"Emma! Emma! Emma!"
"I'm here, Will," Emmett called out from the other side of the cabin, where he was skinning the rabbit he had caught. She couldn't return to her female form, unfortunately. He heard running footsteps, and a dark-haired man hurtled around the front of the cabin and come to a screeching halt, his shoes skidding on the rocks.
"Emma!" Will bellowed as he tried to catch his breath.
"I can hear you. Don't yell."
"Killian Jones wants to see you."
"That man won't take no for an answer," Emmett muttered under his breath as he placed the skinned rabbit aside. "What does Killian want?"
"It's important."
"How important is it?" Will sighed and pulled Emmett's shirtsleeve. "Emmett," he whispered and was cut short by Emmett's raised eyebrow. Only a few knows about his identity as Emma. "Why are you whispering? We are alone up here." In this god-forsaken forest.
Will scanned the trees and turned back to Emmett. "We found out who the collaborator is."
"Are you absolutely sure Killian Jones said, collaborator?"
"Yes, he received word from Neal."
Without a word, Emmett went back into the cabin. He picked up the sack he used as makeshift bag and also his sword. He closed the door to the cabin and hurriedly walked down the track. Will quickly followed and they didn't speak as Wil led him to the designated location just a little way out of town to the north. His mind turned to Neal's promise that he would take care of her, a promise he would now never be able to be owing to the traitor amongst his people. Now she was going to find out and demand justice- justice for her people and others that he had betrayed. Will walked hurriedly along the path and through dense bushland until they come to a cave, one of the many caves that littered Enchanted Forest's hills and were last used during the war from the Evil Queen.
"Where's Emma? I wasn't sure if she were going to be at the farm or at her spot," Killian Jones said.
"Who is it, Killian?"
"Come with me."
Emmett didn't have a chance to ask questions. He just followed Killian Jones through the cave and onto the other side, to an area dense with bushland. In the middle of the cluster of trees was a clearing. "Let's sit for a minute."
Emmett was not in the mood to talk or to give any explanation about her magic, he grew to hate her magic even more. Even so, he reluctantly sat down on a fallen log.
Killian Jones sat beside him, "I want you to know that I feel your pain." He heavily sighed when he's about to tell him who the traitor. "What I am about to tell you will not be easy." Killian remained quiet for a moment and glanced at the two men who had walked out of the cave. He shook his head, and they went back inside. "Augusta Booth," Killian quietly said as he cast a worried look at Emmett. He stared at the ground for a long moment, "Em—"
"I want justice," he knew me since I was kid. He pretended to look after me after he sold me out.
"I know you do, and we will mete out justice, but…"
Emmett shook his head, "I want justice by my hand."
"No. No. Emmett."
"You are not listening to me, Killian. I am not asking you. I am telling you."
"I cannot allow you to do this. Father Henry…"
"I am the fucking leader of my Kingdom. My father told me to be brave and to do what is right. I know what he meant; I didn't have the time, but I do now."
"I know," Killian Jones looked into angry eyes, "I was with your father, and he was courageous and strong, but he would never want me to give you this burden to bear."
"My father isn't here," Emmett quietly responded. Emmett and Killian Jones looked at each other before a noise made them look up. Father Henry come out of the cave and slowly made his way towards them. With a slight nod, Killian Jones got up and walked away, leaving Father Henry and Emmett alone, Killian Jones whispered when Emmett wasn't paying attention, "Where's Emma?"
Father Henry didn't say anything and urge Killian Jones to go on as Emmett looked up, "does he think you will change my mind?"
"I don't know what you have decided, but I come to give him the last rites."
"You were giving him the last rites to a fucking collaborator?!"
"August made a mistake. He will pay for that mistake, but it is not my job to be his judge."
"Fuck you," Emmett picked up a stone and threw it against the cave wall, where it bounced.
"What have you decided?" Emmett looked at Father Henry for a moment, "an eye for an eye, a life for a life."
"Is that what you want to do? You want to exact vengeance?"
"Blood for blood," Emmett replied. "He was family, Father. He betrayed his own brothers and sisters. He was my family! My parents took him in when he was a boy when his grandfather …"
"You have been through enough…"
"Who do the fuck do I give this job to, Father? Killian Jones? Neal? Ruby? They have been through a lot as well. We all have. None of us knew that we were going to be in a war, but here we are. They were my responsibility. They are my people, Father!"
"You are far too young to make such a decision."
"Who do you want me to give it to if not me?"
"You are determined to do this?"
"Yes, and you know I am right. It must be me," Emmett took a deep breath. For a long moment, he didn't say anything. "Are you with us or against us?"
"I'm always on your side, Emma."
"Good, you may give that bastard the last rites so I can send him to hell." Father Henry pulled Emmett into his embrace and held him like a son. Emmett shook his head trying not to let his emotions overwhelm him, but he lost the battle, just then he transforms back into her female form, the emotions are tied to her magic.
Emma sat alone in the cave; her eyes fixed on the ground. She could hear Father Henry's voice from outside the cave talking to August. Her heartbeat loudly in her ears, and the enormity of what Emma was about to do made her hands shake. She closed her eyes and tried to steady her nerves. She opened them again to see Killian Jones had sat beside her. "I see you have returned, and I believe Father Henry and Emmett filled you in?"
"Yes, they told me. I know what I must do. Did you learn anything?"
"Nothing we didn't already know."
"Has Father H finished?"
"He has."
"Right," Emma stood. Her knees trembled under her pants, but she stood still waiting for the fear to subside. "I am ready."
"You don't have to do this. Let me do this for you? Please?" Killian put his arm around Emma's shoulders. "Allow me to take this burden from you."
"No. I know you care about me, but-"
"I don't just care about you, Ems. I love you," Killian Jones replied quietly. "I asked your father for your hand in marriage."
"You don't know what you're talking about, Killian. Yes, I know you asked him," she had suspected Killian Jones had somehow got in touch with my father to ask him about me. David Charming was a delighted man after he come out of his barn from a letter a few days before their world exploded. Now she knew why – her father had given his blessing.
"You do?"
"Yes, Neal told me that you were sweet on me."
"Your father gave me his blessing. I know your mother would have given me hers as well. Is that a yes, you will marry me?"
Emma shook her head as she gazed up at Killian Jones. "Hook," she addressed him using a nickname she had for him when she was younger, "you are my friend and have been for a long time. I love you, but I love you as my brother." Emma smiled sweetly and stroke his rough bearded cheek. "It's how I see you. I love you because you want to take this burden off me. It's what a brother would do, but you can't."
"I understand," Killian Jones replied. He leaned down and kissed Emma tenderly on the cheek.
"I am going to be jealous of a man that wins your heart."
Who says it going to be a man? Emma hid her smile, "pity that poor man then," Emma replied with a quiet chuckle. She picked up her sword and held it in her hand. "Let's do this," she took Killian Jones' side, and they walked through the cave and into brilliant sunshine. The clearning was now surrounded by the members of the round table and the original members of the White Kingdom.
Father Henry stood to the right and in the center of the clearing was August, tied to a chair and with a black hood placed over his head. Emma took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Her legs felt like lead with each step she took. She was meters from August, "take the hood off."
"Emma—" Killian Jones stopped when Emma glanced at him. He nodded and then removed the hood. August looked up into her eyes in earnest to free him which made Emma's heartache. His dark brown eyes met hers, and he blinked. Emma glazed at August for a long time before she took a step forward. "Why?"
August turned his tear-stained face away from Emma, who wondered if he was ashamed or remorseful for what he had done. "I did it to save myself."
"You did it to save yourself?" Emma repeated as she knelt beside his chair and gazed into his eyes.
"Yes."
"We were your only family. Neal was your first cousin. That was your family. I don't believe you. How much money did they give you?"
"I am sorry, Emma," August pleaded with Emma. "Please, don't do this."
"Why don't you want me to do this?"
"You are my family, my sister."
"No, You are not my brother, August. Do you see everyone here?" Emma pointed to those gathered around, every single one of them protected Emma as their absolute law and kept her safe and hidden from the Evil Queen. "Every one of them is my family. They were your family, and you betrayed them to save yourself."
"Don't kill me, Emma. I'm family." Emma gazed up at the bound man and shook her head. "You are not my family. I disown you and your name will be forever more known as a collaborator and traitor who sold me out and executed for his crimes."
"No, please Emma…"
"You betrayed all of us for thirty pieces of sliver in order to save your life."
"I am sorry. I am so sorry, Emma. Please," August pleaded and begged with tears falling on his face.
"I know you are," Emma cupped and wiped August's cheek. "I know you are not because you are truly sorry for what you did but because you were found you." A life for a life, Emma stood for a long moment. "Look at me." August turned his head and gazed at her, tears heavily running down his cheeks. Emma raised her sword, she blinked back the tears that threatened to become a river, and then she sliced his head through the neck.