A/N: Thanks to Chocolatecrackle for catching the formatting issues first time around! Hope you all like this! Thanks for all the support and please let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in this series!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Killian stood by the front door, leaning against the neighbouring wall. Trying to act calm. Trying being the operative word. But there was still that lingering doubt. The fear that one of their tree expedition party would be missing despite repeated reassurances to the opposite.

The fear that the growing relationship would once again crumble.

The grandfather clock in the hall, the one he'd found in storage on The Jolly, chimed the six o'clock mark. It was all Killian could do not to jump and peer out the little window by the door. Instead he focused on the clock, watching the second hand spin around. Why was it so hard to trust that this Christmas could be full of family? All his family?

A knock sounded at the door.

Killian nearly jumped out of his skin, turning rapidly back to the door. Puling open the door, he revealed Liam, wearing a grey overcoat that once went with his old Nautilus uniform and a big red scarf, chin tucked in. Liam gave him a small smile, shaking off the snow flakes that had gathered in his hair.

"Come in!" Killian called, stepping aside and trying not to sound overly relieved that his brother hadn't bailed. Ever since the episode on the roof with the Christmas lights, Liam had been more receptive to their relationship. Coming over to help Killian with Henry's wood shop project, building a life-sized replica of a historical whaling schooner, that really just ended up with Henry gluing the popsicle sticks and dowels together while Killian and Liam told stories of their time with one Captain Ahab. Who Henry seemed awed, but unsurprised, that they knew. And also annoyed that it was just him who ended up covered in glue and paint.

Honestly, Killian couldn't find it in himself to be at all sorry. Not when they'd all had such a good night. But that was a week ago. A lot could change for Liam in that short span. Man was just as moody as Killian had once been. Could still be if it was Emma who was asked."Evening, Killian. Are we ready to go?" Liam asked, stepping in out of the cold so the door could shut.

"Not yet!" Emma shouted, running out of the kitchen and skidding to a stop in her thick wool socks in front of them. "I need to get a sweater upstairs first. You two are not to leave without me and Henry. Don't even touch the ornament boxes. Just stand there. I still haven't forgiven you for the lights." With a final huff, she turned and ran up the stairs, leaving the men slightly stunned.

"We aren't that incapable," Killian hollered after her.

"Oh yes you are," Henry laughed from where he was lying on the sofa, head poking out above the arm. "I went to the Underworld for you once. But if you end up back there for a tree fiasco, you're on your own buddy."

Liam laughed at that, with a conceding nod. "You did nearly dislocate your shoulder, brother."

"And you fell off the roof, little brother," Killian answered with a laugh.

"Younger brother," Liam replied with a long suffering groan.

It felt like the air had been punched out of Killian's lungs. Younger brother. How many times did Killian reply to Liam's patronizing little brother with that? Back as children. Then on the slave ship. Then in the navy. Then that last time on Neverland. Until it wasn't the last time and they were both in the Underworld. But Killian was still the little brother.

And now he was the big brother. To a little brother Killian never thought could see him like that. A lump caught in his throat and he turned after forcing a smile at his brother to try to minimize his reaction. At the same moment Killian turned away under the guise of grabbing his coat from the hanger, Emma came down the stairs, immediately noticing his facial expression. A tiny furrow came in her brows until Killian gave her a look that said later.

"Alright, Henry, get your coat," Emma called, a little to brightly to Killian's ears but Liam didn't seem to realize, instead watching Henry pull on his boots with a slightly excited gleam in his eyes that he was desperately trying to hide. Trying to keep up appearances as a moody, put-out brother.

Henry finished getting ready and stepped out onto the front deck, Liam following behind. Emma caught at Killian's wrist before he could move as well.

"What's wrong?"

"Liam said younger brother. Corrected me for calling him littlebrother." Killian coughed a little to clear at his throat.

"Oh." Emma slid her hand down from his wrist to his hand and squeezed at his hand. Of course, Emma would understand the gravity Killian was feeling. She had me Liam in the Underworld, after all, and saw their interactions. It hit Killian again, just how strange and wonderful it was to have his brother back, even after all he had done to him, and what Liam had tried to do to him.

"You okay?" she asked, green eyes wide with concern but also a bit of pride at how their relationship was repairing.

Killian sucked in a deep breath. "Yeah." Another breath. "Yeah. It just hit me how similar our mannerisms are."

Emma smiled back, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You're brothers. Liam is a Jones, just as much as you."

Killian nodded, unable to squash his own grin. Before he could respond, Henry poked his head through the door again. "Are you coming? Because Liam and I will go on our own!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Emma shouted back. "I know you had a part in the roof debacle. I will magic you to the deck if you try to move." Liam's laugh echoed through the open doorway as Emma rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Captain. The boys are calling." Killian grinned back and allowed him to pull her out the door before Henry and Liam could run off the try to chop down a tree themselves. And potentially crush one of the Merry Men who'd returned under it.

The group piled into the little yellow bug, Emma driving, Killian in the passenger seat, with Liam and Henry in the back seat. The plan was to drive to the lot set up next to Granny's and pick out a tree. Emma would magic the tree back to the front yard and then they'd come home. They could have walked but it was a bit farther for Liam to get to Granny's than the house and it was cold and icy.

The drive to the tree lot was fairly quiet, or, well, at least apart from Henry's incessant chattering about Operation Tannenbaum. Liam, bless him, listened attentively as Henry explained how to put up a tree, what went on it and, most importantly for Henry,what went under it. Emma just rolled her eyes and pulled into a spot in front of the lot.

The tree lot was only half full of the stock that had been there earlier in the month, as it seemed that they were rather behind the rest of the town in the Christmas spirit. Of course, it wasn't as if they had plenty of time to do it, the light fiasco proving that. But there still seemed to be enough of a choice. Little John moved between the trees that the Merry Men, who had returned with Roland after the new version of Robin had turned up. Which had been a rather strange, heartwarming and tense meeting, with the alternate Robin having lost Roland to the same flu that took Marian in Wish World. But they were together. With Regina and baby Robin. And of course, Zelena to make everything awkward.

Honestly, that family may be more dysfunctional than Killian's own- and he'd murdered his own father.

With that thought pinching at his gut he drew in a deep breath and got out of the Bug. He had to remember that the brothers were together now. That Liam was currently walking ahead of him, Henry buzzing around him and leading him to where Will Scarlet was currently propping up new trees. That this would be his first Christmas, at least that he was aware of, and it would also be the first one he spent with his family. All the family he had.

That was a damn good feeling.

Overwhelming.

But too good for him to just let the sheer luck he'd had thrown at him crush him in it's wave.

A small hand slipped into his as Emma joined him in following Henry and Liam. "You still doing okay?"

"Of course, love. Why wouldn't I be?"

Emma shrugged, giving a thumbs up to Henry as he and Liam examined a tree that was probably much too big for the amount of ornaments they had to decorate. "I did this with my mother the first year I was in Storybrooke. Well, it was Mary Margaret then since the curse was still on. But it was still my first proper Christmas activity. Everything else was lackluster foster system and group home activities and a motel with Neal for a night with a dashboard bobble tree that we shoplifted from a corner store. Doing this with Mary Margaret was just a lot. I had no idea what I was doing. And I kind of just wanted to run the whole time."

Killian nodded at her quiet words. "I'm not saying I'm not overwhelmed, Swan. I've just been trying to focus on how blessed this old villain has been this year. I suppose if I stopped for a moment and thought about it I'd have a similar reaction as you. Well, perhaps not the running as we both know I prefer drinking for my coping method, but it all does the same thing in the end."

"You know you're not a villain right?" Emma had asked him that many times before. And he did know the answer. Perhaps it was Zeus sending him back that finally caused the hero image to sink in. That didn't mean that he didn't still feel the ghosts of his past, those he'd killed and lives he'd ruined- his own included. Sometimes the v word still slipped out when he was talking about himself. His past was his past. It would always be there- villainous ways included.

"I know," Killian answered. "But I've still been blessed, especially so considering what I've been in the past. I was dead but I was sent back. I've got you, and Henry in a lovely house that we're making our own. I thought that was all I could ever ask for. I had a family. But then, against all odds, I got my brother back and now he's here, with the boy, picking out a bloody fir tree for our living room. I don't know if I'm going to get to keep Liam in my life, but I'm just trying to focus on not having to say goodbye someday." Emma laughed at that, squeezing his hand tighter.

"I'm glad you're taking this better than I did," Emma told him sincerely. "Especially since it seems that they've found a tree."

Just as Emma said, Liam and Henry were currently standing, rather proudly, in front of a slightly lopsided, but full all the same, tree. It wasn't the nicest in the lot, at least not to Killian's apparently untrained eye, but Henry liked it and Liam was looking at the teen like he'd brought a peace and pleasure to him that could never have been expected. That wave of emotion he'd just been speaking of threatened to pull him under again. Instead, Killian forced a grin.

"Looks good, lad, brother." They each nodded back, pleased.

Emma grinned and laughed a bit at the sight of the tree. "Alright, if this is your choice, I'll go find Little John." Henry trailed after his mother after spotting Roland with the large man, leaving the brothers together to guard the tree.

"Enjoying yourself?" Killian asked with a raised brow.

Liam glanced back at the tree, chewing his lip to contain his smile. Maybe someday Liam would be open with his affection. "Henry's great," Liam answered, deflecting. "I can see why he means so much to you."

"The lad's special." Killian grinned towards where Emma and Henry were walking back towards them. "His mother, too."

Liam snorted. "That much is obvious after spending two minutes with you two."

Killian gave Liam a little shove with the curved end of his hook. "Wait until you meet her parents. They're the definition of true love." Killian was almost certain that Liam muttered lucky royalsunder his breath, but before he could follow up, Emma and Henry had joined them. Maybe Henry's next Operation would have to be finding Liam a romantic partner.

"Ready?" Emma asked, motioning for the men to step away from the tree. When Henry nodded at her side, Emma flicked her wrist and the tree disappeared in a puff of silver smoke. Liam jumped next to Killian, clearly still unused to Emma being magical. Killian just laughed, patting his brother's back.

"Not to worry brother, we're taking the car back."

Unsurprisingly, Liam was tentative when they returned to the house, helping Killian tug the tree into the house from where it had landed on the front porch, but then standing off to the side and watching the proceedings quietly. Henry had managed to convince Liam to hang a few red baubles from a box the lad had thrust into Liam's hands but that was it. Killian understood the feeling well. Not very long ago he'd been standing across the road from Granny's, spying on Swan and her family. Not very long ago he'd been punched by Emma's father. Handcuffed by Emma. Distrusted by everyone. Killian had known he'd not been wanted and covered it in bravado and leather and rum.

Sometimes he still felt like that. Especially when someone new showed up in the town, someone who only knew Captain Hook.

But the last thing Killian wanted to do was to make Liam feel even more awkward. Killian wanted to make Liam feel as if he belonged. To feel comfortable around his family. To stop looking so lost as he sat on the end of the sofa, watching Henry hang sparkly baubles.

Maybe a bit of Christmas magic was needed.

Killian stepped over to Emma, leaning towards her ear under the guise of kissing her cheek. "Look at Liam. I think we need the special ornaments now, rather than later." Emma calmly glanced towards the sofa, acting as if she were checking the time, and frowning a bit at Liam's carefully blank face. With a nod and a subtle flick of her wrist, a series of boxes appeared in her hands.

As it was their first Christmas together, Emma was determined to create traditions. One of her planned traditions was to buy a special ornament every year for each person, including herself (which Killian had picked out), so each year had memories on the tree. As they were picking the ornaments at the store, Killian had spotted another and knew, that even if Liam wasn't guaranteed to be around for Christmas, that at least he'd have one to remember the year he was reunited with his brother.

"Okay, now's time for a tradition," Emma called, stepping out from behind the tree, Killian following. "Since it's our first real Christmas as a family, I wanted to get us special ornaments. The date's written on the boxes for when we have more years. Maybe someday, we'll even add more." Killian filed that little tidbit away, determined to focus on his brother at the moment. "So, Henry, this year you get a book." Emma handed over the ornament. "I picked a yellow Bug for myself." She held it up for everyone to see. "Killian, you get a ship in a bottle." Emma handed him two boxes with an encouraging smile. Killian set down one of the boxes and moved towards his brother, who was looking as if he'd rather be anywhere but the Swan-Jones house.

Killian cleared his throat and held up the extra box. "Liam, I know you say you may not be in Storybrooke for much longer. I know you don't always like me either." Liam, looking bewildered up until that point, grinned a bit at Killian's words before sobering again. "But when Emma and I were getting the ornaments, I knew I needed one for you too. Because, even though you may not be here, or feel like you want to come back, I wanted to make sure you knew that you always have a place with us and, whether you're here or not, that I'll always get an ornament for you, brother." Killian swallowed down the emotion that made his voice husky then thrust the box at Liam.

Liam took it tentatively, opening it as the others watched, before he pulled out a little lighthouse.

"To guide you home," Killian explained, leaning into Emma when she came up beside him.

Liam examined the ornament for several long moments. Killian wasn't sure what Liam was thinking. If it had been too much. If Liam was feeling trapped or angry. Or if it had gone over well. No one spoke as Liam finally looked up and stood, Killian bracing for Liam to smash the ornament or take of running. But instead, Liam stepped forward and hung the ornament on a branch.

"Thank you, brother," Liam said after another long moment of looking at the red and white lighthouse dangling among the other baubles. "I guess this means I need to be here for Christmas morning," Liam put in, trying to seem a bit exasperated, but unable to hide his grin. "Just to make sure my ornament stays safe."

"Whatever you say," Killian answered, trying to seem just as put out but just as incapable of hiding his grin.

"But if I'm gone for a year and find out that you break my ornament, I will finally stab you." Liam actually laughed, pretending to lunge forward with his hand extended. Killian grabbed his arm, twisting it up and flipping him over onto the couch where he landed with a groan. Emma and Henry just laughed.

"Of course you will, little brother."

"Younger brother."