Swan Song ❂ Killian Jones [1]

146

- Enchanted Forest, past year

"It's ready."

"Nope! No!" Odette shook her head, standing among the Musketeers who'd been quick to join them in the palace gardens as soon as they returned. Although she didn't remain by them for long before jumping up to step between Regina and the cauldron she'd been preparing. "I do not condone this. There has to be some other damn way." She protested what might be the dumbest, stupidest, most idiotic idea the Charmings had ever come up with.

"There isn't. You know if there were, I'd have gone back to Henry." Regina said, her own voice heavy. But it was their reality. It was the only way to get back to Storybrooke, back to the same world as Emma. To their only chance at defeating Zelena. "This is it. This sacrifice."

"Fine, then take my heart!" Odette offered up without hesitation.

"Odette-" Regina tried to speak up, but the blonde didn't let her.

"No, don't try to talk me out of it." She interrupted before Regina could even say what she wanted, not realizing that what the Queen intended to say wasn't actually what she thought. "You have Snow, and a baby on the way. And you're going back to Storybrooke, to Emma and Henry. How the hell are we supposed to look them in the eye and tell them you're gone? You have people who need you. Me, I can..." But the more she spoke, the more she began to realize what Regina had been attempting to do. And as it dawned on her, well... All Odette could do was laugh.

"Odette?" Snow asked in a hesitant voice, unable to understand what was so funny.

"It wouldn't work." Odette explained the reason for her amusement, Regina nodding her head regretfully and only confirming it further. "There's no one who loves me most." She shook her head in disbelief.

Too focused on her own amusement, Odette didn't see the reactions from the men behind her, three glancing in the direction of one; Athos putting a hand on his shoulder to make sure he wouldn't dare step forward. Not that d'Artagnan had any intention to, saving everyone be damned.

"That doesn't mean we don't love you." Regina pointed out in a firm tone before Odette could go down a spiral about it.

"Or that we wouldn't miss you if you died." David added his own input.

"I know that." Odette let out a last few chuckles as she shook her head. She didn't think she was poor unloved Odette who wouldn't be missed. But she did think it better to be her than David. Alas, that was a failing plan before she'd even properly finished it. "It has to be you." She said in a heartbroken tone, eyes looking to David and Snow as she finally accepted it.

"I can't." Snow shook her head in denial, prolonging the discussion as she herself refused now. "I can't crush your heart. I can't lose you." She said, hands holding on to his tightly as they stood facing each other.

Regina and Odette stepped back towards the Musketeers to give them a short moment of privacy. Aramis' hand went to Odette's shoulders, giving a small squeeze in an attempt to comfort her as she did her best to both avoid listening in to Snow and David's conversation behind her and resisting the tears that were starting to pool in her eyes.