A/N: Emma finds Killian in the Underworld and he won't let Emma split her heart to save him. The dialogue largely inspired by the song "I'm Yours" by Alessia Cara. Written prior to season 5B.
"Emma I can't go back. There's no going back. You shouldn't have come." He was standing there telling her no. After everything, the battles they'd faced, the terrors from all of their pasts and demons no one could have imagined, he was telling her no. And somehow the only thing she could think to do was smile. It took everything in her not to laugh at how ridiculous this was. Of course she tracked him through the strange distortion of Storybrooke for him to challenge her. He wouldn't be the man she loved if he didn't.
"Give us a minute." Emma turned back to her family and though they were all surprised by the look on her face, they heeded her wishes, stepping out of the small building in which they had found him.
"You've got some nerve," she said looking at him with mirth in her eyes. He didn't expect it, it was throwing him off center and she watched as he shifted his weight, unsure how to proceed.
"Oh have I, love? I'm not the one who formed a coalition of people I love to save a pirate. What the hell were you thinking, Emma?"
"No, you're the idiot who came charging into my life, broke down my walls, gave me a taste of what it meant to no longer be lonely and then died. No, sorry, sacrificed yourself for me - for all of us. And you thought I was just going to let you stay in some purgatory for all eternity?!" She couldn't stop herself from yelling, and knew that the others outside could likely hear her but she didn't care.
"It's the way it has to be Emma. I'd do it again, to protect you. But protecting you came with a cost and the cost is that I need to stay."
"When has anything we've faced ever been that simple, Killian? Seriously, when have the good guys not won? When have we ever been truly backed into a corner when we had each other? We're not giving up now."
"I started a villain, Emma. All I've done hasn't made up for that." Emma shook her head as Killian looked away from her.
"I met your brother." That got his attention back, but he kept his eyes guarded.
"So he's here then?"
"Yeah. Charming guy, I can see that runs in the family. But you know what he told me?" She could tell that he did but wouldn't ask so she told him. "He said that you started as a good man, an honorable man. Despite horrible circumstances you remained good. Yeah, you strayed from that. You did bad things, I get that. I'm not going into this blind, you have a past and so do I. We're more than our past. We could have a future together."
"You will have a lovely future, Swan. But it can't include me." She slapped him. Not overly hard or anything but he was clearly surprised at the outburst.
"Killian Jones you made me love you, now I'm making you come home." His eyes flashed with emotion. There was the man he loved, brimming beneath the hardened exterior. She saw him and she would never let go.
"You'll move on, Emma. You'll find someone else."
"You're so full of shit! I don't want anyone else, ever. How else do I have to tell you that? You're it for me. The only man I trust enough to love fully. I'm not moving on. You will not make me. Now let's go." She tugged at his hand but he still resisted.
"Emma, I can't let you give up half of your heart, love. I can't take the risk of losing you." His tone now was desperate and she knew he was fighting for her safety and though touching, it was still stupid and she wouldn't allow it. She pulled him down by the collar, crushing his lips in a passionate kiss. A kiss she'd been waiting for and dreaming of for weeks. If only he wasn't such a strong headed fool and would follow her lead this one time they could be home doing more than this. She pulled back and forced him to look at her.
"I already lost you. Don't you get that? I've been in Storybrooke falling apart, knowing that my heart was crushed, was gone. I had Henry and my parents but I needed you. I will always need you. And I'm not scared of this not working because this is true love." She traced along his jaw with her fingers and watched him struggling to understand.
"But-" She put her finger to his lips.
"You're going to tell me that True Love's Kiss hasn't worked for us. I know, I'm not an idiot. But it will. I promise you I have never been more certain of anything in my life. And when it does, we can go home. We can have the happy ending. I'm willing to fight for it everyday but I need you by my side. Please, Killian, fight with me." She watched his face for any sign that he was willing and then he was kissing her again and she moaned into his mouth, opening to him.
They stayed like that, kissing and trying to remind each other what it felt like to really be alive but they were running out of time. This would have to wait. They had to get home, and they had a heart to split before doing so.
"Okay, Swan. Tell me what you need me to do."
…
Some nerve you have
To break up my lonely
And you tell me you want me
How dare you march into my heart
Oh how rude of you
To ruin my miserable
And tell me I'm beautiful
Cause I wasn't looking for love no
Nobody asked you to get me attached to you
In fact you tricked me
And I wasn't trying to fall in love but boy you pushed me
So all that I'm asking
Is that you handle me with caution
Cause I don't give myself often
But I guess I'll try today
Cause I've had my heart
Broken before
And I promised I would never let me hurt anymore
But I tore down my walls
And opened my doors
And made room for one
So baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
I'm mad at you
For being so cute
And changing my mind
And altering my rude
What's wrong with you
You make me sick for being so perfect
What did I do
What can I do
And I wasn't trying
To melt this heart of iron
But the way you hold me makes the old me pass away
And I would be lying
If I said I wasn't scared to fall again
But if you promise me you'll catch me
Then it's okay
Cause I've had my heart
Broken before
And I promised I would never let me hurt anymore
But I tore down my walls
And opened my doors
And made room for one
So baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
But I tore down my walls
And opened my doors
And made room for one
So baby I'm yours
Oh I hate that I
Spend my days just wasting time day dreaming til I see you again
I'm not used to this
Oh I used to be so used to boys just using me
For you to be you to me
Feels new to me
Cause I usually cheer for the bad side
Love under a bad sign
So it makes me mad I'm
Falling again
Falling again
But I tore down my walls
And opened my doors
And made room for one
So baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours
But I tore down my walls
And opened my doors
And made room for one
So baby I'm yours
Oh baby I'm yours