Chapter Text
“Hook or Baelfire?”
Hook watched as Emma tried to focus, clearly unaware of her surroundings.
Henry struggled to go to her, but Neal held him back and away from Pan. “It’ll be okay, buddy,” he whispered.
“I’m getting bored, here. Make a choice!”
“Come on, we all know it’s barely a contest,” declared Hook, taking a step toward Pan.
Neal opened his mouth to protest but Hook cut him off.
“Look. There’s her one true love who is also the father of her child. And then there’s me. The answer seems fairly obvious.”
“Are you sure you know what you’re saying, Hook?”
“Looks like we have a lot of fun in store ahead, Pan.” He nodded at Neal, who gave him a grateful smile.
“It’ll be tons of fun for me, at least. Just wait til you see what I have in store for you.” Pan opened his hands and a cup of water appeared in each of them. He held the first out to Hook. “You drink, then she does.”
“I’m at least entitled to a farewell, am I not?”
“Fine. But make it quick.”
Hook knelt by Emma’s side.
“Hey,” she said weakly. “What happened to letting me make my own choices?”
“You already made this one, love. I’m just doing you the favor of not making you say it. Go home with your family and be happy. All that matters to me is that you leave knowing that, because of you, I am a man of honor.”
She opened her mouth but another wave of pain took her out of consciousness.
He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and began to rise, but her eyelids fluttered and she grabbed his hand and held it tight. “Please don’t leave me.”
“Come on, love. You barely know what you’re saying.”
“Maybe not, but I know I need you with me. Please, Killian.”
He froze.
------------
Neal watched from close by, his heart sinking. Pan sidled over to him, sending Henry scurrying away to Regina.
“Ooh, that’s a twist.” The boy smirked. “Sorry, Bae, looks like it’s you and me together forever after all. Unless…” He disappeared the cups and pulled a blade from seemingly out of nowhere and held it so only Neal could see.
Neal’s eyes widened as he recognized his father’s dagger.
“This is the only weapon that can kill someone for good here. Not even the magical waters can heal a cut from the blade. You’d be doing your family a great service if you stuck it in that pirate over there.”
“What?”
“Look at him over there, taking advantage of your half-unconscious love. You want that vagabond to be sleeping in your bed? Raising your son?”
Neal hesitated, then a look of determination came over his face. “You’re right. My family needs to come first. Give it to me.”
Peter handed it over with a grin.
Gripping the dagger firmly, Neal glared at Hook and took a step towards him. He then whirled around and plunged the blade into Peter Pan’s heart.
Pan let out an unearthly scream as he started shaking, aging years by the second. It was finally a decrepit old man who gaped at Neal before going still. Before the body hit the ground, the island began to quake and everything went black.
------------------------
Emma awoke soaking wet and lying next to a sunlit spring surrounded by bushes and stone walls. Her head was resting on someone’s lap and she felt hands stroking her hair. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and found herself staring up into bright blue eyes.
She began to smile but then her memories came flooding back. She sat up as quickly as her body would allow and looked around frantically. “Henry, my parents…?”
He took her hands in his. “Are okay. We are all fine and free to go.”
Emma sighed in relief. “How?”
“Once Pan was dead, whatever hold he had on Henry was broken. Everything was dark, but then he believed there was sunlight and there was. It was incredible. When I left to get you here as quickly as possible, Neal was talking Henry through changing the rules of the island so people could come and go as they pleased. I have every confidence he will be able to make it so. You have a very special boy down there.”
“I know. Thank you for getting me here, by the way.” Her gaze drifted down to where their hands were intertwined. She started. “Hook? What happened to…?”
“I suppose I must have swallowed some of the water when I jumped into the spring with you. Everything was chaos and all I was thinking about was getting there in time. Once I was sure you were starting to heal, I pulled you to shore and the earth started shaking even harder. I must have blacked out. Next thing I knew, I was waking up here next to you and…” He wiggled the fingers on both his hands. “Here we are. I have to say, it’s going to take some getting used to.”
“Guess we’re all going to have to call you something else now.”
“I am rather fond of my given name.”
“Killian.” She liked the feel of the word on her tongue. “Thank you, Killian.”
She smiled up at him and he gently stroked her cheek with his left hand. He looked like he was having some kind of religious experience. Emma had never had anyone look at her like that and it filled her with a strange, tingling thrill. Her eyes moved to his lips and she leaned in towards him, but he pulled away.
Killian rose abruptly, reaching out a hand to help her to her feet before beginning to walk back towards the beach. “We should get back to the rest of the group. I’m sure they are worried sick.”
“But…”
“Neal was helping Henry. That’s the only reason he’s not the one here with you right now. He saved the day, you know. He and Henry. The man moved faster than I’ve ever seen anyone move and killed the little demon. I have to give credit where credit is due. He’ll be amazing for you.”
“He is amazing. And I think he is a good and loving man at heart.” She paused and turned to face Killian, causing him to stop as well. “But, you know what? At each moment that I needed support, he didn’t support me. I needed trust and at the moment of truth, he didn’t trust me. When I needed someone to believe in me, he didn’t believe. You did.”
She looked down at the ground, surprised and a bit unnerved by what she was hearing herself say. “You always have. And I would say you don’t know how much that means to me, but I know you do, because you have had as little support and trust and belief in your life as I’ve had in mine. And we both deserve those things.”
Emma glanced back up at him. He looked surprised and touched and completely at a loss for words. She understood the feeling – she had never been one for any sort of speechifying about feelings and she was self-conscious.
She knew what the logical next step was. She knew that she had made a choice even before Pan had demanded one, when she lying dazed and in pain on the ground and all she could think was that she needed him with her. She even knew just what that might mean about her feelings for this man. All of this terrified her.
He finally spoke. “Of course I believe in you, Emma. You are the most remarkable woman I’ve ever met. I’m glad for any assistance I was able to provide in getting your family back. We should probably return to them now.”
He was being a gentleman and giving her an out. The thoughtfulness moved her and caused her anxiety to well up even more. “You’re right. We should get back.” She turned away and then paused once more. “But this isn’t the end of this conversation.” It was a promise to both of them.
As soon as they reached the shore, Snow, who was standing guard, rushed towards Emma. Killian moved discreetly away to give them some space.
Snow enveloped Emma in a hug. “You okay, sweetie?”
“I am, mom. Finally.”
“We are, too. Henry saved us all. And Neal. Your boys.”
Emma took a deep breath. “They’re heroes.”
“Neal feels obligated to the boys here in Neverland, but I’m sure you could convince to him home with you and Henry. Be a family again.”
Snow pulled back and must have seen the apprehension in Emma’s eyes.
“If you want that,” she amended. She hugged Emma closer and whispered in her ear, “Always do what your heart tells you, Emma. Henry has three parents who love him very much and nothing you do is going to change that. You can make any choice you wish whenever you are ready. ”
“But you’ve already made one, haven’t you, Emma?” Charming grinned.
“David! We were having a private conversation.”
“It’s okay, guys. I want to go find Henry.”
“We just put him in bed on the ship. He’s exhausted, with good reason. There’s another conversation you need to have before we go, though, isn’t there?”
Emma sighed. Since when did her father know her so well? But he was right, she couldn’t avoid it any longer. “I should probably talk to Neal.”
She found him near the line that separated the jungle and the trees, staring out into the ocean. He turned and smiled when she approached and she smiled back, but he made no move towards her.
“Hi, Neal.”
“Hi, Emma. You look good. I’m glad you’re alright.”
“Likewise. I hear you’re quite the hero.”
“I’m just glad I was able to save my family.” He shrugged and looked over at the devastated group of Lost Boys peering out from the trees. “I’m not so much of a hero to them.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone has to grow up eventually.”
“Right, but they’ve been here hundreds of years. Not one of them has parents, or even siblings, who are still alive. What type of lives can they possibly make for themselves on their own? They need someone here for them, to guide them until they are ready to find a place for themselves in your world or in the Enchanted Forrest.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m gonna be that person for them.”
“But…”
“Tink’s staying too, for now, so it’s not like I’ll go crazy being the only adult here. And don’t think for a second I’m sacrificing my relationship with Henry - I intend to break with family tradition and be there for my son. Thanks to Henry, this island is just a magical boat ride away. And I’m thinking there’s going to be someone in Henry’s life who could help out with providing that.”
“About that… I’m sorry. We said we’d give it a try and now it’s been barely two days and here we are saying goodbye.”
“It was enough, Emma. It’s no good for us or for Henry to push off facing the truth. You and me… there’s always gonna be love here. But that doesn’t mean it’s meant to be. No matter how much either of us might hope so.”
Emma felt herself tearing up. “I don’t even know what to say. I mean, I guess, thank you for understanding. For everything, really. And please stay in our lives.”
“You couldn’t keep me away, honey.”
Emma pulled Neal into a hug and they just stood there together for a moment, fighting off tears. He pulled away first and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before walking over to the boys.
Emma watched them and thought that, with all their history, she and Neal would probably never fully have closure, but this was as close as they were going to get.
----------
Killian stood on the deck of the Jolly Roger, trying to appear as if he was not watching Emma’s conversation with Neal and desperately trying to catch what they were saying. He was so intent on this that he didn’t notice when Regina came up next to him until she spoke.
“Will you calm down already? They are obviously saying goodbye.” She sighed and looked at Killian with affection and what may have been a little jealousy. “Guess there are second chances for some of us after all.”
“Come on, love, there are second chances for all of us.”
“I’m not so sure about that. You’re one of the good guys now. And I’m still the Evil Queen, no matter what I do.”
“I’m still Captain Hook, even though I have my hand back. It’s part of me. Your evil side’s part of you, too. But I think they’re starting to see the other parts.”
“Ugh, is their treacliness starting to rub off on you, too? Or was that an innuendo? I’m never sure with you.”
“Neither. I’m fairly certain Henry sees you as a ‘good guy,’ and doesn’t his opinion matter most to you? And you never know - your man with the lion tattoo might be right around the corner.”
Regina said nothing, but Killian caught her almost smiling.
“I’ll take your silence to mean that I made you feel better, but you’d never admit it.”
“And I’ll take the fact that you’re still here talking to me when Emma is standing by herself on the dock to mean that you’re afraid of actually getting what you want.”
“Maybe I am. But I’m not going to let it stop me. There’s just someone I need to say goodbye to first.”
He gave her a little bow and grabbed a rope and swung down the side of the ship, enjoying the use of both hands again, before walking over to Neal.
“What’s this about you staying, mate?”
“The kids here need me. I’m not going to let them stay lost boys.”
Killian patted him on the shoulder and smiled fondly. “Your mother would be so proud of you, Baelfire.”
“Wow, this is never going to not be weird, is it? But, thank you. And Emma… Take care of her.”
“I’ll do what I can, but I don’t think she needs taking care of. That’s why I love her.”
“Well, come on, man. It’s not me you should be saying that to. Get going!”
Killian grinned and headed back to his ship.
-----------------
Snow and Charming watched the island fade away into the mist as Killian set a course for Storybrooke. Snow kept glancing over at the Captain, thoughtful. “So that’s really who she’s choosing? Who could have guessed?”
“You did basically give your blessing.” Charming put an arm around her. “I’m proud of you, Snow.”
“It’s not at all what I expected. I just so desperately want her to have a happy ending.”
“Me too. And, honestly, I don’t know what her ending is going to be. But, for right now, isn’t it enough to just see her happy?”
Snow watched Emma make her way up to the top deck and saw the smiles that lit up both her and Killian’s faces when their eyes met. “You know what? It’s more than enough.”
-----------------
Emma smiled as she approached Killian at the ship’s helm. She loved how relaxed and confident he looked on his ship.
He turned and met her smile. “I believe you said there was a conversation we had to finish, love?”
“Aye, Captain. I did.”
“Couldn’t even wait til we got home?”
“Is Storybrooke going to be your home now?”
“It could be, if I met the right person. And I do believe I have.”
The look he gave her was so full of passion and longing that she nearly abandoned everything she had prepared to say right then and there. But she forced herself to take a deep breath and glance away. She was finally willing to admit to herself that she wanted to be with him, to have a real relationship for the first time in far too long, and she was scared of not getting it right.
“Look, Killian. So much happened in such a short period of time – I think we could all use some time to decompress.”
His face fell. “Is this your way of trying to politely warn me off?”
“No, actually. It’s the opposite. This is my way of saying that I think we both know there’s something here, but should probably take things slow.”
He still looked skeptical and she realized she’s need to say more than she had been hoping to.
“You know expressing emotions doesn’t come naturally to me. I’m not the type of person who is quick to say I love you or anything sentimental like that… But, I think with us, that’s something I could maybe see myself getting to saying. Does that make any sense?”
Emma felt like an idiot but Killian’s grin was back and that always seemed to make things better.
“It does.” He leaned in until she could feel his breath of her lips and she felt like she could barely hear him over the pounding of her heart. “But so you know, Emma, I could say something sentimental like that whenever you want me to.”
She smiled and blushed despite herself. “Okay. Just give me some time and I promise I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”
He took a step back and bowed. “As you wish.”
A sudden thrill of happiness came over her and it suddenly seemed quite silly to deprive herself of something so amazing when it was right in front of her.
As soon as Killian rose from his bow, Emma grabbed him and kissed him.
--------------------
The End.