Challenge Story Autumn Starlight [Once Upon A Time; Killian, Emma, Henry, Hope] Autumn Bingo Challenge

Title: Autumn Starlight

Summary: Killian's family helps him find his autumn starlight.


Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I’m just borrowing them for a while.

A/N: Written for the Autumn Bingo Challenge. The words I chose were Chill in the air+scarecrow+changing leaves+pumpkin+_haystack.

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Autumn had never been Killian’s favorite season. The turning of the weather always seemed to bring a sense of melancholy to his soul, sadness to his heart and the chill in the air nestled deep into his bones. He had wondered if this autumn, having finally settled into domestic bliss with Emma, Henry and Hope might bring with it different emotions. But no, he found himself just as restless as ever.

“Killian, are…are you okay?” Henry asked as he stepped into the kitchen.

“Aye, Lad, I’m fine,” the pirate answered his teenage stepson without looking up at the boy.

“Are you sure?” Henry questioned as he opened the refrigerator to look for something to eat for breakfast.

Killian sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Yes, Henry, I am…”

“Papa!” little Hope squealed when she noticed her father.

Emma could barely hold onto the toddler as she squirmed in her arms.

“Okay, down you go,” she said as she reached the last step. “Go see Papa.”

Killian couldn’t help but smile as the two-year old ran to him as fast as her small legs would carry her. He caught her and immediately lifted her onto his lap.

“Good morning, Princess Hope,” he said with a grin. “Did you sleep well, little love?”

The little blonde child nodded, yet quickly her head found it’s way to rest against her father’s chest and her eyes dropped closed.

Henry chuckled from the other side of the kitchen. His baby sister always kept their little family guessing.

“How about we go to Granny’s for breakfast?” Emma suggested when she pulled her eyes from her husband and daughter to notice her son still searching for food.

“Yes!” Henry exclaimed. “Hey, Hope, that means…pumpkin pancakes!”

Suddenly awakened, Hope clambered from Killian’s lap and raced to her big brother who scooped her into his arms and gave her a big kiss.

Killian and Emma watched as the two left them room. They knew Henry would make sure Hope was dressed warmly and the duo would be ready to leave their home within minutes.

“What’s wrong?” Emma asked once the kids were out of earshot.

Killian sighed. “Nothing, love, just…”

She grasped his hand in hers. “Don’t tell me nothing when I know something is bothering you. No secrets, remember?”

He nodded. “I suppose I’m felling a bit…melancholy. This time of year…I can’t really explain it. No matter where I was or who I was with, when autumn came along I always felt melancholy. I thought this year would be different. I’m back, I’m with my family. But…”

Emma smiled sadly. “But you feel the same way.”

He only shook his head. “Aye. I’m sorry, love. I can see how excited Henry and Hope are about all of this; pumpkin spice food and drink, decorating the yard with…with scarecrows, playing outside as the changing leaves fall to the ground. It’s all beautiful and I really can’t seem to enjoy it.”

Emma perched herself on her husband’s lap and kissed his lips softly, her hand resting tenderly against his stubbled cheek.

“Maybe you need a…a change of scenery,” she suggested. “Something you enjoy doing besides puttering around this sleepy little town.”

He laughed slightly. “Such as?”

Emma shrugged. “Well, for starters, breakfast at Granny’s. Henry and Hope are really looking forward to those pumpkin pancakes. After that, maybe a stroll down to the docks and…possibly…”

Killian knew where she was going with her suggestion. “Maybe a sail on the Jolly Roger. I appreciate the thought, love, but…”

“But nothing,” Emma told him in a stern tone. “You love to sail and you love that ship. Henry and Hope love it and so do I. We’ve never gone out as a family. So, why not now? Why not when you clearly need something to cheer you up?”

He gave it some thought for a few minutes and was about to give her an answer when his children both wandered back into the kitchen.

“We’re ready,” Henry declared.

Together, the family headed out for the ten-minute walk from their seaside home to Granny’s.

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The Jones family was just finishing up their breakfast when Killian noticed that Regina and Robin had walked in with their children Roland and Emilie.

Over the past two years, as Henry grew into an older teenager and became more interested in girls, he hadn’t spent nearly as much time with either of his mom’s, but as he lived with Emma, Regina saw less and less of the young man.

“Well, good morning, Jones’s, Robin called as he shifted their daughter in his arms. “How are you all?”

Emma smiled at Emilie. “We’re fine, Robin.”

Henry stood and went to hug his mom. “Hi, Mom. Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve…well, sorry.”

Regina smiled at her son. “It’s okay, Henry. I know you are a busy young man now. You don’t have a lot of time for hanging out with your mom.”

He simply nodded. He didn’t want to tell her about the sailing trip he was going on with Killian and Emma.

The two families talked for a few minutes before Killian stood and walked to the counter. He asked Granny quietly if she could make up a picnic basket for them to take on the ship with them for the afternoon.

Once it was ready, he turned around and noticed his family had disappeared.

“They went outside,” Ruby told him. “I think Hope followed Roland and Emilie outside to play in the haystacks.”

Killian thanked her as he grabbed up the basket and headed off to find his family.

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Many hours later, the sun was beginning to set as the Jolly Roger dropped anchor not too far outside the break water. Henry and Killian had spent a few hours in the late afternoon fishing and now Emma and Henry were in the galley cooking up their supper.

Killian was sitting in a chair on the bow, Hope snuggled in his arms. She wrapped tightly in a warm jacket. The cold coming off the water had sent them all into warmer attire as night began to fall.

“Stowy, Papa,” Hope said softly.

Killian smiled. It had been an amazing day. Breakfast with his wife and children had been wonderful. To see his wife, toddler daughter and teenage son so happy brought a joy to his heart he hadn’t felt in longer than he could remember. Sailing; being on the ship he loved on the water her felt born to tread had lightened his soul and set a smile upon his face.

“Once upon a time…”

“Supper!” Emma called at that moment.

Killian laughed. “We’ll have to finish our story a little late, little love.”

The family sat together and ate while they laughed over old stories and memories from long ago.

“You seem better than this morning, Dad,” Henry mentioned.

Killian still shuttered whenever Henry called him Dad. He felt his heart would burst from all the love he felt for the boy he had thought of as his own for so long.

“Aye, lad, I do feel better,” he managed softly. “I guess spending time with my family was the cure, after all. Just as your mother said.”

Henry smiled. “I’m glad.”

After their meal was finished, Henry took his sister out onto the deck and told her the story Killian had so briefly began. Emma wrapped her arms around Killian’s waist as the pair looked up at the darkened sky.

“What do you see?” she asked as he brushed a tender kiss against his jaw.

He looked down at her before shifting his eyes again to the sky.

“Autumn starlight,” he answered. “In the sky and on this ship. It’s you, love. It’s you, Henry and Hope; you’re all my autumn starlight.”

 

Aw, mission accomplished!

 

What a beautiful title, and a beautiful story to go with it!

I feel this so much.

Oh, sounds yummy!

I love the warmth and caring between them all, and how both Henry and Emma notice something's bothering Killian and want to help.

Perfect ending!