Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Once Upon a Time. This is story is not intended for profit, just as a tribute to the amazing writing, characters, and intricate plots therein.

Additional Disclaimer: Chapter title courtesy of William Shakespeare. You know this one.

Author's Note: Happy Spring Premier Day! And sorry again for the delay in posting. This is a very self-reflecty chapter. Killian has a LOT of thinking to do in the near future, partly spurred on by a new/familiar character. Hang in there! Also, if any additional family drama and backstory is revealed in tonight's episode, or in the season-half to come, pretend like it doesn't exist if it conflicts with anything in this fic. You know the drill!

Thanks to Willofthewisp for her beta skills!

Chapter 12: To Be, or Not To Be


He waited until he had caught a few hours of sleep on the hillside before he returned to the village that the Princess's forces were based—whether she wanted those forces or not. He spent his return journey thinking of he would say, how he would convince Emma to meet Regina, how he could help persuade her that giving Henry back to his adoptive mother would be in the boy's best interest. Hell, how would he explain his loss of temper last night, for that matter?

Good thing the ride back seemed interminably longer than the ride out had been. He did not recall going through a magical loop last night, but even having dozed away the morning, it still took more time than he recalled spending on horseback to make his way back to the village than it had been to leave it. When his horse eventually trotted into the village again, the sun was nearing the horizon, and his prepared speech had gotten as far as, "Swan, I need to talk to you."

The rest he would have to make up as he went.

The sound of the horse's hooves on the cobbles drew people—more than he remembered from the day before—out of the main hall. David strode out ahead of them to confront him.

"Where the hell have you been?" David demanded. "Why would you leave like that? Emma said that you two had some sort of disagreement, and Henry said you told him you were returning to your ship."

"Well then, you just answered your own questions," he said as he dismounted. At the mention of Henry, his conscience stabbed at him. Henry's injured expression had been a persistent itch to his conscience all day, underneath all of the other irritations he had accumulated since the last sunset. He should never have been so harsh with the boy. "Where is Henry? I believe I need to apologize to him. I…was quite rude yesterday."

"He's down by the pond," David said. "You can see him in a minute, though he's not very happy with you, either." David's jaw was clenched, and he reached out to stop Killian with a hand on his shoulder when he would have moved past him. "It seems like you were more than just 'rude' yesterday evening. Now, do you want to tell me what your 'disagreement' with Emma was about?" David's jaw was clenched as he met Killian's eye.

"Didn't she tell you?" he asked, shrugging off David's hand to lead the horse into the stable.

David followed behind, huffing in annoyance. "No, only that you'd gone to talk with her—after you had told me to give her space, I should add—and that you had an argument. I can guess that you said something about her role as the Savior, since the whole reason you were travelling with Henry when you found me was because you needed to find her to get your happy ending back, but Emma neglected to share the specifics of your conversation."

"In that case, I'll not share them, either," he said. "What was said was between Emma and I will remain between us. It was unpleasant, and…I owe her an apology as well as Henry. Let's leave it at that."

After unsaddling the horse and making sure the beast had enough water and fodder, he set the saddle bag down in a corner of the stall before he turned to face David. The shepherd-king stood with his arms crossed over his chest and narrowed eyes. "You won't tell me what happened, fine. But can you at least promise it won't happen again?"

He shifted from foot to foot as he thought how to phrase his answer. By tomorrow, all of their lives would be different, one way or another. And convincing Emma would surely cause another fight. He did not want to lie to David, but he could hardly refuse to make some sort of promise, or it would seem suspicious. Finally, he licked his lips and said, "I give you my word that I won't deliberately antagonize her again. And I'll do my best not to lose my temper with her and storm off."

David shook his head, sighing. "If that's the best you can manage, I suppose it will have to do." He took a step closer, the angry lines on his face softening, and now the hand that settled on Killian's shoulder was gentle, and Killian had to look away. "We've come this far together," David said gently, almost fatherly. "I'd hate to see you go now. You helped me find my daughter and bring what is left of my family back together. At the very least, I would hope that we can help you find whatever it is you're looking for in return."

Damn. Damn, double damn, and buggering hell. The sharp, sweet tang of bile crept up his throat as he stood stone-still under David's kind words. It was not betrayal, he told himself. Whatever he did, whatever bargains he had made, it was not betrayal since he did not owe David, or Henry, or Emma anything. It wasn't.

Killian motioned for David to lead the way out of the stable, pausing a moment before following behind to take a deep breath and clear his head. Once outdoors, breathing in air that was not perfumed by barnyard animal, he was again struck by the number of people that seemed to have sprung up in town during his short absence.

"Who are all the newcomers, mate?"

"These are the allies that Grumpy mentioned last night, before you left," David explained as they approached a trio of men gathered around the well.

As they neared, Killian noticed a resemblance between the youngest of the three and the man in the middle. Both were of athletic build, solid, and just-above-average height. And although the younger man had some curl to his shaggy dark brown hair, and his elder boasted a salt-and-pepper gray, they were almost identical in features: same broad face, same narrow nose, same hooded eyes, same easy smile as they talked amongst themselves. The father and son—for what else could they be?—stood beside a behemoth of a man, almost a full head taller than the rest of them, with a mass of thick, curly hair, a full beard, and an overall demeanor that reminded him of a grizzly bear.

"Hook, I'd like you to meet the leaders of the Merry Men, a band of thieves and freedom fighters from Sherwood Forest. This is Robin Hood, his son Roland, and this is Little John. Their compatriots are camped throughout the village, and they've agreed to join us when we face Regina."

Robin Hood appeared to be the leader. He stepped forward to shake hands while the other two simply nodded. "When the dwarves told us that you lot were mounting an opposition, we were eager to help. The Evil Queen has been encroaching on Sherwood Forest for the past several years, and it's been making life difficult for the residents."

"Since King John took the throne, things in Sherwood have gone from bad to worse," Roland explained, his smile morphing into an angry scowl. "He has allied with Regina, and her Black Knights are helping collect the taxes and tariffs throughout the Forest, driving the peasants into poverty."

"So we thought we'd come and help kick the Evil Queen back to whatever dark cave she crawled out of," Little John rumbled with a cocky, round-cheeked grin.

Killian smirked at the big man. "You sound confident."

Robin chuckled. "What Little John means is, if we can remove the Queen and her magic, then we hope that a new political ally—the Princess—will be able to pressure King John to change his ways."

"I've never known royalty to bend to outside pressure, myself," Killian mused. "But I imagine having someone besides the Evil Queen on the throne will help your cause. Best of luck. I hope your king does change his ways. Otherwise, you may need a more direct approach."

"I'm hoping it doesn't come to that," Robin admitted, glancing at his son with concern. No doubt he foresaw the cost a war would bring. Killian felt a stab of jealousy for the younger man, to have a father who gave a damn about his wellbeing.

"Forcing the King to change is not our only reason for joining you in your quest to defeat the Queen," Roland insisted, his jaw clenching. Robin placed a hand on his son's shoulder and opened his mouth, but Roland shrugged his father off. "Queen Regina is responsible for my mother's death. This is a personal matter for me, and I want to ensure that she is finally made to pay for all of the lives she has taken."

"Roland," Robin cautioned.

Roland lifted his chin, refusing to back down. "Even if the Princess does nothing to help us oust King John, I'll consider defeating the Evil Queen reward enough for our help."

"It was never confirmed that the Evil Queen killed her," Robin reminded him.

Roland turned on his father, eyes narrowed and blazing. "We've spoken to witnesses who saw that woman take Mother away! The Queen staged a mass execution of prisoners a few days later, and we never saw Mother again. What more proof do we need?"

Killian inched back a step, avoiding eye contact with the men. This would throw a kink in his plans. If this young man wanted revenge for his mother's death by killing Queen Regina, it would seriously cock up his own agreement with the Queen. He respected Roland's motive, but it was damned inconvenient at the moment.

"The Queen is a villain, and she must be stopped," Roland affirmed. "She does as all villains do; she hurts everyone around her to get her own way. She only cares about serving herself, and her subjects be damned. Hell, even her own knights are victims of her selfishness! She'll send them into a trap knowingly if she has something to gain. She cares nothing for who gets hurt, as long as she gets what she wants."

Killian knew that David responded to Roland, though he could not make out the words over the ringing in his ears. An acidic burn crept up his throat as a voice he recognized as his brother's shouted at him from the back of his mind. Selfish…careless with others…a villain.

But that was the Crocodile, not him. He was hardly a good man, but he was not a villain. He was only doing what needed to be done, ridding the world of a monster, and if he had to sacrifice people along the way…

Selfish.

Careless of others' lives.

No. He was not a villain. A pirate, yes, so perhaps that made him the villain in the lives of some, but not a Villain.

Killian cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the men around him, and offered them a tight smile. "It appears the sun will be down shortly," he said, nodding toward the mill pond. "Pleasant as this has been, I have some apologizing to do. If you'll excuse me?"

"Of course," David said. "And Hook?"

Killian turned back, raising his eyebrows. "Mm?"

"If she's anything like her mother, she may hit you."

He knew he was supposed to laugh, but the boiling acid in his stomach disinclined him to make any sudden movements. He rubbed the back of neck as he nodded. "If she does, I'll deserve it."

He walked away before anyone could say anything further. The mill was on the other side of town. He passed a number of homes and shops along the dusty street, abandoned and alone as the light disappeared and the shadows of the surrounding forest crept into the village. His thoughts chased themselves, each advancing upon the previous with every footstep.

He was in the right, he knew he was. His choice was the only one he could make. For himself, for Milah. He was so close! If Emma refused to help him, he had to find someone who would. Regina was his best chance.

I hate this, he thought, his chest tightening, and he had to concentrate to breathe normally. He was about to send Henry back to a woman he despised. He would betray David's trust in him. If he had ever believed he was honorable, all honor had surely fled him now, he realized, feeling the weight of his actions heavy on his shoulders. An honorable man did not undermine the hopes and dreams of so many people.

Liam never would. Liam would have been appalled. But Liam had also been blind. He was too willing to believe what others told him, never thinking for himself. He never doubted, even when Killian told him he was being an idiot. Killian knew he had to change tactics if the situation altered. He had joined this quest believing that the Princess would help him get his revenge for Milah's death. Emma would not even fight the Queen for herself; she would never go against the Dark One to avenge a woman she had never met.

For a moment, he wondered if Milah and Emma would have liked one another. Both women had fire in their souls, though Emma's had been dampened by long years of solitude. Both were handy with a sword and fearless in a fight. It was pure fantasy, of course, but they had many traits in common. Both strong and stubborn. They would either have been fast friends or bitter enemies, he concluded with a slight smile.

He had taken Milah with him when he left her little, mud-encrusted village. She had been a bright spark, too beautiful and rare to be left with her puny, craven, piss-poor excuse for a husband. But in taking her away…had he helped to create the monster the spinner had become? One choice, one action he had made so long ago—how many deaths had been the result? From the stories he had heard, scores, if not hundreds, of people had died at the hands of the Crocodile. The rumors he had heard indicated that Rumpelstiltskin was the deadliest and least controllable Dark One to walk the Realm in centuries, perhaps since the first Dark One.

If he helped Regina to send Emma away to some other Realm, if he helped the Evil Queen kill Rumpelstiltskin, who then would be there to stop Regina? Would he once again create a monster that would spread evil through their world unchecked?

But what choice did he have? If he gave up now, after centuries of waiting, he would never have another chance to kill the Crocodile, and Milah would go unavenged. He would sooner forget she ever existed, forget everything she was to him than let that happen! It was exactly what would happen if he did not take this deal Regina offered him.

Damn them all…and damn himself. Nothing in his life made any sense any more. But he had to do this. It was the only way. And anyway, Emma would probably jump at the chance to leave this Realm and all her troubles and responsibilities behind.

With that in mind, Killian looked up and found that his feet had taken him across the entire hamlet without him noticing. He stood at the head of the path that ran beside the dilapidated mill and down to the pond. With one final gulp to swallow down the tight knot in his throat, he forced himself to face Emma and Henry, ready to do what was necessary.

Henry sat on a stone stile at the bank of the pond, a little manufactured channel that once fed the waterwheel that turned the grist stone inside the mill. While the shadows deepened throughout the village, here the water seemed to reflect the last light of day creating a soft glow around the pond where Emma Swan in her snow white plumage paddled near her son's dangling legs, his bare toes skimming the surface. The lad was telling his mother a story, and Killian wondered if Emma, as a swan, could understand human speech, or if she just enjoyed her son's company.

He hesitated a moment, not wanting to interrupt and to give himself time to think. Emma in her avian shape could make this apology easier as she would be unable to say anything back, at least until the sun set. Of course, if she was unable to understand him, that would complicate matters. He felt an ache start between his eyes.

Henry was the first to look up, and Killian winced at the wary expression on the lad's face. His little features were pinched with uncertainty, and Killian wanted to kick himself for having put that doubt there. Slowly, using the slickness of the stones and grass around the pond as an excuse to avoid their gaze for a few moments longer, he made his way toward them, and finally stopped a respectful arms' reach from either.

Killian cleared his throat, scratching the side of his neck as he admitted, "I suppose I owe the both of you an apology for my behavior yesterday."

"Yep," Henry replied, eyes narrowed. "So let's hear it."

He raised his brow at the boy, but Henry just smirked back at him. Precocious little brat, he thought fondly. In a few years' time, the lad would be a force to be reckoned with. He almost wished he would be around to see it.

"I'm sorry," Killian apologized. "Swan, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. You have your reason for your actions and opinions, and I understand them—some of them, anyway. As for the rest…I suppose I don't have a right to judge you, even if I don't agree with you."

For a few long seconds, Emma remained still, floating atop the murky water. Killian got the impression that she didn't want to forgive him. He could hardly blame her; what he had said was harsh—true as it was. If it had been the other way around, he was not sure he would be able to forgive her. He felt his heartbeat speed up. If she refused to listen to him, refused to at least accept his apology if not forgive him, then how would he convince her to listen to his offer from the Queen? Well, he would just have to make her forgive him. He had plenty of experience charming women…although so far, he had not had to rely on trickery with Emma. He realized now that he did not want to have to resort to it now.

But finally, she bowed her head once in a regal acknowledgement of his apology. Killian knew that this was only the first sally of the night with the Princess, and an even greater battle lie ahead, but even so, he sighed in relief. Next, he turned to Henry. If anything, this apology came harder, knowing that he was about to betray the boy's trust so soon after mending their friendship. But there was one thing he could apologize for with no qualms.

"Henry, I'm sorry that I spoke so harshly to you," he said, squatting down in front of the boy. "It wasn't directed at you, not really. I was angry and frustrated, and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I took my temper out on you. I shouldn't have shouted at you, and I shouldn't have pushed you. Can you forgive me?"

Henry considered him through narrowed, serious eyes for a moment, but a tentative smile pulled at the boy's mouth, and Killian felt his shoulders relax. When Henry finally said, "I guess I forgive you," Killian found that his answering smile came easily.

"Thank you, lad."

"After all," he mused, nodding his head, "if the hero believed right away, it wouldn't be much of a story."

Killian winced. "I'm not a hero, Henry. Believe me."

The boy gave him a wise look, almost smirking at him. "You know, you and my mom have a lot in common. Neither of you knows who you really are or what you're capable of. That fairy we talked to? Nova? She saw it. She knew. Now you just have to figure it out," Henry assured Killian as he climbed to his feet. "I told you, you're supposed to be here with us. It's fate, so you have to stick around. You just doubted yourself for a while, but I'm glad you came back. We still need to figure out how to defeat Regina. I know my mom doesn't want to fight," he added, tilting his head in Swan's direction, "but I know that if we try, we'll think of something."

Killian glanced at the swan, catching her eye. She tilted her head, and he could almost see the inquisitive, challenging arch her brows would be making if she were in human form. He knew that she was replaying their conversation from last night.

"I certainly hope that there's an alternative, lad." It was the only thing he could promise the boy. There was an alternative, though gods knew Henry would not like it. Even if they somehow managed to keep the boy with his true mother, they would be leaving their realm to the Evil Queen.

"We'll find one," Henry assured him, nodding, unaware that his confidence only made the hard ball of guilt in Killian's stomach tighten that much more.

Before the moment became too uncomfortable, Emma's long neck extended, lifting her head up to the darkening sky. Then, with a lurch and a few beats of her wings, she left the water and landed on the stile next to Henry. The next moment, the sun fully set, casting the sky in shades of pink and lavender as the moon—just a few days past full—shone through the treetops over the village. The swirl of purple-black sorcery engulfed Emma for a moment, hiding her from their eyes before it dissipated, and she was once again a human woman standing in front of Henry and Killian.

Emma sighed as she stretched her shoulders and neck. "I don't know how true swans live with a neck that long."

Killian smiled at Emma's attempt to lighten the mood. He felt like a cad, knowing that he was going to shatter this peace in a moment. He cleared his throat and turned to Henry. "Lad, could you give us a minute?"

Henry looked up at Emma with his brows raised. She smiled down at him and nodded. "Go ahead. I'll be up for dinner after Hook and I are finished talking."

Henry nodded back and picked up his discarded boots and stockings. Before he scampered off entirely, Killian called after him, "Henry?"

"Yeah?" the boy said, stopping to look back.

"I truly am sorry." Killian could not say what for. He was about to destroy this child's life, and he could see no way to avoid it now. But he did feel guilty, and he could acknowledge that. Perhaps one day Henry would look back on this moment and understand the real reason behind his apology.

Henry smiled. "You were upset. I forgive you."

Killian gave him a tight smile, the knot in his stomach creeping up into his chest. He watched Henry job up the path beside the mill that led to the main road, and shook his head. He was a good lad, which made him feel worse, damn it.

"So," Emma said as soon as Henry was out of earshot. "What did you want to speak to me about?"

He pulled in a deep breath, turning back to her, and offering Emma a charming smile. "I come bearing an offer."

She seemed unimpressed, whether with his opener or with his smile, he did not dare guess. Likely both. "An offer?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

"Mm," he confirmed. He stepped away, turning to look out over the pond where the moon was reflected in the dark water. "While I was away, I had an interesting conversation with your step-grandmother."

"Regina?" Emma asked, retreating from him with wide eyes. "You spoke with Regina?"

"Aye," he said. "We had a chat. She has an offer for you."

Emma stepped back, putting even more distance between them. "Are you crazy? Why are you telling me this? Why are you even here?" she demanded, her voice rising.

"Easy, Swan," he soothed her, moving forward to try to calm her, but she pulled away when he reached out as if he had admitted to having a deadly disease.

Emma shook her head, her mouth hardening into a frown. "An offer? From the Evil Queen? She wants to kill me, you remember that, don't you? She wants to destroy my whole family."

"She wanted to destroy your mother," Killian corrected. "She's willing to let you live, if you agree to her terms."

She pulled in a deep breath, closing her eyes. "'Her terms?'" she asked.

He took a deep breath, tapping his fingers against his thigh. "The Queen wants you to renounce all claim to the throne, and go to live in exile in another Realm…"

He stopped, unable to go on. He cleared his throat, attempting to wet his suddenly dry mouth and finish the Queen's ultimatum, but Swan beat him to it. Clever lass, she stared at him with betrayal in her eyes as she finished for him.

"I'm to go without Henry, though, aren't I?"

He swallowed past the tightness in his throat and forced himself to confirm, "Aye, without Henry. The lad returning to Regina is part of the deal."

"Are you joking?" Emma demanded, her voice rising. "Are you actually serious right now? My son was just rescued from Regina's Knights, and now you want me to hand him over to her?"

"It's not ideal—"

"Not ideal?" she cut him off. "I abandoned my son once already, I'm not about to leave him again."

Killian shook his head. "No, Swan. Regina took him from you; that's not the same thing."

"No, I did," she insisted. "You were right about me being angry at my father and Aunt Red, about how they stopped looking for me. But the truth is, I did same thing to Henry. I abandoned him as much as my father abandoned me. I gave up hope of finding him, of finding any of them. I stopped looking, too. I stopped trying to get him back, and instead, I hid…because it was easier. But I'm not going to do it again. I just got him back. I'm not going to let him go again."

So she saw that, did she? He had wondered if she noticed the parallel between herself and her father, each one losing hope of finding their children and hiding from life instead. She did see it, and she was willing to face it. Good for her.

She turned away and planted her hands on her hips. She pulled in a deep breath, shaking her head. "I refuse to give Henry back to that tyrant."

"Think about this, Swan," he urged her, holding his hand out in appeal. "You said yourself that you wouldn't fight her. You said it was impossible to win. You told me that you don't want to be queen."

Emma flinched under the reminders, causing him to wince in sympathy. Hurting her was not what he intended. Not now. Now, he was trying to offer her a chance to survive.

"Don't think of it as giving Henry back to a tyrant," he said. "I believe that Regina loves him, as much as she is capable of loving anyone. The lad was never harmed in her custody. He was pampered and cared for. As a prince, he has every opportunity to become a man worthy of great renown. If you take him with you into exile—even if it's by your own means and not through the Queen," he cut her off when she opened her mouth to argue. "If you take him away, he will end up living as an outcast in society, on the run, constantly looking over his shoulder, just as you will, waiting for the day when Regina's forces catch up with you. At least with Regina, he has a chance to grow up and become the kind of ruler that you feel you cannot be, the kind of king you say your brother would have been. Regina cannot live forever. And when he's king, he can find you again and bring you home."

"Even…" she began, then had to catch her breath to keep her tears at bay. "Even if what you say is true, and Regina lets me live, how could I trust that she wouldn't later decide I was too much of a threat and come after me?"

"You would be safely in another Realm, for one," he pointed out. "Travel between Realms is never easy."

"But if Regina is the one controlling the portal, she can come after me whenever she wants. That's the benefit of her having magic." She huffed and paced away. "The only Realm I know of that Regina's magic wouldn't be a threat is the one she intended to curse us all to live in, the Land Without Magic, the one through the wardrobe…" She pulled in a sharp breath, meeting Killian's gaze with eyes alight with sudden inspiration. "The wardrobe!"

Killian shook his head. "Catch me up here, Swan. You've lost me."

She stepped close to him, her voice lowering but her words speeding up as her excitement mounted. "When Regina was going to cast the Dark Curse, the Blue Fairy told my parents of the last enchanted tree that remained in our kingdom. From the tree, the most skilled craftsman in the land carved a magic wardrobe that would act as a portal from this world to a land without magic, the same one that Regina's curse would banish us to. I was supposed to go through it ahead of the curse so that I wouldn't get caught up in it. That way, when I was old enough, I could break the curse because I'm the Savior—or, I was supposed to be." She waved her Savior-status off like a buzzing fly, her face pursed in irritation. "When the curse didn't come, my parents stored the wardrobe away to prevent anyone using it, in case it was ever needed in the future. Regina never knew about the wardrobe, so she would have no reason to go looking for it!"

"And you think this wardrobe will be able to take you to safety," he surmised. It was silly to be proud of her for such a painful insight, but here Emma stood, willing to fight for her son, if not her kingdom, and his heart swelled to see it.

"In a world with no magic, Regina would be powerless," she insisted. "And since she's not exactly known for getting her hands dirty by fighting fairly, I would be the one who had the upper hand in such a Realm. And best of all, I could take Henry with me and she would be completely incapable of following."

"How many people would this wardrobe transport?" he asked, frowning.

"My friend Pinocchio said it could only take two," she said, her breath shallow in her delight. "That's what makes it so perfect!"

"And you trust your friend?"

She nodded, saying, "He was the closest thing I ever had to a big brother. He confessed that his father had intended to send him through the wardrobe without telling my parents that the portal would take two. But when we were older, he said that he had to tell the truth, or he wouldn't be able to live with himself should the curse come and there was a chance I might be sent alone."

"How gallant of him," Killian muttered, annoyed that he felt a twinge of jealousy that Emma seemed to hold her friend's actions in high esteem when there was still the matter of the initial lie which may have separated her from her family had the curse been enacted when Regina had originally planned.

Emma frowned at him. "Pinocchio was far from perfect, believe me. He struggled with doing the right thing his whole life, but he did his best. He became a knight in my parents' army, and from what my father said, he died trying to protect my little brother. So yes, I trust what he told me all those years ago…because I believe that he would have done anything to make sure my family was safe."

Killian nodded deeply, accepting her defense of her friend. No, she had called him family, so she had lost two brothers to Regina. And she still wanted to run rather than fight. I did not understand her.

"How can you not want vengeance?" he wondered. "I, too, lost my brother. When he died, I wanted nothing more than to make the person responsible pay."

"Did it bring him back?" she asked, throwing her arms wide. "Did the one you wanted to make pay actually feel badly about what he did?"

He clenched his jaw and looked away, rolling his tongue across the back of his teeth. His king had probably never noticed Liam's death beyond the fact that he did not get the Dreamshade poison. The war that had raged between his kingdom and their neighbor had continued on, unchecked, for years afterward. Nothing had changed except Killian and his crew. It was a constant burn in his chest that his brother's death had meant so little to the man who had set him on his course.

"So, no?" Emma surmised from his silence. "Then what good did your vengeance do? What good would it do for me to pursue revenge against Regina for James or Pinocchio or my mother? They'll still be gone, and I risk losing even more people I love. If I can leave with Henry, then we're safe. I don't have to lose him again. I have a chance to move on and be happy."

Killian licked his lips, still refusing to look at her. She could not be right. If she was…then what the hell was he doing with his life? But then, he had no one else to live for. He did not have a child or a family to think of, not like Emma did. She was surrounded by people who loved her, and that meant they could be used against her. He had no one, so his revenge could hurt no one but himself.

But Emma had Henry. And, he realized, he could not take the boy away from her, despite all the logical reasons that he had given himself to justify returning him to Regina. And if he could get Emma and Henry to safety without the Queen finding out, he may be able to salvage his agreement with her to kill the Crocodile.

"Alright, Swan," he yielded. "You believe you can take Henry with you if you flee the Realm. If so, and if you can make it look like I was not aiding you," he added, holding up a warning finger, "then I'll help. Where is this wardrobe you're seeking?"

Emma smiled for a moment before a new thought creased her brow in agitation. "It's in Castle Saint-George."

Killian took a deep breath, closing his eyes as a headache formed behind his eyes. "You mean the castle that Henry ran away from? The one in which Regina is currently residing?"

"That's the one."

So, they would have to evade the Evil Queen and he Black Knights in order to get the wardrobe.

Unless they wouldn't.

"Then perhaps you need to see Regina after all," he suggested.


Author's Note: Oh my god, this chapter gave me SO MUCH TROUBLE! You have no idea. And now, Hook and Emma are off on a side-mission. Stay tuned to see what happens when Regina and Emma meet face-to-face.

Also, if you want to see what I imagine little Roland would grow up into, look for pictures of Diego Boneta. I think he and Sean Maguire share a lot of physical similarities, and he also has the darker skin tone, eye color, and hair that Roland inherited from Marion on the show. I think Diego could pass as an older Roland, so that's my casting choice.