Post-Firebird. Written for a friend and BECAUSE I NEED FREAKING CLOSURE AND I'M IN DENIAL.
Emma's breath caught in her throat, she didn't dare move an inch. Hades had her little brother in his arms. Her parents were trapped behind him, tied to the wall of the library by black tendrils of magic. The clock tower directly above them ticked ominously, each movement of the hand threatening to topple the tower. The wind certainly didn't make it any steadier.
Hades held a hand up toward the tower, his power the only thing keeping it from falling. He grinned. "I can let it fall," he taunted in a careless, lilting tone. "I can let them die, one flick of my wrist…" His hand tensed and Emma flinched. Her heart thrummed in her throat wildly.
"Why?" she choked. Emma's gaze turned to Zelena, who stood at Hades' side. "You have a sister now: Regina gave everything to believe in you, to love you. How could you throw that away?" Her heart tightened. Right now Regina, Robin, and others were being held hostage by Gold. Damn crocodile was still working with Hades.
The Wicked Witch laughed. "Oh, darling, the love of a sibling pales in comparison to what I have…" She gazed sweetly at Hades. "True Love. Not that you'd know what that's like." Her lips were put in a mocking pout. "You and your pirate were able to enjoy love in its Truest form, for… what? All of ten minutes?"
Killian. Emma's heart pressed in agonizingly on itself. Her hand flew to his ring around her neck. I won't let your death be in vain. "You tricked us, Hades," she growled. "Sent me and- Kil… Hook down there just to keep us out of your way. You said you were on our side. We helped you!" Emma wanted to scream and burst into tears. "You had power! You were the Lord of the Underworld- why come here?"
The God threw his head back in a laugh. "Oh, Emma… I should think you've made enough deals with Rumpelstiltskin to know that power means nothing. The more you have," he took a step forward, "the more you need. Storybrooke? I mean, the Underworld was great and all, plenty of dead people, but here everyone is so much more… lively." He cast a sickly adoring glance at Zelena. "And for my dearest, I simply had to give her everything."
Hades chuckled and looked at the baby in his arms. He bounced Neal gently. How could the child sleep in the arms of the Devil? "And I'll start with your family, little one," he cooed. With leisure and grace, he turned and stepped toward Emma's trapped parents. Snow's curses sailed out from the cloth binding her mouth. Hades sneered, "Your Majesties, you no longer have to worry about ruling. My queen Zelena and I are eager to take over for you."
Fury suddenly blinded Emma. She thrust herself forward with a roar. A hard force slammed into her side seconds later, throwing her hard to the ground. She gasped as her breath left her and heavy weight pressed on her.
Zelena's smile glared down at her. "Not so fast, love."
At the use of Killian's tag, Emma screeched and flailed under Zelena, trying to throw her off. The witch's magic held her in place.
"Don't go wriggling around, darling," Zelena sighed. "Makes things harder. Just lay and relax, enjoy the view," she nodded toward Hades, who was letting the clock tower now tilt and sway. "And relish in the fact that your magic, Savior, can do nothing. Not when standing against the Wicked Witch and a god."
Hopelessness crawled into Emma's chest. NO! She screamed mentally. Her vision was beginning to blur from Zelena's suffocating her. No, I won't lose anyone else… Breath was exponentially harder to come by with each passing second. Tears spilled from her eyes. Henry was right, she thought, remembering the conversation between an armored woman and a daydreaming boy in a wooden castle years ago. Good doesn't win…
Her eyes threatened to close. With a deafening creak, the clock tower lurched and began to fall.
Good doesn't win…
The crash never came. Only silence. When Zelena gasped, Emma opened one eye.
The clock face hovered mere inches above her parents' heads, shrouded in swimming blue magic. Emma followed the trail of magic to its owner. There, in flesh and swathed in a blue aura, stood the god of the sea. She remembered him from when Killian (Killian) had returned Ursula. That seemed like a lifetime ago. Alas, he was here.
"Poseidon?" Hades nearly shrieked. "What the hell are you doing here?"
The sea god lowered the clock tower gently. "Funny you should use that word, brother," he said, stone-faced. "Shouldn't you be there?"
For once, the god of the dead seemed at a loss for words. Poseidon thrust a hand forward, immediately releasing the bonds from Snow and Charming. His other hand magically removed Neal from Hades' arms and into those of his mother. With a stormy glance at Zelena, he said, "Do get off of Miss Swan." With another flick of the hand, he sent the witch sprawling to the cement. Air rushed back into Emma's lungs.
"I don't understand," Hades huffed. Emma could see him retreating inside himself, obviously now outnumbered and out of power. "How did you- why, who… How?"
Poseidon stepped forward. "I have my connections. I got word of what my little brother was planning, and where, and came here simply. That harbor is quite convenient for me, you know."
Hades scoffed. His hair adopted a tint of blue, like it were about to burst into flame. "So what? You're going to tattle on me, you think you can stop me?" His words became frantic as he spat them out. The tables had turned rapidly on him. Emma almost smiled.
"Precisely." Poseidon snapped his fingers; anchor chains wrapped themselves around Hades. The god of the dead struggled, muttering curses. "Don't bother, brother. They're unbreakable unless I say so," Poseidon assured. "I didn't realize what a mess you'd been making. I think our eldest brother will be quite amused to hear what you've been up to."
He held both arms over his head, the clouds overheard rotating into an inverted funnel cloud, like a portal in the sky. The wind stirred all around them. Poseidon yelled over it: "I'll be with you and Zeus in a minute!" With curses of protest, chained Hades was sucked up into the sky, and the portal winked out.
Overcoming her initial shock, Emma got to her feet. "Mom, Dad-" she choked. Her legs stumbled toward them as they ran to her. The family met in the middle, a desperate clump of hugging and cradling and tears of relief. Emma breathed in the scents of her parents. I won't lose you. I won't let you go.
"We're so glad you're safe," Charming whispered, letting go of the embrace. Snow wiped tears from her eyes.
"I'm glad you're okay," Emma sniffled. She smiled at them. Her family. They were okay.
Poseidon cleared his throat and the family turned. Emma nearly collapsed in relief. "Thank you," she sighed.
The god smiled warmly and nodded. "Of course." He looked past them, out into the street. "Shall I fetch that witch as well?"
Charming answered, "Ah, leave her. We can deal with her later." He slung an arm around his wife and grinned. "I'm just glad my family is okay, thanks to you."
Most of our family, Emma thought. Her heart sank back into the ache she'd been feeling ever since they'd returned. Killian. They'd left him there. In the Underworld, of all places. Cruel the Fates had been, revealing to them that they were indeed True Love. Three hundred and twenty-eight years between them, filled with loss and pain and all too little love. To find each other and be torn apart in the same minute. Killian was family. Hell, even her father had said so.
What had happened to always finding each other?
"Miss Swan," a voice interrupted. Emma blinked out of her thoughts. Her parents were gone. "What-" she began.
Poseidon held a hand up. "It's alright. Your parents are making their way back to their loft. I asked for a moment alone with you."
"Oh."
The god of the sea sighed. Ancient eyes searched her expression. Emma looked down.
"Miss Swan," he spoke again. His voice was soft and rumbled like waves on rocks. "I want to tell you why I came here…" After no response from Emma, the god continued. "I remember your pirate." Emma's head snapped up. Poseidon smiled knowingly. "Yes. I know him well, even before he knew me. He spent much of his life and nearly three centuries on my seas. I've come to know him well. And I know what he did for me.
"Reuniting me with my daughter… You know what it's like, Miss Swan. That feeling of hugging your child whom you haven't seen in heavens know how long… It's something I'll never be able to repay. But one can try. So, when the Fates told me what my brother had done to Captain Jones, I decided I would try. I understand the two of you are True Love, and that he was not able to make it back to Storybrooke with you."
Poseidon paused for a long time. Emma remained silent, sadness threatening to crush her. If she spoke she might break. "So," the god continued, "I remembered a few things. I remembered his deed to me, and that there are rivers, boats, and a harbor in the Underworld, and that I am the god of the sea." He raised an eyebrow, hinting at what he was trying to explain. "And, you see, as a god, I had a cache of ambrosia stored with me…"
The gears in Emma's head clicked into place. "You," she gasped. "You mean… did you-"
The god nodded. "Yes. You'll find him at the docks."
Gods, Emma had never run so fast in her life. Not even on the high school track team, not when chasing villains through the woods, not running away from homes. She was air, she was a blur, she ran.
The docks. Killian. The docks. Docks. He's alive.
He's alive.
Lords of all the realms he's here.
Killian.
Her feet slammed the ground and she didn't even think she was actually drawing in breath. She was that fast. The harbor came into view. Oh, the harbor, the blessed and actually here gods-are-merciful-thank-everything harbor.
The Jolley, of course. He had to be there. It was the first place Emma thought. She didn't slow as she ran down the docks. One wrong foot and she'd fall into the water. The concrete changed to wood under her feet and then sloped as she tore up the gangplank. She skidded to a halt, heaving for breath. The world seemed eerily silent. Waves crashed against the boat and a gull cooed across the water.
"Killian?" she asked. Her voice echoed.
At first, silence, then disbelief and dread.
"One moment, love!" from above. "Sail's stuck."
Oh my god IT'S HIM. Emma's head whirled around. She nearly gave herself whiplash trying to look up at him. Killian! It's him. Him. Killian. Above her nearly twenty feet, he sat on the mast, where the vertical and horizontal logs first met and a sail draped down. Damn you, Emma thought giddily.
Killian looked down at her with the brightest smile she'd ever seen. Damn that one eyebrow. Get your eyebrow down and get yourself down, Emma cursed. Within half a moment, he stood on the deck before her. Living, breathing, beating, smiling, he stood he was there.
"Killian," Emma sobbed. She threw herself into his arms.
She lost it when he cradled the back of her head as he held her. She wept and sobbed as he rubbed her back. She sniffled and gasped in hitched breaths when her muttered reassurances over and over in her ears. She nodded into his shoulder when he promised that yes, he was alive. She thanked the god of the sea over and over and over when he confirmed Poseidon's deed. She drowned and was swept over in relief when she looked into his eyes. She allowed a small giggle when he made a joke about being dead.
And Emma Swan was put back together when he kissed her. (She didn't notice the waves of light rippling from them.)
I use italics. A lot.