A head canon concerning potential events of A Curious Thing…What happens when Emma discovers Henry has been taken on Killian's watch, and he finally reveals what has been plaguing him for days?


Broken

His face was broken. Not in the literal sense, but in the way which advertised loud and clear that the possessor's soul had fractured beyond repair. Emma had watched, helplessly, for days as Killian's despair mounted by degrees. She'd tried to reconcile his stripping of character as a reaction to the stress which assailed them all; the worry around his eyes, the tightening of his jaw, the withdrawing of his flirtations and ill-timed jokes. Even her increasing magic – a welcome sign that their victory was imminent – had done little to pull him back to the pirate she'd known. The pirate she'd come to realize she missed.

But this was far worse. Anxiety crept along her spine like icy fingertips; a powerful feat given the wintery conditions surrounding them. This was not concern facing her…this was defeat. Killian's normally bright eyes were shrouded and dull. The lines of stress had been replaced by a hollowness so deep it was as if looking upon an empty shell. Were it not for the lone tear tracking through the stubble of his cheek, she would've wondered if he was still alive at all.

Emma's breath caught in her throat before releasing in a series of shallow pants. Her pulse tripped through her veins and thundered in her ears. She wanted to step back, to run from whatever news he so clearly did not want to share, but her legs could barely stand upright let alone flee. "What is it?" She asked, her voice hardly a whisper.

Those unfamiliar, broken eyes blinked rapidly before settling just beyond her shoulder, unable to focus on her face. "It's Henry. She took him," he admitted in a voice belonging to another man.

Emma's legs swayed. Her palm pressed tightly to her chest, willing her heart to slow down, or trying to hold herself together. Either would've been helpful. She'd tried so hard to keep her son out of harm's way. Yet time and time again, the danger had snatched him from underneath her carefully construed watch. Her wide green eyes scanned the clearing, desperately seeking any sign that this was merely a bad dream. But they were alone.

Killian's hand reached toward her then fell against his side with his fist clenched. That strange detached expression shattered before her very eyes as a manifestation of absolute misery radiated from him. He seemingly refused to meet her eyes; would not take a step closer to her or offer her any relief whatsoever.

Her rampant fear boiled into rage. Rage at herself. Rage at Zelena. Rage at him for shutting her out just when she had decided to let him in. She was not weak. They were not weak. How dare he look so broken? Using that anger to fuel her weakened limbs, Emma stepped into his space, her boots crunching in the thick snowfall. "Enough," She choked out. "What is it you're not telling me?"

Once again he tried to avoid her gaze, but her glove-clad hand anchored to his jaw and forced him to focus on her. His eyes widened and he flinched at her touch. Emma considered that she'd rarely initiated any sort of physical contact with him, but his reaction stung just the same. She dropped her hand as some of her fierce determination deflated, allowing uncertainty to creep in once more.

"Please, Killian. I…I don't blame you," she swallowed thickly. "But whatever you're hiding, I need to know. For Henry," she quickly added. For me, she kept to herself.

Slowly, a bit of the man she knew returned to his eyes, though that edge of despair remained a stubborn companion. He exhaled sharply before admitting in a rush, "She cursed me. I'm so sorry, love. This is all my fault. She warned me, she told me…I…I thought if I stayed vigilant, I'd somehow be able to keep you all safe."

Emma listened to each word, but confusion swirled in her thoughts. "What did she tell you? What curse?" She demanded.

His breath caught and he turned away. Fingers flexing again, Emma realized he was imagining gripping his cutlass. When he spoke, it was through clenched teeth. His voice was equal parts disgust and anguish. "She cursed my kiss. She tricked me into admitting my love for you then used my confession as a poison which will strip you of your magic." Shifting his stance, he looked upon her, eyes nearly hopeless yet still pleading for her to somehow understand. "She demanded that I either invoke this curse against you, or she'd take the lives of all those you love."

Emma's arms wrapped around her middle, stunned. He loved her? Loved her enough that the Wicked Witch could use it to curse him? Suddenly, his increasing distance made sense. How could she fault him for such an impossible choice? She'd come to understand him well enough to know how deeply his emotions ran. While he was keen to don his mask and play the role of a virtue-less pirate, he'd shown her repeatedly how much more there was to Killian Jones.

She blinked back the rising tide threatening her eyes and focused back on his words. "We were ambushed. I swear to you I would have laid down my life to protect your boy, but he was absconded by one of those bloody monkeys!" His chest heaved as his eyes flashed like a tempest, his feelings seemingly crashing back into his being and reanimating that spark which defined him.

Seeing his fingers curling in the empty air once more, Emma reached out and linked them with her own. Blue and green merged in a shared look of hopeful promise. "This is not your fault," she said quietly but assuredly. She knew he would defend Henry with every breath in his body; it's why she trusted him to look after her son to begin with. That the witch had taken him on Killian's watch was an intentional blow…a strong message. But it wasn't meant for him. Squeezing his hand, Emma continued, "She used you just like she uses everyone. But we're going to stop her."

A hint of that steely resolve she so admired in him flared across his face. "What's the plan?" He asked.

Emma's heart warmed, emboldened by his easy acquiescence. She was the savior, but since Neverland, he had always been there at her side. She'd never told him, but his simply stated "I've yet to see you fail," were words she replayed often in her mind whenever she needed a measure of encouragement. Even then, he'd been the one whose belief strengthened her rather than pressured her.

"I'm going to give her what she wants," Emma stated calmly. His dark eyebrow arched – either in confusion or disbelief – but he didn't question her. He rarely questioned her. "If it's my magic she's after, then that's what she's going to get."

Emma wasn't sure what directed her feet to the clock tower rather than the farmhouse, – a mother's intuition? An innate draw toward danger? – but as she and Killian climbed the stairs, Zelena's amused voice floated down to greet them.

"If it isn't the savior come to…well, save the day!"

As they turned the final curve of the staircase, Emma observed Zelena holding Henry in front of her body, her arm a bar across his shoulders and a far-too delighted grin stretching her painted lips. Holding back a gasp, Emma struggled to remain calm even as every cell in her body coiled in preparation for attack.

"Mom!" Henry exclaimed. His voice squeaked unnaturally as Zelena's arm tightened. Those hazel eyes that so often shone with excitement and intrigue were filled with fear and an odd sense of relief. The rage swelled within Emma once more. No matter what it cost, Zelena would pay for causing even a moment of uncertainty to cross her son's thoughts.

"Let him go," Emma commanded. Her spine straightened as she felt Killian come up behind her.

Zelena's mouth curved, her manic blue eyes flickering between Emma and Killian. "No," she said smugly. "I had a deal with your darling pirate that he failed to follow through on. If you want your son back, you know what needs to be done."

"I made no deal with you," Killian growled. Tension pulsated from his frame in a thick wave.

Emma's eyes narrowed and she felt the first licks of magic stirring within her, crackling across her psyche like tiny bolts of electricity. "Your fight is with me. Let them go," she repeated.

"Emma," Killian started, his voice regaining traces of apprehension.

Emma glanced at him from the side of her eye. His left arm was raised – hook at the ready – while his body guarded hers. This man, so broken by his past and literally a lost soul for centuries, would die for her. For Henry. He asked for nothing in return, yet was willing to give everything just to be with them. Emma had pushed him away time and time again, but he stubbornly refused to heed any attempt. He'd gained her trust almost without her notice. One day it was just there. What else had he gained when she wasn't paying attention?

Rumpelstiltskin's dagger materialized in Zelena's hand. Eyes pinpointed on Emma's, she pressed it against Henry's throat. Emma jerked forward and Zelena grinned. "Perhaps you're in the mood to make a deal with me after all."

The magic crested underneath Emma's skin, focusing into a ball of blazing white light cradled in her palm. Seeing it, Zelena pressed the dagger more firmly against Henry's skin. "Oh I don't think that's a wise choice, savior," she spat. Her lips curled over her teeth. "I've not the steadiest hands…would be a pity if they were to slip."

The reflex to charge the witch was almost more than Emma could bear. Panic roiled in tandem with her magic – a potentially lethal cocktail – but with Henry's body shielding Zelena's, it was too much of a risk. "What do you want?" Emma seethed.

Zelena laughed – a bitter, caustic sound. "I believe you already know." Her glance settled on Killian. "Your pirate pines for you so…won't you give him a kiss?"

Killian moved forward toward Zelena, but Emma's arm stopped him. Meeting each other's gaze, she searched for some hidden answer. She'd admired those brilliant blue eyes many times for their beauty and their wisdom. It was comfort she sought now, but only sadness was present. Her pirate, the witch had said. She'd heard it before from Regina, too. While such a label would've made her roll her eyes even a few weeks ago, she couldn't deny his feelings anymore. Moreover, if she was honest – and she was running out of excuses not to be – she knew those feelings were not entirely unrequited.

Turning back to Zelena Emma scoffed, "And that's what you want? You're so afraid of my power that you tried to keep me from coming back to Storybrooke, and when that didn't work you stooped to using a curse to take it from me?"

"It's just as much a curse for him as it is for you," she drawled before her features sharpened. "And I'm hardly afraid. But why should I be bothered with such nuisances as an egotistical princess when you're so easily dealt with?" Henry flinched as the dagger bit into his skin, a drop of ruby red blood marring his pale flesh. Zelena smirked as Emma gasped again. "Oops."

Emma faced Killian, angry, discouraged tears blurring her vision of his handsome face. His fingers flexed again before lifting to smooth her hair away from her cheek. He smiled softly, tragically down at her. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, voice thick with remorse.

"Tick tock," Zelena hissed, her patience obviously coming to an end. She sneered as she muttered, "Love is so sickening."

A sudden tendril of hope blossomed in Emma's brain. Love. Of course! True love's kiss would break any curse. Her eyes swung to Killian's again but this time she allowed herself to fully consider what he meant to her. Love had always been a curious thing to Emma, often not recognized until she was about to lose it. It had been easier to hide behind her walls than to let someone in to potentially uncover all her faults until they decided she wasn't worth the effort. Such had been the pattern time and time again. Until Killian Jones. He loved her…he stayed. He found her. He found my heart, Emma thought a bit bittersweet. She tried to imagine her life without him in it and it hurt. For all the times he had stayed by her side, she had looked to make sure he was still there. She needed him. She wanted him. She…loved him.

Gently, Emma took Killian's face between her two palms, barely noting the scratch of his scruff against her tender skin. His eyes widened, distressed yet resolved. "Emma…are you sure?"

She offered him a soft smile and whispered, "Believe," before lifting onto her toes to press her lips against his.

They had shared one real kiss before this – she didn't count the one in New York City – and Emma had shamelessly replayed it often in her thoughts. The passion, the heat, had awoken desires for this man that had merely flirted above the surface until that moment. But there'd been no time to further investigate their potential, and Emma's heart had not been open to it anyways, not yet. Though she'd never forgotten.

This kiss rekindled every fleeting sensation that memory had evoked and magnified them exponentially. Killian's lips burned against hers, sending a shockwave through her body and deep within her well of magic. She felt it churn in her veins, seeking a way to escape, and for a moment a true bolt of fear stabbed through her chest. Had she been wrong about them? But even before the thought could fully form, her magic rose to shimmer all around them, bathing them in a soft white haze. She felt an answering call stemming from Killian, and the light amplified before bursting outward in an arc.

Distantly, the clanging sound of Rumpelstiltskin's dagger dropping to the floor mingled with Zelena's cry of surprise. "That's impossible!"

Breaking away from Killian, Emma dragged air raggedly into her lungs and reached for Henry. From her periphery, she noted Killian kicking the dagger from Zelena's clutches before placing his body between the witch and the two of them. She quickly shifted Henry behind her back before summoning magic between her hands. The resounding surge produced by true love's kiss felt wild and alive and Emma knew without a doubt it was a match for Zelena, no matter how powerful she may be. "Not impossible. Just not something you thought about," Emma replied dryly.

Zelena's mouth tightened and her eyes flashed dangerously. "You think you've won? That your precious love is enough to defeat me?"

"I think you are afraid now," Emma answered coolly. The magic flared eagerly in her palms.

The Wicked Witch's eyes jumped around the room. She would never admit to her fear, Emma realized, but it was nearly as apparent now as her envy had always been. Loud voices sounded from the library entrance beneath them and Zelena shifted backwards.

"Emma! Emma we remember!" Called the voice of David.

Zelena snarled again. "I suppose I've worn out my welcome. But don't fret, there's plenty more of me yet to come." She waved her arm to summon a cloud of green smoke. Reacting, Emma released the ball of white magic, but the Wicked Witch of the West was gone before it connected.

A stunned sort of silence followed, punctuated only by the strained breathing of the three left standing in the clock tower. "Mom? Hook?" Henry spoke tentatively.

Emma spun around and searched her son's expression. A previously unknown awareness lit his face. "You remember, too, don't you."

Henry picked up Rumpelstiltskin's dagger with a sense of fascination and then smiled slowly as if he were testing his ability to do so. "Yeah…what happened?" He looked curiously between his mother and the pirate standing beside her. "So, you and Hook, erm…Killian?"

"You and Hook what?" David echoed as he ascended the final step.

Emma glanced at Killian a bit shyly. Her pirate. Her true love. As their eyes held, a newfound confidence blossomed deep within those blue depths she so adored. Her fingers entwined with his and she smiled. A real smile. "It's a long story," Emma answered a bit remotely, still a bit in shock at all that had occurred.

David's posture stiffened. As a veteran of true love, it was easy enough to piece together what had happened. "A long story, huh. Let me guess, it ended with a kiss?" His eyes narrowed toward Killian.

Killian's lips tugged into a pleased smirk. "Please Dave, the lass practically forced me."

Emma shoved him. Her pirate alright. Looking between the three men in her life, she realized she'd been surrounded by love much longer than she'd allowed herself to accept. So the Wicked Witch had escaped; she'd also revealed a tremendous weakness. Where Zelena clung so tightly to her envy and hatred, her enemies believed in the power of love. Even Emma Swan, the savior of Storybrooke and a once-upon-a-time-love-skeptic had to admit the odds were definitely tilted in their favor.

"So the curse is broken," Emma commented a bit needlessly.

"In more ways than one," Killian agreed. His intense gaze set a light blush creeping over her cheeks. "I knew you could do it, love."

"We did it," Emma corrected. She'd never doubt true love again.


Review? Thanks for reading ;)