Final chapter
"You look thoughtful, love," Killian commented.
Emma was trailing her fingers over the railing of the Jolly Roger. "I'm just thinking of how unfair it is to him." She indicated Hook with a move of the head. "I'm coming into his life only to tell him he has to give up everything for me."
"This version of me is not real."
"But everything is real to him. And he looks quite real to me too."
Killian took her hand and waited for her to look at him. "Love, the only version of me is right here in front of you. You needn't worry about the other one."
"He's still you. I can't take everything from him, break his heart and leave." She bit her lip as she glanced at the man standing behind the wheel. "We could bring him back to Storybrooke with us."
"And then what?" Killian asked, letting go of her hand. "You would spend one night at home with me and the next one on the Jolly Roger with him?"
"What? No, I don't…"
"Because that's what he wants: you."
"I know. He even said he would agree to share me with you."
"Bloody hell." He hid his face in his hand and she repressed a laugh.
"I didn't know you were the type to share."
"I'm not. He doesn't have you and sharing is better than having nothing." He stepped closer and wrapped her in his arms. "But I have you and I'm not sharing."
She giggled and kissed him.
"I can't believe you suggested to bring him back with us after he told you that."
Emma shrugged and changed the subject, taking her hand to his stomach. "How do you feel?"
"I feel like I have to be careful if I don't want to share the one I love with a man who looks just like me and who might not even be real."
"No, I mean, your stomach. You've been stabbed, remember?" She lifted his shirt to check by herself. There wasn't even a scar. "It looks all right."
"It is. You should trust your magic, love."
"I prefer to make sure. It doesn't hurt even when I touch here?" she inquired while pressing her hand over his stomach.
He flashed her a crooked smile. "The feeling of your fingers on me does anything but hurting."
"Good."
At night, they had decided to take shifts. Hook had been to get some rest in the quarters first and, late at night, it had been Killian and Emma's turn to go to bed. But Emma was unable to get to sleep. Lying in Killian's arms, she was thinking of Storybrooke, of her parents and Henry, of how to go back there and how to leave Hook behind without any remorse. She pictured herself getting some fresh air on deck and the idea was so appealing that she softly unwrapped his arms from around her and quietly left the quarters.
Hook joined her on deck before she had time to reach the railing.
"Coming on deck while Killian is in the quarters," he said and she could hear he was smiling. "Did you miss me?"
"I couldn't sleep."
"Why?"
"I'm dealing with too many issues."
"Hopefully I'm not one of them?"
She shook her head and leant against the railing.
"I too come to the railing and gaze at the ocean to purge the demons in my head."
"I know." Realising this sounded like she was rudely cutting off the conversation, she quickly added, "I mean, Killian told me."
Guilt took over her as she watched him gaze at the sky and she reached for his arm.
"Hey, I'm sorry. For everything. Making you give up on your ship and making you lose me."
He glanced at her hand on his arm and smiled. "I'm not sorry. I'm glad you came into my life, even if it's just for a short time. You're an amazing woman, Emma Swan."
She shook her head in disbelief and looked up at the stars.
"What is it?" he inquired.
"I just keep being amazed by how much any Killian Jones would do for me. I mean, you're known as the fearsome pirate Captain Hook," she said and he smirked when he heard the nickname. "And I've just met you. And yet, you're willing to give everything, your ship, for me."
"Let the fearsome pirate Captain Hook tell you his version of the story, love. Today, a beautiful woman burst into my life when I least expected it, coming out of my quarters which I had just left to get some rum. This woman – you – let me believe for a moment that, in another universe, we're living together. For a moment, life looked brighter than it had been in centuries. For a moment, you gave me hope. You came into my life and reminded me what it was like to live for something else than revenge. I understand why he gave up on revenge for your love. I would do the same, if only I could. This is why I am willing to help you."
He turned to the ocean and she imitated him, biting her lip while thinking of his words. She didn't know what to say but he didn't seem to be waiting for an answer.
"Since there are two of me," he said in a low voice which was enough to break the silence, "Is there also another one of you?"
"There's not."
He sighed and turned to the ocean again. "It's unfair that there has to be two of me and only one of you."
Lightly frowning, she was musing on it. "I'm the only Emma, but I was the daughter of this realm's versions of my parents. Which means that before I arrived here, they didn't have a daughter, and my son didn't have a mother. But life seemed to make sense when I thought I was their daughter." She felt as though she had finally solved the problem. "Killian was right. This realm has been created when I arrived. That's the only way. When I was with them, it felt like I had spent my whole life there. And they also believed everything was real. But I've just arrived here, I'm Emma from Storybrooke, not Princess Emma of the Enchanted Forest. I haven't spent my life here, even though they thought I had. And I can't have come into their lives just like this. Which means that everyone, and everything they thought they knew, have been created by magic at the moment when I arrived." She paused and realised that all of this might sound confusing. "I don't know if you see what I mean?"
"I'm afraid I do. You're saying everything's been created by magic the moment you arrived. And assuming everything will be erased by magic the moment you leave."
Emma realised what it meant for him and, once again, didn't know what to say; if she was right, he might disappear as soon as she would go back to Storybrooke, and she had no idea what she was supposed to tell him about it.
But once again, he didn't seem to need her to say anything: a crooked smile stretched his lips as he found the perk of being nothing more than the product of magic. "If I'm not real and you kiss me, the kiss will theoretically be not real. What is not real can't have consequences, right?"
"Killian, I can't."
"Killian is how you call the other version of me," he reminded her. "The one you kiss."
"Sorry. Hook."
"It's a shame that I might disappear without even knowing the taste of your lips."
He sighed and pretended to gaze at the ocean, but was actually watching her out of the corner of his eye. Seeing she was not taking her eyes off him, his crooked smile became more visible and he turned to her. His gaze insistently shifted between her lips and her eyes, and his heart started to pound in his chest when he detected the moment when she gave in to him.
She took a deep breath. She had guessed it might come to this: from the start, there had been this tension she had tried to ignore, in vain. Giving him this would maybe appease the guilt she was feeling toward him. This was the least she could do to thank him for everything he was doing for her. Hopefully, Killian would forgive her.
Looking him in the eye, she grabbed the lapels of his coat and pressed her lips against his own. It felt more natural than she had expected, because his lips were the same as those she was used to kiss. The difference was coming from his moves: he was avidly exploring and discovering her. There was something desperate in the way he deepened the kiss, as if he knew this was a one-time thing – his only chance to feel her lips against his own. He tightened his embrace and Emma found herself firmly pressed against him. She completely surrendered herself to him. When he lifted her up, she naturally wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips, and kept kissing him. He sat her on the railing and didn't loosen his embrace. His hand found her bare ankle and slipped under her skirt, slowly moving up her leg. It was when it was halfway through her thigh that she pulled away from the kiss.
"Killian… Hook, stop."
He didn't need to be told twice: only keeping his arm in her back and his forehead against hers, he instantly left some space between them. He took his fingers to his lips.
"Killian is one hell of a lucky man."
Killian was the one she was thinking about. She had betrayed him. In the heat of the moment, she had not realised. She had been the one initiating a kiss which shouldn't have happened, and she had struggled to find the will to interrupt it. She needed to see him.
"Don't follow me," she told Hook.
"As you wish."
Getting off the railing, she walked past him and headed to the quarters. Because of what she had just done, she was feeling guilty and ashamed. Back in the quarters, she was relieved to see that Killian was awake.
"You're not sleeping," she noted.
"You can't leave my arms without awaking me." He sat up on the edge of the bed and his smile faded when he noticed her expression.
"Killian…" She bit her lip before confessing, "I kissed him."
She had wondered how he would react. He had never been angry with her but she considered he had the right to be, and would understand if he raised his voice. But Killian didn't say anything and looked down. She could see a muscle flexing in his jaw. He didn't look angry, but disappointed and even hurt, and that was actually worse.
"Please say something."
"I don't know what to say," he said, looking up at her.
"I've tried to resist but-"
"Spare me the details, love."
"I'm sorry."
He shook his head and sighed. "Don't be."
"Aren't you mad at me?"
"Should I?" he inquired. His voice was soft and his features were showing no hint of anger. He shrugged. "I guessed this might happen. You kissed someone else but that someone happened to be me somehow. And I was the one getting him involved in all of this, anyway. They said coming here would lead to a price to pay. Perhaps that's it."
"Do you forgive me?"
"Aye. We're in enough trouble already, no need to add this to the list. I mean, I will appreciate if you don't do it again and-"
"I won't," she cut him off and he nodded.
"And I would gladly punch him in the face right now. But I can't be mad at you. I don't want to." He flashed her a smile. "I know you just can't resist me. Come here."
With a move of the hand, he indicated her to join him. She went to sit on his lap and sighed.
"You're making it too easy for me. All of you, Killian Jones, are making it too easy for me."
"It's because we, all the versions of Killian Jones, seem to have a heart made of the same stuff – a heart that you, Emma Swan, make pound. And I guess it works both ways, making any version of me irresistible to you."
"Is that your reason to forgive me for anything?"
"No." He reached for her cheek and brushed the corner of her lips to make her smile again. "If I don't feel like I could ever blame you for anything, it's because I love you. True love is unconditional."
"Killian," she sighed, overwhelmed with love.
"Don't say anything," he whispered before capturing her lips.
They laid down and, quickly, she forgot the idea of talking.
Awake and wrapped in Killian's arms, Emma was once again lost in thoughts. It was while she was gazing at the sword lying against the chair – the one which had travelled with her from Storybrooke and which would, according to her visions, lead to her death – that she got an idea.
"Killian," she whispered.
"Hmm?"
She turned in his arms to face him and the view of her Killian sleepily opening his eyes made her feel like she was melting. She kissed his cheek before slipping her fingers through his hair.
"I think I've got an idea," she said in a low voice. "About the sword. We can leave it here. The visions won't come true if the sword is not in Storybrooke. I can give it to Hook."
Killian only needed a second to consider the idea. "That's brilliant! If you're the one giving it to him, he will take care of it as if his own life depended on it. Especially if he knows what a threat this sword represents to you."
"I'm going to talk to him."
Once they were on deck, Killian took over the wheel, allowing Emma to lead Hook to the railing. He kept casting glances at Killian.
"I thought he was gazing at you, which I would understand, but he seems to be watching me."
"He is watching you," she confirmed. "That might be because I told him that I kissed you."
Hook raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Then I guess I'm fine, if he knows and does nothing more than watching me."
"What do you mean?"
Hook smirked, obviously amused by the fact he needed to explain. "I mean that if I had you and you kissed anyone else, I would punch the man in question in the face. I wouldn't just watch him. That must be due to the years of work to become a better man that he mentioned yesterday."
Emma was hardly repressing a laugh. "He did mention the possibility of punching you in the face."
"Oh well, then, let's ignore him." Hook turned his back on Killian and fully focused on her. "What did you want to tell me, love?"
"I wanted to talk to you about this sword." She unsheathed it and handed it to him. "I want you to keep it."
"What? Like some sort of present?" he inquired while taking the sword and examining it.
"It's more than that."
He fixed his gaze upon her and tilted his head on the side. To tell him what this sword really was, she needed to explain everything from the beginning. She started with the fact that she was the saviour – something that she had not mentioned yet. He was fascinated and asked many questions about what it implied or how her magic worked. She took the time to answer all of them and, when she had the occasion, went on.
"Lately, I had some issues with my magic. My hand was shaking and I couldn't control it so well. And I had these visions. Visions of my future."
"Visions of your future?" Her tone seemed to worry him and he sounded like he was afraid of the answer when he asked, "What happens in them?"
"I die."
"You… No, that's not possible," he denied. "You've just told me about all these things you faced as the saviour. You can overcome whatever happens in those visions." He was truly concerned, now. "What kind of monster will you have to face? In those visions, how does it happen?"
"It's someone, but I don't know who that is. I only see a hooded figure. It's night-time, in the town of Storybrooke, and-"
"Storybrooke?" he interrupted her. "Then, stay here. Why do you want to go back there? Stay here, you will be safe."
"I can't stay here, we discussed this already."
"Are you saying that, now that I know about this, I'm supposed to let you go back there?"
"Yes. Because you don't have to worry. In these visions, the hooded figure kills me with a sword." She pointed the sword he was holding. "This sword. If it stays in this realm, the visions won't come true."
"Wow." He examined the sword again, now seeing that it was indeed more than a present. "And you're trusting me with this."
"You're Killian Jones. I do trust you."
They exchanged a smile before he took his cutlass and its sheath off his belt, and replaced it with the sword.
"I will look after it as if it was the most precious treasure."
"This is exactly why I trust you. I know it's safe with you."
"When you think about it, I don't have much to do: if everything goes as planned, you will be back in Storybrooke tonight, and this realm and I will no longer be."
The simple reminder of this possibility made her feel sick. "Speaking of this, that's something else I wanted to talk about."
"Hopefully, it doesn't involve any other dreadful vision?"
"No, it's just… I can't believe that all of this – you – could disappear just because I leave."
"But you said-"
"I know what I said. And I think I was wrong. Even if all of this has been created by magic when I arrived, it doesn't mean it will disappear as soon as I leave. That's impossible. I can't keep saying that none of this is real. It has to be."
"Are you finally admitting that I'm real?" he asked with a crooked smile.
"Yes," she said with a light laugh, amused by his tone. "But most importantly, I'm saying that I think you will live."
"What made you change your mind?"
"This morning, I've been thinking of Storybrooke. It's been created by magic when the Evil Queen cast the Dark Curse. But when I broke the curse, Storybrooke remained. And it's still there. I believe it'll be the same for this realm. The fact that I leave won't change anything. This place will remain. And since this place may remain, I was thinking it'd be better if you still had your ship."
"But you need the magic bean."
"Yes, I know. And we have to trade the ship with Blackbeard for that. But that doesn't mean we need to give him the Jolly Roger. All we need is for him to believe that we're giving him the Jolly Roger."
"That's bad form, love," he commented with a smirk. "I'm up for it! But just, how do you plan on achieving that?"
"I can use my magic to trick him. I can use a concealment spell to hide the Jolly Roger, and another spell to make a random ship look like it. This way, you can lead him to the fake ship, and leave aboard the Jolly Roger."
"Amazing! Have you ever done something like that, before?"
"No."
"Are you sure you want to do this? What about your magic? And your trembling hand? Will you be alright?"
"I can't promise it'll work, but I can try."
"It's okay, you know? I can give up my ship for you."
"But I can do it. I mean, I can try, at least. I want to. Let me do that for you."
"Well, if the lady insists…"
"It's just… Blackbeard will end up noticing someday. You'll spend your life running away from him."
A bright smile illuminated his features and he softly brushed a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. "You mean I will spend my life taunting him. That is the best thing you can give me."
Later, they shared the idea with Killian who, at first reluctant, was convinced the same way as Hook when Emma said that was what she wanted to do. They decided that it was better to conceal the ship before reaching the land.
"How does that work? What do you have to do?" Hook asked.
"I just need to focus and, normally, my magic will follow."
Closing her eyes, she thought of what she wanted to do. She had to use her magic to make the Jolly Roger invisible from the outside. She knew something was happening when a warm tingle spread down her arms and reached her hands.
This was all a matter of perception: she could feel the ship and imagine a veil covering it from the bow to the stern. When she felt like she was done, she opened her eyes.
"It went well," she announced with a smile.
Hook took her hand and examined her palm. "I had never seen something like this. That was amazing. Are you alright?"
"Yes. But the next part may be trickier."
Soon after the sun reached its zenith, they reached the land. It was when they found themselves on the docks that they observed that the Jolly Roger was invisible indeed.
"Brilliant!" Hook commented. "Am I invisible too, when I'm on board?"
"Yes," Emma confirmed by standing on the first step and disappearing.
"Brilliant," he repeated. "If you don't lift the spell, Blackbeard will never be able to find me."
"The spell might be lifted automatically when I leave. And if it isn't… do you really want your ship to remain invisible? I mean, you'll have to be careful and remember where it is."
"Point taken. But don't worry about this, love. Now, can you make any of these ships look like the Jolly Roger?"
She glanced around and noticed that there seemed to be a part of the port more remote than the rest. "Over there. There should be what we need."
Surrounded by the two men, she headed to the other end of the port. The pier led her to a place where there was no one to witness what she was about to do. She looked at the ships around her and fixed her gaze on one of them, which size was alike the size of the Jolly Roger.
"This one should do."
"Are you still sure you want to do this?" Hook inquired.
"Yes."
She nodded and closed her eyes, once again focusing on what she wanted to do. She had never done that and didn't really know how to proceed. She had managed to cast a spell to hide the Jolly Roger, but she was not sure she would be able to cast another one. She had actually convinced herself that this would be the tricky part. She couldn't feel any tingling sensation. The thoughts crossing her mind made her fear that her hand might start shaking again, and that was something she didn't want to happen in front of the two men.
"Emma, you can do it," Killian encouraged her, coming closer and placing his hand on her stomach.
Hook imitated him and slipped his arm in her back, placing his hand on her waist to remind her that he was there as well. They were both there and they believed in her. She had to believe too. There was no reason why she couldn't do it. All she needed to do was to focus. She had to do it; she needed to do it for Hook, to give him the possibility to live his pirate's life aboard his ship. At last, she felt the tingle in her arms and in her hands, and focused on the Jolly Roger, mentally leading her magic to do whatever was needed to turn the ship standing in front of her into its replica.
"Love, open your eyes," Killian whispered.
Her magic had worked and, from the outside at least, it perfectly looked like the Jolly Roger to her.
"Blackbeard is going to fall for it!" Hook said. "Even I can barely see the difference."
"He won't see it at first, but he will notice. I only made it look like the Jolly Roger, but it won't be as fast."
"Even better!" Hook was delighted. "You truly are the most amazing."
He and Emma exchanged a smile, and Killian interrupted them. "I'd say it's time to go and find Blackbeard."
"He'll be at the tavern."
"In the middle of the day?" Emma asked.
"There isn't a right time to drink, love," Hook said with a crooked smile. "I suggest you two go back aboard the Jolly Roger while I deal with him."
They approved and went back to the ship. After a few minutes, when they saw Hook had not come back, they guessed he had found Blackbeard.
As the hour went by, they talked about what he might be doing and discussed the chances that he had to get the magic bean. While Emma had some doubts, Killian was confident, and he was proven to be right when Hook came back with a smug smile, showing them a small pouch.
"Emma, you're a genius! He's been fooled very easily. He asked me to lead him to the Jolly Roger, I did, and he noticed nothing. He gave me the bean and left." Hook handed her the pouch. "And now, you can go home."
Choosing to distance themselves from the land to open a portal which would lead them back to Storybrooke, they set sail. When they were far enough, Hook went to talk to Emma.
"Looks like this is where our story ends," he said. Emma noticed a sparkle in his eyes and a hint of a smirk on his lips that she didn't understand at first. "Since you're the saviour and you bring back the happy endings, will you make of ours a happy one?"
He was being flirty again and she shook her head. "Hook…"
He chuckled and was seemingly pleased with himself. "I know I can't taste your lips like I did last night. That is why, instead, I'm finding joy in talking to you like this. I quite fancy the way you roll your eyes as if I was the most annoying pirate of all the realms. But what I love the most is this light blush covering your cheeks," he said while caressing one of them. "Or the way you're staring at me right now. Aye, that is definitely what I love the most." They gazed at each other for a moment, until he asked, "I know I cannot taste your lips but will I get the honour of holding you in my arms once again?"
He opened his arms to her and, without a hint of hesitation, she closed the distance between them. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed the corner of her lips. She had not expected this, but she didn't stop him. Resisting the temptation to turn her head to capture his lips, she simply smiled. He shifted across her cheek before going to her neck.
When he loosened his embrace, she didn't. She wasn't sure she was ready to let him go, and guessed that he might probably feel the same; thanks to her magic, he was not losing his ship, but he was still losing her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered while his lips were still pressed on her neck.
"Shh, don't let such words ruin the magic of this moment."
He tightened his embrace and she stayed in his arms for another moment, lightly scratching the back of his head.
"Do you realise that, in some way, magic has created my life for the sole purpose of sharing these two days with you? I am one of the lucky ones," he said while softly pulling away from the hug and she looked him in the eye. "I have one last request: live, Emma Swan. Live a long and happy life. If in any way I have helped saving you, my existence won't have been vain."
"What about you?"
He flashed her a smile and glanced around before announcing proudly, "I'm giving up on revenge. I've found a new reason to live: if there are two of me, I can't believe there is only one of you. I'm going to explore other realms and hope that, someday, I will bump into another one of you. If I don't, I'll just find a genie and directly ask him to send me where there's an Emma Swan living without a Killian Jones."
Emma bit her lip in an attempt to repress the tears. She found herself hoping and even believing that, somewhere, in another realm, in an alternate reality, another version of herself was waiting for him.
"When you find her, she is likely to need some time before admitting her feelings. Be patient and don't give up." Closing the distance between them, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips on his cheek. They stayed in each other's embrace and her lips lingered on his cheek before she whispered, "Never forget what you're fighting for."
"I won't." They pulled away and he wiped away the tear which had escaped her. "Do not let sorrow take over when you think of me, love. Always remember that you've changed my life for the better."
She nodded and he wiped away a second tear which rolled down her cheek. "I still don't know how to say goodbye."
"We don't have to." Hook indicated Killian who was standing a few metres away. "I think he's waiting for you." Softly, he took her hand to his lips. "It's time for you to go home."
He led her to Killian who patted his shoulder and nodded gratefully before turning to Emma. "Are you ready, love?"
"Yes." She tossed the bean into the water and took Killian's hand whilst a portal opened below them. She turned to Hook. "Thank you."
He flashed her a bright smile; a bright smile which was the last she saw of him and which she did her best to return. She and Killian jumped through the portal which brought them back to Storybrooke and closed itself, leaving a whole realm behind them.