Dead Reckoning

Chapter Thirty-One

Later that evening after the battle was over with and things back in town were slowly returning to normal, Gold and Belle walked along the beach together while she carried their son in her arms. For awhile, they walked in peaceful silence as they enjoyed listening to the sounds surrounding them. They spoke little of what occurred during the war against the God and other villains. Then at last, the beauty's husband found the courage he needed as he told Belle the truth about seeing the dark side of him, and having seen Rumplestiltskin ever since the night of the final battle when he struggled to save Gideon.

When he finished as they stood still, Belle leaned over to kiss her husband on his cheek and then spoke up quietly saying, "I'm proud of you, Rumple. A few years ago, no… not even a few months ago, you never would have told me you were being haunted by your past self. And now that I know, you no longer have to fight against this demon alone. I will help you. When you see him again, whenever you see him, tell me. We will get rid of him together as I've helped you to do before we came here to Storybrooke. Emma and Killian both did it. We can do it too and perhaps we will one day find another way to rid you of the darkness once and for all."

Gold smiled at her and nodded, then responded, "One day. Now, you both should get back home. It's a little chilly out here this evening. Go get yourself and our son warm and I will be along soon. There's something I have to do first."

"All right," she answered and leaned in again to kiss him, then when she pulled back Rumple traced his finger along Gideon's face until Belle turned to walk away. "Just don't be too long."

Rumple watched her until she was no longer in sight, then he turned back to the ocean and looked along the beach until he found what it was he expected he'd find. He knelt down on the ground and worked to pry up the piece of wood buried within the sand and seaweed that washed up from the waters along with it. Then he raised his head to look far out over the ocean once more in a specific direction until someone else walked up from behind him and stopped when he was standing beside Gold, someone Gold didn't expect would come out to see him.

"That's a piece of the Jolly Roger you're holding," Liam uttered sternly. "I never got the chance to get to know her nearly as well as Killian, but… I would know one of her planks anywhere. Besides, the rest of her sank just beyond here, in the direction you're looking."

"Yes, I know," the Dark One replied and then stood up with the older Jones' help when Liam reached out his hand for him to take. "Before all this began, I callously offered to restore your brother's hand that I took from him the day he vowed revenge against me. It was a small effort to help put our pasts behind us so we can both move on. I just realized that his hand is no longer one of the many things he still despises me for."

The older Jones looked at him strangely as he responded, "I'm not sure I understand."

Gold finally looked over at him and then continued, "As you must surely know, when Hook died, it was so he could rid the world of the darkness once and for all. And his sacrifice would have worked. It would have been enough, except… I lusted for the power the darkness gives me. And I couldn't just let Hook… my oldest enemy, be the hero everyone revered while leaving me with nothing. No power, no wife who I thought had left me again for the last time then, and no one else who cared whether or not I lived or died. So, I found a way to transfer the darkness back into me the moment your brother drew his last breath, making his sacrifice all for nothing."

"I knew Killian died trying to destroy the darkness," Liam answered coldly while he turned away to stare out over the waters. "I figured you became the Dark One again simply because you lusted for power. I didn't know it was also so you could have one final chance to double cross my brother."

"But none of that matters anymore, if you are truly looking to pay your penance for what you've done, as Killian's been trying to do since he's come here to Storybrooke," he said again after he stepped forward and turned until he was facing the shopkeeper head on. "Which I see you are trying to do too. I came out here to thank you for fighting with us to help save him. I also wanted to apologize for my role in our quarrel earlier this afternoon in your shop. I was angry someone else was trying to hurt Killian. And scared that he was going to die. But it was wrong of me to attack you, so… I'm sorry."

Rumple nodded and then replied, "And I'm sorry too. I didn't see it then, but I realize he was saving me too when he gave his life to try to destroy the darkness. I wish now I had allowed him to succeed. Honestly, I'm not sure how I can truly make amends to Hook for the deep pain I've caused him over the last two centuries we've hated each other for. But I hope this will be a start."

Before Liam could ask what he meant, Gold raised the plank of wood into the air in front of them with his power, then propelled it out over the ocean until it reached the site where the wreckage left behind of the pirate Captain's ship floated above the surface or sank far below to join them together. All of a sudden, the waters before them began to swirl around wildly as though a storm struck down and caused havoc over the ocean while the Dark One continued to discharge his power. When the waters parted and his magic faded, the Jolly Roger was once again whole and in its best condition it could be, just as it was under Hook's loving care for the last two hundred years.

The older Jones stared at the ship with awe and surprise as he stated, "I can't… I can't believe it. She's as good as new."

"The Jolly Roger is in the exact same condition as it was before it was destroyed," Gold responded confidently. "Your brother surely is the best Captain a ship like that one deserves if he can keep it so well after so long. How is he anyways? Has Hook awoken yet?"

"No," Liam answered sadly when he looked back at the man still standing behind him until he turned around to face him once again. "Not yet. But he will. He's stronger than he's ever believed himself to be. Emma is still with him. I'll be returning to him once I leave from here."

Rumple then asked again, "And then once he's awake and you've made sure he'll be alright, I take it you'll be returning to the Underworld to continue your duties?"

Liam nodded and then replied, "Yes. A couple of my men returned just before I came out here and told me that when Zagreus had gone down into the Underworld to gather his army, he had imprisoned Arthur and created chaos among the souls who remained behind. They didn't trust Hades' son, but now they no longer trust Arthur either. The King needs as much help as he can get to restore order."

"Well, when you go… perhaps it's best that you take this down with you," the Dark One uttered while he summoned Pandora's Box once again into his hands, then handed it over to the emissary. "Not only is Hades' son still trapped inside, but so are each of the souls I pulled into Excalibur. I expelled them from the sword and forced them inside this box to keep them trapped until they can be brought back to where they truly belong. That is your duty, Captain. Excalibur can only contain a number of souls for so long. And I didn't want to keep them trapped within my dagger along with all of the former Dark Ones before me; your brother's doing. These souls deserve better, despite their efforts to destroy all of us here."

"Thank you, Mr. Gold," the older Jones spoke again sincerely. "For everything."