You survived? And you're back for more? What's wrong with you people... (what's wrong with me?)
Without further ado:
Worth Fighting For 2/3
She heard Killian pull out his cutlass beside her and she quickly did the same. This guy was a pain, but she hardly thought he was worth a bullet. She still carried her gun, but there were too many almost villains in this town to risk it sometimes.
Hans laughed, "I take it you've spoken to the sisters already, they've a really skewed version of the story I promise you. I was just on my way to speak to them and talk about it."
Emma lowered her weapon slightly and Hans smiled, "Thank you, Princess," he said stepping closer. She saw Killian tense next to her.
"I'm sure they told you that I tried to kill them, right, well perhaps you don't know them as well as you think. That woman's storm destroyed the crops in our land for years. The famine she caused took the lives of thousands of the citizens I swore to protect. She's not safe, Emma."
Emma was listening, blade lowered but not forgotten as Hans made his way closer. She couldn't tell if he was lying. Either she was having an off day or he was a really ... really good liar. Or perhaps he was telling the truth... it wouldn't be the first time the version of events she knew was very wrong. She glanced over at Killian who hadn't lowered his blade at all.
"They were families I knew, Emma, Children I used to see every day, frozen or starved by the dozens. She murdered them, Emma."
He was standing right in front of her now, close enough that she could see a tear running down his cheek. Damn it, she still couldn't tell...
"Hans, she wasn't in control of her power then, If that's true then it is tragic but-" she didn't get the chance to finish before suddenly Killian crashed into her knocking her to one side. She almost yelled at him but then she saw a flash of a silver blade in Hans' hand. That lying-
Killian wasn't fast enough. The blade sunk into his side and he cried out in anger and pain. He knocked the blade away from Hans, glancing down for a moment at his wound. Emma tried to right herself and go to his aid, but her attention was rapidly turned back to Hans who had already drawn another weapon. Killian had accidentally sent her blade flying when he pushed her out of the way of Hans' attack so now she reached for her gun as the blade raced towards her.
A gun shot echoed through the clearing and Hans stumbled backward clutching his stomach.
She was too slow. She should have known he was lying. Some superpower.
Killian lay collapsed, holding his wounded side.
Emma lept to her feet sparing only a glance to check that Hans was down too before she knelt by Killian. She pulled his hand away with gentle pressure, trying to see how bad the wound was. Physically it didn't look deep, though there was more blood than she was comfortable with... but his eyes were glazed over and he didn't look at her.
"Killian, hey Killian, my eyes are up here you pervert." She teased, trying to get his attention. He continued to stare blankly beyond her and she felt nervousness and nausea threatening to overtake her. She unwrapped his scarf from around his neck and tied it neatly and quickly around his wound to slow the bleeding.
"Killian, can you hear me? Come on Killian, look at me."
"Swan, Emma, love you're going to be ok," he muttered.
"Of course I'm going to be ok pirate," Emma retorted, relieved that he was finally speaking to her. "You're the one that lost in a duel to Mr. 13th in line over there," she said teasingly.
"Don't do that, love. Not like this, please, not like this," his voice was broken and small and Emma's eyebrows furrowed.
"Killian?"
"No!" He cried abruptly, "Emma? Swan, please don't leave me alone."
"Killian, what are you talking about, I'm right here. You're not alone... can you hear me?"
"Swan?" he whispered, "Don't go?"
"Killian, Killian, wake up." she shook him then suddenly flinched away when her name ripped itself from his lips in a tortured cry.
Tears were flowing down his cheeks but no matter how hard she shook him he wouldn't look at her, wouldn't snap out of his delusion.
She heard footsteps and David entered the clearing, "I heard a shot, what happened?"
"Bad form, Swan," Killian muttered, "stop it, love-"
Emma brushed his hair back gently as David knelt next to her. She quickly slipped the ring off her finger, not sure she could deal with that conversation at this particular moment.
"Hans, he attacked us." David picked up the phone and called Dr. Whale and Emma slipped the ring onto her Swan necklace while he checked on Hans. He handcuffed his hands just to be safe, but he was unconscious. David wrapped the mans wound with his scarf haphazardly before returning to Killian and Emma.
Charming carried Killian into Elsa and Anna's house where they quickly set up a spare room with all the medical supplies they could find.
They laid him down, but he didn't stop. He was still whispering to himself with tears running down his cheeks.
Emma turned to Elsa, "What is happening? Why isn't he snapping out of this?"
"Was Hans the one who cut him?" Elsa asked nervously.
"Yes, he.. attacked us..."
"It's magic from his kingdom. A poison of sorts."
"Of sorts? Is there a cure?" Emma pressed, wiping tears from Killian's face that were quickly replaced.
"Yes... kind of."
"I don't have time for this Elsa, how can I save him."
"You can't."
"What?"
"He can only save himself."
"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, starting to get irritated.
"It's a magical... coma of sorts. Made up of his deepest fears and greatest temptations. If he defeats them he wakes up. If he fails ... he dies."
"There must be something I can do."
Elsa shrugged, "I'm sorry Emma... most people don't wake up. It's the way it's designed. It's in his head, it knows exactly what will tempt him the most."
Elsa left as Emma took Killian's hand again.
"I'm sorry, Snow," he whispered, voice broken, "I was meant to protect her. I should have saved her. I'll fix this, I'll find someone who can save her, I'll trade myself for her, there has to be a way..."
"Killian I'm right here," she called to him, "Wake up, I'm right here."
Suddenly his grip tightened on her hand and his eyes flew open, though they didn't settle on her. They were cold and fiery at the same time and his voice was calm and hard, dangerous even.
"I have to go to the hospital...Oh just watch me."
"Killian, please don't do this to me." Emma whispered.
"Now we'll never know will we. And that's his fault. I will rip him to pieces, Snow, so many pieces they'll never find them all."
Emma was crying now too, of course this was his greatest temptation. His vengeance, and she already knew he couldn't resist it. He'd spent 300 years seeking it the first time around. Suddenly his eyes softened.
"Not like this Henry...not like this. She wouldn't want you to see her like this."
He fell silent and Dr. Whale came to bandage his wound and look him over for anything medically wrong. Emma explained what Elsa had told her and David nodded, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll talk to Regina and Gold, maybe they can help?"
He was quiet for a while, though no one would mistake this for an easy sleep. His every muscle was tensed and rigid. He muttered to himself occasionally and she leaned close to hear his words. Some of it was nonsense. Mostly it was her name interspersed with apologies. Occasional tears slipped down his cheeks, and she wiped them away. He never responded to her touch.
"He shouldn't touch her." He finally cried out, startling Emma by it's abruptness, "None of them should touch her," he growled voice becoming dangerous and cold again, "I should be in there, I should protect her."
He fell still again but his face was angry and bitter.
"Killian, please stop it. Please, just come back to me," she entreated him, but he continued to mumble to himself. She kissed him and clasped his hand tighter; Brushed his hair back and whispered in his ear; "Stop this, Killian, you're better than this, you're different now."
"He killed her. He destroyed her, I have to..."
For a moment she thought he was talking to her and she continued. "Don't Killian, please don't. I know you love me. I know you want to be home... with us. You can't be home with us if you kill him."
"She's gone, Henry. This man destroyed my home, my heart."
Of course he couldn't hear her. She clenched his hand tightly voice angry, "Don't you dare Killian. Don't you dare abandon me. You selfish pirate. Don't you dare..."
Tears were falling from his eyes (and hers) again as she waited, jaw clenched. Killian was still talking to himself but she couldn't understand him anymore.
She lay her head down on his chest, repeating "please come back to me, please don't do it," over and over again until her voice was hoarse.
Finally he stopped whispering and she looked up. His eyelids were fluttering and hope sprang to life in her chest.
"Killian?"
His eyes shot open at the sound of her voice and he smiled, raising his hand to her cheek, "I never thought- after all I've done I never thought I'd get to see you again. Wherever you went, I was sure they wouldn't let me in."
Emma laughed in relief. "You're not dead, you stupid pirate!"
His eyes furrowed and he stared at her intently for a moment. "Swan... are you... are you really here?"
"Yes, I'm here."
"Oh, thank God," the words came out more a sigh then a whisper and he shot up grabbed her and pulled her down next to him, sighing into her neck. "God, Swan, you're here. You're still here."
"Everything is fine now, Killian."
He took her left hand and kissed it gently, a flicker of sadness in his eyes as he did so.
Did he remember? Did he remember asking her to marry him? He didn't say anything when he saw that she was no longer wearing the ring. Perhaps the experience had changed his mind. Maybe it was too much of a risk now... If that was what he wanted now she certainly couldn't hold him to it...
"A dream? It was all a dream?" He said, eyes confused and conflicted.
She continued, "Hans' blade, it was poisoned ... I don't really understand it...but it makes you live your worst nightmares and if you are overcome the poison overtakes you. But it's ok...you came back," she whispered.
"Always, love, until it's no longer my choice to make. Love? I... I don't know how I woke up, I let him get away with it."
"Who?"
"Hans, he killed you." He paused a moment, brushing his thumb across her jaw and up her cheek before continuing it's path into her hair where he tangled his fingers. "I let him get away with it. Just like I let the dark one get away with it. If I can't keep the people I love safe, and can't avenge them when they're stolen from me... "
"I'm still here, love." Emma whispered, enjoying the way his eyes lit up when she took on his preferred endearment.
"I didn't know that... and I still let him live."
"That's what brought you back to me, Killian. You won, I'm so proud of you."
He dropped his fingers from her face to her shoulder and they drifted down her arm as he considered her words. Finally they reached her left hand which he brought to his lips and kissed softly. She ached with the loss of that which had rested there so briefly. She would have to return the ring to his room at Granny's since he didn't seem to remember giving it to her.
"I hate magic." Killian finally mumbled into her palm and Emma laughed.
"At the moment I agree with you," Emma said with a sigh. "What made you stop? What made you give up your vengeance?"
"Your lad, gave me a right good scolding. Told me that he knew I wanted to be home with you and that..."
"You can't be home with us if you kill him." Emma finished in surprise.
Killian raised his eyebrows. "Is this another family motto I should be aware of?"
"No I... That's what I said. I didn't think you could hear me."
Killian nuzzled her neck his fingers playing with her swan necklace, remembering in too vivid detail taking it from her still form and placing it around his own neck. Tugging at it lightly he gasped. She glanced down and realized that he had pulled it loose of her shirt and the ring was now visible.
"You don't have to... I was going to give it back since-"
"I'll take that, Swan," he said seriously and her face fell as she took the ring from her necklace and handed it back to him.
"That's not where it goes," he whispered with a smile.
It was, after all, a perfect fit.*
AN: *introduces plot device designed entirely to make the pain go away* TaDa! ... rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers *sighs in relief*
I know I've killed our favorite pirate off before but somehow I just can't bear to kill off Emma. (yet, no one is ever safe... just sayin' ... *insert evil laughter here*)
Killing Killian off seems more ... humane...compared to putting our puppy pirate through watching another person he loves die. I just ... So couldn't do it.
Thank God for fluffy bonus scenes or I don't think I would have gotten through that last chapter though. Yes, you can still review previous chapters to get your bribe/bonus scene. Do it, I love hearing what you guys think and I'm more than willing to bribe you for your thoughts! (Particularly when the bribe involves making something fluffy!)
