A/N: Hello! This is my brand new multi-chapter fic! I am going to do my best to get a good amount of chapters up before the season starts up again. I don't want this fic influenced by the actual story as I have my own idea as how I would like this to go!
Let's just say that I kind of forgot about the panel yesterday and went on Instagram to see ALL THE SPOILERS. Hey ho, it just makes me more pumped for the midseason premier in a month's time!
I will be updating Soothing Gestures during this fic but I will have more focus on this! Apologies for any typos present - there shouldn't be any but one never knows!
Keep Smiling!
"We're actually back." Emma says when they emerge from the portal just around the corner from the loft. She turns to Regina who is holding on to Robin. "How did you manage to convince Rumpelstiltskin to give you another bean?"
Regina winces and looks at Emma. "You don't want or really need to know." she says. "You had better go and see everyone - they are quite concerned."
Emma nods but doesn't move as her gaze drifts over to Robin who is looking around in a mixture of confusion and wonder.
"What about Robin?" Emma asks. "What are you going to do?"
Regina inhales strongly before shrugging ever so slightly. "I'm not so sure, to be perfectly honest. But, we shall see what happens. Now, go."
Emma hesitates for a moment, wanting to make sure that Regina is alright before turning around and running to her parents' loft.
She runs up the stairs and enters the loft without knocking on the door. Everyone goes silent after arguing again on how to get he back and appear frozen upon her arrival.
Everyone but Killian.
"Emma." he breathes out before almost running forwards from his pace against the kitchen counter and hugging her fiercely. Emma holds him as tight as she can with one arm, careful and conscious of the sword in her right hand. "I thought I had lost you again."
Emma pulls back enough so they can face each other, Killian's hand going up to cradle her cheek in his palm. She smiles softly at him before resting her forehead against his.
"Not going to happen, Killian." Emma whispers and pulls back again. "We will always find each other."
Killian breathes out a laugh, a smile easily gracing his lips at her words.
"Stealing your parents' line, are we?" he asks, teasingly.
"It is the Charmings family motto." Emma says. "So, technically, not stealing."
Killian smiles wider before leaning forwards and pressing his lips to Emma's in a much needed and much awaited kiss. She pulls herself closer to him before she withdraws. With another smile, she turns to her right to face her son.
"Henry."
The teenager quickly leaps over from David's side and into his mother's embrace. She holds him against her with her left hand on his back, their heads resting against each other.
"I love you, mum. I love you so much." Henry mumbles into her shoulder, arms tight around Emma's waist.
"I love you too, kid." Emma mumbles back.
Henry holds on to Emma for a full minute until he draws back, smiling at her before tilting his head towards David. Emma squeezes Henry's shoulder then moves over to her father who wastes no time at all in holding his daughter against him, his hand raising to cup the back of her head. They say nothing, just soaking in each other's presence. David's fingers flex in Emma's hair, the strands pulled up into a ponytail once again and covering his hand.
"I need to see Mum." Emma says, pulling back from her father's chest. "I need to see that she is alright."
She draws back and moves over to the bed in the back of the loft. She inwardly breathes out a sigh of relief at the sight of her mother breathing deeply and strongly - even if she is under the sleeping curse. Emma leans down and presses a kiss to Snow's forehead, allowing her lips to linger for a second.
"Emma..." David starts hesitantly which immediately catches her attention. "We have some bad news."
Emma frowns when she catches the look that is passed between David and Killian.
"What is it?" Emma asks, her gaze flicking between the two when there is no answer. "Well?"
Killian sighs before stepping forwards, placing his hand on her arm. "The hooded figure from your vision... he is here."
Emma tenses up. "Here - now?"
"Aye." Killian says quietly, moving even closer to Emma.
"Wait." Emma says suddenly, looking up at Killian. "He? How do you know it is a he?"
"Belle called us." Killian starts, taking a glance at David. "Something happened... and it means that... Belle said that..."
"Killian." Emma interrupts, concerned that he is actually struggling to form a coherent sentence. "Just tell me; please."
Killian inhales deeply. "It's Gideon." he says, "He is the one under the hood and he is here to... to-"
"Kill me." Emma finishes.
Killian nods. Emma looks at the faces of her loved ones and then down at the sword in her hand. A plan quickly begins to formulate in her mind - what she can do how she will get away with it and how she can protect her family in the process.
"I'm going to face him." Emma announces, looking up at everyone. "I'm going to do what is necessary to make sure you are all safe."
She begins to walk over to the front door but it stopped by Killian, his hook grabbing her arm.
"Emma, you can't!" Killian exclaims, his eyes wide and full of terror. "You know what will happen if you go out there and face him - you will die."
"Killian, I-"
"Mum, don't!" Henry interrupts, grabbing hold of Emma's other arm so she cannot move. "You have just come back and I will not lose you again. You can't go out there."
"Emma, listen to us." David says, joining in. "If you go out there and face this Gideon, you will die."
They all begin talking at the same time, their voices jumbling together and creating one big noise in Emma's ears. She squeezes her eyes shut and knows what she needs to do.
"I'm sorry." she mumbles before disappearing in a cloud of grey smoke.
...
Emma finally appears in Main Street after going through with her plan. She glances down at the sword in her hand before quickly snapping her head up when she senses him. Gideon stands in the centre of the road, his own sword glinting in the street lights' glow as he twirls the blade almost impatiently in his hands.
"Gideon." Emma says quietly, taking a step forward and keeping her sword at her side; for now. "Why are you doing this? I have done nothing to you." She sees Gideon's jaw twitch and she raises her sword slightly in preparation. "I helped your mother when she was giving birth to you. I was there to support her. I don't understand why."
"You don't need to. You just have to die." Gideon says darkly before suddenly lunging towards her.
They begin to fight, Emma matching each of Gideon's blows that he sends towards her - but so does he. Their swords clash together and Gideon raises his leg, kicking Emma back so she falls onto the ground, winded from the force. She can feel her limbs weakening quickly as she stands up and continues fighting. Their swords connect and pus against each other until Emma pulls her away with a grunt. Flashes of her vision come to her mind's eye and within the blink of an eye, she is disarmed.
Emma turns to see her sword skidding away before disappearing in a cloud of burgundy smoke. She can hear hurried footsteps and when she turns back to face Gideon, the sight of her father, son and true love brings fear to her heart. She looks at Gideon again and her heart stops when she sees her sword in his hand.
"I'm not going to let you hurt him." The words tumble from her lips unbidden and her hand instinctively raises so she can use her magic to defend herself. But then the tremors arrive, along with the flashes of her vision.
And that is when she becomes vulnerable for a second. But a second is all he needs.
He thrusts the sword forwards and it goes right through Emma's stomach. She gasps, the pain incomprehensible and rendering her useless to do much at all. Emma grabs onto Gideon's arm before he roughly extracts it and her hand ends up on the pummel of the sword. The strength disappears from her legs and she falls harshly on her knees.
Out of the corner of her eye, she notices that Gideon disappears - transporting himself elsewhere. A pounding begins in her ears and her vision blurs as the pain simply consumes her, making her unable to feel anything else.
She falls completely then, the sword moving within her but she cannot feel the extra pain as there is too much already. Hands take hold of her gently and she is then cradled in someone's lap - the sword lodged in her stomach and making her lay awkwardly.
"Emma, hey. Come on, Swan." Killian says, cupping her cheek with his palm and trying to get her to respond whilst David yells into his phone for an ambulance or just someone to save his daughter. "Hold on, Emma."
"I'm sorry." Emma chokes out. Killian brushes away the tears that are falling, ignoring his own that are doing the same. "I thought I could avoid it. I thought-"
"Shh, shh." Killian hushes her, trying to keep her calm. He looks up at Henry who is kneeling on the other side of Emma and has gone as pale as her. He cannot remove his gaze from the sword protruding from Emma's stomach.
Killian's eyes fall back down to Emma. Her breaths are coming in sharp gasps as if she is unable to catch it and her eyes are struggling to stay open. He can feel her blood on his and he wishes he could just stop it; stop her suffering.
"The ambulance is coming - perhaps five minutes." David says, his voice shaking as he kneels down beside Henry and pulls him into his side, comforting him as best as he can.
"She may not have that long." Killian says, a sob escaping as soon as the words are out. "Stay with me, Emma. Please, stay."
"What's going on?!" Regina shouts as she runs up to them, Robin on her heels. "What happened?"
"The hooded figure, the vision." is all that Killian says before putting his full attention on Emma. Her eyes close in that moment and she is unresponsive. "No, no, no, no, Emma!"
Regina quickly moves forwards, waving her hand so the sword is no longer in Emma but, now very bloody, in her hand.
"Pick her up, Killian." Regina says and he does so without hesitation. "We don't have time to wait for an ambulance."
With another wave of her hand, everyone is transported to the hospital. They arrive in the quiet waiting room, void of anyone.
"We need help here!" David yells out and a myriad of doctors and nurses come towards them.
"Get a bed and get prepped for surgery. We're going to need a lot of blood too!" Doctor Whale shouts out to everyone and a moment later, a gurney appears. "Put her down, Killian."
Killian carefully places Emma down upon the gurney and is helpless when they suddenly wheel her away. He tries to follow them all but David pulls him back.
"I need to go with them!" Killian exclaims, trying to shrug off David's hold. Tears continue to fall. "I need to be with her!"
"Killian-"
"I can't lose her again!"
David quickly pulls Killian in for a hug, comforting the pirate and seeking comfort for himself too. He pulls back a moment later when he feels a hand on his shoulder; Regina's. She looks at David before facing Killian.
"Here, Killian." she says, handing a fresh shirt and pair of jeans to him. Killian frowns. "I don't think you will want to wait with..." she points to his shirt and he looks down.
A lot of the large volume of blood that Emma had lost is on his shirt and on the thighs of his trousers, making them cling to his skin. He swallows thickly, nodding in thanks as he takes the clothes from him and finds somewhere to change.
When he returns, he sits down in one of the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room. He perches on the edge of the seat, his shoulders tense and back rigid, on edge and waiting for any scrap of news on Emma.
"It could be a while before we hear anything." Regina says, sitting down beside Robin.
But Killian does not care, nor does he respond. If anything, he shifts even closer to the edge of the seat as if somehow, it could make a difference.
As if it could save Emma's life - if she was not already gone.
End note: Please review! :)