Ariadne snuggled safely in her arms, Emma strolled through the parking lot of her workplace, Killian following resignedly. She had decided not to cuff him, knowing that if she tried, he'd merely pull another Houdini act and slip out of them again.

They passed one side of the building, and as always Emma winced when she saw the area on the exterior that boasted slightly darker bricks, which were set in a rectangular pattern. Repairs, of course; made after the workplace incident (David's words) when Emma had interrogated Ingrid. (Oops?)

"I assume you mean to place me behind bars?" Killian's voice brought her back to the situation at hand: the arrest of the pirates.

"Only very temporarily," she promised him, slowing her pace so they could walk side by side. "Just long enough for me to figure out how to deal with Blackbeard."

She noticed that with all the twisting he'd done while removing the cuffs, his vest had become askew. Though he'd since replaced the brace and hook, the vest still needed attention. Shifting Ariadne to her hip, she tugged at the hem of the fabric, straightening it. "There; you're all dapper again. Can't imagine letting you face Blackbeard while looking sloppy. Thank you for cooperating."

No answer. Whatever his thoughts were, they were not with her. She wondered if the reason was simply because he was in Storybrooke, and thought himself closing in on Gold; after all, his behavior during the time he'd shot Belle had been vastly different than when he'd climbed the beanstalk with Emma.

Speaking of which...that was something he'd remember.

"Y'know, most women would take your silence as off-putting, but I love a challenge, Killian," she told him cheekily.

This earned her a surprised, askance glance and a glint of a smile, quickly suppressed. "Do you, indeed?" he retorted, devoid of any flirtatiousness.

Emma bit the inside of her cheek. "Is this what he felt like from Neverland all the way up until I asked him out on a date? Just wishing he could grab me and kiss the stubbornness right out of me? Because that's what I am about ready to do at this point."

"Mmmm. Yep." Emma tried to sound beguiling, but she was so tired from last night's vigil, the words instead came out sounding like she had congesting allergies. Totally sexy.

"Swan, what are genes?"

The sudden change of topic threw her for a loop. "Um. Jeans? They're pants, made out of a heavy, durable fabric called denim. Everyone in this world wears 'em. I have a pair on right now."

There was an extended pause as they rounded the building and closed in on the entrance. "Then I am going to assume you used an entirely different word to refer to your daughter back in the vessel, when you said 'it's in the genes' - unless you were suggesting she is too big for her britches."

Well, he always had been funniest when he wasn't intending to be. "Ahh, that kind of gene," she drawled, choking down her giggle at the adorably old-fashioned phrase. "A gene is..." They didn't exactly have the time for her to crack open a textbook. "Yeah, long story short, it gives kids the traits their parents have. For example, like how my dad has blond hair, and so do I. Why do you ask?"

"No reason in particular," Killian circumvented shrewdly. "It was simply not a term with which I was familiar." Though he was obviously trying to pretend the question was inconsequential, the way he cast an appraising look at Ariadne spoke volumes.

A cacophony of emotions screamed through Emma. Did he suspect? As he'd been inclined to point out before, he was pretty perceptive. She knew, too, that he was smart, and that if he wasn't currently using nintey-nine percent of his concentration power on ending Gold, he'd have put things together within the first few minutes of his and Emma's reunion.

Or maybe, it just wishful thinking on her part. After all, when he'd given Ariadne her pacifier, it had taken everything in her not to pull over the bug and start taking pictures with her phone. She desperately, selfishly wanted him to know.

Once inside the station, Emma took hold of Killian's elbow to give at least the illusion of proper sheriff protocol. In her other arm, Ariadne yawned and nearly dropped her pacifier again. "You and me both, baby."

She was relieved to find that Blackbeard was already situated in the left holding cell, with David at the computer and Graham waiting patiently by the mug shot area, pushing a last chunk of bear claw into his mouth. "Sorry to keep you guys waiting. I had to pick up the baby," she apologized.

"Oh, no worries, sweetheart," her dad responded affably. "I was just logging the indecent."

"And I was just finishing breakfast," Graham said after swallowing. He gave Emma a regretful smile. "Sorry I didn't get you one."

Breakfast. Why did that word make her feel like she'd forgotten something?"

"Well, that's quite all right, old chap," Killian quipped from her side. "I'll let it go this time. Just try to remember in the future." She didn't have to see his face to know exactly which insolent look he was sending Graham's way.

Stonily, Graham pointed to the right side cell. "Over there, buddy. We need you to wait inside, while we figure this out."

"Breakfast," Emma thought, steering her pirate over to the bars. "Breakfast. I need to – Oh, crap."

Graham unlocked the cell and Killian walked in without a struggle.

"Lady, you've arrived!" Blackbeard, thinking his opportunity had come, sprang to his feet and wrapped his hands around the bars of his cell. "Will you please remind these gentlemen that I am an innocent in this matter? I was attacked on my own ship! Certainly I am not at fault for any of this!"

Emma ignored him, but Ariadne didn't. Seeing another prospective admirer with facial hair, she squeaked excitedly and leaned towards the prison door.

"Ahh, a little one!" Blackbeard observed. "I have five myself, you know."

Well, he was certainly projecting the harmless act as far as he could reach; she had to give him that. "Really. Five?" Interestingly, her lie detector was not acting up.

Killian snorted from the adjacent cell. "One for every port in the Enchanted Forest, no doubt."

"I just want to get back to them," Blackbeard explained mournfully, reaching out and giving Ariadne's hand an awkward little pat. "They need their father."

Disgusted, Emma backed away. No way was he touching her kid. Especially now that his last two statements had activated her lie detector, to the degree that it was almost flashing neon warning signs in her face. If this slime ball thought he could play on her emotions as a parent, he had another thing coming. "Well, if you cared that much, I doubt you would have left in the first place. How did you manage to get here, anyway?"

Lines on his face crinkled furiously as he realized she wasn't about to be manipulated, then quickly smoothed out again. "If you must know, the bean I gave to Hook was not the only one in my possession. Now may I take my legally obtained ship and leave?"

Canting her head, Emma provided her best fake smile. "Since we've never met, I doubt you know this about me, Blackbeard, but I am friends with Queen Elsa."

Uncertainty caused the good Captain to take a step back, and warily cross his arms.

"Such good friends, in fact," Emma went on, "that Killian knew I would want to know how she was doing. So after he chatted with a mermaid, Ariel, who passed on some information about Elsa, he let me know that she said you had been using the Jolly Roger to terrorize people, and that Elsa took it away from you as a punishment. Now, I happen to trust Elsa's judgment. So I can't give the ship back, sorry. Luckily for you, though, Storybrooke is a place of second chances. I am going to talk with the other sheriff and the deputy, and we will see about releasing you. But you're not getting the Jolly. I put a protection spell on it; you won't even be able to step on the deck, so don't bother trying."

Defying her expectations of a tantrum, all of Blackbeard's anger eased, transforming into something more like sly amusement. "I see, now. 'Killian' told you, eh?" His head bobbled from Emma, to Killian, to Ariadne and back again. "Now I understand why you were so desperate to get here, Hook. You wanted to reunite with your coquette. It seems you've since acquired an adorable little family. How pathetic."

"Could you stop?" Emma snapped.

"May I kill him now, Swan?"

Dropping all pretext of innocence, Blackbeard hurled against the bars, eyes wild and mad with fury. "You have made a tremendous mistake, Lady," he cried, pacing like an animal. "You will regret this, I swear to you. I will have that ship, do you hear me? And after I do, I will hunt you down and kill both you and the brat."

David shoved his chair back as he stood, and Graham strode towards the cell with his hand on his taser, but it was Killian who spoke. "Good luck with that. Swan there could finish you in two moves."

"Graham, stop," Emma ordered as the deputy neared Blackbeard's cell.

"He threatened Adi, Emma. That's not okay," Graham choked out, still holding the taser.

"No, it's not, which is why I am revoking the offer of his release."

This set Blackbeard off on a litany of curses, calling Emma every despicable name for a female in the book, until Killian reached through the bars of his cell and, using the curved side of his hook, hit him at the base of the skull.

Blackbeard groaned, toppled over, and lie still, out cold.

Everyone in the station stared at Killian. "You're welcome," he offered to nobody in particular.

Emma let out a breath, watching the unconscious figure to make sure he was not faking. "Dad, maybe you'd better check on him."

"I'll get around to it. Probably."

Prying Ariadne's fingers from her shirt, Emma knew she couldn't delay her unremembered errand any longer. "Graham, can you take Ariadne? I realized that I forgot..." She exchanged glances with her father, who nodded in understanding. "I forgot to do something important. I'll be back in about fifteen minutes."

Putting the taser away, Graham offered his arms to take Ariadne. "Yeah, I'd be happy to. Is

it..."

"Yep."

David plopped back into his chair at the desk. "It'll take me a while to finish my report, anyway. Go ahead, Emma. We'll all be here when you get back."

The fool was fortunate Swan had granted mercy, because Killian certainly wouldn't have offered any. What a mighty pirate, threatening infants.

Git.

Adi's feathers seemed unruffled despite Blackbeard's blustering and her mother's unexpected departure. The baby was gazing fondly into the countenance of Swan's associate, Graham, while he, just as smitten, hummed an odd tune while swaying in place.

Killian didn't recognize the song, if it could even be classified as such. Curiously, it sounded almost like a birdsong.

The scene bespoke a contentedness and sense of peace that Killian could only wonder at.

David ceased staring at the box that had so entranced him and sighed. "I suppose I had better make sure Blackbeard is alive." Leaving his seat, he walked to Blackbeard's cell, jangling his keys. A few moments later, he was searching the man for a pulse. "Well, he's breathing. Just to be sure, I'll go outside to make a call to Whale, since I have his number right on my cell, and I can't get good reception in here."

The words meant nothing but a lot of gibberish to Killian, though he was able to pick up on the fact that the Price was also temporarily taking leave of the building.

Once he was gone, Graham took the seat Emma's father had vacated, placing the baby on his lap as he began to smooth down her unruly locks. Ariadne babbled something and took hold of his finger.

Well, that appeared to be at least one mystery solved. "I take it you are her father, then?" Killian asked.

Perplexed, Graham ceased his ministrations and assessed Killian, as though he was searching him for a motive. "No. What makes you think that?"

"She seems very bonded to you," Killian explained.

"We do get along," Graham acknowledged, smiling dotingly down at the baby before resuming combing through her hair with his fingers. "I've been around her since the day she was born, and I am quite attached to her, but she isn't my child."

Was that a hint of wistfulness in the man's voice? "Then who is her father?" The more knowledge of Swan he could compile, the better; for by now, he was well aware she would proceed in her attempts to thwart him. He certainly wasn't curious for personal reasons, or because the infant's 'genes' were a topic of his suspicion.

Not at all.

"That's for Emma to say, not me."

Deliberately obdurate, then. "Surely you could give me a hint. Is he involved in the their lives?"

"Doesn't seemed inclined to want to be, as of yet. Look, you seemed like a decent guy in the Underworld, but so far I am not a fan of you in this realm. I'm trying, for Emma's sake, but you're acting like a bit of a loose cannon. I don't want you putting Ariadne in harm's way, and I don't want you hurting Emma."

Underworld? The more tales he heard, the more he became convinced that the entirety of Storybrooke's population was insane. "There is only one person in this town whom I have the intention of hurting," Killian clarified.

"But collateral damage wouldn't bother you, I imagine."

Killian massaged the bridge of his nose. "I give you my word that I will not cause any harm to come to the baby. Even my depravity has its limits."

That seemed to satisfy the deputy. "Good."

David returned, announcing that 'Whale' had instructed to 'watch Blackbeard and call if he remained unresponsive', and they lapsed into silence.

"Breakfast. At last. And here I'd thought you'd forgotten," mocked the Dark One.

Emma shoved the brown sack, which contained a doughnut, through the dungeon bars. "Forget you, Gold? How could I? We've seen each other three times a day for the past year." Her voice reverberated around the small, enclosed room.

"Well, that's because you've kept me in this forsaken prison for the past year. But you are rather late."

"Believe it or not, my life doesn't revolve around you." She fought a smile. She couldn't even be peeved at Gold today, because Killian was alive.

Alive. Alive. Alive.

Making a face, Rumpelstiltskin extracted the pastry from the bag. "Not home cooking, I see," he scorned. "Is this how you treat your prisoners, then?"

"I've been busy. Take it or leave it." Amused, Emma added, "You're immortal anyway. I wouldn't have to feed you anything."

"Touche." Rumpelstiltskin dropped the doughnut back into the bag. "You enjoy it, Miss Swan." He tossed the entire package back through the bars, and Emma levitated it before it hit the ground.

"You sure? It's got jelly. That was Neal's favorite." Although Emma had grabbed a bear claw for herself when picking up Gold's breakfast, she was still famished. If he wanted to give his breakfast to her, she wasn't going to argue too much. She plucked the bag from the air with anticipation.

"I'm not interested in discussing Baelfire. I'd rather hear about my other son. How is he?" The worry in his expression moved her, if only a little. Unlike Blackbeard, Gold actually did care about his child, albeit in his own twisted way.

"He's...okay, same as usual. I got a picture on my phone last night, if you'd like to see."

Slapping a hand against the bars, Rumpelstiltskin bared his teeth. "No, I know what his pictures look like! I want to see him in person, and I want to see Belle."

"Well, that isn't going to happen."

"My son is dying and you stand there and keep me from him. Some savior you are. I could rescue him, if you would only let me -"

"Your son is dying because of you. Remember that? We're trying to cure him for good, not just cut another deal that will come back and bite us, or worse, your kid, in the butt. I want to do this the right way, not the Rumpelstiltskin way."

"Oh, what a lovely platitude. I am sure it would be lovely on Reynard's tombstone."

Emma, unknowingly crushing the bag in her hand, stopped when her fingers became sticky with jelly. "We have time. Remember, Hades can't take him back before his tenth birthday. We're working on it every day, with the help of the fairies, and every magic user in town. Even Zelena pitches in. We are going to figure it out.
"Oh, the fairies and the witch that loathes me. I feel so reassured."

She wasn't going to get dragged into a debate with him today. She just wasn't. "Well, if that's all, I am leaving. I'll be back with your lunch later. Let me know if you change your mind about seeing the picture."

Desperate, Gold tried another tactic. "Miss Swan, please – just let me see Belle and my son. I am begging you. Just once. All the videos and pictures in the world cannot compensate for the real thing. I realize you do not wish for anyone to know where my prison is, but you could just do a quick memory spell after the trip here, or use a blindfold. She wouldn't have to know the location. I just..."

"I've already offered her that, actually." Emma shouldn't have felt bad for telling him the truth, but in a way she did. Maybe he would have felt better if he thought Emma was the reason for Belle's avoidance, but she wasn't going to lie, either. "Belle doesn't want to see you. Or she does, but that's exactly why she refuses. She doesn't want to give you the chance to talk her into listening to you."

Gold blinked a few times, as if he could not accept what she was telling him. "Tell her I want to see her. Tell her -"

"She knows." Emma turned to leave.

"Miss Swan?"

Emma turned her head. "What? I'm not getting you a new doughnut. You had your chance."

Gone was the pleading father and the wrathful, angry magician. In his place was a wily, smirking imp. "It's not that. It's your eyes. They have a bit of sparkle today. And your cheeks, they have roses in them. Tell me, has something out of the ordinary happened to you since the last time we saw each other?"

Emma's mouth went suddenly dry. He couldn't know Killian was back. There was no way. Quickly, she tried to play it off. "You're creeping me out. See you later." She headed for the staircase that led out of the dungeon.

But Rumpelstiltskin wasn't finished. "And how is your baby doing?"

One foot poised above a stair, Emma went rigid. Her heart palpitated, then went into overdrive. Praying her voice wouldn't tremble, she said, "Henry's a little old to be called a baby, I think."

"My dear Miss Swan. You might as well admit it. I know."

"I don't have time for this, Gold." She made it up two steps, deliberately keeping a lackadaisical pace, before he spoke again.

"You probably used some sort of illusion or spell over the months to disguise it when you came to visit me. Clever, but unfortunately for you it couldn't hide the way you walked, especially near the end. And then there was that four day period when you left me a stockpile of food, and didn't come at all – I assume that's when you gave birth. That was, what, nearly five months ago now? Really, you should have just swallowed your pride and allowed one of your trusted comrades to come instead; this insistence that nobody know my location but you is somewhat arrogant. I am not a fool, sheriff. If my math is right, the little one was conceived some time during your jaunt to Camelot, correct? Is it the spawn of our dearly departed pirate, or perhaps one of Arthur's knights?"

"You're disgusting."

"At least you have something to remember him by."

Because Killian was back, the jab didn't hurt the way it could have. Emma resumed climbing the stairs.

"Is it a boy, or a girl?"

Emma stepped on the treads a bit harder.

"What is her name, Dearie?"

Her reaction was immediate and visceral. Emma didn't even remember doing anything, but suddenly Gold was prone in the back of his cell, breathing laboriously. "Thank you, Miss Swan. You've given me what I wanted."

Re-erecting the room's magical barrier, Emma fled.

Oh my gosh you guys, over 50 followers!? You all are amazing, and I cannot thank you enough for your support. I never thought this silly little fic would get this much support. This chapter is for all of you. Every person who took the time to leave a review (sometimes every chapter!), follow my story, and even those who guest read every week. You are all special to me, and I thank you, thank you, thank you. You make posting chapters so exciting for me. In other news, I am sorry this took so long. I had a very difficult last few weeks, both professionally and personally. Some of it is sorted out now, and hopefully the next update will be faster. Also, full disclosure, Rumple is one of my favorite characters (my little lizard of evil and doom) and I hope I did him justice. The scene with him and Emma just now was one of my most fun to write. See you guys next update!