Emma lay on the floor of her stone cellar, thrown back from the force of the sword.
"Did you really think it would be that simple, dearie?" Gold said, laughing maliciously at her. "If you want that sword you're going to have to pay the price."
Emma rolled over onto her back to look back up the ghostly figure.
"And what exactly is the price?" she asked him.
He waved her finger at her taunting her. "Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to." He said, "and by that look on your face I think you already know what the price is." Emma's face was set in a deep frown that fell even further when he spoke for their was only one thing on her mind or rather only one person that he could be referring to.
"Now I know you'll try and fight it like you always do, but eventually you'll realize there is no other way then to pay the price with his life," said Gold as he walked into the dark shadows of the cellar and disappeared, leaving Emma alone in the cold, dark cellar.
"All these years and you never came across a book that told you how to get rid of the darkness in someone?" Hook said.
"No and it's not for a lack of trying," Belle said, downing the rest of her glass. "With Rumple it was different though. It was always about his son and so despite all of the bad and horrible things he did I could see the good in him until he didn't have a son and then I didn't know what I saw in him anymore."
"Aye, it would make it a lot easier if I knew Emma's intentions. Henry's safe though and she seems to have no qualms against him still hanging out with Regina so I don't suppose this is a family issue this time. I'm worried every last ounce of good in her is gone and I'm too late." said Hook looking off into the distance. Belle was silent. She didn't have a response that would comfort him. Granny came to the counter and offered her a refill but Belle declined waving her hand over the glass that she was done for the night.
"Well I better get off to bed. I want to get an early start at the library tomorrow and see if any books from Camelot came over. This might surprise you but I haven't read every book in the world yet. Perhaps there is hope for your girl yet," said Belle, patting Hook on the back. Hook nodded in silence as Belle grabbed her rose off of the table and headed back to the pawn shop.
"Hope is about the only thing I have left," said Hook under his breath before downing the rest of his glass.
"Mom what are you doing here?"
"What am I not allowed to pick you up from school anymore?" said Emma.
"No. I just wasn't sure if you had time with your new…extracurricular activities," spoke Henry.
"Don't worry kid. I'll always have time for you."
"Sure," said Henry, not sounding so convinced.
"Who's the chick?" Emma pointed towards Violet walking away from the bus stop. Her and Henry had been talking moments earlier.
"Oh that's Violet. She's from Camelot. I was just showing her around school."
"So you liiikkkkke her? Well why don't I make her come back on over here." Emma raised her hand to use magic.
"No!" shouted Henry pushing her hand back down. "Don't do that, she's actually pretty annoying. I was getting tired of her hanging around anyway," lied Henry.
"Oh well in that case tell me about school."
"It was great. Everyone was really nice to me and I don't need you to try and fix anything."
"No need for the attitude kid. I was just curious."
"You're always trying to fix everything and using your magic to intervene but I don't need you always saving me from everything. I can handle it."
"I know you can handle it kid. I just can't help looking out for you." Emma gave Henry a side hug as they walked along the street but the hug felt empty and cold as if it were from a stranger.
"Look I've got a lot of homework tonight can we just go home." Henry said hurrying up their pace.
"You know you don't have to do your homework Henry. No one is going to bother you about it." Henry rolled his eyes at her, "Fine then can I go to Granny's and get shakes before some new town disaster happens and they stop serving food ?"
"Sure..sure. Get me a chocolate one and I'll meet you at home."
"No fries?" he asked her.
"Nah I'm feeling kind of sick."
"I thought dark ones didn't get sick," he said to her sarcastically. Emma shot him a serious look back that told him to move on. "Fine, what are you going to do?" asked Henry. Emma sighed and looked around. She hadn't set foot in Granny's since after they got back. She didn't feel welcome anymore.
"Work on my plan I guess."
"and exactly what is this plan of yours? Something that involves evil I suppose?" "No it's something that will keep you safe and keep this town from ever needing to be saved again." she said. Henry sighed and walked off towards Granny's. Emma was no longer paying attention. As she was speaking with Henry she spotted Hook across the street, walking with his head down.
"Hey handsome, what are you up to?"
"Oh are your referring to me?" said Killian, keeping up his walking pace.
"Well you're my boyfriend aren't you?" teased Emma in a sing-song voice.
"I never signed up to be a bloody pyschopath's boyfriend."
"So that's what you think of me." said Emma, stopping on the sidewalk. Killian stopped and turned towards her. He couldn't help it.
"Yes, that's what I think of you. This isn't who you are."
Emma stared at him for a moment before starting to walk again. "Well we can agree to disagree Killian, but in the meantime why don't you come have shakes with Henry and me. Maybe I can show you that I'm even more fun then I used to be." Killian stared at her mesmerized. For a moment he had seen the old Emma start to come out in her face but then the darkness consumed her again.
"Fine, for Henry's sake I guess." He said.
Back at the house Henry was home with two chocolate shakes and a large fry.
"Hey Killian. I didn't know you were coming over…ever again. I only got two shakes."
"Well according to your mother, her being the dark one doesn't affect our relationship at all so here I am." said Hook.
"Ignore him Henry. We're just having domestic problems. Every couple has their spats."
"I would consider this a bit more then a spat love." spoke Hook
"Mom are you ok?" Henry asked. Emma had all of the sudden sat down, her face looking rather pale. Both Henry and Hook rushed to her side.
"I'm fine. I'm fine." She said waving them both off. "The smell of the French fries just made me a bit nauseous. "I'm just going to go into the bathroom and freshen up." She said excusing herself from the room.
"So just one fry?" asked Hook after Emma had left the room.
Henry shrugged, "She said she didn't want any, that she was feeling sick."
"I assumed the dark one didn't get sick," said Hook taking a fry out of the bag.
"You should stay. It'll make it less awkward for me. She's obsessed with having these perfect family nights with me where we don't do any homework and just eat junk food and play video games all night. I'm tired of it."
"Don't worry mate. I won't make you suffer through another night of junk food alone." said Killian, stumbling over the term "junk food." He wasn't entirely sure what that meant.
In the bathroom they could both hear Emma throwing up. The boys exchanged questioning glances but said nothing. A few moments later Emma emerged, wiping her mouth with her elbow.
"Everything alright, Love?" Killian asked.
"I'm fine." said Emma defensively. "So what will it be Henry? Our usual?" She waved her hand and instantly an array of junk food appeared. Soda lined the window sills, seven boxes of pizza appeared on the kitchen counter, the freezer was stocked with ice-cream, the coffee table lined with bowls of M &M's, licorice, and other candies. Henry shot Hook a quick "I told you so" glance. Hook couldn't help but smirk.
"Looks great Mom. How about we just watch a movie tonight?"
"Sure anything you want. Go look something up online and I'll get it for you. Just tell me what you want." Henry went upstairs to use the computer in his room.
"See we still have fun around here," Emma said turning towards Killian.
"I can see that. I just wish you would stop lying to everyone."
"Lying? I'm not lying to anyone."
"You're keeping secrets Emma, dark secrets I assume."
"Oh Killian you worry too much." Emma moved over towards the coffee table and grabbed a licorice stick.
"Then what's in your basement Emma and why do you have it locked? Tell me that's not a secret."
"It's not a secret," she said smirking at him, biting the end off of the licorice. "I'll show you what's down there but after Henry goes to sleep."
"Mom how about the new Avengers movie?" Henry shouted from upstairs.
"Sounds good!" with a flick of her wrist the movie was playing on the TV. Henry ran back down the stairs. Emma patted the sofa cushion next to her, beckoning Killian to come sit next to her. He reluctantly gave in.