What Snow didn't expect was the distrust she felt for her daughter. As she looked at her; the black leather and the bright white hair, she saw a woman she barely recognized. The savior, her daughter, was gone. She was replaced with something dark and unfamiliar.

But staring at her now, her eyes wide, tears visible in them, she didn't know what to think. Emma had never been one to reveal her emotions, so how did darkness change that?

"Or," She thought, "What happened in Camelot to make her this way?"

"Can we trust her?"

Snow watched, enraptured, as her daughter shook her head, as if Regina's words hurt her. "You can." Emma answer, her voice… Different; strong, yet weak.

Following David's lead, Snow brought the dream catcher closer to her, waiting for her memories to reappear.

In a second, she was assaulted with emotions.

Emma, her hand clutched around someone's heart. Looking so lost and hurt that Snow's heart physically ached. This wasn't her Emma. It couldn't be.

Hook, talking to her, convincing them that Emma could do this; that she could win over the darkness.

Days later, Emma is wearing a beautiful white cloak, as if to hide her true self. She's changed; her movements, her constant tired eyes, her twitching. Snow was witnessing Emma true fear come alive.

Emma hovered over Robin, Regina's true love. Snow knew Emma would always put herself before others, but never could she imagine that those actions would have such dire repercussions. She watched with pain in her heart as Emma faught her own invisible demons. This time, she had won.

From a distance, Snow can see her and Hook – Killian – talking to one another. Killian grabs Emma's hand, smiling at her. Like a reflection of her younger self, Emma smiles, her whole face illumining her love for this man. They were meant for each other, and that scared her even more.

She watched, proud of her daughter, as Emma smiled shyly at Killian. Without further ado, Emma put both the dagger and the blade up to the flame.

Snow watched, heart in throat, as Killian clutched at his neck, blood visible through his fingers.

"I can save him."

No, Snow repeated over and over again in her head. Emma couldn't become dark, not after everything her and Charming went through to stop that very thing. Her daughter – the savior – could not be the Dark One.

How could she judge when she knew that she would do the exact same thing for Charming?

"I won't let anyone stop me."

Snow watched, tears in her eyes, and both Emma and Killian vanished in black smoke. She was too late; she couldn't save her daughter.

She was a failure.

Snow stared at her; the dark leather, the white hair, the unsure, unconfident, stride Emma had as she walked back to her.

Emma had sacrificed herself to save her true love… And now she paid the steepest of prices for it.

Who was she to judge?

Something else, a lurking memory, made its way to Snow's mind. From an outsiders view, she witnessed Emma's and Killian's – no, once again it was Captain Hook – interactions with each other. She could feel Emma's guilt at what she had done; could feel it's pain vibrating throughout her entire being. But Hook did not love; did not forgive her.

Emma begged Killian to not pay attention to the demons, but Hook was so haunted by his familiar inner monster that he could not see what he was doing to her.

It killed Emma. Her guilt threatened to destroy her.

Time went backwards. "Killian, I want this. I want a future with you."

Below her, the flame ignited as Emma and Killian were entangled in a passionate kiss.

Emma never looked happier. Emma never was happier.

"I am not nothing! I was never nothing" a triumphant Emma roars back at her taunter. "The power you have, I don't need!"

Killian, pink flowers, a fiery kiss… and a chance at light. Hope.

It was a cold, lonely jail cell and a positive pregnancy test. Tears rushed down her face. Emma couldn't have this child. She didn't have the love to do so.

"Her you go, Emma. It's a boy." The smiling doctor was holding a baby. He held out his arms to give him to her, but Emma shut her eyes, not staring at him; refusing to.

"What?" But the doctor nurse pulled her aside and told her the news. Emma didn't want him.

"You could always change your mind."

"I can't." She whispered.

"I can't, I can't." Emma repeated. She opened her eyes, staring at the cuff restraining her to the bed. "I can't be a mother." With that, she broke down into tears, her cries echoing through the prison hospital.

Neal, a yellow bug, naive, young happiness. She loved him. She could live her life with him.

A moment later, handcuffs, a broken heart… tears unable to be shed. She was alone; an orphan. She would never be loved… and no one loved her.

Emma. She was twelve years old. She had just cleaned the entire kitchen.

Suddenly, a noise sounded behind Emma. Turning around, she spotted three younger girls covered in mud.

Emma smiled at them, asking them questions about school, loving them. Soon they left, leaving the muddy footprints in their wake.

There was a loud bang; the door had slammed open. This time, Emma bolted up from her spot on the floor, her face turning white.

A woman, around fifty years old, came into the kitchen. Her face twisted in anger at the site of the mud.

She rushed at Emma, grabbing her harshly by the arm, so much so that Emma cried out.

The world spun into a world of pain and fear. Emma was left lying on the floor, bruises covering her stomach. She was an orphan. No one loved her. No one would ever love her.

Hook. He was always there; the only man that didn't abandon her. He was a survivor. But you know what? Emma wasn't. Emma needed him.

Emma couldn't stand to see him take down every wall she ever had… and destroy herself bit by bit.

"You're so afraid of losing the people that you love, that you pushed them away." He paused, inches away from her. "That's why you'll always be an orphan."

Snow was forced back to the present. She could feel the tears in her eyes. She could still feel Emma's pain. No one should feel that, especially her daughter.

She looked up, and instantly knew that everyone else had seen what she seen.

Snow expected Emma to run; she expected her to go hide as she had always done when her feelings came into play.

But one thing was different; this time Emma had nowhere to run. Wherever she could go, Hook could find her.

So, instead, she witnessed every wall that Emma ever created crumble. She watched as Emma moved slowly away from them, as if to block at their existence.

"I need to find Killian." She murmured, back still to them. "I know what he's planning now."

"Emma." Snow whispered.

Emma spun around, fury in her eyes. "What? Are you going to tell me no? Let me guess, because of my mistake, I'm not to be trusted?"

Silence. No one dared interrupt her.

"All of you would have done the same." She said darkly. "Every single person in this room would have saved their loved ones, and has, countless times."

"I know." Snow whispered, moving closer to her. "I understand."

"Do you?" Emma replied back. "Do you know what it's like, hearing each of your fears projected back at you every moment of the day? Do you hear them?" She looked left, viewing someone they could not see. She forced herself to look away from him, and turned back towards Snow.

"I will do everything in my power to save him."

"I understand." Snow repeated. "I trust you, Emma. You don't have to hid from us; from the people who love you."

Emma flinched back, as if struck. Snow knew exactly what she was expecting. Emma was expected to be forced to not help once again. To be judge by her actions.

Without having to say another word, Henry did what everyone else wasn't able to do; give Emma a hug.

Shocked was the first thing that filter across Emma eyes. A breath released… and then Emma did what any mother would do.

She knelt down and gave him a hug back.

"I love you." Henry said.

Emma closed her eyes, a tear escaping her. "I love you too, Henry."

With that, Snow knew that Emma could beat the darkness.

A/N: Holy mother this made me cry. I was just inspired by the dreamcatcher scene. I thought that everyone would have a greater reaction to their time in Camelot.

This whole thing was pretty much a character study of Emma, Snow, and a little bit of Killian. I really love these characters, and I wanted to show why this show means so much to us:

Because it's about love. It's not about the shipping or (sometimes) a bad plot line, it's about healthy love. This show's first biggest moment was when Emma saved Henry from Regina's poison apple; a mother's love for her children. I think the fandom is really losing sight of the true value of this show. I hope we all remember that.

But away, please review! Maybe I'll have time for a part two from someone's else perspective on it…?

Thanks for reading! Love you all!