Chapter 8

Emma was staring down the road in anticipation. It stretched on for a while, but there was no sight of her bug just yet. She looked around and caught her dad's eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile, and started hugging Snow close. They had left Neal at the library with Belle while they waited for Henry.

Regina was off to the side of the road, a little ways away from the group. She looked like she was trying to stop herself form feeling too much excitement. Emma looked away from her, feeling guilt start to sneak its way into her chest. She instead looked at Killian, who was standing right beside her, but that just made the guilt worse, so she looked back at the stretch of road ahead of her.

Snow and David were talking to each other. They were in deep conversation about maybe having a party at Granny's to welcome Henry home. Emma sat listening, trying to distract herself. Henry had called and gave them a rough time that he would be there before he left. She didn't want to call him now to see how close he was, because he was driving.

After a few long minutes, she saw a car in the distance. Regina walked a few feet forward in anticipation. Emma felt herself get excited. It had been way too long since she had seen her kids. She felt Killian shift beside her, so she looked at him. He was facing forward, his jaw set. He was nervous. Emma took his hand in hers, and gave it a small squeeze. He looked down at their joined hands, and entwined their fingers.

The bug was close to the line now, and she could make out Henry driving. She slipped her hand out of Killian's and walked to the line, reaching into her pocket for the scroll. Henry stopped the car just a few feet out. He got out, with a small smile on his face, almost as if he could see them. Emma tossed the scroll over, and it landed at his feet. He picked it up and read it hurriedly, and looked up.

"Mom!" He was over the line, hugging her.

"I missed you, kid." She said into his hair.

"I missed you too." He pulled back, looking at everyone behind her. "One second."

He was running back towards the car. In a few seconds, he had driven it over, and was out of it again, running towards Regina. Emma gave them a small glace, as Henry basically slammed into Regina, hugging her tightly. Then Emma looked towards her car, in the back seat, where Eva was waiting, not so patiently in the back seat.

Emma had just got the door opened, when Eva was practically screaming, "Mamma! I is here!"

Emma had her out of the car, quicker than she thought possible, holding Eva to her. Eva rested her head on Emma's shoulder, hugging her and softly patting her back. After a brief moment of just holding her daughter, Eva pulled back, holding Emma's face in her hands.

"Me and Henny went bye bye." Eva said. Emma smiled.

"Did you?" Eva was nodding her head, and then hugging Emma again.

Emma looked over and saw Killian exactly where she had left him. Her parents were by him, smiling widely at her. Emma started making her way to them.

"Eva, you want to meet your Daddy?" Eva looked over to where Killian was standing with David and Snow, still clinging to Emma's neck, pressing her cheek up to Emma's. Henry and Regina were watching them too.

She reached Snow and David first. "This is your grandma!"

Snow reached out and stroked Eva's face, briefly.

"You remember your grandpa!" Emma said in Eva's ear. Eva smiled at David as he gave her a small kiss on her forehead.

Emma turned to Killian, and he just sat staring at Eva for a second, before bringing his hand up to cup her face. He bent his head forward, kissing her forehead softly before looking at her again. Eva looked him up and down, looking at Emma, and then back to Killian. She looked down at his other arm, seeing his hook hand. Then she was lunging away from Emma, pulling his arm up, so that she could curl her fingers around his hook.

"Hook?" She was giggling. Killian scratched behind his ear, apparently feeling a bit embarrassed about his hook, but then Eva was jumping into his arms, and he caught her holding her while she sat playing with his hook.

"Arrrggg!"

Killian looked positively taken back, and Emma laughed at his expression.

"She loves pirates." Henry had made his way over to them, with Regina's arm over his shoulder. He broke away for a second to hug his grandparents, and Killian.

Eva was still giggling madly over his hook, rambling about pirates. Killian was looking at her proudly.

"You like pirates, Eva?" He asked. She nodded. "Did you know that I'm a pirate myself?"

"Yes!" She said firmly, holding his hook out, showing him.

"Yeah Eva, he even has a pirate ship!" Henry said excitedly.

Eva laughed, "A ship! The Jolly?"

"How do you know the name of my ship?" Killian asked, looking at Emma for an answer.

"Everyone knows the Jolly Roger is Captain Hook's ship." Henry answered.

"Ah. I see." Killian looked back at Eva. "Do you want to go sailing with me some time?

Eva stared nodding eagerly, and then jumped back into Emma's arms.

"We should probably head back into town." Emma said, looking around at everyone. They all nodded in agreement.

David and Snow headed towards their truck. Killian followed behind them, after giving Eva another kiss. Emma walked towards her bug, and got Eva situated into her car seat again. Henry followed behind her, and Emma turned to look at him, as he offered her the keys.

"Is it alright if I stay with Regina for a while?" He asked, as Emma took the keys from him.

Emma smiled broadly at him, "Yes. That's a wonderful idea."

"Sweet, thanks! See you later Mom." Henry turned to catch up to Regina, who was waiting by her car.

"Wait, Henry." Emma called after him.

He turned around to look at her. "Yeah?"

"Thanks again. For everything." Henry smiled. Waving, he ran to Regina and got in the passenger seat of her car.

Emma watched them drive away, before getting into her car, and following behind them.

Regina and Henry sat chatting the whole way to their house, catching up on the last three years. Henry sat talking about how school was, while Regina kept glancing at him fondly.

"It was hard being away for so long, but mostly I kept busy at the library, looking up information about Merlin." Henry finished.

"I'm so glad your home, finally." Regina said. They pulled up the driveway to their house. Regina parked the car, and turned it off.

"Look Mom, I know it must have been really hard on you that I left."

"I missed you a lot." Regina said, looking at him. "I missed so much, you're basically a man now."

"I'm sorry I had to leave so soon. I didn't really get the chance to say goodbye or anything. But Emma needed me more. I didn't want her to be alone, and I was the only one that caught her on her way out. I had to make a snap decision." Henry explained.

"I understand. I'm just glad your back now."

Henry smiled wide. "Me too."

"You've really grown up, Henry. I'm so proud of you." Regina smiled back.

Henry and Regina got out of the car, and made their way to the house. Regina put her arm around Henry's shoulder again. He was about the same height as her, she noticed.

"So how about I make dinner, and you can tell me all about being a big brother." Regina suggested.

"It's the best."

After making a brief stop at Granny's to drop of Eva's things, Emma and Eva headed to the Snow and David's loft. Snow was making dinner for everyone, and was really excited for Eva to meet Neal. Emma drove the short drive, while Eva chatted animatedly in the back seat. Emma could only understand half the words she was saying because she was talking so fast.

Parking behind David's truck, Emma got Eva out of her seat, and made her way up the stairs to the door. Eva walked alongside her, holding her hand. Walking up the stairs took a little longer than usual because Eva insisted on walking up them instead of letting Emma carry her.

They finally made it to the door, and Emma let Eva knock. Eva knocked repeatedly until David opened the door to let them in. They made their way inside, and Emma saw Killian sitting on the couch talking to Neal, who was playing with trucks on the floor in front of him.

David and Emma made her way over to them, as Killian looked up at her. The moment Eva recognized him, she ran to him, and jumped into his arms.

"Who are you?" Neal asked her. He stopped playing with his trucks, and walked forward a little, while Killian settled Eva on his lap.

"I is Eva."

"I'm Neal." Neal started scrambling onto Killian's lap as well, sitting on the opposite leg as Eva.

Killian looked up at Emma and David with raised eyebrows.

"Look whose good with kids." Emma said with a laugh.

"Emma, is Eva your baby?" Neal asked, looking at her.

"I not a baby! I is Eva!" Eva said defensively.

Neal looked back at her. "Okay fine. Is Eva your kid, Emma?"

"Yes, she sure is." Emma said, biting back a laugh.

"Emma is my sister." Neal informed Eva, climbing off of Killian's lap to the floor to continue playing with his trucks.

"Dat's my Mamma." Eva said, smiling widely at Emma.

"My mom is over there." Neal said, pointing at Snow in the kitchen. She looked over at him, and gave a little wave. Then he pointed at David. "That's my dad."

"That's right." David said, sitting down on the floor next to Neal, and started playing truck with him.

"Who's your dad?" Neal asked Eva.

"My dad?" Eva asked. She looked at Killian. "You be my daddy?"

Killian glanced at Emma, then back at Eva and nodded his head. "Yes."

"Uncle Killy is your dad?" Neal laughed, looking at David and then at Killian. "You never told me you had a kid."

Everyone started laughing at that. Neal fell over on the floor and laughed while on his back. Eva started covering her face and giggling. Emma stood there laughing softly, shaking her head. Stepping back, she made her way to the kitchen to help her mom with dinner.

When everyone stopped laughing, Eva grabbed Killian's hook again.

"Oh ho, oh ho, a pirate's life a me!" She sang softly.

"You want to be a pirate, Eva?" Killian asked her.

"I am pirate." She replied.

"I don't think your grandpa will be happy about that." Killian said, looking at David. David shook his head, and rolled a car over to Neal.

"Uncle Killy is a pirate." Neal told Eva. "He's Captain Hook."

"Nope." Eva said, shaking her head.

"I am Captain Hook, love." Killian growled softly in her ear, making her squeal with delight.

"No. I is Captain Hook!" Eva declared.

"You're Captain Hook?" Killian asked her. She nodded vigorously. "Then who am I?"

Eva sat thinking for a second. "you is a… codfish."

Killian looked at her defeated, while David howled with laughter.

Killian shouted over to Emma, "What have you been teaching her?"

Emma looked at him, laughing. "I didn't teach her that."

Snow tried to bite back her laugh, but she wasn't succeeding.

"Here, Eva. You can play with my trucks if you want." Neal said, offering one to her.

Eva climbed off Killian's lap, and joined Neal in playing with his trucks. David and Killian both stood up and walked into the kitchen, leaving the kids to play.

"They seem to be getting along great." Snow observed. Emma nodded.

Killian came over and stood by her.

"She's great, isn't she?" Emma said fondly, looking at Neal and Eva happily chatting and playing with trucks.

"She's wonderful, Emma." Killian said, looking at her, then down at the counter.

"Well, dinner is ready if you guys want to set the table really quick." Snow said, grabbing some plates, and pushing them into David's hand.

Emma stayed in the kitchen while everyone made their way to the table, setting it quickly and placing the food on it. It was the perfect evening. Emma had her parents again, Henry and Eva were in town finally. Killian was here, and was wonderful with Eva. But instead of feeling at peace like she thought she would, Emma felt cold. This was supposed to feel warm, but somehow Emma felt out of place.

Snow looked at Emma with a huge grin, and made a gesture to come over and sit down. Emma plastered a smile on her face in return, and went over to sit down.