S8, E11: Nightmarish Feelings

Early Morning at Hope's Room...

Finnian woke up as soon as the sun rised. This is when he usually woke up, since he needed to scrounge up breakfast for himself.

Then he realized he didn't need to.

The place Finn once called home was destroyed. All the children that always baded him hello were gone. The loving mothers with little babies on their laps, that always tried to give him a little treat, are now dead on the ground. Their husbands, that always asked Finn tp play a card game with them, never to be seen again. The old grandmothers, with their sea village customs and dances, had their ongoing wisdom, now never shared. Left from the earth.

Before grief overcame him, he saw the most beautiful sight. One that he had always hoped that he will see as the first thing every morning.

Hope Swan-Jones was still sleeping upright, her head down, her messy hair billowing from it like an ebony waterfall. Absent-mindedly, he ran his hand in her hair until it rested on her cheekbone. She looked more calm than she ever did since the prophesy. Suddenly, Hope woke up and Finn sheepishly removed her hand.

Hope, realizing where she was, brushed her hair back with her left hand and said, "Good morning. No nightmares?" She saw what Finn did before he had a chance to move his own hand away.

"No. Thanks, by the way." Finn blushed. He remebered every bit that happened that night, even the nightmare.

Finn walked in the sea village at night. It was just like what it was before it got destroyed. Everyone was going to sleep, mothers were heard singing lullabies to children through the windows, which were letting in the sea, salty breeze. The men were still outside, playing their games or tending wounded sea life. Finn was at complete ease.

Then suddenly, he saw him. Will was there in front of him, smiling menacingly and killing everyone in their sleep. The last thing all the people of the village saw was of Will's eyes, changed and dark. All of them knew who Will was, the poor little boy with just his father, most of his childhood in a workshop. Never knew they let a murderer in with keen intentions.

Will didn't just kill everyone. He made sure everyone they love seen him kill their loved ones. Right in front of him. And since Finn did love all the sea people, this was torture to him. He walked through the lands, their homes blasted away and memories and ghosts fading away. He saw familiar people on the ground dead, and their was nothing he can do about it.

Then he saw the most torturous thing in the world.

Finn never knew Will would actually do it in real life, but it still made him scream for dear God.

Right there, in the place where Will, Finn, and Hope would go and talk as old friends, was Will.

And he had his arm around Hope, who had a gag in her mouth, pale as the moon, but not in a good way. Her hands were blinded into some bracelets that repressed her magic, which Finn thought wouldn't be possible. This was his first sign that this was a dream, but he didn't take it. Will had something behind him Finnian couldn't see.

"Hello, Finnian. Want to play as old friends?"

Suddenly, Finn knew what he was going to do. What Will said was strangely familiar to what his younger self said when they were friends at that same exact place.

"No. NO. Please!" Finn was sobbing, "You know she is everything to me! Everything to us! More than anyone in the world."

"She isn't anymore to me. This will make me more powerful. Everyone will be rid of Hope itself. And I will snuff out the light."

Will then took out his surprise behind his back. It was a knife, Finn's knife, which he uses for rescuing sea life.

"Starting with this girl right here."

"NO!" Finn tried to run, but it felt like a very strong force field was keeping him away.

There was nothing he can do. But watch as the possible love of his life dies.

"Ready to start playing, mate?" Will askes Hope. Somehow, through the gag, he can hear the screams.

Hear the screams he has been hearing for the whole time.

But he never thought it would come from Hope.

"FINNIAN!!" she screamed and sobbed. "FINN, HELP ME! PLEASE..."

Then the knife used to save sea life, just ended a human one.

Cutthroat.

Finnian gasps as he just relived his nightmare again. Hope widened her eyes. "Are you okay, Finn?"

"Yeah, yeah..." He tried to grab her hand, but he just realized he had been since last night. Finn looked at Hope's right hand, which was tightly enclosed by his own.

Silence descended until Hope asked, "Nightmare? It relapses during the first hours of the day or if something reminds you of it."

Finn calmed down, "Yeah. Nightmare." He looked at Hope, seeing that she is alive and well and herself was so overwhelming that he got up and hugged her tight, burrowing his head on her shoulder.

Hope felt shock as he hugged her. For some reason, she felt many emotions Finn had. She felt his pain, suffering, sadness, and anger toward what happened at the sea village and his nightmare. She also felt grief, but surprisingly it was for the nightmare as well.

And love.

It was a bit unusual, that Hope was able to feel Finn's love for her without him saying it. His happiness in finding that she was alive and okay was so surprising to her that she didn't know what to feel about it.

Do I love you too, though? Hope thought.

Suddenly, she felt an answer from Finn, Is Will the one pulling you back from loving me, thinking it isn't fair?

That's true, Hope thought. It didn't feel fair that her best friend was getting consumed by the darkness and the other getting her love instead. I won't admit it, she thought, am I falling for Finn?

Hope quickly but gently pushed Finn away. "Um...what was the nightmare? I am sure it had Will and me?"

Finn widened his eyes and looked at Hope's own eyes, searching for what she actually felt other than concern. Why are you hiding away from me? I am not the one trying to hurt you. Finn thought.

He took a deep breath; he'll ask about it later, "Remember...remember the day when we, as in Will, you, and me, were at the beach and Will was talking about... something...'scary'?"

Finn watched her eyes. The dark chocolate brown eyes narrowed in confusion, searching in her memeory if that had ever happened. Then it widened into realization and raw, naked fear. The eyes sought his own, "That's what happened to you!?"

He nodded and took her hands, warm and soft. Hope was taken aback, "Finn, I- !"

Then there was a knock on the door. Both Finn and Hope jumped back to where they were when they heard a voice from the opposite side of the door,

"Guys? Wake up, breakfast is at Regina's chambers!"

Then they heard dainty footsteps walk away from the door.

"Snow wants us. Let's go, we can't make them wait." Hope said, pulling on the pirate jacket.

"Yeah, yeah, but are you ever not going to ignore it?" Finn asked, watching Hope put on fingerless gloves.

She stopped and looked at Finn, not saying anything.

Finn got up and stopped in front of Hope, "What are you afraid of?"

Hope gave a small smile, the witty one, "We should talk about our fears later, mate."

She opened the door when Finn whispers, "More like love, love."

Hope looked over her shoulder (trying not to roll her eyes), regarding what he said. "Fix your shirt, let's go."

Finn rolled his eyes and put on a few buttons, but the shirt was still loose as ever.

What Hope had to hold on to to not roll her eyes.

Regina's Chambers...

Finnian and Hope saw all the heroes on the floor, eating food prepared and set on various types of dishes. Killian was the one that saw them first, "Hope, Asher! Come here and eat or we'll eat them all, mates!"

It took a moment for both Finn and Hope to realize that Killian called Finn over as well. Hope never said Finn's actual name since the first time they met three years ago.

They sat down next to each other, in front of Killian and Snow. Hope took a bagel as Regina started talking about the trip,

"So. We decided that it's best for Hope to go to Rumple's castle. Maybe we can find out more about the prophesy, since he created it. She will be best protected there."

"Who is going to go with her?" Snow asked as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.

Killian, smiling mischievously, said, "Well...we need to also tell the people of the Realms what is happeing, make sure each Realm is okay with defenses and supplies...and the only one that doesn't have the responsibility with that is Asher here." He pointed to Finn, who once again didn't know who he was taking about before his hand gesture. Then he immediately blushed to Killian's delight.

"I can also get August or Wish-Hook to accompany her." Emma said with a look to Killian.

"Ah well, as I know that our plan is secured, I'll offer the food to anyone who needs it." With another mischievous grin, Killian took a weird wrinkly brown grape and gave it to Finn, "Want a date?"

Finn flushed again, "A date? With whom?" He said quickly.

Killian gave his devilishly handsome winning smirk as Emma rolled her eyes and gave him many looks. Regina did the same while both Snow and David muttered how cute Hope and Finn looked together.

"Em, that thing Dad is giving you is called a date. And I won't have any because I need to get ready." Hope gave a look at Killian, Snow, and David ("What did I do?" Killian and David mouthed at her). "I'm not hungry anymore. See you."

With a kiss from her parents, Hope left the scene, but she can still hear the voices of her family.

"I am going to go with Hope." said a embarassed Finn.

Finn was far away from her, but Hope can still hear what her fam is saying..

"You shouldn't have done that!" scolded Emma and Regina.

"She just needs a push from her grandfather and father. You know in the means of expressing feelings Hope's just like you." David told Emma while Killian agrees.

"Look-" Killian sighed, but Hope couldn't hear it because she slammed the door of her room.

She was genuinely packing her things for her journey and time at Rumple's castle. However, there was a feeling of embarrassment that made her leave the scene.

You know in the means of expressing feelings Hope's just like you. Well, bloody hell yeah that's true, Hope thought. As much personality genes Hope got from Killian, she got the same from Emma. The walls, the bail-bond person's keen eyes on keeping tabs on people, the extreme sarcasm that gets add on to the sarcasm she gets from her father, many things. She could have succeeded as a bail-bond person, if she tried.

Suddenly, Hope heard the door open and a voice as it shuts,

"You know I am packing too. I am going with you."

She turned around and saw Finn sit beside her. He grabbed things that fell out from his bag, not saying anything.

Until he saw a particular knife on the floor.

He gave such a gasp that Hope then forgot to be distant from him. Eyes widened, Hope took his hand, which was blinding pale as it grasps on to hers.

"Finn! Are you okay?"

Finnian quickly blinked his eyes, "Yeah, I am okay."

She raised an eyebrow, "Nightmare relapse?"

He nodded. Without Hope asking, Finn told her the nightmare. About how the sea village looked at night, as calm as the ocean. Then, Will came as menacingly as a storm and killed everyone and destroyed everything right in front of him. How everyone screamed as they weeped and died. That those screams were nothing compared to Hope's own as the nightmarish scenario Will described one day at the beach came to life.

Finn just stayed there, whispering this to Hope's ear as he hugged her, as if he will never let go. She knows that he never intends to, if he can. Somehow, she knew that Finn will always be there for her, care for her, love her even if he still remains a friend.

And somehow that was the most comforting thought Hope had in her whole life.

Finn released her slowly, whispering that he was sorry for what happened at breakfast and right now.

But Hope looked at him in the eye and said,

"Don't be, Finnian. You are always going to care for me no matter what kind of relationship we are in, and I want it to be like that. For you to still be there for me and I you. So, don't be sorry, or I am and will do the same thing to you."

Before Finn said anything, Hope got up and opened the door. She looked over the shoulder and said, "Don't look at me like that, come on! Do you want this to be over already!"

Finn gave a smirk. He liked what is going on right now. It is time to stop crying.

The old Finn is back.


Ahoy, mate! It's me again!

I honestly didn't know what to do with the title. This chapter wasn't planned out as much as the others. It was just a flow of thoughts in my brain. (Thanks brain for getting the phrase 'bloody hell yeah' for Hope! I love it soooo much!)

I wonder what you think about Finn and Hope's relationship? Do you think they should be together? What do you think about Killian as well? He is acting the opposite of when David became overprotective dad for Emma. David is not being overprotective for some reason. And Snow... *laughs*

I got the "date" scene from the one month fasting holiday of Ramadan, when dates are an important part of the meal when you break the fast.

Anyways, thanks for reading! You can PM me about anything in the story or give a review of your thoughts. They are really lovely!

-AConfusedCrab

-A

PS: Apparently this is the longest chapter in the series currently. I think the nightmare took a lot of space. I am happy though. Do you want more longer chapters? Please tell me!