Disclaimer: In my dreams, maybe. Real life, it's just fun to write.
"Deputy Nolan, may I speak with you," the town's mechanic came in with a nervous twitch.
"What can I do for you, Michael?" David motioned the mechanic to have a seat.
"I know who tampered with the brake lines and steering column of the sheriff's vehicle," he spoke softly with his head down.
"Who?" David's eyes went wide with intrigue.
"Me," Michael admitted, "I'm sorry, David. I didn't realize I'd done anything. Emma...Sheriff Swan had brought the vehicle in for maintenance. I intend only to fix what was wrong, but then this young girl arrived. She said she was lost and needed help. The next thing I remembered was Sheriff Swan arriving the next day to pick up her fixed vehicle. I didn't realize anything bad had happened until you asked me to inspect the vehicle after the accident. I know I should have come to you with the truth sooner, but I couldn't reconcile my guilt in my mind. Deputy Nolan, you have to believe I would never intentionally hurt your daughter."
"I believe you," Emma assured him having just returned from a nuisance call they'd received earlier. "Can you describe this girl?"
"I can do better," Michael pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her. "I drew this last night."
Emma took the drawing for him. It looked very similar to the girl that Killian had described during their discussions of his involvement with Wendy. Slowly, he was opening up more and more about his interactions with her and her brothers.
"I'm so very sorry, Sheriff," Michael was nearly beside himself over his guilt.
"It's not your fault," Emma assured him. "You were under a siren's spell."
"Are Killian and the children sailing?" David's hand twitched towards his phone to call his son-in-law to confirm the identity of this young girl.
"No, they came in before lunch," Emma replied, "Killian was going to the library to find more information on sirens."
David quickly dialed. Killian would be over in a few minutes. He and Neal had found old sailors journals, which had first hand accounts of an encounter with a siren. They were attempting to translate the journals as they were in another language.
"I'm not going to jail?" Michael suddenly realized.
"No," Emma assured him, "Your actions were not your own. I wouldn't dream of making you pay for something like that."
"I appreciate your mercy, Sheriff," Michael release a deep sigh of relief, "I will help with the replacement cost of your new vehicle."
"I appreciate the offer, but it's not necessary," Emma replied, "My insurance is being more than cooperative. Apparently my vehicle was deemed a classic, so we're getting more money than we originally thought."
"Free maintenance for the life of your next vehicle," Michael countered.
"How about you take a crack at the police cruiser?" Emma requested, "Dave's been playing mechanic with the limited budget we've been given. It's not going to last much longer without proper maintenance."
"You have yourself a deal," Michael quickly agreed.
"We'll let you know what we find out about the picture. I'd stay vigilant. If you see this girl again let myself or one of my deputies know immediately," Emma escorted him to the door.
"I will," Michael nodded, "Again Sheriff, I am so very sorry. I should have known better than to allow the girl into my workshop, but she looked like she could be a friend of my son or daughter."
"It's okay," Emma assured him yet again, "The bumps and bruises I sustained are completely healed. My vehicle had been begging for retirement for months."
"I appreciate your understanding," Michael stated again, "I'll expect the cruiser soon."
"By the end of the week," Emma glanced towards her father. Her statement was more of an instruction to her father than a statement to the mechanic.
Michael left Emma and David to discuss the most recent development.
"What was the nuisance call?" David asked.
"Store owner couldn't remember why he called," Emma shrugged, "He looked completely stunned when I showed up ready to take his report."
"Sounds a bit similar to Michael's report," David noted.
"Frighteningly so," Emma glanced at the clock, hoping Killian would arrive soon. The quicker they got to the bottom of things the better.
"Hi, Poppy," Fallon burst into the station minutes later with her usual sunshine and exuberance, "Papa let me check out a book."
"He did," David immediately picked her up in a hug, "What are you reading now?"
"'The Very Fairy Princess'," Fallon stated, "Papa says he read to me tonight."
"Belle recommended it for our little princess," Killian explained the choice when he entered the station with his youngest son in his arms. Bradyn reached for his mother with a happy squeal.
"How's my prince today?" Emma took Bradyn from Killian, "Did you behave for Papa today?"
Bradyn's head came to rest against Emma's shoulder.
"He didn't nap for long today," Killian explained the tiredness in his son's eyes. "Max and Fallon were a bit more exuberant than usual."
Emma rubbed Bradyn's back to soothe him to sleep.
"You said there was a portrait I needed to examine," Killian reminded his wife and father-in-law of being summoned.
"On my desk," Emma swayed slowly with Bradyn, "Is that Wendy?"
"Where did you get this?" Killian's voice quivered when he picked up the drawing.
"You were right in that Wendy was responsible for my car accident, but she acted through Michael Tillman," Emma explained, "He came here to confess, and he had this drawing. Is that her?"
"Aye," Killian nodded.
"He says he doesn't remember doing anything," Emma responded, "Is that what happens when under her spell?"
"I wouldn't know," Killian shrugged, "I was never under her spell."
"Never?" Emma frowned in confusion.
"I suppose there was never a need," he responded, "My orders came from Pan."
"What about when she discovered you had tricked her into returning to London?" Emma asked, "She wanted you to take her back to Neverland. You refused. Wouldn't she just do whatever she does to get you to take her back?"
"She never did," Killian responded, "I don't have an answer for why."
"I hungry," Fallon disrupted what was too serious a moment for her.
Emma glanced at the clock. "Goodness, it's nearly dinner time."
"Why don't you take off?" David told his daughter, "I'll wait for Robin to arrive."
"Are you sure?" Emma looked towards her father with a slightly guilty expression. It was her turn to wait for their other deputy.
"Go," David responded, "I'll fill him in on these new events."
"Thanks, Dad," Emma gave him a grateful smile.
"Say goodbye to Poppy," Killian instructed his daughter.
"Bye, Poppy," Fallon squeezed him tight around the neck.
David kissed her cheek and returned her to her feet. "Be a good girl, Princess."
"I will," Fallon took her father's hand and turned to wave at her grandfather, "I love you, Poppy."
"Love you too, Princess," he smiled.
The Jones family left.
"Henry staying with Regina tonight?" Killian asked when they returned to the cottage and Henry wasn't waiting for them.
"Yep," Emma confirmed, "It's just the four of us tonight, which means that Fallon gets to pick tonight's movie."
Fallon's eyes lit up in excitement and then began jumping up and down.
"Let's make dinner first," Emma suggested, "How about chicken nuggets and French fries?"
Fallon's head bobbed eagerly.
"How many do you want?" Emma went to the freezer and pulled out the bag. She'd made something a bit more adult for her and Killian, but Fallon's meal would take more time.
"Five," Fallon held up all the fingers of one hand.
"Count them out," Emma encouraged her to climb onto the stool to help her with dinner.
Fallon pulled five nuggets out of the bag, counting each one while setting it on the baking tray. She looked at the tray and decided to add one more for good measure, trying to be sneaky about it, thinking her mother wouldn't notice. Emma added a small handful of French fries to the tray and put it in the oven.
"What vegetable should we have with dinner?" Emma asked.
Fallon released a tiny moan and then went with the vegetable she found least objectionable.
Emma found a few simple tasks to keep Fallon engaged in cooking so Killian could feed Bradyn and get him cleaned and changed.
With dinner successfully completed, minus the one leftover chicken nugget Killian had to finish for Fallon when she announced she was too full for any more, the family cuddled on the sofa together to watch the movie Fallon had chosen. No surprise, it was a princess movie. Emma and Killian rolled their eyes yet silently indulged yet another night of Fallon's princess education.
After tucking in Fallon after reading her new story, Killian and Emma met in their bedroom to discuss the newest event in town.
"Did you make any progress in translating that sailor's journal you found?" Emma was pulling back the covers of their bed.
"Nothing beyond coordinates and wind conditions as of yet," he replied, "This journal feels important. There is no reason for it to be among these magical books we've been looking through."
"What realm is this book from?" Emma asked.
"The markings indicate Avalon," Killian responded.
"That place where King Arthur pulled Excalibur? The place is real?" Emma responded, "Wait, why am I surprised? This is Storybrooke."
"I've only really heard stories about it in my youth," Killian replied.
"You mean in all your realm jumping you never made that leap?" she asked.
"I was tempted," he admitted, "The rumor had it that it was a place where no one seemed to age."
"There are other places like Neverland?" she asked.
"That was how the story was told to me," he explained.
"And who told you the story?" she pressed, "Your brother?"
"My father," he shook his head slowly.
"I always assumed you didn't remember much about your father," she closed the gap between them to offer any comfort she could. As much as thoughts of his brother pained him, his pain of his parents' loss was worse. In all the years they'd been married, he'd never once mentioned his mother or father.
"It's all a bit hazy," Killian admitted, "Sometimes I'm convinced it was only a dream. I was so desperate for any familial connection that I thought him up, and then had him abandon me the way my mother had."
"You said he was a fugitive who left you on board a ship," Emma reminded him, "Do you know what he was a fugitive for?"
"No," he kept his answer brief. The memory of the morning he woke up truly alone wasn't something he ever intended to relive again, even for Emma.
"Killian," Emma stepped into him upon recognizing his pain, "I won't push, but it might help to talk about it."
"I've relived that night so many times," Killian shook his head, "Nothing good has ever come from it."
"Killian, look at me," she guided his eyes to her, "Whether you talk to me or not, this pain is still there. We both know all about burying things. The pain has an ugly way of coming back in the worse moments. You know I would never think any worse of you, no matter what. I love you, faults and all."
Killian's arms wrapped around her shoulders and hugged her close. Her level of faith in him was still astounded to him. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"
"Hey," she poked him in the chest, "All you have to do is believe in me, stand by me, and love me."
Killian caressed her cheek and looked her deep in the eyes, "You have given me so much. I was resigned to the fact I would never find happiness again, never love again, but from the moment I looked into these eyes, I knew I was in love."
Emma rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. He quickly reciprocated, devouring her lips while slowly lowering her to the bed. There was so much yet to discuss from the events of the day, but they both needed this moment together.
TBC…