The Window Left Open

Chapter Four: The Conscience Returns

Storybrooke - Present

The white seagull's head bobbed as it walked along the side of the ship. Killian watched it squawk, giving away the location of the cloaked ship. It was late at night, and all the good citizens of Storybrooke were tucked away in their homes. The few bad ones that were out weren't really all that bad to begin with. He had watched a few of his men lurk about, slinking into the local tavern. A place called The Rabbit Hole. Killian was buying his time before informing his crew that he was about. From what he'd gathered about the town, the baddies in the enchanted forest were still considered baddies in Storybrooke. He doubted they needed their captain appearing to them in the middle of the night and asking their assistance taking down the Dark One. He was sure Rumplestiltskin gave them enough punishment during the curse to make up for what role they played in Milah's escape from the wretch. Of course, they probably had no idea why they were being punished. He wondered if the crocodile lost all of his memories in the curse as well or if he remembered everything about his home world. Killian wasn't really sure nor did he really care when he thought about it a bit longer.

Throughout his own curse, Cora insisted that they couldn't leave the Enchanted Forest until after Storybrooke's was lifted. She probably only said that to keep him from trying to leave without her. She made a habit of making him need her to do anything. Even deceiving their camp required her assistance. As Cora, she was couldn't do much, but she was helpful when it came to being Lancelot. He hated that he needed her to even survive. Killian really didn't feel like he needed her now that they were in Storybrooke, but she was making sure he did. Still the question of what if sprang to his mind. What if he didn't need her? What if he had let himself be taken over by Regina's curse? What if he went to Storybrooke? He'd be with Isabel. That he was sure of. Maybe it would have softened the blow the truth packed. And his vengeance? Maybe that would have been taken care of too. Surprisingly enough, Regina hadn't betrayed him when he returned with Cora. She let him go. Perhaps he would have been somewhat rewarded when he arrived in Storybrooke. As he understood it, Regina didn't quite control all of the curse. She broke up happy endings, but vengeance was not a happy ending. Ultimately finding out that your wife faked her death to run off with someone else was not a happy ending. Killian wasn't quite sure what Regina would have and would not have done for him. He doubted it really even mattered because it never came to fruition.

Footsteps tore him from his thoughts. There weren't many people in town who knew how to find the ship. It seemed none of them actually paid much attention to the gaggle of gulls that constantly flocked around his ship's masts. Killian was hidden in the shadows. Sitting up, he saw someone he was looking forward to shaking hook and hand with. Terence. He sauntered onto the ship as if he owned the place. Any one of Killian's men would advise him against it, but since they weren't around, he wasn't let in on the captain's disdain for overconfidence on his ship. Killian watched as Terence glanced about the ship. Then his gaze turned upward towards Killian.

"You can come down now. There's no need in hiding, pirate," Terence told him.

Killian jumped down from his perch, landing on his feet. He stood up straight and looked Terence in the eye. "You have some gall if you're coming here."

"Going to kill me, are you? Slice me in half? I don't think so." Terence's expression read one thing; amusement. He was amused that Killian was already trying to threaten him it seemed. Or maybe he was faking it because he knew there was no way he'd survive a confrontation with Killian.

"If you've come to gloat over taking Isabel from me, feel free to do it elsewhere," Killian grumbled.

"Gloat? You think I...oh please. I found a way to stay in her life after she left. I didn't take her from you, though the thought had occurred to be on more than one occasion." A grin spread on Terence's face. "I do love that you think I took her from you. I remember a man so confident that he would have her always. Now you think she left you for someone who was better equipped to take care of her."