The tunnels grew darker as they descended further into the shafts. Emma waved a hand and lit the lanterns lining the tunnel walls. They edged along silently thorough the caves, and Emma was thankful that it was a one shot trip to the main cavern.
As they entered, the whole room seemed to begin to sparkle. Fairy crystals adorned every surface except the ground.
"Wow..." Emma whispered.
"Over there." Killian's soft voice brought her back to the mission at hand. She followed in the direction he was pointing with his sword. A makeshift bed made of hay was tucked into one of the corners. "Aye, he's definitely been here." David and Killian began to search the hay for any more clues and Emma began walking the area around the bed. Suddenly, something caught her eye. A boot print. And another. And another. She kept following them.
"Hey, I think I found some-" her words were cut short at the feeling of a knife at her throat and knobby fingers yanking into her hair.
"Emma!" David's voice sounded panicked.
"Not a step closer!" A gravelly voice came from behind her ear and she was spun around suddenly, making her cry out.
Her father and husband stood before her, both emanating pure rage, David with his gun aimed and Killian with his sword raised.
"If you harm her in any way, Blackbeard, I swear to you, you will die a most painful death by my hand." Killian's voice was dangerously low.
"Just let her go." David's face was twisted into a snarl.
"Harm her? Why would I do a thing like that? She's the prettiest shield I've ever had." Blackbeard ran his nose along her cheek. Killian took a quick step forward and stopped suddenly when Emma gasped at the knife biting into her flesh. "Of course, I could be provoked..."
"What do you want?" Killian's jaw was clenched.
"What I came here for, of course. The Jolly Roger." Blackbeard chuckled.
"Done." Killian replied, without a second thought. "Now let her go."
"Well, wait a moment now. That seemed a little too easy." She could hear his grin, clearly enjoying this game. He pulled her back to him. "Who's to say I can't have both?"
"I've relented the ship, Emma has nothing to do with this quarrel."
"Aye, not at first. But since you've captured my crew, I think she'll do as a fine cabin wench. So drop your weapons and allow me to leave with her, alive, or I gut her like a fish right in front of you."
There was a large pause. David and Killian exchanged looks and dropped their weapons to the ground almost simultaneously.
"There's some good lads. Now kick them away." Blackbeard commanded. They did as they were told. "Farewell, gentlemen!" Blackbeard began backing away, pulling Emma with him. "You've made a wise decision. And on my honor, I will care for this woman as long as it suits me." He let go a bellowing laugh. Emma saw an opportunity and raised her foot, bringing it down hard on top of Blackbeard's.
"Argh!" His arm jerked up as a result of the pain and the knife drug across the skin on her face, effectively slicing open her cheek. "You bitch!" He snarled and backhanded Emma to the ground, where her right arm landed on a rock. She felt the bones crunch on impact. Killian let out a bestial sound and rushed at Blackbeard, taking him to the ground. David rushed to Emma's side, and sat her up.
"I'm fine, go stop Killian, please! He'll kill him!" Emma begged.
David ran from her to where Killian sat astride Blackbeard and was delivering strike after strike to the pirate's face. He hooked his arms under Killian's and hauled him backwards off of his target.
"Well, Hook, it seems you can't keep any promise." Blackbeard spat out a tooth. "I still don't have the Jolly Roger, and I seem to remember a promise of death if your little woman came to harm. There she sits, broken. And here I sit breathing." He chuckled heartily.
"Oh, aye, we can remedy that for you." Killian struggled against David's restraint.
"No, Hook, he's not worth it!" David strained to keep Killian in check. He heaved him backwards next to where Emma was sitting and slapped handcuffs to Emma's uninjured wrist and the other side to Killian's. "It's for your own good." David pointed a finger at his now seething son-in-law. "Emma, I need your handcuffs." Emma leaned over towards Killian and exposed their location on her belt for David to retrieve. David brought them to Blackbeard and secured his hands behind his back.
Killian's attention turned to Emma. He lifted his hand, hers following along attached, and pulled her chin to one side to better see the cut, then back to the other side, exposing bruises in the shape of Blackbeard's rings. Fire burned brightly behind his eyes as his gaze swept over her arm, already beginning to purple with a bruise.
"I'm going to kill him." Killian said softly.
Emma brought her hand up to Killian's face and caressed it. "My dad is right. He's not worth it."
"Aye, maybe, but you are." His eyes pierced into hers, a mixture of rage, love, protectiveness, and a hint of sadness behind them.
"Killian, I will never want you to kill someone in my name." She said softly.
He blinked back at her and softened. He blew out a held breath and scratched his chin with his hook.
"Well I suppose it's his lucky day, luv. The day that he lives, by your grace."
"Thank you." She whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. He nuzzled his cheek into her hair.
"Dammit!" David swore as he paced around the room, phone in hand. "I can't get a signal down here at all." He walked back to Emma and Killian.
"Well, David, if you'd be kind enough to unshackle me, we can move this outside." Killian dangled his and Emma's hands towards David.
"Uh-uh." David shook his head.
"Alright, mate, have it your way." Killian reached around and popped a button on his belt with his hook, producing his keys and put them in his mouth. He unlocked the cuff from his wrist before David could grab them away.
"Pirate." David grumbled.
"Not much pirating involved when you have a skeleton key, mate." He grinned as he unlatched the cuff from Emma's wrist.
David crouched in front of him. "You cannot kill him, Killian."
"On my honor, the bastard lives." Killian gritted his teeth and stood, David rising with him. He said nothing back and continued to stare at Killian.
"Dad, he's okay." Emma insisted as Killian tenderly pulled her to her feet. David looked at his daughter and nodded.
"Fine. Hook, help Emma out, I'll take Blackbeard." He strode over to where Blackbeard laid and hauled him upright.
"After you, mate." Killian bowed at the waist, gesturing towards the exit.
David pushed Blackbeard to sitting on a nearby log once they emerged from the tunnel, pulling out his phone again and tapping his screen a few times.
"Snow... can you bring a cruiser down to the dwarf mine entrance from the station?... we got him, but Emma's hurt... no she'll be fine, just hurry down here...I love you too." David ended the call with a beep.
Less than 15 minutes later, a police cruiser came roaring up the path and Snow White burst from the drivers seat into her husband's arms. Regina rushed from the passenger side behind her.
"I'm so sorry, I came as quick as I could, but when you said Emma was hurt, I went and got Regina, and...Oh! Emma!" Snow broke away from her husband and hurried to her daughter's side, looking over her maimed flesh.
Emma's face was pale, except for the bruises and cut. An angry red mark began to form at her throat where the dagger had been pressed.
"Emma are you alright?" Snow smoothed her daughter's hair back, tears catching in her voice. Regina came up slowly behind.
"I'm fine, mom." She muttered shakily.
"No, you're not fine." Regina interjected, stepping towards her. "But you will be in a minute." She waved her hand over Emma's face and arm, a purple mist flowing from her fingertips. All of Emma's injuries faded beneath the path she created.
Emma tried her arm, tenderly moving it back and forth. It was still sore, but it definitely wasn't broken anymore. And then she felt it again. Queasiness swept over her, and she turned behind the rock they rested on and vomited again, Killian rescuing her hair just in time.
"Bloody hell, Emma, this is not seasickness!" He uttered again, frustrated.
"She's still sick?" Snow interjected.
"Aye, this morning and now."
"And you let her come with us?" David asked angrily, returning from loading Blackbeard into the back of the cruiser.
"If you'd like to try to stop her from doing something she's set her mind to, mate, you're welcome to try." Killian shot back.
"Maybe a trip to the hospital is a good idea." Regina offered. "They can see if I missed anything and maybe pin down this mysterious illness."
"No. No hospital." Emma argued, panting.
"Emma, you know your parents and Killian won't let you have a moment's peace until you're seen."
Emma didn't respond, weighing her argument.
"Emma, please, luv." Killian pulled her chin, forcing her to look at him. His eyes bored into hers, she could see the depths of his distress over her.
"Fine. But when there's nothing wrong, don't say I didn't tell you so." She sighed, defeated.
"Good." Regina clapped her hands. "We'll meet you back at the station." She glanced back at David and Snow. She waved her arms and Killian, Emma, and herself disappeared into clouds of purple smoke.
They emerged from the violet haze in front of the hospital.
"Shall we?" Regina put an arm around Emma and the three of them entered the building.
"Well, everything is fine with your arm, your head, everything seems good. We'll just wait for your bloodwork to come back, give you a couple bags of saline for dehydration, and then you can be on your way." Dr. Whale looked up from the clipboard in front if him and forced a smile.
"See? Nothing. I'm just stressed out." Emma smiled victoriously at her husband.
"Aye, I feel much better now." Killian even looked lighter as he smiled and kissed her hand.
"Well good, now that that's over with, I'll go call your parents and update them." Regina rubbed Emma's shoulder and gave a bright smile as she left the room.
"Oh, luv, you have no idea how relieved I am." He stroked his fingers over hers.
"I'm starting to get the idea." She smirked and threaded her fingers through his.
"You are the most precious thing in my life, Emma. I would despair if anything happened to you." Killian was earnest.
"Ditto," Emma murmured after a moment.
Killian looked at her confused. "What the bloody hell does that mean?"
"It's a phrase that means I feel the same." Emma explained with a giggle.
"Ah, well, glad to be in agreement, and for your amusement, Swan." He chuckled and gave her a swift kiss.
"Well, it appears we've found the reason for your vomiting episodes." Whale came back into the room and slapped a file against his hand. "Congratulations, Mr. And Mrs. Jones. You're going to have a baby."
Emma and Killian both looked at Whale in stunned silence.
"What?" Killian was the first to break the void with a whisper.
"No, no, no, there has to be a mistake. We've already established that I'm just stressed out. Right?" Emma looked panicked from Whale to Killian. "Right?"
"Emma," Whale sat on his stool. "It's definitely not stress. You are pregnant."
"Couldn't it be something else? Like, the flu?" Emma descended further into panic.
"Emma, have you and Killian, well, been together?" Whale asked. Emma nodded. "And did you use protection?" Emma looked blankly ahead.
"Protection? What kind of protection? What does that mean? Why would she need to be protected from me?" Killian sat forward.
"That's not what I meant. In this realm, there are... precautions you can take. Medicine, devices that you can use if you're not ready for a baby." Whale explained. Killian nodded, understanding. Whale turned his attention back to Emma. "Well, did you, Emma?"
"No." She whispered shakily, fear catching in her throat.
"Well, then you know it's true." Whale said gently. "I'll give you two a moment." He started to stand up.
"No, I don't need a moment, I need to get out of here." Emma sat up, frantically removing the blood pressure cuff on her arm and ripping the IV line from her vein.
"Emma, wait, what are you doing?" Killian stood up and tried to stop her clawing hands. Whale stepped forward as well.
"No, no, everybody just LEAVE ME ALONE!" A burst of light shot from her body and knocked both Killian and Whale into the wall. She scrambled out of bed and looked around in horror.
"Emma..." Killian reached out to her from the floor.
"I'm sorry Killian." Emma's eyes were as big as saucers. "I'm sorry..." She backed out of the room and down the hallway, almost running into Regina.
"What the hell was that? Emma, are you okay?" Regina held her arms and checked her over.
"No, I have to go." She pulled from Regina's grip. "Tell Killian I'm sorry." She began to run down the corridor.
"Sorry, sorry for what, Emma? Emma?!" Regina called after her. She watched Emma disappear around the corner and rushed to the room she came from. Killian was pulling himself from the ground, as was Dr. Whale.
"Hook. what's happening?" Regina grabbed onto Whale and stood him up.
"Emma. Where is she?" Killian gasped in pain.
"Well she just ran out into the hall, she said she was sorry, Hook what is going on?" She walked over to him and waved a healing hand from head to toe.
"Thanks, Regina." He gasped.
"No problem, now what's going on?" She asked again, flipping her hair out of her eyes.
"Emma's running." He pushed past her and ran out the door.
"Well we obviously haven't looked everywhere, or we would have bloody found her!" Killian slammed his hook on the table in his and Emma's kitchen.
"All I'm saying is it might be a little easier to find her if you tell us what she's running from." David put a reassuring hand on Killian's shoulder. He gave a glance out of the corner of his eye.
"Can't do that, mate, I've already told you that." Killian pulled out of David's grip.
All heads turned to the front door as it opened. Regina and Henry stepped through it and Killian looked crestfallen.
"Anything?" He looked at them with hopeful eyes. Regina shook her head and skimmed her eyes away from his.
He flipped a bowl of oranges off the table in frustration.
"Where the bloody hell is she?" He leaned his weight onto the table and sagged his head.
"Maybe she just wants to be alone." Snow said. "She'll come back when she's ready, right?"
"I'm not sure this time." Killian answered under his breath.
Henry's face lit up with realization.
"Grandma, you're a genius!"
"I am?" Snow looked around.
"I know where she is." Henry grinned and ducked out the door, everyone scrambling after him.
Emma looked up into the moonlight, rough wood at her back. How was she going to get through this? She let out a shaky sigh and let her hand drift down to her stomach.
"You deserve so much better than me." Emma whispered to the night sky and closed her eyes.
What was she going to do?
"I knew I'd find you here." Her eyes snapped open and saw Henry's grinning face.
"Yeah, maybe should have found a better thinking spot than your playground." She sat up as Henry sat down next to her.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Henry looked at her and Emma couldn't hold it in anymore.
"I'm so sorry, Henry." She sobbed. "For everything."
"For what?"
"For abandoning you, for not being there when you needed me, for not being...strong enough..." Her shoulders heaved with sobs.
"Mom, if you hadn't dine whay you did, I wouldn't have Regina, you wouldn't have found your family, you would have never been the Savior." Henry patted his mother's back as she cried. Emma chuckled at his words and wiped away her tears.
"You're right, kid." Emma looked up at her son. "How'd you get so wise?" She nudged him with her shoulder.
"Well, I am the Author." He grinned.
"Henry, I need to tell you something." She turned to face him and took his hand in hers. "I probably don't tell you often enough how much I love you. Something happened today, and it reminded me that I should tell you that more often."
"Mom, you're kinda scaring me." Henry laughed nervously.
"Everything's okay, I just want to know if you're ready for another mission?" She smiled at her son.
"Always, mom. What's this one?"
"How about Operation Big Brother?" She asked softly. Henry's eyes widened.
"Really? You mean it?" Henry's face nearly split from his smile. Emma nodded and smiled, a brief laugh escaping her lips. "Operation Big Brother." Henry tested the words before smiling again and gripping his mother in a tight hug.
"We really should get back to the others. Killian has been really losing it." Henry said, breaking the silence.
"Okay, kid, you're right again." She stood up and linked arms with her son, walking towards the large parking lot. As soon as they stepped onto the pavement, Emma heard Killian's voice call out her name. She looked up and saw him in full sprint running towards her. Henry stepped away from her just in time for Killian to sweep her up in his arms.
"Oh, Swan, you scared the life from me." He crushed her lips to his and she melted in his arms, kissing him back. "I will never stop fighting for us. You don't need to run from me. I will never, never leave you. Never." He looked at her soberly, needing her to believe him.
"Killian, I'm so sorry. The last time I did this, the person who I thought was the love of my life had just abandoned me, I was in prison because of him, I was alone. I have no idea how to raise a baby." She murmured. "When Whale said I was pregnant, all my armor jumped back on and my walls came flying back up. I did what I do best. I ran."
"We'll figure it out together, luv. I am not going anywhere. And believe me, luv, I am terrified. I only know what not to do as a father, mine was no example. That being said, I could not be more thrilled that you and I will be in this together. But you cannot run away again." Killian admonished.
"I'm done running. Promise." She smiled up at him.
"Oh, Emma, you had us so worried!" Snow, Charming, and Regina had caught up with Killian and Emma and Snow was pulling Emma from Killian's arms into hers. David wrapped his arms around both of them.
"Finally." Regina folded her arms. "Now, is someone going to tell us what the hell is going on?"
Emma smiled at her husband, then looked at Henry. "You wanna do the honors, kid?"
Henry looked up and smiled. "Sure, mom." She stepped away from her parents to Killian's side and he slipped his arm around her waist.
"Operation Big Brother is in full swing." Henry grinned. Everyone's mouth dropped open in unison and they turned to stare at Emma and Killian.
"Surprise!" Killian dropped his mouth open in a comical grin and Emma half hid her face in his shoulder with a shy smile of her own.
Snow checked a sob and rushed forward to hug them both, followed by David and even Regina.
David's phone began to ring and he pulled out of the family hug as Regina and Snow began to fuss over Emma.
"...wait, what?...When?" The group's attention turned at the sound of David's concerned voice. Emma moved closer to listen better. "I'll be down in a minute. Pull the tapes."
"Dad, what's wrong?" Emma asked quietly.
David ran his hand through his hair and released a heavy sigh. "Blackbeard and his crew have just executed a jailbreak."