The Song of Darkness

Asleep, Awake

KILLIAN JONES

(Earlier, when Layla was meeting Emma at Granny's)

Lottie's curled way into my chest when I wake up. I gently push her off and go to check on Layla. She's not in her bed. I search the whole house and she's nowhere.

I go outside and search for a while and go to the sheriff's station when I can't find her. No ones here. Seriously!

I call the sheriff's cell phone. "Sheriff Swan."

"Emma my daughter is missing. I woke up and she wasn't anywhere in the house."

She sighs. "She came to me this morning saying she didn't want to go home." What the hell?

"Why not?"

"She said that Lottie hits her and yells at her. Again. Killian she's running away because of Lottie. She's afraid of her." I hang up and go home. Lotties in the kitchen.

"Killian! There you are, I made breakfast."

"Did you make enough for Layla?"

"Yeah of course."

I roll my eyes. "Did you notice that she's not even here."

"I did yeah. I figured she was out playing."

"At eight am? Alone? She's six! She shouldn't be going out alone at all! She ran away Lottie."

"Don't yell at me. And its a small town. Everyone knows everyone. She's fine."

"I went out looking for her after I noticed she was gone. I called the police and found out that Layla went right to Sheriff Swan and told her that she ran away because of you."

"She's six. She's dramatic."

I shake my head. "No. You're crazy. She told Emma that you hit her and yell horrible things at her."

"I do not. I parent her. She just takes it as me hating her because again, she's six."

"I don't believe you." She comes over and wraps her hands around my neck.

"Kilian, baby you've been with me my whole life, have I ever abused her?"

"Not that I've seen. But why would she lie about you hitting her?"

"I may have popped her bum when she was being bad, but that's it."

I shake my head. "No, you're lying." She sighs.

"Just come eat breakfast and we can talk about this."

"No." I push her away from me and leave. She runs after me.

"Killian please, can we just talk about it. You know I would never intentionally hurt her."

I turn around. "I don't know that."

"Please just come home and let's talk about this."

I groan and go back in the house. I eat breakfast with her and start to feel weird. Everything's going dark.

(After Part Fourteen)

"How the hell..." I hear Emma whisper.

"You broke the curse Swan."

Layla hugs me so tightly. Is she even actually my kid? "You're okay." She whispers. I just look around. Lottie. She's standing outside. I take all this shit the doctor put on me off and go out to her.

"How the hell did you get here. Is Layla actually my daughter? Or was I just cursed to believe that."

"She's actually your daughter. When I left you all those years ago I found out I was pregnant with her and never told you. Then I was cursed for... I have no idea how long and time was frozen. I was pregnant for a really long time. And then I had her and I'd heard that you were in Neverland and we went there, and we were stuck there for a really long time. And then Pan forced us out because I wasn't a child and all Layla ever did was scream and cry as a baby. It annoyed him. And then we were fine for a few years. And then recently Cora brought us here to fuck with you and strengthen the curse back up for Regina."

"So she is my daughter?"

"Yes." I pick Layla up.

"Swan could you arrest her?"

"Gladly." Emma handcuffs her and takes her to the sheriffs station.

Layla holds my cheeks and kisses my nose. "You really are my daddy?"

"I'm really your Daddy."

She kisses my cheek and then her head falls onto my shoulder. Oh she's asleep. Ok then. I carry her to the car. I drive with my fake hand. I'd prefer my hook. I'm pretty sure that's at Emma's apartment though. I drive us there and take Layla inside. Davids sitting on the couch. I set layla on their bed and get my hook off the table. That's much better. Emma walks in.

She just looks at the floor and walks into the kitchen. "Oh look it's my true love." I smirk.

"Stop that. It was just a coincidence."

"You broke the curse with true loves kiss Emma."

"Thats not what it was."

I roll my eyes and nod. "I think you've taken quite the fancy to me."

"I think you should keep dreaming." I go closer to her and hover my hook over her hip.

"I think you need to wake up."

David pulls the back of my jacket. "Get away from my daughter." I go check on Layla. She's still sleeping. I should take her to my ship. Its obvious Emmas just gonna deny it so there's no point. I pick her up.

"Where are you going?" Emma asks.

"Back to my ship."

"You don't have to. You can stay here."

"I shouldn't Swan. I can't."

She rolls her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I love you, Swan. And it hurts to be around you knowing you think you hate me."

"You love me? You've known me for a week. All I did was kiss you and you woke up."

"Yes I love you. We've been through a lot in a week and I've really gotten to know you."

She just stares at me. "Give me some time. We can go out or something in a few days."

"I don't need you to love me back. I just need you to be willing to try."

"I'll try. In 3 days."

"Ok. I'm still going back to my ship."

She nods. "I'll meet you at the station Thursday morning."

"Ok." I carry Layla to my ship and kiss her forehead. I lay her down on my bed and clean up a bit. Its a wreck in here. I set up a room for her. I go to our old house and get all her stuff. She's awake when I get back. "Morning sweetie."

"Where are we?"

"At my ship."

"You're a pirate that's right."

"We're gonna live her for a while."

"What about Emma?"

"She's at her apartment."

She frowns. "I want her to be my mommy instead of mommy."

"Lotties not your mommy anymore. You can ask Emma to be your mommy but she doesn't wanna stay with me right now so we have to live here."

"But she's your true love."

"I know but she doesn't want me to be." Layla pouts. "Do you like this stuff for your room or do you want new stuff?"

"No I like it." She just sits on her bed.

"You can go see Emma whenever you'd like."

"No."

"'No?"

She shakes her head. "I don't want to if she doesn't want to see you."

"Its not that she doesn't want to see me, she just doesn't want to be with me."

"Well then we'll have to wait until she changes her mind."