CSSS25: "Next Year All Our Troubles Will be Out of Sight" {Epilogue}
And here we are at the end of this story at last! @cocohook38 I truly do hope you will still enjoy this last bit of the tale: some happiness and healing for our characters in the end. Thank you so much for being so patient as my @cssecretsanta2020 giftee, even as this gift became more and more protracted in the giving.
Summary: Tragedy brings Killian Jones into Emma Swan and her son Henry's lives, but at first she may be too closed off to accept the help he wishes to offer. Much stands in the way, but her son's belief, a stubborn, caring man, and perhaps just a pinch of healing Christmas magic, may help them all muddle through into a brighter New Year.
If you need a refresher, the previous chapters of this story can be found HERE, or HERE on AO3.
Epilogue: So Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Now
One Year LaterâŚ
As she stood near the large living room windows, watching the white snowflakes fall steadily, like the perfect, peaceful wonderland scene inside a snowglobe, Emma Swan marvelled that somehow another year had come and gone. It didnât seem that twelve whole months had passed; she was still struggling to believe that Henry could possibly be twelve years old. And yet, at the same time, the person she had been a year ago, the pain, doubt, and loss she had struggled through, felt like part of another life.
Turning away from the charming view outside, Emma couldnât help but beam at the scene before her. She didnât know how she had come to deserve the picture that greeted her in her own home. They had already strung lights around the room and throughout the house. The warm, sweet and spicy scents of hot chocolate and mulled cider floated on the air, as well as a buttery reminder of the popcorn theyâd eaten as well as strung to wrap around the tree. It was an old-fashioned, homemade decoration, one Emma had never attempted before herself, but when Killian had mentioned making the edible garland with his mum and brother years ago, Henry had taken to the idea with gusto and theyâd simply had to try it for themselves.
âOh yes,â Emmaâs mind whispered with a sense of deep satisfaction as her eyes met Killianâs across the room. âSo much is different this year from last, and most of it was due to him⌠Killian Jones. And thank goodness it was.â
He looked up from where he was playfully holding their box of favorite ornaments just out of Henryâs reach as the boy jumped and grabbed in their joking game of keepaway. At the expression on her face, Killian lowered the box and smiled back at her, his entire countenance lighting with the love he felt for her and her boy - that he could now see she returned. Henry grabbed it from his hands with a whoop of victory, charging toward the tree, and Killian made no move to stop him, only chuckled lightly and shook his head - as if he could no more than Emma believe that this bright, happy moment could possibly be real.
Emma laughed too as Henry handed her the box to set on the coffee table and they opened it eagerly to unearth their treasures. Henry found the first of his own collection: a wooden book token labeled âOnce Upon a Timeâ across the front in gold lettering. She and Graham had selected it the first holiday theyâd spent together, as Henryâs interest in writing had begun to develop. She also ruffled Henryâs hair and sniffled just a bit when he reverently hung the ceramic ornament shaped and painted to look like a line of tall green pine trees with a wolf standing in the forefront. She didnât even realize a tear had escaped to trail down her cheek until Killian reached her side and gently brushed it away with a steadying finger.
She grabbed his hand and clutched it tightly, pressing it to her chest in gratitude. After a moment, she reached into the box again and pulled out a familiar ornament next. Dangling from her fingers was the crystal swan Killian had gifted her the year before. Both of them focused on it for a moment, and even Henry went still, beaming at the both of them. As Judy Garland warbled from the stereo in the background about âthe olden days, happy golden days of yoreâ Emma felt the emotion swelling inside. Though she did look back on some of the good times of the past fondly, she was even more looking forward to the days ahead.
She had often told Henry they were âalmost thereâ, that they they had nearly found the life and family and place they belonged, but she now believed to the very depth of her being that place had at last been reached. Looping the ornamentâs hanger over a high bough, Emma gazed at the sparkling bird as the tree lights glimmered off its surface. For the first time in her life, she knew with certainty that the coming new year would be bright and that the best was yet to come.
Tagging a few who might be interested: @cssecretsanta2020 @cocohook38 @kmomof4 @jrob64 @whimsicallyenchantedrose
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