Finding Home With You

Chapter 4

She sees his body hit the floor and screams in anguish. A burst of energy pulses through her and it isn't until her parents go flying backwards that she realizes it's magic. She doesn't have time to dwell on how she was able to use magic or if her magic is actually back or not, she runs across the cobblestone and collapses on her knees.

She quickly puts her hands to the wound, putting as much pressure on it as she could manage.

"Killian," she all but shouts, her eyes frantically flickering from his closed ones to his chest, in hopes of seeing him open his eyes or take in a breath. "Killian, please don't leave me. Please don't go."

She's blinded by her tears, flowing freely now. The logical part of her mind reminds her of her mission, reminds her that this is not her Killian, reminds her that the best way to save him now is to erase this whole mess from happening in the first place. But all she can feel is the ache in her heart, the all consuming sorrow and fear that overrules all logic. All she can see is his ghostly pale face, his closed eyes, his usually smirking lips barely opening to allow breath through.

Wait, he's breathing!

"Killian, oh my god, Killian!" She breathes out heavily. "Can you hear me? Please, god, Killian can you hear me?"

Henry's by her side at this point, glancing back and forth between Killian and her parents' unconscious bodies. "Mom? How did you do that?"

"I don't-" she cuts herself off with a shaky inhale of breath. Wiping under her nose, she tries again. "I don't know, Henry, I don't know. But we need to get him somewhere safe. Somewhere we can help him."

Henry looks at her for a long second before starring down at Killian with a vacant expression in his eyes and his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "He isn't-"

"I know, Henry! I know he isn't our Hook, I know that okay? God, don't you think I know that?" She shouts, hanging her head in shame, knowing she's being ridiculous and hating herself for it, even as she does it. "I'm sorry, kid. Look, just please do this for me. I need to know he's okay."

Henry nods his head and helps her bind as much cloth over his wound as possible, hoping to stop the blood flow. They lift Killian and position him in between them so they've each got one of his arms around their shoulders, allowing them to support his weight. They begin their slow journey out of the alley and across town, keeping their eyes out for any black knights.

"I understand," Henry finally says after a good 10 or 15 minutes of silence between them, besides the heavy breathing and occasional grunt that accompanies resituating the pirate's falling body.

She glances at him over the top of Killian's lolling head.

"When I saw my mom, Regina I mean, I needed her to know who I was. And I tried as hard as I could to get her to meet with Robin Hood and finally get her happy ending, even though she kept pushing me away," he says solemnly. "And it just felt so off for me to have to teach Hook how to sail. I even wished he would ruffle my hair once or twice."

She sees his double-meaning for what it is. He can see how much it's hurting her to see Killian and not be with him. He can see just how much she loves him. And that terrifies her, because she's barely reaching the point of being able to admit that to herself. She's nowhere close to being ready to admit it to anyone else, nevertheless her own kid.

"Thanks, kid," she replies simply.

They continue on in silence until they reach a small dirty inn at the very edge of the town. While she is skeptical about the hygiene of the place, she knows the secluded area will ensure little possibility of running into any unwanted guest and the rundown condition means that the innkeeper can be bribed into secrecy.