Tension hung in the air thick and heavy as Emma could faintly year the shallow breathing from her parents behind her.
Killian, no… Hook stood opposite her now. His glazed-over eyes hiding none of the pain he'd endured for thousands of year. The dark circles under his eyes indications of his exhaustion from both fighting and giving in to the darkness. Emma's heart ached as her eyes laid upon him and he didn't shoot her his signature eyebrow raise and wink, his infuriatingly handsome smirk or even his adorable nervous tick of scratching behind his ear. He usually would have done at least one if not all of these three in a situation as awkward as this.
Nimue stood behind Killian, and behind her were the previous Dark Ones, all collectively huddled in a great mass of black cloaks with glowing eyes and shadowed faces under the hoods.
Emma stuck her arm out protectively to cover Henry and heard Regina take a step forward. Out the corner of her eye she saw as Regina instinctively held her arm out in front of Rumple, and only but guessed that Mary Margaret did the same with David.
"Why are you doing this?!" Henry yelled accusingly at Hook and Emma's lungs stopped short on an intake of breath. She glanced at Henry warningly, before her attention snapped back to Hook and she searched his features for any sign of the man she loved desperately. She thought she saw something in the way his eyes narrowed minutely, and in the crease of his brow as if he was considering what he was about to say next. Hook went open his mouth to speak when Nimue cackled and sauntered forward to stand beside him.
"I think the boy should do nicely… first." Nimue's hand fell on his shoulder, and fire surged through Emma's veins at the mere thought of Henry being harmed. "What do you say, Captain?" Nimue enunciated his title and a twinge of jealousy shot through her, as she watched the original Dark One stand a little too close to Hook for her liking.
Emma tilted her head toward him, awaiting his response. Her free hand which was fisted at her side came up and she felt the magic tickle her fingertips, prepared to fight with it if need be.
Seconds felt like hours as they waited for Hook to make an advance toward Henry. Minutes passed and Nimue's hand raised up above her head.
"You are not taking the people I love." Emma's tone was a clear warning, as was her icy glare.
Nimue's fingers twitched just a fraction and Emma lost the use of her lungs altogether. Clutching at her throat, she stared wide eyed at Hook. The unbidden tears in her eyes built until he was nothing but a blur that she blinked through.
"Emma!" she heard her mother scream.
"No!" she heard Regina's voice as she threw a fireball at Nimue. Of course Nimue waved her free hand and the fireball vanished instantly.
Emma dropped to her knees, her attention still on Hook. She remembered back to when the darkness was surrounding her, when she'd sacrificed herself for the good of the town and that her last thought had been of how much she loved him, loved Killian.
"Alright, Enough!" Killian's voice was a low grumble that echoed loudly.
Nimue dropped her hand in and her face was that of utter shock. Emma gasped for air urgently as she wiped her eyes quickly. Her gaze searched his face desperately for any sign of Killian but his attention was no longer on her. It was on Nimue. He held out his hand her eyes widened as she saw a droplet of squid ink left in the small vile. Expertly he flicked it onto her and she froze in place.
"What are you doing?" Nimue screeched. The high-pitched noise ringing in the air, making everyone wince.
Emma watched as Hook crossed the distance between them, his face emotionless as his hands came up in surrender. He nodded toward Regina just once, as if asking permission.
"Where's Robin?" Hook's voice was gravelly.
"With the baby at the loft." Regina informed, her glare fixed on the dark ones standing before her.
"Henry, Lad. I'm sorry for all of this." Killian waved his arm in front of the boy, and before Henry could protest he was gone in a poof of red smoke, sent to the loft.
"What are you doing?" Emma asked breathlessly, one arm clutching her chest and the other reaching for him cautiously.
Her heartbeat stuttered as she watched his resolve crumble. The unshed tears in his eyes as he took a step closer to her, and the small sigh that escaped his lips as her fingers curled around his forearm and she pulled him closer. As he closed his eyes, a tear fell down his cheek. She heard him clear his throat and take a steadying breath.
"Emma" he said her name like it was the most precious thing in the world to him, and she felt a lump form in her throat. "Now is the time for the Saviour to save the day, to fulfil your destiny and destroy the darkness once and for all."
"No" she whispered barely audible as she reached up to cup his face between her hands.
His eyes were still closed as he knew if he looked at her, he wouldn't be able to go through with it.
"I summoned us all here so you could do what needs to be done. You're the only one who can do this, and you must." he said and another tear fell down his face.
He opened his eyes then and Emma's heart stopped completely as she saw all the pain behind his eyes. The pleading in his eyes to release him from this horrible fate.
The impossible blue of his eyes made a sob rise from within her.
"Emma Swan, I love you and will always love you. You've saved me so many times… let me save you just this once, Love?" he asked, a small apologetic smile curving his lips as his thumb wiped away the stray tear that fell from her face.
"You told me you were a survivor." she cried angrily as her fist hit him hard in the chest. His hand and hook came up to hold her close to him. She struggled under his touch until she gave in and her forehead dropped to his chest.
"I can't lose you." she whimpered hopelessly against him as her tears soaked his vest.
She felt him press his lips to the crown of her head. "Thank you for letting me love you. It truly was the best part of my damned existence."
Emma scowled up at him, she hated how much he put himself down.
"We've certainly had quite the adventure along the way too." he tried to lighten the mood and Emma laughed slightly, reaching up on her tiptoes to be closer to him.
A rustling came from behind him then as the squid ink's effects wore off on Nimue.
"Now, Hook!" Regina shouted.
Killian didn't skip a beat, he crashed his lips into Emma's and the world stood still.
The feeling of a heavy weight being lifted from her resonated within her as her fingers carded through his hair.
She felt his hand get tangled in her hair as they basked in the moment.
When she pulled back, she realised that her red leather jacket was hugging her shoulders and the ring he gave her for safe keeping hung loosely around her neck on the chain.
Her gloved fingers brushed along her lips as her breathing hitched slightly and more tears fell, "True Love's Kiss" she wondered aloud.
"Goodbye, Emma." he whispered, as his fingers twined with that of her free hand and he made her plunge excalibur into him.