I have been working on a few stories at the same time, but I have just watched the finale and inspiration just struck me.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or any of the characters in OUAT, this is merely for my own amusement.

Chapter One: Darkness Falls

"Throw me to the wolves…and I shall return leading the pack."

The darkness traced its icy fingers along her skin, chilling her to the bone. Pain radiated throughout as knee's crashed heavily onto the forest floor, the eerie silence seemed to echo into the night. Long slim fingers clenched in the blonde locks as more pain radiated throughout her body, what seemed like a life time passed before the pain made its way to a more manageable level allowing the woman to slump heavily onto the ground. Emerald eyes stared blankly up at the night sky, when she had taken the darkness into her this isn't quite how she thought it would be. There was no overwhelming urge to destroy or hurt there was only a cold and empty feeling spreading throughout, accompanied by sharp searing pains.

Light footsteps darting towards her startled her slightly, turning slightly her eyes widened at the sight before her. A massive slate grey wolf stood before her, if she were standing its head would have easily reached her waist, bright blue eyes gleamed throughout the night. The idea of a wolf standing before her wasn't quite as surprising as it once would have been, since coming to this town she had seen a number of them but this was the first time that she had been as close to one. Pulling herself to her knees with a pained grunt, the wolf's ears seemed to twitch slightly in concern, she reached a trembling hand out towards the animal. A gasp of surprise escaped as the wolf ducked under her hand and allowed her to rest on him. A grateful smile appeared as the animal allowed her to seek comfort.

Emma shot suddenly from the ground, a whisper called to her, compelling her to move. She was being summoned. With a quick glance down she expected her new friend to move back into the trees, however the animal merely tilted its head and moved to stand closer beside her, apparently quite content to join her on her journey.

Regina stared blankly down at the dagger laying innocently on the ground, a dagger that should have read her name not the one it currently held. She could feel Robin's arms wrapped protectively around her but they did little to comfort her, not while the pained sobs that came from the other woman on the street, Regina couldn't help but marvel at the fact Snow was still standing considering how much her body was shaking, even with Charming's arms around her. The same could not be said about the pirate, Hook was slumped on the ground a blank stare covering his face as his eyes never left the dagger.

"Where…where could she have gone?" Charming's broken voice seemed deafening, and Regina couldn't prevent the wince at the tone. "We have to fine her, she could be anywhere."

"She won't have left Storybrooke." Regina stated, hating how her own voice seemed to break slightly. She felt her heart break at the hopeful look everyone sent her way, "Even The Dar…even Gold couldn't travel between realms, I doubt Emma has the ability to. No matter how powerful she now is."

"Then what happened? Why isn't she here?" Snow whimpered out, the question caused the former Queen to frown, wasn't that obvious? She thought silently to herself feeling a bit exasperated with the woman. An emotion that she seemed to share with the pirate Captain who let out a bitter laugh, causing the Charming's to frown down at him.

"Isn't that obvious?" Hook echoed Regina's earlier thought, as he pulled himself from the ground, never once losing the blank expression, "She wanted to protect us, to make sure that if the darkness took over her, she wouldn't hurt anyone." Regina couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips when the man said if instead of when. The thought must have shown on her face as Hook nodded slightly in her direction, a gesture she felt compelled to return. She watched as the leather clad man walk stiffly towards the dagger in the road, she tried not to notice how his had shook as he picked it from the ground. Charming stepped forward, hand out stretched slightly towards the blade, Hook hesitating slightly before handing it over.

"Then let's bring her back." Charming stated forcefully moving back towards his wife.

"You cannot be serious!" Regina couldn't help but exclaim, "We have no clue what condition she could be in, mentally or physically."

"Are you saying we shouldn't try?" Snow whispered in disbelief, denial at the whole situation shining in her eyes.

"I'm saying that Emma left because she believed she had too. She just absorbed pure darkness that's not going to be something she gets back up from." Robin's arms tightened around her in support as the Saviour's parents glared over towards her.

"We can help her, she doesn't have to go through this alone. She has been through so much on her own already." The silent because of you hung heavily in the air and Regina felt herself falter slightly, she didn't agree with this at all. When Emma felt she could she would contact them she would, she had before and this time would be no different. But who was she to say what her parents should be doing for their daughter. Looking over towards Hook she could see that the man was torn, clearly the desire to find her and protect her best interest were warring within him. Regina sighed slightly.

"Alright, if this is what you really want, but you have to be prepared for what happens." Both Charming's nodded before Snow took the dagger and moved slightly from the group.

"Dark One, I summon thee!" Snow's voice rung through the night, Hook, Regina and even Robin winced at the name she had chosen to call out. Pretty sure calling her Emma would have done the trick as well. Regardless of the name, the summon seemed to have worked as midnight blue and silver smoke appeared before giving way to reveal Emma.

Killian's stomach felt like a led weight, the sheer devastation he felt could not be put into words. Even Milah's death, which he had vowed to avenge for over two hundred years, had not made him feel like this. His despair only increase as he realised that the only proof that his Swan was still alive was her name written on that cursed blade. His eyes stung and fists clenched as the smoke gave way to the woman he loved, the woman who loved him in return. His breath caught has he took in the ragged condition she was in, her clothes were torn and bloodied while scrapes covered most of her exposed skin but it was her eyes that nearly drove him to his knees once more. Those wonderful green eyes of hers had lost their shine, Emma Swan was no longer an open book to him and that hurt more than he ever thought possible.

Emma suddenly doubled over a groan of pain escaping her, Killian rushed forward in the hopes of offering her some comfort but was stopped by the appearance of the largest wolf he had ever seen. It's snarling face preventing anyone from moving closer. They watched in amazement as Emma laid a hand on the beasts back and it calmed instantly, then raised her eyes still glazed with pain to face her family.

"You…you shouldn't have summoned me." Killian's heart broke more at the sound of her weakened voice. He watched as her mother moved closer to her, still gripping the dagger in her hand, Emma flinching and trying to move backwards, this caused a look of pain to cross Snow's face. Charming seeing this instantly moved to her side.

"We needed to know you were alright." He couldn't help but wonder if Snow realised how ridiculous that had sounded, of course she wasn't going to be alright.

"I need to get this under control, then I might be able to be around you more. Until then who knows what could happen." Emma struggled to stand up right, before turning and walking away from the group without a backwards glance to the group. Killian barely managed to hold himself back from running after her when Snow's frantic call rang out.

"Stop!" Emma stopped in her tracks abruptly before turning towards her mother, his stomach clenched at the realisation that she didn't stop of her own volition, "Thank you now.."

"Don't thank me, I didn't exactly have much of a choice in the matter." Emma responded tonelessly, gesturing towards the blade still clutched in her mother's hand. Snow's eyes widened in horror at the realisation looking like she wanted nothing more than to cast the blade aside.

"Emma, you know your mother didn't mean it. We just want to make sure that you are alright, we want to get through this together with you." David moved to reassure his daughter while maintaining a grip on his wife. Killian couldn't help but feel sorry for them, once again their daughter was being ripped from them and as sorry as he truly felt for the couple it seemed that they were more interested in making up for past mistakes than making sure they were doing what was best for Emma. His eyes remained on her and he couldn't help but notice the emotions that seemed to be missing from her, where there once would be love mixed with a hint of annoyance at her overbearing parents, there was just nothing.

"I understand you wanting to help, I do. But until we find Merlin, perhaps it is best that I stay away." Killian's heart clenched once more at the thought of her disappearing once more, but for some reason he couldn't put any of the emotions that he was feeling into words. Here stood the woman he love more than anything, and he couldn't think of one thing to make her stay.

She stood looking at the people closest to her, trying to drag up some emotion that she knew had been there but there was just a nothingness. Emma focused on Killian, the man looked absolutely devastated and she couldn't stop the frown that crossed her face. Her pirate was hurting, but there was no burning need to comfort him, no desire to rush over and embrace him, reassure him that everything was going to be fine and that he would get his happy ending. Emma knew she loved him, in her head she knew that she would die for this man but her heart, there was just nothing and she couldn't help but wonder if this is how Gold felt all those years. She was interrupted from her thoughts by her mother once more.

"Please Emma, please we can find a way to change this we can make everything right. Just please come back to us." Her mother's eyes were shinning with tears, threatening to join the ones that already stained her cheeks.

"And what of Neal?" Emma questioned gaining many confused looks from those around her, "We don't know if I am going to be able to control this, surely you don't want me around him" And with those words fear spread across Snow's face once more, the hesitant step back she took enforced it, "That's what I thought." She made to turn again when Regina's voice stopped her.

"My vault." Emma raised an eyebrow at the frankly random statement, "My vault has an additional room, and it's where I went when everyone thought I…well when I needed to get away. You will be able to rest there and, if need be, seal yourself in." She saw something pass over the older woman's face but couldn't place it. Emma turned towards Killian.

"And what do you think?" His surprise at the statement seemed to match everyone's however after swallowing his throat a few times he was able to answer.

"I…I want you safe." The words were whispered out, making the man seem more broken than before and the voice in her head screamed at her and she was compelled to obey.

"Ok."

Regina didn't know how the other woman would take the suggestion but after seeing the two idiots flinch away in fear she knew she had to do something. Emma agreeing as easily was a surprise, her looking towards the pirate however that inspired hope within Regina. The saviour was still in there, somewhere.

"If it's alright with you, could we go now?" The question snapped Regina out of her daze and she once more took in the sight before her.

"Yes of course, you can get changed and cleaned up down there." After promising to Robin that she would meet him afterwards she moved closer to Emma, ignoring the startled whimper Snow let out, "Think you can handle three?" Indicating to herself and the wolf that had yet to move from Emma's side. Emma gave a nod in response.

"Wait. Maybe…maybe you should take this." Snow shoved the dagger in her direction seemingly with little to no thought on how Emma might feel. She couldn't prevent the glare she felt, she didn't think it was possible how insensitive this woman was being. Hook seemed to have the same idea if the look of fury that covered his face was anything to go by.

"Take it." Regina whipped around to face Emma, the question dying on her lips as she realised how blank the blonde woman's expression truly was. Green eyes met brown and understanding seemed to pass between them, "Keep it safe." As soon as the dagger was safely in hand, they were gone from the town.

Soooo that is chapter one done, please let me know what you think. It is always good to hear feedback.