"You can't be having the baby!" Regina said, putting a hand on Emma's back.

"I don't think it's up for a vote," Emma said. She tried to straighten up, but ended up clutching her belly and bowing over once again.

"It's too soon!" Killian slid an arm around her. "We need to get you to a hospital!"

"There's no time for that," Henry said, coming up to stand in front of them. "We have to get her home. She's in danger every second she's away."

"Henry's right," Emma said, breathing hard now. "Labor takes a while. Hours maybe. This is the fastest ship in all the realms."

"Realms?" Killian looked confused. "What is going on here? I need to know what I've gotten myself into!" He looked around at all of them, searing them with his gaze. "If Emma needs to be protected, I'm the one to do that. But I need to know everything."

"Henry's right - we don't have time for that!" Regina said. "We've got to get her back to Storybrooke!"

"Storybrooke!"

As he said the word, the place invaded his brain. A street, with lightning flashing. A clocktower. Pain in his chest as he heard the clock strike. A harbor. A park with a pond. Eating a grilled cheese sandwich in a diner with Henry. A house.

No, more than a house. A home. With Emma. Waking before her in the morning, and just watching her sleep. The way the sunlight gleamed on her hair and the smell of coffee as he sat across the breakfast table from her.

"Storybrooke . . . it's my - our - home," he stammered.

"You're still remembering," Emma said with a smile. "And yes, it's home. And I know you need to hear it all and you will, I promise. But right now, we've got to get to Storybrooke or our baby will be in danger."

"What must I do?" He didn't hesitate.

"Sail this ship. Sail it as fast as you can. Henry will tell you where we're going."

"But - the baby. You need me."

"I need you at that wheel," Emma said, through gritted teeth. "This baby will take hours . . . I hope. Regina will stay with me."

"Emma -"

Regina stepped forward, sliding an arm around Emma from the other side. "I'll send for you when it's time," she said to Killian. "I promise."

"I'll run a status check between them and you every few minutes," Henry said. "I can take the wheel when the time comes, but the longer you're in charge, the faster we'll get there."

Killian reluctantly nodded. "Where is Storybrooke?"

"Maine," Henry answered.

"Maine!" Killian looked aghast. "Sailing might come back to me, mate, but even I can't travel at the speed of a jetliner. It's not like I can wave a magic wand and get us there in a few hours."

Henry clapped him on the shoulder. "Trust me on this one."

Emma nodded frantically. "Trust him, Killian. I have to get to a bed now."

"Can you get us turned around?" he asked Henry.

"Yeah."

"I'll get her downstairs, and be right back."

He swung Emma up into his arms despite her protests, and walked her up to the hatch as Regina opened it. He stood Emma on her feet.

"Let me get down there first, so that I can help you," he said, scrambling down the ladder as Emma leaned into Regina.

"You ready for this?" Regina asked, her face full of concern.

Emma's brows went up. "Do I have -" she groaned, bending over again, "- a choice?"

"Emma!"

"Coming!" she called back. She took a deep breath, then looked at Regina. "Are you ready for this?"

Regina squared her shoulders. "No. But I've got your back."

###

"How's it going down there?" Killian asked, as Henry backed out of the hatch.

"They told me to get the hell out," Henry answered. "I can't even go all the way down the ladder."

They both froze at the sound of a long, echoing groan echoing from the open hatch. Killian took an abortive step, then remembered himself and gripped the wheel again.

"I should be down there," he said grimly. "But I can't deny that we are making excellent time. This ship is a bloody marvel."

"Relax," Henry said, then was utterly betrayed by another tortured moan from the hatch. "She's been doing that for hours. Nothing's changed, so that's good, right?"

"How the devil do I know? I've never had a baby before," Killian said. He looked at Henry sharply. "Have I?"

"No."

He ran a hand over his face, then took the wheel again. "This is maddening."

"I know. But we're getting closer." Henry consulted his watch, then looked up at the stars. "By my estimation, we should be getting there within the next hour or so."

"In this ship, that breaks all the known laws of physics," Killian said. "It's a wooden vessel. There's no propulsion system, other than the wind - which hasn't been gale force by any means. I may be only just remembering how to sail, but this . . .Henry, this makes no sense."

"It's not supposed to," Henry said simply. "You think you're an average guy living in an average world, but you're not."

"As in, 'the world isn't what I think it is?'"

"As in, you're not an average guy. None of us are. We're talking about magic."

Killian opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.

"What?" Henry said. "I know. It's hard to believe. But you can start by not looking at me like I've grown another nose or something."

"I'm not. I mean, I probably am, but - I believe you."

"You believe me?"

"Nothing else makes sense. And just like with the baby - I just feel it. I can't explain it further than that."

"You don't need to explain it," Henry said. "You just need to believe. And sail as fast as this magical ship can go."

Another sound broke into the conversation - this time a barely stifled scream.

"Aye," Killian said, giving the wheel a hard turn, tacking into the breeze and putting the wind at their back as the ship raced across the water.

"Henry, why don't you -" He didn't get a chance to finish, as Regina's voice rang out.

"Hook! Now!"

Killian didn't wait for an explanation of the nickname. He was at the hatch in two steps as Henry rushed forward to grab the wheel, and with his boots barely touching each step, he was down and into the cabin a heartbeat later. He rushed to Emma's side, gripping her hand in his own.

"Is she all right?" he asked Regina. "And the baby?"

"I think she's crowning," Regina said, in a state of semi-panic. "But I don't know. I've never done this before!"

"Well, neither have I!" Killian replied, just as frantic.

"That makes me the resident authority," Emma panted. "I need to push."

Regina shook her head. "I don't know - maybe you should wait."

"Wait!" Emma's voice rang out incredulously. "I. Can't. Wait." And to punctuate that statement, she let out a very loud, very long shriek that Killian felt in every bone of his body, especially his hand - since Emma was crushing it.

"Tell her to breathe," Regina said. "In and out. In and out."

"Breathe," Killian repeated. "In and -"

"I'm right here!" Emma screamed. "I can hear you! I'm breathing!"

She let out another scream and Regina's eyes went wide.

"She's crowning! The baby's head is crowning! Push, Emma!"

"I'm pushing!"

Killian slid his free arm behind her back, supporting her and she rounded up and bore down. One more long, excruciating scream, and then she collapsed against him as a baby's cry cut the air. None of them noticed the candles flickering madly in their lamps.

"It's a girl," Regina said, smiling from ear to ear. "But you knew that."

"Is she . . .okay?" Emma panted.

"She's beautiful. Hold on, I'm cleaning her up." Regina finished wiping the baby down, wrapping her snugly, then she placed her carefully on Emma's chest.

"She's amazing," Emma said, reaching out to stroke the downy-soft puff of dark hair on her daughter's head. She looked up at Killian. "Look what we did," she said, smiling through her tears.

He reached down reverently, running a finger across the baby's cheek, and she responded by opening her eyes. The crystal blue clarity of them held him spellbound, as Regina's voice broke through.

"There's certainly no doubt about that child's parentage," she snarked.

Emma let out a tired laugh. "Nope. No doubt at all." She reached up to touch Killian's face, and he pulled his gaze from the child to meet hers.

"I love you, Killian," she said.

The weight of it all falling away left him insensate for a long moment. All the confusion, all the darkness, all the questions. Gone.

"I love you, Emma," he said simply. "And I remember it all now."

"You're -" her mouth fell open.

"Not cursed anymore. That was the last of it. I'm whole again."

"It took me birthing a baby to do it?" She looked down at her daughter. "Well, whatta ya know?"

"It wasn't just the baby," he said, leaning down to kiss the babe's forehead, then Emma's. "It was you. Your love for me. I let myself believe in it, and in us." He kissed his daughter again. "In all of us."

"Thank God," she sighed. "You're all the way back."

"All the way."

"We need to fill you in," Regina said. "You didn't get this way by accident."

"Hey down there!" Henry called out, interrupting whatever Regina was about to say next. "Am I a brother, or what?"

"You're a brother!" Killian called. "And she's bloody beautiful!"

"Can I see her?"

"I have to get Emma cleaned up and then you can come down," Regina answered. "Then I have to debrief Hook."

"Keep her on course, Henry!" Killian called out. Then he turned to Regina.

"May we have a few moments? Just the three of us?"

Emma nodded. "Yes. Just us."

Regina smiled softly. "I'll give you a few. I could use some fresh air." She made her way to the stairs, and Killian eased himself down onto the bed next to Emma. She shifted to make room, and the baby screwed up her face and let out a grunt before settling in to chew on her fist.

"There now," he said, cradling her with his hand around Emma's. "No need to fret. We've got you."

"We certainly do," Emma said softly, stroking the baby's head again. "I should probably try to feed her soon."

"Give her a moment," he said. "She's just been through a traumatic experience. And so has her father."

Emma looked concerned. "You really are okay?"

"Never better," he said, leaning in to kiss her. She met his lips with her own and they clung like that for a long moment, until the baby grunted yet again.

"I suppose we'd better get used to interruptions," Killian said, looking down at his daughter. "Not that I could ever be cross with you, my darling girl."

"She's already got you wrapped around her finger," Emma said with a satisfied smile. "The dashing pirate, reduced to rubble."

"Precisely."

She leaned her head into the crook of his neck and sighed. "Look what we made, Killian," she said again.

He gave her a crooked grin in response. "And now I remember exactly how we made her. It's good to be back."

###

Killian looked down as he rocked the sleeping baby in the crook of his arm. "Regina is going to see that Dr. Whale is standing by with a wheelchair," he said. "So you just stay put until he gets in place on the dock."

"I'm not going anywhere," Emma said. "I'd love to nap again but it feels like we're pulling in."

"Aye," he replied. "I'd better get back up there. I'm not sure Henry's quite ready to pull her up to the dock with precision yet. And we'll need that gangplank for you. I'll be right back."

He transferred the baby to her arms and gave her a gentle kiss on the head before heading back topside again. It seemed to Emma like she'd just closed her eyes when he was back again.

"Sorry, love," he said, touching her gently on the shoulder. "Hate to disturb you, but we'll be leaving in a moment. From what Regina's told me, the sooner we get the baby under that protection spell, the better."

Emma nodded, blinking her eyes to clear the fogginess from them. "No sign of the Black Fairy?"

"Nothing so far. Regina told your mother to bring the Black Fairy's discarded hair with her - we'll know if she gets anywhere near here."

"Has she arrived?"

"Not yet, but I expect she'll be here any minute now."

Henry's voice called out from above. "Mom? Can I come down?"

"Sure, Henry," she called back. "Killian - do you have another blanket? I want to cover the baby's face in case there's wind."

"I'll grab one for you, too," Killian replied. "You probably don't fit your leather jacket right now." He gave her expanded chest a pointed look and raised brow before he turned away to open a chest, retrieving two blankets.

"Why don't you let me hold her?" Henry suggested as Emma carefully wrapped the sleeping baby. "Killian's going to have to help you up the stairs."

"Are they here?" Emma asked.

"Yeah. That's why I came down."

"Keep the edge of the blanket across her face," Emma cautioned as she handed the baby off. "And don't let the sun hit her full-on. Oh, and don't wake her up."

"I've got it," Henry said, smiling. "I'll be careful."

He walked carefully up the stairs, with Killian standing close behind, watching for the slightest mis-step. Once he was satisfied the baby had made it safely topside, he turned back to Emma.

"All right, love, that's it. Lean into me." He slid his arm around her waist as she stood. "Do you want me to carry you?"

"I'm okay," Emma said, waving him off. "Just . . .take it slow."

"We'll take just a few steps, then we'll rest, all right?"

"All right."

Emma took a few halting steps, then gave Killian a nod. "It's okay. I can do more."

"Don't push too hard. I still think I should carry you."

"Save it for when I need it. If I need it. Right now, I'm ready to go again."

"I've got you."

It took another few minutes to reach the stairs, then a series of slow, wincing steps to reach the top. Henry was there to greet them.

"Mom went to get the wheelchair from Dr. Whale."

Emma let out a huff of air. "Good. I need to sit down."

"Lean into me, love, I've got you." Killian looked over at Henry. "Who's got the baby?"

"The baby?" Henry looked confused. "Don't you have the baby?"

Emma's eyes met Killian's, and the deep and terrible truth passed between them as Emma sank slowly to the deck with a cry.