X Marks the Spot

Chapter Seven

Regina used her magic to poof herself and friends back to Emma's and Killian's home, then Emma and August gently laid Killian down on the couch within the living room so he could rest. The Savior immediately went to one of the cabinets in their kitchen to grab some aspirin for him to help what little it could against his pain that still lingered, as well as a glass of water to help him swallow the pills down with. She helped him to sit up long enough to take them and then he laid his head back against the pillows behind him as he closed his eyes. Emma laid her hand down on his chest and caressed his cheek with the other to comfort him for a few moments, then she stood again to follow her father, son, and friends back into the kitchen so that they could talk more freely without disturbing him.

Emma sighed in frustration and finally she spoke up again saying angrily, "I want to know what the hell happened to him. I need to go talk to Black Beard, but I don't want to leave him alone. Especially if whatever it was happens again."

David took his daughter by her shoulders to turn her around to look at him and responded, "Let me and Regina go deal with Black Beard. I can only imagine how scared and even more angry you must be right now, but men like that pirate… he'll only become more arrogant and smug when he sees how hurting the man you love has affected you. If Black Beard is responsible, we will find a way to stop it and help Hook."

"I'll stay here with you and Killian," Henry quickly added as he looked over at his birth mother and walked over to the freezer to grab an ice pack for his friend without giving her any time to argue.

"You know, earlier Henry said something about how Black Beard shot Hook," Regina said as she thought back to what happened between her friend and his enemy. "What if that was his intention all along? He might have used the duel as a way to distract Hook, only we arrived and distracted him instead."

August looked at the dark haired woman in confusion as he asked, "What does that have to do with what's happening to him now?"

She looked back towards Killian still lying there while her son sat down beside him and handed him the compress when he opened his eyes upon feeling someone there with him again, then Regina summoned the bullet into her hand as she continued, "It's possible that the musket ball Black Beard shot him with was coated with something… some kind of potion or dark magic that is causing this. If we can make a quick stop at my office before heading to the jail, then maybe I can use my own magic to see if I can detect any kind of trace."

"That's a good idea," David answered and nodded at Emma to assure her that they would figure it out, then he moved closer to Regina so that she could transport them both there.

"Did you need my help with anything?" August quickly called out to them before they left.

Charming watched his daughter walk back over to sit with Killian and Henry again, then he turned to their friend as he replied, "I would prefer it if you could remain here to help take care of them. They may need you… if whatever this is overwhelms Hook again."

August nodded and then the Prince and Mayor finally vanished as Emma left Killian's side again to walk back into the kitchen. But when she did so, she suddenly forgot why as the stress of all that's happened was catching up to her and she suddenly slammed her fists down against the island in the middle of the room and dropped her head into her hands with an exasperated growl, not caring that August was even there seeing her begin to break down.

He thought for a few moments before speaking to her again, but then he finally spoke quietly saying, "I know this may not matter to you much and be what you need to hear right now. But Emma, I'm here if you need me. You're going to figure this out."

"He's right, Mom," Henry responded quietly when he also came over to join them. "Killian's a survivor, remember? Besides, he's been through worse."

"Like what?" the Savior asked curtly as she raised her head to look between her son and best friend standing around her.

The sixteen year old looked back towards Killian and then he answered more quietly, "Well, he died and then became trapped down in the Underworld. Killian was tortured by Hades. And for awhile he believed that he wasn't worthy of being saved. It hurt you to see him so broken. You told us all this shortly after we met Liam, remember?"

Her thoughts suddenly returned to that dark night in the Underworld when she, Killian, Liam, and the rest of her family were searching for the pages sharing Hades' story as she saw Killian standing before her while he asked angrily, "Emma, when are you gonna admit that this isn't really about my brother?"

"What else would you think it was about?" she asked in confusion, keeping her eyes on the man she loved and not on his brother standing beside him.

"Us," Killian stated simply while he moved closer to her, then Liam backed off to let his brother and the Savior talk as Killian's anger and frustration towards her grew, along with his hatred for himself. "You think if you can prove that Liam is a villain, then I'll somehow feel like I was less of one. That you can convince me I'm worth saving and that we've got a future together."

Emma looked at him as she asked in disbelief, "You agree with him?"

Hook tried to keep looking into her eyes, though she could see that he was struggling to keep himself together while he continued, "Why bring me back if I should just move on? After we defeat Hades, I won't be returning with you. My fate isn't in Storybrooke. It should be determined here."

"It doesn't have to be," she replied sadly as tears begin to fall from her eyes, while a single tear slipped down from his own. "You can come home. You just have to forgive yourself. Thing is... no matter how many times I tell you, or anybody else does, you have to do it yourself."

"Emma!" she heard him cry out to her when she finally walked away, ignoring the desperate plea in the sound of his voice.

The Savior then pushed aside the memory as her mind snapped back to the present and she looked over at Killian still lying on the couch as she whispered harshly, "Yeah. I remember. I also remember that I can't allow him to fall back into self-loathing again. There may come a time I can't bring him out of it."

Henry wrapped his arms around her and then he spoke again saying, "It won't ever come to that. You're the Savior and you bring happy endings to all of us. Killian will get his too, even if your fates are trying to tell you both differently."