No Emma or Henry in this one, this is the year that Killian and the Charmings spent in the Enchanted Forest.

I hate that Killian and Snow did not have many scenes together in the show. This is my remedy.

Enjoy!

Chapter Text

Killian was numb. He stood with the others in the clearing of the Enchanted Forest.

He had lost her.

His heart clenched and his whole body shook.

It was unfair.

Too unfair.

"What happens now?" David asked, Snow still in his arms.

"I don't know," Regina whispered, still staring at the spot where she last saw that yellow bug disappear.

Killian ran a hand through his hair. Maybe this was a dream. He would wake up, hopefully with Emma in his arms.

"I guess we go towards the palace? We're not far." Snow said softly, wiping her face. She glanced at Killian. "Are you coming with us?" She asked softly.

Killian kept his eyes away, he couldn't look at them right now.

"I don't…" Killian hated how his voice shook, how he could feel Snow's eyes on him. He pulled all of his feelings tight, shoving them into a box labeled Emma.

That didn't help.

"I guess. Till I find the Jolly Roger." He shrugged heavily.

"There must be a way to get back to them," Neal said softly. Killian scowled, actually, what might help is punching Neal. Hard. He went to move and he felt a hand on his arm. Snow. Her other hand tightly wrapped around Davids who had the same expression.

"Papa did it once." He said staring into space. "He was the dark one. He couldn't have just gone. "

"He is Neal," Regina said quietly. "He died, he can't come back."

"Where is the darkness then? It has to go somewhere!" Neal shouted. "Papa told me, the darkness needs to be bound to someone. It must be here somewhere." His eyes met Belle's.

"Help me find him? Bring him back?" He asked desperately.

Belle nodded immediately. "Yes. Of course." Killian glanced towards Snow who seemed to have the same thought.

"Belle, are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"If there is any way to get Rumple back. I'm going." She shook her head. Snow slowly nodded. Giving her friend a hug and warning her to be careful.

"I'm glad he's going. If I had to look at his face I might have punched him." Killian muttered

"Agreed." David sighed. Killian raised his eyebrow.

"That's not very Heroic."

"Even heroes have a limit. Messing with my daughter is a hard one." His face suddenly frowned, as if now he had finished being strong for Snow it was hitting him.

Emma was gone.

Killian groaned as his head pounded loudly. He felt like he was going to throw up. He was back in his cabin. He didn't normally get seasick.

Must be the rum.

He buried his head in his pillow. He could still smell her, how could after 4 weeks he still smell her on his sheets.

"Killian?" Killian shut his eyes again. He was getting tired of Snow White visiting him every day, with her stupid smile and hope in her eyes. He hoped if he was quiet enough the person would give up and leave him to wallow.

"It smells like something died in here."

Not Snow White then. Killian cracked open an eye.

"Well you could always leave." He murmured. "Your Highness."

"Snow is worried about you." A glass coming in front of him. He sat up, taking a sip and frowning.

"This is rum."

"Hair of the dog." The King shrugged. "If you were expecting sympathy and water you should have waited for my wife."

"No. Rum is good." He downed the glass. "What are you doing here, David?"

"Snow wanted me to check you weren't dead. Good to see your still alive."

"Yeah. Still alive." David sighed and sat on the bed.

"Are you okay?"

"Thought Snow did the sympathy?" He asked.

"She does. But kind words and sympathy haven't worked in the last few weeks. So I'm here with tough love." Killian grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Didn't know you cared."

"Emma wouldn't want this," David said quietly. Killian flinched.

"Well, We don't know what she wants." He said softly, heart-clenching painfully. "She isn't here is she?"

"No, she isn't. But if you honestly think she would tell you to spend your nights in the bottle of rum, then maybe you need to think again mate."

Killian fell silent. He was right, of course. Emma and her bewitching eyes that saw through him. What would she say, if she could see him now?

"It's better than the alternative," Killian admitted. David frowned.

"What's the alternative?"

"The darkness." He breathed. It was tempting, instead of sadness filling his soul. Pure rage, the fact that once again his love had been taken from him. This time he had no one to blame it on. No crocodile to spend years chasing. He wanted to sail far away, where Killian Jones could not follow, where Captain Hook reigned and caused terror.

"Well. I'd prefer a drunk to a villain." David smiled. Killian laughed. The first time he had laughed since arriving here.

"I... I have something, for you." David said softly. Pulling out one of those devices Emma was always speaking into. He sat up.

"This is a phone. It was on me when I woke up. I've kept it off for to most part, trying to save the battery." He sighed. "It's at one percent. It's going and I won't be able to get it back." He handed it to Killian.

Emma.

It was Emma, it was a picture from the night of their date. Her in that dress, her hair soft and tied. She looked so…

Happy. Killian felt tears in his eyes as he slowly touched her face. Moments later the phone switched off.

"Thank you." Killian breathed. David had just given him something precious. Snow and David had lost a daughter, a grandson. And they have just lost their only way to see her.

They gave the last moment to Killian.

"We know. We do." David said softly. "It kills us every day. To wake up knowing she isn't with us. However, Snow and I were talking about it last night. We're not ready to say goodbye to our daughter."

"We can't get back to her. Regina said it was impossible." Killian shook his head in defeat. The Charmings would kill him.

"30 years ago. We didn't even know there was a land without magic." David shrugged. "We can at least try."

Killian slowly nodded. A small spark igniting low in his belly.

Hope.

"I don't know why I have to redecorate."

"Because, you refuse to stay in the palace, and being on board makes you broody."

"I do not brood. I wallow there's a difference.' Killian folded his arms in annoyance. Leaning against his wardrobe.

Snow sighed turning to give him a glowering look. "Look, I know you two have memories onboard."

"Don't feel like you need to share some of them," David said helpfully from the chair.

Killian smirked. "Oh? Are you telling me you don't want to hear what happened on our date?" He asked. It was getting easier. Thinking about her. It didn't pull on his heart as much. Maybe because as Snow says, Hope. She's alive. And he will find her.

"I might like you now but she's still my daughter," David growled. Killian laughed.

"Never dream of it."

"So what colour? How about blue?"

"I see enough blue." Killian sighed.

"That one." He pointed to a green cloth on the bed. One Snow hadn't even lifted.

David glanced at him face soft and uncomfortably understanding.

"Are you sure?" He asked quietly.

Killian knew why. It was the same shade as Emma's eyes.

He nodded. "That one."

He exchanged a look with Snow who also was wide-eyed. Killian looked down. He didn't need their sympathy. His throat tightened as he waited for them to say that he needed to pick again.

"Good choice." Snow finally said.

"Right colour done. Anything else we need to change?"

"The bed," Killian said without thinking. That stupid bed, with the memories of every lover. Except for the one he wanted most.

David groaned. "Like I said. My daughter."

Killian smiled. "Don't worry. We were interrupted by Neal before we could really get going." His eyes glinted. "Although, You might want to avoid the main deck."

David glared at him before hastily exiting. Snow letting out a small laugh.

Killian was getting better. He could banter with David about Emma without wanting to punch something.

Progress.

Killian sighed as he sat in the library. He spent every day there, pouring over books. He glanced over at Snow, whose eyes were drooping slightly.

It had been 6 months. 6 months since arriving in the Enchanted Forest.

5 months since David had woken him up from a depressive cycle. His obsession to find out a way to get back to Emma drove him, just like it drove Snow and David.

"Maybe you should rest your highness?" Killian said after Snow jolted up the fifth time in 10 minutes.

"I'm fine." Snow sighed. "And I keep telling you to call me Snow."

"Well then Snow, I can see you keep falling asleep. Why don't I finish the book your on and you get some rest?"

"I... I just thought we would be closer to her." Snow whispered.

"We've got some ideas." He went through his notes. "There's the lamp with a Jinn in it. The Fairy is looking for some enchanted trees for a wardrobe, and we have magic beans. I mean, we can't use them to get there. But it makes finding things easier."

"I know. But it's just… I miss her so much."

"Aye. Me too." Killian agreed sadly. He felt a soft hand on him and he turned. Snow was looking at him. Tears in her eyes.

"I'm glad you're here Killian." She said softly. "No one really understands like you do. I couldn't imagine losing David." Killian swallowed a hard lump in his throat.

"I… I keep thinking I'm dreaming. That I'll wake up and she'll be here." He admitted lowly. Snow nodded.

"Me too." Killian wanted to laugh, some of his dreams were not so family-friendly.

"It's unfair." Snow breathed. "We were just getting to a point where I could call her my daughter. And she had to go."

"I never got a second date." He said without thinking. He thought of Emma, her hushed whispers as she begged him to take her. He obliged, thinking this would be the first in a long line of couplings, and he had all the time in the world to explore her.

He swallowed, pushing down any thoughts that may cause him to look inappropriate in front of Emma's mother.

"She was happy you know? After that date." Snow said quietly. "She didn't know we were waiting for her. She… She looked so happy."

Killian's eyes fell closed. "I was so happy. I walked on air back to my ship."

Snow stood quickly. "This isn't fair! We should be together! Not separated!" Killian jumped, she had never spoken like this in front of him before. "We've been trying for 6 months to get back to them and we're no closer! We are never getting back to them. I've lost them forever." She began to sob. Killian bit his lip. It must be a bad day if Snow did not have her hope. He glanced back at the door. Wishing that David would walk in and help. After a moment he sighed. He was on his own with this one.

"Snow." He said softly. "You're tired. You haven't slept in days." She sniffed and nodded. Since reading about a Jinn lamp, she had been up trying to research where one could be.

"We will find a way. She is the saviour. We will get to her." Killian almost laughed, he was giving Snow White a speech on hope.

"Think about what needed to happen for us to fall in love? I'm 200 years old. I should never have met her. But I did, and I fell in love with her. We were not a pre-destined love story that was written in the stars." He felt his cheeks flame as he was speaking.

"I'm not giving her up without a fight. And do you know who put that fire back in me? You did, you and David." He sighed softly. "I was ready to give up, give up to the darkness or the rum. You pulled me out. I… I'm sorry." He looked away. "I shouted at you, when you first came to the Jolly Roger, I was hungover and... I.. I was scared. I was scared I'd see her in your smile, in David's eyes. That is was a stark reminder of what I had lost. But now? I see her in David's courage and your heart. It's made me keep fighting for us. Because I'm going to travel to the end of the world for your daughter. And if that means I have to have hope. Then so be it."

He stood, carefully moving to her. "We will get them back Snow. I promise."

Snow wiped her eyes. She's sure that was the longest she had ever heard the pirate speak. She pulled him into a hug. Their first hug. She didn't know how she would have got through this without Killian. David understood, but sometimes both their grief hit at the same time, the amount they shared. Killian was an outsider, someone who could see the grief of them, but also know the loss so completely.

"Thank you, Killian." She said softly. "At least no one saw a pirate give a queen hope." She chuckled.

"I think my pirate days are over your highness." Killian laughed wetly. "Living with the King and Queen and in love with their daughter. It's kinda ruined my reputation."

Snow laughed loudly. "A pirate with a reputation? Didn't know that was a thing."

Killian smiled. He had pulled her out of the storm. Just like she had done to him.

Now to get their loved one back.

"Curse! Curse!"

Snow looked up from her seat. They were in the middle of a council meeting, She looked at David, who stood and pulled out her sword. Killian made the same movement from her other side.

Leroy ran in, the door slamming behind him.

"There's magic coming this way!" He shouted.

"Curse? The dark curse?" David frowned. Killian's eyes widened.

"Emma." He breathed. "If we are cursed, we'll go back to Storybrooke yes?"

"Possibly, but no guarantees," Regina said from her seat next to David. She rushed to the balcony. Pure black smoke bellowed towards them.

"That and we probably won't remember anything, and with Emma who knows where with no clue who we are..." Snow whispered.

".. We won't be able to escape," David said softly. Just as one of the guards walked in.

"Your highness, we are under siege!"

"What?" David gasped. "Who?"

"We don't know. An Army, they have magic!"

"Regina, can you stop the curse?"

"No." Regina breathed. "I can't."

"Right." Snow said. "We just need to survive until the curse hits."

David nodded. "Defend the palace. We are going to wait them out." The guard nodded and rushed back down the corridor.

"Killian?" David said softly. Grabbing his arm and dragging him to the other side of the room, where a large tapestry hung. He pulled it back, uncovering a secret door.

"Take this." David pushed a magic bean into his hand.

"David…."

"Get to the Jolly Roger and out of the radius of the curse. You'll be able to travel back to the land without magic, find Emma."

"Why me?" David clapped him on the shoulder.

"If anyone is going to make Emma remember, it's you."

"You're trusting me with this."

"Killian. We have been through enough recently, I would trust you with my life. I am, trusting you with my life." He said quickly. "Get to Emma, and come back for us."

Killian shook his head. "You and Snow, come with me." He flinched as the screaming began below. The army must have gotten through the gates.

"We need to protect the people." He said firmly. "You can protect the family." He pushed him sharply. "NOW GO!"

Killian sprinted down the stairs, surprised when the passage had brought him out by the gates. He dodged the fighting, the bean tucked into his pocket. He reached the dock just as he saw the black fog touch the land.

"Raise anchor. Fast as we can." He shouted, the Jolly Roger following his command. He sailed away, glancing back at the kingdom now being lost. The fog kept coming.

"Come on." He breathed. Hands tight on the wheel. "I need to get to Emma."

As soon as her name left his lips, the ship moved faster, the wind pulling the sails fast into the sea. Killian whooped and cheered, as he saw the curse begin to disperse.

"I'm coming love. I'm coming, Swan."