Find My Way Back To You

Chapter 8

--- EMMA'S POV ---

I'm clueless as to what to do or say to my parents now that they've realized, that I'll have another child. The only thing I do know right now is that I need more time to think and Hope will help me out with that. She'll be a distraction to keep my parents from asking any more questions. It has to work, and it will. I know how obsessed my mom can get about babies after all – and Hope isn't just another baby, it's her adorable granddaughter. She'll probably forget all about her and dad's questions.

I smile at them and approach them closer. "Do you want to hold your granddaughter?" It's not like I could've denied that she is my daughter. Firstly, because I'm a terrible liar and lying about this would also hurt too much – it would feel like I'm betraying my baby daughter in some way. I don't want that to happen. Not ever. And secondly my parents could guess that by simply looking at her, too. She has my hair – at least she will one day since she doesn't have much of it yet, but the few hairs that are there, are blonde like mine. And she also has my cheekbones and lips, which makes her face look a lot like mine. From Killian she inherited her nose and her eyes, which I was hoping for during my whole pregnancy. Him and her just have the greatest eyes I've ever seen. They make me fall in love with them more each time I look at them.

"Of course." My mom reaches out her arms and I put Hope softly into them. Now I can only hope, that neither of my parents has ever really paid attention to Killian's eyes and puts two and two together. I know I noticed them even then. They're just really hard to miss since their blue is so incredibly intense.

Before I take a step back from my parents again, I run my hand over Hope's head to let her know, I'll still be here. That I'm not going anywhere – not without her anyway. When I draw my hand back, my daughter has other plans since she reaches out her tiny hand and holds one of my fingers tightly. So, I keep standing there and smile down at her, while letting her hold my hand.

Then I feel my dad's hands on my shoulder as he watches Hope over my shoulder. It's actually funny how it's years before Hope is even born, but my parents still react the same way they do, whenever Killian and I visit them with Hope.

"She's so adorable, Emma." My mom says, while smiling down at her granddaughter.

"I know." She's the most adorable kid in the world after all. I keep looking at my mom, who smiles at Hope, that is at least until her eyes narrow on my hand – or more accurately my rings. Oh crap. I should've taken them off as soon as I realized, I'm in the past. But of course, that's something I haven't considered. Until now I haven't even noticed their presence since I'm so used to them by now. And even if I noticed them, I wouldn't have wanted to take them off since they're the only thing of Killian's I have right now – except for his past self and our daughter. The rings give me strength, when I need a reminder that Killian and I can get through literally anything.

"Oh Emma, you're married? I'm so happy for you." She smiles, and I try to give her a smile in return. Let's just hope she leaves it at that. But that's probably just wishful thinking. It's unlike my mother to just let something go. Sometimes she's just too nosy for her own good.

I feel dad's hands on my shoulders tighten a little. I can only imagine he's having half a panic attack right now at the thought of his little girl getting married and having a baby in the near future. Hopefully he won't faint. I might not be able to see his face right now, but I'm sure it's a lot like the one he made, when I first told my parents I'm going on a date with Captain Hook. Or that time I told them, that I asked him to move in with me.

"I knew it was the right thing to start planning your wedding." What? She did start right after the first curse? I thought she was joking about that! But well it looks like even then my mom thought Killian and I will end up together. I wish I would have been that smart. It would've saved us a lot of trouble and time.

The only thing that I don't understand is, why my mom was pushing me towards Neal, when he was still alive. It makes no sense, that she wants me to be with someone, even though she's planning my wedding to someone else.

"So, you weren't joking, when you said you planned my wedding ever since the curse broke?"

"I would never joke about that. And these things take time, so I knew I needed to start as soon as possible." She looks proudly at me.

I feel my dad's hands fall off my shoulder then. I turn to him to check whether he's okay. He is. I see that he's crossing his arms and kind of glares at my mom. "Mary Margret, there's no need to hurry. You shouldn't pressure Emma into marrying someone too soon."

Not again.

Their disagreements were annoying enough the first time. Then my dad wanted to make sure, that my wedding doesn't get crashed like theirs – which it kind of did anyway, but I don't really care. Sure I would change it if I could, but I still look back at that day fondly since I got to marry my true love. And that's all that matters to me.

And with my mother being who she is, I doubt it's my last wedding...she's probably already planning one for our ten-year anniversary.

"Stop it. Everything will be ok – with the wedding and all that." I say to mom to calm her down and then I speak to my dad. That will be the harder part, I guess. "I'll be okay, dad. My husband is the right person for me and we've gone through great lengths to protect each other. I won't get hurt by him. And I'll always be your little girl – he doesn't change that in any way. You actually get along great with him. He's like your best friend."

My dad sighs in what seems to be relief and uncrosses his arms. "I believe you." He says before taking a place next to my mom and hugging both her and Hope. My parents both smile down at Hope as she releases my hand and falls asleep again.