"Emma, Emma!" I hear my name being called from the entrance of the police station, where I am seated at my desk surrounded by dozens of complaints submitted from the residents of Storybrooke.
"In here!" I call out to my dad, and I hear his heavy footsteps grow louder as he enters the back office where Killian and I sit. I smile up at him from behind the piles of paperwork. "Welcome back to Storybrooke, here's a hundred problems only you can solve" I joke, as I see his eyes grow wide at the amount of papers in front of me.
"Aye," Killian agreed, holding up the piece of paper he had been examining. "This one's from Grumpy. He's complained that Granny has been overcharging him for his lunches. And this one," he pulled out another paper, "is from Granny. She complains Grumpy walks out on his tab 3 days a week so she has to charge him double when he does pay." Chuckling, he tossed the papers over to David. "Have fun with that one, mate."
David hastened a glance at the papers before looking up at me again, exasperated. "Has Storybrooke just fallen apart while we've been gone?" He set down the papers on the desk, and fell into a large chair across from Killian's. He rubbed his temples and sighed. "Well the petty complaints are going to have to be put on the back burner. I just got a call this morning from Archie. His office was broken into, and a lot of classified records from his therapy sessions were stolen."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "What would someone want with that?" I asked, trying to imagine what kind of secrets those records contained.
"I couldn't tell you. But regardless, that's a major breach of privacy for Archie's clients." David responded, cracking his knuckles before standing.
"Does anyone know about the break in?" I ask, praying the answer was no.
"As of now, no." David confirmed, and I sighed in relief. I stood as well, joining him by the door as I put my gun safely in its holster. I glanced over at Killian, who remained seated.
"Are you not coming?" I ask him, watching as he slowly stood.
"Actually," he began, looking between David and I before continuing. "I'm not sure I should. I'm not the most popular guy around here after my flirtation with the darkness, and I don't want people getting heated that I'm working in their business. Perhaps I should just go home." He looked sheepish for a brief moment, before wiping his face clean and giving us a pleasant smile.
"Nonsense." David said, "This is the best way to show Storybrooke that you truly are here for them, to help them." I nod in agreement, but Killian's worries have opened a whole new realm of thoughts for me. I never thought about how the residents of Storybrooke would think of me… after leading the group to Camelot and enacting the dark curse, surely they wouldn't have much faith in me either. I gulp nervously, but mask my worries with a reassuring smile to Killian.
"It's the right thing to do." I say, looking into his eyes and noting the worry in them. I give him another nod, and finally he agrees to come with us.
Outside of the sheriff's station, it's a beautiful day. The stores down Main Street were bustling with activity, as different residents popped in and out with various shopping bags and smiles on their faces. It didn't look like a place that had submitted dozens of complaints in a matter of weeks.
I looked up at the sun as the three of us walked over to my bug, and smiled as I noticed the awkward exchange between Killian and David as they struggled to decide, without words, which of them would sit in the front seat with me. Killian acquiesced and David plopped into the seat next to me, settling in quickly as Killian squirmed uncomfortably in the tiny backseat.
"Off we go," Killian mumbled as my bug accelerated down the streets off to where Archie's office stood.
Once we arrived, it was quickly apparent that we wouldn't find much evidence. Archie's nervous testimony left many open questions that we had no ways of answering. "Well I left the office around 8 last night," he explained to us in a quiet voice, "and I locked up just like I usually do." He held up his key ring, "I have the only key to the door. And when I came this morning, the door was locked just like how it was when I left it. I came in and nothing looked different, like no one had touched anything! I only discovered the missing files when I went to pull the file of my first appointment for today, and the cabinet was empty."
I walked around the office as Archie explained, trying to see if there were any signs of who could have come in, or how they got in, but I found nothing. We examined the office for the larger part of the afternoon, searching every inch of the place to find something to give us an idea of who did this, but we found nothing. No broken windows, the lock clearly hadn't been tampered with, and there was no footprints or fingerprints anywhere. By the time the sun was beginning to set, David turned to me with the same look on his face that I wore on mine. We had nothing to go off of for this investigation.
Killian didn't say a word until we had thanked Archie and told him we'd be in touch, and we were all settled back in my tiny car. "So if we're to accept that there's no signs of normal break-in, surely the culprit used magic to get in." He said, matter-of-factly.
"That's what I'm thinking too," I say, glancing at David and watching as he nodded in agreement.
"But who?" David asks, scratching his head. "All the people in this town with magic would never do something like that."
"I know someone who would." Killian mumbled, eyeing the pawnshop that Rumple usually inhabited. We hadn't seen Rumple since our adventure in New York, when he jumped back into the portal to the Land of Untold Stories.
"But no one has seen him since we got back from New York," David said skeptically as he followed Killian's line of sight.
"That doesn't mean he's not back," I said, remembering the time he had secretly returned to Storybrooke with the Queens of Darkness. I had just parked the car outside Granny's where we were going to meet the rest of our family and friends for dinner. "It wouldn't be the first time he slipped in under our noses to cause more problems. But why would he want Archie's records? What could he gain from that?"
"Leverage." Killian said darkly, offering his hand to me as I got out of my car. "It shows him peoples weaknesses and he can use them to get what he wants. It's a typical Dark One move." He made knowing eye contact and me, and I shifted uncomfortably as I knew what he was thinking. We had both done it. Used others weaknesses for our own motives. Even used each other's weaknesses.
Shaking my head, I wrapped my fingers into his tightly and pulled him inside. Now was not the time to dwell on the darkness. He followed suit, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze and following behind me closely as we approached the table where Snow, Henry, and Regina sat waiting for us.
Shocked at Regina's presence, I took the seat across from my mother, and Killian sat next to me, across from Regina. David and Henry took up the end of the table. Henry, next to me, immediately began jabbering away about how behind he was in school, causing a slightly guilty pang in my stomach.
"But it's fine, because all the other students aren't as smart as I am, so I'll catch up quickly!" Henry said eagerly, pulling his hot chocolate with cinnamon close to him and taking an eager gulp.
"Is Violet in your class?" Snow asked, giving me a knowing look and a slight wink.
Henry turned bright red and shook his head, "No. She's in a younger class since she hasn't had our kind of schooling before. School in Camelot was like how to make tools and garden and stuff, she's barely even heard of math!" He chuckled and ruffled his own hair, and glanced around the diner as if he was looking for her.
I smiled at him, and then turned to face my mother. "How is Neal?" I asked, shocked she hadn't brought him along.
She smiled widely and her eyes sparkled as she said, "He's amazing. He's with Zelena and Rob-uh, her baby, right now. He hadn't slept all day and then he fell asleep right when it was time to come here. I couldn't possibly wake him, so she kindly agreed to sit with him while we eat!" She immediately went to grab for her phone. "I have pictures! We had just missed him so much."
I smiled as she flipped through the pictures, but I kept feeling my eyes slip over and take a peek at Regina, who was sitting awkwardly still in her seat, not looking at the pictures. She hadn't said a word since we'd been here.
After my mother had finished going through her slideshow, she put her phone away, beaming. "I think he's gonna be very peaceful when he grows older. He barely cries, you know. It's almost like he's dignified… like a king."
"Okay, okay Snow," David laughed as he wrapped his arm around his wife, pulling her in for a squeeze. "We all know you think Neal's gonna be a king some day, but need I remind you where we live?"
Everyone chuckled as Snow rolled her eyes. "He can be mayor of Storybrooke when he's older! It's close enough to a king!"
"I think the residents of Storybrooke may grow sick of us being their leaders before long." I mumbled warily, remembering the large stack of complaints in the sheriff's office.
Snow and Regina both looked at me, puzzled.
"And why is that, Miss Swan?" Regina asked, with a stinging sound in her voice. Great. The first time I get her to talk, it's because she's mad at me.
I quickly explained the complaints that had piled up in our absence, but I brushed them off as "only a few" rather than revealing the actual amount of them.
Sighing, Regina turned away from me, to my relief. But it was only moments before my mother decided to make things even worse.
"Regina," she began slowly, clearly testing the waters at how Regina would react. "How have things been? You disappeared so quickly last night, I wanted to make sure you didn't need anything."
Regina looked at Snow oddly, but remained silent. Snow continued, trying to fill the silence, "I can make a wonderful casserole and bring it over in the morning, so you don't have to worry about-"
"I'm fine, Snow." Regina cut her off quickly, and then stood. "I'm going to get some air. Excuse me." She quickly exited and hurried off through the front door.
Snow sighed, and turned to us. "I thought I'd try to get her talking, so we can really see how she's doing." She mumbled, embarrassed. "I just have such a hard time reading her, and after what she's been through…" She didn't finish her sentence. She simply shook her head sadly.
"It's okay, grandma." Said Henry sadly, his eyes still looking at the door where Regina had hurried off to. "Maybe I'll stay at her house tonight, maybe that will help?" He looked at me as if asking for permission.
I nodded. "Maybe it will, kid." My eyes too glanced over at the door, and I idly wondered if she had gone out there and then poofed home, away from us.
Killian stood. "I think I may go try to talk to her." He said, looking directly at me, but speaking to everyone. "After all, I was close with Robin." I nodded, and didn't voice my concerns that Regina may still hold resentment towards Killian. He gave me a reassuring smile, and followed her out the door.
I turned to my parents, and my confusion must have shown on my face because my dad smiled at me and said, "Remember, Emma, they've known each other a long time. And they were both villians before Storybrooke. Maybe he can help." Only half convinced, I nodded anyways.
Outside, Killian saw Regina sitting alone at a table, looking at seemingly nothing. He walked over, and slowly took the seat next to her, remaining silent.
She looked up at him. "What are you doing, Hook?" She asked, her voice cold and uncaring.
"Having a drink." Killian said, as he pulled out his flask. He took a long swig from it, and then held it out to her, offering it. Regina glared at him for a moment, before taking it with a sigh and raising it up to her mouth. She gulped down the cool liquor, and coughed slightly as she handed it back to him.
"How many times a day do you refill that thing anyways?" She asked, thinking about the many times she'd seen him drink from it.
"Depends on the day," Killian said casually. "Depends on who needs it." He eyed her carefully. "Regina…" he began, but before he could continue she cut him off.
"Look. I don't want to talk about it. Not to Snow, not to you, not to anyone. No one understands because everyone in that building has their true love, except me. Even Henry has someone in his life, which is great, but I'm left all alone. Always." Her voice racked towards the end of her speech, and she looked away, slightly abashed.
"That's where you're wrong, Regina." Killian replied, "While I do have my true love, I have lost a love before." He reminded her. Milah. "I know how it feels to be so alone, how unfair it feels to have someone you love taken from you."
Regina risked a look at him, but Killian was no longer looking at her. Instead his eyes were fogged over, as if he was reliving an awful memory.
"What's important though," he continued, coming out of his thoughts, "is how you handle it. I handled it wrong. I sought revenge, I let my loss consume me and it turned me into one of the worst versions of myself."
Regina snorted. "That's when I knew you." She reminded him, recalling their various encounters throughout time.
"Aye," he nodded. "And I knew you as your worst version too."
"So what's your point, Hook? That I shouldn't go trying to avenge Robin? That's not helpful. Hades is dead. There's no one for me to chase after." Regina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms; exasperated by the lack of help she was receiving from Killian.
But Killian didn't flinch, he just slowly replied, "No. My point is not to let the loss consume you. If you let it control you, it'll lead you down the wrong path, whether that path is revenge or something else."
Regina remained silent. She knew he was right, but her pride wouldn't let her admit it to him. "Is that all, pirate?" She asked, turning a cold eye to him.
He nodded. "Aye, it is." He stood, leaving his flash on the table. "Bring that back to me." He turned, and went back inside before she could protest.
Regina remained still for a few moments, then, glancing around to make sure no one was watching, picked up the flask and downed the rest of the rum inside.
As Killian returned to his seat next to me, the whole table was wrapping up. David had just signed the check, and our plates had been cleared from the table. I looked sadly at Killian. "I got your food in a to-go box." I said, showing him. "Granny's is closing soon, and we didn't want to keep her up."
Chuckling, Killian took the box from me. "That's quite alright with me," he muttered, pulling me in and whispering, "More time we get to spend at the house alone, the better." Smiling, I wrapped my arm around his and let him pull me to my feet. We all said our goodbyes, before heading our various ways. David and Snow each gave Killian and I a hug before they headed back to their apartment, undoubtedly to spend the night fawning over Neal. Regina, who had remained silent since her talk with Killian, led Henry back to her house after I gave him a tight hug and a kiss. Killian and I walked, hand in hand, back to my car to head back to our new home. It would be our first night we spent in it alone.
Killian watched me driving the bug down the road curiously. "You know," he said, with a teasing quality in his voice, "I think I would like to learn how to drive one of these contraptions." He looked at me with a flirtatious face, "What do you think? Care to teach me?"
I glanced at his face, filled with amusement, and rolled my eyes. "First of all, you know it's called a car. You don't have to call everything a 'contraption'" I laughed, "Second of all, I think it's a great idea. Then I won't have to drive your lazy ass around all the time."
He mocked hurt at my words, "Lazy?" he exclaimed, his voice light, "Maybe I just like following you around, love."
I shrugged. "Maybe. But I'm still gonna teach you to drive." I say, and glance over at him with a chuckle. "We can even buy you a car of your own if you pass your driving test."
"IF I pass?" He retorts, emphasizing the 'if', "Swan, I sail the finest ship in all the realms, very well if I might add. What makes you think I couldn't navigate a vessel of this size, especially one that doesn't even fly?" I would almost think I had offended him if I didn't know him so well.
"Well a car is very different," I began, coyly. "For starters, it has wheels." He snorted in response, and didn't let me finish my teasing explanation.
"I can see the difference between my ship and your contraption very well, love. I'm just pointing out that a truly brilliant Captain, like myself, can command any vessel, even one as unremarkable as this." He looked at me proudly, as if daring me to question his abilities.
I simply laughed and shook my head. "Okay, tomorrow we'll see just how good you are at driving!" We had just arrived at our house, and entered the warm home, which was almost eerily silent. "It's weird, being entirely alone here isn't it?"
"Weird?" Killian asked, taking off my coat and placing it with his on the couch. "I rather enjoy it." He said, and with one quick motion he hoisted me over his back, and began carrying me up the stairs.
I laughed so loud tears came out of my eyes, and I pounded on his back gently until he finally let me down on the bed. He plopped down next to me, bouncing a little as if he was a child.
Lying out next to me, his smile faded as he looked over at me. "Emma, you look absolutely exhausted." He said, looking closely at the dark circles under my eyes that I had tried so hard to cover with makeup. "You can't save Storybrooke from Grumpy's eating habits and Granny's overcharging and the likes of it if you don't get enough sleep." He reached over and began gently rubbing my arm, as if trying to coax me into sleep.
I hesitated. I didn't know if I wanted to tell him what had been keeping me up at night. I didn't want him to worry, but at the same time he was the best person I had to talk to about this. I sat up with a long sigh. "I know," I begin, looking at him carefully. "Killian… I keep having nightmares. Awful, awful nightmares. Sometimes it's about the darkness, and the evil whispers and voices in my head. Sometimes it's about running you through with that sword…" I wince as the horrible image appeared in my head. Killian grabbed my hands and held them tight. Before he could speak, I continued. "Sometimes it's about the Underworld, and leaving you behind. Sometimes it's about all the people I love, hating me for everything I've put them through. Sometimes it's about Robin… and how I couldn't save him." I kept my eyes down, not daring to look up because I knew his face would be filled with sorrow and compassion for me, something I couldn't see right now.
"Emma," he began, pulling me into his lap, "I understand." He whispers, pausing for a moment. "I… have the same night terrors. Often it's about what I did as the Dark One, or what would have happened if I hadn't realized my actions. It's about losing you, and being stuck in the Underworld without you." He shuddered, and held me even tighter.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, curiously.
"For the same reason you didn't tell me. I didn't want to make it worse for you." He replied, with a deep sigh. "Now it's out for both of us." I nod in response, but remain silent.
So he has the nightmares too. The darkness truly did take its toll on us. I wonder if we'd ever truly recover, or if our hearts were forever tarnished by the evil we had embraced.
"The worst part…" I begin, fearful of how he would react to this, "is sometimes in my dreams… I miss it. I miss the power that the darkness gave me. It was dangerous, and tempting, but it kept us safe. And I could have saved Robin again if I still had it… and I could protect us all."
Killian spun me around and looked at me. "No, Emma. You don't need that power to protect any of us. It's dark magic, it can't be used for good. You do a good enough job protecting us with your light magic." He sighed, then continued, "Robin's death was something none of us could prevent… hell, it was magic we'd never even heard of until it was too late."
"I know," I mumble, embarrassed, "But-"
"But that magic is so tempting. So alluring. Trust me Emma, I remember." He said, running a hand through my hair. "But you taught me to resist that temptation, and now I am reminding you. It's not worth it."
He's right. I lean in, and kiss him slowly, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down into the bed with me where he wraps his muscular arms around my waist. Minutes passed, and we just breathed in each other's warmth, before he broke the silence. "You need to sleep, love." I nod, knowing he was right. He held me closer, and I tried to listen to his heartbeat again, and after about an hour the steady rhythm had finally lulled me to sleep.
He crept through the woods silently, stepping softly on the earthy ground as he darted between the trees. Even though it was dark, he kept his hood pulled tight over his face. He was almost there. Passing through a clearing, he noted a large rock off to his left. Sparing one more glance around him to make sure he wasn't followed, he crept over to the rock and stood next to it, silently. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before jumping, feet first onto the solid rock.
But it wasn't solid; instead he slipped straight through it, and went down as if he was going deep into the earth. Landing on the ground a few feet beneath the rock, he looked around at where he was.
A small light illuminated the underground cave that he was in. He glanced above him, and saw the rock that he had just came through above him, looking as solid as before. He took a step forward, looking for any sign of movement. There was a small table in the middle of the cave, but the chairs around it were empty. He took a step forward, noticing something shiny on the table. It appeared to be some kind of knife. Before he could make out what the writing on it said, there was a loud voice from behind him.
"Mr. Hyde." She said, a malicious glee in her voice, "It seems you found the place well." Hyde turned and took her in for the first time. The Evil Queen stood before him, in a gleaming black gown that sparkled with every step toward him she took. She smiled wickedly at him, her eyes flicking from his face to the box in his hands. "So you were successful?" She grinned, taking the box from him and setting it on the ground. She stepped even closer to him now that the box was out of her way, and smiled almost seductively at him.
"Oh yes," He said slyly, taking a step closer to her. He was almost breathing the same air as her when she suddenly sidestepped away from him. Not allowing her to tease him, he remained calm and said, "Your magic worked well. I was disguised and left no evidence behind. The Swan girl and her friends are stumped."
"Excellent." She said, smoothing her hair before turning to the table Hyde had been looking at. "I see you noticed my new toy." She said, picking up the dagger on the table. "Want to see what it does?" She smiled evilly, and Hyde used that moment to read the inscription on the dagger: Rumpelstiltskin.
"How-" he began, but she spoke over him.
"RUMPELSTILTSKIN!" She bellowed, laughing as a crowd of smoke appeared in the cave, and the small man he had briefly encountered in his old land appeared, looking positively outraged.
"Regina?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, horrified. He clearly didn't know his dagger was missing until now. "How did you…"
"SILENCE!" She yelled, waving the dagger and immediately causing the old man to stop talking. "I am NOT Regina." She said coolly, rolling her eyes at the mention of her other half. "I am the Evil Queen, and you will address me as 'Your Majesty'. Both of you will. Understood?"
The two men nodded, silently. Rumple's face filled with horror, while Hyde's cruel smile grew larger. This dagger controlled the man in front of him.
"Now," the Evil Queen continued, turning her back to the both of them and stepping away. "Here's what the two of you are going to do for me."
Hi everyone! Thanks for reading and please REVIEW! I'm writing this story as I go, so I'm glad I was able to get a full chapter out today as well as the brief introduction in the previous chapter. As I mentioned in my description, I really want this story to focus on the emotional fallout of the last two arcs, and how it affects each character and the relationships between the characters (cause let's be real, the show won't address any of that). It will have a focus on Captain Swan, but every character will have a part in the story as it is an ensemble fic. Please review and let me know what you think :)