Author's Notes 1: I can tell you that what happens in this chapter was what gave me the final push to start writing this story. This is also quite possibly the most important chapter of the whole fic, and it is definitely the one I enjoyed writing the most. I hope you like it :)
Author's Notes 2: Thank you very much again to jewlsmichelle and to secretdreamerhere for the lovely reviews!
~.~
Storybrooke – Present Day
Killian remained still, his eyes practically drilling holes in the pawnshop's wooden tiles. He was determined to find Calypso and end this centuries-old feud for once and for all, but his body felt heavier than usual and it was hard to move his feet. Even if they defeated Calypso, what would he say to his mother afterwards? There were far too many words to say, too many feelings to share – and still plenty of answers to demand. When exactly had she arrived in Storybrooke? Why hadn't she reached out to him sooner? Why did his and Emma's kiss break her curse?
With a slight hunch to his shoulders, he reached for Emma's hand. His life had completely turned upside down in only a matter of hours. How was he supposed to deal with all of this? How was he supposed to feel about a great part of his life being a lie?
"All this time I thought my mother had abandoned us, but she was always with us, with me," he muttered, taking some comfort from the way Emma's thumb caressed his own. "I have to get to her."
"Killian, wait," she stopped his hasty march to the door, one hand wrapping around his arm. She could sense how unsettled he was, his droopy posture and bowed head a clear indicator that he was struggling to coming to terms with what they had learnt. She knew from experience that jumping into the next crisis without properly dealing with overwhelming feelings would only make it worse. "I know how you feel. After I broke the curse, I didn't have time to process the truth about myself, because the next thing I knew I was getting sucked into a hat that took me and my mother back to the Enchanted Forest."
Her words had Killian lifting his head, encouraging her to go on. "And while that ended up leading me to you, I still didn't have time to make peace with the fact that my parents were fairytale characters who had never stopped loving me. I felt like I was going crazy. I don't want the same thing to happen to you."
There was a soft smile on Killian's face upon the realization that this unexpected reveal about his parents was very much similar to what Emma had gone through after she broke the curse and found out the truth about herself and her family. Kindred spirits, indeed.
"We will find your mother, I promise. But you need to breathe first."
"What do you suggest, Swan?"
Answering him without words, she flicked her wrist and poofed them to their kitchen. There were two hot cups of chamomile tea on the table, its delicious aroma tempting him into taking a seat and revel in the comfort of its warm flavors.
"If there is one thing all those sessions with Archie taught me is that we should take a moment for ourselves before getting into the next crisis," Emma said, taking his mother's sword from his hand and putting it on the table, before pulling a chair for him. Her effort to tend to him stirred the butterflies in Killian's stomach and he accepted her silent invitation.
"Do you know what was the hardest part about learning the truth about my parents and the real reason why they gave me away? It was knowing that the one thing that had caused me so much pain for twenty-eight years was a lie, a misunderstanding," she shrugged her shoulders before holding a cup in her hands. "For years I let the fact that my parents didn't want me shape the person I was."
"That's only natural, love, you-"
"I know," she didn't give him a chance to finish. "But learning that my parents never stopped loving me and were trying to save me all along? It took me a long time to accept that. It was like someone had pulled a rug from under me."
"Aye, it feels as though part of your suffering was in vain."
"Yeah, it does. And suddenly you don't know who you are anymore. But you know what? That's crap, because even though you have spent most of your life believing a lie, it was still real to you. And so was your pain and everything you felt during all that time."
There were tears pricking her eyes, both for herself and for Killian, but she was still able to flash him an encouraging smile as she held his face in her hands. It took some seconds for his gaze to finally meet hers, the love and pride he saw swirling in her eyes making his heart flutter.
"You are a hero, a captain, a pirate, a brother-"
"A husband," he added, cupping her hands with his hand and hook.
"And a son. You are all of them," she said in a soothing voice, happy to finally spot a smile that reached his eyes again. "You once told me I inherited the strength of my parents' love. So did you. Their love is what you're made of. Now remember who you are."
Killian threw his head back, giving her a grateful smile at the familiar words she borrowed from him. She was right. Nothing of what Emma had gone through had erased the scars from her heart. She was still Emma. The woman he loved – the woman he had always loved. Why should it be any different with him? It didn't matter if his past turned out to be different than what he had believed. He was still Killian Jones. Captain Hook. Nothing would ever change that.
Bringing one of her hands to his lips, he dropped a kiss on her smooth skin, just as he had done on that looming day in the vault. "My father died to save me and my mother. I won't let Calypso take that from him."
"Then let's stop her," Emma's voice was confident before her face fell, her slightly trembling fingers tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "But before we go, I need to ask you something."
"What is it, love?"
"You're my True Love, Calypso can't turn me against you. But there's a chance she will enchant me against your mom," her words caught him off guard. With everything going on, he hadn't even thought about that threat. If what Rumplestiltskin told them was right, Calypso would never succeed in enchanting him against Anne because they shared the same blood. But not being related to his mother nor sharing a True Love bond with her meant that Emma was just as susceptible to Calypso's spell as everybody else in Storybrooke. "If she does and if I try to hurt your mom, don't be afraid to stop me."
"It won't come to that, Swan," he said in a dismissive tone, grabbing his mother's sword from the table. He wouldn't even give that demon a chance to turn Emma against his mother.
"But if it does-"
"I will never hurt you, Emma," he said in a mix of harshness and honesty, not wanting to even think about the possibility of having to choose between the two women.
"Just don't let me hurt her either," she whispered, focusing on the hard clench of his jaw. "Killian, please." Emma knew he wouldn't say the words, and she had to settle for nothing more than a half nod from his part. She had no doubt that he would do anything he could to keep her and Anne safe.
Watching Emma's magic seep through her fingers, they let the locator spell engulf his mother's sword and followed it out the door.
Enchanted Forest – 196 years ago
There was nothing that brought Calypso more joy than to watch Anne in the most desperate of states. She held the mirror tightly in her hands and savored Anne's countless attempts at trying to get in touch with Hook. Her youngest son had recently arrived in Neverland, determined to find a way to seek revenge on the Dark One after he had killed his wife, the pirate's lover. Calypso had been concerned at first, not being entirely sure if the spell she cast on Anne would work across realms, but all her worries vanished when Anne was dragged to the island of the lost boys along with Hook.
"The sweet taste of reeeevenge," a high-pitched voice startled her, and she couldn't help the chill that traveled down her spine when she recognized the person to whom it belonged.
"Rumplestiltskin."
He giggled in his usual way, swaying his arms before bowing to her. "Charmed to meet you."
Calypso raised an eyebrow at his overdramatic antics, but at least he seemed to be in a better mood than when he had crushed his wife's heart.
"I didn't know you lurked Kinsale."
"How could I not?" he fake-clapped in an exuberant way. "It's not everywhere you get to see a beautiful deity walk on land like a mere mortal."
She laughed at his appreciative perusal, knowing exactly just what he was trying to do. Her encounter with Zoso all those years ago had been enough for her to know how the Dark One worked. Rumplestiltskin wanted something from her and he was trying to woo her with compliments.
"You don't need to charm me with flattery. I'm familiar with the Dark One's tactics," she said, taking a step toward him. "What do you want?"
Another giggle escaped him at her forwardness, a smug smile tugging at the corners of his lips as an empty potion bottle magically appeared on his scaly hand.
"There's an ingredient I need. An ingredient only you can get for me," one of his black fingernails ran over her cheek before he shook the bottle in front of her. "Five drops of water from the River Lethe."
"How am I supposed to help you? That river's in the Underworld."
"Yes, it is," he giggled again. "But legend says the river's headwaters are in the Aegean Sea, where only Gods are allowed…"
"What do you need the water for?" she wondered, still giving him the stink eye.
"For a potion, of course!" he lied through his teeth. Calypso did not need to know that water from the River Lethe was one of the ingredients necessary to create the Dark Curse. The one magical item that would wipe away everyone's memories.
"And what do I get in return?"
"I may not know why you're seeking revenge on that woman," he pointed at Anne's reflection on the mirror, before cupping Calypso's chin in his palm and lifting her face to his. "But I know how to recognize a lonely soul when I see one. Get me that water and I will put on your path someone who will always be your side. Someone who will never betray you. Someone who will wuv you for all eternity."
Calypso's breath hitched in her throat as she considered his proposal. Having somewhat of a sidekick would certainly be useful, and the idea of having someone entirely committed to her and her cause was even more appealing. What would it even be like to have by her side someone who loved her? Someone who would do anything for her? Her eagerness to find out almost had her shaking his hand in agreement, but she hesitated. As attractive as his deal sounded, Rumplestiltskin was still a Dark One. She couldn't trust him. But then again… what did she have to lose? Going back home to get five drops of water from the River Lethe's headwaters would not be a problem for her, and whatever he needed the water for would not affect her in any way.
"Do we have a deal?" he asked in his most charming voice, stretching his hand to hers at the same time he wiggled his fingers in anticipation. Another one of his giggles filled the air between them when her hand touched his, sealing their deal with a long handshake.
Getting the water had proved to be a more prolonged task than she had expected. Her parents – her real parents, the ones who had reached out to her and helped her learn the truth about herself not too long ago – had insisted that she visited their home and met her sisters, but she still wasn't ready to get acquainted with the rest of her family. Despite her parents' efforts, they were little more than strangers to her. She loved the Earth, she wanted to spend the rest of her life on land. And, most importantly, she had a mission. Starting a new life close to her family – a family that still chose to give her away for their own benefit – would get in the way of her mission to get revenge on Anne.
When she returned with the potion bottle full of the magical, transparent water, she wondered if she had made the right decision by accepting Rumplestiltskin's deal. She had heard things about him, about how he always honored his deals. Certainly he wouldn't simply take the bottle from her without fulfilling his end of the deal. Would he? She almost lost her balance when something crashed into her – or rather, someone – just as she was walking home. She was already prepared to insult this careless person, but when she saw a handsome man smiling at her, only inches away from her face, the words never left her mouth. He was tall and lean, his dark brown eyes staring into hers as if she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
"I would apologize, but I can't say I'm sorry that I crashed into you," his voice was low and deep, his gaze instantly falling on her lips. There was a twinkle in his eyes, almost as if he was completely taken aback by her beauty. It was then that her breath was held in a gasp of realization. He had to be the man Rumplestiltskin had sworn to put on her path. The one who would always be loyal to her. The one who would love her forever.
"Where are my manners, I forgot to introduce myself," he added, and Calypso couldn't help but notice how his muscles rippled when he stretched his hand to her. "I'm Scott."
A smile tugged on her lips as her hand touched his. She knew Rumplestiltskin wouldn't disappoint her. "Calypso."
Storybrooke – Present Day
Emma and Killian had expected the sword to guide them anywhere but the lake park. They hadn't been there since before being sucked into Zelena's time portal. The place still looked the same, but they were certain that the brigantine ship docked on the north side of the lake had never been there before.
"It's your mom's ship," Emma said, recognizing the painting and the square-rigged sails.
"They have to be in there." As if to confirm Killian's suspicions, the sword smashed into the ship's hull before falling on the lake's muddy floor. Emma and Killian exchanged a knowing glance and agreed to get on the ship as silently as possible. It shouldn't be too difficult for them. While they had recently started working together as Sheriff and Deputy, they were already used not only to working together as a team, but also to finding the best ways to walk into a place unnoticed.
When they barged into what used to be Anne and Davy's quarters, they found Anne tied to the bed, a piece of cloth stuffed in her mouth, while Calypso looked out the window without a care in the world.
"Hello there!" she greeted them with mocking enthusiasm. "What took you so long?"
Determined to free his mother, Killian ran to her, clutching onto the sword that had once belonged to her, but before he could reach her, Calypso's magic shoved him against one of the walls. Anne's grunts were muffled by the blaring sound of Calypso's blue stream of magic hitting Emma, who tried to fight against the power of the spell being inflicted on her.
"Emma!" Killian's worried voice was the last thing Emma heard before her eyes itched and her vision became blurry. Killian tried to get back on his feet, but there was an invisible force pinning him to the floor and stopping him from moving. He could feel his heart beating against the cold tiled floor as his dilated pupils settled on Emma's face. Panic set in when he watched her hazel green eyes turn blue from Calypso's spell. No, he wasn't going to let Calypso enchant Emma against his mother. A new surge of strength coming from deep within him allowed him to raise his torso from the floor, but it still wasn't enough to get him back on his feet. From the corner of his eye, he could see his mother on the other side of the room trying to get rid of the ropes around her wrists, but neither of them could free themselves to stop Calypso.
When Killian was already thinking of ways to break the spell on Emma once they got out of there, Calypso's magic unexpectedly dissipated into thin air as the spell broke, the blue shade in Emma's eyes being replaced by their natural color. What had just happened?
"No, it's not possible," Calypso wrapped one hand around her wrist, her eyes burning with disbelief as she stared at Emma.
"I guess your little spell didn't work, uh?" Emma prepared to tackle her with her light magic, just as she had done with Rumple before, but Calypso was quick to react and poofed herself and Anne away just in time to prevent Emma's magic from hitting her.
Damn it.
"Are you alright?" Killian rushed to Emma, his hand cupping the back of her head as he sized her up.
"Yeah, I am," Emma hugged him, thankful that he wasn't hurt either. She didn't know why Calypso's spell hadn't worked on her, but she wasn't going to complain. The adrenaline still rushing through her body had her darting her eyes to the floor in search of the one item that had brought them there in the first place. "She took your mother's sword."
"And now we can't find them," his voice broke in response. "Bloody hell."
"We should tell everyone what's going on and try to come up with a plan to get your mother back."
Storybrooke – Six days ago
After being certain that not one soul had followed him, Rumplestiltskin knocked on the door and waited patiently for her to answer. He would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling a smidge of regret for coming here in the first place, but this was what was better for his family. Unlike what the heroes believed, sometimes it was inevitable to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. In the end, Belle and Gideon would thank him.
When the door finally opened, his mouth curved into a smile. He had been right once again and looking back at him was exactly the person he was expecting to see.
"Can I help you?" the female voice inquired, and Rumple could tell she was putting on act and pretending she didn't know who he was.
"You may stop playing the part of the nice new woman in town who doesn't know who I am, dearie," he sneered, "or should I say… Calypso?"
The woman's eyes narrowed as if aiming a gun, tilting her head and pressing her lips together before they broke into a surrendering smile.
"Sagacious as always, I see" she sniggered, "what do you want?"
"To make a deal, of course."
Taking one step to the side, Calypso invited him in. His eyes darted across the room, not surprised to see that the decoration in Granny's Bed and Breakfast was still stuck in 1955.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked, sitting in one of the armchairs and encouraging him to do the same.
A corner of his mouth lifted as he turned to look at her, declining her offer to sit.
"Given how successful our first partnership turned out to be, I was hoping you'd agree to do some more business with me."
"Just because I agreed to make a deal with you once doesn't mean I'll do it again," she said, getting up from the armchair and walking past him towards the mini bar.
"I know Storybrooke and its people better than you. I know their strengths, their weaknesses, their secrets…" he tried to persuade her again. "You need me."
She poured some whisky in a glass, lost in thought. She hadn't thought of seeking the Dark One's help, but perhaps she could benefit from his presence. Especially after she had witnessed on that same day how powerful Emma and Regina's combined magic was. She hadn't expected their protection spell on Snow and Charming's farmhouse to be so strong.
"Need is too strong of a word, but you can certainly be useful," she smiled suggestively at him, shaking her glass and swirling the ice. "In fact, today I witnessed something that can pose a hindrance in the future. The Savior and the Queen… their magic combined seems to be quite powerful."
"Indeed it is. Not many are able to resist the power of light and dark magic coming together."
"That's exactly why I'm not willing to take any chances. I need to find a way to stop those two from working together," she brought the glass to her lips and took a sip, her eyes never leaving his. "Tell me one thing that could turn Emma Swan against the Evil Queen and I will help you with whatever you need."
Storybrooke – Present Day
Their run to her parents' farm house was going smoothly until a group of Storybrooke citizens led by Grumpy and Granny started going after them, vowing to get Killian and to make him pay for everything he and his "devilish mother" had done to them. It was only when Granny attempted to hit Killian with her crossbow that they realized the real danger they were in.
"She enchanted everyone against you," Emma said almost out of breath once they managed to hide in an alley. The spell had turned these people, their friends, into maniacal versions of themselves who only cared about getting revenge on Killian and Anne. "We need to find my parents."
"What if they hate me now, too?" he wondered with a great deal of worry and Emma's heart broke for him. It had taken so much effort on his part to win her parents over, to make them believe that he was a changed man and that he was worthy of a second chance, only for a stupid spell to ruin that.
"They won't hurt you," she held his hand reassuringly.
"But I will," Regina's voice echoed from behind them, a ball of fire already beginning to form in her hand.
Emma instinctively pushed Killian behind her, trying her best to shield him. "Regina, you don't want to do this."
"Do you seriously think I'm going to let the traitor get away with what he's done to us?!"
"Sorry," Emma said before stretching her hand and letting her magic knock Regina unconscious. She was surprised to see her magic being that effective, but then again she had been able to defeat Rumple twice in the recent past. Something was going on with her magic, but there was no time to think about that now. With the rest of Storybrooke and the new residents Calypso had recruited out there trying to kill her husband, Emma simply poofed them into the farmhouse's yard. It was safer this way.
The sound of birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees was a welcoming change to the slur of threats and insults they had escaped from. Everything seemed quiet and Emma hoped that the spell hadn't reached this part of town. Having her parents on her side could be the key to finding Anne and defeating Calypso.
When she opened the front door, a wave of relief hit her when she found her parents and Henry sitting on the kitchen table.
"Emma!" David was the first to hug her, pulling her close to him before Henry and Snow joined in on the hug.
"Thank God you're okay," Emma said once when they pulled away, one hand rubbing Henry's back. "It's Calypso. She's enchanting everyone against-"
"Don't worry, honey, we know you have nothing to do with this," Snow said, cupping Emma's cheek in her hand, but her touch seemed different. Colder.
"But he does," David's bitter tone matched the angry gleam of his eyes as he turned to look at Killian. "He's the son of that witch, he doesn't deserve to be part of this family."
Emma's stomach dropped, a sudden feeling of nausea hitting her at the realization that her parents were under Calypso's spell too. She searched for Henry, noticing that his eyes were trained on the floor, almost as if he was trying to fight against whatever the spell was making him think. Despite the tension of the moment, she found herself happy that Henry and Killian's bond was strong enough to at least make Henry fight against this spell.
"If you don't leave our daughter alone, we will make you," Snow pulled out her bow, directing it at Killian, who just stood still, trying to hide his disappointment.
"If you want to hurt him, you'll have to get through me first," Emma put herself between them. She wasn't going to hurt her parents, but she sure as hell wasn't going to let them hurt Killian. "You will come to your senses, I promise."
Not giving her parents a chance to say anything else, Emma got herself and Killian out of there, taking them back to the safety of their living room.
"I'm sorry," she rested her forehead against his once they sat on the dark brown couch.
"Don't worry, love. I know it's not their fault."
Storybrooke – Six days ago
"I can't say I'm impressed. You were always quite efficient," Calypso said, carefully placing the gooey foam with Regina's memories inside the tinderbox. If everything went according to plan, soon enough Emma Swan would want nothing to do with the reformed Evil Queen.
"And now for your end of the deal…" Rumple held his Dark One dagger in front of her face, redirecting her attention to what truly mattered. "This dagger used to be part of a very special sword."
"Excalibur, yes. I'm familiar with that tale."
"Then you should know this is all there is left of the Holy Grail created by Zeus."
Calypso rolled her eyes at the mention of the God who had been responsible for ruining her family's kingdom in the Aegean Sea. The least she heard about that imbecile, the better.
"Yes, and what do I have to do with that?"
Rumple's gaze suddenly lingered with hesitation, recalling the events from the month before. The other Dark Ones had warned him of there being something more to the dagger than it seemed. With his senses heightened by their suggestion, his fingers had touched the blade, triggering the revealing images that ended up urging him to find Calypso. Now that he knew what the Dark Ones had been trying to tell him, he couldn't ignore any of it. Disclosing such precious information to Calypso was a risk, but one he had to take. As much as it angered him, he needed her to finally get what he wanted.
"This dagger is inscribed with an invisible message that is of my utmost interest: the way to destroy the darkness for once and for all," he said, fighting to keep any sign of nervousness away from his body.
"You're the Dark One, can't you reveal it?"
"A God's magic created the Holy Grail and this message, only a God's magic can reveal it," he clarified, a slight hint of bitterness detectable in his voice. "Not even Merlin himself was powerful enough to make it visible."
Of course Merlin wasn't powerful enough to make it visible, Calypso thought to herself. He may have been the most powerful sorcerer of all the realms, but he was still human, not a deity. Just like the man standing before her. A Dark One, but human underneath.
"You want to know how the darkness can be destroyed so you can prevent it from ever happening," Calypso raised one eyebrow at him. "You want to keep your power forever."
Rumple assented, an enigmatic grin on his face. "And as luck would have it, you are a Goddess who owns me a favor."
She returned his smile, taking another step toward him. This was something she would happily do – her plans would not be tampered with and on top of it she would get to infuriate Zeus. Wonderful!
She tried to reach for the blade, but Rumple quickly yanked it away from her hungry grasp. "Sorry dearie, but no one but me is touching the dagger."
He held it out for her instead, impatience taking over as he waited for her to get on with it. She lifted her shoulder in a half shrug and waved her hand over the sharp blade. Within seconds, the sparks of her magic wiped out the Dark One's name, the silver grey "Rumplestiltskin" inscription giving way to a new combination of glowing letters. Eager to read the two sentences that gleamed from the blade, Rumple narrowed his eyes at the message:
"When two products of True Love join one another in a matrimonial union of True Love, they shall conceive 'The Light One' and his light magic shall destroy all the darkness in the world."
The bedroom clock beat in time with Rumple's heart, his gaze so fixed on the words that he failed to notice Calypso leaning over to peek at the message.
"Of course," his words came out in a breath as he processed what he had just read. "True Love's the rarest and most powerful magic in the world. The one thing that can destroy the darkness."
"You sound awfully pleased for someone who's just learned he's doomed," she said, curiosity sipping through her somewhat cheery voice.
With a smile on his lips, Rumple lifted his gaze to meet hers. "There are only two products of True Love in this town. And luckily for me, they are brother and sister, not husband and wife."
Calypso's whole face lit up at the realization that he was only taking into consideration the Savior and her baby brother.
"So you're not concerned about the Savior and the Pirate?" she asked, tongue in cheek, wanting to make sure he truly believed that Emma Swan and her brother were the only products of True Love walking around Storybrooke.
"Why would I be? Miss Swan may be the product of True Love, but the Pirate sure isn't," he said, his voice more confident than ever. "Which means there is no one in this town who will be able to conceive the one thing that can destroy me."
Calypso had to hold in a laugh. Rumplestiltskin really was just as clueless about the past as everybody else. It wasn't that surprising – he wasn't the Dark One at the time any of those events took place. She suddenly wanted to burst with happiness at what this could mean to her plans, but she contained herself. She wouldn't ruin the leverage she now had over the Dark One.
"Right…" she ended up saying, enjoying the false relief spreading across Rumple's face. He had no idea what was about to hit him.
Storybrooke – Present Day
"Why are we back here?" Anne asked once her body fell again on the bed of her old quarters.
"I need to do something before we leave," Calypso's reply was barely audible as she set a small metal box on the desk. "And now that your offspring and his escort are gone, I don't have to worry about intruders."
"Whose heart is that?" Anne's eyes popped out of her head once Calypso retrieved a bright red beating heart from the box. That heart belonged to someone, and a bad feeling took up root in her stomach at Calypso's silence. "If there is something that Killian and his family have taught me is that it's never too late to believe in love. You won't win. True Love will prevail."
"God, what spreads this optimistic nonsense around here?" Calypso rolled her eyes, having none of it. "Is it the water? The air?"
The way she then rushed to the cabin's door made it even more obvious that her question had been rhetorical and that she had no interest in listening to a hope speech. At this point, Anne wasn't sure she would be able to give her one, either.
"I'm feeling generous and I won't tie you this time. You can't leave anyway," Calypso gave a dismissive wave of her hand, reminding Anne of the protection spell she had put on the ship. "Have fun!"
Once Calypso was out the door, Anne jumped off the bed like a spring and scooted towards the desk. In her grieving haze following Davy's death, she had forgotten to take most of her possessions with her when she had sold the ship. Mentally telling herself not to get her hopes up, she tried to open one of the drawers, but let out a frustrated sigh when she realized it was locked. She pushed the sleeves of her white shirt up to her elbows, not giving up just yet. She had worked her way around thousands of locks in the past, she wasn't going to let a locked drawer get the best of her now. She took a bobby pin from her hair, sticking her tongue out in concentration as she picked the lock to the drawer.
"Yes!" she gushed to herself when the familiar click reached her ears. She still got it.
She pulled the drawer out, setting it on the desk as her frantic fingers rummaged through its contents. She sighed in relief when she finally found what she was looking for, a bright smile adorning her features. She couldn't believe it. It was still there, even after all these years.
"Seriously, don't these people get tired?" Emma closed one of the window's blinds a little more angrily than intended. More and more Storybrooke citizens kept flooding their driveway, daring them to come out and face all the people they had "wronged". She had to give it to Calypso: to make her friends and family hate Killian – and her by extension, for protecting him – was possibly one of the worst things she remembered experiencing in Storybrooke. Regina, August, Granny, the dwarfs, Marco… Even Ashley and Thomas were out there yelling and shouting the nastiest things.
"Nemo," Killian murmured as he peeked outside through the white curtains, finding his friend among the crowd. He frowned when his eyes searched for Liam, but he was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't his brother, or even half-brother, but the bond they had developed was enough for Liam's absence to afflict him.
"We need to find a way to get the Fragarach back," Emma said as she walked back and forth across the living room, trying to come up with a plan. "It's the only thing that can give us leverage over Calypso."
"Aye, but how? With everyone enchanted to hate me and my mother, it will be hard to find assistance."
"I don't even want to imagine if she had been able to enchant me against your mom, too."
Killian shrugged, still looking outside. "It certainly wasn't for lack of effort."
"That's what I don't get. Why didn't it work?" Emma was now standing beside him. That question had been plaguing her mind, but she had ignored it. Until now. Maybe understanding the reason why she had been unaffected by Calypso's magic would help them defeat her. "Gold said Calypso's spells have no effect on the ones who share blood or True Love with the person she tries to set them up against. I share neither with your mom."
Killian nodded, his eyes traveling from the crowd outside to his wife's pensive gaze. He wished he could give her all the answers she was looking for, but he could only think of one reason as to why Calypso's spell had failed on her. "Unless the Crocodile was lying, as is his custom."
"He wasn't," Calypso's cold voice echoed behind them, her sudden presence leaving a trail of ocean blue smoke in her wake.
"Where is my mother?" Killian bit out, pulling his sword out at the same time Emma aimed her gun at Calypso. They knew none of that could hurt her, but what else could they do?
"You look even more like your father when you're angry," Calypso leered at him. "Your mother is fine. For now."
"If you're here to try to enchant me again, you'd better step up your game," Emma tried to get a rise out of her, hoping to see that hint of failure and disappointment in Calypso's eyes one more time.
"Oh no, darling. I already know that won't work on you. You see, a little unexpected accident happened that tampered with my original plan," her words became even more cryptic once she started walking in circles around Emma. What the hell was she talking about? And why was she grinning like an idiot?
"I must say I was quite baffled to see my spell had no effect on you. After all, you don't share True Love with your mother-in-law, but you have no blood relation to her either… So what could have possibly happened? And then it dawned on me…" she paused to lean over Emma before whispering in her ear. "You don't have Anne's blood running in your veins, but the child growing inside of you does."
The room fell silent for a second, the drumming of Emma's heartbeat in her ears the only sound she registered as she stared wide-eyed at Calypso. No, it couldn't be. She was… pregnant? Her pulse sounded even more unnaturally fast this time, and it was as though the floor had opened under her.
"What?" Killian's words trembled with emotion, a mix of confusion, fear and happiness swirling in his eyes as his gaze immediately fell on Emma's stomach.
"Congratulations, Captain. You can take that as a sure sign that you're the baby's father," Calypso said, enjoying the shocking daze she had left them in as she turned to Emma again. "That's also why you are stronger than the Dark One now. You have a very special child growing inside of you."
Storybrooke - Three days ago
In the darkness of the street below, the eyes of two carefully hidden figures observed the shadows of stepfather and stepson, moving behind the curtains.
"Aww, the pirate is such a good father. It runs in the family," Calypso tried to provoke her late-night companion.
"What do you want?" There was a mix of bitterness and menace in Rumplestiltskin's voice.
"Someone is impatient."
"You may be a goddess, but I am the Dark One. Do not waste my time," his face was mere inches away and his breath blew in her face. "I gave you the tinderbox with Regina's memories. My end of the deal is done."
"Oh, I know. But why not extend our partnership when we share a common interest?" Calypso took a step back, careful to avoid the fading light of the street lamp. "We both want to make the pirate miserable. I know you still hate him. You always have."
"You and I both know that the pirate isn't your main target."
"But a target, nonetheless," she ran her index finger over his lapels. "I need one last favor."
"One would think you would know by now that I don't do favors. And certainly not to you."
"What if I told you that there is one tiny, little piece of information I have that you will most definitely want to know about?"
That got Rumple's attention and he roughly grabbed her by the arm. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"You don't. You'll just have to trust me," Calypso shoved his arm away, turning to look at Henry and Killian as she waited for Rumple's answer.
"Very well, but I shall remind you," he almost whispered in her ear, "you are in no position to play games with me. Not unless you want miss Swan and company to know that the person they've been looking for has been under their nose the whole time."
Calypso smirked, staring off into the distance. That wouldn't be a problem. She wasn't playing any games.
"Soon enough they won't even be a problem," she said. "For my plan to work, I need to get those heroes out of Storybrooke."
"And how exactly will you do that?"
"A dark curse," she grinned. "However, there is one ingredient missing. One ingredient that you happen to have."
"The information first and the ingredient later," his demand came through gritted teeth, his patience running out.
"What if I told you there is more to the past than you know?" She inched forward, her chin resting on his shoulder as her hot breath seared his skin. "What if I told you that Killian Jones is a product of True Love?"
The color drained out of his face as he stared at her, his mouth slightly gaping open before a smile washed over him. Calypso could tell this wasn't one of his usual brash smiles. This smile was nothing more than a cloak to hide his fear and uncertainty.
"You're lying," he managed to say, his face now merely inches away from hers, but the only response he got from her was a smirk. His gaze dropped to her hands when the familiar tinderbox magically appeared in her palm.
"If you don't trust me, trust my memories," her outstretched hand encouraged him to take her memories and use the tinderbox so he could see for himself that she was telling the truth.
With his own fate at stake, Rumplestiltskin did as she dared. He extracted the dark grey foam of her memories and placed it inside the tinderbox, getting sucked into it once he let his fingers touch the substance. He was gone for no longer than a minute, but once he reappeared on the sidewalk, the moonlight lit his horror-filled face. There had been plenty of memories he had seen, but the one where Calypso had failed to enchant Davy Jones against Anne Bonny was the one playing over and over in his mind, the reason of Calypso's failure churning a hole through his soul: True Love. Davy Jones was Anne Bonny's True Love. Hook's parents had shared True Love. Just like Snow White and Prince Charming.
"Is it hard to swallow?" she taunted him, pride setting in at having bested the Dark One. "The Savior and the Pirate are both products of True Love who also happen to share a matrimonial union of True Love, which means-"
"They can create The Light One," he finished her line of thought, still not quite believing the words that came out of his mouth.
"And the minute Emma Swan gives birth to that child, you will be destroyed."
Calypso's prophetic sagacity had him closing his eyes as he shrank into himself, feeling like the crippled, weak coward he once was. "You knew all along."
"Yes, I did. But I couldn't risk losing such a wonderful bargaining chip, could I?" she laughed into the cold night air. "You see, if I cast this curse, I can keep your memories and you can stop Emma Swan and Captain Hook from falling in love with each other again."
His defeated face switched to a hopeful half-smile as he let the implications of her plan sink in. "And if they never fall in love, the Light One will never be born."
Calypso flashed him a smirk once again. Finally, he was starting to think like the Dark One again. "Do we have a deal?"
Storybrooke – Present Day
Calypso thrived on the power she held as she studied Emma and Killian's taken aback expressions. She had no interest in their baby, but she could certainly use this pregnancy to her advantage. Getting Anne away from everyone was still her main goal. She had thought the Dark Curse would do just that, but she hadn't expected the Savior to be pregnant already. With her and her child's combined power surging through her, Emma had easily defeated Rumplestiltskin and the plan to prevent Savior and Pirate from falling in love had run aground. That darn spawn wasn't even born yet and it had already caused chaos, she thought with a mental eye roll.
"I would offer to be the godmother, but surprisingly I'm not very good with rug rats," Calypso said with sarcastic haughtiness in her voice. "So… what name will you choose? Graham? Milah?"
Her fingers barely grazed Emma's stomach before Killian pulled her hand away.
"Stay the bloody hell away from her," Killian growled, a vein popping out in his forehead.
"Why are you here? You wouldn't be doing this just to taunt us," Emma glared at her, not even noticing the way her own hands dropped protectively over her stomach. "Not unless there was something in it for you."
"You got yourself a smart one," Calypso looked at Killian with mocking wide eyes, but soon her face grew serious again. "I'm here to offer you a peace deal."
"A peace deal? With you wanting to turn Storybrooke into your parents' new kingdom?" Emma asked skeptically, feeling the warmth of Killian's fingers enclosing hers.
"We sure won't be making any deals with you," Killian added, but his determination was not enough to stop Calypso's persistence.
"If you agree to leave me and Anne alone, you will not have to abide to my parents' rules. And I will break the spell on your family and friends and stay away from all of you, including your unborn child."
The tension in the air grew even thicker and more palpable as Emma and Killian blinked in unison, their dumbfounded state momentarily tempted by the promise of a less turbulent life.
"You have until sunset to decide. I'll be waiting for you in that greasy diner," Calypso's voice reverberated around the walls before she poofed herself out of there, disappearing just as quickly as she had appeared.
Still consumed by a flood of emotion, Emma let herself fall on the couch when her knees gave away, her body sinking into the cushions as a plethora of thoughts flittered through her mind. Had this whole thing really happened or was she about to wake up from a bad dream? But if Calypso was telling the truth, could this even be considered a bad dream? No, she shook her head gently. Having Killian's baby could never be a bad thing, even if the timing was… not good. But what if it wasn't true? What if Calypso was using a possible pregnancy to manipulate them into accepting her deal?
"What's going through your mind, love?" Killian's hand cupped the top of her knee, squeezing it gently as a wave of guilt washed over her. She had been so absorbed by the burden of Calypso's revelation that she hadn't paid attention to him. The cushions shifted under his weight, and she could tell by his quickened breath that he was just as confused as she was. Ever since they had met, he had always been able to read her like an open book, even when she had gone out of her way to keep every word and page hidden from his perceptive eyes. This time, however, the mix of emotions emanating from her was so vast and intense that his own dazed state prevented him from knowing what she was thinking.
"We don't even know if she's telling the truth," Emma's reluctant eyes landed on his. "I haven't felt anything different."
There had been some headaches and a slight soreness to her breasts, but nothing too unusual to even have her wondering if she could be pregnant. Everything had seemed normal. Everything except one thing.
"My magic… that's been different," she pointed out, recalling once again how she had overpowered Rumplestiltskin on not one, but two occasions. But how could a baby influence her magic? And what kind of special child had Calypso been talking about?
"We need to be certain," Killian smiled with a nod of his head, desperately trying not to let any kind of joy bubble up through him. If Emma truly was with child – his child – they would have to reconsider not only their priorities, but also their plan to get his mother back.
He felt Emma pulling on his hand and he followed her upstairs, his legs trembling with fear and excitement at the prospect of becoming a father. It had been soon after they had first started dating when he had known without a doubt in his heart that he wanted to build a family with Emma. Fearing that his fatherhood wishes would scare her and bring her walls back up, he had kept those very thoughts to himself for a long time, and it had only been on that night spent on the Jolly Roger that they had openly talked about having children. He had been over the moon to learn that they were on the same page, Emma's enthusiasm at the thought of having his babies making him feel like the luckiest man on the planet. Regardless, they had agreed to wait and to enjoy their children-free marriage for a little longer. They had certainly kept practicing – a lot – but none of those endless lovemaking sessions had happened with a pregnancy in mind.
"Remember that night on the Jolly when we talked about having kids?" Emma asked as she opened one of the drawers of her bedside table. He had just been thinking about that night and a smile reached his lips in response. "I decided to buy one of these after that night. Just in case we had a scare or something."
He took an eager step forward, his eyes narrowing on the small, light blue box Emma held in her hands.
"I take it that's one of the magical sticks you have to pee on to find out whether or not you're pregnant?" he frowned, looking at the box as if it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen.
"Yeah," she answered almost dismissively as her fingers struggled to prop open the flap of the box. She grunted when the damn thing insisted on not opening and, in a fit of anger, she ended up tearing the box open.
"Hey," Killian pulled her to him with the curve of his hook, knowing she was starting to let her distress get the best of her. "No matter what that tests says, we will be fine."
"I know we will," Emma took a deep breath and nodded. "I just want to know already."
They sat on the bed and carefully read the instructions. If they were going to do this, they were going to do everything they could to get the most accurate results.
"Yes, good," Emma blurted out, and Killian sent her a questioning look. "It says here the test has a 99% accuracy when taken up to four days before the period is due."
"Aye…"
If it wasn't for the tension of the moment, Emma would have laughed at Killian's confused expression.
"My period is only due next week, which means I'm not taking the test too late," she clarified.
"So whatever results we get will be 99% accurate?"
"Yes."
Their gazes lingered on one another until Killian's hand cupped her cheek, and she leaned into his touch before a nervous smile crept across her face.
"I'll be right back."
As she disappeared into the bathroom, Killian paced around their bedroom, his thumb frantically twisting his wedding ring. He was certain that he would end up inadvertently tearing a hole in the floor if she took too long. As he waited, he found himself imagining what holding a baby in his arms would feel like. Would the child like to listen to lullabies? Would he or she smile at the sound of his voice? Would the gentle sway of the Jolly Roger soothe him or her?
He turned around when the bathroom door flung open, Emma's hands pinching her own skin as her arms wrapped around herself.
"Five minutes," she said with a half-shrug and he was quick to hold his arm out for her to take. These would likely be the longest five minutes of their lives and they would spend them in the comfort of each other's embrace.
"Do you want me to be pregnant?" Emma rested her head on his shoulder once they sat on the bed, breaking the brief moment of silence. The question caught him off guard and he started rubbing her arm more vigorously as he thought of the right thing to say.
"I know the timing is far from ideal, love," he started, letting the words get off his chest. "But the thought of you carrying my child will never be one to make me sad."
"That's what I think, too," Emma smiled, holding her head up to look at him. "I really want us to have a baby together. Now is not the best time at all, but if that test comes out positive, I won't be sad. But with Calypso in town and…"
The words died down on her lips. It was a mix of feelings difficult to explain. Ever since having another baby became a real possibility for her, she had wished for it to be everything that her first pregnancy wasn't: calm, safe, quiet and, above all, happy. She had envisioned Storybrooke to be at peace by then, with no monsters or witches or any threats that would prevent her and Killian from focusing solely on their unborn child. And yet, if in three and a half minutes there was a plus sign on that white stick, they would have to protect their baby from a town cursed to hate and kill its father and grandmother.
"If you are pregnant, Swan, we will not let anything happen to our child," his tender voice soothed her worries. "And if you're not, then we can rescue my mother and try again when all of this is over."
"We will rescue your mother either way," she reassured him, her hand closing around his hook. "We'll find her."
"Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be around Calypso if you're with child?"
"Killian, pregnancy isn't a disability," she said in a somewhat aggrieved voice. "And besides, you know I can protect myself."
"I know you can, love. I just… I would never forgive myself if something happened to you and our little cygnet while trying to rescue my mother."
"Nothing's going to happen to us, okay?" she kissed him soundly on the cheek, neither noticing that they were already talking as if she was pregnant. "And you said it yourself: we won't let anything happen to our child."
The alarm on her phone went off, sending a jolt of electricity up their spines. It was time. This was it. The moment that could change their lives forever.
They reached for each other's hands at the same time, their clammy fingers lacing together as they sprung from the bed and made their way to the bathroom. Their eyes instantly fell on the white stick on the vanity countertop, hearts catching in their throats at each step they took.
There were no words spoken, the confident nods of their heads giving Emma the courage to pick the stick up as their eager eyes landed on the result window. Her mouth gaped open when she saw the pink plus sign staring back at her.
"I'm pregnant," she whispered almost breathlessly. "We're pregnant."
"We're having a child?" Killian's eyes lit up in delight, his voice trembling as he rushed forward to hug her. Part of him couldn't believe it. It was true. He was going to be a father.
"We're having a child," she repeated, her giggling voice muffled against his cheek as she kissed him there. It was only when he buried his head in the crook of her neck that she felt his tears dampening her skin. Feeling him so overcome with emotion triggered her own tears of joy and they kept holding onto each other, basking in the news.
It took some time for them to come back to reality. A reality where a mundane thing such as a visit to a doctor to confirm the pregnancy wasn't even attainable. Not with everyone cursed. With the daunting weight of Anne's fate on their shoulders, Calypso's proposition invaded Emma's mind again. Her face fell slightly as she wiped the tears from her eyes, her grave voice flicking with concern as she looked at her husband.
"What do we do now?"
Anne didn't know for how long Calypso had been gone, but with nothing else to do, she had lied down on the bunk bed. Maybe her memory was playing tricks on her, but she was under the impression that the mattress was more comfortable back then. Softer, more stuffed. Maybe her aging process going back to normal was finally taking a toll on her. Or maybe having Davy by her side all those years ago had made the lousy thing seem like the best mattress in the world.
"Is the old age getting to you, grandma?" Calypso laughed as the cabin's door barged open. The word "grandma" echoed in Anne's ears and prompted her to get on her feet, a frown digging lines into her face. "Oh, that's right, you didn't know. It appears your son will be a father."
Anne's eyebrows shot up and a smile curled the corner of her mouth. "Emma's pregnant?"
"Another orphan on the way," Calypso's sarcasm was met with a glare from Anne. "Don't look at me like that. You know better than anyone that this family excels in child abandonment."
"Because of monsters like you."
"Of course this means that now nobody will be doing any effort to save you," Calypso ignored Anne's remark. "I've offered them a deal: if they don't go after me and you, I will leave their child alone. Certainly they won't choose you over their baby."
"I wouldn't let them," Anne's determination got her an eyeroll from Calypso, who leaned over the window sill and looked at the late afternoon sky outside.
"Now I'll just have to wait until the sun sets to meet them at that rat hole diner and seal the deal. And then you and I will be finishing what we started."
Trying to appear as inconspicuous as possible, Anne sat on the bed again, carefully studying Calypso's face.
"Can I go with you?" just as Anne had expected, the casualness in her voice had Calypso diverting her attention to her. "I want to see my son one last time. I don't believe that's asking for much."
Conflict registered on Calypso's face as she pondered Anne's request, but she eventually assented to it, a smirk glowing across her features. Saying goodbye one last time would only make them more miserable. And she would never deny Anne Bonny of pain and misery.
When the sun's orange hues finally merged with the sky and twilight set in, Killian closed the living-room curtains and stormed to the kitchen.
"It's time," he said, watching Emma sip a glass of water by the sink. There was a streak of fear running through their eyes, now locked in understanding. They knew what they had to do over the next couple of minutes: they would tell Calypso they agree to her deal, and after she broke the curse on their family and friends, they would still try to find Anne. They knew that would breach their agreement, but giving up on Anne had never been an option. With the kind of evil they were dealing with, how could they even trust Calypso to stay true to her word if they were to abide to the deal? The best thing they could do was ignore her manipulative ways and try their best to get their families back, Anne included.
"Let's get this over with," with most of the town still surrounding their house, Emma had no choice but to magically transport them to Granny's. When they looked around once they got there, they were surprised to see that Calypso wasn't alone. Sitting opposite her in one of the booths there was Anne, a grin taking over her as her gaze landed on Killian.
"Mother," Killian's voice was barely audible, his eyes wrinkled in a smile. There was a sudden urge to run to her and hug her, but his feet didn't move.
"I was starting to think you wouldn't show up," Calypso rose from the booth, but what caught Emma and Killian's attention was the bright, red heart she held in her hands. Whose heart was that? "Liam?"
Their faces twisted in confusion when Liam emerged from the diner's hallway. His movements were stiff as he motioned towards them, his empty eyes radiating bitter frustration. Killian knew that look all too well. That was the look of man who had been stripped of his own free will, and he realized in that same moment that the heart in Calypso's hand belonged to Liam. She had been controlling him all along. That's why he hadn't seen him among the crowd earlier that day.
"You heroes are too predictable and I can't let you try to take Anne away from me," Calypso said, paralyzing Killian with her magic, and nodding toward Emma immediately after. Unlike Killian, Emma had magic and it would take more than a simple flick of Calypso's wrist to paralyze her. "Do it."
"I'm sorry," Liam found the strength to say, but he was unable to fight against Calypso's order. Under Anne's worried gaze, Liam opened the small jar of squid ink and threw it over Emma, every muscle on her body slowly becoming immobilized until she and Killian were nothing more than two living statues.
Storybrooke - Three days ago
It was a chilly morning, with the first rays of sun barely filtering through the clouds when Liam closed the front door of the Swan-Jones household. He walked out as quietly as possible, careful not to disturb Emma, Killian and Henry's sleep. They had welcomed him into their home in the warmest of manners and he wasn't going to let his early rising habits get in the way of their sleep. The previous day had been one of the Mother's Days he had enjoyed the most, with having the chance to spend it with Killian, and even earning an honest apology from him. It had meant the world to him to know that his half-brother truly regretted what he had done, and Liam had been ready to forgive him and turn over a new leaf. Killian and Nemo were the only family he had left and he wasn't going to ruin it now that they were both in his life. In fact, that had been part of the reason why he had accepted Emma and Killian's kind invitation. He wanted to get closer to his half-brother, and temporarily exchanging the Nautilus for the comfort of a real house had seemed like a wonderful idea. However, he didn't want his presence to be a burden to any of them and he had tried to go as unnoticed as possible. The only exception had been the first meal of the day – taking advantage of his cooking skills, he had decided to cook breakfast for the entire family and he had left a stack of pancakes in the oven with a thank you note. He just hoped that Emma and Killian were fans of pancakes.
With a duffel bag on his shoulder, he opened the white fence gate and turned left down the sidewalk toward the shortcut to the docks that Killian had showed him the day before. The streets were empty, something he was still getting used to, but he enjoyed the feeling of having the town to himself, even if it was only in the crack of dawn.
"Hello, Liam," Calypso appeared out of nowhere, her low voice making him jump in surprise as she blocked him from going any further. "You are quite the cook, but how good of a puppet are you?"
"Who are you?" Liam took a step back, a bad feeling running through his body as his eyes scrutinized her from head to toe. He had never seen this woman before. How did she even know his name?
"That doesn't matter," she answered before her hand pierced through his chest, his wailing scream echoing across the neighborhood's desert street. His eyes widened in horror when he saw his heart glowing in her hand. "What matters is that from now on you will do everything I say."
Storybrooke – Present Day
Emma's mind was running a mile a minute. Calypso had Liam's heart and suddenly everything became clearer.
"That day when you went to the station and told us that Anne had attacked you… Of course she never did," Emma said, the squid ink preventing her from looking directly at Liam, but she could still watch his face contort with guilt from the corner of her eye. "Calypso made you say that so we would all think that Anne was the one we were after."
"Leave my brother alone. He has nothing to do with this," Killian blurted out to Calypso once he put two and two together.
"Brother? I thought we were long past that," Calypso laughed, picking a piece of lint from the sleeve of her dress. "Now on to what truly matters: do you accept my offer or not?"
"We do," Emma answered right away. "But Liam's family. You're going to give him his heart back."
Calypso blinked, trying not to look too taken aback by Emma's demand. Liam had served his purpose, and she wouldn't need him any longer from now on. If that's what it would take for her to have Anne all to herself, so be it.
"Fine. I won't need him where we'll go anyway," Liam gasped in relief once Calypso smashed her hand against him, putting his heart back in place. His eyes flared like flashlights in the dark at the feeling of his wild heartbeat against his chest, and he nodded his head in appreciation in Emma and Killian's direction.
"Bring back the rest of our family and friends and we will leave you alone," Killian said, his gaze searching frantically for Anne's, trying to let her know without words that they were not giving up on her, but this was what they had to do for now.
In less than a second, everybody else was joining them at Granny's: Snow, David, Henry, Regina, Ashley, Thomas, Granny and the dwarfs, Marco, August, Nemo… They were just as immobilized as Emma and Killian, but the lack of threats and insults towards Anne and Killian was enough proof they were no longer cursed.
"There. I have honored my end of the deal. I expect you to do the same," her threatening voice matched the glare in her eyes.
"Wait!" Anne shouted just as Calypso prepared to magically poof them out of the diner. "I want to say goodbye."
Despite the wobble of her legs, Anne gathered enough strength to slowly make her way to Killian, stopping only when there was barely no space between them. Her glittering eyes filled with tears as she cupped his face in her hands. There was so much of Davy in him that sometimes it was hard to tell them apart. He had been through so much, and yet the man standing in front of her was the man she had always known he could be. One she took pride in calling her son. Her lips quivered when Calypso ordered her to hurry, the cruel realization that this could be the last time she saw him making her stomach flutter. She couldn't leave without telling him, without letting him know.
"I love you," she smiled, the salty taste of tears burning her mouth. "I always have."
He wanted to say it back, his own teary eyes boring into hers as he mentally cursed Calypso for not letting him move. He would have been ready to hold Anne in his arms, believing that his embrace was enough for her to know that he loved her, too. He didn't know why he wasn't able to get the words out, but they never came out and his mother's understanding smile was the last thing he saw before she turned to Emma.
"Thank you," Anne said with an appreciative smile, her hands slowly going around Emma's waist, pulling her in for a hug. Surprised by such an intimate contact, Emma didn't say a thing either, and it was only when Anne pulled away that Emma saw the wink sent her way. Before she could even think about what that had meant, Anne and Calypso were disappearing among a cloud of magic.
With Calypso gone, they were all able to move again, free of the magical paralysis they had been put under.
"We're so sorry for the awful things we said," Snow rushed to them, but her and David's worried gaze fell exclusively on Killian.
"We didn't mean any of it," David clarified, his voice filled with concern.
"You needn't worry," Killian reassured them. "I know better than anyone how a curse can make you do and say things you don't mean to."
Hugs and apologies were shared and it wasn't long until Thomas and Ashley were joining the group.
"So Morgana – Anne – is your mother," Thomas said, while Ashley pulled Emma in for a side hug.
"Aye, and now she's gone."
"We have to get her back," Henry blurted out, his hopeful determination eliciting a smile on Killian's face, happy that the lad cared enough about him to want to get his step-grandmother back. And judging by the smile on Emma's face, she was no less pleased.
"We will, kid. We will," Emma put her arm around Henry's shoulder and her mind couldn't help but wander to her other kid. How would Henry react to the news of her pregnancy? Would he take it well? Would he think that they were somehow trying to replace him? She and Killian had decided to keep the news to themselves until they were able to schedule a doctor's appointment. Rescuing Anne was the priority right now and she didn't want to deal with everyone's questions and congratulations. Killian had tried to dissuade her from going to wherever Calypso would be taking Anne, but she had insisted on going. How could she not? It would be worse for her and the baby to not know about Killian's whereabouts, or how he and Anne were doing. There was no way in hell she would be staying in Storybrooke. She was going and they would both be even more careful than usual.
"We just have to find a way," Killian added, right before they all jerked their heads toward the diner's door, its bell chiming as Belle and Rumplestiltkin walked in.
"Perhaps I can help," Rumplestiltskin said as he ignored the dirty, unwelcoming looks he got.
"You want to help now?" Emma asked disbelievingly, her eyebrows raised in suspicion. "Why, what will you get in return?"
"Nothing," he promptly replied, only pausing to look at his wife. "Belle convinced me that helping you find Calypso is the right thing to do after what I have done."
Everyone seemed to believe his carefully chosen words – everyone except the two people who had conceived the culprit of his announced demise. He didn't have Emma Swan and Killian Jones' trust, but they were not aware that he knew they were expecting a child. They didn't know that his number one priority was to ensure the darkness was never destroyed, and for that he needed to prevent The Light One from being born. Luckily for him, aiding them to get to Calypso – the powerful goddess they were about to wrong by not fulfilling their end of the deal – increased the chances of the Savior and her unborn child getting killed. With his magic now overpowered by Miss Swan's, all he could do was lead them to a mortal dead end under the guise of helping them.
"How can we trust you?" Killian's growl was so loud that it was probably heard outside.
"You can trust him," Belle held up the Dark One dagger for all to see. "I will not use it to control him, but I won't let him wrong us either. Not anymore."
Rumple pretended to be hurt by his wife's gesture, but he secretly hoped that being under Belle's supervision would make everyone accept his helping offer. He didn't need the dagger. All he needed was to get them wherever they wished to go and then, with any luck, Calypso would do all the dirty work for him.
As if to make his offer more appealing, Rumple made the magic locating globe appear in his hand. "I believe you are all familiar with this item."
"It's the globe you used to track Baelfire and Henry," Regina said while inspecting the object. Emma's eyes searched for Killian's. They both knew what this meant and as difficult as it was to admit it, Rumple could easily lead them to Anne. They still didn't trust him, they never would after everything he had pulled off on them, but they could benefit from his help. After all, they would be one step closer to save Anne if they knew where she was. They were willing to take that chance and let Rumple guide the way.
"Captain," Rumple inched closer to Killian, holding up the globe to him. "A simple prick of your finger and your blood will tell us exactly where your mother is."
Silence took over the diner, and before Killian had a chance to do anything, David took a step forward, placing a comforting hand on Killian's shoulder.
"Wherever she is, we're going with you," he said, his demonstration of support triggering everybody else in the diner to do the same amidst a surge of "me too's". The smile that tugged at Killian's lips grew wider as each person took a step forward. He had never thought the people of Storybrooke cared so much for him, but there they were, willing to follow him into possibly another realm to get his mother back. Henry, Emma's parents, Liam, Nemo, Thomas and Ashley… Everyone wanted to help.
"Anne is part of this family," Snow said with a smile. "And we never give up on family."
There was a big, proud grin on Emma's lips at the public show of love for her pirate and that, together with the support he got from everybody, was all Killian needed to gather the courage to prick his finger on the spindle. When a drop of blood fell on its surface, the globe lit up at a location not all of them were able to identify.
"Where is she?" Henry asked impatiently as he tried to get a look at the globe. A smirk highlighted Rumplestiltskin's features before Emma and Killian answered in unison.
"Neverland."