Killian returned, and they made up quickly, spending most of the holidays wrapped up in bed together. Christmas was beautiful, and Aurelia looked around at everyone's faces- Snow, Charming, Emma and Henry, Ruby and Granny, and thanked her lucky stars. She'd been through so much, but now everything was perfect. She had a family.
Christmas came and went quickly, and soon spring began, and with it, came the problem of Killian's age. After a date in one of the small Storybrooke restaurants, they walked home, arm in arm.
"Killian" Aurelia said "I need to talk to you, and you're not going to like it"
"Oh" he groaned "That's never good."
"I know. Look, before Christmas… what you said, about our ages, you were right. We need to come up with a solution. I'm going to Gold tomorrow, to see if he knows anything"
"We don't need his help, Aurelia" he said with spite.
"Can you, for once, just get over it? I don't know if this is some kind of masculinity thing going on, but there is good in him, and although he can be bad, he might help us. He's trying, Killian, he really is" she protested, even though his face was stubborn, looking at the night sky.
"We can find another way. But please, Aurelia, don't go to him. We owe him too much already. And despite how good he supposedly is now, we both know we don't want to get on his wrong side. I'm not saying you forgive too easily, I'm just saying we need to be careful about this"
"Alright, alright" she sighed, taking his hand "I promise I will look for other options first. But, you were the one that pointed this out in the first place" she said, her eyebrows raise.
"I know" he said "But for tonight, can we just forget about it. We've had a lovely night, and I don't want to think about it right now"
"Okay. I love you" she said, stopping. He turned, and gave her a small smile, and kissed her softly.
"let's go home" he said, and know both happier, they started walking again, unaware that they were being watched.
"So she came back with me after that, and you know the rest" Henry said, taking a bunch of chips and eating them.
"Wow, finding out you have a kid must be hard" Aurelia said, looking to Emma.
Emma shrugged "Well, it's not something you do everyday" she laughed. "Hey, I have to go out for a minute. Is it alright if I leave Henry with you?"
"Of course. Is that alright kid?" Aurelia said, and Henry nodded, his mouth full.
The little boy and the woman sat on the bench.
"So wait… one more thing I'm out of the loop on… your adoptive mother- she's the evil queen?" Aurelia said.
"Yup" Henry nodded "Except she's not really evil in Storybrooke. She tried, just like Mr Gold does"
"Right, okay" Aurelia said "So where is she right now?"
"I don't know" Henry said "her and my mum- I mean, Emma, got into a fight, and she stormed out. We haven't seen her since"
"Are you worried?" Aurelia asked.
"yeah, of course. I mean, there's less arguments and trouble, but she was a good mum to me. And she truly does love me"
"yeah. Well, I must say, I'm not too fond on meeting her again. The last she saw me I was supposed to be her servant but I ran away. I figure she's not too happy with me at the moment. Apparently she made a deal with Gold to get me killed"
"If I like you, then she won't hurt you" Henry grinned, which then faltered "I mean… not seriously, I hope. I never know with her. But who knows if she's coming back? Then there's my dad, who's disappeared as well" he frowned.
"Trust me, Henry, things have a way of turning round for the better. I mean I of all people have had the worst luck, but look at me now, I couldn't be happier" she sighed "All I hope is that it stays that way"
"Hows it going with Hook?" Henry said
"Okay, I guess. Well, we do have a few problems, but I guess every couple does. Ours is more of a time issue" she said
"You can tell me" he said "I'm an excellent secret keeper"
"Fine" she laughed "Well, since I was turned into a mermaid, I'm now immortal. I won't age. But Killian… he will. Now there's only two options- to remove my immortality, or to stop him ageing"
"Oh, I see" Henry said "You do realise Killian isn't the only exception. All your friends, and family- one day even I'll be older than you!"
"Oh… That thought hadn't crossed my mind" she grimly stated.
"You're a clever woman, Aurelia. You'll figure something out. Whenever I had a problem- I used my book"
"The storybook, with all the fairytales?" Aurelia asked "Wait- am I in it?"
"yeah, want to see?" he said, pulling the book out of his school bag.
"yes, I am curious!" Aurelia said. He flipped it to a page, and she began reading. After a few minutes, she closed the book.
"Well, that's definitely a different story to the one I'm in now" she said "I never began as a mermaid. Hm. Well, stories have a way of twisting, turning, and changing things"
She flipped through the book. Seeing a picture, she focused on it.
"Ah, neverland. I miss it" she said "My friend Peter- he's still there- I think. I don't know. He's got his own life now, I don't think I want to go and ruin it"
"your friend is Peter Pan?" Henry asked.
"No, wait is he in there too?" Aurelia asked. Yet again she found herself reading another fairytale.
"That stories changed too" she laughed "My Peter- well, my friend, that it- always wanted to grow up, and be a man"
"Well, he's in the wrong place" Henry said "People don't grow up in Neverland. Children go there to stay young forever"
His words stuck in her head, cogs turning and whirring. Grow up. Stay young. Forever.
"Oh my" she said "that's it! Henry, you've done it! She practically yelled, surprising the young boy.
"What? What did I do?" he said.
"Neverland- people don't grow up. If Killian and I go there together, he won't age!" she said.
"You're right!" he gasped "See, I told you, all the answers are in this book!"
"I have to tell Killian!" she said "oh, I'd never think it was that easy- thank you, Henry!"
"No problem" he gave a proud smile, as Emma walked up. Aurelia jumped off the bench, hugged Emma tight and said
"Henry is the most special, wonderful, intelligent child ever. You did good" and ran off.
"I'll explain on the way to school" Henry said, taking Emma's hand as she stared, befuddled after the red-haired woman.
Aurelia barged into the flat, breathless. The smile on her face dropped when she saw inside.
The tables and chairs had been turned over, books littered on the floor. Cups were laid, smashed upon the kitchen tiles. Her blood froze.
"Killian?" she called, her voice sounding small and worried.
She checked all of the rooms. He was nowhere to be seen.
Aurelia ran down to Grannies.
"Ah, you're early darling, but Ruby's shift is nearly over so-"
"help me" she said, her face deathly pale. Grannies sat her down, Ruby running over.
"What's the matter?" Aurelia, what happened?" Ruby asked, worried, taking her friends hand.
"it's Killian. He's gone. Someone's hurt him- taken him" she said, shaking with shock.
"Oh God, how do you know?"
"The flat- there was a fight. He's gone, Ruby. I don't know what to do" she broke down into tears, and Ruby held her while Grannie made tea, pouring a lot of sugar into Aurelia cup.
Emma, Mary Margaret and David were all filled in. They studied the flat while Ruby looked after the distraught Aurelia.
"Why does everything bad happen to me, Ruby? Am I cursed? I can't find happiness that will last"
"Listen to me. Aurelia you are not cursed. Bad things happen. I killed the love of my life. Emma was abandoned. Henry grew up with the evil queen. Belle was forced to serve Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin lost the love of his life and his son. His son was abandoned. Emma lost two loves- Graham and Henry's father. Henry almost died. David and Mary Margaret have been continually separated. This curse has torn everything apart, ruined relationships and families but at the end of the day, we survive. We hold onto the pieces, and we find happiness. Do you know why? Because we are honest, and true, and good. It's why, at the end of the day, good will always win. We'll find Killian, Aurelia, that I promise you" Ruby said passionately. Aurelia nodded. She needed to calm down. They would find Killian. They would be reunited.
"You seem… Better" Ruby acknowledged. After a long shower, tidying up and a plan, Aurelia certainly felt better.
"I am. Thanks for the pep talk… It really helped. Thank you"
"Any time" Ruby said. "So, what's the plan?"
"Well first, I need to ask enemy number one, Gold. I'm going to his shop now" Aurelia said.
"I'll go with you- no arguments. I don't care if he's good now, you're not going alone" Ruby said stubbornly.
"Okay. Let's go" Aurelia said. When they got there, she swung opened the door hard.
"Well, what a surprise" Gold said, sitting at the desk.
"No chit-chat, Rumple" Aurelia said, her face hard. "Where is he?"
"Where is… who?" The man asked, his face showing no reaction. Belle came out, putting a hand on her lovers shoulder.
"Something wrong?" she asked, sweetly.
"You bet it is" Ruby said angrily
"I'm sorry Belle, I know you want to believe Rumplestiltskin is good, but he's the only person who could've done this" Aurelia said, her lips pressed tightly together.
"Done what?" Belle said.
"Yes, what exactly is it you're accusing me of?" Rumplestiltskin said, standing, a look on annoyance on his face.
"Killian's missing. There was some sort of fight at the flat. Who else would it be, okay? I don't know what to do." Aurelia was close to breaking down again, so she steeled herself, her voice growing angry "Just tell me what you've done with him"
Rumplestiltskin walked right up to Aurelia, until they were face to face, Belle and Ruby watching like hawks.
"Now listen closely dearie. We've had our troubles, but right now, you're in my good books. Don't go changing that. I don't know where he is, and as much as I don't like him, I'll be prepared to help you. I'm doing this for two reasons- one, I have to make things up to you, so we can settle this between us and to prove to everyone that I'm not the baddie here anymore, okay?"
"Deal" Aurelia said.
"Bring me something of his and I'll work on it"
Aurelia reached in her pocket. He sometimes wore a silver chain around his neck, but Aurelia had found it on the floor. She placed it in Gold's hand, gave him a polite nod and walked out.
"Right, let's go back to the flat and wait" Ruby suggested.
"I'll be there in ten minutes" Aurelia murmured "I have to do something first"
"If you're sure?" Ruby said, and then carried on walking. Aurelia wandered over to the docks, seeing his ship. It was empty, but she thought she might as well have a look, see if there were any clues. She walked up the deck, and then down into one of the little cabins.
Nothing. It was empty. She sank, defenceless, on one of the bunk beds.
Then she sniffed. There was a sweet smell, like a woman's perfume. Frowning, she stood, and noticed she felt a little woozy. Looking around her, she was surrounded by a weird, silver fog. The last thing she remembered was the smell of the perfume getting stronger, and a woman laugh as she dropped unconscious to the ground.