Once Upon A Happy Beginning

Chapter Forty-One: Brothers Jones

Mr. Gold

I hear myself choke out a name that I didn't know I would say for a long time. "Bae."

I see my grandson move towards my son as if he can touch him. As if he can hug this boy, three years his junior, and offer him some wisdom that I know Henry is good at giving. If he could, I'm sure Henry would tell my Baelfire: Your father was awful. He was a terrible, terrible man, who did horrific things. Who does horrific things. To his wife; to his new son; to his grandson and to the rest of his grandson's family. But don't worry, Bae. You use that and flip it on its head. You become the best father anyone could know. And, I know that, because I'm your son. And if he said any of that, Henry wouldn't be lying. 

Not like I am now. 

What they don't know is how strong I am. I have the power of every Dark One in history, including the powers of the daughter-in-law I thankfully never had, and her pirate love. Two hundred and five years I have been a Dark One (a brief pause in the middle, because of the incessant meddling of my grandson's mother) but now my power has grown stronger. 

What Miss Swan and her family underestimate is my power. 

Perhaps Belle. 

If Belle holds the sword, I might be susceptible to her. 

You see, what this family have yet to understand, is that I'm in control here. I have grown power over the dagger, and imbued with the power of many Dark Ones. I cannot be commanded to act. The dagger may be able to force my appearance, but it certainly cannot compel me to act. 

Belle and, when he grows, Gideon, are the likely exceptions. I would be fragile if they held onto my tether. 

I'll let Regina think she has me on a leash, but Rumplestiltskin can't be controlled.

But that doesn't mean he's in the right. A voice in my head says. A voice that belongs to the boy in front of me, a vision I'm watching as it occurs two-hundred and five years in my past. Baelfire.

Baelfire holds the baby. Elizabeth -- your grandson's sister the voice tells me. He rocks her in his arms, only a young child himself. He holds Elizabeth as I once held him, and as a changed man, I held Gideon. I see the Saviour and Married Hook look on longingly. I know what it's like to lose your child - Belle sent Gideon far away from me. I might have him now, but he's not like Bae. Bae I pushed away. Gideon was taken from me, before I ever saw him. Just like Elizabeth was taken from the couple in front of me. 

Mind you, I did them a favour. I know that. They might not, but they will. For starters, I erased the memories of everything that the pirate so carelessly spilled to the prince and princess. Mr and Mrs Charming have me to thank when they realise that I'm the reason the entirety of the future wasn't spoiled. Perhaps, also, the Saviour will realise that I helped her daughter. I gave her daughter happiness. A safe life, spent with her father, protecting her from pain. Pain that only occurs in Storybrooke. 

Baelfire cradles the baby and speaks to it softly. "Who are you?" He asks, happily. It might be a change for him having the baby there. Someone younger than him amongst a crew of pirates. 

"Baelfire!" A man calls. Great. It's the one incessantly after my head on a stick. Not the Hook on the ship with me now, but the one that seems to believe the only love he will ever experience is the love of my ex-wife. "Baelfire! Did you say that was a baby?"

"Aye, Cap'n." 

"Well, give it here then. It's a stowaway. Someone must have put her there. You don't have women on a ship unless you want a good nightcap or to sink. So someone put her there before we left port."

"She's a baby, though! She's just a baby!"

"Aye. But she's a stowaway."

This is the pirate I know and remember. Not the pet pirate the Saviour keeps around. No, no, this is the man that slept with a married woman just to spite a coward, who was to scared of breaking his own family to fight him. Reluctantly, Bae passes the baby over with a comment that Elizabeth has the Captain's eyes. Hook looks at the child before telling my son that lots of people have similar eyes to him. 

The Saviour interrupts the conversation between the pirate and my son. That's the problem with the window effect. You can hear people on your side much clearer than you can on theirs. In this scenario, I'd rather hear my enemy's voice clearer, because that way I'd hear my son's. "No, nobody else has eyes like your Daddy, Elizabeth." She speaks, talking to the baby in the third iteration of her husband's arms. "That's what makes you so special. Mommy loves you, honey. Daddy and I are going to bring you back. Can you hear me, Elizabeth? I hope you can hear me, because Mommy and Daddy are here for you."

"Swan," Married Hook says, "Swan, love. It's like we're behind a window. We can't interact with her. I just hope Baelfire is strong enough to encourage him to keep her on board."

"He will be." Says the Middle Triplet, stepping forward to the wedded version of himself. "Don't worry, mate. She'll stay on board. Talk to her, Emma, love." Married Hook growls under his breath. "And you, mate. Get her to smile. The lad said he's got our smile. Show it to them; he won't get rid of her if there's any chance she could be his."

"It is... his. But we both know that he's not the right man to look after her." Married Hook says, looking at Middle Hook. 

"If that were the case, would you have allowed me to come with you to the Crocodile's castle in the Enchanted Forest? Or allowed me to be around your family? I'm no different than him, if anything, I'm worse. I know how to kill the Crocodile. I just won't because I know he's... unique to your family, mate." Unique. That's one way of saying that my only tie to this family is Henry. A grandson that came from a torrid love affair and a scandalous teenage pregnancy between Emma Swan and my son. "What I'm saying, is prove that it's his son. Make him believe you, brother."

"Guyliner has a point, Emma." Regina says, going towards her, my dagger twirling in her hand. "I'm not the one for hope speeches, but I think maybe you need to have hope right now. Neal could hear your parents from the Underworld; why can't Elizabeth hear you, right now?"

"Liam's gone, but there's still the Brothers Jones. Me and you, mate. We lived by a pact, us brothers. Well I vow to keep it with you now, complete honesty. Save your daughter. Save our future."

Apparently, the Brothers Jones are still a pact and a pact that Married Hook has decided to keep alive. "Bloody hell, Swan. Let's try and get through to our Elizabeth."

Snow White and Prince Charming keep close to their family. I think at this point, I'm the only one anywhere near the back. Now both Miss Swan and Married Hook are talking in over-the-top childish voices. A voice that long ago I used for Bae. 

And then something happens which changes everything.

Whatever the Saviour and her family choose to imagine, I didn't know what comes next.

And I know it's down to me to put everything back in its rightful place.

Hey! Hope you enjoyed reading from Gold's perspective. It was quite difficult to write, so if anyone has some feedback it would be greatly accepted. 

Keep voting and commenting! I love reading all the comments, and seeing votes come in. Not only does it help me know that people are enjoying my story,  but it helps me know what to improve on, or what to include more of. 

Thank you for reading, and the next part will be out as soon as I've finished it! :)