Chapter Text
Emma hadn't spent a lot of time with her new younger brother.
Not Leo, the other new little brother .
So it seemed like a perfect opportunity to get to know him, when her parents wanted to take a date night just to themselves, and asked her and Killian to watch over Chad and Leo.
Chad plowed right into her legs the moment she opened the door. Excited to see her.
“EMMY!”
“Woah, kid. Take it easy.” Emma laughed as she hugged her brother. “I'm not as stable as I used to be.”
“I misseded you!"
“I missed you too, little lion.” She ran her fingers through his blond curls.
He giggled.
“Hey there little prince.” Killian greeted, then turned to Leo. “And littler Prince.”
Leo gurgled in response.
Snow walked into the foyer, looking lovely in a red dress. “Oh, you two are here. Thank you again for looking after the boys tonight.”
“It's no trouble, your Majesty.”
“How many times have I told you, Killian? You're married to my daughter. You have every right to call me Snow.” She smiled as she grabbed a pair of pumps from the hall closet.
“He's never gonna do it.” David called out from upstairs, sounding amused. Causing Chad to giggle again.
“David, play nice. They're watching our boys so we can have a nice night!” Snow made eye contact with Emma and rolled her eyes. Emma snorted in response.
“Anyway, here's Leo–” Snow dumped the baby in Killian's arms, much to his surprise “—and Chad's chicken nuggets are in the toaster oven. Leo's been fed already, so he probably won't have to eat again until we come back.”
Killian cleared his throat. “Noted.”
Just then, David came down the stairs.
“You better not turn my children into pirates, Hook.” David warned, only half-joking.
“Don't worry daddy, I won't bes a pirate when yous gets back!” Chad chimed in, doing his best to look serious. Which, considering he was still hugging Emma's legs, he failed miserably at.
David shrugged on a suit jacket. “ Thank you, Chad. At least someone still respects me.” He kissed Snow on the cheek as she grabbed her purse.
“Call us if anything happens. Anything at all.” She insisted, growing anxious at the thought of leaving her babies.
“We will mom. But nothing will happen, promise.” Emma rolled her eyes. “Now shoo.”
“I promise you your children are in safe hands.” Killian added.
Snow continued to babble as David all but pushed her out the door. “–and Chad likes to wear his knight pajamas to bed, and Leo will stop crying if you drive him around in the car for a bit, and–”
“Goodnight!” David called out, finally getting Snow outside and slamming the door behind them.
Killian sat down, still holding Leo in his arms.
Very aware of how fast his heart was beating.
“You good there, babe?” Emma noticed his discomfort, smirking slightly.
“A–” He cleared his throat. “–Aye.”
“Are you sure about that? Cause you look like you're about to pass out.”
“No I don't.” Killian denied immediately, sitting up straight—only to immediately wince when Leo yawned and stretched.
“... you wanna try that again?” Emma was having a field day with this.
“No?”
“Killan.” She sighed. “Why are you so weird about holding Leo? He's not made of glass.”
“Because if I mess up even slightly I fear your father will murder me in my sleep. That is, if your mother doesn't beat him to it.” He deadpanned. “And children are fragile.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Okay, first of all: No, they wouldn't. Second of all: I've seen little kids face plant straight into asphalt and just keep running. And third of all: you are not going to mess this up, okay?”
Killian didn't look like he believed her but agreed regardless. “Okay Swan. Now where's the other little prince?”
Emma suddenly realized that Chad was gone from view. And as any parent knows, the worst things happen when a child is out of view for just a few seconds.
“Chad?” Emma called out, worried.
She received no response.
“Bitch, I'm gonna kill you—”
“—Not if I kill you first!”
One of the ladies on screen lunged at the other, grabbing at her hair.
Chad watched the screen with wide eyes, fiddling with the buttons to the remote. Not liking the reality show he was watching anymore.
Wilby apparently didn't like it either, judging by the whine he gave.
“Chad?” Emma walked into the living room, becoming immensely relieved when she saw him on the floor in front of the TV. Then she saw what he was watching. “... what are you watching ?”
“Caught Cheating?... I don't likes this show. Where are the pretty outfits.” He pouted, still trying and failing to change the channel.
“Pretty…? Well, give me the remote, and I'll put something else on.”
He handed it to her without a second thought.
She scrolled through the channels, until she found exactly what she needed. “This is probably a bit more your speed, kiddo.” She grinned as she put on Jake and the Neverland Pirates .
“Thank you Emma!”
“No problem, little lion.” Emma kissed him on the top of his head, then collapsed on the couch, waiting for Killan to come and find them.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Emma heard Chad scream and went running towards the source. “What's wrong?! What's happened?!” She asked, panicked.
Chad whimpered, shaking in the bed in the guest room. Eyes blown wide.
“Chad. What is it? Are you hurt?” Emma had been babysitting for barely an hour and something was already wrong.
He shook, breathing in.
Emma turned on the light, banishing the shadows. “It's okay, I'm here. Can you tell me what happened?”
He reached out towards her, lip trembling. Too stunned to speak.
She sat down on the edge of the bed, taking him into her arms. “Oh, baby. It's okay.”
He buried his face into her shoulder, breath hitching. “Y-you cames back.”
“Came back? I never left, little lion.” Emma started rubbing his back.
“Y-you didn'ts?” He looked up at her finally, eyes tearful.
“No, kid. Killian and I have been downstairs watching TV this whole time.”
Chad hiccuped and hugged her tighter, crying louder. “It felts real.”
“Well, it wasn't. We would never leave you here all by yourself.”
“Mommy, daddy, Leo, and yous all broughts me back.” The blonde whimpered. “And the–the workers were mads.”
Emma squeezed him tighter. “We would never do that. Mom, Dad, Leo, and I love you so much, kiddo. I promise.”
“They puts me back in da closet and I couldn'ts breaths or sees no more!”
“They won't do that, okay? You have to trust me, kid. And trust Mommy and Daddy, right?”
Chad gripped her shirt tightly. “Okay… I twust you.”
She kissed the top of his head. “I know it's late, and you probably shouldn't have sugar but…do you want some hot chocolate? It can be our secret?”
The little prince nodded mutely, blinding grabbing for Mr. Brave Lion.
Emma scooped both him and the stuffed animal up into her arms, and brought them downstairs. Silently promising to whoever would listen that she'd always be there for Chad when he needed her.
Whether anyone liked it or not.