Chapter 20: Common Enemy
The next morning, Killian, Emma, Henry, Regina, and Robin all marched down the street to Gold's shop together. After telling Regina what had transpired the night before, they decided there was safety in numbers. Emma and Regina's combined powers along with Killian and his enchanted sword and Robin's bow skills would make them a formidable group, and they decided the safest place for Henry was with them.
When Emma tried to open Gold's shop door, she was pushed back, and immediately the whole group was on edge, scanning the streets behind them for the presence of the newest evil in town.
"He cast a protection spell on his shop?" Emma asked.
"You know what that means?" Regina noted, showing hints of concern. "Gold's actually worried about this guy."
Henry reached for the door amidst the warnings of his caregivers, but the boy said, calmly, "Blood magic. Let me try."
The boy easily opened the door and entered the shop alone. Everyone anxiously waited outside, and, a few moments later, they saw the protection spell fall so they could all enter. As soon as they were inside, Gold drew a line on the ground and cast the spell again.
Belle walked immediately up to Hook, holding his elbows in her hands in a partial hug and greeting him with one of the widest smiles he had ever seen. She enthusiastically said, "I know you and Rumple have had your differences in the past, but I saw the way you cut through those demons to free him, and I didn't have the chance to thank you. So…thank you. Thank you for putting your differences aside to save the man that I love."
She pulled him a little closer in a final hug, and Killian saw Gold glaring unhappily. Gold probably hated the idea of his woman anywhere near his nemesis, no matter how innocuous the circumstances seemed. For a moment, the pirate thought about how much fun it would be to wrap his arms around Belle and hug her in return, smirking over the woman's shoulder as Gold squirmed, but he didn't have time to mess with the Crocodile when so much was on the line. Killian knew, as much as he may not like it, they would fare better with Rumpelstiltskin on their side, and this wasn't the time or place to throw accelerant on their mutual disdain. So Killian politely patted Belle's back and said as they parted, "It seems the Crocodile and I have a common enemy."
Gold griped, "What are you all doing here in my shop?"
"What do you know about Facilier?" Emma asked.
"You go first," he suggested, craftily. "It seems that I'm the one who's been kept in the dark. What do you know about him? How long have you known he's after your children?"
They gave him some background about Killian and Emma's travels in a different realm, what they'd come to know about Facilier and the talisman they'd procured. As they finished, Gold asked, "Is there anything else that may be useful? Any little details?"
"We know he can overpower you," Emma noted. "So if we want to defeat him, we need to find his weakness first. And fast."
"He did get the better of me, but he is not more powerful," Gold defensively responded.
"It certainly seemed like he was," Killian said.
Gold sneered, "Only because my magic was somehow disabled."
"Like the bracelet the pirate tricked me into wearing?" Regina asked. "The one Greg and Tamara got from Pan?"
"Yes," Gold answered, "like that. No matter how hard I tried to use my magic, I couldn't."
"Being able to shut off someone else's magic is a pretty big advantage," Emma suggested.
"This may be why he is the one who is prophesized to defeat this shadow," Gold said, glancing toward Hook. "If this being is able to immobilize magic, it puts Emma, Regina and myself at greater risk because our normal defenses are gone. The Captain does not possess magic, and in some ways that makes him less vulnerable to this particular threat."
"So we need to figure out how he does it," Regina suggested. "He didn't put anything on you…no bracelet to bind your powers…or maybe squid ink?"
"None that I noticed, but he clearly used something."
"And your powers are fine now?" Regina asked.
"As if they'd never been gone," Gold replied.
"Anything else you can tell us?" Emma questioned.
"I think Facilier's magic is sourced from outside forces," Gold added.
"I don't understand," Emma said.
"Well, in the case of you and Regina, your magic comes from within. Cora and Zelena were the same. For some, magic is inherently present from birth, or," he paused as he looked at Emma's now slightly rounded tummy, "before birth, it seems. My dagger is the source of my power. I hold that power within me as long as the dagger is not controlled by anyone else. Almost anyone can wield a magical item. I think his power comes from outside, from the possession of an object or objects. That's why he wants that talisman, he wants to possess whatever powers it holds. He wants to absorb the magic from your children or, more correctly, he wants one of his objects to absorb their magic. He put the Green Fairy to sleep with a powder, not his own magic or a spell he specifically cast. He didn't actually restrain me, he used spirits, incalculable numbers of demons under his command, to confine me. Those aren't necessarily his intrinsic powers. He's like a puppet master for those spirits he controls."
"Mother used hearts to control people," Regina commented. "I've done that as well. It's simple enough."
"That's a hell of a lot of hearts," Emma answered.
"So we need to find the source of his power," Regina said as she thought. Looking at Killian, she asked, "Did you see anything? An amulet, charm or talisman that he might have used?"
"He wore a strange adornment around his neck. It had various bones and teeth and who knows what else hanging from it," Killian began. And then he remembered another detail and added more excitedly, "That staff he carried. It had a purple sphere on top…either a gem or stone."
"Yes," Gold agreed, "I saw that."
"It may help if we can locate his base of operations," Robin offered. "I'll have my men scout the woods."
"I'm not sure he's that close," Gold replied. "I believe he sent his minions to do his dirty work while he stayed at a safer distance."
"Where do you think he is?" Regina questioned.
"Pan's shadow could easily cross realms," Robin stated. "Baelfire used that shadow to take him from our home to Neverland."
"So he could actually be anywhere?" Emma asked with a jolt of panic. "He could be in any world and simply cross over whenever he wants?"
"If this shadow is similar to Pan's," Gold said with an almost unnoticeable shiver, "then yes. But, I don't think that's what we're dealing with. I suspect this is an ordinary man, who has amassed magical items and is using their power. The shadow that the Captain battled for the talisman is a demonic force or forces under Facilier's control…controlled in the same way that he controlled all of those spirits last night."
"If he's so powerful already, then why does he want my brother and sister?" Henry asked. "Isn't he strong enough?"
Gold gazed at the ground for a moment and then answered, "Power…can be a consuming addiction. It draws you away…lures you from those you love, convinces you that it is the only thing you need, makes you feel you're nothing without it. It can lead you to do things that you wouldn't ordinarily do."
"But you fought it," Henry said with certainty. "You defeated Pan, helped to save me…you did the right thing. So that means he can too."
Gold smiled awkwardly, and it was clear that he knew power still called to him.
"Can you find Facilier?" Emma asked, breaking the silent tension.
"Do you have anything that belongs to him?" Gold asked, watching while everyone fumbled and eventually admitted they had nothing. "Well in that case, I can't. But I'm guessing you…can."
"How do you expect me to find him?"
"Just standing here I can feel the increased magic in you, and you were powerful before," Gold said, leading her to an ancient mirror. "You have an emotional investment in this whole situation. Now…draw on your feelings. Your anger, your fears…your love for your children. Once you can see him, you can look for clues to figure out where he is."
Emma summoned her power and after a few moments, they saw an image of Facilier appear. He was relaxing in a high backed chair, one long leg draped over the arm. They could see the staff with the purple sphere on top of it, braced on the chair next to him. He was toying with one of the charms that hung from his necklace, and as they looked closer, they could see it was a small bone. His attention turned abruptly in the direction of those who were watching him, almost like he could sense an invisible camera pointing at him, and he looked directly into the lens. He dropped the bone that he'd held in his long, skinny fingers and leaned forward in his chair, gesturing with both hands open, palms up, at the area in front of him. The image zoomed out, and they could see he was drawing their attention to things on the floor in front of him. On either side of his chair, there were two small cradles. Gasps could be heard as they realized that both cradles were made of bone, and each had a tiny skull adorning the top like a macabre decoration. Facilier grinned, taking a moment to wave at his onlookers as he said, "As you can see, Daddy's ready for his new babies."
He chuckled chillingly before his laughter came to an abrupt halt and he wiped his hand in front of him, clouding the image with slinking dark spirits before it disappeared entirely.
The whole room was silent for a few moments as they all stared at the mirror where the vision had been. Killian had his arm wrapped tightly around Emma, and Henry stood supportively at her side. She was so stunned that she probably would have fallen had they not been there. As he gazed over the room, Killian saw the same look of disturbed shock, and he realized this particular enemy was reviled by everyone in the room. Regina and Robin looked on with sympathetic worry, and both Belle and Gold looked beyond disgusted with this new villain and his intentions.
Belle politely cleared her throat, trying to redirect everyone into constructively responding to this threat. "You said you have a talisman that you can use against him?" she asked, softly.
"Yea," Emma replied, calming her nerves. "But we need to figure out how to use it."
"Can I see it? I can do some research," Belle offered.
Killian looked at Gold, hesitating to put something so powerful into Rumpelstiltskin's hands, and Gold scoffed, "You have bigger problems than me, dearie."
Henry dug in his jeans' pocket and produced a wrinkled printout of the talisman that he and Regina had found when they had searched on the computer. "It looks like this," he said as he gave the picture to Belle.
Emma joined them and pointed out a few differences in the images, but affirmed, "This is very similar."
"Can I keep this?" Belle asked Henry.
"Sure. Anything to help," Henry replied.
"Did anyone notice anything in that vision that may help us place the man's whereabouts?" Regina asked.
"His lair looked like Odalee's home," Killian noted.
"It did," Emma affirmed, "but there was something else…that music in the background. And a whistle. Did you hear it?"
"Some sort of pipe organ?" Belle asked.
"The music was unnervingly cheery," Robin stated, "unlike anything I've heard in our homeland."
"I think it was a steam organ," Emma said. "Regina, you mentioned New Orleans as a place with a possible pocket of magic? They have steamboats there, and some of those steamboats have organs that sound like that."
"Pockets of magic?" Gold huffed, "Wherever did you get an idea like that? This is a world without magic, Storybrooke aside."
"I've heard some pretty compelling evidence to the contrary," Regina countered. "You were the one who said you weren't sure if he was nearby."
"I didn't mean hundreds of miles away."
"Well, a lot of this magic sounds like exactly what you've been talking about. The magic is in rituals, spirits and items more than the sorts of innate magic that comes from our world. You brought magic to Storybrooke…maybe someone else brought it to New Orleans."
Gold wavered, "I'm sure it's possible. But whether or not it's likely…"
"You have any other ideas?" Regina replied.
"Let me research," Belle offered. "Can you give me a few days?"
Emma nodded, "Thanks, Belle."
Gold's eyes seemed to light up with the possibilities, and he said as he gazed at Emma, "If you really want to fight this threat, perhaps you're interested in mentoring with someone who can really show you how to use magic."
Regina stepped between them, directing Emma toward the door as she said to Gold, "Back off, Rumpelstiltskin. As a formal pupil, we both know it's for the best if Emma avoids your particular course of study."
"Suit yourselves," Gold replied. Looking at Hook, he added, "Who would have thought you'd produce such powerful progeny?"
"Perhaps the same people who'd thought I'd one day save you from an eternity trapped in some hell," Killian ironically answered.
Emma interrupted before this relatively friendly conversation turned sour, "I think it's time for us to get going."
"I'll be in touch soon," Belle offered with a reassuring smile.
Killian, Emma and Henry went to the Charming loft to apprise David and Mary Margaret of all of the latest developments. They were exchanging pleasantries, and it only took a few seconds for Mary Margaret to notice something that brought her great joy. She smiled broadly at her daughter and rushed over to give Emma a huge hug. "I'm so happy for you!"
"You are?" a confused Emma asked.
"Oh, come on! When's the big day?" Mary Margaret excitedly inquired.
Since Mary Margaret already knew of the pregnancy, Emma began to wonder if something was very wrong with her mother. Distractedly touching her belly, Emma answered, "We still don't have a due date yet. We'll have to set up an appointment for an ultrasound and hopefully they can tell us—"
"Not that, Emma. The wedding!" Mary Margaret exclaimed as she held up Emma's hand and touched the ring Killian had given her.
"Oh, no," Emma said, taking back her hand. "It's not that kind of ring. It was a gift from Killian…that's it."
"Oh. I'm sorry. I just assumed…," Mary Margaret paused, looking on curiously as she tried to read Killian's expression.
Emma turned toward him, noting that his face was completely blank, almost too blank. "Right? Killian?"
He paused for a few heartbeats' time, and Mary Margaret pressed the issue, "Hook?"
He finally smiled and answered, "As the lady has stated."
"Is everything alright?" Mary Margaret asked.
He answered, more like himself, "Apart from the fact that our latest enemy seems particularly hard to track down and defeat, and his goal is to destroy some things I hold near to my heart?"
"Right. Apart from that," Mary Margaret replied. "So did Gold know anything?"
Emma, Killian and Henry explained what they'd learned at Gold's shop to David and Mary Margaret. After most of the explanation was over, Henry offered to run to Granny's to pick up lunch. Killian grabbed his sword and insisted on going along, stating that it was too much for Henry to carry alone, but everyone knew the truth: the streets of Storybrooke were too dangerous for the boy to walk alone, even in broad daylight.
As soon as Killian and Henry were gone and David went to attend to Neal, Mary Margaret didn't waste any time. "Emma are you sure that isn't an engagement ring?"
Emma half rolled her eyes, "It was a gift. Killian confirmed that."
"No. He said, 'As the lady has stated.'"
"I lost my Pirate-English dictionary, but I'm pretty sure that means that he agrees with what I said," Emma countered.
"No," Mary Margaret shook her head. "It means he's willing to let it mean whatever you want it to mean."
"You're reading too much into this."
"Am I?"
"Yes. He's mine, I'm his…we both understand that. And I didn't hear any proposal."
"Okay," Mary Margaret paused, "Well, I'm not well versed in the customs of pirates. They don't tend to be the types of men to settle down. Let me ask you this…you chose to put it on that finger?"
"He chose, I guess. I'm sure it's a symbol of love and commitment, we both feel that way. He asked if I wanted to wear it, I said I did, and then he put it on and…" Emma stalled, thinking, worrying just a little. "You don't think that was his way of asking and he assumed it meant something, and then I told you in front of him that—"
"That it didn't mean what he thought it meant?" Mary Margaret finished. "Wow…that would hurt."
"I wasn't trying to hurt him! Why wouldn't he be more clear about it?"
"I dunno," Mary Margaret said with a sympathetic smile, "because you have a history of running away and he is content with letting it mean whatever it is you're willing to let it mean as long as it means he has you?"
"Or maybe he was the one who was worried. Maybe he was scared I'd think it was an engagement ring when it wasn't, and he didn't want to hurt my feelings."
Mary Margaret stared, blinking a few times and then saying, doubtfully, "Maybe."
"Okay. So what do you think I should do?"
"Talk to him," Mary Margaret said is if it were obvious.
"And say what? The whole 'hey was this supposed to be an engagement ring or not' conversation sounds pretty awkward."
"Being with someone involves lots of awkward conversations. I'm sure you've had them before."
"Of course."
"Maybe before you talk to him, you should figure out what you want it to mean. Do you want it to be an engagement ring?"
"I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it. We're too busy surviving to be worried about details like that."
"Emma, like it or not, this is your life. Villains and dangers will probably always be part of it. Being a saviour is a career. But your actual life…your family, your partner…those are the things that matter. And the course of true love…that's not a detail."
"Right now, my career involves destroying something that wants to destroy those things that matter. It's kind of hard to separate work and home."
"You're right," Mary Margaret answered with a forced smile.
"Why do I get the feeling you don't approve?"
"It doesn't matter what I think. I'm not pushing you. I'm just glad you found some happiness. You have Henry, you're going to have two amazing babies and you found man who very clearly adores you. You and Hook can figure out the rest on your own."
Henry and Killian returned with bags from Granny's, ending Emma and Mary Margaret's private conversation. As everyone was finding their order, Emma pulled Killian aside. "Hey…I didn't say anything to hurt you earlier, did I?"
He shook his head, and looked at her with a little too much bravado, "Hurt, me? No, love, why would you ask that?"
"I don't know. Mary Margaret seemed to think that—"
"This one's yours, Mom," Henry interrupted, bringing a bag to Emma. "And this one is yours," the boy added, handing a bag to Killian.
The group went about its spirited discussion, but Emma was distracted. She really couldn't tell what Killian had truly intended with the ring, and it kind of bothered her. She found herself hoping that she could read his thoughts, just for a minute. Practically, she knew being able to hear other people's inner thoughts on a permanent basis could be a horrible burden, but she did want to know the answer to just this one question, and she found herself cautiously wishing that her magic would reveal the answer to her, and then admonishing herself for even thinking about using her powers like that. But the truth of his feelings on the matter didn't magically appear to her.
She decided to focus on their current quest, and wait for the right time to ask him about the ring. In the meanwhile, she'd keep an eye on him for clues.
The group began to discuss the possibility of travel and the fact that it would be dangerous to take a plane. If they wanted to fly, Killian wouldn't be able to carry the sword on board with them. They needed another reliable, fast way to travel in case magic failed them and they couldn't easily transport themselves back.
When they had a moment, Killian leaned closer to whisper to Emma, and she thought he was about to provide an answer to all of the questions in her head. He said, "I think we both know what we need to do."
"What's that?" she asked with a subtle, hopeful smirk.
"It's time to find my ship."
"Your ship?" This was not the answer she had expected from him.
"Safe, fast, reliable transportation…and we can carry any weapons we'd like," he said. The excitement in his eyes at the thought of setting foot on the Jolly Roger again was obvious. When she didn't seem as enthusiastic, he said, "You have another idea?"
"No, that's great. I just thought…"
"You thought what?"
She shook her head, "Nothing. That's great, in theory. But remember that vision and Odalee's warning. If she wouldn't have taken us away, you would have died going to look for your ship. I know we changed things, but it still seems risky."
"Agreed. We need a plan. We have a few days while Belle does her research. We could try to figure out where it is and then perhaps decide on the best way to get it back?"
"I guess it couldn't hurt to ask around."
"I know just who to ask. Finish your meal, love. We've a 'rat' to trap."