Hey, guys! I am so sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter. I'd gone back to school (I'm currently in my junior year of a four-year degree from a university), and I had zero time to finish the chapter. Anyway, it's a long one, and I hope you enjoy!
One Year Ago
The carriage sped down the dirt road, surrounded by knights on galloping horses guarding the treasures inside.
Killian stood in black armor, a helm covering his face and a shield brandished on his left to hide his hook as the knights and their carriage drew to a stop before him.
"And who might you be?" One of the knights demanded of the face they could not see.
"I'm the man who's going to relieve you of that chest full of gold you are transporting," the pirate replied from beneath the armored helm, his voice disguised. He needed that chest of gold so he could find his ship. If he found the Jolly Roger, that was one step closer to being reunited with Emer, and then never leaving her again.
The knights before him chuckled, turning to each other as they laughed.
One fell stone-faced again as he turned back to Hook and demanded, "You and what army?"
"Well," Killian said simply, "I'm glad you asked."
He lifted his sword, and flames began lighting on the tips of arrows drawn back in bows, surrounding the knights and their carriage filled with gold.
The two knights in front looked back at the weapons with wide eyes, and then looked back at the knight dressed in black.
Killian finished his demand without wavering. "Your choice. Save your lives or the gold."
The lead knight, raised his hand and circled it as his horse whinnied. "Retreat!" He ordered from the others.
The knights turned and rode away, leaving the carriage and its contents behind.
Killian pulled the helm off of his head after sheathing the sword into the shield, and let out a heavy breath. After another moment, he called out for his first mate. "Smee?!"
The rotund first mate came forward.
"Those arrows took a lot longer to light than we discussed," Killian pointed out almost accusingly, gesturing to the surrounding flames with his helm still in hand.
"It wasn't easy lighting all of them by ourselves, Captain," Smee admitted as two other crew members joined them in the road. "Maybe if we had an actual army…"
"And share in the spoils?" Killian scoffed. "I think not."
The captain strode toward the carriage, Smee just in front of him.
The little, round man looked over the carriage almost excitedly. "I gotta say, it's good to be at your side again, sir, and…" He fiddled with the keys to unlock the carriage. "Not as a rat."
"Well," Killian said simply, "that's a lovely side effect of the curse breaking for you, I'd imagine." It was such a strange conversation, it made him think of what his daughter would say. If she would find it intriguing, disgusting, humorous, or a motley mash-up of all three.
He shook the thought from his mind. He needed to stay focused on getting the Jolly Roger back. It was the first step in getting back to Emer, and he needed to make sure all went according to plan.
"Well, I did like the mobility," Smee admitted as they lifted the chest of gold from inside the carriage, "but being a human is good, too."
They placed it on the ground, and Killian broke the lock on the chest with his sword.
Smee knelt and opened the chest, revealing gold coins, and jewels, and jewelry piled high.
Killian smirked at the shimmering contents of the chest. "What did I tell ya, mates? You don't need a ship to be a pirate." He and the rest of the small crew chuckled.
The pub was filled with laughter and shouting as the eclectic group of people inside laughed and cheered and drank away their day.
Killian was thankful for the drinks. They made the pain of leaving Emer and losing Emma hurt just a little less. Emma he knew he could eventually drink away, for there was nothing he could do about that, but Emer… his feisty little Emerlyn and her star journal and her singing and her love for the seas, that he knew from experience, was something he could never truly drink away. And that made him need his ship back all the quicker.
But thankfully, right now, he was just a bit too drunk to let himself dwell on it.
He raised his mug and looked over his little crew, raising his voice to toast over the sound of the crowd. "To the most clever, dastardly band of pirates to ever set sa—" He cut himself off at the near-mistake, and laughed along with his crew. "—stride on the open roads!"
"To Captain Hook!" Smee shouted, and the rest of the drunks in the tavern cheered alongside the pirates.
As the rest of the cheering died down, Smee walked back over to Hook's side, his tone falling more serious. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," Smee said quickly as Killian placed his beer down on the table. "The boys and I chipped in... "
"MmHmm…" Killian pressed slowly.
"And got you something," Smee said as he turned to look and motion toward the other people in the tavern.
Killian turned to see what is was, and saw a smirking beauty with dark hair striding toward him with a smirk on her face.
"Oh." The captain felt his voice drop in tone as the woman took his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Mister Smee, how did you know?"
He grinned back at the crew as he walked away.
"Enjoy," Smee called as he wiggled his eyebrows, and another crew member cackled. "To Captain Hook!"
The tavern cheered out loud again.
Killian closed the door behind him as he and the woman walked out, and he flashed her one of his signature charming smiles. He brandished a small pouch of gold and placed it in her hand.
"I… don't understand," the dark haired woman said slowly. "Your men took care of me."
"And tomorrow, you shall tell them that you had a grand time," Killian said simply, his voice soft. "Goodnight."
She smiled a little and scurried off.
Killian sighed and began to walk away from the boisterous pub. He needed a little time to think about a lot of things. He wasn't interested in distracting himself, especially not like that.
He turned a corner, and something hard hit him in the back of the head. He fell to the ground with a groan, the sharp blade of a knife suddenly making itself known against his throat as he blinked dizziness out of his blue eyes.
"Move and I'll slit your throat," a female voice hissed, though the image of the woman pinning him down was still blurry in his vision.
"Not a good plan for you," he said simply. "I'm guessing you don't know who I am."
"I know exactly who you are, Captain Hook," the woman said sharply.
"Well, then I'm at a disadvantage," he admitted, smirking slightly. This was not going to be how he died. He was going to see his daughter again, make things right, and find Emma. They were going to be the full family Emerlyn deserved. And no one was going to stop that.
His vision cleared, and above him he saw a beautiful redhead with a less than pleased expression on her face.
"My name's Ariel," she said simply. "And you're gonna pay for what you've done."
One Year Later
Killian stood on the docks in Storybrooke, watching Emer sit along the edge, swinging her legs off the side as she hummed, making her own shapes in the water out of waves and sea foam. The sight made him smile more than anything else in the world. She was safe, she was happy, and most of all, she was with him.
"Captain Hook," Smee said as he walked up to the pirate's side. "Captain."
"It's about time, Mister Smee," Killian said simply, never moving his eyes from his daughter to look at his first mate. "You know how much I abhor waiting. What is it that's so urgent?"
They turned to walk a few steps away. Killian didn't want Emer to overhear. He wasn't sure what was going to be said, and if any accusing was going to be done on why they hadn't been pirating, his little star would not want to see him threatening his first mate for casting blame at anyone he cared about.
"It's just, uh, me and the men were talking about how we haven't seen much of you since we all ended up back here," Smee informed as he turned to walk beside the captain.
"Is there a point to that rather odd observation?" Hook asked almost challengingly.
"What's keeping us from crewing up again?" Smee asked, his voice a little softer and a bit more concerned. "Hitting the high seas, getting back to pirating?"
"You mean, other than being attacked and turned into flying monkeys?" Killian clarified slowly. "Have you forgotten? There's no safe passage out of this town. You've already been a rodent, Mister Smee, does life as a simian interest you, as well?" He cut a glance toward his daughter to make sure she was safe before he turned to continue walking with his first mate.
"Of course there's safe passage," Smee argued quickly. "We could outrun them."
"Not with that torso of yours," Killian retorted quickly.
"If we had a fast enough ship," Smee explained. "The Jolly Roger, for instance. You still haven't told me whether you found her during the time none of us can remember."
"What happened during that time isn't important," Killian said simply.
"Because you remember," Smee pointed out. "Is our ship okay? What-What happened to it?"
"My ship," the captain reminded simply. "All you need to know, Mister Smee, is that the Jolly Roger isn't here. So there will be no outrunning of anything."
"I mean, what if we found another ship? Any one of these—"
"Mister Smee, I've tried letting you down easy," Killian told him, his voice as calm and collected as it tended to stay, but holding a firmer note this time. "Now let me be more direct. I have no intention of leaving this town."
Smee, though, wanted to continue to try and convince him otherwise. "Captain," he tried again, "I agree with you this place has its bright spots. I have never tried anything quite like frozen yogurt before. But the Wicked Witch is here. And with that sort of danger, what possible reason do you have to stay?"
Killian glanced over Smee's shoulder to check on Emerlyn again just before Emma walked over to him with Henry. "My reasons are my own," the captain told his first mate, his tone falling to a whisper. "Question them again at your peril."
"Sir," Smee said simply, backing down as he stepped away and left the docks.
Killian looked back at Emer one more time, finding her still safely humming along with the waves as Emma walked over to him.
"Didn't he used to be a rat?" Emma asked, her tone holding a note of confusion as she watched the round man in the red cap walk away.
"Aye," Killian confirmed without looking back at the Savior. "In many ways, he still is." He turned to face Emma again. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Swan?"
"I was wondering if you could take care of Henry again," Emma said with a small smile as her blonde hair blew around her head like whips in the sea breeze.
Killian smirked and sauntered a step forward. "If you want to get close to me, you just need to ask. There's no need to use the lad as an excuse."
"Why am I not surprised you're making this about you?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow at the leather-clad pirate. "I need your help, 'cause Regina needs to train me in magic. We think together, we might be able to defeat the Wicked Witch."
"That's the first reasonable plan I've heard since this all began," Killian agreed simply. Though he was more than thankful no one suggested Emer help out using the strong magic in her voice. "Magic is a part of you, Swan, just like it's part of my daughter," he continued. "Don't forget—I was there when Cora tried to steal your heart. I saw the power inside of you. It's about time you embraced it. It's what makes you the Savior."
"I'm not embracing anything," Emma said simply. "I need to learn magic to defeat Zelena and make sure everyone here is safe. After that, I'm done."
Killian looked at her carefully for a moment. "Done with what, exactly?"
Emma looked back at Henry, who was playing on his phone. "He doesn't belong here," she said softly, "not anymore. He belongs in the real world, in New York, and the life that he remembers. It was good. And it didn't involve vile villains."
"What about the life you remember?" Killian pressed. "You can't just pretend like this never happened. Trust me. I spent the last year trying to do just that—get my daughter back, and be the man I once was. And it didn't work."
"Why?" Emma asked. "What happened over the last year that you're not telling me?"
"It matters not," Killian said simply, glancing back at Emer. Having her back had changed him so much, and falling for Emma had only done more of the same. He'd never be the pirate his crew wanted again. "Just take it from me just this once. No matter how much you wish you could go back to your old life… you can't."
One Year Ago
Hook let out a heavy sigh, rolling his blue eyes before looking back at Ariel. "Fear of adding insult to injury, would you mind catching me up on your particular grievance?"
"You kidnapped Prince Eric," Ariel snapped, all but baring her teeth, "and you're gonna return him to me." She pushed herself off of the pirate, blade removed from his neck, but she was still holding it close by. "Now on your feet!"
"Kidnapping a prince does sound like something I would do, but…" He pushed himself back to his feet with a groan, touching the back of his head to see if his fingers came away bloody. They didn't, but there was already a knot forming. "...I'm afraid you've got the wrong pirate." Killian snatched the blade from her hand and pulled her in front of him, blade pressed against Ariel's neck as he held her in place. "Or should I say the wrong pirate has you?"
"Go ahead," Ariel said as her eyes began to brim with tears. "Kill me. But I still know you're lying. One of Eric's men escaped, so I know the ship that took him was yours—the Jolly Roger."
Killian froze, looking over the woman in shock. "The Jolly Roger?"
Ariel's breathing became a little shaky at the dangerous tone Killian's voice had taken.
"Are you certain?" He asked, the blade still close to the redhead's neck. After her silence, he spun her around to face him, knife pointed dangerously at her. "Answer me!"
"You really didn't take him," Ariel said in realization.
But the fires of rage were already lit in Killian's eyes, and he wasn't backing down now. "What else do you know about who's captaining my ship? Did that man tell you anything else?!"
"Only that he was able to escape with a weapon he stole from the armory—the dagger that's against my throat."
Killian pulled the blade away and took a half step back as Ariel let out a gasp. He turned the blade up to examine the handle, and found a set of initials carved into it. BB. He began laughing as he tucked away the blade and ran back to the tavern where his crew slept.
"Rise and shine, you bilge rats," Killian called quickly, "no offense, Mister Smee."
"None taken," the first mate mumbled, his voice still hoarse from sleep. "I keep dreaming of cheese. What is it?"
"I know who has the Jolly Roger," Killian said quickly, "and we're gonna take her back."
Smee hopped to his feet and walked to the other side of the table to stand before Killian. "Whose funeral shall we be attending, sir?"
Hook jammed the dagger blade into the table where the initials could be presented. "Blackbeard."
"Blackbeard?" Smee asked, fear flashing across his face. "But… he's the most cutthroat pirate ever to hoist a sail. Uh…"
Killian looked up at him with an expression that dared him to say more.
"After you, of course," the first mate amended.
"Which will make it all the more satisfying when I take my ship back and make him walk her lovely plank," Killian pointed out sharply.
"Let's not be hasty," Smee said quickly. "We've been having fun robbing carriages. Getting rich from it, too. M-M-Maybe we should forget about the Jolly Roger. You said it yourself. We don't need a ship to be—"
"She's not just a ship," Killian hissed. The Jolly Roger would always be more than that to him. It was the last place he saw his brother, the place he'd raised his daughter since she was a baby. She wasn't just a ship. She was his home. And if he didn't have his home, he couldn't get his daughter back.
"I'm fairly certain she is," Smee disagreed quickly.
"She's more than that," Killian told him sharply. He took a deep breath and began to explain to Smee part of the reason it was so important. "I haven't been myself since we've returned. I should have realized the reason why. It's because I don't have her."
"Her?" Smee asked slowly. "You talk about the vessel as though she's a woman."
"Women come and go, Mister Smee," Killian corrected quickly, "but a pirate's life—it's forever."
"Still, Captain…" Smee tried slowly. "I doubt we could even find Blackbeard—"
"Don't be a coward!" Killian demanded harshly. "I know where he moors his vessels. It's less than a day's trek. And then I'll have my ship again."
"And I will have my prince," Ariel interjected suddenly.
Killian turned to look at her with a mix of wonder at her stupidity and respect at her daring. "Few people have held a dagger to my throat and lived to tell the tale. I'd leave before I change my mind."
"No," Ariel said simply. "I've crossed paths with enough pirates to know your code. Any valuable information a pirate captain ascertains shall be compensated in equal favor."
"I think she's right," Smee whispered toward Hook.
Killian's jaw tightened, but he didn't say anything.
"So," Ariel asked as she looked between the captain and his first mate. "When do we leave?"
One Year Later
Killian laughed as he tossed a pair of dice down on the table at the booth in Granny's, smiling boastingly at his daughter as she sat beside him, and looking at Henry with the same expression as the little white cubes landed sixes up.
"Ugh," Henry groaned with an exasperated sigh as Killian scooped them back up.
Emer rolled her eyes at her father, but couldn't stop grinning nonetheless.
"You want to know the secret to winning?" Killian asked with his grin still present as he tossed the french fry that they had bet onto Emer's plate, where the pirate's winnings had been continuously growing.
"Practice?" Henry guessed, his tone a little mocking.
"If only," Emer said with another shake of her head and a small giggle.
Killian winked at her. "No," he said as he turned back to Henry. "Loaded dice."
"That's cheating," Henry said simply.
Killian brandished his coffee mug at the boy almost like he was shrugging. "Only if you get caught."
Henry looked at him, a little doubtful. "I think it's cheating either way."
Emer grinned as she bit the crunchy end off of a french fry. "I don't care how it's done as long as I'm still on the receiving end of the good stuff."
Henry laughed a little, and Killian snatched a fry off of the plate before Emer could stop him, grinning at his daughter.
She wrinkled her nose at him as she stuck out her tongue.
Henry just laughed a little more.
Emer looked up as the bell on Granny's door jingled, and David entered, catching the captain's attention and looking like they needed to discuss something serious. She glanced at her father as he kissed her on top of the head and turned back to Henry with a grin, handing him the loaded dice.
"'Practice', huh?" The pirate said as he stood to go see what the prince wanted.
As Killian walked away, Emer slipped around to slide into Henry's booth, pulling the plate of fries over with her so they could share them while they talked about books and giggled at jokes and teased one another.
Emer thought he was just so cute. It was almost unnerving how much she'd grown to like Henry, especially knowing that his mother was probably just going to take him away again. There had to be something they could do to help him remember. He deserved to know his family, to be able to choose where he wanted to be.
Too bad she knew her magic didn't work that way.
After a few minutes of pleasantly spending time together, Killian returned to collect Emer, explaining briefly that someone needed his help, and that David and Mary Margaret would be taking care of Henry for the rest of the day.
One Year Ago
Killian walked through the woods with Ariel hot on his heels, Mister Smee traveling more than a few steps behind as the mermaid looked around at the treetops towering above them.
"Trudge, trudge, trudge," the redheaded mermaid said with a huff. "If you ask me, there's nothing more boring than land travel. I'll take my tail in the ocean any day."
"That's one thing we can agree on," Killian said without glancing back at her. "Minus the tail, of course. You won't be bored for much longer. Our destination is just past this rise."
"Then it won't be long until I'm reunited—" Ariel cut off suddenly as her cloak caught on a branch, and she tugged feebly at it to try and make sure it came loose.
"Here," Killian said as he stepped toward her. "Allow me." He tugged it free with his hook, and the sound of tearing cloth echoed around the immediate area of forest.
Ariel lifted the cloak, and found a thin tear in the fabric, a few inches long. "You've ripped it!" She accused sharply.
Killian looked at her with a raised eyebrow, patience well spent. "It's a cloak."
"It's Eric's cloak," Ariel argued, her eyes narrowed in some form of disgust as she looked at him and saw only a heartless wretch.
Sometimes he wished it were so.
"And he's had it since before we met," Ariel continued, her voice no less upset. "He left it with me while he was away to keep him close, and now you have ruined it!"
Hook couldn't help but roll his eyes. "If mending a cloak is our biggest obstacle, we're in fine shape. You realize you might not find him—or survive?" He turned to keep moving forward.
"I will," Ariel replied with complete conviction.
Killian turned back toward her, expression completely serious as he scanned her face. He couldn't understand how she didn't fathom what they were up against. "Didn't you see the feat Blackbeard's name struck into my crew? You don't become a pirate captain through mercy. If I were you, I would prepare myself for the worst."
"Why?" Ariel's tone sounded a bit lost. "What are you saying—that you would kill Eric if you had him?"
"You don't believe that?" Killian asked with only a slight glance back at her before he looked forward down their path again.
"Well, honestly, I was a little surprised to hear that you might be responsible for Eric's kidnapping—after the stories that I've heard."
The pirate turned and stepped in front of her, cutting off the mermaid's path. "What stories?"
"Well, the ones of you helping reunite Snow White and her family in Neverland." She looked him up and down before meeting his gaze. "Some people say that you're a hero."
Killian snatched her by the arm and pulled her behind a tree, out of Smee's sight, and then began to speak quietly, although no less firmly. "Don't believe every story you hear." He looked up and nodded for Smee to continue forward.
The first mate in the red cap nodded and scurried off.
Ariel turned to watch him walk away before she turned back to face Hook. "Being good is nothing to be ashamed of. People change. Look at me. I have legs and I fell in love with a human. I don't think anyone saw that coming."
"You may have changed," Killian replied simply. Something about the mermaid unnerved him. Maybe her insistence that he was good was just too annoying and rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe her demeanor reminded him too much of Emer for him to be comfortable with. Nevertheless, he wasn't giving in to her ridiculous insistences that he was some kind of hero. "I haven't. I'm a pirate, and I always will be."
He stepped away to follow Mister Smee over the ridge, trying to free his mind of the lingering thoughts of the daughter he left behind. Once he had his ship back, he was going to pillage and plunder until he had enough gold to give his Emerlyn the life she deserved, as well as the complete family that they both needed.
One Year Later
Emerlyn strolled toward the shop between her father and the mermaid, the redhead first to open the door and call out, "Belle?"
The named woman looked up in surprise, and smiled at the sight of the mermaid. "Ariel? Where-Where have you been? I-I was… I was worried I'd never see you again."
The two women hugged one another as Ariel explained. "I've been looking for Eric. He's been missing since we all returned."
Emer was seriously starting to wonder how there wasn't some kind of royalty feud in Storybrooke if there were as many princes and kings and queens as it sounded like there were. It made no sense. Regina couldn't possibly be the only one with a temper.
Killian nudged Emer forward softly, snapping her out of her thoughts with a small smile on his face.
She was sure he had a guess at what she was thinking about. He always seemed to know.
"We were hoping we could find something of his here," Killian explained.
Bell, while she still held Ariel's hands, nodded quickly. "Oh, of course—to see if he's in Storybrooke."
Ariel looked at Belle with desperate hope. "Have you seen anything of his?"
Belle looked a bit unsure. "I, um, only just started sorting through things, but, uh… don't despair. Let's—Let's start looking."
Emerlyn had already started, shifting clothes carefully along racks and peeking in low cabinets until she watched her father walk into the back. She stood to follow him, watching as he stopped with a chuckle and picked up his telescope from the top of a set of drawers.
"I didn't realize you'd lost something too," Emer said, a little surprised as she walked up to stand beside him.
Killian smiled a little at the object in his hand and shook his head before he pulled the telescope to its full length with his teeth. "Maybe I was just unlucky." He handed her the scope. "Want to test and see if it still works for me, little star?"
She smiled and took it from him, holding it up to one blue eye as she closed the other tight, scanning the room. "It works," she announced with a smile, before pausing and focusing more closely on something. "Papa, is… is the sea goddess Ursula on that fastening?"
Killian looked up quickly in surprise. "Let me see," he requested softly, and she handed the telescope back to her father. He peered through quickly and saw the gold cloak fastening that Emer had been talking about. "Good eye, Em. That would be exactly what the mermaid is looking for."
"Her prince has a cloak with a sea goddess on it?" The teen asked in disbelief as she moved forward to grab the cloak.
"How did you know that was his?" Ariel asked suddenly from behind them as she and Belle entered.
Emer let out an involuntary squeak of surprise. She wasn't used to people sneaking up on her anymore. It hadn't happened since Pan was defeated.
"I remembered you said he was from a maritime kingdom," Killian explained as he watched Emer gather the cloak. "The clasp gave it away."
"He is," Ariel said excitedly. "He was. And now he's here." She chuckled excitedly, and Belle returned the sentiment as Ariel scooped the cloak from Emerlyn's arms and hugged her quickly, and the teen did everything in her power to hide an exasperated and confused expression. She knew she could be excitable, but this mermaid was something else entirely.
But she didn't miss the distressed look her father tried to hide as she looked back at him.
"Papa?" Emer asked softly after the other women left. "What is it?"
He shook his head a little. "Nothing important. I promise I'll tell you later."
Emer sighed a little, but she knew it was all she could ask for right now. She'd take it.
Belle poured a small vial of liquid onto the cloak as it laid on the desk in Gold's shop, and the pirate, the mermaid, and the Lost Girl watched intently.
"This is a locator spell," the brunette explained to the curious redhead, "so whatever object it's poured on becomes enchanted, and returns itself to its rightful owner."
Ariel looked thrilled and relieved as she looked at the other adult woman. "Thank you, Belle. I know that you've been busy trying to find a way to break your Mister Gold out of the witch's control. You didn't have to do this."
"No, I… I did," Belle disagreed softly. "You know, perhaps a little good news around her will be contagious."
Emer liked the concept, but wasn't sure it was going to work out in practice. It didn't seem like there was much good luck anywhere in Storybrooke.
The cloak began to float, hovering over the desk for a moment before it flew toward the door.
"Let's go," Ariel said quickly before they rushed out the door.
One Year Ago
Hook hummed as they found the Jolly Roger docked so close to them as he, Ariel, and Mister Smee hid behind large barrels on the dock, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Up close, she's even more beautiful than I remembered," he said as a thrill of excitement ran through him at the prospect of being at the helm of his ship again. Sailing the open seas. Returning to Emerlyn. He needed that vessel back. "You'll soon be back in my loving arms."
Ariel looked at him in disbelief. "You do realize you're talking to a boat?"
"You have your love, I have mine," Killian said simply, shaking his head a little as he scanned the boat. It was the only way he could safely have Emer with him again. Maybe they could sail together to find Emma and complete their family, or maybe he would get Emma first, then surprise Emerlyn with the whole family she deserved. He didn't know for sure. All he knew was that this ship was the first step.
"So how do we get onboard, Captain?" Smee asked from Ariel's other side. "Blackbeard's crew outnumbers us."
Killian looked at his first mate and winked. "I'll show you," he replied as he rose to his feet and strolled toward the Jolly Roger.
He whistled a sound similar to "yoo-hoo", and the pirate in front of him turned with a confused sound. Killian swung his hook hard and fast, striking a detrimental blow across the pirate's face that made him drop like a rock. He stepped over the unconscious pirate and pulled his sword. "Stand at attention, mates!" He called to the unfamiliar crew. "Now boarding the ship—the rightful captain of the Jolly Roger. Now, if the coward who tried stealing her from me would kindly show his face, I'll give him the punishment he deserves."
There was a moment of silence onboard before a new male voice joined the quarrel. "Gladly," a red-coated man with hair as dark as Killian's said as he rose from below deck, scanning Hook with an even look as he brandished a sword. "But it's not me who'll be punished." Blackbeard kicked aside a bucket on the deck. "If you want your ship back, then take it."
There wasn't a moment of hesitation as the quickly repeated clang of steel blades rang over the deck. Killian had to get his ship back. It was his home, his daughter's home, and he would never let anyone take that away from them. "With pleasure," Killian sneered, cold blue eyes never wavering from the fraudulent captain.
Blackbeard laughed tauntingly as the two matched blades again, this time in a true duel that had the crew of pirates shouting and urging them on.
Killian knocked the red-dressed captain back a few steps.
Blackbeard bared his teeth in a near snarl as he lunged forward.
Hook ducked a hard swing from his blade before they were caught in a deadlock, pushing swords fiercely against one another before Killian kicked himself free by shoving his foot off of his opponent.
The crew let out shouts of triumph for their captain, but the fight wasn't over as Blackbeard laughed and unsheathed a small cutlass.
Killian rolled back to his feet and began to circle again, grinning. "Oh, yeah."
Blades met again, sharp metal clangs echoing over the deck and nearby waters, the sound almost rhythmic until it was interrupted by tearing cloth as Killian lunged forward with his blade and struck Blackbeard in the upper arm, the blade tearing through his thick red coat.
Killian smirked.
Blackbeard slammed an elbow into his nose.
Hook stumbled back, dropping his sword, and no longer gloating as he watched Blackbeard leap toward him. He caught the blade on his hook as Blackbeard pressed him back into the Jolly Roger's rigging, continuing to bear down on him. "I was afraid you weren't gonna show up," Blackbeard informed quickly, continuing to force his sword toward Killian's throat as the pinned pirate pushed back desperately with his hook. "Word on the waterways is Captain Hook had gone soft."
"The only thing soft," Killian snarled through bared teeth, "will be your guts spilling on this deck." He snatched the rigging nearby and let it pull him upward, out of the other captain's deadly embrace. He landed easily, in a practiced motion, and picked up his sword again, turning to Blackbeard with a sharp look in his blue eyes. "I'd never give up the Jolly Roger without a fight."
The two lunged for one another and crossed swords again until they were caught in another deadlock, pressing against each other in a dangerous stalemate.
"You think you know the ship?" Killian asked as he continued to push with all his might against his equally strong opponent.
"Oh, every inch of it, I assure you," Blackbeard sneered, clearly trying to taunt Killian like he was a jealous lover and they were fighting over his woman.
"If that were the case," Killian said, finally breaking the deadlock with a mighty shove that sent Blackbeard stumbling, "then you'd know not to step there!" He knelt and jammed the pommel of his sword into a board on the deck floor, and it gave way beneath Blackbeard's foot.
Blackbeard shouted as his foot stuck and his balance failed him, dropping his sword and catching himself with his back bent backward.
Killian laughed as he stepped forward, the tip of his blade pointed dangerously at the other captain. "Oh, I've been meaning to fix that."
"Finish it!" The pinned pirate captain shouted, leaning forward until he was slightly closer to Hook's blade.
Killian had flashing thought of what Emerlyn would want him to do. His daughter with the big heart and adventurous soul. She would want him to let the other captain go, but he knew he couldn't. Not if he ever wanted her to be safe while she was with him. He would do anything to protect her, and that included killing another filthy pirate.
"Fancy a shave, do we?" Killian snarled, pushing his blade closer. "Well, I'd be happy to oblige."
He swung his blade back, building momentum and starting to bring it forward again before he was interrupted by the call of "Wait!" from Ariel. He looked in her direction, sword paused quarter-swing as she finished her statement. "Eric's not onboard. You have to get him to tell you where he is."
Blackbeard looked between the redhead and the pirate with his life in his hands carefully as Killian lowered the tip of his sword to sit evenly with the losing captain's neck again.
"You heard the lady," Killian said simply, "where is he?"
Blackbeard laughed. "So that's what this was—a rescue mission for some wench? Ha! They were right about you, Hook. You have gone soft."
Killian pressed the sword into his chin. "I can either make this painful, or quite painful. Now answer!"
"I have him stashed safe and sound on a deserted island," Blackbeard answered, strain knitted through his expression as the blade continued to prod at his skin. "Only I know where." His eyes cut to Ariel. "I was planning to ransom him when the time was right."
The mermaid jumped forward. "Whatever it is, I'll pay it."
"Money's not what I'm after anymore," Blackbeard said as he turned his attention back to Killian.
"Then what is it you want?" Ariel asked almost nervously.
"The satisfaction of proving Captain Hook is no longer a pirate."
Killian raised an eyebrow, unable to stop his smirk. "How are you gonna prove that?"
"By giving you a choice," Blackbeard said simply as he met Killian's gaze steadily. "Surrender the Jolly Roger to me, and I'll tell you where I'm holding her prince. Or refuse, and he dies along with me."
Ariel turned to Killian with a pleading look in her eyes.
He didn't return the look, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he considered his next move.
One Year Later
Emerlyn was almost jogging to keep up with her father and the mermaid as they tried to stick closely to the enchanted cloak, skipping every few steps until the adults slowed as the cloak did when they reached the docks.
"We must be getting close," Ariel said hopefully. "Maybe he's on one of these boats."
Killian didn't say anything as they continued forward, and it made Emer suspicious of what he wasn't sharing with them. He promised he'd tell her, so she didn't want to push, but it was making her more uneasy the longer he went without sharing with her.
The cloak fluttered upward and out over the water before it dropped into the bay, floating lifelessly once again.
Emerlyn felt herself cringe slightly at the sight. She wasn't super well-versed in magic potions, but she had a feeling that the cloak seeming to just give up wasn't a good sign.
"It must be searching," Ariel said, though most of the hope in her voice had disappeared like a leaf on the breeze.
The cloak was swallowed by the bluish water.
Ariel swallowed hard. "If the spell worked, and… it's taken us to Eric, then…" Her voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes as she gasped and turned herself into Killian's chest.
Emer slid back out of the way so she didn't get caught between them, and she watched as her father put his hand carefully on her back, something like guilt creasing his brow as he told the mermaid, "I'm sorry."
She moved to her father's other side and looped one finger carefully around his hook. She didn't know why, but she felt like she needed to remind him that he wasn't alone. Whatever he was carrying, she was there to help him.
"I saved Eric from the sea once before," Ariel said as she stared out over the calm waters, the sky starting to mix soft pink hues in with the fading blues of an early sunset. "I just never thought I would lose him to it in the end."
Killian squeezed Emer's hand softly, standing a few feet behind the mermaid on the dock as the former Lost Girl leaned into his side. "A sailor couldn't hope for a better resting place," the pirate said softly, hoping it was some form of condolence for the heartbroken redhead.
She turned away from the water and looked at Killian and Emer. "Thank you."
"We didn't do anything," Emer said softly, standing up straight as her father shifted his weight from one foot to another before taking a careful step forward without releasing Emer's hand.
She followed him that step.
Ariel made a sound that almost resembled a chuckle, albeit a very sad one. "You two found Eric's cloak. I would have never stopped looking for him. At least now I know that our story's over." She let out a heavy exhale as she turned back to the water, her voice cracking like a shattered mirror as she spoke again. "I just wish I knew how it ended."
Emer glanced up at her father, and saw him chewing on the inside of his lip. She felt her brow furrow slightly. She wasn't sure what he was going to do, but by the look on his face, there was a good chance it was going to go south.
Ariel reached over and put a hand softly on his arm, smiling tenderly through her sorrow. "You're more than a pirate, Hook. You have a true heart, and it seems to me that your daughter inherited that too. I'll always be grateful that you two tried to help me." She turned to walk away, leaving Killian and Emer on the edge of the dock.
Emer and her father turned to watch her go. The former Lost Girl was starting to feel like something wasn't right. Maybe it was just an overreaction to a grieving woman, but something about all of that felt like Ariel was trying to push at some of her father's buttons, and Emer wasn't sure if it was just her imagination or not.
One Year Ago
"You can't do this," Ariel called from Mr. Smee's grip holding her in place, trying to force her voice to sound firm despite the soft echo of desperation that lingered behind as she watched Hook push Blackbeard—her only hope in finding Prince Eric—onto the plank with a sword in his back and his hands restrained. "We had an agreement. You promised me that you would help find Eric. Please. I know that you are a good man, and I know that man is still in there somewhere. It's not too late to do the right thing. Isn't true love more important than a few planks of wood and a sail?"
Killian's jaw clenched and unclenched as he listened to the mermaid's speech. She didn't understand, and she couldn't. She didn't have a daughter, she'd never had to send away the last of her family to keep her safe until she could make sure she had a home and a happy life. He needed these few planks of wood and a sail to make sure his family could be whole again. He turned back toward the redhead with an almost calculatingly critical expression. "She might just be a few planks of wood and a sail, but she's mine. She's all I need." to bring my family back together. He shook his head slightly. "Love like yours to that prince brings nothing but wasted years and endless torment. I'm doing you a favor."
He turned, stepped toward Blackbeard, and sliced his sword deeply through the arm of his scarlet coat until it opened the flesh beneath it, blood welling from the wound. "A little something to wet the appetite of our razor-toothed friends below," he almost hissed in the other captain's ear as he shoved him off the plank. "Enjoy the feast, boys!"
Blackbeard hit the water with a hard splash! as Ariel shouted, "No!"
Killian whirled on the rest of the crew aboard the Jolly Roger. "The Jolly Roger is mine!" He announced sharply. "Any man willing to swear an oath to me shall be given quarter. Those who don't, you're welcome to follow your former captain."
The crew began to cheer the name of "Captain Hook!" as Killian resheathed his sword.
"You may release her, Mister Smee," he told his first mate, who immediately let Ariel go.
The mermaid looked at him in infuriated betrayal for a long moment before she slapped him across the face. "I was wrong about you, Captain," she said in as close to a snarl as she could get. "You're selfish, and you're heartless. And that is what will bring you wasted years and endless torment. I feel sorry for you. You'll never be happy." She marched onto the plank, and headed toward the end.
"Where do you think you're going?" Killian asked, seeming unfazed by her words. What did she know about his life? She would never know how much he needed this ship so he could have a real home for his daughter. She would never know the pain of having to leave behind all she had left for the chance of making a better life for family.
"Eric's still out there," she said simply, "and whatever it takes, I will find him." she dove off the plank, and into the water, her tail returning as she swam off.
One Year Later
Emerlyn blinked in shock as her father rushed down the dock to catch the mermaid as she walked away. Once she had recovered from her shock, she turned to follow him, running after him on the dock. The soft thump of her shoed feet were disrupted when she tripped, tumbling across the dock until she caught herself on newly skinned and splintered palms, huffing as she pushed herself back to her feet and dusted herself off, making sure there were no holes in her clothes as she grumbled to herself about still not being used to running in shoes, especially not winter boots, and tried to pick the splinters out of her hands.
By the time she was close enough to her father to hear what he was telling Ariel, she could hear her father near tears.
"I sacrificed your prince for my ship," he said, his voice trembling. "I am so sorry, Ariel. I-I thought that, once I had my ship, I could give my daughter a better life, one that she deserved—one full of freedom and my love, full of everything she deserved, but I was wrong. Now I know that as long as we're together, then nothing else matters. If I could go back and change what I did then, I would, but I can't. I would change so much about the missing year if I could. I'm so sorry."
Tears fell down Ariel's cheeks as her lower lip quivered, and she slapped Killian across the face. "You're a coward! And a monster! You let a man die for your ship? A ship you didn't even need to solve your problems! What kind of man does that?"
Emer felt an angry fire begin in her stomach at the sight, almost in tears herself at the sound of her father's and what he'd said. He regretted leaving her so much it ate at his insides, and Ariel was punishing him for trying to get back to her. Dread sank in her stomach as the former Lost Girl realized that she'd been punishing him for trying to get back to her in the missing year, too.
Killian, though, didn't seem fazed by the hit. He clearly seemed to think he deserved it. "The kind who's empty," he told Ariel simply, "who believes a ship can fill a void left by a broken heart and a broken family. A man who believes that, maybe, just maybe, if he has that ship he can make things right with the only family he has left."
"And that makes it okay?!" Ariel demanded, her voice shaking as more tears glistened in her eyes.
"No, it doesn't," he replied urgently, his voice strained and achingly holding back tears. "I would give anything to take it back, to make things right."
Emer finally pulled her heavy feet from where she'd been frozen and started toward her father's side, wrapping her arms around her father as she finally made it to his side, splintered and scraped palms throbbing as she curled her fists into his coat.
He pulled her close and held her tight, burying his face in her hair for a long moment, trying to take comfort in what little family he had.
"Anything?!" Ariel demanded, her accusing gaze not softening at the sight of the small family.
"Yes," Killian agreed again as he looked back up from his daughter's black and perpetually tangled hair. "Anything."
"How am I supposed to trust a man who no longer believes in love?"
"I still do," he assured, his voice barely over a breath as he clung to Emerlyn a little tighter. He loved his little girl so much it hurt, and… no, he had to make things right with Emer before he could think about love. They'd made a deal.
"Then swear to me on it," Ariel said simply. "This woman that broke your heart—do you still love her?"
Killian cringed a little. He didn't want to admit it in front of Emer, they weren't supposed to go there. But after a moment of silence, he finally lowered his head and said, "Yes."
"Then swear to me on her name," Ariel pressed, looking at him with an almost cold expression. "And your daughter's. Swear on the two people you love most in this world."
"I swear on Emerlyn Jones," he said softly, "and I swear on Emma Swan."
Emer's grip loosened from her father's coat, and her arms fell to her sides as her hands throbbed and she was hit with a sudden wave of drowsiness. She lifted her hands to look at her splintered palms, frowning a little as it felt like she had heavy weights attached to her arms instead of her normal calloused fingers.
"Em?" Killian asked he let her go and moved to look at her in concern. His blue eyes widened when he saw her splintered and scraped palms.
"Thank you, captain," Ariel said with a smirk, pulling Killian's attention away from his daughter for just a split second. "That's exactly what I needed to hear."
Emer blinked slowly, eyelids growing heavy, but she could've sworn something wasn't right. Were her splinters… glowing? Before she could even think to ask, the world went black around her.
"Em!" Killian called in a panic as he caught his daughter before she fell onto the wood dock. "What is this?!" He demanded as he looked back to Ariel, cradling the now unconscious Emerlyn close to his body. "What did you do?!"
Ariel grinned and flicked her fingers toward his face, and Killian's head jerked back as he felt something hit him in the mouth. "What the hell?!" He demanded again, glaring back up at the mermaid, who disappeared in a puff of green smoke, and was standing before him as the Wicked Witch herself. "Zelena… What did you do to us?"
"Oh, her?" Zelena gave a dismissive wave. "She tripped trying to follow you off the dock. Silly girl can't get used to real shoes. Thought I'd make it a bit easier on us both, and… keep her from remembering this little interaction."
Killian's blue eyes were frigid as he glared at the witch again. "What did you do to her?"
Zelena rolled her eyes. "It's a sleeping curse, my dear stupid pirate. Don't worry, though, I modified my sister's spell. She'll wake up once the cursed splinter is removed. You should be grateful, though. She won't remember that you broke your little deal about not chasing a woman, letting the chips fall where they may, as it were. As for what I did to you… that's more interesting."
"Yeah? And what's that?"
"I corrupted your love," she said with a growing smile. "I've known about your dirty little secret for quite some time—seen the guilt on your face over the decision you made that day. I have spies everywhere, after all. I knew it haunted you. And I knew I could use it."
"Use it for what?" He asked as he pushed to his feet, his daughter still wrapped closely in his arms as he lifted her with him.
"When you invoked the name of your love in a selfish plea for redemption, I was able to curse you—more specifically, your kiss. See, the next time your lips touch Emma Swan's, or you kiss your daughter, even if it's just telling her goodnight, all of their magic will be taken. Everything that makes them special, that makes them powerful, that makes them a threat will be gone."
Killian tensed all over, but he kept his expression calm. "I won't do it. I'll tell Emma, and she'll defeat you. And you'll leave my daughter out of this."
"Then I'll send the Dark One to kill Emma before you can," Zelena said with a shrug. "And your daughter… well, let's just call that icing on the cake, shall we? You should be grateful it's just her magic I'm taking. I could've used a real sleeping curse on her."
"No," Killian said slowly, looking the Wicked Witch up and down. "You won't. You won't kill Emma. If you could have killed her, you would've. You need her power removed. It's why you didn't kill her when she came to town. It's why you had a monkey look after her in New York instead of killing her. For some reason… you can't."
Zelena inhaled deeply before answering. "It no longer matters, because you're going to remove her powers. I may ot be able to hurt Emma, but I can hurt those around her—her parents, her friends, her child… Honestly, just look how easily I placed a sleeping curse on your child. Right under your nose."
"Do not go near them." Killian snarled, pressing Emer closer to his chest.
Zelena laughed. "Oh, yes. You've become quite fond of the boy, Henry, haven't you? And from what I can tell, so has your daughter. I will enjoy turning him into a monkey's breakfast. Though little Emerlyn's so scrawny she might not make up a whole appetizer."
The pirate's jaw tightened. If he hadn't been holding Emer, he would've lunged for the witch, hook first. "I'll stop you."
"No, you won't," Zelena said simply. "That pointy little hook of yours can scratch a mere mortal, but me?" She laughed at the audacity of the thought. "You're out of your depth, pirate. The choice is yours. Kiss Emma, and remove her powers, or everyone she loves dies."
Killian clutched Emerlyn closer to his chest as his jaw worked, and the Wicked Witch disappeared in a cloud of green smoke.
He took Emerlyn home quickly, laying her gently in her bed and moving to find tweezers or whatever he could to remove the splinters from her hands. He had to get them out before they got infected, and he had to make sure she really was going to wake up without the need for true love's kiss.
The thought of having to use it on her right now made him sick to his stomach. If he did, it would steal the magic from her voice, even if it did save her life. He'd make that trade in a heartbeat, but he knew his daughter well enough to know that she'd feel helpless and useless without it, and that she wouldn't want to live like that. No, he wouldn't do that to her unless he had no other option.
Killian shook the thought from his mind as he sat down and carefully extracted four splinters from the meat of her palms before cleaning and bandaging them. He needed to talk to David and Mary Margaret, but he couldn't make himself leave her. What if she woke up and he was gone? Or what if he was gone all night and she still hadn't stirred? How would he know if he wasn't with her?
He shook his head slightly, dropped the cursed splinter into a small container to take and show the others, and lifted Emer from the bed again. He couldn't leave her alone again. He just couldn't.
He knocked on the apartment door, Emer still asleep in his arms as he took a deep breath, and looked startled when Emma opened the door.
"Hey," Emma said slowly, brow furrowing in concern when she saw Emer asleep in his arms and didn't see Henry with him. "Is everything okay? Where's Henry?"
"He's fine," Killian assured, "he's with his grandparents. I thought they might be back here."
"We haven't seen them," Emma said, her voice low like she was trying not to wake Emer. Killian had a bitter thought about a dragon roaring not being able to wake her up right now, but he kept that to himself as Emma continued with another question. "If you're not with Henry, what have you been doing all day?" She backed up from the door to let Killian inside.
He began to explain as he moved to place Emer on the couch so she could lie somewhere at least partially comfortable. He gently ran his fingers through her dark, tangled hair before he moved back toward the other adults. "I was enlisted to help Ariel find her lost prince."
"Really?" Regina asked from the dining room table as the door closed. "That fish is in Storybrooke?"
"She was, yeah," Killian lied after only a split second of hesitation. "And we found a clue in Gold's shop which led us to discover that Eric had been shipwrecked on Hangman's Island, just off the coast of the Enchanted Forest."
"Zelena's curse must not have reached that far," Emma said simply.
"Ariel's on her way there now," Killian said easily. "She wanted me to say goodbye to Mary Margaret for her."
"Oh," Emma said softly.
"At the rate mermaids swim, she's probably already there," Regina said simply. "In fact, let's find out."
Emma looked up, her expression slightly confused. "I thought you couldn't use mirror magic to look between worlds."
"I can't," Regina agreed as she walked over to the standup mirror near the couch where Emer was sleeping. "But after seeing the raw power you possess, I think maybe you can."
Killian sighed, watching as Emma stood in front of the mirror. "There's no need," he assured, "I'm sure she's fine. Anyway, it's bad form to spy on such a private affair."
"How do I do it?" Emma asked simply.
"Well, you've focused," Regina said, sounding like she was counting off steps. "You've let your emotions awaken your power. Now you have to look inward."
Emma closed her eyes as Regina and Killian both closely watched the mirror.
Regina smiled as the mirror turned smoky and then cleared to show Eric and Ariel on the beach, the prince swinging the mermaid around in his arms before placing her gently back down on her feet in the sand.
"You did this?" Emma asked, almost breathless as she turned back toward Killian with large eyes. "You brought them together?"
"No," Killian said simply. "It was Ariel. She never stopped believing."
"Modesty?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow at the pirate. "You're just full of surprises today."
"Speaking of surprises," Regina asked as she turned to look at the sleeping girl on the couch. "Is she alright?"
Killian nodded, careful not to look to stiff and tense. "Aye. She just helped me help Ariel today, and it tuckered her out. I just didn't want to leave her in case she woke up and I wasn't there."
Regina hummed a little, starting to say something else before they were interrupted by the entering laughter of Henry and his grandparents.
Emma immediately made the motion to quiet them down as they entered, motioning to Emer asleep on the couch.
All three of them quickly obliged.
"Where have you guys been?" Emma asked, looking at Henry as she crossed her arms.
"Only having the best day ever," Henry said with a wide smile. "David let me drive his truck."
"You let him what?!" Regina demanded, looking at David accusingly.
Henry looked at her, a little confused.
"Oh," Regina said as she caught herself, remembering that he didn't know he was her son. "A-As mayor, I can't let an unlicensed, underage driver on the streets of Storybrooke."
"As mayor, you might wanna throw a little money at road repair," David suggested from where he stood beside Henry, looking a little guilty.
Henry snorted.
"Excuse me?" Regina almost demanded.
"Nothing," David said as he turned toward the kitchen.
"That was an incredible mistake," Regina accused.
"She's right," Emma agreed, her tone calmer. "Someone could've been seriously hurt."
"Only if you're a mailbox," Mary Margaret said under her breath.
Emma raised both eyebrows.
Killian did the same.
The fridge door closed and Henry grinned again. "It was so much fun."
"What can I say?" David asked with a shrug. "I've got a reckless, carefree… fun side."
Emma smiled and rolled her eyes. David grinned back.
"Killian," Mary Margaret asked suddenly, "where's our friend?"
"It turns out her missing… husband was back at home after all," the pirate replied, his attention pulled away from where he was looking at his sleeping child.
"It's true," Emma said simply. "We just checked in on them on… Skype."
"She sends her regards," Killian promised, "but she was too excited to wait."
Mary Margaret smiled in relief. "A happy ending. Well, maybe our luck's about to change." She looked at the group almost proudly before she announced, "Dinner at Granny's?"
"Can I drive?" Henry asked quickly.
"No," every adult in the room replied quickly.
Killian turned to walk toward Emerlyn and pick her up off the couch. "Well, I guess I'll leave you guys to it."
"You're not coming?" Emma asked, sounding almost surprised.
He moved toward the door with Emerlyn gingerly in his arms, and Emma followed to get it for him. "I need to take her back to get some sleep in a bed. Another time, perhaps."
"Well, if she wakes up and you change your mind, you know where we'll be," Emma said, leaning against the doorframe as he exited. "And, Killian…"
He turned slowly to look at her, glancing momentarily into Emer's tangled black hair before he looked back up at the blonde.
"Whatever happened this past year," Emma continued, "whatever you're not telling me… I don't care. I'm tired of living in the past."
"I know how you feel," Killian agreed before walking away with a careful grip on his sleeping daughter.
He gently laid Emerlyn in bed and brushed her hair back from her face, blue eyes soft and sorrowful as he remembered that he couldn't even kiss his daughter goodnight.