Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time

AN: Here's chapter 10! Thank you everyone for your continued support of Treacherous. I'm so grateful for you guys sticking with me through so many life changes. For those who read Lost Souls, I promise an update will happen! I'm officially done writing Treacherous, so I can focus completely on Lost Souls now. A SUPER BIG THANK YOU to my wonderful beta, GranddaughterOfCaskettAndTivia. She's a world of help and such a great cyber friend! As always, thank you for reading (and maybe even dropping a review)! ~ XOXO MAF


Chapter Ten

Emma groaned as she rolled over. The last thing she remembered was being with Killian in the hospital. Everything after that was much like a black hole.

"Well," she blinked her eyes open at the unfamiliar voice, "look who's awake finally."

Pushing herself into a sitting position, Emma gave the man standing above her a hard glare. "What am I doing here?" She snapped, trying her best to sound as intimidating and as in control as she did at the tavern. The truth was she had no control. A Red Coat was hovering above her and she was tied to a tree.

The Red Coat leaned back, a smug grin in place. "We received word that you fled Boston rather quickly. And then you show up at a Loyalist hospital. So tell me, Ms. Swan, who is the traitor in our ranks?" Instead of replying, Emma jutted her chin out defiantly. "You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?" He questioned. "It matters not. The more difficult you are, the more fun I can have."

Just as he advanced on her, he stopped in his tracks. "Captain," he saluted the man Emma couldn't see just yet, "I was just asking the prisoner who she was visiting in the hospital."

"I don't believe that's your job, sailor." Emma's head spun at the voice. She recognized it instantly. She knew who was in charge before he stepped into her line of vision.

"Of course, Captain Jones. I'll just be on my way then." He saluted one more time before scurrying off.

Liam Jones waited until the sailor was out of sight before turning to face Emma. "Well, Ms. Swan, what have you gotten yourself into?"

OUAT

Lancelot paced the camp impatiently, eyeing the position of the moon in the sky as he worried. "She should be back by now."

"She's a reckless woman, Lancelot. She's probably pushing her luck at the hospital as we speak."

Lancelot glared at August Booth with a bit of contempt. "She may be reckless at times, but she's not stupid." Booth shot him a skeptical look just as a noise sounded in the woods. Nodding in the direction, Lancelot murmured, "See, she's just a bit tardy."

"Captain, Lancelot," one of Booth's soldiers, a wayward young man named Will Scarlett, jogged up out of breath.

"What is it, soldier?" Booth asked impatiently.

"It's Ms. Swan. I was watching her just as you asked. They came out of nowhere. There was nothing we could do. They snagged her before we even blinked."

"Who did, Scarlett?" Booth asked.

"Red Coats, Captain. And not just any Red Coats. Killian's brother, Captain Liam Jones, was in charge of 'em all."

OUAT

"Why am I here, Captain Jones? Why is the Crown so concerned with my travel?" Emma asked, mustering what little courage she had left. She knew Captain Jones' reputation. He would not want her kept alive since she was a Patriot.

"You should've been jailed for your actions months, if not years, ago," he commented, pacing calmly in front of her. Emma could see the pacing for what it was, though. He was nothing more than a commoner who was posing as a ranking official. His title, though earned, was not enough for him. He wanted more. He wanted people to forget his past.

"What exactly are you referring to?" She could feel her body starting to shake under his hard glare.

"You're a Patriot. You should be hanged." Liam sighed. "But you're protected by the royalty who lives here and, treasonous or not, they're protected by the Crown in England."

Without so much as blinking, Emma responded, "Lucky me."

"Indeed it does appear so." Pressing his fingers to his temple, Liam let out an even deeper sigh. "I don't know exactly what spell you've put my brother under, but it stops now."

"I beg your pardon?" Emma asked archly.

"You heard me," Liam leaned forward, "I know it was you on his ship and I know he spent that evening with you. Your quick response to his injury and appearing at the hospital only further proves my suspicious."

Leaning back against the tree she was tied to, Emma replied, "He's a grown man, Captain Jones. He may do whatever he sees fit and I don't believe you can control that."

Liam's eyes were wide as he took in her words and the determined set of her face. "You love him," he observed. "And based on his actions when I stumbled upon the two of you on his ship, I'll say the feeling is mutual." Emma didn't respond to his accusations, instead she kept her eyes on the ground. She was unsure of her own feelings and of his. "This should be very easy for you then."

Emma finally looked up, asking, "What should?"

"You ending whatever this is now before Killian gets hurt," Liam told her honestly. "Let's face the truth, Emma, you're not good enough for him. You never will be." At her stunned look, Liam continued, "He has a career in the Royal Navy. He's a Captain with his own ship. If Parliament finds out he's betraying them, then at best when this war is over he loses his commission, at worst his life. Are you really selfish enough to risk him being executed and his legacy labeled as traitorous?"

It took Emma a moment to process Liam's harsh words, and her response was not what the elder Jones expected. "You really are that self-righteous, aren't you?" She asked. "Killian is risking his life of his own volition," she continued. "And furthermore, when this war is over he will have a place in our nation's navy. I would wager to say it will be a place far higher than he could achieve in your corrupt navy. I can't believe that you're so arrogant as to discount our ability to win." She shook her head. "You've barely managed to maintain control over the cities you have now."

"You forget, Ms. Swan, we just won Charles Town," Captain Jones spat out. Emma was happy to see she struck a nerve, that he was slowly starting to unwind before her eyes.

"And you're losing New York and other northern cities as we speak," she challenged him.

Stepping back, Liam rose to his full height. "You, Ms. Swan, are a menace to our society. I am going to personally recommend to the Crown that you be tried for treason and executed as quickly as possible."

OUAT

"This is as stupid as Emma showing up here," August protested as he, Lancelot and Scarlett approached the hospital.

"If it was indeed Killian's brother who took Emma, then Killian is the most equipped to help get her back," Lancelot argued.

"He's in the bloody hospital though," Will pointed out. "What good is he to our cause?" At Lancelot's glare, Will held up his hands. "Just an observation," he murmured.

"Keep them to yourself, then, soldier," Lancelot ordered. "The nurses change shifts in a few moments, we'll enter then."

OUAT

Emma tugged at the ropes binding her hands. If there was one thing sailors were good at, it was tying knots. The ropes simply refused to budge. What she wanted to know was why Liam Jones was down in Carolina to begin with. From what she had gathered after Killian left, the elder Jones' ship was still ordered to stay in Boston Harbor. Something must've changed, unless Liam had a great amount of autonomy. His threat of execution floated through her mind. She had to get away from the camp before he acted without a court's approval. If anything would devastate Killian, it would be her death at his brother's hands.

OUAT

Killian paced the small storage room of the hospital. "You're certain it was Liam?"

"Aye, Captain Jones, 'twas your older brother," Scarlett confirmed.

Killian nodded as he processed the information. "Well then, I do believe it's time that I check out."

"Check out?" August protested. "Are you bloody well mad? You're still not fully healed from losing your hand. And how exactly do you expect to fight if need be without the appendage."

Stepping forward, Killian got threateningly close to Booth. "I know my brother. He's taken the woman I love and he will execute her. He believes in everything the Navy and the Crown stands for without question. And he's very nearly obsessed with titles. He wants to ensure everyone forgets we were nothing more than orphans."

"And what about you?" Lancelot interrupted. "Emma bears no titles," he observed.

"I care nothing for that. Emma and I understand each other. We're very much alike. I love her for her heart, walls and all. I have no need for titles or wealth or status. I just need Emma and hopefully I'll get to know Henry better as well."

Lancelot considered Killian's words for a moment before finally nodding his agreement. "Get dressed," he ordered. "We should move before first light so we can get in and out without being seen."

"I only need a moment to gather my things." Killian was moving before August or Will could process Lancelot's orders.

"Taking him with us is a great risk," August murmured. "Besides, this is Emma's mess. Should we really be meddling in this at all? We've not received any orders to go in after her and she put herself and Kilian at risk by coming down here to begin with." August could sense Lancelot's anger, but he continued anyways, "She also did not have authorization to interfere."

"I believe you'll find that Emma has free reign over her own actions," Lancelot bit out. "She's the reason we have Killian on our side to begin with. And Prince David and Prince Robin trust her implicitly. So unless you would like to speak with them regarding Emma's actions, I suggest you do not voice your opinions any longer."

Even though he was a high ranking officer in the military, perhaps even on par with Lancelot, August knew to duck his head and listen. Lancelot's opinion of him could either help or ruin his military career since the soldier was so close to the royals here and had been one of the leaders in the initial war effort itself.

"Are we ready to go?" Killian reentered the storage closet and was met with an uncomfortable silence. "Is everything alright?"

"We should go, then." Will pushed his way out of the closet before he wound up in between the three high ranking officers.

"Aye, I don't like the idea of Emma being alone for too long." Killian buttoned up his coat with one hand, ignoring the pain radiating up his left arm as they quietly snuck out of the hospital.

OUAT

"I want a response back as quickly as possible," Liam ordered the messenger. "I want her tried and executed before she can do any damage to our cause."

"Yes, Captain." The soldier nodded, accepting the parchment from Liam Jones and mounting his horse.

Killian, Lancelot, August and Will watched as the messenger left camp before separating. August went after the messenger to disable and intercept the letter Liam was sending, Lancelot and Will went in search of Emma and Killian marched straight up to his brother. "Hello, Liam."

Liam's head spun at his little brother's voice. "Killian," he looked surprised, "I thought you were still in the hospital, little brother."

"Younger brother," Killian corrected on reflex. "And no, just released. I heard you were on land, and in the woods, no less." He glanced around. "I never thought I'd find you so far from a port."

"Yes," Liam glanced around, "well duty and all that."

"Aye," Killian nodded, "I understand that."

Liam sighed and motioned to the edge of camp. "I know why you're here, Killian." He crossed his arms and Killian watched as the self-righteous older brother emerged. "What the bloody hell were you thinking? You're risking everything for a bloody colonial trollop with no title or money or anything to offer."

Killian didn't even think, he just reacted, bringing his fist back until it connected with Liam's face. "You will not speak of Emma in that way ever again." He paused. "If you value our relationship at all then you will let her go. Otherwise, brother, this may be the last time we speak."

Pressing down on his throbbing nose, Liam asked. "You're really willing to throw it all away for this girl? This girl who isn't good enough for you."

Killian straightened, "Actually, brother, I believe you have that wrong. I'll never be good enough for her, but I'll damn well try to be every day for the rest of my life." Before Liam could respond, Killian disappeared into the woods. When he was far enough away he let out a long groan, cradling his maimed arm to his chest.

"That's what you get for leaving the hospital before you were discharged."

Looking over his shoulder, Killian found Emma standing with Lancelot, August and Will. "Thank the gods." Killian was by her side in an instant, pulling her in close.

Suddenly shouts came from behind them. "We should head back to our camp now before we decide our next course of action." August withdrew his sword and glanced around. "Let's move out."

OUAT

They reached the camp a few hours later. It had taken them quite a bit of time to lose the Red Coats following them in the forest. "Well," Killian sat down heavily on the ground, leaning against a tree for support. He brought Emma down with him, curling her up into his side protectively. "I would wager to say we need a new plan."

OUAT

XOXO

MAF