Break Any Curse
"Please, I need you to look after Henry for me." She had begged, pleading in her eyes as she looked up at him. "I don't know what's been on your mind these past few days, but please. Do this for me."
Hook had agreed to Emma's wishes, and now regretted that decision more than ever as he collapsed to his knees next to her still form. Her face looked peaceful, but it was false. This wasn't how it was supposed to have happened. She was meant to be safe, as long as he didn't touch her lips with his. This wasn't what was supposed to happen.
"What. Happened?" he asked harshly, running a shaking hand through her blond curls.
Mary Margaret was crying into David's shoulder, who had tears in his eyes. Regina was looking on sadly, while the Crocodile was being engulfed in a hug by Belle, appearing a little dazed.
"What happened!?" Hook yelled again, losing a small bit of whatever sanity he had left.
"She – she made a deal," came David's small and disbelieving voice. "With Zelena. The Witch had trapped us all, frozen. We couldn't doing anything. Emma - " he trailed off, unable to continue.
"Miss Swan offered herself for the safety of the rest of the town," the Crocodile fininished.
"What did she do to Emma?" Hook asked.
"Zelena hit her with a curse. I don't know what, but it's not a sleeping curse. After that, she disappeared. As did her monkey's," Regina answered this time. "The curse on us isn't broken. We still don't remember what happened. But Zelena is gone, perhaps for good."
Hook gathered Emma into his arms, not wanting to hear any more, and began to walk away. "Where are you taking her?" Mary Margaret cried out.
"Home!" Hook said, not looking back. This was his fault. He'd pushed Emma away after Zelena cursed him, unwilling to put her in danger. He'd kept his distance, but instead, Emma had thrown herself in harm's way, and he hadn't been there to watch her back. And now she was gone.
Mary Margaret, David, and Regina followed him back to the Charmings' apartment, where he set Emma down on her bed gently. He sat by her side and studied her face, looking desperately for any signs of life. There were none.
"Is she dead?" he asked, addressing nobody in particular.
"I doubt it," Regina said. "Somehow I don't think Zelena would want Emma to get away with it that easily."
"You call dying easy?" David accused angrily.
"Compared to most curses, yes," Regina answered defiantly. "I don't know what this is, which means I don't know how to break it, but I imagine that Emma is still alive."
"You could always try True Love's Kiss," a small voice said from behind them.
The four adults whirled around to find Henry standing in the doorway, looking scared.
"Henry, lad, what are you doing here?" Hook asked. "I left you with Ruby."
"I heard about what happened to my mom. Word travels fast in this town," the boy answered, walking over to sit next to his mother, grabbing her hand. "You should try True Love's Kiss, Killian," he said again, more firmly this time.
"Lad, the world doesn't work that way. This isn't a fairy tale," Hook told him.
"Sure it is, and you're Captain Hook," Henry said with small smile.
All four of them stared down at him in shock. "Henry, what are you talking about?" Mary Margaret asked slowly.
Henry rolled his eyes. "I may only be twelve, but Emma Swan is my mother. I'm pretty good at telling when someone is lying to me," he informed them. "And every person in this town, including my mom, has been lying to me since we got here. So, I started snooping for clues. And I've found out that Killian is Captain Hook, you're Snow White and Prince Charming," he said, nodding at Mary Margaret and David. "And you're the Evil Queen, though you seem pretty nice to me," he told Regina, who looked like she might cry at his statement. "Belle was easy. She didn't even change her name. I'm not sure who the guy she was hugging was, but I just saw him for the first time, so give me a few days, and I'll have it." Henry continued rattling off names. "Also Robin is Robin Hood, Ruby is Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother is the owner of the diner. Smee has his red cap."
He looked at all of them, who just stood stock-still, unsure of how to respond to this new development. Henry sighed in exasperation. "Really, you guys are all such terrible liars, and kind of obvious, I'm surprised it took me this long to figure it out." He looked back at Hook. "You really should try True Love's Kiss, Killian," he suggested once again.
Hook shook his head, dumbfounded. "Even if I wanted to, Henry, it wouldn't work. I already tried it once, in New York, when I came to your apartment," he said sadly, back to staring at Emma's beautiful but too still face.
"You WHAT?" David exclaimed before Mary Margaret hushed him.
"But – I've seen the way you look at her, and the way she looks at you," Henry protested. "She never looked at Walsh like that when they were dating. If anyone is her True Love, it's you."
"He's right, Killian," Mary Margaret spoke up. Hook looked at her, surprised. "I took a potion once to forget David. He tried to kiss me to return my memories, and I knocked him to the ground. True Love's Kiss didn't work, because I didn't remember that I loved him."
For the first time in days, Hook felt hope coursing through him. But then his lips burned, reminding him that even if he and Emma were True Love's, they would never know, because he couldn't be responsible for taking away her magic. Even if he broke the curse on her, and Emma woke up, Zelena would in all likelihood return to wreak havoc, and this time Emma would be defenseless and unable to protect the one's she loved. Her whole family would die. At least this way, her family was safe, and Hook knew that that was what Emma would want, even if it meant dying.
"I can't," he muttered, shoving his way past the others and out the door.
"Killian!" Henry called, but Hook ignored him, escaping outside.
David found him hours later, sitting on the beach and staring out to sea. "Been looking for you," he said disapprovingly even as he sat down next to Hook. "You want to tell me why you ran away before or after I punch you for kissing my daughter?" David asked.
"I can't do it," Hook said quietly.
"Why not? Henry has the Heart of the Truest Believer. He believes in fairy tales even though he's forgotten all about them. If he believes your Emma's True Love, I'm inclined to believe him, much as I would like to threaten you bodily harm if you ever hurt my daughter."
"Don't worry, mate. I won't go near your daughter," Hook muttered derisively, wishing he was still alone.
"I never said I wouldn't punch you if you didn't go save her. That's still on the table," David informed him.
"I won't damn her like that."
"You've been chasing her for over a year, why give up now?" David wondered. Hook was silent, unwilling to give up his secret. "Killian," David prompted.
"Because I'm bloody well cursed!" Hook finally burst out. "Zelena cursed me, all right?! The next time I kiss Emma, all her magic will be stripped from her, and I will not be responsible for the death of her and her family when that green Bitch inevitably breaks their deal and returns. I will not leave Swan defenseless."
David was quiet for a few moments, pondering this new information with surprise. "That's why you've been so distant lately," he realized. "Because of this curse."
"Yes," Hook groaned. "Didn't quite have the means or will to leave outright, like I should have."
"No," David said.
"No?" Hook asked.
"No. You can't just leave Emma like that. She trusts you. She made that deal to protect you. Emma's been worried sick about you these past few days. You can save her." David grinned. "Besides, True Love's Kiss can break any curse, didn't you know?"
"Not when True Love's Kiss is the curse," Hook whispered, a tear running down his cheek.
A slap upside the head made him hiss and glare at David. David glared right back. "Enough of this nonsense. You're going back to that apartment and you are kissing my daughter, pirate, because you love her and she loves you. And then I'm going to beat you up for giving up on yourself and her," David ordered, grabbing Hook by the arm and dragging him to his feet as he protested.
When they got back to the apartment, Mary Margaret and Regina were gone, having taken Henry to get something to eat while David searched for Hook. David left him at the door. "Now, you go in there and do what you have to, and when we get back, Emma better have her eyes open," he warned Hook sternly.
"Aye-aye, your Majesty," Hook muttered, going up the stairs to Emma's bedroom. David watched him for a moment, then nodded his head and left to go find his wife.
Hook stood in the doorway, staring at Emma. She remained where he had left her. He walked slowly towards her, kneeling on the floor beside her bed. "I'm so sorry, love," he whispered. "I was trying to protect you, and in doing so I left you. Something I swore I would never do again. I love you," he said, tears making tracks on his face. "I love you so much, and I don't know if you love me, but I need this to work, because I need you to be alive. I know this isn't what you want, but I will spend every day trying to be good enough for you if you just wake up now lass." With that, he leaned down and pressed his lips gently to hers.
At first, nothing happened, and Hook despaired, but then, quietly, Emma opened her eyes to stare up at Hook. She smiled at him, and Hook laughed in relief. He should have known that Emma wouldn't be prone to the dramatics of True Love's Kiss. He bent down to kiss her again, which Emma returned eagerly.
"I knew it would be you," she whispered when they parted.
Hook touched his forehead to hers. "I'm so sorry love," he said softly.
Emma gave him a confused look. "What for?"
"The Witch cursed me." Emma's eyes widened in alarm and he rushed to finish. "She told me that the next time I kissed you, your magic would be taken away forever, leaving you defenseless. But I couldn't leave you sleeping like that, love," he tried to explain. "But I can understand if you don't want me around anymore." When Emma was quiet for a few moments, Hook began to pull away, but Emma's hand on his shoulder pulled him back to the bedside. She was now sitting, and when he looked up at her face, he was surprised to find her smirking.
"If you would hold still for a second, you idiot, I could show you something," she told him. She held out her hand and concentrated, and a ball of flame slowly grew in her palm. Hook stared at it, then up at her in disbelief. Her smile only grew. "I think True Love has a couple notches on the Wicked Witch of the West, Killian," Emma informed him. She tried to say more, but was cut off by Hook pushing her backwards onto the bed, kissing her frantically. She chuckled, but kissed him back, relieved to finally be able to show him how she felt about him without feeling fear.
"I love you so bloody much, Swan," he growled, kissing every inch of her he could reach without moving from being on top of her.
Emma laughed again, a bit breathlessly this time. "Pretty sure I love you too, Jones," she whispered back, bringing his lips back to hers.