I wrote this as part of the Once Upon a Captain Swan Storybook, Vol 2, published summer 2017 because I was annoyed we didn't get a CS TLK and because Killian and David went after the bean and then nothing... Missing pieces needed to be fixed.

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6x21/22 The Final Battle

Pictures in My Mind

A deleted scene from 6-21/22 that starts as he falls from the beanstalk and she's leaving Storybrooke. Rating - K

As his hand slipped from the prince's and he plunged toward the ground, Killian's thoughts were of Emma. How everything he'd told the Prince was true in that they had fought for their love and won. There was no bloody way he was going to allow Emma to be a widow before she had an opportunity to be a wife, his wife. He was a survivor after all.

When he hit the ground, the breath was temporarily knocked out of him and he was buried under brush unable to see the light of day. As he lay there, trying to get his bearings, he heard the leaves rustling and opened his eyes to see his brand-new mother-in-law,

"Hello there, mummy," he responded cheekily.

"Mummy?" he heard Jasmine say.

"Oh, there was a, there was a wedding," Snow answered her. "That's going to take some getting used to." She helped clear the brush away so he could stand.

"What happened?" she asked him with concern.

"Well first, I fell and then," he pointed toward the beanstalk, "then it fell. But we managed to get this." He pulled the bean from his pocket.

"Great," she whispered. "Where's David?"

Killian exchanged concerned looks with Jasmine, "You mean he's not here?"

Snow quickly turned toward the forest and called his name, "David."

"He was on that?" Jasmine pointed toward the fallen beanstalk.

"We should start searching. This beanstalk was our last-" he started looking around for where David might have fallen, but then Snow White interrupted hi

"No, you're getting back to the castle. Take the bean. Get to Emma and Henry! Don't worry about David. I'll find him. The realms are disappearing, we don't have much time." The tone of her voice told him that the situation was quickly becoming urgent. "Get to Emma. It's important. Make her believe again."

She took off running to look for David and he climbed on Jasmine's carpet to ride back to the castle. He hated leaving Snow alone, but had no doubt that he would be found. His priority was getting back to his wife. With that thought, they took off flying toward the castle.

cs~cs~cs

"So, it's true," Henry accused Emma, "you're really leaving Storybrooke."

Slamming the hood of her bug, Emma turned to face her son, "It's what's best for both of us, kid."

Henry shook his head and walked up onto the curb, "Don't you get it?" he questioned her, "this is what she wants. The Black Fairy cast the curse so all this would get you to leave."

"This is why I have to go," she pleaded with him. "Because you still believe this nonsense is true."

"It is-" Henry answered exasperatedly.

"Henry, stop!" Emma clipped, tired of having the same discussions that never seemed to move anywhere. Taking a step toward him, she grabbed his hand. "Kid, don't you know I am so happy you found me. I am so happy I got to know my son. But it's so clear now, coming to Storybrooke wasn't good for either of us."

"You're wrong," Henry started.

"Look where I ended up," she finished. "Look at you. Look at your arm. It sent us on a dangerous path. I've got to get back to Boston, get back to my life, and so do you."

"She did it," Henry finally responded. "You really don't believe."

"There's nothing to believe," she cried. "Goodbye, kid." Kissing him on the head, she whispered, "I love you," and climbed in her bug, heading out of town.

The minute Emma saw Storybrooke in her rearview mirror, her hands started to shake and she couldn't see where she was going because of the tears falling from her eyes. Stopping the car in the middle of the road, she held her hands up in front of her and watched them tremble. "What is wrong with me?" She wiped her face, not once or twice, but several times and when the tears continued to fall, decided she needed to move. Getting out of the car she kicked a rock and watched it bounce across the road, trying to understand why she felt this way because leaving had been her choice, right? "It had nothing to do with Fiona and her wishes," she kept repeating to herself, hoping that eventually the words would sink in and she wouldn't feel this huge sense of loss. The pain she felt was because she was leaving Henry behind, nothing or no one else, and as soon as she was stronger, she would return. That while all other thoughts and feelings might be muddled in her brain, the pain was because of him, and only him.

Dismissing the possibility that it was because she had come to think of Storybrooke as her home, she jumped into the car and, without looking backward, continued her journey toward Boston. That was the city where she belonged, and as she drove, if other thoughts tried to sneak into her brain, she forcibly shoved them away. Getting on with her life was her priority and deciding the best and quickest way to do that was to reach out to her former boss as soon as she crossed into Boston city limits.

~~cs~~cs~~

As the carpet flew over the Enchanted Forest, Killian's thoughts were of Emma and what could be happening back in Storybrooke. He couldn't fathom what she must be going through there without him and the rest of their family. What did the bloody Black Fairy have in mind beyond separating them, and how had she succeeded?

Seeing the castle in the distance, Killian thoughts were on what he should tell Regina and the others before he left, when he was overcome with such a feeling of loss and despair that he doubled over in pain. "Emma," he whispered, knowing immediately that the feelings were hers and not his and he needed to get back to her...now! "Set us down, Jasmine. Please."

Jasmine looked at him, confused, as the carpet set them carefully down. "I don't know how to explain it," he told her, "but I need to get to Emma now. Will you trust me?"

"I trust you." She told him quietly, "Don't worry. I will let them know what happened."

"Thank you," Killian answered sincerely. Taking the bean out of his pocket, he looked down at it and thought about Emma. Tossing it on the ground, he watched the portal swirl and grow, and once it had reached full size, he jumped. His thought as the portal carried him away was for it to take him to Emma.

~~cs~~cs~~

Walking into her apartment, it was as though she had never left instead of being gone for two years. The furniture, the counters, everything was exactly as she had left it two years ago, except nothing looked like she had been gone for so long. Almost as if there was magic, the fanciful thought flitted through her mind. Dropping her bag onto the bar, next to the birthday candle that was still there, she sat down in her favorite chair, thinking not of how happy she was to be away from that place, but in fact, that she didn't feel happy at all.

As if something were guiding her eyes, she looked toward her bag and noticed a book had fallen out of it; a book, she had never seen before. Curious, she walked to bar, opened her bag and let the book slide completely out. There was a handwritten note taped to the front cover.

You might not think this story is true. But I know that it is. And it can still have a happy ending. Henry

Oh Henry, she thought, we talked about this. What... But the phone rang pulling her thoughts away from the book temporarily. "Hello."

"Hey, Swan. Got your message. You back?" she heard from her old boss.

"Yeah, I'm back."

"Great. I got a guy who jumped bail. Perfect mark for your 'first date' trick. What do you say?"

"Sounds good," she answered, unable to find any enthusiasm for the job.

When she clicked off, she couldn't get Henry and his insistence that the stories he kept telling her were true. She was no savior, but unable to resist, she flipped open the book to the first page. What she saw caused a slight frown to appear between her brows because he had drawn her blowing out the star candle.

Shaking her head at all the work, he had put into drawing the storybook for her, she flipped to the next page. There was a dragon with a comment of her striking the fatal blow and then another picture of her kissing a young boy lying on a bed. She wasn't the person he kept saying she was, but she found she really wanted to be. Taking the book with her, she sat down, flipping from page to page and read his comments. He has quite the imagination she couldn't help but think, even as she realized that what she really felt was pride in his abilities.

Continuing to turn the pages, she saw he had drawn a picture of her being hugged by a dark headed woman and blond man. These must be my parents, her thoughts were as she stared at the picture wondering why she felt as if she knew them when that wasn't possible. Interested to see what was next, she resumed turning the pages and reading what was written beneath each drawing.

~~cs~~cs~~

Killian fell from the portal and landed in an alley between several tall buildings. Where was he? Was he in the New York or somewhere else? The one thing he was sure of, though, was that his Emma was in one of these buildings and he was bloody well going to find her.

His wedding finery had been restored, so as he walked into each building looking for his bride, people stopped to stare. His patented Captain Hook glare seemed to work to deter them, which allowed him to get on with the business at hand, which was finding Emma. He studied each building, trying to get a sense of which one could be hers and once his decision was made, he entered. The door wasn't locked and no one seemed to question his presence. Within minutes, he was staring at a wall of letterboxes, searching for something that would show him where he would find her.

~~cs~~cs~~~

As she perused the pages of the book, a story unfolded before her of this woman, who had come into Henry's life and had made a difference in the lives of many others. A legacy that anyone would be proud to have, and once more the thought that she wanted to be this person crept into her thoughts.

Throughout the book, a sense of hope, belief, and family stood out, and the people that surrounded this woman loved her and she loved them. And the face of the man who had appeared in her mind when Henry had taken her out on that roof was featured prominently.

In one picture, Emma saw the man wrapping her likeness' hand in a scarf because it was wounded, and the look between them was intense, even in such a simple drawing. The comment below read simply, "Hook tends to Emma's hand when she's hurt." Looking away from the page, as if hesitant at what she might see, Emma looked down at her left palm. When she saw a faint scar, she frowned in confusion. "Where did I get that?" she murmured. "I don't remember scraping my hand."

Unable to come up with any answers regarding her palm, she continued turning page after page, each story more fanciful than the next. Stories of a Neverland where Peter Pan was the villain and stories where she was fighting with a flying monkey. She looked out the window and frowned. How can any of this be true? Shaking her head in confusion, she moved on.

One page after another, she read through the story until finally a picture of her and the man Henry had claimed was her True Love caught her eye. He was holding her close and their clothing looked as if they were at a ball. The smile on the man's face was tender and sweet and Emma couldn't help tracing her finger along his lips. "Do I know you?" she whispered to him. When he didn't answer, she read Henry's words, "Captain Hook and Emma attend King Midas' Ball as Prince Charles and Princess Leia." Unable to stop herself she snorted at the names Henry had given them. "Charles and Leia, huh?"

Following the story of Charles and Leia was a fun read, but totally unrealistic and, rolling her eyes at Henry's sense of humor, she turned a few more pages. What she saw next nearly took her breath away in its beauty and simplicity. The man and woman were sitting and by the way, he was cupping her cheek, it was evident they had been kissing or were getting ready to kiss. Their focus was only on each other and the intensity of their feelings could be felt leaping off the page. She read, "You traded your ship for me?" Wondering why that would be a big deal, she looked for more to the story but finding none, moved onto the next section.

~~cs~~cs~~

There were hundreds of letterboxes for Killian to read the names on, and after making his way through several floors, he felt no closer to finding her than when he had started. When he had to move aside to allow someone to get inside their box, he thought about asking of Emma, but something told him that she hadn't made friends with her neighbors. And remembering his reception when he found her in New York reminded him that strangers in a big city were not always well received.

Moving up to the next level of letterboxes, he had completed three and moved onto four before he saw one that was a possibility. "E. S., 421," he read, but not willing to settle, he continued. Five - Six - Seven - Eight, "Bloody, hell," he blurted out before thinking. Quickly looking around to ascertain he was still alone, he double checked his find. "815, E. Swan," he read, his face breaking into a relieved smile. "Found you, wife. I wonder if you even realize the significance to your apartment number."

When he stepped into the contraption that could whisk him to Emma, he instantly was brought back to the last time he had been inside one. He and Emma had ridden one into the depths of the Underworld and even though he wished to get to her as quickly as possible, he couldn't make himself stay. The steps lay ahead, and putting one foot on the bottom one, he began his climb.

~~cs~cs~~

Emma had reached the back of the book and had been staring at a picture of the man and the woman getting married. What drew her to the picture time and time again was their clothing, as they matched the pictures that flashed through her mind when Henry had taken her out onto the roof and told her it was the last place she had seen all her family. According to him, that had been the last place she had remembered who she really was, the savior. How could he say that though? She was Emma Swan, his mother. Not the hero he imagined her to be, but… if she were honest with herself, the person she wanted to know more about. Henry's words came back to her,

"This is where you married your true love, yesterday," he started to explain.

She had scoffed, "Sorry, kid. That's not how the world works."

"It does. It did for you. You married Captain Hook, right here." He had moved to a place on the roof, almost too easily.

But in an almost belittling tone, she had responded, "Captain Hook. Who officiated? Tinkerbell?"

He had gone on to explain to her that it had been Jiminy Cricket who married them, in front of friends and family. When she had tried to scoff at him once more, he had forcibly pulled her up on the stage and that's when the pictures had flashed through her mind.

She had seen the man from the book smiling at her as she walked down an aisle in a white gown and then, then she had seen the couple kissing in the spot where she was standing. Flashes of rings sliding onto her finger and then a repeat of the kiss.

Shaking her head at how vivid the pictures were, she wondered where they had come from. Why had that place brought those images to her? He said she was married, but if she were married wouldn't she know it? Wouldn't she feel it? She looked at her left hand, but if she were married where were her rings? Setting the book aside, she checked her pockets, but no rings. "What now?" she asked the empty room as her gaze locked on her bag where the book had been found. Picking it up, she had just started rummaging through it when there was a pounding at the door.

Walking toward the door, Emma felt something different in the air, as if there was an energy that hadn't been there before. Henry would call it magic, but to believe that would be ridiculous, she knew. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the door open quickly and had to take a step back.

"Hook," she whispered confused as to how the man from the pages of the book had come to life.

He smiled a smile unlike she had ever seen before and took a step forward, forcing her to take another one back, "Swan, I knew I'd find you."

"Do I know you?" She asked him, wondering why she was even standing here speaking to him.

He tilted his head while he studied her face, making her curious about his thoughts. As if he had made a decision, he took a step, advancing closer. "Your family needs you, Emma. I came to make you believe."

Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her. One side of her brain screamed to push him away and give him a good swift knee where it would be painful, but the other part of her brain said wait. The feel and scent of him were familiar as was the taste of his tongue.

I want this to be real. As soon as she opened her mind to the possibilities, the air around them became charged and picture after picture of her life with Henry, her mom and dad, and Killian paraded around in her head. All the pictures that she has just gazed upon once again became real to her until everything culminated in her marrying her True Love in a wedding of the ages. Feeling the air swirling around her body, she stepped back just as the dress she had been wearing when the curse struck, fitted itself back over her. Dressed again in her wedding gown, in her mind she was transported back to that rooftop, holding tight to Killian as they watched the purple smoke encompass all of them. Taking a deep breath, she looked up into a face that even without memories, she couldn't completely forget.

With tears streaming from her eyes, she cupped his face between her hands. "Killian," she breathed, "oh Killian." Pulling him close again, their lips met and as the kiss continued to grow, she realized that once more she was whole.

Eventually, their kisses became less frantic, more secure in the knowledge that they were finally together and the passion that was always between them began to rise. When they broke apart and the old familiar routine of leaning their heads together just naturally happened, she couldn't help it any longer and completely lost control of her emotions.

~~cs~~cs~~

Killian couldn't believe that the magic of a True Love's Kiss had actually worked this time. After three failed attempts, she remembered and he had her in his arms again. Holding her as if he'd never let her go, he allowed her to cry. His only thoughts of how good she felt beside him, and that when she was ready to talk, he would say what she needed to hear.

Moving them around so he could shut the door, he used his thumbs and wiped the tears from her face. "I'm happy you didn't use that knee this time, love," he teased her about the way she had returned his kiss in New York.

She smiled and shrugged her shoulder, "Me too. But Killian," she took his hand and he followed her to the sofa, "what happened when the curse struck?

~~cs~~cs~~~

In the Enchanted Forest, Snow White and David had made it back to the castle and were waiting to see what was going to happen. In the distance, they saw a huge purple cloud rise up and, expecting it to encompass the land, they were left speechless when it dissipated just as suddenly as it had appeared.

"He made it," Snow breathed to everyone. "Emma's back."

~~cs~~cs~~

Once Emma had told Killian everything that had happened in Storybrooke after she woke up from the curse, she asked him about her parents. He explained all that he could remember about their difficulties in the Enchanted Forest. When he came to the part of the story about how her belief was affecting the realms, she pushed up from the sofa, unable to sit still. "What do you think is happening now?"

"The realms were disappearing because-"

"-I didn't believe." she finished his statement.

"Aye," he agreed, "and now that you believe-"

"-the realms should be fine," she concluded as she paced back and forth in front of him, her wedding dress swirling around her legs with each turn. "We need to get back to Storybrooke and save Henry."

Killian knew that's what she would want to do, but he also knew that they needed to rest. Pushing up from the sofa, he walked slowly toward her, pulling her into his arms again. "Emma," he nuzzled her cheek, "we will go back, tomorrow. Tonight, we need to regroup."

~~cs~~cs~~

Emma knew he was right, that they needed to rest and regain their strength but she was worried about Henry. However, she also realized that she had left not only for her peace of mind, but also for Henry's and without him constantly pushing against Fiona, for her sake, he would fine. "You're right."

He lifted a brow, "Say that again. I'm not sure I heard clearly."

She slid her arms around his waist. "Your advanced age must be affecting your hearing."

"I'll show you my advanced age," he leered as he swung her up into his arms and started down the hall toward the bedroom. "after all we still haven't had our honeymoon."

His carefree smile and the easy way he carried her in his arms and wanted to take care of her made her heart do a few flips as they made their way toward her bedroom. "Too bad my magic doesn't work so I could stop time."

"Too bad your magic doesn't work so you could poof that dress off. Have you seen the buttons down the back?" He gave her a cheeky grin.

Not expecting it to work, Emma waved her hands over her body and to her surprise and Killian's delight she was left in a strapless bra and tiny panties.

"I like," he told her as he let go of her legs and they slid down against the soft velvet of his tux. "What about me?"

She waved her hand and his suit and everything else disappeared. "I like," she sighed against his mouth as they sank onto the bed and no more words were exchanged for quite some time.

cs~cs~cs

The next morning, they packed the bug and began the long journey back to Storybrooke. They didn't think that their kiss had broken the curse on the town, but were hopeful. As they drove closer and the Welcome to Storybrooke sign could be seen, both worried that Killian might be pulled away. Needing a little more time alone, Emma parked the bug.

"I'm scared you might disappear again." She smoothed her hand over his cheek.

Killian picked up her hand, kissing her fingers, "If that happens, I'll be back." He glanced in the back seat, "Too bad this contraption has such a small back seat, Swan." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She laughed, "Do I need to ask how you know about back seat behavior?"

His grin said it all. "Some of those movies Henry enjoys, of course. I like our bed better."

Without thinking, Emma threw open the door and met Killian in the front of the car where they fell into each other's arms. Their kiss said everything they didn't have time to say with words and expressed every emotion that was in their hearts. As their lips parted, they knew it was time to drive over the town line.

"I love you, Swan," were the last words he spoke to her before he was whisked back to the Enchanted Forest. As Emma drove onward to fight the final battle, she had no doubts that she would win because nothing stands in the way of True Love. However, once she had won, she was kidnapping her pirate and surrounding them with a protection spell for a few days of uninterrupted honeymoon.

~fin

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