A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long, I had such a hard time writing this chapter. As a present, I have most of the next chapter written, so that should be up in the next day or so.

Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT, or the characters, or the locations, but they are fun to play with

Chapter Two

They sailed for hours, following the map the boy provided. Henry proved to be an able companion; he really did seem to know his way around the ship. As thankful as he was for the assistance, Killian couldn't help but wonder how this child seemed to know him so well, and yet not at all. He wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the story. The encounter with Blackbeard left him more than a little shaken up, he just needed to slow down and process what was happening. He was still weak from his time in the brig, his back hurt, and he knew their mutiny would be discovered soon enough. The consequences for that were much worse than what he had already encountered. Before he could fully control his nerves, he heard the boy call out.

"Look!" Henry waved his arm toward the island in the distance. "We found it!"

Killian took out his own spyglass and peered through the lens. "There's a black knight standing guard," he replied cautiously.

Henry shrugged, dismissing that information as trivial. "Only one," he said. "We could take him out."

"Well, perhaps you hadn't noticed, but I'm a deckhand, not a soldier." He managed to keep the fear from his voice, but he couldn't stop the feeling of terror that took hold in his belly.

The boy cocked his head thoughtfully to the side. "Then maybe we don't need to fight."

Henry quickly outlined his plan. Even Killian had to admit that it had a greater chance of working than him taking up a sword against the dark guard. He set to work making port at a small dock on the island, then he led Henry toward the towering prison, the boys arms loosely bound, a canvas sack over his head.

They entered the doorway of the building and walked a few paces until they came across the armed knight.

"I'm here on official business for the queen, delivering a dangerous prisoner from the kingdom of Kashyyk." Killian stated, trying to remember the lines Henry had made him memorize, trying to sound nonchalant as the fluttering nerves in his stomach threatened to leap out his throat. He'd never heard of such a place despite his years of travelling the realms, but he trusted Henry's plan. The boy definitely seemed to know what he was doing, that much was clear.

The guard reached out and removed the sack from Henry's head without a word. He bent forward to inspect the new "prisoner". Henry swiftly reached out, grabbed the sword strapped to Killian's belt and raised it quickly, slamming the hilt into the guard's helmet.

Killian watched, amazed, as the knight collapsed backward on the stone floor, unconscious. He smiled, the first genuine one what felt like years. "Well done, lad!" he congratulated Henry, who slipped the rope from his wrists.

"The wookie prisoner gag. It always works," the boy said with a grin.

"The what?" Killian asked, confusion written across his face.

"Never mind," Henry said with a laugh. He bent down and retrieved the keys from the fallen guard. He turned back to Killian. "You lock the guard in the stow, I'll be back with my mom as soon as I can." With that, he turned and ran off, leaving the bewildered pirate alone with the unconscious knight.

Well, this day can't get any stranger, Killian thought, as he bent carefully to drag the guard off toward the nearest cell. His back screamed in protest, and he was sure he could feel a few of the newly-healed cuts open, the warm blood seeping into the light bandage he had in place. He tried to carefully lay the guard on the floor, but a flash of pain spasmed through him, and he unceremoniously dropped the sleeping body on the hard floor as he stiffened. He rested his arm against the stone wall as he fought to get his breathing under control, his head bowed against his elbow.

It took a few minutes, but soon the pain was down to a level he could manage. He groaned as he straightened up, then turned and went off to find Henry.

As Killian neared the place Henry had run off, a bright flash of sunshine crashed into him.

At least, that's how it felt to him.

He looked down at the woman who was pressed against him, entirely closer than any woman had ever been with him. Her blonde hair was flying in all directions as she gazed back up at him, her fingers lightly touching his vest, the corners of her mouth turned up in a knowing smile. Her green eyes sparkled with recognition as she looked right into his eyes.

He heard Henry's introduction as if it came from leagues away. "Killian, this is my mom. Mom, Killian."

He tried to answer, to say something. "Uh," he managed. He coughed, shook his head to clear his thoughts, and tried again, this time reaching out his hand as the radiant woman in blue stepped back. "Pleasure." The look of happiness in her eyes faded quickly, replaced by one of confusion, then disappointment. Disappointed in me? thought Killian briefly. Or that her rescuer would be such a coward?

She reached up her hand tentatively and took his fingers gently, a look of determination settling onto her features. "Yeah," she said haltingly. "Right. We need to get going." She released his hand and turned toward the exit, Henry behind her. "We've got a wedding to stop."

Killian stood there for a moment, a faint trace of her warmth lingering on his fingers.

What the hell just happened?

He followed.

Quickly, the three made their way to the Jolly Roger, Killian and Henry tugging at the ropes and releasing the ties holding it to the small dock. Killian gently coaxed the ship away from the tiny island, the woman – Emma, Henry had said earlier – watching his movements from beside him at the helm. Once they were underway, she turned to him.

"Thank you for your help, Killian."

A slow blush warmed his cheeks. It wasn't every day he was thanked by a beautiful woman. Actually, it wasn't any day. Ever.

"Uh, yeah, of course," he stammered. "Um, I'm pleased you regained your, uh, your freedom." Gods, he sounded like an idiot, even to his own ears. He tried to focus on the wheel, but her presence beside him was damned distracting.

"Me too," Emma smiled. A worried look crossed her face. "Unfortunately, it's not going to last unless you put some distance between that tower and us before the guard wakes up."

"Why?" Killian asked, confused.

"Because that was not any ordinary black knight," she explained, glancing back to the tower as it shrank in the distance. "Her name is Lily, and she's dangerous."

Killian followed her gaze. "I don't understand. What's the problem with this Lily person-"

Just then, the tower exploded outward with a shower of stone. A dragon burst from the building, its wings flapping as it circled the island. Killian felt a surge of fear as he ducked down. A dragon? What next, an army of goblins? he wondered, beginning to panic. How the hell did I get involved in all this insanity?

Emma turned and screamed to her son. "Henry, get below, now!"

Killian didn't turn to see if he complied, though he could vaguely hear the sound of the hatch closing over the roar of the dragon. "I need you to load the cannon with the chain shot," she commanded. He was frozen in place, one hand half covering his head, his eyes glued to the beast howling on the tower roof. "Come on, now!" Emma barked. She moved closer to the center of the deck as he shakily hauled himself to his feet and began loading the cannon with a powder cartridge. He maneuvered the chain shot into the barrel and rammed it down. Lifting the linstock, he quickly lit the end of the slow match that was jammed into the end.

"Hold your fire till I tell you," Emma shouted over her shoulder. Killian crouched beside the cannon, the linstock shaking in his trembling grasp. He watched, captivated, as Emma focused on the large dragon that was now rapidly approaching the ship.

"Lily, over here!" Emma screamed, waving her hands toward the flying monster. "Come on, Lily, come on!" Killian could only watch, rooted in fear, as the beast flew closer and closer to the vessel, quickly gaining on them.

"NOW!" Emma cried.

Killian moved the edge of the match to the cannon's touch hole, setting it off with a roar, the heavy artillery shooting backwards a couple of feet with the pressure of the explosion. The chain shot flew through the air toward the dragon, striking it in the neck. The dragon screamed in agony, writhing in midair, until it crashed down into the sea.

Emma laughed, and Killian couldn't help grinning as the fear dissolved, relief flooding through him. "Well, that was close," he said, his voice strong despite the shaking from their near-encounter with certain death.

She turned back to him, her face lit with a broad smile. Gods, so beautiful, he thought. He briefly wondered what he had done to deserve spending time with such a woman. He put down the smoking match and reached for his flask. "Cheers, you did it." He took a quick sip then handed the container to her.

Emma held onto the rigging for support and took the flask, her fingers lightly brushing his. "We did it," she corrected, and took a drink. Her face crinkled in disgust. "What is that?"

"It's goat's milk," Killian replied shyly.

She looked at him as she handed back the drink. "Where's your rum?"

He tucked the flask back into his pocket. "I'm allergic," he admitted, "never touch the stuff."

Emma's face cleared with a look of understanding. "Of course you are." What was that supposed to mean?

"Can I ask you a question?" Killian asked hesitantly. "You trusted me with your life just now. Why?"

She looked at him, deeply into his eyes. He had the same unsettling feeling he'd gotten when Henry regarded him earlier. Like she knew more about him than she should.

"It's complicated," she finally replied. "Might take a while."

He nodded toward the empty ship, the vast sea around them. "My schedule's pretty clear."

"Ok, let's first work on your fighting skills. Then we've got to help Regina stop that wedding."

He didn't have a clue what she was talking about, but he couldn't help the slight grin that crept its way to his lips. "Alright."

"I'll go get Henry," she said, as she released the rope near her head. "Thank you, Killian."

He nodded. She walked past him, patting him on the back of his shoulder as she went by.

His world exploded suddenly in agony. Pain ripped through him, white fire that shot out from her casual touch. He gasped, falling to his knees, suddenly unable to draw breath. He couldn't hear anything, his racing pulse the only sound in his ears. He didn't see her glance in horror at the fresh blood on her fingers, barely felt her crouch beside him, didn't register her touch on his arm.

Everything was just pain.