A blinding light enveloped the sky and the mast of the Jewel of the Realm shook precariously as the winds picked up speed; the ship nearly toppled under the crash of a wave that seemed to be raised by the hands of the devil himself. Never in years of Captaining this superb, marvelous vessel, had he seen a storm of this magnitude.

"Master Boson!"

"Aye, Captain Jones!"

"Turn her thirty degrees starboard and drop anchor to weigh her down! We must turn her around in a fell swoop or we will go asunder!" He ran his hand through his hair, clearing it away from his forehead. "We can never outrun this!"

"Aye, sir!"

The tall and dashing Captain crossed the deck in a wobbling motion, fighting to keep his balance, as the ship shook and tippled from side to side. He was drenched to the bone.

"What is this evil, Captain?!" Came the voice of First Mate John Wheeler as he and the Captain tried to regain control of the helm.

The Captain gritted his teeth. "It is damnation itself!"

"Captain!" A Sailor shouted from the bow of the ship. "Something yonder comes from the east!"

The Captain took his spyglass to his eye and looked with horror as a massive blue cloud engulfed everything, pushing the waves up, high as mountains. "Oh, bloody hell…" He said as he lowered the spyglass slowly.

"What say you, Skipper? Shall we turn?"

"Nay." He huffed. "We cannot win. Tis magic we face, black magic. The Jewel will founder as will all who sail her." He turned his face to his panic-stricken mates and crew. "Gentlemen, it has been a privilege and an honor sailing this vessel by your side. Tonight we join those who left this world ahead of us. May we be able to leave this world as men of honor, in good form and with our heads held high!"

Amidst a loud cheer and resounding "Aye's", Liam Jones reached into his pocket and looked at the Jones insignia, pressed into the gold and leather buckle of what had been his brother's old satchel.

"Killian… I'm coming to your side, little brother…"

And the cloud engulfed the Jewel of the Realm… right before the calm took over the waters of the ocean.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Emma stretched a little… just a little, to find her thighs ached terribly. And she still smiled at the feeling of being so delightfully used. It had been a long, long while and even so, the last man that had touched her had not even been remotely close to this… this… HEAVEN.

It had to be said: All those innuendos, the two-year build up of sexual tension, the courtship that he had very well led in his god-be-damned "good form" without accepting a single sexual pass from her and finally, the big party that finally made them an official family… All that waiting? All had been totally worth it.

TO-TA-LLY.

Then there was the matter of trust. She had never trusted anyone like she did him, even if he had had a bit of a sketchy past. As far as she was concerned, he had pretty much earned his spot in her heart. And even if she hated to admit it, the man was always right when it came to her. He seemed to know everything about herself that even she didn't know or even realize till he made it clear. He knew how to make her feel safe, supported, cared for… and he also knew how to make her scream to all heaven on high. Goddamn him, she'd never be able to go without this, now.

Maybe she wouldn't want to, anyway… she really did have a soft spot for the pirate gone prince gone hero gone lover. No wait… more than a soft spot. Ugh… ok, fine. She'd fallen for the guy. Maybe that had been the secret ingredient behind the extremely successful event of the night. She loved him bad, nothing more, nothing less.

The best thing was knowing she was loved back in equal form.

A little grin crossed her lips as she turned her face, and found him perfectly still, but eyes wide open, staring at her with an equally content grin.

"Hmm…" she continued to grin and stretch, squinting her face in what she knew would be an adorable grimace that would certainly make him want to continue staring at her… adorable little creature. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to hear you call my name at least half a dozen times, love…" He whispered with a little smile as she felt his handless wrist caress her nude waist underneath the feather quilt.

"Liar…" she smiled, turning to her side. "I don't talk in my sleep."

"Aye, you do to that, and you're quite jocular, might I add." He giggled. "But I have to say, Emma, the sound of my name on your lips, whether you utter it in your sleep or with your waking eyes open, is a delight. I may never tire of hearing it."

"Good." She caressed his unruly black hair. "Maybe you'll be the first man who won't run like a bat out hell from me… Killian." She enunciated his name, slowly.

The man beside her closed his eyes and smiled. "Oh, you truly are the ruin of me, woman!" He said before he suddenly pounced on her, lying on top of her and making her burst into a sudden cackle. He propped himself up on his elbows and caressed her face with his right thumb. "Although, Swan, I must say… I might just not mind being ruined by you for the rest of my mortal existence."

"You're mortal?" she joked.

"Flesh and blood. Just lived far too long for my own good."

Emma smiled fully and pulled his face into the curve of her neck, running her fingers through his raven tresses. "Well, I might just have the privilege of seeing the "devilishly handsome" Captain Hook's famous looks fall before the unyielding and relentless hand of OLD AGE!"

He chuckled. "Aye, but be warned, m'lady…" he spoke, muffled, from the kisses he had started tracing down her neck. "Should you remain at my side, you won't be fairing much better…"

"We'll be two old, saggy heroes…"

"Old, young, no matter, as long as you allow me the honor of remaining at your side." He lifted up from her, and gazed into her eyes, blue on green, his lashes fluttering slightly. "I love you. I'm never leaving you Emma, unless you ask it of me."

She chuckled. "And why on earth would I want to do that?"

He returned the smile. "Well, for starters, you might think th…"

He was interrupted by the sound of what to Emma seemed to be a faint, distant whistle. He seemed attentive as a dog detecting its hunt.

"What is it?" she frowned.

"Shh!" he turned his head in the direction of the window.

Emma followed his gaze with a confused frown, the sound of the whistle eerily getting louder and louder.

Killian sat up on the bed, the blankets falling down to his waist. "I know this…" He mumbled to nobody.

"Killian, what is it?" Emma covered herself with the blanket.

He huffed, running his hand down his face and scratching his beard. "It's a cattle call. A sailor roll." He turned to explain to Emma. "We are trained as sailors to learn a language, a whistle language. Rather practical to call sailors atop the deck if you don't want to ruin your throat."

"Oh, like Captain Von Trapp!" Emma smiled.

Killian sneered. "Captain Von Trapp? Who is this Naval Skipper? Do I know of him?"

Emma giggled. "No you don't, he's a guy in a movie called The Sound of Music and he had seven children that he treated like a crew and then there was this nun that comes with a guitar and…"

"Wait…" He turned to the window again, holding up his stump to her as if he were holding up his hand. The whistled codes now sounded as if they were right around the corner… and Killian's demeanor changed. Radically. He looked stunned, his eyes widened and his frown unmistakably giving away a mixture of fear, pain and longing. "I DO know this…" He gulped. "I know this code…." He stood and stumbled to the window, gloriously naked, and Emma was unable to contain a happy and lusty grin as she contemplated his entire anatomy from head to toes… Who knew there had always been such unbelievable beauty beneath all that leather? But her smile disappeared as Killian nearly toppled backwards, shaking, trembling… Tears welling in his eyes.

Now THAT was a new! She'd never seen him cry. This had to be… something.

"Seven hells…" he whispered.

Emma rose and walked on the bed on her knees, joining him by the window. "What's the matter?" She placed a hand on his shoulder.

She looked in the direction of his gaze.

"Liam?" He asked with a shaky voice. "No…. it can't be…"

The tall and dashing figure of what appeared to be a man in his early thirties, dressed in a ragged and very old-looking naval uniform, walked through the streets of Storybrooke, looking decidedly confused as he looked around, taking a distinct sounding sea whistle to his lips every few other steps.

"This is sorcery…." Killian uttered under his breath as he tried to dress haphazardly. "He's dead, long, long dead. It can't be…"

"Liam… as in… your brother, Liam?" Emma sneered, her eyes darting from Killian to the window and back to him. "But… I thought he was…"

"HE IS!" He hollered. "Or was? I don't know, Emma, this bloody town and all it's magic, I…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I have to see for myself." He stormed out, shirtless.

He was still tugging his newly acquired black denim jeans up when he ran and nearly fell down the stairs, barefoot, and made his way out the door, following the almost phantom-like image of the man that paced the empty streets of six a.m. Storybrooke.

He saw him from behind and shouted. "HEY!"

The figure turned and saw him from afar.

Killian's lower lip quivered. "Oh… bloody h.. hell…."

"Excuse me!" The man shouted. "I am… seeking a group of men! We capsized and sank under a cloud of colored dust… Do you know of their whereabouts, young sir? Have you seen any of my crew?" He staggered towards Killian. "Might you be… able to help me?"

Emma had dressed herself in her bathrobe (a "his/hers" present from Ruby and Granny) and joined Killian soon enough. Her lover was frozen and tears were effectively flowing down his cheeks. "Killian… is that…?"

"Aye…." He whispered in a sob. "Aye, my love… he is….."

"Excuse me! Do you speak my language?" The flustered captain asked, approaching.

"He doesn't know you?"

Killian smiled. "He was always blind as an earth mole, my brother…"

"Oh, bloody hell…" The man ran a hand through his hair, looking flustered. "Please help? Err? What… realm is this?"

Emma grinned and gave Killian a gentle shove. "Go…. Go on."

Killian staggered. Liam staggered. By now he was squinting in Killian's direction. "No… no it can't be…" He mumbled.

Killian seemed to mirror his actions. "L… Liam?"

The young naval officer stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened and he looked like he was seeing a ghost. "This is… impossible…" He managed to pace to Killian a few steps. "Killian?"

"LIAM!" Killian suddenly reacted and ran, ran to embrace his brother, who fell to the floor under the sudden hug of his younger brother, a look of disbelief still all over his façade.

"Brother… brother…" Liam finally reached and hugged Killian back, almost as if he were trying to see if he was real. "No, no, this is not possible…." By the time they held each other at arms length, both men had tears in their eyes. "Little brother… Is it really you?" He held Killian's face in his hands, smiling broadly.

"Aye, aye tis me!" Killian laughed.

"I… must be dead." Liam laughed back before hugging Killian hard again. "I must have died and reached the afterworld…."

Killian laughed back and held his brother with equal strength. "I thought I'd never see you again, Liam! Bloody hell!"

Emma stared at the entire scene with a hand on her chest, grinning as tears also rolled down her eyes. She knew what Liam's death had done to Killian and if some odd magic had brought his brother, his only family, back to his side, then she didn't care what that magic was… or maybe she did care a little. Ok, she cared a lot. But for the time being, she relished in the view of his utter and uncontained joy and had no desire to ruin the moment for him by freaking out over the source of his presence.

"Well, you did die, Liam, but this is not the afterworld."

Liam pushed back. "Well where is this place? Where are we?" he looked at Killian from head to toes as his younger brother helped him stand. "And why are you partially undressed, brother?"

Killian laughed. "I heard your whistle call. I could distinguish that from all the sounds in the world. Gods, it has been so bloody long…" He ran his hand through his hair and sneered. "You fell, Liam, you fell in my arms, I saw you die. Why are you here?"

Liam looked befuddled. "No, wee lad, tis I who held you I my arms. Tis I who saw you fall from the Dreamshade!"

Killian frowned and swallowed. "Eh? No. No, no, no, Liam, your death is what led me to piracy and…"

"Piracy?" Liam sneered. "Killian, you are a pirate?"

He shrugged with a grin. "I... was. Not anymore. But still…" He shrugged. "As far as I knew, brother, I was the one to bury you at sea! I saw it! I left for Neverland, survived for three hundred years and now I'm here!"

Liam swallowed. "There is some odd magic at work here." He suddenly jumped back and drew his sword. Killian held his hands up.

"Liam…"

"Hear me, scoundrel, and answer me straight, and should your answer be folly, I shall skew you like a pig!"

"Brother!"

Emma gasped and ran to him.

"Now hear… What was the secret password?"

"What?"

Liam took the blade to Killian's throat. "I knew this was a demon's workings!"

Emma jumped in and pushed Killian to the side. "Stop!"

She looked at the man before her; He definitely had that Jones-like blue-as-late-afternoon-skies gaze.

"ANSWER, FIEND! The password that the old witch from our village bestowed upon my little brother and I, the one that only he and I could muster to open the lock to our secret log! Speak it now or face your oblivion!"

Oh… THAT password.

Killian grinned. "Redblood Firefly, reveal thy wording…."

Liam lowered his sword and the smile slowly returned to his face. "Killian… it really IS you."

Killian huffed with relief and once again stepped up to his brother. "Aye… but I live. And the matter remains. Why do you live… and why do you recall ME as the fallen Jones brother?"

Emma cleared her throat.

Liam turned to Emma and curtsied with his head. "Oh my Dear Lady!" He reached for her hand and took it to his lips. "Captain Liam Jones…Do forgive my bad form. I just… needed to be certain that this young rascal here is indeed my little brother, Killian."

"Wow…" Emma stuttered nervously. Yep, the other Jones boy was just as cute, in a cleaner, less "devilish" way. She looked at Killian and wrapped her arm in his. "So? Introductions, Pira… capta… Erm… Killian?"

"Oh, Lords, my manners!" Killian laughed. "Emma, this is… my brother." A larger than life smile accompanied that particular wording. "Liam. Brother…" He turned to look at Emma. "This is Emma Swan. She's… rather a bit of a warrior, a princess and…" he pulled her hand up to display her newly-ringed hand. "As of evening last, my new bride."

"Killian… you espoused a princess…" Killian nodded, beaming with pride. "That would actually make you a…"

"DON'T… even go there!" Killian laughed.

"That whole… prince-princess thing is a rather loose term in this… realm." She nodded in agreement . "You… have NO IDEA how much this guy has missed you."

"That… I have." Killian smiled and once again embraced his Brother. "Liam…"

"Oh, little brother… I missed you too. "

"Don't get started, you bastard, it's younger brother. Younger…"

"Although…" He held Killian at arm's length, "You've aged some since your dashing young days, my boy."

Killian cleared his throat.

Liam turned with a wink to Emma. "Vanity… he always did have it." He then bowed to her. "Highness, it is a privilege, and I am proud to see my little brother has done so well, although…" He stood straight again. "We must disclose what magic has twisted our fates, brother. In my memoirs, it was you who passed at a tragically young age; your face turned black under the effects of dreamshade poisoning."

Killian sighed. "I recall that same event, Liam, except it was you who died." He looked to the floor. "I held you till your very dying breath."

Emma wrapped her hand around Killian's. "We should see Gold. He's bound to help us make heads out of tails."

"Gold?" Liam sneered. "I don't follow, highness."

"Rumplestiltskin." Emma shrugged. "An imp and a wizard of powers beyond both our scope of knowledge. He is now on our side, however…"

"Now?"

Killian grinned. "There is much to tell yet, brother." He raised his handless arm.

Liam looked horrified. "Killian, your hand!"

"I shall explain all to you, brother, over a cup of tea… do you still drink straight black? No honey, no milk?"

"Tea? You drank tea?" Emma smiled, having the time of her life.

"Indeed I do, brother. However…" Liam grinned. "It is bad form to interrupt a honeymoon and I wish no part in being the cause of such a villainous fete. I gather… you were making our name look good?" He winked at his brother. "That explains why you're scantily clad, eh? You rascal."

It amused Emma to no ends to realize that apparently, only Liam Jones had ever had the power to completely undo the cocky, proud Killian. The former pirate blushed intensely.

"Well, we were kind of busy, but there are things that need immediate attention… Liam." Emma nodded. "I can't help but wonder what magic brought you here from another time and some… odd parallel reality." She turned to Killian. "I think we'd better take up where we left off a bit later, baby…"

Killian nodded adamantly. "Aye, I agree… brother! Give me an instant and I shall be ready. Emma, love?" He turned to her and pulled her to the side, approaching her ear. "Are you… bare beneath this robe you're wearing?"

She delivered a mischievous grin. "Aye aye, sir…"

Killian grinned and took her gently by the arm. He turned to grin at his brother. "Please wait here, Liam, we'll be right down."

"Take your time, Killy." He sat down on the sidewalk and merrily produced a mouth organ.

Killian rolled his eyes and groaned. "Oh, bloody hell…"

"Killy? Really?" Emma giggled as they heard the happy melody from the Captain's mouth organ.

"Please, don't ever tell your father Swan. Ever."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it…" she said after he held the door to the stairs to their new home open for her. "Killy."

"Don't you dare…"

"Well, he is kind of cute too, you know…"

"EMMA!"

She giggled her way up the stairs. He'd never hear the end of this now.