A/N: I do not own OUAT or their amazing characters. I have no beta, so any mistakes are my own, I do my best to edit them out. Enjoy! – BS
Chapter 7
Killian couldn't believe his eyes. There was Henry, standing in front of him, not just in the visions he had from the curse, but in the flesh.
"If you could be so kind to unlock my shackles lad, I would very much like to hug my son." Killian said, as he smiled even wider.
Henry was choking back tears. It has worked, he couldn't believe it. He nodded and unchained the right side and then the left. Killian's arms dropped, and he rolled his shoulders, feeling his back pop in about 30 different places. He looked down at his left arm and saw attached at the end was his hook where it should be. Killian looked back up at Henry and embraced him hard. Henry let out a sob and hugged back tightly.
Hope was off to the left watching the scene before her, tears falling silently. They needed this moment. It was obvious to her that Henry saw Killian as his dad, not his step dad but his own flesh and blood. He had needed him, just as she did but she would wait her turn. It made her heart swell that she got to witness her father and her brother's reunion. Her family was falling back into place.
"Shh, easy lad its ok." Killian said to Henry, squeezing tightly. "Everything is ok now, yeah?"
Henry took a step back nodding and wiping his face. "Sorry, dad I didn't mean to lose it on you."
Killian let out a chuckle, "That's alright my boy, it seems the situation was appropriate." He looked his son up and down. "Gods, lad look at you, you look like a bloody pirate."
"Yeah well who do you think has been babysitting the Jolly in your stead?" Henry retorted.
"Oh aye, such a burden is it?" Both men laughed and Killian clapped Henry on the back.
Henry glanced to the left at Hope, watching her smile at them, letting them have their moment. Henry smiled and his sister and nodded. It was her turn.
"Hey dad, there's someone I want you to meet again." Henry said turning back to Killian
"What the devil do you mean again?" Killian asked eyebrow raised.
Hope looked at her father, Well I see where I get that now, she thought.
All her insecurities came flooding back in tenfold now that the moment was here. She wanted to turn and run, hide so he never had to be disappointed in her, but she stayed planted. It was now or never.
Henry walked over to Hope, and Killian noticed her there for the first time. There was something familiar to him about her, but he said nothing, waiting for Henry to explain. Henry took her hands.
"You ready?" He asked barley above a whisper, giving her hands a squeeze.
Hope nodded. Henry dropped his hands from hers and she followed her brother. Holy shit I'm going to vomit, she thought.
Hope walked until she was right in front of Killian, face to face with the man she resembled so closely. She held her breath, preparing for the worst.
"Dad," Henry said coming over Killian's left shoulder, "I'd like you to meet your daughter, Hope Elizabeth Swan-Jones."
Killian couldn't believe what he was seeing. This couldn't be, could it? He knew Henry vowed to find her, but had he actually done it? Her hair was brown with golden shimmers weaved through it, her eyes mirrored Emma's and her bone structure was a mix of the two of them, this had to be her. A glint of metal caught his eye and on her hip, he spotted a very special cutlass with a matching stone to his ring. He knew. It was her. Killian was not very emotional normally, pirate's reputation and all but screw it today.
"Hope, lass is it really you?" Killian asked softly, his emotions breaking through his voice.
Hope nodded, tears flowing down her face. She got it together long enough to speak softly, "Hi Dad."
Killian embraced Hope hard against his chest, tucking her under his chin completely losing any control over his emotions. The tears flowed freely now down his face as Hope sobbed into his chest, her body shaking in his embrace. Her father was holding her, Her father. She squeezed tighter around his waist, as if he would vanish if she let him go. Henry watched, and tears rolled down his cheeks, his sister and her father finally reunited. He knew this was going to be emotional, but none of them were prepared for this. Killian started to sway, rocking her back and forth.
"Oh, my darling lass," Killian said between sobs. "Shh it's ok. I'll never leave you again, I swear it. I am so sorry my girl."
Hope was able to calm down enough to release the death grip on her father's shirt and look up at him, a small smile playing at her lips. Killian brought his right hand across her cheeks wiping away her tears.
"Ah, there's my starfish," He said with a smile. Killian took a step back and looked over his daughter again. "You look so much like your mother. You'll have to forgive your dear old dad for getting so emotional. Bad form for a pirate captain." Killian turned to Henry. "Thank you, lad, you brought back to me."
Henry smiled, wiping his face. "It was nothing Dad, I needed her too. But we can catch up more on the jolly. We need to get the hell out of here before they realize you're gone."
"Aye. Lead the way my boy."
The trio headed past about a hundred more prisoners chained up down from Killian's spot. Hope started to hum again to tune out the noise, but her thoughts were going about a million miles a second. She had just found her birth father and it was a moment she had dreamt of her entire life. He held her as she cried, like Fathers do. There were no harsh words to her, no beatings. Just a father who missed his daughter probably just as much as she missed him. Her thoughts were interrupted by a warm squeeze to her shoulder. She looked up to her father at her side. Killian smiled down at her, distracting her from the grotesque sights around them.
"I know that look," he mused, "Your mother gets the same look when she is thinking too hard. I know this is a lot Starfish, but on the Jolly, we will catch up some more and I can answer questions you have to the best of my ability, Yeah?"
"Yeah." Hope said with a smile. Killian released her shoulder and the two walked side by side, Him never leaving her side as if he was trying to shield her from the sights around them. Hope knew she was a little old for that, but she didn't say anything. It was nice to be around someone who gave a shit.
"The door is just up ahead." Henry called out.
An ear deafening screech started sounding through the cavern, like an alarm echoing through the halls. The sound of footsteps rattled the stone floor.
"Run!" Killian cried out.
The family broke into a sprint, reaching the end of the cavern as fast as they could. The door was sealed, the ocean could be just outside. They were in the right place they just had to get though. At that moment the guards were closing in. Henry reached in his satchel and tossed Killian his cutlass and Henry drew his sword.
"Hope get the door open!" Henry shouted.
Hope felt around the door for something, anything that would open it. The edges were smooth and there was no lever, nothing. They were trapped.
Royal Blood is the only thing that will open the door.
Henry's words came rushing back. Without hesitation Hope reached in her boot and grabbed a dagger. She unwrapped her injured hand and sliced over the wound reopening it, blood gushing out as she slammed her hand to the middle of the door. The door rattled and lifted slowly revealing the beach, three feet below them.
"Henry! Dad! Now!" She cried out standing in the doorway.
Hope jumped down, rolling on the sand, followed by Henry and finally Killian. The door slammed shut a second later, beheading a guard that tried to follow, the body slamming down next to Killian. Hope looked up in a panic, and once she spotted her family she calmed down. She stood slowly and made her way to Killian wrapping her hand. She saw the body as she helped him up, her stomach churning at the sight.
"Well that's just lovely." She muttered
"Aye. Doors got a bit of a bite." Killian chided next to her.
"Yeah cutting it a little close don't you think?" Henry said to Killian, tying the scarf on this sister's hand. Killian chuckled, looking at his children and seeing nothing but Emma glaring back at him. His heart constricted in her chest. He missed his wife, his love.
"My apologies." Killian insisted, "Shall we? My ship is waiting."
The three made their way to the dinghy tied to a rock, thankfully unharmed. Killian and Henry pushed the dinghy out and jumped in. Killian closed his eyes and relished in the sunlight, feeling the spay of the water, the smell of the sea. It has been for too long.
"No, my left your right dummy!" Hope's voice broke him out of his trance. Killian looked at his daughter, watching her navigate the jagged rocks and his son, rowing heeding her directions. She sounded too much like Emma, using a tone he had been threatened with many times. Killian just smiled and shook his head. They approached the Jolly Roger in all her glory. He couldn't tear his eyes away from his beloved vessel. He had been away from her far too long. Killian and Henry connected the dinghy to the ropes and hoisted her back up and the trio got back on deck one by one. As Killian's feet hit the main deck he could no longer contain his joy, running around his ship like a kid in a candy store. Hope and Henry stood against the side rail watching their father, laughing.
"I think he's lost it" Hope whispered in a giggle.
"Oh, Henry my lad, you've done a grand job with her. She's in top shape!" Killian bellowed from the helm.
"Thanks Dad." Henry said from main deck, glancing at Hope who was still getting her laughter under control. Killian rejoined his children on deck and smiled at them. He stood at the side and looked at the cliff face, his smiling falling. He was thinking about the hell he had endured for... He didn't know how long.
"Dad? You ok?" Hope pled quietly, stepping toward him.
"Aye Starfish, I am. Just hard to believe I am no longer in that godforsaken pit." Killian whispered quietly, wrapping his daughter in a hug. "Our journey has only just begun."
"I know," She sighed, "But we'll do it together."
"Just like our family always does." Henry chimed in.
"Aye, that we do."
"So, what's the plan?"
"Well Henry, I want to get out of view of this bloody cliffside. We'll sail to the other side of the cliffs and anchor for the evening and figure out our heading in the morning."
"Aye, Aye, Captain!" both Henry and Hope exclaimed, getting the ship ready to sail. Killian made his way to the helm. He ran this ran over the deep cherry wood and over the P and S carved in the top of it from long ago. He was home, well almost. All he was missing was his darling Emma.
I will find you, Emma, he thought as the started to sail, I will go to the ends of the earth if I must and I will bring you home.
Killian sailed the Jolly seamlessly to the other side of the cliffs anchoring far enough off shore that rocks wouldn't be a problem. Henry lowered the anchor and the commands of his father as his sister prepared dinner. Killian rejoined his son on deck, having spent too much time from him already. The table from the galley was along the starboard side of the ship, overlooking the water. Emma had placed it there long ago, telling him the view of the sea was much better than the wood walls in the galley.
"Dad? You ok?" Henry asked, seeing the storms in his father's eyes.
"Aye lad, just thinking about your mom." Killian quipped joining his son at the table.
"I miss her. She's on my mind all the time."
"As she is mine, well normally now anyway. How long has it been Henry?"
Henry hesitated, "Twenty years,".
"That bloody sorceress has had our family separated for twenty fucking years?! That makes Hope."
"Twenty-one, she just turned twenty-one."
"Bloody hell, her birthday was 4 days ago." Killian murmured rubbing his hand over his face.
"Yeah, it took me a long time to find her, I finally got a hit two years ago, but she can cover her tracks like Mom could, so it took some time to track her down, but I got her."
"Where were you before that since you were immune?"
"Here, bunking out with Jefferson and Ruby. They were in Wonderland when the curse was cast so they didn't get hit either."
Killian nodded, listening to his son. Twenty years? Vengeance on this evil bitch would be one he would deliciously savor, Yzma took everything from him and he was going to return the favor tenfold.
Hope came back up on deck with a tray of food, a water pitcher and glasses and a bottle under her arm. Henry got up and ran to help her, grabbing the bottle and the water walking with her over to the table. She set the tray in the middle as Henry poured water for them all and Hope took a seat next to Henry, across from Killian. Killian looked at the tray in front of him and he couldn't believe his eyes. Cheeseburgers were on one half of the tray and homemade French fries were on the other.
"Lass, how did you manage this?" Killian praised to Hope.
She shrugged. "Henry said you loved cheeseburgers. I figured I should at least give it a shot."
"They look amazing darling. Thank you."
Hope smiled at him reaching for a burger. The family sat in silence for most of the meal, everyone starving from the day they had. Hope looked around at both Henry and Killian, she was having a family meal, with her dad and her brother. A happy feeling bubbled up in her chest. She had never known what she had been missing.
After dinner Henry cleared the tray and water glasses. When he returned with three snifters in hand, Killian opened the rum sitting on the table. Hopefully the stories that were about to unfold were going to come easier with alcohol. Killian poured three fingers for each of them and set the bottle back in the middle of the table.
"Hope give me your hand, we need to clean your cut." Henry insisted. Hope brought her hand on the table reluctantly. Henry unwrapped it laid it flat on the table, pouring rum over the top.
"OW! Son of a..." Hope balled up her other fist and punched her brother in the chest.
"Oh, chill you big baby it's just rum. The alcohol cleans the cut."
"Well a little warning would have been nice, Jackass."
Killian laughed watching his children, the banter between the like they had never been separated. The thought clenched Killian's chest, thinking of what his family could have been. Hope let out another yelp of pain as Henry tied an actual bandage on her hand. Hope grabbed the bottle from the middle of the table and took a large swig and swallowed without a flinch. Killian's eyebrows raised almost to his hairline.
"Well, if I had any doubts you were my daughter lass, that just confirmed it." Killian teased. Hope gave him a brilliant smile in return.
"There you're done, you wuss." Henry chortled. Hope stuck her tongue out at her brother and took a sip of rum. Killian laughed and took a deep breath. It was time to talk serious.
"Hope," Killian began, "I know this is going to be hard conversation to have love, but I need to know about your life, as much as you want to share."
Hope studied her hands for a minute, she could do this, it was family right?
"Shouldn't we wait for mom?" She asked quietly,
Killian and Henry shared a look across the table. They had a feeling they were not going to like what they were going to hear. "Aye, it would be ideal to wait for Emma, but I don't know when we will find her, and I honestly can't wait lass. I can fill her in later." Henry nodded in agreement.
"Ok." She began, "I grew up in Maine for a few years, and then I got sent to the foster system in Boston. The family who had me didn't want me anymore for whatever reason, so I was bounced around from home to home, most of them really shitty. People only taking foster kids for the money. People who burnt kids with cigarettes for accidentally taking the last piece of pie or hit them across the face for singing too loud."
Hope took a large drink of rum and continued. "I was in my last foster home in New York City and by the time I was 16 and I had enough so I took off, started making my life my own. I graduated high school, got an apartment and a job in Augusta, Maine. That's when I met Alexander." she paused, taking a deep breath looking at her father. Killian nodded for her to continue.
"Alexander or more commonly known as Alex was handsome, with sandy blonde hair. I caught him my front door attempting to pick the lock with a couple of bobby pins... I fell for him hard and we moved in together after 2 months. When things were good they were great. But most of the time I was being berated and being told I wasn't good enough, being accused of sleeping around, and not doing enough for him. He went to prison for a year while were together for larceny of a firearm. I paid for him to have phone minutes, food, clothes; everything."
Hope hadn't notice she was gripping on to her father's hook for dear life, but she continued. "On my birthday two years ago, I came home from work and he was in bed with my best friend Bella. He told me I just wasn't enough. I kicked them both out, but not before I kick him in the balls as hard as I could and punched her in the face."
Killian crack a partial smile to the last part. His little girl was a tough lass just like Emma
Hope finished her rum and poured more in her glass. "After 4 years together, I turned my back on him and never looked back. I moved back to New York, I applied for college, had my dog, and worked. What he did to me was just a reminder, that no one could ever love a little lost girl."
The table was silent for a few moments. Killian was fuming, as was Henry. Killian couldn't believe that fate sentenced her to a similar fate to Emma. Hadn't been enough putting one of them through it? He vowed when they got back to the land without magic he would find this Alexander and make sure he paid for what he did to his daughter.
Killian finally spoke, "What are you in school for love?"
"Criminal Justice, I want to be a criminal investigator." She whispered, through broken sobs...
"Aye, that's wonderful Starfish. What is it you do for employment?"
"I'm a bail bondsperson."
Killian's eyes shot up over the table to Henry. Henry nodded quietly, trying his best to hold back tears.
"You know Emma, your mom, she used to do that yeah?" Killian lamented.
"Yeah, Henry told me. He said I'm a lot like her." Hopes eyes were still glued to her lap, right hand gripping the hook across from her.
"Aye darling, that you are. You say you have a dog? Where is it?"
"He's with Ruby and Jefferson. Henry said it wasn't safe for him to come with us."
"Your brother is right love." Killian stood swiveling to kneel in front of his daughter. He looked at Henry, his eyes pleading for a moment alone. Henry nodded, getting up from the table.
"Hey Hopie, you want some chocolate?" Henry queried.
Hope laughed out a sob still looking down. "Yes please."
"Ok, I'll be right back." Henry nodded at Killian and descended the stairs to the galley. Hope released Killian's hook and put her head in her hands. Killian took a deep breath and stood before speaking.
"Hope my darling, Look at me."
She looked up to her father standing in front of her with his hand extended. She took his hand and followed him up to the helm and they sat on the bench just on the other side. Hope released her father's hand looking down at the ground. They were silent for a few moments before Killian spoke.
"Have you read any of the book love?"
Hope nodded, looking over at her father.
"So, you know your mother and I both grew up without our parents?"
She nodded again, wanting him to continue.
Killian stood, walking to the side of the ship looking out over the sea, taking a deep breath. "This is not the life we wanted for you Starfish. We wanted to be there; for everything. But then this bloody curse was threatening Storybrooke yet again. The difference between this curse and the dark curse is that the dark curse you would have been cursed with one of us, since you were so young. But the Curse of Atonement, she would have killed you since you are a key to breaking it. We took you to that convent, so we could save you, and hope that one day you made it back to us."
Killian finally turned to face his daughter. "We love you so much darling. We couldn't let her kill you, you are worth so much more than that." Killian sat next to his daughter again, his eyes red with tears, "I just hope one day you can learn to forgive us. But if know anything, know this; You are not a little lost girl. You are the daughter of a princess and a pirate, and you are loved."
Hope looked down at her hands, as her father's words to her sunk in, now that she heard the full story. Her parents wanted to save her life and did whatever they could to do so. They loved her. She was worth it. She was a pirate princess. Her life has been a whirlwind the last few days and at age twenty-one she finally found the beginnings of her family.
Killian stood to leave as Hope sprung up and hurled herself in her father's arms. Killian took a step back from the impact and embraced his daughter. He planted a kiss on top her head.
"I love you Starfish. If you are anything like your mother; which you are, I know it will take time to earn your trust." Killian pulled back to look at her, "But I promise, I don't intend on leaving your side anything soon, Aye?"
"Aye," Hope finally spoke. She rose up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I'm glad I found you finally."
"As am i darling. Come, let's find your brother and figured out next move."
Hope nodded and headed back to the main deck, feeling lighter than she has in years.
Far away in a golden temple, A sneering glare looked out upon the Enchanted Forest. It had been reported to her that the Pirate had escaped his confines. The black clouds started to break apart. Light almost shining through. It seems hope has returned to Misthaven.
Yzma had no room in her plans for hope...