These Inconvenient Fireworks

Chapter 2

Thanks to everyone for their patience in waiting for this chapter, and also for taking the time to read and review. I appreciate the feedback (good and bad!) and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'll try and post Chapter 3 as soon as possible, but right now I'd say it'll be about another week and a half or so.

"You know, this can….it can wait." Emma said with a noncommittal shrug. "I mean, what's the rush?"

Killian stifled a smile, but Emma didn't miss it. She knew she was being unreasonable, she had put this off three times now, and had promised that this time, absolutely they would tell her family.

"You're running out of excuses love." Killian told her. "It's best that they hear it like this."

"As opposed to the town gossip mill, I know." Emma groaned, dropping down at the foot of his bed.

She was tired. Just the thought of the night with her family was exhausting her. She couldn't even put into words how much she would rather stay in the room with him, here at Granny's, instead of going back to that apartment.

God, they really needed to settle on a place. She couldn't believe she was still living with her parents, and more to the point that they hadn't figured out what was going on yet with her. Sometimes she wondered if they chose to live in oblivion.

"Maybe we should have told Henry first." Emma tried, realizing it was a fair point.

It would have been an even fairer point had she not used it as her excuse last week, before finally deciding she had better tell them all at once. It would be unfair to have Henry carry around the secret before she got up the guts to talk to her parents.

Resigned to the situation however, she got up, trying to convince herself that it would be like when she told Killian. She would build it up into a horrible, terrible nightmare but it would go just fine. Everything would be fine.

"Swan. Killian looked at her with an indulgent smile, taking her by the elbows and pulling her in close.

He kissed the top of her head and she felt that same spark that she always felt when he kissed her.

"This is a wonderful thing." Killian wrapped his arms around her, holding his tight to her chest. "I can't imagine what could make this better, love."

There was just one thing, and it was something he held to firmly. He may have let go of many things from his past life, but he refused to let go of all decency and honor that Emma was worthy of.

She deserved the best of him, and he would never stop giving it to her.

"Well, if my dad doesn't pull out his sword that would make for a swell night." Emma said with a roll of her eyes. "I'll take that as a win."

"Does everyone want coffee?" Mary Margaret asked, as she went to work in the kitchen. "We have tea as well."

Emma was getting anxious. She had gotten through dinner without dissolving in a complete panic, and watching her mother pace around the kitchen now was making her more nervous than she had been all night.

"Hot chocolate please." Henry asked, looking up from the game of scrabble he was playing with David.

"I'm afraid we don't have rum." David said without looking up from the board.

"Quite alright mate." Killian said with a slight smile. "I seem to have lost the taste for it of late."

David made a little sound that was eclipsed by Mary Margaret's voice.

"David! I need you in the kitchen!"

As soon as he left, and Emma was sure that Henry was absorbed in trying to make his next work she turned to Killian and hissed,

"He can't even be nice over coffee. This is a terrible idea."

"He's being perfectly civil." Killian said, kissing her head. "Absolutely charming."

Killian winked and smirked, looking quite pleased with himself, before slipping away to cavort with Henry.

Emma assumed they were talking scrabble as Killian gestured to the board and leaned back into the couch. This was ridiculous, she decided. She was worked up, she spent her days hiding from her family, and she was so frustrated. She was an adult and she was going to have a baby with a man she loved, who loved her and their baby and was going to be a great father. They were making a family and she wasn't letting it start like that.

This was happy and it was good. She didn't think her life had ever been as good as it was with her family and Killian.

David and Mary Margaret walked back in with mugs of coffee and cocoa. Resigned to the situation, Emma took a breath, turning down the cocoa her mother offered.

"Mom, dad, take a seat. Henry…" Emma gestured for him to join his grandparents. "Park it with your grandparents for a sec."

"Oh god." David said as his grandson joined him on the couch. "You're moving out. Together. With him."

"It's about time." Henry said, with a roll of his eyes. "Is it near the marina? Is it a houseboat, because that would be awesome!"

"Why, that's lovely." Mary Margaret said with a smile. "David, that's wonderful! Don't you dare move too far away though?"

"Yes and no." Emma said hesitantly, glancing over at Killian.

He reached over to take her hand and squeezed it, smiling at her.

"We're looking for a house, a home here," Emma said with a calming breath, looking at Henry in particular. "Because we're going to have a baby."

A cup hit the floor and shattered. Before anyone could utter a word, the sharp noise woke up Neal who wailed loudly.

"Oh my." Mary Margaret said, eyes wide and looking stunned. "Oh, Emma. I have to…"

She looked torn for a moment, completely kerflummoxed by the announcement.

Emma waved her off, "I get it. We can celebrate later. Take care of my baby brother."

She turned to Henry and David, they were the ones whose reactions she was worried about.

"Anyone…?"

"So I'm going to be a brother? That is so cool!" Henry exclaimed, looking as excited as he possibly could. "A boy right? Mom, it's going to be a boy, right?"

"I'm afraid it doesn't quite work that way." Killian said, "It's going to be the grand mystery for some months still."

"Dad?" Emma said in a slightly hesitant tone. "Anything to add?"

David had been like the statue. Emma was without a clue of what he felt. On everything else that involved Killian he had been downright chatty and now he was dead silent. It didn't seem right.

"That's uh…" David got up slowly, shaking his head.

Emma was waiting for the blowback, or quite possibly for Killian to be on the receiving end of his right hook when her dad stunned her by wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tight

"If you're happy Emma. You're going to make this kid one of the luckiest in the world." David let her go, and kissed the top of her head.

He took a step back, and looked at Killian surveying him strictly. Finally, he offered him his hand to shake.

With a smile, Killian took his hand and David learned up close to Killian's ear and whispered something Emma couldn't catch before he clapped the pirate on the shoulder.

"What's all that about?" Emma asked.

"Nothing." Killian said, glancing back to her with a smile. "David and I have an understanding, don't we?"

"I'd like to hope so." David said.

"Right, uh…" Emma looked between them questioningly before settling her eyes on Killian. "I'm going to check on mom. You can all behave unsupervised, I hope."

"Model behavior." Killian assured her, giving her a kiss.

"I always do." David said.

"I'll keep an eye on them mom." Henry said. "It'll strictly be good form."

"Way to go, kid." Emma gave him a quick hug. "I can always count on you."

"Do you suppose she suspects?" Killian asked, once he was quite sure she was out of earshot. "You did take it rather well."

"No way." David shook his head. "It's all going to plan. Not even Mary Margaret knows."

"She's clueless." Henry said. "We just have to wait. My mom said she'll come by for coffee. She doesn't want to miss it all."

"It would have been easier had we not rescheduled for a month." Killian said with a dry note of amusement.

"Consider yourself lucky." David said, "It took me the better part of a year to pin down Snow."

Killian chuckled. The challenge...knowing that at the end he would have her...it was worth every second.

The day after Emma had told him that she was carrying their child, he'd gone to see David. If they were going to make their family, it would be done right by all of them.

Regardless of the prince's feelings about him, he was still her father and no matter how Emma might pretend what he thought didn't matter, he knew better. Her parents, her family meant the world to her.

He requested David's permission to take her hand. Killian hadn't been playing games when he said she wasn't just a conquest to him. She was everything to him.

Emma was his love and his life. She was his future.

It was a relief when David not only offered his blessing, but seemed pleased.

"You took this better than I could imagine." Killian had said.

"All I ever wanted was to know that you take my daughter's heart with care." David told him, "And for the rest of time, I'll hold you to that, Killian. Take care of her heart."

"With my life." Killian assured him.

"The apple hardly falls far." Killian said. "She's made it a challenge."

"Mom makes everything a challenge." Henry laughed, "You get that by now, don't you Killian?"

"Aye, my boy." Killian laughed, clapping a hand to his shoulder. "That I do."

"You know, you could have told me about the baby too." Henry said, a little begrudgingly. "I can keep a secret."

A knock at the door interrupted before he could respond.

"That's mom. I knew she wouldn't miss it." Henry ran to get the door.

That had been nerve-wracking, nearly as much so as this night was, Killian thought in the free moment. Telling Henry. In a lot of ways, more so than going to David.

On one of their many expeditions at the docks Killian had gotten up the nerve to express his intentions to Henry. It had been strange to be so scared just talking to a boy, but the truth was that Henry really wasn't just a boy to him any less than Bae had been.

He loved him as much as he could a child of his own flesh, and it was important for him to make things right, and for the boy to know this.

He studied the knots that Henry had done.

"You know that I love your mother." Killian said, unable to precept it. "I love you both."

"Of course." Henry said, without looking up from the map that was his newest project. "You're family Killian."

"About that." Killian said, "I'm looking at making that a little more concrete and permanent. Well, that is if your mother will have me."

"What do you mean?" Henry asked, his curiosity piqued enough that he abandoned the map and began to study Killian.

"I'd like to ask Emma to be my wife." Killian said. "With your approval, of course?"

Henry had given it to him, and done so vehemently.

Killian smiled, thinking about this as Henry spilled the whole story to his other mother.

"Coffee, Regina?" David offered, coming around the room with the pot. "I'm sure you can use it after this surprise."

"Yes, thank you." Regina laughed as Henry winded down, hiding a smile behind her hand. "That is quite the story. Grand romantic gestures, and all. Good on you, Hook."

Killian rolled his eyes, leave it to the evil queen to not allow him to abandon his colorful and distasteful moniker. He preferred to leave that in the past, because now he was focused on his future.

"Why aren't you more surprised?" Henry frowned. "Even I didn't know the whole story."

"Of course I'm surprised." Regina said from underneath the mug of coffee, "Don't be so suspicious Henry. I'm merely happy for our lovely couple."

Regina glanced up at him.

"Speaking of that. Where is the other half of this party? Is Mary Margaret bemoaning the loss of her only daughter to a pirate?"

Regina chuckled.

"Mom." Henry looked up at her with a frown. "We're all practicing good form."

"That is a trait that doesn't apply to queens, thank god." Regna turned to her coffee, and put her attention on David. "Or politicians. Speaking of that, we will have a slight matter to discuss, since this news will go public soon."

"Henry, I brought a cobbler." Regina said, turning to her son. "Can you place it in the kitchen for me?"

Henry nodded his head begrudgingly, used to being gotten rid of.

Killian studied the queen carefully as she discussed town politics with David. It struck him as funny, the world had changed so much, but government and politicians still left him with a bad taste in him mouth.

Emma walked into the room to find Mary Margaret rocking Neal back to sleep. She smiled slightly as she thought about it, but it was with a twinge as she thought about all those moment that she never got to have with Henry. All those moments that she and her mom didn't get to share.

It was all going to be different with baby...with the baby. Emma conceded that that was not one of the things they'd cleared up exactly.

"He's quiet." Emma said quietly, leaning up against the crib. "Hiding out?"

Mary Margaret's bottom lip trembled slightly.

"Oh Emma...I'm sorry. It's all just…" She shook her head, getting up tiredly and placing Neal back into his crib carefully. "I thought it would be different. I thought we would have more time...we were just starting to be a family."

"Mom…" Emma fought back tears at her mother's speech, grabbing her and hugging her tightly. "This changes nothing. We are a family and we always will be. You guys are my parents...all that's changing is that our family is getting a little bigger."

Mary Margaret laughed, and it caught on a sob on its way out.

"But you're leaving now."

"Mom." Emma laughed as she loosened her grip on her. "Storybrooke is a small town."

She squeezed her mom's hand,

"Let's be real. It's not like dad would let Killian whisk me away to parts unknown even if he wanted to."

"That's true." Mary Margaret said cleaning the tears away with the back of her hands. "He wouldn't."

She smiled.

"As a matter of fact, he's probably threatening him with his sword right now."

Considering how much better this was making her mother feel, Emma let her roll with it.

"I'm sure he is."

"Right, well. We'd better get back to them. We can't ruin such a joyous occasion with bloodshed." Mary Margaret said, sounding more composed about the matter at hand.

Emma laughed, "I can't argue with that."

As they walked back into the living room, Emma decided that her mother's prediction may have come to fruition. Regina and David were arguing about something. At least there weren't any swords in play yet.

She looked past them to meet Killian's eyes and he shrugged, returning to the game of scrabble that Henry was working on beside him.

"Regina, no business." Mary Margaret chastised her. "Haven't you heard, this is a big occasion?"

Regina turned in her chair with a wide smile and Emma interceded before she could speak.

"Oh I'm sure there are other matters to discuss." Emma said, "Regina, I saw your cobbler. It looks delicious. I know I can't wait for a slice."

"Oh well, it's no secret." Regina said pointedly. "I'd be happy to share it with you."

"I'm sure." Emma said dryly. "Maybe later."

"What do you mean?" Mary Margaret said, looking to Regina. "You said you weren't ever telling the secret to your cobbler. What changed?"

"I suppose it's a fitting gift for the woman of the hour." Regina said. "Besides, when you asked, I really didn't like you very much."

"It's so exciting, isn't it?" Mary Margaret said, ignoring Regina's statement. "Did you ever imagine?"

"Nope!" Emma exclaimed loudly, "Killian, why don't you help my mom with the cobbler. Dad, I'm sure you had better put on a pot of coffee."

"Emma, I just made one." David looked confused.

"And it probably went cold while we were waiting for Regina." Emma said.

"OK..." David said slowly, "I'll make that decaf."

"I'll be helping with the pie then." Killian said, seemingly getting that Emma was trying to clear the room.

"Cobbler." Regina corrected. "It's not a pie."

Emma caught Killian rolling his eyes and kissed him quickly before he left the room. Then she remembered Henry.

"Forget it." He said with a sigh before leaving the room in a sign of surrender. "I know when someone is trying to get rid of me."

"Please me nice." Emma asked, "Please. She's being very anxious about this."

"I can be nice." Regina said. "However, you owe me that moment."

Emma groaned, sinking into the couch.

"I knew I'd live to regret this."

Regina chuckled, "Now you're sounding like a Charming. I wonder if the baby will have that or the self-assured snark of its pirate father."

Emma looked her way and frowned critically.

"Nice."

"This is as nice as I get." Regina said with a raised eyebrow at Emma. "And I save it for my friends."

Emma hid a smile as she leaned back into the couch. It was a strange world, but she counted herself as lucky to call Regina a friend.

"You know, you already have my first born. Doesn't that make us even?"

Regina smiled, "Not quite, I'm afraid."

They both sat in an easy silence for a moment as everyone else worked in the kitchen.

"Does it have a name yet?" Regina asked.

Emma looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Regina, it's still an 'it'. What do you think?"

All it took was four words being uttered in that kitchen cove and David and Killian appeared to realize an error in both of their actions.

"Come on now," Mary Margaret repeated her question when she didn't get an answer. "What's the big secret?"

She was frustrated and still trying to come to terms. Her daughter was starting a whole new life now, there was going to be a separation. They couldn't all live their happily ever after in this cozy loft.

Emma was having a baby, and she was falling in love. Mary Margaret was so happy for her, to see the way she had opened her heart, and being able to watch her daughter being so happy was all she ever wanted but it all seemed to be happening so fast.

"Henry," David suggested slowly, "Why don't you take your mother some coffee?"

"I've already been kicked out of that room." Henry said. "If I'm going to be shuffled out of a room every time everyone needs to talk, you need a bigger house."

"Just for the moment, if you can humor us." Killian said, clearly trying to avoid looking at Mary Margaret but still feeling the burn of her stare.

"Well I don't like the sound of this." Mary Margaret said.

"I'll make sure Neal is still asleep." Henry said, with an almost eager tone in his voice.

"I think that's an excellent idea." Mary Margaret said, looking both men up and down. "What is going on? Is there something wrong with Emma you aren't telling me?"

"It's nothing bad." David said.

"Yes, but still I think the conversation would go far more smoothly if you put down the flipper." Killian suggested.

He wouldn't put it past her to slice him open with it once the truth was announced.

"Spatula." Mary Margaret said. "It's called a spatula, and don't distract me. I want to know what you are keeping from me."

"I asked for your husband's permission to take Emma's hand." Killian said.

For the moment, she appeared to be frozen.

"In marriage?" Mary Margaret said slowly, feeling a wave of confusion.

Emma hadn't told her this part. It made sense, of course. But why hadn't she known? How was everything snowballing so fast, and turning into such a huge change?

"That would be the case." Killian said.

"Oh." Mary Margaret's eyebrows furrowed together.

She was not going to cry. It was like Emma said. Nothing was changing. This was merely a big moment in her daughter's life. One that she would be a part of.

"Well. I'm glad you and David had a chance to discuss it." Mary Margaret said, turning away to dish up cobbler. "It's good that we haven't lost all the archaic traditions of our old world."

"I apologize. Profusely." Killian said, pleading with her back. "I should have come to you both, Mary Margaret if you'll entertain me for the moment."

Killian paused, and Mary Margaret set the spatula down, and turned around waiting to see what the Pirate had to say.

She watched him fumble at his side for a moment, and she knew that confusion. Sometimes she found herself looking for the security of the weapon she had always kept holstered. It reminded her that he was a part of their world, not this one.

Something about that was consoling to her.

"I love your daughter with all my heart." Killian pronounced, a serious look in his light eyes, "I wish to ask her to be my wife, but I would never seek to drive a wedge between Emma and her family, which is why the approval of you both is so important."

Mary Margaret smiled. A true love, a kind love was all she wanted her daughter to have.

"You can't ever take her from here." Mary Margaret said, "Okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." Killian said, a smile crossing his face. "Her place is beside the ones she lives, and I just hope to be in that company."

Mary Margaret nodded her head.

"Everyone needs their dessert."

She dished up plates of cobbler.

"Give that big piece to Emma. She's too skinny."

Killian laughed,

"Aye, I'll be sure to do that."

She made a note, he may have been from another world like him, but they had all assimilated with the normal culture. Normal people didn't talk like that. And god, he needed to figure out their language if he was going to be a member of this family.

Killian was getting anxious. Dessert was lasting longer than expected, and he had a schedule. He would have thought it would get easier, but each extension of the moment, had made this worse.

Harder.

Scarier.

He knew that there was no guarantee of Emma's answer. She was, above all else, a challenge. He wanted her to be his challenge, and he wanted their world to be one where their love for each other was official…

By the book, as Liam would say. God love him, how Liam would poke fun in the day of his insistence of doing things by the book. Much had changed over the course of the last few centuries, but in this matter he was still a traditionalist.

"Killian."

He shot to attention, realizing by the turn in Emma's voice he had been lost in his thoughts.

"Yes love." He felt a smile grow as he looked at her.

She was radiant, beautiful. As much so as any princess, any woman he had come across in three centuries of voyages.

"Henry said you were thinking about taking a walk. How about I join you guys?"

Henry locked eyes with him, trying to shake his head furtively. This part of the plan had gone wrong. He and Emma were to be alone at the waterfront.

"A walk would be wonderful." Killian said.

"But I have to stay." Henry said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I promised Grandma I'd help with the dishes."

"That is true." Mary Margaret said with a nod of her head. Why don't you both enjoy a nice walk?

"Trust us, in a few months you won't have time for pleasantries like that." David said.

Killian was thankful for the assistance. It seemed that if Emma had her way, he wouldn't ever have the opportunity to propose to her.

"We can wait." Emma said, "It's still early, isn't it?"

"In a manner of speaking." Killian thought. The sun would be setting soon, and the moment would pass.

"No." Henry said. "Besides, I ate way too much cobbler and Mom and I have some homework to do."

He gave Killian a firm look.

"Well, I suppose we can't interfere in the boy's education." Killian said, "Shall we still take that walk, love?"

Emma smiled up at him as he offered his hand.

"How could I pass up that offer?"

"Bring a jacket," Mary Margaret called after them. "There's a nip in the air."

Killian tugged her beloved leather jacket from the hook and held it open for her to slip into before pulling his own on. He patted the pocket self-consciously, assuring himself that the ring was still there. He felt the small lump, and was struck by what a weight it was.

"Don't gossip about us when we're gone." Emma called to them in a joking tone.

Killian almost laughed. He wondered if she would be furious if she knew how all omniscient everyone else was compared to her.

Hopefully their engagement would allow her to forgive him for all this scheming.

The streets were quiet tonight. As sheriff, this was something she was hyper aware of.

However, Killian was too. This was also a characteristic she had become quite aware of. Whenever he was this quiet, there was something going on.

"You're thinking too hard." She nudged him playfully with her elbow.

It was so easy with him. As he erupted his arm around her shoulder, and she fell into his grasp she thought of that. It was supposed to be easy, wasn't it? It always seemed so easy with her parents. She wanted that.

"Just enough." Killian told her, his pink lips curving up into a half smile. "Are you warm enough love?"

"Just enough." Emma said with a playful wink. "The warm weather is nearly here. I guess that means I'll be losing my best guys to the sea, won't I?"

"I wouldn't call it a loss." Killian said, kissing the top of her head.

"When you're not around, I call it a loss." Emma felt a skip of her heart as she felt the fear, the awkwardness of such a statement and no words to cover it with.

"As do I." Killian said.

Abruptly he stopped. They were in front of the clock tower. She hadn't thought much of this place but it gave her a chill. Killian had nearly died here. A lot of terrible things had happened here...and some good ones too.

"I'd had a plan." Killian said. "But I realize it wasn't nearly right enough."

For a moment, she was stunned, realizing something strange and peculiar was happening.

"Emma Swan." Killian turned, stepped back and faced her, holding her hand in his. "I love you. I love you with all my heart, and I will love you every day that my heart beats."

He dropped down to one knee.

"I'm asking you. I've loved you for so long now, and all I wish is the freedom to continue loving you for the rest of our lives. To make a family with you."

"What do you say, Swan?" Killian squeezes her hand and looked into her eyes. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

For the moment, she felt struck dumb. She didn't think she could ever be as happy, as enthralled as when he shared in her joy at having a child with her. At having their child.

She had imagined this. All the love she had, as much as she loved him and the life they were sharing she hadn't imagined this.

And yet, she felt her heart skip. She loved him, and he loved her, understood her in a way she felt no one ever would.

He was her family.

"Yes." Emma said, squeezing his hand. "Killian, yes. I want... I want all of this. With you."

For a moment, he seemed stunned, surprised and then with a great greater he said a ring of emerald and diamonds on her finger.

"I will be with you, love you always." Killian came to his feet and kissed her.

It was long and hard, and as his arms circled around her holding her tight, she realized she was getting everything she ever wanted.