"Up to the left a little more," Snow directed.

"You just made me raise the right side," David protested.

"I told you both, this is not what he wants. He hates surprises." Emma sat at the end of the table, rubbing her distended belly in a long, slow circle. "Whoo. I felt that one."

David's head snapped around. "Contraction?"

"Just a little one. Nothing regular yet. She's been doing this off and on for the last couple of days." Emma pushed back in her chair, extending her legs out in front of her. "I hate these damn restless legs."

"You should walk," Snow suggested helpfully. "But take somebody with you. It's still a little icy out there."

"Maybe I will take a walk." Emma sighed. "Do we need anything from the market?"

"Ask Granny," Snow suggested. "I think she's got the cake done, but she might need something else."

"Henry!" Emma called out. He turned from the project he was working on at the far end of the hall with Grumpy.

"Yeah?"

"Go see if Granny needs anything from the market. We're taking a walk." Henry took off with a nod as Emma pushed herself carefully to her feet, biting her lower lip when her belly tightened again.

David looked at her with concern. "Maybe you'd better stick to the courtyard. Your husband will disembowel me if you have a baby in the middle of the market."

"She's not coming yet," Emma reassured him. She rubbed her belly again. "Part of me feels like it can't be soon enough. I'd love to get more than twenty minutes of sleep at a stretch."

Snow walked over to where Emma stood and surveyed her handiwork. "Does it still look crooked to you?"

Emma looked up at the large banner strung over the entranceway that read "Happy Birthday Hook!" in bold, red letters. It was crooked, but she wasn't about to tell her that.

"I told you, he hates surprises."

"It's just a little party," Snow reassured her. "I only invited thirty people. Plus some of the villagers. And some visiting dignitaries. And all of Camelot."

"Oh, he'll be thrilled to see them." Emma said sarcastically. "How did you even find out it was his birthday?"

"Tink. She remembered him drinking himself into a stupor once in Neverland on his birthday." Snow said. "In fact, it was a lot more than once."

Emma shook her head. "This year, it was just going to be the - ow - two of us." She rubbed her belly, pushing in on a spot low and to the left. "Is that an elbow, do you think? Ow."

"Not too much longer, Emma," Snow said with a wide grin. "And then she and Leo will be terrorizing the castle together on a regular basis."

"And I'll be babysitting," Henry said, walking up next to her. "I'll teach them both to swordfight."

"Great." Emma rolled her eyes, then set her hands on the small of her back and leaned back, trying to stretch. "You ready to go?"

"Uh-huh. Granny says she needs rum."

"Rum?"

"Yep. You buy. I'll carry."

"Sounds like a plan," Emma replied. She gave David and Snow a wave. "We'll be back."

"Take it easy out there," David said. "Don't go far and Henry, make sure she doesn't walk on the ice."

Henry gave his grandfather a thumbs-up, then took his mother's hand and walked her out through the doorway.

"It's still crooked," Snow said, looking up at the banner again. "Don't you think?"

###

Emma and Henry walked through the marketplace arm-in-arm, at his insistence. Emma wasn't about to argue with him. At almost fourteen, she didn't get to hold him close nearly as often as she'd like anymore.

"So did you finish the ship?" She asked him.

"Yeah. Grumpy found some extra twine for me to use for the riggings. Dad says once the paint is dry, I can wrap it."

"He's going to love it," Emma said, squeezing his arm. Henry had been working for weeks on the model of the Jolly Roger for Hook's birthday. Tink managed to find him exactly the right shade of yellow paint and with some help from his father - who knew the ship pretty well, after all - it came together beautifully.

Emma had carefully planned her own present, seeking help from the jeweler who'd made their wedding rings and the talisman pendant for the baby. She'd had the compass that Anton gifted her engraved in beautiful script with one word: "Together." She reached down, patting the pocket of her cloak to be sure the package was still inside it.

"Good afternoon, Emma, Henry." Emma turned at the sound of Blue's voice, finding her hovering just behind them.

"Hi Blue," She said with a grimace. "Any word on when I can expect an arrival?"

Blue looked down at Emma's belly with a serene expression. "Soon. I can't give you the exact instance. Life has a way of deciding for itself."

"Are you here to do some shopping?" Henry asked.

"No, I'm here to deliver a message. Your mother is needed aboard the Jolly Roger."

Emma looked down the market road toward the dock. "Hook's down at the ship?"

"Indeed he is," Blue said, with a smile. "Henry, can you make sure that she gets there safely?"

"Sure," He said with a shrug.

"Okay," Emma said, holding up a hand. "You all need to stop babying me. The only one who needs to be babied is the baby. Who isn't here yet." She completely undermined the power of her protest by clapping a hand over her belly and bending over slightly.

"Yow. That was a big kick." She looked up at Blue. "This kid doesn't already have a sword in there, does she? 'Cause she's jumping around like crazy."

Blue gave a small, indulgent laugh. "No, she's quite alone in there. But she has her father's adventurous spirit. It will serve her well." She looked off toward the dock. "You should be going. You'll need to get off your feet soon."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Especially since they swell in the afternoon." She tucked her arm back into Henry's again. "C'mon Henry. Baby and I need to get a move on."

They moved down the road and managed to make it to the dock within a few minutes, but Emma was breathing hard by the time they got there.

"Mom? You okay?" Henry stopped in the middle of the dock, a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah," She panted, "But Blue is right. I need to get off my feet soon. Whoa!" She reached down, gripping her knees. "Oh, that was big. I mean really, really big." She started to straighten up, then dropped back down again.

"Henry," Her voice was strained.

"Mom?"

"Go and get Hook. Run."

She didn't have to say another word - Henry was off like a shot down the dock and up the gangplank, flying across the deck of the Jolly Roger. Seconds later, Hook was jumping down onto the dock at a dead run, and was at her side in another heartbeat.

"What is it, love? Is it the baby?" He said, gasping for air.

"My water broke. And the pains are coming really, really hard." She panted. "And fast."

"We have to get you back to the castle!" He started to put an arm around her, but she forestalled him with a long, tortured moan.

"There's no time for that! Blue was right. I need to get to the ship." Hook scooped her up, making his way quickly toward the gangplank.

"Henry - run back to the castle." He called over his shoulder. "Get Doc!"

He managed to get her down the stairs with only a few doubled-over stops, and into the cabin, where he settled her on the bed.

"Are you warm enough, love?" He asked, building up the fire.

"I'm sweating like a pig," She answered, panting hard. "And I - oooooh - need to get these clothes off. They're all wet."

He was at her side instantly, peeling the wet clothing off her and settling her back, plumping the pillows behind her.

"Whatever possessed you to walk down to the dock?" He asked, castigating her. "You should be home in bed. You barely slept last night."

"I was at the market when Blue told me you needed me." She replied, a bit perturbed.

"I needed you - here?" Hook was confused. "But I haven't talked to Blue today."

"She told me -" Emma thought a moment. "She told me I was needed aboard ship. I assumed that came from you."

He raised his brows, shaking his head.

"She told me she couldn't predict - ahhhh!" Emma blew out a puff of air. "Doc had better get here quick. This baby is coming."

"Now?"

"Now." Emma repeated firmly, biting down on her lip as she groaned.

"Now!" Hook sprang up, pacing frantically. "What do I do?"

"Stop pacing. And get me a shirt. I only need the bottom half naked."

Hook tossed open a chest at the foot of the bed, ripping through it and throwing clothing right and left until he found a clean shirt. He raced over to the side of the bed, tossing it over her head and cramming her arms through the sleeves.

"Calm." Emma took a couple of deep breaths. "Down."

"Right. Calm." Hook's eyes were wide, and when Emma moaned loudly, they filled with terror.

"Emma!" He screamed, taking her hand. "Tell me what to do, love."

"Just. Calm. Down." She said again, but erased any sense of calm by letting out a sound that was excruciating to hear. Hook clamped down on her hand so hard, it almost outweighed the pain in her belly. Almost.

"I'm gonna have to start pushing," Emma said, her voice breaking as she choked back another moan.

"No! You have to wait, love." He nodded frantically.

"Are you kidding me?" Emma looked at him like he was nuts, then she let out another scream. "Killian! NOW!"

Hook moved back to the foot of the bed just as Snow pushed through the cabin door with Doc right on her heels.

"Oh, thank God!" He said, falling back on his heels. "I bloody well thought I was going to deliver a baby one-handed."

"Out of the way," Doc said, suddenly all business. He lifted the blankets, tucking them back over Emma's knees as Hook grabbed one hand and Snow grabbed another. Less than three minutes later, a baby's cry split the air and the entire room let out a sigh of relief. Doc finished cleaning Emma up and ridding her of the afterbirth while Snow took a few minutes to clean the baby, wrapping her tightly.

"You were magnificent, love," Hook said, stroking the sweat-streaked hair off Emma's forehead.

Emma gave a choked laugh. "And you were a complete mess," She answered, closing her eyes a moment. "Is she okay?"

"She's perfect," Snow said, tears brimming her eyes. "Oh Emma, she's beautiful!"

They placed the baby in her mother's arms, and together Emma and Hook stared in fascination at her, playing with her fingers and toes. The baby screwed up her face, squirming a bit, and then she opened her eyes.

"Wow." Emma said in a hushed tone. "She's got your eyes," She said, looking at Hook.

He was just as awed. "No, love, mine aren't as blue as this. They're...beautiful."

"They look like the sea diamond," Emma said, her voice full of wonder. And indeed, they did. The baby's eyes were the deepest blue they'd ever seen, but if you shifted and looked at her in different light, they blazed like an aquamarine. Snow stared down at her with her mouth open.

"That's amazing," She whispered.

"She's a special child, indeed," Blue's voice came to from the doorway as she fluttered through. "I'm glad to see you made it here in time," She said kindly to Emma.

"You could have let me know I was in labor. You knew I was about to have this baby."

"I knew you were close, yes," Blue affirmed. "But the baby wouldn't have come if you weren't on the water."

"Come again?" Emma said, raising a brow.

"It was imperative that the baby be born on the water. That is all I can tell you at this time. Her destiny calls for it." Blue looked down at Hook. "Do you have the talisman? We need to put it on her."

Hook wasn't about to argue with a fairy bent on discussing destiny. He stood up and went over to a small, jeweled box set up on a shelf, and unlocked it, retrieving the pendant. He leaned over, draping it around his daughter's neck. The sea diamond suddenly glowed brilliant blue - it reminded him of sunlight on the water on a very bright day.

The baby looked up at him, as if satisfied with his actions, then she closed her eyes and snuggled into her wrappings.

"Did you see that?" He whispered.

"Yeah," Emma murmured back. "It was like she was waiting for it." She looked up at Blue. "What was that all about?"

"I'm not even sure at this time, Emma. I only know that your child is tied to both magic and water, and each will be instrumental in shaping her destiny. The rest of the story will just have to unfold."

"Unfolding stories can be rather...unpredictable," Hook said, eyeing the fairy carefully.

"That is the nature of life," Blue said, with a benevolent smile. "Do you have a name?"

Emma looked at Hook, who gave her a nod.

"We were thinking about Meriel." Emma answered. At Emma's mention of the name, the sea diamond glittered again.

Emma raised her brows. "Well, okay. Meriel it is."

"An appropriate name," Blue said, inclining her head.

"It's lovely. What does it mean?" Doc asked.

"Shining Sea." Hook replied, softly stroking his daughter's head. "It was my mother's name." He looked at Emma. "May I hold her now?"

Emma passed Meriel over carefully. As soon as she settled in her father's arms, she opened her eyes again, looking at him curiously.

"Hello, little love," He said huskily. "I've waited several lifetimes for you."

"Speaking of age - how old are you, anyway?" Emma asked.

"Counting the hundreds of years I was in Neverland, and the twenty-eight years I was frozen waiting for you to break the curse, well...let's just say I should probably be arrested for having relations with you."

"Ew." Emma said. "But if you didn't age, I don't think it counts."

"I'm bloody well going to age now. I can feel my hair graying just imaging her growing up." He reached down, stroking Meriel's hand, and making a face of unabashed delight when she curled her tiny fist around his finger. He looked up at Emma, unable to wipe the silly grin off his face.

"Best Birthday present a man could ask for," He said, leaning over to kiss her. "Thank you, love."

"Yeah, well, don't expect a repeat next year," Emma said, sardonically. "Let's have a party instead."

"Oh! The party!" Snow said. She made a face. "We have a cake and everything!"

"I hate surprise parties," Hook said, raising a brow.

"But it's a rum cake!" Snow said petulantly. "Granny's had it soaking for days."

"Now that, I could probably use right now." Hook said ruefully.

Snow walked over to a cabinet set in the wall, pulling out a flask and taking the baby so that he could open it.

"There you go, Daddy," She said. "The first of many as a parent, I'm sure."

Hook stopped a moment, with the flask halfway to his lips. His eyes met Emma's. "I'm someone's father," He said hoarsely. "I'm someone's husband, and someone's father."

He blinked several times, then swallowed hard before taking a long drink of rum. Emma's eyes were suspiciously moist as well.

"Are we all done here?" Snow asked Doc as she passed the baby back to Emma.

"Yes," He replied with a kindly smile. "Emma just needs to get a little rest, and feed the baby when she's ready. She'll let you know." He and Snow packed up all the dirty linens and gave Emma and the baby one last kiss before pulling the door shut behind them, leaving the new family alone.

Hook pulled off his boots, sitting down on the bed next to Emma, and settling the baby on his lap as he pulled his wife under his arm to snuggle against his chest.

"So..." Emma said sleepily. "Are you worried about her? All this destiny stuff?"

"Worried?" He considered that a moment. "'Course I'm worried, love. I'm her father, after all." He lifted Emma's chin and smiled down at her. "But destiny is a funny thing. Some of it is luck, to be sure, but a lot of it we can shape for ourselves. She's got her mother's gumption and her father's obvious good looks. She'll go far, I have no doubt."

Emma poked him in the side for that one. "I guess I was just hoping we wouldn't be talking destiny until she was a lot older." She gave a yawn and settled her head on his chest again.

"Get some sleep, love." He kissed the top of her head. "You've had quite a day." He looked down at his daughter, adjusting the blanket around her and shifting her carefully into the crook of his other arm. "And so have you, little love."

He took a cleansing breath, letting go of the remnants of a deep and ancient grief. And he realized with a sense of peace that his destiny was resting in his arms.

"Thank you," He whispered to no one, and to everyone. Then he closed his eyes and relaxed into sleep.

A few moments later, Meriel opened her eyes, still showing a fathomless blue. A shadow crossed the window that looked out over the water, and the baby's eyes shifted in that direction - something a newborn shouldn't have been able to do.

They stared at each other for an endless moment before the shadow disappeared and Meriel closed her eyes again, dreaming.

Well, Readers, thank you all for taking yet another journey with Hook, and with me. Be sure and check out my series of one-shots (Captain's Choice), or the sequel (The Memory Keeper's Daughter). If you're interested in reading more of my work, I just recently published my first e-book (Sci-Fi Romance Erotica) of a three-part series. You can find details in my author profile here.

Thank you all so very much for reading me. I've loved every minute of this!