Once Upon A Happy Beginning

Chapter Thirty-Six: We're Going To Find Our Daughter

So after a scarily long break, I'm determined to get some more written on this. At the very least people should find out where Gold took Baby Elizabeth.

Emma

I don't sleep. I spend every night cradled in my husband's arms slowly willing the gentle abyss of sleep to consume me. It never happens. Or when it does, I am sharply awoken by memories of the Enchanted Forest. Of waking up and finding Rumplestiltskin stood over my bed, and discovering that he had taken my precious daughter. Every night without fail, I cry into Killian's chest, begging for some sweet mercy to take my pain away. I know we were cursed in the Enchanted Forest, but I long for a curse like the original Dark Curse - one where I get to live my life and forget everything. Perhaps at this point forgetting everyone, Mom, Dad, Henry, Killian; is better than remembering my Elizabeth.

Killian is not doing much better. He's been drinking more and more. I know he has two centuries worth of tolerance built up but I'm scared for his health with the amount of neat liquor he's been drinking. I think he nearly cracked open some whisky for something to take the pain away, until Hook brought around another bottle of rum. At night he's no better, he comes up to bed late, long after I've gone, and then he doesn't sleep either. He just runs his hand through my hair, along my skin, like the physical connection to me is going to bring back whatever he could have had with Elizabeth.

Regina practically forced Henry to move in with her. We alternate weeks normally - he's with Hook and I from for one week, and then the following Saturday he goes to Regina's. And each Saturday, he swaps over. Henry tried to keep doing that but Regina wouldn't let him. She knew that Killian and I weren't in the correct emotional state to be parents right now. I wanted to keep him close, to know that one child is missing but the other is near me.

"Emma, please. You know it's for the best. Isn't that what we've always done? The best thing for Henry?"

She was right. That is what we did. Henry didn't want to go, but I promised him that we'd still do Granny's on Tuesdays and I'd see him after school and we were trying to solve this curse so Regina and I would be together a lot. If it wasn't for that promise to Henry, I would not have been going out the house. A combination of my promise to my son, the fact I refused to hear another hope speech form my mother, and the fact that trying to work things out is the only chance I have of knowing where Elizabeth is, resulted in me actually getting dressed.

"How long are we going to do this?" I sniffle into Killian's shirt, as we lie together, broken, on the couch.

"I don't know, love." He whispers back, his voice a hoarse croak in the still silence.

I grab at the black cotton even more, as more and more tears stream down my face. "I just want my baby girl."

"Aye, love." The flat of Killian's hook runs along my side, as he strokes my hair with his hand. "So do I."

"Regina's not finding anything."

"She will, Swan. I know she will."

"But what if she doesn't? Killian, I'm the Saviour. I save happy endings. And mine got stolen from me." I look into my husband's blue eyes. "Don't leave me. I can't lose you too. You lost me, and I know Elizabeth was the only thing that kept you going. If you... If I lose you Killian..."

His eyes are flooded with tears as he chokes back his phrase of: "I'm a survivor."

Killian takes another swig of rum, and offers the flask to me. I accept it graciously, and then in a spur of strong determination that can only be my parents genes, I pour it into the plant pot next to me. I sit up, pulling Killian with me, so we're sat face to face on the couch, my legs straddling his waist. His head cocks to one side, probably wondering why I've gotten rid of his painkiller.

"We're saving our daughter." I say, looking Killian point blank in the eyes. "I'm the Saviour. We're survivors, so is she. We're bringing her back."

Killian's hand cups my cheek and he kisses my lips softly, "Of course we will. But how?"

"Using the thing that Regina and Zelena don't have. We were there. We might not remember anything from after reaching Gold's castle, but we were there. We know what happened. Let's run through it again."

Killian's mouth drops, I know for him, being in the Enchanted Forest was so much worse. "How does reliving the worst period of my life help anything?"

"Babe." I whisper, giving him a quick kiss. "Please. We need our baby back."

I reach over to the coffee table and grab the pen and paper that's there. I write down the order of events, in briefest detail quickly before turning the page Killian. "What do you think?"

1. Time Portal

2. Mom & Dad Castle. Elizabeth born.

3. Henry book. Funeral.

4. Emma returned by Gold (Storybrooke Version).

5. Gold takes Elizabeth (via magic).

6. Meet Hook.

7. Dark One's Castle.

8. Curse.

We're going to find our daughter. That much I'm certain of.