Hook… I Will Always Find You
Chapter Twenty-Five
In Storybrooke…
Henry rested on his mother's bed upstairs while he let Mary Margaret continue to try to comfort him for a little while longer, as he shared with her what he saw in his dream, until finally he told his grandmother that he was going to go out for a walk in hope of clearing his head despite it being well after midnight. He had no desire to go back to bed knowing all too well that the nightmares would only return if he tried. Not that sleep was really a possibility even if he wanted it.
Once he left the loft despite Mary Margaret's attempts to convince him to stay inside and try to go back to bed, the thirteen year old walked down the main street through the square when she finally relented and let him go, then he headed down to the beach to where Killian had first taught him about the stars just like he remembered in his dream before it became a nightmare.
He walked down to the same log where he sat that night a couple of years ago, then raised his head to look up at the stars in the sky as he mentally pointed out each of the constellations Killian taught him about, then knelt down in the sand and began to build himself a campfire when he began to feel the chill from the cold night air. Once the pyre for the fire was finished, Henry pulled a lighter from his pocket to light it.
However, when he was about to do so, he was surprised when Belle walked up behind him as she whispered, "Hello, Henry."
The teenager looked up at her and quickly stood up while he replied, "Grandma. I mean… Belle. Sorry. It's just… I wasn't expecting I'd see anyone out here at this hour. It's really late. Are you alright?"
"I was going to ask you the same question," she stated quietly and then sat down on the log nearby when he motioned for her to do so, while he turned back to the pyre so he could light it.
"I suppose I'm too worried about the future to sleep," the beauty finally answered him once Henry finished and finally sat down on the log beside her so he could face her while they talked. "I mean the future between me and Rumple. His power is gone and he's finally just the man behind the beast. I'm so excited to get to know him all over again without the darkness being a part of him. However, while I understand that a part of him yearns for his power back because it's been with him for a couple of centuries, I fear that he'll come to resent me for asking Emma to rid him of it."
Henry nodded in understanding and then responded, "You did so to save his life. The good in him was dying. The good in him who loves you and I know that no matter what's happened between you over the years, he loves you more than anything else. Including his power. And now he can prove that to you because the darkness is no longer in him to tempt him to make the wrong choices."
She smiled at her grandson and replied, "Thank you, Henry. By the way, what do two people going out on a date for the first time do? Rumple and I may be married, but… we never really dated. I mean… I was his prisoner and maid for several years. Our romance was hardly normal. Then after the curse was broken, our relationship was still…"
"Rocky and maybe a little crazy?" the teenager finished for her. "Don't worry. You're going to be just fine. What are you planning for your first date?"
"Just dinner at Granny's," Belle answered again. "We're going for burgers. Now that I think about it, we might have gone out on a few dates. Everything still just feels brand new."
Henry reached out and laid his hand over hers, then he responded, "You should try going someplace else for dinner instead of Granny's. Make it a more romantic setting. You should go to Tony's instead. It was where Killian… where Killian took my mom… on their first date. I'm sorry. Maybe that might not be the best idea after all."
The beauty saw the sadness come to the boy's eyes at the mention of Killian and realized then what was troubling him, then she reached up to rub his back in comfort while she spoke sympathetically saying, "I'm so sorry, Henry. I should have let you explain why you're out here at this hour first. Killian's going to be alright you know. Your mother won't ever stop fighting for him."
"I know that," he retorted in frustration, then stood up again and began to poke at the fire with a stick he picked up from the ground nearby. "That's what everyone's been telling me. But you weren't there, Belle. You didn't watch Killian die. But I did and now I'm seeing it in my dreams too. I'm here tonight because I can't sleep without watching Dark Hook kill Killian. But instead of it happening in Camelot, it was right here in this spot."
"I'm not sure I understand," she replied in confusion.
Henry let out a sigh and then he answered, "Tonight, I started dreaming of one of my favorite memories I have of Killian, when he taught me right here all about the stars and how to navigate with them, as well as about sailing. Back when I didn't have any of my memories of anyone here just after Mom and I came home from New York. Everything seemed fine, until suddenly my dream changed and the version of Killian who became the Dark One appeared too and he and Killian began to swordfight because he was protecting me. They fought, then while I watched, the Dark One killed Killian right in front of me all over again. Thrust the dagger into Killian's stomach, just how Killian killed himself in order to protect us from himself. This nightmare was like a metaphor for what really happened and it was terrifying. I've known people who've died, like my dad, like Graham… I've been to their funerals, I've grieved for them. But I've never seen anyone die. Especially not like that."
Belle pulled him into a hug and held him while neither of them spoke for awhile, until he finally pulled away from her, then she said quietly, "In the morning, you should go and speak with Archie. Share your dream with him. If anyone can help you through this pain, he can. But in case you would like to talk with anyone else about it too, I'll always be here for you too."
"Thank you, Belle," Henry whispered. "For being here."
"You're welcome," the beauty responded to him in return, then finally they just continued to sit together while they looked up at the stars and Henry began to teach her of the constellations just like Killian did for him.