An early morning update again as I woke at silly o'clock!

THE MESSAGE IS HERE!

As always please review.

Enjoy

:)

Killian was sitting up in seconds as his heart thundered in his chest, he was about to haul himself up expecting to have to return to Mermaid's Lagoon when he was suddenly blinking widely in surprise when first Bear then Ariel came into the teepee.

"Ariel!" he gasped out "How? I thought?..."

"My Sister found me before heading to Storybrooke knowing that I could walk on land if I needed to" Ariel rushed out before shoving a container into David's hands "Emma said you would know what to do with this"

Suddenly David was turning away pulling open the box, Killian just wanted to ask Ariel about Junior but she had followed David and was babbling excitedly, he tried several times to get her attention but when David pulled out Killian's very own talking phone he gave a gasp, could they really communicate this far apart?

Killian found himself holding his breath as his heart tried to beat it's way out of his chest but when David switched the cell on he didn't hold it to his ear like Killian had expected, he suddenly walked across the floor and dropped down next to him grinning like a fool.

"You ready for this?"

Killian had no clue what was happening but he found himself nodding anyway as words failed him. He felt sick as he looked at the phone and realized that they were about to watch a video. He let his breath out slowly but as the little screen suddenly lit up with his family's faces the breath caught in his throat and turned into a sob.

Junior was alright!

His hand immediately jumped up to his chest missing his other heart beat as Junior was suddenly talking. It was all a blur as tears started pouring from Killian's eyes and another sob escaped him. He was aware of Henry talking but after that his breathing started to get too much as his chest lurched up and down, he suddenly felt quite light headed and before he knew it David was crouching in front of him.

"He's OK Killian, he's fine. Take a deep breath."

Killian didn't know why his own body was trying to kill him yet again when he had just had the best news that he could possibly have asked for but it was and he was no longer in control as another rattling breath left his lungs. David was suddenly by his side sitting on the bed rubbing his back and little by little he managed to get his breathing under control but he was exhausted by the time he was finally able to take in air without issue.

"You OK now?" David asked as Killian was helped to lie down

Killian had his eyes shut but he opened them again unwilling to sleep until he had managed to watch that video again. Now that he had managed to calm himself and he knew that Junior was alright he needed to hear what had been said.

"David, I n-need to watch it again"

David gave him a worried look "Maybe you should rest first, you look like crap"

Killian shook his head "Please, I n-need this. I w-want to see it, p-please"

"OK" David sighed "But the first sign I get of another attack and I'm switching it off no arguments. Just remember that they are all alright. Junior is fine Hook, he is OK"

"Aye" Killian replied pulling in a deep breath

"OK, let's sit you up again then"

Once he was upright again he looked out into the teepee to find that everyone else had gone "Wh-where is A-Ariel?"

"Everyone left when you started to panic, they didn't think you'd want an audience" David said sitting down next to him "I said that I'd call Ariel back in once you were feeling better, you want her here?"

Killian nodded "Aye, sh-she has s-seen them with her own eyes and I want to know everything but let me watch this first just... just in case... I don't... I can't..."

He took a gulping gasp as his heart rate picked up again

"Right, take a breath and count to three before letting it out. Once you've proved to me you can do that ten times I'll hit play, if you can't I'm sorry I'm not risking you having another attack, you'll have to sleep first... we clear?"

Killian couldn't argue, he knew David was probably right but he NEEDED to see that video so he pulled in the first breath and held it. By the time he had managed to repeat it for the tenth time he felt much better and actually managed to give David a smile.

"OK Pirate, just keep breathing, remember to breathe" Killian nodded and David gave a shake of his head and muttered "I must be mad."

Killian was looking at the tiny screen again and without thought he held his breath until David shouted making him jump.

"DAMNIT HOOK, BREATHE"

"Sorry" Killian muttered and just did what he was told making a conscious effort to keep doing it as David hit the play button once more.

"PAPA, You are OK, I am so glad to know that you are OK... I have missed you so much that I thought that I may die, my heart had hurt too much to bear but now it soars with joy to know that you and Grandpa are alright. I love you Papa... and you too Grandpa and LOOK...P.B. and I... that's what we call Pink Bear now, P.B., well P.B. and I have been making a scrap book filled with photos of all the fun things that we have been doing so that you could see that we have been brave while you have been away. I will show you when you get home but Henry wants to say something now. Bye bye Papa, bye bye Grandpa"

Killian was crying again but this time he was grinning as he watched, David hit the pause button and gave him a sideways glance but when he saw Killian's grin he smiled too.

"That's better" he chuckled "You gave me a heart attack the last time you know?"

"Sorry Mate" Killian chuckled grasping at his chest again "It was all just a little too much I think"

"That's the understatement of the century" David openly laughed "You ready for the rest?"

Killian grinned "Junior is fine David... I could take on the world right now, show me"

They watched the rest of the video in silence and by the time it was done Killian's face was aching from smiling so widely but when David put the phone down and finally looked at Killian it was too much and he was suddenly crying again.

David pulled him into a hug, Killian threw his arms around his Brother's neck and buried his face in his David's collarbone and just let his tears flow, he wasn't panicking anymore this was just a pure emotional release.

"He's OK" he sobbed "Thank the Gods above David, he is OK"

"Yeah he is" David managed to reply and suddenly Killian realized that David was crying too and that he hadn't been the only one that had been terrified.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until David pulled back, he scrubbed his hand down his face and laughed "God, look at us"

"What a pair we make" Killian laughed back and he was back to grinning again but his grin fell when David gave him a serious look.

"There's another video on here, it looks like it's Emma, you want to see it?"

"Aye" Killian replied right away, if there was a message from Swan he wanted to see it.

"OK" David said with a smirk "No freaking out"

"Just play it" Killian threw back with sideways glance and David did.

"Hey guys, I had to do this away from the kids. I wanted to keep them happy, don't worry they know this already but I didn't want to bring it up in their first message. You need to know the whole story, we do have a way to bring you home BUT one of the things we need to make the potion is a flower that only blooms in winter. We are trying to find a way to hurry it up but at the end of the day if we can't we can still bring you home so please don't give up hope. You ARE coming home, it may just not be for a while. I miss you guys so much but we are honestly all fine. Junior is trying so hard to be brave and he makes me proud every day to call him my son. It was his idea to send the video message, I guess he's picking up on technology a bit quicker than you Hook. Send back a message soon Dad, I need to see you two with my own eyes and so does everyone else. Love you guys."

The little screen went black and Killian looked to his side and laughed "Could this day get any better Mate? We are going home, it may not be for a while but they have found a way, we WILL see them again..."

"Did you ever doubt it?" David laughed clapping his hand on Killian's back "Now, you lie back on that bed before you keel over and I'll go and get Ariel. Once you've had a rest and no longer look like death warmed up we'll record a message to send back"

Killian gave a groan as he lowered himself down but he felt happier than he had ever felt in his life, his hand settled onto his chest over his heart as he lay there grinning to himself. Junior was alive, Henry and Swan were fine as were Mary-Margaret and the babe. He grinned to himself as he was suddenly remembering Junior's birthday Party and that giant red monstrosity that had nearly killed David. There would be many more birthdays to come and Killian would make sure that each and every one was as special as Junior's first. Killian couldn't quite get his head around the news but it was true, Junior was still very much alive... and apparently playing with that blasted pink bear but Killian just grinned wider, if that thing made the boy happy, well so be it.

The lad was free to live his life, free of his link to Killian and as much as it pained him to not feel Junior's heart beating along side his own he knew that it was the right thing for both of them, Junior would no longer feel Killian's pain and more importantly when Killian's time finally came to leave this life Junior would be safe. The Lad would be able to live a full life without the worry of what was going to happen, he could be a boy, he could be himself and Killian was going to make damned sure that he felt both safe and loved.

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"He's fine Ariel honest but he's really tired now so I thought if we waited out here for a few minutes he might just fall asleep. He'll feel better for it and won't scare the crap out of Junior when we record our message to send back" David said as he stood clutching onto himself to ward off the cold, the snow had stopped but it still lay thick on the ground and it was still decidedly chilly.

Ariel gave a little unsure smile as her eyes moved to the teepee entrance "I don't understand David, it was good news. Why did he panic?"

David gave a shrug "It's not always about panicking I guess, it can be as much about not feeling in control. He was being hit with so many emotions at once it was just too much and his body reacted, he can't help it... I know it looks scary but believe me when I say that what you witnessed is MUCH better than the ones he used to suffer from, he has actually learned how to deal with them quite well but they still take his strength"

Ariel sighed before looking back at David with a smile "His Son is just so sweet, he and Henry seem really close"

"Yeah, Henry is loving being a big brother" David agreed "But I should tell you now that Junior isn't exactly Hook's Son"

Ariel furrowed her brow "Emma said that there was something but she didn't have time to explain. She thought it was more important to let you guys know that they were alright"

David explained all that had happened and Ariel gasped and awed in all the right places until the tale was told.

"So now you can maybe appreciate why he reacted the way he did a bit more, this has been hard enough for me but for him... it must have been torture" David said with a sigh

"Poor Hook" Ariel replied but then she gave a wide smile "But the worst is over now, everyone is fine and you know that you will be going home"

"Yeah" David agreed "You're right. But right now I am getting cold, come on, let's go see if he's sleeping before my feet freeze off. How are you not frozen solid?"

He looked at Ariel as she stood next to him quite happily wearing practically nothing but she just grinned at him and shrugged.

"I live in the ocean, this isn't any colder than I'm used to"

"Well I came from a very warm summer just a few days ago and I am most definitely NOT used to this" he chattered back through his teeth

He gave a dramatic shiver then headed off towards the teepee and sure enough as he peeked his head inside it was to find Hook sleeping.

"He's out" he whispered and beckoned Ariel to follow him

David headed straight for the fire and dropped down next to it trying to heat himself quickly as Ariel sat down next to him.

"What's happening here David? I have never seen snow in Neverland before"

"We think that it's to do with the balance of the magic being disturbed, you know, after we took all the kids back to Storybrooke. Even the Natives want to leave and as soon as Emma and the others figure out how to get us home quicker EVERYONE is leaving"

Ariel nodded "They are working on it David, Emma and Snow assured me that they will find a way to speed up the process even Regina is helping"

"I'm not worried anymore Ariel" David replied with a sigh "I know that we WILL get home and Hook's doing much better, I can be patient if it means I get to see my family again"

They fell into easy conversation as Hook slept, both enjoying the heat from the fire when a sudden wind picked up outside and the teepee rattled vigorously. David looked around quickly coming up onto his knees.

"What the hell?" he gasped out as the teepee rattled again but this time straight after the rattle everything stopped and went quiet. "That was weird"

He looked at Ariel who was blinking widely just looking around but then there were suddenly raised voices from outside and Robin barged through the doorway.

"Oh thank God you are all alright" He breathed out bringing his hand to his chest then bending forward to get his breath back

"What's going on?" David asked getting up and rushing over to his friend

"The Lost Ones that we had tied up..." Robin gasped out looking up to meet David's eyes

"Please don't tell me that they've escaped"

"Not exactly" Robin replied with a worried look

"What does that mean?" David threw back

"Well... Only one escaped. The Shadow man just swooped in David, right in front of our very eyes and stripped one of them of their shadow before grabbing the other one and taking off across the tree tops. We tried to stop him but he nearly took Bear's shadow too, only a bit of quick thinking by Lark saved him when the medicine man threw a lit torch at the Shadow and he let go."

"Is Bear alright?" David gasped

"He will be just fine with some rest" Robin replied "But David this is the first that we have seen of the Shadow Man, the Chief said that he had thought that he had gone. Why has he some back? What was he looking for?"

David let out a long breath and shook his head "A new Lost Boy to replace Pan. We took them all away but the two boys that returned must have... I don't know... reactivate the Shadow?! I'm guessing here but I do know that unless we want the whole damn cycle to start again we need to get that Lost one back and take him to Storybrooke with us"

"I don't understand though!" Robin replied "If the shadow just needed a child ,why wait? Roland has been here for months"

"Roland is not lost though Robin, he is happy and secure... the Shadow feeds on the weak, he prays on Lost Souls and tricks them into thinking that they are powerful when all they are really doing is feeding the Shadow's power. We need to stop it before more Lost Boys start appearing on the island, if the Shadow Man took one boy alive but took the other's shadow he now has a way of leaving the island to trick other boys into coming here. I won't let this start again, I can't Robin. It needs to end once and for all"

"I agree" Hook suddenly said and when David looked at the bed it was to find the Pirate pulling himself up, the steely determination on his face clear to see "We need to send a message home David, they need to know that the Shadow has returned. I will not risk my Sons or your boy being brought here or worse being stripped of their own shadow in a sick twisted act of revenge"

"In that case" David replied grabbing the cell phone and heading over "We need to record two messages. One for the kids to see and one for Emma and Snow, come on, let's get to work"