A/N: Just to let everyone know, I will be on hiatus for a couple of weeks. I will continue the story, do not worry, just it will be a couple of weeks until the next update. Thank you for your patience. Another thank you to my beta, steph-the-fangirl-925, who has been taking time out of her own busy schedule to help me with this story and to provide great Captain Swan videos on YouTube. Check out her channel Just4FunVids925.
Disclaimer: I do not own the major characters, as they belong to the franchise of Once Upon A Time.
Chapter 19:
Killian stormed back to Signora Assante's in a rage. How could he have almost fucked Emma Swan? He cringed at the rough word but he couldn't come up with any other appropriate substitution in his state of mind.
His shirt hung loose from his pants and his collar was still located within his pocket when he opened the front door almost running over Matthew King. The younger man scrunched up his nose in disdain for Killian's appearance. Honestly, Killian could care less for the seminarian's opinion.
Killian grabbed the man by his shirt and slammed him into a nearby wall. "You stay away from Emma. Do you hear me?"
The young man smiled. "Why should I? You can't and you've taken vows of celibacy." Matthew sniffed. "You smell of her. Her sweet scent lingers on your skin. If you can taste, why can't I?"
Killian tightened his hand and lifted the seminarian off his feet. His jaw clenched painfully. "Place your hands…no, place even your eyes, upon her person and God will not save you from my vengeance."
A rough laugh escaped Matthew and in a gravelly voice, much unlike the one he usually used, he spoke, "Vengeance, Captain, is what you're good at. I look forward to our meeting because Emma Swan will soon be mine."
Eyes wide, Killian released his grip and the younger man slipped down the wall, coughing. "Who are you?" Killian questioned. "What are you?"
Bloodshot eyes met Killian's blue ones. "You mean you don't know? I'm quite disappointed in you, Hook."
"El Diablo," Killian whispered.
"So, you do know me. I'm glad I could make such an impression." The man's grin revealed pointed teeth that Killian had never seen Matthew possess, making him question his sanity. Was he imagining this?
Hands in his hair, pulling at the strands, Killian backed away. "No. What are you doing to me?"
"We're having fun."
"Father Jones? Are you okay?" Signora Assante came into the entryway. "No!"
She ran towards the two men reaching for a vase filled with flowers. Dumping the blooms to the floor, she flung the water at Matthew King. "Satana, you're not welcome here. Leave!"
The man hissed at the older woman and ran from the house. Killian glanced down at the puddle of water left on the floor.
"Holy water," Signora Assante explained. "The flowers are fake, Padre. My husband always made sure we had a vase or vial full of God's water near each door and window. It was meant to keep El Diablo from entering. Apparently, it does not work."
She shook her head and removed the towel that had hung from her shoulder. As she bent down to mop at the spill, he noticed water spots on his shoes and sleeves of his shirt. When Signora Assante had thrown the water he had felt calmer more himself then he had felt in hours and he wondered if it was because the holy water had landed on him.
"Thank you." Killian bent down to help the older woman up. "Grazie."
She patted his cheek and he felt comforted by the action. "Prego. Stai bene? Are you okay?"
"Yes. Si. I'm fine."
"Buono. I must see to our dinner. I send a tray to your room, no?"
"Grazie, signora. For everything."
Once she walked away, Killian sighed. He needed to tell Robin he couldn't help him watch over Emma. And he needed to let him know that Matthew King had become one with the evil being that Killian had fought before. It was a conversation he was not looking forward to having. How do you tell your friend you almost ravished someone you are supposed to care about in an alleyway? Bloody hell, who was he kidding, he cared about Emma. He just didn't want to put a label on how he cared for her.
Squaring his shoulders, Killian headed to his room. He stripped down to his briefs and headed for the shower. In the mirror, he spotted a rash on his hand. It was in almost the same spot that he had felt a drop of moisture from the water Signora Assante had thrown. Had the holy water burned him? No. He was thinking crazy thoughts again. What he needed was a shower and rest. He'd set the alarm for dinner because he was starving, but right now rest would settle his brain.
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Emma had made her way back to Signora Assante's slowly. She had no idea where Killian had gone and the last thing she wanted to do was run into him. The last several months all she wanted was time with him because she had no idea if getting her Killian back was going to happen. Now, she wasn't even sure if she wanted him back either.
After popping into the kitchen to see Signora Assante, Emma was even more leery about being there. Killian had come back. According to the older woman he was still in his room. Emma asked if she could have dinner on a tray until Signora Assante said Killian requested the same.
"In that case," Emma informed her. "I'll see you for dinner."
"Si. We read tonight?"
Emma shook her head. "No. Not tonight. I think I'm going to retire after dinner. I'm exhausted."
"Fine. Fine."
Turning to leave, Emma stopped short at Signora Assante's next words. "Could you take the padre's tray on your way to your room?"
Emma wanted to say no. She didn't want to see or be near Killian right now. And Emma suspected Signora Assante knew that, which is why she found it strange that the older woman would make such a request. Maybe if she just put it on the floor and knocked, he'd never know it was her at his door. "Yes. I'll take it."
"Grazie, signorina."
Grabbing the proffered tray, Emma left. The smells wafting up from the tray made her stomach grumble. In that moment, Emma realized she hadn't eaten since her very early breakfast. Carefully, Emma set the tray at Killian's door. Raising her hand to knock, she heard a loud moan split the air. Was he asleep? Was he sick? Was he…? No, she wasn't going to let her mind go there after what happened earlier.
"Emma?"
She couldn't help it, she jumped at the sound of her name. Turning, she discovered Robin coming from his room. "Hi, Robin."
"What's going on?"
"I was asked to bring Killian's dinner tray." She indicated the food at her feet. "I was about to knock when I heard Killian moan. I'm not sure if he's well."
"Let me." Robin knocked on the solid wood. "Killian? Everything okay?"
"I should go," Emma told him as she backed up towards her own room.
Robin gave her a confused look. "Did something happen earlier between you two?"
"Nothing," Emma replied much too quickly.
"Emma," Robin scolded. "Tell me."
She shook her head and held onto the knob of her door like a lifeline. "I can't."
A very large groan split the air between them. Robin turned around and pounded on Killian's door. "Killian, I'm coming in."
Robin swung in Killian's door and Emma tried to peek inside from across the hall but the room was too dark to see much of anything. Her heart sank when Robin called her name.
"Emma, get in here. I need you."
Rushing over, Emma almost tripped on the tray. Emma lifted it from the floor and brought it inside, setting it upon the top of the dresser next to Killian's necklaces. She ran her fingers over both chains before turning to Robin sitting at Killian's bedside.
"What happened to him?" she asked as she approached. Killian's face was pale as death except for the bright redness at his cheeks.
"He's fevered. And he has some weird rash that is on his arms and chest. Right now we need to get him cooled down."
Emma nodded and headed to the bathroom after a quick glance at Killian's chest that Robin exposed by rolling down the covers. Grabbing the first clean towel she saw, Emma ran it under cold tap water. She brought it back to Robin who was using a shirt to wipe Killian's sweaty brow. Unfolding the towel, Emma handed him, he spread it across Killian's chest.
"Can you find a smaller one for his head?"
"I'll run to my room." Emma really did run. She had never seen Killian ill. Emma had seen him hurt and almost drowned but never ill. For some reason this bothered her more than the other two. As she wet several washcloths and filled a small bowl with cold water, it hit her why. Because now she loved him. When he had been hit by Greg Mendell's car, she had been annoyed by his presence and preoccupied with dealing with Cora. When Zelena had almost killed him in the pool, Emma had just begun to accept some sort of feelings for him, but was more interested in running away from all the chaos that Storybrooke brought to her life. Then, even when Rumplestiltskin had stolen his heart, he had been fine except for the fact that he was being controlled by his enemy.
But now… Now, she knew she loved him. It didn't matter if he was a pirate captain or a priest. It didn't matter if he remembered her or not. It didn't even matter whether she wanted to or not. She loved him and she wasn't about to let him go. Sickness be damned.
Emma returned quickly to the room. Handing a wet cloth to Robin, she set the bowl with the other inside next to his feet.
"Signor Locksley? Signorina Swan?"
Robin's head lifted from his ministrations at Signora Assante's voice. "I'll find her and tell her about Killian. Stay here."
"But…" Emma's eyes flitted between the door that Robin exited and Killian's bed. In Killian's current state of mind he'd be shocked that Emma was alone with him in his room. Hell with it, right now she didn't care. She just needed him to get better. Her hand crept out and rubbed his cheek. A tear slipped from her chin and landed on his chest.
"Signorina, let me." Signora Assante swept in and gently nudged Emma to the side so she could sit near Killian's head. Emma watched as the older woman gauged the situation. "We must call Father Bastian."
"Not the doctor?" Emma asked confused. "He can't be that bad."
"No, he is not dying, signorina. This is not that kind of sickness." Signora Assante shook her head.
"How do you know?"
The older woman's eyes lifted to Emma's. "My husband lost himself to El Diablo once too. I was able to help save him for a time with the help of a priest but his body never truly recovered from the experience because we thought he was only ill."
A sob escaped Emma and Robin held onto her shoulder. "He'll be fine, Emma."
"We have time but we must be quick. My husband wasn't as lucky. He had been out of town tending to the sick when it happened. By the time he had come home, it had almost been too late."
"I didn't think he could be a priest after you were married," Emma said in confusion.
"He was not. He never gave up on God even if he was no longer to hold the title. He did God's work until the day he died. My husband helped the poor and the hungry whenever he could. He became a missionary who helped many. But it was on one such trip he came in contact with a village that El Diablo claimed for his own. It was almost my husband's undoing."
"But you said he never recovered." Emma felt Robin let go and heard him step from the room.
"Yes, but it was the pneumonia that took the dear man away. El Diablo just made it that much easier for his weak body to succumb to the disease."
"I called Father Bastian as you requested," Robin said returning to the room. "He is nearby and on his way."
Emma glanced between the two of them before her eyes resettled on the older woman. "What can we do?"
"Keep him comfortable. I must go and make ready for the padre." She pointed to Robin. "He will tell you more."
"Robin?" Emma questioned him as Signora Assante left.
"What happened earlier?"
Emma shook her head. "I asked first. This is Killian's life we are talking about."
"It's important, Emma. What happened between the two of you this afternoon?"
Emma sighed and sank down on the foot of Killian's bed. "I thought his memory returned."
"But it hadn't?"
"No."
"What were you doing when it happened?"
Emma blushed. "I… We… uh…"
"Oh."
"Yeah." Emma reached down and picked up the bowl with the washcloths inside and began to fiddle with the fabric.
"Hand me one of those."
Emma gave Robin one and he took off the larger towel from Killian's chest, placing the smaller one over Killian's heart. Setting the bowl on the floor again, Emma took the towel from Robin so she could rewet it. When she returned she had to ask, "What was Signora Assante talking about?"
"You remember that you were to meet Matthew for coffee?"
"Of course. I met with Killian instead because Matthew had to cancel."
Robin changed out Killian's cloths. "I actually told Matthew you wouldn't be meeting him. I heard you tell Regina that we might head home and I didn't want you spending time with anyone other than Killian in case you had to leave him behind."
Emma nodded. She had been thinking much the same way, which was why she had been happy to hear her date with Matthew had been cancelled, especially when Killian was the one there to tell her.
"However, Matthew didn't seem to like having the plans changed and he got really angry," Robin told her.
"Really? I've never seen him angry over anything."
"Neither had I until that moment. After that Killian and I thought it best you stay away from him indefinitely."
"Killian? What did he have to do with it?"
"He showed up as Matthew threatened me. When we couldn't find you this morning both of us sort of panicked. I was so happy to receive Killian's text that he found you at the café. At least until I heard from Sister Bernard what had happened when Killian came back to the house."
Emma began to tremble. "What happened?"
Robin sank down to the floor and rested his head on the bed next to Killian's arm. "He got into a fight with Matthew." He must have heard her gasp because he looked back up at her. "It was fine, not much happened but she said that Matthew was acting just as strangely as Killian, if not more so. She didn't know much because she had been down the hall when it happened and couldn't hear what was being said. However, when I went to fetch Signora Assante, she told me the rest."
"Which was?"
"He was possessed."
"Killian?" That would kind of explain the weird afternoon she had with him.
"Matthew. Watch out for him Emma. He's dangerous."
"I will," Emma all but whispered. "But what does that have to do with Killian being sick?"
"Touched by the devil," a thick Italian accent intoned. Emma and Robin both glanced at the door. The man tipped his head to Emma. "Padre Bastian."
Robin rose to his feet and Emma stood next to him. "Buonasera, Padre." Robin shook the man's hand. "Can you help him?"
"I try. I grow fond of the young padre," the man said with a soft smile.
Robin smiled back. "Your English has improved."
"Grazie, signor. Can I see him alone un minuto?"
"Si." Robin led Emma from the room. "He'll be fine, Emma."
"Will he?" Emma asked with tears straining at her eyes.
"Yes. We'll find a way."
Emma's phone chimed a message and she pulled it from her jeans pocket. Her breath rushed from her chest as she stared at the picture that had been texted to her.
"What is it?" Robin asked in concern.
"Henry," Emma breathed. She felt like her heart almost stopped at the sight in front of her. "He's been kidnapped by Cruella. I'm going to kill her."
"And how exactly are you going to do that? We're in Rome, remember?"
Emma's phone rang. Regina was calling. Emma answered by placing it on speakerphone. "Hello?"
"Did you get it too?" Regina asked, her voice dripping icicles.
"Yes. Cruella has Henry."
"She's gone too far," Regina practically growled.
"I recognize that toll bridge marker."
Emma's eyebrows scrunched together, trying to process what she heard. "Is that my father?"
"Yes. I'm with your parents," Regina told her.
"Cruella is holding Henry a couple of miles south of the toll bridge," David announced.
"What now?" Robin asked.
"We get our hands dirty and do whatever it takes to get him back." Regina's voice was deadly serious.
"You're not actually considering Cruella's command to kill the author," David questioned with some concern.
"Of course not," Regina told him with some of her old spunk. "Even if we could find him, it wouldn't be half the fun of killing Cruella. Let's see how she likes being made into outerwear."
"Regina," Snow and Robin scolded.
"If only we could find the author," Emma lamented. "If he's enemies with Cruella, maybe he knows a way to defeat her."
"We may be able to help with that," Snow chimed in.
"If we went back to the convent and found the flask that we gave him," Charming finished for his wife. "He dropped it when he escaped. A locator spell may work on it."
"Looks like a perfect job for you two," Emma told her parents. "Regina, do you think you'll be able to scope out the area where Cruella is holed up with Henry?"
"Emma, I know you're still angry but avoiding us isn't going to help," Snow told her.
"I'm not avoiding you. With Henry's life on the line, I need people I trust to take care of things. Right now, that's not you."
Emma hung up and scrunched up her eyes to keep the tears at bay. Robin pulled her towards him and rubbed her head as it landed on his chest. "They'll be fine, Emma. They'll both be fine."
Robin's voiced sounded much as it would if he comforted Roland. And like a child Emma hoped he was right because she didn't want to think of the consequences if he wasn't.