You Could Have Stayed

Chapter 6

Killian hadn't even realized that he wanted a son until now. The rare times he let himself dream of having a family always involved a daughter so his villainous and betraying genes wouldn't carry over. But he had change so much since meeting Emma and it only hit him now.
He imagined himself with a family for the first time in nearly a hundred years when he first met Emma. She had tied him up and threatened his life but he could see a future with her and the kiss in Neverland had sent him head over heels in love with her. Everything after that was just adding to how he practically worshipped Emma. That was one of the first reasons he was drawn to her, along with her spirit, her bravery and her tendency to put everybody else before herself.
Now here she was, as perfect as ever and she was willing to give him the family he didn't even know he craved until he had her.
How could he be so stupid?! He hurled the empty rum bottle against the wall to shatter and ran his hands through his unkempt hair. He blew it. She had let down her walls for him, taken off her armor and given her heart to him entirely and here he was, not with her.
He would never forgive himself so he didn't expect Emma to. He threw the phone onto the couch before sitting down hard beside it and holding his head in his hands. He was a bloody idiot. Just because he was scared didn't give him the right to run out on his family.
Realization dawned on him. He was exactly like his father. Almost exactly, he left behind both of his children because he was afraid. Except these children weren't even born yet and he wasn't running from the law, just his own responsibilities. This was exactly what he thought would happen when Emma told him she was pregnant. And he let it happen.
He could hear what his brother would say now. "You've fucked it all up little brother. Emma is a wonderful woman, she doesn't deserve this. Don't do to your children what father did to us." And Liam would be right. He had to make up with Emma, attempt to come back if she would have him.
But right now he didn't think Emma would hear him out. Those last three words from her message cut him deep. If you care. He did, he cared deeply about his children and his Swan. Now he just needed to try and get her to forgive him.
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The few days later, Emma was woken up by the doorbell ringing. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes she let herself have a few seconds of hope that is was Killian but quickly crushed it like she always did. She wrapped herself in a bathrobe and walked downstairs, whoever decided it was a good idea to wake her up at 6am on her day off could deal with her wrath and bed head.
"What do you-" Emma stopped and blinked. "Dad. What are you doing here?"
"Well Geppetto called me and told me the cribs were ready. I went to pick them up while your mother went to get us some breakfast. I figured you would need some help setting them up." He smiled and gestured to the parts of the cribs Emma could now see in the bed of his truck, poking out from under a tarp.
"Yeah. I guess I do. Thanks dad." Emma smiled sadly and walked into the house, leaving the door open for him to come in.
"I called Regina too, she is dropping Henry off to help in a few minutes." David informed her, bringing in a large box that he took from inside the truck. He went back outside and grabbed another, identical box and placed it next to the first. Both of them were expertly wrapped in white paper patterned like lace with a big silver bows on top.
"And what are those?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow as she filled a cup with cold water in attempt to wake herself up, she had stopped drinking coffee since she found out she was pregnant.
"Well your mother wants these to be presents for-" he started but was interrupted by Mary Margret and Henry coming through the door holding drink holders and boxes of donuts.
"Yes they are presents so you can't open them yet. Let me put these down." Snow smiled at Emma and placed the donuts on the table as Henry put the drinks next to them.
"Good morning mom. It's hot chocolate by the way. With cinnamon of course." He smiled.
"You guys are lifesavers." Emma sighed as she took a big sip from her hot chocolate.
"Oh baby," Snow said sadly as she pulled Emma into a hug.
"You know I am going to kill that pirate when I see him?" David asked, completely serious.
"I don't doubt that. I might just do that myself. Let's just get these cribs together and these donuts down." Emma hid the shaking of her hands by clutching her cup tighter.
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4 hours later the cribs were together and the family was sitting at the kitchen table, finishing off the last of the donuts. The cribs were beautiful. The one for their boy was a perfect recreation of Emma's from the enchanted forest while the one for their girl was very similar, shades of purple instead of blue. Emma's baby blanket was nicely folded inside of that one. She had gotten permission from her parents to remove her name from it though, planning to stitch the baby's name into it later on.
"Hey mom, you're going to have to knit another blanket for the other one." Emma smiled, the happy atmosphere was lifting her spirits.
"Of course I will. Do you have names for them yet?" Snow was trying to be casual but Emma knew she was dying to find out their names.
"Yes but so think I am going to pull a you and dad and not tell anybody until they are born." Emma winked as her mother deflated a little and made and annoyed noise.
"Fine. I just thought it would be nice to tell everybody their names at the shower but if you prefer it this way, I will live with that. That's what those boxes are for, they are your presents from us. We will bring more at the actual party."
The shower was only a week away, March 10th. She expected nearly the whole town to be there. There was no way that Killian hadn't at least heard of it, maybe he would finally make an appearance. But Emma doubted it.