Choices

By: Jecir

Chapter Eight: Every Dream that You Wish

Henry hated Killian Jones. Logically, he should not. Logically, he should remember that this Killian existed in a different time. This Killian was not the Killian who loved his mother and was there for him after his father died. Regardless, as the Truest Believer stood before the dark-haired pirate, he felt a deep hatred churning in his gut. This Killian had hurt Evangeline. This Killian had used her against him in hopes of getting him to relent. This Killian demanded again and again that Henry use the wish to save him and his crew from the Dark One. This Killian was a coward of the lowest kind, and Henry believed, for just a moment, that he would purposefully make Killian suffer by denying him the wish.

The pirate in question grabbed Henry's hair and forced his head back. Henry glared up at the older man. He was tied to the mast; his hands secured to a peg over his head and his body bound by a rope around his stomach. Evangeline was being held down by two braggarts with swords. Her face was pale, and silver blood was flowing from a wound under her hair. Her eyes, however, were strong and unrelenting. There bond was not shaken by Killian's brutality, thus, as the night faded into the dawn, Henry retained the strength to glare at Killian.

"I am going to ask you one final time, boy," Killian said. "My men's lives are in danger, not to mention my own, and as I am fond of living, I am willing to do what I must to survive. You have the power to spare us our fate. Will you make your wish for me? Or do you prefer to watch your friend die?" He nodded to the two men holding Evangeline. They pulled the Wishing Star to her knees and pressed their swords across her neck. Evangeline did not flinch at the touch of cold steal.

"You won't kill her," Henry retorted. "If your threat was serious, you would have killed us hours ago."

"Would I have?" Killian mocked. "My, my, you are a cheeky brat. Fancy yourself in charge, do ya?" He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Henry. "You obviously don't know who I am."

"You're Killian Jones," Henry answered. The rest of his reply was cut off.

Killian pressed the tip of his sword into Henry's neck. "Aye," he hissed. "Killian Jones, Pirate, and not adverse to killing lads who don't know their place."

"Like Baelfire?" Evangeline asked.

"Pardon?" Killian asked in the same moment Henry asked, "What?"

There was hardness in Evangeline's eyes that Henry had never seen before. "Baelfire," she repeated. "Milah's boy. The one she abandoned to be with you."

"She did what?" Henry asked.

"Don't talk about things of which you know nothing," Killian snarled.

"You took my fa—Baelfire's mom?" Henry asked again.

"Not something he was willing to share with Emma," Evangeline chided. "Then again, why would he? He's had plenty a man's wife before. It was nothing out of the ordinary for him."

"Who's Emma?"

"Milah," Killian breathed her name in relief.

Henry gaped at his grandmother. He knew very little about her. His father had not spoken of her, and Killian had only mentioned her in passing. She was beautiful and intimidating standing there on the gangplank. The rising sun cast her skin in bronze, and her shadow sashayed behind her as she sauntered onto the deck. "Killian," Milah greeted. She slid into her true love's arms and kissed him sweetly. "Who is this Emma woman they're talking about?"

"My mother," Henry said.

"Hm," Milah cooed. "Sounds like another woman you stole."

"I don't remember an Emma," Killian growled.

"Then she must not have been important," Milah taunted. She trailed her finger over his collar. "Have you gotten the wish?"

"The lad is being stubborn."

Milah's calm countenance took a turn at his words. She eyed the boy over. "Then persuade him. The Dark One—"

"Will not get what he wants," Killian assured her. He tightened his hold on her and said, "I will protect you, I promise."

"You're Baelfire's mother."

Milah stiffened. Slowly, she turned in Killian's arms to look at Henry. "How did you know that?"

"You..." Henry began. He gaped at her as he tried to assimilate what he had learned. "You abandoned him. For a pirate?"

"It was not as simple as that," Milah countered.

"Yes it is!" Henry snapped. "You left your son! Your family! Why?"

"Because!" Milah snapped and then regained herself. Taking a deep breath, she said, "You would not understand. I did what I had to do to be happy."

"Happy?" Henry gaped. He had nearly choked on the word.

"What about your son?" Evangeline asked. "Do you think he was happy?"

Milah did not have the courage to look at the captive Wishing Star. Killian shifted so that he was between Evangeline and Milah. "It does not matter now," Milah whispered. "What's done is done, and if I were given the choice again, I would choose the same."

"Really?"

Milah froze at the sound of that word being hissed from behind her. Killian pulled her behind him and backed away. The crew did the same; forming a circle around the leather-clad Dark One. Rumplestiltskin stood on the deck glaring darkly at his wife. "Well, well, well," he growled. "Here I was thinking I would find this codfish running with his tail between his legs, but oh, indeed, what a surprise." His words were low, slow, and measured. There was no sign of the mad dealmaker Henry had met in the other What If. This Dark One was a predator, and Milah was his prey.

Killian raised his sword and charged. Rumplestiltskin flick his fingers, and Killian was sent flying into the mast. He slumped to the ground near Henry's feet. With another flick, the crew was frozen in place leaving Milah alone. Rumplestiltskin crossed the deck in a swift stride. "Hello Milah," he purred unpleasantly.

Milah visibly swallowed. "Rumple."

"What were you saying just now, hm? Right before I interrupted?"

Milah opened and closed her mouth. Her eyes darted about in search of something that could help her. She glanced at Henry. The boy shook his head helplessly.

"Something about being given the choice, you would...what?"

"Rumple, please—"

"Answer me!" The Dark One demanded.

Milah began to tremble. "I said I would choose Killian."

"Over who?"

A short burst of defiance pricked her. "You."

Rumplestiltskin snarled and lunged for her. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her head back. "Who!" he roared in her face.

"Baelfire," Milah whispered. "I would leave...Baelfire."

Rumplestiltskin released her as if he had been burned. He stepped back; shock, despair, and rage displayed openly in his eyes. "I told him you were dead. Do you understand how hard that was for me? I lied to our boy!"

"It's that what you do, coward?" Killian taunted. As the Dark One had stalked Milah, Killian had regained his wits. He now stood with his sword pressed dangerously into Henry's throat. Rumplestiltskin's hot glare turned onto him. "You may think yourself so powerful, but I remember who you were," Killian continued. "You were a crippled little coward then. You are no better now!" Despite the bravado, his voice was shaking.

Rumplestiltskin growled and took a step forward.

"No closer!" Killian threatened. "Or I kill the boy!"

The Dark One paused and titled his head curiously.

"This boy has a deal with you, yes?" Killian said. "It would be a shame to lose it. You let us go; I will let him live."

Rumplestiltskin narrowed his eyes as he looked Henry over. The lad could feel the tendrils of magic scanning his psyche. He gritted his teeth against the revulsion stirring his stomach in the wake of the putrid power. "The boy does have a deal, but it is not with me; at least, not the present me."

"What?" Killian gaped. "How is that possible?"

"I doubt your pathetic pirate mind would comprehend the subtle details of transdimentional magic, so I will spare you the lecture. Conclusion point! He is worthless to you. Besides," In a blink of an eye, the Dark One had his fingers around Killian's throat. "We already had a deal in place." He lifted Killian off the ground.

"No!" Milah cried.

Rumplestiltskin turned in time to thrust his hand into Milah's chest; halting her valiant charge to aid her lover. He grinned and pulled her heart free. Milah fell to the ground in shock. Killian gasped her name. The Dark One hummed an amused laugh. "We are going to play a little game of chance," he said as he lowered Killian to the deck. He released the choking pirate only to use his now free hand to rip out Killian's heart. The gasping man joined Milah on the deck. Both looked up at the Dark One in fear.

Rumplestiltskin tossed their hearts into the air. He caught them and tossed them again. Up and down; over and over again; he tossed them until all watching lost track of whose heart was whose. "Up and down they go," Rumplestiltskin sing songed. He caught one in his talons. "Which one will I crush?" He shattered it in his grasp. "Even I don't know."

Milah shrieked as Killian slumped to the deck.

Rumplestiltskin looked down at the dead man. "Pity," he said.

"Killian!" Milah sobbed. She turned his body over, grabbed his coat, and shook him. "Killian!"

"I wanted him to watch as I fulfilled our deal." Rumplestiltskin knelt down and shoved Milah's heart back into her chest. "As he did not show up for our little duel, I will gut the crew like a fish." He grinned at his wife's disbelieving horror.

"Rumple," she said between sobs. "Please don't."

"Oh," he cooed. "A deal's a deal, my dear. And by the way." He stood up. "I want a divorce."

That said, he made good on his word. Henry and Evangeline watched in growing horror as the Dark One slaughtered Killian Jones's crew. When he was done, the deck was flooded with macabre. His boots squished under the blood as he walked to the mast. "What to do with you?" he wondered.

Henry was having trouble breathing. He had heard stories of the Dark One; he had read them in his book, but he had never thought, not once, that his grandfather was capable of this. "You didn't have to kill them," he panted.

"I do hate repeating myself," Rumplestiltskin said in a dismissive tone.

"They were innocent!"

Rumplestiltskin gripped Henry's chin and pushed his head back against the mast. "They were pirates. Far from innocent. You think what I've done is bad, than you know nothing. I would keep my tongue if I were you, boy, and remember this: the only reason you and that fallen star are alive is because of whatever deal you made with the other me."

"Coward," Milah whispered. She glared up at him through blood-shot eyes. "You coward!" She stood with Killian's sword in her hand and charged.

Rumplestiltskin trapped her in his magic and lifted her off the ground. "You always were a feisty one."

"I will kill you!" Milah swore. "I will find a way to make you suffer!"

"More than you already have? I doubt it."

"Every demon can be tormented. I will find a way!"

"Good luck living that long." He flicked his wrist and sent her over the side of the ship into the frigid water below.

During their exchange, Evangeline had run over to Henry and was untying him.

"The deal we made," Rumplestiltskin said without looking at them. "Question for question. Answer for answer." He looked over his shoulder and pinned his gaze onto Henry. "A life for a life. Quite a heavy price. I do hope it will be worth it."

Evangeline untied Henry's hands. The Truest Believer gratefully dropped his arms and rubbed his wrists. "It will be," he said.

Rumplestiltskin grinned. "Then be gone before I change my mind."

Henry and Evangeline ran from the gore-covered ship. They ran until they were in the woods with the port town far behind them. Underneath the dread and utter horror that filled their souls, they could feel the preliminary pulsing of the Wild Magics. This timeline was almost gone.

"Evangeline," Henry panted. "What did Killian do to make you hate him so much? It wasn't just his relationship with my mom. Please tell me."

Evangeline's voice was numb as she spoke. "Sometime after Milah's death in the Primary Timeline, Killian met your father in Neverland and tried to befriend him, but once your father found out that Killian was the reason for Milah leaving, he wanted nothing to do with him. Instead of taking Baelfire to safety, Killian turned him over to Pan."

"Pan?" Henry choked out. The disgust he felt deepened. His father had been in the hands of Pan for that long?

"For centuries, your father was a prisoner in Neverland. He was released shortly after the curse was cast; he was sent to earth to meet your mother so that you could be born."

"All that happened because Milah ran away from her family?" Henry could not believe it.

Evangeline nodded. "Happily ever after is not such a good prospect when that happiness is stolen from others."

Henry dropped his head. "Or if dark magic is used to attain it," he whispered.

Behind them, the dark clouds of the Wild Magic consumed the harbor.

AN: Two chapters left.