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Emma wakes slowly, feeling warm, content, and well-rested. She can feel the soothing rays of sunshine against her face and she breathes in deeply as she shifts in bed. A moment later, the skin against her neck tickles and she hums at the feeling of kisses being pressed into her skin and the gentle scrape of stubble.
“Emma, love,” she hears Killian against the side of her ear. “Are you awake?”
She hums again, “No,”
He lets out a noise akin to a laugh and a huff before pressing a kiss to her cheek and shuffling away. She whines at the cool air that replaces his warmth before hauling the thick and fluffy material of their duvet up and over her shoulders. She hears his chuckle along with the creaks of the wooden floor beneath his feet as he ambles around their bedroom. The door to their room opens, allowing in the sound of childish chatter and a shriek of laughter, causing Emma to smile into her pillow despite her desire to continue sleeping.
Killian returns a moment later, talking in a soft, quiet voice that’s quickly drowned away by the sound of a happy giggle. The side of his bed dips with his weight and Emma grins from her spot beneath the covers as the mattress mimics every movement as a little body crawls towards her. The body stops and plops down right beside her, curling up next to her and poking at the duvet that Emma is hiding under with a little finger.
“Poke,” the cute voice begins. “Poke, poke, pokepokepoke -”
Emma throws the duvet off of herself before grabbing her daughter, laughing as the two year old shrieks with delight before cuddling her to her chest. Emma drops a kiss to her forehead, brushing her honey-blonde hair before smiling down at her.
“Hi,” Emma says, laughing as her daughter reaches up to pat her cheeks excitedly before squishing them together. Emma’s voice comes out muffled as she teasingly asks what she’s doing, causing the little girl to let out yet another laugh of joy. Emma’s heart fills with an overwhelming sense of happiness as her daughter continues to giggle, her laughter coming out muffled as she presses herself against Emma’s chest.
Killian catches Emma’s gaze and he grins at her as the little bundle in his arms waves around his tiny fists, nearly knocking Killian’s stubble-covered chin. Emma muffles a laugh at the look of exasperation that crosses Killian’s face before he returns his attention to their son.
“Emma-love,” her daughter says very seriously, causing Emma to bite back a smile as Killian snorts in amusement.
“Yes, duckling?” Emma responds, grinning as her daughter beams up at her, her smile complete with two little teeth and pink gums.
“Hi,” she says sweetly. Before Emma can respond, Liam lets out a cry, his face scrunching up with frustration as he smacks his lips together. “Oh no,” Ava says, her eyebrows furrowing as she peers at her little brother. “Baby cry.”
“Yes, little love,” Killian responds as he eases Liam into Emma’s arms before pulling Ava towards him. “Liam’s hungry so now your mum’s got to feed him.”
“Hmm,” Ava begins as she studies Killian with a serious expression on her face. He mimics her furrowed eyebrows and her pout, and she grins not even a second later, poking at his cheek and laughing as he smacks a kiss to her palm.
Their room is filled with laughter and giggles as soon as Liam finishes feeding, and Emma lays him down, smiling as his chubby baby legs kick at the air while he coos, and Ava squeals as their golden retriever, Roger, scampers in and jumps up and down as she waves around his favorite toy.
A second later Henry walks in with Roland right behind him, the both of them carrying trays filled with bowls of fresh fruit, glasses of juice, and plates of pancakes. In the center of Henry’s tray is a tower of french toast topped with strawberries, whipped cream, and cinnamon, and several candles are stuck into the top layer, their flames gently dancing in the cool air.
Killian leads their children into singing a jumbled and endearing version of happy birthday, the low timbre of his voice carrying the melody sweetly as Henry and Roland follow eagerly. Ava pipes in every time she hears the word birthday, letting out a giggle as Killian tickles her sides, and Liam continues to coo from his spot on the bed as he glances around wildly before smiling.
The song ends with a dramatic flourish as they all attempt to hold out the last note with a vibrato, and Emma laughs despite herself. Henry grins at her as he eases himself onto the bed and props his tray in front of her. Emma purses her lips and pretends to think about her wish when in reality, she already has everything she could possibly hope for. She takes in her children - Roland and Ava, despite them not being her blood, and then Henry and Liam - and she thinks about just how far she’s come and how she’d never imagined any of this in the cards for herself.
Roger lets out a bark and Ava squeals in surprise.
“I’m guessing that’s Roger’s way of telling you to get on with it, love,” Killian teases, and Emma rolls her eyes at him in amusement before turning back towards the candles and blowing them out.
The smoke whips through the air in a multitude of sparkling colors, causing the kids to clap and laugh excitedly as they chase after the glimmering strands. Emma laughs as Roland and Roger jump for the same one, and Killian plops himself next to Emma after easing Liam back into his arms. He nestles his chin against her shoulder before kissing the sensitive skin beneath her ear, and she promptly turns her head to kiss him.
Killian grins against her lips, flicking his tongue against hers before brushing their noses together. He brings his hand up to brush through her hair after balancing Liam in his other arm, and she exhales a breath of contentment before fluttering her eyes shut as he showers kisses over her cheeks.
“Happy birthday, Emma.” he says softly, only to be cut off by their kids as they jump back onto their bed, their voices happy and light as they take turns attacking her with birthday hugs and kisses. Emma laughs breathlessly as they all pile onto her, and she watches as the last strand of magical smoke, a shimmering golden color, disappears in midair with a wink of light.
She returns her attention to her kids and Killian, grinning at him as her heart fills with happiness, pounding away inside her chest. Years ago she had wished to not be alone, then she had wished to have her happy ending - now, the only wish she could think of is to hope that this beautiful, wild life of overwhelming love and never-ending happiness, will last.