Chapter Twenty-Six
Robin Hood's Camp
Emma and Killian return to camp in much the same manner that they left it, hand in hand. Roland spots them first and runs straight to Emma, jumping up into her arms as they stroll into camp. Antione stands waiting for them with a trepidatious expression and arms crossed and a pang of guilt goes through Emma for letting Killian take the gold.
"So, I guess you found what you were looking for?" Antione asks as they approach. Emma opens her mouth to start apologizing to him but Killian cuts her off.
"Aye, mate. We did. Also grabbed a few handfuls of the gold sitting around. Hope that sits alright with you, mate." He says seriously, looking Antione in the eye as Emma stands silent, waiting.
The giant pauses to study Killian for a minute and then looks away with a shrug.
"If I minded you taking it, I would only have made a bracelet for Emma." He says, making Killian nod in thanks and grin as Emma lets out the breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"Sorry. We plan to give some of it to the merry men for Roland." She says quickly.
"It's fine." Antione dismisses, turning to sit on a log.
"So, what's your next move?" he asks and Emma sits down beside him as Killian wanders off to show off his plunder to the merry men.
"I think we better go have a talk with Rumpelstiltskin before we head home. [she sighs] Really not looking forward to that." She says, half to herself and Antione nods in agreement as Little John approaches them.
"Sorry but I was wondering if I could have a word with the princess for a moment."
"Sure. Best of luck, Emma. I'm glad I could help you a little bit." Antione says and Emma leans over to hug him.
"You helped plenty." She replies with a warm smile and Antione returns her smile, stands and grabs a drink before he joins the party. Little John takes his seat, his eyes darting around nervously.
"Emma, I was hoping to have a minute with you before you left, to ask you a favour." He begins, nervously.
Emma smiles at him to put him more at ease.
"Of course. What's up, John?"
Little John fidgets a bit and then looks at Emma.
"Roland misses Storybrooke. He misses Regina and his sister. [he pauses for a moment] I was hoping you could talk Regina into coming here to see him. I can provide you with magic beans as trade. Antione has been growing them here." He rambles out quickly.
Emma smiles warmly at Little John and puts a hand on his shoulder in comfort.
"Hey. You don't need to trade us for that. Consider it done."
And Little John sighs with relief.
"Thank you, Princess. But please take the beans anyway; they will make it easier to finish your quest, whether to use or to trade." He finishes, forcing a small satchel into her hands.
Emma wants to protest but then reconsiders and thanks the big man.
Emma and Killian decide to stay one more night at camp before setting out towards Rumpelstiltskin's castle. Once more, the fire is lit and the ale flows as their friends say goodbye.
oOoOoOoOoOo
"Maybe you should knock, darling. The crocodile isn't fond of yours-truly on the best of days and something tells me I will not be a welcome sight in his more… troubling times." Killian says, stepping back from the massive front door of Rumpelstiltskin's castle.
Emma smirks and steps up to the door as she says,
"Hundred bucks says he already knows we're here, anyway." She mumbles as she raises her hand to knock.
"Right you are, dearie." Rumple says from behind them and Emma and Killian whip around to face him, in all his sparkly glory.
"Now, care to explain why the two of you [he gestures between them] are here at my door instead of back in Storybrooke, caring for my child?" he says with his usual dangerous flair.
"The Blue Fairy is taking care of Hope but we got a lead on a way to help Belle and came here to follow it." Emma says confidently.
Rumple bites back whatever he was going to say and studies the princess and the pirate thoroughly for a moment. Finally, he plasters the mischievous smirk back on his face and throws his hands in the air, saying,
"Well, then you may as well come in." And he 'poofs' them all into the main hall of his castle.
Emma and Killian find themselves standing in front of Rumpelstiltskin, who is sitting on a massive, ornate throne, looking down at them.
"So, tell me what it is you've found." He says, leaning towards them greedily.
Emma pauses and shares a significant look with Killian before speaking.
"We are looking into finding Atlantis. Apparently there may be something there that can cure Belle." She says and Rumple studies her again for a long minute.
"But what have you found?" he asks thoughtfully.
Emma straightens and stares right back at the Dark One.
"How about we'll share what we've found with you, when you share what you've found, with us?" she suggests cleverly.
Rumple gives a small chuckle and suddenly jumps off his throne and strides from the room, forcing Emma and Killian to follow him. They walk into a large well-lit room filled by a massive table and on the table are several pieces of tattered paper. Rumple stands aside to let Emma and Killian study them, as he watches with sharp eyes.
"It looks like a map… but its… wrong." Emma says with a furrowed brow.
"It's like no map I've ever seen." Killian confirms looking at it from behind Emma's shoulder.
"Yes. I've scoured the realms, collecting pieces of this blasted map to Atlantis, only to find that the map is nonsense." Rumple says, annoyance and frustration dripping from his words. Emma squints at the markings covering the map and then her face smooths and her back straightens before she turns to Rumple.
"I think I can make the map make sense, but I want to make a deal before I help you." Emma says to everyone's surprise.
"Love, what are you doing?" Killian says, laying a cautious hand on her arm as Rumple steps in close to her.
"What kind of deal?" he says greedily, ignoring the pirate.
Emma slides her hand over Killian's in reassurance and looks at Rumple with a hard look.
"I will give you what you need to read the map but then we do things my way. You don't make a single move without my approval."
Rumple reals back like she slapped him, but then he considers.
"Very well Princess, you have a deal." He says darkly and Emma nods as she reaches for her travel satchel to pull out the amulet. Drawn in at the sight of it, Rumple snatches the amulet from Emma's hands and holds it up to study it in disbelief.
"Where did you get thiss? He hisses at them.
"Nevermind where we got it, just remember our deal, Gold." Emma says warily.
Rumple ignores the comment and walks over to the map to place the amulet over a piece of the map on the table. Emma bends over the table to study the map with him.
"Is it working?" she asks
"Yes. Yes, this is the key to the map." He answers, not bothering to hide his excitement.
"Good." Emma says, standing once more.
"You can decipher the whole map back in Storybrooke. We need to go back there to check on things and get Belle before we venture off to Atlantis."
Rumple twitches at the command but then bows low.
"As per our deal, Princess." He says in agreement.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Emma, Killian and Rumpelstiltskin walk out of a portal and onto main street Storybrooke. Rumple tersely nods to Emma and then strides off towards his shop, leaving Emma and Killian to head over to Granny's Diner and out of the cold. The bell jingling over their heads as they come through the door, Emma and Killian breathe in the welcome smell of burgers and fries before joining a surprised Snow Neal and David at a table.
"You're back!" Snow exclaims as she jumps up to give Emma a hug.
Emma slumps down into a chair and waves at Granny, silently asking for food as David gives Killian a friendly clap to the back as he sits. Raising an eyebrow at her father, Emma asks about Hope before she starts explaining what happened in the Enchanted forest. Granny brings a couple burgers and an order of onion rings to the table and stands, listening to Emma's story.
"Wow. So… Atlantis?! That's what Gold has been up to, these last few months." Snow says in an awed voice as David tries to shovel baby food into Neal's mouth and Emma nods around a mouthful of food. Killian smirks and raises an eyebrow at Emma's appreciative moan as she happily munches on her onion rings. Suddenly, he stands, addressing Charming and Snow.
"Well, it's been a tiring journey, as you just heard. We should be getting home for a shower and rest before dashing off to reclaim Hope from the Fairy."
Killian holds out a hand for Emma and she stuffs the rest of her onion rings in her mouth. With a wave to her parents and kiss on baby Neal's head, they are out the door again. Emma laughs slightly as Killian pulls her along the sidewalk towards home.
"In a hurry, are we?" and Killian pulls her close for a moment.
"Sorry, darling but that sinful moan you made at the table made it necessary for me to get you home and naked while we are still alone." He says with a sexy wink and then continues pulling her along after him. Emma laughs again as she hurries after him.
Arriving home, Emma notices that someone has decorated their house for Christmas and there are already a few wrapped presents under the tree. She starts to say something to Killian about it but he will not be deterred as he leads her up the stairs and to their room, where he proceeds to strip them both and usher Emma into the shower with feverish kisses.
They spend the next two hours pleasuring each other in both the shower and on the bathroom mat before falling onto Emma's bed in a damp mess of slippery body parts.
"Welcome home, Killian." Emma says in a breathy voice, grinning at him.
Killian smiles back at Emma and then nibbles her neck.
"That's the first time you've referred this place as my home, darling."
Emma's eyes widen in realization and then she quirks her head with a smirk.
"I guess with all the craziness of the last few months, I just started thinking of this place as ours somewhere along the way." She says and Killian nuzzles in closer to her, pulling her towards his naked body so he can kiss more of her.
"Seriously? Again?" Emma says with a laugh as she melts into him.
"Well, if you're not up for it, Love…" he says pulling away with a playful grin.
Emma grabs onto Killian's shoulders and yanks him back down onto the bed and rolls over him, pinning him to the bed. He stares up at her with smouldering eyes.
"Not so fast, pirate. There are rules about a couple moving into a house together. And since we have been otherwise occupied lately, I think it's time we christen this place properly." She says, leaning over his chest to brush her breasts against it before moving to stand and saunter to the doorway of the bedroom. She turns back to Killian to say,
"That is, if you're up enough for it…" she says, glancing pointedly at his erection before walking out the door with Killian on her heels.