In answer to the questions regarding the Shadow Man, yes he is for the next story... you'll see a wee bit more of him in this chapter but he is for the main arc of the next fic that I write (already got loads of ideas lol) but for now we have a Pirate, a Prince and a former thief to bring home.
But they're not home yet... things can never go that smoothly now can they?
As always please review.
Enjoy
:)
Killian had been abandoned the minute the boy had keeled over, David had practically scooped the boy up and rushed him back over to the bed and now the Prince and the Medicine Man were tipping copious amounts of apple juice down the lad's throat. Killian for his part wanted to help but he had found that his legs refused to work and within minutes of the whole thing starting he was shaking like he often did following his attacks but he knew that's not what this was, this was something different. His heart was thundering in his chest once more and he felt beyond awful as he tried to breathe through it but nothing he did was helping as he sat there with his teeth rattling together. He closed his eyes and clamped his jaw together while trying to hug himself just trying to stop the shaking but that didn't seem to be working either and he was tiring fast. In the end there was little more he could do than slump to the side as his body simply ran out of energy to hold him up, he could barely open his eyes now... what the bloody hell was going on?
"Hook?"
David... thank the Gods for small mercies.
Suddenly there were hands on him pulling him up to lie in what he assumed were David's arms then there was a cup at his mouth. He took a large gulp expecting water but what he got was a pure shot of apple juice and the result was instantaneous as his eyes flew open. He could see David's worried face above him as he lifted the cup again. Killian took in a few more mouthfuls before shaking his head and breathing heavily.
"What...what happened?" he mumbled looking around in confusion
"Pretty sure you were effected by the Shadow again. I know how that whole thing made me feel and I wasn't already fighting the effects from two previous encounters. You'll be fine, just take a few minutes"
"The boy?" Killian tried to crane his neck to see the Lost One but found he still lacked the strength to move very much.
"Hey, just stay where you are. Jensen's fine, we managed to get two full cups of juice in him so he's just sleeping now which doesn't seem like a bad idea to me... why don't you join him?"
Killian shook his head a bit and frowned mumbling "Not yet"
He wanted to wait until he was back in his own bed before settling down but he was unwilling to tell David that the thought of sleeping in the same teepee as the Lost One made him nervous. Killian gave a heavy sigh and let his eyes slide closed even though he didn't want them too.
"The Shadow is really gone?" he mumbled in question
"Yep, Gold incinerated him... now we can just relax, it'll be like we're on vacation... a really weird vacation where you have to avoid things like Neverbeasts but a vacation all the same."
Killian smirked and peeked open an eye "And you call me an idiot"
David smirked back and chuckled "Shut up and drink your apple juice"
The cup was back at Killian's mouth and he found himself gulping down the last few mouthfuls before David seemed satisfied that he'd had enough. He still felt exhausted but he could feel the effects of the juice already as his brain seemed to be able to think more clearly.
The Shadow Man was really gone and so was Devin.
Finally he could relax a little... maybe the answer to his dream questions would surface but if not well they were going home anyway and that's all that mattered. He would see his Swan and she would be more beautiful in every way than he remembered... he would see his boys. An image of Henry and Junior popped into his head and he must have smiled because David suddenly chuckled.
"What are you grinning at Pirate?"
He peeked open his eye again and grinned wider "I have two sons... me! I never ever thought that I could have a family and yet I have, I have found happiness David and that's is down to your Daughter, she really did save me"
David shrugged "Meh... that's her job"
They both laughed but Killian found himself stopping both because of the pain in his ribs and the fact that he was just too tired but his smile stayed on his face as he looked up at David.
"You saved me too you know" he added seriously "You must be part Savior as well because you know when to keep me in line, you know when to tell me I'm being an idiot and you know when to leave me be... you truly are my Brother David, the best one I could ask for"
"I think that apple juice has gone straight to your head" David smirked but then he gave a serious look too and sighed "You helped me too... you let me be stupid. For too many years I was far too serious. The weight of reigning a Kingdom doesn't really allow for a lot of down time but when you came along the banter was fun. You liked to push me and I liked to push back... it felt familiar... like family. Hell, even when we were here the first time..."
"When I saved your life?" Killian threw in jokingly with a smirk
"THAT'S the point I was about to make Hook" David threw back and Killian frowned, what was he talking about?
"You saved me. You didn't have to and you made out that you did it for Emma and OK, maybe a part of you did but when we were heading up Dead Man's Peak I saw you... the real you and you were worried about ME, not Emma."
Killian closed his eyes with a sigh "You reminded me of Liam even back then with that pig headedness of yours... that's what got Liam killed and I don't know... I just didn't want that happening to you too."
"Well for the record I am glad you did"
"As am I" Killian sighed out, he was getting really tired now and lying by the fire with David he felt relaxed.
The boy was far enough away, the shadow was gone, perhaps some sleep would be better sooner rather that later plus the thought of making it back across the clearing seemed beyond him right now. He felt David pull him in closer as his Brother lent back against one of the logs then a blanket settled over Killian's front.
Aye, sleep sounded good right about now.
He was gone in minutes
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Rumple had convinced Belle to head to the library insisting that he was just going to go through some inventory before heading home but practically the minute she had walked out of the door he had headed through to the back shop and pulled the ouanga out of his pocket.
"I think that it's about time that we see the real you don't you?"
He held out his hand letting the ouanga hang from the chord and started the incantation to release the Shadow Man while holding his other hand up to incapacitate him as soon as he was corporeal again. The dark figure slithered free but within seconds the colors of his human form started to show and in no time at all the tall skinny tan skinned man stood before Rumple. He was wearing a dark maroon suit with a purple vest and two toned shoes of black with white spats. The bokor looked confused as he took in his surrounding but the instant his eyes settled on Rumple the man turned into a bumbling fool as he fell to his knees and crawled his way to Rumple's feet.
"Oh Dark One" he cried out in his deep southern accent "You freed me... what can I ever do to thank you?"
Rumple narrowed his eyes taking in the figure in front of him and sneered "You believe that you are free?"
"Why of course. I am no longer confined to the other side..." he had started with confidence but as he spoke he must have seen the look on Rumple's face as he trailed off and gulped deeply "I see... it would seem that I have been freed from one prison to end in another"
Rumple lent forward and sneered "Oh you don't know that half of it Shadow Man"
"But but..." he stuttered then tried to bargain "We could be so powerful you and I, we could work together, let us make a deal Dark One"
"I am the only one in this town that gets to make deals. Why would I ever want to work WITH you?" Rumple cried out "You stole my father from me Shadow Man. I was just a boy and YOU took him and left me with nothing. You are about to find out just how powerful I am here in this realm and just because we won't be working together does not mean that I won't be benefiting from your particular brand of magic."
Facilier's eyebrow quirked "You should be thanking me... your Father was a weak fool. He was only interested in self fulfilment. I... well I just showed him for what he was. If he had not stayed with me on my island he would have abandoned you sooner or later."
"Oh I have no doubt that you are right" Rumple replied suddenly leaning forward and prodding a finger into the bokor's shoulder "But you sent my own father for my Grandson... and that is one thing that I will never forgive... you went after Bae's boy"
The Shadow Man sighed and pulled himself to his feet and giving a deep sigh "It was for the greater good Rumple... you know about these things. Sometimes the sacrifice of one benefits the many"
"Only in this case the only one benefiting was my Father therefore you..."
Facilier only raised an eyebrow and smirked "You are a fool Dark One, we could have worked together but now I think that it is time for me to leave"
The Shadow Man moved quickly dipping his hand into his pocket pulling out something and throwing it onto the ground in front of his feet. There was a bright flash and a smoke cloud rose up but Rumple just waited, he knew that there was nothing to worry about, the bokor was going nowhere and when the smoke cleared he almost laughed out loud at the look of absolute horror on Facilier's face.
"I think that it is you who is the fool Shadow Man, your magic is no match for mine." Rumple smirked holding up the ouanga again "So for now I think that maybe you should go back in here until I am ready to use you for my own benefit. You will regret the day you crossed me bokor, mark my words"
Facilier's mouth hung open briefly before his jaw starting bobbing like he was trying to say something but no sound came out until Rumple suddenly started to pull the figure back into the ouanga in his hand.
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" the bokor cried out trying to grasp onto the table but Rumple's magic was too strong and Facilier was gone in seconds.
Rumple gave a chuckle as a thought came to his mind, he walked quickly to the hat stand in the corner of the room and plucked the tall black top hat down to hold it in his hand. He smirked as he looked at the skull and crossbones on the front and thought of the flag flying on the Jolly Roger with the same design.
"Ironic really" he mused "One will help me destroy the other"
He held the hat up in one hand and the ouanga in the other "We can't have Dr. Facilier back without his hat now can we?"
The hat shook for a second then started to filter into a shadowy cloud and slowly seeped into the ouanga leaving Rumple standing with a smile on his face. He walked back to the front shop and was just about to place the little mask into the safe but something made him pause... Belle had found the Blue Fairy's heart when he had hidden it in there.
He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes in thought before giving another little smirk and disappearing into his red cloud to reappear in the clock tower. He had spent so much time here recently that he felt right at home as he strode up the metal staircase and headed to the wall that he had covered with his mind's ramblings. He waved his hand over the brick work to reveal a space behind, he swifty placed the ouanga inside before waving his hand again to seal it inside.
He stood back with a sigh... things were looking good. Everything was falling into place. He had the Charmings of Storybrooke on his side and they would spread word to the Pirate in Neverland. Yes, Rumple would have dagger back in a few short months then he could move on to finally getting his revenge on Captain Hook and no one would ever suspect that the poor Pirate's demise had anything to do with him, especially Belle, she would be oblivious and still by his side... no longer spending time with his oldest enemy.
No matter how much Belle protested that they were just friends it still made Rumple's blood boil at the thought of them spending time together. He smiled widely to himself as he thought of how uncomplicated his life was about to become.
Yes, life as the Dark One was going to get so much better without Captain Hook around.
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David managed to lay Hook down without waking him and quickly scooted himself free to pull himself back up to his feet. He bent down and fixed his Brother's blanket before heading back over to talk to Lark.
"How's he doing?" he asked nodding his head at Jensen
"He seems to have settled. His heart is no longer racing and he is peaceful so he should be fine. How is Apenimon?"
David glanced back over at Hook and nodded "Same, the apple juice worked quite quickly. I just hope that he gets a decent sleep."
Lark gave him a smile before turning his back to him, he turned back a few seconds later and handed David a cup "Drink, you too will have been effected by the Shadow Man"
David felt fine but lifted the cup to his lips anyway not wanting to be rude but the second the juice hit his stomach David felt the difference. He blinked widely and stared into the cup in disbelief, how had he not felt how badly he was feeling before now? He quickly finished the cup and handed it back with thanks as Lark finished his too.
"You should sleep too Shilah, you look tired"
David just nodded, now that he was thinking more clearly his body seemed to be trying tell him to rest so he thanked Lark again and headed back to the fire where he lay down opposite Hook. He took the mirror out of his bandaging, he tucked it under the furs and settled down with a sigh. He drifted off in minutes falling straight into a dream full of familiar faces but it didn't last as he was wrenched from sleep to find the ground shaking once again.
"What's going on?" he yelled as he hauled himself up and Lark rushed over.
"The island" Lark gasped out gripping on to David as the ground shook again " Perhaps without the Shadow Man here the island is unstable"
The ground steadied itself and everything settled. David's gaze instantly fell on Hook to find that the Pirate hadn't stirred, how had he slept through that? A bubble of worry rose up inside him as he moved around the fire and dropped down onto his knees.
"Hook?" David said in an urgent tone giving the Pirate a shake
"What?" Hook mumbled peeking open his eye, it only stayed open for a second before it closed again and David sighed in relief as he realized that the Pirate hadn't stirred because he was simply too tired.
"Nothing, it's OK. Go back to sleep"
Hook didn't say anything, he just gave a sigh and let his head loll to the side settling back into sleep quickly. David got back up wondering if Hook even knew that he had woken up just as Robin burst through the doorway panting harshly.
"The far side of the island is still falling into the sea..." he whispered harshly when he realized that Hook was still sleeping "and skull rock is no more, it has crumbled into the water too. David we need to find a way off this island sooner rather than later. Half the camp has been damaged too and people are hurt"
Lark appeared by David's side at that point and spoke to Robin "Where?"
"Tala has gathered the wounded by her teepee"
Lark gave a single nod before heading out through the flap just as the island gave another slight shake.
"I've got to let home know what's going on... I don't know, maybe they can hurry up the flowering process of that flower or something" David said running back to the fireplace
He dug the mirror out and held it up "Hey, anyone there?"
"Grandpa" Junior's excited face appeared on the screen and David couldn't help the smile that he gave back
"Hey Kid, how you doing?"
"I'm good" he replied throwing himself onto the couch with a grin
"Where's your Momma?" David asked casually not wanting to worry the boy
"On deck, everyone is. We are about to have a picnic dinner. Ruby is bringing food as a special treat from Granny's. I just came back to collect P.B. after I accidentally left him behind and he was frightened."
"Oh no, poor P.B." David played along "Is he OK now?"
"Aye" Junior nodded lifting the bear up and showing him before frowning deeply "Where is Papa?"
"He's sleeping kid but he's fine, don't worry"
Junior gave a little smile and David was just about to ask him to go and give the mirror to either Emma or Snow when the ground shook again. He was on his feet in an instant heading straight over to Hook but before he had even taken two steps there was a huge cracking sound and he looked up to see a few of the support poles giving way. He tried to move but he wasn't fast enough and before he knew what was happening the teepee was upon him thumping him into the ground. His head hit hard and he was seeing stars in an instant as the heavy weight of the supports and leather lay across his back and head pining him down.
"David?" Robin was yelling loudly "Hook?"
David tried to move, he tried to get himself free but he was stuck and the pain in his head was only growing with each passing second. He reached up his free hand to try and shove the pole off of his head but it was jammed in place and he couldn't do anything other than clamp his eyes closed against the building pressure.
"GRANDPA!" he heard Junior yell but he must have dropped the mirror because it wasn't in his hand anymore, he groaned again as the pain in his head grew to be too much and black dots danced in his vision.
"DAVID" Robin yelled louder
He tried to answer Robin too but all that came out was a gasp as the pressure grew, he seriously thought that his head was going to explode when the pressure suddenly released. He could feel hands on him but could do nothing to help them as the darkness tried to take over. He wanted to reassure a now irate Junior but again all that escaped him was another groan and the minute someone pulled him up from the ground he knew no more as the darkness finally won and he descended into the depths of his own mind.
I know, I know... another cliffy.
My bad lol