A/N: Hello Lovelies! You're eyes do not deceive you. My muse is actively working at getting this story forward. In this chapter Emma finds her strength. I loved writing it and I hope you enjoy it too. There is more to come. Please don't hesitate to leave me a note, review, comment, or question. Find me on Tumblr lizzyc807shipscaptainswan. Thank you all so much for reading my story. It makes me so happy to share it with you. More Tortuga to come!

Ch. 30

She woke in his warm embrace. She wasn't certain when or how long they'd been sleeping; just that it was a comfort after everything they went through. She looked over to see her dearest love was sleeping peacefully. She couldn't shake the feeling of heartbreak that was still wedged in her heart after what happened earlier in the day. She silently sat up and moved out of the warm cocoon. She brushed her fingertips lightly over his cheek thinking how lucky she was to have him in her life.

She climbed from the bed and walked to the window. The sun was setting against the beautiful island horizon. She loved the idea of looking out to see a different scene each morning and evening. The window was magical as it shown her scenes of calming waters, land on the horizon, new places and the promise of adventure.

She never thought she would have that in her old life. Each day it was the same scene and no hope for more. Her respite was the garden that she tended to daily while Henry was in lessons.

She squeezed her nails into her palms and crossed her arms over her chest. Each thought of her prior life as an unfortunate prisoner made her cringe. Now Killian had a clear view of what she went through before he saved her. She felt ashamed that he witnessed it first hand and that he was hurting because of it.

She needed to do something about it and the source of their pain was locked in the brig on this ship. He held the answers she needed to move on with her life and rescue her boy. The fact that he taunted them and left them in the dark about something so important infuriated her.

She felt the rage rising and decided that she needed to face the demon that haunted her day and night for so many years. She needed to find out where their son was and she needed to make him understand that she didn't belong to him anymore. She didn't believe there was any way to redeem him and if what Regina said was true he was on a dark path before she knew him.

She had an idea and she hoped it would work. She grabbed Killian's satchel and filled it with the objects she needed to ensure success. She quietly walked over to his sleeping form and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. He was her savior and she needed to protect him from further pain. She covered him with the blanket and moved swiftly towards the door.

She climbed the stairs, careful not to draw attention to herself. She peered out onto the deck and saw a few of the crew lazing about. They appeared to be drinking and playing games. She moved silently across the deck unnoticed and grabbed a lantern along the way.

She followed her earlier path to the brig and crept down the stairs. When she got to the dank opening she closed her eyes summoning her magic to illuminate the lantern. She felt the magic prickle over her skin and the lantern lit a path towards the darkness that awaited her.

There were two men standing guard over the cell. She saw Neal huddled in the corner with his head between his knees. She approached them stealthily and waved her hand out towards them saying the spell to put them into a soft slumber.

The two men fell into each other and slumped down onto the floor slowly. Neal started at the sound and looked in her direction. She took a deep breath and approached carefully. She noticed the harsh brown eyes getting brighter as she approached. A smug look crept across his face when he saw her.

"Well well well, look who finally learned how to take orders. I knew you wouldn't leave me here to rot. Be a good little wife and get me out of here."

She stood in front of the cell silently looking him over. She felt the bile rise up in her throat as she remembered the events of the day. He would have choked the life out of her if it weren't for Killian's intervention. She bit the inside of her cheek letting him stew.

She had one mission in mind with this visit and it was to find out where Henry was located. Then he could rot for all she cared. Any love for him she felt was squelched the first time he laid his hands on her in anger.

"What are you waiting for? Get me out of here! Now!" he shouted as he tried to stand only to be pulled back by the shackles. He struggled against them growling.

She started at the command and then moved forward slowly glaring at him. "I'm not here to rescue you." She said curtly.

"You will let me out. Do as I command you to do." He shouted.

She smiled raising an eyebrow at him."It seems to me you are in no position to make demands. Tell me where Henry is." She said confidently.

He grumbled. "Let me out and I'll take you home. You can see him for yourself."

"Home. That prison is not my home. I'm not going back with you and you will tell me where my son is." She demanded.

"I'm not telling you anything, you filthy pirate whore. You will never see our son again. If that story is true and my father is the Dark One you should be hiding because he will KILL you when he finds out what you did to me." he spat smirking at her like she was nothing.

His arrogance fell cold on her. He couldn't bully her any longer. She felt the rage inside of her fueling, her magic was prickling all over her skin, crawling over her heart and rising within her. She closed her eyes, waved her arms out wide and suddenly the brig was full of light as she lit every torch within.

He fell back grimacing at the power and cowering under the light. She waved her hand to the lock and opened the brig. She moved forward her eyes glaring and her lips pierced together. With all of the fury within her she waved her hand towards the demon; he was pulled to his feet and slammed back against the wall. She waved her hand again and his shackles were pulled taught leaving him no room for movement.

"Stop, stop this you bitch, you can't do this to me." he shouted.

She slapped him hard across the face slamming his head back against the rock wall and capturing his attention."Silence!" She stood back and glared at him, this weak cowardly shell of a man. She no longer feared him, believed him, or cared what happened to him. She wanted information and he would give it to her or die in the process.

She pulled a dagger from the satchel and raised it to his throat, piercing into the soft skin on his neck forcing a trickle of blood to drip down in a line towards his chest. "I could kill you now." She spat. "Shut your mouth and stand there demon." He tried to speak but she increased pressure on the dagger and he closed his mouth.

She laughed at the sight in front of her. "You will never hurt me or my family again!" He tried to move and she glared at him gritting her teeth. "I will take my son and there is nothing you can do about it. If you try to come for him I will have you killed on the spot or even better do it myself!"

She reached into the satchel and pulled out the compass; the very tool that was supposed to bring about her death. It was now going to be used to help her find Henry. She pricked her finger with the knife and spread the blood on the face grimacing at the slight pain.

She lifted the dagger to Neal's neck and stabbed in further to the mark she'd already pressed forcing his blood to trickle out. "What are you doing?"he screamed.

"Silence!" she yelled waving her hand to silence him. She used the dagger to capture some of the flowing blood and drip it onto the face of the compass. She smeared their blood together and the magical object came to life in her hands. A feeling of triumph ran through her body and pinched at her heart. She placed the compass into the satchel along with the dagger.

She pulled out the vial that Regina gave them with the pink floating string winding around within it and smirked at him. He tried to speak but her spell was effective in blocking any more poisonous remarks that would flow from his lips.

She stepped back towards the door of the cell. She heard the shackles rattling. She waved her hand allowing him to speak again."Where are you going? Release me!" He squealed. She walked through the door and turned around locking it behind her.

She captured his gaze and smiled holding up the vial with the pink floating strand. "Do you see this? This belongs to you; it's what you bartered with the witch to learn the truth about your past." She maneuvered the vial in her fingertips rolling it back and forth trying to decide if she should return it to him.

She released the restraint on the shackles and he came crashing forward to the ground landing with a thud. "How do you know about that?" he asked breathlessly.

"I heard the story from the very lips of the witch who cursed you. She told me how she devised a plan to make my life a living hell. She succeeded until your hubris was your downfall that day with the pirates. I gave up my life that day to save our son but I really saved my own. "she said confidently.

"Your life belongs to me!" he shouted through gritted teeth.

She laughed heartily. "I belong to no man, I belong to myself. My choices are my own and I choose to live my life with my true love! I will not allow you to steal one more day of my life." She pulled the cork from the top of the vial and released the strand of love from Neal's heart so that he would become whole again, she was tired of his insults. She got what she came for and she was leaving satisfied.

"What is that, what's happening?"he cried as the strand entered his body and took hold of him. He sucked in a harsh breath when the magic assimilated to him. "Emma." He whispered as he glared in her direction. She noticed a change in his eyes and the way he looked upon her. He placed his face in his hands and slumped forward. "What have I done."

She nodded, waved her hand over the sleeping men to wake them and doused the lights so that the area looked unchanged. She picked up her lantern and moved towards the deck feeling triumphant. She couldn't wait to wake her sleeping pirate and tell him what she accomplished. She felt strong, brave and finally happy to be alive. She would find her son and he would come home with her. He would be king one day but in her family kingdom as it should be.

Killian woke to find he was alone. He sat up and quickly scanned the room and fear rose within him. He sheathed his sword and rushed through the door to find her. When he hit the open night air he searched the deck and there was no sign of her. He ran towards the brig, his chest tightening at the thought of what he would find causing him to pick up speed.

The darkness became lighter as he got closer to his destination. He moved faster when he heard the harsh words coming from their prisoner towards his dear love. He clenched his jaw and drew his sword. He wasn't going to hold back this time; he would never let him hurt her again.

He stopped in his tracks when he heard her retort and the fear in the man's voice. He listened for a while but quickly realized this was something she needed to do on her own. Her strength and poise was breathtaking. He let out a sigh of relief and turned back towards the deck. He climbed the stairs as if he had lead in his boots. Even though she had the task in hand he wanted to be there for her, supporting her in that endeavor. He knew it must have been hard for her to face him alone.

He leaned against the wooden mast just above the stairwell to wait for her to arrive and also to be close enough in case she needed him. He pulled his flask from his pocket and took a long drag. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth wiping up the excess and looked out at the calming sea praying to the Gods that she would come out of this alright.

He waited a short while and then he saw her glorious blond hair rising from below followed by a grin on her beautiful face. His heart leapt to his throat and he swallowed thickly. She stopped briefly when she saw him standing there. He pushed up from his leaning position anticipating what she had to say.

His beautiful blue eyes were full of concern as he watched her come towards him. She picked up the pace and jumped into his arms pressing a soft kiss to his awaiting lips. He held her so tight breathing deeply against her. "Darling, I'm sorry I left you. I just had to.."

"Shhhh, you don't have to apologize. Are you alright?" he asked. She pulled back and gazed into his eyes. "More than alright, I have a way for us to find Henry." She said smiling.

Her smile sent relief to his soul. He closed his eyes and took a breath. "Not here, let's talk below Love." She nodded and took his arm as he ushered her to their quarters.

When they were behind the closed door he pulled her into his arms and captured her lips in a searing kiss. She pulled apart slowly the imprint of his lips engrained on hers. She caressed the side of his cheek. She sensed he was worried and she wanted to soothe him. "I'm so sorry Darling, I didn't mean to worry you. I should have told you, I just felt that I needed to do it myself."

"No need to apologize love, I'm just relieved you're alright. When I didn't see you I thought the worst and rushed to find you. I nearly barged in when I heard you, you were glorious and I realized you didn't need saving."

She gazed into his soft blue eyes taking in the sincerity and praise. "I love you Killian and I'm going to spend the rest of my days with you, however long that may be if you'll have me."

He pulled her into his arms and breathed against her hair. "Emma, as if I could ever let you go, carrier of my heart." He kissed her softly.

She pulled back and smiled, her eyes glittering green." My mission was a success."

"Do tell Love."

She pulled the compass out of the satchel and showed him. "I thought that if Regina could use my parent's blood to find me then perhaps I could use my blood and Neal's blood to find Henry."

"My Gods Love, you are bloody brilliant!" he said picking her up and spinning her around in a circle. She squealed in delight as she showed him the magical object. "Killian, look it worked. Now we can find Henry."

He'd been so worried when he woke to find her missing and she was here, stronger than ever. "When I woke up I just kept thinking how he got to me, how I let him get to me and I was furious. I could have killed him I was so angry. I didn't do it for Henry's sake. He can't die at my hand; it wouldn't be right no matter how awful he was to me."

He held her hand and gazed into her eyes. "You want me to kill him?" he said grinning. She laughed. "No Darling, although your offer is quite tempting." He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "It would give me great pleasure to see to that request. If you should ever change your mind, I'd be happy to oblige after what I witnessed today."

"Darling, I think he will suffer greatly on his own. We need him for leverage just in case there is any trouble getting Henry." She laughed.

He breathed out. "I know Love, it's just so tempting." She leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to his brow. She knew he was half kidding and half serious because she felt the same.

"Today has been quite the day Love. Things started off so easy with a simple request and became that much harder." He moved to the table and held up a basket. "I did manage to fulfill one promise today." He said smiling.

She tilted her head and smiled. "I got the fresh baked bread you asked for." He said chuckling. She laughed heartily." Good because I'm starving."

Killian had Smee bring down dinner to their quarters. They sat together and went over the events of the day. They would go to Nairobi and Greta first thing in the morning and try again.

Now that they had the key to finding Henry, no matter where he was, she needed to find the best way to fight the Dark One. She suspected that if Neal was here that Henry would be with his grandfather.

Neal slumped against the wall in the brig. He pushed at the grub that the jailer provided him and sipped at the water. Flashes of brief memories of his life over the years flickered across his eyes. The pleasure, pain, and lust were most prominent in the feelings that rushed forward.

Faces of women flickered forward dislodging the feelings that never came for any of them. They were empty meetings, he felt nothing for them, but the worst was Emma. When her face flashed forward it was her at the ball, she was fiery and different. The thought of what he did to her pained his heart.

Perhaps he could have loved her once but any feeling he had for her was squelched by the curse. He laid back on the cot allowing the memories to wash over him. He prayed that the torment would end soon but perhaps he deserved it. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes letting the pain envelope him.