Hello my fellow CaptainSwaners, or whoever might be reading this!

I normally don't do long, multichapter stories, especially so far with CaptainSwan. It's just shorts for me, but for some reason this one prompt from CSTreasure just wouldn't leave me alone: Modern AU. Killian and his wife Milah adopted Henry when Emma gave him up. Fast forward ten years, Milah's dead and Emma ends up unintentionally stumbling across her son and his adoptive father. Drama, angst and a bit of fluff ensues as Emma gets to know them without revealing who she really is, coming to love her son and the man who raised him as his own.

Now, the story I'm working on comes and goes from that prompt, but for the most part, that's the basis of the story, right there.

Note that I have very limited internet at my house right now, but I'll do my best to respond to reviews (because I LOVE GETTING THEM, as does everyone!) and I'm currently looking at one chapter up a week. Probably on Mondays after today, but that's up for debate. Each chapter will start out with a flashback, and I'll just mention that now, even though it's pretty clearly marked for what time I'm talking about, and note that this first chapter is about half the length of following chapters. As for how long it will be, I'm thinking it will probably end around Chapter 15, but who knows at this point. If you have any questions send them in! I'll answer the best I can without giving too many spoilers! =)

I'm also looking for a Beta-Reader. Contact me if interested!

Disclaimer: I'm only going to say this once: I don't own Once Upon A Time. I wish I did. But I don't.

Enjoy the story!

Family

Chapter 1: A Break

10 Years Ago

"Ok Emma, almost there. Just a little more. Push."

Her screams echoed throughout the room, despite its small size, the clock striking 8:15 as she pushed one last time, bringing her son into the world. She could hear him, her tears matching his cries, unable to move due to the handcuffs that kept her stationary on the bed.

"It's a boy Emma" the doctor told her, walking towards her, but she only shook her head, resisting the urge to glance at her son, if only for a second. She knew that if she held him, even just looked at him, she would never be able to give him up. But a life with her, even after she got out of jail? No, she couldn't. She had to give him his best chance.

"You can change your mind you know."

"No," she returned, shaking her head again. "I can't be a mother."

It didn't take long after that for them to remove the baby from the room, taking her into recovery, ankles still shackled to the bed. It was there that she signed the papers, turning her son over to the adoption agency forever.

"You do realize that when he is adopted it will be a closed adoption. You won't be able to track him down or, in general, see him after you sign these forms" the woman from the agency explained. "In every way other than biologically, he won't be your son."

Emma nodded slowly, "I understand. Just give me the forms."

And five minutes later, she no longer had a son.

Present Day

"To Emma Swan, who always gets her man!" Ruby cried out, raising her glass of red wine in a toast. The various others around the table lifted their own glasses with their drinks in a similar fashion, echoing "To Emma!" throughout the restaurant. Emma took a small drink of her own wine before setting the glass back down on the table, forcing a smile on her face in thankfulness to her friends. She was certainly not in a birthday-celebrating kind of mood.

"You're gonna take a few days off, right?" Alex asked, rubbing Emma's arm. "You know you deserve it. This is what…the fourth guy you've caught in the past two weeks? And before that you had that giant case that you spent how much time on. It's time for a break."

Emma sighed, "For starters, that's my second guy in the last two weeks, and while that case was giant, it's not like it brought in a huge sum. I've got to pay rent somehow."

"But Emma" she returned, stretching out her name like a kid. "At least come out with us tomorrow night. The Merry Men are playing at Neverland and I know you love their music!"

"Again, correction, I like their music. I wouldn't call myself a huge fangirl, unlike some people" she added with a smile and smirk at Ruby.

"What? I can't freak out over the fact that my favorite band is going to be playing at my favorite bar, not to mention my place of employment? That's not fair!"

Emma was about to make a sarcastic comment, but her closest friend, Mary Margaret, cut her off, "You know Emma, they're right. You've been working pretty hard these past couple of months. You deserve a night off. Plus, don't you think it might be time to move on from…"

"We are not talking about that tonight. I'm not ready to be dating. What about that don't you guys get?" It had been almost two months since her bad breakup with longtime boyfriend Walsh, and while she certainly wasn't in the ice cream and cheesy movies phase anymore, it wasn't like she was ready to jump back into the world of dating, especially not after just moving into a new apartment after dividing her life with Walsh.

"At least think about it" Mary Margaret commented with a small smile. "You owe us that much. Plus, it is your birthday!"

"Exactly! It could be like a birthday present!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Ruby, you already gave me two. Plus, my birthday is almost over" Emma commented with another smirk. It was true. Already after 10, the last few hours of her 28th birthday were ticking away quickly. Thankfully.

Her friends scowled at her, "Emma. Just because your actual birthday is over doesn't mean we have to stop celebrating!" Alex continued with a pointed look. "So we'll see you tomorrow afternoon, right?" she asked, dragging out the last word.

Finally, Emma agreed with a small nod and a very long drink of her wine.

~K&E~

"You sure you don't want some company?" David asked as they stood outside Emma's apartment building. Mary Margaret stood next to him, his arm wrapped around his wife in an attempt to keep away some of the cold.

"I'm sure. Plus, you two need to get home to James. I don't want my godson missing his parents" Emma laughed, pushing them back towards the cab. "I'll be fine."

Mary Margaret didn't look convince, "alright, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to call. I know how hard birthdays can be for you."

"I know, but really, I'll be fine. I'm probably just going to go to bed anyways" she said, giving a last hug to her closest friend before she got into the cab. "Thanks for everything guys." Closing the door of the car, Emma stood on the curb, waving as they drove away, before turning to her apartment building.

After the four flights of stairs, she made her way into her small apartment, kicking off her heels as she went. The bag in her hand held the last of the cupcakes from her birthday dinner, and she set it on the kitchen counter. Boxes were still piled up all over the apartment, since she had only moved in the week before, but otherwise it was dark and quiet. It was just her. No one else. No Neal, no Walsh, no friends or family.

Of course, Emma was extremely thankful for the group of friends she had, but it still left little orphan Emma, celebrating another banner year with a cupcake. Reaching into the bag, she pulled the box out and found a candle. It was a simple blue star, and she stuck it into the top of the small cake and lit the wick. Leaning down on her forearms, placing her chin on top, she closed her eyes.

And Emma Swan made a wish.

~K&E~

"Come on Emma, let's see!" Ruby called from the living room.

Slowly, the door opened and Emma appeared. "I hate you. You know that, right?" she commented as she made her way into the room, tugging on the black leather dress her friend had put her in. "I don't see why I need to wear this."

"You realize that you've worn this dress on dates with scumbags before, right? Might as well actually wear it on a night out for yourself" Alex pointed out. "Plus, you look amazing in it."

"I don't care how amazing I look. Are you sure I need to go?"

"You're going Emma. Period."

She sighed and returned to her bedroom to look at herself in the full length mirror. "I suppose you'll want me to wear my heels again" she called out to them, and she knew they were nodding as they yelled their confirmation. Ruby and Alex never missed an opportunity to get her dressed up and to a club, and considering that this was the first time she had gone in months, they were more excited than usual, if that was even possible.

A moment later they were standing in her bedroom doorway, her clutch in their hands as they stared her down. "Time to go." With another sigh, Emma slipped into her heels and followed them out of her apartment, locking the door behind her.

~K&E~

Neverland was by far the most popular club in town. When it opened, several people decided that while inside its walls, you never grew old, and the theme stuck. Since Ruby bartended at the club, it was their general hotspot when it came to nights out, but on this particular evening, even she had the night off.

A stage at one end of the club held Ruby's favorite band, The Merry Men. It seemed natural for the group to be performing at Neverland, considering their lead singer was a man named Robin Hood, and his "Merry Men" were made up of the other "characters" of the Robin Hood story. Robin was easily Ruby's favorite, but Emma had to laugh since her friend had almost died when he had gotten married a few months previous.

Now though, Ruby was obviously back to normal, standing at the very front of the crowd at the edge of the stage, reaching out and singing along to the group. Alex was next to her, leaving Emma at the bar towards the back of the club. She had never really been a fan of the crazed band groupie, but a bit of wine did her well as she sat there, laughing every so often at Ruby's antics, when she saw them.

In fact, Emma had really been enjoying herself, for once. She hadn't been out like this since before Walsh, and that felt like ages ago. Maybe Ruby and Alex had been right, she needed this. A night off wasn't the worst idea, right? It was like she was going to meet someone or…

"Not much for The Merry Men?" asked an accented voice from beside her, and Emma turned to look at who the voice belonged to.

So much for not meeting any guys.