Emma stood there, waiting to be taken to the underworld. She needed to get Hook back. She couldn't loose love again. She was almost sure that she wasn't in love with Hook, but that didn't matter to her. She had lost this kind of love too often now to give it up again.
The tears in her eyes made it almost impossible to see what was headed her way, but she didn't care. She'd rather die if it came to it then to have to deal with the loss… again.
Just behind her was her family. They had seen the determination and desperation in her eyes and had decided to go along with whatever crazy plan Emma had in mind.
Closest to the blonde was Regina. She put her hand on Emma's shoulder, signaling to the blonde that she was there for her. It wasn't an act of pity, like what the rest of her family was doing, but an act of understanding. Regina had been through this kind of loss also and wanted to help her friend in whatever way she could.
Even their son was there, even though Emma had argued against it. Regina had decided that leaving him alone in Storybrooke would have been almost as bad as taking him with them to the underworld. He was thrilled for this new adventure, a mission he believed his family could bring to a good end. After all, they are heroes and heroes always get their happy endings, right?
Behind him stood the Charming's, side-by-side, hands locked and a confident and pitiful look in their eyes. Emma avoided looking at them, so she didn't have to see their pitiful looks. She hated that look; always had, and growing up in the system, she'd seen it a lot. But pity didn't change anything. It hadn't gotten her adopted, it hadn't gotten her out of abusive, unstable homes, it hadn't kept her out of jail and it definitely hadn't brought back dead loved ones.
Emma was so caught up in her thoughts of how to get Hook back; she hadn't noticed their journey to the underworld go by. It was only when Regina pointed it out that her eyes widened and she looked around. Confused, she looked at Regina questioningly. It looked as if they were still in Storybrooke except everything looked sadder and darker. "The underworld is like a parallel universe." Regina answered Emma's silent question.
As they walked around town looking for Hook, they started seeing people they rather wouldn't want to see again. People like Peter Pan or Cruella, who had been dead because of them and would surely be out for revenge. They didn't have the time to fight them; Gold had told them that if they weren't back in twelve hours they wouldn't be able to make the journey back.
They decided to split up and meet at Granny's in a seven hours. The Charming's would be looking at the diner, their apartment and the sheriff station, Regina and Henry at their mansion, Emma's home and Town Hall, while Emma went to the docks and the Jolly Rodger.
At the docks Emma started searching everything for a clue of where Hook could be when she bumped into someone. "Sorry!" She said, while looking up at the person before her. Her eyes widened and new tears filled her eyes. "Neal," she whispered.
He smiled at her sadly. "Emma, what happened? Why are you here?" She hesitated at first, but eventually filled him in on everything that had happened since he had died. The pained look in his eyes at hearing she was dating Hook and that she was here to bring him back broke her heart. Neal had been her first love after all and she would always have some feelings for him.
"You can't bring him back, Emma." He told her gently, not wanting to upset her or crush her hopes.
"Yes, I can." Emma replied determined. "We can do it like my parents did; if we share a heart, he'll be able to come back." The tears in her eyes betrayed her determination.
"That won't work, Emma." He told her. He pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry."
"No!" Emma shook her head. "It will work; it has to! Why wouldn't it work? It worked for my parents…"
"But Emma… You and Hook… It's not True Love. The only thing it will do is have you killed. I'm not going to let you go through with this." Neal didn't let her go, even though she struggled against his embrace.
"How do you know it's not True Love?" She yelled angrily at him. "You're just jealous that I didn't come here for you!" Tears streamed down her face.
"He's right, though." Hook suddenly appeared out of the shadows, a pained look on his face.
"No, Hook, I can save you. I know I can." Emma said. Neal finally let her go and she ran to Hook's side, hugging him as tightly as she could.
"No, Swan, you can't. As much as I hate to admit it, Neal's right. I'm not your True Love. If you try and bring me back, you'll just end up killing yourself." Emma sobbed in his arms.
"I can't loose you! I can't loose love again." She said in between sobs. "Please, don't make me loose love again?" She begged, but it was no use.
"You don't love me, Swan. You and I both know you are in love with someone else in this town." Hook tried to assure her, but Emma was too far in denial about her feelings.
"Oh and who would this mystery man, I'm supposed to be in love with, be?" Emma asked stubbornly.
"The Evil Bitch" Hook answered. Emma immediately pulled away from Hook's embrace, eyes wide.
"Do not call her that! She has redeemed herself and is far from evil now and she might not be the easiest person on the planet, but she's hardly a bitch." Emma yelled at him defensively.
Hook smirked at her. "My point exactly."
Emma sighed and turned away from both men. "I might be in love with her, but she'll never return that feeling." Both Neal and Hook were about to argue when she continued, "besides… She's with Robin now. He's her soul mate and he makes her happy. I can't compete with that and I definitely won't take that away from her…"
A determined look crossed Emma's face as she turned back to Hook. "I'd rather try and bring you back and risk my own life, than to have to lose what we had for a love that will never happen."
She had her heart in her hands when she heard someone scream at her to stop.
