The first few chapters will be glimpses of how Emma became who she is when she arrives in Storybrooke. I feel like I should emphasize that Killian is not a good guy in this at all. He's actually one of the main antagonists, so if you're a fan, I do not recommend this.
Warning: Character Deaths and lots of violence.
"Emma Swan, report for duty!"
Angelica stood in the center of the kitchen with her hands on her hips, waiting and hoping for the thud of Emma falling from her bed, but when the sound didn't come, she groaned. Her youngest, Yosiah, snickered and propped his head on the table.
"I bet you ten shells that she's in her spot," he said.
"No one sane would take that bet, son."
Angelica hit her husband, Arman, on the shoulder, and he shrugged.
"Twenty shells she's forgotten her hat then."
Arman paused, and then he held out his hand. The two shook on it, and Angelica's eldest, Namiah, started to rise out of his seat.
"I'll go grab her," he said.
"No, no, stay. I got her. You three eat, and please, save something for Emma. I found her eating out of the trash because you barbarians ate everything while she finished her chores."
"We're growing boys, Ma," he said.
"Eat all the food again, and I'll make sure you stop growing, period. Understood?"
"Aye, aye, Captain," they said in unison.
When she glanced at her husband, he huffed and said, "Fine. I'll save her a leg or something."
"Can you please act like the good man I know you to be?"
"Good?" he exclaimed. "We both know you only married me because you were pregnant."
"My Dad told me you were awful."
"Your Dad also kills people for fun. So."
"Fair enough. I'll be back."
Angelica shrugged one shoulder and left the cottage. She hiked up her dress and jogged over to the dunes, huffing as she climbed to the top. When she peeked over to the other side, she found Emma lying on her back with a too-big hat covering her face. At ten, she was the smallest of the family but the strongest. She read faster than the entire house combined, and she had a good heart. She always had Yosiah's back when Namiah teased him, and she stayed up the entire night if ever Namiah had his nightmares. She helped the villagers with their fishing and carried trees for the fireplaces. She stood still as the elders measured her for new clothes even if she never wore them and was always polite when they went into the village for groceries.
But even in all the good, there were glimpses of the restlessness that Angelica knew intimately. It'd been far too long since she was on the seas, feeling the wind in her hair as she raced from realm to realm with her father. But she knew the signs, the way Emma counted down her tenth birthday like everyone else on the island. The island rejoiced Blackbeard, the great Edward Teach, a man who was softer around the edges when he was eating with the elders. The man who spoke the native tongue with ease and celebrated the culture like everyone else. Edward Teach was no bloodthirsty pirate once he was on the shores. He was just a man.
And Emma…
Emma was like him in so many ways. Every year when Blackbeard came home, they spent hours together out on the beach. He was there when she learned to walk. He was there when she said her first words. He was there when she took her first swim. He told her everything about her past, including how he came to be her father, and Emma took it all in stride. Well, as well as an eight-year-old could, but she accepted everything he did for her, said to her, and gave her. And Angelica wondered if not for the first time about their bond. It was special, almost tangible whenever they were together, and she knew without the other, they would suffer in a world that didn't - couldn't - understand them.
Angelica studied the scars along Emma's arms and legs. Reminders of too many afternoons racing through the forest, fighting animals that were twice her size if only for the thrill of it. Jumping from the tallest trees and swimming to the deeper parts of the ocean, arms wide as she floated on her back. Emma was wild, chaotic, and Angelica was hurt that she was leaving. But Emma was meant for the seas. Angelica puffed out a breath, blowing the hair from her face, and she whistled sharply. Emma shifted and lowered her hat, squinting and shielding her face from the sun.
"Oh. G'mornin', Angel," she greeted.
"Hello, pretty one. How long have you been out here?"
"Since last moon," she said, sitting up on her elbows. "I had a funny dream again."
"What was this one about?"
"Did you know the Evil Queen?"
Angelica blinked and said, "In theory. I met her once or twice."
"Was she nice?"
"Her name was the Evil Queen."
"Yeah, but was she evil or just angry?"
Angelica softened and shook her head. That was the other thing about Emma. She saw things no one else did and sympathized when no one else would.
"Why do you ask?"
"In my dream, she was crying really hard and screaming at someone. There was this guy beside her with this hole in his chest or something. She looked…hurt."
"And you think that made her evil?"
"No." Emma got to her feet and shook off the sand. "I think that made her angry. I think - do you remember when Maoi got into that fight with Jua?"
"I remember Namiah coming home with a broken nose."
Emma bounced a little and shook her head, a sign she was stuck trying to explain her thoughts.
"Jua made fun of Maoi crying over his Papa dying, and Maoi got angry and hit him a lot. That's what I think happened. The Queen got angry because she lost someone, and no one hugged her afterward."
Angelica bit her lip to keep from snorting.
"Well, if you ever see her outside of your dreams, you can hug her."
"Okay."
Angelica hummed and tugged Emma closer.
"Your father will be here by high noon," she said.
"He's your father too."
"Only on special occasions. Now, come on so you can eat before the food is gone. And maybe take a proper bath."
"I already took a bath," Emma argued.
"Two days ago, you smelly little creature."
Emma stuck out her tongue and slid down the sand on one leg before popping up and holding out her hand. Angelica snickered but accepted the help as she made her way down. When she got to the bottom, she expected Emma to let go, but she didn't. Angelica squeezed the hand in hers and led a slow pace back to the cottage.
"Thank you." Angelica side-eyed the girl walking beside her, confused, and Emma pursed her lips. "I know that it wasn't always easy with me around. Yosiah told me that you had to eat less so I could have food," she said.
Angelica stopped them so fast that Emma almost fell, and she turned the girl around. She waited until those green eyes locked onto hers, and she shook her head.
"Yosiah has made it his personal mission to torture you," she said. "By no means have we ever struggled to put food on the table, and I can assure you that I ate my fill without having to make a sacrifice. And no, it wasn't easy, but I wouldn't trade these last ten years for the world. I knew what I was getting into by taking you in, and I accepted the challenge without hesitation because no child deserves to know what abandonment feels like. No child should ever question if they are loved or wanted. You are wanted, you are loved, and you are my sister. I would travel to the gates of Hell and back for you. I would face Davy Jones himself if need be. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Angel."
"Good. You better after I wasted all of that energy tracking you down."
"But I'm always in the same spot," Emma said.
"I know. It's why you have that damned spot in the center of your forehead. The Sun caught you one day and decided to mark you so you'll never forget to stop lying under it without your hat," she said.
"That's what this is?" Emma asked, poking the star-like spot between her eyes. "Namiah told me it was cuz the Devil wanted to make sure he knew which one to grab when he came back for me."
Angelica grimaced slightly. She should have never told her eldest son the truth about the mark.
"Well, one of us is right. My bet's on the one without worms in her head," she said.
Emma giggled and let go of her hand, skipping into the cottage. Outside, Angelica exhaled and put her hands on her hips. She glanced over her shoulder to the sea. She paused when she thought she saw a ship off the horizon, but when she focused on the spot, it disappeared. Rubbing her eyes, Angelica went back into the cottage and closed the door.
Through the gaze of an eyeglass, the cottage door swung shut. When it lowered, the island was miles away. A gem hung from the figurehead that glowed, and within a few minutes, the ship passed through the barrier. The man holding the eyeglass shuddered and smiled triumphantly once the island appeared in its full size.
"I guess that witch was good for something," he said. "Mr. Smee!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Prepare your best men for departure. As soon as we hit sand, we move."
"Aye, sir!"
Angelica felt it the moment it happened, and she jumped up from the table. She ran to the window and saw nothing, but she knew something was wrong. Her husband got up, hand going to the sword always by his side, and Angelica swung the shutters closed.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Go to the village and warn them that someone passed through the barrier," she said quickly.
"What?"
"It's not my father. You know he would never need to shield his ship."
"You think it's an attack?"
"What else would it be?" she snapped.
Arman paused his argument and ran out through the back door.
"Nami, Yosiah, grab the weapons. Stations at the back window, back door," she ordered.
The two jumped up and did as told, and Angelica knelt by Emma, who had gone still and quiet.
"You want me to hide," she whispered.
"I do. You are our treasure, and what do pirates do?"
"Protect their treasure."
"Exactly." Angelica kissed the top of her head. "Finish eating, and then go to your bunker, okay?" she said. "Full retreat, on my orders, no complaints. Understood?"
"Aye, Captain," Emma muttered.
"Good."
Angelica hurried off, and Emma sunk into her seat. She wanted to help. She needed to, but something inside of her couldn't refuse Angelica's request. So she finished her food and went to her bunker. Emma pulled up the trap door and glanced over her shoulder. Namiah nodded, a reassuring smile on his face, and Yosiah gave her a fake-salute. They carried guns as big as them, but they looked as scared as Emma felt. Yet she still jumped down into the hole and closed the door.
Fires raged along the village. Women were dragged from their homes and murdered in the square. Men fought until they went down one by one. Children joined their mothers, and the pirates killed anyone they saw with no discrimination.
"Find her!" Smee shouted. "Find Blackbeard's Angel!"
Several pirates branched off into the trees, and Arman, with his sword tucked into his side, ran in the opposite direction. He arrived at the cottage and whistled twice in succession. The door opened, and he ran inside.
"Dad!" Namiah shouted, hugging him. "We saw the smoke, and -
"I know," he said. "Where is your mother?"
"She went to the beach to summon Grandpa."
"Alright, stay here," he ordered, looking around. "Wait, where's -
"The treasure is safe."
"Keep it that way, okay? I'll be right back."
Arman sprinted out to the front door and toward his wife, who was waist deep in the ocean. She had her head down and her arms wide, and he ran into the water. He'd only made it a few steps before a shot rang out, and he stopped. Angelica spun around in surprise, and Arman glanced down. In the center of his chest was a hole, and he fell to his knees.
"No!" Angelica shouted.
Another shot went off, and Arman fell face-first into the waves. Angelica swam toward him and ignored the figures on the beach heading her way. She tugged Arman out of the water onto the shore and hovered over him. She knew he was gone, but she still held his face and whispered his name as if he could hear her. Hands yanked her off the ground and held her up, and she gasped when she saw who had her captive.
"Hello, Angel."
"Killian, you spineless bastard! How dare you break the seal!"
"I have my reasons. Where is it?"
"Where is what?"
"The treasure, love. I know it's here."
"You fool," she spat. "There is no treasure here. You let rumors fill your head."
Killian cocked his head and studied her before he backhanded her, and she watched some of her blood drip into the sand, only to be washed away by the waves. Her blood turned black as soon as it hit the water, and the sand began to shift beneath her feet. Angelica started smiling when she felt the magic of the island do what she had been unable to do and summon her father.
"No blood of mine shall be shed on a land I created," she recited in a low voice. "Lest ye wish for a slow and painful death."
"I'll take my chance," he mocked.
"You'll pay for this, Killian," she warned. "I don't know when, but you will die for what you've done here today."
"Maybe, maybe not. Until then…" Killian removed his sword and placed the tip of it against her stomach. "Goodbye, Angel," he said.
He held the back of her head and pushed the sword in slowly. She refused to cry out. She merely gave him a blood-stained smile and laughed. She laughed and laughed until she couldn't anymore, and Killian dropped her dead body to the sand.
"Bat shit until the end, just like her father," he muttered.
"We found the children!"
Killian turned around and smiled when two of his men dragged two boys behind them. They dug their feet into the sand, but once they saw their parents, their resistance faltered. He waited until they were right in front of him and on their knees before he bent down.
"Let's make a deal. I'll let you live, you tell me where the treasure is," he said.
"There is no treasure here," Namiah said. Then he spat in Killian's face, and he added, "We shall die as the sons of Blackbeard, and we do not fear death."
"Aye! We shall die as the sons of Blackbeard, and we do not fear death," Yosiah repeated proudly.
"But you should," Namiah added coldly.
"Cute." Killian stood up straight and swung his sword, and the boys' heads rolled at his feet. He sighed and gestured to the bodies. "Dump them and search the house," he said. "That treasure is here. I know it."
Blackbeard stripped off his jacket when he saw the bodies floating in the ocean. He jumped into the water without thought and swam toward his daughter. He held her in his arms and roared in anguish.
"My Angel," he said over and over.
Blackbeard couldn't bear to look at his grandsons, and his son-in-law had long become food for a predator. He looked around again, and then he panicked.
"Emma," he whispered.
Blackbeard whistled, and a rope appeared by his head. He grabbed hold, and his men pulled him onto the deck. Without asking, three men jumped into the water once he was on board, and he knew they were getting the rest of his family. He placed Angelica in the center and kissed her forehead before he summoned Tobias.
"Emma was not with them," he said. "I need to know. I need to see my home."
"Sir, the island -
"I need to see it," he repeated.
Tobias bowed and returned to the wheel. He directed the ship closer to the island, and Blackbeard's face twisted once he saw the remains of his home. He jumped down to the sand and landed hard on his leg, but it made no difference to him. He limped into a run toward the cottage, and he stepped over the charred remnants of the front door. It had been destroyed, burnt beyond recognition, and he fell to his knees in the middle of it all. He tore his clothing and cried for his daughters, his grandsons, and his family. He cried for his home, his people, and his haven.
But in the midst of his tears -
"Papa?"
Blackbeard spun around and gasped. Covered in soot and dirt, was his treasure. He scrambled to his feet and wrapped her in his arms.
"I'm sorry," she cried. "Angel ordered me to stay in my bunker, but the house was burning. Please don't be mad at me."
"No, no, no, never, pretty one," he soothed. "You did the right thing."
"I let them die," she whimpered. "I didn't help them."
"This is not your fault," he said. "None of this is your fault."
"But the bad man was looking for me. He kept shouting for them to find your treasure."
"He did?"
Emma nodded and said, "When they couldn't find it, he said to burn the house down. That's when I escaped through the tunnel."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Something about getting back to the Jolly. But I don't know what that means."
Blackbeard froze, and his eyes turned solid black. Emma just touched his cheek.
"Papa," she said.
He blinked his eyes back to normal and cleared his throat.
"Come," he said. "We must prepare for the burial and return to the Enchanted Forest."
"I thought it was gone?"
"No, not all of it. Some still remain there, and they will give us the help we need."
Blackbeard picked Emma up and carried her out to the beach toward the ship. She looked over his shoulder at what was left of her home, and she spotted the blood still soaked into the sand. Emma's eyebrows furrowed, and unbeknownst to her, the first seed of darkness spread through her heart. And in the depths of her mind, vengeance was born.