These Dreams

Back And Forth

Emma didn't think - she just reacted. Her arms were free and her hand came up and a mighty gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew the cloud of magic out the open door, where it dissipated into nothingness. Morpheus looked clearly startled, and he raised his arm to throw the dagger he still held in his hand, when suddenly, a shot rang out, and a bullet whizzed by Morpheus's head, splintering into the wall behind him.

He jumped back, glancing around wildly, and then he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Emma and Killian dropped to the ground, panting.

Emma scrambled to her feet, looking around the room. "Where did the shot come from?"

Killian pushed up to his feet as well, extending his hand. There was a gun in it. "From me," he said.

"Where'd you find the gun?"

"That's the interesting part," he said. "I didn't. I knew he was going to kill you and I wished I had a gun to shoot him with. Suddenly, there it was in my hand."

"And I wanted my arms to be free so I could throw some magic at him," Emma said, her eyes widening. "We can control it. Like he does."

"It would appear so, though we did do it under duress."

"That's the way magic is," she said. "Strong emotion makes it easier." She glanced over at her parents on the floor, suddenly remembering they were there when she heard Neal crying. She ran to Snow first, but it was clear she was dead - her sightless eyes more than Emma could take.

"Swan." Killian's voice cut into the fog of agony around her. "Your father is still alive."

"David?" She crawled over to where he lay, and while she could see his chest moving with his breath, it was shallow - too shallow. "He's barely alive," she murmured.

"Which explains how we're still here." Killian felt the pulse in David's neck. "He won't be alive much longer, I'm afraid."

"We have to get him to the hospital."

Killian reached out, putting his arm around her shoulders. "He won't survive that long. I'm sorry, love."

Emma buried her head in his shoulder. "It's just a dream. It's only a dream." She said it like a litany, over and over.

Killian raised his voice slightly. "David, mate - if you can hear us, Emma is at the animal shelter but we don't have the amulet anymore. Remember that - Emma is at -"

The remaining words fell from his lips, echoing off the cave walls where he sat, entombed in darkness, feeling the water rise all around him.

###

"Snow, no! Snow!" David sat straight up in bed, gasping.

"David, I'm here," she said, reaching up to rub his back. "You were just having a nightmare."

"Emma - " he turned on the bedside light, looking down at his wife. "Emma was there. And Hook."

Snow sat up. "Did they give you a message?"

David passed a hand over his face, willing himself to remember. "First we were at my mother's house and then...Morpheus was there. He killed - he killed us." David panted as Snow continued rubbing his back. "And then he went after Emma and Hook but they fought back."

"Anything else?" Snow prodded. "Anything at all?"

"They had the amulet and then lost it. Hook told me they lost it and..." He bit his lip, willing himself to remember more. "There's more. I know there is. I just can't remember."