Earning Happy Endings

by BrainWithAMouth

All it took was one choice. Cora decided to allow Regina's curse to take her as well, though not without securing some protection of course. Now, more people from the Enchanted Forest lived a lie in Storybrooke for 28 years, and Emma will find herself in the midst of it all. With the help of her son, they'll find out who can be trusted, and who may want them gone. Canon divergence.

33. The Past Never Dies

Here we are! Another chapter out on another Friday :D

In this chapter, people are split up and reunited, there are buckets of insecurity, and Killian's past comes back to bite him.

And I just imagined that the loft has a separate room for Henry while Snow and David are upstairs, and Killian, Emma, and the girls are downstairs.

Disclaimer: *sigh*

Thanks as always to Cant-Stop-My-Fandoms for helping me with this chapter. Feel free to check out their amazing fanfics, both in the OUAT fandom and out of it, and leave a review.

Also thanks to BlueGreen216 for following this story, and for everyone who left a review.

Once again, props to ByTheDawn for their Enchanted Forest Map.

Enjoy!

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The Past Never Dies

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March 2, 2012

Henry had been so tired the previous night that he fell asleep in his clothes on top of his sheets. Not exactly a comfortable way to wake up, and he lazily burrowed under his covers.

Whatever hopes he had that he could just fall back asleep, this time a little warmer, were thwarted by his bladder's need to relieve itself. Even if that wasn't the case, Henry soon found that he was too awake to properly go back to sleep.

After changing into some fresh day clothes, Henry headed to the bathroom and did what he needed to do. After washing his hands and face, then brushing his teeth, he decided to head to the kitchen for food.

To his surprise, he was the only one awake. Phoebe was splayed out facedown on the pull-out bed, taking up nearly all of the space. This might've proved a problem for Tien if the tiny girl wasn't also planted face down on Phoebe's back. How Phoebe didn't have a problem with this, Henry didn't know.

At the same time, Henry had to suppress a snicker every time Phoebe breathed, as it caused Tien's unconscious form to slowly move up and down. He did kind of feel bad for them, since it couldn't be too much fun to have to share a bed with someone.

He didn't see his grandparents, so he assumed they were still asleep.

Meanwhile, Henry looked over and found his mom and Killian still shared the same bed; his mom under the covers while Killian was over them, though Killian had a blanket over his sleeping form. Despite the physical barrier posed by the covers and blankets, Emma and Killian naturally gravitated toward each other, sleeping as closely together as they could.

His stomach grumbled, and Henry decided to continue on with his mission.

He got a bowl and milk for his cereal, but the cereal itself was on top of the fridge. He was about to go and get a chair to stand on when his mom appeared.

"Which one?" Emma asked with only a slight yawn, and then reached up to grab the one he wanted.

"Thanks," Henry said as she handed it to him. "Do you want any?"

"Sure," Emma replied as she grabbed a bowl for herself. The two of them sat together at the counter as they ate their breakfast. They exchanged the usual pleasantries - how'd you sleep, how are you doing, etc.

Eventually, Henry's eyes strayed to Phoebe and Tien. More than once, apparently, as Emma asked him what was up.

"I was just wondering if they were going to get their own rooms," Henry mused aloud.

Emma shrugged. "Kind of hard to do since we don't have any spare rooms."

"Yeah," Henry agreed, a touch deflated.

Emma knew that Henry didn't completely understand how much having his own bed meant. After all, she doubted he ever had to share a bed for more than one night, whereas she didn't just have to share the occasional bunk bed. One girls' home she ended up in forced her to share a bed with three other girls, and none of them liked the arrangement one bit. The biggest girl in that forced ensemble released her frustrations by 'accidentally' kicking Emma. Repeatedly.

Phoebe was already at an age where she needed to have her own space. The kid already put so much effort on herself to not be seen as a burden to others that she probably wouldn't complain. That didn't mean there wasn't something to complain about.

"We'll figure something out," Emma told him.

Henry nodded as he took in another spoonful of cereal, eating a little faster when he felt the consistency get mushier.

As he finished his bowl, a new thought came to mind. "Do you think we should still figure out who everyone is?"

A flash of worry appeared on his mom's face, and, try as she might to hide it, it settled into a concerned brow, the slightest downturn of her lips.

That can't be good, Henry thought before he asked, "What is it?"

Emma had already finished with her breakfast, and thus pushed away her now empty bowl.

"I thought about telling you yesterday, but there just didn't seem to be enough time," Emma told him as she turned in her seat to face him, and Henry did the same. "Now's as good a time as any. Do you know anything about a woman named Cora?"

Henry thought about it, trying to go over a list of names in his head before coming up on one suspicion. "Um, Regina's mom was named Cora." Henry jolted in his seat. "Is she here?"

"Yes," Emma nodded. "Killian told me that he worked with Cora at one point, and that before the curse took everyone, she did something that changed her face."

"But how?" Henry questioned. "I thought all spells were beaten by the curse itself. And you used True Love's Kiss, so shouldn't that have worked?"

"We don't know," Emma answered. "Killian said Cora seemed pretty sure it would work. And just because True Love's Kiss worked for the curse, it doesn't mean it would work for everyone. I heard there's a woman under the Sleeping Curse at the hospital, and she's still asleep. Plus one of the teachers at your school, who is actually Ariel, still doesn't have her voice back."

"That's because of Regina," Henry muttered flatly as his shoulders slumped. He'd been so focused on the main curse that he forgot about all the other ones in play. He should've felt invigorated by this new challenge, but he didn't. He just felt guilty that he didn't know how to help these people.

"Hey," Emma said softly. "I'm not telling you this to scare or overwhelm you. I'm saying this because I want you to be careful." She lightly squeezed his shoulder as she spoke more firmly. "Until we capture Cora, I want you to either always stay with me, your grandparents, or Killian. If we're not around, keep in sight of Graham or Percy. And never go off on your own. I mean it."

"Okay," Henry told her as she pulled her hand back. Then, another question came to mind. "What's going to happen once you get her?"

"If she has magic, we'll figure out how to suppress it," Emma answered.

"Are you going to make Tien bite her?" Henry asked curiously.

"No," Emma replied somewhat amusedly.

"Why not?" Henry asked. "It- it worked on Regina."

Henry's mood took a sudden downturn. Emma understood why. She'd been in homes with kids where one or both parents were in jail. Sometimes it was for petty theft, other times it was for something much worse. Either way, she got all kinds of reactions from her former foster siblings.

There were those, usually the younger kids, who believed their parents' were innocent and would be getting them soon. Other kids knew the truth but remained cautiously optimistic about their return, and their ability to reform. Then there were the kids who, for whatever reason, gave up on their parents.

Emma believed Henry could've fallen in the second category.

"How are you holding up, kid?" She asked him, getting a shrug in response.

She remembered how he'd told Regina he didn't want to see her again, but even then she knew it couldn't have been easy.

"You know, if you ever need to talk, I'm all ears," Emma said, and he silently nodded.

Just then, there was the sound of grumbling.

Both mother and son turned around to find Killian sitting up in bed, rubbing at his eyes.

"Morning, you lot," Killian told them as he grabbed his prosthetic hand, Henry and Emma repeating that greeting.

"Should I wake them up?" Henry asked him a touch loudly before Killian placed a shushing finger over his own lips.

"Let them sleep in," Killian said as he approached them.

Henry smiled when Emma and Killian shared a kiss. Then, because he could, he made a disgusted face and noise.

Emma poked him in the stomach, causing an involuntary laugh.

"What are we doing today?" Henry asked the pair of them.

"Like your mother said in her rousing speech," Killian said, pulling Emma closer with his arm around her shoulders, even when Emma playfully nudged his side with her elbow, "there's still much work to be done."

"Cool," Henry said, but something was nagging at him. When he spotted Tien again, he couldn't help but ask, "Killian, do you know why Tien's bite stopped Regina's magic?"

"Henry," Emma said somewhat chidingly. She then explained to a confused Killian, "Henry thinks we should have Tien bite Cora if the old witch still has magic."

"As amusing as that sight might be," Killian said, though with a hint of steel Henry knew wasn't directed at him, "Cora will be going nowhere near you kids."

"But why did it work?" Henry asked once more, feeling frustrated at the lack of an answer.

Emma and Killian shared a look, and he knew he was onto something.

To his relief, they began to explain what they knew...even if it wasn't much.

"So Tien's a changeling?" Henry asked in clarification after they gave their explanation. "How's that different from a fairy?"

"That, we're not sure of," Killian answered. "We'll try to ask Blue if we get the chance."

"Cool," Henry replied.

"What do you think of Tien now?" Killian asked him, with Emma intently paying attention to Henry's reaction.

Henry was confused. "Um, it's cool I guess." He then smiled a little. "I mean, I have two fairies living in my house. That's awesome."

Killian and Emma smiled warmly at him.

"And with that, I'm going to shower," Emma announced, giving Killian one last kiss on the lips, and Henry a kiss on the forehead, before she went to the bathroom.

Killian saw Phoebe stir, and quickly went over to handle them as he saw Tien almost get rolled off the bed.

That's when Henry spotted his grandparents, also dressed in day clothes, began to walk toward them. Henry beat them to it, getting off his stool and giving them hugs as he said. "Good morning, Grandpa. Good morning, Grandma."

"Good morning, Henry," they both said in turn, each giving him big hugs, the kind he'd always dreamed about.

"What were you talking about?" Grandpa asked him as they sat at the counter once more. Henry wondered if they were hungry, but they seemed ready to let Killian and Emma have their own space. Then again, they were keeping a watchful eye on Killian more than on Emma.

"Just stuff," Henry replied, not sure if he liked how they said it. He didn't know why, and he doubted they would give him a straightforward answer. After all, no one would say why Henry overheard Phoebe yelling about something. Not even Phoebe.

He wasn't a baby. Whatever it was, he could handle it.

Then, his annoyance swayed to worry as he wondered if they knew about the new villain in town. "Did Mom tell you about Cora?"

Both of his grandparents confirmed that they did, each having a grim look on their face.

"Don't worry," Grandma said as she lightened her features and placed her hand on his. "You'll be safe."

Henry nodded, not concerned with his own safety, but knowing his mom, Killian, and his grandparents definitely did. He also got the feeling that Phoebe had put him in her sights as someone to worry over.

"Have you already had breakfast?" Grandpa asked him. "I can whip up some pancakes."

"I'm good. I already had cereal," Henry said before he put on a deliberately cute smile for Grandma. "I could go for some cocoa with cinnamon."

Grandma smiled as she gently brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Of course, sweetheart."

Henry absorbed the good feeling he got from the gesture, and despite himself, he felt like pushing his luck.

"Grandma, Grandpa," Henry said quietly, keeping an eye on Killian and the girls, who were talking quietly about something themselves, "are you okay with me?"

"Okay with you?" Grandpa asked confusedly, though just as quietly, as Grandma put her hand back over his.

No one will ever love you like I do.

He suddenly remembered Regina had once said that. It was at least once when he was little. Knowing her, she probably implied it more times over the years, especially after Emma arrived.

"With having me for a grandson," Henry clarified with a whisper, the two of them immediately saying yes before he even truly finished the sentence.

"We're so happy that you and Emma are here," Grandpa said earnestly.

"Even with all of us in here?" Henry asked them. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, because I really am. Still," he glanced pointedly at Killian and his daughters. "It might be getting a little cramped."

"We can make it work," Grandma said optimistically.

Henry wasn't entirely sure if she believed that or not. Oh, he had no doubt that they would let Emma and him stay, even the girls too.

It was Killian he was worried about.

"Are you still mad that Killian's Captain Hook?" Henry asked.

Both appeared stunned.

"How did you know about that?" His grandfather asked.

"He told me," Henry replied honestly. "Actually, I kind of guessed it, but he told me the truth when I asked him."

Both nodded at each other contemplatively.

Grandma told Henry, "We're not...mad, per say."

"Yes you are," Henry said bluntly.

"We're not," Grandma told him firmly. "Things happened that...caused some trust to be lost."

"Like what?" Henry asked.

"It's an adult thing," Grandpa told him.

Do not roll your eyes, Henry thought to himself.

"You don't need to worry yourself," Grandpa told him. "All you need to do is keep yourself safe, play with friends, and go to school when it's up and running again."

"Do I have to?" Henry pretended to whine, then sighing dramatically when his grandparents bluntly told him yes, yes he did.

The sigh got a laugh out of them, which brought a smile onto Henry's face.

"Alright," Grandma said as she stood up, kissing Henry's forehead after she did so. "Hot chocolate with cinnamon coming right up."

Henry couldn't wait.

---

For Phoebe, it felt nice to be back amongst the fairies.

Don't get her wrong - she loved her humans. Really, thinking of them as human instead of just the people she loved was a little weird. However, there was just a comforting thrum of energy she got from being around the fairies, who were still garbed in their nun uniforms.

I guess it makes it easier to identify a fairy?, Phoebe wondered. Or maybe they just didn't have other clothes on hand.

"Thumbelina, could you help me with this please?"

"Sure, Blue," Phoebe said, feeling a little miffed that Blue still wouldn't call her Phoebe.

It's your true name, Blue had told her. I don't go by Mother Superior, because that's not who I really am.

Blue led her away from the others, letting Phoebe catch one last look at Killian and Tien talking to Nova before they disappeared from view.

Phoebe was led inside the convent, and Blue closed the front door behind her. The teen started to walk further in, figuring that whatever Blue needed help with was further inside, but Blue stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Blue?" Phoebe questioned.

"I thought it best to speak privately," Blue told her quietly. Phoebe got the sense that she didn't want to be overheard.

Blue let go of Phoebe's arms, linking her hands in front of her body.

"About what?" Phoebe asked her, matching Blue's quiet voice level.

"About moving back into the convent," Blue told her.

A jolt shot through her chest. "What? Moving back in with you?" Dread filled her as she realized something. "Did Killian say something?"

What did I do?, Phoebe thought frantically. Was it because I yelled at Snow? I'll apologize I swear-

Blue abated those fears when she said, "No. Mr. Jones doesn't know about this yet."

"Then why are you-"

"Because it's time you came back," Blue told her. "Mr. Jones was kind to take you in, but you need to come back."

"What about Gold?" Phoebe asked her.

"I sincerely doubt the Dark One currently possesses magic," Blue answered. "I also doubt that anyone in law enforcement would be on his side in this manner." Blue then smiled. "You can come home now."

But I'm already home, Phoebe thought, then felt guilty for her disloyalty.

Wasn't this a good thing? She'd admitted to herself that it felt nice being amongst other fairies, but the idea of leaving Killian and Emma and Henry...it just felt wrong.

Not wanting to hurt Blue's feelings, as the head fairy had taken care of Phoebe for so long, the teen tried to go another route. "Well, I mean Tien would be really bummed about not living with Killian anymore."

Blue's face hardened a little, the same way it always did whenever Tien was mentioned. It was almost imperceptible, and to anyone else they wouldn't even question the idea that Blue could feel negatively toward a child.

Phoebe was not one of those people.

"Thumbelina-" Blue started.

"Phoebe," the girl blurted out. "I'm using Phoebe now."

"You know my reasons for not using it," Blue told her.

"Killian calls me that name," Phoebe mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Blue asked.

"Nothing," Phoebe lied, feeling quite irritated now as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You can be safe with us," Blue added.

"I'm safe where I am," Phoebe protested. "I have the Savior and-" she cut herself off from revealing Killian's identity, not knowing how many people were supposed to know. She quickly covered up her mistake with, "-Snow White and David, and definitely Killian. Unless you think the Dark One is still after Tien."

Blue hesitated before saying, "I don't know. It's possible his curiosity in her has passed, but it's best to be vigilant." She laid a hand on Phoebe's crossed arms. "Forgive me. With everything going on, I suppose I got too excited at the idea of you coming home. Please, take some time to think it over."

Wanting to end this already, Phoebe agreed.

The two of them eventually went back outside, where Blue's attention was soon grabbed by Ella, formerly Ashley, holding her baby. That allowed Phoebe to go over to Killian and Tien.

"Hello, Phoebe," Killian greeted, wrapping his arms around the girl when she immediately went to hug him tightly. Sensing a thrum of bad energy under her skin, he then asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Phoebe told him, wincing at the obvious lie. She then pulled back and admitted, "Blue just asked if I wanted to come back to live at the convent."

Killian suppressed a flinch. "Oh?"

"I told her I wanted to stay with you," Phoebe assured him. She then asked Tien, who had listened to the whole thing, "You want to stay with Dad, right?"

"Yeah!" Tien shouted exuberantly. She grabbed Killian's prosthetic hand. "We can stay together forever!"

Killian and Phoebe smiled down at her, and Killian said that they were just about done there, so they decided to head to the library to pack up their things. They didn't know how much they could take to the loft yet, but better to just organize what they would keep, move, or throw away.

Later, they might even get a chance to join Emma, Henry, and the dogs somewhere at Main Street.

On the way there, Tien walked between Killian and Phoebe, one hand linked with Phoebe's, and the other linked with Killian's prosthetic hand.

"Daddy, where's your hook?" Tien asked her, staring at his prosthetic hand.

Killian and Phoebe looked at each other in surprise, both silently asking, Did you tell her?

Soon, both realized that neither had.

"What do you mean, sweetheart?" Killian asked.

"Your hook," Tien repeated. "There's supposed to be a hook here."

Killian swallowed a lump in his throat.

"How do you know that, Tee?" Phoebe asked her, and the girl just shrugged with a "Just do."

Then, as if that wasn't weird enough, Tien then asked, "Daddy, why is there a hole in Graham's chest?"

Killian, again, stared at Tien incomprehensibly, and for once Phoebe didn't actually understand what was happening.

"What makes you say that?" Killian asked, his mind racing with questions of his own.

"I see it," Tien asked, halting her steps, bringing them all to a stop on the sidewalk. She let go of their hands and pointed at Phoebe's chest. "There's a heart, right there. It's red and-" she mimicked the sound and movement of a beating heart. "Graham has no heart. There's no-" again, she mimicked a heart's beating sound. Tien then giggled. "Poof. He's silly."

It took Phoebe longer than she thought it should, but once it hit her, she looked up at Killian and silently mouthed, "He doesn't have his heart?"

Killian nodded. As Phoebe processed this new bit of information, Killian turned Tien toward him and kneeled before her. "What other kind of things can you see?"

Tien shrugged. "Things."

"Mmm," Killian hummed, putting this under the long list of things he needed to sort out, wondering if this fell under 'Things changelings can just do'. He then looked Tien more deeply in the eyes as he said, "I think it's best if you don't mention this to anyone."

"Why?" Tien immediately questioned.

"Because it's very private," Killian said, "and Graham's feelings could get hurt if people knew. Do you promise not to say anything?"

"Mhmm," Tien fervently nodded before lifting up her pinkie with a solemn, "Pinkie swear."

Killian smiled warmly as he sealed this little contract, hoping it would stick. For now, he'd keep Tien close in case her mouth got the urge to let out a secret or two.

The family continued to walk, and Phoebe's mind was racing.

She'd heard rumors about the Evil Queen ripping peoples hearts out, long before she'd seen Regina kill her mother by doing the same. If Graham's heart wasn't in his chest, then maybe it was still somewhere in Regina's possession.

Based on Killian's reaction, Phoebe got the suspicion that he wasn't surprised by this bit of information. If so, then he was bound to tell Emma, and they would no doubt try to find Graham's heart.

Still, the idea of her heart being anywhere outside her chest made her skin crawl, which prompted this next question to her foster father: "Can you teach me to shoot a gun?"

Killian's head snapped in her direction.

"Or a sword," Phoebe added, noting that Tien was too focused on trying to get a perfect skip down to listen in. "I'm not old enough to join the fairy order, so I can't have a wand. Plus I don't have wings so I can't fly, so I figured I would need something to protect us."

Killian paused as he stared at the girl walking next to him. A girl, noble as she was, trying to ask how to use weapons to protect her family.

"You're a kid," Killian finally got out. "You need to focus on school and having fun."

"It's my job to look after Tien," Phoebe replied, causing the little girl to briefly look up at the sound of her name before resuming her skipping.

"If any trouble comes our way, I promise that I'll protect you," Killian said honestly, as he'd rather die than allow anything to happen to either of his girls. Seeing Phoebe's brow furrow, the way it always did when she was incensed at being treated like, well, a child, Killian added, "I admire your resolve, but you need to enjoy the rest of your childhood as much as you can."

Liam and Killian never had much of one, not since their mother died and their father abandoned them. Every day was hard work under the Long John Silver, a brutal captain if he'd ever met one. Killain, as a lad, would've never dreamed of having the life Tien and Phoebe had. Even with all its danger, it was far more comfortable than anything he could've hoped for.

Which is why it was so frustrating and worrying for Killian to hear Phoebe ready to throw herself into danger. Determined as she was, he wanted to keep her as far away from any sort of violence as possible.

Phoebe, however, wasn't having it. In another unexpected rush of temper, she blurted out, "Yeah, I'm kid who watched my mom get killed, and I'm not going to let that happen again."

The teen tried to hold onto that anger, but it wasn't nearly as strong as she thought it was as she looked at Killian. She didn't want him to think she was angry at him, but what was she supposed to do?! She knew what was out there, she knew about bad people and how good people, the best of people, could be killed. Her stance didn't fare better as she felt Tien still, heard her whimper, and glanced at Tien huddling up against Killian's leg. She must've been brought out of her skipping-induced happiness enough to know some bad feelings were being thrown around.

Even worse, the guilt at raising her voice at this good man, wondering if she should feel guilty about not wanting to go back to the convent, began to eat at her.

The thing that made an unexpected rush of tears threaten to leak from her eyes was the darkened yet pained look on Killian's face. Looking back on it, the hurt look came on when Phoebe talked about her mom being killed…

She remembered that Killian mentioned his brother had died years ago, and she guessed that it wasn't something made up by the curse to hurt him. After all, he never once mentioned his brother since everyone regained their memories. And yet, something in her told her that wasn't who he was thinking about when Phoebe said those words.

After a long while, and a comforting hand on Tien's head, smoothing down her dark hair, Killian spoke again. "I understand. I truly do." He paused before continuing with a firmer, "I can teach you to defend yourself, but if I do decide to train you with a weapon, you need to know something. Hurting someone, or going so far as to take a life, is something that changes you. Killing someone is a point of no return that few can ever truly walk away from. I'm not saying this to scare you. I'm saying this because I've lived a hard and dangerous life even before the curse came about, and it's not something I'd ever wish on my daughters."

Despite herself, Phoebe's heart leapt at the words.

My daughters.

He really saw them as his family, didn't he?

Judging by his expression, he truly meant it.

"Do you understand?" Killian asked her.

Phoebe nodded, her voice involuntarily unsteady as she said, "I do, Dad."

"Come here, then," Killian commanded softly, and she once again went forward, and the two wrapped each other in a tight hug.

A watery smile crossed Phoebe's face when she felt Tien hug her left, and upon a glance down, saw that she was hugging both her and Killian's legs.

Tien might not have totally understood what they were talking about, and for her sake, Phoebe hoped it didn't scare her. What Tien did know was that the two of them just needed a hug.

---

Business at Granny's was booming. Freddie mentioned something about fear making people hungry, and she was inclined to agree.

"Order up!" Little John, formerly Al, shouted from the kitchen as he placed two plates on the kitchen window.

"Got it," Ruby said. "Thanks Johnny."

Little John waved her off with a shy smile on his face.

Smirking, Ruby brought the plates to a couple at a table, weaving through hungry patrons to do so. She was helping other waitresses at the diner, who Ruby soon directed on what to do.

"Go check in with the hostess about Table 3."

"Ask that table how their meal was."

"That family just left. Clear the booth and set up new cutlery."

And so on and so forth.

Granny had left Ruby in charge of the front of the house while the old woman took care of the inn. Percy had told her that the Wraith had blown a hole in his apartment building, specifically a staircase.

Luckily, he and LJ were unhurt, plus they were on the floor below the damage. The people above them weren't so lucky, and now many of them, including Rapunzel, were staying at the inn since the elevator still wasn't working.

Even if it was, they only risked going near potential structural damage to collect whatever belongings they could get their hands on. Doing so was a task that was taking a long time, as Graham had made it very clear that letting more than a handful of people in at one time could risk further collapse to the floors below.

That was probably why Percy, LJ, and the others were slowly filtering their belongings to the inn. Not that Ruby was complaining. This was giving Percy, Ruby, and LJ a chance to be together.

"Hello," Ruby heard the hostess say, though Ruby's back was currently to the front, as she was pouring over the books. They were doing good today. "How many in your party?"

"It's just me," a gruff, female voice said. "And I'm here to take some breakfast to go."

Ruby turned around and saw an Asian female with a serious face addressing the hostess.

"Of course," the hostess said with unwavering cheerfulness. "If you could just sit in the waiting area, your order will be ready as soon as possible. What would you like?"

After the hostess was done, the woman sat down on one of the group of four chairs that counted as a waiting area. Curiously, it was empty save for the woman, but that suited Ruby just fine. She didn't know this woman, and was eager to find out who had just stepped into her diner.

"Hello," Ruby greeted the woman as soon as she stood in front of Ruby. "I'm Ruby, the owner's granddaughter. Have you been with us before?"

"Not in this life," the woman said before inclining her head. "I'm Mulan."

Jaw drop. Look of amazement.

The woman, Mulan, raised an eyebrow at her. "What is it?"

"You're Mulan?" Ruby asked excitedly. "The Mulan."

"Yes…" Mulan said slowly.

Ruby smiled. "I've heard stories about you. Tales of your bravery. How you saved Leshou from invaders, how you saved a Ya- a Ye-"

"A Yaoguai," Mulan correctly firmly, and was seemingly weirded out by Ruby's enthusiasm.

At the moment, Ruby was too giddy to care. "Yes, right, thank you. Freddie and Belle told me about that. How's Prince Phillip doing?"

Mulan hesitated before saying, "He's as well as he can be."

Ruby knew why he was feeling that way. She asked sympathetically, "And how is the princess?"

"Still sleeping," Mulan said tersely.

A silence followed.

Ruby offered, "We're all holding out hope she'll recover-"

"Unless you can find her True Love-" Mulan started hotly before composing herself. "Forgive me. It's been a trying time."

"I understand," Ruby told her. "My friend was under the Sleeping Curse too."

"Snow White, I know," Mulan said. After another silence, she hesitantly added, "We thought...Philip was her True Love."

That surprised Ruby. Freddie and Belle had mentioned that Aurora was under the Sleeping Curse, but they hadn't mentioned that little tidbit. Now that she thought about it, they probably did it to spare Phillip the embarrassment of people knowing that the woman he'd been engaged to since infancy wasn't his True Love.

Ruby wasn't naive. Not everyone was as lucky as Snow and David, but still...

"Oh," Ruby said quietly. "Well...do you know who her True Love is?"

Mulan's silence answered for her.

That just made things worse. David giving Snow True Love's Kiss, and Emma doing the same for Henry, only, as far as they knew, worked because they all had a connection before the Sleeping Curse took hold. Ruby was far from what you'd call an expert, and this was something she and her friends had come up with in terms of theory and limited knowledge, but Ruby had a sinking suspicion that they were on the money.

She hoped for Aurora's sake that she knew her True Love already. If not…

"Your order's ready," the hostess said in a cheery tone, appearing with a bag of food and two cups of coffee to go.

"Thank you," Mulan said as she accepted the items, allowing the happy hostess to greet a family who just walked in. Turning to Ruby, Mulan said, "Goodbye."

"Hope to see you again," Ruby replied, and as Mulan walked out, she added, "And good luck!"

Mulan was gone.

Ruby sighed, but decided to take her mind off things by getting back to work.

Soon enough, however, a new distraction came in, although it was a happier one.

Thankfully, they left their cat behind.

"Hi, Ruby," Freddie greeted after he and Belle had been seated, and Ruby had enough time to get to them. Belle said hello as well.

"Hi you two," Ruby said, smiling. "Has anyone taken your order yet?"

"Oh, yes," Belle said. "Though I imagine it'll take some time."

"You want me to expedite the process?" Ruby asked, though quietly and after she bent down to say it directly to them, not wanting the other diners to hear.

"We're in no rush," Freddie said, thankful for the offer.

As she straightened up, Ruby said, "I've got to admit I'm a little surprised your...friend isn't here."

Mangy cat. Okay, she was actually well groomed, but that didn't mean Ruby had to like her.

"Art is in the alley next to us," Freddie explained before flinching. "Oh, um, she might be snacking on leftover meat in the dumpster. Is that alright?"

"Just as long as she doesn't come after my customers," Ruby answered. "And thanks for not bringing her in. Because, you know, big cat."

"Understood," Freddie said.

"Thanks for your help at the food stalls, by the way," Ruby said. "I talked to the other restaurant and food stall owners, and they were really grateful." After Belle and Freddie accepted the praise, she then asked, "So what's on the agenda today?"

"I was hoping that Freddie would give me a further tour of the town," Belle answered, looking softly at Freddie, who returned that expression in kind. "Plus I was thinking that maybe I could find my father."

"I'm sure he's looking for you," Freddie said.

"You can always check the bulletin board further up on Main Street," Ruby suggested. "And if they ran out of space, I heard some people are putting fliers by the library."

"A library?" Belle asked, her eyes lighting up.

"There's the magic word," Freddie chuckled, accepting the half-hearted swat on the arm courtesy of Belle.

"Book lover, huh?" Ruby joked. "You're in luck. The guy who runs it, Killian, is a total bookworm. Gorgeous too, but," Ruby couldn't help but sigh, "I've got someone else to look at."

Unbeknownst to Ruby, she was making an adoring face, one Freddie and Belle exchanged knowing and amused looks at.

Snapping herself out of it, Ruby added, "Plus, Rapunzel works there too. Or maybe it's worked there, I'm not sure. Either way, Killian would be happy to help if he's there."

Ruby couldn't see why Rapunzel wouldn't keep working there, unless it had something to do with having to carry her hair everywhere. When Ruby asked her why she didn't cut it, Rapunzel merely side-eyed a suddenly embarrassed Morgana, who said, "We...might have had a mishap with a potion that strengthened her hair."

Whatever that meant.

Besides, another reason Rapunzel might not return to work just yet was because she took it upon herself to look after a recovering Jefferson. Ruby took no small amount of pleasure at making her friend blush when she commented, "Such a shame there's only one bed in your room."

Jefferson had been nearby, and he too had blushed when Morgana side-eyed him.

"Right," Freddie said. "I heard he and the girls moved in with Emma."

Ruby heard some bustling nearby, and found some waitresses struggling to catch up with their food orders.

"If you'll excuse me," Ruby told the two, "I've got to get back to work. We'll catch up later?"

"I hope so," Belle said, and Freddie concurred.

Ruby left them in peace, and returned to the fray.

---

"I know it's hard," Emma told the struggling couple, "but this is for the best."

The man and woman nodded, trying to avoid letting the little boy between them see the full force of their distress.

"Tommy?" A man's voice called out.

Emma turned and saw two men standing together, gazing in utter amazement and complete love at the little boy, who instantly recognized them.

"Papa! Daddy!" Tommy cried out. He started forward, but hesitated when he remembered his former mother's hold on his shoulders. He looked up uncertainly, and she did her best to give him a big smile and an encouraging nod as she released him.

With her permission, Tommy ran out of his cursed parents' reach, not noticing how his former mother instinctively reached out for him, or how his former father cradled her in his arms, as he raced toward his original fathers.

The two men kneeled on the ground and held him tightly, and soon the family was wrapped up in each other.

Emma tried to comfort the couple next to her, but the man and woman were now absorbed in their own grief. The man just asked for some space, and Emma was quick to comply.

The scene made her return to her own child, who, along with his friends, were on a patch of grass away from the crowd, though always within sight of either herself, her grandparents, or Percival. Graham was somewhere else, and he was with Marian and her son the last time Emma saw them.

Speaking of kids, Henry's friends formed a semi-circle in front of LJ, who stood in front of Henry. Where was Henry? On the ground, splayed out, playing dead for Copper and Lady, who soon began to lick his face.

"Dearly beloved," LJ told the rest of his and Henry's friends, who all looked amusingly somber, "we are gathered here today to mourn the loss of a dear departed friend."

"Quit telling people I'm dead!" Henry shouted, then giggled when Copper almost licked his tongue.

"Sometimes, I can still hear his voice," LJ said mournfully.

"Hey kids," Emma snarked, catching their attention. "Why is my son dead?"

"Eaten alive by wild beasts," Grace answered helpfully before cooing at Lady, who was closer to her, "Who's a good girl?"

Lady yipped happily.

"I was slain in battle," Henry protested.

"Cool story, dude," Declan smirked, taking Henry's tongue at him in stride.

Emma helped her son up, ignoring Ava's protest of, "The beasts weren't finished eating."

"Having fun then?" Emma asked the group.

"We got sidetracked," Henry told his mother after giving her a brief hug. "We were actually wondering if you knew where Grace's dad is."

Ah. Jefferson. Henry had mentioned Grace was looking for her original father earlier that morning, and since Emma knew for sure that Jefferson was alive, she said she'd help. She even heard that Jefferson was staying at Granny's Inn, on account of Rapunzel essentially forcing him to stay there rather than hike back to his home.

What she worried about was Jefferson's stability, physically and mentally.

She hadn't been able to speak with him directly, and she would be sure to give him hell for going behind their backs to help Regina.

The only reason she wasn't completely pissed at him was because, as she learned from Graham who talked to Jefferson, Regina promised him his daughter back.

He was stupid to believe her. Stupid...and undoubtedly desperate.

I'm just...worried about my daughter.

That's what he said when Emma asked him the night he held Snow, then Mary Margaret, and Emma captive in his house.

He'd been self-aware and trapped in his house for decades, only ever able to see his child through a telescope. The isolation, the longing...Emma didn't even entertain the thought of imagining being in his position, having Henry in her sights but out of her reach.

Emma then addressed Grace. "I'm sure he'll turn up." Then, as delicately as she could, Emma inquired, "Where are your parents?"

"My cursed parents," Grace corrected, glum and guilty. "They were my neighbors back in the Enchanted Forest. They're volunteering somewhere, and they let me stay here while they worked."

Nick gave her a comforting side-hug as Grace began to tear up.

LJ, leaning closer to Emma, explained as quietly as he could so Grace wouldn't overhear, "She feels guilty about looking for her dad."

After what Emma just saw with those two couples who loved the same little boy, Emma didn't have to ask why. After examining the other kids' faces, they knew why too.

Emma stepped closer to Grace, and started with a talk similar to what she told the couple from before. "I'm not going to lie. This is going to be a rough transition, but-"

The woman then stopped what she was going to say, because she saw a familiar man and woman duck behind a wall.

"Mom?" Henry questioned.

"I'll be right back. Stay here," Emma said as she brushed back some of Henry's hair, zeroing in on her target and quickly walking in that direction.

"Just go talk to her," Rapunzel urged Jefferson, neither of them noticing Emma's approach as they hid behind that wall.

"I can't, she'll-" Jefferson cut himself off once he caught sight of Emma.

"Hi, Emma," Rapunzel greeted her; her impossibly long hair wrapped around her shoulder and hip like a sash. It was probably the best she could do under the circumstances.

"Hi Rapunzel," Emma said, giving the girl a nod before she focused her attention on Jefferson. "Do you mind giving us a minute?"

"Of course," Rapunzel agreed, and quite quickly too. Emma knew why when she sent a meaningful look a reluctant Jefferson's way.

The moment the two were alone, he started, "Deputy-"

"Let's get this out of the way," Emma interrupted as she gave him a hard look, her voice harsh like a whip. "I don't know how many people have told you this already, but I'm going to add myself onto the list. Helping Regina was stupid and short-sighted and almost got Henry killed. If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will kick your ass up and down this street before throwing you over the damn town line myself. Got it?"

Guilt was the easiest emotion to ready on his face, with resignation coming a close second. Jefferson gave a tired but accepting, "I got it."

"Second," Emma added bluntly, "what in the hell is taking you so long?"

"Excuse me?" Jefferson asked.

"I know you saw Grace," Emma retorted. "Your daughter, the one you were willing to work with Regina twice over, is looking for you. So, again, why is it taking you so long to show yourself?"

"It's not that simple-"

"Bullshit," Emma hissed, getting really fired up at this father who wouldn't see his child. "Go out there and tell your kid you're sorry you've been gone so long, but you're back now and you're ready to make things right."

"I can't-"

"Why not?"

"Because I left her!" Jefferson shouted, finally finding his voice as the ragged, pained words came out.

Emma didn't speak, waiting for him to make the next move.

"And she'll hate me," he finally added.

"Why?" Emma asked, this time more softly and yet still precisely. "What happened between you and Regina?"

Jefferson looked ready to fight her, ready to keep his mouth shut...but then he let out a long, quiet sigh as he slumped against the wall behind him. He just looked so tired, and that's probably why he loosened his lips.

"I was a bad person before Grace was born," Jefferson told her, his eyes staring into Emma's. "Cons, thefts, you name it. I didn't care who I hurt or who I worked with. Would you believe I met Grace's mother while both of us were playing a con?"

He didn't wait for her to answer as he suppressed a wince.

"Her mother, Priscilla, and I...in spite of everything, we made each other better," Jefferson confessed. "I think at some point we just got tired of the constant danger, especially when she found out she was pregnant. We made a promise to put that all behind us for our baby's sake."

The false hopes and broken promises of long ago surged, and Emma willed those bad memories of those terrible times, of him, to go away.

Jefferson continued, "Then Priscilla died. I did my best with Grace, but money was always tight. I couldn't get her the things she wanted, the things she needed. So, when Regina came by one day with a job, I didn't want to take it at first." Jefferson looked away from Emma, looked ashamed. "But then things got worse, and I took it. Grace begged me not to go, but I wouldn't listen. I left her with the neighbors, promising I'd be home for tea."

The broken man before Emma looked back at her, this time with anger in his eyes. "As you might imagine, the job went sideways. Regina had me use the Hat to go with her to a world called Wonderland, and get someone important. Turns out that someone was her father."

Jefferson gave a bitter laugh. "Here's the thing about the Hat. It can take you to any world it has access to, and there are plenty of them. However, it has a simple rule. However many people go into a portal, is however many are allowed to come out. And since Regina really wanted to get her and her father back to the Enchanted Forest…"

"She left you behind," Emma surmised when Jefferson found it difficult to speak. Shit. God, was there no level Regina wouldn't sink to?

Jefferson nodded bitterly. "The Queen of Hearts found me," Jefferson didn't notice how Emma nearly flinched at the name, too engrossed in his story. "She wanted me to make another Hat to get back to the Enchanted Forest. I tried telling her I couldn't, and that's when she-" he used his hand to mimic something chopping off his head.

The scar around his neck, Emma realized in suppressed horror.

The man let his hand fall gracelessly to his side, releasing a shaky breath. "So now you see. I tried to do what I thought was right for my daughter, but I kept screwing it up. How am I supposed to be any kind of parent with my track record? She's better off without me."

Emma didn't say anything immediately, as his words struck a chord with her more deeply than she would've liked. Throughout her pregnancy with Henry, and during the dark nights or bleak days where she'd engage in a fantasy where she found her baby and whisked him away, one thought always put that to a stop.

What kind of mother could you possibly be?

After all, she hadn't been loved once in her entire life, not really. Any meaningful relationship was dead on arrival. Besides, she was a 16-year-old runaway petty thief when Henry was born, one where the father was in the wind. She'd never known true stability. What kind of life could she have given him?

And yet...it was that same lack of faith that prevented Emma from being with her child, that inadvertently allowed Regina to have Henry. While she doubted that Grace's cursed parents were that terrible, she also recognized the longing in Grace's face. Kids could be clever, but they were rarely master manipulators. If Grace really hated her father, something would've given it away.

Emma couldn't detect an ounce of hate in that girl, which led her to tell the girl's father, "She doesn't hate you."

"How do you know?" Jefferson asked, trying to sound tough, but there was that glimmer of hope he couldn't help but give away in his tone, his face, his body language.

"Because she's spent every waking minute wondering where the hell you are," Emma told him. "Because she is over there with her friends, close to tears, hoping that reuniting with you doesn't upset her cursed parents." Before he could object, she continued, "And more to the point, she deserves to know the truth. Even if I'm totally wrong and she does hate you, at least give her some closure. What happened to you is a nightmare, but that little girl has been through hell too. Don't you think she deserves to have her nightmare end?"

Jefferson looked like he was barely holding himself together, pressing a hand over the stab wound she'd heard about, conflicted over what to do.

Emma was half-tempted to drag him over there, but she knew that wouldn't do anyone good. If Grace was going to see her dad again, he had to be the one to get off his ass and do it.

After a few long moments, Jefferson asked Emma, "What do I say to her?"

"Try 'Hello'," Emma told her like it was obvious.

Jefferson rubbed his hands over his face, taking in and letting out a few steadying breaths before he nodded, worry clearly marked all over his face. "Okay…okay, let's do this."

Feeling her own relief embolden her, she patted his arm and walked with him out into the open. He halted a few times, but that was, as he confessed to her, more his problem with crowds than anything else.

Eventually, they made their way close to that patch of grass, where Grace was now on the ground with her friends. Her back was turned to them, and Jefferson stopped to just look at her. Emma stood nearby, ready to persuade him again if he got cold feet.

Henry noticed Emma first and waved. However, when he saw who was standing next to his mother, he quickly tapped Grace on the shoulder, and pointed in their direction.

Grace turned to look at them, and Jefferson let out another shaky breath as he saw his daughter up close.

The girl immediately stood up, staring at her father, her friends quiet and watching the scene unfold.

Grace walked quickly towards them before stopping several feet away.

Emma subtly walked backwards, giving them some space.

Both father and daughter looked at each other, each of them battling with emotions that threatened to boil over.

Grace was the first to speak. "Papa?"

She sounded so hopeful yet so scared at the same time, maybe wondering if this was just a dream.

All Jefferson could manage was, "Hello."

He slowly fell to his knees, and before Emma could think to help him, wondering if he was in pain again, Grace ran forward shouting, "Papa!"

The moment she was within reach, Grace wrapped her arms around his neck, Jefferson wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You found me," Emma heard Grace sob into his shoulder, Jefferson's eyes red rimmed. "I knew you would."

Emma looked over at Henry, who smiled happily at the sight. The rest of his friends were all enraptured with the scene, all starting to cheer and clap at the sight of their friend getting the reunion she so desperately needed.

Henry spotted Emma, and his smile brightened even further, showing his pride in her.

Emma smiled back. After all, some people just needed a second chance.

---

"Dad, are you still going to work at the library?" Phoebe asked her father.

Killian couldn't quite stop himself from smiling, nor did he want to.

As difficult as their talk had been, the major upside that kept Killian's spirits up was that Phoebe no longer called him by his name. Instead, she'd started saying things like "Dad, you know what we're going to have for dinner tonight?" or "Come on, Dad, the world ended. Do I really need to go to school?"

Yes, he had told her, yes you do.

His oldest daughter pouted.

"I don't see why not," Killian replied.

Tien giggled as she mimicked turning a page. "You read a book with a hook?"

"I think she means turn a page," Phoebe corrected, which then resulted in Tien arguing with her sister that she'd meant what she said. Both were technically correct, which only fueled the minor argument.

Deciding to let them hash it out for now, Killian thought on his youngest daughter's newest ability.

He tried to ask Blue about Tien's status as a changeling earlier, but she was too busy. Rather, that was the impression she gave him, but he wasn't sure. Killian had begun to notice a pattern with Blue when it came to Tien. She was never outright rude or cruel to the child; head fairy or not, Killian would not have tolerated it.

Instead, Blue was, to put it bluntly, distant. Any time Tien tried to catch her attention, Blue gave a short reply before finding herself too busy. Perhaps the behavior wouldn't have been so obvious if Blue wasn't so warmly disposed to Phoebe.

Worse still, Killian remembered that Phoebe told him Blue wanted her to come back to the convent. It could've been a slip of the tongue or a mistake, but Killian rather doubted that if Blue wanted both of the girls back, Phoebe would have forgotten to mention her beloved sister.

Killian's mood darkened. These were his children Blue was treating in such a way. The blatant favoritism was one matter, but to not even discuss his eldest's living situation with him first? What right did she think she had?

He was truly soured against her.

"Phoebe, there's paper everywhere," Tien declared, bringing Killian out of his reverie, and making him realize that they had arrived at the library.

"Those are fliers, darling," Killian told her as they passed the windows. Missing person posters, to be precise. Since photographs didn't exist in the Enchanted Forest, the ones who put up posters had to rely on the mercy of their own artistic skill, or the skill of anyone they knew. As such, the hand drawn sketches of the missing varied in legibility, and more than one drawing was clearly created by a child's hand. Other posters did away with the images, and instead put down information about their lost loved one, and a phone number or email address to contact immediately.

Nearby, Granny's Diner was busling, though more people were slowly filtering out as they finished their meals.

Once they got to the doors, Killian took out his keys and unlocked it, allowing them to go inside.

Tien ran toward the lift, and began pressing the button.

"No, no, no," Killian said hurriedly as he ran over and gently grabbed her wrist, stopping her from calling it.

"I want to see the elevator," Tien declared.

"It's not safe right now," Killian told her. The last time they were there to collect some of their things to bring to the loft, Killian had managed to get the lift doors shut, but wouldn't call up the lift itself. Emma said Maleficent was dead, but Killian couldn't be too careful. In fact, part of the reason he and Emma agreed that he and the girls would stay at the loft was because they didn't want to risk something else being under their feet. Besides, even though Emma managed to climb up the cables after the crocodile double-crossed them, they wanted to wait before they tested out the lift's safety.

Tien reluctantly went along with this explanation, and began walking up the stairs to their above-library apartment.

"I always wondered why we had an elevator if it didn't go upstairs," Phoebe told him, Tien clamoring up the stairs in front of them. "I wasn't sure what was downstairs. Is it like a creepy basement?"

"No," Killian replied slowly...then admitted under muttered breath, "There's a dead dragon."

"A dra-" Phoebe blurted out in a loud voice before Killian shushed her as they entered the apartment, Tien running inside to go to her and Phoebe's shared room. She then hissed, "A dragon? How did you not know there was a dragon in the basement?"

"I was a bit preoccupied," Killian whispered back, keeping an eye on Tien as she gave into the impulse to flop on her bed.

"Flirting with Emma," Phoebe mumbled.

Killian raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Phoebe said quickly.

The pirate couldn't help but smile. "That's no way to speak to your father."

That did it, that got a shy smile out of the girl before she dramatically sighed. "Ugh, fiiiine Dad."

"Get to it," he said while gently pushing her to her room, Phoebe laughing at him.

Already showing insolence, I see.

They began the process of gathering up some more belongings, organizing them into piles of what they wanted or needed to take with them, items they could do without, and items they were willing to donate.

We can't stay at the loft forever, Killian thought.

The truth was that their current situation was far from a permanent move. The girls were still sharing a bed, and based on how he found them that morning, he knew that eventually one or both of them would get too big for that arrangement to stay comfortable. Plus, despite the logistics behind it, he felt he was imposing on Emma's and Snow's hospitality, particularly Snow's.

Oh, she hadn't exactly been pleased to share a living space with him since he told them his secrets. She and David remained civil, but they were distant. Their reactions...frankly they hurt. They had been his friends during the curse, and now he wondered if he had lost them.

However, he didn't feel that he was in a place to fight back or complain about it.

That still left the problem of their living situation. Luckily, he'd already been eying some houses to move into, but had hesitated because money was tight.

Emma could help, Killian thought suddenly.

No. He scoffed. Talk about an imposition. How could he ask her to help pay for a house?

The image of the kids - Phoebe, Henry, and Tien - running into their new house, Killian and Emma walking in hand-in-hand came to mind.

Killian stopped in his tracks, thoughtlessly letting a shirt fall into a pile, nevermind which one it was supposed to go into.

He shook his head. It was ludicrous. They'd only been dating for three months. He'd only just regained her trust, and even then it might've been tentative.

However, the absurd fantasy stayed, cementing itself in Killian's mind. It was only helped by the way Killian's heart felt lighter at the possibility that it could be based in reality.

Emma would think it's too soon, Killian thought, trying to get back to business. She's still got her walls, and I'm just...me.

That didn't stop him from wanting it, from letting himself hope.

Emma wouldn't go for it...would she?

Forcing himself out of this dream, Killian told the girls, "Phoebe, watch your sister for a bit. I'm going to get some boxes from the backroom."

"Cool," Phoebe responded, her attention focused on a pile of her clothes, clearly heavily debating what she wanted to take with her. Tien was having a similar deep turmoil over which of her toys to bring.

Killian walked down and re-entered the library, turning to head toward the backroom, but he heard someone enter when he turned a corner.

"Hello?" A woman's voice called out. "Um, is anyone here?"

"Be with you in a moment," Killian called out, curious to see who it was.

He turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks as he and the newcomer stared at each other.

Killian found the saliva in his mouth dried up as he looked at the face of a woman he could've saved, but didn't. He took in the expression of Regina's former prisoner becoming increasingly angry.

"You," the woman said.

"Me," Killian said, unsure of what else to say.

She didn't wait for further response. She picked up the nearest book and threw it at him.

"Freddie!" the woman shouted as Killian dodged her first attack, then dodged her second attack. "Freddie, help!"

"Hold on!" Killian shouted back, moving to try to avoid the next book, and the corner grazed the temple of this forehead. She's got decent aim at least. "Listen, you-"

"Belle!" the woman shouted, raising another book like a bloody mace. "My name is Belle. You hit me, you left me in that awful place."

The way Belle's voice wavered, the way her eyes took on a broken shade, cut him more deeply than her shouting or her near hits.

"Belle!" Freddie's voice shouted as he raced into the library with Art, his body language screaming that he was ready to fight someone. However, both him and Art expressed visible confusion when he saw the scene before him. "What is going on here?"

"This man attacked me when I was Regina's prisoner," Belle said, briefly looking at Freddie before quickly returning her attention to Killian, glancing at him with distrusting eyes. At least she wasn't attacking him. "Back in the Enchanted Forest, this man came into my cell. He wanted to know about Rumple, and when I wouldn't tell him anything he hit me."

"What?" Freddie asked, this time more quietly and visibly shocked as he looked at Killian. "Killian, what-"

"I didn't know anything," Belle hissed at Killian. "And you wouldn't believe me. Do you know what Regina did to me after you left? Do you?"

"And I'm sorry for that," Killian said, genuinely remorseful. "I was wrong to do that to you, and to not help you escape. I have no excuse."

It was true. Killian assaulted Belle when she failed to give him the information he needed to find the Dark One. Yet, to leave someone behind to the fate of being someone else's prisoner for his own selfish ends...it...gods, when did he become his father? When did he think leaving an innocent to the mercy of a tyrant was acceptable?

"Wait," Freddie said, not believing what he was hearing. "This is true?"

"Yes, it is," Belle told him, trying to maintain her composure. "He's Captain Hook, after all."

Belle's face began to crumple, and reared her hand back to throw the book at him-

"Dad!" Phoebe shouted as she raced in front of him, ready to take the hit. Killian quickly wrapped her in his arms and spun them around to protect her, ready to take the hit with his back.

It didn't happen. Killian tentatively looked back and saw Belle had dropped the book on the floor next to her, her eyes now surprised while one of her hands covered her mouth. Freddie soon joined her, as did Art who seemed just as perplexed, and both of them tried to comfort her as she began to shake.

"Daddy?" Tien asked, and he saw that she was hiding in the staircase, watching this unfold.

"What are you doing?!" Phoebe shouted furiously at Belle. "What is wrong with you?!"

"Daddy," Tien whimpered, becoming quite upset with the noise and heightened emotions. She ran towards him and hugged his leg tightly, like he was an anchor.

"I think it's best if we leave," Freddie said, trying to play the peacemaker, and yet he felt so unprepared for what was happening. He wanted to ask Killian what was going on, and Belle too. Belle never said anything before, but perhaps this was one of those things neither of them wanted to talk about. He certainly wasn't ready to tell her about the baiting his own guards thought was fun to put a freak like him through.

"I'm sorry," Killian said one more time as the three of them left, holding his girls to him, hoping he didn't make them filthy like him.

---

"David, do you think something's up with Graham?"

David turned his head to look at Marian. Both of them were seated on a bench, allowing themselves a brief break after all the work they put it so far.

...Okay, allow themselves was a bit misleading. It was more like the two of them finally caved to Snow, Emma, Graham, and all of the Merry Men telling them both to take these water bottles, sit on that bench, and relax dammit, you've been working too hard.

After taking a sip from said water bottle, David responded with a question of his own. "What do you mean?"

"I can't say for sure," Marian replied, her brow furrowing. Then, more hesitantly, she added, "Can I be honest with you?"

"Of course," David answered immediately.

Marian didn't know David very well, and under normal circumstances she wouldn't unload her personal problems on him. Before the curse broke, that would be Graham. Far before that, it would've been Robin. She could've told Little John, but she didn't know how much he'd know of the situation.

That's why she was talking to David, Graham's friend.

"At first I thought it was because his feelings had changed," Marian finally confessed. "With all of the changes, I was prepared for that possibility, but that's not it at all. We're still…" Marian trailed off, unable to keep a loving smile on her face as her eyes trailed over to Graham, who was directing people while carrying Roland on his shoulders.

The smile dimmed. "I walked up behind him without announcing myself earlier today. And last night, I was just walking around. Both times he flinched. I asked him what was up, and he just said he thought I was someone else."

Marian looked at David seriously. "I'm not a fool."

"Never said you were," David replied.

"I believe Graham when he said he thought I was someone else," Marian told him. "I also believe that whoever he briefly thought I was...is someone who hurt him."

"What makes you say that?" David inquired.

"Something in the eyes," Marian told him. "I tried asking him about it, but he got defensive." Marian shifted in her seat to face David more toward him. "I'm trying not to read too much into this, but I've got a gut feeling that I may be right. Do you know anything about this?"

She just...tried talking about...things. Things she made me do, things I did to-

Graham's words at the hospital forced themselves to the forefront of David's mind.

Regina. Out of all the people he could've mentioned, Graham had all but said that Regina hurt him. At first, David thought he was traumatized by having his heart stolen from him for so long, which would be completely understandable. However, there was something deeper there, something worse. Did she torture him on top of that? Did she force him to torture or kill others?

David had tried to get Graham alone, but his friend was doing a superb job of avoiding him. He was also hesitant to disclose anything except Graham's missing heart to Snow. David and his wife shared just about everything, but he didn't know what he was uncovering at the moment, and he didn't want to risk hurting or isolating Graham from making a guess and getting it wrong.

It seemed Marian had the same suspicion as him, but didn't seem to know anything else.

So, in lieu of any hard evidence, all David could offer was, "I can't be sure, but...I think maybe something is up with him. Still," he emphasized as he too shifted in his seat to face Marian more fully, "I think for now we should wait for Graham to tell us."

"Of course," Marian nodded, though David knew from the look in her eyes that she wasn't about to let this go.

She eventually excused herself to attend to Roland, who was now busy trying to flatten Graham's hair over his eyes.

Soon enough, she was replaced by someone else.

"Hi David," Rapunzel greeted with a timid wave, her hair wrapped around her waist like a belt.

"Hi Rapunzel," David greeted with a smile, having heard about her real name from Ruby.

He began to stand up when Rapunzel said, "Oh, no need. I just wanted to chat."

"Feel free to take a seat," David offered, which Rapunzel accepted, sitting gracefully on the bench next to him, legs together and hands folded in her lap.

They exchanged the usual pleasantries - 'How are you?', 'What are you doing?', etc.

Then came the subject everyone was talking about: reunification.

Rapunzel looked down sadly.

David immediately felt like an ass. "I'm so sorry. I forgot that your parents were-"

"They're not dead," Rapunzel interrupted, then looked horrified at her interruption. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. I-I can't believe how rude I was."

"It's okay, don't worry," David quickly told her, seeing how nervous she was getting. To get back on point, he asked, "Have you found them?"

Rapunzel shook her head, looking like she wanted to say something more, but stopped herself.

Eventually, her eyes strayed somewhere else, and she startled. Before he could follow it, she quickly began looking around until her eyes landed on something else.

Someone else.

David looked and saw Jefferson and Grace talking to a couple that David recognized as Grace's cursed parents. It seemed tense, which wasn't surprising considering how often he'd seen the exact same scene play out all day with different families.

Looking back at Rapunzel, she seemed worried, but also visibly relaxed at the sight of Jefferson.

Which brought David to his next point.

"So…" he started, trying to sound casual, "I heard that Jefferson is staying with you."

Rapunzel scoffed, which he counted as a win since she wasn't as tense as before now. "Ruby told you, huh?"

"She might've mentioned it," David shrugged his shoulders.

"It's just a...a thing to do," Rapunzel offered lamely, her cheeks heating up as she remembered Ruby's teasing. "He was hurt, we're dating, it's not a big deal."

"Just as long as he treats you right," David said, eyeing Jefferson, waiting to see if he stepped one toe out of line.

"He does," Rapunzel told David firmly, bringing his attention back to her. Her eyes were a surprisingly combination of a fierce quality tempered by warmth. She then smiled. "And I'm really glad he reunited with Grace."

David couldn't help but smile. "Me too. Lucky you got a room at the inn before everyone started swarming the place."

"I know," Rapunzel replied, clearly relieved. "Morgana's also lucky she got a room, though I'm kind of thankful it was on another floor."

David's smile disappeared, and Rapunzel quickly noticed.

"I'm not ungrateful or anything," she added insecurely, fearing she'd sounded as such. "It's just that she's a little overprotective, and I've never lived with anyone else-"

"I'm sorry," David interrupted her as gently as he could. "Who did you say got a room?"

"Morgana," Rapunzel replied. "She was Frances Durand in Storybrooke."

"Your counselor?" David asked, his mind struggling to process this. "Your counselor is Morgan le Fay? Where is she?"

"Why do you want to know?" Rapunzel asked suddenly before her face paled.

"David," Rapunzel now sounded very quiet, like a scared church mouse. "David, do you work with the Duke?"

This question threw him off. "Duke? What duke?"

Rapunzel was staring at him fearfully now, her body tense and ready to bolt. "Duke Sitz. Do you work with him?"

"I don't even know who that is," David said honestly, not understanding why Rapunzel was so worried. He then softly said, "Rapunzel, you know me. You can trust me."

Rapunzel still seemed uncertain as she asked, "If I tell you, do you promise you won't hurt Morgana? All she did was keep me safe."

"Rapunzel-"

"Swear on your daughter's life," Rapunzel ordered him fiercely, temporarily losing her fear as it was taken over by the protectiveness of the witch.

Damn, she's serious, David thought, shocked by the bold request.

Percy's rage and grief over his cousin flashed before David's mind, and he knew making such a promise might backfire in the end.

However, he'd also warned Percy against mindlessly seeking revenge, so maybe that was enough wiggle room for him to truthfully tell Rapunzel, "I swear...I swear on my daughter's life I won't hurt her as long as she doesn't hurt someone else."

This satisfied Rapunzel.

"I ran from home to find my courage. Specifically..." Rapunzel told him quietly, just in case anyone passing by might overheard them. She had to collect herself before she could get out, "After my brother died, I felt helpless. Worthless. I thought that by consuming a plant called night root, which was said to help you conquer your fears. Instead, I started seeing this...demon of fear only I could see."

Rapunzel's eyes strayed to that same spot she looked at before. When David tried searching for it, he couldn't find anyone staring imposingly at them, or so much as looking at them funnily.

"I'm not insane," Rapunzel told him. "I'm just cursed."

"I'm so sorry," David told her truthfully.

"Don't be," she replied. "It's nobody's fault but mine. Morgana tried for years to create a potion or spell that would banish it, but the only thing she could manage was a potion I have to take in order to...quell its presence. It worked most of the time, but others...I'm just lucky she, Jefferson, and Ruby managed to get me out of my apartment."

"Not to sound blunt," David pushed, "but I still don't know how Morgana got into your life. Or who this duke is."

"She found me in my tower," Rapunzel answered. "I almost died of dehydration because the demon scared me from trying to leave, but Morgana saved me just in time. That's when she showed me proof that Duke Sitz had committed a coup d'etat, that my parents fled the kingdom, and that he put a bounty out for me. Claimed it was for my protection, but that's a lie."

"How do you know for sure?" David asked. "You just said you couldn't leave the tower."

"Morgana used a magic mirror to show me what the Duke's orders were," Rapunzel said. A memory bubbled to the surface, and figuring that telling David might convince him of Morgana's goodness, she revealed, "Once, a soldier came to my tower. I had left my hair hanging out of the window, since that was the only way in or out after the stairs I originally took collapsed. He was loyal to the duke, and when he found me, he tried forcing me out of the tower. I was scared of the demon, and refused, so he grabbed me-" she gripped her forearm with one hand, mimicking someone twisting it. "He hurt me, he was going to kidnap me," Rapunzel let out a sigh of relief. "Then Morgana came."

"What did she do then?" David immediately asked, wondering if that soldier was buried in an unmarked grave somewhere.

"Morgana cast a spell on him," Rapunzel replied, unaware of David's dark suspicions. "She made him forget he ever found me. She even did something that prevented him from realizing that my tower even existed. Then she sent him on his way, and we were never disturbed again."

"Where's this duke now?" David questioned, because if this was true, which he was beginning to suspect it was, he wondered just how he could make this man regret ever being responsible for someone laying a hand on Rapunzel.

"We don't know," Rapunzel told him honestly before nodding at someone standing behind a food stall, hardly anyone paying her mind.

It was Frances Durand. It was Morgan le Fay.

"She's been keeping watch on me," Rapunzel said, smiling at her protector. "She always does."

David tried to make his next question innocuous. "Do you know where she came from?"

"Do you mean do I know that she's a villain from an old legend?" Rapunzel surmised. "She's told me stories about her past, her marriage, and being from another world where she, Percy, and LJ are legends to us."

Rapunzel then aimed surprisingly sharp eyes at David. "I know the stories, but I can't believe in them. Morgana's done everything she possibly could for me. Not just her attempts to find a cure, but also keeping up my education. She's taught me dances, etiquette, and everything else a princess should know."

"Rapunzel-"

"She's done everything for me," Rapunzel defended. "And I would do anything for her. If you just got to know her, you would understand."

She doesn't know, David thought. She doesn't know what Morgana did to Percy's cousin, LJ's mother.

And coming from David, she never would. Which is why he knew he couldn't be the one to tell her.

Percy had to be the one to do it.

David wanted to believe that he was missing something, and maybe he was, but...hell he didn't know what to do.

Instead, the best he could manage was a hopefully friendly, "Maybe someday we can sit down and talk, and maybe Percy can be there too. That way this whole mess can get cleared up."

The young woman next to him looked relieved that he hadn't dismissed her, so eager to believe that he was willing to hear them out. "You mean it?"

"Yeah," David said.

He just hoped that when this went down, Percy wouldn't attack Morgana on sight.

---

George kept to the shadows, watching his sorry excuse for a son speak with an insipid slip of a girl, and being in such a state made him wish nothing but ill tidings for the man.

Who was that lovesick child to make George, who'd seen the rise and fall of kings while still remaining, hide away like a thief? Who was he to break a betrothal and run off with a wild princess, and spawn an even wilder child that everyone so adoringly called the Savior?

James never would have disgraced him in such a way. George was under no illusions that James would've taken a mistress after he married Princess Abigail, but at least he would've married her. Better yet, he would have produced worthy heirs to inherit Midas and George's kingdoms, strong boys to carry on the legacy.

What happened instead? James died, forcing George to replace him with his less worthy brother, a simple shepherd who could never have dreamed of living a prince's life.

And how did he repay him? By nearly bringing George to ruin, his actions humiliating George in front of all the other monarchs.

George hated the sight of him. He hated David for being weak, hated Snow White for breaking David's betrothal, and hated Emma for being a living embodiment of it all.

He also despised how he was, at the present time, powerless to do anything. He didn't have the money to fund an army like he once could. Plus, even back in the Enchanted Forest, the royal treasury was growing dry.

No, if he wanted to hurt David where it counted, he would need to be clever, and wait.

When he did, he would rip everything he loved away from him. His wife would die, as would his daughter. Those two peasant girls currently living with him would be cast back to where they belonged, as would their 'father'.

As for the boy...well...George couldn't deny that he could be of use. Bastard or not, Henry Mills was technically his great-grandson. Unless David's daughter got married and had a legitimate child, which George wouldn't easily allow time for, Henry was his best bet for continuing his royal line.

The boy also carried the added bonus of being an heir to Snow's kingdom, Regina's as well.

George almost smiled at the idea of snubbing Snow by using her own grandson.

However, as he already knew, he would have to wait.

He would also need to gain allies.

George retreated further into the shadows, planning his next move.

---

There wasn't much for Emma to do on Main Street that wasn't being covered by someone else, so this gave her a chance to take Henry, Lady, and some lunch to the library.

Copper had been put out that Lady was leaving without him, but soon his attention was grabbed by Emma's mother. All Snow had to do was call him, and instantly Lady was gone from the puppy's mind.

Truth be told, Emma was just eager to see Killian and the girls, having barely seen them since they left the loft in the morning. He'd told her that same morning that after they were done at the convent, they'd go to their apartment and pack up some more things in the event they would have to move.

It's getting a little cramped at the loft, Emma couldn't help but think. Killian mentioned looking at houses, so maybe that's where they're going.

Selfishly, Emma didn't want them to go, but she couldn't ask them to stay. Besides, things between Killian and her parents were still a little tense.

That thought did not comfort her.

Lady started yipping as soon as she saw the library.

"That's right, Lady," Henry told the dog. "We're going to see Killian, Phoebe, and Tien." His stomach grumbled. "And eat. We really need to eat." He then perked up. "In fact, if we get really hungry-"

"We're not going back for pie," Emma told him as he opened the door to the library for her, as her arms were full of take-out bags. "We already have ice cream at the loft."

"Pie goes great with ice cream," Henry offered, but he knew it was a lost cause. He ran up to the staircase and, once at the bottom, shouted up, "We come with food!" then muttered, "But no pie."

He smiled impishly at Emma's raised eyebrow.

"Come up," Killian's voice said from the top of the stairs, though by the time Emma got to the bottom of the staircase, he wasn't there.

Looking at Henry, she knew that he also felt that something was off. Regardless, the two headed upstairs.

Once there, they saw that almost everything in the apartment, save for chairs at the kitchen counter and other assorted items, were boxed up or otherwise sorted. Meanwhile, the apartment's current occupants were oddly somber.

Tien was playing with a toy - a butterfly plushie that was cartoony enough to be cute - but she was oddly silent. Even making it 'fly' didn't seem to spark much joy from her.

Phoebe was on the couch reading a book, but her eyes weren't moving on the page.

Where was Killian? Leaning on the kitchen counter with a heavy expression on his face.

Lady yipped, trying to tug her leash free of Henry's grip.

The sound of the dog's arrival brought the family of three's attention to the new arrivals. Tien was the first to react, her face instantly brightening as she nearly shouted Lady's name, rushing over to pet the dog.

Phoebe smiled at Henry and Emma, but there was something strained to it.

Killian smiled too, though it was even more strained than Phoebe's.

"We brought food," Henry said with as much cheer as he could manage, hoping the awkwardness would fade quickly.

It didn't.

Lunch was a quiet affair, with the occasional smalltalk that fell away into nothing. Honestly, the one who made the most sound was Lady when she chomped on dog food.

Emma tried to figure out what it was. They were all fine this morning. What happened between then and now to make them all like this?

Was it Gold? If it was Gold, Emma swore she was going to-

"I'm going to take Lady for a walk," Phoebe announced.

"You sure?" Killian asked her.

"I'm sure," she replied, and after putting Lady on a leash, she was off.

"How does Phoebe gets to go out on her own?" Henry asked Emma and Killian cleared the dishes.

"Because Killian told her she can, and she's his kid," Emma told him quietly, not wanting to add any further potential conflict to the already tense atmosphere. "Besides, Phoebe's older."

"But-"

"You remember what I said? What you promised?" Emma asked. When he nodded his head, she said, "Then that's why."

Henry wasn't happy, but he didn't question it further.

"Henry," Tien asked quietly from her stool. "Can you play with me?"

The 10-year-old didn't appear thrilled at the prospect of playing with a much younger child, but went along with it regardless. Maybe he was making a little escape from the tension himself.

This presented Emma with an opportunity to sort this out. "Stay here, kids."

Both Henry and Tien agreed before they went over to check out some of Tien's toys that were in a box.

Emma then went over to Killian, who had finished cleaning the cutlery, as that was all they used as the to-go boxes were thrown away, and placed them on a folded up cloth to dry in an automatic fashion.

"You mind talking in private?" Emma whispered to him as she nodded to the girls', formerly Killian's, bedroom.

Killian hesitated before nodding, following her inside, and closing the door until it was nearly shut. It gave them some privacy while doubling as a way to be able to hear if the kids needed help.

"What did you want to talk about?" Killian whispered, his voice deeper than usual and his eyes somewhat dim.

"Whatever happened since you guys left the loft this morning," Emma got straight to the point. "Just...what happened?"

Killian's shoulders minutely slumped, and he just looked tired. "A woman named Belle came to the library earlier. There was a confrontation, and the girls saw."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

Killian looked down briefly - shame - before looking back up. He then gestured to the bed. "You might want to sit down for this."

After they did, Killian gave a summary of everything that happened. Everything.

It started from when he was in the Enchanted Forest, having found out that Rumplestiltskin banished a housekeeper named Belle from his castle alive and unharmed (because apparently that was a rarity). Then it got to when Killian launched a rescue to free from Regina's dungeon, as he learned that's where she ended up...only to hit her when she refused reveal any pertinent information on how to kill the Dark One, how to at least breach his defenses, because he thought she was lying. Then leaving her to remain Regina's prisoner.

"Oh, damn," Emma groaned, watching Killian hang his head in shame.

"I did," he said.

He then went on to say, his face exposing nothing but remorse, that Belle attacked him on sight in the library. That she had thrown whatever books she could get her hands on, that Freddie learned of what he did, and that Killian made no move to defend himself.

Killian didn't say that last bit exactly, but Emma guessed that's what happened when he saw he only avoided the books Belle violently sent his way.

It all culminated in Phoebe and Tien witnessing the confrontation, and Belle, Freddie, and Art leaving.

Neither Killian or Emma spoke after he was finished, and Emma leaned on her hand which rested against the mattress. Killian wasn't looking at her. Instead, he was glaring a spot into the floor, though that expression continually wavered between that and mortification.

After a long while, Emma was the first to speak.

"Do the girls know why Belle reacted that way?" she asked him.

Killian nodded, finally bringing himself to look at her. His face was now settled in a careful mask, a facade he put on to act like he didn't want to crawl into a hole and disappear. "I told them as soon as we got back to the apartment. I explained that I hurt that woman in my past, and that she was not to blame for her reaction. They...took it about as well as you can expect, which is to say that Tien's utterly confused and Phoebe doesn't know what to think. They can't believe I would hurt someone, ever."

Emma nodded. She couldn't exactly believe it. She guessed that hearing a specific story about Captain Hook's past misdeeds was different from hearing the usual diatribe of 'Captain Hook is a bad person'.

That's when Killian sighed harshly, and the ragged breath left his throat as a look of resignation mixed in with deep self-doubt settled in. At long last, he told Emma, "Blue wants Phoebe to come back to the convent."

This took Emma off guard. "Why? What did Blue say to you?"

"Not to me," Killian clarified. "To Phoebe. She never said a word to me."

Emma's hackles raised in indignation. Blue went behind Phoebe's dad's back.

Keeping her voice steady, Emma said, "If she wants Phoebe and Tien back so badly-" she saw Killian shake his head. "What?"

"She just said she wanted Phoebe back," Killian corrected. "Well, Phoebe didn't say as much, but that's the impression I got since Blue specifically said she wanted Phoebe back."

Emma's mood soured even more.

Killian let out a mirthless laugh so quiet and short it could hardly be counted as such. "Maybe she's right." He quickly added, "Not about favoring Phoebe over Tien...but about the girls living somewhere else."

"What are you saying?" Emma asked, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Killian looked at the door longingly as he continued to quietly say, "I'm no father." He continued looking at the door as if he was looking at his girls. "All I did in my past was hurt people. The only good people I ever had in my life died, while the rest left on their own. Maybe they knew there was something wrong with me, even before I lost my hand to the crocodile." Killian inhaled a slow breath through his nose, releasing it again the same way as something withered inside him. "Maybe it's better for the girls to live with a proper family. My past'll only come back to haunt me, and I can't risk the girls being caught in the crossfire."

Jefferson, Emma thought. Killian practically took the words out of Jefferson's mouth.

Emma, just so you know, you can change your mind.

No. I can't be a mother.

Emma closed her eyes at the memory, still able to smell the antiseptic of the hospital delivery ward, hear the voice of the doctor, good-natured but naive, offer a newborn Henry to Emma. How she couldn't even look at the baby in fear that she'd be stupid enough to think she could keep him.

This conversation reopened old wounds, making Emma feel raw like an exposed nerve.

She made no excuses for what Killian did, none at all, but looking at the remorseful man before her, she felt like she was looking at a mirror.

She also knew that the last thing Killian wanted to do was give up the girls.

As such, she asked, "Do you actually want to give up the girls?"

"No, but-"

"I'm going to say something, and I want you to listen," Emma told him quietly, cutting him off softly. She made sure he maintained eye contact with her as she said, "Earlier today, I talked to Jefferson. The same guy who waited decades and went through a stabbing to see his daughter again...that's the same guy who I had to convince to take a chance to see her. You know what? Because he flat-out said he was a bad person before Grace came into his life. Killian," Emma placed a hand on his shoulder, "I was not a great person before Henry came along."

Killian shook his head. "Petty thievery is not on the level of the things I've done."

"Maybe not," Emma conceded, only continuing her speech when she heard Henry talking adamantly about a story to Tien. "That doesn't change the fact that my life was a mess. I was a mess, and felt like the last person in the world who should've been a mother." Emma let go of Killian's shoulder only to place her hand on top of his. The way they were seated allowed her to hold his flesh hand, link her fingers through his.

"You love those girls, don't you? You want a better life for them?" Emma questioned, to which Killian nodded fervently. "Stick around. Be the best damn father you can be. Help them with homework or chase away anyone who wants to date them because they're not good enough for them."

"Plan to do the same for Henry?" Killian teased.

"You bet your ass," Emma said, which caused him to crack a smile. "The last thing they need is for their dad to take off thinking he wasn't good enough, or worse getting split up because Blue might not take both of them back."

Killian's smile wavered until it fell into a worried frown. "What about Belle? What about the crocodile? You know he's itching to kill me."

"He'll have to go through me first," Emma stated determinedly. "As for Belle, if she ever forgives you, that's her call. And the same rule applies. You want to make it up to her, and to anyone else you hurt that didn't deserve it, you stick around and accept what happened, and whatever they want to do to you." Emma raised her other hand up in self-correction. "Within reason. I might get a little pissed off if someone tries to stab my boyfriend."

At last, Killian let out a laugh that possessed some mirth, though it mostly acted as a release of tension. They heard Phoebe come back in with Lady, and soon heard the teenager and dog join the boy and little girl.

"I'm...sorry," Killian apologized to her. "For all the trouble I'm bound to cause, and for the trouble I'm causing now."

Emma merely gave him a look before she leaned forward and kissed him. It was slow and deliberate, her lips moving against him, a sign of I'm here, I'm not going anywhere.

Killian kissed her back, the way he softly dove into a kiss acting as its own message: please forgive me, let me prove myself.

When they finally parted, Emma told him, "I think this is a thing with relationships, right? We pick each other up when one of us feels down. You'd do the same for me, right?"

"Without a doubt," Killian promised, his expression not as heavy as before.

Emma nodded before looking around the room. "So, you've got everything packed up?"

"Just about," Killian said. "We're likely not even going to take a third of this stuff with us to the loft. Speaking of, I don't think it's a permanent arrangement."

So they've finally come to it.

"Probably not," Emma admitted. She did try to maintain the progress they'd made, so she tried to sound upbeat when she asked, "Do you have any places in mind?"

"Actually," Killian said, "there is one house, but I'm not sure about it."

"Oh?"

"Well," Killian drew out the word, "it's a bit out of my price range, but honestly I love it. It has a front yard, a fantastic view of the sea, and is in an otherwise great location. There is one other issue."

"Which is?" Emma questioned curiously.

"There are too many bedrooms," Killian admitted, genuinely disappointed. "I can't justify having that many bedrooms when it's just the girls and I, but there's just something about it that I really like. Look." Killian pulled out a piece of paper from his pants pocket, and it was revealed to be an ad from a newspaper. He handed it over to Emma who inspected it.

From the picture alone, Emma instantly loved it. The description only cemented it. According to the ad, the house had an open floor plan with 10' ceilings on the main floor, custom cabinetry in the kitchen, stainless steel appliances, bamboo hardwood floors throughout, limestone, marble and granite in all baths and a kitchen. Furthermore, there were five bedrooms on the second floor, a master bedroom, plus a third floor that was full height, and a detached single garage.

The more Emma read on the house, the more into it she was, and she wasn't even buying it. At least not for herself.

Finally, she realized she'd been quiet for too long, and she looked at Killian and said, "This house looks great. You should check it out."

Killian blinked. "What about the extra bedrooms? Isn't it too big?"

"Who cares?" Emma asked. "It's a great house, and if you're worried about cost, I can help you out."

"I can't ask you to do that," Killian denied.

"You're not asking me. I'm offering this to you," Emma pointed out, not missing the warm look Killian was giving her. Looking back at the ad, Emma noticed something. "There's an Open House this Sunday. Maybe we can check it out."

"You want to come with me?" Killian asked in surprise.

"Sure," Emma replied. "Someone's got to make sure you don't get ripped off."

"I'm a pirate," Killian retorted teasingly. "If anyone's going to get ripped off, it's the seller."

"Hey, I can totally pull my weight in ripping someone off," Emma smirked back. "I was in prison you know."

"You're a dangerous woman, then?" Killian whispered, leaning forward so that their lips were close enough to nearly touch.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Emma asked him lowly, closing the distance between them-

"Mom!" Henry called out, and Killian's forehead landed on Emma's shoulder in a huff.

"Dad!" Phoebe called out too.

"Rain check?" Emma offered.

Killian moved to kiss her neck in response, making her body flush a little. He kissed her quickly as he said, "Absolutely."

The two of them rejoined their kids hand-in-hand, ready to get back to work.

---

At the end of a long day, Killian put his girls to bed.

Both of them were out like lights as soon as they hit the mattress, leaving Killian to cover them up. Then, on impulse, Killian kissed them both on the foreheads, and he swore that he felt both of them relax despite being asleep.

"Goodnight, Killian," Henry yawned sleepily as he shuffled toward his room.

"Goodnight, Henry," Killian replied as he went to grab his coat.

"You're not coming to bed?" Emma asked as she approached him.

"I just need a walk to clear my head," Killian replied. At her disbelieving look, he honestly said, "It's just a walk, I swear. I'll be back before you know it."

"You better," Emma said before the two of them shared a kiss. Once they parted, Emma went to bed, and Killian went outside.

He fully intended on going for a walk, but by the time he got to the street, he just absorbed the feeling of the cold air on his face, the stillness of the night oddly comforting. Above him, the night sky was covered by clouds, but even if they weren't, he would still miss the presence of stars. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Killian spent many a night looking at the stars. Not only to navigate his ship, but also to just bask in how many there were. Compared to this world, the stars in their former world seemed even more plentiful.

"I thought you were going for a walk."

Killian didn't need to turn around to know David was walking up behind him.

"I was," Killian replied simply. "I just decided to enjoy the quiet."

"Mm," David hummed as he came to a stop next to Killian on the street, looking up at the cloud-covered sky.

No one else was around.

There was a reason for David's pursuit, Killian knew that much. He had to let David make the first move.

Eventually, David did.

"Freddie told me about Belle," David said, as blunt as his daughter. Neither of them looking at each other, and no longer looking at the sky. "Is it true?"

Killian knew it would come to this eventually, but that didn't mean he was eager for the fallout.

"Yes," Killian answered.

David sighed. "Does Emma know?"

"Yes," Killian told him. "I told her everything."

"Just about this?" David questioned. "Or about anything else that might come up?"

"About this," Killian said before adding honestly, "I'll tell her more in the future if something comes up."

"So something will come up," David surmised bluntly.

"More than likely," Killian replied.

A long moment passed, one where there was something pressed between Killian and David, something not yet solidified, but threatening to create a wall between them.

"Dave-"

"I've heard a lot of stories about Captain Hook," David said. "Snow too. Some of them are too hard to believe, and others just fall enough within the realm of possibility that they could be true."

"If you want me to verify any of them, I will answer honestly."

"I just want an honest answer to one question," David told Killian, finally turning fully towards the other man, a man he called a friend.

Killian responded in kind, hoping an honest answer wouldn't ruin things for good.

David stared at him hard. "Can you look me in the eyes and say you will never hurt Emma, Henry, Phoebe, or Tien?"

"I will never harm them," Killian immediately promised. Then, for added measure, "I swear on my brother's soul, I would rather die than let them be hurt because of me."

David paused a moment before nodding. "I believe you."

The rift between them wasn't fully closed. More time and effort would need to be devoted to that. For now, though, David did believe Killian cared about the people he'd just named. That would work for now.

Then, because he couldn't resist asking, David asked, "What happened to your brother?"

The subject of his brother's demise...it was a deep wound that never healed. Oftentimes, before the curse took hold, no one knew Liam existed.

The idea that Liam was hidden away somewhere in his heart, somewhere so dark and deep that he nearly disappeared...it gnawed at Killian in a terrible way. Before, he'd had an excuse not to talk about him. The crew rarely dared to mention him in Killian's presence, particularly when his temper grew worse, and Killian wasn't one to bring him up.

David did know this. Emma and the others did too, and they knew he died.

Just not how.

"Liam and I served in the royal navy," Killian said, and at David's interested look, he added derisively, "Oh yes, but that was a lifetime ago." Roughly three hundred years in fact. "Our king sent us to a place called Neverland."

"Nice to know Neverland's a place," David said.

"Are you going to let me finish the story?" Killian retorted, wanting to get this over with, to get through the twist of his heart as images of what happened appeared in his mind's eye.

David conceded.

Killian tried to keep the bitterness off his face, but he's not sure how much he succeeded. "Our king sent us to Neverland to find what he claimed was a healing plant, when in reality it was a poisonous plant called dreamshade. Peter Pan himself told us this. Yes," Killian emphasized the word when David opened his mouth to question him. "Peter Pan is real, and in reality is a vicious monster. However, he was oh so kind enough to tell us what dreamshade actually was. Well, Liam wouldn't hear of it, and-" Killian had to cut himself off as the word threatened to strangle him. He looked away from David, shaking his head in disbelief. "I still don't know what possessed him to cut himself with the bloody thorns. Arrogance? Complete faith in the king? Who knows? He proved Pan right, and...we thought we'd cured him with waters from Neverland, but it turned out to only last so long as he stayed in Neverland. The moment we left...he died in my arms."

Killian became very quiet then, and David watched this man, this legendary pirate, this terror of the high seas...he watched his eyes become oh so sorrowful. Like he was trying to remember the face of his brother without succumbing to grief.

"I'm so old," Killian confessed quietly. "Sometimes I feel so old."

He quickly composed himself, or as quickly as he could, and looked at David once more. "We gave Liam a burial at sea, and as the lieutenant, I became the captain. I gave my crew a choice - return to the navy and serve a king whose deceitful actions led to the death of their revered captain, or follow me and make his life hell. They chose to follow me, and we became pirates. We took the ship for ourselves, and the Jewel of the Realm became the Jolly Roger."

At last, Killian came to the end of that tale, and he didn't realize he'd been holding in his breath until, without meaning to, he'd released it.

There it was, out in the open, and Killian had no doubt that David would mention at least some of this to his wife. Possibly Emma too, though Killian would like to tell her first. If anyone had the right to tell Liam's story, it would be him.

As for David?

"I...I'm sorry," was all David could say.

"It's hardly your fault," Killian offered.

"Still..." David trailed off. Maybe this wasn't an excuse for the things he did, but this definitely explained how it all kicked off. He still wasn't sure how he and Rumplestiltskin crossed paths, and now David was kind of worried he didn't want to know.

"If it's alright by you," Killian said, feeling the cold sting his cheeks, "I'm going to head inside. You coming?"

"Actually, I'm going to stay out here for a bit," David replied, needing some time alone to process this.

"Suit yourself," Killian said before he began to head inside.

"Actually," David said, halting Killian's progress. "I just had one more question."

Killian waited for him to ask.

"What was the king's name?" David asked him curiously.

Killian scoffed. "His Royal Highness, King Kunibert. Bloody stupid name for an even stupider king."

"King Kunibert, but that's-" David's eyes shot up in surprise as he recognized the name.

Interpreting David's reaction to the name as recognition of when the sorry old king lived and died, Killian felt brave enough to shoot him a smirk. "I told you. I am very old. Goodnight."

Killian headed back inside without another word.

He didn't realize he'd misinterpreted David's reaction.

David was surprised at the date in which the king had lived, as he'd died about three hundred years ago. That at least gave some explanation as to why stories of Captain Hook permeated throughout the ages.

What shocked David even more is that he'd never heard of another king called by that name. After he and Snow retook her castle, he'd become curious about his wife's family, and browsed through the history books and family trees.

The only time he'd heard the name of King Kunibert was when it belonged to Snow's ancestor.

---

*does a little dance*

Yes, the house that Emma and Killian talked about is the Swan House from the show, because I absolutely love it. I did add an extra bedroom or two because reasons.

And on the off-chance that someone is named Kunibert, I meant not disrespect. Killian's just very anger :P

See you next week!