This story came to me after pictures were leaked of what we are to assume is Emma's new home. It's just another small oneshot of what I imagine Kililan and Emma going through as they struggle with her transformation.
Dark Swan has been seen around Storybrooke and messing with the towns' residents. Going so far to kick a family out on the street. Killian doesn't like what this all means and intends to stop it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even the spoilers!
Storybrooke hadn't really been affected after Emma's sacrifice. When you consider it's a town that has suffered not one, but two curses, a Wicked Witch attack, a Snow Queen spell and most recently the Queens of Darkness. The transition of a new Dark One doesn't really cause a stir…unless you were the ones closest to the new Dark One. For them everything was different.
Not a moment went by that Henry didn't wish that his mom was only a phone call away to meet at Granny's. David and Mary Margaret once again felt the loss of a child. And then there was Killian. Killian, who hadn't gotten a decent nights rest since, and spent more time in the library than he did on his beloved ship. He had promised that night he wouldn't stop until Emma was saved from her terrible fate as the new Dark One. The others were worried because his behavior was getting more erratic as they grew more desperate to find Merlin and a solution…it only got worse after Emma reappeared in Storybrooke.
She was first seen walking the main street late one night a few weeks after she had disappeared. Leroy saw her when he was leaving Granny's and had immediately run to David and Mary Margaret's. They then called Killian, who had been at the library with Belle, and together they made a search party. They didn't find Emma that night or the next morning. In fact the only time any of them saw Emma was when she wanted them to, appearing in a black cloud of smoke and wreaking havoc on their emotions.
The Dark Ones first prey had been the man who vowed to protect her heart against the darkness. Cornering him in a moment of weakness and assaulting him body and soul, weakening his already shaken resolve. Next she confronted Regina and Henry, showing that if the real Emma was in there, she was deep down. Her parents had been spared so far, not that they felt any relief from that fact. Having instead to vicariously suffer while they hear of the damage Emma inflicted on those she cared about. And they didn't know if it were better or worse that Emma didn't just leave her torment to those closest to her. What really upset all of them and pushed Killian to want to act, instead of simply reacting, was when Emma evicted the family living in the blue house on the corner to make it her home. Killian didn't know them personally, but if ever there was a sign that the darkness was getting out of control is Emma Swan kicking a family with two kids out on the street.
"I'm telling you we can't just sit here and let this continue!" Killian says slamming his hand down angrily on the table, causing the other patrons in Granny's to turn and look at their booth.
"Killian I understand your frustration." David says in a calm, lower voice, trying to get the conversation back under control.
"David and I both do." Mary Margaret chimes in. "But we still don't know how to find Merlin."
"And with the dagger not working to control the Dark One like it did with Gold, we can't afford to push Emma into doing something she can't come back from."
"I think it's a bit late for that mate." Killian says, lowering his voice. "Upon returning Swan has procured a new, dark wardrobe. She has lashed out at all of us, including Henry. Magical possessions from Gold's shop and the Fairies home have gone missing. And most recently she has made a family homeless."
"They're not homeless Killian, Granny gave them a place to stay." Mary Margaret is quick to point out.
"Be that as it may…" Killian says clenching his jaw and then relaxing it. "I don't think we have too long until Emma takes that next step. Darkness is elusive and quite potent. Even a small taste of it can lead one down a path that is hard to turn back from."
"Speaking from experience now?" David asks, but without the past condemnation in his voice.
"Aye." Killian readily agrees. "I am speaking from past experience. Now I can't imagine what Emma is dealing with as her new role as the Dark One, but I can say that one small offense can quickly lead to another, as we've already seen. And before too long there isn't anything you won't do to feel that rush." His gaze travels back and forth between both of them before settling on Mary Margaret. "I don't want to see Emma travel any further down that path, do you?"
Mary Margaret shared a long look with Killian before finally tearing her gaze away to look at David, in her eyes it was clear what she felt.
With a sigh David nods his head once and looks at Killian. "I want to talk to Regina first and see if she's had any luck finding a binding spell for Emma's powers before we confront her. Or at least some protection."
"David you're talking about our daughter!" Mary Margaret says with a mixture of pain and sadness.
"I'm also talking about the Dark One." David says in a much softer tone, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in comfort. "We can't forget that."
"There is no forgetting that mate." Killian says his jaw clenching again as his gaze gets distant. And in that instant his mind is back to all those weeks ago on that night he once again had to watch as all that he loved and cared for in this world was taken from him. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Killian's pushes himself up from the booth and nods once to both of them. "You go speak with Regina if you'd like, but I'm not willing to wait much longer. It's time we let the Dark One know we aren't going to let Emma go without a fight."
"It's a fight that I'm trying to avoid." David sighs.
"That's your problem mate." It was Killian's turn to sigh. "There is no getting out of this without a fight, haven't you realized that yet?" And with those parting words Killian turns and exits Granny's Diner, ignoring the pitying glances that follow him out. He had grown used to them by now.
Killian had left Granny's with every intention of going back to the library to see if Belle had a break in the research while he had been gone. The problem was that now that he knew where he was most likely to find Emma, Killian made it a habit of walking the extra two blocks out of his way to stand outside the house. Hoping for even a small glimpse of her without it being the Dark One's plan. He would find himself here at odd times of the day, spending what felt like hours standing outside just waiting to see her. He rarely did, what with the windows all shuttered and he assumed Emma didn't use the door, using her new magic to come and go as she pleased. But still he found himself here yet again.
"People might start talking if you continue to lurk out here." Came a now familiar icy voice from behind him.
"I don't think anyone in this town gives me a second thought." Killian says turning around, prepared now for the drastic change in Emma.
"Oh that's not true and we both know it." Emma says stepping forward to close the distance between them. "You and I both know that you are the recipient of Storybrooke's total support and pity." Emma continues lowering her voice to a stage whisper, her eyes bright with mirth. "I can practically hear them, they all think so loud."
"So you can hear thoughts now?" Killian asks trying to remain unaffected by Emma's nearness, but it was a struggle. Even though he knew this wasn't his Emma, she still had the same eyes and beautiful face. The blonde hair may be tucked tight away in that bun, but it was still the same locks he loved to wrap around his fingers. Instead he forced his thoughts to remain in the moment and attempt to gather as much information on the new Dark One that he can.
"Let's give them something to really talk about." Emma says ignoring Killian's question and grabbing his jacket to pull him closer, but she stops with only a breath between them. The small smile that had been pulling at her lips before blooms full and has a cold edge to it that matches the look in her eyes. "Better yet, I think we should take this somewhere a little more private, don't you?" But before Killian can answer they are surrounded by the now familiar black smoke and then gone is the street and trees. Before he can blink the smoke is disappearing and Killian finds himself looking around what must be the living room of the house Emma had taken as her own.
Emma had released her hold on him and Killian took the opportunity to put some much-needed distance between them. Stepping back and taking in his surroundings, his attention is immediately drawn to the pictures hanging on the walls. Stepping closer he takes in first the photo of a young happy couple before his gaze slowly travels to a more recent picture of that same couple, older now, with their two children. Killian's gaze lingers on the photo now and because he is distracted he doesn't hear Emma come up behind him.
"Isn't it sweet? Just a happy little family." Emma says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Not so happy recently." Killian says turning to face Emma. "Losing ones home tends to be hard, especially on children." He was hoping for some sign of conflict with her past actions and he is disappointed when there is nothing.
"They should consider themselves grateful that I settled with just taking the house. I could've made them orphans when I took this home, the way their parents put up such a fight."
Any hope Killian had of reaching Emma under this dark exterior seemed lost with those words. "Swan…You wouldn't." Killian shakes his head.
"Why? Because I know how hard it is being left an orphan? Please." She rolls her eyes. "Like those two kids would have had to face the hardships that I faced in my life. The people in this town would've fallen all over themselves to help them, to fill the loss. It hadn't been a hour after I kicked them out and they were set up with a place to stay at Granny's."
"Why should you care about the generosity of this town? It used to be what you liked about Storybrooke, why you called it home."
"Maybe because since my transformation I've had a chance to watch the town and I can see that it's only my home as long as I'm the savior. As long as I am useful to these people they care about me."
"That's not true…" Killian says reaching out to her without thinking, forgetting for the moment that this wasn't his Emma.
"Of course it's true!" She lashes out at him, knocking his hand away and pacing in anger. "I'm the Savior to them first and foremost and without my precious white magic I cease to matter. Now I'm simply the latest disaster in a long string of ones they face every day. Except this time instead of being with me…" Emma stops her pacing to turn and face Killian the pain in her voice etched on her face. "You're all against me."
"We're not against you Swan." Killian shakes his head, hating to see even this darker version of Emma in pain.
"Oh really?" Emma asks the pain being replaced quickly with icy fury. "Then what was it my parents and you were talking about in Granny's earlier? Did or didn't David say he had Regina trying to find a way to bind my powers?" When Killian's only response was a look of surprise Emma rolls her eyes again. "Do you really think that I just spend my days hiding away in this house? I'm the Dark One…I can transform myself into anyone I please."
And as if to prove her point, with a flourish of her hands waving in front of her face Emma disappears and standing before him is Granny, dressed in the same clothes Killian had seen her in just a little bit ago. Before Killian is able to overcome his shock she has waved her hands again and right before his eyes Granny transforms into Leroy.
"Bloody hell…" Killian gasps and blinks again as Leroy disappears and Emma is once again standing in front of him. But instead of the most recent look of the Dark One she is wearing her favored red jacket and pants, her hair was once again loose and in the soft waves he loved so much. For a moment Killian let himself be fooled that this was truly his Emma.
"Is this what you all want?" Emma asks, the voice not matching her appearance. "Well that's just too damn bad." And with one final flick of her wrists his Emma is gone and the Dark One is back. "I know what you've all been up to and I can't say I'm surprised by Regina and the rest of the town turning on me so quickly…they all are really great about looking after themselves first…but for David and Mary Margaret to turn on me too…and you."
"We haven't turned on you Swan."
"So you aren't looking for a fight?" Emma asks with a raised brow.
With a silent curse Killian clenches his jaw and turns away only to turn right back again to face her. "I was referring to a fight with the Dark One, not you."
"I am the Dark One!" Emma says her voice booming in the quiet house. "So it looks like you're looking for a fight with me."
"No Emma it's not." Killian shakes his head. "You may be the Dark One, but that isn't who you are. This Darkness that's trying to consume you, that is what I want to fight…what you need to fight."
"And if I don't want to? Then will you fight me?" Emma asks stepping closer and tilting her head to the side, looking at him as if Killian was a riddle she was trying to solve.
"Never." Killian says vehemently. "I will always fight for you."
"Wouldn't it be better to just join me instead?" Emma asks and with another flick of her wrist Killian's modern clothes are replaced with his old ones, including the red vest.
"I'm not going to do that Swan." Killian says shaking his head and holding his arms out, willing for his old clothes to disappear, because dressed like this came back so many memories of past actions. Of how free he had been when he had been the pirate.
"Just think about how much fun we could have." Emma says stepping even closer to run her hands up and down the lapels of Killian's coat.
"But at the expense of what else?" Killian clenches his jaw and looks over Emma's head, avoiding her gaze and the wanting he felt buried deep.
"At the expense of nothing Hook." Emma tugs on his coat, bringing his gaze back to hers. "Without all the questions and concerns we can finally let go and enjoy ourselves." Releasing one hand Emma waves a hand around the room. "And look…I finally have my own place. No more parents or sleeping infants to disrupt us…imagine the possibilities."
Emma's face was so close to his now Killian could feel her breath and he could feel the heat radiating from her body. It made him wish more than ever that he could just reach out and grab her, hold her close. For even a minute would suffice until they found a way to reverse this. But to hold her now, when she was tempting him, he didn't know if he was strong enough to resist it. Her and the pull of succumbing to the darkness, like he had told the Charmings earlier…it would be too easy to slip back into the man he used to be. Even more so with Emma holding his hand and pulling him along with her.
Killian was lost in his thoughts for so long Emma didn't know if that meant. "What do you say Hook?" Emma asks running a finger up and slowly drawing it along his cheek.
"I say…" Killian says forcing his gaze to hold hers and gulping. "That it's quite an intriguing offer, but I regrettably have to decline." The finger on his cheek turns painful and when Emma slashes it against his cheek Killian doesn't have to raise his hand to know that she has drawn blood.
"Do you know what you're turning down?" Emma seethes throwing her hands in the air and stepping back to glare at him. "We could be together like you've always wanted. Share this home and our lives."
Killian could see that Emma meant what she was saying, only she didn't understand that she was only offering half of what he wanted. "You're right Swan. I do want all of that, but not with you like this. And not in someone else's home." Killian looks around then, his gaze lingering on the photos on the wall, on the smiling faces. "This isn't your home Swan, it's theirs." Killian brings his gaze back to Emma's. "This is just a house you've taken over under false pretenses. This isn't you and this isn't where you belong. I want to be with the real you and in our home."
"You think you know me so well." Emma says staring at Killian intently now.
"Aye." Killian nods once and for the first time since entering the house feels a small smile forming on his face as he pictures, not for the first time, the future he had dreamed for them. "Our home won't be near as large, neither of us used to or needing excess space a home this provides. It will also be near the water. You haven't ever admitted it, but I know you have a fondness for staring out at the horizon and with the amount of time we'd spend on the water it only makes sense for us live near. You're going to want to more than one fireplace too, the way you struggle with being cold ever since your time stuck in the ice cave with Elsa. And though the porch is quite lovely, there is no room for a rocker or swing, where we would sit drinking rum and watching the sunset..." Killian's voice fades off as he sees that Emma's own gaze has gone distant, as if she were picturing the home he had described.
It takes Emma a moment to break out of her thoughts and another to bring her gaze back to Killian's. "Well you can just let that little dream go Hook, because that is never going to happen." Emma says, but her voice had lost the cold edge from before. "One of these days you're going to realize that that is all it's ever going to be a dream."
"We shall see." Killian says finding renewed hope listening to Emma sound less sure of herself. Even still she seemed confused and her gaze wasn't as direct as before.
Emma blinks and with a quick wave of her hand she puts Killian's clothes back to normal and turns her back on him. "I want to you to get out of here." She calls over her shoulder, forcing the cold back into her voice, it was easier now that she wasn't looking at him.
"Alright Swan. I'll leave for now, but just know that you can say my Emma is gone and that all I have is my dreams, but I don't believe it." When Emma frowns at Killian, staring at him over her shoulder he continues. "I will always see the best in you, even when you can't seem to find it in yourself. I won't break that promise I made to you that night in the Sherriff's station."
"What if I want you to?" Emma asks, her voice quiet as she stares out the window, her back to him again.
"Well I will just have to do everything in my power to change your mind." Killian says and starts to leave the room.
"Hook!" Emma calls, stopping Killian just as he was about to reach for the door, she waits until he looks at her to speak. "The next time I see you lurking outside this house you won't walk away with just a scratch on the cheek. You better come ready to join me or with a binding spell to stop me."
"And if I do neither?"
"Then it looks like you'll have a fight on your hands after all."
Killian couldn't explain why that brought a smile to his face, because it all honesty he should be worried that considering the Dark One had just threatened him. But it was the way Emma said it and the look on her face. It reminded him of the Emma from the beanstalk and the woman he travelled through Neverland with. His Emma was still in there.