(It's all a bit of a blur when he thinks back.)
His love, his Emma, running forward to the maelstrom of darkness surrounding Regina—
Swan saying something about happy endings, the happy ending that no one deserves more than her—
Swan's words about taking the darkness from her—
A rushing flood in his ears when he realized fully what she was going to do. She was going to sacrifice herself for Regina, for the town, for Henry, for her parents, for him—
Running forward—
Begging her not to do it—
Options instead:
-Regina could save herself
-The darkness could just give up and leave them in peace
-He could sacrifice himself
-The darkness could destroy the whole bloody town just not her
Begging her—
Anyone but her—
(This is the only part he remembers clearly.)
Emma taking his hand, placing it over her heart, pressing her hand against his—
Her eyes welling with tears, the rushing in his ears turning to a bloody ocean—
Her words, the words now seared into his brain and heart.
I LOVE YOU.
Pressing his forehead to hers, breathing her in (one last time), opening his mouth to say those words too because he has loved her for so long and now he's losing her and he doesn't want her to leave him without knowing how much he loves her—
(Now his vision is a blur again.)
Emma pushing him back—
Tripping backwards—
Emma thrusting the dagger up into the darkness—
The darkness taking her.
Black swirling around her arms and body, her cries of pain as the darkness devours her—
(Robin catching Regina in his arms but they don't matter) (Only she matters) (And she is in that maelstrom now)
The darkness curling around Emma in a tornado of evil—
Standing next to the prince and princess, unable to do anything but watch—
Her eyes on theirs.
Not looking away, he will not be robbed of this last look at the woman he loves to the end of the world or time—
Her green eyes darkening, just a little—
The darkness blocks their view. The darkness swirls tighter and tighter. It rises into the air, Emma in its midst.
Flash of blue—
The darkness disappears.
The dagger falls—
He sees the name written on it—
Emma Swan.
If an ocean had been in his ears before, it's now a hurricane—
A blur of Regina speaking, David speaking, Snow speaking, Henry speaking, Robin speaking—
Nothing matters now—
He hears nothing.
Just those last words echoing.
I LOVE YOU.
It doesn't matter that the dagger doesn't return her to him.
He's going to find her.
If he has to go to Camelot or the Enchanted Forest or Arendelle or bloody Neverland.
He will always find her.
Because he loves her and she loves him and Killian Jones will always find the woman he loves.
No matter what. No matter the distance, no matter the cost.
Later that night, he sits on the deck of the Jolly Roger and stares at the dagger in his lap.
Emma Swan facing him—
Glaring at him—
Defying him—
But now he's defying it. He's defying every law of nature, magic, and all of the realms.
He will find Emma, and he will bring her back.
He stands and tucks the dagger into his pocket and stares out over the horizon.
The dawn is coming.