A/N: Okay, I don't normally do two stories at the same time. I can read five at the same time, but writing tends to be a little more difficult to keep up with character structure, but I'm going to try because I can't get this story out of my head. This fic came to be in my head after I watched The Rite and heard the song Take Me To Church by Hozier, but sung by Matt McAndrews on The Voice. Yes, I have only recently caught up on The Voice, sue me. LOL. As, I am already working on another story, this one will probably only be updated weekly.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they belong to the franchise of OUAT.
"You are my True North. No compass would point me in any other direction but you."
-Kristen Hope Mazzola
Crashing Back Down
Chapter 1:
Emma was exhausted. She and Belle had spent all day, and now into the night, at the Storybrooke Public Library perusing every book imaginable for a spell to allow Emma to return to town after she completed her task of retrieving Robin and his family. After spending the last fourteen hours scouring the tomes, all Emma could show from it was an aching back, droopy eyes and several paper cuts.
"I found it," Belle screamed from the table across the way. She stood and rushed over with the leather-bound book.
Emma raised her head, which had been resting heavily in her palm, to examine what Belle had discovered. Belle pointed to the page which had a drawing of a compass alongside a description.
"You still have the Enchanted Compass from Anton, right?" Belle asked her.
"Yes," Emma said distracted as she read the words that allowed her to put a spell on it to lead her back to her True Love. "So, I do this spell and it will lead me back here, so long as I hold the compass?"
"Basically, so long as Hook remains in Storybrooke."
Emma made a slight choking sound on the water she had just taken a sip of. "You mean Henry," Emma replied around coughs.
Belle just gave Emma a look that said she wasn't fooling anyone.
"What?" Emma asked defensively and shrugged. "I've kissed Henry and broken Regina's spell. I've kissed Killian several times and nothing."
"Nothing, hmm?" Belle cast her a sideways glance, while a smile ghosted over her lips.
Emma blushed. "You know what I mean. Let's get back to the compass."
Belle full out grinned at Emma's attempt to sideline the conversation. "Okay, well, it says here that if you cast this spell on the compass you'd be able to leave Storybrooke and find your way back because it will guide you back to your True Love. So, whether it is Hook or Henry, it might be best if neither go with you just to be safe."
Emma stood and stretched. Her white tank sliding up past her stomach, exposing skin, but she quickly pulled it back down. "Regina better appreciate this."
"I just hope that the enchantment Regina and I found works. If you bring Robin and Marian back and it doesn't remove the Snow Queen's curse, Marian may die before she can cross the town line once more," Belle said with a worried edge to her voice.
Emma clasped one of Belle's hands in her own. "My mother would say we just need to hope that it works for everyone."
Belle nodded. Both women knew that this plan was more for Regina than Marian, but neither spoke of it. Emma still felt bad enough for Belle. The brunette had been having a hard time the last few weeks trying to right the wrongs her husband had inflicted in order to cleave himself from the Dark One's dagger. Mary-Margaret had made it her pet project to ensure that Belle was eating and taking care of herself. Emma didn't know how her mother managed to fit everything into her day. Between being mayor, taking care of Neal, who was growing more and more, watching out for Belle and constantly trying to reassure Emma that she was loved and not different because of her magic, Mary-Margaret still took care of the apartment and went out with her husband for their evening walks. There was multi-tasking and then there was her mother. Must have been from the years of training growing up in a large castle with the knowledge that one day you would rule over a kingdom. Yeah, Emma wasn't sad she missed out on that.
"I better head home and get the compass," Emma said as she gathered her things. "The sooner we do this spell the sooner I can go find Robin and come back."
Belle let out a loud yawn. "How about we worry about it tomorrow morning? We are both exhausted. I know I could do with several hours of uninterrupted sleep."
"Alright. Not much I'd be able to do tonight anyway." Emma checked the time on the clock above the circulation desk. It was almost one in the morning. "Why don't we meet back at the loft around ten? I'll get Killian, Henry, David and Mary-Margaret together so we can go over the plan."
"Goodnight, Emma," Belle told her as she locked up the library's doors after they strolled out into the warm night air.
"I'll see you in a few hours."
CSCSCSCS
"So, let me get this straight," David said as he stood behind the chair Mary-Margaret sat in with Neal on her lap. "Emma will be able to retrieve Robin and his family so long as Killian and Henry remain here and she holds the compass so that it leads her back here."
"Not, back here exactly, but to one of them," Belle answered nodding. "Once the spell is cast on the compass it will point her back to her True North, her True Love."
"Something you want to tell me, love?" Killian whispered in her ear from behind her.
Emma reached back and slapped blindly at what she suspected was a leering Killian. She received some perverse pleasure from his sharp swear and intake of breath when her hand hit him. She knew he was bound to make a comment once Belle explained about True North being the equivalent of True Love.
"We can talk later," she whispered back. Much later, like after she had time to think and come back from Boston or New York or wherever Robin was. "Belle, how are we going to find Robin? We can't use a locator spell past the town lines."
"That's where I come in," Henry replied, pulling out a notebook from his backpack. "Robin still had his cell phone when he left and I did some searching and found out where they are staying in Boston."
Henry rose and crossed the room, handing Emma a sheet of paper that he had ripped out. On it was his neat script with an address in Boston and a phone number. "Great job, kid."
Henry gave her a quick hug and a huge grin. "Well, with Mom being the Evil Queen and you being the Sheriff, I have to keep up."
Killian cuffed him on the shoulder with his hook in an effort to congratulate him for a job well done. Emma looked over and smiled at him in thanks. He just slyly grinned and raised a mocking eyebrow. At times he could be so cute and so insufferable at the same time. It must be the three hundred or so years of practice.
"Okay, so Emma has Robin's information and the compass, so all that needs to be done is for the spell to be cast and she'll be ready to go." David rested his hands on Mary-Margaret's shoulders and she placed one hand over one of his. "We want you to call us each day to make sure everything is going according to plan."
"I will, Dad. I promise."
"How long do you think this will take?" Mary-Margaret inquired. "I'm just worried because no one else will be able to follow you if things go wrong."
"I'll be fine," Emma reassured her.
"I'd just feel better if someone went with you," Mary-Margaret said sincerely.
"I'd go if she didn't need me here," Killian chimed in. "Belle, are you sure that it is best that I stay?"
Belle nodded. "We can't be sure if the compass would lead her back to you or Henry and we don't have the time to really test it, so, yes, it is best that you remain for now."
"I'm sure if Henry stays, she'll be fine," David said gruffly with a glare in Killian's direction. "She did break the curse originally by kissing him."
"That's what I said," Emma exclaimed in exasperation, her hands flying up in the air to punctuate her point.
Killian gave her a look that tested her heart strings as he plopped down in the love seat next to Henry. His face was contorted in sadness, his puppy eyes prevalent. God, she hated when he did the puppy eye thing. She knew she had probably hurt his feelings, but she did tell him they would discuss this later.
Emma searched the room that had fallen silent. Belle, Mary-Margaret and Henry all just looked between the two of them with questioning looks as to what may be going on. And, David just glowered at the two of them.
"I need to pack." Emma turned and stomped over to the stairs leading to her room.
Killian was quicker. Damn him for being a nimble three hundred year old man. He stood before her, he reached out, cupped her shoulder and squeezed gently. "I just want to know what is going on, Emma. It seems one minute you express that your feelings for me are just as strong as mine for you and the next I am only guessing. One day, I would really love to know whether your feelings are as steadfast as mine."
Emma raised her eyes to his. "I think we both know the answer. I'm just not ready yet, Killian. Don't push."
"Then, I'll stay, but we will be discussing this further upon your return, Swan." He let her pass and she was grateful the subject was dropped for now.
Once she was upstairs, she collapsed against her door. Hadn't she already told Killian how she felt when she told him she couldn't lose him too? And then, of course, he had to pull that stunt with Gold and get his heart stolen in the process. Infuriating pirate. He could never do what he was told and just stay out of trouble. Maybe, he could manage to do that for a week while she was gone. Gold was no longer in Storybrooke to cause trouble, so she hoped that Killian would remain safe while she tracked down Robin.
A knock sounded on her door and Emma jumped away from it. "Please, Killian. I said we'd talk when I got back."
"It's me," Mary-Margaret said through the door.
"Oh." Emma opened it and stared into green eyes so much like her own. How she missed that when she first met her, Emma had no idea, but then growing up in the land without magic, you would never suspect your mother was the same age as you were.
Mary-Margaret walked into the room carrying a small suitcase. "Thought you might need this."
"Thanks."
Emma watched Mary-Margaret set it on her bed and open it. Then she sat down on Emma's bed as if settling in for a chat. Only one thing was worse than having a conversation about True Love with Killian and that was having it with her mother.
"You love him, don't you?"
Emma sighed and rolled her eyes, shutting the door.
"It's okay to admit if you do. I'm not here to judge you, Emma. I just want to help." Mary-Margaret fiddled with the quilt across Emma's bed. "You may not want to acknowledge it right now, but True Love is powerful, Emma, and I just want the best for you. Even if it is Captain Hook."
Emma collapsed backwards on her bed, the suitcase separating her and her mother. She seriously couldn't believe this was a real conversation. If someone told her five years ago, that she would be sitting on her bed, with her mother discussing Captain Hook and True Love in the same sentence, she would have hauled their ass to jail and claimed they were insane. Instead she just said, "His name is Killian."
"Well, I'm sorry, but I still remember the pirate who threatened me with exposure if I didn't steal my own wedding ring. Not that I knew that at the time, but still."
Emma glanced over and saw Mary-Margaret twirling her emerald ring around her finger. Her mother only did that when she was nervous or worried. Considering the conversation they were having and the fact that Emma was leaving that afternoon, it could have been for either reason.
"I'll be fine, really." Emma sat up and pushed the suitcase aside so she could move closer. "As for Killian, I can't give you an answer anymore than I could give him one."
"But, you'll be thinking about it."
Emma knew her mother was not asking her a question. "Yes. While I'm driving to Boston, I'm pretty sure that's all I'll be thinking about."
"Good, because you deserve to be happy, Emma. No matter who that person may be." Mary-Margaret hugged her.
Emma stiffened slightly before she hugged her mother back. She still couldn't forget the fear in her mother's eyes when her magic had been out of control, but since then Mary-Margaret had been trying to prove she had been wrong.
Mary-Margaret stood and straightened her skirt. "Now, let's get you packed. You don't want to have to arrive in Boston too late."
"Actually, the later the better. It will pretty much guarantee that they'll be at home," Emma told her as she also stood and began to gather her things.
Emma and Mary-Margaret quickly packed enough for Emma to get through for a week. Then it was time for Emma to cast the spell so she could leave.
"Are you positive this will work?" David inquired one last time after the enchantment was cast.
Belle closed the book, tucking it under her arm. "Yes. It should work, but we can test it out at the town line before Emma gets too far just to be sure."
It worked. Emma saw as she turned this way and that after crossing the line that it pointed right back to the Storybrooke town line where her family, Killian and Belle waited. She crossed back over and hugged everyone before she climbed into the Bug.
Metal clicking on glass brought her attention to Killian who peered inside. Emma rolled down the window and Killian leaned inside. "Be safe, Emma."
She smiled at his worried frown. "You, too."
He returned her smile, but she could tell it was strained. As he began to pull away, she reached out and pulled him back in for a swift kiss. "I'll miss you."
"You'll be back soon, Swan. And then we have a conversation to finish."
Emma casually shrugged. "What conversation?" she asked innocently.
Killian glowered and Emma laughed. "It's not much of a conversation, Killian, when you already know what I am going to say."
"Emma…" he growled at her. She knew the sound of sexual frustration when she heard it, because she felt it as much as he did.
David who now stood on the other side of the Bug, knocked on the roof, and called out, "You better go."
Emma started the car and waved goodbye, staring at everyone in the rearview. She really needed to stop leaving town like this. It was slowly killing her to keep saying goodbye. She no sooner passed the town line then they were gone from view, but this time not lost from her thoughts, especially the pirate who held her heart.
