The Dark Backward

Chapter Fourteen

Emma, Killian, and Maleficent continued falling through several more loops no matter what they did to try to change it… the circumstances of Killian's deaths occurring differently each time, though certainly no less painfully than the last. For Emma both mentally and emotionally, and for Killian physically as well. For Emma, being forced to see Killian die again and again was slowly killing her. And it broke Killian's heart to see the woman he loved so shattered and angry, while a small part of him was touched upon seeing how much his life has meant to her even if she couldn't admit she loved him yet like he's admitted to her. He could feel in his heart she did and for now it was enough.

There was also something Killian sensed in Emma each time through that she couldn't bring herself to tell him about once she would tell him about what's been happening to them. But he didn't ever push her to talk about whatever was troubling her because he hoped she would eventually tell him in her own time. The Savior knew it and she appreciated it. His patience with her and her insecurities was one of the many things she loved most about him. And in these circumstances, it finally allowed for her to find the courage to do so at last.

"Killian… before we move on from here, or talk about anything else… I know you've been sensing I'm upset with you," Emma finally said to him worryingly once she made it back to the Jolly Roger again to find him the next time they awoke, shared again with him the truth about her having to watch him die over and over, then brought him back to her car where they could sit alone as they talked and without going anywhere so they could avoid getting into any kind of accident while Maleficent stayed with her parents begrudgingly. "And I am, but not because you've really done anything wrong. I mean… ugh… Maybe I shouldn't try to…"

"Whatever's troubling you, love… you can tell me," Killian responded gently, when he reached out to lay his hand over her own to offer her comfort. "If I've done something to upset you, I am sorry."

She smiled at him sadly and then she answered, "We've been through this loop countless times now and the truth is I've lost track. And I've failed to save you every time. But that's not all I've been upset about. I know… it might sound selfish of me that I feel this way, but there was one time through that you killed yourself because you trusted me enough to believe the loop would reset. You were attacked by Gold and he was choking you… as I saw him do once before when we first confronted him in the Enchanted Forest during the time travel debacle… and we were caught in a no win situation. He wanted to use you against us. My point is… you killed yourself. And then you did so again two other times through since. On top of that, you've died protecting me and my parents a number of times too and… I can't take it any longer, Killian. I just… I just can't. Watching you die over and over no matter what we do to try to protect you is hard enough, but to watch you die after you sacrifice yourself for me… It's even worse because I can't save you."

Killian pulled his hand away from hers and raised it to her face so he could wipe away a tear that slipped from her eye, then tenderly began to caress her cheek while he whispered, "You have saved me, Emma. From the man I used to me and that's what is most important. As for this time loop we're trapped in, you will save me from death too. I believe in you. You have to believe in yourself. No matter how difficult it is for you. And if you wish to understand why I must have felt killing myself while trapped under Gold's control was necessary, it's because I've been under his control twice before. Back when I blackmailed Gold into giving me my hand back, then did as he wanted of me in order to get him to remove it again. And the second time being because he ripped out my heart and used me to help him to nearly destroy you during the Snow Queen's reign. Both times were of my own doing and they nearly destroyed me. They would have, had you not forgiven me. I couldn't allow Gold to ever use me again. I won't."

"Oh, Killian… I should have understood that," she finally replied, then reached up to pull his hand back down so she could hold it again. "And I do. Just so you know, I forgave you because you're a good man, who only did the things you did because you wanted to be a better man than you could ever see in yourself. Something I know you still struggle with every day. But I don't. It'll become easier for you too. Now… come on. We should get back to Maleficent before she gets impatient or angry enough to kill Mom and Dad, even if they aren't real."

"Aye," he stated as he looked up into her eyes again and nodded. "You're not wrong."

Once they got out of the yellow bug parked down the street from Granny's and then returned to the Savior's parents and the villainess where they were waiting for them outside of the Charmings' loft, Maleficent glared between the lovers as she asked curtly, "Are you two finally finished? Can we actually find this stranger you think might be the key to getting out of here now, Emma?"

Emma glanced over at Killian as she blushed and laughed when he smiled at her, then together they walked down the street towards the clock tower where they suspected he might be hiding while he continued to watch over them. Finally, they reached the library again without another surprise attack appearing to hurt Killian and just like they hoped, the stranger was inside waiting for them among the stacks of books.

He smiled at them haughtily when they entered and before they could talk, he spoke first saying, "It's about time each of you reached me without this pirate here being killed."

"We could have reached you a lot sooner had you actually allowed us to and not kept hiding from us," Emma responded angrily while she and the others with her glared at him. "Who are you? And why have you been hiding? I'm guessing you're not a part of this twisted world, or whatever the hell it is we're trapped in."

"This realm is known as the Dark Backward," the stranger coolly answered her when he sat down on top of one of the tables beyond the main room. "A twisted reality as you say, where time passes in a constant loop connected to all those who are truly trapped here. Though not to those who are like shadows conjured to keep you from escaping. Shadows… like everyone in here whom you have ever come into contact with since you've arrived, Savior."

Hook glared at him darkly as he asked, "How do you know so much about who we are and this place? You never answered Emma's questions… who are you, and why have you been hiding from us if you're really looking to escape as well?"

He stood tall in front of Killian and then replied, "Because the truth is I am a villain as dark as the villainess you are already working with, if not even more cruel. I didn't allow you to find me because I didn't believe you would listen to what I have to say or trust in me enough to let me join you. Not that I would blame you. I was trapped in this reality some time ago by the Dark One… Rumplestiltskin. I don't know how he did it. And I haven't found a way out of here since, but I do know how to if we can find the doorway."

"The doorway?" Emma questioned hopefully. "You know how we can escape from this world? Please… we don't care who you are right now, or how you found your way in here. So long as we can get out of here."

"If you've really been trapped in here all this time, what kind of nightmare have you been forced to relive over and over?" Maleficent curtly asked him before the other villain could respond.

The stranger to them looked at the beautiful sorceress as he answered, "It doesn't really matter anymore. Everything has changed since you three have arrived. Now… I've been reliving your nightmares with you and will continue to do so until we find our way out. You will forgive me for spying. I had to know for sure I could trust you myself."

He then turned to Emma and Killian again while he less than sincerely added, "And I hope you can forgive me for being the one to fire the shot that killed your boyfriend here in your first time through the loop."

"That was you?" Emma darkly asked him and attempted to strike his face until Killian immediately held her back to protect her. "I saw you there. Yet I made you out to be nothing but a trick of my mind because I was upset and in pain, that's only worsening the longer we're trapped in here. You killed him!"

"I killed him just once," the villain replied haughtily. "I had to test what I suspected might trigger the reset once your arrival changed what usually triggered them in my former reality. I overheard you talking and made an estimated guess. It turns out I was right. I've been watching you ever since."

Before Emma could lash out at him again, David finally spoke up first as he responded in frustration, "If you know how to help Emma and Hook get out of here, then tell us what we need to know."

The stranger glanced over at the Prince whom he knew wasn't one of those trapped inside the Dark Backward with him, then turned back to those who were again and answered, "After remaining trapped for quite some time, I finally pieced together that there is an exit point somewhere around here. Only I've never found it. An exit point I hear is called, a mandala. A portal of sorts, though unlike any I have ever seen before. If you can find it and keep this pirate of yours alive when you reach it, you are home free. As for what's waiting for you on the other side… Well, I have no idea. Since I am still trapped here myself."

"All this time, and you've never found this mandala as you call it?" Hook retorted coldly while he continued to glare at the man he didn't trust even if he had admitted right away to being a villain.

"It's like I've told you, there are forces here in this twisted reality that are fighting to keep us all trapped here," the other villain aside from Maleficent replied coldly. "You've seen so for yourself… Hook. If you trust me about anything, it should be about this."

Once Emma thought over everything that's occurred since they've become trapped along with what they had just been told as quickly as she could, it dawned on her where the exit point might be and she turned to Killian and Maleficent again while she spoke anxiously saying, "The cave… where this mess all began. Where we fought until Gold must have been the one to trap us here using our own power to help him open up the portal which pulled us in… it must be where the mandala is. He must have been watching our confrontation and saw an opportunity to get rid of us like he got rid of this stranger too."

The other villain responded again, "And when I am finally free again, I will be seeking out the Dark One to make him pay for doing so."

"As much as we would all like to see Rumplestiltskin finally pay for all of his crimes, we won't allow you to seek out revenge against him because if you do, then only innocent people will wind up getting hurt," the Savior sternly answered as she looked into the stranger's eyes.

"You're protecting Rumplestiltskin?" he questioned her darkly. "You aren't much of a Savior if this is true."

Killian reached out to grab the stranger by the collar of his shirt in anger while he retorted, "You'll watch how you speak of her. You won't talk about her like you pretend to know anything about her. Is that clear?"

Emma laid her hands over the small of Killian's back as well as his right arm and calmingly pleaded, "Killian… don't. Please. It's okay. We don't know anything about him either and I don't care to. But we can't risk aggravating him. I hate to admit it, but we might need his help to escape from here. And I don't want to see you die again."

"I'm sorry, love," the man who loved her whispered when his eyes softened as he looked over into hers again, then stepped back away from the villain. "I know you're right."

"It's like Emma said, only innocent people will get hurt if we were to allow you to try to get your revenge against the Dark One," Hook continued as he turned back to face the villain again. "Take it from someone who knows better than anyone what happens when seeking revenge against Rumplestiltskin. If you wind up in the real Storybrooke when all of this is over and try, we will stop you."

The stranger glared at him, then finally nodded in understanding and replied, "You've made your point and I hear you, Captain. Well said. Shall we proceed to find the mandala where your Savior suspects it could be? In this cave?"

Emma, Killian, David, Maleficent, and Mary Margaret all turned and walked up to the elevator leading down to the caves beneath them as the Princess responded, "Thankfully, we don't have very far to go."

"And unfortunately, this way down is blocked by magic," the stranger said in frustration again. "Do you not think I have tried to get down into the tunnels and caves in search for the portal?"

"Emma… what would you say to us combining our powers again to see if they're powerful enough to break through the protection spell keeping us from entering?" Maleficent asked when she glanced over at the Savior again after she raised her hand to the elevator doors to test for any barriers herself. "We haven't come across any protection spells yet, so clearly the portal must be there. Our powers together may be powerful enough together to break through the barriers keeping us from going down there."

David looked over at her skeptically as he questioned, "Are you sure that's really a good idea? After all… doing that is what caused you to end up in this time loop in the first place."

Emma looked at Killian, who simply nodded at her to show he believed in her, then she turned again to the sorceress and answered, "I think you're right. I'm willing to give it a chance if you are."

"Let's do it then," Maleficent replied, then together she and the Savior raised their hands while Hook took the villainess' staff to hold it for her, and they unleashed their powers once more against the protection spell over the entryway into the cavern below until the doors opened when they succeeded in breaking through.

"Hopefully, that'll be the last time we have to do that," the Savior said again, then she stepped inside first, followed closely by Killian, the villainess, Emma's parents, and finally the stranger.

Once they arrived within the cave, a flower designed portal the stranger called a mandala shined before them in the very spot where Emma, Killian, and Maleficent had been pulled into the Dark Backward on the other side like they all hoped. The stranger let out a chortle upon seeing how close he was to returning to his own world, while he and the sorceress stepped ahead of the others to observe it more closely.

Killian spoke again quietly as he squeezed Emma's hand to offer her strength while saying, "It's almost beautiful… were it not for this portal being a source of all our troubles."

Emma looked over at him again and smiled, then she nodded in agreement and whispered, "You're right."

"It may be beautiful, but I'm afraid we can't allow any of you to pass through it so you can get home again," Mary Margaret then responded darkly, when David suddenly pulled his service weapon and aimed it directly at Killian's head as he prepared to pull the trigger by clicking off the safety.

"Mom… Dad?" the Savior questioned out of confusion and in worry as she and Killian turned around to face her parents, then her mother quickly pulled Hook's sword from its scabbard to back up the Prince. "What the hell are you doing?"

David answered coldly, "The Dark Backward is your home now, Emma. We need you to be our Savior now. It's the only way you'll be able to be with Hook if you insist on being with a pirate."

The shadow of Emma's father was about to shoot Killian, until all of a sudden, the stranger unleashed magic of his own from his hands to turn both this world's versions of her parents into ash and when Emma and Killian turned around to stare at him in shock by what just happened, he stated, "I warned you of the dangers here in this realm. All shadows of the people and monsters you think you know from your world here will stop at nothing to keep you from escaping. Including your parents. I suggest that you steer clear of them during your next time through this loop."

"The next time?" Hook asked when he sensed a dark turn in the villain's motives, then knelt to the ground in order to pick up his cutlass from the ground and before he could raise it up to defend Emma and himself, he used his power to freeze the two heroes and the sorceress in place.

"That's right, Captain," he replied smugly, then waved his hand over himself in order to reveal to them his true self. "Forgive me for my deception. It was a safety precaution. So the shadow of the Dark One wouldn't know who I was in case our paths crossed. I'm Dr. Facilier. A villain… just like I told you. A witchdoctor well practiced in the dark arts. And the rest of what I said was true too. I'm sorry it has to be this way, but I can't allow you to escape so you can keep me from going after the real Rumplestiltskin in case I find myself in your lovely town once I cross to the other side of this mandala. So… good luck to you. Goodbye."

Before his power wore off, the witchdoctor pulled out a needle and a straw doll from his inside coat pocket, then raised the piercing instrument and suddenly stabbed it through the doll's chest, causing Killian to gasp in pain as he fell to the ground like he had been stabbed through his heart to Emma's horror, while she cried out his name like so many times before upon seeing him die. She finally broke free of the spell and pulled him into her arms, while Maleficent broke free as well and immediately attempted to strike against Facilier. Unfortunately, he escaped through the portal just in time.

The sorceress turned back to Emma and Killian again while the Savior held the pirate in her arms as she cried over him, then started towards the portal to leave this world herself until something in her made her stop. A strange sense of remorse she never thought she would feel for any of Storybrooke's heroes, let alone them being who they were. The daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, and the Savior's boyfriend. At last, the white light, then the darkness came for them like all the times before to return them to the beginning for what they hoped would be the last time through the time loop.