This was just too easy. Felix ducked when a left hook came his way and kicked his opponent to the ground. The moves Sophia had taught him came to good use. This was the third battle he had won with not even a scratch. He looked up to where Sophia was sitting on her throne and met her gaze. He smirked and winked at her and she looked away. He didn't know where all this confident came from but he has the opportunity to get a kiss from her and he was not going to throw that away. It may be his only chance and he couldn't get it out of his head. He has to kiss her, no matter what he just has to before she leaves.
"Who's next?" he asked and walks around the area. Another boy walks forwards. The best part of living on Neverland longer than anyone else is that you know everyone on the island. He knows how everyone fights and what their weak spots are. The one in front of him wasn't that big but he was fast. That means he is easy to get on the ground without too much force. The he heard the drum and immediately the boy launched forwards. This wasn't even a real challenge anymore. With a sidestep he copied the move Sophia did when she told him to attack her. And just like that another boy was to the ground, this one face first.
He walked back to his spot, waiting for the next lost boy to try. Did they really think they could win when a kiss was what he was fighting for? Apparently they didn't like the way he had won every battle so far because they were coming for him three at a time now. He tried to dodge and block their blows while making his own but three at a time was harder than one. Someone punched him right in the stomach and he ducked in. Than another kicked him from behind so that he fell on his hands and knees. He tried to catch his breath when he felt a hard kick to his side which send him to the ground. The boys kicked him a few more times. He tried to get up a more than once but they would just kick him harder back to the ground. He gritted his teeth to keep himself from screaming.
When they were done and walked away he wrapped one arm around his sore body, using his other to push himself up. Slowly he got to his feet again. He was going to kill them. He gritted his teeth again and looked at the three boys who had their backs turned to him, facing Sophia. If they touched her with one finger he would make sure they wished they had never been born. With anger filling his body he forgot about his pain and roared forward. It all went by too fast for anyone to know what happened. Two of the boys were unconscious on the ground with blue eyes, maybe a broken rib or two and a nose bleeding. The other has ran into the jungle in fear but didn't get very far when Felix threw a rock to his head.
His body was filled with anger, rage and pain. No one beat him without facing the consequences. Around him is was completely silent. He slowly began to calm down and his body began to tremble. He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. He only opened his eyes again when he felt a gentle hand brush some of his hair out of his face. Before him stood Sophia. Not the Queen in her body but really her. She looked concerned when their eyes met.
"Are you okay?" she whispered while her other hand come up to cup his cheek. He gave her a small smile and nodded. All the pain he felt seemed to fade at her touch. As if she just remember something she blinked a few times and the Queen returned. The worry disappeared and she turned around with a big smile on hr face. "We have a winner!" she announced enthusiastic.
The boys cheered, but he couldn't hear any of it. When she turned and her fingers left his skin he felt the pain return and it was too overwhelming. He fought to keep conciseness but lost, his eyes closed and his body fell to the ground. The only thing he heard was Sophia scream his name before everything went silent and black.
"I still can't believe why she loves you."
"She sees me for who I really am."
"A one handed pirate with a drinking problem?"
"If you didn't notice it yet I have two hands."
"You didn't when you two met."
"How the bloody hell would you know?"
"SHUT UP!" Emma screamed. Both Killian and Pan stopped and turned to her. "Could you guys please just shut up for a few second and walk in silence?"
Killian and Pan looked at each other and then back at her. She gave them a look that said she was not going to take 'no' for an answer.
"Fine," they both grumbled.
"Thank you," Emma sighed and began to walk again. Killian came to walk beside her while Pan kept leading the way.
"I'm sorry for my behaver, love," Killian said with apologising look. "How can I make it up to you?"
"Find this stupid flower and get the hell out of here," she said frustrated. When she looked over at him she soften a bit. "I just want to go home and spend some time as a family."
Killian smiled at her and kissed her temple. "We'll be home before you know it."
"I hope so," Pan said over his shoulder. Killian was about to comment on that but Emma gave him a look that made him back off, for now. They walked in silence for a few more miles when Pan stopped and turned toward them. "This valley is where the flower grows but before we go in I have to warn you, the blue flower is not the only one that grows here. The other flowers work the same way as the blue but could contain deadly poison or burning powder." Emma and Killian nodded. "we are going to split up. The blue flower is a rare one, when you find it put a piece of cloth over your hand and grab the flower. Make sure not to inhale the powder. We meet back here in 20 minutes. If no one has found the blue flower by then… we are doomed."
"Alright, let's do this," Emma said and clapped her hands. Pan entered the valley and she wanted to enter it too but Killian grabbed her arm and pulled her to him and kissed her.
"Be careful," he whispered when he pulled back.
"You too," she whispered before walking out of his embrace, into the valley. She's very careful not to touch any of the plants and keeps an eye out for the blue flower. Purple, green, pink, purple, orange, yellow, red, red, pink, but no blue. She hoped the Killian and Pan had more luck because she can't find a single blue flower. Orange, red, yellow, pink, pink, purple, pink again, orange, green, red, pink, yellow, blue, red, pink… wait. Blue!
She walked back a few passes and spots the blue flower. She quickly grabs a cloth from her pocket and placed it on her hand like Pan instructed. She grabs the flower with her cloth covered hand and feels the powder being blown in to it on her palm. She pulled her hand away from the flower and quickly closed the cloth tightly with an elastic band. She grinned and walked back to their meeting spot.
When she arrived Pan and Killian were already there and of course they were arguing about who knows what. She held the powder behind her back as she approached them.
"Did you guys find it?" she asked them.
"No, did you find any?" Killian asked her hopeful.
"Well…" she began and held the cloth with the powder inside up from behind her back for them to see.
Killian laughed and lifted her from the ground to swirl her around. "You are bloody brilliant, amazing!"
"It was just luck," Pan huffed and Killian glared at him when he put her down. "let's just put Felix out of his misery."
"Alright than, Allons-y!" Killian said.
"Dork," Emma laughed and followed him. Pan raised a questioning eyebrow before following them.
Tingling. That was the first thing he felt when he slowly got back consciousness. He was laying on his back on what felt like a blanket on the ground. He opened his eyes slowly and looked around him. He was in a small clearing in the jungle. He tried to sit up which was surprisingly easier than he would have thought. The pain in his entire body was nothing more than a slight ache and then there was the tingling feeling he felt too. He heard ruffling from leaves and looked over to see Sophia appear from behind them.
"Your awake," she said with a shy smile. "I healed your body but it should take a few hours before it is fully recovered."
"Thank you," he said and followed her with his eyes when she walked over to him. He pushed himself off of the ground, gritting his teeth when he felt his muscles ache and stood up. When their eyes met he knew that this was Sophia again. Without knowing that he did he brought up his hand and put a strand of hair behind her ear. She bit her lip and a sweet pink colour covered her cheeks at his touches.
"You know since you won all the battles…" she began and looked down at her hands, "you, uhm… won the prize and-"
In a unexpected move he put his arm around her back, pulling her to him and kissed her. Her lips were soft against his and it was everything he hoped it would be and more. He felt her relax against him, her hands resting on his shoulders. His other hand come up to cradle her head. He couldn't help put pull her closer when she deepened the kiss. His heart was beating like crazy and the painful ache he felt before was gone. It all just felt right. For once in his life he felt like he belonged somewhere, that he belonged here with her, that she belonged in his arms. And with her in his arms he felt something he has never felt before, Home.
When they separated for air he let his forehead lean against hers and kept his eyes closed. Her breath was warm on his skin and the realisation slowly drawn to him. He kissed her. He just had his first kiss and it was with Sophia. A smile grew on his lips. Was this her first kiss too? He wondered as he opened his eyes to look at her. The smile faded when he saw her eyes where closed tightly, she took in shuddering breaths and her body tensed against his.
"Sophia?" he said softly and stroked her hair as an attempted to sooth her. "Sophia, look at me. Open your eyes and look at me."
She shuddered and he feared she was going to fall if he didn't hold her tightly. After a few second that felt like forever she opened her eyes and looked at him. They were filled with tears and again he saw the inside battle. She closed them again and shook her head whispering 'no' over and over again. He didn't know what he had to do, he felt powerless but all he wanted was that she wouldn't be hurting anymore.
He slowly sank to his knees, taking her with him. He held her close, letting her head rest against his chest while stroking her hair and rocking her from side to side. After a while her breathing evened and he knew she was asleep. The lost Queen inside her was planning something. If she really threatened to kill her she would be dead by now but she wasn't. The thought of her being dead made him hold her tighter. The Queen needs her for something, something that involves a lot of magic. But what? What does she want with his Sophia?
The three of them walked into the cave and that they were surprised to see Felix with Sophia was a understatement. He was sitting on the stone bed with Sophia's head resting on his lap while he stroked her hair absently.
"Was about time you came," he said when he looked up to them.
"How did you get her here?" Pan asked.
"She fell asleep and I carried her here," he said simply. Killian narrowed his eyes, Felix was clearly holding something back.
"How did you get her to fall asleep?" Killian asked him and crossed his arms.
"I just… held her and rocked her a bit," his face became a little red which pleased Killian a bit.
"And the Queen just let you hold her?" he took a few steps closer and Felix looked back down at Sophia.
"Killian, leave him alone," Emma said, moving past him to look at their daughter. "So, we got the powder for nothing?"
"I don't think that if she wakes while we bring her to the ship she would be very happy so let hold on to it, just in case," Felix said and gently moved Sophia's head from his lap and onto some cloth that formed a pillow. Killian noticed how careful and gentle he was with her, it made him see the boy a little differently. He got off the stone bed, giving Sophia one last look like he was hesitating to leave her there. "let's talk outside, I don't want her to wake."
They nodded. Pan and Felix walked toward the exit of the cave. "Give us a moment, we'll be right behind you," Emma said to them when they turned to see if they were coming.
When they left the cave Emma let herself lean against Killian to keep herself steady. He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other went to Sophia, stroking her hair. Emma grabbed their daughters hand while looking at her sleeping form.
"We found her Killian," she said quietly. "We found her and we're going home."
"Aye, we are," he kissed his wife's head before moving over to his daughter and placing a small kiss on her head as well. "we're going home."
A/N: Thank you all for reading! Well, this is the last chapter of this year but next year new chapters will come! Don't forget to leave a review with your thought, I love to read them! I wish you all a happy new year! ;)