Chapter Text
“Killian, there’s a meteor shower! We have to go watch it!”
He laughed as Emma grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the beach, finding the most secluded spot she could spot without anything blocking the night sky.
He looked up at the sky and saw stars starting to fall, but Emma was looking far off into the distance. “Love, if you wanted to look at stars, all you needed was to ask. You needn’t trick me with a meteor.”
“Shut up.” She teased.
“We can look at the stars any night—”
Emma turned to look at him. “It doesn’t make them any less beautiful tonight.”
He stared at her, his eyes dropping to her lips before leaning in slightly, but her face turned back to the sky before he could kiss her. He laughed before looking back at the sky, as well. “My brother taught me the constellations. Like those seven stars? That’s Ursa Major.”
“Ursa Major?”
He smiled, placing his stump around her back. “You may have heard of the big dipper?” She nodded. “Same constellation, just the nickname.”
“You were making me think that it was some cool thing!”
“It being the big dipper makes it no less interesting,” he said, moving his hand to the right on the opposite side of the sky. “See those six? Those make up Libra – your zodiac sign.”
“It looks like a house.”
“It’s story is far better, although it is the only sign that isn’t a living creature.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, looking back at him.
“Well, the Libra constellation was one of the ancient Roman’s favorites. You see, the moon was said to be in the center of Libra when Rome was founded. It’s represented by a scale because it describes the seasons as being balanced, the hours of night and day match each other.”
Emma smiled. “What other ones are there?”
He drew his arm up to the middle of the night sky. “That one’s Cygnus – the swan. It’s rumored that Cygnus is actually Zeus in disguise on his way to –“ but he was cut off before he could finish what he was saying.
Emma had grabbed his collar, pulling him to her and putting her lips on his. She threaded one hand through the hair on the back of his head, keeping her other hand tight on his shirt, as if to keep her grounded. She had stolen his breath, confused by the suddenness of the kiss, but soon sank into it, accepting her mouth and giving as much as he got.
Once they broke, he brought his hand up to his mouth, as if trying to imprint the kiss onto his face. He looked back at the most gorgeous girl he’d ever seen before turning the tables. He leaned forward to kiss her again, rolling them until she was on her back, her golden hair mixing in with the sand. He barely left her mouth, only giving them seconds of breathing before diving back in. Her hands fell to his cheeks as his stump and hand sat on each side of her head, keeping him from crushing her.
They finally paused, looking deep into each other’s eyes. He could see the night reflecting back at him when she began to smile, biting her bottom lip. “Teach me about another constellation.”
He grabbed her hand, lifting her up and scooting as close to her as possible. “Have you heard of Pegasus?”
“Like the horse from Hercules?”
He let out a bark, moving his hand to point to the winged horse. “Kind of, although his story is much different. You see, his mother was Medusa and his father Poseidon, the king of horses.”
“I thought he was the god of the sea?”
“He’s both. Now, don’t interrupt again…” He gave her a wicked smile, licking his lips. “Unless it’s for more pleasurable activities.”
They spent the rest of the night looking at the stars, ignoring the meteor shower, and kissing until sleep took over them.
The next morning, he woke to find Emma snuggled into his chest, his arm draped over her stomach. He smiled, breathing in her scent before kissing the back of her head. “Sleep, my swan.”
It was an easy decision, taking the fall for Emma and Henry. They deserved a good life, a happy life. If he took the blame, if he were the one claim everything that happened was done in solitude, then maybe they could get free.
And in ten years they could be the family he always wanted them to be.
Every day, he held on to that hope that they’d be back together. While his bunkmate would rustle in his sleep, he would be staring at a picture of his wife and son on the day he was born, tears sliding down his cheeks as he tried to imagine what happened to them.
He held on to this hope for 10 years, every day, every night, until his last probation hearing.
“Do you have anywhere to go once you get out of here?” the bailiff asked as they started walking out into the desert sun. He’d been outside in Arizona working in the yard loads of times, but it felt different this time, knowing he was a free man.
“Not really. I figure I’ll find a shelter for a few months and then maybe I’ll look up some people from my past.”
“Ah, that wife and son of yours in that picture you look at.”
Killian didn’t even know where to start looking, so he just shrugged as he kept walking. “Aye, those are the ones.”
They got to the entrance and the bailiff finally took off the hand-and-feet cuffs binding him to the prison. “I wish you the best of luck, Jones.”
“Thank you,” Killian dipped his head as he stepped forward, looking out over the vast Arizona plains. There really was nothing near the prison as far as the eye could see, and he was just thankful that a pre-paid taxi would be taking him into the city.
He took a deep breath, scanning the sand when he saw a figure wave in the distance.
It couldn’t be… Could it?
Killian took off, wondering if the Arizona heat was getting to him. The woman was a brunette, she had glasses, it couldn’t be Emma.
But as he got closer, all he could do was stare at the only woman he’s ever loved. “Emma,” he said, his voice softer than he thought it would be. A moment later, she was hugging him, sqeezing him in her embrace. He smelled her hair as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him and never wanting to let go. “You waited for me.”
Her only reply was “Hi, Killian,” and it was the best sound on the world. Hearing her voice say his name, to him and not in his mind, was the only thing that mattered. She was here and alive and all the memories and dreams and fantasies of the past 10 years did not live up to this moment.
He was home, at last.
He got in the passenger seat as Emma walked around the car to the driver’s one, and as soon as the car started and she put it into forward, he placed his hand on top of hers. He was silent, she was silent, but it was okay. It was Emma, and she came back for him, and all he wanted to do was be with the woman he loved most
Inside the room, he couldn’t help himself as he pushed her against the door and kissed her. He tilted his head to the side, brushed his thumb against the apple of her cheek, and after not kissing anyone for 10 years, he definitely could not complain about how this one felt. “Emma,” he murmured into her mouth, and then he was kissing her again.
It was perfect.
“Are you hungry?” She asked, putting her hands on his chest as they caught their breaths. “I can order us some room service?” She walked to the nightstand and brought him a menu. “My treat, anything you want.”
He paged through the menu, knowing he didn’t give a bloody fuck what he ate, as long as she was here and with them. She ordered their meals and, as soon as she hung up the phone, he asked, “Where’s Henry?”
“Back home, in Storybrooke. Want to see him? I have some pictures…” Emma reached into her purse and quickly picked up a small rectangular device, punching some numbers with her thumb and then sliding her finger on the screen over and over again. Curiosity was overcoming him, confusion with the electronics in her hand. “It’s an iPhone,” she said, and he suddenly realized she was looking at him. “It’s kind of like a computer built into a phone.”
She stared at him for a second, something clearly on her mind, before looking back down at her phone and finding whatever she was looking for. “He got second place,” she murmured while giving him the small phone
Seeing his son for the first time in ten years was indescribable. He had his brown hair, but Emma’s freckles. His smile was all his, though, and he couldn’t help the pounding in his heart as he finally discovered what his son looked like. “He’s spectacular,” he whispered, unsure if he even said the words out loud. “Is he smart?”
“Best grades in his class – really good at Language Arts.”
“And does he have any friends?” His throat started to burn as he stared at the picture, loving every possible thing about him. He felt his lip trembling and tears prickle his eyes. Henry was everything to him, and now putting a face and description to the name… It was all he’d wished for for 10 years.
“Loads. He just started middle school a couple days ago. Here.” Without warning, the phone was taken from Killian’s hand, and he wouldn’t deny whimpering at the loss. He wanted to see his boy, he needed to see him.
The phone was back in his hands a moment later. “This was two weeks ago.”
He stared at his son and wife smiling at the beach, swimsuits on and sand in the background. “I love him so much.”
“Me, too.”
He continued to look at the phone until it started to shine, vibrate, and sing, and he dropped it to the ground. “What the bloody hell was that?”
“Henry’s calling,” she replied, laughing at him. She turned the phone around and Killian saw Henry’s smiling face in a square on the screen. “One second, I should take this.”
He brought his hand up to his neck and scratched behind his ear, nodding as he waited for Emma to talk.
“Hey Liam, how was school?”
Killian’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She had just said Henry was calling, he saw his picture on the screen, but she said the name Liam.
(A name he hadn’t heard in years…)
“I’ll tell you about it after,” Emma mouthed, and Killian nodded in understanding.
He didn’t really pay much attention to the rest of her conversation, his mind too clouded with his new vision of Henry and what he’s like. It wasn’t until she said, “I should be back soon – hopefully by Wednesday,” that he snapped back to her. Wednesday was only a few days away, and if she was going back to Storybrooke…
That meant he couldn’t come with. He was stuck in Arizona for the next year, and she should have known that. Before he got a chance to say anything, there was a knock at the door, and that could only mean room service was standing outside. Emma answered it and received their food for them, passing out the appropriate trays to each of them before sitting down across from him.
She picked up her phone again and swiped her finger through it until she found what she was looking for and passed him the phone. Killian forgot about how hungry he was as he looked at the newest picture she gave him. “Why’d you call him Liam?” he asked as his thumb began stroking Henry’s hair, as if he’d be able to reach in and feel the real thing for himself if he rubbed hard enough.
“He thinks that’s his name. You told us to get new identities for ourselves and to run, so I did. He’s known as Liam David Swan.”
She began eating her onion rings (some things never change) when he looked up at her again. “Swan? And, pray tell, what is your name, Emma?”
“Leia.”
“From Star Wars?” He couldn’t help the bark that came out of his mouth as he imagined her being called Leia for 10 years. She frowned slightly, chomping into her onion ring as he said, “Real original.”
“It was hard to pick a name on the spot!”
He finally put the phone down, still grinning at the idea of her panicking and choosing the name Leia. He took a fry from his plate and dipped it into his ketchup. Putting it in his mouth, he nearly melted. He hadn’t tasted such delicacies in years, and he couldn’t help the moan that came out of his mouth. “Oh, god. The food.”
“Didn’t like prison food too much?”
“After a while, I just kind of got used to it. But having this? If I weren’t already going straight for Henry, it will be to keep eating this kind of food.”
Emma giggled as she picked up a napkin from the table, wiping away the mess he most likely got on his face from shoveling food into his mouth. “I actually brought you something,” she said before moving over to the corner to get her suitcase. Moments later, she was back with an orange candy packet sporting the word “Reece’s” at the top. “Still your favorite?”
“I don’t know – haven’t had one in ten years.” It was meant as a joke, but he could feel Emma tensing up, as if something as small as not having candy in prison just hit her. He pretended not to notice the change in her body as he took a bite. “Oh yeah, still my favorite.”
Emma sat down and stuffed a whole onion ring in her mouth. Based on the years they spent together, and the ten years he had to think about it, he knew something she didn’t want to talk about was on her mind. “How was it in there?” He could tell she hated asking, yet at the same time needed to know.
Ten years of prison life flashed in his head – the friendships he made with fellow prisoners that he had no intention of keeping, the late nights spent crying on his cot, the prison guards he had to smooth talk… He would never lie – there were moments that it wasn’t terrible. He always had a hot meal available to him, something he wasn’t always sure of when he was on the outside. But there were also some bad times, when other convicts would get out of hand and he’d end up in the infirmary for a fight he didn’t even start. “At first it was tough, but it got easier over time. You?”
“It was scary in the beginning.” His heart sank, knowing that he wasn’t able to protect her. She certainly didn’t need protecting, but he it still hurt to think she was scared with a toddler, all by herself. “I was always worried Henry and I would be caught. But, after a few months, my name and face weren’t around the news anymore, and I was able to slowly integrate into society.”
Killian let out a breath. It was hard for her, but she made it through. And now, they could figure out life as a family again – he could protect them like he should. “How was it raising Henry on your own?”
“It was hard to be both a mom and dad at the same time, but I learned, and Graham helped out.” Her voice tensed, and he could see the veins at the sides of her face bulge, as if there was something she was keeping from him.
He decided to let it pass, looking back at his food. “Who’s Graham? A teacher of his?”
“No, he’s the Storybrooke sheriff… And my boyfriend.”
He dropped his food, his body sinking at the thought. “What?” In retrospect, it shouldn’t surprise him – he didn’t have a choice but to wait for her, she was free on the outside with a new identity. But the idea that she shared herself with someone in a way she should only share with him, that she let someone see her, or touch her, as only he should, that she let someone take care of her and Henry when it should have been him, nearly tore him apart.
“He’s been there for Henry, Kill. Back when he was five and six and needed a daddy for “father/son day” at school, he went with, even before we were together.” It rushed out of her mouth, as if it was completely justified… “I spent a long time waiting for you, Killian, but then Graham was there, and it sort of, just… happened. He loves Henry like a son, Killian, and he’d never hurt him, or me.”
“What did you tell them about me?” He knew it was selfish to think about himself in this moment, to pin himself against this Graham-fellow he had never met before and probably treated like the princess she was. “You did tell Henry he was going to see his dad again, didn’t you?”
And if he had any bit of sanity left in his body, it was gone the minute he saw Emma start to shake her head no. “He started asking where his daddy was when they made Father’s Day cards in preschool. I told him you died a hero as a fireman saving people from a burning building.”
The dams broke as he felt his throat choke up and his eyes water. “Why would you tell him that?” He sobbed.
“I didn’t know if we’d ever see you again! And he thought his name was Liam Swan, and how was I supposed to tell him that you weren’t going to be around if you were alive?”
“No, how were you supposed to tell him that his father was in prison for ten years. That’s why you told him I was dead, so he didn’t know his dad was a criminal.” he spat the words at her, and he didn’t mean for it to be as harsh as it came out.
“Killian…”
But her pleas had no affect on him – he was too worked up and hurt, not only from the lie she told their son, but also from thinking about her with that man. The man who shared her bed and acted as father to his son, the man who was there for her when he couldn’t be. “I have spent ten years thinking about you guys, thinking of the reunions. And never once did I believe you’d tell Henry I was dead. How am I… How am I supposed to know him now?”
She drew in a breath, and everything fell into place. “You don’t want him to know me. You don’t want him to know you lied about me.”
“I’m sorry, Killian. I really thought we’d never see each other again… I thought I was going to, to… I thought he should know his father died a hero – which you kind of did. You saved me and Henry, Killian. We changed our lives around. We’re here and alive and a family because of you.”
“No, you’re a family. I’m an ex-con who’s stuck in Arizona for the next year and now knows his son doesn’t even know he exists!” This moment, this bittersweet moment was spiraling out of control, and he hated himself for it.
She was by him in an instant. “Killian, please. If you ever want what’s best for him, you have to let us go. I wasn’t going to give these to you until tomorrow, but I guess now is as good as ever.”
She had gone over and gotten a manila folder and was holding it out to him. He grabbed it with his only hand and opened it. “Divorce papers?” He felt small as he saw her confirmation. “No.”
Emma was clearly taken aback. “No?”
“No.”
“Killian…”
“One week.”
She stared at him, and he couldn’t tell if it was frustration or irritation, or pure confusion in her eyes. “What?”
“You and Henry give me one week. If you don’t think I’m best for you guys anymore, if you don’t think I should be in your life, I’ll sign the papers. But I’m not going to do anything until our family is together for a full week.” He slapped himself, giving her an out to leave him forever after merely a week, but he had to give it a shot.
He saw her let out a breath, could see the indecisiveness behind her features.
He could see the moment she decided to give in to him. “Four days.”
Killian’s heartbeat slowed slightly. Could he do it? Could he save his family in four days.
“Fine. Four days.”
He wasn’t sleeping – hell, he wasn’t even pretending very hard. Listening her talk to her boyfriend … He couldn’t help it. He tried to breathe softly as he only heard one side of the conversation. He almost winced when she said, “Well, I ran into an old friend…”
Ha! Like he was an old friend. He was her husband, the husband she was still married to, the husband that took the blame for her and spent ten years locked up so she and her son could be free.
Yeah, old friend.
“It’s usually for kids flying back and forth for divorced parents, but it will work for him, too.”
Would that be Henry’s future? Living in Storybrooke with Emma and Graham, and flying alone to him for week long trips?
Divorced parents.
His mind was racing with self hatred, and hatred for this man he never met, when he heard her yell, “Because his father wants to meet him, okay?”
He wanted to roll over right then, to hug her for acknowledging that he was alive, to kiss her and hope that maybe, just maybe, admitting this was the first step in becoming a family again.
Instead, he stayed on his side of the bed, facing towards the window, and pretending to sleep.
“It’s not up to you, Graham. He’s my son, and I want him to meet his father. You’re not his dad – you don’t get to make these kinds of decisions about him.”
Another small victory – Emma had defended Graham all day long, saying he was the perfect father figure for Henry, just admitted not only was he, Killian, Henry’s father, but that Graham, indeed, was not.
His mind was racing before he heard her say, “Is he busy right now? Can I talk to him?” Her voice was shaky, and he wanted, needed, to comfort her. He turned over, trying to decide the best way to give her the support she needed.
She held the phone away from her ear. “Want me to put it on speaker so you can hear his voice? You’ll have to be quiet, though.”
His heart beat fast, realizing he was going to hear his son talk for the first time ever. The babbles as a child don’t count – he was on the verge of being a teenager, his voice was going to be significantly deeper… He nodded, pretending to zip his lips to lighten the hard conversation she must be having with… Graham.
“Hello? Mom?”
It was the best sound he’s ever heard.
He sounded like Liam, his brother Liam, back when he was a preteen. It was sort of fitting, thinking about the name Emma chose for him and the man he was named after.
“Hey, kid.” Emma was looking at him, smiling. “How was your first day without me?”
“Long, but Graham let Avery come over for a sleepover, so that’s pretty cool.” Killian hated hearing Graham’s name come out of his mouth. No, Henry never knew Killian, but at the same time, he couldn’t help feeling like Graham’s name should never grace his son’s lips.
“That’s not fair! Graham said we could go to Granny’s for breakfast!” Henry whined, and a smile crept upon his face again. He knew what his son sounded like, he knew what his son looked like…
And in less than 24 hours, he would know what it felt like to hug him again.
Killian didn’t listen to the rest of the conversation – didn’t focus on what they were saying. All he cared about was listening to the sweet tone of his lover’s voice, and the sound of his son’s voice after 10 long years.
He winced when the words “I love you too, Graham. I’ll see you when Liam and I get back, okay?” Came out of her mouth.
“Graham seems nice,” he said as Emma turned back to him. He knew it was petty and snide, but he couldn’t help it.
“Killian…”
“No, I get it. I was in prison for ten years. Why did I think you’d keep a promise from when he were just kids?” The burning came back to his throat.
He felt her hand grab his hand. “I have no doubt that we’d still be together if you never got sent away.”
Killian tried to smile, although he knew it was a failed attempt. “Yeah, well… Life’s a bitch.”
“It sure it.” She agreed.
They were silent for a moment until Killian asked, “Are you tired?” and sitting up in the bed next to her. “It’s been a long day for you, and that sounded like a pretty draining conversation.”
“A bit.”
Killian leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on the crown of her forehead, knowing it was slightly bold of him, yet unable to control it. She didn’t shy away from it, nor did she lean into it, like she used to. “I’ll change and take the couch – you should be on the bed.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “You’ve slept on a cot for ten years. I think it’s about time you sleep in a bed. I can take the couch.”
“But I’m used to it, and you’re tired and the one paying for this.”
Emma bit her lip, something he hadn’t necessarily forgotten about, but he hadn’t quite remembered how much it made his heart beat, either. “We’re… both adults. We can share.”
Ten years ago, he would have made some sort of innuendo. But, with the fragile state they were in, he knew it wouldn’t be wise to make a crack at something.
“You still sleep on the left side?” he joked, putting on his most charming smile.
Emma returned it with her own smile. “I do.”
Killian hadn’t slept a wink since they went to “bed” a few hours ago. He turned over to look at the digital clock.
2:03 AM.
His cellmate in prison, a young lad named Will Scarlet, used to shift on the top bunk and shake his cot, and he was able to sleep through it. And peacefully, at that.
Emma slept like an angel.
Why couldn’t he sleep, now that he was on a soft bed with the woman he loved?
He wanted to reach over, to wrap his arm around her and cocoon her like he used to all those years ago. If he could just scoot to the left slightly, bury his face in her hair and hold on to her warmth, he was positive he’d be able to fall asleep.
But she would push him away if he even tried – he knew it. So instead, he turned to his side to watch her sleep, trying his best to ignore the pang in his heart. How could she not see they were good together? How could she just ignore everything they had and everything they wanted to be?
It was truly heartbreaking to think he only had four days not to only win her back, but also be with their son. What if Henry didn’t like him? What if Henry didn’t trust him, being an ex-con?
He rolled slightly to lie on his back, placing his hand and stump on his stomach. Thoughts were running a mile a minute in his brain, and he did everything in his power to turn them off.
Throwing caution to the wind, he reached his hand down and slid next to Emma’s hand, the gentlest touch that wouldn’t wake a sleeping baby. It may not have been the physical contact he wanted (or needed), but the simple feeling of the back of her hand resting upon his own was just enough for him to fall into a light sleep.
---
An annoying tune sounded in the air, jolting Killian awake, along with the woman he was still holding hands with. “What the bloody hell is that?” he asked, his heart beating fast at the song.
He didn’t realize he had gripped Emma’s hand in his fear, and it was only when he saw Emma staring at their hands did Killian release it and push himself away.
“Killian…”
“I was just scared, Swan, that’s all.”
Emma stared at him for a second before nodding and sliding out of bed. “I’m going to go take a shower and then I’ll go pick up Henry from the airport.”
“Can I come with?” Emma stopped in her tracks before turning to him, a single eyebrow raised. “To the airport, I meant. Although, I wouldn’t say no…”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head, walking further towards her suitcase, digging through it for a new outfit. Finding what she needed, she stood up and looked at him. “I think I should pick him up on my own instead of bombarding him with you as soon as he gets here.”
He bit his tongue as he ignored the urge to insist coming with.
She left for the bathroom as he went out on the patio, sliding the door open and closed and walking over to the balcony. The sun was already up and shining, and he could really get a good look at the view from their hotel room.
It was a beautiful place – much nicer than any hotel they stayed in when they were together. It must have cost her a fortune. It made him feel good, not that she was willing to spend so much on him, but that she had enough money that she could spend so much on him.
It was a promise that Henry and she didn’t have to live paycheck to paycheck once he was locked up – something he thought about quite often in prison. Knowing she could afford something so grand helped put his mind at ease for all those sleepless nights, knowing that they did okay for themselves.
The sliding of the glass jolted him from his thoughts as he turned to see his visitor. “Okay, so I’m going to pick him up at the airport, then we’ll meet you here back at the hotel and we’ll all go out for ice cream, okay?”
Killian’s heart began beating quickly and he could actually feel his face morphing into a smile. “I can’t wait. I really can’t wait.”
“Calm down—I can’t have two excited puppies. Henry’s going to be excited to be on vacation enough already without you riling him up.”
Killian started laughing, knowing that he would most likely do that exact thing. “I’ve just been dreaming of this moment for so long.” The moment he would see Henry (and Emma) again kept him going in even the darkest nights of prison life.
“You do know I’m going to introduce him as Liam, right? I know his name is Henry and that’s what we’ve been calling him for the past 24 hours, but he’s spent ten years being called Liam. We’re already going to be changing his life forever with you still being alive. Let’s take things one step at a time.”
He surrendered, raising his hands and dipping his head towards her. “Okay, okay. I’ll call him Liam, for now.”
“And I’m Leia.” Killian rolled his eyes, hating to agree to call her the alias she’s been living under. “I’ll be back in an hour.
“Bye, Emma.” He said the words, knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to call her the sweet name she was given for at least four days.
“Bye, Killian.”
She gave a quick wave before she left the hotel room. It wasn’t until the door shut that his heart beat, trying to figure out what he should do to prove to Emma that they should still be a family – that hope is not lost on them.
Emma gave a brief synopsis of what Henry was like, but he didn’t know him at all. He was a young man now, and Killian had left when he was merely a toddler. He had no idea how he should act or be around him.
Killian paced the hotel room for a few minutes before taking a shower; he went to the fridge and had some water… He went outside to stare at the sunrise, his toe tapping the entire time.
He even tried to take a nap, hoping that his lack of sleep would be enough to calm his mind. Nothing worked as he waited and waited for Emma and Henry to return. He opened the dresser and found two books – a bible and Huckleberry Finn – and decided to mindlessly read until they got back.
Taking Huckleberry Finn, he opened to the beginning and began to read. He read a lot in prison – there was a tiny library with a few books, and he often chose to read over playing cards or going to the yard. It helped him escape from where he was, going on tales across realms. It always saddened him when he ended a book, when reality hit down on him and he realized that he was not in Wonderland, but actually in Arizona’s Minimum Security State Penitentiary.
His eyes glided over the words, nothing sinking in despite the relaxing feeling of having a book in his hands. It wasn’t until he heard the rolling of a suitcase and the chatter of a young boy and his mother that his heart rate sped up.
Hearing the key card slip into the lock…
Hearing the beep signifying that the door unlocked…
Hearing the slight creak of the door as it opened…
His head shot up, the adventures of Finn long forgotten as he look at his son, in flesh, for the first time in years. His eyes began to water, and he had a hard time swallowing. “Swan, he’s beautiful.” He threw the book on the bed as he ran over to the two people who meant most to him in the world. He couldn’t handle it anymore, he reached forward and brought Henry into a hug – one that he knew was a bit overdramatic, but he couldn’t bring himself to let Henry go. “I’ve missed you so much, lad.”
He could feel Henry’s sense of stranger danger kick in, but seeing the confirmation Emma gave him, he finally put him arm around him. “Uh, you, too. Have we met?”
His heart tugged, realizing he was a stranger to this boy. Reluctantly, Killian pulled back, wiping away the tears he had let slip. “A long, long time ago, back when you lived here.”
Emma stepped in. “Liam, this is Killian. Killian, Liam.” Henry continued to look at Killian with hesitation. “Ice cream! Killian, are you in a state that you could come with us for ice cream?”
Killian smiled, willing himself to not cry anymore. “I’m not leaving your sides for the next four days, Swan.” He gave himself another look at Henry before grabbing his jacket from the bed.
He saw Henry whisper to Emma, and heard Emma reply, “We’ll talk about it at the ice cream shop.”
“Ow!” Killian whimpered when Emma kicked him underneath the table.
“Killian, you’re creeping him out.”
“Okay, will someone tell me who he is and why he’s so excited to see me?” Henry sat up in his chair, clearly fed up with being left in the dark.
Emma turned to Killian, fear in her eyes. All he wanted to do was reach out and grasp her hand, like he did so many times ten years ago, and give her the strength she needed to tell him. But he kept to himself, knowing that pushing her wasn’t going to do any good. “Um… He’s, uh… Kill?”
His heart started pounding as he stared at her, hating that this moment has come to this. Finally, he looked back at their son, ready to drop the bomb. “Hen—Liam, I’m your father.”
Killian hadn’t known what to expect. In his darkest times, Killian would imagine Henry would have been ecstatic and ran into his arms, but he knew that that was merely a dream as soon as he saw Henry shaking his head. “No, my father’s dead. He died, trying to save people from a burning building. That’s what you told me, that he was a hero.”
Killian could tell Henry was panicking as he tried to understand not only that his father was alive, but also that his mother lied about it. “He was, is, Liam. It’s just, I wasn’t exactly telling the truth.” Emma took a breath before continuing. “You see, Killian had to go away for a while, and we couldn’t be together anymore. And, I didn’t know if we’d ever meet each other again, so I thought… He really is a hero, Liam. He saved us when you were just a baby.”
The table shook as Henry jumped from his spot, throwing down his spoon and yelling “You’re lying!” as he ran into the boys’ bathroom.
Emma sank in her chair, putting a hand over her forehead. “Well, that could have gone better.”
Killian stood up and began pushing in his chair. “How did you think this was going to go? He thought his dad was dead his whole life.” He tried not to blame her, but seeing his son walk away with such pain was making it difficult.
“Where are you going?”
His body sank as he began walking towards the bathrooms. “To go talk to my son. I’ve waited for this moment for ten years, I’m not going to waste any more time.”
If Emma were going to reply, Killian wouldn’t have known as he followed the path Henry just took. His own son, devastated to learn that he was alive was killing him almost as much as finding out Emma told Henry he was dead in the first place. He knew it was probably more of a shock to him than anything else, but it still tore at his heart.
As he pushed open the door, he noticed the boy standing in front of the mirror, trying to use a napkin to stop his tears. “Stop it, Liam, you’re being stupid.” He muttered to himself. “Just stop crying! You’re being a big baby!”
“It’s okay to be emotional.” He watched Henry jump in his place and turn around, eyes widening as he realized Killian had walked in and was watching him cry. As he opened his mouth to talk, Killian held up his only hand to silence him, taking two steps closer. “It means you have a big heart. It’s a sign of strength.”
“That’s not what the other kids at school would say. They’d say I’m being a crybaby.”
Killian smiled as he walked closer. “Good thing that the other kids at school are almost 3,000 miles away and will never know about this, then.”
Henry let out a breath as he threw the napkin in the garbage, his eyes never leaving Killian. “So… You’re my dad.”
“Aye.”
“I’m Liam.”
Henry.
“It’s nice to meet you, Liam. Sorry I took so long.”
“It’s okay.”
But it wasn’t okay. Killian didn’t know how to do this – he was able to change Henry’s diapers one-handed ten years ago, but now? He missed out on all the long talks and advice Henry would have needed from a father growing up. “No, it’s really not.”
Henry shrugged. “It’s not like you lied to me.”
“Let’s not blame your mother for this.”
“Why not?”
“I’d rather us not focus on that as we try to get to know each other. Is there anything you want to ask me?”
Henry turned back towards the mirror and grabbed another napkin, wetting it and trying to wipe his face. “Were you ever a fireman?”
Killian forced himself to keep smiling, despite the turn the conversation suddenly took. “No. I was more of an… Entrepreneur, of sorts.”
Henry nodded his head, throwing out the napkin and swiveling towards him again. “Did you even know about me?”
Killian was in front of him in two steps, placing both of his hands, including the artificial one, on his shoulders. “I helped your mother raise you for two years before we were separated, and I haven’t thought of anyone else since.”
Henry nodded again, looking straight into his eyes. “Do you have a new family?”
“The only family I’ve ever had, and want, is you and your mother.” It was the truth, and he needed Henry to know that.
“Are you getting back together with my mom?”
Killian’s features dropped as he lifted his hands from his shoulders. He really didn’t know how to answer that question – obviously, being a family with Emma and Henry was all he’s ever dreamed about, but he couldn’t force Emma to be with him. “Whatever we become, it’s up to her as much as me.”
Henry seemed to accept this answer as he continued to drill him. “Why didn’t you come to Storybrooke with mom and me ten years ago?”
“I was in a tough situation and couldn’t leave, but it was much safer if you and your mother went. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever been though, being away from you, two.”
“Are you coming back to Storybrooke with us when we leave?”
“No. Someday, maybe, but not yet.”
Henry’s shoulders slumped, but continued on. “Why did you let mom tell me you were dead?”
“Honestly, it’s been just as much as a shock to me that she told you that as this whole situation must feel to you. But, your mother was just trying to protect you from pain. Although I had hopes we’d meet again, she wasn’t as sure.”
Henry seemed to think about Killian’s answer for a moment. “What do you like to do?” The change in topic threw Killian off, but he grasp onto it with his life as he tried to reconnect to Henry.
“I used to sail a lot – even took you and your mother out on the ocean as a babe. Do you go anymore?”
Henry shook his head. “No. My mom’s never taken me.”
“If your mother’s okay with it, we can go while you’re here?”
The sides of Henry’s mouth finally twitched, not quite reaching a smile, but he was starting to crack. “Absolutely.”
“Will you answer a question for me?” Henry waited for whatever Killian wanted to know. “Can you be the mature young man your mother has bragged about when we go back out there? Or do you need some more time in here?”
“Mom’s bragged about me?”
Killian smiled, placing a hand on Henry’s shoulder as he guided the pair of them towards the door. “There’s little else she’s done. She’s so proud of you, and how could she not?”
He took a deep breath before nodding. “Yeah, yeah we can go back out there.” Henry grinned as he let Killian lead him back out towards Emma and their table.
“All better?” She asked, sitting up straight as they walked towards her. Emma’s voice was strained, as if she was worried they wouldn’t come out again.
He felt Henry tense under his arm and saw his face drop as he looked back up at him. “Yeah, it’s kind of cool to find out you had a dad after thinking you didn’t.”
Emma let out a breath and smiled. “I’m glad you’re getting along.”
“We’re just going to have to make up for lost time.” He nodded towards Henry as he took his seat, taking his own after.
Henry agreed, taking a huge scoop of ice cream. “Killian said we used to go sailing when I was a kid? And he said, if it’s okay with you, the three of us could go this week.”
“Yeah… Yeah, we could do that. We’ll have to find a rental place and maybe then we go out tomorrow, or something.” Killian felt his face redden, realizing Emma said that because they used to hijack boats to go sailing. His hand went to the back of his neck and began rubbing.
Killian cleared his throat. “What do you guys want to do tonight?”
Henry took another scoop, putting on a thinking face. “Well, what’s there to do in Arizona? You know, besides it being super hot?”
“There’s a lot to do, boy. But first, I think we should go back to the hotel and get to know each other. Sound like a plan?”
Henry shook his head enthusiastically. “Come on, let’s go!”
He nearly jumped out of the seat, grabbing Killian’s hand and rushing towards the door. Killian heard a nervous laugh coming from Emma as she followed them out the door. “I call shotgun!” Henry yelled, running to the passenger door. “Killian, wanna drive?”
Killian’s throat seized up. He hadn’t driven in over ten years. His driver’s license was well over-due, and he wasn’t even sure if he could figure out the new contraption that Emma had rented. It was a significant upgrade to the janky yellow Bug they shared, so he reluctantly shook his head. “Sorry, lad, but I’m going to let your mother take this one.” He started to head towards the seat behind Henry when Emma’s voice came from behind him.
“Liam, let Killian have the front seat. He’s an adult!”
“And I’m a growing kid. I need room, too.”
He slowly saw Emma’s frown turn into a knowing grin as she looked at Killian. “This okay with you?”
Killian reached for the door and opened the back seat. “He did call shotgun.”
Killian stood up, messing up Henry’s hair with his hand as his son read from his book. He walked over to Emma and sat down next to her. “He’s better than I imagined. You did well, love.” He punched her shoulder in a jesting gesture, and Emma gave a longing look at their boy.
“Thanks, but I can’t take the credit. That’s all him.” Her smile saddened as she continued to look at Henry. “He seems to have taken to you well, you know, after the initial meeting.”
Killian straightened on the bed, slightly proud that he was able to connect to Henry so easily. “I see a lot of myself in him, besides the whole criminal thing.”
“Did you tell him?” Emma interrupted, pausing his own train of thought.
It wasn’t necessarily that he was ashamed that he went to prison – he would sacrifice himself again and again if it meant Emma and Henry would be safe. But, he also didn’t want Henry’s first impression of him to be so low. “Not yet… Don’t know how to, really.”
Emma nodded, still looking at Henry as if trying to memorize his face, despite knowing him his whole life. “I can’t believe he’s actually meeting you.” She finally turned back to Killian with a slight glaze over her eyes.
“Me neither. It’s a dream come true.” He was still staring at Henry when he mentioned, a few seconds later, “I want you and Henry to take the bed. I am fine with the couch. Is that alright, love?”
“What?” Emma shook her head, a confused look on her face.
“I was just saying that you and Henry could take the bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.” Emma’s eyes began to water, and panic mode suddenly set in, trying to think of what he said to upset her. “You okay there, Emma?”
She nodded her head while standing. “Just a little tired.” Taking only a few steps towards Henry, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re bunking with me, kid. I’m calling it a night, though, so I’ll be in bed if you need me.”
Henry didn’t even bat an eye as he shrugged her off, saying, “Okay, okay.”
The sad smile was back as she walked back to Killian. “He had a long day. Make sure he doesn’t stay up too late tonight, okay?”
“Absolutely. Goodnight.” He wanted to lean in, give her a quick peck on the lips as a promise that a new day comes new hope, but instead, he sat where he was.
“Goodnight.”