A/N: It's finally here, the last chapter before the epilogue. This one is a wee bit longer, but hopefully answers a few questions.
Thanks to all those who've stuck with this story, despite the inconsistent updating. I love you all more than a whole chest of gold. By chest of gold, I don't mean Rumplestiltskin.
Disclaimer: Well, unless someone is generous enough to give me a working genie lamp (anyone?), I don't own, nor will I ever own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters. It belongs to Ed Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, and the ABC network.
We Will Be Legendary
"The bloody hell we're not!" Killian bellowed, jumping off the bed. For a moment they all thought he was going to charge Gold, Snow and David going so far as to step in front of Gold to prevent Killian from attacking the dark one and getting himself hurt or worse. Instead, Killian turned to Emma, gathering her in his arms. Snow and David looked on with their jaws practically on the floor, and Gold seemed oddly impressed with the Captain's actions. Emma on the other hand didn't seem at all surprised.
"Don't listen to that imp Emma," urged Killian, cupping her cheek with his hand, his blue eyes blazing with fierce desperation. "For three hundred years I believed that my sole purpose for living was to put an end to the dark one, but I was wrong. I endured 300 years of darkness, of despair, of loneliness so that I could be found by you, my one true love. If I have to reassure you of my love every minute of every day for the rest of our lives so that you believe me, I promise that I will. I swear-"
"You don't need to do that," she smiled, knowing that he fully intended to keep any promise he made to her. Emma locked gazes with his, knowing that there were no walls left between them, and allowing him to see into the very heart that belonged to him.
"Because I am all in Killian Jones. No more running, no more hiding behind emotional walls, no more pushing you away or being in denial of what I feel for you. I don't have a single solitary doubt what you and I are to each other. You're what I never thought I would have Killian Jones, you're it for me, you're my happily ever after. I haven't ever felt this way for anyone before, I didn't know it was even possible for me to feel this."
She found it impossible to describe the depth of feeling that Killian inspired in her, so she took the hand that was cupped at her cheek, and trailed it down her chest to where he could feel her heart beating for him against his palm. Emma held it there with her hand, and Killian took his hook from where it was at the small of her back, and used it to hold her hand against his heartbeat.
"I never thought I'd feel safe enough to open my heart to anyone," Emma whispered, her voice thick and cracking with emotion. "I've never had anyone understand me the way you do. I've never had anyone choose me before, not because they had to or they're supposed to because they're family, or because they needed me to be a saviour, but because you love me."
"I do," he breathed, his voice hitching slightly. "I love you so damn much. I will always, always choose you, no matter the question, no matter what, I choose you."
"Same here," she sighed. "It's you and me, always."
"Always." Killian repeated with an earnest smile.
"So I let's not give a damn what Rumplestiltskin, or anyone else thinks or says about us," She declared, taking her free hand from it's place at the nape of his neck, and drawing it down his broad chest until her palm found where his pulse beat to the rhythm of hers. "Though I'm damn sure he knows as well as probably everyone by now that we're true loves. We broke the spell, we did the whole true love light show. Even the dark one can't deny that wouldn't have happened if we weren't."
"You're one hell of a woman Emma Swan." Killian chuckled, his voice brimming with awe as he leaned down to touch his forehead to hers.
"Not so bad yourself Captain." Emma smirked as they shut their eyes at the same time, closing themselves off from the rest of the world and just letting the love ebb and flow naturally between them, like the sea to the shore. What they didn't realize was that the love flowing between them had become visible, a bright, golden light that glowed steadily between them as the rest of the occupants of the room looked on.
"And that folks, is what I'm talking about," Gold announced smugly. "Captain Jones and Ms. Swan were true loves. They are beyond that now."
"What do you mean?" murmured Emma as she and Killian pulled away from each other and returned their attention to the other people in the room. The golden light faded slightly as their focus shifted, but it refused to disappear altogether.
"You've heard of an ancient practice called anima mate haven't you?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "Or to be more precise, the process of anima ligare?"
"Really?" gasped Snow, her hands flying to her mouth and a sound of happiness squeaked out of her as threw her arms around Emma and Killian.
"You're not telling me…." groaned David. "Really? With the pirate? Isn't that supposed to be just a myth?"
"Sorry Prince, but before you is living, breathing proof that it is most certainly not a myth," replied Gold with a self satisfied tone. "True love is rare enough, what your daughter and her pirate have done should be impossible. And yet somehow…"
"What are you talking about?" muttered Emma. "Mary Margaret, thank you for your convincing impression of an anaconda, but it would be great if you'd stop squeezing the air out of our lungs."
"Sorry, I'm just so happy for the both of you!" Snow beamed, releasing Emma and Killian as she returned to Charming's side.
"Do you know what's going on?" Emma sent the thought out to Killian, knowing that if she were to get a straight answer from anyone it would be him.
"I believe they're talking about soul mates and soul binding," Killian replied with a look. "It's said to be an elemental magic - as old as the realms themselves. It was also said to be merely the stuff of bedtime stories and legends. They're our world's version of fairy tales, of couples with a love so powerful they used their magic to bind them to one another, making them virtually unstoppable. I have heard of a few that tried to bind their souls together, though I haven't heard of any who have succeeded."
"Is there something the two of you would like to share with the class?" asked Gold with a knowing tilt of his head and a slightly raised eyebrow.
"I was led to believe that soul binding can only happen with true loves that both have magic," Killian pointed out. "And it's fairly obvious that I don't have it."
"Ms. Swan, what is one of the first lessons in magic that I gave to you." Gold haughtily questioned her.
"Um…that it exists?" Shrugged Emma. "That fire breathing dragons can exist under libraries, that they can be really pissed off about you trespassing in their lair unless you happen to have an anti magic sword to defeat them with. Oh, and don't make any deals with you unless you want to get screwed over."
"And…" Gold pressed, an impatient wave of his hand signalling for her to continue. "Magic is about…."
"Emotion," Emma finished off, still unsure of what Gold was getting at and what it had to do with her and Killian. "Yeah, I remember that. But Killian is right, he doesn't have magic-"
"Well if magic can be about emotion, given a strong enough emotion, and the correct magical item the reverse can also be true." he said mysteriously. "How do you think that the talisman worked?"
"You mean…." murmured Emma as she pondered the implications of what Rumplestiltskin was saying.
"Yes, the enchantment gives the spell caster the ability to transform their feelings - literally - into magic," replied Gold. "The Captain's magic is what protected you, in fact saved you from harm. And when you finally accepted your feelings for him, when you were able to recognize your love for each other, then it was almost inevitable. Your magic bound itself with his, making the two of you soul mates."
"Do you still have magic?" Emma looked up at Killian, floating her thought to him, not wanting Gold to know either way just in case.
"I don't think so love," he frowned, sparing a glance at Gold and immediately understanding why she didn't want to ask her question out loud. "Because if I did, Rumplestiltskin's pants would be a flame right now."
She couldn't stop the snorting laughter that escaped from her as she pictured how that would look, and neither could Killian. They broke out in laughter, holding on to each other to stop each other, and themselves from falling down.
"What's so funny?" asked David, watching his daughter and her pirate in hysterics.
"Never mind, I'm not sure I want to know." Charming grumbled, assuming that whatever thought exchanges that his daughter and Jones were participating in were things that would scar him for life. As it was, he was still trying to sandblast the image of Jones bare assed and making out with his daughter on a hospital bed. Ugh, what he would give for a selective amnesia spell.
"It's not what you're thinking David," Emma reassured him, finally able to settle down. "We were just imagining what would happen if Killian still had his magic, and figured out that it was probably a good thing that he didn't."
"So, once Emma merged her magic with Killian's, his magic just went away?" asked Snow. "Or was it because they broke the spell?"
"Well, the Captain wasn't born with magic so it isn't as if the talisman gave him the ability to become a conjurer," Gold pointed out. "The magic it gave him was very specific - it could only be used to protect Emma. Besides, I never said they broke the spell."
"The spell wasn't broken, it was altered," Gold declared before he could be interrupted. "Jones here held on to the spell, his need to protect his love as strong as Emma's need to save him. And when they bound their magic to each other's, the spell was changed. He retains his magic, though it will only surface when the saviour is in danger. When this happens, his magic will wrap around her to protect her."
Suddenly, Killian flinched, his ears turning red as he stared at the floor looking rather chagrinned as Emma glowered at him. He took a breath and returned her glare just as intensely.
"Calm down Jones." Gold chuckled, seemingly amused by their silent antics.
"I am calm." Killian growled.
"When are you going to realize I what I did out of love?!" Killian huffed at her.
"Was talking to the other Jones." the Dark One teased.
"I'm as cool as a cucumber." Emma retorted without thinking too much about it. She didn't even notice how perturbed David seemed at Gold's comment, or how amused Snow was. She was too busy swapping thoughts with Killian.
"Let's see how badly you want to hold on to that injury swapping spell after I slam a door on my foot a few times." Emma smirked at him. "Or maybe I'll have some of Granny's Spam surprise!"
"As much as his magic desired to protect you when you during the anima ligate, your magic wanted to heal him," Rumplestiltskin continued. "Therefore the spell was transformed. Your magic can both protect and heal each other."
They stopped glaring at each other and turned their attentions to Gold.
"Really?" Killian and Emma asked at the same time.
"I wager that it won't be as instantaneous and absolute as it was before you altered the spell," Gold nodded. "But yes, you'll be able to heal each other, protect each other, communicate without words, give the other strength when the other's strength is waning, give the other faith when the other finds it difficult to hold on to their beliefs. There's also the added bonus of unlocking Ms. Swan's magic potential. Your magic stems from true love, and being able to bind yourself to your true love strangely enough, frees your magic. Accessing it should be as easy as allowing yourself to feel his love for you. I almost pity the villain who goes up against the two of you."
Emma and Killian looked at each other for a moment, their thoughts racing between them. They nodded and this time Killian spoke up.
"What's the price," he questioned Gold. "What's the price of all of this magic?"
"Truth is, there will be entities and villains alike out there who will seek to use or to steal your new power for their gain," the Dark One warned them. "Probably would be best if only the people in this room know that you two have been bound to one another."
They all warily agreed to keep the secret, focusing on an irritated Snow White to ensure she knew the importance of keeping this particular secret.
"For crying out loud I won't tell anyone," she huffed. "Geez, reveal one secret while you're a child to a manipulative sorceress and no one lets you forget it."
"There's one more price," Gold cautioned them. "What's done cannot be undone. There's no way to reverse the anima ligate without killing one of you. You've bound yourselves to one another for life. That's the price."
"I'm okay with that." Emma grinned.
"As am I." Killian beamed.
"Even though you've now become one of the most powerful practitioners of light magic in any realm Emma, I'd advise you to seek magic lessons to augment your natural abilities," said Rumplestiltskin as he prepared to leave the room. "I offer my tutelage, and it would also benefit you to seek lessons from Regina as well."
"I will," Emma agreed. "I just want to enjoy a little bit of a quiet moment with the people I love."
"You deserve a quiet moment, love." Killian smiled at her before leaning in to kiss her.
"Oh here they glow again." groaned David teasingly.
"That was a bad pun, even for you," Snow huffed, grabbing her husband by the hand and leading him past Rumplestilskin and out of the room. "See you two later at the loft?"
"Aye." she and Killian answered.
"Enjoy your quiet moment Saviour," smiled Gold almost wistfully.
"But don't take too long. Darkness always seems to be waiting just around the corner." he exclaimed mysteriously as he closed the door behind him.