushed to her. Emma cradled the girl in her arms. She never realized just how small her daughter was, she knew she had failed.

"I failed her Killian." She whispered. "I failed our baby."

"You didn't fail her." Killian wrapped his arm around Emma who was still cradling Aria and rocking her lifeless body. "Gods, I love that child."

"Your love can save her." The Blue Fairy appeared out of nowhere. "She is your true love, both of your true love. One of you could save her but both of you can save her and protect her future. You must do this together as the true love of a family is stronger than any spell Regina has ever cast"

"Blue, what do you mean?" The doors opened and Snow and David walked through. A guard having informed them of everything that happened from outside the room and they had summoned The Blue fairy.

"Emma, Honey, True Love doesn't always come in the form of man and woman. The love a parent feels for her child is true love." Snow told her.

"But that didn't work for you or for Dad when I was sleeping."

"That's because it wasn't meant to be. You were meant to be with Killian, you had already met your true love. He was meant to wake you all along."

Emma looked up at Killian and he looked at her they knew it was there only hope gently they both laid their lips on Arias head and kissed her. A white wave of power rushed through the kingdom. She would feel this kiss as a protection for the rest of her life.

Aria's eyes popped open. And she looked at everyone gathered around her. 'What happened?"

"Regina put a sleeping spell on you. You're parents woke you."

Aria jumped out of Emma's arms to hug her mother and father. "I knew you would save me." She cried. "I wasn't scared because my mom and dad would save me like always."

"Plan to get into more scrapes like this in the future?" Killian asked.

"Maybe, The Evil Queen is still out there." Aria replied.

"Perhaps you should wait a few years till you go after her again.

"Maybe, maybe not," She grinned mischievously.

Killian stood and hugged Aria and she hugged him back. His arms tightened in fear of what he almost lost. And he vowed no one would ever take his family from him. His gaze caught on the ring on the floor; he released Arai and picked up the ring while Emma was distracted.

Aria hugged her mother tight enough to make an indentation and it still wasn't tight enough for Emma. This precious child had almost been ripped from her hands twice in a one precious lifetime and there would not be a third time. She was going to learn her magic and she was going to be the Savior once and for all and she would rid her family of the evil queen.

Killian approached Emma and held out the ring. "Will you marry me Emma?"

Emma looked at the ring then looked at Aria the girl looked at her and at Killian with absolute adoration in her eyes. Aria believed in her. It was her and Killian together who broke the spell. She believed in the girl. She believed in the man and most of all she believed in herself.

"Yes." Killian picked her up and swung her around in joy. Dropping her to her feet he crushed her lips with his in true love.

And they lived happily ever after. (For a while…..)