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 9

Yzma was pacing back and forth in her throne room of the golden temple. She had just received word that the Pirate had escaped and that would pose to be a very, very big problem if they found their precious savior. Too bad the Savior wasn't doing much saving these days. Yzma knew that the brat of the savior's had to be behind this; He's the only one who could be; She should have killed Henry when she had the chance. He knew too much and if he had brought his precious little sister from the land with no magic, then she was really going to have problems. They had to be stopped. The heroes were suffering just as they should be and some were dropping like flies from her curse. Yzma was enjoying this far too much to let some brat and his kid sister ruin her fun. She walked over to the mirror, stopping to look at herself. She was dressed in a long black dress that clung to her bony figure, with a purple and blue shell behind her. The woman to was terrifying to the normal person, even though Yzma though she was stunning. Blue, cold eyes and sunken in cheekbones started back at her, an eerie grin creeping along her face.

A blood chilling scream was let out from the cage to Yzma's left. She strolled over to check on her precious pet. In a cage against the wall was Regina. Regina was convulsing from whatever vision had just crossed her brow. She caused so much pain to so many people that Yzma had plenty to choose from.

"Poor Regina," Yzma's voice oozed. "Can't handle the pain you caused as the evil queen? Pity."

Regina wept, convulsing and screamed again. Regina's thoughts were consumed with the hearts she crushed, the pain she caused, and the fact she had no idea where Robin or Henry were. Your fault, your fault. Your fault.

Yzma let out a gleeful sneer and left the throne room. She had a plan. If the pirate and his precious children were on the sea, which they most likely were, then she could cast a spell on the mermaids to kill all of them, and then her problem would be taken care of once and for all. Standing at her table of potions, Yzma got to work, mixing and testing to make sure everything was just right. When satisfied, she dipped a sand dollar into the mixture and watched in glow.

"I have a job for you, fish." She said with a sadistic smile, the spell working on the mermaids instantly.

The pirate would soon no longer be a problem and the Savior would never be free.

In the early hours of the morning, Hope woke up and couldn't fall back asleep, the events of yesterday swirling around in her head. It had been a whirlwind, to find her brother 4 days ago, her father two days ago, and now they were going after her mother. Anxiety started to creep up in Hope's bones. What if her mother didn't like her? What if she wasn't everything Emma had hoped she would be? What if Emma saw her as a disappointment. Unable to fall back asleep, Hope dressed in her pirate garb, pulled on her boots and headed above deck. It was quiet, the sun just barely over the horizon. She walked over and leaned on the railing taking in the sea air when she heard a voice above deck. Curious, Hope walked slowly toward the stairs listening intently.

Killian was at the helm, singing a song that was very familiar to her. His eyes were fixed on the horizon, he looked pensive and a little sad. Hope walked a little closer, watching her father and it hit her. The song he was singing was the sea shanty she sang all the time to calm herself down. As tears sprang to her eyes, she knew she didn't know what was wrong, but she had this overwhelming need to be by her dad.

Hope ascended the stairs to the helm. "Good morning Dad"

Hope's voice shook him from his thoughts, " Ah good morning starfish." He grinned widely. "Sleep well?"

Hope nodded, sitting on the bench near him, "I did, Did you?"

"Aye, better than I have in years. But that wouldn't be hard not being chained up to a wall."

Hope let out a stifled laugh. She could definitely see where she gets her dry sense of humor from, but she could also see a mask when one was present, she mastered them.

"Dad, you ok?" She asked looking up at him

"Aye, why do you ask?"

"You look sad, and I can tell you're not being fully truthful with me."

Killian chuckled and shook his head, "Ah, so you inherited the super power?"

"What superpower?"

"The superpower of being able to tell when someone is lying. Your mother has it as well."

Hope clenched her jaw. It was yet another thing her mother and her had in common. The fear that she would disappoint her mom was slowly seeping up again. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"What is it darling?" Killian asked, raising a brow.

"Nothing I..." Hope paused trying to collect her thoughts. "I just don't want to disappoint Em- I mean mom when I meet her. How do I know she will even like me? What if she sees me as a disappointment? I don't think I could handle that, and what if…."

"Hope Elizabeth," Killian said sternly, ending her rant. Hope looked up at Killian, green meeting blue. "I know it is difficult not knowing about your mother or what she will think of you. But know this; she will love you no matter what because you are her daughter and you are so much like her its bloody frightening."

Hope was starting to get it, "Are you sad because I remind you so much of her?"

Killian eyes went back to the horizon, and his heart caught in chest. "Aye, I miss her more than I can say,"

Hope prepared for the worst

"But I want you to understand something," Killian turned back to his daughter. "I will never, ever regret having you with me. Your remind me of all the wonderful things of Emma and it makes miss her just a little bit easier. I lost you for 20 bloody years thanks to this fucking curse. Emma and I never wanted to give you up and I don't intend to ever again. Do you understand me?"

Hope let the few tears she was holding back fall. Her father was a very passionate man and it was clear that he loved her even after all this time.

Killian took a seat next to Hope and patted her knee. "Forgive me love, got a little passionate there. I don't ever want to hear you talk down on yourself like that again, Savvy?"

Hope smiled, "Savvy."

The pair sat in silence for a few moments, watching the sea. Hope finally spoke.

"Dad, what was your childhood like? I know your like 300 or something like that but I am still curious."

Killian grimaced. He hated talking of his past. But this was his daughter, and she probably had many questions.

"That my darling is not a happy tale, but for my only daughter I shall oblige." Killian launched into his tale of his mother dying in front of him and how his father blamed him but took Liam and Himself on many different ships, only to leave them there and sell them out to servitude. Killian escaped the ship and lived on the streets after Liam had left to attend the Royal naval academy. Liam found him when he was 15, cold, skinny and starving. Liam convinced the captain of the ship he was on to let Killian on as a cabin boy until he was 17. At 17 Killian attended the royal academy and graduated top of his class. After a few years and hard work Killian became Lieutenant to Liam, who was is captain.

"You wouldn't have liked me much then Starfish," Killian continued, "I was a bit stuck up."

Hope laughed, but still focused on her father, "What happened after that?"

Killian stilled, preparing to speak of Liam, "Your uncle gave me a sextant of constellations I didn't recognize, and We went on a mission to Neverland. Our King wanted us to collect a cure known as dream shade, but it wasn't a cure, it was a bloody poison. "Killian hadn't noticed that Henry had joined them, sitting on the other side of his sister. Hope smiled at her brother as they both listened intently to his story. "I tried to warn Liam that it wasn't a cure, that it was a trick, but he was so stubborn that the cut his arm with it and started dying. Peter Pan showed up and told me the water behind the dream shade bushes was the only way to save him, but all magic came with a price. I should have listened. Liam drank the water and we took the ship back to our realm and as soon as we landed, he died in my arms."

Hope was quiet but kept listening, fighting the tears threatening to spill forward.

"After that, I became a pirate and the ship became the Jolly Roger."

Killian looked up, surprised to see Henry sitting there but smiled at his boy," Decided to join us there sleeping beauty?"

"Hey," Henry quipped, "You started story time without me."

Killian laughed, "You know this tale my boy, your sister doesn't."

Hope looked at Killian, "Dad, how did you lose your hand?" She didn't want to ruin the mood, but she was getting to know her father and didn't want to quit just yet.

"I was in love once long before I met Emma," Killian began, walking to the helm. "Milah was the wife of Rumpelstiltskin and wasn't happy with her life. She came aboard my ship and I told Rumple he could have her back if he fought for her. I am a firm believer that a man who is unwilling to fight for he wants, deserves what he gets. He refused to duel me, and I left with her."

Hope looked at Henry, "Your grandfather?" She mouthed to him silently

Henry nodded and they both turned back to Killian as he continued.

"Many years later, Rumple was now the Dark One. He cornered me and asked about Milah. I lied and told him she was dead. He challenged me to a duel and was about to kill me when Milah appeared. She had intercepted the magic bean he had been trying to get and offered it in exchange for our lives. Long story short, He met us on the deck and crushed Milah's heart in front of me, causing her to die in my arms; All because she admitted she had never loved him." Killian paused for a moment, studying the horizon. "He thought the bean was in my left hand and but my hand off at the wrist. After that I used the bean to go to Neverland and I awaited there for 300 years planning my revenge."

Killian walked over and sat next to Hope, "I was not always a good man, Hope. I fell very far from that when I became Captain Hook. I hope you don't think less of me for that now."

Hope shook her head, "I don't, to me it sounds like life just dealt you some shitty cards."

Killian smiled at her, thankful his girl, his daughter didn't see him as a monster.

"I do have a question though, what made you want to be better man again?" Hope continued

Killian flashes a brilliant smile. "Your Mother."

"He gave up his revenge for her" Henry added.

"So, you and Rumple basically came to a truce?"

"In a way starfish. We had to work together to get Henry back when he was kidnapped by people who worked for Pan. After that, it wasn't so important."

"Cause you and mom had your first kiss on the island, right?"

"Aye darling. That's right." Killian sighed

A heavy silence fell over the trio. Hope was trying to swallow all this new information. Her father had been abandoned, dealt with heavy loss, and gave everything up for love. Emma fixed the soul of this broken man with her love. She just couldn't believe how strong this family was. Hope had so many more questions, about Henry's father, about how her parents met, their adventures but she figured they could wait until another day, especially since her father just bore his soul for her and she figured that was not an easy thing for him to do. Killian stood and went back to the helm, an idea striking him as he looked down at the P and S carved into the top from so long ago.

"Starfish," Killian looked over at his daughter "Do you care to try a hand at the helm?"

Hope looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Are you nuts? I don't know how to sail!"

Killian and Henry laughed. "Once you get your bearings, it's easy as pie," Killian said and extended his hand to Hope.

"Go on," Henry urged, pushing his sister up.

Hope walked over to her father with heavy feet. This was not going to end well, she usually destroyed everything she touched. It took her a month to get driving a standard down.

"Get your grip on the helm." Killian showed her where to grab and stepped aside, Hope mimicking his actions.

"Now," He continued pointing at the P carved into the helm bar, "The left side of the ship is call port," Killian pointed at the S next to the P " The right side of the ship is called starboard."

Hope nodded, very focused on the horizon ahead of them.

"Now go two notches port," Killian instructed

Hope did just that, watching the sea ahead of them.

"One notch starboard."

Hope accidentally went two notches to the right and corrected herself, going one left getting the ship in the correct place.

Killian couldn't help the smile across his face. He was teaching his daughter to sail, something he had been dreaming about ever since she was a wee one. She was a complete natural.

"Four notches port." Killian said, watching his daughter. She spun the helm four notches to the left with ease.

"Well done lass," Killian said with pride, earning him a large grin from Hope. "You were born with the sea in your blood."

"Well I am the daughter of Captain Hook," She chided, giving him a look.

Henry let out a laugh and Killian just smiled, "Aye that you are love." He pulled her in a quick hug and placed a kiss on top of her head.

Henry and Hope spent the remainder of the afternoon switching on and off at the helm and sailing with the help of Killian. Once it got dark, Killian showed Hope his sextant and refreshed Henry's memory on how to use it. He showed them constellations and how to sail by them. Killian told his children stories and legends behind each one, the three of them sitting and laughing together. He couldn't help the bubble of love that was forming in his chest. His children were sitting around him, listening, teaching. This was family, all they were missing was Emma. Killian thought for a moment about his beautiful wife, his true love. He missed her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she laughed or when he said something stupid. He missed her soft lips and her body pressed against his, her golden locks strewn across his chest as she slept. All he knew for sure is that he needed her back, no matter the cost.

Emma sat in her tower, looking up at the moon through the window. As the savior, her curse worked a little bit different. When Yzma wasn't torturing the ever-living hell out of her, she could remember everything as normal but when Yzma decided to play her like a puppet it was so much worse, the pain almost unbearable. As the savior, she hadn't conflicted much pain but the pain she had caused was inflicted on her about 100 times over. So many times, she had wanted to give up, to give in, but she made Killian a promise.

My Emma's too strong for that a voice that sounded an awful lot like Killian's came into her head. She knew her pirate, and she knew he was coming for her, no matter how long it took.

She missed her son. Was Henry still fighting for them? Did Jefferson and Ruby take care of him like they promised? Did he still have the heart of the truest believer? Had he found Hope yet? Emma's thoughts then drifted to her daughter. What was she like? Did she look like Killian? Would she forgive them? Emma never wanted Hope to grow up the same way she had, especially knowing how unforgiving the foster system could be. They had so many plans, to sail, travel the realms, but of course another fucking villain had to shit on their happiness.

Don't do that to yourself, there was the voice again. This is not your fault love.

God, she missed her husband. She missed his bright blue eyes that were full of mischief and love, the snarky comments and ridiculous innuendos. She missed his soft lips against her neck and the breathy way he whispered her name. She missed his taught body against hers. But most of all she missed the way he told her he loved her, the way he reassured her when her faith in herself started to waiver, when she didn't feel very savior-y. The last moment they shared in the living room played in her head repeatedly and how hard he clung to her.

Emma could feel Yzma's magic starting to take over again. She laid on the floor curled on her side, waiting to see what hell she put her through this evening. All Emma could think about was her pirate and her family as tears started to fall. Tears turned into full on sobs that shook her body on the floor. Damn it, she just wanted her family back. Her kids, her love, her parents, her brother. This was almost too much to bear. She wanted to give up, to give in.

Emma you made me a promise, hold on a little longer love. There was that damn voice again, making her sob harder. Before the darkness took over her mind, one thought escaped her lips.

"Killian come back to me."

Moments later, she was screaming.