Rumple walked slowly up to the ramp of the Jolly Roger, feelings of de ja vu flashing in his head. Centuries ago, he limped up to this very ship in search of Milah and was challenged by a pirate. A challenge he didn't take and because of it, he lost his wife. Now he was challenged again by the same pirate, his wife begging him not to go, but there he was- accepting the challenge.

Rumple knew this could only go one of two ways. One, his new status as a hero could overcome all odds and he'd defeat the Dark One. Or two, the more likely choice, he could be killed. Either way, he couldn't back down now. Hook was standing on the wheel deck, Excalibur in hand, ready to fight. Rumple slowly walked up the gangplank, his eyes never leaving the pirate.

"Welcome to the end of our story, Crocodile," Hook said with a flourished bow. "And what an exhaustively long novel it's been."

"It has indeed," Rumple said as he swung his leg over the deck, wincing as it landed hard on the boards. Hook chuckled darkly at him.

"Would you like to end as we began," Hook said, waving his hand as the cutlass from his shop appeared in his hand. "If you again choose not to fight, I'll make your end quick. I can't promise about the painless." He tossed the cutlass down to the deck below, it landing at Rumple's feet. "Are you going to pick it up this time?"

Rumple looked at it for a long time before bending and picking it up.

"The man who backed down from a fight is gone," Rumple said, adjusting to the weight in his hand while finding his balance. "And you did say you wanted to savor your triumph."

"Aye," Hook said, his eyes dark and focused. "That I did." With a puff of black smoke he was gone, appearing right in front of him with a killing strike. Rumple managed to block it, but was thrown seriously off balance, stumbling across the deck and clutching the side of the ship. The cutlass clattered to the deck at his feet in his attempt to regain balance.

"Is that the best you can do," Hook said with a laugh. "This is a little too easy for me to even enjoy." With a wave of his hand, Rumple heard a crack in his leg, then felt instant relief. He released his grip on the side of the ship, putting pressure on his bad leg, finding it perfectly healed. "Don't look so surprised, Crocodile. You know how I feel about a fair fight."

"Good form and all that," Rumple said skeptically. "I know from experience how gray that line is for a Dark One's definition of 'fair'." He reached down to pick up the cutlass, the weight easier to bare now that he had better footing. Hook lunged at him again, and again Rumple felt a sense of de ja vu. Now that they were on more of an even playing field, the fight felt very similar to that fight so long ago in the alleyway behind the tavern. Although, this time, Hook's blows were a lot more sure and less desperate. Rumple didn't show his lack of confidence, only his determination. Hook was by far one the best swordsman he had ever faced, with the exception of Charming. And Hook's new powers only made him more sure with every move. There was no way he could lose. Rumple could only cling to hope that somehow, the tide would turn his way. However, Hook had one other advantage- they were on his ship. Just as Rumple thought he was gaining an advantage, Hook raised Excalibur above his head to strike. Rumple dodged out of the way, but Hook followed through, cutting a rope that sent a large rigging flying at him, knocking him over and sending his sword across the deck. With another wave of his hand, Rumple heard another crack and his leg was injured once more.

Rumple let out a cry of pain. It was if his knee had been shattered all over again. He gritted his teeth through the pain and tried to crawl across the deck to retrieve his sword, but it disintegrated into dust. Rumple sighed in defeat before looking back up at Hook, who was smiling triumphantly. "Good form, eh, Captain?" Hook smiled before drawing back, sending a fireball straight at his head. Rumple rolled out of the way just in time, the fire disappearing as it hit the enchanted wood.

"I've ALWAYS wanted to do that," Hook said with a laugh before sending another one, Rumple again rolling out of the way. Just as Hook was about to send a final one, this time with no intention of missing his target, he was knocked down by a strong gust of magic. Once he regained his composure, he knew who he would find before he looked across the deck. "Swan."

"I got my powers back," Emma said flatly.

"Aye, I can see that," Hook said as he straightened up. "As you can see I'm in the middle of a…" He trailed off as he looked over to see Rumplestiltskin disappear on a cloud of smoke, Emma's hand raised in a finishing stroke. Hook seethed as his revenge was taken from him, as well as his goal. "You shouldn't have done that, Swan. You should never take a captive from a pirate. Haven't you taken enough from me?" Emma looked straight at him, love and pain in her eyes. Love for the man who never stopped believing in her, pain for the man who would give up such love for revenge.

"It's not all I got back," Emma said as she produced a dreamcatcher in her hand. Hook shrugged as if he didn't even know what the object was supposed to be.

"Am I supposed to say congratulations for winning? It's not often the villain gets to win, after all."

"I haven't won yet," Emma said, crossing to him. "I still don't have you."

"Then get used to disappointments," Hook said, once again seething through his teeth. "That's something you'll NEVER have again." Emma waved her hand again and the dream catcher disappeared. She approached him slowly, making sure Excalibur was in her sights at all time. As she grew near, he rested the blade on her shoulder. "That's close enough, Swan."

"No, it's not," Emma said, a tear forming in her eye. "I miss you, Killian. I miss your arms."

"Don't."

"I miss your smile. I miss the way your eyebrows to that thing when you know I'm being ridiculous. I miss your laugh when we're having a quiet moment. I miss your lips."

"I'm warning you, Swan."

"And most of all I miss the moments we haven't had yet. Getting Henry ready for school together, lazy Saturday mornings that we don't want to get out of bed, arguing over paint colors for the house, having our family over for the holidays… looking back through our wedding album on our anniversary as we sit together on the porch… watching Henry play on the floor with our daughter."

"STOP!" Hook said it with such a force that she could feel the emotion in his magic as it pushed her back slightly, almost losing her balance with the sword still on her. Talking of their future together really had struck a nerve. He brought the blade an inch closer to her neck, but she never lost focus of his eyes. It almost seemed that the once blue eyes that made her heart skip a beat had turned a bit gray, losing the brilliance of the calm sea that he once had.

"I have my memory back of that moment. When I found you after you came out of the vault. I asked you if you wanted our home, our future together. Do you remember what you said?"

"I said more than anything," he said, the blade coming down slightly.

"It's not too late," Emma said. "I love you. We can still do this together, like we always have. We're a great team."

"We were," Hook said with a biting edge, the sword now against her flesh. "Free man. Eyes opened. Do you need a reminder?" Instead of flinching, Emma calmly leaned her head to the side, exposing more of her neck to the sword.

"Killy," Emma said softly, another tear falling down her cheek. She saw him flinch. She only called him that in moments she was the most vulnerable with him- and he knew it. "A life without love is no life at all. It's something I should have accepted a long time ago instead of running from it. We could have had it so easily. You've loved me so deeply and so passionately it scared me sometimes when I should have let you in, like I've wanted to do my whole life. I want our future together so much that it hurts! I don't regret keeping you alive, but I know that this isn't what you wanted. And I understand if you can never forgive me for it. So if you no longer love me, then say it and do what you have to do." Hook stepped in closer, the blade threatening to cut. Emma winced and closed her eyes. "Just know I didn't think I'd ever let love in again, to open myself completely to someone- until I met you." His words from the cave so long ago echoed in his ears, sending a tremor through his body. "I love you, Killian," she whispered. Hook pressed the blade in further, a red pressure mark forming on her flesh, before pulling back and sheathing the sword with a flourish.

"Pretty words, Swan. And pretty dreams, or should I say, fantasies," Hook said, stepping back. She would have thought he was mocking her if she hadn't seen him swallow. "But they don't erase the fact that you tried to control me with Excalibur." Emma nodded, looking down in the deck in shame.

"Like I said, just say you don't love me anymore. I know you'll mean it this time, now that you know all I've done. If you want me out of your life, it's your choice," Emma said. There was silence for a long time to the point Emma wondered if he disappeared without her looking. When she dared to look up, he was still on the deck, his hand clutching the hilt of Excalibur. His body was tense, but his eyes were soft. She could almost see a glimpse of blue return to them. His hair fell low over his eyes and she longed to brush the soft strands aside like she's done so many times, but she didn't dare move. She could see him thinking, see the choice forming in his mind as his eyes grew focused again, biting his lips as his decision was made. Emma braced herself for the worst.

And then Killian lost his control.

It took a minute to grasp reality as his lips were on hers, pressing hard as he pulled her closer to him. It was indescribable how much she missed the feel and slide of his lips against hers. It felt like coming home. The firm press of his mouth turned to soft, and it was no longer Hook desperately kissing her, it was Killian. Pouring every ounce of his love into it as he always does. More tears spilled down her cheek as he held her gently, his good hand coming up to caress her neck. He let out a moan as he massaged her lips with his own, the same moan that always sent shivers throughout her body. She LOVED that sound.

He pulled back first, breathing heavily as he caught his breath. Hoping to keep the moment, she pressed her forehead to his, relieved that he didn't pull away.

"I want nothing more than our home together with Henry, for our future," Killian said at last, still panting heavily. "But, please forgive me, love." He pulled away from her then and her heart shattered once more. "As much as I love you and want that life, I'm still furious with you."

"Killian, I…"

"And a Dark One never makes a deal without getting something in return," he said, his lips turned up in a dark smile.

"What? What are you up t…"

"Congratulations on getting your memories back, Swan. In a way, I'm relieved. Now you can remember everything I said," Hook said with a smile. "Especially, about believing." With that, he disappeared in a swirl of red smoke, to where, she had no clue. She still didn't have a complete idea of what he wanted, but she knew what every Dark One wants, and that made her fear for her love. But even with all that fear, a tiny sliver of hope burst through with a memory, even a memory that brought her pain.

There's never been a moment when I didn't believe in you, where I didn't trust you.

She had to cling on to that- to hope. She had to save him, before she loses everything.

Get yourself under control, Swan, she thought as she wiped away a tear. It's time to end the darkness. It's time to save Killian.

THE END

A/N: Okay, I wrote the 1st half with Rumple prior to 5.10 and the 2nd half with Emma after I saw the show. I was originally inspired by the sneak peek with Hook/Rumple/Belle and an interview with Colin when he talks about how Hook & Emma are at a point where one person is just so mad in the relationship they're acting irrationally. I also threw in the part with the fireball because I've heard Colin say in more than one interview he wish he could throw one (but he doesn't have powers). And can I just say I wrote that part about the ship rigging BEFORE I saw the episode and was so proud of myself for calling it, even if it hit the opposite person than I thought it would be. I didn't finish before the show aired so I wasn't going to post it, but I wrote the rest to calm my poor breaking Captain Swan heart. What an angsty episode! Adam & Eddy- fix this before the hiatus, PLEASE!

Reviews/Thoughts are always appreciated!