May 3rd 2016

The day faded into night and the contractions just kept coming, building in intensity and frequency yet each time Dr. Whale told her how far along she really was, Emma was sure he had to be lying. There was no way she was still only at three centimeters after twelve hours of unending labor.

And through it all, there was Killian. He stood beside her and passed her ice chips and whispered words of love in her ear. Emma gripped Killian's hand each time a contraction hit and listened to the sound of his voice when she closed her eyes. The contractions became so intense she lost track of everything around her. She knew nothing but what was happening within; the pain that overtook her entire body. Yet each time she resurfaced, each time she became aware of her surroundings again, there was Killian.

At long last, just before the sun had risen again, the nurse said, "Okay, Emma. You're fully dilated. It's time to push." Emma nodded and shifted positions. She sat at the very edge of the bed, leaned forward and gripped a bar ahead of her for support. She felt Killian's hand on her back. Heard his constant words of love and support in her ear.

Minutes became hours and still she pushed. Each effort draining what little she had left to give. Her hair stuck to her face, her arms began to shake. Emma had never felt more utterly exhausted than she did in that moment.

"Okay Emma, keep pushing. You're doing great," said Dr. Whale

"No." Emma said quietly, tears falling down her face as she laid back on the bed, resting her shaking limbs.

"What?" Killian asked.

"No, I can't. I can't do it." Emma said quietly. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Yes, you can." Killian said at once.

"No."

"Emma, look at me." He said gently, placing his hand on her cheek. Emma kept shaking her head.

"Emma, my love. Look at me." She opened her eyes and saw his face inches from hers.

"I can't do this. I…" She sobbed quietly.

Killian brushed her sodden hair out of her face. "I know you're tired. I know, love. But you are doing so beautifully and you are so close. Just one more push. Can you give one more push?"

Slowly she stopped shaking her head. Emma stared into Killian's eye. And then she took a deep breath and nodded. He kissed her forehead and gripped her hand tightly. She leaned forward and pushed again.

"Almost there, Emma. I can see her head." Dr. Whale said.

"Just one more push, Emma," Killian said, "Just one more."

He repeated the mantra for the next six pushes. At long last, Emma felt a release. A pressure lifted.

"Great job, Emma! Her head is out. One final push! That's it!" said Dr. Whale.

Killian kissed the top of her head. Every last bit of strength she had went into that one final push. At last, Emma felt a rush, an enormous relief, and laid back against the bed as the sweet sound of her daughter's cries filled the room.

Emma sobbed as Dr. Whale handed her a squirming, pink, perfect someone. Emma held her daughter to her chest and sobbed.

Killian kissed Emma's cheeks, the top of her hair, stroked his daughter's head and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

"You did beautifully, my love. Beautifully," he said.

A few minutes later, one of the nurses handed Killian a pair of scissors.

"Would you like to do the honors, dad?" she asked.

Emma watched Killian's face transform in that moment. Nodding, almost dazed, he bent down and cut the cord where the nurse had shown him. Then he handed back the scissors and turned his attention to Emma. He bent down and kissed her lips. He held his forehead beside hers for another moment before turning his attention once more to his daughter.

"Hello, love," he said gently, rubbing his hand on her back, brushing the soft, fine hair on her head. "Hello, Sophie."

Dr. Whale took Sophie to the scale in the corner. He began to list off numbers Emma did not know as the nurse typed away at the computer. Emma felt a flutter of panic in her heart.

"Killian," she said, beckoning toward her daughter. He understood at once and joined the group around the table.

"Is she okay?" Emma asked, tears falling again.

"Yes, love," he said at once, his eyes on his daughter, "she's perfect."

Sophie was crying. The sound tore through Emma's heart. She wanted nothing more than to hold her. Dr. Whale was standing in front of the scale, blocking the infant from view "Ten fingers and ten toes?" Emma asked, the panic evident in her voice.

"Yes." Killian replied. Dr. Whale looked around and realized that he was standing in front of the table. He moved to the side at once. There was her daughter, squirming and crying and beautiful. Once Dr. Whale was done with his examination, he picked Sophie up and placed her carefully in Killian's arms. Killian's face shone with a radiance the likes of which Emma had never seen before. He handed Sophie to Emma. Sophie stopped crying as she laid in her mother's arms. Emma kissed the tiny girl's cheeks and fingers and toes. She shifted over as much as she could and Killian laid down on the bed beside her. Emma draped her legs over Killian's. He kissed her cheek and laid his head on the pillow beside her, his hand on Sophie's back.

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Later, after they had been visited by her Mom, Dad, Regina, Henry (who left behind his storybook) Granny, and Belle, Killian sat with Sophie in a rocking chair beside Emma's bed. Emma's eyes were half open and she yawned wide.

"She still needs a middle name." Emma said, watching Killian rock Sophie in his arm.

Killian looked at Emma and smiled in a way she knew well. "What?" She asked.

"I... have a thought." he said slowly.

"Yeah?"

Killian paused and glanced at the storybook lying on the table beside them. Then he said, in an embarrassed sort of way, "Leia."

Emma laughed and her eyes also fell to the storybook. She reached out a hand and touched the soft leather cover.

"Sophie Leia Jones," Emma said with another smile. "That has a nice ring to it."

"And it's a family name." Killian said.

"It is?"

"Well, in a manner of speaking," Killian said, nodding toward the book.

Emma laughed. "I can't wait to explain to our daughter how we accidentally went back in time and danced and fell in love at a ball celebrating my father's engagement to another woman."

Killian's face went blank for a moment, and then broke into a teasing smirk.

"What?" Emma asked.

"So you were falling in love with me, back then?"

Emma blushed. "Well, yeah, but I didn't realize it at the time."

"Of course not." Killian replied in mock sincerity, that same smirk on his face.

Emma gazed from Henry's storybook to Killian and Sophie. In all her life, she didn't know it was possible to love someone as much as she loved her family.

"It is a good story." Emma sighed contentedly.

"Aye, that it is, love. But it's more than a story. It's our history. It's important that our daughter knows where she comes from." Killian said, winking up at Emma. He turned his attention once more to his sleeping daughter. "Once upon a time," he said quietly, "there was a dashing rapscallion, and he loved a princess very, very much."