Chapter Two
Nightmares part 2: Underworld Aftermath
What if Regina wasn't fast enough to shield Henry from seeing Hook look beaten up by Hades when the heroes went to his grave in the Underworld. After the heroes have returned from New York and returning magic to Storybrooke, Killian, Emma, and Henry return to their house and finally get some sleep. Until Henry has a nightmare about both his parents, Killian and Emma, getting beaten up by Hades.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time or the characters. Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis own the show. If I owned the show, then there would be more Captain Cobra scenes in the show!
After a tiring, long day for the heroes, Emma, Killian, and Henry returned to their house in Storybrooke fully intent on getting some long-needed rest. The three of them haven't slept while they were trying to retrieve Killian from the Underworld. They had finally returned all the magic back to Storybrooke after Gold had stolen it in order to try and wake up Belle from her sleeping curse. Mr. Hyde had returned to Storybrooke intent on causing chaos but that was furthest thing from Emma's mind. Killian and Emma went upstairs to their room while Henry went into the room that was meant for him. They said goodnight to each other and Emma plopped down on the bed with the clothes she was still wearing not even bothering to change. She was wearing her signature red leather jacket, or her armor, as she liked to call it, over a white, cashmere sweater and some skinny jeans with her black boots. Killian looked at her with a weary smile and raised his eyebrow at me.
"Swan, are you sure that is a wise idea to just go to sleep dressed like that? Love, wouldn't you prefer to wear comfortable clothes?" Killian teased. He had a goofy smile on his face and Emma knew that he was just teasing her. She wasn't in the mood for any teasing from her beloved pirate. If he continued this teasing at this rate, Emma would levitate a pillow with her magic and send the pillow flying right at him so he would shut up. So, Emma gave him that look she always gave him when she was not in a teasing mood. Normally, Killian would retort back with flirtatious comment, but he could see that Emma was definitely too exhausted to even attempt at continuing this banter with him.
"Killian, I am tired and honestly I don't care about what I am wearing because I just want to sleep right now. Please just come lie down with me so we can just rest and not wake up for hours," Emma tiredly begged him. Clearly, there would be no attempt in changing her mind. Killian knew that once Emma made her mind up over anything, it would end up with the both of them frustrated with each other. Normally Killian could convince Emma to being a little less stubborn, but he knew how to pick his battles with Emma. He looked at her with that loving smile he shares only for her and just lies down on the bed and takes off his leather jacket and his hook. They lied there together just holding each other close afraid that either one of them would disappear. Emma slowly drifted off and finally closed her eyes.
As Killian was lying down on the bed, he looked at his beautiful Emma Swan in wonder and love. She truly was extraordinary in her own way. The way she glowed after using her magic made his heart beat fast. She used to be so guarded with her walls, but he had managed to break down most of those walls and become a part of her heart. She is his true love and his happy ending. Killian closed his eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
Killian must have been sleeping for a short time before he heard the blood-curling, murderous screams coming from the house. At first, he thought it was Swan but he looked over and saw that she was deeply asleep. Killian chuckled at the sight of her and smugly thought: That woman could sleep through anything that made a loud noise. The world could be ending right now, and Emma would be sleeping. I love her but the bloody woman makes me marvel at her weird quirks. Killian soon realized that it was Henry who was screaming across the hall in the other room. Killian hurriedly put his hook back on and grabbed his sword as he raced to Henry's room while fearing that someone was in Henry's room attacking him. When Killian finally opened Henry's door, he looked around warily for the mysterious attacker. The room was pitch black and he had to look closer to vanquish any person who dared to harm Henry.
He saw no attacker and put his sword back in its sheath. Killian gasped with utter shock and realization. Henry was the only person in the room and he was screaming with tears running down his face. Henry was screaming in his sleep and thrashing his arms and legs around underneath the covers. The boy was soaked completely in sweat from the emotional breakdown he was having. Killian grabbed Henry's arms and legs and attempted to calm down. "Sh Henry! You're all right! Henry, wake up! It's just a bad dream, lad. I'm here, Killian's here my boy." Killian whispered to Henry while he tried to rouse him from his terrible dream.
But then Henry muttered something that almost made Killian stop breathing from the utter shock of the words. "NOOO! Don't hurt him! Please stop hurting my dad! He didn't do anything to you! Please take me instead! WAIT! NO! Not my mom too! MOM! DAD! Please wake up! Don't leave me please!" Henry screamed with all his might to the unknown person in his dream.
Killian snapped out of his stupor and attempted even harder to wake Henry from the dreadful nightmare he was having. He yelled, "Wake up, my boy! Your mother and I are fine. HENRY!" Killian begged Henry and it finally worked.
Henry woke up breathing very raggedly with his chest heaving. Killian knew that boy was slowly beginning to have a panic attack. So, he grabbed Henry and put him against his chest and instructed Henry to take slow, deep breaths. "Henry, breathe with me lad. Breathe as I breathe and slowly calm yourself down lad," Killian softly spoke to Henry. Henry didn't respond at first, but he soon began to breathe the same rhythmic patterns that he felt against Killian's chest. Killian smiled with relief once Henry started breathing at normal pace. "There's a good lad. You're okay. I've got you now my boy" Killian gently appraised Henry. Once Killian knew that Henry was breathing normally, he turned him around facing him and slowly put his arms around Henry and rubbed his back in small circles. Henry quickly clung to Killian afraid that he wasn't really there and he was back in his nightmare.
Eventually, Henry had calmed down and Killian expected Henry to immediately pull back once he realized the position he was in with Killian. However, Killian was shocked to find Henry still clinging to him in a strong grip. Clearly, the boy was still shaken up from the nightmare he was having. Killian sighed and pulled Henry reluctantly back so Henry was looking at Killian.
Killian took a deep breath and softly spoke to Henry, "Lad, are you okay?" Henry slowly nodded his head too afraid to speak at all. Killian didn't want to say anything about the "Dad" word that slipped from Henry's lips while he was still deep within the grasp of his nightmare. He didn't want to embarrass the boy and wanted Henry to admit the title to Killian when he was ready.
Killian thought he should go and wake Emma up for this situation. But Killian couldn't just leave the boy while he was still clearly terrified. Killian slowly began to ask Henry about the terrible nightmare. "Henry, what happened in your nightmare and what were you screaming about?" Killian asked in a gentle tone of voice. Henry furiously shook his head and hid his face in Killian's chest. Killian sighed and pulled Henry back. He grabbed Henry's chin with his right hand forcing Henry to look up at Killian. "My boy, this has you worked up and I believe that if you tell me what happened then you will feel better," Killian said. Henry still refused to even open his mouth even he desperately wanted to share with Killian. Killian sighed and thought, bloody stubborn lad! Just like his mother! Killian thought to himself in exasperation.
Then an idea to convince Henry to share with Killian popped into his head. "Henry, how about you and I go downstairs and have some hot chocolate?" Killian offered to Henry as a compromise. Henry slowly nodded and Killian was relieved that he agreed to this deal. Killian made his way off Henry's bed with his arm wrapped around Henry's shoulder. They walked downstairs and into the kitchen of the Swan household. Henry took a seat at the table while Killian got to work in making the hot chocolate. Killian quickly grabbed two mugs from the cabinets and started making the hot chocolate. He made sure to heat up the milk before adding the cocoa to each of the mugs. Finally, the ingredient that both Henry and Emma loved adding to their hot chocolate: cinnamon.
After both drinks were ready, he brought Henry's drink over first. Then, he grabbed his mug and added his own rum to his hot chocolate. They drank their hot chocolate in silence. Killian knew Henry wouldn't start talking at first, so he gave Henry a little nudge.
"Henry," Killian asked in a whisper to him. "Lad, will you tell me what had you so terrified in your dream? It's just the two of us here. I promise, if you want, that I will keep this between the two of us. Please, lad, you clearly won't be able to go back to sleep unless you talk about it," Killian softly pleaded with Henry to share his deepest fears.
Henry nodded and took a deep breath so he could share everything that happened in his dream. "Do you remember when my moms, grandparents, Robin and I all went to find you in the Underworld?" Henry asked.
"Aye," Killian answered while nodding his head with a confused look on his face but let Henry finish his tale.
"Well, we were struggling to get information on how to find you so my mom could split her heart with you and return back to Storybrooke. No one would help us and we began to get desperate and worried that we would never find you. My grandfather, Rumplestiltskin, offered this ale that would allow us to speak to you from beyond the grave," Henry spoke slowly but I still didn't know where he was going with this conversation.
"Finally, we found your grave, and my mom poured the ale on your grave. When you appeared in front of our faces, everyone stopped and gasped at the sight of you. My mom, Regina, wasn't fast enough to shield me from seeing what your appearance looked like to everyone," Henry paused and had to take a deep breath to finish the next part. "You looked like someone had beaten you to death with your beaten up left eye and fresh and dried blood all over your face. Your hook was missing and your whole body struggled to stand still," Henry cried while sharing this awful part. He cried into his arms at the next part that he would have to share. He doesn't know what truly scared me in the nightmare. That was part of it but he doesn't even know what I was screaming about in the dream. He doesn't know what I had to witness, Henry thought to himself.
Killian began to reach for Henry to reassure him that he was fine now and that horrible event was over. The lad was crying his heart out and Killian wanted to wipe all the tears away. "I'm so sorry that you had to see that ugly part of me, Henry, but that horrible journey is over now. I'm back now alive and well. Zeus, the god of thunder, brought me back to life," Killian reassured Henry by rubbing his back.
Henry froze and pushed Killian away in anger and frustration with the pirate. Killian flinched at his reaction afraid he had upset the lad. He angrily stood up from the table and paced around the room. "You don't understand! That's not what made me so terrified" Henry yelled in frustration at Killian. "The part that scared me was that I had to witness Hades beating not just you, but my mom, Emma, the same way he tortured you while you were trapped in the Underworld!" Henry screamed back at Killian with angry tears running down his cheeks. "He tortured my mom and the one man I consider a father figure in my life. The one man who cares about my mom and loves her," Henry sobbed. "Finally when Hades stopped his torture, I raced over to the both of you attempting to wake you guys up. I shook with all of my might but both of you wouldn't wake up! Both of my parents, mom and dad, were dead because of me!" Henry cried at finally finishing his terrifying tale of his nightmare. He had sunken to the floor after finishing that horrid part and Killian was completely broken by the sight of Henry.
Killian was shocked. He didn't realize that Henry thought of him like a father the same way he thought of him as his own son. He hid the proud smile that he so desperately wanted to show to Henry, but now wasn't the best time. Right now, Henry needed him to reassure him about his nightmare. So he walked over to where Henry lay looking utterly defeated on the floor and knelt down next to him. He lifted him up from the floor and walked him over to the couch in the living room. The both of them sat down and Killian pulled Henry into his arms letting him pull himself together. Once Henry had calmed down, Killian pulled back and cupped his hand on Henry's chin making sure he was listening to every single word he had to say.
"Lad," Killian said to Henry causing him to stop and listen to the man he considered a father. "I want you to listen and not interrupt until I am finished, aye?" Killian asked to which Henry nodded. "What you had to witness while you were in the Underworld searching for me with your mothers and the rest of your family was terrible. I never wanted any of you guys to save me, and when I learned that you had come along with the rest of the group, I was furious and worried. However, I realized that you are just like Emma and Regina, and I don't think anyone could have prevented you from joining the group. I hated that you had to see the aftermath of my torture from Hades."
Killian paused and took a deep breath before continuing with his speech. "Now as for what really terrified you in your nightmare, lad, please remember that your mother and I will never leave you. But if it came down to the both of us being killed instead of you, we would much rather you live than be killed"
Henry started to interrupt Killian, "Hook, don't-" but Killian gave him a stern look that said to let him finish. Henry quickly closed his mouth and nodded his head allowing Killian to continue.
"Your mother loves you very much and you will always be her first priority! Never doubt that, lad. As for me, I have gotten to know you very well and in that time I have begun to consider you like a son to me. I would rather be tortured again by the Lord of the Underworld than watch you suffer the same fate I did," Killian explained to Henry with a determined look. "Now, drink up lad and when you're finished, you're going back to bed."
Henry couldn't drink anymore so he dumped the rest of the contents in the sink while Killian did the same. He followed Hook upstairs and went back to his room. Killian nudged him over to his bed and gently guided him under the covers. After he tucked Henry, he began to get up from the bed. But, something grasped his hand along with Henry saying the same word that stopped him from leaving.
"Wait! Dad-Killian, please don't leave me," Henry begged with an embarrassing look that he quickly tried to hide after calling Killian dad.
Killian looked back at Henry with a fond look on his face. "Alright my boy, I'll stay until you fall asleep," Killian replied. He stayed with Henry until he was sure that Henry was asleep and safe from the nightmares. He rubbed his back in small circles encouraging Henry to fall asleep quicker.
Five minutes later, Henry was deeply asleep, but not too deeply asleep to mutter two loving words.
"Goodnight dad," Henry mumbled in his sleep.
Killian smiled and almost started crying but he stopped. He answered back with a croak in his voice, "Goodnight my boy."