Lionhearted [ON HOLD FOR NOW]

42. Birth

STORYBROOKE - PRESENT - WOODS

"That's Arthur's tent," David said. "I'll go in first. You two stand guard." A gun cocked.

"And if our dishonest king should put up a fight?" Robin Hood asked.

"We'll make him wish he hadn't," Hook answered.

"Arthur," David called.

"David!" King Arthur exclaimed. "Good to see you, my friend. Come, sit. Join us."

"Why don't you explain why you lied to me? Why you tried to burn the Crimson Crown."

"So, you found me out."

"Yeah, I found out... Friend."

"Now, that part was real. Ah, it doesn't matter. Not anymore." He sighed. "But I want answers. See... There was a message in there for Merlin. It said there was only one person who could destroy the Dark One, named Nimue. You tell me who that is." He grunted.

"He's getting away!"

King Arthur grunted, breathed heavily and panted as ran through the woods with Hook in hot pursuit. He tripped over a log, but tripped up Hook when he approached.

"Look at that," King Arthur said. "Seems you brought a hook to a sword fight."

"Actually, I brought a sword, but I seem to have misplaced it," Hook commented.

"Shame. It's always the simple mistakes that get us killed." He grunted and moved to smite Hook, and Emma appeared, blocking his sword with Excalibur. "Excalibur." He breathed shallowly. "It's whole."

"Yes, it is," Emma replied. "But it's not going to help you. This sword doesn't control anyone now."

"Aah!" He grunted as Emma threw him against a tree.

Hook breathed deeply. "I suppose I should say "thank you.""

"You don't need to say anything," Emma told him. "Just don't do that again."

"I should apologize for what I said that day aboard my ship."

"For when you refused to accept me or when you said you did not love me?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that."

"Doesn't matter. I'm the Dark One."

"You're more than the Dark One. You're still you. You saved me. That was Emma."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want to help you. And I need your help to do it. Who is Nimue, and how can she defeat the darkness?"

"Nimue doesn't matter anymore. This will all be over tomorrow."

"What will be over? And why do you need that damned sword? Ah. All this power, and you don't even have the courage to answer one simple bloody question. Why do you need Excalibur? I know you're still in there, Emma, and I know that despite everything, you always have your reasons!"

"You're right! I do! You want to know why I'm doing all of this? I'm doing it for you."

CAMELOT - THREE WEEKS AGO - GRANNY'S DINER

"Mom, did you do it? Did you find the Spark of..." Henry trailed.

"Prometheus, yes. Now we can use it to fix Excalibur," Emma said.

"Finally some good news," Granny stated.

"That's great, Mom," Henry said. "Let's get that darkness out of you."