Taking That Second Chance, Chapter 7 - A Captain Swan, Once Upon A Time Fanfic
Start here onĀ FF.netĀ and here onĀ A03.
Chapter 7 isĀ hereĀ andĀ here.
Note: I know that in canon, Regina tried to train Emma in magic the same way she was taught, so using anger and negative emotions to use magic, but I'm going with the idea that perhaps at that time, Regina didn't fully understand Emma was truly a Light Witch, so after Regina figured it out, she trained Emma better. The reason I'm mentioning this is because there's an explanation of Light and Dark magic in the chapter and I'm trying to head of the nitpickers in the reviews/comments.
Also, TRIGGER warning for mild mentions of alcoholism and addiction.
Chapter 7
āChoices are the hinges of destiny.ā ā PythagorasĀ Ā
A bright light spilled out of the Wishing Well of Storybrooke as the group from the Enchanted Forest flew out of the portal.Ā
Snow landed first tucking and rolling as she lost her footing. Laying on her back, she looked up at the bright sky, finding herself in a different set of woods than the ones in the Enchanted Forest. Pushing herself up, she looked around, recognizing the well.Ā
She was back home.Ā
As Marian stumbled out, she maneuvered so that she landed on her back with Roland tightly tucked against her chest. Her breath left her as her back hit hard ground, eyes closing and teeth clenching at the pain.Ā
Roland cried against her, scared and overwhelmed over the realm traveling, not understanding exactly what happened.Ā
Mulan and Aurora stumbled out next, both tumbling to their knees close to the well. Mulan looked around for any threats. Finding none, she stood and helped Aurora up, glancing over her for any injuries.Ā
Finally, Anton brought up the rear falling over the edge last and flat onto his back onto the ground. He heaved heavily trying to catch his breath. It took him a moment to get his bearings.Ā
Snow pushed herself up and looked around wildly. āWhereās Emma?ā She hurried over to the well, seeing the portal close. āNo, no. Emma!āĀ
āHook,ā Anton gasped out. āHe said they were right behind. Portal was closing.ā He pushed himself up, using the wall of the well as an aide. āHe was running towards the portal, but he was carrying her. That mightāve slowed him down.āĀ
āDo you think they missed it?ā Aurora asked as she too came towards the well, looking for any inkling that Emma or Hook were coming through.Ā
Snow stared down into the darkened well, not even able to see the water at the bottom. There was no sign of Emma or Hook. No, no, no. Panic gripped her at the thought of being separated from Emma again. They just found each other; now Emma was stuck in another realm with the most dangerous and notorious pirate in their land. Tears pricked at her eyes. She was a horrible mother. She couldnāt keep her daughter twenty-eight years ago, and she lost her again now. What if they couldnāt find another portal? What if Emma was stuck there for good?
āAt least Cora didnāt come over with us.ā Mulan stated grimly. āKicking her away from us as we travelled through realms mustāve worked.ā
āWhat does that mean?ā Aurora asked. āIs she still alive?āĀ
Marian stood, loosening her tight hold on Roland, who calmed down somewhat, but just barely. āDoes it matter? Sheās not here, which means she canāt terrorize any of us anymore.ā That was certainly a relief for all of them. She brushed dirt off of Rolandās cheek. āAre you all right, sweetheart?ā
Roland just nodded, clinging to his mother. āWant to go home, Mama.ā
Marian swallowed. She hadnāt wanted to go through the portal, and now they were separated from Robin. Again. Her poor husband was probably going out of his mind with worry not knowing where Roland was or if he was even alive.Ā
āWe need to find a portal back.ā Snow said.Ā
āAre there portals here?ā Marian asked. She needed a portal back to the Enchanted Forest, back to Robin, but with this being the Land Without Magic, Marian doubted finding a portal would be easy.
āNo.ā Snow said. āThe Dark One is here, so maybe he knows of some way? I canāt leave my daughter in the Enchanted Forest with a man I canāt trust sheās safe with.ā
āEven if sheās not safe with Hook, she sure knows how to handle him.ā Mulan grumbled. She glanced around the woods before turning to Snow. āThis is your world. What do we do now?ā
Snow looked down the well one last time with the vain hope she might see Emma. Closing her eyes, Snow took a breath. Sheād find a way back to Emma. Even if she had to make a deal with the Dark One. Opening her eyes, Snow turned back to the group. āWe head into town, get you all settled, and I reunite with my husband and grandson.ā Her grandson who might very well hate her for leaving his mother behind.Ā
āLetās go then.ā Marian said. āI for one could use some food and a bed.ā Then maybe discuss a portal with the Dark One.Ā
The others agreed and followed Snow through the woods into the town.Ā
*****************************
He really shouldāve waited until the afternoon when school got out. Reuniting with her now would only distract her, but after a long night of thinking over Liam and Henryās words, Jefferson knew he couldnāt wait any longer to reunite with his daughter. Even though he was sweating from nerves and second guessing himself, Jefferson stood still staring at the bus as it came down the street.
Here we go.Ā
He watched the bus pull up to the school parking lot. Swallowing, Jefferson walked closer as the fourth graders hopped off the bus. Come on, Hatter, you can do this.Ā
Jefferson watched each face, searching for the familiar face of his daughter.Ā
Soon enough, Henry exited the bus with Liam close behind him. His breath caught in his throat as Grace appeared behind the boys. Her smile was wide, laughing at something one of the boys said.Ā
Jefferson stepped closer. Taking a deep breath, he needed to get to her. It was now or never.Ā
āGrace!ā He called out, hoping sheād recognize his voice.Ā
Grace froze.Ā
Liam and Henry paused as they too heard her name, both turning, both looking surprised when they saw him behind Grace, though he was still a good distance away.Ā
āGrace!ā He called out again, his throat tightening the longer it took for her to turn around. She hates me. What am I even doing here? I knew this was a bad idea. Gods, I shouldāve left her alone. Sheās probably happier without me.Ā
Finally, she slowly turned around. Tears and disbelief were in her brown eyes when she took in the sight of him.Ā
Then suddenly she was sprinting towards him. āPapa!āĀ
Relief filled him as he realized that her tears were joyful ones, so he knelt down just in time to catch her in his arms.Ā
Her arms locked around his neck as she buried her face in his shoulders, sobbing into him. āPapa, papa, you found me. I canāt believe you found me.āĀ
Guilt ate at him at her words. She believed heād been looking for her just as sheād been looking for him. He swallowed again, trying to rid himself of the lump in his throat. Grace deserved the truth. No more cowardice and no more lies. Jefferson squeezed her tightly one last time before releasing her to look at her. He brushed some loose strands of her dark blonde hair behind her ear. Gods, she looked so much like her mother. That only struck his heartache all the more.Ā
āGrace, Iā¦ā He choked on his words for a moment. Once he told her the truth, she might very well hate him then. āI missed you so much.ā Emotions overwhelmed him. Guilt, fear, remorse, everything hitting as he looked into her guileless brown eyes.Ā
āPapa, itās okay.ā Grace smiled. āI missed you too. Iām so glad you found me.ā
Jefferson winced. Here came the hard part. He needed to be honest with her. āGrace I love you so so much. You mean absolutely everything to me. I need you to know that.āĀ
āI know that.ā Graceās brow furrowed, confused as to why he was telling her this.
āGrace, I wasnāt cursed the same way everyone else was.ā Jefferson began. āRegina left my memories intact even as she gave me knew memories. Two lives in my head drove me to insanity. I didnāt know what was real somedays.ā Jefferson swallowed thickly. āEven with two lives in my head, I had a huge house and wealth, but Regina took you from me. She put you right in front of me but made sure we could never be together. For twenty-eight years, all I could think about was how I failed you all the while watching you live a happy life with two very alive parents. Iām your father and I was supposed to protect you, but I let Regina scare me into one last job.ā He paused, letting his words sink in, hoping Grace would understand.Ā
In the distance, the bell for school rang and Liam and Henry looked between father and daughter and the school building before shrugging. Theyād let the teachers know what was going on, so they headed inside, letting Grace have her time with her father.Ā
āShe tricked me, and I left you alone. It was the biggest mistake of my life and I canāt tell you how much I regret it.ā He made sure to look into Graceās eyes as he continued speaking. āWhen the curse broke, I knew where you were, but I thought youād hate me for abandoning you and I was a coward. I let my own guilt rule my decisions, and thought staying away from you was for the best.ā
Graceās face fell as he spoke. Did he not want her? Was he saying goodbye for good?
āYou were so happy under the curse.ā Jefferson swallowed, tears gathering in his eyes. āI thought it was better for you to stay away. Iām still not sure if I should be in your life. My time away from you really did a number on me. Iām not exactly the most stable parental figure at the moment.ā He paused again, this time to take a breath, hoping heād be brave enough to continue. āI do love you. I want you to come home with me, but if thatās not what you wantā¦if you want to stay with your cursed parents then I will be more than happy to let you because you deserve the best life you could possibly have even if Iām not in it.ā
There. He got it all out.Ā
āPapa,ā Grace let her tears fall. āYouāre so stupid.ā She hugged him fiercely.Ā
Jefferson blinked. Okay, was that an answer? He wasnāt sure but he hugged Grace back. āDoes that mean youāre not mad at me?ā
āNo, Papa.ā Grace mumbled into his shoulder. āI can come home after school, right?ā
āMy home?ā Jefferson asked, wanting to be sure. āWhat about our neighborsā¦youāre other parents?ā
Grace pulled away. āTheyāve been helping me look for you. They want to help you out, like they did before the curse, but they want to start their own family.ā
āReally?ā Jefferson huffed out in disbelief. Grace wasnāt mad, and she wanted to come home. Fuck, he worried himself to death for no reason. Maybe he needed therapy. No, he definitely needed therapy. Not with Archie though. God, did they even have other therapists in Storybrooke? He shook his head a bit. Heād worry about that later. āYeah, okay, Iāll pick you up here after classes and weāll go talk to them.ā
Grace beamed at him. āOkay.ā She hugged him again. āPromise me youāll be here?ā
āI promise.ā Jefferson said. āI swear to you I will be here.ā He wanted to reenforce the idea to her that he wasnāt going to disappear again. Maybe family therapy wasnāt off the table.Ā
She nodded and reluctantly went inside, looking over her shoulder multiple times just to make sure he was still there.Ā
Jefferson sighed. Well, step one, reuniting with Grace was done. Now he needed to learn how to be a proper father again.
Crap.Ā
*****************************
David entered Granny and Rubyās private apartment on the ground floor of the Inn, looking for them after Art, the other cook, told him they were delayed from working today. āRuby, Granny, you here?ā
Feet pounded down the stairs and Ruby came into view, her expression one of pure panic. āWe canāt find my cloak!āĀ
Her cloak that protected her from turning into the wolf during the full moon. While she hadnāt needed it in ages, with them being in a new realm with magic, Ruby was terrified about how the wolf would act during the moon. With the curse, they relived the same day over and over, but there wasnāt magic either. What if the wolf was feral now after being dormant for so long? What if she was a danger to everyone?Ā
The stairs creaked as Granny followed her. āWeāll find it. No need to worry, Red.ā Her calm exterior was the reassurance Ruby needed, but inside, she was worried herself since with having magic in Storybrooke they werenāt sure how the wolf would react come the first full moon.
āWhat if we canāt find it in time?ā Ruby asked, fear clear in her tone. āThe full moon is just over a week away.āĀ
āPlenty of time then.ā David said, following Grannyās lead to keep Ruby calm. āIf we canāt find it, then weāll figure something out.ā He clasped a comforting hand on her shoulder. āI promise.ā
Ruby relaxed slightly before stiffening again. Her head tilted in a way David knew meant her hearing picked something up. āHold on. Is thatā¦?ā She raced out of the room, leaving David startled before he and Granny followed her.Ā
Just as David entered the parlor of the Inn, he saw a group of women, a man, and a small child.Ā
Ruby was hugging⦠āSnow!ā David exclaimed hurrying over as Ruby and Snow pulled apart.Ā
Snow didnāt have time to recover from Rubyās fiercest bear hug before Charming came in sweeping off her feet in a hug, his lips pressing hard against hers. āCharming.ā She breathed, smiling against his kiss.Ā
As David set her down, before he could even speak, he was forcefully pulled away and thrown into a wall.
āAnton!ā One of the women exclaimed shocked.Ā
āYou!ā A large, unshaven man with long dark brown curly hair pinned David to the wall with hatred in his eyes. āYou killed my family! I should kill you too!ā His hands gripped Davidās throat tightly.Ā
āAnton, wait.ā Snow and Mulan both moved to pull Anton off of David. Marian shielded Roland from the scene by hurrying back out of the Inn, fearful of her toddler becoming even more traumatized than he already was after everything with Cora.Ā
David struggled to breathe through the vice of Antonās hands.
āNo, I wonāt let you protect this monster.ā Anton snarled at the women. His hate filled eyes turned back to David. āYou took everything from me.ā Anton squeezed tighter. āHow would your father, King George, feel if I killed you now?ā
Snow, Ruby, and Granny all realized the same thing at once. Anton didnāt want revenge on David. He wanted revenge on James.Ā
If David hadnāt been fighting to breathe, he wouldāve realized it too.Ā
āAnton, Prince James died thirty years ago.ā Snow snapped, hoping sheād get through to the giant. āMy husband is Jamesā identical twin brother David.ā
Anton didnāt loosen his grip right away, but slowly he lessened the pressure around Davidās neck. āWhat?āĀ
David was sputtering.Ā
āDavid and James were born to shepherds.ā Snow said, trying to keep her wits about her as David struggled. āThe Dark One took James when they were babies and George raised him while David was raised by their birth parents. David didnāt even know about James until after James died.ā Snow cautiously approached Anton, placing a hand on his arm. āDavid isnāt James. Heās a good man. You need to release him.ā
Anton slowly let David go and stepped back. He let David catch his breath before asking, āYou really arenāt James?ā
David breathe harshly, taking a minute before he found his voice. It was raspy as he spoke. āNo. I never met him.ā David coughed as his lungs begged for relief. He took another deep breath. āI know he was a bastard just like George. Iām sorry for what he did to you.ā He coughed again, his throat bruised.
Granny appeared with a glass of water for David, which he took gratefully.Ā
āIām sorry.ā Anton whispered. āThe last time I saw your face it was helping other humans murder my brothers. They were all I had left. They raised me.ā
āAnton, Iām so sorry.ā Snow patted his arm comfortingly. āI know it can never make up for what James did to you, but I truly wish things were different. I swear to you, David and James are completely different men.ā
Tears formed in Antonās eyes and he nodded as his throat thickened with emotions. He focused on David again. āIām sorry I tried to kill you.ā
David waved him off. āHonestly, Iām surprised it took this long for Jamesā reputation to catch up with me.āĀ
Snow turned to Granny and Ruby. āAnton, Mulan, Marian, and Aurora came over from the Enchanted Forest. They need rooms until we can get them on their feet.āĀ
āOf course.ā Granny nodded. She led Anton and Mulan away towards the front counter. Aurora ducked out to let Marian know that the fight was over.Ā
Snow hugged David tightly, the adrenaline from watching him almost die still in her system.Ā
David leaned on her, still struggling to regain his breath. Antonās grip was tight enough to leave bruises, but he hoped he didnāt have to go to the hospital. Thatās when he realized something. āWait, whereās Emma?āĀ
Snowās expression crumbled. āThe portal closed before she and Hook could come through. It happened so fast. Cora pulled Aurora through and then the rest of us fell in. Emma was separated from us. Sheās still there.ā
David swallowed though it was hard to do. His little girl was lost to them again. āEmmaās resourceful and smart. Sheāll find a way back to us.āĀ
āI hope so, Charming.ā Snow buried her face into his chest.
āHold on, did you say Hook?ā Ruby asked. āAs in the legendary Captain Hook? Heās real?ā
Snow sighed unhappily. āNot only is he real, but if weāre not careful, heāll be Emmaās new boyfriend.āĀ
Shocked, David could only exclaim. āWhat?āĀ
*****************************
Killian started a fire and kept Emma close to it, but without a change of clothes, he feared theyād both grow ill. He watched her unconscious form with concern. As far as he could tell, she hadnāt broken anything, but sheād have a hell of a bruise on her back.Ā
Even so, he checked periodically to make sure she was still breathing.Ā
With the portal closed, theyād have to figure out their next steps. Portals were hard to come by without magic beans now. He pulled the dried bean Emma gave him from his coat pocket.Ā
He wondered why Emma insisted on keeping a dried up, useless little thing like this; there couldnāt be any magic left, could there?Ā
His eyes traveled to the pool of water at the center of the clearing. What was the legend again? That the waters could restore life? Killian looked at the bean in his hand. Was it possible? Would the waters of the lake restore the bean?
A jolt of excited hope shot through his heart as he stood up and walked over to the water. Carefully, he held the chain from which the bean hung between his index finger and thumb. Please work. Lowering the chain, he dipped it underneath the water.Ā
Holding his breath, not knowing how long it would take, he watched the bean in the clear water. After a minute, the bean seemed to glow briefly before slowly turning from brown into a translucent, sparkling white.Ā
Killian grinned as he pulled the bean from the water. It actually worked. The bean was restored, which meant Emma had a way home.
The thought stopped him short. His first thought shouldāve been that he had a way to exact his revenge. He was one step closer to killing the Dark One. Yet, his first thought concerned Emma. He looked over to her prone form. He could leave now and she wouldnāt be able to stop him; heād get to the Dark One, magic be damned.Ā
Except it would be bad form to leave her. His heart didnāt want to anymore than his good form did. What about Milah? Why was he so concerned over a stranger when his revenge was within reach? In three-hundred years this was the closest heād been to getting to the Dark One. He knew he couldnāt use the dagger, which was why he bottled some Dreamshade in the hopes that such an incurable poison would be the key. However, since Emma told him that the Dark One brought magic to Storybrooke, he tried to think of ways to get close to the crocodile, knowing that Rumplestiltskin would be on his guard if he ever saw him. He knew Emma wouldnāt help him since she was already against him getting his revenge. Though considering it was Rumplestiltskin he was after, Killian didnāt quite understand why she was so invested. On the beanstalk when she admonished him for his suicide mission, Killian couldāve sworn he saw grief in her eyes as though he meant something to her.
That was impossible though since they barely knew each other. Yet, since he met her, Killian couldnāt deny that there was a deep, intangible connection he felt towards her, and he was almost certain she felt it too.
Having never experienced anything like it, Killian wasnāt sure how to describe it other than this desire to know her, protect her, and be near her. If he was honest with himself, he hated this feeling, but he couldnāt help being curious about such a mystery. What was it about Emma that sparked this connection? Was it because she was the Savior? Was it because she had magic? Or worse, was she using magic to make him feel this way? He doubted that last bit. Emma truly didnāt seem comfortable with her magic even though she was far more advanced than any novice heād encountered. More than that, she didnāt seem the type of person to manipulate people, and he would know having been that person and having worked with people like Cora and Regina.
Killian wished he had an answer. Especially since whatever was going on between him and Emma pushed Milah so easily from his mind in a way heād never allowed before. He loved Milah so deeply and fiercely he thought heād never get over her. She was his first love. They had only a few short years together before it all ended violently and abruptly. Killian despised Rumplestiltskin down to the marrow in his bones for ripping his happy ending away from him. Yet, here was this beacon of light crashing into his life so unexpectedly that he wasnāt prepared for her.Ā
It was a bitter pill to swallow and truth be told, Killian wanted to resent Emma for it, but he couldnāt quite find the strength to do so. With his mind a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions, Killian returned to Emmaās side, sitting beside her with his stomach full of knots as he thought over the choices he made in his life and about his revenge.
Anger, bitterness, hatred. These were the emotions he wrapped his heart in for so long he felt terrified to peel them away. Since Liamās death, he wallowed in such darkness, which only intensified after Milahās murder. He failed to get revenge for Liamās death and the king lived on to continue his bloodline despite Killianās efforts. He couldnāt fail Milah too. He needed to kill the Dark One. He couldnāt let some white witch, no matter how beautiful, get in the way of his goals.Ā
His revenge was all he had, and all he had ever lived for. At one time he thought he could let it all go for Baelfire, but the boy proved that opening oneās heart to love of any kind, whether it be familial as he had with Baelfire and Liam or romantic as he had with Milah, wasnāt worth the pain. He needed to protect his heart and if death was the final solution, so be it. No one cared whether he lived or died. His crew was gone, likely swept up in the curse and better off for it. He had no family. No one would miss him. After all villains donāt get happy endings. Villains only begot and received tragedy.Ā
After living so long, death was the only ending he truly needed and the only peace he would ever get from his torment.Ā
He fiddled with the magic bean, looking at the final key for his revenge. He was so close he could taste it. Yes, heād get Emma home and go with her, but then theyād part ways and heād finish what was started centuries ago. He truly hoped that his ending would mean the end of the crocodile as well, but that remained to be seen until he got to Storybrooke and assessed his options. Fortunately, he was a patient man when the occasion called for it.
A groan broke him from his rumination. His eyes instantly flicked to her as Emma slowly came to awareness. Worry for her well-being overtook him much to his irritation. Killian remained silent as she got her bearings, quickly pocketing the bean from her sight.Ā
The first thing Emma was aware of when she returned to consciousness was the stiff, aching pain shooting up and down her back. Her lungs breathed sharply and painfully as she adjusted her body in order to see her surroundings. The sun was higher in the sky and the waters of Lake Nostos not far from her. But where was everyone else? What happened to the portal?
āAfternoon, princess.ā Hookās tone had bite to it. āSleeping the day away while the rest of us commoners have work to do?ā
Confused as to why he was angry, Emma turned her attention to the pirate captain sitting near her. His eyes were hard and that muscle in his jaw ticked with irritation. What the hell happened while she was unconscious? āHook, the portal.ā It was hard to talk through the pain. Damn, sheād kill for a bottle of Aleve and an ice pack. āWhat happened?ā
He hated seeing her in pain, wishing there was more he could do, and he hated himself for fucking caring about her. āIt closed. Everyone else fell through and we remain stranded.āĀ
Emma eyed him, knowing he was holding something back. What was going on with him? Was it because he lost his chance at revenge? No, that couldnāt be it. Killian had the bean and he was intelligent enough to know the waters would fix the bean. After all, heād done so in the original timeline. āYou healed the bean. We have that, and Iām sure the Jolly is docked somewhere close by.āĀ
Killian stared at her for a long, scrutinizing moment. āI never told you I had a ship or her name.āĀ
āIf Iām going to tell you how I know about the Jolly or that youād use the waters on the bean, then weāre going to need a lot more rum than whatās in your flask.ā Emma sighed. āHow far to your ship?āĀ
āToo far for you in the state youāre in.ā Killian said. āHow are you feeling?ā His tone was neutral, but Emma saw the worry in his eyes.Ā
āIāll live.ā Emma sighed. She didnāt feel like bones were broken, but she certainly felt beaten up. āDonāt worry about it. The sooner we get to the Jolly, the sooner I can tell you everything.ā Emma pushed herself up unsteadily.Ā
In a flash, Killian was next to her, supporting her with an arm around her waist, just below the spot where most of the pain was centered. āYou canāt walk in your state.ā
āWhat are you going to do, carry me?ā Emma arched a brow. āI know Iām lighter than the rum barrels youāre used to, but I doubt youād be able to carry me from here to your ship.āĀ
The back of his neck prickled as her words unsettled him. Shaking himself, Killian had an idea. āPerhaps not, but you know how to teleport, donāt you?ā It was a guess, but he knew Emma wasnāt entirely incapable.Ā
Emma eyed him, surprised he hadnāt cottoned on sooner that she wasnāt entirely new to magic. āIām still working on teleporting myself, but Iām an export at teleporting hooks.ā Her joke only earned a raised eyebrow from him. Sighing, Emma explained. āI canāt teleport to somewhere Iāve never been, but fortunately for us, Iāve been on the Jolly before. Iāve never teleported myself and someone though, so hold tight.ā
Sheād been on the Jolly before? Killianās confusion only grew as Emma tightly wrapped her arms around him. Shaking himself, he leaned into her personal space with a smirk. āDonāt worry about getting too handsy, love.ā He tightened his hold around her waist, though kept his hand in an appropriate spot.
Emma rolled her eyes. āFlirt away, Hook. Weāll talk about whatās eating at you later. Letās just get going.āĀ
How did she read him so well? His smirk fell and he pulled back, though allowing her to still lean on him for support. Heād get his answers soon enough, he hoped.
āClose your eyes. Think of your quarters on the Jolly.ā Emma whispered in her ear.
Killianās arms wrapped around her as he followed her command.Ā
Emma took a breath and reached out for her magic, hoping she had enough energy left to try something like this. Pushing away her worry over teleporting farther than sheād ever tried before, Emma concentrated on picturing the Captainās quarters on the Jolly. The bed in itās wooden frame. The slanted beams which divided the windows. The small table that seated four. Take us to the Jolly. She told her magic and it responded in kind.Ā
Her body floated away in a whisky white cloud, though even as she became nothingness, she held tight to the nothingness Killian became. It wasnāt long before she felt herself solidifying and her feet were on hard ground. Opening her eyes, she found herself in his room on the Jolly, Killian himself in her arms. Sighing in relief, Emma released her hold and stepped back. Her vision swam suddenly and her feet gave way, but she didnāt hit the ground.Ā
Killian lifted Emma in his arms, depositing her onto his bed. āSleep, Emma. You need your rest.ā
āHome.ā She mumbled before her eyes fluttered closed.Ā
Killian swallowed, wondering when exactly Emma visited his ship and her strange words. She was an enigma he was going to figure out.Ā
For now though, heād find food, and maybe have a drink or two.Ā
*****************************
At the end of the school day, Liam and Henry watched Grace walk away with her father, a skip in her step.Ā
Liam hated the bitterness festering in his heart. Where was his papa? Why couldnāt he reunite with him? Why did Grace get her father back and he was stuck alone?
Henry put a an arm around Liam. āItās okay, Liam. Weāll find your dad too. I promise.āĀ
He wished he had Henryās optimism. Every day that passed, Liam lost hope that his father was even in Storybrooke. Theyād never be reunited. As kind as Henry and David were, and as much as Henry reassured him that Liam had a place in their family, Liam felt doubt creep in his bones. Was he an orphan after all? āWhat if we canāt find him?āĀ
āThen youāll stay with us.ā Henry answered confidently.Ā
Liam wasnāt so sure.Ā
The boys made their way towards the bus.Ā
Not wanting to think about his lack of parents, Liam changed the subject. āDid you figure out whatās going on with your book?ā
Henryās nose wrinkled. āNo. Itās weird though.ā He hopped onto the bus with Liam and they headed towards the middle seats they often occupied. āThe new pages arenāt exactly stories from what I can tell.ā
āWhat are they then?ā Liam asked as they sat down.
āHonestly, it reads like a history book.ā Henry said. āSomething about Arcana, Arcanum, darkness, powerful magic. It all sounds long ago, like itās a history of magic.ā
āWhatās Arcana and Arcanum?ā Liam asked.Ā
āNo idea.ā Henry said. āI havenāt had time to really sit and read over everything. I donāt think itās English though. Like some words are, but other words I canāt figure out.ā Henry wasnāt sure, but from the little bit he picked up, it was as though the new pages were in multiple languages, but why? Who would write a history book where every sentence wasnāt fully in one language?Ā
āIs there a title page somewhere?ā Liam tapped on his knee, ready to get back to the loft and hide away from his thoughts.Ā
āNot that I found.ā Henry shrugged. āI wonder if Grandpa knows anyone who can read other languages.āĀ
Liam arched a brow. āWhat about Google? I mean, wouldnāt the internet be easier?āĀ
Ironically, Henry hadnāt thought about that. He knew the Enchanted Forest had English, but did they have all the same languages as the Land Without Magic, or could some languages be different? āItās not a bad idea. It makes sense that if English exists in the Enchanted Forest, then other languages would too. I still think we should try and find Pinocchio too. Like I said, he changed the book once, so maybe he knows whatās happening now.ā
āIt couldnāt hurt.ā Liam agreed. āWhere can we start looking?ā
āWell from what I overheard at Grannyās, Marco is still looking for him.ā Henry said. āSo heās avoiding his dad. Heās hiding, but I wish I knew why.ā
āHeās a former puppet, right?ā Liam asked. āMaybe heād be comfortable in the woods with his cousins Oak and Pine.ā
Henry snorted at the joke, but Liam made a good point. The woods were vast and there was plenty of places to hide.Ā
Before long, the bus reached their stop on Main Street and the boys got off.
āHenry!āĀ
Henryās head whipped towards the sound of Snow Whiteās voice.Ā
Snow and David stood nearby, both smiling widely, Davidās arm around Snowās shoulders.Ā
āGrandma!ā He ran up to her, throwing his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. āYouāre back!ā Excitement overcame him. Grandma was back, which meant Mom was back. He grinned up at her. āWhereās Mom? What was the Enchanted Forest like? Did you beat Cora?āĀ
As he volleyed his questions, Snowās face fell. She and David shared worried looks, bracing themselves for how Henry would react.
Liam walked over cautiously, standing near David.Ā
Snow chewed the inside of her lip as she pulled back, being sure to meet Henryās eyes. āHenry, Iām so sorry. Cora kept Emma from the portal. Sheās still in the Enchanted Forest.āĀ
Henryās stomach dropped. āWhat?ā What did she mean his mom was still in the Enchanted Forest? No, she was supposed to come home.Ā
Seeing Henryās distress hurt Snowās heart. Some mother she was; her daughter was abandoned once again. If only sheād been faster and gotten to Emma before falling through the portal. She couldnāt even find relief in the fact that Emma wasnāt alone since she wasnāt entirely sure Hook could be trusted with her daughter. Snow truly hoped Emma was right about trusting Hook, and that the pirate would get her daughter home somehow. āHenry, Iām so sorry. Even though sheās not home, we know sheās alive and I know she is going to find another portal home because all she could talk about was trying to find a way home to you.ā
David knelt before Henry, putting a hand on his shoulder. āYour grandmother is right. Nothing is going to stop your mom from finding her way home. Remember, our family always finds each other.ā
His throat was too tight with emotions to speak, so Henry nodded yes for his grandparentsā sake. While he believed Snow and Davidās words, it wasnāt the same as having his mom back with him. Where would she find another portal? How long would it take? Henry swallowed as his grandparents pulled him into a hug.Ā
Liam remained off to the side, watching the exchange awkwardly. While he felt bad for Henry, since his mom still wasnāt home, anxiety festered in his gut now that Snow White was back. What if Henry was wrong? What if they decided to put him out on the street? They didnāt owe him anything and itās not like he was paying his way or pulling his weight.
When Snow and David released Henry, Snow turned to the young boy David had told her about. Her heart ached to find out that Liam had been on his own with no one to take care of him, wearing ragged clothes and starving. While she hoped they could find his father, Liam was more than welcome to stay with them for however long he needed. Noticing how nervous the boy seemed, Snow smiled warmly, and stepped closer to him. āHello, Liam. Iām Snow.āĀ
āHello, maāam.ā He mumbled shyly.Ā
āOh please call me Snow.ā She put an arm around him. āYouāre family now after all.āĀ
Her words surprised him. Did she mean it or was she just saying that to comfort him and put him at ease? Looking at her welcoming expression, Liam felt that perhaps Henry was right, and that he was slowly becoming an accepted member of this small little family. āOkay.ā He said, though it sounded small. He was starting to hope that Henry was right, but there was still a part of him that couldnāt quite believe in their words and reassurances. He wasnāt sure if he would ever feel secure again, even if they ever found his papa. Heād been alone so long that it would take time to get used to being a part of a family again.Ā
āHow about family dinner at Grannyās?ā David suggested. āMilkshakes all around.ā
His suggestion at least got a smile out of both boys. As the four of them walked to Grannyās with the boys walking ahead, Snow and David looked at each other concerned, both worried about how Henry was taking the news.Ā
They knew that Emma would find her way home, but they hoped it would be sooner rather than later.Ā
*****************************
It was dark out as Emma came to, finding herself in Killianās bed, fully clothed and still sore along her backside. Gingerly, she rolled over onto her side, facing the rest of the room.Ā
Killian sat at the table, watching her. His eyes were curious as he took her in; Emma was certain he had more questions than she was ready to answer.Ā
Her eyes flicked away, landing on the table, where a few jars of pickled vegetables and a plate of hardtack rested on the table. A bottle of rum and two glasses were set out.Ā
Emmaās stomach rumbled, so carefully, she slipped out of his bed and limped to the table.Ā
āHow are you feeling?ā Killian asked. He was proud of himself for sounding completely neutral. His feelings were a jumbled mess at the moment; as Emma slept, he thought over his entire life thus far and didnāt like his analysis. Again, his anger wanted to lash out at the woman who made him question everything, but at the same time, he knew it wasnāt fair to Emma to put all of this on her.Ā
Emma grabbed the rum first, pouring it in her glass to the rim.
Killian raised an eyebrow.Ā
Emma shrugged. āI told you, weāre going to need a lot of rum for this conversation. Plus, my back is killing me and you donāt have pain killers.ā She took a hefty gulp before surveying the jars before her and loading up her plate.Ā
Killian surveyed her curiously. Emma seemed to know things, but if it was just a part of her magic, why were they going to need the rum? Just what was he about to learn about this infuriatingly intriguing woman? He too began to eat, wondering when heād get his answers.Ā
For her part, Emma mulled over where to even begin with such a conversation. Time travel was hard for her to believe and sheād done it twice! Killian tended towards skepticism as she did, though he was more optimistic than she was most of the time. She knew she needed to be honest; there werenāt going to be any secrets between them. Not if she could help it anyway. The thing was, should she let him ask his questions first or tell him everything and then he could ask? It might be easier to give him the full story, but it was a lot to take in.Ā
After a while of them eating in silence, Killian finally spoke. āYou said youād tell me everything. What exactly is everything?ā
Emma paused, unable to look him in the eyes, not wanting him to read her as he often easily did. Starting from the beginning would be easiest, heād have all the details⦠āOkay. Well, I have a lot to go over.ā She started. Deep breaths, Emma. āBut I need you to listen and save your questions until Iām done, all right?ā It would be easier to tell him everything without interruptions.Ā
Killian could only nod as anxiety settled in his stomach. āAll right.ā
āSo, hereās how this story goes.ā Emma began by telling him how Henry found her in Boston and how he brought her to Storybrooke. She spoke of her animosity with Regina, her deal with Gold for Ashleyās baby, Grahamās death, her ascendency to Sheriff, her kidnapping, Snowās brief imprisonment, Henry almost dying, slaying the dragon, and breaking the Curse.Ā
He listened intently to her tale.Ā
āNow, the thing is, when Mom and I came to the Enchanted Forest the first time around, things were different.ā Emma carried on.Ā
The first time around? Killian wanted to ask the question aloud before remembering Emmaās request.Ā
āSo, originally, when we went to my parentsā castle, you and Marian werenāt with us.ā Emma said. She saw how curious he was, and hoped heād let her get everything out first. She weaved her tale of Killian working with Cora, the first trip on the beanstalk, her betrayal of him and his going back to Cora, the first battle of Lake Nostos, how she thought she left him behind, how he used the bean the first time around to follow her to Storybrooke. Emma spoke of his attempts at revenge failing, Henryās kidnapping, their journey to Neverland, their first kiss, the journey home. āPan followed us and cast the Dark Curse. Henry couldnāt go to the Enchanted Forest, so he and I were left behind. A year later, you found us and brought us home.āĀ
Wicked witches, flying monkeys, and their own time travel experience came next. Then Emma told him about the Snow Queen and Elsa and how the Dark One controlled his heart before he was banished from Storybrooke.Ā
Emma swallowed thickly as tears gathered in her eyes. Now came the hard part. āAfter Elsa left, there werenāt any villains around. It was peaceful. You and I had dates. You were a part of family dinners and movie nights with my parents and son. Hell, I think Dad was starting to see you as his best friend.ā Emma sniffed. āWe told each other everything. I told you about my childhood, Henryās father, things that I never shared with anyone.ā Her throat caught. āYou told me about Liam and Milah, about things you did working for Pan, about your fatherā¦ā She closed her eyes. āWe didnāt have secrets.ā Tears started falling freely. Opening her eyes, Emma couldnāt look at Killian as she remembered his lifeless eyes. āWe were heading home and there was this building that burned. The owners hired contractors to fix it and they left crap everywhere. When we passed by itā¦ā Come on, Emma. You can do this. You can tell him.Ā
āA brick fell and hit you on the head.ā Her lips trembled as she held back sobs. āYou were right next to me one second and thenā¦then you were gone. There was so much blood.ā Her emotions wanted release, but Emma held back, knowing she needed to finish telling him. āWhen I realized you were dead,ā She choked on the word. āI begged you to wake up. I wanted you back so badly. All I could think about was how we just found each other after all the time I wasted pushing you away.ā Finally, she found the strength to look at him. It surprised her that his own eyes were glassy, clearly holding back his own emotions. She figured her tale overwhelmed him and adding on that he died mightāve been too much for him. āI passed out. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the Enchanted Forest. I somehow, without a spell, or portal, or potion, time travelled fifteen months into the past. I couldnāt tell you how I did it, but all I can figure is that I wanted you back so much, that my magic responded.ā Emma met his eyes. āI love you so much that I couldnāt live in a world where you didnāt exist.ā
She sniffed again, wiping away her tears. āSo, I decided that I wasnāt going to waste time. I was given a second chance, so I took it. I changed things. Maybe I shouldnāt have and maybe Iām playing God or something.ā Emma shook her head. āI donāt know, but I do know that it doesnāt matter now.ā Clearing her throat, she leaned forward, carefully taking his hand in hers. āWhat I do know is that no matter what, time traveling, changing the past, all of it is worth having you back. Youāre worth it, Killian.āĀ
Killian could only swallow as a whirlwind of emotions overwhelmed him. Everything Emma spoke of was hard to believe, but in a world of magic, it wasnāt entirely impossible. But she time travelled for him? Because she loved him? That was much more improbable. He was a villain and his revenge was all he needed. How could someone clearly as good and light as Emma want anything to do with him, let alone love him so strongly that her magic acted out of her control as it did? āIā¦Time travel?ā
Emma nodded. She pulled back, watching him, waiting. It was too much to take in, she knew. Heād need time. Hell, heād need space. Sheād have to give it to him. She promised no secrets, but she also wasnāt going to push him before he was ready. Changing the past or not, Emma wasnāt going to manipulate him into loving her. He needed to come to that on his own. He needed to give up his revenge on his own. āYes. I still have a hard time believing it and Iām living through it.āĀ
Killian closed his eyes, massaging his temple, hoping to push away the beginnings of a headache. āYou time traveled fifteen months in the past, because I died. Because you love a version of me?ā He wasnāt under any illusions that his present self earned any affection from her.
āI love the man you could be.ā Emma said. āBut Iām not going to force you. You have a choice.ā
āMy revenge or you?ā He snarled, defensive. He was already questioning his life choices and he didnāt want a guilt trip added to that.Ā
Emma flinched at his tone. āNo. You can choose to live your life and let go of your pain and heal. Or, you can pursue your revenge and die and be reunited with Milah in the afterlife.ā As much as it hurt to say, she couldnāt force him to let go of his revenge. It was his choice before, and it needed to be his choice now.Ā
Killian scoffed. āYou time travelled to save me, and now you donāt care if I live or die?ā He found that hard to believe.Ā
āNo, I do care.ā Emma snapped. āI want you to live, but Iām not going to make your choices for you and have you resent me for the rest of your life. You need to decide for yourself who you want to be and what life you want to live.ā She leaned back, crossing her arms over his chest. āIf you go after Rumplestiltskin, yes, Iāll be devastated, but I refuse to watch you die again. So you and I are going to Storybrooke tomorrow, and then weāll part ways. You can find me when you make your choice.āĀ
Her passionate words stirred something in him, but Killian shoved it all down. He truly disliked the way this woman made him feel.Ā
Emma lost the rest of her appetite, so she grabbed her glass and the bottle of rum and stood. āI know itās a lot to take in.ā He wasnāt the only one overwhelmed with everything. For the first time in a week, she had a chance at privacy, and she was going to take it. āI think Iāll hunker down in the crew quarters for tonight. Iām taking the rum for my back. You have plenty more if you want to drink your problems away.ā Okay, low blow since she knew he struggled with alcohol since he was a preteen, but she was tired, sore, and wanted to be alone. Killian wasnāt the only one who lashed at when in pain.Ā
Killian didnāt watch her leave. His eyes stared at the table, trying to process it all. Emma loved him, or a future version of him at least. One who gave up his revenge for her after only knowing her a few weeks. Three-hundred years he spent in the Hellscape that was Neverland, doing Panās grotesque bidding, searching for any means to kill the Dark One without becoming the very creature he hated, all for the woman he believed to be his truest love, and now this captivating stranger strode into his life only to tell him that he gave up everything he fought and suffered for for her? Killian couldnāt understand it. How could he just let it all go?
Worst of all, from how Emma spoke of the future, the Dark One still lived.Ā
He stood and walked over to his cabinets, where more rum was stored, took out another bottle, and took a rather large, bitter swig, anger running through his veins. Anger at himself for being weak and at Emma for apparently having so much power over him. Agitated, Killian stood and began to pace the length of the room. His future self told Emma everything; did that mean she knew about his childhood as a slave? Did she know about the scars he carried, physical and invisible? She knew about Liam. She knew Killian goaded him, leading to his death, that he was responsible. His skin crawled thinking about how much Emma knew when he knew so little about her. He hated it. He feltā¦exposed.Ā
Then there was the fact that Milah apparently meant nothing to him after all. His stomach twisted. Why did he always fail everyone he loved? Killian gulped down more rum, until the bottle was empty. His hand acted before his brain did and the bottle soared through the air, shattering against the wall. A scream of anguish left him, echoing throughout the ship as he fell to his knees.Ā
In the crew quarters, Emma sobbed, letting out every emotion sheād been holding in since Killianās death. Her body shook as she cried for the future she lost, the possible future she would have now, losing Killian, losing Killian again if he decided on a different path, everything hit her all at once. Emma had been alone in her life many times, but the despairing loneliness that gripped her now put all of her past to shame. She was adrift at sea with only hope to guide her and she wasnāt sure of that was enough.Ā
It was too late to go back to the beginning. She made her choice and now she and everyone else would have to live with it for better or worse.Ā
*****************************
They watched the sunrise from the roof of the library. The young man with his motherās blue eyes and dark hair and the woman with their fatherās curls and brown eyes sat together overlooking the sleepy little town.Ā
āDonāt get too giddy.ā The young man said to his older sister. āThe Captain and the Savior will find their way back to Storybrooke.ā The pair always were too clever and resourceful. It proved rather infuriating in the pastā¦or future as it were.Ā
āI know.ā She grinned. āAnd when they get here, weāll kill them. Or, well, weāll make it accidental. Like the brick in the last timeline.ā She giggled at all of the fun ways to kill the Truest of Love couple.Ā
He turned to his sister. āYou arenāt concerned as to why we have to time travel to kill him again? You donāt think they changed the past in our stead?ā They could too. After all, despite his sisterās confidence, Light Magic often won out. Particularly the Arcanum. He shuddered at the thought of the power of the entire Arcanum coming down on them.Ā
āThey follow the rules.ā She huffed. āIt will be too detrimental for them to time travel as well. Even if they did, theyād try to change very little.āĀ
āThey might not if it means correcting what weāve done.ā He countered. āThis is a dangerous game weāre playing. The Grand Designā¦ā
āOh donāt be so serious.ā She chided, pouting. āWe have the darkest of magic on our side. We were meant to rule over these plebeians and we will make sure father lives this time to aide our rise to power.ā
He wished his sister took the threat of the Arcanum more seriously. āYou forget that there are more of them. Particularly the Seventh.ā Did she forget how sacred seven was to magic? How much power seven held?
āHe wonāt do anything to alter history too much.ā She was adamant in her beliefs. The Arcanum wouldnāt break the rules of magic. They were confined by them. She and her brother were above them. It was that simple.Ā
āIf it means protecting his family, ensuring that the Savior and her happy ending live onā¦ā
āYou doubt our plans.ā She stood angrily, cutting off her brother.Ā āWe are this close to achieving our goals. We just need to get rid ofā¦ā
āI donāt doubt our plans or you, sister dear.ā He corrected. āI just worry that you underestimate them.āĀ
She scoffed. āYou fear them, you mean?ā
āI have a healthy respect for their power.ā He said. He too stood. āCome on then. Letās see what Snow White and her prince are up to. If they come, they will seek out allies.ā
The sister nodded and the pair teleported away in whirls of black smoke.Ā
*****************************
It was well past sunrise when Emma went up to the deck, ignoring the pounding headache from the rum. Killian wasnāt anywhere to be found, so she assumed he was probably sleeping off his own hangover in his room.Ā
Emma walked to the bow of the ship, looking out over the sparkling sea. Sleep hadnāt come easy last night. After her crying ceased, anxiety and doubt kept her tossing and turning and when she dozed off, nightmares plagued her. The rum only numbed the pain in her back, not the one in her heart. She finally gave up around sunrise, lying in her misery as her mind mulled over every decision she made since her arrival to the past. Even though she saved Killian, what was the cost?Ā
Regina once told her that it was Dark Magic that had a price. Light Magic, so long as it was used for good, only put good out into the world. It was a balance.Ā
Dark Magic ate away at the user, darkening hearts, corrupting good, while Light Magic only reinforced the goodness of a being. However, with the good came a higher price. Should a user of Light Magic use their magic for evil, then theyād become the darkest of magic users. Light and Dark were antithesis after all. Light couldnāt be used for evil and Dark couldnāt be used for good. It was how Regina explained her magic weakening over the months of her using it for good.Ā
āIāve used only Dark Magic my entire life.ā Regina said. āSince Iāve been using it for good, it wants to transform into Light Magic. Of course, I slip up and use it for bad, and Iām back where I started. Transitioning from Light to Dark is quick and overwhelming because of temptation. Itās a powerful, corrupting force. Itās addicting. It is an addiction. Going from Dark to Light is harder. Itās like being an alcoholic. You kick it for a bit, but if you arenāt careful, you fall off the wagon. Then you have to start your sobriety all over again. Itās a constant struggle. Since Iām in the midst of it, my powers are weakened from going back and forth. It took me years to build up my Dark Magic and my heart is still darkened. It will take more years for that darkness to go away and for me to grow stronger.ā
Emma wondered if her time traveling with her Light Magic was fueled by a dark intent. Selfish, sure, but did selfish mean dark? Would she pay a price for what sheād done?Ā
She didnāt know and that worried her as much as what would happen between her and Killian now did. Emma sighed, leaning against the railing, feeling the weight of the world crushing down on her. She felt as though she was Atlas, serving her punishment for her going against fate. Maybe. Was fate even really a thing? Her mother liked to think so. Emma heard Snowās spiels on fate, True Loves, and happy endings often enough.Ā
Was Killian fated to die, or was she fated to time travel and save him? That was the question.Ā
So lost in her thoughts, Emma didnāt hear him come onto the deck or his footsteps as he walked towards her. āDoubloon for your thoughts, Swan?ā His voice was soft, uncertain, but it still startled her.Ā
āHey.ā Emma held herself, standing back from him, unsure of where they stood.Ā
Killian scratched behind his ear, looking away from her. He drunk himself into unconsciousness last night and his head throbbed him into a wakeful state. He took a potion to cure his hangover, and with that came a clarity of thought. He wasnāt sure he wanted to follow in his future selfās footsteps, he wasnāt sure if he wanted a life with her, but he wallowed in his revenge for so long, Killian wondered if it blinded him. Was the life he lived one Milah wouldāve wanted for him? Would she want him to have killed, maimed, kidnapped, stolen in her name?Ā
Killian second guessed every choice he made and where it led him. He wanted to hate Emma Swan for the way he doubted himself and his path, but his heart was too tired. He was tired. And Emma needed to get home to her family. āAre you ready to go?āĀ
Emma nodded. āYeah.ā She pulled the bean from where it rested in her pocket. Without a thought, she handed the bean over to him.Ā
Killian fingered it gently, remembering the last time he used one. Shaking his head, he pocketed the bean. āLetās weigh anchor and sail further out.ā
Emma nodded. It didnāt take too long as Killian expertly guided his ship away from the harbor, further into the ocean. Emma took a steadying breath as he threw the bean.Ā
The swirling portal slowly expanded and Killian sailed his ship straight on into it.
Emma held onto the railing tightly. She was going home and the unknown all at once.Ā
It was time to brave a new future. Maybe she was strong enough, maybe she wasnāt, but she was going to find out one way or another.Ā

























