"Filthy pirate," Rumple muttered as Hook left. William giggled behind him. "Oh, did I wake ye?" He turned to find William still fast asleep. He narrowed his eyes. The boy had not moved a bit from where Rumple laid him down. "William?"He asked quietly.
The boy did not stir and Rumple rubbed his eyes, supposing that he must also be tired. As he left, a crate moved behind him and he turned about quickly. It had shifted, only slightly and he came forward to investigate. Then the blanket that lay over William landed on his head. Fumbling to pull it off, he tripped.
William woke with a start. "P-papa? Why are you on the floor?"
"I, er, was trying to kill the captain. I failed." He said, making William giggle. "Sorry I woke ye,"
"S'okay, papa,"
"Here's yer blanket," he offered, tucking him in again. He leaned down and ruffled his hair. The boy giggled and closed his eyes again. "Rest well," Rumple said as he left the room. As he did, the floor creaked suddenly behind him and he turned again. Nothing was there, save for the comatose child.
He went slowly into the hallway. No sooner than he closed the door, he heard William cry out in fear, followed by the sound of wood breaking. He ran back into the room in a blind panic. He rushed in t see William being pulled out into the water through a hole right next to the cot. He ran to and grabbed his hand as tightly as he could. It slipped easily, however and David ran down to see what was happening. Rumple tried to jump after him, but David grabbed him and pulled him back.
"He's been dragged down! William's been dragged down!" Rumple yelled.
"Well, you can't just jump in after him!" David argued.
"We've got to get him! You're too slow!" he exclaimed, getting steadily angrier. David sighed, exasperated, and grabbed some rope. They ran up to the deck and tied it around Rumple. He wasted no time and leapt into the water.
"William!" he cried out, "William, wot's got ye?!" William had been pulled under water and Rumple could barely see the boy struggling to swim up. He dived down and swam towards the boy. He hooked an arm around his waist and began to swim up, but the mermaid below hissed and grabbed William again.
Just below the water, the silhouette of her fins was visible, shimmering in the refracted light. She yanked the boy from Rumple's grasp and dragged him down. Rumple kicked her tail as fought to get William back. William's struggling began to slow as the mermaid carried him deeper. Angrily, Rumple blasted a torrent of golden sparks at her to slow her just long enough to grab hold of William's ankle. She hissed and swam further. With quite a bit of effort, he managed to take hold of William's hand, gaining a bit of leverage against the vicious siren. She let go and swam away, for fear of another spell cast upon her.
He pulled the boy up and started back towards the ship. William had gone limp in his arms and everyone but Killian worked to pull him back up to the ship. Sputtering, Rumple lofted William to the deck before lumbering up himself. Emma moved to get William breathing again. Rumple leaned his ear against his chest, where sounded a faint rhythm. Within several seconds, William's eyes flew open and he coughed up water.
"William!" gasped Rumple as he wrapped his arms around him. He hugged Rumple back, whimpering. Rumple held William tightly, smoothing his hair out of his face and holding him close to his chest.
"Everyone alright?" Killian asked from the helm.
"Just shaken, it would seem," answered Mary-Margret. She tossed her cloak to them and Rumple wrapped it around William. The boy shivered and held it tightly.
"That any better?" she asked, kneeling beside him. The boy nodded a bit.
"Good," she cooed. "You hungry?"
He nodded again.
"Let's get you something to eat then!" she said. She ran off below decks with David to get something. Among hooks stows was little more than biscuits and rum. She sighed and got what she could. Rumple still held a tight grip on his shivering son when she returned.
"Got you some snacks!" she cheered. She laid out an armful of biscuits and rolls and apples and crackers. He stuck one arm out and grabbed stuff, still staying tightly against Rumple as he ate. What didn't wind up in his stomach wound up on his face. Rumple smiled as he cleaned the boy.
He offered a particularly red apple to him. "Bite?" The boy took it eagerly. "Is it yummy?" he asked. William nodded happily, finishing it in mere seconds.
"I was hungry!"
"I suppose you were."
"Now I wanna nap!" he declared, "I'm sleepy!"
Rumple giggled and picked him up to put him back to the cot.
"Papa?" he asked, "Papa, would you tell me a story? The way mummy did?"
Rumple paused. "O-of course." He thought a moment, taking a seat on a crate beside the cot. "Once upon another time…there was a baker and his wife." William listened intently. "And a young boy with many dreams and few belongings. His expression changed suddenly, thinking it was him. "And a young woman who wanted only to go to the festival…and, of course, a young girl on her way to see her granny in the woods…" The story proceeded and William was mesmerized. "And so, he swung his axe at the stock and its vines frayed and its tendrils tore, and it fell to the Earth in a thunderous cloud of dirt and dust." He continued. "…'So it's your fault!' proclaimed Little Red."
"Isn't it all…the the baker's father's fault?" William asked suddenly.
"Really, it is," Rumple giggled. "…and so they all got their wishes…but all magick comes at a price! The End!"
"Wha—but no!" he cried, "What was the price?" he asked. William was thrown forward when something shook the ship and it stopped rocking.
"Land ho!" Killian called from above.
"Well, the baker's wife never came home. Rapunzel was driven mad and leapt from her tower, and both princes were unfaithful." William pouted a bit. "The point is, no one was really content with getting what they wanted because they lost what they had."
"Oh," he said.
That's how most faerie tales end, Dearie."
William shrugged and grabbed Rumple's hand, pulling him up. They had at last arrived in Storybrooke.
"Ready to meet yer new mum?" Rumple asked.
"Uh-huh!"
"Well, then you'd best hop along, now!" he grinned. He ran to shore quickly.
"Oi! Unfurl your sails, young one!" laughed Killian. Rumple led Will into town and to his shop. It took longer than usual, since William look excitedly at everything and stopped frequently to stare, as did many of Storybrooke's citizens.