Captain Swan - Breathe Again

Part 17

Killian couldn't believe his ears, but then again, it didn't really surprise him that Emma's loathsome ex-husband was the spawn of satan himself.

Emma didn't know this man very well, she only knew what Neal told her, which wasn't much. Neal was taken from his father as a child and put in the foster system. That was one of the things that drew her to Neal in the first place, because it was something that they had in common. Gold had become a heavy drunk after his wife had left them and Neal always resented him for letting him go and for not being the father he had wanted him to be. Neal even changed his name when he was free from the foster system but Gold still found him somehow when he had moved to Boston. Gold even tried to get in touch with him through Emma but Neal refused to talk to him. She knew that Gold regretted not being able to raise him and would have done everything to get him back, which is why she couldn't comprehend why he could let Milah take Killian's son away from him.

"Gold, how could you do this? You of all people know what it's like to have you're son taken away. You told me it was the worst thing that ever happened to you."

"Don't bring Neal into this," he sneered. "You're the reason why he wanted nothing to do with me."

"I did everything I could to get Neal to reconnect with you, but he wouldn't listen to me. He still loved you, I could tell, but he said it was just easier to forget about you. So please don't let the same thing happen to Liam and Killian. Don't let her take Liam away from his father."

"Excuse me, but Liam is my son. And he's coming with me with whether any of you like it or not."

"Milah, please... don't do this..." Killian pleaded as he stepped closer to her. "Just hand him over."

Milah reached down into her bag that was strapped over her shoulder and pulled out a utility knife, threatening Killian with it. "Don't come any closer," she told him as she backed away from him.

Emma's eyes widened as Killian's went black. Liam started sobbing as he held out his little arms to Killian and Emma, continuing to call for them. His cries cut through Killian and he couldn't even move or speak, afraid for his son so much it rendered him useless.

"Killian has shared-custody and this is kidnapping," Emma reminded her, but Milah didn't even flinch. She racked her brain, trying to think of a way to get through to this woman and then she remembered her conversation with Milah back at the apartment. "For someone who likes adventure, don't you think bringing a child along will defeat the purpose of this trip. I mean, you want to have fun and be free right? Well having to feed and change and take care of a baby doesn't really sound very adventurous to me." Emma looked from her to Gold and she could see him breaking down, between Milah threatening Killian with a knife and Liam's cries for his father and everything Emma was saying.

Gold let out a distressed sigh and turned to Milah. "Milah, she's right. I promised to show you the world, and the places I plan on taking you are no place for a baby. Being on a boat, traveling across the ocean is too dangerous for Liam," Gold told her as he held out his hand for the knife. "Let the child go and we can do everything your heart desires."

Killan begged and pleaded with his eyes, trying to find the woman inside of Milah that she used to be; the woman that he knew because clearly this wasn't her. "Please, Milah," he finally managed, his voice wrecked and shattered. "You deserve to see the world. Let me take care of Liam while you're gone. Please... please, don't take him away from me."

At that point, Liam's cries were so loud, he was starting to draw attention from people passing by on the dock. Milah looked around at the three people standing before her, begging her to let Liam go as he squirmed in her arms, doing everything he could to break free.