You Are Loved

Chapter Eleven

Later that night, David, Snow, Regina, Zelena, August, Ariel, Eric, and Leroy were all gathered inside the morgue beneath Whale's clinic as they stood around the metal table where Jafar's body, that had briefly become the vessel for Brennan Jones' soul, now lay. David's wife clung to him sadly, as Ariel was staying close to her own husband. Everyone remained quiet as they all struggled with trying to comprehend how a celebration in honor of the Savior's engagement to their close friend had turned to tragedy so quickly.

Finally Regina spoke up saying coldly, "I say we just disintegrate it until its nothing, but ash. It's not like Jafar deserved to have a proper funeral and Brennan Jones certainly doesn't. Say the word and I'll take care of it."

Snow shook her head as she looked at her friend and replied, "No. They were both villains and what Brennan did was reprehensible, but… He was Killian's father. When Killian is up to talking, he's the one who should decide what we do with the body."

"I doubt he's going to be up to that any time soon," David answered sadly as he ran his hand through his hair. "But Snow's right. It should be Killian's decision. If he chooses to tell us to do whatever we see fit, then we'll talk to Liam."

"Speaking of Liam, what exactly is going to be done with him?" August asked in frustration. "I understand how angry he is, seeing the same man who killed his father the first time around kill him again right in front of him, but the kid then tried to kill our friend. And he broke his father out of jail in the first place."

Leroy quickly added, "Not to mention the fact that he assaulted Sneezy in order to break Jones out. Sneezy's fine, but that's not the point."

August nodded and then David responded, "Liam deserves to be punished lawfully, but we can't keep him in the jail for however long we decide his punishment should be. On the other hand, and I think Hook would agree with me, a part of me feels that he might have already been punished enough. August is right. Watching his father die again, even if the killing was justified is tragic. I say we send Liam and his grandmother back home to the Enchanted Forest using the Apprentice's wand to open the portal again. And we can send the body with them. Let them see to him however they see fit."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Regina replied, seeming to be impressed by the Prince's suggestion.

"And should the child devote his life to making his way back here to try to kill the pirate again?" Zelena asked callously, though the others knew she was slowly beginning to care for the rest of them more than she ever let on as her sister did. "The Jones family all have an unhealthy lust for vengeance. I wouldn't put it past him, nor give him a chance."

Ariel suddenly spoke as she answered, "I may not understand everything that's happened since me and Eric haven't been here since… well I haven't been here, since Hook released me from the bottle I was trapped in along with his ship. What I mean to say, is that if Hook was able to give up on his cruelty and need for revenge after three hundred years of being a villain and become the man he is now, then I think the boy has a very good chance of doing the same if you all show him mercy like David suggested. Although, I'm not from here and I have no right to give my opinion about what you should do."

Snow smiled at her dear friend as she responded, "No, you're right and so is David. I say we send Liam home, with his grandmother and the body. I'll go over to talk with Emma about it once we leave here just to make sure that's what Killian would want, and what she would want too."

"Then, that's it then," Regina replied and turned to look over at her sister. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to head home and try to get to bed early tonight for once. Care to walk back with me?"

"I doubt I'll get any sleep at all, since Robin's been keeping me awake at all hours of the night for weeks now, but it won't hurt to try," Zelena answered and then followed Regina out of the room.

Leroy left after the former Queen and former witch while August turned to his closest friend's parents as he said, "I should get back to Papa to check in on him and make sure he's alright too. Although, I was hoping to see Emma and Killian first, if he's up to having company of course, but… You know what, never mind. Tonight she and Killian just needs family. I'll be by some time tomorrow. Please, let me know if there's anything you need."

Eric looked at his wife as he added, "We should go find us a room to stay for a long as we're here."

"Go on back to the diner and talk with Granny," Snow responded when she and David walked behind them as they all left the morgue. "She rents out the rooms above her place and she'll be more than happy to help you."

"Thank you," Ariel replied sincerely and then looked nervous as if she debated on whether or not to ask what she wanted to ask the Princess.

Snow noticed this as she asked, "What is it, Ariel?"

The mermaid looked over at Eric and then turned back to Snow and David as she answered, "It's just… It's obvious that a lot's happened since I was here last, not counting the few minutes I was here before I returned to the Enchanted Forest to help Killian find Ursula's father to help all of you. I mean, the last time was while you all were still in Neverland trying to save Henry and…"

"Wait a minute, the last time you came here was when you asked us for help in finding Eric," David interrupted.

"Finding Eric?" Ariel stated, as she looked between the man she loved and their friends in confusion. "I never came here to ask for help in finding him? The only time I've needed help with that was when I spoke to Hook during the year we all forgot, when all of you were back in the Enchanted Forest. It didn't exactly go as planned, but I like to think he helped me in his own way, even if I had to do most of the work."

Snow shook her head and responded, "But that doesn't make any sense. You came here after we returned to Storybrooke, after our own curse brought us home and you said that Eric was missing. We had Killian help you because he wasn't affected by the memory loss like we were."

The mermaid retorted, "I'm afraid you're wrong. If that happened, it wasn't me."

"It was Zelena," David suddenly replied upon remembering that Killian had been cursed by the Wicked Witch when she went after him to gain Emma's magic. "I realize he never actually told us how Zelena got the drop on him, but you were here around the same time it happened, or at least we thought you were. That has to be it. I can't believe he never told us that he had come across you during that year. In fact, he told us that he never heard of Eric or even met you."

"Look, it might have been because he was ashamed with the way things ended up between us during our encounter," she answered sadly. "Because it ended up with me slapping him in the face as I told him that he was heartless and that he would never be happy. But the truth is, I was wrong. He may not have helped me because he tried to be that selfish pirate he was before he met all of you and Emma again, but I saw it in his eyes when we started out and I saw it again after I hit him. He was heartbroken because he lost her. That's why I immediately agreed to help him find Poseidon. That, and because I saw he was ashamed of his actions. I know he's a good man, so please don't mention any of this to him. He's already suffering terribly after what he just had to do. And something tells me there's a lot more to the story."

Snow nodded as they continued walking down the street toward Granny's, then she responded, "I'll explain the rest to you tomorrow. And Ariel, Eric… thank you both for coming here, especially when you did. Your timing may not be great to catch up on old times, but it's really good to see you both again."

Ariel smiled and hugged her friend, then as she and Eric started to head into the diner while Snow and David kept straight, she replied, "It's good to see you too. See you in the morning and please tell Emma and Killian we're here for them if they need anything."

"We will," Charming answered. "Goodnight."

Meanwhile…

Emma sat quietly on the edge of her bed again as she gently rubbed her hand along Killian's back while he laid down to rest with his face and body turned away from her, though she knew he wasn't actually asleep, nor was he able to talk about what he had just done even to her. She kept her eyes on his prone form, tears falling down her own face while she stayed by his side to care for him once she convinced him to finally allow her to transport them both home from the harbor.

She slowly stood up and was about to get undressed so that she could lie down beside him, but it was then that a knock sounded at the door and she quickly left the room to answer it before whoever was there persisted with another knock. When she got downstairs and opened the door, she wasn't surprised to see her son standing there.

"Henry, I'm glad it's just you," Emma spoke quietly as she pulled him into a hug. "Is everyone in town alright?"

"Yeah, we're all fine," the fifteen year old responded worryingly. "What about you, and Killian? Is he okay?"

She shook her head as she released him, then raised her head to look up at the top of the stairs that led to their bedroom and replied, "No, he's not. He hasn't said a word since I found him. I've never seen him like this. I know how worried he was for me after I became the Dark One. And when I finally found him in the underworld, he was broken and he hated himself for allowing the darkness to corrupt him, but… At least he talked to me then and I was able to assure him that I still loved him, but now he won't even look at me. I know why too because I can feel it, and we spoke about it earlier. Because of what his father, Liam, and Milady did to him while Brennan took over his body, Killian's really been struggling with believing that he's no longer Captain Hook the villain and that he's undeserving of his happy ending. No doubt he believes it even more so now."

Henry objected, "That's crazy. He's proven to all of us that he's a good man. And he killed his father because he was protecting Grandpa and the rest of us. He left Killian no choice and we all know it."

"I know, but I don't know how I'm going to be able to prove that to him this time," the Savior answered fearfully.

"Earlier before the storm hit, during our sword fight, it was the first time I've seen him more like his old self in a long time," the teenager responded. "It was obvious he was still hurting, but we gave him a reason to enjoy being who he really is again; a pirate and a man who has the ability to love and care about others more than himself. We just have to somehow find a way to do that for him again."

Suddenly both Snow and David walked into the living room where their daughter and grandson were now sitting and upon hearing the last part of the conversation, David said with reassurance, "That's a great idea, Henry."

Emma smiled as she stated with a little more hope in her voice, "Yeah, kid. It's a good idea."