Quick note: As I started this story before "Poor Unfortunate Souls," a few elements prior to Killian's dip in the harbor will have to be out-of-canon. In this story, Killian met with Ursula to try to get her out of the picture because he knew how to get her happy ending, being the one who took it. They don't know that Rumple is back in town yet.
Killian dreamed he was a child again. He didn't have those dreams often, nor did he enjoy them—too many painful memories. But this dream was different.
He was only 5 or 6, and his father was carrying him to bed. The sleepy boy looked up at him through his half-open eyes, and could just make out the dark hair and bright blue eyes that he passed on to the child in his arms. Killian smiled at the sight, despite the sadness he could see etched on his father's face.
His father laid him down on the bed he shared with his big brother Liam, and brought up the blankets to tuck him in. The man knelt down, kissed him on the cheek, and said his name.
"Killian."
That wasn't his father's voice...whose was it?
"Killian, can you hear me?"
His eyes slowly opened, and the gleam of golden hair was the first thing he saw.
"Swan," he whispered with a smile, reaching up to touch her face. He had to make sure it was really her. She smiled back at him and held his hand, gently squeezing the fingers.
As he came to, the ache in his head reminded him that he'd been knocked out. But I was under water when that happened.
"How...how did you find me?"
"You, uh, got caught."
"Caught?"
"Leroy's fishing net. You got got hit in the head by one of the weights, and he dragged you up."
He groaned. Of all the indignities. The morning's events came rushing back to him, as did his dream. He glanced around and realized that he was lying on his bed at Granny's; David was also in the room, staring at something near the foot of the bed.
He was suddenly incredibly self-conscious of the display he must be making. He had been so focused on finding her that he hadn't really considered how she, or anyone, would take the dramatic (and potentially revolting) change, especially when he himself was still accepting it—adapting was one thing, and he'd done it out of sheer necessity, but coming to terms with it was a whole other.
So he defaulted to the cocky front he usually hid behind when feeling like a fish out of water (though it had never been quite so literal).
"Impressive, isn't it, mate?" He grinned at David and gave a little flap with his fin.
David smirked back. "It's something alright. A bit slippery when you're carrying it, though."
That explains the dream. "I imagine so. Thanks."
He turned his attention to Emma, nerves rising to the surface again. "I hadn't quite planned on telling you about my...situation this way."
She swallowed, focusing on his face as if she was avoiding looking elsewhere. "What the hell happened?"
"I still have no idea." He explained what happened with Ursula: how he tried to return her voice to help her get her happy ending; how it didn't work; how their ensuing argument resulted in him being knocked out via tentacle and thrown in the harbor; and how he suspected she had cursed him, given their past.
"Dad, what do you think?" Emma asked her father.
"I've only ever heard of a person becoming a mermaid once; it happened to your mother, but that was because of an enchanted bracelet and an exchange with Ariel. But this is Ursula, the sea witch; anything is possible."
Emma glanced down, still holding his hand in her lap. "I'm going to call Regina."
Killian's stomach did a flip, thinking back to the impostor last night. "Are you sure, Swan? Is she still on our side?"
"She is," David confirmed. "I talked to her at the bus stop this morning."
"Then who the bloody hell was taking my form last night?" The only other people he knew with shapeshifting skills had been sent out over the town line or were dead; he didn't want to think what he might be implying just now.
The realization hit Emma and David at the same time; they both had the same shocked look on their face. "That...that wasn't you...not last night, not at the library today…" Emma stammered out her revelation as it came to her, then, oddly, breathed a sigh of relief. "I am SO glad that wasn't you at the library."
"Yeah, what happened? You sounded pissed," David asked.
"Whoever it was who looked like Killian was making the moves on Belle."
An anger he hadn't felt in years rose in his chest; his suspicions were right. Maybe my meeting with Ursula was a trap all along. He pulled his hand back to prop himself up to a sitting position so he could be at eye level with Emma. "They're trying to get to you, Swan."
"What?"
"The witches, or whatever they're calling themselves; I think they tried to get rid of me to get to you."
Emma drew her lips tight as she considered it; he couldn't help but think that even in distress, his Swan was beautiful. But then her brow furrowed.
"Wait, how did you know about that?"
"I was watching from a dock across the street."
"Why didn't you call for help?"
"I tried, but these lungs apparently aren't made for shouting; at least, not over your truck's engine." He chuckled, and David rolled his eyes in response.
The conversation lulled for a moment, allowing Killian's stomach to make an embarrassing noise of protest.
Emma smiled. "You hungry?"
"Aye, quite." It must have been 24 hours since his last meal.
"I'll run downstairs and grab some stuff," David said. "What do you guys want?"
At the same time, Killian and Emma replied, "Grilled cheese." She laughed.
"Alright, three grilled cheese; rum?"
Oddly, the thought of his preferred beverage made his stomach flip in revulsion; that was the first time in his adult life he could recall turning it down. "Water will do."
"You've spent the last day underwater and that's all you want?" Emma had a smirk of disbelief on her face.
"I know; I guess merfolk don't drink."
David left, and Emma pulled out her phone to call Regina. "Hey, we need your help with something. Something with magic. Can you come meet me at Granny's?" He could hear a muffled but affirmative response on the other end. "Ok, great; see you soon." She hung up.
"You're sure we can still trust her?" She was Cora's daughter, after all, and Zelena's sister, whose trickery still stung.
"Positive." There were no doubts on her face, which made him relax.
But only for a second, as she then used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth, a look of disgust on her face. "Something wrong, love?"
"I...I kissed whoever that was. I feel like my lips will never be clean."
He covered a pang of jealousy with a laugh and a sly smile; he was slightly relieved it wasn't directed at him, but he didn't think he was in the clear yet. "I could try cleaning them up for you."
It would have broken his heart if she'd responded negatively, though he would have understood—who'd want to kiss a fish? But her shy smile raised his hopes, and he reached up to cup her face and leaned in. He had missed her soft lips on his, and the spark he felt every time they connected. Her hands on his shoulders emitted a warmth he hadn't felt since his plunge, and it was intoxicating.
When they finally broke apart, he quietly asked, "Better?"
She shyly smiled back. "Much."
Just sitting with their foreheads touching felt like heaven; the cold emptiness of the ocean had made him realize just how much he took for granted even these small moments of physical intimacy.
Her hands slid down his shoulders to find his hand and hook, holding them. He noticed that she was finally stealing glances at the tail.
"Quite a change, isn't it?"
"It's just a lot to take in." He supposed that was the reaction he expected; the subject of aquatic creatures had never come up in conversation, but he had a nagging suspicion she preferred them battered and fried. Which is why he was shocked at her next question.
"Can I touch it?" She gave him a sheepish glance, but he could see the curiosity in her eyes. He couldn't help but laugh, albeit nervously, at her expression. "Of course, love."
Gingerly, she placed a hand near his waist, where the scales started. He worried she'd recoil, but she held it there for a moment before slowly sliding down what used to be his leg.
"Well?"
"It's...cool."
That could mean a million things; he just hoped "disgusting" wasn't one of them (though he mightn't put it past her). "How so?"
"I guess I expected it to be slimy, like a fish; but, it's more...smooth, I guess. And hard; I wasn't expecting that."
"You don't find it off-putting?"
"No, I could never think that about you. Killian, it—you are beautiful."
He could hardly contain his relief at her sentiments; what had he done to deserve someone so accepting of him, cursed and all? He placed a gentle kiss of thanks on her forehead.
A cough at the door indicated that David had returned with the food, and Regina followed him into the room.
The shock on the queen's face was something he wouldn't soon forget. "You didn't tell her?" Emma complained.
"What was I gonna say? 'Come check out the awesome fish I caught?'" Emma rolled her eyes and Killian raised an eyebrow, though he supposed the fish jokes were inevitable.
"Wh...how?" was all Regina could stammer out.
Killian repeated the story as he had earlier. "What are your thoughts, your highness?"
"I've never heard of someone spontaneously changing species; there's usually a physical catalyst of some kind."
"Like that cuff you gave Ariel?" David asked.
"Exactly—something enchanted."
Emma spoke up. "Could it be a curse? Like dark magic?"
"Why don't you tell me? Your light magic should have no problem finding any; it always leaves traces."
Emma stood up. "Ok, how do I do that?"
Regina sighed. "It's like I've always told you—you have to feel it."
Emma shot a slight glare her way before closing her eyes and holding a hand out in front of her, in his direction.
"You can do this, love," he whispered. As much as he was eager to find out just what the hell was going on, he could be patient if it meant Emma got to improve her magic.
Her fingertips glowed with a prickly white light, slowly pulsing as it sought out any traces of dark magic that might be on his person. Her brow furrowed as she continued searching, but after a minute, she opened her eyes, confused. "I'm not finding anything."
Regina closed her eyes in response, and opened them up a second later, with an equally perturbed look on her face. "I'm not getting anything, either."
He hoped the panic he felt inside wasn't evident when he spoke. "What the bloody hell does that mean?" If it wasn't dark magic, then...what?
"There's one other thing I can check, but I don't…"
"Do it." He needed to know.
"Okay...but I'll need a bit of your blood."
Emma tried to interject. "Regina, no—" But he had already stabbed a finger with his hook (not for the first time in his life, but probably the first on purpose). As a drop formed, he asked, "Where do you need it?"
The queen conjured a small dish and asked him to squeeze it out onto it. She held it in her palm, hand hovering over it and moving in a circular pattern.
"What are you doing?" Emma's curiosity was piqued again.
"Sorting."
"Sorting?" It sounded ridiculous to him; was she implying his blood was a mixture of some kind?
"Yes...here, watch." She came closer and brought the dish down to where they could all see it (which reminded him that he wasn't really a fan of being bedridden). It wasn't a large amount of blood, but it began to swirl around in the dish. It then broke into two equal parts, spinning on their own; one of them was also changing colors.
When the motion ceased, two equal-sized drops of blood sat side by side; one was red, like any human's would be; but the other was a bright aqua. What the bloody hell? That's in my blood?
"Well, that partly explains it."
Sure it does. "Care to enlighten us, your majesty?"
"This spell identifies different species by their blood, showing each in a different color; in the case of a hybrid, it will identify all species present in a sample."
Hybrid?
"So, you're saying…" Emma's voice trailed off in disbelief.
"Yes. Hook, you're half mermaid."
Thanks for reading!
