A/N: Sorry it's late, but I was kind of... is bad to say that I was procrastinating and needed to study? I think I'm addicted to the internet, guys. But anyway, here's the next chapter!
Chapter 10
Emma and Killian hadn't been doing anything except talking and staring out at Neverland, then at each other, then back to Neverland. Emma figured that if she was going to do this – be in love – then it required some of the wall around her memories to come down. She trusted Killian, and she felt that this was a way to show that she was "trying something new" as he did so long ago on top of that beanstalk.
They had been talking for hours about life in the different lands, the different times. Emma couldn't stop talking once she'd gotten started, though.
She explained everything, even though she probably didn't need to. She told Killian all about the different homes she had as a foster kid, and all of her life wishing for a family to want her. She told him about one home when she was three, when she was there for a year before the wife was pregnant and gave her back because the unborn baby was their priority, not the little blond girl that called them Mom and Daddy. She remembered one house that she ran away from when she was a teenager because the parents were suffocating her. And then she was never found by the foster system, and she ran away to Portland. The rest is history.
Emma knew she should probably let Killian talk, but thinking about all of those homes and the families that didn't want her… Emma broke into tears. Her wall was down, exposing a heart with so many scars that she thought Killian would run and hide. But he didn't. He held Emma while she cried, and kissed away her tears. He didn't like to see his tough lass like this anymore than she liked feeling like this.
Emma pulled herself together and pulled away, staring back at Neverland so Killian didn't have to see how red her eyes were anymore. And then Emma realized she has the worst luck in all of the lands, however many there were.
Because her parents came onboard.
Emma smacked herself on the forehead and braced herself for the hug that was bound to come in three…two…
Emma counted down in her head to one and was almost knocked over by the force of Mary-Margaret turning her around hugging her.
"Whoa. It was only four days!" Emma exclaimed, hugging Mary-Margaret back. In truth, she was happy to see her, too, but Emma was also waiting for the lecture that was soon to come when they saw that she'd been crying. Emma managed to keep her head over Mary-Margaret's shoulder, and her dad was looking elsewhere.
"It felt like longer than that for me." Mary-Margaret said, relieved to have her daughter back in her arms. Mary-Margaret looked at Emma's red, puffy eyes, and her face filled with concern.
"Emma? Are you okay?" Mary-Margaret asked. Emma nodded, trying to keep silent. Maybe her dad hadn't heard Mary-Margaret say anything. Emma could only hope. But Emma's hope was naïve, because David came running over when he heard Mary-Margaret ask.
"Let me guess. You couldn't find Henry." Mary-Margaret assumed, and Emma contemplated her choices. She could have her Dad hurt Killian with nothing more than a fist, or she could go along with it and cry and have lied to her parents. Emma bit her lip and said nothing. Mary-Margaret assumed the worse and pulled Emma back into her embrace. Emma hadn't said or done anything, so when Henry came out of the portal, she could act relieved – that shouldn't be too hard – and no one would have to know except for Killian.
"I'm sorry, Emma. Maybe Regina and Gold found him." Mary-Margaret said, trying to comfort Emma. Emma knew for a fact that they wouldn't come back with Henry, though, and she would have to break down more.
"I hate to break up the family reunion," Killian cut in. "But once Regina and Gold get back, we have to leave right away. You never know what could waiting for the right time to attack us here. We're kind of sitting ducks."
"But what about Henry?" Mary-Margaret asked. "We have to find him." Killian looked at Emma confused, but Emma just shot him a glance that said go along with it.
"He's a smart lad, he'll find a way back on his own." Killian argued, and David's eyes flamed.
"We can't just leave him here!" Mary-Margaret exclaimed, glancing at Emma for support. Emma stared wide-eyed and silent, not expecting Killian to suggest that they leave Henry behind. "We have to stay for longer!" Mary-Margaret said.
Emma saw a flash of red out of the corner of her eye in the ocean. Apparently, Mary-Margaret saw it too. Because at the exact second that Henry's head popped up after Ariel's, Mary-Margaret drew her bow and pointed it at Ariel's hair that kind of looked like a target.
"Get away from my grandson, half-salmon!" Mary-Margaret shouted, her gaze unmoving.
"So great to see you, Snow White." Ariel shouted back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You know her, too?" Emma asked in surprise. How many other fairytale characters was she missing?
"Yeah." Mary-Margaret muttered. "I had to go to her wedding. How's Eric?" Mary-Margaret shouted the last two words, and Ariel physically winced.
"I don't bother myself with that." Ariel replied. "And I would suggest you put your bow down."
"And why would I do that?" Mary-Margaret asked.
"I might not help your grandson if you don't." Ariel mentioned, smirking with victory.
"Help Henry?" Mary-Margaret turned to Emma, lowering her bow in shock. Emma just kind of shrugged.
"Yeah." Ariel called from the ocean. "The kid is Hook's son. I'm getting him through a portal. When are we leaving?"
Mary-Margaret glanced at Emma and Killian, trying to put the pieces together.
"Emma, isn't-" Mary-Margaret tried to say, but Emma interjected quickly.
"Mom, can I talk to you? Now?" Emma asked, pulling Mary-Margaret out of Ariel's hearing range into the cabins.
"Ki-Hook may have told Ariel that Henry was his son, and that's the only reason she's helping. We need to get Henry back to Storybrook, so can you put up with her for, I don't know, three minutes?" Emma pleaded not bothering to breathe, and Mary-Margaret reluctantly nodded.
Mary-Margaret dropped her bow and sheath of arrows on the ground in the cabin and left them there.
"Better not to have the temptation." Mary-Margaret explained after getting a strange look from Emma.
They walked back out to the deck, where Regina and Gold had joined them. A sudden idea popped into Emma's head, and she turned to Gold.
"Please tell me Ariel owes you a favor." Emma said. "Please."
"I already heard the predicament. Sorry, dearie. I never found my way to Neverland, Ariel owes me nothing." Gold said. Emma would just have to deal with this until
"Dammit!" Emma exclaimed, and walked over to Killian.
"Are we going now?" Emma asked. Killian nodded.
"I would suggest getting something to hang onto or going into a cabin. I've known too many crew members who went overboard during a realm-jump." Killian said, and Emma nodded. Emma gathered up the entire group except Killian – he had an important job: Steering – and everyone went into their respective cabins.
Emma knew the second that the bean hit the water, because she heard water sloshing over the deck and the world started to pitch and turn around her. Her stomach dropped and tied itself in a knot, and she found herself almost hyperventilating. Why? Maybe because she was terrified going through this on a secure ship in a room where there was at least wood protecting her, while Henry was going through this with nothing to protect him but a mermaid.
The shaking suddenly stopped, and Emma smelt the familiar ocean-air of her land. Her home; Storybrook, Maine. She walked outside and saw the buildings against the horizon.
And then she let out the biggest sigh of relief she had in a long time. She saw Henry, followed closely by Ariel, pop out of the water.
"Emma!" Henry exclaims. "Mom!"
Whoever Peter was, Emma could tell that he was long gone.
"Henry!" Emma couldn't have been restrained by anyone. She took a rope and threw it overboard towards Henry. Ariel swam off, and Henry tied the rope around himself, knowing Emma's idea. Emma started pulling Henry through the water, and Killian joined in. Soon, Regina, Mary-Margaret and David had were all yanking on the rope, desperate to get Henry out of the freezing ocean.
Henry swam towards the boat and fed the group the rope and he was eventually suspended centimeters from Henry's outstretched hand.
Emma grabbed Henry's hand desperately and pulled him over the railing. Emma and Henry were immediately hugging and Regina pushed past everyone to get to them. Emma was so relieved that Henry was safe, she couldn't even put it into words.
"Thank God you're safe." Emma whispered to Henry. She noticed that his eyes were clear of the fog.
"It was only four days." Henry remarked and Emma almost laughed.
"It felt like longer than that for me." Emma said.
A/N: Aww... Yeah. At least Henry is finally safe. And not that possessed Peter persona. Anyway, leave a review!