Scara Rose, The Warrior

Chapter 9

-End of flashback-

I snap myself out of my thoughts, when I notice that I'm crying. I don't even bother to stop myself as I prep the needle and thread. I take a quick swig from the bottle of rum and begin sewing.

I've had so much practice sewing myself together, I barely flinch anymore.

I finish after about three minutes and cut the thread with the sharp edge of the mirror.

Just as I am about to put the aid kit and rum back in the hole, I notice my other possession that I have buried deeper in the same hole.

Wrapped in an old, large cloth, I have a guitar that I traded for. After the man moved on, I found two bottles of rum in the things he left behind.

Obviously I kept one, but I used the other to get my guitar. At that moment, I didn't even care that a bottle of rum is worth more than the guitar. To me, the guitar is worth so much more.

Music has always been my way of getting through tough times, and death is no exception. It's also a way for me to keep in touch with Cami since she's the one who got me started on singing and taught me how to play.

I also used to play and sing with Chris before I died.

Chris used to say that my voice was amazing, but I think he over exaggerated. I mean his voice is to die for, but mine, no.

Chris and I both singing and playing guitar is only two of the many things we have in common.

I realize I haven't actually played in a while. I take my guitar, bury everything else, and head to the docks. I'm still crying pretty hard, so some comfort might be good for me.

As soon as I exit the shack, I quickly notice that it is just after sunset and it's dark. I never sleep much anyway so it doesn't bother me.

When you sleep in the Underworld, you either have nightmares of your worst fears or sweet dreams of the life you left behind. I still haven't decided which one is worse.

I get to the docks, which takes a lot longer than usual because of my leg, and I go to a spot not far from where I fought the Prince earlier.

I heard his twin brother accidently threw him into the river.

I don't know his twin other than the fact he's a hero, but I know James. He was always talking about how his unfinished business was to settle the score with his brother.

I can honestly say that I'm not sorry it was him to get thrown into the cursed water.

I limp over to one of the bigger boxes. The top is about face level, so I carefully climb the smaller boxes to get to the top. Once I get there, I lie on my back and gaze up into the red night sky.

I can hear the calm crashing of waves in the distance as I start singing.

I've been told that when I sing I sound like Carrie Underwood, so I will usually do one of her songs. Chris uses the same logic only he sounds like Brad Paisley, so he sings Brad Paisley songs.

God I miss him.

Emma's pov

We are just about to leave to go find Flower when Rumple and Belle waltz into the room. Rumple looks slightly uncomfortable and Belle looks pretty pissed.

Oh God, what happened now?"

Rumple's pov

The old me could honestly say that I would not be doing what I'm about to do right now unless there was a really good deal about to take place.

But alas, Belle is pregnant with my child and she won't let me into his/her life unless I can prove to her that I can be the man she wants me to be.

Strangely, I think I'm ready to be that man. I want love in my life. I want Belle.

She is the light in my world of darkness.

I want to be the man that can raise his child with his beautiful wife. I screwed up with Bae, but I swear on my life, I won't make the same mistake with this child.

So what I'm about to do is extremely hard, but if I am truly going to be the man Belle needs me to be, some things need to be said and done.

"Rumple, what are we doing here?" Belle asks, looking ready to explode with anger.

Yep, she's pissed at me, again.

"Belle," I begin slowly.

Why is this so nerve racking? I don't know how some people can do this on a daily basis.

"When I told you that you're pregnant, you told me that you can't let evil be in the child's life. When you said that, I realized that I don't want to be this man anymore. I want to be the man that does the right thing; that makes you proud. I want to be the man you fell in love with. Because I know actions speak louder than words, I wanted you to follow me here."

I then turn to a very pissed off Hook. Someone obviously told him about me deceiving him, again.

"Hook, I am sincerely sorry for, well, everything. I'm the one who took your first love away from you, twice. Once by killing her, then by sending her into The River of Souls. We both cared deeply for Milah, and I overreacted when I saw you together centuries ago."

I can see Hook's face begin to soften as he begins to realize that I'm being genuine.

"I'm also sorry for making your sacrifice worthless. As you already know, darkness was a shield that I came to rely on for many years, and I couldn't bear to lose it. At least, not until now"

He nods as I turn to Miss Swan.

"I believe that last apology should extend to you as well. I took your true love from you. Congrats by the way. Like I said, I'm changing my ways for the better."

I then turn to the rest of the group.

"We would be here all day long if I was to go into detail and apologize for everything I've done to you, so I'm going to try and make this brief. I'm sorry for the man I was, and I'm hoping the man I am striving to be will help more than hurt."

I finally turn back to my beautiful wife to see her shocked with tears streaming down her face. She throws her arms around my neck and hugs me tight.

"I knew you could change," she whispers in my ear.

"I believe I can speak for everyone when I say that all things can be forgiven," Hook says.

Before this can go further, I need to finish what I came to say.

"There's more," I state to which everyone looks at me in shock.

I could probably take this information to my grave, but I'm trying to change. Besides that, the Charmings deserve to know. I know I would be furious if someone withheld this from me, so it can only be worse when they learn I've kept this secret from them since before the curse broke.

I've been close to telling them before when I was on the road to changing, but alas it didn't happen. Hopefully revealing this will help me as well as them.

"I've kept something from you all for a very long time and I can't think to say anything more except that you deserve to know."

Everyone in the room looks to me, confused. Iexpected nothing different