Tah Dah... I didn't fall asleep or hit the wrong stupid button on the keyboard so here it is, your update.

A bit of a light chapter before... well you'll just have to wait and see.

As always please review.

Enjoy

:)

"Come on boys, it's getting late" Emma called out to get them to come out of the pool "Dinner will be ready in ten minutes so get your butts dried and ready to eat"

Emma disappeared back through the door, Killian threw a towel to both Henry and Rapha then spoke to Junior as the two older boys ran inside to get changed "Come on Lad, I will help you dry yourself"

He took the towel between his teeth so he could pull off the boy's wet shorts then took the other end in his one good hand to wrap it around the boy's shoulders before scooping him up into his arm to sit on his lap. He gave a grunt as the movement pulled on his ribs and Junior turned to look at him.

"Did the Crocodile not heal all of you?" he asked in a small voice

"I am fine Lad, what you achieved was plenty. Do not worry" he gave him a small smile "Now lets get you dry before Swan gets her feathers in a flap"

Junior giggled and Killian couldn't help the little tickles that he kept giving as he worked on drying the lad but eventually it got too much for the boy and he jumped out of his arms and took off into the house completely naked.

"You cannot catch me Pirate" he yelled as he ran

"You better hope Swan does not either" Killian called after him "Go put some clothes on"

With that Junior disappeared from sight down the corridor to the bedrooms and Killian gave another laugh as he pulled himself to his feet... the boy was happy so in turn he felt happy too.

It was true that the Crocodile had healed his leg but his other pains still remained and Killian couldn't help the groan that left him as he straightened up after having sat in the hard chair all afternoon. He shuffled his way forward with his teeth clamped shut, he was so stiff he just wanted to go and have a lie down but his belly was growling too so he shuffled his way towards the glass doors to be met by Emma as she walked forward to help him.

"You OK?" she asked lightly

"Tired Love, it's been a long day" he replied with a smile as she linked her arm with his left one

"Well why don't you just head through to bed, I'll bring your food in for you. I saw a folding bed table earlier so you can eat in peace then you can get an early night."

He gave a heavy sigh, he wanted to stay with the rest of them but in his heart he knew that he would only make himself worse if he sat in another of those hard chairs to eat his meal so he just nodded his head in agreement.

"You'll probably be happier in there anyway" Emma chuckled "Ruby is coming over soon to "get the goss" as she says so at least this way you won't need to answer all her questions"

Killian raised a brow "In that case get me there now"

"Hey" she swatted his arm playfully "That's my friend"

"I know love I am only teasing but tonight I do not have the energy to deal with her... enthusiasm"

"I get it, I know Ruby can be a bit OTT" she squeezed his arm lightly "Come on Pirate let's get you sorted out"

As they made their way down the corridor Killian could hear the boys laughing and the distinct sound of bed springs, he gave a little chuckle then cleared his throat and yelled in his best angry voice

"You boys better be ready for dinner in the next two minutes or I will come in there and you will all be sorry"

Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise but the silence from inside the room was instantaneous and he just shrugged

"They cannot be spoiled Love, they must still know right from wrong and when it is time to play and when it is time to do as they have been asked"

Emma just shook her head with a little smile on her face "And here was me thinking that you had turned soft on me"

"Only a little but do not tell the boys that... we will never survive!" he replied with a laugh which turned into a cry of pain as she lowered him down onto the edge of the bed but he just carried on through clenched teeth and Emma ignored it "Boys still need discipline Swan and that youngest one can be a handful if not kept in check"

"Right along with the eldest one too" she replied and he wasn't sure whether she was referring to Henry or himself but in the next second she dug out is pajama pants from the drawer and threw them onto the end of the bed. "You need a hand?"

"I wish you'd stop asking me that!" he chuckled raising his stump then added "I will be fine, thank you Love"

She rolled her eyes at him then lent forward and gave him a kiss, he tried to deepen it but she pulled back with a grin "I need to get dinner, now is not the time for that"

He flopped back onto the mattress with a groan "You are killing me Swan"

"Drama Queen" she chirped back but then she was gone

He grinned up at the ceiling before slowly pulling himself back up to get himself changed and a few minutes later after a trip to the bathroom he was settled back on his pillows with only the sheet covering his pajama clad legs, it was far too hot for blankets. He gave a long sigh but it pulled on his ribs and he gave a hiss as the pain flared yet again.

"Damned Crocodile couldn't have healed these bloody things while he was at it" he groaned

"I could always ask him to come back" Emma suddenly said as she rounded the door "I brought your meds. You need to sit up a bit though"

"I'd rather chew on a mouthful of bees than ask him for help Love, I will be fine"

She placed the tray on the end of the bed before disappearing from the room for a second to come back in with the folding table in her hands. She put it down in front of him then brought over his meal which looked like some kind of stew, he looked at it cautiously and raised an eyebrow.

"Mom made it not me, you don't need to look so worried" she said in a light tone

"What? I didn't, I wouldn't... I was just seeing what was on offer"

"Beef stew with potatoes and carrots."

He just nodded as she picked up his pills and knocked some out of the bottle for him and handed them over, he was happy to see that it was just Tylenol and not the stronger stuff, maybe he'd feel much less tired throughout the day from here on in.

"I'm gonna head back through, make sure that those boys are behaving themselves. Just eat what you can and then sleep, you look beat"

"Thank you love" he replied taking up his fork and getting started

"You want the patio door opened? Might let some air through"

"Aye Love that would be nice"

She threw open the glass doors that led straight out onto the pool area but tugged the curtains over so that he had some privacy, the curtains were light and still let in plenty of light but they were thick enough to take the heat out of the evening sun.

She gave him one last smile then left him too it closing the door behind her but he was left clutching at his ribs again as laughter tore from him when he heard her screaming out in despair

"Killian Jones Junior... you get your naked butt back in that bedroom and put some pants on and I never want to see you standing on that dining room table again. Do you hear me young man?"

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Emma pushed the door back open a while later to find him sleeping soundly. She crept into the room to take the tray away and was happy to see that he had eaten nearly all of his food. He looked exhausted and again she couldn't help the little pang of worry that hit her when she looked at him. He had been through so much and was still standing. She gave a little smile as he mumbled in his sleep and his lips twitched into a smile of his own... she just hoped that his dreams stayed this way.

She gently lifted the whole table tray thing from over his legs and made her way back out the door briefly placing it down on the floor so that she could close the door again then made her way back to the kitchen. The boys all sat on the couch with Henry's story book and she listened as Junior read the story of Cinderella but after a few minutes he yawned widely.

"Henry, can you read for a while? Our eyes are sleepy"

So Hook sleeping in the other room had an effect on him? She hadn't noticed that before or maybe it was just the fact that he had worn himself out... well hopefully she wouldn't need to worry about trying to figure it out for much longer if they found a way to sever their bond.

"Knock knock"

Emma's head swiveled around to see Ruby standing by the open doors

"Hey Rubes, come on in" she called

"Hey Ruby" Henry called and gave a little wave

"Hey Henry, Rapha, Junior" she called back then turned to Emma "You've got your hands full tonight"

Emma just chuckled "Yeah well, when they're not running around buck naked playing at being Pirate's while using the dining room table as the crow's nest they're actually not too much trouble"

Ruby laughed but looked back across at the couch where Henry now read their story "They look so happy"

"Yeah" Emma agreed "They've all had such a tough start in life too, it's good to see"

Ruby just smiled at her then raised an eyebrow "Sooooo... Miss Swan, are you going to tell me the whole story of the newest member of your family or what? Hook kept that little secret well and truly hidden. Did you know he had a kid?"

Emma gave a deep laugh "If only it was that simple. Look, let me get them settled into bed then we can relax and I'll tell you everything"

With that she wandered over to the couch "Come on you three, bed time"

There were collective moans from all except Junior who just pulled himself to his feet and held his arms up to her expecting to be lifted. She smiled to herself and hoisted him up into her arms where he promptly settled his head on her shoulder.

"I am tired Swan" he said around another yawn

"Too tired to see something very cool" Ruby suddenly said coming over

His little head popped up and looked at Ruby curiously "No, I would like to see"

"Well you know earlier when you said I was a wolf?"

"Aye" he replied with a nod

"And I said that I wouldn't hurt you"

"Aye. Henry explained to me that you can control the wolf now, I am no longer afraid. Peter was an accident... you are nice"

"Cool" Ruby grinned "Well how about I show you how nice a wolf I can be? Tonight is the second night of the full moon, I can change now... only if you want to see. If not I can hold it off for a few hours"

"Aye" he cried giving a little bounce in Emma's arms, maybe he wasn't so tired after all "Be a wolf, be a wolf"

With that Ruby stepped back and grinned "Hold on to your socks... cause I'm about to knock them off"

Junior gave his feet a little curious look but then Ruby was changing and he was staring in awe with his mouth and eyes open wide. The minute Ruby had changed and stepped free from the clothes puddle on the floor Henry walked forward and she licked his face causing him to giggle. Junior didn't seem very sure to begin with but after Rapha got a kiss too he looked at Emma for reassurance and when she gave him a little nod he asked to get down. She watched as he moved slowly over to Ruby who was now sitting down wagging her tail wildly. Junior raised a cautious hand but Emma knew he wasn't about to back down, he took one last step forward and let his hand fall on the wolf's fur.

"She is so soft" he whispered turning to look up at Emma in wonder and when Ruby moved and gave him a kiss too he let out a cry of delight "She kissed me"

"Yeah kid she did but it's now time to say goodnight"

"Goodnight Ruby" he said with a grin leaning in and hugging the wolf, Ruby lent in too letting her snout tug at the back of the kid's neck pulling him in tighter before she hugged Rapha and gave Henry a wolfy high five

Emma stooped down to pick Junior back up and as she made her way across to the bathroom with the other boys in tow she turned over her shoulder and said to the wolf "You better have clothes on by the time I come back, I've seen entirely far too much naked flesh for one day"

Ruby gave a low howl as they turned the corner and Emma grinned to herself as Junior cuddled in once more, the other boys chatted in whispered tones so they didn't wake Hook as they made their way to the bathroom.

These boys may have not had the best start in life but neither had she and right now they were all that each other needed, none of them were lost anymore.

They all had each other no matter what.