The Heart Of The Truest Believer

Regrets, guilt. That's all Killian ever feels when he looks at Dante. Killian had finally convinced Dante to come back to Storybrooke with him and the group after they rescued Henry from Peter Pan's clutches. But Dante was reluctant to come back, and Killian knew why. Dante still resented Killian for abandoning him years ago when he needed his father. But Killian understood that and knew where Dante was coming from. Killian had resented his father, Brennan Jones, years ago for abandoning him and his siblings when he was young. 

Killian walked towards the house and opened the door once he reached it. "Dante, let's go." He called inside. "Just a minute!" Killian heard Dante call back. When he heard it, Killian crossed his arms in front of his chest and waited by the front door. Today, Killian wanted to teach Dante about the Jolly Roger. But also an excuse to bond with his son and hope to make up for lost moments. Dante walked out when he was ready. Killian smiled at him. "You ready?" He asked. Dante glared at his father. Killian smiled sadly and stared down at the ground as he started to walk. He knew it would be difficult to approach his son, but he didn't think it would be this ​​​​​​​difficult. Dante followed his pace next to him, staring down at the ground.

Occasionally, Dante would steal glances over at his father. Killian chuckled softly to himself, knowing about the occasional glimpses from Dante. Suddenly, Dante stopped walking and just stood there. Realizing Dante had stopped, Killian stopped and turned around to look over at his son. "What's wrong, Dante? I thought we would have a lesson about the Jolly Roger." Killian asked. Dante gritted his teeth and tightened both of his hands into fists. "You can cut the act, you know?" The boy asked. Killian tilted his head and looked confused, taken aback by his son's behavior. "You can cut the act, I said," Dante repeated. "I know how you really are because I'm nothing to you!" The young boy snarled. "What? Where is this coming from?" Killian asked, his heart feeling like a spear piercing his chest. His own flesh and blood who hated him. "I'm nothing to you because I was invisible when I needed you!" Said Dante, tears welling up in his eyes. "So, do you think of her when you look at me?" He asked.

Killian frowned as he looked back at his son. "Dante, I --" He begins. But Dante cut Killian off before he could finish. "Just answer the question, Papa." The young boy commanded. Killian sighed and slowly nodded his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Yes, I do. And it hurts even more because I abandoned you. I wasn't there for you. And I'm truly sorry." Killian put his hand over his face and started sobbing. Remember the feeling of helplessness as Rumplestilskin had a blade to Milah's throat and how it felt when his heart broke after the beast killed Milah in front of him. It was too late by the time Killian had heard the little feet running away. Dante had seen Rumplestilskin kill his mother.

Killian slowly lowered himself to the ground and sat down. The weight of the memory and the emotion that came with it was too great. It was becoming difficult to stand because he couldn't feel his legs anymore. They had become numb. Seeing his father admitting his true feelings, the tears rolled down Dante's cheeks. It had been so long since he had witnessed his own mother's death. And he had never known how his father felt about him because Killian took off with plans of revenge the next day after Milah died. The boy walked towards his father and knelt down next to him. Dante put a hand on Killian's shoulder, still not knowing how to show affection to the people he cared about since he grew up with the Lost Boys.