Okay, so this chapter didn't end up going how I wanted it to...However, I hope you all like it anyway! It's going to get a little darker from here. As always, thanks for the reads! -Mads
Now dressed, the three of them gather around the dining room table. Emma gets up to make decaf coffee, stirring in the appropriate amount of sugar and cream. David's face looks worried and tired. She's almost terrified to ask why he came here.
"So," she sits down, placing a hand on her small bump. "What brings you here this morning, Dad?"
David folds his hands on the table. "I'm afraid we figured out why Gideon wants to kill you. He's not going to strike until after the baby is born, nor is he going to rush up your pregnancy. However, he plans to murder you to possess your powers as the Savior."
The coffee mug crashes on the floor, spilling hot coffee all over her lap and the floor. She's too numb to feel it though as Hook hurries for a towel to first wipe her up and then the floor. She swats his hand away from her as he tries to get the coffee from her clothing. Standing, up she paces the kitchen, a hand pressed to her forhead.
"He wants my powers. But why?"
David gets up to comfort her, he pulls her hands from her face, holding them in his hands. "We don't know, but we think he wants to use the powers for evil. Instead of giving people their happy endings, he wants to destroy them."
"Like the Evil Queen," Hook states.
"Yeah. Like the Evil Queen. Thankfully that's one less problem to worry about since she's still in her amphibian form." David brings Emma into his arms, soothing her as she continues to go numb.
Hook stares at the father and daughter. Throwing the rag on the counter, he storms out of the house. David comes running after him, leaving Emma in the kitchen. "Where the hell are you going?"
"To make the Dark One defeat his son!" Hook yells behind his shoulders, not daring to stop walking. The sooner he gets to Gold's shop, the sooner all this madness can be put to end. And more importantly, the sooner Emma can have a happy pregnancy without worrying about being murdered by a man-child.
"You're being a bit impulsive," David catches up to him, yanking him to a halt.
Hook's breathing hard as he gives up trying to escape David's grip. He's too weak from the lack of sleep he's been getting. With Emma's life in danger, he can't shut his mind enough to get a night's worth of sleep. His mind is always running, imagining a life without Emma. A life where he would have to raise their child by himself with the threat of Gideon reigning over the town. He can't bear to lose her because if he does, he might revert back into his old ways, and he can't for the sake of their child.
"Every day I stand around not doing anything is another day closer to Gideon getting what he wants and taking away the only thing I love in this bloody world!" Hook yells. Tears gather in his eyes as he sees Emma standing behind David, a look of fear in her eyes.
"Hey," she steps up to him, grabbing his face between her hands. "I'm not going anywhere. I won't let him defeat me. We'll defeat him. Together. Like we did with the darkness. I need you to trust me on this."
Hook looks past her. "Swan…this isn't like the darkness. This is about the most powerful sorcerer killing you and as much as I want to believe in you, I don't think anyone is strong enough to defeat him. Not even you, love."
Emma's hands drop from his face as he walks off. She stands there, both hands holding her stomach as she tries to hold in her tears. Turning around to face her father, she falls into his arms, sobbing wildly. Maybe Hook's right; maybe nobody is strong enough to defeat Gideon. However, she's not going to die without at least trying.
Emma lies on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. It's been six hours since Hook walked away from her this morning. He won't answer his cell. Nobody around town has seen him either. Logically, the best place to check would be the Jolly Roger, but something tells her that would be too obvious of a place. Nonetheless, she reaches for her red leather jacket. It's getting a bit too tight on her now. She can't manage to zip it, so she leaves it open. It's a nice afternoon in Storybrooke for once. Just a bit of a sea breeze chilling the air. Nothing that she isn't able to handle.
Arriving at the docks minutes later, she gazes at the Jolly Roger rocking against the waves. A figure stands at the helm of the ship, and she makes her way over to it. Another form joins the figure who she knows his Hook. Though she's not sure who the other figure is standing beside him. Putting her hands in her jean's pockets, she steps aboard the ship. Close up, she sees Smee is the other figure, gabbing away to Hook. He looks so natural on the ship and she wonders if he wishes he would have never ventured far from the sea. If getting involved with her was a mistake. He wouldn't be so unhappy.
"Hi, Sherriff!" Smee greets her with a big smile. "I haven't had the pleasures of congratulating the two of you on the baby."
Emma smiles at the man. She's never really talked to him before. Besides the one night she had to lock him up for stealing from the convenience store a year or so ago. A lot has changed since then. "Thank you."
Hook hasn't glanced her way yet, but he turns to Smee. "Will you excuse us, Mr. Smee?"
Smee nods his head, brushing past Emma and onto the dock. Emma stands in place, feeling the rocking of the waves. "We need to talk."
"We do," Hook leans against the helm of the ship. "I was-"
"We should take a break," Emma interrupts him. When she stepped aboard the ship, she had every intention to beg him to believe in her, but sometimes you have to let go of those you love. She doesn't want Hook to be unhappy; she wants him to live the life he wants. And she knows that's not changing diapers but sailing the Jolly Roger.
His face goes blank as he stares back at her. She's trying so hard to not to cry and take back her words. Hook steps closer to her, reading her face. "What-why?"
"Because," she sniffs. "I can't be the reason you're unhappy."
"Unhappy?" he balks. "Being with you is the only thing in this damned world that actually makes me happy. How could you think any other way, love?"
She steps back from her, giving herself some space. "Your life is being a pirate; not staying at home fearing for my safety. You need to be sure that being with me is what you want."
Hook's face grows red with anger. "You are what I want!"
"But how can you be sure?" she whispers.
He crowds her until her back is pressed against the ship. "Because we're true love; we're destined to be together. Swan, please don't do this. Don't walk away from me because you're afraid."
"I'm not," she shakes her head. "I just want you to be at peace, Killian."
"I can't be at peace without you," he whispers, the tears streaming down his face in rapid speed. "Please, Emma."
She escapes from his warmth, walking back onto the dock. "Just for a while. Until we both know what we want. I love you."
"Then why are you doing this?" he yells, but she continues to walk back to her bug. He watches her drive away before collapsing in his bed below deck and crying until every tear has shed. He can't remember the last time he really cried. The pain is eating him alive.
A puff of smoke clouds his room as he sees Gideon appear. Grabbing his sword, he points it at the Dark One's son. "Come closer and I'll kill you."
"Lower the sword, Hook," Gideon says calmly. "We both know I'm more powerful than you and I could kill you with the flick of my wrist."
Lowering his sword, he gets up from his bed. "What do you want?" Hook bites out.
Gideon magics a potion in his hand. "I wanted to give you a gift. I can imagine how you must be feeling now that Emma has realized the type of man you really are."
"She loves me; she just needs time. And I'm not accepting anything you give to me. I'd have to be deeply daft to do so," Hook sneers.
Gideon laughs. "Unless, of course, you don't know that I give you it." He knocks Hook out with his magic, bending down to make sure the pirate is unconscious. He pours the potion onto his hand, it floats into the air. "I need you to make this pirate into the man he is, the man he was." He magic settles down onto Hook, and Gideon poofs out.
Hook wakes up, his head groggy. He feels different; he feels more powerful.
Gideon reappears again with a smirk. "Hello, Dark One, I have a task for you."