STUCK IN MY HEAD ── killian jones

vi ➤ the storybook

Storybrooke

Callie stares at her nephew with unfocused eyes as she processes the pieces of Calypso's tale that Henry had shared. There's no way to stop her mind from spinning over every little detail he had just read. Questions form in the swirls of pirates and fuzzy childhood memories in Callie's head.

"Okay, okay. Wait. Let me try to get this straight, lad. In your book you believe that I'm this Calypso Stiltskin?"

A heavy breath fills Callie's lungs as she meets his wide doe eyes that are full to the brim with excitement.

"Yeah!" Henry grins, turning a couple pages in his book, "see, so later on the book says that your nickname was "Cali". I think your name now is so close to your nickname because towards the end the book says you were close to Mom."

"Who is the Evil Queen?"

Henry nods quickly, and gently passess his aunt the book. And Callie looks down at the image painted in oils of the handsome pirate captain kissing Calypso's hand. Her fingers gently brush over the image of the man, looking exactly like the one who haunts her dreams. So many things twist in her mind connecting to her life and memories now, and Callie can't help but feel that all of this makes sense.

"So, I'm the daughter of Rumplestiltskin and Milah?"

"Yep, see Rumplestiltskin is Mr. Gold, and your mom is does later on in the story. And you had a brother, but I think it says that he dies too."

And Callie's heart plunges into her gut, aching for the family she doesn't have. She doesn't remember her dad, she knows nothing about him and panic flutters in time with the beats of her heart at the mere idea of Gold being her father. What it says about Milah and her own mom connect as well. And the fact that Calypso and Callie share a dead little brother too. Except her little brother's death is what ruined her life.

"How did my brother die?" Callie questions, eyes still fixating on the image of Killian Jones.

"Once Rumplestiltskin became the Dark One the book says his heart changed. Baelfire didn't like your "new" father and found a way to a world without magic like this one. The world would get rid of the dark powers but..."

"He failed him," Callie whispers, pain rushing through her at the familiarity that she hates with a new passion.

"Yeah," Henry continues, not noticing the suffocating darkness filling his aunt's eyes, "then he tried to find Milah and you again."

Callie's brow raises, fighting the praises tumbling on her tongue to assure Henry that this makes sense.

"Time for bed," she decides on moving past the tale for now, "we have to be up early if you want to practice sailing again."

"Okay," Henry agrees, sleep already nudging his eyes towards fluttering shut, "but keep the book, there's a lot I didn't get to tell you."

"Okay, lad," Callie amends, pulling the book closer to her before ruffling his hair, "go. Get to your room and sleep, Henry."

Henry bends down and hugs Callie quickly before turning and running back inside the house. But for reasons she doesn't know, Callie stays seated by the fire gazing down at the glossy page. 'Captain Killian Jones. The man stuck in my head finally has a name,' Callie grins, gently rubbing a thumb over the man's cheek. That's what makes her heart thump with a new excitement, a new found belief. The raging hurricane tearing through her soul calms at peace because no one knows of the man in her dreams. Killian Jones is Callie's secret and Callie's burden alone. And this book? This book dares to peer into her soul and show her the exact thing that would make her blindly trust Henry's theories. She shakes her head, eyes fluttering closed as she tries to rid herself of the dull, nabbing pain crushing her heart.