A/N: Thank you for the new followers and favorites, and to those of you who continue to give feedback on each chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters. And for the FINAL time having to say this: I don't own any of C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, although turning it into a land of all darkness and evil was my spin on it.
Seriously? This was the last thing she needed to deal with right now.
Emma took a moment to allow her brain to process everything that had happened over the course of the past two minutes.
Hook had betrayed her; kept the truth about coming to Narnia (and God only knows what else) from her this entire time.
Gold was alive. Emma had to focus her mind, almost second-guessing her memory as to what had actually happened and what had been put there by Regina's magic.
No, she had definitely seen him die in the streets of Storybrooke.
Emma slowly retreated from Gold, shaking her head in disbelief. She felt Hook come to stand behind her, and despite his recent confession, she couldn't help but find some comfort from his proximity.
"You're supposed to be dead."
Her words came out in a hushed whisper, and Emma heard the murmurs from the Narnian guests, who were standing around them in a large circle.
"Ah, I've seen your memory has returned, Miss Swan."
Emma narrowed her eyes suspiciously, Gold's usual knowing look plastered on his face.
How did he know about that?
The guy offed himself, along with daddy dearest, before Regina told all of them the details of the curse.
She was even more surprised when Gold glanced to her side, where Hook stood, and gave him a curt nod.
"Well done, pirate."
Emma felt Hook shift next to her, his face displaying obvious signs of discomfort and guilt.
"You were working with him?"
She felt the heat rising up her neck, the muscles in her jaw tensing, as if ready to take on a fight.
Hook hesitated to meet her eyes, biting his lip carefully, but before he could speak, Gold addressed her question.
"I wrote to your dear Captain, and asked for assistance in getting you here."
Emma turned her head slowly back to Gold, her heartbeat humming in her ears from anger and embarrassment, as the large crowd continued to watch the scene unfold.
"What are you even doing here, Gold?"
She took an aggressive step toward him, and the faun guards flanking his side reacted quickly, aiming their spears at her chest. Emma raised her hands in defense, and heard Hook draw his sword.
Gold flicked his hand casually, and the fauns retreated with a cautious expression.
Emma was confused at first, but filled in the pieces almost immediately, her face scrunching in disbelief.
"You're their king?"
Gold gave an exaggerated bow, dipping his head low.
"King Andrew, at your service."
Same old Gold- manipulating everyone else like puppets for his stupid, little games. This was exactly why she had mistrusted him before; his deceit knowing no boundaries, so long as he got what he wanted.
Emma gritted her teeth and hissed mockingly at the pretend king.
"We need to talk privately, Your Majesty."
Gold didn't hesitate; he nodded his head for the band to continue and murmured to his guards behind him. He faced Emma again and gestured to the balcony to her right with a sardonic smile.
"Indeed we do. I would like to inquire about Bae and Belle, after all. I assume they are safe?"
Frowning slightly, Emma did her best not to look to grave, since she actually wasn't sure whether Neal or Belle were safely in the Enchanted Forest or trapped in a witch's dungeon somewhere.
"First you answer my questions," she mumbled, keeping her voice low.
This seemed to placate Gold enough, as he waved his arms around somewhat zealously.
"Of course, my dear. Please give me a moment to greet my guests; wouldn't want to be rude."
Maintaining her reserve for fear of getting skewered by Gold's goat soldiers, Emma turned on her heels, passing by Hook without a word, and made her way to an archway near the rear of the dance floor.
Emma parted the lace curtains, and stepped out on to the stone terrace, the unusually-warm, Narnian breeze flowing through her dress.
She made her way over the wall railing, which was covered in vines and flowers, and leaned over to look at the dark waters of the surrounding sea. Emma closed her eyes, allowing herself a brief moment of peace, listening to waves crash against the rocks below.
It was hard to imagine that only an hour ago she had been arguing about whether to wear a tiara.
And then he was behind her, only feet away. Emma felt a lump in her throat rising up, hot tears pooling around the corners of her eyes. She had to stay calm. She had to focus on what she knew was real. She had to get to Henry.
After a few seconds of silence, he spoke, his choked voice piercing through the calm silence.
"Emma, luv-"
Wheeling around at him with a dark scowl, her expression was enough to stop him in his tracks.
"Don't," Emma warned in a low, menacing tone, and her shoulders square. "Don't bother giving me any excuses."
Hook lowered his eyes a moment, pressing his shaking lips together before bring his gaze up to meet hers again. The mixture of shame and hurt on his face was so striking, that Emma let her frown falter slightly, but maintained a determined stance.
"Right now, I just want to get to the bottom of this so that I can go home and help my family."
He looked like he wanted to say something else, opening his mouth slightly, before reconsidering and shutting it again, nodding his head in understanding.
She heard Gold's approach before he appeared, the clanking of goat hooves echoing around the balcony as he made his way to join them.
"Quite a lovely evening, is it not?"
He had barely got the words out and Emma was rolling her eyes in frustration, throwing her hand out to stop him.
"Save it Gold," Emma snarled at him. "No more bull shit."
She crossed her arms when he gave her an amused look, keeping her distance, so not to rouse his guards standing by the archway. Hook stood at her left, his features unreadable as he gazed down at the ground between the three of them.
Gold maintained his usual smug demeanor, annoying Emma even more.
"Where shall I begin?"
His mouth barely moved when he spoke, a trait she had noticed when meeting him back in Storybrooke.
"You can start by explaining how the hell you survived. We all watched you kill yourself."
Even in the dimly lit area of the balcony, Emma could see the sparkle in Gold's eyes, a flash of mischief reflecting from them in the moonlight.
"Ah, but things aren't always what they seem."
She had expected a response like this, so Emma didn't move or speak, but rather waited for him to give her a straight answer.
"It was never my intent to kill myself, Miss Swan. Regina and I met before the last encounter with Pan, and devised a plan to defeat him."
This didn't surprise her in the least, knowing that Pan was his father and that Gold understood his evil better than anyone, so Emma waited for him to go on.
"The dagger's magic is the only one powerful enough to kill the Dark One, as your dear Captain can tell you."
Hook grimaced slightly, his right hand gripping the handle of his sword and releasing it a moment later.
"It shouldn't have worked; being that I did the stabbing. However, because my father acted as I should have realized he would, and placed the magic inhibiting cuff on my wrist, the dagger's power was nullified, acting only as any ordinary dagger would."
Emma furrowed her brow, the cawing of sea gulls by the shore filling her ears.
"And Pan?"
There was only a fleeting glint of sadness, before Gold's face was unreadable again.
"My sacrifice was the ultimate weapon against his power; betrayal from his only son, who he had left so long ago."
"So you did intend to kill yourself."
Gold shook his head, turning to walk over to the railing, his face pointed low, now showing the regret Emma had expected to see.
"No," he turned toward the sea, as if talking to a ghost. "I intended to kill the Dark One; and so I did."
Now Emma understood the resentment in his tone. He had given up his power and immortality to keep his loved ones safe.
And it almost seemed like he wished he hadn't.
Her mind was reeling with questions; so many things she still needed answered.
"You said you were working with Regina. How much did she know about the curse beforehand?"
Gold turned back to face them now, his features and voice now void of emotion.
"She knew only what I shared with her; that Pan's curse would put everything back to its normal state before the one she had cast."
His eyes were dark, and for the first time that night, Emma was almost afraid of him.
"That Regina would also have to give up the one thing she valued most. Just as before…"
Henry. She had to sacrifice her son, and the idea of ever getting to see him again. Emma's heart clenched, but she maintained her resolve.
"Who else knows you're alive," Emma asked, her tone filled with resentment as she motioned over to Hook. "Besides, him, I mean."
She was annoyed that Gold seemed to enjoy her irritation with Hook, his eyes darting back and forth between her and the pirate in amusement.
"Regina knew I hadn't originally planned to kill myself, but due to the cuff's unforeseen effect, she thought, as the rest of you had that day, that I perished along with my dear father," he said scathingly, before continuing.
"Furthermore, when I sacrificed my power, and my father was destroyed, I had not expected to be sent into the land I had left so long ago."
Her mouth parted slightly, eyebrows raised.
"Narnia."
Gold shook his head slowly, his eyes watching Emma closely as if waiting for any further reaction.
"Indeed. I had traveled here many years after my son was lost to me, hoping to find him again. Once, it was known as a land where children could travel, hoping to find sanctuary from harshness and abandonment; much like Neverland. At that time, I was posing as a magician in London and went by the name of Andrew Ketterley."
Emma recognized the name, but as "Uncle Andrew" in the Narnia story she read as a child. It should have surprised her more that Gold had been here before, but Emma had grown to accept that what she knew to be real, rarely ever was.
That snapped her mind back into focus, and she harshly addressed them both this time.
"Why did you have me brought here, then?"
Gold's smile was back, brighter and more frustrating than ever.
"Isn't it obvious, my dear? I needed you and your gifts to find something valuable; something only you could obtain."
She glanced over at Hook, who was watching Gold carefully with his right hand still on his sword. It occurred to her, that Hook still didn't trust him completely.
But apparently he trusted Gold more than he did her.
"How did you even know how to contact him, Gold, and who else knows about-"
"Miss Swan, please. I understand this is a bit of a shock."
Emma's defenses were in full swing again, the angry heat rising from deep in her belly, the words coming out in a hurried shout.
"You don't understand anything! This is something I'm growing pretty damn tired of: you using me and whatever powers I possess to do your biding."
Her finger was in Gold's face, the emotions she swore to keep maintained, boiling over. Emma saw the fauns approach out of the corner of her eye, but Gold merely raised his hand to stop them. His gaze never left hers and his demeanor was completely calm.
"I asked the Captain to bring you to this land, because I could not obtain the last ring hidden here in Narnia. The Garden of Youth did not deem me worthy enough to recover the ring hidden there."
She searched his face for any sign of deceit, but as usual, Emma was unable to read him like she could most everyone else. The man was like a stone, hard and unyielding, and it was clear these weren't just traits of the Dark One, but of Gold himself.
"Why do you need the rings?"
Gold looked over to Hook, who had was staring at Emma with a strange expression.
"Not me, Dearie. We need them."
Emma opened her mouth, but Hook finally spoke.
"All of us, Darling. Your family. Our friends. We all need these rings, if we are to defend against the evil that is coming."
Her eyes fleeted to Hook's, Emma's lips tightly pressed together. She had never heard him refer to anyone as his friend before, and she couldn't help but notice the desperation in his tone; much like he had in New York.
This could be all part of their plan to trick her further, but Emma's instincts told her that they were both telling the truth.
Of course, Emma wasn't sure she could even trust those, at this point.
As much as she wanted to keep her feelings out of this conversation, Emma couldn't help it, the question coming off her tongue before she could stop herself.
"Why didn't you share the plan with me in Storybrooke?"
Hook had apparently been waiting for this accusation, his mouth opening immediately, before Emma cut him off.
"And don't tell me it was because you knew I wouldn't come with you."
He and Gold exchanged brief glances before Hook looked at her again, keeping his distance, though Emma could tell he wanted to be closer to her.
"This land is, and always has been, protected by magic that only allows those who have journeyed here before to return. Those deemed 'strangers,' can only enter with good or no intent."
She wasn't following the logic, raising her eyebrow at Hook skeptically, before he continued.
"Therefore, if I told you about the plan to travel to Narnia and take the rings from this land, you would not have been permitted to enter."
His words didn't make any sense. If that was true, why had Hook been able to get there?
As usual, he read her thoughts, answering her before Emma could ask.
"I had travelled here before; falling into the realm by accident as a young man, shortly before I met Milah."
Emma was taken aback by the mention of her name, watching Gold's expression turn dark, as he stared at Hook, before he returned his eyes to Emma and spoke.
"I was able to find your pirate, because he was exactly where I knew he would be: drinking himself into oblivion at that useless pub."
Hook turned to him quickly, his good hand still gripping the sword in his scabbard.
"Don't push me, Crocodile," he growled under his breath, moving his face only inches from Gold's. "You know I only agreed to help you for her sake."
Emma rolled her eyes, pulling them apart with a hard shove.
"Enough. I don't care about your dysfunctional alliance or idiotic rivalry. Just explain why we need these rings and please tell me they can still get us home."
Gold reached in his robes and pulled out a pouch, handing it to Emma, which surprised her slightly as she accepted it with caution. She loosened the rope that tied it shut, and peeked inside, finding two gold rings: the one they had acquired in the garden, which glimmered green in the moonlight; and the other one that Gold had apparently found, which shone with a color as blue as a certain pair of eyes that she chose to avoid at the moment.
"They will certainly be able to get us back to the Enchanted Forest, but their true importance lies in their power to defeat the forces that currently plague our land."
She glanced up at Gold, as he held his hand out for her to replace the bag, but she narrowed her eyes, and closed the bag shut, before tucking it into her corset.
"You mean the witches," she said, watching Gold twitch his mouth irritably. Emma wasn't going to let the rings out of her sight until she knew more.
"My king," Castrix's voice quietly called from the archway, Dorian at his side. "The guests are growing restless at your absence and are asking questions I don't feel fit to answer."
Gold turned back around to her and Hook, a weary look on his face.
"I must go and explain everything to these people. Even the General and my personal guard know very little of my plans to leave this place, or of my true identity."
Emma frowned, waiting until Gold passed through the curtain and into the Great Hall, before pulling the pouch back out of her corset.
Hook was at her side instantly, gently grabbing her wrist. "What are you doing, Swan?"
His touch Emma both cringe from anger, and ache with longing, before she yanked her wrist away.
Things may never be the same between them again.
"I'm going to find my son, Hook."
The hurtful look was there again, but Emma pushed it aside, turning from him to face the ocean, maintaining her distance both physically and emotionally.
"So it's back to 'Hook,' again, I take it?"
Emma pulled out the green tinted ring that she found in the garden, turning it in her fingers and mumbling in return. "Apparently it was 'Hook' all along."
He didn't see Emma wince at her own remark, but when she turned back to him, it was with a stony look. She might as well have slapped him in the face, the pirate's expression both shocked and devastated.
"Look, I can't stand to be here one more minute with Henry in another land, not knowing where I am."
Hook was glancing away from her again, much like he had on the dance floor. Emma put her hands on either side of her waist.
"Now what?"
He was rubbing his chin with his hand, just like he always did when nervous or hesitant.
"I informed Regina of the plan back in Storybrooke, luv," he sighed. "I didn't want your lad or anyone else to be unsure of your whereabouts."
That was the last straw. Emma was in his face, shouting, before he could react.
"But you think it's OK not to let me know where we are going?"
The familiar scent of spice and leather nearly overwhelmed her, but Emma stood her ground, as Hook started to retort.
"Emma, I have explained-"
"Yes, yes. You couldn't tell me because of some stupid spell protecting Narnia," she spat out, allowing herself to catch her breath before continuing, as Emma's voice came out much softer this time. "But once we were here, you could have told me the truth."
Hook had no response to give, his brow crunched in apparent pain. Emma couldn't help but feel a small victory from her words, knowing she was right to feel angry and betrayed. They had travelled for days, giving him ample opportunity to tell her everything.
"Going somewhere, Miss Swan?"
Gold was back, Castrix and Dorian on either side of him. He was no longer in the royal garb, but wore a white tunic and a brown, fur cloak over his shoulders, his crown gone. Emma couldn't help but be relieved, that at least these Narnian citizens now knew the truth about their king.
"Where do you think, Gold? I'm going to see my son."
Was this guy for real? What did he expect her to do now; stay here and dance her troubles away?
As usual, though, Gold was one step ahead of her.
"Indeed, my dear," he said, taking the pouch from her and pulling out the other ring. "My question simply implied that you were going to leave without me."
She narrowed her eyes, but decided it was best to keep quiet. He obviously knew more about these rings and what they were capable of, but Emma was itching to get to Henry.
"Fine, let's go."
A warm hand clasped her gently, and she was surprised to see Castrix looking down at her with a small smile on his face. Emma was sure, at that moment, that there was a surge between them.
"Emma, you have done much for Narnia and its inhabitants," he said in his usual gruff voice, before leaning in closer, his eyes wide with a wonder she had never seen there before. "Your abilities are much greater than you understand, and remember that your destiny is never written in stone."
There was nothing she could say in response to his words that would have done them justice, as they filled Emma with a sense of camaraderie.
"Thank you," she said, then turning to Dorian and placing her hand on his fury arm. "Thank you both for your help. I hope the compass leads you to what you're looking for."
Castrix bowed his head respectfully, and Dorian's solemn expression tugged at her heart slightly, as she gave him one last genuine smile. She stepped back a few paces, turning and glancing over at Gold, as if expecting him to give direction.
"You know how this works, Dearie. You must hold on to either me or the Captain, as we have both been to the Queen's castle before."
"Actually, I have been," Emma added, her tone low. "I was there with Mary Margaret, looking for the enchanted wardrobe."
Gold appeared a bit surprised, but shook it off quickly. He placed the ring on his hand dramatically, giving her one last poignant look. "Focus your mind directly on the place you have been before. The more details you focus on, the more effective the portal's magic."
He turned to Hook then. "Best hold on, Captain, unless you intend to stay," he said with a sarcastic sneer. "And that would be perfectly fine with me."
Hook had already moved closer to Emma, Gold's words apparently having no effect on him. His piercing blue eyes met Emma's, and he slowly placed his hand under hers, as they had before.
She placed the ring on her finger, and instantly there was a white light growing before them, Emma feeling the familiar pull around her naval. She glanced over at Castrix and Dorian's forms, growing smaller and smaller, as the light completely overcame her vision.
Emma heard a thud, Hook hitting the ground before she fell onto his crumpled form, face to face, with an "umpf". Her dress must have torn during their fall and had flipped upward; Emma suddenly wishing the ladies had talked her into that petticoat.
She pulled herself up and off of Hook, shooting a glare at him and daring the pirate to make a comment, but he stared at her expectantly while he got to his feet, like she was missing something.
"What, is there something in my hair or-"
It was then that Emma realized why he was waiting for a reaction.
She had done everything right; brought them exactly to the location she had imagined: her old baby room.
Except it didn't look like her room anymore.
Every cobweb had been swept away; all rubble and dirt, now gone. Long columns were freshly painted white, reaching up to the high stone ceiling above them, where golden chandeliers shimmered above their heads. The marble flooring was easily visible, gleaming under the candle light, with geometric patterns ornately covering every inch of the surface.
Emma noticed a crib where the wardrobe once stood, a light green canopy net hanging above, draping over the sides. Making her way over, Emma saw the same teddy bear that Mary Margret had held to her chest, the bear that was meant for baby Emma, and although one of the eyes was still missing, its fur was washed clean. She picked it up without saying a word.
"Your parents are to have another child, luv. I believe your mother should be due any day now."
Of course. It made perfect sense. Why would they fix her room up unless there was going to have a baby who could actually use it?
It was as if she was standing in front of the waterfall again, instead that this time, Emma was looking at what could have been for her.
This room wasn't covered in debris and dust, as hers had been, but painted over new; everything as it should be. They had wiped the slate clean and started over: with a new baby.
Emma took in a shaky breath, Hook's words still echoing over her, and details of the room morphed her insecurities into a harsh reality.
She put the bear back into the crib and turned to the pirate again.
"I suppose we can add that to the list of things you should have told me."
He sighed loud enough for her to hear, and moved in Emma's direction, glancing around at the room as he spoke. "I did not feel it was my place to give you such news."
Giving him one last look, she made her way to the door, leaving him behind.
"Yeah…"
Emma made her way to where she assumed everyone would be, and braced herself for the reunion with Henry.
Her son was safe; she could just feel that he was.
She was surprised at how much she remembered about the castle, and which hallways led to the main room. Everything had been restored, repainted, and rebuilt; to look exactly as Emma assumed it once had.
Not that she would know.
Hearing the muffled voices coming from below the staircase, her heart lifted with hope, Emma's anticipation getting the best of her, as she leaned over to see a group of people, standing around Gold.
Emma heard Henry's voice before she could see him.
"Where's my mom?"
Not carrying how ridiculous of a mess she looked with her hair frazzled and dress torn, Emma yelled out, her voice resonating around the large room, as tears filled her eyes.
"Henry!"
There was a flash of brown hair running up the steps, as Emma rushed to meet him at the top, and leaned over to embrace her son tightly.
She swore he must have grown a couple inches in the past two days, his arms wrapping all the way around her shoulders. He smelled of dirt, sweat, and bubble gum, and it was absolutely glorious. Emma felt his heart thumping against her own, and she kissed the top of his hair, the strands sticking to her face.
They pulled apart after what felt like too short of a time, as Regina reached the top of the staircase. Emma met her eyes, surprised to find a genuine look of happiness there, as the Queen gave her a small smile.
"Welcome back."
Emma softly gave her a 'Thanks,' as she took in Henry's attire.
He wore a tunic similar to Hook's, except his vest was made of heavy, brown leather, and there were coverings on his arms and legs. Emma raised her eyebrows when she noticed a sword swinging at his side, her son's hand now resting on the handle.
"You've adapted to the lifestyle of a royal pretty quickly, I see."
Henry nodded his head and opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly stopped, darting his eyes over her dress and hair.
"Yeah. I only wish I could say the same for you, Princess Emma."
Emma grabbed him with one arm, ruffling his hair affectionately and smiling. Henry laughed into her lace ruffles, pulling away again; his eyes shining with excitement.
"So…wait, does this mean what I think it means?"
Smiling even wider, Emma chucked his chin with her fingers, reveling in the joy she saw there.
"It does, Kiddo. I remember everything."
Henry whooped with exhilaration, as Emma reached out to slap his hand with hers, but the boy stopped suddenly, restraining himself.
"I'm training to be a knight, Mom. There are certain rules of conduct I have to follow," he explained matter-of-factly. "You understand."
Emma played along, glancing over at Regina who was biting back a grin, before nodding her head seriously in agreement.
"Oh, yeah. Of course."
His mischievous grin was back, Emma's favorite smile of his, as it reached all the way to Henry's eyes.
"Just kidding," he chuckled, giving her a hearty high-five.
She felt whole again, the emptiness and ache soothed over in a matter of precious seconds. This was where she belonged; anywhere Henry was.
This was home.
"Only you could pull off beautiful in a ripped, dirty, ball gown."
Emma knew who it was before she turned around, his voice simultaneously giving her a sense of relief and dread.
Neal stood at the top of the staircase in clothing similar to Henry's with his arms crossed; watching her unabashedly, like it was only the two of them in the room. Although he was smiling at her, his entire posture indicated that the man was exhausted. Neal's burns had healed greatly since she saw him in the hospital, and with his beard now shaved, Emma could see his trademark dimples.
Only they weren't the dimples she once remembered; the boyish charm gone from them, and replaced with a hollow, worn feeling of age and stress. His tone was quiet, but Neal's eyes never left hers.
"Hey Emma."
Before she can react, his arms were around her, holding Emma firmly to his body without hesitation. She murmured into his shoulder, glancing at Belle and Gold standing only feet away.
"Hey."
He leaned in and whispered into her frazzled hair. "I missed you."
Emma didn't respond, letting him hug her a few more moments, before pulling away slowly. She glanced over to see Hook watching them, the pirate attempting to cover his obvious discomfort of her and Neal's interaction.
"Killian!"
Henry wasted no time in extending his hand, and Hook accepted the gesture with a genuine smile. Emma couldn't help the fleeting warmth it gave her, but noticed Neal glaring from only a few feet away. Obviously Regina had shared Hook and Gold's plan with the rest of them, and Neal wasn't thrilled about it.
Emma cleared her throat, hoping to change the subject.
"So," she started, looking around at dozens of people watching on the ball room floor below.
"Where are David and Mary Margaret? Are they alright?"
"Here in the castle, waiting for our daughter to come home. Where else would we be?"
Emma swirled around to the source of the voice and saw David; and though it shouldn't have surprised her, a very pregnant Mary Margaret.
Due any day now, was right.
She toddled over to her, and embraced Emma emphatically, burying her face into her daughter's hair. Emma returned the hug, though somewhat awkwardly, as the baby bulge made it a bit difficult. David joined in, wrapping his arms around them both and kissing Emma's forehead.
"Hey honey," he whispered, providing Emma with a degree of comfort.
Emma let go of them, stepping back with a confused expression.
"Obviously, I'm glad you guys are ok, but Regina said you were captured…What happened?"
David shook his head, his expression turning serious.
"Yes, we were for months," David explained, holding on to his wife. "The witch, who goes by Zelena, kept us captive, but wouldn't say why. Then about a week ago, she just left her castle, without warning. We made our escape then, and came here."
Mary Margret chimed in, shaking her head. "We didn't even know about the curse that sent everyone to Storybrooke, and were surprised to see the castle abandoned, until they came back again a few days ago."
Smiling wide, Mary Margret placed her hand on Emma's face.
"You look tired, sweetheart. Perhaps we can call it a night, and talk about all of this tomorrow."
Emma wanted to argue, and tell her mother that she was fine, but that would have been a lie. Despite the relief of seeing all of her loved ones safe and together, her head was pounding and her heart was heavy.
She nodded slowly, glancing down at Henry.
"Bedtime I think, Kiddo."
The boy groaned, craning his neck up to Neal with a questioning look, but his dad just chuckled.
"You heard your mom, Buddy. Even knights in training need their rest."
Regina placed her hand on Henry's shoulder, guiding him down the hallway.
"Say goodnight Sir Mills," she said teasingly.
"G'night everyone," Henry shouted over his shoulder, giving Emma one last toothy grin.
Emma said good night, watching her son disappear down the corridor, and yawned wide before she could stop herself.
"Come on, sweetie," Mary Margaret said, motioning down the same hallway that Emma had followed to get there.
"We have a bedroom set up for you in the East Wing."
Neal bid her sweet dreams, walking down the staircase with Belle and Gold, before Emma caught Hook's eye from the top of the staircase.
He looked as if he wanted to say something, before David clasped him on the shoulder.
"Hold it there, Captain," Emma heard her father murmur to Hook, as she disappeared down the hallway.
"I have your quarters set up on the opposite end of the castle."
A/N: No more Narnia, haha, although I don't have any regrets. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you haven't reviewed up until this point, I challenge you to leave one now.