#were!killians

This should never have taken five years to finish. But I think I got hung up on what the plot should be, when it's supposed to just be a slice of life fic that doesn't need a plot.

So here we are. It's not my best work, but at least it's not hanging over my head anymore.

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It turned out Killian was not, in fact, having a heart attack. Probably a good thing, since he’d read that squids had three of them, and that didn’t sound like a good time.

Once Emma explained the situation again and Granny calmed down - mostly - things became business as usual. The humans ordered coffee, which Killian eyed wistfully, and waited to place their food order because Neal had spent the night with a friend and was supposed to be meeting them in the diner.

Fortunately, Emma’s loud explanation had reached every eavesdropping ear in the diner, and no one else questioned Hope the Squidlet. Killian even overheard a few people commenting how adorable she was as she floated lazily in the water globe at Killian’s side, finally exhausted from her earlier antics.

He doubted that would last long.

And here we are, at the end of chapter five! I still don't know what to call this chapter when I upload it to AO3, but considering how I can't do that until I can go to a library anyway, I have plenty of time to think of something.

Banner by @hollyethecurious

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The marina looked as if it had been hit by a hurricane. The docks had been reduced to splinters, and most of the smaller ships that hadn't gone out that morning were listing, or capsized completely.

A quick glance showed the moorings for the larger trawlers - and the Jolly Roger - which were located further away where the water was deeper, were untouched.

Killian breathed a sigh of relief to see his ship still intact.

He studied the path of destruction critically. Nothing to indicate what sort of creature had caused it, but the pattern of debris suggested it had been making its way to the water from the shore.

And it was bloody HUGE.

His original plan had been to take one of the docked trawlers to snag whatever it was, but now he could see it was far too big. His Roger might be large enough to handle it, bit wasn't equipped with any nets.

Much as he hated to admit it, he might need Emma or Regina for this one.

The pounding of footsteps tore his attention from the destruction, and he turned to see the unlikely pair of August and Pinocchio running towards him, trailed by a limping figure.

Unlike himself and Jones, August and Pinocchio's relationship was cold at best. The two were complete opposites, and were frequently disgusted by each other's behavior.

Only Geppetto's eagerness to accept Pinocchio as another son kept them from each other's throats.

But now, they wore matched looks of horror as they skidded to a stop in front of him, and both began to speak at once.

The limping figure caught up to them, a grim-faced Liam Jones. His normally immaculate uniform was torn and bloody, and a bandage was wrapped around his thigh.

"Slow down!" Killian said sharply. "I can't understand a bloody word you're saying!"

Pinocchio and August exchanged glances. "It's Father," Pinocchio said. "We were working in the shop this morning, and then he dropped his chisel and let out a blood-curdling scream. He grabbed at the necklace he was wearing, and then he ran out of the workshop, screaming the whole way."

"I heard him," August said, picking up the tale. "He was running so fast, faster than should have been possible. So we jumped on my motorcycle and followed him here. He was...he was growing, the whole time."

"He became huge and dark,"Pinocchio continued, "and then he fell off the dock and into the water. And what came up was -"

"A whale!" the two said in unison.

How was Killian supposed to capture a whale?!

"And what happened to you?" he asked Liam

"His crew is going to kill Father!" August snarled.

Liam tried to straighten up, but winced when the movement pulled at a wound. "We were docked when we saw it begin attacking the harbor. I was injured when a part of the dock fell on me. Captain Nemo told me he was going after the creat - your father, and refused to allow me to come, due to my injuries. He didn't know it was a man," Liam said softly.

Killian wondered if they'd seen Regina's message. Probably not, if they were here. "Right. You go to the hospital, I'm going to find Nemo before he can hurt anyone." There was no time to waste; the Nautilus was fast, and it was equipped to battle krakens. They could easily kill a whale.

"I'm going with you." Liam stood in front of Killian, arms folded across his chest, a stubborn look Killian was all too familiar with on his face. He really was a Jones, Killian thought with a grimace.

"We're going, too," August and Pinocchio said, again in unison.

Wonderful. Killian groaned. He didn't think he'd be able to dissuade any of them. "Fine," he growled. He hoped he wasn't going to regret this.

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Jones raised his pistol, not sure what exactly he intended, but not liking the feeling of helplessness.

The gun squirmed in his hand, and Jones cried out and dropped it when it transformed into a snake.

Mim smirked.

"Is that your only trick?" Jones asked, backing away. "Turning things into animals?"

"I'd say it's a pretty good trick," Mim said. "How many people can transform an entire population?" Then she frowned. "Though something went wrong with you. You and Other You were supposed to kill the sheriff. The Savior would have made the perfect first sacrifice."

Sacrifice? Jones narrowed his eyes.

Mim glanced over to Leota, who was watching silently. Jones took the chance and took a step back. And then another.

"What shall we do with him?" Mim asked, sounding unconcerned. "He's useless to us. Too... docile."

"I wouldn't do anything," Jones said levelly. "As soon as everyone realizes I'm missing, they'll come straight here." He hoped. He might be overestimating his value to everyone. "I can be used as a bargaining chip -"

"No one knows you're here," Leota told him.

Jones' blood ran cold. "Ruby -"

"The wolf?" Leota interrupted. "She told you there were lights in the swamp." As she spoke, her voice altered, becoming Ruby's, but with a peculiar echoing quality.

They'd lured him here.

He'd had the means for Regina to track them, so they'd brought him here.

"We do still need a first sacrifice for it to begin," Leota said.

Mim smiled widely. "Looks like you'll have to do."

Jones tensed, ready to whirl around and make a break for the door.

Before Jones could react, Mim moved with shocking speed and plunged her hand into his chest. There was a wrenching, and then she was frowning at something in the palm of her hand, which thudded weakly.

Jones gasped and staggered back, hitting the wall of the hut. He slid down into a heap at Mim's feet.

"I do have one more trick," Mim said, and squeezed.

Jones screamed as there was an intense burst of agony, worse than when his poisoned heart had nearly killed him.

And then there was a pop, and everything went black.

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Out on the water, Killian Jones felt his connection to his other self snap, and he screamed.

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...sorry?

Remember, Attack of the Squidlet is part of this universe and EVERYTHING IS OKAY (except for my ability to remember Neal Nolan) exists.

And I went back and forth on if I wanted Mim and Leota to spill their plan, but I hate monologuing villains. So you'll just have to wait and see.

Banner by @hollyethecurious

How am I at forty parts?! HOW?!

Also, this was supposed to be an Emma part, but y'all demanded an update on Jones, so...

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Jones woke to the fetid stench of rotting vegetation and stagnant water. His eyes fluttered open, and he drew in a deep breath, which he immediately regretted when the odor seemed to coat his mouth and made him gag.

Where was he? What had happened? He had the vague impression of far too many razor teeth and the familiar creak of the Jolly Roger, but that wasn't right...

No, the last thing he remembered was Madame Mim, reaching into his chest and yanking out his heart...

...and crushing it...

Jones tried to push himself upright, but he couldn't find a solid enough surface to push off. His head seemed to be resting against a soft, loamy bank, with his body floating atop the surface of a pool of swampy water.

He grabbed for the cattails lining the bank and hauled himself out, one-handed - his prosthetic hand wasn't functioning, and he hoped the sensitive machinery wasn't irreparably damaged.

Jones finally managed the climb to solid ground and immediately grabbed for his chest. He could feel his heartbeat beneath his hand, a little fast because of his fright and exertion, but otherwise normal.

How?

He remembered the look on Mim's face as she'd studied his heart, glowing dully red with a noxious green swirl in its center.

His poisoned heart... somehow, she'd pulled his poisoned heart, and left the Crocodile's healthy one. How had she missed it? Was there still a bit of magic inside?

Jones made his way slowly through the swamp towards the line of trees he was fairly certain was the road. One there, he'd walk the rest of the way to Regina's castle so he could return armed with magic.

Fortunately, he was correct, and he braced himself for the long slog in wet shoes and reeking clothing.

Jones managed a mile of dealing with the pond scum drying on his skin and clothes, making him itch. Fortunately, there was a bridge ahead, spanning a river that Jones knew ran clean, and he broke into a run when he spotted it.

He hastily stripped down to his boxers (and the red scarf, of course) and removed his prosthetic hand completely. He'd have to go home and retrieve his hook after this...

He managed to wash away the worst of the muck, and clean the scrapes and scratches he must have accumulated while unconscious. His clothes, on the other hand, were a lost cause, and he didn't want wriggle back into them.

It was then he heard the sound of a car engine, and Jones scrambled up the bank and into the road, and was nearly hit by the red convertible.

The car slewed to a stop, and Dr. Whale hurriedly got out and ran towards him. "Are you all right?" he asked. "Jeez, Hook, you literally look like something the cat dragged in!"

Jones grimaced. He didn't feel much better than that, honestly. "I'm fine. I need to get to Regina's castle immediately."

"That's where I'm headed. Wait, where are you -"

Jones had slid back down the bank to retrieve his prosthesis, but after a closer examination of his clothes, decided to leave them. "I don't suppose you have any spare clothing?" Jones asked hopefully.

"Ahhh..." Whale hesitated. "I do, but I don't know what good they'll do you."

"I'll take them," Jones said.

Whale looked ready to object, then shrugged. He went to the trunk of his car and pulled out a garment bag, which he laid out over the trunk and unzipped.

Jones gaped.

"I did warn you," Whale said.

"Why do you even have that outfit?" Jones eyed it with dismay, then picked up the first piece.

"I do community theater!" he said defensively. "And it's almost Halloween."

Jones struggled into the clothes. Whale watched for a moment, then offered to help, which Jones grudgingly accepted. "Wow, to really do have hair everywhere, don't you?" Whale asked.

"Why are you looking?" Jones demanded.

"It's hard not to notice when your ass is in my face! There. You're gorgeous. Wait, you're going to wear the shoes, too?"

Jones shrugged. "I may as well complete the look."

Whale huffed. And checked out Jones' chest. Jones rolled his eyes and sauntered to the passenger door.

As they drove, Whale explained he'd been making a house call to one of the kingdoms. The residents still feared modern technology and didn't want to come to the hospital. While there, his patient had found a transformation amulet, which Whale had taken, and now he was bringing it to Regina.

"You might want to get back to the hospital as soon as you can, Mate," Jones said grimly. "More amulets were triggered, and the hospital will need all hands on deck."

Whale swore softly. "My phone's dead and I haven't spoken to anyone since I left. I'll drop you off, then I'll be on my way."

True to his word, Whale parked only long enough to let Jones out of the car, and handed him the amulet to pass on.

Jones entered Regina's castle, ignoring the strange looks the guards gave him, and headed straight to Regina's workroom. Regina and Zelena were examining something when he entered, and Regina glanced up, waved at him to wait, then did a double take.

"Why the hell are you dressed like Dr. Frank N Furter?!"

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I HOPE YOU'RE ALL HAPPY

Banner by @hollyethecurious

It's back! I'm sure you've all forgotten everything by now, and I'm sorry. I'll try to get this finished! Especially now that I have nothing better to do.

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As soon as Jones was gone, Snow came out of the kitchen, looking as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

So distance broke the compulsion. That could be useful later.

"It's gone, isn't it?" Snow asked. "I could feel it, like an itch in my skull, then it was just...gone."

David drifted out after her, Hope in his arms, followed by Neal, who had blueberry smeared on his cheek. Emma didn't think they'd even had blueberries in the house.

Starting the day with Granny's famous blueberry pancakes would at least fortify them for what was to come. Emma wondered if she could convince her to cook breakfast for them every day.

A loud jangling sound made all of them jump. Granny peeked out, followed by the tantalizing scent of pancakes on the griddle. "The hell is that?" she growled. Then Regina's voice, coming from multiple points around the house, demanded, "Is it working?"

"She's giving her statement," Emma realized. They all followed her to the living room, where Emma kept a small, decorative mirror for magical communication (Regina had 'suggested' it, after a couple of awkward attempts to reach her by mirror had found her in the bathroom - or busy in bed).

They stood around the mirror as Regina, wearing her most regal dress and posed upon her throne, calmly and succinctly gave a summary of the events of the past couple of days, asking everyone to call the sheriff's station if they knew of anyone missing, or if they experienced any strange compulsions. If they found any unfamiliar jewelry, they were to avoid touching it, and contact the station so it could be retrieved and brought to her. ("She means that Jones and I will be playing fetch all day," Killian grumbled under his breath.) Lastly, Regina recommended everyone stay in their homes until the danger had passed.

"That's gonna start a panic," Granny grimaced. "I guarantee everyone is gonna flock to the stores and all the toilet paper in Storybrooke will be gone in an hour."

Emma checked the time on her phone. "They'd better hurry; there's only forty-four minutes until the spell trigg -"

Emma was hit by a wave of magic so strong she staggered. Killian cried out, clawed at his scarf a moment, then yanked his hand away when he realized what he was doing. "Bloody hell!" he gasped, eyes wide and wild. He was panting, as he'd just run a great distance.

"Was that the transformation spell?" Snow asked.

"You felt it, too?" Emma asked. They all nodded, even Neal. Only Hope looked unaffected, thankfully.

"Whoever it is, they may have triggered all the amulets in Storybrooke." Emma glanced wistfully towards the kitchen. "Looks like we're passing on the pancakes, Granny. This is gonna be a long day. Mom, can you stay here and watch Hope? I'd feel better if you were here, instead of on the farm alone."

"Of course," Snow nodded.

"I'm going to get ready -" Emma began. That's when her phone went off. So did Killian's and David's. Emma glanced at the screen. The call had been transferred from the station.

It had begun.

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When the pulse of magic hit him, Jones nearly swerved off the road. The paper bag on the seat next to him fell over, spilling its contents across the seat.

Fortunately, he was on one of the long stretches of road that connected Storybrooke to the Enchanted Forest. The roads weren't busy, since most of the residents of the forest still preferred carriages and the dirt tracks where they didn't have to deal with the terrors modern transportation, so there was no one around to swerve into.

Jones stopped the car as the feeling of something tugging at his insides intensified, and it felt like claws were tearing at his skin from within. Then the feeling passed, and Jones collapsed back onto his seat, gasping.

His phone rang, and Jones snagged it from the seat. The blue gem next to it shifted.

"Jones," he answered.

"You're human? Good," Killian said. He sounded as breathless as Jones. "We're being flooded with calls. Emma, David and I are heading out."

"I'll join you as soon as I can. I'll be at the castle in another fifteen minutes, then I'll rush back."

"Aye. We'll definitely need you. Contact Ruby and she'll tell you where you're needed."

Jones hung up and set his phone back beside the blue gem, which blinked at him. He was too distracted to notice.

Jones started up the car, and made it a mile before his radio crackled to life. "Jones! Are you still on the road to the castle?"

Jones grabbed the radio, which meant he had to trust his fake hand on the wheel for a moment. "Aye, lass, what's up?"

Ruby's voice sounded strange, tinny. "We just got a report that someone spotted lights in the swamp. Emma wants you to check it out."

Jones frowned. "Can it wait until I make my drop-off to Regi -"

A deer darted across the road, too close for him to stop in time. He dropped the radio so he could use his real hand to jerk the wheel - he knew it was usually better to hit a deer than a tree, but what if this was a person?

The cruiser slammed into the line of trees. The airbag deployed, and Jones hit it, hard. The world went black.

The eye within the gem closed, then vanished.

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Banner by @hollyethecurious

This begin chapter six, which will either be called the predictable "Finding Nemo", or "(Don't) Free Willy." I still have no title for chapter five.

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Killian collapsed against the Jolly's wheel, clutching his chest. The others reacted quickly: August and Pinocchio ran to his side, while Liam, who had been standing at the bow to look out for debris and survivors, hobbled over as fast as his injured leg allowed to take the wheel and guide the ship around a fast-approaching capsized boat.

"What happened?" August asked, attempting to pry Killian's hand away for a look.

Killian squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated, seeking that fragile connection between himself and Jones.

It took a moment to find because it was so weak, but it was there, pulsing faintly like a struggling heart, but he could already feel the connection strengthening. Killian sent a tendril of emotion down the bond, a mixture of worry and inquiry, but there was no response. Unconscious, then.

"I'm all right, Mate," Killian said, batting August's hand away. He fished around for his phone, which unsurprisingly had no signal. He sent off a text to Emma, to let her know there was something wrong with Jones, then another to Regina, since he'd been heading her way. Then he put up his phone and stood up shakily. There wasn't much else he could do for Jones, but he'd pay close attention to their bond.

"You're certain you're all right?" Pinocchio asked warily, as Killian swayed unsteadily and caught himself on one of the wheel's knobs.

"Nothing to concern yourselves over. We need to worry about Geppetto. We have no way of capturing and containing a whale, unfortunately, not without magic. But he can't move beyond the town barrier, so he's somewhat contained. Right now, we have two goals: Find Nemo before he can hurt your father, and get everyone on the water to safety, thus minimizing the damage he can cause. Someone with magic can come by later and drive your father to shore before he becomes human again." I hope, he didn't add.

Killian considered his ragtag crew for a moment, thinking. "Liam, I need you to return to your post." Liam nodded and limped off. "August, I have a radio in my cabin. I need you to monitor it; contact any ship you can reach and apprise them of the situation, and alert me of any sightings." August vanished down the hatch.

He had Pinocchio assemble equipment for potential rescues. They worked quietly, aware of the urgency of the situation, only Liam's warnings of debris breaking the silence.

They hadn't encountered any survivors so far. Killian hoped that just meant there hadn't been any crewed ships in the whale's path.

Killian took a moment to probe at his pack bond. Still no response, but it was stronger than before.

Footsteps pounded up the stairs, and Pinocchio looked up from the coils of rope he was laying out.

"We've got a mayday," August said. "Prince Eric's ship is under attack."

Killian knew approximately where Eric fished, and changed his heading. They weren't too far off course; the Jolly Roger would catch up quickly.

"Prepare yourselves," Killian said. "This is going to take all of our -"

"Is he all right?" Pinocchio interrupted, pointing.

"Who -" Killian began, then turned just in time to see Liam convulse and fall to the deck. "Take the wheel," he commanded, then sprinted towards his fallen brother.

Liam's eyes had rolled back in his head, and his limbs were flailing wildly. Killian ducked to avoid one swinging arm, then caught the other - and froze.

The makeshift bandage around Liam's arm had slipped, revealing a chunk of flesh missing from his arm.

A bite mark.

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Apologies this has taken so long!  I’ve been having technical difficulties.  Which is why the banner isn’t included with this part, because I’m doing this via the library computer and I don’t have the banner available.

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And on that gloomy note, Granny shooed them all from the kitchen, clucking over the state of it (apparently, there’d been batter-slinging while Emma had been answering the door) and Granny had given the streaked countertop a long-suffering sigh.

 Emma would object to being banned from her own kitchen, but…free breakfast made by Granny. Plus, when she’d tried to say something, Granny had admitted she liked to cook when stressed, and with her diner still in shambles, she was denied that outlet.

 So they shuffled off to the living room to strategize, knowing the old wolf in the kitchen would hear everything they discussed and would contribute if necessary.

 Emma sat on the couch, Hope in her lap.  Killian sat next to her, while Jones took the recliner.  There were still tattered remains of pizza boxes scattered across the floor, but Emma ignored them.  She could clean when this was all over.

 Besides, it was kind of fun seeing Killian - both of him - dismayed by the disorder. He was definitely the tidy one of the relationship.

 “If things remain consistent, we have about an hour and a half until the next set of transformations,” Emma said.  Hope spat out her pacifier.  Killian automatically retrieved it.  “We need to get word out, somehow…”

 “Like a press conference?” Jones asked.  “There’s not enough time to get one together.”

 “And it wouldn’t reach everyone - the Storybrooke residents are the only ones who really have TVs or phones.”  Emma bit her lip thoughtfully.  “There must be a way to do it magically.”

 “Regina has conference calls with other rulers via mirror,” Jones said.  “I wonder if she can expand that to everybody.”

 “Good idea.” Emma glanced around for her phone, then realized it was upstairs.

 “I’ll get it, Love,” Killian said, and headed upstairs.

 While they waited, Jones stood and started rooting around in the pile of demolished cardboard.  Killian returned and exchanged the phone for Hope, who gurgled and pressed her face into his chest.  He watched Jones, puzzled, until the man let out a pleased huff and pulled out the blue gem he’d taken from the Cave of Wonders.  Looking pleased with himself, he set it on the coffee table.

 Killian eyed it admiringly.  “I have to admit, Mate, I do admire your dedication to piracy.  I’ve always wanted to plunder the Cave of Wonders, but I didn’t even think of it yesterday.”

 Emma looked up from the text she was writing to Regina.  “Seriously, you two?  We have more important things to worry about right now!”  Emma finished typing, double-checked it to make sure it was clear, and sent the text.  “You need to give that back to Jasmine.”

 “Aye, and I will,” Jones said, making Killian’s face fall a little, “but I didn’t grab it because I wanted a bit of treasure.”  Jones picked up the stone, holding it close to his face as though peering into its depths.  “When we were in the cave, I kept seeing eyes in the stones.  Aladdin said there weren’t any magical artifacts left in the cave, so I assume the magic came from elsewhere.”

 “Someone was using the stones to scry us,” Killian realized.

 “That was my thought,” Jones nodded.  “There’s no magic in the stone now, but I thought perhaps there’s something that can be used to trace the magic back to the source”

 Emma’s phone pinged - Regina was going to look in to finding a way to boost her power enough to reach every mirror in the United Realms.  “I have no idea how to do that,” Emma sighed, setting her phone aside.

 “I’ll take it to Regina; she needs the amulet anyway,” Jones volunteered.

 Emma nodded. “Okay, now we need to discuss -” A frantic knocking on the door interrupted her.  “Now who…?”

 Killian answered the door and ushered in a frantic Snow and David, trailed by a very confused and tired Neal, still in his pajamas.  David was carrying a wrapped bundled that he held as far away from himself and Snow as possible.

 “Mom? Dad? What’s going on?”  Emma jumped to her feet.

 David didn’t immediately answer; he hurried across the room, set the bundle on the table, then hastily backed away until he and Snow stood as far back as they could without leaving the living room.  Granny appeared, armed with a butcher knife and spatula.

 “This morning,” Snow said, eyes never leaving the bundle, “I woke up wanting to wear my jewelry.  It was more important to me than brushing my teeth, or making breakfast.  I got out of bed and immediately grabbed my jewelry box.”

 David picked up the story.  “She was babbling, going on and on about a necklace her father had given her and she needed to wear it today to honor him.  So I went to see what she was talking about, and then all I could think about was how beautiful Snow would look in this necklace, and how she’d need my help putting it on…”  David shook his head, as though he were still fighting the compulsion.  He probably was.  “It felt wrong, so I pulled Snow back.  It helped us clear our heads enough to realize what was happening, so we brought the jewelry box straight here.”

 “We were going to try for Regina’s,” Snow said apologetically, “but we weren’t sure if we’d be able to resist long enough to make to the drive.”

 “You did the right thing,” Emma said, eyeing the wrapped box warily.  She did not want it in the same house as her daughter.

 “Why don’t you help me with breakfast, Your Majesties?” Granny asked.  “You don’t need to be in the room for this.”

 “Take Hope,” Emma commanded.  Killian handed the baby over to Snow, whose face lost its pinched look as soon as she made contact.  

 “Don’t touch anything, Emma,” Granny said, as she ushered Snow, David, and Neal ahead of her. “For all we know, this could be a trap for you as well.  Let the guys do it.”

 Emma’s stomach lurched at the thought.  Whoever was behind this seemed to be three moves ahead of everyone; it would be like them to anticipate Emma being there to help her parents and become transformed herself.

 Killian and Jones waited until they were sure everyone was in the kitchen.  Emma kept her distance, though she felt no compulsion to touch the box.  Killian carefully unwrapped the box (silk, Emma noted absently, which had the ability to insulate magic, to a small extant.  At least her parents had been thinking clearly.)

 The jewelry box was innocuous; it was plain, but lovingly crafted of a dark polished wood with brass hinges and clasp.  Killian slowly opened it with the tip of his hook, then he and Jones began to sort through the jewelry inside.  It took less than a minute for Killian to find it and pull it slowly free, again using his hook.  He laid it atop the silk and turned to Emma.  “Feel anything?”

 Emma shook her head and took a step forward.  Killian and Jones immediately shifted to block her, but she was able to peer over their shoulders to see the necklace.

 There was no mistaking it; like the others, the main piece was a golden disc roughly the size of a quarter, carved with intricate symbols almost too small to see with the naked eye.  But unlike the other amulets, this one wasn’t scorched, and she could make out details not visible on the others, including the raised pictures in the middle of - “Is that a rabbit and a pig?”

 “Looks like,” Killian agreed.  “Wonder which one’s meant to be Dave?”  He flashed a grin, but it didn’t reach his eyes.  He carefully wrapped the necklace and handed it to Jones.  “Looks like you’ll be taking this to Regina as well.”

 “I should get going, then.  The sooner this is away from your parents, the better.”  Jones cast a wistful look towards the kitchen, and the delectable scents wafting towards them.

 Granny peaked out.  “I brought a bear claw for you,” she said.  “It’s in the bag.”

 Jones beamed, and Emma scowled.  Was she ever going to get another bear claw?  Jones gathered up everything, then grimaced.  “My car’s still at the station.”

 Emma nodded towards a bowl on a stand by the door.  “Take our cruiser,” she said.  As sheriff and deputy, she and Killian had taken to keeping a cruiser available at all times.  They hadn’t needed it originally, the Bug being sufficient for their needs, but the United Realms came with more potential for trouble, and it had been more convenient to having a cruiser nearby.

This is the start of chapter five. Things are gonna happen; there are more transformations, we find out who is responsible, and there will be a horrible cliffhanger at the end of the chapter (not this part.)

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When Emma woke up, Killian had already slunk off downstairs. She knew he felt guilty about the inking, but Emma knew it wasn't his fault.

Honestly, it was hilarious, now that she could look back on it.

Emma had already showered, once she'd regained her mobility, so all she needed was to throw on her robe and head downstairs, where Killian and Jones were again making breakfast.

She could get used to this.

Jones handed her a coffee mug. Killian was holding Hope, who was avidly watching as he stirred a bowl of pancake batter. He wouldn't look at her.

Jones glanced between them, curious, but he didn't pry. He went back to the rasher of bacon he was cooking.

"Killian," Emma said softly.

Hope made a grab for the spoon Killian was wielding, nearly diving head first into the bowl. Killian adjusted his hold on her.

"Killian! Look at me!" He finally turned, but his gaze was downcast. "Killian, I'm not mad," she said.

They hadn't spoken when she'd gone off to shower and he'd changed the bedding; he'd been beet red with embarrassment, and she'd been afraid of laughing and making him feel worse. And by the time she got out of the shower, he'd slipped under the fresh blanket and was pretending to sleep.

Now she realized she should have said something, because he'd misinterpreted her silence.

"You're not?"

Hope grunted in frustration and lunged for the bowl, head first. Killian wrapped both arms around her before she could complete her dive.

"I'll take her while you finish," Emma said. Killian handed her over. Emma positioned Hope more comfortably, took a sip of her coffee (Jones had gotten the cream and sugar ratio perfect), and said again, "I'm not angry. I didn't say anything because I was trying not to laugh."

Jones was very carefully not looking at them, but she could tell he was listening.

Killian looked like he wasn't sure if her amusement was better or worse.

"I mean, I couldn't move for awhile, and that was a hell of a clean-up after, but I'm fine, really."

The spatula fell from Jones' fingers with a clatter. He swore, picked it up off the floor, and went to the sink to rinse it off.

"Nothing like that has ever happened to me before," Killian mumbled.

"It was an accident, Killian. It's all right!"

Jones, looking slightly pained, said, "I'm just going to leave you two alone." He looked ready to flee.

Emma blinked, confused, then realized how their conversation sounded. "Oh. No, it's nothing like that! Killian inked in the middle of the night."

Jones turned to Killian, who was blushing again. "You inked?" Killian nodded. "While human?" He nodded again.

Jones guffawed and Killian growled.

There would probably have been a beat down, but they were interrupted by the doorbell. Emma stood, bracing Hope against her shoulder, and went to answer.

Granny was at the door. She looked relaxed, if exhausted, so Emma figured there hadn't been any big emergency overnight. She invited the old wolf in, and Granny followed her to the kitchen.

There was a splatter of pancake batter on Jones' cheek, and another on Killian's chest. Emma felt as though she'd missed an epic battle.

"How was last night?" Emma asked. Killian was pouring batter into a pan, but his head was cocked to show he was listening. Jones was making another cup of coffee, probably for Granny.

"Noisy, until everyone transformed at about two in the morning. The goose IS Blue. She said it would be safer to leave her in the cell for now, and even helped reinforce it."

"Does she have any clue what's happening?"

Granny shook her head. She accepted the coffee from Jones. She took a sip and hummed in satisfaction. Jones beamed. "Not a clue. Said she found the necklace just sitting on her nightstand, touched it, and blacked out. She woke up in the middle of the night by the lake and returned to the convent, where she planned to investigate what happened, but she fell asleep, until she changed again, and doesn't remember anything until she changed back this morning."

"The necklace was just on her nightstand? It wasn't something she found a month or so ago?" Emma asked.

"Not according to Blue. Speaking of necklaces, by the way, I have Leroy's." Granny scowled down at the paper bag she'd brought in with her.

Emma wrinkled her nose. "That was bold, just leaving it in her room," Emma said.

"Aye, but leaving a magical item with the Blue Fairy for a month would be even more risky," Jones said.

"Better to give her no chance to possibly identify or track the magic," Killian said.

"Do they finish each other's sentences yet?" Granny asked.

"Thanks for letting us know. I'll make sure the dwarves' amulet gets to Regina. Get some sleep; I'm sure we'll need your help later."

Granny waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine. Slept some when everyone was human again. I actually came to give you boys something I was working on."

She fished around in the paper bag (Emma desperately hoped the amulet was in a sealed bag) and pulled out a neatly folded length of crimson fabric, then another one. "These scarves are made from pieces of Red's cloak. They don't have as much magic as the cloak, but they should have enough to prevent you from being forcibly transformed."

Wide-eyed, Killian and Jones accepted the gifts. They weren't elegant, obviously put together in haste, but they were well made. "And it didn't damage the cloak to cut these off?" Killian asked.

"Nope. Only reason the cloak is so damned big is so Red can be dramatic. Now, if you do transform, these don't have the power to return you to human form, but they should keep you human. I have the feeling we're all going to need it."

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