On Stranger Tides

Chapter 20

She shook his small body awake and he reached up to rub his eyes. He smiled at his mother before opening his deep green almost brown eyes to stare right back at her. 

~

Emma's green eyes stared at her father intently as they approached him. His own eyes were pleading with hers, not to go. 

"Please, Emma. You need to come back home, there is a threat out there that is much greater than you know." Charming pleaded.

"Father, I know about the Evil Queen and her threat. Her threat to me. I know you tried to cover it up with the trade problems facing our kingdom, but I've taken care of that too. All the plans are on my desk. As for the Evil Queen, I'll face her when the time comes. Rumplestiltskin told me everything." Emma said to her father. Both Killian and her father stiffened at the mention of Rumplestiltskin.

"Emma, you do not make deals with Rumplestiltskin. He is even worse than her, do you hear me?" Her father exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm with your father on this one lass. The Dark One only offers you information if he wants something else from you." Killian said worriedly.

"Maybe, but for now, we are safe. Can't we all choose to live until something happens?" Emma questioned. "We can't live in fear for what will happen, what we can do is enjoy the time that we have," Emma said looking to Killian. "I chose not to let the fear overcome me, instead I chose to follow my heart. I'll face the Evil Queen when she comes for me but today is not that day." Her father looked to his feet, taking in all of Emma's words. She sounded just like himself and her mother and he couldn't deprive her of her happiness any longer.

"Go, Emma. I hate this more than anything to see you go, especially with a pirate but if you're happy, go. Just promise to come to visit." He said. 

"Of course!" Emma exclaimed hugging her father. "Thank you!" 

"Now go, before your mother comes and yells at both of us." He laughs. Emma laughed too.

"I'll be back in time to meet my new sibling." Emma smiled stepping past her father and onto the Jolly Roger. 

"I'll be counting on it," he replied stepping away, letting Emma, Hook and the kitchen boy Samuel make their way onto the vessel. Emma gathered her still white dress and made her way to the helm to say goodbye but also to say hello, to a new beginning. 

Killian came to join her after they had sailed away from the harbor. He put his arm around her small waist, staring off to her kingdom and her home that would always hold a special place in her heart. Emma leaned her head onto his shoulder, she could get used to this feeling. 

"Where to, love?" He questioned. 

"I don't care, as long as I'm with you." She responded looking up to his eyes.

As the sun set over the horizon later that evening, Killian still held Emma in his arms atop the ship. Emma looked up to the sky overhead and was in awe at what she found. The stars had returned. They surrounded her and gave her reassurance. The stars had always been Emma's sign of hope and happiness, and now they were guiding her to her future.

~

"Hush now, little one. I'll make all your dreams come true." Rumplestiltskin giggled over the crib of Henry. Henry squirmed as he looked upon the reptile-like man that hung above him. "Something is coming, not only for me but to you. When you're a bit older, you'll go searching for belonging and what you seek will be found but only for it to be torn away." He whispered, grinning from ear to ear. 

"I was wondering when you would be making an appearance, Rumple." A woman said from behind. The Dark One did not turn around to look at her.

"Oh, Regina. Did you really think I wouldn't be able to find you? I didn't think you much of a mother either, but here we are." He chuckled.

"Stay away from my son. Let's talk this through civilly, shall we?" Regina questioned. 

"What is there to say? You failed. But I've come to deliver the news, I've found someone else to cast the spell. It will take a few years, but this time it will succeed."

"We will see about that Rumple. I have a plan of my own. You'll be sorry you abandoned me." Regina seethed. "Who could have possibly replaced your prized student?" She then asked gesturing towards herself.

"That story you will find to be quite amusing. Snow White's own daughter and your son's mother will be the one to give me exactly what I want."

"No," Regina said in shock. This couldn't be happening. Her life was crumbling before her eyes, yet again. But Regina was not going to stand around and let it happen. She would give the Dark One what he wanted, kill Snow White and Prince Charming, and prove to be powerful enough to cast the Dark Curse without destroying the heart of the thing she loved most, Henry. How hard could it really be?