15. A SMALL LIGHT IN THE DARK.

Of course he knew she was there. After a month, everyone in the Fairytale Land surely knew about their capture... what an item of gossip.

Aurora was still standing there, following Phillip's way with her eyes, wondering how much he knew and why he had decided to go there. Had he forgiven her? Had he changed his mind or was he still angry? She felt nervous and didn't know what she'd do when he arrived where she was. What should she say or do?

"Did you know he was coming?" she asked her brother.

"I had no idea." he answered.

After a minute, Phillip was in front of them. He got off the horse and looked directly at her, but he suddenly seemed paralyzed. For many seconds, he was unable to say anything. He was just staring at her wide-eyed. She could imagine the impression she and her little baby bump were causing on him after so many months without seeing each other. She wondered what thoughts were crossing his mind.

"Phillip..." she said, trying to make him go down to earth and feeling how her nervousness rised, althought she was happy to see him again.

"Hmmm..." the prince shook his head "Sorry, it's just that... you know... it's quite weird."

"I know." she agreed, putting a hand on her belly.

Phillip seemed to react at last.

"Are you fine?" it seemed that he didn't know exactly what to do, as if he was afraid of touching her.

"Depending on what you consider as fine." she answered, and her sentence acted as a trigger for Phillip, who hugged her. "Aren't you mad at me?" she asked surprised.

"Of course I'm not" he answered "What I told you the last time... well... I felt so betrayed that..."

"I'm so sorry" she started to cry.

"No, no," he stopped hugging her and looked her in the eyes "don't cry. Let's talk about everything, as... how did Emma say? civilized people."

She nodded and, wiping away her tears, guided him into the castle. With an 'I'll leave you alone', Jour disappeared from their sight.

"When I heard about what'd happened, I didn't know what to do" Phillip confessed while they were walking towards her tower. "But I knew I had to see you, I was so worried and I had so many questions... and I care about you. You mean a lot to me, no matter what happened." she didn't know what to answer.

"I've missed you" she finally managed to say.

"Me too."

They'd arrived the apartment, which was open, and, with a gesture, she invited him to sit down.

"Thanks" he said. "So this is where you live now..."

"Where I'm obliged to live, yes." she answered "But this is not what you wanted to ask me about, is it?"

"Obviously not..." he hesitated, not knowing how to continue "so... I don't want to overwhelm you, but where did you two go that night and where have you been all this time? And is it true that you were the ones who helped prince Eric to defeat Ursula?"

"We went to Neverland" she answered.

"To Neverland? He took you to Neverland?" he asked wide-eyed. After everything he'd heard about that realm, how did that crazy guy dare to take her there?

"Slow down, nothing happened to me. It isn't so bad. We spent a year there" Phillip looked puzzled "Well, for you it was just a month and, when we returned we met Eric and agreed to help him with Ariel's rescue. We've been around here since we returned."

"And he hasn't done anything?... I mean... to end up here."

"Nothing."

"How has he treated you?"" he still wasn't sure about what to think as far as her relationship with Killian was concerned. She realized he was still suspicious about it.

"Phillip, we..." she hesitated "we love each other, and he's treated me as a man is expected to treat the woman he loves." She took air "I don't want to hurt you" he tried to say something "No, let me continue. We fell in love, it was unexpected and we were going to tell you that night, I promise. I felt so bad for you. I understand you were upset, but we were sure about what we felt... and so we are now."

"It's still dangerous" he replied. "And strange. You're so different..."

"It's my choice... and he's changed. I hope you understand." they looked at each other in the eyes for a couple of minutes. Finally, he spoke:

"I still find it difficult, but if it's what you want, I'll be at your side. He hasn't got rid of you after all, and you have enough personality to leave him if he'd hurt you... But I'll have a talk with him." he said as if he were her father, making her smile for the first time.

"Thank you" she said, feeling relieved and calm for the first time since she'd seen the prince riding towards the castle.

"I don't want to lose you again."

"Neither do I" she suddenly had some questions to ask too "Phillip, what about you? What happened that night?" he sighed and seemed to think for a couple of seconds, then he answered:

"When we noticed that our things were with us and you had disappeared with the ship I became so angry... if I'd had the opportunity to catch you two I would have locked you in a tower and I'd challenged him to a duel" he regretted having said that, she was actually locked in a tower after all. "Damn it, sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"Doesn't matter" she said, but she was a bit pale.

"Are you fine?" he asked worriedly. She nodded and encouraged him to continue "I think I didn't calm down until a couple of months after."

"I heard you met your father again" she said.

"Yes, I did." he smiled "We've been very busy, but I think you know that too." suddenly, she realized something:

"And Mulan? Isn't she with you?"

"We're not together." he answered, shaking his head "We're still good friends, of course, but she focused on helping her people and..." surprisingly, he smiled widely. She would swear he was trying not to laugh "... you won't believe it... in the process, she met a guy."

"What?" she couldn't believe it. Mulan?

"Yes, a fellow soldier called Shang. But I'll let her tell you all the details when she comes."

"Does she hate me?" she asked with a worried look. Mulan was definitely more stubborn and serious than Phillip was.

"Why would she do it? It's true that she was as mad at you two as I was, but she was also worried about you. She always asked me if I had any news. She's missed you a lot." Aurora felt guilty. "I don't know where she is now, but I'll try to reach her, alright?"

"Alright" she nodded.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to stay here for more than two days" he said.

"It doesn't matter. I'm glad you've come." she replied frankly.

"So, how are you doing?" he asked in a more relaxed tone. They spent hours talking about everything. When Phillip left, she felt much better, as if a part of her which had been dyed in black suddenly turned to its usual colour. Phillip was there. She could trust him again and didn't have to feel guilty anymore.

.

There were birds singing outside, but he didn't even hear them. Sitting on the floor again, Killian didn't have strength to walk in circles anymore. Pessimism filled his mind and, along with the darkness, the loneliness, the lack of news about everything and the silence, was making him insane. He'd tried to do something, but he couldn't think about anything. He was all alone and nobody wanted to listen to him. It seemed that Aurora wasn't luckier than him, but how was she? Was everything fine? As usual, he'd asked the guards about her and, as usual, they hadn't told him anything. God, he missed her so much.

A male voice made him come out of his lethargy, a voice he'd got used to hearing in another time which seemed so far away.

"I've got permission to talk to him. Let me in."

Killian didn't know if he was glad to hear that voice or if its owner had come to make everything worse. He could only wait, as he'd been doing for more than a month.

Finally, Phillip's face appeared in front of him.

"Hello." the prince greeted him. He didn't seem angry. "You look terrible."

"Hi... I feel terrible. How's she?" Hook asked. Phillip could see the anxiety in his eyes and recognized himself in them: that was the same look he had when he'd been looking for Aurora with Mulan, knowing where she was but unable to do anything until the curse broke. But Killian's eyes showed even more pain. The prince saw it clear then: the pirate (or whatever he'd become) truly loved her.

"She's fine, don't worry." the captain seemed tormented enough, so he didn't want to add more pain.

"Phillip, there's something you're not telling me." the prince decided to tell him the truth. His lie wasn't working and he had the right to know. With a sigh, he told him everything that Aurora had explained him before: the diagnosis, the risks...

"But don't worry, she's doing her best and is much better now" he finished, trying to cheer him up.

"And the Netherworld?" that was what bothered him the most.

"She hasn't been there in a long time." he answered. Killian sighed with relief.

"And how have you found her? I mean, what about her mood?"

"Well..." he thought about the answer for a couple of seconds "she's sad, I won't deny it. But her brother has told me she's improved lately."

"The brother..." Killian whispered.

"He's taking good care of her. I know you two are not in good terms..."

"Not in good terms isn't enough to define it." answered the captain ironically.

"He'll change his mind sooner or later. He's a good man."

"Can we change the subject?" Killian asked. The prince nodded. "I need to get out of here."

"Don't do anything foolish" Phillip warned him. "Snow's coming to help you."

"So you've finally understood." Killian was starting to feel a little better. They weren't alone.

"I guess so" the prince answered. "But I still want to punch you." Killian smiled for the first time in weeks. "Aurora wants you to know that she loves you." it wasn't as difficult to say as Phillip had been fearing. He could see a sparke in Hook's eyes.

"Tell her I love her.. them too and that I wish I could be there now."

"I will."

"Thank you" he looked the prince in the eyes "Not only for this, but for coming, for understanding, for being with her, for telling me..."

"Hey, hey, stop. You don't have to thank me for anything."

"I'll let you punch me again." Hook said. Phillip laughed.

"I'll dream of that moment." that time, both men laughed. "When you're out of here, you'll see." Killian didn't answer immediately. He didn't trust that king or his luck enough to think he would surely be released.

"When will it happen?" he asked to no one.

"Don't be pessimistic. You've got me, Eric, Snow, David... we won't leave you two stranded." Hook nodded. "I don't know what this crazy guy has against you or pirates, but we'll find a solution."

"You know, being in this place doesn't help you to be optimistic."

"I understand... I think I know everything I wanted, so if you don't have any questions..."

"I can't think about them at the moment." he needed to assume the information he already had.

"Alright, I'll try to see you again before I leave."

"Take care of her."

"Always." the prince turned and walked towards the exit.

Alone again, he thought about everything Phillip had told him. He was still frustrated and anxious, but at least he knew what was going on... and knew that he wasn't alone anymore: Snow was coming, everything would be fine... or not.