#CSBB

[reaalikaasu]

Squad #21 CloneShipping Big Bang Sneak Peek

I’m super excited to share the squad 21′s sneak peak for the @cloneshippingbigbang event! The author of this fic is the awesome @airlockfailure​ and I’m the artist for this fic! 

Auribus Teneo Lupum

translation: holding a wolf by the ears; meaning trying to avoid an unknown situation by remaining in your current unhealthy situation; an unwillingness to change/adapt/grow/heal for fear of the unknown

The author: @airlockfailure​

The artist: @reaalikaasu​

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: over 30,000 (incomplete)

Pairings: Denal/Axe, Angel (OC)/Koho

Major Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Tags:  blood and injury, hurt/comfort, angst, medically YMMV, militarily YMMV, cognitive dissonance, discussions of brainwashing and behavioral conditioning, permanent injury, permanent disability, clone troopers deserve better, clone trooper culture, clone shipping, clone trooper relationships, nat-born vs. clone trooper dynamics, healing and recovery, medical prosthetics, cybernetics, food insecurity, medical emergencies, erol and meerla are spice runners/producers but there’s no illicit use of spice, building a community, self esteem issues, PTSD, grief and mourning, murder, treason, hiding from the Republic, clone trooper decommissioning, clone trooper reconditioning, unsafe sex, anal sex, oral sex, sexual inexperience, nonbinary characters, early relationship Zero/Meerla, falling in love, touch starved, size difference, survivor’s guilt, getting together, Kaminoans being assholes, alternate universe- canon divergence, order 66 didn’t happen, original clone trooper characters, original characters, pov original character, other tags to be added

Summary:  Angel, Alpha-ARC trooper and Commander aboard the HCTFF2 medical station, makes a desperate escape into hyperspace after a surprise Separatist attack.  Confronted with protecting Kaminoan secrets or saving his fellow troopers, Angel chooses the lives of the men in his care.  Denal, one of his patients, witnesses an act of treason and is torn between doing what his training says is right versus what his heart tells him.

Snippet:

“You run a tight ship, Commander,” Kel Torra remarks.

Angel is unsure if she means to pay him a compliment or if she’s admonishing him for overbearance.

“But your expenses are nearly twice that of other medical stations,” she continues.

“HCTFF2 receives the majority of wounded troopers, sir,” Angel states.

Kel Torra blinks at him.  He’s never been a good judge of Kaminoan body language.  Costing the Republic credits without justification isn’t something he appreciates being accused of.  He looks up at her, wondering if she has more to say or if she’s looking for him to explain himself.  It’s simple, really.

“This medical station does not decommission enough troopers compared to the numbers being redeployed to the front,” Kel Torra eventually tells him.

It’s simple.

“These men are still alive, sir,” Angel states as flatly, and as calmly as he can.

She blinks and her already thin lips thin further.  “These… clones… are alive against set protocols.”

“Sir-” 

[airlockfailure]

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars - All Media Types Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Clone Trooper Denal/Clone Trooper Axe, Clone Trooper Koho/Angel (OC), Minor or Background Relationship(s) Characters: Clone Trooper Denal (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Axe (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Koho (Star Wars), Original Clone Trooper Character(s) (Star Wars), Original Characters Additional Tags: Blood and Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Medically YMMV, Militarily YMMV, Cognitive Dissonance, discussions of brainwashing, Discussions of Behavioral Conditioning, Permanent Injury, Permanent Disability, Clone Troopers Deserve Better (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Culture (Star Wars), clone shipping, Clone Sex, Clone Trooper/Clone Trooper Relationships (Star Wars), Nat-Born vs. Clone Trooper Dynamics, Healing, Recovery, Prosthetics, Cybernetics, food insecurity, Erol and Meerla are spice runners/producers but there's no illicit spice use, Building a Community, Self-Esteem Issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Grief/Mourning, Murder, Treason, Hiding from the Republic, Hiding from the Grand Army of the Republic, Clone Trooper Decommissioning (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Reconditioning (Star Wars), Unsafe Sex, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Sexual Inexperience, First Kiss, First Time, Touch-Starved, Getting Together, Falling In Love, Size Difference, Gender Non-Conforming Clone Trooper(s), Survivor Guilt, Kaminoans Being Assholes (Star Wars), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Order 66 Didn't Happen (Star Wars), POV Original Character, Background Relationships, Friendship, Background F/M Pre-Relationship, Invictus AU, CloneShipping Big Bang 2022-23, Rare Pairings Series: Part 21 of Invictus AU Summary:

Angel, Alpha-ARC trooper and Commander aboard the HCTFF2 medical station, makes a desperate escape into hyperspace after a surprise Separatist attack. Confronted with protecting Kaminoan secrets or saving his fellow troopers, Angel chooses the lives of the men in his care. Denal, one of his patients, witnesses an act of treason and is torn between doing what his training says is right versus what his heart tells him.

@littlefeatherr, @brokenphoenix99, @reaalikaasu

[anstarwar]

Squad #4 CloneShipping Big Bang Sneak Peek

Excited to get to share another collaboration for the CSBB! This time with the lovely @flowerparrish and @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

@cloneshippingbigbang

Title: No One Mourns the Wicked Author: @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan Read By: @flowerparrish Cover Art By: @flowerparrish Art By: @anstarwar Rating: E, 18+ Pairings: Dogma x Tup Tags: Songfic, Clone Trooper Reconditioning, Tup/Dogma, Clone Trooper OCs, Coruscant Sucks for Corries, CC-1010, Marshall Commander Fox, Reconditioned!Tup, Fox Kills Chancellor Palpatine, Major Character Death (it’s Palpatine), Behavioral Control Chips, CloneShipping Big Bang, Tup/Dogma Summary: Tup has been reconditioned before- he had once been a Corrie Medic named Trill. Regardless of who he was and who is now, he has a deep, fierce loyalty to his vod’e and the Republic. He falls in love with fellow Trooper Dogma- then… Umbara happened and Dogma went away. He meets a Corrie named Specter and feels starts to flourish as the war ends.

Preview below the cut:

So that no one would know what happened, and to adulterate the scene so that it was shown that it was Separatists that had killed the Senator and the... the Corrie vod'e. The Shiny almost felt sick to his stomach, that he had, unknowingly, killed fellow vod'e.

The soft shells had no chance against highly skilled and deadly commandos- and this showed it to him quite clearly. The shiny hunches his shoulders a little and follows after the slicer-engineer and helps them with cleaning up after the mission.

They leave the bodies of the Senator and the vod'e where they lay and then head back to their ship. Their Sargent, then contact Marshall Commander Fox and informing him that his squad will be arriving to take the Senator Thri'kresh to a safer location in two day’s time- their ship is still a couple days out from docking with Coruscant.

The Shiny Commando marvels, while trying not to cry or vomit or scream, about how well his ori'vod and Sargent can lie to the other vod. The Demolitions expert- the most chatty of the three ori'vod'e in Theta Squad tugs him in for a hug.

They watch him- likely monitoring him so he won't do something stupid. The guilt eats at him, the numb, shocking horror of it. Not that he would say a word of this to anyone. Opsec- for one thing, and another... no one wanted to be a vod-killer.. and he is one.

The Corries are scrambling- three squads of Corries- which had been sent to protect Senator Thri'kresh- who had been in a Senatorial hiding house in one of the safer lower levels were all found dead- as well as the Senator.

Trill is one of the medics checking over the dead- and the slicers are going for the coms and hteammatesfootage- which is a bit grainy and shows that Separatist Commando Droids had slain all of their vod'e and the Senator.

Kark. The Chancellor and the Senate are going to be displeased with their failure to protect the Senator, admittedly Senator Thri'kresh wasn't popular for their Outspoken views on wanting a more peaceful resolution and for vod'e protections.

Theta squad comes waltzing over a criticizing them for their failure to protect the Senator and their complaints about how they didn't have a mission anymore and this better not go on their records as a failure- when it was due to the Corries that their mission charge is dead.

At least- that was the Demo expert and the Combat engineer complaining, one of them was silent- if a bit twitchy, while the Sargent was just watching the situation with his arms crossed and disapproval radiating from him.

"Are you going to help us carry out the dead or just bitch at us?" Sargent Byte of the Corries snaps at the complaining Commandos.

"No- it's not our mission duty to carry failures out." The Sargent said coldly as he turned on his heel and left. His squad fofollowedfter their Sargent, the Shiny Commando pausing, looking back at them, before being grabbed by the Demo expert and tugged along with them.

[ionfusionpunk]

A Series of One Shots and Short Stories

@cloneshippingbigbang

Written by: Trillium_Orchid Art by: IonFusion [me]

Summary: A series of one shots, short stories and snippets off the cutting room floor of the other clone shipping big bang fics. Some are NSFW, some are Gen, angst, fluff, sex, love, death, life, and all sorts of other osik.

Rating: Explicit

Tags: Reconditioning, Reconditioned Dogma, Tup/Dogma, Domesticity, Brain Surgery, Order 66, Suicidal Thoughts, De-aging, Force Nonsense, Bad Batch Cuddle Pile, Crossdressing,Tooka Kittens, Songfic,  Waxer/Boil, Wrecker/Echo, Clone Trooper Reconditioning, Clone Trooper Discrimination, Clone Troopers Deserve Better, Sheev Palpatine is His Own Warning, Cloneshipping 2022, Cloneshipping, Clonecest, NSFW, Male Lactation, Hanahaki Disease, Angst, Illness, Star Wars au, angst, hurt/comfort, pinning, Tup, Dogma, Fives, Echo, Hardcase, Jesse, Kix, Rex, Flower Meanings, poly 501st boys, Tup Suffers, Sorry, Clone Troopers Deserve Better, Tup Lives AU, Dogma Lives AU, Fives Lives AU, flower language usage very minimal though, Wooley, Comet, drinking, mentions of alcohol, dancing, club scene, mentions of jealousy, Boss, Jiang, Null Arc Trooper Jiang, Wooley/Tup/Comet, Hardcase/Dogma, Fives/Echo, Fives/Tup, Jesse/Kix, mentions of Cody/Rex/Baccara, mentions of Delta Squad, #CSBB22 #CloneShipping Big Bang 2022 #cloneshippingbigbang #CSBB

Snippets:

Tup had been so thrilled to have been given a gift of fruit- a form of space cherries from the locals- after the 501st had helped the planet fight off the Seppies and clankers. He had helped one of the local farms with clean up of the battle- and they had given him a basketful of cherries.

They are a warm orange pink colors with stems being a purple-blue color. He had gone to Kix and had them tested for edibility for near-humans and vod'e alike. He had been told that they were safe to eat, and Kix had only taken a small handful of cherries in recompense for the use of his time and equipment.

Tup is smiling and has an almost bounce in his step as he heads to one of the rec rooms and takes a seat at in one of the comfy couches and settles in. He has a bowlful of cherries- and a data pad with a good book to read.

Tup pops the cherry in his mouth- stem and all as he chews on the cherry and happily reads the book- it's a fictional work, with romance, fighting, and all sorts of other things in it. He's quite enjoying the book.

_____

Kix and Dogma had agreed to get their karking chips out of their head- and Tup was scanned, he did not have his chip, that had been removed, thank the ka'ra and the force. It did not take long for them to recover from the minor brain surgery.

The three of them meet with the rest of the bad batch, and the former members of the 501st have a tearfully happy reunion with Echo who holds them all with a gentle sort of desperation. Having a fully trained medic helped with certain missions that went up osik shape.

Also- with Tup and Dogma at the helm of the Ship, Tech could go on missions with the rest of them more as they rotate who is flying and guarding the ship verses who is on mission. They are more able to have Omega stay with the ship, as they have more than one other vod'e and crewmate on the ship.

Which is in general, a much safer location for Omega to be, she is still trained, and by a wider variety of vod'e. Kix, she shadows in the medbay, learning more medical skills, and he calls her, "my excellent medic cadet assistant."

They had their arguments of course, but on the whole they tended to get along better than be too argumentative. They are dodging the collective efforts of The Marshall Commander Cody and Crosshair- and their group of likely a blend of Storm Troopers and vod'e.

Rex was trying to coordinate with some of the local rebel cells - if they can manage capture Crosshair or Cody, he is not laboring under a false delusion that they could capture both of them, that was likely not going to happen.

[spiritofthenortheners]

CSBB 2022-23

Squad #17

@spiritofthenortheners as the writer and @mimsiical as the artist, we present the results of our collaboration for @cloneshippingbigbang  🧡

DEEP END

Rating: Explicit 

Word Count: 12946

Pairings: CC-8826 Neyo/ Clone Commander Faie; minor Faie/ Quinlan Vos  

Major Warnings/ Tags: Rivals to Fuckbuddies to Lovers; Explicit Sexual Content; Canon-typical Violence; Minor Character Injury; Horny Teenagers; Casual Sex; Undercover as a Sex Worker; Drinking; References to: Drugs, Power Imbalance, Mental Health Issues and Child Abuse; Minor Character Death; Order 66 Happens Differently; Major Character Death But It's Offscreen and Palps; Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Fluff and Smut; Falling in Love; Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary:

Lips crush his own and Faie opens his mouth like it’s instinctive, making a conscious effort to push his hips against Neyo’s but it backfires; intense pleasure sparks along his spine and something hot and heavy pools in the pit of his stomach. It’s maybe weak but he’s so gone in this moment he grabs Neyo by the head and flips them, straddling Neyo’s hips and gasping open mouthed at the fire in his veins.

It started on Kamino. Whatever the "it" is. It’s got something to do with Faie’s burning need to be the best and to never let any vulnerabilities show. It’s partly pain and bruised skin and broken bones but also heat, Neyo’s annoyed hiss and curses as Faie twists out of his hold and laughs mockingly. 

It’s probably got a lot to do with Neyo’s blank cold eyes watching him like he’s a challenge. 

It started by accident and never stopped happening. Faie thinks he's maybe developed a bad habit of tolerating his di'kut of a fellow commander. 

Read the fic on Ao3

Listen to the amazing playlist on Spotify

[ann-i-inthestars]

WIP game

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPS.

Okay, oohfff. I have. So, so, so many but I will try!

What Dreams Are Made Of- (Day 1 from last years Rexwalker week. I am, uh, slacking.

All My Roads Lead to You- (CWBB fic, and cant really share snippets but will be posted soon!)

Teenage Boys are Stupid- (CSBB and also cant share snippets)

Fox and Omen- (Fox/OC fic set after a happier no Order 66 end of the war)

TBB Bingo fics- (like it sounds, my story entries for the Bad Batch Bingo)

Unseen. Invisible. Nuhaattyc. (Fives joins Bad Batch AU)

Mar’eyir Aliit- (Echo/Crosshair liberating clones AU)

The Clones Have it Right with Fives Has Arrived- (social media saves the galaxy au)

Persephone Ani/Hades Padme AU- (Exactly how it sounds, an anidala with Anakin as Persephone and Padme as Hades)

When Stars Align- (Sequel to Fragmented Star Systems)

Against All Odds- (Former Senator of Tatooine Obikin fic)

Riduurok- (Dinluke meets year before New Hope and gets married AU)

QuinObi Bingo- (My series for the Quinlan/Obi-Wan bingo)

PTA’s, HOA’s, Plastic People and Other Suburban Nightmares- (Modern CrossFivesEcho)

Undercover Republic- (Series where they discover the chips, but realize exposing Palpatine wouldn’t work the way they want it to. So they build a hidden Republic under his nose. Includes Anakin undercover as Vader.)

To Living- (Force reincarnates clones into another universe when they die AU)

Love Comes in Many Forms- (Shaak Ti trains Anakin AU)

For Family, There is No Limit- (Jango Lives Mandalorian AU)

Love is a Team Effort- (Developing Polybatch AU)

For the Longest Time- (Anakin and clones travel back in time and are able to save Jaster. Plus, the clones have been deaged to their actual ages)

Second Chances are For Happiness- (Obikin reincarnation AU

Okay. That is all of them. Well, all of them that I know for a fact will eventually be worked on, and hopefully completed. Damn. I might have a problem. Its a good thing that I have’t started a lot of the ideas I have written down, otherwise this list would be even more outrageous.

@abelunwilling tagged me in my main tumblr, and I thank you! Even if I am really, really telling on myself here. I have no way of tagging, uh, 21 people. So I’m just gonna tag a few of you! @bisexualdinahlance, @prowlingthunder, @nonbinariwankenobi, @cj-kenobi, @bucketking, @littledumplingwrites, @ponerine.

[nuovaalta2]

$CSBB #Stocks

Csb Bancorp is about to to publish the third quarter of 2023 Earnings. So far the Regional Banks's companies have observed a 5.26 % improvement in the respective bottom-line during Q3 of 2023 https://csimarket.com/stocks/financials_glance.php?code=CSBB&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[mediinfotech]

Medi Infotech

Medical Coding CPC Certification Course – Best Medical Coding Training Institute In Hyderabad

Medical Coding CPC Certification Course in Hyderabad – Best Medical Coding Training Institute In Hyderabad

Medi Infotech is the best Medical Coding Training Institute in Hyderabad has introduced the most Comprehensive Medical Coding and Billing Training with ICD-10 and CPC Preparation by Industry Experts. Lead Trainer: The Recognized Leader in Medical Coding, Billing and ICD-10 Training Trainer/Author: Dr.Guptha, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPMA, CEMC, CIMC, CFPC, CUC, COBGC, CPCD, CCS- P, CCS, RMC, RMA, CMBS, CMRS, CSCS, CGIC,CSBB, FCR, 

Address: 

Medi Infotech,Metro Station, Vasavi MPM,8th Floor,905, Above West Side Showroom,Ameerpet, Hyderabad,Telangana 500073

Phone:

7032616753

Medical Coding Training

Our Social Pages:

Facebook

Instagram

Linkedin

[tokyohito]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Csbb-dapI4m/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

[teamweddingphotoplanet]

Our hearts speak the same language but more importantly our souls share the same voice.” Couple Goals:- https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsBB-AXIyAD/ Book the best wedding & pre-wedding photography package from India, please call +91-9990951995, 9990905195 or visit www.weddingphotoplanet.com

[cloneshippingbigbang]

All-In-One Important Information

About [PDF]- where you can expect to find an overview of what the event is, who the mods are, and ways to participate.

Rules and Guidelines [PDF] - The Rules and Guidelines of the CloneShipping Big Bang.

FAQ [Live Doc] - The questions you bring to us! To be added to.

2022 Schedule [PDF] - Where the schedule can be found.

Sign-Up information - Links can be found in another format on this tumblr post.

Note: To be updated and added to as more information is obtained and confirmed!!

[captainswanbigbang]

Announcement

Hi, everyone!

We’ve gotten a lot of questions about whether or not we’ll be holding another Captain Swan Big or Little Bang.

The short answer is no, we will not be holding another CSBB or CSLB. But we will be holding another fandom event, coming up very soon!

The longer answer is that where we are right now as a fandom, it’s not feasible to hold another Big or Little Bang. The stress of managing so many authors with so many deadlines was very significant, and each time we held an event, we struggled more and more to find participating artists.

It’s just the nature of the event; we’re thrilled to see other fic/art collaborative events thriving in the Captain Swan fandom! But the CSBB/LB commitment was always different and it was often too much for a lot of artists (and authors!).

Through all its ups and downs, we’re grateful that we had the chance to host these events and facilitate them. We’ve gotten some incredible fics and amazing artwork thanks to the BB/LBs, and we’ve also made some great friends and gotten to see our authors and artists make some great friends as well. It was absolutely worth it, and one of the reasons it took us so long to make this announcement was how hard it was for us to formally, officially decide that we were done.

However, we’re excited to be starting a new fandom event, one that we haven’t seen done before in the CS fandom (although if we’re wrong, let us know!). We’ll still be holding it on this blog, so you don’t have to follow a new blog (unless you’re not following us, in which case hi! Wanna follow us?). We’re also not deleting any of our posts from the CSBB/LBs, so don’t worry about that!

Look out for an announcement very soon!

[airlockfailure]

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars - All Media Types Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Clone Trooper Denal/Clone Trooper Axe, Clone Trooper Koho/Angel (OC), Minor or Background Relationship(s) Characters: Clone Trooper Denal (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Axe (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Koho (Star Wars), Original Clone Trooper Character(s) (Star Wars), Original Characters Additional Tags: Blood and Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Medically YMMV, Militarily YMMV, Cognitive Dissonance, discussions of brainwashing, Discussions of Behavioral Conditioning, Permanent Injury, Permanent Disability, Clone Troopers Deserve Better (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Culture (Star Wars), clone shipping, Clone Sex, Clone Trooper/Clone Trooper Relationships (Star Wars), Nat-Born vs. Clone Trooper Dynamics, Healing, Recovery, Prosthetics, Cybernetics, food insecurity, Erol and Meerla are spice runners/producers but there's no illicit spice use, Building a Community, Self-Esteem Issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Grief/Mourning, Murder, Treason, Hiding from the Republic, Hiding from the Grand Army of the Republic, Clone Trooper Decommissioning (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Reconditioning (Star Wars), Unsafe Sex, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Sexual Inexperience, First Kiss, First Time, Touch-Starved, Getting Together, Falling In Love, Size Difference, Gender Non-Conforming Clone Trooper(s), Survivor Guilt, Kaminoans Being Assholes (Star Wars), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Order 66 Didn't Happen (Star Wars), POV Original Character, Background Relationships, Friendship, Background F/M Pre-Relationship, Invictus AU, CloneShipping Big Bang 2022-23, Rare Pairings Series: Part 21 of Invictus AU Summary:

Angel, Alpha-ARC trooper and Commander aboard the HCTFF2 medical station, makes a desperate escape into hyperspace after a surprise Separatist attack. Confronted with protecting Kaminoan secrets or saving his fellow troopers, Angel chooses the lives of the men in his care. Denal, one of his patients, witnesses an act of treason and is torn between doing what his training says is right versus what his heart tells him.

@littlefeatherr, @brokenphoenix99, @reaalikaasu

[mayquita]

Pictures of Reality - David’s Letters

A year ago today I started posting Pictures of Reality, as a participant of the Captain Swan Big Bang event. Today, a year later, I'd like to thank the @captainswanbigbang moderators for giving us a wonderful opportunity to create these stories. I'd also like to express my gratitude to my beta @jarienn972 and my artist, @imagnifika who accompanied me during the long road to turn all these ideas that flowed in my head into actual words. 

As I have commented on other occasions, PoR is special for me for several reasons and that's why I wanted to bring it in some way. I thought it’d be a good idea to create a post compilation with the letters that David wrote, since these letters narrate, somehow the story of Emma and Killian.

Pictures of Reality  Ao3 / Ffnet

Note: Do not read the letters if you plan to read the whole fic, because they obviously contain spoilers.

David’s Letters

Once upon a time a boy and a girl fell hopelessly in love when they were still young and innocent. They longed to build a life together, a promising future awaited them, but on the way to achieving their dreams, they must be separated for a while. When the boy left, he did it with endless promises that he trusted to fulfill. But what neither of them knew was that the product of their love had begun to grow inside her. Unfortunately, with his departure, the girl was left alone and unprotected, so the evil stepmother took advantage of her vulnerability to spread her claws and try to destroy the happiness that she would never get. The girl, sad and desperate, fell into her stepmother's trap, believing that she really would not be able to offer her daughter her best chance, thinking that she too could not destroy her boyfriend's promising future by burdening him with a responsibility he did not have requested. But luck, or fate, made the boy return to the town with enough time to meet his daughter and also to say goodbye to her, the tiny baby girl carrying part of his heart with her while he watched helplessly how she was taken away - perhaps forever - without him having the chance to hold her in his arms for even a few seconds. And this is where you appear, my dear daughter.

This tale hasn't yet reached the end, and that is why I'm hoping against hope that we will be able to write our happily ever after together.

Letters to Emma from her father, 1989-2018

My dearest Emma,

I don't know how to start this letter... but I'll do my best. I don't even know if your adoptive parents have kept the name your mother chose for you. The social worker assured us that they had accepted, but I guess we'll always have that uncertainty. Anyway, for us, you will always be our Emma.

Today is a special day, your first birthday. I would like to send you my best wishes for this first celebration, the first of many, if only in the form of this letter, with the hope that perhaps one day, these words will come to you in one way or another.

Maybe we can establish a new tradition in our lives from now on, what do you think? Maybe we can take advantage of this special day to contact you through these little missives, to express how we feel in your absence, to convey that no matter how much time passes, you will always have a place in our hearts, Emma.

It's only been a year, but we've probably missed many of your most important milestones: your first smile, your first steps, maybe your first words. I hope your parents were able to immortalize those moments in some way. And maybe one day, you can help us to remember them through those images.

I would like to talk to you a little about us now. Your mother has already turned eighteen and has finally been able to leave the house of that evil woman, the person who managed to separate us from you. Now, she is living with us and nothing and nobody will be able to separate us - ever - despite all the obstacles that get in our way.

It's hard, though, to be separated from you and have no certainty of how you are, if you are growing up happy. I truly hope so and that with our act, we have managed to offer you a future. And maybe, in a few years, we will be part of that future as well.

Until then, I can only wish you a happy and full life.

Your father who loves you and never forgets you,

David.

//

My dearest Emma,

Today should be a day of celebration since you turn ten! I certainly hope that wherever you are, your parents have organized a great party in your honor. Sadly, I don't have the necessary strength today to pretend that everything is perfect and wonderful, because it's not. It's far from it, in fact.

Mary Margaret keeps telling me that I should stop torturing myself, but the truth is that I can't help thinking about everything we have already missed with you. You probably already know how to swim, ride a bike, have gone camping, maybe you already know another language... And we haven't been there to help you or to be witnesses to your milestones. Sometimes I believe that having you always in my thoughts is a way of inflicting punishment on myself for not being brave enough to fight for you.

I wonder if your parents have already told you that you are an adopted child or if they have never considered telling you. I sincerely hope that they'll tell you the truth at some point, although I'm aware that it's my selfish side speaking now. The one who fervently wishes that, when you know the truth and become a grown woman, you will decide to look for your origins - even if it's simply to get answers to the infinite questions that you may have set out. I hope to be prepared to face that moment with enough integrity and not disappoint you even more.

You know - life sometimes seems to laugh at us with its irony. A little less than a year ago another child, only a few years older than you, came into our lives. He only has his older brother, who has also become a close friend of mine, and from the moment we met him, we felt a pull towards him as if our parental instinct had found a source to develop.

Killian, that's his name. Seeing that child so full of life, with a promising future ahead makes me happy on the one hand, but also makes the claws of guilt dig their way straight to my heart. Because it should be you and not him. But, sometimes life gives us a second chance in the most unexpected way, and helping Liam to raise his brother is our opportunity to be as close to parents as possible. And who knows? Maybe in the future, you and he will get to know each other and become good friends.

It's what the world of dreams and wishes offer us. It makes us achieve the impossible even for a few seconds. And my only wish will always be to meet you one day, my dear Emma, and finally be able to hold you in my arms for the first time.

Until then, I'm content to continue dreaming. Be happy, Emma.

Your father who loves you and never forgets you,

David.

//

My dearest Emma,

I wrote to you less than three months ago and I am already here again, holding my pen in an attempt to capture in written words the thoughts and feelings that occupy both my mind and my soul.

I would like to not be writing this letter on this occasion, or at least I would have liked its content to be as hopeful as the previous one. But unfortunately, a tragic event has hit us brutally.

My dear friend, Liam, my partner, my confidant, the person I love as a brother, passed away a few weeks ago while covering an armed conflict.

I am aware that, as you receive these letters, if at any time you do, it will be like reopening old wounds, or worse, you will suffer for someone you did not even know. But let me be selfish for a moment, Emma. Allow me to express myself through these words when I do not have the possibility to do otherwise.

I need to stay strong for Mary Margaret, who is deeply affected by the loss of our dear friend, but also for Killian, who has lost the only family he had left and with it, all his passion for living. It's as if, with Liam's departure, Killian's soul had also departed, leaving only a shell in its place.

That's why, unfortunately, I do not feel able to return home and undertake the dream of looking for you, now that you have become an adult. He needs me, Emma, and I can not let him down, I can not look the other way when a loved one is suffering.

I can only trust that at least you don't need us too, that your life is still full, that you have a family that loves you, and that you have already started the path to your dreams. I couldn't forgive myself if it was otherwise.

I hope that one day life stops playing with us and that it allows us some quiet time. Maybe then the time will come when we can finally meet. I hope you forgive me then, Emma. But if you don't, at least that will mean that we have somehow found each other and I have managed to deliver these letters to you.

Be happy, my dear daughter.

Your father who loves you and never forgets you,

David.

//

My dearest Emma,

You probably would be surprised because today is not your birthday, Christmas or any other special event, but I felt the need to bare my soul and I have not found a better way to do it than through you, my dear daughter.

I may be a fool after so many years apart, but I still hold the almost vain hope that someday these letters, these little confessions in the form of written words will come to you. That's why I will not hesitate to continue writing to you until I exhale my last breath, Emma.

And I need you today, I need to hold on to something stable when my whole world falters and despair threatens to take hold of me, while I feel helpless, unable to protect my loved ones.

I have already talked to you on more than one occasion about Killian and how I have felt guilty several times because my paternal instinct, that which should have been destined to you, was directed instead towards that child who is now a grown man. On the contrary, my desire to protect him has not changed in the least as he grew up. When misfortune seems to prey on him, hit him again and again, my protective instinct grows.

That is why now the feeling of failure is more intense. Killian lost his love yesterday in tragic circumstances and my wife, your mother, lost a great friend. And I was unable not only to prevent it from happening but also I don’t know how can I comfort them, how can I help them when the pain is also consuming me inside.

It is hard to see how the flame of Killian's eyes is slowly disappearing without you being able to do anything to fan it. What can I do, Emma? How can I help my friend? My family?

I desperately hope that wherever you are, your life is full and that you have found happiness. Otherwise, what would be the point that we had spent all these years away from you if we didn’t manage to give you your best chance? I don’t know if I could bear the thought of failing you as well even more than we did when you were born.

As I told you in the rest of the letters, I keep thinking about you every day and I keep fantasizing about the idea that you and we are destined to meet sooner or later. Who knows? Maybe it's not too late for us or for Killian. Maybe one day we get to be a complete family. Until then, my best wishes go to you,

Your father who loves you deeply and who never forgets you,

David.

//

My dearest Emma,

It's happening! We got the news a few days ago, but I still have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. No, this time it's real. You, my dear daughter, found us, or rather you found your way back home.

I still can not believe that I'll have the possibility of delivering these letters to you in person in a few months. I would have taken the first flight back home, but there are some things that we need to take care of first. We must convince Killian that he should travel with us. We can not leave him here alone, buried under layers of misery, so we will do our best to continue helping him move forward, and if he has to cross the ocean in search of a new beginning, so be it.

You can not imagine the joy we felt when we saw you for the first time in photos, when we were able to finally put a face on our beautiful daughter. You got your chin and eyes from your mother, but the blond in your hair comes from me. You are the perfect mix, the product of our deep love.

I'm aware that the road will not be easy from now on, that there is a possibility that you don't want to know anything about us. And we will understand and accept it, but now that you are so close, or at least you will be when we arrive at Storybrooke, I will settle for knowing that at least you are happy, even without us.

I want to know everything about you. What experiences you have lived, what cities you have visited, your hobbies, your aspirations, your fears, your desires. Will you let us, Emma, be part of your life?

Just a few more months and we can reunite as a family forever. Until then, be happy, Emma on this new journey you have undertaken,

Your father who loves you and never forgets you,

David.

//

My dearest Emma,

I still can't believe that we've finally been able to see you, actually see you, on your twenty-eighth birthday. Perhaps I could have left you this letter right there, along with the rest of the gifts you received on your special day, had the circumstances been different.

Maybe you wonder why, despite having been here for a few months, crossing paths each day with you through the streets of the town, or attending the same place for dinner, we haven't yet approached you. Or why we haven't told you the truth and we settle for observing you from a distance, to at least make sure that you are living the life that you deserve so much and that had been denied to you until now.

Well, maybe the answer is not the most satisfactory for you, or is it just a reflection of our cowardice, and I wouldn't blame you for thinking like that, but the reality is that the moment we arrived here and Regina told us about your past, we felt completely devastated and consumed by guilt.

Believe me, sweetheart, if we had the certainty that our confession would serve to alleviate your sorrows, we would willingly have bared our souls in front of you, although it would likely have meant that we would lose you forever.

But considering your traumatic experiences that have led you to run on more than one occasion and the history of abandonment and betrayals that you have suffered, we didn't want to risk ruining your life once more. I couldn't bear that because of our fault, you might lose everything you've achieved since you return to Storybrooke.

Because, as I see it from outside, you have become a strong and brave woman, ready to pursue your goals. You're also a caring person with the people you feel comfortable with, like Ruby, Graham, or Henry. And you have achieved all this without our help, so, if for you to maintain stability in your life we must stay away, so be it.

In addition, irony, or perhaps destiny, has decided to give us something beautiful and promising. We learned just yesterday that you will be one of the people who attend the course that Killian will start teaching in a few weeks.

Our Killian and our daughter, united by their passion for photography. I don't care if it's destiny or a simple coincidence, but the fact that you two are going to meet under such circumstances was unimaginable until a few weeks ago and now it has become a reality. You and Killian are going to cross paths and, fortunately, we are going to witness it even from the distance.

Who knows? Maybe Killian finds that hidden gem, that talented person that he always seeks, someone whom he can help develop full potential. Maybe I'm totally biased here, but I'm hoping it's you. Either way, you are already a gem for us, even though we aren't yet able to prove it to you.

Maybe some day...

Until then, your father who loves you and never forgets you,

David.

//

My dearest Emma,

Happy birthday, my dear daughter. May all your dreams come true.

I’m aware that we have already established that now that we have finally met, these letters are no longer necessary. But, since this has been my only contact with you all these years, would you allow me to write you one last time? Or maybe we could turn it into our little tradition, something just between you and me. Would you like that?

I'm honestly unable to explain in words how utterly happy I am to be with you on this special day and not just settle for watching you in the distance or writing longing letters hoping against hope that one day they would reach to you.

That day arrived at the moment when, in your huge generosity, you decided to forgive us and include us in your life, being part of your family.

I know that I will live the rest of my life trying to compensate you for all these years that we have spent separated. But today is a special day for you and also for us, it's not time to look back to the past but to look forward.

It's likely that when you read this letter you will have discovered the surprises that Killian has prepared for you. You can not imagine how incredibly proud I feel of you, of your talent, of your ability to achieve everything you set out to do.

Maybe your hand, the one that holds this letter, is wearing now something that wasn't there a few hours ago. Killian came to me a couple of weeks ago, telling me all the plans he had for your birthday and asking for my blessing to marry you.

I was aware that this would happen sooner or later, but that didn't stop my heart from bursting with happiness knowing that my family was finally going to be complete, that the person I've seen growing up, my best friend, that loyal and honorable man, will be part of our family officially.

I send my best wishes to you both, so that you are able to build that family that you deserve so much. We will be by your side whenever you allow us, helping and supporting you in this new stage of your journey in life.

I won't assume that I will be the one that walks you down the aisle, Emma, but in case you are so kind to choose me, it would be my most complete honor to accompany you on that special day and witness one of your milestones. We have lost so many throughout your life that I honestly hope not to miss a single one more.

Your father who loves you and will always be by your side,

David.

[hookedonapirate]

Help Please!!!

I really want to sign up the Captain Swan Rewrite-a-thon, but I’m not sure which story to rewrite. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, it’s an event by @captainswanbigbang where you rewrite one of your own stories you may not be happy with or one that you think you can improve on since you have grown and matured as a writer. So, I need some help deciding. My thoughts are Sweet Salutations, which is the first story I’ve ever written, or On the Virge, the second story I wrote. 

I would like to rewrite Sweet Salutations because the ending was horribly written and there are other things throughout the story could definitely use some revisions. On the Virge was based on a movie that I basically replicated, and I would like to maybe give it another direction, make it more my own. One of the things I would like to change is to have Emma and Killian as the actors in Emma’s movie and I would like to have them connect more as friends before they get together than I did originally. Also, I would like to have Emma’s parents in the picture instead of Elsa because I can totally picture David’s reaction when he finds out his daughter is codirecting porn. So yeah, this story would require some reconstructing and rebuilding than just a good polishing. There’s also Until I Met You which I never finished, and that could use some major improvements as well. 

So, I would like to ask YOU, the readers, what story you think I should rewrite and what changes you would like to see that I have not mentioned already. Or is their another story you would like to read again as a newer, refurbished version? Please be honest, I won’t take any offense. You can send an ask anonymously, pm me or leave a comment to this post, whichever way you feel more comfortable with. But please keep it to only one answer per person. I have until September 30th to decide, and I know I should’ve posted this sooner, but I didn’t know if I would even have time to rewrite another story. But I’d rather sign up and drop out than not sign up and regret it later.

So here are the choices and the ao3 links. Please only vote if you’ve actually read the story you’re voting on. Many thanks in advance!!!!

1. Sweet Salutations 

2. On the Virge

3. Until I Met You

4. Another story - tell me what story and what I should change about it (be honest please)

[lenfaz]

Sea Squad, ch. 14 (14/14)

This is it... this is the end of the road, thank you for everyone who read this and the incredible @sambethe and @clockadile for everything they did to make this fic happen!

Summary: Killian Jones has always managed tough spots in his con life… but never like this one. His brother is out of jail and convinced the only way to win his name back is to heist the casino of a major Vegas mogul, leaving Killian to do the planning. He now has to deal with a half-brother desperate to gain a name of his own, an ex-fling that carries her own torch against the casino mogul, his brother losing his mind over his ex-wife,  his former mentor’s depression and the one woman he can’t get out of his mind giving him chase. Ocean’s Eleven AU

Rating: M

Content warnings: semi-explicit sexual content, law-breaking (they are thieves, liars and con men), mild violence (someone will get punched), mention of former relationships (for the main pair) and cheating (but not for the main pair)

Banner (link to banner post) and art by the amazing @clockadile Go check her art tag for the fic here!

This fic would never exist without the wonderful @sambethe who convinced me to do over hot chocolate on one cold Chicago afternoon and virtually held my hand and betaed this fic for months. thank you SO much for everything you do.

A/N: A long time ago there was talk about Hook & his sea friends and a few collective posts shaped the idea of a Sea Squad. This fic is the attempt to bring that creativity to life. Tagging @queen-mabs-revenge   @thesschesthair   and @jvosketches as they were part of that initial thinking back in the day. If a few things sound familiar, it’s because they are based on the movie.

Link to  FFnet & AO3

on tumblr: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8  9 10 11 12 13

More incredible art under the cut

Chapter 14

It was done. It was bloody done.

And they had succeeded.

Liam took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp night’s air. The money was secured back in the warehouse, they’d discarded their SWAT gear and were heading to the rendezvous point. He reached for LJ and clasped his little brother’s shoulder.

“You did well, kid,” he said, his heart bursting with pride. He looked at Henry, who was walking along beside LJ. “You both, did.”

LJ’s smile was brief and small, but it was a start. Leaving the two of them to enjoy the high of their first big heist, Liam fell behind with Nemo and Poseidon.

“Well done, boy.”

Liam smiled. “Admit it, Poseidon. You didn’t think we would pull it off.”

Poseidon shook his head. “I had my doubts, but they had nothing to do with the job, Liam. I simply wondered if you’d forgotten the things that truly matter in life.”

An image of Belle rushed through his head and Liam held Poseidon’s stare with solemnity. “I hadn’t.” They’ve reached the fountain near the Baelfire, the place where they were supposed to meet. Liam ran a hand through his hair, his nerves finally kicking in. “I just have to hope she hasn’t either.”

Nemo reached for him, engulfing him in a fatherly hug that Liam hadn’t realized he needed until he sank into it. Liam held on, finally letting every bad moment of the past few years go. He was ready to start a new life.

“I’m still mad at you, Liam Jones.” Belle’s voice pulled him from his thoughts and he stepped out of Nemo’s embrace. Turning around, he found her standing next to Ursula, only a few feet away from him.

She was still dressed elegantly, a blue halter neck dress that went above her knees, four-inch black heels and a caramel coat. The flash in her eyes confirmed her anger was real, but there was also a hint of a smile curving her lips. When he glanced back up her eyes were sparkling with mischief and that was when he noticed there was a small travel bag sitting at her feet. One could only hope… and Liam Jones really wanted to hope.

He opened his arms and gave her that smile he knew would melt her. “Think about it this way - I have a lifetime ahead of me to make it up to you.”

She ran into his arms, crashing her lips against his. Liam caught her, lifting her from the ground as he let himself go, kissing her with everything he had. From behind them there were sounds of throat clearing, wolf-whistling and a few ‘get a room’ comments - the last of which sounded suspiciously like Milah - but Liam didn’t let go. He couldn’t even if he wanted to, as Belle was holding onto him as much as he was.

When they finally broke their kiss, he gently lowered her down to the ground and rested his forehead against hers. He took a moment to simply breathe her in.

“Liam...” Belle started, her voice laced with concern. “You know he probably called the cops, don’t you?”

“Aye… I’ve already called my parole officer. I need to go back and face the music for a while, and Nemo has arranged for some legal advice.” He pulled her closer to him, reaching to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “But he understands…”

“Understands what?”

He kissed her again.

“That I had to get you back”.

/-/

Killian adjusted the cuffs of his shirt and ran a hand along the lapels of his suit jacket. His shirt was wrinkled and his suit was covered in dust. The beginning of a bruise was visible on his cheek and his ribs were sore. He ran a hand through his hair, wincing slightly at the pain as he tried to put himself to sorts. He was going to have to accept that he wasn’t going to be more polished than this tonight. It would have to do.  

He stepped out of the police station with his hands in his pocket and a small spring to his step. They had foreseen this - there was little they hadn’t predicted with this job, with the exception of Emma Swan - and Nemo had already placed a couple of calls while Killian was being taken into the police station. There was nothing on him - nor would there be. Plus it didn’t hurt that Nemo was more well-liked than Gold by pretty much everyone in this town, including the police.

Killian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. While the night was still too warm for his taste, there was a soft breeze that brought a chilled edge with it. It felt wonderful to fill his lungs with it, as if a new life was starting. When he opened his eyes, it seemed that new life had conjured before him, because Emma Swan was walking towards him. Her blonde hair loose and down, its wavy curls resting on her shoulders. She wore no makeup, tight jeans, a battered t-shirt, and a red leather jacket.

She was a vision… and he could only hope she was real.

He let a soft smile come to his lips as she approached him and he could confirm that she was, in fact, very real.

“Swan…” he couldn’t help the cheeky tone or the wistful smile. “What brings you to this fine establishment on this of all evenings?”

She tilted her head, her lips twisting in what he thought was an adorable way. “I was coming to bail you out.”

“Would you do that for me? Really?” The questions left his lips without prompting, and he bit his lower lip to refrain for making more of an embarrassment of himself. But oh well, in for a penny, in for a dozen million dollars. “While I appreciate the gesture, as you can see, love, I had everything under control.”

She took a step towards him, and stood just a hairbreadth’s away from him. “Do you, Jones?”

He lowered his eyes to her lips. “I’d like to think I do.”

Her lips brushed his, soft and warm, and with one single movement, she’d upended his world again. Without hesitation, he brought her flush against him, his hands cradling her face and angling her head so he could kiss her with abandon.

A minute, an hour, a decade later, he finally pulled away, reaching to put a strand of hair behind her ear and tucking Emma at his side. Killian knew the moment had come and he couldn’t hold back the truth from her anymore.

Besides, he didn’t want to.

Taking a deep breath for courage, he started walking, his eyes on the street. “You know, pulling a job like this one is not easy. It requires a lot of planning, careful execution, and selecting the perfect associates.”

“Are you trying to get into my pants by impressing me with your knowledge of criminal activity?” She cocked an eyebrow at him, her lips twitching. “I have to say, I’m not impressed.”

“Of course not, but hush. I’m trying to make a point.” He cleared his throat as he picked his words carefully. “We had a lot of friends coming to help with this, but we were still missing a greaseman. Lucky for us, I found one.”

“You did?”

“I did. Wonderful kid: smart, fast, talented. He’s a bloody marvel.” He stopped, turning to face her. “His name is Henry Mills, he’s sixteen years old and he ran away from the foster system a few years ago. He’s been pulling jobs here and there while performing in a circus.” From the inside pocket of his suit jacket, he pulled the stack of paper he’d been carrying with him all night. He handed them to her with shaking hands. “He has a past that I think you’ll find interesting.”

She shot him a puzzled expression as she took the papers, her eyes scanning the first one. Killian swallowed, shuffling his feet as he waited for Emma to read them all. She did. Three times. She scanned one page and then another, and then back to the first, over and over again. It was killing him, but he didn’t want to push her.

When she finally lifted her head, her eyes had a haunted expression and her voice was barely above a whisper. “Are you sure - absolutely sure?”

Killian nodded. “One hundred percent, Emma. I wouldn’t be showing you those if I wasn’t. I had Smee looking into it. You haven’t met him, but he can get his hands on anything, and he always gets it right.”

There was a moment of silence between them as he watched the information finally sink in.

And then she punched him in the stomach.

The breath went out of him, the pain of his already sore ribs spiking back up. He coughed and winced as he bent over in pain, holding onto his ribs. “Careful, darling. I’ve already taken a beating tonight.”

Emma punched him on the shoulder without missing a beat. “You turned my son into a criminal!”

She had a point here. Almost. Straightening to full height, he caught her next punch with his hand. “He already was one, Swan. I just made sure he pulled a job where he was protected by people who would treat him like family, and got enough money to retire…”

That seemed to bring Emma out of her violent streak and into a different state. Her hands started to shake and her eyes filled with tears, the sight of it breaking his heart. Reaching for her, he pulled her into a tight hug, and let her sob into his shirt. “It’s alright, love. It’s alright.”

“Was he- was he there that night? The night I tailed you?”

“Yes, he was… he’s surprisingly not bad at blackjack, considering you’re so terrible at it.” She smiled against his chest and he placed a soft kiss on her head. “He’s a wonderful lad, Emma. I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

“Does he know?”

“Smee is probably breaking the news to him right now. Since I wasn’t sure I would make it out in one piece tonight, I took precautions.” She pulled away to meet his eyes and he wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “If I didn’t make it, Liam would have found you.”

She pressed into him, her kiss both sweet and furious at the same time. “Damn you, Killian Jones,” she whispered against his lips.

“Come, Emma, let’s go meet your son. He’s waiting for you.”

/-/

The Vegas Strip was still bustling with activity at this time of the night, but, much like New York, it was a city that never slept. Emma fidgeted next to Killian as he pulled his car into a fancy driveway, her heart beating a mile a minute. He reached to squeeze her hand. “He’s going to love you, Swan.”

She waited for him to open the car door before stepping out and leaning into him. “You don’t know that.” It was the first time she’d ever voiced that fear out loud. Tonight was the first time she’d ever mentioned the son she’d given up to any living soul. She’d come close to confessing her deepest secret once upon a time, and it was to the same man she was now pressed against as they walked into the entrance of the house. In the end, it all began and ended with Killian Jones and her quest to find her son.  Funny how those two people were now intertwined with each other in a way Emma was only beginning to comprehend.

“I know he will.” Killian stopped and turned to face her, his eyes scanning her face. “After all, what’s not to love?”

His words cause a catch in her throat, leaving her speechless. Killian gave her a soft smile before he grabbed her hand, lacing her fingers with his and pulling her towards the house and into the patio inside. A few people were scattered around in groups, making small talk and drinking glasses of champagne. In the corner she saw Belle standing next to Liam. Belle caught her eye and gave her a small wave.

Emma was about to wave back but her hand stopped mid-way at the sight of the brown-haired boy who was talking with Liam. He was flanked by a young man who looked slightly familiar, and Nemo.

Emma stopped breathing. “Is that him?”

“Aye, right next to LJ, my half-brother,” Killian confirmed, his hand anchoring her to the moment.

She didn’t know what to say, or what to do. Should she just go to him and introduce herself? Her heart beat a staccato rhythm against her chest as she stood there frozen. But at that moment, Henry looked in their direction. His eyes widened and he hastily made his way towards them. His lips curved in a tentative smile and Emma held her breath.

“Mom?” he asked tentatively as he reached her, and Emma lost the battle against the tears that were coming to her eyes.

“Hey, kid.” Her voice sounded as small and tentative as his. She only barely noticed Killian letting go of her hand and stepping away to give them privacy, because she couldn't take her eyes away from the boy standing in front of her, looking at her with awe.

Suddenly, he was speaking a mile a minute. “I wanted to find you... but when I ran away before turning eighteen, I couldn’t get my hands on my files. I tried to hack the system a couple of times, but I’m not that good.” He averted his eyes for a moment, but he soon was looking at her again, as if he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Emma could understand the feeling. “I was - I was waiting to get more into this crew to ask Smee to do it for me… but-”

Emma’s hand rested on his arm, the move slow and hesitant. “It’s ok, kid. You don't’ need to explain anything. I- I should be the one explaining things to you. I’m sure you have so many questions…”

Henry rested his hand on top of hers and he gave her a beautiful smile, bright as Vegas’ neon lights, before throwing himself into her arms.

“You found me, mom.”

Emma hugged him tightly, fiercely, letting the tears pour down her cheeks. “Killian found you - for me.”

/-/

He ached to go to her. Letting go of her hand and stepping away had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done, and yet Killian knew this wasn’t his moment to intrude. This moment belonged only to Emma and Henry. Still, he hovered nearby, at a polite enough distance, but not really able to walk away completely.

LJ came up beside him, his hands crammed into his pockets. “Well, they really let you out quickly.”  

Killian shrugged. “They had nothing on me, and Nemo was gracious enough to make a couple of phone calls.” His eyes darted once again to Emma and Henry, now standing closely, heads bent, whispering to each other.

LJ followed Killian’s stare. "So... the kid is the lost son of the woman you’re desperately in love with. And she was working with Gold - against you - for a chance to have his records. The records she couldn’t get her hands on the last time because you ruined it for her in Tuscany."

The amusement in his little brother’s voice was hard to miss. Killian smirked as he reached to clasp his brother’s shoulder. “I think that is a good summary, yes.”

“Oh boy, there’s never a dull moment in this family, is it?”

“I’m afraid not,” Liam called behind them and they both turned to find him, Belle, and Nemo standing there. “But I do foresee some quiet times in our near future. Gods know we need them.” He pulled Belle even closer to him, and his eyes met Killian’s. “What I’m dying to know is… how come she didn’t maim you when she found out you got her son into the business?”

“She did,” Emma answered, her voice carrying a clear hint of mischief. She and Henry had made their way towards them. Killian turned to meet her eyes and held out his hand.

She took it and he pulled her closer to him. “Everyone, this is Emma Swan, the one from Tuscany.”

Liam and LJ nodded their heads and Belle beamed at them. LJ, sensing the mood and Killian’s need for a quiet moment with Emma, broke the moment by nudging Henry with his shoulder.

“Come, Henry. Now that we’re practically family, I’m going to play nice and teach how to bluff at poker.”

Henry didn’t rise to the bait. Instead he picked an invisible fleck from his jacket. “Thank you for the offer, but the best brother Jones - that is Killian - already taught me.”

LJ snorted. “Oh, burn. You’re going to pay for that one, circus kid.” He started walking towards the inside of the house. “Come, I’ll bet you a million that you cannot beat me.”

Henry trailed behind him. “You’re on, nimble fingers.”

“Wait a minute! I want in.” Liam said, following them inside and pulling Belle with him by their joined hands. “I’ll show you all who the best Jones is.”

“And me,” Nemo walked leisurely towards the inside, his confidence clear in every slow, sure step. “I’m going to show you all how this is done.”

Killian shook his head with fondness. “As you can see, Emma, nothing excites this family more than a poker game…”

Emma was studying him, her lips curved in a soft smile. “So… now what?”

He brought her into his embrace, his arms circling on her waist as he swayed on his feet. “Well, there is this Tuscan town I’ve been meaning to go back to. After you and Henry get acquainted, are you interested in taking a trip with me?”

“What kind of trip?” Her voice had risen an octave. “Those people were amazing to me as I got drunk and cried my eyes out over you. Please don’t tell me this is a recon to pull another job because I swear to god…. “

She was endearing, and infuriating, and was totally missing his point. He placed a finger on her lips and stopped her tirade.

“A honeymoon, Swan. “