OK this is your ONE update of the day. I am doing family stuff later so won't be able to type up any more.
Where will Junior go?
Will they find him?
Let's find out shall we
As always please review.
Enjoy
:)
"Regina... REGINA. What's going on?" Emma yelled down her cell as she ground to a halt where she was.
"He's on Main Street. Hook says that he's JUST been missed by a car" Regina cried out sounding panicked
"That way" Emma yelled pointing to the others, she had heard a car horn seconds before... that had to have been Junior.
David was picking up pace and getting away from her but she just kept on going knowing that they needed to find the kid before he got hurt... or worse. She glanced behind her to see Henry then her Mom, they were all pretty much still together but when she turned back she nearly barreled into her Dad's back.
"Dad?!" she gasped "What's going on?"
"I have no idea where he went Emma" he said dropping his hands onto his knees sucking in a few breaths
"Regina, can Hook give us anything?" she suddenly asked turning away from the others and starting to pace back in forth, she needed to be doing something.
Emma could hear Hook's harsh panting through the line, God the kid must really be freaking out then she heard him mumble something followed by Regina's voice.
"He's on the Jolly Swan... hurry"
"The Jolly" Emma cried out running before the others even registered what she said.
Her cell was still clamped to her ear and she could hear Regina's panicked tones "Regina, what's going on?"
"He's passed out Swan!"
"What? Regina is he still breathing, is Junior OK?"
"Yes... I think it's his pain not the boy's" she cried out but then she suddenly yelled "Whale is here, I'll call you back"
With that she hung up and Emma didn't have time to call her back so she just shoved her cell in her pocket trusting that the Doc would look after her Pirate while she wasn't there.
They were climbing the gangplank in no time and her Dad was in full on hero mode barking out orders.
"Emma, you check your cabin. Henry you check your room and the lower hold. Mary-Margaret you check the galley and I'll check the washroom and the hold. Just yell if you find him. Right let's go"
They split off all going their own way, Emma gave Henry a reassuring look as he peeled off to go into his room and she carried on down the corridor to the Captain's Cabin... please be here. She practically threw the door open, eyes going straight to the bed hoping that he'd be hiding under the cover but he wasn't there.
The cupboards!
She pulled each one open in turn but he still wasn't to be found "Junior, come on Kid. Please just come out"
She spoke in a low tone not wanting to yell, he was frightened enough but he still never showed up so with a heavy sigh she rushed back out the door and headed back to Henry but as she was just getting to his door her Son appeared looking disappointed too.
"Don't worry, we'll find him" she said pulling him into a quick hug before they both ran back up to the deck but when they got there her Mom and Dad were both already waiting.
"No luck?" David gasped
"Either he's not here or he's hiding REALLY well" Emma answered looking wildly about the deck but there was nowhere he could hide up here.
"God Dad, where is he?" she yelled in frustration "Regina said that Hook had passed out, do you think Junior has too?"
"I don't know honey" he said pulling her into a hug "I don't know"
Suddenly her cell rang and she threw herself back from his warmth to answer it knowing that it would be Regina.
"How is he?" she said without any greeting
"He's fine. Whale managed to bring him round. He's slightly confused and quite sore but he says that the boy is calm now, he feels safe wherever he is" Regina answered and Emma could hear her Pirate talking in the background
"OK" she sighed "At least that's one thing, he's alright but we can't find him Regina. Let me speak to Killian"
She practically held her breath as she waited, she needed to hear him, needed to know that he was OK so when his gruff voice sounded over the line she had to fight back tears... he was really alright.
"Swan" he croaked "You need to find him"
"We're looking Killian, I promise but we've looked everywhere. I'm standing on the deck right now and I swear he's not here" she gasped out turning again on the spot just to give the deck another glance "I can't find him Hook"
"He is there Love, I know it. He feels safe, it's the only place that would happen... trust me" Hook sighed back, he sounded so tired that it made her heart clench.
"OK" she bit out needing some focus "When you were a kid, when you felt scared where did you go?"
There was silence on the line as he obviously thought about it before he suddenly chuckled and replied "Look up Love"
She did just that and in an instant she saw him. Killian Jones Junior was curled up and seemed to be sleeping soundly in the crows nest three quarters of the way up the main mast.
"Only you could find that comfortable" she laughed, the relief was instantaneous, they had found him, he was safe. "I'm bringing him home Hook, I promise."
"He is already home Love and he found it all by himself but for the time being if you could bring him back here I would be grateful... I need to talk to him"
"I will. Just take it easy until we get back." she sighed "I love you Killian, he is safe I promise"
"I know" was all he said and then he was gone
By the time she had turned back her Dad was half way up the rigging and she knew that he had this covered, if anyone could reason with the kid it was him. He always made things seem much simpler than they actually were.
That's what Dads do... they make you feel safe.
Or at least that's what Dads are supposed to do. Brennan Jones was lucky that he was dead right now because if Emma had gotten her hands on him... well, for what he had done to his Son's she would have choked the life out of him herself.
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David peeked over the rim of the crows nest to see the kid opening a bleary eye at him but the minute Junior realized what was going on burst into tears.
"Come on Kid, sit up. Let me up there, everything is gonna be OK, I promise"
"I want to go home" Junior wailed "I want my Liam"
But he moved anyway and David finally manged to pull himself up onto the small space and pull the kid into his arms. He rocked him back and forth and just held him tight as Junior wept, the grief of finding out that his Father was dead seemed to be too much for the kid and it had triggered a release of all his built up emotions.
"It's OK, you're alright" David soothed just holding him tighter
Junior cried for the longest time but eventually he pulled back to look up at David with red rimmed eyes.
"He is sorry" was all he said but David knew who he was talking about in an instant.
"Junior" he sighed "I don't know the full story but I know one thing. Hook... Killian, he never had this life" he spread his arms out to motion to Storybrooke "He had it tough. He grew up still facing harsh rules and punishments then he lost his Liam and worst of all he lost himself. Your father was not a good man Junior, he left Killian and Liam all alone and I'm not saying that it was OK for Killian to kill him but I can understand why he did but from what I can see he has regretted it ever since"
Junior nodded and brought his hand to his chest and the tears were back "I feel it in here, it hurts, like my heart has been torn in two. He is sad Grandpa... he feels lost again"
"So what are we going to do about that? How can we make him happy again?" David asked raising an eyebrow and blinking back his own tears, this kid was having to deal with far too much.
"I want to sing to him." he said with a watery smile "He always feels better when I do that, it was Liam's song... both our Liams"
"Well in that case I think we might need to get down from here" he said with a chuckle and was happy to see Junior give him a grin.
"I like it up here"
"Yeah, Killian said that you feel safe"
Junior gave a little frown before looking him in the eye "The Captain could never find me up here... "
"Well when you come back, you know once Killian is better you can spend as much time as you like up here"
"Wait... this is the Jolly Roger?" Junior suddenly gasped looking at the ship with new appreciation
"Yeah" David chuckled "Look around, all the other boats look nothing like this one, you picked home Kid"
"Cool" he said with a grin "I never really looked, I just ran but this one, she felt familiar. I like her"
"Well I'm sure she likes you too but right now her crows nest is doing nothing for my butt... come on, let's get you down. Grandma, Swan and Henry and waiting for you on deck"
Junior peered over the edge then looked back with a nervous expression "Is Momma Swan angry?"
"Not even kinda Kid, she was just worried about you. Now go before my legs go to sleep" he chuckled
Then he watched in awe as Junior practically threw himself over the edge and scrambled his way down the rigging like it was nothing to be pulled into a three way hug by the others down below.
David however took much longer to get down cursing and swearing as his feet kept getting caught up in the ropes but finally he felt the solid wood beneath his feet and let out a sigh of relief when he turned to see his family safe. Junior was in Emma's arms clinging tightly to her neck with his head resting on her shoulder.
"Come on then, let's get back." he said with a sigh knowing that the trauma of the day was still not over.
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Killian watched the door in anticipation. Whale had left a few minutes before saying that he would return in the morning but Killian didn't care. All he cared about was setting this right, his heart was thumping in his chest and he could feel Junior's right along with his own. They were both scared... both frightened of what the other would think but the moment that the Lad was carried through the door to be dropped down onto the bed all seemed right with the world again as Killian pulled him into a tight hug and they both cried.
The grief was not just for their Father but for everyone, everything that both of them had lost. The others just walked away and left them too it and Killian only realized sometime later that they must have fallen asleep after the two of them had lain down on the bed still holding each other in comfort.
He opened his eyes with a wince, his body was not happy at all he had put it through over the last few hours but when he saw Junior still sleeping soundly a smile tugged on his lips and he relaxed a little. He watched as the boys chest rose and fell in a soothing motion but a short time later when someone made a noise in the kitchen the Lad's eyes peeked open and he gave a wide yawn before turning to look at Killian with a little smile.
"I am sorry that I ran off" he said turning onto his side to face him
"I know Lad and I am sorry... that I... I am sorry that you..."
Junior just raised a finger and put it against Killian's lips bringing his other hand to his chest "I know. I feel it in here"
"Aye Lad, as do I and that is why I am sorry. I never wanted to cause you pain and yet I did just that"
Junior gave a little frown then said "We feel better though, we can be happy?"
"Aye Junior, we are allowed to be happy" Killian replied with a smile
"Good, I don't like it when you are sad" he said with a grin pulling himself up so that he was sitting on the bed before turning to look for the others "I am starved, when is dinner?"
Killian chuckled to himself as he tried to sit himself up a bit "I do not know Lad, why not go and ask?"
Junior gave a decisive nod and scrambled from the bed yelling "I'll be back in a minute Killian, can we read a story"
"Aye" Killian grit out through clenched teeth "A story sounds like a fine idea"
He sagged back down on to his pillows with a heavy sigh, he was so confused. One part of him could feel the pain and sorrow trying to seep back in but another part, a part he suspected was coming from Junior was full of energy and happiness... he wished with all his heart that he could keep that part at all times. The boy was not yet tainted by life, everything was very in the moment and right now he was happy to be here.
"You OK?" David's voice suddenly asked by his side and he peeked open his eye again to look at him.
"Being honest I have no idea" he croaked "It is so much to try and process at one time. I feel two sets of emotions all the time, do you have any idea how hard that is?"
"Nope" David said "But if you wanna talk about it I'll listen"
Killian just pulled in a breath and let it out slowly before shaking his head "Not tonight Mate, I am beyond tired and I have just promised to read the Lad a story."
David looked across to the kitchen and gave a chuckle when Junior suddenly cried out in delight when he was shown the baked cookies that they had made earlier before looking back at Killian.
"You need anything just give me a yell?" he said and was about to head back but Killian did need his help with a problem that was not going to go away
"Funny you should say that" Killian chuckled looking towards the bedpan that sat under a towel on the chair in the corner
David's eyes followed Killian's gaze and he gave a very fake dramatic sigh "Really? How do I get to be the first one to do this?"
"Sheer luck" Killian replied raising an eyebrow
"Hmmm... but good or bad is the question" David replied pulling the screens out across the room "Fine, let's get this over with then I can go scrub my eyeballs, there are some things in life that a man should never have to see"
It was done in minutes and David once focused on the task in literal hand didn't make a fuss knowing that this was something that Killian couldn't help. Before he knew it the screens were pulled back and David was headed to the bathroom with the offending object in his hand as Emma and Junior headed back to the bed. Emma held the tray table in her hands and Junior was practically skipping his way back to the bed with a huge smile on his face.
"You ready for meds and dinner?" Swan asked settling the tray over his legs
He wasn't, not really but he knew that he needed to eat so he just nodded and let her fuss. He could see by her face that she was worried about him and he didn't want her to be so he took his pills with thanks before looking at the tray to see more soup and one of those protein shakes along with another two bowls that seemed to have some kind of mish mash of food in them.
"What is that?" he asked curling his lip in disgust
"It's potatoes in a cheese sauce with bits of bacon, onion, and some cauliflower" Swan replied "Junior wanted to try what we were having, don't put him off before he's tried it Hook, he's not you remember"
Killian watched as Junior settled himself into the bed pulling the sheets up over his legs then took the bowl from Emma before she settled herself onto the edge of the bed and took up the other bowl tucking into the food quickly.
"Hot" Killian said fanning his hand at his mouth but when he swallowed it down he grinned "It's good, I like it"
Killian was surprised, the food looked horrid to him covered in that gloopy sauce but he took on board what Swan had said and left the boy to get on with it... as long as it was relatively healthy Killian didn't mind. He got on with eating his own dinner to find that once he got started he had actually been hungrier than he had realized and once he was done he lay back with a contented sigh.
"You done?" Emma asked peering into his bowl
"Aye Love"
"What about you kid?" she said turning to Junior
"Aye Love" he replied innocently holding out his bowl and when Emma laughed he just looked confused. "What is funny?" he asked letting his face fall into a scowl realizing that she was laughing at him.
"You" she said tweaking his nose "Funny and adorable Killian Jones Junior"
He gave a little giggle before he pulled himself to his feet again to bounce on the bed as Emma handed Killian the protein shake that she had opened then made her way back to the kitchen with the tray in her hands. Henry came over to join them still licking his lips from eating his food and gave Junior a huge smile suddenly coming to a stop.
"Wait... I totally forgot. I got you a surprise Junior"
Henry spun on his heels and ran to the laundry room as Junior bounced a bit higher "What is it? What is it?"
"Calm down Kid, you're gonna bust something" Swan said coming back over to calm him down.
Mary-Margaret, David and Regina came over too when Henry came back in. The babe lay cradled in Mary-Margaret's arms and looked close to sleep again but when Henry put the box on the bed the young Prince suddenly seemed quite interested in the goings on around him struggling to sit up and giving a little babble of nonsense.
"What has Junior got Neal?" Mary-Margaret cooed sitting down next to Junior as he looked at the box in confusion.
Killian chuckled knowing that the Lad didn't know what the box was, he didn't realize that there was something inside it.
"Open it" Killian said nodding towards the box "At the top, see that tape? Pull it off and the box will open"
He watched as Junior did just that, he pulled the flaps back on the box and gave a huge gasp of delight.
"It's a lamp" he cried pulling it out
"Not just any lamp" Mary-Margaret suddenly said "This is a magic lamp. It keeps away all the bad things as you sleep. Henry found it for you so that when you go to sleep at night you will know that you're safe"
Junior looked up at Henry and before anyone knew what was going on he was on his feet again and hugging him as Henry still stood by the end of bed.
"Thank you Brother" Junior cried pulling back "I will treasure it always"
"You're welcome" Henry grinned back looking proud of himself "Come on, let's go see where we can put it so that you can see it from your bed"
He held out his hand and helped Junior get off the bed before carefully lifting the lamp and heading towards the laundry room.
"I'll go make sure that they don't break the thing before it's even been lit" David said with a quick smile
"And I'm going to bath this one" Mary-Margaret said pulling Neal up from the bed as he tried to grab the box in his little hands "Then it's bedtime for this little Prince, say night night little man"
They all gave Neal a little wave then Regina moved to the door "I'm going to head off too"
"You don't have to" Emma said clearing the ripped up box from the covers and smoothing out the bed "You could stay here instead of going back up to that house all alone"
Regina just raised a high brow "And sleep where? On he couch?! I don't think so Miss Swan... this Queen sleeps only in the finest silk sheets" she let her brow fall and chuckled "I'll see you in the morning, I have just the same amount of protection up there as you do down here so you don't need to worry about me"
She gave a little smirk and stepped out the door.
It was not late but Killian was exhausted and as his pain medication started to work it's magic he gave a heavy sigh and let his eye close again. He felt the bed dip and Emma tuck herself into his side but no words were spoken, he got the message.
He was safe and loved.