Hey guys! How good am I doing with these updates recently?! I don't know how long it's gonna last but let's just go with it. This chapter is full of drama but not very long because it's leading up to the last episode in season 1. We finally made it! I would like to thank everyone for you continued support with my story!~WG

Chapter 25: Hard Evidence

The Enchanted Forest…

At sunrise, a bright green flash shot up from the horizon into the sky as the Black Pearl broke the surface of the water. One by one, the drenched crew emerged from the hull of the ship as their captain stood at the wheel and watched them. "Get to your positions, crew. Today we make port," she barked at them. Once she was satisfied that everyone was doing their job, she walked to the helm of her ship, taking her tricorn hat off to ring out her dark hair.

Liza came up the steps behind her, equally as wet as everyone else. "Do we have a heading, Captain?"

Jack turned around and placed her hat back on her head. "I have one in mind," she replied. "We'll get more supplies, give the crew what they're owed and take a break for a while."

Liza frowned at her. "A break?"

"For the crew, not for me. We're travelling to the port nearest to the beanstalk; I'll be making the journey on my own from there," the captain explained.

Liza placed her hands on her hips. "And what am I supposed to do?"

The captain opened up her compass as she stared out to open sea. "I need you to look after the ship," Jack replied, turning the wheel so they were on the right bearing. "She's had a long journey, and there's no one I trust more to take care of her."

The side of Liza's mouth twitched slightly at the blunt comment. Jack wasn't one for giving or receiving compliments, she just told it how it was. Still, Liza sighed. "I haven't been off this wretched boat in months, Jack."

Jack snapped the compass she was holding shut. "She is a ship, Liza, have some more respect for her." Liza rolled her eyes, but didn't push it anymore. God forbid anyone said anything against the Pearl. "As for not stepping foot on land, why don't you go with the rest of the crew when we make port?"

"Depends on where we're going," Lia replied, narrowing her eyes.

Jack glanced at her sideways and gave her that signature one-sided smile she did when she knew Liza wouldn't like the answer. "Tortuga."

Storybrooke…

Emma sat on her bed staring at the duffel she had just packed. Her eyes were sore from crying and her voice was raspy. She wanted nothing more than to be snuggled up in Killian's arms as he told her it would be okay. But she knew it was too late for her and Killian now. He was fed up of chasing after her, of breaking down her walls. If that was even real anyway; Emma wasn't sure if it was just an act now. She had thought he was different, that Killian was real, and it only served to disappoint her once again.

Wiping her eyes one last time, Emma took a deep breath and headed downstairs to where Henry was watching a movie.

"You all packed, kid?" Emma asked, trying to make her voice sound stronger than she felt.

"Yeah, it's upstairs in my bag," Henry replied cautiously. He hated seeing his mom like this, and Killian for that matter, but he wasn't too worried. They were True Love after all. "Is that all your stuff?" Henry asked when he noticed the duffel bag hanging from Emma's shoulder.

Emma shrugged. "All I need," she replied.

Henry frowned as he realised what was happening. "Wait. You want to go now? We're leaving now?"

"Uh-huh," Emma nodded. She walked over to the bowel on the kitchen table to grab her keys. "I'm getting you out of here. Away from all this."

Henry jumped up and ran to the door, blocking the exit.

Emma noticed what he was doing and frowned. "Henry, c'mon, go get your stuff," she said sternly.

"No, no. You can't leave Storybrooke! You have to break the curse," Henry insisted.

The blonde crouched down so she was at Henry's eye level. "No, I don't. I have to help you," she replied.

"But you're a hero – you can't run. You have to help everybody," Henry said, desperate to make her see.

Emma took a deep breath. "Henry, I know it's hard for you to see it, but I'm doing what's best for you. That's what you wanted when you brought me to Storybrooke."

"But the curse… You're the only chance to bring back the happy endings!"

"Henry," Emma said as she reached for the door handle. Seeing what she was about to do, Henry dived to the side to block Emma's access to it. "Henry! What were you doing?"

Henry was now crying as he begged her, "Please! Please, don't make me go!" Emma took a step back from him as a pang of guilt struck her chest. "We can't go!" Henry continued. "Everything's here… Me, your parents, your family, Killian. Please, Emma. They need you. Your family needs you."

Emma watched her distraught son for a few more seconds and decided that if she ripped him away from his home then she would be no better than Regina, and that was not the type of mother she wanted to be. "Hey, kid, come here," she said as she held her arms open.

Henry slowly backed away from the door and went into Emma's arms.

"I'm sorry, kid," Emma said as she hugged him. "Listen, you go to bed and we'll sort this out tomorrow sometime, okay?"

Henry nodded at her, before he trudged him the stairs to where his temporary airbed was. Emma watched him go and Killian's voice rang through her head. You're running away, Swan, and you know it…

She shook it off and decided to go to bed herself before she faced reality in the morning.

The next day, David woke up to the sounds of rustling in the kitchen, which he found odd since Killian was never up before him. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he padded into the kitchen with his gun behind his back as an extra precaution. To his amazement he found Killian already dressed and making breakfast. David checked the time and saw that it was only 6:04.

"Morning, Dave," Killian said as he plated up the eggs he had just cooked.

David sat down at the counter with his plate and stared at Killian with his mouth slightly ajar. Upon closer inspection David saw that Killian looked rather dishevelled. His hair was messy as if he'd made no effort to tame it and he had deep, dark circle under his eyes.

"Are you sick?" David blurted out.

Killian shot him a look before he tucked into his breakfast. "Try to do something nice for your housemate," he said jokingly, but he saw that David obviously wasn't buying it. "I'm fine, mate."

"Really?" David asked, arching an eyebrow. "Because for the first time in forever you are up earlier than me, you look like you haven't slept and…" David paused and took note of the slightly spiced smell in the air, "have you been drinking rum?"

Killian rolled his eyes and sighed. "Alright, I didn't sleep," he admitted. "I thought the rum would help me drift off but it didn't. So I got up instead of just lying awake in bed. That's all there is to it."

David got up and reached for his phone. "I'm gonna see if Emma can cover your…"

"NO!" Killian shouted before David had even finished speaking.

David put his phone down and raised an eyebrow at Killian. "All there is to it, huh?"

The sheriff sighed and ran a hand through his unkempt hair. He gestured for David to sit in the seat opposite him. After a brief pause, Killian finally spoke. "Emma and I are done."

David's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?" he asked. "I thought you guys were happy!"

"So did I," Killian replied bitterly. "She got spooked by… something, and she wanted to leave. I told her she was running away and I let my temper get the better of me. I said some stuff I shouldn't have and I don't think she'll ever forgive me. I'd be amazed if she's even still here."

David blinked at him and sat back in his chair. "Are you sure? I mean, Emma loves you! I'm sure she would have stayed."

"No, she's gone. And if she hasn't gone yet then she will be by the end of today," Killian said.

"I can't believe she would just leave like that, Mary Margaret's gonna be crushed," David stated.

"That's what I said. But she wasn't listening, I can only hope Henry talked her out of it and gave them some more time."

David nodded and checked the clock once more. It was now 6:15. "Well, I'd better get ready. If anything is gonna be able to distract you today, it'll be Jefferson."

David clapped Killian on the shoulder as he walked past and Killian mustered the best smile he could. In reality Jefferson would just serve as a reminder that he had failed, that Emma was never going to break the curse. Though after last night Killian wasn't sure he wanted the curse broken. He had lied to David; he had fallen asleep. But he had the worst nightmare he could ever recall having, and he knew it was his memories. The dream was terribly violent and bloody, and he was the one causing it all. It was like Jefferson said, the Killian he was now was not the Killian that the hatter knew. He was much darker and almost… evil. As much as he wanted the curse broken, he did not want to become that man.

Killian must have been lost in thought because before he knew it David was back and tossing his car keys at him. "Time to go, sheriff."

David decided to fill the silence with some mindless chatter that Killian wasn't really listening to, but he knew he was just trying to distract him from Emma, and for that he was grateful. Though it wasn't really needed as the pain in his left hand had flared up again, and it was the most intense it had ever been. Finally they arrived at the station.

"So Jynx was freaking out, literally standing on top the counter when I got there because one of the…"

David cut off his story as the two men stood completely stunned when they came round the corner. Jefferson's cell was empty. Killian and David looked at each other for a split second before they leapt into action.

"You take the car and go on patrol, I'll see if he's left anything behind that could tell us his whereabouts," Killian ordered, the sheriff in him coming out.

David nodded at him before running back towards the door. Killian turned to the desks and started rummaging through the drawers and the mountains of paperwork. After a few minutes he found a note that was addressed to him. He unfolded it hastily and drank in the words on the page.

Killian,

If you're reading this then you're already looking for me. You won't find me. I'm sorry, but I had to do this for my Grace. I hope you break the curse before I go through with whatever Regina wants. And if you do break the curse, I hope you hold onto the man you are now, for all our sakes.

Jefferson.

p.s. tell David that I'm gonna miss winding him up all the time.

Killian read and re-read the note before he crumpled it up and put it in his pocket. He fell into the nearest chair and placed his head in his hands, his only thought being that he had really fucked up.

Henry left for school earlier than usual and raced round to Granny's. If anyone would be able to give him any clues as to what was going on with the curse, then it would be August. He walked up to the door of August's room and knocked on it.

"Hang on," he heard August say. The door opened and Henry pushed his way into the room.

"August, please. I need your help. Emma wants to leave," Henry explained quickly.

"What?" August gaped. "Slow down."

"Killian tried to stop her but they had this big fight and now she only wants to leave more. Y-You were going to make her believe. You have to!" Henry implored.

August sighed and looked down. "I know, Henry. I'm sorry. I… I failed," the older man admitted.

"Failed?" Henry asked, tilting his head like a confused puppy.

"I tried to show her. At first it was my legs, and now… Now take a look at the unvarnished truth," August said bitterly. He pulled up his sleeve to reveal the polished wood of his arm.

Henry's eyes widened, half shock and half excitement. "It's wood," he stated.

"Yes," August replied, smiling despite himself.

"All of this… I was right. The curse… It's real!" Henry said with a beaming smile. He had been right! All this time, people thought he was crazy, and he was right!

"You're a smart kid."

"And you're Pinocchio," Henry realised.

"What gave it away?" August said sarcastically.

"But, why are you turning back to wood? Your story… You should be real," Henry replied, confused.

"I'm changing back because… I haven't exactly been a good boy. And, well, if the curse doesn't break, this doesn't stop," the author said forlornly.

"So, we show Emma that you're turning back into the puppet you were, and then, she has to believe. And when she does, she could break the curse!"

"He tried that yesterday," came Killian's voice from the doorway. Henry turned round to see the sheriff and smiled weakly at him. Killian walked forward and placed a hand on Henry's shoulder. "I'm sorry about yesterday, Henry, I know you would have heard everything that was said. I didn't mean any of it, I was just angry and frustrated with your mother," Killian explained.

August frowned at the sheriff. "What's going on?"

Killian looked up at him. "Jefferson's missing," he stated simply.

"Missing?" August asked, his face a picture of surprise. "How is he missing? He was locked up in a cell!"

"I don't know, but he left me this," Killian said, handing August the note he'd left them.

"He's working for Regina? What for?" August said.

Killian shrugged. "It was his only choice to get his child back if we failed to break the curse. I don't blame him considering that we have failed."

"We have to find him! The only thing the Evil Queen would want him for is to help her hurt Emma. We all have to go now." Henry said.

"I can't, Henry," August said, causing Killian to frown. "It's hard to ride and it's hard to walk. Soon, it's going to be hard to breathe," he explained.

"So, we have to do something fast!"

"There's nothing to do," August sighed. "And with what little time I have left, I want to spend it with my father."

"Marco," Henry stated.

August gave him a bittersweet smile. "Told you you're a smart kid."

"So, everyone's giving up," Henry realised, looking between the two adults.

"I'm afraid that I don't have a choice. I'm sorry, kid, but I'm out of Operation Cobra," August replied.

Henry looked up to Killian who was biting the inside of his cheek. "I can't help you with your mum, Henry. She won't even want to look at me after yesterday. But I am going to try to find Jefferson. It's up to you to make Emma believe, though," Killian told him.

Henry nodded at him, more determined than ever to break the curse.

Emma didn't get out of bed until after noon. She'd avoided being chewed out by Mary Margaret for nearly leaving yesterday because she had seen how devastated she was about Killian. It was all Emma could think of. The guy she loved more than anything else except Henry, and he was a complete fraud. He had played her like a fiddle, all for some joke. She couldn't believe she had kidded herself into thinking it was real. No one could love Emma Swan, it had been proven to her time and time again. And this time she would listen to it.

She still had to get out of this town but as much as she hated to say it, Killian was right – she couldn't take Henry with her. Maybe it was better that she distanced herself from him anyway, that way neither of them could get hurt in the long run. Making her mind up, she grabbed her jacket and headed over to the Mayor's house.

She pulled up outside of the house and walked to the door, the faint scent of apples wafting in the air. Regina answered the door a moment after Emma had rang the bell.

"We need to talk," Emma said bluntly.

Regina regarded her carefully. "Yes, I imagine we do. Come right in," she replied, gesturing for Emma to walk through the door.

"Do what you're so skilled at and make yourself at home," Regina said sarcastically.

"Right. Look, this isn't easy," Emma began as she walked through to the living room with Regina. "I think that this… Whatever is between us, needs to end."

Regina raised her eyebrows. "At last, something we can agree on," she said with a delicate smile.

"I want to make a deal with you about Henry."

Regina's face turned sour. "I'm not making any deals with you…"

"I'm leaving town," Emma cut her off.

Regina blinked for a second. "What?"

"This… What we're doing is a problem, and I'm going to go, but I have conditions," Emma explained. "I still get to see Henry. I get to visit and spend time, whatever."

"And you get to see him. You're still in his life," Regina stated, clearly still not happy.

"Look, in any deal, both parties are a little unhappy. But, let's be honest – we both know the world where I'm not in his life no longer exists, and there's no one who can do anything about that," Emma said strongly. Her position on seeing her son was not going to change.

Before Regina responded the timer for the oven started to beep. A small smile crept over Regina's face. "You're right. Would you mind following me for a moment?" she said. The pair walked into the kitchen where the smell of apples was much stronger and Regina took out the apple turnover she was baking in the oven. "So, what are you proposing?" she asked.

Emma shrugged. "I don't know. Just figure it out as we go," she replied unsurely. It would take time for Emma to sort herself out and she would have to psych herself up for coming back whenever she visited, in case she ran into him.

"But he's my son," Regina stated.

"Yeah," Emma replied, though it was difficult. She knew that in order for Regina to agree to her terms she would just have to tell her what she wanted to hear. Emma turned to leave but just before she exited the kitchen she was stopped.

"Oh, Miss Swan? Maybe a little something for the road?" Regina asked, gesturing to her freshly baked goods.

Emma gave her a weak smile. Regina took out a Tupperware contained and placed the pastry inside.

"Thanks," Emma said, walking back over to her.

Regina waved it off. "If we're going to be in each other's lives, it's time we start being cordial. My famous turnovers. Old recipe. But delicious," Regina replied, handing the box over to Emma. "I do hope you like apples," she added with a bright smile.

A few hours later Emma had packed up her things and was waiting of Henry getting home from school. She knew Mary Margaret was working late that night so she would stop off at the school on her way out of town; it wasn't fair that she would leave without saying goodbye to the woman that had done so much for her. A few minutes late, Henry walked through the door.

"Hey, Emma. Everything okay?" Henry asked.

Emma stared at her son, every bone in her body telling her not to do this, but what choice did she have? "Oh, um… No, I'm okay. Just, um…," Emma began, preparing herself for what she was about to say. "Yesterday, when I tried to take you away, you were right. I can't take you out of Storybrooke. But I can't stay either."

Henry's smile turned into a frown. "What?" he asked.

"I have to go," Emma told him.

"Go? You mean leave Storybrooke?" Henry asked incredulously.

"Yeah. I spoke to Regina, and we made a deal. I'm still going to be able to see you, just not… Every day," Emma explained, trying to make him see the good in the situation.

"No! No, you can't trust her!" Henry retorted.

"I have to. It's my only choice. It's what's best for you, Henry. Every time I fight her, someone else gets hurt," she said, tears starting to brim behind her eyes. This was so much harder than she ever imagined.

"No, no, no! You're just scared," Henry said, remembering what Killian had said yesterday. "This happens to all heroes. It's just the low moment before you fight back."

"Henry! This isn't a story. This is reality. And things have to change. You can't skip school, you can't run away, and… You can't believe in curses."

Henry paused as his last shred of hope shattered. "Y-you really don't believe?"

"I…" Emma tried to explain, seeing how devastated he was. "This is how it has to be right now. I made a deal, and I used my superpower. She's telling the truth. She's going to take really good care of you."

"Yes, but she wants you dead!" Henry implored.

"Come on, Henry!" Emma said, trying to make him see sense.

"You're the only one that can stop her," Henry said.

"Stop her from what? All she's ever done is fight for you. It just… Got out of hand. I'm sorry."

Henry saw that there was nothing else he could do. He was going to lose his mom and in that moment he was just a scared, lonely little boy who needed his parents. He hugged Emma tight to him as she couched down. He opened his eyes and saw a turnover sitting on a plate on the counter. He inhaled through his nose and the faint whiff of apple caused him to tense up.

"Where did you get that?" Henry asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Regina gave it to me," Emma answered, thinking nothing of it.

Henry walked over to confirm his suspicions. "Apple!" he stated, turning back towards Emma.

"So?" Emma asked.

"You can't eat that. It's poison!"

Emma frowned. "What?"

"Don't you see? The deal… It was all a trick to get you to eat that, to get rid of the saviour," Henry insisted.

"Henry, come on. Why would she do that when I just told her I was going to go?" Emma asked, pointing out the holes in Henry's theory.

"Because as long as you're alive, you're a threat to the curse," Henry explained.

Emma took a deep breath. "Henry, you've got to stop thinking like this," she begged him.

"But it's the truth! And you leaving isn't going to change that!"

Emma looked at him and bit her lip. There was only one thing for it. "I'll prove it to you," she replied, reaching for the turnover.

Henry saw what she was going to do and grabbed the turnover before she reached it. "No!" he shouted.

"Henry… What are you doing?" Emma asked.

Once again Henry had hope that he would be able to make her believe. "I'm sorry it had to come to this. You may not believe in the curse… Or in me. But I believe in you." With that he took a bite of the turnover and waited. Nothing happened. Henry frowned in confusion. He had been so sure.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "See? You want to have some ice cream with that? And then we can go back to talking about…"

All of a sudden Henry turned deathly pale and collapsed into a heap on the floor.

A wave of sheer panic washed over Emma. "Henry?" she said cautiously. He might be faking it to try and prove a point. But deep down Emma knew that this wasn't fake. She dived towards him and lifted his head up into her lap. "Henry? Henry!" Before she even knew what she was doing her phone was in her hand calling the first person who came to mind.

"Swan," the voice on the end of the line said.

"Killian," Emma said, he voice shaking.

Immediately she could sense how he tensed up on the other end of the phone. "What is it, Emma?"

The blonde started to cry. "It's Henry. He just collapsed and he's not waking up."

Killian didn't wait for her to say anything else. "Don't move. I'm coming to pick you up and take you both to the hospital. I'll be 5 minutes."

Within 10 minutes Henry was being rolled into a private hospital wing on a gurney with Emma and Killian close behind him. "Killian, what is happening?" Emma asked desperately.

"I don't know, love. But he's in good hands now, they'll figure it out," Killian replied, taking Emma's hand in his. A silent apology resonated with both of them in that moment and it said all the words they didn't have time to say.

A nurse came up to the pair of them to try and block their path. "Ma'am, let me take you to…"

"No, I am not going anywhere!" Emma said, pushing past her to get to Henry with Killian close behind her.

Dr Whale was leaning over him and shining a torch in his eyes. "There's no pupil response. What happened? Did he fall? Hit his head?" he asked Emma.

Emma held out a plastic bag that contained the turnover. "He ate this. I think it's poisoned," she said.

Killian's eyes widened as he took in the pastry.

"His airway's clear. Did he vomit? Any convulsion or disorientation?" Whale continued.

"He took a bite of this, and then he just collapsed. So, run the test for arsenic, or bleach, or Drano, or whatever could've done this to him!" Emma shouted, running out of patience.

Killian took the bag out of Emma's hands and stared at it, praying it wasn't what he thought it was. He opened it up and sniffed, his heart sinking as the smell of apples filled his nostrils. When he found that woman, he was going to kill her.

"The boy is showing no symptoms that would suggest neurotoxins. So, whatever's going on, this is not the culprit."

"Well, what else could it be?" Emma asked, not noticing Killian's intense discomfort.

"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out," Dr Whale said as comfortingly as he could.

"He's going to be okay, though, right?" Emma asked anxiously. She felt Killian's hand on her shoulder.

Dr Whale avoided the question. "Right now, we just need to stabilize him, cause he's slipping away. Is there anything else that you can remember? Any little detail?"

"Look, she already told you everything, now just bloody well do your job," Killian growled. Emma had never seen him this tense before, not even when Henry had gotten trapped down the mines or even yesterday when they had their big fight.

"Look, I understand you're both frustrated, I do. But I need something to treat. And, right now, there is no explanation. It's like…" Dr Whale trailed off when he noticed Emma wasn't listening to him. Instead she was rummaging through the contents of Henry's bag as she dumped them on the bed.

"Like magic," Killian said, holding the plastic bag out to Emma. "This is an apple turnover, Emma," he said, his eyes boring into hers as she looked at him helplessly.

For once in her life, Emma decided to take a leap of faith. Even if there was only a tiny chance that it would save her son, she had to believe it. She grabbed Henry's book and a flood of memories flashed behind her eyes. Memories of Mary Margaret with long hair saying goodbye to a baby, memories of David putting the baby in the wardrobe, she even saw the little mobile that hung in Gold's shop. She dropped the book a split second after and gasped, falling into Killian's arms.

"Swan?" he asked, searching her eyes for the smallest glint of hope.

It was a huge realisation, knowing that the curse was real, that Killian hadn't lied to her. She would have been relieved if it wasn't for the situation at hand. She didn't have time to react to it though because at that exact moment Regina came running through the hospital doors.

Every emotion Emma was feeling was channelled into pure rage when she looked at the woman running to her son. When this was all over, Regina was going to pay.