Chapter 9: Merlin

Killian felt like shards of ice had punctured his chest the moment he breached the water, desperately reaching into the depths for anything he could touch. The water was dark, his eyes could barely see in front of him as he swam through the current.

Ahead of him a flash of white tumbled before him, he reached out, his fingers clutching for anything he could grab onto. He yanked the material closer to him only to find the blanket empty. He released it, diving deeper until he saw him sinking below him.

He desperately reached out, grabbing the boy, and pressing him to his chest, he waved his other arm to propel him back to the surface. As soon as he breached the water, he looked down at the infant's ashen face, his eyes closed, his body unmoving.

He climbed onto the metal landing, the child in his arms. "You just won't fucking give up, will you?" He looked up to see Neal standing a few feet away, a dagger digging into the side of his captor.

Emma.

He looked down at the boy in his arms, his son. Henry. He wasn't breathing, lying almost peacefully at his side.

"Don't move."

Killian ignored the order, instead lying the boy on his back on the ground, rubbing his palm against the boy's chest.

"I said don't move."

"Sod off." Killian yelled.

"I'll kill her." He growled and he heard Emma squeal in pain, causing his hands to freeze as he looked up to see the blood on the dagger, a cut against Emma's neck.

"You hurt her, and I swear to you Neal, I will kill you." He said angrily.

"Save Henry." Emma shrilled as Neal yanked her against him. She didn't need to ask him twice, he continued his work on the boy, desperate to hear his cry again.

Killian breathed into the boy, sending all of his care and devotion for the child into his lungs.

Breathe, please breathe.

He could hear Emma's sobs across the room, further away than they had been previously, his eyes were watching the tiny boy laying lifeless in front of him. He pressed his mouth against him once more, breathing as his heart pounded. "Please, Henry…"

A soft sputter caused his eyes to open as he looked down at the boy, his eyes suddenly open. Killian tilted the boy to his side allowing the water to flow from his mouth as the boy started to cry weakly. "Come now lad, get it all out." The child squirmed uncomfortably in his wet clothing and Killian cradled the boy against his chest, looking up to reassure Emma only to find her gone.

Ruby came rushing into the room with David hot on her heels, covered in a dark ooze. "I don't ever want to see what one of those things looks like from the inside ever again." He complained. When they saw Killian they both ran forward.

"What happened? Are you ok? Is Henry…." Ruby asked without waiting for any response as she looked around. "Where's Emma?"

Killian pressed his lips to the boy's forehead and handed him to the woman. "Look after him. I need to go after Emma, Neal has her." Ruby took the boy and David followed him as they both rushed toward the pier on the other side of the large opening.

"What happened to you, Mate?" He asked as David got closer and the stench of whatever remained on him reached his nose.

"Regina." He said disgusted. "Or whatever the hell that thing was that looked like her."

"Up there." Killian pointed, as two figures moved in the fog. "That has to be them."

"Be careful." David warned as they rushed forward.

They approached the end of the dock just as he heard Emma's angry voice. "If anything happened to my son, I swear to God Neal…" She screeched in pain.

"I said stop fucking talking, dammit why do you always have to talk." Neal growled. Killian leapt onto the boat, landing with a dull thud. "Is that you lover boy?" He heard Neal taunt from the front of the vessel.

Killian stilled his movement, crouching behind the open door to the bridge.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Neal sang.

Killian waited in his spot as the man's footsteps approached. "How's that bastard kid doing?" He sneered just as Killian rushed forward from his spot, colliding with Neal's body as they crashed to the deck.

Rolling on the ground, he grabbed the man by the collar, smashing his head toward the wooden planks. Neal kicked his feet, catching Killian off guard as he was pushed toward the wall. Killian grasped for the man's arm that held the blade, lunging forward and sinking his teeth into the skin at his wrist causing the man to release his hold on the blade and dropping it to the ground with a thud.

The man's eyes widened, the fear of losing the upper hand overtaking him as Killian's fist landed punch after punch against the man's face. "Stay down." His voice growled in a tone that he didn't recognize as his own. The man beneath him had tried to take away everything he loved, Emma, Henry, who he was. He had tried to destroy everything simply for power.

"You'll never win." The man taunted. "My father will destroy you all."

Killian stilled, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him toward him. "We've already won." He smirked. "You're over. You're nothing."

Killian pulled the man to his feet, yanking him toward the front of the boat to find Emma. She was tied to the mast, tears pouring from her face. "Killian." She cried, hope seeping through her desperation.

"Isn't this heartwarming…" Neal started beside him.

"Would you bloody shut up." He hissed and Neal smiled.

"You really think you can just move on now? This town is doomed. The plague will spread and destroy you all."

Killian turned and punched the man square in the jaw, sending him spiraling backward against the wooden planks. Killian turned back to Emma, untying her hands, and pulling her into his arms. "Henry?" She pleaded.

"He's with Ruby, he's alright." She sighed and closed her eyes, tears still falling against her cheek.

"I thought I had lost you both."

"Haven't I already told you love, I'm a survivor. It appears the lad gets that from me." She laughed against his chest, leaning heavily against him. "Come now, let's get back to our boy." She leaned back and looked at him, a smile on her lips.

"Our boy. I like that."

"Aye, me too."

She started to walk away before her eyes got wide. "Killian…"

Before he could turn he felt pain in his shoulder, turning to see the end of a dagger and Neal's face in view. He shieled Emma, taking the brunt of Neal's body as the man crashed into him, slamming them against the wooden mast. Killian kicked with his feet to bring him crashing to the ground as he reached behind him, yanking the blade from his skin with a haunting howl.

He brandished the weapon in front of him as Neal stood once more, dancing from one foot to the other. Suddenly there was a crash as Emma sent a crate smashing against Neal's body and he turned with a murderous glare at the woman on the other side of the boat. Killian watched in horror as he advanced on the woman he loved, a fist catching her across the face and Killian rushed forward, the blade in his hand.

Neal was on top of Emma, his hand pulled back to strike another blow when Killian plunged the dagger into the man's back causing him to arch into him, a scream leaving his lips. Killian pulled him backwards, away from Emma and onto the decking. His eyes were open, staring at the fog lit moon, but there was nothing beneath his pupils. Blood was dripping from the sides of his open mouth. Neal was dead.

"No! My son!" A shot rang out causing Emma and Killian to freeze in place, the ricochet of the bullet sparking just at their feet. Shadows exiting the fog approached as Mr. Gold drug a limping David beside him. "You killed my son, you stupid bastard."

"I'm sorry…" David began as he got closer, but Killian brushed off his guilt, it was not his fault that these men were here.

"You will all pay for this. This town is doomed, all of its people will beg me to save them." He raised his gun toward Emma and Killian stepped in front of her, his arms pulling her back behind him as he closed his eyes and waited for death to come.

A shot rang out and he clenched his fist against the fabric of Emma's jacket, but when the pain didn't come his eyes sprang open. Mr. Gold lay at his feet, red spreading across his back.

"You must be Emma Swan." The man approached the boat, a gun smoldering in his grasp.

Emma stepped out from beside him, cautiously glancing in his direction. "Who are you?"

"Why dear child, I'm Merlin, I believe you summoned me, did you not?"

Emma paced the room as she waited. "It's been hours." She complained as Ruby looked on nervously. "Shouldn't we have heard something by now."

"It takes time." Killian reassured from his seat in the corner. "We don't even know if it's going to work yet."

Emma groaned in frustration and David stood to place his hand on her shoulder. "Whatever happens, she's very proud of how you fought for this." Emma smiled at him, an offer of reassurance that she appreciated his words, but so much was riding on this experiment.

It had only been 12 hours since Merlin arrived outside the walls of Storybrooke, saving them from Mr. Gold and bringing their group back inside to the laboratory held within the bowels of their underground headquarters. If Henry's blood could be used to cure J2, his people would be able to use it to save Mary Margaret and Will.

If.

The word stuck in the roof of her mouth as she ran over the events in her head. They had no idea if the fact that Emma and Killian had both survived the plague, meant anything for their son's chances at having what they needed to cure it from their world. It could be a game changer, but it was a dangerous vision.

Henry had given The Resistance something they had been seeking since they began.

Hope.

And Emma dreaded what would happen if that tiny piece of sunshine turned out to be nothing. Just a light that burned out before it could destroy the darkness.

The doors opened behind her, and Merlin stepped into the room.

"The boy is remarkable, truly a bundle of joy."

"Did it work?"

He laughed. "It's too early to tell. His blood does show signs of reducing the cells in the J2 variant, we won't know more until tests can be done back in Camelot, but…" He turned toward David. "Your wife was insistent that we test it on her. As was the stubborn man that accompanies her in that room."

Emma laughed at the mention of Will, her indeed stubborn friend.

"When will we know something?" David asked.

"In a few hours, we will retest, determine if there has been any change in their situation. You should all get some sleep; we will wake you in the morning."

"What about Henry?" Killian asked anxiously.

"Ah the boy, yes, he was quite tired, you are free to retrieve him from our nurse."

Emma grasped Killian's hand and drug him past the group into the wing behind him, searching for their son. Her heart sped up as they reached his room, stopping in front before it swung open, and the nurse met them at the door. "He will probably sleep most of the night." She offered before wrapping him in a blanket and passing him to Emma.

Her smile grew when she gazed at the sleeping boy's face, peaceful and unaware of the events he had just experienced. They returned to their room and Emma carried him to her bed, lying him down as she snuggled in beside him, not wanting to keep him from her sight for a moment. She felt the bed move as Killian flanked the child from the other side, his hand brushing the boy's cheek.

She looked up and met his eye, a soft smile residing on his lips. "Survivor." He whispered and Emma felt the tears release from her eyes.

"I'm never letting either of you go, ever again." She cried.

"Aye love, you won't need to." He clasped her hand in his and rest it atop the small boy's body.

"My boys." She said softly, watching as Killian kissed their child's forehead and then rest his against the pillow.

Killian chased Emma through the halls, cradling his son in his arms as he rushed after her. "God's woman, he's not going anywhere." He joked, but she simply continued her pace until she reached the door.

She pushed through the door, entering the room with nervous anticipation.

"Will!" She said with a smile, seeing the man sitting up in his bed, a bandage around his waist but a smile on his face.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Emmie. Have you been sleeping alright?" He teased.

"You know damn well I haven't." She chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck as she attacked him on the bed. Killian felt as if he were intruding on the moment, his eyes focusing on his son instead, the soft smile of the child staring up at him.

"I'm fine, woman. You can stop inspecting me." Will complained and Killian couldn't hold in his laughter. "Can't you keep her occupied?" He snorted. "I expected the two of you to be still locked in a bedroom as you…Ow." He winced as Emma pinched his bicep.

"'Fraid there was no keeping her from you, Mate." He winked stepping closer to run his hand against Emma's back.

"There he is." He said with a smile as Henry was brought closer to him. "My hero." He reached out and Killian lay his son in the man's arms, stepping back to watch them. "Always knew you'd be special." Will cooed to the giggling child.

"How are you feeling?" Emma asked.

"Like I could run a marathon." He paused. "I'm not, because that sound bloody awful, but if I wanted to, I think I could."

"Merlin's team is working fast to prepare all the supplies. The Resistance teams are heading out into the foglands to deliver as many crates as they can."

"How's it feel to be the bonafide savior of Storybrooke?"

Emma laughed. "Stop. I didn't do anything."

"Emmie, you risked everything for this whole town, to get the truth out. That makes you a savior to a lot of people."

Emma chuckled nervously. "You helped too."

"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" Will grinned widely. "And this one." He gestured toward him. "Well, I guess he had somethin' to do with it."

"Thanks, Mate." He said sarcastically.

"I mean besides making a baby that saved mankind." He said with a shrug.

"William." Emma slapped teasingly at her friend.

"How's Mum?" The man asked of the woman who had taken them all in.

"She's already up and about, working with Merlin to organize the destruction of the wall." Killian responded, thinking of the way that the woman had refused to rest, immediately started planning and working to gather her troops to ensure that everyone was accounted for and ready to help.

"Yeah and all while you've been sleeping in this bed." Emma smirked.

"Cheeky git." Will swore.

After the wall came down, the town nervously reunited with loved ones who had been exiled beyond the wall, mourned those who never returned, and celebrated a cure to the disease that had caused so much destruction in its wake.

Remnants of the Hive, lost boys who followed Gold beyond his demise were slowly being brought in by the Storybrooke PD, Killian and David fought tirelessly to ensure the safety of the town and its people. Merlin remained long enough to ensure that they could rebuild on their own, returning to Camelot once the new Mayor had been elected.

"Have you seen Henry's blue shirt?" Emma asked from the other side of the apartment. "I can't find it."

"Aye, it's on the bed."

She walked into the room with a flustered look on her face. "How did I miss it; I was just in here."

He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into his lap. "Perhaps it's time to take a break."

She laughed. "You just want to make out with me."

He bit his lip and his brow raised. "You're not wrong, love." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she squirmed on his lap.

"I have to dress Henry."

"Is the lad even awake yet?"

"Of course not, you know he sleeps like you. I need to wake him so that we can get ready to leave, otherwise we are definitely going to be late."

"Mmm." He grinned, brushing her hair from her neck. "While I do enjoy it when we're late, I generally prefer the act of making you come on any occasion." She blushed red.

"Killian." She slapped playfully at his chest as he gripped her hips with his fingers, pulling her against him.

"Yes love?" He questioned with a smirk. "There are many ways I enjoy hearing my name fall from your lips, perhaps a tour of some of my favorites is in order."

Her teeth nipped at his lips, a soft moan escaping her lips as she ground against his hips.

"Minx." He teased, flipping them over on the bed as she giggled in excitement.

"Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Jones, it's 9:30 am, pollution level 15%, you have an event at 10:30 am today."

"Not now." He groaned, lifting Emma's shirt to expose the skin as her waist. "I have my own event to tend to right now."

"We're going to be late."

He lifted his head, locking eyes with her. "Mrs. Jones, your body is like an expensive watch. He pushed the material at her waist further up her body, exposing her bare breast. He slid his hand against her flesh, pinching at her pert nipple. "A few twists here," He pinched, and she moaned appreciatively. "A tweak there." Her head fell back against the bed. "I know this body better than anything in the world, I'll have you singing with time to spare."

"Then why are you wasting so much of it." She smirked.

Killian lowered his head, his hand roaming his wife's body, worshiping between her legs until she screamed out his name, the satisfying smirk remaining on his face as he plunged himself inside of her, causing his name to fall from her lips over and over again in a way that he would never tire of.

"I told you we would be late." She complained over an hour later as they arrived at the station.

"I'm not the one who insisted that we shower." He grinned.

"Did we actually shower?" She teased.

"I seem to recall there was water. And a very enticing sexy vixen who was worshiping at my feet."

"Stop that, we're in public." She blushed. "And he's listening to everything you say."

Killian stared at his son in his arms, the boy giggling and gurgling as he grasped Killian's chin with his tiny fingers. "Aye, your mother is a marvel lad, very talented indeed, one day you'll understand." Killian said in a soft voice, almost singing at the young boy as the child grinned.

"Oh Lord, you're impossible." Emma said, rolling her eyes before she was wrapped up in strong arms as Will met her at the door.

"You're late."

"Blame him." Emma thumbed toward him. "He needed a cold shower."

"Cold and bracing." He winked.

"I don't believe either of you. Now get in here, it's about to start."

Killian followed them into the hall, nodding to David who was standing near his wife. The man smiled appreciatively as his wife was sworn in as the new mayor of Storybrooke. A large photo of Regina Mills hanging on the wall behind them.

"Our town has faced much darkness in the last few years, a time where hope was far from our sight. But we never gave up, we climbed back to the light, and now together, we face a strong and prosperous future. Regina Mills gave up her life in protection of this town, for her people, and today I am proud to continue that fight. Storybrooke stands today because of family, triumph, and love and I intend to ensure that it always will."

The town erupted in cheers and Killian proudly stood by Emma's side, his son in his arms, and hope in his heart.