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Captain Swan Role Reversal
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Published:
2019-11-03
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1,989
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1/1
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8
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Doppelganger on the Docks

Summary:

Even in Storybrooke, the town where most anything can happen, Killian doesn’t expect much chaos when he and Emma go sailing together. But hey, for good or ill, that’s their town, right?

Notes:

Here it is, my submission for the @csrolereversal!!! Thank you to the wonderful creators of this project!!!

ALL of the credit in the world for this story’s existence belongs to the following two wonderful ladies!

First, @hollyethecurious, thank you so much for the fantabulous artwork! Not gonna lie, when the development of this piece got hard, your artwork kept me going!! It’s so unique and scary and cool that it deserves some words to accompany it!

Second, @fraddit is the most amazing person in the world, pass it on! Seriously, the help with this piece’s story development you gave me as well as your encouragement was so helpful! I really could not have completed this work without you!

Work Text:

 

A bright afternoon
Filled Storybrooke’s skies
The ocean shimmered and glistened
And all around were seagull’s cries

Killian walked across the scene
A day of sailing just ahead
But in a rare case nowadays
He had no one in his stead

His family was working
Or otherwise, in another realm
But Killian was fine with that
Sailing the Jolly, alone at the helm

But just as he was readying
To depart for the briny blue
He heard someone call his name
And the source was one he knew

Emma was just down the gangplank
Saying she’d been double booked at work
She requested to join in her husband’s travels
Though asked in words that made them both smirk

Killian brought her aboard his vassal
And pecked her lips tenderly with a kiss
A day at sea alone was of course a good time
But one with Emma, he never would miss

So they both got to work on the rigging
And a few minutes later, they left
Though his new home grew more and more out of sight
Of love, Killian couldn’t feel less bereft

The Jolly Roger rocked across the ocean
And salt water sprayed through the air
While laughter and chatter rumbled through them
They had fun with less than a care

Emma pulled Killian close to her
Her arms looping around his neck
And the conversation slowed
As they made out on the deck

The hours passed in much the same way
Creating an afternoon that was fun
While Killian expected the day to go fine even alone
With Emma, it was second to none

But the entire time they snuggled and kissed
Killian noticed things felt rather odd
The way she talked and kissed felt just a bit off
So Killian decided to prod

Emma told him that she had a headache
And Killian supposed that made enough sense
After all, why would he distrust the woman he loved?
And trusting her always made him less tense

Together for the next several hours
They idled in the sun as the time’s arrows marched on
Emma curled into Killian’s side as they looked to the horizon
And Killian nuzzled his head in his Swan

Only when Killian got hungry did they go below deck
He revealed a small lunch that he took
While it wasn’t a lot, both were happy to share
And Killian fed Emma bits from his hook

All of the sudden, not long into lunch
Killian’s cell phone made itself known
It was a call from the station and though it pained Killian to do so
He wanted to silence its drone

Emma tried to convince him to dismiss the blare
Another odd thing for her to suggest 
But Killian’s resolve won out in the end
Though he promised it would be a quick quest

Killian climbed up the ladder as he answered the call
“What’s going on, Dan?” he then pressed
However, it wasn’t Dan who was on the other end of the line
And who was Killian would never have guessed

It was Emma on the phone
How could that have been so?
She was talking so nonchalantly
As if she wasn’t waiting for him down below

When confronted, Emma told him
She’d been hard at work all day
But she wanted to call to ask about dinner
And just check that he was okay

Her phone had apparently died early that morning
And work kept her too busy to call him before
So when she at last was able to get a moment to herself
She wanted to call and learn when he’d come back to shore

Killian turned between the phone and the ladder
The directions of his two possible brides
And suddenly his legs felt quite wobbly
Though it was not a result of the tides

The Emma on the phone was persistent
In proving who she truly was
And through evidence Killian found it hard to deny
Still, the whole matter gave him pause

If this Emma who had only just appeared
Was the real woman that had won his heart
Then who was this being who he’d spent the day with?
And why did they want to keep he and its real self apart?

It would make sense if this were his Emma
She didn’t give him that off feeling
That this other possible Emma gave him
Unghh, Killian’s head was now reeling

He needed to know 
Which of the two was his wife
So he thought up a means
Of ending this bit of strife

Killian asked this Emma a singular question
One only his real wife would know
Her answer would determine once and for all
Which of them was putting on a show

“What was it you said when we first kissed?”
He waited on the meaning her answer would bring
And his darling Emma answered fast
“That was a one time thing.”

Killian then divulged what was going on
Emma wondered why she now had a clone
And he could hardly begin to contemplate it either
But kept quiet to keep their cover unblown

It wasn’t long before they came to their conclusion
Magic was what created the trick
While the ‘why’ of the matter was still an unknown
They could settle that later, but for now, they’d think quick

Killian would create an excuse to return home
And Emma would meet them at the docks
Once they converged, they’d corner the fake
And to put it frankly, clean their dastardly clocks

Thankfully, while he was now quite heroic
Killian was still good for the occasional lie
So Emma agreed to the plan and bolted out of the station
And Killian created a cover that was clever and sly

He climbed back down to where he left his fake date
Killian’s absence seemed to not worry them at all
So with that taken care of, he put his plan into action
To get them back to the shore and then stall

With the gentlest tone he could muster
Killian told the demon they needed to leave
He sold them a story that their assistance was needed
In a way they would have to believe

Killian nearly blew his cover by smiling
And he had an overwhelming urge to gloat
Seeing the fake mentally run through excuses
On why the two of them should stay afloat

Triumphantly, Killian set off for Storybrooke
Readying himself for some kind of fight
And reminded himself no matter who this demon was
He and Emma would make things alright

The ship was well on its way back to town
They were now halfway back to port
With any luck, if he could just keep his act together
This misadventure would remain fairly short

But victory was never so easy
And with a shove, Killian remembered that well
Within seconds, he was on the ship’s wooden floor
Still playing dumb, he asked “What the hell?”

The demon had clearly caught onto his scheme
They looked at Killian, rather unimpressed
“For such a renowned pirate, I expected better
But alas, you’re just one more human I detest.”

And then they changed forms, no longer resembling
Killian could hardly believe his own eyes
Finally though, he completely understood
It was a Siren that caused the day’s lies

He then asked the Siren what it was that she wanted
On her face, a sinister smirk then appeared
Killian knew whatever answer she gave would be bad
But hers was worse than he feared

“Your father-in-law long ago killed my sister
For too long I’ve sought retribution
And while killing him would bring me great joy
Killing you offers a better solution”

“For what could be better to ruin his life
Than to dispose of his child’s True Love?
Yes, to be forced to witness her mourning face everyday
There’s no better vengeance I could ever dream of”

“I’ve waited between curses and realms oh-so long
To bring real suffering to his daughter
I was close to giving up when I found you
It’s a good thing that her husband likes water”

“So I tried for so long to catch you alone
And finally, I came upon my lucky day
All it took was a vial of Lake Nostos’ water
Now, for your father-in-law’s sins, you will pay”

Killian scoffed to himself and got up from the floor
“Now, I don’t suppose you could be swayed?”
It couldn’t hurt to try, Killian justified
Especially if it would end this tirade

The Siren shook her head and her smirk nearly doubled
Then she looked out at the port just beyond
A curious hum had Killian turn to see what was troubling her
And he spotted a quite familiar blonde

Killian looked to the Siren who had a glint in her eye
He could tell that her plan had just changed
What the hell was she going to do with his dear Emma Swan?
If she thought she’d succeed, she was truly deranged

“You’ll never get to her in time,” Killian growled
“The Jolly Roger’s far faster than you”
But the Siren kept grinning and then she looked up
From above, Killian could feel something brew

In an instant, the skies turned a bleak shade of mauve
And the waves began to crash, smash, and roar
As if these weather changes weren’t bad enough
From above, dropped a heavy downpour

Torrential rain stormed down from everywhere
Could just one thing go right on this day?
And just as if the universe was trying to say ‘no’
The Siren left to go cause more foul play

Killian gripped the steering wheel with all of his might
The storm daring him to get past its trials
While he’d made a lot of progress before he was discovered
The ocean left to cross was quite a few miles

Normally a close friend, the waves were rambunctious
And the wind’s howl cheered it all on
But Killian fought against rampage, sailing closer to home
Ready to tough it all out for his Swan

As he sailed, he saw something leave the water
A blonde head and two slow-moving hands
Crept above the waves to the surface
And pursued Emma, following her new batch of plans

Killian saw The Siren make a move to grab Emma
A struggle broke out on the pier
Emma fought against The Siren, who again wore her face
But for Killian, the rain made the conflict unclear

When he arrived at the docks, he fastened and refastened his hook
He needed protection for what would ensue
Then he rushed off his ship to go fight in the battle
And gazed at the terrifying view

Both Emmas were bruised and beaten and bleeding
And once they saw Killian enter their sight
They each cried for his help defeating the other
It was up to him to resolve the fight

Killian took a close look at each of the ladies
That was all he needed to know
Which was the real Emma and which one was a fake
And that decision was one he would now bestow 

Killian walked over to one, while the other cried for his help
But Killian was sure his choice was indeed smart
The Emma he walked to gave him a gentle smile
Then he plunged his hook through her heart

The Siren transformed right before his and Emma’s eyes
She tried to fight, but her strength was soon gone
Killian glared at the fake, grit his teeth, and said
“It’s over. I know my real Swan.”

As the Siren’s body bled and fell to the ground
Killian rushed to his dear Emma’s side
And as if to confirm Killian’s decision
The crass weather began to subside

But Killian didn’t need such confirmation of safety
For any doubt left in his heart was long gone
Because just as told that Siren before ending her life
He undeniably knew his true Swan