Hidden Treasures Chapter 97, an once upon a time fanfic

Did I frighten you all?

lol

Sorry, I just couldn't resist but poor wee Junior is not quite out of the woods just yet so you have to keep reading.

As always please review.

Enjoy

Emma lay on the gurney right along with Junior as Whale checked him out. Emma was worried, he had barely moved since he first woke up and was still beyond pale. She had initially just taken him back to the hold never letting him go, (God she didn't think she would ever be able to let him go again...) She had sat with him on her lap for about ten minutes with Henry tucked under her arm too but it became obvious that there was something wrong when Juniors condition didn't improve and he suddenly started to puke his guts up before passing out again. Right now he was still kinda out of it only occasionally giving a small cry and burying his face into her as the Doc worked.

"I am at a bit of a loss to be honest Miss Swan" he grit out as he pulled back his stethoscope "I have never had to deal with anyone who has nearly lost their shadow before. I don't really know what it does to a person so I am just going to have to run a full battery of tests"

Emma sighed but nodded "I know that Hook and Neal felt like crap after it happened to them in Neverland but we were in a situation there, I think the initial adrenalin must have helped them carry on because they didn't react like this although both did sleep all that night, I remember because my Dad complained about having to do double watch duty. I just didn't know what else to do... where else to go"

"It's alright, you did the right thing. I'm sure we can get him back to his mischievous self in no time... for the time being I am going to draw bloods and hook him up to a heart rate monitor, his heart is a bit out of rhythm but I'm hoping that it will sort itself out over the next few hours. Maybe you want to distract him a little while a do this"

Again Emma nodded as Whale got to work but as it turned out she didn't need to distract him, he seemed to have passed out again and just hung limply in her arms. The Doc was just hooking him up to a heart rate monitor when the door pushed open a little and Henry's head popped through, she could see the worry on his face and his red rimmed eyes from the tears.

"Where's Grandma?" Emma asked in a whisper

"She's just parking. Mom stayed with Neal at the Jolly." He whispered then looked to Junior "Is he OK?"

Whale looked up and gave a tentative smile "He will be even better with his big Brother by his side, I hear you are quite the hero young man, you saved him"

Henry gave a little smile, he came through the door and made his way over never taking his eyes from Junior's pale face "He's still sleeping"

"Yeah Kid" Emma whispered stroking her fingers through Junior's hair

Henry suddenly held up P.B. and placed him on Junior's front "I thought he'd want him"

"Thanks Henry, you did good kid" she smiled but he didn't smile back, he let his head drop and she could see he was close to tears "What's up Kid? Talk to me."

"I didn't do good enough Mom, look at him" he burst out looking back at Junior as a tear trailed down his cheek

"Are you kidding me?" she burst out "Henry I am looking at him and THAT is down to you. You saved him."

Whale stepped forward and placed a hand on Henry's shoulder but talked to Emma "I'm going to take these bloods straight to the lab myself. My shift is finished but I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers. I will be back soon hopefully with a treatment plan"

Just then Junior gave a cry and Emma's focus was back on the kid in her arms, she pulled P.B. up a bit and held him in front of the kid's face and whispered "Hey, look who Henry brought in for you. He needs a hug, you want to give him one?"

Junior opened a bleary eye and looked at his bear, his eyes seemed to focus on his target but then he didn't seem to be able to co-ordinate his arms to take him and in the end he just gave another whine and closed his eyes. Emma looked back to Whale with worry on her face but he was narrowing his eyes like he had an idea.

"I'm gonna rush these through" the Doc said lifting the vials up "I... I think I might just have an idea what's going on... be back soon"

With that he took off out the door. Emma just tugged Junior in closer and snuggled his bear into him so that he knew P.B. was there. Henry leant heavily against the rail on the side of the bed with a sigh.

"I hope Whale's right. I miss him bouncing around the place"

"Me too Kid, me too"

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Killian knew that he had been set up... he was going to kill David.

He gave a polite smile as one of the many female tribe members sat by his side at the head of the lake. He had planned in his mind a fun day with just himself and Roland... that however is not how it had turned out. The young women were all chatting excitedly as the food was shared out and he tried to not frown, he wanted Junior to have fun... no... not Junior... Roland.

He gave a heavy sigh and looked at the lad as he splashed about in the shallows with a young lass about his own age.

God's he missed his boy.

"The world weighs heavy on your shoulders Apenimon" Tala said sitting down next to him "What is worrying you?"

"I am fine" he automatically answered pulling a smile to his lips but she just gave a chuckle and raised an eyebrow

"We both know that is a lie" she crooned "Now shall we start again? What is troubling that mind of yours?"

He gave a resigned smirk then nodded his head at Roland "I have a boy about his age, I just... I miss him so much"

"I know that feeling only too well" Tala replied dropping her head "I too miss my child"

Killian's gaze jumped back to the woman who sat before him, of course, she was Tiger Lily's Mother. Now he thought about it, he could see the resemblances between the two of them and he gave a smile.

"Tiger Lily is happy you know" he soothed as he read the worry on her face

"Tell me about her" Tala suddenly looked hopeful and he found himself distracted from his own thoughts.

"She looks like you, except she has..."

"Her Father's eyes" Tala finished with a wide smile "It was always the way. You really have seen her haven't you?"

"Aye" he smiled "She is married to Rufio and the pair of them are doing a grand job of raising Rapha. You should be proud of the young woman that she has blossomed in to"

Tears shone in Tala's eyes "For the longest time we believed that she was dead. Then we heard that she had left here alive but still the worry stays with you. Had she managed to stay alive? Where was she? Was she still alright? Every night I would go to bed with these questions on my lips but until this moment I had no answers. Thank you Apenimon, you truly are a hero... you are my hero. You have found a way for us all to be together again and for that I will be eternally grateful"

He shook his head "I fear you give me too much credit, it was not I who found the way but my family back in Storybrooke"

Tala suddenly came up onto her knees in front of him and reached out a hand, she touched his forehead with two fingers and whispered.

"No... you are wrong. YOU know the way Apenimon. You have the answer in here... see it"

Killian jolted awake to find that he must have fallen asleep at the side of the lake. Roland sat a short distance away with a few of the others and Tala sat by Killian's side. She gave him a knowing look as she stood up and as she walked away she muttered.

"See it Apenimon"

He gasped in a breath... What the bloody hell was going on?

David was pissed, he was filthy and it would seem that every insect on the damn island had taken a liking to his blood as he swatted yet another one as it sunk it's teeth into his neck.

How much further were they going to trail around for?

Robin seemed to be in his element and wore a wide smile on his face as they tiptoed down yet another nearly identical muddy track through the thick jungle.

Bear threw out a hand stopping them then urgently motioned for them to get off the track. They all moved swiftly into the jungle and dropped down to crouch behind a large fallen tree as a rustling noise sounded up ahead. David craned his neck so that he could see over the log and gave an involuntary gasp when a herd of small deer like creatures came into view. He turned quickly to Robin who was already pulling an arrow from his back, the archer raised a knowing brow then fired off three arrows in quick succession.

"You never fail to miss" Bear yelled jumping over the log and heading towards the kill with Robin right on his heels

David followed after them shaking his head with a chuckle "Looks like venison for dinner, Hook will be happy"

"The whole tribe will be happy" Bear replied with a huge grin "We have not seen Neverdeer for months"

David was suddenly looking around himself as a thought struck him "Why is it sunny again today?"

"What?" Robin asked with a frown

"Since I arrived the weather has followed a pattern of rain turning to snow then sun. It was sunny yesterday so why is it not raining today?"

"Good point" Robin replied looking to Bear

"The Shadow Man has a new Lost One, they control the weather... the island is a reflection on them"

"So what? The rain and snow have gone?" David asked stepping forward to help with the deer

Bear gave a shrug "I do not know, we have never faced a situation like this before. We only recently realized the correlation between the Shadow Man, the island's magic and the Lost Ones."

"Well if that is how it works be prepared for the weather to get worse when we get Jensen away from the Shadow, I don't think he's gonna be very happy about it"

"We will be fine" Robin said "Six more months of this we can handle but until then I say we head back to camp and get dinner started"

"Yeah, and I can have a wash" David grumbled "I stink"

Killian lay back in the water just floating along letting the sun soothe him. The others had left not long ago, some under protest but he had told them that he was just going to have a quick swim then head back to camp. He was tired and still very confused as to what these dreams meant, he just needed dome time by himself to think before heading back.

Did he really know that answer to getting home?

He racked his brain trying to think of anyway he possibly could. Had he perhaps seen this flower that Swan needed for the potion? Surely that couldn't be it, he had no idea what a winter Jasmine looked like so that wouldn't work.

He gave a heavy sigh and tried to put it out of his mind, it was just a dream even if it was driving him to distraction...

He opened his eyes deciding that it was time to head back but when he got himself upright it was to find that he had drifted a lot further out than he had intended too. He looked at the distance and knew that he would struggle to make it that far without drowning himself. Looking around for another solution he realized that he was closer to the side and he could make out a path that headed back towards camp. It would take him longer to get back but at least he would not have water in his lungs. So with another heavy sigh he kicked off for shore and wearily pulled himself from the water a few minutes later dropping down onto a rock to rest before setting off again.

He took a few more deep breaths before pulling himself upright and starting off at a snail's pace along the track but after a few minutes he realized that the track was heading away from the lake.

"Damn it" he ground out as he came to the conclusion that he was going to have to head back to the lake and swim.

He was beyond tired now and in desperate need of some tea but he didn't have a choice so he just turned and started back the way he had come. He had literally taken about ten paces when there were footsteps approaching him from behind. Oh thank the Gods, someone had found him, maybe he wouldn't have to swim after all.

He turned to see who it was and suddenly wished that he had moved to the side of the track when the person barrelled around the corner and ran straight into him. He was sent flying through the air and landed with a hard thump. He was instantly curling up on his side as his ribs and hip screamed at him.

"Nnnnnnnnng" he grit out through clenched teeth as he tried to see who had hit him "What in the bloody blazes were you doing running so fast?"

"YOU were in my way not the other way around..."

Killian's heart froze in his chest, his eyes flew open and he was trying to back away in the next instant, scrabbling backwards across the dirt as suddenly Jensen's voice hit his ears.

"Jensen grab the rope"

Devin was back and Killian could do nothing to stop him as Jensen's face loomed down at him. He could see the boy's mouth moving but all sound was gone, he was caught up between a reality that had happened a long time ago and what he was seeing now, yet he could do nothing to help himself as his mind retreated. He took in one last long stuttering breath before he found himself back in that clearing surrounded by Lost Ones, some of whom had departed this life but to him it was real. He was suddenly reliving every kick, every punch and every blow of that bat but the worst was still to come as he felt that damned rope tighten around his neck. He was being dragged towards the tree and he could feel his heart slamming against his ribs with every inch that was travelled.

He was going to die... he couldn't survive this... God's no, not again.

Somebody had to save him... anybody.

David stretched out his back as he headed down the track to the lake hoping to God that he didn't find Hook passed out in the sun, they had both had too much of that the day before. He was stiff and sore from carrying back their dinner and he needed a wash REALLY badly.

"Tala said that he was just fine, you know you can stop worrying about him" Robin said with a chuckle "He did live here for centuries if you remember correctly"

David sighed "I know but that was then and this is now... I know I'm probably being stupid but I can't help it. Watch this, we'll get there and he'll wonder what all the fuss is about. He'll be like" David cleared his throat and pulled out his best Pirate voice "Bloody Hell Mate... Can a Pirate not take a swim in peace?"

David grinned at Robin as they neared the shore but when he came up to the rough sand he frowned "Where is the idiot?

Robin looked around too and mused "Perhaps he has taken a different path back"

"There is only one path" David threw back suddenly getting worried. He stepped forward wading into the water and screamed at the pitch of his voice "HOOK, WHERE ARE YOU?"

The voice that came back was not the one he had expected and he was running in an instant

"OVER HERE... WE'RE OVER HERE. YOU HAVE TO HELP HIM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG"

David and Robin just ran through the shrubbery but in seconds they had stopped not knowing what way to go, so he yelled again "SHOUT AGAIN, I NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE"

"THIS WAY, OVER HERE" the voice called back

A few more paces and they burst through onto another pathway and David was running full force down the track but he was ill prepared for the sight that met him when he rounded the final bend to find Jensen leaning over Hook who was in full panic attack mode.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM" he roared thundering into the boy and sending him sprawling across the ground.

David didn't even pause to see where Jensen was he just scrambled his way to Hook's side and hauled him up into his arms "I've got you, you're OK. Come on, take some deep breaths, you've got this.

But he knew Hook didn't have it... not even in the slightest. His eyes were glazed and he just started into space as his chest lurched up and down with each choppy breath. David knew he needed to get Hook back to camp now but Robin talking in a low calm voice to the Lost One broke him from his thought process when he registered that Jensen was just sitting watching in horror at the sight before him.

"What happened?" Robin asked

"I... I... He was" he gulped and pulled his gaze away from Hook to look into Robin's eyes "I was trying to find my way back to camp. I escaped the Shadow Man and I needed to get back to tell you all that he has sent Xylo's shadow to Storybrooke to... he wanted Hook's Son's shadow"

"WHAT?" David yelled out

Jensen shook his head and looked to David "I tried to stop him but I couldn't so I waited until he left and I ran, I don't want to play this game anymore, it's not fun like it used to be"

"Game!" David yelled pulling Hook up a bit higher "Does THIS look like a game to you? People are dead and you still thought it was a game?"

"David" Robin nearly whispered "Perhaps we should carry this on at a later time"

David had no patience left for the kid so he just muttered "Fine but you can deal with that piece of trash, I need to get Hook back to Lark, hopefully he will be able to help."

He didn't hang about, he didn't even look back over at the boy he just pulled himself up before hauling Hook up and slinging him over his shoulder knowing that it was probably going to hurt the Pirate like hell later but right now he didn't have a choice. He was moving in second back down the path then he was plowing through the jungle again to get back to the end of the lake.

Five minutes later he stumbled in to camp yelling for help. Lark and a few other descended on him and carefully brought Hook down from his shoulder before practically running with him back to their tent.

"Place him on the bed" Lark instructed as he reached up and took the dream catcher from it's position and placed it right over Hook's heart "This will help him sort out reality from memory"

Lark moved around the bed and started chanting in a low voice as he knelt by Hook's side. David watched the Pirate's face intently just waiting on that first long blink and when it finally came a few minutes later he dropped down onto the edge of the bed next to his Brother and took up his hand.

"Come on, you're OK." He gave a heavy sigh "It's over, he's gone Killian, come back to me, please come back to me"

Hook moved his head slowly and slurred "Da'id?"

"Yeah, it's me" he whispered "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere"

"Th'nk y' Br'ther" Hook sighed out letting his eyes close.

He lay quite still for a few minutes before the shaking started and he was suddenly frowning and grinding his teeth.

"What hurts?" David asked in a low tone

"R-Ribs" Hook grit out then he gave a groan as David tried to raise his top to look

David pulled the top back and was happy to see no new bruising on his ribs but he did have several scrapes and bumps near his hip, he must have hit the ground pretty hard. Lark was suddenly there with more of the poultice rubbing it in to all Hook's sore bits, once he was done he handed David the tub.

"You will probably need all of this before he feels better. Let him sleep if he can, do not remove the dream catcher until morning at least. In this position it should allow him to rest easy although it may not be that simple, his mind is quite... afflicted shall we say?"

"That's one word for it" David sighed before giving Lark a smile "Thanks for all your help"

"It is my pleasure" he gave a slight bow then headed out the door leaving David to watch over Hook.

His chest still gave the occasional hitch but in all honesty Hook had settled much quicker than any other time he'd had an attack. David's eyes fell on the dream catcher and he gave a wry smile, how could something so simple help so much? He shook his head as he realized that he didn't care, Hook was feeling the benefit and that's all that mattered. He tried to stand but the minute he started to move Hook's eyes flew open and he was gasping again.

"Hey, I'm still here" David soothed just scooting up the bed a bit "See, I was just getting more comfortable"

Hook gave a jerky nod before closing his eyes again and sinking back down onto the bed with another choppy sigh.

"Wh-where is th-the b-b-boy?" He stuttered opening one eye "Wh-what h-h-happened?"

David gave a heavy sigh "Believe it or not he was trying to help but that can wait, you need to get some sleep. You want me to make you some tea, it might help you drop off"

"A-are you a-about t-to dope me up?" Hook asked and when David looked he saw the Pirate smirking

"Maybe but one thing is for sure, I'll not be stewing it"

Hook chuckled and let his eye close again "Sp-spoil sp-sport"

David headed to the fire to grab the tea, he was nervously bouncing his knee as he waited on the water heating. He had deliberately kept Jensen's intentions vague. Right now he had no way of getting word to Snow or Emma about Xylo's shadow heading their way. He just hoped to God that they stopped him before he got to Junior. He gave another sigh and looked up in frustration. Why would this thing just not end? It SHOULD be over, Devin was dead, the Jewel was gone and Junior had survived it's destruction, why did there have to be more? Why could life, just for once not just give him a break?

He poured the tea and headed back to the bed where he found Hook a lot calmer and actually trying to sit himself up a bit to receive the tea.

"Just lie still you idiot" David grit out with a wince of sympathy as Hook suddenly clamped his hand to his ribs and groaned.

"Nothing like insulting the injured" Hook threw back with a slight smirk

"Yeah well..." David replied but he really didn't have anything else to say so he just helped Hook drink down his tea then sat back as he watched it's magic work.

Ten minutes later the Pirate was sleeping soundly and David found himself making his way over to his own bed. He was tempted to down the rest of the tea knowing that it would knock him out but he didn't... he needed to be alert in case Hook woke up and needed him.

All thoughts of the venison were gone as he lay down on his bed and just stared up at his leather surroundings. He felt slightly sick at the thought of Xylo's shadow making it's way to Storybrooke as he just lay there waiting on Ariel returning... he felt useless, he knew his family were in danger and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

He sighed and closed his eyes just trying with all his might to block out the reality of his situation and in the end he too fell asleep but unlike Hook who had the benefit of his dream catcher David didn't have any such a luxury. He awoke several time through the night and each time he was sweating badly and blinking widely as the image of a shadow figure skittered away from his mind.

Please, if there is a God out there. PLEASE just keep my family safe.

I just need my family to be safe.

This was the plea he kept repeating over and over to himself as he lay there. The hours passed and the rain started to fall but David just kept repeating his mantra over and over again. The universe owed him a favor and he was going to make damned sure it knew what he wanted...