Missing Year

Halloween

Killian helped his wife while she was in recovery, he would help her walk around, carry anything she needs and get the rest she needed. Their new family routine, Killian will get up early and walks Henry to school and returns home to help his wife. He precooks dinner in a crockpot, by the time they arrive home in the evening dinner will be ready to serve. Emma wakes up with a full night of sleep and pumps milk her daughter and packs them in a backpack type of diaper bag which has a cooler inside of it, she packed bottles of milk and outfits for her daughter to wear besides, her iPhone, charger, snacks, a big water bottle and hand sanitizer. "Love, are you ready to go?""Yes, I ate breakfast before I got ready. Thank you for making me breakfast. You did not have to do that.""I love cooking breakfast for my family. Besides Hope's Mommy needs to eat so she can be breastfed by her Mommy. I read in the baby book that you have to eat a lot of food when you breastfeed." Emma smiles loves being called mommy and her husband reading the baby book as a caring daddy. She hugs Killian."You love taking care of me.""Aye, I will always take care of my family, my beautiful wife and our children." She wrapped her arms around his neck and faces her husband in his ocean blue eyes. "How did I end up with you my caring kind hero pirate husband in my life?" "Besides my handsome good looks. You and I are the same love, kind-hearted people, orphans who had bad paths but did not let our past affect our personalities and survivors. Once, I laid eyes on when you threatened me with the ogre, I knew you were my true love.""Even if I handcuffed you and left you with the giant?""Aye, I knew you had trust issues with your past but that did not let me believe you were unlovable you just needed your walls to break down and to have someone you trust and be there for you."Emma was in tears."I have you...Damn these hormones." "It is okay to cry, love. You are happy for the first time in your life.""I am so happy and grateful for having a family with a man that I love and trust and loves me for me and loves being a father who loves his children. I have Henry in my life who I am raising now. We have our beautiful baby girl who I can raise from the very beginning with you on my side. I cannot see what else can be better in life just to have my family in my life...I am not alone lost girl anymore, I have a family.""We are raising our children in a family who are honest, open, and with love. We are always going to have a roof over our heads and a home, love.""I always wanted that as a child, to have a job and to have a home and be able to provide for my family, now I have it with you...I want our children to be close brother and sister. Our family to have holiday traditions that I always wanted as a child. Now I can show our family holidays.""Aye you are going to teach Henry, Hope and I all about the holidays.""I had awful holidays in the foster system but I knew what was like from hearing my classmates about their holidays.""You are going to show all of us about the holidays. We are going to create our family traditions together.""I love that idea, I had no idea Henry did not have holidays in Maine when I was not around.""You are in his life swan raising him and having normal family holiday traditions. Henry and Hope are going to get everything that we both did not have a home, and two loving parents who will do anything for them and be there for them. You are their brave strong fighter Mom.""They have you there fighter, loving Dad.""We are a team love.""Yes, team captain swan?""Aye, I love that name. Team captain swan it is." They kiss. "Now, let's go see our little lass.""Yes, I cannot wait to see our little girl." They went to the car, Emma drove them to the hospital."She is getting stronger every day, Emma. Pretty soon, we are bringing her home.""I am excited but nervous.""We are learning from the nurses. By the time we bring Hope home we will know what to do.""You are right. What I meant is that we will not get any sleep.""We will work together, I have a feeling our Hope loves her Mommy and Daddy." "Even though, Hope is in the hospital I have been speaking to other mothers they gave me baby tips and what brands of baby supplies work. I ordered a breast feeding cover which also can cover her car seat in a pink rose color.""Aye, is my swan making friends?"Emma smiles. "Maybe? I do not know, I did not have many friends mostly a loner.""You are not alone, anymore swan.""I know, I have you my best friend and our children.""That is right, love.""The mothers' at the NICU are first-time mothers or have other children at home, which give us new mothers tips. It is hard in this situation to make friends here, every baby in the NICU is very sick and all of the mothers want to spend with their baby as much as they can if their baby don't..."He holds his wife's hand. "Love, I know the feeling, I feel so sorry for them. Compared to our Hope's health issues are minor to their babies..""Exactly. Hope is one of the more healthy babies in there, the other babies are on ventilators machines to help them breathe and are so tiny. Do you have work today?""Yes, I do. I changed my time so I can spend time with our little lass before work.""Halloween is in a few days, I told Henry that I can take him trick or treating.""Aye mother and son time.""Yes, I just one on one time with him. I am going to show him how to trick or treat in the evening.""Aye, I get to spend my one on one time with our little lass." "Exactly." They entered the hospital and went straight into NICU. They put scrubs on and washed their hands. Emma went to Hope's incubator, her heart drops seeing was not there but there was pee on the bed. "Killian, Hope is not here. Hope!" Killian kneeled and see Hope little body underneath the mattress. "Emma, I think I know where our little pirate-princess is hiding." Killian takes off the mattress. "There are you, little love. Dada found you." He tickles Hope. "You were just being a sneaky little pirate." Emma was relieved that Killian found their daughter. "Hope, there you are baby girl. Mommy is here." She puts Hope on her chest. "Were you hiding because you peed on your mattress and you did not want to get into trouble?" She kisses Hope on the head. "You are not in trouble, little duck. You scared Mommy so much. Daddy found you, like he always found me. My little duckling.""Speaking of little duck, I know our little pirate princess wants her duck doll." Killian tickles Hope with her duckling doll. "Hope, Daddy and Mommy almost had to search the hospital." He gave Hope kisses on her cheek. "Love, I will get a clean mattress and a clean diaper." "Hope, you just peed a lot. That is okay. Dada is going to get a clean diaper." Hope coos. "Mommy is here. I missed you all night. We can snuggle all you want now." Hope relaxed on her Mommy's chest. Killian returns with a diaper and a nurse who changes Hope's bedding. "Is she okay love?""Yes, Hope just wants to snuggle with me." Hope coos. Killian changes Hope's diaper and holds her on his chest and sat on the rocking chair. "Little love, how did you get under your mattress? You found your own way?" He kisses Hope on the head. "Daddy and Mommy are not mad at you, we were wondering where you were. Mommy and Daddy will never be mad at you for no reason, little love." Hope gripped her Daddy's black leather collar of his jacket. "You like the smell of the ocean, little love?" Hope coos. "When you are out of the hospital, with your Mommy's permission. I am going to take you by the ocean, to smell the fresh ocean air. I just know that the ocean runs in your blood, you take that after me." Emma smiles loving Killian and Hope's father and daughter relationship and took a picture of their daddy-daughter time. Hope fell asleep. He kisses Hope on the head. "I love you, Hope. I will never leave you. You have your Mommy, Daddy and Henry, your family together and love you so much." Emma kisses Killian on the head. "She loves her Daddy so much."Killian smiles. "Of course, Hope loves her Daddy. I am the best daddy ever to the best little love. Yes, I am talking about you, Hope." Emma love Killian baby talk to Hope. "Love, I have a feeling that Hope takes after the both of us."Emma pulls up a chair and smiles. "I can see she already takes after the both of us, she hides when she does not want to get into trouble; which reminds me of my past in the foster system. Hope has us. We will never leave her.""That is right, love. Hope will never be alone." Emma lies on Killian's shoulder."I cannot wait to take Hope home so we can snuggle all together." "Me too, love. I have a feeling we'll snuggle a lot with our little lass.""I ordered two carriers for us to hold her in. I know Hope loves being held when we need to do anything in the house, we can carry her and let her sleep on our chest as we cook or clean or walk around. Hope can be held any of us. I know she will want to be held all the time.""Aye, we will all take turns carrying her." He kisses Hope on the head. "Hope, are you going to be happy being held by your family all the time? You will listen to all of our talks." He gave her more kisses on her head. "I love the baby newborn smell. She is so little." She smoothed Hope's hair, treasuring every moment she has with Hope as a newborn, which Killian knew by reading Emma's face. "Love, when we take her home, I know Hope will want to be with her Mommy.""I know...I just do not like leaving her here...and I worry at night that something goes wrong..like just now..""Emma, she is getting the help she needs. She is getting stronger every day and the sooner we will take her home." Hope wakes up and moves around to find her food. Killian chuckles knowing what his little lass was up too. "Little Hope, how many times do I have to tell you, Mommy has your food not Daddy." Emma giggles. "Hope, Mommy has your food baby girl." Killian holds his little lass as Emma preps to breastfeed their daughter. Hope latched on right away. "Good girl, you know where your food is." "Love, she will be home soon with us.""Yes, I know." She rubs Hope's little blonde head. "I just know when we bring her home, I will be snuggling with her all the time, not getting sleep and not miss anything...""You will not miss any of her big milestones, Emma. I just know you will be there for her moments, I have a good feeling love. We are not going to miss any of Hope's milestones." Emma holds his hook and smiles. "We will not miss any of her daughter's milestones." They kiss. After Hope was fed, Killian burps her. "Whoa, little lass that is a big belch." Emma giggles. "Little love, you are getting stronger every day, Hope. You will be home with us soon." Hope fell asleep. "Love, I have to go to work." Emma takes Hope from her husband. "Dada will be back later with Henry, little love. Have fun with your brilliant Mommy today." He kisses Hope on her cheek. "Love, if anything happens, call me.""I will call you first." They kiss. "Hope, say bye-bye to Dada." She waves Hope's little hand. Killian leaves for work. Emma sat in the rocking chair, and enjoy her daughter sleeping on her. Hope makes poop. "Hope, you need a change, baby girl. Mommy brought you new clothes to wear." Hope coos. Emma changes Hope into a clean diaper and in a duckling onesie with a headband bow on her head, which she took a picture of. Hope coos and moved her legs around. "You like your outfit." She faces Hope, " When you are out of the hospital. We can have Mommy and Hopey time, shopping in the city for our girl time." Hope smiles. She sits back in the rocking chair and continues talking to Hope until Hope fell asleep and loving her time with her baby girl. Halloween came, Emma love how Henry was so excited to celebrate the holiday for the very first time. Henry changed into his costume since there was a costume party in school. Emma puts his makeup, the fake scar on his forehead moves his hair to the side, the wand and fake glasses. "There. Now you look like Harry Potter." Henry looks at himself in the mirror. "Mom, I look like him. You are great with makeup.""I do have some practice. Your Dad has more of the eyeliner technique.""I heard, that Emma." "Mom, can I see Hope today?""Yes, your Dad is going to pick you up from school and bring you there to spend time with Hope before you and I go to trick or treating.""Mom, I am excited to go trick or treating.""We are going to go trick to treating together." Henry hugs his Mom. "I am very excited to take you trick or treating, kid. I know you are going to get a lot of candy in school so do not eat all of it.""Mom.""Tip for candy is to separate the bad ones after we trick or treat. We use pillowcases to hold the candy in so the bag won't rip.""We are so getting a lot of candy.""Yes, we are, Henry. Have a good day at school. Focus on your schoolwork before the Halloween party.""Yes, Mom. I am looking forward to tonight, you are teaching me how to trick to treat." Emma hugs her son knowing how much he was looking for her teaching him. "Love, I will make sure the lad will concentrate in class." They kiss. In the afternoon, when Henry and Killian arrived in the NICU, Hope was having a rough time, she was crying most of the day, her scar got infected. The nurses put ointment but she was still in pain. Emma hated seeing her daughter in pain. "Hope, you are with Mommy, baby girl. You are getting best hugs and snuggles from me." She rubs her hands as Hope was slowing calming down by her Mommy's voice and fell asleep in her arms. "Mommy is right here. I will always be here for you, Hope. That is my job as your Mommy.""Hi, love." "Hope just fell asleep. Hope, Daddy, and Henry are here to visit you. She has been crying all day, her scar got infected. All she just wants me to hold her and the pain go away." "The poor little lass. She has her Mommy taking great care of her." He puts his hand on his wife's shoulder and kisses her on the head. He rubs Hope's little hand. "Daddy is here, little love." Henry arrived in scrubs. "Lad, your sister had a rough day. She just happy to be with your Mom."Henry kneels down his sister. "Hi, baby sis. Henry is here. Mommy told me you had a rough day. I made you a Halloween drawing at school." He shows his parents the drawing of a jack-o-lantern with a black cat popping out. "Henry, Hope is going to love it.""Thanks, Mom. I have a feeling you and I will teach Hope Halloween next year.""Yes, Hope will learn from us." Hope wakes up. "Hi, baby girl. Daddy and Henry are here to see you." Hope moves around and makes a lot of poop. "My little pirate needs a diaper change." Killian takes Hope from his wife and changes her diaper. "Whoa, you made a lot of poop, little love. You are drinking your Mommy's milk." Emma chuckles. "You are getting strong every day,little love."He tickles Hope after he changes her. "Lad,someone wants her big brother." Henry sits down on the rocking chair. He puts his lass in his son's arms."Hi, little sis." Hope coos. "Yes, I know I have a fake scar on my head. Mommy used makeup make my Harry Potter scar to go with my costume as Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a character in a great book series who is a wizard, which is different from our family magic. When you come home, I will read the book series to you." Hope kicks her legs."Are you stretching? Or a being a little kicker just like our Mom." Hope coos. "Oh really? You are a lot like our Mommy." She grabs Henry's finger and puts it in her mouth. "Hope." She looks up at Henry. "You have our Daddy's eyes and our Mommy's attitude." He kisses Hope's little hand. "I love you, Hope." Emma smiles loving Henry being a great big brother to his baby sister. Hope yawns and falls asleep. "Hope, you just woke up." Emma giggles. "Mom, Hope sleeps a lot." Emma chuckles. "Hope needs a lot of sleep to grow big and strong like her brother." She kisses Henry on the head. "When can we take her home?""We are not sure yet, kid. Her doctor needs to see if her lungs are fully developed and can breathe on her without the oxygen tank.""Hope is so cute, Mom."Emma smiles. "Your sister is very cute. I cannot wait to take Hope soon, too. When we bring her home it will be Thanksgiving." "Mom,Hope is going to be home just in time for our first family holiday.""Yes, Thanksgiving will be our first holiday at home in New York." Hope wakes up making a lot of poop. "Whoa, little sis that is a lot of poop."Emma giggles and gets Hope from her son. "That means Hope is eating so she can get big and strong." Hope began to cry. "Mommy is going to change your diaper." Emma changes Hope's diaper. She tickles Hope which makes her smile. "Swan, I brought Hope an outfit." He shows Emma a new onesie, pumpkin with "My First Halloween."Emma was in awe, Killian being a caring father, buying Hope her first-holiday onesie. "It is perfect. Look, Hope. Daddy got you your first-holiday onesie." Hope coos."You want to wear it?""Love, I can put the onesie on her." Emma lets him change her outfit. "Here you go little love. Your first holiday onesie." Emma smiling loving seeing Killian being an amazing daddy toHope, while she pumped milk for Hope. "Henry, after I finished making bottles of milk for Hope. We can go trick or treating.""Yes!" Killian was holding Hope in his arms. "Lad, have fun tonight""Thanks, Dad. I will get a lot of candy.""Aye, you cannot eat it all in one place.""I know." Henry holds his sister while their Dad takes a picture of them. Henry tickles Hope. "Hope, next year you will be trick or treating with me, little sis." He lets Hope hold his finger. Emma returns putting Hope's milk away and took a picture of Killian holding Hope as Henry talking to Hope. "Kid,I am ready to leave." "Yes!" He kisses Hope on the head. "I will see you tomorrow, baby sis. Have fun with Daddy, little sis." Henry gets his backpack. "Emma, Hope and I are going to have our one on one time. Have fun with Henry."Thank you." They kiss. Hope moves around. "Hopey." She holds Hope on her chest. "Hope, Mommy is going to take Henry out to trick or treat. You are going to have one on one time with Daddy." Hope coos. "Yes, baby girl. Mommy and Henry will see you tomorrow." She hugs her daughter. "I love you so much, baby girl." She gave Hope kisses on her head. "You are getting stronger everyday, Hope. You will be home with us soon, before the next holiday." Hope falls asleep. She kisses Hope on the head. Killian know how hard it is for his wife leaving Hope here every day and worrying about her overnight, he hates leaving Hope, too. "Emma, Hope is going to be with me, love. Henry is looking forward to his first Halloween." Emma smiles."Hope, be a good little pirate princess for Daddy. I love you." She kisses Hope on the head and make sure the oxygen tubes are still in her nose and hands her over to Killian. He sits on the rocking chair with Hope. Emma kisses Killian on cheek knowing he will be there for their daughter. Emma and Henry leave the hospital and took the yellow bug home. Henry got a pillowcase. "Mom, this is for you.""You want me to trick or treat with you?""Yes. I knew you had bad experiences in the foster system even on holidays. I was thinking we can trick or treat together." Emma smiles and hugs her son."I will be right back." She goes to the bathroom puts makeup on the make up on to make herself look like a cat. "That is awesome, Mom.""Thanks, kid. Let's go trick or treating." They walk out together and went trick or treating in their apartment building, stores, and houses by Washington Square. Emma was loving how much fun Henry was having and Henry loved how much fun she was having with him. "Mom, I am hungry.""We do need to eat. Do you want to go to a restaurant?""Yes! Can we go to Max Brenner's?""Yes, kid. We have not eaten out in a while." They went to Max Brenner's, Emma ordered mac and cheese with hot chocolate shake while burger and fries with a frozen hot chocolate shake. "Mom?""Yes, kid?" "I am having so much fun today. You are teaching me Halloween, I never heard of this holiday until last week. We got a lot of candy." Henry hugs his Mom. Emma was just happy she was giving first holiday experiences to her son and better ones to her son than she had in her childhood. Back the NYU hospital, Killian was having pirate talk with his little lass who was lying on his chest. "Daddy was a pirate until I met your Mommy." Hope coos which made Killian smile. "Aye, I will tell you more." He kisses Hope on the head. "I met your Mommy in the Enchanted Forest..." He changed Hope's diapers and bottle-fed her. "Hope, you are being such a good little lass for Daddy. You just drank all of your milk in your bottle." He burps her, "You burp loud, little love." He gave Hope her pacifier. Hope fusses. "What is wrong, little love?" He wrapped Hope in her quilt and placed her on his chest which made her stop fussing. "You just want to snuggle with Daddy." Killian noticed others parents leaving and his little lass was very comfortable lying on him fast asleep. "Dada is staying here with you, little love. I am not going anywhere." They walked back to their apartment, "Henry.""Yes Mom?""I was thinking for Thanksgiving you can help me cook or plan our meal.""I can do both. Dad and I know once we bring Hope home, you will be tired. Dad will cook and you and I can plan the meal.""We can all cook. It is going to be our first Thanksgiving." "Mom, Hope will be home by then?""Yes. Henry. Hope will be home just in time for Thanksgiving.""I hate when we have to leave her. I can see you and Dad worry and get sad when you return home.""Your Dad and I hate leaving Hope but she is getting better every day. We are going to take Hope home soon." They arrived home, took showers and Emma taught Henry how to check the candy. She gets a phone call from Kilian. "Hi, honey. How is Hope?"Killian smiles. "Hope is snuggling on me. I am staying overnight. I do not want our little lass to be all alone. I am going to take care of her during the night, she is already fed, burped and changed for the night. She loves sleeping on me, like her Mommy."Emma smiles knowing her Killian as being a good Daddy to their daughter and does not want to leave her alone. "Killian, please tell Hope that I love her and I will see her tomorrow.""Aye, Hope misses her Mommy and knows her Mommy and big brother are coming tomorrow to visit her.""She will be home with us soon, I know that we will snuggle together in our bedroom.""I know, love. How was trick or treating with Henry?""It was fun. He wanted me to join him which I did. We both got a lot of candy." "Aye, I hope you both do not eat too much so you won't get cavities." Emma chuckles. "Henry already is helping me plan Thanksgiving.""He is excited, love.""I know. Thanksgiving will be our first family holiday all together.""That is right love." Hope fusses. "Emma, Hope is starting to fuss. Hope and I will see you and Henry tomorrow.""Yes, we will. Please give Hope a kiss from me.""Aye, I will love.""Killian...""Yes, Emma?""I love you.""I love you, too. Hope says I love you too and get some sleep." Emma chuckles. "Yes, I will. Night." "Night, love." They ended their phone conversation. Emma checks on Henry in his room and sits on his bed. "Mom, is everything okay with Hope?""Yes, your Dad is staying overnight with Hope." Henry hugs his Mom. "I told you, Dad is going to be great with Hope." Emma smiles. "He is a great Dad to you and Hope. Tonight, it is just you and I." "Can you sleep in here with me?" "Yes, I can." She turns off the lights in the apartment and returns to Henry's room and snuggles with him, taking advantage of their one on one time, makes up for the time she missed and sleep when they can. She was happy to know Hope was not alone in the NICU and has her Daddy with her. Henry fell asleep. She kisses him on the head. "I love you, Henry so much." She smoothes his hair and fell asleep next to him. Killian was enjoying his snuggle time with his little lass and still cannot believe that he is a Daddy with his true love. He loves his little Hope so much. He is always going to be there for Hope, Henry and his wife Emma. He will never leave his family, never.