#captainswanslay

“Aye?”

“Hey, Killian,” Henry’s voice was cheery and Killian grimaced.

“You’d better be calling to tell me how to change that bloody singing”  Killian grumbled.

“Nope!” Henry replied and Killian could practically hear the boy’s smirk.  “Mom wants you to come home for dinner,  but she didn’t want to call you because she’s supposed to be giving you some time. So I’m calling you instead because she gets a little scary when she’s grumpy.”

“Henry!” Emma’s voice broke in distantly, and Killian chuckled.  

“Aye lad,  thank you,  I’ll be home soon.”  

He hung up the phone with a wry smile on his face and looked over to where Belle was closing up one of the books she was finished with.

“I can change the ringtone if you want,” she offered with a smile but Killian shook his head.  

“Thank you for your assistance.  It seems my presence is desired at home.”  

Belle’s smile fell and Killian cocked his head to one side.  “Would you like to come over for dinner, lass?  It’s really the least I can offer after you’ve been so helpful.”  

“I wouldn’t want to interpose,” she said, with the wave of her hand.  “I’ll just go to Granny’s.  I’ve been staying there anyway.

“I am sorry, love.  You know I’ve no love for the crocodile but…”

“He made his choice,” she interrupted, “and I made mine.”

“Come then, lass,  we’d love to have you.”

“Are you sure?” Belle asked

“Cross me heart.  Do me one favor though… show me how to text the lad?” 

When they arrived at the house it was to the sound of sizzling meat and vegetables.  Emma and Henry were in the kitchen cooking up what smelled like fajitas.  

“Belle!” Henry called excitedly when they walked in, coming over to give her a tight hug that probably got grease all over her colorful blouse.  She didn’t seem to mind though.

“Oy,  I’m here too,” Killian grumbled teasingly.

“Want me to serenade you with Come Sail Away?” Henry asked, and Killian ruffled the boy’s hair affectionately.

“Think I’ve had about enough of that one,” he said.  He moved behind Emma and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“Killian, I am trying to cook here!”  she laughed.

“And I’m trying to express my boundless love and devotion to the other half of my heart.”

Emma smacked at him playfully with a spatula and he caught it with one hand, spinning her around to plant a kiss on her lips.

“Guuuuys,” Henry complained loudly, “Seriously it’s been like 7 hours since you last saw each other.”

“Too long” Emma whispered, Killian grinned and returned the spatula to the pan to take over browning the meat.  Emma slipped out of his grip and called over to Henry, “Well maybe if you were setting the table instead of gawking at us you wouldn’t be sooooo traumatized.”

Fajitas turned out delicious (even though Killian almost let the meat burn) and before long there were nothing but empty dishes to contend with. Soon after dinner Henry disappeared into another room with Belle to show her one of his new video games and Killian was forearms deep in soapy water his hook and brace set carefully next to the sink while he washed up.

“How was work, love,” Killian asked handing Emma a dish to dry.

“Well we still have seven dwarves,  so I think that’s a sign that things are fine for the time being. How about you,  did you find what you were looking for at the library?”

“How did you know I was there?” he asked.

“Belle doesn’t really go much of anywhere else these days.  So … did you?”

“Not yet,” he admitted, handing her the last dish and then taking her towel to dry off.  “I’ve been looking for someone in the town documents.  But nothing so-.”

“In the town documents? You mean like the census reports?” Emma broke in.

“Aye.”

“Why?” He hesitated and Emma shook her head,  “I mean why there.”

“Well if someone is in town wouldn’t they have to be there?”  

“Most of them,” Emma commented, but who knows… they could be under any name.  You’d never find anyone that way.”

“I… I didn’t think of that.”

“Killian … This is what I did.  I found people for a living.  Let me help you? Who are you looking for?”

He led her to the couch as he strapped his brace back into place.  

“It’s … it’s not something I’m proud of.”

“I told you Killian.  I just want to help you.”

“I told you about how, when I was a lad,  my father abandoned us on the high seas. Well that … wasn’t the last time our paths crossed.”

“You found him?”

“Regina did.  I was to kill him as proof that my heart was as cold as it seemed. But when I spoke to him...well I determined to get him transport papers instead.  It was then he told me that he had another son.” Emma’s mouth dropped open slightly but she said nothing. “I procured the papers and brought them to my father that very night.  But when I arrived he was telling his boy the same story, the same lies he told me the day he abandoned us.  And he …”  Killian looked away,  “he named the boy Liam.”

“Oh God,” Emma murmured.

“Aye,  apparently my brother was just that easy to replace.  I realized in that moment that he hadn’t changed.  It was only a matter of time before he abandoned this son too. So… I decided to give this unknown brother of mine a parting gift.  The ability to pretend he was wanted.  I took his father,  my father, watched him bleed out in the mud. And then I left.” He swallowed hard, still not looking at Emma. “I made an orphan of my own brother… I need to know if he’s all right. If there’s anything I can do for the boy,  to make his life an easier one than mine was.”

“We’ll find him,” Emma said, squeezing his hand.  “He’s family,  and family always finds each other.”

In the end, it shouldn’t have surprised him that Emma made more progress before lunch the next day Killian had in days combing through census records, hospital records and every kind of dry dusty paperwork he could find.  

Emma managed to catch Grumpy immediately after he’d had his bacon,  (likely the best time of day for anyone to speak with Grumpy anyway)

Top secret investigation, she told him, not a word to anyone else,  but she trusted his observational skills above all others.  She had to kick Killian under the table when he choked on his drink, but somehow she managed to keep a straight face.   Killian even commented that he’d been willing to pay off Granny’s tab for anyone who could find the boy, but alas…. no takers yet.  

Naturally, by the time they finished breakfast the whole town knew she was looking for a blue eyed boy around Henry’s age with no parents of his own. Killian was considering asking Granny just exactly how much bacon was on Grumpy’s tab.  He accompanied Emma back to the station and eventually something happened which had never yet happened in Storybrooke…  Killian Jones was happy to see Grumpy come barging into the station sometime around mid afternoon.    

“You better be able to pay up, pirate,” Grumpy insisted loudly in lieu of a greeting.

“It’s only been a few hours Leroy…” Emma commented, “and you mean to tell me you’ve found him already.”

“I know people,” Grumpy insisted and Emma raised her eyebrows shooting a look at Killian who sat very still leaned against the edge of her father’s vacant desk.  

“Who exactly do you know,” Killian asked doubtfully.

“I happen to be on excellent terms with the fairie-”

“The fairies?” Killian broke in,  “I already asked the fairies-”

“Got a good relationship with them, do you pirate?” Grumpy shot back

Emma shot him a look and he quieted.  “Nova?  She knows something?”

To Killian’s surprise,  Leroy’s face turned decidedly pink before he could grumble out his response.  

“Yeah,  she just helped relocate a kid matching that description a couple days ago.”

“Relocate?” Emma asked.

“He doesn’t stay long in one place apparently.”

“Where is he now?”  Killian asked.  

“He got moved out to a couple that lives out by the town line.  Guess they thought he’d be less likely to run away again if running meant leaving town entirely. Makes sense I guess. I swear… Dopey still smells like tree...”  He handed Emma a slip of paper and glanced over at Killian.  

“Yes, yes dwarf,  if your information is good I will hold up my end.”  

The door slammed behind Leroy and Emma looked at the piece of paper in her hand then handed it to him.    

“You ready for this, Killian?”

“Not remotely,  let’s go.”  

Killian was unusually quiet in the car staring down at the piece of paper in his hand.  

“I have no idea what to say to the boy,” he finally admitted quietly.  “What the bloody hell am I doing…. Turn around Swan, this is madness.”

“No.”

“What?  Swan, I killed his father.  He doesn’t want to see me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Swan-”

“I am driving you to that house and we are knocking on that door.  Once you have seen him you can turn around and walk away if you like,  but not a moment before.”

The car came to a stop and Killian didn’t move.  Emma reached out to Killian and laid her hand on his forearm.

“You’ve looked for him, Killian.  Trust me,  that will mean something to him, even if he hates you.  You can give him that.”  

He nodded and stepped out of the car, following a step behind as Emma walked up the path and rang the doorbell.  There was silence for a moment and then the door swung open, a frazzled looking middle aged woman threw open the door her head cocked at an odd angle to hold the phone to her ear.  

“Now is not a good time-” she started, moving to close the door.  Emma moved her foot forward to keep the door from closing.  

“I’m the sheriff,  perhaps I can help with something?”

“Locking him up is probably about the only thing you can do to help.  They told me he was prone to running but he’s been here less than a week!”

“When did he leave?” Emma asked.

“Just a few minutes ago.  He threw a vase across the room and I sent him to his room,  he must have climbed out the window.”  

“Show me?” Emma asked and the woman pointed around the side of the house where a second floor window was indeed left open.  

“Where the bloody hell is he going,” Killian asked, “there’s nothing here to run to.”

“He’s not running to anything,” Emma said, her voice tight. “He’s running away.”

“The town line,” Killian filled in with an exasperated look,  “of course.”

Emma nodded and they both took off in a sprint in the direction of the town line.  When they caught up with the boy he was paused no more than 10 feet from the line staring out over the road.

“Wait,” Emma called, “Hey, kid, you don’t want to do this.”

The boy spun his eyes blazing. “You don’t know anything about what I want,” he hissed.  

“You’d be surprised.” Killian stepped forward then,  hands raised slightly. The boy was smaller than he remembered,  younger than he thought he’d be.  Hoped he’d be.

“You…” The boy’s eyes landed on him and narrowed slightly. “I know your voice.”

“Aye,  you do, lad.”

“You killed him,”  the boy dropped his backpack and charged at Killian only to be stopped abruptly when Emma dove forward and grabbed his wrist spinning him towards her instead.

“Listen kid, take a breath,  I’m the sheriff, I really can’t let you kill Killian. Town laws and such…”

“Liam-” Killian tried but the boy spun towards him again.

“That’s not my name,” he growled.

“Yeah?” Emma asked,  “So what is your name,  unless you prefer kid?”

“Lee.  I go by Lee now.”

“Lee…” Killian repeated.  “There’s nothing I can say to make this right, Lee,  I know that now.  I don’t expect your forgiveness.  But I had to find you,  I had to see if you were alright.  I know how difficult it can be,  growing up without your father.”

“Don’t talk to me about my father,” Lee seethed.

Killian nodded, “Fair enough,  but I need you to know one thing before you cross that line.  I’m sorry.  I thought… I thought he meant to leave you behind as he did me.  Maybe I was wrong, maybe I wasn’t but either way I shouldn’t have taken him from you.  I took away your family and I will regret that every day.”

“Feel better now?” Lee commented, rolling his eyes.

“No,” Killian replied. “But this isn’t about me.”

“All right Lee,  Emma broke in.  “I know this is weird,  I know you want to get the hell out of this town,  but it doesn’t have to be like this.”

“Oh really?  Got some other place lined up for me.  Some other old couple who couldn’t have kids and who will always hate that I don’t have their great uncle Brendon’s eyes?”

“No lad,  you have your brother’s eyes… your f-”  Killian broke off abruptly and Emma stepped forward.

“Look kid, I’m not going to try to tell you that he did the right thing.  Every one of us here knows that isn’t true.  But Killian is a good man.  And he’s trying to do the right thing now. So here’s what’s going to happen.  You can leave, you can run away and leave the only family that you have left behind and never know if it’s a family you could have belonged to.  Or you can stay,  and give us a chance.”

“Move in with you?” Lee asked, surprised,  glancing at Killian suspiciously.  

“You have a family now Lee,” Emma told him, “but you have to choose to give us a chance.  Or you can keep running away.  Trust me,  that path is not a lot of fun.”

“How would you know?” Lee asked.

“I’ve climbed out of a window or two in my time.”  

He was quiet for a moment and then he turned back to Emma.

“Would I get my own room?”

“As long as you keep it clean,” Emma responded with a smile.

The tension was thick during the car ride back to town,  all of Lee’s belongings fit in a single box in the backseat next to him and he had a wild eyed look when they pulled up to her house like he was looking for the nearest exit.  She knew the feeling.  

Killian moved to carry the box for him but Lee snatched it out of his hands defensively and hurried up the steps.  

“It’s okay Killian.” Emma said quietly,  “It’s … it’s all he has.”  

“You’re so good with him,” Killian muttered,  “I can’t even talk to him.”

“I’ve been him,” Emma chuckled, lacing her fingers through his reassuringly.  “Just give him time.  Him even agreeing to stay here is a huge step.”

He moved hesitantly in the house and Emma led the way to what had been made into a guest bedroom on the ground floor,  it was cold and impersonal,  they hadn’t really expected a permanent resident,  but Liam’s eyes widened as he took in the space.  

“Why don’t you get unpacked?” Emma asked when Lee just stood in the center of the room clutching his box.  

“I don’t have much,” he shrugged, setting the box on his bed.  “The box is fine.”

“Unpack, kid,  this is your room now.  Make it yours.”

“I’m not a kid,” he objected.  

“I know.” She shrugged,  “I’m probably going to call you kid anyway. You’ll get used to it.”

The first two weeks were awkward beyond belief.  Liam got along well with Henry and seemed to enjoy talking with Emma but the moment Killian entered the room he grew quiet instantly.  He’d retreat to another room to read one of the many books Belle had offered when she realized he enjoyed reading or leave to play Mario kart with Henry.  

“He is trying, you know,” Henry commented in between races one evening.  

Lee rolled his eyes, “Your mom put you up to this?”

“No,” Henry retorted,  “I just think you might like him if you gave him a chance.”

“You don’t understand,” Lee grumbled.

Henry laughed,  “My other mom was the evil queen,  I think I understand.”  

So what? I’m just supposed to … play Mario Kart with the guy,  would that fix things?”

“He’s terrible at Mario kart,  and he broke two remotes hitting the Z button too enthusiastically...“

This got a laugh from Lee.

“Hey… have you ever been sailing?” Henry asked.

Lee shook his head and Henry grinned.  “Ask him to take you sailing.  He feels so guilty I bet he’ll even let you steer on the first day.  He made me wait 3 weeks.”

Lee chuckled,  “will you come?”

“Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t push him overboard.”  

They finished their race and went back into the kitchen where Emma was making hot chocolate for everyone.  For the first time, when Killian came into the kitchen,  Liam didn’t make an excuse to leave.

It took him most of a cup of cocoa to work up the nerve to say something and finally Henry breached the subject for him, asking if tomorrow would be a good day for sailing.

“Looks like it,” Killian responded, “ Would you like to go out?”

“Do I have to wear a life jacket?” Henry asked.

“Aye, lad,  as always.”

Henry grumbled to himself and kicked Liam under the table.

“Ow!... I umm… Do you think I could come along too?” Lee asked quietly.  

Hook choked on his cocoa and Emma covered her laugh with one hand.When he finally got his coughing under control he nodded eagerly, “of course, lad. Sailing mornings start early though.”

“I can handle it,” Liam retorted

Being aboard the Jolly with Henry again was more than literally a breath of fresh air to Killian.  Despite Emma’s reassurances that he was doing fine and just to ‘give him time,’ he’d felt very much out of place the last few weeks with Liam… Lee living in their home.  But now, back aboard the Jolly....  

He’d asked Emma to come with them but she’d made some excuse about paperwork and told him that he’d do fine.  Never was he more grateful for Henry’s exuberance to break the tension.  Henry manned the helm and Lee watched sleepily from a distance.  They were nearly out of sight of land before the sun rose and Lee was finally starting to look more alert (and more than a little ill.)

Great,  Killian thought,  the first time the boy has asked to spend time with me and it makes him physically ill.

“How you feeling, lad.  You look as though your sea legs aren’t quite under you?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re white as a sheet is what you are.  And no wonder, is this your first time aboard a ship?”

“Does a rowboat count?”

“Certainly not.”

“Then I guess it is. My dad didn’t like boats”

Killian raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Well I can help with that.  When I was a boy I didn’t have much love for the waves either.  My elder brother he taught me to watch the horizon.” Killian pointed out towards the east where the sun was just beginning to brighten the sky.  “Keep your eyes there, lad, just next to where the sun is about to rise. It’ll put you right.”

Between Killian’s advice and a can of ginger ale that Henry had stashed in his backpack, Lee was soon feeling back  to normal.  

“You’ve got the sea in your blood after all,” Killian commented when Lee mimicked the knot he had just been shown perfectly.  

“So all of this… sailing stuff did you learn this from my… from our father.”,” Liam started cautiously… “When I mentioned my father not liking boats you were surprised.”

“You’re a perceptive one, aren’t you” Killian glanced down at the boy cautiously,  “I thought… that you’d rather I didn’t speak of our father.”

“Maybe I don’t mind so much.”

“Well… he … he left when I was very young.  Most of what I learned of the sea I learned from my brother..”

“Your brother… you mean Liam? Is he here in Storybrooke too?”

“I’m afraid not.  He died,  many years ago. Did your father tell you that you were named for him?”

Lee shook his head, “I overheard you talking to my father … that night.” Killian opened his mouth to speak but for once was at a loss for words.  “I stopped using the name Liam that day,” he admitted.  “Father said he did it to honor him… Liam, but… if it was meant to honor someone shouldn’t he have told me?”

“Perhaps he would have… in time.”

Lee shook his head.  “I don’t think telling me about the kids he abandoned was high on his list of priorities. But maybe sometime you could… tell me about Liam?”

“I would like that lad,  very much.”

They stayed out until nearly midday when Killian suggested that returning for lunch at Granny’s might be more palatable than what he kept aboard the ship and Henry gave Lee a knowing look when Killian offered to let him guide the ship back to shore.  

Henry and Killian had been known to spend all day on the water so the early call from Henry had made Emma wonder if things hadn’t gone well with Lee.  Emma walked into Granny’s with butterflies in her stomach, but to her delight she saw all three were talking animatedly over milkshakes in a corner booth.  She slid in next to Killian and took his hand under the table squeezing it gently as both boys flew into an excited description of their adventures out on the water.

Their home was louder now,  the sound of video games or loud conversations from the boys the occasional crash of something breaking followed by a call of ‘sorry… i’m okay.’ Their days were busier,  quiet moments now filled with a chaotic domestic life that made the moments at the end of the day when the boys were tucked safely in bed all the more precious to them both.

Killian wrapped his arms around Emma, pulling her tighter to him.  

“Thank you,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her neck.    

“Mmmm,  for what,” Emma replied drowsily.

“Everything.  For bringing me home,  for opening your home to Lee. For being so good with him...

Emma turned in his arms and pressed closer, “It’s your home too now,” she reminded him, “and it seems like you’ve made a lot of progress with him too. He likes to sail?”

Killian chuckled, “It doesn’t make him  quite as sick as it did that first day… but he’ll get his sea legs soon enough. Sea’s in his blood same as mine.”  

“Killian can I ask you something?”

“Course, love.”

“The other day when I was making breakfast I … I accidentally called him Liam.”

“I thought he didn’t like that,” Killian asked stiffly.  

“It’s his name, Killian. The only thing he has left that his father gave him.  And even that isn’t really his.”  Killian sighed and brushed his fingers through Emma’s hair.  “He’s a good kid, Killian.  Maybe his father gave him that name for the wrong reasons… but you… you can give it back to him for the right reasons.  Just… just think about it?”

“I’ll try,” He replied.  “Can I tell you a secret, Swan?”

“I love secrets.”

“You’re incredible.”

Emma laughed, snuggling tighter into his arms with a contented sigh.  “That’s not a secret, Killian.”

It took him several days to work up the courage to broach the subject of Liam’s name,  but finally Emma gave him the opportunity by insisting that she needed some one on one time with Henry so she would walk him to Regina’s this time.  

Like ripping off a bandaid, he finally decided. “Lee,  I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” he started hesitantly.

Instantly the boys face fell and he took a step back.

Killian’s stomach dropped at the look of resignation that flashed across the boys face.  

“You don’t have to.”

“What-” Killian stuttered, “Lee I didn’t-”

“I get it.  I’ll pack up,” he said and Killian’s eyes widened.  

“Do you… want to leave?” he asked, hesitantly.  

“This was nice.  It was like a vacation.”

“Lee, what are you talking about-”

“Hey, I’ll even leave a note sayin’ that if you want.”Then she can use the room again with no-“

“LIAM!”  Killian interrupted abruptly,  finally realizing what all this was about. “Liam I’m not asking you to leave.  Why would you-  If I’ve ever done anything to make you feel unwelcome here, I can only beg your forgiveness and perhaps that is something you can forgive me for.”  

Liam looked shocked and there was a moment of heavy silence before he spoke.  “I thought… I mean you’ve already got Henry and eventually you’ll be having your own kids and you’ll need the space so...”

Killian knelt in front of Liam placing his good hand on the boy’s shoulder and squeezing tightly, “I want you to listen to me, lad and listen carefully. I will not send you away. Not ever, do you understand?”  

Tears filled the boy’s eyes and Killian winced, wondering what he’d said wrong this time,  but before he could raise his hand to wipe away his tears Liam had thrown himself forward, latching his arms around Killian’s neck. Killian rocked back in surprise, but closed his arms around Liam’s shaking shoulders as hot tears dampened his tunic.  “Hey, lad,  it’s allright. You’re home now.”

Finally Liam pulled away, wiping his eyes with his sleeve self-consciously.  “If not that… what did you want to talk to me about?”

Killian smiled, “I only hoped you might allow me to use your given name.”

Liam looked surprised, “Really?  I thought because of what my father did-”

“Your father gave you Liam’s name to assuage his own conscience.  I ask if you would keep the name,  because my brother would be honored to know that his name is now carried by a young man so good and so strong as you.”  

Liam’s eyes filled again but this time no tears fell as he nodded his agreement and Killian smiled.

“Liam, right. So Liam, what would you say to hot chocolate at Granny’s?  If I were a betting man I would place my money on Swan and Henry being at Granny’s.  I’m pretty certain they left to give us a chance to talk.”

“You are a betting man.”

“So I am.  Dish duty for a week then?”  

“No way!”

Killian looked slightly put out.  “Why not?”