Penance is a Sacrifice
Chapter Nine
Killian awoke early the next morning feeling a little worse for wear since the events from the night before. And even though Emma had healed the wound in his side, he could strangely still feel the pain from it as though the wound was still wide open, despite any remnants of it ever being there having been completely erased. After he carefully sat up on the bed, he turned his head behind him to look down on his wife who was still sleeping, then he stood and walked into the bathroom so he would be able to look at his side more closely in the mirror.
Just as he thought, the wound was most definitely healed with no sign he had ever been hurt thanks to Emma's magic. So, Killian opened the door again and walked back out into their bedroom, where he found Emma sitting up on their bed waiting for her husband to come back to her while she was smiling at him, though he could also see her worry for him within her eyes.
He sat down again upon the bed beside her and the Savior wrapped her arms around him from behind as she quietly asked, "How are you feeling this morning? Are you alright?"
Killian smiled as he reached his hand up to lay it over one of her own and then he answered, "I've got a bit of a headache, but for all I know it could be nothing more than a hangover from the rum I drank last night at the celebration."
"We both know you've developed a hell of a tolerance to the effects that comes with drinking after all your years in Neverland," Emma responded in concern while she used her free hand to reach up to his forehead so she could feel for any signs of a fever rising within him, then began to run her fingers through his hair once she was at least satisfied he hadn't begun to burn up. "And you didn't have that much. Try again. How bad is your headache? And please don't try to hide the truth from me for my sake, Killian."
"I assure you, Emma… I'm okay," the Captain replied sincerely. "The pain is quite minimal. My mind is clear and I can concentrate on whatever duties I'm needed for today."
The Savior shook her head as she reached across the man she loved to pick up his hook and brace from the nightstand on his side of the bed so she could help him put in on, then she retorted, "No… no, I'd like you to stay home today. You need to take it easy. After last night…"
Her husband cut her off when he turned around to face her and looked into her eyes while he answered, "Emma… I appreciate your concern, but I'm not going to just stay home and wait for anything to happen to me, should anything actually happen to me. I can't do that. I promise you, I won't do anything strenuous, but today's my first day as your partner. I'd prefer to work. I planned to go out on patrol this morning, while you stayed here in town at the station. I'd also like to go check on your father too. To help him and your mother move some of their things into their new home. He was pretty upset last night and not just about what happened with George and me getting hurt. Your father was upset about his brother. Has he ever told you that? That he still blames himself for what happened to James down in the Underworld?"
"He hasn't, but it doesn't surprise me," Emma responded sadly, as she worked to put his brace and its straps in place over his arm and shoulder again. "I knew he was hurting more than he let on after James wound up in the River of Lost Souls. Dad thought he could have done something more. And now George is dead too. Because he gave you no choice to kill him so you could save my father. I don't think I actually thanked you for doing that for him, Killian. I mean it… Thank you."
"You're welcome, love," the man who loved her whispered tenderly, then Emma clicked his hook into the brace for him before she finally leaned in to kiss him, and there was no more talk about Killian taking it easy for the day while he and everyone else simply waited around for something that might not even happen.
Once they finished getting ready for the day, the Savior and her pirate drove into town and walked into the station to begin work. For now, everything was quiet and it appeared as though it was going to be a good day. However, Emma was worried that she would be wrong more than she let on to Killian, or anyone else whom she ended up speaking to throughout the morning. Especially when it was time for her husband to leave so he could head out to the town line on patrol.
A short time later…
The pirate captain and new sheriff made his way through town towards the woods surrounding the town line. After the final battle ended, Regina had come out to the town line in order to strengthen the protection spell already in place since before the Black Fairy and even the Evil Queen arrived in Storybrooke just to be safe. Now, Killian stood on the inside of the barrier and tested it to make sure it was still holding using a little magic the Queen had poured over his hook the night it was announced he would be taking David's place, so he could do just that.
The surrounding area was clear and all seemed quiet. At least until it wasn't, when all of a sudden, Hook heard someone scream out for help from somewhere in the woods. He immediately pulled his cutlass from its scabbard at his side and ran towards where he believed the cry came from. However, the Captain searched for signs of trouble and after failing to find any, he couldn't help but wonder if he only imagined it. Unfortunately, a familiar laugh Killian knew better than anyone then sounded from behind him, and the pirate warily turned around to come face to face with Rumplestiltskin from the Wish Realm in his true form.
The Dark One looked at the original version of his enemy smugly as he spoke first saying, "Well… well… well… you're certainly looking younger than the pirate I knew from my own world. And you appear to be doing better for yourself than he is too."
Hook glared at him while he continued to keep his sword raised out in front of him as he coldly replied, "So I gathered… from what Emma told me about my other self after she returned from the Wish Realm. What the hell do you want? Have you come to elicit an attack against me now like you did last night against David? Who did you set free this time, or is your plan to kill me yourself?"
"Oh… I don't have to kill you, Captain," Rumplestiltskin answered cruelly as he continued to grin. "The traces of dark magic now flowing through your body has already begun what I wanted. It was meant for your dear ole' father in law, but then of course you had to go and be all noble. A perfect plan and you ruined it. But in a way… I'm glad. I am curious."
"Emma… and the others will stop… will stop you too," Killian responded until he suddenly began to feel dizzy when the pain he felt in his head earlier slowly began to increase, as it did throughout his body as well.
Rumplestiltskin smiled when he saw the effects of his magic begin to work and haughtily replied, "That's doubtful, dearie. I'm not weak minded like the Dark One here. Beginning to feel a little weak, are we?"
The Captain dropped his blade once he stumbled against the tree beside him and fell to his knees at the imp's feet when his legs couldn't hold him up any longer, then as he lifted his hand to his forehead, he struggled against the increasing anguish while he gasped before he asked, "What… what have you… done?"
"It won't be long now before your heroes find out," the villain whispered coldly as he knelt down beside his enemy once Killian collapsed all the way to the ground, then lost consciousness and the Dark One began to laugh with glee.
"And I have a few more surprises in store on top of this one," he added, before he finally vanished.
