Once Upon A Dream
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time!
Author's Note: Hello, fellow fans! This plot bunny hit me like a speeding train this morning and I couldn't rest until I wrote it down. It was tons of fun to put together, so I hope you guys enjoy reading it! This is a Lieutenant Duckling fic that transforms into Captain Swan by the end. Thank you so much for clicking on! Also, for those of you who might be reading anything else I'm writing for ouat, I've been busy lately and have had absolutely no time to update anything, however, once things settle down in May, I shall return to my stories and finish them. Until then, enjoy this one-shot and let me know what you think! :)
The sun hadn't even made an appearance that day. It was terribly rainy outside, the fat drops of water falling from the dismal, grey clouds with the force of a stampede. Thunder rolled across the city, lightning striking frequently. The flashes lit up an otherwise dark neighborhood, which had lost its power several hours before, frightning the children in the many homes lined across the streets. The foster children of one group home in particular made a game of screaming as loudly as they possibly could each time lightning dared to make an entrance in their world. Emma Swan, who was nearing her seventeenth birthday and was by far the oldest in the home, stifled the urge to groan every time the other kids' shrill voices managed to trill straight through her door. She'd shut herself up in her room the second the first three year-old had screamed, and she hadn't been out since. A small, flickering candle near her bed was the only source of light.
Emma was annoyed. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd wouldn't yell at the stupid kids, and it was beginning to get on her nerves. She was sure she could feel a headache starting to form behind her left eye.
It had been a hard day as it was. She'd only been at this home a week, and already she knew she had to start planning her escape. It was time for her to get out of the system for good. It's not like she couldn't survive out there in the real world; she'd been pretty much taking care of herself for the past sixteen years, anyway.
"It would be so much easier if there was just somebody I could talk to," mused Emma to herself, a rare moment of vulnerability seizing her. Her emotions, which she usually tried to keep in check around others, wouldn't leave her be every time she was alone. "If I just knew there was someone who cared about me, or someone who understood."
It was getting quite late; the children had stopped yelling at some point, and the flame of Emma's candle was growing dimmer. Eyes tired, Emma prepared herself to go to sleep. Perhaps there, she could escape from her desolate mood, even if only for a few hours. She leaned over and, wishing silently for a reprieve from loneliness one last time, she blew out the candle, and curled herself against her pillows. That was when her mind began to wander, and a dormant magic that she didn't know she possessed began to grant her wish in the quickest way it could...
In her dream, she was on a beach. The sun hung in the exact center point of the sky, and beat down upon the sand with fervor. It was a much different sight from the stormy rain clouds Emma had seen out her window all day long. In fact, the brightness of the atmosphere she had just been thrust into made her squint her eyes quite a bit - it was a drastic change to say the least.
Wondering idly what kind of dream world her mind had conjured, Emma began to walk along the shoreline. She wasn't wearing shoes, so she felt the rush of cold when the waves lightly lapped over her toes. She sunk into the sand with every step she took, and her eyes scanned the area around her with excitement.
To her right, all Emma could see was sand and palm trees for miles and miles. There seemed to be no end to the tropical paradise. To her left, Emma saw the beauty of the ocean, and the never-ending blue waves that were a part of it. The only thing Emma saw even remotely of interest was a ship that was docked about a mile away from where Emma stood.
"Well," mused Emma, "This hasn't exactly solved my loneliness, but it's definitely a nice change of scenery."
"Hello?"
"I spoke too soon," smiled Emma a bit to herself. She turned around at the sound of the voice she'd just heard, and came face to face with a handsome man. He was taller than her, and was dressed in a sailor's uniform. It was clearly more colonial, probably concocted from the stores of Emma's mind that remembered the costumes for Pirates of the Carribbean. He had on a hat that shadowed his face a bit, but did not hide the small black ponytail of hair. Yet perhaps the most intriguing thing about the man in front of her were his piercing blue eyes, which seemed to match the sea exactly.
Yes, her mind had done an awesome job.
"Hi," Emma grinned, a rose blush staining her cheek ever so slightly. "Who are you?"
The man smiled, and bowed. Emma giggled a little at how formal he was. He removed his hat and said, "Lieutenant Killian Jones at your service, milady."
"A lieutenant, huh?" asked Emma, grinning. "Well, you definitely seem important. I'm Emma." Emma stuck out her hand, which Killian stared at for a second before shrugging to himself and then shaking it.
"Emma," repeated Killian in a gorgeous, lilting voice. "What a lovely name."
"Why thank you, sir." said Emma, his formality rubbing off on her a bit.
"So what's a beautiful lass like you doing out on the beach all by yourself?" asked Killian quizzically, He and Emma began to walk slowly while they talked, their natural easiness towards one another simply something that Emma passed off as a part of the dream.
"I'm not by myself," Emma pointed out, her blonde ponytail swinging back and forth as she bobbed her head. "You're here, too."
Killian chuckled a bit, dimples becoming evident as he smiled. He hadn't put his hat back on yet. "Aye, so I am. Though I can't quite recall why."
"Oh, I know why you're here." said Emma nonchalantly, kicking a bit of sand to one side. Killian, intrigued, urged her to tell him of his purpose. "You're here to keep me company." Killian looked completely perplexed, so Emma, aware that she wasn't awake, pressed on. "I've dreamed you up to give me someone to talk to."
Killian accepted that being in a dream was entirely possible, especially considering the fact that he could not remember how he arrived at the beach and what he was doing before he laid eyes on Emma. However, he obviously assumed that he was the one who was sleeping, and Emma was a figment of his imagination.
They were both right and wrong, though neither knew it.
Going with the flow of the dream, Killian asked his companion, "You're lonely?"
"Yeah," admitted Emma, believing she was bearing her soul only to her subconscious. "I don't really have anybody to talk to at this new home I'm in, and before I went to sleep, I made a wish that I could have someone to listen to me. I figured that's why you're here."
"Well, I'll offer you my services at any time, love," Killian beamed, bowing slightly once more. Emma adored the way his lips curved upward at the word "love".
"I appreciate that," she chuckled, unconsciously moving to her left to be closer to the entrancing naval officer before her.
"Of course, Miss...?"
"Swan. My last name is Swan."
"Swan."
Emma awoke the next morning, feeling as though she'd never gone to sleep at all. She remembered every second of her dream, and dear God it had all seemed so real. She wasn't ashamed to admit her overwhelming sadness in the morning upon realizing that Killian wasn't real. They'd spent hours talking, learning about one another, and she'd never been so enthralled by anyone in all her life.
So when, after going to sleep that night, she returned to the beach, her excitement was beyond compare.
"Killian!" she called out, turning left and right to find the young lieutenant. "Killian, are you here?"
"Swan! Behind you!"
They embraced, both happy that their imaginary friend wasn't gone after only one night.
For days, Emma awoke in the morning never expecting to see Killian again. But every night he returned to her, that beach becoming a safe haven for them both. They discovered so much about themselves there, and for a month at least, they basked in each other's companionship.
One evening, as they sat side by side in the sand, hands entwined, Emma laid her head on Killian's shoulder and began to cry. Killian, worried, wiped away her tears with his left hand and whispered, "Swan? What's the matter?"
"It's stupid," Emma mumbled turning her face away so he couldn't see her. He lifted her chin up so that she was forced to meet his gaze.
"Nothing upsetting you so much is stupid," he told her passionately. "Now tell me, Emma, what's going on? Is it someone in that wretched home you've told me about? To torment you in such a way is bad form on their part, love, and if there's anything I can do-"
"Killian, it isn't that," said Emma quietly, her heart fluttering at how protective he could be. "It's just...every morning, when I wake up, I'm scared I'll never see you again."
Killian could understand that. Each day, he faced reality on the Jewel of the Realm, believing that Emma would cease to visit him the next evening. The mere thought of never seeing her again was enough to give him anxiety for the rest of the day. It saddened him beyond comprehension that he was so devoted to a woman who wasn't even real. Still, he said to her, "I know the feeling, love. But I'm not going anywhere so long as you aren't."
Emma hugged Killian tightly, and said almost inaudibly, "I wish you were real."
Killian thought sardonically to himself, You've no idea, Swan.
Several nights later, the mood at Killian and Emma's beach was much more cheerful. Emma practically skipped to the young officer, a smile lighting up her face.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your giddiness, Swan?" Killian teased her, tucking loose strands of hair behind Emma's ears. Emma grinned in response.
"This is my last night in that terrible house," she told him happily. "I'm leaving in the morning!"
Killian knew how much leaving the foster system meant to Emma, so he matched her excitement. "They're letting you go?"
"Not exactly," Emma admitted, her spirits barely bothered. "I'm just going to leave. Before anyone wakes up, I'm taking my stuff and hitting the road. It's time for me to find my own way in the world."
"Will you be alright out in your world without anyone else?" Killian asked worriedly. Though he consciously knew that Emma wasn't real, he still feared for her safety immensely.
Emma looked at him seriously, and said, "As crazy as it sounds, the only person I need is you. As long as I have you to talk to once I've gone to bed, I'll be alright getting through the day. You know I'm tougher than I look."
Killian had to laugh at that. "Aye, that you are, love."
Night after night, Emma and Killian returned to each other. Things were going smoothly, and both were happier than they'd ever been before, when something happened that changed everything forever.
"You seem especially cheerful today, love," Killian noted upon Emma's arrival. "What's happened?"
"You seem to have some good news yourself, lieutenant," joked Emma. "Why not tell me what's up with you first?"
"Very well," smiled Killian. "The King has sent Liam and I on another mission, this time to a far off land we've never been to before. It should prove to be especially heroic. It's what I've always wanted, Emma - the chance to be a real hero."
"Awe, Killian," smiled Emma, lightly kissing his cheek. "You're already a hero. But I understand why you're excited. What's the mission for?"
"We're in search of a rare plant," explained Killian. "Liam knows more than I concerning the details, but it is supposedly an impressive sort of medicine. It can cure any injury. It will surely turn the tides of the war we've been fighting in. We'll be able to save so many lives."
"Wow," said Emma, thoroughly impressed. "That's wonderful, Killian!"
"Thank you, Swan," beamed Killian. "Now tell me why you're so jovial."
Emma hesitated for a fraction of an instant, which did not go unnoticed by Killian. However, before he could make a comment, Emma said, "I think I made a friend today!"
Killian knew how much this friend would help Emma's life during the hours in which she was awake, so he was incredibly happy for her. He said, "That's great, Swan. How did you meet?"
"I tried to steal this car today to get out of the city, and this guy named Neal had already stolen it and was hiding in the backseat."
Killian, who knew of this 'car' machine only because Emma had explained to him dozens of times what those were, pictured the scene Emma described and began to laugh manically. "Aye, I bet that was quite a shock for you, Swan!"
"Yeah," chortled Emma, "But we're hiding out now and it seems like we could actually be travelling together for a while. He's good company if nothing else."
"I'm happy for you, Emma," smiled Killian.
Emma and Killian spent the night laughing and talking as they had so many times before, unaware that this would be the last they'd see of their beach.
Emma's magic had allowed her to be with Killian out of her loneliness. After meeting Neal, Emma was no longer lonely, and according to her magic, she had no further need for Killian. Though Emma's life continued as it always had, she was completely devastated when she no longer had her midnight reprieves with the charming, dashing lieutenant she'd come to know. According to the rational part of Emma's mind, this was just as well; she couldn't exactly have any kind of life with someone who was only a dream. But Emma's heart was broken, and she knew she would always miss the man who had been her first escape from loneliness.
"Stay close."
Mulan led them into the camp, an air of panic taking over the small group of women. Emma could already tell that tragedy had befallen the people she'd met so recently, and that someone had attacked the small corner of hope the refugees had been living in. She followed closely behind Aurora and her mother, ready for whatever threat was ahead of them.
"Oh my God," Emma stated in disbelief as she and the others approached the smoldering remains of the camp. The ogres - or whoever had done this - had laid waste to everything. Emma saw people scattered everywhere, lifeless, and smoke still billowing from the dying embers of the fires. It was traumatizing to witness. All those people...
They set out in search of survivors.
"It can't be!" argued Mulan in anger. "Our land...we were protected here, hidden! How did the ogres find us?"
"Ogres didn't do this," Snow White whispered, and just as she said the words, Emma got her first good look at a man crumpled at her feet. His heart had very obviously been ripped from his chest. Emma cringed slightly, backing away.
"What?" asked Mulan.
"Cora did." stated Snow White in understanding. "Their hearts, they were ripped out. This is her magic, twisted and evil. We have to stop her!"
Mulan and Snow White spoke more of Cora, and the fact that she had to be stopped. Emma was paying attention, but she was also trying to focus on finding someone, anyone, who might have survived the rampage. It seemed unlikely, but still -
That's when Emma saw someone moving.
Beneath a wooden beam and several people, a hand was trying to break free. Emma shouted to the rest of the group, "Hey! Hey, look!"
"There's someone under there!" cried Aurora in disbelief. Emma tried not to roll her eyes - yes, obviously there was someone under there.
They began to dig the person out. They grabbed for him and pulled him away from his hiding spot. Emma was aware of his begs of, "Please, please help me!" and it made her want to free him faster.
"It's okay!" Snow White assured the man. "You're safe now, we won't hurt you."
He was free now. He turned himself around so that he was facing the women in front of him. His face and clothes were dirty, his left hand was missing, and he was completely out of breath. He began to huff, "Thank you," over and over again, and Snow, Mulan, and Aurora leaned forward to see how they could help him and if he had sustained any injuries. Emma, however, was only able to stare at him in utter disbelief.
"Oh, I know why you're here. You're here to keep me company. I've dreamed you up to give me someone to talk to."
Snow helped the man, who Emma easily recognized to be the Killian of her dreams so many years ago, to sit down at one of the nearby benches. Mulan went in search of water for him, and Aurora made herself useful elsewhere. He was blathering on and on about the attack he'd just seen, unaware of Emma quietly sitting beside him in awe. He'd barely changed at all - save for the absense of one of his hands, of course. There was also a hardness in his eyes that Emma hadn't seen before, and that hardness frightened her.
When it was only the two of them, Emma whispered, "Killian?"
Killian's head whipped around sharply; he hadn't known that Emma was sitting near him. Furthermore, he hadn't heard his own name in such a long time, that he didn't quite know how to respond. He stared at the blonde woman in front of him, perplexed, and growled low, "How do you know that name?"
I'm an idiot, Emma thought. I dreamt Killian up. This guy just looks like him. "I'm sorry," Emma apologized. "It's just...you look like someone I knew once. A long time ago."
Killian stared at Emma hard. There was something familiar about her that he couldn't quite place. He asked quietly, "Have we met before, lass?"
"So what's a beautiful lass like you doing out on the beach all by yourself?"
"I once met a naval officer named Killian Jones." replied Emma readily. "You look like him; but unless you are him, then no, we haven't. I don't exactly frequent the Enchanted Forest."
Now, Killian was even more put out. He hadn't been Lieutenant Jones in centuries; how could this young woman know of that man? He asked her, more agitated than before, "Who are you?"
"Swan. My last name is Swan."
"Emma Swan," said Emma quickly, raising an eyebrow. This man couldn't be Killian...it was impossible...
A thousand memories hit Killian with the velocity of an earthquake. Many a night with a charming young lass, roaming a beach in a far away realm of dreams, discussing life and secrets and ambitions. Back when his Swan had been young, naive, a mere duckling. Back when he'd supposed she'd never even existed outside of his own mind at all. Yet here she was, real as anything, before him. He reached out to her, and touched her with his good hand; solid flesh. He whispered, "You're real..."
"Killian?" Emma asked again, almost not daring to believe it was true. Suddenly, all pretenses were gone, and Killian beamed brightly. He pulled Emma into a fierce embrace, and after a moment, she returned his eagerness. They held onto each other tightly, not knowing what to say. What did one say to the one person who once knew them better than they knew themselves? Emma choked out at some point, "You're real? I thought I would never see you again!"
"As real as you are, love." said Killian, his smile never fading. They pulled apart for a moment, and staring into each other's eyes, there was no doubt anymore. They had certainly met before. Once upon a dream.
And boy, would they have a lot of explaining to do.
That's it! Short and simple, but I hope you guys enjoyed :) Thanks again for reading! Also, any dialogue you recognize in that last section is from the show :)