Here we are, at the end of this little tale. Thank you to everyone who has favorited/followed this – I was greatly surprised by the amount of people it drew in just a few short days. Special thanks to everyone who took the time to review. I always love hearing from readers and it made my day everytime you let me know what you thought about each chapter!
And, if you liked this story, check out it's companion "Somewhere Out There".
Thanks again and enjoy!
~The Last Ronin~
"What's the emergency Archie?" I ask as soon as I see the Doctor.
"Thank you for coming so quickly Sheriff, come with…"
"It's Deputy, Archie," I remind him for the hundredth or so time.
Dr. Hopper quirks an eyebrow at me but I ignore it. I don't want to argue with him right now. I just want to get this call over with, visit Emma and get home to my wife and grandson.
"It's been two years David. Don't you think it's time you made it official?" Archie asks.
"My daughter never gave up the position…" I start before he cuts me off.
"She can't do that, remember? And this town needs a Sheriff."
"I'm not arguing with you on this Archie – it's not my job to take and that's the end of it!" I snap, a little more forcefully than I'd intended.
The past several years since we returned from Neverland have not been easy ones for my family. Between filling in as Sheriff and visiting my daughter I've rarely been home for more than an hour or two at a time. Still, it hasn't been completely horrible considering Snow and I have more or less been joined at the hip when we aren't working; further united in our worry for our daughter. All things considered, it's the most uninterrupted time we've had together in years. Now if only our family were truly whole, everything would be perfect.
I tear myself from my thoughts as I remind myself that I'm here on business, "What was the emergency Archie? I want to get home sometime tonight."
"It's Emma," he jumps right in, "she's gone."
I curse.
So much for getting home tonight.
x-x-x-x-x
The wood creaks beneath my bare feet as I put my weight on it. As far as I know, no one has set foot on the Roger since we all got back from Neverland so logic says that it should be a mess. Yet the ship is steeped in magic so it looks exactly as I remember. It even smells the same – of him – and my head gets slightly fuzzy as his scent engulfs me. A single tear escapes my closed eyes but I hastily bat it away.
I can't believe I never thought to come back here until now. Then again, I haven't exactly had much choice in the matter considering I've been locked up for…I don't even know how long. My hand twitches down to trace a pattern onto my bare thigh, through the thin material of my hospital gown. It's my talisman, my reminder. Everyone says I'm crazy – and maybe I am – but I know.
I know.
He's alive.
He's alive and anyone who says otherwise can just go to Hell.
x-x-x-x-x
"How did she get out?" I ask as I examine the door to Emma's decidedly empty room. The door doesn't appear to have been forced and, at first glance, nothing appears to be amiss – not that there's much within the room to be amiss anyway. The only thing in the room is a thin mattress – not even covered with a sheet. The unfortunate truth is that we haven't been able to trust my daughter with objects of any kind – out of fear that she might hurt herself or someone else.
I wish I could say that that fear was unfounded, but shortly after we first admitted her to the hospital she sent Neal to the ICU. The rage she'd exhibited was like something out of…well, a fairytale. Not that it had lasted too long. Her mood has been as mercurial as the wind ever since Hook…
"My best guess would be magic," Archie supplies, "frankly I'm surprised we were able to keep her as long as we did."
"But why now? After all this time?" I wonder aloud, "What changed?"
"I would think it would be obvious," a familiar voice says and I turn to find Mother Superior standing in the doorway, "Emma finally became determined enough to leave."
"And why are you here?"
"Dr. Hopper called me, considering I was consulted on Emma's condition before," she says simply.
I snort, "and you really expected us to believe that Captain Hook is my daughter's Soul Mate? Assuming such things exist – which you haven't convinced me they have – but, Hook? Really? And I suppose next you'll be telling me that Archie is really a leprechaun?"
"Don't be absurd," Mother Superior snorts, "everyone knows leprechauns don't exist. Soul Mates, however, are very real and based on the answers Emma gave me when I spoke with her, I strongly suspect that not only is your daughter one such individual, but that Killian Jones is her other half."
"As I recall, when you spoke with Emma she wasn't exactly right in the head," I shake my head, exasperated with the woman, "she spent half the time talking to a dead guy, when she was even able to speak at all."
"Well what did you expect David? How would you feel if everyone around you kept insisting that your wife was dead when you knew otherwise?" Mother Superior snaps and I'm momentarily shocked, having never seen her lose her temper before.
"I'd be going crazy," I admit.
"Good, at least you understand that much so now try to understand that if Killian and Emma are Soul Mates it would have been even worse for her because she would know with utter certainty that he was still alive. Maybe not consciously, but there would always be a nagging voice in the back of her head telling her he was alive despite what she herself saw and what everyone was telling her. I'd imagine that would drive anyone more than a little batty."
I grumble to myself, unable to deny that the woman makes sense. Really though, what bugs me about all this isn't the fact that she thinks Hook is my daughter's Soul Mate, though that is an irritating thought, but rather that she isn't even one hundred percent sure that Soul Mates even exist. She's certain they do, but everything she knows about the subject is rumor and conjecture.
With a sigh I plop down on the mattress, trying to get into my daughter's head – an impossible task if ever there was one. If only I knew what she was thinking I could…wait a second. What was that noise? I shift a little to look around and again I hear the distinct sound of crinkling paper.
Looking down I press on the mattress, the same sound echoing in the room as I do. Without hesitation I unzip the mattress, turn it on its side and give it a shake. Hundreds upon hundreds of small papers pour out of the opening – mostly napkins I realize. The disturbing thing isn't the sheer number of them that Emma managed to hoard, but that they're all covered in the same symbol, drawn over and over again in what looks to be…blood.
"Still think I'm wrong?" Mother Superior asks as she examines one of the symbols: a very obvious merging of the capital letters K and E, "do I have to spell out where your daughter is?"
She doesn't and my hand drops to my side arm, reflexively checking that the well cleaned non-lethal weapon is still there as I head out. The tranquilizer gun gleams in the moonlight and I just hope I don't have to use it as I head for the Roger.
x-x-x-x-x
The sound of boots on the deck startles me awake from the light doze I'd fallen into and I grin like a lovestruck school girl at the thought of what that sound means. He's here. He's finally here, after so long.
I try to stay still so I can better listen to the footsteps slowly descend into the ship but despite my best effort I'm quite literally bouncing with excitement. Hurry up already before I lose my mind!
I wonder how he's going to react when he sees me? Will he cry with joy? Will he grin that grin I love so much? Will he sweep me into his arms and kiss me senseless? It's been so long and for a moment I wish I didn't look like the escaped mental patient that I technically am, though I suppose he won't mind – I'd been too eager to see him to bother trying to find anything else to wear.
Holding my breath I track the sound of his movements until he's right in front of the door to the cabin and I have to slap my hand over my mouth to keep from squealing like a little girl. He's here!
With a creak, the door swings open and I gaze upon the man who stands cloaked in shadows. A bit of metal at his side winks in the moonlight and I can just make out his lips twisting up into a smile as his eyes find mine.
"Emma."
Tears pour from my eyes and I can't do anything to stop them.