I own nothing except my delusions.
The council all looked at Killian with horrified expressions.
"You made a deal with the Dark One before, when Emma was with me," he reminded them. "We'll make another deal with him."
"He'll expect payment," the Huntsman said. "This time it will be steep."
"What was the payment for the first deal?" Killian demanded.
"He wasn't going to help us originally," Charming said, annoyed at his outburst. "Until he learned that Emma was taken by you. Then he said he would do it without payment."
Killian gave a humorless laugh. "Of course. The Crocodile wouldn't pass up the chance to kill me."
"He'll want payment this time," Regina said.
"And we'll give him what he wants," Snow added.
"The Dark One will try to make his payment something to use against us," Killian warned. "Especially if I'm involved."
"We're willing to lay down our lives if it helps the Princess," Pinocchio said. He turned his eyes to Killian, his gaze sharp.
"That's something someone like you can't understand," the Dark One's son, Reve, added, looking at Killian in disgust. "He only cares about himself."
"I wouldn't risk my life for someone I see as loot," Killian replied, his eyes on Reve.
He ignored the curious looks some of the members gave him, instead turning to look at Charming and Snow.
"It's our only option," Leo told his parents. "We can't wait around. Emma was safe with Hook. Blackbeard will harm her."
Killian missed the astounded looks shot towards Leo, instead trying to push down the shutter that ran through him at the thought of what Blackbeard could be doing to Emma.
"There has to be some other way," Jiminy said. "We shouldn't involve-"
"Times wasting," Killian interrupted angerly. "Every minute you spend talking about what to do, Emma is with him. Do you know what's he's done? He's shot his own crew for fun. One of his wives, after he claimed her, made her act as a prostitute to some of the members of his crew while he watched."
He saw the horrified looks on their faces, but their reactions only further angered him.
"If you don't do something to get Emma back, I'll do it myself," Killian threatened, his rage leaking into his voice. "I don't care about what happens to me. Not as long as she's safe."
"We'll meet again in an hour to figure out a plan," Charming dismissed. He looked around the table before his hard eyes rested on Killian. "You're staying in here."
Unhappy, everyone rose from their seats, leaving the chambers except Emma's family.
"David?" Snow asked, bewildered at her husband.
"We need to go," Charming said, grabbing a map of the kingdom. "They don't want to call Rumplestiltskin, but we don't have any other options. Not if Emma is in danger."
"We need to get to the docks, then," Robin agreed, moving beside Charming to look over the map. "Will we be summoning the Dark One there?"
"Yeah," Charming responded. "Belle came here to seek asylum. I won't risk her and her son when there's another way." He looked up at his wife. "Snow, I'm going after her. Can you..." he trailed off, looking uncertain.
Snow looked at him, determined. "I'll stay here and handle everything. Just go bring our daughter home."
"I'll stay, too," Regina said. "I can help Snow. And I can do something if anything happens."
Robin looked at Charming, his eyes sure. "You can count me in."
"Me, too," Leo added.
"And me," Roland said.
Killian looked at the group, watching as they made plans for the men to leave for the hunt while the women stayed behind to defend the kingdom. He waited, impatient to leave and begin the search.
"We'll leave soon," Leo said in a quiet voice beside him. "Roland just went to begin preparations for a ship."
Killian nodded.
Finally, the planning ended, able to be put into action. He watched as Charming and Snow embraced, seeing the obvious love in their eyes. Turning away slightly, he saw Regina and Robin in a similar position.
It made him miss Emma even more.
As soon as Charming and Snow pulled away, Killian spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "I'll be needing my effects."
Charming eyed him, his expression distrustful, before slowly nodding. He turned away, calling one of the guards to retrieve Killian's possessions.
"If you try anything, I'll personally see that you get what you deserve," he said darkly. "Just remember, you're nothing but a pirate."
Killian just nodded as his coat, hook, and weapons were laid before him. He grabbed his hook, clicking it in place before shrugging on his coat and donning his weapons.
He was ready.
"Captain Smollott is ready," Roland announced, reentering the room. "We can leave."
Silently sneaking out of the castle, they rode to the docks, their horses moving quickly through the cold night air. The smell and sounds of the sea did little to calm Killian.
Stopping just outside of the port, they dismounted, tying off the horses to walk the rest of the way.
"Shouldn't we call the Dark One now?" Leo asked his father as they approached the area where the cobblestones turned to wood.
"Yeah, we should," Charming replied, stopping to look back at Robin and Roland, ignoring Killian. "Are you sure that you want to be here?"
"Yeah, we are," Roland answered as Robin nodded. "Emma is our family, too."
Charming nodded. "Alright, then. Here goes nothing."
He stood tall, his voice confident and unwavering, but Killan had been reading people too long for Charming's nervousness and fear to go unnoticed. "Rumplestilskin! I summon you here!"
"You don't have to yell," a voice giggled.
Turning, they saw Rumplestilskin standing behind them, his reptilian eyes gleaming.
"Emma is gone again," Charming said. "She was taken by Blackbeard, and we need your help."
The imp giggled in delight, making Killian's blood boil.
"Well, she certainly has a habit of being taken by pirates, doesn't she?" he asked, amused.
"Will you help us or not?" Killian snapped, fed up.
The Crocodile turned his eyes to him, adopting a strange look.
"I may have something," he said. A compass appeared in his glittering hand, holding it up for them to see. "This," he waved it with a flourish, "will let you track the Concorde. The compass will simply direct you to the ship without fail."
He gave them a wide, impish smile as his voice went high. "And it's yours for a price."
"What do you want?" Charming asked.
Rumplestilskin hummed. "We may have a problem. I don't think you have anything you can offer that I want. Unless you know where Belle and my son went."
So his wife and son really have left him, good for them, Killian thought to himself.
"And you don't have any magical objects of interest," Rumplestilskin continued. "So unless you can come up with something, I'm afraid that we don't have an agreement."
Killian ignored the lost looks Charming, Leo, Robin, and Roland gave each other, trying to think of something to offer the imp.
Looking out towards the sea, he knew.
He remembered their time in Port Bonny, when he and Emma had been walking towards the docks.
"An old sea shanty," he replied. She could hear the smile in his voice. "Come, Loose Every Sail to the Breeze. It tells of a sailor who wishes to give up his life at sea to be with his love, taking his final voyage before he can remain with her."
"He must really love her," she mused quietly. "To give up his life at sea for her."
She saw him nod. "Aye. But maybe to him it's not really a loss. Not if he gets to remain with his love."
"Maybe," she responded quietly, nestling her chin closer into his shoulder.
Killian, who had already decided that he was going to give up piracy to be with her, knew that no matter what, he would leave his life at sea for her.
The only home he'd had for three centuries, the place where he had his best and worst memories. The one thing that he had to call his own.
And he was willing to give it up for the chance to find Emma.
He looked at Charming, his eyes intent on the king.
"I need you to swear to me that my crew is to be unharmed," he said, leaving nothing up for negotiation. "They are to remain free."
Charming looked at him, his eyes angry.
Before he could respond, Leo's expression turned stunned, understanding lighting his features. He rested a hand on Charming's shoulder, trying to reassure him. "Dad, allow it. For Emma, allow this. I think I know what Hook is doing."
Charming and Leo shared a hard look before he relented, nodding. He turned back to Killian, his expression solemn.
"You have my word," he vowed.
Killian nodded, grateful that his crew would be spared, before turning back to Rumplestilskin, who was watching with amused interest. Killian ignored the instinct that this was what he wanted all along, to leave him with nothing.
"The Jolly Roger," Killian offered the imp. "I'll give you my ship for the compass."
The Crocodile giggled in delight. "Well, Captain, I think we have a deal."
Killian watched as the crew looked at him in amazement, believing that they would get to continue to sail under their captain.
"Captain Jones, where's Emma?" Curry asked, coming up to stand before Killian. "Are we..." he trailed off.
Killian shook his head, turning to face his men. He saw the entire crew had gathered in the deck.
"Emma has been taken by Blackbeard," he announced.
He was met with a loud uproar, the men enraged.
"I'm going with her father and a few others to get her back," he continued, louder. "We had to make a deal with the Dark One to obtain something to find her, and as payment, we traded the Jolly Roger."
Some of the men exclaimed in anger, while others nodded in understanding. He saw McCullen and Murphy standing near Curry, all looking determined.
"I have the word of Emma's father that no one wil be arrested," Killian told them. "You're all free. But everyone must be off the ship. Take whatever of your possessions."
Deciding, he stepped closer to Curry, dropping his voice. "Retrieve Lir, and take him to the castle. When... this is over, I want Emma to have him. He'll be able to give her some comfort."
Curry nodded before leaving with Murphy to find the cat. "Aye, sir."
"Sir, how long has she been gone?" McCullen asked, worry plain in his eyes.
"A couple hours," Killian answered in a tight voice. "The only way we know it's Blackbeard is the dagger left behind. No one knows how he got in or out."
"Do you think..." he trailed off.
Killian shook his head, understanding, praying that Blackheard hadn't hurt her. "I hope not."
McCullen looked at him before nodding confidently. "You will find each other. Of that, I'm sure."
Giving a small smile, Killian moved away, leaving McCullen to pack his things and stand at the helm of the ship. Moving to the wheel, he ran his fingers over the smooth wood, over where he had scratched out the directions with his hook so long ago, remembering his long life on the ship.
He didn't look up when he heard Leo approach tentatively, stopping just below the quarter deck.
"You know there's no point in you remaining down there," Killian said without looking up. "Not when this ship is about to be in the possession of the Dark One."
"I guess you're right," Leo said, coming up. He stood beside Killian. "I wanted to say thank you."
"For what?" Killian asked, finally looking up at him.
"For doing this for Emma," Leo clarified. "For sacrificing this for her."
"It's not a sacrific," Killian responded. "For her, it's not." He hesitated for a moment. "I must ask a favor."
"What is it?" Leo asked, ready to give him what he asked.
"Make sure the cat gets to the castle," Killian requested. "The ship no longer needs him, and he quiet likes Emma, and she likes him. I want her to have him for some comfort."
Leo nodded in understanding. "Of course."
Looking out on the deck, he saw most of the crew assembled, ready to leave. Curry emerged on deck, holding the cat in a large satchel, Lir's head poking out as he cried unhappily.
Taking a deep breath, Killian stepped down to stand amongst the crew. Charming stood with Robin and Roland near the gunwhale, well within earshot.
"You're all free to do as you wish," he told them.
"Actually, Captain, we're thinking we'll stay around for a while," Murphy said. "Just because we don't have the ship, doesn't mean we're useless. We can watch over the area, even help if we can. We can stay out of sight."
Killian glanced towards the royals, seeing the amazed look on Charming's face before sharing a glance with Leo.
"You all would stay here, and act as guards, to make sure Emma gets back?" Charming asked in disbelief before Killian could respond.
"Aye, we would," Curry responded fiercely.
"We'd do anything for the lass," McCullen added.
Charming nodded slowly. "I'll give you a letter so that you won't be bothered by the guard. So long as you don't do anything, you'll be allowed to stay while we're gone."
"Never thought I'd see the day we would serve under a king again," Curry muttered.
Killian scratched Lir's head, making the cat stop protesting for the moment so he could nudge his hand.
"Make sure he's delivered," Killian said, nodding toward the cat.
"Aye, sir," Curry nodded. He hesitated before looking back up at Killian. "Are you sure you don't need us with you?"
Swallowing, Killian nodded. He knew it would be a comfort to have some of his crew with him, but thought it would be best if they were absent. And he knew that most of the royals wouldn't allow it, fearing a possible mutiny.
"It would be best for you to remain here," Killian replied.
Curry gave a tight nod. He looked at Killian, determination in his eyes. "You'll bring her back."
"I will," Killian vowed. He moved to turn, walking beside Curry to leave his ship behind.
As soon as they stepped off the gangplank, he looked at Rumplestilskin, seeing the imp smiling widely.
"She's yours, Crocodile," Killian said ruefully. "Now time for your end of the agreement."
Rumplestiltskin laughed. "Ah, yes."
He held out the compass, tossing it to Killian.
Killian quickly caught it, holding it close. He couldn't afford to lose it.
"Good luck, Captain," the Dark One said as he vanished in a puff of dark red smoke, taking with him the Jolly Roger, giving Killian a smile that made him uneasy.
Pushing down the feeling, Killian walked toward Charming's small group, holding up the compass for them to see. "It's done. Now we can actually begin the search."
David nodded, leading them towards the ship they would be taking. The sloop of war, the Redemption, bobbed in the waves, ready for them with the crew standing on the deck. Killian recognized the captain as the same man on the White Swan, who was glaring at him.
Stepping on the deck, the crew began releasing the lines, ready to get them out to the sea.
Killian stood away from the crew, setting himself near the bow. He looked at the compass, seeing it didn't point north, but rather south west. After calling out the directions, he looked towards the horizon to where the compass had pointed, where Emma was, as the sky began to lighten to the early signs of the coming dawn.
"I will find you, Swan," he promised. "I will always find you."
Teaser: He looked toward Killian. "Despite what you had done, Blackbeard chose to take Emma. You didn't make him do that."
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