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It didn't take them long to get back through the portal to Storybrooke, they found themselves right back in the empty room of the Sorcerer's mansion and one look outside the window showed it was now nighttime. Time apparently passed faster.
David unsure of what to say or do kept looking at Killian to gage the man's reaction. He was struggling to accept Merlin's decision; he couldn't imagine what was going through Killian's head right now. "I think it would be best if we all went home tonight and tried to get some sleep considering the time. We can start first thing in the morning with filling in Mary Margaret and Belle with everything we know and start fresh."
"Are you crazy?" Henry asks looking at David with outrage.
"Henry, David is right." Regina says calmly, but it's no use. Henry just shouts over her.
"You just said Merlin plans on killing my mom! Do you really expect me to just go home and sleep knowing that?" He looks first at Regina and then David with resentment. He then turns to Killian with an almost pleading look. "We can't stop now, not until we find my mom."
With deep regret Killian shakes his head. "I'm sorry Lad but they have a point. Starting our search tonight won't matter anymore than if we wait until daylight."
"How can you say that?" Henry asks, betrayal evident in his voice. "Merlin is going after my mom!"
"I know, but he doesn't know where she is either and that means it isn't him or any magic of the Dark One keeping Emma away. Emma is doing it herself for our protection I'm sure."
"How can you possibly know that?" Regina asks skeptical.
"I could tell." Killian says looking at her. "Didn't you notice the way Merlin would stare at you, I'm sure he has some ability to read thoughts or at least guess. He was hoping for us to show up because he probably hoped we would have a lead on where Emma is. He doesn't know how to find her any better than we did before."
"Why do you say before?" David asks less skeptical, but still concerned. Killian wasn't making a lot of sense.
"Before we thought Emma had been taken in that black vortex because of the darkness and that was why she was gone. Merlin as good as told us that isn't the case because if it was he could track that dark magic. Which means Emma took herself away and Emma is keeping herself away without dark magic. Knowing that we just have to think about where Emma would hide in order to protect her and everyone else." Killian says looking back at Henry now, trying to offer him assurance. "You and I know Emma better than most anyone Lad. If anyone is going to find her it will be the two men her life that already have."
"But Merlin is the Sorcerer." Henry says with less anger now.
"And he has proven over a vast many years that he isn't very adept when it comes to the Dark One. And he doesn't know Emma like we do."
"He has a point Henry." Regina says with surprise.
Still concerned for his mom, but knowing when he has lost Henry nods his head. "Fine, but we start first thing tomorrow, right?" He asks staring at Killian, the two sharing a silent conversation.
"I promise the song birds won't even have time to finish their first tune before we are at the library." Killian finally says with a small smile just for Henry.
"Alright." Henry says reluctantly.
"There's a good Lad." Killian smiles and puts his arm around Henry's shoulders. The group then leaves the mansion. Regina taking Henry home with her, Killian going back to the loft with David for the night.
"Do you really believe what you just said in there?" David asks once he and Killian are settled in the truck.
"That we have a better chance of finding Emma than Merlin? Of course, I would never lie to the Lad."
"Do you really think he has no idea where she is?"
Killian hesitates to respond, considering his answer first. "Did you notice when Merlin would stare into your eyes you would start thinking of Emma more?" David doesn't answer. "Because I did. That last time, when I realized what Merlin's intentions were, I went from thinking of finding Emma to seeing Emma dying at the hands of Merlin. I don't think he intended for me to see his thoughts in return, but I did, because he was trying so hard to look into mine." Killian knows it sounds crazy, but after everything else they had been through a mind-reading sorcerer wasn't that far fetched.
"You think he thinks we know where Emma is?" David asks realizing that Killian did have a point. Whenever Merlins gaze had fallen upon him he did think of Emma more and less of where they were and what Merlin was saying.
"I think he knows that we are his only chance at finding her, at least before she turns over to the darkness completely. It's like I told Henry. Who else knows Emma better than us? And he and I both had to go off very little in the past to track her down, this time we at least have magic and a whole lot more on our side."
David is silent for the rest of the drive. It isn't until he has parked and turned off the truck that he fully turns to look at Killian. "You know something you aren't telling me don't you?"
"You think I'm being dishonest?" Killian asks, struggling to not sound hurt by the distrust.
Knowing when he's touched a nerve David backtracks. "I don't think you're lying. I think you're telling me everything you know, but there is something else."
"Well by all means, what is it?"
"You're taking this all considerably well. I was worried for a while back there that you were actually going to try something against Merlin. And then after you told us his intentions…I don't know how you left there so calmly. Even now this isn't the same man who only days ago I was force feeding Granny's take-out."
"Perhaps I've finally embraced your heroes philosophy of hope." Killian says with another small smile.
"Well that's good." David says returning his smile.
The two then exit the truck and climb the stairs to the loft in companionable silence. Upon entering they notice all the lights are off, meaning Mary Margaret and Neal must be asleep. "Are you hungry?" David asks quietly turning the light on low in the kitchen.
"I could eat." Killian nods his head just as quiet, sitting down at the counter.
David turns to rummage through the fridge and finds that Mary Margaret had leftovers from dinner in there with instructions for heating them up. She must have been confident in their return. As he is heating the food per her instructions he hears Killian's phone ring and turns as he watches him answer it. He can't hear what is being said, but from the high pitch of the voice David guesses it is Regina. And is confused by what she could possibly want so soon after separating.
"Are you sure?" Killian asks holding the phone away from his ear to save his hearing Regina was shrill.
"Of course I'm sure! I think I would be sure that my son is missing!" She shouts into the phone. "We got back to the house and he said he was tired and went straight to his room. I had a missed call from Robin and returned it. When I got off the phone I went up to tell Henry goodnight and he was gone. And so is the book."
"Well calm down, the lad couldn't have gone far on foot. We will all just go out and look for him."
"Killian I swear if you have something to do with this I will never forgive you!" Regina says less angry and more upset.
"What could I have possibly done? I have been with all of you or David since our return. You heard me tell the Lad we needed to rest and start in the morning."
Crying now on the other end of the phone it's hard for Regina to get her words out. "I just don't want anything to happen to him. With everything that has been happening recently who knows what trouble he could get into!"
"It will be alright, we will find him." Killian assures her one more time before hanging up. He looks up to see David staring at him with concern. "It would appear Henry gave Regina the slip and is gone."
"I kinda guessed that listening to your end of the call." David says shutting the stove off and pulling the food out. He's quiet as he puts it away again, like he found it.
"Well we best be off." Killian says standing up. "Shall we wake up the Lass before we go?"
David comes around the counter and stops in front of Killian. "I'm going to ask you again, is there something you aren't telling me?"
"Do you really want to discuss this now with the Lad out there alone?" Killian asks turning away to leave. "Her majesty wouldn't appreciate our procrastinating."
"Killian." David says firmly, causing him to stop, but not turn around. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but why you're keeping it a secret from me I don't understand. You know you can trust me."
"Aye." Killian says nodding his head, but still not turning around.
"You know where Henry is, don't you?"
"I suspect." Killian says finally turning to stare at David. "I also think it might be better if I were to find him by myself."
"I agree." David says, seeing the surprise cross Killian's face quickly before transforming into gratitude.
"You trust me with the Lad even though you suspect I'm lying to you?"
"You would never let anything happen to Henry, just like I know you would never let anything happen to Emma that you could control. Whatever it is you're not telling me, you must have a good reason for it, even if I don't understand it."
Killian felt a lot of gratitude for this mans trust and the fact that he was a part of his life. He didn't deserve him or any of them, but he wouldn't push them away. "Thank you." Killian says nodding his head. "I best be going now. I will let you know once I get where I'm going whether I find the Lad or not."
"You're not going to even tell me where you're going?"
"If you know you might try to follow, because that's who you are." Killian smiles. "I'm just saving you from yourself."
Laughing David nods his head. "Just let me know if you need any help. You know I will do whatever I can to help you."
Killian doesn't say anything in response to that, but just nods his head and smiles again, this time looking a bit sad. David doesn't know why, but that felt strangely like a goodbye even though neither one of them ever said it.
Shrugging his shoulders David turns back to the fridge to once again start heating up the food Mary Margaret had left out. He intended to call Regina in a while to let her know Killian had everything under control, but he figured he owed him a headstart.