Chapter 14

Emma woke up with a start, her whole body jolting upward. She was expecting to be chained up in that god forsaken tower still. Next to her was a mop of dark hair, muscular physique, and she was on a bed with dark red sheets. It hadn't been a dream afterall.

"Darling?" Killian's voice sleepily sounded. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She said as she slid back down into the comfort of his arms. "I was just afraid this was all a dream. A cruel trick by Yzma."

"Aye love, I was afraid of that too." He pulled her close and tucked her head under his chin. "But I am here, You are here, and both of our amazing children are here. This is better than any dream I have ever had."

Emma smiled and kissed his chest. "I can't figure out who she is more like, me or you."

"You."

"How so?"

Killian rolled back far enough to look Emma in the eyes. "She told you about her past, but she didn't go into much detail about what she does for a living."

She gave him a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"Em, shes a bail bonds person."

"What?"

"Aye. She goes to school during the day and bail bonds at night. She drives a silver bug and has a bloody dog named Hook."

Emma snickered, "She told me she had a dog but not the rest of that."

"I don't think it was on purpose my love. She just found you again after 20 years, it probably just slipped her mind."

"I hope so. I'll ask her about it in the morning. Although I will admit, she has your personality."

Killian laughed softly, "Aye, and my rum tolerance."

Emma giggled, kissed his chest again and pulled him close to her. They lay there in silence, and Killian's breathing evened out. She thought he may have been asleep, but she had one more question for him.

"Babe?" She asked softly.

"Hmmm?"

"Does Hope have magic?"

Killian exhaled, "Yes my love, she does."

Emma sat up and looked at him, "How do you know?"

"During the first mermaid attack, I had just saved her from being pulled over by one of the bloody mermaids. Henry was being attacked by five at once, and I started for him. Before I could get there She yelled "No" and a bright white light engulfed the ship and killed the rest of the mermaids on the deck. It came from her hands, and it scared her pretty bad."

"So her magic is tied to her emotions?"

Killian nodded, "Like yours were before you gained control of them."

Emma laid back down and Killian cradled her to his chest. "I'm going to have to work with her. She needs as much control as possible before we face Yzma."

"If anyone can, you can my love. I have yet to see you fail."

Emma smiled and kissed him softly. "I love you."

"And I you, now sleep."

It was early in the morning when Hope emerged onto the main deck. She stood at the rail and stared out to the sea thinking about everything that she had been through the last week. Her brother found her, she found her father and her mother. The family she had been wanting for so long is finally starting to come together. Hope's mind went to her grandparents, were they ok? Would they love her? Everything before this week seemed like a whole different lifetime away.

"Good morning, kid." A voice startled her from her thoughts.

"Good morning Mom." Hope turned to her mother and smiled. "How did you sleep?"

Emma stretched and smiled, "I slept great, best sleep I've had in 22 years."

Hope laughed and shook her head. It still didn't seem real that she was here, with her mom.

"So," Emma started, "tell me about this beloved dog of yours"

Hope smiled and told her mother all about Hook, how she found him and how he ended up with his name.

"I am sure so many people have told you how ironic that is." Emma laughed

"Oh yes, I have heard." Hope quipped. "From literally everyone."

"Hope, come sit with me a moment." Emma walked to the bench near the helm. Hope nodded and followed her mother. "Your father tells me that you have magic."

A long silence passed between the two before Hope finally spoke "I never knew I did but I do."

"Can you describe to me what happened?"

"Well," Hope hesitated, " We were under attack from the mermaids, and Dad had just saved me but Henry was under attack. I didn't know what to do. All I knew was I had to save them."

"Were you feeling anything in particular at the time?"

"Scared. I didn't want to lose my family again and the only thing in my head was saving Dad and Henry and destroying the mermaids."

"Your powers are tied to your emotions like mine were."

Hope quietly looked over at her mother. She is so much like this woman sitting next to her, and it doesn't seem fair she barely knows her at all.

"Used to?" Hope asked quietly.

"Before I got control over them. I didn't believe in magic or that I had powers either until I saved Henry from the original Dark Curse." Emma looked over at her daughter and smiled. "I can help you gain control," Emma hesitated. "That is if you trust me."

Hope's gaze met her mothers, "Of course I trust you mom, plus if we are going to be honest I wouldn't mind a little extra one on one time with you."

Emma smiled and gave her daughter a tight squeeze. "Tell you what, once we figure out our next heading we will start working. Sound good?"

"Ok mom." Hope smiled.

"Go wake your brother and I will get your dad."

Hope bounded down the stairs to get Henry. Emma smiled and headed back to the captain's quarters to wake her pirate. As she entered the room Killian was sound asleep cuddling her pillow. Taking the same caution as her daughter, Emma grabbed her husband by the foot and gently shook him awake. Killian sat up abruptly with his hook at the ready to defend his swan.

"Good morning." She grinned.

"Swan…" He groaned.

"I know, I know. It's bad form to wake a sleeping pirate." She teased. "But your children are awake and preparing breakfast."

Killian sat up, "Oh? And how do you know this lass?"

"I've been with Hope for the last hour."

"How did that go, Love?"

"Better." Emma smiled. "She told me about her magic and we are going to work this afternoon." Her face dropped, "We can't defeat Yzma if her magic is out of control."

Killian reached for her hand. "Swan, the most important thing is we have our daughter, and she trusts you enough to help her." He kissed her on the head. "As a family we will defeat this witch."

Emma smiled and kissed him softly. "I love you."

"And I you." Killian and Emma got ready for the day in companionable silence. It has been hard for Emma to believe that she was out of that god forsaken tower with her husband and her children. She had her family back and she refused to ever lose them again.

Henry and Hope entered the quarters with breakfast on trays and a pitcher of water. As the family ate, the discussion of a more serious subject came about.

"So what's our next move?" Henry asked his parents.

"According to the map, we are closest to King George's Kingdom." Emma stated.

"Who is that?" Hope asked between bites.

"The kingdom of your great grandfather. Do you remember reading about him in the book?" Emma asked. Hope nodded, from her readings King George was not a very nice man.

"He was a jerk," Henry quipped. "He tried to frame Ruby for murder and make our grandfather look like an unfit ruler."

Hope looked at her brother in disbelief, "I remember reading about that in the book, but Ruby wouldn't do that."

"You are absolutely right, starfish." Killian interjected. "He was arrested shortly after that. But that is where your grandfather David is being held."

"What do we have for a talisman for grandpa?" Hope asked.

Killian and Emma looked at each other and smiled. She was talking like a Charming, A Swan and a Jones all wrapped up in one. They both couldn't be more proud.

"We have grandpa's sword." Henry stated. "And if that doesn't work we have his sheriff star from Storybrooke."

"Is this entire family in law enforcement?" Hope quipped. Everyone laughed and she just rolled her eyes and smiled. Apparently it is in her blood.

"It is about a two day sail from here." Emma concluded, looking at the map.

"So, We have our heading?"

"Aye, we have our heading love." Killian confirmed.

The Jones family finished breakfast together and cleaned up. Killian and Henry headed to the upper deck near the helm to prepare the ship for it's new course while Emma and Hope put away any items that could easily spill. WIth the anchor reeled in and the winds at their back they set sail again. No matter what they would face at their new location, they would face together as a family.

It was high afternoon and the Jolly Roger was sailing straight and true. Emma and Hope were on the main deck getting ready to start magic lessons.

"Ok kid, are you ready?" Emma asked. Hope nodded, ready and eager to learn from her mother.

"Magic can be learned, but the magic we possess is good and pure, it comes from within us. You are the product of true love." Hope smiled at her mother, "As am I. Your magic being tied to your emotions is normal, but when you can harness it on command is when you will be at your strongest. We are going to start with a few exercises and reevaluate."

"Ok mom." Hope said, focused and ready.

For a few hours the pair practiced. Emma started Hope with lighting a candle, as she did in Neverland. Once she mastered that they moved on to shooting magic from Emma's hands to Hope's as her and Regina once did. Her heart filled with pride and love watching her daughter learn and grow. Emma had missed so much of Hope's life, that she was happy she still was able to teach her something she still didn't know. Hope tried harnessing magic on her own and had it until she sent it flying into the side of the rail, blasting part of it away.

"Starfish, can you please not blow the ship apart?" Killian asked gently.

Hope nodded, "Sorry Dad."

Emma waved her hand and fixed the broken rail. "It's ok Kid, the more you practice the better you will be. Let's call it a day." Hope nodded and smiled at her mom, "I am very proud of you kiddo." Hope stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Emma, tears fighting to spill out.

"I know you aren't used to hearing that" Emma continued. "But I am very proud of you." Hope hugged her mom tightly. She still can't believe that after all this time she has finally found her family. The mother daughter pair joined the boys near the helm. The family continued to sail to their destination, laughing and talking, as their bond grew stronger. No matter what they faced, they knew that they would be their strongest together.