"Dad."

Killian hadn't bothered drying his tears and Liam didn't bother mentioning them. His father, grandparents and Robin had come to join the younger ones, Regina staying with a recovering Henry. Wilma had mentioned them wanting to adress what happened and "work through it together". It was probably his grandmother's idea, neither his father nor his grandfather looked especially ready to talk about anything.

"Liam," Killian muttered before pulling his son into a hug. "I'm so sorry, lad."

"She's really gone?", He asked, both knowing and fearing the answer at once. Killian nodded and took a shaky breath, realeasing Liam reluctantly.

"Yeah, she really is."

"So what's your plan on getting her back?" Killian looked startled by his sons words. He shook his head slowly and put his hand on Liam's shoulder, as if touching him would make him understand.

"Liam. Your mother is gone. I'm so sorry, but we are going to have to get used to a life alone from now on."

Liam knew. He really did know that his mother was dead, but he hadn't expected was for his father to give up so easily. He was Captain Hook after all, and she was the savior! Nothing stopped them. They always find each other in their family.

He wrenched himself from his father's grip and stared at everyone in the room, betrayed.

"No. She came for you! You can't just leave her! We can get her back!" His father shook his head once again.

"I wish, lad. If there was anything we could do, believe me I would do it. Not just for me, but for everyone. She is so important. If I could, I would get your mother back. For you and Henry and Hope. But there is nothing any of us can do. Liam, I'm so sorry."

"But the underworld… You got there once, I get that it's not easy. But there is a way down. There is always a way."

"No, Liam. Emma is not in the underworld. If she were, I would already be there. The underworld is for people with unfinished business. That's not her, and we should be happy about that. She has moved on. She had a good life with us, and she died saving the ones she loved. She is somewhere better now, my boy. We have that much comfort."

She wasn't in the underworld? Liam's heart was heavy, and he was close to tears again. Sure, there was a part of him that was relieved that his mom was in a better place, and not stuck in the underworld. But she wasn't with him, and selfishly, he wished she was, even though his dad said she was in a better place.

"Where is Hope?" Killian's voice broke Liam's thoughts and he felt himself turning red. He refused to look at his father, embarrassment over yelling at his little sister already creeping in. In a second the room had gained a tension you could cut with a knife. Liam flinched when his father immediately raised his voice, sensing something was wrong.

"Liam, where is your sister?" he bellowed. Daniel elbowed him gently in the ribs, and he prepared himself for the rage.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? She is supposed to be with you. What happened?"

Liam mumbled incoherently, and could feel his father's growing anger and fear.

"Liam David Jones, where is your sister?" Finally Liam looked up into his father's eyes, and just like he suspected they shone with anger, sadness and fear.

"We had a fight. I told her it was her fault mom died, which is true. Had she not run out despite you telling her not to, this would never have happened. Mom would still be alive and here. I told her I wished it'd been her instead, and then she ran out. I don't know where she is."

At each and every word Liam spoke his father's disappointment grew and he was out the door before Liam had finished his final sentence. Dread grew in the pit of Liam's stomach when the door closed behind his father. His sister was just as reckless and their mother had been. If she did anything stupid it would be his fault. And knowing his sister, she would probably come up with some more than stupid trouble to get herself into.

"You told her this is her fault?" It was his grandmother who spoke up. He looked around the room, and seeing the look on everyone's faces made the last piece of anger disappear and be replaced by guilt. What had he done?

Her ran the same way his father did.


"Thought I'd find you here."

They were back where they started. Emma finding her daughter on the bench by the pond, after she'd once again run off.

Hope only huffed. There was nothing more she could do. If she was born, her mother's days were numbered. She refused to let that happen, but still felt so powerless; which she told her younger version of her mother. Emma chucked softly, taking a seat beside Hope, though leaving space between them.

"You are not the problem here, Hope. Non of what happened in your own time was your fault," Emma told Hope.

"You go tell Liam that."

"I could. He was wrong in telling you that. Something I will give him a hard time for when you get back to the future. But he is human, he made a mistake. Just like you did. Doesn't mean either of you deserve to be more than told off." Her mother moved closer and put her arm over Hope's shoulder. Hope moved closer and put her head on Emma's shoulder, basking in her mother's embrace and letting herself relax for just a moment.

She remembered all the times she'd hurt herself as a child, and the comfort of laying her head on her mother's shoulder and being in her embrace was the most soothing imaginable. She remembered the heartbreak she'd experienced when she found out Philip had cheated on her, then laughed at her tears, and the only place she felt safe and protected was in her parent's embrace, and had spent hours and hours on end just leaning on Emma's shoulder. She remembered the time Emma had been hurt in a fight and Hope had been so very worried about her, and the only comfort she accepted was to rest her head on her mother's shoulder, cause then she just knew everything would be okay.

But not this time. This time, she would have to return to her time, and her mother would still be gone and it would still be her fault.

"You wont be able to give Liam a hard time for being mean if you're not there, you know."

Emma snorted softly and hesitantly pulled her daughter closer to her, trying to give strength and take away her burdens.

"Oh, but I will be there." Immediately, Hope untangled herself from the embrace and looked at Emma. Had she changed her mind? New hope flared in her chest. But Emma gave her a look and shook her head.

"No, I am not going to erase one of my children from the existence so I can yell at the other." Hope sighed and mumbled a barely distinguished you'll still not remember you had me, making Emma laugh softly and reach for a strand of Hope's hair, tenderly placing it behind her ear. She had a soft look in her eyes and a small smile Hope recognized played on her lips.

"You are very much like me. I can imagine your father's had to solve many arguments between the two of us."

Hope only nodded, too much in awe to say anything.

"I wont let you sacrifice yourself, brave girl. But I wont leave you either. There is other ways, there is always another way. We'll find it, and when you two go back to your time I'll be there waiting, ready to tell you both off for putting yourself in danger. And maybe curing your father's heart from the fear this little adventure had put him through." Tears had formed in Hope's eyes and they spilled over at the laugh Emma put on her lips.

"You've got a plan?" Hope's voice sounded small, but she was too relieved to care. Emma cupped her daughter's cheeks and nodded, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Of course I have a plan. Come on. Let's go talk to the other's and get the two of you home."


"Dad!"

Killian didn't stop at his sons words. His anger was very obvious and almost visible around him.

"Dad! Wait, I'm sorry, Dad!" Liam's words cut through the air, and Killian finally stopped; whirling around to face his son. His eyes were frantic and Liam flinched at his father's scared posture. He sounded out of breath when he spoke, his voice cracking and wheezing.

"You don't even know what has happened, do you, Liam?"

Killian was cradling a piece of paper in his hand, holing it to him like it was the most precious thing. Liam had never seen his father like this; the cool and collected man he knew looked desperate and frantic. It scared him, that between everything else that had happened the past couple of hours, he could barely even recognize his father; when he really was the one person Liam needed most at the moment. His mother was gone, his older brother was in the hospital, and he had no idea where his sister was, so he needed his father to be the rock, cause Liam knew he couldn't do it himself.

"Happened? What is happening? Dad, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll tell Hope I didn't mean what I said-"

"You may be too late for that." Killian's features had softened slightly, seeing Liam's distress. But the fear remained.

"Too late? What have she done? Where is she?" Killian didn't answer, only looked down on the piece of paper he was holding, his hands trembling.

"Dad! Where is she?" Liam's voice cracked, fear sweeping him in like a cocoon. What had she done? Where was she?

"Gone." Killian said, and with one lonely tear making its way down his cheek, he shakily gave Liam the paper he was holding, Liam's pair of equally shaking hands taking it carefully.

I'm sorry. Dad, I'm so sorry.

You once told me of how close mom was of fading from existence, when Regina almost killed grandma. She would never have existed.

Neither will I.

This is all my fault, but I know you'll be angry with me when you read this.

You have to understand I have to fix what I have done. You will have mom back, and you will still have Liam.

I know you love me, so you are probably angry and scared now. But in a few hours, everything will be better and you won't know there's ever been a me, cause it won't have been.

Tell Liam I forgive him for his words, and don't be angry with him. He was right after all.

Do me one favor, Dad, before I'm finished…

Make sure everyone knows I loved them, and that I'm so sorry for my recklessness. You won't remember that later, but I'd feel better if everyone knew. So, please do that.

I love you. Remember that, until these words have faded.

Hold on to me, until these words are faded; cause that's when I am gone.

Liam could barely believe the words. He recognized his sisters writing, but not her words. How could she write this? How could she just leave them? His throat tightened and his heart squeezed.

"Poetic." He hadn't meant to be sarcastic, but he had no other response. Killian had surveyed the streets around them whilst Liam read the note, and the only sign he gave showing he'd even listened to Liam was the tightening of his jaw. He wasn't going to argue with his son any longer, he had more important and grave things to deal with.

Suddenly a ray of light burst through the sky, like a column of light and fire the ground decided to throw up. Killian had seen it before, and Liam had had it described to him endless times in his days, so they looked at each other and both knew what it meant.

Hope had opened her time portal.

There are some perks of being the product of true love. One of them the magic. He gave his father a look, and saw when he understood the meaning behind it.

Before the sound of Killian's protest reached Liam's ears he had transported himself to the outside of the barn the portal had opened. She had already gone through, so he hurried, knowing it would close before soon.

The light started to fade, but Liam didn't hesitate to jump and felt the portal take him away. He knew the he may never see his family or his time again, but following his sister and making sure she wasn't alone gave him the relief and strength he needed to not break down when he landed on grass and looked up on a clocktower with better paint than he ever remembered it having.


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