Dead Reckoning

Chapter Twelve

Snow looked down at her son still in her arms and was grateful that he was still asleep despite the chaos from the battle which took place minutes earlier, then David came up behind them as he rested his hand on the small of his wife's back while they had begun to follow Emma and Killian, as well as the others away from the beach. However, Liam laid his hand over his brother's back to stop him and the others a moment when he saw two more boats from the Jewel of the Realm coming towards them.

"Wait… I asked for my crew to join me," the older Jones stated while everyone watched as his men arrived on land, then walked towards their Captain and the heroes. "As much as we love the sailing the seas, it's nice to step foot on dry ground once in awhile. Surely you remember them, brother?"

"Silver's old crew," Killian replied with surprise. "They've been sailing with you since you helped them to move on from the Underworld?"

Liam answered, "I wasn't really the one who made it possible for any of us to move on, Killian. You did."

Emma smiled proudly as she tightened her hold around her husband's waist, but when he lowered his head upon feeling uncomfortable by his brother's praise, she changed the subject while she spoke up saying, "We can all head over to Granny's so we can talk more comfortably."

"Can you walk all right?" she then asked quietly as she turned to look up at Killian again. "I can transport us there if you're still too weak to…"

"You healed my injuries, Swan," he whispered as everyone including Liam and his crew walked on ahead of them. "I told you, I'm fine. I promise."

When he stepped away from her to try to catch up to Liam, clearly not wanting the attention, the Savior then turned her head to stare out over the ocean again, her face changing from concern for Killian to anger while Regina stepped up to stand beside Emma as she questioned, "You're still worried about whoever attacked Hook I take it?"

Without looking at her, Emma responded, "Whoever it was is still out there somewhere. I can't risk them returning so they can try to kill him again. We have to do something."

"I agree," the Queen replied in concern. "They destroyed the Jolly Roger, so most likely they'll simply leave to go back to wherever the hell they came from after they finish repairing their own ship. But if I'm wrong… I can reinforce the protection spells I put up around Storybrooke. I just don't think they'll help us any if they figure out Hook's still alive before disappearing through the barriers. Perhaps not even if they pass through them. They never should have been able to get into Storybrooke in the first place."

"I don't care what it takes to make sure these pirates don't hurt Killian again," Emma said more firmly. "We'll put up the spells together. At least they'll be stronger than before. I'll keep Killian close to me in case his attackers do come back."

Once they finished, Emma ran to catch up with her husband and the others while Regina followed in less of a hurry as they continued walking back towards town. After they walked into the diner, everyone who had been there to witness what happened down on the beach sat down at the tables so they could listen to Liam while he began to share his story. Granny brought them all out something to drink and upon hearing one of the dwarfs uttering something about Hook having been injured, she laid a glass on the table in front of him, then poured him some rum knowing he needed something stronger.

David took Neal from his wife's arms to hold his son for awhile as he turned to Liam and asked, "So, how did you get here after you and your men moved on from the Underworld? We saw how you arrived on the shore, so I'm guessing you're still…"

When the Prince cut himself off feeling a little awkward about mentioning the man's death, but Liam smiled as he stated, "Dead? It's all right to talk about it, though I do appreciate your reservations. Yes, I moved on as Killian said. As did the rest of our old crew whom we served with while Captain Silver's slaves."

"I'm sorry, Killian," Liam immediately apologized when he noticed his brother bow his head in shame upon him bringing up the memory of their years in slavery, knowing how much being abandoned to become a slave had hurt Killian.

"It was a long time ago," the younger Jones answered quietly. "Please continue."

The other Captain nodded and then spoke again saying, "We serve as emissaries for the King of the Gods. Zeus gave me a chance to pay my penance for making the deal with Hades. Now we help the souls who have died by transporting them to where they belong in their afterlife. The Jewel of the Realm allows us to travel between worlds. We've been working with Arthur to help make the Underworld a better place for those who can't move on right away."

One of the crewmen looked over at Killian from where he stood among the rest of those who had died as he continued, "We're proud to serve with your brother because we all have mistakes to make up for after serving under Silver and obeyed his every command blindly. Captain Jones is a much better Captain than Silver ever was."

"I'm happy you're all well, but Liam… how is it you're here?" the younger Jones asked when he turned to look over at his brother sitting on his left, while Emma sat on his right. "How did you know I was in danger?"

"I've been keeping my eyes on you since we parted in the Underworld, little brother," Liam responded as he reached out to lay one of his hands over Killian's left arm above his hook. "I've looked after you most of your life until my death. My penance allows me to continue doing so. I know how much you've struggled with believing in yourself and seeing yourself the way I always have, as a hero. I needed to know that you were alright. Now you and Emma are married and you're truly happy at long last. I'm proud of you, Killian. Truly."

His eyes darkened as he added, "But then I sensed you were in danger. I somehow sense when everyone's about to die, but it's stronger with you, most likely because you're my brother I gather. We came here as quickly as we could in hope of warning you. Unfortunately, we were almost too late."

Emma shook her head as she replied, "You were just in time. You saved Killian's life after the Jolly Roger was destroyed in the attack against him. I can't thank you enough."

"Aye… Nor I," Killian whispered, then lowered his head again as he took another drink of the rum in front of him, and Emma saw the sadness in his eyes.

After Liam finished sharing how he and his crew found themselves in Storybrooke, everyone started to talk within smaller groups while a number of conversations broke out around the room. When Killian began to talk with some of the men under his brother's leadership, Emma leaned over to kiss her husband's cheek, then stood again as she quietly motioned to Liam to join her over at the bar so they could talk alone for a few minutes and he quickly excused himself so he could.

"You should know that whenever something like this happens, Killian always begins to fall back into a depression, especially when trouble from his past shows up," Emma whispered, keeping her back to her husband while she talked. "Honestly, he was already upset about something else that happened earlier this morning. And now… another enemy has risen to try to kill him. I don't know what I would do if I lost Killian again. I went down into the Underworld and dragged my family with me when he died the first time… because of me. I can't risk doing that again after we unwittingly set Hades free upon our world and lost another friend of ours trying to stop him, so I can't lose Killian now. Please stay and help me to protect him. I lived most of my life alone, believing no one would ever love me. Even after I found my family, it wasn't until your brother came into my life that I was able to accept someone could. He helped me to see this was my home and that I could find true love. I love him so much. I hope you know that."

Liam sincerely answered, "I do understand that now, Emma. I'm so sorry for the things I said to you the day we met. I was wrong. I tried to split you and Killian apart, believing that I was protecting my little brother. I failed to see how much good you've done for him, like he's done for you. Despite what he might be feeling now, you helped to bring out the good that was always in him in all those years of darkness. I came here because my brother was in danger. However, I owed you too. I'm not going anywhere until I know for sure my brother's safe."

The Savior smiled until she let it fade again when she asked, "Will there be any consequences to you and your men… or to Killian, for tempting fate by coming here and saving Killian's life instead of helping him to move on like Zeus and the other Gods probably thinks you should have?"

"Honestly, I don't know," he responded worryingly, then turned to look over at his brother again as Killian stood up and quietly left the diner without another word to anyone. "I couldn't just stand by and watch him die again so soon when there was something I could do to save him. Killian has suffered for far too long in his life. Now he finally has the happiness he has so desperately longed for and that he deserves. I couldn't take him away from you. Thank you for being willing to risk everything to save him from his eternal torment inflicted upon him by Hades. Now, you'd better get after my brother to assure him he's not to blame for whatever it is he's hating himself for right now, before you won't be able to find him."

"I'll always find him," Emma replied steadfastly. "No matter what."

Down in the Underworld…

After all her time searching desperately for the man she loved, Emma finally found him as Killian was being lowered closer into the River of Lost Souls when she came running into the cavern, then upon seeing him so tormented and broken, the Savior suddenly cried, "Killian! Killian."

While breathing heavily because of the fear she felt for him, she looked around for a way to cross so she could get to him before he became as lost as the rest of the souls floating around in the dark river below and finally saw a narrow beam which lead across to the platform where he was dangling, then he was lowered again and she prepared to cross, stepping out onto the beam shouting, "Hang on! I'm coming for you!"

Emma continued to breathe heavily while she started out until she stumbled, nearly falling herself, but she managed to regain her balance and she continued as quickly as she could, then just before Hook was about to fall into the water, the Savior finally reached him, pulled him to safety, and helped him to sit up as she stated assuredly, "I got you!"

"Oh... Killian," she whispered with fear in her voice and in her eyes after she struggled to help him sit up while pulling away the one chain which had hoisted him up moments ago, then finally looked him over and was horrified by the wounds covering his body because of the torture Hades inflicted upon him.

"I told you to let me go," Killian finally said weakly, struggling to speak and to look into her eyes as he fought against the anguish throughout his entire body. "You shouldn't be here. Nobody should."

"I never listen," she tearfully replied.

He gave her a sad smiled and then answered, "You're impossible."

Emma looked into his eyes as she responded, "And you love me for it."

Killian weakly chuckled at her after he could no longer speak and when he fell silent except for the soft sounds of his pain which he couldn't keep hidden from her, Emma pulled him into a hug and held him tightly in an embrace, if only to assure the man she loved that she truly had come to save him. Neither of them knew how long they had really stayed this way, but finally Emma helped him to stand, then together they slowly and carefully made their way out of Killian's own personal hell.