Captain Swan Fly Away

One Step Closer

After the family got off their flight, they got their luggage and took a long two-hour car ride to the town of Messina, Sicily, Italy, where they were staying in. Ted drove the family to the hotel, Emma was sleeping on Killian while Hope was sleeping after their rough flight. Allison was sleeping next to Connor. When they arrived at the hotel, they unloaded the car and checked in. After they got organized, the babies were still asleep. Emma placed Hope in the hotel crib. "Love, Ted and I can get dinner for us.""That will be great, I am starving." They kiss. Emma relaxed in bed as Allison carried in sleeping Connor and joined her sister on her bed. "Are you nervous about tomorrow?""With Hope not letting me get any sleep on the plane and jetlag, I can probably sleep good tonight before meeting her I am going to be nervous tomorrow...what we find out.""No matter what we find out, we are together.""Yes. She is going to have a lot of questions from us tomorrow. I have a feeling you are excited.""Yes, I am. I can be excited for the both of us.""Killian has been the only person in my life that I have not run away from always something bad or good change happens, I would runaway it was something I always I did. When I met Killian, he proved to me that I can have a happy and normal life and stop running..." She looks at Hope. "Now tomorrow facing my past to the one who gave me up at birth, I do not know what will happen tomorrow, whether I run or stay.""You are not alone, Emma. You have Killian, Hope and I to make sure that you face your past not alone."Emma hugs her sister. "I am happy that I am not alone anymore.""You will never be alone. You have your family with you." They hug. Hope wakes up from her nap babbling. "Hope." Emma gets Hope from her crib. "Did you have a good nap?" Hope hugged her Mommy. "We are off the airplane and in our hotel in Italy. Are you excited about meeting your grandma, my biological Mom with me tomorrow?" Hope babbled. "Yes, I told you that you were going to be with me when I find my Mommy." Hope babbles and pats her Mommy's face. "Yes, Hope. I will always be there for you. I am your Mommy" She hugs her daughter. "M--m--m..""M-mommy... Mommy.""Emma, she is getting close to her first word.""Yes, I cannot wait to hear her first word!" Connor wakes up. "Hi, Connor. We are in Italy." He began to cry. "Little man, Mommy, Daddy, Hope, Auntie Emma, and Uncle Killian are here with you. I know you and Hope are confused where we are but it is a new country for a little while." Allison gets a few toys from her room and Connor's blankie. "Connor, look at what Mommy has."Allison kneels to her son who grabs his blankie, which made him stop crying. "I thought these two can play." Connor babbles. "Yes, Mommy brought your toys from New York." Hope did tummy time while Connor babbled to her and crawled around. Emma turned on Disney Junior, to Mickey Clubhouse, which both babies both enjoyed. After dinner, they all went to bed. Emma was snuggling with Hope wrapped in Killian's arms wondering what will happen tomorrow and what she will find out when she meets her mother for the first time. Killian knew his swan was awake. "Emma. I know that you are awake, love.""I just keep thinking about what I am going to find out tomorrow. Facing my past...you know me I am a runner. Am I going to run tomorrow? Or face what my biological Mom tells me...""You are not running because I am going to be with you the whole way at your side love. Our little Hope will be with you too in her carrier. I have a feeling Hope just wants to be with her Mommy the whole time we travel."Emma smiles. "You are right. I just do not want to be rejected again by the very first person who rejected me, my mother.""Love, there must be a reason. I know you will learn about it tomorrow.""Also, why I got stuck in the system when Allison got adopted? We missed out so much in our lives. We could have been close our whole lives together if I was adopted in her family." She hugs her daughter. "Emma, I know it was bloody awful that you have a sister out in the world somewhere when you were alone, that is bloody awful and unfair. Her parents knew of you and did not tell Allison about you or her adoption. It is awful, love. I know you are going to get your answers tomorrow when we meet your biological mom together.""I am doing this for Hope and for myself. I need to know my past. Hope needs to know where she comes from too.""Aye, you are going to find out tomorrow with Hope and me right next to you and Allison the whole way.""I am nervous.""I know, that is why you are not sleeping. You can snuggle with Hope and I. We are not going anywhere." He holds his wife in his arms."Please stay with me tomorrow.""I always will, Emma. I am not leaving you." He kisses her on her blonde head as she fell asleep in his arms. "Your family is not going to leave you, Emma, never." In the morning, Killian wakes up with his matching blue eyes in front of his face, which made him smile. "Good morning, little love." Hope babbles. Killian gets Hope from his wife. "Hope, we have to let Mommy sleep more, little love. Let's get you dressed for the day." Killian changes Hope's diaper and into a new outfit. "Are you excited to meet your grandma?" Hope babbles. "Aye, I know you are excited. Your Mommy is nervous. It is up to us to make her stay calm." Hope babbles and kicks her legs. "That is right, Hope. We are staying with Mommy." Killian heats a bottle of Emma's breast milk in the microwave to feed his little lass, which Hope took. As Killian was burping Hope, the door opens, Connor crawling into the room. "Hope, Connor is here to play with you. After you are burped." He sets Hope on the ground and puts toys near the babies. "Hi, little lad. Are you here to play with Hope?" Connor babbles loudly. Hope babbles back. Allison enters the room. "There you are Connor, I turn away for a second and you sneak in here to play with Hope." She kisses Connor on the head. Hope babbles. "Yes, little niece Connor snuck in here to play with his favorite cousin, which is you." She bops Hope's nose, which made Hope smile. "Connor, you and Hope have to play quietly, Auntie Emma is still sleeping." Allison sits next to the babies.Emma moaned in her sleep. Killian goes to Emma's side. "Emma, I am right here...I am right here." Emma wakes up seeing her husband wrapped in his arms. "Killian..""Hello, swan. I am right here. Did you have a bad dream?" "Yeah, about the foster system and homeless on the streets." She hugs him. "I am right here, Emma. You are not in that life anymore. You have your family." Connor crawls and stands by their bed. Connor babbles. Killian smiles. "Our little nephew wants to see his Aunite Emma." Allison puts Hope on the bed and helps Connor on the bed. "Your sister is here too and your little girl." "I am lucky to have you all." Connor hugs his Aunt. "Hi, little man." Hope began to cry. Allison holds her niece. "Hope, you are with Auntie. We are going to meet Mommy and Auntie's Mommy today. Your Mommy has been looking forward to meeting her whole life." Hope babbles. "Yes, you, Daddy and Auntie are all going to be with on my when she meets her Mommy. She is my Mommy too since Mommy and I are sisters." The family all got ready to leave, Ted drove the family in their rented car and passed by towns to Catania, Italy. Emma could not look at the sites, all she could think about was meeting her birth mother which she has been dreaming about her entire life, and focused on her daughter. Killian held her hand knowing she was nervous and telling her she is not alone. They took breaks from driving to nurse and diaper changes for the babies and stop for lunch themselves. They arrived at Catania, Sicily, Italy. Allison gave Ted the address. Ted found the convent. "We are here.""Emma, are you ready to meet our Mom?" "Yes, as ready as I will ever be." Killian holds her hand."I am right here, Emma.""We are all here, little sis. We are meeting our Mom together.""I know..." She puts the carrier on her and Killian puts Hope in the carrier. Killian carried the diaper bag and holds his wife's hand when they reached outside of the convent. "You are not in this on your own, love. I am right here.""Killian..." He looks at her with his ocean blue eyes. "I am afraid. She will not want to meet me and be rejected by her again." He holds her hands, she was shaking. "Emma, I am right here. You are going to meet your mother today, I just know it." They put their heads together. "Stay...""I am not going anywhere." "Emma, I am right here too." They went inside the convent. Ted knocks the door. Allison holds Ted's hand, she was happy and excited."We are here to see Sister Mary Margaret." A nun opens the door, "Welcome to St. Francis convent. I am Sister Theresa.""We are here to see Allison, my sister Emma, my husband Ted and brother in law Killian are here to see Sister Mary Margaret." "Follow me." She leads the family into the convent, as they walked through many of the nuns were staring at Allison and Emma. Ted was holding Connor as he walked with his wife, next to her sister who had Killian next to her. "Allison, is it just me or everyone is staring at us?""You are not the only one, Emma.""Aye, they are looking at you. Whatever happens, you both have Ted and me." Another sister comes by to the group, Sister Theresa tells her about Sister Mary Margaret visitors. "My sister will get Sister Mary Margaret." Killian holds Emma's hand, who was nervous and excited about meeting her Mom. The sister returns and whispers to Sister Theresa. She returns to the group. "Sister Mary Margaret only wants to see Allison."Emma felt like she was slapped in the face, Killian was holding her who was mad. Allison was mad. Emma can remember all of the rejections and toss out like the trash by every family she was assigned to. "No...This is not happening. I am rejected by her again..." Emma could not be in the room anymore leaves holding her daughter, both of them were crying. "Emma." He let his wife leave knowing she needs not to be in the room. Killian was furious seeing his wife being rejected by her birth mother again. "Sister Theresa, my wife has been abandoned by her birth mother, put in the horrible foster system, abused, used for government money and homeless as a teenager and went through a rape which resulted in a miscarriage. Emma never has a home until I met her and gave her one. She would have been on the streets still if I have not met her. We traveled from the United States to meet her mother who abandoned her 28 long years, now she is rejected by the first person ever. My wife has the right to meet her mother who abandoned her!!" Connor was crying. "Emma has the right to know the truth about her mother who left her and abandoned her!! My wife needs to meet her mother."Allison was furious. "I am with my brother in law. Emma has been waiting for her whole life meeting our birth mother. We just met almost a year ago and searched for our mother. We both are going to meet her together. Tell her that." "I will go talk to her." The nun leaves the room."Allison, I will be with Emma.""I will call you when to return. I hate seeing Emma's face.""Aye, rejection. I will find my swan and little love." Killian goes finds his family. Allison gets Connor from Ted. "Connor...Everything is okay. Shh...shh...Mommy and Uncle Killian were mad at the nun because my birth Mom does not want to see Auntie Emma. Auntie Emma has been dreaming of meeting our Mommy her whole life." She hugs her son while crying. "Mommy wants to meet her Mommy with Auntie Emma." Ted hugs his wife. "I am right here. I know hearing that is awful and unfair. Emma needs to meet your Mom.""Yes, Emma was her whole life until Killian fell in love with her and let her have a home of her own...and...and...being rejected by our Mom again...that is unfair." Ted hugs his wife and son who were both crying. "We both need to know our past.""I know. That is why we are all here. We are going to find about you and Emma's past for our son and goddaughter past especially for you and Emma.""Emma...""Killian is with Emma. She is not alone." He kisses Allison on the head. Killian went to find his wife, a few nuns told him where she was outside in the patio. He found his wife and daughter sitting on the steps, Emma was hugging Hope, "Hope, Mommy is sad because her Mommy does not want to meet her..." Hope hugs her Mommy. "I love you so so much, Hope. I am never going to leave you. You will always have me, your Mommy being there for you, for your moments, when you need to talk to me about anything and give you hugs and kisses." Hope babbled. "I am your Mommy, that is my job. I have you, your Daddy, Auntie Allison, Connor, and Ted." Killian sits next to his wife and hugs her. "Emma, I am right here, swan." He kisses her on the head. "You are not alone. I am right here, seeing you getting rejected was awful." "Yes...but I have you and Hope." Hope fusses. Emma cradles Hope in her arms. "Hope, Daddy is with us." She kisses Hope on the head. "Mommy..." Emma and Killian smiled so big as they both screamed for joy. Emma was crying while smiling at her daughter's first word, her name. "Hope, your first word is my name.""Mommy.""Yes, Mommy!" She stands up and spun Hope around. "Your first word!" Killian was crying also took a video on his iPhone of Hope's first word. "You have no idea this means to me that you said my name as your first word." Hope babbles. "Yes, I am trying happy tears. I am not sad. You make me so happy, Hope. I am so proud of you." Killian hugs his wife, Emma looks at him and smiles. "Killian, our daughter is starting to talk.""Yes, her first word is your name, Emma. She said her first word in a new country." They kiss. Hope tugs her Daddy's leather jacket. "Hope loves interrupting our kissing." Emma chuckles. "Hope, what did you say to Mommy?""Mommy.""Very good, little love. Your very first word. You are starting to talk." He took pictures of Emma and Hope together. Emma took pictures of Killian holding Hope. Killian hands Hope back to Emma. "Hope, Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you, little duckling." She kisses Hope on the head. "These are the moments when Mommy will be here for you, like your first word.""Exactly, Hope." Hope sucks on Emma's finger. " My baby girl said with her first word.""Aye, our little last first word." He rubs Hope's free hand. "Dada is so proud of you, little love." Killian wrapped his arms around his wife and looked at Hope very proudly knowing they will not miss any moments of their daughter's life and experience them together as a family. They kiss and enjoy Hope's first word together as parents.Back inside, Sister Theresa returns. "Allison, I spoke to Sister Mary Margaret, not until today, no one knew but her that she was a mother of two before she did her vows. She will see you both but she needs to meet you first.""I want my sister to meet her first. I was adopted at birth, Emma was not adopted and got stuck in the awful foster care. You must understand.""I understand that. I told her...She specifically told me that she needs you to tell her side of the story first. Then she will talk to Emma..."Allison looks at Ted. "Ted, I want to meet her but not with Emma. She has been waiting for this moment her whole life. I do not know what to do, I do not want Emma to be rejected again..." She hugs her sleeping son in her arms. "Emma was the one who Connor met first...I delivered Hope who is our goddaughter and niece...Emma needs to meet her...I would not have known about my adoption or how my adopted parents kept my adoption a secret for 30 years...if I did not have met Emma in that recovery room, I would not know about my adoption or sister." She faces the nun. "Please talk to her again...I cannot do this without Emma..." Allison was in a serious tone. "My sister needs this more than me. Please.""I will see what I can do." Sister Theresa leaves the room. Ted hugs his wife knowing how stressed out she was fighting for her sister. "You are doing great.""I have to fight for my sister, Ted. She had no one sticking up for her until Killian. I am fighting for my sister, it is my job as her big sister.""You both are fighting for Emma. She has us her family." He kisses her wife on the head. Nurse Theresa returns. "She will see you both together." "Yes!" Allison and Ted go find Emma to tell her the good news. To Be Continued.