A/N This is my first time writing something for Once Upon A Time. I just watched it all, so I'm pretty new in the fandom. Please leave a review if you like it or not (and what I did wrong), and if I should write more :)

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!

I love you

Killian has thought about it a thousand times already. Emma had told him she loved him. And he didn't say it back. But would it matter? Emma was the Dark One now, she wouldn't care whether he loved her or not. Rumplestiltskin and Belle had been perfect for each other. They cared for each other, they loved each other, and they would always put the other before something or someone else. Or so, everyone thought. Until Rumple betrayed her and everyone else. That was the moment everyone realized that the Dark One would always be Dark.

And so it would be with Emma. She was Dark, and there was no way to remove that Darkness.

He sighs and turns in his bed. When he looks at the time, he sees it was 4 in the morning already. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sleep. Not when Emma was like this.

After another 30 minutes of tossing and turning, he decides to just get up. The sun is just rising and for a while, he stands on his ship, enjoying the sunrise and clearing his mind. When he turns back to the other side to get into the town, he realizes the clearing of his mind has been useless, because there, in front of his ship lays the dagger.

Emma Swan, it says. There is a piece of paper that almost got blown away by the wind when Killian picks up the dagger.

Killian,

I can't have this. I know it's not wise to give this away but I trust you won't do anything stupid.

I am out of town for a while. Don't follow me. Tell Henry and my parents I will be back, and that they don't have to worry.

Emma

Killian sighs. "Emma, what are you doing?" He mutters before putting the dagger and letter in his coat and heading Granny's for breakfast and coffee before going to Mary Margaret and David's house.

As he has expected, they are in full-panic mode. "Killian, I am so glad to see you," Mary Margaret says as soon as she opens the door. "Do you have any idea where Emma went? She's not here, and Henry hasn't seen her either."

This is the first time David is actually relieved to see him, but still goes with a "Hook" and a nod as greeting. Killian nods back and pulled out the dagger.

"This was on my boat this morning, together with a letter that told me she'll be gone for a while and I have to tell you not to worry about her. Which obviously isn't gonna work," he adds while looking at Mary Margaret who looks like she just had a heart attack.

David tries to calm her down, telling Emma is an adult and she could take care of herself, but it doesn't really work. Killian excuses himself and goes to Regina to tell Henry. Once he has done that, he goes back to his ship, puts some money in his pockets and steps outside. No way Emma has to go through this alone.

Once he turns around to leave his ship, he almost overruns Henry. "Well hello there, lad. What are you doing here?" he asks, even though he already knows.

"You're going after her, aren't you?" Henry says. Damn, that lad is a smart one, just like his mother. "I want in."

"Oh no, I am not gonna let you. There are too many people already who are not too fond of having me around your mom, I don't need another reason to make them hate me more," Killian replies. He isn't someone for impressing the parents of the woman he loves, but he doesn't want them to hate him either, they just started accepting him a little.

Henry tries to convince Killian how useful he would be, "I know where she'll probably be," he says, which made Killian think for a minute. "She'll listen to me for sure, she always has," Henry said too. He actually has a good point there, Killian thinks. Henry tries hard, but Killian still brings him to Regina, who apparently was just on her way to Mary Margaret and David.

Henry tries to convince Regina too, but she won't even listen. "I know you love your mom, but you can't go," she tells him. "It's too dangerous, you've seen what happened to Rumplestiltskin." It upsets Henry, but he doesn't have another choice than to just wait.

"She'll probably be in Boston, that's where she lived before I got her to come to Storybrooke," Henry finally says, defeated.

"Hey," Killian says. "Thank you. I will bring her back for you, okay?" He promises. Henry nods, and then goes off to look at Baby Neal.

"Bring her home," David told him, his voice soft. Killian nods, and then turns around, not being able to look at them any more. What if he fails? What if Emma doesn't want to go with him? What if Emma doesn't even care any more?

He then realizes it's all bullshit. There's nothing Emma cares more for than her family. If he brings up them, she'll go with him. With those thoughts in his head, he walks out of town and heads for the bus stop.

Once arrived in Boston, the first thing he does is ask for a map. He finds the way to Emma's house, and, indeed, the ugly yellow car is there. Henry was right, again. He hesitates again, should he go inside? Wait for Emma to come outside? He waits a few minutes and then decides to knock.

When Emma opens the door, he doesn't know if she's happy to see him or not. She told him to not follow her after all. She looks at him with a blank face and then turns around to sit on the couch. Killian closes the door and sits next to her. She doesn't look good, dark circles under her eyes and all the life is gone from her eyes.

Its silent for a few minutes, and then she starts talking. "This apartment has been empty ever since Henry brought me to Storybrooke. I thought I would just, you know, bring him there and get back in the same night. This has been my home and I was okay with that, and now it's just… empty.

And inside of me, it's also empty. I don't feel, Hook." He winces a little when she calls him 'Hook' instead of his real name. "I don't feel any shame for what I have done, I don't feel sorry for what I have done to you all, I just feel.. empty."

Its silent again, and Killian has honestly no idea what he should do. He put his arm around her, and when she lays her head on his chest he lets his cheek rest on her head. They sit like that for what feels like hours, but he doesn't mind. If it helps her, he's willing to do anything.

She wakes up because his stomach rumbles, and immediately she apologizes for falling asleep. "It's okay," he tells her, smiling. He doesn't get a smile in return when she goes to the kitchen to make then dinner.

After dinner, they talk more. He says they all want her to come back to Storybrooke with him, to go back home.

"I can't go, Hook," she says. "I will hurt everyone I care about. I can't do this to Henry, or anyone."

Once again, he doesn't know what to do so he just does what seems necessary: he pulls out his rum and takes a swig. "You wanna?" he asks Emma, and she eagerly takes it. When he sees a hint of a smile on her face, his heart flutters.

She goes to bed around 2, and he follows shortly after. He's never been in this house before, so he just opens a few doors until he sees the right room. Emma is still awake, but she doesn't say anything as he takes off his jacket, hook, shoes, pants, until he's left in a shirt. When she nods, he slides next to her in the bed.

He thinks, again, of what he should do. She won't go with him, she doesn't even try to fight the Darkness. He does understand it though. She's gone from a woman with an easy life, to being mom, being the savior, and now, being the Dark One. It's a lot to process, and he'd help her, if she'd let him.

He knows she's falling asleep, her breathing evens out and she inhales deeper every time.

"I love you too," he suddenly says, not even caring if she hears him or not.

Her breathing stops for a few seconds. Then, she turns around, and automatically, he opens his arms for her. There is a glimmer in her eyes, not as much as usual, but it's something.

"I will help you, you know that," he tells her. "With the Darkness. You'll fight it, lass, I know you can do it. But not alone. I'm here for you, Henry, your parents, and everyone else in Storybrooke. I'm sure even Regina is willing to help you."

He doesn't know if it helps, but that doesn't matter. She just needs to hear it.

She snuggles closer, and he feels a smile starting against his shirt.

And then finally, he knows he's able to get through her, he can help her. They can fight the Darkness inside of her.

"I love you," she says. "Killian."