Disclaimer: I do not own the Once Upon a Time franchise.

Chapter Sixteen

August felt bile try to rise up to his throat as he hung up the phone. He was stuck on a bus to Louisville, Kentucky of all places. Hundreds of miles away from Emma and Henry when another threat was in their midst. He wanted to scream and punch something, but all he could do was sit in his seat, stew, and try to breathe through the nausea. Of all of the people August hoped to never see again, Neal Cassidy was at the top of that list. August still had nightmares of Emma walking up to one of the prison phones in that gray outfit.

Emma set her phone back on the kitchen table in Killian's cottage and sat back down. "How is August?" Killian asked quietly.

Emma sighed and pushed away her plate to put her head in her hands. "He's furious. And he won't be able to get back for a few days still." Her shoulders shook as she did her best to hold back the sobs, "It's all just such a mess. I've made such a mess and I've pulled August, and even worse, Henry, through it all. I'm definitely the worst mother in the entire world."

Killian pulled his chair over next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He had a feeling that she meant more than just the lad's father showing up after seven years when she spoke of the mess she'd felt she'd made. There was more to her story, he'd always known that. After a moment, he murmured, "Can August leave his research early?" Killian suggested softly, "This seems very important." Emma let out a strangled sob at his words, and Killian tightened his grip, "Emma?" He couldn't understand how August hadn't promised to hop on the first flight out of Denver back to Maine.

"It's not his work." Emma finally murmured once she'd stilled a bit. She looked up and swiped away her tears, "Henry and I are running from my husband." She whispered. Killian's arm dropped at her words.

"You're married?" He heard the strain in his voice.

Emma nodded, "Yeah, his name is Walsh West. He's a real estate developer in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was abusive, but very well-connected and protected. So, Henry and I ran and August came with us." She told him, "And you can't tell anyone." At his look, "I'm serious, Killian, Walsh is a dangerous man and if he finds us. . ." she looked back to where Henry slept, "Even though he never adopted Henry and August is still Henry's guardian, he'll take Henry and he'll kill me."

Killian saw that she was dead serious, that she wasn't just being hyperbolic. Drawing her back into his gaze by tilting her head toward him, Killian murmured, "Your secret is safe with me, love. And you and Henry can stay here as long as you'd like." He pressed a kiss to her head, "I've got you both, Emma."

Emma nodded and yawned, "I think I'm going to go lay down with Henry."

When Emma was gone, Killian wrapped up her sandwich and put it in the fridge for one of them to eat later and he cleaned up their dishes. He glanced at his bar before finally deciding in this case it wasn't too early for rum. At least not after the revelations of the day.

While the kids ran outside during recess, Mary Margaret dialed David's number on her cellphone.

"Honey? Is everything alright?" David's comforting voice rang through the phone.

"I'm not sure." Mary Margaret motioned to another teacher to watch her kids so she could step away. "Emma came by to get Henry and Killian was with them. David, something was very, very wrong. If you could've seen them. . ." she paused, "And I'm really worried because I've texted both of them and haven't heard a word."

David seemed to take in her information for a moment, "I'll check in on them, but they're both off today." He heard his wife hesitate, "Mary Margaret?" He prompted.

"I'm afraid that whatever Emma is running from has come to town!" She finally blurted out.

"We don't know she's running from something." David reminded his wife. The women of Storybrooke had determined that Emma, August, and Henry were on the run from Emma's past. They'd come up with quite a few far-fetched stories as well.

Mary Margaret let out a grunt at his words, "Please, David, it's so obvious. Just like Killian, just like Robin, just like Tink. . ." She paused, "just like everyone who stumbles into our town. Just check on them for me."

"I will." David promised his wife, "Now, we should both get back to work. I'll call you once I know something more."

David hung up his phone and looked around the station. Graham was checking on a disturbance at Granny's that probably had to do with Leroy and his seat at the countertop. The man was very protective over his seat. Grabbing his phone, David shot off a quick text to Graham that he was answering a call down by the harbor and had the station cell phone before he forwarded the calls and grabbed the keys to his squad car.

He wasn't sure where to start, but his gut told him to start at Killian's place. When he arrived, Killian's truck was in the drive, but Emma's Bug wasn't there. He ambled up the drive, not quite sure how to approach the subject with Killian because he didn't have much information on the topic. Mostly he had the women's paranoid suppositions. A moment after he knocked, Killian answered the door with a glass of rum in hand, "Ah, Deputy Nolan," he rocked forward slightly, "how are you this fine day?"

David's eyes narrowed in on the glass and then up at Killian's flushed cheeks, "You're drunk."

"And you are quite observant." Killian opened the door fully to let David in, "A good skill for a deputy to have."

David sighed and led the way to the sofa in the living room, lightly shoving Killian down, "Okay, what's going on, Jones?" David asked, "Why did Mary Margaret call me in the middle of the school day saying you and Emma came in panicked and took Henry out?"

Killian took another long pull from his glass of rum. He had his own feelings about Henry's father and his family. Hence the rum. "It's not my story to tell, Dave." He finally muttered.

"No, it's mine." Emma stood in the hallway, her clothes rumpled from sleep, and her hair a bit tangled. Killian was struck by just how stunning she was and he hated himself a bit for that. "And the rum isn't the answer, Killian."

David stood up as Emma came fully into the room, "Emma? Are you and Henry okay?"

Letting out a sigh, Emma dropped into a chair in the living room, "Henry's real father is in town." She finally said, "He's Mr. Gold's son. It won't be a secret for long since we saw Neal, or Baelfire, or whatever his name is pacing outside our building."

David sat back down heavily at that news, "Whoa."

"Yeah." Emma agreed.

"I take it he didn't know about Henry?" David asked.

Shaking her head, Emma replied, "No, he doesn't. He left me before I knew I was pregnant. I never heard from him again. He was just there one hour and gone the next." She whispered. Killian could tell there was more to that story as well, but he was content to wait for Emma to tell him in her own time. Besides, he knew he had to tell her what his connection to the Gold family was as well.

David stood and held out his hand, "Give me your keys, I'll go pack up some of your things and bring it here. No one will question me in the building since I live there too."

Feeling tears brim, Emma rose and grabbed her keys off of the entryway table, "Thanks, David. I really appreciate it. I just need to figure everything out before I sit down with him." If there was one thing being in Storybrooke had taught her over the past few weeks it was that there were good people in this world. And she and Henry could have more than just August. August wouldn't have to shoulder the burden of them alone.

David pulled her into a tight hug, "We've got your back, Emma. I agree that you should stay here with Killian though. When will August be back?"

Emma shrugged and looked away, "In a few days."

David frowned at her answer. It seemed odd since the two were typically attached at the hip. "Okay, well, I'll get your things and unless you've put his name on Henry's birth certificate –"

"It's not. There isn't one listed and August is his guardian." Emma cut in. At least she'd managed to protect Henry in that way.

"Then he can't even see Henry unless you approve of it until he gets a DNA test to prove he's Henry's father and then petitions the court to get his name on Henry's birth certificate. It's okay right now. You're both safe right now." David promised.

Emma gave him another hug, "Thanks, David."

When David left, Killian moved back to the bar and poured himself another drink and Emma one, "So, love, I need to tell you my story now." He pressed the glass into her hand, "And you may not need the rum, but I bloody well do."

Emma frowned, "Your story?"

"I have a history with the Golds that will make it difficult for you if you stay here."

Emma followed Killian to the sofa and sat down next to him, "Okay, Killian, tell me. You know most of my story now."

Killian took a sip of his rum, "Aye, lass, well, the night I came to town and went to The Hole," Emma nodded knowing that part of the story, "after I broke up the fight with Scarlett, I sat down back at the bar and a woman came over to me. Her name was Milah. She was twice my age I assumed, but she was beautiful. Dark hair, blue eyes, bright smile, and she looked a bit sad and lost. We ended up spending the night in my room at Granny's." Emma just waited quietly for Killian to continue. "After a few evenings together, I saw her in town with another man. That man, I later found out, was her husband. Robert Gold."

"Oh dear." Emma's eyes were wide and she took a long sip of her rum. She was suddenly grateful for the drink. Killian's ex-lover was Henry's grandmother. What a town she had stumbled into. And all by pointing to a town on a map.

"Aye." Killian agreed, "But I was broken and stupid and thought I was in love with her. We carried on our affair for about three months and then she just left. In the middle of the night, she was just gone. Gold and I were at each other's throats after that. He blamed me and I blamed him. It got a bit violent, but then he left to go look for his son who'd run away when he was in high school." Killian paused again, "When he came back he was married to Belle and we seemed to be able to live in a tense, but amiable way in the same town."

Emma reached over and grabbed Killian's hand, "It's okay, Killian. You're a good man." He looked like he was going to object so Emma continued, "There's one other part of my story you don't know that you should. Neal, or Baelfire, he didn't just leave. He left me standing with watches he'd stolen a couple of years earlier. We were going to fence them and run to Canada, but he ran without me and I went to jail for eleven months. I had Henry in jail." She paused, "No one makes the perfect choice 100% of the time." She murmured.

"But your background check –" Killian protested.

"Is a mixture of fake and true." Emma murmured, "August got us new identities so my husband can't find us. My maiden name was Carter. My married name was West. My fake name is Swan."

Killian drew Emma into his side, "We're quite a pair, Swan."

Emma tucked her head under his chin, "I kind of think it might be a good pair."

Baelfire Gold stood in his father's pawn shop. "Are you sure, Dad?" He asked.

Robert Gold leaned heavily on his cane, "I'm only telling you what I know, Bae. Emma Swan has a seven-year old son. He's a sweet boy." Robert Gold smiled softly, "It would make sense that he's your son, he reminds me of you, Bae."