Captain Swan One-Shots

Second Chance, Part 11b

When she pulled the door open, she smiled and greeted, "Hey, Ariel and Eric. I'm glad you guys could make it."

"We are, too," Ariel told her with a bright smile as she pushed her red hair off her shoulder. From behind her, Eric wore a confused expression.

"Belle's already opening presents?"

Ariel placed a hand on his arm as she explained, "I told you that she likes to open them so that she's able to properly thank everyone."

"Oh, that's right," Eric recalled. He then kissed his fiancée's head.

Emma then ushered them inside as she added, "And it somehow makes it even more enjoyable - which Belle probably does on purpose."

"You know I can hear you," the brunette chimed in with crossed arms and feigned annoyance.

Emma only shook her head - she then spied the present in her friend's lap. She gestured toward it and surmised, "I told you that you could open that."

"I wanted to wait for you," Belle told her. The blonde couldn't help but smile before the brunette turned to Ariel.

"And I'm so glad you and Eric could come." She then rose from the couch and wrapped her in a hug.

"Of course! We wouldn't have missed it," Ariel told her while still embraced. When they pulled back, the red-head spoke, "And happy birthday."

"Thank you," Belle began with a smile. Eric then chimed in: "Happy birthday, Belle."

He then handed her a present and spoke, "This is from both of us."

Belle smiled once more before she took the present and placed it among the others.

As Eric and Ariel sat in the nearby armchair, Killian mentioned, "Sis, you may want to open Swan's present before she combusts."

Emma elbowed him while their family and friends grinned and chuckled. Belle only smiled and shook her head before she grabbed her best friend's present once more.

She tore open the paper - as well as the small cardboard box. She gasped as she pulled out the rose teapot.

"Oh, Emma, it's exquisite. I absolutely love it," Belle admired as she ran her fingers along the roses. She then tilted her head and observed, "This matches my mother's teacups."

"Yeah, it does. That's why I got it," Emma spoke with a smile.

Belle continued to admire the teapot for a few moments before she gingerly placed it back inside the box.

She then turned to Emma and wrapped her in a hug. When they pulled away, Brennan commented, "Colette had a fondness for tea - it seemed as though she passed it on to you."

He then offered his daughter a smile, and she returned it. Ariel tilted her head and spoke, "Oh! You must be Belle's father."

As an afterthought, the red-head then added, "And, uh, Killian's, of course. Because he's her brother, uh, that is half-brother."

Killian and Belle couldn't help but grin while their father looked on curiously. The former then offered, "We may only share a father, but we don't necessarily see it like that."

With a nod, Belle supplied, "We're just brother and sister. Despite only knowing each other a year, it's almost as if we did grow up together."

"Of course," Ariel began with a wave of her hand. She then rested her chin in her hand and continued, "It's just that I've known Belle for a while now, and it's still a bit odd to think about her having a brother - and a father."