Published October 13, 2024
"Announcement"
Children are the anchors of a mother's life.
~ Sophocles, Phaedra, Fragment 685
They began by inviting Snow, David, Neal, and Regina over for dinner at their house. The Jones, Charming, and Mills families did that kind of thing often enough that it did not immediately raise suspicions. Emma fixed hot cocoa for herself, Snow, and Neal, so no one noticed her lack of alcohol.
"Thank you all for coming," Killian said graciously as they stood around the dining table with their drinks. "Before we eat … Emma and I have some news to share. Something that will impact all of us."
Snow's eyes flashed with intuition, and Regina raised her brow in anticipation. David merely said, "Oh?" and Neal asked, "What is it?" The way Emma and Killian smiled at each other, with his arm around her waist, gave the other adults a pretty good idea of what was coming.
They were taken aback when Emma said, "We're getting a new deputy."
Everyone paused, and the four visitors exchanged bemused looks.
"Who?" Regina asked blankly.
"We don't know their name yet," Emma said, "but we got their uniform. Want to see?" She left Hook's side to get something from the kitchen counter, and returned with a small bubble-wrap package. Before anyone answered, she took out the garment and held it up against her stomach.
It was a baby onesie, with a picture of a sheriff's badge and the words, "Newest deputy in town."
Snow shrieked. "Emma!"
"A baby?" Neal exclaimed.
"No way," David said in awe.
Emma grinned. "Yeah, guys. I'm pregnant."
"Oh my goodness!" Snow put her cocoa down and all but tackled her daughter in a hug, making Emma laugh.
David reached over and shook Killian's hand. "Congratulations!" The two of them grinned at each other.
Even Regina gave Emma and Killian each a hug as she congratulated them.
"I am so happy for you!" Snow cried. "And Killian!" She hugged him next, then held him by the shoulders and beamed at him. "You are going to be a terrific father."
He was pleasantly surprised by her confidence. "You really think so?" he asked, glancing between each of his in-laws.
David smiled and clapped him on the back. "You've been a great stepfather to Henry, but raising your own kid, from the start, is going to be really special."
"Speaking of Henry, does he know?" Regina asked.
Emma's shoulders sagged. "No. Not yet."
"Oh, he's going to be so happy!" Snow said.
Emma smiled wistfully. "I wish it had happened sooner, while he was here—"
"Hey." David touched her arm. "Don't think like that. Everything happens at the time when it's supposed to.
"So when are you going to tell him?" Regina pressed.
"We're going to wait a little while," Emma said vaguely.
"Why?"
"I don't want him to feel like he has to come home because of this. He shouldn't put his happy ending on hold because we're finally getting ours."
Regina looked like she wanted to argue, but she held back.
"I can't believe we're going to be grandparents again!" Snow gushed. "And Neal, you're going to have another niece or nephew!"
"And unlike Henry, this one will be younger than you," Emma pointed out with a grin.
Neal was pleased, and once the adults had calmed down and made a toast to the baby, he started peppering Emma and Killian with questions. Since he lived on a farm and liked to visit the animal shelter, he was familiar with how different kinds of animals had babies, but he had never seen a person he knew well go through a pregnancy. He hugged Emma and tried to feel her stomach, but she explained that it would be a few more months before they could see and feel the baby's movements.
After some expected questions—"How did you find out?" "How long will it take?" "How are we related?"—Neal asked, "Can I watch when the baby is born?"
Killian almost spit out his rum, while Emma choked on a laugh, David flushed red, and Snow exclaimed, "Neal!" Regina just sipped her wine, hiding her face behind her glass.
Neal looked between the adults innocently. "What? I've seen sheep being born."
"Well, it's … usually more private when people do that," David said delicately.
"Why?" Neal asked.
"Let's talk about something else," Snow said quickly. "Emma, you have to let me hold a baby shower."
"Oh, Mom, you don't have to—"
"Please, Emma—"
David and Killian exchanged amused glances, and moved at the same time to refill their drinks.
"You nervous?" David asked.
"A little," Killian admitted, "but I reckon after all the tempests we've been through, raising a child should be smooth sailing."
David nodded in agreement. "I had a lot of anxiety during both of Snow's pregnancies, with Regina and Zelena threatening our future. But circumstances were different. Now, everyone seems to be getting their happy endings."
"Cheers to that." They clinked their glasses.
Snow, as expected, asked the most questions and made the most suggestions, touching on everything from names to godparents to a baby registry. Regina was quieter, but promised to lend whatever practical or magical help she could, including making sure the sheriff's department had good a policy for maternity and paternity leave. Neal expressed his excitement by skipping around and singing "Baby Swan" to the tune of "Baby Shark."
The news spread fast after that. Snow announced it to Granny, Archie, and the dwarfs during the breakfast hour, knowing Leroy could be counted on to share the news with their other friends in Storybrooke.
Emma and Killian used mirror magic to contact their friends who lived in other realms.
They started with Captain Nemo and Liam Jones Jr., who had rebuilt their submarine and resumed their undersea travels. Things were still awkward between the two brothers, so their communication was sporadic, but this was one thing Killian had to share. This meant that they were no longer the only Joneses still alive.
Emma stood beside Killian as he shared the news with Nemo and Liam. The captain offered his heartfelt congratulations, then left to relay the news to the rest of his crew, leaving Liam to talk to his brother and sister-in-law alone. Different emotions passed over the first mate's countenance like waves on a beach.
"Will you come and meet the baby, after it's born?" Killian asked tentatively.
"Of course." Liam smiled, but there was still pain in his eyes.
"We'd love for you to be part of its life," Emma said truthfully. "Even if it's just to visit now and then."
Killian studied Liam's expression, and finally asked outright, "Are you really happy, little brother?"
"I am happy to know I'll be an uncle." Liam looked down, blinking hard, and it took a moment for him to collect himself before looking at them again. "I just wish Father were here to learn he'll be a grandfather."
"Ah." What could Killian say to that? This was still a wound for both of them, as it probably always would be. But maybe the presence of a child in the family could help heal their relationship. "Perhaps … you can tell your niece or nephew about him. Your memories of him are better than mine."
Liam looked surprised, but he nodded. "Aye. If you'll allow me, I will."
Emma smiled proudly and squeezed Killian's arm.
Mr. Smee had gone back to his old line of work, connecting traders and procuring hard-to-find items. Although Killian had parted ways with his old crew, he felt that he owed it to his old first mate to share this life-changing news.
Smee was shocked to receive a magical communiqué, and confused by the unexpected contact after so many years, but delighted to hear the reason for it.
"We're going to hold a coronation to introduce the baby," Killian said. "Will you come?"
"I wouldn't miss it, Captain," Smee said sincerely.
In the midst of these invitations, Killian had a special request for Tinker Bell, who now split her time between the Enchanted Forest and Neverland.
"Tink, we were wondering if you would be our child's fairy godmother."
The green fairy gaped. "Me?"
Killian grinned at her incredulity. "Yes, you."
"Are you bloody joking?" she demanded. "Even you wouldn't joke about something that serious."
"Of course not. Emma and I discussed it, and we've agreed that each of us will choose one godparent. I choose you."
"If it's a fairy you want, why not Blue, or Tiger Lily?"
"Well, aside from the fact that you're one of my oldest friends … after finding out how they failed to protect Rumplestiltskin and Gideon, I'm not particularly keen on giving them that responsibility." Killian looked at her, unusually serious and uncharacteristically humble. "Will you accept it?"
"I—I can only do that with Blue's approval," she said. "But if I'm allowed, then yes, absolutely."
August also balked when Emma asked him to be the child's godfather. While he and Marco were delighted to hear that the Joneses were expecting, and pleased that they wanted the child to be baptized, he did not think himself worthy of that role.
"A godparent is supposed to teach a child how to be a good person," he said. "Archie would be better for that."
Emma squeezed his hand. "You made some mistakes, just like all of us. But you looked out for me my whole life, and helped me get on the right path. I'd like it if you did that for our baby too." She looked over at Marco and smiled. "Besides, wouldn't you like your dad to have a … grand-godchild?"
Marco stared, then put his hand over his heart. "I would be honored."
August smiled, shaking his head. "Alright. I'll do it for you two."
Knowing that Emma had been alone during her first pregnancy, Killian, David, and Snow were determined to be as supportive as possible during and after this one.
Snow wanted to know and be part of everything. She organized a registry and a meal train, and had endless suggestions and tips from her own experience. She gave them all the books she had read about pregnancy when she was carrying Neal.
Killian devoured the books, reading them at the docks, during his lunch break at the sheriff's station, and in the evenings at home. Somehow, gaining more knowledge filled him with both greater confidence about what to do and greater dread of what could happen. He kept asking Emma how her past and current experiences compared with what he was reading about.
Emma appreciated their individual efforts, but found them a little overwhelming taken altogether. Eventually, she had to set some boundaries. For instance, she was not keen on giving birth at Storybrooke Hospital, overseen by Dr. Whale and the same people who had kept her imprisoned during the Black Fairy's curse.
"No way am I letting Dr. Frankenstein touch me or my kid," Emma said adamantly. "I'd rather give birth at home, all-natural."
Killian was ambivalent about the prospect of a home birth, or even a ship birth. His research made him all the more aware of things that could go wrong, and he wanted Emma and the child to have the best care that this world could offer. But he wanted the birthing experience to be everything that she wanted.
They eventually compromised, arranging for Emma to have prenatal appointments with the nurses at the hospital, and for Doc, who had been present when Emma was born, to coach her through the birth in her own home.
Killian and Snow took turns accompanying Emma to her appointments. Killian was unexpectedly anxious to know whether the child was growing as it ought, with the usual number of hands and fingers.
"You know it's not going to be born with a hook, right?" Emma teased.
His cheeks reddened, but he shrugged nonchalantly. "You never know, love."
All three of them went in the day they were to find out the child's sex. Emma held her mother and husband's hands as the ultrasound technician showed them the screen.
"Congratulations," the nurse said. "You're having a girl."
Emma and Snow both burst into tears at this news. Killian was so stunned that he had to sit in a chair.
Being a mother to both a son and a daughter was more perfect than Emma had ever dared to imagine. She knew, right away, that she wanted to provide her daughter with all the mother-daughter experiences she had missed out on.
Killian tried to wrap his mind around the idea of raising a princess rather than a miniature sailorman. He supposed he could still teach her about sailing and swordplay, if she wished. Would she be as adventurous as him, and both able and willing to brave the dangers of the sea? Or would she prefer the small-town life that could be cultivated in Storybrooke, or the genteel life of royalty in the Enchanted Forest?
When they stepped outside the hospital, Snow immediately video called David and Neal to tell them the news. Neal expressed disappointment, and ran off to make a "No girls allowed" sign for his room.
"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll come around," David assured them.
Killian was quiet during the drive home, and more than once pulled the sonogram print out of the envelope to look at it. It was as if the child had been transformed from an abstract idea to a tangible, knowable being.
Emma kept casting glances at him, wondering what he was thinking. When she parked the bug in front of their house, neither of them moved to get out.
"Be honest," Emma said, looking over at Killian. "Are you disappointed that it's not a boy?"
"Of course not, Swan. I'm just … apprehensive, I suppose."
"Why is that?"
"I've spent most of my life around men and boys. I don't know anything about raising a girl. And we can't ask your parents or Regina for advice on that, since they've never done it either. We're entering uncharted waters, which means we'll be figuring it out as we go." He looked down at his hand and hook resting in his lap. "And then there's the fact that she has two hands, while I only have one. I keep thinking of that as I read about how to care for a baby and raise a child. How am I going to do any of it with this?" He raised his hook. "And how can I teach her to do things that require two hands?"
"You won't have to," Emma replied. "I'll teach her to tie her shoes and things like that. And you can show her how to do things with just one hand, the way you do—that could actually be a useful skill for anyone to have."
"I suppose," Killian said doubtfully.
They sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own reflection. Finally, Emma spoke. "I think we should both make a promise."
"What kind of promise?"
"That we won't be afraid or worried about her future. It's something David talked to me about after we got back from Neverland. I want to make the most of every moment in her life, and not worry about the next thing coming, or bad things that could happen. Of course we'll try to give her a good future, but we should also make the most of the here and now."
Killian nodded. "Aye. You're right, Swan." His eyes traveled down to her stomach, and he smiled in a self-deprecating kind of way. "I just hope I can be the man she needs me to be."
Emma reached over and squeezed his arm. She was about to speak some words of encouragement, but she paused. When Killian looked at her face again, she was smiling as though she had just solved a mystery. "I think I just figured out what to name her."
"Oh?" Killian looked at her questioningly.
"After everything we've been through—everything I've learned since Henry brought me to Storybrooke—there's only one name that seems appropriate." She took his hand and pressed it against her stomach, looking into his eyes with both tenderness and strength. "Hope."
Something happened in Killian's heart when she said that name. There was something about it that was both fragile and fierce, soft and strong, full of power, potential, and perseverance. For the first time since he heard the words "It's a girl," he felt steady, grounded, as if held in place by an anchor.
"That's a perfect name," Killian marveled. "Hope Swan Jones. A name fit for a princess, or a pirate."
"Or a sheriff," Emma added. "It has a nice ring to it, good for running a campaign."
He laughed a little at that, but was still contemplative. "An anchor for our souls," he murmured.
"Huh?"
"Something Marco told me, that day we went to church. He said an anchor is a symbol of hope." He smiled and tapped her stomach with his hook. "I guess she'll be our little anchor."
"Really? That's the nautical nickname you want to go with?"
"Well, I have thought of some others. Little Swan, Starfish, Treasure …"
Emma cut him off by leaning over and pulling him into a kiss. For a moment this seemed to hold him at bay, but when she pulled back, he persisted, "Seabird, Sea Turtle, Sea Urchin …" until she kissed him again. Killian slipped his left arm behind her back, and with his hand he cupped her cheek, and then her stomach, which was slowly but noticeably starting to grow rounder.
Author's Notes/Disclaimers
In Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, Hook says he would prefer his hypothetical children to have a hook rather than a hand.
Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender may have recognized the allusion to Season 2 Episode 12 "The Serpent's Pass," which also includes the birth of a baby named Hope.