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The moment the returned to the Enchanted Forest all Killian could think about was getting Emma and Henry back to their family. He knew it would be difficult, but all curses can be broken.
What he wasn't prepared for were the dreams. Every night. About Emma.
The first was after they had set up camp by Phillip and Aurora’s home, no one was too eager to leave the spot they had returned to and separate. Even the Queen stayed with them, her grief at leaving Henry evident.
So when his head hit the ground that night he knew it wouldn't be a restful sleep.
Flashes of Emma ran through his mind, at first it was just colors that kept hitting his mind. Her red coat as she stepped out of her father's moving device. A car? He couldn't remember all the names they had for other-worldly possessions. The gray shirt that she wore the week they were in Neverland, what she wore when she kissed him, her grip tight and strong. The green that shimmered through Neverland as he knew she had failed to get to Henry in time. The yellow of her car as she drove across the town limits and away from their little group. The purple of the smoke that filled his sight right before he felt himself falling through yet another portal to the Enchanted Forest.
Finally he was woken by Charming shaking his shoulder. He waited until Killian had his bearings before commenting, "It's your time for the watch" and giving him a weary nod before leaving to find his wife.
The next night, after listening to everyone argue about what to do next, he dreamed of all the things she said to him.
As in Captain Hook?
I had no idea you had such a soft side.
So now you're gonna be a gentleman?
I have never been in love.
Maybe I was once.
If wax mustaches and perms are your thing.
Wouldn't you like to know?
Thank you.
You couldn't handle it.
Good.
This time it’s Neal who wakes him. "Are you okay man? Looked like a nightmare" he asked, sitting across from Killian on a log.
"Nothing I can't handle" he replied with a well-faked smirk. Neal merely stared at him for a moment and stood up to walk away. "We'll get them back Hook" is all he hears before Neal is walking away through the forest.
About a month into it they're fighting flying monkeys. Killian is still trying to figure out how he went from terror of the seas to helping bloody Charming and Snow White fight evil flying monkeys while talking himself out of finding a way to get to Emma and her boy. She's probably happy for the first time in her life, and he will do anything to keep it that way, even if it means waiting until the right moment to find her.
The battle is hard earned, the respite even more. He's barely got time to pull off his boots before the dreams come crashing in. Its flashes of things he wanted before he was dragged away from her. Emma walking the streets of Storybrooke with him, Emma laughing as they stayed in bed late, Emma as she helped him steer the Jolly Roger out of port and into the sea, Emma as she slowly aged with him, neither minding the inevitable crows feet and gray hair. The rest of his life with her, every moment fought for, shared, earned just to stay by her side when the moment came.
All he has to do is keep waiting.
Months pass, all he does is fight and serve. He is friends with Charming, who finally gets Killian to call him James, as well as calling him Killian. Snow lets go of her misgivings about him, the image of a pirate slowly becoming the image of a trusted friend and warrior. The Queen stays, much to the surprise of all, she cannot bear to be without her son, and yet Killian watches as she grows close to the archer each day. The dwarves have already pulled him into a sort of friendship, them constantly dragging him to taverns that are rebuilt slowly around the castle. He even learns to form a sort of truce with Baelfire, who has been taking care of Belle in their grief. Killian cannot admit to missing the Crocodile, but he can admit that he sees the man as not the all-encompassing evil as he had before.
The Witch grows more powerful though, her monkeys replaces with dark spells and enchantments that the Queen had kept hidden in her castle. The fighting grows more dangerous until death is seen on both sides. They lose Happy by the beginning of winter, each dwarf a little less jovial and hard as the days go on.
The dreams are still there, some things are still strong while other pieces fade. He cannot remember when he saw Emma wearing earrings, was it Neverland or Storybrooke? When did he first hear her laugh? He'd forgotten the name of that moving food they had tried giving him when he was hit, but eventually he bit the bullet and asked Snow. "Jello" she said, her eyes distant as she smiled, "Its called Jello".
Finally its time. James and Snow are in trouble, the Queen is weakened by her constant battle against her own spells being used against her, even the wolf begins to tire of her hunting down the winged nightmares.
When the Queen hands him the potion and tells him what it is he can feel his body almost begin to vibrate. His inner compass is pointing to where he knows Emma is, across worlds doesn't matter to him. He had the means and permission to bring them back, to see her as she remembers who he is and what she means to him, and he's not going to stop until she's back with the rest of her family, until he can win her heart fair and true.
He can almost hear her as he goes through the portal, coming to find her and her son.
Good.