summary: emma locks hook up for his own good.

because i love you

"Can you grab my sword for me, I hid it under the cot in the right cell," Emma said, ducking quickly into her office, her mind racing. They were about to engage in what would hopefully be their last confrontation with the Wicked Bitch Witch and her flying monstrosities, and Emma had insisted Hook accompany her to get some last minute supplies and ammunitions from the station.

"That seems rather an odd place for it, love," he commented dryly, and she could hear his boots scuff along the concrete floor of the cell.

She only had a few seconds, so she pulled her sword from it's actual hiding spot, along with another handgun, tucking the gun into the back of her jeans. Emma hurried out into the main room to see Hook crouched down by the cot, back turned to her, fingers feeling out the bottom of it futilely.

"It doesn't appear to be here, Swan," he said, groping underneath the cot more urgently now. "Perhaps you misplaced it."

There was no time for hesitation on her part. She closed in on the cell as quickly and quietly as she could, grasping the steel bar doors in her hands before slamming them shut. Hook whipped his head around, staring at her in shock just as she turned the key in the lock, and his expression gave way to horror as he jumped up. Emma backed away from the cell, her whole body seeming to tremble as the weight of what she'd just done descended onto her.

"Wh-what are you doing?" he asked, hand straining against the immovable bars. The expression of utter betrayal on his face was almost too much for her to bear, but she forced herself not to look away; that was her punishment and she would have to take it. "Swan-"

"I can-I can't take the chance that she'll come after you," Emma told him, her throat tightening slightly at just the thought. "You have to stay here where you'll be safe from her."

"And who's going to keep you safe from her?" he demanded. "You're the one she wants, not me!"

"I can take care of myself."

He shook his head frantically. "Emma, my place is by your side," Hook said, his eyes imploring her. "Don't do this!"

"I have to." Her voice cracked, and her vision grew cloudy with tears. He didn't understand. The witch had taken too much from her already. Henry was safely under Granny's and Ruby's protection and that only left one other loose end.

Hook banged his hand against the bar, his fear turning to anger. "Why do this to me now after everything we've been through?"

"Hook-"

His tone was unyielding. "Why?"

"Because I love you, okay?"

Her impassioned exclamation seemed to echo through the station. Hook's eyes grew wide, all color draining from his face, and Emma knew she probably looked the same.

"What?" Hook whispered, and he searched her eyes for the truth, and for once she didn't throw her wall up.

"I love you," she said again and pointed vaguely out the window, "And she knows that! She will use you to get to me and I can't let that happen."

"Swan, please-"

"I'm sorry. This is the only way." She backed away from the cell, an ache in her chest forming as she did so. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

"Swan, don't do this," he pleaded again, but she'd already turned away from him and was striding determinedly to the exit. "Swan! SWAN!"

Emma wasn't sure he would ever forgive her for this, but his angry shouts after her were music to her ears after nights of jolting awake to his screams of pain in her nightmares, and she held to that justification all through the battle.

His face, dumbstruck at her declaration of love was the last image in her mind when the witch's curse hit her.


a/n: dun dun DUN, to sequel or not to sequel, that is the question?