A/N: Finally getting around to publish this last part of this space adventure. This is sort of a proof that pretty much anything can (and most likely will) be made into a CaptainSwan fanfiction. This might have been a bit of a bumpy ride with some angst involved, but rest assured this is pretty much all fluff and family moments.

I'm going to add the epilogue at the end of chapter 7 as both were not super long… so two for one… Again a huge thank you to my beta Jrob64 she did an amazing job with this.

Thank you all for reading and leaving kudos and reviews. Those really brighten up my day every time I post something.

Enjoy.

Chapter 7

FIVE MONTHS LATER

"I don't want to leave you," Killian mumbled into her neck, his arm draped over her large belly. "What if the little one chooses today to be her birthday?" He lifted his head and looked at Emma with worry written all over his face.

He'd been a nuisance for the better part of the past month. Every time he left for his rehabilitation sessions at the NASA center, they had the same conversation. Though she knew that now his worries were a bit more valid because she'd passed her due date two days ago.

"Babe, you need to go, or Robin and Regina will have a fit. You're still recovering from being in outer space." She cupped his face and held his gaze. "You still need to do the training."

"Bloody hell, I know." Killian groaned and slumped back on the couch beside her. He rubbed his face before looking back at her. "I'm also still learning to do things with one hand." Killian lifted his stumped arm, which right now didn't have the simple prosthetic hand attached. When being at home, he most often went without it, but it came in handy whenever he helped with dinner.

Emma reached out and took the stump in her hand. It had taken him months to be comfortable for her to even touch it. He'd shied away from her when he came home from the hospital, and he'd had some issues regarding how his arm now looked. She was happy that he'd finally accepted that she really couldn't care less how it looked.

"I know you can do this," she smiled. "Once the doctors have cleared you to be back in shape, you'll be able to work with the orthopaedic surgeons."

"I know, and I bloody well can't wait." He gave her a lopsided smile. "You'll have your very own RoboCop at hand."

Emma laughed and her heart fluttered at the lightness in his tone. It was a far cry from what he'd been when he first realized his hand was gone.

"Yeah, it will be something. Those videos they showed us of the robotic prosthetics were insane. I can't believe they can actually do that now."

"I'm just glad the nerve endings in my arm are fit for advanced robotics, so I will still be able to work."

"Hmm." Emma leaned over and kissed his cheek. Her protruding belly got in the way and she huffed in annoyance. "And this little one will have a daddy who changes her diapers all the time."

Killian harrumphed in feigned annoyance. "Just because I'll have two functioning hands within the next six months doesn't mean I'm on diaper duty all the time."

Emma laughed and snuggled closer. "I'll take my share, don't worry." She rubbed over her belly. The little girl had been oddly quiet today, so she gently pushed at the side of her abdomen. It usually woke up the baby and sure enough, the baby rewarded her with a rolling kick to her ribs.

"Don't disturb the little princess," Killian whispered but leaned closer and smoothed his hand under her tank top, "Morning little one. Did mommy wake you?"

It always brought tears to her eyes seeing Killian speak to their unborn child like this. She knew he was going to be an amazing father. She combed her hand through his dark hair and closed her eyes. "You really should be going."

"Don't wanna." Killian pressed a kiss to her stomach. "My two favorite girls are right here."

"Killian, you really need to go or you'll be late, again," Emma urged and tried to push him off the couch.

Killian groaned and reluctantly rose to his feet. "Do you need anything before I leave?"

"Help me up?" She lifted her arms towards him. "I need a shower."

Killian grinned, and she grumbled as she struggled to rise to her feet, swatting at his chest when she finally found her balance. Then she gripped his shirt when a stab of pain exploded in her lower abdomen. Seconds later a tickle of water seeped into her leggings.

"What's wrong?" Killian asked, his arms still supporting her.

"Think my water just broke…"

"Okay, we got this. I'll just get the bags and…"

"Help me into the car first."

"Aye, car." He wrapped his stumped arm around her shoulder and she grabbed his hand for support. The walk to the car took longer than normal, as she was hit with her first contraction. Killian checked his watch and noted the time so they could keep track of how far apart the contractions were.

Finally, in the car, Emma watched in amusement as Killian sprinted back into the house, and grabbed the bag she'd packed four weeks ago. He barely remembered to lock their front door, but soon they were racing towards the hospital.

24 HOURS LATER

"God, she's beautiful." Killian swallowed a lump in his throat as he gazed upon their daughter. She was wrapped up in a blanket Mary Margret had knitted. "Oh, hello there, little one." Bright, baby blue eyes looked up at him, "Look at her eyes, Emma." He shifted in his seat next to her.

Emma turned towards him. "Oh, hi there, sweetie." Emma touched the girl's cheek as tears formed in her eyes. "She is beautiful."

"Mommy is beautiful, too." Killian leaned over and pressed a kiss to Emma's forehead.

"I look like crap," Emma moaned and pushed her hand through her tangled hair. She needed a shower, but right now she was in no mood to get up from the bed. It had only been an hour since their little girl had come screaming into this world. It hadn't taken the midwife and nurse very long to get everything cleaned up, leaving them with a few parting words of advice. Emma had snuggled with the baby, skin on skin, for the first half hour and even made her first attempt to nurse the little one. It seemed to go well until the baby dropped a greenish-black first poop down her belly.

Killian had laughed his ass off while he called for a nurse, who easily helped Emma clean up and showed them where the diapers were. Emma had found the baby blanket, wrapped up the little girl, and eased her into Killian's arms. He looked amazing with a baby cradled to his chest. He'd even unbuttoned his shirt so the baby's cheek could rest against his skin. He'd been paying attention to the books and the pre-birth courses.

"Emma, you do look beautiful. Thank you for this little angel." He pressed a kiss to the baby's head, a mop of black hair still sticky with amniotic fluid.

"Thank you. You're part of creating her, too, you know." Emma rested her head on his shoulder. It was such a perfect moment and he was happy they agreed to take the first few hours alone with their baby. They knew their family and friends were anxious to meet their baby, but right now their focus was on each other and their little girl.

Epilogue

5 YEARS LATER

"Daddy, space?"

"Yeah buddy, Daddy will be in space," Emma said with a lump forming in her throat. She was proud of what Killian had accomplished in the past five years. But it wouldn't be easier just because she'd been through this process before.

"Me miss daddy." Roger's head dropped to her shoulder, and she rubbed the three-year-old's back, holding him close.

"We'll all miss daddy." Emma glanced over at her daughter. Hope was currently working on that one perfect drawing for her father to take into space. The girl seemed curious and engaged in what her father was about to do. It was like looking into a time mirror of how Emma had been when her father had gone into space.

The front door opened. Killian walked in and with ease, hung up his coat using his high-tech prosthetic hand. It was a state-of-the-art prosthetic, all funded by NASA. Killian had agreed to sign a contract with NASA giving him another opportunity to return to space, a dream he'd thought to be shattered when he lost his hand. When he'd finished his recovery, Regina Mills approached him with the offer. He would be part of a future mission to the International Space Station, while testing out how an amputee with a robotic prosthetic hand functioned in full weightlessness. Killian would be the second in space with a disability, and the first would be the commanding officer.

"Daddy!" Hope sprinted to her father and leapt into his embrace. "I finished your drawing."

"Oh, aye? Let's see then." Killian carried the girl to the table and settled down in the chair, Hope still holding onto his neck.

"Look, it's you in space." Hope pointed and kissed her father's cheek.

Emma had to swallow down a lump in her throat. Killian was such an amazing father and a devoted husband. She fiddled with her wedding band, the one he slipped on her finger three years ago. He'd used his prosthetic and it still amazed her how he could manage such a small thing like a ring.

"Who's that?" Killian pointed at something on the drawing.

"Me, Mommy and Roger, waving to you from Earth."

"I'll be waving back." Killian kissed Hope's temple and hugged her close before he looked towards Emma and Roger.

Emma gave him a reassuring smile. She knew it would not be easy for them to say goodbye next week, but this was a tremendous step for them all. And the research and testing Killian could do on the space station was vital for how things would work in space and would enable space travel to be a more inclusive endeavor, despite disabilities.

Roger wiggled out of his mother's embrace and walked to Killian, lifting his hands towards his father. "Daddy, up."

Killian supported both his kids and Roger settled down on Killian's other leg. When he tried to reach out and grab Hope's drawing the girl shrieked, "Don't touch my drawing, it's for Daddy!" Hope pushed at her brother, sticking her tongue out.

Roger pushed back and said, "Me draw."

Emma got to her feet and slipped the paper away from Roger's hands. "We'll find some paper for you too, alright kiddo?" She kissed his head and quickly found a piece of paper and some extra crayons. Knowing that Hope rarely wished to share her special colours with her brother, she'd settled for buying some for Roger.

Killian urged both his children off his lap and helped settle Roger in his chair so he could begin his drawing. "Can't wait to see what you make, little man."

"My drawing is best," Hope huffed.

"I'm sure Daddy will love both drawings," Emma admonished gently. Their daughter was a force to be reckoned with and had quite a temper whenever things didn't go her way. It was going to be hard being a single mother for the next six months. Her parents had moved closer a few years ago, so at least she wasn't all alone.

Hope pouted for a bit, but beamed when Killian asked for her help to fix them all some hot cocoa.

When Hope and Killian returned to the table with four cups of cocoa, Emma leaned over and kissed her husband. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I know how much you like cocoa." He kissed her again, clearly ignoring their daughter's gagging noises over the fact they were kissing in front of her.

"It wasn't just a thank you for the cocoa," Emma whispered.

"Oh?"

"Also a thank you for being a wonderful father and an amazing husband, who I'm extremely proud of." She snuggled into his arms and watched their children continue to bicker over who drew their daddy the best picture. Life couldn't be better for their family. Sure they would miss Killian for the next six months, but life had been great despite the struggles they'd been through. Emma couldn't be more proud of him, and she let him know when they had tucked the kids into bed that night. It was the last night they had fully to themselves before venturing down to Florida for the launch.

Before going to sleep, Killian jokingly asked, "So no baby surprise this time?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "You wish buddy."

"Hmm, perhaps…"

"Seriously?" Emma lifted her head and blinked at her husband. "You want to add to our bickering duo?"

"Why not?" Killian mused and rubbed over his stump, where a metallic brace had been surgically attached to his nerves so he could control the robotic hand with his thoughts. "They love each other dearly, you know that, love."

"I know." She fell silent for a few moments then smirked, "But if you want another baby, I think we better make time for round two." Rolling onto him, she grinned as she nudged his groin with her thigh.

"Bloody hell," Killian groaned but wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Six months later Killian returned to Earth, and he knew what awaited him -a pretty girl who'd drawn him countless more drawings and a rambunctious boy who tried to compete with his sister. But it was his heavily pregnant wife he kiss first as they met him after his return. He was still weak, so he was sitting down, but the kiss had him soaring to the skies and beyond. This was his family, his life, the very thing that grounded him. He might have accomplished great things in terms of space travel, but he cherished his family the most.

THE END