Darkness is a Funny Thing… It Creeps Up in You
Chapter Six
A little less than an hour later, somewhere deep within the woods…
Killian at last arrived at the place where Emma had told him to meet her and the others in a message she left him on his phone, and found that Emma, Regina, Henry, Belle, and Robin were all there already waiting for him to join them with the hat and Dark One dagger. Mary Margaret came with him, while David stayed at home with their son so that he wouldn't be in any danger should the heroes' plan to free the fairies from the hat go wrong. Each of them hoped not, but they all certainly worried that something might.
The Savior walked over to the man she loved as she tenderly kissed his cheek before she reached out to take the hat still securely contained within its round shaped box from Killian's hand so he could pull out Rumplestiltskin's dagger from his jacket's pocket as well. Then, he handed the blade over to Regina, while Emma carefully placed the box down on top of the large boulder now in between them, before the heroes took a few steps back so Regina could begin the newly translated spell Belle had given to her.
"You got it?" Emma then asked her friend once Regina stepped up to the boulder and warily raised the blade over the box, expecting to bring out the hat like Gold had done so they could free the fairies.
"I got it," the former Evil Queen assuredly answered her, then closed her eyes as she started to enact the spell, causing the wind to rustle more wildly around them as Regina continued, while a strange humming sound also began to arise from within the box.
Upon sensing Killian's uneasiness when he swiftly reached down to grip her hand tightly within his own, Emma looked over at him and smiled to help ease his concern. Mary Margaret also looked over between her daughter and the pirate Captain, feeling the same sense of uneasiness, while they all just hoped this spell would truly succeed in freeing their friends from within the hat.
When Regina finished casting the spell, she too stepped away from the box and then waited for her magic to work. However, the moment she did so, the humming died and the wind stilled. And for moment, she and the others still with her all believed that the spell had failed because it hadn't been strong enough, or that it had been translated improperly.
And then suddenly, magic powerfully ruptured from within the box in the form of a blinding yellow light as it surrounded the heroes, all of whom immediately turned away and concealed their eyes. Once the brightness faded, Emma raised her head and looked again into Killian's eyes, before they and everyone else stood tall once more, then turned back again to find that the fairies were finally free, and kneeling on the ground while they looked all around them out of fear.
While Belle and Mary Margaret did the same for the rest of the fairies, Emma rushed over to help Blue off the ground, as the leader of the fairies looked up at her and whispered gratefully, "Thank you."
Out of concern, the Savior asked gently, "You all right?"
"No," the Blue Fairy shakenly responded. "I'll live. But being in there with…"
"Thank you," she then finished simply after she took a moment to breathe in and out, not wanting to go into what all she and her sisters had been trapped among within the Dark One's hat just now.
Emma then looked over at Regina as she replied to the fairy, "Actually, you should thank the Mayor."
When Blue uneasily did so, as Regina stood a few feet away from her while she too shook from the exertion of power that it took for her to enact the spell, the former Evil Queen smiled at her and then stated with sincerity, "Welcome back."
"Thank you," Blue graciously answered her, then continued to look around her until her eyes then stopped on Killian's, while he remained back apprehensively as he watched on to make sure the women really were all right.
"You!" Blue suddenly spoke to him out of anger rarely seen from the fairy the moment her eyes locked on the man who had imprisoned her and her sisters. "How could you…? How could you do that to us?! You haven't changed. Emma… Hook was the one who trapped us inside that hat. He's still a villain."
Upon seeing Killian turn away and lower his head out of shame, Emma stepped between him and Blue as she defended the man she loved steadfastly saying, "Killian didn't trap you in that hat because he's still a villain, Blue. He didn't have a choice. Gold forced him to hurt all of you. He had taken possession of Killian's heart. After he ripped it out and forced Killian to do a number of things he is ashamed of in spite of him being innocent in all of this. Please… don't blame him. Killian is a good man. I promise."
The Blue Fairy looked at the Savior again skeptically until she saw the truth Emma spoke in her eyes, so she nodded and then turned back to Killian again as she responded gently, "I'm sorry, Hook. I shouldn't have been so quick to accuse you of any wrongdoing. Of still being a villain. I was wrong."
Killian simply nodded his head in understanding, without saying a word before he watched her turn away so she could rejoin the other fairies now talking with Mary Margaret and Belle. And when she sensed Killian was upset, Emma started to approach him so she could try to offer him comfort. However, he turned away from her and walked away before she could. She sadly watched him leave, then stepped forward to stand beside Regina, who sympathetically reached out to pat her arm comfortingly as they both turned to Mary Margaret when she spoke out again.
"I say we all head back to Granny's and celebrate our success in freeing the fairies!" she joyfully exclaimed. "I'll call David, and together we can quickly gather all we need for such a party."
"That would be great, Mom," Emma replied to her with a smile, despite her worry for Killian. "You're right… we ought to celebrate the fairies' freedom. It's been peaceful here in Storybrooke for the last six weeks. It's about time we really enjoy it."
Everyone gathered together again, then they started to make their way back into town and left the woods. Unfortunately, no one noticed the thick black smoke that had slowly poured out from within the hat not long after Regina cast the spell to free the fairies once everyone became distracted upon talking amongst one another. And when the creature… whatever it might be, was finally free, its smoke flew off into the sky until it disappeared.
A short time later, David with his son in his arms, arrived at Granny's to meet up with his wife, daughter, and grandson, then everyone soon began to discuss plans that were quickly put into action so they could begin their celebration inside the diner right away. Emma on the other hand, left the main room through the back entrance so that she could search for Killian, starting with his room where she suspected he might have gone so he could be alone. However, she was surprised to find that she didn't have to search very long, when she found him standing in the back at the bottom of the stairwell leading up to the apartments as he was staring off at nothing with despair and self loathing written all over his face. Clearly, he hadn't noticed her entering the hallway once she came out.
In a weak effort to try to make him smile in spite of knowing she would fail, Emma called out to him playfully, "Whoa. Beware of lurking pirates. What are you doin'?"
As she approached him, Killian raised his head to look at her and then he answered wearily, "Just thinking."
"Lurking and brooding," she said again with a smile, and gently laid one of her hands over his arm to offer him some comfort. "That's a classic combo. I think heroes can do a little bit of bragging and celebrating. Let's go. It's a party. We should… buckle some swash or…You know… whatever."
"I'm hardly a hero," the pirate hopelessly responded to her in frustration, as he finally revealed to her what she already knew he believed about himself, especially after Blue's harsh accusations. "The fairies were only in the hat because I put them there."
The Savior looked into his eyes while she replied to him assuredly, "You weren't in control of that. That was Gold. Trust me. You have a mark in the hero column."
Even though he didn't really believe her, he knew that she meant well and so he lightheartedly answered, "I hope so."
"Come on," she then whispered to him, while she attempted to pull him along with her so they could return to the celebration inside the diner.
"Wait…" Killian then suddenly objected as he strangely pulled away from her, causing Emma to turn around to look at him once more. "Wait… Emma, I… I'm not so sure me going in there is such a great idea. The Blue Fairy may understand that what I did to them was because of the bloody Dark One, but the other fairies? Even if they understand as well… How can I celebrate, when we've only succeeded in freeing them? I have yet to find a way to free the old man and Zelena. And I have to. I can't celebrate right now."
The woman who loved him looked into his eyes sadly and saw the pain behind them, then she moved closer to him so she could lean against his body before she pulled him into a firm embrace, nestling the top of her head tenderly beneath his chin as she closed her eyes while breathing in his scent.
After a few moments, she reached down to take his hand into one of her own and then raised her head to look again into his eyes as she spoke to him tenderly saying, "I know that you can't see how good you are right now, Killian. But no matter how you feel about yourself… it isn't how I feel about you. And I understand if you don't feel comfortable enough to go out there and celebrate with us. But why don't we go out there, and talk to Blue. Maybe she can think of a way to help us free Zelena and the old man. If anyone can, I bet it would be her. That was our plan after all."
When she sensed his hesitation after she attempted once more to pull him along with her towards the entrance into the diner, she turned back to him and continued, "It's okay. She will want to help us free them. At least the old man. I'm not so sure about Zelena though. As far as I'm concerned, she can stay inside the hat. But if you feel you have to free her too…"
"I get what you're saying, Emma, but even Zelena doesn't deserve to be trapped in that hat and I put her in there," Killian sadly responded. "I won't have righted my mistakes, unless I fix everything I've done. That includes freeing Zelena too. Afterwards, you and Regina can put her back inside of her prison cell where she belongs."
"Then we will figure out a way to," the Savior finally assured him. "Come on. Let's go talk with Blue."
As Emma and Killian walked into the diner and started looking around the room for the Blue Fairy, they both spotted her sitting alone in one of the booths, until they saw Regina and Henry approach her as well, as Regina held one of the blank storybooks in her hands. Knowing exactly what it was Regina and Henry had gone over to ask Blue, Emma glanced back at Killian again and nodded, then he followed behind Emma as they too quietly walked over to them, but waited to talk about their own problem until Regina finished.
Once Regina and Henry reached her first, after Henry had encouraged his adopted mother to go on and ask her what she wanted to, Blue looked up at the former Evil Queen with surprise when Regina cleared her throat, then stated nervously, "Excuse me. May I ask you something?"
After Henry sat down in the booth beside her, the Blue Fairy looked up at Regina again as she apprehensively replied, "What can I do for you?"
"Do you know what this is?" Regina questioned her when she set the book down in front of her..
"Where did you get this?" the fairy sternly asked.
"The Sorcerer's mansion," Emma answered for Regina once she and Killian also walked over. "Henry found dozens of these blank books there."
Blue looked at them all with surprise as she asked keenly, "The Sorcerer is here?"
Henry dolefully responded, "Well… his house is, but we haven't found him yet."
"You're looking for him?" Blue asked again.
"Well, I was hoping he could… write me a happy ending," Regina replied to her with worry, because she knew how some people still saw her, including the fairies, especially when Blue scoffed at the former Evil Queen's request. "But that book seems to have great power."
Blue then looked down at the book and began to flip through its pages as she answered firmly, "Oh, it does."
Regina chuckled as she added, "So I thought if he rewrote it… I know it sounds crazy."
"It's not crazy at all," the Blue Fairy assuredly responded once more. "But you're looking for the wrong person. Although the Sorcerer is a very powerful wizard, you should be looking for the Author."
"Aren't they the same person?" Emma questioned her in confusion.
However, Regina quickly asked again, "Why would the Sorcerer have the Author's books?"
The leader of the fairies looked between all those surrounding her as she curiously replied, "That is a quite perplexing question. And I'm afraid I do not know. But I do know that they are two very different people."
"So… You know who the Author is." Regina asked as she then sat down in the booth across from the woman in front of her.
"No," Blue answered her plainly. "But I do know he exists. I mean… if he is a 'he'. I've never actually seen him. In fact… no one has. Not for many years."
Regina finally let out a sigh in frustration, then turned her head to look up between Emma and Hook as she retorted crossly, "So this is where hope has gotten me?"
However, Emma looked down on her as well, as she assured her by saying, "We'll find him, Regina. It's not like he just vanished."
"Blue, do you have any idea why he might've disappeared?" she then asked the fairy once more when she looked over at her too.
"Sadly, no," Blue responded. "But there are whispers that he left hidden clues in some of his works."
The Savior questioned, "You mean… works like Henry's book?"
Unfortunately, before the Blue Fairy could say more, a loud and horrible shriek suddenly sounded from somewhere outside, causing the ground beneath the diner to shake and the lights to flicker, and when everyone immediately stopped talking amongst themselves as they all turned their heads towards the door in fear, Emma turned as well as once the rumbling subsided, then asked sternly, "What the hell was that?"
"I suppose we should go out and see what's killing property values this time," Regina crossly replied.
However, not everyone left the diner, because most were too afraid to do so. Instead, only Emma, Killian, Regina, Robin, Belle, Mary Margaret, and David ran out, after Regina asked Henry to stay inside with Blue where he would hopefully remain safe from whatever it was that made such a cry.
Once they ran out, as those already outside were running away in fear, the heroes all turned in shock upon hearing the sounds of a monster snarling and grumbling somewhere off in the distance. When they finally turned in the direction of the horrendous sounds, it was then that they finally saw a huge, black winged monster with horns and glowing red eyes, standing on top of the clock tower as it spread its wings outward threateningly.
All of a sudden, it swooped down and swiftly attacked those standing before it. The heroes immediately ducked along the parked cars around them as it charged at them, before they all swiftly ran for cover down an alleyway beside one of the shops nearby. None of them knew who the creature was targeting, if it was even targeting anyone at all.
"Did that thing come out of the hat?!" Regina tensely cried out once she quickly thought about all the possible ways this monster might have found its way to Storybrooke. "I thought the spell was only supposed to release the fairies."
Mary Margaret uttered anxiously, "Well, maybe it is some kind of fairy."
While Emma struggled to think of how to stop this monster, in spite of feeling just as frightened and uneasy as everyone else, she answered as calmly as she could, "Why don't we just put it back in the hat and figure out the rest later?"
"Because we can't," Belle responded worryingly. "Once something's freed, it can never be retrapped."
"Great," the Savior curtly replied. "So our best defense against magical beasts follows the same rules as chicken pox?"
When Killian turned away from watching the creature after it continued to fly through the sky to look back at the woman he loved, he answered her steadfastly, "Surely the Savoir and Evil Queen can defeat a simple hell beast."
Regina glared at him as she retorted, "Can we drop the 'E' word already?"
She then nodded at the Savior, who simply nodded back in understanding, then together Emma and Regina stepped back out into the street to stand before the winged creature, who then immediately turned back at its new targets. All of a sudden, the monster charged at them as it roared loudly. However, this time, the women with magic both unleashed their powers against the monster, in hope that they would be powerful enough to destroy it. As soon as their magic struck the beast, it roared and shrieked out as if it were in pain and this time, it just flew away from them without attempting to attack once more.
"Well, that was easy," Emma stated out of surprise once it was gone from sight.
"Don't get excited," Regina sternly responded, as the others came out from the alleyway to stand with them again. "We only stunned it. And a blast like that should've destroyed it."
The Savior shook her head as she replied in frustration, "I was just getting used to things being relaxing around here."
She then turned behind her to begin requesting help from her friends as she looked at the beauty first and stated, "Belle…"
"I'll see if I can find anything about this thing in the library," Belle answered her before Emma could barely get out her name.
"Thanks," Emma uttered with surprise that Belle knew just what she was going to ask of her, then she turned to her mother as well. "And, Mary Margaret…"
However, Mary Margaret sensed her daughter's wishes too and responded quickly, "I'll get everyone to safety. I'm on that."
Upon being more surprised, Emma replied, "Wow. You guys really have this down."
"Well… this isn't our first monster bash," Hook smugly answered her, then walked forward to stand closer to the woman he left, while Belle and Mary Margaret left them to go do as was needed of them, and Robin quickly ran off so he could talk with his men in the woods.
"Well, now that that's settled… what say we figure out a way to clip this bat's wings before it comes back?" Regina then suggested they do together.
The Savior glanced between her and Killian and responded, "That sounds like a good idea as any. There has to be some way to destroy this thing."
Killian then replied, "There is, Swan. And we'll find it."