Chapter 25
When the Church Bells Ring
The camp is empty by the time Emma and Lily arrive in it, only a handful of woman taking care of all the camp's children.
The witch probably didn't want to deal with them at her wedding. Emma mused.
"I'm going to look through Zelena's things." Lily explains. "If she's vile enough to steal a dying man's medicine, then who knows what else she has up her sleeve." Emma nods, appreciating Lily's caution, she just wanted to get to Killian.
"Emma!" Cries a small voice, running through the camp. She smiles at the familiar little boy.
"Hey Roland, how are you?" She asks embracing the small boy. The boy smiles.
"Good now that you're here." He insists. "I want to know how the story ends! Killy wouldn't tell me and Mister Sydney says the Deckhand and the Princess didn't end up together, but it's true love! Everything has to work out, it just has to!" He insists stubbornly, even stomping his little foot.
She smiles at his belief. "I'll tell you, I promise, but first, I need to know where everyone is, your Gina and Zelena and Killy." She loved the boy's name for her sailor.
The boy nods in understanding. "The church! They're at the church getting married!" He says in exasperation.
She nods. "Thank you Roland. You've been a big help." She tells the boy. "Lily is in Zelena's tent, I'm sure she'd like the company." She says, hoping to just flash over to the wedding, she has to make it in time. She just has to!
Emma snaps her fingers imagining the church before appearing in front of it.
She takes a breath and pokes her head inside. She sees him there, standing in front of the official, Zelena besides him. He looks so handsome in his suit, although the green tie doesn't quite suit him. She doesn't wait to hear what's happening, to watch him smile at Zelena, she just wants him back.
"Don't do this Killian!" She cries out storming past the outraged brides maids, save Regina. The brunette lets out a sigh of relief. Emma walks up to him slowly, gathering her courage. He looks at her in nervous surprise. "Don't marry her." She pleads.
He just looks at her. "D- Emma. You're here." He says in reserved realization. His gaze shifts to Zelena and back to her.
"I'm here. I'm so sorry, I didn't know, I thought I did, but it wasn't the same. I didn't know what was really going on." She pleads, rambles even, "Can you ever forgive me?"
She waits a moment, a moment that feels like it lasts years. She just stares at his open mouth. She sees him trying to put words together in his head. Then he responds.
"No." He declares.
Her heart drops.
"I can't. You left me Emma. Now you're interrupting my wedding. You're ruining Zelena's big day." He pulls away from her, closer to Zelena.
"She's lying to you, she doesn't care about you, she's been stealing your medicine." Emma insists. Her mind is reeling, she never thought he would flat out refuse her. "Even if you hate me, don't marry her. Please."
Killian shook his head, smile leaving his face. "I don't believe you. I love her."
She's fighting back tears, his voice is so cold. It hurts, it just hurts. She knows it's a lie, but she didn't think he'd say it just to hurt her. He wasn't malicious like that.
"Mate listen to her-" The man besides him tries. Emma vaguely recognizes him, but that's not important. Because Killian is pulling away from her, and she doesn't know what to do, what to say to make him believe, believe in her, in them.
"Zelena is that true?" Regina asks. Zelena doesn't look at her. "Zelena!" She shouts grabbing her arm. "Killian keeps losing his medicine, I thought it was him being ill and clueless, but have you been taking it?" She demands. "Answer me sister!" Her voice is cold and angry.
"Don't touch me." She sneers, shaking her off and grabbing Killian by the arm. Regina looks like she's just been slapped. "You need to go. Make her leave Killy." She says whispering in his ear, pressing so close. He smirks at her, arm wrapped around her tightly. It mirrors her dream to a T.
"Leave Emma." He says. "If you ever cared about me, you'll leave." She starts to. He was so mad at her, he had to be to be acting like this, maybe she should just go, let him spend his time how he wishes.
"Please Killian. After everything we've been through on the Jolly, with Elsa and Ingrid, when I thought you died, I don't believe you'd want to walk away from this." She pleaded. One last attempt.
"Yes, but you left first." He reminds her.
She turns to leave. She doesn't know what to do. How to convince him.
Yes.
Emma has never once heard him say yes. Definitely not for the important things.
"Keep the boat for your trouble." Killian says in passing, turning back to Zelena. "I don't need it or you anymore."
Emma's heart stops again, but for an entirely different reason, she whirls back around at his superfluous comment. "What did you say?" She asks in a breathless whisper. She's looking him over, his every movement, his every instinct.
"I said you could keep the boat." He says carefully. "What's wrong Emma?"
Emma. Not Swan. She appears in front of him in an instant, powered by her magic, cocking her head to the side. Looking, just looking. Every scar, every mark, every single physical thing was identical to her sailor.
'Yes', not 'Aye'
'Emma' not 'Swan'
Boat. He called the Jolly a boat. He talked about her like she was nothing. (both her and the Jolly)
He never called the Jolly an it.
But there are things you can't fake.
"You're not Killian." She realized. He flinched.
"Of course I am." He insisted. "Just because I don't love you anymore, doesn't mean I'm a bloody imposter." He chuckled.
"Prove it." She challenged.
He nodded. "I'm Killian Jones, my brother is Liam, I saved you from a tower, sailed around with you and-" She shook her head.
"Killian, my Killian has been telling our story to Roland. It proves nothing." She insisted. She thought for a moment.
"What was the first moment we connected? The first time I let you in?"
He stared blankly at her. "How am I supposed to know every-" Emma doesn't hesitate, she doesn't give him the chance to explain himself. Killian would know. Killian would always know. She plunges her hand into his chest, ignoring her own pain at the sight of his face in pain. She holds onto the single thought that he is an imposter.
She removes his heart, feeling its warmness, but it wasn't quite right. She'd held his heart and this wasn't it. Hearts were like finger prints, the shape, the color, the size, the warmth. Emma knew Killian's heart, she'd held it once before and it was a felling she'd never forget.
This wasn't it.
She sees the shocked and horrified faces of everyone around her, the man besides Killian pulling Regina back away from her out of fear. Zelena is frozen in horror. She must look like a monster, ripping out the heart of the man she loves most. She honestly doesn't care. If a monster was what it took to figuring this all out then that was what she would be.
"Turn back to normal." She orders squeezing ever so slightly. 'Killian' goes to his neck, pulling a golden chain from it until it snaps, dropping it into her hand. Emma sees the green plant shimmering in the pendant. She recognizes it with ease.
The change is instant. Killian is gone, replaced by that sniveling man, Sydney.
Of course, only he would be that stupid.
She has half a mind to kill him right now.
How dare he impersonate her love? How dare he say things to hurt her, to further wreck them. Emma bets that it was him she saw kissing Zelena, they'd planned it so she'd see them. They had placed their hopes in her anger and insecurities; that she wouldn't allow the real version to explain himself.
She loathed that they were right. They had played her like a fiddle.
"Please don't-" He begs. She tightens her grip, suddenly loving her power over him, to make him suffer for her pain, Killian's pain.
"Why?" She orders. "Why do this? Why pretend to be him now?"
It only made sense if he didn't make it. It only made sense if Killian was already gone. He'd agreed to marry the red headed witch, they hadn't known she was coming, so why wasn't Killian here? Killian should be here.
His response is instant. "She said she'd make me King. She said that she'd marry me next for real, that we could rule." He pleaded. He wanted her to understand.
"Who?" She seethed. His eyes answered, drifting to the bride to be.
Zelena.She isn't exactly surprised.
She sees Zelena tense, backing up, it's cute really, to think she'll get away unharmed after this. Doesn't she know that there is no escaping once the Dark Swan has her sight set on her? Doesn't she know what happens to those who try to steal from her? Who hurt the ones she loves?
In her haste, Emma notices a flash of gold around her neck. It surprises her, bringing up a whole new slew of problems.
"Perhaps this is my fault, for being so easily fooled." She begins pace towards her slowly, seeing the fear, relishing in it, allowing her voice to slow, drawing out the terror. "But when I left my sailor in your care, I expected him to be returned to me in that exact condition." She continued, nearing her. "So I will ask you one time, and if I like your answer, maybe I'll let you keep your heart in your chest."
Maybe.
"Where is my Killian?" She grabs her by the collar of her tacky dress. "Because make no mistake, he belongs to me." She hisses.
The woman hesitates.
"Zelena, I don't know what you did, but p-lease, just end it." Regina pleads. "Where's the real Killian?"
Zelena barely looks at her.
"You're wasting your breath Gina." Emma moves her hand, swiftly to tug a matching gold chain with a matching green plant. '"Zelena's" face is suddenly horrified, trying to bat Emma's hand away. It was a six leaf clover, just like the one around Sydney's neck, making him look just like Killian. "This isn't your sister." It was powerful transformation magic based in another realm. She snapped the necklace off.
After her brief talk with Neal, it left her suspicious. Talking about the mythic and rare plant before finding its magic being manipulated against her? Not a coincidence. And the next thing she saw just confirmed it.
The woman had familiar brown hair and tanned skin, her dress was deep burgundy and her eyes were like stone as they tore through her in anger. Emma smirked, feeling victorious for figuring it out, even if it took her awhile.
It was Clorinda, Belle's lady in waiting. She hadn't seemed suspicious back then, just like all the other royals at court, but it was her.
Although why she wanted to impersonate a woman who lived in the forest, she didn't know. The only thing she did know was that it had something to do with the Sorcerer.
He'd been the one who had given her the tools to do so much damage, Emma just didn't understand why. Why had he aligned himself with her mother in the first place? Why had he helped this woman trick them? Just when things started to add up, something else happened to mess with it all.
"Marian?" The man besides Sydney (bartender?) exclaimed. "You're here? You-"
Marian? Wasn't that the name of the woman with Lacey? What was the Sorcer's Wife's Lady in Waiting have to do with that temptress Lacy?
Alright, another thing she didn't understand.
The woman looked at him with expressionless eyes. "Hello Robin." She said with a smirk. The man, Robin looked stunned but did not look completely surprised
"Hurting more people I see." He said sarcastically. "I'm not even surprised anymore."
She chuckled but didn't have a chance to answer as Regina pulled herself out of the man's grip, punching at Marian with blind rage. "What did you do to my sister?!" She screamed as Robin pulled her away. She was fighting desperately with murderous intent. Something that Emma understood.
"And to Killian!" Emma added. She dropping Sydney's heart like a bad apple, ripping out Marian's instead. "I didn't like your answer." She said in explanation. Emma admired the heart for a moment.
There was darkness swirling inside, a lot of it. "What have you been done to him? Have you been making him sicker faster? Why are you even here? Where are they?" She demanded.
Marian sneered. "To the pirate? You already know, taking whatever devil's brew the dragon ladies have been giving him" She taunted. "It makes him just a tad sicker, just a tad less clever, my master underestimated him once, and they won't do it again."
So what I saw…it's just the dreamshade. Killian's really dying…
"I'm here because my master wants to keep an eye on this sad little group, and when she heard the Dark One and her little family were here seeking shelter, she ordered me to…break it up a little." She taunted. "Who knew the pirate was smarter than the sorceress?"
Emma tightened her grip, but Marian barely reacted.
She'd never forgive this woman for hurting her heart, for costing her precious time.
"Where are they?" She said through gritted teeth.
"Gone. You're too late." She laughed.
No!
"I saw him this morning." The man insisted. "It was him. I know it. I passed him by" He pointed towards Sydney, "on my way to his tent." He pulled Regina back into his grip as she started screaming incoherently into his chest.
"Emma you have to find them." She said after a moment. "Zelena is all the family I have. Please Emma. Please. You owe me. You owe me!" Emma saw the heartbroken look in the usual standoffish bandit. She nodded an acknowledgement.
"You better pray we're not!" Emma hissed at Marian, picking her up and slamming her head into the wall, shoving her beating heart in her face. "Where are they?!"
Marian didn't get to answer as someone rushed into the church, her skin and hair was singed with soot.
"Fire! There's a fire back at camp!" She shouted.
Marian grinned. "Burning." She sneered.
But Emma paid her no heed, picking up Sydney's heart and finding one of the Merry Men that looked the least likely to betray them, he was skinny and near the back, trying not to draw attention to himself, he looked mortified by the entire turn of events. "What's your name?"
The man blinked in surprise at her acknowledging his presence. "W-Will." He said nervously. Emma tossed him the hearts which he caught in a clumsy grab. He cringed as he held them, probably due to the warmth. It was a weird sensation.
"Keep an eye on them." She said sternly, earning a clumsy nod. "I'll be back for them later." The unspoken threat hung in the air. Emma didn't want to threaten a poor mortal, but she was done trusting these people.
She went to Regina and Robin, holding both their shoulders.
"Get a hold of yourself." She said sternly to Regina. "They are probably in the middle of this fire, we need you under control for this if we want to save them, ok?"
Regina nodded. "Roland, my son, he's in camp too." She asked frantically.
"Roland?" The Robin asked, eyes wide. "Your son? His name is-" They both ignored him.
"He's fine. He's with Lily." She didn't look convinced. "If there's anyone who can take care of your kid in a fire it's her." She insisted. Fire was something that Lily knew quite well how to handle.
She materialized them just outside and that woman had been right; it was a full blown inferno of fire and smoke. There was a group of woman and children gathered outside. Regina stood gaping as the man was still pestering her with questions about the boy. Emma spotted Lily among the escaped woman and children.
"What happened?" She demanded. Lily shook her head in confusion. Her hands and arms were black with soot.
"I don't know, one minute it was fine, the next there was fire and smoke everywhere." She insisted. "It was not a normal fire too, thankfully I'm, well, me, but I got everyone out. Did you make it? Did you find-" She stopped short.
"Emma. What happened?" Lily must have seen the look on her face.
"He's in there." She whimpered in realization, visualizing it in her mind. "He's in there."
They looked at the fire burning so brightly. Emma couldn't feel anything, not a sign of life. If there had been any life at all in the burning tents, her magic would have picked up on it.
She'd been too late.
She could just imagine him burning, helpless to escape, trapped, and alone. Killian hadn't wanted to die alone, she'd left him, it was all her fault. Killian was d-
"We need some help over here!" Called a voice.
Her head swiveled instantly.
It couldn't be…
Robin went over to lend a hand as well as one of the able women. She barely looked over; barely saw who was coming from opposite direction of the fire.
But barely looking was enough. She saw who it was.
"The lass inhaled a lot of smoke." He explained. "Bloody woman's heavy." He groaned as the weight was lifted off his shoulders, a woman who looked under fed with a mess of red hair and a faded and dirty green dress.
She approached carefully, not quite believing it until she saw a pair of too blue eyes.
"Killian?" She can hear Regina fretting over the woman, the real Zelena, and Lily going to give her some magical aid, but Emma didn't care.
Emma herself is paralyzed just looking at him. He doesn't see her yet; he just lists to the side, supported by a tree, taking a breath of relief, his eyes closed.
Ash covered his face but even them she can see the weakness he was trying to hide. Each breath was shallow and looked like it took a lot out of him; his hands were shaking so he shoved them in his pockets.
She approached him hesitantly, silently, as he rested his eyes. She reached out and touched him on the arm, a gentle motion. She didn't want to startle him, she just wanted to look at him.
"Killian?" She whispered. His eyes snapped open.
"S-Swan?" He said in disbelief, eyes bright and blue and on her. She smiled. This was her sailor. She didn't need to question it. She just knew.
"Killian, I'm so-" She didn't have a chance to finish as he pulled her into his arms in a sudden embrace. It took a moment to recover from her surprise before she pulled him in tighter, feeling him bury his head in her hair, breathing in with deep breaths. She smiled into the familiar embrace, her nose against his neck. He still smelled of leather even if it was concealed by the deep scent of smoke. Then suddenly, he pulled away.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." He says quickly, avoiding her gaze, stepping away from her. "You left, you made your choice, I respect that I understand." He's rambling. She closed the distance, pressing her hand to his face, it made him bring his eyes back to hers. He looked at her with a broken look. He wanted to pull away, but he couldn't bear to.
"It's ok, you did nothing wrong, I'm sorry. I-" She didn't know what to say. She edged closer. "When Marian said you were gone, that you were in-" She pointed to the fire that was currently being bothered by the merry men's feeble efforts at throwing buckets of water they were bringing back and forth from the nearby lake. "There, I thought…I thought the last thing I ever said to you were words of hate, lies. You didn't deserve any of that."
He shakes his head. "I did, I lied to you. I'm going to leave you, so I understand how you wanted to leave first." He rationalizes. "Truly."
She shakes her head right back, her hands over her face. She hated it, the pain she'd caused him, that Marian had tricked her into inflicting. She should have realized that Killian wouldn't do that to her. He was a good man.
"Emma, you're crying love." He whispers. "Please don't." His hand ghosted to her cheek, whipping away the tears, "Not for me."
She can't help pulling back into his embrace, much to his surprise. "Don't say that." She begs. "Don't think of yourself like that. You are amazing, and kind and the man I love." She lists. "I'm so sorry for everything, but there's something you need to know." Emma takes a breath as she watches his expression.
"I didn't know. I thought I did, but I didn't." He gives her a confused look. "I didn't know about the Dreamshade. Zelena, or Marian I guess, she tricked me. She made me think you'd fallen in love with her. I saw you, or the person I thought was you which was actually Sydney, kissing her, telling her you loved her. I thought that was the secret you were keeping." His eyes widened. "I thought you just couldn't tell me that you didn't love me." She said softly.
"Swan I didn't- I wouldn't-" He tried, but Emma didn't give him a chance.
"I know, I know that now, I let all my issues blind me Killian, I got your letter." She said. "I didn't finish, but I know enough. I know what's going to happen." She goes to his arm, seeing dark marks through the cut in his shirt, trailing through his blood. "Today, I found out today. I swear, if I had known-" Her eyes tear up. "Oh god Killian. You should have told me sooner." She whimpered.
He nodded. "Aye." He agrees. "I didn't want you to worry." He admits, ducking his head again.
She waits until he's looking at her again. "You don't have to protect me, you don't have to be strong all the time." She insists. "You don't have to forgive me right away, what I said…you didn't deserve that. I was angry over something that you didn't even do and lashed out."
He nodded. "Aye. I'll admit I was awfully surprised. One minute I'm at the desk, and the next thing I know I'm waking up on the grass. I thought it was…" He gestured to his arm. "To think, this whole mess could have been avoided if we'd just told each other." He chuckled humorlessly.
"Do you think…you could ever forgive me?" Emma found herself asking despite her better judgement. "I can tell you're still in pain over what I did, what I said."
He nodded. "Aye. Remind me never to get you angry." He teased lightly. "But I do forgive you Swan, I'll always forgive you, no matter what." He said confidently.
She couldn't take it a second longer; she pulled him forward kissing him. He didn't hesitate, hand at her hip and the back of her head.
And in that moment, Emma knew that everything was going to be ok.
Happy Independence Day!
(Or happy Monday to those reading outside the US)
I was asked to update early, so here I am! I was in a massive case of writers block this week, I think I've gotten through it for the most part.
But this is the chapter we've all been waiting for! The reunion. I promise they won't be separated like this for a very long time. (I mean we do only have 2 chapters and 1 Epilogue to go.) Fun fact, the first time I wrote this, this was the last chapter. But I felt I needed to tie up some loose ends.
Just a recap since some reviews have been a bit confused, Lacey and Belle are the same person, Killian knows this, but Emma does not. Marian and Clorinda are the same person and they both know this. It's an important distinction.
Now Guest reviews:
andria: I love Robin. I always intended to put him in here, just not how Once did it purely because I felt he was in the same role just with Zelena marrying him. They will reunite VERY soon.
Anna: Zelena is actually Marian, not Lacey. She's just been seen by our duo with Lacey. I'm glad it was a shocker. As I said if someone had predicted that then I would have been definitely surprised! As you can see, everything worked itself out. I will confirm, Roland is Robin and Marian's son. Yes, this chapter is posted a little sooner.
Don't forget to review! If you think there is some issue I'v dropped, let me know so I can make sure I answer it in the last two chapters (or not because plans) This story/universe is so dear to me I'm so appreciative of all the support I've received for it. I wouldn't be still writing this much without it!
~Luna