A/N: Well this is it. I can hardly believe that I'm coming to the end of a nine-month long journey (coincidence, I assure you.) I have no shame in telling you that this is the first story that I've ever written. While I've dabbled in poetry, wrote newspaper articles, and countless nonfictional essays in school, I have never attempted to write (and certainly never post) a fictional story until this point, let alone a 184K word one.
Thank you so much to everyone who followed and favorited. And a BIG thank you those who took the time to leave a review: ac, AmayaBlack, ambrown1022, Angelfan984, Angelsnlilies, asianperal, Breab, buffybabe42, byfirelight, CaptainSwanLover88, Captain Thaddeus, Carlet, CelticGirl223, clockadile, Collig, Crystall7587, Cynxx, de28, deletepleasexamillion, Delylah, Doki-Doki-CS-Love, Dreamingdreams, fangirlmum4ever, Faitalani, Ilovecookies22, Jade Wolf, Jbirds212, jcanderson33, Jen, jlroberts17, Kazetsume, keebree89 , Liz, Lisa1972, LittleCs, Lorien0590, MathieMom, MellonSeraphine, M-J, ninidepapa, vividconcettos, kelzbelz, Nimueiswriting, Revenessa , Shel12, shellybellypie, sleepingbriarrose12, stjmavsgirl41, TutorGirlml, wandwaving, WyldClaw , XoxxPhoenix10, XxLuvTheOriginalsXxX, Xxnamethestarsxx, Yettoseeyoufail, and to every guest who left a review without a name.
Thank you to my friend Steve, and to JJ Sawyer-Phillips, who agreed to beta the story of someone she had never even met before. You have both given me great insight to myself as a writer.
A future thank you to those of my family and friends who will read this once they've watched the show; since I have required them to do so before they can muse over my muse.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or its characters; though I want to thank the writers of Once for opening up my eyes, and inspiring me to write my take on characters that I not only admire and acquire joy from, but can certainly relate to in many ways (one feisty and stubborn one, in particular.)
I dedicate the final chapter of my first story to my mom… who opened her mind up to new realms of entertainment; who supported me from the beginning of my own story, and will be there with me until the very end of it.
And the blood will dry
Underneath my nails
And the wind will rise up
To fill my sails
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Tell the world I'm coming home
Let the rain
Wash away
All the pain of yesterday
I know my kingdom awaits
And they've forgiven my mistakes
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Tell the world I'm coming home
Emma Swan felt like she was home.
That was the first thought that came to her mind in the darkness of the early morning, as she leaned against the rails of the Jolly Roger; the ship that would send her and her family back to their kingdom after they had all risked their lives to save it. And it should feel really, really good.
But it didn't; at least not completely.
A chilly wind swept over the deck, making Emma shiver; and she blew warm breath from her chapped lips into cupped hands, which were covered in dried blood. Apparently the creatures from Pandora's Box had created a warmth in the air; their absence now leaving a temperature properly fitting of a sea breeze in the middle of winter.
She had come above deck to escape the cries of the many wounded that Emma had been instructed to care for; needing a brief reprieve from the constant reminder of the horrors of war. Besides, her magic had limits, and Emma's powers had been drained to near nothing after her showdown.
Though only two days since the battle had ended, her burns were already fully soothed; the cuts and blisters long-since healed by magic and a few of Whale's most effective remedies.
The scars underneath the surface, however, would take a bit longer.
Though they had decided to keep her pregnancy a secret until everyone reached home, Killian had been like a puppy over the past two days; never leaving Emma's side for a moment. Each of the nights, he had watched over her and Henry's tent against the doctors' wishes for him to rest; and yesterday morning, had ensured Emma ate more than her fair share of rations.
"You're eating for two, now, Darling."
Her eyelids drooped in protest of the exertions she had put herself through. Every inch of her body cried out to take rest, her limbs sore and void of strength; but in her mind, Emma was reeling.
By the time she, Killian, and Gold reached camp, Regina had already explained what had happened in the cave. Mulan was nowhere to be found after she rode off from the campsite; as the warrior had taken the news of Aurora's death rather badly.
Though they had stayed back on another ship, all the inhabitants of Narnia, including Dorian and Fineus, had decided to return home with them; accepting David and Mary Margaret's invitation to join their kingdom after they had risked their lives to save it.
Dorian had embraced Emma immediately upon her return, telling her that she was the bravest and most unselfish creature, human or otherwise, that he ever had the honor to meet. The newly-appointed general then gave her the compass, which Emma left in Killian's care; telling them that the inhabitants of Narnia had been led to the Enchanted Forest for a reason, and that they would be honored to stay.
The news about Blue had shocked everyone, including Gold; who claimed he had no knowledge of the fairy's demise. The Black Fairy had been vague when she had mentioned Blue's fate; but knowing what Gold did about her magic, it was safe to assume the Blue Fairy was gone forever.
The added pain of losing their friend was laced with the frustrating lack of closure; affecting Henry more than anyone else.
She had been so proud of her son; as he had offered to take Aurora to the fortress when the princess showed up in distress. Aurora's knowledge of the secret entrances of her own castle had allowed them to enter; and it turned out that Pegasus had come to life when they reached the entrance and offered his services to the young knight in training.
Her son had displayed characteristics that came naturally to him; selflessness and bravery: the qualities of a true king.
Although Emma assumed that Henry would be angry with her for forcing him out of the cave, he had been so relieved when they were reunited after the battle, hugging her with a sad smile on his face.
Regina had personally congratulated her on her magical achievements, and left Henry to spend the first night in Emma's tent, so that the two of them could be near one another during the loss of their loved ones.
Reuniting with her parents had filled a gaping hole that Emma had felt her heart; allowing them both to embrace her in front of the entire camp. Not only had she been relieved to see they had survived the battle, but Emma knew they were given another chance to reconnect; sharing in the losses and achievements that came from their responsibilities as rulers and parents.
David looked like he had aged five years in the past few days, grey peeking through the parts of his overgrown beard that wasn't covered in mud. Emma could see that Mary Margaret, too, had been greatly affected by the losses to their people. The queen made her rounds through the camp, helping move the dead and greatly injured; stopping only to embrace her daughter without a word.
And then there was Gold.
The Black Fairy's appearance and Gold's parental connection to Maleficent had been clearly blindsided him; and Emma could tell that the guilty reaction to his daughter's death had been genuine.
But how much did he know about the wand, and why had he pretended to help Maleficent and Zelena? Gold had to have known that putting the rings into their possession could spell disaster for them all. Though he had saved Killian's life; an unselfish act that he couldn't have possibly profited from, Emma still didn't trust him completely.
The Jolly hit another large wave, thrusting the bow of the ship upward, and caused Emma to lose her balance slightly. A pair of hands held her steady from behind, and she turned to see Gold, now dressed in his normal attire; making the man look less like the Dark One, and more like his annoyingly-smug, landlord self.
"Easy Dearie," he drawled, taking another step back. "A woman in your condition should take more precaution."
Emma steadied herself against the rail, her bare hand scraping against the rough, weathered wood. She let out a gentle huff, but turned back to look over the sea.
"Pretty sure caution was thrown to the wind when I decided to enter that fortress," Emma mumbled.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Gold's face turn serious, his lips pursed tightly together. The two of them remained quiet a moment, but Emma knew that if he was here, there was a good reason; and it wasn't to share a sunrise.
As if on cue, Gold broke the silence. "It appears the Black Fairy knew of your condition before you, yourself, did."
The comment had come from nowhere, and Emma fleetingly wondered why Gold had approached her; particularly since his son was in Killian's quarters being worked over with every kind of medicine imaginable- both scientific and magical.
Gold, who had insisted on accompanying Neal, already seemed rather bored of helping the injured; so it should have come as no surprise to Emma that he wanted a change of subject. Still, her pregnancy was the last thing she would have thought he would be interested in.
Emma narrowed her eyes, as she leaned over a pail to clean the blood from her hands. This man had spent a majority of his life playing chess with people's lives; strategically setting up others around him for his own purposes.
Suddenly the words spilled out before Emma unable to stop them, like a damn that finally broke after being cracked for so long.
"What exactly happened between you and the Black Fairy, Gold? If you weren't really working with Maleficent and Zelena, why did you disappear for so long without a word? And surely, if you had been in Pandora's Box with the Black Fairy, there had to have been some notion that she was still alive," she spat out, finally, breathing heavier from her rant.
He surprised her again by making himself useful and picking up a nearby pail. Gold let a smirk slip onto his face, as he attached the bucket to a rope and lowered it into the sea. Due to the need to aid so many injured, fresh water was scarce; and luckily the Black Wand was powerful enough to filter the sea water, making it both drinkable and useful for cleaning wounds.
Emma's eyes shifted to the man, who pushed the full bucket of salt water in her direction with a brow raise, as if to silently request her assistance. She pulled out the wand with a slightly gruff expression and waved it over the pail, turning it to fresh. Gold took a moment to watch her, as if to consider her lengthy rant, then began to speak.
"The box is not a collective domain of evil," he spoke in a low voice, now spooning out some of the water to fill his canteen. "It is a prison for each of its victims' internal demons; a world of personal hell they must bear alone."
She felt the wind pick up slightly, the main sail tugging against it in protest, before Gold stood up from the pail, his expression grave.
"Those few hours felt like months… years, even; and I was able to watch my loved ones continue on their life without me, while I wallowed in regret, self pity, and despair. I'm sure it was the same for the fairy, though I never encountered any sign of her."
Gold made his way toward the main mast, and Emma released a deep sigh. Due to a majority of the space needed for the wounded, the Jolly's crew had been stripped to the bare minimum. Killian had asked Emma to adjust the sails, or "loosen the sheets," as the Captain had put it. Now, much for confident with her magic, Emma made short work of an otherwise daunting task.
"I know you wanted the Black Wand, but you said that the fairy and her sister betrayed you," Emma said to Gold's retreating back, drying her hands off and getting to her feet. "So what happened?"
Though his attention was on the ropes holding the mainsail, Gold appeared to have heard her; his eyes closing a moment, as if exasperated, before he opened them again.
"I met the fairy sisters shortly after I lost Bae," he said, his voice faltering a bit over the windy sea. "They were introduced to me by a powerful sorcerer from a faraway land, but at the time neither of the sisters had dabbled in dark magic yet."
Reaching his side, Emma could see the expression on Gold's face more easily, as the morning progressed, and the darkness began to lift. The creaking of the wood beneath their feet provided an eerie backdrop for his tale, though Emma was now accustomed to such noises on the ancient ship.
"Even in the beginning, I had seen glimmers of greatness in her, but the fairy and her wand had not come to their full potential," Gold said quietly, watching Emma enviously as she used her magic to adjust the sails. "It wasn't until the greed for my dark powers overwhelmed her, that she became the Black Fairy."
Like in the cave, Emma saw Gold's expression turn to one of regret, years of misfortune and unfulfilled desires written upon the old man's face.
"She had chosen to make my same mistakes; and though it proved me a hypocrite, I simply couldn't let their betrayal go unpunished. So I banished her to a land without magic, and took her wand to help me get to Bae."
The magic kept Emma rather warm, its power flowing from her fingertips, as she tightened the rope holding the main topsail.
"So if you didn't go to Narnia, how did the rings get there?"
She knew that Gold heard her, but his focus seemed to be on the sails as she worked, the metal clasps clanging together over the quiet of early morning.
"After those foolish children brought the White Witch back to London with them from Narnia, I was able to convince the hag to sign over Zelena and her twin sister to me for the promise that she would become one of the ring holders," he mused, as Emma was surprised not to detect boasting in his tone. "But when she figured out my ploy, the White Witch managed to take all four rings to Narnia with her, and sent me back to the Enchanted Forest; leaving her two children orphans and distancing me that much farther away from my son."
A lock of blonde hair blew over Emma's face; a hint of ash still lingering despite an earlier bath at the campsite. She finished the sails, then closed her eyes and tried to allow the crashing of waves against the ship clear her head; as Gold took a moment to examine her work.
"But it was all for nothing. I mean, the rings obviously weren't meant for Zelena or her sister..." Emma reflected aloud, before she snapped her eyes open again. "So wait…how were you able to claim the ring meant for my child?"
Gold kept his attention upward toward the mast, the corners of his mouth twitching. Although the wind had picked up, Emma did her best to ignore the chill in the air, as a nearby sailor roughly scrubbed at a stubborn blood stain from the Hydra attack.
"Actually, it was you: you and your pirate, that night in Narnia," he said, turning to look at her finally. "When your child's conception was secured and the waterfall thawed, my magic led me there to claim the ring as its maker."
She felt the warmth of her blush creep into her cheeks, before Emma pulled her eyes from the deck to watch Gold walk toward the other side of the main mast, his boots creaking over the old wood.
So the ring had been at the waterfall all along. She had just been… too distracted…
A sharp tearing sound caught their attention, and Emma glanced up to see that the main topgallant sail had ripped, its white cloth flapping in the breeze like a child trying to get free from its mother.
She and Gold glanced at one another before she went to mend the situation with magic; speaking up again.
"Ok, so where did you go when you disappeared before the ball? I thought you were looking for the rings, but now I know you had known their location all along."
Early morning light slowly edged over the horizon, a palish color of blue highlighting the details of the ship Emma never noticed before, while her working hands shook; probably from sleep deprivation.
"Ah yes, that," he sighed, his brow quirking upward slightly. Emma could already tell that Gold had been anxious to give this particular bit of information.
"I had to prepare Aurora's castle for your visit," he said matter-of-factly, a twinkle in his round eyes. "So I obtained the help of a particular winged horse and ensured its riddle would be something even your simple pirate could figure out."
"Pegasus…"
"Yes, Dearie. I knew about your special ability to speak with animals for some time before you told me; though I stand by my shock that you acquired such a power. It is rather rare, even in the magical world."
She shook her head in disbelief at Gold's words, a small smile creeping onto her lips in spite of herself. The riddle about the anchor: he knew Killian would guess it correctly, and that Emma would be able to understand the winged horse; ensuring that only she and the pirate could enter the fortress.
She pulled her arms down and released her magic, the warmth fading from her palms. Though it was much easier not to use the wand, Emma found relying on her own individual power to be rather draining in comparison.
"And the corpses," she asked, her eyes narrowing. "I'm assuming that was your work."
Gold did nothing to hide his mirth this time, a dark chuckle escaping him.
"I had to find a way to torture the captain somehow," he said, before his expression grew serious again. "And I thought it best you faced your inner demons before going up against real ones."
Though he didn't actually say so, she knew that the man created the magic to prove a point; and that Gold had had the confidence that Emma would overcome whatever he threw at her.
Turning to the man now, she lowered her voice, a slight frown etched on her face as she had purposely left this question to last.
"Maleficent is the daughter of both the rings' maker and true wand owner, the Black Fairy. So how is it that the magic backfired when she tried to kill you?"
His face had turned serious in an instant, flickers of the Dark One covering his features. Emma couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for throwing this question at him; as a sudden shiver creeped down her spine at Gold's change in demeanor.
"Blood magic is very powerful, Miss Swan," he whispered, his voice raspy and lips chapped from days at sea. "I created the rings with the specification that another ring holder would not be able to destroy me with its power. My biological connection to Maleficent made the defensive magic even stronger, and was ultimately what killed her."
She averted his gaze, glancing up to notice the last two stars shining in the early morning sky; their brilliance still apparent in the light blue blanket above them. Though Maleficent hadn't been a child in the same way that Neal was; Emma knew that the man had truly mourned the loss of whatever could have been for him and his daughter.
Neither one spoke for a brief moment, while the waves rocked against the ship, the saltiness of the sea both bitter and sweet in her lungs. They seemed to have a silent understanding between them, as both knew what it meant to loose a child; and Emma wondered what could have been if different choices had been made.
Finally, Gold reached down to pick up one of the pails of fresh water for the wounded, his eyes meeting Emma's.
"Things turned out the way they were meant to, Miss Swan," he said holding her gaze. "Still... it was not my right to take away your ability to choose."
She leaned up against the main mast, her hand gripping the splintered wood like a lifeline. Emma wasn't sure how to respond to Gold's attempt at what seemed an apology; as this was the first time he had shown any remorse for his actions toward her.
The man turned to go below deck, and she watched Gold's retreat, as the last of the crew climbed out from the hatch. Emma glanced upward toward the topgallant yard, prepared to finish the last sail; but turned back to Gold, her hoarse voice nearly disappearing into the noisy chatter on deck.
"I'm sorry about Maleficent."
Gold stopped, though he kept his gaze on the horizon, and Emma knew he had heard her.
It was all she could muster; the only words that seemed necessary after everything that had happened. A strange feeling of loss overcame her, as the grandfather of her son turned around to meet Emma's gaze; and she knew full-well that something had happened down in that cave that he would never fully recover from.
And then Gold's expression relaxed, as he nodded his head toward the stern of the ship where Killian stood at the helm.
"It's rather fortunate you found someone who encourages you to follow your own path, Dearie," he said quite seriously, his features genuine. "Someone who understands that a part of you will always require your own sense of freedom."
Emma could not help the tightening in her throat, his words hitting close to home.
Gold pursed his lips then, and frowned, though his tone was playful. "Though I'm still uncertain what draws women to that mangy pirate…"
For the first time since they've met, Gold had made Emma laugh genuinely, the joyous sound resonating over the ship, as he returned her mirth with a small smile of his own. Without a second glance, the old man limped back toward the hatch.
Emma watched him retreat, silently reflecting. It was the harshest tragedy of his life, for certain. Rumplestiltskin had caused her and many others more strife than anything else. How much good would he have accomplished with his power and intellect, if only he'd had the courage to write his own future, rather than to dwell on the legacy his father had left him with.
Still, this was a different man; perhaps not a changed man, as Emma believed people never really change.
But their choices can.
Emma lifted her boot to climb the mast, and the jab of something under her outer clothing caught her attention. She reached in; the cool, smooth wood of the wand filling her palm so naturally, as it had in the cave.
The tingly sensation shot up her arm, spreading over Emma's body; and suddenly she appeared in the crow's nest, atop the main mast. It had been as if The Black Wand had read her mind without any effort on her part.
After the battle, she had suggested that the wand stay in her possession until the council could decide what to do with so much power. Though Regina and Gold had remained silent, Emma wandered whether this wand was really meant for her or Regina, the other living ring holder.
It felt much colder now up in the crow's nest, no longer sheltered from the biting wind. A chill permeated through her heavy cloak, before a pair of warm arms wrapped around her from behind, making her jump slightly. Emma fought the urge to scold him for sneaking up on her, and slowly leaned back into Killian's embrace.
The captain gently placed his lips on Emma's neck, the heat from his kiss warming her body more than any magic ever could, before he whispered into her ear.
"Are you exhausted, my love?"
'My love.'
She could get used to that sentiment.
Closing her eyes, Emma nodded wordlessly, before she laid her head back on his shoulder, his unshaven scruff tickling her cheek. She took a deep breath, allowing the saltiness of the sea and the spice of his scent to fill her lungs and reawaken her senses after what felt like weeks without a proper sleep.
After a brief minute of silence, Killian chuckled softly, his warm breath creating a small cloud to appear from behind her.
"Have a nice chat with our favorite reptile, then?"
Narrowing her eyes, Emma bit back a smirk at his joke; recognizing the lightheartedness of the man's words without having to see his face.
Despite everything that had changed between Killian and Gold, there would always remain a level of competition and distaste toward one another.
Emma pocketed the wand slowly, noticing the tingle leave her fingertips, as she released it from her grasp.
"There is something that I couldn't make sense of before; down in that cave," she murmured, her voice quiet over the loud chatter of the crew below, as Killian held her close. "If the magic from the rings was created by the Dark One, why was I chosen as a ring holder? Why was our daughter?"
The question had been on her tongue during her conversation with Gold, but Emma had not been able to ask; afraid of the implications that came with the answer. Perhaps it meant that, she too- along with their unborn child, were capable of much darker magic.
Killian sighed deeply, moving both of his hands from her arms down over her abdomen, a protective habit he had adopted that practically made her heart inflate two times its size. His voice was gruff, but there was a gentleness in his tone that soothed Emma just as much as his touch.
"I won't pretend to understand such magic, Swan," he said, the scent of burnt leather on his vest still noticeable from the battle. "But I would like to imagine that it was not only dark magic or his greed for power that created the rings, but his wish to reunite with Baelfire; that it also came from a father's love for his son."
He could be right. It had always been love and the preservation of those she cared about that seemed to drive Emma's power to the next level. Her vision of their daughter had appeared in her mind during the battle; a glimpse of the woman their child would grow to be.
Perhaps love was at the root of Gold's magic too. Perhaps it took Killian, a man who had known Rumplestiltskin so long; one who would soon be a father himself, to understand such a concept of devotion and necessity.
Though her gaze remained on the horizon ahead of them, Emma felt more connected to Killian than ever before, and in that moment, she fell in love with the man in her arms all over again.
She glanced down at the scar around Killian's left wrist where she had reattached his hand, white and faded, barely noticeable to the untrained eye. They had been through so much together; lived a lifetime worth of pain and joy in the short span of knowing one another. Suddenly, a pang of guilt filled her chest, and Emma tensed, her mind going to the secret she had kept from Killian rearing on her conscious, yet again.
Neither one of them had spoken of it since the cave, though she had tried to apologize once before; but he simply waved it off, giving her a lecture about stress during the healing of her wounds, and the subject of her deceit had been dropped.
As she suspected, Killian noticed her change in demeanor; turning Emma's chin with his finger, so he could look at her.
"You need not be so hard on yourself, Darling."
How in the hell she had managed to keep the truth about the baby from him for more than a few hours, was beyond her.
Killian had always managed to sort out the complexities of Emma's mind and the language of her body; translating her unspoken words so that they both could understand them.
Turning to face him completely, she leaned her lower back up against the solid wood of the crow's nest, and wrapped her arms around his uncovered neck, the sleeves of her cloak billowing in the wind.
"Killian, I know you said it doesn't matter, but I wanted to try and explain why I didn't tell you about-"
His hand was up before she could finish; and he placed a calloused thumb over Emma's mouth, pulling their bodies even closer together with his other arm.
"There is no need, luv, because I understand why you struggled with the truth about our child," he whispered, his breathing steady and warm. "It was the same reason for my actions in Narnia."
Killian cupped her cheek with his strong hand, creating a flutter in her heart that she had felt so many times with him before. His blue eyes reminded Emma of the two brightest stars above them, shining in any circumstance; a true constant in her life.
Of course. She had been so angry with him for keeping the truth from her; had given him weeks of cold shoulder for keeping her in the dark about his plans to take them to Narnia.
But once Emma had realized his true motive, what Killian had sacrificed and risked to get her back safely to her family, she had forgiven him. In fact, Emma had decided there was nothing to forgive; that loving someone meant making mistakes, and figuring out the solution together.
Just as they have always done.
"We both wanted to protect one another, Emma," he said, pulling both of her hands to his warm lips, their gazes locked. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her, but Killian smiled; the joy on his face practically lighting up the entire ship.
"If that isn't a perfect basis on which to build a marriage, than I don't know what is."
She broke into a smile of her own, smacking Killian hard on the shoulder; and the pirate's barking laughter rang out over the ship, causing a few of the sailors to glance up at them.
He had brought up the topic of marriage the night before, while they were alone in their tent; and Emma had nearly fallen off the cot in surprise. Of course, she had given it some thought, but not since the news of her pregnancy, and certainly not while they were in the midst of a war.
Ultimately, they had decided that although marriage was a mutual destination that they both wanted at some point, this was still the 21st century; and that there was no need to rush it simply because she was pregnant. Like everything else in their relationship, they would take it one step at a time.
"Albeit, not in the traditional order of steps, Swan."
They had both shared a good laugh at his quip back in the tent, and Emma knew that this was the only man she could imagine sharing the rest of her life with.
Pulling him back into her, his wool Navy jacket scratching against her wrists, Emma leaned her forehead against his, their bodies swaying in a kind of dance, as the ship rocked gently against the waves. The chorus of cawing seagulls caught her attention, land quickly approaching.
They were home.
She noticed the sun peak over the edge of the horizon, its hue of orange and pink contrasting greatly against the pale blue from before. A new day had replaced the one before it; an empty canvas with endless possibilities.
"Shall we?"
Killian held out his hand, covered in pirate rings (against David's protests of a Navy captain wearing such bling) and Emma smiled. Placing her hand in his, she closed her eyes and they magically appeared back on deck, nearly causing a nearby sailor to jump out of his skin.
"I don't reckon I will every tire of that trick, luv."
By now, all of the crew, and most of the allies who had been chosen to join them were above deck, looking out ahead toward the shoreline that grew in the distance. Emma could actually smell the smoke from the signal fireworks that shot off from royal docks; giving the Jolly its proper welcome home.
Emma noticed Pocahontas and her father gathering their things with the other tribal warriors, while saying their goodbyes to the rest of the members of Robin's militia. The Indian princess turned then, giving Emma a slight nod of respect, her eyes smiling.
Ignoring their previous encounters before the battle, all jealousy forgotten, Emma returned the gesture genuinely, suddenly grateful to have had so many people who fought for their cause.
A part of her wanted to feel guilty that she had survived when other good people had given their lives, but Emma understood that Killian had been right before. Their allies had died for something they believed in and their sacrifice had ensured that those they cared for would live happy and free.
Mary Margaret and David were watching the shoreline from the bow, eagerly awaiting their arrival. Emma imagined Granny and the dwarves had Greyson with them, the giggling prince enjoying the noisy fireworks and bustle around him.
Upon her and Killian's approach, Emma noticed that Mary Margaret hummed a tune, somewhat recognizable to her, though she didn't understand why. Before she could figure out why, Emma's vision blurred; pulling her into another place and time.
Emma was in a garden, surrounded by the scent of lavender and lilies. Mary Margaret held the hand of a little girl, a toddler around the age of three, who had ebony hair that curled into ringlets all the way past her small shoulders, both of their backs facing Emma.
From the distance where she stood, however, Emma heard the same tune, only this time Mary Margaret began to sing:
With a smile and a song
Life is just a bright sunny day
Your cares fade away
And your heart is young
When you smile and you sing
Everything is in tune and it's spring
And life flows along
With a smile and a song
After Mary Margaret finished the tune, she turned, her face lit up with joy and love; and she extended her other free hand out.
There was an explosion of fireworks above them on the docks and everything suddenly came back to focus, tearing Emma from her brief vision.
"You alright there, Swan?"
Killian's left hand clasped Emma's, his face angled toward her, and she merely darted her eyes over to meet his, nodding slightly.
She was almost certain the small girl holding Mary Margaret's hand had been their daughter. Though there was nothing disturbing about what she had seen, something about the setting of the vision had been oddly familiar; and Emma couldn't help but think she was missing something.
As if to read her mind, her Mary Margaret turned from the railing and smiled at them both, coming up to pull Emma into a small hug. Her eyes were bloodshot, and the queen appeared to have missed another night's sleep from caring for the wounded.
"Hi Mom," Emma whispered, her voice quiet.
Through all of her mother's optimism, she had rarely ever given Mary Margaret credit for how strong she was. Despite the many tears shed, the woman had faced countless challenges, lost more loved ones than anyone should in their lifetime, but had never truly wavered in her faith.
Pulling back from the hug, Mary Margaret met Emma's eyes, and it was clear that her mother wanted to ask her whether she was fine. David seemed oblivious, adjusting his scabbard so that it fell to his left side of his belt.
After a moment, Emma broke the silence, deciding it was best to come clean, though this would mean they would need to tell her parents about the baby. "Ok Mary Margaret, why are you looking at me like that?"
Her mother gave her a reassuring smile, eyebrows all the way up to her hairline.
"You want to tell us something, Emma?"
David looked up from his belt at Mary Margaret in confusion, then back over at their daughter with concern. Killian took her right hand and squeezed it gently, as if to let Emma know that he was fine it.
For a brief second, Emma considered brushing her mother's comment off, but sighed instead.
"Is it that obvious?"
The queen giggled at that, looking over to her husband. "Well, apparently not to your father," she replied, wrapping her right arm around Emma, as David crossed his arms defensively.
"I always know there is something amiss when you call me 'Mom,'" Mary Margaret continued with a teasing tone of voice, making Emma blush. "Not that I'm complaining," she added with a wink.
They watched Robin hug Regina, before the two of them headed over to the group, and Emma briefly wondered where her son was. Grinning then, Emma looked down at the ground in defeat.
Emma free hand squeezed Killian's, and her eyes darted to David, who wore a rather anxious expression.
"So… the thing is," Emma started slowly, uncertain of how to put it in words. "I'm just…well-"
"Are you pregnant?!"
Her mouth dropped open, and Emma swung around to see her son, who wore his royal uniform, adorned with a special medal of bravery that David had presented him with after the battle. Killian could not contain his mirth, snorting loudly, as the rest of the group stood in silent shock.
"Henry, I…how…?"
Emma couldn't speak, glancing over at Killian, who had already regained his composure, looking over at a fuming David with a worried expression. Her son smiled, though, his beaming face showing no hint of embarrassment or shyness.
"I knew it! Granny said you haven't been eating your grilled cheeses for weeks," he said, coming to embrace her gently. His hair had a slight hint of the juniper shampoo that the dwarves make from the tree berries.
"Yeah that, and you've smelled like the pirate since you got back from Narnia."
Ruby's voice had carried over the deck, and a few of the sailors turned to watch her join the group, obviously enjoying the view of her in tight riding trousers.
Emma blushed a deeper shade than Ruby's cloak, and turned to see Mary Margaret attempting to calm David, who seemed unable to catch his breath. Her mother, however, did not seem surprised in the least, nodding her head acceptingly.
"This is awesome," Henry chimed in, slapping a high five with Killian, as Regina watched on in mild surprise. "Think how many different sword and riding tricks I can show him-"
"Actually, I'm pretty sure it's a girl," Emma finally said, finding her voice. She met Mary Margaret's gaze again, and her mother's eyes filled with tears, a joyful smile spreading across her face.
"Congratulations," Robin said rather awkwardly, shaking Killian's hand with a hint of mirth in his eyes. The pirate glanced back at David, who now looked like he was going to be sick over the railing.
"You thought of any names yet," Ruby asked, grabbing everyone's attention.
Emma glanced back over at Killian, who came to stand next to her with his left hand on her back. The two looked at one another and merely shrugged, as they hadn't even brought up the subject before then.
"How about Aurora?"
Emma glanced over at Henry, smiling at her son's sentimentality. It was a wonderful gesture, though she truly hadn't given it any thought.
Regina came to their rescue, changing the subject to the battle in the cave, and Henry's short attention span worked in their favor, as the boy went into his story about how he rode in on Pegasus with a damsel in distress, now finally able to talk about the princess without coming to tears.
Emma felt Killian fall in behind her, wrapping his arms around her protectively. They backed away slowly from the group, Henry's voice growing higher at the crescendo of the story, as Emma mused that this was nothing like she imagined her life would be.
They had acquired one of the greatest catalysts of magic known to their world; all-the-while defeating a mother-daughter duo of evil that made Cora and Regina look like Sophia and Dorothy from The Golden Girls.
Beyond that, however, she realized that something significant had changed, giving her a new perspective entirely. Emma had gained a great deal, but come to realize the true level of grief and loss that came with caring so much; not just about people, but the kingdom they all served.
There would always be an evil force to be reckoned with, a power that threatened to take what she held most dear. But Emma promised herself that she would no longer focus on the fear of losing those she loved most, but use that love to fuel her power to protect them.
"I love you, Emma."
His whisper in her ear sounded as natural on his lips as anything she's ever heard, and Emma let herself enjoy the statement she always knew to be true. Loving and being loved by Killian had become a part of her, unrelenting and irrevocable, like the ocean's waves that pulled them closer to home.
Still, Emma couldn't help herself.
"You waited until now to tell me? What if we hadn't made it out of that cave alive?"
She felt his chest rumbling against her back, and knew that Killian understood what she was playing at.
"Did you ever truly doubt my feelings, Swan? Certainly you must have; a stubborn princess like yourself would never declare her love for a pirate unless she was sure of reciprocation."
She gently pushed him back from her then, her arms coming to rest on both hips, as Emma threw him a sexy smirk. "Well, I couldn't wait around forever for you to say it, could I?"
She could see that Killian was ready for the jab, as his face turned into a mocking expression of seriousness.
"Taking you to Neverland to save Henry, finding you in New York, and trading my ship wasn't enough to prove that, luv?"
She giggled then, pulling him back into her embrace, as he tickled her. The kiss was playful at first, before pirate changed direction, his tongue darting out to line her lower lip slowly. Emma groaned at the sensation, another wave of heat rolling through her, as his grip on her tightened.
There was a clanging of metal from above their heads, and they both glanced up to see the topgallant sail had come loose from the yard again, the tip of the mast shining brightly in the morning sun.
"Ah, we need to fix that when the ship docks into port," he said absentmindedly.
Suddenly, Emma remembered the blue haze from the mast, and that Killian had never finished his story on the origins of St. Elmo's Fire.
"Whatever happened to those brothers who prayed to Poseidon for the ship's safety?"
He pulled his head back down to look at her with a curious expression, his brow quirked. Killian smiled then, obviously touched that she had remembered their conversation before the Hydra had attacked. Keeping her right hand clasped in hers, he looked back up at the mast again.
"Well the twins had acquired the Golden Fleece, so obviously the gods hadn't taken kindly to…"
Killian's voice became a distant haze to her ears, his story blurred out by the sudden rush of thoughts that filled her mind.
A pair of bright stars had appeared to Emma on more than one occasion, the shining light standing out from the rest of the night sky like two beacons.
Her vision of the small toddler boy appeared in front her again, his dark hair much like Killian's in its unruliness. The two children had been the same age from both of her visions, and the boy had been speaking to a rabbit…
Emma felt her breath quicken, her heart hammering against her chest, like an urgent stranger knocking at the door, awaiting her answer.
Oh my.
The words of the prophecy from back in New York flashed in her mind again, and Emma felt a strong flutter in her abdomen.
"Blue light strikes, and twice the Savior will deliver before the next storm."
She had misunderstood the meaning of "deliver," overlooking the signs right in front of her eyes, and for the second time in the past few days, Emma was completely speechless.
Twins.
They weren't just having a daughter, but a son too, apparently one with the power to speak to animals. Two children, with magical abilities that Emma couldn't even imagine beyond her own.
Killian's voice became clearer, as Emma awoke from her daze, meeting his eyes once again.
"Swan?"
He was obviously concerned; but Emma must have looked as elated as she felt, because there was an unsure smile tugging at his beautiful lips. Emma clasped both of his hands, palm to palm, and quirked an eyebrow at him teasingly.
"It's a good thing you no longer have the hook," she said gently, watching him smirk at her tone. "Cause you're going to need both hands free now."
Though sweat beaded on her forehead, her mind dizzy from the revelation, there was something about this particular news that made her happier than she had ever felt, a new future unveiling itself.
As Killian watched her with a curious expression, the noise of the port behind them growing louder, Emma remembered the final words General Castrix had spoken to her back in Narnia, his warm eyes glistening with promise.
"Remember that your destiny is never written in stone."
It was time to look forward. Emma had found a happy ending that even she couldn't have seen coming or fully anticipated.
And that was exactly what made it so exciting.
A/N: Lyrics Disclaimer:
Skyler Grey. "I'm Coming Home (Part II)." Don't Look Down. 2013. Carter Boys Music, WB Music Corp.
Performed by Adriana Caselotti. "A Smile and a Song." From Disney adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Written by Frank Churchill. 1937.
Well, that's it. I won't ramble on again about how grateful I am, but wanted to ask that if you haven't reviewed yet, please quickly do so- no log in is necessary to leave a quick one. It's much like signing a guestbook and I welcome all feedback, even if you didn't care for the outcome ;)
Thank you again- and remember: we are all authors of our own stories, and no one else decides the plot except YOU. So give yourself a chance, don't let anything or anyone change who you are, and never -ever- give up on your own happy ending.
Write on!
Much love,
Kari (KPKincaid)
Author's Update 1/29/19- It's been almost five years since I posted this story, and I wanted you to know that I have only just recently found my own pirate captain and what I believe will be a happy ending :)