Ghosts of a Chance

Chapter Two

Inside Granny's Diner…

Emma and Killian joined her parents for a late dinner at Granny's after they had spent the latter half of the afternoon and early evening with Ashley and her loved ones while also keeping their eyes on Lady Tremaine who had begun her sentence for attempting to kill Ashley and kidnapping Clorinda, as well as her daughter's lover, Jacob, by having the stepmother pick up garbage on Jacob's pumpkin farm under Leroy's supervision. Not because he necessarily needed the help to watch after the villainess, but Emma was sheriff and she felt obligated to be there so Ashley could spend the evening getting to know her sister and Jacob all over again now that they were reunited.

Killian of course had stayed with her. Emma understood it was because apart of him was worried about her and was there to offer her comfort and support after a difficult day. And the truth was that she was grateful for him being there for her like he always was. Which was why she thought back to the advice Archie had given her that morning about being willing to take the next step with the man she loved so deeply, and the day's events while Killian remained by her side helped her to realize just how right the psychiatrist had been, and just how much she was ready to take the next step in her relationship with Killian. That was how she had come to asking him to move in with her and he was only too happy to accept.

Now, they needed to share the good news with her parents, which was why the Savior asked them to meet them there for dinner. Emma was certain her mother would be thrilled to hear they would be moving in together. Her father, however… she wasn't so sure. David and Hook had long since become friends after their adventure in Neverland and all the times the pirate captain fought to prove himself a hero, but there was still a small part of the Prince who hadn't fully accepted him completely for whatever the reasons were he still unknowingly resented Hook. Thankfully, Killian was understanding of her father's slight disdain for him and he never threw it back in David's face either.

So… they arrived within the diner and weren't surprised when they found Snow and David already sitting in one of the booths talking with Regina, Henry, and Violet who all sat at the table waiting knowing that Emma and Killian would be arriving shortly to join the Charmings.

"There you are," Snow immediately said when her daughter and Killian walked over to them, then sat down in their booth across from her parents. "How's Ashley doing? And her sister? Are they going to be okay?"

"They're going to be fine," the Savior answered as she reached out to take Killian's hand and looked over at him, offering him a smile before they turned back to her parents. "Clorinda understands now that what happened between her and Ashley, or… Cinderella that is, was a misunderstanding that was never cleared up on account of the Evil Stepmother forcing her daughter into the Land of Untold Stories. And Ashley almost sacrificed her life to protect her and Jacob, so that certainly helped Clorinda forgive her sister too."

Snow smiled and nodded as she happily replied, "It's so wonderful they could be reunited after all these years."

David smiled too, then he responded, "And I heard about the punishment you served Lady Tremaine with too. From Grumpy of course. He probably had a little too much fun torturing the woman with his personality trait while she picked up trash, but it's the least of what she deserves for what she did."

"You had Grumpy look after that woman while she cleaned up garbage?" Regina questioned, though she sounded impressed and a bit horrified too. "I'm not so sure that's the least of what she deserves at all. Life imprisonment until she can change her ways… if that's even possible for her, sounds a bit more preferable. At least it would be for me."

"Well… Lady Tremaine has earned both after all she's done," Emma answered.

David then asked, "So she's in her prison cell beneath the hospital now then?"

Killian nodded while he replied, "Aye. She is. Secured where she can no longer harm anyone."

"Hello, Henry," one of the teenager's friends from school stated, when Gretel walked inside the diner followed closely by her brother, Hansel, and their father, Michael Tillman who's continued working happily at Marine Garage as their town's mechanic since he found his children even before the first curse had been broken. "Have you spoken to your moms about joining us tomorrow night yet?"

"Tomorrow night?" Regina sternly questioned her son as she looked between him and his friends upon hearing the young girl asking about plans they clearly must have discussed amongst themselves earlier. "What's tomorrow night, Henry?"

Henry looked over at her too, as well as at Emma while he responded, "It's Halloween and we know that we still have to worry about the Evil Queen and whatever Grandpa might be up to right now, but… we were hoping to actually spend tomorrow night watching horror movies and eating candy, caramel apples, and popcorn balls like normal teenagers do. We're too old now to go trick or treating any longer, so… we thought horror movies would be the next best thing."

Upon not understanding what the boy was talking about, Killian looked between him and Emma as he asked, "What's this… Halloween? And what do you mean… watching horror movies? Is that some kind of tradition people do on this day? And what's trick or… what?"

"Trick or treating," Emma answered with a laugh, then reached out to caress his cheek as she thought he was cute for still being completely clueless about somethings such as their holiday traditions. "It's an activity that children do as they dress up in costumes and go knocking on doors asking people for fun treats. Things like candy, caramel apples, popcorn balls, etc…"

"And most teenagers enjoy watching scary movies once they grow to be too old for trick or treating," Snow continued, knowing about such things despite being from the Enchanted Forest thanks to her cursed memories while she had been Mary Margaret under the first dark curse like David and the others living in Storybrooke did aside from a few like Hook, who were never caught up in it and given a cursed persona. "For the fun of the thrill and scares."

Killian shook his head again in confusion as he replied, "I don't understand. I would think the number of villains we've faced and after all the horrors we've seen in the many battles we've fought would be enough of a scare to last a lifetime."

The kids, Charmings, Regina, Michael, and Emma all laughed again, then Emma leaned her head in closer to him as she kissed his cheek and whispered into his ear, "I promise… we'll get into the enjoyment of watching movies, including horror movies sometime soon. They're mostly harmless, although I'm not really a fan of horror movies myself. I agree with you to be perfectly honest. I've seen enough horror in my life without watching it on TV."

"So… can I go?" Henry finally asked again when he looked again between both of his mothers. "To Hansel and Gretel's house that is. Just for the night."

"Of course you can go, kid," the Savior finally responded, though she quickly glanced over at Regina. "So long as Regina's okay with it too."

Henry's adopted mother nodded then as she answered, "Of course you can. Actually, I think it'll be good for you. You'll be someplace safe should my other half attempt another attack."

Michael nodded while he spoke up assuredly saying, "They will be safe. I give you my word nothing will happen to Henry while he's staying with us tomorrow night."

"Thank you," Regina sincerely replied, as she turned her head to look up at the man standing nearby while he waited for Granny to bring out his to go order he placed for himself and for his children.

Granny then came out of the kitchen with a couple of bags in her hands for the mechanic and his family, then quickly returned inside once she gave them over to him in order to bring out the meals the rest of her friends had ordered earlier after their arrival to pass the food around to them at their tables.

"We'll see you tomorrow night, Henry," Hansel said once he, Gretel, and their father turned to leave the diner. "And don't forget that movie with the guy who has long claws. Fred Kroger? It sounded really creepy."

"Freddy Krueger," Henry corrected him. "And the movie's called Nightmare on Elm Street. Don't worry. I won't forget. And I've got The Sixth Sense with Brue Willis too. I know you liked him in the Die Hard movies."

Both of the other teenagers smiled and nodded, then the Tillmans said goodbye before they finally left the diner. Emma looked over at Killian again as he smiled at her, then she leaned in closer until the man she loved was holding him in his arms while they looked between her parents once again.

The Savior sat up again when she then continued their conversation from earlier as she stated, "So… Killian and I have some news. While we were keeping watch on Lady Tremaine earlier, I asked him to move in with me. I'm tired of putting my own happiness on hold just because I'm the Savior and we're always busy dealing with villains. I don't want to do that anymore. Besides, Killian picked our house out with help from Henry. He was hoping to ask me to move in before all the trouble in Camelot happened and before we all went down into the Underworld. We want to live together. We love each other. It's the next step in our relationship."

Snow smiled giddily as she responded, "Oh Emma… that's so wonderful. Isn't it wonderful, Charming?"

"I'm not so sure," David answered just as Emma expected him to. "Are you sure moving in is the next step in your relationship?"

"Don't worry, David," Killian continued assuredly while the Prince's wife playfully smacked his arm. "I promise to still be on my best behavior around your daughter. I'm always a gentleman."

The sheriff alongside his daughter glared at him as he replied, "Somehow your assurance doesn't ease my mind too much."

Snow looked between their daughter and her boyfriend again while she spoke again in sincerity, "What your father means, Emma… is that we couldn't be happier and you both have our blessing. Congratulations. And if you need any help decorating your home more so that it suites both of you, please just ask me. I would love to help you."

"I will," Emma responded, then reached across the table to take her mother's hand in her own to squeeze it in gratitude. "Killian's going to return to his ship for tonight so he can check in on Belle and let her know he'll be leaving, then he'll be coming over later. Tomorrow he'll begin to move his things in. We're really happy about this."

"Of course you are," her mother answered excitedly. "It's wonderful. And you two have been through so much together. There's been too much tragedy and pain. It's about time you're finally happy."

Killian nodded while he replied, "Aye. Thank you, Your Highness."

The Princess looked over at him as she quickly responded, "Please, Killian… call me Snow. You don't have to keep acting so formal with me."

"He's hardly ever been formal for me," David retorted curtly. "He calls me David, or Dave all the time. Or mate. He has ever since we met."

"Because you mostly only ever called me pirate," Hook quipped, then smiled. "I didn't see you really deserved my formality. Not until we finally started becoming friends and even then calling you something other than David, Dave, or mate just doesn't suit you. Not to me it doesn't."

Their conversations continued for a little while longer until they all finished eating and then decided it was time to say goodnight so they could all return home. Regina and Henry were the first to leave, as the teenager told his birth mother he would spend the next few nights with Regina so she and Killian could be alone then. David and Snow left next with their son in the Prince's arms. Then finally, Killian kissed Emma one last time before he told her he would see her again soon, as he still needed to return to his ship to look in on Belle.

When he was the first to pull back from their kiss, Killian spoke again softly saying, "I'll see you at your home in a little bit, Swan. And then we can continue this lovely moment in a more… private and romantic setting."

She smiled up at him while their faces remained barely an inch apart and tenderly whispered, "You better believe it. But it's our home now, Killian. As it should have been since Camelot. Had things gone differently that is."

"Aye," her pirate answered, sensing the sadness he then saw in her eyes. "But we're here now. Wait for me."

"Of course," Emma responded, then she pulled away from him and walked around her yellow bug to get into the passenger's side so she could drive home, while Hook stayed where he was as he watched her drive away until he finally began walking down the street towards the harbor.

Killian kept walking. However, he began to sense he was being followed and yet he never turned around, to avoid whoever it was from knowing he was on to them until he at last reached the docks. Then, he changed directions and started walking towards the old boathouse to lead the villain away from his ship… mainly Belle. The Captain finally stopped and cautiously pulled his cutlass from its scabbard, then turned to face the monster he knew was there despite knowing he wouldn't hold up long in a hand to hand fight against him.

Hook looked at him as he said darkly, "Hyde. So…. the Evil Queen helped you to escape from your cell. I don't know why you've been following me, but if you're here to try to kill me again for her… so I can't be here to help protect Emma from whatever else she has planned for her, I promise you… it won't be so easy like I made it for you the last time you tried."

The sinister man just grinned coolly and then answered, "Yes… you might not be so quick to charge at me like you tried through prison bars, but you will still fail and die nonetheless. That is… if I were here to kill you. I'm not. But I do need something from you. And that is apparently going to require a fight you know you're not prepared for."

"Whatever you're after, I won't let you use it to hurt Emma or her family," Killian adamantly replied.

"You have no choice in the matter," Hyde haughtily responded, until his demeanor then turned cold before the villain suddenly charged at the hero with brute force.

Hook defended himself using his sword for as long as he could until Hyde ripped it from his hand and knocked it away after he had thrust it through the doppelganger's chest only to discover it barely hindered his assailant. However, the pirate didn't back down when their fight became a hand to hand battle like Killian expected it would.

Unfortunately, Killian was unable to stop him when Hyde grabbed his left arm covered by the brace holding his hook in place, twisted it behind his back, then suddenly thrust the sharpened point deep into the small of Killian's back dangerously close to his spine. Killian gasped in excruciating pain at the brutal onslaught and fell to the ground once his legs gave out on him, then he struggled to pull his hook and arm free from his body until he finally managed to do so, while the monster remained standing over him.

Hyde callously knelt down beside him to observe the deep wound for a few moments without saying another word while the Captain kept fighting to breathe through his pain and to stay alive. The monster then reached down to pull Killian's left arm up off the ground, unlatched his hook from its brace before pocketing it, and simply walked away leaving the wounded man on the ground knowing it wouldn't be long before someone would find him in time to save his life.

Thankfully for Killian's sake, Belle had heard the commotion of the fight from aboard the deck of the Jolly Roger when she walked out from the Captain's quarters for fresh air and to look up into the night sky. The beauty worryingly stepped down from the gangplank onto the docks, then cautiously walked towards the sounds of the struggle going on in the distance and when she finally saw Hyde standing over whoever he had attacked on the upper level of the docks nearby the old boathouse, she waited below until he walked away.

She cautiously climbed the steps leading up to the upper level so she could try to help whoever the villain hurt, horrified to discover Killian lying there bleeding out in front of her until she immediately rushed over to help him. He was barely conscious and he struggled to speak to her, but she couldn't make out what he was trying to tell her. So instead of trying to understand him, she pulled out her phone and immediately called Emma, telling the Savior to get herself down to the boathouse as soon as possible.