We Can Love Again

Good Memories

They were plopped on the couch, all six of them; a savior, a pirate, a princess, a knight, a believer, and an outlaw's son (with his puppy), all in a tight squeezed row on the apartment's largest sofa, all watching a Disney movie. It was a rather strange one to Roland- the movie was about cars that talked to one another. He had been living in Storybrooke for almost four months, and he was fairly certain cars couldn't talk. The boy figured he would ask his mother about it later.

Both he and his brother were happy their parents had let them stay over at the apartment for the night. The place was still extremely messy from the get together earlier that day, as well as smelling like turkey, but they didn't mind. Snow thought about inviting Robin and Regina over too, but she figured they could use some alone time. Besides, she wanted to spend more quality time with her grandkids.

"Do you miss not having a hand?" The child asked out of the blue, nudging Killian to gain his attention. The man was so focused on the movie he almost didn't hear him.

"What, you mean this?" He held out his hook in front of his face, its metal shining against the light overhead. "Sometimes I miss having my hand, but I'm used to it. Do you know what this hook can be used for?"

Killian put on his best evil look and brought the hook close to the boys face as he shook his head.

"Scaring people, that's what." He smiled slyly, causing Emma to give him a sideways look.

"Please tell me you're not ranting about the hook again." She rolled her eyes, pushing his head with her hand playfully before turning back to the movie.

"I don't think you're scary," Roland giggled, running his finger down the curve of the hook, all the way down to the sharp point. If only he knew how many people he had murdered with that piece of metal.

"But what happened to your hand?" Roland continued innocently, too bored with the movie to keep on watching it.

He watched the pirate take a deep breath. "Well, someone cut it off."

With eyes widening into huge brown orbs, he silently beckoned him to continue.

"It was quite some time ago. A... Foe of mine, or rather, former foe of mine cut it off. Never had one since." Killian finished, "but I have one hand at least. That's more than enough for me."

He ruffled the boy's hair to prove it. "Besides, between you and me, I think Swan rather enjoys the hook."

"Heard that," Emma muttered quickly in response.

David leaned forward and gave them all a stern look. "If you all don't get quiet soon, we'll miss the entire movie."

That shushed them all fairly quickly. Emma rested her head on his shoulder.

"Sorry dad."

Roland handed Jupiter (who had fallen asleep at least an hour prior to the movie) over to Henry, laying her on his lap so the boy could climb onto Snow's lap. He rested his head comfortably under her chin, and she wrapped her arms around his small body.

He was passed out cold by the time the movie ended. It was almost ten at night; pretty much everyone in the room were fighting to keep their eyes open. It had been a long day.

"I better get home, work starts at seven tomorrow," Killian told Emma, leaning down to give her a quick kiss.

The blonde smiled tiredly up at him. "Drive save. I guess I'll... See you tomorrow?"

"Hopefully," he replied, "have a good sleep lad."

"See you Killian." Henry yawned, watching him leave for the door.

"Let's get you to bed kid," Emma said, "it's late. Your mom said she had another doctor's appointment to go to tomorrow."

Her son glanced over towards Roland, who was sleeping peacefully on his grandmother's lap.

"Okay. I'll get ready for bed. Do you want me to help you guys with him?"

Snow shook her head gently. "I got him. Guess he'll have to sleep with us again."

They only had two beds in their apartment; one for Emma and one for Snow and Charming. When Henry stayed over, he had to sleep on the couch. But he was used to it, because that's exactly where the boy had slept in his first few weeks in Robin's- their- cottage house.

"Here, I'll take him for you." David proposed, reaching his arms out towards his wife. She quickly rejected his help.

"It'll only wake him," Snow pressed, "he's light anyways."

Roland was soon sandwiched firmly between Snow and Charming, Jupiter was originally placed on the floor beside the bed, but she nussled her way into what little space she could find.

On the other hand, Henry was banished to the lumpy old couch. It was uncomfortable and small, but it was all he had. Despite being used to it after all the times he had stayed over, Henry just couldn't sleep. He tried for what seemed like hours.

Something just wouldn't leave his mind alone to rest; he wasn't quite sure what it was. Everything was normal- for once in his life. Regina was his mother, and wasn't (and hopefully never would again) on the Charming's bad side, Robin was his father, and Roland was his brother. And then, there was Neal. Henry then knew exactly what was troubling him.

The apartment was so quiet, he could probably hear a pin drop. It was pitch black too, which left the twelve year old staring up into nothingness. Peeling off the blankets from his body, he placed his bare feet against the cold floor and started off, as silently as he could, towards his mother's bedroom.

When he got there, Henry could only faintly see the bed in front of him. He blindly crawled onto the bed and snuggled under the covers adjacent to Emma, who was slowly stirring.

"Mom," Henry whispered, nudging her shoulder slightly. Naturally, the blonde's response was an irritated groan.

"What do you want?" She mumbled, her voice only half audible, "you're too old to want to get scared of nightmares."

"I'm not scared, I just... Want to talk to you."

Emma opened her eyes to see her son peering over her, with his wide eyes and small face. "Can't it wait till morning? I'm tired. Like, really tired."

He shook his head. "I just... Was thinking about Neal..."

That resulted in a long, drawn out groan from the blonde. "Henry, you're going to make my head explode by talking about it-"

"I know. But... Roland's party... Neal is really jealous of Hook. He's sad Mom. I know you have feelings for Killian, and I respect that, but he's still my dad. I don't want to see him sad."

He knew be hated talking about it, but he needed to say it.

"Henry... I know he's been upset. But I'm not getting back together with him. I can't ever do that. I'm sorry."

"I know that. Maybe we could... Find someone for him? I don't know... Maybe that would make him happy."

Thankfully, Emma laughed. "Yeah, maybe it would. If you can find someone, have at it. We're still really good friends though Henry, that will never change. He loves you very, very much."

Henry smiled a warm and prideful smile. He knew right then he would make it a mission to find someone for his dad. Seeing how happy his mother and Killian were, his other mother and Robin... He knew that was what true love looked like. It could change even the blackest of souls; the most stubborn of people.

The good memories traveled through his mind as he laid his head down and closed his eyes.