I'm so sorry updates haven't been regular. So many things are going on at the moment. I'll try to get back onto a weekly update track again soon.
This is based sometime in the first half of season six.
Thank you for all the follows, favorites, and reviews!
Gone
Emma couldn't help the smile that wiggled its way onto her face as she pulled into her—no, their—driveway. Her shift was finally over after an exhausting day dealing with the havoc the dwarves had caused trying to find the Evil Queen.
"They were just trying to help," David had said in a half-hearted defense after she'd finished shouting at the gang of brothers.
She'd glared at her father before opening the driver's door of the patrol car. "Next time they want to help, they can bring me a grilled cheese."
David had offered to buy her dinner before she went home, but Emma declined. She knew Killian would have something much healthier prepared for her when she returned home. After dropping her father off at the station, though, she stopped at the store to replenish their ice cream supply, which had started depleting quicker since Killian moved in.
As she opened the front door, she braced herself for the inevitable aroma of food that was going to hit her. When it didn't, her eyebrows furrowed and she stepped inside.
"Killian, I'm home!" A tingling of giddiness filled her. Three years ago, she would have laughed in someone's face if they told her she would be living with both of her True Loves with her parents and brother less than five minutes away. The three words were small, but they never failed to bring a grin to her face.
Her voice echoed in the empty house. She peered into the kitchen only to find it vacant. One of her many cookbooks that her mother had gifted her was open on the counter next to the stove. Her heart jumped when she saw a flame dancing underneath the pot on the stove. Swiftly, she turned the burner off and looked into the pot. Cooked meat, beans, and other foods she couldn't quite make out sat inside. It smelt burnt.
A frown made its way onto her face as worry wormed its way through her. Killian would never leave the stove on, especially with dinner on top of it. If her heart hadn't started picking up pace, she might have smiled and rolled her eyes at the neatness in which Killian had organized all the ingredients for their meal on the counter.
"Killian! Killian, are you home?" she called as she ascended the stairs. It wasn't like him not to greet her at the door. She didn't like the dark feeling that was slowly filling her.
A look into their room and bathroom showed her he wasn't there. She checked Henry's room and then the laundry room. Desperate, she walked into the basement she hated entering. She was met with tan pebbles and metal bars.
When she got back upstairs, she pulled her phone out and called him. It rang and rang. Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.
"Emma told me to say something, but I don't know—I'm supposed to do what?—But no one's on the other end, Swan! You must be mad if—"
The beep sounded and Emma spoke quickly, "Killian, can you please call me? I'm worried. You're not home and the stove was on. Where are you?" She waited a second, hoping he would pick up before hanging up and walking back into the kitchen. Maybe he left a note. He still hated sending texts, preferring to just leave a slip of paper with his whereabouts so she didn't worry.
A sigh of relief left her when she spotted a neatly folded piece of paper on the cookbook. She opened it eagerly, hoping that she was about to find out where he was. The handwriting on the paper, however, wasn't the one she had come to love.
Hello, Miss Swan. I'll make this brief—I have your dashing pirate. I won't go into specifics as to why. This would be a terribly long note if I did. If you wish to see your True Love again, meet me at the townline at dusk.
The Evil Queen
Emma crumpled the note in her hand as soon as she finished reading it, anger coursing through her. She smoothed out the note and read it again and again. The more she did, the more moisture pooled in her eyes.
The Evil Queen had him, and she wasn't going to give him up without a fight.
The clock on the wall read 6:07. Dusk wasn't for almost an hour. Who knew what that witch was doing to Killian right now?
Her hands shook slightly as she took her phone out again. She tried to call Killian, hoping someone would pick up, but no one did. Instead of trying again like she wanted to, she called Regina.
"What is it, Emma? Henry and I are about to eat dinner."
"Killian's gone," she blurted out. "The Evil Queen has him."
"What?"
Emma closed her eyes briefly. "I found a note from her. She told me to meet her at the townline at dusk. Regina, what could she want with him?"
There was muffled conversation on the other end. Emma assumed Regina had either left the room or told Henry to. Gosh, if something happened to Killian, how would she tell Henry?
Emma gripped the table for support, the world spinning underneath her.
"I'm not sure. The protection spell is around town, so no one can leave."
"I'm going to the townline," she said, her mind made up. She wanted to be there as soon as the Evil Queen showed up, hopefully with Killian. Thankfully, she hadn't taken her jacket or shoes off, having been too preoccupied with wanting to see Killian.
"I'll be there soon."
Emma froze. "No! Stay with Henry. If the Evil Queen captured Killian, who knows who else she'll go after next?"
Regina hesitated. "You can't face her by yourself, Emma."
"Stay with Henry. I'll be fine."
The mayor sighed. "Be careful."
"Always am." She hung up and fished her keys out of her pocket.
Emma stopped her Bug a few yards away from the red line. As soon as she parked, she was out of the car and searching for Killian and the Evil Queen. She couldn't sit idly by while Killian was in danger. Maybe they were already here, waiting for her. She could imagine the Evil Queen watching her with amusement.
After five minutes of pacing, she called her dad, letting him know what was going on. He hung up with a promise of being there as fast as he could.
It was another twenty minutes before his truck pulled up. Her parents exited the car, rushing up to her.
"What happened?"
Emma shook her head, shaking her arms out. "I… I don't know. I came home and this was on the counter." She shoved the wrinkled note into her mother's hands. Her hand gave an involuntary shake.
"Regina should be here," David said, watching his daughter's face anxiously. "We'd have a better shot of getting Hook if she was here. Snow and I can watch Henry and Neal."
"No, Regina needs to protect them."
Snow handed the note back to her. "She can put a protection spell around the house. We'll be with them. If your magic fails…."
Her mother had a point. She hadn't given a single thought to her temperamental magic in the last forty minutes, not since she saw the Evil Queen's handwriting, not since she realized Killian was in danger.
Reluctantly, she nodded. "Call Regina. There isn't much time so she should just use her magic to transport and everything."
Snow pulled her daughter into a hug, David following suit. "It's going to be okay, Emma."
Emma didn't have a response, so she just gave them another small nod. "Go." Her hands brushed her eyes, wiping the tears that threatened to fall as she stepped back.
Regina appeared a minute later, David calling her as soon as Emma pulled away. She magicked David and Snow away, assuring Emma she put a protection spell on her house using Henry's blood, making it impossible for the Evil Queen to get inside unless Henry let her.
"Smart trick, Regina, but I'm not after my son."
Emma whirled around, her eyes widening at the sight of Killian. He was barely standing, the grip the Evil Queen had on his arm probably the only thing keeping him upright. Emma was reminded of how he looked when she had found him in the Underworld—bloody and bruised.
"Killian!"
Regina grabbed Emma's arm when she advanced forward. "Hold on." Louder, she said, "What do you want, Queenie?"
"I'm glad you asked." The Evil Queen shoved Killian to the ground. He let out a grunt, wincing strongly as he collided to the ground.
Emma strained against Regina's grip, her eyes locked on her pirate.
The Evil Queen focused on Emma. "I told you I would show how pointless you are. What kind of Savior lets their own True Love die?"
Emma's eyes snapped to the queen. "What…what are you talking about?"
"Oh, did I forget to mention?" She laughed innocently, waving her hand. A glowing red heart appeared in her hands. A sob lodged itself in Emma's throat. "Must have slipped my mind."
Emma yanked her arm from Regina's grasp and held up her shaking hands. "Let him go. Give me his heart."
"Ah ah ah." She wiggled her finger in front of her. "That's not how this works. There is only one thing that can save your pirate now."
"What do you want?" she spat, her eyes flickering to Killian. He was staring at her, his eyes wide with fear. She had to fix that.
With a flourish, the Evil Queen pulled the Shears of Destiny out of thin air. "I believe you know what these are."
Emma's heart stumbled. "How did you get those? Killian put them—"
"—at the bottom of the sea?" she interrupted. "I know. Did you really think that would keep them from me? I once thought you Charmings were clever, but I've come to the conclusion that it is purely luck that has kept you filthy people alive."
"What do you want us to do with the shears?" Regina demanded.
"Isn't it obvious? I want Emma to use them. If she ever wants to hold poor Captain Hook in her arms again while he's still breathing, she will cut away her destiny."
From the look Killian was giving her, Emma figured he already knew of this plan.
"Emma…don't," he groaned in a far weaker voice than Emma would have liked to hear.
"So what will it be, Savior? True Love or your precious magic?"
She knew it was more than that. Her magic wasn't the reason she hadn't used the shears. She hadn't used them because she needed her destiny to protect her family, to protect Killian, but she couldn't even do that.
"You're bluffing," Regina claimed, but Emma could tell she didn't believe that.
"Oh, am I?" She closed her hand around the heart in her palm. Killian squeezed his eyes closed, letting out a painful hiss.
"Stop!" Emma cried desperately. "Stop, please! Just stop!"
The Evil Queen twirled the Shears of Destiny around her fingers. "Does that mean you'll do as I ask?"
Emma stared at Killian. He shook his head, looking right back at her. She knew she couldn't let him die, not again, not because of her again.
"Give them to me."
"Emma, no," Killian wheezed out.
Regina stepped closer to Emma. "Are you sure?"
She shot a glare at her. "What would you do if he was Robin?"
Regina closed her mouth.
"Give me his heart first." Emma approached them slowly, holding her hand out.
The Evil Queen frowned. "I guess." A smirk danced across her face. She pulled her arms back and tossed the red orb into the air.
Emma held her hand up, praying her magic would work. The heart froze in midair before gently sailing toward her. With his heart in her hand, she moved forward. Even without his heart, the Evil Queen could still hurt Killian.
"Now," the sorceress purred, "I will do the honors." She raised the shears, opening them. A gleam of victory shone in her eyes.
In a blur, the queen was knocked down. A grunt of pain, a shriek, a cloud of purple smoke. When it cleared, Killian was laying on a different part of the ground, breathing heavily. The shears stuck out of his chest.
"Killian!" Emma screamed. She surged forward, Regina at her heels. She collapsed to her knees next to him. Her hands shook as she tried to wave it over the shears. She turned her frightened eyes to Regina. "Do something!"
Regina didn't need anymore permission. She moved her hand over the shears in two swift movements. The shears appeared in her hand and then the wound disappeared. Before Emma could take a breath, the mayor waved her hand from Killian's head down to his feet, his cuts and bruises disappearing in its wake.
Emma pushed past Regina to touch Killian's face. She swiped her thumb across his cheek. "Killian, are you okay? Can you hear me?"
His eyes fluttered open, a warm breath puffing from his lips.
Emma's body relaxed. She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. "I'm going to put your heart back now. Brace yourself." His hand closed around her arm, holding it tight. Softer than she had last time, she pushed the heart into his chest.
"Thank you, love," he whispered, pushing himself up with Emma's help. As soon as he was standing, he pulled Emma into his chest, burying his face in her hair.
Emma held him close. "I'm glad you're okay."
"It's all thanks to you."
"And Regina."
He turned his head to Regina, still holding Emma. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Anytime, Hook." She waved him off. "I'm going to go home and check on Henry and your parents, Emma."
Emma shifted, sliding her arm around Killian's waist and facing Regina. "Tell Henry we'll see him in a bit. I know he'll want to make sure Killian's okay. Same with my parents."
Killian's grip on Emma tightened.
"Of course." The former queen disappeared.
Emma took Killian's face into her hands, searching for any wounds that may not have healed. "How do you feel?"
He grasped Emma's wrist gently, swiping his thumb over it. "I'm all right, love. I promise."
Tears filled her eyes. "What did she do to you?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle."
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I couldn't save you. My magic—"
"You have nothing to apologise for, Emma. None of this is your fault."
She nodded, unconvinced. She didn't want to talk about it anymore, only wanted to curl up on the couch with him. She'd almost lost him today. The thought alone was almost enough to break her.
"Let's go home," he suggested, as if he could read her mind. His eyes blew wide. "The stove is still on."
A soft smile appeared on her face. "No, I turned it off. It's okay. Dinner's not, though."
His face darkened. "Bloody witch. It took me forever to cut up the onions."
She snorted and grabbed his hand. "Come on."
After reuniting with their family for a dinner at Regina's house, Emma and Killian headed home, much to Henry's dismay.
"We'll see you tomorrow," Emma told him, hugging him close.
"I know," he'd mumbled before throwing his arms around Killian and whispering something to him that Emma couldn't hear.
When they got home, the two cleaned up the kitchen, Killian glaring at the pot of burnt dinner for a whole minute before Emma tossed it in the trash. As soon as they finished, Emma pulled Killian to the couch and curled into his side. He tucked a blanket around them, kissing her head multiple times.
"Why didn't you want me to do it?" Emma asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Do what, love?"
"Use the shears."
He sighed, his breath tickling her nose. "I kept thinking of Aladdin and Henry. He seems so miserable without his magic, without the ability to do his Savior duties. I didn't want you to feel that way."
Emma leaned back to look at him. "You don't think I'd be miserable without you?"
He shrugged. "I wasn't thinking straight."
She smiled softly. "You weren't. What about Henry?"
"Henry, well, when we were aboard the Nautilus, he told me about how you being the Savior brought you two together. He didn't want to lose that. I didn't want him to either, especially at my expense."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "If I wasn't the Savior anymore, it wouldn't change anything about me being his mom."
"I don't think that's what he meant, love."
After a moment, anger flashed through her eyes. "The Evil Queen needs to go."
Killian pulled Emma back against his chest, running his hand through her hair. "Let's not think about that right now."
Emma's body relaxed and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I thought I lost you. When I read the Evil Queen's note—"
"Shh, love. I'm here. That danger has passed."
She nodded, turning her face into his chest. "I love you."
He pressed his lips to her head, holding them there for a moment before mumbling, "I love you, too. More than you know."
I hope you enjoyed thischapter!