Edit: December 02, 2012:

Thank you to the anon that pointed out my timeline mistake.

PROMPT: Hook saves Emma after what Rumple/Regina did to make the portal dangerous

"The time for making deals is done…" Killian whispers to Emma with an eerie calmness while staring into her shocked beautiful cinnamon brown eyes. Emma's hands grasp the sharp spike of the prison, "No…" her voice cracks. Her eyes could not leave Killian's stormy grey-blue. He placed his hand over hers, just for a moment, before smirking a devious smile and backing away. "Well, good luck lass. Not even Rumpelstiltskin had the ability to escape this prison!" He winks at Emma before swaggering off with Cora.

Emma is still in shocked as they lifted the prison's gates up. One by one, each woman slides under the door. "Where do you think they went?" Mulan snaps angrily before turning to Aurora, "Aurora, are you alright?"

Mary-Margret had taken the ability on herself to examine the newly awaken princess.

"Yes." Aurora smiles tightly, "What did he give you?" her question is directed at Emma, whose blonde-sliver head is hanging over her shoulders, staring at the locket in her had.

"A locket." The circular locket is silver in color with an outer rim like the helm on a ship and etched in the center is what looks like a child being carried by a bird. "I have no clue what it is suppose to mean, or do." Emma grumbles and furrows her brows together in contemplation.

"Oh!" Mary-Margret rushes towards Emma, holding her hands to look at the locket, "I know what this is!" she says excitedly, "It was your grandmother's! Charming's mother!"

"What does it do?" Mulan asked while standing near Aurora, "Can it open a portal? Is it magical?"

Mary-Margret chuckled, clutching the locket "Oh, it's magical…"

"Mary-Margret!" Emma says sternly to her mother, "What does it do?" Mary-Margret's reverie broke and smiles sadly, "The necklace was blessed by a gypsy to tell the gender of your first child…" she whispers, "even before it is conceived."

"It—what?" Emma stares at her mother, "It can't get us home, can it? He gave me something…useless?" Her face distorts into disgust and anger, "How does this help us get home?"

"It doesn't" Snow said smiling, "Hook is telling us where they are going. They are heading to Lake Nostros."

Mulan and Aurora look at each other, confused. "Lake Nostros has long since dried up." Mulan announces, "Why would they be heading there?"

Snow looks up at Mulan beaming with hope "I don't know. The water in the lake had magical properties, perhaps there is still magic there."

"What kind of magical properties?" Emma asks as she takes the necklaces and places it into the pocket of her red leather jacket.

"The ability to heal any illness or curse," Snow smiles widely, "Charming—your father, saved Abigail—Kathryn's true love. His name is Fredrick, and he had turned into gold." Snow pauses, "It also saved me…"

Aurora, clutching her dirty purple gown, looked at her with hope, "From the sleeping curse?"

"No…no…" Snow shakes her head, "I had been cursed by King George—your grandfather, Emma." Snow reaches to grab Emma's hands. "Why would he curse you?" Emma asked with a demanding tone. "He was upset that your father chose me over King Midas' daughter." Snow smiles sadly, remembering the head she was at Lake Nostros with Charming, touching Emma's face, "...he gave a curse that left me barren, I was never to be able to have children."

"But, I'm here." Emma states as she pulls Snow's hand away from her face. "Yes, the water from the lake saved me…" Snow stares at Emma for a moment longer before clearing her throat, "We should head there, and fast."

"We don't even know how to get there!" Mulan says quickly, her hand resting on her sword as the group heads out of the old prison. "I do. This still is my kingdom." Snow smiles proudly, "We need to head east bound. It is only a few hours from here." Nobody argued with Snow as they began the track to the magical and ancient lake.

Crouching in the bushes that had not been affected by the loss of water, the four women watch as Cora and Hook walk around the dry sandy lakebed that is filled will skeletons.

"What are they doing here?" Aurora whispers, confused, her body leaning close to Mulan.

"I don't know…" Snow whispers back as she watches the two villains walk around the lakebed looking for something. Cora, who had been casually walking around the lakebed, knowingly, stops in the center of the bed, "Here," She calls for Hook.

She bends over, placing the dust of the enchanted wardrobe onto the sand before backing away. "Compass." She places her hand out to Hook, who places the objected in her leather-covered hand, "Good." She smirks, convinced she had won.

"Ah," Hook looks over toward Cora, "hate to break it to you, darling, but nothing is happening." His dark grey-blue eyes stare disenchant into her sparking, malevolent, sorrel eyes. She smiled at him, not answering his statement, and twirls her right wrist.

The earth beneath their feet tremble as a shot of water shoots up from where the enchanted dust had lain. She glances back at Hook, who is smirking. He finally is going to get his revenge on the crocodile.

The water begins to swirl, and swirl until it is a whirlpool in midair. The water changes from white to clear-sea blue and back, "No…" Emma growls as she yanks the sword from her mother's side, "She is not going to get to Henry." Emma jumps out and charges toward Cora with the intent of killing her.

"Emma!" Mary-Margret calls, as she follows her daughter out onto the lakebed, "Emma!" she calls again.

Cora, lazily, turns her body to face the mother and daughter couple. She smiles evilly and flicks her wrist. Emma and Mary-Margret get thrown back and crash onto their backs. Snow is the first to move, and she shifts onto her one knee and notches an arrow into her bow, "Cora, stop" She says calmly as she slowly stands up.

Cora laughs methodically, "Still trying, my dear, dear Snow White?" She holds the enchanted compass for Snow to see, "You have lost, my dear. Give up." Cora begins to walk to Snow, venom in her eyes, "I have to thank you" She continues to smile as she starts to circle Snow. "Had you not told me that my daughter, my lovely daughter had love that…pathetic stable boy, she would have never started this."

"You are a monster" Snow snarls and releases an arrow. Cora evaporates into a purple smoke before reappear behind Snow. "Now, now," Cora teases, "Is that necessary?" as she glares unendearing at Snow before flicking her wrist once more, sending her flying into the shrubbery.

"Didn't you mother tell you not to play with your food?", Aurora sneers as she holds a pouch that was originally attached to Cora, "There are more of us."

Cora snarls, and goes to flick her wrist to cast Aurora into the forest, but is tackled by Mulan. "RUN!" Mulan yells as she wrestles the sorcerer. Aurora flees toward the area that Snow had been flung.

"Well, love, I knew you would come back to me" Killian intensely smiles at Emma, his eyes never leaving hers. "Stop it, Hook." Emma raises her sword toward him. Killian hesitates, "Still don't trust me, love?" His eyes fill with hurt, "I got you here."

"No." Emma says sternly as she steps closer to him with the sword still raised, "I got here. I got here on my own." Killian smiles bitterly, "Just like how you got the compass. You did that on your own, pet?" He raises his arms, "With no help at all?" His fingers twitch which goes unnoticed by Emma, "How did you climb that bean stock? How did you get into the giant's castle? Hmm?" He steps back, "How did you know to come here?"

Emma glares at him, "I can't take a chance with Henry." She is taken by surprise when Hook draws his own sword, "Is this how it is going to be, love?" Hook queries.

"My name is Emma." She lunges towards him with her sword, which he easily blocks. He grins as he steps forward to attack her that she also blocks, "Come on, love, let's dance!" His eyes sparkled as they continued to spar with one another. A pause in the fight and Killian laughs, "Given up?" he smirks. Taken off-guard, Emma swings her fist which collides with Killian's face, knocking him unconscious, "No" Emma spats as she turns around to go back to the portal and leaves Killian Jones in the sand.

"Emma!"

"Emma!"

Emma turns around to see both Aurora and Snow running toward her. The left side of Snow's head has sticky crimson blood running down it. "Mary-Margret!" Emma gasps, "Are you okay!" Emma rushes to her and tries to inspect the wound.

"I'm okay. I have a plan…" Snow looks over Emma's shoulder, "No", Her eyes wide as the portal changes from white and clear blue to a dark, evil slytherin green and black. "Rumpel!" Snow screams, her eyes wide with fear, "WHAT DID YOU DO", all three women rush toward the portal that is seeping malicious intent from the inner core of it.

"Guys." Mulan snaps behind them, Cora being dragged behind her in chains. "How did you do that?" Emma stares at the glaring sorcerer, bewildered. Mulan stares seriously at them, "I took some of the chains from the prison. If they were able to help keep Rumpelstiltskin in, I figured they had enough magic to keep her at bay."

Mulan glances at Snow, "You are hurt." Her eyebrows furrow, "are you okay?" she asks with her voice full of concern.

Snow smiles, "Yes." Her smile turns into a frown and turns her head, "I don't know what happened to the portal."

Cora cackles, "Rumpel, oh dearest Rumpel." The women stare down at the evil witch, "What did he do?" Aurora snarls softly and glares at Cora.

She only cackles more, "Dark magic. No one is getting through that, alive, anyway." She smirks as she stares heavenly towards the portal. No one is getting though.

Mulan lunges to backhand her, but Snow stops her, "You are wrong…" Snow smiles at Cora, whose appearance has become disheveled to look more of a lost child, "True love is the strongest magic there is. Dark magic will not stop us." Cora smirks evilly up at them and goes to say something; however, Aurora lunges between Snow and Mulan and punches her in the face.

All three women gasp as Cora passes out onto the ground with blood rushing out of her nose and stare at Aurora, "Well," Aurora huffs, "That is revenge for poisoning me." She ruffles her dress and begins to walk away, "The portal is more important now."

Mulan, Emma, and Snow look at each other in shock before laughing at the strength and heart of the once sleeping beauty. They follow her. "How are we going to fix this portal?" Emma asks as they approach the swirling evil. "I don't know…" Snow sighs sadly.

Mulan angrily places her hand on her sword, "This was all for nothing?" she hisses, "You put Aurora in danger to get to a portal that is too dangerous to cross?"

"Oh, Mulan…" Snow sighs and turns towards her, "It is not all for nothing…"

"Mulan!" Aurora snaps, "Stop! I wanted to help!"

The three women fight as Emma walks over to the portal. "I have to get back to Henry…" She whispers into the portal, "Please, at any cost"

With no reason other then having a feeling, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out the necklace that had been stuffed there. Without any hesitation, Emma throws the necklace into the portal. Red sparks along with a hazy smoke rushes around and mixes with the portal. The feeling of evil is retreating. "Guys! The portal! It's opening up!" Emma calls to the others.

"GUYS!" Emma shouts again, never taking her eyes off the portal.

"What, Emma?" Mulan snaps and turns to face her. Her irritation turns quickly into hope, "It's opening…"

All three rush towards her, "Hurry, it's closing!" Emma yells, "You guys go first."

"Us?" Aurora looks shocked, "Us? We can come too?" her face tells all. Aurora is scared that Emma is lying and won't take them. "All of us." Snow smiles and grasps her hand and with her free hand, and with the other pulls out the compass. Aurora smiles tearfully at Mulan, "You will come as well?" and places out her hand for Mulan to grab.

Mulan looks at her, "Yes." And takes her hand.

"Let's go home" Snow smiles as tears of joy roll down her face and begins to walk into the swirling portal. Mulan, as she gets closer to the portal, grabs Emma's hand and pulls her into the portal with the rest.

"Ah, can't forget about me, love." Hooks voice rang out as his hand wrapped around Emma's shoulders, "Thanks for the ride." He winks at Mulan who has already walked into the portal.

"They made it…" Regina's voice cracked, "Where's Cora?" fear is evident in her face.

"Snow! Mom!" Henry rushes out of Regina's arms and onto Snow, who is the first one waking up. "Snow! You are all right! How did you guys make it through!"

Snow, weakly, sits up in a daze, "We made…it…" As reality rushes through her, "Where is James?" She stands up quickly. "Where is Charming!"

"Relax, dearie, he is fine." Rumpel says calmly as he stares at the remaining travelers, "Looks like you brought company."

Aurora is the next to wake up. "What…happened." She mumbles, "I feel like I have been…" her sentence trails off as she looks at Henry, "You…"

Henry smiles, "You must be Aurora, the girl from my nightmares!" Everyone who is awake, laughs, "I'm Henry!" He goes up to her and hugs her, "Thank you for helping get my mom and grandma home."

Aurora smiles and quickly turns to Mulan who is the third to awaken. "Mulan!" She rolls and gentle shakes her, "Are you okay?"

Mulan looks at her and grumbles, "Hook…he is here." Mulan tries to regain her surroundings as the dizziness of the transport holds her.

"Hook?" Snow snarls and looks down the line of bodies. She sees him hold Emma close to him, his hook arm around her shoulders and his good hand on her waist, holding her close to him.

"Hook!" She snarls again and moves to pull Emma away from him, "Emma. Emma." She says as she tries to pull her body away, "Emma, wake up. We are home, we are safe." When Emma's body is freed, Snow pulls her into her lap, "Emma?" Snow shakes her gently, "Emma? Wake up…wake up…" her voice cracks, "Please… please wake up!"

"Oh my…" Rumpel mumbles.

Snow glares angrily at Rumpel, hot tears following down her face, "What did you do?" She holds her daughter close. He does not answer. "Rumpelstiltskin, what did you do." Snow sobs as she shakes her daughter once more.

"Now, loves, I am awake there is no need—" Killian's sarcasm stops as he see's Emma's unmoving body. "What…did you do…" Killian glares at Rumpelstiltskin, his hand pulling into a first.

"Now, now, dearie." Rumpel says calmly, "She…" He hesitates, "she took in the evil…from the looks of it."

"What do you mean?" Snow and Killian ask together with bitter hate in their voices.

"Well, what is in her hand?" Rumpel points with his cane to her right hand, "She is clutching something."

Snow forces her daughter's hand open and gasps, "The necklace…" she gently pulls the necklace out. "Can…can you save my mom?" Henry cries from his position in Aurora's arms, "Mr Gold, can you save her?"

Rumpel looks down his face tight, almost in shame. "I cannot." Henry breaks down into sobs.

"What happened, Rumpelstiltskin" Snow speaks darkly as she rubs the necklaces between her thumb and forefinger, "What happened."

"Exactly what I said." Rumpel replied, "She took in the evil of the vortex to get everyone home. The moment the vortex close the evil rushed into her."

"But why is she holding the necklace, crocodile?" Hook snarls as he reaches for his sword.

Rumpel hesitated, "I am assuming this necklace has a past use. Do you know what it is?" Snow looked up at him, tears still raining down her face, "The necklace was blessed by a gypsy to tell the sex of an unborn child. It was Charming's mothers."

"Ah…" Rumpel looked down at the necklace.

"Can you save her?" Killian points his sword at Rumpel's neck.

"No." He replies, and Killian pushes his sword into his neck, "But you can."

"What?" Echo's in the forest as everyone stares at Rumpel and Hook. "What are you talking about, crocodile?" Killian hisses but lowers his sword.

Rumpel grins, "True love, dearie." He waves his cane around, "It is only the beginning of a blossoming love, but true love none the less."

"You…love…Emma?" Snow looks at him in disbelief, "but…you betrayed us…"

"No," Hook sighs, "I did not." He looks at Emma's body, "But before I forget…" He glares at Rumpel, "You might want to help a poor lass out." He tosses Rumpel his satchel, "I took Aurora's heart. She may want it back, don't you lass?"

Mulan glares at Hook, "You bastard" and goes to lunge at him.

"Mulan, stop." Aurora demands, "I let him."

"You what?" Both Mary-Margret and Mulan gasp, "Why?"

"He said he needed it to stay alive because Cora would have killed him." Aurora says quietly as she holds Henry close.

All three, Snow, Mulan, and Rumpel and dumbfounded at this news.

"May I?" Killian moves closer to Snow, who hesitantly lets him take the body of her only daughter.

"Dearies, I think we should give them some alone time. Come along." He points to Mulan and Aurora, "You are in need of a heart anyway." Rumpel pulls out the pulsating enchanted heart, "Aren't you?" He cackles slightly before walking back to Storybrooke with Mulan, Aurora, and Henry in tow.

"You really love her?" Snow asks as her tears dry up

Killian looks nervously at her and doesn't say a word. "I understand. I have to go wake my husband…" Snow hesitantly gets up, "Please…please bring her back to me." She walks away, looking back occasionally until the forest has covered them.

Killian Jones, the flirtatious pirate, who is not afraid of any man, woman, or beast could not calm his racing heart as he looked down on the woman whom he had just met days before. A woman who does not believe in true love, who has been abandoned by those around her, a woman who is scared and has issues with trusting those who come into her life. Killian Jones was afraid. Terrified, in fact, that this woman wouldn't believe him and wouldn't give him a chance to show her his love and devotion. But there is only one way to find out if she will try.

Killian gently brushed her blonde hair away from her face and stared at her closed eyes. "Emma, love, come back to me. Come back to us. Please." His lips touched hers and a light shined through his body. The whole forest shook with the glowing beam of light and incased the two newly found loves within it. All the noise in the forest stopped as Killian pulled away to look at Emma. One. Two…

Her body shot up gasping for air. Relief rushed through him, "Emma…" he whispered as he held her. "Hook…" Emma rasped, "Why—what… why are you holding me…what happened?"

"We thought…" Killian hesitated, "Do you remember what happened?" He stared into her confused smokey silvered blue eyes, "With the portal, do you remember, love?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, "Red. I remember red. And a darkness. And being cold…" She looked at him, concerned, "Did I die?" Killian chuckled, "No," he gentle pulled her hair out of her face, "You came back."

"You…" She looked down at his lips.

"True loves first kiss…" His stormy grey eyes looked at her passionately, tracing every inch of her pale face, to her soft pink lips, to her gorgeous cinnamon colored eyes, everything that could be taken in was.

"I-I-I" Emma hesitates.

"Shh, love" Killian presses a finger onto her mouth, "I know. We still have a lot to learn. I will not rush you, love."

"You saved me." Emma whispers and begins to smile. "I think…" she whispers, "that deserves a reward." Emma pressed her lips onto Killian's. Emma gasps as he bit gently on her lower lip and lets his tongue explore her mouth as they fight for dominates. Her hands curl into his hair gently tugging. Killian's hand slowly moved up the side over her body, feeling the curves until he felt her hair. Gently, he pulls her hair, causing Emma to open her soft pale neck to him. He leaves hot, wet kisses down her throat as Emma began to laugh and push back, "I think that is more than an enough of an award!"

Killian grins with a sparkling gleam in his eyes, "I like a challenge."

The end. How was it? I worked super hard to try to express the character's personalities. I truly hope I did not let my fellow shipmates down. I would appreciate if any or all of you would let me know how you liked it, honestly, and if there is something you did not like, tell me also. It could help improve my writing skills.