"Does it feel good?" She gritted out, her eyes narrowing in on his, "Knowing that you killed Rumplestiltskin. Knowing that you're just as bad as he is?" Emma questioned, trying to keep her voice even and calm, but her words pierced through him just as much as they pierced through her. He'd destroyed himself in the process. Eyes that had once held volumes of understanding and even compassion, were now steely blue, completely void of feeling. "That you sacrificed your humanity for your revenge?"

Killian laughed, a cruel smirk contorting his lips, and he leaned back against the wall, "Well," He drawled out, tilting his head as he looked at her, feigning some sliver of care, "I didn't realize that I'd become like him. It was a slight of hand really, a small price to be paid for the complete satisfaction of –"

"Are you really satisfied Killian?"

"It's Hook, darling." He waved his hook in front of his face, tossing her a wink as he pushed off of the wall. "And I am completely satisfied. Three hundred years of trying to kill that monster and-"

"And now you've become him. Great job there." Emma gave him a mocking grin, imitating the very one that he was giving her.

"My pleasure," He laughed, running his fingers over his bottom lip, "I still, can quite, figure out something however… Why does the Savior care about little old me? You surely didn't care when you left me locked up in that closet."

"I didn't know that Rumplestiltskin would be without power," Emma whirled around to face him as he started to circle her, "I didn't know that Neal's fiancé was some sort of freak. I had had every plan to hightail it back up there to get you because I was protecting you from him."

"Right," He scoffed, "You protected me marvelously, would you like an award, love?"

Emma's hand connected with his cheek, "The whole fucking reason I went to New York was to save you."

The cocky attitude fell away as he met her eyes, "What do you mean you went to save me?"

She couldn't even look at him, not even now as his sea-blue eyes seemed to soften, "I went on that trip, because Gold threatened to kill you if I didn't. I went because I… No. You don't deserve my care now."

Killian hesitated, starting and then stopping whatever it was that he had to say to that. He reached out, attempting to catch her arm, but she side stepped him and headed straight for the door.

"What the hell am I doing, this is my office. Get out Killian." She turned around, jerking her arm towards the door, "Get out."

"I didn't know that the dagger would do this to me," He admitted, his voice cracking and almost, just almost, did he sound like the man she once knew. "I didn't choose this."

"Well, you're stuck with it now."

"Aye, I suppose I am." He bowed his head and she swore she saw remorse in his eyes before he dropped them to the floor. "I shan't bother you again Swan." Killian moved past her, heading straight for the door, but she stopped him – her body intercepting his path. "Swan…"

"Do you regret your decision?"

"The Crocodile is dead." Killian arched a brow, but his eyes searched her face. "Of course I'm brimming with elation."

"Like hell you are, that is bullshit Killian-" He started to interrupt her, but the look in her eyes gave him pause, "You are Killian, I don't fucking care if you want to call yourself Hook or not. But the man I met that day, back in the Enchanted Forest – the one I climbed a beanstalk with – that man is Killian Jones."

"Then you left him."

"I made a mistake, we all make mistakes."

Killian stepped forward, his eyes flickering to her lips and then back to her eyes, "Yes… mistakes. I suppose, you and I both have made a serious of very drastic mistakes. But that doesn't explain why you care."

"I care because…" Emma's brows furrowed and her lips pressed together. He didn't deserve to know why. Not now, not after what he did to himself. But Emma cared; she didn't just care because she was the Savior or because she was a good person – she cared because it was him and she didn't have a fucking clue why he mattered so much. But he did.

Her gut instinct in that moment surprised her, but if she was going to go by what she assumed – what she had read about in the book, there was a chance. The tiniest chance it would work. "Oh, for fuck's sake." She whispered, almost inaudibly, as she rose up on her toes, fingers curling around the back of his neck, and she pulled him in for a kiss.

At first he didn't give in to it, uncertain if this was truly a wise decision, but slowly his arm curled around her waist, pressing her back against the door. His lips lingered against hers, savoring the definite spark that was there, "What was that for?" He questioned, and his voice sounded like it once had.

"Proof." She whispered, brushing her lips over his again, before she pushed him back, stepping out of between him and the door. "Now I know."

Killian hummed, watching her move away from him with a frown on his lips, "Trying to break the curse, were you?" He questioned, though the flutter in his chest gave way to the realization that it had. Something had changed, perhaps not fully, perhaps not yet – but her lips had taken the edge off of the power that cursed beneath his skin.

"And it worked." Emma said firmly, turning around to meet his eyes. The familiar ones, those too-blue eyes that made her heart skip a beat. "True Love isn't easy, if it was – everyone would have it. A very wise woman told me that once and I believe it even more so today."

"The Savior and the Dark One… what a pair." He smirked, scratching the back of his neck, "It didn't break the curse however."

"It never really did for Belle and Gold either," Emma's voice dropped to almost a whisper, "But she always kept that side of him at bay. If that's what I have to do for you, I intend to."

"You don't have to do anything, lass. I'm perfectly content to wallow in the self-hate that I've magnified tenfold."

"That's not what you really want." Emma sank into her chair, leaning back in it and staring at him. "Is it?"

Killian remained silent for a long moment, before he finally made motion to shake his head. "No."

"I'm making a choice and I'm sticking to it this time. I caused this because I ran away from you, because I was afraid of myself. I was afraid that what I thought about us would be right… or wrong, or something. I don't even know what I was scared of, but I fucked up. I can't fix it, you're this way forever now, but I have no intentions of letting that get in our way."

Killian's jaw shifted to the side and he pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek, "You're an awfully strong-willed, lass." His lips curved upwards into a smile and it was almost genuine. "I think that its best I leave now, wouldn't want that punch-happy father of yours to arrive without notice."

"Well, he works here too." Emma stated, a small smirk of amusement on her lips. "I'll see you around Killian."

"Good-bye, my love." He returned, knowing full well what he had said, but he didn't stop to acknowledge the expression on her face. He meant it. If she could have faith that this would work, that she could curb the edge of the power he had, if that spark – that magic in their kiss was a truthful show of what they were – she was his love.

Even in his darkness, she still managed to be his light. Like a lighthouse, strong and sure just inland from the coast - its light shining out through the stormy night, cutting through the fog and confusion, guiding him safely into port. She could be the goodness that he lacked and he could offer the darkness that she craved to know.