A/N: Hi Everyone! I hope you're doing well. I've missed you guys! School has been stressful, making me even more eager to get back to writing. My gratitude goes out to those who read, reviewed, and/or responded to the last chapter. Any form of critique (review, PM, etc.) is welcomed and greatly appreciated. I want to make this story the best it can be for you guys. I hope you enjoy the chapter! I had a blast writing it. Also, don't forget to favorite and/or follow this story if you haven't already! Well enough about me. Let's begin—Chapter 12!
Disclaimer: If I owned anything from OUAT, I'd have my own yellow bug! ;-)
This chapter is dedicated to the amazing—Kiwistreetswan! Thank you again for your review! I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 12
"Killian!"
The Savior's knees buckle in a daze of confusion. Her pirate is gone, again. Moments ago, he stood before her. And now he disappears to someplace she cannot go.
Quickly, Emma gathers herself and frantically searches the house. The thunder roars as she calls out his name again and again, hoping he will say her name in return. When she ransacks the structure to no avail, her hidden waterfalls finally burst.
This couldn't be happening. She just found Killian, just got him back. They barely got a moment to remember what it felt like being in each other's arms before something tore him away from her.
She knows something is wrong. Killian would never leave her, not like this. Even the darkness never does anything this dramatic. The last time Emma got too close to him, it caused her pirate to slip into a coma. Now, she wonders what happened in a matter of seconds.
Suddenly, the Savior remembers what she forgets in the confusion. Though she may not know where the Dark One went, she holds the power to bring him back. Reaching into her pocket, she finds the dagger resting against the silk and satin of her dress.
Running outside into the night, Emma scans the surrounding area. Assuring herself that no guards patrol the surrounding, she raises the dagger and says the words she know will force him to come.
"Dark One, Killian, wherever you are, I command you—return!"
Flashbacks to standing in the middle of Main Street resound in the Savior's mind. The dagger still says his name, she repeats the same words, and she still feels the darkness' shadow as she waits for him to appear. But this time, she knows things will be different. He will come. He will appear before her and remember who she is. And when he does, she will hold him tight and never let go.
Unfortunately, to her alarm, the Dark One does not appear. Her command seems to only be heard by the howling thunder in the distance and her stolen steed. Confused, Emma tries again.
"Killian, come back to me, please!"
What is wrong, she wonders. She does everything right. Killian should be here, but he's not. There is only one other possible explanation as to why the pirate is not in her arms right now. But its realization shakes Emma to her core.
The edge of night casts its shadows in the surrounding forest. Upon further examination, she realizes the dagger in her hand no longer vibrates. Could it be? Is this the wrong dagger?
Before she summons any more of her fears, Emma hears the crackling of leaves in the forest. Her emeralds dart in the sound's direction and spot some rustling in the tree line. Given her experience in law enforcement, she knows that someone is nearby. It's Killian. It has to be.
Racing towards the sound, the jewels on the Savior's slippers tear and fall out amongst the rocks as she throws caution to the wind. The location is nearby, a couple hundred yards from the house. She thinks it is strange that Killian would teleport so far away from her. Regardless, all she wants is to see his face and put her fears to rest.
But when she reaches the spot she heard the sound coming from, the Dark One is nowhere in sight. Her terror mounting, Emma jerks her head in all directions, praying that this is only a dream.
"Killian?" she calls out.
There is no answer. The air thickens as the wind dances through Emma's curls. Tiny raindrops begin to shatter against her porcelain skin.
"Who's out there?" she shouts, realizing that her worst fears are becoming a reality.
The night disguises the stranger. The only sound that passes the Savior's ears is a shrill of noise sailing in the air. No sooner does she hear it when she feels something puncture her skin.
The pain that strikes her stomach drives Emma to the ground, shrieking in pain. It floods her body, making her unable to piece together coherent thoughts. She looks down in shock to find an arrow pierces her in the abdomen. Though painful, her focus shifts not to the crimson blood gushing from her wound, but the black gluey substance attached to the projectile.
In the moments it takes for the Savior to realize what happened, her joints turn to stone and she no longer feels her body. Seconds tick by as Emma tries to call for help, but to no avail. Though her body fights it, she slowly becomes numb and succumbs to her injury. As she falls into darkness, she tries to stay awake with her last ounce of strength, but it is not enough.
The Savior's eyelids close, with fear and hopelessness residing in her heart.
"Emma!"
The Dark One screams her name when he no longer feels her heart beating against his own. When he opens his eyes, burning rays of light blind him. Desperate to feel his Swan once more, the pirate flails his arms, only to find that they stay shackled and chained to the earth. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot free himself from their grasp.
"Emma!" he shouts her name. Again and again, he calls out into the void for her, praying she is nearby. But the only sound he hears is the water from above him dripping on his face.
Because he no longer dwells in the Apprentice's house, he guesses that the darkness stole him away. But how? He cannot remember it doing anything like this. It doesn't take long for Killian to recall the only other time he forcibly teleported somewhere. Realizing this, he knows that it is not the darkness that controls him, but a new master.
"Lily?!" the pirate yells, praying that she will answer. "If you're there, come out. I'm not going to hurt you."
The seconds that tick by feel like the longest in the pirate's life. Though he barely knows her, Killian hopes that his dagger rests in the safe hands of Maleficent's daughter or someone he trusts. After an agonizing wait, Killian finally feels someone's presence, but it is not the one he wants.
"Oh my poor Captain," the demon hisses. "Such a pitiful sight."
"You!" the Dark One roars, reaching for his companion before being jerked backward by his chains.
"Now, now, Captain; that is no way to treat your oldest friend."
The crackling rows of Rumplestiltskin's rotten teeth make the pirate's stomach churn. By now, he comes to realize that not only is the demon a part of himself, it is a part of the darkness that reigns over him. To his own surprise, he wishes in this moment for it to really be the Crocodile. Despite his disgust for the demon, the Dark One remains only concerned about Emma.
"Where is she?" he asks. When the demon doesn't answer, Killian raises his tone. "Where is she?!"
"Out of your reach," the demon laughs, his voice dripping with hate.
"Don't bother lying to me," Killian tells him. "All you've ever done is lie to me, and I'm not going to listen to you anymore."
"You are such a disappointment," the demon retorts. "All the other Dark Ones never gave me a fuss, except you."
His companion's dismay gives the Dark One hidden pleasure.
"Maybe that's because I don't want the darkness."
"No, you wanted so much more: revenge, riches, and power. You could've had all of those things. If only you did what you were supposed to do, you could've been your own master with everything you ever wanted. But you traded it all for that woman."
Perhaps the demon is right. If he killed Emma, gold, power, and revenge would've been for the taking. What the demon doesn't understand is that all of those things are what Captain Hook wants. He is Killian Jones, and there is only one thing he desires to have in the entire world. With a stare of defiance, the pirate looks up at his demon.
"And she is the best decision that I have ever made."
"Really?" the demon spats. "Loving her, choosing her, and protecting her has brought you nothing but pain. Do you want the voices to leave? Do you want to stop feeling like there are daggers constantly sinking into your chest? Do you want the power you will never find with her? Then let her go."
Protecting the Savior brings the pirate more pain than he ever knew existed. From the moment he met her, Emma changed him. Because of her, he vows to run from the darkness he pursued for centuries. He knows the strength of its grip. He saw it at its worst. But now, the darkness exceeds Killian's wildest nightmares.
He knows it will only get worse. The pain will intensify, the voices will scream louder, and temptation will harass him at every moment. The walls of darkness will only grow taller, leaving the pirate to wonder if they will ever come down.
But he would choose the darkness again and again. To protect his Swan, he would never trade their places. His greatest nightmare is the darkness taking her, torturing her, and changing her into a shadow of the woman he loves. No matter what the darkness does to him, he will never let that happen. Disregarding his ongoing pain, Killian stares up at his captor and tells him the last thing he wants to hear.
"Emma is worth it all."
With those five words, the demon no longer smiles. "Well, your new master wanted me to give you their regards. As of now, you are at their mercy."
"And who is my master? I'd like to know who they are so I can repay them for all the trouble they've caused me."
His question only fuels the demon's little game. "Oh, it would spoil all of the fun if I told you."
The demon's lack of cooperation causes the pirate's anger to boil. If his chains weren't so tight, his hook would be in his captor's throat. To his disappointment, everything Killian tries does not free him from his chains.
"The restraints are temporary," the demon explains, knowing his thoughts. "Your master just needs you out of the way for awhile."
"What for?"
When the demon's giggle reaches the ceiling, the pirate's heart sinks. Whatever plans his new master has, he knows that there will be severe consequences. With the gleam in his golden eyes shining, the demon finally tells the truth.
"Since you failed to release and kill the Sorcerer, your master will force you to do it. However, since they don't want your precious Swan interfering, she needs to be—eliminated."
Those words cause the pirate's heart to beat out of his chest. Rage pulses through his veins. When the demon smiles at his agony, all the pirate wants to do is die.
"If you touch her, if you hurt her, I will kill you!"
"That's going to be difficult to do while you're chained down," the demon laughs, enthralled with Killian's rising anger and helplessness.
"I will get out of here," the pirate promises him. "And when I do, I'm going to stop you and your master."
"Your master," the demon corrects him. "Now listen carefully, there are only three ways you're getting out of here. Either your master will free you when they return or—you pledge to fully give yourself to the darkness."
The Dark One's confusion rises to the surface. "I thought I already did."
"Not exactly," his companion explains. "You see, in order for you to take full control of the darkness, you need to shut out every last beam of light in your heart. We thought you did that until you started trying to remember the Swan girl. So, because you did not kill her, you've taken a step back. But never fear! Eventually, you will be overcome by the darkness. Though that could take a very long time. However—if you give yourself fully to the darkness now, you can leave and I will show you how to get your dagger back."
The offer sounds like music to the Dark One's ears. Along with the voices in his head, every fiber in his body craves any ounce of power over his master. Being set free would give him the opportunity to find Emma and protect her. But, the pirate understands the deeper meaning.
"If—If I do that, I may never come back, will I?"
"That's right, Captain!" the demon answers, beaming. "Killian Jones would no longer exist. Just imagine what it would feel like to be your own master. All of your weaknesses would be left behind. You would not only control all of the darkness, but all of the magic in the realms! You would be the most powerful being that has and will ever live!"
In the seconds that pass by, power keeps sounding better and better. All Captain Hook ever wanted was power. With it, he could've saved Milah, he could've won his freedom from Pan, and he could've gotten his revenge on Rumplestiltskin.
But power is every Dark One's downfall. Killian knows what it does. He watched power cost Rumplestiltskin his first wife, his son Baelfire, and even Belle. Though he held all the power and more magic than he could've ever dreamed, lying on the floor of his shop, Rumplestiltskin became a dying and lonely man; and that is the last thing Killian wants to be.
"No," Killian responds. "I promised Emma that I would fight for us, and that's what I'm going to do. You can tempt me, you can hurt me, and you can imprison me, but I will never stop fighting for her. If that means I have to spend centuries fighting the darkness, then that's what I'll do."
"Then enjoy your chains," the demon hisses. "Because it is going to get so much worse, and you won't be seeing the light of day for quite awhile."
"What about the third option?" Killian questions as his companion walks away. "You said there was a third way I could get out."
"Oh of course!" his companion replies, displeasure in his tone. "You see, the reason you can't get out is because your chains prevent you from using your magic. So unless you agree to fully give yourself to the darkness or your master frees you, the only way to get out is if someone with light magic removes them—"
"Emma," Killian realizes, interrupting his companion. "Emma's the Savior. She could do it."
"Yes, I suppose she could, that is if she or anyone for that matter can find this cave. We're far underground, and the entrance is well hidden.
"She'll find me," the pirate reassures him, unwilling to be discouraged. "She'll find me. I know it."
"Oh I don't think so!" the demon sings with a taunting tone.
His excitement raises the Dark One's concern. "What do you mean? What are you not telling me?!"
The demon doesn't give a reply and as his smile and glow widen, fear floods Killian's mind. The word, "eliminated" begins to echo through his eardrums. All at once, the darkness' prisoner finally understands.
"What did you do? What have you done to Emma?!"
The elderly steed jumps when a lightning bolt splits a nearby tree.
"Woah, boy!" Lily whispers, stroking his mane. She uses a gentle touch and hushed tones to comfort him. It is the only thing she can do to distract herself from the frostbitten air. She huddles her cloak closer to her body, desperate for warmth. Being out here at this time of night is the last place she wants to be.
Normally, in such inclement weather, Lily would either be scrubbing greasy dishes at the local diner, or huddle under a blanket on the couch of her cockroach-infested apartment. It is not the life she pictured for herself as a child, yet scraping by is how she learned to survive. But watching Emma have it all, causes heartache and repressed grief to emerge from her neglected emotions.
Because of the darkness placed in her heart before she was born, Lily resigns herself to the fact that a happy ending is not in the cards for her. All of her life, the darkness hovered over her like a black cloud she could never run away from. Most people only see her as an outcast or a terrifying monster. How she longs for them to see she is more than that. Of all of the wishes one could make upon a star, Lily dreams of finding a place where she will finally belong.
"Lady Lily!"
The voice that travels through the forest turns her attention towards the incoming rider.
"Percival," she responds. "Have you found them?"
"Not a trace," the knight answers. "There is no sign of Lord Neal or Lady Emma."
"They're out here," she proclaims, trying to hide her shivering. "Let's keep looking."
As Lily directs her steed further into the forest, she hears her escort call out, "We've been out here for hours! The storm is just getting worse. I think it's best if we call off the search for the night."
Lily grips the reins and pulls the horse in the opposite direction, facing the knight. "But they are still out here. We'll find them. There's got to be prints or something."
"Any tracks from Lady Emma's horse will be washed out by the rain if they haven't been already," Percival reminds her.
"He's right," Kay says, spooking Lily when he emerges from around the corner.
"Kay, did you find anything?" she asks, hoping for some good news from the knight that disappeared to further the area of their search. It is the first time she has seen his face in nearly two hours.
"Miss Lily, I'm sorry to report that even with my impressive tracking skills, I haven't been able to find them. I've been looking all over."
Her hope spirals to the pit of her stomach. Who knows what Hook does to Emma. Did she stop him? Did he hurt her? Her uncertainty morphs into panic, and the only cure is for Lily to see her oldest friend safe and sound.
Like a beating drum, the thunder crescendos throughout Camelot. The horses become restless at the flashes of lightning. The weather grows worse and the knights know that staying out any longer jeopardizes their own safety.
"We're going back to the castle," Percival orders.
"No," Lily says. "We need to keep looking."
"I wouldn't disagree with a Knight of the Roundtable, if I were you, Lady Lily," Percival responds. "We left a royal ball without our King's permission, setting a poor example to the King's subjects. Do you know how much trouble we are going to get into? I'm sorry, but it is imperative that we return to our King and Queen."
"No, I'm sorry," Lily retorts. "Kindness, nobility, and courage; all of that stuff I grew up hearing about the knights of the Roundtable, none of it's true, is it? No. All you care about is getting back to some party so you can drink yourselves to death. So yeah, let's go back. Let's go and leave Emma and Neal out here in the freezing cold to die and—"
"That's enough, Miss Lily!" the knight barks. "If one more insult comes out of your mouth, you will no longer be treated as our friend. Now, if you and your friends want to still be in the King's favor, you will obey and keep your horse behind me."
When Lily shakes her head, Sir Kay strides up to her and whispers, "Don't worry, I'm sure they are alright. First thing in the morning, you and I will be right back out here. For all we know, they probably found shelter somewhere."
"Shelter," she whispers to herself.
Kay is right. If Emma succeeded, she must know the danger of the knights of Camelot finding them. She must have found refuge, but where?
Immediately, Lily kicks her shin against the horse and gallops away from her cohorts.
"My lady! Where are you going?!" she hears Percival scream.
In her haste, Lily doesn't listen. Her sole focus is to reach her friend in time. She decides if Sir Kay and Sir Percival won't help her, she'll find the Savior herself. If the Dark One hurts Emma, Maleficent's daughter will never forgive herself for letting her go to face him alone.
"Lily, come back!" Kay pleads. "It's dangerous out there!"
"Is she mad?" the knight spats.
Shaking his head, Kay's horse begins to trot into the darkness.
"I'm going with her," he tells his partner.
Percival snatches the reins of his friend's horse. "Kay, please! We must turn back. You know the consequences of disrespecting the King."
"I'm not leaving her out here!" he responds. "Not with the weather or the Dark One lurking in the woods. Go ahead. I won't be far behind."
Reluctantly, the obedient Percival guides his horse back towards King Arthur's castle as his fellow knight takes off in the opposite direction.
The rain feels like knives cutting her face as Lily presses forward. Her legs burn and her stomach twists itself into a hundred knots. Her fingers freeze to ice, reminding her of how much she hates the cold. But as long as Emma is alright, she knows she can endure any discomfort. When she reaches her destination, Lily prays that the Savior and Hook will be safe inside.
To her dismay, however, when she arrives at the Apprentice's house, the structure appears dark and cold. Dismounting from her steed, Lily races into the house, her heart beating faster by the moment.
"Emma? Emma?! Where are you?"
She searches every room, but there is no sign of her friend anywhere. Every second that passes fuels Lily's fear. Emma already gives her enough of a headache with her Dark One situation, so she certainly doesn't need Emma's whereabouts adding to her anxiety. When she does find her, Emma will certainly get a piece of her mind.
"Lily?" she hears a voice cry out.
Hoping it is Emma, she unfortunately realizes that the voice does not belong to the Savior, but their new friend.
"Why did you follow me?" Lily shouts, emerging from the structure. She observes the rain pelting Kay's face and clinking against his armor.
"I'm not leaving you out here to be killed by the Dark One," he replies. "Now, come with me."
"What? So you can get back to your party? No thanks."
"It's not for the party. It's for your protection."
"I am not going back to the castle."
"Lily, please—"
"No, you don't get it!" Lily snaps, her eyes blinded by the water pouring down her forehead. "Emma is out here, somewhere. You said so yourself, the storm is getting worse and that it's dangerous. You're trying to protect me? Well, who's protecting Emma?! If I don't help her, who will?"
The knight remains silent for a few moments. To her surprise, he hops down from his horse and saunters over to her. Brushing a soaked curl out of her face, the knight finally nods, "Alright then. Let's find her."
The two comrades split apart to search the premises. Kay scans the tree line as Lily searches the house. Just as she enters the bedroom to check one more time, she hears Kay call out, "I found her horse!"
Wasting no time, Lily sprints outside to find the knight at a nearby tree consoling Emma's frightened animal. Given how soaked the saddle appears to be, Emma must be around here, making Lily's inward panic soar.
"Emma!" she screams. "Emma!"
"Emma!" Kay shouts, following her lead.
Where could she be? Why did she not answer her friend's cries? Even if she and Hook still hide from the knights, Lily knows that the glamour spell should protect them. She may not know Emma as well as she would like, but she knows that the Savior would at least answer.
Out of the corner of her eye, a sparkle catches her attention. Leaving Kay, Lily hurries over to find a jewel nestled in the pebbles. It resembles something she remembers seeing before. Tearing off her shoe, Lily finds that the sapphire is an identical match to the ones on her footwear.
"Did you find something?" Kay calls out.
Amongst the raindrops pouring from the heavens, several more microscopic sparkles catch Lily's attention. In moments, she finds they create a path.
"This way!" she hollers.
Like Hansel and Gretel following a trail of breadcrumbs, Maleficent's daughter tracks the path of jewels into the dense brush. Nearly tripping down a small hill, she scans ahead to find that the shimmering crystals end at something slumped over and blanketed by the darkness.
From a distance, Lily spies an arrow protruding from the mass. Whatever it is, it isn't moving. Initially guessing it is an animal carcass, Lily's face turns to white with horror when upon further examination, she finds the mass entangled in cerulean silk and lace.
"Kay!" she shrieks. "Kay, get down here!"
The clanging sound of armor races towards her. Even with his speed, Kay cannot come fast enough to prevent Lily's sobs. When he arrives, she doesn't even see him through her massive tears.
"What? What is it?!" he asks frantically. To assuage her tears, he squeezes her shoulders, but no words pass the girl's lips. Though she wants to tell him, her discovery stuns her into silence. "
Lily, tell me!"
In response to his shaking, Maleficent's daughter points towards the mass, trembling.
"It—it's—it's Emma."
A/N: Uh oh! Poor Emma! Chapter 12 is complete! I hope you liked it as much as I did writing it. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. On another note, season 7 is starting soon. I know there are a lot of mixed views, but I'd love to know your thoughts. Will you watch it? Personally, I think OUAT is an amazing show that Adam and Eddie have created. Given their amazing work in with it in the past, I think they deserve the chance to prove to us their new concepts and storylines. So I will give it a fair shot and be watching at least the first few episodes. Next time we find out what happens to Emma. Will she be okay? Only I really know, so stay tuned! Don't forget to favorite and/or follow this story if you haven't already! Thank you for your continued support!
Until next time!
C.M. Singer :)