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It was a chilly day in Storybrooke, the day was overcast as Killian wandered down Main Street, a bundled-up Hope strapped to his chest with a hat snug over her wispy blonde hair. Her feet were kicking against him in excitement in her onesie, happy for the fresh air after a long night of crying, surprisingly chipper after only sleeping for 5 minutes. Killian noticed Snow walking up in the opposite direction, her eyes brightening up as she noticed her granddaughter and son in law.
“Killian! What a nice surprise.”
“Hello, love.”
Snow steps up to Hope and holds onto her hands which are flying around wildly at the sight of her, “hello, you.” She looks up at Killian, her hands still holding onto Hope’s, “where are you two off to?”
“Considering this one,” he indicated to Hope with a nod of his head, “was fussy all night, I thought I’d let Emma rest and I’d take her out for some air. Good opportunity to get Hope a new dress for Emma’s birthday party.”
Snow smiled warmly, “good idea, are you going to The Snuggly Duckling?”
“Aye.”
“Mind if I come with you?” she asked as they walked in step with each other, “I need to get a few things for Neal, he grows out of things so fast.”
“Of course, love. Perhaps you can help me pick something out, I don’t really know what I’m looking for.”
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When they entered The Snuggly Duckling, Killian couldn’t help but grin. The racks of small outfits and dresses, the shelves of tiny shoes and pictures of bright-eyed babies and smiling children along the wall always brought a smile to his face. He turned to Snow, “I don’t know what it is about this place but it always makes my day a little bit better.”
“It is the most adorable place in Storybrooke,” she told him, stepping towards a rail and pulling off a miniature suit with matching tie, “I mean, look.”
Killian chuckled, “seems like only yesterday that young Neal fit into one of those.”
Snow sighed and hung it back up, “I know, he's grown up so fast.” She nodded to Hope, "not long before she's in here picking out stuff for her own child.”
He let out a snort and started browsing the racks, looking for occasion dresses, “that’s not going to happen for a long time.”
“Why not?” she asked, trailing up behind him.
Killian turned and raised an eyebrow, “well, nobody will ever be good enough for her.”
Snow gave him a knowing nod and reached for a dress, “I feel sorry for any future partners she has. Is it safe to assume you’ll be flashing that hook at them?”
“No doubt about it, love,” he told her, “what else is it for?”
Snow found it endearing that he was so protective of Hope, how they spend all their time together and that they were practically joined at the hip, already best friends. Even if one of them was unable to talk yet. “Well, with that face, she’s going to be a heartbreaker.”
“Don’t I know it,” he told her, pushing aside a few dresses on the rack with his hook. He flashed her a quick smile, “she has very good genes, just look at her parents.”
She let out a laugh, "and her grandparents." Snow held up a dress with blue with lacing on the front, “this is cute.”
“Aye, it matches her eyes.”
“Do you know what you’re looking for exactly?” she asked him, wrinkling her nose at a very strange outfit and putting it back on the rail.
Killian shook his head. His eyes glanced over a rail with various sized socks with frills and he smiled again. “Not a bloody clue,” he took the smallest pair off the rail and held them up, putting two fingers into them, “these are so tiny.”
Snow laughed. Her eyes dropped down to the rack, and she sighed, “you know, I missed all of this with Emma. I never got to dress her up in any of this.”
He watched her as she slowly pushed hangers aside, browsing but not really taking them in properly. Snow always wanted to dress up her daughter in the finest clothes the Enchanted Forest had to offer, teach her how to walk, talk, see her in her first ballgown and watch her dance her first dance. Regina robbed her of that, she never saw any of it, and seeing all the baby clothes reminds her of everything she was denied.
“I’m sorry, love.”
Killian’s voice broke through her thoughts, and she noticed he’d stepped closer, Hope was reaching out to try and grab her and Snow smiled. She leant over and gave her a gentle tap on the nose. “It’s fine, there’s no point getting upset over something I can’t change.”
He touched the top of his daughter’s head, still covered by the hat, “you can still dress another version of Emma if that helps, I find you have excellent taste in baby clothes.”
She grinned widely, holding Hope’s hand again. “I’m glad someone appreciates all the girly stuff I buy her; I can’t believe people laughed at the bow I put in her hair. Well, scraping together the little hair she had.”
He shook his head, “you know I liked it, they obviously have no taste because I think she looked very sweet.”
They continued to browse the racks, each holding up various things and asking for a second opinion, Hope reaching out to grab everything that Killian picked up with her chubby fists. He had to untangle her fingers out of many gowns, reaching into the bag hanging off his shoulder and grabbing a toy for her to hold onto. She instantly threw it across the room.
“Did someone give you coffee this morning?” he asked Hope and she looked up at him, “you didn’t even sleep last night.” Snow insisted she got the discarded toy for him and put it in the baby bag.
Killian noticed a dress that caught his eye and pulled it out, “this is it.”
Snow came over and held the bottom of the dress to look at it, “oh this is lovely.”
“This is the same colour as the dress Emma bought for the coronation,” he looked up at her, “they’d match.”
She laughed, “you think she’d like that?”
“Why wouldn’t she? They’ll look beautiful, both wearing pink.” He noticed that a hat was hanging from the back of the hanger, “brilliant, it comes with a hat.”
Snow watched him get excited over a frilly, pink dress for his daughter. For a man who wore only black, he sure did tend to pick out some bright colours for her.
“You’re full of surprises, Killian,” she said with a smile, “is this her size?”
“Aye, this should work. If it’s too big, she’ll grow into it,” he held it up to look it over, “then she can wear it more than once.”
Snow beamed and took it from him, draping it over her arm as they continued to browse, her eyes looking for the boy’s section for Neal. “Allow me to get you this,” she tickled under Hope’s chin, “a present for my granddaughter.”
“Are you sure, love?”
“Of course I’m sure,” she told him, “like I said, I’m making up for not being able to dress Emma.”
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After shopping for a few items for Neal, Killian and Snow went to Granny’s for lunch, discussing Emma’s upcoming birthday and the coronation. They'd spent a lot of time together since they had Hope, Killian always asking Snow parenting questions and wanting to spend quality time with Emma's family. Who was now his family. They didn't have much time to bond when they were constantly threatened with curses and villains but they had all the time int he world now and they were not taking it for granted.
Before the food arrived, Hope started to quieten down, still strapped to Killian's chest but when Granny placed the food down in front of them, her face was relaxed in peaceful slumber. He was glad to be able to eat and drink without her knocking them out of his hands, although he often wished he’d bring the stroller when they eat but he just preferred the carrier. Even if it created problems such as coffee spilled on his jacket, food splattered on his shoes, sick and dribble found in various places.
After lunch and his catch up with Snow, he made his way back home. Emma was laying across the sofa, feet up, with a hot cocoa with cinnamon resting on her leg as she read a book, a fire roaring opposite. She looked up at them when they walked in and her eyes lit up, throwing a bookmark in between the pages and getting up, hot cocoa placed on the floor by the couch.
“You’re back,” she went over to give Killian a soft kiss before planting one on Hope’s head, “how was your day?”
Killian smiled and put the bag from Snuggly Duckling down, reaching to unstrap Hope from his chest as Emma took her out to hold her, “we had a good morning, didn’t we, love?”
She was kicking her legs excitedly at the sight of her mother, fully awake now and gurgling as she gripped Emma’s hair. “I’m glad to hear it, was she good?”
He laughed, “sometimes.” Killian took off the carrier and put it aside, grabbing the bag and bringing it to the dining room table, “enjoy your peaceful morning without her screaming the place down?”
Emma beamed and kissed her daughter, “I did but I missed you both. The house is empty without you.” She nodded to the bag, letting out a little laugh “you got her another dress?”
He gave her a wide grin, opening the bag as Emma sat with Hope, bouncing her up and down in her lap, “that I did, you’re going to love this.”
“Is this for my birthday party?” she asked, “the birthday party I’m not supposed to know about?”
“It’s not actually,” he accidentally let it slip that they were planning a surprise party for her, he found it hard to keep things from Emma. When you’re married to someone who knows lying, it’s hard to keep it private when she knew he was holding something back, “I thought this would be better for the coronation, perhaps she can wear the other for your party.”
Emma’s eyes followed the dress when he pulled it out, seeing the pink and frills and the hat. “I knew it was going to be pink before you pulled it out the bag,” she said with a laugh, “why is this one good for the coronation? She can wear this at my birthd- ow Hope, my hair.”
She untangled her fingers from her hair, wishing she’d tied it up before they got home. Emma pushed her hair off her shoulders and turned so Hope was facing the table, her fists banging against the wood.
Killian grinned and laid it out on the table, “it matches your dress.”
Emma watched him get excited about it and let out a breathy laugh, “of course it does. You’re something else, Killian Jones.”
“You like it?” he asked her, his eyes shifting between her and the dress.
“Of course, she’ll look really sweet,” she held onto Hope’s hands to stop her from making more noise, her face coming down to look at hers, “but what do you think?”
Hope gurgled and let out a laugh which Killian took as a yes, “see, she loves it.”
Emma smiled widely at him, watching him pick up the dress hanger with his hook and brush it down with his hand to rid it of anything before placing it back in the bag. He turned to put the kettle on the stove.
“I love it too, but you know what would be better?” she asked with a teasing tone, “if you and Hope matching.”
He gave her a look and she laughed. "Perhaps we can save the baby pirate costume for a trip on the Roger," she looked down at Hope's face who looked back up at her with bright eyes, “I guess we’re matching then.”
When Hope gurgled at her, Emma turned her around and embraced her, her hand holding the back of her head as she watched Killian. She didn’t think she’d ever be this happy, everything was just as she wished it would be, finally happy to have the family Emma had always hoped.
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It was the day of the coronation and Hope would not stop crying. Emma was still in her robe, Hope in her arms as she rocked her, bouncing her and trying anything to get her to calm down. They were already late, supposed to be on their way to watch Regina be crowed the Good Queen, but the chances of them making it was getting smaller and smaller as time went on. Hope had been changed, fed, burped but she was still upset.
Killian wandered in, already dressed with the baby bag hanging from his hook, “want me to try?”
“Are you sure?” she asked, patting Hope’s back gently.
“Aye,” he put the bag on the bed and reached his arms out, “you need to get ready.”
Emma handed Hope over, her tiny hands now fists as she continued to cry, “I doubt we’ll even make it at this rate.”
Killian took her from Emma, holding her close to his chest as he sat down on the edge of the bed, bouncing her up and down, “shhh, it’s alright, love.” He looked up at Emma, “we’ll get there, she might tire herself out.”
“I hope so,” she said, “I’ll be quick.”
Emma ran out of the room to get ready in the bathroom, the cries still filling the room and Hope’s face red and tearstained. He continued to bounce her up and down, her still in her onesie and not even dressed for the coronation yet, her pink dress lying nearby on the bed. “What is wrong with you today?”
He got up and walked towards the window, reaching to open the window to let some air in, it was hot in there and thought the air might cool her slightly. Killian continued to rub her back, pacing the room and waiting for her to get tired of crying but she didn’t stop.
Killian sat on the front of the bed, back resting against the headboard and pulled her to his chest, his hand cradling the back of her head, “Hope,” he said, hoping his voice might soothe her, "we have a coronation to go to today, it’s a big day for your auntie Regina. You don’t want us to be late for that, do you? She’d be upset if you weren’t there." His eyes raked over the dress laid out ready for her next to a changing mat, "we still need to get you dressed, don’t we. You’re going to look so beautiful in that, but you need to stop crying so we can get you ready.”
Hope fidgeted, letting out some grunts and moans as she nuzzled his chest. “Shhh, how about I sing you something.” He gently rocked her and started to sing a lullaby that his mother would sing to him when he was young, although hundreds of years old, he still remembered it word for word. It was one of the few memories he cherished of her. Miraculously, it worked because Hope eventually stopped crying while he sang it for the second time. Killian looked down at her and saw her reach up and rub her eyes with tight fists, tiredness overcoming her.
“Have you finally tired yourself out?” he asked her softly. She was making a few frustrated noises, still fussing but no longer crying. This was progress.
Emma walked into the room with wide eyes, “You did it. What did you do?”
He smiled at her, rocking Hope as he slid off the bed, “I held her to my chest and sang to her. She’s tired though."
"Good,” Emma said with a smile, robe still on but hair and make up finished. She had a toothbrush in her hand, “she’ll likely be asleep by the time we get there.”
“If we're lucky,” he said as he bounced Hope up and down in his arms, “I better get this dress on her, her bag is packed so we’re nearly good to go.”
Emma smiled, “great, just got to put my dress on and I’m done. I already text my mum to tell her we’re going to be late,” she pointed the toothbrush at Hope, “but if she sets off again, we’re not going.”
Killian let out a small laugh, “alright, love.”
He laid Hope down and managed to get her dressed but she still wasn’t hugely happy. Grabbing the pacifier that she previously spat out in protest, he managed to get her to keep it in her mouth as he dressed her, talking her through what he was doing so his voice kept her calm. When her eyes were a little droopy and she was close to falling asleep, he let out a sigh of relief. Killian reached for her and her arms gripped his leather jacket as he held her close, pacing the room with her until Emma emerged in the doorway, dressed and ready to go.
“Swan, you look stunning,” he said, his blue eyes taking her in.
She smiled, shrugging her leather jacket on, “thanks. This is the most I’ve dressed up in a long time.”
“I think we could do with it,” he told her. Killian looked down at Hope and noticed her eyes were closed, “she’s asleep.”
“Thank god,” Emma said with a laugh, picking up the bag and holding it in the crook of her arm, “let’s go, I’ll tell my mum we’re on our way. I hope we don’t walk in when the ceremony is happening.”
“It’s likely,” he told her, following Emma out the door, “we should have left an hour a go. I’ll keep hold of her, I’m not sure we can handle her waking up again.”
Emma turned to look at him, “at least we match.”
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