It felt as though time had stopped as he watched the Wicked Witch hurl a green ball of magic straight at Emma. No matter how hard his heart beat and his legs moved, he would not be able to get to her. He would not be able to save her. She was turning around, and she saw it come toward her. Her eyes widened just as the magic hit her in her chest. She stood there shocked, and for a wild moment, he thought that being the Savior had protected her. That hope was dashed quickly as she collapsed.
Rage. Hook felt rage as the Witch's laughter assaulted his ears, and he raced toward her, abandoning all reservations. He was no longer afraid because he had just lost the thing he loved most in his life. Emma was gone.
Hook was behind the Witch, a feat nobody had accomplished until then, and with a heavy thrust, he stabbed his sword through her back and into her heart, twisting the blade and jamming it harder into her body. A faint noise of surprise fell from her lips as she felt the pain, and she fell down to her knees. Regina appeared next to him and used her own magic to restrain the Witch as a few people rushed to Emma's body.
He watched them, unable to move, or think, or breath. His hand was still grasping the sword's handle tightly, and his jaw was clenched, trying to keep the sob from escaping his lips. Regina was saying something to him, but he could not hear. The only thing he could hear was his heart ripping to shreds inside of his chest. His eyes focusing on the site where Emma laid on the ground.
"You need to let go!" Regina yelled, and he finally broke out of his trance. He released the handle and walked away, circling but keeping the same distance between him and her.
Dave called over Rumplestilskin, who had managed to freeze the flying monkeys after the Witch had been captured. The crocodile spent a few moments with his hand raised over her body.
"She's alive. She's just been cursed," Hook heard him say, and for the first time in what seemed like eternity, he breathed. She was not dead. She could be saved. "Unfortunately," Rumple continued, "The only thing that can break this curse is True Love's Kiss."
"Well, that has to be Henry," Snow said. "She woke him up from a curse before. He has to do the same for her now!"
Rumple disappeared and reappeared a second later with Henry. The boy was obviously distraught, but after a quick explanation, he bent down to kiss Emma on the forehead. Hook felt relieved. The boy could be the one to break the curse. It would only be moments from now until Emma awoke again.
Nothing happened. Henry tried again, but still she remained. That all-encompassing hopelessness filled Hook's gut again, and he lowered his head. If her son could not break the curse, than who could?
Hook lifted his head once more when he heard another familiar voice speak.
"Maybe Henry isn't the one who can break it," Bae said, walking into the middle of the circle of people. "Maybe it's someone else."
With this new attempt, Hook's stomach dropped. What if Bae was the one to wake her? All those months he spent chasing after her, all those long and lonely nights he spent thinking about her, all that time he spent hoping and wishing she would love him back would all have been for naught. But, she would be awake, and just the thought of her coming back would be enough for him, even if she did not feel the same way.
Before he could consider his feelings in further depth, Bae crouched down and kissed Emma. One, two seconds went by. Nothing happened.
Hook was conflicted to say the least. Bae was not the one, which he was truly relieved. However, Emma still had not woken up.
He watched as the nervous tension rippled over the crowd. They were convinced that their Savior was not going to wake. All except Dave, who turned to look around the clearing. He stopped when he made eye contact with Hook and strode over to where he was standing.
"Try it," Dave said to him and nodded his head toward the place where Emma's body laid.
Hook was surprised at the request and shot it down with a shake of the head. "It's not going to work, mate. If her boy couldn't wake her up, then I most certainly cannot."
"But what if you can? Don't you want to try at least? For Emma."
Hook glanced down at his feet. He already knew that True Love's Kiss would not work because he had tried it on her. When she did not regain her memories in New York after the attempt, Hook resigned to knowing that Emma did not feel the same for him as he did for her.
"Hook. This is your chance to be the hero I know you are underneath that pirate's façade."
"I'm telling you, it won't work," Hook repeated very firmly.
"But you didn't even try!" David said, exasperated.
"I did try! In New York. I tried to get her to regain her memories, but it didn't work. Can we forget about this now?" Hook was already having a hard enough time forgetting about that memory. He certainly did not feel like remembering it again today.
David laughed at him and slapped his shoulder.
"That isn't funny!" Hook yelled at him, insulted and embarrassed for admitting his failure.
"It didn't work because Emma didn't have her memories at the time. She didn't know who you were," David explained to him. "I tied True Love's Kiss on Snow once when her memories were gone. She hit me on the head with a rock."
"Are you being serious?" Hook asked. He would not let himself hope unless he was absolutely sure that he had something to hope for.
"My daughter's life is in your hands. You bet I'm serious." Dave clapped him on the back again and led him to Emma.
Hook did not allow himself to look around. He kept his eyes focused on Emma's face. She looked so peaceful as though she had not a care in the world. He almost felt badly for trying to wake her up and return her to her life as the Savior, but he knew she would want it this way – to be with the people that she loved. He only hoped that he was included in that group.
Hook bent down over her body and stroked her face with his hand. He placed his lips by her ear and whispered, "I'm going to kiss you now, Emma. I hope you don't hit me when you wake up," and placed his lips on hers.
A pulse of energy radiated from the center of Emma's body and scattered away.
Her eyes opened, and she took in a deep breath.
It worked.
He could hardly believe it, and suddenly, it was too much for him. He could not even accept the fact that he had been the one to wake her up. These emotions coursing through him were stronger than any of the ones he had previously. He needed to get away before he collapsed. Hook stood up and backpedaled out of the circle of people. The space where his body had just occupied was filled with people, and he could hear cries of joy around her.
He took one final look toward her, even though his vision was impeded, and began walking away. He had almost reached the edge of the clearing where the trees began, when he heard footsteps behind him running to catch up.
"You defeated the Witch," he heard Emma's voice say, astounded.
"Aye," he replied and stopped in his tracks. He could not allow himself to look at her while he was still reeling.
"You saved my family even after you thought I was dead," she continued.
"Aye," he said just as shortly as his first reply.
"You saved me."
"That I did."
"Why did you walk away?" Emma whispered, and Hook swore that she sounded disappointed.
"I thought you would want to have time with your family," he said, not wanting to reveal anything else at the moment.
"I do," Emma confirmed, "But you just saved me. By using True Love's Kiss."
"I am aware. I was there," he answered cheekily to avoid looking at her.
"Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Emma asked, and he could hear the hurt tone in her voice.
"Of course it does, Love, but it doesn't have to change anything." That was it. He was giving her the opportunity to walk away from him, despite their feelings. He knew how hard it was for her. Her past dictated her future, and all the terrible things that Bae and eventually Walsh had done were the only experiences in which she could rely. Saying it killed him, but he had to for Emma's sake and for his own. He could not be happy if he knew that she felt forced into a relationship just because of these new circumstances.
"Nothing has to change?" Emma said his words back to him. "You just game me True Love's Kiss. It woke me up from a curse. I would say that changes things."
Hook glanced over his shoulder at her but put his head down again. He could not detect what she was trying to say, but knowing his luck, this was Emma's way of shooting him down. No matter what happened in his life, it seemed as though this was his destiny – to always be a failure at what mattered most, revenge and love. He failed in his endeavor to exact revenge on Rumplestilskin, and he was failing at winning Emma's heart.
He felt the same way as he had the moment that cure hit Emma's body. He had nothing left to lose. Only, this time, matters were much worse because she was alive, and her rejection would hurt him that much more. He needed to tell her, though, because not knowing was worse.
He finally turned and looked into her eyes. The saddened expression there was almost too much for him. He was raw inside from having thought that he had lost her, and now to have succeeded at True Love's Kiss when he was certain it would fail was messing with his head.
"Emma," he began and took her hands in his. "I love you. You know that. If it hadn't been obvious before today, it most certainly is now. From the moment that I saw you in the Enchanted Forest, I knew there was something special about you, and no, it wasn't because you are the Savior. I saw a fighting spirit that I admired greatly, and I found myself growing to love you.
"However, I know you have suffered and been hurt deeply before. I would never do that to you, and I believe that you know that, but you still have that fear of abandonment rooted inside of you. I don't want you to be with me because of any feeling of obligation. I want you to be with me because you want me. I will take whatever you give me, be it friendship or a life together, but I won't force you into it or make you feel obliged…" he trailed off and turned away with every intention of letting her go.
He had finally admitted his true feelings for her and made the intensity of those feelings known. There was no going back from this point for either of them.
"Where are you going?" Emma's voice said from behind him.
"I'm giving you space to decide," he explained
A hand grabbed his bicep, stopping him from taking another step. His stomach clenched, and his shoulders tensed. This was the moment when she was going to tell him to bugger off.
"You just gave me True Love's Kiss," Emma said again. He was about to speak when she continued, "That requires two people. I'm your True Love just as much as you're mine. I don't need to decide anything," she paused to step in front of him, "Because I already chose you."
Hook stood there in a shocked silence. His ears were playing tricks on him. He could have sword she said that she had chosen him.
"Come again, Love?" He needed to hear it again to be sure.
Emma tilted her head and gave him one of her "are you serious?" looks. Then, she grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled him into a kiss.