Chapter Text
Killian's POV:
It was a cold night. I looked over at the lovely blonde walking beside me. Swan looked confused. As over-joyed as I was to be home to her, I must admit, I could understand the awkward position I was in. Here I stood, back from the grave, walking towards another man's (a friend's), funeral wake. Someone who'd assisted in the party of many who'd come to save me from the Underworld.
Another part of my mind, the more logical (perhaps a bit selfish) side, reminded myself that I'd had nothing to do with Robin's death and that I'd earned my way back, with Zeus's assistance, by getting Emma those pages so that she could defeat Hades.
Swan seemed as if she had no idea what to do next, though she clung to my hand as we walked, conflicted expressions crossed her face until abruptly, she turned to me.
"When we get to Granny's, I think it's best if you wait outside."
Trying my damnedest not to let out a sigh, I looked away. Of course I felt for the loss of a friend, and I did pity Regina as well, she'd lost yet another Love. However there was a small part of me, the part that's been a Pirate Captain for two hundred years, that refused to feel ashamed for merely being alive.
I restrained my internal complaints though. I suppose this was a rather delicate situation.
"Aye, Regina. Robin's death. It can't be easy for her"
We both looked towards the entrance of the Diner.
"Seeing you back when that's not possible for him..."
"Fate is cruel"
We'd arrived at Granny's now, just outside that patio gate, and I turned to her as a worried crease made it's way between her eyebrows.
"It could push her over the edge. She cursed an entire kingdom when she lost her first love"
The way she looked at me I could tell she was concerned for my safety, which is something I've never quite known how to take. Besides Emma, there hadn't been many who'd cared much about what happened to me, the affection warmed my heart and I wanted to ease her worries. I'd known Regina long enough by now, by that I mean, for as long as I'd been in Storybrooke, and I felt sure enough that this Regina was not the same vicious woman who'd enlisted me to assassinate Cora.
"yeah, but she's changed much since then"
"I know. But I still need to break the news about you carefully, It's the right thing to do"
I supposed it was the right thing to do, besides I didn't necessarily want my reunion with my friends to come on the tail of another friend's wake.
She paused a moment looking at our entwined hands, it was difficult for her... it was difficult for me. I'd just come back from Hell and said goodbye to her so many final times. Regardless of the situation, In that instant I could feel it, we both shared the same overwhelming fear. Letting go of each other's hand was painful, as if the moment our hands were apart the other would suddenly vanish forever.
It took nearly a full minute, but hesitantly she let go and the emptiness on my skin left an aching coldness. I watched in the dimly lit space as she made her way to the entrance of Granny's, constantly glancing back to me to make sure I was still here.
I walked a bit towards the a darker spot near the corner of the fence lest someone should walk by and recognize me. I'd have given anything for my old spyglass as I strained my eyes, squinting, trying to watch what was happening through the parted shades. It was no use given the distance from the windows and there were also too many people, I could only make out shapes.
As I waited in the darkness, eyes glued, however pointlessly, to the window of the Diner. Regardless of what I'd just said to Emma, my assurances began to wane and my nerves began to gnaw at me. What if I was wrong? what if Swan was right, and this did send Regina back to her old ways? Was I wrong to let her approach the once lethal Queen alone? I knew my paranoia was mostly at play here... Regina still had Henry to worry about and I reminded myself that if nothing else she wouldn't do anything that would hurt the lad in the long run.
Staring hard at the shapes of people through the blinds I could just barely make out Emma walking to a booth where Regina sat, she leaned down a bit and my thought's were shattered instantly as the ground shook violently, as if an earthquake had hit the town. Strange blue lights broke through the roof of the Clock Tower.
I was wrong. Swan had been right, this had sent the Queen over the edge. My adrenaline went into overdrive and before I knew what I was doing my feet were flying towards the entrance to Granny's. I did NOT just return from the dead to lose my Swan now! I crashed through the door.
"Swan! Is everything okay?"
I
For a half a second I Ignored the shocked faces surrounding me as my eyes scanned the Diner wildly for Emma. She was standing beside Regina and Zelena, they all had stunned expressions on their face as they looked at me. It only took me a moment after that to realize that whatever had just happened wasn't Regina's doing. Emma turned and looked almost apologetically at Regina. An unrivaled awkwardness hung heavy in the air as I gauged the expressions in the room.
"Hook"
It was the lad who finally broke the silence, confusion in his tone.
"What the bloody hell's the pirate doing here?"
The Wicked Witch chimed in from beside him.
Emma gave me a small awkward smile, I could practically hear her thought's. It was clear she hadn't told them about me yet.
An arm brushed my right shoulder and I looked towards the motion. It was Mary Margaret, her arm outstretched touching my arm, trying to figure out if I was real or not. David was right next to her staring at me with the same stunned eyes. If this whole insane situation hadn't been so awkward I would have laughed at David, his face had as much relief in it as it did incredulity.
"We thought we left you in the Underworld?"
"Aye you did..." I looked over to Emma again, she looked down as if the whole situation was giving her a headache and a bit of insecurity crept, unwillingly into my voice "but now I'm back" She must have heard it in my tone as well because she quickly looked up giving me a reassuringly warm smile.
"Delicate as always" Regina whispered more to herself than to Emma and it seemed as though her thoughts had drifted far away for the moment. I took a breath, despite the uncomfortable atmosphere of the room, I knew Emma was in no danger at the moment. Whatever Regina was thinking it seemed to be more internal than anything else.
David was the first to try and soften the awkwardness that still hung in the air as he made his way over to me, with a certain amount of genuine happiness to him. Again I might have laughed if the scenario hadn't been what it was.
"Welcome back" he said as he pulled me in for a hug.
My eye's kept glancing over towards Regina and Emma but what ever conversation they were having, there wasn't any hostility to it, and I tried my best to explain my odd resurrection to David.