I . The Stranger

It was like knives stabbed her feet with every step she took deeper into the hospital.

Just a day ago she'd been in the same spot, watching them take his unconscious body down the halls. She hadn't wanted to ever leave his side, but she had to. This morning she heard whispers around town, that he was alive, that he was waking up, and worse things that she couldn't bear the thought of. But those things could just be rumors, and that's why she was here, to make sure he knew her.

Emma couldn't help but smile slightly when she saw him, he was awake and sitting up, staring out the window. She was going to talk to him, and everything would be okay. She stopped at the doorway, "Killian, hey."

He looked at her and smiled, her hopes soared even further.

"And who might you be, lass?" Killian Jones spoke these unfamiliar words in an all-too familiar voice.

Now, she looked, and she realized that his smile was empty. Genuine, but empty. He was looking at her the way he had when the first met in the enchanted forest, and the time she was sent to distract him in their visit to the past. To the man sitting in front of her, she was nothing more than a pretty face.

"Emma," she started slowly, "Emma Swan. I'm uh, I'm the town sheriff." She extended her hand towards him to shake, hoping he didn't notice she was trembling. He took it in his and held for a moment before letting go.

"Well, Miss Swan, would you mind telling me where I am? Last I remember I was aboard my ship. Where is she? Where's my crew?" He paused and looked at her, "hang on, did you say my name?"

"Yes."

"Well that's fine but most people know me as –"

"Captain Hook, I know. You're in a town called Storybrooke," she was about to go on about the curse and everyone in the town but there wasn't a hint of recognition in his face so she decided against it. Someone else could tell him. "About your ship," you traded it to save me, do you remember now? "I'm not sure where it is but I'll tell the people at the docks that you're looking for it. If I find out anything I'll let you know." Emma rushed the words because all she wanted to do was turn around and run away. When she did finally turn to leave she let out a breath that she hadn't known she was holding.

"Miss Swan?" she looked over her shoulder at Hook, "it was nice to meet you."

She nodded quickly before leaving the room and once she was out of the hospital, she ran until her breath came out in sharp gasps and she couldn't feel her tired legs.

By the time she reached Mary Margaret's apartment, she was shaking so violently that she couldn't fit the key in the lock. Just days ago her expert hands could pick a lock without a key, now she stood outside the door and for the first time in weeks she felt terrifyingly alone. Snow and Charming and baby Neal were on the other side of the door, waiting to help her, to comfort her, but they wouldn't be able to chase away the storm brewing inside her mind.

It had taken months for her to even let him in, and now every word was gone. He was lost to her.

Emma didn't even realize she was crying until the door opened and her mother's arms were wrapped around her asking what had happened and then David was there too and she was leaning against the wall choking on the words "he doesn't remember" repeated over and over again.

They helped her walk inside and sit down, and gave her hot cocoa with cinnamon, but she couldn't even taste it, she had stopped crying, but not because she felt any better.

She couldn't feel anything at all.

THREE DAYS EARLIER…

Regina stood in the trees behind the cottage that Robin Hood and Marian now occupied, anger boiling. She had loved two men romantically in her entire life, one had died a long time ago, and now she watched the other through a foggy window as he leaned over and kissed his wife, blissfully unaware of the shooting pain in her chest.

"Regina, you have to stop this" she turned to face none other than Emma Swan, the woman who had caused this.

"Why?"

"Because you're just hurting yourself more. You can still have your happy ending, but not by watching him." Regina looked back at the house again, they now had a fire in the fireplace. It looked like a home, a good home.

"You shouldn't be talking, miss Swan. That could be me in there, you stole my happy ending, yet again."

"Regina, you were going to kill that woman. I'm sorry I ruined a part of your life, but… I'm not sorry for saving hers."

Regina regarded Emma with glossy eyes, anger boiling in her throat. "I don't care."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter. This," she pointed towards the house, "doesn't matter to me. I've lost my happiness time and time again and it doesn't matter what happened, what matters is who caused it. If I don't get him, then you don't get Killian."

"Don't touch Killian, none of this is his fault. If you're going to hurt me, hurt ME."

"Ah but what's the use of that? So he can comfort you? No, I intend to steal your happily ever after, and I don't care what I have to do, because theres no one to stop me anymore." With that, she pushed Emma out of the way and returned to her empty house with a new sense of purpose.

If she couldn't be happy, neither could Emma Swan.

A/N : I've decided to start writing again, lets see how this goes. The story will most likely progressively get better since its been a long time since my last fic, so be patient with me, please.