I got a lot of reviews for the last one which I'm pretty happy about, somebody said that David's reactions are a bit much considering he has most of his family with him in Storybrooke, but he lost his daughter that he forgot he had for the last ten years, so all the joy and happiness of being reunited was soon again ripped from him and he wants to get her and Killian back for Henry.
Let's continue on...
Chapter 27: Burns
Two days have passed since Emma and Aurora had gone to the room of fire, Aurora refused to sleep, and as hard as Emma had tried she just couldn't stay awake, she would close her eyes for a couple of seconds and before she knew it she was smelling the strong stench of smoke.
Emma sat leaned up against a rock, her eyes with heavy bags under them as she thought about the events that happened last night in the red room, it was something she wished never would have happened.
Emma opened her eyes and immediately she saw the red flames in front of her, she knew she had fallen asleep when she and Killian were on guard.
"Emma?"
Her eyes went wide, it was a female voice, a female who she didn't ever expect to be here with her. It definitely wasn't Aurora since she had stopped sleeping and once Emma had turned around she was proven right. "Mom? W-What are you doing here?"
"It's an effect of the sleeping curse Emma," Snow told her daughter what Rumplestiltskin had told her days before.
Emma was confused, "I don't understand, how come this is happening? How come you didn't warn me?" Her mother knew she was in a sleeping curse, she had watched the whole thing happened until the curse had broke.
"I didn't know," Snow said sadly as the flames got higher and hotter, quickly she held onto the necklace of poison that Rumple had given her and squeezed her eyes shut, it held lower the flames. "Regina had woken me the other day and when she did I was burned so she called in Rumplestiltskin and this is what he told me, I just found out Emma."
She nodded, and was a bit confused on why Regina had woken her up, why was Regina even with her? This was the women who tried to frame Mary-margaret for murder during the curse and did whatever it took to kill her in the Enchanted Forest, but she decided to just drop it for now and deal with the more important things. "How's Henry."
"He misses his parents terribly, he's helping in any way he can that'll help us bring you guys home." Snow decided she didn't want to tell Emma about what happened with Jefferson's hat, she thought it would've been best if she didn't find out their only way back was burned up into ashes on the beach.
A tear slide down Emma's cheek at the mention of her little boy, "Tell him that his parents miss him and love him very much."
Snow nodded, letting Emma know she would, "Please come home."
Emma sighed and thought that it would have been the right moment to tell her mother what was going on. "Mom...we believe we have a way home, but there's somebody in our way...Cora, she's trying to get to Storybrooke, she's coming after us."
"A-Are you alright?" Snow remembered Cora from her childhood and when she tried to take the compass to destroy everything.
"We're fine, but please, prepare for if she does succeed and get there," Emma pleaded, "Take care of Henry." A tear ran down her cheek as she thought about never seeing her boy again.
"Emma I know you'll succeed! You will come home and you will see Henry again!" Snow told her daughter, trying to make everything seem better than what it actually was.
Those were the last words Emma had remembered her mother saying before she was woken up by Killian shaking her and waking her up, knowing she would go back to that room.
"I don't understand, how come every time she falls asleep they go to this bloody room with fire?" Killian shouted with frustration, he hated seeing new burn marks appear on his wife's body everytime she woke up.
"I. don't. know Hook, but staying here and wasting daylight won't help us," Mulan said, "We need to get going, we need to try to get you guys home, back to your son."
Killian knew she was right, that was what they both wanted right now was to get back home to Henry, but it was hard now with burns marks rubbing against close and barely being able to sleep. Emma was tired.
"Sleeping curse," Emma whispered to herself as she thought about what her mother told her that night "It's an effect of the sleeping curse."
"What?" Aurora said as she was the only one close enough to Emma to understand what she was saying.
"Aurora, were you ever in a sleeping curse?" Emma questioned quickly, she had hoped she had figured all of this out.
Aurora had nodded slowly as she remembered the horror of being in a sleeping curse. You were alone, nobody to talk to, nobody to see, nobody was there, it was just your own thoughts spiralling over and over again. It was like you were dead and you went either to hell or heaven, you were just gone, whipped plain from existence.
"That's it!" Emma exclaimed, "That's why we're all going to that room when we fall asleep. I was in a sleeping curse that morning we arrived here, my mother was in a sleeping curse before I was even born, and now knowing that you were in a sleeping curse too...it all makes sense now."
Killian arched a brow in confusion, "Love, you never told me you saw your mother there."
After she had thought about it he was right she hadn't told him about it, after being woken up she was too confused to tell him, her thoughts had completely taken over her that whole morning, she had completely forgotten.
He sighed after Emma didn't say anything, he understood why she might not have told him and he wasn't mad or anything, he just didn't like the fact of his wife going through this nightmare. "The only good thing about this is that we can contact your mother if we ever need to," He had said as he helped his wife up off of the ground knowing her body was still hurting from the sores.
That's when she realized, "I went through it because I didn't believe, Henry.."
Seeing the saddened look on Emma's face only saddened Killian, he hated to see her like this. "Love, if you didn't bite that turnover then our little lad might have and if he did he would be the only going through this right now...you saved him from an awful fate."
Emma nodded, he was right, she did save him. But knowing that she went so long with not believing him...her own child.
Snow shot up in her sleep, panting as she had sweat dripping from her face. David was sleeping in a chair in front of her probably fell asleep rocking Neal to sleep since Neal was in his arms, Regina was also there, she had been around lately and Snow didn't understand why, Henry was there too, watching TV in the living room with a bowl of frosted flakes. "They're alive! David! Henry and Killian, they're alive!" She shouted excitedly which made Henry practically drop his cereal on the floor and run over to his grandparents' side.
"What? Are you sure?" David questioned making sure she was positive since Henry was there.
"Yes! Emma was there, she was in the room with me," Snow sad then turning to Henry, "You're parents miss and love you very much, Henry."
Henry smiled as tears started to form in his eyes, he knew his mother told her to tell him.
"But...they told me something else," Snow said looking at David and Regina who was still trying to rub the sleepiness out of her eyes.
"What is it?" David questioned confused.
Snow looked over at Regina, "They have a way home, but there's somebody in their way, somebody we have to help them stop, someone only Mr. Gold knows how to defeat," She explained.
"Who?" Regina asked.
"Your mother...Cora."
The look in Regina's eyes went from confusion to absolute rage. Her mother was trying to get to Storybrooke, why? Why would her mother want to come here? Was it to come back and see her? No! she wouldn't want to see her after everything she had done! she pushed her through a looking glass and then went to have Hook crush her heart...which he obviously didn't do considering she's still here. "What? That can't be possible I had Hook go and crush her heart in Neverland! There was a body!"
"How do you think Emma and Killian met? Cora tried to take a magical compass and destroy the Enchanted Forest...she failed," David explained to Regina after seeing that Regina had thought her mother had been dead for years.
Reginas' face went blank, "What?" She didn't believe this, her own mother went against her...again!
"Regina, I know this is hard to take in...but we need to stop your mother, "Snow told her softly. Snow had seen what this woman was capable of, and she didn't want her daughter and son-in-law to go through her rage and torment again, that woman was worse than Evil.
Regina walked into Granny's dinner where she knew Gold would be having lunch with Belle. After everything this man had done to her she didn't understand why she kept taking him back, especially since he kept on giving her the same lame excuse for changing for her. "We need to talk."
Gold never looked up, he didn't have time for Regina at the moment, he was trying to fix things with Belle, "Do we?"
"Folks, I uh do believe I have to close early...everybody out!" Granny shouted through the diner as she saw Regina walk in and start talking to Gold, those two together did that go well.
"No, No, it's alright, we're civil" Regina said as nicely as she could.
Gold smirked in that old Rumplestiltskin way that he always would do, "Belle, you remember the women who locked you up for ten years?" He said reminding Belle of the loneliness she felt for all that time, the whole time he mourned her death.
"uh, I should probably get-" She was going to leave because she didn't want to be in the middle of this.
"No, no, please stay, whatever she has to stay doesn't have to be a secret from you, whatever she wants, she won't get." The one thing that was complicated in their relationship was that he would lie to her, always lie and keep secrets, so he wanted to change that.
"I'm actually coming about the one thing that might unite us, "Regina said leaning down to Gold, "Cora...she's coming from our land, I need your help to stop her."
Immediately he was interested, something just didn't make sense though, "She was dead, you told me you saw the body."
Regina sighed, she was fooled. "Apparently you taught her well. she's not, and she's on her way, and I don't think I need to remind you how unpleasant that would be for the both of us."
"Oh, for you. I can handle Cora," Gold corrected her making Regina straighten her posture and have that evil smirk and that evil glare in her eyes.
"That's not how she tells the story," Regina told him, remembering how her mother told her about hers and Rumples past, about falling in love and making a deal, only for Cora to find the loophole and break the deal along with his heart.
"I won in the end," Gold said gritting his teeth.
Belle watched the two, she was confused on what was going on, who was Cora? Why was she such a big threat?
"Maybe, but there's a big difference this time," Regina said slowly as she looked over at Belle, "This time, you have someone you care about. This time you have a weakness." She knew that would spark a fire inside, it always did before. When Rumple was promised something that would bring him to his son he held onto it and would kill if anybody tried to take it away.
Belle was confused, who was this dangerous woman these two were talking about, "I'm sorry, w-who is this woman?"
"Someone you'll never meet," Gold told her because he was going to do whatever it took to protect his love, even if that meant siding with Regina. "So you say she's coming, where is she now?" He asked turning his attention back to Regina.
"With them."
Emma and Killian walked side by side with Mulan and Aurora close behind. Besides from being separated from their son...again, they actually thought this was nice, walking through the forest again with each other, going on adventures. The only thing that would make it seem even better was if the entire family was here.
Emma had gained strength to walk by herself through the forest but the feeling of the cloth rubbing on her burns was still quite irritating, and she wasn't going to lie, she had been feeling like she was getting some kind of bug, like the flu.
"Are we almost there?" Emma asked as she walked as quickly as she could holding Killian's hand. It was starting to get lat again and all everybody wanted was to get to a certain clearing in the woods so they could rest and maybe try to get ahold of Snow once more. "My mother could already be back in that Netherworld."
"I'm sure she's fine, love, she's Snow White," Killian tried to tell her, reminding her of who exactly her parents were.
Mulan brushed past them as she spotted a spot that was high off ground, and had plenty of trees around for shelter, "There, that looks like a relatively high spot to set up camp, It's still dangerous out with Cora but me and Killian will take guard, Emma you'll settle in and find Snow, and get the information we need from Rumplestiltskin."
"I don't know if Emma should go back into that place," Killian spoke, "She's already losing strength from the burns." She didn't want anything bad to happen to his wife, he vowed he would protect her.
"I'm fine," Emma assured him as she looked up into his eyes and then started walking ahead of him only to be caught up in some bushes, struggling to get her shirt free she ended up tearing a piece off revealing a burn going up the side of her body.
Killian immediately saw this and rushed over to tend to it, "Love, are you alright, how...No, you're not going back, it's too dangerous."
Emma took some deep breaths, she felt light-headed and nauseous at this point, but that could have been from walking all day when she barely had any strength as it was, "No, I'll be fine Killian."
"Bloody hell, love, look at this," He said pointing to the burn with his hook, lightly touching it which made her wince and twitch away from his touch. "I can't have you going in there...hell knows what will happen if you go in again Emma, you could get burned again and this time it could be worse."
Mulan standing from a distance noticed the small argument between the couple, of course, she was curious what it was over so she decided to walk over there, but when she did she had no idea she would see such a burn on Emma. It was raw and red all around with small blisters that looked like they could bust any moment. "Wha-What's going on?" She asked ignoring the fact she saw the burn.
"I don't think Emma should be going into the Netherworld anymore, look, she's already burned everywhere, I don't know what'll happen if she goes again." He was only worried about his wife's' life and safety, he couldn't lose her again.
"I'll be fine, I promise," She said taking her husband's hand into hers, letting him know she'll be alright, nothing will happen to her.
Taking his hand he gently cupped her face and placed his forehead against hers, feeling her warm breath brush against his face. "I can't lose you again, Emma," He whispered in a passionate way, "I vowed to always protect you and keep you safe."
Aurora watched from a distance and thought about Philip, she would hate if somebody else lost their true love like she had. "I'll do it! I'll go into the Netherworld."
Everybody turned to look at her surprised, they never thought a princess like her would ever volunteer for anything so heroic, so selfless.
"Thank you Aurora," Emma said with a smile as the princess returned a small curtsey. Turning to Killian she gave him a smile and then placed a gentle but passionate kiss on his lips, "I love you."
"Aye, and same for you, love," Killian replied as he returned the kiss but this time only pulling her so far into the woods so he could tend to her burns.
"That was very selfless of you Aurora," Mulan spoke to her crush, "What made you do that?"
Aurora walked a little past Mulan, she didn't want the warrior to see the tears forming in her eyes, "I didn't want anybody else to lose a love."
Gold had agreed to help the Charmings, he didn't want to but he had no choice when it came to the safety of Belle, and he couldn't lose her again. Regina, David, Henry, Gold and Snow were all in the back of Gold's shop, Snow was lied down on a small cot with everybody else around her. She had to go back under to the Netherworld to hopefully see Emma there as well and tell her what they need to do to stop Cora from travelling to Storybrooke.
"So Cora...She's pretty powerful?" Henry asked from the corner of the room where he was out of everybody else's way.
"Yes, but uh, not as powerful as I am" Gold snarked. He always thought he was the best at magic. His remark made a loud scuff come out of Regina's lips where she then decided to argue with that and tell him Cora was more powerful.
David and Snow both rolled their eyes and then laughed at one another, seeing Regina and Gold together in a room where they weren't trying to kill one another was something else. "So, are you sure you want to go through with this?" David questioned as he went and sat down on the edge where his wife lay.
Snow nodded, she was positive she had to this, even if that meant getting a few small burns. Her daughter was in danger and she would do anything if it meant helping. "I can't have Cora coming here, David, not with Neal around, or any citizen, she could hurt whoever she wanted in a blink of an eye."
David nodded, he knew she was right, he just worried something bad may happen. "Alright," He softly spoke as he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before walking off to be with his grandson.
"Look, whatever she faces in there won't be nearly as bad as what we would all face if Cora was to get here," Gold warned David who seemed to have gotten the idea.
"Just get on with it, we're losing time," Regina said getting antsy about her mother trying to cross realms...into her realm, just so she could probably play another game with her that would end in betrayal and heartbreak.
"All right, Snow, just relax," Gold begun as he walked over to the former Queen and sat on a small stole, "Just relax and soon you'll drift off."
"What do I tell them?" Snow questioned.
"Just listen to my voice, and everything will become clear." Gold placed his hand on the top of the woman's' forehead, having her close her eyes and relax her entire body. His tale was a popular one, one that she had lived through. "Once upon a time Snow White and Prince Charming had to freeze a powerful magician long enough to lock him up in a dark dungeon. The ink that captured the Dark One. In fact, there's a supply of it in his jail cell." Right before he had even finished Snow was passed out and had hopefully understood what she had to tell Emma.
Henry listened to it carefully and watched as his grandmother went under into a deep sleep. He was quite worried that something would go wrong and their message wouldn't get through, but he didn't doubt his grandmother, she was Snow White for crying out loud. He just so badly wanted his parents home.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine," David spoke as he walked over to his grandson, landing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Henry nodded and smiled up at his grandfather, Prince Charming. "I know."
That's when David and Regina shared that look, that look that said there was a chance everything could go wrong and they could be fighting for their lives...again.
A couple of hours had gone by since they had reached their camp destination. The sun was still high up but almost below the tree line. Aurora was relaxing with Mulan next to her trying to go to sleep and go to this Netherworld for Emma, which Killian was grateful for and would have to thank her for later.
Mulan nodded to Emma and Killian who were standing over her, letting them know that Aurora was fast asleep and it wouldn't be long now until they had a new plan.
Emma sighed and started to walk off a little bit, holding Henry's rattle in her hand, she looked down at it and started to tear up. Her poor baby boy. She was a little startled when Killian had grabbed her hand telling her that she would see Henry again which made her have a small fake smile. She knew she would see him but not knowing what to do next was making her a little anxious.
"I know, I just miss him so much," Emma said as she then placed her head against his chest with his arm holding her close to his body, "I want to go home, Killian."
"Aye love, as do I." He could feel how tense his swan was, she was upset and miserable with going so long without seeing Henry, all she wanted was to hold him in her arms again.
A small tear dripped down from her eye as the thought of not having Henry or Killian in her life. Who would she be? Would she be alone? Would she even have a family? Looking up into her husband's eyes she saw every piece of love he had for her. It made her smile knowing how much he had fought for her in the last several months and how great of a father he must've been to Henry when she wasn't there.
"What is it, Swan?" He questioned as he looked down and noticed those sparkling emeralds looking up at him.
"Just thinking about how much you mean to me and how great of a father you are to Henry," She wished that they were back in Storybrooke so they could have a couple of minutes alone, she needed it more than anything.
Killian pulled her even closer to his body and passionately pressed his lips to hers. Her lips were so soft and sweet, they were sweeter than candy. Slowly their tongues started to sword fight and as much as he knew he had to stop he just couldn't. He wanted her more than anything right now, he wanted to take her.
But that was when they heard noises coming from the forest, making them both stop and look into that direction. Killian got into his defensive mode and stepped in front of Emma to protect her while Mulan watched carefully to see if she could find out what the noise was.
Aurora woke up in this Netherworld and started to cough from the smoke that surrounded the room. She scanned around and immediately her eyes landed on Snow. "Snow! Snow! Can you help us!?" Aurora shouted from across the room, trying to get Snow's attention.
"Aurora?" Snow immediately remembered the girl from when Emma was younger, they use to always hang out. She started to worry, why wasn't her daughter here? "Aurora where's Emma?!"
"Killian did want her to come back!" Aurora answered, "But can you help us! We need it more than anything right now!"
Snow felt relieved that Emma had Killian there with her, he was always thinking what was best for her. "Yes! I know what you have to do to stop Cora! You have to go to Rumplestiltskin's cell!" Snow shouted as loudly as she could.
The flames were getting higher and it was hard for Aurora to hear from all the crackling around her. "Where? We have to go where?"
"Rumplestiltskin jail cell!" She shouted once again, but she doubted that she was able to hear her.
"What!?" Why was it so damn hard to hear in this place! Aurora exclaimed in her head.
"Aurora!"
"Who is that?" Aurora asked as she started to look all around for whom was calling out her voice.
"Did you hear me!" Snow shouted out trying to get the girls attention again.
"Aurora!"
"What no say it again!" Aurora tried as hard as she could to listen but there was so much fire and she kept hearing a deep male voice calling out to her. "Do you hear that?"
Snow could tell there was something strange happening "No! Aurora what's going on!"
"Aurora!"
And as quickly as she arrived in this Netherworld, she just as quickly found herself being picked up and sucked into a giant twister as she watched Henry disappear from her vision. The next this she knew she was awake with Mulan shaking her. "What? Henry wasn't finished.
"The time for that is over!" Mulan exclaimed as she turned around and found a dead man fighting with her with a sword. what was going on?
Emma dodges a swing from two undead men, kicking one back she stabbed the other with her knife she kept in her boat. To say the least they didn't stop fighting. She kicked them both back again as she had time to look over to her husband who was also having his own share of a fight.
Killian had his sword ready and was doweling with some gent. He was pretty good at his swordsmanship for a dead man at least but Killian was better, he had practice with this weapon for hundreds of years. The man swung full blast at him forcing Killian to bend down and wait until the time was right to kick this man back and down to the ground where he stabbed his sword into his heart but he didn't seem to die, what kind of witchcraft is this?
Quickly looking over he saw Emma, a man was running straight towards her, he had a knife and Emma didn't even notice him. "Emma watch out!"
Emma looked over to where her named was shouted, looking over she saw her husband, he was warning her, but before she even had time to realize she was being knocked down to the ground by one of those man creatures, forcing the rattle she had in her jacket to be knocked out to the ground forcing the man that threw her to the ground to pick it back up. "The rattle!" Emma shouted warning everybody that they had it.
Quickly Killian rushed over to her not caring about his other opponent and with one swing of his sword he had stabbed the man in the chest, having him lose grip on the rattle and having it back into Emma's hand. "You alright love?" He asked rushing over to her and checking her all over.
"I'm fine," She said with a smile and brushing herself off as she placed a soft kiss on his cheek before she stepped to the side, forcing her husbands old opponent back. "Any idea how to kill these things?!"
Killian chuckled, there was his girl. "None!"
Together they tried fighting off the monsters, but everything they did just wasn't working and each passing minute more and more was coming out of the woods.
"Love, we have to run for it!" Killian shouted to his wife as he pushing two men back before running to Emma and taking her by the hand where they both ran into the woods trying to get away from whatever demons they were.
Mulan rushed through the bushes and trees away from the camp with Aurora just behind her, she didn't tell the others they were leaving, she didn't think they had to anyway. But before she knew it she was being tripped down to the ground by one of the creatures. He sat on top of her, trying to make it so she couldn't move, and he was a strong man but Mulan used as much strength as she possibly could at that moment to save her life as she quickly picked up her dagger and stuck it into the man's brain, killing him instantly.
Picking herself up off the forest ground she looked around and didn't see a sight of Aurora, and she didn't think that she would've left without her. "Aurora! Mulan shouted as loudly as she could, hoping that the princess would be able to hear her somewhere.
There was no answer though, Mulan could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The princess was gone and at this moment she felt like she betrayed Prince Philip after she had promised him that she would protect Aurora, well now she just lost her. Quickly she ran off in the direction they were running before, hoping to come across Aurora somewhere, but little did she know where she was going to find her.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Killian shouted back to Emma as he stopped to take a breather after rushing through the forest to get away.
"Yeah, pretty much," Emma responded. Other from the sick feeling she was feeling for the last hour and the burns on her skin she was fine.
Killian was so thankful that his princess remembered how to fight and that she didn't get hurt, without her he would be lost. "Good," He sighed out as he grabbed her and pulled her into a hug, letting her know that he didn't want to ever lose her again.
Emma had a slight laugh leave her lips as Killian wrapped his arms around her, she couldn't believe how lucky she was.
Then they heard the leaves rustling again which made them both go into defence mode and get ready for another battle...just like old times. But they were both relieved to find it to just be Mulan.
"They took her, Aurora's gone," Mulan said as she had an expression of worry on her face. She was so worried she could hear and feel her own heart beating a thousand beats a minute.
Everybody was shocked to hear this that Aurora was gone, but then the high pitched dark laugh came from behind a tree, as everybody turned around the one thing they saw was Aurora but behind her was Cora holding a dagger to the princesses throat.
"Aurora!" Mulan shouted as she tried to step closer only to have Cora press the dagger to the girls' skin even harder.
"Do not come any closer, or Aurora here gets it!" Cora threatened as she looked at the group. Of course, she could just use magic to threaten them with but that wasn't as powerful as to actually showing somebody what could happen.
Mulan's heart raced faster than it already had been previously, was she going to lose Aurora? "What is it you want?" She tried to sound brave but honestly, she was terrified.
Cora let out an evil dark laugh, they knew what she wanted, "The rattle, of course, I know its contents are made from the compass."
Emma and Hook looked at each other, what were they going to do? They were stuck in a dilemma, if they gave the rattle then Aurora survived but then it would take them longer to get home. But if they didn't give the rattle then they could be on their way home any day but then Aurora would od died all thanks to them.
Snows eyes shot opened as she gasped for air, she was back to reality and she was no longer breathing in all that smoke. Immediately her husband rushed over to her along with Henry behind him and Regina and Gold to the side listening in.
"Snow! are you alright?" David asked concerned for his wife.
Snow winced in pain as she felt a stinging coming from her hand, "I didn't get the chance to tell her...I tried, but she didn't...hear me and then something happened," She spoke through the pain of what she expected to be a burn.
"Snow?" Regina was quite concerned when she saw the raw red and bubbly skin on Snow's hand, taking her hand she looked at it along with everybody else.
"S-something wrong," Snow said once again through the pain as her husband took her arm gently from Regina and carefully pulled up the sleeve of her arm revealing a burn that probably went up to her elbow. He looked at her worried, there was nothing but panic in his eyes.
There's the end of that chapter! I hope you all liked it and don't forget to tell me what you thought!
I hope you all enjoy the last season finale of OUAT tonight. I know I'm very sad to see all of the characters we saught hope with for seven years to leave and say goodbye. The only thing I'm really excited for is to see Emma and Killian's baby!
Please review, favourite, and follow. Also, check out my new AU I'm working on called Save Henry (It's also a CaptainSwan fanfic).
Next time: Chapter 28 Another Sleeping Curse