For some reason Liam Jones hated her. She couldn't begin to understand why. She loved his brother and the two of them were definitely experiencing true love. Why would Liam hate her? She had expected many things but not this. Now he was starting to convince Killian that he needed to move on. In a strange way she understood and she wondered if she was simply being selfish. Liam had been waiting something like 300 years for his brother back.
She had come so far only to loose Killian in an unexpected way. He still loved her but his brother was the most powerful force in his life. She couldn't bare the idea of not having Killian. She would have stayed in the underworld forever in order to be with him. Now he was saying that maybe he should move on.
"hey mom." Henry said approaching her carefully. He gave her a half smile
"This was all a mistake kid. I came all the way down here to rescue the man I love from death, and now he just wants to move on to be with his brother." She said. "Worst part is that I don't know if Liam can even move on without him. I feel selfish because I want to keep Killian with me."
"Killian wants to stay with you. I am sure of that. He is just shocked that Liam doesn't like you and right now he is confused." Henry explained.
"I'm not so sure kid." She explained. "not anymore."
"I'm going to go for a little walk." He said.
"Please don't try to fix this?" She pleaded.
"Ok." Henry said. He wasn't going to try to fix it, he was going to succeed. "Hey grandpa, will you come for a walk with me?"
"Sure Henry, but why?" David asked. Henry waited until they were outside.
"We are going to chat with Liam Jones." He explained.
"If you think it will help." David said. He had never had as much faith in Killian as the others.
"We have to try." Henry added.
"Fine let's go before your mom figures this out." David added and they headed out.
-/-
Henry approached a ship that looked nearly exactly like the Jolly. The emblem and name were different. The side said Jewel of the realm. Henry wondered how Liam had gotten it. Liam saw both men approaching.
"And who might you to be?" Liam asked. Based on his expression he already knew the answer.
"He's Henry and I'm David." David said.
"if you've come to try and talk me out of convincing my brother to move on with me, it won't work." Liam said.
"it is not his time yet." Henry said.
"He's dead isn't he." Liam said a hint of anger in his voice. "killed by the very woman you are trying to convince me to send him back with. I don't approve."
"You know even a few months ago, I might have helped you. I've never exactly been Killian's biggest fan." David admitted.
"Me either." Henry said remembering the awful things that he had once said to Killian, during the curse of shattered sight. "somewhere along the line that changed."
"The Killian Jones that we first met was double crossing villainous pirate who was working with the queen of hearts to get revenge. That was his sole purpose. He had forgotten how to be good. Emma saw the good in him anyway." David admitted.
"He was probably a great match for your charlatan of a daughter when he was that man, now he deserves better." Liam said. "Emma Swan turned my brother into the dark one, then killed him, that certainly sounds like a villain to me."
"My mom changed Killian. She made him want to turn back into the good man that he was before. The one that you knew. She made him see that his quest for revenge didn't matter. Your brother is the man he is today because of my mother. She did everything that she did trying to save him." Henry explained. "he would probably still be that wretched villain bent on revenge if not for her."
"Killian is happy with Emma. He loves her in a way that is rare. She wanted to sacrifice herself instead of him. I believe he would be down here looking for her if she had." David said. "have you ever seen the magic of true love at work? It's a very rare thing. My wife and I have it and it has saved our lives a few times over. Emma and Killian have it as well."
"I don't understand." Liam said his demeanor starting to change. "I have spent 300 years down here waiting for Killian. Why does Emma deserve him more than me? She's the bloody reason he is here."
"Liam, Killian talks about you all the time. You are with him no matter where he goes. He wore your ring for nearly 300 years, now my mom wears it. It's not about what you deserve or what my mom deserves it's about what Killian deserves. After 300 years of misery, doesn't he deserve to finally be happy." Henry pleaded.
"yes." Liam said. "My unfinished business here is the fact that I never told my brother that I wanted him to be happy. I never told him not to get revenge for me and I turned him into a pirate and a monster. I regret that." Liam paused. "If Emma truly helped him find his way back, then maybe I was wrong. She did what I never could."
"Yes." David said. "And he helped her realized that there are people who care for her, she never believed any one did. She spent her life alone, never letting anyone in. He hanged that forever."
"They saved each other." Henry added.
"Come on." Liam stated. "I need to find my brother and make this right."
-/-
Killian stood on one side of the room. Emma was curled into a ball on the other. He knew that body language. He wanted nothing more then to go and take her in his arms and remind her that no matter what he loved her. But he knew she was angry at him. He loved Liam and his surprise dislike from Emma had taken him off guard. He couldn't stand it anymore. In those seconds, he finally understood that no matter what there was no struggle. He would always choose Emma Swan. He walked over to where she was curled. He sat on the floor next to her. His arms snaked around her. She instantly released some of the tension in her body. He pulled her in closer.
"I'm sorry love." He said. "I was just so surprised by Liam. I always thought he would love you. But it doesn't matter, because I love you. I always choose you Swan. I'm going to fight to go home with you. I'm not moving on, unless it's your hand in mine when we go."
"I don't want to cause problems between you and Liam." She said but her face was beaming. "I know what he means to you."
"You mean more." He said with no hesitation. He lifted her face and wiped the tears from her eyes before kissing her softly. Just as their lips met the door opened. David and Henry walked in followed immediately by Liam. The sight of his brother and Emma Swan in their current embrace only solidified his decision.
"I hope you've not come here to insult the woman I love yet again. I know you have waited a very long time to see me again, and I do love you brother. But I love her more. I'm sorry, but Emma makes me want to fight to be alive. I'm going home with her." He said.
"Good." Liam said surprising Killian. "I'm sorry Emma, that was not about you. It was about the fact that I spent 300 years waiting to see Killian again and I was scared of loosing him. I was selfish. I wanted to keep my brother with me. But that clearly isn't where he belongs."
"What prompted this change of heart." She asked. Killian still wouldn't let her leave his embrace.
"Your father and son can be quite convincing." He explained. " They made me see that I was very wrong. You killed my brother, but you also saved him. Thank you Emma."
" you are welcome, and I except your apology." She smiled.
"I'm sorry that my death turned you into a man that you were not proud of. I just wanted you to be happy and now that I see that you are. Perhaps it's time for me to move on." Liam said.
"I thought you'd been waiting for me and that you couldn't move on without me." Killian said.
"I couldn't move on without seeing you happy." Liam corrected. "and you are happy now."
"yes I am brother." He kissed Emma's brow. "More then you know."
"That's all I ever wanted." Liam said. "Its time Killian."
"let's us go with you." Emma said.
"I would like that very much." Liam said.
-/-
The three of them stood in the chamber the bridge was completed out into an image that looked very much like a ship on the sea. The better place for Liam was clearly the ocean. Killian smiled.
"I'll see you again someday brother." Killian promised Liam hugged his brother tightly.
"I hope with my help you can return to the world of the living. You deserve happiness Killian. Try to remember that." He explained. Then he pulled away from his brother and walked to Emma.
"I wish we could have met under better circumstances ." He said to her. "I have trusted you with the most precious thing in this world to me. Please take care of him for me."
"I will." She promised. At this Liam kissed her cheek, then walked out onto the bridge and was gone.
"I love you Swan." Killian said as they turned around to head back.
"I love you too." She said knowing that was all he needed. No matter what they still had each other.