How Deep Is Your Love
Chapter Twenty-Two
"I heard your doubt," the young version of Killian continued fearfully while he kept his eyes on the woman still staring down at him with surprise. "In your voice a minute ago when you told Captain Hook why you were afraid to let Killian in all the way. You said a relationship with him scares you because he used to be him. A part of you believes Killian will go back to being him again, don't you?"
"No Killian, I... I don't," Emma replied nervously as she slowly knelt down in front of the boy, who swiftly backed away a few steps without turning away. "I only meant…"
Killian interrupted her saying, "I can't. I don't want to grow up to be that man. I know you can't change my past, but I've finally begun to become who Liam kept telling me I was going to be one day. I failed my brother for centuries, but you changed me."
He looked worryingly over at the angry part of Hook as he weakly pointed to him and whispered, "You have to keep me from becoming him again. Please!"
"I care about the man you are a part of very much," she responded sadly as she gently reached out to caress the boy's cheek in order to get him to focus on her again and not on the villain still standing above them smiling cruelly, unshaken in the belief that he would prevail. "I don't… I don't know if he can hear me. I hope that he can because I hope that he knows that I believe in him. That I need him. You turn into a good and brave man, who fights very hard to be the hero he had the potential to be all along. Killian just needed a little help, a reminder that he can be a part of something good. You may have become Captain Hook for some time, but you don't need to be afraid of him, Killian. He loses. And he will never return. Your brother was right about you all along."
"Maybe, but it doesn't mean I deserve to you in my life," young Killian answered regretfully as he turned his head again to look at the hook in place of the other side to Killian's left hand. "How can I, after all the things I still did? You are the Savior."
Emma followed his gaze, then back at young Killian as she asked, "Is that what she whispered to you? Did the Snow Queen taunt you about being unworthy of being with me because I'm the Savior?"
He shook his head and looked down as if in shame while he replied curtly, "It doesn't matter. I may be just a boy, but I had to grow up fast. I had to in order to be strong to fight against the darkness always inside of me. I was obviously too weak. I'm scared, Emma. And you deserve someone far better than me, or him I mean. At least someone who can hold you with two hands."
"Don't only look for the bad in you, Killian," the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming responded with sincerity as she took the child's hands in her own and looked into his eyes. "I've learned to see past the dark side of you because you're not him anymore. And I have forgiven you for any of the wrongs you've ever made against me and my family. As far as you losing your hand and having to wear a hook in place of it, it doesn't bother me. In fact, I think it makes you even more debonair."
"I don't think a few kind words alone are going to change his mind," Captain Hook said cruelly after staying silent all this time. "Words mean nothing when we all know you can't prove them to him. It's time you get out of his head and get back to the real world, Emma."
All of a sudden, she heard the sound of her father calling out her name as well as she swiftly awoke with a start to find both of her parents kneeling down in front of her and staring at her with deep concern after she collapsed back in the chair set on the floor behind her. Henry was standing across from her on the other side of Killian's bed and he also looked worried.
When their daughter still didn't speak after she awoke and struggled to regain her bearings, her mother asked nervously, "Emma, are you alright? What happened? We saw that you were crying. What's wrong?"
"Take it easy, Mary Margaret," David interrupted. "We need to give her a second to breathe."
"I'm okay," the Savior answered quietly, then stood up again as she made her way back over to Killian, taking his face in her hands while she bent down to kiss his forehead. "Killian's lost though. He's scared."
Henry looked at his mom with confusion as he questioned, "What do you mean? You actually spoke to him? Did he tell you what the Snow Queen said to him? Or something to help us fight her?"
She kept her eyes on Killian slackened face while she continued, "More or less. She's hiding out in an ice cavern, most likely in the middle of the woods somewhere and she has a magic mirror of her own similar to Regina's. It's how she's managed to stay ahead of us. Killian also mentioned a name, Ingrid. There's no one here in Storybrooke by that name, but it means something to the Snow Queen. I'm willing to bet it's hers."
"That's great," David replied. "At least we're not completely in the dark any longer. But it doesn't help us to stop her unless Hook actually mentioned where this cave of hers is. Short of searching the woods in their entirety…"
"We may not be able to find her hideout right now, but Robin and I believe we can find her using Hook's hook to track her," Regina responded as she, the archer, and Elsa all entered the room upon coming up with a plan. "It might actually be a good thing the Snow Queen stole it. The only question is, why?"
Emma turned her head to look at her friends as she answered, "I don't really care why right now. We just need to get it back and then stop her. Find her. I'll be right behind you. I just need a few more minutes here."
Suddenly, Emma heard Killian's voice again and spun around to find him awake, then rushed over and held him as tightly as she dared to while he whispered weakly, "Go, Swan. I'll be here… when you get back. Be care… careful."
"You're awake?" she exclaimed with relief, then pulled back to look at him. "I was afraid…"
"I'm a survivor," he stated, closing his eyes again because of exhaustion. "Did you already forget?"
