A/N: Hello, all! This is actually one of the first of many short stories I've written about Captain Swan being parents—in the Enchanted Forest! As much as I love Storybrooke, I could totally see them raising kids in the EF. Also, I absolutely adore writing about Emma getting a real chance to raise a kid (well, in their case, two kids)—and though she still plays a major role in Henry's life, it's… different. Anyways, enjoy!
It had been a long day of dreadful meetings and boring talks with neighboring kingdoms. Emma had really had enough of it, and Killian noticed during the last meeting.
He set his hand on her thigh under the table, giving it a gentle squeeze. She turned her head to meet his eyes with a small smile. He knew how much Emma hated being there-one of the downfalls for not being raised in the Enchanted Forest. Killian glanced to Snow, who was nodding with a smile, then to Charming, who still looked more interested than most anyone at the table.
"Alright, let's call it a day." Charming said, and Killian didn't miss how Emma nearly bolted from her seat. He looked to Charming who closed his eyes and motioned for him to follow her. Killian walked swiftly towards the door, breaking into a run when he saw Emma.
"Emma!" Killian called as he got closer, finally matching her stride, "Emma, love, is something wrong?"
"I can't do this, I can't be a princess, I-"
Killian stopped her in the hallway, turning to face her as he held her arms.
"Emma, love, you are incredibly stressed out right now." Killian spoke with his signature half-smile, "Just breathe."
Emma closed her eyes as she inhaled, opening them again with and exhale.
"Why don't we go take a trip on the Jolly? We can bring the little monsters with us." Killian suggested, smiling when Emma nodded.
"Okay. At least I can get my mind off of everything." Emma nodded.
"Go get the little ones ready-I'll go find Henry and we'll meet you at the gates."
"Okay." Emma replied, smiling when Killian kissed her. He patted her arm before turning on his heel and strutting towards the library, knowing that was where he'd find Henry.
He opened the doors to the large library, smiling to Belle and stopping by her desk and leaning on the counter.
"What brings you in today, Hook?" She spoke with a smile, setting her book down.
"I'm looking for a young lad, short brown hair, green eyes the same as his mother's..." Killian smiled.
"I may have seen him around the fiction section." Belle replied with a raised brow.
"A surprise." Killian chuckled, "Thank you."
"Of course." Belle grinned, returning to her novel.
Killian walked along the rows, not even looking up to the signs to know where his stepson would be.
"Henry?" He asked as he rounded a corner, finding him leaned against a shelf, his nose in a book.
"Hey, Killian." Henry smiled, his eyes not leaving the page until he finished the sentence, "Everything alright?"
"Your mother had a bit of a breakdown-she's very stressed out. So, I thought maybe we could go out on the Jolly for a little." Killian spoke with a smile.
"Mom's stressed?" Henry asked in a worried tone.
"Aye." Killian sighed, rubbing his jaw, "I think all of this is finally hitting her."
"After almost four years of living here?" Henry asked with a half smile.
"Today's been a busy day, lad." Killian said, "I think she just needs a break from being a princess, from being the Savior, for a little bit."
Henry nodded, folding down the corner of the page and closing it.
"Let's go, then!" He smiled, rising to his feet and swaggering past Killian, making him chuckle and follow.
The two waited at the gates for Emma and the twins quietly, until Henry spoke.
"Thank you."
Killian looked to him, raising a curious brow.
"For what, lad?"
"For loving my mom." Henry replied, squinting up to Killian. He smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm glad you approve, Henry... I know she means a lot to you." Killian smiled, "She means a lot to me, too."
"You know, I thought not having a dad growing up was okay, but after I saw how happy she was with you... I realized that I missed out. Liam and Eva are so lucky to have you as their dad."
"I'm yours, too, Henry. Even if it's not by blood, you'll always be my son." Killian smiled, causing Henry to bump his shoulder with a smile.
"Papa!" Eva shouted, racing towards Killian, a huge smile on her face. He chuckled and bent down to hug her, smiling as her tiny hands pressed onto his back.
"Hello, love." He chuckled, tugging away and poking her nose.
"Let's get walking-it's a decent walk to the Jolly." Killian smiled, chuckling when his daughter made grabby hands as he stood up. He bent down again, this time turned around so she could climb onto his shoulders.
"Let's get going before it's too dark." Emma smiled, taking Liam's hand and leading the way.
The family trekked alongside the castle, finally reaching the sandy ground after a few minutes. Killian held onto Eva's right leg with his hand, keeping her other leg stable with his stump.
"Are we there yet?" Liam pressed, causing both Killian and Henry to laugh.
"We're close." Emma smiled, "See it?"
"Can we play in the lookout?"
"Sure, kid." Emma replied, ruffling his hair.
"Papa, I want down!" Eva exclaimed. Killian chuckled and shook his head.
"We're almost there, lass." Killian said, pointing to the ship. She bounced on his shoulders, making him groan, then chuckle.
"Please?"
"Okay, hold on." Killian laughed, bending down and letting her off his shoulders. She hurried to his right to link her fingers with his, making Killian smile. Once they were close enough, Liam, Eva, and Henry all bolted for the ship, making Emma and Killian smile, hurrying their own paces to keep up and climb aboard with them.
"Lookout, Henry!" Eva called, holding her arms out for him to pick her up as they got onto the Jolly. Henry smiled and picked her up, laughing when Liam climbed onto his back.
Killian and Emma walked to the helm of the ship, his arm around her waist.
"This is just like old times, huh, Hook?" Emma teased, handing him his hook.
"Aye, love. Just like old times, Swan." Killian grinned, slipping on his hook, then twisting it to lock it in place. He walked to the steering wheel, looking up to make sure the kids were safe up in the lookout.
"Ready, Henry?"
Henry gave Killian the thumbs up, making Killian smile as he set the ship in motion. He felt Emma's weight against him as she draped her arms around him from behind, making him smile.
"Feeling better, love?" Killian asked as the wind whipped at their faces.
"Of course." Emma replied, pressing a kiss to Killian's cheek, "It's nice seeing Henry so happy, too."
Killian looked up to the lookout to see a wide grin on Henry's face, one Killian hadn't seen in a while, either. Sure, Henry smiled, but as he grew older, his love for adventure and fiction dissipating with more responsibilities. Emma had tried telling him to lighten up a little, to toss aside the facade sometimes, to no avail. Seeing him smile the way he was smiling in that moment was a great relief.
"You know what he told me earlier, before you came?" Killian asked as he steered.
"What?"
"He told me he was glad I found you and married you. He told me that he thought that not having a father was alright until I came into your life. He said now he realizes what he was missing." Killian smiled.
"He told you that?" Emma asked.
"Aye." Killian replied, turning his head to see Emma's smile.
"I wish I could have given him the childhood he deserved." Emma said, her smile dropping, "I wish you'd been here all along."
Killian smiled, pressing a kiss to her lips.
"He's had me for five years now," Killian smiled, "I think he's gotten the childhood he needs right here in the Enchanted Forest."
"I don't know... I just wish he was getting the same childhood that Liam and Eva are. He had to grow up too quickly." Emma sighed.
"Henry has grown into a great young man, Emma. He's one of the kingdom's finest knights."
"I just wish he'd smile more."
"Maybe this ought to become more regular, then." Killian smiled, "It seems to make all of us happy."
"It does, doesn't it?" Emma smiled, leaning further into Killian's body.
The family sailed for a few hours, until it grew dark. Killian decided to anchor it by town, so they could grab some food at the dwarf tavern. It was a loud, hilarious evening, ending with two sleeping children and one tired teenager.
Once they got back onto the Jolly, Emma took to taking care of the twins down in the cabin, leaving Killian and Henry alone again.
"You know, your mother is worried about you." Killian said, steering carefully and eying Henry.
"Really? Why?"
"She fears you grew up too quickly."
Henry looked to his hands, fidgeting.
"She shouldn't have to worry about me." He mumbled.
"Lad, she doesn't have to," Killian said, "She does it because she's your mother."
"I know, but... She still shouldn't worry about me. I'm eighteen."
"Age is but a number, Henry." Killian smiled, "She will always worry about you, regardless of your age."
"I can take care of myself."
"That isn't the point," Killian sighed, meeting his eyes again, "She's your mother, but she wasn't allowed to raise you. She lost you, Henry, a few times, and I don't think she'd like to go through that pain again."
Henry looked away from Killian's eyes again, knowing he was right.
"Henry, she loves you very much." Killian said, "I love you. We're just looking out for you."
"I know." Henry nodded, looking out to the sea.
"Now, I'm going to ask a question, and I hope you'll give me the most direct answer you can," Killian said, turning fully to look at Henry, "Do you think you grew up too fast?"
Henry looked up to meet his eyes, offering a nod before hurrying towards him and into his arms. Killian wasn't at all expecting that, causing him to slowly wrap his arm around Henry.
"I had to grow up so fast. One day I was ten, the next I was fifteen, now I'm eighteen." Henry whispered.
"It's okay, Henry." Killian spoke softly, "Just remember where you live now-you can go on any adventure you please, without any qualms. You can fight dragons, trolls, knights, monsters of the deep-all of that is right at your fingertips. You just have to look for it. You can salvage your childhood by creating a new age of adventure."
Henry tugged away with a smile, earning a ruffle of his hair.
"You think so?"
"Lad, you and I are a lot more similar than you'd think." Killian replied, "I know so."
"Thanks, Killian."
"Always." He grinned, "Will you go tell your mother we're about to pull into the dock?"
"Sure." Henry smiled, "Thanks again, Killian."
"My pleasure, Henry." Killian grinned with a bow.
Later that evening, when the twins were tucked in and Henry was passed out in his own bed, Killian sighed, leaning on the door. Being a father was more work than he thought it'd be. He loved every moment of it regardless, but it was still straining.
"You okay?" Emma's voice asked as she peeked her head out from the bathroom.
"All's well." Killian smiled, "I'm just exhausted."
"Long day." Emma agreed, padding out of the bathroom in her pajamas and walking to the bed. Killian smiled when she motioned for him to come over with the wiggle of her finger. He walked over to the bed, plopping beside her without any care. She offered a short laugh before mussing his hair.
"Are you feeling better?" Killian asked, looking up to her.
"Yeah, I am." Emma sighed, "I don't know why I was so stressed out earlier."
"There's a lot going on, love. This is all still very new to you." Killian offered.
"I don't know, I feel like I should be used to it by now."
"All of this takes time, love." Killian whispered, "You've done remarkably well, sailor's promise."
"I think you mean pirate's promise." Emma teased, earning a playful glare.
"Please," Killian grinned, "You love my swashbuckling side."
"I guess that is how I fell in love with you..."
Killian smirked before turning on her and rolling on top of her, smiling.
"I still have some of that rapscallion in me." Killian smirked.
"Oh, yeah, Hook?" Emma teased, raising a brow.
"Of course." He smiled.
"I don't know, you're getting old." Emma shrugged, causing Killian to furrow his brows.
"I am not aging."
"Prove it." Emma smirked, giggling when Killian started pressing sloppy kisses all over her face, his scruff scraping at the soft skin.
"Stop!" She laughed, pressing her hands to his chest in a failed attempt to shove him away.
"Why? I thought you wanted me to prove that I still have it?" Killian chuckled in between kisses.
"Okay, okay, you still have it!" Emma laughed, squirming under his body. He let out a hardy laugh before falling onto the sheets beside her.
"I love you." He smiled.
"I love you, too, Killian." Emma replied, pressing one kiss to his lips, "Now, let's get some sleep. I'm sure tomorrow will be just as dreadful."
"Not if I can help it." Killian whispered, smiling when she curled into her side. He knew that if they could be by each other's side, their rough days wouldn't seem so dreadful.