Chapter Sixteen: Heart of Darknesss

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"I know why."

August raised his eyebrows. "Why what?"

"Why we time traveled," Emma snapped. "It's to change the past."

August smiled. "Very good, Emma. I thought you might figure it out quickly."

"Cut the crap, August," Emma hissed. "You knew all along. And for your information, I only figured it out because of this." She held up her shaking hands. "I'm going to die, August. Because I'm the Savior."

"Maybe that's exactly why you came back," August suggested. "There can only be one Savior. Do you know why you came through that wardrobe alone? Without your mother? It's because at the exact moment the last Savior cut ties with being the Savior, your mother went into labor. That small detail that was never meant to happen caused this."

Emma stepped backwards. "Why did you want me to find you when I figured it out?"

August sighed. "Because, Emma, you have a mission. A mission that you don't know the details of yet. But the people that sent you back visited me days before you arrived in Storybrooke. And also to tell you that time has played its trump card. The Butterfly Effect."

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"The Butterfly Effect is basically that a small change can have big effects," Belle explained. "Named so because someone thought that a butterfly flapping it's wings could affect the weather on the other side of the earth."

"You lost me there, love," Killian mumbled.

"Small changes, big effects," Belle summarized.

"About that big effects thing," Regina began, "what are we doing about baby Gold?"

Belle bit her lip. "It's not that I'm ashamed or anything, but the people don't see Rumple the same way as in the old timeline. Plus to them, I'm new to town. How suspicious is it if we get married and like six or seven months later I have a baby? Besides, I'm not going to marry you," she said to Gold. "Not just because I'm pregnant. When we get married, it will be because we're ready...again."

"Regina could hide the baby with magic," Snow supplied. "I'm sure it's possible."

David frowned. "We could always say that Belle's ex left her when he found out she was pregnant and that's why Belle came here."

"Perfect!" Emma exclaimed.

Belle nodded slowly. "Yeah, but I'm not ashamed to admit who the father is."

"It's just until Miss Swan breaks the curse, Belle," Gold told her. "And it's for the best. Your best."

Belle nodded glumly. Then she brightened. "Oh, I forgot! Snow dragged me off to the hospital for an ultrasound and look!" She waved a picture around. "That's my baby."

Snow shrieked. "Aww! You didn't show me yesterday. It's so beautiful!"

Emma rolled her eyes. "It's a black and white blob."

Snow glared daggers at Emma. "It's the miracle of life."

"Whatever," Emma muttered.

"What gender?" Regina questioned.

Belle grinned. "They don't know, but they think it could be a girl. I'll find out at my next appointment."

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Henry was drinking a hot chocolate at Granny's Diner. August entered and sat next to Henry at the counter.

August nodded at the cup of hot chocolate. "I don't think that hot chocolate's going to drink itself."

Henry turned to face him. "I just want to know what's going on with the whole time travel thing."

"You know, most people just see what's right in front of them. And I don't think you're going to find the answers you want at the bottom of that mug."

Henry glared. "Then where? My storybook?

August shrugged. "You know I'm a writer. So, I'm partial to finding my answers in the literary form." He sighed. "I'm a believer. And I want to help others see the light. That, my friend, is why I'm here."

"But I already believe. My family does too," Henry said, confused.

August shook his head. "Then why hasn't the curse been broken? It's not magic Emma needs to believe in."

"We don't want to break it yet," Henry defended.

"We both know that's a lie, Henry."

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Killian approached Snow and David nervously.

"Hook?" David asked perplexed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were meeting August with Emma."

"Yes, well I wanted to talk with you after we got rid of the darkness in Emma in the last timeline actually, but that obviously didn't happen," Killian mumbled.

Snow bit her lip to keep from smiling. "About what?"

"About Emma," was the short answer she received.

David frowned. "What about her?"

"I wanted to know, to know if, er, if..." He trailed off miserably.

Snow smiled warmly at Killian. "If you could ask her to marry you," she finished smiling widely. "I thought that might be it."

David shot a look at his wife.

Killian gapped. "How did you...?"

Snow raised an eyebrow. "Let's see. You come to your girlfriend's parents. You're fumbling over words, the Hook I know normally oozes confidence. And you wanted to know something from us."

Killian flushed and stuffed his hand and hook in his jacket. "Maybe," he mumbled.

"Well, I say yes of course," Snow said pointedly looking at David.

David studied the pirate who squirmed under the pressurizing look. "Fine," David agreed, sighing.

"Really!" Killian exclaimed. "See you later!" He dashed out of the room.

"Did I say yes?" David asked Snow after Killian had left.

"Yes you did," Snow rolled her eyes. "Good for you."

"But I meant no!" David protested. "That's our daughter and-"

"Charming," Snow said calmly. "They love each other."

"I still don't like it," David muttered.

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"I really liked the one we picked out before," Henry said glumly. "It was so perfect."

Killian nodded as they entered the jewelry shop. "Aye. Not to fancy, but yet so..."

"Elegant?" Henry supplied. "Maybe we'll see it again."

"That's the one," Killian said. A glint of silver caught his eye. "There it is."

"Hello, can I help you?" The store owner asked.

Henry pointed to the silver ring with a diamond. "That one. We'd like to buy it."

The man looked surprised. "That little guy? Are you sure?" At Killian's nod, the man shrugged. "Fine. I'll give it to you cheap. $1300."

"$1300?!" Henry yelped. Way cheaper than last time, he thought.

Killian paid and then took Henry across the street for ice cream.

"So you're really going to do it this time?" Henry asked.

Killian looked offended. "I was waiting until she was no longer the Dark One. I didn't exactly expect to die!"

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Emma sat in the courtyard of Granny's. She stood when Killian arrived.

"Hey," she said smiling.

Killian smiled back and kissed her.

"So?" Emma said. "What's up? I thought you were busy today."

"I was," Killian mumbled. "I just thought we could have a nice dinner at Granny's." He inwardly cursed himself. Proposing at a diner. How romantic. "On second thought, how about we order take out and go to my ship?"

Emma laughed. "Sure. We can absolutely do that."

Dinner was nice and peaceful for the couple. Unfortunately, Killian kept fiddling with his jacket. Something Emma noticed.

"You okay?" She asked him.

"Never been better," Killian said smiling at her.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh, and I'm really Rumplestiltskin in disguise. What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Killian defended himself.

Emma studied him. "Fine. You aren't lying, but something is up. What is it?" She stared him in the eyes. "What's up?"

Killian sighed. "Jeez, Swan. You really do know how to ruin a moment don't you?"

"Huh?" Emma asked.

Killian swallowed and pulled out a velvet box. As he opened it, Emma gasped. "Emma Swan," Killian began, "will you marry me?"

Emma stood there frozen. Then she threw herself at Killian. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, yes, yes!" She kissed him.

Killian brought the ring, a skinny gold ring with tiny diamonds encircling the whole thing and a hook and swan forming a heart, and slid it onto her finger.

"We have to tell everyone!" Emma exclaimed. "Oh no! My mother! She's going to go crazy to plan this! And we'll have to wait until after the curse is broken so no one questions David walking me down the isle."

Killian sighed. "Leave the planning to your mum, aye?"

Emma grinned. "Agreed."

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"But you're all so wrong," Regina argued. "Evil doesn't always look evil. Sometimes it's staring right at us, and we don't even realize it." At all the black looks she received, she clarified. "August. He might not be who he says he is."

Emma and Killian hurried into the Charming's apartment.

David scowled at the couple's grinning faces.

"So sorry," Emma said breathlessly. "We got here as soon as we could."

Snow beamed at her daughter. "So? Where were you two anyway?"

"Having dinner," Emma shrugged nonplussed. "No biggy."

Snow shot a look at Killian who averted his eyes.

"What did we miss?" Killian asked to change the subject.

"August is evil, blah blah," David replied with a steady glare aimed at Killian.

"What is going on here?" Regina exclaimed. "If I didn't know better, I'd say Gold magicked himself to look like Prince Glaring over here."

"Wow," Emma said impressed. "You actually asked him? I'm impressed."

"Asked him what?" Regina demanded.

Henry snickered. "Mom, really? It's so obvious."

Belle stifled a giggle. "This is too funny."

"WHAT?" Regina screamed.

"Whoah, no need to get all worked up," Emma soothed. "Killian and I are engaged. Nothing major, right?"

"Correct, Swan," Killian smirked.

"Oh, well that's alright then," Regina nodded. Then her eyes popped open. "Engaged?"

"Congratulations!" Belle exclaimed.

"I'll start planning," Snow said calling dibs.

"Congrats," Regina mumbled, trying to look happy for the two.

"Relax, Robin will be back soon," Emma said quietly. "One more year or so. Then we will find him."

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A/N: Dun dun dun! To clear this up before the questions start. No, Robin will not be time traveling. If you haven't picked up on it yet, the point they have time traveled from is after season five ends, but before season six starts. Robin is dead. Did anyone else cry when he died? I mean, just minutes before he died he told Regina that she was his future.

Okay, next chapter. Well, this looks like crap. It's all about getting Mary Margaret back for the arraignment in time. She's not running away, so...

Anyway, if you watched season six, you know that baby Rumbelle is Gideon who is going to try and assassinate Emma. This complicates things so I may just add a beautiful plot twist at some point or disregard the whole plot of season six. Which is going to be difficult seeing as I've given Emma the visions. Oh well.

Chapter Seventeen: Hat Trick; Jefferson's hat, the real reason, and baby revelations.