Red Rebellion

Chapter 13

This is another chapter that I've decided to break up. It was nearing five thousand words, which seemed like a lot for a single chapter. I also wanted to announce that I'm working on a graphic for the story, which I'm hoping to post with the next chapter in the next day or so... ;)

Love, kisses, hugs, and thanks to all you wonderful readers! Hope you enjoy!

The heaviness that kept him grounded to the forest floor was fading, betraying him. He felt the gaping hole carve away the warmth of his insides. The weight he had just carried, his heart, returned to an empty cavity.

And he hated it.

No amount of magic could replace the merciless void forming around his calcifying heart. This loss wasn't replaceable, even with an enchanted heart. The devastation that wreaked against his dying pulse turned his stomach.

The blunt edges of Peter's nails dug into the back of Elizabeth's bare cold skin as he let out a choked sob, still leaning his forehead against hers with closed watering eyes. He picked up one of her limp hands and curled his shaking fingers around hers.

Had he really been this empty for all these years?

Peter shuddered and rocked Elizabeth's body in his arms. The aching pain of guilt swelled through him in relentless waves.

Killian's shouts softened into soft whimpers as his grip around Emma's hand weakened. His view of her anxious wide eyes blurred until the black spots consumed his vision entirely. "Emma," he murmured deliriously, "Lizzie..."

"Killian," Emma gently shook his shoulder, "don't you do this. Stay with me."

His eyelids fluttered as unconsciousness took him. All of the tension gathered in his back was relieved into Emma's arms. She traced her thumb along his burning forehead lined with droplets of sweat. "Killian?" her voice cracked.

Tinkerbell listened intently to his heartbeat. The rhythm of his once fluttering pulse slowed. Each heartbeat strengthened into a steady pound against his pacemaker. The fairy traced her fingers over the exposed skin near his diaphragm. Sure enough, the fairy could feel Killian's pulse wage war against his insides before gradually slowing into complete stillness. "His heart," she tentatively remarked, "it has slowed but it's strong. It's almost as if it's working overtime."

Neal knelt beside Emma, sensitively wrapping an arm around her shoulder in comfort. She looked up at Tink, "what do you mean, overtime?"

The fairy studied the cuff tied securely around his wrist. It was flashing in a distinct rhythm of short flutters, reminiscent of the Captain's heartbeat. "The cuff," she muttered incredulously, "it's controlling his heart rate."

Emma immediately reached for the cuff to unstring the laces. At first touch, her body went into shock; every fiber in her being suddenly felt a drain of energy. Her body hunched over, almost toppling over onto Killian's chest, when she dropped her hand to the ground to steady herself. Killian's heartbeat fluttered for an instant, though calmed when she pulled her hand away in shock.

"What the hell?" she snapped.

"Do you know what sort of enchantment Blue used on your daughter's cuff?" Tinkerbell motioned at the cuff, "have you any clue what kind of magic binds the protective charm together?"

Emma shook her head with bewilderment. "I wasn't there when Killian got the first cuff enchanted. I stayed back with Elizabeth that morning."

"He didn't ask anything of you?" The fairy stared up at Emma with a fierce determination. "He didn't take anything of yours when he sought Blue out?"