Author's Note: Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviewed after the last chapter update. I want to send a special thank you to captainhookcaptainfreedom for your reviews of previous chapters. As I told you, completely made my day and I restructured this chapter to include a little more Davy Jones for you! Usually I take a day or two after I post a chapter just to unwind and catch up on reading Fanfiction but all your reviews sent my muse into over drive. So much so I not only mentally started writing this chapter on a two hour drive home but upon getting home, cranked out nine pages within a matter of hours. You guys are seriously the best!

And now our adventure continues! This chapter we get a look into the future and it lays the foundation for some major plot points.

As always I hope you enjoy and as you can tell, reviews/favorites/follows (mostly reviews though!) makes the muse go into over drive!

Chapter 10: Theories and Plans

The Enchanted Forest

The Future

No matter how many years passed or how many different circumstances lead them to this table, Charming could never shake the memory of making the decision to send Emma through the wardrobe every time he went to take his place at the table.

They were currently in what Henry had long ago dubbed 'the War Room', the room Charming used to make every military decision concerning his kingdom. It was a vast room, multiple pillars scattered throughout the room to support the high ceiling, stained glass windows circling the room, letting the mid-day sun shine through and illuminate the room in dazzling hues of gold and red. A single, interior wall was the only one that held no windows. Instead it was almost completely covered by a map of the Enchanted Forest in its entirety, each town and terrain of the land marked in exquisite detail.

The War Room held marks from all those who had played a pivotal role in helping him decide what happened within his kingdom. One wall was devoted to holding various swords and armor for battle, an aspect Henry had introduced to the room in his early years of Knighthood. Beneath the stained glass windows tables of various heights stood with potions and magical equipment; a combination of Regina and Emma's mark on the room. A towering bookcase stood alongside the wall map, its top disappearing into the towering ceiling above, filled with Belle's most prized books. A long, ornate wooden table sat beneath the giant land map, its surface covered in nautical maps of every conceivable realm – Killian's contribution to the War Room. Another table sat in the dead center of the room, rounded, with twelve seats spaced around its great length. In front of each seat, etched into the wood of the table magically was the crest or representation of some sort of each individual member who had a place at the table.

Charming found himself coming to stand at the round table, once again dubbed by Henry as the War Table, his fingers ideally tracing the pattern of his crest at his place at the table. As always the memories of that night so long ago when they were making plans to build the wardrobe and send his unborn child through it flashed through his mind, and it was only the gentle touch of his wife's hand on his arm that brought him out of the painful memory. Looking up his eyes traveled the War Table counter-clock wise, taking in all those who were sat around it and those who missing.

Snow sat directly to his right, her posture calm and collected but her green eyes revealing the sorrow that lay within. The seat to her other side was empty, the crest of a swan in flight, a crown resting atop its head with four buttercups above and three below it marking it as Emma's seat at the table. Killian was sat in the next seat, having arrived not long ago from finally getting Hope to sleep. His eyes were downcast, idly tracing the curve of his hook with his index finger.

Will, the White King of Wonderland, sat next to Killian dressed in a white doublet, his right elbow resting on the arm of his chair. Regina, in all her queen glory was the next at the table, dressed in an elaborate red silk gown with her long hair pulled to the side. Elsa sat to Regina's right, the gems of her blue gown sparkling in the late afternoon sun. Belle sat with an open book in front of her, the dark tresses pulled behind her shoulders to reveal the dark yellow of her off-the shoulder gown.

Henry was the next at the table, his Knight armor glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the stained glass windows, one hand resting on the table. Neal, the Crown Prince sat next to his father, the light blue vest he wore a stark contrast to the dark wood of the chair he sat in. The two seats between Henry and Neal were empty, the crest of an anchor around seven buttercups marking Liam's place next to Henry, the crest of a hook and swan head meeting to form the shape of a heart on a field of buttercups to Neal's left marking Erin's seat.

There were three people who didn't have seats at the table but were still an intricate part of these meetings. Rumple stood behind Belle's chair, dressed in his usual theatric clothes as he rested both hands atop his cane. Robin and Oliver Hood, Regina's husband and son, flanked her chair, each with a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to them. The third person not to have a seat at the table stood leaning against the closest pillar to the table, his ankles and arms crossed over his dark clothes. Captain Eric D'Harper was the newest member of what could be termed the War Council, a raven haired, green eyed pirate captain who had aided Erin more than once in her many travels.

It had only been an hour since he and Snow had said good-bye to Liam through the mirror in the nursery. He had immediately sent word to everyone scattered throughout the castle that a family meeting would be held in the War Room, a place they had unfortunately spent too much of their time together in since the Snow Queen's appearance four years ago. He had been the last to enter having made a personal visit to the head of his guard to only learn what they already knew – there had been no new attacks reported in the Kingdom since Emma had been trapped in the ice.

"As I'm sure you've all been updated by Snow, Erin and Liam made contact this afternoon."

"Why haven't we received any new memories in the last six days?" Elsa asked from her seat.

"We're on a bit of what you would call a lag, dearie," Rumple replied. "You won't get the memories as they happen to your past selves but hours or days after it has occurred. It happens for the same reason the amount of time that has passed differs between portal jumps." He looked to Snow. "You said Liam confirmed they had only been in Storybrooke for only a few days?"

Snow nodded. "Given the length of time that has passed since the children went through the portal weighed against the fact it had only been two days for them, I would say those of you traveling with them will get an onslaught of new memories tonight or tomorrow some time."

"How are they?" Henry asked in his deep, baritone voice.

"They're doing as well as can be expected," Snow responded, giving Henry a small smile and a knowing look. She didn't have to confer with Killian to know he didn't want Erin's breakdown to be brought up. Elsa and Will would get that memory whenever the new memories hit them but they knew the sensitivity of the situation and wouldn't divulge it openly. Henry was Erin and Liam's older brother though and was just as worried about them as she was, and by the look that briefly flashed in his eyes he had understood his grandmother's subtle hint that they would speak in private of what had happened.

"Have there been any complications on their end?" Neal asked.

Charming shook his head. "Not with them getting to the Enchanted Forest of that time and starting the process to come here, no. They did mention they had a run in with Ursula this morning."

Regina blinked at the standing King. "Ursula? What did she want?"

"She apparently sensed Erin's power and attacked," Snow replied, her eyes falling to the eerily quiet form of her son-in-law. "In order to not hurt her and cause any damage to the timeline, they had to call on Davy Jones for help." Her heart went out to Killian as she saw him wince slightly at the mention of his father.

"I know it would be very painful," Belle began, giving Killian a sympathetic look, "But could it help us if you summoned your father and found out what happened first hand? I know the memories will come to those of you traveling but I don't think it would hurt to try to get a head of them."

"It couldn't hurt us to get ahead of them, no," Killian replied, making sure to give Belle a soft smile to let her know there were no ill feelings for her suggesting he contact his estranged father. Belle and he had formed a tight friendship after the events surrounding Rumple taking his heart, a friendship that had lasted twenty-eight years and expanded to her becoming very much like a little sister to him. "After we finish here I'll see what the ferryman knows."

"Before you do I'll give you a memory potion." At Killian's furrowed brow Regina elaborated. "If Ursula's past self interacted with our past selves and Erin and Liam, she's going to need to drink a memory potion. That meeting in the past isn't supposed to be the first time we meet her. And if anyone can convince the sea witch to drink the potion, it's going to be your father."

"Or it all could have been avoided if we had just simply tried to bind Erin's powers," Rumple matter-of-factly replied.

Killian's blue eyes flared dangerously at the Dark One. "As I said when we started discussing sending Erin back, that wasn't an option." Rumple and he had come a long way themselves over the last twenty-eight years but every now and then Rumple shot off at the mouth and Killian had to physically restrain himself from giving the Crocodile a solid rap to the head with the pointed end of his hook.

"It's a good thing we didn't, considering the only thing that saved Liam from the Snow Queen in the past was Erin's magic," Will said, giving his support to the pirate sat next to him.

"How are the memory potions coming along?" Charming asked, knowing from years of experience to change the subject before a verbal brawl broke out between Rumple and Killian. It rarely happened but when it did the only people who could get through to the two men where Belle and Emma. Charming was sure without his wife's stern voice, Killian wouldn't hold any punches when it came to the verbal altercation.

"We already have the one for Rumple's past self ready since his doesn't have to be tweaked too much to still include the very important memory of taking the pirate's heart," Regina replied. "The potions for the rest of us are slowly coming along but with time moving faster here than in the past, Rumple and I are confident we can have each individual memory potion completed before they arrive." Regina looked to Killian "That is, if the kids are doing well with not divulging information they shouldn't."

Killian nodded his head. "All the information they've given us is events that don't require a choice to be made in them." He smirked. "Emma is being persistent in wanting to know what our big moment is but the kids are keeping mum. Will you have to tweak with Ursula's memory potion?"

"Not at all," Rumple responded before Regina could. "Since she doesn't need to remember even the tiniest bit of information, a full memory wipe will work from a normal memory potion."

"Is time moving at the same pace in Storybrooke?" came Eric's lilting question in an accented voice similar to Killian's.

"Now that is strange," Rumple mumbled, flexing his hands over his cane. "I myself have not received any new memories since remembering locking Belle in the pawn shop and putting a protection spell around it. What about you, Henry?"

Henry looked to his paternal grandfather, his brows furrowed in thought. "Now that you mention it the last memory I got was of mom sealing me in the mayor's office… It's like time is standing still in Storybrooke."

Elsa leaned forward in her seat. "Is that even possible?"

"Time is a very fickle concept," Regina said, her voice dripping with authority as it always did when she was discussing magic. "In theory? No, time in Storybrooke shouldn't be standing still because time isn't for Erin and Liam and they are currently still in the same time period."

"What if it isn't standing still but simply slowed down?"

All heads turned to look at the Crown Prince. "Well that is an interesting concept," said Rumple thoughtfully. "But there would have to be something drastic happening within the confines of Storybrooke for time to shift to a different speed when we know for a fact the speed of time in another realm in the same period is continuing as it should."

"The Spell of Shattered Sight?" Will offered.

"No," Regina mused, her fingernails drumming on the War Table. "It would have to be something connected to the fabric of time. A curse can't affect time."

"What if it's the Snow Queen?" Eric asked, uncrossing his limbs to push off from the pillar, all but sauntering up to the table to stand between Will and Killian.

Charming waved his hand at the pirate captain. "Explain."

Eric looked between Regina and Rumple. "Both of you told Erin when we first thought of this brilliant plan that it would be best if she only contacted us once, correct?"

"Yes," both Regina and Rumple replied at the same time. "We told her it was best because the more contact you make with a specific time period, the more you fray the fabric of that particular period of time," Regina finished.

Eric looked around at the assembled people. "Could the Snow Queen not be contacting our time, her true time, repeatedly, causing the shift in that period's time?" A pregnant silence filled the War Room as everyone's eyes looked between Regina and Rumple, the resident experts of time travel.

"In theory, yes," Regina said after a few seconds of thought. "But that doesn't explain why time is slowing down in Storybrooke but maintain perfect speed in the Enchanted Forest of that time."

"Well that is easily explained."

Regina turned and raised an eyebrow at Rumple's smug look. "Oh is it you little imp? Care to explain why you are suddenly so full of knowledge?"

"It's not knowledge, your Highness," Rumple said, bringing one of his hands off his cane to wave through the air in the flourish way only he could as he explained. "All this is a working theory, I know just as much as you do on the subject matter. But if we're going to go with the young pirate's theory that Ingrid is contacting our time and putting a strain on that time period's fabric, the answer to why it's only affecting Storybrooke is simple."

"What is it, Rumple?" Belle asked her husband.

"Magic."

"…Magic? Are you being serious right now imp?"

"Think about it, Regina. Storybrooke was created from magic. It existed only because you cast the Dark Curse. It was protected from the outside world finding it by magic."

Snow frowned. "So the reason time is slowing down in Storybrooke and not the Enchanted Forest of that time is because the magic that created and protected it is essentially keeping the shift in time's speed concentrated only in the town?"

"Exactly."

"But it's all a bloody theory," Will interjected.

"Which is what all knowledge of time is, unfortunately," Belle responded. "We know a lot more than we did before the Time War but we don't know why for a lot of what we know. For example, we know when time traveling the amount of time that passes in your original time can either be fast or slow. But we don't know why that is."

"Whether time is slowing down or not for Storybrooke isn't the reason I called this meeting," Charming said, leaning forward with his hands pressed flat on the top of the table. "There hasn't been a single attack from the Snow Queen or her minions in eighteen days. Now I know we've all breathed a sigh of relief over it but Liam thought it was odd and honestly, the more I think about it, the more I agree with him."

"It is strange," Henry mumbled. "Since she showed up in our lives she's always launched some form of attack or another, either directly at us or another part of the Enchanted Forest."

Charming nodded. "Liam had the same thought."

Neal pursed his lips, his fingers drawing random designs on the table as he thought. "It wouldn't be unheard of," he began. "Attacking consistently and then dropping all semblances of attacks is a strategic battle plan, one you and King Arthur have used yourselves, dad. She could have chosen to suspend all attacks while she was gallivanting around in the past. Of course, if we also work the theory that she's in constant communication with her minions here, it begs the question why she hasn't given any orders to continue the attacks."

"Wasn't her sole purpose to get Elsa and Emma on her side?" Robin asked. "Maybe she thought since she could do that in the past that continuing the attacks was counterproductive to what she wanted."

Killian shook his head. "She's been attacking us for the past four years. If her sole purpose was to make Elsa and Emma her 'sisters' why spend all those years attacking us in small fractions?'

"It is a battle plan that has been used before," Henry said, looking to his step-father. "You wear down the opposition until you are able to get what you really want."

"That takes forethought though," Eric said dryly, "And Ingrid doesn't seem the type to have much of that. She's completely let getting Emma and Elsa on her side rule every decision she's made over the last four years."

"She had the forethought to realize she could still get her own twisted version of a happy ending by going into the past," Will dead paned.

"That is one thing that has concerned me since we realized that," Elsa began, bringing her clasped hands onto the table. "My aunt was locked in that magical urn for fifty-eight years. How did she even know time travel was possible, let alone how to achieve it?"

"Well, there was the Time War—" Oliver started but was quickly interrupted by Elsa.

"Yes, there was the Time War but that happened while she was in the urn. She didn't participate in it or even know it was going on. So for her time travel should still be an impossible concept. Not only that, aside from Morgana and the wizard Merlin, Rumple and Regina are the only other people who know how to achieve time travel. We know Morgana is dead. Her death trigged the end of The Year That Wasn't, and I'm almost certain Merlin, Rumple, nor Regina would divulge those closely guarded secrets to the enemy."

"Which leaves us with the burning question of who taught Ingrid how to time travel," Henry summarized.

"It's a very short list of possible suspects," Rumple said to his grandson, absent-mindedly twirling his cane. "But it's not so much the fact of who taught her how to do it that we should be concentrating on but the why."

Will frowned. "I thought we already established why she did it, to still have a way to get to Emma and Elsa."

"That's Ingrid's reason for learning it," Regina said, nodding toward Rumple in understanding. "As Eric said, Ingrid has tunnel vision and can't see anything past her delusion of this happy ending with Emma and Elsa. What Rumple is saying is we need to look at the reasons for why the person taught Ingrid the time traveling ropes. Rumple and I spent years wading through the Time War to grasp just a basic understanding. I'm sure whoever helped Ingrid didn't just tell her how to do it out of the kindness of their heart."

"That still leaves us with needing to know who before we figure out the why," Belle pointed out.

Charming looked between Rumple and Regina. "Can the two of you get together and figure out who outside our own circle could have come across this knowledge?" At their nod he turned his attention to Neal. "I'm going to need you to go to the Southern part of the kingdom, make sure we double up on soldiers and everything is in order. I wasn't too worried about dwindling troop numbers when it was just Ingrid we were dealing with but an unknown puppet master pulling the strings? I'd rather not take the chances. I'll take the Northern part. Elsa, how long until your troops arrive?"

"Anna sent word they set sail a week ago so with favorable weather on our side they should be here within the next few days."

"And King Arthur's men?" Charming asked, turning to look at his oldest grandson. Henry tapped one long finger on the table's surface.

"The 2,000 men Arthur promised should be arriving tomorrow if they stuck to the departure schedule that was in place before I left Camelot."

"With the nature of Wonderland being another realm we can't help much but Ana and I can lend what soldiers we can," Will supplied from his spot at the table. Charming nodded, thankful once again that the White Queen and King of Wonderland were listed among their closest friends and allies.

Neal cleared his throat, the Crown Prince suddenly looking uncomfortable. "What about our Navy?"

Killian visibly tensed and Charming's heart went out to the man who had not only become his son-in-law, but a close friend. Upon their return to the Enchanted Forest all those years ago he had made Killian the Admiral of the Royal Navy, an appointment that had some raising an eyebrow but one Charming had never questioned. The former pirate had spent countless centuries on the high seas and even though it had been several lifetimes ago, he also had experience with how a Navy was run. In Charming's mind there wasn't a man better fit for the job of insuring the success of his Navy.

And in the years since he took up the honorable post Killian had proved the naysayers wrong over and over again, winning naval battles for the Enchanted Forest that some of his lesser officers had claimed were unwinnable. However since the Snow Queen's last attack that had left Emma trapped, Admiral duties were the furthest thing from Killian's mind and as a husband himself, Charming didn't begrudge that. But as a King he also had the safety of his kingdom to think about, especially with a possible unknown someone pulling Ingrid's strings. He had talked about it extensively with Snow in the late witching hour. Ideally Erin would be the next choice to replace her father temporarily but she wasn't here. His gaze swung to the young pirate captain stood next to the War Table.

"Eric will temporarily take command of the Royal Navy." Eric started, clearly not expecting those words to come from the King's mouth.

"I am in no way qualified—" he began.

"You know how a ship functions, correct?" Snow asked before Charming could say anything.

"Of course, milady but—"

"And I'm assuming in your years of piracy you won your fair share of battles, yes?"

"…..I did. However—"

"Then you are qualified for the position," Snow said bluntly, her voice brokering no further argument from the pirate captain. Killian shot Charming a grateful look. Both of them knew with Emma in her current condition and his children on a dangerous journey to the past, Killian would never be able to make sound decisions.

Henry sat forward in his seat. "I can help if you want, Eric."

Regina looked to her oldest son. "Are you sure you can do that and also help lead the ground troops if it comes time for battle, Henry?"

Henry nodded. "I'll only be a sounding board for him and help ease the younger officers into the transition. Besides," he said, looking to his step-father with a small smile, "I was taught by the best sailor when it comes to all things nautical. If we can't have Killian or Erin at the helm we can at least have someone with the same knowledge as them helping the captain."

For all the sorrow that weighed heavily on his shoulders in that moment Killian felt a warmth of pride swell through him at Henry's words. He had never tried to replace Neal in his step-son's life but the two had grown close in the early years of his relationship with Emma, one of their shared common grounds being the sailing lessons he use to give the young boy. Although Henry's main interest had shifted to land battle upon their return to the Enchanted Forest, he always retained the lessons his step-father had taught him through the years, eventually even helping Killian teach Erin and Liam those same time honored lessons.

"If that's everything I'll call an end to the meeting," Charming said, holding out a hand to help Snow up from her chair. The occupants of the table quickly dispersed, some going their own way like Eric and Will while others like Rumple and Regina huddled together, already starting a mental list of the possible puppet master. As Killian stood he caught Belle's attention.

"Belle—"

She gave him a small, knowing smile. "I'll wake Hope up from her nap and bring her to the library with me." Killians smiled back at his friend, thankful that she understood were he needed to go. He gave Charming and Snow a small nod, his long coat billowing behind him as he turned to leave the room. He was halfway across the vast room when he heard his name being called.

"Killian."

Turning he saw Henry making his way toward him and Killian was struck at how much his step-son had grown up. A part of him would always see Henry as the young lad he helped rescue in Neverland, the believer of all believers. But he couldn't deny the man that was currently making his way toward him. The light from the setting sun shined brightly off Henry's armor and in that moment he looked every inch the Knight he was.

Henry came to a stop right in front of his step-father, his brown eyes filled with his own sorrow and sympathy. "Are you going to visit mom?" At Killian's nod Henry motioned that they keep walking.

"I'll go with you."

Henry's hand came up to rest on his step-father's shoulder and they both turned to leave the room, two of the most important men in Emma's life going to her, even if she wasn't aware of it.

Eric D'Harper made his way from the War Room, not paying attention to the guards who stood watch outside the door. He went down one long corridor after another, his strides long and confidant, his mind drifting back to the meeting that had just taken place.

Charming had made him temporary Admiral to his Royal Navy and the pirate captain didn't know how to feel about it. He knew he had the experience from his years of being a captain of a pirate ship under his belt and while he didn't have the reputation Killian did as Captain Hook, he was a formidable pirate in his own right. How that translated into being qualified for this position he couldn't wrap his mind around. He wasn't a member of the royal family and held no government position to warrant Charming choosing him over the vast array of naval captains that could have easily taken the reigns from Killian – he was simply a pirate captain who had befriended the beautiful, blonde granddaughter of the King.

Ah, Erin.

He smiled and shook his head to himself at the thought of the feisty princess. Meeting her had been the definition of coincidence – a tavern in a wayward town, the first time he and his crew had made port in months. He had been indulging in a pirate's favorite past times of dice and women when the blonde haired woman dressed in black and red fabric made her way to his table, her green eyes shining with mischief. He wasn't a blind man and quickly divested his lap of the red headed bar wench in favor of having the gorgeous blonde sit next to him. He had never seen her before but she instantly reeled him in with her beauty and quick wit, openly flirting with him while also keeping him at arms-length.

She had quickly shown her talent with dice – a talent he now knew she had learned from her father and although she denied it to this day, he was certain she had played with a pair of loaded dice that night – and was matching him in rum shots. Head swimming by the rum he had made one final pass, an obvious grab of her ass, when she had leaned in to him, the closest she had gotten all night. One hand on his thigh and her lips right next to his ear, he had been expecting an invitation back to her room. Instead, he had the wind knocked out of him by the admission that she seductively whispered in his ear, words that made his blood run cold and quickly jerk away from her.

She was Captain Hook's daughter. Captain freaking Hook. Every pirate in the realm knew of the young pirate princess and knew that to make an inappropriate pass at her or to threaten her life in any way was to instantly incur Killian Jones's wrath.

She had leveled him with a smirk, one he know knew she inherited from her father, her jade orbs dancing with mirth as she downed the last of the rum and left as quickly as she had come. Rattled, it had taken him a whole hour to realize she had pick pocketed a key off him when she had leaned in to whisper her confession. The bloody Princess of the Enchanted Forest had pick pocketed him! The key was one he had recently come into possession of, one that was rumored to open a vast treasure cove under the protection of a dragon.

The next day he had quickly caught up with the pick pocketing princess and her companions, now known to him as Prince Neal and Oliver Hood. It had taken some charm but they had reluctantly agreed to let him come along. The climb to the dragon's cave had been tedious and long, Erin tight lipped and refusing to give away any information about herself. He was just as stubborn as she was and was not a man easily swayed when he had set his mind to something.

Between the four of them they had managed to defeat the dragon, the killing blow a combination of Eric's quick reflexes honed from years at sea and Erin's ability to hit a moving object from eighty paces with an arrow. She was the granddaughter of Snow White, after all. Neal and Oliver had quickly found the object of their quest, a scepter of dark magic they didn't want to fall in the wrong hands, and as they were leaving Erin had turned the charm and flirting back on long enough to distract him from her true goal – chaining him up.

She had sighted not being able to trust him because he was a pirate – something at the time he had found ludicrous because she was the daughter of a pirate – and promptly left him in the dragon cave. It was three months before he saw her again, this time aboard her father's ship. Her entourage this time included not only Neal and Oliver but her twin brother, Liam. They were on another quest to find a magical item and still entranced by the blonde princess, he had offered his assistance and over the last four years had grown close to her.

Close to her my arse, he thought as he came out of the castle and made his way down to the docks. Your bloody in love with her. It was a truth he had admitted to himself long ago. Some were amid the adventures to find dangerous magical weapons and aiding the royal family in whatever villain was wreaking havoc on the realm, he had fallen for her. But falling for Erin Jones was not an easy victory.

Erin was still emotionally reeling from the tragic event from six years ago, an event that had taken her years to confide to him, and only because of the obvious question he had never asked her. She would say she was over the event but he could see through her façade as easily as her father could. He knew the nightmares still plagued her but he was wise enough not to mention that fact to her. Killian was the only person she talked to about the event or her nightmares.

He was in love with her – the feisty, sometimes infuriating, stubborn pirate princess. He knew deep down she had some feelings for him but her walls were sky high because of the tragic event. And although he had slowly chipped away at them over the years, there had still not been that aha! moment were she was willing to admit anything.

Frustrated and still confused over Charming's decision to make him temporary Admiral, he all but stomped the length of the dock until he came to the two ships tied at the end. His ship, the Mermaid's Mist, usually sat between Killian's Jolly Roger and Erin's Jewel of the Realm but the Jolly Roger was currently with Erin and Liam in the past, leaving only his and Erin's ships nestled at the docks. Thoughts of the Jolly Roger had a memory from months ago flash through his mind of an inky night he had come to the docks to levy an important question at Killian.

Shaking his head of the memory he stomped onto his ship. He needed a few hours of peace and quiet because he apparently now had a navy to command.

Bloody hell.

Hours later as the sun was sinking below the horizon, painting the pre-dusk sky in brilliant shades of purple and gold, Killian found himself stood on the balcony that was attached to his and Emma's bed chamber, his hand and hook resting on the railing as he looked out over the ocean. He hadn't spent a night in their room since Emma became entrapped in the ice, the room filled with little reminders of her – her deep red cloak that resembled her old leather jacket was thrown hastily over the chair of her vanity, a pair of her well-worn boots casually sat next to her side of the bed, the small desk in the room scattered with parchments with her neat handwriting. He had tried to stay here that first night, had even made it so far as to climb in their bed. But her scent still lingered on the sheets and instead of sending warmth through him like it normally did, it wrapped itself around his heart and squeezed without mercy.

Barely a few hours and he had retreated to the high tower room were Emma lay. It was where he had spent the last eighteen days, the unforgiving chair a small discomfort compared to the hollow feeling in his chest.

He brought his hand up to rub his still throbbing head. He had received the newest set of memories from his past self while Henry and he had been sitting with Emma, the sharp pain in his head causing him to almost fall right out of his chair. It was a bloody painful process getting a new set of memories, that was for sure, and more than a little unnerving to see himself now through the eyes of his younger self, remembering the emotions that had coursed through his then heartless self. And remembering feeling Emma standing next to him at the same time as remembering seeing her stood next to his past self had the old pirate closing his eyes and letting out a shaky breath. He was certain that if he hadn't of had Hope in his arms in the moment he saw her, his legs would have given out on him. It was one thing to remember his Emma and another to see her, even a younger version of herself, standing in front of him – breathing, moving around. Not when she had been unreachable to him for eighteen days now.

Henry and he had sat together next to Emma's side for hours, neither speaking a word, both knowing there were no words of comfort for the other. Killian was worried about his wife and two youngest children, Henry was worried about his mother and siblings; all three of them a common ground for the two men. Even when Killian had reluctantly stood up to have this blasted conversation no words had been exchanged between step-father and step-son. Henry's brown eyes had found his and just nodded softly, Killian instantly understanding – Henry would stay by Emma's side until Killian was finished.

Despite her scent still lingering within the room, as if taunting him with what he couldn't touch, he had chosen to come here to have the conversation with his father. Even during the early hours of night the dock was bustling and no other place in the castle offered the privacy that he needed to conduct the interaction with the ferryman. It was true he could have used the balcony off Hope's nursery so he didn't have to be assaulted with all the little reminders of Emma but he knew how his daughter felt about Davy Jones having any interaction with Hope, however small. They had been hoping to talk to the ferryman before the set of new memories arrived but even with them knowing what had transpired on the deck of the Jolly Roger in the past, they still needed Ursula to take the memory potion currently tucked inside Killian's vest. Otherwise he would have refused to have this talk all together.

Taking a deep breath and realizing it was now or never he held up his hand, a white light pulsing from it and rippling across the surface of the ocean as his mind silently called out for the ferryman of lost souls. Nothing happened for a few seconds, and then with the suddenness of a storm at a sea a swirling vortex appeared out at sea, the wind suddenly picking up with an unnatural force around him. He kept his eyes focused on the vortex, letting the wind blow his long coat out behind him until both suddenly disappeared – the vortex no longer churning the ocean's waves and the wind dying down to a faint whisper.

"Killian."

Swallowing thickly he turned to see his father standing behind him, dressed as always in a naval uniform, the hat sat atop his head proclaiming him as a captain. Which he was, in a twisted sort of way, even if he had never held the title in life. As always when he had encounters with his father Killian found himself blinking rapidly, trying and failing to not see the similarities between Davy Jones and his brother Liam, especially after learning of Liam's fate after his death.

Killian had long ago let go of the anger he held toward his father for abandoning him for power but the one thing he couldn't let go of was what Davy Jones had subjected Liam to for eternity.

"This isn't a social call," he heard himself saying, his tone void of all emotion, sharp and bitter. Davy Jones seemed to be about to say something and seeing the flicker of fire in his son's eyes thought better of it, simply nodding instead.

"I am to assume this has to do with my encounter with Erin and Liam in the past?"

"Yes," Killian replied bluntly. "We remember what happened, we just need you to give this to the Ursula of that time and ensure she drinks it." He reached into his vest, pulling out the small purple potion and without another word tossing it to the ferryman. Davy Jones deftly caught it, rolling the bottle between his fingers.

"Am I allowed to ask why my grandchildren are twenty-eight years in the past interacting with past versions of your family?"

Killian clenched his jaw hard enough for him to almost lock it in place. He wanted his father to know nothing about his life, the anger about Liam's fate eating at him as it always did when dealing with the man. But a voice, sounding very much like his wife's, whispered in his mind that anger and deflection wouldn't help with needing the ferryman to give Ursula the memory potion.

"Something happened to Emma. We need her past self to help her."

Davy Jones furrowed his eyebrows, blue eyes achingly familiar finding Killian's. "Is she alright?"

Killian couldn't help the dark laugh that passed his lips nor the sneer that painted his face. "Don't act like you give a damn, Davy Jones."

"I very much do—"

"It's no concern to you," Killian bit out, his own blue eyes hard as sapphires. "You just need to make sure Ursula drinks the memory potion so as not to upset the timeline."

Davy Jones kept his eyes on the bottle in his hand, choosing his next words carefully. "If you remember what happened then you are aware that I saved Erin's life from the sea witch."

"And afterward upset my daughter."

Davy Jones's eyes flew up to meet his son's glare, his grip on the memory potion tightening slightly. "It was never my intention to upset Erin."

Killian scoffed at his father's words, his voice of reasoning suddenly drowned out by the anger that bubbled up, hot and heavy. "You know she wants nothing to do with you. What other reaction were you hoping to achieve with your words to her?"

"I was hoping she would let go of the anger she holds for me," he began, Killian letting out another dark laugh. "She can't resent me forever, Killian."

"Actually, she can. She is my daughter and I held on to anger and revenge for almost 200 years. What makes you think she can't hold on to her anger for you for the rest of her natural life?"

"Her anger doesn't change the fact I'm her grandfather—"

"Only by blood," Killian said, cutting off the other man's sentence. "By every other definition of the word you are nothing to her. Erin and Liam have a grandfather, a noble man who would do anything for his family… not abandon them or enslave them to an eternity of servitude."

"I did no such thing to your brother!" Davy Jones suddenly barked out, his well-controlled temper slipping. "He died, I offered him as peaceful of an afterlife as he was going to get."

Killian stepped forward, his own temper flaring to life, his hook coming up to point at the older Jones. "He deserves to be resting in peace, not spending an eternity serving you!"

"He was never going to be able to rest in peace," Davy Jones said, his voice quieter but still filled with anger. "His death was sudden and painful. If I hadn't made him the offer to come aboard the Flying Ductman his soul would have been lost forever."

Killian turned his back on his father, his hand fisting at his side as he fought to control his anger. The voice that sounded like Emma came roaring back, reminding him that he could do nothing to change Liam's fate, no matter how much he wanted to. He could only control how he reacted to the situation and although he would always be angry at Davy Jones for forever tying Liam to limbo in this moment he needed him to ensure the timeline was not negatively affected.

His children's very existence could rest solely in the hands of the man who had so easily abandoned him and selfishly tied Liam to himself forever.

"Are you going to give the potion to Ursula?" he asked, his tone clipped, his eyes not leaving the ocean spread out in front of him. There were a few tense moments of silence before he heard his father sigh deeply behind him.

"Yes, of course. I'll make sure she takes the potion."

Killian nodded. "Your dismissed then, Davy Jones," he said and without looking back to his father he strode from the balcony just as the wind picked up again in its unnatural dance. He didn't need to stay around to watch the ferryman leave. He couldn't resist the rules that bound him to his power any more than Rumple could pull himself away from the dagger.

His task from the meeting complete he left his and Emma's bedchamber, taking deep, calming breaths to chase away the lingering tendrils of anger. He had a little girl that was going to try to wrangle thirteen bedtime stories out of him if he wasn't on his toes. And after regaling Hope with a number of tales and making sure she was tucked in tight within the safety of her nursery, he would go back to the top of the tower and send Henry to bed, taking up the position next to Emma's still form.

Just like he had every night for the past eighteen nights.

Storybrooke

Present Day

The Snow Queen had just stepped outside her ice cave, watching the dark purple clouds roll closer and closer to Storybrooke when the large diamond ring on her left hand flared with a golden light. She looked down at it, momentarily thrown off before whirling around and heading back into the cave. Before she even came close to the back wall she saw the glass of the white, ornate mirror glowing with a golden light. The light flared and suddenly disappeared; the mirror showing Fezzik stood in the ice cave of the future, an icy blue scepter clutched in his gnarled hands. The blue scepter was the powerful talisman of the time in which she now stood, the Gnome's way of being able to contact her.

"What is it, Fezzik?" she snapped. "You've only been dismissed to find out what the Charmings are doing a mere minute ago!"

Fezzik's thick eyebrows furrowed, his hands shaking as they gripped the powerful talisman from the past. "Mis-s-tress I was dis-mis-s-ed six d-days ago."

The Snow Queen narrowed her eyes at her underling. "What are you blabbering on about? It's been a few minutes since I last saw you."

Fezzik shook his head, clearly torn between correcting his mistress and not wanting to ignite her anger. "It-t's been-n six d-days, mis-s-tress. I sw-wear. I d-do have ne-news about t-the Charm-ings plan."

"And?!" she snapped.

"Th-they sent t-the princ-cess and p-prince back t-to get Em-ma."

Suddenly the surface of the mirror rippled like a pond with a stone thrown in it, the surface eventually calming to reveal Fezzik still rooted to the same spot, his eyes blown wide. The Snow Queen cursed. The little Gnome must have been telling the truth. She had been told the link between the past and future was tentative to begin with and that eventually the link would be completely severed.

Another ripple along the mirror's surface had her cursing more. Apparently the time for the link to be severed was drawing close. "Fezzik!" she shouted as the last remnants of the ripples smoothed out. "I'll be coming back ahead of schedule. Have the place prepared for me and send word to her. We'll need to reevaluate the plan."

"Y-yes mis-s-tress, of c-course."

The Snow Queen muttered the ancient incantation, severing the portal before it could do any more damage to the fragile fabric of this time. It had never been in her plan to get stuck in this Godforsaken time. With Fezzik's news that the Charmings had sent the bratty princess and prince back to get the past version of their mother, it threw her plans into a hell storm. She chided herself for not finally taking the royal brats out when she had the chance back at the ice wall.

Reaching into the front of her gown she pulled out the golden potion that always lay nestled there. With a wave of her hand at the wall next to the mirror she muttered the incantation to the spell, throwing the potion. Hitting an unseen barrier the bottle shattered; the golden liquid swirling until it became a portal. Gathering her dress she strode toward the open portal, making sure her thoughts were firmly on the ice cave of her time.

Author's Note:

Just for a little clarification – Elsa mentions that Ingrid was in the magical urn for 58 years, not a typo. In this story there are two distinct timelines. For our residents of the future certain events after Emma and Killian came back through the time portal happened one way but because of Ingrid's meddling in the past, it created another timeline. So our future heroes remember the ORIGINAL timeline (when there was no Ingrid in Storybrooke) and as the new events unfold are remembering their past selves living the new timeline.

Make sense? I feel like the bloody Doctor in the Blink episode.

And I do plan on going more in depth with the differences of the timelines, probably in chapter 11 or 12. And I'll give Elsa's original timeline backstory which explains the circumstances on how she came to Storybooke in the original timeline vs. the circumstances of the new timeline (which are in line with the show). And explains why Ingrid was in the urn for 58 years.