Emma's Plan: Take 2
The boat containing the paparazzi had failed to notice the fate that had befallen Mary Margaret. They continued to relentlessly follow Killian as he zigzagged across the bay. They were in a much smaller boat, which allowed them to successfully maneuver several times around Killian. The photographer had his camera out, but did not appear to be taking any pictures. Emma hoped that was because Mary Margaret, and the others, had escaped below deck.
When Killian finally turned into the marina, the other boat continued to go straight and disappeared up the coastline. Killian slowed the boat down and settled into an open boat slip. As soon as the boat came to a stop, Emma raced down the ladder to the deck, Killian on her heels. She made it to the steps leading below deck just as Ruby and Graham appeared from where they had been hanging out inside the cabin.
"What in the world is going on?" Ruby asked, as she held on tight to the stair railing. She was feeling slightly queasy from the wild ride she had just experienced.
"The paparazzi were chasing us, trying to take pictures," Emma said, giving Ruby a knowing look."
"So that explains the vomit inducing boat ride," Ruby said, pretending she knew nothing about it. She was still feeling a little green around the gills.
"Where is Mary Margaret?" Emma questioned, as she pushed her way around Ruby. She called out for her sister, as she searched below deck. She didn't find her.
Graham looked at Killian. "What does she mean, where is Mary Margaret? She was out here with you guys."
"She was," Killian agreed, "but we assumed that she would have come down here once the press arrived on the scene, taking pictures."
"Mary Margaret answer me!" Emma appeared on deck, looking rather frazzled. She looked at Killian, fear and desperation evident in her eyes. "She and David are not down there."
"Well, they're not out here either," he answered.
"Are you sure?"
"Emma, it's not that big of a boat. They are not here, so you need to tell me who that was and what exactly is going on?"
"My sister is missing, that's what's going on!" Emma began to move frantically around the boat, still searching, unwilling to face the likelihood that Mary was lost somewhere out there in the ocean.
Killian grabbed her by the arms to stop her. "Emma you need to calm down if you want to find Mary Margaret and David. Now let's start from the beginning. Who were those people, and how did they know where to find us."
Tears started to fall as Emma began to explain to Killian what she had done. "I was just so mad at my sister's jerk of a fiancé. I mean, not only does he allow himself to be photographed cheating on her, but then those damn photographers sneak in and get a picture of Mary Margaret crying over it. I thought maybe it would serve him right to give him a taste of his own medicine. I wondered what he would think of the idea that Mary was spending the day with an old boyfriend. I called a friend of mine at the paper and let him know our plans for the day. I suggested he might find it worth his while to take some pictures around sunset. I figured that Mary Margaret and David would be unable to resist the obvious magnetic attraction that they have between them."
Killian let go and took a step back from Emma. "So Mary Margaret was right all along. The two of you were actually hoping that Mary Margaret would hook up with David. And on top of that you planned to take pictures?"
"No," Ruby was quick to respond. "We didn't expect the two of them to actually cheat. We just wanted to get them close enough to make it look like it. We hoped that Frank would get jealous and not be quite as forgiving as Mary Margaret has always been. Then maybe she would see his true colors and call off this ridiculous wedding."
"Look," Emma interrupted, "the only thing that matters right now, is what happened to my sister. How could she and David just disappear?"
Graham stepped forward from where he had been quietly listening in the background. "The last time that Ruby and I saw them was just before we decided to go below deck. Mary Margaret was sitting on top of the railing at the stern of the ship, and David had gone to join her."
Emma looked up in panic. "You think that they fell off the boat?"
Graham shook his head. "It's the only probable explanation."
"What have I done?" Emma whispered, on the verge of tears.
Killian reached for her and pulled her to him. He wrapped his arms around her as he tried his best to comfort her. "Don't worry, Swan. We shall find them."
"Killian, it's already dark, and we have no idea where they are."
"We know the general area where they must have fallen off. It won't take us long to find them. And don't forget, Dave is trained for survival in the worst of conditions. He will know what to do to keep them safe until we do."
Killian turned to Graham, "There is a locker in the cabin down below with an emergency spotlight. There should also be flashlights, and flares. I'm going to take the helm, and drive us back to the spot where we last know they were on the boat. I'll leave the three of you to man those and scour the water for any signs of them."
With everyone assigned a role, they began the task of searching the water for Mary Margaret and David. Killian moved slowly and methodically in a grid pattern as the rest of his crew panned their lights back and forth across the water. All was quiet, except for the lapping of the waves against the boat, and the occasional sound as one of them would shout out for Mary Margaret and David.
Graham moved up to beside Killian. "Don't you think it's time that we send out a mayday? We need to contact the authorities."
Killian looked over at Emma. She was kneeling down at the front of the boat, slowly moving her light back and forth across the water. She looked desperate and possibly in a state of shock. If he called someone in, Mr. Blanchard would no doubt find out. Emma would be forced to face her father. He was torn between his need to protect Emma, and the safety of David and Mary Margaret. He knew which he had to choose, but he was going to hold off as long as he could.
He turned to Graham. "Let's give it another half hour. If we haven't found them we will call." Graham shook his head and returned to his search.
Killian checked his watch realizing that it had been close to three hours since they had discovered Mary Margaret and David to be missing. He knew that David would not have waited long before deciding to try and swim to land. The only problem was which direction would they have gone. This area of the bay was surrounded by dozens of small islands. He tried to make out any signs of land off in the distance. When he first saw the distinctive orange flicker, he was afraid that his eyes might be deceiving him. That the dancing flames could be just a mirage, made up by a mind desperately seeking hope. He grabbed for his binoculars, waiting to say anything to Emma until he was certain.
Upon hearing Killian call her name, Emma rushed up to the bridge. Meanwhile, Killian increased his speed and steered in the direction of what he now knew was a campfire, burning on the beach of an Island not far from them. When Emma arrived, Killian handed her the binoculars and pointed out the fire burning in the distance. Emma looked through the binoculars, and adjusted the focus, eager to see the frame of her sister in the lens.
As they got closer, Emma could just make out the shape of a body, sitting on the shore, near the fire. Wait, no, it was two bodies. Two bodies in close proximity, actually very close proximity. A small smile crossed her face as a new plan began to take shape in her mind. Emma reached out and pulled the throttle back, bringing the boat to a halt.
"Swan, what are you doing? Why are you stopping us?"
"Look." Emma handed Killian the binoculars back. He looked through them. The light from the campfire allowed him to very clearly see that it was indeed David and Mary Margaret huddled up together on the shore.
"We did it, Swan. We found them." Killian placed his hand on the throttle in an attempt to push it forward again. Emma grabbed his hand to stop him. Ruby, followed by Graham, appeared at the top of the ladder leading to the bridge.
"What's going on?" Graham asked. "Is that a fire? Is that them?"
Emma took the binoculars from Killian and handed them to Ruby. Ruby took several minutes to look through them, before meeting Emma's gaze. "Well, that's an interesting development."
"I was thinking the same thing," Emma agreed.
Killian was losing his patience. "What is an interesting development? Emma, we need to go and rescue your sister."
Emma looked at Killian and cocked her head slightly. "Yes, you're right Killian. We need to rescue my sister. That is why I'm going to ask you to trust me, and quietly turn the boat around and go back to the marina."
"Are you saying that you want me to leave David and Mary Margaret out here alone? Bloody hell, Emma. Are you insane?"
"Killian, listen to me. My sister is about to make the worst mistake of her life, and this is my one chance to change that. Frank is only marrying my sister for her name and for my father's political influence, I know it. He doesn't truly love her. And the truth is that she doesn't really love him either."
"So you're going to what? Leave them to perish on this Island?
"Oh Killian, stop being so dramatic, nobody's perishing."
"Maybe not, but this is too much. I may not know much about matters of the heart but trying to push your sister into having an affair to break off her engagement…that's bad form, Swan.
"That's not what I'm trying to do here. This isn't about a physical relationship. This is about love the heart."
Ruby spoke up in an effort to help Emma. "David Nolan loves Mary Margaret, and although she may not be willing to admit it, but Mary Margaret loves him. If they are forced to spend time together, to look to each other for survival…"
"They'll finally realize how much they care for each other. They'll discover that what they have is true love." Emma finished for her. "How is that bad form, Killian? Saving Mary Margaret from a bad marriage, and getting her to follow her heart?
Killian rubbed his head with his hand, trying to ward off the headache that always seemed to accompany Emma's plans. If he were not in charge of operating the boat, he would have been tempted to reach for his flask of rum. Instead he looked over at Graham asking for his input.
"I'm not saying that I support this plan, but I can tell you that Ruby is right. David Nolan is desperately in love with Mary Margaret. I'm not sure what happened to break them up. David refuses to talk about it. What I do know is that in the two years I've known him, he's hardly looked at another girl, even when they throw themselves at him. Their time apart hasn't caused his feelings for her to lessen, even a little bit."
"And you said yourself, Killian, David knows how to survive in these kind of situations. It's what the military has trained him to do. No harm will come to them," Emma said with great certainty.
Killian cursed under his breath before addressing the group. "I hope the three of you are prepared to face the consequences when this outrageous plan of yours backfires on us."
He moved to face the wheel and slowly turned the boat around to head back to port. They watched as the orange flames from the beach faded into the darkness. When they were no longer visible he addressed Emma, with just a hint of humor in his tone. "Well, congratulations, Love. I believe the most fearsome of pirates are often known for marooning people on Islands. You have now succeeded in turning me into the pirate your father already thinks I am."
Emma reached up and placed her arms around the back of his neck. "Yes, but you're my pirate and I love you." She pulled him down to her, and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
When she released him, Killian cocked his eyebrow at her. "Is that all your sister's heart is worth to you? I dare say, that a less hasty form of gratitude is in order."
Emma glanced from the corner of her eye to see that Ruby and Graham had exited back to the lower level of the boat, safely out of view. She grabbed Killian's collar roughly, and fervently kissed him, in a steamy demonstration of just how thankful she was for her pirate.